14th Feb

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

40 PAGES

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2010

Female prof kills 3 at Alabama university

SAFAR 30, 1431 AH

NO: 14640

150 FILS

Is it ‘Chiie’ or ‘Chile’?

Mint issues bad coins

Nokia launches revolutionary ‘Comes with Music’ service, new X6 phone

Ruthless Chelsea into last eight after routing Cardiff

PAGE 14

PAGE 27

PAGE 20

PAGE 14

NATO launches Marjah offensive Bombs slow major US assault on Taleban stronghold

VANCOUVER: Fireworks light up the sky after Canadian hockey legend Wayne Gretzky lit the Olympic cauldron during the opening ceremony of the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games Friday. — AP (See Page 18)

Tragedy mars Olympics opening Georgian luger dies in horrific training crash VANCOUVER: The show went on - with grief and a closing glitch. The Olympics’ opening ceremonies unfolded in a mostly jubilant atmosphere, with an upbeat crowd filling BC Place Stadium only hours after a luger from the country of Georgia, Nodar Kumaritashvili, was killed in a horrific training-run crash at Whistler. After several somber pauses during the show to pay respects to him, the much-awaited surprise ending went awry. One huge piece of the set failed to rise from the stadium floor, and left one of the four final torchbearers, speedskater Catriona LeMay Doan, unable to use her torch.

The ceremonies were dedicated to Kumaritashvili, and a moment of silence was observed in his memory. The seven remaining members of the Georgian

Nodar Kumaritashvili

team, who decided to stay and compete, wore black armbands as they marched behind a black-trimmed flag. Most of the crowd rose to give respectful applause.

International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge and the top Vancouver organizer, John Furlong, urged the athletes to compete in Kumaritashvili’s honor. “May you carry his Olympic dream on your shoulders and compete with his spirit in your heart,” Furlong said.

Flirting with 145 kph speeds on a $100 million track, Kumaritashvili lost control and his body went airborne, arms and legs flailing over the opposite side of the track. Paramedics began working on Kumaritashvili within seconds, quickly starting chest compressions and Continued on Page 14

Houthis meeting ceasefire terms SANAA: Shiite rebels said yesterday they have pulled out of an occupied airport in northern Yemen and were preparing to release Saudi prisoners in line with a truce agreed with the Sanaa government.

“Today, we carried out our withdrawal from the perimeter of the airport of (the city of) Saada, where a plane will land for the first time” since August, rebel spokesman Mohammed Abdel Salam told AFP. He said the insurgents had also started to dismantle roadblocks in the north and were preparing to free Saudi prisoners captured in border clashes that broke out in November. Salam said “measures are underway to hand over the Saudi prisoners to a mediator, Ali Nasser

Kersha,” a tribal official from the northern province of Saada. He did not give further details.

In Riyadh, Deputy Defence Minister Prince Khaled bin Sultan said the rebels had been given until today to release five Saudis held captive. “He gave them 48 hours from yesterday,” the prince’s aide General Ibrahim Al-Malek told AFP, without specifying what action Riyadh would take if the prisoners were not released by the deadline. The Zaidi Shiite rebels, also known as Houthis after their late leader, agreed to stop fighting earlier this week after they accepted ceasefire terms laid down by Sanaa.

Calm prevailed in the north yesterday,

the second day of a shaky truce that temporarily broke down only hours after it went into effect late on Thursday, both sides said. “The situation is calm on all fronts in Saada province,” which straddles Saudi Arabia and lies at the centre of a six-year-old Zaidi rebellion, said one military source. “But the calm is precarious,” said another source, referring to the latest in a string of truces over the years that have broken down. A spokesman for rebel leader Abdul Malak Al-Houthi confirmed there was no fighting, saying the “ceasefire is being respected and the situation is developing positively.”

Continued on Page 14

MARJAH, Afghanistan: Thousands of US-led troops backed by helicopters yesterday stormed an Islamist stronghold in southern Afghanistan in NATO’s biggest operation since the Taleban regime’s overthrow in late 2001. US Marines led the charge on Marjah, a town of 80,000 in the central Helmand River valley controlled for years by militants and drug traffickers in the first major test of President Barack Obama’s new surge policy.

US, British and Afghan soldiers dropped into Marjah from helicopters before dawn, immediately coming under fire and claiming their first Taleban victims within hours, Afghan army and Marines officers said. Operation Mushtarak (“together” in Dari), as the assault involving 15,000 troops is known, aims to clear the area of Taleban and re-establish Afghan sovereignty and civil services, Helmand Governor Mohammad Gulab Mangal said.

British forces suffered their first casualty of the operation when a soldier was killed in an explosion while on a vehicle patrol in Helmand province’s Nad-eAli area, Britain’s Defence Ministry said in London.

NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said five foreign soldiers died yesterday in the south of Afghanistan, three of them US troops, but did not say if they had been involved in the Marjah attack. At least 20 Taleban fighters were killed in the first hours of the assault, said General Sher Mohammad Zazai, commander of the operation’s Afghan troops. “So far, we have killed 20 armed opposition fighters.

Eleven others have been detained,” he said, adding they were killed in separate engagements.

Afghan Defence Minister Abdul Raheem Wardak said the operation was making painstaking progress because the area had been laced with deadly improvised explosive devices (IEDs), which can be almost impossible to detect.

Continued on Page 14

Obama names special envoy to Islamic body

KUWAIT: A salesman arranges Valentine’s Day plush toys and novelties outside a gift shop yesterday. Valentine’s Day, named after the Christian patron saint for lovers, has gained popularity in Kuwait over the past few years. — Photo by Joseph Shagra (See Page 2)

DOHA: US President Barack Obama yesterday named Rashad Hussain as his special envoy to the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, aiming to build on pledges to restore ties with the Muslim world. In a recorded video message to the seventh annual US-Islamic World Forum meeting in the Qatari capital, Obama said he wanted to deepen partnerships with the Muslim world “and to develop others”.

“I’m proud to announce today that I am appointing my special envoy to the OIC Rashad Hussain,” said Obama, who opened his message with the Muslim greeting of “Assalaamu Alaykum” (peace be with you). “As an accomplished lawyer and a close and trusted member of my White House staff, Rashad has played a key role in devel-

oping the partnerships I called for in Cairo.”

In June 2009, just a few months after his inauguration, Obama travelled to Egypt to deliver an address aimed at restarting US relations with Muslims worldwide af ter eight rocky years under his predecessor George W Bush.

“I laid out a vision where we all embrace our responsibilities to build a world that is more peaceful and secure,” Obama told the forum in Doha, organised by the Brookings think-tank’s Saban Center for Middle East Policy and Qatar’s foreign affairs ministry .

Washington has since been “responsibly ending the war in Iraq,” while “in Afghanistan and beyond, we are forging partnerships to isolate violent extremists, reduce corruption Continued on Page 14

MARJAH, Afghanistan: US Marines battle the Taleban as they try to enter this city in Helmand province Friday. — AFP

Pune cafe blast kills 8 PUNE, India: Eight people were killed and 32 injured in a bomb blast yesterday at a restaurant popular with tourists in the western Indian city of Pune, police and government officials said. The blast took place at about 7:30 pm (1400 GMT) at the German Bakery - an established eatery in the Koregaon Park area of the city, not far from a Jewish cultural centre and an internationally renowned religious retreat.

“It was a bomb blast,” Indian Home Secretary G K Pillai told reporters in New Delhi, adding that one foreigner was among the eight people killed. “It appears that an unattended package was noticed... by one of the waiters who apparently went and attempted to open the package when the blast took

place,” Pillai said. He added that a specialist forensic team was flying from New Delhi to assist the state police of Maharashtra, where Pune is

located. Pillai was quoted earlier by PTI as saying that it was a terror attack.

The impact of the blast knocked the bakery’s sign off, blew out windows and left a large crater inside the restaurant. “It (the bomb) was under one of the tables ... We transferred lots of people to the ambulances ... there is no German bakery anymore,” one foreigner, short of breath and resting against a wall, told local CNN-IBN television.

Police first said that four foreigners were killed but later the state government officials revised this one.

“We heard a big noise and we all rushed out. The impact was so much that there were tiny body parts everywhere,” said Vinod Dhale, an employee at the bakery.

Continued on Page 14

This image provided by the US Department of Defense shows an infrared image of the Missile Defense Agency’s Airborne Laser Testbed (right point) destroying a target missile (left point) on Feb 11, 2010. — AP

Flying laser zaps missile WASHINGTON: A high-powered laser aboard a modified Boeing Co 747 jumbo jet shot down an in-flight ballistic missile for the first time, highlighting a new class of ray guns best known from science fiction. The flying laser’s longawaited test on Thursday showcased a potential to zap multiple targets at the speed of light and at a range of hundreds of kilometers, the Pentagon’s Missile Defense Agency said in a statement.

“The Missile Defense Agency demonstrated the potential use of directed energy to defend against ballistic missiles when the Airborne Laser

Testbed (ALTB) successfully destroyed a boosting ballistic missile,” the agency said.

“The revolutionary use of directed energy is very attractive for missile defense,” the statement added.

It cited among other things a low cost per intercept compared with other technologies used to defeat missiles that could be tipped with chemical, biological or nuclear warheads. Directed energy weapons use highly focused rays to attack a target rather than chemical-powered arms.

Those in control can tweak the strength involved, unlike a bullet or a bomb, allowing for

less-than-lethal uses. Lasers are well known from science fiction as a type of ray gun. In the real world, they are used for sighting, ranging and targeting for guns.

The experiment marked both the first time a laser weapon has destroyed a ballistic missile and the first time any system has accomplished it in the missile’s boost phase of flight. A boosting missile is easiest to track because its exhaust is bright and hot, but the window lasts only from one to five minutes, meaning the interceptor must be in close proximity.

Continued on Page 14

2

NATIONAL

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Flower shops offer special services

‘Lovers’ set to celebrate Valentine’s Day in Kuwait

By Nisreen Zahreddine KUWAIT: Love and passion are celebrated on Valentine’s Day, which is symbolized by the color red. It spreads the warmth of love in the cold month of February. Young and old couple celebrate this occasion alike on Feb 14 every year. In Kuwait, flower stores are prepared to offer special services on this

KUWAIT: People around the world are keen on celebrating this ‘red’ occasion to unveil real emotions of love to their loved ones.

Raed, a young Kuwaiti man, was not very enthusiastic about celebrating Valentine’s Day, “My beloved knows that I love her very much and I express my love every day,” he said.

He does not believe in the need to express his love on a specific day. He said that feelings can be expressed at any time and place and do not require special occasions.

Wael, a Syrian expatriate, has a gloomy Valentine’s Day ahead after separating from his beloved. “ It is an occasion for agony for me this year,” he said. However, he hopes for a better Valentine’s day next year. He went to say that his mother plans to surprise his father on this special occasion to prove that love has no age barriers.

Young people, as well as some old ones, are keen on celebrating this ‘red’ occasion to unveil real emotions of love to their loved ones. Kuwait’s streets will be busy today with lovers looking forward to celebrate this day.

KUWAIT: Flower shops in Kuwait are offering special services on Valentine’s Day. — Photos by Joseph Shagra

New group urges govt to resolve bedoon issue

By Abdullah Al-Qattan KUWAIT: ‘11/11 Power,’ a new Kuwaiti pressure group calling for social and political equality, held a seminar on Friday evening entitled Give Kuwaiti Children Their Rights Back. The focus of the event was the contentious treatment of Kuwait’s bedoon (stateless) population, primarily the ‘Baqer law,’ devised by former justice minister Ahmad Baqer, prohibiting the children of Kuwaiti men and bedoon mothers from being issued with personal documentation, which participants condemned as “unfair.”

Nasser Al-Shelaimi, 11/11 Power’s

Secretary General, said that there are currently around 2,000 individuals in this category who are awaiting the resolution of their problems from the relevant government bodies.

“We demand that the government and parliament take action in resolving this dilemma,” he insisted. “For something like this to continue happening is unacceptable.”

Al-Shelaimi explained that, thanks to a decree issued by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, marriage certificates are now issued when Kuwaiti men marry bedoon women. However, he continued, this has

not resolved the problem for these couples’ offspring.

“Although the Amir has issued a decree documenting these marriages, the government still refuses to give [these couples’] children any form of identification,” he explained. “As a result, some families are forced into either taking other nationalities for the wife, or the husband is forced to sign documents stating that his wife’s origins are either in Iraq or Saudi Arabia. Another downside in such cases is that the father does not receive the salary bonus normally granted to Kuwaiti fathers and this in turn puts a strain on the father in regard to educat-

day in addition to restaurants that are prepared to welcome couples in love.

Rania, an Egyptian expatriate was busy buying romantic gifts for her young boyfriend. “I am thinking of buying teddy bears and a collection of souvenirs,” she said. This occasion means a lot for Rania, who will be celebrating her first Valentine’s Day after entering into a relationship with her boyfriend. She believes that on this day, feelings of love and happiness should be shared.

ing the children or seeking medical care for them.”

Friday’s seminar was also attended by representatives of the Kuwaiti Children’s Rights Association, which is also demanding immediate action on the bedoon issue.

While the parliament has spent years discussing the bedoon issue with further discussions set to take place shortly, a conclusive solution has not yet been reached. Meanwhile, the international community and humanitarian organizations, including Human Rights Watch, have criticized Kuwait’s policy on bedoon issues.

A mistaken identity in murder case?

KUWAIT: New revelations in a recent murder case suggest that the girl whose body detectives are searching for at the Sabah rubbish dump may actually be alive and have fled the country, with the man who previously confessed to killing her saying that his victim may have been another woman altogether.

Detectives are now examining CCTV surveillance recordings from Kuwait International Airport (KIA) to search for footage of the girl, with new evidence suggesting that she may have fled the country with her boyfriend.

Officials, who have determined that her boyfriend fled the country at around the time of her disappearance, suspect that she may have used a false passport to accompany him, reported AlWatan.

The search continues at the rubbish dump, with the killer, who confessed to having put his victim’s body in a garbage dumpster after raping and murdering her, acknowledging that his identification of the Pakistani girl may have been mistaken.

So far, the teams of investigators searching the facility have located a headscarf, a bloodstained shirt and a shoe, which are undergoing tests at the Criminal Investigation Department’s (CID) laboratory to determine whether or not they are connected to the killing.

local spotlight

Introducing privatization

By Muna Al-Fuzai

P

rivatization, they way I and many others see it, transfers businesses from the public sector, to the private one. So, all the employees fall under regulations that govern private sector! That is fine with me. I am one of those who repeatedly complain about an army of employees who waste productive working hours by gorging on food. Maybe it is time to think carefully about privatizing a major public sector to turn into an efficient enterprise.

The fact remains that all countries need employees to work towards providing essential services, which is run and supervised by the government. So, regardless of how much we urge for the introduction of privatization, no country will ever be able to abandon its official employees, even if the commonly heard rhetoric “this is what the government pays us to do, and this is what we can do!” Government employees will keep complaining perpetually.

Now, how well their performance should be assessed and whether they should be allowed to retain their jobs in case of unsatisfactory performance is another issue. This can be solved with privatization- introduce new methods of appraisal, and tally their level of achievements with the performance as is done based on international labor law.

In most government departments, most of the work is performed on the nature of the relationship you share with the head of the department, and in some cases, with the minister himself! This is the reason why, although the number of government employees have expanded largely since the sixties, corruptive

practices have risen!

Are we a capital or a communist state?

Now, I agree with those who say that government owns most of the shares in major business ventures, mostly private ones and industry. Having said that, I don’t think that we qualify as a capital state.

So, yes the calls for privatization is legitimate and should be able to hold up against state involvement in industry and services. Now, during the past few years, many countries have woken up to the risk of such trends and have created many new strategies to free its industries from government control. The current status of the Kuwait Airways should serve as a reminder- the carrier began operating in the fifties and is dying now. I doubt that privatization is the only answer to it. I don’t think privatization can breathe new life at once to any sector.

Every sector is hampered by its own share of problems. But it will leave a better impact on the economy, than let things go on as they are.

Just like formulating any other policy, privatization needs to be well-planned. Polices should be updated and control exercised over targets.

All procedures should have scope for revision and evaluation without being interfered by external threats or wasta. Now, we in Kuwait are new to this field.

The success stories in private sector should not be the role models to which we look up to. What we need to learn from other countries like UK, Italy, Spain is how they were able to achieve at low costs, and with minimum government intervention. Is privatization contradictory to the State’s control policy? Is that what we really want—to rescue one local company from falling apart?

muna@kuwaittimes.net

Eerie ‘graveyard’ found in Mutlaa KUWAIT: The discovery of what appears to be a recently dug series of small graves at a campsite in a deserted part of Mutlaa has raised alarm among local people. Police are investigating the gruesome find after campers reported what seem to be a number of small graves at a campsite only recently abandoned by others, reported Al-Watan. The ‘graves,’ which number up to 16 in total, are reportedly surrounded by bloodstained stones, with strange symbols drawn on top of the ‘grave’ coverings.

An investigation is underway to determine the source and contents of the strange structures, with police searching for their creators.

KUWAIT: A joint naval drill session was held yesterday between the Coastguards General Department of the Interior Ministry and the United Kingdom’s marine forces. The training was done with the intention of countering terrorist attacks and sea smuggling. These operations are conducted to exchange expertise and increase the quality of performance of the field work. The Head of the Coastguards Department, Mubarak Ali Al-Sabah, said that the department’s coastguards showed resilience during the drill which proved its ability to counter any attempts of infiltration into the country’s territorial waters. These drills will be held on a periodic basis as part of the plan put to increase cooperation between Kuwait and the United Kingdom.

NATIONAL

Sunday, February 14, 2010

3 Kuwait media industry maturing

Advertising groups discuss benefits, risks of auditing

By Rawan Khalid KUWAIT: The benefits and risks involved in running the country’s media sector by adopting auditing as a standard and expected practice were discussed during a meeting held by the International Advertising Association (IAA) with BPA Worldwide. The event was held at the Radisson Blu Hotel on Feb 9.

Louai Al-Asfahani, the newly elected President of the IAA Kuwait Chapter, In addition, he stated, “Auditing existed in Kuwait pre-invasion - it is not a new thing - it is useful for the industry so we welcome it back with open arms.”

Iqbal Al-Haddad, who represented the client’s side has commented that she fully supports the introduction of auditing in all publishing firms. It will allow clients and agencies to know the actual print and circulation numbers of all publications. She encouraged all publishers to adopt this step and apply it to their publications, “as we all seek transparency and a more professional environment.”

Zeina Mokaddam from ph7 commented, “Transparency is becoming a necessity as publishers are losing credibility and clients are lost amidst inflated figures that do not differentiate between circulation and readership.” Marie Claire of KUC is already in the process of auditing in the UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain. Following the conference, STUDENTALK and BAZAAR signed up with BPA in the hope of starting a new trend for publishers in Kuwait.

The IAA Kuwait Chapter and BPA Worldwide anticipate broad participation from members of the media and advertis-

welcomed the roundtable meeting as a first for the Kuwaiti media industry.

“We look forward to a lively and constructive debate among the panelists and audience to set an agenda for increased accountability, transparency and fair play in our market. The Kuwaiti media industry is maturing and increasingly participating in the global media industry, so we must recognize the need to provide third party verified data to the media buying community in the buying and selling of advertising in our market.”

KUWAIT: Aspen Aman Business Development Manager of BPA Worldwide and Middle East (left), Zeina Al-Mokadam Managing Director of PH7 publishing (2nd from left), Iqbal Al-Haddad Advisor for Advertising and Brand Management in NBK (3RD from left), Louai Al-Asfahani President of IAA Kuwait Chapter (middle), Omar Al-Houti Marketing Communication Manager VIVA (3RD from right), Marwan Farah General Manager RLP Int’l (2nd from left), and Sanjay Malik Group Circulation Director Al-Nisr Publication UAE (right). — Photos by Joseph Shagra ing communities, and hope to see a large number of participants from media, agencies and advertisers.

Stuart Wilkinson, Managing Director of EMEA commented, “Circulation verification con-

ducted by an independent audit bureau is the foundation of advertising accountability and credibility. Third-party audits are a prerequisite for any country seeking to attract international advertising into its publi-

cations and other media.”

“For advertisers and their advertising agencies, independent audits verify that the publication or other medium truly delivered the numbers and types of readers that a publica-

tion has claimed. For publishers and other media owners, being able to provide measurable accountability to advertisers and prospects greatly facilitates the media selling process.

Independently verified data make it possible for all audited media to be compared according to the same standards,” Stuart added.

Aspen Aman Business Development Manager of BPA spoke about his company, “It’s a not-for-profit organization since 1931. BPA Worldwide, a founding member of the International Federation of Audit Bureaus of Circulations (IFABC), is governed by a tripartite board comprised of media owners, advertising agencies and advertisers.

Headquartered in Shelton, Connecticut, USA, BPA has the largest membership of any media-auditing organization in the world, spanning more than 30 countries.”

Aspen added, “Globally, BPA serves over 2,800 media properties including more than 2,000 B-to-B publications, more than 600 consumer magazines and newspapers, more than 450 web sites, plus events, email newsletters, databases, wireless and other advertiser-supported media as well as more than 2,600 advertiser and agency members.”

Citizenship ‘a right for the entitled’ KUWAIT: The Iranian embassy in Kuwait recently held a special reception to commemorate the 31st anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. The ceremony was hosted by Ambassador Ali Jannati at the embassy premises and attended by diplomats, dignitaries and members of the media. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

in my view

A veiled society

By Fouad Al-Obaid t is not uncommon for different societies to deal with their taboos in a region-specific manner. Others shun what is acceptable to some, and with that, we emerge as a planet that is much richer with various cultural specificity making the travel to faraway places interesting and worthwhile. Though many may argue that we are living in a world that is become more and more homogeneous, the study on the understanding of societies of a show many of you might know ‘Dallas’ has proven that the same program derived various meanings in different countries.

Spending a good portion of my year abroad, returning home has always fascinated me. I am intrigued by the society I left, and am pleased to see it again and to note and observe the improvement - whether good or bad makes for a different debate. With every return, I feel like a newborn discovering that much more a new territory, area, neighborhood, mall you name it!

What I find is personally interesting for our society despite what many might come to believe as being a static one that is centered around cultural moors and tradition, remains at its core progressive and on a path towards liberalization of mores and ideas. What a few years ago was barely tolerated today, is at best ignored. Though perhaps with a massive construction boom, and an influx of cash has pushed society towards a path of modernism that adopts capitalism at its core, and yet it is a society that is trying to balance its inherent conservatism in what I perceive as being an unsustainable manner.

The younger generation, brought up to the

I

tune of Showtime, Star Academy, Facebook, MSN, and the list goes on of new information connection tools that enable by-passing just like a proxy of their parental guard, enabling a mingling of sexes that is more and more tolerated as long as it is not perceived in the bright light of day. I dare question if people are succumbing to the obvious, or is denial still the modus operandi?

In a society where many marriages end in divorce, with young adults aged no older than 23 end up having two kids and no husband, the previous social arrangements in my humble view will have to be reviewed.

As humans, whether we are born in Europe, India, Africa, the Americas, Asia or the Middle East, we all espouse various human traits. We have different needs, and societies over the ages have regulated how we have access to them. In our modern world, where the lines of appropriate conduct are thinning gout, it will be interesting to see how our society will live the next several decades. Will we choose to become more liberal and rational in our human interaction, bearing in mind that our Constitution allows for more freedom than many dare realize.

Or, will we choose to entrench ourselves in a twisted form of conservatism that pushes many things underground, and allows us to act like saints when reality is otherwise.

Angels or Demons, Dan Brown’s book perhaps has nothing more than its title that is relevant to this topic. However, I believe that it offers two powerful words, is the choice up to us, or does biology choose? Do we then make up the rules to regulate our inherent desires? fouad@kuwaittimes.net

KSSC congratulates CP on anniversary KUWAIT: The head of the Kuwait Sea Sports Club, Lt Gen Fahad Al-Fahad, has congratulated His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad AlSabah on the fourth anniversary of his appointment to the position.

Lt Gen Al-Fahad further praised HH the Crown Prince for assuming responsibility within this position for assisting HH the

Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad AlSabah in ensuring safety, security, development and progress for Kuwait.

The Sea Sports Club head acknowledged Sheikh Nawaf AlAhmad’s efforts to serve Kuwait, expressing his great pleasure that this anniversary coincides with the celebration of the National and Liberation Days, as well as the fourth anniversary of HH the

Amir’s ascension to the throne.

Lt. Al-Fahad also reiterated the KSSC’s commitment to participating in the nationwide celebrations for Kuwait’s National and Liberation Days, revealing that the club recently participated in a sailing demonstration during the Hala February festival, with several vessels bearing images of HH the Amir on their sails taking part in the event.

KUWAIT: Kuwaiti citizenship is “a right given to those entitled to it, not an inheritance,” said Interior Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Khalid Al-Sabah on Friday. The minister announced that the Supreme Council of Nationality is set to discuss the thorny issue of naturalization during a forthcoming meeting, whose results will be revealed after it concludes.

The council will also discuss all the outstanding issues concerning nationality during the meeting, said Sheikh Jaber Al-Khalid.

Although the minister refused to name the members of the committees assigned to examine and prepare the

lists of those proposed for naturalization, he said that all the details submitted are closely scrutinized in order to avoid any error, explaining that the sensitive details connected to such activities cannot be disclosed at the current times.

The issue of those selected for Kuwaiti citizenship is one of the most contentious points of conflict between the cabinet and parliament, especially after a committee led by Sheikh Thamer Al-Sabah issued a report in 2007 in which it was revealed that 35 individuals had been granted citizenship in violation of the governing rules and regulations.

This prompted another committee,

in the news Fraudster caught KUWAIT: An Asian man wanted in connection with various fraudrelated crimes has been arrested by Farwaniya police after managing to successfully elude capture for some time, despite his residency having expired in 2008. An investigation was launched into the man’s criminal activities after police received a number of complaints that he had defrauded various local shops. The fraudster’s downfall came about when a shopkeeper who was previously cheated by the man recognized him as he entered a local market and immediately called police, reported Al-Watan. The culprit was quickly arrested and taken into custody, with further investigations revealing that he had defrauded various outlets out of around KD 7,000 worth of goods. He is currently awaiting trial.

Pressurized oxygen therapy KUWAIT: First Deputy Premier and Defense Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah is set to open Kuwait’s first pressurized oxygen therapy center at the Jaber Al-Ahmed Armed Forces Hospital tomorrow (Monday), reported Annahar. The center has been designed and built in collaboration with the French Military Medical Services High Command, explained the Kuwaiti Army’s PR and Moral Guidance Department. The center was built with a personal donation from Sheikh Jaber, which demonstrates his enthusiasm for improving the quality of health services provided for members of the Kuwaiti military and their families.

Medical error insurance KUWAIT: The insurance law that covers against medical errors will be enforced within a month in cooperation with the Kuwait Medical Association (KMA). The announcement was made by the Ministry of Health Deputy Dr. Ibraheem Al-Abdulhadi. He added that the Ministry’s law pertinent to the Ministry would organize more details. The law, which was referred to the Association for further study, aims to protect health care professionals and patients alike.

They will work toward reducing the number of medical errors, which ultimately improve the quality of medical services provided in the country. Meanwhile, the Ministry will begin the project of increasing the capacity of Amiri hospital by adding an additional 210-220 beds. Al-Abdulhadi indicated that the project for this hospital will ultimately all medical specialties among the services it provides. He further added that this expansion will require temporary constructions to be built around the hospital to be removed.

This project is the most prominent work plan for the upcoming four years, Al-Abdulhadi said.

Education directors to be reshuffled KUWAIT: A partial reshuffle among directors of educational directorates has been planned. The Minister of Education and Higher Education, Dr. Moudhi Al-Homoud is expected to make a decision to transfer the Head of the Ahmadi directorate to Al-Farwaniya. Yousra Al-Omar, the incumbent head will be moved to the Capital directorate. This step aims to provide the best educational atmosphere for directors to commit to their duties for the benefit of the educational process, reported Al-Watan. In other news, the Ministry is preparing to hold training courses in coordination with the Kuwait University, as part of an internal scholarship held for marriage and family consultant degrees.

led by Sheikh Faisal Al-Nawaf Al-Sabah, the head of the citizenship and passports committee, to launch a study into the report, with his conclusions due to be published next week, reported Al-Rai. Sheikh Jaber Al-Khalid could face questions from the parliament if he fails to properly implement the citizenship laws in relation to the 35 aforementioned cases.

Meanwhile, Capital governor Sheikh Ali Al-Jaber Al-Sabah has asserted that an article he recently wrote for a local daily on Kuwait’s bedoon (stateless) population was misinterpreted. The governor insisted that he has always

supported the naturalization of bedoon residents, reported Awan. He asserted that he has been particularly supportive of those bedoons who sacrificed their lives protecting the late Amir’s convoy during the Iraqi invasion of 1990 and those who fought to protect Kuwait during the subsequent occupation and liberation war.

Speaking to reporters at his ‘Azayez’ farm, Sheikh Ali Al-Jaber emphasized that those bedoons mentioned in his article fell into a specific category, those who already possess documents and passports and who have concealed their citizenship of other nations.

Kuwaiti women trio attacks Filipina seamstress

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: A Filipina seamstress has lodged a complaint against three Kuwaiti women who she says launched a vicious physical assault against her, accusing her of spoiling one of the trio’s wedding dress. The seamstress explained that the bride-to-be had brought her KD 1,500 wedding dress in to the seamstress’ studio in Saad Al-Abdullah, asking her to carry out some minor alterations on it since she was due to get married three days later. When the bride-to-be returned to collect the dress with her sisters, however, she accused the seamstress of ruining it, with the three women launching an attack against the hapless dressmaker. An investigation has been launched and police are seeking to bring the aggressive bridal party in for questioning.

Travel troubles Kuwait International Airport (KIA) customs officials recently foiled attempts by two men, an

Indian and a Bangladeshi, to gain access to the country using forged passports, with both men being returned home on the same planes that brought them to Kuwait. Meanwhile, a Kuwaiti man who attempted to illegally enter the transit section of KIA, which is reserved for airport employees, in order to bid farewell to family members boarding a flight was briefly detained after starting a fight with an airport security guard who prevented him from entering the restricted area. After giving an undertaking not to repeat his behavior, the man was released. In another case, two male Arab expatriates, one Arab and the other Egyptian, were prevented from leaving Kuwait after it was discovered that both had travel ban orders against them. Customs officials discovered while checking the Egyptian man’s details that he had previously disappeared after being sentenced to imprisonment by a local court, while the Syrian man was found to be banned from travelling over non-payment of a

‘Provide utmost safety measures for society’ KUWAIT: The Acting Director General of the General Firefighting Department Brig Yousef Al-Ansari has stressed on the significance of providing utmost safety measures for society and according to highest standards.

Al-Ansari said that the department is mulling over setting up a strategy that copes with the economic revitalization process witnessed in the country, as it puts pre-arranged plans for all sorts of fire-related incidents. Such plans already

are included in the purchasing of one of the world’s tallest fire ladders, in addition to other pieces of equipment that help improve the efficiency of rescue and firefighting operations, AlAnsari pointed out. Lauding the support lent by the political leadership for the department, as well as voicing pride in the sacrifices by firemen while on duty, Al-Ansari underlined the department’s keenness on vocational safety and creating a hazard-free working zone for its personnel. — KUNA

debt. Both men were taken into custody. In another travel-related case, this time at Salmi land border checkpoint, a Kuwaiti man was prevented from leaving after customs officers discovered there was a ban against him over nonpayment of a bad cheque he had issued.

KD 35,000 burglary A Kuwaiti man who borrowed KD 35,000 in cash from a local bank to launch a business project was burgled the same evening, with the thieves stealing the money, along with his wife’s jewelry, from their home. The man had apparently left the money in his house while he and his wife went out to visit a family member.

When they returned home, they found their house ransacked, discovering that the burglars had broken into the closet where the money and jewelry had been stored and taken everything. The distraught householder immediately called police to report the burglary and a search is underway for the thieves.

NATIONAL

4

Sheikh Ali Al-Jaber poses with a number of ambassadors and other diplomats.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Deputy Prime Minister and State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Dr. Mohammad Al-Sabah with the Governor of the Capital, Sheikh Ali Al-Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, and the Governor’s spouse, Sheikha Kholoud Aba Al-Khail.

Diplomats attend Open Day at Azayez farm

Sheikh Ali Al-Jaber poses with the Chairman of the Kuwait Journalists Association (KJA), Ahmad Al-Behbehani.

Sheikh Ali Al-Jaber with his grandchildren.

KUWAIT: The Azayez farm located at the northern border area of Abdali recently hosted an Open Day held by the Governor of the Capital, Sheikh Ali AlJaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. A number of ambassadors from foreign countries to Kuwait enjoyed the family atmosphere as a much-needed respite from political tension. Members from embassies of the Arab and foreign countries in Kuwait, and their families, were welcomed by Sheikh Ali Al-Jaber and his spouse, Sheikha Kholoud Aba Al-Khail at the Azayez farm.

This event, which is held annually by Sheikh Ali Al-Sabah, was described by the Deputy Prime Minister and State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh (Dr). Mohammad AlSabah to be ‘outstanding.’ He added that the fact that more than 100 diplomatic envoys gathered at one place further solidifies the notion that Kuwait can turn into a global financial and commercial station, reported AlWatan.

Al-Mohammad further expressed gratitude towards Sheikh Ali Al-Sabah “for turning the Azayez farm into a diplomatic gathering where different international diplomats working in Kuwait get together in ceremonial fashion to mark the start of the ‘Hala February’ festivities.”

The Foreign Minister had revealed, as part of this event, the intention to build a ‘security belt’ along the Kuwait-Iraq borders, which he said “aims to help

Sheikh Mohammad Al-Sabah shares a conversation with a child.

Sheikh Ali Al-Jaber oversees the flow of procedures during the event. protect against terrorist infiltrations” among other issues. He also asserted the strength of the relationship between the two countries during this event.

Former Information Minister, Mohammad Al-Sanousi, holds a falcon as part of the event.

The Ambassador of Somalia to Kuwait, Abdul-Qader Ameen Sheikh, expressed his gratitude towards Sheikh Ali Al-Jaber AlSabah for his annual hospitality

custom. He took this opportunity to extend to the Kuwaiti leadership and people well wishes for the upcoming national holidays.

The Jordanian ambassador, Jumah A-Abbad, poses with members of the Jordanian Embassy.

The Indian Ambassador with the Bangladeshi ambassador to his right.

Three spouses of ambassadors attend the event.

NATIONAL

Sunday, February 14, 2010

5

KUWAIT: Firemen from Farwaniya, Ardiya and Mishref worked together to tackle a blaze that severely damaged a home in Khaitan, managing to contain the massive fire within the 400-square-meter property. Two firemen were treated at the scene for minor injuries sustained while fighting the blaze. A senior Kuwait Fire Services Directorate (KFSD) official warned householders to avoid storing gas cylinders in their homes, adding that old and rusty cylinders should not be used since they may be dangerous. — Photos by Hanan Al-Saadoun

Brothels busted in Khaitan

Asian held for passport fraud KUWAIT: An Asian man was arrested at Kuwait International Airport (KIA) after customs officials discovered that he was using another man’s passport. Officials became suspicious of the man after he “lost his way” at the airport after disembarking from the plane, attempting to find another exit route to avoid going through customs. Officers approached him and took him to the customs desk, where officials quickly determined that the passport in his possession was not his own. On being questioned, he admitted that he had ‘borrowed’ the passport from a friend in his home country in an attempt to reach Kuwait. He has been transferred to police custody.

Fatal crash One Kuwaiti man in his forties was killed and his three friends, also Kuwaitis in the same age group, were injured when their SUV overturned in Roudatain while they were returning from a trip.

Emergency personnel were quickly at the scene, rushing the injured men to Jahra Hospital, while the dead man’s body was removed for autopsy. An

investigation has been launched into the cause of the accident.

Khaitan brothel Eighteen Asian men and women were recently arrested in a number of apartments in Khaitan that had turned into brothels, with all being charged with various prostitution-related crimes. All those arrested have been detained in custody awaiting trial.

Suicide bids An Asian woman was rushed to hospital after attempting suicide by slitting the veins on her left wrist open in her apartment in Hawally. Medical staff managed to staunch the heavy bleeding and stabilize her condition and an investigation has been launched into the reason behind her suicide bid. In another case, a Filipina maid attempted suicide at her sponsor’s home in Sabah Al-Nasser by taking an overdose of tablets. She was discovered soon after, with an ambulance rushing her to Farwaniya Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU)

where she is understood to be recovering.

Junkie wife-beater Following an emergency call reporting a domestic dispute at a campsite near the Seventh Ring Road, police rushed to the scene, arresting a Kuwaiti drug addict who had beaten his wife while under the influence of drugs. On checking the ID of the man, who was apparently still in an intoxicated condition when they arrived, the police officers discovered that he had gone on the run after being sentenced to prison for previous crimes. A number of narcotic tablets and a dagger were confiscated from his possession and he was taken into custody.

Shoplifters caught Three shoplifters who hid in the toilets of a shop in a Hawally mall until it closed before emerging, planning to rob the outlet while it was shut, got a nasty surprise when eagle-eyed mall security guards spotted them and disrupted their plan. While one of the thieves managed to escape,

the guards caught the other two, who confessed their actions. Police were quickly at the scene and took the two felons into custody, while a hunt is underway for the third.

Shopkeeper assaulted Three unidentified men stormed into a cell phone shop in Farwaniya, brutally beating the Egyptian manager before fleeing the scene.

Emergency personnel were quickly at the scene, with the victim, who sustained several injuries in the apparently unprovoked attack, being rushed to hospital. Police are waiting until the man’s condition stabilizes to question him about the attack in order to identify and catch his assailants.

Gang fight A group of Syrian men got into a fight with a group of Iranians over a market stall in the Shuwaikh Industrial Zone. The fight reportedly began after the Iranians insulted the Syrians, leading to a rapid escalation of hostilities. A number of Iranian men were injured in the fracas, being taken to Sabah Hospital for treatment.

kuwait digest

Rights of ‘old bedoons’

“I

DAKAR: Kuwait Ambassador to Senegal Dr Hamad Burhama visiting Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah’s Islamic Educational Complex.

Kuwaiti ambassador to Senegal pays homage to Sheikh Jaber DAKAR: Kuwait Ambassador to Senegal Dr Hamad Burhama toured Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah’s Islamic Educational Complex here over the weekend.

Burhama, accompanied by the Embassy’s Third Secretary Hamad Al-Salloum and Sheikh Ahmad Mubarak Al-Sabah, were received by Principal Bent-Lu and the administrators of the institution.

At the onset of the tour the two diplomats visited the school’s mosque, where they paid homage to the late Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and extolled him for his long history of charitable action.

Speaking to the reports on the sidelines of the tour, Burhama said, “As we prepare for the celebrations marking Kuwait’s 49th National Day and Liberation Day, we have to remember the great achievements made by the late Amir.”

“The late Amir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad AlSabah was a dedicated leader who offered to his nation a lot throughout his lifetime,” the diplomat recalled.

“I seize this chance to send sincere greetings to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-

Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad AlSabah as well as all the Kuwaiti people and government,” he added.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Ahmad Mubarak Al-Sabah, the owner of Al-Hoda schools to which Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah’s Islamic Educational Complex belongs, said he was happy for the visit and the close contacts between his institution and the Kuwaiti embassy.

“Since 1991, the institution has grown rapidly thanks to the constant support from the Kuwaiti Zakat House and the charitable Kuwaitis,” Sheikh Ahmad noted. “The development history of AlHoda schools dates back to 1962 when we established only one classroom with 15 students. Now our schools in Dakar and Louga, northwest Senegal, serve 1,500 students,” he added.

During the tour, Burhama presented gifts to the administrators of the Islamic school and students in the form of copies of the Holy Quran and Kuwaiti publications such as Al-Arabi magazine and Kuwait magazine. —KUNA

Praise for Kazakh achievements GENEVA: The State of Kuwait welcomed yesterday Kazakhstan’s efforts to strengthen and promote human rights and recommended that it continues to consolidate freedom of opinion and expression, whereby it has allowed for 8,000 media outlets — 85 percent privately owned — to operate in the country.

Addressing the Human Rights Council during the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Kazakhstan, member of the Kuwaiti mission in Geneva Nawaf Naman told the Council that Kazakhstan has made great leaps concerning freedom of the press which resulted in operating 8,000 media outlets - 85 percent privately owned - in the country.

Following the delivery of Kazakhstan’s national report to the UPR mechanism of the Council, Naman said that Kazakhstan has managed to

achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) with regards to poverty, and primary education and has done progress in other fields.

Naman noted that Kazakhstan received the leading rank in Asia for education for all in 2008, and UNESCO awarded the country the leading rank worldwide in the same field in 2009.

He also said that Kazakhstan is working on improving mechanisms to protect human rights which are reflected in its national plan to defend human rights for the period of 2009-2012, and described the program as a pioneering one.

Finally Naman added that his country’s delegation recommends to Kazakhstan to continue informing its citizens about their rights and to improve the legal information circulated in the media outlets including the Internet, and to continue its efforts to safeguard freedom of prayer. —KUNA

hope that the Supreme Council of Planning will arrive at convenient solutions for the bedoons issue, to which this issue was referred to,” wrote Abdullah Al-Najjar in Al-Watan.

The writer goes on to state that these solutions would be made based on studies to ensure that rights are granted. As in, the rights of ‘old bedoons’ should not be similar to ‘new bedoons.’ It wouldn’t be fair on those who have never held any passports and documents during the 1965 census.

To grant rights to those who have come to Kuwait in recent years, destroyed their original passports and pretend to be bedoon is not a move that is easily acceptable!

The Cabinet, trying to find a solution to the bedoons’ problem, should also uncover the identities of dual citizenships and try them before law. Some of these people not only have broken the law, but have also found means to further ‘outdo’ it.

An example of this is the recent incident in which a citizen was caught - by mere coincidence - at the Nuwaiseeb land port, holding

the passport of another GCC country.

However, he had two different names registered in each of the passports just to avoid being caught with matching names on two passports. No country in the world allows for citizenship to be granted to someone who holds another’s citizenship. Several security services in the Interior Ministry suffers from the slow bureaucratic procedures with relation to appointments and transfer aimed at forming certain departments to fill vacancies.

Effective decisions should be passed as soon as possible in order to help directors fulfill their duties. Security is a serious matter where no flaws are tolerated, the writer feels.

This issue also brings to the fore another issue at the Interior Ministry- the necessity of separating the administrative and military sectors, similar to the system followed at the Defense Ministry.

This issue is important to enable officers to focus on duties, and eliminate the chaos that has plagued the Ministry.

Iran ‘strategic superpower’ KUWAIT: MP Adnan Abdulsamad recently described Iran as a ‘strategic superpower,’ “Whether we like it or not”, urging Kuwait to cement relations with the country.

Speaking during his attendance of a special reception held by the Iranian Embassy in Kuwait to celebrate the 31st anniversary of the Iranian revolution, Abdulsamad stated that Iran was offering cooperation, which he said is an opportunity that ought to be seized for regional benefit and the benefit of “Third World countries in general, not only Shiites,” cit-

ing Iran’s help to the non-Shiite people of Gaza as proof of this.

“Advanced countries do not want any of the Third World countries to possess nuclear energy even if it is for peaceful uses,” he added describing the “fuss” made about Iran’s nuclear program as a natural occurrence. GCC states are working on utilizing nuclear energy for peaceful purposes as the whole world attempts to reduce its dependence on oil for more than one reason, he asserted. The MP said that Iran’s success in building a nuclear reactor is a success for

all the Third World countries and expressed hope that Iran would overcome the challenges it faces in achieving a state of conformity with the rest of the world, reported Awan.

Responding to a question whether his statements could be used against Shiites by suggesting that they were more loyal to Iran than to Kuwait, Abdulsamad insisted that it is essential to differentiate between peoples and regimes, claiming that such allegations had been implanted in Kuwait by the West in a bid to contain and abort major projects.

6

NATIONAL

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Progress in implementation of summit resolutions

League chief seeks joint Arab action

Kuwaiti exhibition ‘a big success’ SINGAPORE: Singapore’s educational system emphasizes the importance of student exposure to art and literature in order to raise the level of all-round cultural knowledge in citizens, local students said yesterday.

The students were speaking on the sidelines of their visit to the ‘Treasury of the World: Jeweled Arts of India in the Age of the Mughals’, the mobile exhibition of Kuwait’s Dar Al-Athar Al-Islamiyyah (House of Islamic Antiquities) that was inaugurated here Thursday night by Minister of Information and Minister of Oil Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah.

Through this exhibition, the students hoped to gain greater knowledge about their ancient civilization and the way their ancestors lived.

Abdin Amri, one the students, said that his country strongly emphasized the quality of education at schools, and was keen to instill cultural, artistic and literary knowledge in students during all educational stages.

He added that in today’s world, students needed to seek education outside the walls of schools, thereby breaking the routine of traditional education, adding that such exhi-

bitions were a great way for students to properly understand other civilizations.

Amri explained that viewing the valuable artifacts from around the world — whether Pharaonic, Islamic or Buddhist was one way through which students could get a glimpse of these great civilizations without having to travel.

On his part, Ayoub Ishaq, another student, said that the school had actually scheduled a trip to the ‘Treasury of the World’ exhibition in March.

He added that it is imperative today to have ample knowledge about civilizations in order to elevate one’s self standards, adding that knowledge was now the mirror through which one reflected the advancement of any nation.

The ‘Treasury of the World: Jeweled Arts of India in the Age of the Mughals’ mobile exhibition is being held here by Kuwait’s Dar Al-Athar Al-Islamiyyah. The exhibition, which kicked off Feb 11 and will continue to June 27, showcases a priceless collection of Indian jewelry from the Mughal era.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Ahmad departed Singapore after representing His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber

Al-Sabah at the inauguration of the ‘Treasury of the World’ exhibition.

During his visit, Sheikh Ahmad held talks with Nathan and several ministers to discuss means to boost cooperation between the two countries in different areas.

Sheikh Ahmad was bid farewell at the airport by Kuwait’s Ambassador to Singapore Abdulaziz Al-Adwani. The delegation accompanying Sheikh Ahmad groups included Dar Al-Athar Curator Sheikha Hessa Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, Dar AlAthar’s Director of Educational Programs and Special Projects Department Abdulkarim Al-Ghadhban, and Information Ministry’s Director of Public Relations Moussa Al-Turki.

Prior to arriving in Singapore, the Kuwaiti minister had stopped in Bahrain, where he participated in the 11th Gulf Radio and Television Festival. The ‘Treasury of the World: Jeweled Arts of India in the Age of the Mughals’ will travel to Malaysia on July 29, 2010 and will remain there until December. Another of Dar AlAthar’s valuable collections will be showcased in Milano, Italy, before moving to Canada and then to South Korea. — KUNA

KUWAIT: The Secretary General of the Arab League Amr Moussa has hailed the progress achieved in the implementation of the resolutions of the first Arab Economic, Social and Development Summit, held here on Jan 19 to 20. Speaking to reporters upon his arrival here to attend the session of the Arab League’s Economic and Social Council, Moussa said

that the ministerial session would focus on two topics, namely the enforcement of the summit resolutions and the reform of the council. “The progress in the enforcement of the resolutions exceeded expectations,” he said, citing the dramatic growth of the small and medium-size enterprise (SMEs) assistance fund.

“The success of the fund, which was first raised by Kuwait, evidences the fast pace of the Arab joint action,” Moussa affirmed.“ The fund provides assistance to enterprises in the least-developing Arab countries more than the assistance to those of the more-developing countries,” the league’s chief pointed out. The agenda of the meeting included other topics such as the linkage of the railway and road networks and power grids as conceived by the Kuwait summit with a view to enhancing cooperation between the Arab countries, he revealed.

However, Moussa said that the bilateral trade among the Arab countries is the weakest sector compared with the tourism and investment sectors which showed a remarkable boom in the recent years.

Regarding the joint action among the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) six member states, he said, “The GCC members enjoy financial strength which enables them to launch gigantic development projects such as the inter-GCC railway.”

reconciliation process, Moussa said he started to “see light at the end of the tunnel,” citing the recent encouraging remarks by Fatah and Hamas.

Palestinian Fatah official Nabil Shaath, a leading member of Fatah, visited Gaza last week to meet leaders of Hamas which marked a positive step towards reconciliation, he added.

Meanwhile, in Amman, Jordanian Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Dr. Jafar Hassan, underscored yesterday the good cooperation between his country and Kuwait, and the great role played by Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) in supporting development in Jordan.

He said that Jordan and Kuwait were tied by strong and deep-rooted brotherly bonds, further cemented by the leaders of the two countries, which in turn pushed forth cooperation in different fields.

He also said that KFAED’s projects were instrumental in supporting his country’s development efforts.

“The planned railroad can be linked to the south Mediterranean railroad after Egypt extended the latter to Areesh city, northeast Egypt, thereby linking the GCC members to the Arab Maghreb countries,” he noted. With regard to the Arab Customs Union, he said the union, first raised in 2007 and approved by Kuwait summit, is scheduled to come into being within 10-15 years.

“The Arab League, through its specialized committee, is making efforts to remove the obstacles facing the establishment of the union, notably those relating to the security aspects,” he said.

“The league works to facilitate the movement of individuals, commodities and capital among the Arab countries as a prelude to achieving the Arab Common Market by 2020,” Moussa went on to say.

Tomorrow’s meeting will also arrange for the Arab Summit, to be held in Tripoli, Libya, in late March.

Commenting on the developments of the Palestinian national

Jordan is among the first countries to benefit from KFAED’s soft loans and grants, where the Kuwaiti fund financed 23 projects of economic and social weight at a total cost of KD 138,439 between 1962 and 2009, he said.

Sectors that benefitted from these loans and grants include phosphate production, industry, energy, irrigation and agriculture, infrastructure, and social projects such as health and education services, he added.

The minister also said that KFAED financed many projects of developmental projects of priority in Jordan, such as electricity grid expansion, and conducting feasibility studies for other projects.

Hassan said that the Jordanian government was constantly coordinating with Kuwaiti officials to keep them up to date with any financial, economic or social challenges that were faced here.

Kuwaiti investments in Jordan are the highest among Arab and foreign countries, coming to $7.5 billion. — KUNA

Fireworks seized, eight merchants held KUWAIT: Criminal investigators recently launched a campaign against fireworks merchants who sold goods openly across several locations around the country.

The campaign resulted in the arrest of seven Arab

nationals, including a bedoon man who was caught selling hazardous tools.

The inspection began last Thursday at the behest of the Head of the Criminal Investigations Department Brig Gen Sheikh Ali Al-

Yousuf. Investigators managed to arrest three of the merchants from Sabbiya, while the other four were detained at the Mutlaa, reported Al-Watan.

Dozens of fireworks were seized during the operation

which were manufactured under conditions that lacked the basic safety precautions which endangers the safety of children and puts other people in great danger. They were imported from an Asian country, an official said.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

INTERNATIONAL

7

Iran ‘bluffing’ on nuke enrichment West should be wary of being drawn into talks with Tehran: Experts PARIS: Iran’s latest nuclear provocation is a bluff, experts argue, and the West should be wary of being drawn into talks with Tehran that might hand a victory to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s fragile regime. Last week Tehran more

JERUSALEM: Demonstrators dressed as figures from the movie ‘Avatar’ participate in a demonstration in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah. — AP

Isolated and battered, Israeli doves protest JERUSALEM: Israel’s battered pro-peace camp is showing signs of life with a weekly Jerusalem protest by a motley collection of anarchists, intellectuals and radical rabbis, but they face a public increasingly hostile to their point of view. Activists have gathered each Friday since November in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah to protest the eviction of Palestinians from their homes to make room for Jewish settlers.

The demonstrations have become a rallying cry for the shrunken left and freedom of speech advocates who say their country has become increasingly intolerant of dissent since waging a bruising winter war in Gaza. Activists point to a recent campaign vilifying a prominent human rights campaigner, arrests of protesters and attempts by government officials and right-wing groups to halt international funding of Israeli organizations they deemed disloyal.

“It’s about time the left in Israel protest against the way the right-wing is kidnapping our future and our life,” said Israeli author David Grossman, a leading dove, at a recent protest. In the latest protest Friday, some 250 demonstrators assembled by a road blowing on shrieking whistles and loudly banging on drums. “You have no shame!” they chanted at Jewish settlers. Several police officers watched warily across the road, backed by riot police wielding batons and assault rifles.

The weekly demonstrations in Sheikh Jarrah began after Israeli police evicted Palestinian families from the flash point neighborhood and allowed Jewish settlers to move into their homes. Numbers swelled after police began arresting protesters. Activists shared protest videos on YouTube and Facebook.

Anarchists mingled with rabbis, veteran activists, former politicians whose left-wing views have edged out of the mainstream and prominent Israelis like Moshe Halbertal, who helped draft the Israeli army’s code of ethics.

Anger over the evictions and the apparent crackdown on freedom of speech inspired Holocaust survivor and veteran activist Max Moray, 84, to join a recent protest after years of shirking them. It was the first protest for Ariel Gommershtadt, 26. The only other demonstration he’d ever attended was one he helped disperse as an army conscript, he said.

While the peace protests are the largest in years, turnout has hovered at 200 to 400 - highlighting their dramatic fall in popularity from the days when the left could draw crowds in the hundreds of thousands.

Israel’s left-wing activists have diverse backgrounds but broadly support the creation of a Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem territories Israel seized in the 1967 Mideast war and the evacuation of Jewish settlers from those areas.

