15 Jan 2012

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Qatar emir suggests sending troops to Syria

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French, Saudi jets collide in kingdom RIYADH: A French Mirage and a Saudi F-15 collided in the kingdom’s northern region of Tabuk without causing casualties, state news agency SPA quoted a military official as saying yesterday. “During a joint exercise on air engagement a French Mirage aircraft belonging to the French armed forces collided with a Saudi armed forces’ F-15,” said the statement. “The Saudi pilot and the two French pilots ejected safely, and were taken to the Northern Sector Command. Investigations are under way to determine the circumstances of the incident,” the official told SPA.

Bahraini Shiites urge ‘torture’ death probe DUBAI: Bahrain’s main Shiite opposition group yesterday called for an international investigation into the death of a young protester after a rights group said his body showed signs of torture. The Bahrain Center for Human Rights quoted an uncle of the 24-year-old victim as saying his body carried “clear marks of torture”, however the Interior Ministry said an autopsy revealed the youth, who went missing on Wednesday, had drowned. Wefaq, the largest Shiite opposition group, said a neutral nonBahraini commission should investigate the case and other killings. There had been “a complete loss of confidence in the integrity of the judiciary and security services of Bahrain”, it said in a statement.

ISOLA DEL GIGLIO, Italy: The Costa Concordia is seen yesterday after the luxury cruise ship ran aground and keeled over late on Friday. — AFP (See Page 13)

Max 17º Min 03º High Tide 03:12 & 16:26 Low Tide 09:30 & 22:21

KUWAIT: Riot police yesterday used tear gas and batons to disperse hundreds of stateless demonstrators for the second day in a row and arrested dozens, witnesses and a rights group said. A day after riot police beat bedoons demanding citizenship in Jahra, demonstrations expanded yesterday to include Sulaibiya. The independent Kuwait Association of Human Rights (KAHR) said three of its members monitoring the protests were arrested but one was later released.

Riot police chased demonstrators and arrested dozens in the two areas where most of the 105,000 bedoons live, witnesses said. Head of the Kuwaiti Bedoons Committee, Ahmed Al-Tamimi, told a news conference that riot police sealed off the two areas and used police dogs to chase protesters. He said protests were still continuing into the night, claiming that police has randomly rounded up more than 100 people. He appealed to the prime minister to intervene.

Committee coordinator Nawaf Al-Bader said police imposed a virtual curfew on the two areas. He said that so far, dozens of protesters were wounded and that many of them did not go to hospital for fear of being arrested. Bader said that around 68 bedoons were arrested during Friday’s protest. A number of Kuwaiti rights activists told the news conference police used excessive and unjustified force against peaceful demonstrators.

The demonstrators gathered yesterday to protest against the excessive and unnecessary use of force by police against the demonstrators on Friday, bedoon activists said on social networking website Twitter. The interior ministry had said that 21 security men were Continued on Page 13

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LOCAL

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012

Kuwaitis urged to invest in Egypt real estate market Exhibition opens at the Movenpick Al-Mislem’s disqualification invalid: Al-Saadoun

KUWAIT: Egyptian Ambassador Abdulkareem Sulaiman and other officials at the exhibition. —Photos by Fouad Al-Shaikh

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: Emphasizing on the opportunities offered by Egyptian real estate market, the Eighth Egyptian Real Estate and Investment Exhibition was jointly inaugurated on Wednesday by Egyptian and Syrian ambassadors to Kuwait. It is being held from Jan 11 to 15, at the Movenpick Hotel, Free Trade Zone, organized by the United Marketing and Organizing Exhibition. At least twenty companies are participating in the exhibition.

The Ambassador of Egypt to Kuwait Abdulkareem Sulaiman stressed that the real estate as an investment property, presents a picture of Egypt’s economic prospects in the region. “Real estate is considered the main means of investment,” he said.

“The importance of this sector lies in its connection with many other supplying industries such as metal, cement, sand, ceramic, wood, electricity, and others.

This means that the real estate sector can power many other economic sectors related to it,” added Sulaiman.

Being the exhibition as the first to be held after the revolution of Jan 25 in Egypt, Sulaiman pointed out that the reality in Egypt is very different from what is broadcast on international satellite channels.

“After the revolution, small spaces were freed up in up market areas. Some plots there start at 90 meters; it was never available before. This matter reflects youth’s interest,” he pointed out.

Kuwait serves as an ideal venue to play host to the event. “There are many Kuwaiti and Egyptian companies that are participating in this exhibition - an evidence of the unity between the two nations to support the Egyptian economy and encourage citizens to invest in Egypt,” stated Sulaiman.

According to Sulaiman, the price of real estate in

Egypt is reasonable, considering the high price of raw materials worldwide. “There are many facilities for the youth in Egypt and I invite Arab and Kuwaiti investors to invest in Egyptian real estate. Investing there is safe and has a good future. And the situation will be safer once the Egyptian Parliament is voted into power,” he noted.

He pointed out that there are plans to boost trade and commerce between the two countries once the political situation in Egypt improves. I want to assure investors that any investment made will not be illegally withdrawn from any investor. There is the question of price difference in some projects, and it will be decided by the court,” Sulaiman concluded.

Six injured in expressway accident

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: Multiple persons were injured in a car accident on King Fahad Expressway towards Nuwaiseeb, before the Khairan exit. A 22-year-old Kuwaiti man broke his right knee and injured his right hand. A 19-year-old female Kuwaiti woman broke her shoulder and injured her back. Three female Kuwaitis, aged 22, 20 and 12 years old, injured their backs. A 15-year-old Saudi youth broke his left leg. All of the casualties were taken to Adan Hospital. A car accident at Wafra, near kilometer 10, resulted in different injuries to two 25-year-old Kuwaiti men. A car accident in Hawalli, near Nugra police station, resulted in back pain to a 23-year-old male Iraqi, and pain in right shoulder to a 17 year old Jordanian youth. Both were taken to Mubarak Hospital.

An Egyptian laborer, 27 years old, fell from the place he was working in Hawalli in Tunis Street near New Ahli Bank. The fall resulted in the breakage of several limbs and he was rushed to the intensive care unit at Mubarak Hospital.

KUWAIT: The decision to cancel former MP Faisal AlMislem’s nomination is invalid because it is not based on any law or court order; the candidate has not been indicted in an act that disqualifies him from contesting parliamentary elections, observed former MP Ahmad Al-Saadoun.

“Al-Mislem fulfilled to his role as a lawmaker when he carried out an action that he cannot be held accountable for, given his parliamentary immunity, according to Ar ticles 108 and 110 of the Constitution,” Al-Saadoun posted on his Twitter account on Friday. “These articles do not mention cases in which a citizen can be denied nomination to run for parliamentary elections. On the contrary, lawmakers are convicted in any shape or form.”

The Ministry of Interior announced on Thursday that Dr Al-Mislem can no longer run for elections, set for February second, after the Appeals Court upheld a conviction against him for revealing classified information during the debate of a grilling motion that had been initiated against the former prime minister in 2009. Under Kuwaiti elections law, citizens cannot contest parliamentary elections if they have been previously convicted in breach of trust crimes.

“The decision is politically motivated and was taken for personal reasons,” wrote Al-Saadoun, considered a frontrunner in the third constituency. “The decision aims to limit MPs’ capabilities in tackling corruption or exposing corrupt individuals,” he added.

During the infamous debate session in December 2009, held for the first grilling motion to ever be filed against a prime minister, Dr Al-Mislem displayed a copy of a KD 200,000 check that was allegedly issued by former prime minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah to a former MP. The bank whose name was mentioned on the cheque later filed a lawsuit against Mislem on charges related to exposing banking secrets that are detrimental to its reputation and business. The lower court convicted him in the case and fined KD 200. The Appeals Court upheld the verdict last Wednesday, paving the way for the Interior Ministry’s decision to cancel his candidacy.

“It is our duty to respond to such chaotic decisions made by a Cabinet, which only saw a change of its prime minister,” Al-Saadoun added. “All constitutional means must be utilized in order to ensure that such decisions can be prevented in the future,” reported Al-Qabas.

Al-Mislem, running in the Third Constituency, is expected to challenge his disqualification at the Administrative Court. Meanwhile, sources said last Friday that plans have been made for a mass gathering to be held tomorrow at the Iradah Square.

Speaking to Al-Rai on the condition of anonymity, a source said that this option is supported by political groups including the Islamic Constitutional Movement (ICM), the Development and Reform Bloc (DRB) and the Popular Action Bloc (PAB). Sources added at that the representative of the National Union of Kuwait Students has been leaning towards a demonstration held outside the Justice Palace yesterday.

Former MP Dr Waleed Al-Tabtabaei, Al-Mislem’s fellow Development and Reform Bloc(DRB) member, announced that he would remain committed to his promise of withdrawing from the upcoming elections should Al-Mislem be disqualified. He is yet to announce his official stance following the recent court verdict. The DRB released a statement on Friday urging the Administrative Court to overrule the Interior Ministry’s decision, or otherwise “all options, including boycotting the upcoming elections, will be on the table.” In addition to Al-Mislem and AlTabtabaei, the DRB was represented in the previous Parliament by Jamaan Al-Harbash and Falah AlSawagh, reported Al-Rai.

Awazem, Ajman tribes expected to dominate Fifth Constituency KUWAIT: The Fifth Constituency is considered most changeable in terms of candidates compared to other constituencies. Already, 51 different candidates have represented the constituency in nine Parliaments from 1981 to 2009.

The most notable candidates in the Fifth Constituency during the past nine Parliaments, when the electoral system was based on 25 constituencies, were Khaled Al-Adwa, Fahad Al-Maia and Marzooq Al-Hubainy who were all elected for five Parliaments.

Hadi Al-Howaila was elected to four Parliaments while Rashed Al-Hujailan, Walid Al-Jeray, Abduallah Rai Al-Fahma, Ghanem Al-Maia, and Sadoun Hammad Al-Otaibi were elected to three Parliaments.

Candidates to have represented the constituency twice were Khaled Ajran Al-Ajran, Mubarak Faleh Rai Al-Fahma, Hathel Salem Al-Azmi, Ayeth Alloush Al-Azmi, Saad AlAjmi, Khamis Talaq iqaab, Ayeth Alloush Al-Mutairi, Jomaan Faleh Al-Azmi, Abdullah Rashed Al-Hajri, Abdullah Akash Al-Abdeli, Ali Homoud Al-Hajri, Esam Salman Al-Dabous, Jaber Saad Al-Azmi and Mohammad Al-Huwaila.

Khalifa Al-Jerai, Muraikhan Al-Ajmi, Hezam Al-Maia, Mubarak Al-Dabbous, Duaij Al-Jerai, Mubarak Al-Zuwair, Sharea Al-Ajmi, Turkey Al-Azmi, Saad Al-Azmi, Musleh AlAzmi, Mohammad Al-Olaim, Hussain Al-Doseri, Mubarak Al-Ajmi, Fahad Al-Hajri, Meshann Al-Azmi, Jassem Ali Ahmad, Abdullah Al-Ajmi, Falah Al-Hajri, Saad Al-Shuraia, Mohammad Al-Ajmi, Abdullah Al-Barghash, Falah Al-Azmi, Salem Al-Namlan, Saad Zunaifer, Khaled Al-Tahoos, Al-Saifi Mubarak Al-Saifi, Dulaihi Al-Hajri, and Badi Al-Doseri all served one term in Parliament.

The results of the 2008 and 2009 Parliamentary elections reveal that the Awazem tribe obtained four seats in Parliament, compared to three seats by the Ajman tribe, and one seat each for the Hawajer and Otban tribes.

The Al-Dabbous family, related to the Fothool tribe, obtained one seat in 2008.

The results of the two elections showed that tribes were most dominant in the constituency, especially the Awazem

and Ajman tribes with limited representation of Otban, Hawajer, and Fothool tribes. This weakened many other tribes, which had formerly appeared during the 25 constituency days.

In the 2012 parliamentary elections, little difference is expected in outcome from the two previous elections. The Awazem and Ajman tribes form the majority of the population in the constituency. However, this could change if minority tribes in the constituency form alliances. —KUNA

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012

local

Cuba, Kuwait sign MoU on healthcare cooperation Minister of Health in town

By Sawsan Kazak

KUWAIT: Kuwait Minister of Health and Minister of Finance, Dr Mustafa Al-Shimali, and Cuban Health Minister, Dr. Roberto Morales Ojeda, photographed after signing the Memorandum of Understanding on Thursday.

Property experts seek market reform bills KUWAIT: The coming parliament should focus on the economic sector and pass desperately needed reform laws to revive the real estate sector which has been suffering from recession for more than three years, property experts said yesterday. The coming parliament should pass legislations and take measures to increase the land allocated for residential real estate sector as the lack of residential plots have negatively impacted housing prices, DirectorGeneral of Property Clearance Company Tariq Al-Ateeqi said. He added the parliament must reconsider laws No. 8 and 9 for 2008, which were designed to control skyrocketing prices of private housing by banning banks’ trading in property or mortgages.

“Despite these laws, prices steadily grew as those laws have negatively affected people’s ability to buy houses,” Al-Ateeqi said.

Al-Ateeqi added that the land allocated for housing does not exceed 7 percent of the total area of Kuwait. He also urged the would-be MPs to reconsider the inflexible (B.O.T) law, which was passed in the last parliamentary

session. “This law lacks the flexibility required to attract foreign investors,” he added.

For his part, businessman and real estate expert Mohammed Al-Naqi said that the next stage requires harmony and cooperation between the legislative and executive authorities to help develop the real estate sector and the overall economy. Al-Naqi stressed the need for MPs with economic experience to help find effective solutions for housing problems. “The parliament should take into account all details when it mulls solutions to real estate problems. It has to study all the root causes of the current situation and whether laws No. 8 and 9 for 2008 helped to overcome or worsen it,” he said. He also called the new MPs to develop a clear vision to raise the efficiency of Kuwait’s roads, bridges and power infrastructure before deciding on how to convert the capital into a financial and commercial hub. “Building without expanding infrastructure will lead to the emergence of other problems including traffic congestion, parks scarcity and pollution,” he added.— KUNA

Kuwaiti citizen stabs policeman

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: A policeman in Hawalli was rushed to Mubarak Hospital in a critical condition after sustaining two stab wounds from a Kuwaiti man. The citizen fled to an unknown destination, leaving the policeman laying in a pool of his own blood. The officer was admitted to the intensive care unit.

Security sources said the policeman suspected the citizen, who was coming out of a suspicious apartment in Hawalli accompanied by a girl. The policeman asked the citizen for identification. The citizen responded by handing him his civil ID card. Then the policeman asked the girl for identification. She appeared to be in an unnatural condition. The citizen refused the request by the policeman, stabbed him and ran away. He left behind his civil ID card and his car, parked there.

Detectives are searching for the fugitive and have charged him with several crimes, which start with attempted murder and resisting arrest by a policeman.

Crash course on casualty management

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: A crash course on managing accident casualties was held in Subhan. It was held as per agreements signed with King Abdul Aziz Medical University in Riyadh, and the Ministry of Health (MoH), Kuwait.

The Director of Medical Emergency Administration Dr Faisal Al-Ghanim said that two courses were held. One was held in parts, on 8th and 9th while the other was held on 10th and 11th of the current month. The course covered theoretical and practical studies.

At least 25 technicians participated in courses to increase efficiency.

Trade union plans general strike KUWAIT: The Kuwait Trade Union Federation (KTUF) is mulling the option of organizing a mass labor strike at all state departments. The step is to counter the deliberate lack of commitment by the government to guarantee full freedom of unionist activity, said a leading unionist on Friday. “The KTUF’s executive office plans to meet today to discuss a general strike that will paralyse work in the public sector,” said Hamad Al-Wardan, Chairman of the labor union representing legal staff members in state departments.

He said that the Kuwaiti government fails to commit to fully implement International Labor Organization agreements that it signed.

The union of legal staff staged a sit in last Wednesday in front of the Civil Service Commission building. They demanded financial privileges and accuse the Government of avoiding them while granting others who have the same job duties.

Al-Wardan confirmed that the sit in was attended by Abdurrahman Al-Ghanim KTUF Secretary General, as well as Jeff Vogt, the International Trade Unions Confederation legal consultant, and ILO representatives.

“Mr. Vogt said during a press conference on Thursday that the Kuwaiti government does not follow procedures that fully guarantee the rights of labor forces as per ILO agreements, which include the right of free unionist activity and labor protests”, Al-Wardan added. —Al-Jarida

KUWAIT: Dr Roberto Morales Ojeda, Minister of Public Health of Cuba, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during his official visit to the country over the weekend. The MoU aims at strengthening bilateral cooperation in the healthcare sector between the two countries. During his short visit in Kuwait, at the invitation of the Kuwaiti Ministry of Health, Dr Morales was interviewed by the Kuwait Times. He outlined the details of the MoU and the future plans for healthcare systems in the two countries. “First, the MoU expresses the will of the two governments to continue widening their relations in the area of healthcare. This process is a concrete way to show that a better world is possible through public healthcare,” says Dr Morales concerning strengthening ties between the two countries.

“We have already taken steps before reaching this stage. And of course, antecedent to our visit, a delegation from Kuwait visited Cuba. Through their visit to our country, they were able to identify many areas where we could establish cooperation,” explained Dr Morales.

“Among the areas identified is the training of human resources, which can range from the training of nurses all the way up to highly specialized personnel.” Dr Morales explains that the training can be performed in either Kuwait or Cuba, depending on the type and number of personnel who need training. “My understanding is that there will be a large number of nurses who will need training. This can be done in Kuwait with us adapting ourselves to the healthcare system. There are specialized personnel that will require internships in proper institutions in Cuba,” says Dr Morales. He emphasized that all training will always depend on the needs established. “A very important health problem in Kuwait is diabetes.

Depending on the needs in this sector, we will focus the training of certain specializations to meet these demands,” said the Cuban Health Minister.

When asked which sectors other than diabetes necessitate focus in Kuwait, Dr Morales stressed the importance of preventative care and the promotion of healthy living. “According to our understanding, in order to strengthen the healthcare sector in any country, we first have to focus on the primary levels of care. In Cuba we have three levels of care: primary, secondary and tertiary. Promotion and prevention is the best work by which we can influence a health care system. At this level we can influence the risk factors that are the cause of many other diseases. And even before targeting promotion and prevention, we have to target a healthy lifestyle,” says Dr Morales.

The MOU also addressed the area of services.

“Based on previous experience we have in other regional countries, we are able to properly assess the needs of Kuwait,” says Dr Morales.

The Minister recently inaugurated a hospital in Qatar, where the staff is entirely Cuban. It includes 22 specialties, nine of them surgical. Cuba has also established a hospital in Algeria, where Cuban doctors work in programs that target primary healthcare levels. “In Algeria, we are mainly working in the mother and child areas. We are already witnessing the results of our work in this program. We saw a reduction in mortality rates and in the death of children under the age of one,” explains Dr Morales.

Adding “I think the area of services is one where we can establish true cooperation. We are already working in 68 countries with over 39,000 healthcare workers from Cuba.”

The Cuban Health Minister believes that apart from the services department, Cuba and Kuwait can establish cooperation in the medical and biopharmaceutical sectors. When asked about concrete ways that Cuba’s pharmaceutical sector can

aid Kuwait, the Minister made reference to the fact that his country has a list of 856 products, 66 percent of which are nationally produced.

“We will put the list of 856 products at the disposal of the Kuwaiti authorities and they will be evaluated. We also have vaccines that we produce in Cuba. Our vaccination scheme in Cuba consists of 11 vaccines that protect against 13 diseases.

These vaccines are registered by the World Health Organization,” says Dr Morales.

“As for the biotechnological products, in this particular case there is a concrete product that we can put at the disposal of the Kuwaiti authorities. It is a product that is used to treat diabetic foot ulcers. The results that we have optioned are impressive. There are patients that were about to have their leg amputated and thanks to this product the amputation was no longer necessary,” explains the Cuban Health Minister. The Cuban Minister believes that the MoU and consequent exchange of services and knowledge is a method that is beneficial to both parties.

“This is a process that allows us to strengthen the healthcare systems of the two counties. Our main focus is that the project is mutually beneficial for all sectors, government and people,” explains Dr Morales. When asked about his views on the recent Arab Spring that has swept the region, the Cuban Minister said he believes in the power of people and admires their struggle.

“We really respect the decision of people to define their own destiny. We do not interfere in domestic affairs in the country, therefore our position is to look for a solution through the best and most peaceful way. But we do condemn military intervention. A better world is possible is not only a slogan but can be materialized,” said Cuban Health Minister Dr. Morales. The Minister and his delegation are on a regional tour of Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and end in Algeria.

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SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012

LOCAL Local Spotlight

kuwait digest

‘Sensitive’ elections

Only people have changed

By Abdullatif Al-Duaij

S

Muna Al-Fuzai

muna@kuwaittimes.net uwait is facing a difficult time. If no solutions are available, then we really have to be ready to face the consequences for letting the ground beneath our feet slip by violating laws.

The events leading up the upcoming elections have not been smooth-sailing, and has gone through a frustrating time. The withdrawal of many wellknown names like former MP Faisal Al-Mislem and some others like Juwahiel will not make the elections an easy procedure. Any assumption that these incidents will pass quietly is wrong, to say the least. No one is arguing that the Ministry of Interior (MoI) has the right to accept or decline any request put forward to it. Moreover, if we want peace, then there is no right time as such to start doing something. So instead of alerting candidates, media on all kinds of bad news, the government should take an initiative to handle these issues soon.

I am concerned about the strikes staged by bedoons, and wonder who are fuelling them against the government. The government has finally assured that their case will be looked into seriously , and the deserving will be granted citizenship. There are many among them that know that they will never receive citizenship, but they keep protesting anyway because they know that there is nothing to lose.

Kuwaitis were completely disunited. All the rosy glib talk about unity and love for Kuwait appears nice.

However, we haven’t seen anything in action yet.

The coming days will bring more surprises on which candidate will make a strong come-back and win people’s support. Even if a candidate loses his candidacy owing to a court order, he can always appeal and try to win the case. In fact, this move will increase his chances of victory. It has happened before, so why can’t it happen again now? I ‘m really concerned about who is really benefiting from all this chaos! We should not be naive enough to believe that these incidents are happening accidentally . I leave this to your judgment. It should not be hard to guess.

K

kuwait digest

Questionable recommendations

By Waleed Al-Rujaib he state’s consultative economic committee recently finalized its report which reportedly describes the situation of Kuwait’s economy as being in danger and in risk of worsening unless necessary reforms are introduced. The news reports further suggest that the committee recommends that ‘competent leaders’ be appointed in the Cabinet so as to work as a team to come up with a set of reforms that are acceptable by the public.

While I agree with the committee’s general assessment of the problem, I believe that the recommendations they mention would benefit capitalists more than citizens.

News reports suggest that privatization of public

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News reports suggest that privatization of public facilities including health, education, electricity and water is one of the main recommendations that the committee’s report includes. They further hint that the committee calls for reducing subsidies and enforcing income tax on citizens, yet fails to mention taxes on companies, factories and properties. facilities including health, education, electricity and water is one of the main recommendations that the committee’s report includes. They further hint that the committee calls for reducing subsidies and enforcing income tax on citizens, yet fails to mention taxes on companies, factories and properties. Moreover, the committee reportedly warns against increasing consumer spending but overlooks the government’s squandering of public funds and political bribes.

The public, presented by some MPs and unions, have rejected the prospect of privatizing the oil, health and education sectors on numerous occasions. When citizens, especially the working class, are asked to pay the price for the economic crisis, this isn’t very different from recommendations of the World Bank and the International Monitory Fund which did nothing but made rich people worldwide richer, and poor people even more poor.

If the government is serious about achieving sustainable development, the solution is not by punishing citizens and taking their money, but first by eliminating corruption and assuring that the billions of dinars allocated to the development plan are spent on developmental projects. Moreover, the government is required to find more sources of income to rationalize the exploitation of oil wealth, as well as find ways to create more jobs mainly in the private sector, and curb prices.

Any development process that doesn’t start with the people can only benefit a selected few, and will fail to stop the economic situation from getting worse.— Al-Rai

ince the forgery of parliamentary elections in 1967 (the second parliament since independence in 1961), the Cabinet (or then Prime Minister Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah) was able to garner support from a majority in the Parliament that liberals at the time led by Dr Ahmad Al-Khateeb referred to as ‘the loyalists bloc.’ The Cabinet has been able to maintain the support of this bloc throughout the past, including the time of the past Parliament.

This bloc has experienced so many changes in members and goals, yet remained the motor that powered the Cabinet .

All these decades, the government’s approaches and demands varied, but it was always able to find its loyal waiting to follow instructions. Members of this bloc mainly composed of remote areas (areas with tribal influence) and winners of tribal primary elections. In order to gain their trust, the government allowed its loyalists to break the law occasionally so to perform ‘favors’ to citizens like illegally passing transactions in state departments. These lawmakers, thereby, became known locally as ‘MPs of transactions.’ The electoral constituencies were soon expanded from five to 25 so that election processes could easily be controlled.

The so-called ‘MPs of transactions’ practiced a type of bribery that became socially accepted. It helped a citizen pass transactions illegally, drop fines; generally guaranteed them popularity among voters. This practice is a crime which threatens national security because writing off traffic fines for example makes citizens less reluctant to break the law - which is the reason behind the problem we are suffering from now. The true opposition at the time led by Dr Ahmad Al-Khateeb suffered a lot from the 25 constituencies system and its products. However, they chose to live with it out of respect to citizens’ choice by voting a Parliament that has tribal MPs. The elec-

Letter to Badrya Darwish

Are Kuwaiti women competitive? badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

Dear Badrya, re Kuwaiti women competitive? Why are they anti-feminist? I grew up in the America of the fifties. In my small town high school, we had no sports for girls. There was a football, baseball and basketball team for boys, but if you were an athletic girl there was only one thing you could be - a cheerleader. So I was a cheerleader in grades 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and even in college. It was my “sport” - the only “sport” open to women.

That was before Title IX, the landmark Education Amendment of 1972 that changed the face of athletics in every public school in the United States.

Basically, the law said, that if you provided a sport for boys, you had to provide the same or comparable sport for girls. The law came too late for me, but not for my daughter who played on the high school tennis team and later went to college on an athletic scholarship.

I do not see much evidence of Kuwaiti women playing sports or engaging in active lifestyles related to competitive sports. Are athletic activities considered un-Islamic or unfeminine? Are Kuwaiti womennaturally this disinterested in these things, or has this culture encouraged them to be house or mallbound as well as non-competitive?

I made up for my lack of opportunities to do sports when I was a young adult. I water-skied on a professional ski team. When the guys on the team told me I could not go over the ski jump because it made it look too easy if a girl could do it (I could do it), I quit. I learned how to kayak and went whitewater kayaking on Class Three rapids (they are really terrifying). I became a downhill ski instructor and racer, played on softball, bowling and tennis teams, and earned a brown belt in Tae Kwon Do. Never once did I consider myself unfeminine for doing these things. There are thousands of women like me in America who take their active lifestyles for granted, women who are competitive by nature.

I’m sure there are Kuwaiti women who lead what we call active lifestyles, perhaps more centered on health clubs than sports teams. But are Kuwaiti women competitive?

Now if we define competitive sports as a pastime, what is inherently more superior about shopping to buy a purse or designer scarf over winning a tennis match? After all, the desire to look better than another could be equated with wanting to win at a sport. In Kuwait women seem to be just as competitive, but more focused on beauty and looks and impressing other women. I often wonder if this obsession with appearance is a response to the cultural and religious expectation of covering the body.

Does this requirement elevate the body and its significance to an unreasonable position of importance? Is a woman just a sexual creature where the mere sight of her flesh is enough to drive a man crazy? I realize some think this is true. But living in the west, I have seen the opposite to be true - that the more the flesh is exposed, the more ordinary it becomes. Walk through any mall in the Midwest and take one look at the moms and dads in shorts and tee shirts, and you will see there is no sexual tension going on.

On the other hand, when I walk through the Avenues and see heavily made-up, skin-tight covered-up ‘Islamic’ garbed women parading by in stiletto heels I wonder what is really going on here, as this does not appear to be modesty to me. It says to me “I may not be able to show you my skin, but I will instead show you the curves of my body and highlight the features of my face until you cannot ignore them.”

It’s a come-on if I ever saw one!

Perhaps this is the Kuwaiti woman’s deepest desire -to use what she can get away with to lure a man. And when she has one, to keep him confident of her loyalty and proud of her sexual power to allure. But she knows the truth. I can guarantee you that in Kuwaiti homes as well as in homes anywhere else in the world, married life becomes much more mundane than alluring. Is this, then, the Arab woman’s deepest fear? That her man will find her ordinary and tired of her? Is the expectation for romance and sexual excitement so great that she is prepared to live with the doubt her entire life?

If she’s really not this sexually supercharged beguiling creature whose flesh is only seen by her hubby, what does hubby expect when she gets home and takes off the abbaya? I truly can’t think of

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anything more humiliating to a woman than the notion that should your husband tired of your sexual attributes in bed, that if you do not give him his “right” to your body for whatever reason he may want, at any time he wants, regardless of whether you are weary from childbearing, ill or simply too tired, then he will forsake you and seek another companion with the full blessing of his religion.

If that were my marital life, I guess I would be looking for perfume and botox too.

But, you say, polygamy is hardly practiced anymore in Islam because it is too expensive for a man to have multiple wives. I say that unless Muslims wholeheartedly condemn this practice as degrading to women, women will have no real happiness and confidence in their marital lives. Yes, you find polygamy in the Judeo Christian scriptures, but as a relic of the times of nomadic people when women were treated like property, similar to camels and sheep. To those who say that to abolish the right to polygamy would be Bidaa or innovation, I say that you should then never use a PC or Blackberry again.

I have been on the streets of New York City and seen supermodels and celebrities walk by without turning heads of the strangers they pass. Yet when I walk or even drive in public in Kuwait, I am sometimes chased by Arab men simply because I have blonde hair and am a western woman.

Something is wrong with this picture! Frankly, this obsession that Kuwaitis have with their public appearance revealing something about their moral character does not ring true for me. First of all, because I am a western woman, I am assumed to be promiscuous, no matter what I wear (and I do dress modestly). That is insulting to me because I am a serious Christian with a strong faith and upbringing.

Secondly, no man would chase a woman so aggressively in an American city without risking being arrested for harassment. So tell me why men feel they can chase women in Kuwait? Is this a right?

Is it the woman’s responsibility to keep men from doing this? I think not. This is an issue of self-control for men.

Does Islam absolve men of this responsibility for self-control? I know Christians do not. Instead, we value purity and self-control as fruits of the Holy Spirit. We are used to examining the life of the heart and not just the body. Americans recall the famous admission by President Jimmy Carter when, speaking of infidelity, he denied he had ever acted upon it, but admitted he had had “lust in his heart.”

Lust is not controlled by black fabric and removing females from the public space, especially in the days of the internet when pornography is just a click away. So then are Kuwaiti women simply announcing their piety with their coverings? Is piety a public pronouncement or a private one? In Christianity, we assume that all human beings are sinful in nature and in need of forgiveness.

Christians do not believe one can earn salvation, only receive it through the grace of Jesus Christ, so sin is something we have to fight in our hearts every day with prayer.

I believe this is probably true for Muslims too.

Kuwaiti women have willingly accepted being segregated from one half of their compatriots, have accepted being separated and cloaked in mixed gatherings, and not allowed to associate with men who are unrelated to them. That’s the biggest reason I would not want to be a Kuwaiti woman. I like men. I trust them. I have had to tell a few of them to bug off throughout the course of my lifetime, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have the strength to be around them. They are just people.

I am not afraid to tell a man I am not interested in sleeping with him. I do not want to flirt with men. I usually want to learn something from them. Most of my teachers in sports have been men.

I am angry that even speaking to a Kuwaiti man gives him the impression that I WANT to have sex with him. Come on! That’s just insulting! Now that I live in Kuwait, I want to learn how to do falconry, desert camping, camel racing and dune buggy riding. That’s my competitive nature. I don’t know how to cook and I don’t want to sit around talking to women about makeup and clothes and babies. I want to discuss politics in the diwaniyas and I want to learn to sail in a dhow. Now I feel just like I did in the 50s. I can’t do those things because I’m a girl.

Where’s my Title IX when I need it?

Ellen Burleigh

The so-called ‘MPs of transactions’ practiced a type of bribery that became socially accepted. It helped a citizen pass transactions illegally, drop fines; generally guaranteed them popularity among voters. This practice is a crime which threatens national security because writing off traffic fines for example makes citizens less reluctant to break the law which is the reason behind the problem we are suffering from now. tions system was merged into five constituencies a few years ago following pressure of youth groups which allied together under the banner of a single movement called ‘We want them (constituencies) five.’ This victory of the Kuwaiti youth struck a blow to such MPs as a five constituencies system limits their dominance on election results. Eventually, these MPs lost their effect.

This, of course, caused a predicament for the government on to its ability to maintain control over parliamentary election results, which was made available through unlawful exploitation of public services. In other words, the Cabinet became no longer able to guarantee a majority elected from lawmakers who provide privileges to voters. This situation prompted the Cabinet to find for alternatives to bribery that is centralized on transactions and other privileges presented to voters. This is so that Cabinet loyalists are elected. The government decided to use cash to buy MPs’ allegiances.

In an interesting development, the Cabinet found itself forced to pay cash directly to MPs, when the five constituencies system limited candidates’ abilities to guarantee illegal services to voters. Subsequently, such lawmakers began losing popularity among voters - who realized that they no longer are capable of providing the many privileges that the 25 constituencies’ system was able to guarantee. This was the spark that made voters rethink their relationship with the candidates. After realizing that the bond of benefits they once had with these lawmakers have been broken, voters began leaning towards candidates who give priority to national interests. Its evidence was seen during the current election period when many voters and candidates chose to boycott tribal primary elections. The previous Cabinet or cabinets headed by former Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser AlMohammad Al-Sabah had basically inherited the ‘loyalists bloc’ created in the 1967 Parliament. This defies the notion that the previous government was only able to maintain a majority in the Parliament by bribing lawmakers. The fact of the matter is, the majority was always there; only the medium through which the government maintained its majority has changed. Bribes were the vehicles in most recent cases, which mainly was the reason behind the public’s frustration. This is because this ‘medium’ meant guaranteed success to MPs only and no benefit to those who vote for them.

I wanted, with this analysis, to shed light on some facts about the history of Kuwait’s political work because fast-moving recent developments have left people unaware of the changes are taking place in the Parliament. The ‘loyalists bloc’ have always been a thorn in the side of Kuwait, but the opposition at the time, composed of national groups that chose to accept the choice of Kuwaiti voters - despite how much they suffered because of this bloc’s existence.

MPs accused in the cash deposits scandal are merely the new components of loyalists’ bloc, but with the same ideologies. The only thing that has changed since then is that voters have become more aware on supporting candidates who endorse public interests.

In my opinion, the Parliament has not been dissolved because citizens wouldn’t have been re-elected after the end of the Parliament’s term because these lawmakers are no longer capable of providing any benefits to voters. It would’ve been better for Kuwait if principles of political work are maintained, and people are left to decide loyalist MPs’ fates. — Al-Qabas

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012

LOCAL

Tunisian FM hails Kuwait democracy ‘A unique case in Arab world’ TUNIS: Tunisian Foreign Minister, Rafik Abdelssalem, lauded yesterday Kuwait’s pioneering democracy and political reforms.

“We regard Kuwait as a pioneering state in its political democratic experiment. It has an elected Parliament and a democratic Government,” he said. ”It is a unique case not only in the Gulf region, but in the entire Arab world as well,” Abdelssalem added.

“Kuwait launched its reform project a long time ago,” he said speaking highly of political stability and prosperity, as well as press freedom in the oil-rich Gulf nation.

KUNA’s interview with the Tunisian Foreign Minister coincided with a visit to Tunisia by Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minster, Foreign Minister and State Minister for Cabinet Affairs, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.

Abdelssalem extolled the Kuwaiti official’s tour as giving a “fraternal message from our brothers in Kuwait, showing their support to this nascent democracy in Tunisia”.

He urged Kuwaiti citizens to visit Tunisia for tourism and investment within the framework of Arab-Arab brotherly relations, which are expected to develop further at all levels.

The Tunisian Foreign Minister stated that Tunisia and Kuwait share the same views on Arab and regional issues.

Representing His Highness the Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber AlSabah, Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minster, Foreign Minister and State Minister for Cabinet Affairs, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, is here to attend celebrations marking the first anniversar y of the January 14 Tunisian Revolution.

He has already held talks with Tunisian Prime Minister, Hamadi Jebali. — KUNA

Utah’s redrock artists attempt diplomacy KUWAIT: In what has to be a rare, if not historic case of redrock diplomacy, the works of six Utah artists are being shipped to Kuwait.

Soon, their work will hang in Kuwait City in the residence of the ambassador, as an artistic effort to strengthen bonds between two desert cultures.

The four landscape artists include Leslie Thomas and Mark Knudsen from Salt Lake City, M. Morgan Coleman of Provo and Shanna Kunz from Ogden.

The show also includes Bret Webster, Bountiful photographer, and Brian Kershisnik, a Utah County painter whose whimsically primitive and spiritual portraits are difficult to classify.

diplomat Blaine Tueller, Matthew Tueller has lived in Europe, North Africa and Latin America. As a State Department employee, he has previously served in Egypt and Kuwait.

Tueller calls Utah his home and has long admired the artists whose works are loaned for the Kuwait exhibition, says Sally Mansfield, a State Department Curator of Art. The works of art, 13 in all, are awaiting shipment to New York and then Kuwait. The exhibit is expected to open in a month or two, Mansfield said. “We want to capture the spirit and landscape of Utah and share with the thousands of visitors to the (ambassador’s) residence some of the things that our cultures hold in common,” Mansfield wrote to the

finds Middle Easterners are fascinated by Utah’s redrock desert and its dramatic vistas. His photographs often feature time-exposures of cliffs or buttes against southern Utah’s clear skies. “They were looking for common ground with people of the desert and it’s a great idea,” Webster says. “The Islamic community seems to really respond to pictures of the desert within the cosmos.”

He says he tries to approach his landscape photography as if he were exploring a new planet. “It seems purposeful that our existence is filled with such incredible depth of beauty and magnificence. We might be the eyes of the universe,” he explains, “able to look back and appreciate its awesome beauty. Coleman and

Mark Knudson rejuvenates landscape at the Phillips Gallery Utah-born Matthew Tueller, a Brigham Young University graduate, was appointed ambassador to Kuwait in September. As the son of

artists. Though it might seem that desert images are the last thing to appeal to people surrounded by sand, photographer Webster says he

Kunz’s work contribute a lush view of Utah’s mountains and farming areas.

Thomas says she makes paintings that ‘show our home, this Western

land, not comprehended by faith or theory, but odd and beautiful, delicious to the eye and to the heart’.”

“Kuwaitis think their desert is beautiful,” Mansfield says. “The drama of Utah’s varied landscape is amazing to anyone. Also issues like water, ways of life, food, environment and the spirit of independence are shared by Kuwaitis.”

Thomas and Knudsen, husbandand-wife landscape painters, each have two paintings in the show.

Their work captures the grandeur of vistas familiar to most residents and visitors to Utah, including Coyote Mesa, Factory Butte and the back wall of Canyonlands National Park from Dead Horse Point.

“It’s a fabulous opportunity,” says Knudsen, a former graphic artist at The Salt Lake Tribune. “We won’t have any problem selling our work to oil sheikhs. Maybe a bedouin will want to trade a camel for one of my paintings.” Mansfield says the Art in Embassies program also mounts shows of artists of the host country, and sponsors outreach programs that put American artists in contact with local artists. “The people from the embassy meet those they would never have otherwise met,” she says. “(The exhibits) are meant to stimulate conversation. Over the years we have had many stories where people saw an exhibit and it made it easier to discuss other issues.”

— The Salt Lake Tribune

US boosts its military presence in Arabian Gulf WASHINGTON: Marine Corps Gen. James N. Mattis, who heads US Central Command, won White House approval late last year for the deployments of additional troops and warships to the Arabian Gulf to deal with Iran and other potential threats.

The Pentagon quietly shifted combat troops and warships to the Middle East after the top American commander in the region warned that he needed additional forces to deal with Iran and other potential threats, US officials said.

Gen Mattis won the approval after talks with the government in Baghdad broke down over keeping US troops in Iraq, but the extent of the Pentagon moves is only now becoming clear.

Officials said Thursday that the deployments are not meant to suggest a buildup to war, but rather are intended as a quick-reaction and contingency force in case a military crisis erupts in the standoff with Tehran over its suspected nuclear weapons program.

The Pentagon has stationed nearly 15,000 troops in Kuwait, including a small contingent already there. The new deployments include two Army infantry brigades and a helicopter unit, a substantial increase in combat power after nearly a decade in which Kuwait chiefly

served as a staging area for supplies and personnel heading to Iraq.

The Pentagon also has decided to keep two aircraft carriers and their strike groups in the region.

This week, the American aircraft carrier Carl Vinson joined the aircraft carrier John C. Stennis in the Arabian Sea, giving commanders major naval and air assets in case Iran carries out its recent threats to close the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic choke point in the Persian Gulf through which one-fifth of the world’s oil shipments passes.

“There’s enough going on in that part of the world that you can see the merit in having a robust presence,” said a senior Pentagon official, speaking on condition of anonymity about military movements.

Navy officials say Iran might be able to temporarily block tanker traffic through the strait using antiship missiles and other weapons, but U.S. commanders say they can reopen the waterway quickly if necessary.

Gen Ataollah Salehi, head of Iran’s army, warned the John C. Stennis not to return to the Arabian Gulf after the aircraft carrier passed through the strait this month. The ship is scheduled to return to the US soon, but officials said

it will be replaced by the Enterprise in order to keep two carriers in the volatile region.

US officials are divided over how much to publicize the deployments.

Regional allies tend to dislike public discussion about their cooperation with Washington. But the Pentagon wants Iran’s rulers to know that the US still has adequate forces available in the event of a crisis. They include the Army’s 1st Cavalry Division’s 1st Brigade, which shifted to Kuwait from Iraq when the last US forces left last month. The brigade, which has more than 4,500 soldiers and is equipped with tanks and artillery, has been designated a “mobile response force” for the region, according to Col Scott L. Efflandt, the brigade commander. A National Guard brigade from Minnesota has been in Kuwait since August, and a combat aviation brigade arrived in December. Another major unit is heading to Kuwait shortly, though officials would not provide details.

Despite the buildup in Kuwait, the total number of US troops in the region has declined with the withdrawal of all U.S. forces from Iraq and the drawdown of US troops that began last summer in Afghanistan. — Los Angeles Times

Hammad declares priorities KUWAIT: Former MP Saadoun Hammad, a third constituency candidate, emphasized the necessity to declare financial status and to approve the law of ban of cortication of interests in the first meeting of the National Assembly. The meeting of the next National Assembly must apply those laws to MPs, ministers and every leading figure in the state. He called upon voters to put the interests of Kuwait in front of their eyes.

He said they should give their votes to those who deserve it and will represent them in their problems and demands.

Hammad pointed to a number of priorities that he will adopt in the coming period.

The most important of these are supporting women’s issues, dealing with the defect in salary scales, solving housing issues, unemployment, education and health services.—Al-Anbaa

KUWAIT: Hundreds of bedoons demonstrate in Sulaibiya demanding citizenship yesterday. Kuwait police used tear gas and batons to disperse them.

— Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012

LOCAL Call for realizing aspirations of late Amir KUWAIT: The late Amir His Highness Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah can be best remembered by seeking to realize the dream of establishing the modern state, said Sheikh Mubarak AlDuaij Al-Sabah, the Director-General and Chairman of Kuwait News Agency.

Sheikh Mubarak Al-Duaij, in a statement marking the sixth anniversary of demise of the late Amir falling today, said, “The best thing to do mark this eternal anniversary is seeking to realize this dream.”

Aspirations of Sheikh Jaber were grand, the KUNA chairman said. Sheikh Jaber aspired to transform Kuwait into a solid state, solid with its men, pioneer with their will.

Sheikh Mubarak recalled the late Amir for the great efforts he had exerted during 28 years in office for realizing comprehensive and integrated development, based on progress and prosperity.

He praised Sheikh Jaber for his success in transforming Kuwait into an influential country at the regional and international levels, through adoption of balanced policies and supportive of just causes. The KUNA chief indicated in particular Sheikh Jaber’s role of luring international support against the 1990 blatant Iraqi aggression, namely his effort, with aid of the late Father Amir Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, and the (current) Amir HH Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber AlSabah for establishing an unprecedented international military alliance to liberate the country.

Sheikh Jaber is also remembered for maintaining national unity, educating natives, bearing issues of the homeland and aspirations of the people. — KUNA

KUWAIT: The Algeria High School for Girls organized a ceremony to celebrate its 50th anniversary. The event was supervised and attended by Ruqaiya Ali, Director of Capital Educational Directorate.

Attempt to smuggle out shipment of diesel foiled Body found in deserted home

KUWAIT: Abdulaziz Al-Soraya pictured with the 2012 Audi R8.

Abdulaziz Al-Soraya wins Audi R8 presented by VIVA

K

uwaiti young artist Abdulaziz Al-Soraya won the grand prize of “VIVA Passions” competition that Kuwait Telecommunication Company VIVA had launched last Ramadan and ended by Al-Soraya deservedly winning the luxurious sports car the 2012 Audi R8.

Al-Soraya expressed his happiness of winning this competition that adds to his achievements.

He also pointed out that he loved photography from an early age through dealing with his fellow photographers. He was keen to develop this hobby to be a profession by establishing a small photography company that was praised by everyone. Al-Soraya thanked VIVA for giving him a chance to express himself through a video that shows his passion for photography. VIVA would like to take this opportunity to congratulate AlSoraya for winning the prize and to express its delight that a talented young Kuwaiti that has shown a great deal of distinction in Kuwait has won the prize of VIVA’s Ramadan competition (VIVA Passions) after uploading a video that expressed his passion in life.

VIVA congratulates the talented young man and wishes him more success in the artistic field and it would also like to thank all other partici-

pants who took part in this competition, as most of their participations were characterized by proficiency & craftsmanship.

It is noteworthy to mention that VIVA had announced the launch of the VIVA Passions competition last Ramadan as all talented people were invited to send a video that reflects their passion in life, and upload it on www.vivapassion.com for the audience to vote for the best video.

Al-Soraya’s video won him the first prize after achieving the highest voting rate for the grand prize, which was a 2011 Audi R8 V10 and some of the videos were broadcasted on (Taw Al-Layl) show on Al-Watan TV. It is worth mentioning that Al-Soraya has participated in many exhibitions in Kuwait, drawing the attention of many journalists and photography specialists. He also has a great experience in the field of photography that enabled him to earn the first place.

VIVA would like to confirm that it will continue its special offers and surprises, especially those related to motivating the youth and encouraging them to develop their talents, out of its firm belief in the social role it plays, as it is part of its strategy that always supports and sponsors all social benefiting activities.

KUWAIT: Customs officials at Shuwaikh Por t discovered a large shipment of diesel fuel before it could be smuggled out of the country. Investigations confirmed that the shipment was originally smuggled by land from a nearby GCC state. Kuwait was the transitional station en route to its destination. The officials grew suspicious of a liquid soap shipment, carried by 35 trucks, when one of them leaked a substance later found to be diesel. It was revealed that the shipment was smuggled from outside. It made use of a loophole in which transit shipments are not searched. Meanwhile, fur ther investigations revealed that there are unidentified state department employees in Kuwait involved in the case. This explains how the shipment was going to be discharged without a representative from its exporting company. Investigations on the case are still ongoing.

Body found Investigations are currently ongoing to identify a person whose dead body was found in a deserted home at AlThahar. Police officers accompanied by criminal investigators headed to the location after the homeowner reported finding a body inside the house when he came to check on it. The body was found to be in an advanced state of decomposition. It was taken for a forensic check to determine the time and cause of death, as well as to identify the victim.

Brotherly hate Two brothers were hospitalized following a vicious brawl in which they exchanged stabs. Police rushed to a house in Adan where a citizen reported

his two sons violently assaulting each other. The two were taken in ambulances to Adan Hospital after police got the situation under control. They were discharged from the hospital and taken to the area police station to face charges.

In Salmiya, two Arab brothers were detained after engaging in a fight in which they exchanged hits with rods.

Police headed to the scene after their mother reported the incident. They were taken to the nearest police station to face charges following their arrest.

Harassment A Mahboula janitor is currently detained at the area police station following sexual harassment charges pressed by a female residing in the building. Security officers rushed to the scene after a female citizen reported the incident. She told police that the janitor pushed her violently and touched her inappropriately after she repeatedly ignored his attempts to talk to her. The janitor rejected the accusations. He said the tenant is putting him in trouble to have him removed from the building.

The man was held in a cell. The victim was sent to the Criminal Investigations Department for tests to confirm the assault.

Husband caught Police ended a conflict between a Kuwaiti couple which almost ended in divorce. The wife caught her husband drinking alcohol and cheating on her.

The woman agreed to stay with her husband after he pledged to stop drinking and late night par tying. The woman reportedly headed after midnight to the family camp at Jlaiah after he ignored

her repeated calls to come home. She found her husband and three other men with liquor bottles inside the tent. Not expecting that his wife would show up with their 9-year-old son, the man pleaded with his wife to go back home. He insisted that he and his friends were just drinking. He let her search inside the tent to make sure nothing suspicious was going on.

But his plan backfired when the wife found evidence of sexual relationships activity at the camp. She reportedly spit at him in front of his friends, before driving away from the scene. The humiliated man went in pursuit of her and stopped her. Police arrived at the scene after the husband’s friends made an emergency call. They feared he might do something crazy in his drunken state. Police intervened before he could attack his wife, but had already smashed her car window with repeated punches. The two were taken to the nearest police station.

There, officials learned that they have five children. Police attempted to resolve the conflict between them for the sake of the children.

Patient calls for help An ambulance rushed to Abdaly northern border checkpoint recently after a Kuwaiti man called for help on his return from Iraq. The caller did not identify his emergency. All scenarios were taken into consideration, including the possibility of assault.

It was later revealed that the citizen called for an ambulance because he was suffering from complications of sicklecell disease. He was rushed to Jahra hospital as soon as he arrived and his condition was stabilized. — Al-Rai, Al-Anba, Al-Watan

Beach cleanup drive near Kuwait Towers KUWAIT: Driven by its social commitment to protect the environment Oula Fuel Marketing Company sponsored the Beach Cleanup Drive as part of its dedication to promote awareness on social and environmental issues.

The Beach Cleanup Drive, organized by the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) - Kuwait Chapter, took place on Jan 14 near Kuwait Towers. In addition to sponsoring the event, many Oula employees with the their families came to show their support by distributing shirts, gloves and bags to over 250 volunteers from the ASSE, and a number of students from Indian Academy and English Schools by taking part in the beach cleanup in addition to Oula staff who participated in the process. The event concluded with a brief ceremony with the students and children of Oula employees who participated in the beach cleanup receiving certificates of appreciation.

Commenting on this annual initiative that Oula strives to continuously participate in, Managing Director of Oula Fuel Marketing Company, Hamza

Bakhash said, “Being a Kuwaiti company, Oula is strongly committed to develop and sponsor campaigns aimed at promoting the importance of a healthy and clean environment, with special emphasis on our youth as they are the pillars of our community.” Bakhash concluded by saying, “We are proud to see the young generation contribute to important issues such as the environment, which we hope will help to spread the needed awareness on the importance of keeping Kuwait clean from pollution and pave the way towards a healthy future.”

Bakash acknowledged the participation of Sable and Pepsi for their contribution towards providing food and beverage to all participants during the event. Worthy of mention, Oula Fuel Marketing Company will sponsor the Blood Donation Campaign on Jan 19, which will be held in Souq Sharq and will be organized by the Blood Bank. Since its inception, Oula has heavily contributed toward different environmental campaigns that match the objectives of its social responsibility strategy .

KUWAIT : The Beach Cleanup Drive in progress. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012

Bomber kills 53 pilgrims in Iraq

ElBaradei backs out of Egypt elections Page 8

Page 8

HOMS: Supporters of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) gather in the Khalidiya neighborhood of the flashpoint city of Homs as thousands protested in support of the rebels throughout the country. — AFP

Qatar emir favors Arab force in Syria Syria defector to form military council DAMASCUS: Qatar favors sending Arab forces into Syria to stop the deadly 10-month crackdown on dissent as the Arab League said yesterday it will reassess its heavily criticized observer mission there. The emir of Qatar, in an interview with US network CBS to be broadcast today, says he favors dispatching Arab troops to Syria to “stop the killing” that the United Nations says has claimed more than 5,000 lives since March.

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani’s interview with “60 Minutes” is the first public call by an Arab leader for an Arab military presence in Syria, where President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime is pressing ahead with its crackdown.

“For such a situation to stop the killing ...

some troops should go to stop the killing,” Sheikh Hamad replied, when asked whether he supports Arab intervention. The comments by the emir, whose wealthy nation once enjoyed cordial ties with Damascus, comes with the Egypt-based Arab League set to reassess the work of its Syria monitoring mission at a meeting later this month. “ There is an overall reassessment of the work of the observer mission which we will discuss at the next ministerial meeting to be held in Cairo yesterday, January 21,” League chief Nabil Al-Arabi told AFP in Oman.

“There has been partial progress until now but there is daily bloodshed in Syria that the League aims to end,” he added. “The Arab League general secretariat is now examining whether it would be beneficial for the mission to pursue its work in light of the continuing violence,” Arabi was quoted as saying by Egypt’s official MENA news agency.

“Maybe things are a bit calmer but (the violence) continues. The human conscience cannot accept that any person gets killed.”

The interview with the Qatari leader, excerpts of which were sent to

AFP by CBS ahead of the broadcast, comes amid increasing concern that the League’s mission to monitor conditions on the ground in Syria was failing. The influential Sheikh Hamad has become one of Assad’s most vocal critics. In August, he described the Syrian regime’s heavyhanded use of force against protesters as “fruitless,” and urged serious reforms. Doha then withdrew its ambassador from Damascus.

