7 Feb by Kuwait Times

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2011

Hamas man who fled Egypt prison celebrated

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37 16 Amir accepts Sheikh Jaber’s resignation MPs welcome move • Young Kuwaitis call for anti-govt protest

Max 21 Min 8 Low Tide 08:38 & 20:48 High Tide 01:52 & 14:42

By B Izzak KUWAIT: HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad AlSabah yesterday accepted the resignation of Interior Minister Sheikh Jaber AlKhaled Al-Sabah and appointed Sheikh Ahmad Al-Hmoud Al-Sabah to replace him. “The prime minister informed the Cabinet that the Amir has accepted the resignation of Interior Minister Sheikh Jaber AlKhaled Al-Sabah,” State Sheikh Ahmad Minister for Cabinet Aﬀairs Al-Hmoud Al-Sabah Roudhan Al-Roudhan told the state-run KUNA news agency. The Cabinet was also informed that the Amir appointed Sheikh Ahmad as deputy premier and new interior minister, Roudhan said. A number of lawmakers yesterday welcomed the acceptance of the resignation of Sheikh Jaber and called for fundamental reforms in the sensitive ministry, but opposition MPs still insisted on the need to dismiss the whole Cabinet. Continued on Page 14

conspiracy theories

Hillary in a good mood By Badrya Darwish

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

hat is this sudden change in the tone of Mrs Hillary Clinton? I was surprised with her statement the other day following the turmoil in Egypt. Here is what she said: “Some leaders may honestly believe that their country is an exception. In the short term that may be true, but in the long term, it is untenable.” I was shocked but I loved it. Hooray, Mrs Clinton! I was pleased to see that for a change you are speaking the mind of the men on the Arab street. So far, the Americans did not take any notice of the feelings of the people in our region - I am talking about the Middle East in particular. Thank God, a revolution took place in Tunisia and Egypt and people came out demanding their rights in numbers which governments cannot stop. This is what forced the West to side with the people. Mrs Clinton’s statement was great considering the circumstances that she gave a warning to leaders. She further emphasized by saying that “governments who consistently deny people freedom and opportunity are the ones who will in the end open the door to instability”. It is not Mrs Clinton who is now preoccupied with the plight and interests of the men on the streets of the Arab world. Mrs Merkel in Germany, Cameron in the UK and Sarkozy in France are all calling and are worried about the safety of the demonstrators. Every now and then they give statements asking governments not to use military action against journalists and peaceful demonstrators. I hope that the new shift of tone in the policy of the West, whether it is Europe or the US, will continue to cover the whole Middle East, not just Tunisia and Egypt. The talk of democracy should prevail also for the rights of people from the Atlantic Ocean to the Arabian Gulf. Please, Hillary, as you are in a good mood regarding the feelings of the nations, could you do us a favor and kindly reconsider your feelings for the stance of the people who chose Hamas to be their democratically elected governing authority? Or is this too farfetched for you? Also, please reconsider the suppression of the people in the West Bank. Give people in the West Bank not the right to demonstrate freely and abuse the Israeli army, but at least the minimum right to stay in their homes and not be evicted from their homes which are then given to settlers. Maybe the revolution of the masses could remind the governments in the West to change their planned roadmap for the Middle East.

CAIRO: Egyptian anti-government demonstrators wave their national flag as they gather at Tahrir Square yesterday on the 13th day of protests calling for ouster of President Hosni Mubarak. (Inset) Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman (center) meets with representatives of the opposition and protesters yesterday. — AFP/AP

Egypt regime offers concessions to oppn Brotherhood joins crisis talks CAIRO: Egypt’s vice president met a broad representation of major opposition groups for the first time yesterday and offered new concessions including freedom of the press, release of those detained since anti-government protests began nearly two weeks ago and the eventual lifting of the country’s hated emergency laws. Two of the groups that attended the meeting said this was only a first step in a dialogue which has yet to meet their central demand - the immediate ouster of longtime President Hosni Mubarak. “People still want the president to step down,” said Mostafa Al-Naggar, a protest organizer and supporter of Mohamed ElBaradei, a Nobel Peace laureate and one of the country’s leading democracy advocates. “The protest continues because there are no guarantees and not all demands have been met,” he added. “We did not sign on to the statement. This is a beginning of a dialogue. We approve the positive things in the statement but ... we are still demanding that the president step down.” The outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, the country’s largest opposition group, made a similar statement after its representatives attended the meeting. Vice President Omar Suleiman offered to set up a committee of judiciary and political figures to study proposed constitutional reforms that would allow more candidates to run for president and impose term limits on the presidency, the state news agency reported. The committee was given until the first week of March to finish the tasks. The offer also included a pledge not to harass those participating in anti-government protests, which have drawn hundreds of thousands at the biggest rallies. The government agreed not to hamper freedom of press and not to interfere with text messaging and Internet. Continued on Page 14

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Oil prices may top $110 KUWAIT: Global oil prices could exceed $110 a barrel if political unrest in Egypt continues, a member of Kuwait’s Supreme Petroleum Council said yesterday. Oil prices have spiked due to tension in Egypt. Brent crude hit $100 per barrel for the first time since 2008 on fears instability could spread through the Middle East, which together with North Africa pumps over a third of the world’s oil. “I expect oil prices to reach $110 during the first half of 2011, however, it could go above that level if Egypt’s current crisis continues,” Imad Al-Atiqi, a member of the OPEC member’s highest oil policy body, told Reuters in a telephone interview. “A huge amount of oil passes through the Suez Canal and the country’s stability is essential for the Middle East’s stability, particularly Israel,” he said.

Rally outside Saudi ministry RIYADH: Dozens of family members, mainly women, of detainees in Saudi jails held an unprecedented gathering outside the interior ministry Saturday, despite an official ban on demonstrations, witnesses said. The women, fully covered in black and veiled, men and children asked to meet with ministry officials to call for the release of their relatives, they said. Those detained were arrested in 2003-2004 at the height of a security sweep against Al-Qaeda suspects during a wave of attacks on oil installations and foreign targets in the Gulf kingdom. Witnesses said police were deployed in force and barred access to the ministry in Riyadh. In its latest annual report, Human Rights Watch charged last month that “each year, thousands of people receive unfair trials or are subject to arbitrary detention” in Saudi Arabia.

Kingdom extends Zain offer

CAIRO: An Egyptian anti-government protester holds a sign in Tahrir Square yesterday. — AFP

US ‘spies’ on trial in Iran

RIYADH: Saudi investment firm Kingdom Holding said yesterday it had extended its offer to buy the Saudi telecoms assets of Kuwait-based operator Zain to Feb 13. Kingdom, owned by Saudi billionaire and Citigroup investor Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, made a non-binding offer on Jan 31 for Zain’s 25-percent stake in Zain Saudi. The offer was set to expire today and parent firm Zain had requested a one-week extension to mull the offer, Kuwaiti newspaper Al Qabas said earlier in an unsourced report. The Kuwaiti telco must sell its Zain Saudi stake to clear the way for the UAE’s Etisalat to complete its $12 billion bid for a controlling 46-percent stake in Zain.

Satellite image centre opens

TEHRAN: In this May 20, 2010 file photo, American hikers Shane Bauer (left), Sarah Shourd and Josh Fattal sit at the Esteghlal Hotel. — AP

TEHRAN: The delayed trial of three Americans detained in Iran on spying charges held its ﬁrst session yesterday, more than 18 months after their arrest on the unmarked border with Iraq during a hiking trip. The prosecution of Sarah Shourd, Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal began at a time when anti-American rhetoric is running at fever pitch in Iran as it marks the anniversar y of its February 11, 1979 Islamic revolution. “The session is over. We will have another session. No date has been ﬁxed for it but it will be held soon,” the Swiss ambassador to Tehran, Livia Leu Agosti, whose mission represents US interests in Iran, told AFP. Earlier yesterday, Agosti told

Iranian state news agency IRNA that she went to the court but was “not allowed” to attend proceedings which were held behind closed doors. Iran has dismissed repeated pleas from the United States for the release of Bauer and Fattal after it allowed Shourd to return home on bail of around $500,000 last September after more than a year in detention. Agosti conﬁrmed to IRNA that Shourd was not present at the trial and that her absence “was her personal decision”. Shourd, her ﬁance Bauer with whom she got engaged in an Iranian prison during her detention, and fellow hiker Fattal say they innocently Continued on Page 14

Spacey boost to theater DUBAI: Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey is hoping to foster dramatic talent in the Middle East with a new theater arts academy. The joint venture by the Kevin Spacey Foundation and another group led by an Emirati business tycoon plans to offer workshops and classes in every aspect of theater from acting to stage design. The mission also seeks to bring Mideast content to international venues such as Broadway. Spacey, who is ar tistic director of London’s Old Vic Theater, unveiled The Middle East Theater Academy yesterday in Dubai. The academy will not have a specific base, but will take up projects across the region. Spacey is in the United Arab Emirates to host the Laureus sports awards today in Abu Dhabi.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2011

LOCAL

News

in brief

OISC security services KUWAIT: Oil Sector Services Company (OISC), a subsidiary of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC), announced yesterday annexation of security services in the Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC), Kuwait Oil Tankers Company (KOTC) and Kuwait Aviation Fuelling Company (KAFC) to it. OISC’s Director of Public Relations and media services Adel al-Shamlan said that the addition of these services comes to realize the goals of the company’s establishment by annexing all sectors of oil services to its jurisdictions so that other companies be devoted to their core functions. Al-Shamlan added that the addition of these security services included annexation of workers in the three companies to be on the OISC’s cadre, expressing his pleasure for achievements of the oil sector that have been made so far “as we are celebrating the 50th Independence Day, the 20th Liberation Day and the fifth anniversary of HH the Amir’s assumption of power. He explained that the OISC was able, since its inception in 2005, to achieve many of the most important achievements chiefly development of its performance and raise the level of work which was crowned by obtaining a certificate of quality system ISO 19001 in January 2010. Public sector violations KUWAIT: The Civil Service Commission is currently updating legislations and strategic planning in order to address administrative violations committed at public firms. This announcement was made by Manager of the Citizens’ Service and Public Relations Department Jassem Al-Ruwaiyes, reported Al-Rai. This work is part of projects that also include plans to improve public services by enhancing training operations.

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah receiving the International Quartet’s Special Envoy for the Mideast Tony Blair yesterday.

PAI under fire for leaving small project opportunities unfulfilled Infrastructure not completed yet By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: In 2004 the Public Authority for Industry (PAI) published an advertisement in daily newspapers offering to carry out small industrial projects for citizens in certain categories, such as the retired, those working in the private sector and the unemployed. The applicants submitted their project plans and received initial approval from the PAI. “We received the initial approval for the project ideas and the PAI assigned 1,000 square meters of land in either the Sabhan or Shdadia area,” complained Eisa Al-Othman, one of the applicants, to the Kuwait Times. “In 2008 the PAI called upon the applicants who received

the approval to renew their information or data and we renewed it. Now, six years later, we still haven’t seen any results.” The applicants regularly followed the latest news about their projects and visited the PAI without any results. “We frequently visit the PAI to ask them when they will distribute the land and we always get the same answer: after the infrastructure is finished,” Al-Othman continued. “For four years the officials said that they just signed an agreement with a contractor and that the project will be complete within a year and a half. When we visit them after more than a year they say they had a conflict with the contractor and that the period was prolonged again.”

Study recommends establishing criminology center KUWAIT: The National Assembly’s (NA) department of research and study announced the conclusion of a comprehensive study on the rate of crime in Kuwait, reported Al-Watan. The study recommended setting up a security center specialized in tackling crime and stressed that such a center is required to closely monitor crimes in the country. If established, part of the duties of such a center would be to provide the government and other related state departments with updates, research and data relevant to criminal activities. “There is an urgent need to emphasize the link between safety and security in the country through the application of law, ensuring the transparency of the judicial system and providing adequate awareness for individuals and society as a whole,” the report says. “The study further pointed out that some stricter measures are also required to curb the flow of foreign laborers into the country with similar emphasis on the role of families and schools to accentuate such issues,” the report added. The study was carried out by social researchers Fatma Al-Ramzi and Dr Ramzi Salama.

“Every year the director of the PAI invites the press to take photos of him while he distributes industrial blocks. When we visit the PAI the next day, the officials say these are only press releases and that the news is not true. Later on we found out that the PAI really distributed industrial lands in Sabhan area in June 2010 for food related industries and not for small projects as was announced initially. This was to the benefit of the owners of already existing factories as it allowed them to expand their factories,” he pointed out. Al-Othman criticized the procedures and behavior of the PAI. “What if the applicant was 60 years old and was forced to wait for the land for 10 years because of the

same excuse of still working on the infrastructure?” he wondered. “Instead of waiting for his land he would have to look for a retirement home.” According to Al-Othman, the latest promise made by the PAI was that the infrastructure work would be completed by the end of January, 2011 and that the lands would be distributed then. However, just as in other years the promise remains unfulfilled. “We are a group of young optimistic people with ambition and we obtained all the necessary approvals and paper work. We want this subject to be taken seriously. We call upon the PAI to officially publish when the infrastructure will be complete and the lands distributed,” he concluded.

World congratulates Kuwait on nat’l occasions, hails development CAPITALS: Kuwaiti Dean of Diplomatic Corps Ambassador to the United Kingdom Khalid Al-Duwaisan has highlighted the depth of Kuwaiti-British relations and hailed the respected British stance during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwaiti in 1990. “We will remember the respected British stance during this critical period while we mark our national occasions. The British government maintained a cordial and close relation with Kuwait over the last decade,” Al-Duwaisan said. Al-Duwaisan also shed lights on the huge accomplishments achieved by the state of Kuwait since its independence from Britain in 1961. In this regard, the Kuwaiti ambassador said the weight of states had no longer been measured by its population or resources, but with the human capital it had. In Rome, Italian former vice-premier and strategic expert Gianni Di Michelis praised the Kuwait’s important role and achievements under the rule of HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. HH Sheikh Sabah had helped advance his country and establish stability in the whole region, Di Michelis said. On the occasion of Kuwaiti national occasions, Di Michelis expressed admiration of the achievements and non-stop developments in Kuwait since the establishment of the independent constitutional state under the wise ruling of High Highness Sheikh Sabah. He also demanded the enhancement of the relation between Kuwait, Italy and the whole European continent. In Ankara, Turkish President’s Chief Advisor Ersat Hurmuzlu congratulated the state of Kuwait on the occasion of national celebrations; 50th Anniversary of Independence, 20th

Anniversary of Liberation and Fifth Anniversary of the Amir’s assumption of power. Hurmuzlu said the Turkish government and people were greeting their brothers and sisters in Kuwait and sharing with them their celebrations of the three national occasions. Turkish President Abdullah Gul had received a formal invitation from HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber AlSabah to take part in the Kuwaiti celebrations, slated for Feb 25 and 26, which would also be attended by a number of the world leaders and dignitaries. He also hailed the close and deep relations between the two countries. “The relations between the two countries have been distinguished since Kuwait’s independence in 1961 and are witnessing steadily growth and expansion at all levels, the political, economical, commercial, and cultural ones,” Hurmuzlu added. In Khartoum, Sudanese Minister of International Cooperation Jalal Yousif Al-Degair said Kuwait had become a citadel of Arab nationalism and a role model for the modern states. Al-Degair congratulated Kuwait people and leadership on their celebrations of national occasions. Kuwait had seen significantly growing development and became a strong citadel and protector of the Arab nationalism and a model for the modern state that had leverage on its region and the whole world. Since independence, Kuwait march towards development and advancement in all fields had never been stopped, AlDegair said. Kuwait had also been a defender of Arab nationalism and supporter of Arab causes all over the world, Al-Degair concluded. —KUNA

Mexico’s Constitution Day MEXICO CITY: Kuwaiti Ambassador in Mexico Sameeh Jowhar Hayat attended festivities at the Mexican presidential palace yesterday, commemorating the state’s Constitution Day. The ambassador received an invitation to attend the ceremonies from President Felipe Calderon, to celebrate the anniversary of the issue of the constitution back in 1917. The ceremonies were attended by accredited ambassadors and representatives of Arab, Islamic and other countries, government officials, parliament figures, head of the Supreme Court, and heads of the two houses of parliament.

Tablets take center stage at Info-Connect Exhibition By Abdullah Al-Qattan

KUWAIT: With everyday technology on the fast track, people are realizing that their choices have became harder than before. The abundance of companies means more options and more options means many different products. Whether it’s a 3D TV or a simple point and shoot camera, selecting the right product for you means doing your homework before even thinking about pricing electronics. At the new Info-Connect Exhibition at the Kuwait International Fair, visitors got the chance to look at products to help them decide how to upgrade their already owned hardware, DSL bandwidth or cell phones. With companies launching new portable devices, such as the iPad or the new Samsung Galaxy Tablet, people seem to have a new option to consider carefully before spending a significant amount of money. With their mobility and convenience, tablets got the main share of attention at this year’s Info-Connect fair. Sami Al-Fahad said that the iPad seems to be a better investment because of the wide range of applications and its internet browsing capabilities. Salman Al-Khalid added that most Apple products seem to have a longer life span than the other devices that are out there. “From personal experience, iPhones, iPods and Macs work better when they are combined,” Salman explained. Reem Al-Radwan said that some suppliers try to make it easy for customers that are undecided about purchasing a tablet by offering free internet contracts. “The main reason to get a tablet would be so that you could take it anywhere and use it for almost anything.” Hamad Al-Saleem said that tablets don’t replace laptops just as laptops don’t replace desktops but that they do add new options that might appeal to some.

Seven injured in traffic accidents By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: A 25-year old Egyptian sustained a broken left hand in a car accident that took place along the Fourth Ring Road near Shuwaikh yesterday. He was admitted to Sabah hospital. In another incident, a 20-year-old Saudi national suffered a broken left ankle in a car accident that took place in Amghara. He was admitted to Jahra hospital. A 14-year-old sustained a dislocated shoulder in a car accident that took place in Saad Al-Abdallah. He was admitted to Jahra hospital. A 17year-old citizen complained of neck pain and a nasal injury, while a 29year-old man fractured his left leg in a car accident that took place in Kabd.

They were admitted to Farwaniya hospital. Also, a 57-year-old citizen sustained a head injury while a 13 and eight-year-old complained of back pain in Nuwaiseeb. They were admitted to Adan hospital. Hit and run case A 50-year-old Egyptian sustained bruises across his chest after being run over by a car in Maidan Hawally. He was admitted to Mubarak hospital. Woman suffers fall A 24-year-old Ethiopian woman sustained a spinal injury after missing a step and falling from a height in Fintas. She was admitted to Adan hospital.

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Delay in scrapping of Kuwait ‘kafeel system’ ‘Competition’ among the ranks By Ben Garcia KUWAIT: In August last year, Kuwait’s Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Mohammed Al-Afasi had confirmed that the ‘kafeel system’ will be scrapped when a Public Authority for the Recruitment of Foreign workers is established in February 2011. It has been nearly two weeks since the onset of February and the ‘government body’ has not been inaugurated. Al-Qabas reported yesterday, quoting officials from the Ministry of Social Affairs in Labor as saying that there’s ‘competition’ among the ranks of who is to be included in the new agency. “There is no clear formula according to which work can be started. This is because everyone wants to head [the new agency]. There were problems regarding who should be included as staff members,” the official was quoted as saying. Senior ministry officials, on their part, assure work is being conducted on time, and that the new authority will be established soon as scheduled. The official also mentioned that the Labor Authority has not confirmed what alternative will be implemented to the sponsorship system if the ‘k afalah’ system is scrapped. According to officials, coordination with other departments such as the interior, foreign and justice ministries must be achieved before a criteria is implemented to replace it. They suggested that the subject should be a collaborative effort. In August last year, Minister Al-Afasi affirmed, “Scrapping the kafeel system will be our gift to foreign workers on the anniversary of Kuwait’s liberation, from seven months of Iraqi occupation in 1991,” If indeed the ‘kafeel’ system is finally scrapped, Kuwait will become the second country in the Gulf, after Bahrain, to abolish a practice that has been likened to slavery.

Nepal Embassy Labor Attache to Kuwait Pushpa Raj Bhattarai noted that the delay could only be connected to some technicalities, but added that the Kuwaiti government is committed to scrapping the ‘kafeel system.’ “I think as I read in the newspapers, they are committed to scrapping the kafeel system. If they do that, expatriates are ultimate beneficiaries, so we support that,” he said. Kuwait is home to more than 50,000 workers from Nepal. Philippine Labor Attache Vivo Vidal speculated there could be delay [for the new regulations to be implemented] for two reasons; Kuwait is too busy preparing for the ‘three main big events’ to take place in February, and second, busy preparing for the impending amnesty period. “We cannot blame them; we know that they are quite busy preparing for the upcoming holidays; independence, liberation and the ascension to power of HH the

JPPI chief congratulates Kuwait KUWAIT: National Assembly Speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi left the country yesterday to head Kuwaiti parliament’s caucus to the 17th conference for Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union that would be held in Doha. The delegation was seen off by Deputy Qatari Ambassador Ali Al-Mullah, Assistant Undersecretary for the Parliament’s MPs Affairs Anwar Al-Obaidan and other officials. The delegation consists of MPs Saleh Ashour, Ali Al-Degbasi, Dr Ali Al-Omair, Allam Al-Khandri, and others.

Kuwaiti students proud of KFAED role in Jordan AMMAN: Kuwaiti outstanding students are proud of the developmental contributions of Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) in Jordan, General Coordinator of KFAED’s program for excellent students Dalal AlKhalid said yesterday. The trip organized for the student where they visited the development projects executed by KFAED in Jordan was a “success,” Al-Khalid said. Participants were involved in cultural, social and touristic activities all directed towards boosting patriotism and organized voluntary action, KFAED’s Supervisor Sharifa Al-Sabah said. She hailed Jordanian Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation for well receiving the delegation. The trip is directed towards achieving educational and cultural goals and encouraging students to do their best to maintain high grades, Supervisor of the Kuwaiti Ministry of Education Aisha AlSaleh said. Supervisor Maha Al-Azmi said that Kuwaiti students well represented Kuwait, and hailed KFAED for organizing

the trip. Meanwhile, Kuwait’s ambassador to Jordan Dr. Hamad Al-Duaij met the delegation. Al-Duaji hailed the role of KFAED and its contributions over half a century to supporting development efforts of the developing countries, recalling in this respect the fund’s contributions to development process in a number of world countries. Further, he lauded the initiative launched by KFAED for organizing such overseas visits to distinguished female students in what instills the spirit of proactivity and cooperation in their souls, and help build up a giving generation who treads in the footsteps of their forefathers. KFAED helped finance 24 economic and social development projects at a total value of nearly KD 153.439 million. These projects also included lending support to the efforts of development and reform in Jordan through financing and carrying out several projects in a number of vital sectors like industry, mining, energy, water, infrastructure, health and education. —KUNA

KUWAIT: Executive Director of the Joint Program Production Institution for the Gulf Cooperation Council ( JPPI) Abdulmohsen Al-Bannai voiced joy that 10th meeting of the GCC radio chiefs coincided with the celebrations marking Kuwait’s national days. Speaking to reporters on the eve of the meeting of the Kuwait-based institution, he congratulated Kuwait on the 50th Independence Day, 20th Liberation Day and the fifth anniversary of HH the Amir’s inauguration. The meeting gathers a constellation of media icons from the six members of the GCC such as media advisor of the United Arab Emirates Abdullah Al-

Joniebi, director of the youth radio of Bahrain Younos Salman, assistant undersecretary of the Saudi Ministry of Information for radio affairs Ibrahim AlSaq’oub, director general of Oman radio Ali Bin Khalfan, director general of Qatar radio Ali Nasser Al-Kubaisi, he pointed out. The GCC Secretariat will be represented by Mohammad Abdulaziz AlHelali, the Gulf Radio and TV by Khaled Al-Aasi and the State of Kuwait by Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Information for Radio Affairs Khaled Al-Enezi and Director of the Radio Kuwait Second Band Sami Al-Enezi, AlBanni added. —KUNA

News

in brief

Family care violations KUWAIT: The Minister of Social Affairs and Labor reportedly asked the ministry’s family care department to prepare a detailed report regarding the rumored violations in social care homes and nurseries, reported Al-Qabas. The minister’s request was made after several reports made in newspapers and by non-profit organizations referred to cases of abuse. According to official sources within the ministry, Minister Dr Mohammad Al-Afasi requested the report before traveling abroad for medical treatment. He demanded that the report be ready by the time he returns next week. While the request caused much confusion at the family care department, the sources expressed concern that attempts might be made to falsify facts. At the same time they expressed confidence in the minister’s ability to “address the problems of this troubled department.”

Smart ID cards issued

KUWAIT: The first batch of training courses was held in Kabd under the patronage of KFSD Deputy Director General for Firefighting and Human Resources Development Brig Yousuf Al-Ansari. At least 20 officers participated in this two-week course that imparted lessons on the correct ways of managing accidents. —Photos by Hanan Al-Saadoun

‘170,000 Kuwaitis suffer from cancer’ KUWAIT: At least 170,000 Kuwaitis suffer from cancer, according to ‘semi-confirmed’ information that was recently revealed by MP Musallam Al-Barrak. The anti-government lawmaker said that statistics show that 111,000 male Kuwaiti men and 58,000 female citizens suffer from the disease. He described these numbers as being of ‘high concern.’ Furthermore, he urged the Ministry of Health and the Kuwait Institution for Scientific Research (KISR) to probe the reasons behind the increase in cancer cases in the country, adding that he will be making putting forward parliamentary queries, reported Al-Rai. Separately, Al-Barrak insisted that

the planned gathering at the Parliament building tomorrow (Tuesday) will be ‘peaceful’ aiming to “express our rejection at the conspiracy that led to the postponement of [the parliament’s] sessions.” He further explained that the gathering was called by the Fifth Fence group, who forwarded invitations to parliament members. February 8 has been set as the date on which the Interior Minister will be grilled. Al-Barrak ended his statement by assuring that “the violations and torture crimes committed by the ministry will not go unaccounted for, even after the melodramatic resignation of the minister.”

Argentinean ambassador hails president’s visit

KUWAIT: Two cars collided into each other at a junction near the KSE building and the Grand Mosque in Kuwait City. No casualties were reported. —Photos by Fouad Al-Shaikh

Amir. At the same time, they are also quite busy preparing for the upcoming amnesty. Maybe the two major things we are waiting for, can be announced simultaneously. Who knows, we will wait,” he added. Kafeel system has already been described by many human rights groups as akin to slavery as it requires Kuwaiti employers. This renders mobility and moving from one company to another as a tedious task, placing them at the mercy of their bosses. Gulf countries employ millions of foreign workers to run their oil-driven economies. Expatriates perform a variety of tasks, from cleaning the streets to brewing teas/coffees and running companies. Kuwait for its part, is home to about 2.3 million expatriates. In December, the National Assembly had passed a new labor law that grants better rights and conditions to expatriate labor, replacing a 45-year-old law that was criticized as being favorable to employers at the expense of workers.

KUWAIT: The Argentinean Ambassador to Kuwait described the results of Argentinean President to Kuwait Christina Fernandes’ visit as ‘very successful.’ The visit aimed at presenting Argentina as a country that enjoys a special position in participating in international economic decision-making. He added that his country, being a member of 20 group can help strengthen its relation with Kuwait and develop it economically, Al-Anba reported. He pointed out that his country also provides enviable investment opportunities in the field of food industry, tourism, agriculture and others. Expressing hope that Argentinean companies seek participation in Kuwaiti developmental projects, he lauded these companies’ experience in building sectors.

KUWAIT: The Civil Service Commission (CSC) has replaced at least forty civil identification cards with smart ones at its pavilion at the recently held InfoConnect exhibition. It concluded recently at the International Fairs Ground in Mishref. “[The CSC’s] participation in the event comes as part of the annual participation of governmental bodies in this fair,” Adel Al-Qanaei, Head of the Public Relations Department told reporters. The smart ID service was introduced for the first time this year. Also, the commission’s pavilion provided visitors with the opportunity to view projects that the body has planned for the future, reported Al-Qabas. Meanwhile, AlQanaei noted that citizens should collect their smart IDs from the CSC headquarters owing to sensitive nature of the transaction involved.

Hajj violations report KUWAIT: The legal affairs department of the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs finished their investigation into the violations committed by Hajj campaigning agencies during the last pilgrimage season, reported Al-Qabas. Their findings will be sent to the Supreme Hajj Affairs Commission to make a final say on the investigated agencies. An official source within the department indicated that the legal committee made sure to verify whether complaints filed against campaigners were correct or not. The source also explained that the report was delayed for several reasons, including the fact that owners of some campaigning agencies were outside of the country in addition to the intervention of some members of parliament.

MOC plans reshuffle KUWAIT: The Minister of Communications and the Minister of State for Parliamentar y Affairs, Dr Mohammed Al-Bossairi announced a reshuffling of the ministry’s assistant undersecretaries, reported Al-Watan. He said that he would be making the decision to retire some assistants while others will be reshuffled. Official sources said that a list of new nominees for the opened positions were ready and that it included highly qualified people capable of carrying out the government’s development plan.

Gitmo detainees face life sentence KUWAIT: Kuwaiti citizens Fayez Al-Kandari and Fawzi Al-Odah, currently detained at the Guantanamo Bay prison, are among forty inmates whose names were listed by the American administration as being sentenced to life in prison. This announcement was made by Lieutenant Colonel Barry Wingard and Lieutenant Commander Kevin Bogucki; the two attorneys representing Al-Kandari, during an interview with a local newspaper. They indicated that meetings will be held with Cabinet and Parliament members to ‘put the final touches’ on an official

petition seeking their release. Furthermore, Lt Col Wingard revealed that he referred a letter to US President Barak Obama, and US Attorney General Eric Holder, especially since the Kuwaiti government has fulfilled the American demand of setting up rehabilitation centers and others, repor ted Al- Qabas. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Commander Kevin Bogucki pointed out that his former Kuwaiti client Fuad Al-Rabieah was released from Guantanamo prison following a court order after no evidence was found.

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Years

LOCAL

News

in brief

Salaries to be paid early KUWAIT: The Higher Committee that supervises the payment of Amiri grant to citizens will advise ministries and government bodies to pay employees their February salaries ten days earlier, that is on Feb 15, reported Annahar. The local banks’ suggestion to allow enough time to all programmed salary deductions before the Amiri grant is deposited in citizens’ bank accounts by Feb 24. This is in a bid to avoid double deduction. Detectives not working KUWAIT: Official security sources revealed that police detectives in all governorates stopped working after detectives in Ahmadi were accused of torturing Mohammad Al-Mutairi to death, reported Al-Shahed. Furthermore, no criminal case has been solved since the date of Al-Mutairi’s murder. The sources emphasized that since strict orders were given to authorities to avoid beating or torturing suspects to get a confession from them detectives stopped working. A large number of cases are still open, unsolved and neglected by detectives who only come to their offices, sign in for attendance in the morning and sign out in the afternoon. One of the more well-known cases that remains unsolved is the murder of a female citizen in Bnaid Al-Gar in front of a commercial center. Appeal for Amiri amnesty KUWAIT: The public square in front of the parliament building recently played host to a gathering of families with relatives serving time in the Central Jail for various crimes, reported Al-Rai. They gathered in an attempt to earn Amiri amnesty from His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah for their imprisoned relatives. Several children were seen holding up signs pleading for an Amiri pardon for their family members who they say “have shown remorse for the crimes they committed.” The families explained that their relatives have shown that they deserve to be released after demonstrating significant improvement and good conduct. Call for PM’s resignation KUWAIT: The Popular Action Bloc is preparing to hold a number of seminars to demand the Prime Minister’s resignation. Officials said that a lack of concentration on the ‘grilling’ motion of the Interior Minister is proof that he will not continue in his post, reported Al-Shahed. Some ministers have been giving instructions to office managers, asking them to discontinue their posts and be replaced shortly. Sharq fish market KUWAIT: The Ministry of Commerce and Industry’s Assistant Undersecretary for Commercial Control and Acting Assistant Undersecretary for Foreign Commerce, Abdulaziz Al-Khaldi said that Minister Ahmed Al-Haroun recently issued 14 orders to close down 14 outlets at the Souk Sharq fish market for commercial fraud and selling expired fish, reported Annahar. Al-Khaldi added that some other food stores were closed for selling expired goods at the same market.

Safar ignores municipal council, limits its liabilities KUWAIT: Member of the Municipal Council, Mohammed AlHadeyya stressed the importance of establishing an independent public authority to examine food stuffs, reported AlWatan. The authority will be required to ensure that food is safe for human consumption and will issue the necessary licenses and approvals to distribute and sell the food on local markets. Al-Hadeyya praised the efforts exerted by the members of the Municipality in the past, for cooperating with committees and approving projects submitted to the council, especially concerning the government’s five-year plan. However, Al-Hadeyya also condemned the attempts made by some people to undermine the organizational role of the council, not to mention limiting the council’s authorities by issuing law number 5/2005. He went on to say that MPs played a role in further sidelining the council even though they were elected by the people to promote democracy and development efforts. Al-Hadeyya revealed that the Minister of Public Works and Municipal Affairs, Dr Fadhil Safar, deliberately marginalized the role of the council. He also accused the minister of ignoring and sabotaging the relationship between himself and the council. Speaking on the work of the Municipal Council’s executive board, he criticized them of widespread administrative corruption, which he said is evident by the injustice being committed against young competent employees. He elaborated, pointing out that the injustices included depriving them of promotions stipulated by the law and regulations of the Civil Service Commission. He mentioned that less experienced employees are promoted to posts that they are incapable of handling, contributing to the hindrance of work and increased errors as those employees are unaware of proper work procedures. He said that such unfair treatment has forced competent Kuwaiti employees to leave the Municipal Council. Al-Hadeyya mentioned that Safar ignored all competent and experienced employees capable of handling the Organization Department and trusted unworthy people.

KUWAIT: The cabinet meeting in progress yesterday. His Highness the Amir yesterday accepted the resignation of the interior minister who quit last month over the death of a detainee allegedly as a result of police torture. The cabinet was also informed that the Amir appointed Sheikh Ahmad Homud Al-Sabah as deputy premier and new interior minister.

Govt to establish shareholding firms within development plan KUWAIT: The government of Kuwait approved yesterday the formation of three committees to follow up the establishment of public shareholding companies, part of the country’s multi-billion-dinar development plan, a senior oﬃcial said. The first committee will be responsible for establishing an electricity public shareholding company in Al-Zour north station by the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) system, Deputy Premier for Economic Aﬀairs, Minister of State for Development and Minister of State for Housing, Sheikh

Ahmad Fahad Al-Sabah, said after the cabinet’s weekly meeting. This committee will be chaired by Minister of Electricity and Water. The second committee, he added, would be responsible for establishing warehousing and border crossings companies within BOT. It will be chaired by Minister of Commerce and Industry. The third committee, said Sheikh Ahmad, will be establishing companies for health insurance hospitals in line with BOT. This committee will be chaired by Minister

of Health. The three committees will have 10 days to report back to the cabinet, aﬃrmed the minister. The government is “serious” in establishing the public shareholding companies within the development plan, said Sheikh Ahmad. He hoped some of these companies would be operational before end of fiscal year 2010-11 in order to “aﬃrm seriousness of the government.” “Government bodies concerned have done tremendous job to establishing these public shareholding firms but they faced

some minor problems,” he said. Sheikh Ahmad, on the other hand, said cabinet members discussed a mechanism to fund a public shareholding company that would establish low-cost houses and another firm about Al-Khairan housing project. Sheikh Ahmad said His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad Al-Sabah would be chairing a meeting next Wednesday to prepare for final outline of the funding policy ahead of referring it to the parliament. — KUNA

‘Consensus to be reached on country’s stability’ New blood may be pumped into govt KUWAIT: An agreement has reportedly been reached among a large number of MPs, mostly independents and other political movements or blocs, to devote the remaining span of the current legislative term to the promulgation of 42 proposals and draft laws. Parliamentary officials report that the government will be formally informed about the agreement following the Parliament’s current recess. MPs will refuse to protest against the government in return, reported Al-Watan. Officials pointed out that the consensus is aimed at ensuring stability in the country, particularly during this period, on condition that a Cabinet reshuffle, even a minor one, goes underway. The lawmakers concerned have made it clear that new blood should be pumped into the government so that this period can be allowed to pass. Certain MPs will meet with His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah to put forth ideas after the interpellation of Interior Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Khaled Al-Sabah. The lawmakers are hopeful that these ideas will be translated into action to pass

more laws and reduce the number of interpellation motions with the view of maintaining stability in the country. The MPs will submit a number of proposals regarding certain bills that they believe will serve towards the best interest of the country and citizens. Meanwhile, the Parliamentary Women’s Committee will hold more discussions with the government in order to agree on bills that concern women. The government previously did not vote on them, citing reservations. The members of the committee hope that a compromise would be reached in order to lay this issue to rest. Meanwhile, the government has been considering the referral of interpellation motion filed against the Interior Minister to the Constitutional Court, given that investigation committees proceed with the probe. Furthermore, MP Saleh Ashour announced that he will submit a bill next week that calls for a wage increase. The lawmaker noted that a large gap exists in the salary scale. The lawmaker made it clear that increase will be made to the basic salary, while underscoring the need for fairness as

far as special allowances are concerned. Similarly, MP Abdurrahman Al-Anjari pointed out that wage increases should be based on proper criteria, adding that a large discrepancy exists in terms of citizens’ salaries. The MP, in the meantime, called for a comprehensive economic and political reform to be made. “The state’s revenues should be directed at major development projects that create job opportunities and add value,” the lawmaker was quoted as saying. In other news, MP Jassem Al-Kharafi expressed optimism that the Arab world would overcome the latest events and become stronger. He added that the entrenchment and dissemination of democratic values will be a key factor that ushers in renaissance. The speaker made the comments shortly before he left for Doha to take part in the Arab Parliament Union conference. Al-Kharafi pointed out that the Arab world witnesses mammoth events which makes it imperative for Arabs to find optimal solutions without endangering public security and Arab countries’ stability.

Blocs attempt to revive sports grilling, panel KUWAIT: With the possibility of an interpellation motion being filed against the premier over the sports issue, the National Action Bloc is believed to be coordinating so as to put forward a proposal to revive the Youth and Sports parliamentary committee. Efforts to reform the temporary panel have been snubbed when the current term of the parliament began; much at the chagrin of NAB members who wished to resume work they had started through the panel during the previous term. The Bloc had nearly submitted a grilling motion against His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser AlMohammad Al-Sabah earlier this term. However, plans were put on hold, mainly as a result of the aftermath of the case regarding the immunity lifting request for MP Dr Faisal Al-Mislem. Meanwhile, the Bloc seems confident that it enjoys the support of other parliamentary committees with regard to the potential interpellation measures. Officials close to the Bloc say that it has been ‘provoked’ by recent statements made by Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Sheikh Ahmad AlFahad. He asserted on the ‘legality of procedures’ pertinent with the establishment of the headquarters’ center of the Olympic Council of Asia - which the deputy premier also chairs. The Bloc says that reports from the State Audit Bureau fend off Sheikh Al-Fahad’s claims. The deadline to submit a proposal to reform the Youth and Sports committee will come to an end, prompting the NAB to start working on a ‘last chance’ bid to revive the panel. According to sources, the Bloc at this point is not much concerned about who might be chosen as members of the panel, as much as they focus on its revival, reported Al-Qabas. On a separate subject, a National

Action Bloc member indicated that the Bloc will meet in order to discuss the stance from a symbolic sit-in that will be organized tomorrow outside the Parliament in protest of a postponement decision. This is given the fact that the Bloc had previously declared that it will not take part in any public gatherings. MP Saleh Al-Mullla also talked about “the Cabinet’s failure in answering [MPs’] questions,” indicating it could be either one of three reasons: “that they are too afraid of exposing the truth, that they are still looking for the answer, or that they are reluctant to confess that [the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs] Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad has strayed while running the Cabinet from behind the scenes!” Meanwhile, MP Abdurrahman AlAnjari criticized the government’s economic policy with regard to “increasing the burden of public sector salaries on the state’s budget,” suggesting that raising salaries in general without focusing on productive personnel “indicates that things aren’t going in the right path,” He further called for the enforcement of privatization law “which was passed 11 months ago.” Official sources from the Civil Service Commission revealed that the commission is ready to carry out detailed studies on raising Kuwaitis’ salaries. Regarding the concern on mounting pressure because of increasing salaries, officials explained that the Cabinet proposes a taxation law for companies, reported Al-Rai. This, when combined with the privatization law, is an indication that the government ‘is going in the right path.’ The official further indicated that the salaries’ increase is ‘imminent.’ This is because the government aims to reduce inflation rates.

KUWAIT: Kuwait National Guard concluded here yesterday a course on information analysis and intelligence as a mean to develop its personnel skills. The course’s supervisor Capt Majd Mohammad said that participants had showcased their serious commitment to develop their skills. He aﬃrmed that such a course would surely contribute to the guards’ development.

Kuwaiti students visit Ifrane RABAT: The top KFAED-sent students, coming from extortionately hot Kuwait, feasted their eyes, and other senses, with white snow that blanketed the Moroccan Middle Atlas town of Ifrane, spending the day there as part of their one-week reward trip. Nicknamed ‘Little Switzerland’, Ifrane is a ski resort of with a population of some 13,000 and is part of the Meknes-Tafilalet region. The boys, along with their chaperons, spent the day going up and down Ifrane’s snow-capped hills, innocently throwing snowballs at each other and making a snowman. The two-and-a-half-hours trip is part of the visit organized by KFAED (Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development) for the students. It is seen as an educational, cultural and recreational trip, with an additional objective of familiarizing the students with projects financed by the Fund in Morocco and throughout the whole world. In Tamazight, the regional Berber language, Ifrane means caves.

The Fund is currently operative in some 104 countries and is directed by Abdulwahab Al-Bader. Yesterday, the KFAED-Education Ministry delegation paid a visit to Embassy of the State of Kuwait in the Kingdom of Morocco and met with Ambassador Shamlan Al-Roumi and embassy staffers. Some of the major attractions visited by the delegation so far here included Jamaa el Fna in Marrakesh and Al-Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, in addition to official visits to the country’s electricity office and auto routes authority; both dealing with KFAED. Developed by the French during the protectorate era for their administration due to its Alpine climate, Ifrane has a remarkable European style, as if it was an Alpine village. Because of its elevation, the town experiences snow during the winter months and a cool climate during the summer. Ifrane is also the place where the lowest temperature was ever recorded in Africa; -24 Celsius in 1935.— KUNA

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2011

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MP explains ‘mediating for rapist’ allegations ‘Citizen was falsely charged’ KUWAIT: A citizen was forced to falsely testify to raping a child after being subjected to torture by Ahmadi interrogators, reported Al-Rai. The man’s innocence was revealed when the victim said that the citizen was not the one who sexually assaulted him. This explanation was provided by MP Mohammad Hayef while he was being interviewed by Al-Rai TV in an attempt to address rumors suggesting he was mediating for the release of a child rapist. Hayef said the man was falsely charged and held for a crime he never committed. During the interview, Hayef also said that it is unlikely the Interior Minister, Sheikh Jaber Al-Khalid Al-Sabah, will face a

grilling motion. “Even if he did, he isn’t going to wait for a no-confidence motion to be filed against him since he knows that more than 25 MPs will surely vote for the motion,” he said, demanding that the minister resign immediately. The lawmaker also spoke about the information he received regarding a police oﬃcer that was helped out of jail by an MP after he was accused and arrested of stealing from the police station he works in. He added that he is adopting a case regarding a citizen named Amer Al-Enizy, who his family said died in 2005 after being tortured by state security services. Meanwhile, the Islamist MP criticized

the government for “failing to show enough support for Kuwaiti detainees at Guantanamo Bay.” He called on the government to “at least pay the inmates’ fees for American attorneys that show their commitment to this humanitarian issue.” When asked about the reasons behind his decision not to join fellow MPs in a proposal to penalize indecent clothing in public, Hayef explained that he plans on filing a similar proposal on that regard. In the meantime, he said that he made the decision to file a draft law for the limitation of plastic surgery and sex change operations after he learned that “simple-minded and confused people were being taken advan-

Cabinet’s resignation best for country: MP KUWAIT: A lawmaker said that he believes the resignation of His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser AlMohammad Al-Sabah would be in the best interest of the country, reported Al-Qabas. The MP explained that such a move would spare the country from continued political conflicts and indicate that the Cabinet is capable responsible decisions. MP Dr Jamaan Al-Harbash made his comments during a recently published interview in which he said that despite

being able to overcome four interpellation motions the current Cabinet has suﬀered more losses with each motion. He added that “the Cabinet’s attempts to buy MPs’ loyalty is a dangerous matter.” Meanwhile, Al-Harbash said that the Cabinet is using the Minister of Interior, Sheikh Jaber Al-Khalid Al-Sabah as a scapegoat after they refused to accept his resignation following the death of a Kuwaiti citizen as a result of police torture.

British Exhibition Week kicks off KUWAIT: The 8th British Exhibition Week kicks oﬀ here today. The threeday event will be held under the auspices of His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah with the participation of 40 British and Kuwaiti companies. Chairman of the Board of Directors of the organizing company, (Jabriya Exhibitions Group) Ahmad Behbahani said in a statement yesterday that the

British Week in Kuwait is one of the most important economic actors at the local and Gulf levels and reflects the bonds of Kuwaiti-British relations since the Convention of 1899. He hoped such event would contribute to boosting both countries’ relations and increasing the exchange of trade and economic cooperation between the two countries. He pointed out that the exhibition this year is of a special significance as

it coincides with the 50th Independence Day, the 20th Liberation Day and the fifth anniversary of HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah’s assumption of power. He said the success of the previous seven sessions contributed significantly to the increase in turnout and participation in the activities of British and Kuwaiti companies and institutions. —KUNA

Cold weather expected in upcoming days KUWAIT: Cold weather is expected to dominate in the next 10 days with temperatures reaching between 2-4 degrees Celsius, Meteorologist Adel Al-Marzouq said yesterday. Al-Marzouq said that there is a chance for some rainfall on Tuesday and Wednesday, however, it depends on the

south-eastern winds that might shift to north-western ones by Wednesday and raises dust in the desert open areas. On Thursday the season, known locally as “Al-Agareb”, will begin and with it starts the cold weather and the drop in temperatures. —KUNA

KUWAIT: The Municipality’s Public Cleaning Department cleaned the Ahmadi governorate, and removed several violations including construction leftovers. It cleaned streets and replaced damaged containers. Ahmadi Municipality Director Fahad Al-Otaibi asked people to place trash in sealed bags, in special containers, and not to litter the ground.

tage of for this business to thrive.” Regarding the parliament’s committee to counter the eﬀects of negative phenomena in the country - a committee formed to find and fight against habits that are alien to the country and harmful to society Hayef pointed out that the committee’s most eﬃcient contribution was the draft law to establish the General Department for Drug Control. Regarding the fact that committee members base their work mostly on Islamic Sharia Law, the lawmaker said that “Sharia Law is the best opportunity for nations to achieve stability through the implementation of the regulations that God made for his people.”