The left was devastated by the failure of peace efforts in the 1990s and the eruption in 2000 of violence between Israel and the Palestinians that included suicide bombings targeting civilians. The cause took another knock last winter when Israel waged a three-week war in Gaza that left 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis dead. Today, polls show solid public support for the hawkish government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. If elections were held today Netanyahu’s Likud Party would go from 27 seats to 35 seats in the 120-member parliament, according to a survey published in the Haaretz daily last week.—AP

Victory on the streets gave President Ahmadinejad and Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei breathing space on the domestic front, but they still face mounting international pressure over their nuclear program. France, which holds the rotating presidency of the United Nations Security Council, is preparing a motion that, if passed, would impose crippling sanctions on Iran’s oil-dominated economy, a senior Paris official said.

Iran appears defiant in the face of the threat, however, and this week boasted that it had begun enriching its uranium stockpile to the 20 percent level which would allow it to fuel its research reactor. Western powers believe Iran’s eventual goal is to make the highly enriched uranium that would allow it to build a nuclear weapon and radically alter the balance of power in the already unstable Middle East and Central Asia.

But analysts warn that Ahmadinejad may be exaggerating Iran’s ability to advance its nuclear program in order to force the West to come to the negotiating table on his terms and reinforce his shaky position at home. “In political terms, Ahmadinejad is bluffing, because the Iranian government has been fragilized inside the country,” Karim Pakzad, a researcher at the Institute for International and Strategic Relations in Paris said.

Thirty-one years after the Islamic revolution, Tehran’s authoritarian regime is facing unprecedented street protests from a large but diffuse opposition movement, which some think could topple the government. Western capitals would dearly like to see the end of the regime, in the hope its successor will prove more amenable to a negotiated set-

tlement to the nuclear dispute and be less of a destabilizing factor in the region.

But the failure of this week’s protests forced many to conclude that the government is in no immediate danger and that US President Barack Obama and his allies should strive for a deal with the current Iranian leaders. Others warn that this might prove pointless, if the regime can’t deliver on its promises, or counterproductive, if the appearance that the West is dancing to Ahmadinejad’s tune serves to shore up his domestic position.

“Ahmadinejad wants a deal with the Americans,” said Francois Nicoullaud, a French diplomat who served as ambassador to Iran between 2001 and 2005.

“He’s said it several times and everyone slapped him down, because no-one wants give him the benefit of overseeing a reconciliation with the Americans, which would give him immediate popularity and revive him politically. “No-one, even inside the current regime, wants to hand him that gift.” A Western diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity said that while Iran appeared capable of stepping up its enrichment program, it doesn’t have the technology to transform the uranium into fuel rods for a reactor.

And for Nicoullaud, Ahmadinejad’s posturing is an empty threat. “He is announcing plans he has no hope of pulling off,” he said.

“Iran will never develop a serious nuclear program without international help. “On the other hand, the West is bandying around sanctions that it knows won’t be effective in the short or medium term. We’re seeing an odd game: one side announcing impossible plans, the other threatening pointless sanctions.” —AFP

or less managed to muzzle opposition protests called on the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic revolution, undermining hopes that the grass roots “Green Revolution” might sweep away the regime.

Western powers discussing new sanctions against Iran UNITED NATIONS: Western powers are discussing ideas for a fourth round of UN sanctions they would like to impose on Iran over its nuclear program, and France is advocating tough steps against Iran’s energy sector. Russia has indicated that it would not oppose new sanctions against Tehran for defying five UN Security Council resolutions demanding that it halt its nuclear enrichment program, but diplomats say China’s position is less clear. Tehran’s announcement that it will expand its nuclear fuel program has bolstered the case for new sanctions, diplomats say. France’s UN Ambassador Gerard Araud said it was important to take the time needed to secure China’s support, suggesting he thought it was possible win reluctant Beijing’s backing. Iran rejects Western charges that it is secretly developing atomic weapons and says the goal of its nuclear program is generation of electricity.

WHO IS PUSHING FOR NEW SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAN? The United States, Britain, France and Germany have been exchanging ideas on a fourth round of UN sanctions against Iran for refusing to halt its nuclear enrichment program as demanded by five UN Security Council resolutions. They hope to persuade Russia and China to back new sanctions. Both Russia and China have lucrative business ties with Iran, which Western diplomats say is one of the main reasons that Moscow and Beijing had been reluctant to support the first three rounds of punitive UN measures against Tehran. Apart from Germany, all the powers discussing whether to sanction Iran again have veto powers on the Security Council. Western officials involved in the sixpower negotiations say Russia has been losing patience with Tehran and will likely support new sanctions, though it will oppose measures that it deems too tough, such as sanctions on Iran’s energy sector. China’s position is unclear, though analysts say its silence indicates it might not oppose new sanctions. Western diplomats say they will work hard to win Beijing over, even

if it means diluting proposed measures. If China were to abstain from a vote on a Security Council resolution, or vote against it, Western officials say, Tehran would take it as a sign that world powers are divided.

WHERE ARE SANCTIONS DISCUSSIONS AT NOW? France and the United States have both prepared informal papers outlining the kinds of punitive measures against Iran the 15-nation Security Council could approve. They are discussing them with Britain and Germany, and keeping Russia updated on the discussions. Once the four Western powers agree on an outline of possible future measures, they will begin negotiations with Russia and China, which can be expected to work hard to water down any proposed measures as they did with the three Security Council resolutions passed in 2006, 2007 and 2008. So far negotiations are being conducted between the capitals. They will move to UN missions in New York later.

WHAT KINDS OF MEASURES ARE BEING PROPOSED? Among the ideas put forward in the US and French outlines of possible sanctions are the following: blacklisting Iran’s central bank and several more of Iran’s biggest banks, including Bank Melli and Bank Saderat (Bank Sepah is already blacklisted), for helping with the financing of Iran’s nuclear and missile programs; expanding existing lists of Iranian individuals and companies facing travel bans and asset freezes, with a new focus on members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and companies controlled by it; blacklisting several shipping companies; expanding the existing UN ban on arms exports from Iran to include a ban on arms imports into the country; the French proposed targeting Iran’s energy sector with a ban on the sale of equipment that would help Iran increase its oil output and curbing gasoline sales to Iran; a ban on new investments in Iran’s energy sector; a ban on the sale to Iran of technology needed for producing liquefied natural gas. — Reuters

INTERNATIONAL

8

Sunday, February 14, 2010

US seeks corporate help in aid to poor countries WASHINGTON: The United States is making a new push for US corporate investments in poor countries, hoping to rope in the private sector as a partner in overseas development, a senior US official said. Daniel Yohannes, the new chief executive of the government-funded Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), said bringing in the private sector was a key new goal for the innovative US overseas aid program. “We have to approach the private sector,” Yohannes said in an interview at the headquarters of the MCC, which has approved some $7.5 billion in grants since it was set up by former President George W. Bush in 2004.

“We can be an entry to many of those businesses. It’s win-win.

American business can win, but it can also be a win for many of our partner countries.” Yohannes takes the reins at the MCC at a turning point in US aid strategy, which the Obama administration has identified as a key plank of its foreign policy. Widely seen as a promising new approach to development, the MCC rewards good behavior by selecting recipient countries based on commitment to good governance and economic policies, hoping to kick-start domestic growth to fight poverty.

Yohannes, an Ethiopian-born former senior bank executive, said results are encouraging. Agreements have been established with some 20 countries ranging from Benin to Vanuatu, with the bulk of financial

assistance going to African countries.

After a visit to Ghana and Cape Verde-two MCC partners praised for market-oriented reforms-Yohannes said the MCC model of linking aid to governance was working. “We work

ners including candy maker Mars Inc, pointing out cocoa investment possibilities in Ghana. “We have roads now, we have ports, we’re investing heavily in education, you’ve got farmers that are trained, so why wouldn’t

New aid approach seen bringing results in Africa with countries that have taken ownership,” Yohannes said. “We don’t tell the countries how to invest it, where to invest it. We have no sector requirements. It’s up to the country to come up with what they consider the major economic constraints.”

INVESTMENT PRIORITIES The MCC-first envisioned with

in the news 4 killed in Russia’s Caucasus

Azerbaijan restricting media

ROSTOV-ON-DON: Russian officials say four civilians were killed in the crossfire as police and militants in the North Caucasus republic of Ingushetia engaged in two days of fighting. The clash, in the forested mountains near the border with Chechnya, was one of the bloodiest and most prolonged in Ingushetia in recent months.

Ingushetia’s presidential press service says four civilians died and two others were injured.

Svetlana Gorbakova of the region’s Investigative Committee said 14 bodies of suspected insurgents had been found after the fighting, but presidential spokesman Kaloi Akhilgov put the toll at 18. It isn’t clear if the civilians’ deaths accounts for the discrepancy.

Ingushetia has suffered persistent clashes between militants and authorities.

BAKU: Lawmakers in Azerbaijan have passed controversial amendments forbidding journalists from filming, recording or photographing subjects without their express permission. The oil-rich state in the southern Caucasus has faced criticism from the West over government pressure on independent journalism. Several prominent newspaper editors are now serving prison sentences on charges that critics call politically motivated. Ali Huseynov, the head of one of Azerbaijan’s parliamentary committees, immediately called on the amendments passed late Friday “not to be politicized.” But human rights activists say the amendments target muckrakers who hold officials to account for their actions, and some parliamentarians called the measures unconstitutional.

Head of Serbian Orthodox fired

Albanian political rivals meet

BELGRADE: The Serbian Orthodox Church has removed the hardline spiritual leader of Kosovo Serbs on suspicion that he embezzled church and state funds. The Holy Synod, the church’s top body, ruled yesterday that Archbishop Artemije can no longer lead the church in Kosovo, considered the heartland of the church. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Artemije, known for his ultranationalist and anti-Western stands, was investigated by the church for allegedly mishandling millions of euros in aid and government funds over several years. Several hundred of his supporters, including some priests from Kosovo, gathered in front of the church headquarters in Belgrade during the Holy Synod meeting.

TIRANA: Albania’s president has started round-table talks with the government and the main opposition party to end a seven-month political crisis over alleged electoral fraud.

Prime Minister Sali Berisha of the governing Democratic Party and Socialist Party leader Edi Rama, also Tirana mayor, met yesterday at President Bamir Topi’s office. The Socialists have boycotted Parliament for months - blocking most legislative work and staged large protests. They claim the Democrats manipulated vote-counting in the June 28 national elections and are demanding a recount, which the government has ruled out. A statement is expected at the end of the talks. The Democrats control 75 of parliament’s 140 seats; the Socialists have 65.

KHARTOUM: A combo picture shows the leading candidates (from left) Yasser Arman - Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), Omar Al-Bashir National Congress Party (NCP), Sadiq Al-Mahdi - Umma Party in Sudan’s first multi-party presidential election in 24 years in April 2010. —AFP

Campaigning kicks off in Sudan presidential poll KHARTOUM: Presidential hopefuls in Sudan, Africa’s largest country, began campaigning yesterday for the first multi-party poll since 1986, with the nation wondering whether an end might be in sight to incumbent Omar AlBashir’s many years in power. After being pushed back twice, the presidential election is set to take place on April 11, alongside legislative and regional polls. Bashir, who seized power in 1989 with support from Islamists, is facing off against 11 other hopefuls, including the first woman ever to aspire to the presidency, and the two-time former prime minister he ousted.

The incumbent is also the world’s first sitting president facing an international arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court on charges of alleged crimes against humanity in Sudan’s western Darfur region. The United Nations says up to 300,000 people have died and 2.7 million fled their homes since the ethnic minority rebels in Darfur first rose up against the Arab-dominated Khartoum government in February 2003.

Bashir’s main challengers in the race are Yasser Arman, a secular Muslim from north Sudan representing the ex-rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, and Sadiq AlMahdi, the premier whom Bashir ousted and who now leads the influential Islamist Umma Party. Arman, 49, is counting on the solid support of the secessionist south Sudan, while the 74-year-old Mahdi’s main support base is in the north.

But in a country without opinion polls and which has not held real elections in decades, the outcome of the polls is anybody’s guess.

The only fear of the opposition is that Bashir will use the levers of power, including the secu-

annual funding of up to $5 billion-is adapting to tighter budgets at home.

Congress approved $1.1 billion for 2010, and the Obama administration has asked for almost $1.3 billion for 2011. Yohannes hopes to make up

rity forces, to skew things his way. Rallies have been prohibited by Bashir’s government, but the opposition plans to test the waters during the month of campaigning to try and stage one anyway in Omdurman, the twin city of Khartoum.

“Everyone is wondering which side will win,” said Mohammed, a 30-year-old man sipping tea in a run-down improvised cafe shaded by a tree. “Bashir is very popular in Khartoum, but in the other regions I am not so certain.”

Emerging from a devastating 22-year civil war that pit the dominant Muslim and Arab northern Sudanese against the largely nonMuslim, non-Arab southerners, even the most basic services are lacking in much of the remote and underdeveloped regions of this country of more than 41 million people. Simply getting the voting materials out across the vast region is a major logistical challenge, and will require the use of UN helicopters.

Concern also is high at the low rates of voter education in a region that is largely illiterate, and facing an incredibly complex poll. There will be extra votes for a president in the secessionist south, which will decide on independence in a referendum next year.

Because regional and legislative polls are being held simultaneously with the presidential election, voters will be casting 12 ballots-an extremely complicated process in a country left in ruins by the long years of war.

In addition, tensions are high with several influential SPLM figures running as independents after rejecting their party’s official choice of candidate. Many Sudanese fear that political rivalries will spill over into violence, sparking off fresh clashes between different ethnic groups. — AFP

the gap by encouraging more US companies to step in with new investments, particularly in Africa, where US direct investment lags other competitors including China.

He said the MCC already has an agreement with General Electric to promote energy, water and other projects in MCC partner countries, and was approaching other potential part-

you take an opportunity?” he asked.

Other initiatives include helping Standard Bank make $110 million in loans to small farmers in four African countries and teaming up with global power company AES Corp on a rural electricity project in El Salvador.

US business thus far has proven less than eager to pump big money into Africa, which could make the job

difficult. But Yohannes said that in MCC pilot countries such as Benin, Tanzania and Lesotho the MCC was setting the groundwork for good investment opportunities.

“They all understand that the best way to do that is to bring in the private sector, which is the engine of growth, innovation and job creation,” Yohannes said. “These are the perfect countries for American business to do well in.”

Not all the MCC’s forays into aid have produced the desired results, with political problems and corruption often seen as major hurdles for continued eligibility in the program.

The corporation has ceased or put on hold assistance to Madagascar, Honduras, Armenia and Niger due to

political concerns. The MCC’s decision last year to award Senegal $540 million has come under scrutiny due to the fact that the country’s infrastructure minister is the son of the president.

Yohannes said the MCC thus far has seen nothing to imply anything was going wrong in Senegal, but pointed out that no money has been disbursed and said the MCC would be looking very carefully to ensure no funds are misused.

“If we find that they are not meeting their commitments then we’ve got a lot of options: to terminate, suspend, hold (assistance),” Yohannes said. “We’ve got safeguard after safeguard to make sure not a single dollar goes to corruption.” — Reuters

8 Iraqis face trial for UK ‘Red Cap’ killings Six died when crowd stormed police station LONDON: Eight Iraqis are to be tried over the killings of six British military police officers in a remote town in Iraq in 2003, the Ministry of Defense said. The six officers, members of a unit known as the “Red Caps”, died in June 2003 in Majjar when angry residents stormed a police station.

Britain joined a US-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003 to topple Saddam Hussein.

A Ministry of Defense spokesman said an Iraqi judge had indicated there was enough evidence to put on trial eight suspects currently in custody in Iraq. “The UK government is committed to seeing the killers of the six Royal Military Police personnel brought to justice,” the ministry said in a statement. “We are assisting the Iraqi government in every way possible to secure convictions, including access to UK investigative materials and expertise.” The British military said at the time that the deaths stemmed from a misunderstanding between troops and residents over weapons searches.

OUTCRY The incident caused an outcry in Britain after reports that the men had been killed in cold blood by a mob rather than in combat. Families of the six were critical of the British government for passing the investigation over to the Iraqi authorities, and argued that negligence by army personnel led to their deaths. An inquest into the killings in March 2006 found the men had poor communications equipment and inadequate ammunition.

But the coroner ruled the deaths could not have been avoided. Reg Keys, whose son Corporal Thomas Keys was killed in the attack, said he was hopeful convictions could be secured within the next few months. But he was critical of the time it had taken to bring the alleged killers to justice.

“The bodies were looted, my son’s watch was taken,” he told Sky News. “We’ve known now for nearly seven years ... that these alleged killers walked the streets wearing the trophies from the six Red Caps.” —Reuters

Swiss politician threatens German tax cheats BERLIN: A Swiss member of parliament alleged yesterday that top German public officials had secret bank accounts in Switzerland and threatened to oust them if Germany purchased stolen data.

Alfred Heer, of the hard-right Swiss People’s Party (SVP), told the daily Bild that his party would work towards having the law changed to allow the names to be published. Bild said that Swiss financial sources had evidence that German politicians and judges maintained tax-dodging accounts in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Germany has angered Switzerland by agreeing to purchase a stolen disc containing the names of 1,500 Swiss account holders who may have defrauded the German taxman.

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said at the beginning of this month that Germany would stump up a reported 2.5 million euros (3.5 million dollars) to an anonymous whistle-blower for the disc. — AFP

DRESDEN: Police officers clear a blockade of demonstrators during a rally to remember the victims of Dresden’s destruction at the end of WWII in Dresden. Thousands of neo-Nazis and their opponents protested yesterday in the eastern German city of Dresden on the 65th anniversary of the deadly Allied bombing at the end of World War II.— AP

Protests on Dresden bombing anniversary DRESDEN: Thousands of neo-Nazis and their opponents protested yesterday in the eastern German city of Dresden on the 65th anniversary of the deadly Allied bombing at the end of World War II. Heavy security was in place to prevent clashes between the two groups, with five police helicopters flying overhead to monitor the crowds.

Though some stones and snowballs were thrown, police said so far the two sides have largely been kept separate. Far-right organizers have characterized the event as a “mourning march” and mainstream political parties and civic groups were equally determined to protest farright attempts to exploit the city’s painful history. Leaders of Germany’s far-right fringe have caused outrage in the past by comparing the bombing of Dresden to the Holocaust.

Mayor Helma Orosz said she hoped thousands would join a human chain symbolically protecting the restored city center from neo-Nazis, after the city mounted an unsuccessful legal challenge to block the far-right march.

Police braced for up to 7,000 far-right supporters from Germany and other European countries but so far only 1,300 had arrived, police spokesman Thomas Geithner said.

“The most important task for us is to keep both blocks separated and not to allow them any contact,” Geithner

said.

About 2,000 left-wing counter-demonstrators gathered a few hundred yards away, with many trying to block roads to prevent farright supporters from reaching their assembly point. Karolin Hanebuth, 20, came from Hannover in western Germany to counter the farright protest. “Fascism is not an opinion, it is a crime,” she told The Associated Press.

The far right is marginal in

Germany and has no seats in the national parliament.

However, Saxony, where Dresden is located, is one of two eastern German states where the far-right National Democratic Party has seats in the regional legislature.

Three successive waves of British and US bombers on Feb 13-14, 1945, set off firestorms and destroyed Dresden’s centuries-old baroque city center. The total number of people killed in the

Dresden bombing has long been uncertain. In 2008, a panel commissioned by state officials found that the firebombing killed no more than 25,000 people - far fewer than scholars’ previous estimates that ran as high as 135,000.

Dresden has been rebuilt painstakingly over the years.

Its landmark domed Frauenkirche, or Church of Our Lady - for decades no more than a mound of rubble reopened in 2005. —AP

DRESDEN: Police pass a destroyed car during demonstrations in Dresden yesterday. — AP

INTERNATIONAL

Sunday, February 14, 2010

9

CIA opens files on project to raise Soviet sub WASHINGTON: The CIA for the first time has revealed details about an ultra-secret Cold War-era project to raise a sunken Soviet submarine from the depths of the Pacific Ocean in 1974. The high-risk salvage operation, code-named “Project Azorian,” had been shrouded in secrecy for decades but the spy agency broke its silence in newly declassified documents published Friday by an independent watchdog, the National Security Archive. The documents, drawn from a 50-page article written for an in-house CIA journal, recount the daring bid approved by then-president Richard Nixon to raise the submarine using a speciallydesigned ship, the Glomar Explorer.

Newspaper articles in 1975 first uncovered the operation but the Central

Intelligence Agency initially refused to confirm its existence and had declined requests for information even after the Cold War ended. “They’ve been holding on to it for years,” John Prados, an author and analyst at the National Security Archive said. “The release of this article greatly advances our knowledge of Project Azorian.” The episode began after a Soviet Golf-II submarine, the K-129, sank in 1968 in an accident 1,560 miles northwest of Hawaii, the cause of which remains unclear.

The Soviet sub, which was carrying three ballistic missiles armed with nuclear warheads, offered a potential boon to US intelligence agencies if it could be lifted out off the ocean floor and examined. The newly released documents have passages that are

blacked out and questions about the ultimate success of the operation-and what the CIA learned about Soviet subs and warheadsremain a mystery. Journalists and historians have concluded the ambitious salvage effort produced mixed results, as only sections of the submarine could be retrieved and the most sensitive Soviet equipment was not recovered.

“So was “Project Azorian” a waste of time and taxpayer money?’” asked Matthew Aid, who edited the papers for the National Security Archive. “We will not know for sure until the CIA declassifies the remainder of this article and other documents relating to this operation,” he wrote.

According to the CIA account, Nixon personally backed the creation of a task force in

1969 to try to retrieve the sub, despite the technical hurdles posed by having to raise the giant vessel from 16,500 feet below the sea’s surface.

The project was nearly cancelled over its mushrooming costs and over concerns that it could derail a burgeoning detente between Washington and Moscow, the documents show. Skeptical that the operation was worth the risks, the then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the chief of US naval operations, the deputy defense secretary, the assistant defense secretary for intelligence, and the head of the Defense Intelligence Agency all recommended that the project be called off.

Despite opposition from these top military and civilian officials, Nixon ordered the

project to go ahead in 1972 and the salvage operation finally got underway in the summer of 1974, according to the CIA account.

The papers indicate that “the only thing that saved the program from being terminated was the potential intelligence bonanza that would accrue if the project succeeded,” Aid wrote.

The operation called for employing a special sling around the submarine and then slowly raising the vessel to the surface with heavy-duty winches mounted on the Glomar Explorer. The CIA mission was hounded by round-the-clock surveillance by Soviet vessels, and as a result the agency ordered crates to be stacked up on the ship’s helicopter pad to prevent the Soviets from landing. Orders were given to “be prepared to

order emergency destruction of sensitive material which could compromise the mission if the Soviets attempted to board the ship,” the CIA article said.

The program later became the subject of legal battles as the CIA fended off Freedom of Information requests. As the Cold War faded, the then CIA director, Robert Gatesnow US defense secretary-informed Russian President Boris Yeltsin in 1992 about the operation and presented him with a film of a burial ceremony for the six submarine crewmen found in the wreckage. A retired CIA officer and crew member of the ship, David Sharp, has written an account of the project but he says the spy agency has insisted that a third of the manuscript cannot be published. — AFP

Obama administration may abandon civilian 9/11 trial

BEIRUT: Protesters from leftist groups carry banners and pictures of Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez, during a demonstration in front of the Egyptian embassy in Beirut. Lebanese and Palestinian protesters rallied against Egypt’s construction of an underground steel wall along the Gaza border. — AP

Anti-Chavez TV vows to maintain tough stance CARACAS: The major shareholder of Venezuela’s only TV channel that remains critical of President Hugo Chavez denied Friday that he worked out a deal with the government to curb the station’s criticism. Guillermo Zuloaga, president and owner of Globovision, announced that probation measures stemming from a criminal investigation against him were lifted Friday - a day after the channel’s strident anti-Chavez director, Alberto Federico Ravell, said he was pressured to resign.

Zuloaga denied any connection between the two developments, saying some Venezuelans are wrongly suggesting he negotiated a deal with authorities to curb the channel’s criticism of Chavez and forced out the station director.

“Alberto Federico Ravell’s departure was due to differences between us. I don’t negotiate with, nor have I negotiated, with the government,” Zuloaga said.

“There are people interested in using Alberto Federico Ravell’s departure to undermine our credibility,” he added. Prosecutors accused Zuloaga, who also owns several car dealerships, of usury after the seizure of 24 new vehicles at a home he owns last year. He has denied any wrongdoing, saying Chavez pressured prosecutors to bring trumped up charges against him as a means of intimidation. Globovision announced Ravell’s departure Monday, saying he resigned.

But Ravell denied he stepped down as director voluntarily, saying in messages sent through the

Twitter social network that the channel’s board pressured him to quit. He said the board’s members also urged him to sell his stock in the company - a request he refused. In a related development, Ravell accused Chavez’s administration of blackmailing Nelson Mezerhane, a fellow Globovision shareholder and president of Banco Federal, a local bank, as a means of forcing his resignation.

“The owner of Banco Federal warned me: the government wants your head (in return) for leaving the bank in peace. Take a year of vacation,” Ravell said in a tweet. Mezerhane could not be reached for comment on Ravell’s allegations.

Government officials have remained silent about Ravell’s departure. Globovision’s employees issued a statement Wednesday praising Ravell as a “passionate and brilliant” mentor while vowing to maintain the 24-hour news network’s tough editorial line.

“We remain committed to the country with our values and principles: Freedom and democracy,” it said. Globovision became Venezuela’s last remaining anti-Chavez TV channel last month, after cable and satellite television providers dropped Radio Caracas Television International from their programming. RCTV was dropped after Venezuela’s telecommunications regulator accused the channel of violating new broadcasting regulations and urged the cable and satellite companies to take action against the network to prevent more violations. — AP

US reviews terrorism suspects procedures WASHINGTON: The White House is reviewing a plan that would require the Justice Department and FBI to consult with the intelligence community before deciding whether to inform terrorism suspects arrested in the United States that they have the right to remain silent and to consult with an attorney, according to the Washington Post. Senior administration officials said the proposed change in policy is the result of a review ordered by President Barack Obama, the paper reported in its yesterday edition.

It follows a controversy over the handling of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a Nigerian accused of trying to blow up a plane headed to Detroit on Christmas Day and who was read his so-called “Miranda” legal rights 10 hours after his arrest. “We are analyzing lessons learned (in the case) with the goal of ensuring full information from across the government is available to law enforcement personnel on the ground as they conduct interrogations and make decisions on how to handle terrorist suspects,” the paper quoted a sen-

ior administration official as saying.

“The final decision about Miranda and other law enforcement decisions will continue to lie with the FBI and the Justice Department,” added the official, who requested anonymity because the new procedures have not yet been approved.

Republicans have criticized the Obama administration for not consulting with intelligence agencies before FBI agents read Abdulmutallab his rights.

They say the decision cost the United States valuable intelligence. — Reuters

US seeks to track citizens through mobile phones WASHINGTON: A US appeals court has began weighing whether police should be allowed to track suspected criminals through their cellphone signals without first obtaining a warrant. Government lawyers argue police should be able to ask telecoms companies to hand over information showing the past whereabouts of their cellphone subscribers because they are not actively tracking citizens.

They also say that the information sought by police provides only a general indication of an individual’s location at certain times. But privacy and human rights groups, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) say the process is invasive

and violates individuals’ privacy. They also argue it violates the Fourth Amendment to the US Constitution, which protects against illegal search and seizure.

The courts have previously ruled against the government. In February 2008, a court in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania said police must be able to show probable cause before they can obtain cellphone tracking information. The government is appealing that ruling before the federal appeals court in Philadelphia and the case has attracted congressional attention, with senior Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy pledging to hold hearings on the issue. — AFP

WASHINGTON: The Obama administration, after weeks of controversy over its proposal to hold a civilian terror trial in New York, gave ground Friday and revived the possibility of using a military tribunal to try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, professed mastermind of the Sept 11, 2001, attacks. Neither Attorney General Eric Holder nor White House spokesman Robert Gibbs ruled out a military trial when asked about the Obama administration’s options.

Trying Mohammed in military court would mark a further political retreat from Holder’s announcement last year that the five Sept 11 suspects now held at the US military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, would be tried in federal court in New York. The Obama administration is trying to head off a possible vote in the US Senate that could stop any terror suspects currently held at Guantanamo from being brought to the United States to face a civilian trial.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham is offering such legislation after losing a vote last year on the issue.

At stake is the public’s perception of the administration’s handling of national security, already shaken last year by strong congressional opposition to transferring any Guantanamo detainees to American soil. A defeat in Congress over the trial issue could embolden the Republican minority to raise national security concerns in the congressional elections this year. The prospect of such a vote could indicate how many moderate Democrats have abandoned Obama on the issue.

White House officials said Friday that Obama and his top advisers will play a direct role in ultimately deciding how to prosecute Mohammed. The administration initially decided to try the five terror defendants in New York but have since appeared to backtrack. As a result of Holder’s decision to seek civilian prosecution, Bush-era military charges that had been pending against the five suspects were dismissed last month.

Those military charges could now be revived.

The administration is reconsidering Holder’s plan to put the five men on trial in a federal court in the New York City borough of Manhattan, site of the destroyed World Trade Center, after New York officials balked at security and logistics complications. “Obviously there are efforts on Capitol Hill through legislation to restrict either the type of or the venue of a trial for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his coconspirators.

That, by definition, involves the White House and ultimately the president,” Gibbs said. “So since this effort has moved from strictly a Justice Department decision to something that’s in the legislative arena, the White House and by definition the president - are involved.” Gibbs also suggested critics’ opposition is disingenuous. “Some of the people that you hear now that are opposed to the trial in New York were in November supportive of the trial,” Gibbs said.

The White House insisted it is sensitive to their concerns.

“We’re going to take into account security and logistical concerns that those individuals now have,” Gibbs said. “The cost of the trial, obviously, is one thing.” Republican Rep. Peter King, who has repeatedly criticized Holder’s decision to try Mohammed in New York, said the White House has bungled the issue from the start. “What it shows is there was no preparation, no advance work done by

New uncertainty surrounds Sept 11 trial

This undated photo downloaded from the Arabic language Internet site www.muslm.net and purporting to show a man identified as Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the accused mastermind of the Sept 11 attacks, is seen in detention at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. — AP

the administration. It’s one of the most irresponsible decisions anyone has ever made,” said King.

For his part, Holder said he still expects Mohammed to be tried in a federal civilian court, but conceded it is possible that will not happen.

“At the end of the day, wherever this case is tried, in whatever forum, what we have to ensure is that it’s done as transparently as possible and with adherence to all the rules,” Holder told The Washington Post in an interview published Friday. “If we do that, I’m not sure the location or even the forum is as important as what the world sees in that proceeding.” The administration has been on the defensive about its record on terrorism since a Nigerian man allegedly tried to blow up an airliner landing in Detroit on Christmas. The suspect faces charges in federal court, but Republicans say the Democratic administration should treat such suspects not as criminals but war criminals.

Administration officials counter that the Christmas case was handled no differently from the Bush administration’s handling of similar earlier cases and say Republicans simply are looking to rack up political points.

Some of the recent resistance to the administration, though, came from local officials in New York, both Democratic and Republican, who argue that putting Mohammed on trial there would put New Yorkers at risk of further attacks.

They also worried aloud about the cost to taxpayers of hundreds of millions of dollars in security expenses and about the staggering toll on nearby businesses. Holder still maintains that a civilian trial would be the best option for the case and “best for our overall fight against Al-Qaeda.” Obama said in a CBS interview that he has not ruled out holding the trial in New York federal court but was taking into account the objections of Republican Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the city’s police. — AP

10

INTERNATIONAL

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Wen warns of challenges as China welcomes ‘new year’ Govt seeks balance between growth and avoiding overheating

BEIJING: In this file photo, Chinese President Hu Jintao (right) gestures to US President Barack Obama after a joint press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. — AP

Washington refuses to cancel Obama’s Dalai Lama meeting WASHINGTON: The United States has escalated a mounting row on multiple fronts with China, refusing Beijing’s demand to cancel President Barack Obama’s meeting next week with the Dalai Lama. The deepening public spat over Tibet, a row over US arms sales to Taiwan, China’s dispute with Google and trade and currency disagreements, come at a key diplomatic moment, as Obama seeks Chinese help to toughen sanctions on Iran.

The White House announced Thursday that Obama would hold his longawaited meeting with the revered Dalai Lama at the White House next week, drawing an angry reaction from China and a demand for the invitation to be rescinded. But Obama’s spokesman Robert Gibbs signaled the White House would defy China’s warning that the encounter would damage already strained Sino-US relations.

“I do not know if their spe-

US escalating mounting row on multiple fronts cific reaction was to cancel it,” Gibbs said. “If that was their specific reaction, the meeting will take place as planned next Thursday.”

Obama avoided the Dalai Lama when he was in Washington in 2009, in an apparent bid to set relations with Beijing off on a good foot in the first year of a presidency which included several meetings with President Hu Jintao.

But he warned Chinese leaders on an inaugural visit to Beijing in November that he intended to meet the Buddhist monk.

China’s foreign ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said earlier that Beijing firmly opposed “the Dalai Lama visiting the United States and US leaders having contact with him.”

“China urges the US... to immediately call off the wrong decision of arranging for President Obama to meet with the Dalai Lama... to avoid any

more damage to Sino-US relations.” The Dalai Lama fled Tibet into exile in India in 1959, after a failed uprising against Chinese rule. He denies he wants independence for Tibet, insisting he is looking only for “meaningful autonomy.”

Obama’s meeting with the Dalai Lama will take place in the White House Map Room and not, in an apparent effort to mollify China, in the Oval Office, where US presidents normally meet VIPs and visiting government chiefs.

The International Campaign for Tibet said Friday it welcomed the meeting. “We believe that President Obama understands what is at stake for the Tibetan people and has a role to play as the leader of a nation founded on universal principles of freedom and justice,” said the campaign’s vice president for international advocacy Mary Beth Markey.

The Obama administration has

insisted disputes over Tibet, Taiwan, currency and Google will not hamper efforts to win the support of China, a vetowielding member of the UN Security Council, on toughened nuclear sanctions against Iran.

China has yet to agree to the concept of toughened sanctions over Iran’s nuclear program, calling for more negotiations, even as Russia appears closer to backing the move to punish Tehran. US officials say that the Sino-US relationship is mature enough to override disagreements on key issues but the temperature of public disagreements has risen sharply in recent days. The powers have clashed over a 6.4-billion-dollar US arms deal for Taiwan, with China accusing the United States of violating the “code of conduct between nations” with the sale to what it sees as a Chinese territory.

Beijing also has been angered by Washington’s sup-

port for Google after the web giant announced it would no longer abide by China’s strict Internet censorship rules and could quit the country over cyberattacks. The foreign ministry denied involvement in the hacking of Gmail accounts and accused Washington of “double standards” after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton lamented the restrictions on China’s 384 million Internet users.

Earlier this month, Obama said he planned to be “much tougher” about enforcing trade rules with China, and favored constant pressure on Beijing over opening markets and on currency rates. China responded by dismissing US “wrongful accusations and pressure.” The Dalai Lama arrives in Washington on February 17. In addition to meeting with the president, he will receive the Democracy Service Medal from the National Endowment for Democracy at a February 19 ceremony at the Library of Congress. — AFP

Rain and snow threaten Chinese Lunar New Year BEIJING: Heavy rain and snow storms were set to hit parts of China yesterday, meteorologists said, threatening travel chaos as millions headed home on the eve of the Lunar New Year. The Spring Festival, or Lunar New Year, is China’s most important holiday, reuniting families around the vast nation of 1.3 billion and triggering an exodus believed to be the world’s largest annual human migration.

China’s Meteorological Administration said yesterday the country’s south was set for rain and snow, while temperatures in the north would begin to fall. Heavy snow would also fall over parts of the east. “Everyone must make preparations for rain, snow and falling temperatures when returning home or going out to visit relatives and friends,” it said in an earlier warning.

Authorities are hoping to avoid a repeat of the chaos after a massive cold wave and freezing rain hit southern and central China in 2008, crippling transport systems and stranding millions just as the travel rush got under way. The government has said that 210 million passengers are expected to take the train during the current New Year period, which officially began late January. Nearly 30 million more will travel by air and millions of others by bus. With many Chinese living and working in cities a long way from their family, the crush on transport and resulting price hikes was a problem, Xinhua said, adding the price of a return train tick-

et could be as much as one month’s salary for some. Guo Kai, a 30-year-old Beijing IT worker, told the agency tickets were hard to come by. “A few of my friends queued up overnight outside ticket offices, and others bought tickets from scalpers,” Guo said. Other costs also make the trip expensive, he said, citing the tradition of handing out red envelopes containing money.

“I bought gifts for my parents, but no cash. I will do more house chores as compensation,” he said. South Koreans also gather in home towns or ancestral villages during the Lunar New Year to pay their respects to ancestors. Transport officials there said the majority of the 25 million people on the move-around half the country’s populationwould be taking to the roads, some of which had been hit by heavy winter weather. The Lunar New Year is also a major public holiday across several other parts of Asia.

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in a Lunar New Year message that he hoped the coming year would see a reversal of the citystate’s plunging birth rate. Lee said he was particularly worried about ethnic Chinese couples who chose to hold back having babies during Tiger years because of a superstition that children born during the year will have the animal’s attributes.

“It is one thing to encourage ourselves with the traditional attributes of the zodiac animals,” he said. — AFP

BEIJING: Chinese performers dressed in traditional costumes during the opening of Longtan Temple Fair on the Lunar New Year Eve yesterday.

According to the Lunar calendar, Chinese will celebrate the start of the Year of the Tiger today. — AP

BEIJING: Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao warned his people to keep a “sober mind” about the challenges ahead in the new year as the country welcomed the arrival of the Year of the Tiger with noisy celebrations yesterday. “In 2010, China will face a more complicated situation, both at home and abroad,” state news agency Xinhua paraphrased Wen as saying, in remarks carried in major newspapers.

People must “keep a sober mind and an enhanced sense of anxiety about lagging behind”, the premier added. Priority should be given to “persistence in taking economic development as the central task, forcefully promoting reform and opening up ... and doing a better job responding to the global financial crisis, in order to keep steady and relatively fast economic development”.

The government is trying to maintain a balance between the economic growth needed to create jobs for the country’s 1.3 billion people, and not letting the economy overheat and drive up the cost of basic goods and housing for residents.

China raised the level of reserves banks must hold for the second time this year on Friday, spooking financial markets on the eve of its New Year holiday by showing it was intent to curb lending and inflation.

“All the things we do are aimed at letting people live more happily with more dignity,” Wen said. China powered to 8.7 percent growth last year, by far the strongest of any major economy, driving demand for everything from Chilean copper to Australian iron ore. “Prices are going up and customers are worried about inflation, but today I’ve knocked down the prices so I can go home early,” said Beijing vegetable seller Li Chunmei.

HU MEETS TAIWANESE President Hu Jintao, by contrast, spent Friday visiting Taiwan investors in the southeastern province of Fujian. Taiwan businesses have invested billions of dollars in China since detente began between the two sides in the 1980s, lured by a common culture and language. China and Taiwan have been ruled separately since a civil war ended with Communist victory in 1949. Ties have improved further following the election of China-friendly Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou in 2008, who has signed a series of landmark trade and tourism deals with Beijing.

“We will try our best in everything that will benefit the Taiwan compatriots, and we will honor our words,” Hu told the Taiwan investors, according to Xinhua. Beijing has directed its ire over Washington’s recent decision to sell weapons to Taiwan at the United States, rather than the selfruled and democratic island, being keen not to damage warming relations and the eventual goal of reunification. Taiwan and China are gearing up to sign a free trade deal, something Hu told his Taiwan audience would “bring win-win results”.

The year of the tiger is believed to bring with it mythical heroic powers, even if soothsayers say it is an inauspicious one for marriage. Still, the year is seen as being good for the economy.

Beijing and commercial capital Shanghai reverberated with ad hoc firework displays and the sound of firecrackers as darkness fell.

Firecrackers are believed to scare off evil spirits and entice the god of wealth to people’s doorsteps once New Year’s Day arrives.

Celebrations will carry on into the early hours of today, officially the first day of the Lunar New Year. — Reuters

SOUTH HAMGYONG: This undated picture released by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency on February 10, 2010 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il (second left) inspecting the Vinalon Complex in South Hamgyong province in North Korea. — AFP

North Korea’s nuclear envoy seeks to visit US SEOUL: A top North Korean nuclear envoy wants to visit the United States for rare talks next month, news reports said yesterday, amid a push by diplomats to revive negotiations on ending Pyongyang’s nuclear program. Officials in Washington said no such trip was planned. North Korea is strongly pushing for Kim Kye Gwan’s trip to the United States in March, but the US has not authorized a visa for him, South Korea’s Dong-a Ilbo newspaper reported, citing unidentified diplomatic sources.

Kim told his Chinese counterpart during this week’s meetings in Beijing he hopes to hold a bilateral meeting with the US in March, Seoul’s JoongAng Ilbo newspaper reported, also citing unnamed diplomats. However, State Department spokesman PJ Crowley told reporters Friday there were no plans for a visit by Kim, and no current US discussions with North Korea about such a trip. A bilateral meeting between the North Korean envoy and US officials would be a strong sign that the push to get the disarmament talks back on track was gaining traction. It would also confirm a warming in relations between the US and North Korea, wartime rivals that do not have diplomatic relations. UN political chief B. Lynn Pascoe said after concluding a four-day trip to North Korea on Friday he was unaware of plans for Kim to travel to the United States.

North Korea, believed to have enough weaponized plutonium for at least half a dozen atomic bombs, walked away from disarmamentfor-aid negotiations last year during a standoff

over its nuclear and missile programs. However, after tightened sanctions and financial isolation, the impoverished nation has reached out to Washington, Seoul and Beijing in recent months.

Pascoe, the highest-ranking UN diplomat to visit North Korea since 2004, said he met with North Korea’s No 2 leader and foreign minister and “argued strongly that the six-party talks should be resumed without preconditions or further delay.”

However, the North Korean side did not seem prepared to immediately return to the international disarmament talks, he said. “The attitude right now as I said is that certainly they were not happy with the sanctions and they were certainly not eager, not ruling out but not eager, to return to the six-party talks,” said Pascoe. Pascoe said he was reluctant to describe the North Korean position in any more detail because the UN is not directly involved with the negotiations. The disarmament talks involve the two Koreas, the US, Japan, Russia and host China.

Earlier, Crowley said US officials haven’t ruled out future meetings with the North Koreans, but “we believe firmly that the next meeting that US representatives and others should have with North Korea is through a formal six-party meeting.” North Korea wants sanctions eased and a peace treaty with the US formally ending the 1950-53 Korean War if it returns to the six-party talks. Seoul, Tokyo and Washington have all urged Pyongyang to return to the disarmament talks and show progress on denuclearization before any discussions on a peace treaty or sanctions. — AP

Australia warns China not to interfere in iron prices SYDNEY: Australia has warned Beijing not to interfere in difficult commercial iron ore price negotiations and urged China to act as a market economy. “We’ve been consistent in this regard. Negotiations are for the market. We will not interfere in the market,” Trade Minister Simon Crean said in an interview late Friday. “We’ve made the point to China ‘We have recognized you as a market economy, act as one, don’t seek intervention from the government when it comes to market exchanges’,” he said according to the transcript issued by his office.

Crean was responding to local media reports that a senior official from China’s industry ministry had met with an

Australian embassy official to press the point that China paid the highest prices for iron ore, despite being the world’s largest customer. The trade minister said “all sorts of conversations take place” on a government-to-government level, but iron ore pricing was not one that was regularly discussed. “We are reminded of the size of their market but that’s an important dimension of our trade relationship anyway,” added Crean.

China’s Iron and Steel Association in December said it would seek to streamline the number of importers and their prices in a bid to boost China’s leverage as global miners sought a 20-30 percent price hike in what were proving “quite difficult”

2010 benchmark talks. China’s relations with the world’s biggest miners-AngloAustralian companies BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto and Brazil’s Vale-remain tainted by the July arrest of Rio executive Stern Hu and three Chinese colleagues in Shanghai.

Their detention came during fractious iron ore contract talks which later lapsed and just weeks after Rio Tinto snubbed a near 20-billion US dollar cash injection from a state-run Chinese company. Crean emphasized that Canberra had not sought to have the case dropped against Hu, an Australian passport-holder, and would not investigate Rio as a result of his formal indictment Thursday on charges of

bribery and illegally obtaining trade secrets.

“We recognize the Chinese legal system has to run its course, it’s a different legal system to ours,” said Crean. “That’s the circumstances in which people go in there to do business or travel in there.

“We’ve treated it as a consular case, not seeking to interfere with the course of justice, only to bring it to a conclusion expeditiously and transparently,” he added.

There were “no allegations” against Rio, he said, and therefore “no justification or reason on the evidence before us” to warrant an Australian government probe of the miner’s practices in China. — AFP

SYDNEY: Flash flooding hit parts of Sydney after the heaviest rainfall in a decade to hit the Australian city, officials said yesterday, in a wild storm that felled trees and caused widespread blackouts. Almost 100 millimeters of rain fell in little more than an hour in some parts of the city, a weather bureau spokesman said, turning streets to rivers and leaving scores of people stranded. “For the city (centre) we recorded 65 mills of rainfall in the evening, and that’s about a one in five to ten year event,” he said. More than 1,000 people called emergency services requiring rescue or to report damage from the surging

waters, which brought down trees and caused the roof of a popular city nightspot to cave in.

“It was one of our busiest storm response nights for several years,” a fire rescue spokesman said. The torrential rains cut power to a number of regions, blacking out traffic signals in the city’s central shopping and business district. Forecasters warned of further floods yesterday night, as a second storm gathered.

“Heavy rain and thunderstorms are expected to cause flash flooding in western parts (of New South Wales state) this afternoon and evening,” the Bureau of Meteorology said. — AFP

INTERNATIONAL

Sunday, February 14, 2010

11

After Haiti, Nepal braces for big quake KATHMANDU: As Haiti counts the cost of last month’s devastating earthquake, experts are warning of the potential for an even greater disaster in another of the world’s poorest countries, Nepal. Geologists say it is only a matter of time before a major earthquake hits Nepal’s densely populated capital Kathmandu, where 2.5 million people live in cramped, poorly-built housing with little or no awareness of the dangers.

Nepal sits on the border between two huge plates that have moved together over millions of years to form the Himalayas. Geologists believe it is at risk from an earthquake with a magnitude of around eight - 10 times as powerful as the Haiti shock that killed more than 212,000 people. Nepal has not suf-

fered a major quake for decades, and expert David Petley believes the troubled country is woefully unprepared. “From a geological perspective the risk seems to be very large indeed,” said Petley, Wilson professor of hazard and risk at Britain’s Durham University.

“The area to the west of Kathmandu is undergoing the processes that drive earthquakes, and there has not been a quake on that section of the fault for hundreds of years. “The larger the time gap (between quakes) the larger the quake is going to be.” Many other major cities in the region are vulnerable to large earthquakes. But a 2001 study by GeoHazards International, a US research group set up to reduce the human impact of natural disas-

ters, found Kathmandu would suffer the worst losses.

Very low building standards, weak infrastructure and the fact that Kathmandu is built on the soft sediment of a former lake bed all contribute to the high risk level. Like Port au Prince, Kathmandu is served by just one single-runway airport, but unlike the Haitian capital it has no port, and experts believe the only three roads into the city would likely be destroyed in a major quake. A decade-long civil war and years of political instability have also taken their toll on Nepal, whose capital Kathmandu has just eight working fire engines.

Experts warn that few of the hospitals and government buildings could withstand a major quake. “What

Marjah: Heroin and Taleban nexus in the eye of a storm KABUL: Marjah is an opiumgrowing paradise in the Helmand River valley, where a Taleban reign of fear has created one of southern Afghanistan’s most notorious insurgent dens. Planned and built partly by the US government in the 1950s as a model farm belt irrigated by canals, Marjah is the target of the biggest military assault since the 2001 invasion which ousted the Taleban regime.

Operation Mushtarak (“Together”) launched yesterday is a major test of US President Barack Obama’s strategy to end the eight-year war against the Taleban, defeat Al-Qaeda and hand greater control to the Western-backed Afghan government. Marjah town and the surrounding area of Helmand province is home to an estimated 125,000 and beyond government control since the 2001 invasion.

Situated about 20 kilometers south of the provincial capital, Lashkar Gar, it is a collection of impoverished villages in Nad Ali district, fertile land for crops, vegetables, fruits, herbs and known for livestock farming. But what should be the bread basket of Afghanistan is instead one of the world’s richest sources of opium and heroin, earning billions of illicit dollars each year that help fund the insurgency.

US-funded canals criss-cross fields of opium poppies, which stand tall and green in February, not yet blooming red and not yet oozing the sap that will be processed into heroin and shipped across the world.

Populated by Pashtun tribes, residents are generally poor farm laborers or jobless in an area devoid of development since the 2001 US-led invasion. For the deeply conservative Muslim population, as in most of Afghanistan, life revolves around strict adherence to Islam and women are kept in purdah, rarely allowed outside their homes and covered in burkas in public. The

HELMAND: US Spc Codi Albright, 21, from Rhome, TX, of the 4th Battalion jumps over a canal west of Lashkar Gah in Helmand province, southern Afghanistan. — AP Taleban work in tandem with drug traffickers to force local people to grow poppies. The Taleban presence increased after US Marines flushed them out of other parts of Helmand more than two years ago.

Marjah is one of the last insurgent bastions in Helmand, where NATO and US troops have never penetrated, and fears of heavy losses among Western forces are high. The area is expected to be laced with improvised explosive devices (IEDs), mostly planted by roadsides and detonated by remote-control, the biggest killer of foreign troops in Afghanistan and a major killer of civilians. For weeks, thousands of US Marines have been preparing for their imminent

14 soldiers suspended over Kashmir shooting SRINAGAR: Fourteen Indian border guards were suspended yesterday for suspected involvement in the shooting death of a teenager in the troubled Indian-ruled portion of Kashmir, an official said.

The killing, the second death of a Kashmiri youth in a week, triggered massive anti-India street protests in the region, and prompted the federal government to order a probe. Residents alleged that the Feb 5 shooting of 17-year-old Zahid Farooq was ordered by a senior officer of the Border Security Force, R K Birdi, who was suspended from duty along with 13 soldiers pending an inquiry, a BSF officer said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to reporters.

On Wednesday, police arrested Lakhvinder Kumar, another border guard, after an initial BSF probe suggested he had fired at the teenager. New York-based Human Rights Watch on Thursday hailed Kumar’s arrest and said it could be an important step in curtailing abuses by government forces. “It is extremely rare for the security forces in Kashmir to turn over one of their own to the civilian justice system,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, a senior South Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch.

“Now they should go a step further to see if senior officers were also responsible.” However, the victim’s father, Farooq Ahmed, said the soldier’s arrest was aimed at shielding a senior officer and demanded an identification parade of all BSF soldiers present at the time of the shooting.

Kashmir, which is predominantly Muslim, is divided between India and Pakistan and claimed by both. Anti-India sentiment runs deep in the Himalayan region, where rebel groups have been fighting for Kashmir’s independence from India or its merger with Pakistan since 1989.

More than 68,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in the uprising and subsequent Indian crackdown. Zahid Farooq’s death followed that of Wamiq Farooq, 14, who died after being struck in the head by a police tear gas shell on Jan 31. — AP

assault. Residents have reported gun battles, with planes and helicopters airlifting in men and supplies. US commanders have urged the Taleban to surrender, but the militia has vowed to stay and fight and is believed to be massing with guns and rockets. Hundreds of families left the area ahead of the start of the offensive early yesterday, packing up their homes and rushing for safety in Lashkar Gar. NATO and Afghan officials have said the offensive aims to re-establish government and a military presence under newly appointed district governor Haji Zair, who has not yet been able to live there and who will be responsible for administration. — AFP

Afghan villagers rushed to escape Marjah assault MARJAH: As military helicopters thundered through the sky over the Afghan township of Marjah yesterday morning, villagers cowered down below in their mud-brick huts. About 60 helicopters took part in the assault, Helmand Governor Mohammad Gulab Mangal said, dropping soldiers into what officials say is the last Taleban bastion in the southern province. Spooky green-tinged video footage shot through military night-vision goggles showed US soldiers rushing off Chinook gunships and into the dark folds of Marjah. But despite being told in leaflets dropped by helicopters-and by Taleban embedded in the town-to stay put, some civilians were still leaving as the battle commenced. “We were sleeping when all of a sudden we heard this horrible noiseit was helicopters bringing in soldiers,” Marjah resident Abdul Wahaab said by telephone, as he and his family tried to leave the town. “As we were crossing the village we saw US and Afghan soldiers on the junctions. There were lots of them,” he said, adding he was heading to safety in Lashkar Gah, capital of the restive province.

“We got out of there. I saw troops all over, they were on the roads, they were all over the area,” another villager, Wahaab said via telephone as he too headed to Lashkar Gah with his family.

Another Marjah resident who refused to give his name said: “I heard small and big gunshots. The troops arrived last night, at the beginning it was calm but now we can hear gunshots and other explosions. “We can’t leave our homes but we don’t have enough food,” he said, also speaking by telephone. Officials said that five insurgents were killed in their first contact with the troops. The forces encountered scores of improvised bombs, devices the Taleban have been using in their campaign against Afghan and Western troops. — AFP

has been made clear in Haiti is that when a quake affects the capital and government infrastructure is destroyed, organizing help becomes very difficult indeed,” said Petley.