The Qatar-based Al-Jazeera satellite television channel has also come under strong criticism by Syria for its coverage of the uprising. Meanwhile, a US official said late on Friday that Washington has reason to believe Iran is supplying securityrelated equipment “including munitions” to Syria in its crackdown. The accusation comes after the head of the elite Revolutionary Guards’ Quds force, Qasem Soleimani, visited Damascus earlier this month.

The United States has long suspected that Iran has been aiding Syria’s purge as Assad tries to avoid the fate of other Arab dictators felled by the Arab Spring uprisings. Another official said Soleimani’s visit marks the strongest indication yet of direct cooperation between the allies. On the political front, Britain has also sharply criticised Russia for refusing to support UN Security Council moves against Assad.—AFP

Turkish Cypriots mourn Rauf Denktash’s death NICOSIA: Turkish Cypriots proclaimed a week of mourning yesterday for veteran nationalist leader Rauf Denktash, as a hostile Greek Cypriot press reported that among his last words were a defiant defence in Greek of the breakaway state he founded. The cabinet of the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus (TRNC) decided that the mourning would until next Friday evening, its president Dervis Eroglu told reporters in the divided island’s capital Nicosia. After a ceremony on Monday outside the Nicosia hospital where Denktash died late on Friday after a long illness, the former leader’s body will lie in state at the presidential palace until Tuesday morning, Eroglu said. Eroglu said Turkey, the only government in the world to recognise the TRNC, would send a large delegation headed by President Abdullah Gul. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu are also expected to attend, he added.

The Turkish premier’s office declared national mourning for Denktash until the end of Tuesday, Anatolia news agency reported. Turkish flags in the country and its diplomatic missions would be flown at half-mast. “The loss of Mr Denktash is not only a loss for Turkish Cypriots, it is a loss for the whole Turkish nation. Our nation has lost a real hero,” Gul said in a statement on his official website. “Certainly, the TRNC is the greatest heritage of his life, dedicated to the rightful cause of his people,” Gul said of the statelet that Denktash proclaimed in 1983 after decades of championing the nationalist cause. “The success of Turkish Cypriots in this half-century-long struggle for justice and permanent peace in Cyprus, will be the greatest gain to keep Mr Denktash’s memory alive.”

“Denktash, who has a special place in the heart of the Turkish nation, will live forever in the soil of the TRNC, to which he dedicated his life,” Erdogan said. — AFP

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012

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

Bomber kills 53 pilgrims in Iraq At least 137 wounded, toll rising

NAQOURA: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon (right) walks behind UN peacekeeper honor guard to lay a wreath at the cenotaph in memory of fallen peacekeepers, upon his arrival to the UNIFIL headquarters yesterday. — AP

Hezbollah rejects call

by UN’s Ban to disarm BEIRUT: Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah dismissed yesterday a United Nations call for his militant anti-Israel movement to disarm, saying it was determined to maintain a military capacity to defend Lebanon. “I affirm today, firmly, decisively and with the greatest conviction ... the choice of armed resistance,” Nasrallah said. “ These weapons, along with the Lebanese people and army, are the only guarantee of Lebanon’s protection.”

Mocking a demand by visiting UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon that Hezbollah lay down its weapons, Nasrallah said he was happy that Hezbollah’s military prowess was a cause for concern. “Your concern, Secretary-General, reassures us and pleases us. What matters to us is that you are worried, and that America ... and Israel are worried with you,” he said in a televised speech marking a Shi’ite holy day.

Hezbollah, which fought a devastating month-long war with Israel in 2006, has rejected a UN Security Council resolution that demands that it lay down its military arsenal, as all other Lebanese armed groups did at the end of the 1975-1990 civil war. Nasrallah, in hiding since 2006 for fear of assassination, says his movement has been re-arming since the 2006 conflict, when it fired hundreds of rockets across the border daily into northern Israel. Ban, speaking in Beirut on Friday, said he was

“deeply concerned about the military capacity of Hezbollah” and the lack of progress in disarmament. “All these arms outside of the authorised state authority, it’s not acceptable,” he declared.

Yesterday, as Nasrallah addressed a Hezbollah rally in the town of Baalbek by video link, Ban visited the headquarters of UN peacekeeping forces in southern Lebanon, close to the border with Israel and a stronghold of Hezbollah. The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), was expanded after the 2006 war and now has around 12,000 peacekeepers. It has come under attack three times in the last year in bombings which wounded Italian and French soldiers. No group claimed responsibility for the attacks.

“In my meetings with government officials I called on them to increase protection for you,” Ban told UNIFIL members, adding that the 293 fatalities since the force was set up in 1978 was the highest death toll suffered by a UN peacekeeping force. “This weighs heavily on my heart,” he said. The Lebanese army has taken on a bigger role in the south since 2006, but given the tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, there is no sign of an exit strategy for the UN force there. Ban, who was in Lebanon for a three-day visit, was due to address a conference in Beirut tomorrow on “reforms and transitions to democracy.” — Reuters

CAIRO: Egyptian opposition politician Mohamed ElBaradei (center) leaves his office yesterday. — AFP

ElBaradei backs out of Egypt vote CAIRO: Mohamed ElBaradei pulled out of the race to become Egyptian president yesterday, the Nobel Peace Prize winner saying “the previous regime” was still running the country which has been governed by army generals since Hosni Mubarak was deposed. “My conscience does not permit me to run for the presidency or any other official position unless it is within a real democratic system,” said the former head of the UN nuclear watchdog, once seen a frontrunner for the post Mubarak held for three decades.

ElBaradei has been a vocal critic of the military council which has been governing Egypt since Mubarak was toppled in February, swept from power by mass protests that were driven by demands for accountable and democratic government. The military council’s opponents say it is seeking to preserve power and privilege in the post-Mubarak era and do not believe the generals’ repeated promises that they will surrender power to civilian rule at the end of June.

A favorite of Egyptian liberals and initially seen as a leading candidate, the withdrawal of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s head until 2009 was, in part, an admission that he could not win, experts said. “ElBaradei acknowledges he may not have the grassroots support to win in this presidential election,” said political analyst and activist Hassan Nafaa. “He also realises that the next president will not have full powers and will be bound by the current system,” he added.

“By pulling out of the presidential race, he is aligning himself with the youth movement and the liberals, who have been sidelined in the interim process by Islamists.” The bespectacled lawyer’s campaign had been weakened by divisions. In November, some of his campaign staff quit, saying he had become cut off from his grassroots base. ElBaradei took aim at the way the transition was being managed. “The randomness and the misman-

agement of the transitional period are pushing the country away from the aims of the revolution,” he said in a statement.

His remarks added to a recent wave of criticism targeting the generals. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter said this week they looked unlikely to surrender all of their powers by the middle of the year, as promised. His Carter Center, which has been monitoring the legislative elections, said the council’s lack of transparency had created “uncertainty about their commitment to full civilian leadership”.

Headed by Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, the man who was Mubarak’s defence minister for two decades, the military council says it has no interest in government and is working to move Egypt towards democracy.

Egypt’s strongest political force, Islamist groups, have dominated elections for the lower house of parliament which got underway in November and are now coming to a close. The Muslim Brotherhood, founded in 1928, says it has won 46 percent of the seats, with the more hardline Nour Party winning some 23 percent of the seats. The Brotherhood, entering politics in the shape of the Freedom and Justice Party, supports the military council’s transition plan. FJP leaders on yesterday discussed their legislative agenda with Prime Minister Kamal al-Ganzouri, appointed by the council in November. The FJP says it will work with the Ganzouri government, due to stay in office until the middle of the year. “We aim to find common ground between the government and parliament,” Saad el-Katatni, the FJP secretary-general, told Reuters, adding: “We have not decided on who we will join forces with once parliament convenes”. One of Egypt’s main liberal political parties said on Monday it would boycott upper house elections later this month in protest against what it says were violations committed by Islamist parties in earlier voting rounds. — Reuters

ZUBAIR: A bomb killed at least 53 Shiite pilgrims near the southern port city of Basra yesterday, an Iraqi official said. It was the latest in a series of attacks during Shiite religious commemorations that have killed scores of people and threaten to further increase sectarian tensions just weeks after the US withdrawal. The attack happened on the last of the 40 days of Arbaeen, when hundreds of thousands of Shiite pilgrims from Iraq and abroad visit the Iraqi city of Karbala, as well as other holy sites.

Yesterday’s blast occurred near the town of Zubair as pilgrims marched toward the Shiite Imam Ali shrine on the outskirts of the town, said Ayad Al-Emarah, a spokesman for the governor of Basra province. The shrine is an enclave within an enclave-a Shiite site on the edge of a mostly Sunni town in an otherwise mostly Shiite province. There were conflicting reports on the source of the blast. Al-Emarah said the explosion was caused either by a suicide attacker or a roadside bomb.

But an Iraqi military intelligence officer who is investigating the attack said it was a roadside bomb, noting that the road from Basra to Zubair being used by pilgrims had been closed to traffic. He spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to brief the media. Basra hospital received 53 killed and 137 wounded after the blast, said Dr Riyadh Abdul-Amir, the head of Basra Health Directorate. He said some of the wounded were in serious condition, and warned the death toll may rise further.

The explosion came as Shiites commemorate the climax of Arbaeen, which marks the end of 40 days of mourning following the anniversary of the death of Imam Hussein, a revered Shiite figure. Pilgrims who cannot make it to the holy city of Karbala, south of Baghdad, often journey to other sacred sites such as the shrine near Zubair. Majid Hussein, a government employee, was one of the pilgrims heading to the shrine. He said people began running away in panic when they heard a loud explosion.

“I saw several dead bodies and wounded people, including children on the ground asking for help. There were also some baby

strollers left at the blast site,” he said. The attack, which bore the hallmarks of Sunni insurgents, is the latest in a series of deadly strikes in this year’s Arbaeen. More than 145 people have been killed.

The largest of the Arbaeen attacks - a wave of apparently coordinated bombings in Baghdad and outside the southern city of Nasiriyah - killed at least 78 people on Jan 5. It was the deadliest strike in Iraq in more than a year. So far there has been little sign of the revenge attacks by Shiite militias and others

American troops were leaving, a political crisis erupted that has paralyzed Iraq’s government.

It pits the country’s mostly ethnic- and religious-based political blocs against one another. The political dispute appears far from being resolved.

On Friday, Deputy Prime Minister Saleh AlMutlaq called for Iraq’s leader, Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki, to step down or face a parliamentary vote of no-confidence. Al-Mutlaq’s Sunni-backed Iraqiya party has been boycotting parliament and cabinet meetings

BASRA: A woman reacts while security forces inspect the scene of a bomb attack on Shiite pilgrims, killing and wounding scores of people, yesterday. — AP that brought the country to the edge of civil war in 2006. But this wave of attacks comes at a particularly tense time.

The last US combat troops left the country on Dec 18. Many Iraqis resented the foreign presence, but the Americans also guaranteed the status quo. Many Sunnis fear being marginalized in the now Shiite-dominated country following the US departure. Just as the

since last month to protest what it sees as efforts by Al-Maliki to consolidate power, particularly over state security forces. Al-Maliki’s government, meanwhile, has demanded the arrest of the country’s top Sunni politician, Vice President Tariq Al-Hashemi of Iraqiya, accusing him of running a hit squad targeting government officials. Al-Hashemi denies the allegations.— AP

Iran says CIA behind scientist’s killing TEHRAN: Iran said yesterday it has evidence that the United States was behind the assassination of an Iranian nuclear scientist this week in Tehran, state media reported.

Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan was killed in a brazen daylight assassination Wednesday when two assailants on a motorcycle attached a magnetic bomb to his car in the Iranian capital. The killing bore a strong resemblance to earlier killings of scientists working on the Iranian nuclear program, and has prompted calls in Iran for retaliation against those deemed responsible.

The IRNA state news agency said yesterday that Iran’s Foreign Ministry has sent a diplomatic letter to the US saying that it has “evidence and reliable information” that the CIA provided “guidance,

support and planning” to assassins “directly involved” in Roshan’s killing. The US has denied any role in the assassination. Iran delivered the letter to the Swiss Embassy in Tehran, which looks after US. interests in the country. Iran and the US have had no diplomatic relations since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

IRNA also reported that Iran delivered a letter to Britain accusing London of having an “obvious role” in the killing.

It said that a series of assassinations began after British intelligence chief John Sawers hinted in 2010 at intelligence operations against the Islamic Republic. British media have quoted Sawers as saying that intelligence-led operations were needed to make it more difficult for countries like Iran to devel-

op nuclear weapons. Britain’s Foreign Office has condemned the killing of civilians. Israeli officials, in contrast, have hinted at covert campaigns against Iran without directly admitting involvement.

The killing has sparked outrage in Iran, and state T V broadcast footage yesterday of hundreds of students marching in Tehran to condemn Roshan’s death and calling for the continuation of the country’s disputed nuclear program. The U.S. and its allies fear Iran’s program aims to develop nuclear weapons. Iran denies the charges, and says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.

In the clearest sign yet that Iran is preparing to strike back for Roshan’s killing, Gen Masoud Jazayeri, the spokesman for Iran’s

Joint Armed Forces Staff, was quoted by the semiofficial ISNA news agency yesterday as saying that Tehran was “reviewing the punishment” of “behind-the-scene elements” involved in the assassination. “Iran’s response will be a tormenting one for supporters of state terrorism,” he said, without elaborating. “The enemies of the Iranian nation, especially the United States, Britain and the Zionist regime, or Israel, have to be held responsible for their activities.” Jazayeri also accused the International Atomic Energy Agency of being partially to blame, saying that the UN nuclear watchdog made public a list of Iranian nuclear scientists and officials that “has provided the possibility of their identification and targeting by spy networks.” —AP

Tunisia marks year after Ben Ali ouster

TUNIS: A veiled Tunisian woman draped in the Tunisian National flag is seen during a gathering at Habib Bourguiba avenue yesterday.— AP

TUNIS: Hundreds of Tunisians turned out in central Tunis to demand jobs and dignity yesterday as the north African country marked a year to the day since its despot Zine El Abidine Ben Ali fled into exile.

“Work, freedom and dignity,” “Work is a right,” “Tunisians rise up” and “We will continue the fight” were among the slogans chanted by demonstrators brandishing banners on the avenue which was the epicentre of the popular uprising that gave birth to the Arab Spring. “We made this revolution against the dictatorship to impose our right to a dignified life and not to help certain opportunists realise their political ambitions,” 33-yearold Salem Zitouni told AFP. Other demonstrators, wearing the red and white of the national flag, called for recognition of the “martyrs” killed during the weeks of unrest before Ben Ali was toppled. “We are faithful to the blood of the martyrs” and “We will never forget our martyrs,” their banners read. Pride of place was given to the memory of Mohamed Bouazizi, the 26-year-old vegetable seller from the central town of Sidi Bouzid, whose desperate act in setting fire to himself was the trigger of the revolt.

Tunisia’s revolution, which culminated in a peaceful election in October, inspired reform movements that felled longstanding autocrats Hosni Mubarak in Egypt and Muammar Gadafi in Libya.

Leaders from Tunisia’s neighbors as well as other Arab countries were expected to take part in anniversary celebrations over the weekend. Among the most prominent guests Tunisia’s democratically elected leaders hosted yesterday, Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflikawho was a minister in his country’s first post-independence government half a century ago has so far weathered growing social discontent.

The emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin

Khalifa Al-Thani, seen as one of the main sponsors of the Arab Spring, is also expected in the Tunisian capital. Foreign Minister Saad-Eddine El Othmani will represent Morocco, where King Mohamed VI introduced reforms curbing his near absolute powers to nip growing Tunisian-inspired street protests in the bud. The head of Libya’s new National Transitional Council, Mustafa Abdel Jalil, was expected for the celebrations, for which no detailed programme has been issued.

Weeks after Ben Ali hurriedly flew out of Tunisia, a rebellion started in neighboring Libya, eventually toppling Gaddafi’s regime. Ben Ali has been convicted of economic and other crimes by Tunisian courts and was granted exile in Saudi Arabia after his plane was denied permission to land in France. According to the new authorities in Tunisia, Saudi Arabia has twice ignored extradition requests for Ben Ali, who faces an avalanche of trials if he returns.

Tunisia’s Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali, of the Islamist Ennahda party, has been officially invited to visit Saudi Arabia.

Among the problems that remain to be solved by the new authorities are soaring unemployment of 19 percent nationallyup to 50 percent in certain inland areas overlooked for investment in the pastand widespread social discontent.

Corruption also remains a challenge, with Transparency International downgrading the country from 59th to 73rd place out of 183 countries on its corruption list amid fears that former regime officials have blended into the new political landscape. Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki will pardon more than 1,000 prisoners. Priority will be given to aged people and adolescents, the justice ministry said, adding that some other detainees will benefit from conditional release and reduced sentences.— AFP

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012

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

People traffickers stalk Eritreans in Sudan desert ‘People catch us, sell us like goats’

MOGADISHU: In this file photo, Al-Shabab fighters march with their weapons during military exercises in Somalia. — AP

Americans rise in rank inside Somalia jihadi group NAIROBI: The October Al-Qaeda video shows a light-skinned man handing out food to families displaced by famine in Somalia. But the masked man is not Somali, or even African he’s a Wisconsin native who grew up in San Diego. A handful of young Muslims from the US are taking high-visibility propaganda and operational roles inside an Al-Qaeda-linked insurgent force in Somalia known as alShabab. While most are from Minnesota, which has the largest Somali population in the nation, al-Shabab members include a Californian and an Alabaman with no ancestral ties to Somalia.

“They are being deployed in roles that appear to be shrewdly calculated to raise alShabab’s international profile and to recruit others, especially those from the United States and other English-speaking countries,” said Anders Folk, a former assistant US attorney who prosecuted suspected al-Shabab supporters in Minnesota. Officials fear another terrorist attack in East Africa. Kenya announced on Jan. 7 that it had thwarted attempted Al-Shabab attacks over the holidays. The same day, Britain’s Foreign Office urged Britons in Kenya to be extra vigilant, warning that terrorists there may be “in the final stages of planning attacks.”

More than 40 people have traveled from the US to Somalia to join al-Shabab since 2007, and 15 of them have died, according to a report from the House Homeland Security Committee. Federal investigations into AlShabab recruitment in the US have centered on Minnesota, which has more than 32,000 Somalis. At least 21 men have left Minnesota to join al-Shabab in that same time. The FBI has confirmed that at least two of them died in Somalia as suicide bombers. A US citizen is suspected in a third suicide bombing, and another is under investigation in connection with a fourth bombing on Oct. 29 that killed 15 people.

The star of the Al-Qaeda video was Jehad Mostafa, 30, a Californian who handed out food using the name Abu Abdullah alMuhajir, according to the SITE Monitoring Service. The Washington Post reported last year that Mostafa served as top lieutenant to Saleh Nabhan, a senior Al-Qaeda operative killed by Navy SEALs in a helicopter attack inside Somalia in 2010. Mostafa and the Alabaman, Omar Hammami, 27, are among about a dozen men who have been charged in federal court in the US and are believed to be in Somalia.

The Americans appear to have been motivated by the Ethiopian army’s intervention in Somalia in 2006, which they saw as an invasion. However, many experts believe it’s only a matter of time before Al-Shabab turns its wrath on the US, which in February 2008 designated it as a terrorist organization. The group killed 76 people in terrorist bombings in Uganda in 2010 during the World Cup final.

US military commanders fear that Americans inside al-Shabab could train as bombmakers and use their U.S. passports to carry out attacks in the United States.

E.K. Wilson, the agent overseeing the FBI’s investigation in Minneapolis, said he cannot comment on whether there is an outstanding order to capture or kill Americans fighting for al-Shabab. The FBI has publicly said the Americans should return to the US. It’s a mystery what caused Mostafa, a young man whom many remember as mild and friendly, to join an extremist group.

Mostafa grew up in San Diego and graduated from the University of California San Diego. Imam Abdeljalil Mezgouri of the Islamic Center of San Diego, the city’s largest mosque, said Mostafa was a respectful teen and good student. “He was a very quiet, very loving boy. He didn’t talk too much but when he did talk, people liked him,” said Mezgouri.

Mezgouri said Mostafa got married in his early 20s to a woman he believed was from Somalia.

Public records show Mostafa was the president of the now-defunct Muslim Youth Council of San Diego, or MYCSD. The former organization’s Web site says the group was “dedicated to showing the world that Islam is a religion of peace and Muslims are a peaceful and productive part of society.” Mostafa’s father, Halim Mostafa, a Kurdish Syrian, is a prominent figure in San Diego’s Muslim community who has tried to build bridges with non-Muslims. He made a low-budget film released in 2008 called “Mozlym” to show how the true meaning of Islam is often lost amid the misconceptions of non-Muslims in America, according to the film’s Web site.

Mostafa’s father declined to talk. “I just don’t want to get involved. I’m really sorry I cannot say anything. God bless you,” he said.

Edgar Hopida, a spokesman for the San Diego chapter of the Council on AmericanIslamic Relations, said Halim Mostafa believes in the most liberal interpretation of Islam and noted that “it’s ironic if his son is involved with Al-Shabab.” Mostafa is believed to have met American militant Anwar al-Awlaki about a decade ago at a San Diego mosque, according to The Washington Post. He went to Somalia in 2005. Federal officials declined to comment.

Mostafa was indicted in August 2010 on terrorism charges for allegedly providing material support to Al-Shabab. Mostafa has a leadership role inside Al-Shabab and serves as a key liaison to Al-Qaeda, said Evan Kohlmann, who has assisted government investigations into Al-Shabab recruiting and financing. AP could not reach Mostafa or Hammami for comment. A spokesman for AlShabab said that the questions AP emailed were “of a personal nature relating to the roles and activities of certain individuals and for that reason they were left unanswered.”

The spokesman also said Al-Shabab and Al-Qaeda were “brothers in Islam.” He did not provide a name but emailed from an address used by Al-Shabab’s media outreach wing, which also recently launched a Twitter feed.

The Alabaman, Hammami, 27, has taken on the role of jihadi lecturer and Islamic scholar.

After US Navy SEALs killed Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in Pakistan earlier this year, Hammami threatened to avenge the killing at a news conference near Mogadishu.

Al-Awlaki’s death by a US drone in Yemen in September left Hammami as the most influential US English speaker in the jihadi propaganda sphere, said terrorism expert Ben Venzke. Hammami is also known as Abu Mansour Al-Amriki or “the American.” “His more accessible image and manner of speaking may prove a growing and significant threat to not just the region around Somalia but for future attacks on US soil,” said Venzke of the Washington-based IntelCenter.

Hammami grew up in Daphne, Ala., a bedroom community of 20,000 outside Mobile known for sunsets on the Gulf of Mexico, seafood and high school football. The phone directory lists 43 Christian churches and not a single Islamic congregation in Daphne. The son of a Christian mother and a Syrian-born Muslim father, Hammami attended Daphne High School. Then-assistant principal Don Blanchard recalls Hammami as generally well liked.

“Omar I would not classify as a troubled kid,” said Blanchard. Hammami enrolled at the University of South Alabama, where he was president of the Muslim Student Association.

Following the 2001 terror attacks, Hammami spoke to the student newspaper. “Even now it’s difficult to believe a Muslim could have done this,” The Vanguard quoted Hammami as saying.—AP

SHAGARAB REFUGEE CAMP: Moving at night through the cold, flat desert, armed people smugglers are exploiting, abducting and sometimes killing Eritreans fleeing their authoritarian homeland, the UN and refugees say. “People catch us, sell us like goats,” one Eritrean asylumseeker said of the human traffickers. Like others who have reached this wind-blown collection of shelters inside the Sudanese border, he accused the local Rashaida tribe of involvement in the people trade, which the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) is hoping to counter through a $2-million effort to support local police and improve camp security.

“These groups that are involved in this are heavily armed. We hear of firefights between government forces and these armed groups,” said Felix Ross, the UNHCR’s senior protection officer in Sudan’s eastern region. He told AFP the problem has emerged over the past two or three years, with the UNHCR hearing of at least 20 kidnapping cases a month. “But we believe that the number itself is much higher,” Ross said. On a visit to the Shagarab camp on Thursday, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, said a global criminal network of smugglers and kidnappers is “taking profit of the desperate situation of many Eritreans.”

Shagarab camp receives about 2,000 asylumseekers monthly, largely from neighboring Eritrea where many have fled compulsory military service. The UN estimates that 80 percent of the new arrivals leave the camp within two months for Khartoum, Egypt, Israel or further afield, in search of better economic opportunities. “Due to the limitation on the freedom of movement of refugees in Sudan, refugees and asylum-seekers resort to smugglers to transport them into, through and out of Sudan,” a UNHCR briefing paper said.

But some simply end up being kidnapped for ransoms which the UNHCR said can reach $10,000. “Here there is not security. There is many person kidnapped,” an Eritrean who has spent four months at Shagarab said, speaking in English. He and other Eritreans interviewed during a UN-organised visit cannot be named, for their own protection. One 23-year-old womanwho like the men said she had fled military service-said smugglers took her in 2010 from Eritrea to Egypt, “and when we arrived there they asked my family for more money,” which they did not have.

She was arrested and jailed before being deported and then making her way this time

without involving traffickers-to the Sudanese camp. An Eritrean man, aged 27, said camp residents face a risk of being snatched if they walk out to the toilet area at night. Others are “kidnapped by Rashaida” on their way in from the border, he said at the one-room cement block he shares with 25 other men. Their belongings hang from the wall beside a picture of Christ.

“They ask them for ransom money... some of the people said it’s about 50,000 pounds ($12,000),” he said through a translator. “Most of the time they cannot pay, so they are tortured.”

UNHCR chief Guterres said some refugees who ended up in Egypt’s Sinai peninsula were “killed for the traffic of organs.”

The Rashaida are a camel-raising tribe whose buildings near the state capital Kassala are painted bright pastel pink and blue. The area around their roadside market, a row of corrugated metal shacks, is believed to be a smuggling hotbed for everything including people, Ross said. Human traffickers are “making a lot of money in a region where it’s difficult to earn

money,” he said. “We know that in the refugee community there are people working with these criminal groups.”

Between Kassala and the camps 120 kilometers (75 miles) away, the Eritrean border lies beyond trees barely visible in the distance across the barren brown earth-the smugglers’ turf. “If you were to travel here by night you would see a lot of lights crossing through the desert,” Ross said. Sudan’s refugee commission recognizes almost all of the new asylum-seekers as refugees, but if they stay in the camps they could wait years for resettlement, and have little in common with older refugees or the local population.

The Eritreans arriving since 2005 are mostly Christian and not Arabic speakers, in contrast with an older group of mostly Muslim Eritreans who began fleeing to Muslim-majority Sudan four decades ago during their country’s independence war with Ethiopia, the UN says. “How about us, the newcomers?” an Eritrean who has spent eight months at the camp asked AFP. “Nobody cares about us.” — AFP

PIBOR: In this photo, victims of ethnic violence wait in line at the World Food Program distribution center to receive emergency food rations. — AP

Sudan denies killing 16 villagers KHARTOUM: The Sudanese military yesterday denied bombing civilians in an operation which rebels said left 16 villagers and five government troops dead near the South Sudanese frontier.

Four rebels were wounded and “less than three” killed in the fighting, Mubarak Abdelrahman Ahmed, of the rebel youth wing in South Kordofan state, told AFP by satellite telephone. Oil-producing South Kordofan remained under Khartoum’s administration when South Sudan became independent in July, but fighting since June has pitted Nuba rebels, once allied to rebels in the South, against the Sudanese army.

The latest action began on January 7 with aerial bombing at Angola village that left nine civilians dead and 26 wounded, followed the next day by bombing around Al-Buram that killed seven, Ahmed alleged. The areas are about 30-40 kilometers (19-25 miles) north of the poorly-defined north-south border. Access to the region is restricted, making independent verification difficult.

Sawarmi Khaled Saad, the Sudanese army spokesman, denied any bombing occurred but said government troops had conducted a “wide operation” that expelled rebels from the area and reopened a road. “We don’t have figures for dead or wounded” on either the government or rebel sides, he said.

The rebels’ Ahmed said Sudanese troops moving from the state capital Kadugli captured the former garrison of Tess last Monday “but we retook it immediately.” As the troops moved east to AlBuram, the main battle occurred on Tuesday and Wednesday, he said. “We destroyed one complete convoy ... five big trucks carrying ammunition and guns”, while four other trucks were captured and the bodies of five government soldiers left on the ground, Ahmed said.

A similar conflict is going on in nearby Blue Nile state. The United Nations says hundreds of thousands of people have become internally displaced or otherwise severely affected because of fighting in the two states. Refugees fleeing to Ethiopia and South Sudan are reporting food shortages and rising levels of malnutrition, with “particularly alarming” signs coming from rebelheld areas, Valerie Amos, the UN’s top emergency aid official, said during a visit to Khartoum this month.

The government, citing security concerns, continues to bar UN and foreign aid workers from the warzone. South Kordofan’s governor, Ahmad Harun, is wanted by the Hague-based International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Sudan’s Darfur region. Sudan and South Sudan have accused each other of supporting rebels inside their respective borders. South Sudan became independent last July in a referendum that followed two decades of civil war. — AFP

Russian oppn leader arrested after rally MOSCOW: A leader of the liberal opposition party was arrested after some 300 people protested against fraud-tainted parliamentary polls as Vladimir Putin seeks a third term as president. Sergei Mitrokhin, a leader of the liberal opposition Yabloko party which organized the rally, was arrested at the end of the protest and was now facing a fine or a 15-day jail sentence, a party spokesman told AFP. At the protest by the party whose veteran leader Grigory Yavlinsky hopes to challenge Putin in March polls, participants set up two boards featuring pictures and names of election officials they claimed were involved in falsifications during the December 4 legislative vote. “The country should know its antiheroes,” one of the activists said as others brandished party flags and chanted “Churov resign,” referring to the head of the Central Election Commission, an AFP correspondent reported.

Another placard depicted the bearded

Putin ally Vladimir Churov in a light blue cloack and a wizard’s peaked hat, alluding to the popular nickname he earned after President Dmitry Medvedev called him a “magician” at a post-election meeting last month. Putin, Russia’s current prime minister who wants to return to the Kremlin for a third term, is wrestling with the worst legitimacy crisis of his 12-year rule, with tens of thousands taking to the streets last month.

A third major protest set for February 4 is expected to provide clues about the direction and strength of the nascent opposition movement. “It is extremely important to turn up for protests but mere protests are not enough,” Mitrokhin said at the “name them, shame them” rally before his arrest, urging Russians to act as amateur observers at the presidential election. He was arrested following the end of the protest for what police said was resistance to authorities and taken to a police station, Yabloko spokesman Igor Yakovlev told AFP. — AFP

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012

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

Ex-Governor Barbour ‘very comfortable’ with pardons RIDGELAND: Former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour said Friday he’s “very comfortable” with his decision to grant pardons or other clemency to more than 200 people, including convicted killers, in his last days in office. Barbour said Friday during his first interview on the pardons that nearly 190 of the people who got pardons or other reprieves had already been released from prison before his actions. Only 10, he said, have been or will be fully released from prison.

Barbour said he’s “fully confident the pardons and other clemency I have given are all valid.” He said it’s a tradition in Mississippi for governors to free the trusties who worked at the Governor’s Mansion.

Four inmates freed this past weekend are convicted killers who worked as trusties. And the former governor said he’s not concerned that the freed trusties might harm anyone. “I have absolute confidence, so much confidence, that I’d let my grandchildren play with these five men,” the Republican said.

He said he regretted he did not more quickly explain that most of the people who received

clemency were already out of prison and some had been for years. “Let’s get the facts straight. Of the 215 who received clemency, 189 were not let out of jail. They were already out of jail,” he said.

Businesslike in tone, but chafing at repeated questions about whether he thought the pardoned killers might commit other crimes, Barbour said Mississippians are mostly Christian people.

“I believe in second chances and I try hard to be forgiving,” he said. “I am very comfortable and totally at peace with these pardons.” Barbour said he didn’t anticipate the pardons would become centered on politics, though he expected some backlash. “What I didn’t think was that politicians would go out and tell the public we let 200 people out of the penitentiary. I didn’t anticipate this would be all about politics,” said Barbour, who left office earlier this week.

Attorney General Jim Hood, the only Democrat remaining in statewide elected office in Mississippi, denounced Barbour’s actions as “shameful” and possibly unconstitutional. Hood went to court Wednesday to seek a halt to the releases, saying his

investigation showed some of the inmates hadn’t completed a constitutionally required notification to the public in areas where their crimes were committed. Hinds County Circuit Judge Tomie Green ordered that the release of 21 inmates be put on hold until it could be determined they met the requirements. Authorities say three former Governor’s Mansion trusties who were pardoned in Haley Barbour’s final days as governor have called to check in with the Mississippi Department of Corrections. Corrections spokeswoman Suzanne Singletary said convicted killers Anthony McCray and Charles Hooker, as well as convicted robber Nathan Kern, called corrections officials Friday.

Corrections officials have not yet heard from David Gatlin and Joseph Ozment, both convicted killers.

On Friday, Barbour said some of the same Mississippi politicians who attacked him had also asked him to pardon people. He charged that Hood didn’t object when Barbour’s predecessor, Democrat Ronnie Musgrove, released convicted killers who worked at the Governor’s Mansion. Barbour said his

father died when he was 2 years old. And when his grandfather, a judge, became disabled, an inmate was assigned to help him. “I watched the power of a second chance and what it did for Leon Turner,” he said. Barbour often evoked his Christian faith as he talked with reporters at the Jackson-area law office where he now works.

“You do not want to take away hope and the opportunity for a second chance, particularly when you see what our religion says,” he said. Barbour said the corrections department picks inmates who work at the Governor’s Mansion. Typically, they are men who committed crimes of passion. Corrections officials assign them, he said, because they are not likely to commit another violent crime and make good workers. Barbour, 64, is a former Republican National Committee chairman. He considered seeking the GOP nomination for president but decided in April 2011 that he would not do so. He is now on the paid speakers’ circuit and works for the law firm and for BGR, the Washington lobbying firm he founded two decades ago. — AP

Obama’s campaign attacks Romney’s corporate past Romney accused of closing 1,000 industrial plants WASHINGTON: Barack Obama’s campaign has fired off a withering attack on Mitt Romney, branding the US president’s likely election foe as a corporate raider who made money “hand over fist” by destroying jobs. The Obama campaign’s intervention Friday whipped up a new storm around Romney, who has been battered by criticism from his Republican rivals over his 15-year role at equity firm Bain Capital and his claims to have created 100,000 jobs. The Chicago-based team’s decision to enter the fray added to the impression that an important moment of the 2012 campaign could be at hand, with Romney battling to shore up the central rationale of his presidential run.

Obama strategist Stephanie Cutter took aim in a memo at Romney’s claim that his business expertise gives him the corporate savvy and turnaround skills needed to reboot the struggling US economy. She accused Romney of taking advantage of an “uneven playing field” by using the cash of rich investors to take over failing firms, strip them down and fire workers during his time at the private equity firm.

“Our economic crisis and endemic income inequality were caused in large part by a few who put profits over people,” Cutter wrote. “Mitt Romney and his friends made money hand over fist while working families lost their grip on the middle-class lifestyle they earned. “Between now and November the American people will decide whether to respond to this crisis by electing a corporate raider who profited from-and promises to restore-the conditions that caused it.”

Cutter accused Romney of closing more than 1,000 industrial plants, stores and offices, cutting employee wages and benefits and pensions and outsourcing American jobs to other countries while

making hundreds of millions of dollars. The controversy was further fueled by a report by the McClatchy newspaper chain that Bain Capital more than doubled its money on its acquisition of GS Industries Inc, the former parent company of Georgetown Steel, even as the steel manufacturer went on to cut more than 1,750 jobs.

According to the report, Bain Capital spent $24.5 million to acquire GS Industries in 1993. By the end of that decade, the firm estimated its partners had made $58.4 million off its investment in the steelmaker. GS Industries filed for bankruptcy in 2001. Cutter rejected

Romney’s claims that Obama was waging war on capitalism. “That’s what’s on trial, not free enterprise. Free enterprise isn’t running for president, Mitt Romney is,” she said. Romney sought to mitigate political damage from the Bain affair, which is complicating his campaign to win next week’s South Carolina primary after triumphs in Iowa and New Hampshire nominating contests.

The South Carolina primary is seen as a last chance for more conservative candidates Newt Gingrich, former senator Rick Santorum and Texas Governor Rick Perry to slow Romney’s march to the nomina-

AIKEN: An audience member uses his iPad to record video of Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov Mitt Romney, as he campaigns at the University of South Carolina Aiken. — AP

Quote on MLK memorial will be changed: Report WASHINGTON: A quote carved in stone on the new Martin Luther King Jr memorial in Washington will be changed after the inscription was criticized for not accurately reflecting the civil rights leader’s words. The inscription currently reads: “I was a drum major for justice, peace and righteousness.” The phrase is chiseled into one side of a massive block of granite that includes King’s likeness emerging from the stone. It became a point of controversy after the memorial opened in August. A spokesman for the US Department of the Interior said Friday that Secretary Ken Salazar decided to have the quote changed. The Washington Post first reported on Friday the decision to change the inscription. The phrase is modified from a sermon known as the “Drum Major Instinct,” in which the 39-year-old King explained to his Atlanta congregation how he would like to be remembered at his funeral.

He made the February 1968 speech just two months before he was assassinated in Memphis, Tenn. In the speech, King’s words seem more modest than the paraphrased inscription: “Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter.”Poet Maya Angelou previously said the truncated version made King sound like “an arrogant twit” because it was out of context. Salazar gave the National Park Service, which the Interior Department oversees, a month to consult with the King Memorial Foundation, which led the effort to build the memorial, as well as family members and other interested parties. The committee is supposed to come up with a more accurate alternative to the quote.

Ed Jackson Jr, the executive architect of the $120 million project, previously said King’s words were shortened for space reasons and that he stood by the paraphrased line. He said in an emailed statement on Friday evening that the cost to make changes to the inscription will be assessed but none of the existing stone work will be removed. “A few very carefully selected words will be added to the existing phrase; that will further amplify his statement about his role in America during the mid20th century as a leader, a social advocate, a messenger, a voice of the people ... for freedom, justice, hope and peace,” he said.

Harry Johnson, president of the King Memorial Foundation, said it wasn’t yet clear what the alternatives might be. The group would look at all the ways a change could be made, he said.

Angelou was named among the memorial’s Council of Historians tasked with selecting the inscriptions for the memorial. But she did not attend meetings about the inscriptions, Jackson said.

Project planners also explained the shortened quote to the US Commission of Fine Arts, which ultimately approved the memorial’s design. At least one other recent memorial has undergone changes after being opened to the public. After the Franklin D Roosevelt memorial opened in 1997, advocates for the disabled campaigned to have a statue added portraying Roosevelt in his wheelchair. Originally, only one statue in the memorial alluded to the fact Roosevelt lost the use of his legs after contracting polio as an adult. That statue portrayed him seated with small wheels on the back of his chair. In 2001, a bronze sculpture depicting Roosevelt in his self-designed wheelchair was added to the entrance of the memorial. Disability groups raised $1.65 million for the addition. — AP

WASHINGTON: In this photo, quotes by Martin Luther King, Jr, are inscribed in the wall at the Martin Luther King, Jr Memorial as it is seen at dusk ahead of its dedication this weekend. — AP

tion. Romney released a political ad branding himself as a “conservative businessman” responsible for blue chip brands such as Sports Authority and Staples. “Mitt Romney helped create and ran a company that invested in struggling businesses, grew new ones and rebuilt old ones, creating thousands of jobs-those are the facts,” the ad’s narrator said.

“We expected the Obama administration to put free markets on trial, but as the Wall Street Journal said, ‘Mr Romney’s (Republican) opponents are embarrassing themselves by taking the Obama line.’”

Campaigning in South Carolina, Romney savaged Obama’s record and accused him of resorting to class warfare with his campaign’s attacks. “They seem to want to replace ambition with envy,” said Romney, who also got a boost from defeated 2008 Republican presidential candidate John McCain who was traveling with him.

McCain said that Romney’s career at Bain was “what the free enterprise system is all about and jobs and businesses were created all over this countr y by Mitt Romney.” Democrats are trying to keep the Bain Capital controversy alive after a political ac tion committee back ing Gingrich released a movie featuring tearful vignettes of people who blame Bain Capital for culling their jobs. Romney, after his twin nominating contest wins, is still the hot favorite for the Republican nomination and is seen by many analysts as the most formidable candidate to take on Obama in November’s election. An American Research Group poll among likely Republican voters in South Carolina Friday showed the former Massachusetts governor leading the field, with 29 percent, ahead of Gingrich on 25 percent and libertarian favorite Ron Paul on 20 percent. — AFP

A little late, winter grips Midwest and Northeast BUFFALO: Many Americans’ first real taste of winter this season blew through the Midwest and Northeast on Friday, leaving ski resort operators giddy, delaying commuters and air passengers, and forcing pedestrians along the East Coast to button up against biting winds. The storm blanketed the Upper Midwest before slowly swirling to points east. Snowplow drivers were out in force overnight in Chicago, where temperatures plummeted. It could drop as much of a foot of snow on parts of Ohio along Lake Erie before plodding on. In a typical year, such a storm would hardly register in the region.

But atmospheric patterns, including the Pacific phenomenon known as La Nina, have conspired to make this an unusually icy winter in Alaska and have kept it abnormally warm in parts of the lower 48 states accustomed to more snow.

In Buffalo, worse than the accumulation of 5 inches moderate by regional standards - were 25- to 35-mph winds that blew the snow in blinding sheets. “We go from no snow to a blizzard,” said Courtney Taylor of Lewiston, north of Buffalo, holding on to keep her furlined hood up. For Steve Longo, a 47-year-old chiropractor from Wauwatosa, Wis., the wait to try out the crosscountry skis he got for Christmas was excruciating. He and a friend wasted no time hitting the trails at Lapham Peak, about 25 miles west of Milwaukee. “I wasn’t worried,” Longo said. “I was just anxious.”

The storm annoyed commuters, and authorities said it caused hundreds of traffic accidents and at least three road deaths - two in Iowa and one in Missouri. And while some lucky grade-schoolers cheered an unexpected day of sledding, hundreds of would-be air travelers had to scramble to come up with a Plan B. High winds delayed flights Friday, as the long Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend began, heading to large East Coast airports including Philadelphia; Newark, N.J.; New York’s LaGuardia; and Boston.

Officials said the strong winds also were a factor in bringing down a huge billboard onto the BrooklynQueens Expressway in Brooklyn, tying up traffic for hours. The National Weather Service said up to 36 mph winds were blowing through Central Park, and forecasters expect Saturday to be windy as well. Blowing snow appeared to factor into a mishap at Buffalo Niagara International Airport, where the nose gear of a plane on a flight arriving from Atlanta rolled from the runway onto grass and got stuck. No one was injured.—AP

CARACAS: Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez speaks holding a gold bar as he gives his annual address to the National Assembly, Friday Jan 13, 2012. — AP

Venezuela to close consulate in Miami CARACAS: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said Friday that his government will close its consulate in Miami after the US government expelled a diplomat. Chavez said he decided the consulate will shut its doors in response to what he called an unfair action by the US State Department. “We’re going to close it. It’s OK. There won’t be a consulate in Miami,” Chavez said during his annual speech to the National Assembly. Livia Acosta Noguera, Venezuela’s consul general in Miami, was ordered out of the US last weekend followed an FBI investigation into allegations that she discussed a possible cyber-attack on the US government while she was assigned to the Venezuelan Embassy in Mexico. The allegations were detailed in a documentary aired by the Spanish-language broadcaster Univision.

The documentary was based on recordings of conversations with her and other officials, and alleged that Cuban and Iranian diplomatic missions were involved. Citing audio and video obtained by the students at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, Univision said Acosta was seeking information about the servers of nuclear power plants in the US. “There’s no proof that she was going around carrying out espionage,” Chavez said. He said he thought “pressure by sectors of the far-right” in the US were behind her expulsion.

Chavez said the government decided on an “administrative closing of the consulate while we study the situation.” It’s unclear what the government intends to do with other diplomats stationed in Miami. Responding to Chavez’s announcement, US State Department spokesman Mark Toner said: “The decision on how to manage its consulates and how to provide consular services to Venezuelan citizens is entirely that of the Venezuelan government.”

The consulate in Miami, which covers the states of Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas, is one of Venezuela’s largest in the United States. According to US Census figures, the number of Venezuelans in the United States increased from 91,500 in 2000 to 215,000 in 2010. The Organization of Venezuelans in Exile says 160,000 to 200,000 of those Venezuelans live in Florida.

Closing the consulate is “a maneuver by Chavez to impede the ... (October) presidential elections in Miami, which is the most important electoral center” for Venezuelan voters outside their home country, said Elio Aponte, president of the exile group.

In the last presidential vote in 2006, about 15,800 Venezuelans voted in the United States, three-fourths of them at the Miami consulate. Chavez announced the closure in the middle of his state-of-the-nation speech, which lasted more than nine hours. The leftist president repeated his criticisms of the United States, calling its government “a threat for the world.”

Chavez also said he expects a “year of tests” as he runs for reelection, and he pledged to hand over the presidency if he loses. Chavez has been in office for 13 years and is seeking another six-year term in the October vote. Chavez told opposition lawmakers that if he loses, he “would be the first in recognizing it.”

Recent polls say Chavez’s popularity has been above 50 percent. Before his speech, hundreds of supporters wearing the red shirts of his political movement gathered outside the National Assembly and cheered, some of them chanting Chavez’s name.

Opponents criticize Chavez’s handling of problems such as rampant violent crime and 27.6 percent inflation. Some opposition lawmakers briefly addressed Chavez, including presidential hopeful Maria Corina Machado, who challenged him to a debate and called his frequent expropriations of private businesses “robbery.” “You’ve called me a thief,” Chavez told her. “You don’t make the ranking to debate with me.”

Chavez touted the country’s 4 percent growth last year and noted that under prior governments inflation was far higher. He said it’s important for his government to take steps to reduce inflation. He defended policies including his recent decision to withdraw billions of dollars in its gold reserves from US and European banks and bring it back to the Central Bank in Caracas. Holding up a bar of gold, he criticized prior governments, saying: “They had taken our gold away.”

The former paratroop commander has boosted military spending in recent years, and Chavez said the country will soon begin receiving anti-aircraft missiles. He has previously said Russia is supplying the missiles to Venezuela. Referring to his struggle with cancer, the 57-year-old president reiterated that he has overcome the illness after undergoing surgery and chemotherapy. “I needed cancer. I give thanks to God,” Chavez said, explaining that the illness had forced him to slow down and reflect.—AP

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012

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

US Marines questioned over Taleban desecration video WASHINGTON: The US Marine Corps took a first, formal step on Friday toward possible charges against four Marines who, in a widely circulated video, appear to be urinating on the bodies of dead Taleban fighters in Afghanistan. It named a lead investigating officer whose job will include deciding what charges, if any, would be brought against the four men, all of whom have been identified, a Marine Corps official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity. The move came as a top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan ordered troops to “treat the living and the dead with dignity and respect.”

“Defiling, desecrating, mocking, photographing or filming for personal use insurgent dead constitutes a grave breach of the (law of armed conflict),” Lieutenant General Curtis Scaparrotti,

who heads day-to-day Afghan operations, wrote in a letter to troops dated Jan 12 and seen by Reuters on Friday.

The Pentagon has acted quickly to respond to the video, a move Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and other top US officials hope will limit the fallout.

The video is likely to stir up already strong anti-US sentiment in Afghanistan after a decade of a war that has seen past cases of abuse. That could complicate efforts to promote reconciliation as foreign troops gradually withdraw, although a Taleban spokesman said on Thursday it would not harm nascent efforts to broker peace talks. The video, posted on YouTube and other websites, shows four Marines in camouflage combat uniforms urinating on three corpses.

One of them jokes: “Have a nice day, buddy.” Another makes a lewd joke.

Reuters has been unable to verify the dead men were indeed Taleban fighters but the Marine Corps said the video appeared to depict “several dead Taleban.” Afghan President Hamid Karzai has condemned the video, describing the men’s actions as “inhuman” and calling for an investigation. None of the suspects has been detained, the Corps official said. At least two are still part of the same unit involved in the video - the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines, based out of Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, a second official told Reuters. That unit ser ved in Afghanistan’s Helmand province from March to September 2011, the second official said.

Marine Corps Commandant General James Amos said in a statement on Friday he would not “rest until the allegations and the events

surrounding them have been resolved.” Panetta telephoned Karzai to denounce the behavior in the video as “deplorable,” and General Martin Dempsey, the top US military officer, said the actions depicted were illegal.

It is likely others will be brought into the investigation, including the person who filmed the desecration of the dead and whoever else may have been watching off-camera.

The Corps said the lead investigating officer, known as the “Consolidated Disposition Authority,” was Lieutenant General Waldhause, the commander of Marine Corps Forces Central Command. “The danger obviously is this kind of video could be misused in many ways not only to undermine what we are trying to do in Afghanistan but undermine the potential for reconciliation. There is a

danger there,” Panetta told reporters on Thursday.

“But I think if we move quickly - if we conduct this investigation and hold these people accountable - we send a clear signal to the world that the US is not going to tolerate that kind of behavior and it doesn’t represent the United States as a whole.”

Officials told Reuters the Marine Corps is confident the video is authentic.

News of the footage had yet to really spread in Afghanistan a country where a minority has access to electricity and the Internet is limited to a tiny urban elite.

Anti-American feeling has boiled over or been whipped up into violence several times in Afghanistan in recent years. Protests over reports of the desecration of the Muslim holy book have twice sparked deadly riots. — Reuters

Pakistan quells militant attack, 8 dead: Official Pakistan army chief calls on president

ISLAMABAD: Imran Khan, the cricket star turned politician (right) and his party leader former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi attend a party meeting yesterday.— AFP

Pakistan’s Khan says he’s not anti-West WASHINGTON: Imran Khan, the cricket star turned politician who is gaining support in Pakistan, on Friday rebutted charges he is anti-West and said his vision for an Islamic society looked like Scandinavia. Khan, who has drawn hundreds of thousands of followers in recent months after years in the political wilderness, reiterated his staunch criticism of the US campaign against Islamic extremists as he addressed a forum in Washington. But he rejected perceptions that his views are anti-Western. Khan, an Oxford graduate who was formerly married to writer Jemima Khan, said he was one of the few Pakistani politicians to have spent substantial time in the West.

“To be anti-Western makes absolutely no sense at all. The West is geography. How can you be anti-geography?” Khan told the Atlantic Council, a think-tank, via Internet video provider Skype. “And to be antiAmerican... how can you be anti-a whole country, where there are so many different views?” he said. “I have always been antithe American war on terror. I have always thought that this was an insane war,” Khan said.

A decade after Pakistan reluctantly supported the US-led campaign against AlQaeda and the Taleban in Afghanistan, Khan said that his country was far more radicalized and that billions of dollars had been wasted. “I have never understood what they were trying to achieve. I still don’t know what is victory in the war on terror,” Khan said. Pakistani forces in 2009 launched an offensive in lawless South Waziristan. The United States regularly carries out deadly drone strikes in areas bordering Afghanistan and has feared that Pakistan maintains ties to some militants.

“In my opinion, the only solution is to have dialogue, a political solution, the same as is the case across the border” in

Afghanistan, Khan said. But Khan-whom former military ruler Pervez Musharraf once called a “Taleban without the beard”-said that he had to “demystify” to Western audiences his idea of an Islamic society. “If you ask me today what is closest to that ideal, I would say the Scandinavian countries,” Khan said, praising them for their “humane society, where there is rule of law, a society that looks after its weak, its handicapped.”

Such a society is the opposite of Pakistan “where literally the poor people are subsidizing the rich, while all the jails are full of poor people.” Khan, who for years enjoyed little support despite his sporting stardom, has recently drawn crowds of more than 100,000 people at rallies in which he promised a “good tsunami” against injustice and corruption. Khan’s popularity comes as Pakistan wades through a slew of problems including attacks, power and gas shortages, a feeble economy, flood damage, friction between civilian and military leaders and tensions with Washington.

Some allege that Khan is being quietly nurtured by Pakistan’s military, which has long been the nation’s chief arbiter of power and whose poor ties with the civilian leadership have recently spilled into the open. Khan has denied such charges. In the Washington appearance, he insisted that his Movement for Justice Party enjoyed across-the-board support and would triumph in free elections. Khan also harshly criticized Musharraf, who has vowed to return to Pakistan this month to launch a political comeback. Khan said Musharraf faced threats from forces stretching from restive Baluchistan to the tribal belt. “No longer being the president and having the protection which he has, I would not be the insurance company to give him life insurance,” Khan said. —AFP

Little change expected in Kazakhstan’s election ASTANA: Since it gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, Kazakhstan has enjoyed economic prosperity and stability that have made it the envy of its Central Asian neighbors. But it hasn’t known multiparty democracy, and that isn’t likely to change during today’s election. The party of President Nursultan Nazarbayev, the only leader that independent Kazakhstan has known, is all but guaranteed to retain its crushing majority in parliament. In the last such election in 2007, every seat in the lower house went to his Nur Otan party, a reflection both of Nazarbayev’s wide popularity and how he has maneuvered to marginalize other parties and intimidate critical news media.

He portrays himself as committed to democratic reform in this vast and strategically important country. For that reason he oversaw a small concession to pluralism under a new election law: whichever party gets the second-highest share of the nationwide vote will be given two seats in the 107 member lower house, if it does not clear the 7-percent share that is the threshold for proportional allotment of seats.

The reform was adopted after parties complained that the 7-percent level was an insurmountable obstacle, effectively turning the country into a one-party state.

Before today’s vote, opposition parties that may have had the potential to pose a robust challenge to Nur Otan have either been disqualified from competing or largely neutered. The Ak Zhol party, which is pro-business and avoids confrontation with the government, is seen as the most likely to be the runner-up.

The prosperity and stability of Kazakhstan - mainly driven by its vast reserves of oil, gas and minerals - account for much of the support for Nur Otan and the president. However, this national election will occur in the shadow of an unusual outburst of discontent and violence. In December, a long-term protest in the town of Zhanaozen by oil workers who had been fired after striking for better pay degenerated into clashes with police who opened fire. At least 16 people were killed and the bloodshed set off a riot in another town where police killed one person.

