19 Jan 2010

RI PT IO N BS C SU THE LEADING INDEPENDENT DAILY IN THE ARABIAN GULF

40 PAGES

TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2010

SAFAR 4, 1431 AH

‘Avatar’ wins top honors at Golden Globes

Kabul ‘under control’ after brazen Taleban assault

World leaders renew call for ‘clean energy’

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conspiracy theories

By Badrya Darwish

NO: 14614

150 FILS

Sharapova becomes Open’s first major casualty PAGE 19

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Journalists slam new press curbs KJA rejects govt move to restrict media freedoms

This column has been removed in compliance with the proposed ‘improvements’ to the Press and Publication Law.

This is part of Kuwait Times’ campaign against the proposed amendments

KUWAIT: Kuwaiti journalists yesterday blasted a state plan for tougher punishment of press offences, and urged the National Assembly to reject amendments to existing laws. Newspaper and television editors met and agreed to boycott lawmakers who back the amendments, said a statement from the Kuwait Jour nalists Association. “We urged MPs to reject the government plan to amend the press law,” the statement said.

Faisal Al-Qenai, who heads the association, said the gover nment move was an attempt to curb media freedoms.

Infor mation Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah AlSabah told newspaper editors late Sunday of plans to amend the press and publications law, and the so-called audio-visual law that controls private television stations. Sheikh Ahmad, who is also oil minister, said the amendments would stipulate penalties between one and two years for offenders who insult God. Publishing without an official licence would be punishable with a fine of up to $175,000, instead of the $3,500 under the existing law.

He said that broadcasting without a television licence would be punishable by a two-year jail term, instead of fines stipulated under current laws. The amendments must be approved by the cabinet before they go to parliament for debate.

Kuwaiti officials have in the past few weeks accused some local media of fueling political and social tensions and called for tougher penalties to curb violators.

Media in the state enjoy considerable freedoms and have been aggressive in criticising top government officials, including the prime minister.

Under the current law, no journalist can be jailed or a newspaper closed without a final court verdict. —AFP

Turk who shot pope released from prison ANKARA: The Turk who shot Pope John Paul II in 1981 was released from prison yesterday after more than 29 years behind bars and proclaimed that he was a messenger of God and that the world will end in this century. Mehmet Ali Agca, 52, waved to jour-

nalists as he left the prison in a convoy of several vehicles.

Turkish authorities plan to monitor him closely because of long-standing questions about his mental health.

Agca’s hair was gray and he wore a blue sweatshirt.

Continued on Page 14

Kuwait Journalists Association, editors-in-chief of daily newspapers and directors of satellite channels emphasize after the meeting held at the invitation of KJA on Monday, Jan 18, 2010, their commitment to the articles of Kuwait constitution that guarantee the freedom of opinion and expression and reject any attempts to shrink liberties and the practice of journalism and various media for its role and mission in an atmosphere of responsible freedom.

KJA and editors-in-chief followed with great worry what has been said about the government’s intentions to present a proposal to amend some articles of the audiovisual and the press laws including more harsh punishments that form a negative and influential restrictive aspect over the freedom of the press which reflects on its role and renders it void of its content as effective and free journalism and a tool of the democratic practice in which we are proud in front of the world, especially that Kuwait has a prestigious status in the field of observing journalism freedom at the world and Middle East level, in which we were first during the last years.

KJA, editors-in-chief, chairmen and directors of satellite channels declare their rejection of any proposed amendments to the law that lead to imposing stricter punishments under any justification and ask the government to retract its proposal.

They also ask National Assembly members not to approve the amendments should the government insists on submitting them, as the current press law articles are enough and even strict against any violation of the law or misuse of the afforded freedom.

As we insist on the necessity of practicing responsible freedom in all forms of media, we also point that it is wrong to deal with freedom issues by the reactionary method against any individual behavior that may come from any person or unlicensed media tool, that can be met with the implementation of the rules and law. So, those in the meeting underscore the guaranteed constitutional rights of journalism and media and declared guarantees to practice journalism and the right of expression and their rejection of any attempt to restrict freedoms.

Veteran journalist Marzouq dies at 52 KUWAIT: Head of the Kuwait Journalists Association (KJA) Faisal Al-Qenai (center), KJA chairman Ahmed Behbehani (left) and KJA member Abdulhamid Al-Daas hold a press conference at the association’s headquarters yesterday.

— Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat (See Page 3)

Iran vows revenge on Israel for prof’s death Opposition urges protests on Feb 11 TEHRAN: Iran vowed yesterday to take revenge on Israel and the United States for the slaying last week of a physics professor in a mysterious bomb attack, the official news agency reported. Iranian officials have blamed the bombing on an exiled opposition group known as the People’s Mujahedeen, accusing it of acting on behalf of Israel and the US. The armed opposition group and Washington have denied involvement, while Israel has not

commented.

A week af ter Masoud Ali Mohammadi’s death, it remains unclear why the 50-year-old Tehran University professor would have been a target for assassins who left a bomb-rigged motorcycle outside his home on Jan. 12. Ali Mohammadi had no prominent political voice, no published work with military relevance and no declared links to Iran’s nuclear program, though his work included some

aspects of nuclear theory.

“Rest assured that Iran will take revenge for the blood of martyr Ali Mohammadi from you,” Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar said, addressing Israel and the US. “Such a blind move, which is the result of acts by the Mossad, the CIA and enemies of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s system, shows their weakness,” Najjar said. His comments were reported by the Continued on Page 14

Haiti fears grow despite relief effort

ANKARA: Mehmet Ali Agca, who shot Pope JohnPaul II in Rome in 1981, arrives at a hotel after he was released from prison yesterday. — AP

Statement from KJA

PORT-AU-PRINCE: Haiti relief efforts stepped up a gear yesterday with the arrival of thousands more US Marines, while doctors and aid workers struggled to save lives and stave off disease six days after the quake. Despite the massive international effort spearheaded by the United States, security fears grew as television pictures showed troops in combat gear firing off rounds and hauling looters to the ground in the capital Port-au-Prince.

The Red Cross warned that violence by desperate Haitians was growing, although Lieutenant-General Ken Keen, the top US officer on the ground, insisted: “The level of violence we see now is below pre-earthquake levels.” A government minister said 70,000 bodies had already been collected and officials have expressed fears the death toll may top 200,000. UN agencies said field hospitals and food distribution had multiplied in and around the capital, where the Continued on Page 14

KUWAIT: The former editorin-chief of Al-Anbaa daily Waleed Khaled Yousif AlMarzouq passed away Sunday aged 52. Al-Marzouq was AlAnbaa’s editor-in-chief from 1990 to 1995, during which Al-Anbaa fought the Iraqi aggression on Kuwait by continuing to operate from Cairo to voice Kuwait’s demands and rightful rights to the whole world. It was a period when Al-Marzouq set an example in defending Kuwait’s cause in the articles he wrote.

Throughout his career, AlMarzouq also established many Kuwaiti companies in various commercial and economic fields and helped them

Waleed Al-Marzouq develop by assuming leading positions in some of them such as Kuwait House for Publishing (Al-Anbaa), Kuwait Real Estate Co, Warba Insurance Co, Kuwait Pearl Real Estate Co, Nouf Real Estate Co and others.

MPs blast govt’s actions on Uraifi Mislem files defamation lawsuits

By B Izzak KUWAIT: The issue of banning the entry of Saudi cleric Mohammad Abdulrahman AlUraifi to Kuwait continued to dominate the political scene yesterday with more conflicting reports on the government’s decision.

After announcing that the government has revoked its decision and allowed Uraifi to enter Kuwait, Islamist MPs

later said they received information that the interior minister has reimposed the ban.

Uraifi was reportedly banned from entering Kuwait after he criticized in a Friday sermon Shiites’ most respected cleric Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani and blasted the Houthi Shiites who are fighting against Yemen and Saudi forces.

Islamist MP Jamaan AlHarbash strongly criticized Continued on Page 14

NBK plans capital hike for expansion

PORT-AU-PRINCE: Members of the Los Angeles County Fire Department Search and Rescue Team rescue a Haitian woman from a collapsed building in downtown Port-au-Prince on Sunday. — AP

KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK), the country’s biggest lender, said it planned to raise its capital by 10 percent through a rights issue by the end of the year to fund expansion. The OPEC member’s oldest bank, which has 69 branches in Kuwait, said in 2009 it would scale back its foreign expansion. Instead, it focused on boosting its sharia-compliant business by raising its stake in Kuwaiti Islamic lender Boubyan Bank. NBK’s shares fell as much as 3.6 percent. “NBK’s

move is intended to support the bank’s strategic expansion plans which succeeded lately in acquiring 40 percent of Boubyan Bank,” NBK said in statement released yesterday.

The bank said it would hold a rights issue, at a price of 500 fils per share including premium. NBK will raise its capital

by KD 29.73 million ($103.8 million), to about KD 327.08 million, according to Reuters calculations. Its current capital is KD 297.35 million.

Continued on Page 14

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NATIONAL

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Two investment projects

Kuwait, Kazakhstan sign agreement

By Ben Garcia

Meeting of India-Kuwait Joint Working Group on Labour Employment and Manpower Development.

KUWAIT: As part of a growing business interest in foreign countries, Kuwait has recently signed two investment projects with Kazakhstan, disclosed Abdulwahab Al-Wazzan, Honorary Deputy Treasurer Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI). He met with members of Kazakhstan economic delegation yesterday at its headquarters in Kuwait City. The two sides agreed to carry out projects in Astana-the capital city of Kazakhstan.

He said that they were necessary to develop trade and economic cooperation which was on a ‘record low.’

“Politically speaking, our bilateral relations have been really great, but in

terms of economic relations, we have poor, limited access,” Al-Wazzan mentioned. “We want to enhance our cooperation and it means that we both need to work hard toward developing it,” he said.

Al-Wazzan suggested that exhibitions and presentations be arranged more often in order to be able to inform members about products and services, and at the same time promote and enlighten the business community here. “Investment regulations should be explained to us and our members,” he said.

The delegation was headed by Kazakhstan Deputy Executive Secretary-Ministry of Finance Natalya Korzhova. A meeting had been scheduled to be held between her and KCCI

officials. However, as she could not be present at the meeting, Sofia, a member of the Kazakh’s delegation acted on her behalf. In her speech, she thanked Kuwaiti officials for the warm reception accorded to the Kazakh delegation.

She noted that during their stay in Kuwait, the delegation had met with several government and agency officials where several issues of concern were discussed including means of enhancing cooperation in the area of trade and investment.

She also drew attention to the meeting held with officials from the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) and Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA). The Kazakh delegation included representatives from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral

Resources, Ministry of Transport and Communications, Ministry of Environment, Investments Committee of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, KazAgro Holding, SamrukKazyna National Welfare Fund and heads of a number of commercial banks.

A ten-year plan to improve roads, railways, ports and airports was also unveiled. “Some of the projects were already being implemented with the help of government budgets. Some international financial institutions are also contributing, but some private credit partnership also exist. We have initiated many projects to enhance our country’s potentials. We need your support and cooperation to carry out large-scale projects,” the presenter said.

Details emerge over police station raid Undersecretary Al-Kandari, Ambassador Ajai Malhotra and others.

India-Kuwait working group’s second meeting held KUWAIT: The Second Meeting of the IndiaKuwait Joint Working Group on Labor, Employment and Manpower Development, was held here from 13 to 14 January. The Kuwaiti delegation to the talks was led by Mohammed AlKandari, Undersecretary, Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor and included high-ranking officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Interior, and Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor. The Indian team was led by Ajai Malhotra, Ambassador of India to Kuwait, and included Anil Trigunayat, Joint Secretary (Gulf) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Ranbir Singh, Protector General of Emigrants, Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, K. Narsing Rao,

Counselor (Labor) in the Embassy, and M K Pandey, Under Secretary, Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs. The extensive and in-depth deliberations in the Working Group took place in the warm and friendly atmosphere that has traditionally characterized interaction between India and Kuwait. Subjects discussed included various aspects of safeguarding the interests of Indian workers in Kuwait and regulating recruitment from India in a legal and orderly way so as to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in labor, employment and manpower development. It was also agreed that the next meeting of the Joint Working Group would be held in New Delhi in November 2010.

40,000 court orders in limbo KUWAIT: Over 40,000 court orders passed down by Kuwaiti courts have yet to be implemented, according to legal experts.

A number of legal figures have complained that subpoenas included in these court decisions are still pending, with prosecutors claiming that

they regularly find themselves forced to do work that should be carried out by investigators.

One prosecutor cited an example of an incident in which police had to ask prosecutors for a fugitive’s location so that they could arrest him, reported Al-Qabas.

Attorney General Hamed

Al-Othman said that while the situation is extremely serious, a number of steps have been taken to reduce the incidence of failure in implementing court sentences. Among these, he said, were the referral of a number of senior officials for investigation, while others were relieved of their duties.

KUWAIT: New details are emerging over the recent controversial incident at Naeem police station when a group of young bedoon (stateless) men reportedly stormed the building in order to launch a brutal attack on a man being held there.

Police insiders claim that the young men involved in the attack all have previous criminal records, while the assault was apparently launched over an argument over drugs between the gang members and the man being held. It has also been alleged that another reason behind the assault was a fight over the affections of a third man between the gang leader and the man being detained at the police station, reported Al-Watan.

The incident has reportedly come as a wake-up call to Kuwait’s security services, prompting officials to reconsider the security strategies in place in Jahra’s police stations, especially in light of the high crime levels in the governorate. While the incident itself is considered a one-off, officials are concerned that it may have exposed weaknesses in the security at local police stations, which lawbreakers might use to carry out more serious offences.

Meanwhile, police are reportedly seeking the third gay man, who the gang leader and the detainee were allegedly fighting over, for questioning.

Speaker receives eminent Iraqi, Iranian visitors KUWAIT: National Assembly Speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi yesterday received prominent Iraqi scholar Mohammad Baher-AlUloum, who is currently visiting Kuwait, along with his accompanying delegation. A press release issued following the visit revealed that during the meeting Al-Khorafi affirmed Kuwait’s keenness to ensure the security and stability of Iraq “because they are necessary for the stability of the region,” adding, “It’s our responsibility to be cautious of some irresponsible statements targeting the relationship between the two brotherly countries.” Al-Uloum said that the Iraqi people appreciate Kuwait’s support, noting that the neighboring country’s humane position “touches their hearts.”

The discussions between the speaker and the eminent Iraqi figure dealt with developments in the regional and international arenas and means of boosting

relations between the two brotherly states.

Other visitors received by the NA Speaker yesterday included the visiting Governor of Iraq’s Basra province Dr. Shaltagh Al-Myah, along with his accompanying delegation.

Discussions during the meeting, which was attended by the Governor of Ahmadi Sheikh Dr. Ibrahim Al-Duaij Al-Sabah, dealt with means of promoting bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries.

Separately, the speaker also received the Iranian Ambassador to Kuwait, Ali Jannati, with the talks focusing on bilateral relations between the two friendly states.

Al-Khorafi also received Faisal Al-Qinae, who presented the speaker with a calendar featuring national martyr Sheikh Fahad Al-Ahmad AlSabah. — KUNA

Interior minister swears in new graduates KUWAIT: Interior minister Lt General (Retd.)

Sheikh Jaber Khalid Al-Sabah yesterday received twelve Kuwaiti graduates, nine of whom graduated from Dubai Academy and three of whom graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University in the USA, with the latter majoring in Criminal Evidence Analysis.

The reception was attended by Acting Ministry of Interior Undersecretary Lt General Ghazi Al-Omar, Director General of Saad Al-Abdullah Academy Major General Fahad Al-Sharqawi and other high ranking officials.

The graduates were sworn in, and the graduates were appointed as Lieutenants.

Appeals Court upholds lower court ruling to dissolve Al-Qadisiya Club KUWAIT: The Appeals Court upheld an earlier ruling by the Court of First Instance in favor of the decision made by Public Authority for Youth and Sports (PAYS) to dissolve Al-Qadisiya sports club.

It also upheld a previous verdict which ordered that the decree passed by PAYS Chairman Maj Gen (retd) Faisal Al-Jazzaf, to set up an ad-hoc committee on Nov 14, 2009, be canceled.

The court also upheld a ruling to cancel a PAYS decision issued on Nov 13, 2009 to disregard the

appointment of a temporary board for the club.

The PAYS held a meeting on Dec 15, 2009 and had issued new decisions to appoint temporary committees for the ten clubs that were dissolved, including Al-Qadisiya club.

Based on the above mentioned decisions, letters referred by the appointed committees to the interim committee at the Kuwait Football Association on Nov 15, 2009 will be considered null and void.

Meanwhile, the Acting

Director General of the Public Authority for Youth and Sports (PAYS) Jassem Yaacoub affirmed yesterday that the judicial authority is ‘the safe authority’ that can resolve problems in the national sports sector.

He indicated that the judicial ruling should not be viewed in favor of one party against another, affirming the urgent need to “lead the sports movement in the country far from all issues that obstruct it.” He also called for resolving differences in the field.

Special force KUWAIT: The Parliamentary Interior and Defense Affairs Committee held a meeting in the presence of representatives from the Ministry of Interior and Defense, reported Al-Rai. MP Shuaib Al-Muwaizri, committee reporter, announced that the committee discussed how to best protect Kuwait’s oil facilities.

NATIONAL

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

3

Press freedom in peril ms

KUWAIT: The media has heaped criticism on the proposed amendments to the 2006 Press and Publications Law and the audiovisual bill. The proposed changes were discussed during a meeting held between the Minister of Interior, editors-in-chief of local newspapers and representatives of the Kuwait Journalist Association on Sunday. Following the meeting, there was media consensus that the amendments shackle the freedom of speech and muzzle the media’s voice.

According to the proposed amendments, blogs will be put under stricter control and there will be a higher fine imposed for blasphemy, disrupting national unity, writing against a “friendly nation”.

The monetary fine could amount to as much as KD 200,000 and the journalist could be sentenced for up to two years.

The proposals came forth after a local Arabic channel aired material

that caused a stir in the social cohesion by reportedly assaulting tribes - an act that could be interpreted as causing hatred. The current law prohibits the publication of any material that attacks religious groups or incites persons to commit crimes, creates hatred, or spreads news flow that could affect national unity. The current penalties are a monetary fine of up to KD 20,000 and up to one year imprisonment.

The proposed amendments, however, journalists argued are short of dealing with the distressed state of the media post-1999.

According to Hussain Abdulrahman, a journalist from the Arabic daily Al-Qabas, after the change made to the Press and Publications Law in 2006 that allowed the mushrooming of media outlets, the situation took a turn for the worse. Likening newspapers to supermarkets, Abdulrahman provides his take on the proposed changes in the following manner: The problem in the media news speak are not the jour-

do

By Velina Nacheva

Press

e fre

Government

(Drawing by Abdul Wahab Al-Awadhi)

Al-Qabas

Proposed amendments to the press law criticized nalists but the glut of columnists.

“Some newspapers have an average of over 250 columnists,” he said elaborating that they often lack professional expertise and cannot differentiate between accusations and opinion and their columns do not bring in “any information”. “This causes damage to our democracy,” he said.

Mohamed Abdulkader AlJassem, a columnist and a former editor-in-chief of Al-Watan newspaper, shares a similar opinion but relates the changes to a natural progression springing from the newspaper’s self-censorship practice. “The newspapers in Kuwait have willingly become an easy target by being too soft with the government and accepting a great deal of self-censorship,” said Al-Jassem. He opined that the government proposals for a change to the press law “do not come as a surprise”.

Journalists in unison expressed skepticism about the passing of the amendments in Parliament. Al-Jaseem

argued that the government might review the proposed changes.

Calling the amendments “a chain to the press,” Saleh Bahman, Managing Editor of Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) said that the proposed changes to the Press and Publications Law indicate a regress to the freedom of the press. “I am against these changes and I hope that these changes do not get voted because all of the proposed amendments are a poor job,” Bahman said.

Yesterday’s media landscape resembled a similar cry for dropping the proposed amendments. Calling the amendments “a limit to the liberties of Kuwaiti society” an Al-Qabas columnist argued that this move was a blow that aims to “subject private media to the complete supervision of authorities.” Another editorial argued that if approved, the amendments will be “a true threat to the existence of press and media freedom.” The editorial said, “These amendments will suffocate the media and render dead all of its forms starting with newspapers and going across to the radio and TV.”

List of government-proposed amendments to Audio-Visual Law KUWAIT: As reported by Al-Qabas, a bill proposed by the government contain the following amendments to the current audio-visual law:

Al-Qabas

Press freedom amendments in detail KUWAIT: The proposed amendments to the current audiovisual legislation include the following: •Chapter One: Printed matter. The last paragraph of Article 3 in the current legislation is to be amended by allowing non-Kuwaiti partners part-ownership of media businesses, provided that the share owned by the Kuwaiti partner is no less than 51 percent. This will cover all publication issues, including printing, publication, selling and leasing materials for publication, distribution, translation, advertising and technical production.

•Chapter Two: Newspaper licensing. Article 18 of the current legislation is to be amended, allowing government bodies and non-profit organizations and others to apply for licenses to issue newspapers and periodicals with the approval of the concerned minister.

•Chapter Three: Proscribed materials. Article 20 of the current legislation has been amended, with the addition of the word ‘doing.’ The article now reads: “It is forbidden to criticize the personality of the Amir, and it is not allowed to report anything about what he is saying or doing without permission from the Amiri Diwan.”

state, or affects the social or political system in Kuwait, the penalty will be imprisonment for a period not exceeding two years and a fine of no less than KD 50,000 and no more than KD 100,000 or by one of these penalties, without affecting any greater penalty stated by another law, while the printed matter will be confiscated by all means possible.”

Meanwhile, penalties will be increased for any of the following infringements, reported Al-Qabas:

1. If a newspaper publishes any matter banned under Article 19, imprisonment of a period not exceeding two years and a fine of no less than KD 100,000 and no more than KD 200,000 or one of these two penalties.

Article 1: The bill proposes adding broadcasts through cell phone services, such as text messaging (SMS), to the list of media tools which should be included in the audio-visual law.

Additionally, the bill proposes adding two new clauses to the article. These additions would recognize institutions that produce art and the licenses of broadcasting services as subjected to the audio-visual law.

ism. Amendments to Clause 13 include penalties against media sources for damaging the relations between Kuwait and any friendly states. If passed, an alteration on clause 15 of this article would ban insulting or disrespecting members of the Parliament or the Cabinet. Amendments to this article would also require production companies to seek the MoI’s approval before importing broadcasting equip-

Article 13: Several amendments are proposed to this article, including one to add individuals interviewed among those responsible for offending broadcasts. An amendment is proposed to Clause 1 of this article, increasing penalties against those found in violation of these laws. Maximum prison sentences would be increased from one year to two years. Fines between KD 1,000-20,000 would be increased to KD

clauses to the article are proposed in the bill, one placing penalties such as a maximum one year prison sentences and fines between KD 20,000-50,000 against institutes that produce art found violating the law. Another of the new clauses would fine companies between KD 20,000-50,000 for importing equipment without first obtaining a license from the MoI. The third clause would authorize the MoI to shut down any

Government amendments destroy the press

Article 4: The proposed legislation suggests having the vice president represent a TV channel in case of the general manager’s absence.

Article 8: The bill proposes ensuring that no new TV channel have a name or logo matching a preexisting channel. An amendment to Clause 4 of the article obliges a channel to obtain the Ministry of Information’s (MoI) approval before changing their name or logo. The bill also proposes adding two clauses requiring a channel to consult the MoI before updating or changing the information on a channels license.

Failure to do so would result in the cancelling of that license.

Article 11: The bill proposes altering Clause 11 of this article in order to restrict the media from damaging national unity or increasing sectarian-

(Drawing by Abdul Wahab Al-Awadhi)

ment.

Article 12: The bill includes an escalation of penalties against those who broadcast without a license.

Current punishments include a maximum one year jail term and a fine between KD 1,000-5,000. If passed, violators could face to maximum 2years prison sentence and a fine between KD 50,000-100,000.

100,000 - 200,000. An amendment to Clause 2 suggests adding penalties against those who violate the Clauses 3, 4, 5 and 15 of Article 11. The penalties for violating these clauses, also outlined in the bill, would include a maximum two year prison sentence and a fine between KD 50,000-100,000.

Furthermore, amendments to this article propose an increase of penalties against those found violating the law to between KD 20,000-50,000. Three new

Al-Qabas

production firm found in violation of regulations.

Article 19: Amendments to this article include bans against insulting God, the holy prophets, the companions or the wives and family members of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) in any shape or form.

Article 20: Proposed amendments to this article would strictly ban any

form of criticism against HH the Amir or referring to any of his actions without written consent signed by the Amiri Diwan.

Article 21: The proposed amendments to this article ban the publication of any material that could cause the following consequences: i. Insulting or disrespecting the Constitution. ii. Insulting or disrespecting judges, prosecutors, or any part of the judicial system, or exposing classified material considered confidential by courts. iii. Publishing of immoral material, or material that encourages people to violate the law or commit crimes. iv. Publishing secret or official communications or treaties signed by the Kuwaiti government without permission from the respective ministry. v. Publishing material that is damaging to the national currency or economy, or publishing news regarding the bankruptcy of firms unless with a license from the court. vi. Revealing the details of documents deemed confidential by the constitution or regulations. vii. Insulting individuals lives and religious beliefs, exposing their financial status, or calling for hatred against a community of the society. viii. Insulting public officers or attributing incorrect statements to them. ix. Damaging Kuwait’s relations with friendly countries. x. Deviation from the specificity for which a media outlet is licensed.

2. If a newspaper publishes any of the matter banned under Items 1, 2, 11 or 12 included in Article 21 of the legislation, this can be penalized by imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year and a find of no less than KD 50,000 and no more than KD 100,000 or by one of these two penalties.

3. If a newspaper publishes any material banned under Items 3-10 of Article 21, it will incur a fine of no less than KD 20,000 and no more than KD 50,000.

•Article 21 Paragraph 9, meanwhile, has been amended, with the words “if that happens through media campaigns” removed, so that it now states that it is forbidden “to hurt relations between the state of Kuwait and other Arab states or friendly states.”

Meanwhile, a new sentence has been introduced into Article 21, outlawing the “insulting, abuse or defamation of National Assembly council members or Council of Ministers.”

4. In the case of the publication of a newspaper published without first obtaining the required license, violating Article 9 of the legislation, the offending party will be imprisoned for a period not exceeding one year and a fine of no less than KD 50,000 and no more than KD 100,000.

•In Article 26, penalties for certain violations listed in Chapter One have been increased. “Everyone who violates the rules in Chapter One of this legislation will be penalized by imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year and a fine of no less than KD 20,000 and no more than KD 50,000, or by one of those two penalties. If the printed matter includes anything that contradicts national interests or serves a foreign entity or foreign

6. A newspaper publishing

5.

For any violation of the clauses contained in Chapter Two, there will be a fine of no less than KD 20,000 and no more than KD 50,000. any material banned under Article 22 of the current legislation which lays out the rules and conditions for accepting advertisements or classified ads will be subject to a fine of no less than KD 10,000 and no more than KD 50,000.

Meanwhile, under Article 30 of the legislation, the words “state of Kuwait” will be changed to simply “Kuwait” wherever the state’s name is mentioned in the legislation.

Audio-visual amendments ‘could kill Kuwaiti media,’ warns paper KUWAIT: Media across Kuwait have been protesting against the stringent amendments to the audio-visual law proposed by the Ministry of Information and recently approved by the cabinet.

The amendments have now been submitted to the Council of Ministers, which in turn has referred them to its legal committee to examine them as quickly as possible and submit them to the National Assembly for urgent consideration.

If approved, the amendments represent a serious threat not only to Kuwait’s media freedom, but to the existence of the press itself, according to many local experts. Local daily Al-Qabas warned that the amendments will suffocate the Kuwaiti media and kill off the country’s media outlets, from the newspapers themselves all the way to radio and TV broadcasts and even SMS text messages.

Among the penalties included in the newly amended legislation would be the introduction of four new penalties incurring the incarceration of the writer, editor or Editor-in-Chief responsible for the appearance of certain statements in any media format, along with two others carrying a two-year jail sentence for offenders. Financial penalties for transgressors of the amended legislation could be as high as KD 10 million, meanwhile, while other fines would vary between KD 20,000 and KD 50,000, on top of a prison sentence for the offending author, editor or Editor-in-Chief.

Al-Qabas further reported that Clause 11a of the new law would impose censorship, with the penalties punishing everyone from editors to writers and even ordinary media staff were intended to scare everyone working at media organizations, from the top to the bottom, into silence.

Other amendments include harsher penalties for insulting divine entities, as well as prophets and prophets’ companions and family members, with fines ranging from a minimum of KD 5,000 to KD 20,000 or one year in jail, rising to a maximum of KD 200,000.

Other amendments to the audio-visual legislation include more stringent penalties for inciting sectarian strife, as well as pre-censorship of show business channels, which constitute a possible violation of the Kuwaiti constitution, according to constitutional expert Dr. Mohammed Al-Faili.

Government amendments obstructing press freedom KUWAIT: While it is unarguable that there are flawed media practices and that some media figures misuse their freedom in an irresponsible manner, any amendments to the audio-visual law should be guaranteed to protect media freedom while encouraging more responsibility, stated Al-Rai yesterday.

Government policy regarding this issue, however, has not shown any such aims, with the “anti-terror” policy and the imposition of exaggerated fines for imaginary transgressions doing nothing but creating a black spot on the Kuwaiti media’s forehead.

It seems to be a concerted assault by the government against every media person in Kuwait and an attempt to incur their hatred.

What kind of government is this?!

Meanwhile, where is the engineer of this anti-media policy Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah,

who seems intent on attacking the country’s media at every point. If I appear unsurprised by this latest direct attack on media personnel, this is because it displays our minister’s customary kind and loving attitude towards the media.

It is not enough, it seems, that our journalist colleagues were detained during a recent vital parliamentary session, with the minister’s happiness with their detention apparently suggesting his belief that they deserved this treatment. Indeed, on that occasion it took the intervention of NA Speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi to liberate the journalists and apologize for the irresponsible behavior of the parliamentary security staff.

We in the media certainly have the right to call for the appointment of a responsible and mediaqualified minister in order to offer government support to the media.

Lawyers slam audio-visual law amendments KUWAIT: Kuwait is a democratic country in which the constitution has protected the law enforcement process, the justice of the judicial system, and the separation of its authorities, according to local legal experts.

In addition, the constitution has also protected people’s rights of opinion and expression.

Local daily Al-Qabas spoke with several leading legal authorities about the proposed amendments to Kuwait’s audio-visual law, which have caused controversy across the Kuwaiti media.

One expert, lawyer Ali Al-Bughaili

said that silencing of views was the principal purpose behind the amendments, saying that the introduction of stringent penalties will force all those in the media to avoid mentioning any of the individuals or issues protected under the new legislation.

Al-Bughaili asserted that the new amendments entitled cabinet members and MPs to a form of immunity which not even the constitution had given them. He also slammed the massive fines proposed for certain violations under the amendments, saying that these were an unprecedented development.

kuwait digest

Elimination of the MOI is the solution n his Al-Qabas column Sunday, Abdul Latif AlDuaij wrote on the intentions of anti-freedom activists to further limit the liberties of Kuwaiti society. He wrote that these campaigners have ‘successfully recruited Abdullah Al-Naibari and Khalid AlFadhala in their attempt to shut down media firms. They are now pushing to recruit MPs Saleh Al-Mullah and Marzouq Al-Ghanem to further subject private media to the complete supervision of authorities.’

Al-Duaij argued that instead of advocating for the resignation of the Minister of Information, people should push for the elimination of the Ministry itself. He points out that all the Ministry has done since the creation of the Constitution in 1962 is violate media freedoms without a solid legal basis.

The first multimedia law was issued in 1961, one year before the release of the Constitution, he explained. It was based on a previous law made in the fifties and remained effective until the new multimedia law was released a few years ago. It contained regulations that were clear violations to the freedoms of expression and publication guaranteed in the Constitution.

Instead of amending it, the government worked on subjecting more strict penalties and restrictions to the freedom

I

of opinion. These actions resulted in the withdrawal of several national democratic forces from the parliamentary scene in protest against the freedom-binding regulations, he continued.

He continued on the subject of freedom of expression and criticized statements made in Al-Watan daily against Iraqi ceremonial celebrations. The newspaper criticized people for celebrating Iraqi traditions while an editorial by MP Dr Walid Al-Tabtabaei accused them of insulting Islamic figures. The MP also called on authorities to take action against those participating in such celebrations.

The actions of Al-Tabtabaei and the newspaper, wrote AlDuaij, ‘shows objection to the right of any Kuwaiti with Iraqi origins to practice traditions connected to their past heritage. He voiced his rejection against these people because they are Shiites.’

He added that ‘each citizen or resident of the country should be allowed to practice their traditions, especially when these traditions are practiced in private. While AlTabtabaei has the right to criticize anyone for insulting Muslim Clerics he certainly does not have the right to demand that state security forces take action against individuals for practicing their own traditions,’ he concluded.

4

NATIONAL

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Preparations in full swing

‘Hala February’ promises fun-filled month ahead

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: As a departure from previous years’ traditions, organizers have conceptualized a different take on this year’s activity-filled 11th Hala February festival. It is slated to begin on Jan 29. The opening cer-

AMMAN: Undersecretary of the Kuwait Ministry of Interior Lt Gen Ahmad Abdullatif Al-Rejaib and his party visited a number of security institutions in the Jordanian kingdom yesterday. The visits took the Kuwaiti delegation to the Command and Control Center of the Public Security Directorate, the Royal Police Academy and the Family Protection Directorate. Lt Gen Al-Rejaib was briefed on the talks of the Command and Control Center which is a landmark in the development of the police sector in the Kingdom thanks to its computerized system and advanced surveillance and control equipment. — KUNA

Financing five-year plan sustainable: Al-Shimali KUWAIT: Minister of Finance Mustafa Al-Shimali said here yesterday that funding the five-year plan recently submitted to the National Assembly will be sustainable asserting that his ministry will coordinate with other relevant authorities on this issue.

Al-Shimali said in a press statement following his reception of Kazakh Undersecretary of Finance Natalia Korgova on the sidelines of her visit to the country that, “The ministry has a budget for the fiveyear plan, having covered a whole fiscal year, and maintains work in this field.” On his meeting with Kazakh delegation on the occasion of holding the second session of the joint Kazak-Kuwaiti committee, AlShimali asserted that the political relations between the two countries are distinctive, pointing out that these ties at promoting economic and trade relations between the two countries, pushing them to a new high.

The meeting touched on the ways of strengthening the joint cooperation in various economic and trade fields in what reflects the willingness of the two sides toward opening up broader horizons of bilateral cooperation including the possibility of cooperating in new fields, especially investment, Al-Shimali said. He pointed out that the Kazakh delegation met during this visit several Kuwaiti officials in both of governmental and private sectors in order to strengthen cooperation with Kuwait, expecting for this visit to bear good fruits for both countries.

Korgova said that this visit comes in line with the directives of the political leaderships of the two countries that aim at boosting the bilateral cooperation, pointing out that though Kazakhstan is an emergent

state, it has big economic potentials that make it worthy of entering economic partnerships with all world countries and their forefront Kuwait.

She also made clear that Kazakhstan has on its agenda some significant economic files that will help boost the economic and trade relations between it and Kuwait through various development and service sectors.

Further, Korgova said that Kazakh economy currently sees an encouraging stability despite the negative impact of the global economic crisis on many countries, pointing out that Kazakh government approved some measures that eased effects of the world economic crisis, making it easier for the local economy to cope with it and overcoming it.

She stressed the importance of making use of the growing economic indicators in Kazakhstan in boosting the bilateral cooperation between the two countries, as the government of her country is keen on opening up broader horizons of cooperation with Kuwait, particularly in trade, banking and investment fields. One of the most vital factors in making the second session of the joint committee is what has been achieved in the first session of development and the serious willingness shown by both sides toward sustaining the successes of the first session through turning its decisions into joint projects that bring benefit to the economies and peoples of the two countries, she said. The Kazakh delegation is to conclude tomorrow their visit to the country following the signing of the final minutes of the second session of the joint Kuwaiti-Kazakh committee that started yesterday with Kazakhstan hosting the functions of the third session. — KUNA

In a press conference that was held at the Kuwait Regency Palace on Sunday, the General Coordinator of the Festival, Waleed Al-Jasim divulged more details, “We have chosen this date (Jan 29) as it coincides with the anniversary of HH the Amir’s ascension to power. The festival will conclude on the last day of February. More prizes will be given out this year. At least 28 cars will be given away as prizes, in addition to other valuable gifts that will be distributed in daily draws that will be held at different malls in all the governorates,” he said.

A state-of-the art children’s village will be constructed on an area that covers 4,000 square meters. “It will be built at the open space located opposite to Souq Sharq. The opening carnival will include many activities for children and the whole family. We invite people to come and enjoy it. Visitors will be able to enjoy several activities including art exhibitions and others,” added AlJasim.

Madina Ismail, Head of the Activities Committee elaborated on the project for children.

“The festival will have something from every member of the family. For the first time, we will present a play on the fairy tale Snow White for children. We plan to build a junglethemed park with animal figures. In addition to this, the February Circus meant for the whole family will be held at the Roman Theatre in Souq Sharq.

Separate workshops and exhibitions will be held for children

including other programs that cater to the disabled,” she said.

She went on to say, “A family marathon, shooting championship for both men and women, beach volleyball, and an equestrian event will be held at the Hunting and Equestrian Club. A kite-flying festival will be held as part of the event,” she further said.

Al-Ismail concluded by saying that a yacht race will be a new attraction. The yachts will be flagged off from the Yachts Club and will carry portraits of Kuwaiti rulers.

The Hala February Festival has been designed with the aim of improving the economy and local markets. “The main goal of the festival is to promote marketing and boost the economy. We have increased the value of the prizes this year. We have also expanded in terms of magnitude. More coupons will be issued to participating stores. They (stores) agree that their sales increase manifold during February. This is a ‘festive’ season when compared to other months of the year,” noted Hamad Al-Daas, Head of the Shopping Committee.

The Hala February’s music concerts are extremely popular, and six concerts will be held at the Ice Skating Rink’s theater.

Singers from Kuwait, Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, UAE, and Saudi Arabia will share center stage.

Algerian singer Warda will make her debut performance in the country. Poetry recitals and religious discourses will be held in the form of seminars and recitations. Entry to these events will be free of charge.

emony will be held from 1pm to 7pm at Souq Sharq. This year, a part of the festival’s activities will be held in collaboration with Al-Watan TV, and has been titled ‘Layali Febrayer.’ For the first time, the opening ceremony will take place at Souq Sharq instead of Salem Al-Mubarak Street in Salmiya.

KUWAIT: (From left) Waleed Al-Khashti, Suad Al-Fahad, Nabil Al-Awadhi, Abdullah Al-Quoud, Ahmad Al-Doghaji, Waleed Al-Jasim, Mohammed AlDaas, and Madina Ismail.

KUWAIT: Bashar Al-Amir from PR at Al-Watan cutting the anniversary cake of Al-Watan. — Photos by Fouad Al-Shaikh

NATIONAL

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

5 Kuwait hosts conference

Top priority to investing in ‘intellectual capital’

By Ahmad Saeid KUWAIT: The Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Rashed Al-Hammad yesterday opened the conference on intellectual capital development, which is taking place in the Sheraton Kuwait. The three-day conference, entitled “Towards a New Strategic Vision in Government Institutions,’ is hosting experts in human resources development representing a number of Arab countries. The visiting experts will take part in lectures and workshops aimed at highlighting the importance of investing in intellectual capital, as a means of achieving development.

KUWAIT: Minister of Awqaf, Rashed Al-Hammad (second right), and Undersecretary of Awqaf Ministry Adel Al-Falah (third right) at the opening ceremony. — Photos by Ahmad Saeid

Cabinet seeks compromise on debt write-off KUWAIT: The cabinet has recommended rejecting the draft loans write-off bill, assigning Finance Minister Mustafa AlShammali to follow up on the parliamentary amendments to the insolvency fund regulations and to find an acceptable compromise between these and the amendments proposed by the cabinet itself.

During its weekly meeting, the cabinet also reiterated its commitment to the amendments to the sports legislation, as well as approving a proposal to allocate a committee to examine possible alternatives for Kuwaitis currently employed with the Kuwait Airways Corporation (KAC) following its privatization.

Another issue examined during the meeting was the recently amended multi-

media legislation, reported Al-Watan.

The cabinet also selected the interior minister as its representative in parliamentary discussions on the civil and social rights of Kuwait’s bedoon (stateless) population. This issue has become particularly pressing given the controversy over a recent wedding in Farwaniya, during which some bedoon residents allegedly practiced ‘Iraqi rituals’ and shouted slogans against unnamed Sunni clerics. MP Dr. Walid AlTabtabae has presented a parliamentary question to the interior minister, asking him about the incident and the steps taken against the individuals in question.

Meanwhile, the access ban on Saudi cleric Mohammed Al-Uraifi has continued to provoke speculation, with a number of

MPs and clerics reacting angrily to the action, while others have supported it.

After speculation that the ban forbidding the cleric from reentering Kuwait had been lifted was proven to be premature, some MPs spoke in support of maintaining the ban, citing negative remarks made by Al-Uraifi about Shiite figures, while other parliamentarians suggested that the ban had damaged Kuwait’s international image. Kuwait-based clerics have signed a petition asking officials to lift the access ban on Al-Uraifi, citing what they said were his fruitful efforts to raise religious awareness in Kuwaiti society through seminars and other events held in mosques and religious institutions across the country.

in the news Buramya fined KUWAIT: The Criminal Court has ordered MP Daifallah Buramya has to pay KD 6,500 in compensation to former finance minister Bader Al-Humaidhi, after finding him guilty of the accusations of defamation brought against him by the former minister. Al-Humaidhi accused the MP of launching personal attacks on him in the media, and of publishing a newspaper without obtaining a license to do so, reported Al-Watan. The former minister’s defense lawyers, Badr Al-Badr and Mohammed Al-Otaibi, rejected Buramya’s objections to the sentence, which was handed down in his absence from the court.

KUWAIT: Ministry of Education and Microsoft officials after the signing ceremony.

MoE signs Partners in Learning agreement with Microsoft KUWAIT: Underlining its commitment to transform Kuwait into knowledge-based society, the local Microsoft office yesterday announced that it has signed a Partners in Learning agreement with the Ministry of Education (MoE) on technical cooperation.

The signing of the agreement was driven by the need for technology education and infrastructure in Kuwait, with the program, which is designed to foster ‘digital inclusion,’ recognizing the educational value of technology in schools.

The agreement, in the form of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on behalf of the MoE by Undersecretary for Resources and Services Tamadher Al Sdairawi, and for Microsoft Kuwait by Country Manager Ehab Mostafa.

Under the Partners in Learning initiative, the education ministry will receive technology training, tailored curriculum development, access to the latest technology and the ability to empower schools to raise the levels of ICT literacy. It also enables innovative teaching with the aim of bridging the digital divide.

Commenting on the agreement, Al-Sdairawi said, “The agreement with Microsoft comes in line with improving the standard of education by using the best tools available to develop education and training. This will help transform Kuwait into a successful knowledge-based society. Putting technology to work for people throughout the country will enable us to strengthen our economy and create greater opportunities for young people to fulfill their dreams. We value Microsoft’s support as we take positive steps towards becoming a truly digital society.”

The undersecretary also explained that the cooperation pact aims at the establishment of a school society that will be equipped with the latest education technology which complies with the visions and ambitions of Kuwait.

Charbel Fakhoury, the General Manager of Microsoft Gulf, said “Microsoft is honored to partner with the Ministry of Education in Kuwait as we remain committed to socioeconomic development and accelerating the evolution of a knowledge-based society. We commend the Ministry’s ambitious vision of using technology to improve education and enhance IT skills development that will enable citizens to compete in today’s global economy. Together with the Ministry of Education, we hope to make a positive impact on the education sector in the country by using ICT as a tool to empower students and teachers and transform education” Ehab Mostafa added, “We welcome the opportunity to work with the Ministry of Education and empower students to use ICT in their day-to-day learning to prepare them for life and work in the 21st century. Together, we aim to empower youth across the country through IT skills development that will enable them to compete in today’s global economy.”

The Partners in Learning initiative is designed to actively increase access to technology and improve its use in learning. The goal of the program is to help schools gain better access to technology, foster innovative approaches to pedagogy and teachers’ professional development and provide education leaders with the tools to envision, implement and manage change.

Principal assaulted KUWAIT: A principal at one Ahmadi school assaulted another at the school where his son is a pupil in protest against his son’s being disallowed from sitting examinations over accusations of cheating.

The principal apparently lost his temper after his repeated attempts to mediate on his son’s behalf were rejected, with the principal at his son’s school affirming his own commitment to implementing the regu-

lations against the other school head’s son, along with eight other pupils suspended from sitting their examinations for the same reason, reported Al-Watan.

The staff at the ethical principal’s school had to restrain the enraged fellow headmaster, who launched his attack while pupils in adjoining classrooms were sitting exams, eventually physically throwing him out of the school.

Bomb hoax KUWAIT: Rescue teams, bomb squads and police officers rushed to Box Hill College in Kuwait (BHCK) for female students in Abu Halifa. The control room received an emergency call claiming that explosives were found at the premises, only to learn that the call was a hoax.

Nevertheless, all the students were evacuated from campus and the building was carefully searched to flush out the presence of any hostile element, reported Al-Watan. In response to this incident, the BHCK’s administration said that they had fully cooperated with the Interior Ministry, and adhered to all the necessary procedures including suspending classes and evacuating students.

National unity KUWAIT: MP Dr. Ali Al-Omair has urged Kuwaitis to use the Hala February 2010 festival as an opportunity to show their opposition to all attempts to damage national unity. Dr. Al-Omair said that the festival would offer an opportunity for citizens to remember the importance of unity, especially since the event coincides with the celebration of National Day and Liberation Day. Meanwhile, the general coordinator of the festival, Walid Mohammad Jassem, announced that the organizing committee has completed all the preparations for the 11th annual event, which will incorporate new features that focus on increasing national unity, reported Al-Watan.

The Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs’ planning and development department, which organized the conference, defines intellectual capital as “A group of workers who possess the knowledge, experience, and qualifications that allow them to provide intellectual contributions, to enhance the performance of the organization they work in, and to achieve high performance levels compared to similar organizations.”

In his speech at the conference’s opening ceremony, AlHammad said that the new challenges the world currently faces have increased the urgency of the need for more qualified decision-makers at all levels of government.

Al-Hammad asserted that the tendency to invest in intellectual capital forms part of the strategic plan which Kuwait has set for itself to become a financial and trade center.

MAIA Undersecretary Adel

Muhammad Thunaybat speaking at the ceremony.

Al-Falah said that the ministry has realized the importance of investing in its employees’ intellectual capital, explaining, “That’s why we recently increased the ministry’s budget for training and development tenfold to create more qualified workers.”

Muhammad Thunaybat, the

representative for the visiting experts, said that investing in intellectual capital is the best way to confront the numerous challenges that the Arab world currently faces in all aspects of life. Thunaybat asserted that one of the most difficult and pressing challenges in the Arab world at present is the unpro-

ductive workforce and the phenomenon of “educated unemployment.”

“According to Arab Labor Organization statistics, the productivity of Arab workers is less than 17 percent of the productivity of European and American workers, and equal to 50 percent of Pakistani and Bangladeshi workers’ productivity,” he said.

Thunaybat said that while the Arab world spent huge amounts of money to establish colleges and universities, this has also created numerous problems such as large numbers of graduates in specialties that do not meet the market’s requirements.

According to Thunaybat, this phenomenon has generated a massive number of educated graduates who cannot fit into the job market, which has ultimately led to “educated unemployment” in many Arab countries.

‘Terrorists plan to attack Kuwait’ KUWAIT: A retired Bahraini serviceman is being investigated by state security after arriving in the country to inform officials about alleged terrorist activity. The man arrived in the country at AlNuwaiseeb Port and immediately headed to the Ministry of Interior to inform authorities. He warned department officials that a group trained in terrorist activities is planning to attack Kuwait from Bahrain. He was referred to Sharq police station and state security authorities are investigating the matter.

Anti-crime campaign Police officers raided three brothels in an anti-crime campaign conducted in the Capital Governorate. The locations were also used to make alcohol, illegal international phone calls, gamble and as a center for illegal roaming kiosks. Arrested in the campaign were eight Asian prostitutes, six Asian men and two individuals making alcohol. Police also confiscated 101 bottles of homemade liquor.

Prostitution Local police arrested 12 Asian prostitutes and nine Asian men after raiding a brothel in Farwaniya. The lawbreakers were taken to the proper authorities.

Vehicles confiscated Ahmadi police in Wafra and the surrounding area started pursuing sports vehicles being used in illegal races. Officers located 89 vehicles left behind by their owners and confined them in the garage at the Ministry of Interior.

Suicide attempts A 46-year-old Sri Lankan woman was admitted to the hospital with serious injuries after attempting to kill herself in Al-Shaab. She attempted suicide in her sponsor’s home by cutting the veins in her right arm. Police are investigating the incident.

In a similar incident, a 24-year-old Indian man attempted suicide

by consuming insecticide in the Sabah Al-Nassir area. Paramedics brought the man to Farwaniya Hospital where he received treatment for blood poisoning.

Carr accidents A private school student was taken to the hospital after being hit by a car in front of the gate of his school in Salmiya. Paramedics and Hawally police responded to the emergency and brought the student to the hospital. The driver of the vehicle was taken in for investigations.

Meanwhile, a Saudi woman and a Jordanian man were struck in a hit-and-run on Fourth Ring Road. The Saudi was killed in the accident and the Jordanian was left in serious condition. Police and paramedics responded to the emergency and brought both victims to a nearby hospital. Police are still looking for the driver of the vehicle.

Attempted robbery Police officers interrupted an armed robbery in Jleeb AlShuyoukh. A speedy response by authorities forced the five masked men to flee the scene without stealing anything. Police responded to the emergency after a phone call from the home owner informed them that men dressed in dishdashas and armed with knives were trying to rob his house. Police are still searching for the thieves.

Intoxicated shopper Hawally police arrested a citizen in his 30s for disturbing a mall in Salmiya. The man roamed the mall while under the influence of drugs and acted like an infant. He was taken to the proper authorities.

Work mishap A 46-year-old Pakistani man was taken to the Farwaniya Hospital with several injuries after a car battery he was working on exploded in his face. The incident took place in the Ministry of Public Works’ Transportation Department in Sabhan.

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Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Ministry facing staff shortage

Health team visits India to recruit 600 nurses KUWAIT: A dearth in nursing staff has been persistently dogging the Health Ministry. It is aggravated by the trend where nurses leave the country after working at the country’s medical facilities. These nurses, mostly Asians, use the country’s hospitals as a transit route to better opportunities. They utilize However, raising wages has failed to prevent nurses from leaving. Therefore, the Ministry should now find fool-proof solutions to all the problems that they face, reported Al-Qabas.

Furthermore, the Ministry should treat them with care, given the pivotal role they play, the paper reported.

Keeping the situation in view, the ministry has

referred a delegation to recruit nurses from India. It plans to recruit 600 nurses from the state of Kerala and Delhi. The announcement was made by the Assistant Undersecretary for Allied Medical Services Dr Qais Al-Duwairi.

He said that the Ministry has been working toward covering shortages and meeting future require-

the experience gained here as a passport to work in other GCC countries, Europe or even the United States where they receive better privileges.

During the past few years, the Ministry blamed this phenomena on the low salaries paid to them.

ments by increasing bed capacity by 2,000 during the next two years, in addition to ingoing expansion plans.

He said that the ministry will hire 150 nurses from Sri Lanka and the Philippines and 140 nurses from Egypt, reported Aljarida.

Meanwhile, officials said that several non-Kuwaiti doctors have tendered their

resignation, including twelve who resigned from the Farwaniya and Al-Sabah hospitals. Even though doctors from Egypt and India are being employed at present, noticeably fewer doctors are interested in pursuing their careers in Kuwait. In a related development, the ministry has recently referred a letter to the Civil Service

Commission (CSC) requesting to reduce the time period within which the PhD physicians can be promoted to three years, from the present four, reported Al-Qabas. Also, it requested that a solution be found to the problem where physicians who hold bachelor degrees work as practitioners in hospitals and polyclinics.

in the news Railway, metro studies completed KUWAIT: The studies on the planned subway and railway systems have been concluded and submitted to the major projects committee for consideration, said communications minister Dr. Mohammed Al-Basairi on Sunday. Al-Basairi, who is also the Minister of State for National Assembly Affairs, revealed that the projects would be carried out using the Build Operate Transfer (BOT) system, while the railway project is to be implemented through a shareholding company, reported Al-Rai. He explained that 50 percent of the shares in the company will be offered for sale to citizens, while 24 percent will be retained by the government and the remaining 26 percent will be available to private investors.

Saudi scholar invited to Kuwait KUWAIT: A prominent Saudi scholar and member of the Supreme Saudi Scholars Council has been invited to Kuwait on an official visit by a senior Kuwaiti cabinet member, reported Al-Rai. Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Rashid Al-Hammad, who is also Deputy Premier and Minister of Justice, reportedly extended the invitation to the leading Saudi scholar Abdullah Al-Mutlaq last week.

KUWAIT: The Kuwait Banks Club recently launched a karate training for children of the banking employees. Children took their first karate lessons from trainer Layla Denkati. The Head of the KBC Sports Committee, Mohammad Al-Meel was one of the chief guests during the event. He said the committee has accorded top priority to the activity.

Forum on energy, climate KUWAIT: A forum on energy and climate, hosted by Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was inaugurated here yesterday. Addressing the forum “Perspective on Energy and Climate”, KFAS Director General Dr Ali AlShamlan said the foundation was keen on holding joint activities that deal with such important issues. He pointed out that it was important to benefit from the best plans in the field of strategic administration to achieve development.

He noted that the forum’s material was prepared carefully on environmental, economic, scientific, and technological aspects to improve the energy industry and to reduce its negative effect on climate.

CBK honors pensioners KUWAIT: The Commercial Bank of Kuwait (CBK) recently sponsored the fourth annual ceremony that honored pensioners and outstanding employees of the Public Authority for Industry (PAI).

Adel Al-Dhulaiei, Head of the Bank’s Services Sector,

received the Head of the Public Relations Department at the PAI, Ali Abdullah Al-Jassem at his office. He handed over a check on behalf of the bank.

The meeting was also attended by the Head of the bank’s Public Relations Department, Amani Al-

Waraa .

Al-Dhulaiei said that the bank aims to provide support to industrial institutions and organizations in the country, in line with its several years of practice.

Al-Jassem acknowledged the positive role that the bank played to strengthen society.

INTERNATIONAL

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Israeli PM in Berlin for historic joint meeting First ever meeting on German soil BERLIN: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Germany with top ministers yesterday for a historic joint cabinet meeting underlining the strong ties forged in the wake of the Holocaust. The gathering of the two governments, the second ever after a similar meeting in Israel two years ago and the first on German soil, was to address issues such as Iran’s nuclear drive and defense cooperation.

Netanyahu and German Chancellor Angela Merkel were also to hold bilateral talks focused on efforts to revive Middle East peace talks and face “threats to regional security,” the prime minister’s spokesman Mark Regev said. The one-day visit to Berlin, where the bid to wipe out European Jewry was planned, is “designed to strengthen and expand the cooperation between Israel and Germany,” Regev said.

“There is a very special relationship between Berlin and Jerusalem,” he said. “We are focused on how to strengthen the relationship in order for there to be tangible cooperation today and in the future.”

A German government spokesman said the meeting was a rare occurrence. “Germany only has these joint cabinet meetings with very few international partners, for example France and Poland,” Christoph Steegmans told a regular government news conference. Israeli Science Minister Daniel Hershkowitz, whose parents survived Nazi death camps during World War II, joined the delegation as it toured the Holocaust Memorial in central Berlin at the start of the visit. “We don’t forget the past. This is a past that cannot be forgotten but today Germany is a great friend of Israel,” he said.

Hershkowitz said the visit “is the answer to those who 70 years ago wanted to eliminate us.”

The ministers and Netanyahu were guided through the rooms of an underground museum at the site and past the labyrinth of more than

2,700 snow-covered concrete slabs that make up the memorial, which opened in 2005. The prime minister presented Merkel with an abstract inscription of the Jewish prayer of mourning Kadish by Holocaust survivor Fishel Rabinowicz. “From the prayer of the dead comes a prayer for life,” Netanyahu told reporters.

During a visit to Berlin in August, Netanyahu accepted a gift of rare blueprints of the Auschwitz death camp. Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman were among members of Israel’s centre-right cabinet touring with him. Media have widely reported that Israel has ordered a sixth Dolphinclass diesel submarine from Germany. Israel currently has three Dolphins and has confirmed it ordered two more.

The submarines are believed to have a range of 4,500 kilometers and the capacity to launch nuclear-capable cruise missiles. “We attach great importance to our ties with Germany because of their economic and political impact and mainly because of Israel’s security,” Netanyahu told reporters ahead of his trip.

Germany is playing a leading role in efforts to broker a prisoner exchange between Israel and the Islamist Hamas movement for an Israeli soldier held by Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip since 2006.

The joint cabinet meeting was initially planned for November but was postponed because Netanyahu came down with a viral infection. Merkel and several of her ministers made a similar visit to Jerusalem in March 2008 in which the chancellor addressed the Israeli parliament and expressed her shame for the Nazis’ systematic slaughter of six million Jews.

Germany is Israel’s third biggest trade partner after the United States and China and is widely considered its strongest ally in Europe. —AFP

Iraq province gives Saddam loyalists 24 hours to leave Quit Shiite province of Najaf or face ‘iron fist’ NAJAF: Local government officials warned Saddam Hussein loyalists yesterday to move out of the Shiite province of Najaf in central Iraq within 24 hours or face an “iron fist.” They demanded the exodus after a meeting to discuss security in the wake of a triple bomb attack last week in Najaf, about 150 kilometers south of Baghdad, that left up to 15 people dead. “The Baath gang of Saddam has one day to leave the province or we will use an iron fist against those who have failed to distance themselves from the Baath and Al-Qaeda,” the officials said in a statement.

The leader of the provincial council, which is dominated by the party of Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki, a Shiite, blamed the bomb attack on Baathists, referring to Saddam’s outlawed Sunnidominated Baath party. “The council’s next measure will be to purge local government institutions of Baathists,” said the statement, which also asked Baghdad to use its intelligence services to identify

wrongdoers. The demand could further inflame SunniShiite tensions after many Sunnis were among 500 candidates barred last week from the conflict-wracked country’s March 7 general election, purportedly because of Baathist links.

Baath party membership was a key condition for obtaining a job and gaining promotion in public sector employment during Saddam’s regime.