Geologist Amod Mani Dixit was working for the Nepal government on landslide prevention in 1988 when a 6.5-magnitude earthquake struck the east of the country. The high death toll and damage caused by the quake prompted him to set up the National Society for Earthquake Technology (NSET) to raise public awareness of the dangers and help make schools and hospitals safer.

“It was a moderate earthquake, but the impact was huge. It killed 720 people and caused five billion rupees (67 million dollars) worth of damage, 25 percent of Nepal’s GDP for that

year,” said Dixit. “I was shocked. If even a moderate quake like that could cause such large amounts of damage, the question was what had we failed to do.” After discovering that none of Nepal’s government schools had been built to withstand quakes, Dixit launched a program to make school buildings more earthquake-resistant.

His organization is retro-fitting around five schools a year to strengthen them against quake damage, and he also runs training for masons on constructing quake-resistant buildings. But he says much more needs to be done in Nepal, where awareness of the risk remains very low. “It’s not just buildings, but also a lack of knowledge that kills.

Mindsets and practices need to be changed,” he said. “Awareness levels

have increased tremendously in the past 10 years, but it is not enough.

Nepal is a fatalistic country and to bring people out of their slumber takes time.”

In 2003 the government introduced building codes to try to improve standards in construction, and now runs training for masons.

But Amrit Man Tuladhar, head of the Nepal government’s earthquake preparedness program, admits the regulations are often ignored, and says the older buildings in Kathmandu are a cause for concern. “We believe more than 80 percent of old buildings could collapse,” he said. “Many of the buildings in the Kathmandu Valley are very old. If a quake struck at night, people would not be able to escape their houses.”

The last major earthquake to hit Nepal struck to the east of the capital in 1934. It measured 8.4 on the Richter scale and killed more than 8,500 people in Nepal and neighboring India. Mohan Bikram Thapa was living in Kathmandu with his parents when it hit and, 76 years on, he still remembers the massive devastation it caused.

“Suddenly everything began to shake and the houses started collapsing, filling the air with dust,” recalls Thapa, 86. “All the tallest buildings fell into pieces. “Later, at about five o’clock, people started bringing out the dead bodies to be burned. “In those days, Kathmandu was like a small village. If the same thing happened now, it would be very dangerous.” —AFP

Pakistan lovers brave bombs for Valentine PESHAWAR: Hip young romantics in Pakistan’s most dangerous city are splashing out on text messages and teddy bears, defying Taleban bombers and conservative parents to find love this Valentine’s Day. It’s taken four years and the prospect of never seeing her again, for Mohammad Asif to pluck up the courage to approach the object of his affections, a fellow engineering student in northwest city Peshawar.

Destined to graduate and look for a job in a city where bomb attacks have closed businesses and emptied markets, Asif realizes it’s now or never.

“After four years of studies, my classmates are dispersing and I finally want to express my love for a girl I’ve liked for the past four years, but never said anything,” gushes the 21-year-old.

“I’ve bought a card and chocolates to give her, so she knows that I love her. This is the day to disclose your hidden feelings,” he said. For Shama Aamir, who bought scent, chocolates and a love heart for her husband, Valentine’s Day is a ray of sunshine in a miserable life. “Some people cannot express their love and Valentine’s Day provides them a good opportunity. It’s a positive thing in this gloomy atmosphere and bombings,” the 32-year-old said.

Retailers only wish there were more people like her. Nasir Ahmed, who owns a gift shop in Peshawar’s Sadar bazaar, says Valentine sales are down 30 percent this year because of unrest and inflation. Taleban and AlQaeda-linked bombings, which have killed more than 3,000 people in Pakistan within three years, surged late last year, much of it focused around Peshawar and northwest Pakistan. Morale has suffered among the city’s 2.5 million residents. Checkpoints have mushroomed. Many struggle to make ends meet and cloister themselves at home, frightened of becoming the bombers’ next victim.

“Sales have plummeted by at least 30 percent this year. People are scared of going shopping and purchasing power has been severely dented by back-breaking inflation,” Ahmed said. “Most of my customers are young people buying cards, chocolates, love hearts and teddy bears for their beloveds.” Peshawar is a conservative Muslim city, where many disapprove of Valentine’s Day as a Western import. Women are veiled and few girls go out alone.

Valentine’s Day is the preserve of the young, educated and wealthy.

Secret trysts are a dream, even more difficult on Sundays, when schools are closed.

“There will be a lot of problems and difficulties for boys to take girls out as it will be a holiday... so please celebrate Valentine’s Day on Monday,” said the “Love Guru” in a text message pinged through Peshawar and other cities. But for young lovers with strict parents there can never be chocolates, roses or candlelit dinners as enjoyed by contemporaries in the West.

Kashmala Qasim fell in love with someone she met when displaced by fighting between the army and Taleban last year. Now at home with her family in the Swat valley, far from Peshawar, a text message is her only Valentine’s hope.

“It’s impossible for me to go to Peshawar. I tried my best but it is impossible to meet him. So the only way I have is my mobile. I’ll send him wishes by SMS,” she said by telephone from Swat. But

Lovers defy Taleban, conservative parents

KARACHI: Activists of Pakistani religious party “Jamat Ahl-e-Sunnat” burn a card during a rally against Valentine’s Day celebrations in Karachi.

Celebrating Valentine’s Day is considered un-Islamic in Pakistan, but many still buy flowers and exchange gifts with others at this time of year. — AP

Aftab Ahmed, a 30-year-old civil servant, claimed to be among those bombarding networks with furious text messages condemning Valentine’s Day as an offence to local culture. “Valentine’s day is un-Islamic and against our culture and values... I’ve sent more than 1,000 text messages to various people,” Ahmed claimed.

“Say no to Valentine’s. Spread modest culture. Modesty Day, 14 February 2010,” said another text message received by mobile phone users. Haji Zar Khan, spokesman for militant group Lashkar-e-Islam, currently subject to Pakistani military operations near Peshawar, was unaware of the significance of the day—until he was filled in by an AFP journalist. “Through you we send this message to all Peshawar—people should refrain from celebrating Valentine’s Day otherwise they’ll be responsible for the consequences,” Khan said. — AFP

OPINION

12

Sunday, February 14, 2010

THE LEADING INDEPENDENT DAILY IN THE ARABIAN GULF ESTABLISHED 1961

Founder and Publisher

YOUSUF S. ALYAN Editor-in-Chief

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

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

issues

Same words, little action from Obama

By Jennifer Loven and Liz Sidoti

B

arack Obama’s words and goals have remained uncannily the same, from the bone-chilling steps of Illinois’ Old State Capitol where he announced his candidacy exactly three years ago Wednesday to the snowwhipped presidential mansion where he sits today. Yet, his big calls for change are unfulfilled in almost every way.

“Washington has a long way to go. And it won’t be easy,” Obama said on Feb 10, 2007, in Springfield, Illinois. No kidding. Judging by Obama’s longon-ideas, short-on-accomplishment record, he’s certainly found that to be true.

Most presidents don’t get all they promise - especially the biggest things - in their first year in office, and Obama has only just entered the second year of his term. What’s more, he couldn’t have foreseen back at the beginning the state of the country he’d be taking over if he won his improbable White House bid. There was no crushing recession. Wall Street was alive. American auto companies weren’t failing.

Unemployment wasn’t heading rapidly toward double-digits.

But even though Obama stepped into a White House with far more on his plate than he’d expected, he didn’t pare back his agenda. He chose to use the political capital he’d earned in the election to reach for as much as he could. On that freezing February day three years ago, he mapped his agenda outside the building where Abraham Lincoln began his political career. Obama wrapped his speech in lofty language about uniting the nation.

He portrayed himself as the new blood that was needed and able - to lead a new generation to accomplish new feats.

Though he was a US senator, Obama talked of being an outsider, with an outsider’s disgust with Washington’s ways and an outsider’s fresh solutions.

“We can build a more hopeful America,” he said. “I know I haven’t spent a lot of time learning the ways of Washington. But I’ve been there long enough to know that the ways of Washington must change.” He defined that change with specifics: • Reduce partisanship to produce a new, better-functioning political climate.

• End the war in Iraq and bring American combat troops home.

• Reshape the economy for the future with investments in education and new approaches to energy, immigration and healthcare.

• Achieve universal health care by the end of his first term.

• Rebuild America’s image in the world, not least to bolster the fight against terrorism.

Those remain Obama’s chief priorities. With health care and other big parts of his agenda at risk, his rhetoric today often sounds remarkably similar to his Springfield remarks. In his 2007 announcement speech, he said, “What’s stopped us is the failure of leadership, the smallness of our

politics - the ease with which we’re distracted by the petty and trivial, our chronic avoidance of tough decisions, our preference for scoring cheap political points instead of rolling up our sleeves and building a working consensus to tackle big problems.” And listen to him Tuesday, before reporters in the White House briefing room. “At this critical time in our country, the people who sent us here expect a seriousness of purpose that transcends petty politics,” he said. “I won’t hesitate to embrace a good idea from my friends in the minority party, but I also won’t hesitate to condemn what I consider to be obstinacy that’s rooted not in substantive disagreements but in political expedience.”

Obama himself has always been a politician who sets big goals but is willing to compromise on the details. Certainly, he’s had some successes in his first year, including expanding the children’s health insurance program and getting Congress to pass a $787 billion economic stimulus plan.

And yet progress is scant on all the largest fronts he laid out three years ago: • Washington is just as divided now as then, if not more so. Most every piece of legislation Obama has signed has been passed by Congress largely along partisan lines, and political gamesmanship is in full swing. Obama is a polarizing figure himself; a recent Gallup Poll found a 65 percentagepoint gap between Democrats and Republicans on their approval of Obama, the largest for any president in his first year in office.

• America is still at war in Iraq. US combat troops are supposed to be out by this August by the latest presidential deadline - later than candidate Obama had planned.

• The economy is on the mend and Obama has made investments in education. But his efforts to curb climate change and overhaul the nation’s immigration system are stalled.

• His healthcare overhaul, after nearly reaching conclusion and then grinding to a halt with Republicans’ upset win of a Senate seat from Massachusetts, now hangs by a thread after a year of work.

• Obama banned torture but the Guantanamo Bay prison for terrorism suspects - a US eyesore to American allies remains open despite a pledge to close it. And while Obama stepped up efforts to root out terrorists in Afghanistan and Pakistan, America was nearly hit again by a terrorist on Christmas.

It’s almost as if, standing in Illinois, Obama foretold the future, saying: “Too many times, after the election is over, and the confetti is swept away, all those promises fade from memory, and the lobbyists and the special interests move in, and people turn away, disappointed as before, left to struggle on their own.” Just three years later, Obama finds himself tackling a big agenda, with little to show as he steps up his bipartisanship preaching and tries to lead a country once again decidedly angry. — AP

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.

An oil-less recovery dims the future for oil

By Alex Lawler

T

he world may lose its taste for oil long before oil itself runs out, if the trend in the West becomes global. Demand for oil may well have peaked in the developed world, the International Energy Agency said on Thursday, postponing further any possible supply crunch.

But emerging nations still want more, the IEA said. More efficient cars and the increasing use of electricity and gas instead of oil in areas outside transport, such as heating, have driven the move in the West.

Recession has also played a part.

Before the economic crisis, western Europe and Japan were posting declines in oil demand, but top consumer the United States had sustained robust growth due to an expanding economy and less focus on conservation. The US pattern looks to have changed, on some forecasts. The recession and use of alternatives such as natural gas and coal are limiting oil use, as is the growing number of smaller, more efficient cars being sold.

“This recovery risks being ‘oil-less’ as far as the OECD is concerned, potentially supporting the argument that OECD demand has peaked,” said the IEA in its monthly report.

Members of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, monitored by the IEA, will account for 53 percent of world oil demand in 2010, down from 54 percent in 2009, the agency said. While oil use is growing in emerging economies, the flattening out of OECD demand is tempering that growth, deferring any strain on the world’s producers in meeting demand. Producers were stretched in the run up to 2008, when oil hit a record near $150 a barrel.

“With oil demand peaking in the OECD, you will be postponing further into the future the time when we come to test productive capacity again as we

did in 2008,” said Harry Tchilinguirian, analyst at BNP Paribas.

World oil demand is still expected to grow this year and for the foreseeable future, led by China and India.

This means a strain on supplies may not be deferred for long. “You are delaying by a couple of years, but in between the main uncertainty is how policy evolves in non-OECD countries,” BNP Paribas’ Tchilinguirian said. “Here, much will depend on the pace of price reform, energy efficiency of the booming vehicle fleet and government policy.”

Oil demand in the OECD has become less sensitive to economic growth than in the past and fuel switching means sudden bursts of cold weather have less impact on heating oil consumption. OECD demand for heating oil will fall in the first quarter despite the severe winter, according to the IEA, which said fuel sources such as gas, renewables and nuclear power were becoming fuels of choice.

The trend of flattening OECD demand and rising consumption in developing markets also suggested the established seasonal oil demand patterns will wane in future.

“Traditionally the seasonality in oil demand was the summer driving season and winter heating season,” said Mike Wittner, analyst at Societe Generale. “As non-OECD demand keeps growing, the traditional seasonality in global demand patterns is going to become less and less.”

While advocates of reduced oil use may be beneficiaries of peak OECD oil demand, the oil refining industry in those markets looks to be a main loser. Total SA’s CEO, Christophe de Margerie said on Thursday that more refinery closures were needed in OECD countries due to fuel product overcapacity.

“What’s going on with Total is only a sign that something has to give,” said an industry official who declined

to be identified by name because of the political sensitivity of the issue.

“Probably the first refineries to go will

be small Japanese refineries and some European refineries.

We have a mismatch between

refining capacity and where the demand is, and some tough decisions will have to be made.” — Reuters

More to Saudi women than niqab

By Maha Akeel

S

audi Arabia is perhaps one of the most misunderstood and stereotyped countries in the world, particularly when it comes to its women. Some of these negative perceptions could be justified. After all, it is the only country that does not allow women to drive, though the government has declared numerous times that it has no objections to giving women licenses.

Saudi women are denied many of the rights granted to women in Islam. Under the Saudi system, male guardians control decisions concerning a woman’s education, employment, travel, marriage, divorce, child care, legal proceedings and healthcare - basically, every aspect of her life. It is a system that renders half the country’s population helpless dependents.

Nevertheless, there are Western perceptions of Saudi women that need to be addressed objectively. Whenever Western journalists visit Saudi Arabia, they meet Saudi women who are educated, employed and successful, women who are prominent leaders in their communities. They ask them all kinds of questions and receive honest answers.

However, these journalists often only report on the usual stereotypes: the hijab (headscarf) or niqab (a garment that covers a woman’s face and body), the segregation of men and women in most public and private institutions, and, of course, the ban on driving.

Segregation hinders women’s daily activities and career advancement, but it is primarily rooted in local customs and traditions, as well as some - but certainly not all - religious interpretations within the country. It is not strictly or consistently enforced. The hijab and niqab comprise a religious and social issue that is not exclusive to Saudi Arabia. In Islam, women are expected to dress modestly, and every Muslim society has different views on what this means.

Because Saudi Arabia is the place where Islam was born and where the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah are located, people tend to respect modest dress in their public appearance. But this aspect of Saudi women’s lives is often misunderstood. A friend of mine in a high government position was furious when she talked to an American journalist for two hours about Saudi women’s achievements, progress,

obstacles and challenges - only to be mentioned in passing to describe how she covered her hair when he asked to take her picture.

When a picture of Saudi women is published in a Western media outlet, it usually portrays them wearing the black niqab, even though there are many women who do not cover their face or their hair and do not mind being photographed without the veil. This insistence on reinforcing certain images of Saudi women creates distrust and cynicism towards Western media. As another friend of mine said to a European journalist, it should not matter what is on my head, but what is in my head.

Many of the Saudi women who choose to wear the hijab or niqab are highly educated, intelligent and successful working women. The headscarf or face veil does not prevent us from reaching our goals and objectives. Whether or not I choose to cover my hair should not be a measure to judge me by. It should not define me as conservative or liberal. It should not indicate whether I’m oppressed or liberated, because there are many factors that affect my decision to wear the hijab or niqab.

Understandably, driving is symbolic of Saudi women’s lack of freedom. However, in terms of rights, we have many other serious issues to consider. Until women are recognized as independent adults who have equal standing with men in society, we will continue to experience marginalization and discrimination.

Despite the images perpetrated by Western media, Saudi women have come a long way and are increasingly recognized for our achievements despite the obstacles we face.

We are managers of multi-billion dollar companies, world renowned scientists, university deans and bank CEOs, as well as director of the United Nations Population Fund and a deputy minister.

Western media should not trivialize our issues by focusing only on our driving rights or the way we dress. We are gaining ground every day. Like other women around the world, achieving independence is an ongoing struggle for us, and one that deserves to be recognized in the media and elsewhere.

NOTE: Maha Akeel is a Saudi journalist — MCT

B’desh law and order problems centre on campuses

By Anis Ahmed

L

urid headlines of crime and violence, much of it centred around university students, increasingly dominate Bangladesh front pages, potentially scaring investors and giving the government’s opposition a strong issue. “I am afraid to look at the newspapers these days,” says Bangladeshi businessman Zamirul Islam. “Maybe (I’ll) stop subscribing.” The papers feature photographs and stories of murder, bodies stuffed into manholes, women wailing over corpses of victims, and lesser crimes in this impoverished South Asian nation of 150 million people.

Broadcasters also air talk shows each day discussing endless problems, but focusing especially on students fighting deadly battles to grab business, occupy dormitories or control the campuses. Much of the fighting has involved members of rival student factions in Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s party. The students battle for control of everything from admission to universities to toll collection at fish markets. The trend could discourage needed aid and investment and hurt the credibility of Hasina’s government. “Surely such things leave an impact on both local and

foreign investments,” said Mohammad Saiful Islam, an investor and president of Bangladesh-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

“Investors get confused by seeing such horrific happenings,” he told Reuters on Thursday, adding that “just vowing to act (against criminals) is not enough, they want to see definite actions and positive

results.”

Warnings issued by Hasina and her home minister Sahara Khatun have had little impact on the students, citizens like businessman Zamirul say. Like many in the public and media he argues that student crime and intimidation have reached the worst level in the country’s four-decade history, though meaningful data is

hard to come by. Police and political patrons of the militant students either deliberately let them run loose or are unable to tame the lawbreakers, said a Dhaka University teacher who asked not to be identified. “Teachers often salute their students, not to show honour but to secure their own lives,” the teacher said.

Over the past week, a Dhaka

Bangladeshi women perform a traditional dance during the Boshonto Utshob festival in Dhaka yesterday. – AFP

University student died in a campus clash, another student was killed at Rajshahi University in the north by his political rivals, a trader and municipal commissioner were gunned down in the capital, and two schoolchildren died under the wheels of hit-and-run drivers. About 100 other people were injured in a similar variety of incidents across the country.

The situation has been tense on many campuses with pro- and anti-government students facing each other, driving rivals away by force, and vandalising admission tests, officials said. Despite complaints from many in the public about law enforcement effectiveness, government officials say they are vigorously chasing offenders. “No one involved in the latest violence or breaking the law will be spared,” Home Minister Sahara Khatun said this week, while the country’s top police officer, Inspector General Nur Mohammad told reporters: “We are trying our best to restore order everywhere.”

“We have heard many such warnings in the past that fell on deaf ears” said Abu Ahmed, a professor of economics at the Dhaka University. He said the violence is unique to public universities where children of the poor come to study, and not a problem for

private campuses favoured by the affluent. “This will not end unless the deadly student politics is totally stopped,” Ahmed said.

Hasina, who took office in January 2009 for a five-year term, faces a tough challenge trying to tame the students, despite the fact many of them claim to be her supporters. She recently refused to meet with a group of Dhaka University students at her official residence, and last year stripped herself of an honorary top position in the Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student wing of her ruling Awami League. But the gun-carrying, violent campus gangs are still doing their business as usual, teachers and other students say.

Hasina’s rivals, including the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of ex-prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia, use the crime problems of an example of what they say is Hasina’s failure to rule effectively. “Stop bashing the opposition to hide your failures. Time is up for you to hold the chain tight around those who tamper with the law,” Khaleda told journalists recently, threatening “a fierce protest” in parliament and on the streets. The BNP lawmakers returned to parliament on Thursday, ending a yearlong boycott. — Reuters

ANALYSIS

Sunday, February 14, 2010

13

US faces very long commitment in Haiti

By Patricia Zengerle

US

President Barack Obama jumped in to help Haiti after its disastrous earthquake, but with experts saying it will take 10 years and billions of dollars to fix the shattered country, the United States faces another long-term commitment in a foreign country. Haiti was the Western Hemisphere’s poorest state even before last month’s quake, with 80 percent of its people surviving on under $2 per day and a long history of instability and corruption.

The Jan. 12 disaster killed more than 200,000 of Haiti’s 9 million people, injured another 300,000, destroyed much of its capital and institutions, and left 1 million homeless. Obama sent millions of dollars in aid and a massive influx of resources, including 13,000 US military personnel. He also boosted an appeal for Americans to donate for Haiti, which has yielded hundreds of millions of dollars, by naming two former presidents, Republican George W Bush and Democrat Bill Clinton, to lead the drive and keep it above party politics.

“The president handled this quite well,” said Robert Pastor, who was former President Jimmy Carter’s national security adviser for Latin America and an adviser on Haiti for the Clinton administration. “He reacted faster than everyone else. It wasn’t just a political gesture. It was sincere and he got the entire government to move as quickly as it could.”

But a month later, the recovery is still largely in emergency response mode. With the rainy season about to start, planning for shelters and new homes is not far along. There are now

An unidentified woman carries the newborn baby of Gueline Midi, 20, who gave birth to the girl at a garbage dump in Port-au-Prince, Friday. According to people on the scene, Midi was homeless and found no other place to give birth to her daughter. – AP nearly 500 spontaneous tent encampments around the capital Port-auPrince where most live under plastic tarps or cloth bedsheets. “We are still in a very difficult situation,” Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive told Reuters in an interview this week. “We still don’t have a clear vision of certain problems - how we are going to relocate all those people.”

Disaster experts predict it will take 10 years to get Haiti onto a stable foot-

ing, with housing, an effective government, security, poverty reduction and development expanded to areas outside of Port-au-Prince. “What you are shooting for is something that Haiti has never really had before,” said Peter DeShazo, director of the Americas program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

The problem is complicated by Haiti’s history of corruption - $5 billion in aid was pumped into the country,

which has an annual GDP of just $7 billion, in the past 20 years. But there has been little to show for it, and many Haitians doubt things will be different now. “There are two questions. One is the money that’s needed, and the other is their ability to absorb it,” said Elizabeth Ferris, an international development scholar at the Brookings Institution in Washington.

That corruption could rebound against Obama as the aid effort plays

out. Incidents like the arrest of 10 US missionaries accused of kidnapping children from Haiti, which has distracted and embarrassed US aid workers and angered Haitians, could also hurt the administration. A Haitian judicial source said on Wednesday the detained Americans would be freed by a judge.

“The risks are going to come in strange ways,” Pastor said, with incidents like the missionaries’ arrest, government corruption or incompetence or even a coup or other political instability.

“When any of these happen, I think this will rebound negatively on the administration,” he said. “Not all of the efforts are going to succeed.”

Ferris was skeptical that the international community would make the kind of commitment needed. “I’m quite pessimistic. I think it will be hard to sustain the momentum. The past history isn’t very good,” she said. “There’s a 20 percent chance that there’s a longterm financial commitment and that Haiti would end up better. All the odds are stacked against it,” she said.

Skeptics note that international lenders have yet to forgive Haiti’s $900 million debt, despite the rhetoric about helping the stricken country.

But US and international authorities insist they are committed for the long haul. Experts said Haiti has some advantages. It is relatively small, had six years of political stability before the earthquake, and does not suffer from the ethnic and religious strife crippling other developing states. And most importantly, it is close to the United States. “This is the Americas. This is our hemisphere,” Deshazo said. “It doesn’t behoove our hemisphere to have a country that is in such a difficult situation.” — Reuters

Russia ready to survive without ‘Bush’s legs’

By Aleksandras Budrys

R

ussia, the largest buyer of US poultry meat, has sufficient resources to force Washington to accept its demands on import terms or otherwise squeeze it from the lucrative market, Russian analysts and producers said. “We are capable of solving the supply issues,” Vladimir Fisinin, president of the Russian Poultry Breeders’ Union, the powerful industry lobby told Reuters. Russia has been purchasing large volumes of US poultry since the early 1990s, when it turned to the United States to supply low-cost meat, mostly chicken leg quarters, commonly known as “Bush’s legs”.

The nickname goes back to when US President George H W Bush was promoting US- Russia trade. Moscow recently banned the meat because US producers use a chlorine wash, which Russia claims violates its food safety standards. Russia said on Thursday it was ready for a second round of talks after a first round ended last month without any commitments from Moscow to reopen its market.

Analysts said Russia has the upper hand as it is rapidly expanding domestic production and looking for alternatives to the 600,000 tonnes Washington could ship under an import quota granted to it for this year. “I believe they (the United States) will have to yield in one way or another,” said Yelena Tyurina, general director of the Agricultural Marketing Institute thinktank. “If they do not export the meat to Russia, they will have problems with disposing of these volumes especially because they are now also having problems with China.”

China, another important market for US poultry meat, has said it will levy heavy anti-dumping duties on US chicken products. “The United States will most likely agree with the Russian demands, as poultry meat prices there

are falling, while stocks are rising,” said Darya Limareva, an analyst with the Institute for Agricultural Market Studies (IKAR).

Russia appears to have sufficient stocks to survive without US imports, while domestic producers are rapidly increasing output in line with the goal set by the government to reach selfsufficiency in poultry meat in the next three years. “I believe stocks may last until the end of March,” Tyurina said.

“And imports from other countries continue and domestic producers are increasing output,” she added. Fisinin said that Russia had stocks of 220,000 tonnes of poultry meat at the start of the year, which rose further in January.

“Even if not a gram of poultry is imported (from the United States), we will live happily until the end of May,” he said.

IKAR’s Limareva said that average accumulated stocks of domestic poultry meat alone in Russia may last 25 to 27 days. “Russia will not face a deficit at least in the next couple of months.

That’s for sure,” she said. Russian domestic poultry output rose last year by 315,000 tonnes, equal to half of planned US exports to Russia this year, Fisinin said. “This year we have all the necessary capacities to increase output by another 300,000 tonnes, and by 150,000 in the first half of this year, thus patching the possible gap,” he said.

Russia has set the target to completely end imports by the end of 2012, and poultry breeders are drafting a plan of achieving this target, which they expect to send to the Agriculture Ministry for approval in March, Fisinin said. “In the next three years we plan to raise output by 920,000 a year,” he said.

Domestic poultry prices have been declining this year, and the existing high stocks are unlikely to reverse this process in the next few weeks,

Limareva said. But prices may rise if US imports stop as meat from alternative suppliers will cost more. “Brazil, the European Union, Thailand and Turkey, have expressed their wish to

ship poultry meat,” she said. “But it is evident that signing new contracts will take time and prices of new supplies will be substantially higher.” “We are running the risk of losing a cheap prod-

uct which is mostly used in meat processing and production of semi-fabricates, as well as sold in provinces, where incomes are lower than in big cities,” Tyurina agreed. — Reuters

China softening on Iran sanctions

By Chris Buckley

C

hina’s silence sometimes speaks volumes, and with growing international momentum for new sanctions on Iran, Beijing’s recent reticence suggests it may give ground if it can insulate its oil and business ties. China has repeatedly said in recent months that expanded UN sanctions on Iran are not the way to draw Tehran into serious talks about curtailing its uranium enrichment program, which Western powers say could lay the groundwork for a nuclear weapons capability. Not of late.

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi last week urged more diplomacy with Iran, but did not say whether China backed or opposed fresh sanctions. At two Chinese Foreign Ministry briefings this week, spokesman Ma Zhaoxu avoided extensive comment, positive or negative, about the sanctions proposed by the West. “On sanctions, our position has been consistent and clear,” Ma told reporters on Thursday. “We are willing, together with the international community, to continue playing a constructive role in pushing for a resolution of the Iran nuclear issue.”

China can use its power as one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council to veto any resolution authorising sanctions. “China’s silence says it isn’t strongly opposed to a new United Nation’s resolution,” said Yin Gang, an expert on the Middle East at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, a prominent state think-tank in Beijing. “Given Iran’s increasingly hard line on the nuclear issue, China feels it can’t stand in the way of some sort of international response,” he added.

Iran defied international pressure by announcing over the weekend that it would enrich uranium to 20 percent purity for a reactor, and on Thursday said it had produced its first consignment of the product. With Russia also irked

by Iran, Beijing may cautiously back a new Security Council resolution on Iran, or let it pass by abstaining from the vote, avoiding isolation from other big powers.

Beijing will nonetheless resist expansive sanctions against Iran, China’s third-biggest supplier of imported crude oil after Angola and top supplier Saudi Arabia, said Jin

Liangxiang, a researcher at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies who is a specialist on the Middle East.

Some Western diplomats have said they would like sanctions to cover Iran’s energy sector. “Fully going with Western expansion of sanctions on Iran so they restrict Iran’s energy exports would amount to disguised sanctions against China, and China certainly won’t agree,” Wang Feng, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences told the Global Times, a Chinese newspaper published on Thursday.

Beijing probably figures it can pare back a proposed UN resolution so Western powers can then claim a united international front while Chinese energy and economic ties to Iran are protected. “I’d expect very tough and drawn out (Security Council) negotiations, and a unified international stance is not assured,” said Jin, the Shanghai-based expert.

But by giving some ground to Western powers, Beijing would avoid adding to recent strains with the United States.

Washington has criticised China over Internet controls and trade imbalances, while Beijing has threatened to punish Washington over planned arms sales to Taiwan, the selfruled island off the mainland coast that China claims as its own.

But China’s Communist Party leaders will also want to handle carefully domestic public ire at the United States.

The Obama administration’s plan to sell a new package of weapons to Taiwan has prompted calls from Chinese military officers and angry citizens for hard-hitting retaliation against Washington. The Global Times, a tabloid that often dwells on nationalist themes, said on Thursday that in an Internet survey it organised, 70 percent of some 10,000 respondents said China should veto any new UN resolution on Iran.

Beijing must also heed the views of Arab states, especially Saudi Arabia, which have shown growing impatience with Tehran, said Yin, the Middle East expert. “China knows the Iran nuclear issue is now a global issue, so using it as a pawn to bargain with the United States over Taiwan is not credible,” he said. “China may voice its anger, but it won’t tie the two issues together,” he added. — Reuters

Tymoshenko in denial after Ukraine defeat S

By Olga Nedbayeva

he was the heroine of the Orange Revolution uprising hailed as a model of peaceful democratic change but is refusing to recognise defeat in an election lauded by the West as clean and fair. Just what is Ukraine’s charismatic Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko up to?

She has yet to concede to her bitter rival Viktor Yanukovych after Sunday’s polls and her party has alleged substantial violations which it says put the outcome in doubt.

Tymoshenko on Thursday ended more than three days of silence after the elections, accusing her rival of breaking election promises and defiantly holding a cabinet meeting after he told her to step down. Analysts said the prime minister’s defiance was the predictable reaction of a politician with a steely ambition and who has little experience of coming second.

But in a political scene that remains deeply macho, she is also trying to prove to supporters that she remains a formidable force and persuade them to back her in waging future battles against Yanukovych.

“Tymoshenko is more of a revolutionary than a democrat,” said Volodymr Fesenko, director of the

Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko speaks on Feb 11, 2010 during a cabinet meeting in Kiev. – AFP Penta centre of political studies. She has “always shown bad habits. Like not being able to let go of power.”

The prime minister certainly has one eye on the situation in Ukraine’s

parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, where she could make life very difficult for Yanukovych as his Regions Party has no majority. However deputies from her Bloc Yulia

Tymoshenko (BYuT) are already reported to be in talks to switch to the Regions Party after her loss and this could substantially weaken her hand. But if Yanukovych finds it impossible to deal with the current Rada, he will have to dissolve parliament and call elections that would provide a great chance for Tymoshenko to launch an immediate comeback. “For the moment, the most important thing for her is to be the person who fights Yanukovych in the eyes of the voters,” said Fesenko.

Although her losing margin was just under 3.5 percent and far less than predicted by opinion polls, the defeat was a shattering blow for Tymoshenko, a politician who has little experience of losing.

Throughout the campaign she had not countenanced the possibility of defeat and insisted there was no “plan B”. The popular news website Ukrainska Pravda compared Tymoshenko’s never-say-die defiance to the sword-wielding Uma Thurman character of the Bride in Quentin Tarantino’s 2003 film “Kill Bill”. “In Europe, recognising the victory of the opponent is a sign of civilised behaviour.

For Tymoshenko, legitimizing Yanukovych would be a sign of weakness in the eyes of the voters,” wrote

journalist Sergiy Leshchenko.

And even the deputy head of Yanukovych’s Regions Party, Borys Kolesnykov, acknowledged she remained a dangerous threat to the future president. “She is the most effective opposition politician in Ukraine’s modern history and if our promises are not fulfilled we will know about it first from her,” he said.

The election has been one of sharp ironies. It was none other than Yanukovych who was blamed for the vote-rigging in the last polls in 2004 that sparked the Orange Revolution and swept pro-Western politician Viktor Yushchenko to power.

But now it is Yanukovych who is calling on Tymoshenko to respect democracy by conceding after players like Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the European Union and the United States all praised the conduct of the elections.

But challenging the results and creating a new political crisis is hardly likely to go down well with the European Union, where she has been such a favourite. “If the Russians have ‘sovereign democracy’ then the Ukrainians have a kind of carnival where spectacle is more appreciated than substance,” said Dmytro Vydrin, political analyst and a former advisor to Tymoshenko. — AFP

focus

Afghan op seeks to avoid Iraq mistakes

By Michael Georgy

C

hances of success for a NATO offensive in the last big Taleban bastion in Afghanistan’s Helmand province may depend on ensuring the operation doesn’t repeat the destruction of Fallujah in Iraq in 2004. US commanders have built up expectations the operation may help deliver stability to a deeply troubled country - just as they did before fighter jets and tanks pulverised Fallujah in the name of protecting Iraqis from being terrorised by militants.

The plight of civilians may be the make-or-break issue for NATO, as it launches one of the 8-year-old war’s biggest offensives, to seize Marjah in Helmand. Warning leaflets and the roar of US fighter jets and artillery in the run up to Fallujah sent an unmistakable message to civilians to leave to avoid getting caught up in the siege. This time, NATO forces have decided to advise civilians in Marjah not to leave their homes, although they say they do not know if the assault will lead to heavy fighting, raising the stakes. “The message to the people of the area is of course, keep your heads down, stay inside when the operation is going ahead,” NATO civilian representative Mark Sedwill said this week.

Most of the population, estimated at up to 100,000, has stayed put, a possible vote of confidence in US-led NATO troops.

Unlike previous Afghan military operations, the assault on Marjah has been widely flagged for months. Commanders say they hope this will persuade many fighters to lay down their arms or flee, reducing the eventual body count. Civilians who have left the area, however, report insurgent fighters are digging in and preparing for battle.

As Fallujah showed, it does not take many militants to provoke massive US military retaliation. It was widely reported most of the most dangerous foreign AlQaeda fighters had fled before the battle and Iraqi militants stayed behind. All it would take is a militant to stand on the roof of a house and fire on NATO troops to trigger the kind of firepower that demolished much of Fallujah, spreading anti-American sentiment and contempt for the US-

backed Iraqi government.

During one of many such incidents, a man with an AK-47 assault rifle was spotted on a roof.

US marines showed great concern and eventually fired a large anti-tank TOW missile at the building - after mistakenly raiding the house next door. The lack of the element of surprise may have given the Taleban plenty of time to booby-trap houses and cars in Marjah. That strategy paid off in Fallujah. House after house and many cars were rigged with bombs that slowed down the US advance. Aside from civilian casualties, the rows of crushed houses next to huge bomb craters all over Fallujah infuriated civilians who stayed and those who came back to find they had lost everything.

In Afghanistan, however, NATO commander General Stanley McChrystal’s counterinsurgency strategy emphasises seizing population centres and avoiding combat in built-up areas whenever possible. He has strongly emphasised precautions to avoid killing civilians, and the number of civilians killed by NATO troops has declined since he took command in mid-2009.

“It’s not the number of people you kill; it’s the number of people you convince. It’s the number of people that don’t get killed. It’s the number of houses that are not destroyed,” McChrystal has said.

That promise will come under closer scrutiny as the fate of civilians who stayed home becomes clear. Human rights groups say that since NATO has encouraged people to stay, it bears an additional legal and moral responsibility to avoid heavy fighting that would cause civilian casualties.

The Taleban, like Al-Qaeda in Iraq, is highly unpredictable, increasing the chances meticulous planning and the best of intentions not to hurt civilians may not produce the desired results.

US commanders in Fallujah often shook their heads after fierce battles. As they drove intimidating, high-tech tanks through burning streets, militants would pop up out of nowhere, stand up and point their AK-47 assault rifles, knowing they stood no chance. The same type of hardcore militants may challenge NATO troops in Marjah. — Reuters

G20, UN vote reform may help climate deal

By Alister Doyle

C

limate talks by the Group of 20 and a suggested shift to majority voting for UN decisions could revive work on a new pact to fight global warming after the low-ambition Copenhagen summit, analysts say. The UN Climate Change Secretariat has asked all nations for views by Feb. 16 about how many UN meetings are needed in 2010 to try to build momentum for the next annual ministerial talks, in Mexico from Nov 29 to Dec 10.

Countries are unclear what to do after Copenhagen fell short of a binding treaty urged by most nations and left the 2010 calendar almost bare. The only other planned UN meeting before Mexico is of bureaucrats, in Bonn from May 31-June 11.

“So far there hasn’t yet been the engagement of a smaller group of countries to lead the way,” said Jennifer Morgan, director of the World Resources Institute’s climate and energy program. Analysts said the G20, with summits in Canada in June and South Korea in November, might be able to help by focusing more on climate change.

Calls for a relaxation of a need for unanimity on key UN decisions could ease work on a new deal.

“We need to work on the UN process - item one is to allow for majority decisions,” said Johan Rockstrom, head of the Stockholm Resilience Center at Stockholm University. All agree that the 194-nation UN talks are unwieldy so smaller groups are needed along the way. But Copenhagen showed that developing nations - including those most vulnerable to desertification, rising sea levels or floods felt left out.

This year, US President Barack Obama might want to defer to the G20 rather than push the US-led Major Economies Forum (MEF) of 17 top emitters, which met six times in 2010. The G20 adds Argentina, Saudi Arabia and

Turkey to MEF members. “The United States will be very careful not to set up something that looks like a rival process to the UN,” said Alden Meyer, of the Union of Concerned Scientists, adding that the G20 was a more likely venue than the MEF for climate talks. Washington is an outsider among rich nations by staying out of the UN’s existing Kyoto Protocol for cutting emissions by 2012. And carbon capping legislation is stalled in the Senate.

Robert Stavins, director of the Harvard Environmental Economics Program, also said Washington might be more willing to favour the G20 than the MEF. The MEF might meet if other countries, perhaps the European Union, asked for talks. December’s Copenhagen summit disappointed many nations with a deal led by major emitters such as China and the United States to limit global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius, twinned with a promise of $100 billion in annual aid from 2020.

Stavins said that finding a path to a more robust deal was a “tremendous challenge”. “It’s also a game of chicken between the United States and China: China is not going to take action before the US does. The US Congress is very reticent to take action unless China does,” he said. Mexican President Felipe Calderon has urged a review of the principle of unanimity to streamline decisions.

The Copenhagen Accord, the main outcome of the summit, was merely “noted” rather than “adopted” as a UN plan after opposition from Sudan, Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Bolivia. “It’s tempting to hit on the UN and its inability to deal with (climate change). My personal take on this is that the UN is the only one which can take us to a global agreement,” Rockstrom said. “We’ve done it before under the Montreal Protocol,” he said, referring to the 1987 pact for protecting the ozone layer. — Reuters

NEWS

14

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Female prof kills three at Alabama university

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama: Amy Bishop is taken into custody by police Friday in connection with fatal shootings on the University of Alabama’s Huntsville campus. — AP

Mint issues faulty coins SANTIAGO: An engraver fired by Chile’s mint for an error that led to the release of 1.5 million coins featuring the country of “CHIIE” said Friday that his bosses deliberately covered up the mistake. The error showed up on Chilean 50-peso pieces for the year 2009. Engraver Pedro Urzua Lizana told AP he unknowingly left off the bottom part of the letter “l” when, in December 2008, he was hurriedly fixing a minor deformity in the original mold for making the dies to stamp out the coin.

The coins were released to the public last year but no one at the mint, including himself, knew about the error until a coin

collector called in October to point it out, he said. Once informed, officials at the mint fixed the stamp for future 50-peso pieces, but sent another batch of bad coins to the Central Bank without telling officials there of the error, Urzua said.

Those coins never were released to the public, he said. Various officials at the mint, including the head of Urzua’s department, asked “that we not say anything to anyone” about the error, he said.

The Central Bank, which issues the coins, did not learn of the error until it was reported by the newspaper El Mercurio in December, the same month

that Urzua was fired, the engraver said.

The head of his department was fired in January. The press department at the mint said Friday that officials would not comment. No one could be reached at the Central Bank.

The 50-peso piece is 2.5 cm across, just under an inch - making it difficult to immediately see on the faulty coins that Chile is spelled “Chiie”. Urzua is suing the mint for denying him severance pay based on what he says is the mint’s false claim that he was doing work for other employers at his house, something forbidden in his contract. — AP

NATO launches Marjah offensive Continued from Page 1 “The area has been heavily mined, that’s why we are moving so slowly,” Wardak told reporters in Kabul.

NATO commanders were nevertheless satisfied with the operation’s progress thus far, according to a senior British military spokesman. The commanders were “very pleased with how it has gone,” Major General Gordon Messenger told a briefing in London. “The key objective has been secured,” he said, explaining that the main aims for British troops were to secure the population centres and installations such as police stations in the the Chah-e Anjir Triangle northeast of Marjah. There had been some “sporadic fighting,” but the Taleban appeared to be “confused and disjointed” and “have not been able to put up a coherent response,” Messenger said.

In Marjah, resident Abdel Aziz, 16, told the Marines through a translator, “All the walls between the streets and houses are surrounded by bombs. Most people have gone to Lashkar Gah. That’s where we want to go today.” An elderly neighbour emerged from her house and asked Marines not to fire at it. “This is just my house,” she said.

Shopkeeper Abdul Kader, 44, said seven or eight Taleban fighters, who had

been holding the position where the Marines crossed over, had fled in the middle of the night. He said he was angry at the insurgents for having planted bombs and mines all around his neighborhood.

“They left with their motorcycles and their guns. They went deeper into town,” he said as Marines and Afghan troops searched a poppy field next to his house.

“We can’t even walk out of our own houses.”

Mushtarak is the first major assault on a Taleban stronghold since Obama announced in December that he was sending an additional 30,000 soldiers to Afghanistan in 2010. The US and NATO already have 113,000 troops in the country battling the insurgents. NATO has pledged another 10,000, bringing the total to more than 150,000 by August.

Mushtarak puts into practice the new USled counter-insurgency strategy combining the military objective of eradicating the Taleban with the need to replace their brand of harsh control with the civilian authority of Kabul.

The battle for Marjah, an agricultural plain that is the source of most of the world’s opium, is the first real test of the strategy devised by US General Stanley McChrystal, commander of foreign forces in Afghanistan. Helmand governor Mangal said a government-in-waiting will sweep

in behind the military to re-establish official control and civil services. Wardak said the operation is the first of its kind against the insurgents - and NATO officials say it is the biggest since the insurgency began following the fall of the Taliban’s 19962001 regime.

In the early phases of the operation Chinook helicopters filled the pre-dawn skies as troops led by US Marines were dropped into Marjah ahead of ground forces, a US Marines officer said. “At 0230 this morning (2200 GMT), helicopters inserted combined forces into Marjah town,” said Lieutenant Josh Diddams, spokesman for the US Marines at Taskforce Leatherneck in Helmand. He confirmed troops had come under fire from Taleban fighters, believed to number 400-1,000.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai warned the troops to do everything possible to avoid harming civilians, a sensitive issue among war-weary Afghans.

Taleban spokesman Yousuf Ahmadi, who earlier claimed casualties among the attacking forces, said: “We’re engaging them in hit-and-run attacks.” ISAF said the combined force includes the Afghan army and police, with US Marines and army backed by British forces. Danish, Estonian and Canadian troops are also involved. — Agencies

Tragedy mars Olympics opening Continued from Page 1 mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, all to no avail. The IOC said Kumaritashvili was pronounced dead at a trauma center in Whistler. Less than an hour after the accident, a representative from each team was told the grim news. With that, tears began flowing across the close-knit sliding world and throughout the Olympic family.

This was Kumaritashvili’s second crash during training for the games, the first coming Wednesday in the opening session. He also failed to finish his second of six practice runs. Sliding diagonally, Kumaritashvili smashed into a corner entering the final straight feet-first. He was knocked off his sled and sailed in the other direction, coming to rest on a metal walkway after his upper body smashed into the post. The first rescue worker just happened to be nearby and was at his side within three seconds. This would have been Kumaritashvili’s first Olympics. He competed in five World Cup races this season, finishing 44th in the world standings.

More than 60,000 people packed into the stadium for the evening extravaganza, the first Olympic opening or closing ceremony ever held indoors. The loudest ovation came midway through, when the red-clad Canadian team - aiming for a first-place finish - entered the stadium as the last contingent of the parade of nations.

The climax called for the cauldron to be lit jointly by four Canadian sports heroes - all-time hockey great Wayne Gretzky, skier Nancy Greene, basketball All-Star Steve Nash and LeMay Doan.

But the former speedskating medalist was left to stand by awkwardly when one of the four pillars holding the Olympic cauldron failed to rise. A second, far larg-

er cauldron was lit by Gretzky in a plaza along the downtown waterfront - giving Vancouver a visible symbol for the rest of the games that the indoor stadium could not provide.

Rain was forecast through the weekend in Vancouver, with high temperatures near 10 Celsius, prompting some to dub these the Spring Olympics. Rain also has disrupted Alpine skiing events at Whistler. About 2,500 athletes from a record 82 countries are participating in the games, vying for medals in 86 events - including the newly added ski-cross competition. First-time Winter Olympic participants include the Cayman Islands, Columbia, Ghana, Montenegro, Pakistan, Peru and Serbia. The overall favorites include Germany and the United States which finished first and second four years ago in Turin - and also Canada, a bestever third in 2006 and now brashly proclaiming its intention to finish atop the medals table on its home turf. “We’re still going to be nice, but we’re going to be nice in winning,” said Michael Chambers, president of the Canadian Olympic Committee.

The Canadian team marched exultantly behind flagbearer Clara Hughes, defending gold medalist in the 5,000meter speedskating race. Prime Minister Stephen Harper was among the thousands in the stadium rising to applaud.

Just ahead in the parade were the Americans. Their flagbearer is Mark Grimmette, 39, of Muskegon, Michigan, competing in his fifth Olympics as a doubles luge competitor. Kumaritashvili would have been one of his Olympic rivals.

The cultural segment of ceremony featured many of Canada’s best-known musical stars - including Bryan Adams, Nelly Furtado, Sarah McLachlan and k.d. lang. It also highlighted performers and

traditions from Canada’s aboriginal communities. And the highest-ranking official delegation at the ceremony - amid dignitaries from around the world - included the four chiefs of the First Nations whose traditional native territory overlaps the Olympic region.

Special effects included a giant, sparkling polar bear rising from the stadium floor and hovering over some performers on a simulated ice flow. Later, Celtic fiddlers performed under a stadium-wide cascade of autumn leaves, and an acrobat on wires performed an aerial ballet to the strains of Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now”. Several well-known Canadians received the honor of carrying the Olympic flag at a high-profile moment near the end of the ceremony. Among them were hockey Hall of Famer Bobby Orr, singer Anne Murray, race car driver Jacques Villeneuve and Betty Fox, mother of national hero Terry Fox. Terry Fox lost a leg to bone cancer as a youngster, then set off in 1980 on a fundraising trek across Canada. He had to give up after covering more than 3,000 miles, and died in 1981 at age 22, but remains revered by his compatriots as a symbol of courage and perseverance.

The flame reached the stadium after a 106-day torch relay across Canada, passing through more than 1,000 communities in every province and territory.

The relay was the occasional target for protesters, and Friday was no exception.

Activists espousing a variety of causes prompted the relay to change course twice as it passed near Vancouver’s skidrow neighborhood, the Downtown Eastside. Later, several thousand protesters marched to the stadium, where hundreds of police were waiting for them.

A standoff lasted more than two hours with some sticks and water bottles thrown toward the officers. — AP

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama: A woman biology professor was facing murder charges yesterday after three staff members were killed and three injured in a shooting spree at an Alabama university, US media reported.

Amy Bishop was arrested outside the building where the shooting happened on Friday and was facing possible charges, CNN television said. Calls to Huntsville police in the southern United States by AFP were not immediately returned. But a press conference was planned later in the day.

A stunned Bishop, dressed in jeans and a pink sweater, was seen being driven away from the University of Alabama in Huntsville by police after the incident, shaking her head in disbelief. “It didn’t happen.

There’s no way. They’re still alive,” she murmured to local television station WHNT-TV as she climbed into the vehicle.

The shooting allegedly happened after Bishop discovered several months ago she had been denied tenure at the university, which would have secured her job in the biology faculty. Witnesses told local media screaming had broken out as the biology faculty met Friday in the math and science building, the Shelby Center. The three slain faculty members were identified as Gopi Polia, the chair of the biology department; Maria Ragland Davis, a professor of biotech-

nology; and Adriel Johnson, a professor of physiology. Two of the injured staff members were said to still be in a critical condition yesterday, and the other was stable.

University president David Williams told AFP Saturday of his shock, saying his first reaction had been: “This can’t be happening. It’s incomprehensible.” The university, which has about 300 staff, has a “no-gun” policy on campus, he said. “We do not have metal detectors on our campus. This is a very safe community and it was a safe campus.” An email alert sent to students Friday read: “There has been a shooting on campus. The shooter has been apprehended.

Everyone is encouraged to go home, classes are cancelled tonight... Counselors are available.”

Williams confirmed about a dozen people had attended the biology faculty meeting, and said Bishop, who he did not know well, had been informed several months ago that she would not be getting tenure.

“A typical tenure process is seven years since hiring for an assistant professor... It is not unusual for a professor to be employed for six years before a final decision is made,” he said. He said his first focus was helping the students deal with their grief and to help rebuild the college and the university. The students are strong and “will

help us get through this. We’ve already come together and this will make us a stronger campus.”

The Huntsville Times said Bishop, a Harvard-educated geneticist and her husband, Jim Anderson, are credited with inventing a mobile cell incubation system, which could replace the old-fashioned petri dish. The incident was just the latest in a series of school shootings to rock the United States - most of which have been carried out by students - amid the nation’s ever-prevalent debate about gun control.

The shooting comes more than two years after the southern state of Virginia was stunned by the April 2007 massacre of 32 people at the Virginia Tech university by a student gunman, Seung-Hui Cho, who turned his gun on himself. In 1999, two teenagers went on the rampage at Columbine school, Colorado, gunning down 13 people before also killing themselves. In the first six weeks of this year alone several shootings have already been reported around the country. Last month, eight people were killed in Virginia by a lone gunman. And in early January a disgruntled employee at a Missouri plant of Swiss power company ABB went on a rampage shooting dead three people and wounding five others, before killing himself. -— AFP

Flying laser zaps missile Continued from Page 1 The modified 747-400F jumbo jet took off from Edwards Air Force Base in California in an experiment that was unannounced before the outcome was made known early Friday.

A short-range ballistic missile was launched from an at-sea mobile launch platform off Point Mugu on the central California coast, the agency said. Within seconds, the Airborne Laser used on board sensors to detect the missile, then a low-energy laser to track it. After firing another laser to measure and compensate for atmospheric disturbance, on went its megawatt-class high-energy laser, “heating the boosting ballistic missile to critical structural failure,” the agency said. The engagement took place within two minutes of the target missile’s launch while its rocket motors were still thrusting, the agency said.

Boeing, the prime contractor and system integrator, said: “With this successful experiment, the Airborne Laser Testbed has blazed a path for a new generation of

high-energy, ultra-precision weaponry.”

Michael Rinn, Boeing’s program director, said in a statement: “ALTB technology and future directed-energy platforms will transform how the United States defends itself and its friends and allies.”

The successful test prompted calls for the Pentagon to restore funding for further development of the Airborne Laser, which President Barack Obama turned into a kind of science experiment last year rather than a development program headed for deployment. “This defense project should be made ready to protect our homeland at a moment’s notice,” said Rep. Todd Tiahrt, a Republican from Kansas, where Boeing had been expected to do modification work on the Airborne laser.

Riki Ellison of the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance, a nonprofit funded partly by defense contractors, said the United States had spent about $5 billion on the Airborne Laser’s development since the early 1990s. “Why would the US Congress and the Department of Defense not fully fund and further develop this system to have it ready to deploy to give our

armed forces and allies protection against Iran and North Korea,” he said in an email interview.