Afasi discusses automation with NA panel KUWAIT: The Minister of Social Affairs and Labor has reportedly instructed three ministry departments to come up with a detailed report regarding the current situation of the ministry’s automation project, reported Al-Qabas. The request was made in preparation of a meeting with the National Assembly’s health committee, which will be attended by ministry officials and further discussed. According to official ministry sources, the planning, legal affairs and labor departments will meet today before handing the report to minister Dr Mohammad Al-Afasi tomorrow. The sources indicated that the report will discuss the errors that have been made since the project’s inception and the efforts that were made by the ministry regarding the work that has been carried out to establish an electronic connection with several other state bodies, particularly the Ministry of Interior. The sources admitted that the slow pace with which the projects have been implemented has caused the ministry to fail at solving the problems of congestion in various labor departments. They did however add that the automation system has been effective at helping the ministry fight against residency trade for the past couple of years.

kuwait digest

The wakeup call By Wadhha Al-Mudhaf

he revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt has left an impression that has spread all over the world. It comes as a wakeup call to all the people of the world and to the ruling regimes in the Arab World that the willpower of the people cannot be contained when it erupts against injustice. The message has been sent loud and clear. Now we are wondering where will the next revolution take place. Who would’ve thought that a vegetables cart could spark a public revolution that toppled a regime in Tunisia following years of oppression and later inspire the people of Egypt to follow in their footsteps? Today, the situation in Egypt is still unclear. It has been affected by the United States’ decision to interfere and adopt a two-faced approach to the situation there; encouraging the Egyptian leadership to reform while at the same time standing behind the Egyptian people’s attempt to oust their president. Meanwhile, we can say that here in Kuwait all forms of oppression, including torture and attempts to suppress public freedoms and the freedom of expression, are going to disappear with the guidance of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. What we need now is honesty and serious dialogue, which is possible because the door for freedom is wide open for those interested in looking for it. Those who target our political movement should realize that this movement was the result of the willpower of a great nation and has become the symbol that defines our identity. —Al-Rai

Labor unions’ demands increase KUWAIT: The government believes that the current demands put forward by the labor union are unreasonable, an official said. The Civil Ser vice Commission (CSC) has vowed to look into them. At least six different labor unions have threatened to stage strikes, ending a five-month hiatus that followed demands made to receive financial benefits. The Cabinet believes that recent turmoil is ill-timed, especially following the Amiri grant which will save between KD 100 and 130 each month, reported Al-Qabas. Moreover, the government had revised the basic salaries to KD 220 in the public sector on three separate occasions (KD 50, KD 120 and KD 50). It is necessary to study the fundamentals of pay raise requests, the official added. Any increase will be made only after thoroughly studying ‘an unwise request,’ he added.

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kuwait digest

Confident ministers needed By Saud Al-Samaka

Guards find 35 cell phones in Central Jail ‘drugs ward’ Youth dies in ATV accident KUWAIT: Central Jail guards found 35 cell phones in the drug-related crimes ward during an unscheduled search of the prisoners, reported Al-Anba. Prisoners with whom the phones were found were held for questioning to reveal who provided them with the phones. In the meantime, authorities were able to determine the identity of the inmate that used a cell phone to contact a live TV program to complain about the condition of his confinement. The man was identified as a bedoon inmate serving time for traﬃcking drugs. When questioned he admitted that he made the call in an attempt to plead for Amiri amnesty. He was locked in solitary confinement. ATV crash A young man was killed while another was seriously injured in an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) accident on King Fahad Road, reported Al-Watan. According to eyewitnesses, the ATV overturned while on the highway. Paramedics responded to the emergency and pronounced one of the victims dead upon their arrival and admitted the other to a nearby hospital in critical

condition. Attempted escape Police prevented an escape attempt by a group of inmates at a drug rehabilitation center, reported Al-Watan. The inmates waited for the nurses to switch their shifts before launching an aggressive assault against them. They hoped to take advantage of the chaotic situation and escape out of the main gate. Police oﬃcers responded to the emergency situation and put the situation under control. Citizen dead A citizen was pronounced dead of natural causes inside his home in Mahboula, reported Al-Qabas. Police responded to the scene after the man’s wife reported that she found him dead. Initially, it was suspected that the man died as a result of foul play and a case was opened. However, a forensic investigation confirmed that the man, who is in his forties, died of a severe circulatory failure. Kidnap case A man informed police that his wife was

kidnapped while on her way from their home in Salwa to her family’s home in Rumaithiya, reported Al-Rai. He informed authorities that his wife, who is in her 30s, called him briefly and informed him that she was kidnapped and locked inside an apartment building in Salmiya. He added that the phone disconnected before she could provide him with any more information. Upon failing to get back in touch with her the husband reported the incident to authorities. An investigation was launched in search of the victim. Traffic violation Authorities arrested two people in Salmiya for violating traffic laws and assaulting an on duty police officer, reported Al-Rai. The incident occurred on Salmiya Road after a traffic officer pulled over a vehicle that was driving the wrong way. When approached by the police officer the driver attempted to bribe him but the policeman strongly refused his offer. The driver and his passenger then attacked the officer before his partner was able to restrain them. The two were referred to a nearby police station and several calls were

made in an attempt to have the two assailants released from custody. It is suspected that the calls were made because one of the assailants’ fathers has a senior position in an abroad medical program department. Home robbery Upon returning to his home in Oyoun from family visit a citizen discovered that KD 8,000 as well as KD 15,000 worth of jewelry was stolen from his bedroom, reported Al-Rai. Authorities lifted fingerprints from the scene of the crime in an attempt to identify a suspect. The investigation is ongoing. Beggars arrested Authorities arrested four women for begging in a market in Jahra, reported AlAnba. After receiving several reports about the presence of beggars in a number of markets in the area, authorities launched a campaign to monitor several of the locations. During a search of one of the locations authorities found four face-veiled women who entered the country with visitor’s visas begging in the market.

A few steps that are essential for success with first job

KUWAIT: Major national celebrations will be held under Amiri patronage on March 9, said Sheikha Amthal Al-Ahmad, Chairman of the Information Committee, a sub-committee of the Higher National Celebrations Committee. The old Mubarak’s Kiosk will be reopened after refurbishment and asked Kuwaitis not to miss the event. Sheikha Amthal was speaking after inspecting renovation work with Municipality oﬃcials. She added that the Kiosk’s story, is the story of Kuwait’s democracy. Sheikh Amthal expressed satisfaction at the progress of work.

KUWAIT: Any-one faced with the daunting task of finding their first job is likely to find themselves in a quandary of perplexing proportions. Their CVs are thin if not non-existent, their industry knowledge is limited and their contacts in the business world are few and far between. The good news is that a record number of jobs exist in the Middle East region for fresh college grads, and with the roaring economies of the Arabian Gulf and the emphasis on training, human resource development and growing from within, this is unlikely to abate soon. To help you out with your first job, here are a few steps that are essential for success provided by the career experts at the Middle East’s number one job site Bayt.com. You will not sound very convincing to a prospective employer if you are not convinced yourself of your strengths and weaknesses and that you will be an asset to his team. Take the time to understand what types of jobs interest you, what areas you enjoy and excel in and what skills/competencies you have that can translate in meaningful ways to the jobs you are applying for. Prepare an honest, detailed personal inventory of your unique skills, strengths and weaknesses and use it to hone in on the industry, especially companies and positions you think you can do best in. Various books are available for fresh grads and people contemplating a career transition that help you identify your areas of strength and steer your job search in the right direction. In addition, there are a number of personality tests, many of which can be taken free on-line, that can help shed light on suitability for various professions. It is also very helpful to talk to peers, professors and family members who know you well to get an added perspective. If you are unsure what diﬀerent types of jobs entail, there is no substitute for talking to people inside the industry and asking the types of questions that help you identify whether this is indeed an area you will excel in. Once you have identified those areas you are interested in and believe you can excel in, focus your eﬀorts accordingly. Your CV and cover letter should be uniquely tailored to those professions and industries as should your research activities, networking activities and any training activities you undertake. Start reading the industry journals, attending industry events and widening your circle of contacts within the industry. Envision yourself obtaining and succeeding in the position you are targeting and then work backwards to see how you got there. Research should be the core and foundation of your job search activities. Research will help you identify what companies, departments and positions to target and will uncover who is hiring in your target segments. The more you research your target industries the more cognizant you will become of what a typical job in your target area entails, where the overall industry is heading and where the best jobs are. Read the industry journals, look up target companies’ websites, read their press and talk to as many people as you can within the industry to gain perspective. Research will also uncover jobs in the ‘hidden’ job market ie jobs that are filled by referrals and word of mouth without ever being advertised. Websites such as

Bayt.com are ideal for positioning your CV within the ‘hidden’ job market traﬃc as a large number of companies use the website to find candidates without ever advertising their jobs. Your CV and Cover Letter are usually the first interaction you will have with a potential employer, so use them to leave a positive and high-impact first impression. Make sure the format, content and flow of both is professional and appropriate. If you are uncomfortable creating your own CV, have the experts prepare it for you. Companies such as Bayt.com have dedicated Career Services division that cater to jobseekers who prefer to outsource the writing of their CVs to professionals. Many new graduates have no work experience and are unsure what to put on their CV. Here is where your education and activities during your college years must be highlighted. Emphasize in your CV and/or cover letter all activities that have prepared you directly for the job at hand including directly relevant courses, related research, special papers or publications, leadership positions in college, internships, volunteer work, student or professional organizations you joined etc. Spend a lot of time on skills you have acquired such as IT skills, languages, presentation skills, project management skills, writing skills, etc. Approach the job search methodically, logically and systematically applying the same discipline and organizational skills you would apply to a real job. Identify your targets and set a game plan in place that includes companies you will target, activities you will undertake, dates and follow up plans. Set aside a number of hours per day and develop a routine for your job search that resembles a real work day. Keep a record of every interaction you have with every company and make sure you follow up diligently and ask for leads at every juncture. Finding that first job is for many like swimming upstream, so set a realistic game plan and maximize the number of companies you target in your given field. Talk to friends, alumni, peers, family and the career planning team at your college and make sure your CV is circulating in the right groups. Placing your CV on a website like www.bayt.com vastly increases its visibility and allows you access to both advertised positions as well as the ‘hidden’ job market. Employers are primarily looking for candidates that have the right kind of experience, can do the job and will fit in well with the company culture. With new grads, experience becomes less relevant than whether you can in fact do the job and will fit in seamlessly with the culture. The employer may ask you during the interview to demonstrate how you would actually do a specific part of the job whether be it dealing with a diﬃcult client, selling the company product or service, solving a problem etc. The employer will also want to know what aspects of your past endeavors position you directly for the job you are applying for. A plethora of literature exists on common interview questions and what employers are looking for during the interview. Be prepared. Above all act professional and display enthusiasm, a willingness to learn and a knowledge of the company, its products and the industry.

n unbalanced, unrealistic clash has been going on between the Parliament and the Cabinet. On the Parliament’s side, a group of MPs that call themselves ‘oppositionists’ have been up in arms. This is despite the fact no true form of opposition exists in the country. It is found in all democratic parliaments (our Opposition is found only when electoral interests are threatened). On the other hand, the Cabinet’s side of confrontation has been affected by a weakness that is created by a number of ministers. They are incapable of committing to all political and administrative duties. For tunately, Kuwait does not face any major problems regarding resources and living conditions. At this stage, the country needs confident ministers from a professional standpoint. They are fully aware of the meaning of success and failure, while they disseminate a great sense of responsibility towards duties. On the other hand, it is unfortunate to see that the Cabinet contains at least six ministers who neither take initiative, are creative, rendering them unable to improve performance of ministries. They have also became a burden on the premier due to their inefficiency and inability to face corruption. Coupled with this is the eagerness to stay in top positions as long as possible. We have the perfect formula for corruption to thrive. Corrupt parliamentarians use it to pass illegal acts. This situation, in the meantime, has caused ministers who are true to their oath and duties, become the target of malicious interpellations; the prime example of that would be the case of the interior minister. In order for the development process to proceed, His Highness the Prime Minister has been asked to reconsider the continuation of some ministers in office, after they have proven to be burdensome not only on himself, but also on the development process itself. — Al-Qabas

Embassy gets ready for national celebrations BERLIN: Kuwait’s ambassador to Germany Dr Mosaad Rashed Al-Haroun said in an interview here yesterday that the Kuwaiti embassy, “started few months ago to make preparations for marking national celebrations.” He added that these preparations for national celebrations come on the occasion of the 50th independence day, 20th liberation day, and 5th anniversary of the assumption of power by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. These celebratory activities will culminate in publishing special pages on German newspapers and periodicals highlighting the State of Kuwait and tackling the political, economic and social aspects of life in it along with inviting the representatives of written and audio-visual media to take part in covering the official national celebrations which will be held in Kuwait on Feb 25 and Feb 26. Al-Haroun said that, “we will also feature this occasion through some events and periodical seminars which will be held in Germany this year, and through organizing forums and celebrations on various activities and achievements made by Kuwait at all levels.” On the official German bodies invited to attend the embassy’s national celebrations, Al-Haroun said, “we extended invitations for a great number of German top state officials, parliamentarians and party figures to take part in our celebrations held on this distinctive occasion.” Finally, Al-Haroun said that Office of the German Federal President Christian Wulff said that the President will accept the invitation extended by HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to attend the key national celebrations held in Kuwait in what reflects the great esteem held by Germany toward the State of Kuwait. — KUNA

National ‘traditions festival’ expecting 5,000 participants KUWAIT: The organizing committee of the National Celebrations Traditions Festival said the activities for 2011 are very popular and many are registering for the different events. Referee Committees Chairman Sheikh Sabah Fahad Sabah Al-Nasser Al-Sabah said yesterday that more than 400 people came in during the first day of registration for the festivities, marking the 50th Anniversary of Independence, 20th Anniversary of the Liberation, and the 5th Anniversar y of His Highness the Amir ’s Assumption of power. The official said those registering at the Equestrian Club seemed most pleased, and enthused. They all appreciated His Highness the Amir’s gesture to sponsor the event. The events will start next Thursday and will end March 6. The prizes value over KD 1 million. The events cover traditional professions and skills dealing with camels, falcons, goats, and horses, and the committees expect over 5,000 people to register for 40 events. The event in each category includes competitions in sub-categories; competitions for different types of camels, camel racing, animal stamina competitions, free flight, best breed, and more. The last day of registration for the events is next Wednesday, the official said. — KUNA

International MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2011

Embattled Australia hit by fires

Normal life begins to return in Cairo Demonstrators fear fresh attacks if army departs

Page 11

CAIRO: An Egyptian anti-government demonstrator holds a baby, wearing a hat bearing the words “Leave”, as thousands gather in Tahrir Square, the center of anti-government demonstrations yesterday. A sense of normalcy began to return to the capital of some 18 million people, which has been largely closed since chaos erupted shortly after the protests began on Jan 25. — AP

CAIRO: Life began to return to the streets of Cairo yesterday as banks and shops opened after nine days and the army stepped up its presence around Tahrir Square, epicentre of anti-regime protests. As demonstrators staged a 13th day of protests against Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak, banks began to reopen, and streets that have been nearly devoid of traﬃc filled up with vehicles, causing traﬃc jams. “Thank God. Over the past 10 days I was hardly earning enough to pay for petrol and my shisha (water pipe),” said a taxi driver, adding he bought his brand-new car five days before the protests started. “I pay a month-

ly installment of 2,000 Egyptian pounds (341.9 dollars),” he lamented. Workers at a McDonald’s outlet in the Dokki district scrubbed down front windows that had been whitewashed after the outbreak of demonstrations and the sudden absence of police, which triggered a wave of looting. “We’ll open in half an hour,” said an employee as others hurriedly mopped the floor. Traﬃc jams returned to the traditionally crowded streets of Cairo, a city of around 20 million people, and the air was once again full of the sounds of car horns as people went back to work.

Police, who disappeared from Cairo’s streets after violent clashes with demonstrators, had also returned, manning street corners and traﬃc circles. With their return, the so-called popular committees that have been standing guard in residential neighborhoods to protect against looters had been noticeably reduced in areas toured by AFP reporters. Banks reopened across the city, and Egyptians queued to access their accounts. The central bank has limited daily personal cash withdrawals to 50,000 Egyptian pounds or $10,000. Some 150 people queued outside an HSBC branch in Giza.

“People want to withdraw money. This is the only branch open in the area,” explained a customer waiting outside. “We will not be able to get in before tomorrow,” shouted another. Banks are shut at 1:30 pm (1130 GMT). State television showed more people queuing outside banks or shopping in well-stocked grocery stores, emphasizing that life goes on and allowing interviewees to complain only about the price of vegetables and meat. Behind the makeshift barricades surrounding Tahrir Square, protesters voiced determination to stay put, while the landmark Mugamaa building, which houses the sprawl-

Hamas militant who fled Egyptian prison honored

NUSAIRAT: Ayman Nofal (center) a prominent member of the Palestinian militant group Hamas’ military wing Al-Qassam waves to his supporters upon his arrival back home yesterday. —AFP

BUREIJ REFUGEE CAMP: A Hamas militant who escaped from an Egyptian prison and sneaked back to Gaza though a smuggling tunnel received a hero’s welcome yesterday by the Palestinian Islamist movement. Egypt arrested Ayman Nofal in the northern Sinai Peninsula town of ElArish three years ago and accused him of planning bomb attacks. Along with thousands of other prisoners, Nofal took advantage of the chaos in Egypt to escape last week. He returned to Gaza on Saturday. Welcoming several dozen supporters to his home in a central Gaza refugee camp yesterday, Nofal denied accusations that he was on a Hamas mission when he was arrested. He said he had crossed the border with hundreds of thousands of other Gazans when militants blasted open the border wall in January 2008 to protest Egypt’s cooperation with Israel in blockading the territory. Before his arrest, Nofal was a field commander in central Gaza for Hamas’ militant wing, known as the Al-Qassam Brigades. Hamas actively campaigned for his release and often accused Egypt of torturing him. A banner hung outside his home yesterday read: “The Al-Qassam Brigades greet the leader Ayman Nofal for his safe return and liberation.” Hamas’ Al-Aqsa TV showed a number of Hamas parliamentarians and one Cabinet minister visiting Nofal at his home. Inside, family members served sweets and fruit drinks. Nofal, 34, denied he had been tortured

in Egypt, though he said his captors threatened to use electric shocks on him and did use them on other prisoners. Wearing a green, military style-jacket and with his hair newly buzzed, Nofal recalled the days before his prison break last week. Prisoners had followed the street protests in Tunisia that led to its president fleeing the country, he said. “Then God blessed us when the great Egyptian people rose up,” he said. “When we heard what was happening, it encouraged us and the criminals and we broke the doors and escaped.” Nofal declined to say how he traveled from Cairo to Gaza, saying only he had help from “his brothers on the Egyptian side.” He also refused to discuss his plans for the future. He made his way through a smuggling tunnel under the Gaza-Egypt border on Saturday and was greeted by a crowd who fired celebratory shots in the air. Nofal said Egypt never charged him with a crime, making him suspect that his imprisonment sought “to black mail Hamas to show more flexibility in its political positions.” Egypt has long distrusted Hamas, which grew out of Egypt’s own oﬃcially banned Muslim Brotherhood. Hamas oﬃcials have declined to comment on the 12 days of Egyptian protests calling for the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak. But privately they say a new Egyptian regime could help lift the Israeli-Egyptian blockade on Gaza. —AP

ing main government administration oﬃces, remained shut. The gate leading to the plaza of the centre was manned by a handful soldiers, while protesters continued streaming into the square outside. Shops and restaurants around the square remained shut, as did the shops in the streets leading into it, which have seen fierce clashes between protesters and partisans of Mubarak over the past week. At the edge of Tahrir, the military deployed soldiers close to the Egyptian Museum, but left in place barricades set up by anti-Mubarak protesters, while some demonstrators sat around tanks to prevent

them from moving. Demonstrators fear that if the army departs they could face new attacks by regime supporters or that military movement could be a prelude to attempts to clear them from the central square. “It is now clear that it was not us who paralyzed the country,” said Scottish-born film actor Khalid Abdalla, who starred in “The Kite Runner” and has been in the square since the protests started. “It was not us who shut the banks, or imposed the curfew. True, we are occupying a vital part of the city, but it is his responsibility,” said Abdalla, who is of Egyptian heritage, referring to Mubarak. — AFP

Jordan PM faces revolt warning AMMAN: Less than a week after his appointment, Jordan’s new premier is facing potential upheaval, with the Islamist opposition refusing to join his government and key tribes warning of a popular revolt. Prime Minister Maaruf Bakhit is trying to form a cabinet tasked with pushing through reforms to counter popular discontent inspired by Tunisia’s revolt and ongoing antiregime protests in Egypt. Bakhit has

met MPs, senators, trade unions as well as the powerful Islamist movement, which said yesterday it has rejected an oﬀer to join the new government after questioning the prime ministerís reformist credentials. At the same time, 36 members of major tribes, which form the backbone of the regime in Jordan, condemned the country ’s ‘crisis of authority’ and corruption, warning of a popular revolt. — AFP

e niv rsar n

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2011

Years

i n t e r n at i o n a l Congo prez rival seeks to defeat Kabila KINSHASA: A leading Congolese politician said

he does not need alliances to win this year’s election- striking a possible blow at attempts by other opposition leaders to unify against President Joseph Kabila. Etienne Tshisekedi told Reuters in an interview on Saturday that he is determined to stand and dismissed suggestions made by another leading politician, Vital Kamerhe, that the opposition should hold primaries to choose who runs. “When I put forward my name as a candidate it was as the president of my party, the UDPS. And I believe I’m capable of doing that at the elections without necessarily making a coalition with other candidates,” he said. The Democratic Republic of Congo’s historically divided opposition is expected to rethink strategy after the government forced through constitutional reforms reducing the presidential vote to one round, removing the danger for Kabila that his opponents could rally behind a single candidate in a run-off. Some observers say the reforms were prompted by Tshisekedi’s surprise return to the country in December after years of medical treatment in Belgium. He was greeted by hundreds of thousands of supporters in the country’s chaotic and strongly anti-Kabila capital, Kinshasa. Tshisekedi said he remained confident that he could win in a single round despite most observers saying Kabila remains the favorite to be re-elected, but that he would welcome the support of other opposition parties. The UDPS is in contact with other political parties, but no formal negotiations have taken place, he said. The 78-year-old, a veteran of the Congolese political scene and a former prime minister under late autocrat Mobutu Sese Seko, said his medical problems, which he refused to specify, were no longer an issue, insisting he was in excellent health. But Tshisekedi said that if he were to be elected it would only be for one term. “I have fought for 30 years for the rule of law (in Congo), I think one term will be sufficient (to put that in place),” he added. Security, investment He strongly criticized the government on a number of issues, including Kabila’s desire for UN peacekeepers to be withdrawn by the end of this year from the vast central African country. Kinshasa’s relations with the United Nations, which retains a 17,000-strong force in the country, have become increasingly strained in recent months even as U.N. troops continue to carry out operations jointly with Congolese troops in the east of the country to stamp out armed bands that terrorise local residents. “We are for the UN staying here until their presence is no longer necessary,” Tshisekedi said. He also vowed to improve the country’s business climate, an issue of growing concern for international investors following a recent government review of mining contracts that saw Canadian company First Quantum stripped of its concession, a matter that has now been taken to international arbitration. “If a company comes to Congo and is the victim of the government signing a contract and then arbitrarily snatching it back, they should know that they can go to court here and get justice,” Tshisekedi said. Congo, trying to rebuild after decades of corrupt misrule and wars that killed millions of people, has been governed by Joseph Kabila since 2001, when he came to power following the assassination of his father, Laurent. He then won the country’s first ever democratic elections in 2006, which Tshisekedi boycotted, in a process marred by political violence that killed over 300 people in Kinshasa. Kabila’s supporters say he has brought a degree of stability to the country and attracted foreign investors keen to exploit massive Congolese mineral wealth. His critics say he has failed to tackle corruption or end bloody conflict in the east. — Reuters

Man sets himself ablaze in Algeria Analysts claim revolt highly unlikely ALGIERS: An Algerian man doused himself with fuel and tried to set himself on ﬁre yesterday during a small protest outside a government ministry in the capital to demand more jobs. Algerian opposition groups, inspired by uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia, say they will force the government to quit, but analysts say a revolt is unlikely because oﬃcials can use revenue from energy exports to soothe most grievances. During the protest outside the employment ministry building involving about 30 people, a man arrived, poured fuel over himself from a jerry can and then tried to ignite it with a

cigarette lighter. A journalist standing nearby wrestled the man to the floor before he could set fire to himself, said a Reuters cameraman who was at the protest. The man was later escorted inside the ministry building by police. A wave of protests in neighboring Tunisia which forced out President Zine Al-Abidine Ben Ali last month was started by a young unemployed man setting himself on fire in an act of protest at his treatment by the authorities. Since then, there has been a series of self-immolations around the Arab world, including several in Algeria.

of a nondescript building in Tunis, Taoufik Bouderbala is tasked with perhaps one of the most distressing jobs of the new government: investigating 23 years of abuses committed by the former regime on thousands of Tunisians. Surrounded by the smell of stale coffee and sweat, Bouderbala, a trained lawyer, is leading an inquiry into abuses and crimes committed under Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Already, in just a matter of days, he has received thousands of complaints. On this particular day, the crowds milled around the iron gates leading to the building, restlessly waiting their turn to apply for compensation for offences committed by Ben Ali and his henchmen. Others simply wanted to describe what they had suffered under Ben Ali’s rule. “ There is impatience and an incredible thirst for justice,” said Bouderbala. “We are going to investigate, hear out the victims, the witnesses, but also the suspects,” he added. Mehdi Benahassen had waited since 4:00 am for his turn. At 54, the farmer from Mahdia region dared to hope that he finally had a chance of getting even with the old regime-and recovering land he said a corrupt official had stolen from him. “I have been fighting for 20 years,” he said, having taken the case to court three times between 1990 and 1994.”The tribunal didn’t even

almost no external debt, and forecasts economic growth of 4 percent in 2011. But the economy, dominated by the oil and gas sector, produces too few jobs. President Abdelaziz Bouteﬂika, seeking to prevent opposition calls for protests from building momentum, promised last week more democratic freedoms and ordered the government to adopt new job-creation measures. A coalition of civil society groups, some trade unionists and small political parties said they did not trust Bouteﬂika’s promises, and would be going ahead with a planned protest rally in the capital on Feb. 12. — Reuters

S Sudan dreams of new capital

ATHENS: An Orthodox man holds a Christian cross during a protest in front of the Greek parliament yesterday. More than 2,000 Orthodox Christian fundamentalists have gathered at Syntagma Square to protest at a government plan to issue new electronic ID cards that would include biometric data. — AP

UN, West warn rushed Egypt change threatens Mideast MUNICH: The United Nations yesterday drove home the warning from Western nations that a transition to democracy in Egypt should not be rushed to avoid worsening the crisis and destabilizing the entire Middle East. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon backed up calls at a security conference in Munich from the United States and Europe for a rapid change of power in Egypt followed by a more sedate transition through democracy and eventually free elections. Ban told reporters he had urged authorities in Cairo “to make the necessary changes and reforms as soon as possible. I hope the leaders of Egypt heed the calls of their own people”. That was in tune with the message delivered in Munich by US Secretary Hillary Clinton, Britain’s David Cameron and Germany’s Angela Merkel that 82-year-old President Hosni Mubarak should step down now, if that is what the Egyptian people want. “The more this is put oﬀ, the more we are likely to get an Egypt that we wouldn’t welcome,” said Cameron. “There will be a change in Egypt,” said Merkel, who added that it would be remiss of the international community “not to side with people who are speaking out against injustice”. But Western leaders and diplomats were careful to emphasize that it should be the

Egyptians who decide. The UN secretary-general, asked about the debate over whether Mubarak should leave immediately as protesters demand or stay to oversee reform, answered: “It’s something which should be left to the Egyptian people.” Envoy’s remarks rile Europeans European diplomats attending the Munich meeting bristled at the suggestion of the retired US diplomat Frank Wisner, sent by President Barack Obama to talk to Mubarak, that he should remain for an unspecified period to steer through reforms. The State Department distanced itself from Wisner’s remarks, saying it not necessarily share his views. “We are very unhappy about Wisner’s remarks which give the impression the West wants to influence decisions which should be left up to the Egyptians,” said a European diplomatic source. Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan also sounded a note of caution. “A democratic transition must be ensured in the shortest possible time. If this is achieved I believe the people will certainly accept such an outcome,” he told reporters. “But first the ground must be prepared ... A reliable administration would provide the opportunity for such a base- this could be an interim election administration.” —Reuters

In Tunis, Ben Ali’s victims seek redress TUNIS: Behind the shabby walls

Jobless rate According to official figures, Algeria’s unemployment rate is around 10 percent, while joblessness among the young is more than twice that figure. “What are those people at the top doing? They do not have the right to be there,” said Abdu Bendjoudi, one of the organizers of yesterday’s protest. “If the government does not make an effort in this sense (to reduce unemployment), catastrophe approaches. What happened in Egypt and Tunisia risks coming here today.” Energy exporter Algeria has about $150 billion in foreign currency reserves,

look at my property deeds,” he said. “Instead, they just said they had lost my file.” Twenty-four year-old student Nabil Ben Brahim came from the outskirts of Tunis to try to recover a house that his ailing father had built in 2006, investing his entire life savings. “The house was under construction. One day, an official close to Ben Ali came by and found it pretty. And he took it.” The interim government has launched investigations into the abuses committed during Ben Ali’s regime. They are also looking into the violence the security forces inflicted on protesters during the month-long uprising, during which at least 200 were killed and more than 500 injured in clashes with police. Ben Ali finally fled Tunisia three weeks ago, bowing to public pressure. The revolution was triggered by the suicide of 26-year-old Mohammed Bouazizi, who set himself on fire in protest at years of humiliation by local police, who stopped him working as an unlicensed fruit vendor. Bouazizi, like thousands of others his age, had not been able to find a regular job. He came to symbolise everything that was wrong about Tunisia under Ben Ali. Bouderbala, who formerly headed a Tunisian human rights group, is expected to publish a report for the government setting out what legal redress people should have, what compensation should be offered. On the build-

TUNIS: A girl is seen waving while people hold signs reading: ‘’Mubarak, go away’’ , ‘’Mubarak, Ben Ali is waiting for you in Saudi Arabia’’ and ‘’Mubarak terrorist’’ during a demonstration in solidarity with the Egyptian people in front of the Egyptian embassy. — AFP

ing’s second ﬂoor meanwhile, a clerk was recording the account of Wissem Sessi, a construction worker who injured during a protest. He had had his leg broken in two places, he said. That meant he could not work and had no way of putting food on the table for his wife and three children. Nearby, ﬁles and documents were piled up on a narrow table. The clerk opened one at random,

which contained the photo of a young man. “Killed by a sniper in northern Tunis,” he read. The photo showed a clean entr y wound, just above his hear t. In the hallway, Oualid Guidara, 31, waited his turn to apply for compensation. He told how a policeman had arrested and tor tured on January 12 after he refused to give way to pressure on his family to pay him money. — AFP

JUBA: South Sudanese leaders said yesterday they were considering building a new capital after their expected independence as the current hub Juba lacked infrastructure and space for new business. “A committee has been formed to look into a more suitable place for a capital ... that is befitting an independent nation. There are so many things that Juba doesn’t have now in terms of services,” said Anne Itto, from the south’s ruling party. Sudan’s oil-producing and underdeveloped south is expected to declare independence from the north on July 9 after voters overwhelmingly chose to secede in a referendum in January. Organizers of the vote told Reuters they had not received any legal appeals against it by a Saturday deadline, clearing the way for the release of the final results today. Juba, which sits on the banks of the White Nile in the south’s Central Equatoria state, has seen a dramatic but chaotic expansion since a 2005 peace deal ended decades of north/south civil war and promised the referendum. After the accord, Juba became the seat of the south’s semi-autonomous government, the base of a mushrooming United Nations presence and built on its status as the south’s commercial hub. The southern government has announced a number of large-scale development plans-including one to re-draw the boundaries of key cities into the shape of animals-that have raised eyebrows among commentators and economists. Itto, deputy secretary general of the south’s dominant Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), told Reuters the committee would also consider expanding Juba or building a new capital a few miles outside the existing city. “The city doesn’t have all the facilities that are needed for a capital city-larger buildings to house government institutions, large areas for residential accommodation, areas for commercial activities,” said SPLM minister Kosti Manibe. Manibe said the committee would consider whether the cashstrapped south had enough money for the move. “If it involves moving out of Juba, this will be a very, very long term issue ... This is not an issue that will be attended to within the next 5 to 10 years,” he added. Preliminary figures showed 98.83 percent of voters chose to split from the north. Many in the south are embittered after decades of war, fought over oil, ethnicity, religion and ideology. Secession campaigners said the vote would free the south from northern oppression. “There were not any appeals. The announcement will be today,” the deputy chairman of the vote’s organizing commission Chan Reek Madut told Reuters. Sudan’s President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir, who campaigned for unity, has promised to accept the result, easing fears the separation could reignite a conflict over control of the south’s oil reserves. Northern and southern leaders still have to decide on the position of their shared border and how they will divide oil revenues-the lifeblood of both economies. — Reuters

Turkish PM urges quick ‘democratic transition’ ISTANBUL: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday called for a “democratic transition” in Egypt “in the shortest possible time,” suggesting an interim government. “A democratic transition should be ensured in the shortest possible time... If this is achieved, I believe the people will deﬁnitely accept such an outcome,” Erdogan told reporters in televised remarks. “But the ground should be prepared for that... An administration of conﬁdence that gives an opportunity for such a ground-and this could be an interim election administration-will ensure everything,” he said. Erdogan, already a hero of the Arab street with his frequent outbursts against Israel and passionate defence of Palestinians, has lent vocal support to anti-regime protesters in Egypt. On Wednesday, he was quoted as saying that President Hosni Mubarak’s pledge to stand down in September was not enough and that he should go immediately. Turkey does not not have “any intention to interfere in Egypt’s internal decisions,” Erdogan said yesterday. He stressed however that democratic change in Egypt would have a positive impact on the whole region. “We hope the Egyptian people’s democratic will for rights and

freedoms will be met... This is very, very important for peace and prosperity in the region as peace in Egypt and the result Egypt would achieve on this will have a very positive impact on the region,” he said. Erdogan spoke ahead of a visit to Syria for a ground-breaking ceremony for a joint “Friendship Dam” to be built over the Orontes river at the border between the two countries. He said he might discuss demands for democratic change across the Middle East in his talks later in the day with Syrian President Bashir Al-Assad, with whom he has developed a close relationship. “In all our meetings with my brother Bashir Al-Assad we have discussed both the functioning of our country and the functioning of all democracies,” he said. “I believe that developments in the world and the region constitute an opportunity for all leaders to evaluate both the current situation and their view of the future,” he said. Under Erdogan’s Islamist-rooted government, ties with Arab countries have seen a spec tacular revival, with Ankara pressing for a leadership role in the Middle East. Many obser vers have held up Turkey as an example for the Arab world that democracy and Islam can co-exist. — AFP

e niv rsar n

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2011

Years

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

US-Russia nuke arms treaty takes effect Both countries have 7 years to meet treaty’s central limits

ARCORE: A demonstrator wears a mock mask of Italy’s Premier Silvio Berlusconi and handcuﬀs yesterday, to demand Berlusconi’s resignation following allegations he paid for sex with a 17-year-old girl and used his oﬃce to cover it up. — AP

Chechen rebel leader threatens attacks MOSCO: Chechen rebel leader Doku Umarov claims to have sent a young man on a suicide mission to Moscow and has threatened more deadly attacks if Russia does not give up its Caucasus region. Speaking in an undated video posted on a Chechen rebel website this weekend, Umarov makes no direct reference to the Jan 24 suicide bombing at Moscow ’s Domodedovo Airport, which killed 36 people and wounded 180. No one has claimed responsibility for that attack, but suspicion has fallen on militants from the Caucasus region in Russia’s south, which is gripped by an Islamic insurgency that appears to be intensifying. Investigators said the bomber was a 20-year-old man from the Caucasus, but have not released his name. Umarov said the man standing beside him in the shadowy video was a martyr being sent on a special operation aimed at “waking up” those who quietly accept the policies of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. “If that is not enough, then other blows will follow,” the rebel leader said. He said

the attacks were retaliation for abuses committed in the Caucasus and also against people from the Caucasus living in Moscow and other Russian cities, where rising ethnic tensions have led to violent demonstrations and bloodshed in recent months. Putin unleashed a second war on Chechnya in late 1999 to restore Kremlin control, and he has tolerated the brutal rule of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, who has brought an uneasy peace to the republic. The insurgency has since found more fertile ground in Dagestan, Ingushetia and other neighboring Muslim republics. Umarov, who seeks to create a Caucasus emirate independent from Russia and governed by Shariah law, said he could call on 50 to 60 suicide bombers if necessary. He was flanked on the video by the commander of a group said to train suicide bombers and by the young man, all three of them bearded and wearing fatigues. The website KavkazCenter.com said it was unknown where or when Umarov filmed the video posted Saturday. —AP

Assange in British court to fight extradition LONDON: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange appears in a British court today to fight his extradition to Sweden, with leaked details shedding new light on the rape and molestation accusations he faces. The twoday hearing at a high security London court will examine a Swedish arrest warrant for the 39-year-old Australian, who won worldwide notoriety for his website’s release of thousands of secret US diplomatic cables. Celebrity backers including socialite Jemima Khan will also lead rallies in London today for Assange, who insists that sex assault claims made against the former computer hacker by two Swedish women are politically motivated. The judge is expected to defer his decision in the case at Belmarsh Magistrates’ Court in south London. If the ruling goes against Assange he will be able to appeal the decision all the way to England’s supreme court. His lawyers argue that if Assange is extradited to Sweden, he runs the risk of extradition or even illegal rendition to the United States where they say he could face the death penalty. Assange was released on bail a week after his arrest on December 7 and has since been staying at a friend’s country mansion, under strict conditions including that he obey a curfew,

wear an electronic ankle tag and report to police daily. At the last hearing in January, the judge relaxed the conditions for yesterday and today, meaning Assange will be allowed to sleep on those nights at the Frontline media club in London while he attends court. Swedish authorities say they want to question Assange over sex assault claims by the two women. Swedish police reports filled with graphic details of the allegations leaked onto the Internet last week. In a video message to a rally in Melbourne on Friday, Assange appealed to Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard to help return him to his native land. “Julia Gillard should be taking active steps to bring me home and protect our people,” he said. After releasing hundreds of thousands of confidential US documents about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan last year, WikiLeaks has in recent months been slowly publishing more than 250,000 leaked US diplomatic cables. Assange now faces a widening criminal probe in the United States and has made powerful enemies in Washington. Bradley Manning, a US soldier suspected of leaking the information to WikiLeaks, is in detention in the United States. —AFP

MUNICH: A new US-Russia nuclear arms control treaty has taken effect, securing a key foreign policy goal of President Barack Obama and raising hopes among officials on both sides that it will provide the impetus for Moscow and Washington to negotiate further reductions. “ The treaty marks significant progress toward President Obama’s vision of a world without nuclear weapons,” US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Saturday after exchanging ratification papers with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of an international security conference in Munich. “Partnership with Russia is vital to our continued progress and to all that we hope to accomplish,” she said. “We must build the habits of cooperation that let us rise above our differences to address urgent matters of global security together.” The New START treaty - the first major revamping of nuclear disarmament deals since the late Cold War era - was approved by the US Senate in December after a bruising fight during which Obama pressed strongly for its passage. Russia ratified the deal last month. Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov suggested that the two countries could build upon the new treaty in other areas, saying that “coordinated efforts” were needed in missile defense, and that Moscow also was willing to talk about tactical nuclear weapon reductions. “We are ready to discuss this very complex topic in the framework of a comprehensive approach to strategic stability,” he said. He also stressed that any “hypothetical” negotiations on tactical nuclear weapons “must take into consideration not only Russia’s or the US nuclear arsenal but weapons systems of all

nuclear and threshold” states. The 10-year New START treaty, which can be extended by another five years, is a cornerstone of Obama’s efforts to “reset” US relations with Russia, and Clinton called it a “milestone in our strategic partnership.” “When it comes to the button that has worried us the most over the years - the one that would unleash nuclear destruction - today we take another step to ensure it will never be pushed,” Clinton told reporters after the treaty went into effect. Lavrov said the treaty is in the national interests of both Russia and the United States. “Both Russia and the US share responsibility for security in the whole world,” he said through a translator. The treaty builds on the original START, or Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, initially proposed by then-US President Ronald Reagan, which went into effect in 1994. The conclusion of the New START treaty comes the day before the 100th anniversary of Reagan’s birth. New START, negotiated last year, limits each side to 1,550 strategic warheads, down from 2,200. It limits the number of deployed strategic launchers and heavy bombers to 700. The pact also re-establishes a monitoring system that ended in December 2009 with the expiration of an earlier arms deal. Russia and the US have the right to conduct onsite inspections beginning 60 days from the agreement going into effect Saturday. The two countries have seven years to meet the treaty ’s central limits. Looking ahead, Clinton said the US is in talks with Russia about how the two countries can fur ther work together to address issues that affect their common security, while maintaining strategic stability. Suggestions include joint analysis,

joint exercises, and sharing of early warning data that could form the basis for a cooperative missile defense system, Clinton said. She said she also would talk with Lavrov about “further arms control issues, including non-strategic and non-deployed nuclear weapons and our ongoing work to revive, strengthen and modernize the regime on conventional forces.” German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said New START’s conclusion marked “a very significant day for disarmament” and offered encouragement to pursue further progress. “I particularly welcome the fact that the US secretary of state now also wants to bring the issue of non-strategic nuclear weapons into the talks,” Westerwelle said. He hopes to secure the eventual removal of the remaining US nuclear weapons stationed in Germany. UN SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon said the treaty “adds significant impetus to the hard-won momentum achieved in recent years.” “I believe that the entry into force of the New START treaty will inspire further action toward creating a safer and more secure world for all,” he said in a statement. “I encourage the Russian Federation and the United States to continue their efforts to identify and carry forward the next steps, together with other nuclear-weapon states, in this historic endeavor of pursuing a nuclear weapon free world.” Lavrov called New START “a product of the understanding that unilateral approaches to security are counterproductive.” “The principles of equality, parity, equal and indivisible security ... form a solid basis for today’s Russian-American interaction in a range of areas,” Lavrov said. “The treaty that enters into force today will enhance international stability.” —AP

US noncommittal on Muslim group joining egypt talks MUNICH: US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said yesterday the Obama administration supports the transition to a new government now moving forward in Egypt, but she says it must be up to the Egyptian people to decide if the reforms go far enough. With mass protests now in their 13th day, Clinton said the US is encouraging talks between opposition leaders and Vice President Omar Suleiman aimed at ending the country’s political crisis. But she withheld judgment on the decision by the Muslim Brotherhood to enter into discussions with the embattled government. The fundamentalist group said it would insist that President Hosni Mubarak, an authoritarian leader who’s been in power for nearly three decades, step aside immediately. In an interview with National Public Radio, Clinton said the US has been clear about what it expects as Egypt moves toward a new government. “The Egyptian people are looking for an orderly transition that can lead to free and fair elections,” she said. “That’s what the United States has consistently supported. We are putting a lot into making sure the dialogue process that has begun is meaningful and transparent and leads to concrete actions.” The people of Egypt and the leaders of the various opposition groups will “ultimately determine if it is or is not meeting their needs,” she said. The transition should be as inclusive and transparent as possible, Clinton said. While remaining noncommittal about the Brotherhood’s entry into the talks, she said “at least they are now involved in the dia-

MUNICH: British Prime Minister David Cameron (left) talks to US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton during their bilateral talks held on the sidelines of the Conference on Security Policy, Saturday, Feb 5, 2011. — AP

logue.” “We are going to wait and see how this develops,” she said. Her comment suggests the administration would be willing to work with a government that includes the Brotherhood, but only if certain conditions were met. The group has been outlawed since 1954, and the talks would be the first known discussions between the government and the Brotherhood in years. Clinton, in the inter view, addressed the anti-government protests that began in Tunisia and then spread to Egypt and other Arab nations. “Some leaders listen better than other leaders, but all

leaders have to recognize now that the failure to reform, the failure to open up their economies and political systems, is just not an option any longer,” she said. Clinton said the “forces that are at work, particularly because of the advances in communications technology, are not reversible.” The US understands that and wants to “play a constructive role in helping countries move in the direction of more openness and more democracy and participation and market access, the things that we stand for,” she said. Clinton also acknowledged that over the years the US has

had close relations with autocratic regimes that are not popular with their people and run counter to American ideas and ideals. “There is no easy answer to how we pursue what’s in America’s interests because ultimately my job, the president’s job, is to protect the security, the interests of the United States,” she said. “Do we do business with, do we have relations with, do we support governments over the past 50 years that we do not always see eye to eye with? Of course. That’s the world in which we live, but our messages are consistent,” she said.— AP

Snow makes Dallas feel like Green Bay

DALLAS: A snow covered police car sits outside the NFL football Super Bowl XLV Media Center. A winter storm hit Dallas with up to 5 inches (12cms) of snow cancelling hundreds of flights as football fans descended on the city for the Super Bowl. —AFP