Nazarbayev was clearly concerned, even though the violence didn’t seem likely to spark a sizable protest vote against Nur Otan. He visited Zhanaozen after the violence to express solidarity with the workers.

This week Nazarbayev declared at a cultural event that the parliamentary election should help foster unity in the face of global instability. — AP

PESHAWAR: Pakistani security forces yesterday quelled a militant attack on a police station in which eight people were killed including four suicide bombers, one police and three civilians, police said. The attackers targeted the main police station in Dera Ismail Khan city near the lawless tribal region, provincial information minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain told AFP. Three suicide bombers detonated themselves and one was shot dead by the army, police chief of the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Akbar Hoti told AFP. “Army and police units have entered the police station and a search operation is over,” he said after an operation lasting over two hours. “We have recovered bodies of four militants, they were all wearing suicide vests,” he said. One police official and three civilians were also killed in the operation, he said adding that eight others including a policeman were wounded. “ We are checking the identity of the civilian casualties to ascertain if they included any militants,” he said.

Interior minister Rehman Malik blamed Taleban militants for the attack. “Terrorists attacked security forces,” he told reporters.

Police spokesman Mohammad Hanif said earlier police shot dead two militants and at least one other blew himself up. He said he believed about half a dozen militants stormed the station located in a sensitive area housing government offices, district courts and lawyers chambers. They hurled hand grenades and opened fire on the office of the district police chief, he said. The police chief was unhurt, he added. Authorities summoned troops and commandos ringed the area, police said. A heavy exchange of gunfire erupted between militants and law enforcement agencies. The gunfire has died down and security forces have launched a search operation inside the building, he said.

Police intercepted the militants before they could enter the main offices, Hoti said. They exploded grenades and lobbed rockets soon after the attack, the provincial police chief said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. A police official Imtiaz Shah said some of the attackers were disguised as police officials.

Pakistan’s remote and lawless northwestern region is a strong-

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Pakistani police officers gather beside dead body of a militant on a ladder following the militants’ attack on a police station yesterday. —AP hold of Taleban and Al-Qaeda operatives and other Islamist militants opposed to the government.

Insurgents largely based in the tribal border lands have carried out bomb and gun attacks killing nearly 4,800 people across Pakistan since July 2007. Pakistan has battled a homegrown insurgency for years, with more than 3,000 soldiers killed in the battle against militancy. There were about 120 bomb attacks in Pakistan in 2011, up on the 96 bomb blasts in 2010, according to an AFP tally.

The latest attack underscores the potent rebel threat and a new wave of terrorism in the country.

It follows a remote-controlled bomb blast last Tuesday that killed 35 people and wounded more than 60 others in the deadliest attack in months in Jamrud town in the Taleban-hit tribal region of northwest Pakistan. The explosion took place in a market in Jamrud, one of the towns of the troubled Khyber tribal region, which also used to serve as the main supply route for NATO forces operating in Afghanistan.

The border crossing for NATO supplies to foreign troops fighting in neighboring Afghanistan remains closed, after NATO air strikes on November 26 killed 24 Pakistani soldiers. Pakistan rejected the results of the military coalition’s investigation into the incident and said the strikes had been a deliberate act of aggression, leaving relations flounder-

ing between the US and Pakistan.

In another development, Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari met the army chief yesterday in a bid to mend relations between the military and the civilian government, which are at their worst in years and threaten the stability of the nuclear-armed nation. “The current security situation was discussed,” a presidential spokesman said, without giving any details. Army chief General Ashfaq Kayani is due to meet Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani later in the day. The meetings are widely seen as a bid to defuse heightened tensions between the government and the military. Pakistan’s politicians and media pundits have been abuzz with rumours of a possible coup since a controversy involving a memo erupted in October.

The disputed memo-allegedly from Zardari’s government seeking US help in reining in the generals-soured relations between the civilian leadership and the military, pushing them to their lowest point since the last military coup in 1999. While another military takeover is unlikely, the open hostilities reinforce the view that Pakistan’s leaders are caught up in power struggles so often that they are incapable of running a country facing enormous social, security and economic problems.

The latest crisis also troubles Washington, which wants smooth ties between civilian and military leaders so that Pakistan

can help efforts to stabilize neighboring Afghanistan, a top priority for President Barack Obama. Gilani’s office denied a report on Friday that the prime minister this week called the British High Commissioner in Islamabad, expressing concerns that the army might be about to mount a coup, and asking for London to support the government. An official at the high commission also denied the report.

On Wednesday, Gilani fired the defense secretary, who was seen as Kayani’s man in the bureaucracy. It was a brazen provocation, and yet the army responded with a stern press release, whereas in the past it would have sent troops in to take control. Many saw this as recognition by the military that it no longer has enough political support for a coup. No civilian government has ever served out its full five-year term in Pakistan, but Zardari’s government might just do it. The next general election is due by 2013, and legislators will elect a new president, a largely ceremonial post, after that poll.

Zardari, close aides say, wants to be remembered as the leader who worked harder than any other to promote civilian rule in Pakistan and loosen the military’s hold on power. “He is stubborn and headstrong, with a strong sense of street politics,” a senior PPP member told Reuters. “And he has a desire for a legacy as the man who finally got the ballot box to prevail.” —Agencies

Roadside bomb kills 2 in southern Afghanistan

JAMMU: A villager carries a heavy tree trunk on his back making his way through the market to sell fire wood in Jammu and Kashmir yesterday. — AFP

KABUL: A roadside bomb killed two women in southern Afghanistan, authorities said yesterday, the latest civilians killed by one of the Taleban’s most effective but also indiscriminate weapons. The women were walking along a road in the southern province of Helmand when they stepped on the buried explosives Friday, the Afghan Interior Ministry said in a statement.

Roadside bombs are a common Taleban weapon targeting government and international forces, but they also kill dozens of civilians each month. The homemade explosives accounted for half of the about 1,500 civilian deaths in the first six months of last year, the UN estimates. NATO also said yesterday that a coalition service member died in western Afghanistan of a “non-battle-related” injury. A coalition statement gave no other details.

The US has been working to start negotiations with the Taleban to end the decade-long war, and the insurgents last week said they would open a political office in the Gulf state of Qatar to prepare for eventual talks. However, the militants said later that their willingness to talk doesn’t mean they will not stop fighting.

The Taleban ruled with a harsh interpretation of Islamic law for five years before being driven from power by US-led forces in 2001. — AP

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012

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

Taiwan’s president wins re-elections Tsai to quit as DPP party chief

YANGON: Political activist Htay Kywe, a prominent opponent of the regime and one of the leaders of a 1988 student uprising who spent more than 13 years in prison, is greeted by supporters as he arrives at Yangon international airport following his release from detention yesterday. — AFP

Myanmar frees 300 political prisoners YANGON: Myanmar’s release of political prisoners drew praise from longtime critics of its once-authoritarian government, with Washington responding with a major diplomatic reward. The release sparked jubilation among the countr y ’s prodemocracy activists - who were reuniting with their freed comrades yesterday while signaling the government’s readiness to meet Western demands for lifting economic sanctions. The United States immediately announced it would upgrade diplomatic relations with the country it has shunned for more than two decades for its repressive policies. Political activists, bloggers, a former prime minister, heads of ethnic minority groups, and relatives of former dictator Ne Win were among the 651 detainees released Friday under a presidential pardon allowing them to take part in “nation-building.” It was the latest in a series of accelerating changes in Myanmar, including the start of a dialogue with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, the legalization of labor unions and the signing of a cease-fire in a long-running campaign against Karen insurgents. President Barack Obama praised the release as “a substantial step forward for democratic reform,” and US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said ambassadors would be exchanged between the countries in response. “This is a lengthy process, and it will, of course, depend on continuing progress and reform. But an American ambassador will help strengthen our efforts to support the historic and promising steps that are now unfolding,” Clinton said.

The US has not had an ambassador in Myanmar - formerly known as Burma since downgrading its representation after a 1988 pro-democracy uprising was harshly put down by the army.” With the restoration of full diplomatic relations, the United States has shown the government of Myanmar that it is ready to react quickly to concrete reforms,” Suzanne DiMaggio, a policy analyst for the New York-based Asia Society, said in a statement. “It also sends a message to the people of Myanmar that the United States is working to encourage the process of democratization during this fragile period of transition.”

But the United States and its allies may take a wait-and-see approach on sanctions to ensure that government truces with various ethnic rebel groups stay in effect, that discussions with Suu Kyi move forward, and that elections in April are free and fair. A parade of top Western diplomats has visited Myanmar lately - Clinton in December and British Foreign Secretar y William Hague last week. French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe is to arrive this weekend.

The message conveyed by Western countries has been clear: They are encouraged by the reform process under President Thein Sein, but economic and political sanctions could not be lifted unless the prisoners were freed. The sanctions generally ban doing business with Myanmar, block financial transfers by military-backed leaders and their cronies, and deny visas to the same VIPs.

“I think we are close to the removal of Western sanctions,” said Monique Skidmore, a Myanmar expert at the University of Canberra, adding that the US and others might first wait to see Suu Kyi take a seat in parliament. “There’s a sense that there’s still more to go before the sanctions will be removed.” Official reaction to the prisoner release was upbeat from groups that had taken a tough stand against repression in Myanmar.

“This is a courageous step and a further confirmation that the reform course chosen by the government of Burma-Myanmar continues,” said Catherine Ashton, high representative of the European Union for foreign affairs and security policy. “The release of all political prisoners is a long-standing demand of the international community and I warmly welcome these releases as a further demonstration of the Burmese government’s commitment to reform,” Britain’s Hague said. Human rights activists added a word of caution.

“While we welcome the releases, thousands more remain behind bars. Pressure for progress on the remaining prisoners and other human rights concerns in Myanmar must not abate,” said Suzanne Nossel, Amnesty International USA’s executive director. “The risk is that the restoration of ties between the two countries may be premature and could weaken the pressure to address critical areas of unfinished business in addressing serious human rights abuses in Myanmar.” She highlighted conflicts in ethnic minority areas as another crucial problem for Thein Sein’s government to address.

Thein Sein’s government seeks to normalize relations with the West, which generally defers to Suu Kyi in judging the progress toward democracy. Suu Kyi’s party, marginalized for more than two decades of military rule, seeks a more active role in politics if the government allows a more level playing field. The re-entry of her National League for Democracy party into mainstream politics is the kind of endorsement the government needs to win Western approbation. Until this week, even some of Suu Kyi’s supporters feared she had sold herself short.

Myanmar’s most prominent political prisoners had remained behind bars with hardly a sour note struck by Suu Kyi in public. Cease-fire talks had been held between the government and guerrilla groups of various ethnic minorities, which have been fighting for autonomy for decades, but were overshadowed by fighting in the north against the Kachin minority. On Thursday the government announced a cease-fire with the main ethnic Karen group - the most durable rebel movement - and the prisoner release followed. The Obama administration’s speedy announcement of the upgrade in diplomatic relations is a strong indicator that the two countries have choreographed their actions in advance. The moves come just ahead of visits by some US senators influential in foreign affairs, including Mitch McConnell and John McCain.—AP

Tibetan sets self on fire, unrest follows BEIJING: Another Tibetan in southwest China self-immolated yesterday in the latest in a series of apparent protests against Chinese rule, activist groups said. The selfimmolation in the town of Aba in Sichuan province was followed by clashes between security forces and local Tibetans, said the London-based group Free Tibet. At least 16 Buddhist monks, nuns and other Tibetans are now believed to have set themselves on fire in the past year including four in the past week - mostly in traditionally Tibetan areas of Sichuan province. Most have chanted for Tibetan freedom and the return of their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, who fled to India amid an abortive uprising against Chinese rule in 1959. Little was known about the person who self-immolated yesterday, although the London-based International Campaign for Tibet cited its sources as saying the person was a man and that he was not a monk.

Kate Saunders of the ICT said locals began to protest after seeing police beat

the man severely as they put out the flames. “Tibetans at the scene became very distressed and angry and gathered together in what seems to be an impromptu demonstration,” Saunders wrote in an email. Both groups said a woman was shot during the unrest. The claims could not be independently confirmed. Calls to Aba county’s police bureau rang unanswered yesterday evening. China chooses Buddhist leaders in Tibet and wants to pick a pro-Beijing successor to the Dalai Lama, whom China considers to be a separatist.

China says Tibet has been part of its territory for centuries, but many Tibetans say the Himalayan region was virtually independent for most of that time.

Chinese authorities routinely deny Tibetan claims of repression, although they have confirmed some self-immolations and accused supporters of the Dalai Lama of encouraging such acts. The Dalai Lama and representatives of the selfdeclared Tibetan government-in-exile in India say they oppose all violence. — AP

TAIPEI: Taiwan’s incumbent president was reelected yesterday as official tallies showed he held a near-unassailable lead in the vote-count and the opposition conceded defeat. The result, which points to a continuation of the detente between Taiwan and China, should reassure both Beijing and Washington at a time of political transition for both superpowers. The elections had been expected to be tight, but the Central Election Commission said that with most votes counted, the Nationalist Party’s Ma Yingjeou, who has fostered warmer ties with China, had about 51.5 percent of the vote versus about 45.7 percent for Tsai Ing-wen of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

“We have won,” Ma, 61, shouted to supporters at party headquarters as they cheered and clapped in pouring rain. “In the next four years, cross-strait relations will be more peaceful, with greater mutual trust and the chance of conflict will be less.” Tsai conceded defeat and said she was quitting as DPP party chief. However, Ma’s victory will be much reduced from the near 17point margin he had over the DPP at the last election in 2008.

But the Nationalist Party was also projected to get a clear majority in parliament, which should give Ma a fillip in pushing through policy.

Television said the Nationalists would get about 65 seats in the 113-member legislature, although that is also lower than the 81 seats they had in the outgoing house. “We will continue to let economic growth flourish, protect cross-strait peace and friendly relations to achieve more concrete results in cooperation in important areas,” said Lien Chan, the honorary chairman of the Nationalists.

But in an acknowledgement of the reduced majority, he added: “We need to discuss thoroughly the criticism the voters have handed to us.” Even early in the day, Ma radiated confidence. “I see a little sunshine now,” he told reporters as he cast his vote at a polling station in a Taipei church after a slight drizzle eased.

Opposition leader Tsai was also confident but appeared to have lost ground to the incumbent after a strong showing in the campaign because of perceptions that she was not as inclined to closer economic integration with China.

The DPP’s independence-leaning stance has long angered Beijing, which deems Taiwan a renegade province and considers US arms sales

to the self-ruled island as the top obstacle to improved ties between the United States and China, now the world’s two biggest economies.

Under Ma, the Nationalists have pursued detente with China closer economic ties while vowing not to declare independence nor seek unification. A Ma victory should also go down well in the United States, which holds presidential elections later this year, as Washington would be keen to take at least one potential irritant in bilateral ties with China off the table.

Smooth vote Like the run-up to the election, the voting

land, most of them came over from China. Ma and Tsai are both former law academics with doctorates from Harvard and the London School of Economics respectively. Tsai, the first woman to bid for Taiwan’s presidency, appeared unable to press home her charges that Ma had pursued his pro-China policy with little regard to rising costs of living and a widening income gap at home.

“Ma has lost a lot of votes,” said former DPP legislator Wenjia Luo. “But the people’s dissatisfaction was not enough to make him lose the election.” A third presidential candidate, former Nationalist party member James Soong who

TAIPEI: Taiwan President of the ruling Kuomintang Party (KMT) Ma Ying-jeou (center) and his wife Chou Mei-ching (right) raise their arms after voting results showed that he won the election at his campaign headquarters yesterday. — AFP was smooth. Unlike in 1996, when China fired missiles into waters off Taiwan before the island’s first direct presidential election, Beijing has learnt to temper any response to avoid antagonizing voters into backing the DPP. Nearly 200,000 Taiwanese returned from overseas for the poll according to local media reports, cramming flights in a last minute rush to cast ballots.

In a measure of the easing ties with the main-

now leads a splinter party, trailed far behind with around 2.8 percent of the vote. A Ma win is likely to provide a short-term boost to Taiwan’s stock market and the Taiwan dollar when markets reopen tomorrow, analysts have said. Many economists see stronger ties with China’s vast markets as vital for Taiwan’s heavily exportdependent economy because of the slowdown elsewhere in the world. —Reuters

Thai police say Bangkok bomb plot called off

KATHMANDU: Nepalese Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai (right) shakes hands with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao following a meeting at the Prime Minister’s office yesterday. — AFP

China’s Wen donates generously to Nepal KATHMANDU: Wen Jiabao yesterday agreed to increase economic aid and support Nepal’s fragile peace process, during the first visit by a Chinese premier in more than a decade to the small Himalayan nation where Asian giants China and India compete for influence. Wen and his Nepali counterpart oversaw the signing of several agreements promising money for infrastructure projects to help rebuild the Himalayan nation, which has struggled to find its feet since a decadelong civil war ended in 2006. Ahead of Wen’s visit, which was a brief stopover on his way to the Middle East, dozens of Tibetans were held by Nepali police for entering the country illegally from India. “This visit has qualitatively raised the cordial ties between the two countries,” Nepali Foreign Minister Narayankaji Shrestha told reporters. Separately, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said that special representatives from China and India will meet in India from today to Tuesday to discuss border issues, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

China pledged to increase its annual economic development aid to Nepal to about 200 million yuan ($32 million) from the current level of 150 million yuan, officials said. It will also provide a one-time special grant of $20 million. “As a close neighbor of Nepal, the Chinese side is pleased to see the progress achieved in the peace process in Nepal and sincerely hopes that Nepal will realize peace, stability and prosperity, including the drafting of a new constitution in the near future,” a joint statement said.

Wen travels to Middle East Wen had been scheduled to visit Nepal in December, but postponed the tour at the last minute amid speculation over security concerns and fears of Tibetan exiles organizing antiChina protests. Nepal works as a buffer between China and India. Both giants jostle for geopolitical influence over their small neighbor, which has huge potential to generate hydroelectric power. India has always seen Nepal as part of its strategic sphere of influence. But that has been challenged since the election of Maoist leader Prachanda as prime minister. Before he resigned in 2009, he had edged Nepal closer to Beijing, making China his first foreign port of call instead of India. Kunda Dixit, editor of the Nepali Times weekly, said China could press Nepal for control of activities by Tibetan refugees against Beijing.— Reuters

BANGKOK: An alleged terrorist plot aimed at Bangkok that sparked urgent warnings of danger from the United States and Israel has been thwarted, Thai police said yesterday. National Police Chief Gen Priewpan Damapong said the alleged bombing scheme was called off by the alleged plotters - two Lebanese men said to be linked to pro-Iranian Hezbollah militants. One man was in custody for questioning, and the other was at large. The US Embassy had circulated a warning Friday that there was a “real and credible” terrorist threat against Americans in Bangkok, and Israel issued a similar warning to its citizens. Thai authorities confirmed being informed of a plot, and said they were pursuing the missing suspect. The warnings came during heightened tension over US and Israeli responses to the prospect that Iran is going forward with developing nuclear weapons.

Priewpan’s remarks came less than 12 hours after police held a hastily arranged news conference late Friday night in which they circulated a sketch of the missing suspect, with a call for the public to help track him down. They said the man in custody told them the plot was supposed to be carried out between Jan. 13 and 15. Thailand seemed to have been caught by surprise by the publicity over the alleged plot, which officials said they had been informed about before New Year’s. The US Embassy warning was the first public notice of the affair, and Defense Minister Yuthasak Sasiprapa said Thai authorities did not release news of the alleged plot because of fears that it would hurt the tourist industry and cause panic. Thailand is acutely sensitive to news that could affect its huge tourism industry, one of the country’s biggest revenue earners.

Foreign Minister Surapong Tovijakchaikul said yesterday that he was greatly disappointed the United States and other countries had issued travel warnings to their citizens over terrorism risks without consulting the Foreign Ministry, which he said is the normal proce-

dure. Surapong said such actions adversely affect Thailand’s tourism industry, its image and confidence among other nations, and that the ministry would seek an explanation from the countries involved and consider measures to remedy the problem. Thailand also seeks to keep friendly relations with Iran. Although Thailand is firmly pro-American, Iran is a major trading partner, especially as a top market for Thai rice. Iran sees possible US complicity in a series of assassinations of its nuclear experts the latest coming Wednesday, when scientist Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan was killed by a bomb attached to his car by a passing bicyclist.

Hezbollah, a Shiite Muslim militant group, is the most potent military force in Lebanon, far stronger than even the national army. It is backed mainly by Iran and Syria. Thailand’s Metropolitan Police spokesman Piya Utayo said Friday night that the man in custody told police the pair had arrived before New Year’s with plans to stage a bombing attack. Priewpan, the police chief, however, said yesterday that the man - a Swedish national of Lebanese origin identified as Attiris Hussein - told police an attack had been prepared but was called off when the authorities learned about it.

Priewpan said the suspect had been questioned by Thai authorities after being detained at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport as he was about to leave Thailand.

Police can hold him for questioning under immigration law for 60 days before deportation. Priewpan said police would not file any charges against him because he had not committed any crime.

Thailand has rarely been a target for foreign terrorists, although a domestic Muslim insurgency in the country’s south has involved bombings of civilian targets. In 1994, an attempt to bomb the Israeli Embassy in Bangkok was abandoned when the driver of a truck packed with a massive car bomb fled after a minor traffic accident. —AP

BANGKOK: A man holds a sketch distributed by Thai police of a man said to be suspected of planning a terrorist bombing in the Thai capital Bangkok.—AP

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012

NEWS KHASAB, Oman: Omani fishermen pull in their net at a small harbor along the Strait of Hormuz yesterday. — AFP

Police fire tear gas to break up...

Continued from Page 1 wounded in the clashes, five of whom were hospitalised.

Some local media said their journalists were beaten by police yesterday. The leftist Progressive Movement condemned in a statement what it called the “unjustified use of force” against bedoon protesters, and called for a peaceful solution to their decades-old problem.

The interior ministry issued three statements earlier this week warning bedoons not to protest or face punishment.

The New York-based Human Rights Watch on Friday urged Kuwait to scrap the decision banning stateless people from demonstrating. “This is a shameful effort to curb the rights to

peaceful expression and assembly of Kuwait’s bedoons,” Sarah Leah Whitson, Human Rights Watch’s Middle East director, said in a statement.

Kuwait has long alleged that bedoons, and in some cases their ancestors, destroyed their original passports to claim the right to citizenship in order to gain access to the state-provided services and benefits. In a bid to force the bedoons to produce their original nationality papers, Kuwait has refused to issue essential documents to most of them, including birth, marriage and death certificates, according to a June HRW report. Fifty-two bidoons are on trial for protesting and another 32 are under investigation. The government says only 34,000 of bedoons qualify for citizenship. —- AFP

KUWAIT: Bedoons run for cover as they take part in a demonstration to demand citizenship and other basic rights in Jahra yesterday. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

3 die amid panic as ship runs aground PORTO SANTO STEFANO, Italy: Passengers leapt into the sea and fought over lifejackets in panic when an Italian cruise ship ran aground and keeled over, killing at least three and leaving dozens missing. In the chaotic aftermath of the Friday evening accident near the island of Giglio off the coast of Tuscany, Italian officials could still not say how many of the 4,229 passengers and crew on board the 114,500-tonne Costa Concordia were missing. “I was sure I was going to die. We were in the lifeboats for two hours, crying and holding on to each other,” said Antonietta Sintolli, 65, breaking down in tears as she recounted the event. “People were trying to steal lifejackets from each other. We could only gets ones for children.”

An official involved in the rescue operation said two French tourists and a Peruvian crew member were dead.

Around 70 people were injured, at least two seriously.

Authorities opened a criminal investigation for possible manslaughter and Italian news agencies reported that the ship’s commander, Francesco Schettino had been detained by police. The vessel’s operator, Costa Crociere, a unit of Carnival Corp & Plc, the world’s largest cruise operator, said it had been sailing on its regular course when it struck a submerged rock. In a television interview, the ship’s commander said the rock was not marked on any maritime charts of the area.

However it remained unclear how the 290 m-long ship had been able to run aground in calm waters so close to the shore. “We’ll be able to say at the end of the investigation. It would be premature to speculate on this,” said coastguard spokesman Filippo Marini. The vessel was left capsized on its side in water 15-20 m deep, with decks partly submerged, not far from the shore. A large gash was visible on its side.

Officials said the search would continue overnight although darkness and the cold seas would make the work difficult. Different officials gave varying estimates of the number of missing, with some talking of as many as 70 but there remained considerable uncertainty over how many were really missing and how many had simply not been

counted in the confusion. “We are not sure of the numbers, we cannot exclude that some people are missing, in fact it is very probable,” said Ennio Aquilini, head of the fire service rescue operation. “It could be 10, 20 up to 40 but I cannot give anything more precise. There is a possibility that no one is missing.”

Passengers had just sat down to dinner, a few hours after leaving the port of Civitavecchia near Rome on a week-long cruise to Barcelona and Majorca, when a loud bang interrupted the piano player and the ship began to list. “We heard a loud rumble, the glasses and plates fell from the tables, the ship tilted and the light went off,” said passenger Luciano Castro. “What followed was scenes of panic; people screaming, running around the place, close to us a five-month pregnant young woman was crying and panicking.”

The ship, a vast floating resort with spas, theatres, swimming pools, a casino and discotheque, was carrying mainly Italian passengers, but also many foreigners including British, Germans, French, Spanish and Americans. Many were elderly; some were in wheelchairs. Passengers crowded into lifeboats, but the mainly Asian staff, few of them able to speak Italian, struggled to bring order to the evacuation. “It was complete panic. People were behaving like animals. We had to wait too long in the lifeboats,” said 47year-old Patrizia Perilli. “We thought we wouldn’t make it. I saw the lighthouse but I knew I couldn’t swim that far but lots of people threw themselves into the sea. I think they are some of the dead.”

Angel Holgado, 50, a guitarist who had been performing when the ship foundered, said he got into a lifeboat but decided to abandon it after it became dangerously overcrowded. “There was terrible panic and fear and I jumped into the water and swam to the shore,” he said.

Indian Mondal Mithun, 26-year-old restaurant manager on the Costa Concordia, who was on his first cruise, said: “We heard the ship hit the rocks but the alert only came after one hour.” “There was only one lifeboat for 150 passengers” in his area, he added. — Agencies

Syria’s First Lady falls from grace BEIRUT: Not so long ago, she was the darling of the international press, described as a “rose in the desert” and “a ray of light in a country full of shadow zones”. But today, Syria’s First Lady is being likened to a modern-day Marie-Antoinette, drawing criticism for staying mum on a crisis that has left more than 5,000 people dead in her country. The British-born Asma Al-Assad, who virtually disappeared from the public eye after the revolt broke out in Syria in mid-March, made a surprise appearance this week to support her husband Bashar as he spoke at a proregime rally.

Pictures of the 36-year-old, all smiles with two of her children, adorned the front pages of many Arab and Western newspapers. “This shows that she is standing by her man, that she and him are on the same page,” said Andrew Tabler, an expert on Syria and former press adviser to local charities run by the First Lady. “She is clearly part of the regime.” Her appearance, however, has also drawn scathing criticism. “Bashar’s wife and kids cheer on daddy the dictator,” one tweet scoffed. “The British should withdraw Asma Assad’s passport and those of her parents as accessories to a war criminal,” fumed another.

But the former investment banker continues to attract admiration among supporters of the Assad regime. “You deserve to be the First Lady of the whole world!” gushed a post on one of the many Facebook pages dedicated to the slim, brown-haired Asma. Syria’s First Lady has emerged as a style icon in the world of politics and has been compared to the likes of Queen Rania of Jordan or France’s Carla Bruni, with a reported fondness for Chanel in particular.

Tall, stylish and charismatic, Asma Al-Assad is the picture of glamour: in designer outfits and her trademark Christian Louboutin heels, her impeccable British accent and credentials have helped promote the soft side of an iron-fisted regime. “She was an important part of the public relations of the regime,” Tabler said. “She has an obsession with fashion,” he added. “How do you reconcile this princess-like image with one of the poorest countries in the Middle East?”

The daughter of a prominent London-based cardiologist, Fawaz Al-Akhras, and a former diplomat, Sahar Otri, Asma is seen as the modern, progressive side of the Assad dynasty, with a degree from King’s College in London where she was raised.

Ten years her husband’s junior, Asma has welcomed the likes of the Spanish king and queen and Hollywood power couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie to her country. During a 2010 visit to France, Asma told French weekly Paris Match that she had married Bashar for the “values” he embodied.

Fashion magazine Vogue even ran a glowing interview with her before the outbreak of the revolt, describing Asma as the “most magnetic of first ladies,” but later removed the article from its website. Bashar’s rise to power more than a decade ago symbolised the hope for change in a country long isolated internationally. Once a banker with J P Morgan, Asma herself is credited with having played a significant role in liberalising the Syrian economy. But the Syrian revolt has dealt a serious blow to the image of a young, modern couple who captured the attention of press and public opinion around the world. “This

DAMASCUS: Syrian First Lady Asma Al-Assad listens to a speech by her husband, President Bashar Al-Assad, with their two children, Karim and Zein (left) during a rare public appearance on Jan 11, 2012. — AFP image has been destroyed,” said Tabler. “She has a sort of quietly domineering personality and she is a very proper person, very British. “She has a British passport. So she could go. She is not trapped.” Bashar and Asma for years have been viewed as a symbol of coexistence in multi-confessional Syria. While the president is a minority Alawite, Asma is a Sunni Muslim who originally hails from Homs - bastion of the current anti-Assad revolt.

But as the death toll in Syria tops 5,000, many find the pair increasingly out of touch with reality. In a 2009 interview with CNN, the honey-eyed Asma slammed Israel’s offensive on the Gaza Strip as “barbaric” and, “as a mother and as a human being,” called for an end to the violence. “This is the 21st century. Where in the world could this happen? Unfortunately it is happening,” she said in a calm, soft voice. Now her own words have come back to haunt her. “Stop being a hypocrite! You are slaughtering your own people!” one YouTube commenter recently wrote beneath the video. Another summed it up in two words: “Lady Macbeth.” — AFP

ISOLA DEL GIGLIO, Italy: The luxury cruise ship Costa Concordia leans on its starboard side as seen from the Giglio harbor after running aground off this tiny Tuscan island. — AP

14

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012

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Issues

Is US Marine desecration video new Abu Ghraib?

By Phil Stewart video showing US Marines urinating on the bodies of dead Taleban fighters promises to become an enduring memory of the Afghan war and is already drawing sharp reaction from across the world as it goes viral on the Internet. But experts inside and outside the US military are so far unconvinced the incident will cause as much damage as Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal did, even as it stirs anti-American sentiment and revives questions about why some American troops appear prone to committing abuses - and then proudly documenting them.

Like in the 2004 Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal, in which US troops photographed themselves humiliating and intimidating detainees, the Americans shown in the Marine video appeared to have wanted a record of themselves desecrating the corpses of the men they had just killed. Cracking jokes, like “have a great day, buddy”, as they urinate on the dead, they are aware the video is being taken. Near the end of the clip, one of the Americans seeks to confirm that the video caught everything. “Yup,” a colleague answered, apparently a Marine from the same North Carolina-based unit. That casual exchange, and others, are part of what make the images so disturbing.

Reuters has been unable to verify that the dead men were indeed Taleban fighters, but the Marines said the video appeared to depict “several dead Taleban”. “The issue here, like Abu Ghraib, is that you have vivid pictures ... and that is what is so damaging,” said John Ullyot, a former Republican spokesman for the Senate Armed Services Committee during the Abu Ghraib hearings. Still, Ullyot, who is also a former Marine officer and scout sniper platoon commander based out of Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, said the big difference between Abu Ghraib and the Marine video was that Abu Ghraib demonstrated a systematic pattern of abuse authorized at higher levels. “(Abu Ghraib) was much more reflective of a policy of allowing abuse, whereas this seems to be on its face way out of line” with training, Ullyot said. The Pentagon, sensing the need to respond quickly, roundly condemned the incident, with Defense Secretary Leon Panetta promising to dole out punishment to whoever was responsible - even before its investigation of the incident was complete. Afghan President Hamid Karzai condemned the video, describing the men’s actions as “inhuman,” but the Taleban said it would not harm nascent efforts to broker peace talks.

It is unclear whether the uproar surrounding the Marine video will escalate further in the United States and abroad, after the initial flurry of activity. The news story has figured prominently in US media but it is being overshadowed partly by news surrounding the 2012 presidential campaign and this week’s Republican primaries. “All of those are factors mitigating it from becoming a big American story,” said Steven Livingston, a professor at the School of Media and Public affairs at George Washington University. “For a lot of Americans ...

Afghanistan and Iraq are long forgotten. ... So all of those are factors mitigating this from becoming a big American story.” Still, Livingston stressed that reaction may be different abroad. The story figured prominently on al Jazeera’s English-language website and was among the main stories on its Arabic site as well. The video is certain to deepen concerns in the Muslim world about US troops fostered by a series of controversial videos and photographs. Those include WikiLeaks’ release of a classified gunsight video showing a 2007 US helicopter attack that killed a dozen people in Iraq, including two Reuters journalists, and the disclosure that US soldiers killed unarmed civilians in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province in 2010. In that case, photographs published in March by two magazines - Der Spiegel and Rolling Stone - showed soldiers posing with the bloodied corpse of an Afghan boy they had just killed. The images can be seen here: In Afghanistan, where news spreads more slowly, it could take time to assess the fallout from the latest Marine video, observers say. Only a minority of Afghans have access to electricity and the Internet is limited to a tiny urban elite. Anti-American feeling has boiled over, or been whipped up, into violence several times in Afghanistan in recent years. Protests over reports of the desecration of the Holy Quran twice sparked deadly riots.

One US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it was too soon to tell but he did not expect the incident to reach Abu Ghraib proportions, at home or abroad, because the abuse appeared isolated.— Reuters

A

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Arab monitors flounder amid Syria violence

By Lin Noueihed and Edmund Blair he Arab League’s observer mission to Syria is struggling to salvage any credibility as its members start to walk out, the opposition calls it a toothless failure and killings of anti-government protesters continue unabated. Diplomats and officials at the Cairo-based League say they are frustrated because the monitors had no time to prepare for their task and their mandate was limited to observing events. The monitors, now numbering 165, began work on Dec. 26, trying to verify if Syria was complying with an agreement to halt a 10month-old crackdown on protesters in which the United Nations says more than 5,000 people have been killed.

The Syrian authorities were supposed to stop attacking peaceful protests, withdraw troops and tanks from the streets, free detainees and open political dialogue. Instead the violence has continued, exposing the Arab League mission to charges that it is simply allowing Assad more time to put down the insurgency. In addition, the monitors have been demoralised by an attack on one team that wounded 11, undermined by the controversial choice of a Sudanese general as mission leader and wracked by a tug-of-war between rival Arab states.

Asked whether the mission was beginning to fall apart, one observer told Reuters by telephone on Wednesday from Syria: “Those who want to leave are leaving on a personal level, not due to the will of the state. There are some people who are concerned about their safety ... Some, from a professional perspective, feel they are not achieving anything.” The monitor, who asked that his name be withheld, said he too wanted

T

to leave: “... The delegation needs expertise... It needs will and good intentions from the authorities.”

Disillusioned monitors have said the Syrian military has not withdrawn from civilian areas as promised and the bloodshed has not abated as a result of their presence. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in turn has mocked the League as ineffective and made clear he has no intention of ending his crackdown whether the monitors were there or not. While the Arab League says the level of violence has dropped since the monitors’ arrival, an Arab official close to the monitoring operation said there was little Arab states could do, short of military action, to end the crackdown.

“This is not a problem with the Arab League. This is a problem with the international system. Who is willing to send in troops? Who is willing to send in a fighting force?” the Cairobased official told Reuters on Thursday. There is little appetite among Arabs or in the UN Security Council for an escalation against Syria, whose location means any major upheaval could further destabilise a troubled region.

Qatar, whose Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim AlThani chairs the Arab League committee on Syria, has suggested strengthening the mission with better training and equipment. Anwar Al-Bunni, a veteran activist and member of Syria’s opposition Transitional National Council, said it was time to either expand the mission or send the monitors home.

“What training? What equipment? If we give them cars, if we give them helicopters, what does it mean as long as the regime says it will not implement the Arab protocols,” he said.

A representative of one Arab state at the League called for a rapid reaction force to back up monitors, saying it should

also include non-Arab Muslim countries to add weight. “The Arab monitors’ mission is toothless and the monitors have not exceeded 200 people ... in a big country like Syria and with no previous experience,” he said, declining to be named. “I demand the rapid formation of an intervention force from Arab and Muslim states that could include countries like Pakistan... and have a strong military component.”

The League backed an international campaign against a friendless Muammar Gaddafi last year. The situation in Syria is more complex because Syria lies at the heart of the Arab world, unlike Libya which was long a maverick state. There are divisions within the League, with Qatar and Saudi Arabia leading those wanting to increase the pressure on Syria, opposed

by Syria’s neighbours Lebanon and Iraq. Leaders of countries like Algeria are reluctant to pile pressure on a fellow autocrat lest they be next. Non-Arab Iran is a close ally of Damascus, complicating the Arab League’s efforts to end the bloodshed.

“What is this team going to do? This team is not there to stop the violence. It is not there to pull back the military. It is not there to free prisoners. It is to verify. It is not a peacekeeping team,” the Arab official said.

“Any similar operation needs six to eight weeks to prepare before deploying,” he said, noting that the mission had begun only days after receiving ministerial approval. “Can you imagine if we had waited six weeks? We would have been massacred by the press and the opposition.” The mission will present its findings to the League’s foreign ministers on Jan 19-20. It is not clear what more the League can do if, as expected, the report finds that Syria has not complied or not fully complied with its promises.— Reuters

Boko Haram ups game but no Al-Qaeda

By Peter Apps ith a YouTube video reminiscent of the broadcasts of Osama bin Laden, Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram seems keen to paint itself as part of a wider global jihad. But in reality, their concerns and focus look to remain almost entirely Nigerian.

Whilst recent high-profile attacks including the bombing of a United Nations compound in August resembled Islamist attacks long common elsewhere, analysts say there remain few proven links to similar militants elsewhere. Instead, it is seen much more focused on domestic issues - part of a wider swelling of discontent against the current mainly southern and Christian leadership. But there is little doubt it is growing in both power and momentum.

The group, whose name means “Western education is sinful” in the northern Hausa language, is blamed for almost daily killings that have escalated from small-scale shootings to increasingly sophisticated attacks. Last year, the sect carried out a suicide car bombing of the UN headquarters in the capital Abuja, killing 24. On Christmas Day, coordinated explosions targeted Christians with 37 killed in a single church, again near Abuja.

Security analysts say the group remains disparate and quite possibly divided. But with wider unrest simmering and the country increasingly being brought to a standstill by strikes over government attempts to abolish fuel subsidies, they could prove at the very least a mounting irritant. Late on Wednesday, Boko Haram posted a 15 minute video of leader Abubakar Shekau on YouTube late wearing a camouflage bullet-proof jacket and sitting in front of two AK-47 Kalashnikov assault rifles. He said recent killings of Christians were justifiable revenge killings and taunted President Goodluck Jonathan.

“All this video tells you it’s the views of at least one element within the Boko Haram movement,” says John Campbell, a former US ambassador to Nigeria and now senior fellow for African studies at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York. “But it is important because it fits into the wider picture people have about the government-that it is not working.”

Senior Nigerian officials have long been keen to talk up any potential links to Al Qaeda. Nigeria’s national security adviser Owoye Andrew Azazi wrote in the Washington Times this month the group was a “common enemy” of the US, asking for technical and intelligence assistance although not

W

direct military support. “Like other Islamist extremists, Boko Haram sees itself fulfilling part of a global mission,” he wrote. “It is striving to spark a religious war the way racist extremists in the past have tried to provoke race wars.”

But many others are much more cautious.

“Boko Haram is a local organisation concerned about local issues in spite of the claims especially by the government about links with Al-Qaeda,” said one veteran Nigerian journalist. “There is also suspicion that there may be more than one Boko Haram because attacks on Christians does not fit with the known targets of Boko Haram... security personnel and other symbols of authority.”

The video might have looked right from the Al-Qaeda playbook, but experts say its content was another matter altogether.

Shekau spoke entirely in Hausa and there were no Al-Qaeda related logos, Arabic subtitles or other Arabic material. It was also posted direct to YouTube - popular with Nigerians, much less so with Al Qaeda-inspired Islamic

consultancy Exclusive Analysis.

That contrasted with an earlier message from the group issued last year for the Eid Holliday, which was issued through the AlAndalus media wing of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). There appeared to be no involvement of Al-Andalus in the YouTube release. Perhaps even more importantly, its content appeared to be almost entirely Nigerian in nature, with little reference to wider global themes such as war in Iraq or Afghanistan. As well as talking of recent attacks, Shekau also again accused the Nigerian state of complicity in the death in 2009 in custody of the sect’s former leader Mohamed Yusuf, detained following bloody ethnic and religious riots in 2009.

“Their concerns are much more domestic,” said Alex Vines, senior fellow and Africa specialist at London think tank Chatham House.

“Boko Haram is far from the most important thing happening in Nigeria, but it is important in that it points to larger themes - the creeping risk of state failure and the disappointments with the Jonathan presidency.

This image taken from a video shows the leader of Boko Haram Imam Abubakar Shekau. — AP radicals in the Maghreb or Arabian Peninsula. “(It) was not posted in the main Arabic language jihadist forums, suggesting there is no established telecommunication with the usual distributors of Al-Qaeda propaganda,” Anna Boyd and Natznet Tesfay, head of global jihad forecasting and the Africa desk respectively at

Most of its causes are distinctly Nigerian, whether it is political rivalry or local ethnic politics.”

Nigeria’s presidency traditionally alternates between the predominantly Muslim north and Christian south, but Jonathan bucked the trend by taking the role several

years after the death of previous incumbent Umaru Musa Yar’adua. Critics say that has coincided with a wider power shift in favour of the South, which traditionally dominated the economy whilst northerners largely controlled the powerful military.

But Boko Haram have clearly learned one thing from Al-Qaeda, either directly or indirectly - the importance of spectacle. “They have some serious problems with the consistency of their messaging,” said Jeremy Binnie, Middle East and Africa editor at Jane’s Defence Weekly. “The videos YouTube release may have attracted more attention, but the group has gained a far higher profile over the last year with all the bombings and the threat of instigating sectarian violence.”

For many analysts, it is the mounting death toll itself - and the growing sophistication of attacks - that provides the most convincing argument that Nigeria’s Islamists may have linked up directly with others outside the country. “Boko Haram’s growing capacity both geographically and in terms of sophisticated weaponry - may indicate that it is receiving support from wider terrorist networks in the region,” says Hannah Waddilove, Africa analyst for security firm AKE. “The use of high-powered explosives, for example, is a departure from the traditional method of drive-by shootings and assassinations.”

Having successfully carried out a suicide car bombing with the UN attack in August, analysts say the next step could be a larger truck bomb or series of simultaneous attacks.

But the necessary expertise - and perhaps a wider jihadi agenda - is seen likely held by relatively few members of the wider group, which itself is estimated to have perhaps no more than a few hundred members. “It is likely that a small faction - the unit responsible for the UN attack - has received “skills transfers” at the ideological direction from regional terrorist groups,” said Ashley Elliott, analyst for consultancy Control Risks. “But the bulk of the militants are more local in grievances and objectives.”

While some analysts see the hand of North African, Arab or Somali expertise, others see something much closer to home. Earlier this month, Jonathan himself said he believed the group had a number of sympathisers within his own government and military. “When Boko Haram was in its infancy as a group it tended to referenceAal-Qaeda more often,” say Boyd and Tesfay at Exclusive Analysis.

“However, as it has grown stronger domestically it likely feels less need to reach out to AlQaeda for help. —Reuters

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012

sp orts Giant-killing Barthel claims title in Hobart

Bulgarian referee uses false identity

HOBART: Germany’s Mona Barthel completed her remarkable run through the Hobart International tournament yesterday, clinching her first WTA Tour title with a surprisingly easy 6-1 6-2 victory over top seed Yanina Wickmayer. The 21-year-old had to qualify to make the main draw and beat second seed Anabel Medina Garrigues, fourth seed Angelique Kerber and Australian fifth seed Jarmila Gajdosova on her way to reaching her first final. Wickmayer, ranked just inside the top 30 in the world, was never in the game after the tall Barthel blitzed out to a 4-0 lead in the first set. Barthel will meet Britain’s Anne Keothavong in the first round of the Australian Open, while Wickmayer plays Galina Voskoboeva of Kazakhstan. — Reuters

SOFIA: A banned Bulgarian referee took charge of this week’s friendly between Werder Bremen and AZ Alkmaar under a false identity, state television BNT reported yesterday.

BNT said Luchezar Yonov used the name of fellow countryman and eligible referee Raicho Raichev for Wednesday’s game played in the Turkish resort of Belek. “This story convinces us the decision we took last year was right,” Bulgarian Football Union (BFU) refereeing commission chairman Kostadin Kostadinov told state television.

Yonov and his assistants Petar Tarulov and Emil Mitev were among the referees who were suspended in

Trio share Joburg Open lead

2011 for officiating at international matches in South America without informing the BFU. “I’ll take all necessary measures to clear my name,” Raichev told the Bulgarian football referees association’s website (www.bgreferee.org). “What they did is so sneaky.” Bundesliga club Werder came back from a goal down to beat their Dutch opponents 2-1. “I read some reports and they said there was 10 minutes of added time, a controversial penalty and a free kick in the ninth minute of added time,” said Kostadinov. The referees association has urged the BFU to inform European soccer’s governing body UEFA about the incident. — Reuters

JOHANNESBURG: Richard Finch scored a hole in one as he and George Coetzee joined Robert Rock at the top of Joburg Open leaderboard yesterday while reigning US Masters champion Charl Schwartzel missed the cut. Englishman Finch got his ace at 12 on the tougher east layout in a two-course championship en route to a sixunder-par 66 that also included five birdies and a bgoey as the storm-battered second round finished half a day late. “It was my second ace in this country as I made one at the South African Open at few years ago and got another during the Johnnie Walker championship in Gleneagles,” boasted Finch. South African Coetzee, a rising star boosted by four top-three 2011 European Tour finishes, snatched six birdies and dropped one shot in his 67 on the east course at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club. Rock, who completed his secondround 67 Friday over the par-71 west course, compatriot Finch and Coetzee are on 132 — one stroke ahead of South Africans Retief Goosen, Branden Grace and Jbe’ Kruger in the 1.3-million-euro event.—AFP

Penguins back on the winning track Sabres beat Leafs to snap streak SUNRISE: The Pittsburgh Penguins ended their six-game losing skid in an unlikely venue, winning at the NHL Southest Division-leading Florida Panthers 4-1 on Friday. Steve Sullivan, Evgeni Malkin, Tyler Kennedy, and James Neal all scored as Pittsburgh netted more than once for the first time since the skid began.

After a scoreless opening period, the Penguins took a 1-0 lead on Sullivan’s goal early in the second and Malkin made it 2-0 with an unassisted score with 35 seconds to go in the period. After Kennedy stretched the lead 36 seconds into the third, Michal Repik got the Panthers on the board at 6:55 of the final period.

HONOLULU: Matt Every shoots off the 9th fairway during the second round of the Sony Open golf tournament on Friday, Jan 13, 2012. — AP

Every takes control at Waialae HAWAII: Matt Every, who was suspended by the PGA Tour in 2010 for three months after being arrested on drug charges, birdied his last three holes to move two strokes clear in Friday’s second round of the Sony Open in Hawaii. The 28-year-old American fired a flawless six-under-par 64 at a breezy Waialae Country Club to post a 10-under total of 130 and take control of the first full-field event of the season on the US circuit. Every, who has played most of his professional golf on the second-tier Nationwide Tour, covered his back nine in a sparkling five-under 30 to finish two ahead of Canada’s David Hearn (66) and Swede Carl Pettersson (67).

Zimbabwe’s Brendon de Jonge, who carded a best-of-the-week 62, was a stroke further stroke at seven under with Americans Pat Perez and Doug LaBelle II, who returned matching 67s. “I just stayed patient and I made some putts that didn’t fall on the front (nine),” Every told reporters after his six-birdie display on the palm tree-fringed layout. “Things are just working out right now but it’s only two days and I’ve got two more to go.” Every made only five PGA Tour starts last year, having lost his status in 2010 when he hit the headlines during his rookie season after being arrested in an Iowa hotel on a misdemeanor marijuana charge. In a statement issued at the time, he denied possessing the drug but apologized for his poor judgment. He was later suspended for 90 days by the PGA Tour.

‘PERFECT STORM’ “I was upset at myself,” Every said. “There’s some stuff I can’t talk about, but I was pissed at the way it was handled. I don’t do drugs. It was a crappy deal, man. “Wrong place, wrong time, perfect storm, and I got three months out of it. It’s over with. I’m not mad at the Tour. They did what they had to do. I totally understand it. But it’s over with.”

While Every rocketed to the top of the leaderboard on Friday, first-round leader Graham DeLaet of Canada headed the other way.

After opening with a blistering 63, DeLaet dropped four shots in his first three holes on the way to a 72, ending the round five strokes off the pace. American world number five Steve Stricker, who clinched the PGA Tour’s season-opening Tournament of Champions at Kapalua on Monday, briefly held a share of the lead before finishing level with DeLaet at five under after carding a 69.

Stricker is aiming to become the first player since South African Ernie Els in 2003 to win the first two events of the year in Hawaii. The cut fell at oneunder 139 with defending champion Mark Wilson, Japanese duo Ryo Ishikawa and Shigeki Maruyama and US Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III among those missing out. — Reuters

SABRES 3, MAPLE LEAFS 2 In Buffalo, the struggling Buffalo Sabres snapped the Toronto Maple Leafs four-game winning streak with a 3-2 victory over their Northeast division rival at the First Niagara Center on Friday. The win avenges a 2-0 loss to Toronto on Tuesday and ends a three-game losing streak for the Sabres, who have won just three of their last 12 games to sit 19-19-5 for the season. “It wasn’t our best game, so it was nice to be able to get that one,” Sabres captain Jason Pominville told reporters. “It was fun to see guys keep their composure. We’re not going through the stretch we would want, but we were playing well.”

Buffalo gained the early advantage with two goals on their first three shots against Toronto goalie Jonas Gustavsson, who earned a shutout on Tuesday. Matt Ellis scored a minute into the game when his centering pass deflected off Maple Leafs defenseman Cody Franson. Paul Gaustad then doubled the lead three minutes later with a wrist shot from distance that Gustavsson probably should have saved. The Maple Leafs got back on level terms late in the period with goals by Mikhail Grabovsky and Joey Crabb.

The Sabres scored the game-winner in the second period when Jason Pominville converted a beautiful pass from Thomas Vanek, who threaded the puck through two Maple Leafs defenders. “I knew the whole time he (Vanek) was going to make the play,” said Pominville. “It just landed right on my stick. I

just had to settle it down and put it away. It was one of those plays not many guys can make.” Buffalo’s penalty killers held off the Maple Leafs through four shorthanded situations and goalie Ryan Miller made 24 stops, nine of them in the final period, to help deliver the win. “A couple of bad bounces early put us behind the eight-ball,” Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf said. “We fought, we just didn’t have enough to even it up in the third.”

CAPITALS 4, LIGHTNING 3 In Washington, Troy Brouwer got his first career hat trick as Washington handed Tampa Bay its sixth straight defeat. Alex Ovechkin also scored for the Capitals, who have won six straight at home to move back into playoff position in the Eastern Conference. Steven Stamkos scored his league-leading 30th goal, while Tom Pyatt and Vincent Lecavalier also scored for the Lightning, who have yet to win in 2012.

DUCKS 5, OILERS 0 In Edmonton, Jonas Hiller stopped 33 shots to earn his second shutout of the season, helping Anaheim to a big win over Edmonton. Teemu Selanne scored twice while Jason Blake, Bobby Ryan and Corey Perry also scored for the Ducks. The Oilers have lost five straight.— Agencies

NHL results and standings on Friday: Washington 4, Tampa Bay 3; Columbus 4, Phoenix 3; Buffalo 3, Toronto 2;Pittsburgh 4, Florida 1; Anaheim 5, Edmonton 0.

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L OTL GF GA NY Rangers 27 10 4 118 86 Philadelphia 26 12 4 142 124 New Jersey 24 17 2 119 124 Pittsburgh 22 17 4 128 113 NY Islanders 15 20 6 98 129 Northeast Division Boston 28 11 1 148 77 24 15 6 143 144 Ottawa Toronto 22 16 5 137 134 Buffalo 19 19 5 110 125 Montreal 16 20 7 110 119 Southeast Division Florida 21 14 8 110 120 23 17 2 123 123 Washington Winnipeg 20 18 5 112 126 Tampa Bay 17 22 4 118 150 Carolina 15 23 7 118 150 Western Conference Central Division Chicago 26 13 5 144 25 12 6 112 St. Louis Detroit 27 15 1 138 Nashville 24 15 4 118 Columbus 12 26 5 105 Northwest Division Vancouver 28 14 3 147 22 16 6 103 Minnesota Colorado 23 20 2 117 Calgary 21 19 5 110 Edmonton 16 23 4 112 Pacific Division San Jose 24 11 5 118 21 15 8 97 Los Angeles Dallas 24 17 1 119 Phoenix 20 18 7 114 Anaheim 14 22 7 109

NEW YORK: Buffalo Sabres’ Nathan Gerbe (42) collides with Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Jonas Gustavsson during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Buffalo on Friday, Jan 13, 2012. — AP

Wataniya Telecom sponsors Gulf Run Car Show in Bahrain KUWAIT: For the third consecutive year, Wataniya Telecom proudly announces its sponsorship of the Gulf Run 7 race, which will be held in Bahrain from the 26th-28th January, 2012 at the Bahrain International Circuit. Wataniya’s sponsorship stems from its commitment towards the community and especially the youth, in an effort to spread the awareness around safe driving rules to reduce car accidents.

As part of the Gulf Run Race events, the sports cars participating in the Bahrain will be on display at the 360 Mall today.