As a consequence the party included large numbers of Sunnis and Shiites. A controversial process of deBaathification was adopted by Washington diplomat Paul Bremer, head of the Coalition Provisional Authority, following the invasion in 2003 which saw thousands of Saddam-era employees sacked.

Resentment among Sunnis over that decision and a subsequent Shiite-dominated government lingers despite a national reconciliation process aimed at healing such rifts.

Khaled Jashami, a member of the Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council (SIIC), one of the

Turkey ‘blocking’ websites Criminal code clauses used against journalists VIENNA: Europe’s main security and human rights watchdog said yesterday Turkey was blocking some 3,700 Internet sites for “arbitrary and political reasons” and urged legal reforms to show its commitment to freedom of expression. Milos Haraszti, media freedom monitor for the 56-nation Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), said Turkey’s Internet law was failing to preserve free expression in the country and should be reformed or abolished. “In its current form, Law 5651, commonly known as the Internet Law of Turkey, not only limits freedom of expression, but severely restricts citizens’ right to access information,” Haraszti said in a statement.

He said Turkey, a European Union candidate, was barring access to 3,700 Internet sites, including YouTube, GeoCities and some Google pages, because Ankara’s Internet law was too broad and subject to political interests. “Even as some of the content that is deemed ‘bad’, such as child pornography, must be sanctioned, the law is unfit to achieve this.

Instead, by blocking access to entire websites from Turkey,

it paralyzes access to numerous modern file-sharing or social networks,” Haraszti said.

“Some of the official reasons to block the Internet are arbitrary and political, and therefore incompatible with OSCE’s freedom of expression commitments,” he said.

Haraszti said Turkish law was still failing to safeguard freedom of expression, and numerous criminal code clauses were being used against journalists, who risked being sent to jail as a result.

“Therefore ‘reform or abolish’ the Internet Law is our main recommendation ... (to ensure Turks can be) a part of today’s global information society.”

Fears for press freedom in Turkey have risen as a result of state attempts to collect a $3.3 billion fine from major media group Dogan in a tax row, part of pressure on Dogan to obey a law limiting foreign ownership of Turkish firms.

In October, the European Commission’s annual report on Turkey’s progress towards EU membership urged Turkey to treat Dogan fairly and said Ankara needed to do more to protect freedom of expression and the press. —Reuters

country’s biggest Shiite parties, however, was adamant that drastic measures were needed in Najaf.

“This decision aims to target those who have refused to repudiate the Baath party and its ideas, who have on their hands the blood of innocents in Najaf and other cities,” he said. “We took this decision to rid Najaf of Baathist ideas. We will seriously work to purge the security services and government institutions,” he added.

In response, Baghdad government spokesman Ali alDabbagh insisted that “no plan existed” to sack interior and defense ministry employees.

Attacks in Najaf are rare but last Thursday’s incident caused a large number of casualties, although accounts of the numbers varied.

An interior ministry official in the capital said 15 people were killed and 25 wounded, while a local official in Najaf said three people died but gave a much higher wounded toll of 80, including 15 in serious condition. — AFP

7

Israel and Vatican meet over disputed holy sites Israel pushes ‘status quo’, Vatican insists on ‘historic rights’ JERUSALEM: Israel and the Vatican are in talks to end a long-running dispute over the ownership and tax status of religious sites in the Holy Land, including a place revered as the location of Jesus’ last supper. Churches acquired large amounts of land around Jerusalem as the Ottoman empire “The new state naturally inherited the obligation to respect and observe those rights created before it came into being,” said a Catholic expert on church relations with Israel, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The Vatican was looking to safeguard its rights under international treaties and customs that date back before the establishment of the modern Jewish state, the jurist said. One Jerusalem building in dispute stands in a narrow alley outside the Old City walls.

Its second storey is the Cenacle where Christians believe Jesus held the last supper. Jewish tradition says the floor below is the burial site of King David.

Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon, head of the Israeli negotiating team, says the Vatican would like control of the Crusader-era building, which was a stop on Pope Benedict’s whirlwind tour of the Holy Land last year. Israel wants to keep the “status quo” on ownership, ensuring its sovereignty, while reaching a settlement over debts accrued over years of taxes owed to the state by the church. “We are more than willing to assure the church that we will keep all the properties intact and protected,” said Ayalon. “It’s really a matter of trust and relationship ... and I believe this is main issue,” he told Reuters in an interview.

The Vatican seeks recognition of its “historic rights” to tax exemption, and to set rules for protection of religious sites and the return of what it calls lost church property. The negotiators met this month for but failed to reach a deal and agreed meet again. Though only a handful of sites are being discussed, the outcome may have an impact on future transactions, particularly in Jerusalem, where religious institutions are huge land owners.

An Israeli official familiar with the talks said Israel was worried that any broad concessions would set a precedent.

IMPROVING RELATIONS? Relations between Jews and the Catholic church are uneasy. A visit last May by Pope Benedict caused some controversy and his decision last month to move wartime pope Pius XII a step closer to sainthood angered Jews who believe Pius did not do enough to help Jews during the Nazi Holocaust. In a gesture of reconciliation, Benedict paid his first visit to Rome’s synagogue on Sunday. But ties are colored by the Church’s past anti-Semitism and both sides remain cautious.

Israel has guaranteed the Church open worship in the Cenacle and would consider offering it more involvement, but Ayalon said ownership was not up for discussion. — Reuters

went into decline from the early 19th century, long before Israel was founded in 1948. Today, many official Israeli buildings sit on leased church land. But agreement on the legal status of these ancient properties has evaded governments and popes for decades.

BETHLEHEM: Armenian Orthodox clergy attend Christmas celebrations outside the Nativity Church in the biblical West Bank city of Bethlehem yesterday. The Armenian Church in Jerusalem follows the old Julian calendar and celebrates Christmas today. — AFP

Iran state TV cracks open door to oppn TEHRAN: Seven months after a presidential poll that plunged Iran into a cycle of street protests and arrests, state television is opening the door a crack and giving the opposition precious air time before a nationwide audience. Iranians last week witnessed former and incumbent lawmakers speak out against a violent crackdown on demonstrators opposed to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

They went head-to-head on TV against a leading supporter of the hardline president, who was re-elected in the June 12 election which opponents charge was massively rigged. Outspoken reformist MP Mostafa Kavakebian took on prominent hardliner and newspaper editor Hossein Shariatmadari in a heated primetime debate, possibly watched by millions across Iran. Shariatmadari’s hardline Kayhan daily has often accused the opposition, including former presidents, of “conspiring” against the Islamic regime and playing into the hands of the United States, the hardliners’ major foe.

“If we accuse all former presidents of having ties with the United States or leading a sedition, nobody will remain” to support Iran’s Islamic establishment, Kavakebian said. Mir Hossein Mousavi, a former prime minister and Ahmadinejad’s main election opponent, former presidents Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and

Mohammad Khatami, and ex-parliament speaker Mehdi Karroubi have been the main targets of Shariatmadari’s newspaper.

Mousavi and Karroubi ran against Ahmadinejad and charged the poll was massively rigged to keep the hardliner in power. They have rejected his government as illegitimate and backed street protests, in which dozens have been killed in government crackdowns. In another debate aired last Thursday, former MP Javad Ettaat condemned a December 27 crackdown on opposition protesters during Ashura, when Iran plunges into a frenzy of grief to mark the historical martyrdom of one of Shiite Islam’s most prominent saints.

Eight people were killed. “If it is wrong to whistle and clap hands on Ashura, beating people is worse and killing them a much bigger wrong,” Ettaat said. This is the first time since the election that such criticism has been aired on state television, which until now had written off opposition protesters as “foreign agents.”

The television has promised to continue the debates, which have been welcomed by many in Iran. “It was interesting to watch these debates, and I am looking forward to more, which I will be sure to watch,” said Manijeh, an office worker in her 40s who did not want to give her

full name. The opposition has long criticized the state broadcaster over what it deems to be biased coverage that favors Ahmadinejad and hardliners, especially after the election.

Private television and radio stations are banned in Iran. Several opposition figures, including Rafsanjani and Mousavi, had called for such debates, saying they could defuse growing tensions within the nation.

“Such debates will calm the opposition and sideline anti-Islamic elements who seek to exploit the situation,” said Ali Motahari, a prominent conservative MP and fierce Ahmadinejad critic. “If we want to resolve certain problems in society we need to have such debates,” he added.

“An important aspect of these televised debates is that they will end the business of (Iranians watching) Persianlanguage satellite channels such as the BBC and the Voice of America,” lawmaker Kavakebian told the Mehr news agency. Iranian authorities accuse the BBC and VOA, which have a large audience inside Iran, of inciting post-election protests, and have banned Iranians from speaking to the broadcasters. “Opposition candidates (Mousavi and Karroubi) can be invited on TV to say what they have to say, and this will pave the way to national reconciliation,” Motahari said. —AFP

INTERNATIONAL

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Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Germany tries arms dealer linked to Kohl scandal Scandal hurt ex-Chancellor Helmut Kohl and conservatives AUGSBURG: A German-Canadian arms dealer went on trial yesterday on charges of tax evasion, fraud and bribery arising from a funding scandal that rocked Germany’s conservative Christian Democrats a decade ago. Karlheinz Schreiber, a colorful Bavarian who spent 10 years fighting his extradition to Germany, denied wrongdoing. His lawyer Jan Olaf Leisner read a statement rejecting the charges and accusing German justice authorities of prejudice.

A former junior defense minister was

found guilty in 2005 of corruption, saying he received 2 million euros ($3 million) for deals with Schreiber, who sold armored vehicles to Saudi Arabia.

Schreiber, 75, is at the heart of a scandal over party slush funds which disgraced former Christian Democrat Chancellor Helmut Kohl, who was forced to quit as honorary party leader after admitting he accepted illegal party donations.

It also damaged the career of Kohl’s successor as chairman of the CDU, Wolfgang Schaeuble, now finance minis-

ter. He was forced out as CDU leader over the scandal in 2002 after admitting he took money from Schreiber. That opened the way for the rise of Angela Merkel, who is now Germany’s chancellor. Schreiber, who has been held in custody since he was extradited from Canada in August, faces up to 15 years in jail if convicted. A total of 26 court dates are scheduled in the trial, which is expected to last until mid-May. Canada’s government had agreed in 2008 to allow Schreiber to stay in Canada

until he testified at a public inquiry into cash payments he made to former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. That inquiry held its final hearing in Ottawa shortly before he was extradited. State prosecutor Reinhard Nemetz said Schreiber failed to pay the equivalent of 12 million euros ($17.27 million) in taxes due for the period 1988 to 1993. He also dismissed Schreiber’s statement. “This statement was rather vague; by contrast our charges are very concrete,” Nemetz said. — Reuters

UK conservatives plan ‘elite’ teaching force Govt seeks to widen access to top professions

LONDON: David Cameron pledged yesterday a “brazenly elitist” recruitment drive for teachers if elected, imposing minimum qualifications on entrants and encouraging high-fliers to apply from other professions. Launching part of the Conservative education manifesto

ahead of a general election expected in May, Cameron promised to make teaching “the noble profession” in a speech at a south London school. “Only the best professionals with the best qualifications need apply,” he said.

KIEV: Ukraine’s Prime Minister and the Presidential candidate Yulia Tymoshenko speaks to the media during her news conference in Kiev, Ukraine. —AP

Ukraine PM Tymoshenko to face old rival in runoff Former Prime Minister Yanukovich leads in election KIEV: Ukrainian opposition leader Viktor Yanukovich and Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko will face each other in a run-off presidential election on Feb 7 and official results from Sunday’s first round suggest a close contest ahead. The election will define how Ukraine, a former Soviet republic of 46 million people wedged between the European Union and Russia, handles relations with its powerful neighbours, and may help unblock frozen IMF aid for its ailing economy. With 95 percent of ballots counted from Sunday’s poll, Yanukovich held a strong lead with 35.42 percent, well below the more than 50 percent needed for outright victory, the Central Election Commission said. Tymoshenko had 24.95 percent.

The results set up what could be a close Feb. 7 contest. Analysts say Tymoshenko should pick up more votes from defeated first round candidates, while Yanukovich will have to fight hard to extend his appeal beyond his support base in the Russian-speaking east of the country. Tymoshenko, 49, helped lead the Orange Revolution against Yanukovich’s rigged 2004 presidential election victory and is most popular in the European-leaning west of the country.

She hailed the voting pattern as proof that Yanukovich, a 59-year-old former mechanic, had no chance in the second round and immediately began wooing eliminated candidates.

“Tymoshenko did probably better than expected, and is probably the most likely to eventual-

ly win when you look at where the votes from the other candidates are likely to go to,” said Joanna Gorska, deputy head of Eurasia Forecasting, Exclusive Analysis Ltd. TIGIPKO SUPPORTERS The votes of supporters of former central bank chief Sergey Tigipko who was in 3rd place with around 13 percent of the vote, according to results, was important to watch, Gorska said. He, like 4th-placed former foreign minister Arseniy Yatseniuk, has been cool to overtures from the Tymoshenko camp. But he is an independent candidate with no party structure, so his supporters are free to vote for whom they wish. Traders of the hryvnia currency took the election in their stride and said the market would be calm because the results of the poll were expected. A holiday in the United States would also dampen the volume of trades, dealers said.

The hryvnia was unchanged from Friday’s level of 8.075-8.175/$. The central bank offered to sell dollars on Monday-as it had done last week-at 8.01/$. Tymoshenko rushed to Luhansk in the east of the country after oxygen tanks exploded in a hospital, her press service said.

At least three people were killed, emergency officials said. Earlier, officials had said five died. International election monitors, including a large party from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, praised the conduct of the election.

In a statement, the OSCE said the election

had been “of high quality” and showed significant progress on previous polls in the exSoviet state. But it said the law on electoral procedure had to be clarified. A last-minute court ruling on home voting and “unsubstantiated” accusations of large-scale fraud had shaken public confidence, it said.

Tymoshenko, a sharp-tongued populist, had been particularly strident in allegations before the vote that the Yanukovich camp planned massive electoral fraud.

YUSHCHENKO PUNISHED Voters punished incumbent President Viktor Yushchenko, one of the architects of the Orange Revolution, for political in-fighting.

Election results gave him around 5-6 percent.

Both leading candidates have pledged to seek better relations with neighboring energy supplier Russia, in part to avoid the rows of recent years which led to supply cut-offs affecting parts of Europe. Yanukovich has called for a strong, independent Ukraine following a neutral path and not joining NATO or any other bloc. He accused Yushchenko of excessively confrontational policies towards Russia, and said Ukraine’s real enemy was poverty.

He was tarnished by a scandal in 2004, when he initially claimed victory in an election tainted by allegations of fraud and was subsequently swept aside by the Orange Revolution that brought Yushchenko to power. Although Tymoshenko initially had stormy relations with Russia, she has tried to patch up her links with the Kremlin. —Reuters

UK scraps curfews on two suspects LONDON: A British court yesterday cancelled curfews imposed on two men considered potential security threats, dealing a blow to the government which says such measures are a tool to combat extremists.

The ruling was a new challenge to so-called “control orders”, introduced by the government in 2005, after the highest court in the country said last June the authorities should not use secret evidence to justify restricting people’s freedom.

“I’m very disappointed by this judgment and will be appealing in the strongest possible terms,” said Home Secretary (interior minister) Alan Johnson, in a statement responding to the ruling by the London High Court.

The two men, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, had argued that the control orders imposed on them in 2006 violated

their human rights because they were not told what was the evidence against them and could not defend themselves in court. The High Court ruled in their favor, cancelling the orders and opening the way for the pair to file claims for compensation from the government. This would be a first.

“The government argued strongly that these control orders were properly made for the purpose of protecting the public and that they should not be retrospectively quashed,” Johnson said in his statement.

“We will resist strongly paying damages to former subjects of control orders wherever possible, and to minimize the level of compensation where we have no choice but to pay,” he said. Control orders, part of a series of security measures brought in by the Labor government since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, allow terror-

ism suspects to be kept under curfew for up to 16 hours a day.

The aim is to keep tabs on suspects deemed to pose a security threat but who cannot be prosecuted because of lack of evidence, or because making the evidence public would compromise intelligence sources.

Human rights and justice organizations argue that control orders violate fundamental rights, and in June last year the House of Lords, the upper house of parliament that was formerly Britain’s highest court, said in a landmark ruling the procedure was not fair.

The two men whose control orders were cancelled yesterday were also involved in the earlier House of Lords case. Despite the court setbacks, the government has resisted calls to scrap control orders altogether. — Reuters

Cameron provoked the anger of teaching unions by casting doubt on the suitability of existing staff, saying he would “end the current system where people with third class degrees can get taxpayers’ money to enter postgraduate teacher training.”

Teaching recruits would be required to have at least a 2:2 university degree or higher. “If we want to give our children the best-it’s time we made our teaching the best,” he said. Cameron pointed to the examples of Finland, Singapore and South Korea, which have “deliberately made teaching a high prestige profession.” “They are brazenly elitist-making sure only the top graduates can apply.”

As an incentive, graduates with a 2:1 or higher in shortage subjects such as Maths or Science would have their university loans repaid. Unions criticized the plans, which came with no details of how enticing bright graduates away from highly paid jobs elsewhere would be costing, arguing that top students don’t always make the best teachers.

“We should be looking to increase the pool of potential teachers and ensuring it is people who would make the best teachers who are encouraged to apply,” said Sally Hunt, general secretary of the University and College Union.

As the battle for the middle ground in the coming election heats up, Labor announced its own initiatives yesterday. It said it will give assistance to gifted, but poor, school children and expand internships for university students to help more young people break into high-flying careers such as law and medicine.

Meanwhile, improved internships and more support for school children are among government measures aimed at ensuring that young people from poorer backgrounds have a better chance of careers in professions like law and medicine. A panel headed by former minister Alan Milburn said last year there was a “closed shop mentality” in many professions, shutting out youngsters from low and middle income backgrounds.

The government, facing an election by June and seeking to broaden its appeal to all voters, said it would implement the vast majority of the panel’s 88 recommendations.

“We can’t be a truly aspirational society if some people are still denied the chance to get on, and although we have raised the glass ceiling, we have yet to break it,” Prime Minister Gordon Brown said in a statement.

“That is why our priority will be to remove all the barriers that are holding people back,” added Brown. The government plans to boost internships for both undergraduates and graduates, improving access to such schemes and trying to establish quality standards. Many such schemes are often informal and based on family ties, reinforcing the grip of an elite on professional places.

Labor also plans to offer assistance in secondary schools to 130,000 of the brightest young people from low-income backgrounds.

However, the largest union representing lecturers and academics said the plans looked ridiculous after the government announced plans to cut university funding. “With access to higher education still largely dependent on social class, the government is right to be looking at ways to ensure that people from all backgrounds can reach university,” said University and College Union general secretary Sally Hunt. — Agencies

AUGSBURG: German businessman Karlheinz Schreiber, a key figure in a party financing scandal involving former German chancellor Helmut Kohl, arrives at a courtroom in Augsburg, southern Germany yesterday. — AP

Troops patrol Nigerian city after deadly unrest KANO: Troops and police patrolled the flashpoint Nigerian city of Jos yesterday after weekend clashes between Christians and Muslims left 26 people dead and hundreds injured, officials and a religious leader said. Security forces were sent in to quell the fighting and impose a curfew in the central city, where hundreds of people were killed in religious clashes last year. The latest unrest erupted early Sunday when Christian youths protested the building of a mosque in a Christian-majority area of the city, Nigeria’s 10th-largest with a population of 500,000. Houses and vehicles were set alight in the fighting, which was contained to the Nassarawa Gwom district and sealed off by troops yesterday, residents said.

Security forces searched cars and people on the street for weapons, they said. “Security personnel have succeeded in quelling the unrest and restoring calm in the affected area of the city,” Plateau State police spokesman Mohammed Lerema said. “We have cordoned the Nassarawa Gwom district as a strategy to prevent the violence from spilling over to other parts of the city,” he said. The head of the city’s central mosque, Balarbe Dawud said more than 300 people had been injured in the fighting, “most of them from gun shots”.

“We have received 16 dead bodies since yesterday. Eleven of them were buried yesterday and we are conducting a funeral for the remaining five,” he

said. “So far these 16 bodies were brought from the scene of the fighting to the mosque,” he said, adding that these were in addition to ten counted at a hospital morgue on Sunday. The Red Cross said more than 3,000 people have been displaced as a result of the fighting, and were sheltering in mosques, churches and police barracks. However, it declined to give any casualty toll.

“So far we are still compiling list of casualties and displaced people. Therefore, we don’t have an exhaustive figure to give out,” the head of the Red Cross in Jos, Awwalu Mohammed said. “We have also taken the injured to various hospitals in the city for treatment,” he added.

Jos is centrally situated between the Muslimdominated north and the Christian south of Africa’s most populous country and has fast become the focus of sectarian tensions. Nigeria’s 150 million people are divided almost equally between Muslims and Christians. State Information commissioner Gregory Yenlong said the disturbances had ended. “I am happy to announce that peace has returned to the city following the restoration of law and order in Nassarawa Gwom by security agents,” he said. He said the curfew would remain in force “to ensure that no security breach happens. The government calls on the people to go about their normal business without fear.”—AFP

Where will Icesave vote take Iceland?

REYKJAVIK: Iceland is heading toward a referendum on a deal to repay more than $5 billion to Britain and the Netherlands for money lost in its banking crisis, a vote expected to have a huge impact on the island’s financial future. Latest opinion polls show Icelanders will reject the socalled Icesave bill due to what are seen as harsh terms, in a ballot to be held in late February or early March. If voters do kill the bill, the law reverts to an earlier version passed in August.

However, Britain and the Netherlands rejected those terms as repayments aren’t guaranteed after 2024. Here are some of the likely outcomes of the Icesave saga.

NEW DEAL The Icelandic left-centre government is frantically trying to restart talks in order to fashion a new agreement. So far, there is little indication Iceland’s two larger European neighbors are willing to revisit the issue. Iceland has said it would welcome outside mediation of the dispute.

Support by Nordic countries, which are bankrolling a large portion of aid to the country, would strengthen Iceland’s hand. But they have stressed Iceland must live up to its commitments and Sweden has said an IMF review is key to further payments.

needed to shelter the currency, but they are deterring investment. Central bank interest rates, currently at 11 percent, may also need to stay high for longer in order to prop up the crown.

CAPITAL Icelandic authorities and firms say foreign banks and investors are staying on the sidelines as the dispute is being resolved, waiting for the clean bill of health that steady progress under the IMF program is seen to signify. Funds are needed for many investment projects in Iceland, not least in the energy-related sector where expansions of power production are needed for increased aluminum production. Icelandic firms also remain largely cut off from overseas capital markets and may be so for longer due to the dispute, hampering their ability to grow.

GROWTH The delays outlined above would dent growth, holding back the tentative recovery that Icelandic authorities had forecast would begin taking hold this year. This would put additional strain on public finances due to lower tax revenues and would call for spending cuts.

DEBT A ‘YES’ VOTE A ‘yes’ would spell an end to the dispute and open the door to the country easing its way back to economic normality while taking on the burden of repaying the debt and related interest.

Detractors of the bill say that burden is too heavy for the tiny nation and would cripple the economy, talk which Icelandic Economy Minister Gylfi Magnusson dismissed as “utter nonsense”.

Iceland owes Britain a maximum 2.35 billion pounds ($3.75 billion) and the Netherlands 1.2 billion euros ($1.72 billion), plus interest. A sizeable chunk will be recovered from the sale of assets owned by Landsbanki, the bank that operated Icesave.

A ‘NO’ VOTE A rejection of the bill risks slowing Iceland’s recovery from its worst ever financial crisis, hitting investments and growth and potentially making it an outcast in the global economy.

Below are some of the possible effects of a ‘no’.

About four fifths of Iceland’s 320 billion Icelandic crowns ($2.6 billion) of foreign debt matures in 2011. If Icesave remains in doubt, refinancing could be difficult.

ISOLATION Britain has warned that Iceland faces economic isolation. In a worst-case scenario Iceland could become an outcast on the global financial scene, presenting a huge hurdle in exporting to and doing business with the outside world.

POLITICS The left-centre government might choose to step down if it loses the vote, though it has no legal obligation to do so, potentially leaving Iceland facing snap elections for the second time in a year and renewed political uncertainty.

Iceland’s main opposition party, the Independence Party, has said the government should resign if it loses the vote, but opinion polls show Prime Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir’s coalition is still supported by a majority of voters.

IMF PROGRAM A rejection is expected to delay payments under an international aid scheme tailored by the IMF. The program includes $2.1 billion from the Fund and $2.5 billion from the Nordic countries and Poland. Iceland has received $1.6 billion under the scheme, which was held up for months last year due to Icesave wrangles. Iceland needs the money to build up its currency reserves so that it can phase out strict capital controls. These are

EU The Icelandic government has said it has been assured by Britain and the Spanish EU presidency that the Icesave row will not hit its 2009 application to join the bloc. However, Iceland’s membership bid might still be delayed since Britain and the Netherlands, like all EU states, have to give the green light for accession of a new member. —Reuters

INTERNATIONAL

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

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Chavez accuses US of ‘military occupation’ of Haiti CARACAS: Venezuela’s populist President Hugo Chavez on Sunday accused the United States of using the tragedy of Haiti’s earthquake to launch a military occupation of the country. “Why send 3,000 armed soldiers unless it is for war?” said the firebrand leader who has often defined his rule by attacking leaders in Washington. “It appears they are militarily occupying Haiti, taking advantage of the tragedy,” he said during a weekly television address. His

PORT-AU-PRINCE: Spcl Joseph Dillon from 1st Squadron, 73rd Calvary Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, looks at a collapsed building as he sits in the back of a vehicle on the way to the airport in Port-au-Prince.— AP

Secret US Senate digs proliferate in Capitol A cultural shift in the custom-bound institution WASHINGTON: The perquisites of membership in the US Senate just got sweeter.

For the first time, all 100 members of the chamber will have their own cloistered hideaways in the US Capitol, traditionally a coveted mark of seniority and influence that lowly first-term senators could only dream about. This year, even junior senators will get their own private, unmarked offices that are a convenient few steps from the Senate chamber. The addition of a dozen or so newly renovated rooms in the bowels of the Capitol represents a cultural shift in the custom-bound institution, made possible by moving a Capitol Police facility from the building’s basement into the

sanctuaries for legislative work and meetings, as well as less official business: a nap, perhaps.

Hideaways occupy ancient nooks on all four floors of the historic building and are institutions within an institution and one of the last vestiges of nonpartisanship in an increasingly divided chamber. The most senior senators get first dibs on the best quarters, regardless of party.

They bear room numbers but no names. Some are hidden in plain sight, along corridors used by thousands of unknowing tourists. The portals to others hide beyond massive statues. Still others are crammed in the spaces around rotundas, or at the ends of hallways with

BOSTON: US Senate democratic nominee Martha Coakley waves to the crowd during a rally attended by US President Barack Obama at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. —AFP new, $621 million Capitol Visitor Center.

The vacated space inside the Capitol’s West Front made room for even first-year minority Republicans and shunned members of the Senate - for example Illinois Democrat Roland Burris, serving with a tainted appointment from a disgraced governor - to move in.

While both parties make claims and counterclaims about openness in government, some things never change. The first rule of Senate hideaways: Only senators talk about them. And then, selectively and only about their own.

The only ways to know who occupies which office are to be invited in, witness a senator entering or exiting, or see a home-state newspaper lying outside the door in the morning.

The hush-hush tradition creates

multiple sets of stairs. Many cannot be found without a guide.

Those occupied by such senior senators as Democrats Robert Byrd and Patrick Leahy tend to be grand affairs, with bathrooms, fireplaces, chandeliers and million-dollar views of the Washington and Lincoln Memorials or the Supreme Court.

The newly renovated basement hideaways feature no such frills. These offices and some of their blueprints, examined by The Associated Press during the past year, reveal rooms that tend to be around 300 square feet, with low ceilings, no windows or bathrooms, and furnished with stock Senate tables and chairs. One such space, to be occupied by second-term Democratic Sen. Tom Carper, is cramped with a desk, sofa and small conference table. No one

will talk about how much the government is spending to create the new offices. The famously discreet Senate Rules Committee, which distributes hideaways and handles all related matters, refused comment.

A spokeswoman for the Architect of the Capitol’s office, which performs the renovations, referred a reporter to the Rules Committee. Committee Chairman Chuck Schumer, a Democrat and one of the most camera-friendly members of the Senate, declined an interview request on the subject. Ranking Republican Bob Bennett of Utah did not respond to a similar request. Two requests for comment from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, the senior senator, who by tradition would be aware of the changes, went unanswered by his usually responsive press office.

And so on. “There’s nothing inherently wrong with having hideaways. It’s a long-standing tradition,” said Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a private watchdog group. It might even be more fair for every senator to have one, rather than just the longest-serving members, she said. But refusing to talk about how much is being spent on them, when it probably would have been spent anyway to repurpose the space, is “secrecy for its own sake,” she said.

“They make it seem worse than it probably is.”

Discretion about hideaways is a courtesy senators expect of each other, one that some believe is more important than the public’s right to know.

Rightly or wrongly, hideaways carry the image of unseemly privilege paid for by taxpayers.

They famously have been used for business beyond the legislative sort, spaces “highly coveted by the powerful, and particularly by the playful,” Bobby Baker, an aide to Sen Lyndon B Johnson, wrote in his book, “Wheeling and Dealing: Confessions of a Capitol Hill Operator.”

With three Senate office buildings to house staffs for constituent services and subways to shuttle senators virtually across the street for votes - no senator can claim really to need a Capitol hideaway. Schumer may have his own reasons for keeping quiet. —AP

Severed head left at grave of drug kingpin CULIACAN: A severed human head and a flower were found in front of the tomb of deceased Mexican drug lord Arturo Beltran Leyva. Prosecutors in Sinaloa state said Sunday the man’s headless body was found in a plastic bag atop the tomb of another drug trafficker in the Jardines del Humaya cemetery in Culiacan, the capital of Sinaloa state in western Mexico.

The severed head had a flower tucked behind one ear and had been carefully placed in front of the entrance gate to Beltran Leyva’s elaborate, multistory crypt, said prosecutors’ spokesman Martin Gastelum. Police found it after receiving a telephone tip. Beltran Leyva was killed in a Dec 16 shootout with Mexican

marines. Suspected cartel hit men later killed four relatives of a marine who died in the shootout.

Also Sunday, Mexican authorities announced the seizure of over 31/2 tons of pseudoephedrine - a chemical used in the illicit manufacture of methamphetamine - found hidden in a shipment of fire extinguishers at the Pacific coast seaport of Manzanillo.

Mexico’s tax service, which practices port-ofentry inspections, said the cache was found Saturday. In a joint statement with the Attorney General’s Office, the service did not say where the shipment originated or where it was bound. Mexico has imposed a near-total ban on imports of the substance. — AP

Venezuela giving Haitians ‘the fuel they need’ comments echo those of fellow leftist, Nicaragua’s President Daniel Ortega, who called on the United States to withdraw from Haiti. The Pentagon has announced the deployment of 10,000 troops to Haiti, which the United States has occupied in the past.

Meanwhile, Chavez said Venezuela will give Haiti “however much fuel is needed” to

help it recover from Tuesday’s devastating earthquake, and that the first oil tanker headed out yesterday. “The people of Venezuela are donating however much fuel is needed for the people of Haiti, for their hospitals and the hydroelectric plants that Cuba is installing,” Chavez said on his weekly radio and television show “Alo Presidente.” “Let the people of

Haiti know that we’ll be sending them the fuel they need. We can’t be selfish or anything like that,” Chavez added.

The first tanker loaded with 225,000 barrels of diesel fuel and gasoline left for the island of Hispaniola-shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic-yesterday morning, Chavez said. The fuel will be offloaded at the Dominican Republic’s

Rafidomsa refinery, with which Venezuela is negotiating for a 49 percent control of its shares, Chavez said. “We’re coordinating with the Dominican President (Leonel Fernandez), who has alerted the (refinery) terminal” in his country, he added. Venezuela responded to the emergency situation in Haiti a few hours after the quake struck, with an airlift of food, water and medical supplies for the impoverished Carribean nation. — Agencies

Defiant Obama defends crisis-haunted first year Americans urged ‘not lose faith’ WASHINGTON: Barack Obama mounted an impassioned defense of his crisis-haunted first year as president on Sunday, but admitted to facing personal doubts over the “painfully slow” pace of the change he has promised. But Obama said that after his inauguration on January 20, 2009, some observers had proclaimed a new era of bipartisan politics and racial harmony-but those lofty hopes had dissolved in Washington’s political tumult.

“As we meet here today, one year later, we know the promise of that moment has not yet been fully fulfilled,” he said, in a speech in a historic Baptist church in Washington DC. But on the eve of a US holiday honoring Martin Luther King Jr, Obama used the methodical change wrought by the civil rights icon as a metaphor for his presidency, as his approval ratings dwindle in a crucial political year.

Obama flashed with impatience as he rebuked critics who say his top priority health care reform drive is a pale imitation of the meaningful change he promised, arguing he was in a daily battle for step-by-step progress. “Sometimes, I get a little frustrated when folks just don’t want to see that even if we don’t get everything, we’re getting something,” he said.

During a brutal first year in the White House, Obama has rarely recreated the passion of his euphoric 2008 campaign, but emerged as an calm, disciplined and sometimes reserved figure dealing with America’s severe problems. But on Sunday, he turned up the rhetorical heat, in apparent answer to critics who say he has lost his connection with average voters, and reprising his year in

the US leader pleaded with Americans not to lose faith in his ambitious drive for reform, in a rare point-by-point rebuttal of criticisms that he has fallen short of expectations and that his leadership is too cool and detached.

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama rubs his brow during church service at Vermont Avenue Baptist Church in Washington. — AP what was effectively an update of his inaugural address. “You know, folks ask me sometimes why I look so calm,” Obama told worshippers.

“I have a confession to make.

There are times when I’m not so calm ... there are times when progress seems too slow. There are times when the words that are spoken about me hurt.

There are times when the barbs sting. “There are times when it feels like all these efforts are for

naught,” he added. “Change is so painfully slow in coming. And I have to confront my own doubts,” Obama said. Obama has seen the stratospheric approval ratings of a year ago decline to the perilous sub-50 percent range and is getting low marks in polls on his economic management with unemployment at 10 percent.

Supporters argue Obama inherited a terrible economic and political legacy from his pre-

decessor George W. Bush. But Republicans brand him a “job killing president” who made a bad situation worse. The president urged worshippers, and Americans across the country to share the faith that he said was the foundation of his inner calm, at a time when many experts believe Obama’s prospects will only recover when the economy does.

“Together, we shall overcome the challenges of the new

age. Together, we shall seize the promise of this moment.

Together, we shall make a way through the winter. And we’re going to welcome the spring.”

Later, the president swapped lofty rhetoric for the bareknuckle barbs of campaigning, as he stumped for Democrat Martha Coakley, who is stunningly at risk of losing the Senate seat once held by Democratic lion Edward Kennedy.

Obama knows his political project could be badly damaged by a Coakley loss. Victory for Republican Scott Brown would rob Democrats of the their 60vote supermajority in the Senate, which is needed to overcome the opposition party’s obstruction tactics and pass a health care and other reforms.

Obama admitted America faced “tough times” and acknowledged that “people are frustrated and they’re angry and they have every right to be.”

But he attacked thoseincluding Brown-who he said are “eager to exploit that pain and anger.” “There are always folks who think that the best way to solve these problems are to demonize others and unfortunately we are seeing some of that politics in Massachusetts today.” Obama’s flying visit to Boston was designed to drum up turnout for Coakley, who polls show just behind or deadlocked with Brown, among the Democratic voters who gave the president a landslide in the state in 2008. — AFP

US sunworshippers hoping to profit from solar energy JEMEZ PUEBLO: A povertystricken American Indian tribe that holds the sun and nature’s other gifts sacred sees a brighter future for itself in solar power.

The 3,000 members of the Jemez Pueblo are on the verge of building the United States’ first utilityscale solar plant on tribal land, a project that could bring in millions of dollars. Experts say tapping into sun, wind and geothermal energy on vast tribal lands of the American West could generate the kind of wealth many tribes have seen from slot machines and blackjack tables.

“We don’t have any revenue coming in except for a little convenience store,” said James Roger Madalena, a former tribal governor who now represents the pueblo in the state Legislature.

“It’s very critical that we become innovative, creative, that we come up with something that will last generations without having a devastating impact on the environment.” The 30-acre site where 14,850 solar panels will be set up has been selected, and after four years of arduous planning and negotiations, a contract to sell outsiders the electricity produced by the four-megawatt operation is at hand. The plant would be capable of cranking out enough electricity to power about 600 homes.

The project, which would cost about $22 million financed through government grants, loans and tax credits, could bring in around $25 million over the next 25 years. That could help the tribe improve its antiquated drinking water system and replace the lagoons it uses to treat wastewater. Renewable energy is a new option for bringing revenue to tribal country,

where many communities are poverty-stricken and unemployment often doubles the national rate. Jemez Pueblo’s effort comes after the federal government refused to let it build a casino because the proposed site was too far away from the community.

“Not every tribe is a gaming tribe, but every tribe is an energy tribe,” said Roger Fragua, a Denver-based consultant who works with the Council of Energy Resource Tribes. Tribes control

more than 55 million acres across the nation, and those lands are capable of producing an estimated 535 billion kilowatt hours of electricity per year from wind power, according to the US Department of Energy’s Tribal Energy Program.

Solar has even greater promise, at 17 trillion kilowatt hours per year, or more than four times the amount of electricity generated annually in the United States. “There’s huge potential,”

said Jerry Pardilla, executive director of the National Tribal Environmental Council.

President Barack Obama acknowledged the possibilities during a meeting last year with leaders of the nation’s tribes. He said he would work to ensure tribes have access to transmission and financing for energy projects.

From 2002 to 2008, the Tribal Energy Program funded nearly 100 projects totaling $16.5 million.

A 2005 federal law authorizes up

to $20 million for the program each year. One of the leading tribes has been the Campo Kumeyaay Nation outside San Diego, California. It is home to a 50-megawatt wind farm, and the tribe is joining forces with San Diego Gas & Electric Co to build a second wind farm capable of producing 160 megawatts. Tribal wind farms also have sprouted up across the Midwest. However, the development of solar power on tribal land is in its infancy. —AP

INTERNATIONAL

10

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Gunmen and suicide bomber storm Kabul Five dead after brazen Taleban assault KABUL: Taleban gunmen and suicide bombers attacked buildings across the heart of Kabul yesterday, triggering fierce gun battles with security forces and killing at least five people including a child. Fires were blazing after two

POCHEON: A US Apache helicopter fires a rocket during an aerial gunnery exercise at a military firing range in Pocheon, near the heavily-fortified border with North Korea in this photo. Japan and South Korea brushed aside North Korea’s call for early talks on a peace treaty, saying they have no plans to lift sanctions unless it first makes progress in scrapping nuclear weapons. — AFP

Sanctions must end before nuclear talks: North Korea SEOUL: North Korea yesterday demanded an end to sanctions before it returns to nuclear disarmament negotiations, but gave the go-ahead for economic talks with South Korea despite earlier threats to attack its neighbor. Pyongyang’s foreign ministry, reiterating its earlier stance, said it would not return to the six-nation disarmament talks it abandoned last April until the United Nations sanctions are lifted.

“The dignity of the DPRK (North Korea) will never allow this to happen,” the ministry said in a statement.

The North repeated calls for early negotiations on a treaty to formally end the 1950-1953 Korean War, in order to build confidence in the nuclear talks. The communist state said it “is not opposed to the sixparty talks and has no ground whatsoever to delay them”. But it added: “There will be a starting point of confidence-building only if the parties concerned sit at a negotiating table for concluding a peace treaty.”

The United States and South Korea have rejected early discussions on a peace treaty, or the lifting of sanctions. They say the North must first return to the six-party talks-which group the two Koreas, the US, Russia, China and Japan-and show it is serious about scrapping its atomic programs. Seoul’s foreign ministry said that under the UN resolution, sanctions could only be reconsidered when there was progress in denuclearization.

Pyongyang, however, authorized a visit by a Seoul delegation to discuss ways to revitalize their joint industrial estate at Kaesong just north of the border. The two-day talks will begin today, Seoul’s unification ministry said.

The two sides had agreed last week on the meeting at Kaesong. But on Friday, in an angry statement, the North’s highest body threatened to cut all dialogue and cooperation unless the South apologizes for an alleged contingency plan to handle regime collapse in the North. The National Defense Commission (NDC), chaired by leader Kim Jong-Il, had also warned of a possible “retaliatory” war against the South over the plan.

On Sunday Pyongyang’s state media publicized a military drill attended by Kim, in which the leader watched his troops “shattering the ‘enemy camp’ to pieces”. Friday’s statement, which came hours after the North said it would accept food aid from the South, was prompted by unconfirmed media reports that Seoul had drawn up a plan to administer the North in case of regime collapse, a coup or a popular uprising. The NDC vowed to stage “a sacred nationwide retaliatory battle to blow up the stronghold of the South Korean authorities” that drew up the plan.

It described the alleged document as a plan to overthrow its socialist system. “North Korea is now taking a two-track approach,” said Dongguk University professor Kim Yong-Hyun.

“The message today indicates North Korea is willing to open talks with South Korea on economic and humanitarian issues,” he said. “It will take a stern attitude about anything which is considered to be undermining the regime’s authority and leadership.” The cash-strapped regime has faced tighter sanctions since its nuclear and missile tests last year.

Last week it called for the South to resume lucrative tourism projects in the North. — AFP

Deadly unrest flares in Sri Lanka ahead of vote COLOMBO: A Sri Lankan opposition supporter was killed yesterday as fresh unrest erupted ahead of next week’s presidential election despite a security crackdown, police said. The man was killed in a clash with ruling party activists in northwestern Sri Lanka, the third politically-related death in the run-up to the vote on January 26.

Supporters of the main opposition candidate, former army chief Sarath Fonseka, were attacked in the town of Wariyapola while they were putting up election posters, police said. “One man was killed and several others sustained injuries,” police Deputy Inspector General Anura Senanayake said.

“There had been 694 poll-related incidents of violence since nominations were handed in a month ago.”

He said 289 suspects had been arrested in connection with the incidents, but declined to say which party was responsible for most of the violence. President Mahinda Rajapakse, who is running for re-election, has ordered a security crackdown to quell unrest, his spokesman Chandrapala Liyanage said Sunday. Opposition activist Kusuma Kuruppuarachchi, 60, was the first to be killed in the poll campaign when she was shot in the southern town of Hungama last week.

Police also fired tear gas to disperse thousands of party workers in the eastern town of Polonnaruwa after mobs destroyed vehicles and buildings on Wednesday. The US embassy in Colombo said it was concerned about the escalating violence in Sri Lanka, where the government crushed the separatist Tamil Tiger rebels last May to end decades of ethnic war on the island.

“Those who lost their lives are not the only victims of these brutal attacks-democracy is also a victim,” the embassy said in a statement. “Such violence undermines the democratic rights and traditions of Sri Lanka.” — AFP

in the news Gunmen kill 2 in Thai south PATTANI: Suspected insurgents have killed two Muslims in separate incidents in Thailand’s violent south, police said yesterday. In Pattani province on Sunday night, four gunmen opened fire with M-16 rifles on a 31-year-old male Muslim villager outside his home, where he died. Soon afterwards a 36-year-old dessert vendor was killed in a drive-by shooting while he was travelling home from a tea shop in the same province. Also on Sunday evening a Buddhist woman, aged 42, was injured when two suspects travelling by motorcycle threw a hand-made bomb into the karaoke bar where she worked in Pattani, police said. More than 4,100 people have been killed and thousands more wounded since an insurgency erupted in the southern region six years ago, but the shadowy militants have never publicly stated their goals. Tensions had simmered ever since mainly Buddhist Thailand annexed the mainly Muslim south, formerly a Malay Muslim sultanate, in 1902.

Militants blow up boys school PESHAWAR: Militants blew up a boys’ primary school in northwest Pakistan yesterday, the latest in a wave of attacks by Islamist extremists targeting educational institutes, local officials said. Noone was hurt in the bombing in the village of Ashraf Kalay in the Khyber tribal region, which lies between Afghanistan and Pakistan’s northwest capital Peshawar, the officials said. “Militants blew up a government boys’ primary school with explosives at around 3.00 am,” tribal administration official Daulat Khan said, adding that all seven rooms of the school were destroyed. Another local administration official, Rehan Gul Khattak, blamed the attack on the militant group Lashkar-e-Islam (Army of Islam). Lashkar-e-Islam is the main extremist group operating in Khyber, and has some ideological ties to the Pakistani Taleban. The military launched an offensive against the group last year, but have yet to capture its leader Mangal Bagh. Islamist militants opposed to co-education have destroyed hundreds of schools, mostly for girls, in northwest Pakistan in recent years.

Police probe SAT test leak SEOUL: Police said yesterday they were investi-

gating a private language school teacher for allegedly helping two South Korean students in the United States cheat on a standardized SAT college admissions exam. The suspect is accused of obtaining a copy of the SAT exam from a Thai student in Bangkok in exchange for about $13 on Jan. 24 last year and e-mailing scanned copies and their answers to the two South Koreans in the state of Connecticut a few hours later, police official Kim Sun-hyung said. The two South Koreans - who had taken the teacher’s test preparation class in Seoul during a vacation - sat for the SAT exam a few hours later on Jan. 24 and scored 2,390 and 2,250 respectively out of the highest possible score of 2,400, the police official said. The 37-year-old lecturer taught classes at a private language institute in southern Seoul, the police official said. He told investigators he was under pressure to raise students’ scores. The lecturer was cooperating with the police investigation and was not taken into custody. Police plan to hand the case over to prosecutors for possible indictment, the police official said.

Anti-Taleban militiaman killed KHAR: Local officials say militants attacked antiTaleban militiamen in Pakistan’s volatile tribal area near the Afghan border, killing one and wounding another. Official Jawed Khan says yesterday’s attack took place as the militiamen manned a security post in the Bazai section of Mohmand tribal area. Khan says authorities also found the bullet-riddled body of another antiTaleban militiaman in a nearby area yesterday, two days after he was kidnapped. The Pakistani government has encouraged anti-Taleban militias to help it battle a raging insurgency that has killed more than 600 people in the last three months.

Militant attacks against the militia members are common.

3 dead, 3 pupils missing KUALA LUMPUR: A dragon boat paddled by students during a race team practice in Malaysia hit a tug boat and overturned, drowning two students and a teacher and leaving three students missing, police said yesterday. The dragon boat - a long, narrow paddle boat - was carrying the teacher and 17 students when it capsized in rough seas Sunday in northern Penang state, said police official Gan

Five people were killed and 38 wounded, the public health ministry said, in the most dramatic strike on Kabul since Taleban militants laid siege to government buildings in February 2009, killing at least 26 people. Defense ministry spokesman Mohammad Zahir Azimi said a child and security forces were among the dead, telling Afghan TV that “four terrorists” had also been killed, two who blew themselves up and two shot dead by security forces.

President Hamid Karzai said the situation was “under control” after hours of fighting in the highly fortified capital, which came as a number of new cabinet ministers were being sworn in as gunfire rattled outside the presidential palace.

“The enemies of the Afghan people conducted a series of attacks today, causing fear and terror among the population,” Karzai said in a statement.

“The president condemns these terrorist attacks.”

The blitz of attacks began at the peak of morning rush hour, when suicide bombers stormed buildings around Pashtunistan Square, setting off explosions that sent clouds of black smoke into the sky and people fleeing in terror. The Islamist Taleban militia, waging an increasingly deadly insurgency against the Western-backed Kabul government and foreign troops in Afghanistan, claimed responsibility. “Twenty of our suicide bombers have entered the area and fighting is ongoing,” Zabihullah Mujahid, who called himself a Taleban spokesman said.

Mujahid said the presidential palace and ministries around Pashtunistan Square were the targets, but it appeared that government buildings had not been breached and civilian gathering places bore the brunt of the violence. Smoke billowed from the Qari Sami shopping mall on the square, while a second shopping mall, the Gulbahar Centre, about one kilometer away was also ablaze. “I saw four people wrapped up in patus (blankets) coming and the guard went forward and asked them ‘what are you doing’,” said local grocer Ismail, who was in his shop in one of the malls when militants stormed in.

“One of them opened his patu and showed the guard a suicide vest packed with explosives and said to him ‘get out of my way or you’ll die’.” Parts of the Serena Hotel, Kabul’s only five-star hotel, were also on fire, while militants blockaded themselves inside the nearby Ariana Cinema and shot at security forces, who struggled to secure the building. As the fighting raged, 14 ministers were in the presidential palace taking their oath of office from Karzai. “The ceremony started at 10:00 am (O530 GMT) and it was ongoing when the attack was taking place,” said Karzai’s spokesman Waheed Omar.

The United States condemned the attacks as a “ruthless” act by the Taleban, whose rebellion to topple the government and oust foreign troops has been gaining strength since a US-led invasion in 2001 removed them from power.

Speaking in New Delhi, US special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke warned: “We can expect this sort of thing on a regular basis.” UN special representative Kai Eide also condemned the attacks, saying they showed “a staggering disregard for civilian lives.”

The attacks came a day after the government said Karzai was to announce a new plan aimed at forging peace with the Islamist Taleban, although the militants have repeatedly rebuffed any efforts at negotiation. The last major attack on the capital was on December 15, when a suicide car bomber blew up his vehicle outside the homes of former senior government officials, killing eight people and wounding more than 40.

In February 2009 about 26 people were killed in coordinated attacks on government buildings. —AFP

shopping centers, a cinema and the only five-star hotel in the Afghan capital were targeted by heavily-armed militants who set off a wave of explosions, witnesses and officials said.

KABUL: Afghan security forces are seen at the scene of an attack in central Kabul yesterday. —AP

Pakistan accuses India of ‘unprovoked’ border fire ISLAMABAD: Pakistani and Indian forces exchanged fire across their border at the weekend, a Pakistani spokesman said yesterday, the latest in a series of incidents raising tension between the nuclear-armed rivals. Relations between the South Asian neighbors have been strained since India suspended a peace process with Pakistan after an assault on the Indian city of Mumbai

by Pakistan-based militants in November 2008.

But easing tension between the two countries that compete for influence in Afghanistan would help Western efforts there, US envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke said on Sunday before flying to India. In the latest incident, Indian forces using automatic weapons opened “unprovoked firing” on Pakistani positions in the Sialkot area, north of the city of Lahore, on Sunday night, a Pakistani paramilitary force spokesman said. “Our soldiers strongly retaliated and forced them to stop firing,” Pakistani Rangers spokesman Nadeem Raza said. “We have decided to forcefully respond if they resort to firing again.”

But a spokesman for the Indian border

guards told Reuters the exchange was provoked by a militant attack. “A group of terrorists, attempting to infiltrate, fired at Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, our troops fired in retaliation to stop the infiltrators,” Vinod Sharma said. “The exchange of fire continued for some time.” India has in the past accused Pakistani troops of giving gunfire cover to help militants cross Kashmir’s military control line to join a 20year-old Islamist separatist revolt on the Indian side. Islamabad denies the allegation.

A police official said yesterday’s infiltration bid was the 11th in past 16 days. Last week, Indian officials said one of their soldiers was killed in firing across the Line of Control, which separates the two sides in the disputed Kashmir region, to the north of the Sialkot area. Two days earlier, the two sides traded accusations of firing across their border near Lahore.

TALEBAN ALLIES? The border firing underlines the fragility of ties of between the countries which have fought three wars since 1947. India has long accused Pakistan of backing militants fighting Indian security forces in the Indian part of the Himalayan region of Kashmir.

Pakistan says it only offers political support to what it calls a freedom struggle by the mostly Muslim people of Kashmir.

Both countries claim Kashmir in full but rule it in part. Violence in Kashmir has subsided since the two countries agreed to a ceasefire across the dividing line there in 2003 and launched a peace process early the next year. But Indian police and security experts say violence may spike again as hundreds of Pakistan-based militants may have sneaked into Indian-ruled Kashmir in the past few months. Analysts say Pakistan has been reluctant to help battle Afghan Taleban factions based on its side of the Afghan border, in part because it sees them as potential allies in its 60 years of hostility with India. Holbrooke told Reuters in an interview in Kabul on Sunday Washington would welcome better relations between Islamabad and New Delhi, but he had no plans to act as a mediator between them.

India is outside Holbrooke’s remit as envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan, and India bristles at the suggestion that Washington is seeking to push them toward a rapprochement with Islamabad as part of an Afghanistan strategy. —Reuters

Japan PM, party losing support amid scandals Most voters say Ozawa should quit party post TOKYO: Voter support for Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and his party has fallen due to a funding scandal linked to his powerful No 2 party executive, three media surveys showed yesterday, raising the risk of a policy stalemate. Opposition parties have threatened to boycott parliamentary debate on an extra budget to prop up the economy if the ruling Democratic Party dodges questions about the scandal ensnaring its secretary-general, Ichiro Ozawa. The affair is adding to political uncertainty weighing on investor sentiment.

In the short-term, the main risk for investors is a delay in enacting the extra budget as well as the annual budget for the year from April. In the longer term, the risk is policy stalemate or confusion. The scandal could also threaten the Democrats’ chances of gaining a majority in a mid-year election for parliament’s upper house which they need to win to pass legislation smoothly. For the first time since Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama took office in September, more voters disapprove of his government than support it, a survey by Kyodo news agency showed.

Support for Hatoyama’s cabinet, which had already slid due to voters’ doubts about his leadership, slipped to 41.5 percent, falling below the disapproval rating of 44.1 percent. That was down from 50.8 percent the previous month and from initial highs above 70 percent. Surveys by the Asahi and Yomiuri newspapers also showed voter support for Hatoyama’s government has dropped to 42 and 45 percent, respectively, nearing the disap-

TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Yukoo Hatoyama (right) Finance Minister Naoto Kan (second from right) Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada (second from left) and Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Minister Seiji Maehara pay their respects to the deceased party member during a lower house session yesterday.— AP proval ratings.

Prosecutors have arrested three current and former Ozawa aides on suspicion of improper reporting of political donations.

Japanese media say they are probing the source of funds and suspect construction firms seeking government contracts were involved.

Hatoyama said on Saturday he would back Ozawa’s decision to remain in his key post and urged him to fight on. That stance has drawn fire from Japanese media and the opposition as suggesting bias against the prosecutors, but the premier reiterated he believed Ozawa’s assertion of innocence. Asked whether Ozawa should respond to prosecutors’ requests to answer questions voluntarily, Hatoyama said yesterday: “I would like for SecretaryGeneral Ozawa to decide himself and give an explanation.”

PRESSURE TO RESIGN Equally disturbing for the government, the percentage of those planning to vote for the ruling party in the upper house election fell to 28.4 percent in the Kyodo poll, against 24.7 percent who said they would opt for the opposition Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

But 70 percent of respondents to the Yomiuri survey said Ozawa, who stepped down as party leader last year over a separate scandal, should resign from his No. 2 post.

Finance Minister Naoto Kan urged parliament yesterday to pass an extra budget for this fiscal year to support a fragile economy, in the hope of avoiding a return to recession. “Japan’s economy is picking up but it lacks self-sustaining strength, and the situation remains severe,” he said in his first speech as finance minister to the lower house of parliament.

The Democrats and their allies could ignore any opposition boycott, but doing so may further erode voter support as the public might see them as high-handed and trying to avoid answering questions about the funding scandal. —Reuters

HAITI TRAGEDY

Tuesday, Janaury 19 , 2010

11

Tough Haitians cling to life under rubble Avalanche of rubble plunges survivors into painful, solitary hell

In this image released by the UN, a grisly scene marks the road to the mass graves where thousands of bodies have been buried, after an earthquake measuring 7 plus on the Richter scale rocked Port au Prince Haiti on January 12. — AFP

PORT-AU-PRINCE: Half a day after international rescue teams heard her determined cries, Marie-France finally emerged from under the avalanche of rubble that had plunged her into a painful, solitary hell. French and US firefighters and medics had drilled away the concrete slabs that buried her, then ground their way through the steel door which protected and imprisoned her when Port-au-Prince was hit by a catastrophic earthquake.

“It’s already remarkable that she’s alive and has so much energy,” said emergency medic Denis Larger during the rescue. “Sadly, a concrete beam has crushed her right arm and we’ll have to amputate it to get her

out.” Long after Tuesday’s quake that killed tens of thousands of people, a far smaller number of victims who were lucky enough to have been trapped with an open airway may still be clinging to life.

But time is running out. Medics and firefighters from French Martinique and a US rescue crew from Fairfax County Urban Search and Rescue, part of an international coalition of first responders, worked late into the night to save MarieFrance. They broke a dozen cutting disks sawing through the double reinforced steel door that shielded the 22year-old under a collapsed row of shops. The team worked in a hole

they dug amid the still unstable buildings-at one point a doctor was lowered in dangling by his feet-under arc lights and the protection of a squad of Brazilian UN peacekeepers.

“She is someone who wants to live. She survived thanks to her mental strength, her physical condition and coolness in the rocks where she was that protected her from the intense heat,” said Fire Commander Daniel Vigee. The rescue began in the baking Caribbean noon but, as sunset infused the dust-choked streets of the ruined capital with a pink glow, the task became more complicated. The rest of the city, bereft of electricity, was already black

when a round of tired applause greeted Marie-France’s anaesthetized form being carried out and rushed to an Israeli field hospital.

The people of Port-au-Prince, desperate for the start of large-scale food handouts, are critical of the international aid operation that has shuddered chaotically into action in the quake’s aftermath. “Is that all there is?” Vanel Louis-Paul, a father of three children, threw his hands up in the air when biscuits provided by the UN and aid organizations reached Challe, a camp for 10,000 displaced Haitian people.

“We have been waiting since Tuesday, and that is all that has

arrived.” But the search and rescue effort has been impressive, with teams from more than a dozen countries fanning out far ahead of the US military forces massing at the airport to save as many lives as possible. A hundred meters (yards) down the street from where the French and American teams were working, another US crew was talking to another survivor.

Voices had been heard in the wreckage of the upper storeys of a commercial building, twisted at crazy angles and hanging over the street.

Local people believed four people were trapped there, and Bertrande Eveward thought her 26-year-old son

Junior was among them. “My son is there,” she declared, as firefighters of the Los Angeles County Search and Rescue scaled the rubble of a neighboring block to investigate the sounds.

Overcome with emotion, she fluttered between French, English and Creole as she tried to tell the story of her family’s achievements, as if invoking their successful history would stave off the worst. Her eldest son Bertrand Paul is serving with the US military in Japan, Joey and his sister Rebecca live with their father Jean-Baptiste in Boston, while Junior was in Haiti when the block collapsed. Bertrande tried to

comfort Junior’s wife, a slight girl with tightly-braided hair who appeared in shock. She tried to explain what had happened but couldn’t find the words and, as tears welled up, she turned away. Hauling equipment to the search site, Fire Captain Miguel Garcia had news.