ARLINGTON: Football fans whose flights had been canceled struggled Saturday to get to Dallas for yesterday’s championship game, while those already in town for the Super Bowl were contending with temperatures and snow typical of Pittsburgh and Green Bay but unusual in Texas. A fresh blast of snow and ice canceled hundreds of flights Friday, transformed highways into ribbons of white and caused dangerous sheets of ice to fall from Cowboys Stadium, sending six people to the hospital. It was enough to tur n the bigge s t we e k i n American sports into a Super Mess. The National Football League said those hurt by the falling ice included private contractors it hired to prepare the stadium for the game. One man was hit in the head, another in the shoulder. None of the injuries was considered life-threatening. Alison Crombie, a spokeswoman for Getty Images, said Saturday that one of its photographers, Win McNamee, also was hurt. He was flying home and would be assessed by his doctor there, she said. Most stadium entrances were closed as a precau-

tion. Officials raised the temperature inside the arena in an attempt to melt remaining ice. The Dallas-Fort Worth area received as much as 5 inches (13 centimeters) of snow overnight - nearly twice its annual average - and by Friday morning downtown Dallas hotels were selling ski hats and scarves alongside cowboy hats. A winter storm warning was issued for suburban Arlington, home of the $1.3 billion stadium where the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers were to play yesterday. “ I t l o o k s l i k e, ‘O h , n o, I’m b a c k i n Canada,”‘ said Sammy Sandu, a 32-year-old property developer from Kelowna, British Columbia. “It’s just pouring down snow. Are we still at home, or have we left? We didn’t d r i n k t h at m u c h l a s t n i g ht, d i d we ? ” Forecasters expected game day to be mostly sunny, with highs in the 40s Fahrenheit (5 to 10 degrees Celsius), which would probably not be warm enough to melt all the snow and ice. Sandu made it to Dallas with his father Thursday, but other members of their party weren’t so lucky. His brother still hoped to arrive from Miami in

time for the game, but a friend abandoned the trip after a flight from Vancouver was canceled. The winter weather wasn’t expected to faze the teams competing in the real event, nor their hardy fans, who are used to cooler climes. The temperature in Dallas on Friday stood at 20F (-6C) - the same as Pittsburgh. Green Bay was slightly colder at 17F (-8C). “ We deal with it ver y well back home,” Steelers fan Alex Sax said on his way to the NFL Experience fan festival in Dallas. “Here, t h e y d o n’t k n ow h ow to d e a l w i t h i t. There’s no plows. No salt trucks. When we drove from airport, we were the only car on the road.” Asked if the weather could affect future Super Bowl bids, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said the conditions this year have been exceptional. “We’ve had a winter to remember. Some would say to forget,” Goodell said. “It’s going to be a great weekend for us, and the weather’s getting better.” The Super Bowl is scheduled to be played in Indianapolis next year and in the open-air New Meadowlands stadium in New Jersey in 2014. — AP

e niv rsar n

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2011

Years

i n t e r n at i o n a l Rival Koreas set for talks SEOUL: North and South Korean military officers will meet this week at a truce village on their heavily fortified border in a test of a pledge by the North to ease tension after a major security crisis last year. Regional powers have nudged the rivals to defuse the crisis and restart international talks over the North’s nuclear program. The two Koreas are still technically at war because an armistice not a treaty ended the 1950-53 Korean War. The meeting will be the first dialogue between them since last September, and the first since tension peaked on the peninsula late last year. Last March, South Korea accused the North of sinking one of its navy ships killing 46 sailors. Then in November, the North bombarded a South Korean island in disputed waters off the west coast, leading to an angry exchange of threats and a risk of major conflict that rattled financial markets. The two sides agreed last week to hold a preliminary round of military talks on Feb 8 to set the time and agenda for higher-level talks, possibly between their defense ministers. South Korea said a formal apology for what it saw as the blatant North Korean provocations last year was not needed for it to consider going ahead with the higher-level talks. “You don’t have colonels talking about apologizing,” a South Korean official said, referring to the officers who will meet tomorrow. North Korea threatened nuclear war on the peninsula at the height of tension but in a sharp change of tack, it has repeatedly called for dialogue with the South since January. Some analysts say the about face is an indication that the North is suffering from years of international sanctions and a cut in aid from the South. The South has said it wants to see whether the North is sincere about reducing tension and agreed to the meetings on the condition that they discuss the navy ship sinking and island bombardment. South Korean President Lee Myung-bak said last week he was willing to consider meeting the North’s leader at a summit in a softening of the South’s tone after months of tough talk that included a vow to retaliate if the North attacked again. Lee cut off a decade of unconditional aid to the North when he took office in 2008, angering the North, which analysts said had come to depend on his liberal predecessors’ policy of using aid to keep their unpredictable neighbor engaged. Lee said he had high expectations that the North would abandon the tactic of staging hostile acts to raise tension, then seeking dialogue with the wealthy South to win concessions. — Reuters

Indonesia mob attacks group JAKARTA: A machete-wielding mob of Muslims yesterday attacked the home of a minority sect leader in central Indonesia, killing three and wounding six others, police and witnesses said. Local police chief Lt Col Alex Fauzy Rasyad said about 1,500 people - many with machetes, sticks and rocks - attacked about 20 members of the Ahmadiyah Muslim sect who were visiting their leader in his house in Banten province on Indonesiaís main island of Java. He said the crowd demanded that the sect members stop their activities, but the request was rejected. As a result, the crowd stabbed to death at least three men, destroyed the house and set ﬁre to their cars and motorbikes. Six others were hospitalized, four with critical injuries. The police were called, ´but the attackers came faster,ª Rasyad said. The attack was the latest targeting the Ahmadiyah sect in Indonesia, the worldís most populous Muslim nation. Many Muslims see followers of Ahmadiyah as holding heretical beliefs. Indonesia is a secular country with a long history of religious tolerance. But in recent years a hard-line fringe has grown louder and the government - which relies on the support of Islamic parties in Parliament - has been accused of caving in to it. — AP

Thai, Cambodia troops clash again Involves ancient feud over land around old temple BANGKOK: Thai and Cambodian sol-

diers exchanged fire on a disputed stretch of their border yesterday, witnesses said, the third flare-up in three days in an ancient feud over territory surrounding a 900-year-old Hindu temple. The latest fighting occurred despite Thailand’s announcement of a ceasefire on Saturday following clashes in the area that killed at least five people on Friday and Saturday. A witness said about 20 rounds went off in the vicinity of a 4.6-sq-km (two-sq-mile) contested area around the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple, on a jungle-clad escarpment overlook ing nor thern Cambodia and claimed by both Southeast Asian neighbours. “We are receiving reports of fresh shooting right now. But there is no report of casualties,” said Thai army spokesman Colonel Sansern K aewk amnerd. In Phnom Penh, a Cambodian government spokesman said the cause of the latest clash was not clear while a pro-government television station said Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva was “hungry for war”. Although sporadic clashes in the area are not unusual, it is rare for the two sides to fight over consecutive days. The United States has called on both sides to show restraint. The Association of South East Asian Nations, a regional forum of which both Thailand and Cambodia are members,

PREAH VIHEAR: Cambodian soldiers sit on an armored vehicle near the Preah Vihear temple, some 500 km northwest of Phnom Penh. — AFP

said on Saturday the deteriorating situation was undermining conﬁdence in the region and would aﬀect its economic recovery. The area of the clash is remote with scattered villages on the Thai side and little development on the Cambodian side. Thais protest A Thai village school director in the area said about 2,500 people had been

moved away from their village to safety. On Saturday, Thai and Cambodian troops fought with rocket-propelled grenades and guns for about 25 minutes in a clash that killed one Thai soldier, before reaching a truce and agreeing not to reinforce troops. That followed an intense two-hour clash in which three Cambodians, including two soldiers, and a Thai villager were

Philippines ‘concerned’ over rebel split

FRESNO: Members of the Hmong community wait in line to view the open casket of Hmong war hero and community leader General Vang Pao on the second day of his ﬁve day funeral on February 5, 2010. — AFP

Laos general’s backers want US burial FRESNO: Backers of Laotian general Vang Pao appealed to US President Barack Obama Saturday to let him be buried with honors at Arlington National Cemetery, after the US military rejected their request. The call came on the second day of a traditional six-day funeral for the 81year-old general-who led a CIAbacked “secret army” helping the US during the Vietnam war-in Fresno, California, where he died last month. Thousands of ethnic Hmong from the US and overseas have gathered to pay their last respects, but ceremonies have been clouded by the decision to refuse Vang Pao an Arlington burial, announced as the funeral started Friday. “We were very disappointed to hear that the request for the burial of General Vang Pao has been denied,” said the Memorial Central Committee organizing the Hmong veteran’s funeral. “ We hope President Obama and the defense secretary will allow a burial waiver for General Vang Pao,” it added in a statement issued on behalf of “ Vang Pao’s family, Hmong Americans, Vietnam war veterans and friends.” Charlie Waters, a friend of the late general, said that Senator John McCain, a Vietnam veteran himself, would see Vice-

President Joe Biden on Monday to press him on Vang Pao’s case. “We’re not buying the idea that Arlington is becoming full. There’s space for a hero,” said Korean war veteran Waters, adding that he would offer to give his own place in Arlington to Vang Pao. Vang Pao led the Central Intelligence Agency-backed force that assisted the United States in Vietnam, during its ill-fated war with communist forces in the north of southeast Asian nation. He died of pneumonia on January 6 in Fresno, one of the major hubs of the 250,000strong Hmong community living in the United States, some 30-40,000 of whom live in the west coast state of California. His family and supporters had applied to the US military for a waiver to allow Vang Pao to be buried at Arlington, normally reserved for American veterans. On Friday the Pentagon said the family’s Arlington request “was thoroughly reviewed by a board comprised of senior military and civilian oﬃcials” but it “unanimously recommended denial of the request for exception to policy.” But the memorial committee said general Vang Pao served the United States valiantly. “His exceptional service symbolizes the death

of each soldier,” the statement said. “We strongly believe the right thing to do is to honor his contributions to the United States. He fought to protect America’s freedom, democracy, and justice.” It cited precedents including Iraqi Air Force captain Ali Hussam, killed in the Iraq war. “There are many others. General Vang Pao has contributed directly to the US military and deserves to be laid to rest at Arlington,” it said. One of Vang Pao’s sons, 46-year-old Chai Vang, said he believed the Arlington decision could be reversed. “As far as the family, we’re really upset. He put his life and all of his efforts towards democracy in Laos,” he told AFP before the appeal was issued, adding: “Anything can be reversed. Vang Pao, a fierce opponent of the communist government in Vientiane, was also a controversial figure. In 2007, he was arrested in California on charges of plotting to overthrow a foreign government after an undercover agent tried to sell him weapons at a Thai restaurant. Prosecutors dropped their charges in 2009. A judge later ended the case for the remaining 11 Hmong Americans accused in the case amid persistent questions over the government’s evidence. — AFP

Ex-leader of Japan terror group dies TOKYO: The ex-leader of an armed Japanese far-left group from the 1970s has died on death row, 29 years after she was sentenced to hang over the savage group killings of 14 fellow radicals. Hiroko Nagata, 65, a central ﬁgure in the now-defunct extremist group the United Red Army, died late Saturday from multiple organ failure, Jiji Press and other news outlets said, quoting Japan’s Justice Ministry. One of the founders of the ultra-leftist militia, which gained notoriety for its extreme brutality despite the group’s small size, Nagata led a series of group killings of members deemed not revolutionary enough in 1971-72. From carrying out murders in the name of a violent communist revolution at any cost, Nagata was said to have later admitted her crimes and eventually wept at her trial, saying: “Even I had human emotions.” The string of deaths began when Nagata conspired with another of the group’s “soldiers” in 1971 to kill two people who tried to leave the group, before the radicals took to Japan’s central mountains for a period of intensive training, indoctrination-and vicious purges. Nagata and the group’s chairman led the horrific group killings

killed on Friday, the first fatalities in the militarized area since a Thai soldier was shot dead on Jan 31, 2010. The fighting is the latest episode in on-again off-again tension between the neighbors. Relations with Cambodia have also become a bone of contention in longrunning hostility between Thai political factions. Pro-establishment Thai “yellow shirt” activists have accused their main rival, ousted former populist premier Thaksin Shinawatra, of colluding with Cambodia to Thailand’s detriment. The “yellow shirt” protesters are demanding that Thai Prime Minister Abhisit take a tougher line against Cambodia. Up to 4,000 of the protesters gathered outside Abhisit’s offices on Saturday, criticizing his government for its handling of the dispute and calling for his resignation. The Thai Foreign Ministry has accused Cambodia of engaging in “an act of aggression (in) violation of Thai sovereignty and territorial integrity ”. Cambodia has accused Thailand of invasion and filed a complaint with the UN Security Council. The temple, known as Preah Vihear in Cambodia and Khao Phra Viharn in Thailand, sits on land that forms a natural border and has been a source of tension for generations. The International Court of Justice awarded it to Cambodia in 1962 but the ruling did not determine the ownership of the scrub next to the ruins, leaving considerable scope for disagreement. — Reuters

TOKYO: This picture taken in 1972, shows ex-leader of terrorist group United Red Army Hiroko Nagata. — AFP

of another 12 members who were said to be undergoing a process of “soukatsu”-general review, or self-criticism-at their snowy and isolated base camp. The victims were beaten, stabbed and tortured, including by leaving them tied up outside in freezing winter temperatures in the remote mountains. Days after Nagata’s arrest in early 1972, as police closed in on the group, other United Red Army members took a woman hostage at a mountain lodge, in a televised crisis that lasted ten days. A riveted Japanese public watched the drama unfold, culminating in police storming the lodge. The hostage and radicals survived but two police oﬃcers and one civilian were killed during the ordeal. By this time Japan’s ultra-leftists were fast losing any support base they had, but a linked group, the Japanese Red Army, operated from Lebanon in tandem with Palestinian militias, carrying out notorious terror attacks including a massacre at Israel’s Lod airport and hijackings of Japan Airlines planes. Early in her trial, which began in 1973, Nagata declared that she would ﬁght on as a revolutionary in an ideological struggle, Japan’s Mainichi Shimbun newspa-

per said. But she gradually admitted her crimes, the Mainichi said. Nagata was sentenced to death by the Tokyo District Court in 1982 and the ruling was upheld by the Supreme Court in 1993, ﬁnally ending her trial. While in jail, she published books and expressed regrets about her actions, including the killings, but also made comments which shifted blame to other activists, Jiji Press said. In recent years, Nagata had been bedridden and under treatment for brain atrophy and aspiration pneumonia, Jiji Press reported, adding that she had lost ability to speak. She underwent surgery for a brain tumour in 1984. Atsuyuki Sassa, a former elite police officer who led the siege of the mountain lodge in 1972, criticised Japan’s justice system for keeping her alive for nearly four decades after her crimes. Sassa told Jiji Press that death row inmates with ideological motives are often kept alive in Japan, where the justice minister must order executions individually. “So much tax money was spent on Nagata, who received operations and kept alive,” he said. “No one thinks about the police officers who were killed in the line of duty.” — AFP

COTABATO: The chief Philippine government negotiator said yesterday he was “seriously concerned” after a feared rebel commander broke from the main Islamic separatist group ahead of peace talks. Ameril Umbrakato’s split from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) could compromise talks between the government and the rebels, warned negotiator Marivic Leonen, casting a pall over hopes for an end to one of the world’s longest-running insurgencies. “The government views the reported resignation of a known commander of the MILF with serious concern and looks forward to a clarification from the MILF (peace) panel,” Leonen said in a statement. Leonen, who is due to meet his MILF counterparts from Wednesday to reopen the stalled talks, said that the government wanted a settlement with the 12,000strong MILF “at the soonest possible time”. But on Saturday, a top official of the MILF confirmed that the group had a potentially serious rebellion in its ranks after Umbrakato quit the rebel organisation seven months ago, taking at least a thousand fighters with him. Umbrakato was one of the MILF commanders who broke the group’s ceasefire with the government in 2008 to launch deadly attacks on Christian communities in the troubled Philippine south, leaving nearly 400 people dead and 70,000 displaced. The attacks caused the peace process to come to a halt. It is only being revived now after the election in May last year of a new president, Benigno Aquino, who has revamped the country’s peace negotiating team. In a statement posted on the MILF website yesterday, the group’s chairman Murad Ebrahim said the main rebel organization was still tr ying to convince Umbrakato not to leave. “We are making headway to convince him to fully return to the fold of the MILF. I believe this problem can still be resolved expeditiously and soon,” the website quoted Murad as saying. The MILF’s top leadership had sent its three most senior “ulama” or religious leaders to talk with Umbrakato and they had reported some “good developments,” the website said without elaborating. More than 150,000 people have died since the early 1970s due to the Muslim rebellion, according to the government. Recently, videos of Umbrakato have circulated in which he says that he is forming a new armed group to continue the struggle for an independent Islamic state in the southern Philippines. Umbrakato is the latest in a series of MILF field commanders to ignore orders from the rebel leadership. In recent weeks, another militant MILF commander has been leading his men in deadly clashes with a different Muslim armed group over a land dispute in the south, which have killed abotu 13 people. The southern Philippine region of Mindanao is largely Christian but it has a sizable Muslim minority who consider the area their ancestral home. — AFP

SULTAN KUDARAT: Murad Ebrahim, chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), speaks during a press conference at the MILF camp on February 5, 2011. — AFP

e niv rsar n

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2011

Years

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

One million Lankans affected by floods COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s monsoon rains spread to more villages and towns yesterday, leaving at least 14 people dead and more than one million with flooded homes, officials said. The number of people in state-run shelters rose to 236,000 by Saturday evening, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) in Colombo said, adding that 1,053,000 people had had their homes inundated. Most of the flood victims had moved in with friends and relatives living on higher ground, officials said. Police figures showed that at least 14 people had been killed in flood-related incidents in the past week. The DMC said that roads and fields were submerged across the east, centre and north of the island-areas which had already been badly hit by an earlier wave of monsoon rains last month. Then, 43 people were killed and the number of people driven from their homes also passed one million. — AFP

Process aimed at gradual withdrawal of foreign troops

POLONNARUWA: This aerial photograph shows Sri Lanka’s ﬂood-hit north, and central regions that have been ﬂooded for the second time since January. — AFP

Pakistani woman attempts suicide after US shooting LAHORE: The wife of a Pakistani man shot and killed by a US official tried to commit suicide by eating rat poison yesterday, explaining that she was driven to act by fears the American would be freed without trial, a doctor said. The US has demanded Pakistani authorities release the American, saying he shot and killed two armed men in self-defense when they attempted to rob him as he drove his car in the eastern city of Lahore. He was arrested on Jan 27, and the US has said he has diplomatic immunity and is being illegally detained. The shootings have stoked anti-American sentiment in Pakistan, feelings that could be fur ther inflamed by Shumaila Kanwal’s suicide attempt, especially if she dies. Her condition was steadily deteriorating after ingesting the rat poison, said Ali Naqi, the doctor treating her in Faisalabad city. “I do not expect any justice from this government,” said Kanwal in a statement recorded by the doctor. “That is why I want to kill myself.” Kanwal also spoke to reporters after arriving at the hospital, saying “I want blood for blood.” “The way my husband was shot, his killer should be shot in the same fashion,” she said. The case puts Pakistan’s government in a difficult position. The government relies on the US for billions of dollars in aid but is war y of being seen as doing Washington’s bidding. The US is widely unpopular in Pakistan, in part because of its undeclared campaign of drone missile strikes along the northwest border with Afghanistan.

The government could face charges of being an American lackey if it hands Raymond Davis over to the United States. But refusing to do so risks harming a relationship with a vital ally. Pakistani officials have avoided definitive statements on Davis’ level of diplomatic clearance and whether he qualifies for immunity. Federal officials have said the decision on his fate is up to cour ts in Punjab province, where the shootings occurred. But provincial officials have said the federal government must decide whether Davis has immunity. The two governments are controlled by rival political parties, which has further complicated the case. Besides the two men who were shot dead, a bystander was also killed when he was struck by an American car rushing to the scene to help Davis. Police have said they want to question the Americans suspected in that death as well. Relatives of the men who were allegedly shot by Davis have participated in several protests in Lahore, including one Thursday outside the US consulate where demonstrators shouted “Hang the American killer!” Some commentators have tried to paint the two men as innocent Pakistanis rather than thieves who were attempting to rob Davis. But the US Embassy has said the men had criminal backgrounds and had robbed money and valuables at gunpoint from a Pakistani citizen in the same area minutes before the shootings. — AP

Nepal’s new PM Khanal sworn in KATHMANDU: Nepal’s newly-elected prime minister Jhalanath Khanal was sworn in at a ceremony in Kathmandu yesterday, ending a seven-month leadership vacuum in the troubled Himalayan nation. Khanal, chairman of the UML (Unified Marxist Leninist) party, took his oath of office in front of President Ram Baran Yadav. “I will remain committed and honest to the nation and its people to fulfil my duty,” he said. Khanal on Thursday secured the last-minute backing of the Maoists, the largest force in parliament, to finally break a deadlock in the legislature that left the country without a government as 16 previous rounds of voting failed to produce a winner. His predecessor, party colleague Madhav Kumar Nepal, led a coalition government backed by the centrist Nepali Congress but his government fell last June under intense pressure from the Maoists. Khanal, 60, is being support-

Karzai set to announce Afghanistan handover

ed by the Maoists, whose leaders are likely to hold major ministries, while the country ’s second-largest party, the Nepali Congress, has said it will remain in opposition. Maoist chairman Pushpa K amal Dahal, better known as Prachanda, or “the fierce one”, said he had decided to back Khanal to end the political standoff. The integration and rehabilitation of 19,000 Maoist combatants who fought a decade -long insurrection against state security forces is one of Khanal’s main challenges. The conflict ended in 2006 and led to the abolition of a centuries-old Hindu monarchy, ushering in a period of transition to democracy. A new constitution, intended to reshape the country after the downfall of the monarchy, is slated to be completed by May but disagreements between the parties have raised fears of missing the deadline. —AFP

KATHMANDU: Nepalese President Ram Baran Yadav (left) new Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal (center) and caretaker Prime Minister Madav Kumar Nepal (right) attend the swearing in ceremony at the oﬃce of the President House in Shital Niwas yesterday. — AFP

MUNICH: The president of Afghanistan said yesterday he would announce the start of a process to transfer responsibility for security to Afghan forces from international forces on March 21. NATO agreed with President Hamid Karzai at a summit in November to begin the handover to Afghan forces this year with the aim of completing the transition by the end of 2014. The Western military alliance has said it hopes to launch the process, which is aimed at a gradual reduction of the 150,000 foreign troops in the country, next month. Karzai told an international security conference in Munich that the Afghan government was determined to show leadership, adding: “I will announce the first phase of transition on the Afghan New Year, which is the 21st of March.” Karzai said this had been made possible by a big effort to boost the size of the Afghan security forces. NATO has stressed that transition will be gradual, conducted district by district and province by province, and will depend on security conditions. NATO initially planned to start the handover at the end of last year. But this was hampered by slow progress in building up Afghan forces and by an increase in insurgent violence, which hit its worst levels since the overthrow of the Taleban in 2001. Survey fuels doubts Doubts over the transition process were underscored on Thursday by a survey that showed Afghanistan’s police force is only slightly more popular than the Taleban in the insurgent heartlands of the south. Results of the UN-commissioned survey portrayed a police force widely viewed by Afghans as corrupt and showing favoritism towards people based on personal connections. The findings were a blow to Western efforts to extend the reach of the central government and its secu-

MUNICH: French Foreign Minister Michele Alliot-Marie (left) shakes hands with Afghan President Hamid Karzai during the International Conference on Security Policy yesterday. — AP

rity forces to areas under the sway of a parallel Taleban authority, particularly in the south which has borne the brunt of NATO and US military operations to drive back the Islamist insurgents. In Munich, Karzai repeated complaints that what he calls “parallel structures”-private foreign security firms protecting international interests and Provincial Reconstruction Teams run by foreign military contingents-were hampering efforts to expand the influence of the Afghan government. He said there should be a similar transfer of the roles alongside the overall security handover. Karzai further said international backers of

Afghanistan must stick to promises to channel a greater percentage of ﬁnancial assistance through the Afghan government. NATO’s top commander, Admiral James Stavridis, told the conference the alliance agreed with Karzai on a broader handover as Afghan capabilities improved. “I think we are going to see increased Afghan responsibility across the board.” Stavridis and US Under Secretary for Defence Michele Flournoy both expressed guarded optimism about progress in the battle against militants. Stavridis said the gains were both “fragile” and “reversible” but “I am cautiously optimistic that we are on a good track.” — Reuters

Embattled Australia hit by fires

PERTH: This television screen grab obtained by Australian news channel Skynews shows an aerial image of a house on ﬁre yesterday. — AFP

India holds Somali pirates after fight MUMBAI: The Indian navy and coastguard captured 28 suspected Somali pirates after a firefight with a “mothership” yesterday off southwestern India, the defense ministry said. “A total of 52 men have been apprehended of which 28 are suspected to be Somali pirates,” defense ministry spokesman Captain M Nambiar said, adding the incident happened within Indian waters. At least some of the other 24 men on board are believed to be hostages rescued as a result of the firefight, more than 1,500 nautical miles from the coast of Somalia. All were found on board a Thai fishing vessel that had been hijacked up to six months ago off the coast of Somalia and is thought to have since been used as a floating base to mount attacks on shipping, a ministry statement added. Mumbai police said they were expecting to interview all those detained when they arrive in the city. Indian navy and coastguard were sent to hunt the pirates after the crew of a Greekflagged vessel said they had been attacked some 100 nautical miles west of Kavaratti in India’s Lakshadweep Islands, off southwestern Kerala state. Two high-speed skiffs were located in the early hours yesterday and chased back to the mothership. Coastguard and navy were fired on twice, the statement said. “The resultant firefight was brief but decisive with the pirates quickly losing any stomach they might have had for a protracted confrontation and hoisting the white flag of surrender,” it added. “A mix of pirates and crew members being held hostage aboard the trawler were collectively recovered.” The incident occurred near international shipping lanes that pass close to the Lakshadweep Islands, the statement said without giving further details. Fifteen suspected pirates — 12 Somalis, two Ethiopians and a Kenyanface trial in India after they were caught in the same area on January 28. They were also said to have used another hijacked Thai fishing vessel as a mothership. Piracy has made shipping increasingly perilous off the Horn of Africa and led to the deployment of an international force to protect the key maritime corridor.

Yesterday’s operation comes after concerns voiced last month by US ViceAdmiral Mark Fox, who said that commercial shipping was under threat oﬀ India’s coast. He called for counter-terrorism tactics to combat pirates as they had extended their operations well beyond the coast of lawless Somalia and the reach of international naval patrols. In another development, the top diplomats of India and Pakistan were due to meet yesterday in Bhutan in the ﬁrst high-level meeting between the two rival countries since July. Indian foreign secretary Nirupama Rao and her Pakistan counterpart Salman Bashir were to hold talks on the sidelines of a South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) meeting in Thimphu, the Bhutanese capital. India suspended a peace dialogue with Pakistan in the wake of the November 2008 Mumbai attacks, which claimed 166 lives, but the two countries last year began to explore a resumption of structured talks. Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi held a meeting with his Indian counterpart S.M. Krishna in Islamabad in July. “Dialogue between India and Pakistan is necessary and a must if we are to satisfactorily resolve the outstanding issues between our two countries,” Rao was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency. “We have a number of outstanding issues. So we are going into this with an open mind and constructive attitude.” PTI quoted Bashir as saying that the talks yesterday would focus on making progress towards another meeting between the countries’ foreign ministers. “My expectations are that we should be working towards continued engagement,” he said. India accuses Pakistan of failing to crack down sufficiently on militant groups on its territory, including those which New Delhi blames for the Mumbai attacks. Relations between the two countries, which have fought three wars since the subcontinent was partitioned in 1947, have been plagued by border and resource disputes, and accusations of Pakistani militant activity against India. — Agencies

PERTH: Wildfires destroyed homes and flooding claimed the life of a man in embattled Australia yesterday, as officials warned that last week’s monster cyclone would compound economic woes. Three major fires razed properties around the west coast city of Perth, as a volatile weather system trailing Cyclone Yasi, a top-level storm that battered Australia’s northeast coast Thursday, continued to wreak havoc. “There have been homes destroyed but we are not sure how many at this stage,” an emergency spokeswoman told AFP, describing conditions as “pretty nasty.” Local media said up to 20 houses had gone up in flames at Roleystone, a heavily wooded area on the southern outskirts of Perth, with another out-ofcontrol blaze on the northern fringes forcing more than 150 evacuations. Both were described as a threat to lives and property, with officials urging residents to “act immediately to survive” by either abandoning their home, if it was safe to do so, or preparing to defend their property from the flames. It came as the southeastern state of Victoria paused to mark two years since the “Black Saturday” firestorm that claimed 173 lives and obliterated entire villages. Some towns ravaged by the 2009 fires were also hit by Cyclone Yasi-linked flash floods overnight which forced thousands from their homes in Victoria, still reeling from last month’s flooding that also swamped Queensland state. Mildura-a city of some 50,000 residents-had a year’s worth of rain dumped on it in a single day, inundating 200 homes. “We are heading for some major problems in Victoria and this is going to strike people as really cruel, given that Victoria is about to mark the second anniversary of the devastating bushfires,” said Prime Minister Julia Gillard. A man died after his truck was swept into floodwaters as he tried to cross a swollen creek near the rural town of Wagga Wagga yesterday, while intense rains were also forecast for Alice Springs, in Australia’s red desert centre. Yasi was one of the largest storms to ever hit Australia, and Treasurer Wayne Swan warned it would deepen economic woes brought by the Queensland floods-the recovery from which is set to cost an estimated Aus$5.6 billion ($5.6 billion). “Even at this early stage, it’s clear that severe damage was done to crops, buildings and infrastructure in affected areas,” said Swan. “The region impacted by the cyclone contributes around (Aus)$1 billion of agricultural production annually, and initial reports suggest at least half of that has been wiped out this year.” Tourism would also be hit, he added, with the cyclone region accounting for about five percent of Australia’s tourist earnings. Swan said devastation of sugar and banana crops would add at least 0.25 percentage points to inflation in the March quarter, on top of the 0.25 percentage points already brought by the floods. Analysts have put the damage to Australia’s agricultural sector as a result of the recent disasters at Aus$1.4 billion. Canberra has announced a one-off tax on higher-income earners to help meet the cost of rebuilding from the floods. But Gillard vowed not to increase the levy and said recovery from the cyclone and fresh Victoria downpours would be funded through spending cutbacks. “There are no easy choices left now, so in making further budget cuts, there is going to be some pain around and people are going to have to recognise that,” she said. Australia’s wild weather has been linked to an especially strong La Nina event, traditionally bringing torrential rains and cyclones to the vast southern continent. — AFP

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2011

OPINION

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Issues

Independence key for autocrats who want to hang on By Patrick Worsnip utocrats who are seen by their citizens as beholden to foreign powers stand more risk of being swept away by popular protests than equally repressive ones who pursue more independent policies. Commentators looking at the people’s uprisings that have shaken Tunisia and Egypt in recent weeks have also focused heavily on the loyalty of security forces as pivotal in what happens to rulers. In Tunisia, President Zine alAbedine Ben Ali fled into exile on Jan. 14 after army chief General Rachid Ammar refused to fire on demonstrators. In the so far unresolved drama in Egypt, the stance of the armed forces also appears critical. By contrast, in Iran in the summer of 2009, police and Basij Islamic militia who showed no signs of wavering crushed protests against presidential elections the opposition said were rigged. In Ivory Coast, attempts by Western and African nations to oust incumbent Laurent Gbagbo from the presidency they say he lost to challenger Alassane Ouattara in a Nov. 28 poll are based in part on a belief that if Gbagbo runs out of cash to pay his troops he will collapse. But analysts say that as important in blunting uprisings as the brute force available is the extent to which a ruler, ruthless authoritarian as he may be, at least appears an authentic champion of his country and not a pawn of others. While foreign affairs seem so far to have taken a back seat in Tunisia and Egypt to issues of poverty, corruption and police brutality, Ben Ali and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak both have been known as friends of the West. So have the leaders of Jordan and Yemen, where protests have also erupted. “Mubarak is the most pro-American leader in the Arab world in the most anti-American Arab society. So that was a recipe for trouble,” said Thomas Carothers, a democracy expert at Washington’s Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Not surprisingly, officials of radical Arab countries such as Syria and Sudan have argued that they are immune from the unrest sweeping their region. “Syria is stable. Why?” President Bashar Al-Assad said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal last week. “Because you have to be very closely linked to the beliefs of the people ... When there is divergence ... you will have this vacuum that creates disturbances.” A Sudanese embassy spokesman in London, Khalid Mubarak, said in a blog: “Uprisings happen against docile leaders who ingratiate themselves to the West and put its interests above national dignity.” While such arguments may be self-serving and could ultimately turn out to be wrong - there have already been some protests in Sudan independent analysts say there is something to them. “When we look at a regime or a leader and say ‘how likely are they to collapse?’, the question we should be asking is not just will the army shoot the demonstrators or not, but do they have any reserves of legitimacy?” Carothers said. He recalled meeting a Syrian dissident who said that despite economic failures and repressive rule, Syria’s Assad “still defies Israel and the United States. That’s all he’s selling to the public is defiance. But that sells pretty well.” The same applied to Iran and Cuba, Carothers said. Lack of legitimacy, as much as economic stagnation, was what finished off the communist rulers of eastern Europe whom their peoples saw as Soviet puppets. After Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev told a Bucharest summit of the Warsaw Pact in July 1989 there would no more interventions to put down popular unrest, his allies’ governments collapsed within months. Georgia’s “rose revolution” of 2003 and Ukraine’s “orange revolution” of 2004-05, in which mass protests led to power changes in the two former Soviet republics, were also essentially against leaders seen as too close to Moscow. In Latin America, US-backed dictatorships faded away in the 1980s and 1990s as their value to Washington as bulwarks against communism declined. Autocrats with no foreign dependence are also insulated from the kind of pressures Mubarak has come under from US President Barack Obama and others to restrain action by security forces against demonstrators. While Western powers deplored incidents like the Chinese army’s forcible clearing of democracy protesters from Tiananmen Square in 1989 and the 2009 Iranian actions against opposition demonstrators, they had no leverage to bring to bear. As those episodes showed, if an authoritarian government wants to stay in power, it also needs to build up disciplined, motivated enforcers of their rule who will not decide when the going gets tough that the moral force has passed to the demonstrators. Iran’s ruling clergy appeared to have learned lessons from the Islamic revolution that toppled the pro-Western Shah and brought them to power in 1979. —Reuters

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Authoritarian states now in focus By Peter Apps nexpected revolt on North Africa’s streets has shattered any easy assumptions powerful authoritarian leaders will survive indefinitely, perhaps even pointing to similar risks in Moscow and Beijing. Western policymakers and many investors viewed Middle East strongmen such as Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak and Tunisia’s Ben Ali as fixed points in an unstable region, largely ignoring growing social and economic strains that has now yielded violent unrest. Many fear what happens next, particularly after the violence in Cairo last week. For those who had begun to wonder if Western states were losing their dominance to authoritarian emerging economies such as China and Russia, recent events could signal that demands for democracy remain a powerful force. “The Egypt situation is a wakeup call for authoritarian regimes which believe that in longevity they can find stability,” said Joel Hirst, international affairs fellow in residence at the US Council on Foreign Relations. A number of Arab states have moved quickly to make concessions, if only symbolic, in an effort to avoid any repeat of the popular revolt the brought down Tunisia’s president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali. Jordan’s King Abdullah reshuffled his government, Algeria announced political reforms and Yemen’s

president said he would not stand again in elections. But with markets largely taken by surprise by the unrest, particularly in Egypt, some suggest investors should charge a higher risk premium in authoritarian states without democratic “release valves” and particularly clear succession plans. “A democratic/liberties deficit in a country may be a risk factor which until now analysts may not have taken seriously enough,” said Daniel Kaufmann, senior fellow at the Brookings Institute and the co-creator of governance indicators produced with the World Bank and widely seen as some of the leading measurements of country investment risks. But predicting how explosive that would be was complex, he said, depending on a range of factors including unemployment, perceptions and worries over corruption and the penetration of technology and social media. “The actual timing of a destabilising ‘ignition’ is also exceedingly difficult to predict,” Kaufmann said. Certainly, while Egypt’s unrest did knock markets worldwide - particularly in the Middle East and North Africa - there is little sign of investors selling off Russian, Chinese or Venezuelan assets over fears of hidden regime dangers. Indeed, Moscow markets looked to be performing particularly well, supported by heightened oil prices boosted by worries over other key producing coun-

tries such as Saudi Arabia. Analysts say markets traditionally struggle to price such longer term risks. “Financial markets have very short memories,” said Royal Bank of Canada emerging markets strategist Nigel Rendell. “In authoritarian regimes, they tend to assume the status quo will continue forever until something really blows up.” The problem for rulers in Russia and China, experts say, will come if and when they are no longer able to deliver economic success or corruption worries alienate the populace. “When the members of the aspiring middle class no longer believe that their brighter future is tied to the stability of the existing regime, this produces unrest,” said Nikolas Gvosdev, professor of national security studies at the U.S. Naval War College in Rhode Island. That certainly seems to have been the case in Egypt and Tunisia, where an increasingly better educated, tech-savvy and often English-speaking youth struggled to find jobs. They look to have provided the first protesters, then followed by others. Much also depends on how distant rulers are seen to be from the rule. For Russia’s Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and his immediate cohort, analysts say the danger could lie in becoming too closely associated with perceived corrupt oligarchs. Mubarak and Ben Ali, some say, simply lost touch. China’s Communist Party leadership is seen much

more diverse and multi-centred than personality-dominated rule in Russia, Egypt or elsewhere, perhaps making it more survivable.Leaders change in cycles, and no one person has absolute power. But elites in all states are seen facing a rising threat from the information age and social media platforms that recent events suggest can act as a powerful accelerant for dissent. China blocked the word “Egypt” from some of its social networking sites and keeps a tight grip on Internet access. “In some cases they will effectively let pressure out through reforms, in some cases severe but effective - crackdowns, and in some cases falling in the middle,” said Ian Bremmer, president of political risk consultancy Eurasia Group. Bremmer’s book “The J Curve” charts a curved relationship between openness and stability in a state. In less developed states, autocratic rule brings calm whereas in the developed stability comes from openness. The transition, he warns, can be risky. “It’s in the middle where you have to worry,” he says. So few expect Western officials to either stop worrying about Beijing and Moscow or pull support overnight from their long-term authoritarian allies. They might try to nudge the latter in the direction of the South Korea or Taiwan-style reform, but that could take decades. — Reuters

Mideast reform momentum hinges on Egypt By Acil Tabbara he dramatic events in Tunisia and Egypt have pushed Arab leaders to promise political and economic reforms but the momentum for change now hinges on the outcome of the Egyptian uprising, analysts say. “In one month, the Arab world has changed more than it had done in years,” said Ziad Majed, a lecturer on the modern Middle East at the American University of Paris. “Today, fear has changed sides: For decades, authoritarian regimes were maintained through repression ... Today, the regimes are afraid and want to avoid at all costs what happened in Tunisia and Egypt,” Majed said. Tunisian president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali fled the country in mid-January after a wave of protests demanding his ouster. These demonstrations spread, especially to Egypt, where angry protests calling for President Hosni Mubarak’s ouster that have turned increasingly bloody. Leaders across the Arab world have taken steps to prevent their own country from being the next in line. Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has been in power since 1978 but is now faced with protests demanding he quit, announced on Wednesday that he would not stand for another term. He also postponed controversial elections due to have been contested in April, while announcing measures against unemployment and the extension of social security coverage. However, the opposition has kept up the pressure, with tens of thousands of protesters turning out on Thursday in Sanaa to demonstrate against his rule. In Jordan, King Abdullah II sacked the government on Tuesday after weeks of protests and chose a new premier to carry out “true political reforms,” although the Islamist opposition slammed his choice as “not a man of reforms”. In Syria, where activists called on Facebook for “a day of anger” after Friday prayers, President Bashar Al-Assad said that “we have to keep up with this change, as a state and institutions,” in an interview with a US newspaper. The Moroccan government said it will maintain subsidies on basic commodities, while Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika announced Thursday that a 19-year state of emergency would be lifted “in the ver y near future”. And Bahraini’s Trade and Industry Minister Hassan Fakhru has said the government would keep in place subsidies on basic foodstuffs in the Gulf kingdom, where oil production is dwindling. “The regimes are showing signs of openness and acceptance to demands that they have refused for decades for fear of losing control,” Majed

Egyptian anti-Mubarak protesters shout slogans during a demonstration in Tahrir square in Cairo Saturday. – AP said. “The simple threat of angry protests in Jordan or in Yemen had more political consequences than classic activism in past years,” the regional analyst said. But if Mubarak’s regime crushes the uprising in central Cairo’s Tahrir Square, in a Middle East version of China’s Tiananmen Square, Arab heads of state could be encouraged not to make concessions, analysts say. “It really depends on whether Mubarak survives this wave of protest,” said Emile Hokayem, an analyst with the Manama-based I nternational Institute for Strategic Studies-Middle East. “I think Arab states will react differently if there is a regime change in Egypt in the coming days or if there will simply be a change within the regime,” Hokayem said. “If Mubarak does not step down immediately, they will think it’s not necessary to make huge concessions on the political front and that there is a way to manoeuvre your way out of the protests,” he said.

The reforms pledged in Jordan and Yemen “could be only cosmetic changes, we cannot speculate. We have to wait for the outcome of what will happen in Egypt,” he added. “The Arab regimes have two examples of crisis management,” said Sophie Pommier, a lecturer at Sciences Po Paris university. Tunisia was “where the government fell quickly, and Egypt, where the regime has combined repression, false concessions, promises, fear of chaos and false changes of leadership,” she said. “Each country will have to choose between the two models according to their own circumstances, but some could opt for very strong repression,” Pommier said. Ziad Majed said change was still inevitable. “If Mubarak, the police and the regime loyalists succeed in crushing the protesters in Tahrir Square, this will slow reforms, but it will not stop an irreversible movement.” — AFP

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2011

ANALYSIS

Obama telling Mubarak: Time to go By Anne Gearan President Barack Obama said Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak should do the statesmanlike thing and make a quick handoff to a more representative government. Translation: Don’t let the door hit you on the way out. Obama said a new era must begin now, an unvarnished message to Mubarak that he should not cling to power until elections in September. “The key question he should be asking himself is, ‘How do I leave a legacy behind in which Egypt is able to get through this transformative period?’” Obama said Friday. Obama, in office for two years, gave the 82-year-old Egyptian president some words of advice after 30 years of iron rule. The game’s up, Obama said, using language only slightly less direct. It’s time to leave. “He is proud, but he is also a patriot,” Obama said after a White House meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. “What I’ve suggested to him is that he needs to consult with those who are around him in his government,” Obama said. “He needs to listen to what is being voiced by the Egyptian people and make a judgment about a pathway forward that is orderly but that is meaningful and serious.” Obama’s attempt to give his most important Arab ally a firm shove off the world stage marked a full turn from Obama’s cautious appeals for calm and restraint one week ago. The United States has relied on Mubarak for decades and shored up his authoritarian regime with billions in military aid. He was considered, with the Saudi king, the most influential friend Washington could have in a volatile part of the world and rewarded with military and other aid worth more than $1 billion annually. The US would have preferred not to see Mubarak thrown over the side immediately. The realization became clear this week that the crisis could end no other way, and US officials began to talk about “transition” to a post-Mubarak era. “”We have to send a consistent message supporting the orderly transition that has begun,” Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton told government officials, politicians, security experts and policy analysts at an international security conference Saturday in Munich. The US threw its weight behind nascent reforms led by Egypt’s new vice president as Clinton said that international support was

US politics and nonsense on Egypt

By Dr James J Zogby

Anti-government protestors are seen in Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt on Feb 4, 2011. – AP crucial to prevent extremists from hijacking that political transition. At the White House, Obama never said Mubarak should quit right away. He clearly hopes he won’t have to. Mubarak’s main concession to the demonstrators calling for his head is a promise not to run again in elections set for September. That wasn’t good enough for demonstrators, and Obama knew it. “He has already said that he is not going to run for re-election,” Obama said, with a pause for effect. His tone was one part law professor, one part therapist. “Having made that psychological break, that decision that he will not be running again, I think the most important (thing) for him to ask himself, for the Egyptian government to ask itself, as well as the opposition to ask itself is, How do we make that

By Andrew Quinn officials insist their message on the Egypt crisis has been unwavering: President Hosni Mubarak must allow political transition, and he must do it now. But Washington is having a much trickier time defining what that transition might look like, how long it will last and whom it might involve. All this has sown public doubt about what the real US strategy is to deal with a crisis that threatens to upend decades of US policy in the Middle East. Political analysts say the Obama administration is still struggling with a volatile situation, leading to mixed messages on whether it believes Mubarak still has a role in Egypt’s political future or what sort of government it may accept. But they describe it as a struggle more over tactics than policy, underpinned by an overarching US goal of a stable Egypt that can be encouraged - step by step - toward further democracy without destabilising other alliances. “They are adjusting their speed to fit the terrain,” said Robert Danin, a Middle East expert at the Council on Foreign Relations. “The administration is trying to manage a number of pieces. Mubarak’s departure is only one element of a larger operation, which is to ensure what happens with elections, what happens with transition, and what happens with the constitution.” The new US emphasis was clear this weekend when Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told a Munich security conference that Egypt’s political rebirth could take longer than Mubarak’s opponents demand. “The principles are very clear. The operational details are very challenging,” she said, noting that Mubarak has pledged not to stand again for president and promised other reforms, while violence

transition effective and lasting and legitimate?” That might be as blunt as a baseball bat to American ears, but there’s no guarantee Mubarak and his inner circle will hear it the same way. Obama did not directly discuss the furious maneuvering to ease Mubarak out. Under one scenario, a military-backed provisional government would govern until the first elections in decades that would not include Mubarak. The United States has hinted broadly that it would like to see the presidential election moved up from September. Any of that would have been unthinkable before a stunning popular revolt upended the status quo this week in a polite, tourist-friendly police state where Mubarak’s cronies got richer as much of the country got

poorer. Obama alluded to the backroom discussions while being careful to say that the decision will be Egypt’s and not its largest foreign patron and longtime ally. “Going back to the old ways is not going to work,” Obama said. “If you end up having just gestures toward the opposition but it leads to a continuing suppression of the opposition, that is not going to work. If you have the pretense of reform but not real reform that is not going to be effective.” That leaves Obama a little room to bring down the hammer later, if he must. Obama has spoken to Mubarak twice as the crisis unfolded. He will probably speak to him at least once more, to say goodbye. Here’s how he left it for now: “My hope is he will end up making the right decision.” — AP

against anti-government protesters had abated. Clinton’s comments, after a week of pressure on Mubarak to - in US President Barack Obama’s own words “make the right decision,” were interpreted as US approval of a gradual transition to genuine elections. This scenario which might allow the 82-year-old president to remain in office until polls in September. Warning that radical forces were ready “to derail or overtake the process”, Clinton also voiced support for the outreach efforts of Vice President Omar Suleiman, a figure regarded with scepticism by many in Egypt’s opposition due to his history as Mubarak’s intelligence chief. Egyptian activists were appalled, and grew further alarmed by comments by Frank Wisner, a former diplomat sent last week to deliver Obama’s personal message to Mubarak. Wisner, who left Cairo apparently without convincing Mubarak to step down, said rhetoric demanding his swift departure could backfire and suggested the longtime leader still had a crucial role to play. “The president must stay in office to steer those changes,” Wisner told a Munich audience in comments that, while disavowed by Washington, nevertheless were taken as representing at least one option now under US consideration. Washington’s approach to the turmoil has been based from the start on Egypt’s strategic importance, as the first Arab country to sign a peace deal with Israel, the guardian of the Suez canal and a force against militant Islam in the region. The new, softer US approach was condemned by Egyptian opposition leader Mohamed Elbaradei, who called it a “major setback” that could spur even angrier demonstrations. Brian Katulis, a security expert at the Center for American Progress, a Washington think-tank, said the

Obama administration has recognised it will take time to refashion Egypt’s political stage without tipping it into chaos. “The disparity of power between the current power elite in the government and security services on the one hand and the political opposition ... is strong,” Katulis said. “I don’t see the current powers-that-be moving quickly to open things up.” Clinton and other officials have signalled they may be open to a role for Egypt’s powerful Muslim Brotherhood in a future government, although they have underscored that only those who reject violence and accept basic democratic principles should have a seat at the table. But some analysts, echoing Egyptian protesters, believe the Obama administration has already lost one chance to bolster Egypt’s democracy movement by choosing to engage more deeply with Mubarak’s government. “We have missed a historical opportunity because we had here a chance to really change not only Egypt but much of the Arab world in a popular non-violent movement led by educated middle class elements,” said Robert Springborg, an Egypt expert at the US Naval Postgraduate School. “This is a cynical exercise in power by the Obama administration and the Egyptian military,” he said. But Danin of the Council on Foreign Relations said the US approach could end up buying crucial time - although the outcome will depend on whether the United States keeps up pressure for real political change after Mubarak finally goes. “We’re not haggling over whether (Mubarak) will go, we are haggling over the timing and the mechanism,” he said. “Mubarak may not be showing promise, but in a way they are already carving the ground out from under him.” — Reuters

Concern about Islamists masks differences By Tom Heneghan oliticians and pundits wondering if Islamists will soon take power in Egypt or Tunisia might usefully ask first what the term “Islamist” means and what the Muslim leaders it describes say they want to do. “Islamist” denotes an ideology that uses Islam to promote political goals. But it is so broad a term that it can apply both to Shiite Iran’s anti-Western theocracy and to pro-business Sunnis trying to get Turkey into the European Union. While the politically charged word can evoke violent action, such as that of Osama bin Laden’s Al-Qaeda, many Islamists say they abhor the use of force and want to work within the law. “We have to distinguish between different combinations of Islam and politics,” said Mustafa Akyol, a columnist in Istanbul for Hurriyet Daily News. “A party can take its values and inspiration from Islam but still accept a secular state.” Noah Feldman, a Harvard University expert on Islamic law, said taking part in democratic politics can change Islamist parties, citing the AK Party in Turkey that came to power in 2002 after scrapping its ideal of creating an Islamic state. “Once in power, you can no longer rely on slogans or ideology for votes, you actually have to deliver things,” he said. “They’ve done an extraordinary job of that.” Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood and the Islamist Ennahda (“Renaissance”) party in Tunisia have so far not been able to operate in open political systems, so their professed commitment to democracy has not yet been tested in daily practice. Their programs reflect a more moderate approach, however, than those of Lebanon’s Hezbollah, the Palestinian Hamas or Iran. At one end of the spectrum of Islamisms stands Iran, where the 1979 revolution overthrew Shah Reza Pahlevi and made

hen US politicians are forced to discuss critical Middle East matters, more often than not, their remarks either display an ignorance of facts, are shaped more by political needs than reality, or are just plain dumb. Commentary about the popular revolt in Egypt provides a case in point. There was no doubt that the events in Cairo were momentous and, therefore, deserving of response. In the case of most US political leaders, however, struggling to come up with the right TV sound bite didn’t require actually knowing anything about Egypt. All that was needed was to frame the issue through either the prism of partisanship or that of unbending loyalty to Israel. The result was a string of comments, some bizarre, others dangerous. The new Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Republican Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, for example, cornered the market on incoherence and contradiction when she observed that “Mr Mubarak should...immediately schedule legitimate, democratic, internationally recognized elections”, adding however that “the US should learn from past mistakes and support a process which includes candidates who meet basic standards for leaders of responsible nations - candidates who have publically renounced terrorism, uphold the rule of law, [and] recognize Egypt’s...peace agreement with the Jewish state of Israel”. In other words, Ros-Lehtinen supports a democracy where we (not they) set up the criteria. Not quite “respect for the will of the people”, but still better than former Republican Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich’s partisan tirade. Gingrich who is reported to be considering a Presidential run is shallow and remarkably uninformed about most Middle East issues. He gets by largely because he sounds so authoritative and always has a clever quip or two. In Gingrich’s assessment of the current situation “there’s a real possibility in a few weeks...that Egypt will join Iran, and join Lebanon, and join Gaza, and join the things that are happening that are extraordinarily dangerous to us”. Having thus displayed almost no understanding of the Middle East, Gingrich goes on to ridicule President Obama’s “naivete” charging that Obama “went to Cairo and gave his famous speech in which he explained that we should all be friends together because we’re all the same...and there are no differences between us. Well I think there are a lot of differences between the Muslim Brotherhood and the rest of us.” Gingrich’s parting shot was to state that the Administration “doesn’t have a clue”. Then in order to demonstrate that he does, Gingrich offers this “advice” to Obama: “study Reagan and Carter and do what Reagan did and avoid what Carter did”. If the need to take a partisan shot is central to some, more important for others, both Democrats and Republicans, is the need to make this all about Israel. Presidential aspirant and former Governor Mike Huckabee, for example, used the occasion of the uprising to make his 15th trip to Israel where he lamented that “the Israelis feel alone...and they cannot depend upon the United States, because they just don’t have a confidence that the US will stand with them”. Representatives Shelley Berkley and Anthony Weiner, both Democrats, worried about “Arab democracies”. Weiner observed that “Israel has been seered by the experience recently of seeing democracy elect their enemies”, while Berkeley shockingly added “the reality is this: Democracy as we think of it and democracy as it is often played out in the Middle East are two different things”. Trying to sound smart and concerned with defense matters, and failing miserably, was Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. Said Jackson, “US military technology can’t fall into the hands of the Muslim Brotherhood or...Iran’s allies in Egypt. Our partnership with Egypt has provided [them] with a technological military advantage...it must be secured and not allowed to fall into the hands of enemies”. A number of other Members of Congress focused on the threat they believe this uprising poses to the Suez Canal and therefore to the price of oil. They, therefore, are pressing the White House to use this crisis to focus on renewing efforts to pass an energy bill in Congress. What has been so disturbing about all this is that there have been plenty of instances during the past few decades where American political leaders had not only the opportunity, but were challenged with the imperative, to learn more about the Arab World. Despite this, they failed. As a result, they continue to frame critical issues as mere political issues. A transformative uprising in Egypt or Tunisia comes to be seen as being about Israel or as a club to use against one’s opponent. The reality, of course, is that Egypt is about Egypt. No one in Tahrir Square is waiting for Newt Gingrich’s, or even Barack Obama’s blessing. And the silly US TV anchor, who tried to get the Muslim Brotherhood spokesman to say that he would recognize Israel as a Jewish State, was just that - silly. And just as silly was Eliot Abrams, one of the neo-conservative ideologuesin-residence in the Bush White House who wrote an article last Sunday attempting to give Bush credit for the uprising in Egypt, since Bush advocated for democracy while Obama has not. The reality is more complex. Bush did speak about democracy, but then went on to pursue regional policies that were so wildly unpopular with the Arab public that governments friendly with us felt compelled to subdue their own public’s outcry in order to maintain their friendship and support for the US Arab leaders found that their embrace of and cooperation with the US could be politically costly. Demands on their friendship only served to delegitimize their rule at home. When the US’ favorable rating is 12 percent in Egypt (and lower still in Jordan), cozying up to America can be quite costly. US politicians may need to hear themselves talk, but they need to realize that, in fact, until they have at least a basic knowledge of the Arab World and work to change America’s policies across the region, they will have no constructive role to play. They can threaten to withhold aid and make more demands, but the wiser course might be to simply assert our principles, take a more humble back seat role and let this situation play out. The Egyptians in Tahrir Square may cheer our pulling the plug on their President, but they won’t be cheering for us. When the dust settles, our regional policies will still be the same and Arab anger at those policies, and us, will not have changed either.