The sponsorship of the 360 mall event comes after the successful event Wataniya had sponsored atthe Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST) in December 2011 which displayed the sports cars and met great popularity among fans of race cars. Participating sponsors’ booths will also be present during the whole two days of the event at the 360 mall.

Gulf Run Race aims at trigging the passion of sports cars’ enthusiasts by displaying the latest cars in addition to strengthening safe driving programs and following traffic rules, as well as awarding winners at the end of the race. Abdolaziz Al Balool PR Director at Wataniya Telecom elaborated on the success achieved during previous Gulf Run races, ensuring that: “It played a huge role in raising drivers’ awareness about the importance of applying safety driving laws in order to minimize traffic accidents, and this is what encouraged us to sponsor this unique event for the third consecutive year, due to its success and prominence among youth.”

Abdolaziz Al Balool

BLUE JACKETS 4, COYOTES 3 In Columbus, Todd Richards took a win from his home debut as Columbus interim head coach, as the Blue Jackets edged Phoenix. Derick Brassard had a goal and an assist, Rick Nash also scored and Tomas Kubalik and Ryan Russell each had their first NHL goals for the Blue Jackets, who fired second-year head coach Scott Arniel on Monday and elevated Richards to replace him. Lauri Korpikoski had a goal and two assists, Radim Vrbata a goal and a helper and Adrian Aucoin also netted for the Coyotes.

NHL results/standings

PTS 58 56 50 48 36 57 54 49 43 39 50 48 45 38 37

127 92 101 117 145

57 56 55 52 29

110 110 127 127 126

59 50 48 47 36

94 100 123 118 136

53 50 49 47 35

Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings and are not included in the loss column (L)

Switzerland’s Beat Feuz wins Wengen downhill WENGEN: Switzerland’s new skiing star Beat Feuz won the World Cup downhill on the Lauberhorn course yesterday, as veteran teammate Didier Cuche never threatened in his home classic. Feuz came down the longest course on the World Cup tour in 2 minutes, 35.31 seconds for a victory that gave him the lead in the downhill standings in his breakout season. Austria’s Hannes Reichelt was 0.44 seconds back in second.

Christof Innerhofer of Italy trailed Feuz by 0.49 in third. “It’s unbelievable to win this race in front of the Swiss fans,” said the 24-year-old Feuz, who was second in Friday’s super-combined after dominating the downhill leg.

Bode Miller of the United States seemed poised for victory but lost speed near the bottom and finished 0.77 back in fifth. Miller led the downhill standings going into this race, but slipped to second, 41 points behind Feuz. “I think (Feuz) is one of the best, well-rounded dynamos we have seen,” Miller told The Associated Press. “It’s not surprising to see him on the top today after the way he skied yesterday.”

Miller said he took what proved to be the wrong line in the Hannegschuss section 2 minutes into his run, where skiers reach speeds of 150 kilometers per hour (93 miles per hour).

“It’s a bummer. It probably cost me the race there,” the two-time Lauberhorn winner said. “I swung out left and got right into all these bumps and my skis went a little bit crazy. You are too tired to make a good recovery. “If you know a section you should trust yourself and I didn’t do that today. It definitely cost me.” The 37-year-old Cuche, racing immediately after Feuz, appeared

cautious on the 4.42-kilometer track and trailed from the first intermediate time check, finishing 1.44 behind. Cuche, a three-time runnerup here, appeared dejected when he crossed the line and barely managed a rueful smile for fans chanting his name.

The popular racer’s long-standing status as Switzerland’s top downhill racer, with four World Cup titles in the glamour discipline in the past

five years, seems to be under threat from Feuz. Feuz leads the downhill points race after finishing runner-up to Cuche at Lake Louise, Canada, and behind Miller at Beaver Creek, Colorado. He climbed to third in the overall standings behind Marcel Hirscher and Ivica Kostelic after his third World Cup victory, adding to wins in downhill at Kvitfjell, Norway, last season and the super-G last month at Val Gardena, Italy. — AP

WENGEN: Beat Feuz of Switzerland celebrates after his victory of the Men’s downhill race at the FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup yesterday. — AFP

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012

sp orts

Djokovic challenges Federer to ‘keep up’ MELBOURNE: World number one Novak Djokovic threw down the gauntlet to a resurgent Roger Federer yesterday by challenging him to “keep up” as the Serb bids to repeat his landmark 2011. Djokovic, who named the London Olympics as a top priority for the year, shrugged off the all-time grand slam champion’s strong finish to last season culminating in victory at the ATP World Tour Finals. The 24-year-old Djokovic went 70-6 last year and won 10 of 11 finals including three grand slams, starting with his demolition of Andy Murray at the Australian Open in January. And Djokovic, speaking before beginning his title defense in Melbourne, warned

he was primed to repeat his golden season, despite Federer’s late-year hot streak. “Well, he finished off the season best from all the other players.

He had over 15 wins in a row. He definitely loves playing indoors. He loves playing in the London event,” Djokovic said. “But, you know, it’s a whole new year. It’s a whole new season. We’re starting to play outdoors. We’ll see if everybody can keep up.” Djokovic said he had taken extra rest in the off-season to shake off the shoulder and back problems that overshadowed the final months of last season, but trained on Christmas Day during a low-key festive period.

And he said he was targeting this year as a re -run of 2011, when he strung together what has been described as the greatest campaign in tennis history. “Everything is possible.

Obviously 2011 has been the best year so far in my career. It’s going to be very difficult to repeat what I have done,” Djokovic told journalists before the season’s first grand slam.

“But look, I’ve done it once. Why not twice? Why not staying optimistic and positive about the whole season?

It’s a start. “Obviously I’m not thinking too far away from Australia. My focus is directed to this tournament. I want to start off the year well, as everybody

els e (does ) obv iou s ly.” Meanwhile Federer said he had recovered from the back spasms that forced him to pull out of the Qatar Open semi-finals, interrupting a 20-match winning sequence.

“Today was my first practice where I could play again at 100 percent,” said the Swiss.

“Yesterday I felt good, too. No pain.

But at least, you know, I was out there playing full-on, but still just a little worried or scared, let’s put it that way.

“Today all that’s gone, so I feel like I’m back to normal. That’s a good feeling to have coming into the Australian Open now.” The 16-time slam-winner, now 30, will enter his 49th consecutive grand

slam in Melbourne as he aims to end a two-year major title drought-his worst spell in a decade. “I think it’s only helpful that I finished so strong. I had so many great finishes to the year,” added Federer, a four-time winner at Melbourne Park. “I remember every time it has helped me to have a good mindset on vacation, during the buildup, then at the beginning of the year.

Very often did I take this momentum into the following year.” World number two Rafael Nadal has also had fitness concerns in the build-up to the Australian Open, while fourth-ranked Andy Murray is still targeting his first grand slam win.— AFP

Sleeping giant Serena set to take back her throne

MELBOURNE: Bernard Tomic of Australia returns to Mardy Fish of the United States on his way to winning the final of the Kooyong Classic tennis in Melbourne yesterday. —AP

Teen Tomic stuns Fish to take Kooyong title MELBOURNE: Bernard Tomic won his first senior title at the Kooyong Classic yesterday stunning world number eight Mardy Fish 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 in the final and earning a confidence boost ahead of the Australian Open. The 19-year-old Australian sensation, who is ranked 37 in the world, again showed his promise, following a run to the Wimbledon quarter-finals last summer and a semi-final loss in Brisbane against Andy Murray last week. “I’ve never lifted a trophy before at this level,” said Tomic. “I’m proud to have my name on a trophy like this. “It’s a good feeling and one that I’ll always treasure. Hopefully this will help me do well at the Australian Open,” said the player, who faces experienced Spaniard Fernando Verdasco in the first round.

Victor y over the Amnerican at the Kooyong Club made Tomic the youngest player to triumph at the event and comes just ahead of the season-opening major, which starts tomorrow. “I want to do as well as I can at the Open. There’s a lot of pressure. but maybe once-perhaps not this year-I can win that title,” he added. Home favorite Tomic admitted he will need his best game to beat Verdasco but was bullish over his chances of progressing. “It’s a tough start but I’ll come in focused and with confidence that can win. “It’s not like playing a major seed in the first round, this is a winnable match.” Tomic showed off his big game during the hour and three-quarters win storming to the first set after taking a 4-0 lead. But Fish came back, his

experience showing in the second set to break the Tomic serve.

The Australian was unfazed and took victory in the third, breaking in the last game to win on the first of two match points. Earlier Austria’s Jurgen Melzer recorded his second upset of a higher ranked opponent in a week to claim thirdplace honours with a 6-3, 6-7 (10/12), 6-2 win over Gael Monfils. Fresh from beating French world number six Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on Wednesday, Melzer dispatched Frenchman Monfils, who is ranked 15.

Melzer, placed 33 in the rankings, said he was pleased to have beaten the flamboyant Monfils for the first time in his career.

“It’s always tough to play him, he gets so many balls back,” said the Austrian. “You think the rally is over but the ball keeps coming back.

“It was great to beat him for the first time, I’m very happy about it.” Monfils faces Australian Marinko Matosevic in the first round, which star ts tomorrow in Melbourne. The Frenchman lived up to his reputation for improvised shot-making yesterday, throwing his racquet at a ball in a desperate-but successful-effort to make a return. The shot was ruled good to Melzer’s surprise. “To make a shot like that just shows his talent,” said the bemused veteran. Melzer won the first set but was out-hit in the dramatic second as Monfils leveled at a set each on a fifth set point, clawing back three Melzer match points before finally losing.— AFP

AUCKLAND: David Ferrer of Spain celebrates his win over Olivier Rochus of Belgium during their men’s singles final match at the Heineken Open tennis tournament in Auckland yesterday.— AFP

Ferrer too good for Rochus in Auckland AUCKLAND: Top -seed David Ferrer retained his Auckland ATP title yesterday with a comfortable victory over Olivier Rochus 6-3, 6-4 in a rain-disrupted final.

The Spaniard fell to the ground in celebration as he closed out the match in an hour and 34 minutes to claim the Auckland title for a third time, having previously won in 2011 and 2007.

“This is the most special as every year is more difficult because I am older,” the 29-year-old said. Winning his 12th ATP title has given the Spaniard confidence going to Melbourne for the Australian Open where he has drawn Rui Machado of Portugal in the first round but he put his celebration on hold. “I have no time to celebrate. I will have dinner and drink only one (beer) tonight.” World number

five Ferrer had too much class for Rochus, winning 83 per cent of his first ser ve points and break ing the diminutive Belgian three times in the stop-star t encounter. The match had just started with Ferrer 1-0 up when the players had to leave the cour t for the first time because of the wet weather. When play resumed Ferrer raced to a 5-3 lead but Rochus had a break point with a chance to strike back when rain interrupted play a second time. Back on court when the rain cleared, Ferrer saved the game and took the first set. He then made a decisive break mid-way through the second set to wrap up the match in an hour and 34 minutes. Ferrer is now 6-2 against the 68th-ranked Rochus and has won 12 of 14 finals he has played.— AFP

MELBOURNE: Serena Williams has played two matches in five months and comes into the Australian Open still feeling the effects of a twisted ankle but the American has no doubts she can claim a 14th grand slam single title. The most dominant player of her generation returns to Melbourne Park after missing 2011’s tournament during a year in which she battle injury and illness. After bowing out of the US Open final against Sam Stosur with a sensational outburst at a chair umpire in September, the 30year-old largely withdrew from the soap opera of her tennis career, skipping the northern hemisphere’s autumn tournaments citing a mixture of boredom and fatigue.

She managed two matches at the lead-up Brisbane tournament before being struck down with an ankle injury and yet no-one dares write her off. Least of all herself. Williams smiled languidly when asked whether she was ready for her bid for a sixth title at Melbourne Park. “Yeah.

You know, definitely. Two (matches) is plenty for me, for sure,” she said. Williams, who describes herself as lazy and uninterested in sports and anything athletic, has floated above the rat-race for years in a sport dominated by egos, entourages and head doctors, never seriously getting out of bed for anything but the majors.

Once on centre court, however, the fires still burn after a long and storied career featuring three US Open titles, four Wimbledon crowns and the 2002 French Open since turning pro in 1995. “I get the same burst, if not more. I love playing majors and I love competing,” Williams said. “More than anything, I hate losing. That kind of makes me really hungry to work harder to get the results that I want.” After her long layoff, the former world number one is seeded 12th at Melbourne. She faces an unheralded Austrian in the first round and no-one appears capable of troubling her in the opening week. A potential quarter-final looms with world number four Maria Sharapova.

Her ankle is also coming good and she felt no great discomfort after putting it through its first major test yesterday, though she would wait to see how it responds. The rest of her appears in ominously good condition. Conversely for a woman who decries exercise, local newspapers have delighted in touting a leaner, meaner Serena, splashing pictures of the American’s washboard stomach on their websites. Mentally she is relaxed as ever, finding time to engage in a Twitter dialogue with fans in between hit-ups at Rod Laver Arena and icing her sore ankle.

Her face falls only momentarily when she ponders a tournament without her older sister and doubles partner Venus, who pulled out of Melbourne amid her battle with Sjogren’s syndrome, an auto-immune illness. Long-time friend and verbal sparring partner Andy Roddick has been drafted in to cheer Williams by teaming up with her in the mixed doubles. “I think it will be really fun. I hit the worst volley today, and I was a little worried,” Williams said. “I was like, ‘he might want to get a new partner.’ We’ll see how it goes.

“I am (in it to win it). He’d better be.”— Reuters

MELBOURNE: Serena Williams of the US prepares to make a backhand return during a practice session for the Australian Open tennis championship. — AP

Strike a pose: Serena Williams shows Novak how it’s done MELBOURNE: Serena Williams spent time with Novak Djokovic this week, giving him pointers on how to better strike the pose of a Grand Slam champion. After winning three of the four majors last year to break the stranglehold Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer had on men’s tennis, Djokovic needs to focus on how to successfully defend a Grand Slam title before he gets too concerned with trophy presentations. Williams knows how. The 13-time major winner has successfully defended a major title three times.

Federer and Nadal also know what it takes, but they’re unlikely to give the 24-year-old Djokovic pointers about defending his Australian Open title.

Besides, they have each other to worry about after being drawn Friday into the same half of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time since 2005.

Neither can face Djokovic until the final of the season’s first major, which starts Monday and ends with the men’s championship match on Jan 29.

Federer withdrew from a tuneup in Doha with a sore back, and Nadal has struggled with a painful shoulder that he plans to rest next month.

The casualty list in the women’s draw is more extensive. Williams sprained her left ankle last week and had to withdraw from the Brisbane International although she says she’s in great shape and is confident she’ll be OK by Monday. “The ankle is better.

It’s not 100 percent, but it’s better than it was last week,” Williams said Thursday. “I feel great. And I feel like I’m really fit. And I feel like this is definitely some of the fittest I have been in my career.” Williams missed the 2011 tournament during a prolonged injury layoff, unable to defend the title she won in 2010 and ending a stretch of six straight trips to Melbourne Park in which she won four titles and lost only twice. Kim Clijsters, who won last year in Williams’ absence, retired from her semifinal in Brisbane last week when she began having spasms in her left hip. But she’s been practicing in Melbourne and attended the official draw Friday, posing for photographs with a smiling Djokovic and the trophies. It’ll have to be: she was drawn into a tough quarter with French Open champion Li Na, whom she beat in last year’s Australian final, and topranked Caroline Wozniacki.

Wozniacki hurt her left wrist in a quarterfinal loss at the Sydney International on Wednesday, and Maria Sharapova, the 2008 Australian champion, pulled out of a warm-up tournament and went straight to Melbourne to give her ailing ankle more time to recover. Venus Williams and No 10-ranked Andrea Petkovic already have ruled themselves out, while Sam Stosur is dealing with her injured pride after winning just one match in her first two tournaments on home soil since beating Williams in the US Open final.

While nine of the top 10 women were playing at Sydney, Serena Williams and Clijsters were fine-tuning in Melbourne. Williams kept her fans

up to date on the social networking sites, posting pictures of her instruction session with Djokovic as well as tweets about her fashion interests.

“Teaching (at) DjokerNole how to pose. He’s getting there. :)” Williams posted, along with the image of herself and Djokovic. Djokovic is certainly getting the hang of it. He entered the 2011 Australian Open with only one major to his credit - the 2008 Australian title - but fresh from a Davis Cup victory with Serbia.

It was the beginning of a remarkable run. He won the Australian Open at the start of a 41-match unbeaten streak that lasted until he lost in the French Open semifinals to Federer.

Djokovic recovered from that to beat

Patched-up greats ‘hopeful’ for Open MELBOURNE: The Australian Open’s walking wounded are hopeful of making it through the year’s first grand slam that starts tomorrow after a raft of high-profile early season injuries. Roger Federer said he was back to full training after back spasms forced him out of the Qatar Open, while five-time women’s champion Serena Williams had her fingers crossed after spraining her ankle this month in Brisbane.

Williams said she had undergone “constant icing” and would play with her ankles strapped-although she had eschewed treatment in an oxygen chamber because she gets claustrophobic. “Well, I really tested my moving today for the first time so I feel a lot better with it. I’ll kind of know more tonight, you know, because today is the first day I really like really, really, really pushed it,” Williams said. “I’ve been taking it easy for a long time now.

But overall I feel really good... I’m just taking it one match at a time. I hope I get to play seven of ‘em and come out on top in all seven.” Defending women’s champion Kim Clijsters was confident she would suffer no more ill-effects after she had to pull out of the Brisbane tournament with hip spasms. “I’m doing good. I think what happened in Brisbane was something that I knew was something that would only need a few days to get better, and it did,” said the Belgian. “I had my scan just to make sure the day after, but that showed no problems.

So I was relieved. Yeah, came to Melbourne and started hitting when I got here.” Women’s number one Caroline Wozniacki was also optimistic about her left wrist after feeling sharp pain during last week’s loss to Agnieszka Radwanska at the Sydney International. “Obviously it’s a bit scary when you’re out there. You don’t know. But, I mean, everything turned out to be okay with the wrist,” she said. “You know, I had some pain, but it’s going away. I’m confident that on Monday it will be 100 percent ready.” And men’s champion Novak Djokovic said he was clear of the shoulder and back problems which overshadowed the end of his superb 2011. “For right now I don’t feel any struggles and any pain,” Djokovic said.

Women’s number 10 Andrea Petkovic has already pulled out of the Open with a stress fracture in her lower back, while Venus Williams is out with autoimmune disease Sjogren’s syndrome.— AFP

Nadal in the Wimbledon final and again in the US Open final.

He beat Nadal in all six finals in which they met in 2011, with a combination of an improved serve, some aggressive defense, a gluten-free diet and a bucket-load of confidence. That was only enhanced when he won an exhibition tournament featuring an elite field at Abu Dhabi on New Year’s Eve. “It’s very important to have high confidence coming against the top players,” the Serbian said. Djokovic won 10 titles and a record $12.6 million last year, replacing Nadal at No 1 after Wimbledon and becoming the first player other than Federer or Nadal to finish with the top ranking since 2003. When asked if he could repeat his success in 2012, Djokovic answered with his own question: “Why not?”

“It does not make sense to be anything else than optimistic,” Djokovic said. “I need to believe in my qualities, in my abilities. I need to believe I can repeat this year again.” Djokovic arrived in Melbourne 12 days ahead of the tournament but stayed out of the public eye except for some occasional tweets, including one to post the photo of himself with Serena. Federer is also being low-key, but has practiced at Melbourne Park, where has won four championships.

He won the season-ending championship in London among his four titles last year in a signal that he can’t be discounted despite coming off his first season without a major title since 2002. He said he thinks his 17th might be “just around the corner.” Nadal came to Melbourne last year as the man to beat, but his quest for a fourth consecutive Grand Slam title ended when he lost to fellow Spaniard David Ferrer in the quarterfinals. On Thursday, he breezed into a promotional event, late, in the rain outside Rod Laver Arena.

He duly held the symbolic key to the tournament cars and grinned (Novak, pay attention) for photos for a few minutes before being whisked away from the assembled throng of media. He had just enough time to look over his shoulder as he ducked into the car, reassuring everybody that the painful joint was fine. “My shoulder is good - my shoulder is very good,” he said. —AP

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012

sp orts NBA results/standings NBA results and standings on Friday.

Detroit 98, Charlotte 81; Philadelphia 120, Washington 89; Indiana 95, Toronto 90; Minnesota 87, New Orleans 80; Chicago 88, Boston 79; Houston 103, Sacramento 89; Dallas 102, Milwaukee 76; San Antonio 99, Portland 83; New Jersey 110, Phoenix 103; LA Lakers 97, Cleveland 92; Denver 117, Miami 104.

Philadelphia NY Knicks Boston Toronto New Jersey

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L PCT GB 8 3 .727 6 5 .545 2 4 6 .400 3.5 4 8 .333 4.5 3 9 .250 5.5

Western Conference Northwest Division Oklahoma City 10 2 .833 Denver 8 4 .667 2 Portland 7 4 .636 2.5 Utah 6 4 .600 3 Minnesota 4 7 .364 5.5

Chicago Indiana Cleveland Milwaukee Detroit

Central Division 11 2 .846 8 3 .727 2 5 6 .455 5 4 7 .364 6 3 9 .250 7.5

LA Lakers LA Clippers Phoenix Sacramento Golden State

Pacific Division 9 4 .692 5 3 .625 1.5 4 7 .364 4 4 8 .333 4.5 3 7 .300 4.5

Orlando Miami Atlanta Charlotte Washington

Southeast Division 8 3 .727 8 4 .667 .5 8 4 .667 .5 2 10 .167 6.5 1 10 .091 7

San Antonio Dallas Memphis Houston New Orleans

Southwest Division 8 4 .667 7 5 .583 1 4 6 .400 3 4 7 .364 3.5 3 8 .273 4.5

Wenger slams TV schedule, claims game has sold out LONDON: Arsene Wenger has accused rival clubs of manipulating the Premier League fixture schedule for their own benefit by “directly” influencing broadcasters, saying the game had “sold its soul”. The angry Arsenal manager, speaking ahead of his team’s televised clash with Swansea today, voiced his concern over other sides getting more recovery time between matches because of the way broadcast matches are allocated. “I don’t believe the Premier League in the last months or last year have played a very fair role in the distribution of the fixtures,” he said. “They are sold to television and television is influenced by some clubs to choose the fixtures.

“And some clubs get advantaged by television, if it’s (satellite broadcasters) Sky or ESPN, because they have an influence there from the clubs directly,” the Frenchman added.

“If things are repeated then it’s not a coincidence any more. In England it’s always very difficult to say what you feel about that, but I’m not the only manager who thinks that. There’s a real problem there.” Wenger refused to name clubs, but there is a clear disadvantage to Arsenal during a round of fixtures at the end of the month.

Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham will all play on January 31 and Arsenal, currently behind the quartet in fifth place, will have two fixtures by the time those four step onto the field again.

Wenger accepted television would want a say on deciding which matches to screen but urged the Premier League to take a tougher line with broadcasters. “We have sold our soul and we do not control our games, our fixtures, any more. But it is the truth. “I cannot say that the television is wrong, but it’s not normal that they can have a direct influence on the schedule. The Premier League should be in complete control of the Premier League.” Arsenal’s match at the Liberty Stadium could see Thierry Henry make

his first Premier League appearance since returning to the Gunners in a loan move from New York Red Bulls. The club’s record goalscorer, who marked his return by coming off the bench to score the winner in their FA Cup third round victory at home to Leeds on Monday, is again set to be among the substitutes.

But Wenger said the France World Cup winner could be involved from the kick-off. “I don’t know. He’s ready to start. He was ready to start against Leeds, but the most important thing is to help the team win games. “The way he does it, I cannot say what will happen today, but he can help us win games coming off the bench or starting the games.” Wenger, meanwhile, was confident Henry and Dutch striker Robin van Persie could play in the same team. “They can play together, as long as the team’s balanced around them,” he said. “Henry could go back wide as he used to. He still has the reflexes of a winger when he’s on the left, getting past people to deliver.” Late decisions will be made on the fitness of Per Mertesacker and Tomas Rosicky, with Wenger wary of the threat Swansea-seven points above the relegation zone-pose. “They have the quality to play in the Premier League because they play positive football,” Wenger said of Swansea. “They keep possession and master possession in many games, and have the technical quality to be where they are. Over 38 games, that pays off.” Swansea defender Angel Rangel insisted his team-mates should not focus solely on van Persie, the Premier League’s top scorer.

“Goals win games and he has been scoring and playing well. He can hold the ball, has two good feet and runs the channels well. “However, we will need to work hard together and not just concentrate on one player. If we concentrate on stopping someone like van Persie, they will look to their other players and they can all change a game.”— AFP

Nuggets hand Heat third straight loss Red-hot Bryant propels Lakers to Cavs win DENVER: Denver’s Ty Lawson returned from a sprained right foot to score 24 points and lead the Nuggets to a 117-104 win over Miami on Friday, handing the Heat their third straight NBA loss. Lawson, who was held out of Wednesday’s game against New Jersey, also had nine assists. Nene added 17 points for Denver. LeBron James had 35 points for the Heat, who have lost their past 10 games in Denver. Dwyane Wade scored 12 points for Miami before landing awkwardly on his right ankle after trying to block a shot with 7:24 remaining. He was benched immediately and did not return.

MAVERICKS 102, BUCKS 76 In Dallas, Dirk Nowitzki supassed 23,000 career points as Dallas cruised past Milwaukee to its fourth straight win. Vince Carter had his highest-scoring game in Dallas, picking up 11 of his 16 points in the opening 6-1/2 minutes of the game. Jason Terry scored 17 points for the defending NBA champion Mavericks, who are finally on a roll after an 0-3 start. Brandon Jennings had 19 points for the Bucks, who are undefeated at home but now have an NBAworst seven road losses. Milwaukee was without Andrew Bogut, who was out because of concussion-like symptoms.

BULLS 88, CELTICS 79 In Boston, Derrick Rose returned from injury to score 25 points and help Chicagos hold off a second-half Boston charge. The Celtics had trimmed a 52-33 halftime deficit to 67-66 with 10 minutes left in the game.

Then Boston missed its next two shots, while Rose scored four straight points. Kevin Garnett responded with a short jumper, but Rose came through again with a 3-pointer for a decisive 74-68 lead with 7:30 remaining.

Rose, who missed Wednesday’s win over Washington with a sprained toe, scored 12 points after Boston had cut the lead to one.

Ray Allen scored 16 for Boston.

76ERS 120, WIZARDS 89 In Philadelphia, Jodie Meeks tied a career high with 26 points as Philadelphia had a comfortable win over Washington. Lou Williams had 19 for the Sixers, who led by 34 points in the third quarter and crushed the NBA-worst Wizards. All five starters reached double-digit scoring for the Atlantic Division leaders, who improved to 5-0 at home. While the Sixers dominated the entire game, the real damage was done in the third quarter. They

New Orleans. Love had 17 points in the third quarter and also grabbed 15 rebounds for his 11th consecutive double-double. The Timberwolves finished 33 of 38 from the foul line and Love sank his first 17 before missing one in the last minute. Ricky Rubio hit the tiebreaking free throws in his first career start, and finished with 12 points and nine assists. Marco Belinelli scored a season-high 20 points for the Hornets, who rallied from a 14-point deficit to the tie the score three times in the fourth quarter before losing their fifth in a row at home.

NETS 110, SUNS 103 In Phoenix, Deron Williams had 35 points, his most since coming to New Jersey, and 14 assists as the Nets held off undermanned Phoenix. Williams tied a career high with six 3-pointers. and MarShon Brooks scored 20 for the Nets, who snapped a three-game skid. The Suns, playing without Steve Nash and Grant Hill because of injuries, were down by three at the half before the Nets pulled away with a barrage of 3-pointers. A rally in the final minutes by the Suns fell

SPURS 99, TRAIL BLAZERS 83 In San Antonio, Tony Parker scored 20 points to help San Antonio beat Portland and stay unbeaten at home. Parker shook off a slow start as the Spurs improved to 8-0 at home, their best start since the 2007-08 season when they started 13-0. Tiago Splitter scored 14 points for the Spurs. LaMarcus Aldridge led Portland with 29 points. The Blazers lost veteran center Marcus Camby to a sprained ankle.

LAKERS 97, CAVALIERS 92 In Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant scored 42 points in his third straight 40-point performance as Los Angeles blew a big early lead before hanging on for their fifth straight victory, edging Cleveland. Pau Gasol had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Lakers, who won their eighth consecutive game at Staples Center since Christmas. Until Bryant took charge, Los Angeles allowed a 19-point lead to dwindle to three in the final minutes of coach Mike Brown’s first meeting with the Cavaliers since they fired him in 2010. Bryant managed just seven points in the fourth quarter but hit two big late jumpers, giving him three straight 40point games for the first time since 2006-07, when he had five straight. He is third in NBA history with 110 40-point games, trailing only Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan. Kyrie Irving scored 21 points for the Cavaliers.

PACERS 95, RAPTORS 90 In Toronto, Tyler Hansbrough made two key free throws with less than 15 seconds to play as Indiana overcame the ejection of leading scorer Danny Granger to beat Toronto. George Hill scored a season-high 22 points for the Pacers, who have made a promising start to the young season. DeMar DeRozan had 23 points for the Raptors, who have lost three straight.

LOS ANGELES: Los Angeles Lakers forward Jason Kapono (left) and Cleveland Cavaliers forward Tristan Thompson go after a rebound during the first half of their NBA basketball game on Friday, Jan 13, 2012. — AP made 16 of 23 shots from the floor and outscored the Wizards by 20.

short. Ronnie Price scored a career high 18 in Phoenix’s third loss in a row.

ROCKETS 103, KINGS 89 In Houston, Kyle Lowry’s 25 points led five double-digit scorers that drove Houston past Sacramento. The Kings led at halftime, but Houston used a strong third quarter to take the lead and Sacramento never really threatened after that. Former King Samuel Dalember t added 21 points and 16 rebounds for the Rockets. Tyreke Evans scored 27 points for Sacramento. He has scored at least 25 points in four of the past five games.

PISTONS 98, BOBCATS 81 In Charlotte, Jonas Jerebko tied a career high with 22 points as Detroit won the race to three victories against Charlotte. Both teams entered the game with identical 2-9 records and on lengthy losing streaks: the Bobcats having lost five straight and the Pistons six in a row. The Pistons were able to snap their skid due to the inside play of Jerebko and Greg Monroe, who chipped in with 19 points and nine rebounds. The Pistons dominated inside, scoring 50 points in the key through the first three quarters to open a 78-59 lead. Byron Mullens led Charlotte with 18 points, the eighth time in 10 games he’s reached double digits.— AP

TIMBERWOLVES 87, HORNETS 80 In New Orleans, Kevin Love scored 34 points to lead Minnesota to victory over

Gordon takes stage, blasts Dakar rivals

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO: Italian Daniela Merighetti celebrates on the podium after she won the FIS World Cup women’s downhill yesterday in Cortina d’Ampezzo. — AFP

Merighetti earns her maiden WCup victory CORTINA D’AMPEZZO: Eight years after her first and only podium, Daniela Merighetti earned her maiden World Cup victory in a women’s downhill yesterday. The 30-year-old Italian, one of the most popular skiers on the circuit, clocked one minute and 33.17 seconds to beat the best two skiers of her generation. Olympic champion Lindsey Vonn was second, 0.21 seconds behind, ahead of World Cup champion Maria HoeflRiesch, who finished a further 0.19 off the pace.

Merighetti’s only World Cup podium to date was a second place in a giant slalom in Are in 2003.

She was probably helped in Cortina by weather conditions, as occasional gusts of wind harmed the performances of most of her rivals. “I always believed I would do it but now it’s hard to realize, especially to win ahead of Lindsey,” said Merighetti, cheered in the finish area by all the other skiers. “This was the race I had written down as my main goal this season. It’s a perfect course for me. I just tried to be relaxed and only

think about speed.” Behind her, the solid runs by Vonn and Hoefl-Riesch were still morale boosters for both.

Hampered by a stomach bug in recent weeks, American Vonn faltered badly in Bad Kleinkircheim last weekend, finishing outside the top 15 in a Super-G. “It’s a disappointment. I had been beaten here last year and I was out for revenge. But I did the best I could given the conditions and I’m very happy for Daniela,” Vonn said. She still comfortably tops the World Cup overall standings from Austria’s Marlies Schild. Hoefl-Riesch, who had won on the same piste last year, waved in celebration when she crossed the line as this was her first downhill podium this season after ‘flu forced her to rest last weekend. “Given my forced break last week, this is mission accomplished,” she said. The women’s program continues today in the Italian resort with a Super-G, a race Vonn won a year ago.— Reuters

NASCA: Robby Gordon, who faces Dakar Rally disqualification after his Hummer was deemed to have broken race regulations, won the 12th stage Friday, and then blasted rivals for questioning his integrity. Gordon, who has appealed the stewards’ decision imposed on Wednesday, came home ahead of Russia’s Leonid Novotskiy, in a Mini, and Ginel De Viliers of South Africa, driving a Toyota. France’s Stephane Peterhansel, who was sixth on Friday after his Mini got bogged down in a sand dune, remained on top of the overall standings.

Peterhansel, a six-time motorcycle champion and three-time car winner, is 1hr 44min ahead of Gordon who is fourth overall. He is also 20 minutes in front of second-placed Nani Roma, who was fifth on Friday, and more than an hour ahead of De Villiers, who is in third, with just two days left to run.

Gordon vented his anger at Peterhansel and Nani over the ongoing controversy which centres on the Hummer’s tyre-inflation system. “I showed the plug that everyone’s been talking about that gives me all super power and I just proved that Minis are for girls, because we beat them by twenty minutes,” Gordon told www.dakar.com.

“Last night I went through a whole thing and went on Youtube. You can go to Robby Gordon - Dakar - Air inflation; check it out, it’s posted and explains the whole system.

“It’s the same system that the French officials approved one year ago and now they’ve changed their minds. I’m pissed at Stephane and I’m pissed at Nani for challenging my character about being a cheater and today I kicked their asses.” Meanwhile, Peterhansel said he was concerned when his vehicle sunk in the sand on Friday. “As

PISCO: US driver Robby Gordon steers his Hummer during the 2012 Dakar Rally Stage 13 Nasca-Pisco in Peru yesterday. — AFP

soon as we crossed the first dunes, we went over a crest and behind it was a sink hole.

We got stuck. We lost at least 20 minutes, which meant that we would also lose the lead in the general standings,” he said.

“We cleared some sand and moved the car forward centimetre by centimetre to get out. Afterwards, I took risks to claw the time back. That was the 50km where I’ve attacked the most during the whole rally. In the end we caught up with Nani several kilometres from the finish, so he must have had problems too.” Spain’s Marc Coma reclaimed the overall lead in the motorcycle section when he stormed to victory on the stage from Arequipa to Nasca, replacing France’s Cyril Despres. The KTM rider, who had been more than two minutes off the lead overnight, led home fellow Spaniards Joan Barreda Bort, on a Husqvarana, by 2min 43sec, and KTM teammate Jordi Viladoms, 3min 10sec off the pace.

French rider Despres, who had snatched the lead back from Coma on Thursday, was fourth on the day and now stands in second place overall, 1min 35sec behind. “It was a difficult day. I set off four minutes after Cyril and I managed to catch up with him,” said Coma. With just two stages left, Despres said he was looking forward to the concluding weekend. “It was a magnificent stage, one of the finest specials that I’ve ridden on the Dakar over the last few years,” said Despres, the 2005, 2007 and 2010 winner. “I expected that Marc was going to catch up with me and that it wouldn’t be a good day. But I don’t have any regrets, because I attacked throughout the first part. You have to go for broke on this Dakar; it’s not a race where you can play the waiting game.”— AFP

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012

S P ORT S

Allegri looking forward to derby crossroads ROME: AC Milan’s build up to today’s derby has been far from straight-for ward and coach Massimiliano Allegri believes the clash with Inter Milan could prove a crossroads in the title race.

Milan’s preparations for the crunch encounter have been anything other than smooth with transfer rumors surrounding the departure of Pato and arrival of Carlos Tevez, as well as Allegri’s own contract situation, dominating column inches.

Milan come into this match on the back of a double boost these last two days as first Pato committed his future to the club, turning down a move to Paris St Germain, and then Allegri signed a twoyear contract extension. But both of those felt hollow in comparison to the blow of having to pull out of the race to sign Tevez, in no small part due to their inability to raise funds from the sale of Pato. In fact the timing of Allegri’s new contract on Friday seemed little more than a desperate fillip to try to boost morale ahead of the derby. Although Milan are on a 12-game unbeaten run in the league, Inter’s form is better having won seven of

their last eight.

And there can be no disguising the fact that Milan wanted to sell Pato to fund a move for Tevez, although Allegri denies ever wanting to lose the 22-year-old Brazilian. “We’re all delighted he’s chosen to stay,” said Allegri before scoffing at ideas that the pair don’t get on. “ We have mutual respect, just as I have with the rest of the team.

“And if he spoke (to the media) it was maybe just to get something off his chest, when Pato’s been fit he’s always played. “Every so often he’s on the bench, as is Robinho but 50 games in a row would be difficult for anyone. “He’s a great player but in my opinion, given how much potential he has he should do better.”

It was a similar comment previously that upset the Brazilian and led to his outburst in the press over Christmas, in which he suggested that Allegri didn’t talk to him. That helped spur on rumors that he would be traded in for Tevez. But Allegri insists the Tevez interest wasn’t with a view to replacing Pato. “I never felt like I had to sell Pato and I never

asked to sell him. Had Tevez arrived he would have replaced (the injured Antonio) Cassano.” As for today’s crucial match, Allegri has no intention of playing down it’s importance.

However, he doesn’t think either side has more riding on it, despite Milan’s eight-point lead over their neighbors. “This derby could be a crossroads in the championship, I don’t know if we have more to lose or them,” he said. “It’s a similar game to last year when we could pulled clear or, in the case of defeat, been overtaken. “Obviously, if we win tomorrow night it will be difficult for Inter to get back into the title race.” As for his own contract, Allegri said he was delighted to have been given another two years to guide the famous old club.

His previous deal had been due to run out at the end of the season. “My renewal was a fake problem, we just needed the time and the way to get it done,” he said. “I’m delighted about the extension, I’ll continue something I started a year and a half ago in which the club have put a great squad at my disposal.” — AFP

Massimiliano Allegri

Scottish Premier League Preview

Jelavic’s double lifts Rangers

LIBREVILLE: A handout picture shows people holding placards to form a welcoming message for the African Cup of Nations 2012 (CAN 2012). The CAN 2012 will take place in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon from January 21 until February 12. — AFP

Gabon hope for home boost at Nations Cup PARIS: Africa Cup of Nations co-hosts Gabon were done no favors in the draw for the 2012 continental showpiece with Gernot Rohr’s side facing an uphill struggle to extricate themselves from Group C. The Panthers, making their fifth Nations Cup appearance, on paper at any rate look destined to be squeezed out of a coveted quarter-final place with previous holders and old foes Tunisia and Morocco favorites to advance.

Gabon made their competition debut in 1994, falling at the first hurdle. Four years later they finished top of their group only to be denied by Tunisia on penalties in the last eight - their best Cup performance.

They went out in the first round again in 2000, with a decade passing before their next appearance. In Angola 2010 as luck would have it they crossed swords once again with Tunisia and managed to hold the Carthage Eagles to a goalless stalemate following a superb opening 1-0 win over four-time champions Cameroon with Cousin scoring.

After defeat to Zambia they were edged out of a quarter-final berth on goals scored

by Cameroon. Rohr’s men go into battle with encouragement from the Gabon government ringing in their ears. “We have two objectives,” said Laure Olga Gondjout, secretary general to Gabon President Ali Bongo. “For the people of Gabon to win the ëpalme d’or’ for organizing a successful Africa Cup of Nations and for the senior team to emulate the juniors (the title winning under-23 side) and lift the trophy.” A tall order for a team ranked 77 by FIFA and 16 in Africa.

Gabon’s Cup campaign opens with a match-up against surprise qualifiers Niger in the state capital Libreville on January 23, followed by Morocco on January 27 and

their 1996 nemesis Tunisia lying in wait in their final group game four days later. As hosts, Gabon have not played a competitive match since being derailed 2-1 by Zambia in their closing game in Angola two years ago. A diet of friendly fixtures mostly in France climaxed in November when they took on five-time world champions Brazil to mark the opening of the Chinese-funded Stade de l’Amitie SinoGabonasie, the venue for the February 12 final.

“We have been travelling a lot and not had an opportunity to play in front of the Gabonese people,” said Rohr before the high profile encounter which ended in a 20 defeat for the hosts. Gabon gave their decorated visitors a run for their money creating a host of chances but ultimately failed to respond to first half goals from Sandro and Hernanes. This month Gabon were held to a goalless stalemate by Burkina Faso when they were missing some of their regular first team players including French-based attackers Eric Mouloungui and Pierre Emerick Aubameyang.

Another European based Panther, defender Ecuele Manga, had also yet to arrive for national duty. Le Mans goalkeeper Didier Ovono has inherited the captain’s armband from former Rangers and Hull City striker Daniel Cousin. In Rohr, a former teammate of Franz Beckenbauer at Bayern Munich in the mid-1970s, meanwhile the Gabon Football Federation have picked an experienced tactician who stepped in to replace Alain Giresse after Angola in 2010.

The 58-year-old, continuing a long tradition of foreign coaches put in charge of African sides, has previously been at the helm of French first division outfits Bordeaux, Nice and Nantes. — AFP

Gerets’ Lions ready to bare their teeth PARIS: Morocco, champions back in 1976, return to the Africa Cup of Nations stage after failing to make it to Angola in 2010. As luck would have it they are drawn with North African neighbors Tunisia with their clash on January 23 a repeat of the 2004 final in which Tunisia came out on top.

These heavyweights will be favorites to progress from a Group C that is completed by co-hosts Gabon and surprise qualifiers Niger.

Morocco, making their 14th Cup appearance, owe their presence in Libreville to a qualifying campaign that saw them top their group with a 4-0 rout of Algeria and wins in both legs against Tanzania. Former Marseille boss Eric Gerets, who took command of the Atlas Lions in 2010 after a successful one season spell in Saudi Arabia, can count on a potentially potent smattering of European-based players. Among this group are Arsenal striker Marouane Chamakh and QPR playmaker Adil Taarabt and Celtic defender Badr El Kaddouri and a large contingent plying their trade in France, including midfielders Youssouf Hadji (Rennes) and Younes Belhanda (Montpellier).

Chamakh, El Kaddouri, and Hadji, his Rennes teammate Jamal Allioui and Fiorentina’s Houcine Kharja (captain) all figured in the disappointing 2008 campaign when, under former manager Henri Michel they failed to make it into the knockout stages, a 5-1 drubbing of Namibia their only

highpoint. Taraabt and Chamakh were on the scoresheet in the qualifying-clinching win over Tanzania in Marrakech in October Taarabt was pulling on the national colors for the first time in that game since walking out on the sqaud earlier in the campaign.

Chamakh, who has fallen down Arsene Wenger’s first XI pecking order, had been linked with a move away from Arsenal, possibly to Fiorentina, but he emphasized this week his only focus was on performing well for his country. “I want to have a fantastic African Nations Cup - the rest will follow.”

Neil Warnock, discussing Taarabt before his sacking as QPR boss last Sunday, said of the 22-year-old: “He’s been fantastic for us over the last few games. He knew he had to knuckle down and become more of a team player and he has. “He’s lost weight, looked sharper, and been an all-round better player.” Mehdi Benatia meanwhile travels to Libreville having picked up the vote for best overseas-based player of 2011 by the Moroccan media after his sterling work in defense during qualifying. Chamakh and company have been putting the finishing touches to their preparations for Africa’s flagship tournament in Marbella. Ranked 61 in FIFA’s world rankings Morocco may have been travelling in the wrong direction from their career high ranking of 10 in 1998 but nevertheless they will still be fancied to make it to the last eight under Gerets’ canny handling. — AFP

GLASGOW: Nikica Jelavic fired Rangers back to the top of the Scottish Premier League as his double strike clinched a dramatic 2-1 win over St Johnstone yesterday. Croatian striker Jelavic opened the scoring mid-way through the first half at McDiarmid Park, but Carlos Bocanegra’s own goal in the second period looked to have denied Rangers a much-needed win.

However, Jelavic has been the champions’ savor on many occasions this season and he bagged the vital winner with nine minutes to play. Thanks to Jelavic’s efforts, Ally McCoist’s side took first place from arch rivals Celtic, but the Hoops will go two points clear at the top if they beat Dundee United at Parkhead. With Rangers goalkeeper Allan McGregor sidelined with a thigh injury, Neil Alexander came in for his first league appearance of the season, while key midfielder Steven Davis was back from suspension.

There was an early scare for McCoist’s men when Marcus Haber went close for the hosts.

Saints striker Francisco Sandaza is reportedly set to reject Rangers’ offer of a free transfer move to Ibrox at the end of the season and he showed them what they could be missing with a surging run that set up Haber. Haber rifled past Alexander but Rangers were able to breath a sigh of relief when the effort was flagged offside.

That narrow escape seemed to focus Rangers and they took the lead in the 23rd minute when Sone Aluko collected a quick free-kick from Davis and weaved his way into the box before unleashing a shot, which was blocked before Jelavic flicked home from close range.

The home side were unhappy with the positioning of the set-piece and skipper Jody Morris was shown a yellow card for dissent. Referee Craig Thomson then warned both managers about their behavior towards each other in the dug-out.Jelavic required treatment following a challenge by Steven Anderson, but David Healy failed to make the resulting free-kick count.

Rangers threatened a second goal early in the second half when Davis whipped a corner

towards Dorin Goian, who headed goalwards only to be denied when Robertson cleared off the line.

Saints equalized in the 67th minute when a Liam Craig cross was nodded down towards goal by Haber and deflected into the back of his own net by American defender Bocanegra.

Rangers poured forward in search of a winner and a well-struck shot from Healy was blocked

by Enckelman, with Lee Wallace failing to connect at the far post as he tried to nod home the loose ball. But the visitors were celebrating in the 81st minute when Aluko’s free-kick was nodded onto his own crossbar by Murray Davidson and dropped for Jelavic to force over the line from close-range.

Scottish Premier League table GLASGOW: Scottish Premier League table after yesterday’s early match (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Rangers 23 17 3 3 42 13 54 Dundee Utd 22 6 8 8 31 35 26 Celtic 22 17 2 3 44 15 53 Kilmarnock 21 6 8 7 27 31 26 Motherwell 20 10 4 6 24 24 34 St Mirren 22 6 8 8 23 29 26 Hearts 22 9 5 8 25 15 32 Aberdeen 22 6 6 10 25 29 24 St Johnstone 22 9 5 8 27 22 32 Inverness CT 21 5 4 12 28 40 19

Debutants Niger braced for Cup baptism of fire PARIS: Niger’s reward for finishing top of their qualifying group was a tricky first round draw which pitted the Africa Cup of Nations debutants against past winners Tunisia, Morocco, and cohosts Gabon. Trailing in their wake on their remarkable qualifying journey to the 2012 continental showpiece were 2010 World Cup hosts South Africa, and Egypt, winners of the last three editions. Harouna Doula’s men proved impregnable at home in Niamey where they took maximum points from their rivals. On the road it was a different story, their three away days resulting in three defeats, yet that didn’t prevent them from topping the table.

The Mena’s French technical advisor, former Marseille and Lens coach Rolland Courbis, is wary of the team’s inclination to succumb to travel sickness. “What worries me, and I’ve already talked about this with the players, is that we’ve

taken all our (qualifying) points at home - and we’re away for the Nations Cup. It’s a different context, and also we’re up against the host nation. “But we are in the competition to do ourselves justice. We have to become accomplished at not losing away from Niamey. “We’ve got a good squad that conducts itself well. I’ve reassured them that we’re not going to finish last of our group.” Niger’s emergence as a serious Nations Cup side earned coach Doula, who has brought renewed discipline and motivation to the side, the accolade of Africa’s manager of the year. Reflecting on his team’s improvement Doula said: “Our management has been strengthened with improved expertise on the training side, in physical preparation and in the medical department - all this has helped to contribute to raising the standard of play of our team, a team that can continue to surprise.” Only

seven of Doula’s squad, including captain Idrissa Laouali, play for locally-based clubs. The 28-yearold midfielder (who goes by the nickname ‘Pele’) has been central to Niger’s fortunes ever since earning his first international cap back in 2002.

Niger’s attack is focused on Ouwo Moussa Maazou, one of only three European-based players who is attached to Belgian outfit SV Zulte Waregem where he is on a loan deal from CSKA Moscow. His goals in Niamey earned Niger wins over Egypt and South Africa. The free-scoring Seidou Idrissa, who plays for Cameroon side Cotonsport Garoua, has emerged as a key player too since appearing on the scene in 2005. His club teammate, Kassaly Daouda, represents a reassuring presence in goal. Niger open their Cup campaign against Gabon on January 23, followed by 2004 champions Tunisia on Jan 27 and 1976 winners Morocco four days later. — AFP

Tunisia out to make amends PARIS: Agony at missing the World Cup finals in South Africa and first round casualties at the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations - Tunisia turn up in Gabon itching to prove a point. The north Africans took the back door route to Gabon/Equatorial Guinea as runners-up to Botswana in qualifying, a 5-0 rout of Chad helping them on their way. Spirits in the Carthage Eagles camp will have soared at the 2012 draw which shone kindly on Sami Trabelsi’s men. Tunisia, victorious on home turf in 2004 when under the guidance of former France coach Roger Lemerre, are eyeing at least a quarter-final spot from a Group C in which they are favorites with fellow heavyweights Morocco.

Ranked the tenth best team in Africa, and 59th in the world, they warmed up for the January 21February 12 competition with a resounding 3-0 win over fellow finalists Sudan. Their 2012 journey begins with Morocco, the north African neighbors they beat in the final in Tunis seven years ago, on January 23, followed by shock qualifiers Niger four days later before co-hosts Gabon on January 31. Tunisia and Gabon are no strangers - their paths crossed in the Nations Cup in South Africa in 1996 with the Tunisians sneaking the quarter-final clash on penalties, losing to the hosts in the final. Defending their 2004 title proved hard work as they failed to make it past the last eight in both 2006 and 2008 before a disappointing time in Angola when they finished at the foot of their group after three stalemates, including a 0-0 draw with Gabon. Trabelsi was appointed in March 2011 after a turbulent period as a result of the popular uprising that toppled former president Zine Al-Abidine Ben Ali with three coaches appointed in as many months.

The former boss of Tunisia’s Olympic team who played at the 1988 World Cup duly carried out his remit to secure his side’s safe passage to Gabon. Now the hard work begins. Karim Haggui, the defender who plays his club football with German side Hannover 96, provides some rare continuity as he was among Lemerre’s title winning squad in 2004.

Teammate Issam Jemaa made his international debut the following year and hasn’t looked back since, the Auxerre striker emerging as his country’s all time top scorer with six of his 28 goal haul coming in qualifying. The 27-year-old’s sharp shooting will prove crucial for a Tunisia side desperate to refind their feet on the world stage. — AFP

ABU DHABI: Didier Drogba (right) of Ivory Coast argues with Tunisia’s coach Sami Trabelsi during a friendly match in Abu Dhabi on January 13, 2011.— AFP

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012

S P ORT S

Real Madrid hit back to go 8 points clear MADRID: Jose Callejon grabbed a late winner for Real Madrid as Jose Mourinho’s men fought back from a goal down to defeat Mallorca 2-1 and go eight points clear of bitter rivals Barcelona at the top of La Liga yesterday. The win piled the pressure on champions Barcelona who tackle Real Betis at home today. Israeli international Tomer Hemed put Mallorca in front in the first-half and it looked like a surprise result was on the cards before substitute Gonzalo Higuain gave Madrid hope with a 71st minute equalizer. Callejon then struck what could prove to be a crucial winner in the 82nd minute of a game where Real were second best in the first half. Mallorca were well-organized at the start, content to relinquish possession to Madrid, and which allowed the island side to counter-attack with pace.

The quick Victor Casadesus had the first opportunity when he narrowly failed to steer the ball home after good work from Hemed on the right on nine minutes. Next it was Hemed’s turn to worry the Madrid goal after being put clear by Casadesus. The breakthrough came for the home side on 38 minutes when Chori Castro created the space to whip in a cross at pace for Hemed to stoop in front of the Madrid defense and glance a header past goalkeeper Iker

Casillas. Sergio Ramos replied with the leaders’ first real chance on the stroke of half-time with a header that crashed against the post and there was still time for Lass Diarra to try from distance before the break.

Castro and Hemed linked up again on 53 minutes when the Israeli sent another header just wide from a corner. Mourinho, having already sent on Higuain at half-time, introduced Kaka and Fabio Coentrao just before the hour mark in a bid to fire his team into action. Casillas then had to turn a Michael Pereira shot past the post. Dudu Aouate remained untroubled in the Mallorca goal until the 72nd minute when Higuain turned in the equalizer with the help of a deflection after a clever through ball from Mesut Ozil. Two minutes later and Cristiano Ronaldo slammed a shot against the crossbar as Madrid were suddenly in control. Ramos had a goal ruled out for a marginal offside decision on 76 minutes and it looked like Mallorca had done enough for a point when Aouate came off his line to block at the feet of Higuain on 84 minutes. However, the ball fell to Callejon who thumped the ball past the stranded keeper to give Madrid a vital win and boost their hopes of winning back the title that Barcelona have held for the last three sea-

sons. Earlier, sixth-placed Sevilla were booed off by their own fans after a 0-0 draw with Espanyol dealt another blow to their Champions League hopes.

Sevilla spurned early chances to take the lead through Manu del Moral, Martin Caceres and Jose Antonio Reyes, who was playing only his third game since returning to the club. Del Moral went close again on 27 minutes with a drive that was blocked

by Francisco Casilla in the Espanyol goal.

The shots continued to rain in on Espanyol, who held Barcelona to a 1-1 draw last weekend, as Sevilla enjoyed all the possession with Piotr Trochowski going close from a free-kick and Reyes lifting a chance over the crossbar. At the other end Espanyol managed to carve out an isolated chance when Alvaro Vazquez, who was on target against Barca, almost surprised Sevilla with a long shot on 36 minutes.