There was at least one person alive, but it was not Junior. “We’ve confirmed that there’s one female. She’s talking to us,” he said. “She indicates that there’s more, but we can’t hear them. We’ve seen a hand, but they can’t get out from where they’re at.” As the search continues, anyone still in the rubble will have to be strong to survive. — AFP

Haiti dead, missing include two dozen nationalities

Men, carrying a stolen pot, past a burning body in Port-au-Prince. — AP

Haiti slums: Rubble set alight to burn bodies MORNE-LAZARRE: The stench of burning bodies hung over slums clinging to a Haitian hillside Sunday as residents abandoned the search for survivors among the rubble and torched the squalid ruins. Despairing that five days after the 7.0-magnitude quake there were no more people alive and no way of extracting the dead, they set fire to the rubble in the Mont-Lazarre slum outside the capital Port-au-Prince to stop the spread of disease.

“We can’t get those who are in the ruins of their homes out, so we’re setting them on fire, using old tires and a little gas,” said resident Emmanuel. They decided to go ahead with the massive inferno after Dutch rescue teams and their sniffer dogs could find no signs of life. For the poorest of the poor, in the slums which were home to about 15,000 people, the

quake has left them completely destitute.

“It’s unimaginable what has happened here,” said Bernard, another resident who offered to act as a guide through this place of misery and despair, which the authorities have yet to visit.

“Here is the ruins of the supermarket. There the apartments collapsed on top of their occupants. A man died there with his three children. Junior and his fiancee lived there,” said Bernard, who knew them all. “We managed to save a few people on the night of the quake, but after that there was nothing we could do. It was too late for most of them.”

The area looks like a battlefield. Hundreds have died, almost all the homes were destroyed.

Before the tiny shacks had risen up the hillside as far as the eye

could see, at times jostling for space with the luxury villas in the neighboring once chic area of Petionville. But Tuesday’s quake has wiped out any distinction between the two, both now reduced to rubble. “There is no more neighborhood, we are all in the street,” said Dieuseul, who lost two children.

“This place is now uninhabitable, even the dogs can’t live here. That means that we have to look after ourselves,” said the young man, with an air of desperation. “The slums are 90 percent destroyed,” said Germain Pressoir, a lawmaker who lives in the area and like his neighbors now finds himself on the streets, squatting in the courtyard of a school. Like much of the rest of Haiti, the need for food and water is desperate in this area. But help has yet to arrive. — AFP

WASHINGTON: The tens of thousands of people dead and missing after Haiti’s devastating earthquake five days ago includes nationals from around two dozen countries, according to a compilation of various figures. Following is a breakdown of foreign nationals confirmed killed or reported missing after Tuesday’s disaster. The overall death toll has been difficult to estimate: the Red Cross has spoken of 45,000 to 50,000 dead but Lieutenant General Ken Keen, the US general running the relief effort, said the final number could be as high as 200,000.

Argentina: A policeman serving with the United Nations was killed. Australia: The foreign ministry said a “small number” of Australians remained unaccounted for, but that there was no evidence of Australian deaths. Austria: A 61-year-old Austrian woman working for a German aid development organization died in hospital from injuries suffered when a wall collapsed, the foreign ministry said.

Belgium: The foreign ministry has said that 87 Belgians were still to be accounted for in Haiti. Three were officially listed as missing. Brazil: At least 14 Brazilian peacekeepers were killed, according to the country’s military. An award-winning champion of child rights Zilda Arns, 73, was also killed by

falling debris as she walked down a street in Port-au-Prince to attend a conference.

Britain: Britain on Sunday confirmed its first death as a 41year-old UN worker. Another Briton was still unaccounted for.

Burkina Faso: Government says Burkinabe nationals missing, but no figures or details available.

Canada: Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon said Sunday that eight Canadians died in the quake and another 1,115 have yet to be located. Chile: A 44year-old Chilean woman who had been working for the United Nations was confirmed killed on Sunday. Another Chilean national was missing, the government said. China: Beijing said the bodies of eight nationals, members of its police force, had been found and all other Chinese in Haiti were safe, including more than 130 UN peacekeepers.

France: Twelve French citizens have been confirmed killed and between 30 and 50 missing.

Italy: Authorities had no news of 20 nationals including one believed to have been killed and two UN workers missing.

Jordan: At least three soldiers with the UN peacekeeping contingent were killed.

Mauritius: The foreign ministry said it had not heard from two Mauritian citizens, one serving with the United Nations and the other in the tourist sector. — AFP

Dominican hospitals filled with victims GENEVA: Hospitals on the Dominican Republic’s border with Haiti are “overwhelmed” with quake victims, while crucial fuel supplies in Haiti are reaching critically low levels, the United Nations said yesterday. The warning came as the UN-led aid effort broadened to thousands more people in severely battered outlying communities of the Caribbean island nation, and aimed to cover the shelter needs of some one million survivors of the 7.0-magnitude earthquake.

“Hospitals in the border region are overwhelmed and have begun to refer patients to other cities,” the UN’s Organization for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs added in its latest situation report on Haiti, citing its official in the neighboring Dominican Republic. “There is a shortage of specialized medical supplies, equipment and physicians at these hospitals, and no clear inventory of what is needed,” OCHA warned. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) Friday reported an increase in Haitians crossing into the border

town of Jimani to reach a hospital there. The Dominican Red Cross was setting up a field hospital there to cope with the surge, OCHA said Monday.

Meanwhile, the fuel situation in Haiti “is becoming more and more critical,” with restrictions now in place, the UN said, warning that a shortage could have a serious impact on the massive international relief effort. “The national telecommunications system has been partly restored, but without access to fuel the mobile network will be cut off within days, which will have serious implications for the humanitarian operation,” OCHA added. Some 10,000 gallons of fuel was due to be ferried in by truck from the Dominican Republic, which shares the Caribbean island of Hispaniola with Haiti.

However, a road linking an international aid hub in the Dominican capital of Santo Domingo to the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince was congested, pushing the journey time up to 18 hours, OCHA said. — AFP

Two hands hold a rosary during prayer at a community wake service for the victims of the earthquake that shook Haiti on Jan 12, in the “Little Haiti” section of Miami. — AP

A man, victim of Tuesday’s earthquake, lies on a makeshift couch at the General Hospital in Port-au-Prince. — AP

Religious Haitians see hand of God in quake Haitians pray in ruins as quake toll soars PORT-AU-PRINCE: Deeply religious Haitians see the hand of God in the destruction of Biblical proportions visited on their benighted country. The quake, religious leaders said Sunday, is evidence that He wants change. Exactly what change He wants depends on the faith: Some Christians say it’s a sign that Haitians must deepen their faith, while some Voodoo followers see God’s judgment on corruption among the country’s mostly lightskinned elite.

And then there’s American evangelist Pat Robertson, who said Wednesday that Haiti had been cursed by a pact he said its slave founders made with the devil two centuries ago to overthrow their French rulers and become the world’s first black republic. The White House called his remarks “stupid.” As desperate believers gathered to pray Sunday across the shattered capital, the Rev. Eric Toussaint told a congregation gathered outside the ruined cathedral that the earthquake “is a sign from God, saying that we must recognize his power.”

Haitians, he said, “need to reinvent themselves, to find a new path to God.” Some followers of Voodoo, practiced alongside Roman Catholicism by the vast majority of Haitians, said the devastation of key symbols of power was punishment for corrupt leaders who have allowed the mostly light-skinned elite to enrich themselves while the

black majority suffers. “If all of a sudden, in 15 seconds, 20 seconds, all the physical representations of corruption are destroyed, it gives you pause for thought,” said Richard Morse, a renowned HaitianAmerican musician whose mother was a singer and revered Voodoo priestess.

“The Justice Ministry: down. The National Palace: down. The United Nations headquarters: down.”

Unharmed by the quake was the famed bronze statue, “Le Maron Inconnu” - “the Unknown Escaped Slave” noted Morse, who owns the Oloffson Hotel featured in Graham Greene’s novel “The Comedians.” The destruction of every major Catholic church in the capital, including the 81year-old cathedral, also was a sign, he said: “When there is all this corruption going on, whose role is it in society to speak out?

Isn’t the Church supposed to say something?”

Most Haitians are Christian - largely Catholic with a small but growing number of Protestants. But most also practice Voodoo, which along with Catholicism is an official state religion. Several people were seen issuing apocalyptic warnings on the streets Sunday, including a man standing in front of the collapsed National Palace shouting: “Redeem yourselves!

The end of the world is near!”

But Morse noted that Haitians are already very religious. His countrymen may suffer many

ills, but “when it comes to spiritual strength, Haiti is one of the richest nations in the world.”

And in that sense, the earthquake seems to have been counterproductive in terms of salvation. “How could He do this to us?,” cried Remi Polevard, who said his five children lie beneath in the rubble of a home near St Gerard University. “There is no God.” Sunday night, as downtown residents began burning some of the bodies that have been rotting on the streets for five days, a woman walking by in an orange dress pulled out a copy of the Bible. She flung it into the fire. Despairing Haitians prayed in church ruins Sunday as rescuers raced against time to unearth quake survivors and the UN vowed to speed up desperately needed supplies of food, water and medicine. The government said 70,000 bodies had been buried in mass graves since the 7.0 earthquake flattened much of the impoverished Caribbean nation on January 12, triggering a massive humanitarian crisis. Officials fear the eventual death toll could top 200,000.

Survivors were besieging hospitals and makeshift clinics, some carrying the injured on their backs or on carts, and violence flared as police tried to stop looting in a city market.The stench of burning bodies hung over slums clinging to a Haitian hillside as residents abandoned the search for survivors and torched the squalid ruins. — Agencies

OPINION

12

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

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issues

America, terrorists & Nelson Mandela

By Bernd Debusmann

W

oe betide the organization or individual who lands on America’s terrorist list. The consequences are dire and it’s easier to get on the list than off it even if you turn to peaceful politics. Just ask Nelson Mandela. One of the great statesmen of our time, Mandela stayed on the American terrorist blacklist for 15 years after winning the Nobel Prize prior to becoming South Africa’s first postApartheid president. He was removed from the list after then president George W Bush signed into law a bill that took the label “terrorist” off members of the African National Congress (ANC), the group that used sabotage, bombings and armed attacks against the white minority regime.

The ANC became South Africa’s governing party after the fall of apartheid but the US restrictions imposed on ANC militants stayed in place.

Why? Bureaucratic inertia is as good an explanation as any and a look at the current list of what is officially labelled Foreign Terrorist Organisations (FTOs) suggests that once a group earns the designation, it is difficult to shake.

The consequences of a US terrorist designation include freezing an organisation’s funds, banning its members from travelling to the US and imposing harsh penalties (up to 15 years in prison) on people who provide “material support or resources” to an FTO. At present, there are 44 groups on the list, ranged in alphabetical order from the Palestinian Abu Nidal Organisation to the United Self Defense Forces of Colombia. The Abu Nidal group, according to the government’s own country reports on terrorism, “is largely considered inactive”.

The Congressional Research Service, a bipartisan agency which provides research and analysis for Congress, has wondered why it is still on the list.

One can ask the same about the Colombian group, added to the list in 2001. The bulk of the paramilitary organisation demobilized years ago and the latest US government report says its “organizational structure no longer exists”. In between Abu Nidal and the Colombians are groups whose terrorist acts and future intentions are undisputed - AlQaeda, Islamic Jihad - as well as one which is waging a protracted legal battle to have its terrorist label taken off.

That is the Mujahideen-e Khalq (MEK), an Iranian resistance group on which the United States is out of synch with Britain and the 27-member European Union. After years of legal wrangling, Britain took the MEK off its terrorist blacklist in 2008 and the EU followed suit last year.

In the last week of the administration of George W Bush, then Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice denied the group’s petition that its ter-

rorist label be taken off.

The MEK’s case came up again this week in a wood-panelled Washington courtroom where high-powered lawyers debated whether Rice had acted “reasonably” in doing so. Yes, she had, the government’s lawyer, Douglas Letter, told the three-judge panel, given the MEK’s past history of violence. In his written brief, he scoffed at “claims that ‘the tiger has changed its stripes,’” a reference to the group’s contention that it had foresworn violent acts in 2001 in favor of peaceful change.

Rulings by foreign courts, the argument went, were not germane to the case in the US Those decisions included one by Britain’s Proscribed Organisations Appeal Commission (POAC), a body established to review disputes over terrorist designations.

The POAC found it would be “perverse” to stick to that label and ordered the Home Office to remove the MEK from the terrorist blacklist.

When the Washington Court of Appeals will rule on the MEK’s latest (and fifth) petition is not clear but if the past is any guide, political rather than legal considerations will decide the fate of the group in the US American administrations have been using the terrorist organizations list and a separate list of “state sponsors of terrorism” as political tools.

Washington added the MEK to the terrorist list in 1997, at a time when the Clinton administration hoped the move would facilitate opening a dialogue with Iran and its newly-elected President, Mohammad Khatami, who was seen as moderate open to better relations with the US. The MEK served as a bargaining chip but the hoped-for dialogue didn’t go anywhere.

Neither did President Barack Obama’s diplomatic overtures to the theocrats ruling Iran. There has been no apparent progress on negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear ambitions and the government has turned deaf ears to international criticism of increasingly savage repression of anti-government dissent.

Obama was guarded in his initial reaction to the crackdown on popular protests that erupted after Iran’s elections in June.

But he finally spoke out against the government in December: “For months, the Iranian people have sought nothing more than to exercise their universal rights. Each time they have done so, they have been met with the iron fist of brutality, even on solemn occasions and holy days.”

Despite the tough language, he has obviously not given up hope for negotiations.

“We ... want to keep the door to dialogue open,” Obama’s Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, said in January. Which probably means that the MEK, hated by Iran’s rulers, will retain its role as a bargaining counter and stay on the terrorist list. —Reuters

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

‘Saddam’ ban threatens Sunni stake in elections Pakistan, a survivor T

By Arthur MacMillan

he decision to ban Iraqi election candidates accused of links with the Baath party of executed dictator Saddam Hussein could exclude Sunnis from the political arena and usher in new sectarian tensions. The move also threatens to damage the March 7 ballot by creating a campaign battleground focused on past quarrels rather than a much needed search for solutions to myriad problems facing the war-torn country, analysts told AFP. Leading Sunni politicians also voiced anger at an official blacklist that bars 500 candidates including defence minister Abdel Qader Jassem Al-Obeidi from the vote, purportedly under a law that bans Baathists from all elections. However, members of the committee of integrity and accountability whose job is to vet applicants and purge unsuitable contenders are themselves facing charges of illegitimacy as they have not been approved by parliament.

Those banned from the election, the second since the US-led invasion that toppled Saddam but provoked an insurgency that saw tens of thousands die in sectarian bloodshed in 2006 and 2007, include prominent Sunni lawmaker Saleh AlMutlak, a persistent critic of the government. “The decision to exclude Mutlak and others means Iraq is getting dangerously close to a repeat of the heated, sectarian political atmosphere seen in the December 2005 elections,” said Reidar Visser, a noted Iraq analyst. “It means Iraqis will be looking to the past, focusing on settling scores, instead of facing the future and the many specific issues that need to be solved,” added Visser who runs the Iraq-focused website www.historiae.org.

Sunnis largely boycotted Iraq’s inaugural post-Saddam parliamentary election in 2005. The decision cleared the way for a dominant Shiite government to take power which exacerbated Sunni disenfranchisement and deepened the insurgency that later took the country to the brink of

civil war. Baath party membership was a key condition for obtaining a job and later gaining promotion in public sector employment during Saddam’s regime.

A controversial process of deBaathication was adopted by Washington diplomat Paul Bremer, head of the Coalition Provisional Authority, following the invasion which saw thousands of Saddam-era employees lose their jobs.

The decision to ban hundreds of election hopefuls almost seven years later shows fissures are still raw, according to Joost Hiltermann, an Iraq specialist and conflict studies analyst with the International Crisis Group think tank. “It might well torpedo Iraq’s hopes to have relatively free, fair and inclusive elections,” he said. “It shows that political groups are far from accommodating one another, let alone reconciling. If this decision is not reversed, we might well be facing a new and dangerous escalation of violence,” he added.

According to election organisers around 6,500 candidates from 86 parties, comprising 12 coalitions as well as independents, have registered to compete in the March poll. The election is seen as crucial to consolidating Iraq’s democracy and smoothing the path for a complete US military exit by the end of 2011 as planned.

Michael O’Hanlon, a national security and defence policy expert and senior author of the Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan Index projects at the Brookings Institute in Washington, said the candidates’ ban was a setback. “I’m very, very worried about this, the lack of transparency, the quality of the decisions, the huge number of people affected all bode quite badly,” he said.

Khalaf Al-Alayane, a Sunni MP, meanwhile, insisted the ban was illegal, because “the committee itself is not professionally approved, and MPs refused to vote positively for anyone on the committee”.

“Those decisions will affect the national reconciliation process and the national interest, especially after all this time and being able to pass many obstacles,” he said, alluding to past sectarian violence between Sunnis and Shiites. — AFP

By Zubeida Mustafa

W

hat keeps Pakistan afloat? How - despite its seemingly precarious political existence and the gloom and doom spread by the highly politicised media, as well as the horrendous bomb blasts - does the country manage to survive? The immense reserves of resilience the people have are striking. In the forefront are those who lead them. These leaders are not the ministers and elected representatives, who unfortunately lack the mettle that goes into the making of leadership. Our real leaders are the thousands of community activists in our midst - many of whom are not necessarily well-known.

There are so many of them that it almost appears to be a national conspiracy hatched by the media to keep such activists out of the limelight. Have you heard of Tahira Ali, who works for the rights of Karachi’s fisher folk? Or Majeed Manghrio of Sanghar, one of the largest districts in the Sindh province, who became his community’s leader in its struggle against the landlords in their dispute over Chottiari Dam? Or Amir Mohammad from the North West Frontier Province who is leading a movement to save the forests of the Frontier? And what about the theatre group from Lyari, a small area of Karachi, which stages street plays to promote harmony in its strife-torn locality.

The endeavours of these activists and many others should be celebrated. They are idealists - some more, some less. But they all have a “utopian desire to serve others, to solve real problems, to create a better world, more kind, more just and more prosperous,” to quote the late Dr Akhtar Hameed Khan. An activist par excellence, who preferred to call himself a social scientist, Khan had a dream and the qualities all successful leaders possess: idealism, courage to effect change, selflessness and a love for humanity. It is a befitting tribute to Khan that his legacy, the Orangi Pilot Project (OPP) - an innovative program that helped squatters in the Orangi district of Karachi solve their own sanitation and housing problems - should hold a forum every year in December to mark the anniversary of his death. The reason for holding this intellectual exercise is to honour the memory of this great man and carry on his message by encouraging the networking of activists from all over Pakistan. It was at the 10th such forum where I met the aforementioned activists and learnt of their good work.

Unlike advocacy, activism actually brings about changes in social and physical conditions without waiting for the government or state institutions to act. This activism at the

grassroots helps Pakistan survive. For Khan, a modest and unassuming man, there could be no bigger sin than an “I know best” attitude especially vis-a-vis the community with which he worked. His philosophy of research and extension involved studying the problems of a community and learning from its members about how they coped. On the basis of that knowledge he sought to develop a package of technical guidelines that he offered to people as a measure of support.

His basic findings and observations were most interesting.

First, when the government fails, local communities rise to the occasion and work on a self-help basis. Second, people will mobilise their own financial resources and manpower if they are provided social and technical guidance. Third, the main concerns of the people are housing and sanitation, healthcare, education and employment. A close look at the Orangi experiment and Khan’s own work confirms that successful activism is a dual-tiered operation. It involves mainstream community leaders who understand the thinking, needs and aspirations of their people.

The second tier comprises equally committed individuals, mainly professionals, who may not be drawn from the community but have strong empathy with it. Their role is what Khan described his own to be - that of a dadi amma, or grandmother, who holds the family together while providing each member solace and guidance. This second tier is vital to providing confidence and continuous support for social mobilisation.

These professionals, not drawn from the community, are needed until the community reaches that level of education and training where it can produce its own professionals. The second tier must, however, have strong links and identify with the population to enjoy the confidence of indigenous activists. All development projects, whether for housing, education or primary healthcare, must have these two closely integrated tiers of activism if they are to succeed.

Without the participation of the people at the grassroots, no development strategy can work and the local leadership alone has to mobilise people.

It is these secrets that have made the OPP feasible and replicable. The proof lies in the expanding network of nongovernmental organisations and community-based organisations that has links with the OPP and which keeps growing, vindicating Khan’s philosophy.

NOTE: Zubeida Mustafa is a journalist from Pakistan and has been twice awarded the Population Institute’s Global Media Award for Excellence — CGNews

Yemen crackdown may not stunt Qaeda’s appeal

By Ulf Laessing

Y

emen has declared “open war” on Al-Qaeda, but multiple conflicts and feeble state control still make the Arabian peninsula country a fertile breeding ground for militancy, diplomats and analysts say. “The more Yemen slips into instability the more it is an invitation for Al-Qaeda to recruit fighters here. They can roam freely in several provinces,” a senior Western diplomat said. Yemeni security forces had ramped up air raids and security sweeps on militant hideouts even before the Yemen-based Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) said it had organised a failed Dec. 25 attempt to blow up a Detroit-bound US airliner - the group’s first attack outside the Gulf region.

In August, an AQAP suicide bomber posing as a repentant militant from Yemen narrowly failed to kill Saudi Arabia’s security chief, Prince Mohammed bin Nayef. After these brazen attacks on Yemen’s two main allies, President Ali Abdullah Saleh may have had little choice but to expand the fight with Al-Qaeda, even while grappling with other, arguably more urgent, threats to his rule such as a Houthi-led tribal revolt in the north and separatist unrest in the south.

“The war security forces launched against Al-Qaeda elements is open, whenever or wherever we find them,”

Yemeni soldiers man a checkpoint in a street in Sanaa yesterday. – AFP a government website quoted a Yemeni security source as saying on Thursday.

But security operations alone are unlikely to stem the flow of recruits to Al-Qaeda in a deeply conservative Muslim society dislocated by severe economic problems compounded by corruption. Yemen has half a dozen universities or schools run by Salafi Islamists, whose radical teachings defy official pledges to crack down on them, said Yemeni analyst Abdul-Ghani AlIryani. Some of these institutes function in areas where government control

is weak, such as the eastern province of Marib. “There are hundreds of foreign students at Iman University (in Sanaa) and many at other institutions...This is a breeding ground for extremists. They organise visas for students. The government doesn’t regulate them much,” Iryani said. Iman University denies propagating harmful ideas but diplomats say some militants have attended such institutes, which get funds from groups in Saudi Arabia, whose austere Wahhabi brand of Sunni Islam overlaps with Salafi teachings.

Many foreigners from Africa, Asia or Western countries study Arabic in Yemen. Some, like the accused Nigerian plane bomber, wind up in contact with Islamist militants, diplomats say. Yemeni forces are stretched. They are battling Zaidi Shiite rebels in swathes of the northwest and trying to contain often violent protests in the south. Government authority is dwindling outside the capital Sanaa and the main southern port of Aden. “Some 50 km east of Sanaa, government control ends. In many parts of the country, tribes are in charge,” said another diplomat, listing at least five of Yemen’s 18 provinces where he said the state’s writ was limited or absent.

The government has claimed some notable successes against AQAP, which emerged a year ago after AlQaeda’s Saudi and Yemeni wings joined forces, but not all have been verified. A Yemeni official said a Dec. 17 air strike may have killed AQAP’s top two leaders and US-Yemeni cleric Anwar AlAwlaki, said to have traded emails with the American army psychiatrist who killed 13 people at a US army base in November. “None of the three are believed to be dead,” said US terrorism research publication CTC Sentinel in a recent report.

AQAP’s leader Nasser Al-Wahayshi and military chief Qasim Al-Raymi escaped from a Sanaa prison in 2006 with 21 others. Saleh’s government has

garnered substantial economic aid from Saudi Arabia, other Gulf countries and the West, but diplomats say corrupt officials have often diverted the money.

Donors pledged $5.2 billion to Yemen at a 2006 conference, but very little has been spent outside regular bilateral aid programs because the government has failed to absorb it. Yemen says it lacks resources to revive a program it began in 2005 to wean Islamists off militancy and rehabilitate them.

While Saudi Arabia has had some success with a better-funded rehabilitation plan, some Yemenis freed from the US Guantanamo prison struggle to readjust when they return to the streets. “Neither the Yemeni nor the American government has given me any help. I’m not the only one, this is a general problem,” said 60-year-old Saleh Al-Zoba, a Yemeni who spent five years in Guantanamo after being captured by US troops in Afghanistan.

“You need to give people financial and practical help to reintegrate,” said Zoba, who has 11 children and no job.

US President Barack Obama this month suspended plans to repatriate any of about 90 Yemenis still in Guantanamo. “Those who came back from Guantanamo, I think they can rejoin Al-Qaeda if they don’t undergo any rehabilitation program, if they are not helped, if they are not reintegrated ino society,” said Yemeni political analyst Nasser Arrabyee. — Reuters

ANALYSIS

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

13

Missteps, mood turn US Senate race

By Glen Johnson

A

Republican’s surprising nimbleness, his opponent’s missteps and shifting political winds in one of the most Democratic states have turned a sure thing into an even bet. Instead of Democrats easily retaining the Senate seat held for 47 years by Edward M Kennedy, on Tuesday the Republicans may win the vote necessary to block President Barack Obama’s agenda. It’s a political reality few could have dreamed possible only a few months after hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts residents lined streets in Cape Cod and Boston in a solemn farewell to the Senate’s “liberal lion.”

The question wasn’t who would succeed Ted Kennedy, but which Democrat it would be.

In a span of weeks, littleknown state Sen Scott Brown has capitalized on voter dissatisfaction to erase a double-digit lead held by Democrat Martha Coakley, the state attorney general. He’s done it by knocking on doors in conservative South Boston to get out the vote and by holding kitchen-table conversations with voters of all stripes across the state. His pickup truck, with nearly 320,000 km on the odometer, became a symbol of his workmanlike approach. Coakley ran a textbook primary campaign but then stopped after winning a fourway race with 47 percent of the vote. She cut back on her appearances and disappeared from public view entirely Christmas week, confident she needed only community and

political activists and their networks in what was projected to be a low-turnout special election.

When she emerged, it wasn’t to shake hands or rally supporters, but to sit on the stage at inaugurations for newly elected Democratic mayors. There was retail face-to-face campaigning, only press releases. And she balked at debates. When the final one a week ago ended, Brown had clearly won it. “I think that everyone just assumed that it was going to be Martha or a Democrat, so why pay attention?”

Thom Carter, a high school teacher from Melrose and a Coakley supporter, said Saturday at one of her rallies.

“And I think everyone was guilty that were supporters.”

While Coakley was cloistered, Brown launched the campaign’s ad war on Dec 30 with an eyecatching spot. It began with black-and-white footage of Kennedy’s brother, President John F Kennedy, arguing for an across-the-board tax cut, before transitioning to color video of Brown completing the speech.

Democrats labeled him audacious for appropriating such a hallowed image, but Coakley didn’t respond in kind. She waited a week before airing her first campaign ad, and when she did, the spot focused on her prosecutorial career and work against child sex predators. Coakley did have one advertising first: She was the first candidate to air a negative spot, released a halfhour after her final debate with Brown on Jan 11. Brown now has the chance to become a piv-

US President Barack Obama waves at a campaign stop for Democratic senate candidate, Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley at Northeastern University in Boston Sunday. – AP otal Republican Party player, the 41st Senate vote against the healthcare bill, the focus of Kennedy’s life work. You’d never know it from Brown’s ads, website or campaigning.

He rarely mentions his party affiliation, instead saying he is “independent-minded”. It’s a nod to the voting reality in Massachusetts. While the state has a solid Democratic tradition, 51 percent of its voters are unenrolled in either major party.

Only 37 percent are registered Democrats, while just 12 per-

cent are Republicans. So-called Kennedy liberal Democrats remain in the cities, but moderates now populate the suburbs.

They favor a balanced approach to government, and they helped elect Republican governors for a 16-year run before Democrats regained the office in 2006.

Massachusetts’ Democratic leader, Gov Deval Patrick, is sagging after an Obama-like 2006 campaign full of airy talk about “together we can” collided with a sagging economy, a sales tax increase and none of

his promised property tax reductions. A Suffolk University poll last week that showed Brown statistically tied with Coakley also showed Patrick with a 56 percent disapproval rating. Obama’s was only slightly better at 43 percent.

“It’s a very anxiety-ridden climate in the country,” said John Sasso, a Democratic political strategist who advised former Gov Michael S Dukakis.

“And the party that’s in, the Democratic Party, bears the brunt of that.” Brown is prac-

ticed in running against the tide, both personally and professionally. The 50-year-old is both a triathlete and a Republican by choice, and it’s hard to know which is more difficult in a state where the Republicans hold just 15 percent of the legislative seats. Brown is one of five Republicans in the state Senate.

Last fall, he ran against a perennial candidate in the Republican primary, but he and his campaign team knew their true challenge - and opportunity - lay in the five-week general election campaign. His first event was symbolically charged: He signed a no-new-taxes pledge and challenged Coakley to do the same. Coakley dismissed it as “a campaign gimmick”. An early poll by the National Republican Senatorial Committee showed Brown trailing by just 13 points. The committee kept the results private to avoid awakening slumbering Democrats.

Last week when polls for the first time showed Brown on the cusp of victory, a key Democratic player, Massachusetts Secretary of State William F Galvin, said confirming the election results could take 10 days, maybe 15, enough time for Democrats in Washington to push a health care compromise through the Senate.

That irked Massachusetts voters even more. “It’s not playing by the rules; it’s changing the rules of the game,” said Scott McGrath of Winthrop, who held a sign at a Brown rally on Friday. “It’s worse than dirty politics; it’s bad sportsmanship.” — AP

Google put spotlight on global cyber espionage

By Chris Lefkow

C

yberattacks on Google and other firms are part of a shadowy campaign in cyberspace being waged

by China and other nations which goes largely undetected, according to Web security experts and analysts. “China is not the only place to engage in this kind of espionage, but they are certainly busy,” said James Lewis, a cybersecurity expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) here.

“They’re probably the biggest actors when it comes to economic espionage,” Lewis said, and the hacking of Google and more than 30 other firms “fits in with all the complaints you’ve heard about intellectual property and piracy.”

Web security firm McAfee said in its “Virtual Criminology Report” released in November that China, France, Israel, Russia and the United States were among the countries which have developed “advanced offensive cyber capabilities.”

“China’s at the top of the list,” Dmitri Alperovitch, vice president of threat research for McAfee, told AFP. “They have great focus on espionage activities and penetration of organizations. “They’ve been very successful in penetrating the US government in a variety of ways in recent years and exfiltrating valuable classified data about ongoing military operations, military hardware specs, that sort of thing,” he said.

While stressing McAfee had “no proof” the Chinese government was directly behind the attack on Google, Alperovitch said “there are indications though that a nation-state is behind it.” “It fits the pattern of a very sophisticated cyber espionage program that’s been underway for years,” said CSIS’s Lewis,

that involves “more than just the Chinese government. “There’s probably a centrally directed program, an espionage program,” he said. “But there’s other people who do it as freelancers, or companies do it, or ministries do it. “There was GhostNet about a year ago, which was a Chinese effort to look at computers around the world,” he said. “There was an effort in 2007 to look at defense, energy, commerce, NASA, there were efforts before that targeted at defense.”

Ronald Deibert, director of Citizen Lab at the Munk Center for International Studies at the University of Toronto, agreed that Chinese-based hackers are by no means the only ones probing the computer networks of business and political rivals around the world. “It’s not just China that’s doing it although China’s very aggressive,” said Deibert, an author of the GhostNet report, which uncovered a China-based network that had compromised 1,295 government and private computers in 103 countries including those of the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama. “There is a real arms race in cyberspace going on,” he said. “Espionage attacks that we’ve seen that seem to come from mainland China are consistent with China’s strategic doctrine in this area and also consistent with what a lot of other countries are proposing to do in this area,” he said. “For example, if you look at the United States, the director of national intelligence, Dennis Blair, said that we need to be more aggressive stealing other countries secrets,” Deibert said. “In (President Barack) Obama’s cybersecurity review, among the things that were underlined was the need to develop operational capabilities to fight and win wars in cyberspace including cyber espionage attacks of this sort.”

Web security experts and analysts interviewed by AFP said it is almost impossible to prove who is behind a particular cyberattack and noted that companies rarely come forward and admit that

they have been targeted. “We’ve conducted a three-year research project on surveillance and one of the things we’ve learned is how absolutely very difficult it is to study,” said Colin Maclay, managing

director of the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University. “Anyone will tell you that with properly conducted surveillance you can’t catch it,” Maclay said. — AFP

Life and death in Tecate

By Andrea Sosa Cabrios

J

ose Luis Hernandez has saved many migrants in the remote region of La Rumorosa, along Mexico’s border with the US state of California. “Unfortunately, we have also found skeletons,” he told dpa. A doctor by training, Hernandez is the director for the area of Tecate of Grupo Beta, a humanitarian organization created by the Mexican government 15 years ago to protect migrants. Time and again, Hernandez and other members of the group have tried to discourage migrants from attempting to cross over illegally to the United States through this harsh desert area in northern Mexico, with its gigantic rocks and extreme temperatures.

“I hang posters on trees that they get to in search of a bit of shade before moving on. But they go all out for it. They don’t want to return, and I have to leave them,” he said.

Although Tecate’s terrain makes it the most dangerous place to attempt the crossing in the Mexican state of Baja California, the number of Mexicans and Central Americans who try their luck in the area has risen in the past two years. The main reason is that more urbanized areas are usually under greater surveillance.

“In Tijuana there are already two and even three fences. It has got more difficult,” said Hernandez, who has worked for Grupo Beta for six years. “So migrants look for a more vulnerable place, and the place they believe to be most vulnerable is this side of Tecate.” In this area, there are neither roads nor water, and it is full of snakes and wild cats. “La Rumorosa is a mountainous place, with rocks that are huge, and anyone can get lost in there,” Hernandez said.

“Besides that there are robbers, sometimes they beat them up, they violate their human rights, and on top of that there is now a new danger - several (migrants) have already been kidnapped (for ransom),” he said. “Even so, people don’t

stop trying to find a way to cross. As they put it - hunger is difficult.”

The number of migrants in the United States is basically stable, and border crossings have fallen since 2006, according to Ernesto Rodriguez, director of Mexico’s Migration Studies Centre. The causes include the economic downturn in the United States, particularly in the construction sector, increased surveillance and growing violence in Mexico.

Rodriguez admitted that one element definitely is “more guards in the United States, more control and cameras and equipment.”

But there are plenty of other factors. “You have the fight against drug trafficking, you have more Army checkpoints in Mexico, you have more war between organized crime gangs.

These in turn have a reduced income. They seek new sources of income, and a new source is traffic in migrants,” Rodriguez told dpa. “That, in turn, increases the cost for migrants.”

About 450,000 Mexicans arrived in the United States in 2004-05 with a view to staying permanently. Now the figure is estimated to be 300,000 a year. Add to this migrants who stay in the United States only temporarily, and the total number of people who cross over each year can be more than 500,000. Difficulties in crossing over have also led to a spike in the number of deaths. Along the 3,000-km border between Mexico and the US, 390 people died in 2008, according to Mexico’s National Human Rights Commission.

Many of those who used to cross into the United States and back now prefer to stay for longer periods as the financial costs and the dangers associated with the journey have grown. At one time, migrants would make the journey to and from the US every six months. That gradually stretched to a year and then a year and a half. “Now we calculate that one of those workers can stay for a year and a half, or even two years, without returning to Mexico,” Rodriguez said. — dpa

Russia gains as Ukraine awakes from Orange dream

By Stuart Williams

W

hoever becomes Ukraine’s next president, Russia has strengthened its influence and the Orange Revolution dreams of creating a different model for post-Soviet states have suffered a rude awakening. The 2004 Revolution was the worst defeat of Russian strongman Vladimir Putin’s decade in power after he congratulated the winning proKremlin candidate before an uprising and court order annulled the rigged vote.

But in a stunning turnaround, Viktor Yanukovich, the same Moscow-leaning candidate accused of rigging the elections in 2004, is ahead in exit polls for the first round of presidential elections and will be favourite in the run-off. Yanukovich’s likely second round opponent, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, may be an Orange veteran but she has struck a pragmatic tone on Kremlin ties and above all built up a strong relationship with the ever-important Putin.

The political career of defeated Orange Revolution figurehead, President Viktor Yushchenko, who dreamed of turning Ukraine away from Russia towards EU and NATO membership, appears to have

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko lights a candle in the Volodymurskyy church in Kiev Sunday. – AP sustained a terminal blow. “The new president will remove the conflicts with Russia linked with Yushchenko. Both sides will look for a new balance between the countries,” said Volodymyr Fesenko, director of the Penta centre for political studies in

Kiev.

While both Tymoshenko and Yanukovich have set joining the EU as a policy goal, neither shares Yushchenko’s enthusiasm for bringing Ukraine into NATO, a move some analysts warned risked causing a military

conflict with Russia. “There are not too many differences between Yanukovich and Tymoshenko” on foreign policy, said Nico Lange, director of the Ukraine programme at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Kiev. “Russia can live with both

of them very well.”

Ksenia Lyapina, an MP close to Yushchenko, grimly acknowledged: “Moscow has won. They can be congratulated. The politics that tried to resist imperial pressures has lost.” As well as his aim of permanently extracting Ukraine from Russia’s orbit, also in tatters is Yushchenko’s program of pushing the country to EU membership with an ambitious program of domestic reform.

Many of the thousands from all over the country who in 2004 poured into Kiev’s Independence Square - universally known as the Maidan - to support the Yushchenko cause have been left feeling painfully betrayed. Despite their promises, the Orange leaders failed to end corruption, reform Ukraine’s creaking justice system or crack down on the oligarchs.

Instead, they became embroiled in damaging internal struggles. “I do not like the way the Orange leaders squabbled and Yushchenko betrayed the Maidan,” said Maria Petriv, 45, an accountant from the western city of Lviv. “What happened to his 10 steps for the people?

What happened to putting the bandits in jail?”

Yet for all the election day

despondency, the Orange Revolution led to changes in Ukraine that are almost unique in the former Soviet Union. It now boasts a vibrant media of websites, news magazines and political talk shows unafraid of touching on the most delicate of issues, in contrast to the turgid scene that existed before.

In its latest report on global freedoms, Freedom House rated Ukraine as the only free country in the former Soviet Union, exluding the Baltic States. Russia remained stuck in the section for nations deemed not free.

For all the cynicism on election day, there were no claims of violations from either side of the magnitude of those that wrecked the 2004 vote. The country also has a major opportunity in hosting the 2012 European football championships jointly with Poland, a unique chance for Ukraine to showcase its identity and cities to the world. “There are achievements that are irreversible,” said Lange of the Adenauer Foundation. “But it’s an evolutionary process and not revolutionary. The problem with the Orange Revolution was that the expectations inside and outside Ukraine were far too high,” he said. — AFP

focus

Close Senate race shows voter anger

By Liz Sidoti

T

he ill winds of an angry electorate are blowing against Democrats, the warning signs clear in a closer-thanexpected Senate race that may doom President Barack Obama’s health care agenda and foreshadow the party’s midterm election prospects.

Anti-incumbent, anti-establishment sentiment is rampant. Independents are leaving Obama. Republicans are energized. Democrats are subdued. And none of that bodes well for the party in power. “It’s going to be a hard November for Democrats,” Howard Dean, the Democratic Party chairman in 2006 and 2008 elections when the party took control of the White House and Congress, told AP in an interview. “Our base is demoralized.”

While he praised Obama as a good president, Dean said the Democrat hasn’t turned out to be the “change agent” the party thought it elected, and voters who supported Democrats in back-to-back elections now are turned off. Said Dean: “They really thought the revolution was at hand but it wasn’t, and now they’re getting the back of the hand.”

Just how much voters have soured since Obama took office - and took over a country in chaos - is reflected in the president’s lategame decision to rush to Massachusetts on Sunday to try to stave off an extraordinary Republican upset in the race for a Senate seat Democrats have held for more than half a century.

Obama faced a no-win situation as he weighed whether to campaign with Democrat Martha Coakley.

Had he decided against going, he would have enraged the base and been blamed if she lost. But a Coakley defeat following a presidential visit would be embarrassing, raising questions about Obama’s popularity and political muscle.

Once heavily favored to cruise to victory, Coakley is locked in a tight fight with Republican Scott Brown, a little-known state senator, for the race to fill the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy’s seat.

The stakes are enormous. Losing the race would cost the Democrats their 60-vote coalition in the Senate, where they can’t afford to lose a single vote.

The president has been relying on that supermajority to pass not only his health care overhaul but also the rest of his legislative agenda heading into his first midterm elections.

A Suffolk University poll released late Thursday showed Brown with 50 percent of the vote and Coakley with 46 percent. The survey indicated that Brown’s supporters - a mix of disaffected Democrats, a large number of Republicans and a majority of independents - are far more enthusiastic than Coakley’s backers.

Voters are down on Washington. They are deeply divided over the healthcare plan in Congress.

And a majority think the country is on the wrong track. Nearly all remain anxious about the prolonged recession even though there are signs of recovery.

And only about half approve of Obama’s job performance.

Excessive spending and big government irk them. And they have lost faith in institutions. It was that same brew that helped Republican Chris Christie topple Democratic Gov Jon Corzine in New Jersey, and Republican Bob McDonnell overtake Democrat Creigh Deeds in Virginia.

Those victories coupled with the tight race for Kennedy’s seat have Republicans and Democrats alike predicting a good Republican year in 2010 and a tough one for Democrats

who control the White House and Congress.

Democrats are likely to be punished more because they hold power. But Republicans are feeling the effects, as seen in the antibig government “tea party” movement whose followers are challenging establishment candidates in primaries nationwide.

“Washington is just not in touch,” Dean said. And now, he said, the tables have turned: “Republicans are unified against Democrats they way we were against them when Bush was president.”

In the country at large, a new Allstate/National Journal Heartland Monitor survey found that the public’s yearslong shift against institutions is in overdrive, fueling anti-establishment sentiment. It also showed that Obama has lost his luster - his job performance rating is at 47 percent - amid a belief that his administration’s response to the recession has favored the wealthy and powerful over the middle class and average families. The survey also showed that people have little trust in any institution; they gave bottom-barrel ratings to government, major corporations, and financial entities.

And, many Americans say the country is heading the wrong way, levels similar to those during the George W Bush years.

All that adds up to a warning for Democratic candidates running for House, Senate or gubernatorial seats this fall, and for politicians of any stripes for that matter. Such an environment also portends troubles for Obama’s long-term agenda; passing his legislative priorities would become much more difficult with fewer seats and, if Coakley does poorly but still ekes out a victory, moderate Democrats in Congress may think twice about falling in lockstep behind the White House on its priority legislation.

The public’s mood also could scare off establishment Democrats considering entering races, like Beau Biden for Delaware’s open Senate seat, or prompt vulnerable Democratic incumbents, like Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, to retire. Brown, a littleknown Republican state senator with a limited record who had never before run statewide, shed his party markings and downplayed his conservative credentials throughout the monthlong campaign.

He spent weeks campaigning not just against Coakley but against Capitol Hill.

He cast himself as a man of the people, fighting for them: “It’s not the Kennedy seat. And it’s not the Democrats’ seat. It’s the people’s seat.” Coakley, the state’s popular Democratic attorney general, comes right out of the establishment and has embraced her stature within the party. She has run a Rose Garden inevitability strategy, largely shunned retail politics, and dashed to Washington for an oh-so-insider fundraiser.

Now, with the race tight in its final days, Coakley’s trying to appeal to an antiWashington, pro-populism electorate by seizing the fight-for-the-little-guy mantle in hopes of thwarting a Republican victory. The White House and Coakley are hammering Brown for opposing Obama’s justannounced plan to tax large Wall Street firms. “I’m standing with Main Street on this one.

Scott Brown stands with Wall Street,” Coakley charged. “There’s only one candidate in this race who’s a tax cutter - and it’s not Martha Coakley,” countered Brown, unwilling to cede his advantage among the angry electorate. — AP

NEWS

14

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Mag raises questions over 3 Gitmo deaths

ABU DHABI: (From left to right) Greek President Karolos Papoulias, President of the Maldives Mohammed Nasheed, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Malaysian Prime Minister Mohamed Najib bin Abdul Razak, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed AlNahayan, Spain’s Crown Prince Felipe and Denmark’s Crown Prince Frederik Andre Henrik Christian attend a panel session at the World Future Energy Summit yesterday. — AFP

Leaders call for clean energy ABU DHABI: World leaders raised a fresh alarm on global warming yesterday, urging international action to increase use of clean energy at a four-day forum that opened in the oil-rich emirate of Abu Dhabi. “If we don’t act now, our coral reefs and rainforests will die, desert countries will become unbearably hot and low lying countries like the Maldives, will slip beneath the rising seas,” said the president of the Maldives, Mohammed Nasheed.

“Tackling climate change is not like dealing with other global issues, such as trade or disarmament. We do not have the luxury of time to meet, year after year, in endless negotiations,” the leader of the low-lying Indian Ocean nation told participants at the World Future Energy Summit.

Nasheed was referring to the Copenhagen climate talks last month,

which ended with a non-binding agreement to reduce rises in global temperatures, seen as a lukewarm commitment to save the planet. “The Copenhagen Accord, in its current form, will not prevent catastrophic climate change. Our challenge this year, and next, is therefore to strengthen the accord so it becomes a blueprint for planet-saving action,” Nasheed said.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan echoed the warnings of global warming, stressing the gravity of the challenge. “Mitigating global carbon emission is one of the important hurdles ahead of us,” he said addressing the opening session of the forum. He highlighted the measures taken by Turkey to reduce dependency on fossil energy, saying that renewable sources represent 20 percent of the country’s generated power, and that Ankara aims to increase this

share to 30 percent by 2023.

He also said Turkey wants to contribute to Europe’s security of energy resources through transporting gas, which is a cleaner source of energy than coal and oil. “Our country aims... to contribute to Europe’s energy security,” he said, pointing to the Nabucco gas pipeline agreement, signed in July between Turkey and four EU states, which is aimed at reducing Europe’s gas dependence on Russia.

Meanwhile, Qatar’s Energy Minister Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Attiyah, whose country is the world’s largest exporter of liquefied natural gas, protested against the use of the term “alternative” when referring to renewable energy. “I’m not against renewables. I don’t like the word alternative... We need a mix (in energy sources) but we don’t need to eliminate each other,” he told participants. —AFP

Agca shot John Paul on May 13, 1981, as the pope rode in an open car in St Peter’s Square. The pontiff was hit in the abdomen, left hand and right arm, but the bullets missed vital organs. John Paul met with Agca in Italy’s Rebibbia prison in 1983 and forgave him for the shooting. Following his release, he sat calmly between two plainclothes policemen in the backseat of a sedan that took him to a military hospital. There, doctors concluded that he was unfit for compulsory military service because of “severe anti-social personality disorder”, said his lawyer, Yilmaz Abosoglu.

In the statement distributed by Abosoglu outside the prison in Sincan on the outskirts of Ankara, the Turkish capital, Agca declared: “I proclaim the end of the world. All the world will be destroyed in this century.

Every human being will die in this century.”

He ended the long, rambling text by signing off as “the Christ eternal”, in keeping with past outbursts and claims that he was the Messiah.

Upon his arrival at his hotel, he addressed reporters in English. He had traded his sweatshirt for a dark-blue suit and tie, apparently at the hospital. “I will meet you in the next three days,” Agca said. “In the name of God, almighty, I proclaim the end of the world in this century. All the world will be destroyed, every human being will die. I am not God, I am not son of God, I am Christ eternal.” He also said the Gospel was full of mistakes and he would write the perfect one.

One of his lawyers, Gokay Gultekin, said Agca was planning to hold a news conference tomorrow. An army of journalists turned the lobby of the five-star hotel into a chaotic scene, scattering chairs as hotel staff looked on helplessly. Agca later took the elevator to

the room where he will spend his first night as a free man. His brother said they would stay in Ankara for one or two days and are likely to travel to Istanbul later.

Agca was resting in his room, accompanied by his brother Adnan Agca and some friends, Gultekin said. At the military hospital, Agca looked in good spirits and drank tea while waiting for final procedures to be completed, Abosoglu said. Agca, who has said he wants to travel to the Vatican, does not have a passport.

“He has served his time in jail so now he is a free man according to the law. Let’s hope also his heart has changed,” said Archbishop Ennio Apignanesi. “Maybe he will come to Rome. The Pope went twice to forgive him.

Now he could come and make a prayer.”

Vatican spokesman Rev Federico Lombardi said there were no plans to comment on the release. Robert Necek, spokesman for Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz of Krakow, Poland, who served as secretary to John Paul II, also would not comment.

The motive for the attack on the pontiff remains unclear but has not been linked to Islamist issues. When Agca was arrested minutes after the attack, he declared he had acted alone. Later, he suggested Bulgaria and the Soviet Union’s KGB were behind the attack, but then backed off that line. His contradictory statements have frustrated prosecutors over the decades. Prosecutors in Poland who are investigating Agca’s attack on Pope John Paul II said his release had no influence on the investigation.

“Testimony from a person who first sells the information to the media ... is of no value to us,” prosecutor Ewa Koj of the National Remembrance Institute said. Koj also noted that Agca had changed his testimony many times. Prosecutors of the institute are currently studying over 4,000 pages of docu-

ments, including Agca’s testimony, that they have received from Italy. Agca had said that he will answer questions about the attack after he is released from prison. Agca has said he is beginning to consider book, film and television documentary offers.

Agca was released after completing his sentence for killing journalist Abdi Ipekci in 1979. He had received a life sentence, which amounts to 36 years under Turkish law, for murdering Ipekci, but he escaped from a Turkish prison less than six months into the sentence and went on to shoot the pope in Rome two years later. Agca reportedly sympathized with the Gray Wolves, a far rightwing militant group that fought street battles against leftists in the 1970s. He initially confessed to killing Ipekci, one of the country’s most prominent leftwing newspaper columnists, but later retracted his statements.

After his extradition on June 14, 2000, Agca was separately sentenced to seven years and four months for two robberies in Turkey in 1979. But authorities deducted his prison sentence in Italy and several amnesties and amendment of the penal code reduced his term further. The complex situation complicated the calculation of his remaining term and even led to his wrongful release from prison in 2006. He was reimprisoned eight days later.

In rambling letters from prison, he has fed suggestions he is mentally disturbed. He once offered to team up with best-selling “Da Vinci Code” author Dan Brown for a novel called “The Vatican’s Code” and also volunteered to go to Afghanistan to kill Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Others, however, believe he is a sly operator playing the fool. More than 50 foreign publishers and movie-makers have offered to buy Agca’s story in the hope he may finally shed light on his attempt on the pope, lawyers said. —Agencies

Haiti fears grow despite relief effort Continued from Page 1 magnitude 7.0 quake wrought huge destruction, leaving tens of thousands dead and countless homeless and injured.

“Prices for food and transport have skyrocketed since last Tuesday and incidents of violence and looting are on the rise as the desperation grows,” the International Committee of the Red Cross said in a statement. Many residents of Port-auPrince felt they were in “a catastrophic situation,” it added.

US paratroopers deployed out of the main Haitian airport in waves of navy Seahawk helicopters to set up bases from which to begin humanitarian operations, while 2,200 Marines rushed to the disaster zone. “We have seen a dramatic improvement in the efficiency and coordination of the flow of goods coming in,” World Food Programme executive director Josette Sheeran told reporters in Rome.

But on the ground there were only scenes of further desperation as hopes faded of finding survivors buried in the rubble and conditions barely improved for the hundreds of thousands sleeping rough in the streets. Homeless, injured and traumatized people still trawl the streets desperate for food, water and medicine.

All around is the stench of rotting bodies.

International aid is trickling in but supplies remain scarce amid the enormity of a crisis the United Nations estimates affected three million people and left

300,000 homeless.

Former US president Bill Clinton, a special UN envoy, arrived in Port-auPrince with relief supplies and to meet with Haitian leaders and survivors to get a first-hand account of conditions. “As UN special envoy for Haiti, I feel a deep obligation to the Haitian people to visit the country and meet with President (Rene) Preval to ensure our response continues to be coordinated and effective,” Clinton said before his departure.

US President Barack Obama has mobilized military reserves and the overall deployment on the island or in ships off Haiti is due to swell over 10,000 in the coming weeks. “Time is still of the essence. We’re getting better, but there is still a lot of misery in Haiti,” said Rear Admiral Ted Branch, who commands the US aircraft carrier Carl Vinson strike group.

Amidst the death and desperation were life-affirming tales of survival against all the odds, but the rescue teams in Haiti fear these may be among the last.

A text message to the United Nations set in motion a relief operation that led to the rescue two days later of Maria, Ariel and Lamy after being buried for more than 100 hours under a collapsed supermarket. “I’m seven,” Ariel shouted to rescuers seeking signs of life, adding that she was stuck next to a dead man but covered with supermarket food.

Survivors besieged hospitals and makeshift clinics, some carrying the

where harsh interrogations of terrorism-era suspects took place. The Harper’s article suggested such a site at Guantanamo Bay may have belonged to the CIA or to the US military’s Joint Special Operations Command.

Yesterday, in response to the article, Army Col Michael Bumgarner said in an email that “this blatant misrepresentation of the truth infuriates me”. Bumgarner said that Hickman “is only trying to be a spotlight ranger; he knows nothing about what transpired in Camp 1 or our medical facility. I do, I was there.” Camp 1 is the facility where the three

detainees were ordinarily held.” Bumgarner added that he would have to get clearance before he can talk to the news media, “but rest assured, I do want to talk to you very badly and set the record straight.”

The three Guantanamo detainees who died the night of June 9-10, 2006 were Salah Ahmed Al-Salami, 37, of Yemen; Mani Shaman AlUtaybi, 30, of Saudi Arabia; and Yasser Talal Al-Zahrani, 22, of Saudi Arabia. The article says that at a 7 am meeting on June 10, 2006 with 50 or so soldiers and sailors, Bumgarner said that the three men had died by swallowing rags, causing them

to choke to death. Bumgarner was a commander at Guantanamo Bay. According to the magazine, Bumgarner went on to say that the news media would be guided to report something different - that the three prisoners had committed suicide by hanging themselves in their cells.

The servicemen were to make no comments or suggestions that in any way undermined the official report, Bumgarner reminded them, according to the Harper’s piece, written by Scott Horton, an attorney who has worked for years on Guantanamo Bay detainee issues. — AP

Qaeda says fighters alive, Yemen vows more strikes DUBAI: The Yemen-based wing of Al-Qaeda said yesterday its fighters had sur vived an air strike last week that Yemeni officials said killed six leaders of the militant group. Yemen, under pressure to fight a resurgent Al-Qaeda on its territory, said it believed the militants had spirited away the bodies before ar my troops could reach the scene. It also threatened AlQaeda with more strikes. “The Yemeni government has been making many false claims ... against the Mujahideen leaders in the Arabian Peninsula,” AlQaeda’s Yemen-based wing, AlQaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, said in a statement on an Islamist website used by the group. “The latest of these

claims is that it killed six of them between the provinces of Al-Jawf and Saada. We assure our Muslim nation that none of the Mujahideen were killed in that strike, but some have suffered mild injuries,” it added.

Yemen declared open war on the militant group last week, a day before security officials announced air strikes in northern Yemen killed six Al-Qaeda leaders. In Ottawa, Yemeni Foreign Minister Abubakr AlQirbi said the strikes had been carried out in a remote part of Yemen. “This is why it makes it very difficult really to provide exact information on who has been actually killed ... in some cases Al-Qaeda will withdraw their killed operatives and will

bur y them before the ar med forces get to that area,” he said.

Asked if he believed Al-Qaeda had removed the bodies of those killed in the latest strike, he replied, “Yes, exactly.”

Yemen, which faces a northern Shiite revolt and separatism in the south, came to the forefront of US-led efforts to battle militants af ter Al-Qaeda’s Yemen wing said it was behind an attempt on Dec 25 to bomb a US-bound passenger plane.

“These strikes will not be the last so long as the security and stability of the country and its institutions is targeted by terrorist elements,” a Defence Ministr y newspaper quoted Interior Minister Muttahar AlMasri as saying. —Reuters

Iran vows revenge on Israel for prof’s death

Turk who shot pope released from prison Continued from Page 1

WASHINGTON: Three Guantanamo Bay detainees whose deaths were ruled a suicide in 2006 apparently were transported from their cells hours before their deaths to a secret site on the island, according to an article in Harper’s magazine. The published account released yesterday raises serious questions about whether the three detainees actually died by hanging themselves in their cells and suggests the US government is covering up details of what precisely happened in the hours before the deaths.

Harper’s reports that the deaths of the three detainees, or the events that led directly to their deaths, most likely occurred at a previously undisclosed facility a mile or so from the main Guantanamo Bay prison complex. Harper’s based much of its account on interviews with several prison guards who said they knew of the existence of the “black” site and that they saw three detainees removed from Camp Delta several hours before the deaths were reported and were in a white van proceeding toward the secret site.

Those who knew of the black facility referred to it as “Camp No”, reported the magazine, quoting Army Sgt Joe Hickman, one of the guards.

Anyone who asked if the black site existed would be told, “No, it doesn’t,” the magazine reported, quoting Hickman.

After the terror attacks on US soil on Sept 11, 2001, the CIA set up a number of so-called “black” sites around the world,

injured on their backs or on carts. The UN’s humanitarian relief body said hospitals on the Dominican Republic’s border with Haiti were “overwhelmed” with quake victims and running short of medicines, equipment and doctors. It also said the fuel shortage in Haiti was becoming “more and more critical”.

Emergency workers were expanding to battered communities outside of Portau-Prince, including Gressier, Petit Goave, and Leogane which were all flattened by the quake. The Medecins Sans Frontiers (Doctors Without Borders) aid group said their doctors and surgeons had been working around the clock, amputating limbs and performing caesarian sections on pregnant women. “Patients arrived on handcarts or on men’s backs,” said MSF emergency coordinator Hans van Dillen.

Despite Haitian frustration over the lack of supplies, the pace of the relief operation has gotten faster each day and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon promised more improvement after a visit on Sunday. European Union nations yesterday promised more than euro 400 million ($616 million) in emergency aid and reconstruction funds for Haiti. In the package, Britain trebled its humanitarian aid to $30 million, while France will release euro 10 million for a UN emergency appeal.