US fights mixed messages on Egypt

Washington Watch

Egyptian anti-Mubarak protesters shout slogans as they march in Alexandria, Egypt, Saturday. – AP the top Shiite religious hierarchy the ultimate power in the country. The Supreme Leader, now Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is more powerful than the president and appoints heads of the military, judiciary and the Guardian Council that oversees political life. Hezbollah and Hamas are classified as terrorist groups by the United States, not because they are Islamist but because they advocate armed struggle, especially against Israel. In the middle of the Islamist spectrum is a variety of parties as politically active as their mostly undemocratic countries allow. Social welfare work, a prominent element in Islamist action, is one way they win popular support. Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, the oldest of

them all, began in 1928 advocating a fully Islamic state. However, it has softened that over the past few decades of banned but unofficially tolerated political activity under President Hosni Mubarak. As the main opposition party, it is set to play a prominent role in post-Mubarak Egypt, but its cautious leaders say they do not want to lead any new government. Akbar Ahmed, a Pakistani-born professor of Islamic studies at the American University in Washington, doubted the Brotherhood would hijack Egypt’s uprising to create a theocracy. “An Iranian revolution is not possible in a Sunni country,” he said, since clergy play a far smaller role than in Shiism. Another long-estab-

lished Islamist party, Jamaat-i-Islami in mostly Sunni Pakistan, scores only single-digit results at the polls despite the strong role religion plays in politics there. Rachid Ghannouchi, leader of Ennahda in Tunisia, has long advocated more liberal policies than the Brotherhood. He supports full political rights for all citizens, for example, unlike the Brotherhood that wants to bar non-Muslims and women from top posts such as Egypt’s presidency. Turkey’s Justice and Development Party (AK) dominates the other end of the spectrum and has become the leading model for Islamists who want to combine faith and parliamentary democracy. First elected in 2002, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has focused far more on reforming the economy than on passing laws to please the more Islamist wing of his supporters. The AK’s opponents accuse it of pursuing an Islamist agenda by stealth. But the party, which plans to redraw the constitution if it wins a third term at elections in June, denies any plan to roll back the secularist principles of the state. Forerunners of the AK Party were more ideologically Islamic, like the Muslim Brotherhood, but Erdogan turned it into a conservative party inspired by Muslim values, something akin to the Christian Democratic parties popular in postwar Europe. “Islam can’t be separated from politics but it should be separated from the state,” Akyol said. “A party can take its inspiration from Islam and still work in a democratic system.” Islam is more visible now in officially secular Turkey than before Erdogan - headscarves are more common, for example - but that comes more from a new and more religious middle class than any laws the AK Party majority in parliament has passed. “These cultural differences are related to religion but it’s too simple to reduce them to religion,” Feldman said. — Reuters

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

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LOS ANGELES: An American flamingo grooms itself in its enclosure at the Los Angeles Zoo on Saturday. — AP

US ‘spies’ on trial in Iran Continued from Page 1 strayed into Iran from across the unmarked border with northern Iraq when they were arrested on July 31, 2009 by Iranian authorities. Iran has accused them of “spying and illegally entering the country.” On Saturday, their Iranian lawyer Masoud Shafii denied the charges against them and said he would press for their “innocence” and immediate release. He said he had been denied access to Bauer and Fattal, who are in custody, while he was building his defence. “I have studied the case in full detail. The question of spying is irrelevant. There is just the question of illegal entry, which even if it has happened has been inadvertent as the border was unmarked,” Shafii told AFP. He said illegal entry was punishable by a maximum three-year jail term, which could be commuted to a fine under the Iranian penal code. Shourd, a teacher, writer and women’s rights activist, grew up in Los Angeles and later moved to Damascus where she met Bauer and reportedly worked on a project to help Iraqi students attend US colleges. Bauer is a fluent Arabic-speaking freelance journalist who met Shourd while helping to organise anti-US demonstrations in Syria aimed at criticising the war in Iraq. Fattal, who grew up in Pennsylvania, is an environmentalist and teacher and had travelled to Damascus in 2009 where he met Shourd and Bauer. The trial, initially set for Nov 6 but postponed, coincides with heightening animosity between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear drive, a dispute punctuated by UN sanctions and strident remarks from hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Washington has repeatedly called for the trio’s release. Soon after the release of Shourd, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that holding the other two and prosecuting them was baseless. “We do not believe that there is any basis whatsoever for them to be put on trial and we regret that they and their families are being subjected to a criminal system that we do not think in any way reflects their actions.” IRNA said the trial was being presided by Judge Abolqasem Salavati who has overseen a string of prosecutions involving people charged with anti-Iran activities, particularly those connected with huge street protests after a disputed June 2009 presidential election. He also presided over the trial of French academic Clotilde Reiss, who was arrested during the election unrest and later

Egypt regime offers concessions to oppn

freed after paying a fine of around $285,000. In a separate case, Iran is holding two German journalists accused of spying after they were arrested while interviewing the son of a woman condemned to death by stoning for adultery under the country’s Islamic laws. Separately, Iran yesterday opened its first centre to receive satellite images, a new stage in its space program that coincides with celebrations marking the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic revolution. Defence Minister Ahmad Vahidi said the equipment used in the centre located in the desert was “manufactured by Iranian engineers”, state television’s website reported. Iran does not have an operational satellite of its own but announced in December that it would launch two satellites - Fajr (Dawn) and Rasad-1 (Observation-1) by the end of the Iranian year in March 2011. Yesterday, the Fars news agency quoted Vahidi as saying that the Islamic republic would unveil today four satellites built “entirely by Iranian engineers”. He said Tehran would also unveil a new rocket, Kavoshgar-4 (Explorer-4), and engines for a two-stage Safir Fajr rocket. Vahidi said last week Iran would unveil two rockets during the anniversary celebrations: Kavoshgar-4 and Safir (Ambassador) 1-B. But the Fars report did not specify if Safir Fajr was a new name for Safir 1-B or a different rocket. Yesterday, state news agency IRNA reported that Vahidi said a launch date for the two satellites, Fajr and Rasad-1, was “not fixed” but they would be unveiled today along with two others. Iranian media reports said last week that the Safir 1-B rocket can carry a satellite weighing 50 kg into an elliptical orbit of 300 to 450 km. The Kavoshgar-4 rocket can carry a payload up to 120 km. Iran in Feb 2009 sent into space the Safir-2 rocket carrying its first home-built test satellite, called Omid (Hope). Twelve months later, it launched a capsule carrying live turtles, rats and worms aboard a Kavoshgar-3 rocket in what was Iran’s first experiment to send living creatures into space. Iran uses the run-up to the revolution anniversary to tout its scientific and technological achievements, with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad last week opening a new space research and training centre. Iran’s missile and space programs have sparked concern abroad that such advanced technologies, combined with the nuclear knowhow which the nation is acquiring, may enable Tehran to produce an atomic weapon. Tehran denies its nuclear program has military aims. — AFP

Amir accepts Sheikh Jaber’s resignation Continued from Page 1 The move came three weeks after the interior minister submitted his resignation on Jan 13 on the same day the interior ministry acknowledged that a Kuwaiti citizen died at a police station apparently because of police torture. The Cabinet had asked the minister to stay on to follow up the investigations in the case, but the Cabinet made the surprising announcement yesterday following its weekly meeting. A parliamentary committee formed to probe the death of Mohammad Ghazzai Al-Maimouni Al-Mutairi found out the man died after six days of excessive torture outside and inside the police station. The public prosecution has ordered that 16 policemen, including three officers, to be detained as it continues to investigate the case. A day before the parliamentary probe committee filed its report on Jan 25, three opposition MPs filed to grill the interior minister over the death of Mutairi and the debate of the grilling was set for Feb 8. The Assembly however decided the same day to postpone all its sessions until March 8 on the occasion of marking national days, a move that delayed the debate of the grilling until March 8. But after the acceptance of the resignation, the grilling will not be debated in accordance with Kuwaiti law. Separately, a group of young Kuwaitis, calling themselves the Fifth Fence, have called for a public gathering on Feb 8 to protest the delay of sessions and the government’s “undemoc-

ratic practices” and press for its ouster. The group said it is using Twitter, the US-based microblogging service that allows people to use mobile phones and computers to broadcast short text messages, to urge people to gather in large numbers for the protest. “We at the Fifth Fence call on the Kuwaiti people to assemble at parliament... on Tuesday at 11.00 am (0800 GMT) to press for our legitimate right of holding sessions and to declare our rejection of the continuity of this government and its undemocratic practices,” the group said in a statement. It stressed the proposed protest is not linked to any external events, a clear reference to the massive anti-regime demonstrations still raging in Egypt. The group also invited opposition MPs to attend the gathering. A large number of opposition and pro-government MPs welcomed the decision to accept the resignation of Sheikh Jaber and the appointment of Sheikh Ahmad and called for key reforms in the ministry. The opposition Popular Action Bloc said that the interior minister should have resigned on the same day when Mutairi’s death was debated in the Assembly on Jan 11. They insisted that the next and more deserving decision is the resignation of the Cabinet and the prime minister. Spokesman of the bloc MP Musallam Al-Barrak said the minister should have insisted on the resignation after he found that all the information provided to the Assembly on the case was baseless and lies. He also said that the outgoing minister was incapable of

reforming or cleaning the ministry after he acknowledged to the probe committee that he learned about the death of Mutairi by a text message and not from the ministry. Barrak claimed that the minister knows that many citizens and expatriates have been tortured by police who would not have done so without the support of the minister himself. Opposition MP Jamaan Al-Harbash said the acceptance of the resignation was well overdue, but added that resolving Kuwait’s political dilemma requires the resignation of the whole Cabinet. MP Falah Al-Sawwagh welcomed the appointment of Sheikh Ahmad as new interior minister and urged him to launch a cleanup operation in the ministry. Pro-government MP Hussein Al-Huraiti said Sheikh Jaber had succeeded in tackling some issues and failed in others, adding that the minister defused a grilling crisis by insisting on the resignation. He called on the new interior minister to carry out key reforms to restore the public conﬁdence in the interior ministry. “We look forward for fundamental reforms in the interior ministry after the appointment of Sheikh Ahmad,” independent MP Saadoun Hammad said. The new interior minister is not new to politics. Sheikh Ahmad, 60, is a senior member of the ruling family. He was interior minister in the ﬁrst Cabinet after Kuwait’s liberation in 1991-92 and later became defence minister in 1994. Before his latest appointment, he was an advisor to the Amir.

Continued from Page 1 The offer to eventually lift emergency laws with a major caveat - when security permits - would fulfill a longtime demand by the opposition. The laws were imposed by Mubarak when he took office in 1981 and they have been in force ever since. They give police farreaching powers for detention and suppression of civil and human rights. Mahmud Ezzat, the Brotherhood’s number two leader, told AFP by telephone that the group had not pulled out of the talks because it felt it had made progress, but warned that street protests would continue. In his view, by sitting down with the opposition, the regime had tacitly “admitted that this is a popular revolution and its demands are legitimate. And one of our demands is that the president must leave.” Asked whether he believed Mubarak would step down, Ezzat said: “That hinges on popular pressure, and we support the popular pressure. It must continue.” Abdel Monem Aboul Fotouh, a senior member of the Brotherhood, said the government statement represented “good intentions but does not include any solid changes”. “The (talks) process is opaque,” Nobel peace laureate Mohamed ElBaradei, who has emerged as spokesman for the loose-knit opposition which includes the banned Islamist Muslim Brotherhood movement, told NBC television in the United States. “Nobody knows who is talking to whom at this stage ... It is all managed by the military ... and that’s part of the problem,” he said. “The president is a military man, the vice president is a military man, the prime minister is a military man.” Yesterday’s meeting drew the broadest representation of Egypt’s fragmented opposition to sit with the new vice president since the protests began on Jan 25. The new offer of concessions followed a series of others that would have been unimaginable just a month ago in this tightly controlled country. All appear geared to placate the protesters and relieve international pressure without giving in to the one demand that unites all the opposition - Mubarak’s immediate departure. The latest agreement makes no mention of any plan for Mubarak to step before a new election is held later this year. Since protests began, Mubarak has pledged publicly for the first time that he will not seek re-election. The government promised his son Gamal, who had widely been expected to succeed him, would also not stand. Mubarak appointed a vice president for the first time since he took office three decades ago, widely considered his designated successor. He sacked his Cabinet, named a new one and promised reforms. And on Saturday, the top leaders of the ruling party, including Gamal Mubarak, were purged. There were signs that the paralysis that has gripped the country since the crisis began was easing yesterday, the first day of the week in Egypt. Some schools reopened for the first time in more than a week, and banks did the same for only three hours with long lines outside. However, there is still a night curfew, and tanks ringing the city’s central square and guarding government buildings, embassies and other important institutions. At the epicenter of the protests, Tahrir (Liberation) Square in central Cairo, some activists said they had slept under army tanks ringing the plaza for fear they would try to evict them or further confine the area for demonstrations. The crowd of thousands in the morning swelled steadily over the day to tens of thousands in the late afternoon. Many were exhausted and wounded from fighting to stand their ground for more than a week in the square. “We are determined to press on until our number one demand is met,” said Khaled Abdul-Hameed, a representative of the protesters. He said the activists have formed a 10-member “Coalition of the Youths of Egypt’s Revolution,” to relay their positions to politicians and public figures negotiating with the regime. “The regime is retreating. It is making more concessions everyday,” Abdul-Hameed said. The opposition groups represented at the meeting included the youthful supporters of ElBaradei, who are one of the main forces organizing the protests. ElBaradei was not invited and his brother said the statement by those who did attend does not represent his personal view. The Muslim Brotherhood and a number of smaller leftist, liberal groups also attended, according to footage shown on state television. The government offered to open an office that would field complaints about political prisoners,

according to the state news agency. It also pledged to commission judicial authorities to fight corruption and prosecute those behind it. In another concession, authorities promised to investigate and prosecute those responsible for the yet unexplained disappearance of police from Cairo’s streets more than a week ago, which unleashed a wave of lawless looting and arson. The government agreed to set up a committee that includes public and independent figures and specialists and representatives of youth movements to monitor the “honest implementation” of all the new agreements and to report back and give recommendations to Suleiman. “I think Mubarak will have to stop being stubborn by the end of this week because the country cannot take more million strong protests,” said Muslim Brotherhood representative Issam Aryan Mohammed Mursi, one of the Brothers who attended the talks, said: “Unless he moves fast to meet people’s demands there is no point in the dialogue.” Mursi said what was issued was a position in principle, “a first step”. “All those attending the meeting agreed the protesters have a right to stay where they are without anyone assaulting them,” he said. “People want real change, a change that includes the president, his government, his party and his regime,” Mursi added. He also said the group was expecting a second round of talks within a few days. The fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood, which has been outlawed since 1954 but fields candidates in parliamentary elections as independents, did not organize or lead the protests currently under way and only publicly threw its support behind them a few days into the movement. It only ordered its supporters to take part when it sensed that the protesters, mostly young men and women using social networks on the Internet to mobilize, were able to sustain their momentum. There have been no known discussions between the Brotherhood and the regime in years — one of many startling shifts in policy after years of crackdowns by the Western-backed regime against the Islamists. Both Mubarak and Suleiman have blamed the Brotherhood as well as foreigners of fomenting the recent unrest. Mubarak is known to have little or no tolerance for Islamist groups and the decision to open talks with the Brotherhood is a tacit recognition by his regime of their key role in the ongoing protests as well as their wide popular base. The Brotherhood aims to create an Islamic state in Egypt, but insists that it would not force women to cover up in public in line with Islam’s teachings and would not rescind Egypt’s 1979 peace treaty with Israel. The group, which fields candidates as independents, made a surprisingly strong showing in elections in 2005, winning 20 percent of parliament ’s seats. However, thousands of its members were arrested in crackdowns over the past decade and it failed to win a single seat in elections held late last year. The vote was heavily marred by fraud that allowed the National Democratic Party to win all but a small number of the chamber’s 518 seats. At Tahrir Square, hundreds performed the noon prayers and later offered a prayer for the souls of protesters killed in clashes with security forces. Later, Christians held a Sunday Mass and thousands of Muslims joined in. Some of the worshippers broke down and cried as the congregation sang: “Bless our country, listen to the screams of our hearts.” “In the name of Jesus and Muhammad we unify our ranks,” Father Ihab Al-Kharat said in his sermon. “We will keep protesting until the fall of the tyranny,” he said. In the capital Cairo, home to some 18 million people, there were some signs of a return to normalcy. Traffic was back to near regular levels and more stores reopened across the city, including some on the streets leading to Tahrir Square. Protesters greeted some store owners and people returning to work with flowers. In Zamalek, an affluent island in the middle of the Nile that is home to many foreign embassies, food outlets reopened and pizza delivery boys checked their motorbikes. Employees at a KFC restaurant wiped down tables. Hairdressers and beauty salons called their patrons to let them know they were reopening. As night fell, Tahrir Square was still filled with thousands of anti-regime protesters, adamant that the start of dialogue will not divert them from their campaign to unseat Egypt’s strongman. “It’s bulls**t. That’s my honest opinion,” said 25-year-old Nora Abul Samra. “When he leaves they can do whatever they want. They still believe there is a constitutional way to do it, but this is a revolution.” —Agencies

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Isinbayeva wins on return MOSCOW: Russian pole vaulting great Yelena Isinbayeva was victorious on her return to action at the Russian Winter indoor meet yesterday after an 11-month hiatus from competition. Isinbayeva, who announced her departure from the sport after finishing fourth at the Doha World Indoor Championships in March, cleared 4.81 meters to beat compatriots Svetlana Feofanova, the European champion, and Alexandra Kiryashova, who both jumped 4.56. Feofanova claimed silver because of fewer failures at lesser heights. Polish World Champion Anna Rogowska managed 4.46 to finish fifth. Isinbayeva attempted 4.91 - 15cm short of the world record she set in Zurich in 2009 - but didn’t get close on any of her three attempts. —AP

Boom grabs Qatar prologue DOHA: Dutchman Lars Boom of the Rabobank team deprived Olympic timetrial champion Fabian Cancellara of his first victory in 2011 when he won the opening prologue of the Tour of Qatar yesterday. Boom, 25, clocked a time of 3min 07sec for the 2.5km course to leave Cancellara, racing for his new LeopardTrek team, in second at 4sec adrift. Another Dutchman, Tom Veelers, took third place a further second back while former three-time race winner Tom Boonen of Belgium (Quick Step) was seventh at 6sec. Despite the short distance, the entire course was cobble-stoned, with a lot of corners, and buﬀeted by strong winds.

Boom, a former world champion in cyclo-cross who still competes in the discipline, took it all in his stride as he reached an average speed of 48kph on his way to victory. “I’m in good form. I’ve just come out of the cyclo-cross season and this technical circuit really suited me well,” said Boom, who is also a former under-23 world time-trial champion. As well as his Olympic crown, Cancellara last year became the first man in history to win four world timetrial titles. Despite the comparatively tiny distance compared to the 40-50km courses used in the worlds and Olympics, Boom was still buoyed at beating the big Swiss. —AFP

Morgan doubtful for World Cup MELBOURNE: England captain Andrew Strauss yesterday conceded that gifted batsman Eoin Morgan was in considerable doubt for the World Cup after breaking a finger. Morgan missed England’s final one-day international against Australia in Perth on Sunday with the injury, which he suﬀered in the ODI in Adelaide last month. Morgan at first thought his finger was just bruised and Strauss said he “was quite surprised” when X-rays revealed a substantial fracture. The Irish-born batsman headed back to Britain ahead of his team-mates to see a specialist, with England’s 15-man squad due to fly to the World Cup next weekend. Strauss said Morgan was the major concern of six players from his World Cup squad currently battling injury. Although he did not rule Morgan out, Strauss conceded they were preparing for the likelihood the left-hander would not be available for the tournament. —AFP

Japan cancels Sumo tournament Match-fixing scandal TOKYO: The Japan Sumo Association (JSA) cancelled yesterday a tournament next month because of an investigation into match-fixing, dealing a blow to the national sport tarnished by a series of scandals. It is the first time the grand tournament, one of six held each year, will be cancelled since 1946 when the main stadium in Tokyo was under renovation after being damaged during World War Two. The ancient sport has been struggling to clean up its image following an illegal betting scandal with ties to gang members, as well as incidents of assault and drug use. “The association came to the final conclusion to give up holding the spring tournament scheduled for March,” JSA chairman Hanaregoma told a news conference. “The first reason is the fact that we can not, and should not hold the tournament under the circumstance which supporters can’t approve of,” he said. “The second is the fact the investigations are facing diﬃculties. Until we resolve the issue completely, we can not carry out the tournament,” Hanaregoma said, adding that the JSA would do its utmost to help clear up the problem. The decision came after the government told parliament last week that three sumo wrestlers had admitted to involvement in match-fixing.

Police found emails listing 13 wrestlers that indicated some may have been involved in fixing matches, the JSA said on Wednesday. Wins may have been bought and sold for several hundred thousand yen (several thousand dollars) per bout, media reports said. Kyodo news agency said further JSA investigations showed an additional person may have taken part in match fixing. “They (the sumo association) owe it to the public and supporters to clarify the problem and take strict action,” Kyodo news agency quoted Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano as telling reporters. The JSA set up an independent committee to investigate the allegations, and it could take up to two months to submit a report, media said. Next month’s tournament in Osaka, in western Japan, was scheduled to start on March 13. The cancellation is the latest in a series of damaging blows to the sport. Last year, Asashor yu, a former yokozuna, or top-rank wrestler, was forced to retire after assaulting a man, while widespread abuse of young trainees came to light in 2007 after the death of a 17-year-old wrestler. Public broadcaster NHK cancelled live television broadcasts of the tournament last July for the first time in more than 50 years after an illegal gambling scandal emerged. —Reuters

DALLAS: An emergency vehicle is parked outside the Sheraton Dallas. More than four inches of snow fell overnight in the North Texas area. The Green Bay Packers was to play the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV late yesterday.—AFP

Brees expects great Super Bowl duel DALLAS: Drew Brees, Super Bowl winning MVP with the New Orleans Saints last year, believe late Sunday’s title game will be a great one and is relishing the duel between two of the league’s top quarterbacks. Brees, whose outstanding displays at quarterback led the Saints to their first ever Super Bowl win over the Indianapolis Colts, told Reuters that the match-up between the quarterbacks, Pittsburgh Steelers’ Ben Roethlisberger and Green Bay Packers Aaron Rodgers, comes down to a battle between experience and guts. “They are diﬀerent but they are the same in a lot of ways,” he said. “They are both great athletes, they both can avoid the sack, avoid the rush, get out of the pocket, make plays with their feet and their arms, make big plays, so that makes them very unique and special as players. “Big Ben has been in this game twice before so the experience level is in his favour. Aaron Rodgers, I think what he has been able to achieve in three years as starting quarterback for the Packers, filling the shoes of a legend, a future Hall of Famer, Brett Favre, that was a hard thing to do. “I think it took a lot of guts, a lot of character and I think it says a lot about him. I look forward to the duel.” Brees,

who said he had needed to take some very deep breaths at the start of last year’s clash in Miami, said he was sure Rodgers would be able to cope with his first appearance in the Super Bowl. “He’ll be fine. You are going to be nervous, it’s how quickly can you fall into that groove and realize that it is just a ball game,” he said. “My heart was pounding, as prepared as I was and as confident as I was, still you just can’t help but be caught up in the moment. “That’s probably the biggest challenge, just finding a way to calm it all down and you realize, midway into the first quarter that it is just another game, I’m programmed to do this, this is what I do, so just relax and play. “It’s going to be a great game, two great teams, that deserve to be here, two great oﬀenses and defenses. You really can’t find much of a weakness in what either team does. They are two legendary organizations that have won nine Super Bowls between them”. Brees, who on Saturday presented the Vicks NyQuil NFL Most Dedicated Fan contest to two Saints fans, said said that the week-long build-up, with extensive media and sponsor commitments, knocked him out of his normal preparation for a game. —Reuters

PHILADELPHIA: Jeﬀ Woywitka no. 44 of the Dallas Stars goes for the puck against Mike Richards No. 18 of the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center.—AFP

Surging Sharks blank Bruins BOSTON: Logan Couture scored on one of just 18 shots for San Jose as the surging Sharks shut out the Boston Bruins 2-0 in the NHL on Saturday. Devin Setoguchi added an empty-net goal with 2.1 seconds remaining and Antti Niemi got his third shutout of the season. He was helped by his defenders, who rescued wild rebounds before the Bruins could capitalize. Niemi hasn’t lost in regulation in his last eight starts. San Jose has won seven of its last eight. Canadiens 2, Rangers 0 At Montreal, Carey Price made 35 saves for his fifth shutout of the season, Scott Gomez scored late in the second period, and Montreal extended the New York Rangers’ losing streak to four. Price has nine career shutouts. He took the NHL lead with 26 wins as Montreal won its third in a row since the All-Star break. Price has started a league-high 46 games. Gomez, a former Rangers forward, made it 1-0 with 1:26 left in the second with his seventh goal. Tomas Plekanec scored his 18th into an empty net with 37.4 seconds remaining. Ducks 3, Avalanche 0 At Denver, Corey Perry scored three times and Curtis McElhinney stopped 25 shots for his second NHL shutout, leading Anaheim over struggling Colorado. Perry completed his second hat trick of the season by scoring an empty-net goal with 17.3 seconds remaining. McElhinney bottled up the high-scoring Avalanche while filling in for All-Star Jonas Hiller, who was scratched due to fatigue. The Ducks have won eight of nine against Colorado. Peter Budaj made 26 saves for the Avalanche, who have dropped three straight. Flyers 3, Stars 1 At Philadelphia, Andrej Meszaros and Darroll Powe each scored on long-distance wrist shots, and Brian Boucher stopped 30 shots to lead Philadelphia past Dallas. Jeﬀ Carter added his 25th goal for the Flyers, who increased their Atlantic Division lead over Pittsburgh to three points. Brenden Morrow scored for the Pacific Division-leading Stars in the second period, his fifth

Islanders 5, Senators 3 At Uniondale, New York, Rob Schremp’s second goal of the game broke a third-period tie and lifted the New York Islanders over Ottawa. The teams split six goals in the first period, but Ottawa was shut down after that. Schremp made it 4-3 at 1:39 of the third with a power-play goal. Frans Nielsen sealed the win with a short-handed, empty-netter with less than 10 seconds to go. Matt Moulson and Michael Grabner also scored for the Islanders. Chris Neil, Mike Fisher, and Alex Kovalev all had firstperiod goals for Ottawa.

goal in six games. Sabres 6, Maple Leafs 2 At Buffalo, New York, Drew Stafford scored twice and added an assist, Thomas Vanek had a goal and two assists, and Ryan Miller finished with 23 saves to lift Buffalo over Toronto. Jason Pominville, Paul Gaustad and Tim Connolly also scored for the Sabres, who bounced back from a one-goal loss in Pittsburgh on Friday to improve to 10-4-1 in their past 15 games. Nikolai Kulemin and Francois Beauchemin scored for the Maple Leafs.

Hurricanes 4, Thrashers 3 At Raleigh, North Carolina, Erik Cole scored at 2:48 of overtime to give Carolina a win over Atlanta. Eric Staal, Brandon Sutter and Jiri Tlusty also scored for Carolina. Niclas Bergfors, Brent Sopel and Zach Bogosian had goals for Atlanta.

Blue Jackets 4, Oilers 3 At Columbus, Ohio, RJ Umberger scored twice and assisted on both of Kristian Huselius’ goals, including the game-winning tally with 4 minutes left, to lead Columbus past Edmonton. With the Blue Jackets trailing 3-2 and 6:16 left, Umberger tied it with a nifty move and a snap shot. He then fed Huselius on a 2on-1 break, with Huselius tucking a wrist shot inside the near post and past goalie Nikolai Khabibulin. Magnus Paajarvi had a career-best two goals for the Oilers, who lost their fourth in a row.

Coyotes 1, Wild 0 At Glendale, Arizona, Taylor Pyatt ended Phoenix’s long scoring drought early in the third period and Ilya Br yzgalov stopped 25 shots for his fourth shutout this season, helping the Coyotes beat Minnesota. Sami Lepisto set up Pyatt’s goal —

Phoenix’s first in 132 minutes — by keeping the puck in Minnesota’s zone. Br yzgalov made it hold up for his 20th shutout in his 300th career game. Predators 3, Red Wings 0 At Nashville, Tennessee, Pekka Rinne stopped 35 shots as Nashville shut out Detroit. Sergei Kostitsyn scored twice and captain Shea Weber added a goal for Nashville, which snapped a fourgame losing streak. Rinne earned his third shutout of the season and 17th of his NHL career. Kings 4, Flames 3 At Calgar y, Alberta, Justin Williams had a goal and two assists, and also scored the winning goal in the shootout as Los Angeles ended Calgar y ’s sixgame winning streak. Calgary’s seventh shooter was defenseman Jay Bouwmeester and after he hit the goal post, Kings coach Terry Murray turned to Williams, who snapped a shot past Miikka Kiprusoﬀ to win it. Rob Scuderi and Dustin Brown also scored for Los Angeles, which is 2-0-1 through its first three stops on a 10-game road trip. Alex Tanguay had two goals and an assist to lead Calgary. Robyn Regehr also scored for the Flames.—AP

NHL results/standings NHL results and standings on Saturday. San Jose 2, Boston 0; Montreal 2, NY Rangers 0; Anaheim 3, Colorado 0; Buﬀalo 6, Toronto 2; NY Islanders 5, Ottawa 3; Philadelphia 3, Dallas 1; Carolina 4, Atlanta 3 (OT); Columbus 4, Edmonton 3; Nashville 3, Detroit 0; Phoenix 1, Minnesota 0; Los Angeles 4, Calgary 3 (SO). (OT Denotes Overtime Win, So Is Shootout). Eastern Conference Western Conference Central Division Atlantic Division Detroit 31 15 6 173 154 68 W L OTL GF GA PTS Nashville 28 18 7 141 125 63 Philadelphia 35 13 5 180 137 75 Chicago 27 21 4 167 147 58 Pittsburgh 34 15 4 164 119 72 Columbus 25 22 5 141 162 55 NY Rangers 29 22 4 153 135 62 St. Louis 23 20 7 135 149 53 NY Islanders 17 28 7 128 169 41 New Jersey

109

153

Boston Montreal Buﬀalo Toronto Ottawa

Northeast Division 30 16 7 161 30 18 5 138 24 22 5 145 21 26 5 133 17 28 8 117

119 127 149 162 174

67 65 53 47 42

Tampa Bay Washington Carolina Atlanta Florida

Southeast Division 32 16 5 160 28 15 10 147 26 21 6 159 24 21 10 158 23 23 6 140

159 134 164 178 141

69 66 58 58 52

Vancouver Minnesota Calgary Colorado Edmonton

Northwest Division 34 10 9 179 27 20 5 135 26 21 7 154 25 21 6 164 15 29 8 129

125 138 160 172 180

77 59 59 56 38

Pacific Division Dallas 30 18 5 152 150 65 San Jose 28 19 6 150 144 62 Anaheim 29 21 4 146 150 62 Phoenix 26 19 9 153 156 61 Los Angeles 29 22 2 150 129 60 Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings and are not included in the loss column (L).

e niv rsar n

Years

monDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2011

sp orts Phoenix Open

Mickelson stays in contention SCOTTSDALE: Phil Mickelson thrilled the huge crowd on the par-3 16th with a 30-foot birdie putt Saturday and closed within four strokes of leader Tommy Gainey halfway through the frost-delayed Phoenix Open. Mickelson holed the long putt on the 20,000-seat amphitheater hole seconds after a fan screamed “Tiger would make it!” “It’s Saturday of the Phoenix Open. It’s always fun,” Mickelson said. “There’s a lot of people out here. I don’t think there’s a shot I wanted to make more, other than a major championship, than

holes Saturday, finishing off a 65 after shooting a career-best 63 on Friday. He missed the cut in his first three events of the year. “My ballstriking is really good,” Gainey said. “I hit a couple bad shots today, but they wasn’t bad enough to get in any trouble. I always think that’s a good thing, because as we all know, golf is a game of misses, so my misses today were pretty good.” Mark Wilson was 13 under, completing a 64 on Saturday. “Everything just flowed good today,” Wilson said. “I felt very calm.” Bill Haas, paired with Mickleson and

SCOTTSDALE: Brandt Snedeker hits a tee shot on the third hole during the third round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open. —AFP that putt on 16. I wanted to make that so bad. “To see that go in with the crowd right there was a great feeling.” Mickelson, who won in 1996 and 2005 at TPC Scottsdale, birdied six of the last 11 holes for a 6-under 65. He was 10 under for two rounds in the event that will end today because of long delays Thursday and Friday. “There’s a lot of golf left,” Mickelson said. “Even though it’s Saturday — it feels like it’s the third round — but we’ve only played two, so we’re halfway through and to be within a few shots, it’s where everybody is trying to get to.” Gainey played nine

Torrey Pines winner Bubba Watson, was 12 under after his second 65. Haas lost a playoff two weeks ago in the Bob Hope Classic, then tied for ninth Sunday in San Diego after fading in the final round. “I really felt good going into Sunday last week and shot 75, so I’d argue that I’m not 100 percent sharp, just had some good finishes,” Haas said. “But to come out after doing that and shoot a pair of 65s feels pretty good.” Chris Couch (65) was 11 under. Rickie Fowler — dressed head to toe in bright green as part of title sponsor Waste Management’s “GreenOut” — had a 62 to join Mickelson at 10 under. Fowler tied

the course back-nine record with a 7under 29. He eagled the par-5 13th, holing an 8-footer after a 329-yard drive and 220-yard, 5-iron approach, and birdied the 16th after nearly making a hole-in-one. “I saw some of the scoreboards and knew that I was around the cut line early on and basically had to step on the gas and get going,” said Fowler, second last year behind Hunter Mahan. “I love this tournament.” The third round started late in the afternoon and only 48 of the 74 players who made the cut teed off before play was suspended because of darkness. They will play until dark again late yesterday, then finish today. Mickelson, second last week in San Diego, needs a solo thirdplace finish or better to move past Woods for No. 3 in the world. If Lefty gets it done, it would be the first time since the week before the 1997 Masters that he has been ranked ahead of Woods. “I really want to try to come out on top here,” Mickelson said. “I’ve won twice here in the past, and it was very special. “I spent 12 great years here and went to college here, and my wife and I met here. We lived here for a number of years and had our first two children here. This is a special place. I love coming back. I love the way people treat us.” The crowd was estimated at 131,627, up from 121,221 on Saturday last year. In colder weather, the attendance was 38,323 Thursday and 74,723 Friday. Jarrod Lyle had a hole-in-one on No. 16 in the second round. The husky Australian, 5 under overall early in the third round, used an 8iron on the 150-yard hole. “That’s my first hole-in-one as a professional,” he said. “Of all the holes to have a hole-in-one in the world, this is probably the best one that you can think of. “I probably carried on down there, but it’s just one of those things where the crowd spurs you on a little bit and I was trying to spur the crowd on a little bit, too, to make it as loud as possible. It was just an incredible feeling.” —AP

DOHA: Thomas Bjorn of Denmark (left) receives the winner’s trophy after winning the Qatar Masters golf tournament at the Doha Golf Club. Bjorn reaped the reward for three rounds of consistent golf when he won the 2.5-million-dollar Qatar Masters. —AP

Bjorn bags Qatar Masters DOHA: Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn won the Qatar Masters yesterday for his 11th European Tour title, beating Spain’s Alvaro Quiros by four shots. Overnight leader Bjorn, who won his first tournament since the Estoril Open in Portugal last year, shot a bogey-free, 3-under 69 for a tournament total of 14-under 274. The 39year-old Dane had three birdies in the final round, including one on the 18th. Quiros, who closed within two shots of the lead with a birdie on the 14th, faltered at the end. He bogeyed two of the final four holes, including a three-putt on 15. Quiros’ compatriot Rafael Cabrera-Bello and Markus Brier of Austria, who held the lead after the second round, finished another shot back. Second-ranked Martin Kaymer, who needed to finish at least second to overtake Lee Westwood as top-ranked player, shot a 1-under 71 to finish 2 under for the tournament

in a tie for 28th. Holding a one-shot lead over Brier coming into the final round, 134thranked Bjorn said it was a question of “hanging in there” on the final day. He admitted he didn’t play inspiring golf early on but made up for it with all his birdies coming on the back nine. “I played solid golf. I think I made one bogey in the last 54 holes. On this golf course and in these conditions, that’s good going,” Bjorn said, referring to the high winds on Thursday that made the course almost unplayable. Bjorn added that the win was made all the more special because the field included the likes of the top-ranked Westwood, who didn’t make the cut and 7th-ranked Steve Stricker, who finished 1 over in a tie for 45th. “Well, the field this week was unbelievably strong, and you k now, that shows where European Tour golf is at the

moment,” Bjorn said. “We have got a lot of players up there in the top 10 and a lot of them played this week. You know, that gives you a few extra points.” Quiros, who also finished second last year, was left to ponder a poor finish that took the pressure off Bjorn coming into the final holes. “I was thinking I was going to finish in the top five and if I’m going to finish second I’m lucky by myself. Unfortunately I made three putts on 15, and I made a stupid bogey on 17,” Quiros said. “After that, it’s going to be tough to reach him. But anyway, I’m very pleased to be where I am.” Kaymer never recovered from an opening round 77 that knocked him off the leaderboard and came into the final round 10 shots off the lead. “I knew after the first day that I’ll struggle,” he said. “So I concentrated hard and my aim was to finish in the top-10. Happy to finish off the way it is.” —AP

Gebremeskel loses shoe but wins 3000 metres in upset BOSTON: Ethiopian Dejen Gebremeskel outkicked favoured British runner Mo Farah despite wearing just one shoe to win the men’s 3,000 metres at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix on Saturday. Gebremeskel finished in a time of 7:35.37 to hold off Farah, who clocked 7:35.81. The Ethiopian lost his right shoe early in the race but pressed with a finishing burst with one foot shod only in a sock. “It’s really hard to run in one shoe,” Gebremeskel, 21, said afterwards. Somalia-born Farah, while disappointed with second place, was encouraged by the swift pace in his first race of the year. “Right at the end he came right past me, in a different gear,” Farah said. “I’m quite surprised by the pace.” In the men’s mile, New Zealand’s Nick Willis, the pre-race favourite and the 2008 Olympic silver medallist over 1500m, faded to third. Instead, American Russell Brown, 25, ran 3:54.81 for a surprise win over compatriot Garrett Heath (3:55.87). For both US runners, the marks were personal bests. Brown, originally from Hanover, New Hampshire, said he gave himself “outside odds” to win the race but was inspired by the tradition of the Boston track and a bevy of family and friends in the stands. “As a Northeast guy, indoor running is important, and it’s exciting, and this is the place to do it,” said Brown, who has struggled with chronic calf injuries in recent years. The Boston event, which has hosted six world records and 28 national records over 16 years, was back in a diminished capacity after a last-minute sponsorship change to New Balance from long-time backer Reebok. Marina Muncan of Serbia staged a last-second surge to win the women’s mile in 4:34.46, pipping Canadian Carmen Douma-Hussar who clocked 4:34.53. “I just saw Carmen out there and told myself ‘why not,’” Muncan said of her late kick. Sally Kipyego of Kenya was just outside her personal best winning the women’s 3,000m in 8:49.74 from American Jenny Simpson (8:50.78) and Canada’s Megan Wright (8:52.01). American Jenn Sehr had little competition in the women’s pole vault, clearing 4.61, short of her mark at last week’s Millrose Games in New York. She narrowly failed in a long-shot attempt to set a US indoor record at 4.84. In the women’s 400m, US runner Natasha Hastings won in a meet record of 51.88 from countrywoman DeeDee Trotter (52.37) to log the fastest time for an American this year. Veteran US sprinter Lauryn Williams, a 2004 Olympic silver medallist in the 100m, edged Marshevet Myers in the women’s 60m dash. Americans also dominated the men’s sprints. Trell Kremmons pulled away in the 60m dash in 6.60 seconds, backing up a win at the Millrose Games and beating countrymen Chris Davis (6.66) and Ivory Williams (6.68). Calvin Smith smoked the men’s 300m sprint in 32.93, the world’s fastest time of the year at the infrequently-run distance. Joshua Scott was second in 33.45. —Reuters

ZWIESEL: Italy’s Federica Brignone competes in the Ski Alpine Women’s World Cup Giant Slalom at Arber near Zwiesel. Germany’s Viktoria Rebensburg won the competition. —AFP

Rebensburg wins women’s giant slalom ZWIESEL: Olympic champion Viktoria Rebensburg of Germany won a women’s World Cup giant slalom race yesterday in a major boost ahead of the world championships. Rebensburg had a comfortable lead after the first run and held on to earn her second career World Cup victory by more than half a second over Italy’s Federica Brignone. Kathrin Zettel of Austria was third. “It’s always an amazing feeling to win a race, I am now really looking forward to the worlds,” Rebensburg said. World Cup leader Maria Riesch of Germany finished ahead of defending champion Lindsey Vonn of the United States to stretch her lead. The race was postponed from Saturday, and fog and wind also

delayed Sunday’s start by nearly three hours. It was the final women’s race before the worlds in GarmischPar tenk irchen, Germany, k ick off Tuesday with the women’s super-G. Rebensburg clocked a combined time of 1 minute, 36.96 seconds on the Arberg course. Brignone, the daughter of former World Cup winner Maria Rosa Quario, had her best career result in taking second in 1:37.49 after positing the fastest second heat. Zettel clocked 1:37.85. “I couldn’t have prepared for the worlds any better,” Brignone said. “In the first run, I wasn’t focused and I turned too much around the gates. In the second run, I changed everything and I only thought about attacking and it went well.” Vonn returned to the slope

after sitting out Friday’s slalom following a heavy crash in training two days earlier that resulted in a concussion. The American tied for 18th. In a note on her Facebook page before Sunday’s race, Vonn said she felt “considerably better than I did a few days ago.” “(Vonn skied) awesome in the steeps today, it was fantastic actually,” said Alex Hoedlmoser, head US women’s coach. “Then she started to back off a bit on that last break over, but her GS is still very strong. She just needs to keep the intensity all the way to the finish.” Vonn, the three-time defending overall champion, was 1.94 seconds behind the winner to equal her worst season finish apart from races she failed to complete.