Sevilla continued to advance with a slick passing game that produced attack after attack, the best chance falling to Spanish international Alvaro Negredo. Bottom club Zaragoza missed a great opportunity to make up ground when they could only draw 1-1 at home to Getafe. They had Mauricio Lanzaro to thank for a first-half lead after the Italian full-back powerfully headed home a corner on 38 minutes.

PALMA DE MALLORCA: Real Madrid’s French forward Karim Benzema tries to control the ball during the Spanish league football match between Mallorca and Real Madrid at the Iberostar stadium in Palma de Mallorca yesterday. — AFP However Zaragoza central defender Javier Paredes was unfortunate when a Pedro Leon corner struck him and landed over the line to give Getafe a share of the points

with 12 minutes remaining. The draw leaves Zaragoza stranded at the bottom, four points behind Sporting Gijon and five behind Villarreal.— AFP

Blackburn crawling out of relegation zone Blackburn 3

Fulham 1

LIVERPOOL: Liverpool’s Dutch striker Dirk Kuyt (down) vies with Stoke City’s English defender Jonathan Woodgate (up) during their English Premier League football match yesterday. — AFP

Liverpool frustrated in Stoke stalemate Liverpool 0

Stoke 0

LIVERPOOL: Liverpool slipped to a seventh home draw of the season as they were held to a goal-less stalemate by Stoke at Anfield. Along with Manchester City, the Reds have the only unbeaten record in the Premier League but they have managed to win just four of their 11 league games in front of their own fans.

With Luis Suarez suspended and Andy Carroll left on the bench, Liverpool struggled to create any real forward momentum from the start, with Dirk Kuyt playing on his own up front. Kuyt had not managed a league goal all season and the two players tasked with supporting him, Jordan Henderson and Stewart Downing, had only contributed one more between them. Tony Pulis’ Stoke were stubborn as always and although they are still looking for a first victory at Anfield since 1959, they will take a great deal of satisfaction from their point.

Stoke were the first to threaten, with Matthew Etherington driving wide from a Jon Walters knock-down. Kuyt’s habit of dropping deep and wide meant the Reds found it hard to get bodies into the area and their best early opening saw Jose Enrique clip over the top for Charlie Adam, who was denied by a fine sliding challenge by Wilson Palacios. From the Steven Gerrard corner that followed the ball glanced off an oblivious Adam at the far post but flew backwards. Stoke continued to look dangerous on the break and after play broke down on the edge of their area, Etherington poured forward and hit a powerful drive from just over 20 yards that was held by Pepe Reina.

Liverpool almost prised an opening

when Gerrard, who was making his first Premier League start at Anfield since October, fed Kuyt, whose clever pass almost ran for Glen Johnson into the area. The hosts showed more signs of life when Downing turned Glenn Whelan on half-way and burst forwards before drilling a shot just past the top corner from around 20 yards. Gerrard also tried his luck from around 30 yards, again failing to test Potters goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen. Stoke had no problem dealing with a Gerrard free-kick that was searching for Martin Skrtel before Henderson could only force a routine save from Sorensen with another long-range effort.

Liverpool showed no changes after the break but looked more dangerous when Johnson gathered from a Ryan Shawcross mistake, only to have his low stab at goal blocked by Marc Wilson.

Johnson also went close when he cut in from the right and drove narrowly wide of the post with his left foot. Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish responded to his team’s lack of bite by bringing on Carroll. But Dalglish was furious that the officials did not allow Carroll onto the pitch in time to defend an Etherington free kick that was almost turned in by Robert Huth. When Carroll came on, his first action was to go for a Gerrard corner, with the home fans claiming that he should have been given a penalty for Huth’s challenge.

As Liverpool finally built up some momentum, a fine lobbed cross to the far post saw Henderson thump a shot at goal only to see his effort blocked by Carroll. The hosts had two more serious penalty appeals for challenges on Carroll in the area. But when they finally created a decent chance, from an Enrique cross that glanced off Jonathan Woodgate, Kuyt headed wide of goal. The Dutchman also failed to guide another header on target at the far post as the hosts pressed and pressed. Skrtel also saw a downward header bounce up just over the bar from Craig Bellamy’s corner.—AFP

BLACKBURN: Blackburn moved out of the relegation zone for the first time in four months yesterday after overcoming an early red card to down Fulham 3-1. Rovers scraped out of the bottom three with an improbable victory after striker Ayegbeni Yakubu was sent off for a reckless lunge on Danny Murphy midway through the first half. The Nigerian striker ’s deserved dismissal suggested another grim afternoon was in store for the Ewood Park faithful, who have been demanding the sacking of manager Steve Kean since the start of the season.

But Morten Gamst Pedersen and David Dunn struck in the moments either side of half-time to give Blackburn a 2-0 lead and leave Rovers on course for what was only their fourth victory of the season. Former Blackburn idol Damien Duff pulled a goal back for Fulham to give the Cottagers hope of a comeback but Rovers held their nerve and secured all three points when

Mauro Formica struck on the counter-attack late on.

The win means Rovers move out of the relegation zone on goal difference at the expense of Queens Park Rangers, who face Newcastle today. Although Rovers could slip back into the bottom three if QPR avoid defeat against the Magpies, beleaguered Kean will be encouraged by the character his side displayed after Yakubu’s sending off. “It’s nice to be out of the bottom three. Today again the fans were great,” Kean said.

While Kean was unhappy with referee Anthony Taylor over his decision to send off Yakubu, who will now miss three games against Everton, Newcastle and Arsenal, Rovers refused to be blown off course by the setback.

Pedersen curled a low 20-yard free-kick past David Stockdale in first half stoppage time to put Rovers 1-0 up and then Dunn pounced inside the opening minute of the second half to make it 2-0. Fulham fought back gamely and Duff drove in from a tight angle to beat Paul Robinson and make it 2-1. But just as Fulham launched an onslaught in search of an equaliser, Rovers made sure of the win when Formica beat Stockdale from 12 yards after good work from Steven Nzonzi.—AFP

Morison sinks Baggies to send Canaries flying

BLACKBURN: Blackburn Rovers’ Ayegbeni Yakubu (left) tackles Fulham’s Danny Murphy which results in a red card during the English Premier League soccer match at Ewood Park yesterday. — AP

Anichebe eclipses Keane to earn Everton a point Villa 1

West Brom 1 Everton 1 Norwich 2

WEST BROMWICH: Promoted Norwich City consolidated their top-half status yesterday as a Steve Morison winner earned a 2-1 win at a West Bromwich Albion side now peering over their shoulders at the bottom five. The result left the visitors snug in ninth place in the Premier League table after just one defeat in their last seven league games. After a bright opening period that saw both sides hit the woodwork, Andrew Surman gave Norwich the lead by thumping home on the volley after being fed by Wes Hoolahan.

A Shane Long penalty mid-way through the second half-the 50th league goal of his careerbrought Roy Hodgson’s hosts level with their first goal in four league matches. Daniel Ayala conceded the spotkick by bringing down Jerome Thomas, earning a booking in the process. But Paul Lambert’s visitors showed gritty determination to withstand a spell of pressure after the break before Morison headed in from close range with 11 minutes remaining to clinch the points at The Hawthorns. West Brom had started positively enough, Peter Odemwingie producing a speculative effort that Norwich goalkeeper John Ruddy did well to push onto the crossbar. The Baggies were looking to complete the double over the Canaries, having won 1-0 at Carrow Road in September, with Odemwingie on target on that occasion. Norwich swiftly responded and almost took the lead with a bizarre effort as Baggies keeper Ben Foster cleared a loose ball that rebounded off Morison onto the post.

While the victors closed to within two points of Stoke City with 28 points from 21 games after their seventh win of the campaign, West Brom’s haul of 22 points is only five better than thirdbottom QPR, who are in action on Sunday at Newcastle United.—AFP

BIRMINGHAM: An equalizer from substitute Victor Anichebe earned Everton a 1-1 draw at Aston Villa yesterday that brought the hosts’ run of four consecutive home defeats to an end. The away side enjoyed the better of the first half at Villa Park but required Anichebe’s intervention to claim a share of the spoils after Darren Bent had put the hosts in front in the 56th minute. The result preserved the one-point gap between the teams in the league table and took both sides up a place. Everton ended the day in 10th and Villa in 12th.

Both sides had new Irish players in their ranks, with Darron Gibson starting in the Everton midfield following his move from Manchester United and Robbie Keane named on the Villa bench after signing on loan from Los Angeles Galaxy. Shay Given-another Irishman-made his return in the Villa goal after six weeks out with a hamstring injury, but his opposite number, Tim Howard, was the first goalkeeper to be tested as he repelled a free-kick from Stiliyan Petrov.

Given was soon called into action though, as Everton took control of the first half, and the former Manchester City man had to produce a superb low save after Louis Saha powerfully headed Leighton Baines’ free-kick towards goal. After Saha narrowly failed to connect with a cross from Keane’s LA Galaxy team-mate Landon Donovan, Given displayed marvelous reflexes to prevent Stephen Warnock from diverting the ball into his own goal.

The visitors were dominant, but Alex McLeish’s side ended the half with a flourish. Bent got up well to meet Warnock’s cross but could not keep his header down, while Howard had to touch a Gabriel Agbonlahor shot around the post after a purposeful run from the Villa forward. Everton quickly put the hosts on the back foot in the second half and again a Baines set-piece was the source of their discomfort, with Marouane Fellaini’s header parried in unorthodox fashion by Given.

However, it was Villa who took the lead, against the run of play, when Bent took Stephen Ireland’s pass and swiveled to finish from close range.

The England striker almost doubled his side’s advantage moments later, but Howard was equal to his header. In his push for an equalizer, Everton coach David Moyes introduced Anichebe from the bench and it took the Nigeria forward less than 10 minutes to find the target. — AFP

Matches on TV (Local Timings) ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE Newcastle v QPR Abu Dhabi Sports HD 3 Swansea v Arsenal Abu Dhabi Sports HD 3

16:30 19:00

SPANISH LEAGUE Atletico de Madrid v Villarreal Aljazeera Sport +2 Osasuna v Real Racing Aljazeera Sport +2 Athletic de Bilbao v Levante Aljazeera Sport +2 Sporting Gijon v Malaga Aljazeera Sport +8 Barcelona v Real Betis Aljazeera Sport +2 Aljazeera Sport 2 HD

14:00 18:00 20:00 21:45 23:30

ITALIAN LEAGUE SS Lazio v Atalanta Aljazeera Sport +1 Aljazeera Sport +3 Parma v Siena Aljazeera Sport +8 Juventus v Cagliari Aljazeera Sport +1 Genoa v Udinese Aljazeera Sport +6 Fiorentina v US Lecce Aljazeera Sport +5 Chievo Verona v Palermo Aljazeera Sport +4 AC Cesena v Novara Aljazeera Sport +7 AC Milan v Internazionale Aljazeera Sport +1 Aljazeera Sport 1 HD

14:30 17:00 17:00 17:00 17:00 17:00 17:00 22:45

FRENCH LEAGUE Marseille v Lille Aljazeera Sport +4

23:00

Stoke frustrate Liverpool 0-0

Nuggets hand Heat third straight loss

19

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SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012

Blackburn crawling out of relegation zone

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MANCHESTER: Manchester United’s Michael Carrick (right) scores against Bolton Wanderers during the English Premier League soccer match at Old Trafford yesterday. — AP

United blank struggling Bolton 3-0 Scholes on the mark as Utd keep the pace Man Utd 3

Bolton 0

MANCHESTER: Paul Scholes’ first league goal at Old Trafford in nearly three years vindicated the decision of Sir Alex Ferguson to call the Manchester United midfielder out of retirement as his side beat Bolton 3-0. With Scholes, 37, starting a game for the first time in eight months, and Danny Welbeck and Michael Carrick each scoring late in the second half, victory allowed United to move level on points with Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table. Scholes also eased the embarrassment of team-mate Wayne Rooney, who missed the perfect opportunity to put his side ahead midway through the first half from the penalty spot. That kick was awarded, after 21 minutes, when Zat Knight pushed

Welbeck in the back as the youngster raced onto Rooney’s through ball.

But the England centre-forward, who scored from his own missed penalty at Manchester City last weekend, struck a firm spot kick which Adam Bogdan, diving to his right, was able to push to safety. It took until the final minute of the first half for Scholes, and United, finally to turn their relentless pressure into a goal as the 37-year-old struck the 103rd league goal of his career and his first home league goal since scoring against Fulham in February 2009. Nani’s progress into the area was blocked but the ball broke for Rooney, who picked out Scholes with a far-post cross which the veteran converted from six yards.

United had been in the ascendancy from the first minute when Nani drove forward menacingly and placed a side-footed shot just beyond the far post. Then a slide-rule pass from Carrick found Welbeck beyond a Bolton back four without the services of £7 million Gary Cahill, who was at Chelsea having a medical ahead of his move south. Welbeck hit an accurate first-team shot and Bogdan did well to parry it and help steer the ball behind for a corner. United were gathering

momentum and, after a series of corners, Nani whipped in a dangerous low centre which Bogdan did well to push to safety with a onehanded dive. Rooney and Welbeck linked well as the former unleashed a 20-yard strike which deflected behind off Sam Ricketts and Nani’s corner was met by a superb Rooney header which Mark Davies cleared off the Bolton line. But Bolton seemed to have taken the steam out of United’s electric start and Rooney’s 38th minute 25-yard free-kick, easily gathered by Bogdan on his line, was needed to kick-start the Reds. Rooney followed up with a stinging shot which had Bogdan scurrying to the foot of his right-hand post and the goal finally allowed United some breathing space.

It might have been different for the struggling visitors, early in the second period, if David Ngog had not skied his shot hopelessly high and wide after good work and a short, intelligent pass from Mark Davies. Instead, United settled into what looked to be another dominant half, albeit a frustrating one for long periods. Patrice Evra headed wide from a Nani corner and Antonio Valencia launched a dangerous right-wing attack only to see his driven, near-post cross kept out by Bogdan. Rooney

summed up the frustration when he played a onetwo with Welbeck and rolled a shot inches wide from the edge of the Bolton area and the England forward was similarly denied just after the hour when he slid in at full stretch, from a Valencia cross, just missing the target.

There was also a moment of concern for United as Rafael was required to clear Gretar Steinsson’s header, from a Martin Petrov corner, off the line.

However, all United anxiety was banished 15 min-

EPL results/standings LONDON: English Premier League table after yesterday’s matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Man City Man Utd Tottenham Chelsea Arsenal Liverpool Newcastle Stoke Norwich Everton

Chelsea 1

Sunderland 0

LONDON: Fernando Torres failed to end his four-month Premier League goal drought but the striker could at least claim an assist for Frank Lampard’s flukey goal that gave Chelsea a narrow 1-0 victory over Sunderland at Stamford Bridge.

The Spain striker sent an acrobatic volley crashing against the bar before the ball found its way into the net off the knee of Lampard in the 13th minute.

That was enough to secure three valuable points that maintains Chelsea’s interest in the title race. But they were fortunate to hold onto the lead against spirited visitors who had a number of good opportunities to level and were left frustrated after a second half claim for a penalty was turned down. Chelsea had failed in their efforts to conclude the £7 million signing of Gary Cahill in time for the Bolton defender to feature in this match.

Instead, Cahill watched his new teammates from an executive box, having undertaken a medical on the morning of the game. That meant David Luiz and John Terry were again paired in central defense by Andre Villas-Boas while Torres led the attack in the absence of Didier

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Sunderland Aston Villa Swansea Fulham West Brom Wolverhampton Blackburn QPR Bolton Wigan

21 21 20 21 21 21 21 20 21 20

6 5 5 5 6 4 4 4 5 3

6 9 8 8 4 6 5 5 1 6

9 7 7 8 11 11 12 11 15 11

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24 27 23 29 30 37 44 35 46 41

24 24 23 23 22 18 17 17 16 15

Spurs forced to settle for draw

Chelsea cling on, down Sunderland Drogba, away on international duty with Ivory Coast. And initially it looked as though Villas-Boas might have cause to regret the failure to tie up the Cahill deal as the home backline struggled to cope with Sunderland’s vibrant start. Luiz betrayed his weakness for a rash challenge when he was shown a yellow card after upending Nicklas Bendtner and Chelsea keeper Petr Cech was tested by the resulting free kick from Sebastian Larsson.

Chelsea looked much sharper at the other end of the pitch with Torres in particular offering a greater threat than he has done in recent weeks. The striker set his sights on goal with an 11th-minute header that drifted narrowly wide. But the volley he produced two minutes later that set up Lampard’s goal was a reminder of the Spaniard’s best days at Liverpool before his troubled past 12 months. Torres connected sweetly with Juan Mata’s deep, right wing cross, only to see his effort hit the underside of the bar and bounce into the net off his team-mate’s knee.

Sympathy inevitably extended to Torres, who last scored a Premier League goal in September. Confirmation this would once again not be the striker’s day came midway through the second half when he was booked for diving only for television replays to show he was tripped

by Sunderland defender Phil Bardsley inside the visitors’ penalty area, Torres’ continuing frustrations, however, were a side issue for Villas-Boas, who was far more concerned with claiming three

utes from time when Rooney was tackled by David Wheater and the ball ran kindly into the area for Welbeck. He made no mistake with a clinical finish from 14 yards, although he was injured in a challenge by Ricketts in the process and could play no further part in the match. Carrick completed what had become a routine afternoon for the defending league champions after 83 minutes when he found space open before him and placed a 22-yard shot into the bottom left-hand corner.—AFP

Tottenham 1

Wolves 1

LONDON: Chelsea’s Spanish midfielder Juan Mata vies with Sunderland’s Swedish midfielder Sebastian Larsson (left) during the English Premier League football match yesterday. —AFP points. And once Chelsea had established the lead, Sunderland struggled to gain a foothold back in the game.

As long as the Blues failed to get the second goal, however, there was always the risk Martin O’Neill’s side could recover and Bendtner came within inches of leveling with a first time shot in the 33rd minute. Torres responded with a shot on the turn that also drifted wide and there was little doubt Chelsea ended the first period in control of the game. Sessegnon started the second half as he had the first with another testing run but Villas-Boas’ side quickly settled to dominate possession. But their continuing failure to find a finishing touch to their impressive approach work meant they continued to

live on their nerves, particularly when they suffered a double scare midway through the half.

First referee Phil Dowd decided Ashley Cole’s 58th minute barge into the back of Bendtner was not worthy of a spot-kick, prompting a furious reaction from the visitors’ bench. Then five minutes later James McClean missed a clear opportunity when he shot wide from six yards out after being picked out by Larsson’s low cross.

Chelsea escaped and Villas-Boas was able to introduce Michael Essien for the last 17 minutes as the midfielder made his first appearance of the season. Sunderland continued to press and Craig Gardner and Bendtner both missed good chances to level in the dying minutes.—AFP

LONDON: Tottenham Hotspur wasted a chance to move level on points at the top of the Premier League after being held to a frustrating 1-1 draw against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers yesterday.

Harry Redknapp’s in-form side would have joined leaders Manchester City and second-placed Manchester United on 48 points with a win at White Hart Lane. But Spurs were stunned as Steven Fletcher put Wolves ahead mid-way through the first half and, even though Luka Modric equalised after the break, the hosts were unable to find the crucial second goal.

Instead of underlining their title credentials, this unconvincing display suggested Spurs-who will be five points behind City if they beat Wigan Athletic tomorrow-may not be quite ready to challenge City and United. Tottenham had a flurry of early chances when Modric squirted a shot wide and then had a powerful effort blocked by a posse of Wolves defenders before he blazed over soon after. But Wolves, who remain one point above the relegation zone, opened the scoring in the 22nd minute in controversial circumstances.

The visitors were awarded a dubious corner when Kyle Walker was adjudged to have touched the ball on its way out despite the full-back insisting he did not.

Brad Friedel parried Roger Johnson’s header from the corner into the path of Fletcher and he made no mistake from close range. It was the first goal Spurs had conceded at home in 359 minutes and sparked a response from the hosts. Gareth Bale stung Hennessey’s hands with a low drive before Rafael van der Vaart fired over. Johnson blocked van der Vaart’s goal-bound effort and Modric volleyed at Wayne Hennessey as the Spurs onslaught continued.

Redknapp’s frustration got the better of him just before the break when he shouted angrily at a member of the Wolves bench for failing to return the ball to the field of play. The hosts thought they had equalized in first-half injury-time, but Emmanuel Adebayor’s toe-poke from six yards was ruled out for offside. Spurs’ frustration grew after Bale skied a shot from the edge of the area, but they were level moments later thanks to Modric. Van der Vaart skilfully turned in the box to square to Bale, who laid the ball off to the Croatian and he hammered home from 20 yards through a sea of defenders.

Aaron Lennon should have made it 2-1 moments later but he could only fire into Hennessey’s arms after the Wolves keeper had saved from Modric. Redknapp brought on Jermain Defoe for Lennon as he tried to find a way through. —AFP

China forecasts only 10% growth in foreign trade Page 23

US presses EU on Airbus trade rule compliance Page 25

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012

KSE stocks mixed amid uncertainty

Page 24

Saudis have enough oil to make up for Iran: Cantor Page 22 MINSK: A woman reads a newspaper as she passes by Belarusians selling home-grown vegetables at a street market in Minsk.

The euro-zone economy plunged back into crisis as France and Austria were stripped of their top triple-A credit ratings and S&P downgraded a swathe of debtladen EU members. — AP

Euro crisis deepens as S&P strikes Sarkozy to bet on reforms PARIS: The euro-zone economy plunged back into crisis as France and Austria were stripped of their top triple-A credit ratings and Standard and Poor’s downgraded a swathe of debtladen EU members. Only Germany escaped unscathed, as all other euro-zone members were either downgraded-some by two notches-or else warned their current ratings were being re-examined amid fears about sovereign deficits.

The loss of France’s much-prized triple-A credit rating three months from elections that will likely hinge on the handling of the economy is a bitter blow for French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who had made the top-notch grade a badge of honor. Sarkozy is likely to use the fact the Standard & Poor’s downgrade was not two notches, as happened to some other eurozone countries, as a way of drawing a line in the sand as he prepares a raft of reforms focused on growth.

Stuck with some of the lowest popularity ratings of any French president, Sarkozy rushed through two sets of austerity measures late last year in a last-ditch attempt to save the triple-A rating and keep down borrowing costs. S&P is only one agency; rivals Moody’s and Fitch have not issued the same downgrades, but the long-expected news hit the markets.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said yesterday Europe’s new pact to tighten economic integration must be implemented quickly while Europe still faced a “long road” ahead to restore investor confidence. “We are now called upon to implement quickly the fiscal pact, to implement it with determination... and

not try to again soften it,” she told reporters in the northern German city of Kiel.

“We are now called upon to implement quickly the fiscal pact, to implement it with determination... and not try to again soften it,” she told reporters. “The decision confirms my conviction that we in Europe still have a long road ahead of us until investor confidence is again restored,” she said. But since the start of the year, having apparently resigned himself to a downgrade, Sarkozy has switched his focus to growth, vowing to overhaul welfare financing, company labor charges and job flexibility, with plans for a so-called “Social VAT” to fund welfare and a tax on financial transactions.

France has 1.3 trillion euros ($1.65 trillion) of outstanding debt and will issue up to 178 billion euros in medium and long-term paper this year, net of buybacks, to cover its deficit and expiring debt. Economists say the cut to an AA+ rating may have a limited impact on debt-servicing costs, however, given historically low French yields.

Meanwhile, talks between private banks and Greece’s technocratic government on a managed write-down of Athens’ debt stalled, raising the prospect of a messy default in one of the euro-zone’s weakest states.

As news of the report card leaked out through the day the euro plunged to a 16month low against the dollar, on what was a grim Friday 13th for EU policy makers, and in particular for France’s President Nicolas Sarkozy. The euro dived as low as $1.2624, a level last seen in August 2010. By 2200 GMT the euro had rebounded only slightly to $1.2677 against $1.2816 the day before.

Spain vows to win back confidence MALAGA, Spain: Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy vowed yesterday to restore confidence in Spain’s finances and push for European reforms, after his was among several countries to receive a credit downgrade.

Rajoy reiterated his tough reform program and urged similar action by the EU, after Standard and Poor’s downgraded Spain and eight other EU countries including France, heightening concerns for the euro-zone’s stability. “What is in fashion today are things that Spaniards had never heard of before... risk premiums, ratings agencies, falls and rises,” Rajoy told a rally of his Popular Party in the southern Spanish city of Malaga.

“The government I lead knows per-

fectly well what must be done to improve Spain’s reputation and to create growth and jobs, and we are going to do it,” he added. “We also know what must be done in Europe, for this is not only our problem.” At a European summit on January 30, “I am going to take a clear, firm and convincing stand for the euro. I am going to say that all the countries of the European Union must make economic reforms,” he added. Spain has been the focus of concern in recent months by financial markets which fear it may fall victim to a debt crisis rattling Greece and Italy. Rajoy was elected in November 20 elections on promises of tough austerity measures to cut the public deficit and reassure investors.—AFP

• Merkel sees long road to growth

The euro also fell to 97.20 yen, the lowest level since December 2000. “Unfortunately the downgrades are bad for the short and long term outlook for the euro,” said Kathy Lien of Global Forex Trading. In a statement released after US markets closed, S&P said an EU fiscal pact agreed last year “has not produced a breakthrough of sufficient size and scope to fully address the euro-zone’s financial problems.” The statement said France and Austria’s top AAA rating had been cut by one notch to AA+ — with a negative outlook-while it left European powerhouse Germany unchanged at AAA, stable.

The US firm cut its long-term ratings on Cyprus, Italy, Portugal and Spain by two notches; Malta, Slovakia and Slovenia by one notch.

Belgium, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg and the Netherlands all had their current ratings confirmed, but were placed on “negative watch”-meaning they could be downgraded in due course.

“We affirmed the ratings on the seven eurozone sovereigns that we believe are likely to be more resilient in light of their relatively strong external positions and less leveraged public and private sectors,” said S&P. The ratings agency said the downgrade of France “...reflects our opinion of the impact of deepening political, financial, and monetary problems within the euro-zone.”

It said the outlook on the long-term rating on France is negative, which indicates that it believes that there is at least a one-in-three chance the rating could be lowered further in 2012 or 2013.

“It’s not good news but it’s not a catastro-

phe,” French Finance Minister Francois Baroin said, adding defiantly: “It’s not ratings agencies that decide French policy.”

The downgrade of Italy’s credit rating by two notches has made Rome even more determined to pursue reforms to tackle its debt crisis, a source in the prime minister’s office said.

“This valuation increases the Italian government’s determination to continue on the path undertaken... balancing the budget, structural reforms and growth measures,” the source told AFP. The decision to downgrade Spain’s credit rating was a “heritage of the past”, said a government source, who stressed the new government’s plans to kickstart the economy.

Germany spoke up to defend its weaker neighbors.

The S&P decision could also have a negative impact on the euro-zone’s debt bailout fund, which relies on the credibility of the six top-rated nations. A downgrade of the European Financial Stability Facility would increase its borrowing costs, making it harder for the EFSF to raise funds for a bailout.

“The shareholders of the EFSF affirm their determination to explore the options for maintaining the EFSF’s AAA rating,” eurogroup head Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker said in a statement. But a European official, noting France supplies one-fifth of the fund, said: “Now there is a risk the EFSF will lose its triple-A. It’s a real problem.” The downgrade could also force France’s borrowing costs up at a time when it has already been forced to implement a package of austerity measures to control its deficit and was a political humiliation for Sarkozy.—Agencies

Kuwait woos Indian investors NEW DELHI: A senior Kuwaiti official yesterday wooed big Indian companies to make investments in Kuwait and promised them various benefits like no tax for ten years and no need to enter into partnerships with Kuwaiti firms. “Indian investors are welcomed to make tax-free investments in Kuwait,” said Abdul Aziz Mishaan Al-Khalidi, the Undersecretary of Kuwaiti Ministry of Commerce and Industry, who attended an annual business summit organized in Hyderabad, the capital of India’s southern state of Andhra Pradesh. The Indian companies making investments in Kuwait would be free to enjoy 100 percent ownership, without entering into partnership with any Kuwaiti firm, said the visiting Under Secretary.

Al-Khalidi is leading a three-member Kuwaiti delegation at the Summit, including Nasir Nayif Al-Mutairi, the Director in the Under Secretary Office and Khalid

Muhammad Al-Azmi, the Controller of International Relations, to attend “ The Partnership Summit 2012”. Speaking to KUNA from Hyderabad, Al-Khalidi said: “The Indian companies investing in Kuwait would be at an advantage to reap hefty profits considering the strategic location of the Gulf country. For the first ten years no tax would be charged on such Indian companies. Later, a 15 percent tax would be imposed.” The Kuwaiti ambassador to India Sami Al-Sulaiman was also present for the occasion. On the sidelines of the Summit, the Kuwaiti delegation also met Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy.

The two sides discussed ways to increase the volume of bilateral trade. The Kuwaiti officials expressed their country’s desire to expand its investment in India. The Chief Minister offered his state’s readiness to facilitate the Kuwaiti investments in the major projects that have been announced by the state. —KUNA

Individuals dominate KSE in 2011: Report KUWAIT: Individuals were the larger trading group at Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) in 2011 with about 46.7 percent of the total value of sold shares and 42.2 percent of the total value of purchased shares, a specialized economic report showed.

The report, issued by Al-Shall Economic Consultants, added that individual investors sold shares worth KD 2.8038 billion and bought shares worth KD 2.5329 billion, thus becoming the bigger selling group with a total of about KD 270.9 million.

It pointed out that corporations and companies sector acquired 25.9 percent of total value of purchased shares and 20.3 percent of sold shares value.

The sector purchased shares worth KD 1.5587 billion and sold shares worth KD 1.2162 billion, with a net trading balance-more purchasing- by KD 342.5 million.

The clients’ accounts sector (portfolios) came third in contributions to market’s liquidity and acquired 22.3 percent of total value of sold shares and 21.6 percent of total value of purchased shares, the report noted.

The sector sold shares worth KD1.3399 billion and purchased shares worth KD 1.2958 billion, with a net trading -buying balance by KD44.1 million.

The report revealed that the last contributor to liquidity was the investment funds which took 10.7 percent of total value of sold shares and 10.3 percent of total value of purchased shares. The sector sold shares worth KD645.6 million and purchased shares worth KD 618 million, with a net trading balance-selling- by about KD27.5 million.

It also disclosed that KSE is still characterized by its continuation to be local with Kuwaiti investors forming the major group. They purchased shares worth KD5.516 billion (91.8 percent) of the total value of purchased shares. On the other hand, they sold shares worth KD5.407 billion (90.0 percent) of total sold shares. Thus, their net trading balance of value-buyingscored about KD 108.6 million. Share of others, out of the total value of sold shares, scored about 6.5 percent worth KD 391.4 million vis-‡-vis KD 337.5 million (5.6 percent) of total value of sold shares.

Their net trading value-selling scored about KD 53.9 million GCC investors’ share out of total value of sold shares formed about 3.4 percent worth KD 206. 8 million vis-vis 2.5 percent or KD 152.1 million for purchased shares by a net trading value-selling of about KD 54.7 million.

Comparing trading characteristics for the entire 2011 year, the relative distribution among nationalities remained almost the same as follows: 90.9 percent for Kuwaitis, about 6.1 percent for traders from other nationalities, and 3.0 percent for GCC traders. In other words, KSE remained local and with more investors from outside the GCC region than from within GCC, and with prevailing trading to individuals and not to corporations. —KUNA

22

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012

BUSINESS

Saudis have enough oil to make up for Iran: Cantor

Difficult co-worker?

Deal with it!

UAE could have excess capacity on line this year

Bayt.com report

WASHINGTON: Saudi Arabia says it has enough oil output capacity to meet global customers’ needs if new sanctions keep Iran from exporting oil, a top US Republican lawmaker said yesterday.

House of Representatives Majority Leader Eric Cantor spoke to Reuters by telephone from Europe after several days of meetings in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia. Saudi oil minister Ali Al-Naimi was among the officials he met. “The Saudi government indicated that it was ready and able to meet needs of its customers,” Cantor told Reuters. Saudi Arabia is the world’s largest oil exporter. Its top customers include the United States, Japan, China and South Korea.

Cantor was addressing concerns that oil shortages may arise from new sanctions in the offing against Iran by the United States and European Union, aimed at discouraging Tehran’s nuclear program. The United States has long embargoed Iranian crude, but has just approved new sanctions targeting Iran’s Central Bank, the main conduit for its oil revenues.

The European Union, which collectively buys about 500,000 bpd of Iranian oil, is expected to soon impose an embargo halting imports.

The goal of the West’s increased pressure on Tehran is to stop the

Islamic republic from building a nuclear weapon. Iran says its nuclear work is for peaceful purposes.

Cantor is the number two Republican in the Republicanmajority House of Representatives, after Speaker John Boehner.

During his tour of the Gulf region with several other US law-

tomers, excluding the exports of Iran,” he said.

Cantor said he would push for the speedy implementation of the new US sanctions on Iran’s central bank, and he favored Congress passing further measures to penalize Tehran if it does not stop its nuclear program.

“We don’t have time” to delay,

House of Representatives Majority Leader Eric Cantor makers, Cantor also met officials from Turkey, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). “They also expressed the ability to have excess capacity coming on line later this year, as well as the capacity it has online now,” Cantor said of oil producer UAE. “I think the consensus is that there is enough capacity in the region to meet the needs of cus-

he said. The measures Obama signed into law on New Year’s Eve would allow the president to sanction foreign banks that do business with Iran’s central bank. But they do not kick in for several months, and give Obama wide latitude to pull his punches and avoid imposing penalties.

As soon as the central bank sanctions passed Congress in

We are surrounded by diverse types of people in all facets of our lives; the workplace is naturally no exception.

Some co-workers can be agreeable, cooperative and responsive while others can fall under the “Difficult People” umbrella. Difficult can var y from being too picky, to failing to keep commitments, to over criticizing, etc...

Taking into consideration the fact that one spends at least a third of his/her day at the workplace means shrugging off feelings of unease is not really feasible as this would only impel stress levels to climb and eventually employee productivity to suffer.Bayt.com, the Middle East’s #1 Job Site, shares below Top Tips for dealing with difficult people at the workplace: Tip #1: Put yourself in your coworker’s shoes: Try asking yourself why your co-worker is being difficult.

What are the reasons behind his hostility/ insecurity/ under delivering?

Only once you develop a better understanding of where the other party is coming from and define what is affecting his/ her actions, will you be able to take this to the next level.

Fact: gathering as much information as possible in order to analyze the real problem is greatly recommended. Get in touch with other associates who have previously - or still do - interact with the difficult co-worker and get as much feedback as possible so that you can better review and assess the situation.

Tip #2: Maintain an open mind: Stay flexible while assessing the situation and observe it from all different angles. This will allow you to draw different scenarios that could be implemented (bearing in mind the end result should reflect a win-win situation for both ends). Fact: the way to do this is to not take it personally and to stay grounded. We all have our flaws and neither you nor your coworker can be “perfect”, so focus on the bigger picture rather than the minor details.

Tip #3: Communicate explicitly with your co-worker: Do not fret about being transparent and laying all your cards on the table. If a co-worker’s behavior is not one you can manage to tolerate, or one that you deem inappropriate or unfair, pointing it out politely, professionally and in private is absolutely acceptable. Fact: You can expect difficult people to strongly rebel at first and react with rage but rest assured, once they see where you’re coming from and realize this

December, the US House of Representatives passed another piece of legislation that would close some loopholes in existing sanctions and further choke off trade with Tehran.

The House bill included a provision that would deny entry to the United States of any ship that has recently visited a port in Iran, North Korea or Syria.

Similar legislation has been introduced in the Senate. A bipartisan sanctions bill could be considered in committee soon after senators return to work from a winter recess later this month, a Senate aide said on Friday. Some officials in the Middle East shared his sense of urgency about the need to stop Iran from getting the capacity to build nuclear weapons, Cantor said. “I think that the consensus is, no one wants Iran to be a nuclear power,” Cantor said.

However, some officials in the region “believe you can’t stop Iran from doing it, because the regime has nothing to lose,” Cantor said.

“What that tells me is everything has got to be on the table,” said Cantor, a hawk on defense issues, using language that implies the willingness to use military force as an option to deny Iran the means of developing an atomic bomb.

The Obama administration has said there are no options “off” the table. —Reuters

Saudi signs $8.2bn rail deal with Spanish group Saudi Oil Minister Ali Al-Naimi

Saudi ready to meet rise in oil demand DHAHRAN: Top oil producer Saudi Arabia is ready to meet any increase in consumer countries’ demand for crude oil, oil minister Ali Al-Naimi told reporters yesterday.

Saudi Arabia is “always obliged” to meet demand, Naimi said when asked whether the kingdom has enough spare capacity to cover demand in light of possible oil sanctions by the West on Iran’s crude oil sales. “Whatever customers want,” he said, without making a reference to the possible sanctions on OPEC-member Iran. The kingdom, now pumping just under a record rate of 10 million barrels per day (bpd), has poured billions of dollars into its vast oil fields, which on paper should ensure it has the ability to ramp up to 12.5 million bpd.

Some analysts have cast doubts over Saudi Arabia’s ability to sustain untested production levels of over 10 million bpd.

“We don’t take experts’ view into consideration. They can doubt as they want. Do you believe us or you believe skeptics? We have said many times that we meet customers’ demand. Period,” said Naimi. —Reuters

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia signed a contract worth 30.8 billion riyals ($8.2 billion) yesterday with a Spanish consortium to build a high-speed railway connecting Islam’s holiest cities, Mecca and Medina, with the port city of Jeddah.

Saudi Finance Minister Ibrahim Alassaf and Transportation Minister Jobarah AlSuraisry signed the agreement with Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo and Public Works Minister Ana Pastor. Al-Shoula consortium, which comprises Spanish companies including ADIF, RENFE and Talgo,

won the project last year after a long bidding process in which it competed with a French-led group.

The contract is for the second phase of the project involving track laying, electrification, operations and maintenance.

The world’s top oil exporter is rapidly expanding its rail network, laying lines to its northern cities and phosphate mines, and connecting its east and west coasts in addition to the Makkah-Madina line.

The new rail link is expected to improve transport connections during the annual Hajj pilgrimage. —Reuters

Kodak sues Fujifilm as stock slumps ROCHESTER, New York: Even as the specter of bankruptcy protection looms, Eastman Kodak Co is intensifying its efforts to defend its intellectual property.

In a lawsuit it filed here Friday against Fujifilm Corp., Kodak claimed some of its Japanese rival’s cameras infringe its digital-imaging technology. At the beginning of the week, Kodak sued Apple Inc. and HTC Corp. claiming some of their smart-

phones, tablets and other devices infringe Kodak patents related to transmitting images. The ailing photography pioneer has relied on patent licensing fees and lawsuits to collect $1.9 billion since 2008.

Kodak’s stock slumped Friday amid renewed fears that the 132-year-old business icon is preparing to seek bankruptcy court protection from its creditors. —AP

will work for not only your benefit, but also theirs (and the mutual projects you’re engaged in), they will cool down and give it serious thought - at the end of day, no employee wishes to see his, his team’s, or his department’s quality of work being negatively impacted by his own destructive behavior.

Tip #4: Agree to disagree: So he/ she does have points of weaknesses but he/she must also have areas of strength (otherwise, how can he/she possibly still be working with you in the office?) Praise assets and be honest about what you admire (explaining why) - and what you “dislike” (explaining the negative effect this has on both your jobs). Fact: All that “difficult people “may need at times is a simple nudge, a wake-up call to push them to take constructive action.

Tip #5: When nothing else works, resort to higher authorities: You do not, of course, expect change to happen overnight and your “co-working conscience” calls you to allow some time for your co-worker to absorb the situation you’ve discussed and work towards making it better. Are the months rolling by with no positive initiatives flickering in the air? Does it look like your serious and heartfelt conversation has not been acknowledged? That productivity levels are still deteriorating- as a result- rather than improving? Now is the time to refer to your superior. Fact: No manager wants to hear an employee complain, so do NOT be an office whiner!

Instead, have all your documented facts in hand and share them with your manager. You are concerned about the quality of work and not rushing to judge a mere personality trait that you simply are not fond of.

Once the management acknowledges this and once they realize that the company’s productivity is at stake, they will take the necessary measures!

Don’t let the blame factor find its way to your heart. You have done your part but the other party has not... which calls for further intervention.

Bayt.com is the #1 job site in the Middle East with more than 40.000 employers and over 6.750.000 registered job seekers from across the Middle East, North Africa and the globe, representing all industries, nationalities and career levels. Post a job or find jobs on www.bayt.com today and access the leading resource for job seekers and employers in the region.

EXCHANGE RATES Commercial Bank of Kuwait US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian Dollar Australian DLR Indian rupees Sri Lanka Rupee UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi riyals Omani riyals Philippine peso Egyptian pounds

.2730000 .4240000 .3520000 .2900000 .2710000 .2840000 .0040000 .0020000 .0756750 .7372770 .3810000 .0710000 .7227670 .0040000 .0430000

.2820000 .4350000 .3620000 .3020000 .2800000 .2940000 .0070000 .0035000 .0764350 .7446860 .4030000 .0780000 .7300310 .0072000 .0520000

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES US Dollar/KD .2787500 .2808500 GB Pound/KD .4269890 .4302060 Euro .3545700 .3572410 Swiss francs .2926200 .2948250 Canadian dollars .2737140 .2757760 Danish Kroner .0476790 .0480390 Swedish Kroner .0401870 .0404900 Australian dlr .2869450 .2891070 Hong Kong dlr .0358840 .0361540 Singapore dlr .2155670 .2171910 Japanese yen .0036270 .0036550 Indian Rs/KD .0000000 .0054540 Sri Lanka rupee .0000000 .0024730 Pakistan rupee .0000000 .0031310 Bangladesh taka .0000000 .0033920 UAE dirhams .0759230 .0764950 Bahraini dinars .7396840 .7452570 Jordanian dinar .0000000 .3972420 Saudi Riyal/KD .0743530 .0749130 Omani riyals .7243080 .7297650 Philippine Peso .0000000 .0064290

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka Philippine Peso Thai Baht Irani Riyal - Transfer Irani Riyal - Cash

ASIAN COUNTRIES 3.598 5.337 3.154 2.436 3.341 213.250 35.672 3.580 6.336 8.873 0.271 0.273

GCC COUNTRIES 74.150 76.402 722.230 738.540 75.715

Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham Egyptian Pound - Cash Egyptian Pound - Transfer Yemen Riyal/for 1000 Tunisian Dinar Jordanian Dinar Lebanese Lira/for 1000 Syrian Lier Morocco Dirham

ARAB COUNTRIES 47.500 46.282 1.272 189.860 392.670 1.865 6.003 33.814

EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 277.950 Euro 370.650 Sterling Pound 431.930 Canadian dollar 268.420 Turkish lire 153.940 Swiss Franc 300.620 Australian dollar 277.000 US Dollar Buying 277.750

Bahrain Exchange Company COUNTRY Australian dollar Bahraini dinar Bangladeshi taka Canadian dollar Cyprus pound Czek koruna Danish krone Deutsche Mark Egyptian pound Euro Cash Hongkong dollar Indian rupees Indonesia Iranian tuman Iraqi dinar Japanese yen Jordanian dinar Lebanese pound Malaysian ringgit Morocco dirham Nepalese Rupees New Zealand dollar Nigeria

SELL CASH 292.700 744.650 3.880 277.700 549.900 44.700 49.200 167.800 48.260 359.500 36.740 5.670 0.032 0.207 0.248 3.740 397.080 0.189 91.420 46.300 4.300 226.200 1.814

47.700 727.310 3.250 6.730 77.450 74.760 218.380 37.090 2.656 434.000 41.500 298.000 4.900 9.210 198.263 76.340 280.400 1.290

727.130 3.115 6.405 77.020 74.760 218.380 37.090 2.455 432.000 296.500 4.900 9.000 76.240 280.000

10 Tola

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 432.000 280.000

Sterling Pound US Dollar

SELL DRAFT 291.200 744.650 3.367 276.200

218.400 46.402 358.000 36.590 5.440 0.031

Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Euro Sterling Pound Japanese Yen Bangladesh Taka Indian Rupee Sri Lankan Rupee Nepali Rupee Pakistani Rupee UAE Dirhams Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Jordanian Dinar Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

294.18 279.54 301.32 362.39 432.61 3.70 3.356 5.438 2.457 3.410 3.118 76.20 744.65 46.39 398.28 727.57 77.20 74.75

293.00 280.00 305.00 362.00 435.00 3.70 3.750 5.640 2.660 4.250 3.260 76.85 745.00 48.50 398.00 728.00 77.50 75.00

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd 396.760 0.188 91.420 3.400 224.700

Rate for Transfer US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro Swiss Frank Bahrain Dinar

Selling Rate 278.500 275.585 436.990 366.765 298.040 737.505

UAE Dirhams Qatari Riyals Saudi Riyals Jordanian Dinar Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupees Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Pesso Cyprus pound Japanese Yen Thai Bhat Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit

75.800 76.445 74.225 392.025 46.238 2.441 5.241 3.106 3.401 6.331 683.150 3.675 8.935 5.865 3.370 92.510

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co.

GOLD 1,716.150

UAE Exchange Centre WLL

GOLD 315.500 159.000 81.500

20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

Norwegian krone Omani Riyal Pakistani rupees Philippine peso Qatari riyal Saudi riyal Singapore dollar South Africa Sri Lankan rupees Sterling pound Swedish krona Swiss franc Syrian pound Thai bhat Tunisian dollar UAE dirham U.S. dollars Yemeni Riyal

Currency Rate per 1000 (Tran) US Dollar 279.900 Pak Rupees 3.110 Indian Rupees 5.420 Sri Lankan Rupees 2.465 Bangladesh Taka 3.370 Philippines Peso 6.400 UAE Dirhams 76.295 Saudi Riyals 74.795 Bahraini Dinars 744.100 Egyptian Pounds 46.355 Pound Sterling 435.300 Indonesian Rupiah 3.190 Yemeni Riyal 1.550 Euro 361.800 Canadian Dollars 280.500 Nepali rupee 3.690

Al Mulla Exchange Currency Transfer Rate (Per 1000) US Dollar 279.550 Euro 360.500 Pound Sterling 431.300 Canadian Dollar 276.600 Japanese Yen 3.655 Indian Rupee 5.442 Egyptian Pound 46.330 Sri Lankan Rupee 2.454 Bangladesh Taka 3.270 Philippines Peso 6.389 Pakistan Rupee 3.113 Bahraini Dinar 744.150 UAE Dirham 76.150 Saudi Riyal 74.700 *Rates are subject to change

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012

BUSINESS

Indonesia rating upgrade to draw portfolio investment KCIC investment report KUWAIT: 2011 has been a difficult year for investors focusing on equities. However, four of the main members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand, saw their markets among the best performers globally. Indonesia, whose debt was rated at junk status, was among the few markets worldwide to yield positive returns in 2011.

Last month though, Fitch, one of the three main credit rating agencies, raised Indonesia’s sovereign debt rating back to investment grade, 14 years after the downgrade sanctioned in midst of the 1997 Asian financial crisis. According to Fitch, the resilient economic growth, the low and declining government debt and the prudent policy framework contributed most to the upgrading of Indonesia’s sovereign debt rating.

Now, the economy’s long-term foreign and local currency debt has been raised from BB+ to BBB-, the same level as India. While this upgrade of Indonesia’s sovereign debt rating was widely expected, most analysts predicted it to be some time in 2012. At this point, upgrades from the other two major rating agencies are expected to follow suit. A second upgrade from Standard & Poor’s (S&P), who has a positive outlook on Indonesia’s rat-

ings since April 2011, or Moody’s, could well reinforce Indonesia’s market performance. At a time where most economies are being downgraded, Indonesia should see its borrowing costs come down and investment inflows increase. 2012 is likely to be another good year for Indonesia.

The MSCI (Morgan Stanley Capital International) is a free float-adjusted market capitalization weighted index designed to measure the equity market performance of specific countries or regions. The standardized manner in which MSCI indexes are compiled makes it appropriate to use as means of comparison between countries/regions.

The graph above shows the performance of the MSCI indexes of Indonesia, Asia ex Japan, World and ASEAN-4 (Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia - elaborated by KCIC Research). With the ASEAN-4 markets all performing well in the past year, MSCI ASEAN-4 represents well the region’s equity performance for 2011.

By contrast, the more developed economies performed worse, as shown by the weaker MSCI World performance, saddled by the 80% weight of the G3 economies (US, EU and Japan) in its composition. Given the resilient coupling between Asia’s more developed markets and the G3, Asia ex Japan

also underperformed in 2011, as indicated by the MSCI Asia ex Japan 2011 figures. However, the ASEAN-4 economies are more domestic demand driven, which reduces their exposure to the G3 slowdown. But given their share weights less than 15% of MSCI Asia ex Japan, the positive performance of the ASEAN-4 could not have shaped the MSCI Asia ex Japan enough. Investing in ASEAN-4 equities in 2011, and Indonesian equities more specifically, yielded very strong returns compared to the world.

Now that Indonesia’s sovereign rating has been upgraded by Fitch to investment grade, there is even greater room for higher returns. With the rating upgrade, Indonesia is considered to be safer to invest in. For one, the economy’s borrowing costs will be lower. Secondly, the cheaper sovereign bond, which indicates a safer environment, opens the door to many funds who are only allowed to invest in investment grade markets. Overall, this should attract larger investment inflows. Foreign direct investments inflows are also expected to be robust in 2012, which should boost growth in infrastructure and set a path of solid growth ahead. A higher sovereign debt rating also means the increased possibility of Indonesian corporate rating

upgrades. S&P’s positive outlook is a sign of further positive developments ahead.

When they put Indonesia on positive outlook last April, S&P’s main reason not to upgrade the country’s status was inflation. However, inflation has been easing for four straight months now, making room for monetary stimulus, as seen in the last quarter of 2011 when the government cut its policy rate by 75bps in two months, the first time in two years. This should support economic activity by stimulating domestic demand. In the case that a second upgrade by either S&P or Moody’s to investment status takes place, the Indonesian market will become an even more attractive place to invest, as some funds require the investment rating to be set by at least two of the major agencies. Then, a greater number of investors should enter the Indonesian market which should support positive returns in Indonesia’s equity markets. Given most of the sovereign ratings are getting downgraded, Indonesia can easily become a safe-haven in a weakening global market, which could be a very profitable country to invest in for any global fund, including ones from the GCC. — Prepared by Camille Accad, economist at KCIC, an investment firm specializing in emerging Asia investments.

China forecasts only 10% growth in foreign trade Official says 2012 to be tough year

ANKARA: People set on fire payroll documents during a protest against the government economic policy in Ankara yesterday. — AFP

S&P downgrade of Italy problematic: ECB VIENNA: Standard & Poor’s two-notch downgrade of Italy’s debt rating poses problems given large refinancing needs this year in that country and its banks, European Central Bank policymaker Ewald Nowotny said.

S&P on Friday cut the ratings of Italy, Spain, Portugal and Cyprus by two notches and the standings of France, Austria, Malta, Slovakia and Slovenia by one notch each. That put highly indebted Italy on the same BBB+ level as Kazakhstan. Asked in an interview broadcast by Austrian radio yesterday if Italy was “problem child number one”, he said: “In a certain sense, yes, because we know this year Italy has a very significant refinancing need. Italian

banks also need refinancing. “In normal times this is all possible, in very nervous and difficult times it can be a problem and in my view this sharp downgrade of Italy is probably one of the most difficult and problematic aspects of this sweeping blow from the ratings agency.”

Nowotny, who is governor of Austria’s central bank, said he did not think Austria’s losing its top rating from S&P would have any serious immediate consequences, noting markets normally look to see whether at least two agencies downgrade a country. But he added: “It cannot be ruled out that there is a deterioration in Europe overall and this could probably affect Austria.” — Reuters

SOFIA: A protester shouts slogans during a rally against the exploration work of shale gas in central Sofia yesterday. The country’s reserves are estimated at between 300 billion and 1 trillion cubic metres of shale gas, Energy Minister Traicho Traikov had said citing data by companies willing to explore. — AFP

France downgrade widens Europe’s North-South schism BRUSSELS: The debt downgrade of France has widened a gulf between Europe’s North and South, leaving Paris politically weaker and Berlin stronger amid tough negotiations to resolve the euro-zone crisis. For months Germany, Europe’s top economy, has sought to impose its frugal philosophy on euro-zone partners while French President Nicolas Sarkozy served as a counterweight to Chancellor Angela Merkel’s hard line.

Merkel “was already leading the dance in Europe on economic issues,” a minister from a European country told AFP on condition of anonymity.

“She will be able to do that even more now.”

Although Sarkozy shares Merkel’s view that the euro-zone needs to tighten budget discipline, the two leaders have not always seen eyeto-eye on how strict the new rules should be.

Germany’s fiscal orthodoxy is shared by the Netherlands and Finland, while France has counted on the support of southern nations like Italy to cool the fervor of their thrifty northern neighbors.

While the widely anticipated ratings cut may have a limited impact on the French economy, it could have a political price for Sarkozy now that his country is out of the exclusive club of AAA-rated nations. Friday’s downgrade comes as the French leader, unpopular at home, faces a tough presidential election in three months.

“Germany comes out as a clear winner and

will have its position at the negotiating table strengthened even further,” Royal Bank of Scotland analysts wrote in a note to clients.

“Likewise, France’s position at the European negotiating table is likely to be weakened vis-‡vis Germany. This might render future negotiations surrounding fiscal integration even more difficult,” they wrote. EU leaders agreed at a summit last month to write a new fiscal pact to deepen economic integration and reinforce budgetary discipline across the bloc, but governments are divided over the degree of automaticity of sanctions against deficit sinners.

France and other nations battled in recent negotiations to make sure that the new treaty would not give the European Court of Justice the power to sanction nations that violate the budget rules.

Germany and France have also clashed on the role of the European Central Bank, with Berlin rejecting French calls for the ECB to act as a lender of last resort to help distressed nations.