John Pike, director of GlobbalSecurity.org, a military information website, said the test had not proven anything to him about the system’s realworld value. “The question is whether it can shoot down targets at long range and this test didn’t answer the question,” he said. Northrop Grumman Corp designed and built the higher-energy laser and Lockheed Martin Corp supplied the beam-and fire-control systems. “While ballistic missiles like the one ALTB destroyed move at speeds of about 4,000 miles (6,500 km) per hour, they are no match for a superheated, high-energy laser beam racing towards it at 670 million mph (1 billion kph),” Northrop Grumman Corp said in a statement. “The basketballsized beam was focused on the foreign military asset, as the missile is called officially, for only a few seconds before a stress fracture developed, causing the target to catastrophically split into multiple pieces.” — Agencies

from an ashram, or religious retreat, specialising in meditation courses run by a Swiss-based firm Osho International.

Pillai noted that David Headley, a USPakistani national awaiting trial in the United States for allegedly scouting out possible targets in the Mumbai attacks, is believed to have stayed in the ashram on a trip to Pune. Headley, 49, has pleaded not guilty to 12 terrorism-related charges and remains in custody in Chicago.

The chief minister of Maharashtra state, Ashok Chavan, called for calm. “We have to be cautious. We have to be alert.

There’s no reason to be panicky about the situation,” he said. Anti-terrorism squad detectives and forensic experts have begun an investigation to determine the cause of the explosion, police said.

The German Bakery is located near Chabad House, a Jewish cultural and religious centre run by the orthodox Chabad-

Lubavitch movement whose members were targeted in the Mumbai attacks.

Rabbi Betzalel Kupchik, from Pune Chabad House, told AFP by telephone: “Everyone here is OK. We are on the same street. We are some minutes walk away. We heard the bomb.”

The Mumbai attacks were carried out by 10 Islamist extremists who stormed a number of high profile sites, including two luxury hotels, the city’s main railway station and a popular restaurant. A total of 166 people were killed, including 25 foreigners, and more than 300 others injured in a 60-hour orgy of violence. The attacks’ sole surviving gunman, Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, is currently on trial at a high security prison cour t in Mumbai, charged with a raft of offences, including “waging war against India,” murder and attempted murder. — Agencies

Pune cafe blast kills 8 Continued from Page 1 Pune, a few hours’ drive from Mumbai, is a technology, educational and real estate hub popular with foreign students. India put all its airports and railway stations on high alert after the blast and extra security was given to South African and Indian cricket teams playing in the country.

It was the first major attack on Indian soil since the Nov 2008 assault by Islamist gunmen on the Maharashtra state capital, Mumbai, which India blamed on the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group. Pune is about 100 km southeast of Mumbai. The Mumbai attacks prompted India to suspend peace talks with Pakistan and the Pune blast came just days after the two sides agreed to resume a dialogue.

The German Bakery is only 200 m

Obama names special envoy to Islamic body Continued from Page 1 and to promote good governance and development,” he said. “It has only been eight months since Cairo, and much remains to be done. But I believe we’ve laid the groundwork to turn those pledges into action.”

Obama, who has made the elusive search for Middle East peace a top priority of his administration, also renewed his commitment to seeking a two-state solution for the Palestinians. “We remain unyielding in pursuit of a two-state solution that recognises the rights and security of Israelis and Palestinians,” he vowed. But he acknowledged the path ahead would not be easy, admitting “the United States and Muslims around the world have often

slipped into a cycle of misunderstanding and mistrust that can lead to conflict rather than cooperation.

“Fully realising the new beginning we envision will take a long-term commitment. But we have begun,” Obama said.

“Now, it falls to us all, governments and individuals, to do the hard work that must be done turning words into deeds and Writing the Next Chapter in the ties between us, with faith in each other, on the basis of mutual respect.”

Hussain, who has been acting as Obama’s deputy associate counsel, said he was honoured to have been appointed to the post. “As part of his commitment to continue to seek a new beginning with Muslim communities around the world, and to expand upon the partnerships he

outlined in Cairo, I am honoured and humbled that the president has asked me to serve as his Special Envoy to the OIC,” he said in a statement.

George W Bush formally named the first US envoy to the OIC in Feb 2008, appointing Texas entrepreneur Sada Cumber. The OIC, based in the Saudi city of Jeddah, with its 57 members is the world’s largest Islamic assembly. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was leaving Washington yesterday to attend the conference the next day with other senior US officials, The Brookings Institution said. The aim of the conference was to bring “leaders from across the Muslim world for an intensive three-day dialogue with key US officials, societal leaders and policy experts,” it said. — AFP

Houthis meeting ceasefire terms Continued from Page 1 The ceasefire is the government’s latest bid in a six-month campaign to crush a rebellion that began in 2004, killing thousands and leaving 250,000 homeless in recurring fighting. The latest round of clashes erupted on Aug 11, when government forces launched “Operation Scorched Earth” - an all-out offensive to stamp out the uprising. Only hours after the new truce went into effect at midnight on Thursday, Yemen’s army said the rebels had killed four soldiers in a string of attacks. Yesterday, however, the rebel spokesman downplayed those incidents, saying “those were minimal violations that it is possible to overcome.”

Rebels also denied a charge by General Mohammad Abdullah Al-Qussi, the mili-

tary commander of Saada province, who said the rebels had opened fire on his car in an assassination bid on Friday. The sixpoint truce requires the rebels to reopen three major routes in the first stage: the road between Saada, Harf Sufian and the capital, Sanaa; the road from Saada west to Malahidh and the road from Saada east to Al-Jawf. It also calls for a rebel withdrawal from government buildings, the return of arms seized from security forces, release of all prisoners including Saudis, handover of captured army posts, and a pledge not to attack Saudi Arabia.

The Saudis joined the fighting in November after accusing the rebels of killing a border guard and occupying two small villages. Saudi ground troops and aircraft repeatedly engaged the rebels in operations which the rebels said contin-

ued even after their fighters had withdrawn from all Saudi territory occupied in the fighting. “It is very quiet now” on the border, a Saudi military official said yesterday, declining to be named.

Iran’s foreign ministry, meanwhile, expressed support for the ceasefire as “a step toward strengthening national unity in Yemen and establishment of security, economic and social progress” in the country. Yemeni authorities have accused the rebels of seeking to restore the Zaidi Shiite imamate that ruled in Sanaa until its overthrow in a 1962 republican coup that sparked eight years of civil war. The rebels, who complain of economic and political discrimination against the north’s Zaidis, have repeatedly denied the charge as well as accusations of military support from Shiite Iran. — Agencies

SPORTS

Sunday, February 14, 2010

15

NHL results/standings NHL results and standings on Friday: Philadelphia 3, Montreal 2; New Jersey 5, Nashville 2; Vancouver 4, Columbus 3; NY Rangers 3, Pittsburgh 2 (OT); St. Louis 4, Toronto 0; Atlanta 3, Minnesota 2; Colorado 2, Phoenix 1.

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L OTL GF New Jersey 37 20 3 160 Pittsburgh 36 22 3 192 Philadelphia 31 25 3 173 NY Rangers 27 27 7 156 NY Islanders 24 28 8 151

GA PTS 139 77 175 75 158 65 167 61 186 56

Ottawa Buffalo Montreal Boston Toronto

Northeast 35 22 32 18 29 27 26 22 19 31

Division 4 173 9 163 6 162 11 146 11 162

172 151 170 152 208

74 73 64 63 49

Washington Tampa Bay Atlanta Florida Carolina

Southeast 41 13 26 22 26 24 24 27 23 30

Division 7 244 11 154 9 178 9 153 7 163

173 172 189 174 192

89 63 61 57 53

Western Conference Central Division Chicago 39 15 5 189 Nashville 32 23 5 166 Detroit 27 21 12 155 St. Louis 27 25 9 159 Columbus 25 28 9 162

138 170 163 169 198

83 69 66 63 59

Northwest 37 21 35 19 29 23 29 27 19 35

146 155 155 176 204

76 76 67 62 44

Vancouver Colorado Calgary Minnesota Edmonton

Division 2 192 6 178 9 153 4 165 6 150

Pacific Division San Jose 40 12 9 203 150 89 Phoenix 37 20 5 167 155 79 Los Angeles 36 20 4 182 166 76 Dallas 27 21 12 172 186 66 Anaheim 29 24 7 169 183 65 Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings and are not included in the loss column (L).

PHILADELPHIA: PK Subban No.76 of the Montreal Canadiens carriers the puck in his first NHL game against Scott Hartnell No.19 of the Philadelphia Flyers.—AFP

Avalanche bury Coyotes DENVER: The Colorado Avalanche moved top of the NHL’s Northwest Division with a 2-1 win over the Phoenix Coyotes on Friday. Rookie Matt Duchene scored his second goal of the game with 4:16 left and Craig Anderson made 31 saves as Colorado notched its fourth consecutive victory. Duchene, the NHL rookie goals leader, boosted his total to 20 with his fourth multigoal game of the season.

Martin Hanzal scored for the Coyotes, who retain outright third in the Western Conference.

Devils 5, Predators 2 In Newark, New Jersey, Ilya Kovalchuk made his first New Jersey goal a big one, putting the Devils ahead in the third period and on course for a win over Nashville.

Acquired in a trade with Atlanta last week, Kovalchuk took a pass from Patrik Elias and beat Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne with a snap shot from between the circles at 8:24 of the final period. Elias, Travis Zajac, Zach Parise and Jamie Langenbrunner also scored for New Jersey, which snapped a three-

game losing skid. Nashville’s goals came via Cal O’Reilly and Jordin Tootoo.

Ovechkin by a goal for the NHL lead.

Canucks 4, Blue Jackets 3 Rangers 3, Penguins 2 In Pittsburgh, Olli Jokinen scored early in overtime to give New York victory in its final regular-season game at Pittsburgh’s Mellon Arena. Brandon Dubinsky and Vinny Prospal also scored for New York. Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby scored twice to establish a career high with 41 goals. He trails Washington’s Alex

In Columbus, Ohio, Mikael Samuelsson scored on a lazy, deflected popup that wafted over goalie Steve Mason’s head, capping Vancouver’s comeback win over Columbus.

Sami Salo, Nolan Baumgartner and Kyle Wellwood also scored for the Canucks.

Rick Nash, Jared Boll and Raffi Torres scored for Columbus in the Blue Jackets’ first loss in four games under interim coach Claude Noel.

Flyers 3, Canadiens 2 In Philadelphia, the hosts made three successive wins by edging Montreal. Jeff Carter scored his 25th and 26th goals of the season and Michael Leighton made 31 saves for the Flyers. Matt Carle made it 3-0 for Philadelphia early in the second before Glen Metropolit and Dominic Moore made it close, scoring in a 56-second span early in the third period for the Canadiens.

Thrashers 3, Wild 2 In St. Paul, Minnesota, Niclas Bergfors

undo his good work, stalling at the start line because a winch used to raise and lower sails failed to engage properly.

What Spithill described as “a fumble” allowed Alinghi to open a lead of 650 metres soon after the start in 6-10 knot winds.

The error did not hold BMW Oracle back for long. With its unique wingshaped mast and mainsail configuration twice the size of a commercial jetliner’s wing-it soon overtook Alinghi and led by 450 meters halfway up the first leg. “The piece of kit that we’re most proud of is the wing,” Ellison said.

The American boat was 3 minutes 21 seconds ahead at the halfway mark after the first upwind leg and widened its lead on the downwind leg, reaching speeds of about 25 knots.

Spithill said he was surprised by the boat’s speed downwind. Alinghi’s official losing margin was blown out to 15 minutes 28 seconds after the Swiss boat was forced to perform a penalty turn-which it botched-before crossing the finish line because of its pre-start transgression. It was the biggest winning margin in America’s Cup racing since Dennis Conner’s Stars & Stripesalso a catamaran- beat a New Zealand monohull in two races in 1988.

The race had been postponed twice this week because of unsuitable weather. The regatta itself was delayed during more than two years of often bitter legal wrangling between the teams which Ellison’s co-sponsor, German carmaker BMW, has described as a disaster.

The event had been scheduled for 2009 but was delayed by the legal battles over hosting rights and technology which led to a three-race series without the usual challengers regatta. The legal battles over rulesgoverned by a 19th century “Deed of Gift”-resulted in two multi-hulls sailing against each other for the first time in the Cup’s 159-year history. —Reuters

Blues 4, Maple Leafs 0 In St. Louis, Chris Mason made 30 saves for his second shutout of the season and 20th overall to help St. Louis down Toronto.

TJ Oshie and Alexander Steen scored short-handed goals in the second period for St. Louis, which also got goals from Andy McDonald and B.J. Crombeen.—AP

Trulli calls for patience at Lotus new car launch

BMW Oracle stun Alinghi in America’s Cup opener VALENCIA: US challenger BMW Oracle won the opening race of the 33rd America’s Cup on Friday, beating Swiss holders Alinghi by more than 3 km in a stunning display of hi-tech sailing.

Software mogul Larry Ellison’s BMW Oracle started badly but was clearly faster than Ernesto Bertarelli’s Alinghi and opened a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series with surprising ease.

The American trimaran finished the 40 nautical mile course more than 15 minutes ahead of Alinghi, scything through the water at speeds of more than 20 knots with two of its three carbon-fibre hulls raised high in the air.

The second race between the two giant multi-hull yachts is scheduled for today off the Spanish port city of Valencia, with Ellison having the chance to win the Cup for the United States for the first time since 1992.

“We’ve won one race and you have to win two. We’re focused on just one thing and that’s the race today,” Ellison told a news conference. Alinghi is better suited to lighter conditions but BMW Oracle showed a clear advantage over the Swiss catamaran both upwind and downwind, indicating Bertarelli’s seven-year hold on the America’s Cup may be slipping.

Bertarelli said a mistake in choosing the right sails for the conditions had cost his boat and that he had also been surprised by the strength of the wind, which gusted up to 17 knots. “We have a number of options,” biotechnology and banking billionaire Bertarelli said.

“The Cup is not over. Today it just happened that their boat was faster.

They sailed a good race,” he said.

BMW Oracle skipper James Spithill lured Alinghi into a penalty during aggressive pre-start maneuvers, the Swiss boat with Bertarelli at the helm failing to give way just before the starting gun.

Australian Spithill then appeared to

scored the go-ahead goal in the third period to lift Atlanta over Minnesota. Evander Kane and Nik Antropov also scored for the Thrashers. Minnesota got goals from Andrew Brunette and Andrew Ebbett.

SPAIN: US challenger Oracle giant trimaran sails during the opening race of the 33rd America’s Cup off Valencia’s coast.—AFP

LONDON: Lotus will have to be patient to become successful in Formula One, driver Jarno Trulli told Reuters on Friday as the team unveiled their new car.

“The first mile (step) was just to get the car ready for this launch,” Trulli said. “We have to be patient and have a low profile and prepare for 2011 in a much better way.

“Next season is a more realistic target for achievement. We have to make good progress this year.

“We have to establish ourselves in Formula One as a new team, be solid and strong and, hopefully, by mid-season we can work our way up to the middle of the grid.” The Malaysian-owned outfit launched the T127, built in Norfolk, England, at a lavish ceremony.

Trulli and team mate Heikki Kovalainen were joined on stage by team principal Tony Fernandes and chief technical officer Mike Gascoyne as the covers were whipped off the visually striking green and yellow car.

Trulli believes a realistic target is for the team to be the best of the new entries on this season’s grid. Lotus, out of F1 since 1994, were only granted entry for the 2010 season in September and will compete alongside other newcomers Virgin Racing, Campos Meta and U.S. F1.

“We have to be realistic,” said Trulli. “As we always say, we have to be the best of the new teams. “This will be the

first target we have to achieve.

We all want to be on the front row but joining the club so late, it is unrealistic to think otherwise.”

Trulli, who drove for Toyota before the team pulled out of the sport in 2009, said this season will provide him with a different challenge.

“I know I have to be patient this year. I will have to work with the car and give the direction to improve it and make it ready for next year.

“If we can pick up our first point it will be an emotional moment. It was 16 years ago that a Lotus car was on the track and it is great to have it back where it belongs.”

The car was put through its paces for the first time in a shakedown at Silverstone on Tuesday before an official test session in Jerez, Spain next week.

Gascoyne, who has worked for several grand prix teams including Jordan, Renault and Toyota, believes they are in good shape ahead of the new season.

“I don’t think, given the hand we were dealt, we could have done a single thing better,” he said. “I have to take my hat off to everyone in the team.

“The shakedown tests went pretty well. The parts arrived very late but we got a few laps and actually found a few niggles that would have been a problem for us in Jerez and I think we go there in really good shape. We are going to be a really good.”—Reuters

SPORTS

16

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Johnson clings to share of lead at Pebble Beach

PEBBLE BEACH: Billy Payne plays his bunker shot on the 18th hole during round two of the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am at Pebble Beach Golf Links. — AFP

Woods indefinite break continues PEBBLE BEACH: Rampant speculation on Tiger Woods’ returning to golf at the Match Play Championship ended quietly Friday when the PGA Tour released its 64man field minus the No. 1 player.

Woods did not meet the deadline for entering the Match Play Championship next week in Arizona, the tournament where he made his comeback a year ago from knee surgery. The indefinite break goes on.

Woods announced Dec. 11 that he was stepping away from golf as he tries to salvage his marriage after confessing to infidelity. He has not been heard from since then, including the announcement Friday.

He simply didn’t enter by 5 p.m.

EST. Phil Mickelson already said he would skip next week to take a family vacation that previously was postponed due to his wife’s treatment for breast cancer. That makes Steve Stricker the No. 1 seed when the tournament begins Wednesday at Dove Mountain north of Tucson.

It will be only the second time Woods has missed the Match Play Championship, which he has won three times. He was among several top players who did not compete in Australia in 2001.

“It will take away quite a lot from Monday and Tuesday,” Padraig

Harrington said. “But there will be a worthy winner. All the matches will create new things to talk about.”

Woods’ decision not to play was welcome news for Ross McGowan of England, who at No. 66 in the world will get into the $8.5 million tournament as the 64th seed.

The brackets will not be set until 7 p.m. EST Sunday. After that, anyone who withdraws until his tee time would be replaced by a list of alternates based on the world ranking. Barring any changes, the other top seeds will be Lee Westwood, Jim Furyk and Martin Kaymer.

Except for a photo last month that appeared to be Woods outside a sexual addiction clinic in Mississippi, he has not been seen since the middle-of-the-night car accident Nov. 27 outside his Florida home that set in motion a stunning chain of tabloid headlines that led to Woods admitting to extramarital affairs.

His agent, Mark Steinberg at IMG, has declined to confirm Woods’ location since the accident.

A year ago, Woods issued a short release on his Web site that said, “I’m now ready to play again.”

There was no such announcement this time, despite widespread Internet gossip based on a story out of Australia that he would return at

Match Play.

Accenture, the title sponsor of the tournament, was the first company to end its corporate endorsement of Woods. The next possibility for Woods is the CA Championship at Doral in three weeks, the only World Golf Championship he has never missed.

Other events in March include the Tavistock Cup (March 22-23), an exhibition among tour pros who belong to rival country clubs in Orlando, Florida; and the Arnold Palmer Invitational (March 25-28), where Woods has won six times.

The Masters is April 8-11, although there is no guarantee that Woods will even return to the major he has won four times.

The Match Play Championship is single elimination with 18-hole matches until the 36-hole championship match. There are 24 Europeans in the field, followed by 20 Americans. Barring anyone pulling out, Stricker would face McGowan; Westwood would play fellow Englishman Chris Woods; Furyk would play Scott Verplank; and Kaymer would play Chad Campbell.

Defending champion Geoff Ogilvy is the No. 10 seed and would open against Noren Alexander of Sweden. — AP

PEBBLE BEACH: Defending champion Dustin Johnson made only one mistake during his second round 68, but it cost him the outright lead at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am on Friday.

With a clutch of players nipping at his heels, overnight leader Johnson surrendered a one-stroke advantage with a bogey on the 17th to fall back into a tie with five others on 10under par.

Having patiently moved to the head of the pack, the American now jostles for space at the top of the leaderboard with compatriots Bryce Molder, Paul Goydos and J.B. Holmes, along with Germany’s Alex Cejka and Australian Matt Jones.

“I struggled a little bit today on the putting green,” Johnson told reporters. “Other than that I’m hitting it very well. I’m very comfortable where I’m at.”

David Duval is one stroke behind after shooting a 68 at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

Johnson, who had three birdies, including one on the 13th to take the lead on 11under, was pleased to have had only the one dropped shot.

“I got off to a kind of a rocky start, but made some good pars,” he said. “Then I started hitting it better coming around the last few holes. I had a bunch of opportunities and made a couple of birdies.”

Johnson will play his third round at Spyglass Hill, considered the toughest of the three golf courses used in the rotation. “I like Spy, fits my eye well,” Johnson said. “I played a few rounds there, so I’m comfortable with all the holes.”

Goydos played his second round at Spyglass and had the best round of the day of the leaders, a seven-under 65. It marked the American’s first sub-70 round at the course in 14 appearances at the event.

Goydos, named an assistant Ryder Cup captain by Corey Pavin, has set a goal to play well enough to get on the team. A strong finish here would get him closer.

“Obviously you set goals,” Goydos said. “You should have different levels of goal-setting throughout the year.”

Duval was also among the leaders for a brief period, reaching 10-under with a birdie on the sixteenth at Pebble Beach.

He fell back to nine-under after a bogey on the par-three 17th.

“I’m hitting the ball mostly pretty good,” said Duval, who has been battling back spasms.

“Had to shake a few putts in on these greens and not got much trouble, so kind of the recipe you need to have out here.”

The former world number one has now notched together two sub-par rounds, only the fourth time in the last 24 events. On the three previous occasions, Duval struggled to take the form into the final two rounds, his highest finish a tie for 59th. “I had been working myself to try to pay a little more attention to what I’m doing on the easier golf courses,” Duval said. “I just think I hadn’t paid enough attention to targets and picking out my spots.”— Reuters

DUBAI: Afghanistan players react after winning their qualifying match for the 2010 Twenty20 World Cup against Dubai, at the Dubai International Cricket stadium. — AP

Afghanistan qualify for Twenty20 showpiece DUBAI: Afghanistan’s fairytale story in the world of cricket continued yesterday as they defeated hosts United Arab Emirates to reach their first major tournament, the World Twenty20 finals in the West Indies which runs from April 30 to May 16.

The Afghans won by four wickets, restricting UAE to 100-9 off their 20 overs — Mohammad Nabi taking 3-17 — and then reaching their target in 19.3 overs with opener Noor Ali topscoring with 38 not out.

It is a remarkable feat by the Afghans - most of whom learnt to play cricket in refugee camps over the Pakistan border - as they were in the fifth division of the world cricket league just two years ago.

Afghanistan, who showed their talent when they came within one place of reaching the 2011 World Cup finals, will play either Ireland or The Netherlands - both of them are the joint holders from the previous tournament - in yesterday’s final.

The winners of the final will be placed in Group C alongside India and South Africa while the losers will go into Group D with the West Indies and England. — AFP

Smith set to defy pain for India second Test KOLKATA: South Africa captain Graeme Smith yesterday said he was confident about playing the decisive second and final Test against India despite breaking a finger.

Smith, 29, fractured the little finger on his left hand during the team’s fielding session on Friday at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, where the second Test starts on Sunday.

“Injuries are a part and parcel of every sportsman’s career. It’s all about dealing with the pain. We have a very good medical staff here,” Smith told reporters at a prematch press conference.

“The big question is whether I can give my best to the team. I need to answer that going into this important game and hopefully I will take the right decision. “I am pretty confident I can deal with the pain and play the match.”

South Africa, who won the first Test in Nagpur by an innings and six runs on Tuesday to go 1-0 up in the series, need a draw to dislodge India from the number one position in the official Test rankings.

Smith, however, said the bigger motivation for him and his team was to win the series after coming close in 2008 when they won the second Test after drawing the first.

But India dished out a rank turner for the decider in Kanpur to square the series.

South Africa last won a Test series in India in 2000.

“Not many teams get an opportunity to win a series in India. We’ve got that oppor-

tunity now. It’s a life-time opportunity for us.

“This is the one thing that we really want to tick off as a team, to win a series here in India. We want to achieve that and we are really excited about it.

“We are fortunate that our guys have played on the emerging tours and in the IPL (Indian Premier League) and are exposed a lot more to the Indian conditions. This team is mature and very professional.

“If we produce good cricket over the next five days, rankings will take care of themselves. Winning this series will be a terrific memory.”

Smith said the team’s plan would be to attack India’s bowlers and push them on the backfoot as they did in Nagpur where they piled up 558-6 before bowling the hosts out for 233 and 319.

“India are trying not to panic,” he said.

“We will try to go after their bowlers, if we do that the pressure will take its toll.”

Rival skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni backed fit-again Venkatsai Laxman to fire with the bat and make up for the absence of the injured Rahul Dravid (jaw) and Yuvraj Singh (wrist).

“Laxman is an important part of our batting line-up. He rotates the strike very well and is capable of getting the boundaries.”

Laxman, 35, has scored 6,993 runs in 109 Tests at an average of 45.70 with 14 centuries. In eight Tests at the Eden, he has amassed 898 runs including an epic 281 against Australia in 2001. —AFP

Bland, Hed sparkle at Avantha Masters

INDIA: Australia’s Darren Beck tees off on the 18th hole during the Avantha Masters golf tournament. — AP

GURGAON: England’s Richard Bland and Fredrik Andersson Hed of Sweden both carded a 66 to join a seven-way tie at the top of the leaderboard after the third round of the $2.1 million Avantha Masters yesterday.

Starting out six shots off the pace, the 37-year-old Bland made two birdies in his opening three holes but failed to make further inroads over the front nine. However, he accelerated coming back, picking up four shots over his closing seven holes to post a six under 66 and finish the day 11 under par. “I have to say that it felt a bit strange that 66, because there were points when I felt that I wasn’t playing too well,” said Bland.

“It felt like my playing partners played better than I did but I was the one that made the score. They are probably at home cursing me at the moment but you have to take the luck when it comes your way,” he said. He

was joined in the leading group on 11 under par by Andersson Hed, whose round contained eight birdies against just two bogeys. Bland’s 49-year-old compatriot Barry Lane maintained his bid to become the oldest winner of a European Tour event after he carded a one under 71, although he missed the chance to take the outright lead going into the final day with a frustrating bogey at the last.

Second round leader Chan Yih-shin of Taiwan fought back from a mixed round with birdies at the 12th and 15th as he rescued a level par 72 and India’s Rahil Gangjee produced a solid 69.

Tetsuji Hiratsuka, who set a course record 62 in the second round, also missed the chance to head the field after a bogey at the 18th saw him sign for a 70. The same fate befell Darren Beck of Australia, the other member of the seven-way tie, after he had picked up four early birdies. — AP

KUWAIT: Mahmoud and Abdulhaleem with the women’s Kayak national team.

Women’s Kayak team formed KUWAIT: Kuwait’s national women’s kayak team, which is supported by the rowing and sailing committee of the Kuwait Sea Sports Club (KSSC), recently started its trainings with participation from contestants Sheikh Ahmad and Ahlam, led by coach Abdulsatar Abdulhaleem and the club’s women sports supervisor, Haif Mahmoud according to a press release.

The club started participating in the Kayak category only three years ago, since support for the sport

was given, as the men’s team was able to participate in local and regional competitions. And soon after, the club’s administration formed a women’s team for the sport, in order to open the door for female contestants to practice this sport, and be able to compete on the international level.

Mahmoud urged female club members to participate in the Kayak team, adding that this sport has been gaining an increasing popularity among women regionally and internationally.

SPORTS

Sunday, February 14, 2010

17

Super 14: Canterbury trounce Otago 32-17 CHRISTCHURCH: Flyhalf Daniel Carter kicked 12 points as the Canterbury Crusaders beat the Otago Highlanders 32-17 in Super 14 rugby yesterday. Andy Ellis, Jared Payne, Zac Guilford and Sean Maitland scored tries for Canterbury, which took a bonus point from a four-tries-to-two win.

Carter converted three tries and kicked two penalties. Otago trailed 15-0 in the second half before closing to 18-17 with two tries by replacement flyhalf Michael Hobbs. But Canterbury pulled away with late tries from Guilford and Maitland.

Crusaders halfback Andy Ellis was awarded a contentious try when he appeared to ground the ball short of the goalline, and Carter’s conversion gave Canterbury a 10-0 lead at the break. Payne’s try pushed the score to 15-0 just three minutes into the second half and it seemed the Crusaders would run away with the match.

However Otago fought back immediately, with Hobbs converting his own try in the 46th minute to make it 15-7. A Carter penalty after 62 minutes put Canterbury up 18-7 but a brilliant try by Hobbs in the 58th minute made it 18-14 and Hobbs’ penalty after 66 minutes sliced the lead to a single point.

Otago placed Canterbury under stern pressure in the last 10 minutes, but tries by Guilford in the 72nd, then by Maitland in the 77th lifted the seven-time champions to victory. —AP

Parra destroys Irish dreams PARIS: France shattered Ireland’s dreams of a repeat of their Six Nations Grand Slam here yesterday beating them 33-10 with scrum-half Morgan Parra who had accused the Irish of being cheats earlier in the week masterminding the defeat.

First-half tries by William Servat - his second for his country and Yannick Jauzion - his 19th in his 65th test - and a second-half one from Clement Poitrenaud - his sixth - with Parra chipping in with 15 points saw France easily see off a rather flat Irish team.

Ireland - winless here since 2000 - managed one try through David Wallace while Ronan O’Gara kicked the rest of their points.

The Irish camped themselves in the French half for the first 10 minutes but some sterling defence

by France kept them at bay.

The French were not faring very well in the lineouts as they lost three in a row on their throw and it was from the third one the Irish came desperately close to scoring the opening try as Brian O’Driscoll broke through, chipped over Poitrenaud and raced for the line.

However, 31-year-old O’Driscoll having outpaced Poitrenaud didn’t get the bounce of the ball and it was ruled a dead ball when it hit the post.

That led to two disastrous minutes for the Irish as Imanol Harinordoquy set up a great move that culminated in Cian Healy tackling Parra who didn’t have the ball and referee Wayne Barnes flourished the yellow card without hesitation - Parra slotted over the penalty to give the hosts a barelydeserved lead.

Ireland hooker Jerry Flannery was fortunate not to join Healy on the sidelines as his leg connected with Six Nations debutant Alexis Palisson laying him out - Barnes opted to give him the benefit of the doubt and just awarded a penalty to France. Palisson, though, had played to limp off clutching his right thigh to be replaced by Julien Malzieu.

The French finally made the Irish pay properly for being one man down as with Healy preparing to return to the fray Servat crashed over while Parra converted to make it 10-0 - O’Gara reduced the deficit with a penalty just before the half-hour mark.

However, the French now well and truly had their tails up and in the 31st minute Jauzion went over, after Mathieu Bastareaud had made the initial break, leaving the Irish to get a talking to by O’Driscoll - Parra converted to make it 17-3. —AFP

CARDIFF: Scotland’s Number 8 John Beattie (third right) catches the ball during the RBS Six Nations International rugby union match between Wales and Scotland. —AFP

Williams breaks Scottish hearts CARDIFF: Shane Williams’ dramatic stoppage-time try sealed Wales’s thrilling come from behind 31-24 Six Nations victory over Scotland at the Millennium Stadium here yesterday.

Wales were 10 points down with four minutes left and facing a second straight defeat after last week’s 30-17 loss to England.

But tries from wings Leigh Halfpenny and Williams sealed a remarkable recovery against a Scotland side who played the closing stages down to 13 men after the sin-binnings of Allan Jacobsen and Phil Godman.

It seemed Scotland’s Australia born fly-half Dan Parks, who kicked 12 points and produced a fine display of tactical kicking, had done enough to mastermind what would have been their first away win in the Six Nations since 2006 but it was not to be.

“It’s not good for the nerves at this age I’ll be honest with you,” the 32-year-old Williams told the BBC.“We know we didn’t start well, the pressure was on us. The boys stuck in there right to the end, we did absolutely everything out there today.”

A dejected Parks added: “There’s no justice, it breaks your heart and it’s unreal...we did so much hard work and it just gets taken away.”

Wales were 24-14 behind when Williams and full-back Lee Byrne combined to send Halfpenny in under the posts for a try Stephen Jones converted.

The fly-half’s penalty tied the game at 24-24 with a minute left after Scotland replacement back Phil Godman was sin-binned for tripping Byrne. And there was still time for Wales to crown their comeback with another

this match for insisting the Millennium Stadium’s retractable roof remain open.

But any thoughts this would mean Scotland would not run the ball disappeared as early as the ninth minute when they scored the match’s first try.

Parks, showing there is more to his game than kicking, released

Six Nations thriller but here they managed two through Max Evans and John Barclay following last week’s 30-17 loss to France. But it was the recalled Parks, who pulled the strings in what was his first Test in over a year.

Andy Robinson, the Scotland coach, had had his “sanity” questioned by Wales counterpart Warren Gatland in the build-up to

Barclay inside Wales’s 22 and the flanker burst through attempted tackles by Wales scrum-half Gareth Cooper and centre James Hook before scoring.

Full-back Chris Paterson marked becoming the first Scot to play in 100 Tests by adding the conversion and Scotland were 7-0 ahead.

Stephen Jones reduced the gap

with a penalty before Parks, making sure Scotland turned territory into points, added a drop-goal to make the score 10-3.

Then, in the 20th minute, Parks whose tactical kicking pinned Wales back in their own 22, was instrumental in Scotland’s second try.

His expertly weighted grubber kick behind the Welsh defence was touched down by replacement Max Evans. Paterson’s run of 35 successive on-target goalkicks in the Six Nations came to an end when he missed the difficult conversion but Scotland were still 15-3 in front.

Another Jones penalty kept Wales in touch before Parks responded with one of his own to make the score 18-6 to Scotland.

Sadly for Paterson, his landmark appearance lasted just half an hour before he had to go off with a shoulder injury he suffered in the open-

ing minute.

Scotland’s backline then suffered further disruption when wing Thom Evans was taken off on a stretcher following a collision with Lee Byrne.

By that stage Parks had missed with a second drop-goal effort and, with the last kick of the half, Jones cut Scotland’s lead to 18-9 with his third penalty.

Gatland replaced Cooper with Richie Rees at half-time but before the new scrum-half could have an impact, Scotland has extended their lead courtesy of a Parks penalty.

Worse nearly followed soon afterwards for Wales when Scotland came close to a third try through Barclay but referee George Clancy pulled play back for a forward pass

by Sean Lamont. But Wales fought back and a superb diagonal run by Williams set up a try for full-back Byrne. —AFP

Cup glory still on the agenda for Redknapp

NSW Waratahs sink Reds BRISBANE: New South Wales Waratahs shattered fierce interstate rivals Queensland Reds with a converted try in the final minute to snatch a barely deserved 30-28 Super 14 win in Brisbane yesterday.

The Waratahs looked second best for virtually all of an emotional Australian derby at Lang Park, but clinched victory when Wallaby number eight Wycliff Palu plunged over for a try beneath the bar.

Replacement back Daniel Halangahu potted the easy conversion on the final siren as the Waratahs claimed their sixth consecutive win over the Reds.

“We just shot ourselves in the foot and we gave away too many penalties,” Reds skipper James Horwill said. “I’m just shattered.”

It was poor reward for the Reds, who led from the 21st minute and had outscored the Waratahs three tries to two, only to come away with a losing bonus point.

Queensland, who have finished in Super rugby’s bottom three for the last six seasons, look a more committed unit under new coach and former Waratahs’ mentor Ewen McKenzie, but they let slip a 10-point lead with seven minutes left.

The Reds had looked primed for victory before 22,000 home fans after tries to New Zealand flanker Daniel Braid, Horwill and a penalty try to Wallaby scrum-half Will Genia.

But indiscretions and weariness opened the door for the Waratahs, who kept chipping away with tries to replacement winger Rory Sidey and Palu to seal their come-from-behind win.

The scene was set for a fierce encounter when the local fans booed former Reds favourite Berrick Barnes every time he touched the ball in the opening exchanges.

Horwill was involved at one stage in an ugly prolonged on-ground wrestle with Barnes, his Reds vice-captain in 2009 but now making his Waratahs Super 14 debut. Queensland’s Wallaby fly-half Quade Cooper, who faces a committal hearing in July over burglary charges, was a dominant figure for much of the match with his inventive running and kicking. —AFP

blistering try.

From the kick-off, Stephen Jones returned the ball with interest and the ball was moved left.

Flanker Andy Powell cut back inside and Williams dived over for a winning try, with Jones adding the extras.

Scotland had failed to score a try in five of their previous six Tests

Major general Sheikh Ahmad Al-Nawaf Al-Sabah

Yemen supports Ahmad Al-Nawaf”s nomination as USIP president KUWAIT: President of the Yemeni Police Federation Brigadier Ali Mohammad Al-Hussam yesterday supported nomination of deputy chief of the Higher organizing Committee of the First International Police Shooting Championship Major-General Sheikh Ahmad Al-Nawaf AlSabah as president of the International Police Sports Union (USIP).

General Assembly meetings of the union, as well as the championship are currently taking place in Kuwait.

A statement by the Yemeni federation said it is also backing up the nomination of UAE’s Abdullah Salem for vice president post at the international sport organization.

The statement noted that Sheikh Ahmad Al-Nawaf enjoys both a leadership characteristics and managerial abilities that would make him most eligible to pilot the federation in the next period.

Al-Hussam, in the statement, reaffirmed Sheikh Ahmad Al-Nawaf’s capability to carry on with what outgoing president, Kuwaiti Lieu-General Abdulhamid Al-Hajji (ret.), had accomplished during his presidency at both Arab and international levels.

The championship, held at Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Shooting Complex, sees the participation of 40 nations, and is held under the patronage of His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. —KUNA

BOLTON: Harry Redknapp insists he won’t sacrifice Tottenham’s FA Cup challenge just because his side are in the race to land a Champions League spot. Spurs boss Redknapp takes his team to Bolton for today’s fifth round tie knowing his most important task this year remains qualifying for next season’s Champions League. But with Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United all out already, Redknapp is well aware that his team has a decent chance of landing a piece of silverware, and that is something that can’t be easily ignored for a relatively success-starved club.

“The Cup is a big priority for us,” said Redknapp, who won the trophy in 2008 when he was in charge of Portsmouth. “We want to get to the final at Wembley this year so it is a massive game. “Owen (Coyle, Bolton manager) will want to win, his first priority is to keep them in the division but he’ll want to win. “We’re still in the race for fourth but we want to be involved in the cup. It’s a great opportunity for us.”

Niko Kranjcar, the Croatia midfielder, was part of that Portsmouth side and was keen for a repeat with his current club as soon as possible.

“I’d love to go there again,” he said.

“Winning the Cup is my best memory in England so far. Hopefully we can be the team to put together a great FA Cup run this year.” Bolton would love a cup run as well but they have other issues on their mind as they are fighting against relegation.

Coyle was lured from local rivals Burnley in December in the hope he could maintain their top-flight status and Kranjcar insists Bolton is still a tough place to go. “We know what they’re about,” Kranjcar added.

“They’ve been a very physical team in the way they play and they’ve got great results with it. They have

always been a well-respected team in the League. “It’s probably one of the last places that any player wants to go because you don’t get a lot of football up there. You have to work hard and graft, work hard on heading and second balls because you are going to get that at Bolton.”

Redknapp could recall Roman Pavlyuchenko, the Russia striker, after he recovered from a groin injury but he remains short of numbers at the back as new signing Younes Kaboul is cup-tied having already played for Portsmouth and Ledley

King and Michael Dawson both facing fitness tests on knee and ankle problems respectively.

Redknapp was not unduly worried however. “Against Bolton I will pick what I consider to be the strongest team,” he said. “Our problem recently has been a lack of goals. It’s not as though we are conceding sloppy goals. “At the start of the season, we were getting goals from all areas of the pitch, and we need to get back to that. If Jermain Defoe is not scoring, we need other people to score.

“Roman Pavlyuchenko is getting fit

now, so there is a chance we’ll see a lot more of him between now and the end of the season.”

Coyle hopes that reaching the quarter-finals of the FA Cup would help his side’s quest for league survival. “Nothing breeds confidence more than winning matches and these games give us an opportunity to do that,” he said. “We recognize we are playing a good side but you want to be winning games and scoring goals. If you can do that against a team of the quality of Tottenham, that would give everybody a big boost.” —AFP

Villa boss faces selection dilemma LONDON: Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill is not a huge fan of rotating players, but he is ready to make one key selection decision for the FA Cup fifth round trip to Crystal Palace today that could spell Wembley heartbreak for goalkeeper Brad Guzan.

O’Neill has utilised Guzan in all Villa’s domestic cup matches so far this season, but is almost certain to leave out the young American in favour of using the vast experience of fellow countryman Brad Friedel as Villa bid to make another step towards securing a second trip to Wembley this season.

Leaving Guzan out of the meeting with Championship side Palace will have huge significance two weeks before Villa face Manchester United in the League Cup final on February 28, but O’Neill has been concerned with the youngster’s ability to handle the bigger occasions since his nervous performance in the 6-4 win over Blackburn in the second leg of the League Cup semi-final last month.

In stark contrast, Friedel has kept eight clean sheets in his previous 11 games and is a major contender for the Golden Gloves trophy this season and O’Neill feels it would be safer to opt for the experience of the former Blackburn goalkeeper as he bids to add the one domestic trophy that has eluded him during his career as a player and manager.

“Tough decisions are what I am paid to make and they have to be made at certain times. This is one of those times and it is something that I will have to look at. I have been thinking about the situation for some time now,”

O’Neill said.

“Brad (Guzan) has done fantastically well to get us this far in the cup competitions. He has been a fantastic understudy to the other Brad and I have said on many occasions that many Premier League clubs would be glad to have him as their number one.”

O’Neill will have to take the next step towards his ambition of a Wembley double without skipper Stiliyan Petrov as the Bulgarian is still recovering from the sore ankle he received from Nani’s two-footed tackle in the 1-1 draw with United on Wednesday.

Emile Heskey and Stephen Warnock have returned to training, but are unlikely to be risked and O’Neill also has a doubt over leading scorer Gabby Agbonlahor.

But whatever side O’Neill is forced to put out at Selhurst Park, he will not be rotating his squad and letting key players put their feet up ahead of Wembley.

“I don’t just want to go out there at Selhurst Park and meekly surrender. This is a competition that we want to do well in,” he said.

With administration costing Palace a 10-point penalty that has pushed them perilously close to the Championship relegation zone, Eagles boss Neil Warnock feels the FA Cup can offer some light relief to the problems they are suffering in the league.

But the former Sheffield United chief also knows Palace will have to improve their defensive work, following the midweek loss to Swansea that ended a three-game unbeaten run. —AFP

SPORTS

18

Sunday, February 14, 2010

‘Better than ever’ Ohno chases Olympic history VANCOUVER: Apolo Anton Ohno hardly seems burdened by the weight of Olympic history. As he circled the track time and time again at Pacific Coliseum on Friday, he couldn’t seem to stop yawning.

Even as he prepared to practice the harrowing relay exchange, which looks something akin to the finish of a stock car race, with all sorts of bumping and drafting Ohno’s mouth was agape for several seconds, as if he could barely stay awake.

Then, suddenly, he swerved onto the track, pushed off on those short, powerful legs and - whoosh! - he was gone. Next stop, the record book.

When short track begins late yesterday at this 32-year-old arena in Hastings Park, Ohno will attempt to become the most decorated Olympic skater in the history of this

thrilling, high-speed sport. He already has five medals from Salt Lake City and Turin no one has ever won six.

That’s not all. Ohno also will be attempting to tie the mark for the most medals ever by a US Winter Olympian, and he’ll have four chances in the next 2 1/2 weeks to zip right on by Bonnie Blair, who won five golds and a bronze over her three Olympics.

Ohno has two golds, a silver and two bronze medals in his collection. “I am ready.

No regrets, no fears, no hesitation,” he tweeted after the hourlong workout, his final prep for the 1,500 meters. “Enjoying every minute. I’ll give my all for USA. And smile every step of the way.” He breezed through the mixed zone, flashing a smile for reporters but not taking time to stop. He’s got his game face on now, and he hopes his

next comments to the media will come with another gold medal hanging from his neck.

“Apolo is such a great example for our everyone, whether you’re an athlete or a student or a businessman because he just has this amazing drive,” teammate Katherine Reutter said. “He will not give up. He will do everything to his best and his fullest.

“That’s why he’s a champion. Whether he gets one more medal or not and I think he will - he’ll always be a champion and a legend in our sport.” While the 27-year-old Ohno is the oldest member of the US short track team and finds himself competing against teenagers, he’s still on top of his game. He’s a medal contender in all four events, ready to go up against stiff competition from Canada’s Charles Hamelin and the

powerful South Korean team.

“This year, he’s way better than any other year,” said US national coach Jimmy Jang, a close friend of Ohno’s off the ice.

“His condition is perfect now.” Not that he’s the same skater. After the Turin Games, Ohno took some time off, then set out to completely alter his style of skating with help from Jang.

It was difficult to pull off, persuading the body to do things it wasn’t accustomed to doing, but Jang said it was a necessary step to keep up with mostly younger skaters.

Whereas Ohno may not have the power to simply blow by someone on the final turn, he’s much more aware of positioning, angles and setting up his opponents for the pass.

“We changed everything for technique and body weight,” Jang said. “He was a

power skater before. Now he’s a technical skater. Totally different.” While Ohno jokingly calls himself “Grandpa” and seems not to have a care in the world, no one works harder or gets more out of his talent.

“I think he’s just smarter,” Reutter said.

“I know this World Cup season, he had really hard training all the way through. But you can see it in practice. He’s going faster, he’s going longer.

All the training and work is really paying off. Maybe what he’s lost in age he’s gained in wisdom and strength and strategy.” Even though the Americans are counting on one of their deepest teams in years to keep up with the Koreans, Chinese and Canadians, there’s little doubt who stands apart and not just because he’s the only member of the US team wearing a red helmet.

“He’s always been the leader,” said J R Celski, 19. “He’s been the big dog, the face of short track.” Ohno hasn’t lost any of his drive, either. A few months ago, when he felt Jang’s focus was lagging a bit, he emailed the coach a picture of them hugging after Ohno won gold in the 500 at the Turin Games. “You need to wake up again,” Ohno quipped. “We need another gold.” While he’s indicated this will be his final Olympics, Jang sees no reason for Ohno to hang up his 18-inch blades.

“I told him, ‘We need one more Olympics,”‘ Jang said. Now, if he can just stop yawning. “Isn’t that funny?” Reutter said. “I’ve asked him about it and he says he doesn’t even know he does it. Hey, if that’s what gets him ready to go, more power to him.” —AP

Olympics opening day: Not what Canada envisioned

VANCOUVER: Russia’s Yevgeny Plushenko skates during men’s figure skating practice at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics.—AP

Figure skating-Plushenko the ‘mane’ man to beat VANCOUVER: A “flying mane of blond hair” will be out to intimidate 29 of the world’s top figure skaters as Yevgeny Plushenko begins his pursuit of a rare double at the Vancouver Olympics. The fact that no man has won successive Olympic titles in almost six decades is not lost on the Russian showman, who has come out of a 3-1/2 year retirement to attempt a feat that even greats such as Alexei Yagudin did not pursue. Before Plushenko even caught a glimpse of his main rivals or tested his blades on the bright white rink inside the Pacific Coliseum, he tried to gain a psychological advantage by playing mind games with his competition.

The 27-year-old Turin gold medalist suggested judges could still manipulate the scoring system and that a champion with his reputation could benefit from such a situation. If that was not enough, he also declared he had the upper hand because, unlike his North American counterparts, he had the ability to impress the judges with his show-stopping quad jumps.

It led to self-styled “American diva” Johnny Weir, the 2008 world bronze medalist, to quip: “I’ve been around for too long to be intimidated by a quad or a flying mane of blond hair.”

His compatriot Evan Lysacek, one of four world champions in the field along with Plushenko, Switzerland’s Stephane Lambiel and Frenchman Brian Joubert, was more circumspect and wanted to concentrate on his own strengths rather than panicking about his inability to pull off the high-scoring quads.

“This just happens to be a jump that is too dan-

gerous for me to do it. It’s a big risk factor for me,” said Lysacek, who won the world title without attempting the high-risk maneuver.

The last woman to pull off the double, Germany’s Katarina Witt, was backing Plushenko to follow in her footsteps.

“There is a big buzz about the men’s competition especially with Yevgeny Plushenko coming back and just showing how strong he was at the Europeans,” the 1984 and 1988 Olympic champion told Reuters.

“He’s in incredible shape, he’s an incredible athlete, very artistic skater out there on the ice and I bet he has a great chance to go again for the gold.”

Another skater in incredible shape is South Korean world champion Kim Yuna, who topped Forbes’ list of top earning Winter Olympians after banking more than $8 million last year. Yuna fever has gripped South Korea, where the country’s 50million-strong population are backing her to win their first Winter Games gold outside speed skating.

The photogenic face, which is splashed across thousands of billboards advertising products from bread to necklaces, is expected to turn into that of a smiling assassin when she tries to obliterate the opposition with her dramatic “Bond Girl” routine during the Feb. 14-25 figure skating competition.

Along with world silver medalist Joannie Rochette of Canada, and three-times European winner Carolina Kostner of Italy, her main challenger should be Japan’s Mao Asada. After a patchy start to the season, Asada pulled off two triple axels, a jump rarely attempted by women, to clear the field at the Four Continents last month. —Reuters

Inside the Rings: Women must jump VANCOUVER: Right up there in the pantheon of silly things that have been said about women over the decades - that they couldn’t be pilots, astronauts or soldiers, for instance - is the argument that female ski jumpers simply aren’t good enough to compete at the Vancouver Olympics. Well, the men who jumped in Olympic qualifying at Whistler Olympic Park should count themselves lucky that Lindsey Van, the world champion who as a woman is barred from competing here, wasn’t around Friday to make them look bad.

Van’s best at Whistler is 105.5 meters - better, sometimes way better, than many of the men managed in the qualifiers for their medal event scheduled for yesterday.It could be argued that perhaps Van was lucky, that jumping conditions may have been optimal when she set her mark, which is the record on that hill and that wind and other factors mean that men and women’s jumps or, indeed, jumps from one day to the next shouldn’t be compared.

The bottom line in our modern times is this: because men are jumping in the Olympics, women should be, too. After all, the IOC’s very own Olympic Charter is as clear as Vancouver’s Pacific waters on the fundamental issue at stake. “Every individual must have the possibility of practicing sport, without discrimination of any kind,” it says. The way IOC president Jacques Rogge tells it, the Olympic committee’s decision to keep women jumpers out of the games is nothing more than quality control. The Olympics have no place any more for have-a-goers like “Eddie the Eagle,” the British plasterer-turnedski jumper Michael Edwards who flew, barely, at the 1988 Calgary Games. — AP

Now, only the best will do. And the nearly 170 matches on TVas comwomen Today’s from 18 countries who are registered petitors by the(local International Ski Federation are not timings) sufficient, Rogge argues, to warrant them an Olympic

FA Cup Bolton v Tottenham..............................16:30 Al Jazeera Sport +3 Crystal Palace v Aston Villa.................18:45 Al Jazeera Sport +5 Spanish League Espanyol v Deportivo ...........................19:00 Al Jazeera Sport +4 Sevilla v Osasuna..................................21:00 Al Jazeera Sport +2 Atelco v Barcelona................................23:00 Al Jazeera Sport +2 Italian League J uventus v Genoa.................................17:00 Al Jazeera Sport +1 Cagliari v Bari.......................................17:00 Al Jazeera Sport +4 Parama v Lazio.....................................17:00 Al Jazeera Sport +7 Napoli v Inter........................................22:45 Al Jazeera Sport +1

VANCOUVER: The first day of the Winter Games didn’t turn out as everyone hoped, or as anyone planned. A wicked crash claimed a life before competition could even begin. Hundreds of protesters forced a detour in the torch relay. And the moment Canada spent seven years building toward the lighting of the Olympic cauldron it tarnished by a technical glitch. With hours to go before the opening ceremony, a luger from the nation of Georgia was killed after he lost control of his sled on the infamously fast track at Whistler and crashed into a steel pole.

The death of Nodar Kumaritashvili hung over the usually festive first day of the games. Inside BC Place Stadium, the ceremony was punctuated by somber pauses, sorrowful speeches and flags lowered to half-staff. The 21-year-old slider’s grief-stricken teammates marched with black armbands and scarves. Then, at the climax of the three-hour show, with four torch-bearing Canadian sports heroes in the spotlight, a technical error ruined the symmetry.

One of four pillars designed to rise from the stadium floor and form the Olympic cauldron malfunctioned, leaving speedskater Catriona LeMay Doan unable to join in the lighting. Hockey great Wayne Gretzky, skier Nancy Greene and basketball All-Star Steve Nash proceeded as planned; LeMay Doan saluted the crowd with her torch. Things went off-course outside the stadium, too. Hundreds of antiOlympic protesters forced organizers to change the route of the last leg of the trans-Canada torch relay, then confronted police and threw debris outside the stadium hosting the opening ceremony.

And as a backdrop to all this, relentlessly bad weather continued to beset the two Olympic skiing venues, forcing cancellations of training runs and the delay of at least one Alpine event. If the games were seen in part as a means of luring vacationing skiers in the future, the reports so far of rain and mud haven’t helped. It was a rough day in particular for John Furlong, CEO of the Vancouver Organizing Committee. He and his team had strived to be ready for every contingency, but Friday did not go as planned.