The EU may provide police and engineers for Haiti. Canada said donor nations would meet on Jan 25 in Montreal to discuss reconstruction. — AFP

Continued from Page 1 official IRNA news agency. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has described the assassination as having been carried out in a “Zionist style”, saying it showed their “grudge” against the Iranian nation.

Key figures among both Iran’s proreform opposition and hardline government supporters have condemned the professor’s killing. Ali Mohammadi had few apparent links outside the academic community. He was not known to have any key roles in the opposition movement, although his name appeared on a university petition pledging support for pro-reform candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi before June’s disputed presidential election. Mousavi claimed he was deprived of the presidency through fraud, triggering months of street protests and a harsh crackdown by the authorities.

Ali Mohammadi’s assassination took place at a time of high tension in Iran, as authorities grapple with how to contain a resilient opposition movement that has moved from just challenging the election result to confronting Iran’s clerical leadership. Iran has accused the West - and Britain in particular - of fomenting the unrest, and yesterday it warned is reconsidering its ties with the country. Britain denies interfering. Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said the ties have been under a “magnifying glass” over the past six months. He did not elaborate.

Also yesterday, Iran’s judiciary put five people on trial over their alleged roles in anti-government protests in December that sparked the worst street violence in months. If found guilty, they could face the death penalty. The five, who were not identified, have been accused of cooperating with the People’s Mujahedeen, the same group Iran is blaming for the bombing that killed the professor. A broadcast on state TV from inside the courtroom showed the defendants, but

their faces were not visible. At least eight people died in the clashes late last month between security forces and opposition supporters across Iran, including a nephew of Mousavi, the opposition leader.

It was the worst bloodshed since the height of the unrest immediately after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s disputed re-election. A prosecutor read out a lengthy indictment against the five, accusing them of a crime against Islam and the state known as moharebeh, which is punishable by death. The word is Farsi for defying God. The June election has polarized Iran, with moderates withdrawing support for or being dismissed by the hardline government and others resigning in protest.

Among those resigning was an Iranian diplomat in Norway. Mottaki urged the diplomat, Mohammad Reza Heidari, to get back to service. Mottaki said yesterday that his resignation was not acceptable and that “he should continue his job either in Norway or the ministry”.

Heidari told Voice of America’s Farsi service Sunday that he resigned to protest the bloody crackdown against the opposition. VOA said he has defected to Norway.

Meanwhile, Iranian opposition groups flooded the Web yesterday with calls for a massive show of force during next month’s anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, openly taunting authorities who have warned of a punishing response to any disruptions of the most hallowed day in the Iranian political calendar. The blitz of messages and videos on opposition sites and social networking forums highlighted the continued ability of antigovernment forces to harness the Internet despite attempts by Iranian officials to cripple their Web outreach.

It also suggested that the Feb 11 commemorations could become a replay of the street battles that have marked other

major political and religious dates in past months that anti-government protesters have used to challenge the ruling system.

In the latest violence, at least eight people died in clashes between security forces and opposition supporters across Iran in late December, including a nephew of opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi.

The barrage of opposition Web postings picked up steam yesterday with some drawing parallels between the current showdowns against Iran’s Islamic leaders and the 1979 groundswell that toppled the Western-backed monarchy.

One video featured patriotic music with scenes from 1979 and the demonstrations that began with claims of vote-rigging in last June’s presidential election.

“Countrymen, rise up,” read one message by the opposition blog Balatarin.com. “Victory is near.”

The blog included a calendar marking the dates of the large opposition marches since June and pointing ahead to plans for upcoming protests - the next being timed to coincide the government’s Feb 11 events that culminate with a huge political gathering in Tehran’s Azadi Square.

Iranian authorities have warned opposition groups that security forces would crush any protests on the anniversary, claiming riot police and hardline militias have shown restraint so far despite using clubs, teargas and gunfire.

Web posts urged government opponents to expand their campaign of graffiti and writing slogans on money. Dozens of messages called for protesters to pour onto the streets on Feb 11 - which marks the day the last security forces of the shah collapsed. “Unite, fight, victory,” said one blog. Another proclaimed: “I will get my country back.” The blog IlovemyIran.wordpress.com made suggestions for slogans to chant at the next rally. They included: “Our nation is awake.” — AP

MPs blast govt’s actions on Uraifi Continued from Page 1 the interior ministry for the conflicting decisions it had taken on Uraifi, saying that Kuwait is not a party in Uraifi’s statements and should not slap any ban against him. He said he will continue to pursue the issue to see why the ban had been issued and who was behind it. MP Waleed Al-Tabtabaei meanwhile regretted how the interior ministry has succumbed to pressures from what he described as “sectarianists”. MP Mohammad Hayef and his fundamentalist Ummah Principles Congregation was also scheduled to hold a public rally on the issue. Meanwhile, Shiite lawmaker Khaled Al-Shatti yesterday filed a lawsuit against Uraifi and the

Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs for inviting the Saudi cleric.

In another development, Islamist MP Faisal Al-Mislem yesterday filed two lawsuits over defamation claims regarding the cheques the prime minister allegedly issued to a former MP. The first lawsuit was filed against Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) and the prime minister’s lawyer Emad Al-Saif. He accused KUNA of publishing a defamatory statement by Saif against him, charging that he committed a crime. The second case was filed against Al-Watan daily and the chairman of Burgan Bank. Mislem accused Al-Watan of publishing an advertisement by the chairman of the bank that was derogatory against him. Ten lawmakers meanwhile

filed a request yesterday to convene a special session on Thursday to debate the second and final vote on the law for people with special needs. Also, Public Works and Municipality Minister Fadhel Safar yesterday met with a parliamentary fact-finding panel on the blast at the Mishref sewage plant. He told reporters that he answered questions about the implications of the incident. Safar also said that he will receive within two days a report from a government investigation team on the incident at the plant.

Meanwhile, MP Aseel Al-Awadhi said yesterday that she and the other three female MPs met with HH the Amir and discussed issues relating to the situation of women in Kuwait.

NBK plans capital hike for expansion Continued from Page 1 The success of the issue is a sure bet with stock offered at roughly half the market price, said Naser Al-Nafisi, general manager for Al Joman Center for Economic Consultancy in Kuwait. “The bank is taking the current financial situation into consideration ... to guarantee a

100 percent subscription for the rights issue,” he said. The new shares will be offered to existing investors and the plan is subject to shareholders’ approval, the bank said.

In September, NBK became the biggest shareholder in Islamic lender Boubyan Bank, after raising its stake to 40 percent.

Boubyan Bank, which complies with

Islam’s ban on interest, competes with larger rival Kuwait Finance House and Kuwait International Bank. NBK has been expanding to offset rising competition at home by buying Al-Watany Bank of Egypt and a 40 percent stake in Istanbul-based Turkish Bank in 2007. It is also active in Qatar through affiliate International Bank of Qatar (IBQ). — Reuters

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15

India’s single Olympic champ in Games mess NEW DELHI: India’s only Olympic individual champion Abhinav Bindra was yesterday embroiled in a tugof-war with sports officials over his participation in the Commonwealth Games later this year. Bindra, who won the 10m Air Rifle shooting gold medal at the Beijing Olympics, is not assured of a place at the Games which India hosts in New Delhi from October 3-14. The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) wants Bindra to attend trials like other contenders if he wanted to be picked for international events.

Bindra, 27, prefers to train abroad on his own and

wants the NRAI to judge his current form on his scores in competitions in which he takes part in various countries.

The NRAI dropped Bindra for next month’s Commonwealth shooting championships in New Delhi, a test event for the Games, saying it was only following sports ministry guidelines which makes it mandatory to attend trials. A “frustrated and distressed” Bindra has appealed to the association and the ministry to let him train abroad as per the schedule charted out by his coaching staff.

Plushenko looking to flex muscles at Euros TALLINN: Olympic champion Yevgeny Plushenko will be looking to flex his muscles ahead of next month’s Winter Games by claiming a sixth title at the European figure skating championships starting today.

The 27-year-old Russian retired after claiming gold four years ago in Turin but has returned in a bid to defend his Olympic title in Vancouver. Before knee problems forced his early retirement Plushenko dominated the continental championship, winning the first of his five titles in 2000.

He arrives in Tallinn with strong performances in the Cup of Russia and at nationals, but no international competition.

But he can take heart that his leading rivals are also in the same boat. Reigning European champion Brian Joubert is returning following a foot injury, while two-time world champion Stephane Lambiel is also back from an injury-enforced retirement.

Joubert, 25, has won the European title three times, beating Plushenko to the gold in 2004, and like the Russian has finished on the podium eight times. Olympic silver-medalist Lambiel has, however, had less success at Europeans, finishing twice runner-up in 2006 and 2008, a situation he would like to rectify. “I’ve never won gold at Europeans. It’s achievable,” said the 24-year-old Swiss skater. “The event will also allow me to measure my progress since the Swiss championships in December, to see

where I am and make the necessary adjustments for Vancouver.”

Also looking to step up onto the podium are 2008 European champion Tomas Verner of the Czech Republic, 2009 silver medallist Samuel Contesti of Italy and two-time bronze medalist Kevin van der Perren of Belgium. In the women’s event, reigning European champion Laura Lepisto of Finland faces a strong challenge, with two-time champion Carolina Kostner of Italy, who was beaten into silver last year, looking to reclaim her title.

Finland’s Kiira Korpi, Russia’s former world junior champion Alena Leonova, Hungary’s former European champion Julia Sebestyen and two-time silver medallist Sarah Meier of Switzerland are also bidding for a podium place. In pairs, two-time world champions Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy of Germany are favourites for a fourth European title. Two Russian couples will be looking to challenge them world bronze medallists Yuko Kavaguit and Alexander Smirnov and teammates Maria Mukhortova and Maxim Trankov.

Ice dancing looks set to be an all-Russian affair between reigning world champions Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin, who are returning to international competition after skipping the Grand Prix series, and reigning European champions Jana Khokhlova and Sergei Novitski.— AFP

“I don’t see the chance of future success if I am not going to be allowed to prepare in the way my professional team has planned,” the shooter said in a statement over the weekend. “These modules have worked very well for me in the past and have helped me be the current world and Olympic champion.

“It is quite unfortunate and extremely distressing to me that my point of view is not being appreciated and respected. It leaves me very frustrated and upset and does not really leave me with much motivation.”

Bindra said he will go ahead with a planned training

tour of Europe next week and speak to his coaching staff on his “future course of action”. NRAI secretary Baljit Sethi defended his federation, saying it was bound by sports ministry regulations.

“We have been told by the ministry to select teams after trials,” Sethi told AFP. “The team we have picked for the Commonwealth championships has been approved by the government.” A sports ministry official confused the issue further by saying the government had no objection if Bindra was exempted from attending trials. “It’s for the national sports fed-

erations to lay down the selection criteria,” ministry official Injeti Srinivas told the Press Trust of India (PTI).

“If the NRAI tells the ministry it wants to follow a separate approach for the top shooters and exempt Abhinav from trials, we would have no objection. But we have not received any such request till now. “The ministry only insists on federations having a well-calibrated selection criteria implemented in a transparent manner so that it results in the best team representing the country.” — AFP

Schumacher will be world champion in 2010: Brawn

JEREZ DE LA FRONTERA: A handout image provided by GP2 Media of Mercedes F1 driver Michael Schumacher of Germany driving a GP2 car during tests. — AFP BERLIN: Seven-times Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher, who has come out of retirement to drive for Mercedes, will become world champion in 2010, Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn said yesterday. The German, who retired in 2006 after winning two titles with Benetton and five with Ferrari, will be up against former world champions Fernando Alonso, Lewis

Hamilton and defending champion Jenson Button.

“If I had to bet on any of them then it is clear that Michael will become world champion,” Brawn told Germany’s Bild newspaper. “Michael is now more relaxed. When he retired in 2006 F1 was a burden for him. Now I can sense his old enthusiasm.” Mercedes, who have taken over champions Brawn GP, have signed Nico Rosberg as their

other driver for 2010. World champion Button has left the British-based team for McLaren.

The move to Mercedes reunited 41-year-old Schumacher with Brawn, the technical director who guided him to all his titles. “I do not think he will come out and win the first Grand Prix. He will need a few races to familiarise himself with the other cars and the many new drivers. Then I hope

to see the old Schumacher,” Brawn said.

“This has always been his strength anyway: to learn and adapt amazingly quickly,” Brawn added.

Schumacher, who is not allowed to drive a current Formula One car until the first official pre-season test on Feb 1, spent much of last week testing in a GP2 car. The season’s opening race is on March 14 in Bahrain. — AFP

Selby stuns O’Sullivan in Masters final comeback

SPOKANE: Jeremy Abbott competes during the men’s free skate at the US Figure Skating Championships. — AP

LONDON: England’s Mark Selby stunned world number one Ronnie O’Sullivan by capturing the last four frames to take the Masters title 10-9 here on Sunday. Selby, the champion at Wembley in 2008 before surrendering the honour to O’Sullivan last year, had trailed throughout the final until he won the penultimate frame to take the game into a decider. “I went into the final frame probably more confident than Ronnie was because of the deciding frames I’ve won here,” said Selby.

“You are looking for one chance, then if you don’t win it you can’t moan. “It was the best match I’ve been involved in.

Ronnie sets the standard.”

O’Sullivan was left to regret taking on a tricky green when he was 9-7 up but had no regrets about the decision. “You have to take your chances when you get

them. That wasn’t an easy shot but sometimes you have to take the game by the scruff of the neck. Sometimes they go in sometimes they don’t. It’s one of those things,” said the Englishman.

O’Sullivan had looked on course for a comfortable win when he led 5-3 at the mid-session break. But Selby hit back on the resumption, taking the ninth frame. O’Sullivan then knocked in 92 in reply but Selby’s response was a break of 136 before the world number one stretched to 7-5. Selby stayed in touch but further breaks of 89 and 91 got O’Sullivan within sight of back-to-back titles before his dogged opponent won consecutive frames, including another century break, to set up a thrilling finale at 9-8. Then Selby took the final two frames of the match, making it four in a row, to take the title. — AFP

Abbott defends US men’s title SPOKANE: Jeremy Abbott defended his men’s title at the US Figure Skating Championships and clinched a berth in the upcoming Vancouver Olympics by winning the free skate Sunday. The 24year-old Abbott breezed to victory with a overall score of 263.66 points to finish well ahead of 2009 World Champion Evan Lysacek. “I’m speechless,” Abbott said. “Last year, this is what I thought my first title would feel like, but here I am a second time. It just feels like the first time.”

Skating to the music SaenSans’ Symphony No 3, Abbott set the tone for his skate by completing a quadruple toe loop.

“After the quad, it was business as usual,” Abbott said. “I still had seven jumping passes and

eight triple jumps to do. I stuck to my plan, stayed focused, and finally did what I’ve been doing in practice.” Three-time national champion Johnny Weir placed third overall. He was third after the short program then dropped to fifth in the free skate.

Abbott, Lysacek and Weir will represent the US at next month’s Winter Olympics. Ryan Bradley placed fourth overall and Adam Rippon, who was fourth in the short program, rounded out the top five.

Lysacek was second after the short program but finished third in the free skate by completing six triple jumps. “Some things didn’t go as I had hoped them to go, but some things did go as I had planned them to go obviously,” Lysacek said. “I have mixed feelings today.” — AFP

Arab Shooting Federation officials

Arab Shooting Federation to relocate premises KUWAIT: The 16-member Arab Shooting Federation (ASF) has decided to relocate its premises from Egypt to Kuwait. The decision was made in an extraordinary meeting.

The Arab members of the executive board of the ISSF, Asian Shooting Federation, and African Shooting Federation are part of the

larger federation.

The new ASF Secretary General Obeid Al-Osaimi said that the General Assembly has unanimously approved the move. He was elected to post in a meeting and has replaced Maj General Mohammad Adel Abdelhaleem.

Its incumbent president is Duaij Al-Otaibi.

Al-Osaimi said that the ASF board members decided to ask Algeria to host the 2012 Arab shooting tournament, and formed the Development and Support Committee headed by Sheikh Abdelaziz Al-Khalifa. The emergency committee will be led by Duaij Al-Otaibi.

Khan inks promotion deal with De La Hoya

GREATER LONDON: England’s Mark Selby holds the trophy after beating England’s Ronnie O’Sullivan in the final of the masters snooker match at Wembley Arena on January 17, 2010. — AFP

LOS ANGELES: British superstar Amir Khan, the World Boxing Association super-lightweight champion, has signed a promotional deal with Oscar de la Hoya, hoping the “Golden Boy” can boost his US recognition. Khan, 22-1 with 16 knockouts, joined a stable of British fighters that includes WBA heavyweight champion David Haye and Ricky Hatton who have deals with Golden Boy Promotions, which announced the contract with Khan on Sunday.

“I am really happy,” Khan said. “They will be the right team to help me continue my career as an elite fighter and to expand my fan base to the United States and around the world. “I’m ready to fight anyone, anywhere, anytime and know that Golden Boy will help me accomplish these goals.”

Khan won a silver medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics at age 17. Six months ago, Khan took the WBA crown by unanimous decision over Andreas Kotelnik and last month he knocked out Dmitriy Salita in his first title defense. “Amir Khan is one of the most talented fighters in the world at any weight,” De la Hoya said. “That talent, combined with his charismatic and out-going personality, makes him a promoter’s dream and I feel will one day lead him to being the face of boxing.” — AFP

BUENOS AIRES: KTM’s Cyril Despres, of France, shows the trophy during the podium ceremony of the Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally 2010 in, Sunday, Jan 17, 2010. Despres won the bike category. — AP

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Tuesday, January 19, 2010

NBA

Melo, Billups lead Nuggets past Jazz DENVER: Carmelo Anthony scored 37 points and Chauncey Billups added 29 in the Denver Nuggets’ 119-112 win over Utah that snapped the Jazz’ four-game winning streak Sunday. Ty Lawson returned to Denver’s rotation after missing four games with a sprained ankle and helped steady a sometimes erratic offense, scoring 11 points with an assist. Nene added 18 points for the Nuggets, who improved to 3-0 against Utah and won the season series. That could prove crucial for playoff seeding should these teams end up with the same record in the tight Western Conference.

Point guard Deron Williams (sprained wrist) and forward Andrei Kirilenko (hyperextended knee) were both in Utah’s starting lineup despite playing the night before in a 112-95 win over Milwaukee in Salt Lake City. Williams led the Jazz with 23 points but Kirilenko scored just 7.

Raptors 110, Mavericks 88 At Toronto, Chris Bosh had 23 points and 13 rebounds, and Andrea Bargnani scored 22 as Toronto won its seventh in eight home games to reach the midpoint of its season at 21-20. Jose Calderon had 15 points and Jarrett Jack scored 11 as the Raptors took the lead with a huge second quarter and never trailed again, leading by as many as 26. Dirk Nowitzki scored 19 points and Jason Terry had 18 for the Mavericks, who have lost three of four. Shawn Marion scored 15 and Jason Kidd had 12 points and nine assists. — AP

NBA results/standings

TORONTO: Toronto Raptors’ Chris Bosh (center) is fouled by Dallas Mavericks’ Erick Dampier (left) as Mavericks’ Jason Kidd (right) looks on during first-half NBA basketball game action on Sunday, Jan 17, 2010. — AP

WASHINGTON: Results and standings after Sunday’s National Basketball Association games: Toronto 110, Dallas 88; Denver 119, Utah 112 Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L PCT GB Boston 27 11 .711 Toronto 21 20 .512 7.5 New York 16 24 .400 12 Philadelphia 13 26 .333 14.5 New Jersey 3 36 .077 24.5 Central Division Cleveland 31 11 .738 Chicago 18 20 .474 11 Milwaukee 16 22 .421 13 Detroit 14 25 .359 15.5 Indiana 14 26 .350 16 Southeast Division Atlanta 26 13 .667 Orlando 26 14 .650 .5 Miami 20 19 .513 6 Charlotte 19 19 .500 6.5 Washington 13 26 .333 13 Western Conference Northw est Division Denver 26 14 .650 Portland 25 16 .610 1.5 Utah 23 18 .561 3.5 Oklahoma City 22 18 .550 4 Minnesota 8 33 .195 18.5 Pacific Division La Lakers 31 9 .775 Phoenix 24 17 .585 7.5 La Clippers 17 22 .436 13.5 Sacramento 15 24 .385 15.5 Golden State 11 27 .289 19 Southw est Division Dallas 26 14 .650 San Antonio 24 15 .615 1.5 Houston 22 18 .550 4 Memphis 21 18 .538 4.5 New Orleans 21 18 .538 4.5

ST LOUIS: Fans reach to get an autograph from St Louis Cardinals batting coach Mark McGwire (bottom right) after he spoke at the team’s annual Winter Warm-Up during his first public appearance Sunday, Jan 17, 2010. — AP

McGwire cheered by fans, evades steroid questions ST LOUIS: Mark McGwire received a standing ovation from Cardinals fans Sunday in his first public appearance in St Louis since admitting he used steroids. His scheduled news conference, only minutes later, was much more combative. The second session was shifted to an overcrowded hallway at the last minute, and McGwire evaded questions about the criticism he’s received from ex-players. He repeatedly emphasized that he was ready to talk about the game instead of performance-enhancing drugs.

“I hope you all can accept this,” McGwire said. “Let’s all move on from this. Baseball is great right now, baseball is better.” Dressed in jeans, a sweater and running shoes, the 46-year-old McGwire walked on stage to “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns N’ Roses, the hard-rock song played before his at-bats with the Cardinals. The team’s new hitting coach was cheered by fans who secured seats as much as 31/2 hours earlier. “I’ve learned a lot,” McGwire told fans. “Especially to kids out there, steroids are bad. I made a huge mistake in my life and it’s something I want you guys to learn from. Don’t ever, ever go down that road.” Jessica and Sarah Schaaf were in the front row of a downtown hotel ballroom jammed with perhaps 1,000 fans, and wore T-shirts made for the occasion that said “Welcome back, Big Mac Land,” with a photograph of McGwire. “He did wrong,” Jessica Schaaf said. “But we still love him.” In a brief appearance on stage, McGwire said he was happy about his chance to put on

a major league uniform again. The former home run king headed over to Busch Stadium, just blocks away, for an afternoon hitting session with Colby Rasmus and Ryan Ludwick, and pledged to immerse himself in his new job.

“Like I told them, I’ll be the first one in the cage and I’ll be the last one to leave,” McGwire said. “I’m there for them, I’m there to pass on my knowledge.” McGwire, hired in October, added he had a “huge Rolodex of knowledge” to pass on to Cardinals hitters.

He was supposed to be at a podium minutes later, but when his news conference was moved into a narrow hallway it left reporters jostling for space and shouting questions. The session lasted just more than six minutes before questions were cut off and McGwire was escorted out by security and police through a back door.

A team official called the last-minute switch an “executive decision.”

McGwire said he’s been “dead honest” in interviews since the admission. But he wasn’t interested in rebutting criticism from former Oakland teammate Jose Canseco, who said McGwire is still lying by denying that the two players injected themselves with steroids in clubhouse bathroom stalls. “I’m not going down that road with Jose,” McGwire said. “I’ll take the high road with the Jose stuff.” Former Cardinals slugger Jack Clark, who called McGwire a “phony” in a St Louis Post-Dispatch story last week, was booed in an appearance on the same stage not long before McGwire’s appearance. — AP

Ovechkin makes penalty shot; Caps top with 5-3 NHL results/standings

NHL shut out Detroit by 3-0 scores on Dec 20 and Dec 23.

WASHINGTON: Brooks Laich scored twice, including a shorthanded goal in the third period, and Alex Ovechkin finally made a penalty shot as the Washington Capitals beat the Philadelphia Flyers 5-3 in the NHL on Sunday. The NHL’s highest scoring team scored at least four goals for the seventh straight game, improving to 6-1 during that stretch. Mike Knuble and Alexander Semin also scored, and two-time reigning league most valuable player Ovechkin capped Washington’s scoring with 4:12 to play - at last converting a penalty shot after failing in his first five attempts to start his career. Jeff Carter, James van Riemsdyk and Danny Briere scored for the Flyers.

Ducks 5, Flames 4 At Anaheim, California, Bobby Ryan scored the goahead goal with 7:17 left as Anaheim overcame Calgary’s three breakaway goals. Troy Bodie got his first NHL goal, Dan Sexton connected on a power play, and Evgeny Artyukhin also scored for the Ducks. Jonas Hiller finished with 33 saves after his teammates left him defenseless on the breakaway goals by Olli Jokinen, Mark Giordano and Curtis Glencross.

Jamie Lundmark also scored for Calgary. The Ducks have won 11 straight over the Flames in Anaheim.

Blackhawks 4, Red Wings 3, SO At Detroit, Jonathan Toews, Marian Hossa and Patrick Sharp scored in the shootout to help Chicago take a two-point lead over San Jose in the overall standings. Troy Brouwer had a goal and an assist, Patrick Kane and Sharp also had goals, and Antti Niemi stopped 35 shots.

Nicklas Lidstrom and Henrik Zetterberg had a goal and an assist for Detroit, and Patrick Eaves also scored. Lidstrom’s goal was the Red Wings’ first against the Blackhawks in 148:36, dating to Oct 8. Chicago

Rangers 6, Canadiens 2 At New York, Ryan Callahan had two goals and two assists, and Brandon Dubinsky added two goals and an assist to lead New York past Montreal.

Marian Gaborik had a goal and two assists, and Chris Drury also scored to help the Rangers - who had only five goals overall in their previous five games end a three-game losing streak.

They outshot Montreal 34-20, including 15-2 in the second period. Michael Cammalleri and Brian Gionta scored for the Canadiens. — AP

NEW YORK: Sean Avery No.16 of the New York Rangers fights Josh Gorges No.26 of the Montreal Canadiens during their game on January 17, 2010 at Madison Square Garden. — AFP

WASHINGTON: National Hockey League results and standings after Sunday’s games: Washington 5, Philadelphia 3; Chicago 4, Detroit 3 (SO); NY Rangers 6, Montreal 2; Anaheim 5, Calgary 4.

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L OT GF GA PTS New Jersey 32 13 1 131 101 65 Pittsburgh 30 19 1 157 139 61 NY Rangers 23 19 7 127 131 53 NY Islanders 21 19 8 127 146 50 Philadelphia 23 21 3 143 137 49 Northeast Division Buffalo 29 11 6 127 106 64 Boston 23 16 8 122 116 54 Ottawa 24 21 4 133 149 52 Montreal 23 23 4 128 139 50 Toronto 16 24 9 130 170 41 Southeast Division Washington 30 12 6 182 136 66 Atlanta 21 19 7 149 155 49 Florida 20 20 8 140 149 48 Tampa Bay 18 19 10 122 144 46 Carolina 14 26 7 118 162 35 Western Conference Central Division Chicago 34 11 4 165 110 72 Nashville 29 16 3 137 132 61 Detroit 24 16 8 123 124 56 St Louis 21 19 7 124 132 49 Columbus 18 23 9 130 167 45 Northwest Division Colorado 27 15 6 141 135 60 Vancouver 28 18 2 155 119 58 Calgary 26 17 6 130 120 58 Minnesota 24 22 3 135 146 51 Edmonton 16 26 5 128 159 37 Pacific Division San Jose 31 10 8 157 123 70 Phoenix 28 16 5 131 122 61 Los Angeles 27 18 3 143 133 57 Anaheim 22 20 7 138 154 51 Dallas 20 17 11 137 154 51 Note - Overtime losses (OT) are worth one point in the standings and are not included in the loss column (L).

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Tuesday, January 19, 2010

17

Bears defender Adams dies at 26

MINNEAPOLIS: Dallas Cowboys’ Orlando Scandrick (32) tackles Minnesota Vikings’ Sidney Rice (18) after a catch during the second half of an NFL divisional playoff football game Sunday, Jan 17, 2010. — AP

CHICAGO: Gaines Adams, a 26-year-old defensive end for the National Football League’s Chicago Bears, died on Sunday morning in a South Carolina hospital after going into cardiac arrest due to an enlarged heart. Adams was selected fourth overall in the 2007 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who traded him to the Bears last October.

The former college star at Clemson was pronounced dead at Self Regional Hospital in Greenwood, South Carolina. Marcia Kelley-Clark, deputy coroner for Greenwood County, said an autopsy showed Adams had an enlarged heart, which can often lead to a heart attack, and that family members were unaware he had the medical condition.

“I remember him at the 2007 Draft as a fine young man,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “Our condolences to Gaines’ family, his teammates on the Bears and Buccaneers and their organizations on their loss.”

Adams made 67 tackles, including 13 sacks, in 47 NFL games. He had one sack in 15 games with the Bucs and Bears in the justcompleted NFL season.

“He was a true team player and a positive influence to everyone he met,” Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris said. —AFP

Favre, Vikings advance with win over Cowboys MINNEAPOLIS: Four touchdown passes from Minnesota’s 40-year-old quarterback, Brett Favre, sent the Vikings to the NFC championship game with a determined 34-3 rout of the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. “This is what I came back for,” Favre said.

“Probably the most fatigued I got today was celebrating.” The Vikings (13-4) will take on the Saints next Sunday at New Orleans (143), with the winner going to the Super Bowl in Miami - the only reason Favre put retirement on hold for a second straight season.

Favre found Sidney Rice for three scores and put an exclamation point on the final one when his fourth-and-3 pass from the 11 was caught in the end zone by Visanthe Shiancoe after the 2-minute warning. Never in 22 previous playoff games had Favre thrown for four scores, and never before had he beaten Dallas in the postseason after losses to the Cowboys ended his first three playoff experiences with Green Bay. Favre finished 15 for

24 for 234 yards without a turnover, slapping fives with anyone in reach and rapidly pumping his right arm after each score.

“I feel like I’m playing the same way. I have the same enthusiasm,” Favre said. “As long as I’m out there, the enthusiasm and the passion that you see is real. And I know the guys feed off of that. Fans enjoy that, because it is real and genuine.”

Favre even added another accomplishment as the first 40-year-old quarterback to win a playoff game. “Today was like this season: It’s been wonderful,” said Favre, whose only championship came 13 years ago with the Packers.

The Vikings, who had last week off while the Cowboys whipped Philadelphia, were bothered by all the people picking Dallas to win. “The Tasmanian devils were coming from Dallas that were about to bombard the state of Minnesota and run through us like Sherman through the South,” coach Brad

Childress said, exaggerating the popular opinion about this game. “All of us felt it quite palpably.”

Fans, too, remembered Drew Pearson’s alleged push-off in that 1975 playoff game and the Herschel Walker trade that fueled the Dallas dynasty of the ‘90s. So maybe this game meant a little more to the guys in purple than simply moving on to the semifinal, if not for the players then for the people who have cheered for the purple for 49 years without a championship. Cowboys linebacker Keith Brooking balked at the late touchdown, confronting Childress on the sideline. “I think it was totally classless and disrespectful,” Brooking said.

Childress and Favre both chalked it up to staying aggressive to the end. “That wasn’t rubbing it in. It’s just taking care of business,” the coach said. Ray Edwards led the Minnesota defense’s harassment of Tony Romo, who sat stone-faced on the bench

between possessions in the second half after a three-turnover game against one of his childhood favorites.

“Any time you come in with the expectations and goals we set and don’t accomplish them, No. 1, it’s frustrating,” Romo said, taking a long pause. “Right now, it’s just hard to think the season is over.” Romo was sacked six times, three by Edwards, lost two of his three fumbles and threw an interception right to Ben Leber deep in his own end late in the third quarter to set up a Vikings field goal.

After gaining 118 yards in the first quarter, the Cowboys got only 130 the rest of the way and watched the buzz from their first playoff win in 13 years last week fizzle out.

“It’s like the elevator falling from the top. It’s tough when it’s over. If you don’t win it all, you have not reached your goal,” coach Wade Phillips said. Romo went 22 for 35 for 198 yards, but for all the strides he made this season his lack of poise in the din of the

Metrodome will be remembered well. The last time Dallas won a playoff game on the road was the NFC championship after the 1992 season.

“We took some steps in the right direction with this football team,” Brooking said, adding the qualifier: “I don’t consider this a successful year. We play this for one reason, and one reason only.” Which is, again, just why Childress the Vikings made such a fuss over Favre this summer while he was trying to make up his mind.

“Same ol’ Brett,” Rice said. “He’s doing thing he’s done since he first came in the league: moving around, getting the ball out, breaking tackles and even running down the field and throwing blocks. That just shows you how big of a heart he has.” Favre took some hard hits by Dallas and that fierce front seven, but he was as sharp as he was all season. Stepping up in the pocket to elude the rush and making the right reads downfield,

Favre looked the part of the missing Super Bowl piece the Vikings were searching for when they persuaded him to join them last summer. “He’s playing his heart out,” said defensive end Jared Allen, who had a sack and a forced fumble.

The crowd was loud, as it usually is under the roof where the Vikings won all eight games this season, and that helps the defensive line here as much as any position. The turning point came in the first quarter during a second straight too-easy drive for Dallas.

Romo dropped a second-down snap at the 35, and on fourth-and-1 at the 30 Phillips sent Shaun Suisham out for a field goal. It went wide left, as did his try from 49 yards in the third quarter. Four plays later, Favre found Rice in single coverage and fired a perfectly placed ball up the sideline from 47 yards out.

Just like that, the Cowboys were behind for the first time since their loss to San Diego on Dec 13. — AP

Palmer’s birdie gives him Sony title HONOLULU: Ryan Palmer made a 50-foot chip shot on the final hole that hit the pin and left him a tap-in for birdie and a one-shot victory over Robert Allenby in the Sony Open on Sunday. Palmer, locked in a duel with Australia’s Allenby to the very end at Waialae, came up short of the green on the par-5 18th and faced a delicate chip. Allenby went over the green and pitched to just inside 10 feet. Palmer thought his chip was a little too hard, and he tumbled backward in relief when the ball struck the pin squarely.

Allenby missed his birdie putt, and Palmer tapped in for a 4-under 66 and his third career PGA Tour victory.

“Lucky bounce,” Palmer said. “It was probably going to go by 7 or 8 feet. I still hit a good chip. You need things like that to win.” The victory gave made the 33-year-old Texan exempt on the PGA Tour through 2012, and earned him a trip back to the Masters for the first time in five years. Allenby was trying to win his third consecutive tournament on three tours, a feat believed to have never been accomplished, and he gave himself every chance. He played bogey-free on the back nine, but he needed one more birdie. His second shot out of the rough on the 18th came out hot and over the green, and he did well to give himself a realistic chance at birdie and a playoff.

Allenby, who won the Nedbank Challenge on the Sunshine Tour and the Australian PGA Championship on the Australasian PGA Tour at the end of last year, closed with a 67.

“I had a couple of chances out there,” Allenby said. “It’s so easy to look back and say, ‘I could have made

that, I could have made that.’ But at the end of the day, realistically, I needed to make a birdie at the last.”

Palmer finished at 15-under 265 and earned $990,000. Steve Stricker, who also shared the lead briefly on the back nine, had a 65 to finish third, two strokes back. Two-time US Open champion Retief Goosen of South Africa closed with a 62 and was atop the leaderboard as Palmer and Allenby were making the turn, although his 12-under 268 never looked as though it would be enough.

Palmer went wire-to-wire, which he can attribute to an article he read early in the week about defending champion Zach Johnson and his strategy of not thinking beyond the shot in front of him. Palmer tried to treat each day as though he were starting over, and he wound up with a great start to his season.

Palmer and Allenby figured as long as they shot under par, it would take a great round for anyone to catch them. That came from Goosen, although he started too far behind (seven shots) and failed to birdie the 18th, settling for a tournament-best 62.

About the time Goosen finished, Stricker hit a hybrid from the grassy collar of a bunker onto the par-5 ninth green for a birdie, then hit a good pitch to 3 1/2 feet on the 10th to join Goosen at 12 under. With so many holes left, and Palmer and Allenby behind him, it turned into a three-man race over the final two hours.

Stricker certainly had his chances, although it was an example that even one of the best putters in golf doesn’t make everything. He lipped out a 5-

foot birdie chance on the 12th and missed from 8 feet on the 14th. He also holed a birdie putt on the 13th that briefly put him in a tie for the lead, and a 25-footer on the 17th that kept alive his hopes.

But he found a bunker on the 18th, and Waialae sand makes it tough to get spin on the ball. His long bunker shot went 20 feet long and high of the hole, and Stricker’s birdie putt to join the leaders grazed the edge of the cup. Allenby might have saved his chances early in the round. He had a sloppy three-putt on the fourth, and then went through the green on the fifth with a sand wedge. His chip came out hot and ran 15 feet by the hole, and Allenby was so disgusted he kicked at the ground - with his left ankle, at least - but then holed the par putt. Palmer’s volatility came with his scores. He had a one-shot lead going to the back nine, and then didn’t make a par until he missed an 8-foot birdie putt on the 15th hole. He birdied the 10th, 12th and 14th, all from inside 12 feet. He bogeyed the 11th and 13th from bunkers. Allenby caught him again with a tough shot inside 3 feet on the 15th, and the duel was on.

Charles Howell III ended a stretch of 17 tournaments without a top 10 with a 66-64 weekend to tie for fifth with Carl Petterson (66) and Davis Love III, who holed out for eagle from the 16th fairway and closed with a 67.

Johnson, the defending champion and among those three shots back going into the final round, got off to another sluggish start and didn’t have enough holes to recover. Three straight birdies led to a 70. — AP

Former Wallaby scrum-half Burke dies

HONOLULU: Ryan Palmer holds the trophy after winning the Sony Open golf tournament, Sunday, Jan 17, 2010. — AP

MELBOURNE: One of Australian rugby’s greatest scrum-halves, Wallaby Cyril Burke has died at the age of 84, the Australian Rugby Union said yesterday.

Burke, who died at a nursing home near Newcastle in New South Wales, played 26 Tests for Australia and made seven overseas tours during his 1946-1957 stint with the Wallabies.

He was a member of the Wallaby side that toured the British Isles, France, Canada and the United States in 1947-1948 and featured in all five Tests on that tour. Burke also played in three of the four Tests on Australia’s tour to South Africa in 1953.

Four of Burke’s tours were to New Zealand in 1946, 1949, 1952 and 1955.

Burke wore the Wallaby jumper 91 times when all tour matches are factored in, while he also appeared for New South Wales on 36 occasions. —AFP

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Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Henry escapes punishment over handball incident the statement from the committee.

“At its meeting on January 18, 2010, the disciplinary committee reached the conclusion that there was no legal foundation for the committee to consider the case because handling the ball cannot be regarded as a serious infringement as stipulated in article 77a) of the FIFA disciplinary code.

“There is no other legal text that would allow the committee to impose sanctions for any incidents missed by match officials.”

Bernard Escalettes, president of the

ever, that they were powerless to punish the 1998 World Cup-winning striker because their rules forbade them to do so if the original misdemeanour had not been seen by the match officials.

“On December 2, 2009, the FIFA executive committee asked the FIFA disciplinary committee to analyse the handling offence committed by Thierry Henry during the France v Republic of Ireland match on November 18, 2009, and to consider the possible disciplinary consequences,” read

ZURICH: French captain Thierry Henry escaped being punished for his infamous handball in the 2010 World Cup finals playoff against Ireland, FIFA announced yesterday.

France were losing 1-0 to Ireland at the Stade de France on November 18, having won the first leg 1-0, when Henry teed up William Gallas in extra-time for what proved to be the decisive goal after illegally controlling the ball with his hand.

FIFA’s disciplinary committee said, how-

French Football Federation (FFF), said he hoped this finally drew a line under the episode.

“Thierry Henry not being punished is not astonishing, it is logical,” Escalettes told AFP. “There is nothing in the FIFA rules permitting a punishment, and FIFA are bound by their rules. “I hope that this is the end of the story, I hope so with all my heart.”

The meeting of the 21-man disciplinary panel, an independent body chaired by the

Swiss Marcel Mathier, was announced by FIFA president Sepp Blatter in Cape Town on December 2 following an extraordinary executive committee meeting.

“I had a phone conversation with Thierry Henry,” said Blatter at the time. “We didn’t talk about guilty or not guilty. It was a conversation between sportsmen. I didn’t say that he would be punished, I said he’d be the subject of an investigation.”

Blatter’s diplomacy can be explained by the lack of precedent regarding retrospec-

tive punishments meted out to players.

Any punishment meted out would have been purely a symbolic one as FIFA’s rules do not explicitly address incidents of such a nature and a heavy punishment would have created an unwelcome precedent for world football’s governing body.

Blatter, meanwhile, has raised the possibilty of awarding “moral compensation” to the Irish team. “That could be a special trophy or a prize, we’ll have to see,” he said. — AFP

Angola, Algeria qualify

LUANDA: Algeria’s Hameur Bouazza (center) attacks, pursued by Angola’s Kali (right) and Dias Caires, in their African Cup of Nations Group A match. — AP

Ghana sweat on Essien for crucial game LUANDA: No calculators are needed to work out the task facing Ghana in today’s final Group B game - a win and nothing else is required against Burkina Faso if the four-time champions are to make it through to the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals.

The Black Stars are sweating on the results of a scan to the injured knee of Michael Essien, a player of such influence that his absence could make or break their Cup campaign.

Essien, who only played a bit

part in his country’s opening 3-1 loss to Ivory Coast, hobbled out of a training session on Sunday and was taken to hospital for tests.

Preview Ghana’s media officer Randy Abbey told AFP: “Michael suffered a right knee injury in the training session this morning.

“He was taken to a local hospital

for a scan and we’ll get the results back tomorrow and then have a clearer idea of whether he can play.”

Essien’s absence would be a colossal blow to Ghana who face Burkina Faso at the 50,000-seat November 11 Stadium in the Angolan capital.

Ghana are one point behind Burkina Faso who put themselves in a sound position to qualify when coming away from their opening game against Ivory Coast with a goalless draw and a precious point.

African Nations Cup results and standings African Nations Cup results and standings yesterday (* denotes qualified for next stage).

Group A P 3 3 3 3

W 1 1 1 1

D 2 1 1 0

L 0 1 1 2

F 6 1 7 4

A PTS 4 5 3 4 6 4 5 3

Group B Ivory Coast* 2 Burkina Faso 1 Ghana 1

1 0 0

1 1 0

0 0 1

3 0 1

1 0 3

Angola* Algeria* Mali Malawi

Group C Egypt*

2

2

0

0

5

1

4 1 0 6

Nigeria 2 Benin 2 Mozambique 2

1 0 0

0 1 1

1 1 1

2 2 2

3 3 4

3 1 1

Group D Gabon Cameroon Tunisia Zambia

1 1 0 0

1 0 2 1

0 1 0 1

1 3 1 3

0 3 1 4

4 3 2 1

2 2 2 2

* Togo were disqualified from tournament on Jan. 11 after failing to show up for their opening Group B match against Ghana.

NBK and Commerical Bank teams

Essien arrived in Angola late for the tournament because snow delayed his flight from London and has been struggling to recover from a hamstring injury sustained playing for Chelsea in the Champions League last month.

He was kept on the bench until half-time against Ivory Coast last Friday in Cabinda by Serb coach Milovan Rajevac to avoid aggravating the injury and his second-half presence on the pitch could not prevent a heavy defeat.

Ghana arrived in Angola with a raft of key players missing forcing Rajevac to field a largely inexperienced side. Of the Burkina Faso test he said: “Our next match is a question of double or quits.”

Rajevac suggested the lopsided scoreline against the Ivory Coast did not do his side justice.

“We didn’t play as badly as the score suggests. Most of the time we played well but unfortunately we didn’t get the breaks.” After Essien’s training setback it looks as though lady luck has yet to smile on the first team from Africa to qualify for the 2010 World Cup. Burkina Faso set out a defensive stall against the Ivory Coast and the ploy worked a treat as European-based stars like Didier Drogba and Kolo Toure were held at bay. —AFP

LUANDA: Hosts Angola and Algeria qualified for the African Nations Cup quarter-finals after playing out a goalless draw in their final Group A match yesterday.

Angola top the standings with five points and will stay in the capital for the weekend’s quarter-final.

Algeria also qualified thanks to tournament rules that take into account head-to-head record despite finishing tied on four points with Mali. Algeria beat Mali 1-0 last week.

Both Angola and Algeria were content to settle for the draw long before the final whistle but Algeria might have snatched victory with two good second half opportunities.

Both involved the Blackpool winger Hameur Bouazza, who first set up a chance in the 48th minute with an inviting square ball but neither team mate Abdelkader Ghezzal nor the two Angolan defenders sandwiching him got a touch.

A jinking run from Bouazza on the hour mark was also a rare forward foray but his attempt at a flick went tantalisingly wide.

The two teams then irritated the 50,000-strong by choosing to keep possession of the ball from then on rather than making any attempt at breaking the deadlock.

Madjid Bougherra had a closein chance saved by Angola goalkeeper Carlos Fernandes midway through the first half while Angola’s only real chance of the game fell inside the opening 10 minutes to Djalma, but his final effort on goal lacked the necessary power.

Both countries will discover the identity of their respective quarter-final opponents today when Group B is concluded with the game between Burkina Faso and Ghana. Ivory Coast have already gone through from Group B but it is yet to be determined whether they finish first or second in the standings. — Reuters

Quarter-finals qualifiers CABINDA: Qualifiers for African Nations Cup quarter-finals in Angola after final Group A matches yesterday: Group A - Angola, Algeria Group B - Ivory Coast Group C - Egypt (holders) Note: Other four places to be decided after group fixtures between today and Thursday.

ANGOLA: Malawi’s James Sangala (left) is challenged by Mali’s Mamadou Bagayoko during their African Cup of Nations Group A soccer match. — AP

Mali out of Nations Cup despite win over Malawi CABINDA: Mali bowed out of the African Nations Cup despite a 3-1 win over Malawi in their last Group A game yesterday. Mali finished third on four points, with hosts Angola qualifying top with five points following a 0-0 draw with second-placed Algeria (4), who advanced by virtue of their head-to-head record with Mali. Malawi were bottom with three points.

Mali, who lost 1-0 to Algeria last week, have not made it past the first round since 2004 when they reached the semi-finals.

Striker Mamadou Bagayoko was not pleased the head-to-head record decided Mali’s fate because they had a better goal difference than Algeria (+1 against -2).

“This is really disappointing,” he told reporters.

“They changed the rules this year and we are out despite finishing ahead of Algeria (on goal difference).“It’s a pity because we have a really talented bunch of players. We had the weapons to do something at this African Nations Cup.” Mali made a flying start

Gulf Bank and KFH teams

KBC football Tournament KUWAIT: The Kuwait Banks Club (KBC) recently launched its 2010 banks football league, which is being held by the club at the field of the information ministry, according to a press release.

During the first week of the tournament, the National Bank of Kuwait’s team defeated the Commercial Bank 6-0, while the Industrial Bank was held to a 2-2 draw by the Bank Burgan’s team.

Also, the Gulf Bank’s team was successful in their match against the Kuwait Finance House team with a 3-1 score, whereas the match between the Ahli

Bank and Bank Boubyan ended in a goalless draw.

In the final match of the week, the International Bank of Kuwait’s team defeated the Kuwait and Middle East Bank team 3-0.

The tournament was inaugurated in a ceremony that was held by the KBC CEO, Hesham Al-Bu’aijan, assistant secretary, Jassem Al-Haidar, and head of the club’s sports committee, Mohammad AlMeel, who indicated that awards have been allocated for the winners of the tournament.

Industrial Bank and Burgan Bank teams

when Frederic Kanoute volleyed home a clumsy clearance by Malawi keeper Swadick Sanudi after 38 seconds.

They went 2-0 up in the third minute when Seydou Keita fired a 25-metre free kick straight into the top right corner of the net. Bagayoko came close to a third when he unleashed a volley from the edge of the box that was tipped away by Sanudi at the end of a swift counter attack.

Although they were without the suspended Mahamadou Diarra, Mali were completely on top in midfield. Malawi had a chance to pull a goal back in the 24th minute when a low shot by Esau Kanyenda was blocked by keeper Mahamadou Sidibe. Russell Mwafulirwa finally pulled one back after 58 minutes from a packed goalmouth after Sidibe failed to control a cross from the left.

Mali, though, piled on the pressure again and Keita was superbly denied by Sanudi before being brought down in the box although referee Rajindraparsad Seechurn turned down penalty claims. —Reuters

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

SPORTS

19

Indian pacemen rattle Bangladesh

KFH clinches Watani Cricket Trophy KUWAIT: KFH defeated NBK by 7 wickets in the finals to lift the coveted Watani Cricket Trophy sponsored by National Bank of Kuwait and organized by KOC Cricket Committee at the Al Ahmadi Cricket Ground.

KFH captain Fazal’s decision to put NBK into bat after winning the toss paid rich dividend as NBK wickets kept falling at regular intervals to some fine bowling by Irfan and Zahid. Irfan first had Ronald caught by Ghanim for duck and Hameed removed dangerous stroke player Binu for three. Irfan bowled Kiran for one and had Abbas caught by Haseeb for five. NBK was reeling at 20 for four at the end of five overs. A patient knock from Khurram who scored 25 helped by Raja who scored 10 and Surosh who scored 14, helped NBK reach 85. Irfan with 3 for 16 and Zahid with 2 for 15 were the pick of the bowlers. Hameed,

Fazal, Faraaz and Masroor shared 4 wickets while Andrew was run out.

Irfan Bhatti and Zahid guided KFH to the target with brilliant knocks of 46 & 30 runs scoring 60 runs for the opening wicket partnership. Zahid was bowled by Raja and Irfan holed out in the deep to Kiran but not before hitting 3 huge sixes and 3 boundaries. Haseeb was run out by Kiran for ten.

Ghanim made the two runs required for a well deserved victory for KFH, first of the New Year 2010.

Ahmad Hafez, Head of executive office General Management NBK, congratulated KFH for winning the Watani Cricket Trophy for the first time and NBK, the runners up. He appreciated the efforts of KOC Cricket Committee in organizing the Watani Trophy professionally and assured NBK’s continued support for promotion of the game.

NBK management was presented mementoes by KOC CC which were given

by Arif Bhatti and Khalid Arshad to Ahmad Hafez and Ms. Manal Al-Mattar. KFH captain received the Watani Rolling Trophy and winners’ cup from Ahmad and NBK captain received the runners up trophy from Ms. Manal Al-Mattar, Manager Public Relations NBK. The two honored guests gave prizes to the two teams. Irfan of KFH received the man of the finals trophy from Mr. Ahmad and Ms. Manal Al-Mattar gave family prizes. Iqbal Vanoo, GS of KOC CC thanked the NBK management for sponsoring NBK trophy at KOC Ahmadi for nearly a decade and all the bank teams that took part in Watani Trophy and played the game in a very sporting atmosphere. Mahmood Rashid and Mohd. Idrees were the officiating umpires.

New iron grooves making a difference HONOLULU: The small crowd far down the eighth fairway could see John Daly, just not where his golf ball was headed.

Daly is hard to miss these days, even from more than 300 yards away — not because he has lost 45 kilograms (100 pounds), rather the colorful prints he wears, some that look like a gum ball machine.

On this day at the Sony Open, the gallery was curious to see whether players would go at the green more than 450 yards away with a stiff wind at their backs. Daly’s tee shot sailed over the trees and just through the fairway. Next was Bubba Watson, even longer off the tee, and his drive stopped in the short grass about 70 yards short of the green.

So much for that notion of playing it safe this year. While one hole — especially those two players — is not the best sampling of strategy on the PGA Tour, two weeks into the new year did little to support the theory that players will give up distance for accuracy because of V-shaped grooves now required in irons. What followed was worth noting.

Daly is using 20-year-old Ping wedges that still have square grooves (legal through a loophole), and he couldn’t figure out how to play toward the pin. He chose a low trajectory and wound up 40 feet short.

Watson played a higher trajectory and still came up 25 feet short. Clearly, there will be some adjustments to make this year. In an effort to put a greater premium on accuracy, golf’s governing bodies served up the most significant rollback in technology by banning box-shaped grooves that generate greater spin. Will that make golf harder? Not necessarily.

Geoff Ogilvy defended his title at Kapalua with a 22-under 280, two strokes higher than last year, and that can be attributed to the

strong Kona wind that makes the course slightly tougher.

Ryan Palmer won the Sony Open on Sunday at 15-under 265, the same winning score Zach Johnson had last year. Whether scores will suffer will not be noticeable until more tournaments are played on different grasses in a variety of conditions. The new grooves at least appear to make the game different.

The best example came at the decisive par-5 18th hole in the final round at Waialae, when Palmer and Robert Allenby were tied for the lead, both in the rough right of the fairway.

Palmer had 226 yards to the hole for his second shot, thought about a 6-iron, then changed to a 5 because the ball was sitting up in the grass and he didn’t think it would jump off the club. He guessed wrong, and the ball came up 50 feet short.

“It obviously didn’t jump out like I thought it would,” Palmer said. “It caught a little bit high on the club face.”

Next up was Allenby, who was in about the same spot the day before when he hit a 4iron. This time, he opted for a 5 from 218 yards and it came out hot, running through the back of the green and against a TV tower.

With a nasty lie, he opted to pop up a wedge and did well to leave himself a 10-foot putt up the hill, which he missed and lost by one shot. “I had the same yardage as yesterday, and I hit one club less and it went further,” Allenby said. “And that’s the beauty of the grooves today. It has changed the game of golf, which I think is for the better. I think it’s great, because now we have to all of a sudden manufacture our way around the golf course.

“Before, it would have come out soft, and we know that,” he said. “Today, you don’t know where it’s going to go.” It has hurt some players.

Pat Perez was amazed at some of the fliers he got out of the rough, hitting one 7iron from 210 yards that was “all grooves.”

He prepared for those shots. What stumped him was chipping around the green with new grooves in his wedges.

“I can’t chip,” he said, which was evident on the 13th hole Saturday when he came up 6 feet short on a standard chip and took bogey. “I’ve tried them all — a bump, a flop.

I haven’t figured it out yet.” Steve Stricker believes it already has cost him a few shots, including one at Kapalua on the ninth hole when he was expecting the ball to check up after one bounce, and instead it released.

On the 10th hole Thursday at Waialae, what was supposed to be a low trajectory with a sand wedge climbed into the blue sky.

“It climbed right up the face, went up and went down,” said Stricker, who still managed to make birdie because he can still putt. “I’ve tried different techniques. It’s not the normal trajectory I’m used to seeing. I look down on the club face and I’ve got a grass stain in the middle. It really is a guessing game now.”

New grooves aren’t necessarily bad.

Vijay Singh had a shot from the left rough on the 16th hole in which he ordinarily might have been blocked by a tree. With more shallow grooves, he was able to get the ball higher and over the tree with a wedge. That’s the kind of situation to which Ogilvy was referring at Kapalua when he said, “We lost a bit, but we gained somewhere else.”

The next lab test comes this week at the Bob Hope Classic, which typically doesn’t feature much rough. Then it’s onto Torrey Pines, Riviera and Pebble Beach, with grass that is longer, thinner and typically more damp. More learning awaits. “The skill is to try to land it where you need to,” Allenby said. “But there is a lot more luck involved now.”—AP

CHITTAGONG: Indian pacemen Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma did the early damage to put Bangladesh under pressure in the opening Test here yesterday.

Bangladesh were well placed at 53 for no loss before slipping to 59-3 at stumps on the second day in reply to India’s first-innings total of 243, with Zaheer taking two wickets in successive overs and Sharma one.

Raqibul Hasan was unbeaten on one and Mohammad Ashraful had yet to open his account when play was called off due to bad light.

Only 24.5 overs were bowled because of poor weather yesterday.

Sachin Tendulkar earlier scored a superb 105 not out under pressure for his 44th Test century to boost India’s total.

He cracked two sixes and 11 fours in his 166-ball knock.

“The loss of three wickets has obviously put a damper on our fantastic bowling performance,” said Bangladesh coach Jamie Siddons.

“It is shaping up to be a very good contest. We still have a lot of batting to come and I am hopeful we will put a very good score and put them under pressure. I hope the batsmen apply themselves.”

Bangladesh got off to a sound start, with left-handed openers Tamim Iqbal (31) and Imrul Kayes (23) playing some attractive shots against the Indian strike bowlers.

Iqbal was initially more aggressive, scoring 21 in the opening four overs before his partner opened his account.

Kayes outscored Iqbal after lunch, hitting left-arm seamer Zaheer for two boundaries in an over and then driving Shanthakumaran Sreesanth for a four.

Zaheer broke the partnership when he removed Kayes, who was trapped legbefore while playing across the line.

He then bowled Iqbal in his next over with a delivery that kept low.

Sharma’s lone victim was Shahriar Nafees, who was caught by Venkatsai Laxman at second slip after contributing only four.

India posted their lowestever total against Bangladesh despite Tendulkar’s century. Their previous lowest in a completed innings was 429 in Dhaka in 2000.

India, reeling at 213-8 on Sunday, lost their remaining two wickets in less than eight overs in the morning, with left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan and paceman Shahadat Hossain finishing with five wickets apiece.

Shakib grabbed 5-62 for his sixth haul of five or more wickets in Tests and Shahadat took 5-71 for his third.

Tendulkar, who had only tail-enders Sharma and Sreesanth for company, went for shots early in the morning in pursuit of his century.

Resuming on his overnight score of 76, he pulled Shahadat for a four in the first over after play started 90 minutes late due to fog, and then hoisted Shakib over long-on for a six.

Tendulkar was on 93 when last-man Sreesanth joined him and completed his century with two successive fours off Shahadat.— AFP

CHITTAGONG: Bangladesh wicket keeper Mushfiqur Rahim (left) looks on as India’s Sachin Tendulkar prepares to play a shot on the second day of the first cricket Test match between Bangladesh and India.— AP

Scoreboard CHITTAGONG, Bangladesh: Scoreboard at stumps on the second day of the first Test between India and Bangladesh yesterday: India 1st innings (overnight 213-8): G. Gambhir c Rahim b Shahadat 23 V. Sehwag c Tamim b Shakib 52 R. Dravid b Shahadat 4 S. Tendulkar not out 105 V. Laxman st Rahim b Shakib 7 Yuvraj Singh c Rubel b Shakib 12 D. Karthik c Raqibul b Shahadat 0 A. Mishra lbw b Shahadat 14 Zaheer Khan c Raqibul b Shakib 11 I. Sharma c Rahim b Shahadat 1 S. Sreesanth c Kayes b Shakib 1 Extras (b1, lb6, nb5, w1) 13 Total (for all out; 70.5 overs) 243 Fall of wickets: 1-79 (Sehwag), 2-79 (Gambhir), 3-85 (Dravid), 4-107 (Laxman), 5-149 (Yuvraj), 6150 (Karthik), 7-182 (Mishra), 8-209 (Zaheer), 9-

230 (Sharma), 10-243 (Sreesanth).

Bowling: Shafiul 9-1-41-0, Shahadat 18-2-71-5 (nb2, w1), Rubel 10-0-40-0 (nb3), Shakib 29.5-1062-5, Mahmudullah 3-0-17-0, Ashraful 1-0-5-0.