In addition, Merkel and her northern allies have been reluctant to increase their contributions to the euro-zone’s bailout fund. An EU official said the next summit promises to be even more complicated than usual following the S&P downgrade, which “sharpened the differences” between euro-zone states.—AFP

BEIJING: China is predicting sharply slower foreign trade growth of about 10 percent year-onyear in 2012 as officials forecast “grim” export prospects, the official Xinhua news agency said yesterday. The forecast growth for the year ahead by China’s top financial planning agency is far slower than the 22.5 percent growth achieved in 2011 when the nation’s foreign trade hit $3.64 trillion, Xinhua said, citing customs data.

The prediction by Zhang Xiaoqiang, deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission, was in line with an earlier commerce ministry prediction that foreign trade would grow 10 percent a year to hit $4.8 trillion by 2015. “We expect more difficulties in foreign trade and the export situation will be grim in 2012, especially in the first half of the year,”

Xinhua quoted Zhang as saying at a forum here yesterday. Zhang said China, the world’s largest exporter, would suffer from weak external demand, rising trade competition and disputes, the appreciation of its yuan currency and rising costs for domestic enterprises, Xinhua reported.

The United States has long argued that China’s decision to keep the yuan artificially low in value fuels a flow of cheap exports that helped send the US trade deficit with China to more than $270 billion in 2010.

Zhang said China’s foreign trade growth had already slowed over the past few months, noting that export growth in December fell to 13.4 percent, which was 24.2 percent slower than growth in the same month in 2010. Zhang suggested Beijing stabilize export growth by improving policies governing tax rebates and

insurance and by raising financial support for small companies.

He said Beijing should boost imports, whose growth was 11.8 percent in December, nearly 40 percent slower than a year earlier, by reducing tariffs on some energy products, raw materials, advanced technologies and key components.

Chinese leaders have pledged to boost domestic demand to counter weakening overseas demand for its exports, a key driver of the country’s economy. Commerce Minister Chen Deming said last month China would move to “stabilize” its exports in 2012.

A Chinese government researcher also said last month that export growth would slow sharply this year, which could drag gross domestic product expansion below nine percent for the first time in more than a decade. — AFP

Greek debt talks stall, raise risk of default ATHENS: Greece’s talks with private bank creditors on a critical debt writedown stalled, raising the risk of a messy default that would plunge the euro-zone into an even deeper crisis. Prime Minister Lucas Papademos said his country faced “acute economic dangers” without the writedown deal, which would wipe off 100 billion euros ($127 billion) from Greece’s massive debt burden and help unlock further international bailout aid.

“We are fully aware of how critical the situation is,” Papademos told a dinner hosted by the Greek-German chamber of commerce, with Greece in acute need of a deal and fresh funds as its next big debt repayment looms in March. “Until the (debt write-down talks) are complete and the new loan agreement is voted, the country continues to face acute economic dangers,” he said. Papademos was speaking shortly after the private bank creditors group said it had “paused” the talks with Greece after failing to agree with the government on the terms of the deal.

“Under the circumstances, discussions with Greece and the official sector are paused for reflection on the benefits of a voluntary approach,” the Institute of International Finance (IIF) said. It added that the talks had failed to produce a “constructive consolidated response by all parties.”

The proposed deal would have seen banks taking a voluntary 50-percent “haircut” on their Greek debt, which would remove about 100 billion euros from Athens’ massive debt burden that currently exceeds 350 billion. The writedown is needed to unlock a euro-zone bailout offering another 130 billion in loans to Greece, which has already used up two-thirds of the 110-billion-euro rescue package it received from the European Union and International Monetary Fund in May 2010.

The writedown and fresh bailout funds would be a major step toward avoiding a full blown default when Greece next has major bond repayments due in March. A source close to the negotiations said Friday there was a risk the talks could break down. The IIF statement was sharply more negative than earlier comments from the Greek government, which said that talks would resume next week, probably on Wednesday.

Greek officials later said a deal was still possible.”I am certain we can bridge the differences,” Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos said in an interview with the Financial Times. “I remain strongly committed and confident.

Rationality will prevail because this initiative is of common interest to Greece, its private creditors and for all its institutional partners,” he said. Papademos and Venizelos met Friday with Charles Dallara, IIF managing director and Jean Lemierre, a senior advisor to France’s BNP Paribas bank.

Greek media reported Friday that a disagreement had surfaced on the interest rate of new government bonds that would be issued in return for the maturing debt being phased out under the planned deal.

The Kathimerini newspaper said private sector negotiators want the new bonds to pay interest of around five percent, whereas Greek officials are only willing to agree to a level of around four percent. There are also concerns that not enough private bondholders will sign up to the deal, with a source close to the negotiations saying Greece has secured less than 70 percent support. That would be insufficient to meet the targeted 100 billion euros in writeoffs required to bring the country’s debt levels down to 120 percent of GDP by 2020 from over 160 percent at the moment. As a result, media and experts have speculated that the euro-zone may need to extend even more financial aid to Greece than already envisaged.—AFP

LAGOS: Vendors display their vegetables for sell but complain of low patronage because of hike in pump price that has affected cost of food stuff at Mile 12 market in Lagos yesterday.

Labor has suspended a five-day strike to dialogue with the government and allow protesters stockpile foods and water for indefinite strike beginning from Monday. — AFP

Nigeria unions to meet president on fuel strike ABUJA: Nigerian unions will meet President Goodluck Jonathan to try to defuse a row over the removal of fuel subsidies that has paralyzed the economy and raised fears of a shutdown of its oil industry, a presidency spokesman said.

Strikes and protests brought the country to a standstill last week and workers in the vital 2 million barrel-per-day oil industry have threatened to halt production.

Presidency spokesman Reuben Abati said by telephone that the meeting was scheduled to start at 6 pm (1700 GMT). Unions will meet members’ representatives in the capital Abuja at 2 p.m. (1300 GMT) to agree a negotiating position ahead of the talks with Jonathan at the presidency, said Owei Lakemfa, general secretary of the National Labor Congress.

“We’ll review the situation of the past one week, and set a fresh mandate for those who would represent labor in the talks in the (presidential) villa today,” he told Reuters. Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets and staged strikes for five straight days in protest against the removal of a fuel subsidy on Jan. 1, which more than doubled the pump price to 150 naira ($0.93) per litre from 65 naira before.

Unions have suspended strike action for the weekend, pending talks on Saturday in which they and the government are expected to reach some kind of agreement. If they do not, strikes will continue next week. “The government’s expectation is that today’s meeting will bring an end to the whole crisis so that the nation can move forward,” a senior source at the presidential villa told Reuters.

Officially, the unions’ negotiating position has been to accept nothing less than 65 naira, although they are expected to soften their

stance. One possibility is an agreement on a higher but still heavily subsidized price, which would leave the government with a continuing major burden on public finances. Another is that the government agrees to reinstate the subsidy fully, but then aggressively phases it out from April, as was originally planned before the shock axing of it on Jan 1.

That would be unlikely to please the unions. “In the alternate scenario ... the two sides are unable to bridge the negotiating gap in so little time,” said Eurasia Group’s Philippe de Pontet in a research note late on Friday.

“This is both because of union intransigence and because factions around President Jonathan think the non-union participation in strikes will start to dissipate next week ... that strike fatigue will set in among ordinary Nigerians.”

Central Bank Governor Lamido Sanusi told Reuters on Thursday the strikes were costing Africa’s second biggest economy around $600 million a day.The confrontation is a serious setback for Jonathan, already under fire for failing to quell an increasingly violent Islamist insurgency in the north. Most fuel price demonstrations have been peaceful but at least three protesters have been shot dead by police. A police officer has been arrested for shooting dead a man in Lagos.

Industry officials doubt unions can stop crude oil exports completely because production is largely automated and Nigeria has crude stored in reserves, but even a minor outage could have a significant impact on the economy. Nigeria is a key supplier to the United States, Europe and Asia. Crude oil exports account for more than 90 percent of foreign exchange earnings and 80 percent of government revenues. — Reuters

24

business

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012

KSE stocks mixed amid uncertainty

BAYAN WEEKLY MARKET REPORT KUWAIT: Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) ended last week with variance on its indices performance. The price index ended last week with an increase amounted to 0.35%, while the weighted index decreased by 0.11% compared to the closings of the week before. Furthermore, last week’s average daily turnover increased by 34.75%, compared to the preceding week, reaching KD 22.49 million, whereas trading volume average was 22.49 million shares, recording increase of 85.24%.

The selling pressure continued to dominate the market during last week, especially on Banking and Services sectors. On the other hand, speculations and quick profit taking were present; both of them concentrated on small stocks, especially on Real Estate and Investment sectors. In addition, some selective buying deals were done, especially on the leading stocks, which supported the market, and helped it lighten its losses.

By the end of the week, the price index closed at 5,764.9 points, up by 0.35% from the week before closing, whereas the weighted index registered a 0.11% weekly loss after closing at 398.86 points.

Five of KSE’s sectors ended last week in the green zone, while the other three recorded declines. Last week’s highest gainer was the Non Kuwaiti Companies sector, achieving 1.28% growth rate as its index closed at 5,209.9 points. Whereas, in the sec-

ond place, the Services sector’s index closed at 13,110.6 points recording 1.22% increase.

The Food companies sector came in third as its index achieved 0.76% growth, ending the week at 4,236.6 points. The Investment sector was the least growing as its index closed at 3,539.6 points with a 0.38% increase.

On the other hand, the Insurance sector headed the losers list as its index declined by 1.39% to end the week’s activity at 2,596.2 points. The Industry sector was second on the losers’ list, which index declined by 1.12%, closing at 4,099.3 points, followed by the Banks sector, as its index closed at 11,210.2 points at a weekly loss of 0.44%.

Sectors’ Activity The Services sector dominated total trade volume during last week with 433.73 million shares changing hands, representing 35.96% of the total market trading volume.

The Investment sector was second in terms trading volume as the sector’s traded shares were 26.88% of last week’s total trading volume, with a total of 324.18 million shares. On the other hand, the Services sector’s stocks where the highest traded in terms of value; with a turnover of KD 42.23 million or 37.54% of last week’s total market trading value. The Investment sector took the second place as the sector’s last week turnover of KD 25.11 million represented 22.33% of the total market trading value.

Market Capitalization KSE total market capitalization declined by 0.12% during last week to reach KD 28.07 billion, as five of KSE’s sectors recorded an increase in their respective market capitalization, whereas the other three recorded declines. The Non Kuwaiti Companies sector headed the growing sectors as its total market capitalization reached KD 1.65 billion, increasing by 1.24%. The Investment sector was the second in terms of recorded growth with 0.52% increase after the total value of its listed companies reached KD 2.08 billion.

The third place was for the Services sector, which total market capitalization reached KD 6.93 billion by the end of the week, recording an increase of 0.44%. The Real Estate sector was the least growing with 0.20% recorded growth after its market capitalization amounted to KD 1.69 billion.

On the other hand, the Insurance sector headed the decliners list as its total market capitalization decreased by 1.36% to reach, by the end of the week, KD 301.28 million.

The Industry sector was second on this list, which market value of its listed companies declined by 1.17%, reaching KD 2.13 billion, followed by the Banks sector, as its market capitalization amounted to KD 12.58 billion at a 0.55% decrease.

For further details, please visit our web site: www.bayaninvest.com

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012

business

Europe, earnings reports stifle stocks WALL STREET WEEKLY REPORT NEW YORK: US markets turned in another week of gains on Friday but economic turmoil in Europe, new tensions in the Gulf and disappointing early earnings reports put a damper on the bulls. Share prices jumped on Tuesday after Alcoa, usually the first out the door for earnings season, beat analysts’ expectations despite its tepid fourth quarter report.

But the markets went sideways the rest of the week, with a drop on Friday in part on JPMorgan Chase’s disappointing results for the period, and also tied to S&P’s credit rating downgrade of France, Italy, Spain and six other euro-zone countries. For the week the Dow Jones Industrial Average of blue chips was up 0.50 percent to end at 12,422.06. The broader S&P 500 added 0.88 percent to 1,289.09, while the Nasdaq Composite closed the week with a 1.36 percent gain to 2,710.67.

The week was clouded by rising ten-

sions over Iran’s threat to block the Hormuz Straits and worries that tightening sanctions on the country could send crude prices soaring. But the euro-zone worries also sent investors flooding into dollars, pushing up the greenback, pushing down US bond prices, and benefiting the stock markets as well.

The euro fell about one percent over the week, to $1.2677, while the yield on the ten year Treasury bonds slipped to 1.85 percent from 1.96 percent.

“It was again a subdued week, with just Alcoa and JPMorgan’s disappointments starting the results period,” said Evariste Lefeuvre of Natixis. “Globally we have the feeling that, the euro-zone apart, the world economy is not too bad.”

Marc Pado of Cantor Fitzgerald said the steady rise over the first two weeks of the year was a good sign for the markets. “It shows that investors are buying for the longer haul, buying in economically sensi-

tive groups which proves that they would have to expect an improvement of the economy in 2012.” “We are acting like the economy is improving. Even though we went through a rough patch, it is still getting better and that’s a big takeaway here,” he added. The week saw mixed data on the US economy, but ended with an unexpected boost in the University of Michigan Consumer Confidence Index, the fifth rise in a row.

Traders in the upcoming week will be weigh more expected euro-zone turmoil against more earnings reports and new US data: producer prices and industrial production in December (Wednesday); consumer prices and housing starts in December (Thursday); and sales of existing homes (Friday). “I expect the market to be trendless,” said Hugh Johnson of Hugh Johnson Advisors. “My expectation: the earnings news will be good and the news from Europe will be bad.” — AFP

NEW YORK: Warren Meyers (left) works with fellow traders on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Another set of solid Italian bond auctions on Friday helped sustain the recent optimism in the markets that Europe’s debt crisis has calmed down somewhat, though investors think there’s still a long way before the situation stabilizes. —AP

US presses EU on Airbus trade rule compliance Both sides meet in Geneva to avert showdown

GRAPEVINE: An American Airlines aircraft at a Terminal D gate at DallasFort Worth International Airport, in Grapevine, Texas. Rival airlines are looking at the carrier, now in Chapter 11 bankruptcy, as a takeover candidate, reports say. American says it wants to stay independent. But another path is for the company to sell itself to a suitor. —AP

In bankruptcy, AMR becomes hot topic DALLAS: With the worst recent financial record in the industry and poisonous labor relations, American Airlines wasn’t a very attractive target for buyers. That view is changing now that American and parent AMR Corp are reorganizing under the bankruptcy process at the same time that most other airlines have returned to profitability.

Mergers have reduced competition and helped drive up fares. Suddenly, American Airlines is in play. US Airways Group Inc. has hired advisers to study AMR, according to a source familiar with the situation, and reports say that Delta Air Lines Inc and buyout firm TPG Capital are also weighing bids.

None of the companies would comment.

Industry insiders expect every major US airline to take a look at AMR. Despite losing money every year since 2008 and missing out on the airline merger mania of the past few years, American is still the world’s third-biggest carrier by passenger traffic. In bankruptcy, AMR could shed billions in debt, reduce its costs and still afford new planes - a trifecta that has caught the eye of rivals. “Everybody has to be thinking about how to deal with AMR in two years,” said Darryl Jenkins, a consultant who has worked for airlines on previous mergers.

“They will be the most efficient carrier with a new fleet. They’re going to be very desirable.” AMR’s CEO has said the best course for American is to remain independent. But if another airline makes an offer that sounds good to creditors and the bankruptcy judge, then it could make more sense for AMR to simply sell itself. Wolfe Trahan & Co analyst Hunter Keay put the chances of AMR emerging from bankruptcy as a stand-alone airline at no better than 20 percent. He thinks that with Delta’s access to borrowing and US Airway’s connections to deep-pocketed TPG, there could even be a bidding war for AMR. Several other airlines or other suitors could pursue AMR. Each combination would carry its own pros and cons: US Airways would get needed size. In the last few years, it failed in bids to buy or merge with Delta and United and now finds itself the nation’s fifth-largest airline.

“The combination that makes the most sense is US Airways with American because they both need a bigger presence to appeal to business travelers,” said Saranthi Syth, an analyst for Raymond James Financial Inc. The US Airways hub in Philadelphia could help American expand service from the eastern US to Europe and take pressure off American’s trans-Atlantic bottleneck at New York’s Kennedy Airport, said Bob McAdoo, an airline analyst for Avondale Partners. Other analysts, however, said US Airways wouldn’t offer much help in key markets such as Asia, where American is weaker than United and Delta. Its hubs, including Charlotte, NC, and Phoenix, are in the kind of secondary cities from which American has been retreating.

And such a deal would merge two airlines with already poor labor relations and pilots represented by different unions. US Airways has not yet discussed a merger

directly with American, but has hired investment adviser Jim Millstein and Barclays Capital to study how a deal might look, a source with knowledge of the situation said. This person requested anonymity because the status of the airline’s examination of American has not been publicly disclosed.

Delta would love to get American’s routes in Latin America, but analysts think a combination of these two would be too big to win regulatory approval without major divestitures - both are already big in New York, for example. That has some experts thinking that Delta is only interested in cherry- picking parts of AMR if it is broken up. United Continental Holdings Inc., the world’s biggest airline, would benefit by adding American’s operations at London’s Heathrow Airport. But a United bid would face the same - or even tougher regulatory scrutiny than a Delta offer, and the company is still busy absorbing Continental. But few would be surprised if United is intrigued.

“If Delta is going to take a look at AMR, United will take a look at AMR,” said Sterne Agee analyst Jeff Kauffman. TPG Capital would have one advantage: not being an airline, it would presumably face fewer regulatory hurdles. It has worked amicably with AMR and its new CEO. But it’s not clear how a buyer that’s not an airline will help boost AMR revenue and some analysts don’t believe TPG will be a serious bidder in the end. American’s labor unions, despite a history of poor relations with management, are wary of a takeover. James C Little, president of the Transport Workers Union, which represents American’s mechanics and other ground workers, said he fears that a buyer would send aircraft-overhaul work overseas. American employees do most of that work in the US, while rival airlines have outsourced it.

For now, at least publicly, American Airlines is taking the position that it would prefer to remain independent. New CEO Thomas Horton, in a letter to employees two weeks after the bankruptcy filing, said “opportunists” might try to buy the company while it’s down but that “the best path for American is the one that leads us back to the top.” McAdoo, the Avondale analyst, thinks American will most likely remain independent because its labor unions and new CEO might prefer that to being bought by another airline that has its own unions and CEO. “Here’s a guy (Horton) who just got promoted to CEO,” McAdoo said. “Is he going to want to give up that title, and pair up with a company where he isn’t the CEO?” Gordon Bethune, a former Continental Airlines CEO who evaluated offers for Delta during that airline’s bankruptcy, said AMR greatly helped its chances of remaining independent by filing for Chapter 11 when it still had $4 billion in cash - enough to buy time. “They don’t need financing,” Bethune said. “They don’t need to go begging and get involved with somebody they don’t want to get involved with.” Airlines Writer Joshua Freed in Minneapolis contributed to this report. — AP

WASHINGTON: The United States pressed the European Union for hard evidence that it has complied with a trade ruling on subsidies to planemaker Airbus in a showdown that could kick off the next stage in the world’s largest and costliest trade dispute. Officials from both sides said they met in Geneva to review the EU’s response to a ruling by the World Trade Organization that the EU gave billions of dollars of unfair aid to Airbus, harming the interests of rival Boeing Co. The EU’s trade spokesman confirmed the two sides had held formal consultations but made no further comment. Afterward, the WTO announced on its website that an arbitrator had been appointed to assess the EU’s compliance plan.

The EU said last month that it had complied with the request to repair European government loans deemed to contain subsidies, but it has not detailed its response to the 1,000-page trade

ruling in as much depth as its opponents would like.

Washington rejected the plan and said it could ask for sanctions totaling as much as $7 billion to $10 billion annually.

Speaking during the Geneva meeting on Friday, a senior US official said it wanted proof from the EU that it had rolled back subsidies for Airbus. If not satisfied, it would ask for a arbitrator to decide if the EU had complied, the official said.

Once that assessment is made, the EU could face a second arbitration over the amount of sanctions the United States is entitled to impose to offset the damage done to Boeing by European subsidies for Airbus, US officials say.

Maggie Bergsma, a spokeswoman for Airbus, dismissed the action on Friday as just a “further procedural step” in a case that began in 2004 and “will continue for years before any party can raise a sanctions request.”

The EU is awaiting the results of an appeal in a countercase in

which the WTO found that the United States had also given unfair aid to Boeing through research or tax arrangements.

The two sides have squabbled for years over mutual accusations of aid to their aircraft industrieswhich involve several hundred thousand jobs, including suppliers-and cannot even agree over the scope of their dispute.

Washington wants Airbus to back down from using government loans for its next aircraft, the A350; but the EU says it is not covered by the case, and any loans would comply with WTO rules. Due to be delivered later this decade, the A350 competes against Boeing’s carbon-composite 787 Dreamliner. Speaking to analysts last month, the chief executive of Airbus parent EADS hinted for the first time that the company could eat into its cash pile rather than tap new loans, which were intended mainly to share out the development risk. “ We have already sold 570 A350s; it means the risk is much

more limited than at the beginning of the program and perhaps ... we have to look at your question to see if now there are not more advantages to investing our cash in the A350 development instead of getting reimbursable loans. That is clear; that is a question,” CEO Louis Gallois said.

“For the time being we have chosen to stick to reimbursable loans, which are not unfair subsidies because there is absolutely no subsidy content in them, and that has been recognized by the WTO, and we don’t want to lose this instrument, because we could need it in the future,” he said, according to a recording released on the EADS website.

Airbus officials say the loan system was not itself faulted by the WTO and will be used for the A350 on WTO-compliant terms.

Boeing says that every jet developed by Airbus has benefited from flawed loans and that only abolishing them would be sufficient. — Reuters

Deere CEO’s pay up 35% after strong results

NEW YORK: Winter jackets are on sale at Timberland in New York. Stores are supposed to be in the throes of clearing out cold weather items like coats and wooly sweaters to make room for spring receipts. Instead, unusually mild temperatures across a broad swath of the country has left them with mounds of winter merchandise they’re trying to get rid of at rock bottom prices, a move that’s taking a toll on profits.—AP

S&P’s Europe downgrades make Treasurys a hot buy NEW YORK: Investors snapped up US Treasurys and ditched European debt Friday after Standard & Poor’s downgraded France’s credit rating and appeared ready to hit other European nations.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury note plunged to its lowest level this year as demand intensified for safer investments.

Traders sold stocks and European sovereign debt, raising borrowing costs for nations such as Italy and Spain. The French finance minister said that S&P had reduced France’s credit rating by one notch, to AA+.

That’s the same rating that the US has held since S&P downgraded it in August.

Rumors circulated through financial markets that downgrades of other European nations would follow. In another fretful sign, US exports to Europe plunged nearly 6 percent in November. Exports to other parts of the world declined more modestly. Sales to Europe are slowing because the region’s economy has slowed to a crawl and its currency has weakened.

The euro fell to a 17-month low against the dollar. Traders buy dollars to get access to the market for US Treasurys, and the euro’s decline was partly a symptom of high demand for American debt.

The downgrades could escalate Europe’s financial crisis by increasing borrowing costs for nations already struggling with heavy debt burdens. Yields increased on Spanish, French, Belgian and Italian bonds.

Europe’s bailout fund has its own credit rating, based on the ratings of countries that contribute to it. With fewer AAA-rated countries backing the fund, its rating could be cut as well. The price of the 10-year Treasury note leaped 56 cents per $100 invested, pushing its yield down to 1.86 percent at 3:30 pm (2030 GMT) from 1.93 percent late Thursday. The yield had dipped earlier to 1.83 percent. It has not settled below that level since October. A bond’s yield falls as its price increases. The lower yield signals that investors are willing to accept an even tinier return in exchange for holding a safe investment.

The price of the 30-year Treasury bond rose $1.19 per $100 invested, sending its yield down to 2.91 percent from 2.98 percent late Thursday. The yield on the twoyear Treasury note was nearly unchanged at 0.23 percent. The yield on the threemonth Treasury bill held steady at 0.03 percent.— AP

Deere & Co’s CEO got a 35 percent pay hike in 2011 as the world’s largest maker of agricultural equipment continued to generate strong global sales and sizeable profits, according to documents filed Friday with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company’s filings show Samuel Allen received compensation worth $16.6 million last year, up from $12.3 million in fiscal 2010. Deere’s board said Allen and other top executives were rewarded last year because the company delivered results that doubled the targets in its incentive plans.

Allen received a $6 million incentive payment.

Throughout 2011, Deere reported $2.8 billion net income, or $6.63 per share. That was 50 percent higher than the $1.87 billion, or $4.35 per share, Deere earned the previous year.

Deere, based in Moline, Ill., benefited from strong US farm income in 2011 and growth in developing countries. Allen, Deere’s leader since 2009, continues to receive far less compensation than top executives at other similar companies. Deere’s board said it expects Allen’s pay to approach the median among leaders at Deere’s peer companies as his tenure progresses. Allen received stock awards and options worth more than $9 million, up from the previous year’s $5.6 million. His salary grew to $1.26 million last year from $1.2 million. He also received perks worth $245,880, most in the form of contributions to a retirement account. Besides agricultural equipment, Deere also makes construction and forestry equipment, such as backhoes, excavators, riding mowers and leaf blowers.

The Associated Press formula calculates an executive’s total compensation during the last fiscal year by adding salary, bonuses, perks, above-market interest the company pays on deferred compensation and the estimated value of stock and stock options awarded during the year. The AP formula does not count changes in the present value of pension benefits. That makes the AP total slightly different in most cases from the total reported by companies to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The value that a company assigned to an executive’s stock and option awards for 2011 was the present value of what the company expected the awards to be worth to the executive over time. Companies use one of several formulas to calculate that value. However, the number is just an estimate, and what an executive ultimately receives will depend on the performance of the company’s stock in the years after the awards are granted. Most stock compensation programs require an executive to wait a specified amount of time to receive shares or exercise options.

At its shareholders meeting in Moline, set for Feb. 29, investors will be able to vote on Deere’s stock ownership plan for board members, and they’ll choose nine directors. The proposed stock plan would let Deere issue as many as 500,000 shares of stock to directors over the next decade as part of their compensation. — AP

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business

2011 problems spill into 2012 NBK INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY REPORT KUWAIT: Volatility remains very high, especially in equity markets, where daily swings of 2 to 5% have almost become the norm. Fundamentals have little to do with that volatility. It is purely driven by political developments on the EU/euro front. Will they or won’t they “save” the euro? Will a country leave the euro zone? Will it be Greece or Germany? We are currently in the last stages of possible solutions and measures, or as German Chancellor Angela Merkel put it “more Europe” that is more treaties, more measures, more (conditional) ECB support. While still very few expect a break-up of the Euro currency, it is notable that serious experts are now paying such scenarios some measure of attention. Once again, post 2008, the unthinkable is now, well, “thinkable”.

Like at previous EU summits, December 9 did not spell out a complete solution and left much unanswered. However, it did move the ball toward fiscal integration (limits on deficits, penalties for breaching those limits, specifics and sanctions to

be determined later). The agreement also provided for new funds to the IMF (EUR200 billion) and for advancing the ESM (European Stability Mechanism), the permanent cousin of the temporary EFSF (European Financial Stability Fund) to July 2012 instead of 2013. Do these measures help? Yes, though the EU has a way of writing loopholes into every restriction. For example, a country in breach of the 3% cap on deficits/GDP could escape sanctions if a super-majority of European countries voted to allow it. The more radical measures (opposed by Germany, demanded by markets) did not materialize: Eurobonds and/or aggressive buying of debt by the ECB. Also and still, the bailout funds required today should Italy or another large country fail are staggering and nowhere near available, especially if all large players are to keep their AAA rating. The EFSF was recently put on negative watch by S&P. There is still no mention/agreement on Eurobonds which some in the markets would like to see for

full integration. So expect more summits and more volatility. We are nearer a solution but current staggering debt problems are still here and rating agencies are constantly reviewing countries and banks alike.

On the fundamental front, the better-thanexpected US data has been saving the day. With the Euro zone in recession now, and expected to post further negative growth in 2012, and with major emerging markets slowing, the world economy could ill afford a stall in its largest economy.

The US has been one of the very few large economies with PMI numbers above 50, indicating some growth. Even China’s manufacturing PMI dipped under 50 in November to 47.7. A significant US weakening at this point could drag the world economy into a very significant weakening.

Current “flat” or negative growth in the Euro zone has, alongside financial turmoil, prompted the ECB to cut its key rate (repo) twice in recent weeks from 1.5% to 1.0%, where that rate was back in

April 2011. In another sign of stress in the system, dollar funding pressure has also prompted the Fed to avail dollar swaps to the 5 major world central banks, in unlimited amounts. Recent US employment gains of 200K in December (non-farm), a fall in unemployment to 8.5%, and encouraging holiday sales, have all lifted American spirits and calmed world fears of another US (and world) recession. The sustainability of a mild US recovery (perhaps 2-2.5% growth) next year is crucial, especially if Europe remains mired and emerging markets slow further.

On the GCC, our baseline view has been all along that the region would be relatively protected from weak world growth (not outright recession) and from the current financial turmoil, if it remains contained. Current world weak growth is still keeping oil prices in check thanks to tight supply conditions while government spending is supporting moderate-to-strong growth in the region.

Lighter, more muscular Boxster from Porsche More distinctive and more fuel-efficient

ITS celebrates achievements, record profits for 2011 KUWAIT: Managing Director and General Manager of International Turnkey Systems Group (ITS), Khaled Faraj Al-Saeid, said that the company’s celebration of achievements for the 31st year affirms its success in spite of regional developments in recent years, namely as a consequence of the global economic crisis.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the ITS Annual Celebration, Al-Saeid said that the past year was another year of achievements. He noted the growth in net and operational profits, especially as a result of the sale of TABS billing products to one of the world’s largest telecommunication companies - Huawei of China.

“It is a source of pride for an Arab company like ITS to have succeeded in attracting the attention of one of the largest international companies and to then sell it one of its products,” he said. This deal in

Managing Director and General Manager of International Turnkey Systems Group (ITS) Khaled Faraj AlSaeid addresses the gathering. particular is an important milestone in the company’s long history.

“This deal brings us to the rank of leading world players in the telecommunications sector, along side international companies that seek to cooperate with us and engage with our products and solutions.

We are proud to be the first and only Arab company that has been able to go global in this area,” he added.

Al-Saeid attributed the success of ITS and its prominent status to its wealth of human resources which developed many products and solutions of high quality and worked to enhance them over the past three decades. This, he said, has made ITS a competitor in its sector and has placed it under the spotlight.

Moreover, he said that the billing product and other services that were sold to Huawei are only part of the company’s many products of international caliber.

The company has more than 220 main clients, including banks, financial institutions and Ivy League universities in the region, he said. The ETHIXS solution for Islamic banks and institutions is considered the best in this area, alongside the ONE CAMPUS solution which contributed to the development of the educational process in the Arab world.

Al-Saeid noted that this is the 31st anniversary of the establishment of ITS, marking a new era in the company’s long history rooted in principles that make it the IT company of greatest power and “the

region’s largest professional company specializing in IT.” He also said that focus in the upcoming period will be on the Arab region from the geographic perspective, which special emphasis on the higher education and Islamic financial institutions as the main sectors that ITS will target. The company will work to develop services, products and solutions for these two sectors, alongside others.

ITS will also continue to focus on its human resources out of its belief that this is the secret to the company’s success in the past period. It will also be enhancing its efforts with its clients so that they are not only satisfied with the products and services of ITS, but also enthusiastic about its successes.

Competition In response to a question about global competition in the region, Al-Saeid said that ITS is ready to take on global competition in the Arab region. He said that the company’s solutions, products and services give it a competitive edge because while boasting international standards, they take into account the requirements and needs of the Arab region, whether institutions or individuals.

“We have been present in the region for more than 30 years, and our experience in dealing with the region makes us better able to understand the needs of Arab companies and institutions,” he said.

Political developments Asked about the impact of the ‘Arab Spring’ on the company’s activities, AlSaeid said that ITS only felt a slight impact of the changes in some of the Arab countries such as Egypt, Yemen and Libya, especially as these are considered important markets for the company.

“We are optimistic about these developments, and we believe that the upcoming period will be better for us because we are able to work in these countries and to provide our expertise to support different economic sectors, which will ultimately be of benefit to the people,” he said.

As for the company’s activities outside the Arab region, Al-Saeid said that ITS will continue to provide its services outside the region indirectly through its partners in these companies.

On the State Development Plan and the importance of IT in its implementation, Al-Saeid said that one cannot talk about development without placing IT as a main axis, as it is the fastest and most efficient means to cut down effort and time, while making progress. He added that in today’s world, the IT industry has become much like the air and water that sustains any society.

In terms of the fast-paced development of the IT sector, making services cheaper and reducing revenue, Al-Saeid said that although this is true, one must take into account that even with the reduction of the prices of IT products, demand continues to increase. This creates a balance which ultimately leads to an increase in net or operational profit.

Achievements Over the past few months, ITS achieved a number of awards. These include the ‘Best IT Integration Company Award’ from ITP, the ‘Best IT Provider Award’ from CPIFinancial, as well as ‘Best IT Provider Award’ from Arabian Business.

DUBAI: Porsche Boxster has undergone comprehensive changes. The open-top two-seater car now has a completely new lightweight body, and a completely revamped chassis.

Considerably lower weight; a longer wheelbase, a wider track and larger wheels enhance the mid-engine sports car’s driving dynamics already far and away the best in its class - supported by new electro-mechanical power steering.

The new Boxster boasts superior performance, with 15 per cent more fuel efficiency.

Depending on model, it consumes significantly less than eight liters of fuel per 100 kilometers.

With fundamentally changed styling, the new Boxster has shorter overhangs; a significantly forward-shifted windscreen, flatter silhouette and expressive edges. Passengers are enclosed by a re-designed, electric hood, which dispenses with a convertible top compartment lid. The interior offers more space, and reflects the new Porsche outline, with a raked centre console which originated with the Carrera GT. The new sports car generation makes its debut in the classic Porsche pairing of Boxster and Boxster S. Both are powered by flat-six engines with direct fuel injection. Engine efficiency is boosted by electrical system recuperation, thermal management and the new start/stop function.

The base model’s new power unit delivers 265 hp from a 2.7 liter displacement - ten hp more than its larger displacement predecessor. It is now based on the 3.4-litre Boxster S engine; delivering 315 hp - five hp more than before. Both models feature a manual sixspeed gearbox as standard, with seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) available as an option. Both sports cars achieve best fuel consumption and acceleration with PDK. The Porsche Boxster’s fuel consumption with PDK is 7.7 l/100 km and 8.0 l/100 km for the Boxster S. In tests - where gear changes were made without interruption to the power flow - the Boxster sprints from zero to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds; the Boxster S in just 5.0 seconds.

To enhance driving dynamics even further, Porsche offers a Sport Chrono Package as an optional extra, featuring dynamic transmission mounts for the first time. Also new for the Boxster is Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV) with mechanical rear axle differential lock.

The new Porsche Boxster and Boxster S are available for order as of today with first deliveries starting in June this year. The basic retail price for the Boxster in the GCC is $53,654, whereas the Boxster S is available from $59,154.

Market ends on positive note MARKAZ WEEKLY KSE REPORT he Kuwait Stock Exchange closed on a positive note this week. The price index gained 0.35% closing at 5,746 points while the weighted index was down 0.11% closing at 398.9 points. Liquidity and activity levels decreased during the week.

Value traded expanded by 45%. During the week the market traded 1.2bn shares with a value of KD112.46mn.

The services index dominated value

T

traded, 37.7% of last week’s value was derived from activities on the services sector followed by Investments and Real Estate with 21.6% and 15.5%, respectively.

Al-Salam Group Holding attracted 11.6% of the value traded (KD 13mn); the stock closed up 15% at KD 0.138. HITS Telecom Holding was second on the most active list with 10.9% of last week’s value traded or KD12.2mn. Stock’s per formance was Positive [+37.5%] at KD 0.081.

Loser, winners 130 companies were traded during the week out of which 48 closed positive, 40 were negative and 126 unchanged. HITS Telecom Holding was the biggest gainer by booking a return of 37.3% and closing at 81 fils; 178.4mn shares were traded valued at KD 12.2mn. On the other side of the spectrum, Mushrif Trading & Contracting was the biggest loser; the stock declined by 15.7% to 86 fils.

16.24mn shares worth KD 1.4mn were traded during last week.

Farmland golden sponsor of 2012 Horeca exhibition KUWAIT: Farmland Company, the exclusive supplier of President dairy products in Kuwait, reached an agreement with organizers of the 2012 Horeca Kuwait exhibition to participate in the event as a golden sponsor, a press statement said.

Horeca Kuwait Exhibition takes place from Jan 22 to 24 at the Arraya Ball Room, Courtyard Marriott Hotel.

“Farmland’s agreement to join at least 25 companies in co-sponsoring the Horeca Exhibition underlines the importance the company attaches to the event in the world of catering business,” said the statement issued by Farmland’s the Leaders Group for General Manager Consulting and Development.

Antoine Obaid The group organizes the expo, a comprehensive event covering the hospitality, catering and food industry sectors in Kuwait and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), in cooperation with Hospitality Services of Lebanon. Farmland’s General Manager Antoine Obaid said in a statement that various President cheese products will be offered during the cooking competitions being held during the 2012 Horeca exhibition.

27

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012

TECHNOLOGY

CES gadgets bring the ‘Matrix’ to life ‘Yoga’ ultrabook boasts of bendable screen

This undated photograph provided by ecoATM, shows the EcoATM, which is a cupboard-sized machine with a big touch screen and a big metal “mouth” where you can place your old phone or MP3 player. —AP

Gadget Watch: ATM turns your old phone into cash LAS VEGAS: The International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas is all about the latest smartphones, tablet computers and other devices. But what about the old gadgets? Don’t they get any love?

Actually, one machine at the show is designed to help recycle gadgets, giving old phones a fitting end, or a better home.

Drop your phone into the EcoATM, and the machine will pay you what it believes the handset is worth. The cupboard-sized machine has a large touch screen and a big metal “mouth” where you can place your old phone or MP3 player. It takes pictures of the device to figure out what kind of shape it’s in.

Then, you choose one of the machine’s many cables to connect your device. The machine will figure out if the device’s internals are working.

When its analysis is complete, it gives you a quote on the spot, based on what a network of hundreds of electronicsrecycling companies are willing to pay for it. If you accept, it spits out cash. In a demonstration by EcoATM founder Bill Bowles, it said a Verizon iPhone 4 was worth $221. An older phone might not be worth reselling, but the machine will

take it anyway, and give you a dollar. The company will melt down the phone in an environmentally friendly fashion to extract the precious metals from it.

Why it’s hot: It’s tough to recycle old electronics. Collection bins are few and far between, though some electronics stores accept items for recycling. You can sell newer phones on eBay, but it’s a bit of a hassle.

The upshot: A fast way to deal with old electronics that keeps your conscience clean and might give you a bit of extra money.

The downside: The EcoATM’s quote probably won’t match what you can get for your item on eBay. On the other hand, you avoid eBay’s seller fees. You have to physically go to the ATM. It’s a big machine, about twice the size of a regular drugstore ATM. It has a lot of complicated moving parts, and could be prone to breakage.

Availability: There are about 50 of them deployed right now, mostly in grocery stores and malls in California. The San Diego-based company behind the machine says it plans to have about 500 out at the end of this year, spreading eastward. —AP

California wants battery charger energy standards LOS ANGELES: California has declared war on vampires, but this time it’s no Hollywood monster flick. The state will be the first in the nation to target socalled vampire battery chargers that suck up and waste as much as 60 percent of the electricity they consume. The California Energy Commission voted 3-0 on Thursday to regulate such power-sapping chargers despite objections by consumer product makers.

California’s standards take effect next year, and several states in the Northwest are eyeing similar regulations. The US Department of Energy is also working on setting national standards for battery chargers. “Once again, California is setting the standard for energy efficiency, keeping the state’s dominance as the most energy efficient state per capita,” said commission chair Robert Weisenmiller. Manufacturers say the move is the first step toward a patchwork of requirements that could drive up costs and end up costing consumers more for their appliances gadgets. “It essentially means manufacturers are going to have to retool for California and they may have to retool again when DOE comes out with their final standard,” said Jill Notini, spokeswoman for the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers.

“There could be implications for cost of products and choice of products.”

California has long been a leader in pushing efficient energy use with the state’s energy consumption per capita remaining flat for more than three decades in comparison with the rest of the nation, which has seen a 40-percent increase. The state’s energy saving standards are often the basis for later federal standards, according to the commission.

“They’re watching California very closely,” said Pierre Delforge, a senior engineer with the Natural Resources Defense council, which supports the new stan-

dards. “Usually when California does something, they move next.”

Proponents say such regulations are long overdue with the popularity of portable electronic devices such as smartphones and tablets. There are now an estimated 170 million chargers in households across the state with an average of 11 chargers per household.

Chargers waste electricity by continuing to draw electricity even when a battery is full and suck energy when laptops, cellphones, digital cameras and other devices aren’t plugged in. They also often contain outdated components that don’t charge efficiently. On average, each household has 40 devices that are constantly drawing power. Such standby power consumption accounts for about 13 percent of residential electricity use in California in comparison to 10 percent nationally, said Alan Meier, a senior scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

“It’s clearly going to rise over time, so California has two reasons to be more concerned about these kinds of devices because our electricity prices are higher and these devices represent a larger fraction of residential electricity usage,” he said. The new standards, which require chargers to consume less energy while providing the same service, will take effect on Feb 1, 2013. The new regulations are expected to save enough electricity to power nearly 350,000 homes, or a city about the size of Bakersfield. The commission estimates the new standards will save residential and commercial ratepayers $306 million each year. As far as concerns raised by manufacturers, Delforge said the commission worked with trade and environmental groups for more than a year before adopting the new standards, making some concessions to help product makers meet the new regulations. —AP

LAS VEGAS: The annual Consumer Electronics Show ended Friday, leaving gadget lovers with visions of a “Matrix”-like world in which the Internet surrounds them no matter where they go. Makers of everything from cars and refrigerators to televisions, smartphones and software pitched innovations heralding the arrival of connected lifestyles made possible by “smart” devices. “The underlying driver at the show is that we will have screens on all types of devices connected to the Internet; it could be your refrigerator, your vacuum...,” said lead analyst Tim Bajarin of Creative Strategies. “We are going to have a lot of screens in our lives and they will be connected.”

Intel’s move into the smartphone and tablet computer chip market at the show promised a near future in which mobile gadgets get more powerful and energy efficient, according to the analyst. The US chip giant announced that it will move into the booming smartphone market with a China debut of a handset made by Chinese computer powerhouse Lenovo. “ The best of Intel computing is now coming to smar tphones,” Californiabased Intel’s chief executive Paul Otellini said. “It is coming first to China, the largest market for smar tphones in the world.”

Lenovo introduced a K800 smartphone powered by an Intel processor and Google’s Android software.

“You can’t underestimate what the market will look like when Intel jumps into smartphones,” Bajarin said. “The architecture core should allow them to make their chips very fast.” Faster chips translate into richer video viewing, smoother music listening, and slicker “apps” for anything from games to work. Intel was also at the core of an onslaught of slim, light-weight laptop computers known as “ultrabooks.”

New “ultrabooks” were shown off by a slew of consumer electronics titans including Acer, Asus, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo, Samsung and Toshiba. A Lenovo “Yoga” ultrabook even boasted a bendable screen.

As in years past, televisions were among the stars of the show, with flat screens slimming down, synching to the Internet and delivering richer imagery. A razor-thin television from LG Electronics was crowned best gadget at CES. Throngs jockeyed for looks at LG’s 55-inch (140-centimeter) TV set, which is just 0.16 inches (four millimeters) thick and uses OLED, or organic lightemitting diode, display technology. OLED T Vs do not require backlighting and feature better color contrast than standard flatscreen LEDs, and LG and another South Korean titan, Samsung, both wowed the crowds at CES with 55-inch models.

Television innovations ranged from improved 3D screens, which have failed to ignite the market, to technologies that let people control screens with gestures or spoken words. People crowded the LG booth, dodging reflexively as soccer balls or other objects appeared to rocket toward them

LAS VEGAS: An industry affiliate tests out the Mercedes Dynamic and Intuitive Control Experience at the 2012 International Consumer Electronics show, Friday, Jan 13, 2012. —AP

LAS VEGAS: This shows the Nokia Lumia 900 Windows based smartphones. —AP

LAS VEGAS: Apple ear bud covers decorated with hand-laid Swarovski crystals are displayed. —AP from a floor-to-ceiling wall of 3D television screens. Microsoft, which has announced that this year’s CES will be its last, saw products powered by its Windows software scoop up a couple of awards.

The Lumia 900 from Finland’s Nokia was named best cellphone and the Envy 14 Spectre laptop from Hewlett-Packard was tapped as the best computer. The Lumia 900, which runs on Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 operating system, is seen as Nokia’s bid to break into a US smartphone market dominated

by Apple’s iPhone and handsets powered by Google’s Android software. “The real story at the show is catching up to Apple,”

Bajarin said. “Apple innovates and everyone else spends the next five years trying to catch up.”

Ultrabooks take on Apple’s MacBook Air laptops, while tablets and smar tphones unveiled at the show will be battling the California company’s mighty iPhones and iPads. An Android-powered tablet computer from Taiwan’s Asus, the Asus Memo 370T, was named best tablet at a show which featured dozens of new rivals to the iPad. Apple does not attend the show, but its influence is clear and its employees check out the scene.

A gigantic iLounge area of the show floor was devoted to accessories for Apple products.

“ We believe the industr y has shifted from a battle of devices to a war of ecosystems,” Nokia chief executive Stephen Elop said, in a clear reference to the exclusive ties between Apple’s iTunes shop and its coveted gadgets. “Clearly there are strong contenders on the field in this war of ecosystems.” CES boasted an unprecedented 1.86 million square feet of show floor space, with the number of exhibitors hitting a record high of more than 3,100 at the 44-year-old gadget extravaganza. The show held quirky gems including motorized shoes, jeweled headphones and an eco-friendly boom box from the son of Reggae legend Bob Marley. —AFP

Apple reveals supply chain secrets, details conditions SAN FRANCISCO: Apple revealed its closely guarded list of global suppliers for the first time and vowed to deal with worker abuses, hoping to deflect criticism it was turning a blind eye to cases of poor working conditions in a mostly Asian supply chain. The dramatic and unprecedented step-unveiling the names of 156 companies that represent 97 percent of the company’s supply chain-was an unusual move in an industry that relies heavily on foreign component suppliers to drive margins.

It is rarer still for a notoriously secretive company, underscoring speculation that new Chief Executive Tim Cook has ushered in an era of greater transparency. Predecessor Steve Jobs, who died in October, kept an iron grip on the internal workings of the company he founded and turned into the world’s largest technology company.

The tell-all on Friday surprised many in the industry and on Wall Street. Experts say rivals and investors pay consultants for exactly this type of valuable intelligence. Apple’s list is the culmination of internal probes into its supply chain, spanning hundreds of audits over years

and high-profile firms from Foxconn or Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd to Samsung. Foxconn in particular has dragged Apple into headlines after a spate of worker suicides raised questions about conditions at its Chinese plants.

Apple said it found six active and 13 historical cases of underage labor at some component suppliers, but none at its final-assembly partners. “With every year, we expand our program, we go deeper in our supply chain, we make it harder to comply,” Cook told Reuters in an interview. “All of this means that workers will be treated better and better with each passing year. It’s not something we feel like we have done what we can do, much remains to be done.”

The audit conducted by Apple of suppliers found a number of violations, among them breaches in pay, benefits and environmental practices in plants in China, which figured prominently throughout the 500-page report Apple issued. Other violations unearthed included dumping wastewater onto a neighboring farm, using machines without safeguards, testing workers for pregnancy and falsi-

fying pay records. Apple did not identify the facilities where it found violations.

Abolishing underage labor Apple said it conducted 229 audits last year, representing an 80 percent increase over 2010.

From 2007 to 2010, the company conducted only 288 total audits. It looked at all levels of its supply chain, including final assembly and component suppliers. “I would like to make a significant improvement in the overtime area. I would like to totally eliminate every case of underage employment,” said Cook. “We have done that in all of our final assembly. As we go deeper into the supply chain, we found that age verification system isn’t sophisticated enough. This is something we feel very strongly about and we want to eliminate totally.”

Apple said it will grant access to an independent auditing team from the Fair Labor Association, in its continuing effort to overcome criticism regarding working conditions at its supply factories. It also terminated business with one unidentified supplier and was “correcting” the practices of another. —Reuters

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

Spanish ski resorts struggle with lack of snow PUERTO DE NAVACERRADA, Spain: Spanish ski resorts are watching business melt away as a lack of snow and unusually warm weather force them to close or operate just some of their pistes. “We have not been able to open at all this year. We are talking about the worst thing that could happen,” said Agustin Ramirez, the manager of the Valdesqui resort near Madrid as he stood in front of a closed ticket booth. The 40-year-old resort located some 60 km from the Spanish capital has 27 pistes of different levels of difficulty that normally draw around 1,500 customers on a weekday - and up to 3,500 on weekends.

But on a recent visit its parking lot with its sweeping views of the peaks of the surrounding Madrid mountains was empty except for three staff vehicles and the pistes were covered in brown grass. Of Spain’s 32 ski resorts, eight including Valdesqui were closed for skiing on Friday due

to the lack of snow and mild temperatures, according to the website of the Spanish Tourist Association of Ski and Mountain Resorts. None of the 24 resorts that were operating had all of their trails open - and those that did operate pistes relied on expensive man-made snow to draw skiers. “It is artificial snow, it is not the same as natural snow but you can ski on it. This year the weather is like this, we have to deal with what we have,” said Fernando Cortes as he took a break from skiing under a clear blue sky at the Puerto de Navacerrada resort.

Only two of the nine pistes at the resort located about a dozen kilometres from Valdesqui were open on Friday. They provided a total of 625 m of skiable surface running between pine trees out of a total of 9.125 km that could be available under ideal weather conditions. The resort has 63 snow cannons which it uses to keep the pistes open. The

cost of making artificial snow, though, can be prohibitive. The La Pinilla ski resort near the central city of Segovia has spent 65 percent of its revenues this season just on making snow, according to its director Angel Gonzalez Pieras. “The cost has been brutal,” he said, without giving figures.

The resort, which has 196 snow cannons, reopened on Friday after being closed for three days due to a lack of snow, with four pistes out of 24 open. The lack of snow has led ski resorts to cut back on hiring. Valdesqui usually takes on up to 120 workers during the winter season but it is making do this year with just the nine employees who work there year-round. Ski rental shops and other businesses like hotels and restaurants that rely on an influx of snow seekers to the resorts have also taken a hit.

“Business is awful. This is the worst year that I have seen in my 75 years,” said Roman Verdesoto

as he stood surrounded by racks of skis at the ski equipment rental shop he has run in Puerto de Navacerrada for 48 years. “Even if it snows now half the season is gone including the best part, which is the Christmas holidays.” Spain ended 2011 with its driest December in 23 years, according to the national weather office. Average precipitation in Spain in Dec 2011 was just 25 mm or 30 percent of the average for the month and January has continued to be unusually dry and warm.

Some ski resorts are expanding their non-slope activities, providing trails for mountain bikers and hikers or opening spas and restaurants, to draw visitors even when snow is low. Last Saturday 150 people used the bike trails at the La Pinilla ski resort, compared to 300 who hit the ski slopes that day. “There will always be ski seasons like this.

You just have to factor it into your plans,” said Ramirez of the Valdesqui resort. — AFP

Space invaders: Seniors take over Japan arcades Developers tout benefits of playing their products TOKYO: Once the preserve of rowdy teenagers, game arcades in Japan are rapidly becoming the hippest place to hang out for a whole new generation - their grandparents. With plenty of time on their hands and cash in their pockets, wellbehaved elderly customers make up a significant and growing number of those prepared to feed coins into machines for a few hours’ entertainment. The so-called “silver market” is increasingly important for industries in Japan, where a plunging birth rate and a long life expectancy is leaving society increasingly top-heavy.

And for the elderly themselves, arcades offer a chance to find fun and friendship away from the more traditional pursuits of old age. Rather than the fast-paced shoot-em-ups or the hand-to-hand combat video games their grandchildren play, older gamers are more likely to splash their cash on “medal games”, in which players drop coins into slots where they hope they will knock over other piles of coins.

Noboru Shiba, 68, said he began visiting the arcade at a shopping mall near his home in Kiba, Tokyo after he retired from his job as a taxi dis-

patcher seven years ago. “I used to stay home, and just watch TV,” he said. “I would have gone senile if I had kept on doing that. I needed to get out of the house,” he said, his eyes fixed on the jackpot of “Bing Bing Pirates”, a cross between coin-shunting and bingo. Shiba says during his three- or fourhour visits he usually uses the piles of coins he has previously won, but has spent as much as 20,000 yen ($250) some months. “When my grandson comes to visit, I show him my bag of coins. I drop the bag on a table and it makes a really loud ‘thud’.

He gets a kick out of that,” he said.

There are no official statistics for elderly game players, who occupy a minority share of an overall 500 billion yen ($6.5 billion) Japanese arcade sector, a market still dominated by teens and preteens. But industry professionals all agree that the number of customers in the autumn of their lives has been steadily increasing for the past five or so years. With around 25 percent of Japanese now aged 65 or over - a figure projected to rise to 40 percent by 2050 - everything from karaoke clubs to stock brokerages are chasing the “silver yen”.

Arcades, which have the advantage of being in

TOKYO: This photo taken on Feb 21, 2011 shows elderly people spending time in a game arcade. — AFP

White dolphin gets DNA bank HONG KONG: A Hong Kong conservation group said yesterday it has set up a DNA bank for the rare Chinese white dolphin, also known as the pink dolphin, in a bid to save the mammals facing a sharp population decline. There are about 2,500 Chinese white dolphins in the Pearl River Delta region, the body of water between Macau and Hong Kong, with the majority of the mammals in Chinese waters and the rest in Hong Kong. But experts say their number has dropped significantly in the past few years due to overfishing, an increase in maritime traffic, water pollution, habitat loss and coastal development.