“I am so sorry to be in this position and to be reporting this to you,” Furlong told reporters as he confirmed Kumaritashvili’s death. “It’s not something I had prepared for, never thought I would need to be prepared for.”

Later, at the opening ceremony, he urged the athletes to honor the Georgian luger at the games.

“May you carry his Olympic dream on your shoulders and compete with his spirit in your heart,” Furlong said.

The sorrow contrasted starkly with the jubilation of the Canadian team - and their thousands of red-and-white clad fans as they exultantly entered the stadium.

This is the third Olympics held in Canada, but the previous home teams won no gold medals in 1976 and 1988 - while this talented, 206-athlete squad has proclaimed its intention to win the overall medal race.

The opening ceremonies were dedicated to Kumaritashvili, and the seven remaining members of the Georgian team, who decided to stay and compete, wore black armbands as they marched behind a black-trimmed flag.

Most of the crowd rose to give respectful applause. More than 60,000 people packed into the stadium for the first Olympic opening or closing ceremony ever held indoors. — AP

VANCOUVER: The downtown skyline is seen during the opening ceremonies at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia.—AP

First Olympic delay: The Women’s super-combined WHISTLER: Heavy snow conditions forced the first delay at the Vancouver Olympics on Friday, postponing the women’s super-combined Alpine ski race. The women had been scheduled to race today, and a new date was not immediately announced. A heavy overnight rain made the course soft and unsafe, leading organizers to cancel training runs planned for Friday and also yesterday when the men’s downhill race is scheduled on the adjacent slope.

“The snow is too heavy. Of course, safety is always our first priority,” women’s race director Atle Skaardal said. “We don’t have a chance for the training run (Saturday). We need to give full priority to the men’s downhill.” The status of the men’s marquee race remains in jeopardy. The forecast called for overnight rain and temperatures above freezing along the course, conditions likely to keep the snow too mushy for racing.

“Right now we need the temperature to go down,” men’s race director Guenter Hujara said. “If it remains the same I can say for sure there will be no downhill (Saturday).” More rain, snow, winds of 50 kph (31 mph) and temperatures of 6 degrees Celsius were expected around the 11:45 am (1945 GMT) scheduled

start time. Skaardal said the men’s race organizers faced a huge challenge. “It will be an extremely difficult day for maybe the most important event of the games in terms of Alpine skiing,” he said.

The storm cycle was expected to begin leaving Whistler today morning, when a training run for women would likely be easier to carry off than the men’s downhill medal race.

Race rules insist that the super-combined event - comprising a downhill run and a single slalom leg - cannot be held until all racers have completed a downhill practice session. The first women’s training run Thursday was scrapped after only two skiers because of heavy fog and snow. After two delays Friday, it was again called off, along with men’s downhill training. The women were able to inspect the course, though. “If you get frustrated now then you will lose the games,” Sweden’s Anja Paerson said. “We’re having a good time, doing some free skiing, getting the hours going. We will race, but it depends on which day. We’re just trying to prepare and not think too much.”

The delays are benefiting US skier Lindsey Vonn, giving her badly bruised shin more time to heal. She skied down the hill for a second straight day. “The course is in pretty rough

shape due to all the warm weather and rain,” Vonn reported on her Facebook account. “The course crews are doing the best they can but it’s hard to overcome Mother Nature.”

Skaardal said decisions on the men’s downhill would be taken before any plans for the women could be set. “We need to be a little patient and see what happens (Saturday),” he said.

Officials have rejected an option to coat the Franz’s Run women’s course with chemicals which would harden the snow into racing condition. “We haven’t even seen the opening ceremony yet,” Skaardal said. “It’s too early to destroy the hill with any kind of chemical.” He said a dry night with clear skies would cause temperatures to drop and freeze the snow within hours.

The forecast currently calls for “decent” racing conditions next Monday and Wednesday, Skaardal said. The ideal combination of sunshine and minus-degree temperatures is expected next weekend. Skaardal said it was unrealistic to expect to run the program on schedule at Whistler. “Everyone knows it’s a very challenging site for Alpine skiing because of this climate,” he said. “But we still have a lot of time and we are very positive about the coming days” —AP

Fur and leaves raise costume questions

VANCOUVER: Rick Hansen (right) passes on the Olympic flame to Catriona LeMay Doan (left) during the opening ceremony for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics.—AP

VANCOUVER: Fur and loin cloths present some of the biggest challenges for figure skaters at the Olympics where costumes face scrutiny for ethical and cultural reasons.

American Johnny Weir ditched plans to wear a fox fur-trimmed outfit last month after outrage from animal-rights groups, while Russian ice dancers Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin have been accused of cultural theft by Australian Aboriginal elders.

Despite switching to fake fur, Weir was still worrying about backlash from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) more than he was about his gold medal rivals in Vancouver.

“I’m not intimidated by anything, except maybe PETA standing outside with a bucket load of blood,” Weir told reporters.

Ice dancers Domnina and Shabalin caused a stir at January’s

European championships with an aboriginal dance where they wore dark body suits designed to look like they were wearing only body paint and leaves.

Australian Aboriginal elders said the ceremonial dance steps and the costumes were “very offensive” and evidence of exploitation of Aboriginal people.

Some media reports have suggested the pair are considering changing their costumes but Russian figure skating federation president Valentin Piseyev told Russian media this week that there would be no new outfits.

American Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto opted to ditch the costumes they wore at the U.S. Nationals last month but it had nothing to do with any controversy. “We wanted to make it more authentic and have a little bit more connection with the Moldovan programme,” Agosto told reporters on Friday, referring to the original dance. —Reuters

SPORTS

Sunday, February 14, 2010

19

Number one Federer reduced to tears in Ethiopia KORE ROBA: World number one Roger Federer sends the ball spinning into the net. His opponent, Ethiopian teenager, Jirata Demksa, smiles and prays the Swiss is having an off day. But Federer just pauses and, taking a deep breath, serves a blistering ace. The 17-year-old, realizing he’s beaten, simply shrugs.

“He’s the best tennis player ever,” he says. “I am just lucky we played ping-pong.” Jirata says he will never forget taking two points from Federer in an impromptu game of table tennis at a school the tennis ace funds in the poor country. For Federer, this week’s visit to Ethiopia was one that moved him to tears.

“When I arrived at the school and all of the children were singing, it was very emotional,” Federer said.

“They sang, ‘Roger, our Father’ to me. I didn’t really understand it at the beginning but I still had tears in my eyes.” Federer, limbering up for an attempt to win all four grand slams in a calendar year having already claimed the Australian Open title, was taking some time out to visit Ethiopia-one of the countries his charitable organization works in. The Roger Federer Foundation, founded in 2003, spends $1 million a year on education in Ethiopia, South Africa, Tanzania, Mali, Malawi and Zimbabwe.

MOTHER’S INSPIRATION “My Mum being from South Africa is obviously the inspiration behind the foundation,” Federer said, as local kids screamed ‘Number one!’ behind him. “I went there on vacation a lot when I was younger. So we started with a project in South Africa and, as I got older and got more money, I wanted to expand.” Eating a lunch of traditional injera-a sort of spongy pancake-with the students at one of two schools he pays for in the country, Federer was peppered with questions. Most of the children wanted to know if he had any of his own.

His seven-month old twin girls, Myla and Charlene, could eventually

take over the charity Federer wants to continue long after he stops playing, he said. “I definitely want to show them that this world exists as well,” Federer said, gesturing at the tin-roofed classrooms around him.

“There’s no way around it for them because I’ll be travelling. It will be a very exciting ten years for me because I’ll be trying to educate and help them and show them all these things.”

Ethiopia is the world’s seventh largest recipient of foreign aid, receiving more than $1.94 billion in 2006, according to the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

(OECD). About 12 million of the Horn of Africa country’s people are reliant on foreign food aid to survive.

As multi-millionaire Federer drove through the streets of the capital Addis Ababa, four street kids caught a glimpse of him through the window of his coach. Leaping to their feet, they ran after the bus. “Federer!

Federer! We love you! We love you!” they shouted.

SURPRISE RECOGNITION For Federer, who has won 16 grand slam titles, the level of recognition in one of the world’s poorest and most remote countries, more known for athletics than tennis, was a

surprise. “It’s my first time here so I didn’t expect this,” he said. “I always think I should have been to a country before people know me. I forget about the television.”

Local girl Nihlaa Omar, stretching before racing against the tennis maestro in a 1km fun run, said she had seen him on television in a nearby town. “We know he’s as famous as our famous runners like Kenenisa Bekele,” she said referring to the twice Olympic 10,000 metres champion. “But I think Ethiopians can beat him at running.” Federer, who was to run against the school’s best athletes, agreed saying: “I’m in a lot of trouble”.

The race kicked off, with the Swiss immediately humbled as the Ethiopian children, who live at high altitude, overtook him en masse, a goat leading the field for the first 500 meters. Federer finished near the back of the field. “I’ve always had massive respect for long distance sports,” he said. “The terrain was so dangerous and they ran barefoot. It was impressive to say the least.”

The children, too, were confused by a man more used to split-second exertion. “How old are you?” one girl said. Super-fit Federer, 28, asked her to guess. “I don’t know about white people,” she said, shyly.

“45?” —Reuters

Zvonareva reaches Pattaya Open final PATTAYA: Top seed and defending champion Vera Zvonareva booked her place in the final of the Pattaya Open yesterday after a tough 6-2 4-6 6-3 victory over Kazakhstan’s Yaroslava Shvedova. The Russian, who was barely tested in the earlier rounds, showed her class with a polished final-set performance to clinch the match after the fourth-seeded Shvedova battled back in the second.

Zvonareva will meet home favourite Tamarine Tanasugarn in today’s final after she overpowered another Kazakh, Sesil Karatantcheva, 6-2 6-0 to reach the 10th final of her 16year professional career. “It was very tough match. It was difficult for me, my form is not good overall. I’ve not shown my best tennis but I tried to play a smart game,” Zvonareva told reporters. The Americanborn Tamarine played solidly throughout her one-hour-20minute match, winning game after game with powerful forehands that forced woeful returns from Karatantcheva.

With the home crowd behind her in the scorching heat, the unseeded Thai, who at 32 is one of the oldest players on the tour, broke the 20year-old Kazakh twice to open up a 4-0 lead in a onesided first set. Karatantcheva put up a lot of resistance in the second set but struggled with her serve and squandered chances to break the 2008 Wimbledon quarterfinalist. “The match wasn’t as easy as it seemed from the score, especially being held six or seven times at deuce on second set. I just tried to take each game at a time,” Tamarine said. —Reuters

SAN JOSE: Andy Roddick returns the ball to Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic during the quarterfinals of the SAP Open tennis tournament. —AP

Roddick survives Berdych test SAN JOSE: Top seed Andy Roddick out-muscled Tomas Berdych 7-6 7-6 in a tight contest to earn a place in the final four of the $530,000 San Jose Open on Friday. The world number seven, who is chasing a fourth title at the hardcourt tournament, set up a semi-final against compatriot Sam Querrey, who dispatched another American, Michael Russell, 6-4 6-3 in

their quarter-final. Roddick and the fifth seeded Berdych traded service bombs and big forehands but the Czech missed two key forehands in tiebreakers-one at set point to lose the first 7-5, the second at 5-5 in the second set tiebreaker.

Roddick clinched the latter 7-5 with a 141-mph service winner to move to within two victories of match-

ing his 2004, 2005 and 2008 triumphs in San Jose. “He hits the ball so hard and flat it kind of keeps you a little off balance and a lot of times you feel like you are just hanging on,” Roddick said. “He forced me to play well. I was fortunate to get through it in two.”

The two Americans were joined in the semi-finals by Spanish second seed Fernando Verdasco, who punched his

way past Lithuanian teenager Ricardas Berankis 6-3 7-6.

Verdasco is struggling with a sciatic nerve injury but that did not stop him from serving big and unleashing his highly-effective forehand. The Spaniard overcame the former junior world number one in the tiebreaker 75 when he pounded a service winner and then watched the Lithuanian err

on a forehand. “I had never seen him play before and he served well, played close to the lines and had a good forehand and backhand,” Verdasco said. “I didn’t see any weaknesses.”

World number 11 Verdasco said the injury, which is affecting his right hamstring, was improving slowly.

“Five days ago it was really bad but it’s feeling a little better and I hope it’s

going to be gone soon,” he said.

Rounding out the last four was Uzbek Denis Istomin, who reached his first ATP Tour semi-final with a 6-1 1-6 63 upset of German sixth seed Philipp Kohlschreiber. “I think it’s the best match I played of my life,” said the 96th-ranked Istomin. “Now I feel like I can play with these guys and beat them.” —Reuters

Kuwaiti Sport Club for Deaf participate in tournament

Wataniya sponsored Gulf Run group

Wataniya Sponsors Gulf Run in Bahrain Running support and safety measures during the exotic cars racing, Wataniya has sponsored the 5th annual tournament of the Gulf Run event which took place in Bahrain.

The event is designed mainly for car enthusiasts.

It took off at the 360 mall on January 15th with a car show and a raffle. Cars were on display for car admirers and a raffle draw was conducted in which the funds collected were donated to Al-Hayat Charity Foundation.

On January 28 and 29 the race took place at Bahrain International Circuit.

Kuwaiti and non Kuwaiti racers participated in the Run and fans all over have traveled to Manama, Bahrain to take part and

witness this exciting event.

Wataniya has offered its customers who are taking part in the race special roaming rates when calling friends and family through their Wataniya line.

“Gulf Run was marked with great success; the Kuwaiti racers and audience were very much proud and pleased by Wataniya’s presence at the race. Our participation in sponsoring Gulf Run is based on our strategy that urges us to get involved in similar events.” Stated Abdulaziz Al-Balool, Wataniya PR and Media Manager He added saying that: Our main aim is to encourage Kuwaiti people to stay active and take part in a variety of high-spirited sports.”

Being present at the Gulf Run has positively contributed to Wataniya’s brand image and increased the awareness of Wataniya being a Kuwaiti Telecom provider that looks after its customer’s safety and protection whenever.

The Gulf Run was first created in 2005 by a group of young Kuwaitis’ who wanted to practice car racing in a professional and secure environment. They wanted to avoid street racing, reduce car accidents, and prevent spreading fear among public, therefore, they rented the world renowned Bahrain International Circuit to be able to achieve their goal, strengthen their driving skills and learn the capability of their cars.

KUWAIT: The Kuwaiti Sport Club for the Deaf announced yesterday it will participate in the international tournament for youth, to kick off yesterday in Cairo, Egypt. The club, headed by Eidan Al-Sehali, prepared well for the tournament, as it will take part in track and field and bowling competitions, a statement by the club said.

Al-Sehali, who is also the club’s vice chairman, is accompanied by 13 players; eight for the three-day track and field event and five bowlers in the single and teams’ bowling competition, the statement added.

The players had three training sessions at the tournament’s tracks and fields, “which gives us advantage,” Al-Sehali noted.

The delegation also groups the club’s general trustee Maher Al-Ghannam, coaches Khaled Al-Sharrah and Abdulaziz Nasr, as well as bowling instructor Fawzi Al-Ameeri. —KUNA

Eidan Al-Sehali

ROTTERDAM: Robin Soderling of Sweden reacts during the semi final tennis match against Nikolay Davydenko of Russia at the ABN Amro World Tennis Tournament. —AP

Soderling reaches Rotterdam final ROTTERDAM: Robin Soderling reached his second career final at the Rotterdam Open, dominating second seed Nikolay Davydenko 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 in yesterday’s semi-final. The Swede is aiming to go one better Sunday after losing the 2008 title match here to Michael Llodra. The third seed will await an opponent from top seed Novak Djokovic and 2007 winner Mikhail Youzhny, with Soderling now a win away from becoming the first Swede since Anders Jarrdy in 1993 to lift the title at the Ahoy arena.

Soderling pounded over five aces, setting up his match point with his last one after one hour, 43 minutes. The frustrated Davydenko was unable to stop the Swedish momentum as

Soderling chipped a winning volley into the empty court to seal victory.

Davydenko, one of the form players of the past six months on the ATP, had complained all week about a court which he said was too fast for his game.

“The court is the court, it’s what it is,” said Soderling, the world number eight Roland Garros finalist from last year who now stands 7-4 over the Russian. “I’m happy to have beaten one of the best players in the world,” he said after victory over Davydenko, winner of the season-ending event last November in London and the Doha champion last month. “It could have easily been the other way around. Our matches have always been very close,

we seem to alternate with the wins. “At Grand Slam they always go five sets.”

The opening set tiebreaker was the fifth between the pair and resulted in the first victory in a decider for Soderling against Davydenko. The Swede lost an early break in the first set, dropping serve while aiming for the opening set leading 5-3. The set eventually went into the tiebereaker, where Soderling prevailed. The Swede sealed the second set as he took a 5-4 lead on a break a game before serving out victory. Davydenko, who will take next week off to have treatment on his foot before travelling to Dubai, stood 31-6 since last year’s US Open, earning a dozen of his victories in 2010. —AFP

www.kuwaittimes.net

Chelsea thrash Cardiff to cruise into FA Cup q-finals

LONDON: Manchester City’s Shaun Wright-Phillips (left) scores against Stoke City during their English FA Cup fifth round soccer match at The City of Manchester Stadium.—AP

Fuller earns replay for Stoke MANCHESTER: Stoke striker Ricardo Fuller cancelled out a Shaun Wright-Phillips goal to earn a 1-1 draw at Manchester City in the FA Cup fifth round yesterday.

Roberto Mancini’s City are desperate to end their trophy drought, which stretches back to 1976, and they looked like they were on their way into the quarter-finals when Wright-Phillips gave them an early lead in bizarre circumstances at Eastlands.

But they struggled to press home their advantage and conceded an equaliser in the second half when Fuller headed in from Rory Delap’s long throw. As well as travelling to Stoke in the Premier League on Tuesday, City will now have to come through a replay at the Britannia Stadium on February 24 to stand a chance of ending their long wait for silverware.

With Wayne Bridge impressing with his early attacking play in front of watching England manager Fabio Capello, City took the lead with just nine minutes gone. Stephen Ireland chipped over the top for Wright-Phillips and the England winger lifted the ball over goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen.

Covering defender Ryan Shawcross failed to get any contact with his attempted clearance and only succeeded in losing balance, with the ball hitting his head before Wright-Phillips touched into the empty net for his sixth goal of the season.

Fuller shot over from the edge of the area as he attempted to get Stoke back on level terms.

City winger Martin Petrov curled wide with a free kick from 30 yards but after Fuller glanced wide with a header from Liam Lawrence’s cross, Bridge showed his defensive qualities.

Pablo Zabaleta mis-judged Fuller’s pass and Tuncay sent over a cross to the far post that was

met with a thumping effort by Lawrence, only for Bridge to block six yards from goal.

Petrov wasted a decent opportunity to put Stoke under pressure by driving a free kick high and wide from a tight angle.

Stoke lost two wingers, Matthew Etherington and Liam Lawrence, to injury in the opening period, but they weren’t disrupted by those blows and went close again when Danny Higginbotham’s long-range shot flew narrowly wide of goal.

And 11 minutes after the break, Stoke pulled level with the kind of goal they have become renowned for.

Delap sent a long throw into the area that beat both Shawcross and Kolo Toure and Fuller, who had lost marker Ireland, glanced in from close range for his seventh goal of the season.

As City desperately attempted to restore their advantage, Higginbotham pulled off a timely block as Ireland tried to thread the ball through to Wright-Phillips. A quick Tuncay free kick allowed Glenn Whelan the time and space to shoot only for Shay Given to pull off a solid save.

City were still struggling to carve out good chances and Emmanuel Adebayor lifted a shot well over the bar as their frustration mounted.

Such was Whelan’s growing confidence that he attempted to beat Given from 40 yards only for his shot to fly over the bar. City finally threatened when Wright-Phillips found space on the right and his cross was met by Gareth Barry’s header, which was tipped away by Sorensen. WrightPhillips also hit the side-netting after substitute Patrick Vieira inspired a quick breakaway from the hosts. Shawcross made up for his mistake by clearing off the line from Roque Santa Cruz as Stoke held out for a draw.—AFP

Albion frustrate Reading READING: West Bromwich Albion recovered from the shock of conceding one of the FA Cup’s fastest ever goals to snatch a late equaliser in a 22 fifth-round draw at Reading yesterday.

Roberto Di Matteo’s side fell behind to their Championship rivals after just nine seconds when Royals midfielder Jimmy Kebe fired home.

Albion equalised through Robert Koren, who was only playing after an injury to Andwele Slory in the pre-match warm-up.

Both sides were reduced to 10 men after Reading had striker Shane Long dismissed in the 48th minute for a foul on Abdoulaye Meite and then Albion substitute Youssouf Mulumbu got his marching orders.

Reading substitute Simon Church looked to have put Brian McDermott’s side into the last eight for the first time since 1927. But Albion leftback Joe Mattock earned a replay at The Hawthorns in 10 days with an 87th-minute equaliser.

It was a remarkable tie from the moment Kebe struck in double-quick time. Baggies defender Gianni Zuiverloon hesitated in possession and was challenged by Kebe on the edge of the area. The Mali international swept into the box and steered

the ball under goalkeeper Scott Carson.

Non-league Ashton United midfielder Gareth Morris scored after only four seconds of a first qualifying round tie against Skelmersdale United in 2001, but Kebe’s strike is believed to be the quickest in the FA Cup proper.

Di Matteo’s side levelled when Chris Brunt delivered a perfect cross over goalkeeper Adam Federici for Koren to tap in in the 18th minute.

Mulumbu was booked within 60 seconds of coming on at half-time before Long was dismissed three minutes into the second period by referee Chris Foy when he jumped into a challenge on Meite near the touchline.

Then Mulumbu saw red in the 61st minute.

Having already been cautioned, the midfielder blocked Brynjar Gunnarsson and was shown a second yellow card.

Reading regained the lead in the 73rd minute as Grzegorz Rasiak’s pass gave fellow substitute Church the chance to fire past Carson at the second attempt. Albion weren’t finished, though, and in the 87th minute Graham Dorrans played in Simon Cox, who picked out Mattock in space on the left and he thundered a first-time drive past Federici.—AFP

LONDON: Reading’s Jobi McNuff (left) competes for the ball with West Bromwich Albion’s Graham Dorrans during their English FA Cup fifth-round soccer match.—AP

LONDON: Didier Drogba played the starring role as holders Chelsea eased into the FA Cup quarter-finals with a 4-1 win over Championship side Cardiff yesterday.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side showed they could cope without the leadership of captain John Terry, who had been time off to fly to Dubai to solve his marital issues after reports of an affair with the ex-girlfriend of England team-mate Wayne Bridge.

Ivory Coast international Drogba gave them the perfect start with a second minute goal and, although Michael Chopra forced an equalizer before halftime, the Blues ran out convincing winners thanks to strikes from Michael Ballack, Daniel Sturridge and substitute Salomon Kalou.

Terry had used his program notes to thank supporters for their backing during the storm over his personal problems, and also admitted he was at fault for both goals in the midweek 2-1 defeat at Everton.

In his absence, Frank Lampard led Chelsea out at Stamford Bridge for this fifth round encounter. Defender Ashley Cole was also out of action due to an ankle injury, which could rule him out for three months.

Chelsea took a quick lead as Nigerian midfielder Jon Obi Mikel played a long pass from his own half, and with Cardiff’s back four caught flat, Drogba stole in to send a classy finish beyond goalkeeper David Marshall. It was Drogba’s 23rd goal of the season, taking him level with Wayne Rooney of Manchester United in the race to finish the country’s top scorer.

Dave Jones’ men, backed by over 5,800 fans, had scored in all but one of their previous 12 away encounters ahead of this trip, and refused to let the goal impact on their ambitions.

They had two fantastic opportunities to pull the scoreline level before eventually equalizing.

The first chance fell to Anthony Gerrard, cousin of Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard, who directed a header towards the far corner of the net, only for home goalkeeper Henrique Hilario to produce a superb one handed stop.

From the resulting corner Gabor Gyepes headed into the six yard box, but Chopra could only steer the ball over the crossbar. Then, on 34 minutes, Chelsea defender Alex was left hopelessly out of position from Chris Burke’s cross, and Chopra effortlessly dispatched a glancing header past Hilario.

Chelsea players were shaking their heads as they headed for the tunnel at half-time, and during the break midfield player Joe Cole was substituted.

The second half started in the same fashion as the first though, and Ballack moved Chelsea back into the lead on 51 minutes. Drogba produced a defense splitting pass and the Germany midfielder raced through one-on-one with the goalkeeper before producing a cool left foot finish. The Premier League title remains Chelsea’s top priority this season, yet the FA Cup has become a real carrot since Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal suffered early exits.

Cardiff reached the final themselves in 2008, where they were beaten by Portsmouth, but this year it just was not written in the script. On 69 minutes, Sturridge scored his fourth FA Cup goal of the season.

The former Manchester City forward had started the move, and after playing a pass into Drogba, the ball ricocheted back into his path and he made no mistake. Kalou made sure there was no late scare, as he brilliantly headed home a right wing cross from Paulo Ferreira with four minutes remaining. —AFP

LONDON: Chelsea’s Frank Lampard (center) tackles Cardiff City’s Michael Chopra (left) during their fifth round FA Cup soccer match at the Stamford Bridge stadium.—AP

Portsmouth lift gloom with romp over Southampton SOUTHAMPTON: Portsmouth lifted the gloom around Fratton Park with a 4-1 victory over bitter rivals Southampton that sent the beleaguered club into the FA Cup quarter-finals.

After another chaotic week for the Premier League strugglers, which included a High Court hearing that gave them a temporary reprieve from a winding up order, Avram Grant’s side produced a late flurry of goals at St Mary’s to give a much-needed boost to everyone connected with Pompey.

It is five years since these neighbors last met and they served up a dramatic fifth round contest. Quincy Owusu-Abeyie put Portsmouth ahead in the 66th minute but Rickie Lambert leveled for League One Saints four minutes later. That sparked the visitors back into action and goals from Aruna Dindane, Nadir Belhadj and Jamie O’Hara gave Portsmouth a flattering victory.

With debts of over 60 million pounds and no sign of any takeover on the horizon, Portsmouth’s future remains in the balance ahead of their next court date on March 1, but for the moment their supporters will be able to savor this triumph over the old enemy.

Southampton, for so long a top-flight side, know all about the effect financial troubles can have after dropping down to League One and suffering a points deduction this season for going into administration. Alan Pardew’s team have been in good form despite that penalty and reached Wembley in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy in midweek.

It was no surprise that they looked the more energized team in the early stages, with

LONDON: Southampton’s Adam Lallana (right) and Portsmouth’s Papa Bouba Diop vie for the ball during their English FA Cup fifth round soccer match at St Mary’s Stadium.—AP Papa Waigo N’Diaye forcing Portsmouth goalkeeper David James into action with a header from Lambert’s cross.

O’Hara was responsible for Pompey’s first efforts on goal, first with a 35-yard free-kick that went just wide, then with a drive that Southampton goalkeeper Kelvin Davis tipped over the crossbar. James almost presented Southampton with a goal when he dropped Lambert’s corner to Radhi Jaidi but the defender headed tamely over.

England ‘keeper James redeemed himself with a brave

block to deny Wayne Thomas and started the second half with another fine save to keep out Adam Lallana’s header. Grant had seen enough to know Portsmouth were in danger of an embarrassing defeat and he reacted by sending on former Arsenal striker Owusu-Abeyie.

It proved an inspired decision as Owusu-Abeyie broke the deadlock in the 66th minute, taking Hassan Yebda’s cross and curling an excellent strike into the far corner.

Portsmouth’s travelling supporters had barely finished cele-

brating when Lambert headed Southampton level from a freekick four minutes later. That could have dented Pompey’s morale but they hit straight back.

In the 75th minute OwusuAbeyie sent Dindane clear and he chipped Kelvin Davis for his second goal of the week. Algeria defender Belhadj added a third with a cool finish in the 82nd minute and O’Hara, on loan from Tottenham, rubbed salt into Southampton’s wounds when he lashed in the fourth after 85 minutes. — AFP

Birmingham end Derby hopes DERBY: In-form Birmingham City came from a goal down to beat second-tier Derby County 2-1 in the fifth round of the FA Cup at Pride Park here yesterday.

The Rams, lying 27 league positions below their opponents and fresh from a 3-0 win against Newcastle, fielded a fullstrength team with captain Robbie Savage leading his side out against one of his former clubs.

The visitors welcomed Ecuadorian striker Christian Benitez back into the starting line-up after he missed the 2-0 defeat at West Ham in mid-week, while Alex McLeish also recalled wide men James McFadden and Sebastian Larsson.

The FA Cup has long been a bogey competition for the family of Derby coach Nigel

Clough as it was the only major domestic honor that his father, the legendary former Nottingham Forest and Derby manager Brian, failed to win during his managerial career.

Goalmouth action was scarce until the 55th minute when Derby’s James McEveley shocked the Premier League side to score with a thumping drive past Birmingham keeper Joe Hart from outside the penalty area.

The goal sparked the Blues into life and substitute Kevin Phillips came close to levelling on 69 minutes but his effort was saved

by Stephen Bywater.

McLeish’s men finally breached the Derby defence three minutes later when centre-back Scott Dann headed home from

McFadden’s centre.

Derby defender Shaun Barker was then lucky to escape punishment when he caught Blues frontman Cameron Jerome with a flailing arm. Birmingham, currently riding high in eighth place in the top flight, snatched victory right at the death when Phillips turned a shot onto Bywater’s lefthand post and left-back Liam Ridgewell was on hand to pounce for an easy tap-in.

Derby skipper Savage came desperately close to equalising in the 93rd minute with a spectacular long-range volley but Hart showed razor-sharp reactions to tip the ball over the crossbar. Birmingham’s win ended Derby’s hopes of reaching a first FA Cup quarter-final since 1999, when they lost 1-0 away to Arsenal.—AFP

NBK associate IBQ opens new branch in Qatar

Amid Toyota recalls, workers rally to save US jobs

23

25

Indian economic output shows signs of recovery

26

Sunday, February 14, 2010

www.kuwaittimes.net

US Treasury official to visit Kuwait this week Wolin to discuss response to recession in Gulf

AALSMEER, Netherlands: Employees of the flower auction in Aalsmeer, the Netherlands, are busy with the distribution of red roses which are destined for Valentine’s Day today. The world’s biggest flower auction was abuzz this week as hardnosed buyers vied in the Dutch town of Aalsmeer over 150 million blooms destined to warm lovers’ hearts worldwide this Valentine’s Day. —AFP

Saudi telecoms ordered to end free roaming service RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s telecom watchdog has ordered the kingdom’s three mobile phone firms to end a bar on charging a roaming premium on incoming calls made abroad from Saudi-registered phones, the three firms said.

Officials at the CITC watchdog could not be reached for comment.

But Zain Saudi Arabia said in a statement that it would implement the decision as of yesterday and would later announce fees for the service. Kuwait’s Zain holds a 25-percent stake in Zain Saudi Arabia.

Officials at the kingdom’s leading mobile phone operators Saudi Telecom (STC) and Mobily also confirmed the CITC decision.

Hesham Abu-Jamea, head of asset management at Bakheet Investment Group, said the move was better news for dominant mobile phone firms STC and Mobily than for Zain Saudi Arabia, the last firm to enter the Saudi market.

CITC issued the decision because many clients had been subscribing to Saudi mobile services while living elsewhere.

Saudi Arabia is home to about 8 million expatriates from dozens of countries. CITC wants a rate to be fixed for the reception of roaming calls, which will probably be half the cost of an international call from Saudi Arabia, sources at the three firms said.

Analyst Abu Jamea said: “At first glance this is good news for all the

New budget rules will curb spending: Obama WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama said yesterday that new budget rules that say spending increases must be matched by spending cuts will force Congress to “pay for what it spends, just like everybody else.” Obama signed a bill Friday reinstating budget rules known as “paygo” — short for “pay as you go.” In place during the 1990s, the rules helped create balanced budgets and surpluses. Obama blames eliminating them for creating much of the $1.3 trillion deficit he faced upon taking office in January 2009 and for a total debt of $8 trillion projected over the next decade.

The president has been trying to show a public alarmed by higher government spending in the midst of an economic downturn that he is taking steps to tighten Washington’s purse strings.

But the bill signed Friday also lifted the cap on the amount of money the US can borrow by $1.9 trillion — to a total of $14.3 trillion. The ceiling was lifted from $12.4 trillion to keep the US from going into default. In his weekly Saturday radio and

Internet address, Obama said the “politics of the moment” often overwhelms the desire Democrats and Republicans have to produce balanced budgets — something the federal government legally is not required to do.

“Now, Congress will have to pay for what it spends, just like everybody else,” he said.

Obama did not discuss raising the debt ceiling in his message. The president also repeated a promise to create a panel of Democrats and Republicans to suggest strategies for closing the gap between what the government spends and what it collects in revenue. His proposal, however, is weaker than a similar plan recently defeated by the Senate because Congress would not be required to vote on its recommendations.

Obama plans to name the panel by executive order, and he was expected to do so as soon as next week. The administration is projecting a $1.56 trillion deficit for the budget year ending Sept. 30.

Republicans mocked Obama for signing the “paygo” bill behind closed doors.—AP

operators because it brings additional revenue. But it will present Zain Saudi Arabia with a problem”.

Zain Saudi Arabia shocked the global telecom industry when it paid a hefty $6.1 billion for a 25-year licence to enter a saturated market where cashladen operators STC and Mobily- affiliated to Emirates Telecommunications — were already engaged in a fierce turf battle. Zain Saudi Arabia’s argument was that its global presence would appeal to Saudi-based users and help it reshape the Saudi mobile phone landscape. About 15 months after it started business, Zain Saudi Arabia claims an 18-percent market share. — Reuters

Bahrain’s GFH in talks with lenders of $100m loan MANAMA: Bahrain-based Gulf Finance House said yesterday it is in talks with lenders of a $100 million loan, half of which matures in March 2010. “This initiative continues the work of the management team at GFH to smooth out its liquidity profile to position it for growth,” it said in a statement without detailing what its talks with lenders are aiming at.

GFH escaped default on a $300 million loan maturing last week, by reaching an eleventhhour deal with lenders to roll

over one third of the loan by six months. The Islamic investment house said it had appointed Bahrain’s Liquidity Management Centre (LMC) to advise on its negotiations with lenders that it described as four major Islamic banks from the Gulf Arab region.

Standard & Poor’s in a note published this week said the first tranche is maturing March 3 and the remainder twelve months later. GFH’s acting CEO Ted Pretty had told Reuters earlier this month that the facility was under negotiations. —Reuters

Qatar’s inflation may hit 5% in 2010: Report DOHA: Inflation in Qatar could reach up to 5 percent in 2010 due to the improvement in the global economy, the Gulf state’s central bank said yesterday.

The global financial crisis hampered economic growth across the world’s top oil exporting region last year with some countries such as Qatar and the United Arab Emirates experiencing deflation.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Saud AlThani said inflation in 2010 would stand at between 2 and five percent in 2010, the official QNA news agency quoted him as saying. Consumer prices in Qatar

fell 5.2 percent between January and November last year.

According to a Reuters poll, Qatar will remain the region’s leader with a 16.1 percent jump in gross domestic product this year thanks to massive expansion at its natural gas facilities, while Saudi Arabia, the largest Arab economy, is expected to grow by 3.8 percent.

The economy of Qatar has been spared much of the effects of the global slowdown and most Qatari banks have had little exposure to Dubai World’s debt and other debt troubles in the region. — Reuters

WASHINGTON: US Deputy Treasury Secretary Neal Wolin will visit Kuwait this week to discuss the global response to the economic crisis, it was announced here late on Friday.

Wolin will arrive to Kuwait on Wednesday, February 17, for meetings with senior officials including Minister of Finance Mustafa Al-Shamali, Central Bank Governor Sheikh Salem Abdulaziz AlSabah, Kuwait Investment Authority Managing Director Bader Al-Saad, and Economic Advisor to the Amir Dr. Yousef Al-Ibrahim “to discuss the global response to the economic crisis, efforts to reform the financial system, and the importance of combating terrorist financing,” said the Treasury Department in a statement. This is part of a tour in Gulf Countries Council (GCC) that will take him to Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.

Wolin was to arrive yesterday, February 13, in Riyadh for meetings with Saudi Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf and Saudi Arabia Monetary Agency (SAMA) Governor Muhammad Al-Jasser where he “will discuss issues highlighted in the G20, including the commitment to developing a framework for strong, sustainable, and balanced growth and the continued need for international financial reform,” before heading on February 14 to Jeddah to deliver remarks at the Jeddah Economic Forum during the “Global Economic

Governance after the Crisis” session.

“The architecture of global economic governance has shifted. The narrow, exclusive structure that defined the last half-century has given way to a more diverse, more inclusive architecture. We have moved, one might say, from the tower to the tent. And the importance of coordinated international action within this broad system of global economic governance is clearer today

US Deputy Treasury Secretary Neal Wolin than at any time in recent memory. As a result of this shift, I believe that we now have a better potential to confront the most difficult economic challenges facing the world today,” said Wolin in the statement.

Tomorrow, February 15, Deputy Secretary Wolin will be in Abu Dhabi to meet with UAE Central Bank Governor Sultan bin Nasser Al-Suweidi

and with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Trade, including Sheikha Lubna AlQasimi, and officials from the Foreign Ministry, and will also visit the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) and the Abu Dhabi Investment Council (ADIC) for meetings.

Wolin will hold a roundtable discussion “focused on empowering young Emirati men and women to pursue meaningful private sector employment opportunities that deliver long term contributions to the economic growth and enterprise base of the country. The Deputy Secretary will be joined by representatives from leading Abu Dhabi organizations spearheading initiatives to create such opportunities.”

Moving to Dubai on February 16, Wolin will meet with senior officials including Minister of Cabinet Affairs Mohammed Al-Gergawi, Chairman of Emirates Airlines and head of Dubai Supreme Fiscal Committee Ahmed bin Saeed, CEO of the Investment Corporation of Dubai Mohammed Al-Shaibani, and Governor of the Dubai International Financial Centre Ahmed Al-Tayer. In collaboration with the Dubai School of Government, Wolin will host a discussion for students, research fellows, young alumni, entrepreneurs, and members of Young Arab Leaders on the state of the global economy in the wake of the financial crisis and the importance of cooperation between the US and the Arab world. — KUNA

BUSINESS

22

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Large Caps drive KSE stocks higher after lull KUWAIT: The Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) continued its second week with gains pushed by increasing bids seen on large capitalization companies. The big stocks reflected positively on the index taking it to its highest level since November 10, 2009 at the end of this week. As measured by Global’s weighted General Index, the Kuwaiti market closed the week with a notable performance, being up by 5.18 percent at 193.29 point. The index was able to regain its gains for the year for the first time since January 11 and ended this week with 3.79 percent gain on a year-today basis. Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) price index was also up by 112.40 points (1.59 percent) and closed at 7,177.00 points. The market capitalization reached KD31.57bn. Market breadth was skewed towards advancers as out of 167 shares traded, 96 advanced, against 51 shares retreating.

Trading activity was higher as investors rushed to grab the high performers’ stocks and take new positions in others. Total traded volume reached 2.56bn shares changing hands, a 17.70 percent increase from a week earlier.

Also, total traded value was up by 44.69 percent, reaching KD425.37mn. High volume was seen on the Services sector, accounting for 30.05 percent of the total traded volume this week with 768.32mn shares traded. Al-Safat TEC Holding Company was the highest traded company in the sector and came second in the top volume list for the week with 170.08mn shares changing hands.

However, Jeezan Holding Company topped the same list with 202.52mn shares traded, accounting for 7.92 percent of the total traded volume in the market. On the value list, the Services sector also took the lead, with a total traded value of KD166.37mn, accounting for 39.11 percent of total market value.

Zain, the largest listed company in the Kuwaiti bourse, topped the traded value list for the week, with a total traded value of KD71.57mn. The heavyweight scrip ended the week up by a notable 22.73 percent to be the main mover of the market. Global Services Index was the biggest gainer in line with the high performance of Zain which came third in the top gainers list. However the first two ranks of the list were also among the index constituents. KGL Logistics Company topped the list, adding 32.74 percent to its share price while Automated Systems Company came second with its share price being up by 23.08 percent. The index concluded the week adding hefty 12.35 percent to its value. Global Food Index came second, adding 7.47 percent and was pushed up by the sole gainer in the sector, Kuwait Foodstuff Company’s (Americana) share price, which ended the week adding 10 percent. Global Industrial Index followed, adding 3.42 percent this week.

Kuwait Cement Company was the biggest gainer in the sector with its share price adding 12.07 percent and making it to the top gainers list as well.

However, in the same sector, National Company for Consumer industries topped the losers list, shedding 11.11 percent of its share price and caused limiting the sector index’s gains.

On the other side, the Insurance sector was the only loser this week with Global Insurance Index closing down by 2.05 percent as no gainers were seen among the sector components. Gulf Insurance Company was the biggest loser in the sector, shedding 5.62 percent of its share price.

budget were announced with expected KD7.4bn of deficit. The announcement followed lots of major developments on the Kuwaiti economic arena for the last three weeks. It started with the approval of Kuwait Economic Development Plan 2013/14 coupled with the approval of Capital Market Authority Law and finally the latest movement by Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK) to cut its discount rate by 50 basis points. Preliminary figures for the announced budget indicated that total expenditures are expected at KD16.16bn, 33.4% of growth over 2009/10 budgeted expenditures of KD12.12bn. Revenues on the other hand are expected to reach KD9.72bn up from KD8.07bn for previous budget. Oil revenues will continue to account for the largest share of 88.7%.

GLOBAL WEEKLY MARKET REPORT

Highlights of the week Arab ministers of finance and economy met in Kuwait on Wednesday, February 10 for the 85th session of the Arab League’s Economic and Social Council.

They discussed a spectrum of key issues, chiefly the latest developments of a planned major Arab free trade organization that was initiated in 1997. They also discussed the steps being taken to overhaul the council in light of a relevant working group constituted in September and chaired by Kuwait with the goal of developing the council’s activities. The council, which convenes biannually in February and September, also considered blueprints purposed to revamp Arab specialized organizations by means of reviewing their budgets and final statements of account, retrenching their spending and taking legal action against any violations, if found.

All of Global’s special indices ended on a positive note. Global Large Cap (Top 10) Index was the biggest gainer, adding 8.59 percent to its value. Global Islamic Sharia Index was up by 3.36 percent while Global Small Cap (Low 10) index added 0.20 percent.

Macroeconomic news The Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK) cut on Sunday, February 7, its key discount rate by 50 basis points to 2.5 percent to support growth in the Gulf country’s non-oil sectors as inflation is seen staying low. Kuwait’s central bank has cut its key rate by 200 basis points since October 2008, with the previous 50 basis-point reduction coming in May 2009. The governor said the bank was able to trim the rate as all indicators pointed to a continued reduction of inflation, whether imported or local. Also, the Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK) two of its repurchase rates by 25 basis points each on Monday, February 8, a day after it cut its benchmark discount. The central bank reduced its one-week repo rate to 1.5 percent from 1.75 percent, while its one-month rate is now at 2 percent down from 2.25 percent, the data showed. It left its overnight repo rate unchanged at 0.75 percent. The cut is expected to encourage banks to lend more and the private sector to take part in financing a four-year development plan, analysts said.

Kuwait forecasts a deficit of KD7.41bn ($25.69bn) in its 2010/11 budget, a finance ministry official said.

Income in the fiscal year which starts on April 1 is seen at KD9.72bn, Khalifa Hamada, the undersecretary of the min-

istry of finance, said. Kuwait had forecast a deficit of KD4.85bn in its 2009/10 budget, assuming its crude, the main revenue earner, would fetch $35 a barrel.

Revenues for 2010/11 were calculated at a price of $43 per barrel, and crude production of 2.2mn bpd. Ten percent of revenues are set aside for a future generations fund, a nest egg that can be utilized only when Kuwait’s vast oil resources dry up in future. The fund is managed by sovereign fund Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA). The new budget awaits parliament approval, but it is not clear when the house will vote on the budget that starts in April. Expenditure covers part of a KD30.8bn four-years development plan which was passed by parliament earlier this month.

Oil related news Kuwait has kept the March official selling price (OSP) for its crude oil sales to Asian buyers at $1.20 a barrel below the average of Oman/Dubai quotes, unchanged from February, traders said.

That is within the range of expectations in a survey. Kuwait’s crude price formula is loosely linked to that of Saudi Arabia’s Arab Medium grade, which Saudi Aramco trimmed by 10 cents last week to a 95-cent a barrel discount to the Oman/Dubai average.

The Kuwaiti crude oil lost $2.88 per barrel for the week ending in Tuesday, February 9. However, on that last day the crude rose $0.81 per barrel compared with the day before to settle at $68.73pb.

Said Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC). The spike came after a spate of consecutive declines for the oil prices that pushed down the Kuwaiti crude to

less than $68, though the current oil prices remain within the level targeted by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting countries (OPEC).

Kuwait’s crude exports to China jumped 20 percent in 2009 from the previous year to 7.08mn tons, equivalent to around 142,000 barrels per day (bpd), government data showed. Kuwait provided 3.5 percent of China’s total crude oil imports last year and became its eighthbiggest crude supplier, according to figures released by the Chinese General Administration of Customs. China’s overall imports of crude oil grew 13.9 percent from a year earlier to 204mn tons (4.1mn bpd). Japanese trading house Marubeni and an oil major have decided to terminate contracts with Kuwait Petroleum Corp (KPC) for naphtha supplies lifting during April 2010-March 2011, due to high premiums, traders said this week. KPC sealed the contract with at least two buyers last week at $22.00 a ton to Middle East quotes on a free-onboard (FOB) basis, the highest it had ever fetched. “The new premium is not workable for trading houses, as it is not possible for them to re-sell these cargoes to petrochemical plants at such high prices,” said a trader. In total, the two companies hold a total volume of around 300,000 tons of naphtha for the 12-year period, which works out to an average of 25,000 tons a month. There was talk that KPC could have initiated the termination of the contract with the oil major, but this could not be immediately confirmed.

Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) has set its 2010 term 500ppm and 0.2 percent sulfur diesel export prices significantly below last year’s levels, due to a

severely oversupplied market, traders said. KPC priced its 500ppm gas oil exports at $1.70 per barrel above Middle East spot quotes, based on the 0.5 percent sulfur grade, on a cost-and freight (C&F) basis, compared with a premium of $6.00 last year. It has also set its 0.2 percent sulfur grade export price at $1.40-$1.45 per barrel above Middle East spot quotes, also based on the 0.5 percent sulfur grade, C&F, lower than the premium of $4.00-$5.00 per barrel last year.

Other local news Minister of Health Dr Hilal Al-Sayer announced on the sidelines of the inauguration of the Sabah Al-Ahmed Cardiac Center that the privatization of the health sector is included in the government’s five year plan, and that the ministry has set some proposals to privatize medical projects. He added that an integrated medical city is to be built that will include three hospitals for expatriates, intended to ease the pressure on overcrowded governmental hospitals.

In a surprise move towards boosting the non-oil sector and supporting domestic liquidity and economic activity, the Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK) cut discount rate by another 50 basis points on February 7, 2010. As a result, CBK discount rate reached a low of 2.5%, which was last seen in 2003. This was the first cut entering 2010 and the seventh cut since January 2008. Thus, the CBK is continuing its ongoing loose monetary policy to go hand in hand with the expansionary fiscal policy.

In a new development on the fiscal front, preliminary figures for 2010/2011

Kuwait Stock Exchange Boubyan Bank said it received subscriptions of more than 85 percent to a share issue, which it may reopen. The capital increase was “over 85 percent covered” and the board of directors would recommend to reopen the rights issue for existing shareholders, a bank statement said.

The funds would be used for an expansion in the local market. Boubyan said last year it planned to raise its capital by 50 percent at 250fils per share. The share issue would increase the lender’s capital to about KD174.8mn. The lender’s major shareholders National Bank of Kuwait and Commercial Bank of Kuwait were among the subscribers in the rights issue, which closed on Sunday.

Gulf Finance House (GFH), Bahraini based listed in Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE), announced that it has successfully reached an agreement on a refinancing of its major debt facility. GFH has replaced its $300mn syndicated facility with a maturity date of February 10 with a new $100mn murabaha which has a tenure of six months, having repaid $200mn on the initial due date. Combined Group contracting Company has concluded the previously awarded tender No MARS/M/855-2009/2010. Accordingly, the Kuwait-based company will build and maintain roads, parks and main infrastructure networks. It will also define 2131 and 1950 plots for districts ‘D’ and ‘A’ respectively in Sabah Al-Ahmad city; a unit for the Public Authority for Housing Welfare. The 750 days tender is valued at KD32.985mn.

The Kuwaiti developer, Al-Mazaya Holding Company said it would add SR23.1mn ($6.16mn) of profit from the sale of a property in Saudi Arabia to its first quarter profits. The property was sold for SR104.6mn, the company said in a statement.

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 .4470000 .3910000 .2660000 .2660000 .2470000 .0045000 .0020000 .0781130 .7610300 .4020000 .0750000 .7460570 .0045000 .0500000

.2930000 .4560000 .4000000 .2760000 .2760000 .2570000 .0075000 .0035000 .0788980 .7686780 .4180000 .0790000 .7535550 .0072000 .0580000

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 .2876000 .4490360 .39237080 .2682660 .2682290 .0528860 .0387850 .2495220 .0370110 .2023420 .0032180 .0061840 .0025230 .0034030 .0042130 .0783410 .7632490 .4067440 .0767320 .7473850 .0062510

.2897000 .4522070 .3964880 .2701660 .2701280 .0532610 .0390590 .2512840 .0372730 .2037730 .0032400 .0062280 .0025400 .0034270 .0042430 .0788410 .7681160 .4096250 .0772210 .7521510 .0062960

US Dollar Sterling pounds Swiss Francs Saudi Riyals

TRANSFER CHEQUES RATES .2897000 .4522070 .2701660 .0772210

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 288.650 Euro 398.200 Sterling Pound 453.610

Canadian dollar Turkish lire Swiss Franc Australian dollar US Dollar Buying

271.540 191.310 271.800 252.440 286.500

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 3.234 6.191 3.392 2.512 3.881 204.000 37.180 4.175 6.234 8.719 0.301 0.292

Egyptian Pound - Cash Egyptian Pound Yemen Riyal Tunisian Dinar Jordanian Dinar Lebanese Lira Syrian Lier Morocco Dirham

ARAB COUNTRIES 56.000 52.610 1.362 210.900 407.810 195.040 6.313 35.902 GCC COUNTRIES 77.014 79.343 750.230 767.000 78.651

Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham

SELL CASH 256.400 767.460 4.470 273.800 566.700 15.800 53.800 167.800 55.910 401.100

10 Tola

GOLD 1,164.560

37.770 6.210

407.930 0.195 87.350 3.890 202.200

SELL DRAFT 254.900 767.480 4.178 272.300

204.900 52.632 399.500

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

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co.

272.500 8.890 78.740 288.600

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 Nepali rupee Yemeni Riyal Jordanian Dinars Syrian Pounds Euro Candaian Dollars

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 454.500 288.600

287.900 276.920 465.430 407.030 272.080 705.655 763.450 78.370 79.015 76.805 406.265 52.665 6.255

3.395 2.505 4.175 6.225 3.185 8.670 5.550

Currency 749.470 3.410 6.200 79.390 77.050 204.930 39.670 2.512 454.500

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

37.920 6.550 0.034 0.291 0.259 3.310 409.510 0.195 87.350 39.100 4.260 203.700 2.183 49.300 749.650 3.490 6.420 79.820 77.050 204.830 39.670 2.772 456.500 39.700 274.000 6.400 9.100 217.900 78.740 289.000 1.410

Sterling Pound US Dollar

GOLD 210.000 108.000 56.000

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

288.650 3.410 6.200 2.525 4.170 6.270 78.570 77.040 766.900 52.595 456.600 0.0000312 3.250 1.550 409.800 5.750 402.200 276.900

Al Mulla Exchange Currency US Dollar Euro Pound Sterling Canadian Dollar Japanese Yen Indian Rupee Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupee Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso Pakistan Rupee Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham Saudi Riyal *Rates are subject to change

Transfer rate 288.300 400.300 454.250 273.850 3.230 6.215 52.580 2.512 4.165 6.235 3.398 767.200 78.575 77.000

BUSINESS

Sunday, February 14, 2010

23

Bank expands Al-Yusr Islamic banking service

NBK associate IBQ opens its new branch in Qatar NBK Head of Domestic Branches Division, Sameer Al-Shayji with the first prize winner Abdulkhareem Kheder.

Abdulkhareem Kheder wins NBK’s top Al-Jawhara prize KD 125,000 KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK), the leading bank in Kuwait and the highest rated bank in the Middle East, recently announced the names of the Al-Jawhara Draw prize winners for the month of January 2010 which was conducted at NBK’s head office.

The first prize of KD 125,000 was awarded to Abdulkhareem Kheder Aayed, while the second place winner Mustafa Asili received KD 7,500.

The third place winner Ghadeer Akbar was awarded KD 3,000 while the remaining 97 winners were awarded KD 400 each.

First Al-Jawhara prize winner (KD 125,000) Abdulkareem Kheder, an employee at the Ministry of Oil with a big grin on his face said that he always had this feeling of happiness, relaxation and optimism during the month of February because it is the month of national celebrations and festivities all over Kuwait. This optimism was rewarding this year as I have won the first Al-Jawhara prize. I avail this opportunity to express my sincere thanks and gratitude for NBK.