Bangladesh 1st innings: Tamim Iqbal b Zaheer 31 Imrul Kayes lbw b Zaheer 23 Shahriar Nafees c Laxman b Sharma 4 Mohammad Ashraful not out 0 Raqibul Hasan not out 1 Total (for three wickets; 17 overs) 59 Fall of wickets: 1-53 (Kayes), 2-58 (Nafees), 358 (Iqbal).

Bowling: Zaheer 9-1-32-2, Sreesanth 3-0-13-0, Sharma 5-1-14-1.

Cook to captain England JOHANNESBURG: Alastair Cook will captain England on their tour of Bangladesh next month while regular captain Andrew Strauss will be rested.

England’s Test and oneday international squads were announced in Johannesburg yesterday at the end of a tour of South Africa during which Strauss led England to a win in a one-day series and a share of a Test series.

The England selectors resisted calls from former England captains Mike Atherton, David Gower and Nasser Hussain for Strauss to lead the side in Bangladesh.

The England and Wales Cricket Board announced last September that some senior players would be rested from the Bangladesh tour in order to manage their workload and it was suggested at the time that Strauss would be one of those to sit out.

The only other member of the Test side against South Africa who will miss the tour is fast bowler James Anderson who will undergo rehabilitation for a chronic right knee injury.

Three uncapped players Hampshire batsman Michael Carberry, Yorkshire fast bowler Ajmal Shahzad and Kent off-spinner James Tredwell - were named in a 16-man Test squad, while Shahzad and Tredwell were also selected in a 15-man one-day squad. England will play three one-day internationals and two Tests in Bangladesh.

The tour will be preceded by two Twenty20 internationals against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates, where the side will be cap-

tained by Paul Collingwood.

Selection convenor Geoff Miller said: “Andrew Strauss has provided ‘outstanding leadership for the team in both forms of the game over ‘the past 12 months and the selectors feel it is important that he ‘takes a break ahead of an extremely busy pro-

Tour of Bangladesh gramme of international ‘ cricket leading up to and including the Ashes series in Australia and the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011.

“Our decision to appoint

(Warwickshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Michael Carberry (Hampshire), Paul Collingwood (Durham), Steven Davies (Surrey, wkt), Graham Onions (Durham), Kevin Pietersen (Hampshire), Liam Plunkett (Durham), Matt Prior (Sussex, wkt), Ajmal Shahzad (Yorkshire), Ryan Sidebottom (Nottinghamshire), Graeme Swann (Nottinghamshire), James Tredwell (Kent), Jonathan Trott (Warwickshire), Luke Wright (Sussex).

One-day squad: Cook (captain), Tim Bresnan (Yorkshire), Broad, Collingwood, Joe Denly (Kent), Eoin Morgan (Middlesex), Prior, Pietersen, Plunkett, Shahzad, Sidebottom, Swann, Tredwell, Trott, Wright.

Alastair Cook to the Test vice-captaincy last year clearly demonstrated the belief that he has the potential to be a future England captain.

“Alastair will now have an opportunity to develop his leadership skills still further by leading the side in both forms of cricket in Bangladesh and I know that he is excited by the challenge and looking forward to working closely with Andy Flower.”

Test squad: Alastair Cook (Essex, captain), Ian Bell

England schedule: February 14 - Arrive in Dubai 17 - T20 v England Lions, Abu Dhabi 19 - First T20 v Pakistan, Dubai 20 - Second T20 v Pakistan, Dubai 23 - Bangladesh Board XI, Fatullah 25 - Bangladesh Board XI, Fatullah 28 - First ODI v Bangladesh, Dhaka March 2 - Second ODI v Bangladesh, Dhaka 5 - Third ODI v Bangladesh, Chittagong 7-9 - Bangladesh A, Chittagong 12-16 - First Test, Chittagong 20-24 - Second Test, Dhaka.—AFP

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Comeback queens roll into second round of Australian Open

Maria Sharapova

Sharapova bundled out MELBOURNE: Rafael Nadal of Spain hits a return against Peter Luczak of Australia in their men’s singles first round match on day one of the Australian Open tennis tournament.—AFP

Sports snippets Bad example for youngsters BOGOTA:- Brazilian football legend Pele on Sunday said Tiger Woods was a bad example to youngsters who once looked up to the tainted golf superstar. “We are all human. We have weaknesses and we can break at any time,” Pele told Caracol de Bogota radio while on a visit to promote the 2010 Copa Libertadores tournament. “You have to be very strong because famous names are often examples to youngsters.

Sadly, this was something sad for him and his family. He’s not been a very good example.”World number one golfer Woods has suffered a momentous fall from grace since a November 27 late-night car crash outside his Florida home.

Egypt’s Zaki to join Hull HULL: Hull has signed Amr Zaki on loan until the end of the season, subject to the Egypt striker receiving a work permit. Zaki, who scored 11 Premier League goals during a loan spell with Wigan last season, agreed to join Hull from Egyptian side Zamalek on Sunday. “I’m happy to be back in the Premier League through Hull,” Zaki said. “Tigers are good side and I’m looking forward to doing my best for the team. I want to thank both (manager) Phil Brown and (chairman) Adam Pearson for the faith they showed in me.

“My target is to repay this faith on the field by helping my teammates to do the best for the club and for the fans.

Olympic hopeful injured SALT LAKE CITY: Snowboarder Danny Davis has been admitted to a Utah hospital after injuring his back in a non-snowboarding accident.

Davis was likely to make the US Olympic team in halfpipe. He was admitted to the hospital Sunday, the day after he won the Winter Dew Tour halfpipe contest at Snowbasin in Utah. Details of his injuries were not available. Davis is good friends with Kevin Pearce, the snowboarder who was injured Dec. 31 in practice and is in a Salt Lake City hospital in serious condition with a head injury.

Wales pick scrumhalf Rees CARDIFF: Wales picked uncapped scrumhalf Richie Rees for this season’s Six Nations yesterday after Dwayne Peel was ruled out of the entire tournament because of a groin injury.

Cardiff Blues’ Rees, who is one of four new players in a 35-man squad, or the Scarlets’ Martin Roberts look set to start at No. 9 in Wales’ tournament opener at England on Feb. 6. Peel joined first-choice scrumhalf Mike Phillips on the sidelines when he limped out of Sale Sharks’ Heineken Cup defeat by Cardiff on Saturday with a recurrence of the injury that affected his start to this season.

Nadal leads big guns to opening wins at Open MELBOURNE: Spanish second seed Rafael Nadal successfully launched his Australian Open title defence with a straight sets victory over Australian Peter Luczak yesterday.

Andy Murray and Andy Roddick also reeled off straight set wins on a rain-interrupted opening day, while US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro, troubled by a wrist injury, needed four sets to progress.

Nadal encountered early resistance before racing away to a 7-6 (7/0), 6-1, 6-4 victory over the 78thranked Luczak in the night match on Rod Laver Arena.

The six-time Grand Slam champion, who is working his way back to full fitness after injuries blighted his last season, will next play either Argentina’s Leonardo Mayer or Slovakia’s Lukas Lacko.

A potential quarter-final looms against Scotland’s Murray. Nadal, who beat Roger Federer in a gripping five-set final here last year, has not claimed a title since winning on the Barcelona clay last April.

Murray, the fifth seed, was in imperial form as he breezed through against qualifier Kevin Anderson.

Fancied to become the first British man to win a Grand Slam singles title since Fred Perry in 1936, he destroyed the South African world number 148 in just 97 minutes, 6-1, 6-1, 6-2.

He will face either France’s Marc Gicquel or Italy’s Simone Bolelli in the second round. “I could have served better,” he said. “It was a good start, he’s a tough player.

“It’s good to get the match out of the way because it’s a long day for a lot of the players because of the weather outside,” he said.

Del Potro, playing with a wrist injury, needed three hours to subdue American Michael Russell in four

sets. The Argentine fourth seed won 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 under a closed roof on the Hisense Arena.

Del Potro, who beat Federer in US Open final for his breakthrough Grand Slam title last September, will now play either American James Blake or Frenchman Arnaud Clement on Wednesday.

The Argentine giant said he still feels some discomfort from the wrist injury which forced him to withdraw from last week’s Kooyong Classic exhibition tournament.

“I don’t feel a hundred percent, but I feel better than yesterday, and I hope to be better for Wednesday in my next match,” he said. Seventh seed Roddick took a heavy tumble on his way to a straight sets win.

The American, who missed the end of last season after injuring his left knee at the Shanghai Masters in October, collided with a line judge during his 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Dutchman Thiemo de Bakker.

He fell over the leg of the linesman deep at the back of the court as he scurried to make a volley in the sixth game of the opening set. For a moment he feared another injury mishap after just fighting his way back to full fitness.

“I kind of pinched it (knee) a little bit,” Roddick said. “I promise you that first step afterwards was a relief. I definitely don’t want to go doing that a whole lot.” He will play either Teimuraz Gabashvili of Russia or Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci in the next round.

Elsewhere, former finalist Fernando Gonzalez of Chile, seeded 11, downed Belgian Olivier Rochus 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1. Croatia’s 24th seed Ivan Ljubicic went through in straight sets at the expense of 16year-old Australian wildcard Jason Kubler.—AFP

World Cup stab vests JOHANNESBURG: A British company is marketing stab-proof vest to football fans visiting South Africa for the World Cup, a move denounced yesterday as “scare tactics” to make money off crime fears. “We think it’s abominable... it’s not necessary. It’s a money-making exercise using scare tactics,” said Rich Mkhondo, spokesman for the organising committee. Protektorvest company is marketing stab-proof vests to tourists who fear being mugged and stabbed during the World Cup at a cost of 510 rands (69 dollars, 48 euros), also offering free delivery at a hotel in Johannesburg or Pretoria.

Oracle, Alinghi row MADRID: America’s Cup challenger Oracle has offered to drop its latest legal action against Alinghi if the Swiss defender signs a deal the two sides negotiated in Singapore late yesterday.

Oracle last week asked the Supreme Court of the State of New York to rule on whether Alinghi had infringed nationality rules by allegedly using US-made sails for its yacht, which is to face the US challenger in a duel to decide the America’s Cup in Spain next month.

MELBOURNE: Andy Murray of Britain pumps his fist as he celebrates his victory over Kevin Anderson of South Africa during their men’s singles first round match on day one of the Australian Open.—AFP

Hooliganism back at Aussie Open MELBOURNE: Hooligans again marred the Australian Open yesterday with 11 people thrown out of Melbourne Park for unruly behaviour and another group banned from entering.

A rowdy mob gathered on court six and were ejected after standing on chairs and shouting during Croat Ivo Karlovic’s match against Czech Radek Stepanek.

One supporter was found carrying two flares. Security guards marched the troublemakers from the grounds of the opening Grand Slam of the season with the help of police.

They were banned for the duration of the tournament and two were issued with onthe-spot fines of 234 dollars (216 US), one for disrupting play and the other for possessing a flare, but no charges were laid.

Earlier in the day, a large group of chanting Croats lit flares and made offensive and threatening gestures as they headed enmasse to the tournament.

The Herald Sun newspaper said one of its photographers was spat on and slapped as he photographed the group. “You certainly wouldn’t expect it at the tennis,” the photographer, Craig Borrow, said on the newspaper’s website.

“People are supposed to be there to have fun, not to create havoc. “They weren’t there to have fun. They just seemed to be angry for no apparent reason.”

Victoria state police said eight of the group were refused entry.

Superintendent Jock Menzel denied security had failed after flares were smuggled in.

“Security processes and procedures are very tight, you must understand people are innovative and they will go to great lengths to smuggle contraband into the particular venue, it does happen quite frequently,” he said.

“These 11 people were disruptive, they were standing on seats and they were causing problems for the other spectators who were there to watch the game.

“Tennis Australia and Victoria Police, we won’t tolerate poor behaviour and we’ve demonstrated that.

“We’re here to set a standard. Our mission is to make sure the event occurs in a happy and safe way and that people are safe, and we’re going to make sure that occurs.”

Racial tensions and trouble have marred the Australian Open in recent years with Serbs and Croats among the offenders. Some of the worst scenes were on the opening day of the 2007 tournament when Serbian and Croatian fans, wearing the national colours of the bitter Balkan rivals, attacked each other with flagpoles, bottles and boots. —AFP

BOURNE: Belgian comeback queens Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin looked like they had never been away as they sailed into the second round of the Australian Open yesterday.

But it was a different story for 2008 champion Maria Sharapova, who crashed out to fellow Russian Maria Kirilenko 7-6 (7/4), 3-6, 6-4 in the tournament’s first major upset.

Clijsters demolished Canadian qualifier Valerie Tetreault 6-0, 6-4 while Henin accounted for fellow Belgian Kirsten Flipkens 6-4, 6-3 as both players sent out reminders that although they have been away, they still pose potent threats.

The 26-year-old Clijsters beat Henin in a thrilling three-set final of the Brisbane International

nine days ago and took that form into her clash with the unheralded Tetreault.

“Obviously my matches in Brisbane have definitely helped me to try to keep everything going,” Clijsters said. “I think in Brisbane I was a little bit inconsistent once in a while during my matches. That’s something that I’m really trying to focus on, is trying to make sure I stay consistent.

“Or even when I feel like my level is dropping a little bit, that I jump on it straight away or that I notice it-that’s what I’m working on.” Great rival Henin will play fifth seeded Russian Elena Dementieva in a fascinating second round match following the Russian’s 6-2, 6-1 demolition of countrywoman Vera Dushevina.

Henin, a seven-time Grand Slam winner who is playing just her second tournament since coming out of an 18-month retirement, said she relished the challenge of facing a player like Dementieva so early in the tournament.

“In the second round I’ll have to play very good tennis-she’s number five in the world so it’s going to be a great challenge for me to play that kind of match very early in the tournament,” Henin said.

“Of course, it’s a tough draw, but in a Grand Slam, every match is difficult.” A downcast Sharapova offered no excuses after her loss to good friend, former junior rival and fellow pin-up Kirilenko in a three-and-a-half hour epic. “I certainly had my chances and just didn’t execute,” Sharapova said.

“You know, I felt like I was-when she was up and then I’d get back there, back in the game, I just didn’t take advantage of that and I let her control the situation again.”

Last year’s runner-up Dinara Safina and third seed Svetlana Kuznetsova both progressed, Safina beating Slovakia’s Magdalena Rybarikova 6-4, 6-4 and reigning French Open champion Kuznetsova overpowering Russian-born Australian Anastasia Rodionova 6-1, 6-2.

Safina, playing in just her seventh match since September due to a lingering back problem, appeared rusty. She made 30 unforced errors and served nine double faults, almost one per game.

But she also showed off the qualities that enabled her to get to number one in the world last year, hitting 25 winners in the two sets. “It was not an easy first round match, she’s a very good opponent,” Safina said. “I had some good moments and bad moments, but overall I’m happy I went through, and I’m pretty satisfied with everything.” Other winners on a rain-affected first day included Italian Flavia Penneta, Englishwoman Elena Baltacha and China’s Zheng Jie. Meanwhile, Justine Henin insisted she was still capable of beating the top players after she downed fellow Belgian Kirsten Flipkens 6-4, 6-3 in the first round of the Australian Open.

Playing only her second tournament since making a comeback from an 18-month retirement, the seven-time Grand Slam champion was always in control against her younger rival, wrapping up the match in 73 minutes.

She now faces an enormous challenge in the second round when she meets fifth seeded

Russian Elena Dementieva, who demolished countrywoman Vera Dushevina 6-2, 6-1.

But the 27-year-old Henin said she was looking forward to the challenge and said her thrilling three-set loss to Kim Clijsters in the final of the Brisbane International last week had given her confidence.—AFP

MELBOURNE: Russian tennis player Maria Kirilenko gestures to the crowd as she celebrates victory over Maria Sharapova.

—AFP

Kirilenko tells boyfriend: ‘Now go defeat Federer’ MELBOURNE: Maria Kirilenko and her boyfriend Igor Andreev wanted to start 2010 with a bang. After the Russian pulled off the biggest win of her career by beating Maria Sharapova 7-6 3-6 6-4 on the opening day of the Australian Open, she now expects Andreev to make some noise against Roger Federer today.

“Before the matches he said that we can start the year loud (with a big upset),” she told a news conference. “And I have already started the year loud, I think. So now it’s his turn. Of course, it’s going to be tough, but in the first round you never know what’s gonna happen.”

Kirilenko had beaten her good friend Sharapova once before, at Beijing in 2005, but yesterday’s unexpected win was all the sweeter because it was at a grand slam.

The pair won a doubles title together at Birmingham in 2005 when they were teenagers but while Sharapova’s career has gone from strength to strength, Kirilenko’s has stalled.

She has won five WTA Tour titles but her best result at a grand slam was reaching the fourth round at Melbourne Park in 2008.

Kirilenko reached a career high ranking of 18 that year but has slipped to 58 after experiencing knee problems in 2009.

“I had a knee problem last year, actually here in Australia,” she said. “I was not so good and after Wimbledon, I started to get some treatment.

“Since then, I’ve had a lot less pain. For example, today I played three-and-a-half hours and I didn’t have any pain. And I was moving quite good, I think.”—Reuters

Burgan Bank opens solutions branch at Discovery Center

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Egypt’s tourism industry shows resilience

Double-dip a risk if stimulus ends too early: IMF

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Tuesday, January 19, 2010

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Expert sees signs of new global recession

By Ahmad Saeid KUWAIT: There are signs of a renewed recession in the global economy, said a Professor of Economics at the Kuwait University. The statement came during a seminar held on Sunday evening at the Kuwait Economists Society. The seminar called “Estimated Performance of Global Economy in 2010” shed light on the prospects of a recovery in different regions, and according to the latest economic data, including the Gulf region.

Professor Muhammad Al-Saqqa started by introducing the various theoretical models for economic recovery. The curve that represents each model is indicated with a single letter, “U”, “V”, “W, “L”. The “V” curve is when the economy takes a short dip before recovering, while the “U” curve indicates a little bit longer journey to recovery. The “L” is when the curve plunges and stays in the bottom for a while, and the “W” curve is a ‘double dip’, which happens when the recovery is followed by a recession, “Which is feared to be the case we are facing now,” said Al-Saqqa.

According to Al-Saqqa, economic recovery should come from the United States, because the crisis itself was generated in the US. He said, “The signs of recovery in the US economy are positive so far, and if the trend will continue in this direction, global economy could recover from the crisis completely this year, even though the plunge of this financial crisis is unprecedented.

However, there are reasons to believe that American economy could fall back into recession. One of the theories assumes that the positive trends US economy is witnessing now are simple reactions of the stimulus measures taken by the government,” he stated, adding that there could be a number of obstacles standing in the way to full recovery in the US economy.

“First we have the high unemployment rate of 10 percent, which is a serious problem that needs to be quickly resolved. Then there is the big number

Dubai trouble to peak in 2011 • Hurdles to full US recovery seen

The predictions for growth in GCC countries KUWAIT: Professor Muhammad Al-Saqqa (left) and Muhammad Al-Eisa of the KES at the seminar. — Photo by Ahmad Saeid of banks in America filing for bankruptcy.

In addition to that, there is also the weak position of the US dollar as a global currency, the astronomical figures of public debt, and the inflation that was caused by the quantitative facilitating policies that were taken in the US. These policies could already have caused inflation in the US stock markets, that are currently being threatened by a bubble burst,” AlSaqqa explained. All of that, and a number of other factors contribute to the assumption that the American economy might take another dive before recovering.

As to other regions, Al-Saqqa thinks that Japanese economy is giving ‘strong signs’ of recession, while the developing economies — India and China — are

showing little, if any, signs to have been affected by the crisis. European countries are predicted to recover by the year 2011, except for Greece, which is facing hard times, due to its extremely large debt bill.

Speaking of debt, Dubai was too close to ‘blow the bomb’ of the first unpaid sovereign debt. “It will cause catastrophic implications if a country will not be able to pay its debts,” said Al-Saqqa. He argued that the worst of Dubai debts crisis are yet to come, because the biggest installments for real estate companies in the Arabian Emirate are due to be paid in 2011.”

Speaking about the impact of the crisis on GCC countries, Al-Saqqa said that stability in oil prices is the most impor-

tant factor that contributed to the stability of GCC economies. The predicted growth in GCC economies for the upcoming five years is promising especially in Qatar over the next three years, due to many new projects in the gas sector. The economic expert predicted that the oil prices could reach as high as $200 per barrel in the upcoming two years.

He also predicted a ‘good growth’ in Kuwaiti economy in the next decade, due to a number of factors. “The development plan that was approved, and the prospects for political and security stability in the country after the elimination of Saddam regime in Iraq and after the government and the Assembly sorted out the crisis emanated out of interpellation,” he concluded.

The installments of debt due to be paid by Dubai companies per year

Abu Dhabi’s Dubai aid shrinks to $5bn Funds available to Dubai only half previously thought

MADRID: UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Secretary-General Taleb Rifai (right) chats with John G C Kester, chief of market trends and competitiveness, before a press conference in Madrid yesterday. — AFP

World tourism to rebound from crisis in 2010: UNWTO MADRID: The global tourist industry should recover strongly in 2010 after the economic crisis and the swine flu pandemic produced “one of the most difficult years” for the sector, the UN World Tourism Organization said yesterday.

International tourist arrivals fell by an estimated 4.0 percent in 2009 but should rebound to grow by 3.0 to 4.0 percent in 2010, it said in its annual World Tourism Barometer.

It said growth in the sector returned in the last quarter of 2009 contributing to better than expected full-year results, led by the Asia-Pacific and Middle East regions. “Still, 2009 is considered to be one of the most difficult years that tourism has seen” for a long time, UNWTO Secretary General Taleb Rifai told a news conference.

He said last year was “probably one of the toughest in the last two decades, even more difficult that in many years where September 11 and likes and other economic downturns have occurred.”

He cited the global economic crisis “aggravated by the uncertainty around the A(H1N1) pandemic.”

But he said “the trend is bottoming out.” “The results of recent months suggest that recovery is underway, and even somewhat earlier and at a stronger pace than initially expected,” although 2010 will still be a demanding year, said Rifai.

“Many countries were quick in reacting to the crisis and actively implemented measures to mitigate its impact and stim-

ulate recovery. “Although we expect growth to return in 2010, a premature withdrawal of these stimulus measures and the temptation to impose extra taxes may jeopardize the pace of rebound in tourism,” he said.

The reports said tourism receipts were down 6.0 percent in 2009, but noted that this compares with a 12 percent slum in overall exports as a result of the global crisis.

Rifai noted “significant growth” in domestic tourism, particularly in some large countries such as China, Brazil and Spain, as a result of the crisis. He said the tourist industry was “not quite over” the effects of the swine flu pandemic.

“The international community was able to deal with the crisis in a rather successful manner. but the possibility of a reoccurrence is always there.”

On a regional basis, he said, “Europe and North America are lagging, Asia and the Middle East are pushing ahead.” The Asia-Pacific region, where tourism was down 2.0 percent, “showed an extraordinary rebound” that is expected to continue in 2010, the UNWTO report said.

While arrivals in that region declined by 7.0 percent between January and June, the second half of 2009 saw 3.0 percent growth “reflecting regional economic results and prospects.” —AFP Arrivals were down 6.0 percent in the Middle East. But the region, “though still far from the growth levels of previous years, had a positive second half.”

DUBAI: Dubai said yesterday that half of a $10 billion bailout from Abu Dhabi last December came from an older debt deal, highlighting what analysts said was the emirate’s poor market communications and lack of transparency.

Investors said news that Abu Dhabi directly lent less new money than previously thought also indicated the wealthy emirate wanted more evidence of Dubai’s fiscal probity, after helping it avert an embarrassing default on a state-linked bond.

“The government works behind a high degree of opacity and I think market players have factored that in,” said Khuram Maqsood, managing director of Emirates Capital. “The UAE is not known for exercising best practice transparency but that doesn’t mean they’re not trying. But I don’t think they’re there yet and I think people recognize that.”

A Dubai government spokeswoman said the last minute lifeline last Dec. 14 included $5 billion raised from Al Hilal Bank and National Bank of Abu Dhabi which was announced on Nov 25.

“Obviously it’s a lot less cash than we had assumed,” said Raj Madha, an independent analyst based in Dubai. “The interesting thing is what it says about the behavior of Abu Dhabi: whether they are just rushing through a large amount of money or whether they are

providing funding where required.”

Five-year credit default swaps for Dubai stood at 426 basis points, up from 423 basis points on Friday. Dubai rocked global markets last Nov. 25 when it requested a standstill on $26 billion in debt linked to its flagship conglomerate Dubai World and its two main property developers, Nakheel and Limitless World.

The $5 billion raised from the two Abu Dhabi banks was part of a $20 billion bond program announced early last year. The UAE central bank signed up for $10 billion of that in February.

But it was unclear whether Abu Dhabi’s $10 billion bailout on Dec. 14 — which enabled Dubai World to repay a $4.1 billion Islamic bond, or sukuk by developer Nakheel-was entirely new money or included the bond to the Abu Dhabi banks. The government spokeswoman, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Gulf Arab emirate had already drawn down $1 billion of the $5 billion from the banks, provided under a five-year bond priced at 4 percent, with the rest yet to be used.

The remainder of the funds, some $4.9 billion, may come from the banks’ or the Abu Dhabi government directly, the spokeswoman said, through another of its investment vehicles.

“The question is whether there will be more funds coming in; because as things stand today, Dubai without further support will find it very difficult to drive a favorable bargain with its creditors,” said a Gulf-based banker. Asked whether Dubai would seek more funds, the spokeswoman declined to comment.

Abu Dhabi’s support in December came nearly three weeks after the standstill news and amid a lack of communication by Dubai which shook global markets and may have caused lasting damage to the reputation of the Gulf business hub.

Dubai World is in the midst of talks with its creditors to finalize a formal standstill agreement that would last for six months, during which the conglomerate will restructure its remaining debt burden, estimated at some $22 billion. The conglomerate has insisted the restructuring is limited only to certain units and has ringfenced its jewels such as ports operator DP World.

In a research note yesterday, UBS said there was a high probability Dubai World would have to offer “sweeteners” to creditors to bring them onside in the debt talks. That could include higher interest rates or equity swap options to persuade creditors to give up claims to key assets, like the profitable port operator.

“It is unlikely that Abu Dhabi’s support has

peaked just yet and the probability of further balance sheet assistance is high,” UBS economist Reinhard Cluse said. But he said Abu Dhabi, the biggest and wealthiest of the seven member United Arab Emirates federation, would not want to act solely “as a channel for cash” and would demand systemic changes.

Dubai has said the Abu Dhabi lifeline is contingent on Dubai World reaching an acceptable standstill with creditors. Uncertainty over the restructuring has weighed on UAE markets as investors fret about the outcome amid a dearth of information.

The conglomerate said this month it is “some time away” from presenting its formal plan to creditors, though it is expected in coming weeks.

“Clearly there were critical time deadlines last year that required extraordinary measures,” said Mashreq Capital Chief Executive Abdul Kadir Hussain, of Abu Dhabi’s bailout.

“But whatever form is required, whether it’s the federation or Abu Dhabi, what is critical now is a well-documented plan for repayment and ... a strategy that will show how all of this will be taken care of.”

On Monday, the Financial Times said some creditors to the conglomerate are seeking to offload loans to reduce their exposure to the conglomerate. — Reuters

Traders, not supply, fuel food inflation in Gulf Food traders may start hoarding supplies DUBAI: Food inflation has flared again as a result of speculative plays on the commodities markets, rather than because of a decline in global food production and will only get worse, a Gulf-based trading executive said yesterday.

“We have detected a price rise in dairy, meat, oils and even pulses and this is because traders got used to food prices being at a high level and they will not accept reducing prices,” said Sudhakar Tomar, managing director of Hakan Agro DMCC, one of the largest food commodities trading companies in the Gulf region.

White sugar prices in London are near record peaks, while US wheat, corn and soy futures have edged lower since the start of the year.

On the supply side, there is excess supply of foodstuffs being produced on a global level, which does not justify the rise in prices, Tomar told Reuters in an interview. “What we might start seeing is that traders will start hoarding food and that would create a false shortage of food in the market, and this is human nature. If a

trader feels like he might make a quick buck he will start hoarding.”

High food prices benefit intermediary food traders, but this added value does not trickle down to the farmers themselves, Tomar said. “Farmers in developing nations don’t benefit from these price rises at all since the money never moves downward to that level, which discourages them from growing more food...it’s a vicious cycle.” To counter the effects of inflation and other factors which may impact food volumes, the United Arab Emirates announced a plan last month to build a three-month stockpile of 15 commodities.

“I don’t think this is the most effective way to deal with inflation, because distribution of the food will be difficult and at that point, the government must decide if that food would be subsidized,” Tomar said.

No one from the UAE’s ministry of economy, which is responsible for the stockpiling strategy was available to comment how the food would be distributed or what storage facilities would be used. —Reuters

ABU DHABI: Spanish Crown Prince Felipe (center) and his wife Letizia (right) look at an Architectural model as they visit an exhibition at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi yesterday. The forum on renewable energy sent a new alarm over global warming, urging action to increase dependence on clean energy. — AFP

22

BUSINESS

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Bank offers superior services to all customers: Abdul Salam

Burgan Bank opens solutions branch at Discovery Center KUWAIT: Burgan Bank - amongst the leading and most dynamic regional commercial banks in the state of Kuwait reinforced its commitment towards expanding its reach in Kuwait by inaugurating its branch at the Discovery Center on Sunday. The opening of the new branch

“We are extremely delighted to open yet another Solutions branch for our customers,” said Burgan Bank Chairman Tariq Abdul Salam. “We are driven by our value of commitment to provide and deliver superior customer service to all of our clients, across all of our operations”, he added.

Underlining the Bank’s commitment to customer service, the Discovery Center Solutions Branch features personalized services for clients, providing them sound financial advice and products which will help meet their personal financial goals.

The Solutions Branch at the New Discovery center is located next to the ice skating rink, Al-Sour Street. Abdullah Al-Salam branch account holders should now visit the new Solutions branch at the Discovery Center for their banking requirements.

Discovery Center is the first Children Center in Kuwait created to cater for the needs of children and their families. The center is divided into 3 levels of mix activities that caters to children in the age group between 1 to 15 such as: Educational activities, Theatres, Family Rest areas and services, Kids Arcade, Kids Fashion & Accessories, Sports & Rides.

Burgan Bank, a subsidiary of KIPCO (Kuwait Projects Company), is a regional bank with majority owned subsidiaries in the MENA region.

The youngest and most dynam-

was attended by Sheikh Ali Al-Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Governor of Capital City. Also present at the opening was the Chairman of Burgan Bank, members of the board, other senior management team and customers.

Wataniya Airways appoints Lee Shave as its new CCO

KUWAIT: Sheikh Ali Al-Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Governor of Capital City, Burgan Bank Chairman Tariq Abdul Salam, members of the board, other senior managers and customers during the opening of the new branch. — Photo by Joseph Shagra ic regional commercial bank, established in 1977, the Bank has acquired a leading role in the retail, corporate and investment banking sector through innovative product offers and technologically advanced delivery channels.

Its subsidiaries

include Gulf Bank Algeria (Algeria), Bank of Baghdad (Iraq) and Jordan Kuwait Bank (Jordan). It has continuously improved its performance over the years by applying an expanded revenue structure, good asset quality, diversified funding sources and a strong capital

base. The adoption of state-of-the-art services and ground-breaking technology has positioned it as a trendsetter in the domestic market and within the MENA region. At present it enjoys a wide reach through our network of 21 branches and over 120

ATM’s making it one of the widest ATM networks in the GCC. The brand has been created on a foundation of real values - of trust, commitment, excellence and progression to remind us of the high standards to which we aspire. ‘People come

first’ is the foundation on which its products and services are developed and are further augmented by its three pillars of innovative technology, staff competency and customer service. It is committed to offering an enhanced banking experience.

Jabbar Group acquires ikoo, region’s largest ad network DUBAI: The region’s largest advertising network, ikoo, introduced its brand new identity in an event that marked the announcement of Jabbar Internet Group’s acquisition of the company.

Founded in 2005, ikoo, E-Marketing then, has become the largest online advertising network in the Arab world, combining more than 120 websites from across the region, a network that attracts more than 35 million unique visitors, and serving more than 1.4 billion monthly pageviews.

Since its launch, ikoo has been establishing premium partnerships

with the region’s leading portals and top publishers, enabling advertisers to reach their audience through themed sub-networks like sports, women, news, social media, automotive, business, and many more. In addition ikoo has positioned itself as an online advertising hub using the latest technologies in online campaign management from DoubleClick, a world-class advertising platform.

Khaled Jabasini, the founder and former CEO of ikoo, welcomed this acquisition and pointed out that ikoo will maintain its current position and will

grow even further under the new management, “I’m proud today to see ikoo moving to Jabbar Internet Group, this is a big step for ikoo as it recognizes the success the company has achieved over the past few years.”

According to the new CEO Isam Bayazidi, ikoo will focus on expanding its network to embrace more publishers, and will work closely with advertisers and agencies on developing successful campaigns based on their needs.

Bayazidi was quoted: “when it comes to online advertising, ikoo is by

far the largest advertising space on the internet in the Arab world, the company succeeded in building an audience of millions of consumers from all walks of life.”

As well, Bayazidi announced the merger of Kalimat, a contextual advertising platform, with ikoo. “This would enable advertisers to automatically place and control their text advertising placement within the ikoo network.” added Bayazidi.

Samih Toukan, CEO of Jabbar Internet Group, commented on the acquisition of ikoo’s network saying

“This acquisition comes as a natural move for our group, online advertising is a growing sector in the Middle East and ikoo has succeeded to build the largest ad network in the region, our decision to venture into this sector comes as part of ambitious plans to revolutionize the Arabic internet.”

Providing a flexible advertising platform including CPM, CPC and CPA advertising combined with ikoo’s reach and powerful targeting, advertisers are guaranteed optimized targeted campaigns that will achieve maximum ROI.

KUWAIT: Wataniya Airways, Kuwait’s premium service airline, has announced the appointment of Lee Shave as the company’s new Chief Commercial Officer bringing along with him over twenty years of expertise in the international aviation sector to the airline.

George Cooper, Wataniya Airways Chief Executive Officer, said: “We have big ambitions for Wataniya Airways and are building a team that can take us to greater heights. Shave is joining at a pivotal moment in our history as we approach the end of our first year of operations and his long experience in the commercial aviation field means that he is ideally placed to help us continue our growth and development in a way that lives up to our own and our guests ambitions.”

Lee Shave has held several marketing, sales and commercial positions in some of the world’s most prestigious airlines. He began his airline career with British Airways in 1991, before moving to Swissair as Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing and Product. After several years in Zurich, he moved to the Gulf working with Qatar Airways and then as Vice President Marketing and Sales at Gulf Air. Shave commented: “This is a wonderful time to join Wataniya Airways and I am very excited to be able to bring my experience to bear as we grow our services and loyal guest base. I can see Wataniya Airways has achieved a lot in the past year and has established a well-deserved reputation for delivering premium services. I am looking forward to being part of the next phase of the Wataniya Airway’s success story.”

NBK proposes 10% capital increase before year-end KUWAIT: The National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) announced that the bank’s board of directors has decided to recommend a 10% capital increase to the extraordinary general assembly.

The capital increase will take place through a rights issue offered to the shareholders registered in the bank’s records one day prior to the date of calling the capital increase which is dependent on the issuance of the Amiri decree that approves it. The capital increase will take place at 500 fils per share, representing a premium of 400 fils per new share issued - over and above the par value of 100 fils per share. The Central Bank of

Kuwait has approved to the recommended capital increase, which will be subject to the approval of the extraordinary general assembly and other competent authorities.

NBK’s capital increase is intended to support the Bank’s strategic expansion plans which succeeded lately in acquiring 40% of Boubyan Bank. The capital increase will also support NBK’s continuing endeavors to enhance its role in financing economic projects across the region, whilst achieving high levels of returns and profits for its shareholders and providing its customers with the best quality products and services.

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

.2830000 .4570000 .4120000 .2780000 .2740000 .2630000 .0045000 .0020000 .0775980 .7560150 .4020000 .0750000 .7408820 .0045000 .0500000

US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian dollars Danish Kroner Swedish Kroner Australian dlr Hong Kong dlr Singapore dlr Japanese yen Indian Rs/KD Sri Lanka rupee Pakistan rupee Bangladesh taka UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi Riyal/KD Omani riyals Philippine Peso

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES .2858500 .4597850 .4141110 .2806850 .2761160 .0556540 .0404910 .2651410 .0368570 .2055820 .0030990 .0063160 .0025070 .0033930 .0041880 .0778650 .7586130 .4042730 .0762660 .7428450 .0063100

US Dollar Sterling pounds Swiss Francs Saudi Riyals

TRANSFER CHEQUES RATES .2879500 .4630330 .2826730 .0767520

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 286.800 Euro 417.010 Sterling Pound 470.930

.2930000 .4680000 .4190000 .2870000 .2830000 .2710000 .0075000 .0035000 .0783780 .7636130 .4180000 .0790000 .7483280 .0072000 .0570000 .2879500 .4630330 .4173060 .2826730 .2780720 .0560480 .0407770 .2670140 .0371180 .2070390 .0031210 .0063610 .0025250 .0034170 .0042180 .0783620 .7634510 .4071370 .0767520 .7475830 .0063540

Canadian dollar Turkish lire Swiss Franc Australian dollar US Dollar Buying

283.700 196.830 284.000 264.500 285.000

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 3.213 6.277 3.394 2.505 3.955 207.000 36.990 4.149 6.262 8.724 0.301 0.292

Egyptian Pound - Cash Egyptian Pound Yemen Riyal Tunisian Dinar Jordanian Dinar Lebanese Lira Syrian Lier Morocco Dirham

ARAB COUNTRIES 55.250 52.880 1.378 221.300 405.200 193.800 6.321 37.250 GCC COUNTRIES 76.520 78.840 745.420 762.100 78.150

Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham

SELL CASH 268.300 763.480 4.530 282.500 692.700 15.800 56.600 167.800 55.480 416.600

10 Tola

GOLD 1,217.560

37.570 6.290

405.800 0.193 87.920 3.940 213.500

SELL DRAFT 266.600 763.480 4.158 281.000

207.900 52.987 415.100

US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro Swiss Frank Cyprus Pound Bahrain Dinar UAE Dirhams Qatari Riyals Saudi Riyals Jordanian Dinar Egyptian Pound Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees

Sri Lankan Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Pesso Japanese Yen Thai Bhat Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co.

282.400 8.920 78.340 287.100

Rate per 1000 (Tran)

US Dollar Pak Rupees Indian Rupees Sri Lankan Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso UAE Dirhams Saudi Riyals Bahraini Dinars Egyptian Pounds Pound Sterling Indonesian Rupiah Yemeni Riyal Jordanian Dinars Syrian Pounds Euro Candaian Dollars

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 470.200 287.100

287.000 280.430 468.995 415.135 279.610 703.445 761.055 78.125 78.765 76.560 404.990 52.940 6.280 3.405

2.510 4.165 6.265 3.170 8.715 5.535 3.885

Currency 745.580 3.415 6.255 78.970 76.650 207.950 41.220 2.507 470.200

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd

Bahrain Exchange Company COUNTRY Australian dollar Bahraini dinar Bangladeshi taka Canadian dollar Cyprus pound Czek koruna Danish krone Deutsche Mark Egyptian pound Euro Cash

37.720 6.620 0.035 0.290 0.251 3.260 407.400 0.194 87.920 38.900 4.230 215.000 2.183 51.700 745.760 3.490 6.450 79.400 76.650 207.950 41.220 2.758 472.200 41.600 283.900 6.400 9.080 222.000 78.340 287.500 1.420

Sterling Pound US Dollar

GOLD 221.000 115.000 59.000

20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

Hongkong dollar Indian rupees Indonesia Iranian tuman Iraqi dinar Japanese yen Jordanian dinar Lebanese pound Malaysian ringgit Morocco dirham Nepalese Rupees New Zealand dollar Nigeria Norwegian krone Omani Riyal 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

286.900 3.415 6.290 2.515 4.160 6.285 78.164 76.640 763.000 52.935 473.600 0.0000306 1.550 407.700 5.750 418.300 286.500

Al Mulla Exchange Currency

Transfer rate

US Dollar Euro Pound Sterling Canadian Dollar Japanese Yen Indian Rupee Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupee Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso Pakistan Rupee Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham

286.700 414.750 469.600 280.750 3.180 6.280 52.920 2.504 4.146 6.255 3.390 763.000 78.200

Saudi Riyal

76.530

*Rates are subject to change

BUSINESS

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

23

Egypt’s tourism industry shows resilience CAIRO: Although Egypt’s tourism industry steeled itself for fall-out from the global economic crisis, figures now show that arrivals were not hit as hard as the country first feared, according to Tourism Minister Zoheir Garranah.

The outlook for 2010 is also promising, with Garranah expecting the number of incoming tourists to rise sharply later next year. This, he said, was thanks to the measures Egypt put in place to weather the financial storm combined with initial recov-

ed, he said, since a considerable number of these were potential travellers.

But he was adamant that the way forward was for the government and the private sector to jointly build on the achievements of pre-downturn performance, giving their attention to core tourism infrastructure in particular. “Prior to the initial shock of the crisis, Egypt’s tourism sector had grown 25% year-to-date,” he said. “In this economic climate, we believe it is advantageous to focus on rebuilding core tourism infrastruc-

report on Alexandria and interviews with Ahmed Nazif, Prime Minister of Egypt and Amr Moussa, Secretary General of the Arab League.

The Report: Egypt 2010 will offer unrivalled, up-to-date analysis of political, macroeconomic and sectoral developments, including banking, capital markets, energy, infrastructure, industry and insurance. It will be available in print form and online.

Oxford Business Group (OBG) is a global publishing, research and consultancy firm,

Oxford Business Group to publish new report on country’s economy ery globally from the downturn.

Garranah told Oxford Business Group (OBG), the global publishing, research and consultancy firm, that the Egyptian tourism industry’s past experience in drawing up crisis management plans had helped ensure it was geared up to deal with the impact of the economic slump. “We took a proactive approach to combating the downturn,” he said. “As a result of precautions taken, we have begun to witness positive signs that reinforce these decisions.” The minister now predicts growth for the industry of 710% in 2010 and estimates that tourist numbers could even reach 14 million in 2011.

Garranah acknowledged that the rate at which the global economy picks up will be a deciding factor in whether Egypt’s tourism industry makes a full recovery. The fact that an estimated 50 million workers lost their jobs worldwide could not be underestimat-

ture, including human resources, services and training. The private sector and the Ministry of Tourism must work together on this program.”

Garranah said that the current economic climate served only to highlight the importance of putting in place measures which would bring long-term benefits to the industry.

“Tourism is one of the principal generators of employment, accounting for 12.6% of the employed population,” he said. He added that as a labour intensive industry that created jobs in almost 70 related sectors, the importance of giving the industry the focus it merited could not be over-estimated.

The interview with Zoheir Garranah will be featured in The Report: Egypt 2010, OBG’s forthcoming guide on the country’s business activity and investment opportunities. The report also includes a special

which publishes economic and political intelligence on the markets of Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Eastern Europe and the Caribbean. Through its range of print and online products, OBG offers comprehensive and accurate analysis of political, macroeconomic and sectoral developments, including banking, capital markets, insurance, energy, transport, industry and telecoms.

The critically acclaimed economic, political and business reports have become the leading source of business intelligence on developing countries in the regions they cover.

OBG’s online economic briefings provide up-to-date in-depth analysis on the issues that matter for tens of thousands of subscribers worldwide. OBG’s consultancy arm offers tailor-made market intelligence and advice to firms currently operating in these markets and those looking to enter them.

Tyler Cicerello of OBG Group, Zoheir Garranah, Minister of Tourism and Sarah Gkonos of OBG-media.

Deal to develop 8.7bn barrel phase one oilfield

Iraq, Exxon to sign final deal for W Qurna Jan CAIRO: Officials during the opening of the NBK Capital office in Cairo

KUWAIT: The NBK Capital, the investment arm of the National Bank of Kuwait, announced the opening of its office for asset management in Cairo, Egypt. Several prominent figures, NBK and NBE (National Bank of Egypt) and NBK Capital’s representatives were present during the launch.

NBK Capital’s CEO, Salah Al-Fulaij spoke during the event and expressed hope that the NBK Capital For Asset Management would be a new strategic partner to help realize various Egyptian investors and investment establishments’ aspirations. This is in view of the great deal of reform and development that the

Egyptian economy has been experiencing according to various analysts and classification agencies. “I’m so confident that our operation in Cairo will help us carry out our march toward success. We recently topped by winning the ‘Best Investment Bank in the Middle East, 2009 award,” he stressed.

Al-Fulaij added that on the line of its existing branches in Kuwait, Dubai and Istanbul, the Cairo branch will help NBK Capital to render the best services for clients and investors, thanks to a team of over 150 professional and specialized bankers and integrated financial services and solutions.

Saudi Savola sees retail driving 2010 profit growth RIYADH: Saudi conglomerate Savola Group expects its retail business to contribute most of its expected 8.1 percent growth in 2010 net operating income after making a better-than-expected fourth-quarter net profit. Retail sales are expected to rise by at least 30 percent in 2010 helped by a recovery in domestic demand, the expansion of Savola’s supermarket network and improved productivity.

France’s Carrefour and local Abdullah Al-Othaim Markets Co are Savola’s main retail competitors.

Savola said it expects its net operating incomewhich excludes capital gains of at least 200 million riyals-to rise to 920 million riyals ($245.3 million) in 2010 from 851 million riyals in 2009. For the first quarter, it expects a net profit of 180 million riyals excluding capital gains. Laurent-Patrick Gally, of Dubai-based Shuaa Capital, said Savola’s growth forecast for 2010 net operating income growth was “unimpressive” after Savola’s stock price outperformed by threefold the Saudi stock exchange’s index rise this year. “We advise institutional and value oriented investors to take the opportunity of the recent run in the shares and today’s results to take some money off the table today and wait for better entry points,” Gally said. “Savola shares valuation is getting into expensive territory a 18.3 times P/E multiple based on the company 2010 ongoing net income guidance of 920 million,” he added.

Savola is the Middle East’s largest sugar refiner and the world’s leading manufacturer of branded cooking oil. It is also active in retail and plastics and holds a 26.5 percent stake in Saudi-based dairy firm

Almarai. For 2010, Savola expects net profit from its food business to rise 12.5 percent to 450 million riyals and net profit from its plastic business to rise by 16.5 percent to 120 million riyals.

Its retail business-through its 80-percent owned Al-Azizia Panda supermarket chain-is expected to raise its net profit by 126.2 percent in 2010 to 190 million riyals. “We made sales worth about 7.3 billion riyals in 2009. We expect these to rise to 9.5 billion riyals and maybe 10 billion riyals in 2010. In any case we will make a record sales growth in 2010,” said Amin Kashgari, Retail and Real Estate chief.

“We expect a recovery in domestic demand. Of course, demand for staples does not get affected greatly by crises but we also sell electronics and electric home appliances,” he told Reuters.

Al-Azizia plans to add 12 new supermarkets in 2010 to the 113 it had in Saudi Arabia by end-2009.

In October it completed the purchase of some assets held by supermarket chain Geant Saudi Arabia for cash and stock, which was its second retail acquisition since 2008.“The economies of scale offer a big scope to improve our bottom line especially when we are also working on enhancing profitability and cutting operating costs.”

Savola made a net profit of 269 million riyals in the three months to end-December compared to a loss of 464 million riyals it made a year-earlier, it said in a statement. For 2009, Savola made a net profit of 952 million riyals, or 1.9 riyals per share, inclusive of capital gains worth 101 million riyals, up from 202 million riyals in 2008.— Reuters

BAGHDAD: Iraq and a group led by US oil major Exxon Mobil will sign a final deal for the development of the 8.7billion barrel West Qurna Phase One oilfield on Jan. 25, an Iraqi Oil Ministry official said yesterday.

The Exxon Mobil-led consortium won the right to develop the supergiant oilfield in negotiations last year with the ministry following the country’s June oilfield auction, the first since the 2003 US invasion. Exxon and its partners yesterday agreed to proposed contract amendments submitted by the Oil Ministry, paving the way for a final deal, said Sabah Abdul Kadhim, the head of the legal section of Iraq’s Petroleum Contracts and Licensing Directorate.

“We both signed onto the amendments and the Oil Ministry set the 25th of this month to sign the final contract to develop West Qurna Phase One with Exxon Mobil,” Kadhim told Reuters.

Progress on the agreement to boost output from the large oilfield to 2.325 million barrels per day from 279,000 bpd now came as the Oil Ministry signed a final contract with Malaysia’s Petronas and Japan Exploration Co (Japex) to develop the smaller Gharaf oilfield.

Gharaf, a field with estimated reserves of 900 million barrels, was won by Petronas and Japex in a fierce competition in Iraq’s December auction of oil contracts, the second since the US invasion.

“It’s a very proud moment for me and we are looking forward to working with our partner North Oil Company...

I’m sure we will able to achieve targeted production levels,” Datuk Abdullah Karim, Petronas’ managing director, said in a speech.

Iraqi Oil Minister Hussain Al-Sharistani, who attended the signing ceremony, said his ministry will establish a new state-run oil companynamed Dhi Qar Oil Company after the province where Gharaf is located-when production from the field reaches higher levels.

The deals emerging as a result of the two tenders last year have the potential to take Iraqi capacity to 12 million barrels per day-rivalling top producers Saudi Arabia and Russia- from 2.5 million bpd now. — Reuters

LAHORE: Pakistani men chop wood to be sold as fuel in Lahore. Pakistan faces a catastrophic energy crisis, suffocating industry, making life unbearable as cold winter weather grips the country, and fuelling anger at a government already suffering plummeting approval ratings.—AFP

Euro under pressure, hits 4-month low vs pound LONDON: The euro hit a four-month low against a broadly firmer pound yesterday as persistent concerns over Greece’s ballooning fiscal deficit kept the single European currency under selling pressure in subdued trade.

As Greece’s debt burden highlighted the fragility of some euro-zone members, investors awaited comments from a meeting of the 16-country bloc’s finance ministers yesterday.

The ministers are due to discuss the unreliability of Greek statistics, and are said to be running out of patience with Athens as it has repeatedly misled its euro zone peers about the size of its budget deficit. “The Greek developments are definitely casting a shadow on the euro,” said Rob Minikin, currency strategist at Standard Chartered in London.

“It underlines how a strong euro could compound problems in the region, and reinvigorates the argument for a weaker euro,” he said, adding he expected the euro to weaken broadly in the near term.

On the other hand, sterling gained on firmer UK housing data and as speculative players chased it higher on reports that French utility GDF Suez was eyeing a tie-up with Britain’s International Power.

Overall, trade was subdued as US markets were closed for Martin Luther King Day. By 1434 GMT, the euro was flat on the day at $1.4380. Against the pound, the euro fell 0.6 percent to 87.82 pence , its lowest since midSeptember. Sterling also hit a one-month high against the dollar at $1.6380.

Following the pound’s biggest weekly gain against the dollar and the euro in more than two months last week, analysts said sterling would remain underpinned by potential upside surprises in UK inflation, jobs and retail sales

data due this week.

The dollar index, a gauge of the greenback’s performance against six other major currencies, was at 77.150, versus Friday’s US close of 77.323. The latest Commodity Futures Trading Commission data shows net dollar short positions were valued around $2.7 billion last week, shifting from a net long of $4.25 billion the previous week, according to Reuters calculations.

The data also showed a swing to a net long Swiss franc positions from a net short position the previous week, the largest net long position since early December.

Market participants said the shift was reflected in the euro’s slide to a 10-month low against the franc last week, adding a dramatic correction could not be ruled out if the Swiss central bank chose to intervene to stem further franc strength.

“This ... suggests that any potential intervention from the SNB could prove very effective - i.e. upside risk on EUR/CHF and USD/CHF from a position squeeze has risen significantly,” analysts at Danske Bank said in a note.

Swiss National Bank head Philipp Hildebrand was quoted as saying on Sunday the central bank would act resolutely to prevent an excessive appreciation of the franc to ward off the danger of deflation. The euro was little changed at 1.4750 francs, off a 10-month low around 1.4720 francs earlier this month.

The dollar was little changed at 90.70 yen, hovering near a four-week low hit late last week.

The yen showed little reaction to a funding scandal linked to the No. 2 executive in Japan’s ruling party and as Japan Airlines looked to be filing for bankruptcy today.—Reuters

Egypt’s Al-Arabiya Cement finds another investor CAIRO: Egypt’s Al-Arabiya Al-Wataniya for Cement has found another investor to take a stake as it seeks capital to build a cement plant in the south of Egypt.

Egypt’s Misr Cement Qena said in a statement to the stock exchange yesterday it had agreed in principle to take a 10 percent stake in the new cement company.

Misr Cement Qena was waiting for completion of legal procedures for Al-Arabiya’s capital to be increased before finalising the transaction, it said.

“The board has agreed to take a $15 million stake in the company, or 10 percent,” the statement said.

Al-Arabiya, which will have capital of $155 million, received one of six cement licenses awarded by Egypt in October 2007 to boost production after domestic prices increased. The government threatened late last year to take the license away unless the company secured finance and sped up construction of its planned 1.6 million ton-peryear grey cement plant in the province of Minya. The plant will cost an estimated $324 million, with 48 percent financed by capital and 52 percent by bank loans. ASEC Cement, a subsidiary of Egyptian private equity firm Citadel Capital, has stakes in both Al-Arabiya and Misr Cement Qena, and had asked Misr Cement to join the ven-

24

BUSINESS GLOBAL DAILY MARKET REPORT

MIDEAST STOCK MARKETS

KSE stocks pare gains KUWAIT: The Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) ended yesterday’s trading session in the red, reversing Sunday’s gains.

Furthermore, all market indices and indicators also ended on a negative note backed primarily by losses witnessed in the banking sector.

Global General Index (GGI) shed 1.19 points (-0.64 percent) during the session to reach 184.22 points.

Furthermore, the KSE Price Index posted a loss of 17.60 points (-0.25 percent), to close at 6,996.80 points. Market capitalization was down KD193.98mn yesterday to reach KD29.91bn.

Market breadth During the session, 122 companies were traded.

Market breadth was skewed towards decliners as 60 equities retreated versus 28 that advanced. A total of 117 stocks remained unchanged during yesterday’s trading session.

Trading activities ended on a negative note yesterday as volume of shares traded on the exchange decreased by 40.02 percent to reach 382.67mn shares. Furthermore, value of shares traded dropped by 38.05 percent to stand at KD38.11mn. The Real Estate Sector was the volume leader for the day, accounting for 45.89 percent of total shares traded. The same sector was also the value leader, accounting for 30.65 percent of total market value. Abyaar Real Estate Development Company saw 49.48mn shares changing hands, making it the volume leader. Gulf Finance House was the value leader, with a total traded value of KD4.31mn.

In terms of top gainers,

Kuwait Insurance Company and Al-Mazaya Holding Company were the top gainers in the market, both adding 7.46 percent. On the other hand, Nafais Holding Company was the biggest decliner for the day, dropping by 7.55 percent and closed at KD0.098.

Sector wise Regarding Global’s sectoral indices, six out of the eight ended the day in the red.

Among them, Global Food Index was the top decliner with a 0.83 percent drop.

Livestock Transport & Trading Company and Danah Al Safat Foodstuff Company,

the only decliners in the sector, ended the day down 5.80 percent and 5.26 percent, respectively.

Global Services Index came in second place, shedding 0.82 percent. Heavyweight Zain contributed to the index’s decline by posting a 1.01 percent loss yesterday and closed at KD0.980. Furthermore, Agility also ended in the red by posting a 1.59 decline and ended the day at KD0.620.

On the other hand, Global Real Estate Index was the top gainer, up 2.19 percent backed by Al-Mazaya Holding Company. In addition, Abyaar Real Estate Development

Company ended the day up 5.77 percent and closed at KD0.055.

Global’s special indices ended on a mixed note yesterday with Global Large Cap Index being the top decliner.

The index ended the day down 1.04 percent backed by six companies in the index ending in the red.

Oil news The price of OPEC basket of twelve crudes stood at $76.56 a barrel on Friday 15/1/2010, compared with $77.59 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Market news National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) has recommended a 10 percent capital increase through issuing new shares.

The issue will be floated for shareholders of record on the day preceding the secondary capital call after being endorsed by an Amiri Decree.

Shares will be offered at 100 fils par value plus 400 fils issue premium each. The Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK) gave a nod to the proposed capital hike, pending the approval of NBK’s extraordinary general meeting (EGM) and competent authorities.

Saudi stocks rise; Dubai, Qatar rebound from lows DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s bourse hit a fresh 12week high yesterday and Qatari and Dubai shares eased away from multi-week lows as an upbeat response to earnings in the kingdom lifted sentiment on most regional markets.

Kuwait fell on worries over its financial sector and Oman declined for a fourth day since hitting a 12-week high. Saudi banks extended gains as investors bet the underperforming sector would improve this year after taking huge provisions in 2009 to steady balance sheets, causing most lenders’ quarterly profits to miss estimates.

“The banking sector is picking up, despite weak results because the market sees the worst is over,” said Rami Sidani, Schroders Middle East head of investment.

Kuwait’s index fell for the first session in three after National Bank of Kuwait said it would increase its capital by 10 percent and the board of Commercial Bank of Kuwait resigned. “NBK is the third or fourth bank to go for a capital increase-the banks are doing this to avoid capital adequacy issues, heightening worries about banks’ provisions,” said a Kuwait-based trader who asked not be identified.

“It will also draw liquidity from the market when liquidity is already tight, but it’s positive in the longer term.” NBK fell 1.8 percent and CBK dropped 3.1 percent.

“The market will be range-bound in 2010 because most of the results from the bank sector will be disappointing throughout the year,” said Shahid Hameed, Global Investment House head of asset management for the Gulf region.

“I’m expecting provisions to be a dampener on bank earnings for the whole of this year, which will keep bank stocks in their current narrow range.” Dubai’s index ended a six-session losing streak as stocks rebounded from Sunday’s five-week lows, but late selling pressure eroded much of these gains to underline fragile investor sentiment.

“People are trying to get direction from the market and turnover remains low-there’s a lack of interest from institutions so it’s day traders trying to benefit from volatility, rather than investors trying to build positions,” said Marwan Shurrab, chief trader at Gulfmena Alternative Investments.

“Today’s move was mainly down a rebound

in Saudi Arabia yesterday, which strengthened sentiment at the pre-open.”

Arabtec climbed 4.3 percent, Emaar Properties rose 1.2 percent and Dubai Financial Market added 2.5 percent.