In a bid to save the dwindling population, the Ocean Park Conser vation Foundation Hong Kong said it had joined hands with a Chinese university to set up a DNA bank, which will also spearhead a genetic research project. “We hope to offer the scientific community a standardised genetic analysis platform to assess the sustainability of Chinese white dolphin populations,” Judy Chen, the foundation chairwoman said in a statement. “The collected data will provide important reference to governments in the region for developing critical strategies of Chinese white dolphin conservation,” she added.

The biological samples of these dolphins will be sent to the DNA bank to investigate the environmental impacts on the mammal, the statement said. The Chinese white dolphins, a sub-species of the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, are unique for their pink skin. They are listed as “near threatened” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The mammal was the official mascot at the handover ceremony when the former

British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997, while dolphin watching is a favourite tourist attraction in Hong Kong.

Its population in Hong Kong has dropped from an estimated 158 in 2003 to only 75 in 2010, according to the Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society. — AFP

HONG KONG: In a picture taken on Aug 19, 2011, a Chinese white dolphin or Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin, nicknamed the pink dolphin, swims in waters off the coast of Hong Kong. – AFP

places like shopping malls, where elderly people go regularly, are actively chasing older gamers, especially during the school day when younger players are - or at least should be - busy. Yuji Takano, a spokesman for Namco, the creators of Pac-Man, a game that has been a global phenomenon for 30 years, said today’s elderly have grown up around such entertainment and feel comfortable with it. “In the 1980s, we saw an explosion of household video game consoles. Babyboomers have seen that, and they are more familiar with games than the elderly of the past,” he said. “We are making our game arcades into places that engage a broad range of customers by using bright, pop decorations and setting up wide aisles for people to move around easily,” he said.

Some arcades have installed more comfortable chairs to cater for those who cannot cope so well with hours on hard seats. Others have instructed their staff to do regular rounds of the parlour and talk to elderly customers to make them feel welcome. Developers tout the possible benefits of playing their products. “Some customers say games force them to use their fingers and think strategically. That might help keep them in good health and lessen the impact of growing old,” said Hiroyuki Tanaka, spokesman for game powerhouse Sega. “We as a company are mulling ways to better attract the senior generation,” he said.

In some cases, arcades have become a place to meet new people. “Here, I see people from different towns and can talk honestly about the troubles in my life without worrying about it becoming neighbourhood gossip,” said Mitsuko Nishino, 63, who visits a game arcade every other day. “I don’t think about anything when I am playing games. I am so focused, there is no stress,” she said. “I used to play tennis. But for that, you need to ask your friends, set a time and reserve a court. It was a pain to do all that,” she said. “I can play games whenever I want and not bother with other people. When my two sons were young, I always told them not to go to game arcades because they could be a bad influence. But now I come here two or three times a week and enjoy it. I talk to people. I spend the day just having fun.” — AFP

NOME, Alaska: The Kigluaik Mountains can be viewed as the Russian tanker Renda transits toward the port of Nome on Friday. — AP

Russian ship to pump fuel to ice-bound Alaska port ANCHORAGE, Alaska: A Russian tanker is preparing to off-load more than a million gallons of diesel and gasoline to fuelstarved Nome, but first it must position itself near the Alaska town’s iced-in harbor to send that cargo through a mile-long hose without a spill. Led by and a US Coast Guard icebreaker, the vessel plowed through hundreds of miles of Bering Sea ice to reach Nome. It was holding steady about eight miles off shore Friday night.

The problem is Nome’s harbor is iced-in, preventing the 370-foot tanker Renda from getting to the city dock. It will have to moor offshore to transfer its 1.3 million-gallon payload across the ice and to fuel headers that feed a nearby tank farm.

The Coast Guard Cutter Healy can only get so close to shore because of shallow waters. Officials want to place the Renda “where there’s enough water around it that the Healy can then break the Renda free once the delivery is done,” Coast Guard spokesman David Mosley said. “Out of the safety of the vessels, they’re taking the time they need to evaluate where to put the Renda so the operation to shore can be done safely, but then so we can break them

free and get them on their way afterward,” he said.

For days, operations officials have looked at how best to lay the segmented fuel hose across the shore-fast ice for the transfer. The idea is to get the tanker as close to the harbor as possible to reduce the chance of a spill. There has been a lot of anxious waiting since the ship left Russia in mid-December. It picked up diesel fuel in South Korea before traveling to Dutch Harbor, Alaska, where it took on unleaded gasoline. Late Thursday, the vessels stopped offshore and began planning the transfer.

A fall storm prevented Nome from getting a fuel delivery by barge in November.

Without the tanker delivery, supplies of diesel fuel, gasoline and home heating fuel Nome are expected to run out in March and April, well before a barge delivery again in late May or June. Nome Mayor Denise Michels sat in her car Friday morning in record-breaking low temperatures and gazed past the harbor entrance. Her eyes focused on the lights coming from the tanker and the icebreaker just before dawn.

“It is right out there. You can see it,” she said. “We are pretty excited.”—AP

Amazon Fund bogs down, donors are frustrated BRASILIA: An international fund to protect the Amazon forest launched by Brazil in 2008 has gotten bogged down in red tape and donors are frustrated their $466 million contributions are hardly put to use, a Norwegian official said. The fund was designed to slow deforestation by stimulating sustainable economic alternatives to cattle ranching and farming, which have destroyed parts of the forests. So far Brazil has only used $39 million on 23 sustainable growth projects, with another $53 million under contract. This poor performance has weakened Brazil’s voice as a leading advocate for the protection of the developing world’s forests with funding from rich nations.

A government official from Norway, the fund’s largest donor, told Reuters in Brasilia that his country is unhappy with Brazil’s slow pace in identifying new projects, which has raised questions about the use of the funds in Brazil, where they are managed by the state-owned National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES). The source, who asked not to be named, said the funds contracted by the BNDES dropped by half between 2010 and 2011. This has discouraged other potential donors from committing funds, the source said.

Rich from offshore oil, Norway has dominated projects to safeguard rainforests as part of a UN-led goal of slowing climate change. Trees soak up greenhouse gases as they grow and release them when they are burnt or rot. Norway pledged $1 billion to the Amazon Fund and has donated $418 million to date. Unused funds are deposited in the Norwegian Central Bank. Germany has donated $27.2 million and Brazil’s state-owned oil giant Petrobras has given $4.2 million.

Conservationists say the BNDES has stymied projects with paperwork and endless meetings. Erika Nakazono, who runs a project for a social map of the communities living in the Amazon, said it took 19 months to get approval and some researchers quit because of the delay. “The bureaucracy is very difficult. At one point I wondered whether all the effort was worth it,” Nakazono said. The BNDES official heading the bank’s deforestation control department, Mauro Pires, admitted that the fund is not working as well as donors hoped. —Reuters

SOFIA: Protesters march during a rally against the exploration work of shale gas in central Sofia yesterday. — AFP

Thousands protest Bulgaria ‘fracking’ SOFIA: Several thousand Bulgarians demonstrated across the country yesterday against plans for shale gas exploration by US company Chevron that they say could harm the environment. About 1,000 youngsters marched along the streets of the capital Sofia, beating drums and blowing whistles as “a wake-up call to all Bulgarians,” an AFP correspondent at the scene reported. They urged people to push the government to impose a ban on hydraulic fracturing or “fracking”, the most commonly used method for shale gas exploration that opponents say might contaminate drinking water.

The protestors marched on the government buildings carrying banners saying “No to shale gas, Yes to nature”, and “Chevron go home” to protest the US company’s plans to extract shale gas in the European Union’s poorest member. Similarsized demos were held in the northeastern region of Dobrudzha, where Chevron wants to operate, as well as in the Black Sea cities of Varna and Burgas, Plovdiv in the south and Pleven to the north, national radio reported.

Environmental pressure group Fracking Free Bulgaria said yesterday it had obtained a promise from parliamentary speaker Tsetska Tsacheva for lawmakers to consider a moratorium on fracking for shale gas. Similar legislation was already passed in France last June. Fracking, which uses high pressure injections of water, sand and chemicals to blast through rock to release oil and gas trapped inside, has been widely used in the United States.

Bulgaria, which depends almost totally on Russian natural gas deliveries via Ukraine, has seen its shale gas potential as a possible way to diversify supplies. Bulgaria’s government granted Chevron last June a five-year testing permit to explore a potentially huge field near Novi Pazar in northeastern Bulgaria. The country’s reserves are estimated at between 300 billion and one trillion cubic metres of shale gas, Energy Minister Traicho Traikov had said, citing data by companies. Environmental groups claim that some preliminary drilling was already done in the northeast as well as in the Black Sea shelf but the government has not confirmed this. — AFP

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

Homeless US teen up for science prize gets house BRENTWOOD, New York: Samantha Garvey and her family had been living in a shelter for several days when they got word the 17-yearold aspiring marine biologist had made it to the semifinals of the prestigious national Intel science competition. Now, with donations coming in and the county finding them rentsubsidized housing, she’ll again be able to do her homework in a home. “This is just the most amazing thing you could ask for,” the diminutive Garvey said at a news conference Friday, surrounded by her parents, brother, sister and a cadre of politicians and school officials.

“We’re all in tears here,” she said after Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone announced that the Department of Social Services had located a nearby three-bedroom house where the family could live. “This is what we’ve always wanted.” Garvey is one of 300 teenagers nationwide named this week as semifinalists in the prestigious Intel science competition; finalists will be announced at the end of January. She spent more than two years researching the effects of the Asian short crab on the mussel population in a salt marsh on Long Island, east of New York City.

“What Sam found was that, like after anyone, after being attacked you develop a tough skin of shell,” said her science research teacher, Rebecca Grella. “These mussels were able to increase their thickness and protect themselves against their predator.” Grella noted the link between Garvey’s challenges and those of the mollusks she studied. “I do believe that is an amazing metaphor,” Grella said, “and I do see Sam as a strong mussel.”

The Brentwood High School senior, who has applied to Yale and Brown universities, was evicted along with her family from their home on New Year’s Eve. Her mother, Olga, a nurse’s assistant, was out of work for eight months following a car accident in February, and her father, Leo, could not keep up with the bills alone on his salary as a cab driver.

Housing prices on Long Island are among the highest in the country, even in Brentwood, which has struggled with gang violence in recent years. A three-bedroom home there recently sold for $291,000, according to Lisa Kennedy, a broker with Eric G Ramsay Associates. A three-bedroom ranch is renting for $1,800 a month, she said. The Garveys will pay 30 percent of their monthly income to rent the county-owned property, officials said.

Gregory Blass, the county commissioner of Social Services, said the family was already known to officials because they were staying in a shelter, making them eligible to move into the house. He said the county works to place about 30 to 40 homeless families a month from shelters into apartments or homes. He insisted the Garveys received no preferential treatment because of Samantha’s celebrity. The house is undergoing renovations and should be ready for the Garveys in about 10 days, Bellone said.

Leo Garvey, Samantha’s father, said that after the eviction he took his family to a hotel for a week because he did not want them spending New Year’s in a homeless shelter.

But he finally had to contact Suffolk County Social Services for help last week; they were then placed in a shelter. This week came the

accolades for Samantha’s scientific feat and the offer for the family to live in a home of their own. Her story has gotten coverage nationwide.

Once sponsored by Westinghouse, the Society for Science and the Public has been running the competition since 1942. Over the decades, contest finalists have gone on to some of the greatest achievements in science.

Seven have won a Nobel Prize. Before the eviction, the Garveys had rented a home for six or seven years, Leo Garvey said. Before that, the family had also lived in homeless shelters from time to time; Leo Garvey described himself as a recovering alcoholic.

Samantha said that she had worried for several months before the eviction, knowing that her mother was ailing and money was tight. “I ordered a senior picture and I said, ‘I don’t know where to send it. I don’t know what’s going to happen. What if we move, what if we get evicted,’ which we did,” she said. “You’re out in limbo. You’re like, ‘What’s going to happen to my mail, what’s going to happen to my college applications. Where are they all going to go?’ It’s scary.”

Besides the county housing, officials said the Marriott Corp. is donating “several thousand dollars” of furniture for the family to use.

Others have offered to pay kennel fees for the family pit bull. “It’s unbelievable; the outpouring of help that we’ve had,” said Leo Garvey.

He made reference to a news conference also held Friday in Suffolk County announcing the latest winner of a Mega Millions lottery jackpot, saying: “I feel richer than that $208 million winner.” — AP

BRENTWOOD, New York: Intel semifinalist Samantha Garvey, 17, gets a hug from her science research teacher, Rebecca Grella after an announcement by Suffolk County officials on Friday at Brentwood High School. — AP

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W H AT ’ S O N

Embassy Information EMBASSY OF BRAZIL The Embassy of Brazil requests all Brazilian citizens in Kuwait to proceed to the website www.brazil.org.kw (Contact Us Form / Fale Conosco) in order to register or update contact information. The Embassy encourages all citizens to do so, including the ones who have already registered in person at the Embassy. The registration process helps the Brazilian Government to contact and assist Brazilians living abroad in case of any emergency. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF CANADA The Embassy of Canada is located at Villa 24, Al-Mutawakel St., Block 4 in Da’aiyah. Please visit our website at www.Kuwait.gc.ca. The Embassy of Canada is open from 07:30 to 15:30 Sunday through Thursday. The reception is closed from 12:30 to 01:00 pm for lunch break. Consular Services for Canadian Citizens are provided from 09:00 until 12:00 on Sunday through Wednesday. Canada offers a registration service for all Canadians travelling or living abroad. This service is provided so that Consular Officials can contact and assist Canadians in an emergency in a foreign country, such as a natural disaster or civil unrest, or inform Canadians of a family emergency at home. The Embassy of Canada encourages all Canadian Citizens to register online through the Government of Canada Travel Website at www.voyage.gc.ca.

The Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi provides visa and immigration services to residents of Kuwait. Individuals who are interested in visiting, working or immigrating to Canada are invited to visit the website of the Canadian Embassy to the UAE at www.UAE.gc.ca.

Festive joy at The Sunshine Kindergarten

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he children from The Sunshine Kindergarten in Salwa were overjoyed to have a very special visitor in their school. Santa came all the way from Lapland to hand out presents and sing songs with the children from the Creche, Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten classes to celebrate the end of a very successful term. Sitting in his grotto, Santa was delighted to see that the sponsors of the event, Baroue, had left each child a goody bag containing a multi-purpose discount voucher for toys, a color-

ing book and a pack of coloring pencils, a blow bubbles ice-cream cone and a wrist band. All the children sang along to Jingle Bells and thanked Santa and his little elf helper for coming to see them. A great week was had by all and, as the photos show, TSK children were thrilled with their gifts.

TSK Principal, Miss Joanne, would like to thank Baroue on behalf of the children, for their generosity and support. This special event was a wonderful closing of the year 2011.

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EMBASSY OF CYPRUS The Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus requests Cypriot citizens living in Kuwait to register with the Embassy. This registration service is provided so that the Embassy can update its contact list and assist Cypriot citizens in cases of emergencies.

Registration information can be emailed to cyprusembassykwt@gmail.com or faxed to 22253227 or given by phone to 65906048 (Mrs Christine). nnnnnnn

YSR fans support ‘Raitu Deeksha’

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S Jagan Mohan Reddy fans and followers in Kuwait expressed their support for ‘Raitu Deeksha’ yesterday. YSR Congress Party President YS Jagan Mohan Reddy performed his ‘Raitu Deeksha’ (3-day hunger strike) at Armur in Nizamabad district.

Meanwhile, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy fans and followers in Kuwait organized a meeting in Hawally. Akepati

Karunakar Reddy, leader of Kuwait YSR fans said that Jagan Deeksha is not political motivated but was done for the sake of farmers. Jagan wants to bring the problems of farmers to government’s notice. Kasireddy Narasa Reddy, VC Rama Chandra Reddy, VC Sidda Reddy, Akkireddy Subramanyam, Gadi Gopal Reddy, GV Babu Rayudu, Sayyad Moula, L Chandra Reddy,

Kamal, L Maheswar Reddy, R Srinivasulu Reddy, R Ravi Shankar Reddy, T Sudhakar Reddy, B Venkata Subba Reddy, MV Narasa Reddy, KV Narayana Reddy, K Manohar Reddy, Basha and many Telugu people participated in this meeting.

EMBASSY OF GERMANY The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Kuwait wishes to announce that as of 1 May 2011, the external service provider Al Qabas Assurex is operating a Visa Application Centre in support of the German Embassy. Short-term visa applications for travels to Germany (e.g. for tourism, visits, business) are to be submitted to the service provider Al Qabas who for your convenience will ensure that all relevant documents are included in your application.

Your personal appearance at the Application Centre is not required. Address of the Visa Application Centre: Al Qabas Assurex Sanabel Tower (Al-Babtain) Mezzanine (M3) opposite Sharq Mall Kuwait 22924444 Fax: 22924442 Further information are available on the following websites: www.kuwait.diplo.de www.qavisa.com nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF KENYA The Embassy of the Republic of Kenya wishes to request all Kenyans resident in or training through Kuwait to register with the Embassy. We are updating our database. This information is necessary in order to facilitate quick assistance and advise in times of emergency. Kindly visit in person or register through our website www.kenyaembkuwait.com. The Embassy is located in: Surra Area - Block 6 - Street 9 Villa 3 Tel: 25353362 - 25353314; Fax: 25353316. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF NIGERIA The Nigerian embassy has its new office in Mishref. Block 3, Street 7, House 4. For enquires please call 25379541. Fax- 25387719.

Email- nigeriakuwait@yahoo.com or nigeriankuwait@yahoo.co.uk nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF PERU Peruvian Permanent Expo will be temporarily closed from December 2lst 2011 to January 21st 2012. The Expo will reopen on January 22nd 2012 and offer once again “Peruvian Private Gastronomy Tasting Lunches” and much more like Peruvian culture, tourism, trade and great possibilities of investment. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF UKRAINE We’d like to inform you that in response to the increasing number of our citizens who work in the state and the need for 24-hour operational telephone in case of emergency the Embassy of Ukraine in the State of Kuwait has opened “hotline telephone number” (+ 965) 972-79-206.

T

he P.G.A. Everton Football Coaching Programme 2012 kicked off at the weekend and the showery conditions added to the Premier League atmosphere as 250 young players aged from 3 to 17 years got back into their stride. From 0900 to 1700 on Friday and Saturday the different age groups worked across the four pitches at Shaab Park under the watchful guidance of their coaches. Following the Evertonway coaching programme, players develop individual techniques and skills, applying them in group and match practice. Players in the Centre of Excellence teams will be playing regular fixtures and tournaments against other Clubs and Academies in the weeks ahead and next week the P.G.A. will be playing host to Hilal Jerusalem F.C. Under 14 team from Palestine. Next month over 40 players will be travelling to Dubai for the first International Tournament action of the year, and in April two squads of senior players will travel to England to compete in the North of England, whilst also having the opportunity to train with Everton F.C., watch several Premier League matches and visit Manchester United and Everton F.C. for stadium tours. Several Coaches from the P.G.A. will be attending the International Coaching Convention hosted by Glasgow Celtic F.C. at the end of February following the visit to P.G.A. by Celtic coaches recently. Under the patronage of H.E. The British Ambassador to Kuwait, Frank Baker, and sponsored by Porsche Centre Kuwait, Behbehani Motors Company, there is a fun filled and action packed year ahead to look forward to - everyone is welcome and further details are available from Academy Director Mike Finn on 99981327 or Executive Director Baker Al Nazer on 66918666, email; premier_fa_kuwait@yahoo.com Pictured are Players and Coaches from the Coaching Course Group and Centre of Excellence Teams.

Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

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W H AT ’ S O N

His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah with the groom on his left in a group photo.

Abdul-Mu’ez Al-Mutawa’s wedding

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His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah with the family of the groom.

His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah stands on the groom’s right for a group photo.

bdul-Mu’ez Abdulla Ali Abdul-Wahab Al-Mutawa’a recently got married to the daughter of Mubarak Abdul-Muhsin Al-Ali in Shuwaikh. The ceremony was attended by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, as well as state officials, social figures and other guests.

The groom, Abdul-Mu’ez Abdulla Ali Abdul-Wahab Al-Mutawa’a

Sheikh Abdullah Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah greets the groom.

Minister of Justice, Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education Ahmad Al-Mulaifi (center).

The groom (second row, fourth from left) in a family photo.

The groom in a traditional ‘Ardhah’ dance.

Sheikh Khalid Al-Suwaidi from the State of Qatar (second from right).

Qatar’s ambassador to Kuwait Abdul-Aziz Al-Fuhaid stands between the groom and father of the bride for a photo.

Kuwaiti businessman and social figure Abdul-Aziz Al-Ghannam

The groom (second from left) with former MP Khalid Al-Sultan at his left.

Prominent Kuwaiti philanthropist Yousuf Al-Hajji (third from left) and former MP Dr. Nasser Al-Sane’a (second from left)

Head of Kuwait’s Sharia Law Advisory Committee Dr. Khalid AlMathkour (center)

Media figure Yousuf Al-Jassem (center).

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Untamed & Uncut Dogs 101 Wildest Africa Shark After Dark Human Prey Dogs 101 Animal Cops Phoenix Night In Too Deep Monkey Life Michaela’s Animal Road Trip Crocodile Hunter Pandamonium Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild Bondi Vet Monkey Life Talk To The Animals Dogs 101 Monster Bug Wars Monster Bug Wars Wild France Must Love Cats America’s Cutest...

Baboons With Bill Bailey Baboons With Bill Bailey Max’s Big Tracks Into The Pride Dogs 101 Wildest Africa Shark Shrinks Whale Wars

00:30 The Weakest Link 01:15 Doctor Who 02:35 One Foot In The Grave 03:05 Little Britain 03:30 dinnerladies 04:00 Balamory 04:20 Tellytales 04:30 Bobinogs 04:45 The Roly Mo Show 05:00 Buzz & Tell 05:05 Tweenies 05:25 3rd & Bird 05:35 Nina And The Neurons 05:50 Balamory 06:10 Tellytales 06:20 Bobinogs 06:30 The Roly Mo Show 06:45 Buzz & Tell 06:50 Tweenies 07:10 3rd & Bird 07:20 Nina And The Neurons 07:35 As Time Goes By 08:05 dinnerladies 08:35 Doctor Who 09:20 Doctor Who Confidential 09:35 The Weakest Link 10:20 Casualty 11:10 Elephant Diaries 12:00 Untold Stories Of A Royal Bridesmaid 12:50 The Weakest Link 13:35 Doctors 14:05 Doctors 14:35 Doctors 15:05 Doctors 15:35 Doctors 16:05 Doctor Who 17:00 As Time Goes By 17:30 Monarch Of The Glen 18:20 Elephant Diaries 19:10 Untold Stories Of A Royal Bridesmaid 20:00 Survivors 20:50 Waking The Dead 21:40 The World’s Toughest Driving Tests 22:35 New Tricks 23:05 dinnerladies 23:35 Live At The Apollo

00:20 01:10 02:00 05:00 08:05 14:45 15:35 16:25 17:15 18:00

Masterchef Masterchef Cash In The Attic USA Bargain Hunt Come Dine With Me Antiques Roadshow Antiques Roadshow Celebrity Fantasy Homes Celebrity Fantasy Homes Gok’s Fashion Fix

18:50 19:40 20:30 20:50 21:10 22:00 22:55 23:45

00:00 00:10 00:35 01:00 01:25 01:50 02:15 02:40 03:05 03:30 03:55 04:00 04:25 04:50 05:15 05:35 06:00 06:10 06:35 07:00 07:15 07:40 08:00 08:25 08:50 09:15 09:40 09:55 10:20 10:45 11:10 11:35 12:00 12:30 14:00 14:50 15:15 15:40 16:05 16:30 17:20 Doo 17:45 18:10 18:35 18:55 19:20 19:30 20:20 20:40 21:00 21:30 21:50 22:05 22:40 23:05 23:30

Gok’s Fashion Fix Gok’s Fashion Fix Cash In The Attic USA Cash In The Attic USA Antiques Roadshow Masterchef Masterchef Masterchef

Dexters Laboratory The Garfield Show Scooby Doo Where Are You! The Perils Of Penelope Pitstop Droopy: Master Detective The Flintstones Johnny Bravo Duck Dodgers King Arthur’s Disasters The Scooby Doo Show Popeye Classics Tom & Jerry Popeye The Jetsons The Flintstones Looney Tunes Pink Panther & Pals Tex Avery Duck Dodgers The Garfield Show Yogi’s Treasure Hunt Popeye Paddington Bear Gerald McBoing Boing Bananas In Pyjamas Baby Looney Tunes Jelly Jamm Puppy In My Pocket Pink Panther And Pals The Garfield Show The Scooby Doo Show The Flintstones Looney Tunes Scooby Cinema Tom & Jerry Top Cat Top Cat Pink Panther And Pals Pink Panther And Pals The Garfield Show Scooby-Doo And ScrappyDastardly And Muttley The Flintstones Wacky Races Scooby Doo Where Are You! Popeye Classics Tom & Jerry Looney Tunes Pink Panther & Pals Top Cat Dastardly And Muttley Tom & Jerry Wacky Races The Scooby Doo Show Tom & Jerry Johnny Bravo

00:40 Samurai Jack 01:05 Samurai Jack 01:30 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 02:20 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 02:45 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 03:10 Best Ed 04:00 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 04:25 Adventure Time 04:50 Generator Rex 05:15 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 05:40 Grim Adventures Of Billy & Mandy 05:55 I Am Weasel 06:55 Powerpuff Girls 07:45 Angelo Rules 08:00 Ben 10: Ultimate Challenge 08:30 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 09:05 Ben 10: Ultimate Challenge 09:30 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 10:00 Ben 10: Secret Of The Omnitrix 11:05 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 11:30 Ben 10: Ultimate Challenge 11:55 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 12:20 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 12:45 Ben 10: Ultimate Challenge 13:10 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012

TV PROGRAMS

Years

13:35 14:00 14:25 23:00 23:25 23:50

Ben 10: Ultimate Alien Ben 10: Ultimate Challenge Ben 10: Ultimate Alien Ben 10 Ben 10 Courage The Cowardly Dog

00:00 World Report 00:30 News Special 01:00 Mainsail 01:30 World Sport 02:00 World Report 02:30 Talk Asia 03:00 World Report 03:30 World Report This Week 04:00 CNN Marketplace Europe 04:15 CNN Marketplace Africa 04:30 African Voices 05:00 CNN Presents 06:00 CNN Newsroom 07:00 World View 07:30 Inside Africa 08:00 World Sport 08:30 Inside The Middle East 09:00 World Report 09:15 CNN Marketplace Middle East 09:30 Talk Asia 10:00 World Report 10:15 CNN Marketplace Europe 10:30 Eco Solutions 11:00 World Sport 11:30 Living Golf 12:00 African Voices 12:30 The Best Of Backstory 13:00 World Report 13:30 News Special 14:00 CNN Presents 15:00 World Report 15:30 Cnngo 16:00 Fareed Zakaria Gps 17:00 State Of The Union With Candy Crowley 18:00 International Desk 18:30 Inside Africa 19:00 Global Exchange 19:15 CNN Marketplace Africa 19:30 Global Exchange 19:45 CNN Marketplace Middle East 20:00 World Sport 20:30 Mainsail 21:00 International Desk 21:30 African Voices 22:00 International Desk 22:30 Inside The Middle East 23:00 Fareed Zakaria Gps

00:40 Miami SWAT 01:35 Who Survived?

02:30 How It’s Made 07:25 American Chopper 08:15 How Do They Do It? Turbo Specials 09:10 Wheeler Dealers 10:05 Auction Hunters 11:25 Auction Kings 11:50 Auction Kings 12:20 Border Security 14:35 Cash Cab Us 16:55 Cake Boss 19:10 Nextworld 20:05 Penn & Teller Tell A Lie 21:00 Mythbusters 21:55 Curiosity 22:50 Dual Survival 23:45 Dual Survival

00:40 01:05 01:35 02:25 02:50 07:10 08:00 08:55 08:58 09:25 09:55 10:45 11:35 15:45 15:48 16:15

Bang Goes The Theory Bang Goes The Theory Science Of The Movies The Tech Show Future Weapons What’s That About?

What’s That About?

Head Rush Sci-Fi Science Weird Connections Smash Lab Scrapheap Challenge Future Weapons Head Rush Sci-Fi Science Weird Connections

THE HURT LOCKER ON OSN MOVIES ACTION

16:45 The Tech Show 17:10 What’s That About?

18:00 Science Of The Movies 18:50 Bang Goes The Theory 19:15 Bang Goes The Theory 19:40 Punkin Chunkin 2010 20:30 Robocar 21:20 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 22:10 Tech Toys 360 22:35 Tech Toys 360 23:00 Punkin Chunkin 2010 23:50 Robocar

00:20 00:45 01:10 01:35 02:00 02:20 02:45 03:10 03:35 04:00 04:25 04:50 05:15 05:35 06:00 06:25 06:45 07:10 07:30 08:00 08:25 08:50 09:15 09:40 10:05 10:30 11:50 12:00 12:25 12:50 13:15 13:40 14:00 14:25 14:50 15:15 15:35 15:55 CODY 16:20 CODY 16:45 17:10 17:30 18:00 18:20 18:45 19:10 19:30 21:00 21:05 21:25 21:50 22:15 22:40 23:05 23:30 23:55

GOOD LUCK CHARLIE REPLACEMENTS Fairly Odd Parents Fairly Odd Parents A Kind Of Magic A Kind Of Magic STITCH STITCH KIM POSSIBLE KIM POSSIBLE EMPEROR’S NEW SCHOOL EMPEROR’S NEW SCHOOL STITCH STITCH PHINEAS AND FERB SHAKE IT UP SUITE LIFE ON DECK FISH HOOKS A.N.T. FARM SHAKE IT UP GOOD LUCK CHARLIE SHAKE IT UP GOOD LUCK CHARLIE SHAKE IT UP GOOD LUCK CHARLIE STARSTRUCK HAVE A LAUGH SO RANDOM SHAKE IT UP SHAKE IT UP A.N.T. FARM RECESS FISH HOOKS SHAKE IT UP SHAKE IT UP FISH HOOKS SO RANDOM THE SUITE LIFE OF ZACK AND

20:35 HANDY MANNY 20:50 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 21:05 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 21:20 THE HIVE 21:30 MINI ADVENTURES OF WINNIE THE POOH 21:33 A POEM IS...

21:40 JUNGLE JUNCTION 21:55 MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE 22:20 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 22:35 SPECIAL AGENT OSO 22:50 LITTLE EINSTEINS 23:15 TIMMY TIME 23:25 HANDY MANNY 23:40 JUNGLE JUNCTION 23:55 MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE

00:25 Fashion Police 00:55 Chelsea Lately 01:25 Byte Me: 20 Hottest Women Of The Web 03:15 E! Investigates 04:10 Sexiest 05:05 Then And Now 05:30 Wildest TV Show Moments 06:00 20 Acts Of Love Gone Wrong 07:50 Behind The Scenes 08:20 E! News 09:15 Extreme Close-Up 09:45 Extreme Close-Up 10:15 THS 11:10 E!es 12:05 THS 13:05 THS 14:05 THS 15:00 E!es 15:55 THS 16:55 Behind The Scenes 17:25 Behind The Scenes 17:55 E! News 18:55 Scouted 19:55 Kendra 20:25 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 21:25 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 22:20 E! News 23:15 The Soup 23:40 Chelsea Lately

THE SUITE LIFE OF ZACK AND MY BABYSITTER’S A VAMPIRE WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE A.N.T. FARM GOOD LUCK CHARLIE SHAKE IT UP GOOD LUCK CHARLIE SHAKE IT UP CAMP ROCK HAVE A LAUGH WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE MY BABYSITTER’S A VAMPIRE WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE HANNAH MONTANA A.N.T. FARM SHAKE IT UP SHAKE IT UP

00:20 SPECIAL AGENT OSO 00:35 SPECIAL AGENT OSO 00:50 JUNGLE JUNCTION 01:05 JUNGLE JUNCTION 01:15 LITTLE EINSTEINS 01:40 HIGGLYTOWN HEROES 01:55 HIGGLYTOWN HEROES 02:10 JO JO’S CIRCUS 02:30 SPECIAL AGENT OSO 02:45 SPECIAL AGENT OSO 03:00 JUNGLE JUNCTION 03:15 JUNGLE JUNCTION 03:25 LITTLE EINSTEINS 03:50 HIGGLYTOWN HEROES 04:05 HIGGLYTOWN HEROES 04:20 JO JO’S CIRCUS 04:40 SPECIAL AGENT OSO 04:55 SPECIAL AGENT OSO 05:10 JUNGLE JUNCTION 05:25 JUNGLE JUNCTION 05:35 LITTLE EINSTEINS 06:00 HIGGLYTOWN HEROES 06:15 HIGGLYTOWN HEROES 06:30 JO JO’S CIRCUS 06:50 JUNGLE JUNCTION 07:00 JUNGLE JUNCTION 07:15 HIGGLYTOWN HEROES 07:30 HIGGLYTOWN HEROES 07:45 HANDY MANNY 08:00 SPECIAL AGENT OSO 08:15 MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE 08:40 TIMMY TIME 08:55 LITTLE EINSTEINS 09:20 THE HIVE 09:30 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 09:45 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 10:00 JUNGLE JUNCTION 10:10 HANDY MANNY 10:25 MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE 10:45 MINI ADVENTURES OF WINNIE THE POOH 10:50 MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE 11:15 LazyTown 11:45 ART ATTACK 12:10 IMAGINATION MOVERS 12:30 THE HIVE 12:40 LazyTown 13:05 MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE 13:30 HANDY MANNY 13:45 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 14:00 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 14:15 THE HIVE 14:25 TIMMY TIME 14:35 SPECIAL AGENT OSO 14:50 HANDY MANNY 15:05 THE HIVE 15:15 MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE 15:40 MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE 16:05 HANDY MANNY 16:20 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 16:35 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 16:50 JUNGLE JUNCTION 17:05 HANDY MANNY 17:20 LazyTown 17:45 ART ATTACK 18:10 IMAGINATION MOVERS 18:35 LITTLE EINSTEINS 19:00 JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES 19:15 HANDY MANNY 19:30 HANDY MANNY 19:45 JUNGLE JUNCTION 20:00 MINI ADVENTURES OF WINNIE THE POOH 20:05 MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE 20:30 ANIMATED STORIES

00:40 A Haunting 01:30 A Haunting 02:15 The Haunted 03:05 Ghost Lab 03:50 A Haunting 04:40 A Haunting 05:25 On The Case With Paula Zahn 06:15 Disappeared 07:10 Mystery Diagnosis 08:00 FBI Files 08:50 Forensic Detectives 09:40 Murder Shift 10:25 Mystery Diagnosis 11:10 Real Emergency Calls 11:35 Who On Earth Did I Marry?

11:55 On The Case With Paula Zahn 12:40 Disappeared 13:25 Murder Shift 14:15 Mystery Diagnosis 15:00 Real Emergency Calls 15:25 Who On Earth Did I Marry?

15:50 On The Case With Paula Zahn 16:35 Disappeared 17:20 FBI Files 18:10 Forensic Detectives 19:00 Murder Shift 19:45 Real Emergency Calls 20:10 Mystery Diagnosis 20:55 Who On Earth Did I Marry?

21:20 On The Case With Paula Zahn 22:10 Disappeared 23:00 The Will: Family Secrets Revealed 23:50 Kidnap And Rescue

00:00 Departures 00:30 Which Way To 01:00 Word of Mouth 01:30 Big, Bigger, Biggest 01:30 Food School 02:00 Extreme Tourist Afghanistan 02:30 Stonehenge Decoded 03:00 Gone to save the planet 03:30 Gone to save the planet 04:00 Travel Madness 04:30 Britain’s Underworld 04:30 Destination Extreme 05:00 Don’t Tell My Mother 05:30 Rescue Ink 06:00 Departures 06:30 Dogtown 07:00 Word of Mouth 07:30 Food School 07:30 Which Way To 08:00 Extreme Tourist Afghanistan 08:30 Big, Bigger, Biggest 09:00 Gone to save the planet 09:30 Engineering Connections 09:30 Gone to save the planet 10:00 Travel Madness 10:30 Bin Laden’s Spy In America 10:30 Destination Extreme 11:00 Don’t Tell My Mother 12:00 Departures 12:30 Clash Of The Continents 13:00 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 13:30 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 13:30 Rescue Ink 14:00 Weird & Wonderful Hotels 14:30 Dogtown 14:30 Weird & Wonderful Hotels 15:00 Bondi Rescue 15:30 Banged Up Abroad 15:30 Which Way To 16:30 Banged Up Abroad 16:30 Megastructures 17:30 Destination Extreme 17:30 Engineering Connections 18:00 Travel Madness 18:30 Apocalypse: The Second World War 18:30 Chasing Che: Latin America On A Motorcycle 19:00 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 19:30 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 19:30 Rhino Rescue 20:00 Weird & Wonderful Hotels 20:30 Inside 20:30 Weird & Wonderful Hotels 21:00 Bondi Rescue 21:30 Ancient Megastructures 21:30 Banged Up Abroad 22:30 Banged Up Abroad 22:30 Taboo 23:30 Destination Extreme 23:30 Megastructures

LOVE HAPPENS ON OSN MOVIES HD

00:00 Kiss Of Death-18 02:00 The Grudge 3-18 04:00 Odysseus: Voyage To The Underworld-PG15 06:00 The Fast And The FuriousPG15 08:00 X2-PG 10:15 Ip Man-PG15 12:30 Spartacus-PG15 15:45 Superman/ Batman: Apocalypse-PG15 17:45 X2-PG 20:00 Carrie-18 22:00 Wild Bill-PG15

01:00 Death Race 2-18 03:00 Ace Ventura: Pet Detective Jr.PG 05:00 The Greatest-PG15 07:00 5 Dollars A Day-PG15 09:00 Ace Ventura: Pet Detective Jr.PG 11:00 Make It Happen-PG15 13:00 Stone Of Destiny-PG15 15:00 The Spy Next Door-PG 17:00 Make It Happen-PG15 19:00 Tomorrow, When The War Began-PG15 21:00 Paranormal Activity 2-18 23:00 How Do You Know-PG15

12:00 Two And A Half Men 12:30 Will And Grace 13:00 Melissa And Joey 13:30 Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne 16:30 The Office 18:00 Friends 18:30 Friends 19:00 Modern Family 19:30 Parks And Recreation 20:00 Mad Love 20:30 Curb Your Enthusiasm 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 Saturday Night Live 23:00 Family Guy

00:00 01:00 03:00 04:00 04:30 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 08:30 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00 23:30

The Killing C.S.I. Miami Breakout Kings In Treatment In Treatment The View Good Morning America Law & Order: Los Angeles Emmerdale Coronation Street The Martha Stewart Show The View Persons Unknown Breakout Kings Law & Order: Los Angeles C.S.I. Miami Live Good Morning America The Ellen DeGeneres Show Emmerdale Coronation Street Body Of Proof Unforgettable Pan Am Top Gear (US) In Treatment In Treatment

00:00 C.S.I. 02:00 The Killing 03:00 C.S.I. Miami 04:00 Breakout Kings 05:00 Surface 06:00 C.S.I. 07:00 How I Met Your Mother 07:30 Coronation Street 08:00 Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior 10:00 Breakout Kings 11:00 C.S.I. Miami 12:00 How I Met Your Mother 12:30 Coronation Street 13:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 14:00 Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior 15:00 C.S.I. 16:00 How I Met Your Mother 16:30 Coronation Street 17:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 18:00 House

19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Body Of Proof Unforgettable Pan Am Top Gear (US) Lights Out

01:00 The Hurt Locker-18 03:15 Odysseus: Voyage To The Underworld-PG15 05:15 The Evil Dead-R 07:00 Dick Tracy-PG15 09:00 The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course-PG15 11:00 King Arthur-PG15 13:15 Fast Lane-PG15 15:00 The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course-PG15 17:00 Rocky III-PG15 19:00 Valhalla Rising-18 21:00 Wild Bill-PG15 23:00 Case 39-18

00:00 Straight Talk-PG15 02:00 Last Of The Living-PG15 04:00 Nothing Like The HolidaysPG15 06:00 The Adventures Of Rocky And Bullwinkle-FAM 08:00 Hanging Up-PG15 10:00 Lost In Yonkers-PG 12:00 When In Rome-PG15 14:00 Everybody Wants To Be Italian-PG15 16:00 Straight Talk-PG15 18:00 Woke Up Dead-PG15 20:00 Bulletproof-18 22:00 American Pie 7: The Book Of Love-18

01:00 The Medicine Show-18 03:00 Heart And Souls-PG 05:00 Cape Fear-PG15 07:00 Moon Over Parador-PG15 09:00 Who Is Clark Rockefeller-PG 11:00 Celine: Through The Eyes Of The World-PG15 13:15 The Nutty Professor-FAM 15:00 The Sunset Limited-PG15 17:00 Oceans - Into The Deep-PG 19:00 Robin Hood (1991)-PG15 21:00 Legends Of The Fall-18 23:15 Karma: Crime, Passion, Reincarnation-18

01:00 Dare-18 03:00 Love Happens-PG15 05:00 City Of Life-PG15 07:00 StreetDance-PG15 09:00 The Joneses-PG15 11:00 What’s The Worst That Could Happen?-PG15 13:00 Love N’ Dancing-PG15 15:00 Nanny Mcphee And The Big Bang-PG 17:00 The Joneses-PG15 19:00 It’s Complicated-PG15 21:00 Machete-18 23:00 Team America: World Police18

00:00 True Story Of Puss’n Boots-PG 02:00 Queen Of The Swallows-FAM 04:00 How The Grinch Stole Christmas-PG15 06:00 Last Of The Mohicans-PG 08:00 Babe: Pig In The City-FAM 10:00 Legend Of The Guardians-PG 12:00 How The Grinch Stole Christmas-PG15 14:00 Ulysses-PG 16:00 Tangled-FAM 18:00 Babe: Pig In The City-FAM 20:00 Winner & The Golden Child: Part I-PG15 22:00 Ulysses-PG

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 13:45 15:45 18:00 PG15

Mercy-18 Morning Glory-PG15 Head Over Heels-PG15 Salt-PG15 That’s What I Am-PG15 Furry Vengeance-PG Open Season 3-FAM Salt-PG15 Morning Glory-PG15 Invisible Sign Of My Own-

20:00 Chasing 3000-PG15 22:00 The Clinic-18

00:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 05:30 12:30 13:00 15:00 16:00 16:30 21:30 22:00

WWE SmackDown WWE Bottom Line UFC The Ultimate Fighter UFC Countdown Aquabikes Live Test Cricket Powerboats WWE SmackDown WWE Bottom Line Volvo Ocean Race Highlights Live Snooker Masters Volvo Ocean Race Highlights Live Snooker Masters

00:00 02:00 03:00 04:30 05:30 12:30 13:30 14:30 15:00 22:00 23:00

Scottish Premier League Trans World Sport Volvo Ocean Race Volvo Ocean Race Live Test Cricket World Cup of Pool World Pool Masters Volvo Ocean Race Highlights Test Cricket Volvo Ocean Race European Challenge Cup

00:30 02:30 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 06:30 07:00 11:30 13:30 14:30 16:30 21:30 22:00

European Challenge Cup ICC Cricket World World Cup of Pool World Pool Masters US Bass Fishing FIVB Beach Volley Ball FIVB Beach Volley Ball European PGA Tour Scottish Premier League Volvo Ocean Race Highlights European Challenge Cup Live Snooker Masters Futbol Mundial Live Snooker Masters

00:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 09:00 11:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 22:00 23:00

WWE SmackDown WWE Bottom Line UFC The Ultimate Fighter UFC 142 Countdown Live UFC 142 Prelims Live UFC 142 WWE SmackDown WWE Experience WWE This Week Euro Tour Weekly Live PGA European Tour UFC 142 Countdown WWE Bottom Line WWE Experience Live European Challenge Cup WWE Bottom Line UFC 142 Prelims

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 20:00 21:00 21:30 22:00 23:00

Conspiracy?

Declassified Russia: Land Of The Tsars Cities Of The Underworld Conspiracy?

Declassified Conspiracy?

Declassified Russia: Land Of The Tsars Cities Of The Underworld Conspiracy?

Declassified Conspiracy?

Declassified Russia: Land Of The Tsars Cities Of The Underworld Pub Dig Pawn Stars American Restoration Chasing Mummies Apocalypse Island

01:30 03:20 05:00 08:00 11:25 13:15 15:00 17:05 19:00 20:45 23:00

Kim-FAM The Opposite Of Sex-18 Grand Prix-PG Ben-Hur-PG Kiss Me Kate-FAM Private Lives Of...-FAM The Yellow Rolls-Royce-PG The Tender Trap-PG The Two Mrs. Carrolls-PG The Champ-PG Lust For Life-FAM

Classifieds SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Airlines LMU JZR JZR JZR MLR ETH THY UAE QTR DHX MSR FDB KZU NCR ETD RJA GFA KAC DHX FCX JZR JZR BAW KAC KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY QTR ETD FDB IRA GFA FCX RBG RAB IRC JZR IRA RKM MEA SYR KAC MSR JZR KAC GFA KAC KAC FDB UAL QTR SVA RJA ABY KAC KAC JZR KAC QTR JZR JZR ETD UAE FDB GFA SVA RBG ABY JZR ALK JZR FDB KAC JZR KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC FDB JAI OMA AFG MLR KAC DHX GRF MEA GFA QTR UAE KAC JZR KAC AIC KAC JZR UAL AXB DLH

Arrival Flights on Sunday 15/1/2012 Flt Route 1109 ALEXANDRIA 185 DUBAI 267 BEIRUT 539 CAIRO 1405 COLOMBO/DUBAI 620 ADDIS ABABA 772 ISTANBUL 853 DUBAI 138 DOHA 370 BAHRAIN 612 CAIRO 67 DUBAI 470 BAGRAM 920 KABUL 305 ABU DHABI 642 AMMAN 211 BAHRAIN 544 CAIRO 170 BAHRAIN 201 DUBAI 555 ALEXANDRIA 529 ASSIUT 157 LONDON 412 MANILA/BANGKOK 206 ISLAMABAD 53 DUBAI 352 COCHIN 302 MUMBAI 332 TRIVANDRUM 855 DUBAI 125 SHARJAH 132 DOHA 301 ABU DHABI 55 DUBAI 603 SHIRAZ 213 BAHRAIN 203 DUBAI 3555 ALEXANDRIA 302 KANDAHAR 6801 AHWAZ 165 DUBAI 615 SHAHRE KORD 310 RAS ALKHAIMAH 404 BEIRUT 341 DAMASCUS/ALEPPO 382 DELHI 610 CAIRO 201 DAMASCUS 672 DUBAI 219 BAHRAIN 744 DAMMAM 774 RIYADH 57 DUBAI 982 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 140 DOHA 500 JEDDAH 640 AMMAN 123 SHARJAH 788 JEDDAH 284 DHAKA 257 BEIRUT 550 SOHAG 134 DOHA 561 SOHAG 213 DEIREZZOR/ALEPPO 303 ABU DHABI 857 DUBAI 59 DUBAI 215 BAHRAIN 510 RIYADH 3564 ASSIUT 127 SHARJAH 777 JEDDAH 227 COLOMBO/DUBAI 177 DUBAI 63 DUBAI 542 CAIRO 787 RIYADH 786 JEDDAH 618 DOHA 674 DUBAI 166 PARIS/ROME 102 NEW YORK/LONDON 562 AMMAN 61 DUBAI 572 MUMBAI 647 MUSCAT 405 KABUL/DUBAI 1407 COLOMBO/DUBAI 512 TEHRAN 372 BAHRAIN 81 BAGHDAD 402 BEIRUT 217 BAHRAIN 136 DOHA 859 DUBAI 172 FRANKFURT 135 BAHRAIN 502 BEIRUT 981 CHENNAI/HYDERABAD 678 MUSCAT/ABU DHABI 239 AMMAN 981 BAHRAIN 389 KOZHIKODE/MANGALORE 636 FRANKFURT

Time 0:01 0:20 0:45 0:50 0:55 1:45 2:15 2:35 2:40 2:55 3:00 3:05 3:05 3:05 3:10 3:10 3:15 4:40 5:15 5:30 6:00 6:20 6:40 6:45 7:40 7:45 7:50 7:55 8:05 8:30 9:00 9:05 9:15 9:20 9:40 9:55 10:30 10:45 11:00 11:10 11:20 11:35 11:45 11:55 12:35 12:45 12:55 13:00 13:20 13:25 13:25 13:45 13:50 14:05 14:20 14:30 14:40 14:45 14:50 15:00 15:00 15:15 15:25 16:10 16:45 16:50 16:55 17:05 17:15 17:20 17:35 17:40 17:45 18:00 18:15 18:40 18:50 19:05 19:10 19:15 19:25 19:30 19:35 19:50 20:00 20:10 20:15 20:30 20:50 20:55 21:00 21:15 21:20 21:25 21:35 21:40 21:45 21:55 22:00 22:05 22:05 22:45 23:00 23:35 23:50

Airlines AXB UAL LMU AIC BBC DLH MLR KAC ETH THY GRF KAC FDB UAE DHX MSR ETD QTR JZR KZU NCR GFA RJA JZR FDB BAW KAC KAC JZR KAC KAC JZR JZR UAE ABY ETD KAC FDB QTR KAC IRA GFA KAC RBG FCX KAC IRC JZR KAC IRA RKM MEA SYR KAC JZR MSR GFA FDB KAC RAB KAC UAL ABY KAC RJA SVA KAC JZR KAC KAC QTR JZR ETD JZR QTR FDB UAE GFA RBG ABY SVA JZR JZR ALK FDB JZR KAC FDB DHX KAC JAI OMA MLR KAC DHX MEA GFA FCX QTR KAC JZR UAE KAC KAC JZR KAC KAC AFG

Departure Flights on Sunday 15/1/2012 Flt Route 394 COCHIN/KOZHIKODE 981 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 1110 ALEXANDRIA 976 GOA/CHENNAI 44 CHITTAGONG/DHAKA 637 FRANKFURT 1405 COLOMBO 283 DHAKA 621 ADDIS ABABA 773 ISTANBUL 94 DUBAI/KANDAHAR 381 DELHI 68 DUBAI 854 DUBAI 371 BAHRAIN 613 CAIRO 306 ABU DHABI 139 DOHA 164 DUBAI 468 AL MAKTOUM INTERNATI 920 BAGRAM 212 BAHRAIN 643 AMMAN 200 DAMASCUS 54 DUBAI 156 LONDON 549 SOHAG 671 DUBAI 256 BEIRUT 171 FRANKFURT 787 JEDDAH 560 SOHAG 212 ALEPPO/DEIREZZOR 856 DUBAI 126 SHARJAH 302 ABU DHABI 117 NEW YORK 56 DUBAI 133 DOHA 773 RIYADH 602 SHIRAZ 214 BAHRAIN 743 DAMMAM 3563 ASSIUT 204 DUBAI 541 CAIRO 6802 AHWAZ 776 JEDDAH 103 LONDON 614 SHAHRE KORD 311 RAS ALKHAIMAH 405 BEIRUT 342 ALEPPO/DAMASCUS 785 JEDDAH 176 DUBAI 611 CAIRO 220 BAHRAIN 58 DUBAI 561 AMMAN 300 BAGRAM 673 DUBAI 982 BAHRAIN 124 SHARJAH 677 MUSCAT/ABU DHABI 641 AMMAN 503 MEDINAH/JEDDAH 617 DOHA 786 RIYADH 501 BEIRUT 511 TEHRAN 141 DOHA 238 AMMAN 304 ABU DHABI 538 CAIRO 135 DOHA 60 DUBAI 858 DUBAI 216 BAHRAIN 3556 ALEXANDRIA 128 SHARJAH 511 RIYADH 266 BEIRUT 134 BAHRAIN 228 DUBAI/COLOMBO 64 DUBAI 184 DUBAI 361 COLOMBO 62 DUBAI 171 BAHRAIN 351 COCHIN 571 MUMBAI 648 MUSCAT 1407 COLOMBO 543 CAIRO 373 BAHRAIN 403 BEIRUT 218 BAHRAIN 102 BAHRAIN 137 DOHA 301 MUMBAI 554 ALEXANDRIA 860 DUBAI 205 ISLAMABAD 343 CHENNAI 502 LUXOR 415 KUALA LUMPUR/JAKARTA 411 BANGKOK/MANILA 406 DUBAI/KABUL

Time 0:40 0:45 0:45 0:50 1:00 1:20 1:55 2:40 2:45 3:15 3:30 3:30 3:45 3:50 3:55 4:00 4:00 4:55 6:55 7:00 7:00 7:00 7:10 7:30 8:25 8:40 8:55 9:00 9:00 9:05 9:25 9:30 9:35 9:40 9:45 10:00 10:00 10:05 10:10 10:25 10:40 10:40 10:45 11:25 11:45 12:00 12:10 12:15 12:30 12:35 12:50 12:55 13:35 13:40 13:50 13:55 14:20 14:35 14:45 15:00 15:05 15:20 15:25 15:25 15:35 15:45 15:50 15:50 16:15 16:25 16:30 17:15 17:35 17:40 17:45 17:50 18:10 18:15 18:20 18:25 18:35 18:45 19:05 19:10 19:20 19:55 20:20 20:40 21:00 21:05 21:10 21:15 21:50 21:55 22:00 22:20 22:25 22:30 22:35 22:45 22:45 22:50 23:00 23:30 23:35 23:45 23:55 23:59

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

ACCOMMODATION Full furnished single room with separate bathroom available with small Muslim family in 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms C-A/C flat in Hawally, Tunis Street, near Sadique roundabout behind Commercial Bank.

Contact: 97794619.

(C 3826) A two bed room central A/C flat with two bathrooms and large hall for rent. Most of the household furniture for sale including bedroom set with two cupboards, IKEA dressing table, Fridge, Two coffee tables, Dining table with 4 chairs, Two seater sofa, Kitchen cabinets etc. Call 65053439 12-1-2012

el, gray color, alloys wheel, sensor, mileage 5000km, under warranty 3 years, price KD 4,950/-. Contact: 55522942. (C 3818) Mitsubishi Lancer 2004 GLX, Price KD 850/-, Mitsubishi Box 2006, Price KD 2,000/-. Contact: 66052331. (C 3820) SITUATION VACANT Required house cook, Indian nationality - male, attractive salary. Contact: 99062666. (C 3822) 15-1-2012 A gift wrapping and gift basket designer with basic knowledge on flower arrangement required for a high end gifts shop.