Riesch, Vonn’s great rival and friend, placed 11th, 1.56 seconds behind Rebensburg, her German teammate. Riesch has 1,256 points overall, while Vonn has 1,100. The delays in the final race before the worlds and the late departure of teams for the three-hour drive to Garmisch-Partenkirchen was far from ideal, Hoedlmoser said. “ They were so desperate to get this GS completed we had to wait it out,” Hoedlmoser said. “But it always comes at an expense, especially for Lindsey and Julia (Mancuso) who need to go straight into the super-G and downhill training runs and then into the technical races. “It’s going to be a lot of days in a row and is far from ideal preparations for the world championships.” —AP

e niv rsar n

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2011

Years

sports

Sheikh Fahad Shotgun Championship By Abdellatif Sharaa

Sheikh Fahad Al-Salem Al-Sabah

KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Shooting sports season this year coincides with the country’s celebration of its 50th independence anniversary, 20 years of liberation from Iraq and 5 years on HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah’s assumption of power, and in the midst of those celebrations The Grand Prix Shotgun Championship of the late Sheikh Fahad AlSalem Al-Sabah will be held between Feb 16-20. Ten international federations confirmed their participation with 74 shooters of both genders in addition to nearly 20 oﬃcials. There will be 52 of Kuwait’s shotgun shooters participating along with six oﬃcials. It is worth mentioning that Kuwait Shooting Federation is proud that judges and the jury for this tournament are all Kuwaiti reflecting the confidence the International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) has in Kuwait’s ability to run such events. This GP championship gets its importance as a step in the preparation of shooters for the upcoming events leading to the London Olympics 2012. The tournament is named after a man who gave Kuwait a lot on the way to its independence and was among those who laid the foundation of a sovereign modern Kuwait. Sheikh Fahad Al-Salem who was born in 1907 became responsible for the Finance Department at the start of the 40s of last century

when he created the supplies department during World War I. He also occupied several posts during the reign of the Late Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem including public works, Housing, planning and construction council. Sabah, Maternity, Chest and Orthopedic hospitals were built during his tenure as head of the health department. Kuwait’s shooting made several achievements since the establishment of the first shooting committee in 1983 under the chairmanship of Martyr Sheikh Fahad Al-Ahmad, then in 1986 Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah became president until the Federation and club were declared by the Public Authority for Youth and Sports on Dec 6, 1994. Kuwait’s shooters participated in many local, regional and international tournaments and made significant achievements including becoming world champions on several occasions and gave Kuwait its first Olympic medal. It was not long before the largest Olympic shooting ranges complex in the Middle Eaast was established in Kuwait. The Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Olympic Shooting Complex came to existence as an integrated sports facility, as President of Kuwait and Asian Shooting Federations and Vice President of ISSF Sheikh Salman Al-Sabah said “it is not possible for any sport to make any progress without having the integrated environment available for it, which is the ranges where preparation, training, fitness are hdd to

Kuwait’s Olympic Shooter Fuhaid Al-Daihani

be able to get shooters of international championships caliber”. The complex covers an area of 50 thousand meters squared with 19 facilities in addition to the main building. The complex has 6 shotgun ranges (trap, double trap and skeet) in addition to three rifle and pistol ranges with 10, 25, and 50 meters ranges.

Kubica injured in car crash Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah in 2011 Qatar International Rally action with his Ford Fiesta S2000

Al-Attiyah clinches ninth successive win in Qatar Rally FIA Middle East Rally Championship Skidmore had warned that the repair and weld could be fragile and Al-Attiyah was unable to close the gap in Umm Al Hal. In fact, Al-Hajri beat the Ford driver by 12 seconds and extended his overall advantage to 37.3 seconds on a stage where Al-Kuwari set the fastest time to preserve third overall. Al-Qassimi managed to squeeze past Khalifa Saleh Al-Attiyah into fourth position, but Kuwait’s Mufeed Mubarak and Switzerland’s Edith Weiss retired. A little more repair work at the Al-Wakra service paid dividends for Al-Attiyah and he set a stunning time through the ninth special. He beat Al-Hajri by 1m 10.3s and stormed back into a 33 second lead. It was a bitter blow for Al-Hajri as the leaders returned to Al-Wakra for another service before the remaining three stages. “It is still very much on a knife-edge,” said Skidmore. “I will push on the next two and give it my best shot,” admitted Al-Hajri. “It would be a dream to win this rally.” Qatar’s Sheikh Hamed Bin Eid Al-Thani and Abdullah AlRabban and Kuwait’s Meshari Al-Thafiri and Meshal AlNejadi retired in the Al-Wakra stage, leaving 12 cars still running. Al-Attiyah continued to hammer home his advantage through the 10th stage and reached the start of Umm Al Hal 2 with a 1m 37.3s advantage over his fellow countryman. The contest was all but settled in the favorite’s favor on the 11th stage. Nasser arrived at the stage finish 19 seconds quicker than the overnight leader and headed into the final special with a 1m 56.3s lead. Al-Kuwari was forced out of third position on the penultimate stage with gearbox problems, but Al-Attiyah held on to take what ultimately turned out to be a crushing victory and continue his remarkable winning streak in the regional rally series.

DOHA: Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah claimed a ninth successive victory in the 2011 Qatar International Rally, round one of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC), on Saturday. At the wheel of his new Ford Fiesta S2000, the Dakar Rally winner overcame a serious propshaft problem on Friday to force his way past overnight leader Mubarak Al-Hajri and eventually secure victory by the emphatic margin of 3m 38.8s. It was the six-time regional champion’s 39th MERC win and a 10th for Italian co-driver Giovanni Bernacchini. “I always felt as though we could do it and I say a special thank you to my team for doing a tremendous job in keeping my car going,” said Al-Attiyah. “Winning in Qatar is always special for me and it is a great feeling to get the new championship off to a winning start.” Al-Hajri’s dream was to become the first individual to win a round of the MERC as a driver and a co-driver, but it was not to be. The Qatari drove superbly over the closing stages with UAE navigator Aref Yousef Mohammed to claim a convincing second position in the overall standings and secure victory on round three of the Qatar national rally series in his Subaru Impreza. The UAE’s Sheikh Abdullah Al-Qassimi became faster as the event progressed in his new Ford Fiesta - he was quickest on the final stage — and third overall was sufficient for the Emirati and his English co-driver Steve Lancaster to leap into second position in the MERC, where individuals have to be registered in advance to score points. Qatar’s Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari lost third on the penultimate stage with gearbox woes. The winner’s brother Khalifa Saleh Al-Attiyah lost fourth overall on the final stage with differential failure. Kuwait’s Essam Al-Nejadi duly climbed to fourth, while Qatar’s young Sultan Al-Suwaidi, Jordan’s Ammar Hijazi and Qatar’s Jaber and Mohammed Al-Marri completed the top eight. After a high rate of attrition on the demanding gravel stages, south of Doha, Jordan’s Nancy Al-Majali and Kuwait’s Fahad Ashkanani were only other finishers in ninth and 10th. The Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) carried out the first anti-doping checks in the history of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship. Three drivers were chosen at random to take part in the checks with support from Dr. Mamoun Abba of the Qatar Olympic anti-doping committee, Hamad Hospital in Doha and EMS. Senior officials from the various ASNs in FIAsanctioned Middle East motor sport also met to discuss a wide range of topics in Doha on Friday evening. The meeting covered subjects as far ranging as future events, PR, television, attracting young drivers and the integration of the various zones in the region.

Ooops....Meshal Al-Nejadi hits trouble in the Qatar Rally

Day 2 Three of the original 22 cars failed to start day two. Six used SupeRally to rejoin the 13 survivors, but Qatar’s Jarallah Almei, Khalid Al-Suwaidi and Abdullah Al-Hajri were unable to continue. Al-Attiyah began the day 47.2 seconds behind Al-Hajri, but his Autotek mechanics had not been able to replace the broken propshaft that cost him so much time on day one. They attempted to fly in a spare part from England overnight and it got as far as Frankfurt, so a temporary repair and weld was carried out according to team manager Ken Skidmore. “It’s an expensive quick-fit component and we didn’t have a spare, so we managed to bolt the two pieces together and just hope that it would hold and not work out of balance.” The repair seemed to do the trick and the Qatari was able to win the seventh Nabat Lusail stage and reduce AlHajri’s lead to 25.4 seconds. Lebanon’s Michel Saleh lost seventh place with engine woes.

Kuwait’s Meshari Al-Thafiri in Qatar International Rally action

GENOA: Formula One driver Rober t Kubica of Poland was injured yesterday in a rally car accident in Italy just weeks before the start of the new Grand Prix season, his Lotus Renault team said. Local health authority officials in Italy said Kubica’s life was not in danger, and that the worst damage appeared to be to his limbs. “Certainly it is a very delicate situation, as the first hours always are after a huge trauma, one in which there could also have been a strong bleeding,” Rober to Carrozzino, a local health authority official, told Sky Italia. His team said in a statement that after “undergoing extensive medical checks this morning, Robert Kubica has been diagnosed with multiple fractures to his right arm, leg and hand. He is currently undergoing surgery at the Santa Corona Hospital in Pietra Ligure.” The statement added that Kubica “suffered a high-speed accident this morning while competing in the Ronde di Andora R ally.” The ANSA news agenc y reported that an operation on the 26-year- old driver began just before 1300 GMT after professor Igor Rossello, a hand specialist, was called to the hospital. Kubica, eighth in last year’s F1 world championship, now looks unlikely to race at Bahrain on March 13. Carrozzino said the driver underwent an examination to assess any possible damage to internal organs and the brain. Asked about a report that one his arms would be amputated, Carrozzino said that “all assessments have yet to be made.” “An amputation is not a decision that is made so rapidly,” he

ITALY: The wrecked car of Formula One driver Robert Kubica, of Poland, is towed in Andora, Italy. Kubica was injured yesterday in a rally car accident in Italy just weeks before the start of the new Grand Prix season.—AP

said. “I do not confirm or deny this report.” Kubica arrived at the Santa Corona hospital in Pietra Ligure, a small coastal town about 35 miles (60 k ilometers) southwest of Genoa, about two hours after the accident because it was difficult to ex trac t him, Carrozzino said. There was no immediate comment from the hospital, though they said there would be an update on Kubica’s condition later in the day. ANSA said the driver was 4.6kilometers from the start of the rally, near Genoa, when his car left the road and hit a wall. His co-driver Jakub Gerber was unhurt, the Lotus Renault team said.

Kubica was due to lead the Lotus Renault F1 team this season alongside Vitaly Petrov of Russia, with former HR T driver Bruno Senna named as a third driver. Romain Grosjean, who drove for Renault in 2009, was also named third driver alongside Senna. It was not immediately known whether Senna or Grosjean would take Kubica’s place in Bahrain should he fail to recover. Last week , Kubica closed Formula One’s first test session of the season with the fastest time over three days in Valencia, Spain. The next F1 test session is Feb. 1013 in Jerez, Spain.—AP

Chandhok to test with Team Lotus LONDON: India’s Karun Chandhok will test for Team Lotus in Spain next week as a potential reserve for the Formula One outfit, principal Tony Fernandes told Reuters yesterday. Chandhok has been looking for a new role in Formula One after starting 10 races with struggling newcomers HRT (Hispania) last year. He attended last week’s first preseason test in Valencia as a guest of Team Lotus and Fernandes said he would now have some time in the car. “We would like him to be reserve driver but we’ve got to see whether it all works out, that’s the plan,” Fernandes said in a telephone conversation from Malaysia. “He is going to get a couple of slots in the testing now in Jerez and Barcelona,” added the AirAsia airline boss. “And then we’ll decide after that. “( Technical head) Mike (Gascoyne) and (team CEO) Riad (Asmat) and everyone else feel he’s the right guy to add value to the team.” Fernandes, whose team are locked in a legal dispute with Renault sponsors Group Lotus over

the use of the brand in Formula One, was speaking after being appointed Commander of the British Empire (CBE) by Britain’s Queen Elizabeth. Chandhok told Reuters last month that he was interested in the third driver role as a stepping stone to his full return to the starting grid in 2012. Team Lotus were the best of the three new teams last year and, now with Renault engines and a far more aggressively-designed car, are hoping for a step up this season. “We are very, very happy (with the car),” Fernandes said. “The car looks great, wind tunnel (data) looks great but until it’s on the track you don’t know. The response I got back from (drivers) Heikki (Kovalainen) and Jarno (Trulli) was fantastic. “The car wasn’t set up properly on the last day, we were just doing lots of tests...and the times were fantastic. We’ve made that big step forward. In comparison to other teams, we’re not that far behind. “It shows what can be done if you have the right spirit and the right people.”

Speaking before news broke of Robert Kubica’s rally crash in Italy, an accident that cast doubt on the Pole starting the season for Renault, Fernandes said Team Lotus would love to take the fight to their Lotusbacked rivals on the track but had to be realistic. Renault have already won a lot of attention for their innovative forward-facing exhausts that exit through the sidepods and Fernandes also complimented them on that. “We were never going to challenge them,” he said. “It looks very clever and we will have to wait and see. “But hats oﬀ to them for coming up with that. “Of course we would love to beat them but we would love to beat everyone. One has to be realistic and I am the most real man around. “You can’t build a challenger to someone like Renault, who have been Benetton and Toleman, in one year. It’s not feasible. My focus is to keep on doing what we are doing and make those leaps forward. “It isn’t about this year, it’s about building a team that will be there in 10 years time as well.”—Reuters

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Sri Lanka win West Indies series COLOMBO: Ajantha Mendis and Thisara Perera shared seven wickets as Sri Lanka won the third one-day international against the West Indies by 26 runs to clinch the series 2-0 yesterday. West Indies captain Darren Sammy won the toss and sent the hosts in to bat first at Sinhalese Sports Club. Sri Lanka made 277-9 in 50 overs with captain Kumar Sangakkara (75) and Mahela Jayawardene (44) sharing a 95run partnership.

Sulieman Benn took four wickets for the West Indies. West Indies started their innings disastrously losing two wickets without scoring. Dilhara Fernando bowled Chris Gayle off the inside edge in the first ball of the innings and Perera had Adrian Barath caught by wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara to open the game with two maidens. A 125-run partnership for the third wicket between Darren Bravo (79) and Ramnaresh Sarwan (44)

Scoreboard COLOMBO: Scoreboard from the third and final one-day international between Sri Lanka and West Indies on yesterday: Sri Lanka innings U. Tharanga b Benn 39 T. Dilshan c Baugh b DJ Bravo 30 K. Sangakkara b Benn 75 M. Jayawardene c Miller b Rampaul 44 C. Kapugedera b Benn 17 T. Samaraweera st Baugh b Benn 4 T. Perera c Baugh b DJ Bravo 6 A. Mathews not out 36 R. Herath run out 2 A. Mendis run out 8 Extras: (lb-7, w-9) 16 Total: (nine wickets, 50 overs) 277 Fall of wickets: 1-54 2-92 3-187 4-205 5-216 6-227 7-239 8-244 9-277 Did not bat: D Fernando. Bowling: Rampaul 5-0-44-1 (2w), Sammy 10-1-61-0 (1w), DJ Bravo 10-0-58-2 (2w), Gayle 10-0-34-0 (3w), Benn 10-1-38-4 (1w), Miller 5-0-35-0.

West Indies innings C. Gayle b Fernando 0 A. Barath c Sangakkara b Perera 0 DM Bravo lbw b Perera 79 R. Sarwan lbw b Herath 51 S. Chanderpaul c Jayawardene b Mendis3 DJ Bravo c Perera b Fernando 32 D. Sammy c Mendis b Perera 3 C. Baugh c Samaraweera b Mendis 49 N. Miller c Mathews b Mendis 13 S. Benn c Samaraweera b Mendis 6 R. Rampaul not out 0 Extras: (b-1, lb-4, w-10) 15 Total: (all out, 49 overs) 251 Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-0, 3-125, 4-128, 5155, 6-159, 7-195, 8-236, 9-251, 10-251. Bowling: Fernando 10-1-45-2 (2w), Perera 9-2-36-3, Mathews 6-0-33-0 (2w), Mendis 10-1-46-4 (4w), Kapugedera 1-0-7-0 (1w), Dilshan 3-0-25-0, Herath 10-0-54-1 (1w). Sri Lanka won by 26 runs.

lifted the West Indies’ spirits. But the touring side was limited thereafter and reached only 251 all out in 49 overs. Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath struck in the 25th over when he trapped Sarwan lbw for 51 runs and three more wickets fell quickly for 34 runs. Bravo was the star in the West Indies innings scoring 79 runs for his second ODI half-century, including nine boundaries and a six. Carlton Baugh made 49 and Dwayne Bravo scored 32 in an attempt to push for victory but they could not keep up with a soaring required run rate. Mendis took the wickets of Shivnarine Chanderpaul (3), Carlton Baugh (49), Nikita Miller (13) and Sulieman Benn (6) to finish with 4-46 and Perera returned 3-36. Earlier, West Indies spinner Benn recorded 438 to hold Sri Lanka to 277. Sri Lanka started the innings with a promising opening 54-run stand as Tillakaratne Dilshan scoring a brisk 30 off 28 balls including two boundaries and a six. Sangakkara and Jayawardene shared 95 runs for the third wicket before Jayawardene was caught by Miller off seam bowler Ravi Rampaul. The West Indies appeared to have slowed the scoring briefly, but Angelo Mathews (36 not out) accelerated the batting in the final 10 overs, sharing 33 runs with tailender Mendis off just 19 balls. Sri Lanka won the second match last week by eight wickets and the first match was abandoned due to rain. —AP

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan cricket team captain Kumar Sangakkara (front) walks with the trophy after winning the final One Day International cricket match against West Indies. —AP

Butt, Amir maintain innocence, will appeal KARACHI: Salman Butt and Mohammad Amir returned to Pakistan yesterday and pledged to clear their names of corruption charges that earned them bans of at least five years each from an International Cricket Council (ICC) tribunal. Former test captain Butt and pace bowlers Amir and Mohammad Asif were found guilty of corruption by the tribunal on Saturday in Doha. Butt was banned for 10 years with five of them suspended if the 26-year-old does not re-offend and takes part in a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) anti-corruption campaign. Asif, 28, was banned for seven years with two suspended under the same

terms as Butt, while 18-year-old Amir was given a straight five-year ban. Only Amir, whose lawyer said he would appeal, has a realistic chance of playing international cricket again. Fiveyear bans were the minimum an independent three-man tribunal could impose under the ICC’s anti-corruption code once it had concluded that Butt, Asif and Amir were guilty of spot-fixing in the fourth test against England last August. Butt and Amir encountered no hostile reception when they exited the airport and both maintained their innocence. “I am innocent of the charges made against me and I stand by what I say. I will not rest

NBA results/standings NBA results and standings on Saturday. Atlanta 99, Washington 92; Dallas 101, Charlotte 92; Portland 111, Cleveland 105; LA Lakers 101, New Orleans 95; Houston 95, Memphis 93 (OT); Detroit 89, Milwaukee 78; Denver 113, Minnesota 100; Oklahoma City 121, Utah 105; Golden State 101, Chicago 90. (OT denotes overtime win)

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

Oklahoma City Denver Utah Portland Minnesota

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L 37 12 25 24 23 26 15 36 14 37

PCT .755 .510 .469 .294 .275

GB 12 14 23 24

Central Division 34 15 20 27 19 30 19 32 8 43

.694 .426 .388 .373 .157

13 15 16 27

Southeast Division 36 14 33 18 32 19 21 29 13 37

.720 .647 .627 .420 .260

3.5 4.5 15 23

Western Conference Northwest Division 33 17 30 21 30 22 27 24 11 39

.660 .588 .577 .529 .220

3.5 4 6.5 22

LA Lakers Phoenix Golden State LA Clippers Sacramento

Paciﬁc Division 35 23 22 19 12

16 25 27 30 35

.686 .479 .449 .388 .255

10.5 12 15 21

San Antonio Dallas New Orleans Memphis Houston

Southwest Division 42 8 35 15 32 20 27 25 24 28

.840 .700 .615 .519 .462

7 11 16 19

until I get the ban overturned,” Butt told reporters at the airport. “I don’t think our arguments were heard properly and the ban is unjustified.” Amir expressed similar concerns with the hearing. “I am innocent and I was confident they would clear me. The ban came as a total shock,” he said. “We are waiting for the ICC to release the detailed judgement of the tribunal after which we will decide what to do but we have made up our minds to appeal the ban in the first instance.” Butt said he wanted to see the detailed judgement to find out on what grounds the tribunal had handed down such lengthy bans. —Reuters

PERTH: Australian team celebrates after winning the series against England at the completion of their one day international cricket match at the WACA in Perth. —AP

Johnson fires again as Aussies dominate series PERTH: Australia paceman Mitchell Johnson again found the WACA a happy hunting ground as he inspired the hosts to a 57-run victory and a 6-1 series hammering of England in the seventh and final one-day international yesterday. Johnson, who fired Australia to their only Ashes Test win on the same ground, ripped the heart out of the England batting with the key wickets of Jonathan Trott (14), Kevin Pietersen (26) and Ian Bell (8) as the tourists chased 280 for victory. England, who arrived in Perth for the Ashes tour on Oct. 30, looked like a team at the end of a long, gruelling summer and, despite a bright, unbeaten 60 from Michael Yardy, laboured to 222 all out in 44 overs. The tourists were already struggling by the time Johnson hit his stride with Andrew Strauss finishing his last match against Australia on this tour as he started the first-with dismissal for a duck in the opening over of his team’s innings. Shaun Tait took away the top of the England skipper’s off stump with a fizzing second ball, a delivery fewer than it took Ben Hilfenhaus to dismiss Strauss in the first Ashes test at the Gabba. Steven Davies, a surprise omission from the England World Cup squad, failed to embarrass the selectors by following his skipper to the changing room with a six-ball duck in the next over. Johnson, so often the object of derision from England supporters over the campaign, then took charge to reduce England to 5-64 on his way to an impressive 3-18. Tait chimed in with 3-48 and spinner Jason Krejza did his chances of a late call-up for the World Cup in place of injury doubt Nathan Hauritz no harm with 2-53. “It’s been very good but I still think there is another level that we can take it to, and need to, for a tournament like the World Cup,” said Australia’s stand-in captain Cameron White.

Scoreboard Scoreboard after Australia beat England by 57 runs in the seventh and final one-day international at the WACA ground in Perth on yesterday: Australia innings T. Paine lbw Plunkett 5 B. Haddin c Finn b Yardy 27 C. Ferguson c Strauss b Anderson 15 C. White c & b Yardy 24 D. Hussey c Bell b Plunkett 60 A. Voges not out 80 M. Johnson c Prior b Anderson 26 J. Hastings c Wright b Anderson 6 J. Krejza not out 6 Extras: (w-19, lb-11) 30 Total: (for seven wickets, 50 overs) 279 Fall of wickets: 1-16 2-35 3-72 4-103 5198 6-243 7-263 Did not bat: D. Bollinger, S. Tait. Bowling: Anderson 10-1-48-3 (2w), Plunkett 10-0-49-2 (6w), Finn 10-1-57-0 (6w), Wright 9-0-47-0 (3w), Yardy 10-0-592 (2w), Trott 1-0-8-0.

England innings A. Strauss b Tait 0 S. Davies c Haddin b Bollinger 0 J. Trott c Hussey b Johnson 14 K. Pietersen c Krejza b Johnson 26 I. Bell c Tait b Johnson 8 M. Prior c Hussey b Krejza 39 M. Yardy not out 60 L. Wright c Bollinger b Krejza 24 L. Plunkett c Haddin b Tait 20 S. Finn b Tait 0 J. Anderson c Haddin b Hastings 4 Extras: (lb-3, w-19, nb-5) 27 Total (all out, 44 overs) 222 Fall of wickets: 1-0 2-5 3-48 4-56 5-64 6119 7-152 8-200 9-200 Bowling: Tait 8-1-48-3 (9w, 5nb), Bollinger 7-0-45-1 (2w), Johnson 7-0-18-3 (4w), Hastings 9-0-39-1 (3w), Krejza 9-053-2 (1w), Hussey 4-0-16-0.

Australia had made a pedestrian start to their innings before Adam Voges and David Hussey both hit half-centuries and shared a partnership of 95 to bring the match to life. Local Voges, a late call-up after Australia decided to rest captain Michael Clarke and Shane Watson, rattled off an unbeaten 80 from 72 with Hussey claiming 60 at a run a ball to help fire Australia to 279 for seven. Their partnership was ended when Hussey was caught by Bell after getting a leading edge to a Liam Plunkett delivery-one of two wickets for the seamer who was flown in from the West Indies after a rash of injuries to England bowlers. Johnson had a short but eventful knock of 26, being dropped by both James Anderson and Steve Finn before Matt Prior, relieved of his wicketkeeping duties in favour of Davies for the match, caught him superbly on the boundary. Finn had earlier cleverly caught open-

er Brad Haddin for 27, throwing the ball into the air as he tumbled back over the boundary rope before recovering to take the catch infield. Anderson completed his last bowling assignment of the long and mostly successful tour of Australia with 3-48, including the wicket of John Hastings who had dislocated a finger in the warm-up. “I think our minds are on the plane home now, definitely, but I don’t think that was the case out there today,” Strauss said. “To lose five wickets in the first 15 overs is criminal really when you are chasing down a big score and from that moment on, it was going to be hard.” Australia’s domination of the one-day series will in no way make up for losing the Ashes on home soil for the first time in 24 years but will give the triple defending champions confidence ahead of the World Cup, which starts on Feb. 19. —Reuters

Cavaliers losing streak reaches 24 in a row CLEVELAND: Cleveland’s losing streak reached 24 games Saturday when Wesley Matthews scored 31 points and LaMarcus Aldridge added 20 to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a 111-105 win over the pitiful Cavaliers, who remain winless in 2011 and have lost a mind-boggling 34 of 35. The Cavs, who have won just once since Nov. 27, now own both the singleseason mark for consecutive losses and matched the record for overall losses in a row they previously set over two seasons (1981-82 and 1982-83). Cleveland nearly overcame a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter, but once again failed to make plays down the stretch. Antawn Jamison scored 17 for the Cavs, who will try to end their skid on Monday in Dallas. Warriors 101, Bulls 90 At Oakland, California, Monta Ellis scored 33 points and Stephen Curry had 23 as Golden State snapped Chicago’s sixgame wining streak. The tandem sparked a 15-0 run in the four th quar ter that sealed Golden State’s third straight win in one of its more impressive defensive efforts of the season. Dorell Wright added 20 points and David Lee scored 13 for the Warriors. Carlos Boozer had 21 points and 10 rebounds and Derrick Rose finished with a quiet 14 points and 10 assists for the Bulls. Lakers 101, Hornets 95 At New Orleans, Pau Gasol had a season-high 34 points to go with 10 rebounds, powering the Los Angeles Lakers past New Orleans. Kobe Bryant added 32 points, including a 3-pointer with 3:20 left to give the Lakers the lead for good. Chris Paul had 21 points and 15 assists as the Hornets, without starters Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza,

had 12 points and 11 rebounds for Detroit, and Ben Gordon scored 12. Thunder 121, Jazz 105 At Salt Lake City, Russell Westbrook scored 33 points as Oklahoma City earned its fifth win in six games. Westbrook made all four of his 3-point attempts to help the Thunder shoot a season-best 13 of 21 on 3-pointers. Kevin Durant scored 21 points and Jeff Green added 20. Paul Millsap led Utah with 34 points and 10 rebounds and Al Jefferson had 21 points for the Jazz.

SALT LAKE CITY: Utah Jazz center Al Jefferson (25) is fouled while being double teamed by Oklahoma City Thunder defenders James Harden (left) and Serge Ibaka (9), of Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, during the second half of their NBA basketball game. —AP clawed back from a deficit as large as 14 to take a couple brief leads in the second half. Mavericks 101, Bobcats 92 At Charlotte, Nor th Carolina, Dirk Nowitzki scored 25 points and Tyson Chandler grabbed 15 rebounds against his former team as Dallas beat harlotte to extend the NBA’s longest active winning streak to eight. Jason Terry added 21 points for the Mavericks, who have been on a roll since Nowitzki returned from a k nee injur y. D.J. Augustin scored 21 points and Stephen Jackson added 17 on a poor shooting night for the 7-year-old Bobcats, who have beaten every other team in the league. Nuggets 113, T’wolves 100 At Minneapolis, Carmelo Anthony scored 25 points and JR Smith had 10 of his 14 points in the final seven minutes to

lift Denver over Minnesota. Chauncey Billups added 21 points and 13 assists for his first double-double of the season and Arron Afflalo scored 22 points for Denver, which shot 54.4 percent against Minnesota’s woeful defense. Newly chosen All-Star Kevin Love had 18 points and 19 rebounds for the Timberwolves, while Michael Beasley had 23 points and five assists. Anthony left the game briefly in the fourth quarter with an apparent injury to his right elbow and did not score in the final 12 minutes. Pistons 89, Bucks 78 At Milwaukee, reser ve Richard Hamilton scored 15 points in his first game since Jan. 10 and Tracy McGrady added 20, helping Detroit past Milwaukee. Andrew Bogut returned after being sidelined with right knee soreness and finished with 18 points, but Milwaukee lost its fourth straight game. Tayshaun Prince

Rockets 95, Grizzlies 93 At Houston, Kevin Martin scored 31 points, including 15-for-15 shooting from the free-throw line, as Houston won for the first time in six overtime games this year. Luis Scola scored six of his 17 points in the extra period and Shane Battier grabbed a season-high 13 rebounds for the Rockets, who’ve won their last 10 games when holding their opponent below 100 points. Chuck Hayes added 15 points. Zach Randolph had 22 points and 17 rebounds for the Grizzlies, who had a five - game winning streak snapped. Memphis has not win six in a row since March 2006. Hawks 99, Wizards 92 At Washington, Josh Smith scored 29 points and added a season-high 16 rebounds to lead Atlanta past Washington. Washington hasn’t beaten the Hawks since an over time win in Atlanta on Jan. 11, 2008. Joe Johnson scored 21 points and Marvin Williams added 15 and 12 rebounds for Atlanta, who has won three in a row. Nick Young led the Wizards with 21 points. John Wall had 18 but was 2 of 7 from the free throw line. —AP

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Lille title hopes held up PARIS: Lille suffered frustration Sunday as a late Auxerre equaliser denied them a win which would have underpinned their hopes of a first French league title in 57 years. The northerners arrived at their struggling hosts with four-point cushion over a clutch of sides in what is turning into a tight battle for the crown. League top scorer Moussa Sow fired in his 16th of the season with an acrobatic effort after 16 minutes but the home fans had the last laugh at the Abbe-Deschamps stadium after Dariusz Dudka levelled with just four minutes remaining. The solitary point left Lille on 42 points from 22 games - but they still provisionally increased their advantage to five points after Paris Saint Germain went down to a goal from their former junior starlet Yacine Brahimi at Rennes, who joined the capital club on 37 points. Lyon can also move onto that tally if they win the late game yesterday against Bordeaux. Marseille have 36 points after striker AndrePierre Gignac fired the defending champions back into the title race on Saturday with the only goal at home to rock bottom Arles. Coach Didier Deschamps had demanded a massive improvement after a woeful goalless draw last week against struggling neighbours Monaco and Gignac’s third goal of the season brought some relief after an hour’s domination had brought no tangible reward.

Brandao and Lucho combined to find the French international striker, who has yet to find top form since an 18-million-euro sumer move from Toulouse, and he made no mistake to take the former European Cup winners onto 36 points from 22 games. Deschamps admitted that Arles, with only one win all season, had been difficult to break down. “It was a tough game and we expected that. But we had a string of chances and hit the woodwork twice. The main thing was to win - but we can do a lot better.” Saint Etienne are fifth, a point behind Marseille and one ahead of Lyon following Emmanuel Riviere’s brace of goals which brought a 2-1 win at Montpellier and Toulouse are also in the mix after a Moussa Sissoko double Sunday pushed Monaco deeper into the relegation mire. Promoted Brest, who spent the first third of the season looking as if they might even qualify for Europe, before slipping back badly, ended a fivematch winless run with a 2-1 win Saturday over Nanc y which moved to within five points of Marseille. Bruno Grougi netted a late winner to add to Jonathan Ayit’s opener after a Moise Brou Apanga own goal had threatened to cost the hosts two dropped points. Lens, narrowly beaten in last week’s derby with Lille, remain in the drop zone after they could only draw 1-1 at home to Valenciennes. —AFP

Ronaldo’s double sinks Sociedad

MADRID: Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo from Portugal (center) vies for the ball with Real Sociedad’s Diego Rivas (left) and Xabier Prieto (right) during their Spanish League soccer match. —AP

Napoli close gap as Milan held in Genoa ROME: Napoli beat Cesena 2-0 at home to close the gap on leaders AC Milan who were held to a 1-1 draw at Genoa yesterday. Napoli closed the gap to three points as goals from Serie A top scorer Edinson Cavani and Jose Sosa downed the top flight strugglers. Milan took the lead in Genoa through Pato but Antonio Floro Flores struck an equaliser for the hosts. The draw means either Inter Milan or Roma, who clash at the San Siro later on Sunday, could also close in on the leaders. But Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri said there was nothing to worr y about. “ We k new that it wouldn’t be easy against Genoa, we were unlucky when it was even but in the second half we didn’t play well,” he said. “We need to improve in certain moments of the game as much as we need to get some important players back. “We know the league race is long and that the chasers are trying to catch us. “We’re in good shape physically but we need to improve on today’s second half. “Maybe Napoli were a surprise at the beginning of the season but they have great players and are doing great things. “On top of that they have no pressure because they don’t have to win.” Genoa made a bright start in a lively game as Floro Flores’s volley was deflected behind for a corner by Gennaro Gattuso before Juraj Kucka also hit a volley well off target. Pato then fed Robinho who surged into the Genoa area but was just off target with his finish. Milan took the lead with a simple goal on 29 minutes as Ibrahimovic, on the right side of the area, played a pass between a defender’s legs to Pato to tap home from six yards. I t could have been two moments later as Robinho picked out Pato on the counter but Dario Dainelli dived in to make a saving block from the Brazilian’s attempted volley. Three minutes from the break Floro Flores curled a free-kick just over the Milan bar. But he was on hand in first half injury time when an unfor tunate deviation off Mathieu Flamini fell to him in the box and he finished crisply into the corner. Milan were right back on the attack after the break as Robinho was freed in the box only for Marco Rossi to make a goal-saving tackle. Ibrahimovic forced Genoa goalkeeper Eduardo into pushing his header behind for a corner while Christian Abbiati needed two attempts to stop Abdoulay Konko’s shot. Former Milan forward Alberto Paloschi had a late chance but was crowded out by Abbiati and saw a marginal offside decision go against him anyway. Napoli bounved back from their midweek defeat at Chievo to return to winning ways. Cavani finished off good work from Christian Maggio on 13 minutes with a leftfooted finish from close in to score his 18th league goal of the season. And in stoppage time at the end of the game, Sosa shot home after

ITALY: AC Milan Brazilian forward Pato (right) challenges for the ball with Genoa midfielder Domenico Criscito during the Serie A soccer match. —AP a cross from Giuseppe Mascara. Cavani continued to recount the party line as he refused to get too excited about the club’s progress. “ We’re happy with this win, we’re not thinking about Milan’s draw,” he said. “We have to work hard and keep on this path, there’s still a lot more games in the league and Europa League. “We need to improve our consistency.” Lazio failed to also close in on Milan as they were held to a 1-1

home draw by Chievo. Brazilian Hernanes had given the hosts the lead but Bostjan Cesar equalised for Chievo. Palermo stayed in the hunt for a Champions League finish as they came back from 1-0 and 2-1 down to win 4-2 at Lecce. Lecce went 2-1 ahead at the star t of the second period but Palermo turned it around with a burst of three goals in five minutes around the hour mark. —AFP

Italian Serie A results/standings Bologna 1 (Portanova 41) Catania 0; Brescia 2 (Diamanti 17-pen, Caracciolo 90) Bari 0; Genoa 1 (Floro Flores 45) AC Milan 1 (Pato 29); Lazio 1 (Hernanes 45) Chievo 1 (Cesar 64); Lecce 2 (Giacomazzi 17, Jeda 50) Palermo 4 (Miccoli 45, Pastore 57, Hernandez 60, Ilicic 62); Napoli 2 (Cavani 13, Sosa 90) Cesena 0; Parma 1 (Amauri 15)

Fiorentina 1 (D’Agostino 49-pen). Playing later Inter Milan v Roma Played Saturday Udinese 2 (Sanchez 18, Di Natale 40) Sampdoria 0; Cagliari 1 (Acquafresca 51) Juventus 3 (Matri 20, 75, Toni 84).

Italian Serie A table ahead of yesterday’s late match (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): AC Milan 24 14 7 3 40 19 49 Napoli 24 14 4 6 38 22 46 Lazio 24 12 6 6 30 22 42 Inter Milan 22 12 5 5 39 24 41 Palermo 24 12 4 8 42 31 40 Udinese 24 12 4 8 39 30 40 Roma 22 11 6 5 32 25 39 Juventus 24 10 8 6 40 30 38 Cagliari 24 9 5 10 28 26 32 Chievo 24 7 10 7 26 23 31 Fiorentina 23 7 8 8 23 24 29 Bologna 23 8 8 7 25 30 29 Genoa 23 7 7 9 19 22 28 Sampdoria 23 6 9 8 20 25 27 Parma 24 6 8 10 23 30 26 Lecce 24 6 6 12 24 43 25 Catania 24 5 8 11 19 31 23 Brescia 24 6 4 14 20 31 22 Cesena 24 5 6 13 17 31 21 Bari 24 3 5 16 14 39 14 Note: Bologna deducted three points for unpaid taxes and player salaries

BARCELONA: Cristiano Ronaldo scored a double to lead Real Madrid to a 4-1 win over Real Sociedad yesterday as the Spanish giants stayed seven points behind league leader Barcelona. Jose Mourinho’s team had to win after its fierce rivals opened up a 10-point gap through their league-record 16th straight win on Saturday. Madrid responded to the challenge with a convincing performance to stay perfect in 11 games at Santiago Bernabeu stadium this season. Kaka opened the scoring in the eighth minute, placing a left-footed shot into the far corner after Sociedad midfielder Gorka Elustondo had erred in clearing a cross and the ball fell to the Brazil playmaker in the area. Ronaldo blasted in the second in the 21st, feinting with his right, before crossing to his left and firing in from outside the area and ending his four-game scoring drought. The Portugal forward then headed home a corner by Oezil Mesut in the 42nd, and Emmanuel Adebayor capped the win in the 89th with his first league goal since joining Madrid on loan from Manchester City. Real Sociedad got its consolation goal when a shot by Raul Tamudo was blocked by goalkeeper Iker Casillas but rebounded off Alvaro Arbeloa and into the net in the 72nd. Casillas played his part in Madrid’s victory by twice denying Tamudo from point-blank range in the first half. Earlier, Sevilla and Malaga drew 0-0 in a dull Andalusian derby as both teams let important points slip. After dropping five of its last nine points and struggling to score, Mourinho deployed his most attacking starting 11 of the season with Ronaldo and Kaka playing alongside Oezil and Adebayor leading the attack. The new-look lineup showed immediate results, Kaka sending a shot just wide of the left post 20 second in. And the former AC Milan star soon put his team ahead. Sociedad looked to counterattack and came close to surprising the hosts moments after Kaka’s opener, Casillas spilling a cross but quickly recovering to make a great save of a strike by Tamudo. After a week of speculation about Ronaldo’s form, he answered his critics by peppering Sociedad’s goal with shots and made it 2-0 before Casillas again saved a stabbed shot from Tamudo from inside the six-yard box. Ronaldo’s second pulled him level with Lionel Messi on 24 goals in their personal duel to be top scorer. Messi had provisionally moved ahead of Ronaldo with his hat trick against Atletico Madrid on Saturday. Ronaldo has 34 goals in all competitions, compared to Messi’s 40. Madrid could have made a rout of it in the second half. Ronaldo came close to a a third, Kaka hit the crossbar and Oezil had a goal disallowed for offside. After an uneventful first half at Sanchez Pizjuan stadium, Sevilla improved following the restart but could not break through as Alexis Ruano and Frederic Kanoute missed clear-cut chances. Malaga’s best scoring opportunity came near the final whistle, when Sevilla goalkeeper had to save Weligton’s header. Sevilla moved into seventh place but

remained six points away from the Europa League positions. “These slip ups are moving us farther away from our goal (of playing in Europe next season),” said Sevilla coach Gregorio Manzano. “We have to try harder to convert our scoring chances.” Last-place Malaga fell four points from safety as its relegation rivals — Levante and Almeria — won this week. Malaga, which has conceded the most goals in the league with 47, didn’t concede a goal for the first time in 11 weeks. Malaga goalkeeper Sergio Asenjo was replaced early on with an apparent injury to his right knee and was replaced by Francesc Arnau. Asenjo injured is right knee last year and was sidelined for seven months. Later, fourth-place Valencia hosts Hercules. —AP

Spanish League results/standings Sevilla 0 Malaga 0; Real Madrid 4 (Kaka 8, Cristiano Ronaldo 21, 42, Adebayor 89) Real Sociedad 1 (Arbeloa 72-og). Playing later Valencia v Hercules Played Saturday Osasuna 1 (Flano 8) Mallorca 1 (Castro 37); Almeria 3 (Silva 5, Uche 6, Bernardello 18) Espanyol 2 (Verdu 33, Alvaro 48); Athletic Bilbao 3 (Lopez 15-pen, Toquero 26, Llorente 73) Sporting Gijon 0; Getafe 4 (Colunga 19, 26, Miku 44, Rios 56) Deportivo La Coruna 1 (Riki 68-pen); Real Zaragoza 1 (Boutahar 39) Racing Santander 1 (Christian 13); Villarreal 0 Levante 1 (Valdo 48); Barcelona 3 (Messi 17, 28, 79) Atletico Madrid 0. Spanish League table after Real Madrid v Real Sociedad match (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Barcelona Real Madrid Villarreal Valencia Bilbao Espanyol Sevilla Athletico Getafe Sociedad Mallorca Zaragoza Sporting Osasuna Hercules Racing Deportivo Levante Almeria Malaga

22 22 22 21 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 21 22 22 22 22 22

20 17 14 12 12 12 9 9 9 9 8 5 5 5 6 5 5 6 4 5

1 3 3 5 2 1 4 3 3 1 4 8 7 7 4 7 7 3 8 3

1 2 5 4 8 9 9 10 10 12 10 9 10 10 11 10 10 13 10 14

70 52 41 34 37 30 33 31 33 33 24 21 22 21 22 17 19 23 23 28

11 19 22 24 31 30 35 29 35 37 30 34 30 29 34 31 34 34 38 47

61 54 45 41 38 37 31 30 30 28 28 23 22 22 22 22 22 21 20 18

Anastasia takes Russia to victory over France PARIS: Teenage star Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova replaced a struggling Maria Sharapova yesterday and inspired four-time champions Russia to an historic 3-2 win over France and a place in the Fed Cup semi-finals. Pin-up Sharapova, playing her first Fed Cup match in three years, had crumbled to a 6-3, 6-4 defeat to Virginie Razzano on Saturday in her opening singles rubber and did not feature in Moscow yesterday. Russia had been 2-0 down overnight after Alize Cornet had seen off Svetlana Kuznetsova 3-6, 63, 6-4. But on Sunday, 19-year-old, world number 14 Pavlyuchenkova defeated Cornet 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 before Kuznetsova levelled the World Group I clash by seeing off Razzano 6-4, 6-4. No team had ever overturned a 2-0 deficit in the histor y of the event, but Pavlyuchenkova ignored the record books to par tner Kuznetsova to a 7-6, (7/4), 6-0 win over Alize Cornet and Julie Coin in

the decisive doubles. Russia, the 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2008 winners, will now face twotime defending champions Italy at home in the semi-finals in April. Italy completed a 4-1 rout of Australia in Hobart with world number Flavia Pennetta extending her winning streak in the competition to 10 matches with a 6-3, 6-2 triumph over Jarmila Groth. That followed world number four, and French Open champion, Francesca Schiavone’s 7-6 (7/1), 3-6, 7-5 win over fifth-ranked Samantha Stosur. Rober ta Vinci and Sara Errani saved two match points to fight back and beat the Australian combination of Rennae Stubbs and Anastasia Rodionova, 2-6, 7-6 (7/1), 6-4 in the dead doubles rubber. “We are really happy about this match (result). It was really tough for everyone here,” Pennetta said. Australian Open champion Kim Clijsters secured Belgium’s ticket for the semi-finals thanks to a 6-7 (10/12), 6-2, 6-1 victor y over Bethanie Mattek-Sands in Antwerp

as the home side took an unassailable 3-0 lead over the United States. Yanina Wickmayer breezed past Melanie Oudin 6-2, 6-0 to make it 40. Belgium will tackle the Czech Republic, who saw off neighbours Slovakia 3-2 in Bratislava, for a place in the final. The Czechs reached their third successive semi-final after Petra Kvitova, the world number 18, swept aside Daniela Hantuchova 64, 6-2 in the first of Sunday’s reverse singles to grab the key third point. “I got Daniela under pressure, that was the key. She didn’t have a chance to get in the game and I kept the pace till the end,” said Kvitova. “We’ve had enough playing the semi-finals, I think we’re considering the next step. We’d like to finally fight for the cup,” said Czech coach Petr Pala. In the second singles match on Sunday, Slovakia’s 437-ranked teenager Jana Cepelova won the first point for her country against Safarova, who retired from a 1-1 tie after the second set. — AFP

Rebensburg wins women’s giant slalom

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2011

Ronaldo’s double sinks Sociedad

Sri Lanka win West Indies series

Page 18

LONDON: Chelsea’s John Terry (left) reacts, following a tackle by Liverpool’s Lucas during their English Premiership soccer match at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge Stadium.—AP

Torres hauled off, Chelsea falter Chelsea 0

Liverpool 1

LONDON: Fernando Torres suffered a dismal debut as Chelsea’s £50 million striker was substituted following a lacklustre display in his new side’s 1-0 defeat against his former club Liverpool yesterday. Torres was hauled oﬀ after just 66 minutes of his first Chelsea appearance and the Spain striker had even more reason to forget his Stamford Bridge bow when Liverpool’s Raul Meireles bagged the winner for his old team just moments after his premature exit. The 26-year-old claims he had to join Chelsea because Liverpool are a club in transition with little chance of challenging for major honors. On this evidence, Torres may come to regret his decision to demand a move. Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish won the tactical battle with his Chelsea counterpart Carlo Ancelotti and defeat leaves the Blues, who are 10 points behind leaders Manchester United, with virtually no chance of retaining the Premier League title. Dalglish’s side are now just six points behind Chelsea and it is not impossible that Torres could see his former team beat his new club to a place in the Champions League. There were friendly greetings for Torres from his old colleagues before kick-oﬀ, although the Liverpool fans wasted little time giving him a rough ride as they unfurled a host of abusive banners with messages like “once a red, in our hearts you are dead” and “he who betrays will always walk alone”. Whistles and chants of “Judas” greeted his every touch, but Torres had a golden opportunity to silence those taunts in the second minute. Maxi Rodriguez’s wayward pass gave Torres a clear sight of goal from the edge of the area but his hurried shot sailed high over the bar. After playing a 4-3-3 formation for much of the season, Ancelotti tinkered with his tactics to accommodate Torres and opted to play the Spaniard

alongside Didier Drogba, with Nicolas Anelka tucked in behind the front two. However, with Liverpool playing three centre-backs there was little room for Torres to influence the game and he was crowded out whenever the ball came his way. Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic was unable to take one of Chelsea’s few chances when he glanced a header wide from Frank Lampard’s corner. Torres briefly escaped his shackles with a clever run onto Drogba’s pass, only for Jamie Carragher to snuff out the danger with a superb sliding block. After sitting back for long periods, Liverpool should have taken the lead when Steven Gerrard’s low cross found Rodriguez unmarked at the far post. The Argentine midfielder looked certain to score yet somehow managed an astonishing miss as he scooped his close-range effort onto the bar. Chelsea were showing signs of frustration and a careless Torres pass drew jeers of derision from the Liverpool fans before Petr Cech exchanged angry words with Ivanovic after the teammates collided. Torres was a completely anonymous figure. The Spaniard has been well below his best for much of this season and this was another strangely subdued display. There was no obvious sign of any understanding between Torres and Drogba and Ancelotti had clearly seen enough. The Blues boss decided to send on Salomon Kalou in place of Torres in the 66th minute, prompting a jubilant chorus of “you should have stayed at a big club” from Liverpool’s fans. Michael Essien almost put Chelsea ahead moments later with a curling long-range effort, but it was Liverpool who snatched the lead thanks to a terrible piece of defending from the champions. When Gerrard whipped over a low cross in the 69th minute, Cech and Ivanovic left the task of clearing to each other and Meireles punished their confusion by steering the loose ball into the net from close-range. Ancelotti sent on David Luiz for his debut but it made no difference and Chelsea’s last hope was a rejected penalty appeal when Glen Johnson blocked off Ivanovic.—AFP

Rangers and Celtic draw

LONDON: West Ham United’s Scott Parker (left) and Birmingham City’s Craig Gardner vie for the ball during their English Premier League soccer match at Upton Park. —AP

Blues inflict Hammer blow West Ham 0

Birmingham 1

LONDON: Nikola Zigic gave Birmingham City a 1-0 away to West Ham yesterday that moved the Blues out of the relegation zone and dropped their fellow strugglers to the foot of the Premier League table. The giant Zigic secured a precious three points for the Blues, now 16th in the standings, when he headed in powerfully from close range after getting on the end of Sebastian Larsson’s free-kick midway through the second half. “It was a massive game, a sixpointer, and we came out with a scrappy goal and won the game,” Birmingham’s Roger Johnson told Sky Sports. “We were dying on our feet at the end and the ball kept coming back but thankfully we got the three points, we nicked a 1-0 and a clean sheet-lovely.” The goal was only Zigic’s fourth in the Premier League since the Serbian’s £6 million pre -season arrival at St Andrew’s and Johnson added: “We’ve got into him about being more aggressive - with the size of him he should be smashing people. “But he got his goal today and got us three points.”