The trio were among the biggest casualties of Dubai’s recent slide, each falling 15 percent or more since Jan. 7, the last day of trading before Arabtec agreed to sell a 70 percent stake to Aabar Investments in a deal that will dilute existing holdings. Aabar rose 2.2 percent.

“The UAE markets have been losing ground on very thin volumes and I don’t see enough activity to sustain a rally,” said Schroders’ Sidani. “The market is still waiting for clarity from Dubai World (on its debt restructuring).”

Qatari banks recouped most of the previous day’s losses to help Doha’s index rise 1 percent. DP World surged 9.9 percent to a 14week high, taking its gains to 31 percent since it announced plans to also list in London on Jan. 6.

HIGHLIGHTS SAUDI ARABIA The benchmark rose 0.2 percent to 6,409 points.

DUBAI The index rose 0.9 percent to 1,688 points.

ABU DHABI The benchmark climbed 0.2 percent to 2,680 points.

OMAN The index dropped 0.9 percent to 6,473 points.

KUWAIT The index fell 0.3 percent to 6,997 points.

QATAR The measure rose 1 percent to 6,755 points.

EGYPT The index rose 0.4 percent to 6,725 points.

BAHRAIN The index fell 0.3 percent to 1,468 points.

—Reuters

BUSINESS

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Egypt’s EFG-Hermes sells Bank Audi stake BEIRUT: Egypt’s EFGHermes has sold its stake in Lebanon’s Bank Audi for $913.4 million, as the 28 percent investment was tying up too much of its funds and afforded no prospect of control.

EFG-Hermes sold 7.5 million common shares and 2.5 million GDRs in the bank, it said in a regulatory statement yesterday.

“With one investment, without control, representing over 50 percent of our adjusted book value, it became clear that a divestiture should be considered,” EFG-Hermes said in the statement.

The investment bank was negotiating to increase its share in Bank Audi in late 2008, but talks were suspended after the parties were unable to reach agreement.

“After lengthy discussions with Bank Audi regarding a combination of the two businesses, it

became evident after the events of 2008 that an amalgamation in the near future will be difficult,” the EFG-Hermes statement added.

EFG-Hermes made an unconsolidated capital gain of $260 million on the sale, it said. A statement released by Audi said “a group of its existing shareholders, as well as a number of other high net worth individuals and entities investing directly or through investment vehicles” bought the stake at a price of $91 per share and GDR. “Following the transaction, none of the purchasers individually own 5 percent or more of the common shares of the bank,” the Audi statement said.

Lebanon’s M1 group, owned by the Mikati family, bought part of the stake, one financial source said, without giving further details.— Reuters

25

IEA watches stimulus programs closely for impact on oil

Oil demand recovery at risk as economic stimulus ends ABU DHABI: The end of huge economic stimulus packages around the globe threatens a modest recovery in global oil demand this year, an official from the International Energy Agency said yesterday. Governments have spent large to revive sick economies in the past year, and as countries emerge from recession, those packages were expected to wind down. That could crimp oil demand recovering after two years of recessionary contraction. “That is something we are watching closely,” said IEA Deputy Executive Director Richard Jones in an interview with Reuters on the sidelines of an energy conference. “We think these are downward risks to demand.”

China, the world’s second-largest energy consumer, rattled global markets last week when it increased bank reserve requirements, sparking concern it would further tighten monetary policy. That could in slow its energy demand.

The IEA forecast oil demand to grow by 1.4 million barrels per day (bpd) in its

ABU DHABI: Crown Prince of Denmark Frederik Andre Henrik Christian speaks at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi yesterday. The forum on renewable energy sent a new alarm over global warming, urging action to increase dependence on clean energy.— AFP

monthly oil report last week, with total demand of 86.3 million bpd at its highest since 2007. The oil market was “pretty well supplied” so OPEC was unlikely to change output at its March meeting, he said.

“We see similar action in March as we saw in the last few meetings, which is to leave things as they are,” Jones said.

Qatar’s oil minister said yesterday it was unlikely that OPEC would cut production at its March meeting.

The producer group has kept its output targets unchanged since late 2008, when it made a record cut in supply to meet sliding demand and to halt a price crash.

Higher spare capacity meant the oil market was in a more comfortable position than it was during the run up in oil prices to record levels near $150 a barrel in 2008, Jones said. Top oil exporter Saudi Arabia alone has around 4.5 million bpd of spare capacity after completing an expansion project last year to take the kingdom’s capacity to 12.5 million bpd. — Reuters

Orders for UK homebuilder Taylor Wimpey gain

RUGELEY, UK: Rugeley power station, owned by British energy group International Power, is pictured in Rugeley, central England, yesterday.

French energy giant GDF Suez has made a takeover approach to Londonlisted energy group International Power, according to a newspaper report on Sunday. — AFP

Germany to raise 2010 growth forecast: Study BERLIN: The German economy, Europe’s largest, is likely to expand at a faster rate than previously expected this year, Berlin said yesterday, as the country recovers from its worst recession since World War II. A finance ministry spokesman told a regular briefing here that output would grow by 1.5 percent in 2010, an upward revision from the 1.2 percent forecast last year. “Together with the economy ministry, we have assumed a figure of 1.5 percent in our annual economic report,” Michael Offer told reporters, adding

that he considered this estimate “realistic.”

“We are pleased that the economic development is now somewhat better than when we originally assumed real growth of 1.2 percent,” he added.

Germany is clambering back off its knees after its worst post-war slump in 2009, with the economy contracting five percent.

Berlin’s upward revision followed a neardoubling of France’s growth forecast earlier yesterday, from 0.75 percent to 1.4 percent this year. — AFP

LONDON: Homebuilder Taylor Wimpey PLC yesterday reported growing order books for housing in North America and the United Kingdom and said it was optimistic about its prospects in the United States.

The report is in line with news from competitors and lenders which say the U.K. housing market is recovering modestly.

Taylor Wimpey said its order book in the UK stood at 3,048 homes at the end of 2009, a 62 percent gain compared to a year ago. In North America, orders rose 14 percent to 3,189 homes.

Although the order book in the United States was up only slightly to 737, the company said it was encouraged by “the prolonged period of stability in our North American markets.” “With the recent extension of the US government’s firsttime homebuyer tax credit to the end of April 2010 likely to continue to provide support to the market and affordability at extremely good levels, we are optimistic with regard to future prospects,” the company said in a trading update.

It was more cautious about its UK market, where “the risks of further weakness in the wider economy and reduced

mortgage availability remain.” Taylor Wimpey shares were down 1.2 percent at 41.14 pence at midday on the London Stock Exchange. “UK volumes were slightly below expectations, while prices were slightly above in keeping with the general trend seen so far from peers’ trading statements,” said Alastair Stewart, analyst at Investec Securities.

Last week, Bovis Homes Group PLC reported home sales up 25 percent in 2009, and Barrett Developments PLC reported a 43 percent increase in the second half of 2009 compared to a year earlier.

Reports from lenders also support the view that the UK housing market is improving, even though volumes remain well below historic averages. The Bank of England reported last week that 60,500 house-purchase mortgages were approved by lenders in November, up 123 percent year-on-year. The November loans were worth 1.46 billion pounds, doubling the six-month average of 700 million pounds, the central bank said.

According to Halifax, the nation’s biggest mortgage lender, house prices rose 1 percent in December compared to November —- the sixth straight monthly rise. — AP

Cadbury up as investors look for higher Kraft bid LONDON: Cadbury shares edged upwards yesterday in anticipation of a higher bid from Kraft Foods, while one major shareholder, Standard Life, said Kraft needed to bid over 900 pence to get its support.

The North American food giant is expected to sweeten its original takeover offer, currently valued at 769p, before a Jan. 19 midnight deadline, with many analysts

and investors believing Kraft will have to offer 800p or above to win Cadbury.

Cadbury shares were up 1.4 percent to 804.5p by 1210 GMT. “If Kraft wants to get Cadbury they need to pay a full price to get long-term shareholders on their side and that price would have to be, in my view, above 900p a share,” David Cumming, head of UK Equities at Standard Life Investments

told BBC Radio.

“The price in the press I noticed at the weekend talking about (was) 800p to 850pthat would not secure support from companies like ourselves,” he said. Standard Life is one of Cadbury’s biggest British shareholders, with a stake of just under 1 percent.

On Friday Cadbury’s second-largest shareholder, Legal & General, reiterated that the current hostile cash

and shares bid from Kraft undervalues the British group..

“The market is anticipating a raised bid from Kraft, which has to be finely judged to win over Cadbury shareholders but for Kraft not to be accused of overpaying,” said one analyst.

Under British takeover rules, a potential rival bidder to Kraft for Cadbury that has already shown its interest,

such as Hershey, has until Jan. 23 to show its hand.

Cadbury shareholders have until Feb. 2 to decide over Kraft’s bid.

Hershey is still working on a Cadbury bid to top Kraft’s original offer, according to sources close to the situation, and the Wall Street Journal has reported that Hershey will likely make a bid this week of at least 800-820 pence. —Reuters

MOSCOW: Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (left) meets with head of the Audit Chamber Sergei Stepashin (right) at the Kremlin in Moscow yesterday.— AFP

Egypt’s Citadel forms power venture for Sudan plant CAIRO: Taqa Arabia has agreed to form a $67 million joint venture with ASEC Cement, both subsidiaries of Cairo-based Citadel Capital, to generate power for a cement plant in Sudan, Citadel said in a statement.

The Berber for Electrical Power venture, announced on Sunday, will have a capacity of 42 megawatts and supply a 1.6 million ton per annum greenfield cement plant near Fahalb. The cement plant is a subsidiary of ASEC Cement, itself a subsidiary of private equity firm Citadel Capital.

“This agreement is the first major milestone in Global Energy’s regional expansion drive,” Khaled Abubakr Taqa Arabia Chief executive officer said in the statement. Global Energy is Taqa’s power arm.

The new venture, which will begin generating

power next month, will be owned 51 percent by Taqa Arabia, 25 percent by the Sudanese Pension Fund and 24 percent by ASEC Cement.

“We will continue to look for attractive regional investment opportunities going forward,” Abubakr added.

The cement plant, named Takamol, will come on stream later this year, ASEC Cement Chief Executive Officer Giorgio Bodo said in the statement.

ASEC Cement will have a combined capacity of about 12 million tons per annum by 2012 in factories in six countries in the region, the statement said. Citadel, which entered Sudan in 2007, has invested around $750 million in Sudanese agriculture, logistics and river transportation, as well as cement and mining. — Reuters

LONDON: A demonstrator dressed as a gorilla protests against the possible sale of Cadbury PLC to Kraft Foods in London. — AP file photo

26

BUSINESS

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Japan Airlines bankruptcy filing likely today TOKYO: Japan Airlines is expected to file for bankruptcy protection today, ending months-long speculation about its fate and launching a massive overhaul to shed the fat and inefficiency that hobbled Asia’s biggest airline.

With debts of 1.5 trillion yen ($16.5 billion) as of November, the carrier will go down in Japanese corporate history as one of its biggest failures. Despite its woes, the airline’s access to Asia is a prized asset for foreign airlines. Delta Air Lines Inc. is trying to lure Japan Airlines from its alliance with American Airlines.

The bankruptcy filing will be immediately followed by a restructuring plan crafted by a government-backed corporate turnaround body, according to media reports over the weekend. The govern-

ment itself will offer assurances of support for the airline’s rehabilitation and ongoing operations, the Nikkei financial daily said. Investors yesterday braced for a seemingly inevitable removal of the airline’s shares from the stock exchange.

The issue, which has lost more than 90 percent of its value over the last week, tumbled another 29 percent yesterday to 5 yen. The company is now essentially worthless, with a market capitalization of about 13.7 billion yen ($150 million) — the price of one Boeing 787 jet. It’s a humbling outcome for Japan’s onceproud flagship carrier, called JAL for short, which was founded in 1951 and spent its early years owned by the state.

Along with Japan’s economy, it expanded quickly in the decades after World War II

and was privatized in 1987. But it soon became the victim of its own ambitions.

When Japan’s property and stock bubble of the 1980s burst, risky investments in foreign resorts and hotels undermined its bottom line. JAL also shouldered growing pension and payroll costs, as well as a big network of unprofitable domestic routes it was politically obligated to maintain.

More recently, JAL’s passenger traffic has slowed amid the global economic downturn, swine flu fears, competition from Japanese rival All Nippon Airways Co. and a spate of safety lapses that tarnished its image. It lost 131.2 billion yen ($1.4 billion) in the six months through September. The restructuring plan in the works at the Enterprise Turnaround Initiative Corp. calls for about 15,600 job

cuts — a third of JAL’s work force — and will require the airline to cut the number of flights at home and abroad, according to Kyodo News agency.

Transportation Minister Seiji Maehara has said he wants to keep JAL flying through the restructuring process.

Delta Air Lines — the world’s biggest airline operator — and rival American Airlines are courting JAL with massive financial offers as the US carriers seek to expand their Asian networks. Delta and its SkyTeam partners have offered $1 billion, including $500 million in cash to lure JAL away from American’s oneworld alliance. American Airlines and its partners say they are ready to inject $1.4 billion cash into the Japanese airline, up from a previous $1.1 billion offer. — AP

Private demand and job recovery key to exit timing

Double-dip a risk if stimulus ends too early, says IMF chief TOKYO: Developed countries may slip back into recession if they abandon strategies deployed to battle the global financial crisis too early, the head of the International Monetary Fund warned yesterday. Recovery in private demand and employment are necessary conditions for governments to begin Marek Belka, the head of the IMF’s European department, echoed Strauss-Kahn’s comments, saying the continent’s economy was not yet on solid ground.

“We are no longer at the edge of the abyss that loomed in early 2009, with all but a handful of Europe’s economies now pulling out of recession.

“It is important for fiscal and monetary policies to continue to support the recovery,” he wrote. Strauss-Kahn said Japan’s experience with its own financial crisis since the late 1990s shows that recovery begins only when companies and banks have cleaned up their balance sheets, adding that many impaired assets around the world have not yet been disclosed.

Tackling high levels of public debt, which many developed countries have piled up to save their economies, will become top priority for many governments, he continued.

Governments have committed trillions of dollars in stimulus and guarantees, and central banks have slashed interest rates to record lows since the financial crisis intensified after the collapse of Lehman Brothers in September 2008.

But Strauss-Kahn warned

unwinding policies designed to support their economies, though the right timing depends on specific conditions in each nation, Dominique Strauss-Kahn said. “Recovery in advanced economies has been sluggish,” he told reporters in Tokyo. “We have to be cautious because the recovery has been fragile.”

TOKYO: International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn (right) shakes hands with Japanese Finance Minister Naoto Kan at latter’s office in Tokyo yesterday.— AFP that ending economic stimulus prematurely could be extremely costly, leaving countries with a renewed downturn and unable to cope because they had already used up their fiscal and monetary arsenals.

“It would be difficult to find new tools,” he said. “The best

indicator (for the exit timing) is private demand and employment ... In most countries, growth is still supported by government policies. For as long as you do not have private demand strong enough to offset the need of public policy, you shouldn’t exit,” he said. The IMF in

October forecast the global economy would resume growth in 2010 by expanding 3.1 percent after contracting in 2009.

Strauss-Kahn reiterated that the world economy has been stronger than expected, led by emerging economies in Asia, adding that the IMF sees

China’s growth this year close to the pre-crisis levels.

Strauss-Kahn also voiced his support for regional frameworks to contain financial crises, such as an Asian fund created last year. Thirteen East and Southeast Asian countries set up a $120 billion emergency fund for use in an economic downturn, the first independent move by Asia to shield itself from financial crisis.

Known as the Chiang Mai Initiative, the fund has evolved from a string of bilateral currency swap agreements signed by Asian nations. The idea of creating an Asian fund fell through a decade ago, when Japan proposed the creation of an Asian Monetary Fund after the Asian economic crisis in 1997-98, as Western countries saw the move as undermining the role of the IMF. Strauss-Kahn, then France’s finance minister, also opposed the idea at the time. “I’ve changed my mind. I think that regional institutions are welcome. There’s no reason why we shouldn’t have regional funds helping to do the same job as what we are doing, if we can work together,” he said, adding that it is important that such a regional body work with the IMF. — Reuters

Commerzbank selling Monaco unit to Lebanese bank

TOKYO: Pedestrians pass before a share prices board in Tokyo yesterday. Japan’s share prices fell 127.02 points to close at 10,855.08 points at the Tokyo Stock Exchange, tracking losses on Wall Street as investors took profits following a strong start to 2010.— AFP

FRANKFURT: The second biggest German bank, Commerzbank, said yesterday it would sell its Dresdner Bank Monaco unit to the Lebanese Bank Audi sal, without revealing the amount of the deal.

“The parties have agreed to maintain confidentiality about the details of the transaction,” a Commerzbank statement said. The sale is subject to regulatory approval, it added.

Dresdner Bank Monaco, which operates in the Mediterranean principality, southern France and northern Italy, managed 233 million euros ($335 million) in assets at the end of 2008.

Bank Audi sal, the biggest Lebanese bank, has a total of $24.7 billion (17.2 billion euros) in assets, and is active in Arab countries, France and Switzerland. “The acquisition of Dresdner Bank Monaco SAM is in line with Bank Audi’s strategy to develop its private banking activities in Europe,” the statement said.

Commerzbank, meanwhile, is focusing its operations on Germany after benefitting from a rescue package that saw the state take a holding of 25 percent. — AFP

Britain facing decade of economic pain: Experts LONDON: Britain faces the prospect of a decade of economic pain, after binging on cheap debt, and its recovery will rely on trading more with Asian tigers like China, forecasters warned yesterday.

The economy, expected to have escaped recession in the last quarter of 2009, faces a “challenging” 2010, according to the Independent Treasury Economic Model (ITEM) Club economic forecasting group of auditors Ernst and Young. “The UK economy has moved out of a decade of debt and into a decade of painful readjustment,” the ITEM Club said in a key report published on Monday.

“After years of relying on domestic spending and borrowing the economy now needs to rebalance towards saving and exporting, or risk stagnating.”

British gross domestic product (GDP) will meanwhile “struggle” to reach 1.0 per-

cent this year.

“The UK is facing another challenging year,” added chief economic adviser Peter Spencer.

“We are no longer in a position to borrow-the massive debts that we racked up in the last decade now need to be repaid.

“The consumer is completely cashed outwith consumer spending likely to increase by just 0.4 percent this year.” However, Britain will fare better if the country trades more with Asian powerhouse economies like China, he added. “It is vital the UK rejuvenates its overseas investment model and starts selling into countries such as China, where we have an exceptionally low market share compared to our leading competitors.

“The UK’s recovery is reliant on a roaring trade with the tiger economies,” Spencer added. Official data due on January

26 is widely expected to reveal that Britain exited its longest recession on record during the fourth quarter of 2009, or three months to December.

But the ITEM Club said yesterday that this was due to exceptional emergency stimulus measures-like the new-for-old vehicle scrappage scheme that has boosted the troubled auto sector.

Another measure was British finance minister Alistair Darling’s temporary cut in taxation on goods and services-or valueadded tax (VAT) — but this expired at the start of the year.

“Once the effects of these temporary stimuli have worn off, it is difficult to see where the growth is going to come from in the short-term,” Spencer added.

“ITEM forecasts that GDP will struggle to reach 1.0 percent this year, with interest rates likely to remain flat well into

2010.” Turning to the public finances, the ITEM Club also expressed concern about sky-high government borrowing. “ITEM remains concerned about the Treasury’s projections for next year, which are based upon very optimistic assumptions for both the pace of the economic recovery and for the value of tax revenues raised,” it said.

Late last year, Chancellor of the Exchequer Darling forecast in his pre-budget report that state borrowing would hit a record 178 billion pounds in the current 2009/10 financial year which runs until April.

“The fiscal position remains a major uncertainty and the pre-budget report was a big disappointment, with the Chancellor failing to come up with any credible medium-term plan for restoring the public finances to health,” Spencer said yesterday. — AFP

TOKYO: A combo picture shows Japan’s high-tech giant Kyocera founder Kazuo Inamori (left) and Japan Airlines (JAL) president Haruka Nishimatsu.

Inamori has accepted an offer by the government to become the next chief executive of troubled (JAL).— AFP

Chavez orders takeover of French hypermarket chain CARACAS: President Hugo Chavez on Sunday ordered the expropriation of a French-owned hypermarket chain that operates close to a dozen stores in Venezuela, accusing it of price speculation following the country’s currency devaluation.

Chavez said his government would seize control of the Exito hypermarket chain, majority owned by France-based Casino Guichard Perrachon SA, after lawmakers approve legislation allowing the expropriation of businesses that have raised prices inordinately.

A conglomerate of Colombian companies — Sindicato Antioqueno — holds a minority share of the company. “I want a file to be opened, and I’ll wait for the new law to begin the expropriation of the Exito chain because this cannot be permitted,” Chavez said during his weekly radio and television program. “How long are we going to allow a transnational company ... to come here and do this?” Calls to the offices of Exito seeking comment went unanswered on Sunday.

Victor Maldonado, who leads the Caracas Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services, criticized Chavez’s announcement, saying government takeovers of private businesses will only exacerbate Venezuela’s economic woes. “The president must correct his economic policy,” Maldonado told Union Radio, saying Chavez’s socialist-orientated economic policies and efforts

to boost the state’s role in the economy “are going to ruin us.” The bill proposed by Chavez could be approved next month, pro-Chavez lawmaker Mario Isea told the state-run Bolivarian News Agency on Sunday.

“It establishes a prohibition on raising prices without economic justification,” Isea was quoted as saying. Chavez has repeatedly threatened to seize businesses that raise prices in response to the country’s first currency devaluation since 2005. His government is seeking to contain inflation that finished the year at 25 percent, the highest in Latin America.

The socialist leader eliminated the previous fixed rate of 2.15 bolivars to the dollar on Jan. 8.

His government set a new two-tiered rate: 2.6 per dollar for priority goods, such as food and medicine, and 4.3 for imports of nonessential items, such as air conditioners and electronics.

The devaluation is widely expected to drive inflation higher.

Last week, Venezuelan soldiers accompanied government inspectors as they temporarily shut more than 1,000 of retail stores, aiming to prevent hefty price hikes. Inspectors from the consumer protection agency said the businesses, including three warehouse-sized Exito stores, were shuttered for 24 hours because they had improperly raised prices. — AP

Japan’s recovery still fragile, says FM TOKYO: The world’s secondlargest economy is recovering but Japan still faces tough challenges, led by the twin threats of deflation and unemployment, the country’s finance minister said yesterday.

“The economic situation is still severe, falling short of a self-sustained recovery, even though it is beginning to pick up,” newly-appointed Naoto Kan said at the start of a 150day parliament session.

“Looking ahead, there are the risks of a further worsening of the employment situation and deflation, and the foundation of a strong, private demand-led recovery is still fragile.”

Asia’s top economy plunged into deep recession in 2008 as the global downturn sharply cut into its exports, but it grew at a modest 1.3 percent on an annualized basis in the JulySeptember quarter.

Kan, referring to a stimulus package announced last monthJapan’s fourth since the global economic crisis hit-said: “The government will tackle deflation and make sure the economy will recover.”

The centre-left government submitted a bill for 7.2 trillion yen ($79.1 billion) in spending as part of the package announced last month which it says is worth a total of $274 billion.

To help finance the package and other spending, the government plans to issue new bonds worth 9.342 trillion yen ($102.6 billion), Kan said.

Japan’s public debt is around 180 percent of gross domestic product, largely due to massive spending during the economic “lost decade” of the 1990s.

Kan’s predecessor Hirohisa Fujii, who stepped down this month citing health problems, has warned that “Japan’s fiscal situation is serious.” Japan’s new debt issued this fiscal year

TOKYO: Newly-appointed Finance Minister Naoto Kan (top) passes behind Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama to make a financial policy speech at the start of a 150-day parliament session in Tokyo yesterday.— AFP will reach 53.5 trillion yen, topping tax revenue for the first time since 1946, the government has said.

Kan said that more than 52 percent of public spending will be financed through bond issues rather than tax revenues.

International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn, speaking in Tokyo, said tackling soaring government debt is one of the top priorities for global policymakers as a fragile economic recovery takes hold. “We have to fix the consequences of the policies which have been put in place” in response to the global economic crisis, he said.

Addressing the high level of sovereign debt is “probably the top priority” facing developed, and many emerging, economies in the coming years, he said.

He added that, while many advanced economies have clawed out of recession, “all efforts should be focused on fighting unemployment.”

Japan’s unemployment climbed to 5.2 percent in November from 5.1 percent in October, worsening for the first time in four months. Core consumer prices fell 1.7 percent in November from a year earlier, the ninth straight monthly drop. — AFP

TECHNOLOGY

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

27

Cyber-attack resulted in theft of intellectual property

Google probing possible inside help on attack SHANGHAI: Google is investigating whether one or more employees may have helped facilitate a cyber-attack from China that the US search giant said it was a victim of in mid-December, two sources told Reuters yesterday. Google, the world’s most popular search engine, said last week it may pull out of the world’s biggest Internet market by users after reporting it had been hit by a “sophisticated” cyber-attack on its network that resulted in theft of its intellectual property.

The sources, who are familiar with the situation, told Reuters that the attack, which targeted people who have access to specific parts of Google networks, may have been facilitated by peo-

ple working in Google China’s office.

“We’re not commenting on rumor and speculation. This is an ongoing investigation, and we simply cannot comment on the details,” a Google spokeswoman said.

Security analysts told Reuters the malicious software (malware) used in the Google attack was a modification of a trojan called Hydraq. A trojan is malware that, once inside a computer, allows someone unauthorized access. The sophistication in the attack was in knowing whom to attack, not the malware itself, the analysts said.

Local media, citing unnamed sources, reported that some Google China employees were denied access to internal networks after Jan. 13, while some

staff were put on leave and others transferred to different offices in Google’s Asia Pacific operations. Google said it would not comment on its business operations.

Google, which has denied rumors that it has already decided to shut down its China offices, said yesterday it contacted the Chinese government last week after the announcement. “We are going to have talks with them in the coming few days,” Google said. Google is also still in the process of scanning its internal networks since the cyber-attack in midDecember. China has tried to play down Google’s threat to leave, saying there are many ways to resolve the issue, but insisting all foreign companies, Google

included, must abide by Chinese laws.

Washington said it was issuing a diplomatic note to China formally requesting an explanation for the attacks.

The Google issue risks becoming another irritant in China’s relationship with the United States. Ties are already strained by arguments over the yuan currency’s exchange rate, which UScritics say is unfairly low, trade protectionism and US arms sales to Taiwan.

Washington has long been worried about Beijing’s cyber-spying program. A congressional advisory panel said in November the Chinese government appeared increasingly to be penetrating US computers to gather useful data for its military.— Reuters

PlayStation is ‘poison’ to children: Chavez CARACAS: Sony’s PlayStation video game console is “poison” and leads children down the capitalist “road to hell,” Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said Sunday. Chavez, in his weekly radioTV show “Alo Presidente,” called on Venezuelan manufacturers to make “educational” toys and dolls with indigenous peoples’ features to replace capitalistic counterparts like the Barbie doll that “have nothing to do with our culture.”

In expanding on his dislike of western toys and games-he already slammed Nintendo for promoting “selfishness, individualism and violence,” Chavez Sunday took on the world’s top selling game console, Sony’s PlayStation.

“Those games they call ‘PlayStation’ are poison.

Some games teach you to kill. They once put my

face on a game, ‘you’ve got to find Chavez to kill him.’”

The firebrand leftist president said any game that “bomb cities or just throw bombs,” are sold by capitalist countries to sow violence so they can “later sell weapons.” They “promote the need for cigarettes, drugs and alcohol so they can sell them. That’s capitalism, the road to hell,” he added. Venezuela, Chavez said, should be making “educational games,” and suggested designing “little indigenous dolls” to sell in place of dolls “like Barbie, that have nothing to do with our culture.” Venezuelan lawmakers in October passed a law outlawing the sale of “bellicose” games and videogames that can be punished with up to five years imprisonment.— AFP

China to offer more money to report online smut BEIJING: The Chinese government will offer greater cash rewards to people reporting online smut after handing out 224,000 yuan ($32,810) as of late last week, state media said yesterday. China has run a highly publicised campaign against what officials said were banned smutty and lewd pictures overwhelming the country’s Internet and threatening the emotional health of children. In the period from Dec. 4 to Jan. 15, the National AntiPornography and Anti-Illegal Publications Office, along with the publishing watchdog, received more than 90,000 reports about base or lewd websites, Xinhua news agency said.

A total of 215 people had been given a total of 224,000

yuan in reward money for reporting the sites, with rewards ranging from 1,000 yuan to 10,000 yuan, Xinhua added. Sites shut down included “Lilac adult community”, “Free strongly-emotional films” and “Naked chat bar”, it said. Authorities will now “offer even more money to those who report, to encourage people to proactively participate”, Xinhua said. In 2009, authorities closed or blocked more than 15,000 pornographic websites, including over 11,000 mobile WAP sites, the report added.

With an estimated 384 million Internet users, China has a bigger online population than any other country. But the ruling Communist Party worries the Internet could become a

dangerous conduit for threatening images and ideas. The anti-pornography drive has also netted many sites with politically sensitive or even simply user-generated content, in what some see as an effort by the government to reassert control over new media.

China has banned a number of popular websites and Internet services, including Google’s Youtube, Twitter, Flickr and Facebook, as well as Chinese content sharing sites.

Google Inc announced last week it was no longer willing to continue censoring Internet search results in China and that it may shut down the google.cn website and close its offices in the country, triggering a diplomatic storm. — Reuters

SEOUL: Mahru-Z (R), a robot developed by the Korea Institute of Science and Technology picks up a sandwich in Seoul on January 15, 2010. — AFP

South Korean scientists develop walking robot maid SEOUL: South Korean scientists have developed a walking robot maid which can clean a home, dump clothes in a washing machine and even heat food in a microwave. Mahru-Z has a human-like body including a rotating head, arms, legs and six fingers plus three-dimensional vision to recognise chores that need to be tackled, media reports said yesterday. “The most distinctive

strength of Mahru-Z is its visual ability to observe objects, recognize the tasks needed to be completed, and execute them,” You Bum-Jae, head of the cognitive robot centre at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology, told the Korea Times.

“It recognizes people, can turn on microwave ovens, washing machines and toasters, and also pick up sandwich-

es, cups and whatever else it senses as objects.” The institute took two years to develop Mahru-Z, which is 1.3 metres (4.3 feet) tall and weighs 55 kilograms (121 pounds). It could also work with an earlier maid robot called Marhu-M which moves on wheels, since both can be remotely controlled through a computer server.

You claimed Mahru-Z as the most

advanced robot in terms of mimicking human movements. Apart from tackling chores, researchers say it could also be used in conditions to difficult or dangerous for humans. But mass production for commercial use is some way away. The science institute spends about four billion won (3.5 million dollars) every year on robot research. It began receiving state funds for the project in 2006.— AFP

The first and last line of organizational defense KUWAIT: Rapid technology advances and the need to deliver goods and services more efficiently means organizations are more vulnerable to systemic shocks and damaging incidents than ever before.

Moreover, the increasing interconnectedness of people and systems means these events are no longer isolated. To deal with these challenges, organizations are embracing a ‘business assurance’ construct: integrated risk-management strategies combining physical, information, and IT security controls to effectively manage access to vital information resources, and ensure business continuity and increased resilience, according to a new report by Booz & Company.

Cascading risks Systemic shocks like earthquakes, blackouts or terrorist attacks have increased recently, and other technology incidents threaten the operations or livelihoods of companies, governments, and individuals.

Growing digitalization, societal interconnectedness, and lean operations cause such events to cascade throughout business operations and society. This is further complicated by “complexity risks,” which affect all traditional domains, such as the protection of critical infrastructures, cyber security, food and water security, and energy security.

“Public- and private-sector mandates for greater efficiency in protecting organizations, although critical to the growth of productivity, add layers of risk,” explained Ramez Shehadi, the Booz & Company partner leading the Technology Practice in the region. “Operations optimization, process automation, and digital-

ization all expose organizations to significant vulnerabilities.”

Technologies that increase the effectiveness of organizations and drive societal interconnectedness also create new risks and may cause greater damage. An estimated US$1 billion has been stolen from financial institutions and corporations in the Middle East by organized cyber criminals, according to a report published in the ISSA Journal, June 2008i. In addition, an article published in Computer Weekly in December 2007ii, reported that in 2007, a Dubai-based gang stole roughly $60 million by accessing consumers’ online credit card information, even from governmentservices Web sites. These details were then used to make cash withdrawals and to buy gold and diamonds online. “Potential solutions to such challenges need to include both the technological and the management layers of organizations in “living” system that allows for the adaptability and flexibility necessary to match today’s high-risk environment,” stated Alessandro Gazzini, principal at Booz & Company. The right solutions also all call for the interaction of multiple stakeholders, including public-private partnerships and international collaboration.

The status quo is inadequate Traditional security programs are not capable of coping with the new and emerging vulnerabilities of today, despite general progress in advancing security, continuity, and crisis management capabilities. Gains are often limited because they have fostered the development of ‘stovepipes’ - when functional capabilities are developed to address specific types of risks or vulnerabilities

in isolation from each other. They don’t allow for an integrated and consistent view of risks and lead to unnecessary duplication of activities and potential investments. “This traditional approach often leads to a decrease in efficiency and potency, critical gaps are created, and an unacceptable level of risk is reached,” commented Shehadi. The “stove pipe” reality clashes strongly with the way adversaries operate and with the reality of any natural hazard which impact the company across all functions and departments.

The tendency to spend so much time and attention on establishing physical security controls means organizations ignore critical proprietary information or assets made vulnerable by digitalization. Moreover, organizations’ IT departments are often not represented in board discussions, limiting their ability to increase risk awareness.

“An integrated risk management strategy that takes into account the right physical, information, and IT security controls required to effectively manage access to and use of key company information, is imperative,” said Gazzini.

The case for a new approach While organizations cannot predict or avoid every risk, an organization needs to be able to mitigate and absorb their impact, by establishing and continuously strengthening its ability to maintain operations in the event of an incident; to become organizationally resilient.

Globalization and other pressures have forced organizations to focus on their efficiency and effectiveness in delivering a better product or service for the same investment. They are

Ramez Shehadi now examining how resilient their operations are to unforeseen shocks: any disruption to delivery of an organization’s core products or services means it is no longer competitive.

“Organizations may even no longer have a reason to exist if the trust of stakeholders is lost,” Shehadi commented.

Leading countries and organizations are beginning to understand the need to build resilient organizations in the face of this emerging and cascading risk environment, something Booz & Company refers to as business assurance.

The business assurance model The business assurance model aims to ensure protection and continuity of an organization’s core services or business and is based on the development and integration of functional capabilities, enabling factors, and governance capabilities. The

model’s first task is to establish an organization’s functional capabilities, which fall under four main categories: • Risk Analysis: Identifies potential “pain points” and establishes an early-warning system for threats, vulnerabilities, and impacts to critical assets and processes. Extends to business processes across the organization.

• Integrated Security: Reduces the possibility of risks through implementation of protective measures.

Takes segregated safety and security capabilities and integrates them across physical, IT-based, and personnel domains.

• Continuity Planning: Reduces the impact of events through the planning, design, and implementation of recovery targets and a continuity strategy. Focuses on critical business processes and assets.

• Incident Response: Prepares an organization to manage events by adopting an “all hazards” approach.

Establishes at a minimum an incident response framework and crisis communications protocols.

The four functional capabilities of the business assurance model are supported by enabling factors-the people, infrastructure, and technology that can help an organization recover in the event of an incident.

Companies must also put in place the governance capabilities necessary to build and maintain an efficient system.

The integration of functional capabilities, enabling factors, and governance capabilities is vital. They must work together through an operational life cycle-identify, plan, build, execute, and maintain-to help form an ongoing resilience framework in

which everything is working together to help deliver the organization’s core products or services. “Through this life cycle, the business assurance model becomes an operational economy with governance, functional, and enabling factors all having a role to play in every phase of the event life cycle,” Gazzini stated.

The integration of these capabilities and factors is driven by both internal and external stimuli and will result in a broad and shared awareness of risks, a reduced chance of overlap or duplication of activities, the optimization of investment and resource allocations, and a single risk and security snapshot for senior leaders across an organization, among other benefits.

The challenge in creating a business assurance program is in striking the right balance between facilitating organizational integration and building capabilities. Some companies may choose to first develop their capabilities-such as those that have recently gone through a major organizational change and are reluctant to undertake another. “Others may choose to emphasize organizational structure first, such as those that have relatively mature capabilities that exist in stovepipes and need to be integrated. To be truly resilient, companies will have to address both domains,” stated Shehadi.

Booz & Company’s business assurance model has now been deployed in multiple client engagements. It has generated significant near-term results, including: • Management’s anticipation of and attention to “minor” events before they escalated to “major” status.

• A centralized view on operational risks across the organization with updated information on and control of incidents across the different business units/countries.

• Collaboration and communication in case of critical events.

• An improved overall response capability with emphasis on establishing an active early-warning system.

• Data-intensive post-event analysis that aided risk evaluations and the company’s investment decisions.

• Reduction of duplication of resources and investments Conclusion Companies and governments aim to deliver an effective service, but that is compromised when an organization is not capable of managing unforeseen incidents or threats to its business. “In today’s world, those threats are multiplying, and global interconnectedness means that each threat can do far greater damage than before in unexpected ways,” said Gazzini. This emerging scenario is prompting executives and government leaders to take a fresh look at their ability to identify and mitigate risks. They realize that traditional security approaches are not suited to dealing with these threats in an increasingly digital world. As a result, they are embracing organizational resilience by building the functional capabilities, enabling factors, and governance capabilities required to dramatically improve their ability to weather even the greatest systemic shocks. The business assurance approach lets executives know that whatever may come, their organization will have an answer.

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HEALTH & SCIENCE

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Rare bird breeding ground found in war-torn Afghanistan BANGKOK: The first known breeding area of one of the world’s rarest birds has been found in the remote and rugged Pamir Mountains in war-torn Afghanistan, a New York-based conservation group said yesterday. A researcher with the Wildlife Conservation Society stumbled upon the small, olive-brown large-billed reed warbler in 2008 and taped its distinctive song, a recording experts now say is probably the first ever. He and colleagues later caught and released 20 of the birds, the largest number ever recorded, the group says. At the time, however, Robert

Timmins, who conducting a survey of aviary communities along the Wakhan and Pamir rivers, thought he was observing a more common warbler species.

But after a visit to a Natural History Museum in Tring in England to examine bird skins, Timmins realized he had something else on his hands. Lars Svensson, a Swedish expert on the family of reed warblers and familiar with their songs, was the first to suggest that Timmins’ tape was likely the first recording of the large-billed reed warbler.

“Practically nothing is known about

this species, so this discovery of the breeding area represents a flood of new information on the large-billed reed warbler,” said Colin Poole, executive director of group’s Asia Program. “This new knowledge of the bird also indicates that the Wakhan Corridor still holds biological secrets and is critically important for future conservation efforts in Afghanistan.” Researchers returned to the site of Timmins’ first survey in 2009, armed with mist nets used to catch birds for examination.

The research team broadcast the

recording of the song, which brought in large-billed reed warblers from all directions, allowing the team to catch 20 of them for examination and to collect feathers for DNA. Lab work comparing museum specimens with measurements, field images, and DNA confirmed the find: the first-known breeding population of largebilled reed warblers. “This is great news from a little-known species from a remote part of the world and suggests that there may be more discoveries to be made here,” said Mike Evans, an expert on birds in the region for BirdLife. He did not take

part in the discovery. Researchers are hoping the discovery sheds light on the bird, which UK-based Birdlife International in 2007 called one of the world’s rarest. The first specimen was discovered in India in 1867, with more than a century elapsing before a single bird was found in Thailand in 2006. But the announcement of the discovery of a home to the large-billed reed warbler came the same day Taleban militants launched an assault the Afghan capital, underscoring the challenges of doing conservation work in the country. The bird was discovered in the Pamir Mountains, a

sparsely populated region near China that has been relatively peaceful. It is, however, difficult to access, part of the reason the breeding site is only now being discovered. WCS is the only conservation group doing scientific studies in Afghanistan. It has been involved in helping set up the first national park, Band-e-Amir, in central Afghanistan as well as working with the government to create the first-ever list of protected species. A preliminary paper on the finding appears in the most recent edition of BirdingASIA, the magazine of the Oriental Bird Club. — AP

No food, water for nursing home survivors

Elderly and abandoned, 84 Haitians await death PORT-AU-PRINCE: The old lady crawls in the dirt, wailing for her pills.

The elderly man lies motionless as rats pick at his overflowing diaper.

There is no food, water or medicine for the 84 surviving residents of the Port-au-Prince Municipal Nursing Home, barely a mile (11/2 kilometers) from the airport where a massive international aid effort is taking shape.

“Help us, help us,” 69-year-old Mari-Ange Levee begged Sunday, lying on the ground with a broken leg and ribs. A cluster of flies swarmed the open fracture in her skull. One man had already died, and administrator Jean Emmanuel said more would follow soon unless water and food arrive immediately.

PORT-AU-PRINCE: An old man is fed a few nuts from his nephew while lying outside his quake damaged nursing home in Port-au-Prince Sunday. More than 100 old men and women were living outside the home, that was damaged during Tuesday’s earthquake, with no food or care other than an occasional bath from two medical orderlies who remained to help. — AP

Chinese children sickened by school pressure: Study PARIS: A third of primary schoolchildren in China are suffering from psychological ill-health as a result of classroom stress and parental pressure, according to a study published. The problem is so bad that urgent measures are needed, warns the study, led by British and Chinese researchers. The investigation surveyed 2,191 pupils aged nine to 12 in nine schools in urban and rural Zhejiang, a relatively prosperous coastal province in eastern China.

Eighty-one percent of the youngsters said they worried “a lot” about exams, 63 percent feared being punished by their teacher, 44 percent had been physically bullied at least sometimes-with boys likelier to be victims than girls-and 73 percent had been physically punished by their parents. Most of the children complained they struggled to cope with the amount of homework they were assigned. Over onethird reported headaches or abdominal pains-psychosomatic symptoms of stress-

at least once a week. The most stressed children reported incidence of aches or pains of four times a week.

The investigation, led by Therese Hesketh, a professor at University College London (UCL) Centre for International Health and Development, pointed the finger at extreme competitiveness in China’s education system, from the onset of primary school.

“The competitive and punitive educational environment leads to high levels of stress and psychosomatic symptoms,” the authors say. “Measures to reduce unnecessary stress on children in schools should be introduced urgently.”The paper appears in Archives of Disease in Childhood, a peer-reviewed journal of the British Medical Association (BMA). The “urban” setting for the study was Hangzhou, the provincial capital of Zhejiang, while the “rural” setting was a poor county in Quzhou prefecture, in the west of the province. The study highlights some of the

complexities that, it says, explain the demands for academic excellence and intolerance of failure. One factor is the country’s dramatic rise in prosperity, which has created “previously unheard-off possibilities for upward mobility” and in turn stoked pressures on children to do well at school. Other reasons are China’s one-child policy and the Confucian traditions of respect for parents and elders, filial piety, obedience and discipline.

“The aspirations of many parents, who had limited educational opportunities themselves are now invested in their only children,” it says. Previous studies on school-related stress and its impact on health are few and generally come from Scandinavia. A 2008 assessment among 10- to 13-year-old in Sweden found that 21 percent of boys of 30 percent of girls experienced headache, and 17 percent of boys and 28 percent of girls experienced abdominal pain at least once per week. — AFP

China to expand smoking bans in seven major cities BEIJING : Health advocates and Chinese officials are campaigning to expand and enforce smoking bans in seven major cities in China, the latest sign that awareness of the risks of smoking are rising in the world’s largest tobacco-consuming nation. The campaign organized by the government’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention seeks to enforce a ban on indoor smoking in public places and close loopholes in the law.

Cities targeted include some of China’s biggest commercial centers , such as Tianjin on the northern coast and the megacity of Chongqing in the south , where smoking and breathing in secondhand smoke are just two of the threats facing residents confronted with heavy traffic, industrial waste, and polluted air and water.

China accounts for more than one-quarter of the world’s 1.3 billion smokers, with 2 trillion cigarettes sold in the country every year. About 60 percent of Chinese men smoke, and offering cigarettes remains an important part of gatherings and social interaction. The project “would help save millions of lives through lowering tobacco consumption and reducing secondhand smoking,” said Sinead Jones of the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, which is co-sponsoring the campaign.

Jones, the union’s director of tobacco control, was quoted in the official China Daily newspaper on yesterday. Union officers could not immediately be reached for comment, and calls to the disease control center rang unanswered. — AP

BEIJING: In this March 8, 2008 file photo, a man smokes in front of a Chinese national flag in Beijing. Health advocates and Chinese officials are campaigning to enforce smoking bans in seven major cities, the latest sign of rising health awareness in the world’s largest tobacco-consuming nation. —AP

“I appeal to anybody to bring us anything, or others won’t live until tonight,” he said in the morning motioning toward five men and women who were having trouble breathing, a sign that the end was near. Hours later, an elderly woman succumbed. The dead man was Joseph Julien, a 70-year-old diabetic who was pulled from the partially collapsed building and passed away Thursday for lack of food. His rotting body lies on a mattress, nearly indistinguishable from the living around him, so skinny and tired they seemed to be simply waiting for death. With six residents killed in the quake, the institution now has 25 men and 60 women camped outside their former home. Some have a mattress in the dirt to lie on.

Others don’t.

Madeleine Dautriche, 75, said some of the residents had pooled their money to buy three packets of pasta, which the dozens of pensioners shared on Thursday, their last meal. Since there was no drinking water, some didn’t touch the noodles because they were cooked in gutter water. Dautriche noted that many residents wore diapers that hadn’t been changed since the quake. “The problem is, rats are coming to it,” she said. Though very little food aid had reached Haitians anywhere by Sunday, Emmanuel said the problem was made worse at the nursing home because it is located near Place de la Paix, an impoverished downtown neighborhood. The hospice, known as “Hospice Municipal,” is in the Delmas-2 neighborhood, near a rundown soccer stadium, stuck between the port and Bel-Air, traditionally one of Haiti’s most violent and dangerous slums.

Thousands of homeless slum dwellers have pitched their makeshift tents on the nursing home’s ground, in effect shielding the elderly patients from the outside world with a tense maze of angry people, themselves hungry and thirsty. “I’m pleading for everyone to understand that there’s a truce right now, the streets are free, so you can come through to help us,” said Emmanuel, 27, one of the rare officials not to have fled the squalor and mayhem. He insisted that foreign aid workers wouldn’t be in danger if they tried to cross through the crowd to reach the elderly group.

Violent scuffles erupted Saturday in the adjacent soccer stadium when U.S. helicopters dropped boxes of military rations and Gatorade. But none of this trickle of help had reached the nursing home residents, who said some refugees have robbed them of what little they had. Dautriche, who was sitting on the ground because of her broken back, held out an empty blue plastic basin. “My underwear and my money were in there,” she said, sobbing.

“Children stole it right in front of me and I couldn’t move.” The area was an eery corner of silence within the clamor of crying babies and toddlers running naked in the mud.

Guarding the little space was Phileas Julien, 78, a blind man in a wheelchair who shouted at anybody approaching to turn back.

During moments of lucidity, Julien said he was better off than other pensioners because the medicine he was taking provided sustenance. — AP

PAMIR: This undated photo released by the Wildlife Conservation Society shows a large-billed reed warbler. The breeding area of the large-billed reed warbler, one of the world’s rarest birds, has been discovered in the remote and rugged Pamir Mountains in war-torn Afghanistan, a New York-based conservation group announced yesterday. — AP

‘Uncertain future’ for US climate law WASHINGTON: The future of a US climate law is hanging in the balance in Congress as lawmakers gear up for crucial midterm elections amid a persistent economic slump, experts say.

Further reducing the impetus, UN climate talks in Copenhagen ended last month with a nonbinding agreement to limit warming to 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit that did not set binding targets to reduce the emissions of gases scientists say are heating up the world’s atmosphere to dangerous levels.

Among the thorniest problems facing a possible US law is striking an agreement on creating a “cap-and-trade” market for greenhouse gases that would force heavy polluters to buy credits from companies that pollute less, creating financial incentives to fight global warming. Most Democrats-who enjoy a majority in both houses of Congress-and environmental groups see the proposed system as a cornerstone of the fight against the heat-trapping gases, hoping to reach an international agreement by the end of the year to legally bind other countries to also reduce emissions.

In Copenhagen, President Barack Obama acknowledged “it is going to be very hard and it’s going to take some time” to reach such an accord.

Finger-pointing and sharp recriminations followed the United Nations summit’s final agreement, which has been widely panned for failing to oblige countries to carry out concrete greenhouse gas emissions cuts. Todd Stern, the US climate envoy, told investors in New York Thursday it was “tremendously important” for the Senate to act on some form of climate legislation. The US

House of Representatives has already passed legislation on renewable energy and curbing greenhouse gases, but the Senate has yet to take up its own version of the bill.

At the UN climate talks, Obama proposed to reduce US emission by 17 percent by 2020 off 2005 levels, an offer that hinges on congressional approval. “It’s a very difficult environment in the US right now,” said Michael Levi of the Council on Foreign Relations.

He pointed to a tense political and economic climate complicated even more by 10 percent unemployment and a raging debate over a bill to overhaul the beleaguered US health care system, Obama’s top domestic priority. Around half of the energy supply in the United States, the world’s second-biggest polluter after China, comes from coal.

With November’s elections on the horizon, lawmakers have expressed concerns that US action, absent commitments from rising economic powers like China and India, would barely dent the problem while costing jobs, mostly in already struggling industrial US states and others dependent on fossil fuels. “American people care more about health care, the budget deficit,” said Frank Maisano, a lobbyist with Bracewell & Giuliani, a firm representing the energy industry. “Part of the problem is the residual impact of any climate legislation, which is an increased cost, and you don’t go in an election period telling people you are going to increase cost,” he said.

Many Republicans in Congress remain deeply skeptical about adopting a market-

based mechanism to cut carbon emissions, fearing it may hit the competitiveness of US firms and products on global markets, particularly while China and India refuse to make concessions in tandem. US Chamber of Commerce president Tom Donohue urged lawmakers Tuesday to reconsider climate regulations he warned could raise costs and hamper recovery from the worst economic recession in decades.

“Congress, the administration and the states must recognize that our weak economy simply could not sustain all the new taxes, regulations and mandates now under consideration. It’s a sure recipe for a double-dip recession, or worse,” he said. Steve Eule, vice president of climate at the Chamber, said “it’s possible to have a compromise... but it won’t be easy.” Senators John Kerry, Lindsey Graham and Joe Lieberman are proposing to increase the use of nuclear energy, offshore oil and gas exploration, as well as step up energy efficiency and new technologies to reduce costs and possibly skirt a cap-and-trade system.

But that proposal likely will not sit well with many Democrats who champion the emissions market plan. “We would all prefer a really good economy-wide cap-and-trade system. It’s the best, the most efficient,” said Eileen Claussen, president of the Pew Center on Global Climate Change and Strategies for the Global Environment. “But if we cannot get it, I don’t want to end up with nothing. I want to end up with something that really starts to address this problem.” — AFP

Greying China: Getting old before getting rich BEIJING: At a nursing home in the suburbs of Beijing, 86-year-old Ma Shufan, still sprightly despite her advanced age, is thrilled to have friends. At her son’s home, she likely would spend her days alone. The best part? Having mah-jong partners. “This is much better than being with my children. They have to go to work, and no one has the time to talk with me.

My son did not even have a room for me,” said the former school teacher. With more than 160 million people over the age of 60 and its ageing rate gaining pace, China is facing a curious problem: it is greying while still in development-a challenge other economies have only had to face at a more advanced stage.

The speed at which the number of elderly in China is increasing has alarmed both the government and demographers about the future, with the nation’s healthcare system already straining and two-thirds of rural workers without pensions. “Population ageing is going to be a big social problem in China,” said Wang Xiaoyan, the founder of Community Alliance, one of the few non-governmental organisations

in China that addresses the needs of senior citizens.

The first generation of parents affected by China’s population control policy put in place in 1979 — which the government says has averted 400 million births-is now hitting age 60. The tens of millions of one-child homes, coupled with mass migration of students and workers to urban areas, has destroyed the traditional nuclear family model.

Instead, ordinary Chinese are coping with a 4-2-1 inverted pyramid-four grandparents and two parents, all the responsibility of an only child. As a result, half of China’s over-60s — 80 million people, or roughly the population of Germany-live in “empty nests” without their children, who are unable to assume responsibility for their ageing parents.

“This is why we have problems now,” said Wu Cangping, an 88-year-old demographer who still teaches at Renmin University. “Children do not have enough money to take care of their parents. We’re getting old before we are getting rich!” — AFP

WHATʼS ON IN KUWAIT

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Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Gethealthykuwait.com continues the fight against obesity

Embassy information EMBASSY OF GREECE

180 employees at KIB received free on-the-spot testing and consultations during gethealthykuwait.com’s visit to spread obesity awareness at the workplace. ethealthykuwait.com, Kuwait’s national health campaign, announced today that it visited Kuwait International Bank’s (KIB) headquarters in Kuwait City and provided 180 employees with free health tests and consultations by its expert nutritionists, reaching an overall total of tested individuals to 2732 people since the launch of the campaign in June 2009.

Gethealthykuwait.com, launched by Diet Care and Taiba Hospital, aims to fight obesity and its complications by providing free on-the-spot testing of cholesterol, glucose, as well as Body Mass Index (BMI) analysis to the largest number of individuals in the community through the campaign’s weekly

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Expert nutritionist at gethealthykuwait.com, Dana Al Salem (left) provides free consultations to an employee (right) at KIB during the campaign’s visit.

visits to private businesses, public centers, and schools. This week, in an effort to spread health and nutritional awareness at their workplace, gethealthykuwait.com expert nutritionists provided KIB employees with free blood tests and weight analysis.

Kuwait International Bank Managing Director, Hameed Ahmad Al-Rasheed said: “It is important for KIB to advocate a more active and productive work environment for its employees, and we believe nutrition awareness is an important component for any workforce. We’ve opened our doors to gethealthykuwait.com because we wanted to support its efforts in spreading health and nutritional

awareness at KIB, and the community as a whole.”

Gethealthykuwait.com Chief Nutritionist and Diet Care Operations Manager, Sami Al Bader said: “We have witnessed positive reactions by KIB employees throughout our visit. Employees used their individual blood tests and the experience of gethealthykuwait.com’s expert nutritionists to ask for ways to improve their individual health and nutritional lifestyles. Gethealthykuwait.com is an opportunity for employees to be well-aware of their health statuses at the work place. We provide them with the personalized information that may prevent them from reaching to the dangerous stages of obesity and act towards overcoming the overweight

problems 80% of Kuwaitis are suffering from.”

Gethealthykuwait.com is the first community initiative of its kind, which aims to provide every individual in Kuwait the opportunity for free on-spot testing and free nutritional consultations. To date, gethealhtykuwait.com visited 11 private businesses, five schools, one governmental sector, and one public center.

Gethealthykuwait.com will continue its efforts to fight obesity in Kuwait with more weekly visits scheduled in the next coming months. We aim to make positive impacts on our community and raise the issue of the importance of healthy lifestyle in Kuwait.”

Unforgettable recital by Sikkil Gurucharan n January 5, 2010, Sikkil Gurucharan cast a magic spell on the audience at the Indian Community School auditorium (Junior), Salmiya, with his vocal concert, organized by the Kuwait Carnatic Music Forum. The young musician struck an excellent rapport with the audience with his intelligent choice of Kritis and dynamic performance.

Gifted with a melodious voice, Gurucharan gave a brilliant opening to the concert with the Geetham, Lambodara

by Purandaradasa. His rendition of Dinamani Vamsa was delightful. He filled the auditorium with his scintillating melody of Thodi. Gurucharan’s immaculate delivery of the Ragam and sedate, lilting Swaraprastara proved his great lineage (His grandparents are Padmashri, Sangeeta Kalanidhi Sikkil Sisters Kunjumani and Neela). His choice of the Kriti Daasharathe was very appropriate, for the Aaradana of Saint Shri. Thiagaraja. The Slokam and Thiruppavai were rendered with finesse.

Mavelikara Sathees Chandran on the violin gave an excellent support and was at his best. Perunna Harikumar played the Mridangam with depth and power. The Thaniavarthanam presented by Harikumar, Kottayam Santhosh Kumar on the Ganjira and Rajesh Ramakrishnan on the Ghatam was garnished with an interesting mix of

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patterns. It was indeed an enjoyable evening full of great music and intellectually stimulating experiences that left the audience wanting for more. Kuwait Carnatic Music Forum hopes to bring such musical talents to Kuwait to whet the appetite of music connoisseurs in Kuwait.

KKMA organizes drawing contest

Friday is family day at Radisson Blu Hotel he Al Bustan restaurant welcomes you, with your family and friends for the Best Brunch in town. You can have the world on a plate at our famous Family Brunch. Choose from Arabic, Asian and International fare feast on traditional roasts, tantalizing salads and mouth watering desserts. Listen to the duo perform light classics with smooth tunes and other popular favorites at the Al Bustan every Friday afternoons. Their music will be the perfect accompaniment to your Family Brunch.

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he grand finale of 2010 KKMATiffany Children’s Drawing Contest organized by Kuwait Kerala Muslim Association (KKMA) was held on 15 January 2010 at Kuwait Indian School in Jleeb.

The contest held open to all students of Indian Schools in Kuwait was divided into four categories - Primary School (Class 1 to IV), Upper Primary School (Class V to VII), Secondary School (Class VIII to Class X), and Senior Secondary School (Class XI and Class XII).

One thousand finalists, selected from 3000 first round contestants from 18 Indian schools in Kuwait, participated in the on-the-spot final contest.

Participants were requested to draw pictures on different subjects according to their age group based on contest theme of ‘world peace’. The primary students

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were requested to draw a beautiful garden, while the upper primary students drew a scene from their village. The secondary students were given a topic of a clean city while the senior secondary students have illustrated their dream on a peaceful world.

The objective of this contest is to promote a culture of nonviolence and peace by raising awareness among young children about these concepts, said Sageer Trikarpur, chairman of KKMA. The aim is also to recognize creative talent of children and to listen to their vision and spontaneous suggestions on self-respect and respect for others, sharing, tolerance, war and peace, and alike, officials explained.