On his part, the second prize winner Mustafa Asili, a 24-year-old Lebanese, said that it has always been his dream to see his name on the winners list of any prize and “now, thanks to NBK my life dream has come true with quite rewarding prize” Al-Jawhara account offers numerous benefits to NBK customers. It is not only an interest-free account with regular deposit and withdrawal privileges, but also automatically entitles account holders to enter the monthly Al-Jawhara draw.

Each KD 50 in an Al-Jawhara account entitles the customer to one chance at winning any one of the one-hundred prizes allocated for each draw. All prizes are automatically credited to the winners’ accounts the day after the draw. The more money held in your Al-Jawhara account, the greater your chances of winning!

Al-Jawhara accounts are available for both Kuwaitis and non-Kuwaitis and can be opened at any one of NBK’s branches around Kuwait. For further information kindly visit www.nbk.com, or call Hala Watani at 1801801.

Sr.#

Cert. No.

Al-Jawhara winners February 2010 Name of Customer

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100

027363279 033138737 039525708 017041139 018346847 105794011 014230003 039284506 045126984 054032172 018269125 018001521 104220060 013011588 059087196 047051027 040227987 016399277 047312459 054108950 011203382 032089538 065097033 009350217 023165944 016264185 018216358 048278955 065032195 038184214 015388654 039130177 026190621 107260011 013444875 039121011 039648508 102711019 000314943 015279596 053073304 012138622 040183211 054008344 062142410 100149025 018120504 019214618 047265183 102296012 012013153 062133918 047406445 018145558 011310553 005217644 016449169 080086934 047321024 021409676 004090969 054005914 055078141 047409509 047265302 055015425 007411383 061043230 038122219 005344522 028104935 048001473 036289809 014195186 009386467 016427467 042523710 013426788 055059686 026189968 008950792 106497033 072019891 013125001 012168378 047224355 027337065 004231392 021392579 012111597 071034978 047079509 017102804 065045998 012269565 008026955 103329004 028165950 000222240 000672769

Abdulkhareem Kheder Abdulla Aayed Mustafa Esmail Asili Ghadeer Akbar Jabir Akbar Fawzia Mubarak Saleh Al Falah Mansour Salman Ahmad Alostath Min. Hawra Abdulredha Kamal Abdulla Sulaiman Ahmad Alhaddad Abdulhadi Ali Khalil Alshimali Gader Mamdoh Almonje Mohammad Yousef Laila Yousef Mohammad Alothman Esraa Adnan Jawad Alsayegh Yousef Abdulreda Ali Alsaffar Ali Yousif Yaqoub Abu Gaith Sarah Abdulaziz Farhan Almubailsh Min Ahmad Mohammed Sayed Ahmad Algharabally Meshrea Aziz Meqbel Almaimouni Mohammad Soud Fares Aljowyan Jawad Hassan Abbas Khalaf Qambar Jack Antoine El Kaddoum Ibtisam Tohme Idbees Min Abdulrazaq Hamad Aldoub Mohamad Saud Ali Alshamri Khaled Mohammed Abdullsalam Mahmoud Abdullghani Ayman Fahem Saad Allah Fanous Abdullatif Abdulkhoder Abdulla Alkhabaz Refah Muhammed Menawer Alajmi Abdulaziz N M Alshammaa Min Halla Mohd Sanad Aldeihani Nizar Adnan Wannous Min. Sulaiman Ali Sulaiman Alothman Abdullah Radhi Sadiq Faleh Basema Abdulla Zamel Alzamel Michael Raafat Zaki Min Salman Faisal Ahmed Mohammad Reza Masoud Haji Ghorbankhani Nashaa Mohd Hady Alqahtani Marwa Abdulrahman Abdulla Alfarhan Aishah Ahmaad Mouhamad Yousef Abdulwahab Hasan Alqattan Abdulkarim Ebrahem Khashab Faisal Rashad Mustafa Alshawa Fadela Hasan Abdulhusain Mohammed Mohamed Fathi Sadeq Mohamed Fatema Naser Mohammad Alshemali Zamzam Ali Abdulla Bunajmah Salah Yousif Jaber Sumaya Mahmoud Mohammed Shehab Fadi Elias Khniejer Husain Qasem Husain Dashti Ali Yousef Mohamad Dashti Khadija Abdulmohsin Haji Almutawa Raed Abdulrasoul Abdulla Bu Abbas Naseer Mohameed Saber Abdulla Radeya Jasem Mohamed Alostad Naser Hasan Naseer Awadh Behbehani Hind Dakhail Abdulla Alajmi Hussam Twafiq Askhroun Ghattas Min Mariya Mohammad Hamzah Abul Abdulla Abdulfatah Abdulmohsen Alali Karuwalli Kunhi Mohammed Fatma Ali Ahmad Mohd Abdulkareem Naheed Hasan Ahmad Ali Hayat Ali Dakheel Alrashaid Shehab Ahmad Gholoum Ashkanani Imad Antoine Sarkis Waleed Khalid Ahmad Alomar Ibraheem Hindi Sameer Alshemmeri Nada Radaan Abdulla Al Radaan Wael Mahmoud Sayed Ismaeel Bahbahani Sorin Lasconi Samira Ahmad Alsayed Omar Alsayed Asem Hassan Ahmad Ashoor Almselikh Khalaf Deham Khalaf Alanizi Yousef Abdulla Alwazzan Salwa Hasan Mohamd Aldarwish Anwar Saqer Nasser Aldweilaha Khaled Athab Saleem Alenezi Bader Fahed Abdulmohsen Alturaiji Saleh Mahmoud Saleh Hasan Osama Mabrook Mohamed Aboalhadeed Majed Obied Madi Alzaboot Lina Ali Shokor Talaat Jaber Zaki Jad Alsayed Bader Jasem Mohamed Albarjas Mohamed Jawad Kazem Abdulhhssain Mohd Rana Hussain Mohamd Al Abdulrazaq Nafea Hammad Myyah Alshimiri Maasouma Ahmad Ghloum Alhindiyani Fadwa Adel Darwish Laila Abdulrasoul Abdulla Khalaf Min. Zahraa Ali Najy Albahrani Nadyah Ahmed Hussain Nadoum Laila Salem Dao Geetu Trikha Ibrahim Mohammad Abubaker Mohamed Sharhan Ramadhan Alshammari Kurien George Mammoottil Yousif Khalid Yousif Alhadad Fatemah Mohammad Akbar Bin Ali Saud Abdulaziz Khaled Albesharah

Prize 125000 7500 3000 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 400

KUWAIT: The International Bank of Qatar (IBQ), the associate bank of National Bank of Kuwait (NBK), announced recently the opening of a new dedicated retail branch in the Al Rayyan area of Doha under the patronage of Sheikh Abdullah Saud Al-Thani, Governor of Qatar Central Bank (QCB) and “Following the remarkable success of the launch of our Islamic banking service last year, we are delighted to further strengthen the Al-Yusr network,” said IBQ. “The branch network expansion is part of our ongoing commitment to enhance the range and quality of our Islamic offering and to facilitate accessibility for our clients”, IBQ added.

Recent reports suggest Islamic banking assets, worldwide, rose by over 25 per cent in 2009. This is significant growth for a period that saw continued strains on the banking sector, as a result of the global financial crisis. Indeed, Qatar and the wider GCC region continue to be the epicenter for Islamic finance, driving much of the demand for Islamic banking services. We are confident that our product strategy strongly positions us to not only meet these demands, but also lead innovation and further sophistication 2009,” said IBQ. “The past year of Islamic banking in the has been especially significant for us, having launched four Middle East.

The new branch, located on new products in the final quarAl-Shafi Street in Al-Rayyan, ter, a period which also saw will offer the full range of customer base double. The new Islamic banking services avail- branch at Al-Rayyan is ideally able. These include current, located to serve this fast growsavings and term deposit ing business and residential hub accounts, consumer and per- of Doha, while providing easier sonal finance solutions, in addi- access and a range of specialtion to Elite and Private bank- ized services for its existing customers. ing services.

“Our product pipeline for Al-Yusr Islamic Banking Islamic Banking Service already offers eight Al-Yusr products in the retail segment Service continues to be robust, with more products planned for with new products ready for launch in 2010, including credit launch in 2010. Having already card solutions and online bank- developed a full range of solutions, we are now focused on ing services.

“The retail division of Al- further expanding and enhancYusr Islamic Banking Service ing our product portfolio as well has been witnessing strong as strengthening our network growth ever since it com- by adding new branches,” said menced operations in May IBQ.

in line with its ongoing commitment to expand its network, Al-Yusr Islamic banking service of IBQ. The opening ceremony was attended by Ibrahim Dabdoub, NBK Group CEO & Vice Chairman of IBQ, and other members of the board.

Opening of the new branch.

IBQ New Branch.

Saudi Dar Al-Arkan issues $450 million 5-year sukuk Dar raises less than bankers expected RIYADH: Saudi home builder Dar Al-Arkan said it raised a lower-than-expected $450 million from a sukuk sale that was priced at 10.75 percent, the first issue from the region since Dubai’s debt problems jolted global markets.

The five-year Islamic bond was the fourth issue from Saudi Arabia’s biggest property developer by market value and the first international issue from the Gulf Arab region in 2010 since Dubai World rocked global markets on Nov. 25 with plans to request a delay on repaying $26 billion in debt.

Bankers said Dar wanted to raise at least $500 million and up to $700 million. A banking source told Reuters on Thursday that the new sukuk was priced at 11 percent.

Dar wants to use proceeds from the latest sukuk to finance 2.7 billion riyals of capital expenditure during 2010, a prospectus for investors showed.

Standard and Poor’s assigned in January a BB- to both Dar Al-Arkan’s long-term rating and to its sukuk issue which it said will be for an amount in line with previous issuance.

Bankers said they expected the new bond to be used to refinance a $600 million sukuk due in mid-February. There had been speculation the sale could be delayed due to the market turbulence caused by Greece’s fiscal woes that have hit emerging markets.

The bond was also the first 144a bond issued by a Saudi firm. There has been an

Air Arabia Q4 net profit falls 15.2% DUBAI: UAE-based low-cost carrier Air Arabia’s fourth-quarter net profit fell 15.2 percent, but beat most analysts’ forecasts, while its full-year profit declined 11.3 percent.

Fourth quarter profit was 115.4 million dirhams ($31.43 million) according to Reuters calculations, down from 136 million dirhams in the same period last year, while full-year profit attributable to shareholders was at 452 million dirhams, it said in a statement yesterday.

Analysts polled by Reuters had expected an average that Air Arabia post a fourth quarter profit of 106.80 million dirhams. The Arab world’s largest listed airline will begin operations at its third hub in Egypt in the first half of 2010, it said.

Air Arabia carried 4.1 million passengers in 2009, up 14.2 percent from 3.6 million passengers last year, while the airline’s seat load factor stood at 80 percent.

Turnover in 2009 fell 4.5 percent to 2 billion dirhams, the firm said. The company’s chief executive Adel Ali said in October he did not see yields improving until the beginning of the first quarter of 2010.

Air Arabia faces growing competition in the Gulf Arab region from rivals including Kuwait’s Jazeera Airways and Dubai-owned flydubai, but also from bigger carriers struggling to cope with a sharp drop in international passenger travel. The airline, set up around six years ago, already has a hub flying from Morocco as it looks at diversify away from increased pressure in its home market. It has an order of 44 A320s from Airbus. —Reuters

increase in Gulf Arab corporate and quasisovereign issuers opting for 144a types of issues, which are regulated under the US securities commission allowing US investors to buy into the issue.

Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs and Unicorn Investment Bank arranged the sale. The roadshow for the bond was held in the Middle East, Europe, Asia and the United States. Before this issue, Dar’s total borrowings rose to 8.35 billion riyals in 2009, up from 7.64 billion riyals in 2008.

The firm will have to repay 2.7 billion riyals before the end of 2010, its financial statements showed.

It will also need to repay 600 million in 2011 and 5.05 billion riyals between 2012 and 2014. —Reuters

Saudi Hollandi, ANB make highest loan provision RIYADH: Saudi Hollandi Bank and Arab National Bank (ANB) made the highest quarterly provisions in 2009 for credit losses during the fourth quarter, stock exchange data showed yesterday.

Saudi Hollandi, partly owned by Royal Bank of Scotland, booked 753.5 million riyals ($200.9 million) during the fourth quarter to cover loan losses, the data showed.

ANB, the Saudi affiliate of Jordanbased Arab Bank, set aside 346.8 million riyals for the same purpose during the period. This brings to 526.6 million riyals the total amount of provisions ANB made in 2009 to cover loan losses against 60.3 million riyals in 2008.

Hollandi has made loan loss provisions of 1.25 billion riyals in 2009 against 77.6 million riyals in 2008, based on the stock exchange data. —Reuters

BUSINESS

24

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Kuwait equities bounce back on blue-chips KUWAIT: Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) managed to register significant weekly gains for the past week, backed by active purchase transactions on number of blue-chips, which continued to dominate the course of trading for the second consecutive week. Trading activity during last week was more logical, as the market grew relying on internal incentives after being nonreactive to positive factor once news of negative impact were present, regardless of its origin.

KSE ignored the sharp declines suffered by global financial markets, especially in the eurozone, in the week before, which negatively affected almost all GCC stock markets at the beginning of the week. And despite the increase in profit taking activities in the last trading sessions, KSE managed to remain stable and maintain all recorded gains of the first days of the week. Support for this recorded growth came from Central Bank of Kuwait’s decision to reduce the discount rate by 50 basis points to 2.50%, a step that is aimed to provide a boost for the growth of the economy. In addi-

BAYAN INVESTMENT WEEKLY MARKET REPORT tion, traders reacted positively to news pertaining to market leading companies, while oil prices witnessed an increase during the week.

KSE price index overcame the 7,100 points level on the first day of the week after several weeks of fluctuations around the 7,000 points barrier. Weighted index, on the other hand, surpassed the 400 points level during the last trading session of the week, but was not able to remain above it, as it closed at 399.99 points, registering a 5.27% weekly gain, whereas the price index closed at 7,177.0 points, up by 1.59% from the week before closing. Furthermore, growth in KSE’s main indices was accompanied by a noticeable increase in trading indicators after witnessing a decline for two consecutive weeks. Average of daily turnover grew by 44.69% to reach KD 85.07 million, where-

as trading volume average amounted to 511.40 million shares, at an increase of 17.70% compared to previous week’s levels.

Sectors’ indices All of KSE’s sectors ended last week in the green zone except for one sector. Last week’s highest gainer was the Food sector, achieving 2.84% growth rate as its index closed at 4,522.4 points. Whereas, in the second place, the Investment sector’s index closed at 5,544.1 points recording 2.51% increase. The Banks sector came in third as its index achieved 2.24% growth, ending the week at 8,493.7 points. The Non-Kuwaiti companies sector was the least growing as its index closed at 7,347.4 points with a 0.58% increase. On the other hand, the Insurance sector was last

week’s only loser as its index declined by 1.78% to end the week’s activity at 2,783.0 points.

Sectors’ activity The services sector dominated total trade volume during last week with 768.32 million shares changing hands, representing 30.05% of the total market trading volume. The Investment sector was second in terms trading volume as the sector’s traded shares were 25.31% of last week’s total trading volume, with a total of 647.17 million shares. On the other hand, the Services sector’s stocks where the highest traded in terms of value; with a turnover of KD 166.37 million or 39.11% of last week’s total market trading value.

The Investment sector took the second place as the sector’s last week turnover of KD 72.47 mil-

lion represented 17.04% of the total market trading value.

Market capitalization KSE total market capitalization grew by 5.01% during last week to reach KD 30.53 billion, as all of KSE’s sectors recorded an increase in their respective market capitalization except for one sector. The Services sector headed the growing sectors as its total market capitalization reached KD 8.22 billion, increasing by 11.94%.

The Food sector was the second in terms of recorded growth with 7.44% increase after the total value of its listed companies reached KD 751.52 million. The third place was for the Industry sector, which total market capitalization reached KD 2.69 billion by the end of the week, recording an increase of 3.38%. The NonKuwaiti companies sector was the least growing with 0.46% recorded growth after its market capitalization amounted to KD 3.05 billion. On the other hand, the Insurance sector was last week’s only decliner as its total market capitalization decreased by 2.03% to reach, by the end of the week, KD 330.83 million.

BUSINESS

Sunday, February 14, 2010

25

Amid Toyota recalls, workers rally to save US jobs SAN JOSE, California: Dozens of workers rallied to save a California auto plant where more than 4,600 people could lose their jobs if Toyota stops production at the end of March.

Labor leaders said closing the New United Motor Manufacturing Inc plant — the sole remaining automobile assembly plant in California — would be the worst thing Toyota could do while it struggles to regain consumer confidence after several recalls.

“Killing American jobs won’t help Toyota regain public support or revive its sales. Toyota must reverse its decision,” said AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka. In recent weeks, Toyota’s reputation has been hurt by the global recall of 8.5 million vehicles and questions about how quickly the giant automaker responded to safety problems.

Michael Goss, a spokesman for Toyota, said in a statement that there

were no plans to change the company’s decision to stop ordering from the plant after March 31. He also defended the company’s record on jobs, saying Toyota directly and indirectly employs more than 172,000 workers and dealership personnel in North America, including several thousand in California. The demonstration kicked off a nationwide campaign urging the Japanese carmaker to save the plant, said Bob King, vice president of

the United Auto Workers. The rally was held inside a nearby union hall.

The Fremont facility was established in 1984 as a joint venture between Toyota and General Motors Corp. Toyota builds its Corolla cars and Tacoma pickup trucks at the plant.

GM built its Pontiac Vibe station wagon there until last August, when it shed its share of the operation during bankruptcy reorganization.

State officials warn that thousands

of other Californians who work at regional parts suppliers also could lose their jobs if the plant closes.

California Treasurer Bill Lockyer said the number of lost jobs could reach 50,000. At the rally, Lockyer announced the formation of a commission to study the impact of the pending closure on California’s economy.

Goss said the decision to halt production was difficult, but necessary

after GM withdrew from the venture, which he said “severely undermined the economic viability of the plant and precipitated this situation.”

“While (the plant) is an independent company, we remain committed to working closely with all those involved to make the transition as smooth as possible,” he said. Lance Tomasu, a spokesman for the plant, said the factory was grateful when Toyota provided an additional seven

months of orders last year.

“They provided our team members additional time and compensation, and that will help them make the transition smoother,” Tomasu said, noting the plant was originally intended to operate for just 12 years.

Fremont, located at the edge of Silicon Valley north of San Jose, is seeking federal grant money to study how best to develop the 370 acres now occupied by the plant. —AP

Obama hopes automaker to overcome crisis

Toyota faces new woes with Tacoma truck recall FERMONT: Marissa Perez and her brother Austin hold up signs for their father’s job during a rally at the United Auto Workers Hall that hoped to persuade Toyota not to close its New United Motor Manufacturing Inc automobile assembly plant Friday in Fremont, California. —AP

Volkswagen recalls 20,000 cars in Mexico MEXICO CITY: German automaker Volkswagen said it was recalling some 20,000 cars in Mexico, a day after it announced the recall of nearly 200,000 cars in Brazil over potential wheel malfunctions.

The company said the recall in Mexico had been ordered over the “possibility that the rear wheel bearings could be insufficiently lubricated, causing then to make noise.” “If the situation is not addressed, it could cause the wheel bearings to lock,” the company said in a statement released by its Puebla factory.

The company said it was recalling “approximately 20,000 cars,” all of them Gol and Gol Sedan models, the statement said. A day earlier,

the company said it was recalling nearly 200,000 of its Novo Gol and Voyage model cars in Brazil over the same issue.

Volkswagen Brazil said on its website that 193,620 Novo Gol and Voyage cars were at risk of not having sufficient lubrication on its rear wheels, which “can cause noise and continuous use could lead to a blockage of the wheels.”

“In extreme cases, the wheel can come off,” it said. The announcements follow a massive worldwide recall by Toyota over accelerator and brake problems, and another by rival Japanese maker Honda in North America, Japan, Taiwan and Australia of models with a dangerous airbag fault. —AFP

WASHINGTON: Toyota faced new woes Friday with another recall-this time drive pickups in the United States to inspect the front drive shaft. “The front involving its Tacoma pickup trucks — after US President Barack Obama shaft in these vehicles may include a component that contains cracks that warned carmakers not to drag their feet on beefing up vehicle safety. Toyota developed during the manufacturing process,” said a statement by Toyota said it was voluntarily recalling 8,000 of the 2010 model Tacoma four-wheel Motor Sales, USA. “As those vehicles are used, the cracks may eventually lead to the separation of the drive shaft at the joint portion,” it added. The Tacoma trouble is the latest embarrassment for the world’s biggest automaker, which has recalled millions of vehicles in past months due to problems linked to accelerator and brake functions.

Those recalls cover models with “sticky accelerators” that cause cars to race out of control, a defect cited in several deadly crashes, and has widened to brake system problems in the Prius and other hybrid models.

In his first public remarks on Toyota’s deepening defect crisis, Obama warned carmakers their brands were at risk if they dragged their feet on safety recalls.

Obama noted that Toyota was now under federal investigation over its recalls but predicted the company, which has supplanted the bailed out US giant General Motors as global industry leader, would recover from its present troubles.

“Every automaker has an obligation when public safety is a FORT LAUDERDALE: Used Toyota Prius are seen on the Al Henrickson Toyota Dealer sales lot in Coconut concern to come forward quickly Creek, Florida. The dealership stands ready to help buyers of the Prius after Toyota announced that it is recalland decisively when problems ing the 2010 Prius and other hybrid vehicles worldwide to fix brake problems. —AFP are identified,” Obama said in an interview with Bloomberg BusinessWeek magazine, due to go on sale Friday.

“We don’t yet know whether that happened with Toyota.

That’s going to be investigated,” he said.

“My hope is that, moving forward, all automakers recognize that their brands are at stake when it comes to safety issues.”

Obama said the Japanese LONDON: The trio of top executives at and other governments supported the crisis. The investment bank increased giant was likely to recover from base salaries for investment bankers durBritish bank Barclays, including Chief industry. its woes, which have left the Barclays declined to comment. It has ing 2009, which it said was in line with Executive John Varley and President Bob company staring at recall-relatDiamond, will forgo a cash bonus for 2009, said it will follow G20 guidelines on G20 proposals to change the structure of ed costs of at least two billion pay. reforming pay structures. a person familiar with the matter said. dollars and triggered a plunge in It is expected to implement other Barcalys Capital, the investment bank The three executives on the board, its share price. which also includes Finance Director headed by Diamond, is expected to cut measures including paying more of a The Tacoma pickup shafts Chris Lucas, are set to take all their 2009 the ratio it pays staff as a percentage of bonus in shares spread over several were built by supplier Dana bonus in shares spread over several revenue to about 38 pct for 2009, from 44 years with an ability to claw back some of Corp from December until early the payment. years. The move follows a backlash pct in 2008. this month, a US government Barclays is set to post an annual profit It paid about 2.3 billion pounds ($3.61 against bonuses among the public and official said, speaking on condipoliticians. Barclays did not take any billion) in compensation last year, repre- of about 11 billion pounds next week, tion of anonymity. direct state help during the financial cri- senting about 44 percent of income, up potentially the highest for any bank outDana told the National sis, but will seek to head off potential from a ratio of 41 percent in 2007 before side China thanks to gains on the sale of Highway Transportation Safety anger at big payouts so soon after Britain revenues were depressed by the financial its asset management arm. —Reuters Administration, a government agency, that it was going to handle the shaft recall on vehicles built for automakers Ford, Toyota and Nissan, the official said. This was “because they had discovered a defect in their manufacturing process,” the official said.

“So it looks like, out of caution, Toyota decided to submit its own recall notification to us because technically, the vehicle manufacturer is responsible for recalls.”

Separately, Toyota said in a letter to US lawmakers that it would investigate complaints on the Tacoma relating to “engine idle speed changes when the vehicle is stopped and high idle speed when the engine is cold.”

Also to be probed were complaints on “cruise control downshifting behavior, engine speed changes when shifting (manual transmission) and lurching when a vehicle is coming to a stop.”

Amid the series of recalls, Toyota said Friday it was studying the possibility of a new override system to deactivate engines as an extra safety layer in emergency situations.

“Toyota is considering adding a multiple tap function to the start/stop button for vehicles produced in the future,” said Toyota spokesman Brian Lyons. The fix could make it easier to turn off engines in cases of accelerator malfunctions in cars with keyless ignition systems. —AFP

Barclays trio of top execs to forgo 2009 cash bonus

RIO DE JANEIRO: Volkswagen Novo Gol and Voyage cars sit outside of a showroom in Rio de Janeiro. Volkswagen announced it was recalling 193,620 vehicles in Brazil because of a lubrication problem with the rear wheels that could cause them to seize or fall off. —AFP

FMs failed to heed Greek crisis: Juncker BERLIN: Euro-zone finance ministers failed to pay enough attention to Greece’s economic crisis, Eurogroup chairman JeanClaude Juncker said yesterday, calling it “quite a serious error.”

He also told the German daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung that “uncontrollable” consequences would result if Greece were to quit the euro-zone, and pledged to keep Athens up to the mark in its efforts to reduce its yawning deficit.

Juncker, the prime minister of Luxembourg, said the Eurogroup, the panel of finance ministers whose countries use the single European currency, would monitor “much more intensively and severely” the performance of its members.

“We are not going to let the Greeks alone,” he said. “We are going to ask them constantly where they are at in their reform programs.”

Juncker also warned that “a monetary zone cannot last for long if the differences in performance of the various national economies get too great.”

If Greece were forced to abandon the euro, “the effects would be like an earthquake, uncontrollable”, he said, triggering an “extremely negative” reaction from the markets.”

The European Commission said Friday it was preparing new measures to boost coordination among euro-zone member countries and supervise their economic policies in light of the Greek debt crisis.

“The critical lesson from this crisis is that we urgently need deeper and broader surveillance of economic policies, including earlier detection and tackling of imbalances, in order to better safeguard the macro-financial stability of the euro area,” EU Monetary Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn said.

“The commission will soon come forward with proposals to further strengthen the coordination and the surveillance of national economic policies within the euro area,” he said in a statement.

The measures could form part of a broader package of pro-

posals being drawn up by the EU’s executive arm on the 27nation bloc’s mid- and long-term economic strategy.

A pledge Thursday by EU leaders to help Athens battle its debt, while failing to offer any cash, has failed to convince currency markets, with the euro falling to 1.3532 dollars, its lowest level in nearly nine months, on Friday in London.

While other euro-zone members, notably Spain, Portugal and Ireland, are struggling under a debt mountain, most fears centre on Greece, which had a deficit of 12.7 percent of output in 2009 and debt of 113 percent.

New figures also showed economic growth in the 16nation bloc had slowed to a meager 0.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2009, data agency Eurostat said. The figures showed that recovery in Germany, Europe’s biggest economy, had stopped, the Italian economy went back into contraction, and in Greece recession deepened to shrink by 0.8 percent. —AFP

26

BUSINESS

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Greek drama plays out on Wall Street NEW YORK: US stocks could struggle to make headway this week if a meeting of European finance ministers fails to reassure markets that they can contain Greece’s debt problems.

Greece’s financing problems have focused investors’ attention on the growing mountain of public debt as cash-strapped governments around the world spend their way out of recession. The fear is Greece’s problems could spread, hurting financial markets. Finance ministers from the euro zone will meet tomorrow, when US markets are closed for the Presidents Day holiday, followed by finance ministers from the rest of the European Union on Tuesday.

“What the market wants to hear is

that there is a viable remedy,” said Quincy Krosby, market strategist with Prudential Financial in Newark, New Jersey. “The market will be anticipating how other problems will be handled. Can the solution be applied to the problems that may crop up in Spain, Portugal, Italy (and Ireland) because traders believe the aftershocks are not over.”

While international headlines continue to grab investors’ attention, the plight of the US economy has taken a back seat. That may change during the week with a government report on housing starts as well as the latest industrial output figures on Wednesday. For the week the Dow industrials and the S&P 500 rose 0.9

WALL STREET WEEKLY OUTLOOK percent, while Nasdaq added 2 percent.

Still, the broad-based S&P 500 is now down 6.5 percent since hitting a 15month closing high on Jan. 19.

Some US investors have been comparing Greece’s debt woes to the bankruptcy of US investment bank Lehman Brothers, which sent markets into a tail spin in September 2008. European government sources have been sending mixed signals to markets, suggesting a lack of consensus about how to prevent Greece’s debt problems from ballooning. One source said the region’s finance ministers were unlikely to put together an aid package next week.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc is set to report its quarterly scorecard on Thursday.

The world’s biggest retailer is seen as a bellwether for the economy, and markets prize forward-looking commentary from its executives. Wal-Mart’s quarterly results will also show whether the company gained ground during the critical holiday sales period and if its retail strategy is holding onto its shoppers.

Wal-Mart is seen posting fourthquarter profit of $1.12 per share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. A series of smaller retailers will also start reporting earnings next week. They include Abercrombie &

Fitch Co on Tuesday and JCPenney on Friday.

In total they could provide a valuable insight into the mood of consumers, who account for two-thirds of US economic activity.

On Friday China hiked bank reserve requirements for the second time in as many months as it aims to cool its economy. That worried investors counting on buoyant demand from a driving force of the world recovery. In the United States manufacturing and housing will be in focus during next week.

US housing starts are expected to rise to 580,000 in January, according to

a Reuters poll, after an unexpected fall in the previous month. Investors are concerned that an end to the home credit later this year could undermine a housing recovery. Industrial production is expected to increase 0.7 percent in January. That would continue the steady uptick of recent months and be grist to the mill for those predicting a strong turnaround in the economy.

As more economic data emerges investors will be casting a wary eye in the direction of the Federal Reserve as it gauges when to raise interest rates.

Chairman Ben Bernanke on Wednesday detailed how the US central bank will begin to wean the economy off its extraordinary monetary stimulus, presenting another headache for

markets.

That will likely eclipse the release of minutes from the Fed’s most recent policy meeting. Markets usually look to the minutes for an insight into the Fed’s thinking on the economy.

This week a series of regional Fed officials are set to speak. Although markets see them as secondary in importance to Bernanke the general tone could affect markets at the margins.

Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City President Thomas Hoenig speaks on “Knocking on the Central Bank’s Door” on Tuesday. Hoenig received attention recently for arguing the Fed should drop its commitment to keep interest rates at very low levels for an “extended period.” —Reuters

Grain production expected to hit 217m tons this season

Indian economic output shows signs of recovery NEW DELHI: Industrial output in India grew by 16.8 percent in December 2009, which is said to be the fastest in 20 years, and food grain production in the forthcoming harvest season (March and April), is likely to be around 217

million tons, which higher than earlier projections. The foodgrains production is only seven percent lower than last year, whereas it was predicted that there would be a decline of 18 percent in this sector this season.

According to the Second Advance Estimates of production of major crops grown in the country, total rice output this year would be around 87.56 million tons, wheat 80.28 million tons, coarse cereals 34.27 million tons, maize 17.30 million tons, and pulses 14.74 million tons. The latest estimates of foodgrains production are based on the feedback received from the states and validated with information available from other sources.

Farm output estimates are likely to help in checking food prices, which have surged in recent months, partly on fears of shortage.

The annual food inflation rate touched an 11-year record of 19.95 percent in the first week of December 2009.

In the industrial sector, consumer durables producMUMBAI: Governor of the Bank of France, Christian Noyer takes a sip of water during the First International tion surged by 46 percent in Research Conference 2010, during the First International Research Conference - 2010 in Mumbai. Organized by December. This shows that the Reserve Bank of India, the International Research Conference with the theme ‘Challenges to Central Banking there is a great demand of in the Context of Financial Crisis’ will deal with a variety of issues that could redefine the role of central banks. — items like televisions, refrigerators, and other appliances in the Indian economy, which, in turn, shows signs of economic revival in the aftermath of two-year global NEW YORK: Interest rates fell in the bond Group, L.P. A report Thursday showed about the plan. Similar problems in Spain meltdown. The capital goods market Friday after China said it would inflation was fairly benign in China. It was and Portugal have also sparked concerns increase reserve requirements for its banks. the second time in a month China boosted that mounting debt among the 16 nations production also grew by 39 The yield on the 10-year Treasury note banks’ reserve requirements. As happened that use the euro will undermine Europe’s percent in December as maturing in November 2019, a benchmark before, investors exited riskier investments shared currency. compared to a year ago, a In other trading, the yield on the 30-year for interest rates on many consumer loans, like stocks and commodities and bought up sign companies are expandfell to 3.70 percent in late trading from 3.73 safer government-backed bonds and the dol- bond maturing in February 2040 fell to 4.65 ing factory capacities to percent Thursday. Its price rose 7/32 to 99 lar. The Dow Jones industrial average percent from 4.67 percent. Its price rose meet rising demands.

12/32.

China surprised investors by ended down 45 points but had fallen as much 11/32 to 99 17/32.

Taking this data into conThe yield on the two-year note that announcing the country’s banks will have to as 160 after the announcement. Coard said sideration, it is widely hold more money in reserve. The rule is there is also uncertainty surrounding sover- matures in January 2012 fell to 0.84 percent expected that the Indian aimed at containing growth so speculative eign debt in Europe, which often leads from 0.88 percent, while its price rose 2/32 economy would achieve investors to stash money in safe invest- to 100 2/32. investment bubbles don’t form. growth rate of “8 percent The yield on the three-month T-bill Traders are “surprised China is taking ments. plus,” more than expectaEuropean Union leaders on Thursday that matures May 13 was unchanged at actions tantamount to tightening credit,” said David Coard, director of fixed income pledged to provide support for debt-bur- 0.09 percent. Its discount rate was 0.09 tions of 7.5-8 percent till a sales and trading at the Williams Capital dened Greece, but there were few details percent. —AP month ago. —KUNA

Interest rates fall as investors seek safety

Japanese banks may drop merger plan TOKYO: Japan’s Shinsei Bank Ltd and Aozora Bank Ltd — two midsize lenders with major US shareholders — could call off their plan to merge later this year amid differences over management, strategy and system integration, news reports said yesterday. The two companies announced the merger plan in July, saying the combined entity would be Japan’s sixth-largest bank with assets of about 18 trillion yen ($200.7 billion). However, Japan’s leading Nikkei business newspaper said yesterday the banks have been unable to bridge differences over management policy or come up with a growth strategy. Kyodo News agency also reported they are at odds over how to integrate their banking systems, and what their core banking business should be.

The Nikkei quoted executives it did not identify from both banks for its report. Kyodo quoted sources it did not name. Kyodo said if an agreement cannot be reached, the banks may drop the merger and pursue independent paths. The Nikkei said the banks are considering whether to call off the merger or postpone it indefinitely.

Shinsei Bank said in a statement on its Web site it had no comment. Aozora Bank could not immediately be reached. A group of investors, including affiliates of US private equity firm J C Flowers & Co, holds a 32.5 percent stake in Shinsei, while an entity of Cerberus Capital Management LP, also of the US, owns 45.5 percent of Aozora shares, according to information posted on the Web sites of the two banks.

Shinsei and Aozora said in July the merger would take effect in October 2010. Hit by restructuring costs and fruitless overseas investments, Shinsei reported a net loss of 143 billion yen last fiscal year through March 31, 2009. Aozora posted a net loss of 242.5 billion yen.

The banks have returned to profitability so far this year, however, with Shinsei reporting a net profit of 22.2 billion yen in the first nine months of the fiscal year through Dec. 31. Aozora reported net profit of 7.3 billion yen for the same period.

The Japanese government bailed out the predecessors of both banks during a domestic banking crisis in the 1990s. —AP

Mexico seeks to boost trade with EU, trim reliance on US

MEXICO CITY: Mexico’s President Felipe Calderon gestures while speaking in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. —AP

MEXICO CITY: Mexican President Felipe Calderon said that his country must reduce its economic dependence on neighboring United States and seek greater trade opportunities with Europe.

Standing beside visiting Prince Andrew of Britain, Calderon said that “a key strategy for Mexico is to diversify its trade and investment (and) reduce its dependence on the United States.

“The opportunity is primarily in the European Union,” Calderon told reporters. The president confidently stated that the Duke of York’s threeday visit would help “strengthen the bonds of cooperation and promote better mutual investment” between Mexico and Britain.

More than 80 percent of Mexico’s foreign trade is with its northern neighbor the United States, a movement of goods that has soared since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was implemented along with Canada in 1994.

The Mexican economy, the second largest in Latin America behind Brazil, shrank by around 6.8 percent in 2009, in a drop spurred by the US economic crisis, according to official figures released late last month.

According to a recent UN study, Mexico’s gross domestic product will grow by three percent this year, while the Bank of Mexico projects a rise of between 2.5 and 3.5 percent. —AFP

NEW YORK: Charles Solomon with Barclays Capital (left) works at his post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Friday. Stocks skidded Friday after China said for the second time in a month it would force its banks to slow down their lending. —AP

Belgium, Slovakia, Malta to lend to IMF WASHINGTON: The International Monetary Fund said that it had signed agreements to borrow a total of $7.2 billion from three euro-zone members-Belgium, Slovakia and Malta.

The agreements are part of the European Union’s pledge in March 2009, as the global economic crisis raged, to boost IMF lending capacity, the Washington-based institution said in a statement.

The EU initially had promised to lend up to 75 billion euros, at the time equal to

about $100 billion, then later expanded it by 50 billion euros, the IMF said. The Group of 20 developed and developing countries had vowed at a London summit last April to triple the IMF’s resources so that it could help its 186 member nations cope with the worst global recession since World War II. As part of these commitments, the IMF said it had signed agreements to be able to borrow $6.4 billion (4.7 billion euros) from Belgium, $600 million (440 million euros)

from Slovakia and $165 million (120 million euros) from Malta.

The combined amount totals about $7.2 billion (5.3 billion euros). To date, the new loan arrangements bring the full amount of EU loans available to the IMF to $65.4 billion (48 billion euros).

Fifteen IMF member states, including 10 EU states, have signed agreements to either lend directly to the IMF or buy its bonds. Another 26 countries have said they would contribute to the fund’s resources. —AFP

Sunday, February 14, 2010

TECHNOLOGY

27

Nokia launches revolutionary Comes with Music? service with the new X6 phone

By Shakir Reshamwala BEIRUT: Four million tracks.

For free. For keeps. This is what Nokia promised at a glitzy event in this pulsating city on Feb 10 with the launch of ‘Comes with Music’, a groundbreaking service which introduces a revolutionary way for people to discover and enjoy music in the Middle East. Comes With Music gives people a year of unlimited access to the entire a la carte Ovi Music catalog with the ability to keep all downloaded tracks even after the year is over.

The Middle East launch covers 11 markets that include Kuwait, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestinian Territories, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman. With the purchase of the new Nokia X6 Comes With Music edition, users will have access to a music catalog of an estimated four million tracks from the biggest international and regional labels that people will be able to download for free. The device with the service will be commercially available the first week of March, for an estimated price of $600 (KD 173) before taxes.

“Nobody sells more music devices on the planet than Nokia,” said Jake Larsen, Head of Music, Nokia Middle East and Africa. “Our devices are already very capable music devices, with 3.5 mm headphone jacks and various accessories. When it comes to music, mobile phones have become a major ‘consumption platform’, and Nokia creates a compelling experience,” he said. “The proposition is simple: you get four million tracks, for free, for keeps.

You can enjoy the music on the Nokia X6 device or your dedicated PC. The songs are yours to keep. So after the year is complete, the licenses do not expire and you can continue to enjoy all of your music,” Larsen added.

Music is provided by all major international and regional labels including Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music, EMI Music, Rotana, Mazzika, Melody Music, Platinum Records, and leading content aggregator The Orchard, as well as thousands of independent labels.

The content covers a cross section of Western and Arabic music, as well as Bollywood and other regional catalogues.

“Music is everywhere.

The problem is of access how can the Arab user have access to music,” asked Ayman Chalhoub, Head of Retail Sales for Music at Nokia. “Downloading songs is unreliable and the files may not be compatible with your computer. The music could

(From left) Nemr Abou Nassar, an American-Lebanese standup comedian and the event’s compere, Jake Larsen, Head of Music, Nokia Middle East and Africa, Ayman Chalhoub, Head of Retail Sales for Music at Nokia, and other Nokia officials are seen at the launch of Nokia’s “Comes With Music” service and the new X6 phone. – Photos by Shakir Reshamwala be of poor quality and illegal too. Similarly, music stores have a limited selection of CDs and there’s no option of ‘cherry picking’ individual tracks. The experience is broken,” he said.

“We are happy to offer a broad catalog of music from international artists but also the widest range of music from regional artists that we believe presents the best music service in the region.

We believe that Comes With Music will transform the way people enjoy music here.

With unlimited access to the a la carte Ovi Music catalog for a year, you can enjoy your favorite artists or delve into new genres without having to worry about individual track or album purchases,” Chalhoub assured. “We have provided the Arab region a tool to download music from anywhere in the world. The music will be totally legal, virus-free and with complete metadata.

Capable of playing up to 35 hours of music, the Nokia X6 is a powerful entertainment device, combining 16 GB of on-board memory with a slick 3.2” finger touch interface.

The Nokia X6 has a 16:9 widescreen optimised for photos, videos and browsing.

With direct access to Ovi Store, the Nokia X6 is a hive of activity that brings 20 friends and virtual communities, like Facebook, to your homescreen.

“The Nokia X6 and Comes With Music is a powerful combination, enabling music fans to download all the music they could ever want -

The new Nokia X6 ‘Comes With Music’ edition.

The Ovi Music catalog is seen on the screen of a laptop along with the new Nokia X6.

quickly, easily and for free.

We’re giving people convenient access to and ownership of a vast music library and an exciting new touchscreen device to play their music on,” added Chalhoub.

So what do music labels think of Come With Music?

Yousef Mugharbil, Head of Digital Media at Rotana, was upbeat. “For every dollar we sell, we lose a dollar to privacy. So such a service is important for us, and the whole music industry will benefit from it. We won’t be able to completely eradicate piracy, but ... we want our music to be available in a legal way. We also hope to give our artistes more out-

reach,” he added.

Melhem Zein, a wellknown Pan-Arab Lebanese singer, concurred. “It’s good that the singers and lyricists will be represented. All

Nassar.

Nokia Comes With Music is now available on altogether 27 markets worldwide, including Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestinian Territories, Iraq,

artistes should support this service.” Zein then performed for media representatives and other officials in the audience to rousing ovation. Other acts also followed as the night progressed. The event was hosted by American-Lebanese standup comedian Nemr Abou

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman, as well as Australia, Austria, Brazil, Finland, Germany, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, Spain and Russia.

Well-known Lebanese singer Melhem Zein performs for the crowd, watched by Yousef Mugharbil, Head of Digital Media at Rotana (right).

American-Lebanese standup comedian Nemr Abou Nassar hosts the show.

Journalists from Kuwait and the Gulf, including this writer(second right), are seen at the launch.

28

HEALTH & SCIENCE

Sunday, February 14, 2010

British university orders climate science review LONDON: The British university embroiled in an email row ordered a review of its climate researchers’ work after accusations they distorted or hid evidence to support the case for man-made global warming.

The University of East Anglia said external investigators will check papers published by its Climatic Research Unit, one of the world’s leading sources of data on changing

temperatures. The centre, which has contributed to UN climate reports, is already under investigation after hackers broke into its computer network and stole emails that critics cite as evidence that scientists manipulated, suppressed and hyped climate data.

More than 1,000 leaked emails were put on the internet last November, leading to a police inves-

tigation into who stole them and doubts about climate science’s accuracy and reliability.

Britain’s most senior climate scientists say the row has dented public confidence in the evidence that underpins man’s role in raising global temperatures to dangerous levels.

“It is in the interests of all concerned that there should be an additional assessment considering the

science itself,” Professor Trevor Davies, the university’s pro-vice chancellor for research, said in a statement.

The Royal Society, Britain’s national academy of science, said it will help find external reviewers to work on the case.

“It is important that people have the utmost confidence in the science of climate change,” the society’s

president Martin Rees said in a statement. Another team of scientists, funded by the university, will investigate the research centre’s working practices, handling of data and its response to requests made under Britain’s freedom of information laws. Chairman Sir Muir Russell, a former government bureaucrat, said his team must decide which of “tens of thousands” of emails they will

have to check in a review due to report in the Spring. In one email, reprinted in newspapers, Kevin Trenberth, a climatologist at the U.S. National Center for Atmospheric Research, wrote: “The fact is that we can’t account for the lack of warming at the moment and it is a travesty that we can’t.”

The U.N.’s last climate change report helped to underpin a global cli-

mate response which included pressure for deep carbon emissions cuts in the United States, China and elsewhere. Climate sceptics are unconvinced by evidence suggesting a link between man-made carbon emissions and rising temperatures.

However, scientists say there is overwhelming scientific data from scores of sources which support their argument. — Reuters

Start obesity prevention in the cradle, US study urges WASHINGTON: A team of US doctors has urged that obesity screening start in the cradle after a study they conducted showed that half of US children with weight problems became overweight before age two.

The “critical period for preventing childhood obesity” in the children observed in the study would have been in “the first two years of life and for many by three months of age,” said the study, published in Clinical Pediatrics.

“Unfortunately, the chubby healthy baby myth is alive and well despite the high prevalence of childhood obesity, with only 20 percent to 50 percent of overweight children being diagnosed and even fewer receiving documented or effective treatments,” the authors of the study said. For the study, which was conducted to try to

pinpoint the “tipping point” for when a child first became overweight, researchers looked at 480 medical records for patients between the ages of two and 20 at a private medical practice and a teaching hospital, both in Virginia.

Of those patients, 184 were included in the study because they met the age criteria, their weight and height had been recorded during five visits to the medical practice, and they were overweight during one of the visits.

The researchers found that the median age for when the children became overweight was 22 months.

They also found that a quarter of the children reached their overweight “tipping point” at or before five months of age.

When the children who

were overweight on their first visit to the practices were taken into account, the median tipping point age dropped to 15 months and a quarter of the subjects had a weight problem at or before three months of age.

The study recommends that health care providers begin screening for excessive weight gain “as early as possible” in order to prevent childhood obesity, rather than trying to reverse it once a weight problem as “spiraled out of control.”

According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of 2007, nearly half of US children are either overweight or obese, said the study, which was published two days after First Lady Michelle Obama launched a nationwide campaign to push back childhood obesity. — AFP

NASA launches satellite to watch for solar storms SUZDAL: People watch goose fighting during celebrations of Maslenitsa, or Shrovetide, in the Russian ancient city of Suzdal, some 200 km (124 miles) east of Moscow, yesterday. Maslenitsa is a traditional Russian holiday marking the end of winter that dates back to the pagan times. — AP

Report suggests rare heart inflammation in children

Swine flu has killed up to 17,000 in US: Report WASHINGTON: H1N1 swine flu has killed as many as 17,000 Americans, including 1,800 children, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Friday. The swine flu pandemic put as many people into the hospital as during the normal influenza season-but most were younger adults and children instead of the elderly, and it was dur“CDC estimates that between 41 million and 84 million cases of 2009 H1N1 occurred between April 2009 and January 16, 2010,” the agency said in a statement.

Usually the CDC goes with a middle number, which it puts at about 57 million people infected.

Between 8,330 and 17,160 people died during that time from H1N1, with a middle range of about 12,000, the CDC said. But between 880 and 1,800 children died, up to 13,000 adults under the age of 65 and only 1,000 to 2,000 elderly.

In a normal flu season, the CDC estimates that 36,000 Americans die of flu, but 90 percent are over the age of 65.

The CDC estimates that 200,000 go into the hospital, again mostly frail elderly people with other health conditions.

The swine flu pandemic has affected much younger people.

The CDC estimate shows that between 183,000 and 378,000 people were hospitalized with H1N1 swine flu from April to January.

In an average flu season, about 82 children die in the United States, the CDC says. But those are lab-confirmed cases. The CDC and the World Health Organization stopped trying to count all the actual cases months ago, once it became clear that H1N1 was a pandemic that would infect millions.

WHO’s count of lab-confirmed cases showed that at least 15,292 people had died in 212 countries and territories.

But WHO and the CDC note there are nowhere near enough diagnostic tests to

CAPE CANAVERAL: NASA launched a science satellite to keep a close watch on the sun and help improve forecasts of the solar storms that can disrupt navigational signals, satellites and power grids. The Solar Dynamics Observatory, or SDO, lifted off aboard an unmanned Atlas 5 rocket, made by United Launch Alliance, at 10:23 a.m.

EST (1523 GMT) from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, following a one-day delay due to poor weather.

The alliance is a joint venture between Boeing Co and Lockheed Martin Corp.

From an orbital perch 22,300 miles (35,680 km) above Earth, the solar observatory is to spend the next five to 10 years watching the sun, relaying extremely high-resolution data and live imagery. With no onboard recorders, NASA is expecting about 1.5 terabytes of data daily from SDO, enough to fill one compact disc about every 36 seconds. “SDO is going to send us images 10 times better than high definition,” project scientist Dean Pesnell said. “The pixel count is comparable to an IMAX movie-an IMAX filled with the raging sun, 24 hours a day.”

Solar physicists expect to use the information to improve predictions of solar flares and geomagnetic storms, which can disrupt GPS navigational signals, disable satellites and knock out power grids. Space weather also affects airlines, which have to reroute flights over Earth’s poles due to radio interference.

“Two or three days’ lead time can make the difference between safeguarding the advanced technologies we depend on every day and the catastrophic loss of these capabilities and trillions of dollars in disrupted commerce,” Thomas Bogdan, director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center in Boulder, Colorado, said in a statement.

“The goal is to develop a real physical understanding of what goes on so we can make more sophisticated predictions,” added Alan Title, lead scientist for one of SDO’s three instruments.

NASA, which is spending about $858 million on the mission, also plans to use SDO’s data in an iPhone application called “3D Sun” which will display continuous three-dimensional views of the sun. — Reuters

ing the months when usually very little or no flu is circulating, the CDC said. In a separate study that helped shed light on why so many children were seriously affected, researchers reported on four children who developed a serious infection of the heart from swine flu, including one who died. give to everyone with flu-like symptoms to see if they really have swine flu.

The CDC therefore does its estimates based on models, calculated by looking intensively at small groups of people, gathering data on overall reports of sickness and death, and reconciling the two.

That is also how the CDC comes up with its annual estimates for seasonal flu, and experts agree these estimates are far more accurate than counting confirmed cases. H1N1 is causing some unusual symptoms. In a report published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Dr. Andras Bratincsak of Rady Children’s Hospital and the University of California San Diego reported on four cases of a heart inflammation called myocarditis among chil-

dren there in just one month.

“We present the first known report of acute myocarditis in pediatric population associated with the present pandemic H1N1 influenza A virus infection,” they wrote.

Viral myocarditis is extremely rare and one child died and two required extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support or ECMO-an extreme type of life support similar to heart-lung bypass machines used during open-heart surgery.

“Our observations warrant a high index of suspicion for myocarditis in children with H1N1 influenza A infection.

Early detection and aggressive management are paramount,” Bratincsak’s team wrote. — Reuters

VANCOUVER: An unidentified man helps Shawna, who only gave her first name, inject drugs in Vancouver, British Columbia, Friday. Within walking distance from BC Place Stadium, where the Vancouver Games’ opening ceremonies held yesterday, is one of the nation’s poorest neighborhoods. The two, together, stand in stark contrast, the hoopla and the homeless, as Winter Olympics begin. — AP

ReNeuron gets final okay for stem cell stroke trial

MANILA: Eric Tayag (L) head of the Philippine National Epidemiology Centre of the Department of Health (DOH) distributes flyers and condoms at a flower market on the eve of Valentine’s Day in Manila yesterday. The literature being handed out aims to educate Filipinos on safe sex. The DOH recorded 126 new cases of AIDS, the highest number of cases reported within a month since the DOH started its AIDS registry in 1984. — AFP

LONDON: British biotech company ReNeuron and a team of doctors in Scotland have won final approval to start a pioneering clinical trial to assess whether stem cell therapy can help patients disabled by stroke.

The treatment involves injecting neural stem cells developed from human foetuses into patients’ brains in the hope they will repair areas damaged by stroke, thereby improving both mental and physical function.

The final green light from Britain’s Gene Therapy Advisory Committee (GTAC), announced on Wednesday, follows months of delays and questions, reflecting the ground-breaking nature of the research.

The trial is the first of its kind in the world.

ReNeuron received an okay from Britain’s main drugs watchdog back in January 2009 but still needed a recommendation from the GTAC before it could start the Phase I clinical trial.

Shares in the company gained 12.5 percent to 7.85 pence by 0845 GMT on the news.

The first patient in the study is now expected to receive treatment through the National Health Service at the Institute of Neurological Sciences, Southern General Hospital, Glasgow, during the second quarter of this year.

In total, 12 patients will get ReNeuron’s ReN001 cell

therapy between six and 24 months after having an ischaemic stroke-caused by a blockage of blood flow in the brain-and their progress will be followed for two years.

The procedure involves the direct injection of millions of cells into the affected brain region.

If the first study is successful, researchers plan to pursue accelerated clinical development in later-stage clinical trials, focusing initially on more severely disabled stroke patients.

About half of all stroke survivors are left with permanent disabilities as a result of brain damage.

The potential of different kinds of stem cells-master cells that can develop into

specialised tissue in the body-is being examined by experts around the world for many diseases.

But the technology is controversial, in part because some stem cell lines are derived from embryos or foetuses.