Defeat for West Ham manager Avram Grant on his 56th birthday is bound to increase the speculation surrounding the Israeli’s position at Upton Park although the former Chelsea and Portsmouth boss has seen several bosses at other clubs come and go while clinging on to the reins in east London. Birmingham beat West Ham, midweek winners against Blackpool, in the English League Cup last month but it was the hosts who started the better yesterday. Frederic Piquionne, played in by the in-form Victor Obinna, saw Birmingham and England goalkeeper Ben Foster take the ball oﬀ his feet. Then former Portsmouth striker Piquionne, played in by on-loan Tottenham forward Robbie Keane, struck a tame curler at Foster. Obinna, who’d scored five goals in his previous two matches, was just wide with a 25-yard eﬀort. At the other end, Cameron Jerome beat Hammers keeper Robert Green to a header but was just wide while Roger Johnson nodded over the top from 10 yards. The Hammers appealed for a penalty late in the first half when Lars Jacobsen’s strike hit Liam Ridgewell on the arm but referee Chris Foy was unmoved. Obinna appealed for another spot-kick moments later when his shot hit Johnson on the arm in the box and Keane volleyed over in stoppage time. —AFP

GLASGOW: Glasgow giants Rangers and Celtic will have to replay their Scottish Cup fifth round clash after a 2-2 draw at Ibrox here yesterday ended with both sides reduced to 10 men. Jamie Ness opened the scoring for the hosts in the third minute with his first Rangers goal before Kris Commons, playing his first Old Firm game, drew Celtic level in the 15th minute. Steven Whittaker restored Rangers’ lead after Celtic goalkeeper Fraser Forster was sent oﬀ for bringing down Steven Naismith in the box. But Celtic captain Scott Brown made it 2-2 in the 64th minute before, in another twist, Naismith-already booked for a first half foul on Mark Wilson was sent-oﬀ for diving inside the visitors’ penalty area. The sides will now meet in a replay at Parkhead on March 2. At Ibrox, Rangers made three changes as Nikica Jelavic and El-Hadji Diouf were handed Old Firm debuts while Daniel Majstorovic recovered from injury to play in the centre of Celtic’s defence. In a frantic start the home side put the Hoops under constant pressure and took the lead in the third minute. Diouf ’s corner was headed clear to the edge of the box where Ness took a touch before unleashing a curling shot that flew into the net with Forster rooted to the spot. Just over a minute later Rangers nearly doubled their advantage when Diouf released Jelavic down the left wing and his cross was fired onto the underside of the bar by Steven Davis

but bounced out. Celtic began to regain their composure and Commons restored parity in the 16th minute when he slammed Joe Ledley’s cut-back past McGregor from 12 yards to score on his Old Firm debut. Forster saw red in the 38th minute after bringing down Naismith in the box. Zaluska replaced Commons and his first task was to pick the ball out the net after Whittaker sent the Polish keeper the wrong way to bury the penalty in the bottom right-hand corner. The home side failed to make their advantage count and Brown hauled the Hoops level in the 65th minute. The Celtic captain was given time and space 20 yards out and he curled an angled shot into the far corner past the outstretched arm of McGregor. Rangers should have regained the lead two minutes later when Jelavic beat the offside trap to race clear but there was too much pace on his shotcum-cross and Davis failed to connect with it. Substitute Georgios Samaras saw a header cleared off the line before Rangers were reduced to ten men in the 76th minute when Naismith, who had been booked in the first-half for a lunge on Wilson, received a second yellow after referee Callum Murray adjudged he had dived in the box although there appeared to be slight contact from Charlie Mulgrew. Joe Ledley and sub Kyle Lafferty both came close to sealing a later winner for their sides, who will now meet an incredible seven times this season. —AFP

EPL results/standings Chelsea 0 Liverpool 1 (Meireles 69); West Ham 0 Birmingham 1 (Zigic 65). Played Saturday Aston Villa 2 (Pantsil 13-og, Walker 72) Fulham 2 (Johnson 52, Dempsey 78); Everton 5 (Saha 20, 47, 76, 84, Beckford 80) Blackpool 3 (Baptiste 37, Puncheon 62, Adam 64); Man City 3 (Tevez 17-pen, 22, 39-pen) West Brom 0; Newcastle 4 (Barton 68-pen, 83-pen, Best 75,

Tiote 87) Arsenal 4 (Walcott 1, Djourou 3, Van Persie 10, 26); Stoke 3 (Carew 32, Huth 83, 90) Sunderland 2 (Richardson 2, Gyan 48); Tottenham 2 (Van der Vaart 6-pen, Kranjcar 90) Bolton 1 (Sturridge 55); Wigan 4 (McCarthy 35, 56, Rodallega 50, Watson 65-pen) Blackburn 3 (Roberts 23, Samba 58, Dunn 81pen); Wolves 2 (Elokobi 10, Doyle 40) Man Utd 1 (Nani 3).

English Premier League table after yesterday’s matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Man Utd 25 15 9 1 55 24 54 Blackburn 26 9 4 13 34 42 31 Arsenal 25 15 5 5 54 27 50 Fulham 26 6 12 8 28 28 30 Man City 26 14 7 5 42 22 49 Everton 25 6 12 7 33 34 30 Chelsea 25 13 5 7 46 22 44 Aston Villa 26 7 8 11 30 45 29 Tottenham 25 12 8 5 35 27 44 Blackpool 25 8 4 13 38 49 28 Liverpool 26 11 5 10 34 31 38 Birmingham 24 5 12 7 24 33 27 Sunderland 26 9 10 7 32 31 37 West Brom 25 7 5 13 31 48 26 Bolton 26 8 9 9 36 37 33 Wigan 26 5 11 10 26 44 26 Stoke 25 10 3 12 31 32 33 W’hampton 25 7 3 15 26 43 24 Newcastle 25 8 7 10 40 38 31 West Ham 26 5 9 12 27 45 24

Business e niv rsar n

AUB posts KD27.4m net profits in 2010

Years

Page 25

Doubts mount over Britain’s austerity drive

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2011

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Du selects Ericsson to boost its IT environment Page 22

Samsung wins award for service excellence Page 23

Egypt banks face long queues Pound dips slightly but CB remains upbeat

CAIRO: An Egyptian vendor stands in front of a closed currency exchange oﬃce in Cairo yesterday. — AP

CAIRO: Egypt’s Banks opened for the first time in a week to queues of customers seeking to access their accounts yesterday, but the Egyptian pound weakened only modestly after violent protests gave way to calmer political talks. Bankers had braced for foreign investors and local business executives to flee the pound but the currency closed at 5.93 to the dollar, having weakened by less than 1 percent since it was last traded on Jan. 27. Egypt’s AlexBank, a former big state bank that has been privatized, said after trading it had ended its first open day with a net cash surplus of 4 million pounds ($674,000). “The way things are looking we do not expect a run on the pound at the moment,” Angus Blair, head of research at Beltone Financial, said. “We think that the prevailing atmosphere is a lot calmer than we might have assumed last week. We assumed some dollarization of the pound but that the system can cope. “I think that each day is seeing an incremental improvement in stability. If the improvements continue like this, then it would be a near new normal by the end of the week,” he said. The pound had weakened to six-year lows in the two days of trading that followed the first protests on Jan 25. The central bank had sought to reassure investors over recent days and governor, Farouk el-Okdah, gave a rare

Qatar’s Islamic banks surge on CB ruling MIDEAST STOCK MARKETS DUBAI: Qatar’s Islamic banks surged yesterday after the Gulf state’s central bank instructed conventional lenders to stop their Islamic operations. Most regional markets gained as fears over Egypt unrest. Qatar Islamic Bank, Qatar International Islamic Bank and Masraf Al-Rayan all rose more than 9 percent. A fourth Islamic lender, Barwa Bank, is unlisted. The central bank issued a circular over the weekend, saying “it has been decided to terminate the activities of the Islamic finance services” of conventional banks. “ We expect banks either to wind down, convert (mainly corporate) Islamic finance into conventional loans or to sell their Islamic finance loans to Islamic banks,” Jaap Meijer, AlembicHC senior analyst, wrote in a note to clients. The gains by the bank shares were justified, said Patrick Rahal, senior analyst at Doha’s The First Investor, but could prompt profit-taking on Monday. Qatar National Bank dropped 4.8 percent. Islamic finance accounts for more than a tenth of QNB’s assets and a sixth of loans, Meijer added, so it is likely to be most negatively impacted by the central bank ruling. In Saudi Arabia, Samba Financial Group climbed 0.9 percent and Arab Bank rose 1.7 percent. Sofia El Boury, Shuaa Capital assistant vice-president for research, said Saudi banks had the most potential regionally. “The catalyst will be increased lending growth to corporate borrowers. There will be a number of drivers... with the biggest being large government infrastructure spending,” said Boury. “The contribution of local banks in terms of providing project financing will increase, it’s just that 2010 was a year of

risk aversion and insuﬃcient credit demand. “There’s a will from the authorities to channel excess liquidity into lending. Banks’ liquidity positions are comfortable and have the capacity to lend, but they need an extra push to make that happen,” she said. In December, Saudi Arabia announced a record budget for 2011 of $155 billion. The index rose 0.8 percent, its fourth straight gain. “We’re expecting a choppy few weeks and won’t get massive moves in either direction unless there are major political developments in Egypt, which is the main driver,” said a Riyadh-based trader who asked not to be identified. “Stocks should amble along without much conviction.” Egypt tried to get the nation back to work on Sunday with banks reopening, and the vice president held unprecedented talks with a banned Islamist group and other opponents about their demand that President Hosni Mubarak quit. Dubai Islamic Bank rose 3.6 percent to a three-month high, helping Dubai’s index gain for a third session in four. “This is probably in line with the numbers coming out of the UAE banking sector - people are now expecting lower provisions, so the numbers should be good,” said Haissam Arabi, chief executive and fund manager at Gulfmena Alternative Investments. Last week, Fitch Ratings gave Dubai Islamic a stable outlook, while National Bank of Abu Dhabi’s quarterly profit rose 71 percent. The latter fell 0.4 percent. “Markets in the Gulf are up following the improving picture in Egypt,” added Arabi. “We’re still playing catch-up after the irrational selloﬀ last week and interest is gradually coming back.” — Reuters

growing India facing unemployment ‘bomb’ NEW DELHI: Last week 100,000 jobseekers travelled to a small northern Indian town for a recruitment fair that ended in tragedy, revealing much about the limitations of the country’s economic boom. The crowd of mostly young men converged on the town of Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh crammed into all forms of transport, many of them travelling hours from states across the deeply impoverished plains of north India. On oﬀer was the chance of joining the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). A paltry 416 jobs were available as washermen, barbers, water carriers and other lowly positions with a starting salary of 5,200 rupees ($115) a month. This remarkable turnout for so few vacancies might have gone unreported except for violence when applicants grew frustrated with the registration process and a gruesome accident as the disappointed hordes headed home.

Returning on the roof of a train that had been filled far beyond its capacity, 18 men were killed when they failed to react in time to a low-hanging bridge. The blame game that erupted afterwards highlighted problems common to most accidents in India. The railways said they had not been informed of the crowds, the police blamed the organizers for mismanagement. Nobody enforced health and safety laws that prohibit travelling atop trains. But the events in Bareilly send deeper signals about the Indian economy, social change and poverty and tell a diﬀerent story from the 9.0 percent growth figures and hype about the country as a world economic power. “Right now, the problem of unemployment has not fully appeared, but it’s a bomb in a dormant state,” said J. Manohar Rao, an author on development and professor of economics at the University of Hyderabad. — AFP

television interview on Saturday night before banks opened. “Of course, over the next week we will have some problems but we will be able to handle them because we have had experience before,” Okdah said. “I am confident that the market will be orderly.” Since then protesters have been beaten by police and attacked by suppor ters of President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo and across Egypt. Cars and ruling party buildings have been torched. The army was sent onto the streets to restore order. Egypt, once an island of stability in a tumultuous region, has seen its political establishment shaken to the core. Mubarak, 82, had been widely expected to run for president again in September, but has now said he will step down. Protesters are still in central Cairo demanding the president end his 30-year rule now. But violence has subsided and there was a huge but quiet protest on Friday. “For private investment, I don’t think investors will pull out of Egypt,” Mona Mansour, an economist at CI Capital, said. “Maybe we’ll ... see more outflow from the stock market and fixed income. We may see also higher T-bill yields. These are the shortterm impacts of this crisis,” she said. The stock market has yet to re-open and a bourse official said it would stay closed on Tuesday. Banks and ATM machines in down-

town Cairo have drew long queues of customers anxious to withdraw money before banks close after a shortened working day at 1:30 p.m. (1130 GMT). Some clients were still anxious despite the relative calm. “I have been visiting several bank branches downtown since nine in the morning,” said Soad Mohamed, 62, who wanted to cash in her pension. “Every bank I go to, they tell me, the bank is closed. I have one more hour to go before banks close again, and I still have not been able to withdraw the amount of money I need.” Army vehicles still stand guard at intersections where soldiers had erec ted sandbag barriers, as buses dropped employees off at large state banks. While clients queued, some employees s t a r te d t a k i n g n a m e s to c re ate l i s t s to ensure order when they enter. “We have to have some order around here. People are anxious to get paid and pull money out. It has been almost two weeks and life is at a standstill,” said Metwali Sha’ban, a volunteer making a list of customers to organize who would enter first. Some 341 bank branches, including 152 in Cairo, were opened across the country. In Tahrir Square, the focal point of nearly two weeks of protests against Mubarak, soldiers opened the doors of the main government administrative building, the Mugamma. —Reuters

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Du selects Ericsson to boost IT environment UAE telecom service provider in managed services deal

Albisher & Alkazemi Co at GulfRun 6 in Bahrain KUWAIT: Abdul Rahman Albisher & Zaid Alkazemi Company, the Authorized Mercedes-Benz General Distributor in Kuwait participated in the GulfRun 6 event as a pit sponsor where we were on track with the large contingent of motoring enthusiasts from Kuwait at the Bahrain F1 Circuit with the awe inspiring Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. Professional driver from the official AMG Driving Academy, Marc Simon was on hand to give truly exhilarating taxirides on the SLS AMG to the participants of the GulfRun this year. The SLS AMG is the super sports car from Mercedes-Benz and AMG. It makes for an alluring proposition with its unrivalled technology package: Aluminum space-frame body with Gullwing doors, AMG 6.3-litre V8 frontmid-engine developing 420 kW/ 571 hp peak output, 650 Nm of torque and dry sump lubrication, seven-speed doubledeclutch transmission in a transaxle con-

figuration, sports suspension with aluminium double wishbones and a kerb weight of 1620 kilograms - this superlative combination guarantees driving dynamics of the highest order. The ‘Gullwing’ accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds. On the track it impressed with its superlative performance, dynamic handling and supreme comfort and luxury. “It really was an exhilarating experience to be on the track with the SLS being driven by Marc, I thoroughly enjoyed it” said Mr. Abdul Majeed Ashkanani, a keen motoring enthusiast himself. The event took place over two days at the Bahrain International Circuit in front of an enthusiastic crowd from Kuwait who came to see their friends and family in action at the track. More information about the SLS AMG and Mercedes-Benz products and service can be had from the website: www.mercedes-benz.com.kw

DUBAI: Du - the integrated telecom service provider in the UAE, has extended its long standing business relationship with Ericsson into the IT space. As part of the new 5-year managed services agreement, Ericsson will augment du’s IT applications and deliver application development and maintenance for du’s IT application landscape. The agreement was marked in a ceremony attended by Fahad Al Hassawi, Chief Human Resources and Shared Services Officer, du, and Ray Hassan, President and Head of Gulf Council Countries (GCC), Ericsson, in the presence of Ahmed Hassan, Senior Vice President Information Technology at du. This agreement supplements du’s aggressive growth strategy and its continuous focus on improving the company capabilities in service delivery, enhancing customer experiences, offering more value-formoney products and creating more value for shareholders. Fahad Al-Hassawi, Chief Human Resources and Shared Services Officer, du, says: “We have grown rapidly as a company ever since we launched operations. To maintain the momentum and build on it we have chosen Ericsson to partner us in the field of IT Application Development. Ericsson’s expertise will significantly help enhance our IT applications, which we believe will reflect on our customers’ experience in top priority areas such as billing”. Ray Hassan, President and Head of Gulf Council Countries (GCC), Ericsson says: “This confirms a growing trend in the market. Operators are looking for ways to simplify the management of their IT landscapes which are growing more complex. By having Ericsson providing both telecom and IT services, operators like du can gain significant business benefits. I would like to thank du on their continuous trust in partnering with Ericsson and for setting a new and unique business model in the region.” Under the terms of the contract, Ericsson will develop and maintain applications for

about 35 platforms and technologies, including upgrading and consolidation of du’s software applications domains, transformation of operations and enterprise support systems and managed services. Having one of the

world’s highest mobile penetrations - reaching 205 percent , the 4.7 million residents of the UAE enjoy one of the most highly developed telecom markets and technologically advanced telecom infrastructures in the Gulf.

Journey Of Transformation At Enjazat Oman Exhibition Japan bank sells $100m in Dubai World debt DUBAI: A Japanese bank agreed to sell $100 million of loans related to Dubai World before completion of the stateowned entity’s debt restructuring plan, a newspaper reported yesterday. The bank, which the paper did not name, began selling its loans last summer before Dubai World reached an agreement with its creditors in September, The National reported, citing sources that it did not identify. A sale agreement reached last week would provide the Japanese bank with

between 60 cents and 65 cents on the dollar. The bank’s first sale of $25 million of a $5.5 billion loan sold at 55 cents on the dollar last May, sources said. While conglomerate Dubai World obtained 100 percent approval for the restructuring of almost $25 billion in debt, banks have not received final documentation that would seal the deal. Under the terms of the restructuring, banks will receive repayments through two new loans maturing over five and eight years. — Reuters

The national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman showcased its epic transformation and pioneering contributions to the development of the Sultanate at Enjazat Oman, an exhibition which paid tribute to the iconic achievements over the last four decades under the reign and visionary leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said. “The exhibition was an excellent platform for Oman Air to once again demonstrate its role as a catalyst for propelling the country’s image and message to a large international audience,” expressed Usama Al Haremi, Head of Corporate Communications and Media at Oman Air. “We are fully committed to achieving His Majesty’s Vision 2020. Our journey of transformation has led us to unprecedented achievements to date, growing from a modest regional carrier to a respected international ambassador that flies to 41 destinations around the globe.” He added, “We translate His Majesty’s

Oman Air Highlights

vision in every aspect of our business operations, ensuring that we enrich our onboard experience on our expanding fleet with genuine Omani hospitality and implement the principals of sustainability while attracting and nurturing local talent who will realize the goals and ambitions we have set for the

Airline.” At the six day exhibition endorsed by the High Committee for National Day, Oman Air displayed its state-of-the-art Business Class cabin which exemplifies comfort, design and technology. Providing a sense of spaciousness that exceeds the First Class offerings of many other airlines, the Cabin is also equipped with superior entertainment and communication capabilities and an extra-wide 22” seat that converts to a fully-flat bed. The Business Class seats feature widescreen 17” video monitors on which passengers can enjoy live satellite TV as well as popular movies, music and games. As the first airline in the world to introduce both WiFi internet access and mobile phone connectivity to its Airbus fleet, Oman Air has empowered discerning travelers with the ability to make and receive calls, send text messages, check email, browse the web or update their social media.

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 US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian dollars Danish Kroner Swedish Kroner Australian dlr Hong Kong dlr Singapore dlr Japanese yen Indian Rs/KD Sri Lanka rupee Pakistan rupee Bangladesh taka UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi Riyal/KD Omani riyals Philippine Peso

.2745000 .4460000 .3760000 .2890000 .2800000 .2800000 .0045000 .0020000 .0753900 .7345050 .3900000 .0710000 .7200500 .0045000 .0470000

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES .2785500 .4485940 .3783840 .2916840 .2819820 .0507140 .0429300 .2823710 .0357660 .2184310 .0033880 .0000000 .0000000 .0000000 .0000000 .0758440 .7389230 .0000000 .0742860 .7235650 .0000000

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka

ASIAN COUNTRIES 3.388 6.078 3.260 2.514 3.814 218.420 35.914 3.894

.2840000 .4550000 .3840000 .2980000 .2880000 .2870000 .0075000 .0035000 .0761480 .7418870 .4100000 .0780000 .7272870 .0072000 .0560000 .2806000 .4519760 .3812370 .2938840 .2841090 .0510960 .0432540 .2845000 .0360350 .2200780 .0034140 .0062010 .0025390 .0032910 .0039800 .0764160 .7444950 .3968880 .0748470 .7290210 .0064510

Philippine Peso Thai Baht Irani Riyal - Transfer Irani Riyal - Cash

6.307 8.981 0.271 0.273 GCC COUNTRIES 74.645 76.932 727.240 743.470 76.225

Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham

Egyptian Pound - Cash Egyptian Pound - Transfer Yemen Riyal Tunisian Dinar Jordanian Dinar Lebanese Lira Syrian Lier Morocco Dirham

ARAB COUNTRIES 51.650 47.781 1.312 198.500 395.390 186.000 6.084 34.553

EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 279.880 Euro 382.370 Sterling Pound 445.570 Canadian dollar 281.400 Turkish lire 173.090 Swiss Franc 198.700 Australian dollar 277.670 US Dollar Buying 279.045

Sterling Pound US Dollar

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

SELL CASH 288.100 743.990 4.230 286.400 549.400 14.100 52.100 167.800 50.450 384.500 36.630 6.400

SELL DRAFT 286.600 743.990 3.870 284.900

221.000 47.993 383.000 36.480 6.135

0.032 0.262 0.252 3.500 397.010 0.189 95.070 46.600 4.380 219.700 1.903 49.900 726.660 3.340 6.580 77.380 74.690 221.000 41.010 2.714 454.500 43.900 296.800 6.100 9.470 198.263 76.330 280.100 1.350

0.032

395.410 0.188 95.070 3.850 218.200

295.300 6.100 9.260 76.230 279.700

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 452.500 279.700

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd Rate for Transfer US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro Swiss Frank Bahrain Dinar UAE Dirhams Qatari Riyals Saudi Riyals Jordanian Dinar Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupees

Selling Rate 279.650 284.471 451.211 382.228 292.343 740.162 76.116 76.791 74.543 395.038 47.963 2.520

Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Pesso Cyprus pound Japanese Yen Thai Bhat Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees

6.131 3.277 3.874 6.380 685.974 3.524 9.157 6.199 3.919

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co. 726.480 3.275 6.380 76.950 74.690 221.000 41.010 2.519 452.500

GOLD 1,416.540

10 Tola

GOLD 255.000 129.000 66.500

20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

Indonesia Iranian tuman Iraqi dinar Japanese yen Jordanian dinar Lebanese pound Malaysian ringgit Morocco dirham Nepalese Rupees New Zealand dollar Nigeria Norwegian krone Omani Riyal Pakistani rupees Philippine peso Qatari riyal Saudi riyal Singapore dollar South Africa Sri Lankan rupees Sterling pound Swedish krona Swiss franc Syrian pound Thai bhat Tunisian dollar UAE dirham U.S. dollars Yemeni Riyal

Currency US Dollar Pak Rupees Indian Rupees Sri Lankan Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso UAE Dirhams Saudi Riyals Bahraini Dinars Egyptian Pounds Pound Sterling Indonesian Rupiah Nepali rupee Yemeni Riyal Jordanian Dinars Syrian Pounds Euro Canadian Dollars

Rate per 1000 (Tran) 279.700 3.280 6.145 2.530 3.880 6.430 76.255 74.790 743.600 47.965 456.200 0.00003280 3.910 1.550 397.400 5.750 385.700 289.100

Al Mulla Exchange Currency Transfer Rate (Per 1000) US Dollar 279.350 Euro 382.800 Pound Sterling 442.200 Canadian Dollar 284.600 Japanese Yen 3.425 Indian Rupee 6.115 Egyptian Pound 47.095 Sri Lankan Rupee 2.520 Bangladesh Taka 3.825 Philippines Peso 6.363 Pakistan Rupee 3.263 Bahraini Dinar 743.950 UAE Dirham 76.100 Saudi Riyal 74.550 *Rates are subject to change

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business

A view from the 5th Middle East Government and Business Organizations Global Customer Care Competitiveness Excellence Awards.

Sheikh Hasher Al-Maktoom presents award to JW Lee from Samsung.

Samsung wins award for Global Customer Service Excellence Prestigious honor for second consecutive year DUBAI: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, a global leader in digital media and digital convergence technologies, received the Middle East Government and Business Organizations’ award for Global Customer Care under the Electronics category for the second consecutive year. Under the patronage of Sheikh Maktoom Bin Hasher AlMaktoom, the award was presented to June Woo Lee, General Manager of Samsung Gulf Customer Satisfaction (GCS), in recognition of the division’s outstanding achieve-

ments and commitment to customer care service. The ceremony was held in conjunction with the 9th GCC Government and Business Global Competitiveness Customer Care Strategy Development Conference, which took place in Dubai. The winners were selected through an evaluation process which was conducted by a panel of judges who rated companies on the basis of the quality of their customer service, professionalism, accessibility to customers, and

NEW DELHI: (From left to right): Etihad cabin crew representative, Ambassador of the UAE in India, Mohamed Sultan Al-Owais, Indian Minister for Civil Aviation Vayalar Ravi, Etihad Chief Executive Officer James Hogan, Etihad cabin crew representative, Etihad Senior Vice President Government Affairs and Aeropolitical, Khaled Almehairbi , Etihad Vice President Public Affairs,Vijay Poonoosamy, and Etihad Country Manager in India Neerja Bhata.

ETIHAD IN INDIA TO BOOST PARTNERSHIP NEW DELHI: An Etihad Airways delegation, led by Etihad Chief Executive, James Hogan, arrived in New Delhi, India, to meet with key civil aviation officials and trade partners in the nation’s capital. Hogan met with the Indian Minister for Civil Aviation, Vayalar Ravi and other authorities in the capital to discuss growth opportunities in the Indian aviation market. Hogan said: “India is a cornerstone market and the largest market we serve, with eight destinations. The scope of our Indian operation today reflects the historic ties between the UAE and India, and is also indicative of the great potential for the region and our confidence in its future growth. “We see enormous opportunity to expand and diversify our services in light of the unique mix of traffic and both countries’ growing position as world-class business and holiday destinations. “We appreciate the support of the Indian government and our positive partnership

with Indian civil aviation authorities, without whose support this growth would not be possible. We look forward to continued cooperation.” The airline will host a cocktail reception for trade partners and corporate guests at the Imperial Hotel. The event will also be attended by renowned Bollywood actress and Etihad Brand ambassador, Katrina Kaif, who is in town to launch the airline’s “Next Stop Bollywood” online dance competition. During the visit, the airline also announced the extension of its luxury chauffeur services in Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad, enhancing the travel experience for premium passengers on the ground. With the addition of the airline’s newly launched operations to Bangalore, Etihad now flies to eight Indian destinations including New Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Kozhikode, Thiruvananthapuram, Hyderabad and Kochi, with 49 flights to India per week.

ETIHAD-VIRGIN BLUE GETS ACCC APPROVAL ABU DHABI: Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has welcomed yesterday’s announcement by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) granting authorization for an alliance between Etihad and the Virgin Blue Group of Airlines for five years. The authorization gives a green light for the airlines to cooperate on joint pricing and scheduling of services across their respective networks. This means that Etihad Airways and the Virgin Blue Group will offer their customers a new combined global network of more than 100 destinations worldwide. James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ Chief Executive Officer, said: “ Today ’s announcement by the ACCC to grant authorization of Etihad’s alliance with the Virgin Blue Group for a period of five

years is fantastic news for both airlines and for our customers, and is a positive step towards growing our already strong position in the Australian market. “The alliance will contribute to growing Etihad’s share of the Australian corporate and leisure markets and increase our appeal as the airline of choice for travellers to Australia and the South Paciﬁc from the Middle East, Europe and UK. “This is just the beginning. We hope to expand the partnership over time, providing greater beneﬁts to travellers by growing competition and opening new routes.” The alliance means that from 24 February 2011 Virgin Blue’s international arm, V Australia, will commence direct services to Abu Dhabi, moving towards a combined total of 27 weekly services between Abu Dhabi and Australia.

presence of clearly defined customer service processes. “We are honored to be recognized for our efforts in positioning service differentiation and customer excellence as our highest priority,” said June Woo Lee of Samsung. “At Samsung, customer anticipation is one of our main objectives which are why we are constantly seeking new and innovative ways to deliver differentiated services and ensuring the delivery of exceptional experiences to our customers”.

As a part of Samsung GCS’s mandate to enhance customer service levels in the region, a number of industry leading initiatives were implemented such as Samsung Free Service campaign. In 2009, Samsung launched the program to enable customers across the Middle East and Africa to repair their Samsung products for free. In addition, Samsung’s “Service on Wheel” vehicles were introduced in 2010 to oﬀer services to customers in remote areas. Organized by DataMix, the conference

helps regional organizations and business excel and develop their customer service trends and oﬀerings and provides a benchmark for the organizations through the best-practices service guidelines. The other winners for the 2011 awards were Abu Dhabi Municipality, Al Ain Municipality, King Saud University, Ministry of Labor, Dubai Airports, Saudi Telecom, Al Ain Farms and RTA (Dubai Roads and Transpor t Authority).

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Heavyweights yield to selling pressure at KSE GLOBAL DAILY MARKET REPORT KUWAIT: Equities at the Kuwait

Stock Exchange (KSE) pulled back yesterday, as the market’s heavyweights succumbed to the selling pressure. All major indices edged lower. Investors remained unsettled by political tensions in the Middle East. A strong earnings report from Ahli United Bank failed to boost market sentiment. The bank realized a 92.43 percent growth in its 2010 earnings ﬁgures, at KD27.44mn. This translates to an EPS of KD0.0284. The scrip closed ﬂat at KD0.810. Global General Index (GGI) closed 2.21 points down (1.01 percent), at 218.08 point as the Market capitalization decreased reaching KD35.45mn. On the other hand, Kuwait Stock Exchange Price Index closed in the red zone shedding 27.50 points (0.41 percent) from its value and closed at 6,747 point. Market breadth During the session, 105 companies were traded. Market breadth was skewed towards decliners as 23 equities advanced versus 42 that retreated. Volume of shares traded on the exchange decreased by 28.51 percent to reach 96.35mn shares, the value of shares traded increased by 24.61 percent to stand at KD26.88mn. The Services Sector was the volume leader yesterday, accounting for 31.40 percent of total shares and the Banking Sector was the value leader, with 74.14 percent of total traded value. Company-wise, National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) was the most actively traded stock during the day, with 12.80mn shares exchanged at a total value of

KD17.96mn. The scrip closed down by 2.78 percent at KD1.400. From a technical overview, the long-term outlook of the stock remains bullish but further weakness could be seen on the coming period towards KD1.320 if the price is traded below KD1.380. In terms of top gainers, Kuwait Real Estate Holding Co was the biggest gainer for the day, adding 16.67 percent and closed at KD0.035. On the other hand, Mena Holding Group came in as the biggest decliner, dropping by 8.62 percent and closed at KD0.106. Sector-wise Global Food Index paced the losses, down 1.96 percent. Kuwait Foodstuﬀ Company (Americana) shed 2.50 of its value, reaching KD1.560. Selling

pressure mounted on Banking stocks as well, as depicted by 1.87 percent decline in Global Banking Index. Share price of Gulf Bank and Kuwait Finance House (KFH) recoiled by 3.64 percent and 1.61 percent respectively. Shares of Kuwait Real Estate Holding Co. clocking 16.67 percent in gains. However, the gain was not suﬃcient to help the sector index nudge out of the negative territory. The Global Real Estate Index dipped 0.19 percent, on the back of a 1.43 percent decrease in the stock price of National Real Estate Company. A strong earnings report from United Industries Co., failed to cheer investors’ moods. The scrip closed ﬂat at KD0.140. Global Industrial Index shed 1.36 percent to close at 211.95 points.

Corporate News First Investment Company has clarified a local press news as regards receiving bids for its stake in Bahrain-based First Islamic Investment Bank. The Kuwaitbased company declared receiving several purchase offers for its 26.7 percent shareholding in the Bahraini lender, whose capital amounts to $120mn. These offers are being studied, the company noted, adding that the Kuwaiti bourse would be informed of the latest developments in this regard. Oil News The price of OPEC basket of twelve crudes stood at $97.71 a barrel on Thursday, compared with $97.66 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

German firms wrestle with female quota in boardrooms BERLIN: Germany can boast a wealth of female talent in its government all the way to the top with Chancellor Angela Merkel, but its corporate boardrooms are still almost entirely all-male affairs. The remarkable lack of woman executives in Europe’s biggest economy has sparked a groundswell of protest, with leading news magazine Der Spiegel calling in its current issue for a female quota to redress the imbalance. “Quotas should be a first-aid measure for a society that has held on to rigid ideas of gender roles for too long,” it wrote in an 11-page cover story entitled “Why Germany Needs A Woman Quota - A Manifesto”. “Equality, justice, role models-the debate about the quota involves everything because it would change this country from the bottom up. The effects would be seen everywhere-at the family breakfast table just as at the conference tables of the biggest companies.” But perhaps ironically, the idea has failed to win the support of Merkel, who is Germany’s first woman chancellor and grew up in the communist east where gender equality in the workplace was more widespread than in the west. “The chancellor does not support the idea of a binding quota for the moment,” her spokesman Steffen Seibert told a regular news conference. “She is of the opinion that you have to give companies another chance” to rectify the under-representation of women. However he admitted that voluntary targets introduced in 2001 for companies to boost their ranks of female executives had produced “for the most part modest results”. The proportion of women on executive or supervisory boards at Germany’s 200 biggest companies is currently at a dismal 3.2 percent, the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) said in its latest study released last month. Merkel’s cabinet, by contrast, is onethird female but deeply divided on whether a quota is needed to promote fairness, pitting Family Affairs Minister

Kristina Schroeder against Labour Minister Ursula von der Leyen. Both women belong to Merkel’s conservative Christian Democratic Union and have attracted attention for their work-life balance. Schroeder, 33, recently revealed that she is pregnant, in a first in Germany for a sitting minister. Meanwhile von der Leyen, 52, has become a political star while raising seven children. The 56-year-old Merkel, for her part, is childless. Von der Leyen has vocally backed a quota of 30 percent, saying industry had failed to hold up its end of the bargain in the 10 years since the voluntary measures were announced. But Schroeder wants to give them another grace period of two years, “then a legislative obligation will enter into force,” she told reporters Thursday. The pro-business Free Democrats, junior partners in the centre-right ruling coalition, reject a binding quota. As the debate gained momentum, the government announced it would convene a meeting on the issue in March with personnel chiefs at the 30 largest German companies to come up with a plan of action. Quota advocates point to France, where 40 percent of seats on supervisory boards at the biggest companieswith at least 500 staff or more than 50 million euros ($68 million) in annual turnover-must go to women by 2017. Meanwhile Norway introduced in 2008 a requirement that women hold at least 40 percent of the posts on corporate boards at the country’s top 500 firms. Critics say Germany’s resistance to women executives is rooted in a lack of affordable child care but also in cultural factors. Professor Barbara Vinken of the University of Munich, a leading commentator on women’s affairs, says that German women are confronted with more restrictive expectations than their French counterparts, for example. “German women have internalized the notion that the feminine ideal is a housewife or at most a part-time employee,” she told AFP. —AFP

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Dollar drops as FX market remains volatile NBK WEEKLY MONEY MARKETS REPORT unchanged at 10% in December. Markets had expected the rate to rise to 10.1%. Compared to November, the total number of unemployed fell by 73,000 to total 15.775 million in the euro-zone.

KUWAIT: The US dollar fell across the board earlier during the week as better than expected global economic indicators spurred an increase in risk tolerance. However, the US dollar gained momentum on Friday and ended the week on a stronger footing, as a surprisingly better than expected job data encouraged optimism about the US economic outlook. The euro reached a high of 1.3860 driven by short term inflationary pressures that could push the ECB to increase rates but ended the week lower at 1.3578 weighed down by a stronger dollar and a dovish Trichet. The Sterling reached a high of 1.6277 on better than expected manufacturing and services numbers to close the week lower at 1.6108. The Australian dollar reached a high of 1.0199 and closed the week at 1.0131. The Japanese Yen range traded between 82.40 and 81.30. Unemployment US jobless rate surprisingly fell in January to its lowest level in nearly two years, dropping to 9 percent from 9.4% the previous month. However, non-farm payrolls came out well below expectations, as employers added 36,000 jobs last month, against an expected increase of 146,000 jobs, as severe snow storms slammed large parts of the nation. Bernanke speaks Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said that the US economic recovery should gain momentum this year, but persistently high unemployment and low inflation call for continued support from the Fed. Mr. Bernanke shrugged off a recent increase in commodity prices, saying overall inflation remains the “quite low”. He also repeated his warning about the daunting fiscal challenges the US faces, calling for a plan to be

drawn-up as soon as possible to cut budget deficits in the future. Expansion Manufacturing in the US unexpectedly accelerated in January at the fastest pace since May 2004, reinforcing signs of strength in the expansion at the beginning of the year. The ISM Manufacturing Index rose to 60.8 from 58.5 in December, where readings greater than 50 indicate growth in that sector. In parallel, factory orders surged to a seven-year high rising by 0.2% whereas expectations were for a drop by 0.2%. The ISM report showed that the services sector increased for the fifth consecutive month and has stayed above the 50 threshold for the past year. The ISM non-manufacturing index rose to 59.4 in January from 57.1 in December.

ECB rate The European Central Bank kept its key lending rate at a record low as policy makers weighed the risk of faster inflation against the danger that higher borrowing costs could worsen the regions sovereign debt crisis. The ECB kept the benchmark rate at a record low of 1% for a 22nd month, as widely expected by the market. In a conference after the meeting the ECB president Jean-Claude Trichet signaled that officials remain concerned about rising consumer prices even if interest rates are “appropriate” for now, he also added, that “very close monitoring is warranted” on inflation. Inflation European inflation exceeded market expectations in January, adding pressures on policy makers to monitor price gains that are breaching the ECB’s 2% limit. Inflation in the euro-zone rose at its fastest pace

AUB posts KD27.4m net profits in 2010 A growth by 92.4% compared to 2009 KUWAIT: Ahli United Bank (AUB) reported Net Profits of KD 27.4 million in 2010 marking a growth in profits by 92.4% as compared to 2009; these results are attributable to the operating income generated from the core business activities of the bank which amounted to KD 77.4 million. On the other hand and in line with the bank’s prudent policy aiming at addressing the global and local economic conditions, the bank has successfully achieved the above profits after setting aside KD 24.5 Million adequate provisions including precautionary additional provisions; a matter which highlights the bank’s proven ability to overcome the varying economic conditions effectively. The total deposits of the bank soared by 8% reaching to KD 2,147 million, the total assets amounting KD 2,454 million soared by 8.6%, and the total financing receivables and loans amounting KD 1,610 million soared by 3.1%. Proudly announcing the financial results of the bank, Hamad Abdul Mohsen Al-Marzouq; the Chairman and Managing Director of AUB, declared that the distribution of Bonus Shares of 5% and cash dividends amounted to 14% was recommended by the Board. Al-Marzouq further added that a noticeable growth in all the bank’s activities and indices was reported in 2010 and stated that the bank has achieved these positive results despite the bank’s prudent strategy aiming at constituting further precautionary additional general provisions; that is in addition to mandatory provisions computed in accordance with the Central Bank of Kuwait’s guidelines and the International Accounting Standards, to avert the repercussions of global financial turmoil. “We believe that the yielded profits are a normal outcome of the outstanding performance of all sectors caused by the diversified sources of income, expanded scope of activities, proper risk allocation, focused attention to the clients’ demands, and the provision of several developed services and products. The upcoming juncture will bring about many challenges that make it imperative for the Kuwaiti banking sector to proactively develop its instruments and products to keep pace with the rapidly-changing developments worldwide”, Al-Marzouq added. Al-Marzouq pointed out that the Year 2010 was a turning point in the AUB’s pedigree when the bank firstly presented itself as an Islamic bank in early second quarter 2010, and stressed that the clientele database grew noticeably after the bank had converted into Islamic over the past year. Al-Marzouq underlined that the bank has been applying prudent policies and wise management approaches that enabled the bank to attain international recognition certificates which highlighted the bank’s financial stability, quality assets and stable levels of profitability. Al-Marzouq also emphasized that the bank has overcome the repercussions endured over the past juncture and has actively developed its assets, and highlighted that the bank’s Risk Management operates through effective approach which enabled the bank to attain a high credit rating according

to Fitch Ratings Agency which reflects the strong financial position of the bank in the face of the inconvenient economic conditions. Fitch Ratings Agency has commended the high standards of control and management over expenditures and the improved quality of assets in 2010; an indication that AUB is following prudent strategy that supported the depositors’ and clients’ confidence in the bank’s management of its banking operations. This high credit rating has also reinforced Fitch’s confidence in the bank’s conversion into Islamic Shari’a in April 2010, and has thus qualified AUB to be the ultimate choice by the majority of clients. Al-Marzouq indicated that the realized returns on Sharia-compliant investment deposits outweighed the returns of similar deposits in the market, as the returns on KD deposits reached 4.01% for annual deposits, and 2.90% for six months deposits, and 2.42% for quarterly deposits. In addition, the return on quarterly investment saving accounts in Kuwaiti dinar soared to 2.17%; affirming that the bank remained stable following the conversion into Islamic and achieved the highest returns on Sharia-compliant investment deposits. Furthermore, the financial statements of the financial year ending in 2010 highlighted the key achievements by AUB over the previous periods. Such achievements highlights the bank’s efficiency in banking operations and strong financial position which led to generate operating income of KD 77.4 Million, and the bank’s ability in achieving more significant accomplishments and raising up the levels of profitability through the bank’s ongoing commitment to produce value-added investment and banking products that contribute to the development of the Islamic banking industry. Concluding his statement, Al-Marzouq expressed his confidence in the Kuwaiti economy in general, believing that the local banking sector has perfectly overcome the adverse consequences of the global financial turmoil under the prudent guidelines of Central Bank of Kuwait than any other banking sector worldwide. And the bank will keep up its prudent strategy that aims at addressing any prospective risks. Al-Marzouq seized this opportunity to extend his heartiest congratulations to H.H Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah and his honest Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, may Allah bless them, on the 50th anniversary of independence. Al-Marzouq would also like to extend sincere thanks and appreciation on behalf of the members of the board of directors and employees of the bank to the respectful clients and shareholders for their endless confidence and significant contribution to the bank’s accomplishments. Al-Marzouq promised to take all the precautionary measures to ensure that the banking transactions shall remain safe and secure, and to offer the bank’s products and services in a manner that meets the aspirations of the bank’s clients and shareholders; believing that the bank’s clients always attain the focused attention of the bank’s management.

since October 2008, to reach 2.4% from 2.2% in December. Mainly, higher inflation is led by increasing commodity prices that are adding pressure on companies to pass on the higher costs to consumers resulting in higher prices. Retail Sales Euro-zone retail sales unexpectedly fell in December, a sign that consumers in the region were reluctant to indulge even in the key holiday season. Retails sales dropped by 0.6% in December as the market was expecting a 0.6% increase. A number of European retailers, including Germany’s Metro, Carrefour and Tesco, have said snow and freezing temperatures across the region in December directly hit sales, especially for non-food items. Unemployment The euro-zone unemployment rate was

Mixed numbers House prices in the United Kingdom rose unexpectedly in January, but they still fell to their lowest annual rate in more than a year and the underlying trend remains weak. The Halifax House price index rose by 0.8% after two months of declines and only a partial reversal of the 1.1% drop in December, annually house prices dropped by 2.4%. UK manufacturing growth unexpectedly accelerated to its fastest pace in January as export orders climbed and domestic consumer and business spending increased. The Manufacturing PMI rose to 62.0 from a revised 58.7 reading in December. In parallel, the services sector rebounded sharply in January rising to 54.5 from a 20-month low of 49.7 in December, breaking the 50 threshold, which delimitates expansion from contraction. Industrial production Japan’s industrial production increased the most in 11 months in December, boosted by overseas demand that’s spurring the recover y. In parallel, factor y outputs climbed by 3.1% from 1% in November. Companies such as Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co. are among many that are increasing production to meet demand from China and the US, Japan’s largest export market. Kuwait Dinar at 0.28065 The USDKWD opened at 0.28065 yesterday morning.