A large number of parents attended the event appreciated the organizers skillful event management. They also

have participated in creating a giant public drawing canvas organized by KKMA. Artist Srinivasan PG inaugurated the canvas by drawing an imagination of world piece, which then continued by several prominent personalities, including Director of Kuwait Indian School Mrs. Hiyam Ibrahim Al Hutaimi, Tiffany marketing manager Sunny, Faisal Salahuddin, Istekhar Ahmed Khan, UAE Exchange Business Development Manager Ramdas, Managing Director of Apsara Bazaar Mahmood Abdulla, and Manager Behbahani Rental Car Mrs. Helen Pinto. KKMA Chairman Sageer Trikarpur, Vice Chairman Akbar Siddique, Chief Finance Officer Ali Matara, President NA Muneer, Treasurer Sayad Rafeek also joined along with a large number of public creating a 12 meter long canvas.

All the parents and public were thoroughly entertained with fun quiz and riddle games throughout the event and the winners rewarded with special gifts provided by Tiffany. The quiz conducted by S.M. Basheer left everyone smiling and enjoying throughout the session with the overwhelming response.

The contest held in 30 classrooms was supervised by 30 able volunteer members from IMLA, the ladies wing of KKMA. A large program committee headed by A.P. Abdul Salam as its chairman, BM Iqbal as vice chairman, Ibrahim Kunnil, Abdul Fathah Thayyil, K Basheer, Hamza Payyanur, Shukoor Maniyanodi, Muneer Kodi, Rayin Kutty, Ummer and CK Sathar as team leaders along with hundreds of KKMA volunteers ensured smooth organization of the event.

TKK members meet Indian ambassador ulukoota Kuwait Managing Committee 2010 had its first meeting with Indian Ambassador Ajai Malhotra on Tuesday, January 12. The committee thanked Ajai Malhotra for the overwhelming support received during the year 2009.

The committee also presented to the ambassador the calendar of events and plans for 2010.

The Indian ambassador congratulated the committee members on their new position, and also expressed great appreciation for the good work being carried out by Tulukoota Kuwait. He wished great success for the 10th Year celebrations of the Koota, and aspired that the Koota would scale greater heights in 2010.

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1) 2) 3) 4)

Feb 19th: Blood Donation April 9th: TKK Family Picnic Oct 8th: TKK Tuluparbha Competitions Oct 21st & 22ND: Tuluparbha Dashamanothsava

The Embassy of Greece has the pleasure to announce that with a view to promote business interaction and commercial relations between Greece and Kuwait and to present further support for the Kuwaiti importers, it requests all Kuwaiti Companies dealing with or representing Greek Companies in Kuwait to contact this Embassy as soon as possible and to provide by fax or e-mail the following information: (Name of the company, tel no, fax no, e-mail, type of business, name of the Greek companies/clients). The Embassy’s contacts are as follows: e-mail: gremb.kuw@mfa.gr; fax: 24817103, and tel no: 24817100, 24817101, 24817102.

EMBASSY OF INDIA On the occasion of the Republic Day of India, a Flag hoisting ceremony will be held at the Embassy of India premises on Arabian Gulf Street at 9 am on Tuesday, January 26, 2010. The flag hoisting will be followed by the reading of the message of the President of India, rendition of patriotic songs by Indian school children, and an Open House Reception. All Indian nationals in Kuwait are cordially invited to attend the Flag Hoisting Ceremony.

The Embassy of India has further revamped and improved its Legal Advice Clinic at the Indian Workers Welfare Center, and made the free service available to Indian nationals on all five working days, i.e. from Sunday to Thursday every week.

Kuwaiti lawyers would be available at the Legal Advice Clinic daily from Monday to Thursday, while Indian lawyers would be available on Sundays. Following are the free welfare services provided at the Indian Workers Welfare Center located at the Embassy of India: [i] 24x7 Helpline for Domestic Workers: Accessible by toll free telephone no. 25674163 from anywhere in Kuwait, it provides information and advice exclusively to Indian domestic sector workers (Visa No. 20) as regards their grievances, immigration and other matters. [ii] Help Desk: It offers guidance to Indian nationals on routine immigration, employment, legal, and other issues (Embassy premises; 9 AM to 1 PM and 2 PM to 4.30 PM, Sunday to Thursday); (iii) Labour Complaints Desk: It registers labor complaints and provides grievance redressal service to Indian workers (Embassy premises; 9 AM to 1 PM and 2 PM to 4.30 PM, Sunday to Thursday); (iv) Shelters: For female and male domestic workers in distress; (v) Legal Advice Clinic: Provides free legal advice to Indian nationals (Embassy premises; Kuwaiti lawyers 3 PM to 5 PM, Monday to Thursday; Indian lawyers 2 PM to 4 PM on Sunday); and (vi) Attestation of Work Contracts: Private sector worker (Visa No. 18) contracts are accepted at the Embassy; 9 AM to 1 PM; Sunday to Thursday; Domestic sector worker (Visa No. 20) contracts are accepted at Kuwait Union of Domestic Labor Offices (KUDLO), Hawally, Al-Othman Street, Kurd Roundabout, Al-Abraj Complex, Office No 9, Mezzanine Floor; 9 AM to 9 PM, Saturday to Thursday; 5 PM to 9 PM on Friday.

EMBASSY OF PHILIPPINES The Embassy of the Philippines wishes to inform the Filipino community in the State of Kuwait, that the recent supreme court decision to extend the registration of voter’s applies only in local registration in the Philippines under Republic Act no. 8189 and does not apply to overseas voters which is governed

by Republic Act no. 9189, hence it has no impact on the plans and preparations on the conduct of overseas absentee voting.

The overseas absentee voting for presidential elections will start on 10 April 2010 and will continue uninterrupted until 10 May 2010 daily at the Philippine Embassy.

Registered overseas absentee voters are advised to schedule their days off in advance to avoid complications in their schedules. Qualified voters are encouraged to get out and vote.

EMBASSY OF SOUTH AFRICA The Embassy of the Republic of South Africa’s working hours till Thursday, 31st December 2009 will be from 8 am to 10 am. Please note that the Embassy will be closed on Sunday, 3rd January 2010 on the occasion of the New Year. The Embassy will resume its normal working hours on Monday, 4th January 2010, from Sunday to Thursday.

Please note that the working hours will be from 8 am to 16h00 & the Consular section operation hours will be from 8h30 to 12h30.

Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations 5) Nov 26th: Souharda koota 6) Dec 17th: Annual General Body Meeting For membership renewal please contact TKK PRO Chandrahas Shetty at 55941955,

by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

WHATʼS ON IN KUWAIT

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

31

Al-Sayer holds blood donation campaign ublic Relations Group is very delighted to express its utmost gratitude and appreciation to all staff who participated in Al-Sayer Fourth Blood Donation campaign on the 17 January in coordination with Central Blood Bank of Kuwait.

The donors participated in this humanitarian event which will hopefully contribute saving other people’s life.

Khalid Al Enezi, Al-Sayer Public Relations Group Manager stated that blood donation will be one of the regular annual activities of Al Sayer Group and plans to organize future blood campaigns at least once a year, Khalid also expressed his gratitude to Khaled Al Shamaly and the accompanying crew for their efforts to make this humanitarian event possible, and he wishes them continued success.

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Khalid Al Enezi

Announcements JANUARY 21 ESF Haiti fund raiser: The English School Fahaheel will lend a helping hand on Thursday 21 January by holding a special Non - Uniform day to raise funds for the victims of the recent devastating earthquake in Haiti. The fund raiser will be held in coordination with The United Nations Haiti Earthquake Appeal. Seperate donations may also be made on this day.

JANUARY 27 Lecture by Dr Muna: Ties Center presents: “Intercultural Communication Competence” a lecture by Dr Muna A. Ali PhD. Dr Muna head of the Euro-Gulf studies Center at Kuwait University as well as the Prof. of Political Science & International Relations. Her lecture will focus on avoiding communication conflicts when interacting both socially and in work related activities with other cultures. Join us for an intercultural experience and test your communication skills! Wednesday, January 27th from 7 to 8:30 pm at Ties Center Shuhada, Block 4, Street 413, Villa 67, Call 25231015 or 97798222.

JANUARY 29 Drawing contest: The Kuwait RSC (Risala Study Circle) is conducting drawing contest (“NIRAKOOT”) for children as part of its Zonal conference. Venue On 29th January 2010 Friday at 4 pm in Abbasiya community hail. The participants have categorized as Junior and Senior (up to 7 year old as junior, in between 7 and 12 as senior) those who are interested to join the contest may call 66009656, 99118976 or Email at

rsckuwait@gmai1.com before 22nd January.

MARCH 26 CRYcket 2010: the 13th annual crycket tournament is scheduled to be held on Friday, 26th March 2010 at the KOC Hockey Grounds, Ahmadi. This tournament is organized by FOCC (Friends of Cry Club). Friends of CRY Club (FOCC) is associated with CRY (Child Rights and You), India and its main objectives are to create awareness of the underprivileged Indian children, help restore their basic rights, strive to provide support in personal development of the Indian children in Kuwait and bring out the qualities of social commitment in them. FOCC has been organizing CRY awareness programmes for children through its two annual events CRYcket (Cricket match for children below 14 years organized annually since 1997) and CRY chess tournament (for children of all ages organized annually since 2005) - and ‘Brain Bang’ programme which is an ongoing bi-weekly Accelerated Learning activity. CRYcket will be played by 24 teams of children and about 500 spectators are expected for this special one-day event. The deadline to receive the registration forms is 18th March 2010, however registration may be close earlier if the available slots of 12 teams in each category are filled. A colourful souvenir will be released to mark the 13th year of FOCC’s activities in Kuwait. For details how to become a sponsor and/or to advertise in the Souvenir or to volunteer as a FOCC member, pls visit www.focckwt.org or email focckwt@yahoo.com

Seminar on pediatrics health

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Bhavans celebrate annual day he third annual day and prize giving function of Indian Educational School, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Kuwait Kendra was held on the school grounds with a brilliant show of the multifaceted talent of the budding artists of the school. Santhana Gopal, the Joint Director, Central Bhavan was the chief guest.

The evening’s programme started with

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the lighting of the lamp by the honourable chairman of the school, Ramachandra Menon followed by a welcome song by the school orchestra and a symphonic performance of the school band.

The prizes for academic proficiency and excellence in co-curricular activities were given away by Santhana Gopal, the chief guest, and other dignitaries. The school principal, Ms Asha Sharma pre-

sented the report tracing the progress made in the last one year.

The multilingual cultural fiesta held in two parts - the first for the senior classes and the second for the primary-for two days included a variety of entertaining programmes like Laughter vs Twists and Turns, India Revealed, Legendary Wisdom, Dancing Damsels, A Scene From Julius Caesar, Progression as Regression,

he Institution of Engineers (India) Kuwait Chapter’s has arranged a seminar on “Pediatric Scientific Explanation of Common Disorders and Treatments” Jointly presented by a panel of eminent Child Specialists consisting of 1. Dr. V. Satya Narayan, 2.Dr. Bhaskar Gupta, 3. Dr. N. Ram, 4. Dr. Gaurav Jadon.

Des Rangeela, and Around the world in 15 Minutes to mention a few. The colourful and mesmeric pageant did add to the magnificent panorama of the twilight in the real sense of the term. When the Head Boy extended vote of thanks to the invigorating gathering of the parent community on the first day, the Class Representative, Class III opened his heart the second day.

The Topics of the Seminar as follows: 1. Childhood Asthma by Dr. V. Satya Narayan.

2. Adolescent Problems by Dr. Bhaskar Gupta.

3. Convulsions in Children by Dr. N. Ram. 4. Prevention of Childhood Accidents by Dr.

Gaurav Jadon.

Seminar Date & Time: 22.01.2010, Friday, 10:30 A.M to 1:00 P.M. Seminar Venue: Holiday Inn, Downtown (at Daheya Ballroom, 4th Floor) This seminar is for the Family (Children of age 6 and above are only allowed).Lunch will be served at the end of the Program. Those who are interested to attend the seminar are requested to register their names by 16.01.2010 through email vptiwari55@hotmail.com with the Details of Name of the IEI Member, Name of the Spouse, Name of the Children, Contact Nos. For further clarification kindly contact Engr.

V.P.Tewari (Mob.: 99560784).

Sabuj Bangla Sanksritik Jote’s new executives nnual council of Sabuj Bangla Sankskritik Jote a Bengali cultural organization was held on Friday in the Indian Community School Auditorium, Khaitan with a view to elect new office bearers in a democratic process.

The convention began with a discussion meeting that was presided over by the President Mainuddin. Moazuddin Ahmed the chief advisor to Bangladesh Awami League, Kuwait and convener of Jatiya Udjapan Parisad was the guest of honor. Among the special guests were Ataul Gani Mamun a renowned cultural organizer and well-wisher of the jote, Faiz Kamal president in charge of Bangladesh Awami League, Kuwait, Rafiqul Islam bulu president of’ Awami Foundation. Kuwait.

Present among the distinguished guests were Yakub bureau chief of Ajker Surjodoy.

Kabir Ahmed Senior Vice president of Sabuj Bangla Sankskritik Jote, Outgoing General Secretary and the candidate for the same Alauddin Ala and his contender Shahidul Islam Shahid.

Speakers in the council emphasized that once elected to the office the new executives will help to spread the heritage of Bengali art and culture abroad. They will also be able to shine the image of Bangladesh. Among the speakers also delivered speech the honorary members respective-

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Kozhikode District Association elects new executive committee ozhikode District Association - Kuwait elected new office bearers and executive committee for year 2010-2011. The general body was presided by ad hoc committee convener Razak M Payyoli. Patron Malayil Moosa Koya coordinated the election of the new executive committee. Following are the new office bearers for the year 2010-11: Chief Patron: Malayil Moosa Koya.

Patrons: Hassan Thikkodi, Siddeq Valiyakath, Hameed Keloth President: Adv: Razak M Payyoli; Gen Secreatry: Suresh Mathur; Treasurer: Santhakumar. M; Vice presidents:

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1. Rajagopal E., 2. K. Hassan Koya, 3. K.T. Beeran Koya.

Organizing Secretary: Zubair M.M. Ladies wing convener: . Neena Rajagopal; Secretaries for various wings: Sathyan Varoonda, Basheer Batha, Anas Puthiyottil, Kalathil Abdurahiman, Sreenesh, Abdulla Kollorath, Rishi Jacob, Santhosh Punathail, Sherif Thamarassery.

Auditor: N. Mohammed Rafi; Executive Committee members: Krishnan Kadalundi, Hakeem Villiappally, K P Abdurahiman, Shabeer Mandoli, Abubacker Quilandy,

Preman, Nayeem, Shamsuddeen AM, Mani Pappu, Sachariya, Azeez Thikkodi, Rasheed Painthong, Basheer Ahamad Farhath, Shoukath R M, T.K.Kannan, Karunakaran, Engr. Balagopalan, Shaji K.V Quilandy, Sreelatha Vijayan, . Shahina Subair, Sreeja Santhakumar, Laila Razak, Swapna Santhosh, Rafiya Anas, Neena Rajagopal, Asma K Abdulla, Sofiya Rahman.

Following are conveneros for different areas: K. Ali Koya (Abbasiya), Ilyas Thottathil (Farwaniya), Majeed M.M (Salmiya), and Muneer Marakkar (Fahaheel).

ly Shahjalal Kanan, Al Mamun Bhuiyan. Abdul Hannan, Fazlul Karim Mrnik.

Alauddin Ala presented the two year report in the council.

Journalist Ehsanul Haque Khokan had covered the event for news media. An

election was held in the next session of the council. From two contesters for the each position of General Secretary and Organizing Secretary.

Shihidul Islam won the post of General Secretary by securing 50 votes. Saiful Islam

Manik secured 65 votes and won the post of Organizing Secretary. Celebrating the victory, sweets were distributed among guests after the successful council, and the program ended in a lavish dinner.

INFORMATION

32

Tuesday, January 19, 2010 FIRE BRIGADE Operation Room 777 Al-Madena 22418714 Al-Shohada始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

Ministry of Interior website: www.moi.gov.kw

For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128 HOSPITALS Sabah Hospital

24812000

Amiri Hospital

22450005

Maternity Hospital

24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

Chest Hospital

24849400

Farwaniya Hospital

24892010

Adan Hospital

23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital

POLICE STATION Al-Madena Police Station Al-Murqab Police Station Al-Daiya Police Station Al-Fayha始a Police Station Al-Qadissiya Police Station Al-Nugra Police Station Al-Salmiya Police Station Al-Dasma Police Station

24874330/9 CLINICS

Roudha

22517733

Adhaliya

22517144

Khaldiya

24848075

Keifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salim

22549134

Al-Nuzha

22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Al-Khadissiya

22515088

Dasmah

22532265

Bneid Al-Ghar

22531908

Al-Shaab

22518752

Al-Kibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Kibla

22451082

Al-Mirqab

22456536

Sharq

22465401

Salmiya

25746401

Jabriya

25316254

Maidan Hawally

25623444

Bayan

25388462

Mishref

25381200

W.Hawally

22630786

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

New Jahra

24575755

West Jahra

24772608

South Jahra

24775066

North Jahra

24775992

North Jleeb

24311795

Al-Ardhiya

24884079

Firdous

4892674

Al-Omariya

4719048

N.Kheitan

4710044

Rabiya

4732263

Fintas

3900322

THE PUBLIC AUTHORITY FOR CIVIL INFORMATION Automated enquiry about the Civil ID card is 1889988 AIRLINES

PHARMACIES ON 24 HRS DUTY GOVERNORATE Ahmadi

PHARMACY Sama Safwan Abu Halaifa Danat Al-Sultan

ADDRESS Fahaeel Makka St Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd

PHONE 23915883 23715414 23726558

Jahra

Modern Jahra Madina Munawara

Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 Jahra-Block 92

24575518 24566622

Capital

Ahlam Khaldiya Coop

Fahad Al-Salem St Khaldiya Coop

22436184 24833967

Farwaniya

New Shifa Ferdous Coop Modern Safwan

Farwaniya Block 40 Ferdous Coop Old Kheitan Block 11

24734000 24881201 24726638

Hawally

Tariq Hana Ikhlas Hawally & Rawdha Ghadeer Kindy

Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Salmiya-Amman St Hawally-Beirut St Hawally & Rawdha Coop Jabriya-Block 1A Jabriya-Block 3B

25726265 25647075 22625999 22564549 25340559 25326554

EMERGENCY 112

PRIVATE CLINICS Ophthalmologists: Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea Dr. Masoma Habeeb Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy Dr. Mohsen Abel Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly

25622444 25752222 25321171 25739999 25757700 25732223 25732223

Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT): Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510 Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660 Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478 Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996 Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988 Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166 Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426 General Practitioners: Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123 Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312 Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920 Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465 Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528 Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781 Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501 Urologists: Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534 Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955 Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi22616660 Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120 Plastic Surgeons: Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf 22547272

22434064 22435865 22544200 22547133 22515277 22616662 25714406 22530801

Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari Dr. Abdel Quttainah

22617700 25625030/60

Family Doctor: Dr Divya Damodar 23729596/23729581

Dr. Dr. Dr. Dr. Dr.

Zahra Qabazard Sohail Qamar Snaa Maaroof Pradip Gujare Zacharias Mathew

25710444 22621099 25713514 23713100 24334282

(1) Ear, Nose and Throat Psychiatrists Dr. Esam Al-Ansari 22635047 Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan 22613623/0 Gynaecologists & Obstetricians: Dr Adrian Harbe 23729596/23729581 Dr. Verginia s.Marin 2572-6666 ext 8321 Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan 22655539 Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami 25343406 Dr. Ahmad Al-Khooly 25739272 Dr. Salem soso 22618787 General Surgeons: Dr. Abidallah Behbahani 25717111 Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer 22610044 Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher 25327148

Paediatricians: Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed 25340300

Rheumatologists: Dr. Adel Al-Awadi 25330060 Dr. Khaled Al-Jarallah 25722290

(2) Plastic Surgeon Dr. Abdul Mohsin Jafar, FRCS (Canada)

25655535 Dentists:

Dr Anil Thomas

3729596/3729581

Dr. Shamah Al-Matar

22641071/2

Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed

22562226

Dr. Abidallah Al-Amer

22561444

Dr. Faysal Al-Fozan

22619557

Dr. Abdallateef Al-Katrash

22525888

Dr. Abidallah Al-Duweisan

25653755

Dr. Bader Al-Ansari

25620111

Neurologists:

Internist, Chest & Heart: DR.Mohammes Akkad 24555050 Ext 210 Dr. Mohammad Zubaid MB, ChB, FRCPC, PACC Assistant Professor Of Medicine Head, Division of Cardiology Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital Tel: 25339667 Dr. Farida Al-Habib MD, PH.D, FACC Consultant Cardiologist Tel: 2611555-2622555 Inaya German Medical Center Te: 2575077 Fax: 25723123

Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri 25633324 Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan

Internists, Chest & Heart: Dr. Adnan Ebil 22639939 Dr. Mousa Khadada 22666300 Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan 25728004 Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra 25355515 Dr. Mobarak Aldoub 24726446 Dr Nasser Behbehani 25654300/3

Physiotherapists & VD: Dr. Deyaa Shehab 25722291 Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees 22666288

25345875

Gastrologists Dr. Sami Aman

22636464

Dr. Mohammad Al-Shamaly 25322030 Dr. Foad Abidallah Al-Ali

22633135

Endocrinologist: Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman 25339330 Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari

25658888

Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr

25329924

Psychologists/Psychotherapists Soor Center Tel: 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688 info@soorcenter.com www.soorcenter.com Dr. Naif Al-Mutawa, Ph.D. 2290-1677 Susannah-Joy Schuilenberg, M.A. 2290-1677 William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677 Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677

Kuwait Airways Wataniya Airways Jazeera Airways Jet Airways Qatar Airways KLM Air Slovakia Olympic Airways Royal Jordanian Reservation British Airways Air France Emirates Air India Sri Lanka Airlines Egypt Air Swiss Air Saudia Middle East Airlines Lufthansa PIA Alitalia Balkan Airlines Bangladesh Airlines Czech Airlines Indian Airlines Oman Air Turkish Airlines

22433377 24379900 177 22477631 22423888 22425747 22434940 22420002/9 22418064/5/6 22433388 22425635 22430224 22425566 22438184 22424444 22421578 22421516 22426306 22423073 22422493 22421044 22414427 22416474 22452977/8 22417901/2433141 22456700 22412284/5 22453820/1

INTERNATIONAL CALLS Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Anguilla Antiga Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Cyprus (Northern) Czech Republic Denmark Diego Garcia Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador England (UK)

0093 00355 00213 00376 00244 001264 001268 0054 00374 0061 0043 001242 00973 00880 001246 00375 0032 00501 00229 001441 00975 00591 00387 00267 0055 00673 00359 00226 00257 00855 00237 001 00238 001345 00236 00235 0056 0086 0057 00269 00242 00682 00506 00385 0053 00357 0090392 00420 0045 00246 00253 001767 001809 00593 0020 00503 0044

Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guinea Guyana Haiti Holland (Netherlands) Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Ibiza (Spain) Iceland India Indian Ocean Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Italy Ivory Coast Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Lebanon Liberia Libya Lithuania Luxembourg Macau Macedonia

00240 00291 00372 00251 00500 00298 00679 00358 0033 00594 00689 00241 00220 00995 0049 00233 00350 0030 00299 001473 00590 001671 00502 00224 00592 00509 0031 00504 00852 0036 0034 00354 0091 00873 0062 0098 00964 00353 0039 00225 001876 0081 00962 007 00254 00686 00965 00996 00856 00371 00961 00231 00218 00370 00352 00853 00389

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

33 ACCOMMODATION Fully furnished sharing accommodation available in Abbassiya for couple or for two bachelors from Feb 1st.

Contact: 99264892.

(C 20222) One room accommodation available for single Indian bachelor in C-A/C flat near Indian Community School Salmiya, rent KD 65. Contact: 97237934, 25658475. (C 20223) 19-1-2010 Fully furnished sharing accommodation available for Keralite family at Abbassiya (only 4 months, from Feb 1st).

Contact: 99962214, 66957146. (C 20215) 18-1-2010 Sharing accommodation available for family or bachelor, central A/C building, bathroom attached near Garden store, Abbassiya. Contact: 65662085, 66274078. (C 20208) One room furnished available near Indian Central school Abbassiya for decent bachelor or small family from 25th January, Indians only, reasonable rent. Contact: 99764178.

(C 20107) Sharing accommodation available in Abbassiya near German clinic for decent bachelors (non smoking and non alcoholic) with a Keralite bachelor C-A/C new building, rent KD 45. Tel: 94942964. (C 20206) Sharing accommodation available in a C-A/C building for a small Keralite family in Abbassiya adjacent to Integrated Indian school and Bharathiya Vidhyabhavan from February 1st. Contact: 97846304 (24346984 after 6 pm). (C 20213) One central AC room available in Farwaniya for sharing bachelor accommodation for non-smoking two or three Keralite bachelors preferred, from 1st February 2010, behind Crowne Plaza. Contact: 99189630, 97997193. (C 20210) 17-1-2010

Sharing accommodation available in Abbassiya decent Keralite couple only, Jan 21st or Feb 1st, double bedroom flat rent KD 80. Contact: 97142939, 99263083. (C 20197) One room with separate bathroom available in old Riggae, closer to Avenues, near Future Pharmacy in a new CA/C 2 bedroom 2 bathroom flat for family or working ladies. Contact: 55114836, 67656901.

(C 20201) 16-1-2010 Sharing rooms with bath, CA/C available in Salmiya and Maidan Hawally, single or couple. Call 97151921. (C 20194) Sharing accommodation available for two decent bachelors (preferably Keralite) near senior Indian Community School, Salmiya. Contact: 66780615 after 2 pm. (C 20192) Deluxe furnished room accommodation for one decent Pakistani or Indian bachelor, near garden Salmiya, in a very pleasant neat peaceful environment, rent KD 90. Contact: 66639581. (C 20191) Sharing accommodation available in Jabriya Block 12, St 8, for a lady or gent in a CA/C, 3 BR flat with 2 bathrooms. Contact: 65135094.

(C 20190) 14-1-2010 Sharing accommodation available for couple/ executive bachelor/ working lady in C-A/C flat big room in Salwa street no. 1, block no. 4 with south Indian family, DSL wireless internet available, rent KD 75. Contact: 66492509.

(C 20188) Sharing accommodation available in Salmiya near church central A/C building, separate room, for bachelors/ couple/ ladies. Contact: 99815378. (C 20185) Sharing accommodation available for Goan or Mangalorean small family or bachelors share with a small family two bedroom flat window A/C near Rashid hospital Shara

Amman Salmiya. Contact: 94969047. (C 20178) Sharing accommodation available for Hindu or Christian bachelor share with another bachelor with Keralite family in Abbassiya near Integrated school central A/C 2 bedroom kitchen facility available. Contact: 66172468. (C 20179) Sharing accommodation available for Goan or Mangalorean small family or two non smoking bachelors share with a small Mangalorean family C-A/C flat near Rashid hospital, Shara Amman, Salmiya.

Contact: 97528430.

(C 20177) 13-1-2010

FOR SALE Toyota Camry XLi, 4 cylinders, model 2006, white color, done KD 47,000, excellent condition, price cash KD 3,150.

Contact: 97213518. (C 20219) Mercedes 99 E240, silver, very good condition, full option, sunroof, wood decoration, cruise control, company original paint, lady driven, price KD 1750. Contact: 66321932. (C 20218) Mitsubishi Gallant, model 2003, silver grey color, in very good condition and insured up to October 2010, engine overhauled in November 09, from M/S auto-1 (ex Al Gannam), price fixed KD 1150. Call: 66608427. (C 20217) 19-1-2010 Mitsubishi Pajero 2000

model, (V6) very good condition, golden color, KD 1650. Phone: 99951793, 66605926. (C 20204) 17-1-2010 Sony TV, Electric oven, boiler/ Coffee maker and dishwasher for sale. Please call 97850290.

Pejot Pointer delivery van, 2008 model, KD 1,350.

Phone: 66052331.

(C 20199) Jeep Ford Escape, model 2001, color yellow, four doors, 6 cylinders, very good condition with original paint, 200,191 km, price KD 1,250 fixed.

Phone: 97786744/ 66804825.

(C 20200) Prado 4 cylinder, model 2007, full option, Al Sayer maintained all five tyres new. Price KD 5,750, negotiable. Contact: 66050484.

(C 20202) 16-1-2010 Mitsubishi Lancer 2007, run 50,000 km only, silver metallic, one hand used manager. KD 2000 only (Al Mulla maintained). Contact: 66601607. (C 20193) Brand new Blackberry Bold 9000 unopened original packing. Call 66781734. (C 20189) Multimedia projector, brand Polaroid, in good condition, price KD 50. Call 99322585.

(C 20195) 14-1-2010 Jeep Suzuki Grand Vitara 2007, 2 door, manual gear, blue color, cruise control, CD, 37 km, perfect condition, agency warranty. KD

2,600. Contact: 99881982 . (C 20184) Mitsubishi Gallant, model 2008, silver color, 72,000 km, 6 cylinders, options, excellent condition, price KD 2,950.

Contact: 66026259/ 55273700.

(C 20181)

MATRIMONIAL Syrian Catholic parents in Kuwait invite marriage proposals for their son, B.Tech, 29/177, employed in Kuwait.

Contact:jmj8002@gmail.com (C 20209) Proposals invited for Keralite Orthodox boy 27/180/BE, working MNC Banglore from professionally qualified girls.

Contact email: anish_relish@rediffmail.com (C 20211)

CHANGE OF NAME Old name: Vindo Kumar Raghavan Ezhuthassan Passport Number F9952256, new name: Vinodkumaar Raghavan Ezhuthassan.

(C 20216) 18-1-2010

house maid job, experience in cooking, cleaning also new born baby massage.

Call 66367806. (C 20203) Looking for a suitable job as an accountant, qualification is M.Com, have nine years experience in Dubai, well versed in preparation of trial balance profit & loss A/C and balance sheet.

Please contact: 94942964.

(C 20205) 17-1-2010

SITUATION VACANT

Wanted part/full time maid for Indian family in Riggae, preferably Goan. Contact: 99694619. (C 20156) 13-1-2010

SITUATION WANTED Indian male, (MBA Finance) with 2.5 years accountant experience in India, currently seeking for job, proficient in Tally 9,SAP fico, MS Office. Holding valid transferable visa no. 18. Contact: 65547019, 25620738. (C 20214) 18-1-2010 Looking for a part time

Proposals invited for Keralite Orthodox boy financially sound, 26/180 MBA, bank employee in Kuwait, girls employed in Kuwait preferred.

Email: devson555@gmail.com 17-1-2010

No: 14614

Proposals invited for Keralite RCSC girl, 27/158cm, B.Sc MLT, working with MoH Kuwait as lab technologist, from professionally qualified RC boys working in Kuwait.

Contact email: geocee999@gmail.com (C 20196) Malayalee Christian Orthodox parents invite proposals from girls for their son 29/176cms fair, good looking well employed telecom engineer working in Kuwait. Email: varughesekurian@hotmail.com (C 20155) 14-1-2010

Flight Schedule Arrival Flights on Tuesday 19/01/2010 Airlines Flt Route Jazeera 0263 Beirut K.L.M. 0447 Amsterdam/Bahrain Jet A/W 574 Cochin Wataniya Airways 2103 Beirut Kalitta 537 Sharjah Gulf Air 211 Bahrain Ethiopian 620 Addis Ababa Turkish A/L 1172 Istanbul D.H.L. 370 Bahrain Emirates 853 Dubai Etihad 0305 Abu Dhabi Jazeera 0267 Beirut Qatari 0138 Doha Kuwait 802 Cairo Jazeera 0637 Aleppo Jazeera 0269 Beirut Falcon 201 Dubai Jazeera 0503 Luxor Jazeera 0527 Alexandria Jazeera 0529 Assiut British 0157 London Kuwait 412 Manila/Bangkok Jazeera 0161 Dubai Kuwait 302 Mumbai Kuwait 332 Trivandrum Kuwait 344 Chennai Kuwait 676 Dubai Emirates 855 Dubai Arabia 0121 Sharjah Qatari 0132 Doha Iran Air 605 Isfahan Etihad 0301 Abu Dhabi Gulf Air 213 Bahrain Wataniya Airways 1121 Bahrain Jazeera 0447 Doha Kuwait 204 Lahore Jazeera 0165 Dubai Jazeera 0425 Bahrain Jazeera 0113 Abu Dhabi Wataniya Airways 1021 Dubai Kuwait 772 Riyadh Egypt Air 610 Cairo Syrian Arab A/L 341 Damascus Jazeera 0171 Dubai Kuwait 672 Dubai Wataniya Airways 2301 Damascus Egypt Air 621 Assiut Nas Air 745 Jeddah Jazeera 0525 Alexandria Jazeera 0257 Beirut Wataniya Airways 2001 Cairo Saudi Arabian A/L 500 Jeddah Kuwait 678 Muscat/Abu Dhabi Kuwait 562 Amman Kuwait 552 Damascus Jazeera 0457 Damascus Qatari 0134 Doha Kuwait 284 Dhaka

Time 00:05 00:10 00:40 00:50 01:00 01:05 01:45 02:15 02:15 02:35 03:00 03:10 03:25 04:45 05:05 05:10 05:25 05:35 06:10 06:30 06:40 06:45 07:45 07:55 08:05 08:10 08:20 08:30 08:55 09:00 09:15 09:35 10:45 10:45 11:00 11:05 11:05 11:10 11:20 11:20 12:40 12:55 13:00 13:05 13:25 13:35 13:55 14:00 14:05 14:10 14:20 14:30 14:30 14:35 14:40 14:45 15:00 15:10

Kuwait Royal Jordanian Jazeera Mihin Lanka Bahrain Air Emirates Kuwait Gulf Air Etihad Saudi Arabian A/L Jazeera Arabia Jazeera Jazeera Thai Wataniya Airways Sri Lankan United A/L Jazeera Wataniya Airways D.H.L. Wataniya Airways Kuwait Jazeera Kuwait Kuwait Kuwait Kuwait Iran Air Kuwait Kuwait Singapore A/L Kuwait Jet A/W Wataniya Airways Oman Air Egypt Air Jazeera Jazeera Gulf Air Middle East Qatari Emirates K.L.M. Kuwait Indian Jazeera Jazeera Safi A/W Jazeera Jazeera Egypt Air Egypt Air India Express Lufthansa Bangladesh Wataniya Airways Wataniya Airways Pakistan

546 Alexandria 15:30 800 Amman 15:40 0173 Dubai 16:05 403 Colombo/Dubai 16:40 344 Bahrain 16:50 857 Dubai 16:55 118 New York 16:55 215 Bahrain 17:05 0303 Abu Dhabi 17:15 510 Riyadh 17:15 0493 Jeddah 17:30 0125 Sharjah 17:40 0217 Isfahan 17:40 0433 Mashad 17:45 519 Bangkok 17:45 2101 Beirut 17:50 227 Colombo/Dubai 18:05 982 Washington DC Dulles 18:15 0427 Bahrain 18:15 2003 Cairo 18:20 473 Baghdad 18:30 1025 Dubai 18:40 542 Cairo 18:50 0177 Dubai 18:55 674 Dubai 18:55 174 Geneva/Frankfurt 19:00 786 Jeddah 19:10 614 Bahrain 19:20 617 Ahwaz 19:25 774 Riyadh 19:30 104 London 19:35 458 Singapore/Abu Dhabi 19:45 618 Doha 20:00 572 Mumbai 20:05 1201 Jeddah 20:15 0647 Muscat 20:20 618 Alexandria 20:35 0459 Damascus 20:40 0343 Sanaa/Bahrain 20:55 217 Bahrain 21:05 402 Beirut 21:20 0136 Doha 21:35 859 Dubai 21:40 0445 Amsterdam 21:55 502 Beirut 22:00 981 Chennai/Hyderabad/Ahmedabad 22:05 0449 Doha 22:10 0429 Dubai/Bahrain 22:15 215 Kabul 22:15 0117 Abu Dhabi 22:25 0185 Dubai 22:40 612 Cairo 22:45 606 Luxor 23:00 389 Kozhikode/Mangalore 23:15 636 Frankfurt 23:30 043 Dhaka 23:40 1029 Dubai 23:45 1129 Bahrain 23:55 205 Lahore 23:55

Departure Flights on Tuesday l9/01/2010 Airlines Flt Route Jazeera 0528 Assiut Shaheen Air 442 Lahore India Express 394 Cochin/Kozhikode United A/L 981 Washington DC Dulles Indian 576 Goa/Chennai Bangladesh 046 Dhaka Pakistan 216 Karachi Lufthansa 637 Frankfurt K.L.M. 0447 Amsterdam Jet A/W 573 Cochin Kuwait 203 Lahore Ethiopian 620 Bahrain/Addis Ababa Kuwait 283 Dhaka Turkish A/L 1173 Istanbul D.H.L. 371 Bahrain Emirates 854 Dubai Etihad 0306 Abu Dhabi Kalitta 537 Kandahar Qatari 0139 Doha Jazeera 0164 Dubai Wataniya Airways 1020 Dubai Jazeera 0524 Alexandria Wataniya Airways 2000 Cairo Jazeera 0112 Abu Dhabi Kuwait 677 Abu Dhabi/Muscat Jazeera 0446 Doha Gulf Air 212 Bahrain Wataniya Airways 1120 Bahrain Jazeera 0422 Bahrain Wataniya Airways 2300 Damascus Kuwait 545 Alexandria Jazeera 0256 Beirut British 0156 London Jazeera 0170 Dubai Kuwait 671 Dubai Kuwait 551 Damascus Kuwait 561 Amman Kuwait 771 Riyadh Jazeera 0456 Damascus Arabia 0122 Sharjah Kuwait 101 London/New York Emirates 856 Dubai Qatari 0133 Doha Iran Air 606 Mashad Etihad 0302 Abu Dhabi Wataniya Airways 2002 Cairo Gulf Air 214 Bahrain Kuwait 165 Rome/Paris Jazeera 0342 Bahrain/Sanaa Kuwait 541 Cairo Jazeera 0172 Dubai Jazeera 0432 Mashad Wataniya Airways 2100 Beirut Jazeera 0492 Jeddah Kuwait 785 Jeddah Egypt Air 611 Cairo Syrian Arab A/L 342 Damascus Wataniya Airways 1024 Dubai

FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION 161

Time 00:05 00:15 00:30 00:40 00:50 01:00 01:10 01:20 01:25 01:40 02:20 02:30 02:55 03:15 03:15 03:50 04:10 05:00 05:00 07:00 07:00 07:20 07:30 07:35 07:40 07:40 07:45 07:50 07:55 08:10 08:30 08:35 08:55 09:00 09:00 09:10 09:15 09:20 09:25 09:35 09:35 09:40 10:00 10:15 10:20 11:30 11:40 11:45 11:50 12:00 12:00 12:05 12:05 12:15 13:40 13:55 14:00 14:25

Kuwait Jazeera Egypt Air Nas Air Jazeera Wataniya Airways Jazeera Jazeera Saudi Arabian A/L Kuwait Kuwait Kuwait Royal Jordanian Qatari Kuwait Bahrain Air Mihin Lanka Gulf Air Etihad Emirates Arabia Jazeera Kuwait Saudi Arabian A/L Jazeera Wataniya Airways Jazeera Jazeera Jazeera Thai Wataniya Airways Kuwait Sri Lankan Wataniya Airways Jazeera Kuwait Iran Air Kuwait Wataniya Airways Jet A/W Oman Air Jazeera Egypt Air Singapore A/L Gulf Air D.H.L. Kuwait Middle East Falcon Jazeera Qatari Kuwait Emirates K.L.M. Kuwait Jazeera Egypt Air Kuwait Jazeera Kuwait

673 0216 622 746 0176 1200 0426 0458 505 501 773 613 801 0135 617 345 404 216 0304 858 0126 0262 543 511 0184 2010 0116 0448 0428 520 2102 285 228 1028 0532 361 616 351 1128 571 0648 0240 619 457 218 171 675 403 102 0188 0137 301 860 0445 205 0526 613 415 0502 411

Dubai Isfahan Assiut Jeddah Dubai Jeddah Bahrain Damascus Jeddah Beirut Riyadh Bahrain Amman Doha Doha Bahrain Dubai/Colombo Bahrain Abu Dhabi Dubai Sharjah Beirut Cairo Riyadh Dubai Sharm El Sheikh Abu Dhabi Doha Bahrain/Dubai Bangkok Beirut Chittagong Dubai/Colombo Dubai Sharm El Sheikh Colombo Ahwaz Cochin Bahrain Mumbai Muscat Amman Alexandria Abu Dhabi/Singapore Bahrain Bahrain Dubai Beirut Bahrain Dubai Doha Mumbai Dubai Bahrain/Amsterdam Islamabad Alexandria Cairo Kuala Lumpur/Jakarta Luxor Bangkok/Manila

14:30 14:35 14:50 14:55 15:05 15:10 15:25 15:30 16:00 16:10 16:10 16:20 16:25 16:30 16:15 17:35 17:40 17:55 18:00 18:10 18:20 18:25 18:30 18:30 18:35 18:40 18:40 18:50 19:00 19:05 19:05 19:10 19:15 19:30 19:50 20:20 20:25 20:55 21:00 21:10 21:20 21:25 21:35 21:45 21:55 22:00 22:10 22:20 22:30 22:30 22:35 22:45 22:50 22:55 22:55 23:25 23:45 23:45 23:50 23:55

SPECTRUM

34 CROSSWORD 874

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Calvin Aries (March 21-April 19) You might like to ignore

responsibilities and do some socializing, but realities may demand that you tend to business and forget your friends for the moment. You have practical ideas and you are able to lend a helping hand when someone needs it. You may receive some recognition or special attention regarding your particular skills and abilities in the work place today. This is a great time to reflect and understand your own situation, just how you feel about yourself.

Emotions in particular, or the feelings of those around you, may be very clear today. You could be helping children through a puppet or mime class this afternoon. This evening there are new and unusual ways of appreciating and loving. You may discover something new about love.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Someone you helped

yesterday may be helping you today. Communicating and getting your message across to others is at a high just now. Your timing should be perfect and those around you should find you most spontaneous and alive. This is a time of good fortune when things open up in a very natural way. Situations are almost tailor-made and it is easy to see which path is the one to take. There are plenty of opportunities where choices of expression are concerned—you may find yourself able to do almost anything. You may enjoy probing into your own psyche. Learning tools that make communication easier is fascinating. A trip to the bookstore may help you to find some interesting ideas to make your life easier. Let music relax you.

Pooch Cafe

ACROSS 1. A doctor's degree in theology.

4. An enclosed space.

7. Toward the mouth or oral region.

11. A plant hormone promoting elongation of stems and roots.

12. The elementary stages of any subject (usually plural).

13. (Babylonian) God of wisdom and agriculture and patron of scribes and schools.

14. A silvery malleable metallic element that resists corrosion.

15. Resinlike substance secreted by certain lac insects.

16. Flemish painter who was a founder of the Flemish school of painting and to have pioneered modern techniques of oil painting (1390-1441).

17. (Babylonian) A demigod or first man.

20. A toxic nonmetallic element related to sulfur and tellurium.

21. The basic unit of money in Nigeria.

22. Tropical starchy tuberous root.

24. A visual presentation showing how something works.

26. A particular geographical region of indefinite boundary (usually serving some special purpose or distinguished by its people or culture or geography).

29. Being one hundred more than three hundred.

30. Any of various units of capacity.

32. A former agency (from 1946 to 1974) that was responsible for research into atomic energy and its peacetime uses in the United States.

35. The blood group whose red cells carry both the A and B antigens.

37. African tree having an exceedingly thick trunk and fruit that resembles a gourd and has an edible pulp called monkey bread.

40. Type genus of the family Arcidae.

44. Slender bristlelike appendage found on the bracts of grasses.

45. A Tibetan or Mongolian priest of Lamaism.

48. A river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine.

49. A human limb.

50. An official language of the Republic of South Africa.

51. One of the most common of the five major classes of immunoglobulins.

52. An agency of the United Nations affiliated with the World Bank.

53. Type genus of the Alcidae comprising solely the razorbill.

54. A young woman making her debut into society.

DOWN 1. A person of exceptional importance and reputation.

2. A member of a seafaring group of North American Indians who lived on the Pacific coast of British Columbia and southwestern Alaska.

3. Large tropical butterfly with degenerate forelegs and an unpleasant taste.

4. A deep bow.

5. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

6. Being one hundred more than two hundred.

7. A member of the Iroquoian people formerly living east of Lake Ontario.

8. A column of light (as from a beacon).

9. The elementary stages of any subject (usually plural).

10. A British peer of the highest rank.

18. Manufactured in standard sizes to be shipped and assembled elsewhere.

19. A public promotion of some product or service.

23. A constellation in the southern hemisphere near Telescopium and Norma.

25. A Russian river.

27. The branch of engineering science that studies the uses of electricity and the equipment for power generation and distribution and the control of machines and communication.

28. A radioactive element of the actinide series.

31. A white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily.

33. Music composed for dancing the conga.

34. A republic on the island of Malta in the Mediterranean.

35. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

36. A soft silvery metallic element of the alkali earth group.

38. Inspired by a feeling of fearful wonderment or reverence.

39. Any of numerous local fertility and nature deities worshipped by ancient Semitic peoples.

40. Being ten more than one hundred ninety.

41. A sudden short attack.

42. An enclosure made or wire or metal bars in which birds or animals are kept.

43. An Arabic speaking person who lives in Arabia or North Africa.

46. (British) A waterproof raincoat made of rubberized fabric.

47. A flat wing-shaped process or winglike part of an organism.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) You should be enjoying some life style changes at this time. You have a unique way of dressing and others are supportive and fascinated by your ability to coordinate colors and patterns that would not otherwise have been considered. You enjoy where you are in your life at this time and you look forward to new and better; always improving and growing. You work hard to be self-sufficient and to have self-sufficient kids. It is important to you that they have good judgment. There is a relationship you have with an older person that is like a mentor relationship—open your mind to hearing what they are saying to you. This older person’s style of decision-making influences your own decision-making choices. Good communication is important now.

Non Sequitur

Cancer (June 21-July 22) You may find a co-worker or friend that understands you and is supportive of your efforts at this time. There is optimism, faith and a tendency to take chances towards gaining new work opportunities. If you are actively working on your life’s progress now, you will see some positive results in many different areas of your life. Stay in the moment and do not worry about things you cannot control. The preparations you have been making for your future are about to pay off now. Observe people today, imagine them in different situations and try not to laugh. You may find yourself being put to good use by your friends this afternoon. Rent a comedy video this evening and take some time with your loved one or even by yourself, to refurbish your energies.

Leo (July 23-August 22) There is something that you may suspect is worth checking out in the work world today. This could mean a new way to invest or ideas for presentation. Some of your work classification could be changed now. Your ambition and drive are strong. You can feel the trends of the times and you will make the right moves to improve your finances as well. This is a time to get ahead by taking action.

Everything comes about to reveal you at your most elegant, particularly in social situations. Turn a negative situation into a positive one by helping another with little chores and distancing your emotions. There is a chance to understand those around you and to have a special time with someone you love. You will have an opportunity to renew a friendship today.

Zits

Virgo (August 23-September 22) Business or career projects may need adjustments now. With so many things on your mind today, it may be hard to concentrate on routine matters. However, this is where your accomplishments are today; concentration and continuing your routine. To get the best results in financial affairs you need to be less concerned about security and more willing to take risks. Never would anyone be wise to suggest gambling. Your instincts are strong—you know just what to do. High-tech equipment impinges on the domestic environment somehow. An eccentric relative attracts some attention. Poetry and art are possible. Enjoy some relaxing entertainment; movies, books or all healthy forms of escape could prove enjoyable. Keep your options open tonight!

Libra (September 23-October 22) Intuition hits again today and you can log your thoughts in that notebook of yours. Your talents or the way in which you perform your work will pay off well at this time. You will have authority figures watching as you successfully deal with problems at work. An urge for social interactions with your friends may have to be put on hold just now as you are much more intensely focused on accomplishing a particular goal. You may find yourself working into the early evening hours. You certainly will not be bored with any part of the day and there are plenty of opportunities to use your mind and your creativity.

There is time for you and a loved one to break away for a little relaxation; perhaps to enjoy an evening performance of a play or musical.

Mother Goose and Grimm

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) Your working

relationships are getting more interesting now. People that mentally stimulate you are like a breath of fresh air. It is time to review your personal business. Advice along these lines would be helpful. You may be happy with where you are but a different viewpoint may help you widen your scope of possibilities. If you are behind in a payment, now is the time to let your creditors know you are working on the situation. There is a yearning for the stimulation of new ideas this afternoon. Perhaps you are in the retail or advertisement business. This may be a difficult time to relax. There is optimism now and you intuitively sense that this is the time to pursue new creative enterprises. Romance and creative ideas are certainly a focus tonight.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) This is a period when you take your work more serious than usual. It takes a lot of motivation to get everything scheduled and organized but the people around you help you as much as possible. You could feel real support. You enjoy being as independent as possible but you always show appreciation when others are truly helpful. You are excited by new concepts, no matter who thought of them. This is a fruitful period for real estate investments. You may be able to enjoy and value your own life situation today or feel especially kind toward a friend or loved one. A lover or child who is bright and articulate plays a bigger role in your life.

You may be teaching this person how to investigate, research or to expand on their own personal talents.

Yesterday’s Solution

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) You

yester

Yesterday’s Solution

to

INTERNATIONAL CALLS Kuwait Qatar Abu Dhabi Dubai Raas Al Khayma Al-Shareqa Muscat Jordan Bahrain Riyadh Makkah - Jeddah Cairo Alexandria Beirut Damascus Allepo

00965 00974 009712 009714 009717 009716 00968 009626 00973 009661 009662 00202 00203 009611 0096311 0096321

Tunisia Rabat Washington New York Paris London Madrid Zurich Geneva Monaco Rome Bangkok Hong Kong Pakistan Taiwan Bonn

0021610 002127 001212 001718 00331 004471 00341 00411 004122 0033 00396 00662 00852 0092 00886 0049228

Word Sleuth Solution

are the one to catch any mistakes today at work and there may be a few. If you have doubts about calculations—go back and check it out when you can; perhaps cross check with someone. This is a great time to be with others and to work together. You may be sought after as just the person for a particular job. Your business expertise is in high focus. You could be most persuasive with others and persuasive in your communications today. Your involvement in a neighborhood activity proves successful. Instead of allowing others to dump all the work on your back today, you seem to have learned to allocate the jobs to others. Good for you! A young person becomes independent this evening. This is the direction of your goals, now let go!

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) A busy day at work brings about plenty of opportunities to make mistakes, be slowed by interruptions and have difficult communications. Your positive attitude and focus creates a most successful day, from which others could learn. It is moneymaking time and you should see results from your hard work. You could feel great support from the people around you for whatever you want to accomplish today. You enjoy an enticing meal and a finely set table for your meals—consider low fat, smaller meals. Place a few orange slices beside half of a baked chicken and a few string beans, a salad and you will have a gourmet meal! We are talking healthy and beautiful now, you are on the right track; stay creative.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) You have a great deal of compassion for others and you are valued for your ability to act and get things done. This is a time when you can expect a little encouragement.

Whatever support you need will be available to you; when you need it. There is a feeling that anything is possible if you set your sights high enough. This afternoon it is time to convene with nature. When you leave work you might enjoy visiting a pet or nature store—perhaps meeting with someone in your family to shop and enjoy each other’s company. You make every effort to be with each person in your family—young or not. Family is very important to you and you teach that to the members in your family.

Close relationships offer a potential for growth.

TV PROGRAMS

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

35

Orbit listings / Show listings AMERICA PLUS 00:00 Without a Trace 01:00 Private Practice 02:00 Grey’s Anatomy 03:00 Cold Case 04:00 One Tree Hill 05:00 In Plain Sight 06:00 GMA Recorded 08:00 GMA Health 08:30 What’s the Buzz 09:00 Private Practice 10:00 Grey’s Anatomy 11:00 Ally McBeal 12:00 One Tree Hill 13:00 Cold Case 14:00 Ally McBeal 15:00 GMA Live 17:00 GMA Health 17:30 What’s the Buzz 18:00 One Tree Hill 19:00 Lost 20:00 The O.C. 21:00 Private Practice 22:00 Grey’s Anatomy 23:00 Supernatural ANIMAL PLANET 00:50 Animal Cops Houston 01:45 Return of the Prime Predators 02:40 Untamed & Uncut 03:35 Escape to Chimp Eden 04:30 Animal Cops Phoenix 05:25 Animal Cops Houston 06:20 Lemur Street 06:45 Monkey Business 07:10 RSPCA: On the Frontline 07:35 Vet on the Loose 08:00 Wildlife SOS 08:25 Pet Rescue 08:50 Animal Precinct 09:45 The Planet’s Funniest Animals 10:40 RSPCA: On the Frontline 11:05 Animal Cops Houston 11:55 The Jeff Corwin Experience 12:50 Wildlife SOS 13:15 Pet Rescue 13:45 The Planet’s Funniest Animals 14:40 Return of the Prime Predators 15:35 Lemur Street 16:00 Monkey Business 16:30 Pet Rescue 16:55 Vet on the Loose 17:25 Wildlife SOS 17:50 RSPCA: On the Frontline 18:20 Animal Cops Phoenix 19:15 K9 Cops 20:10 Africa’s Outsiders 21:10 Animal Cops Houston 22:05 Untamed & Uncut 23:00 K9 Cops 23:55 Animal Cops Phoenix

08:00 08:30 09:00 09:30 10:00 10:30 10:45 11:00 11:30 11:45 12:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 14:30 14:45 15:00 16:00 17:00 17:30 18:00 18:30 19:00 20:00 20:30 20:45 21:00 21:30 22:00 23:00 23:30

Bbc World News - U World Business Report - U Bbc World News - U World Business Report - U Bbc World News - U World Business Report - U Sport Today - U Bbc World News - U World Business Report - U Sport Today - U Bbc World News - U Hardtalk - U Bbc World News - U Bbc World News - U World Business Report - U Sport Today - U World News Today - U World News Today - U Bbc World News - U Hardtalk - U Bbc World News - U Bbc World News - U World News Today - U Bbc World News - U World Business Report - U Sport Today - U Bbc World News - U Hardtalk - U World News Today - U Bbc World News - U Kill Or Cure? - U

CARTOON NETWORK 00:15 Out of Jimmy’s Head 00:40 Chop Socky Chooks 01:05 Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends 01:30 Cramp Twins 01:55 George of the Jungle 02:20 Adrenalini Brothers 02:45 Gadget Boy 03:10 Ed, Edd n Eddy 03:35 Class of 3000 04:00 The Powerpuff Girls 04:15 Robotboy 04:40 The Secret Saturdays 05:05 Chowder 05:30 Ben 10 05:55 Best Ed 06:20 Samurai Jack

BBC ENTERTAINMENT 00:45 Holby City 01:45 The Week The Women Went 02:45 Life In The Undergrowth 03:35 Holby City 05:35 The Week The Women Went 06:35 Bargain Hunt 07:20 Balamory 07:40 Tweenies 08:00 Fimbles 08:20 Teletubbies 08:45 Yoho Ahoy 08:50 Tommy Zoom 09:00 Balamory 09:20 Tweenies 09:40 Fimbles 10:00 Teletubbies 10:25 Yoho Ahoy 10:30 Bargain Hunt 11:15 The Week The Women Went 12:15 Mission Africa 13:15 The Weakest Link 14:00 Eastenders 14:30 Doctors 15:00 Bargain Hunt 15:45 Cash In The Attic 16:15 Blackadder 16:50 2 Point 4 Children 17:15 The Weakest Link 18:00 Doctors 18:30 Eastenders 19:00 Holby City 21:00 The Weakest Link 21:45 Doctors 22:15 Eastenders 22:45 The Whistleblowers 23:35 Blackjack 03: Ace Point Game BBC LIFESTYLE 00:05 Ching’s Kitchen 00:30 Masterchef Goes Large 01:20 Cash In The Attic Usa 01:45 Hidden Potential 02:10 Living In The Sun 03:05 What To Eat Now - Autumn 03:35 Ching’s Kitchen 04:00 Masterchef Goes Large 05:00 Cash In The Attic Usa 06:00 Hidden Potential 06:25 Living In The Sun 07:20 Coleen’s Real Women 08:00 Antiques Roadshow 08:50 Cash In The Attic Usa 09:35 Hidden Potential 10:00 Gary Rhodes’ Local Food Heroes 11:30 Living In The Sun 12:25 Antiques Roadshow 13:15 Coleen’s Real Women 14:00 Gary Rhodes’ Local Food Heroes 15:35 Daily Cooks Challenge 16:30 Cash In The Attic Usa 16:55 Hidden Potential 17:20 Antiques Roadshow 18:10 Coleen’s Real Women 18:55 Living In The Sun 19:45 Daily Cooks Challenge 20:40 Masterchef Goes Large 21:05 What To Eat Now - Autumn 21:35 Ching’s Kitchen 22:00 Design Rules 22:50 10 Years Younger 23:40 What To Eat Now - Autumn BBC WORLD 00:00 Bbc World News - U 00:30 Hardtalk - U 01:00 World News Today: Business Edition - U 01:45 Sport Today - U 02:00 Bbc World News - U 02:30 Hardtalk - U 03:00 Bbc World News America - U 04:00 Bbc World News - U 04:30 Asia Business Report - U 04:45 Sport Today - U 05:00 Bbc World News - U 05:30 Asia Business Report - U 05:45 Asia Today - U 06:00 World News Today - U 07:00 Bbc World News - U 07:30 Hardtalk - U

09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

South of Pico - PG15 This is not a Test - PG Rat Race - PG More of Me - PG Hot Shots! Part Deux - PG15 Hindsight - PG15 Lock and Roll Forever - PG State’s Evidence - 18

CNN INTERNATIONAL 00:00 Connect The World 01:00 Backstory 01:30 World Sport 02:00 The Situation Room 03:00 World Report 04:00 World Business Today 04:30 World Sport 05:00 World Report 06:00 Anderson Cooper 360 07:00 World Report 07:30 Inside Africa 08:00 World Report 08:30 Backstory 09:00 World Report 10:30 World Sport 11:00 World Report 11:30 World Business Today 12:00 World Report 12:30 Inside Africa 13:00 Larry King 14:00 World Report 14:30 World Sport 15:00 World Report 16:00 Amanpour.

16:30 News Special 17:00 World Business Today 18:00 International Desk 19:00 The Brief 19:30 World Sport 20:00 Prism 20:30 News Special 21:00 International Desk 22:00 Quest Means Business 23:00 Amanpour.