ReNeuron had hoped to test its stroke treatment in the United States but switched its efforts to Britain in 2008 following delays at the Food and Drug Administration.

The group became Europe’s first stem cell company to float in 2000, but was taken private in 2003 after a series of clinical setbacks and the bursting of the technology bubble hammered its share price. It relisted in 2005. — Reuters

WHATʼS ON IN KUWAIT

30

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Embassy information EMBASSY OF KENYA

Golf tournament to benefit world childhood foundation he golfers were invited to the Annual Charity Golf Tournament yesterday that was hosted by the Radisson Blu Hotel and Sahara Kuwait Resort.

Shotgun scramble time was 8:30 am and the registration started from 07:30 am. Format of play was 4 player ‘Texas Scramble’. Handout to all players at registration included Radisson Blu Polo shirt & caps and a continental breakfast was served when players finished

T

Tee time for Magic... their rounds of play.

The names of the winners and the Top Golfer Prizes were announced during the prize distribution ceremony for other various competitions that was

organized and the contestants had fun trying to match the experts of Sahara club. Prizes were co-sponsored

by Radisson Blu Hotel, Kuwait, Sahara Kuwait Resort and Volvo cars Golfers who participated won the self-

satisfaction of helping a charitable organization because the proceeds from this tournament was to be donated to the World Childhood Foundation - a nonprofit organisation, to help the children at risk.

The below key message of the charity tournament brought great positive response: Support us in giving the children at risk their right to a happy childhood.

Let’s take responsibility!

The Embassy of the Republic of Kenya is happy to inform the general public and visitors to Kenya of a reduction in the cost of tourist visas by 50%, continuing through all of 2010. Additionally, in recognition of the family travel segment, Kenya is giving a complete waiver of visit fees to children aged 16 years and below. Visitors are urged to take this opportunity and experience unique Kenyan beach holidays on palm fringed, sandy beaches, safaris in the country’s famous national parks, and activity based tourism. For more information contact the Kenya Embassy located at Surra, block 6, Street 9, Villa No.3. Tel. 25353314/ 25353362 or visit the Mission’s websites www.kenyaembkuwait.com & www.magicalkenya.com. Official timings are 8:00 am - 4:00 pm, Sundays through Thursdays.

EMBASSY OF UKRAINE The Embassy of Ukraine in the State of Kuwait informs about the second voting of the Presidential elections in Ukraine, which is scheduled to be held on February 7, 2010. The voting will take place on the territory of the Embassy of Ukraine in the State of Kuwait (address: Hawalli, Jabriya, bl.10, str.6, house 5) from 08:00 am till 20:00 pm. In this connection, please refer to the Embassy to check your personal data in the electoral register or call: 25318507 ext.106 EMBASSY OF INDIA

Farewell for Yomi

unkur Cultural Yard, Kuwait organized a family picnic at Ahmedi Public Garden (KOC), Ahmedi on 12th February. More then four hundred Bangladeshi family and their children enjoy full day colorful programs, lunch, sports, cultural song, raffle draw, bingo etc. Children’s under five years lollypop run events was enjoyable moments for all little boys, Girls under five year’s also participate chocolate & biscuits collection events. Also boy’s and girl’s different age group partici-

Aunkur Cultural Yard celebrates family picnic

A

pate various events like balance run. Under twelve years boy’s attractive events was cockfight. An event was very exciting & lots of people gathered and enjoy the musical pillow passing events which was arrange for all female member & lady guest. Prize distribution and inaugural ceremony Directed by Engineer Mizanur Rahman and Gen Secretary Md Mizanur Rahman Shamim. A large audience from difference parts of Kuwait Bangladeshi family were present and enjoy the program.

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.

t was a rosy and memorable moment at the Radisson Blu Hotel on Friday 12th February 2010 as Chevron staff, friend and wellwishers gather for the send-off party for Engr Yomi Olujonwo, (inset center) who they described as an exemplary dedicated safety initiative leader in the oil and gas business. The event attracted many dignitaries from the oil and gas sector. “Knowing Yomi was a discovery, working with him was a wonderful experience and his mentoring is superb,” Pekin said as he prayed for God’s blessings to shower on Yomi.

I

Enjoy Seafood nights at La Brasserie

I

meeting was attended by over 100 Malayalee doctors from all over Kuwait.

The IMA club is strategically located behind the Jawaharlal Nehru International stadium in Cochin and is equipped with all modern amenities and state of the art facilities. It incorporates a thousand seated international convention centre and a wellstreamlined board room. The IMA Club Lagoon, an exclusive club for doctors’ families, spreads over four floors of the prestigious building. It has all the facilities - an international club, pool side restaurant, spa, jacuzzi, billiards room, and a sophisticated home theater. Members can avail the guest rooms with all modern gadgets at a

he renowned La Brasserie restaurant of the JW Marriott Kuwait City has launched an exciting seafood promotion for all seafood lovers in Kuwait.

“Seafood lovers can enjoy a wide and exciting dinner buffet featuring a huge array of delicious and fresh fish, scallops, lobsters cooked to their taste,” says Hassan Yazbek, Food & Beverage Director, JW Marriott Hotel. “We invite connoisseurs of both gourmet and grill to savor an eclectic spectrum of sea food,” he adds.

This exclusive and exotic buffet is served throughout the week daily from (Saturday-Wednesday). Diners visiting the La Brasserie restaurant can select from a wide variety of fresh fish, scallops, mussels, shrimps, octopus, clams and lobsters and have our chefs prepare the dish to their taste.

The daily dinner timings at the La Brasserie restaurant are 7pm-11pm. Come and enjoy fresh fish and seafood choices with your family and friends.

T

IMA Cochin launches IMA lagoon for doctors in Kuwait ndian Medical Association (IMA) Cochin successfully organized a grand function at the Kuwait Continental Hotel on 12th February to launch the ‘Club Lagoon’ membership to all doctors in Kuwait. The evening started with the introductory remarks by Dr P.Kuriyipe, President of IMA and Chairman of the IMA Lagoon Club committee. Dr Abraham Varghese, Vicepresident of IMA gave a lucid presentation about the facilities available at the new IMA house and club lagoon. Dr. Mathew Varghese, Joint Secretary highlighted the exclusive features of the family club. The function, on behalf of IMA was hosted by Dr CG Suresh and Dr Boby Cherian. The

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.

nominal cost.

More than 1600 doctors from all over the world have already joined the IMA House, the exclusive club for the medical fraternity in India. IMA Cochin invites all Indian doctors to avail the current early bird offer to join the club. Over 40 doctors from Kuwait have already joined the IMA Lagoon Club by on the spot registration facility. The team is available in Kuwait until Sunday 14th noon at Kuwait Continental Hotel Room 303 (Tel. 22527300). More information is available with Dr CG Suresh, IMA co-coordinator for Kuwait (tel. 99538568) and Dr Boby Cherian (97526290)

31

WHATʼS ON IN KUWAIT ICS celebrates Republic Day of India

Sunday, February 14, 2010

anuary 26th, the Republic Day of India was celebrated at Indian Central School with great pomp. The entire school was present to witness the hoisting of the Indian Flag by the Principal Mrs Shantha Maria James accompanied by the Vice Principal Gopala Krishnan, Physical Education teachers and all the supervisors.

Each wing presented various patriotic programmes, songs, dances and tableaus brought out the great and varied heritage of India. Sweets were distributed to the students on the occasion.

The principal addressed the audience with the message that every human has a purpose on earth which is willed by God. It was the first time ever in the history of ICS, the entire school with a strength of 3600 came together to celebrate the Republic Day of India, which also happened to be the 60th Anniversary.

J

KMCA annual day celebrations

KES lifts football trophy

O

n the 1 February 2010, the Kuwait English School Open Age Girls Football Team produced some outstanding performances to deservedly win the Championship for the 2009/2010 season. KES defeated BSK 1-0, on their home tarmac, to lift the trophy.

“The team was led by the inspirational captain, the left footed wonder Lulu Al Huneidi” said Andrew Wyeth, Head of PE at KES. There were exceptional performances from Nouran Ghannam and Sahar Abdulrasoul, he said.

However, it was very much a team effort and the following made valuable contributions to the victories over the season: Rania Dannan, Zainab Khawaja, Shahad Al Qattan, Alice Moumjian, Hessa Al Sabah, Jennan Al Nashmi.

The teams that KES defeated in the competition icluded TEA, ABS, GES, BSK, ESG, FSIS and old adversaries NES. “The highly acclaimed and much accomplished coaches Hardy & Haslam were misty-eyed at the achievements of the girls this year. Congratulations!” said Wyeth.

Greetings

uwait Malayalee Catholic Association conducted its Annual Day Celebrations recently at the auditorium of Indian Community School, Khaitan. The meeting was presided over by Thomas Lucos, president of KMCA and inaugurated by Msgr. John John Kallarackal, First Secretary to The Apostolic Nuncio., Kuwait. Eminent personalities and church leaders including Rt. Rev. Dr. Joseph Pandarassery, Bishop of Kottayam Diocese, Rev. Fr Mathews K. Francis, OCD, Vicar General, Rev. Fr Joseph Palatty, Spiritual Director, Rev. Fr Melvin D’Cunha OCD, Rev. Fr George Kottapurarn and the former presidents of KMCA were also present on the occasion.

Trophies and medals were distributed to the children who secured maximum marks at the Class X and XII Board examinations. Cultural activities were conducted by the team lead by Mrs Molly Mathew with a Biblical drama directed by Firoz Mathew involving more than 100 families of KMCA, which was the major attraction of the event. A token of appreciation was presented to Rev. Fr Melvin D’Cunha OCD who will be leaving Kuwait after 9 years of

K

his meritorious services and contributions to the Kuwait Catholic Community. Memento was presented to the couples who are celebrating 25th

H

appy birthday to Renitta Rajan Thottungal.

Best wishes from parents, relatives and friends.

B

AWS are happy to announce their first event of 2010 will be the 5th Annual Paws for the Cause Dog Show in the beautiful British Embassy Gardens on 5th March 2010. Registration is now open for entry into the Dog Show. The gate will open at 11am and the show will close at 4pm.

This year will be bigger and better than ever with 9 categories in all including the new category best Rescue dog. Whether your dog is the most obedient, can do the best trick or just simply looks adorable or is getting on a bit then there will be a category for you. There is even the most mysterious heritage category for those with a questionable pedigree! It’s a lot of fun and very light-hearted so why not see if your Mutt has a little bit of star quality.

Alternatively you may just want to come and show off your pampered pooch and watch the show. The choice is yours.

As well as the Dog Competitions there will be a Military Dog Display and stalls offering refreshments including a BBQ and tea and cakes so you can enjoy a tasty lunch in the gardens.

Other stalls include pet products, a bookstall, Bric a

P

FAIPS celebrates Republic Day pageant very year the 26th of January, creates an aura of patriotism in the heart of every Indian across the world.

It is a day of joy and happiness for all Indians, irrespective of where they live!

On this special day, India was declared a Republic, the Indian tri colour was unfurled for the very first time, and the Constitution of India finally came into force.

To mark the importance of this occasion, students of classes 1, 2 and 3, at Fahaheel Al Watanieh Indian Private School, celebrated Indian Republic Day with great zest and fervour!

The students successfully showcased a rich and spectacular pageant that filled the audience with memories of our historic past and reflected the true feeling of patriotism among students.

The show was beautifully anchored

E

by Aryan Tiwari of Class 3 D, who exhibited great confidence and articulation in his speech.

The event began with the school prayer recited by the academic supervisor Ms. Shabnam Nilofer, followed by a musical choir dressed in tri colours that sang beautiful patriotic songs!

A beautifully conceived patriotic play

was enacted by a large number of participants, depicting scenes from the Indian freedom movement, like the Jallianwala Bagh tragedy and the Dandi March, as a solemn reminder of the supreme sacrifice of the martyrs who lost their lives in the national freedom movement.

Little children dressed up as

gramme was compared by Mrs. Deepa and Mrs. Molly Mathew.

The programme concluded with the vote of thanks by Babu Barnabas followed by dinner

hosted by KMCA. KMCA expresses sincerest thanks and gratitude to all who contributed to the success of the programme.

PAWS 2010 dogs show

BVB goes unchallenged; Gadha honoured haratiya Vidya Bhavan, Kuwait Kendra has once again proved unchallenged when the Gulf Mathematics Olympiad 2010 results were declared.

Gadha Krishna one of the meritorious students who has borne the school Scholar Badge, consecutively for three years has reiterated her mettle in the realm of numbers and equations by scoring 90% marks ((45 score points and A2 grade) and the first position among thousands of candidates who took the test all over the Gulf region. The chairman, the principal, the vice principal, teachers and every other member of the Bhavan’s family express their hearty congratulations on her attempt to bring this adorable accolade to their alter of learning.

Wedding Anniversary, during the event. Prizes and memento were also presented to the winners of competitions held during the current year. The pro-

Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Nehru and Sarojini Naidu reminded the audience about the national leaders of our country. The show came to an end with a spectacular dance performance by children dressed in vibrant costumes, that left the audience completely spell bound, by their boundless enthusiasm!

Vice Principal Sanjay Yadav, made the occasion even more special with his eloquent speech, on the importance of freedom and how the present generation must not only strive towards doing their bit for their own nation but also develop love and respect for other nations, with a progressive global outlook.

Indian Republic Day at FAIPS (DPS) was celebrated with great fervour and enthusiasm, and the Indian National Anthem sung in the end, rekindled thoughts and feelings of triumph, glory and pride in the heart and mind of the audience!

Brac, bouncy castle, face painting and many more.

Dog Classes are already filling so hurry and get your application in. And remember You do not need a dog to come along and enjoy a fun-filled family day. This promises to be a great day out for the whole family so if you wish to attend then visit our website at www.paws-kuwait.org to download the application form Completed registration forms can then be left at The Cutting Edge Salon, Salmiya 25718001 or Soho Salon Fintas, 23902077. Please ensure your form, with correct admission fee, is placed in a sealed envelope at either salon. Registration closes March 2nd.

There will unfortunately be no admittance to you or your pets to the British Embassy on the day without preregistration. No ‘walk-ins’ by un-registered guests can be permitted.

PAWS-Protecting Animal Welfare Society, Kuwait is affiliated to KEPS, Kuwait Environmental Protection Society, WSPA, World Society for the Protection of Animals, The RSPCA International and MENAW, Middle East Network for Animal Welfare E-mail at pawsq8@yahoo.com, Tel: 99440089

TV PROGRAMS

32

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Orbit / Showtime Listings

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

00:50 01:45 02:10 02:40 03:35 04:30 05:25 06:20 07:10 07:35 08:00 08:25 08:50 09:15 09:45 10:40 11:05 11:55 12:50 13:15 13:45 14:40 15:05 15:35 16:00 16:30 16:55 17:25 18:20 18:45 19:15 20:10 20:40 21:10 22:05 23:00 23:55

00:05 00:35 01:20 01:50 02:20 02:50 03:20 03:50 04:20 05:05 05:35 06:05 06:40 07:20 07:40 08:00 08:20 08:45 08:50 09:00 09:20 09:40 10:00 10:25 10:30 10:40 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:20 16:50 17:20 18:15 19:00 19:50 20:40 21:10 21:40 22:40

00:10 00:35 01:00 01:30 02:00 02:30 03:15 04:00 04:50 05:35 06:00 06:25 06:50

13:40 Hannah Montana 14:00 Jonas 14:20 Wizards Of Waverly Place 14:45 Suite Life On Deck 15:10 Fairly Odd Parents 15:35 Replacements 16:00 Phineas & Ferb 16:25 Famous Five 16:45 Fairly Odd Parents 17:00 Jonas 17:25 Suite Life On Deck 17:50 Wizards Of Waverly Place 18:10 Hannah Montana 18:35 Sonny With A Chance 19:00 HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL: EL DESAFIO ARGENTINA 20:35 Hannah Montana 21:00 The Suite Life of Zack & Cody 21:25 The Suite Life of Zack & Cody 21:50 The Replacements 22:00 Phineas & Ferb 22:25 Replacements 22:50 Kim Possible 23:15 Sonny With A Chance 23:40 Hannah Montana

Doctor Who Life on Mars Knight Rider Dawsons Creek Life on Mars Inside the Actors Studio Heroes Doctor Who Hotel Babylon Saving Grace Knight Rider Dawsons Creek Heroes Inside the Actors Studio Knight Rider Life on Mars Hotel Babylon Saving Grace Doctor Who Heroes Criminal Minds Cold Case One Tree Hill Rescue Me

I’m Alive Night Night Untamed & Uncut Untamed & Uncut Animal Cops Miami I’m Alive Animal Cops South Africa Aussie Animal Rescue Vet on the Loose Lemur Street Pet Rescue The Planet’s Funniest Animals The Planet’s Funniest Animals Animal Precinct Aussie Animal Rescue Miami Animal Police Animal Cops Houston Vet on the Loose Pet Rescue Animals Like Us Secret Creatures of Jao Secret Creatures of Jao RSPCA: On the Frontline RSPCA: On the Frontline Big Cat Diary Big Cat Diary Living with Wolves Stranger Among Bears Stranger Among Bears Max’s Big Tracks Escape to Chimp Eden Escape to Chimp Eden Austin Stevens Adventures Untamed & Uncut Untamed & Uncut Animal Cops Miami

Carrie & Barry Jack Dee: Live At The Apollo The Fast Show The Fast Show Little Britain Green Green Grass Massive Carrie & Barry Jack Dee: Live At The Apollo The Fast Show The Fast Show Little Britain Cash In The Attic Balamory Tweenies Fimbles Teletubbies Yoho Ahoy Tommy Zoom Balamory Tweenies Fimbles Teletubbies Yoho Ahoy Tommy Zoom Balamory Cash In The Attic Cash In The Attic Doctors Doctors Doctors Doctors Doctors Mission Africa Mission Africa The Life Of Mammals Sensitive Skin Sensitive Skin Doctor Who The Weakest Link Casualty Casualty Mission Africa Mission Africa The Life Of Mammals The Whistleblowers

Come Dine With Me New British Kitchen New British Kitchen Saturday Kitchen Saturday Kitchen The Clothes Show Coleen’s Real Women 10 Years Younger The Clothes Show It’s Not Easy Being Green Come Dine With Me Come Dine With Me Come Dine With Me

00:15 Wildest TV Show Moments 00:40 E!es 01:30 E!es 02:20 Sexiest 03:15 20 Most Shocking Unsolved Crimes 05:05 Dr 90210 06:00 THS 07:45 25 Most Stylish 08:35 E! News 09:25 THS 10:40 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 22:10 E! News 23:00 Kendra 23:25 Kendra 23:50 Wildest TV Show Moments

Love In The Time Of Cholera on Show Movies 07:15 07:40 08:00 08:50 09:45 10:15 10:45 11:30 12:15 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:45 15:30 16:20 17:05 17:30 17:55 18:20 18:45 19:10 19:40 20:05 20:30 21:00 21:30

Come Dine With Me Come Dine With Me Antiques Roadshow Antiques Roadshow Saturday Kitchen Saturday Kitchen Coleen’s Real Women 10 Years Younger The Clothes Show Saturday Kitchen Saturday Kitchen Living In The Sun Coleen’s Real Women 10 Years Younger The Clothes Show It’s Not Easy Being Green Come Dine With Me Come Dine With Me Come Dine With Me Come Dine With Me Come Dine With Me New British Kitchen New British Kitchen The Naked Chef The Naked Chef The Naked Chef

01:00 03:00 05:30 PG 15 07:02 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

Corleone - PG 15 Sophie’s Choice - 18 I Love You, I Love You Not -

00:00 01:00 02:00 02:55 03:50 04:45 05:10 06:05 07:00 07:30 07:55 08:50 09:45 10:10 10:40 11:05 12:00 17:30 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00

Time Warp Mythbusters Dirty Jobs Brainiac Smash Lab How Stuff Works River Monsters Mythbusters Wheeler Dealers Wheeler Dealers Street Customs Biker Build-Off How Stuff Works Destroyed in Seconds Destroyed in Seconds Ultimate Survival River Monsters How Stuff Works Brainiac Smash Lab Dirty Jobs Mythbusters Storm Chasers

00:40 01:30 01:55 02:20 03:10 04:05 05:00 05:25 05:55 06:20 07:10 07:35

The Sun Also Rises - PG The Truman Show - PG 15 Max - PG 15 Trekkies 2 - PG Gone For A Dance - PG 15 Pearl Diver - PG Sunset Park - PG Map Of The Human Heart - 18 The Hi-Lo Country - 18

Psychic Witness Crime Scene Psychics Crime Scene Psychics A Haunting Solved True Crime Scene Crime Scene Psychics Crime Scene Psychics Real Emergency Calls Fbi Files Ghosthunters Ghosthunters

08:00 08:50 09:40 10:30 11:20 12:10 13:00 13:50 14:40 15:30 16:20 17:10 18:00 18:50 19:40 20:30 21:20 22:10

Forensic Detectives Fbi Files Csu Forensic Detectives Forensic Detectives Fbi Files On The Run Extreme Forensics Diagnosis: Unknown Forensic Detectives Fbi Files Csu Forensic Detectives Forensic Detectives Fbi Files On The Run Extreme Forensics Diagnosis: Unknown

00:40 Sci-Trek 01:30 Mighty Ships 02:20 NASA’s Greatest Missions 03:10 Human Body: Ultimate Machine 04:00 Sci-Trek 04:50 Mighty Ships 05:45 Weird Connections 06:10 Weird Connections 06:40 Test Case 07:10 Download: The True Story of the Internet 08:00 Scrapheap Challenge 09:00 Sci-Fi Science 09:30 Sci-Fi Science 10:00 Robocar 10:55 Kitchen Chemistry 13:40 Science of Beauty 16:25 How Stuff’s Made 16:55 Human Body: Ultimate Machine 17:50 Discovery Project Earth 18:45 Engineered 19:40 How It’s Made 20:05 How It’s Made 20:30 What’s That About?

21:20 Sci-Trek 22:10 Mighty Ships 23:00 Future Weapons

00:00 Jonas 00:20 Wizards Of Waverly Place 00:45 Suite Life On Deck 01:10 Fairly Odd Parents 01:35 Replacements 02:00 Phineas & Ferb 02:25 Little Einsteins 02:45 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 03:10 Handy Manny 03:35 Lazytown 04:00 Jonas 04:25 Suite Life On Deck 04:50 Wizards Of Waverly Place 05:15 Hannah Montana 05:40 Sonny With A Chance 06:00 Little Einsteins 06:25 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 06:45 Handy Manny 07:10 Lazytown 07:35 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 08:00 Fairly Odd Parents 08:25 Suite Life On Deck 08:50 Wizards Of Waverly Place 09:15 Jonas 09:40 Hannah Montana 10:00 Sonny With A Chance 10:30 HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL: EL DESAFIO ARGENTINA 12:00 Phineas & Ferb 12:25 Replacements 12:50 Kim Possible 13:15 Sonny With A Chance

00:00 Iron Chef America 01:00 Iron Chef America 02:00 Food Network Challenge 03:00 Food Network Challenge 04:00 Specials: Valentines Unwrapped 05:00 Teleshopping 05:30 Teleshopping 06:00 Teleshopping 06:30 Teleshopping 07:00 Teleshopping 07:30 Teleshopping 08:00 30 Minute Meals 08:25 30 Minute Meals 08:50 Giada At Home 09:15 Giada At Home 09:40 Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger 10:05 Rescue Chef with Danny Boome 10:30 Rescue Chef with Danny Boome 11:00 Barefoot Contessa 11:30 Barefoot Contessa 12:00 Barefoot Contessa 12:30 Barefoot Contessa 13:00 Nigella Express 13:30 Nigella Express 14:00 30 Minute Meals 14:30 30 Minute Meals 15:00 Rescue Chef with Danny Boome 15:30 Rescue Chef with Danny Boome 16:00 Chefography 17:00 Giada At Home 17:30 Giada At Home 18:00 Giada At Home 18:30 Giada At Home 19:00 Nigella Express 19:30 Nigella Express 20:00 Specials: Weddings Unwrapped 21:00 Specials: Valentines Unwrapped 22:00 Food Network Challenge 23:00 Food Network Challenge

01:10 03:15 05:00 06:25 08:20 10:30 12:00 13:30 15:00 16:45 18:30 20:20 22:00 23:55

Under Fire Foxes Hot Under The Collar The Big Man Nicholas Nickleby Ski Patrol Nobody’s Perfect Clifford Pascalis Island After the Fox The Field Mr. Wonderful Scandal Signs of Life

00:00 How I met you mother 00:30 Gary Unmarried 01:00 The Daily Show with Jon Stewart 01:30 The Colbert Report 02:00 The Tonight Show With Conan OBrien 03:00 Bored to Death 03:30 Entourage 04:00 Late Night with Jimmy Fallon 05:00 How I met you mother 05:30 The Tonight Show With Conan OBrien 06:30 Tyler Perry’s House of Payne 07:00 Home Improvement 07:30 Note from the underbelly 08:00 Coach 08:30 The Daily Show with Jon

Stewart 09:00 The Colbert Report 09:30 George Lopez 10:00 Everybody Loves Raymond 10:30 Frasier 11:00 Seinfeld 11:30 After You’ve Gone 12:00 Late Night with Jimmy Fallon 13:00 Gary Unmarried 13:30 Tyler Perry’s House of Payne 14:00 Home Improvement 14:30 The Simpsons 15:00 Coach 15:30 The Daily Show with Jon Stewart 16:00 The Colbert Report 16:30 Drew Carey Show 17:00 Everybody Loves Raymond 17:30 Frasier 18:00 Eight Simple Rules 18:30 All of us 19:00 Better Off Ted 19:30 Will and Grace 20:00 Best of Late night with Jimmy Fallon 21:00 The Daily Show with Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 Saturday Night Live 23:30 Sit Down & Shut Up

00:00 What’s Good For You 01:00 Downsize Me 02:00 The Ellen Degeneres Show 03:00 The Monique Show 04:00 Chef’s Table 04:30 Fresh 05:00 The Best of Jay Leno 06:00 GMA Weekend Live 07:00 Mom Gets Real / Now you know / Amplified 08:00 GMA Health 08:30 What’s the Buzz 09:00 The Martha Stewart Show 10:00 Jimmy Kimmel 11:00 The View 12:00 The Ellen Degeneres Show 13:00 Huey’s Cooking Adventure 13:30 Fresh 14:00 The Martha Stewart Show 15:00 Parenting 15:30 Popcorn 16:00 GMA Weekend Live 17:00 Ahead of the Curve 17:30 Amplified 18:00 Downsize Me 19:00 Mom Gets Real / Now you know / Amplified 20:00 The Ellen Degeneres Show 21:00 The Best of Jimmy Kimmel 22:00 The Best of Jay Leno 23:00 The Monique Show

00:00 02:15 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 11:30 13:30 15:30 17:15 20:00 21:45

Love In The Time Of Cholera Beautiful - PG Drawn - PG 15 Red Riding 1974 - PG 15 The Man From Earth - PG 15 The Forgotten Coast - PG 15 Frozen River - U The Caller - U The Man From Earth - PG 15 There Will Be Blood - PG 15 Live! - U The Departed - 18

01:00 03:00 05:00 15 07:00 09:00 11:15 13:00 15:00 17:15 19:00 21:00 23:00

Anatomy - 18 Loaded - PG 15 Batman: Gotham Knight - PG

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

The Broken Hearts Club - PG The Foot Fist Way - PG 15 The Utopian Society - PG 15 City Slickers - PG 15 Coneheads - PG The Hammer - PG 15 My Favorite Martian - PG Hot Rod - PG 15 The Broken Hearts Club - PG The Birdcage - 18 Ira And Abby - R Birds Of America - PG 15

H.i.t. - PG 15 Midway - PG Palermo Shooting - PG 15 Silent Venom - PG 15 Midway - PG Anatomy 2 - 18 Rec - R The Uninvited - 18 Anaconda: Trail Of Blood - R

00:00 Zorro Return To The Future FAM 02:00 Andre - PG 04:00 Felix 1 - FAM 06:00 Happy Feet - PG 08:00 Tom And Jerry: A Nutcracker’s Tale - FAM 10:00 Felix 1 - FAM 12:00 The Jungle Book IV : Hate And Love - FAM 14:00 Andre - PG 16:00 Spiderwick Chronicles - PG 18:00 Christmas In Wonderland - PG 20:00 War Of The Buttons - PG

22:00 The Jungle Book IV : Hate And Love - FAM

00:00 01:00 02:00 02:30 03:00 03:30 04:00 04:30 05:00 06:00 06:30 07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 09:30 10:00 11:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00 23:30

Life Law & Order: Criminal Intent Every Body Loves Raymond My Name is Earl Sex and the City Sex and the City In Treatment In Treatment Ally Mcbeal Emmerdale Coronation Street Every Body Loves Raymond My Name is Earl 24 In Treatment In Treatment Ally Mcbeal Law & Order Emmerdale Coronation Street Every Body Loves Raymond My Name is Earl Life Law & Order: Criminal Intent Law & Order 24 Emmerdale Coronation Street Law & Order The Ex-list C.S.I: Miami C.S.I Sex and the City Sex and the City

01:00 Scottish Premier League 03:00 Brazilian League Highlights 03:30 Barclays Premier League Highlights 04:30 Futbol Mundial 05:00 Premier League 07:00 Scottish Premier League 09:00 Portugol 09:30 Futbrasil 10:00 Portuguese Liga 12:00 Goals Goals Goals 12:30 Portugol 13:00 Futbrasil 13:30 Barclays Premier League Highlights 14:30 Scottish Premier League 16:30 Live Scottish Premier League 18:30 Barclays Premier League Highlights 19:30 Goals Goals Goals 20:00 Scottish Premier League 22:00 Scottish Premier League

02:00 Super 14 04:00 Super 14 06:00 Premier League World 06:30 Live One Day International Cricket 14:30 Goals Goals Goals 15:00 Super League 17:00 Super 14 19:00 World Sport 19:30 Live Guinness Premiership 21:30 Super 14 23:30 Guinness Premiership

03:30 05:30 06:00 06:30 07:00 09:00 11:00 11:30 12:00 16:00

Super League World Hockey European Tour Weekly World Sport Super 14 Super 14 Futbol Mundial European Tour Weekly Live PGA European Tour ODI Cricket

01:30 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 15:00 15:30 16:00 18:00 18:30 20:30 21:00 22:00 23:00

UFC All Access WWE ECW Bushido WWE Bottom Line WWE SmackDown WWE Vintage Collection WWE Bottom Line WWE ECW WWE SmackDown NCAA Basketball WWE Vintage Collection FIM World Cup NFL Gameday NCAA Basketball NFL Gameday WWE SmackDown UFC All Access UFC The Ultimate Fighter UFC The Ultimate Fighter UFC The Ultimate Fighter

01:30 03:15 05:15 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:00

Boy A - 18 The Nines - PG 15 Racing Daylight - PG 15 Diamonds Pt 1 - PG 15 Tennessee - PG 15 Diamonds Pt 2 - PG 15 Elizabeth: The Golden Age

15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

Street Kings - 18 Snowglobe - PG Meet The Spartans - PG 15 Silk - R The Eye - R

01:00 Sweet Bird of Youth 02:55 A Patch of Blue 05:00 Angels & Insects 07:00 The Screening Room 07:30 The Screening Room 08:00 The Philadelphia Story 09:50 Where Eagles Dare 12:20 Grand Prix 15:05 Kelly’s Heroes 17:25 Flipper 18:55 The Gang that Couldn’t Shoot Straight 20:30 How the West Was Won 23:00 Love Is All There Is

00:40 Cannibalism Secrets Revealed 01:30 Egypt: Land of the Gods 02:20 Rise & Fall of the Spartans 03:10 Cities of the Underworld 3 04:00 Giants: Friend or Foe? 05:50 Bloodlines: The Dracula Family Tree 06:40 Cannibalism Secrets Revealed 07:30 Egypt: Land of the Gods 08:20 Rise & Fall of the Spartans 09:10 Cities of the Underworld 3 10:00 Giants: Friend or Foe? 11:50 Bloodlines: The Dracula Family Tree 12:40 Cannibalism Secrets Revealed 13:30 Egypt: Land of the Gods 14:20 Rise & Fall of the Spartans 15:10 Cities of the Underworld 3 16:00 Giants: Friend or Foe? 17:50 Bloodlines: The Dracula Family Tree 18:40 Cannibalism Secrets Revealed 19:30 Egypt: Land of the Gods 20:20 Rise & Fall of the Spartans 21:10 Cities of the Underworld 3 22:00 Evolve 22:55 Dead Men’s Secrets 23:50 Deep Wreck Mysteries

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 06:30 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 13:30 14:00 15:00 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 18:30

Dr 90210 Clean House My Celebrity Home How Do I Look?

Split Ends Dr 90210 Kimora: Life In The Fab Lane Area How Do I Look?

Style Star Style Her Famous Clean House My Celebrity Home Ruby Giuliana And Bill Dallas Divas And Daughters Dallas Divas And Daughters Ruby Ruby Ruby Ruby Ruby Ruby Ruby Ruby

19:00 20:00 20:30 21:00 22:00 23:00

Ruby Ruby Ruby Ruby How Do I Look?

Giuliana And Bill

01:00 01:04 01:35 02:00 02:45 05:00 05:04 08:00 08:04 08:35 13:00 13:04 15:00 15:14 16:00 16:04 16:35 17:00 18:00 18:45 20:00 20:04 20:35

Code Sound System Playlist Urban Hit Playlist Code Playlist Code Africa Playlist Code Urban Hit Code Compilation Playlist Code New Playlist Focus Urban Hit Playlist Code French Only Playlist

00:00 Globe Trekker - U 01:00 Julian And Camilla’s World Odyssey - U 02:00 Chef Abroad - U 02:30 Chef Abroad - U 03:00 Planet Food - U 04:00 X-quest - U 05:00 Globe Trekker - U 06:00 Globe Trekker - U 07:00 Angry Planet - U 07:30 Photoxplorers - U 08:00 Globe Trekker - U 09:00 Swiss Railway Journeys - U 10:00 Down The Line - U 11:00 Intrepid Journeys - U 12:00 Intrepid Journeys - U 13:00 Globe Trekker - U 14:00 Planet Food - U 15:00 Chef Abroad - U 15:30 Feast India - U 16:00 Floyd Uncorked - U 16:30 Essential - U 17:00 Globe Trekker - U 18:00 Globe Trekker - U 19:00 Raider Of The Lost Snow - U 19:30 Skier’s World - U 20:00 Angry Planet - U 20:30 Essential - U 21:00 X-quest - U

00:00 Divas Pt2 - U 01:00 Saturday Night Fever - U 03:00 Vh1 Music - U 07:00 Chill Out - U 09:00 Smooth Wake Up - U 11:00 Vh1 Music - U 13:00 Vh1 Pop Chart - U 14:00 Top 10 Rob Thomas, Matchbox 20 - U 15:00 Cover Power - U 16:00 Anything But Love ¬†weekend - U 19:00 Music For The Masses - U 20:00 Vh1 Music - U 21:00 Vh1 Viewer’s Jukebox Love

Boy A on Super Movies

Star Listings (UAE Timings) STAR Movies 20:35 Sandlot: Heading Home 22:15 VIP Access 22:45 The Preacher’s Wife 00:50 Mafia!

02:15 Someone Like You 03:50 Sandlot: Heading Home 05:30 The Preacher’s Wife 07:35 Mafia!

09:00 Someone Like You 10:35 Dr. Dolittle 2 12:05 Nightwatch 13:40 Shining Through 15:50 Happy Texas 17:30 Swimfan 18:55 Watching The Detectives STAR World 20:00 American Idol 21:00 [V] Tunes 22:00 [V] Tunes 23:00 [V] Tunes 00:00 Greatest American Dog 01:00 [V] Tunes 02:00 [V] Tunes 03:00 [V] Tunes 04:00 American Idol

05:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 08:30 09:00 09:30 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:00 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00

Painkiller Jane Greatest American Dog The Simpsons The Bold And The Beautiful The Bold And The Beautiful The Bold And The Beautiful The Bold And The Beautiful The Bold And The Beautiful Kyle XY American Idol [V] Tunes Painkiller Jane The Simpsons According To Jim According To Jim According To Jim Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?

American Idol Rules Of Engagement Rules Of Engagement Australia’s Next Top Model

Granada TV 21:00 Essex Wives 22:00 Northern Lights 23:00 Essex Wives 00:00 Life Begins (Series 1)

01:00 Football Saved My Life 02:00 Big Bad World (Series 1) 03:00 Hunting Venus 05:00 Northern Lights 06:00 Emmerdale WEEKEND OMNIBUS 07:30 Undercover Customs (Series 2) 08:00 Northern Lights 09:00 Revenge TV 10:00 Beyond Boiling Point 10:30 City Cabs (Series 1) 11:00 Come Dine With Me (Primetime Series 1) 12:00 The Colour Of Money 13:00 Don’t Try This At Home (Series 2) 14:00 Prime Drama: Prime Suspect (Series 7) 16:00 Come Dine With Me (Primetime Series 1) 17:00 The Colour Of Money 18:00 Don’t Try This At Home (Series 2) 19:00 Prime Drama: Prime Suspect (Series 7) Channel [V] 22:00 The Playlist 00:30 Double Shot 01:00 Loop

02:00 04:30 05:00 06:00 09:00 11:30 12:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00

[V] Plug Keys To The VIP Backtracks [V] Tunes [V] Plug Double Shot Videoscope [V] Countdown [V] Tunes Loop Backtracks [V] Special [V] Countdown

FOX New s 00:00 Happening Now 02:00 The Live Desk 04:00 Studio B with Shepard Smith Live 05:00 Your World with Neil Cavuto 06:00 Glenn Beck with Glenn Beck 07:00 Special Report with Bret Baier 08:00 The FOX Report with Shepard Smith 09:00 The O’Reilly Factor 10:00 Hannity 11:00 On the Record with Greta Van Susteren 12:00 The O’Reilly Factor

13:00 Hannity 14:00 On the Record with Greta Van Susteren 15:00 Glenn Beck with Glenn Beck 16:00 Fox Report 17:00 Special Report with Bret Baier 18:00 Hannity (repeat) 19:00 The O’Reilly Factor (repeat) 20:00 FOX and Friends Saturday 21:00 FOX and Friends Saturday 22:00 FOX and Friends Saturday 23:00 Bulls and Bears 23:30 Cavuto On Business National Geographic Channel 20:00 Megastructures -Sinking A Destroyer 21:00 History’s Secrets -The Secrets Of J. Edgar Hoover 22:00 Naked Science -Hawking’s Universe 23:00 Theme Week -ShowReal Asia : Hiss Of Death 00:00 Locked Up Abroad -Mexico Or Bust 01:00 Helicopter Wars -White Out 02:00 Ground War -Battle Machines 03:00 Nat Geo Junior -Camels, Courts & Concubines : Trade Winds S1-3 04:00 Food Lovers Guide To The Planet -

Cow Cuisine 8 04:30 Food Lovers Guide To The Planet Daily Bread 3 05:00 Mother Warthog 06:00 Built For The Kill -Swamp S1-6 07:00 Engineering Connections -Hms Illustrious 08:00 World’s Toughest Fixes -Atom Smasher 09:00 ABOUT ASIA -Cooking The World : Thailand:The Delights Of Thai Cuisine 1 09:30 ABOUT ASIA -Word Travels : Thailand 10 10:00 ABOUT ASIA -Megastructures : The Canton Tower 11:00 Meet The Natives -2 12:00 Helicopter Wars -White Out 13:00 Ground War -Battle Machines 14:00 Big Melt -The Living Edens : South Georgia Island: Paradise Of Ice 15:00 Beneath Easter Island 16:00 Ground War -Battle Machines 17:00 Helicopter Wars -White Out 18:00 Big Melt -The Living Edens : South Georgia Island: Paradise Of Ice 19:00 History’s Secrets -The Secrets Of J. Edgar Hoover

Sunday, February 14, 2010

33

ACCOMMODATION Single room accommodation required for a decent Keralite Christian bachelor with a small family in Abbassiya.

Contact: 97426334. (C 20330) 14-2-2010 Sharing accommodation available in 2 bedroom/bathroom C-AC flat in between Tunis & Al Muthanna streets in Hawally with balcony and bathroom.

Contact: 99380453. (C 20328) Sharing accommodation available for Keralite couples with Keralite family near Integrated Indian school, from 1st March onwards. C-AC, 2 bedroom 2 bathroom flat. Please contact: 66750390.

(C 20327) Big room available in Salmiya with two bedroom flat for Indian bachelor. Contact: 99613251.

(C 20324)

Furnished room available for two bachelors or single family with Keralite bachelor in Jeleeb Shouyokh opp German clinic.

Call: 66475154. (C 20325) 12-2-2010 Room for rent in flat in Khaitan near Pakistan International School for family or couples or working ladies with a Pakistani family. Call 99322585. (C 20321) Sharing accommodation available in Abbassiya for

executive bachelors or a couple in a new CAC building with 2 spacious bedrooms, hall, kitchen, 2 toilets, near Integrated School, Noor supermarket building.

Interested call: 66752359/ 24338481/97635928 (C 20320) Furnished sharing accommodation available in a central A/C flat for working ladies with a Keralite family staying in Salmiya, Amman Street, near Apollo hospital, flat having Internet facility.

Contact: 97919485.

(C 20319) One room sharing accommodation available for a bachelor in double bedroom window A/C flat with Indian Mangalorean Hindu family, near Salmiya garden and Caesars takeaway. Contact: 55964524. (C 20318) Sharing accommodation available for a bachelor (south Indian) very near to Indian Community School (senior) Salmiya. Please contact: 66780615.

(C 20317) 11-2-2010 Accommodation available for decent non-smoking bachelor in 2 BR CAC flat near Integrated School, Abbassiya.

Contact: 66005134. (C 20315)

FOR SALE Household items, couch, throw rug 1 cabinet, stove, etc, ATV-50cc Eton runs good. Call day or night 67039015. ( 20329) 12-2-2010 Toyota Camry XLi, model 97, in excellent condition, regd up to Jan 2011. Asking Price KD 1,100. Contact 67056666 for inspection.

Pajero io, model 2002, km 110,800, 5 doors, 4WD, full options with new 4 tyres, lady driven, super condition, KD 1,550.

Contact: 55637587. (20314) Nissan Sunny, 4 cylinders, model 2009, silver color, done KM 14,000, excellent condition. Price cash KD 2,900. Contact: 55107856.

(C 20309) Honda Accord, 1998 model (new) 120,000 mileage, full options (sunroof, alloy wheels, cruise control, CD).

Price KD 1,250. Contact: 55522942. (C 20307) Alum kitchen cabinet 2+1, clean sofa set, Ikea dining table with 6 chairs, white color, cupboard, storage selves, boys cricket pads unused. Contact: 65980247.

(C 20310) 10-2-2010

bcmchira@yahoo.co.in (C 20313) 10-2-2010

CHANGE OF NAME I, Sumitra Boby became Muslim, married to Abdul Mubeen Mulla, my Passport No. F 4123443. I change my name to Nawal Abdul Mubeen Mulla.

12-2-2010

MATRIMONIAL Proposals are invited for a Pentecostal boy (TPM), B.Sc-PGDCA, 29, 180cm from every Christian denominations. Email: proposalsin09@yahoo.com (C 20322) 11-2-2010 Looking for a suitable alliance from the parents of a born again girl, who is interested to serve the “Lord” in the ministry. Email:

LOST Policy No. 630001104 issued by State Life Gulf Zone life of Mr. Mohammad Akhtar has been lost. Anyone who finds should contact State Life Kuwait within one month from this date.

Phone No: 22452208/9.

(C 20323) 11-2-2010

SITUATION WANTED Indian female (MBA in HR), 10 years experience in HR/Administration, specializing in recruitments, PMS, MIS Reports & Admin functions. Well versed in computer applications. Please contact: 66634322.

(C 20283)

Flight Schedule Arrival Flights on Sunday 14/02/2010 Airlines Flt Route Jazeera 0263 Beirut KLM 0447 Amsterdam/Bahrain Wataniya Airways 2103 Beirut Gulf Air 211 Bahrain Turkish A/L 1172 Istanbul DHL 370 Bahrain Emirates 853 Dubai Etihad 0305 Abu Dhabi Qatari 0138 Doha Ethiopian 622 Addis Ababa/Bahrain Jazeera 0637 Aleppo Jazeera 0503 Luxor Jazeera 0527 Alexandria Kuwait 416 Jakarta/Kuala Lumpur Jazeera 0529 Assiut British 0157 London Kuwait 412 Manila/Bangkok Falcon 201 Bahrain Kuwait 204 Lahore Jazeera 0161 Dubai Kuwait 302 Mumbai Kuwait 344 Chennai Kuwait 676 Dubai Kuwait 362 Colombo Kuwait 332 Trivandrum Emirates 855 Dubai Qatari 0132 Doha Arabia 0121 Sharjah Etihad 0301 Abu Dhabi Gulf Air 213 Bahrain Wataniya Airways 1121 Bahrain Jazeera 0447 Doha Jazeera 0165 Dubai Jazeera 0425 Bahrain Wataniya Airways 1021 Dubai Jazeera 0113 Abu Dhabi Middle East 404 Beirut Egypt Air 610 Cairo Mahan Air 5066 Mashad Jazeera 0171 Dubai Kuwait 672 Dubai Wataniya Airways 2301 Damascus Kuwait 786 Jeddah Egypt Air 621 Assiut Nas Air 745 Jeddah Global 064 Najaf Jazeera 0257 Beirut Wataniya Airways 2001 Cairo Saudi Arabian A/L 500 Jeddah Kuwait 552 Damascus Jazeera 0457 Damascus Qatari 0134 Doha Kuwait 284 Dhaka Kuwait 774 Riyadh Royal Jordanian 800 Amman Jazeera 0173 Dubai Mihin Lanka 403 Colombo/Dubai Iran Aseman 6791 Mashad Bahrain Air 344 Bahrain Global 061 Baghdad/Najaf

Time 00:05 00:10 00:50 01:05 02:15 02:15 02:35 03:00 03:25 03:30 05:05 05:35 06:10 06:25 06:30 06:40 06:45 07:00 07:35 07:45 07:55 08:10 08:10 08:20 08:25 08:30 09:00 09:05 09:35 10:45 10:45 11:00 11:05 11:10 11:20 11:20 11:55 12:55 12:55 13:05 13:25 13:35 13:55 13:55 14:00 14:00 14:10 14:20 14:30 14:35 14:45 15:00 15:10 15:25 15:40 16:05 16:40 16:45 16:50 16:50

Emirates Kuwait Gulf Air Etihad Cargolux Saudi Arabian A/L Jazeera Jazeera Arabia Jazeera Thai Wataniya Airways Kuwait Srilankan United A/L Jazeera Wataniya Airways DHL Wataniya Airways Kuwait Kuwait Kuwait Kuwait Jazeera Kuwait Iran Air Kuwait Kuwait Syrian Arab A/L Kuwait Kuwait Singapore A/L Saudi Arabian A/L Jet A/W Wataniya Airways Oman Air Egypt Air Jazeera Jazeera Kuwait Indian Gulf Air Middle East Qatari Emirates KLM Kuwait Jazeera Jazeera Jazeera Jazeera Egypt Air Egypt Air India Express Lufthansa Ariana Bangladesh Wataniya Airways Wataniya Airways Wataniya Airways

857 118 215 0303 792 510 0493 0239 0125 0433 519 2101 548 227 982 0427 2003 473 1025 542 674 618 174 0177 614 607 1794 1794 341 104 562 458 3500 572 1201 0647 618 0459 0343 788 993 217 402 0136 859 0445 502 0449 0429 0117 0185 612 606 395 636 405 043 2201 1029 1129

Dubai New York Bahrain Abu Dhabi Luxembourg Riyadh Jeddah Amman Sharjah Mashad Bangkok Beirut Luxor/Sharm El Sheikh Colombo/Dubai Washington Dc Dulles Bahrain Cairo Baghdad Dubai Cairo Dubai Doha Geneva/Frankfurt Dubai Bahrain Mashad Medinah Jeddah Damascus London Amman Singapore/Abu Dhabi Jeddah Mumbai Jeddah Muscat Alexandria Damascus Sanaa/Bahrain Jeddah Chennai/Mumbai Bahrain Beirut Doha Dubai Amsterdam Beirut Doha Bahrain Abu Dhabi Dubai Cairo Luxor Kozhikode/Cochin Frankfurt Kabul Dhaka Amman Dubai Bahrain

16:55 16:55 17:05 17:15 17:15 17:15 17:30 17:35 17:40 17:45 17:45 17:50 17:55 18:05 18:15 18:15 18:20 18:30 18:40 18:50 18:55 18:55 19:00 19:05 19:20 19:20 19:25 19:25 19:30 19:35 19:40 19:45 20:00 20:05 20:15 20:20 20:35 20:40 20:55 20:55 21:05 21:05 21:20 21:35 21:40 21:55 22:00 22:10 22:15 22:25 22:40 22:45 23:00 23:15 23:30 23:35 23:40 23:40 23:45 23:55

Departure Flights on Sunday 14/02/2010 Airlines Flt Route Egypt Air 607 Luxor Jazeera 0528 Assiut Shaheen Air 442 Lahore United A/L 981 Washington Dc Dulles Indian 576 Goa/Chennai Pakistan 216 Karachi Lufthansa 637 Frankfurt KLM 0447 Amsterdam Kuwait 283 Dhaka DHL 371 Bahrain Turkish A/L 1173 Istanbul Emirates 854 Dubai Etihad 0306 Abu Dhabi Ethiopian 622 Addis Ababa Qatari 0139 Doha Jazeera 0164 Dubai Wataniya Airways 1020 Dubai Wataniya Airways 2000 Cairo Jazeera 0112 Abu Dhabi Jazeera 0446 Doha Gulf Air 212 Bahrain Wataniya Airways 1120 Bahrain Jazeera 0422 Bahrain Wataniya Airways 2300 Damascus Kuwait 785 Jeddah Jazeera 0256 Beirut British 0156 London Jazeera 0170 Dubai Kuwait 671 Dubai Kuwait 551 Damascus Jazeera 0456 Damascus Kuwait 101 London/New York Arabia 0122 Sharjah Emirates 856 Dubai Kuwait 547 Luxor/Sharm El Sheikh Qatari 0133 Doha Global 063 Najaf Etihad 0302 Abu Dhabi Wataniya Airways 2002 Cairo Gulf Air 214 Bahrain Kuwait 165 Rome/Paris Jazeera 0342 Bahrain/Sanaa Kuwait 541 Cairo Global 062 Baghdad Jazeera 0172 Dubai Jazeera 0432 Mashad Kuwait 773 Riyadh Wataniya Airways 2100 Beirut Jazeera 0492 Jeddah Jazeera 0238 Amman Middle East 405 Beirut Egypt Air 611 Cairo Mahan Air 5065 Mashad Wataniya Airways 1024 Dubai Kuwait 673 Dubai Kuwait 561 Amman Kuwait 1793 Jeddah Egypt Air 622 Assiut Kuwait 1793 Medinah Nas Air 746 Jeddah

Time 00:01 00:05 00:15 00:40 00:50 01:10 01:20 01:25 02:55 03:15 03:15 03:50 04:10 04:15 05:00 07:00 07:00 07:30 07:35 07:40 07:45 07:50 07:55 08:10 08:20 08:35 08:55 09:00 09:00 09:10 09:25 09:35 09:35 09:40 09:55 10:00 10:00 10:20 11:30 11:40 11:45 11:50 12:00 12:00 12:00 12:05 12:05 12:05 12:15 12:25 12:55 13:55 14:15 14:25 14:30 14:35 14:50 14:50 14:50 14:55

Jazeera Wataniya Airways Jazeera Jazeera Kuwait Kuwait Saudi Arabian A/L Kuwait Kuwait Royal Jordanian Qatari Bahrain Air Mihin Lanka Iran Aseman Gulf Air Etihad Emirates Arabia Jazeera Saudi Arabian A/L Kuwait Jazeera Jazeera Wataniya Airways Cargolux Jazeera Jazeera Thai Wataniya Airways Kuwait Srilankan Wataniya Airways Jazeera Kuwait Kuwait Iran Air Syrian Arab A/L Kuwait Wataniya Airways Jet A/W Saudi Arabian A/L Oman Air Jazeera Egypt Air Singapore A/L Gulf Air DHL Kuwait Middle East Jazeera Falcon Qatari Kuwait Emirates KLM Kuwait Jazeera Jazeera Egypt Air Jazeera Kuwait

0176 1200 0426 0458 617 787 505 501 613 801 0135 345 404 6792 216 0304 858 0126 0262 511 543 0184 0116 2200 792 0448 0428 520 2102 285 228 1028 0512 361 1541 604 342 331 1128 571 9611 0648 0240 619 459 218 171 675 403 0188 102 0137 301 860 0445 205 0480 0526 613 0502 411

Dubai Jeddah Bahrain Damascus Doha Jeddah Jeddah Beirut Bahrain Amman Doha Bahrain Dubai/Colombo Mashad Bahrain Abu Dhabi Dubai Sharjah Beirut Riyadh Cairo Dubai Abu Dhabi Amman Hong Kong Doha Bahrain Bangkok Beirut Chittagong Dubai/Colombo Dubai Sharm El Sheikh Colombo Cairo Isfahan Damascus Trivandrum Bahrain Mumbai Jeddah Muscat Amman Alexandria Abu Dhabi/Singapore Bahrain Bahrain Dubai Beirut Dubai Bahrain Doha Mumbai Dubai Bahrain/Amsterdam Islamabad Sabiha Alexandria Cairo Luxor Bangkok/Manila

15:05 15:10 15:25 15:30 15:35 15:50 16:00 16:10 16:20 16:25 16:30 17:35 17:40 17:45 17:55 18:00 18:10 18:20 18:25 18:30 18:30 18:35 18:40 18:40 18:45 18:50 19:00 19:05 19:05 19:10 19:15 19:30 19:50 20:00 20:05 20:20 20:30 21:00 21:00 21:10 21:15 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 23:00 23:25 23:45 23:50 23:55

SPECTRUM

34 CROSSWORD 900

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Calvin Aries (March 21-April 19) Indulge your curiosity

because today your creativity is at its best. New ideas are easily understood and bring interesting and exciting rewards. Make the most of this exciting day. Close relationships have a big impact on your life—old ones will be transformed or perhaps even ended, new ones will come on like gangbusters. A partner has a mesmerizing impact on you . . . very compelling, perhaps too much so. Higher education, publishing, broadcasting or advertising could play an unexpected role in setting new directions. You may find yourself in some sort of class offered by the community schools or library with regard to publishing. When you feel that you could defend your love to the maximum—you will know you are in love—careful.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Your emotions are so close

to the surface today that one could read them from across the room, which means you can read them too. Some kind of healing process is at work in your life: you isolate what doesn’t work, eliminate it and move forward. You are deeply sensitive to the needs of others and you work well with people of all ages. If you are a salesperson, you should double the usual quota for most sales teams, particularly today! This evening someone may want your help with a project. It would be good to write down a few suggestions for their consideration so that they can complete their project themselves. An important activity for you to employ as well as to teach, is how one might keep a watchful eye on the art of balance.