Customers Vote ‘Royale Hayat’ as ‘Best Hospital’ in Kuwait KUWAIT: Royale Hayat Hospital came in at First Place in the Healthcare Category in the first ever ‘Independent Customer Satisfaction’ survey conducted in Kuwait. More than 10,000 consumers voted in the ‘Service Hero Customer Satisfaction Index (SHCSI)’ survey. The study was focused on rating consumer expectations vis-a-vis their actual satisfaction on several dimensions including ‘Value-to-Price’, Reliability, Product Quality, Staff Behavior, Location et al. The Service Hero Index is the first independent crossindustry survey in Kuwait including 15 other industries such as Banking, Dining, Telecom, Airlines, Electronics, and ISPs among others. Service Hero aggregates votes only after confirmation of authenticity and originality based on guidelines of an Independent Local Advisory Council creating a benchmark by for Kuwait that is very rich in data and adhering to the international market research protocols by the European Society for Opinion and Market Research (ESOMAR). Pradeep K Handa, Chairman of the Royale Hayat Hospital said, “The real heroes are our people in the background, our doctors, nurses and staff that help make this award possible. We are indeed honored by this accolade and thank our customers for their loyalty and support.” The survey not only acknowledges the quality of inpatient and outpatient services but also that combining hospitality and healthcare as a guiding principle places the Royale Hayat Hospital in a class of its own among leading private healthcare providers in Kuwait. The Royale Hayat follows a number of standards to achieve this excellence in service including factoring in its own costumer feedback in the hospital’s training and developmental programs. Dr Osamah Al Sanea, CEO

and Chief of Surgery, explains how the hospital has added new services and specialties to cater to the growing need of ‘quality of life’ services in Kuwait. “We’ve introduced the obesity surgery in 2009 and it’s been one of most popular programs in the hospital”, he says. “Along with our recent Pain Management and ENT programs, we will continue to upgrade the diversity and quality of our health services for the coming year, “ he adds. Noted for its exceptional quality in Women and Child Healthcare, the Hospital specializes in multiple services such as IVF, General and Laparoscopic Surgery, Cosmetic Surgery, Dentistry, Imaging and Laboratory services with recently included specialties in Gastroenterology, Pain Management, ENT, Cardiology, and Obesity Surgery. “Our promise to our customers is safe, modern, quality healthcare in a caring, compassionate and comfortable environment.” said Sanjay Gautam, Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer. “We always put our customers first and reflect trust in all our services”, he added.

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2011

business

Doubts mount over Britain’s austerity drive LONDON: Doubts are growing in Britain over Prime Minister David Cameron’s strategy to restore growth by cutting spending, amid a stream of worrying economic data and an increasingly hostile public. The surprise announcement last month that the economy shrank by 0.5 percent in the fourth quarter of 2010 sparked national concern just as ordinary Britons were beginning to feel the effect of a major austerity drive. Cameron wants to save more than £80 billion ($130 billion, 95 billion euros) over four years to reduce the budget deficit-the toughest cuts in Europe-and the consequences are being played out in vivid detail in the press. Tales of support for disabled people being slashed, rubbish collections being scaled back to once a fortnight, library and bus services being scrapped and the even the national forests being rented out are all eroding support.

A recent YouGov poll found that public approval for the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition’s strategy had fallen from 53 percent in June-a month after the government took power-to 38 percent now. Some 57 percent in the poll said the cuts were being imposed unfairly. Surveys also show consumer confidence in the economy has fallen to its lowest monthly figure in almost 20 years. This only adds to the anxiety caused by soaring inflation and rising unemployment-the jobless rate among young people is at a record 20 percent while the number of people declared insolvent hit a 40-year high in 2010. Although his spending cuts will result in the loss of an estimated half a million public service jobs over four years, Cameron has insisted the private sector will take up the slack and drive the economic recovery. But this argument took

experts refrain from predicting a return to recession, holding out for more positive news in the next quarter. But the disappointing performance of the economy has only fuelled concerns among Cameron’s critics, notably the opposition Labor party, which has accused him of killing off the recovery. Labor leader Ed Miliband accused Finance Minister George Osborne recently of taking “a political gamble with the nation’s economy”, saying his strategy was all about cutting the deficit, not creating jobs. Other voices are also calling for the government to prepare a British Prime Minister David “Plan B” in case the economy takes a dive, with the business-friendly Financial Cameron Times among those urging Osborne to a hit when US pharmaceutical giant be flexible. While campaigning for last year’s Pfizer announced this week that it was closing its factory in Kent, in the south- elections, Cameron developed the coneast of England, with the loss of 2,400 cept of the “Big Society” where commujobs. Despite the dismal growth figures, nity groups and volunteers would take

China support keeps euro buoyed Single currency rises 8% against dollar since mid-January LONDON: The euro has defied predictions of its demise by rising almost eight percent against the dollar since mid-January, in large part owing to Chinese confidence in the debt-ridden euro-zone, analysts said. However the single currency’s fragile state was exposed on Thursday as it tumbled on receding expectations of a rate hike any time soon for the euro-zone. “The price action in euro/dollar has largely been one way since January 10th of this year,” said Neil Mellor, an economist at financial group BNY Mellon. “It was around this time that China began to express its very clear support for euro-zone debt. A lot of the market’s concerns about funding have been eased thanks to China,” he told AFP. The European Financial Stability Facilityestablished in June to help heavily-indebted euro-zone members-last month sold five-year bonds worth five billion euros ($6.8 billion) to help raise funds for Ireland. China is widely reported to have taken part after the world’s second biggest economy signaled its intention to do so last month. Asian bidders snapped up more than one third of the total, in what EFSF head Klaus Regling said demonstrated market confidence in the 17-nation eurozone after the turmoil of massive bailouts for Greece and Ireland last year. The government of Japan alone bought more than 20 percent. Since striking its lowest level since September 2009 in early January, the euro has gained 10 cents against the dollar. The single European currency reached a three-month high of $1.3862 on Wednesday on increased expectations of a rate hike. However such forecasts were shattered on Thursday after the European Central Bank kept interest rates on hold and ECB president Jean-Claude Trichet eased fears over high inflation. In the space of 24 hours, the euro was back to just above $1.36, and fell even further after US jobs data was announced. “Although the recent rally in the euro was

The Chinese confidence in the debt-ridden euro-zone helped the single currency the euro this year. mostly fuelled by expectations of rate hikes by the ECB, sentiment was also boosted by the markets giving EU officials the benefit of the doubt that they could come up with a credible long-term solution to the sovereign debt crisis,” said Kathleen Brooks, an analyst at traders Forex.com. “If EU leaders fail to deliver the goods there could be another leg lower for the single currency,” she warned. A higher

interest rate would meanwhile boost the euro against other major currencies because euro-denominated investments would generate higher returns. But on Thursday, remarks by Trichet suggested that the ECB was less concerned about inflation than earlier thought-and that any rate hike would come later in the year. “Inflation expectations over the medium to longer term con-

tinue to be firmly anchored in line with the governing council’s aim of keeping inflation rates below, but close to, two percent,” Trichet said. He spoke after the central bank held its main interest rate at a record low of 1.0 percent. Euro-zone inflation jumped to 2.4 percent in January, its second month above the ECB target of below but close to 2.0 percent. — AFP

Britain mulls new tax on non-doms

DHAKA: Traders outside the Bangladesh Stock Exchange in Dhaka.

Protests as Bangladesh stocks plunge nearly 6% DHAK A: Shares on the Dhak a Stock Exchange plunged nearly six percent yesterday, triggering protests by more than 1,000 investors in the commercial centre of the Bangladeshi capital. The benchmark DGEN plummeted 5.70 percent or 406.28 points to 6719.08, pulled down by slumps in major sectors such as banking, energy and insurance. The market also lost 2.51 percent on Thursday, the previous day of trading. The DGEN has shed nearly 30 percent from a historic high of 8,918.51 on December 5, sparking regular violent street clashes between investors and police.

Local police chief Tofazzal Hossain said investors yesterday blocked key roads leading to the capital’s main business district, Motijheel, halting traffic for more than two hours. “They demonstrated in front of the Dhaka Stock Exchange building, chanting slogans against the regulator and the authorities. But there was no violence,” he said. Many analysts have said the market is still overvalued as it has grown by 400 percent since the start of 2007 and rose more than 80 percent last year. The number of retail investors nearly doubled over the past 15 months to 3.3 million, lured in by the record gains. — AFP

LONDON: Britain is considering introducing a new levy on wealthy non-doms as it seeks fresh sources of revenue to help reduce the budget deficit, a newspaper reported yesterday. The measures would affect about 120,000 people who claim a foreign connection so they do not have pay tax in Britain on their overseas earnings and assets, according to the Sunday Times. Finance Minister George Osborne could signal the move-which would bring people such as Russian tycoon Roman Abramovich and steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal into the tax net-as early as next month’s budget, it said. The newspaper noted that an annual charge of £30,000 ($48,000, 35,000 euros) was introduced under the previous Labor government for non-doms who had lived in Britain for seven years, but that has raised just £160 million a year. Extending the charge to non-doms living here for less time could significantly boost Britain’s coffers, at a time when the government is pushing through austerity measures to reduce the deficit. Prime Minister David Cameron warned meanwhile that Britain cannot afford to cut taxes, despite his ideological preferences as a Conservative. “I would love to see tax reductions,” he told the Sunday Telegraph. “I’m a tax cutting Tory and I believe in tax cuts, but when you’re borrowing 11 per cent of your GDP, it’s not possible to make significant net tax cuts. It just isn’t. “It’s no good saying we’re going to deal with the deficit by cutting spending, but then we’re going to make things worse again by cutting taxes. I’m afraid it doesn’t add up.” — AFP

over local services from the state-an idea that fit neatly with the cuts. But the concept was dealt a blow this week when Liverpool council in northwest England announced it was pulling out of a pilot scheme for the project because the cuts were hitting those same community groups too hard. The trade unions, meanwhile, are organizing a national day of action for March 26 and warning that widespread strike action is possible. Students have already taken to the streets, engaging in violent protests at the end of last year over cuts to higher education funding. At the World Economic Forum in Davos last month, Cameron defended his plan, pointing to the cuts as the reason why Britain’s triple A credit rating had been maintained and the interest rates on the country’s debt were falling. “It’s going to be tough, but we must see it through,” he said. — AFP

Sanctions bite in Ivory Coast ABIDJAN: International sanctions against Ivory Coast strongman Laurent Gbagbo are beginning to bite with ordinary Ivorians feeling the pinch as the country’s once-vibrant economy suffers. Banks and businesses are closed, petrol threatens to run dry and pay cheques are not arriving as the outside world tries to oust Gbagbo in favour of his rival Alassane Ouattara, deemed to have won November elections. The situation threatens unrest which may or may not bring a backlash against Gbagbo, who continues to hold the reins of power in Abidjan while Ouattara, whose support base is mainly in the north, remains holed up in a seafront hotel under UN protection. Choi Young-Jin, head of the UN mission in Ivory Coast, said Friday Gbagbo was struggling to pay workers and a halt to African funding had swung the pendulum of the country’s political crisis back in favour of Ouattara. The West African regional central bank, the BCEAO, for countries including Ivory Coast which use the CFA franc, has cut links with Gbagbo and choked off funding. At the end of January Ivory Coast failed to pay 30 million dollars in interest on loans from private creditors. Diplomats say Gbagbo needs $100-150 million a month to pay 55,000 troops and 104,000 civil servants, which one analyst said had to be kept loyal. “It must be very difficult for him to continue to have financial resources,” Choi told reporters after briefing a closed session of the Security Council in New York. “In December, he paid everybody. In January, he retained payments to teachers and pensions. We do not know if this was just a delay. We have to see carefully how this unfolds,” Choi added. The money question would be “crucial” to the result of the political battle, the envoy said. But a Gbagbo aide said “we can still go for at least a couple of months without a problem.” When Gbagbo tried to take over the BCEAO’s high street branches the central bank retaliated by halting the electronic clearing arrangement, throwing Ivory Coast’s banking system into chaos. Gbagbo’s regime ordered the banks to resort to the old manual system, but a banker said some were refusing to do so as it was time-consuming and lacked security. “In a week or 10 days everything risks freezing up,” he said. Gbagbo’s spokesman Ahoua Don Mello admitted some “technical difficulties” but said a new system was being rolled out. However sanctions are forcing some businesses to shut down or lay off workers, prices are rising and trade operations are disrupted. “The economic and social situation is deteriorating drastically,” the Ivory Coast business federation has warned. Ouattara’s camp has ordered a halt in exports of the country’s main revenue earner, cocoa, until the end of February to bring more pressure on Gbagbo, and the main exporters appear to have obeyed, sending prices soaring on world markets. The national refinery company is having increasing difficulty in obtaining supplies of oil, and experts predict shortages of petrol and gas before long but In Washington US ambassador to Ivory Coast Phillip Carter said Gbagbo had resorted to “stealing money” from companies through extortion to pay salaries. Choi, who has been sleeping in his Abidjan office for the past two months, said there had been several swings in the balance of power since the crisis erupted. “Ouattara’s camp had the momentum in his favour because he won the election,” Choi said. But after a planned anti-Gbagbo march had to be called off on December 16, the strongman took the upper hand. “Now with the decision of the West African central bank in favor of President Ouattara, the momentum is shifting in his favor again. So the dynamics are always changing.” In Abidjan each side claims it has time on its side on the economic front, as the African Union prepares a new mediation push and West African states hold off on threatened military action against Gbagbo. If people are not paid, “are they going to stand by until they starve? A riot would be directed against Ouattara, not Gbagbo,” one of the strongman’s aides said. Ouattara spokesman Patrick Achi replied that Ivorians would be prepared to make sacrifices for a time to secure peace and prosperity in the future. — AFP

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2011

TECHNOLOGY The tech helper

Building your own backup server WASHINGTON: Got an old or underused computer? Repurposing it as a backup or storage server to safeguard the data on the rest of the computers in your household is one of the smartest moves you can make, especially if you don’t already back up every bit of critical data each day. There are several routes you can take, though, to getting a backup server up and running. Read on to learn about a few. Q: Do I need a special operating system or software to convert an unused computer into a backup machine? A: Probably not. If you’ll be using the computer simply as a storage depot, you can use any version of Windows or another desktop operating system. Now, operating systems are not designed with the same requirements in mind as true server operating system, so they won’t have features such as automated network backup or built-in file transfer protocol tools that allow you to retrieve files from the server over the internet, but you’ll be able to replicate many of these features with open source addon packages. That said, if you can spend some money and you’re running Windows machines throughout your home, you won’t go wrong by buying an OEM copy of Windows Home Server (http://bit.ly/9n4sfH), which you can install on any recent-vintage PC. It retails for about 99 dollars online. Windows Home Server will automatically back up every PC in your home every night, and it contains features that allow you to log in to your home PCs over the internet and stream multimedia files to every computer that’s connected to it. It’s well worth the investment. You must, however, have a router to which the Windows Home Server machine will be connected by Ethernet cable. Most broadband routers supplied by your internet provider will work. If you’d like a completely free operating system that’s designed for serving and storing files and/or you are

running in a household with both Windows and Mac machines, consider FreeNAS (http://freenas.org/FreeNAS). Among its features are built-in software RAID, which, assuming you have two or more drives in your old PC, will automatically create a duplicate copy of everything you store. You’ll find detailed instructions for downloading and installing FreeNAS on its website, and you can watch a step-by-step installation video on YouTube as well (http://bit.ly/cQZD8n). Q: What hardware does my computer need to become a backup server? A: As a backup server, your computer’s most important components will be its hard drive(s) and its network port. Processor power, memory, and graphics are generally of far less importance, assuming the machine meets the minimum specifications of whatever server operating system you decide to use. And once the machine is set up as a server, you won’t even need a monitor, mouse, or keyboard attached to it. Hard drive space, though, will be critical - especially if you’ll be using the machine both as a backup device and to stream multimedia files to other computers. The good news: massive, 2 terabyte (TB) hard drives retail for as little as 80 dollars today. Make sure your old computer will support one, and upgrade, if you can. Also, be sure that your old machine has a functioning Ethernet port. If not, you can pick up one up for relatively little money (5 - 30 dollars) online. Q: Can I use an old notebook computer as a backup server? A: Sure. The problem with most notebooks, however, is limited storage space. That said, notebook hard drives with capacities as high as 1 TB are now available for less than 100 dollars. So if you can replace your old notebook’s hard drive with a newer, high-capacity unit, and if 1 terabyte gives you enough storage, you can use the unit just like a desktop storage server. — dpa

A darkroom in your pocket Photo editing on a smartphone BERLIN: It wasn’t too long ago that mobile phones only had postage stamp-sized displays for photos. But, thanks to advancing technology, the images have gotten larger and now, smart-phones are armed with programmes that let people do their photo editing on the go. Indeed, many of today’s smart-phones are a credible alternative to compact cameras. After all, the best camera is one that you always have right with you, notes professional photographer Chase Jarvis. Smart-phones offer hobby photographers options that never existed before. Photos can now be edited with multiple techniques on a single device and then promptly shared via the internet. The key is the availability of the mobile programmes called apps. There are many of them out there, so customers will surely find one that suits their needs. Many are free. The ones that aren’t generally cost between 0.79 and 1.59 euros (1.05 to 2.14 dollars), and even those usually offer slimmed-down free versions. Here’s an overview of what’s out there SHOOTING: To take a picture, either use the phone’s pre-installed camera, or make use of one of the variety of camera apps out there. Some apps apply a colour filter while the photograph is being taken, like Hipstamatic (1.59 euros), which can give photos the appearance of being taken with a variety of old-fashioned colour films. Others can shoot a series of pictures, with up to 24 images per second. Those include programmes like Burst Mode or Shutter Burst (1.59 euros each). Then there are apps that can take pictures on a timer, like a “real” camera (for example, Self Timer, which ranges from a free version to one for 1.59 euros). Anyone who wants to take a shot on the sly should try out the SneakyPix app (0.79 euros on the iPhone) or the Mobile Hidden Camera (free for Android phones), which makes the phone take pictures automatically at regular intervals, regardless of whether it’s being held or set up on a shelf somewhere. EDITING: Adobe has a free Photoshop app that comes with the most important basics, like cropping or rotating, as well as settings for colour saturation or contrast. It’s as simple as swiping your finger from left to right on the smartphone’s touch-sensitive screen. If making these changes manually is too difficult, there’s also the option of using any of a variety of apps that provide filters. Those can be used to blend or enhance colours, edit pictures to make them look old, turn black-

and-white images coloured, or even give them a fish-eye effect. Such apps include Best Camera (2.39 euros), Camera Plus Pro (1.59 euros) or CameraBag (1.59 euros) for the iPhone, or Camera 360 (3.08 euro) and Retro Camera (2.31 euros) for Android telephones. But be careful. Once a free app like Instagram becomes a trend, suddenly everyone’s pictures posted online look the same. A paid app like Infinicam (1.59) provides more versatility, letting users take finished photos, while also trying out countless new filters. VIEWING: Sharing a finished photo with friends or relatives takes only a matter of seconds with a smartphone. Facebook allows smartphone photos to be uploaded directly with its app. Other apps offer direct access to Twitter and other social sites, or even have their own display pages. Photo site Flickr also has its own app. There’s also always the option of sending photos by email. HAVE FUN: A lot of apps are out there just to let people have fun with their pictures. Programmes like Color Splash (0.79 euros for the iPhone) or ColorUp (0.76 euros for Android) let users turn certain objects in a picture coloured while leaving everything else in black and white. So-called TiltShift programmes let users make their pictures simulate a miniature scene. Those who just want to have fun can

look to Alien Booth (0.79 euros) to make all their subjects look like aliens, while programmes like FaceMan (0.79 euros on the iPhone) or Liquid Face (1.53 euros, Android) let people apply unusual effects to subject’s faces. Other apps focus on panorama pictures, stop-motion animation or time-lapse videos. A miniature tripod is recommended for these. INSPIRATION: Ever since the iPhone 4, with its upgraded camera, came out, a network of smartphone photographers has developed online. Their sites are perfect for getting ideas. On platforms like Flickr, people can search exclusively for mobile pictures. There are also multiple private projects out there. Jarvis displays his iPhone pictures at www.chasejarvis.com, while photographer Matt Bango has his iPhone as Art display at http://iphoneasart.com. German web designer Martin Wolf also has an iPhone diary at http://daily.visuellegedanken.de. Wolf has shot several thousand pictures with his iPhone in recent years. He said he had routinely longed for a camera that he could always have with him. For editing, Wolf relies on apps like Camera Plus or Best Camera. “But you don’t have to just lay any old filter on your picture,” he advises. For beginners, Wolf has this simple piece of advice: “Just get started. You really can’t do it wrong.” — dpa

Egypt move revives US ‘kill switch’ debate WASHINGTON: Egypt’s five-day shutdown of the Internet has revived debate in the United States over how much authority the president should have over the Web in the event of a crisis. Some opponents of cybersecurity legislation wending its way through the US Congress have condemned the bill as a danger to free speech and civil liberties that would equip the White House with an Internet “kill switch.” Supporters deny it would confer any such power on the president. As Hosni Mubarak cut his 80 million people off from the Web, the US senators behind the legislation denounced the move by the Egyptian president as “totally wrong” and leapt to the defense of their bill. “(Mubarak’s) actions were clearly designed to limit internal criticisms of his government,” said Joe Lieberman, an independent from Connecticut, Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine, and Tom Carper, a Democrat from Delaware. “Our cybersecurity legislation is intended to protect the US from external cyberattacks,” Lieberman, chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Collins and Carper said in a joint statement. “We would never sign on to legislation that authorized the president, or anyone else, to shut down the Internet,” they said. “Emergency or no, the exercise of

such broad authority would be an affront to our Constitution.” At the same time, the senators continued, “our current laws do give us reason to be concerned” and their bill, which has yet to reach the Senate floor, was designed to replace “broad and ambiguous” presidential authority with “precise and targeted” powers to be used only in a national emergency. In June, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, American Civil Liberties Union and some two dozen other privacy, civil liberties and civil rights groups wrote a letter to Lieberman, Collins and Carper to express concern about the bill. “Changes are needed to ensure that cybersecurity measures do not unnecessarily infringe on free speech, privacy, and other civil liberties interests,” they said. “ The Internet is vital to free speech and free inquiry, and Americans rely on it every day to access and to convey information,” the groups said. “It is imperative that cybersecurity legislation not erode our rights.” Taking note of the concerns, Lieberman, Collins and Carper said “we will ensure that any legislation that moves in this Congress contains explicit language prohibiting the president from doing what President Mubarak did.” “Our bill already contains protections to prevent the president

from denying Americans access to the Internet-even as it provides ample authority to ensure that those most critical services that rely on the Internet are protected,” they said. Cindy Cohn, the EFF’s legal director and general counsel, said the latest version of the cybersecurity legislation was an improvement on its “draconian predecessors” but remained wary. “The Egyptian regime’s shutdown of the Internet in an attempt to preserve its political power highlights the dangers of any government having unchecked power over our Internet infrastructure,” Cohn said in a blog post. “The lesson of Egypt is that no one, not even the President of the United States, should be given the power to turn off the Internet. “(Egypt’s move) puts a fine point on the risks to democracy posed by recent Congressional proposals to give the president a broad mandate to dictate how our Internet service providers respond to cyber-emergencies,” she said. “Any proposal to give the president the ability to interfere with Internet access of Americanswhether to address cyberattacks or for any other reason — must be tightly circumscribed,” she said. “It must be limited to situations where there are serious and demonstrable external security threats and must be strongly checked by both Congressional

and court review.” James Lewis, a cybersecurity expert at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the cybersecurity bill sets the threshold for invoking the presidential powers “very, very high.” “It’s not some arbitrary power to turn off the Internet,” Lewis told AFP. “It’s an authority consistent with other wartime authorities to act in an emergency. “It’s not an Internet kill switch,”

he said. “That’s just insane. How do you kill a globally distributed network with millions of devices? “The answer is you don’t,” Lewis continued. “But you can think about isolating certain domains or certain enterprises. “Say a big power company gets infected,” Lewis said. “You say to them ‘Disconnect yourself before you infect other power companies.’ It’s like an avian flu quarantine for the Internet. — AFP

CALIFORNIA: Motorola’s new tablet Xoom, which is operated by Android 3.0 Honeycomb, is displayed at the Android event on the main campus of Google in Mountain View on February 2, 2011 in California. — AFP

Russian faithful flock to get ‘sacred texts’ on mobiles MOSCOW: Hundreds of faithful Orthodox Christians in Russia have signed up to a new service to receive “sacred texts”-short messages from the Bible sent to their mobile phones. Nearly 3,000 subscribers have signed up for the service that sends excerpts from the Bible and other religious works, said Father Iosaph Sorokin of Voskresenie (Resurrection), the Moscow-based Orthodox youth group that launched the service last month. “This is an opportunity to remind people of eternal values,” he told AFP on Sunday, as new requests for subscriptions arrived on his mobile phone. The project, dubbed the “Kind Word”, offers the text messages for free and can be signed up to by sending a message to the group. “We would like the subscription to grow, especially in Siberia and the Far East,” said Sorokin, adding that uplifting text messages could help residents of Russia’s remote regions in their daily lives. Other religious groups have also coopted modern technologies to reach out to the faithful with, for example, Roman Catholic mobile phone users in Europe able to subscribe to receive messages of daily guidance from the Pope. The Russian Orthodox Church has enjoyed a renaissance since the 1991 collapse of the officially atheist Soviet Union, with the Kremlin vigorously promoting ties between the Church and state. — AFP

Internet helps museums’ net new art lovers LONDON: The world’s great museums are increasingly using the Internet and social networking sites to pique the interest of people who might never think of setting foot in an art exhibition. At a click of a mouse, some of the greatest galleries in the world can come to life in a way that has hitherto been near-impossible when seen with the naked eye. The launch of the Google Art project, taking the cameras used in its Street View site through the doors of 17 museums including MoMA in New York and the National Gallery in London, is the just the latest move into the Internet. The State Hermitage in Saint Petersburg, Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum and another London heavyweight, Tate Britain, are among the institutions whose selected artworks can be seen in

incredible detail. But all the museums featured already have their own websites, so why marry up with the US online giant? “We have to seek out the Internet user, on social networks, the networking sites, wherever they may be,” said Laurent G aveau, in charge of new media for the Palace of Versailles, the only French museum taking part in the Google project. And Google can offer technological muscle. “The use of gigapixel is really new,” Gaveau said, referring to the high-resolution system used for capturing the paintings. By using the zoom function, viewers can see works such as Flemish Renaissance painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s “The Harvesters” in tiny detaileven the modest meal the peasants are enjoying in the field is clear as day.

The other innovation is the ease of taking a virtual tour around a number of the world’s finest museums-you can either see the pictures up close, or take a stroll around the galleries. Charlotte Sexton from Britain’s National Gallery said museums were convinced that the Google site-far from harming the traffic to their own websites-could actually capture a new audience and even persuade people to come to the museums. “There is plenty of evidence that shows that by engaging with relevant content online it actually can be a driver to encourage people to go and see the real thing-you can’t underestimate the thrill of the original,” she said. “And for many they may never be able to visit physically but they can have a meaningful virtual experience.”

Larissa Korabelnikova, spokeswoman for the Hermitage, agrees. “There is no conflict between virtual visits to the museum and real visits,” she said. “One adds to the other.” But not all museums are convinced about Google Art. The Louvre in Paris, a true giant of world culture and home to Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa”, spurned Google’s advances and chose instead to build up its own website, which currently receives 11 million visits a year, compared to 8.5 million visitors in the flesh. The Palace of Versailles says the benefits of moving online have been huge. In three years, its decision to embrace Facebook, YouTube and Twitter has seen more and more users directed towards its own website, which now counts six million a year. — AFP

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monDAY, febrUArY 7, 2011

health & science

Asia faces climate-induced migration ‘crisis’ SINGAPORE: Asia must prepare for millions of people to flee their homes to safer havens within countries and across borders as weather patterns become more extreme, the Asian Development Bank warns. A draft of an ADB report obtained by AFP over the weekend and confirmed by bank officials cautioned that failure to make preparations now for vast movements of people could lead to “humanitarian crises” in the coming decades. Governments are currently focused on mitigating climate change blamed for the weather changes, but the report said they should start laying down policies and mechanisms to deal with the projected population shifts. “What is clear is that Asia and the Pacific will be amongst the global regions most affected by the impacts of

climate change,” said the report entitled “Climate Change and Migration in Asia and the Pacific”. “Such impacts include significant temperature increases, changing rainfall patterns, greater monsoon variability, sea-level rise, floods and more intense tropical cyclones,” it said. The report, expected to be released in the next few weeks, comes as flooding overwhelms parts of Asia-Pacific, most recently in Australia, where a powerful cyclone worsened the impact of weeks of record inundations. “Asia and the Pacific is particularly vulnerable because of its high degree of exposure to environmental risks and high population density. As a result, it could experience population displacements of unprecedented scale in the next decades,” said the report, primarily targeted at regional policymakers.

Research carried out for the United Nations showed that 2010 was one of the worst years on record worldwide for natural disasters. Asians accounted for 89 percent of the 207 million people affected by disasters globally last year, according to the Belgium-based Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED). Summer floods and landslides in China caused an estimated $18 billion dollars in damage, while floods in Pakistan cost $9.5 billion dollars, CRED’s annual study showed. Not to mention the catastrophic human cost. “Governments are not prepared and that is why ADB is conducting this project,” said Bart Edes, director of the Manila-based lending institution’s poverty reduction, gender and social development division.

“There is no international cooperation mechanism established to manage climate-induced migration. Protection and assistance schemes to help manage that flow is opaque, poorly coordinated and scattered,” he told AFP. “Policymakers need to take action now,” he stressed, noting that negotiating treaties and efforts to raise funds takes time. Last year’s natural disasters in the Asia-Pacific, including millions of people displaced in Sri Lanka and the Philippines, “give us a flavour of what to expect in the future”, said Edes. “Migration in general is not being properly addressed and the situation is going be made worse,” added Edes, referring to the additional impact of climate change on migration patterns, fuelled by economic needs and armed conflicts.

“Now we have another driver of migration.” The draft ADB report said the people forced to leave due to the extreme weather changes “have come to incarnate the human face of climate change” and while many of them will return home, many will be displaced permanently. Those expected to suffer the most will be the poor as they lack the means to easily pack up and leave for safer havens, the report said. “The issue of climate-induced migration will grow in magnitude and will take different forms,” the report added, urging national governments and the global community to “urgently address this issue in a proactive manner.” “Failure to do so could result in humanitarian crises with great social and economic costs,” it warned. —AFP

‘King’s Speech’ earns praise from children who stutter Film reveals myths and fascinating truths about stuttering

LOS ANGELES: This composite photo released by the FBI Oct. 13, 2010, shows 10 suspects indicted in Los Angeles as part of an FBI investigation, dubbed Operation Diagnosis Dollars, which targeted the largest Medicare fraud ring by one criminal enterprise in the program’s history. A vast network of 73 people across the country were charged by federal prosecutors in a scheme to cheat Medicare out of $163 million. Medicare and Medicaid scams cost taxpayers more than $60 billion a year, but the average bank holdup is likely to get more attention. —AP

Are brains shrinking to make us smarter? WASHINGTON: Human brains have shrunk over the past 30,000 years, puzzling scientists who argue it is not a sign we are growing dumber but that evolution is making the key motor leaner and more efficient. The average size of modern humans-the Homo sapiens-has decreased about 10 percent during that period-from 1,500 to 1,359 cubic centimeters, the size of a tennis ball. Women’s brains, which are smaller on average than those of men, have experienced an equivalent drop in size. These measurements were taken using skulls found in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. “I’d called that a major downsizing in an evolutionary eye blink,” John Hawks of the Universit y of M ichigan told Discover magazine. But other anthropologists note that brain shrinkage is not very surprising since the stronger and larger we are, the more gray matter we need to control this larger mass. The Neanderthal, a cousin of the modern human who disappeared about 30 millennia ago for still unknown reasons, was far more massive and had a larger brain. The Cro-Magnons who left cave paintings of large animals in the monumental Lascaux cave over 17,000 years ago were the Homo sapiens with the biggest brain. They were also stronger than their modern descendants. Psychology professor David Geary of the University of Missouri said these traits were necessary to survive in a hostile environment. He has studied the evolution of skull sizes 1.9 million to 10,000 years old as our ancestors and cousins lived in an increasingly complex social environment. Geary and his colleagues used population density as a measure of social complexity, with the hypothesis that the more humans

are living closer together, the greater the exchanges between group, the division of labor and the rich and varied interactions between people. They found that brain size decreased as population density increased. “As complex societies emerged, the brain became smaller because people did not have to be as smart to stay alive,” Geary told AFP. But the downsizing does not mean modern humans are dumber than their ancestorsrather, they simply developed different, more sophisticated forms of intelligence, said Brian Hare, an assistant professor of anthropology at Duke University. He noted that the same phenomenon can be observed in domestic animals compared to their wild counterparts. So while huskies may have smaller brains than wolves, they are smarter and more sophisticated because they can understand human communicative gestures, behaving similarly to human children. “Even though the chimps have a larger brain (than the bonobo, the closest extant relative to humans), and even though a wolf has a much larger brain than dogs, dogs are far more sophisticated, intelligent and flexible, so intelligence is not very well linked to brain size,” Hare explained. He said humans have characteristics from both the bonobo and chimpanzee, which is more aggressive and domineering. “The chimpanzees are violent because they want power, they try to have control and power over others while bonobos are using violence to prevent one for dominating them,” Hare continued. “Humans are both chimps and bobos in their nature and the question is how can we release more bonobo and less chimp. “I hope bonobos win... it will be better for everyone,” he added. —AFP

S Africa to be a role model for dealing with AIDS/HIV JOHANNESBURG: South Africa is a role model for dealing with the AIDS epidemic and its scientists may develop a cure or vaccine, former the former chief of the UN’s HIV/AIDS programme said. “South Africa is now showing a model for dealing with the epidemic through leadership and also through vibrant community activism,” Peter Piot said at the launch of the book “AIDS: Taking a long-term view ” by the aids2031 research consortium. “South Africa may even come up with a cure or vaccine. South Africa is the emerging powerhouse in science and research,” he said.

South Africa’s approach has resulted in more than 1 million people now on antiretroviral drugs, or ARVs, a programme which is the largest in the world, said the former UNAIDS chief. With some 5.6 million South Africans living with HIV/AIDS in 2009, the country has the highest infection rate in the world. Former South African president Thabo Mbeki regarded AIDS as a Western characterisation of Africans as promiscuous and also questioned the efficacy of ARVs, supporting his health minister’s promotion of beetroot and garlic to fight HIV infection. —dpa

CHICAGO: A movie about a stuttering monarch, without sex, car chases or sinewy super heroes, hardly sounds like blockbuster box-office fare. But in a less flashy way, “The King’s Speech” is about a hero, one who battles an invisible enemy that torments nearly 70 million people around the world. In demystifying the little-understood speech impediment, the awardwinning film reveals myths and fascinating truths about stuttering and has won praise from stutterers of all ages. For Erik Yehl, an 11-year-old Chicago boy who began stuttering in preschool, the movie’s powerful message is, “I’m not stupid.” It is a stigma all people who stutter contend with: the notion that because their words sometimes sputter or fail to come out at all, their minds must be somehow mixed up. “People who stutter - their minds are perfectly good, and they’re not deaf, and they don’t need to be told to breathe. They know how to breathe. What they need ... is to be listened to,” said Susan Hardy, who saw the film with her son Aidan, a 14-year-old Chicago eighth-grader who also stutters. Aidan’s mini-review? “It was great!” he said. The film depicts King George VI, father of England’s Queen Elizabeth, as a reluctant leader tortured by his stuttering. But with a sense of duty as England confronts a second world war, he musters the courage to seek speech therapy so he can address and calm an anxious nation. The movie and its actors already have won Golden Globes and other honors, including 12 Oscar nominations. The Academy Awards ceremony is Feb. 27. The focus on George’s relationship with his eccentric speech therapist who insists on treating him as an equal makes the king a sort of everyman for people who stutter. TV commentator Clarence Page, a nationally syndicated Chicago Tribune columnist, said in an interview that the film heroically depicts a condition Page has battled most of his 63 years. Like the king, Page had a strong advocate: a coach who helped him as a teenager win second-place in a speech contest after a humiliatingly bad performance the previous year. “Every stuttering kid needs optimistic support like that,” Page wrote in a recent column praising the movie. Jane Fraser, president of the Stuttering Foundation of America, said the movie mirrors her experience growing up with a father who stuttered. Malcolm Fraser formed the advocacy group in 1947 to raise awareness and provide resources for people who stutter. Watching the movie, Jane Fraser said she relived the mortification she used to feel on her father’s behalf. “The impact for me was just bringing home 64 years of trying to get across to people how devastating this disorder is. Just in one fell swoop, this film really got that across,” she said. Stuttering affects almost 1 percent of the global population, including 3 million in the United States. It typically begins in early childhood as kids are learning to speak and is more common in boys. About 5 percent of children stutter, but most outgrow it. The condition tends to run in families and genes are thought to be involved in at least some cases. For Erik Yehl, a fair-haired, soft-spoken boy who loves basketball and video games, the film was sometimes tough to watch, because it hit so close to home. A scene showing George failing miserably while trying to give a speech to a packed stadium was particularly difficult. British actor Colin Firth’s portrayal makes the shame George feels uncomfortably palpable even for non-stutterers. “It was hard to hear the speech because he stuttered, and I hate to hear that,” Erik said haltingly. Erik’s stuttering becomes most noticeable when he is nervous. Curiously, his speech flows fluently when he calls out to teammates while playing basketball

CHICAGO: In this photo taken Jan. 11, 2011, Erik Yehl, 11, and his mother, Kirsten Yehl, leave his school in Chicago. Yehl, who has been stuttering since preschool, said the film “The King’s Speech”, about a stuttering monarch, was sometimes tough to watch because it hit so close to home. The award-winning film reveals myths and fascinating truths about stuttering, and has won praise from stutterers of all ages. —AP

WASHINGTON: In this photo taken Jan. 11, 2011, TV commentator Clarence Page, a nationally syndicated Chicago Tribune columnist, is seen in his office in Washington. Page said in an interview with the Associated Press that the film “The King’s Speech”, depicts a condition he has battled most of his 63 years. —AP or soccer. The film reveals another surprising truth: singing often frees stutterers of their problem. And experts say that for some people, stuttering disappears when they speak to infants or animals, imitate a foreign dialect, or perform a role onstage. British actress Emily Blunt has been quoted as saying she chose her career after discovering in a school play that her own stuttering stopped while she was acting. The scant brain imaging research done on the impediment has suggested that different kinds of brain activity occur when people stutter than when they speak fluently. Scientists are not sure why, and also do not know why different activities induce fluency among some but not all stutterers, said Ehud Yairi, a prominent University of Illinois expert on stuttering. Research published last year identified mutations in three genes that probably contribute to some cases of stuttering. But it is unclear what function those genes have, and much about the condition remains a mystery, Yairi said. A researcher and professor emeritus, Yairi also is a stutterer, who speaks at a measured, slow pace. It used to be thought that stuttering was a psycho-

logical problem caused by anxiety or nervousness, and “The King’s Speech” seems to suggest that George’s mistreatment as a child may have contributed to his condition. Experts have largely dismissed that idea, Yairi said. When children begin to stutter, they usually are too young to be aware of it and rarely seem anxious about their speech. It is only as they mature and perceive the negative reactions that they become anxious and ashamed, Yairi said. Scientists also used to believe stuttering developed in some children in reaction to parents reprimanding them if they repeated words or sounds while learning to speak. “We have shown that this is quite likely not the case,” he said. Still, Yairi said, it is true that “whatever the cause, negative reactions can make a big difference in how the disorder develops.” Aidan Hardy said he has been bullied and teased for stuttering. He hates it when people tell him to just calm down and focus. “There are certain ways to help someone talk better, and there are some things that most people think will help, but they don’t. I’m hoping this movie will fix that,” Aidan said. Page, the columnist, said stutterers

typically develop a deep vocabulary of words “to avoid our ‘trouble’ words.” For Page, trouble comes from words that start with vowels. He uses substitutes, even going so far as to request a pear when he would prefer an apple, only to avoid tripping over the ‘a.’ Speech therapist Stephanie Hirsh, who runs the Center for Communication & Speech Therapy in Highland Park, Illinois, says she learned to control her own stuttering by using a singing-like breathing technique to maintain a continuous flow of air while talking. In the film, the speech therapist used a similar method by having King George insert an “ah” sound into a sentence before a treacherous word. Hirsh also offers this advice: Let stutterers know they have all the time they need to express themselves, and that you really want to hear what they have to say. She said her own parents were advised by speech therapists not to talk about her stuttering and not to bring it to her attention. The opposite approach is now favored. That may be why many stutterers have embraced “The Kings Speech,” for bringing stuttering into the open. “If we don’t talk about it,” Hirsh said, “then it becomes even scarier.” —AP

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Years

H E A LT H

Leeches making comeback as medical helpers BALTIMORE: Marc Miller survived a motorcycle crash in October near his Baltimore County, Md., home, but his foot had been dragged along the pavement and badly damaged. That injur y would require both the most advanced medicine and an ancient therapy — leeches. Trauma doctors at Johns Hopkins, the University of Maryland and other US hospitals routinely use leeches as a temporary measure to keep blood flowing as new vessels grow in a damaged area. The animals kept blood moving in and out of a new skin flap sewn onto Miller’s foot. They also can get blood flowing to amputated digits that are reattached. And because the leeches’ saliva has a natural anesthetic, some doctors now are looking to use them to ease pain. “They can be the diﬀerence in whether the tissue lives or dies,” Dr. Scott D. Lifchez, who treated Miller and is section chief of plastic surgery at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, said about the blood-sucking worms. The US Food and Drug Administration gave its approval to market leeches as medical devices in 2004, though they had been used for many years before then. And their use appears to be growing, said Dr. Ronald A. Sherman, director of the BioTherapeutics, Education and Research Foundation, which supports the medical use of leeches and other furry, slimy and microscopic animals. Guide dogs may be the bestknown in the categor y, said Sherman. But others, particularly leeches and maggots that clean wounds, are gaining in popularity. Maggots are used more than 50,000 times a year worldwide, he said. As for the use of leeches, Sherman said there is no registry or certification board for physicians in the United States, so no one can say how often they are used for medical purposes. At an annual

conference hosted by his group, seminars on leeches drew 100 medical professionals last year, more than any other year. “In other countries, use of leeches has been ongoing for centuries, but in the United States, I would call it a comeback,” said Sherman, a retired University of California researcher. “The introduction of leeches for draining blood occurred in the late 1970s, maybe early ‘80s, but my perception is that it’s getting more known.” Records of the use of leeches in medical treatment stretch back many centuries - to a painting in an Egyptian tomb around 1500 BC, according to one study in a medical journal. Bloodletting therapies were popular in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries, triggering shortages of the animals in some countries. Later, as medical science advanced and bacteria became the focus of treatment, the use of leeches faded. But in the 1970’s, their use was revived in microsurgery, the study noted. Sherman said the primary use today is draining congested blood in damaged appendages or skin flaps. The leeches have a natural anticoagulant that breaks up small clots and keeps new ones from forming. That allows pools of blood to drain and keeps blood flowing freely until new vessels connect. Doctors direct the blood-suckers to a specific site — Dr. Lifchez uses Vaseline and gauze to nudge them into place. They draw blood for about 15 minutes and fall oﬀ once they are full. The alternative might be losing the appendage or having a more complicated surgery, said Sherman, who also notes the leeches are relatively inexpensive — Carolina Biological Supply Co., one of two US suppliers, sells a 2to-4-inch leech, Hirudo medicinalis, for $19.50. (Includes instructions. Sold only to schools and businesses, company marketing materials say.) Leeches USA Ltd. sells them

for under $10 when purchased in bulk. The companies do not release sales information. At Maryland Shock Trauma Center, where many of the worst accidents and injuries in the region

leeches, grown in sterile environments, many patients are still “a little grossed out,” said Connolly. She said she only needs to tell the patients how successful the leeches are.

Miller said sometimes he’d alert the staﬀ when a leech was done feeding so it could be properly disposed of. Circulation problems arise in up to a quarter of cases of free tissue

couple of decades ago. The leeches arrived by overnight delivery. Faced with amputation or more surgery, most patients are receptive to being treated with leeches,

Certain species of fish are used to treat wounds and skin conditions like psoriasis. — MCT

are treated, leeches are employed several times a year, said Caroline Connolly, a veteran nurse who works with them. She said the leeches have been around for about 15 years and are used when blood isn’t circulating well after a “free tissue transfer” — when a flap of skin, and possibly muscle, fat, vessels and even bone are moved from one part of the body to replace what was lost in the wounded area. Even though these are medical

And the alternative is another long and complicated surgery to try another skin flap or amputation of damaged extremities. Connolly said leeches have been used to help rebuild faces blown apart by gunfire, but mostly they are used for car and motorcycle accident victims, such as Miller. Lifchez used a leech every six to 12 hours on Miller over several days while he was in the intensivecare unit. There, nurses could watch over him and the animals.

transfer, and the wound can benefit from leeches, Lifchez said. It was a day or so after Miller’s 10-hour operation in October to place the new skin flap - which included some fat and vessels — when it began to look a little purplish. Lifchez and another surgeon checked to make sure the sutures weren’t too tight and the vessel connections were properly done. But still the blood wasn’t flowing properly. They did not want to lose the foot, a likely prospect just a

Lifchez says. Miller, who had once wanted to be a veterinarian, and his mother, Delores Williams, who is a nurse, both knew about leeches’ abilities and didn’t need any convincing. “I remembered what leeches were capable of doing,” said Miller, who expects to shed his wheelchair and crutches in the spring and begin the process of relearning to walk. “I feel fortunate to have my foot. I feel very positive now.”—MTC

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2011

w h at ’s o n

Art exhibitions DAR Al FUNOON Dia Al-Azzawi: Retrospective is a complete monograph highlighting the artist’s oeuvre, displaying over 200 color plates of his art from the 1960s to his most recent paintings. It includes essays, in English and Arabic, by Dr. Nada M. Shabout, As’ad Orabi, Buland Al-Haidari and Nadine Descendre. It also includes an extensive bibliography, listing over 140 titles on AlAzzawi, exhibitions list, and rare photographs from the artist’s personal archive. Parviz Tanavoli: Monograph is the most extensive catalogue raisonne on the artist to date, including over 250 color plates displaying his sculptures from the early 1960s to his most recent work. In English and Arabic, this publication includes essays by academics and personal accounts by the artist’s friends and family, as well as passages from Tanavoli’s memoirs.