23:30 World One DISCOVERY CHANNEL 00:00 Destroyed in Seconds 00:30 Destroyed in Seconds 01:00 Miami Ink

Eastern Promises on Show Movies 1 06:45 Cramp Twins 07:10 Eliot Kid 07:35 The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack 08:00 My Spy Family 08:25 Chowder 08:50 Best Ed 09:15 Chop Socky Chooks 09:40 Ben 10: Alien Force 10:05 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 10:30 Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroes 10:55 Skunk Fu! 11:20 My Gym Partner’s A Monkey 11:30 Squirrel Boy 11:55 Robotboy 12:20 Camp Lazlo 12:45 The Powerpuff Girls 13:10 Class of 3000 13:35 Ed, Edd n Eddy 14:00 Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends 14:25 Codename 14:50 Ben 10 15:15 My Gym Partner’s A Monkey 15:40 Squirrel Boy 16:05 Eliot Kid 16:35 George of the Jungle 17:00 Skunk Fu! 17:25 Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroes 17:50 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 18:15 The Secret Saturdays 18:40 Ben 10: Alien Force 19:05 Casper’s Scare School 19:30 Squirrel Boy 20:00 The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack 20:25 Chop Socky Chooks 20:50 My Gym Partner’s A Monkey 21:05 Ed, Edd n Eddy 21:30 Skunk Fu! 21:45 The Secret Saturdays 22:10 Ben 10: Alien Force 22:35 The Life & Times of Juniper Lee 23:00 Camp Lazlo 23:25 Samurai Jack 23:50 Megas XLR CINEMA CITY 01:00 High Noon - PG 15 03:00 Noble Things - PG 05:00Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer - 18 07:00 High Noon - PG15

02:00 02:55 03:50 04:45 05:40 06:05 07:00 07:55 08:50 09:45 10:10 11:05 12:00 12:55 13:25 13:50 14:15 15:10 16:05 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 20:30 21:00 22:00 23:00

Street Customs 2008 American Chopper Chop Shop Mythbusters Factory Made Ultimate Survival Extreme Engineering Chop Shop Street Customs 2008 How Do They Do It? Mythbusters Ultimate Survival Destroyed in Seconds How Do They Do It? Factory Made Fifth Gear American Chopper Miami Ink Mythbusters Ultimate Survival Destroyed in Seconds Street Customs 2008 How Do They Do It? Factory Made Mega Engineering Extreme Engineering LA Hard Hats

DISCOVERY SCIENCE 00:40 The Greatest Ever 01:30 Robocar 02:20 Mighty Ships 03:10 Mega Builders 04:00 Beyond Tomorrow 04:50 Science of Star Wars 05:45 Cool Stuff & How it Works 06:10 Mean Green Machines 06:40 One Step Beyond 07:10 Robocar 08:00 Junkyard Wars 09:00 Science of Star Wars 10:00 Mighty Ships 10:55 Cool Stuff & How it Works 11:20 Stunt Junkies 11:50 Robocar 12:45 Mean Green Machines 13:10 One Step Beyond 13:40 Science of Star Wars 14:35 Mighty Ships 15:30 Japanese Schoolgirls 15:55 Japanese Schoolgirls 16:25 Cool Stuff & How it Works 16:55 Junkyard Wars 17:50 Brainiac 18:45 The Greatest Ever

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DISNEY CHANNEL 00:00 My Friends Tigger and Pooh 00:20 Handy Manny 00:45 Special Agent Oso 01:10 Lazytown 02:00 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 02:45 Handy Manny 03:10 Special Agent Oso 03:35 Brandy & Mr Whiskers 04:00 Fairly Odd Parents 04:25 Hannah Montana 04:45 I Got A Rocket 05:10 Wizards Of Waverly Place 05:35 Phineas & Ferb 06:00 Higglytown Heroes 06:10 My Friends Tigger and Pooh 06:35 Handy Manny 07:00 Special Agent Oso 07:20 Lazytown 08:10 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 09:00 Handy Manny 09:25 Special Agent Oso 09:45 Brandy & Mr Whiskers 10:10 Fairly Odd Parents 10:35 Hannah Montana 11:00 I Got A Rocket 11:25 Wizards Of Waverly Place 11:45 Phineas & Ferb 12:10 Suite Life On Deck 12:35 Replacements 12:55 American Dragon 13:20 Kim Possible 13:40 Famous Five 14:05 Fairly Odd Parents 14:30 Phineas & Ferb 14:55 Replacements 15:15 I Got A Rocket 15:40 Wizards Of Waverly Place 16:00 Hannah Montana 16:25 Sonny With A Chance 16:45 Fairly Odd Parents 17:10 Phineas & Ferb 17:35 Suite Life On Deck 18:00 Wizards Of Waverly Place 18:25 Hannah Montana 18:45 The Replacements 19:00 Sonny With A Chance 19:25 Suite Life On Deck 19:50 Wizards Of Waverly Place 20:15 Sonny With A Chance 20:40 Hannah Montana 21:05 The Suite Life of Zack & Cody 21:50 The Replacements 22:00 American Dragon 22:25 Kim Possible 22:50 Famous Five 23:15 Fairly Odd Parents 23:35 Phineas & Ferb E! ENTERTAINMENT 00:15 Streets Of Hollywood 00:40 E!es 01:30 Extreme Hollywood 02:20 Sexiest 03:15 Ths 05:05 Dr 90210 06:00 50 Cutest Child Stars: All Grown Up 07:45 Style Star 08:35 E! News 09:00 The Daily 10 09:25 Perfect Catch 10:15 Ths 11:05 Ths 12:00 E! News 12:25 The Daily 10 12:50 Kourtney And Khloe Take Miami 13:40 30 Best And Worst Beach Bodies 15:25 Behind The Scenes 16:15 E!es 17:10 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 18:00 E! News 18:25 The Daily 10 18:50 Streets Of Hollywood 19:15 Battle Of The Hollywood Hotties 19:40 Ths 21:20 Leave It To Lamas 22:10 E! News 22:35 The Daily 10 23:00 Dr 90210 23:50 Battle Of The Hollywood Hotties EXTREME SPORTS 00:00 King Of The Cage 01:00 FIM World Supermoto 2008 02:00 Ticket To Ride 02:30 Ticket To Ride 03:00 King Of The Cage 04:00 LG Action Sports World Championships 05:00 Ride Guide Snow 2008 06:00 F.I.A European Drag Racing 07:00 FIM World Supermoto 2008 08:00 F.I.A European Drag Racing 09:00 I-Ex Season 2 10:00 FIM World Motocross Championships 2008 11:00 Ticket To Ride 12:00 F.I.A European Drag Racing 13:00 I-Ex Season 2 14:00 Ride Guide Snow 2008 15:00 Ticket To Ride 16:00 F.I.A European Drag Racing 17:00 I-Ex Season 2 18:00 FIM World Motocross Championships 2008 19:00 Motocross, Malcolm And More 20:00 Ride Guide Snow 2008 21:00 I-Ex Season 2 22:00 Ticket To Ride 23:00 Motocross, Malcolm And More FOX SPORTS 00:00 Dream Team Season 8 01:00 Wanderers World featuring Bolton v Arsenal 04:00 Golf Central International 04:30 The Golf Channel - TBA 07:00 NHL: Ottawa Senators at Boston Bruins 10:00 Hyundai A League Melbourne Victory at Perth Glory FC 12:00 Mexican Soccer: Teams TBA (tentative) 14:00 Golf Central International 14:30 Torneo de Verano Salta, Argentina 16:30 Wanderers World featuring Bolton v Arsenal 19:30 Hyundai A League Highlights 20:00 2010 AT&T U.S. Figure Skating Championships Men’s Short Program Spokane, WA

22:30 Torneo de Verano Argentina

20:30 Brazilian League Highlights 21:00 Premier League Classics 21:30 Premier League World 22:00 Scottish Premier League Highlights 22:30 Goals Goals Goals 23:00 Premier League

Salta,

FRANCE 24 00:00 News And Magazines - U 00:30 The France 24 Interview - U 01:00 News And Magazines - U 21:30 The France 24 Debate - U 22:00 News And Magazines - U

SHOW SPORTS 2 01:30 Goals on Monday 03:00 Scottish Premier League Highlights 03:30 PGA European Tour Highlights 04:30 Gillette World Sport 05:00 European Challenge Cup 07:00 Goals on Monday 08:30 Scottish Premier League Highlights 09:00 European Challenge Cup 11:00 Weber Cup Bowling 12:00 World Hockey 12:30 Goals on Monday 14:00 Scottish Premier League Highlights 14:30 Test Cricket Highlights 16:30 Gillette World Sport 17:00 Weber Cup Bowling 18:00 Premier League Classics 18:30 PGA European Tour Highlights 19:30 Premier League Classics 20:00 Barclays Premier League Highlights 21:00 Futbol Mundial 21:30 Premier League Classics 22:00 Snooker Masters

MGM 01:35 A Woman’s Tale 03:15 Married To It 05:10 Until September 06:50 The Setup 08:25 Nobody’s Perfect 09:55 The Glory Stompers 11:25 Sticky Fingers 12:55 Miracle Beach 14:25 Teen Wolf 16:00 Little Dorrit Part 1 18:55 Little Dorrit Part 2 22:00 The Wizard of Loneliness 23:50 Rich Kids NAT GEO ADVENTURE 00:00 Word Travels 00:30 Lonely Planet 01:30 Finding Genghis 02:00 The Ride: Alaska To Patagonia 02:30 Destination Extreme 03:00 Madventures 03:30 Surfer’s Journal 04:00 Bondi Rescue 04:30 Destination Extreme 05:00 Madventures 05:30 Word Travels:the Truth Behind 06:00 Word Travels 06:30 Lonely Planet 07:30 Finding Genghis 08:00 The Ride: Alaska To Patagonia 08:30 Destination Extreme 09:00 Madventures 09:30 Surfer’s Journal 10:00 Bondi Rescue 10:30 Destination Extreme 11:00 Madventures 11:30 Departures 12:30 Meet The Natives - Usa 13:30 Culture Shocks 14:30 Destination Extreme 15:00 Madventures 15:30 Surfer’s Journal 16:00 Bondi Rescue 16:30 Destination Extreme 17:00 Madventures 17:30 Departures 18:30 Meet The Natives - Usa 19:30 Culture Shocks 20:30 Destination Extreme 21:00 Madventures 21:30 Surfer’s Journal 22:00 Bondi Rescue 22:30 Destination Extreme 23:00 Madventures 23:30 Departures NAT GEO WILD 00:00 The Dark Side Of Elephants 01:00 Ultimate Shark 02:00 Guardians Of Nature 03:00 Raptor Force 04:00 Hidden Worlds 04:30 Snake Wranglers 05:00 World’s Deadliest Animals 06:00 The Dark Side Of Elephants 07:00 Ultimate Shark 08:00 Guardians Of Nature 09:00 Raptor Force 10:00 Hidden Worlds 10:30 Snake Wranglers 11:00 Crash - A Tale Of Two Species 12:00 Crocodiles - Under The Skin 13:00 Alaskan Killer Shark 14:00 Hunter Hunted 15:00 When Crocs Ate Dinosaurs 16:00 Hidden Worlds 16:30 Snake Wranglers 17:00 Crash - A Tale Of Two Species 18:00 Crocodiles - Under The Skin 19:00 Alaskan Killer Shark 20:00 Hunter Hunted 21:00 When Crocs Ate Dinosaurs 22:00 Hidden Worlds 22:30 Snake Wranglers 23:00 Crash - A Tale Of Two Species ORBIT NEWS 1 00:00 ABC Now Bell/ Good Money LIVE 00:30 ABC NOW Top Line / Inside the Newsroom 01:00 ABC NOW Ahead of the Curve (as live) Mon/Wed/Fri 01:30 ABC Nightline Twitter 02:00 McLaughlin Group 02:30 ABC World News Live 03:00 NBC Nightly News Live 03:30 ABC World News (Mon) 04:00 NBC Today Show 07:00 NBC Nightly News (Mon) 07:30 ABC Nightline Live 08:00 ABC World News (Mon) 08:30 NBC Nightly News (Mon) 09:00 Newshour with Jim Lehrer 10:00 ABC Nightline 10:30 NBC Nightly News (Mon) 11:00 ABC World News Now Live 12:30 NBC Early Today Live 13:00 ABC America This Morning Live 14:30 NBC Early Today 15:00 NBC Today Show Live 19:00 ABC Now Money Matters / Bell 19:30 ABC NOW / Good Money 20:00 MSNBC Live Dr. NANCY 21:00 MSNBC Live Andrea Mitchell Reports 22:00 PBS Newshour with Jim Lehrer 23:00 MSNBC Countdown w/K. Olbermann ORBIT NEWS 2 00:00 MSNBC Live 01:00 MSNBC Live Hardball 02:00 MSNBC News Live The Ed Show 03:00 MSNBC (As Live) Hardball 04:00 MSNBC Live Countdown w/K. Olbermann 05:00 MSNBC Live The Rachel Maddow Show 06:00 MSNBC (as live) Countdown w/K. Olbermann 07:00 MSNBC (As Live) The Rachel Maddow Show 08:00 MSNBC (As Live) Hardball 09:00 MSNBC (as live) Countdown w/K. Olbermann 10:00 MSNBC (As Live) The Rachel Maddow Show 11:00 MSNBC (As Live) The Ed

The Departed on Super Movies Show 12:00 MSNBC (as live) Countdown w/K. Olbermann 13:00 MSNBC First Look (Live) 13:30 MSNBC Way Too Early w/W. Geist (Live) 14:00 MSNBC (taped) Hardball 15:00 MSNBC (taped) The Ed Show 16:00 MSNBC (taped) Countdown w/K. Olbermann 17:00 MSNBC Live Morning Meeting with Dylan Ratigan 18:00 MSNBC Live Morning Meeting with Dylan Ratigan 19:00 MSNBC Live 20:00 MSNBC (taped) Hardball 21:00 MSNBC (taped) Countdown w/K. Olbermann 22:00 MSNBC (taped) The Rachel Maddow Show 23:00 MSNBC Live PLAYHOUSE DISNEY 08:00 Special Agent Oso 08:25 Handy Manny 08:50 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 09:15 Imagination Movers 09:40 Chuggington 10:10 Handy Manny 10:30 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 10:50 Special Agent Oso 11:15 Imagination Movers 11:40 My Friends Tigger and Pooh 12:05 Chuggington 12:20 Chuggington 12:55 Handy Manny 13:05 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 13:30 Little Einsteins 13:50 Handy Manny 14:10 Imagination Movers 14:30 My Friends Tigger and Pooh 14:55 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 15:20 Jo Jo’s Circus 16:10 Higglytown Heroes 17:00 Happy Monster Band 17:05 My Friends Tigger and Pooh 17:30 Happy Monster Band 17:35 Handy Manny 18:00 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 18:25 Special Agent Oso 18:50 Chuggington 19:00 Imagination Movers 19:25 Handy Manny 19:50 Chuggington 20:00 Special Agent Oso 20:15 Little Einsteins 20:40 Handy Manny 20:50 My Friends Tigger and Pooh 21:00 End Of Programming SHOW COMEDY 00:00 Friends 00:30 According To Jim 01:00 The Daily Show - Global Edition 01:30 The Colbert Report - Global Edition 02:00 Sit Down, Shut Up 02:30 The Inbetweeners 03:00 Home Improvement 03:30 The Colbert Report 04:00 The Daily Show - Global Edition 04:30 The Colbert Report - Global Edition 05:00 Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne 05:30 Will And Grace 06:00 Two And A Half Men 06:30 Home Improvement 07:00 Fresh Prince Of Bel Air 07:30 Ellen 08:00 Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne 08:30 8 Simple Rules..

09:00 Watching Ellie 09:30 Malcolm In The Middle 10:00 Will And Grace 10:30 Two And A Half Men 11:00 Til Death 11:30 8 Simple Rules..

12:00 Ellen 12:30 Watching Ellie 13:00 Fresh Prince Of Bel Air 13:30 Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne 14:00 Home Improvement 14:30 Malcolm In The Middle 15:00 Friends 15:30 According To Jim 16:00 Ellen 16:30 Watching Ellie 17:00 Fresh Prince Of Bel Air 17:30 8 Simple Rules..

18:00 Will And Grace 18:30 Two And A Half Men 19:00 Til Death 19:30 Malcolm In The Middle 20:00 Friends 20:30 According To Jim

21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 Sit Down, Shut Up 22:30 The Book Group 23:00 Nut Case 23:30 Til Death SHOW MOVIES 1 01:00 Eastern Promises - 18 03:00 Georgia Rule - PG 15 05:00 The Who Anthology - PG 15 07:00 Brick Lane - PG 15 09:00 Superhero Movie - PG 15 11:00 High School Musical 3: Senior Year - PG 13:00 This Christmas - PG 15:00 Superhero Movie - PG 15 17:00 High School Musical 3: Senior Year - PG 19:00 Reservation Road - PG 15 21:00 Good Luck Chuck - 18 23:00 Leatherheads - PG 15 SHOW MOVIES 2 00:00 Arlington Road - 18 02:00 Wild Things - 18 04:00 I Know You Know - PG 15 06:00 Pokemon 3 The Movie - FAM 08:00 The Celestine Prophecy - PG 10:00 My Favorite Martian - PG 12:00 Mean Creek - PG 15 14:00 Call Of The North - PG 16:00 My Favorite Martian - PG 18:00 Mean Creek - PG 15 20:00 Big Night - PG 15 22:00 Casualties Of War - 18 SHOW MOVIES ACTION 01:00 The Appeared - 18 03:00 Fire From Below - PG 15 05:00 The Invincible - PG 15 07:00 Vantage Point - PG 15 09:00 The Mist - PG 15 11:00 Ghost Voyage - PG 13:00 Sasquatch Hunters - PG 15 15:00 The Mist - PG 15 17:00 Ghost Voyage - PG 19:00 Species: The Awakening - 18 21:00 Blood :the Last Vampire - R 23:00 P2 - 18 SHOW MOVIES COMEDY 00:00 Still Crazy - 18 02:00 The Coneheads - PG 15 04:00 Dan In Real Life - PG 15 06:00 Blankman - PG 15 08:00 The Coneheads - PG 15 10:00 Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - PG 12:30 How About You - PG 15 14:30 Serendipity - PG 15 16:00 Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - PG 18:30 How About You - PG 15 20:30 Not Another Teen Movie - 18 22:00 Pink Panther 2 - PG 15 SHOW MOVIES KIDS 01:15 Free Willy 2:the Adventure Home - FAM 03:00 Mee Shee - PG 15 04:45 Der Kleine Eisbaer - FAM 06:30 Harriet The Spy - PG 08:15 Zorro Return To The Future FAM 10:00 Free Willy 3: The Rescue FAM 11:30 Mighty Joe Young - PG 13:30 Space Chimps - PG 15:00 First Kid - PG 17:00 To Grandmother’s House We Go - PG 18:45 Space Chimps - PG 20:15 Free Willy 3: The Rescue FAM 21:45 Mighty Joe Young - PG 23:45 First Kid - PG SHOW SPORTS 1 00:00 Barclays Premier League Arabic Review 01:30 Premier League 03:30 Barclays Premier League Arabic Review 05:00 Premier League 07:00 Barclays Premier League Arabic Review 08:30 Premier League 10:30 Premier League 12:30 Barclays Premier League Arabic Review 14:00 Premier League 16:00 Premier League Classics 17:00 Scottish Premier League Highlights 17:30 Premier League World 18:00 Premier League 20:00 Portugol

SHOW SPORTS 3 01:30 Snooker Masters 05:00 Weber Cup Bowling 06:00 PGA European Tour Highlights 07:00 Portuguese Liga 09:00 Live Test Cricket Hightlights 11:00 Gillette World Sport 11:30 Premier League World 12:00 SPL Highlights 12:30 PGA European Tour Highlights 13:30 European Challenge Cup 15:30 Premier League World 16:00 PGA European Tour Highlights 17:00 Goals On Monday 18:30 Test Cricket Highlights 20:30 European Challenge Cup 22:30 Barclays Premier League Highlights 23:30 PGA European Tour Highlights SHOW SPORTS 4 00:00 NFL 02:30 FIM World Cup 03:00 Bushido 04:00 UFC - The Ultimate Fighter 07:00 WWE ECW 08:00 FIM World Cup 08:30 Ironman 09:30 NCAA Basketball 11:00 Bushido 12:00 WWE ECW 13:00 Red Bull X-Fighters 15:00 Ironman 16:00 NCAA Basketball 18:00 LG Action Sport 19:00 UFC Fight Night 21:00 UFC - The Ultimate Fighter SUPER COMEDY 00:30 The Best Of Jay Leno Show 01:30 Drew Carey Show 02:00 The Ellen Degeneres Show 03:00 Everybody Loves Raymond 03:30 The Best Of Late Night Show With Jimmy Fallon 04:30 The Best Of Jimmy Kimmel Live 05:30 The Best Of Jay Leno Show 06:30 The Simpsons 07:00 Frasier 07:30 Drew Carey Show 08:00 The Best Of Tonight Show With Conan O’ Brien 09:00 The Ellen Degeneres Show 10:00 The Best Of Jimmy Kimmel Live 11:00 Everybody Loves Raymond 11:30 Frasier 12:00 The Simpsons 12:30 Drew Carey Show 13:00 The Best Of Jay Leno Show 14:00 The Best Of Tonight Show With Conan O’ Brien 15:00 The Best Of Late Night Show With Jimmy Fallon 16:00 The Ellen Degeneres Show 17:00 Everybody Loves Raymond 17:30 Frasier 18:00 Jimmy Kimmel Live 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Drew Carey Show 20:00 The Jay Leno Show 21:00 The Tonight Show With Conan O’ Brien 22:00 Late Night Show With Jimmy Fallon 23:00 Entourage 23:30 Jimmy Kimmel Live SUPER MOVIES 01:00 Things That Hang from Trees PG15 03:00 Balls Out: Gary the Tennis Coach - 18 05:00 Things That Hang from Trees PG15 07:00 Fifty Pills - PG15 09:00 The Departed - 18 11:00 Graduation - PG 13:00 Star Wars: The Clone Wars FAM 15:00 Alvin and the Chipmunks FAM 17:00 Underground - PG15 19:00 Quid Pro Quo - PG15 21:00 Trucker - 18 23:00 Number *23* - 18 TCM 00:45 03:35 05:00 07:25 08:00 09:25 10:55 12:20 15:05 16:40 18:40 20:05 23:00

Mutiny on the Bounty Edge of the City The Dirty Dozen The Screening Room Edge of the City Flipper Viva Las Vegas Grand Prix Hotel Paradiso Little Women The Honeymoon Machine Mutiny on the Bounty Strictly Business (1991)

Star listings (UAE timings) Star Movies 16:00 The 2007 64th Golden Globe Awards 17:00 The 2007 64th Golden Globe Awards 20:00 Asia Uncut 20:50 One Day At A Time 21:00 Painkiller Jane 21:50 Starsky & Hutch 22:00 [V] Tunes 23:00 How I Met Your Mother 23:30 NGC Program 00:00 [V] Tunes 01:00 [V] Tunes 02:00 7th Heaven 03:00 The Simpsons 03:30 The King Of Queens 04:00 According To Jim 04:30 According To Jim 05:00 The 2007 64th Golden Globe Awards 06:00 Golden Globe Awards 2010

09:00 09:30 10:00 10:50 11:00 11:50 12:00 13:00 14:00 14:30 15:00

How I Met Your Mother The Bold And The Beautiful 7th Heaven One Day At A Time Bones Starsky & Hutch [V] Tunes Asia Uncut The Simpsons The King Of Queens According To Jim

Granada TV 20:30 Airline (Series 5) 21:00 Revenge TV 22:00 Emmerdale 22:30 Coronation Street 23:00 Revenge TV 00:00 The Paul O’Grady Show 01:00 Fight School * 02:00 Mystery Tuesday: Eleventh Hour

03:30 Strange But True? (Series 4) 04:00 Nights From Hell 05:00 Emmerdale 05:30 Coronation Street 06:00 The Paul O’Grady Show 07:00 Fight School * 08:00Mystery Tuesday: Eleventh Hour 09:30 Strange But True? (Series 4) 10:00 Holiday Homes From Hell 11:00 Emmerdale 11:30 Coronation Street 12:00 The Paul O’Grady Show 13:00 60 Minute Makeover (Series 3) 14:00 Mystery Tuesday: Eleventh Hour 15:30 Strange But True? (Series 4) 16:00 Emmerdale 16:30 Coronation Street 17:00 The Paul O’Grady Show 18:00 60 Minute Makeover (Series 3) 19:00 Mystery Tuesday: Eleventh Hour

Channel [V] 22:00 [V] Plug 22:30 The Playlist 23:00 Loop 00:00 Backtracks 01:00 Double Shot 02:00 [V] Plug 02:30 The Playlist 03:00 Loop 04:00 The List 05:00 [V] Tunes 06:00 Double Shot 07:00 Backtracks 08:00 Loop 09:00 [V] Plug 09:30 Double Shot 10:00 Backtracks 11:00 [V] Tunes 12:00 [V] Plug 12:30 The Playlist 13:00 Loop 14:00 [V] Countdown 16:00 Backtracks

17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 20:00

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Fox News 20:00 Happening Now 22:00 The Live Desk 00:00 Studio B with Shepard Smith Live 01:00 Your World with Neil Cavuto 02:00 Glenn Beck with Glenn Beck 03:00 Special Report with Bret Baier 04:00 The FOX Report with Shepard Smith 05:00 The O’Reilly Factor 06:00 Hannity 07:00 On the Record with Greta Van Susteren 08:00 The O’Reilly Factor 09:00 Hannity 10:00 On the Record with Greta Van

Susteren 11:00 Glenn Beck with Glenn Beck 12:00 Fox Report 13:00 Special Report with Bret Baier 14:00 The O’Reilly Factor 15:00 FOX & Friends First Live 16:00 FOX & Friends Live 18:00 America’s Newsroom 19:00 America’s Newsroom National Geographic Channel 20:00 ABOUT ASIA -Divine Delinquents 21:00 Japan’s Secret Subs 22:00 Convoy - War For The Atlantic Brink Of Defeat 3 23:00 Locked Up Abroad -Teen Smuggler 00:00 Situation Critical -Moscow Theatre Siege 01:00 ABOUT ASIA -ABOUT ASIA 02:00 Blowdown -The Miami Job S1-2 03:00 Animal Extractors -Bedroom

Bat S1-3 04:00 Predator CSI -Whale That Blew Up 05:00 ABOUT ASIA -ABOUT ASIA 06:00 Hippos: Africa’s River Beast 07:00 Japan’s Secret Subs 08:00 Situation Critical -Moscow Theatre Siege 09:00 Nat Geo Junior -Wild Chronicles : 13 09:30 Nat Geo Junior -Mad Labs : 6 10:00 Blowdown -The Miami Job S1-2 11:00 Hippos: Africa’s River Beast 12:00 ABOUT ASIA -Inside:Sumo’s Ultimate Clash 13:00 Adventure Wanted -Stock Car S1-5 14:00 Blowdown -Vegas Casino S1-3 15:00 Carrier -Controlled Chaos S1-2 16:00 Blowdown -The Miami Job S1-2 17:00 Adventure Wanted -Stock Car S1-5 18:00 Blowdown -Vegas Casino S1-3

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SPECTRUM

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

John Travolta to help Haiti victims ohn Travolta has arranged a plane to fly aid to the victims of the Haiti earthquake. The actor - who is a qualified pilot - acted quickly to organize the help for the Caribbean country which was devastated by the natural disaster last Tuesday, and hopes others will follow his example. He said: “I have arranged for a plane to take down some volunteer ministers and some supplies and some medics. “I hope that inspires others as well. It’s needed.” Travolta is one of many A-list stars who are helping Haiti. George Clooney has organized the ‘Hope For Haiti’ TV fundraising event and has convinced Bono, Justin Timberlake and Alicia Keys to all perform. Joining the trio of musicians are a further 40 celebrities who will take part in the event - which will be aired on over a dozen US TV

J

networks and will be co-hosted by Clooney and Wyclef Jean, who was born in Haitian city Croix-des-Bouquets - on January 22. Clooney attended the Golden Globe awards and revealed he was recruiting more Hollywood stars to take part. The 48-year-old star - who was nominated for the Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama award for his role in ‘Up In The Air’ - said: “This is a perfect place for me to go recruiting some people, so it works out.” Penelope Cruz spoke about the Haiti earthquake which left tens of thousands of people dead and injured - at the ceremony, saying: “Everybody can use this as an opportunity to remind people to do something. Even if it’s a little help. But everything counts.”

arah Jessica Parker loves how her son is becoming “a good little human being”.

The ‘Sex and the City’ actress - who has seven-year-old James Wilkie and six-monthold twin daughters, Marion Loretta and Tabitha Hodge, with husband Matthew Broderick - is determined to instil good characteristics into her children and believes her hard work is already paying off with her eldest child. She said: “The idea of ‘do unto others as you would have them do unto you...’ I fall short of it constantly, but I try.

“I’ve been working on it with James Wilkie since the time he was a little fellow and could really understand language. “I’m so proud of who my son’s becoming and how hard he works to be a good little human being.” The 44-year-old star also says becoming a mother has changed her outlook on life. She explained in an interview with Gotham magazine: “The hardest days for your children become your hardest days.

Your most triumphant moments are when you see them feel good about themselves to see your child learn how to read and ask questions.”

Is Fox engaged to Green?˝

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Sarah Jessica parker praises son˝

egan Fox and Brian Austin Green have reportedly got engaged again. The ‘Transformers’ beauty and the former ‘Beverly Hills 90210’ star - who called off their engagement last year - are said to again be planning to wed after Brian revealed his marital status on twitter. When one of his followers asked Brian if he was married with kids, he replied: “Engaged and have a son from my previous relationship.” He also revealed that he was sitting “right next to” Megan while he answered. He added: “I live in Los Angeles, but am in New Mexico right now while Megan films a movie.”

Megan, 23, and Brian, 36 split last February after five years together, claiming they both wanted to concentrate on their careers. A source said: “The relationship had run its course. It’s completely amicable, and they are remaining friends. They are both focusing on their careers.” Megan had previously said their nuptials would be low-key. She revealed: “It’s not going to be a big wedding. I’m not one of those girls - If it happens, it will be very low-key and quick and unplanned.”

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Maguire to take the lead role in ‘The Hobbit’ obey Maguire has reportedly agreed to take the lead role in ‘The Hobbit’.

The 34-year-old actor - who is said to have signed up to play Bilbo Baggins in the movie adaptation of JRR Tolkien’s classic book - had been pursued by producer Peter Jackson and director Guillermo del Toro for some time because they knew he’d be perfect for the part. A movie source told The Sun newspaper: “We’re thrilled.

Tobey’s one of Hollywood’s most recognizable and best actors.” The ‘Brothers’ actor who pulled out from the fourth ‘Spider-Man’ movie last week had previously been unable to commit to the project due to

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scheduling restraints. Rumors that Tobey could play the character of Bilbo first surfaced last month, but he dispelled them at the time - though he admitted he would be interested if he were approached. He said: “I have not met or spoken to the director Guillermo del Toro or the producer Peter Jackson or anybody. Nobody has given me a script or approached me about it. “I love Guillermo del Toro and Peter Jackson and I certainly wouldn’t take myself out of the conversation.” Filming for ‘The Hobbit’ begins this summer, and it will be split into two movies, set for release in 2011 and 2012.

hakira is helping save the world’s economies by going shopping. The ‘She Wolf’ singer admits she used to feel guilty about splashing her cash because she is Catholic but soon realised her spending habits are a good thing. She said: “I do like to enjoy things any normal girl my age enjoys: I jog in the park, watch really bad movies. I used to feel guilty - I am a Catholic girl after all - but today, the way I see it, shopping keeps the world rolling. A world where people don’t consume? The economy gets worse.” The Colombian-born beauty also denied claims she has turned her back on her native country and insists she does everything she can to help. Shakira - who now lives in Miami - told You magazine: “It couldn’t be further from the truth - I go frequently to Colombia. “I grew up understanding that in countries like mine when you are born poor, you are destined to die poor. I have seen how many children are recruited into the militia or into the drug-trafficking business at an early age because they are not safe at school, and I understood that I could do something about it even in a small way.

No child wants to be a drug dealer or in the militia.”

Perry and Brand to set a wedding date aty Perry and Russell Brand are yet to set a wedding date.

The ‘I Kissed A Girl’ singer and the British comedian got engaged on New Year’s Eve after a whirlwind romance but Katy insists they will only tie the knot when they feel the time is right, despite recent reports they had already advised friends of which dates to keep free for the ceremony. She said: “We love each other and we desperately want to be with each other, so we’re going to take it as we come. “I think the right time will be the right time.”

Katy says humor is the key to her relationship with Russell as they can always make each other laugh, but also credited the ‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall’ star’s romantic ways as keeping their union strong. She said: “Humor is a very big part of our lives, and when things get difficult, we just have a laugh. “He’s the most romantic man I’ve ever been in contact with - ever! I didn’t think anyone could ever live up to that.” The ‘Hot N Cold’ hit maker also revealed how the couple first met when she

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hurled an empty water bottle at his head at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) in September.

She told gossip website Wonderwall: “I threw an empty water bottle at his head across Radio City Music Hall at the VMAs and it hit him straight in the head and I said ‘Hiiiiiiii!!’ And from then on it’s always been like ‘Oh God...’ So thanks, empty water bottle.”

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Shakira saves the world by shopping

Paltrow and Martin cause offence with a garden fence˝ wyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin have upset their London neighbors over plans to build a fence. The couple - who have lived in their £3.5 million North London property since 2004 have been blasted for their “over the top” security measures after requesting planning permission to erect a 10-foot metal security barrier. A neighbor told the Daily Telegraph newspaper: “It’s rather over the top. Who cares who he is? You can’t get round the side of the houses and into the gardens anyway. Other houses in the street are as much at risk of opportunist burglaries as his is. We don’t ask for huge fences between our homes.” The couple’s plans involve replacing a smaller wooden fence on top of a brick wall, for security reasons. Chris and Gwyneth - who have five-year-old daughter Apple and three-year-old son Moses - are not the only famous faces to have annoyed their neighbors with troublesome outside structures. Last year, Kate Moss received a letter from her local council after people in her London street complained about a stench from her drains and a crumbling garden wall.

One local resident said: “I think the wall is an accident waiting to happen. Young children walk past it every day on the way to school and it looks as if it could topple over at any time. “There is a huge crack right through the middle of it and Kate needs to do something about it.”

Beckham is amazed by her son’s differences

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ictoria Beckham is amazed at the differences between her three sons. The former Spice Girls singer-turned-fashion designer - who has Brooklyn, 10, Romeo, seven and Cruz, four, with her soccer star spouse David Beckham - says the trio are growing up quickly and have little in common with one another. She told Ryan Seacrest on his KIIS radio show: “They are so different. I mean you’ve got Brooklyn who is a real boy, he’s turning into a teenager. It takes him quite some time to do his hair in the morning before he goes to school. Then we have Romeo who loves fashion. He likes to go out in a suit with a bowler hat... he’s a real fashion lover. And Cruz just wants to break dance every opportunity he gets.” Meanwhile, it has been reported Victoria has been

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offered a job styling contestants on ‘American Idol’ following her recent stint as a guest judge on the TV singing contest.

A source said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase Victoria’s spectacular eye for fashion. She’s giving the offer serious thought.” Victoria has previously spoken about Romeo’s love of fashion, admitting he likes to advise her on her fashion range.

She said: “We had dinner last night and Romeo wore a suit with a little shirt and tie. That’s what he would wear every single day, he’s so into fashion. The other boys are all about going to the beach, he’s not interested. He’s like, ‘I want to go to work with mummy,’ and he sits there going through the collection, feeling the fabrics, giving his opinion. He loves it.”

— BangShowbiz

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Golden Globes

Pink, purple provide the sunshine at rainy Globes ink and purple gowns were the bright spots at the Golden Globe Awards on Sunday night as rain darkened the red carpet in Beverly Hills, California. Sandra Bullock, Emily Blunt, Fergie, Diane Kruger and Maggie Gyllenhaal were leading the way on the trend. The other hot look was black, mostly strapless or off-the-shoulder numbers, with Penelope Cruz, Kyra Sedgwick, Courteney Cox, Lea Michele and Heather Graham finding a way to make a statement with their versions of notso-basic black. Cruz’s lace gown, from a 2005 Giorgio Armani Prive collection, for example, had a dramatic floral-pattern neckline and ribbon striping, Amy Adams did the popular one-shoulder silhouette in a black Carolina Herrera that embraced her pregnant shape.

Meryl Streep’s black gown even slid off her shoulder. Mariah Carey’s black, body-hugging Herve Leger gown gave a new definition to “open neckline.”

Linda Wells, Allure magazine’s editor-in-chief, said black can be a little boring but it was a better choice than the beige and gray that also had a strong presence.

“The problem isn’t even the weather, it’s that those colors don’t look good on TV-and if it doesn’t look good on TV, you’ve missed the boat,” Wells said.

“Those colors look beautiful in real life but not on camera.”

Wells’ favorites included Bullock’s bold orchid strapless gown by Bottega Veneta and Blunt’s pale-pink frothy gown by Dolce & Gabbana.

Those light-toned cosmetic colors, however, did catch the eye of InStyle fashion director Cindy Weber Cleary-and she liked what she saw, especially on Kate Hudson-in white Marchesa-and Nicole Kidman. She also picked Blunt as a winner.

“There wasn’t a lot of hideousness. People were tasteful, prettier, more feminine. ... It was overall less flashy than it’s been in the past,” Weber Cleary said. Ruffles replaced bling in many cases but ruffles in the wrong places can draw unwanted attention. Kruger, in Christian Lacroix, and Christina Hendricks, who wore a ruffle-covered Christian Siriano gown in a light apricot color, might want to remember that. They both wore the trend-right up-do hairstyle and bright lipstick, though. But the must-have item of the night was the oversized red-and-white striped umbrella stamped with The Beverly Hilton logo.

Stars such as Cruz, Paul McCartney, Ricky Gervais, Jon Hamm, Adrian Grenier and Lisa Edelstein were eager to show off their red-yellow-and-blue ribbons pinned to their purses and lapels that were to remind each other as well as TV viewers of the plight being suffered by Haiti’s earthquake victims. Olivia Wilde wore a fully beaded jet-and-silver sequined Gucci with a pageantstyle drape that ran along one side of the plunging V-neck.

Wilde announced that Gucci would be donating it for an auction to benefit Haiti relief efforts.

Edelstein wore a silver halter gown with a deep V-front and diamond flower at her waist.

She wasn’t bothered by the rain: “I’m from the East Coast and I’m Irish, so it’s not that bad.”

But Jennifer Garner, in a slate beaded Versace with a complicated strappy back, told E! the weather posed the biggest challenge for hairdressers. “It was an Aqua Net kind of day.” Mo’Nique pulled her hair up neatly and wore a simple gold strapless gown by Reem Acra, letting her personality-and a 15-carat diamond bracelet by Martin Katz shine through. Gabourey Sidibe wore a dark green Kevan Hall Vneck gown with an emerald-colored crystal waistband. Carey Mulligan took a 19th-century diamond necklace from Fred Leighton and created a headband out of it, worn with a Nina Ricci gown made of navy and black organza and guipure lace.

This year’s Globes boasted a lot of fashion’s heavy hitters, including Drew Barrymore, who wore a champagne Versace gown with glittery clusters of glass fringes on the shoulder and hip; Kate Winslet in Yves Saint Laurent in a midnight-blue, asymmetric-strap gown with pearl and crystal embroidery; and Julianne Moore, who wore a Balenciaga bustier gown, but escorted designer-turned-director Tom Ford on the carpet. Marion Cotillard’s deep green Christian Dior gown had a super-high slit right in front. Jane Krakowski wore a one-strap purple gown by J Mendel, Heidi Klum did an offthe-shoulder number in dove gray

by Roberto Cavalli and Julianna Margulies wore a Narciso Rodriguez dress with a red beaded neckline and black column bodice. The new guard who left a stylish impression included Ginnifer Goodwin in an indigo cocktail dress by Vionnet and Michele of “Glee” in a tiered, strapless Oscar de le Renta. —AP

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Courteney Cox

Maggie Gyllenhaal

Fergie

Diane Kruger and Joshua Jackson

Emily Blunt and John Krasinski

Lea Michele

Penelope Cruz

Mariah Carey

Kate Hudson

Christina Hendricks

Nicole Kidman

Jennifer Garner

Drew Barrymore

Kate Winslet

Marion Cotillard

Cher and Christina Aguilera

Lindsay Lohan

Sophia Loren

Mariah Carey

Olivia Wilde

Heidi Klum and Seal

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Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Golden Globes

Cameron’s ‘Avatar’ wins best drama he science-fiction blockbuster “Avatar” won best drama at the Golden Globes and picked up the directing honor for James Cameron on Sunday, raising the “Titanic” filmmaker’s prospects for another Academy Awards triumph. It was a repeat of Cameron’s Globes night 12 years ago, when “Titanic” won best drama and the directing prize on its way to dominating the Oscars. This time, though, instead of being “king of the world,” as Cameron declared at the Oscars, he has become king of an alien landscape, elevating space fantasy to enormous critical acclaim. “‘Avatar’ asks us to see that everything is connected, all human beings to each other, and us to the Earth. And if you have to go four and a half light years to another, made-up planet to appreciate this miracle of the world that we have right here, well, you know what, that’s the wonder of cinema right there, that’s the magic,” Cameron said. Winning the dramatic-acting honors were Sandra Bullock for the football tale “The Blind Side” and Jeff Brides for the country-music story “Crazy Heart.” The crowd gave a standing ovation to Bridges, a beloved veteran generally overlooked for key Hollywood honors.

The acting prizes for musical and comedy went to Meryl Streep for the Julia Child story “Julie & Julia” and Robert Downey Jr for the crime romp “Sherlock Holmes.” The supporting-performance Globes were won by Mo’Nique as an abusive welfare mother in “Precious” and Christoph Waltz as a gleefully bloodthirsty Nazi in “Inglourious Basterds.” The Vegas bachelor bash “The Hangover” won for best musical or comedy, bringing uncharacteristic awards attention for broad comedy, a genre that often gets overlooked at Hollywood honors.

“I just want to thank my mom, who supported my decision to become a director when she realized I wasn’t as smart as my two sisters,” said “Hangover” director Todd Phillips. As he accepted the directing Globe, Cameron had kind words for ex-wife Kathryn Bigelow, nominated as best director for “The Hurt Locker.” “Frankly, I thought Kathryn was going to get this. She richly deserves it,” said Cameron, whose “Titanic” earned the directing and best-drama Globes 12 years ago on its way to Academy Awards triumph.

The blockbuster “Up” came away with the award for animated film. While Streep is a perennial at awards shows, the prize marked a dramatic turning point for Mo’Nique, who was mainly known for lowbrow comedy but startled audiences with her ferocious performance in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ By Sapphire.” “First let me say, thank you, God, for this amazing ride that you’re allowing me to go on,” the tearful Mo’Nique told the crowd. She went on with gushing praise for “Precious” director Lee Daniels and newcomer Gabourey Sidibe, a best dramatic actress nominee at the Globes with her first film role, playing Mo’Nique’s abused, illiterate daughter. “Lee Daniels, the world gets a chance to see how brilliant you are. You are a brilliant, fearless, amazing director who would not waver, and thank you for trusting me,” Mo’Nique said.

“To Gabby, sister, I am in awe of you. Thank you for letting me play with you.” Streep’s competition for best actress in a musical or comedy included herself. She also was nominated for the romance “It’s Complicated.” “I just want to say that in my long career, I’ve played so many extraordinary woman that I’m getting mistaken for one,” Streep said. “I’m very clear that I’m the vessel for other people’s stories and other people’s lives.” Waltz, a veteran Austrian actor who is a relative newcomer in Hollywood, won the supporting-actor Globe as a gleefully bloodthirsty Nazi in Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds.”

“A year and a half ago I was exposed to the gravitational forces of Quentin Tarantino,” Waltz said. “He took my modest little world, my globe, and with the power of his talent and his words and his vision, he flung it into its orbit, a dizzying experience.” Though one of Hollywood’s biggest parties, the Globes bore somber reminders of tragedy in the real world, many stars wearing ribbons in support of earthquake victims in Haiti.

Films from Pixar Animation, the Disney outfit that made “Up,” have won all four prizes for animated movies since the Globes introduced the category in 2006. Past Pixar winners are “WALLE,” “Ratatouille” and “Cars.” “Up” features the voice of Ed Asner in a tale of a lonely, bitter widower who renews his zest for adventure by flying his house off under helium balloons to South America, where he encounters his childhood hero and a hilarious gang of talking canines.

“When it came to finding the heart of the film, we didn’t have to look very hard,” said “Up” director Pete Docter, whose film also won for musical score. “Our inspiration was all around us.

Our grandparents, our parents, our wives, our kids. Our talking dogs.” Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner won the screenplay honor for “Up in the Air,” which Reitman also directed. The foreign-language honor went to “The White Ribbon,” a stark drama of guilt and suspicion set in a German town on the eve of World War I. “Mad Men” won for best TV drama, while Michael C Hall won for best actor in a TV drama for “Dexter,” in which he plays a serial killer with a code of ethics, killing only other murderers. Hall’s publicists revealed this past week that Hall is being treated for Hodgkin’s lymphoma and that the cancer is in remission.

“It’s really a hell of a thing to go to work in a place where everybody gives a damn. That’s really the case with ‘Dexter,”‘ Hall said. “It’s a dream job.

I’m so grateful.” “Dexter” also won the supportingactor TV honor for John Lithgow. Other TV winners included Juliana Margulies as best actress in a drama for “The Good Wife” and Toni Collette as best comedy actress for “The United States of Tara.” Sunday’s winners could get a last-minute boost for the Oscars, whose nominations balloting closes Saturday. Last year’s big Globe winner, “Slumdog Millionaire,” went on to dominate the Oscars. The Globes are presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, a group of about 90 reporters covering show business for overseas outlets. The show airs live on NBC. —AP

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Director James Cameron (2nd L) and producer Jon Landau (2nd R) pose with cast members, actor Sam Worthington (L), actresses Zoe Saldana and Sigourney Weaver with the trophy for Best Motion Picture-Drama for ‘Avatar’ at the 67th Golden Globe Awards on January 17, 2010 in Beverly Hills, California.

—AFP photos

Ryan Murphy poses with the cast of “Glee” after receiving the trophy for Best Television SeriesComedy or Musical.

Jeff Bridges poses with the award for best actor in a motion picture drama for ‘Crazy Heart’.

Director James Cameron poses with the award for best motion picture drama for ‘Avatar’.

Robert Downey Jr with the award for best actor for ‘Sherlock Holmes’.

‘Grey Gardens’ director Michael Sucsy (L) and actress Drew Barrymore with her best actress Mini-Series pose with executive producers Lucy Barzun Donnelly (2nd R) and Rachael Horovitz after winning best miniseries or motion picture.

Meryl Streep with the award for best actress for ‘Julie and Julia’.

From left, January Jones, “Mad Men” creator Matthew Weiner, Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss, Christina Hendricks and Vincent Kartheiser pose with the award for best television series drama.

Christoph Waltz best supporting actor ‘Inglourious Basterds’.

Mo’Nique best supporting actress for her role in ‘Precious’.

Michael Haneke holds his award for best foreign language film for ‘The White Ribbon’.

(From L-R) Producer Daniel Goldberg, actors Ed Helms, director Todd Phillips, actor Justin Bartha, actress Heather Graham, Bradley Cooper and boxer Mike Tyson pose with their trophy for Best Motion Picture-Comedy or Musical for ‘The Hangover’.

Jason Reitman, left, and Sheldon Turner pose with the award for best screenplay in a motion picture for ‘Up In The Air’.

Michael Giacchino holds his award for best original score in a motion picture for “Up”.

Chloe Sevigny poses with the award for best supporting actress in a series or miniseries or motion picture made for television for ‘Big Love’.

Sandra Bullock poses with her award for best performance by an actress in a motion picture - drama for ‘The Blind Side’.

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Golden Globes

honor at Globes List of Award winners Motion pictures: Picture, Drama: “Avatar.”

Picture, Musical or Comedy: “The Hangover.”

Actor, Drama: Jeff Bridges, “Crazy Heart.”

Actress, Drama: Sandra Bullock, “The Blind Side.”

Director: James Cameron, “Avatar.”

Actor, Musical or Comedy: Robert Downey Jr, “Sherlock Holmes.”

Actress, Musical or Comedy: Meryl Streep, “Julie & Julia.”

Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz, “Inglourious Basterds.”

Supporting Actress: Mo’Nique, “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire.”

Foreign Language: “The White Ribbon.”

Animated Film: “Up.” Screenplay: Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner, “Up in the Air.” Original Score: Michael Giacchino, “Up.” Original Song: “The Weary Kind” (theme from “Crazy Heart”), (written by Ryan Bingham, T Bone Burnett).

Television: Series, Drama: “Mad Men,” AMC. Actor, Drama: Michael C Hall, “Dexter.”

Actress, Drama: Julianna Margulies, “The Good Wife.”

Series, Musical or Comedy: “Glee,” Fox. Actor, Musical or Comedy: Alec Baldwin, “30 Rock.”

Actress, Musical or Comedy: Toni Collette, “United States of Tara.”

Miniseries or Movie: “Grey Gardens,” HBO. Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Kevin Bacon, “Taking Chance.”

Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Drew Barrymore, “Grey Gardens.”

Supporting Actor, Series, Miniseries or Movie: John Lithgow, “Dexter.”

Supporting Actress, Series, Miniseries or Movie: Chloe Sevigny, “Big Love.”

Previously announced Cecil B DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award: Martin Scorsese. —AP

Arnold Schwarzenegger is shown on stage during the 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards.

T Bone Burnett holds his award for Best Original Song - Motion Picture for ‘The Weary Kind’ from the film ‘Crazy Heart’.

Gerard Butler and Jennifer Aniston.

Scorsese honored at Golden Globes

Mel Gibson

Toni Collette poses with the award for best actress in a television series comedy or musical for ‘United States of Tara’.

Robert De Niro, left, and Leonardo DiCaprio, right, pose with Martin Scorsese, winner of the Cecil B Demille Lifetime Achievement award.

Michael Giacchino holds his award for best original score in a motion picture for “Up”.

Cameron Diaz John Lithgow holds his award for best supporting actor in a series for his role in “Dexter”.

Director Pete Docter accepts his award for best animated feature for ‘Up’.

scar-winning director Martin Scorsese was awarded the Golden Globes Cecil B DeMille Award here Sunday for his “outstanding contribution to the entertainment field.”

The veteran film-maker, director of classic films including “Raging Bull,” “Goodfellas” and “The Aviator,” has already received two best director Globes during his career for “The Departed” and “Gangs of New York.” He had been nominated on five other occasions,

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including four for best director and once for best screenplay.

Scorsese was presented with the award by DiCaprio and Robert De Niro after receiving a standing ovation from a star-studded crowd at the Beverly Hilton. Scorsese has not released a feature film since his 2006 Oscars best picture “The Departed” but returns next month with “Shutter Island” a thriller starring Leonardo DiCaprio adapted from the Dennis Lehane novel. —AFP

Harrison Ford

Kevin Bacon, holds his award for best actor in a mini-series or TV movie for his role in “Taking Chance”.

Julianna Margulies poses with the award for best actress in a television series drama for ‘The Good Wife’.

Michael C Hall poses with the award for best actor in a television series drama for ‘Dexter’.

Julia Roberts

Tom Hanks

Amy Adams and Josh Brolin

www.kuwaittimes.net

Golden Globe parties full of celebs, booze, rain lasted by DJs at multiple postGolden Globe Awards parties, Madonna’s ‘80s anthem “Holiday” set an upbeat tone for the night despite rain, economic woes and concern over the earthquake victims in Haiti. Celebrities flocked to several soirees following the awards ceremony Sunday at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Booze flowed, comfort food was served hot and steaming, and guests boogied until midnight.

“It’s time for the good times/ Forget about the bad times, oh yeah,” shouted attendees, singing along to “Holiday,” at The Weinstein Co party at Bar 210, formerly Trader Vic’s.

Quentin Tarantino playfully swayed to the music, as Diane Kruger, one of the stars of his Globenominated World War II drama “Inglourious Basterds,” stood nearby.

While the party’s red carpet was a swath of sogginess, due to storms sweeping Southern California, the

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From left to right, actress Michelle Forbes, actress Anna Paquin, and actress Deborah Ann Woll at the HBO Golden Globe party.

—AP

shindig itself was darkly lit and intimate inside. Silver vases of pink orchids decorated tables. “It ain’t rainin’ in here!” shouted Tarantino.

“I’m going to stay out late. We’re going to have a good time. I’ve had a blast tonight, and the blast continues on. It ain’t over yet.” Guests, including Marion Cotillard, Fergie and her hubby Josh Duhamel, feasted on vegetable rolls with peanut sauce, beef skewers and coconut covered crab, and sipped on martinis flavored with apple juice. “Inglourious Basterds” co-star and horror film director Eli Roth had his own take on partying, including the reason for being unsteady on his feet at 9:20 p.m.

“They didn’t feed us at the Golden Globes, and Harvey Weinstein was drinking all the champagne, so it’s very difficult,” said Roth, pointing mischievously at the famed studio head as he strode by. “By the time the awards were happening, we were

really kind of loaded.” Christoph Waltz, who played a ruthless Nazi colonel in the movie, grinned and clutched his supporting-actor Globe trophy for the part as he navigated the crowd, following a stream of friends out of the party. “We’re staying in the building,” Waltz joked about which bash to attend next.

At the annual roof party hosted by NBC, Universal Pictures and Focus Features, a DJ spun disco and funk tunes as guests shimmied. Glittering disco balls of varying shapes hung from the ceiling. The mostly industry crowd chomped on modest fare, from slices of pizza to ravioli, pasta and salad. Director George Lucas obligingly took photos with fans before telling his family, “Let’s move on.”

Downstairs, cable channel HBO’s annual bash at Circa 55 restaurant was swamped soon after the awards ceremony ended. Stars from “Big Love” and “Entourage” piled their

plates with whitefish, potatoes stuffed with cheese and roasted vegetables. Metal sunburst chandeliers lent a ‘60s vibe. This year, the patio’s lavish outside pool was covered to make way for more than a dozen tables decorated with beautiful bronze sequin-covered tablecloths.

Unfortunately, the rain drove everyone inside. Jeremy Piven chatted up Globe host Ricky Gervais at a secluded table. Woody Harrelson, wearing a jaunty newsboy cap, ate standing up. Bill Paxton entered the party holding his young daughter’s hand. Giddy in a tight cluster by the bar with co-stars Ginnifer Goodwin and Jeanne Tripplehorn, Chloe Sevigny sipped champagne and accepted congratulations for her supporting actress honor for HBO’s “Big Love.” The trio, who play wives to Paxton’s character on the show, laughed and took pictures on Tripplehorn’s iPhone.

Depp says sexiest man title is a ‘joke’ mir Kusturica is trying to stop Hollywood tainting his Kuestendorf arts festival, but the renowned director did not reckon with Johnny Depp. Kusturica, winner of two awards at the Cannes film festival, said he wants the festival, now in its third year, to be devoted only to “movies, music and life”, far from the “blockbusters that pollute the spirit”. But the journalists following Depp around the event deep in the Serbian mountains, a five hour drive from Belgrade, wanted to know about his reputation as a sex symbol and his thoughts on US President Barack Obama.

“Pirates of the Caribbean” star Depp could not escape having to comment on the “The Sexiest Man Alive” title bestowed on him last year by US magazine People. “That should be someone else, that confuses me beyond recognition. I don’t know how to react,” Depp said. “I really thought it was a joke.”

Turning to politics, he is not among those who have turned against the US president. “Obama has great intentions. He is

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a decent man. He is a strong man as well.

I look forward to very good things.” Depp starred in Kusturica’s 1993 film “Arizona Dream”. The Bosnian-born film-maker said he would soon start preparations for a film about 19th century Mexican banditrevolutionary Pancho Villa, who would be played by Depp.

That is one reason why the American superstar made the trek to Serbia to meet with independent artists and film students at the mountain resort close to the Bosnian border. The Drvengrad mountain settlement, near Mokra Gora, is where Kusturica now lives and was the setting for his 2004 film “Life is A Miracle”.

Kusturica wants the quirky festival, which included a celebration for the Serbian Orthodox New Year and musical performances by Kusturica’s own “No Smoking Orchestra”, to enable film artists to exchange ideas and expertise as an alternative to the Hollywood-dominated industry.

Last year, American director Jim Jarmusch advised film students on how to

Johnny Depp make their dream scripts come true.

This year the festival, which runs until Tuesday, will show 29 films from 18 countries vying for the Golden, Silver and Bronze Egg awarded by a three-member

international jury chaired by FrenchIranian author and director Marjane Satrapi. “It is really great to rediscover people, talk about film trade (at a festival) without a protocol,” Satrapi, one of the

directors of the Oscar-nominated animation movie “Persepolis”, told AFP. When you arrive in Drvengrad, after a five-hour drive from Belgrade, “you do not know exactly where you are,” Satrapi said, clearly amused. “At an ordinary festival, you never have time to meet the people... There are always people behind you.

Always posing, always trying to give themselves a role.”

“It’s always necessary to be smart, to have a great haircut, to be beautiful, to be everything,” Satrapi said. In Drvengrad there is no red carpet and only a handful of photographers and journalists made the journey.

Festival goers could pass Depp, surrounded by security guards, leaving a wooden cabin where he was Kusturica’s guest of honor for a latenight celebration of the Orthodox New Year. The Hollywood star said he was “very impressed” with the festival, a “place where there is a possibility for communication, possibility of meeting someone”. —AFP

Warner Bros.’ bash with In Style magazine at the hotel’s Oasis courtyard drew the youngest, hippest crowd, and lasted later than the other parties. It was also the only one to directly address the Haiti crisis.

Buckets of blue ribbons stenciled with “Haiti will not be forsaken” sat at tables next to the red carpet.

Gabourey Sidibe, star of “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire,” was one of many wearing a ribbon bringing attention the humanitarian effort in the earthquake-ravaged country.

The bash also downsized its entertainment this year, replacing its usual multimember cover band with a lone DJ spinning catchy, thumping tunes by Lady Gaga, Prince and Michael Jackson. Guests included Courtney Cox, Heidi Klum and Seal.

Lindsay Lohan, surrounded by a large entourage, wore a sparkling hooded mini dress. —AP

Gaga, Williams to play at BRITs ady Gaga and Robbie Williams are among the acts performing at the 2010 BRIT awards, Britain’s answer to the Grammys, on Feb 16, organizers said yesterday. Also on stage for the show celebrating 30 years of the awards will be British boyband JLS, indie rockers Kasabian and a duo by grime artist Dizzee Rascal and Florence & The Machine.

Already announced among the winners on the night are Williams, who will collect an Outstanding Contribution to Music award, and Ellie Goulding, the Critics’ Choice winner tipped to be the next big thing in British pop. The line-up for the event, officially called The Brit Awards 2010 with MasterCard, was announced ahead of the BRIT Award nominations which were unveiled at a televised ceremony yesterday. —Reuters

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