Applicants must send CV to giftwrapq@gmail.com 12-1-2012

FOR SALE Internet for sale, 3 DSL ser vice for ready use, 3 months for KD 25, 1 Mbps speed and subscription periods with the ability to upgrade any time, valid before 29 February 2012.

Contact: 66203674. Email: francisappoline@gmail.com (C 3825) 15-1-2012 Mitsubishi Gallant 1998 for sale. Passing till November 2012. Owner wants to leave Kuwait for good.

Please call 66372366.

Mitsubishi Nativa 2008, 66564 km, black color, excellent condition, KD 3,560/-, negotiable.

Contact: 60306273. (C 3827) 14-1-2012 Toyota Corolla 2012 mod-

No: 15329

MATRIMONIAL Proposal invited for Sunni Muslim Pakistani daughter age 25, tall, smart, Dr. Pharmacy, on job in Kuwait, from suitable matching data boy through parents.

Contact email: ahmeedk555@gmail.com (C 3824) 11-1-2012

SITUATION WANTED Accountant: young, smart, first class B.Com graduate, knowing Peachtree and Tally Accounting Software with 2 years experience in Kuwait looking for suitable job as Accountant. Contact: 65179245. (C 3828) 15-1-2012

34

s ta rs CROSSWORD 558

CALVIN & HOBBES

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012

STAR TRACK Aries (March 21-April 19) Procrastination is not all bad. Sometimes that extra push on the throttle just winds up flooding the engine or spinning the wheels—let things rest a bit. A good plan of action will emerge soon. You could lead the way on a home or neighborhood project; your creative mind is intent on excellent results. There is attention to the elderly people around you or in your family structure—you are actively interested. Try listening to their needs before deciding for yourself how best to help them. Sudden conflicts that flare up, or decisions that need be made, should undergo your consideration along with others. Consolidating your resources is the best bet for any future success. Tonight you should rest . . . a few unwashed dishes will not mean the end of the world!

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

POOCH CAFE ACROSS 1. The cry made by sheep.

4. Eurasian perennial bulbous herbs.

10. The syllable naming the first (tonic) note of any major scale in solmization.

13. A river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine.

14. An implement used to erase something.

15. Any of various primates with short tails or no tail at all.

16. Electrical conduction through a gas in an applied electric field.

17. A period of 10 years.

18. Goddess of the dead and queen of the underworld.

19. An accidental hole that allows something (fluid or light etc.) to enter or escape.

21. Large hairy humanoid creature said to live in the Himalayas.

23. A hemoprotein composed of globin and heme that gives red blood cells their characteristic color.

25. A toxic protein extracted from castor beans.

27. An appraisal of the state of affairs.

30. A male monarch or emperor (especially of Russia prior to 1917).

34. A festival featuring African-American culture.

37. Imperial dynasty that ruled China (most of the time) from 206 BC to 221 and expanded its boundaries and developed its bureaucracy.

38. The branch of computer science that deal with writing computer programs that can solve problems creatively.

41. A number that is added to another number (the augend).

43. A ship with a reinforced bow to break up ice and keep channels open for navigation.

45. Goddess of criminal rashness and its punishment.

46. A quantity of no importance.

47. A flat-bottomed volcanic crater that was formed by an explosion.

51. The (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb.

55. A human limb.

59. A plant hormone promoting elongation of stems and roots.

60. Extremely pleasing.

61. A large fleet.

62. A mature blood cell that contains hemoglobin to carry oxygen to the bodily tissues.

63. A dark-skinned member of a race of people living in Australia when Europeans arrived.

64. African tree having an exceedingly thick trunk and fruit that resembles a gourd and has an edible pulp called monkey bread.

65. French writer whose novels described the sordid side of city life (1804-1857).

DOWN 1. Any of numerous local fertility and nature deities worshipped by ancient Semitic peoples.

2. A river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine.

3. Type genus of the family Arcidae.

4. (Brit) A tough youth of 1950's and 1960's wearing Edwardian style clothes.

5. United States chemist who discovered deuterium (18931981).

6. Type genus of the Lacertidae.

7. Old World genus of annual to perennial herbs.

8. A tricycle (usually propelled by pedalling).

9. A unit of surface area equal to 100 square meters.

10. Tropical woody herb with showy yellow flowers and flat pods.

11. An organization of countries formed in 1961 to agree on a common policy for the sale of petroleum.

12. Goddess of the dead and queen of the underworld.

20. An inn in some Eastern countries with a large courtyard that provides accommodation for caravans.

22. An associate degree in nursing.

24. A gold coin of the Byzantine Empire.

26. A heavy brittle metallic element of the platinum group.

28. (informal) A bunch.

29. A loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral.

31. A city in east central Texas.

32. A ruler of the Inca Empire (or a member of his family).

33. Clean or orderly.

35. An officer who acts as military assistant to a more senior officer.

36. A region of Malaysia in northeastern Borneo.

39. (British) A minicar used as a taxicab.

40. A piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep.

42. The sense organ for hearing and equilibrium.

44. A nation in northern North America.

45. A rare heavy polyvalent metallic element that resembles manganese chemically and is used in some alloys.

48. An Arabic speaking person who lives in Arabia or North Africa.

49. A platform raised above the surrounding level to give prominence to the person on it.

50. A visual presentation showing how something works.

52. Affected manners intended to impress others.

53. (Babylonian) God of wisdom and agriculture and patron of scribes and schools.

54. Small European freshwater fish with a slender bluish-green body.

56. A compartment in front of a motor vehicle where driver sits.

57. A constellation in the southern hemisphere near Telescopium and Norma.

58. A workplace for the conduct of scientific research.

Yesterday’s Solution

You are realistic about your abilities and expectations for success.

Your nature will most likely be very calm as you take a serious attitude to just about all aspects of your life. This is an excellent time to get many things accomplished. You may gain insights from your work. Mental endeavors are favored as is communication with friends and loved ones. Avoid being too rigid. Tomorrow is the key word for today. Some days it is okay to put off until tomorrow all those chores you could do today. This is one of those days where you can do the action needed for this day while you plan tomorrow’s activity. The leaky roof or a paint project may take the whole weekend and if you have a volunteer helper, the helper might like a party when the job is over.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) It is time for some positive changes in your life. This could come as information about a new job opportunity or a new love relationship. You may be chosen to guide or tutor one or many young people today.

Whatever you are doing, today involves positive opportunities and changes for the future. Opinions are not enough for you now; they must be backed by authority or evidence and above all they must have practical worth and application. Later this afternoon, you may find yourself enjoying a long conversation, writing a letter, or making a special phone call. You could be most persuasive with others this day. The situation is a natural for self-expression and lends itself to your particular ideas and thoughts. A good conversation with those you love is possible.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

NON SEQUITUR

You may be bored with your daily routine and itching to sail off into uncharted waters. Go for it! Others may try to discourage you, but their advice will probably go unheeded. You know there may be risks, but you are not afraid. Whatever happens, you may discover things about yourself that even you did not know—it could be exciting. A friend or relative may challenge you on a very sensitive issue later and at the least the conversation could be intense. The good thing about today is that there are other things on your mind and any disagreements or debates will end fairly quickly. As you understand a situation better, you will be able to express yourself better; patience. This evening may be a good time to just relax with a good meal and music.

Leo (July 23-August 22)

ZITS

Relationships and creativity are equal partners. Your longing for a partner is strong and if you have a mate it should be equally satisfying for both of you. If there is no mate, you may be tempted to go wandering. Enjoy your social activities at this time. Artistic endeavors for self-expression could be extremely creative now. You are in the mood to celebrate and so are the people around you. Now is a good time to have your fortune told or to order a horoscope forecast. Your life takes on a kind of mystical quality at the emotional and instinctive levels. Dreams and illusions, forgiveness and understanding human frailties are the things that arouse deep feelings. Now is the time when barriers between people dissolve—enjoy your evening!

Virgo (August 23-September 22) There are promises to keep! Romance is highlighted now and there may be a great desire to try something new or go somewhere previously unexplored. Careful—you may tend to ignore or fail to appreciate the law or what you know to be the truth. Your values may run counter to established tradition.

This may not be the time to attempt to get your ideas across to others. You may find yourself feeling blocked and unable to express yourself, but you will be pleased with the end results. Be patient with yourself and others will also be patient with you. This is a good time to try and foster a sense of togetherness and team play among family members—try hard to squelch the desire to do everything on your own. Make it a point to hear and think positively.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM

This is a day you feel you can take on any task. You are a self-starter.

Energy and confidence combine to produce leadership. Any help you may recruit along the way will draw out your most positive frame of mind.

Shared activities that take place at this time should be both well-attended and successful. The need for emotional security is important to you but not overwhelming you into analysis. Learning from self-help books is appealing and successful but a short phase to be sure. Life should seem richer, more satisfying and more fun now.

You feel a special bond with your friends and loved ones. Go out on a date with your special someone or invite your friends over for the evening. You will enjoy much laughter and good conversation.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) You should see a swift and successful end to any task you attempt.

You are a self-starter. Energy and confidence combine to produce good leadership skills, if leadership skills are needed. Your enthusiasm is contagious.

Most any athletic activity is a plus for this day and if you hadn’t planned an activity time, this afternoon would be a good time to interact with the young people around you. Additionally, this particular period is good for domestic happiness. You may be inclined to use the home as a vehicle for entertaining. Social activities and pursuits like religion and volunteer work interests you. There is also a great love of children and you may be inclined to pursue romance and love-making in the hopes of obtaining an offspring.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) You work to clear your mind so that you will not be too emotional this day. When the smallest thing offends, it is time to take a look at your rest and nutrition quota. Perhaps you are not giving yourself enough credit . . . it may be time to speak up. Find and use the most diplomatic communication possible.

If you remain positive and look for the most positive outcome, you will find that dealing with the public can be an education instead of a dead end. You may not really feel like doing any kind of work that requires a realistic frame of mind this evening and that is understandable . . . your day may have been plenty busy, so enjoy a little exercise and a take-out dinner. There could be opportunities to play with those new computer or board games tonight.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) This is a great day for enjoying the company of friends and family alike and if you can fit in some kind of entertainment or celebration, all the better. Your family may decide to take a trip to the country today, either leaving you alone or including you in their adventure—your choice. Dreams and illusions, forgiveness and understanding human frailties are the things that arouse deep feelings. The past and the future intermingle—the barriers between people dissolve—there is the key to the greater psychic and spiritual sensitivity you feel now.

Your artistic side is highlighted and you start a creative project or attend a cultural event this evening. Although you have been busy most of the day, you look forward to the evening’s activities.

Yesterday’s Solution Aquarius (January 20- February 18) This is a great time to just relax and enjoy life. You may show an interest more in cultural or literary affairs regarding the spending of money than with just merely collecting material goods. This could mean a painting or a keepsake book, etc. The topics of conversation you enjoy can be quite involved and may bring about an interest of religion and philosophy. There could be questions raised about mysterious topics, like your purpose in life. Talk among friends is revealing at this time. There may be new opportunities for some type of social gathering in the near future—like a family reunion. The planning can be great fun! It is important at this time to have a realistic understanding of your own and your partner’s abilities and strengths just now.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Word Sleuth Solution

You may feel that there is a need to do a bit of mental housecleaning this morning. Your thoughts may tend to turn inward, toward your situation in life. Unfortunately, this may dredge up depressing stuff, such as your supposed fears or weaknesses. Do not dwell on any one thing. If you see something that you can fix, fix it! This is a good day for heavy mental work requiring discipline— like the bank statement, bills, etc. There are some good results! Later, take a break and do a little different type of work—perhaps hanging a few pictures—you will be glad you did. Work off any frustrations with a walk through the neighborhood or dancing with a pillow. This evening you can take your refurbished energies out on a date.

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012

i n f o r m at i o n

FIRE BRIGADE STATE ST TATE T OF K KUWAIT KUW WA AIT

112

Tel.: T el.: e 161

DIRECTORA DIRECTORATE ATE T GENE GENERAL ERAL OF CIVIL A AVIATION VIA V AT TION DEPARTMENT METEOROLOGICAL DEP D PARTMENT A DA AY: Y Saturday DAY:

WWW .MET.GOV V.KW . W WWW.MET.GOV.KW

14/01/2012

Ministry of Interior

Ext.: 2627 262 27 - 2630

Fax: 24348714

07:00

Issue Time Time

Expected W Weather eather for the Next 24 4 Hours Cold with w moderate freshening at times t north westerly wind, with w speed of 20 - 40 km/h

BY Y DAY: DA AY:

website: www.moi.gov.kw Cold with w moderate to fresh north westerly wind, with speed of o 20 - 40 km/h

BY Y NIGHT: NIGHT:

For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128

No Current Warnings Warnin a gs

WARNING W A ARNING STATION ST TAT TION

MAX. EXP. EXP P.

MIN.. REC.

KUWAIT KUW WA AIT CITY

16 °C

12 °C

24812000

KUW WA AIT AIRPORT AIRPOR RT KUWAIT

16 °C

04 °C

Amiri Hospital

22450005

NUW WA AISEEB NUWAISEEB

15 °C C

08 °C C

Maternity Hospital

24843100

WAFRA W A AFRA

14 °C

08 °C

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

SALMI

19 °C

05 °C

Chest Hospital

24849400

ABDALY ABDAL LY

18 °C

05 °C

Farwaniya Hospital

24892010

JAL ALIYAH ALIY YAH A

17 °C

07 °C

Adan Hospital

23940620

FAILAKA F AILAKA A

15 °C

11 1 1 °C

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

PORT AHMADI POR RT

17 °C

15 °C

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

UMM AL-MARADEM M

18 °C

15 °C

Physiotherapy Hospital

24874330/9

WARBA W A ARBA A - BUBYAN BUBY YAN A

16 °C

06 °C

Hospitals Sabah Hospital

SFC. CHART CHART

14/01/2012 0000 UTC

4732263

Roudha

22517733

Adhaliya

22517144

Khaldiya

24848075

Keifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salim

22549134

Al-Nuzha

4 DAYS DA AY YS FORECAST T emperratures Temperatures DAY DA AY

DA DATE AT TE

WEA WEATHER ATHER T

Sunday

15/01

cold

Monday

16/01

cold

Tuesday Tuesday

17/01

partly cloudy

Wednesday e Wednesday

18/01

ligh ht rain partly cloudy + light

18 °C

PRAYER PR RA AYER Y TIMES

MAX.

MIN.

W ind Dir ection Wind Direction

W Wind ind Speed

15 °C

03 °C

NW

15 - 40 km/h

15 °C

03 °C

NW-N NW-N

06 - 26 km/h

16 °C

03 °C

N-NE

06 - 26 km/h

05 °C

N-NE

06 - 26 km/h

RECORDED D YESTERDA YESTERDAY AY A AT T KUW KUWAIT WAIT A T AIRPOR AIRPORT T

Fajr

05:20

MA AX. T emp.

MAX. Temp.

15 °C

22526804

S i Sunrise

06 44 06:44

MIIN. IN T emp.

MIN. Temp.

05 °C

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Zuhr

1 1:57 11:57

MAX. RH M

78 %

Al-Khadissiya

22515088

Dasmah

22532265

Bneid Al-Ghar

22531908

Al-Shaab

22518752

Al-Kibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Kibla

22451082

Al-Mirqab

22456536

Sharq

22465401

Salmiya

25746401

Jabriya

25316254

Maidan Hawally

25623444

Bayan

25388462

Mishref

25381200

W.Hawally

22630786

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

New Jahra

24575755

West Jahra

24772608

South Jahra

24775066

North Jahra

24775992

North Jleeb

24311795

Al-Ardhiya

24884079

Firdous

24892674

Al-Omariya

24719048

N.Kheitan

24710044

Fintas

3900322

22418714

Al-Shohada’a

22545171

Al-Shuwaikh

24810598

Al-Nuzha

22545171

Sabhan

24742838

Al-Helaly

22434853

Al-Fayhaa

22545051

Al-Farwaniya

24711433

Al-Sulaibikhat

24316983

Al-Fahaheel

23927002

Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh

24316983

Ahmadi

23980088

Al-Mangaf

23711183

Al-Shuaiba

23262845

Al-Jahra

25610011

Al-Salmiya

25616368

POLICE STATION

Clinics Rabiya

Al-Madena

22434064 22435865 22544200 22547133 22515277 22616662 25714406 22530801

THE PUBLIC AUTHORITY FOR CIVIL INFORMATION Automated enquiry about the Civil ID card is 1889988

Asr

14:51

MIN. RH M

40 %

Sunset

17:11 17:1 1

MA AX. Wind Wind MAX.

N 25 km/h

Isha

18:32

T OT TA AL L RAI INF FALL A L IN 24 HR. TOTAL RAINFALL

un nless otherwise stated.

All times are local time unless

Al-Madena Police Station Al-Murqab Police Station Al-Daiya Police Station Al-Fayha’a Police Station Al-Qadissiya Police Station Al-Nugra Police Station Al-Salmiya Police Station Al-Dasma Police Station

.06 mm

14/01/12 02:50 UTC

V1.00

T1.06

PHARMACIES

AIRLINES

ON 24 HRS DUTY GOVERNORATE

PHARMACY

ADDRESS

PHONE

Ahmadi

Sama Safwan Abu Halaifa Danat Al-Sultan

Fahaeel Makka St Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd

23915883 23715414 23726558

Jahra

Modern Jahra Madina Munawara

Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 Jahra-Block 92

24575518 24566622

Capital

Ahlam Khaldiya Coop

Fahad Al-Salem St Khaldiya Coop

22436184 24833967

Farwaniya

New Shifa Ferdous Coop Modern Safwan

Farwaniya Block 40 Ferdous Coop Old Kheitan Block 11

24734000 24881201 24726638

Hawally

Tariq Hana Ikhlas Hawally & Rawdha Ghadeer Kindy Ibn Al-Nafis Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Salmiya-Amman St Hawally-Beirut St Hawally & Rawdha Coop Jabriya-Block 1A Jabriya-Block 3B Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

25726265 25647075 22625999 22564549 25340559 25326554 25721264 25380581 25628241

Kuwait Airways Jazeera Airways Jet Airways FlyDubai Qatar Airways KLM Air Slovakia Olympic Airways Royal Jordanian Reservation British Airways Air France Emirates Air India Sri Lanka Airlines Egypt Air Swiss Air Saudia Middle East Airlines Lufthansa PIA Alitalia Balkan Airlines Bangladesh Airlines Czech Airlines Indian Airlines Oman Air Turkish Airlines Aeroflot

171 177 22924455 22414400 22423888 22425747 22434940 22420002/9 22418064/5/6 22433388 22425635 22430224 22921555 22438184 22424444 22421578 22421516 22426306 22423073 22422493 22421044 22414427 22416474 22452977/8 22417901/ 2433141 22456700 22958787 22453820/1 22404838/9

PRIVATE CLINICS Ophthalmologists Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444 Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222 Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171 Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999 Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700 Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223 Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223 Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510 Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660 Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478 Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996 Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988 Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166 Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426 General Practitioners Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123 Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312 Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920 Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465 Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528 Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781 Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501 Urologists Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534 Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955 Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660 Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120 Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427 Psychologists /Psychotherapists

Paediatricians

Plastic Surgeons Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf

22547272

Dr. Khaled Hamadi

Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari

22617700

Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed

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36

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012

LIFESTYLE G o s s i p

Prince William

buys Kate a puppy for her birthday

he couple - who married last April - have been pictured with the baby black Labrador as they strolled near their home in Anglesey, Wales, and it is believed the dog was a gift from the prince to his wife, who turned 30 last Monday. A source said: “The dog is ever so cute. The duke and duchess have been seen with it several times and he runs along at their heels. “They are constantly in fits of laughter as it tries to catch them up.” The couple are known to be dog lovers and both kept the animals as pets when they were growing up with William owning a black Labrador named Wigeon. Catherine celebrated her birthday with a quiet meal with family and friends including her siblings Pippa and James Middleton and William’s friend Guy Pelly - at a private dining room in London. A source said: “Yes, it’s a milestone birthday, but it’s been a year of milestones for Kate and she’s happy to keep things low key. “She will be celebrating it but it will just be with a few people and it won’t be anything fancy. “Of course she wants to raise a glass to an incredible year and to this new decade of her life but she doesn’t feel the need to go wild.”

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Mena Suvari

Madonna is a details freak he 52-year-old singer always likes to be in control and thinks it is important to consider every aspect of a project, no matter how small.

Speaking about her new movie ‘WE’, which she directed, produced and wrote, she said: “I wouldn’t go so far as to say I’m a control freak, but I am a detail freak. I chose the costumes, the locations, the lamps, the tables, the carpets, the drapes - everything. “I also liked to put the finishing touches on the actors before they did their scenes- you know, with their hair or clothes. “Putting on a bracelet or something on to Andrea [Riseborough]’s wrist gave me an emotional connection before directing her. Some of the jewellery we used were actually Wallis Simpson’s.” Madonna - who has been married twice before and is currently dating dancer Brahim Zaibat - believes she is in control of her own “destiny”, a message she reflects in the movie. She explained: “It’s about what Wallis says in the movie - ‘Get a life’. Happiness lies in our own hands and we are in charge of our own destiny.”

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files for divorce he 32-year-old actress - who married the concert producer in Rome in 2010 - has reportedly cited irreconcilable differences as the reason behind the split, according to legal papers obtained by gossip website TMZ.com. Filed at the Los Angeles Superior Court by the ‘American Pie’ star’s attorney Mark Gross, the divorce documents state November 1 as the date of separation and Mena is said to be keen for a judge to prevent Simone from gaining spousal support from her. In November, Mena insisted the couple planned to have children together in the future, but were putting it off for the moment because of her husband’s work commitments. She exclusively told BANG Showbiz: “We are kind of building our lives together, we’ve been married a year now. He’s more in the music industry and he travels a lot as well but we’ve been able to travel together. “Will we have kids? Yeah, one day, one day, hopefully.” This will be Mena’s second divorce after ending her five-year marriage to cinematographer Robert Brinkmann in 2005.

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Anna Kendrick Spielberg admits films became darker after September 11 he ‘War House’ director says he was changed by the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington in 2001 and that has come across in his work, though he admits the professional shift wasn’t intentional. He said: “9/11 changed a lot for me. It changed a lot for everybody in the world. And my films did grow darker after 9/11. ‘Minority Report’ was a very dark look at the future, and certainly ‘War of the Worlds’, which was a very direct reference to 9/11. It was a real post-9/11 story. Not intended that way, but that’s the way it turned out. So I think the world has a great impact on how it colours my movies. I think that’s a good sign. It just means I’m changing by being aware of what’s happening.” Steven also admitted that the sequels to some of his films have not lived up to the high standards he sets. He said: “My sequels haven’t been better than the originals. I haven’t made a ‘Godfather II’ yet. ‘Godfather II’ is the creme de la creme. And I’ve never done that. For me.

Not maybe the audience - a lot think the third ‘Indiana Jones’ is the best ‘Indiana Jones’. But I always felt all my sequels after ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ weren’t as good.”

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had reservations about signing up to 50/50 he 26-year-old star plays the role of a therapist in the comedy about a man suffering with cancer - starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen - and she admits she was worried about what questions she would have to answer when the film came out. She said: “I had reservations when I read the original pitch. I thought, ‘I’m going to have to do press and answer questions where people ask, ‘Is cancer funny? Is it really OK to laugh at that?’ “It helped that it was based on the writer Will Reiser’s real life story, because I feel like I can say: I guess if he finds it funny, then yes.’ So far, touch wood, I haven’t had a personal experience of cancer. I’m lucky I suppose.” The ‘Twilight Saga’ actress also admits she was unsure about playing a therapist because she was worried about her abilities. She told Hello! magazine: “I am always really hesitant because I worry that if it is taken it will backfire. I like to think I am a good listener, but I think that has got worse over time, I get easily distracted.”

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Tori Amos played her first gig when she was 13

Joan Collins blames ego for many Hollywood splits he ‘Dynasty’ star was not surprised that Russell Brand and Katy Perry recently announced their 14-month marriage is to end because she thinks famous people in relationships with one another can find it difficult. She said: “It was written in the gods! I don’t know either of them. It was sad about Demi and Ashton, though. Two actors together can be difficult. I was engaged to Warren Beatty but I was more famous than him at the time. The ego can be in play with actors, particularly when you are young.” While other famous marriages break up, Joan, 78, is still “blissfully happy” with her husband of almost 10 years, Percy Gibson. She said: “I’m blissfully happy. Percy is the one. Isn’t it amazing that I would meet him in my 60s? He is the love of my life, my soulmate - he is kind, clever, funny and everything I dreamed of. We had been together for around six months when September 11 happened. We knew we had to be committed to each other. Forever. Respect each other and give each other space. And have separate bathrooms!”

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he ‘Professional Widow’ hitmaker always knew she wanted to be a professional musician and says the shows - to which she was accompanied by her minister father taught her a lot about performing. She said: “At 13, I was ready. I had a repertoire of a couple of hundred songs - things you hear on the radio. “I got dressed up, put on my sister’s high heels. My dad wore his clerical collar. We went to Georgetown, in Washington, to Mr Henry’s - a gay bar. I had to be chaperoned. “I played there for tips until I was 15. People were really receptive at Mr. Henry’s. They requested a lot of show tunes and put me through my paces - they told me how not to look like white trash, ‘No you can’t go from church to hussy.’ “ Tori was thrown out of a prestigious music school when she was 11 years old because she rebelled against the curriculum, much to the distress of her father. She told the Guardian newspaper: “I’d been kicked out of the Peabody conservatory in Baltimore at the age of 11 and lost my scholarship because I wasn’t Peabody stock any more. “I had real issues they weren’t teaching contemporary composers. They said the Beatles would be dead and gone in 30 years and no one would care. It was 1974, I was 11 and it was good to be right! “My father was really distraught. He had these dreams of me being a concert pianist and then going into religious music. I just looked at me and said, ‘Dad, this music is not moving me.’ “

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37

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012

LIFESTYLE F e a t u r e s

Majoring in chic at LA s fashion schools n a bustling part of downtown LA, a high-rise is teeming with stylish young women in short skirts and full makeup wheeling small suitcases in and out of elevators on their way to class. They’re students at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, where, down the hall from a flat-screen TV broadcasting a runway show, past a clear case of high-fashion Barbies, two of their peers are consulting with Mary Stephens, the school’s selfdescribed “big boss.”

“This is a very new-looking shape here,” says Stephens, FIDM’s director of fashion design. She is talking to Alejandro Ortega, one of 11 students the school has accepted into its advanced fashion design program this year and one of the 8,000 students enrolled on FIDM’s four California campuses.

Like the hundreds of thousands of students enrolled in fashion programs across the country, Ortega has fashion in his blood. The son of a tailor in his native Mexico, he dreams of becoming a name designer and has moved several steps closer to that dream through FIDM, where he’s learned how to sew and make patterns and design an entire collection.

The 31-year-old Ortega chose FIDM over schools in New York and Barcelona because of graduates such as Monique Lhuillier, Kevan Hall and others who’ve launched successful clothing labels and added to the $340 billion US apparel and footwear industry. Even though Los Angeles may not have the same cachet as New York, it is home to a vibrant apparel industry , and several fashion schools that feed into it.

From $35,000-per-year Otis College of Art and Design to budget-minded, $36per-unit, Los Angeles Trade-Technical College, LA ‘s fashion schools cater to students of varying aspirations and income levels. Enrollment has remained relatively steady, even during the recession, and all of LA ‘s accredited fashion schools have boasting rights to well-known graduates or attendees. Eduardo Lucero and Rick Owens are among the big names who attended Otis. Los Angeles Trade-Tech

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spotlights “Project Runway” contestant Sweet P, who took classes at the school.

“I don’t think a kid necessarily has an upper hand by going to Parsons or another New York school versus an LA school,” says Steven Kolb, executive director of the Council of Fashion Designers of America in New York. “LA has a very important fashion industry. It’s just different than what New York is.

“New York is the fashion capital of the States,” says Kolb. “It’s where business transactions happen, where Fashion Week is, where editorial is. ... But what you have in LA is a very strong manufacturing business that’s a little bit more of a casual industry in terms of the product. It’s more in line with the California lifestyle.”

The fashion industry is one of the largest employers in California, encompassing everything from pattern making and sewing to design, marketing and retail. At Otis, located in downtown LA ‘s California Market Center, the four-year bachelor of fine arts degree program covers the spectrum of the industry.

Fewer than one third of the students admitted to Otis know how to sew when they start the program, says Aaron Paule, associate professor of fashion and design.

But after a foundation year introducing freshmen to photography, fine art, fashion and drawing, students get into more of the fashion nitty-gritty with life drawing, garment dissections, pattern drafting, textile science and digital design.

In their junior and senior years, Otis students begin gathering real-world experience, working on so-called mentor projects with professional designers from top fashion companies in which they begin to design and construct garments from start to finish.

The designs shown at Otis’ year-end fashion show last spring included a handcrafted Navajo dress created for Bob Mackie, a bra and panty set for Diesel, and a silk dress for Max Mara.

“We’re very well connected with major companies, which excites the kids. That’s one of the main reasons they want to come here is to work with the big names,”

says Paule, who lists Nike, Hurley, Cynthia Rowley, Calvin Klein and Armani Exchange as recent mentor companies for Otis students.

Seniors Laura Ogle and Linn Partee are working on a project with Cirque du Soleil, where they’ve been given the task of designing an outfit based on water and movement. “Our process is to go out and buy a crystal stone and take the shapes from that and translate the shapes and colors into a 3-D garment. I’m excited,” says Ogle, who appreciates the Cirque du

edge that will help you succeed,” says Kolb, of the Council of Fashion Designers of America. “If you want to be a designer, being able to think of a sketch that might look good on someone isn’t good enough. You have to understand the mechanics of making clothes. You have to understand draping, sewing, pattern making, and that’s just the skill set. You also need the experience of how to source fabric, how clothes are produced, where clothes are produced. All of that is just critical to someone being successful.”

Student Evey Rothstein looks through the dress forms at The Los Angeles Trade-Technical College.—MCT Soleil exercise even though she hopes to find work with a children’s fashion company after she graduates.

Ogle and Partee are on schedule to graduate this spring. Following the runway show where their Cirque du Soleil design will make its way down the catwalk, the school will assist with their resumes and portfolios, and the students will meet with 20 individuals from the industry for mock and actual interviews.

“I’m a firm believer that if you want to be a designer, you should go to a school that has ... access to resources and knowl-

The economy may wax and wane, but fashion endures. So, it seems, will interest in joining the industry. At FIDM’s four campuses (LA , Orange County, San Diego and San Francisco), enrollment has held steady for the last several years at 8,000 students (in two-year associate or four-year bachelor degree programs). Tuition costs $25,000 annually. At Otis, where 172 students (at the sophomore, junior and senior levels) are enrolled in its undergraduate programs, applications have leveled following a 2009 peak of about 200 students. Enrollment is up at Los Angeles

Trade-Technical College, which was founded 87 years ago and accepts all students who apply because it is part of the California Community Colleges System.

More than 3,000 students are enrolled in the two-y ear fashion design program that costs about $3,500, including books, tuition, tools , and even the fabric they need for their projects. “These students are in class a little over 20 hours per week, so they’re immersed in one subject matter for eight weeks at a time, five days a week,“ says Carole Anderson, LA TradeTech’s fashion design department chair.

“We keep it real here. We push them really hard and we concentrate on the technical aspects of our industry because no matter what area they go into, they have to know everything.” Students at Trade-Tech have the option of taking sewing or sketch classes first, followed by a semester of pattern making and creating sizes, also known as grading. By third semester, they’re draping clothes and making advanced patterns.

“The fourth semester is when we start to throw problems at them,” says Anderson, such as working with chiffon and creating swimwear and, as demonstrated in two busy classrooms on a recent Thursday morning, designing evening wear with metal detailing for a special project.

Students were feverishly pinning zippers into place along the backs of deepcut dresses, adding buttons to waistlines and sewing bits of chain over the plunging necklines of designs they’d be debuting in an upcoming runway show. Just like the real fashion world, schools’ runway shows make for an exciting finale, allowing students to get a first-hand taste of the glamour that draws most students to attend fashion schools in the first place.

Sonia Ete had her own runway show experience as an advanced degree student at FIDM. She then went on to attend and graduate from ESMOD (L’Ecole Superieure des Arts et Techniques de la Mode) in Paris and interned at Christian Lacroix, Azzedine Alaia and Chanel embroiderer Francois LeSage, all of which

inspired her to found the Academy of Couture Art in 2006 (it was accredited in 2010). Located in a Wilshire Boulevard high-rise, the academy’s curriculum is focused entirely on French couture techniques for making clothes that are luxurious, hand-sewn and precisely fitted. Its associate and bachelor degree programs offer students choices in two areas of specialization , pattern making and fashion design.

“By offering degrees in the specialized professions, we train in how the industry actually works according to the division of labor,” Ete says. “Haute couture means highest creativity, highest technique,” adds Ete, whose students have gone on to work with couturier Roberto de Villacis, Nolan Miller and Badgley Mischka. “We want to take a student to the couture level to teach them the thinking process, creativity and technique. If you study at the highest level, you can always trickle down to any level in the industry,” says Ete, whose curriculum includes work with beading, feathers and furs as well as classes in business development, manufacturing collaboration and trend forecasting.

Classes at the academy are taught by parttime instructors who work in specialty fields and are restricted to a maximum of 12 students. Tuition is $28,000 annually , slightly higher than what’s charged at Ete’s first alma mater , FIDM. “Fashion is always changing. It’s never, ever, ever boring,” says Stephens, FIDM’s design director. “When I wake up, the first thing I think is, ‘What do I get to wear to work today?’ I just love clothes and jewelry and shoes. ... Fashion is something that’s inside of you. You can’t ignore it. It’s just who you are, and that’s the students too.

It’s who they are and we just help them make it work.” —MCT

A woman poses for a photo in front of a poster advertising an art exhibition prior to the upcoming Chinese New Year in Hong Kong yesterday. As the track of the new moon changes from year to year, Chinese New Year can begin anytime between late this month and mid- next month. The week-long holiday officially begins on January 23 and marks the year of the Dragon. —AFP

Palestinian artist ‘creates’ Gaza metro nderground train travel to bypass a chaotic traffic system? Welcome to Gaza, one of the world’s most crowded places, where a conceptual art installation expresses this tantalizing idea. Palestinian artist Mohamed Abusal erected luminous red metro signs in 50 different, and often unlikely places, across the Gaza strip, the dusty coastal territory measuring 40 square kilometers and home to some 1.6 million people. A map with seven lines connecting different parts of the enclave was designed and printed to accompany the project, which was so carefully conceived that some Gazans were tricked into thinking that a real railway system was under construction.

Abusala had his “vision” while observing Gaza’s anarchic traffic system, a tangle of donkey carts, motorcycles, rickshaws, and dilapidated old cars, not to mention the trucks plying the 40 kilometre route from the north to the Egyptian border in the south. Line 1 of the imaginary metro is green on the map that leads from the Israeli crossing point of Erez to the Rafah border town in the south where a network of real tunnels carries smuggled goods and people to and from Egypt. The artist dreams of his metro system being accessible to all, running on sustainable energy supplied by Egypt, immune to Israeli bombardments and blockades, not beholden to the region’s political twists and turns, nor with men and women segregated. The photo exhibition of the project is running at the French cultural centre in Gaza City until January 17. —AFP

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Chris Burden’s new work: Art imitating the future hris Burden’s latest kinetic sculpture, “Metropolis II,” does more than just imitate life. The colorful display of roads, cars, trains and buildings is art imitating what the artist foresees life being like in five or 10 years.

It will be a time, Burden forecasts, when cars will race across Los Angeles’ no-longer-gridlocked freeways and streets, past a skyline of towering buildings and single-family homes, at speeds of 240 miles per hour or more.

That’s just what the tiny cars do in “Metropolis II,” a colorful contraption composed of 1,100 miniature vehicles, 18 miniature roads, a tiny commuter rail line and dozens of small skyscrapers and other buildings. The cars, which Burden says reach a speed of “240 scale miles per hour,” are powered by a complex series of electronic conveyor belts and magnets, “In essence, it’s sort of a complicated roller-coaster system,” the artist, one of the pioneers of the Light and Space movement that flowered in Los Angeles in the 1970s, explained after throwing the switch on it earlier this week.

It goes on display to the general public this weekend at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art where a separate gallery has been constructed to house it, one with a balcony so peo-

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ple can view the work from either ground level or above. But it will only be powered up on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and, this week, on Martin Luther King Day. It is to remain on display at the museum for at least 10 years under an agreement with Nicolas Berggruen, the billionaire businessman who sits on the institution’s board and who bought it for an undisclosed sum.

By the end of that time, Burden believes, we’ll be living a real-life version of “Metropolis II,” with real cars racing across the hillsides and over the freeways of Los Angeles, putting an end to traffic gridlock. Oh, and by the way, those cars won’t have drivers in them, just passengers. “I’m personally looking forward to it because I don’t like driving in Los Angeles,” laughs Burden, an affable man of 65 who looks little different, other than being a bit stockier and better dressed, than he did in 1971 when he shocked the art world with his controversial performance piece “Shoot.”

For that work, which can still be viewed on YouTube, Burden had himself filmed being shot in the arm by a friend who stood 15 feet away with a .22 caliber rifle. For the equally controversial 1974 piece “Trans-fixed,” he had

himself nailed, Christ-like, to the back of a Volkswagen bug.

More recently, he has gravitated to building large-scale sculptures made out of everyday objects.

In 2008 he built a 65-foot skyscraper out of Erector Set pieces and put it in the shadow of the 70-story General Electric building in New York City’s Rockefeller Plaza. Burden is also the creator of “Urban Light,” a collection of 202 lovingly restored antique streetlights that were permanently installed in front of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s entrance in 2008.

By day they provide a whimsical maze for passers-by to stroll through. By night, they brilliantly illuminate an entire block of Los Angeles’ Museum Mile in a stunning display of white light. “I think Chris Burden is one of the most significant artists, not only of Los Angeles but of this period of time,” says Michael Govan, the museum’s director and chief executive officer.

Govan said he learned Burden was working on “Metropolis II” about the time “Urban Light” was being installed. “Even in its very beginnings you could see the outlines of a great work of art,” Govan said during an interview at the

museum earlier this week. It took Burden four years to construct “Metropolis II” at his studio in the rustic Topanga Canyon arts colony, where he lives with his wife, the sculptor Nancy Rubins.

Nearly 10 feet tall and 30 feet wide, it is made up of, among other things, toy Lego blocks, toy Lincoln logs and HO-scale railroad tracks and trains he picked up at various stores.

He had to have the 1,100 automobiles specially made at a factory in China, however. They include sports cars, sedans, trucks and vans, each one with a little magnet in the chassis, so that they pull and push one another along without ever touching. Then the whole thing had to be transported to the museum. “It was an epic effort,” says Govan. “It took seven months to disassemble it in the studio and reassemble it here.”When Burden fired it up this week, the cars raced along “Metropolis II’s” roads, including its six-lane freeway, at astounding speeds despite the nearly gridlock conditions. And, yes, there were no crashes despite all the tailgating. —AP

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012

lifestyle in brief

Locklear released from LA hospital

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eather Locklear was released Friday from a hospital after she was treated in the intensive care unit for an unknown ailment. She was discharged in the afternoon, Los Robles Hospital spokeswoman Kris Carraway-Bowman told The Associated Press. The 50-year-old “Melrose Place” actress was hospitalized Thursday. The hospital in the Los Angeles suburb of Thousand Oaks said earlier in the day that Locklear was medically stable and being cared for one-on-one in the ICU. Paramedics transported her from her home in Westlake Village, 35 miles northwest of Los Angeles.

Locklear has been hospitalized several times over the years. In 2009, she pleaded no contest to reckless driving after being arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of prescription medication.

Locklear also starred in such T V series as “Dynasty” and “TJ Hooker.”

Her engagement to “Melrose Place” co-star Jack Wagner recently ended.

She was previously married to Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora, and they have a daughter together.

Louis-Dreyfus researched new role with 2 US veeps

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ulia Louis-Dreyfus says she spoke with two US vice presidents to research her role in an upcoming HBO series. The former “Seinfeld” actress portrays Vice President Selina Meyer in “Veep,” a comedy that debuts in April. The network says the character discovers the job is nothing like she expected and everything she was warned about. Louis-Dreyfus wouldn’t reveal which vice presidents she spoke to, but Al Gore said Friday that he was one of them. He says he’s looking forward to the series “because I like her so much.”

He says Louis-Dreyfus peppered him with questions for about an hour over coffee, wanting to learn details about what it was like to live in the security bubble.

Kidman: Off-screen privacy is key

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icole Kidman and Clive Owen play writers Martha Gellhorn and Ernest Hemingway in a new HBO film, but they’d prefer to keep their own lives off-screen. At a news conference Friday promoting “Hemingway & Gellhorn,” Kidman said she likes her privacy and protects it “quite diligently.” She and husband Keith Urban live in Nashville, Tenn., with their two daughters. Kidman’s British co-star shares her viewpoint.

Of a Clive Owen biopic, he said, “I wouldn’t want to see it.”

“Hemingway & Gellhorn” is set to air in May. It’s about the passionate, short-lived relationship of Gellhorn, a daring war correspondent, and the great novelist. Kidman says she enjoys portraying inspirational women “who defy the odds and that burn bright,” as Gellhorn did.

Hackman injured while riding bicycle

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ene Hackman’s publicist says the veteran Oscar-winning actor was briefly hospitalized after a vehicle bumped him from behind while he was riding a bicycle in the Florida Keys. Susan Madore says the 81-year-old Hackman was airlifted to a Miami hospital Friday afternoon. She characterized his injuries as minor bumps and bruises. She says he was released from the hospital several hours later after routine tests.

Hackman won an Academy Award for “The French Connection” in 1971 and another for “Unforgiven” in 1992. He received Oscar nominations for three other films.

HBO: No political agenda behind Palin film

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n a politically polarized country, the people behind HBO’s upcoming movie on Sarah Palin’s vice presidential campaign are being careful not to take one side or the other. “There is no agenda here,” Danny Strong, writer of the film “Game Change,” said at a news conference Friday. Filmmakers said they sought historical accuracy. The movie debuts March 10. It is based on John Heilemann and Mark Halperin’s book about the 2008 presidential campaign, but focuses specifically on Palin. Director Jay Roach said he wrote a long letter to the former Alaska governor seeking an interview with her to help the film, “but I got a very quick email back from her attorney saying, ‘I checked, she declined.’” Roach and Strong were the team behind HBO’s Emmy-winning “Recount” about the disputed 2000 presidential election.”I don’t think this movie is going to change people’s minds one way or another,” Strong said.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012

lifestyle

Calls for quotas as black models rare at Rio fashion show

Models wear creations of the Filhas de Gaia fall-winter fashion collection during the Fashion Rio 2012 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday. —AP

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nly a handful of black models sashayed down the catwalk at last week ’s Rio fashion show, sparking fresh calls for quotas to ensure greater diversity in a country where more than half of the population is of African ancestry. Some 24 labels displayed their latest designs at the Rio de Janeiro winter 2012 fashion week, that ran from Wednesday to yesterday, and as in previous years the models were overwhelmingly white.

Yet Brazil, home to 190 million people, has the world’s second largest black population after Nigeria. Organizers refused to address this perennial lack of racial diversity, although in the past they claimed that “there is no racial discrimination” in an industry known for its preference for eurocentric standards of

beauty. For the first time in June 2009, the Sao Paulo Fashion Week (SPFW)— Latin America’s premier fashion eventimposed quotas requiring at least 10 percent of the models to be black or indigenous.

It acted after strong pressure from black groups and Brazilian prosecutors who blasted the SPFW’s longstanding bias towards white models. Previously, only a handful of black models featured among the 350 or so that sashayed down the catwalk-usually less than three percent. “Unfortunately, in 2010, a conservative prosecutor removed the quotas,” lamented father David, a Franciscan friar who heads the Educafro non-governmental organization, which lobbies for the rights of blacks and indigenous people on the labor market.

Diversity advocates say show organizers and fashion labels simply ignored the quota and stress that only compulsory rules can bring about lasting changes.

Father David said he had appealed the ruling against the quotas and said a hearing was scheduled for January 15, four days before the scheduled opening of the SPFW. In education, Brazil already adopted quotas for underprivileged blacks to get into universities. “You just can’t discriminate against blacks in Brazil, where 51 percent of the population is black or mixed-race. I think that the justice system will react favorably to our pressure and this decision will influence the fashion world across the country,” Father David noted.

Luana Genot, one of the eight black models out of more 200 employed by

the main Rio modeling agency, 40∞ Models, gave details of the hurdles blacks face. “They call us only when the theme of the show is linked to black culture,” said the 23-year-old who is also an adver tising student at Rio Catholic University (PUC). “I am often told: What am I going to do with your hair? And for make-up, I am always the last so as not to dirty the brush with overly dark tones,” she added.

Last June, during Black Consciousness Week, Genot organized a debate on “ethnic diversity in fashion” at PUC. “We are told that the winter collection is for whites in Europe or that black women’s butts are too big, their hips too wide. I am shocked to see that in Brazil, where more than half of the people are descendants of black slaves, there is so little

space for us,” she added. “Brazil’s population is ver y mixed and this must be reflected in fashion,” Genot said.

“The fashion weeks are cruel for Rio models who are curvier and tanned,” Sergio Mattos of 40º Models told the O Globo daily. Thus, Bruna Loureiro, a blueeyed blonde, was dropped from a show because her skin was found to be “too golden” while the label wanted “very pale skins.” The debate on quotas even found its way into the popular “Big Brother Brasil” reality show on Wednesday night.

Asked about the need for quotas in the show, Daniel Echaniz, a professional model and the only black among the 12 contestants, said he was “against”, a minority view among blacks but one which is backed by those who think “it (quotas) exacerbates racism”. —AFP

China helps Italian menswear makers snub doomsayers

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rise in menswear sales to Chinese consumers will give Italian designers Roberto Cavalli and Dolce & Gabbana a lift when they kick off the 2012 fashion season yesterday. The luxury industry, resilient but not immune to crises, has tempered its optimistic growth forecasts for this year after consumer spending slowed in crisis-hit Europe before Christmas. However, fashion retailers foresee a less severe impact from a recession than in 2009, after widening entry-price offers and trimming costs. Top brands such as Prada and Salvatore Ferragamo have continued to open stores in Asia.

“To make predictions now is not only difficult, but also dangerous: the risk is to create self-fulfilling prophecies, no matter how good or bad they are,” Michele Tronconi, president of Italy’s textile body Sistema Moda Italia (SMI) said last week. Dolce & Gabbana are folding their high street consumer D&G line into their top-named brand, which will now sell all their products from glamorous evening dresses to D&G-branded T-shirts. “When we started out in 1984 there was the crisis, in 1990 there was the crisis, then in 2000... but we try to ride it and we want to be able to offer different, quality things at the right price,” Stefano Gabbana told WWD last month.

Sales of Italian fashion, worth 52 billion euros ($66.54 billion) in 2011, are expected to grow by 6 percent in the first half of 2012, SMI said. The trend looks stronger than in the second half of last year, but weaker than last spring, when the industry was still enjoying a healthy rebound from the 2009 meltdown.

Asian and Russian buyers, increasingly at home in the narrow fashion streets of Milan, helped lift sales of Italian fashion by 4.8 percent last year, according to SMI. However, this was below the 7 percent growth seen in 2010.

“Asians and Russians are our main clients,” a shop assistant at luxury shoemaker Bruno Magli said before Christmas, where a pair of crystal-encrusted shoes were priced at over 700 euros. The male-dominated Chinese market is lifting menswear sales by about 14 percent a year, nearly double that of luxury womenswear, consultancy Bain & Co. said. The trend is reflected in Italy, where menswear sales have finally returned to growth after three negative years, SMI said.

Sales of Italian tailored suits, cashmere sweaters and leather accessories rose 3.4 percent to 8.4 billion euros in 2011, with only ties lacking appeal. The menswear sector, worth around 180 billion euros, accounts for 40 percent of the global fashion market, Bain said. The fashion marathon moves to Paris on Tuesday. — Reuters

Models display creations as part of Dolce & Gabbana Fall-winter 2012-2013 Menswear collection yesterday during the Men’s fashion week in Milan. — AFP photos

Dolce & Gabbana Menswear collection

A model displays a creation as part of Dolce & Gabbana Fall-winter 2012-2013 Menswear collection yesterday.

A model displays a creation as part of Dolce & Gabbana collection yesterday during the Men’s fashion week in Milan.

A model displays a creation as part of Dolce & Gabbana Menswear collection in Milan.

A model displays a creation as part of Dolce & Gabbana Fall-winter 20122013 Menswear collection in Milan.

Calls for quotas as black models rare at Rio fashion show

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SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012

US talk show queen and media mogul Oprah Winfrey (C) poses with the first graduates of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls, founded five years ago to turn a handful of impoverished girls into elite leaders in Henley-on-Klip yesterday. —AFP

Beaming Oprah celebrates with first grads of South Africa school A

visibly excited Oprah Winfrey yesterday personally congratulated the first graduates of her South African school, founded five years ago to turn a handful of impoverished girls into elite leaders. Beaming as she exchanged hugs, jokes and celebratory cheers with greenuniformed girls ahead of yesterday’s graduation ceremony on the immaculate campus of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls, Winfrey defended the idea of investing lavishly in a small group of promising young women. Founded in 2007 with $40 million from the US talk show queen and media mogul, the school has faced criticism for focusing on a select few-there are 72 girls in the first graduating class-in a country that struggles to meet basic education needs.

“We’re investing in building leaders for this country,” Winfrey told AFP in an interview Friday. “The only way this country and developing countries throughout the world are going to have long-term sustainability, and not just sustainability but success, is through its women. Africa will be saved by

its women.”

Winfrey, whose rise to stardom and an estimated fortune of $2.7 billion followed an impoverished childhood scarred by sexual abuse and a teen pregnancy, said her career had taught her that change requires picking one’s battles. “If you start looking at the big picture and all the things that need to be done, you will never do anything,” she said. “You have to focus on what you can do, what you know how to do, and do that as well as anybody who’s ever lived.

“I have to focus on what goes on within these kids and these walls. And I do the best I can with that, and then those girls go out into the world. And that’s what I try to tell them: do what you can, and that will be enough.” She said she is also breaking the cycle of poverty for the girls, who are mostly black and come from poor families. “Each one of those girls walking across the stage represents a life born of freedom, the end of apartheid, that is able to now break the cycle of poverty in her family,” she said.

“No girl in this class will ever be poor again.” Situated on an idyllic campus in the

Oprah Winfrey, centre, arrives for the first graduation ceremony at Oprah Winfrey’s leadership academy for girls in Henley-on-Klip, South Africa yesterday. —AP

village of Henley-on-Klip, about an hour south of Johannesburg, the residential school has a 28-building campus including

computer and science laboratories, a 600seat theatre and a 10,000-volume library. All 72 of yesterday’s graduates passed their

end-of-year exams and will attend universities around the world.

The campus was packed with celebrating families, VIP guests and journalists ahead of yesterday’s 12:00 pm (1000 GMT) ceremony.

But the school has gone through its share of crises to reach this day. Soon after it opened in 2007, the academy was hit by allegations that a dormitory matron had sexually abused some of the girls. She was arrested and charged, but later acquitted in a decision Winfrey described as disappointing.

Last year, the school was rocked by reports that a dead baby had been found in a student’s bag after she apparently hid a pregnancy and gave birth in secret. Winfrey said her own experiences had helped her deal with the crises at her school. “For me, the experience of child abuse as a child created a greater sense of empathy and strength for me to be able to deal with it when it occurred in this school. For me, the experience of being a 14-year-old girl hiding a pregnancy gave me the strength and the empathy to deal with it (here),” she said.— AFP

Who will Gervais target at this year’s Globes?

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Morelle Laetitia from France flies a kite in the shape of Hindu monkey god Hanuman during the Makar Sankranti festival in Hyderabad.

Kites are flown in many parts of India during the Hindu festival of Makar Sakranti that marks the transition of winter to spring. — AP

This year’s obvious targets could include ritish comic Ricky Ger vais vowed Friday to pull no punches at this Kim Kardashian for her 72-day marriage, and weekend’s Golden Globes show, Eddie Murphy over the debacle which saw which he is hosting for a third straight time him withdraw as Oscars host next month after anti-gay remarks by prodespite ruffling feathers last ducer Brett Ratner, who also year. After the gasps provoked quit. Ashton Kutcher and Demi by jokes about stars including Moore’s marital split may also Robert Downey Jr and the provide some laughs, while Globes’ organizers themselves Meryl Streep should brace for 12 months ago, Hollywood is some ribbing over her portrayal wondering who will be the tarof Margaret Thatcher in “The get of his acid jibes on Sunday.

Iron Lady,” the Hollywood “I’m not trying to hurt anyReporter said. one’s feelings....or undermine It listed 10 targets who may the moral fabric of America,” he have to force a smile , also told the Hollywood Reporter, including Leonardo DiCaprio adding: “I’d rather they laugh for the gay overtones in Clint than gasp, but I cherish the Eastwood’s “J. Edgar,” and gasps along with the laughs.” Ricky Gervais unlucky presidential candidate Last year the creator of hit and former pizza company comedy “ The Office” came under fire for remarks including about Mel boss Herman Cain. Gervais is used to testing Gibson’s alleged anti-Semitism, Downey Jr’s boundaries-even if he did face serious critipast drug problems, and Charlie Sheen’s rep- cism in Britain last year over using the word utation for drinking. He also took a shot at “mong” for disabled people and is philoGlobes organizers the Hollywood Foreign sophical about any criticism he might face Press Association for allegedly taking bribes, after the show. “What’s the worst that can and quipped that before coming on stage happen? ... I only do things that could end he had to get then HFPA head Phillip Berk my career now. That’s the fun. That’s my extreme sport,” he said. — AFP “off the toilet and pop his teeth back in.”