Pooch Cafe

ACROSS 1. A fluorocarbon with chlorine.

4. A federal agency established to regulate the release of new foods and health-related products.

7. A rare chronic progressive encephalitis caused by the measles virus and occurring primarily in children and young adults.

11. A reproach for some lapse or misdeed.

12. An associate degree in applied science.

13. A roughly cylindrical that is vessel open at the top.

14. According to the Old Testament he was a pagan king of Israel and husband of Jezebel (9th century BC).

17. A bachelor's degree in religion.

18. The blood group whose red cells carry both the A and B antigens.

21. A former agency (from 1946 to 1974) that was responsible for research into atomic energy and its peacetime uses in the United States.

25. A lipoprotein that transports cholesterol in the blood.

27. A river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine.

28. A small cake leavened with yeast.

30. An ugly evil-looking old woman.

33. Title for the former hereditary monarch of Iran.

36. A soft silvery metallic element of the alkali earth group.

41. The capital and largest city of Yemen.

43. A percussion instrument consisting of a pair of hollow pieces of wood or bone (usually held between the thumb and fingers) that are made to click together (as by Spanish dancers) in rhythm with the dance.

45. The former capital and 2nd largest city of Brazil.

46. (informal) Exceptionally good.

48. (informal) Roused to anger.

49. A self-funded retirement plan that allows you to contribute a limited yearly sum toward your retirement.

50. A member of the Siouan people formerly living in the Missouri river valley in NE Nebraska.

51. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

DOWN 1. Decapod having eyes on short stalks and a broad flattened carapace with a small abdomen folded under the thorax and pincers.

2. King of Saudi Arabia since 1982 (born in 1922).

3. An accountant certified by the state.

4. The syllable naming the fourth (subdominant) note of the diatonic scale in solmization.

5. The longer of the two telegraphic signals used in Morse code.

6. A very poisonous metallic element that has three allotropic forms.

7. A health resort near a spring or at the seaside.

8. A region of Malaysia in northeastern Borneo.

9. Low-growing tropical perennials grown for their stingless foliage.

10. Selected as the best.

15. A decree that prohibits something.

16. A white metallic element that burns with a brilliant light.

19. The cry made by sheep.

20. God of death.

22. A white linen liturgical vestment with sleeves.

23. Formerly a term of respect for important white Europeans in colonial India.

24. A radioactive transuranic element.

26. An official prosecutor for a judicial district.

29. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

31. A ductile silvery-white ductile ferromagnetic trivalent metallic element of the rare earth group.

32. Small genus of mediterranean shrubs.

34. Dense growth of hairs covering the body or parts of it (as on the human head).

35. Small buffalo of the Celebes having small straight horns.

37. A woman hired to suckle a child of someone else.

38. A soft yellowish-white trivalent metallic element of the rare earth group.

39. Someone who works (or provides workers) during a strike.

40. An informal term for a father.

42. A defensive missile designed to shoot down incoming intercontinental ballistic missiles.

44. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

47. An intensely radioactive metallic element that occurs in minute amounts in uranium ores.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) There could be guests in your house today and they may tend to overstay their welcome. It’s a time of refinement and tact, of an urge to please others that is so strong as to make it hard to decide or act for fear of offending someone. You will quickly learn to balance this out, or you will discover that there is no peace in compromise—and this can be tough on close relationships. The trick is to find the win-win solution—if anyone is ever up to it, you are now. You could come up with new solutions or inventions today. You demonstrate a good understanding of others and are in a good position to communicate concerning groups and society in general. Politics is something you might consider in your future. This evening is a great time for romance.

Non Sequitur

Cancer (June 21-July 22) You could be working today. Motivation and ego combine to help you achieve your ambitions; full-speed-ahead. There is plenty of work and you are up for it, however, you may not make it home in time for dinner. Transformation is the word for today. This is in your private life as well as your professional life. You will find the need to reorganize the way you work with other people.

Perhaps this means a new computer, phone or computer software. New approaches to health, diet and exercise can change your life as well—a new health-consciousness comes into play. Unfinished emotional issues may need a little attention this evening. It may be easier to look at the negative just now but compromise could bring positive results—try it.

Leo (July 23-August 22) You may find yourself teaching young people about discipline today. Whatever you put into motion for now is bound to lead to success down the road. A larger vision comes when you think of the world in the hands of the next generation. Take time to enjoy the little things today. Take a stroll, talk to a friend and enjoy listening to music. Family and security are things that rattle your chain more than ever now. These are the things you want to help others build upon—a good foundation. Your passion is catching and your words help others to understand more about the importance of a strong family unit. These are areas where you make new beginnings. New ideas are surfacing that will help bring in a little extra income; keep notes. Enjoy your talents.

Zits

Virgo (August 23-September 22) It is a good time to assess what changes or improvements you would like to make in your life, particularly through helping others. You may be given a few challenges today—emotional and physical. Go for it! Your physical energy is at a high and your batting average at turning the negative into a positive is at a high. Obviously, you are optimistic and when you sense a friend or relative is frustrated with some difficulty, you know the right questions to ask. Use your insight to help this individual get to his or her truth; results are not what you think. With unrelenting perseverance, you bring home several ideas for improvements in your family’s living condition. Surprisingly, when you communicate in this way, you find willing helpmates.

Libra (September 23-October 22) Whatever feelings underscore your life at this time . . . will be felt more strongly now. A casual time with your breakfast and the newspaper gives you some updates into the current events in your city. Do not ignore the unexpected things that present themselves later this morning. If you push the unexpected away, you could set yourself up for disruptions you cannot control. The key word here is control—and you have it just now. Close relationships will be what makes up the afternoon. This could be a time when you and your friends gather to play a trivia, board or a card game. Breaking for the Pizza Delivery Driver, you and your friends enjoy fun conversations, remembered jokes and ideas for future gatherings. A bit of gambling could be fun this evening.

Mother Goose and Grimm

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) This morning affords

you the opportunity to calculate and plan. Your head makes better decisions than your emotional feeling; knowing this, you may put your ideas down on paper. Check the calendar each day and make sure you have all the dates listed for the times you want to celebrate someone’s birthday or holiday.

Where your head goes, the quality of your life goes. Being frivolous with your life is often the way that youth navigates. You, however, regardless of your age, have the highest intention of achieving early retirement, a comfortable home and physical and mental challenges for which to aim. You feel generous toward your loved ones and this will reflect back on you.

News from longtime friends brings plenty of smiles.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Because someone questions your beliefs or words, you may work to create a focus of understanding. In many languages, a few words will mean different things by the way the words are phrased. Try phrasing your words differently, or use different words to say what you mean. You will find others will understand you better with this change. When there is a request for your time, service or advice, make it a point to say that you want to think about the situation before giving of your time, service or advice. People will understand and appreciate your consideration.

Restlessness sets in when you have to stay inside for very long and a stationary bike or tread-mill is a good investment because you can watch recorded travel shows or read while you exercise.

Yesterday’s Solution

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) After a

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

week of juggling projects at work, you may decide not to involve yourself with anything difficult in the home place this weekend. You may choose to do the things you really enjoy instead of the regular duties and chores. This may include cooking, painting, reading, learning more about a musical instrument, shopping over the Internet or sleeping half the day. You are attracted to people that are very creative and perhaps athletic as well. This afternoon you may feel more like enjoying the company of friends.

There are stories to tell and jokes to share. You love to travel and may decide to gather ideas on your next adventure. You have a clear vision into your own inner sense of values, how you appreciate and love. This evening—relax.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) An emphasis on close relationships and a preoccupation with ideas of fairness and harmony are part of the mental cycle you have just begun. The intellectual and communicative talents of those close to you take on a greater importance: any shortcomings of this kind stick out like a sore thumb.

Intensity rules! Colors are brighter, images sharper, music more moving. Emotions run deep, especially with members of the opposite gender. Previously bland relationships could border on love/hate. You can control this, so enjoy and personify the positive. Parts of the day that are not spent with your many different friends will more than likely be spent in some sort of intensive creative project— measuring and sculpturing may be part of this.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) A friend may need your help today. You may be called upon to lend a helping hand.

This could mean that someone is moving or is ill and may need a bit of TLC—perhaps a cooked meal, hot tea, a listening ear or a pat on the back. Being in touch with ideas and people on a large scale keeps your mind busy most days, particularly this afternoon.

Broadening your intellectual and spiritual horizons takes on a high priority.

You are intent on seeing the big picture and having a good understanding of whatever comes before you. You may decide that working for a travel agency or airlines will help you meet your requirements to travel. A revision in your resume or perhaps your education may help you move in whatever direction you desire.

INFORMATION

Sunday, February 14, 2010

35 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

36

SPECTRUM

Sunday, February 14, 2010

he singer has reportedly paid out more than $115,000 to compensate the residents of Blantyre, Malawi, after they were ordered by government officials to make way for her $15 million Raising Malawi Girls Academy. An official from the commissioner’s office said: “The district commissioner for Lilongwe told the villagers to move off the land and make way for the construction of the academy because it was government land reserved for development projects.” The villagers had reportedly threatened to block the project - which aims to provide education to

Madonna’s Malawian school forces 200 villagers to move home Kate Moss’ life to become a play

Angelina Jolie is ‘open’ to adopting again The ‘Changeling’ actress - who is currently visiting earthquake-hit Haiti in her role as a UN Goodwill Ambassador - laughed off reports she and partner Brad Pitt are planning to take on the care of an orphan from the disaster-stricken nation, but admits they haven’t ruled out expanding their family further in future. She told CNN: “I’m always open to children around the world. We’re that kind of a family; Brad and I talk about that.

“But that’s not what we’re focusing on at this time, by any means. We’re not here for that.

We’re here to see how we can help protect the children in country and scale up the needs here.” Angelina and Brad are already parents to three adopted children, Cambodian Maddox, eight, five-year-old Zahara, from Ethiopia, and Pax, six, who hails from Vietnam.

They also have three biological children, Shiloh, three, and 19month-old twins Knox and Vivienne. Earlier this week, Angelina call for a restriction

T

ckname for Hill set, the ni rn est friends os cl he Croydon-bo ’s the model ill w el od die Frost, superm with include Sa ylor and a Ta ia in be the focus of av actress D e source added Th drama which is . ns Ifa ys Rh : irror newspaper being written by to the Daily M d ul co ie d m Ja an , nd gy yfrie is ed her musician bo lp. An insider “The script e. he celebs in troubl gs w fe a t ge Hince with her in ay pl th to ne to ed ct to addi Kate may have said: “Jamie is ays jotting d beauol rea -y w 36 al e is down.” Th writing and nly make “He mentioned life would certai as well ’s ty down scenes. nd ou theatre, based ar for interesting an idea to Kate, d her friends rberry, Dior r an modeling fo Bu dated a as the lives of her ce an e has t at the ch and Chanel, sh - and Kate leap The script men including s .” ou ed m lv fa vo of in st t ho to ge d en d Pete by her fri Johnny Depp an has a will be backed p ili Ph r so Si al ss Doherty. She and Topshop bo some of ughter Lila da , ld er -o ev ar seven-ye Green. How or w e ar lationship ds re r en fri race from he G Kate’s closest al ve re tion will ine publisher ried the produc out the noto- with magaz ab Jefferson Hack. intimate details ng Primrose yi rt pa rd riously ha

T

Dame Helen Mirren loves Lady Gaga he ‘Last Station’ actress - who was infamously photographed wearing a bikini on holiday in Italy in 2008 - says she is interested in “slightly perverse” sexuality and is a particular fan of the way the eccentric singer presents herself.

She said: “To this day I love sexuality. I love the art of sexuality. I love Lady Gaga and the performance of sexuality.

The mysterious, the artistic and the slightly perverse. I’m interested in all that.” The 64-year-old star - who is married to director Taylor Hackford - admits she hates the way she was perceived when she first started working in theatre productions in the early 70s. She explained: “In my mind I was a serious actress. But the men in that era got away with such sexist nonsense. It was constant. They were pushing me into being Barbara Windsor, that sort of carry on type. “And it wasn’t because of my beauty. I was never beautiful. I don’t mind being sexy, but on my terms.”

T

Katy Perry loves her ‘voluptuous’ body

he ‘I Kissed A Girl’ singer who is known for her skimpy stage outfits - doesn’t need to work hard to maintain her figure, but thinks she will be more prone to putting on weight as she gets older.

She said: “I don’t feel pressure, no, as I know I’m kind of voluptuous and I’ve always been that way. Saying that, I’m young and metabolism is on my side and my schedule is so crazy that I lose weight from the intensity of it. But if you ask me that question in five or six years and I’ll probably have a different

T

on adopting Haitian children in the aftermath of the disaster. She said: “New adoptions should definitely not be encouraged as an immediate response to the emergency. Haiti had many trafficking problems before the earthquake and now must keep a very close watch on the children. I would encourage as much support as possible to groups like UNICEF providing care for children in country.”

Amy Winehouse gives away her 11 cats

T

answer for you.” However, the 25-year-old singer - who is engaged to British funnyman Russell Brand - is constantly nagged to eat healthily by her older sister. She explained: “My sister makes me watch what I eat. She’s a pescatarian, a vegetarian who eats fish, and she’s lost so much weight from being that.

She’ll scream at me if some of the crew on my tour get hot pizza for a snack and I want some. Sometimes I can grab a slice, but if my sister sees me, I get a verbal lashing! I eat secretly in the corner - my one pepperoni slice.”

he ‘Jennifer’s Body’ star can be seen reclining in a bubble bath in the promotional clip for Motorola which debuted on US TV during the Super Bowl - but bosses employed a model for close up shots of her playing with the new Blur smart phone. The model was brought in because Megan has a genetic condition called brachydactyly, which means she has clubbed thumbs. The 30-second clip was seen by an estimated 90 million TV viewers and despite Megan’s sexy appearance in the commercial, most discussions centered on her hands. A writer on the Celebrity Smack blog said: “Did anyone else catch this? I couldn’t help but chuckle when they showed a closeup of the Motorola phone and the hands holding it were definitely not Megan Fox’s.” Despite drafting in a replacement pair of hands for the advert, experts have previously said Megan’s problem is not serious. Leading New York hand surgeon Dr Steven Bendner said last year: “Literally, what it means is short finger.

The nail of the thumb in this con-

T

500 impoverished children - unless they were given more cash after being paid $500,000 by the 51-year-old star’s Raising Malawi foundation. However, they were reportedly told by Anjimile Mtila-Oponyo, a senior official for the charity, they had been given “generous compensation” and had no reason to complain.

According to the source, a local chief advised the residents to “accept the reality as there is nothing we can do”. The group has been relocated to other villages. Madonna has two adopted children from Malawi, Mercy, five, and David, four, as well as biological kids Lourdes, 13, and Rocco, nine.

he ‘Rehab’ singer who flew out to Jamaica to work on her much-anticipated third album earlier this week - has given two of her beloved pets to goddaughter Dionne Bromfield and called an animal shelter asking them to pick up the others from her London home. A source told The Sun newspaper: “Amy was pretty upset about it because she loved them dearly, but she had to give them up. “They were climbing all over the place, breeding and generally getting out of control.”

Although Amy has got rid of her

T

dition is often very short and wide. It is usually hereditary. “You need it to be able to touch the other fingers and it is important for pinching. In

cats, she won’t be short of company when she returns to the UK as she is believed to be planning reconciliation with ex-husband Blake Fielder-Civil. The 26-year-old star is reportedly arranging flights for Blake - who was released from jail last February after serving time for grievous bodily harm (GBH) and attempting to pervert the course of justice - to join her when he completes his drug treatment program. A source said: “Amy and Blake want to spend some time together away from home where they have been governed by his curfew. “She is desperate for him to join her and, of course, he wants a nice holiday and some fun. Friends have tried talking her out of it - but at the moment she’s more focused on work than she has been for ages.”

Megan Fox uses hand double in new ad Megan Fox’s case, it appears that only the last bone of the thumb is affected and that it does not involve the joint. For her, it looks like it’s just a cosmetic deficit.”

— Bangshowbiz

SPECTRUM

Sunday, February 14, 2010

37

Bride n apor a nd Rattan ft) and of Thail a g r o le h ( a Supha itiphong Jitt g wires with ony, N lin em groom ended on s uring a cer s part p d s are su et of flowers wedding,” a s in u q u lying ation o b as a “f Day celebr stern n w o n s ’ a k ntine ce, e of Vale inburi provin y. — AP Prach nd yesterda Thaila

Turbulent times likely ahead in Year of Tiger US

President Barack Obama’s fortunes will sink further and nuclear threats will grow, but the world economy will bounce back in the turbulent Year of the Tiger, Chinese soothsayers predict. “Obama will start going downhill this year. He will not be able to achieve much,” said Peter So, one of Hong Kong’s celebrity feng shui masters peering into the future as the Lunar New Year rolls around today. Chinese fortune-tellers study the changing balance of the five elements they believe form the core of the universe-metal, wood, water, fire, and soil-and in the Chinese zodiac the tiger is seen as the mother of fire.

In feng shui, a person’s element can be calculated by using the exact time and date of his birth. Obama, born in the summer of 1961, needed the support of water and did not go well with fire, So said. “Unfortunately, there is too much fire and no water for Obama this year.”

He predicted that already strained Sino-US

relations would deteriorate further in the second half of 2010, with Obama’s good fortune running out.

Other leaders could also be in for a hard time, according to their place in the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese Zodiac-Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. Monkey is the least favorable animal sign this year as it is in a direct clash with the tiger, according to the soothsayers. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who was born on the Day of the Monkey in the Year of the Monkey, is expected to experience a particularly rough 2010, Raymond Lo, a Hong Kong feng shui expert, told AFP. Others born in the Year of the Monkey include Akio Toyoda, chief of troubled Japanese auto giant Toyota, and Hong Kong leader Donald Tsang, who has been dogged by growing public discontent. The tiger’s link to fire

could also be a warning of renewed nuclear threats from rogue regimes such North Korea and from terrorists, Lo said. Adding to the possibility of troubled times is the fact that metal is the dominant element this year.

“Unfortunately, this means the year 2010 will not be peaceful as there will be lots of international conflicts,” Lo told AFP. Each element is further divided into the yin and the yang strands, the two complementary qualities representing nature’s passive and active side. Lo said that metal this year belongs to the yang strand and is a symbol of loyalty to friends and justice. “However, these seemingly positive qualities can be destructive to international relations as state leaders may take sides and make military alliances.” But the disputes were unlikely to result in violence, he said.

On the positive side, fire symbolizes the driving force of the economy and lifts hopes that a long-term recovery will be in sight, feng shui

masters said. “Fire stands for optimism and a speculative mentality, which means that there will be lots of activities in the stock market this year,” said Lo. “We’ve got to remember that the financial crisis was triggered by the absence of fire and prevalence of water, which symbolizes fear.” Feng shui master Alion Yeo predicted that stock markets in Hong Kong and China would be up at the beginning of the year.

“But it will experience significant fluctuations around August before the market rebounds for a sustainable recovery towards the end of the year,” he said. The experts believe that the Year of the Tiger will also be favorable to industries connected to metal, such as banking, machinery, high tech, and cars. While they had varied predictions on what sort of natural disasters the world will see in a year dominated by metal and fire they all agreed on one thing-an abundance of traffic accidents. — AFP

Members of the Chinese community perform a traditional dragon dance in the street of China Town in Manila yesterday, on the eve of the Lunar New Year heralding the Year of the Tiger. — AFP

Sri Lanka’s legendary doorman turns 90 I

Sri Lanka’s legendary doorman, Kottarapattu Chattu Kuttan, 89, holds his palms in traditional greeting, outside the island’s historic 146-year-old Galle Face Hotel in Colombo. — AFP photos

Sri Lanka’s legendary doorman, Kuttan, 89, shows off his souvenier lapel pins from different countries.

n 70 years of greeting guests to Sri Lanka’s venerable Galle Face Hotel, doorman K Chattu Kuttan has hobnobbed with everyone from royal heads of state to Bond girls and Soviet cosmonauts. Kuttan, who turns 90 tomorrow, has watched the hotel change with the country, from colonial days, through independence and the dark decades of ethnic conflict. And he has pretty much seen it all, from a Japanese Zero fighter plane crash-landing on the hotel grounds during World War II, to sultry film star Ursula Andress dancing in the ballroom on New Year’s Eve 1976.

Born in India’s Kerala province, Kuttan left his home and took the ferry to Sri Lanka’s northern seaport town of Talaimannar and then made his way to Colombo in 1938. He worked as a servant for one of Colombo’s elite families before landing a job at the hotel in 1942, weeks after the Japanese bombed the capital. He started as a waiter, and took 50 years to gravitate to the

front door. “Ceylon, as Sri Lanka was known, was a different country then. Famous people like Emperor Hirohito, Richard Nixon, Sir Laurence Olivier and George Bernard Shaw came and stayed with us,” Kuttan recalled.

In colonial days, the adjoining Galle Face promenade that overlooks the Indian Ocean used to host horse races on the green.

“White ladies and gentlemen would watch the races from the terrace of our hotel. The ladies wore hats and were covered with frills and lace,” he said. In recent years, Kuttan has embraced his role as a living Galle Face institution.

His distinctive neat white cropped hair, handlebar moustache, white brass buttoned coat, sarong and expanding collection of colorful souvenir badges from dozens of countries, all combine to make the perfect photo opportunity. Few guests pass up the chance of picture, and his image and life story have graced the covers and inside pages of some of the world’s leading travel magazines. “He is prob-

ably among the world’s oldest people still in employment, and also one of the most famous hotel employees in the world,” said one of the Galle Face directors, Lalith Rodrigo.

Even as he prepares for his 90th birthday bash, Kuttan, who walks one mile (1.6 kilometers) to work each morning and catches the bus at the end of his afternoon shift, has ruled out any imminent retirement. “Walking to work and the busy life at the hotel keeps me going,” said the father of two girls, five grand children and one great-grand child.

When he first started as a waiter, Kuttan served dignitaries like Lord Mountbatten, Princess Elizabeth, Jawarharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Arthur C Clarke. His monthly pay back then was 20 rupees. “Now I earn 30,000 rupees (265 dollars) a month as a doorman,” he said. The Galle Face’s glory has somewhat diminished over the decades, and most A-list celebrities and political statesmen now stay at modern luxury hotels that have sprung up in other parts of Colombo. But its faded

splendor still attracts a loyal clientele and newcomers who stare at its prominently displayed list of famous guests, and point out the known and the unexpected, like Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin.

Kuttan is happy he lived to see the back of Sri Lanka’s 37-year ethnic conflict, which ended in May with the military victory over Tamil Tiger rebels. “Too many people died. I have seen too many bomb blasts around Colombo. People were scared to move around. Even tourists didn’t want to come. So I’m happy its finally over,” he said. A nonsmoker, teetotaler and lover of vegetable dishes, Kuttan hopes to visit Kerala in April to see his two sisters, aged 93 and 73 — his second visit to India since arriving in Sri Lanka. In good shape despite his years, Kuttan relies on spectacles for night vision and avoids sweets to keep his blood sugar low. And his pet peeves? Mobile phones. “I hate those (ringtone) noises. I feel my ear is vibrating after talking into one.” — AFP

Guggenheim artists fill ‘void’ with ideas W

hat do almost 200 artists and architects answer when asked how to fill a vast empty space in the middle of New York? Useful things like: fill it with coffee. The Guggenheim Museum’s rotunda has been the empty, enigmatic heart of the famous Frank Lloyd Wright-designed building since it was opened exactly 50 years ago. Now, in the finale of events commemorating that half century, the museum has invited 193 artists from around the world to imagine how they would use the space.

The results, seen in the exhibition “Contemplating the Void: Interventions in the Guggenheim Museum” that opened Friday, don’t literally seek to bung up the famous white cylinder between the rotunda’s snaking walkways. Instead, this is a test of the imagination-and humor-of artists including Anish Kapoor and Alice Aycock, designers such as Fernando and Humberto Campana, and architects including BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group).

So how do they fill the void? Several of the submissions, made in everything from elabo-

rate paintings to sketches and precise architectural drawings, revolve around establishing a primeval forest in the 5th Avenue rotunda.

Saunders Architecture from Norway submitted a digital print showing Frank Lloyd Wright himself relaxing in a forest glade bounded by the spiraling ramps. Others suggest using sound to fill the space.

Cuban-born Carlos Garaicoa drew up plans for suspending every instrument from a full philharmonic orchestra, then playing the “chaos” of an orchestra’s tune-up session. In a work called “Prelude,” Kris Martin, born in Belgium, suggests a game of Chinese whispers. People would line up all around the spiral stairs passing up a quotation from Frank Lloyd Wright’s autobiography: “The small hand with half-frozen fingers was again in its mitten in the older, stronger hand.”

“In the end, the FLW sentence will reach the person on top,” Martin says. “The latter will write it on a sheet of paper and will throw it in the void. “The void will be completely filled with coffee,” they decide. — AFP

Cleaners vacuum in the CODA Museum in Apeldoorn on Friday, Feb12, 2010 on the eve of the exhibition opening of some 200 painted portraits of Dutch princess Maxima. Amateur painters made portraits of the most popular member of the Dutch royal family for the exposition. — AFP

SPECTRUM

38

Sunday, February 14, 2010

new breeds to be showcased at Westminster Kennel show 3 H

Burak, a 4-year-old Saluki, from Beverly Shores.

Trouble, a 2-year-old Pug, works out on a treadmill at the doggie spa at the Pennsylvania Hotel, Friday, Feb 12, 2010 in New York.

is name is Alchemy - a sleek Irish red and white setter, high-energy but gentle. Next week, he’ll represent one of three new breeds making their debut at the Westminster Kennel Club’s world-class dog show alongside the perennial Labrador retriever - just named America’s top dog for the 19th consecutive year - and dozens of other breeds.

Alchemy, a silky-coated canine from New Jersey, will also step outside Madison Square Garden on Tuesday to ring the closing bell at the Nasdaq stock exchange. That moment will be beamed live to a Times Square giant screen. The two other breeds entering the annual show for the first time are herding dogs - the Pyrenean shepherd and the Norwegian buhund.

“It’s exciting for me to see beautiful dogs that finally get recognized in this country after being around hundreds of years in their home countries,” said David Frei, a spokesman for the club who co-hosts the show’s live television broadcast. The so-called Pyr shep, native to the mountains of southern France, has guarded sheep since medieval times. Its expressive, intelligent eyes guide a fuzzy, sturdy body in action. The breed comes in two varieties - rough- and smooth-coated.

Hundreds of them lost their lives in World War I, searching for wounded men or as couriers or guard dogs.

The loyal and fun-loving buhund either black or cream-colored, with a curly tail - also has existed for centuries, sailing on Viking ships and working in the Norwegian countryside.

“It’s a dog with pointed ears and a thick coat who looks like it’s ready to go to work on a farm, herding,” said Frei.

“They have a great work ethic.”

Represented by 29 individual dogs in the show, the three breeds made it into the 134th annual event after being officially recognized last year by the American Kennel Club, the governing body of the purebed dog sport in the United States. The show starts Monday. Several factors are required for AKC recognition: a solid parent club that oversees the registry, a precise standard for the breed’s ideal dog, and a sufficient population and distribution in the United States.

“They can’t all be on some farm in Georgia,” joked Frei. Worldwide, more than 400 breeds of dogs are recognized.

Although the three new breeds in this year’s show have long been accepted abroad, “it took this long for them to receive AKC recognition in this country,” Frei said. The Labrador retriever was named the top dog in the United States on Wednesday by the American Kennel Club, followed by the German shepherd, the Yorkshire terrier and the golden retriever. The ranking is based on the number of registrations for the breed with the AKC in 2009; the lab is most popular in Los Angeles.

Westminster’s 2010 rookie breeds were introduced Friday in the lobby of Hotel Pennsylvania, across the street

Madonna morphs into ‘Marriage Ref’ for TV

T

wice-divorced pop star Madonna will take on a new profession-marriage referee — when she makes a rare television appearance on an upcoming show from comedian Jerry Seinfeld about feuding couples.

The “Material Girl,” who divorced her British movie director husband Guy Ritchie in 2008, will be one of a panel of celebrities on “The Marriage Ref” who will decide which spouse should be declared “winner” of a domestic spat filmed in their own homes. Madonna is listed along with British comedian Ricky Gervais and American Larry David in an episode to be filmed in New York before a studio audience next week.

The pop superstar, who was previously married to actor Sean

Ms Lucy, a 1-year-old Blue Chihuahua, wearing a spring flower sunset dress strikes a pose.

Penny Lane, a 2-year-old King Charles Cavalier from Briarcliff Manor, NY.

A display of Harvey’s 14 inch ears at the Pennsylv ania Hotel.

— AP photos

Penn, has made few appearances on TV shows that do not involve performances or interviews. Actors Alec Baldwin, Tina Fey, and “Desperate Housewives” star Eva Longoria are also among those expected to make up the rotating celebrity panel on “The Marriage Ref”, which debuts on NBC on Feb 28. “The Marriage Ref” sees the return to TV of the creative talents of the popular star of 1990s U.S. comedy series “Seinfeld”. The light-hearted show is one of the centerpieces of NBC’s efforts to revamp its prime-time line-up following the axing of its five nights a week “Jay Leno Show” after just five months. — Reuters

Olivia Newton-John’s ‘Physical’ sexiest song ever M

This 1985 black and white file photo shows Lionel Richie (clockwise from left) Daryl Hall, Quincy Jones, Paul Simon and Stevie Wonder record “We Are The World” by USA for Africa.

— AP

‘We Are the World’ debuts worldwide P roducers of the revamped “We Are the World” say the full sevenminute version of the music video was to be aired simultaneously on 53 domestic and international channels yesterday. The worldwide simulcast is

from the Garden. They’re staying with their owners in rooms equipped with special “dogpedic beds,” said Jerry Grymek, the hotel’s “doggie concierge.” Special services include massage therapists who limber up the animals for competition. And in the hotel basement is a his-and-hers “comfort station,” complete with faux fire hydrants for the males, near a treadmill dubbed “Jog a Dog.” Grymek was helping check in about 400 dogs on Friday; at least as many were expected yesterday. This year, there are 173 breeds and varieties in the show, up from about 150 two decades ago, Frei said.

“This is the world’s greatest dog show, with a different cast of characters every year,” he said. Anna Jones is bringing 9-year-old Alchemy along with another Irish red and white setter, 2-year-old Toffy, after a string of other shows this past year that won the dogs enough points to be declared AKC champions, a requirement to step on Westminster’s green carpet. The red and white setter - an older breed than the well-known mahogany-coated Irish setter - is a lean, elegant hunting dog with a mouth soft enough to retrieve game without damaging it. The breed became almost extinct in the early 20th century, but was saved by its “fanciers,” said Frei.

Amid this week’s snowstorm, Lisa Donnelly’s 18-month-old buhund, Lola, was oblivious to the excitement leading up to the show. All the pooch knew was that she’d gotten a bath and wasn’t allowed outside her Connecticut home to play. “She’s usually happy, outgoing and low-maintenance,” said Donnelly.

“But now, she’s having a hissy fit in the basement, whining and crying to go out.” The Westminster is the nation’s second longest continually held sporting event, after the Kentucky Derby, according to Frei. The Pyrenean shepherd and the Norwegian buhund will compete tomorrow as part of the herding group. The setters will compete the next day in the sporting group.

— AP

set for 2 pm EST; 1900 GMT. A threeminute version of the video made its world premiere Friday during NBC’s coverage of the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics. The video, filmed by Oscar winner Paul Haggis,

shows some of the 85 artists who gathered in Los Angeles this month to rerecord the charity anthem. Fans can download the song online. All proceeds will benefit earthquake recovery efforts in Haiti. — AP

ove aside Madonna and watch out Barry White. The winner of the sexiest song of all time is-Olivia Newton-John with “Physical,” according to music publication Billboard. Billboard has come up with a list of the 50 most popular songs about sex in time for Valentine’s Day with each song given points according to its performance on the Billboard hot 100 chart from August 1958 until January this year.

“Physical,” released by NewtonJohn in 1981, topped the list after spending 10 weeks as No 1 in the Billboard Hot 100 chart. And while it certainly speaks to sex with lyrics such as “There’s nothin’ left to talk about, unless it’s horizontally,” the song became known as well-known as a track for aerobics classes in line with the singer’s exercise-themed video.

Second in the list came Rod Stewart’s 1976 song “Tonight’s the Night,” followed by Boyz II Men’s 1994 ballad “I’ll Make Love To You.” “Some songs are steamy slow-jams, some are hi-octane arena-rockers, but what they all have in common (and what got them on this list) is that the subject matter of each song is directly related to sex, in some way,” Billboard said in a statement.

Other highlights include Rod Stewart, who made the top 10 twice with “Tonight’s the Night” and “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy,” and Marvin Gaye hit No 5 with the classic “Let’s Get It On.”

Top 10 of the 50 sexiest songs

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

“Physical” - Olivia Newton-John “Tonight’s The Night” - Rod Stewart “I’ll Make Love To You” - Boyz II Men “Too Close” - Next “Let’s Get It On” - Marvin Gaye “Hot Stuff” - Donna Summer “Do That To Me One More Time” - Captain and Tennille “Like A Virgin” - Madonna “Kiss You All Over” - Exile “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?” - Rod Stewart — Reuters

G

Guns N’ Roses plays surprise NY show

uns N’ Roses made a surprise New York concert appearance Thursday night as part of a Fashion Week party at the John Varvatos store in Manhattan. The band, whose only original member is singer Axl Rose, played a nearly two-hour set on the small stage in the space that was once home to legendar y rock club CBGBs. According to Internet reports, the band played a 17-song set that included selections from nearly every Guns N’ Roses album, including hits like “Paradise City,” “Sweet Child o’ Mine,” “Welcome to the Jungle” and

“Patience.” The band also played several songs from its most recent album, the commercially disappointing “Chinese Democracy.”

Guns N’ Roses’ New York appearance was only its second in the United States since the release of “Democracy.” The band recently toured Southeast Asia and Canada. Axl Rose wasn’t the only music celebrity to make a Fashion Week appearance Thursday night. No Doubt’s Gwen Stefani celebrated her new LAMB clothing line collection, while the LnA party featured performances by Metric and punk poet Patti Smith. — Reuters

SPECTRUM

Sunday, February 14, 2010

39

Stars, child samba queen ready for Rio’s Carnival io’s four-day Carnival kicked off yesterday with a slew of celebrities in town to watch the main event, which this year is dominated by a row over a sevenyear-old girl joining the ranks of the sexy adult samba queens.

Singer Madonna, Australian actor Hugh Jackman and famous-for-being-famous Paris Hilton were all congregating in the seaside “Marvelous City” which was experiencing its steamiest heat wave in 50 years.

Temperatures were soaring above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). The traditional festivities involving copious amounts of cold beer and caipirinhas, skimpy clothing and infectious drum beats have already been going on for days in the streets, where thousands of tourists have joined locals in dancing and partying. Yesterday, the tone and temperature rose as official events take off.

The main show happens today and tomorrow, when the iconic parades by the city’s top samba schools are rolled out in a televised spectacular at a special “Sambodromo” stadium seating 90,000 people. But the inclusion of a young girl, Julia Lira in the role of samba queen has sparked controversy. The seven-year-old, the daughter of the head of the Viradouro school she is dancing for, will be competing against the samba queens of the 11 other schools in the competitive parades-all of them near-naked women in little more than a g-string and body glitter who inject trademark sexiness into the show.

Viradouro has promised Julia will not be provocatively dressed, but even so, it had to see off a legal challenge by a children rights group. A Rio judge Tuesday finally gave authorization for her to take part. While Lira is the youngest samba queen of a major samba school, she is not the first young girl in the role; a rival school successfully entered a 12-year-old as its samba queen six years ago. In addition, a children-only parade takes place anyway before the main event.

“Julia is a charismatic girl with a marvelous presence in front of the drummers,” Viradouro’s artistic director Edson Pereira told reporters.

Her costume would highlight her “innocence,” he said.

Although Rio’s Carnival is by far the most famous worldwide, the festivities were in fact taking place right across Brazil, effectively shutting up business in this country of 195 million people until well into next week. Other cities, including Salvador de Bahia, Sao Paulo and Recife, had parades starting Friday night, preceding that of the Carioca city.

Rio is this year showcasing its energy and stage-management abilities as it holds aloft its status as the host of the 2016 Olympic Games. “This is the first Carnival in the Olympic city, which has a fantastic image across the world.

It’s a Carnival of happiness,” Rio mayor Eduardo Paes said as he officially launched festivities by giving a key to the symbolic head of Carnival, a character known as “King Momo.” “I order everybody to have fun,” Momo said in the ceremony.

Outside, in the streets, Carnival-goers needed no encouragement. — AFP

R

‘Khan’ uses melodrama to tackle tough issues he thing about some Bollywood superstars is that they are actually fine actors as well as charismatic performers. So it’s not surprising in “My Name Is Khan” to see Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khanhe’s light-years beyond a mere superstar in Hindi cinema’s cosmology — challenge himself to expand his acting range and possibly his international fan base. In convincing fashion, he plays an Indian in America battling the double whammy of living with Asperger’s syndrome and as a Muslim man in the post-9/11 world.

The film was released Friday in India, North America and many other territories. Its North American distributor, Fox Searchlight, adopted the puzzling strategy of screening the film out of competition at the Berlin festival but refusing to screen it to US press ahead of its release. With Shah Rukh Khan as your star, you can get away with this because worldwide grosses for his films tend toward the stratosphere. But it’s a pity that the non-Indian press are discouraged from shouting out the news about a film that delves compellingly into Americans’ anti-Muslim hysteria. True, the film veers into melodrama and contrivances in the second half. Yet director/co-writer Karan Johar is, here and in other films, trying to bring fresh ideas to Hindi commercial cinema with a little less masala and a dash more reality to its fantasy stories. Johar, Khan and co-star Kajol, who worked together on the smash hit “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai” (1998), reunite on this much more serious project, which finds Khan as a man with a disability who nevertheless wins people over through a loving personality that peeks through his emotional shortcomings. For the first half, the film plays a dicey game of skirting sentimentality without ever quite crossing that line into pure hokum.

Khan is Rizvan Khan, who is on the road in a quest to meet the president of the US to deliver this message: “My Name is Khan, and I am not a terrorist.” In flashbacks beginning with his early life in India, where a doting mother helped nurture and give strength to a child (played well by Tanay Chheda) suffering from a form of autism, the film recounts its hero’s journey up to this point. A younger brother, who never felt as appreciated because he was simply a normal boy, immigrated to San Francisco

T

and achieved success. Upon their mother’s death, his older brother joins him, but the two never really adjust to one another.

Against all odds-which more or less is the theme of most Bollywood stories-he woos and wins the love of a beautiful single mom (Kajol).

Only one problem: She is Hindu. The brother cuts him off, but Khan basks in the love of his new bride and her young son. Then Sept 11 happens. The film pictures Americans as unable to tell the differences between Muslims and Hindus or Arabs and Indians. Which is not exactly wrong, when it comes to certain redneck elements, but locating these hatreds in left-leaning San Francisco demonstrates a certain lack of comprehension on the filmmakers’ part as well. Perhaps they just liked the idea of cable cars in their movie.

So a somewhat predictable tragedy tears the new family apart. Worse, Khan’s wife blames him, an exasperating plot turn that lessens her as a character and makes no sense at any level. The movie then become a pilgrimage of redemption where the hero must fulfill his wife’s demand to tell the country and the US president that even though his name is Muslim he is not a terrorist. This has a certain Capra-esque quality, so it might have worked, but the linchpin to his redemption seems to be a poor rural and black county set in the Deep South that defies any credibility whatsoever. These are also the only sequences that clearly take place on a soundstage set. Everything here screams: Fake!

Nevertheless, the film and especially Khan hold on to their integrity through conviction and warmheartedness.

Without any gimmickry, Khan captures the nervous ticks and emotional barriers that an afflicted individual must battle daily. It’s a showy performance, but in the right kind of way. The production seems to grow bigger as the movie progresses, with Khan’s odyssey including a Guantanamo-like imprisonment and a hurricane. Even Barack Obama (Christopher B Duncan) puts in an appearance. This is a movie not built for subtlety, but it does tackle a subject American movies have mostly avoided-that of racial profiling and the plight of MuslimAmericans. It also allows Shah Rukh Khan to display his talent to an even wider audience.

It’s well worth the 162-minute journey. — Reuters

A performer from the Mancha Verde samba school parades at the Sambadrome as part of Carnival celebrations in Sao Paulo early yesterday. — AFP

Frisbee inventor dead at 90, leaves behind joy

McQueen death leaves succession problems ’m 40 now,” Alexander Mc Queen said in one of his last known interviews.

“When I’m dead, hopefully this house will still be going.” A day after his apparent suicide, the fashion world is confronted by a familiar question: Can his company thrive without his inspiration? Many brands have succeeded: When Gianni Versace was gunned down in Miami Beach, his sister Donatella took over.

But McQueen’s work is considered so unique that some are voicing serious doubts.

“It is a very powerful brand, but it’s almost impossible to separate him from it,” British fashion editor Jessica Brown said.

McQueen, who rose to fame in the 1990s, was known for his daring and edgy style and skillful tailoring. He is credited with helping to revive the oncemoribund British fashion industry. “Creating those show-stopping pieces - there isn’t anyone who does that.

And he has exceptional skills as a cutter, because of his background in tailoring,” Brown said. In the interview published this week in Love magazine, McQueen

“I

In this file photo, Britain’s Adam Holt (left) passes the frisbee as Taiwan’s Chang WeiChiao (right) tries to defend during the flying disc (Frisbee) competition at the World Games in Kaohsiung. — AFP he man credited with inventing the Frisbee, Walter Frederick Morrison, died this week at the age of 90, leaving behind one of the most popular toys of the modern world, beloved by beachgoers, college students and competitive teams. Utah-native “Fred” Morrison first began in 1937 flinging a circular metal cake pan-two decades before it was licensed as a plastic, aerodynamic disc-on the beaches and parks of southern California.

The wild success of his invention, which went on to sell hundreds of millions of discs, never ceased to amaze Morrison, who died Tuesday at his home in Monroe, Utah. “Who could ever imagine this?” he was quoted as saying in 2007 by Utah’s local Deseret News. “From such a simple beginning 50 years ago, to have it become what it has become. My goodness, it’s amazing.”

Morrison and his future wife Lucile began selling their cake pans as toys and after he returned from World War Two they toured local fairs across the West hawking his disc as the “Pluto Platter.” In 1957, the hopeful inventor sold the license for his design, with deepened sides for aerodynamic grace and using a strong but light plastic frame, to the famous US toy manufacturer Wham-O, makers of the Hula Hoop.

A few months later, then-Wham-O president Rich Knerr heard that college students on the US East Coast were calling tin lids they tossed about after the name of a local bakery that supplied the discs-the Frisbie Pie Co. After co-opting the mantle and changing it slightly for copyright issues, the catchy new name and superior flying plastic disc ensured Frisbees went on to sell over 200 million units over the next 50 years.

“Not since the invention of the ball,” Wham-O states as part of its company history, “have so many fun games and competitive sports been derived from such a simple object.” Wham-O paid tribute Friday to Morrison on their official Frisbee website. “As Frisbee discs keep flying though the air, bringing smiles to faces, Fred’s spirit lives on. Smooth flights, Fred,” it read. Morrison, on the 50th anniversary of his invention’s license, said that while the world had changed in the last half century, “the original purpose of Frisbee has remained constant.” “Just seeing the smile on a child’s face as he or she catches a soaring disc on a summer afternoon in the park, or a grown-up diving headfirst to grab a falling disc, that is what the spirit of the Frisbee is all about.” — AFP

T

In this file photo, a model presents a creation by British fashion designer Alexander McQueen for his SpringSummer 2008 Ready-to-Wear collection, in Paris.—AP was also quoted as saying he thought fashion shows were going to evolve “within the next 10 years.” The French retail luxury group PPR, which controls the McQueen brand, declined to speak Friday on what will happen to Alexander McQueen’s brand or give any further comment beyond a statement released a day earlier by its CEO, Francois-Henri Pinault,

praising McQueen’s “genius” and calling him “one of the greatest designers of his generation.” “He generated emotion at the release of each one of his collections,” Pinault said.

“As a visionary and avantgardist, his creations were inspired by both tradition and ultra-modernity, making them timeless.” A tough act to follow, leaving the fashion world a number of succession models - some successful, others less so.

Versace’s death in 1997 was as unexpected as McQueen’s, and came at a time when the company was considering going public.

Sister Donatella, already in a creative position designing for the Versus label, moved up as the new head of design.

But the company has never gone public and acknowledged it has had to battle to keep up sales as the luxury world has been hit hard during the world’s financial meltdown. In contrast with the Versace succession, Franco Moschino’s company went ahead using the sketches the innovative Italian designer left behind after his death following a long illness in 1994. —AP

Egyptian singer Tamer Hosni performs during a benefit concert for the victims of the floods in Sinai, in Cairo on February 12, 2010. — AFP

Polanski film debuts, Swiss vow no extradition yet riday was a banner day for director Roman Polanski: His new film premiered in Berlin and Swiss authorities pledged not to extradite him to the US as long as his appeal on a sex case was still being considered in Los Angeles. Compared to the last four months being under arrest in Switzerland, it was a win-win. Polanski could not walk the red carpet at the Berlin film festival Friday night for the debut of his movie “The Ghost Writer,” starring Ewan McGregor and Pierce Brosnan, because he is under house arrest. But he was still the star of the party, feted by the movie’s actors, producer and screenplay writer.

And in a new twist to his long legal saga, the Swiss Justice Ministry declared it would make “no sense” to shift Polanski from house arrest at his Alpine chalet until US courts ruled definitively that he must be sentenced in person to further jail time for having

F

sex in 1977 with a 13-year-old girl.

“When the question is still open, why should he be extradited?” Rudolf Wyss, the ministry’s deputy director, told The Associated Press. “As long as the question is still open, our decision depends on that.” “Even if we decide on extradition, he can still appeal. This would take many months,” Wyss added.

Polanski’s extradition is a complicated and diplomatically sensitive decision, as it deals with a three-decade-old case full of alleged wrongdoing by a Los Angeles judge, a confused sentencing procedure and the director’s own flight from justice.

There is also Polanski’s status as a cultural icon in France and Poland, where he holds dual citizenship, and his history as a Holocaust survivor whose first wife was brutally murdered by crazed followers of cult leader Charles Manson in California. Loyola University law Professor Laurie Levenson, who

German artist Elvira Bach at the premiere of the movie “The Ghost Writer” by Roman Polanski, during the 60th Berlinale Film Festival in Berlin February 12, 2010. — AFP

has followed the case closely, said the next move appears to be up to Polanski, who has the option to waive extradition.

“The Swiss authorities want to know what Polanski’s sentence will be and the Los Angeles courts won’t tell them until he comes back. It’s a bit of a standoff.” She said that Polanski can keep fighting extradition, but will remain under house arrest indefinitely.

“Mr Polanski may be able to sit in his Swiss chalet forever,” she said. “But if he wants to get out he may have to come back and be sentenced by the California court even though he might get a sentence that would not have required him to come back in the first place. This is a chicken and egg problem.” Polanski’s lawyers say the 76year-old filmmaker served his full sentence in 1978 when he underwent a court-ordered diagnostic study at a California prison for 42 days. Los Angeles courts have disagreed and

Polanski’s lawyers have promised to appeal in their hopes to have him sentenced in absentia or have the case dropped.

Swiss legal experts said it looked increasingly possible that the Oscarwinning director of “Rosemary’s Baby,” “Chinatown” and “The Pianist” could beat extradition. “The chance has increased, especially as he’s been here for such a long time,” said Dieter Jann, a former Zurich prosecutor. “It’s not even clear if the Americans want him anymore.” Wyss spoke to The AP hours before a press conference in Berlin to unveil Polanski’s newest film based on a novel by Robert Harris, in which Brosnan stars as former British Prime Minister Adam Lang, a character likened to Tony Blair, and McGregor plays a reporter hired to help write his memoirs.

The movie, Polanski’s first since “Oliver Twist” in 2005, was nearly fin-

ished when he was arrested Sept. 26 as he arrived in Zurich to receive a lifetime achievement award from a film festival.

The director kept working on the film during his two months in a Swiss jail and later under house arrest in his chalet in the luxury Swiss resort of Gstaad, after he posted $4.5 million bail in December and agreed to wear an electronic ankle monitor. “It’s a great pity he’s not here to launch the film with us, because I feel like he’s as responsible for my performance in this film as I am,” McGregor said at the press conference in Berlin, where the cast largely steered clear of the director’s legal issues.

“Roman continued to work on the film through courier packages that we sent to him in prison,” producer Robert Benmussa said in Berlin. “Then, when he was in his chalet, he continued to work on the movie, putting the last touches.” —AP

www.kuwaittimes.net

Kfouri performs to sellout crowd

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: Friday night saw the fourth in the L ayali February Musical Festival

the Arab world, receiving numerous awards and becoming a heartthrob for women across the region. Indeed, his enthusiastic female fans comprised most of Friday night’s audience, with his popularity leading to the event being totally sold out and even some of the seats reserved for the media being sold to his avid admirers.

His songs are couched in Lebanese slang and he’s

series of concerts being staged at the Ice Skating Rink, with all three of the stars who appeared being non-Kuwaiti.

able to bear the responsibility.”

He began his performance at 2:00 am, with the patriotic Kuwaiti song which he wrote, ‘Ana Kuwaiti’ (I am Kuwaiti), which was accompanied by a special light show displaying pictures of Kuwait’s rulers against the stage backdrop. A number of those present remarked that Al-Jasmi’s recent massive weight loss certainly seemed to have had a positive effect on his voice.

The audience are seen enjoying the show on Friday night.

Yara performs at the fourth musical concert of the Layali Febrayer Musical Festival held on Friday, February 12, 2010 in Kuwait City.

The evening began with young Lebanese singer Yara, who took to the stage at 10:25 pm, elegantly attired in a simple black gown. She began her performance with a patriotic Kuwaiti song, with more than half of her material being in Kuwaiti slang and the appreciative crowd greatly enjoying her performance, which concluded at 11:45 pm with another rousing patriotic tune.

The next performer to appear was another extremely popular Lebanese singer Wael Kfouri, who appeared to rousing applause just after midnight. This was Kfouri’s first appearance in Kuwait for some time, with the audience obviously delighted to see him.

Kfouri, who learnt singing from his father, starting at a very young age, began his music career after winning a TV talent show, ‘Studio Al-Fan’ in 1992. Since then, he’s taken part in music festivals across

Hussain Al-Jasmi performs with Sahar.

Wael Kfouri

renowned for beginning them with a distinctive ‘Mawal’ sound, with most of his repertoire on Friday evening being romantic ballads.

After Kfouri’s performance ended at 1:30 am, the next performer, popular Emirati singer Hussain Al-Jasmi, got a pleasant surprise when he was named as the country’s Goodwill Ambassador and presented with a certificate and diplomatic passport by Dr Suleiman Al-Fheim of the UAE’s Intergovernmental Institution for the Use of Microalgae Spirulina Against Malnutrition (IIMSAM).

Af ter the ceremony, AlJasmi expressed his joy at the honor, saying, “I hope to be

One touching moment during Al-Jasmi’s performance was when he welcomed a young blind Kuwaiti female fan called Sahar onstage to accompany him in singing one of his hits.

The audience, which was captivated by her lovely voice, expressed its great appreciation afterwards with thunderous applause, with Al-Jasmi promising after her performance to write a song about Kuwait and sing it with her.

As well as singing his own hits, Al-Jasmi also sang a medley of well-loved songs by legendary Lebanese singer Fairouz, before concluding his performance at 3:50 am with a rousing reprise of ‘Ana Kuwaiti.’

Hessa Al-Loghani