Box Hill College holds second annual celebration for Australian National Day

s part of student activities, Box Hill College Kuwait organized an open day for its second annual celebration on the occasion of the Australian National Day. Guests included Australian Consul Mrs Linda Vrigg and Director of Academic Aﬀairs, Neil Fernandez. Mrs Vrigg spoke about the special

relationship between BHCK and the Australian Embassy. Mrs Vrigg was impressed with BHCK’s eﬀorts in enriching their student’s general knowledge about the cultural, social and intellectual aspects of international life. Mrs Vrigg highlighted the fact that BHCK is the ﬁrst and only dedicated Australian College in Kuwait for the

higher education of women. In a wonderful atmosphere students from Arab and non-Arab countries exhibited traditional and cultural aspects from around the world, including Italy, France, Japan, China, Syria, Australia and mostly Kuwait. Students displayed items reﬂecting Kuwaiti attires, antiques, models and food. A

tent was also erected within which Arabic coﬀee and sweets were served. This wonderful day was enjoyed by all. The Australian Consul expressed their wish for a continuation of activities that foster positive relations between Australia and Kuwait and voiced their support of the promotion of recreational and cultural events within the College.

LAHD GALLERY, LONDON, UK Shurooq Amin will exhibit in London at the Lahd Gallery (92 Heath Street, NW3 1DP) on the 3rd of March 2011. The solo show will comprise the newest series by the Kuwaiti artist, entitled The Bullet Series. The painting pose various controversial religious and political questions, with each painting being shot with a riﬂe and a Hornet bullet. Each bullet represents the artist’s physical and kinetic connection to the painting, and symbolizes the murder of human rights, and freedom of speech and choice. The two central works in the show are “My Country is 111W and “Take Me To Heaven”.

GALLERY TILAL

Beach clean up by BSK students

and safe. After a couple of hours of exhilarating work, the students had achieved a great deal. The beach looked inviting and the students felt that their mission had been a success. Finally, to complete their studies for the day, the students conducted an “Environmental Survey” and decided that the best course of action was to throw all their rubbish in the bin and to help keep the

ear 4 students and teachers from The British School of Kuwait spent a very worth while morning cleaning up a section of the Salwa beach as part of their environmental education programme. The students were shocked at the amount of litter that was strewn across the sand. So, with gusto, they set about doing their part to make Kuwait’s beaches clean

environment clean for everyone. All the teachers were pleased by the amount of eﬀort that the students put into their task and the understanding which they brought to this problem. For their topic on “The Local Environment” these students learned a valuable lesson, we must protect one of Kuwait’s most beautiful, natural resources - the golden sands!

Indian activist to release second book in March

tion which will also witness people from diﬀerent communities residing in

Kuwait. The date and venue of the function is still to be finalized depending on the availability of the visiting VIPs. Painummood’s first book was also a collection he wrote about social issues and many of those articles had appeared in the Malayalam edition of Kuwait Times. His present book is published by Prathibha Books, Mavelikkara. Renowned writer Prof Erumeli Parameswaran Pillai has written the foreword and well known writer Habeeb Rahman has penned the prelude. Painummood is in Kuwait since 1980 and ever since he has been active as activist, writer and orator over issues that center on human beings. He works with the Kharafi Group.

Ever since 1990 when Lubna and Bettina met In Washington, DC, they both discovered they had a love for craftsmanship and the value of objects that were triggered by a conversation over a bead magazine In 2003 that led to the creation of LB o J’zazz in 2005. Creating beaded objects of adornment, oﬀering raw materials and most importantly sharing a passion and love for beads.

Artists here explore a number of topical, social-political issues that analyze how argument [tradition] shifts over time in response to the changing conditions of market and state [flux]. How was Kuwait culturally affected by a financial grown spurt with the discovery of petroleum? Is the country’s social and cultural development up to par with the Dinar? What is art to a society like Kuwait?

Successlines to open library

s part of its commitment to literature and the habit of reading, Successlines is going to open a librar y for Indian expats in Abbassiya. Readers can browse through foreign as well as indian magazines and journals at its oﬃce in Abbassiya. The center is organizing for English and Malayalam books through Al-Shamel book company and readers can avail this facility by next month.

Al Mulla Exchange to organize seminar on Indian budget the Direct Taxes Code which could aﬀect Non-Resident Indians (NRI), especially on their taxable status. He will also deal with foreign exchange regulations and investment opportunities in India for NRIs. An advocate in the Supreme Court of India and a director of the Reserve Bank of India for the past ten years, Ranina continues the tradition of the late Nani Palkhivala in analyzing the Indian Budget every year and addressing lecture meetings in India and abroad. Judging by the huge turn-out at previous seminars organized by Al Mulla Exchange, customers are requested to pre-register their names by contacting the following numbers: 97271511, 97228757.

AL SADU HOUSE

SULTAN GALLERY

am Painummood, the current president of Kerala Art Lovers’ Association, a prominent social activist among the Indian expats in Kuwait and a renowned writer will launch his second book early next month. The book, titled Athijeevanaththinte Kaazhchappaatukal, (Perspectives on Survival) is a collection of articles Painummood penned over the past ﬁve years. The content of the book covers a wide spectrum of topics such as education, social development, India-Kuwait contracts, minorities, the church, Nepal, Palestine, and Indian secularism and heritage. The 91 page book will be released in Kuwait during a public meeting early next month. Eminent Indian personalities are expected to attend the func-

l Mulla Exchange, the premier exchange company in Kuwait, in association with the Kuwait Chapter of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, is arranging a seminar for their customers on the Indian Budget at 6.30 pm on Sunday, 6th March, 2011 at the Pearl Tent in Saﬁr International Hotel, Bneid Al Ghar. The keynote speaker at the event will be eminent Indian tax lawyer, Homi Phiroze Ranina, who will deliver his analysis of the Indian Budget 2011-12, following its presentation to the Indian Parliament on 28 February 2011. With over 30 years experience in matters related to taxation, ﬁnance and corporate management, Ranina will be discussing the proposed Regulations in

Mahmoud Ashkanani has taken a plunge into various schools of Art. From impressionism, expressive, abstract and onwards. Ashkanani says, “I do not belong to a particular Art School in my work, I glide between absolute abstract to symbolic abstract where I ﬁnd myself more”. In this exhibition he presents “Human Interaction” which unfolded from the human need to interact on this “Global Village” called earth eliminating distances and borders. Geometry over shadows his work transforming any scene into lines, curves, triangles and squares which results in a rhythmic reﬂection of bodies and shapes. Using his free-style mixed with acrylic and oil tubes to emphasize certain areas. Mahmoud introduces us to a new land of Art. Ebrahim Habib. A perfectionist who climbed the ladder of Art starting mainly with available collection of portrait. Gradually he moved to the Rulers of Kuwait ornamentations and capturing history using water colors Artists here explore a number of topical, socloand later Ebrahim found his strength in calligraphy political issues that analyze how argument [tradition] on wood blocks. Creating the most elegant between shifts over time in response to the changing conditions calligraphy. Acrylic ornamentation and gold leaves. Mastering all schools of calligraphy allows Ebrahim to be volatile and creative. He incorporates Quran Verses and prayers to his work creating Artwrok hard to resist.

Write to us Send to What’s On

on Minister for Transport of Kerala, Jose Thettayil, presenting the gold gifts to the lucky draw winner of jewellery gold gift scheme. Prize distribution was held at Orma Jewellery Mangaf Showroom in presence of managing partner Abey Varicad.

upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

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BSK to have strong presence at Britain in Kuwait exhibition

ritish International (BI) is proud to participate in the Britain in Kuwait exhibition which is scheduled to be held next week from 7-9 February 2011. BI owns and operates The British School of Kuwait (BSK), The Sunshine Kindergarten (TSK), The British Institute of Vocational Training (BIVT), The British Academy of International Arts (BAIA) and British Academy of Sports(BAS). In previous years, BI has proudly highlighted the activities of its flagships BSK and TSK. This year, BI will showcase holistic well-rounded education delivery model, which includes the best of British education, vocational, sports, arts and professional courses. This will reinforces our continued commitment towards being the premier education choice in Kuwait This year will also launch BIVT and our partnership with UK’s prestigious City & Guild’s . BIVT will offer International Qualifications and Professional training for young adults and working professionals. BI has been a founding supporter of Britain in Kuwait and have participated in all its exhibitions in the years 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, clearly show casing our dedication towards fostering ongoing bilateral relations between Britain in Kuwait. This year BI will be the proud recipient of a special award in recognition for our long standing relationship with Britain in Kuwait. BI is among the 7 companies that have supported Britain in Kuwait since its inception in 1997.

JAMM’s art auction in Kuwait

AMM, an independent strategic art advisory, will host its 2nd auction in Kuwait on 9 February 2011 featuring over 90 works by emerging and established Arab, Iranian and International artists. “This is a wonderful opportunity to present the works of the top contemporary artists from Kuwait and to showcase the best of the best from across the Middle East and beyond. Part of the proceeds from this sale will beneﬁt KAACH, the Kuwait Association for the Care of Children in Hospital,” said Sheikha Lulu Al-Sabah, co-founder of JAMM. Oﬀering over 90 works of art by renowned artists, including Nabil Nahas, Rokni Haerizadeh, Rahim Sharif, Reza Derakshani, Damian Hirst, Hassan Meer, Ahmed Alsoudani and Farideh Lashai, the auction will provide an opportunity for both new and existing clients in the GCC region and beyond to add to their collections of contemporary art. Keeping in mind the fast-growing appetite and appreciation for quality artworks at the right price, all pieces at the auction will be under KD14,000. A public exhibition of the artworks will take place at the Avenues on 8 February, ahead of the auction. JAMM

hopes that the preview will provide an opportunity for the public to visit and enjoy the art that will go under the hammer on the 9th. The auction will be conducted by renowned auctioneer, Aileen Agopian, who has been instrumental in the successes of many evening sale auctions of private collections as well as setting new records for artists such as Richard Prince and Julian Schnabel, to name a few. 10% of the proceeds from the auction sale will beneﬁt a Kuwait based non-proﬁt organization, KAACH, the Kuwait Association for the Care of Children in Hospital.

Musical concert

Greetings

nder the Patronage of the Spanish Embassy, and in collaboration with the Kuwait Chamber Philharmonia, has the honour to announce a Spanish Musical Concert, by the Spanish Pianist Pablo Galdo, plays ISAAC ALBENIZ & FRANZ LISZT on Thursday 10 February, at Al Hashemi II Grand Ballroom, Radisson Blu Hotel, at 8 pm.

appy birthday to dear Aasiya Begum. Best wishes come from father - Fida Hussain, husband Irfan Barrawas, son - Ayan Barrawas and brothers Faiyaz Hussain, Shahed Hussain.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2011

Sheikha Lulu Al Sabah

JAMM is much more than an art consultancy. With its unique global footprint, JAMM aims to bring culture, trends, collectors and private individuals closer to established and emerging artistic talent without geographical restriction. The services oﬀered by JAMM include auctions, amassing private and corporate art collections, artistic representations, exhibitions and events on an international scale. “As a company we are delighted to announce our 2nd Kuwait auction of aﬀordable established and up-andcoming international artists” commented Lydia Limerick co-founder of JAMM.

For the 1st time in Kuwait... An all new American breakfast only at Ruby Tuesday

s usual Ruby Tuesday never stops surprising us! Introducing its whole new American breakfast from 8AM to 11AM all through the week in Ruby Tuesday Multaqa Al Shaab. The breakfast menu is exquisite and one of its kind, starting with its famous Mini Benedicts which is a Ruby’s version of the classic Minis, Sunrise Quesadillas, Omelets, Pancakes, French Toast and many more scrumptious delights. Not to mention its fresh Garden Bar where you can find a healthy, colorful variety of fresh garden greens, crisp vegetables, premium cheeses and toppings, and a variety of fresh fruits. Ruby Tuesday also serves its delicious made from scratch Garlic Cheese Biscuits every morning. The breakfast also includes premium coffee, expertly roasted and made fresh throughout the day. Don’t forget to ask for your fresh juices and superb cocktails. Kids at Ruby Tuesday are never forgotten, “Just For Kids” is a part of Ruby’s breakfast menu tailored just for your sweet little ones. “Ruby Tuesday cares to serve great moments in a fresh place with fresh tastes” - said Vijay Elantholy, the Chief Operating Officer, at a press event held at Ruby Tuesday Multaqa Al Shaab overlooking the Gulf Road. This initiative is an important part of our determination to consistently provide a high-quality casual dining experience that our guests will remember. We are pleased with the positive response from our guests and will continue to explore new ways to incorporate bold flavors and create family favorites,’ adds Vijay. He also took the opportunity to warmly welcome and thank the press people for their ongoing support.

Information EMBASSY OF BANGLADESH The Embassy of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh in Kuwait has taken up an initiative to update the database of Bangladesh nationals residing in the State of Kuwait. For inclusion in the database all the Bangladesh nationals are requested to collect the Registration Form from the Labour Wing of the Embassy. The forms can also be collected sending request to bdoot@kems.net e-mail address. The filled-in forms can also be submitted by hand, by email or by fax (number 2491-3204).

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. 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. Effective January 15, 2011, the only Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) application form that will be accepted by CIC is the Application for Temporary Resident Visa Made Outside of Canada [IMM 5257] form. All previous Temporary Resident Visa application forms will no longer be accepted by CIC and instead will be returned to applicants. Should old applications be submitted prior to January 15, 2011 they will continue to be processed. To ensure that the most recent version of the Temporary Resident Visa application form is being utilized, applicants should refer to the CIC website. As of January 15, 2011, forms are to be filled in electronically. The forms are available on the internet at: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/for ms/IMM5257E.PDF. A guide explaining the process can be found here: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/guides/5256E.PDF. EMBASSY OF INDIA The Embassy of India has fur ther revamped and improved its Legal Advice Clinic at the Indian Workers Welfare Center, and made the free service available to Indian nationals on all five working days, i.e. from Sunday to Thursday every week. Kuwaiti lawyers would be available at the Legal Advice Clinic daily from Monday to Thursday, while Indian lawyers would be available on Sundays. Following are the free welfare services provided at the Indian Workers Welfare Center located at the Embassy of India: [i] 24x7 Helpline for Domestic Workers: Accessible by toll free telephone no. 25674163 from anywhere in Kuwait, it provides information and advice exclusively to Indian domestic sector workers (Visa No. 20) as regards their grievances, immigration and other matters. [ii] Help Desk: It offers guidance to Indian nationals on routine immigration, employment, legal, and other issues (Embassy premises; 9 AM to 1 PM and 2 PM to 4.30 PM, Sunday to Thursday); (iii) Labour Complaints Desk: It registers labor complaints and provides grievance redressal service to Indian workers (Embassy premises; 9 AM to 1 PM and 2 PM to 4.30 PM, Sunday to Thursday); (iv) Shelters: For female and male domestic workers in distress; (v) Legal Advice Clinic: Provides free legal advice to Indian nationals (Embassy premises; Kuwaiti lawyers 3 PM to 5 PM, Monday to Thursday ; Indian lawyers 2 PM to 4 PM on Sunday); and (vi) Attestation of Work Contracts: Private sector worker (Visa No. 18) contracts are accepted at the Embassy; 9 AM to 1 PM; Sunday to Thursday; Domestic sector worker (Visa No. 20) contracts are accepted at Kuwait Union of Domestic Labor Offices (KUDLO), Hawally, Al-Othman Street, Kurd Roundabout, AlAbraj Complex, Office No 9, Mezzanine Floor; 9 AM to 9 PM, Saturday to Thursday; 5 PM to 9 PM on Friday. Embassy of India

would like to inform that application forms for passport/visa services and labor contracts that are on its website, www.indembkwt.org, have been upgraded to include the facility for online data entry. Affidavit forms on the embassy website have had this facility since May 6, 2009. EMBASSY OF VIETNAM The Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the State of Kuwait has the honor to inform that the Embassy remains close till today (Feb7) for its Tet Holidays ( Traditional Lunar New Year Holidays). The Embassy will resume its normal work tomorrow (Feb 8).

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00:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 List 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 17:00 18:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

American Idol Good Morning America Alias Kathy Griﬃn: My Life On The DCriminal Minds Karen Sisco Good Morning America Detroit 1-8-7 Survivor: Nicaragua The Ellen Degeneres Show Criminal Minds Survivor: Nicaragua Karen Sisco Detroit 1-8-7 Live Good Morning America Criminal Minds American Idol Parenthood My Generation Alias American Idol

00:50 Untamed And Uncut 01:45 Lions Of Crocodile River 02:40 Cats 101 03:35 Weird Creatures With Nick Baker 04:30 K9 Cops 05:25 Whale Wars 06:20 Untamed And Uncut 07:10 Project Puppy 07:35 Project Puppy 08:00 Meerkat Manor 08:25 Night 08:50 The Crocodile Hunter Diaries 09:40 Breed All About It 10:10 Cats 101 11:05 The Beauty Of Snakes 12:00 Animal Precinct 12:55 Wildlife Sos 13:20 Wildlife Sos 13:50 Animal Cops Phoenix 14:45 Sspca: On The Wildside 15:10 Vet On The Loose 15:40 Jungle 16:30 Dogs 101 17:30 Night 18:00 Breed All About It 18:25 Project Puppy 18:50 Project Puppy 19:20 Austin Stevens Adventures 20:15 Escape To Chimp Eden 20:40 Snake Crusader With Bruce George 21:10 Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 22:05 Living With Wolves

00:20 01:10 02:00 02:45 03:35 04:05 04:40 05:00 05:20 05:40 05:50 05:55 06:10 06:30 06:50 07:10 07:20 07:25 07:40 08:00 08:20 08:40 08:50 08:55 09:10 09:30 09:50 10:10 10:20 10:25 10:40 11:10 11:40

Moses Jones The Jonathan Ross Show The Weakest Link Himalaya With Michael Palin Last Of The Summer Wine Last Of The Summer Wine Balamory Tweenies Fimbles The Large Family Spot’s Musical Adventures Charlie And Lola Balamory Tweenies Fimbles The Large Family Spot’s Musical Adventures Charlie And Lola Balamory Tweenies Fimbles The Large Family Spot’s Musical Adventures Charlie And Lola Balamory Tweenies Fimbles The Large Family Spot’s Musical Adventures Charlie And Lola Last Of The Summer Wine Last Of The Summer Wine The Weakest Link

12:25 13:15 13:45 14:15 15:10 15:40 16:10 16:40 17:30 18:15 18:45 19:20 20:10 21:00 21:45 22:15 22:45

Inspector Lynley Mysteries Doctors Mastermind 2006 Himalaya With Michael Palin Last Of The Summer Wine Last Of The Summer Wine Last Of The Summer Wine Inspector Lynley Mysteries The Weakest Link Doctors Mastermind 2006 Himalaya With Michael Palin Inspector Lynley Mysteries The Weakest Link Doctors Eastenders Holby City

00:00 01:40 02:25 03:10 04:00 04:50 07:40 08:20 09:20 09:45 10:10 11:00 11:50 12:15 12:40 13:30 14:15 14:40 15:05 19:05 21:35 22:20 23:10

Come Dine With Me Bargain Hunt Cash In The Attic Home For Life Superhomes Daily Cooks Challenge Cash In The Attic Daily Cooks Challenge 10 Years Younger 10 Years Younger Antiques Roadshow Fantasy Homes In The City 10 Years Younger 10 Years Younger Antiques Roadshow Fantasy Homes By The Sea Glamour Puds Glamour Puds Daily Cooks Challenge Come Dine With Me Fantasy Homes By The Sea Home For Life Superhomes

01:00 03:00 05:00 07:15 09:00 11:00 13:00 14:45 17:15 19:00 21:00 23:00

Civilization Of Maxwell Bright Run-PG15 Barbarossa-PG15 Living Out Loud-PG15 Georgia O’Keeﬀe-PG15 Forever Strong-PG The Missing Person-PG15 Mr. Holland’s Opus-PG Keith-PG15 Joe’s Palace-18 Linha De Passe-18 Husbands And Wives-18

00:40 01:10 01:35 02:30 03:00 03:25 Junior 04:20 04:50 05:15 05:40 06:05 07:00 07:50 08:45 09:10 09:40 10:30 10:55 11:25 12:20 13:15 14:10 15:05 16:00 16:55 17:50 18:45 19:10 19:40 20:05 20:35 21:00 21:55 22:50

Destroyed In Seconds Destroyed In Seconds Battle Machine Bros Fifth Gear Fifth Gear American Chopper: Senior Vs How It’s Made How Do They Do It? Destroyed In Seconds Destroyed In Seconds Heart Of The Machine X-Machines American Chopper How Do They Do It? How It’s Made Mythbusters Cake Boss Border Security Overhaulin’ Ultimate Survival Mythbusters Miami Ink Dirty Jobs Overhaulin’ Deadliest Catch Mythbusters Cake Boss Border Security Deconstruction How Do They Do It? How It’s Made River Monsters Extreme Fishing Shark Family

TV PROGRAMS

00:40 01:30 02:20 03:10 04:00 04:50 05:45 06:40 07:10 08:00 08:55 09:50 10:15 10:45 11:10 11:40 12:30 12:55 13:45 14:15 15:05 15:55 16:20 17:10 18:00 18:25 18:50 19:40 20:30 21:20 21:45 22:10

Mighty Ships Mega World Engineered What’s That About? The Colony The Colony Weird Or What? How Stuff’s Made The Future Of... Scrappy Races Sci-Fi Saved My Life Sci-Fi Science Sci-Fi Science Stuntdawgs The Gadget Show How Stuff Works How Stuff’s Made Scrappy Races Patent Bending Engineered Nextworld Savage Planet Building The Future Engineering Thrills The Gadget Show How Stuff’s Made Brainiac Mighty Ships Kings Of Construction How It’s Made The Gadget Show The Future Of...

00:40 Style Star 01:05 Style Star 01:30 THS 03:15 Extreme Hollywood 04:10 Sexiest 05:05 Battle Of The Hollywood Hotties 05:30 Streets Of Hollywood 06:00 THS 07:45 Behind The Scenes 08:10 Behind The Scenes 08:35 E! News 09:25 Giuliana And Bill 10:15 THS 12:00 Extreme Close-Up 12:25 Extreme Close-Up 12:50 Fashion Police 13:15 Style Star 13:40 Kourtney And Khloe Take Miami 14:05 Kendra 14:30 THS 16:15 Behind The Scenes 16:40 Behind The Scenes 17:10 Kimora: Life In The Fab Lane 17:35 Kimora’s Home Movies 18:00 Extreme Close-Up 18:25 Extreme Close-Up 18:50 Style Star 19:15 Style Star 19:40 THS 20:30 The Soup 20:55 Chelsea Lately 21:20 Married To Rock 21:45 Married To Rock 22:35 Style Star 23:00 Fashion Police 23:25 Keeping Up With The Kardashians

00:15 00:40 01:05 01:30 01:55 02:45 03:10 03:35 04:25 05:15 05:40 06:05 06:30 06:50 07:35 08:00 08:50

Guys Big Bite Good Eats Unwrapped Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Unwrapped Good Eats Good Eats Food Network All-Star Guy Oﬀ the Hook - Special Good Eats Unwrapped TEN DOLLAR DINNERS Paula’s Best Dishes Paula’s Party Barefoot Contessa Chopped Guys Big Bite

09:15 Boy Meets Grill 09:40 Good Deal with Dave Lieberman 10:05 TEN DOLLAR DINNERS 10:30 Paula’s Best Dishes 10:55 Barefoot Contessa 11:20 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 11:45 Throwdown With Bobby Flay 12:10 Unwrapped 12:35 Paula’s Party 13:25 Good Eats 13:50 Paula’s Best Dishes 14:15 Throwdown With Bobby Flay 14:40 Ultimate Recipe Showdown 15:30 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 15:55 Unwrapped 16:20 Boy Meets Grill 16:45 Chopped 17:35 Paula’s Best Dishes 18:00 Barefoot Contessa 18:25 Good Deal with Dave Lieberman 18:50 TEN DOLLAR DINNERS 19:15 Paula’s Party 20:05 Good Eats 20:30 Guys Big Bite 20:55 Throwdown With Bobby Flay 21:20 Paula’s Party 22:10 Good Eats 22:35 Good Eats

02:30 NFL Super Bowl from Dallas Texas TBA at TBA 06:00 Sport Express 06:30 Golf Channel - TBA 07:30 Golf Central International 08:00 Golf Channel - TBA 09:30 PGA Tour: Waste Management Phoenix Open Final Rd. Scottsdale, AZ 12:30 NFL Super Bowl from Dallas Texas TBA at TBA 16:00 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Michigan at Penn State 18:00 ACC Sunday Night Hoops Florida St. at North Carolina 20:00 NFL Super Bowl from Dallas Texas TBA at TBA 23:30 Dream Team Season 9

00:40 01:30 01:55 02:20 03:10 Jones 04:00 04:50 05:45 06:15 07:10 08:00 08:50 09:40 10:30 10:55 11:20 11:45 12:10 13:00 13:50 14:40 15:30 15:55 16:20 16:45 17:10 18:00 18:50 19:40 20:30

Deadly Women Who On Earth Did I Marry? Who On Earth Did I Marry? Couples Who Kill True Crime With Aphrodite Deadly Women Dr G: Medical Examiner Ghosthunters On The Case With Paula Zahn Mystery Diagnosis Forensic Detectives On The Run Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry? Who On Earth Did I Marry? Fbi Files Murder Shift Disappeared Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry? Who On Earth Did I Marry? Forensic Detectives On The Run Fbi Files Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls

01:10 Fitzwilly 02:50 Number One Fan 04:20 Final Approach 06:00 Galaxy Of Terror 07:20 Sweet Land 09:10 Scorpio 11:05 Cornbread, Earl And Me 12:40 The Extreme Adventures Of Super Dave 14:10 Love Bites 15:45 Wuthering Heights (1970) 17:30 Trip With Anita 19:10 Maxie 20:40 A.K.A. Cassius Clay 22:00 Scream, Blacula, Scream! 23:40 Cop

00:00 02:00 03:00 03:30 04:00 05:00 08:00 09:00 09:30 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 15:30 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 21:30 22:00 23:00

Zombieland on Show Movies

MONDAY, FRBRUARY 7, 2011

Long Way Down Banged Up Abroad Bondi Rescue Market Values Bondi Rescue Long Way Down Banged Up Abroad Bondi Rescue Market Values Banged Up Abroad Warrior Road Trip The Frankincense Trail Departures By Any Means Graham’s World Bondi Rescue Banged Up Abroad Warrior Road Trip The Frankincense Trail Departures By Any Means Graham’s World Bondi Rescue Banged Up Abroad Warrior Road Trip

00:00 Swamp Men 01:00 Shark Night 03:00 Dangerous Encounters With Brady Barr 04:00 Built For The Kill 05:00 The Living Edens 06:00 Animal Paparazzi 07:00 Wild Freaks 08:00 Intimate Enemies 09:00 Hunter Hunted 10:00 World’s Deadliest Animals 11:00 Restless Planet 12:00 The Cute Report 13:00 Animal Paparazzi 14:00 Monster Fish 15:00 Wild Freaks 16:00 Prehistoric Hunters 17:00 Python Hunters

18:00 19:00 20:00 22:00 23:00

Swamp Men Animal Paparazzi Wild Freaks Prehistoric Hunters Python Hunters

00:00 Two And A Half Men 00:30 Family Biz 01:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 01:30 The Colbert Report 02:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 03:00 Saturday Night Live 04:00 South Park 04:30 Entourage 05:00 Cougar Town 05:30 Coach 06:00 Yes, Dear 06:30 The Drew Carey Show 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:00 Just Shoot Me 08:30 Coach 09:00 Yes, Dear 09:30 The Drew Carey Show 10:00 According To Jim 10:30 Billable Hours 11:00 Coach 11:30 Yes, Dear 12:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 13:00 Just Shoot Me 13:30 Coach 14:00 Yes, Dear 14:30 Two And A Half Men 15:00 Billable Hours 15:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 16:00 The Colbert Report 16:30 The Drew Carey Show 17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:00 Just Shoot Me 18:30 According To Jim 19:00 Billable Hours 19:30 Two And A Half Men 20:00 10 Things I Hate About You 20:30 It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia 21:00 The Daily Show Global Edition 21:30 The Colbert Report Global Edition 22:00 Comedy Central Presents 22:30 Comedy Central Presents 23:00 South Park 23:30 Billable Hours

01:45 04:15 06:30 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

00:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 05:30 06:30 07:30 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 11:30 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Air Force One-PG15 He’s Just Not That Into You Changeling-PG15 How To Lose A Guy In 10 DaysMonster’s Inc-FAM The Box-PG15 All About Steve-PG15 How To Lose A Guy In 10 DaysWanted-18 Duplicity-18 Star Trek: Generations-PG

American Idol True Blood C.S.I. Miami True Blood The Simpsons C.S.I. New York The Ellen Degeneres Show Coronation Street C.S.I. New York C.S.I. Miami The Ellen Degeneres Show The Simpsons Coronation Street Criminal Minds Law And Order C.S.I. New York C.S.I. Miami The Simpsons Coronation Street The Ellen Degeneres Show American Idol Desperate Housewives My Generation True Blood The Ellen Degeneres Show

00:30 Triangle-18 02:30 The Shock Doctrine-PG15 04:00 Skellig-PG15 06:00 Cairo Time-PG15 08:00 Thor: Hammer Of The Gods09:30 Daddy Day Care-PG 11:00 Secret Origin: The Story Of DC Comics-PG15 13:00 Avatar-PG 16:00 Thor: Hammer Of The Gods 18:00 My Sister’s Keeper-PG15 20:00 Zombieland-18 22:00 Live!-18

01:00 03:00 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:15 21:00 23:00

The Italian Job (2003)-PG15 Blood: The Last Vampire-18 Eden Lake-18 The Least Of These-PG15 Lost Junction-PG15 Gone In Sixty Seconds-PG15 The Puriﬁers-PG15 Lost Junction-PG15 Face Oﬀ-PG15 Universal Soldier: RegenerationStar Trek: Generations-PG Borderland-18

00:00 Fierce Creatures-PG15 02:00 All Night Long-PG15 04:00 Mystery Men-PG15 06:00 Leaving Normal-PG15 08:00 Life-PG15 10:00 A Dog Year-PG 12:00 Martha Meet Frank, Daniel And Lawrence-PG15 14:00 Scrooged-PG 16:00 Fierce Creatures-PG15 18:00 The Last Shot-PG15 20:00 Lonely Street-PG15 22:00 Friday After Next-18

00:00 Yogi Bear And The Magical Flight Of The Spruce Goose-PG 02:00 Up-FAM

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian on Super Movies 04:00 Babar: King Of The Elephants 06:00 Legend Of The Titanic-FAM 08:00 Moomin And Midsummer Madness-FAM 10:00 Up-FAM 12:00 The Trumpet Of The Swan-FAM 14:00 Green Lantern: First Flight-PG 16:00 Winx: Secret Of The Lost Kingdom-PG 18:00 Zeus And Roxanne-PG 20:00 Pocahontas II: Winter Of The Rocky Mount-FAM 22:00 The Trumpet Of The Swan-FAM

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 06:30 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

C.S.I. New York Huge The Martha Stewart Show White Collar The View The Deep End Emmerdale Coronation Street White Collar The Martha Stewart Show The Deep End White Collar The View Emmerdale Coronation Street The Martha Stewart Show C.S.I. New York Huge What’s Good For You The View Emmerdale Coronation Street C.S.I. Miami Desperate Housewives White Collar The View What’s Good For You

00:00 00:30 05:00 07:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:30 22:00

ICC Cricket World PGA European Tour Scottish FA Cup Cricket One Day International Anglo Welsh Cup Scottish FA Cup Brazil League Highlights World Hockey ICC Cricket World Live Goals On Monday Futbol Mundial Scottish FA Cup

00:00 02:00 02:30 04:30 05:30 06:00 06:30 07:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 13:30 15:30 16:00 17:00 17:30 18:00 19:00 20:00 22:00 22:30 23:30

Scottish FA Cup Futbol Mundial Anglo Welsh Cup Pool World Cup Brazil League Highlights World Hockey Extreme Sailing Series PGA European Tour Futbol Mundial Brazil League Highlights Pool World Cup Scottish FA Cup ICC Cricket World Asia Paciﬁc Ironman Brazil League Highlights World Hockey Pool World Cup PGA European Tour Highlights Anglo Welsh Cup World Hockey Pool World Cup PGA European Tour Highlights

01:00 03:00 04:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 09:30 10:00 10:30

WWE Bottom Line UFC 126 Prelims UFC 126 WWE Bottom Line Red Bull X-Fighters Sports Adventure Full Throttle Air Sports World FIA GT1 World Championship

12:00 WWE Vintage Collection 13:00 WWE SmackDown 15:00 WWE Bottom Line 16:00 Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge 17:00 UFC 126 Prelims 18:00 UFC 126 21:00 UFC Unleashed

01:45 Havoc 2: Normal Adolescent Behavior-R 03:30 April Showers-PG15 05:15 Au Pair 3: Adventure In Paradise-PG 07:00 One Last Breath-PG15 09:00 Save The Last Dance-PG 11:00 Moon-PG15 13:00 Night At The Museum: Battle Of The Smithsonian-PG15 15:00 Fab Five: The Texas Cheerleader Scandal-PG15 17:00 Save The Last Dance-PG 19:00 The Boat That Rocked-PG15 21:15 The Waiting City-PG15 23:00 The Lovely Bones-PG15

00:45 02:25 FAM 05:00 06:40 08:00 09:55 FAM 12:25 14:10 15:50 17:40 19:10 20:45

Savage Messiah-18 The Shoes Of The FishermanNo Small Aﬀair-PG15 The Petriﬁed Forest-PG Mogambo-PG The Shoes Of The Fisherman3 Godfathers-FAM Green Fire-FAM Young Bess-FAM Invitation To The Dance-FAM Penelope-FAM Anchors Aweigh-FAM

00:40 Declassified 01:30 Nostradamus Effect 02:20 Ice Road Truckers 3 03:10 Ice Road Truckers 04:00 Crossing The Bridge 04:55 Conspiracy? 05:50 Declassified: Rise And Fall Of The Wall 06:40 Declassified 07:30 Nostradamus Effect 08:20 Ice Road Truckers 3 09:10 Ice Road Truckers 10:00 Crossing The Bridge 10:55 Conspiracy? 11:50 Declassified: Rise And Fall Of The Wall 12:40 Declassified 13:30 Nostradamus Effect 14:20 Ice Road Truckers 3 15:10 Ice Road Truckers 16:00 Crossing The Bridge 16:55 Conspiracy? 17:50 Declassified: Rise And Fall Of The Wall 18:40 Declassified 19:30 Nostradamus Effect 20:20 Ice Road Truckers 3 21:10 Ice Road Truckers 22:00 Ice Road Truckers 22:55 Pawn Stars 23:25 Pawn Stars 23:50 Tales Of The Gun

00:17 01:00 01:45 02:00 02:45 03:17 07:17 08:00 08:45 09:17 13:00

Playlist Africa 10 Playlist Urban Hit Playlist Playlist Playlist Sound System 10 Playlist Playlist Urban Hit

13:45 15:17 16:00 16:45 17:17 18:00 18:45 20:00 20:50 22:17

Playlist Playlist Latina 10 Playlist Playlist Urban Hit Playlist Hit Us Playlist Playlist

00:00 Globe Trekker 01:00 Tall Ship Explorers 02:00 Food Tripper 03:00 Globe Trekker 04:00 Nomad’s Land 05:00 Globe Trekker 06:00 Tall Ship Explorers 07:00 Planet Food 08:00 Globe Trekker 09:00 Inside Luxury Travel-Varun Sharma 10:00 Nomad’s Land 11:00 Flavours Of Mexico 11:30 Chef Abroad 12:00 Rivers Of The World 13:00 Globe Trekker 14:00 Taste Takes Oﬀ 14:30 Planet Food 15:30 Inside Luxury Travel-Varun Sharma 16:30 Destination Art 17:00 Globe Trekker 18:00 Chef Abroad 18:30 Flavours Of Mexico 19:00 Planet Food 20:00 Globe Trekker 21:00 Travel Today 21:30 Travel Oz 22:00 Australia’s Great Wildlife Islands 23:00 Inside Luxury Travel-Varun Sharma

00:00 KSA 07:00 07:25 07:50 08:15 08:40 09:05 09:30 09:55 10:00 10:25 10:50 11:15 11:40 12:05 12:30 12:55 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:25 15:50 16:15 16:40 16:45 17:15 17:40 18:05 18:30 18:55 19:20 19:45 20:10 20:35 21:00 21:25 21:30 22:00 22:25 22:50 22:55 23:20

Programmes Start At 7:00am Kid vs Kat Kick Buttowski Pokemon Phineas And Ferb Phineas And Ferb Kick Buttowski American Dragon Have A Laugh Zeke And Luther Zeke And Luther I’m In The Band The Super Hero Squad Show Suite Life On Deck Suite Life On Deck Escape From Scorpion Island Have A Laugh Phineas And Ferb Phineas And Ferb Kid vs Kat Kid vs Kat The Suite Life Of Zack And Cody The Suite Life Of Zack And Cody Zeke And Luther Suite Life On Deck Have A Laugh Kick Buttowski I’m In The Band Suite Life On Deck Zeke And Luther Zeke And Luther Phineas And Ferb Phineas And Ferb Escape From Scorpion Island Pokemon American Dragon Aaron Stone Have A Laugh Kid vs Kat Phineas And Ferb I’m In The Band Have A Laugh The Suite Life Of Zack And Cody The Super Hero Squad Show

e niv rsar n

Classifieds MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2011

Years

ACCOMMODATION

Sharing accommodation available for Christian bachelors, non-smoking, in C-A/C building in Abbasiya, big bedroom, 2 bathroom, near Indian International School. Contact: 24313499 / 99529809. (C 3092) Abraq Khaitan, single room available for decent Indian bachelor, beside

main road in C-A/C, new building, with DSL line from 15th February or 1st March. Contact: 97523316 / 24745162. (C 3093) 7-2-2011 One bedroom available for Keralite couple/ working lady/ bachelor in Abbassiya near to Orma restaurant with a family. Contact: 99494671. (C 3088)

One room available for Filipino couple only to share with Filipino family in Hawally behind Popeye’s restaurant. Please call 66440968, 66266105. (C 3089) Spacious room with separate toilet, available to let, from a flat in Bneid Al Gar. Single occupancy KD 75, double KD 100. Contact 60914165 for more details.

(C 3090) ٦-٢-٢٠١١ Sharing accommodation available in a C-A/C flat in Jabriya, area-10, near Jabriya Indian School for decent working ladies or family.Contact: 99300513. (C 3081) Sharing accommodation available for a couple / single bachelor in Mangaf Fire Station road (Prince rent a car) KD 65, contact

between 7am to 9am and 7pm to 9pm. Tel: 23719415 / 99562317. (C 3082) 3-2-2011 Room for rent in Hawally opposite Al-Bahar Center near Jabriya Bridge, decent bachelor and family. Contact: 99593486 / 97672748. (C 3079) 2-2-2011 Fully furnished sharing accommodation available

for Christians in C-A/C new building in Abbassiya, big bedroom attached bathroom with separate bed, cot, cupboard, washing machine, fridge, dining table from Feb 1. Contact: 97167323. (C 3078) 1-2-2011 Sharing accommodation available for single decent bachelor, non smoking, to share with family. Opposite Al Rashid hospital, Shara Amman, Salmiya. Tel: 25651678, 66232356 (C 3075) 30-1-2011

MATRIMONIAL Pakistani, Muslim parents are seeking suitable match for their educated and wellmannered daughter. Grooms must be age 33+ years old and well educated. Elders of interested candidates may write at:

(C 3080) 7-2-2011

akbar.200@hotmail.com (C 3076) 7-2-2011 SITUATION WANTED I need job as full time sales executive. I am MBA (Marketing) and have valid driving license and car. I am in Kuwait for last 4 years. I have one year experience as sales executive. Contact: 55355954. (C 3091)

An individual having MBA (Finance) degree with 3 years experience as an accountant looking for a suitable job. Having transferable visa. Please contact: 97516489/ 65801964. (C 3087) ٦-٢-٢٠١١

FOR SALE 10 years experienced accountant looking for job. Expert in Microsoft Dynamic GP, Oracle Financials, Peachtree Accounting & tally Contact: 60320220.

Mitsubishi Galant for sale model 2004, color white, good condition, price KD 1,300. Tel: 66723518. (C 3086) 5-2-2011

FLIGHT SCHEDULE FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION 161 In case you are not travelling, your proper cancellation of bookings will help other passengers to use seats Airlines JZR KLM JZR ETH WAN WAN BBC THY UAE QTR DHX GFA ETD JZR FCX JZR BAW KAC JZR KAC KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC UAE QTR ABY ETD GFA KAC JZR JZR JZR MEA IRC MSR KAC MSR KAC FDB UAL OMA KAC SVA KAC

Flt 481 447 205 622 646 306 45 772 853 138 370 211 305 503 201 531 157 412 555 352 204 53 302 676 362 855 132 123 301 213 344 151 121 165 404 6521 623 382 610 672 57 982 645 618 500 552

Arrival Flights on Monday 7/2/2011 Route SABIHA AMSTERDAM / BAHRAIN DAMASCUS ADDIS ABABA VIENNA / BEIRUT CAIRO DHAKA / BAHRAIN ISTANBUL DUBAI DOHA BAHRAIN BAHRAIN ABU DHABI LUXOR DOHA ASSIUT LONDON MANILA / BANGKOK ALEXANDRIA COCHIN LAHORE DUBAI MUMBAI DUBAI COLOMBO DUBAI DOHA SHARJAH ABU DHABI BAHRAIN CHENNAI DOHA BAHRAIN DUBAI BEIRUT LAMERD SOHAG DELHI CAIRO DUBAI DUBAI WASHINGTON DC DULLES MUSCAT DOHA JEDDAH DAMASCUS

Time 0:05 0:10 0:45 1:45 1:45 1:50 1:55 2:15 2:35 2:45 2:55 3:05 3:10 5:20 6:15 6:20 6:40 6:45 7:00 7:35 7:40 7:45 7:55 8:10 8:20 8:30 9:05 9:05 9:30 9:35 10:35 10:55 11:10 11:20 11:55 12:05 12:30 12:45 12:55 13:25 13:50 14:10 14:15 14:25 14:30 14:35

KNE KAC QTR KAC KAC WAN ETD UAE KAC GFA WAN SVA JZR RJA JZR JZR ABY ALK KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC IAC KAC KAC FDB OMA JAI JZR DHX VOS WAN GFA MEA QTR UAE KLM MSR RBG JZR UAL TAR DLH RJA PIA

745 284 134 546 550 304 303 857 118 215 402 510 213 800 777 239 127 227 542 786 614 674 744 575 104 774 61 647 572 179 372 81 104 217 402 136 859 445 612 3553 135 981 327 636 802 239

JEDDAH DHAKA DOHA ALEXANDRIA SOHAG CAIRO ABU DHABI DUBAI NEW YORK BAHRAIN BEIRUT RIYADH DEIREZZOR AMMAN JEDDAH AMMAN SHARJAH COLOMBO / DUBAI CAIRO JEDDAH BAHRAIN DUBAI DAMMAM CHENNAI / GOA LONDON RIYADH DUBAI MUSCAT MUMBAI DUBAI BAHRAIN BAGHDAD DUBAI BAHRAIN BEIRUT DOHA DUBAI AMSTERDAM CAIRO ALEXANDRIA BAHRAIN BAHRAIN TUNIS FRANKFURT AMMAN SIALKOT

14:50 14:55 15:00 15:30 15:35 16:20 16:50 16:55 16:55 17:05 17:15 17:20 17:25 17:30 17:30 17:40 17:45 18:10 18:50 19:10 19:20 19:25 19:25 19:30 19:35 19:40 20:05 20:10 20:15 20:15 21:00 21:15 21:15 21:15 21:20 21:35 21:40 21:40 22:45 22:50 22:55 23:00 23:35 23:35 23:50 23:55

Airlines AFG UAL AXB IAC PIA KLM DLH ETH KAC BBC THY KAC UAE ETD QTR DHX JZR JZR GFA JZR FDB KAC BAW KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY QTR ETD GFA KAC KAC JZR JZR KAC JZR KAC MEA IRC MSR KAC MSR FDB

Depatrure Flights on Monday 7/2/2011 Flt Route 406 DUBAI / KABUL 981 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 390 MANGALORE / KOZHIKODE 982 HYDERABAD / AHMEDABAD / CHENNAI 206 PESHAWER / LAHORE 447 AMSTERDAM 637 FRANKFURT 623 ADDIS ABABA 283 DHAKA 46 DHAKA 773 ISTANBUL 381 DELHI 854 DUBAI 306 ABU DHABI 139 DOHA 371 BAHRAIN 164 DUBAI 150 DOHA 212 BAHRAIN 120 BAHRAIN 54 DUBAI 545 ALEXANDRIA 156 LONDON 671 DUBAI 551 DAMASCUS 549 SOHAG 856 DUBAI 124 SHARJAH 133 DOHA 302 ABU DHABI 214 BAHRAIN 617 DOHA 165 ROME / PARIS 212 DEIREZZOR 776 JEDDAH 541 CAIRO 238 AMMAN 103 LONDON 405 BEIRUT 6522 LAMERD 624 SOHAG 785 JEDDAH 611 CAIRO 58 DUBAI

Time 0:05 0:45 0:45 1:05 1:10 1:25 1:30 2:30 2:40 3:10 3:15 3:30 3:50 4:00 4:55 5:45 6:55 7:10 7:15 8:20 8:25 8:50 8:55 9:00 9:10 9:20 9:40 9:45 10:00 10:20 10:20 11:10 11:45 11:45 12:00 12:00 12:10 12:30 12:55 13:05 13:30 13:40 13:55 14:35

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

KAC OMA UAL KNE SVA JZR KAC KAC QTR KAC WAN ETD VOS GFA UAE RJA WAN ABY SVA JZR ALK WAN KAC JZR FDB JZR KAC OMA JAI KAC DHX KAC GFA MEA JZR FCX QTR KLM KAC UAE KAC JZR RBG MSR JZR KAC

673 646 982 746 501 178 613 773 135 743 103 304 82 216 858 801 321 128 511 266 228 305 285 134 62 528 331 648 571 543 373 675 218 403 206 102 137 445 301 860 205 502 3554 613 554 411

DUBAI MUSCAT BAHRAIN JEDDAH JEDDAH DUBAI BAHRAIN RIYADH DOHA DAMMAM DUBAI ABU DHABI BAGHDAD BAHRAIN DUBAI AMMAN SHARM EL SHEIKH SHARJAH RIYADH BEIRUT DUBAI / COLOMBO CAIRO CHITTAGONG BAHRAIN DUBAI ASSIUT TRIVANDRUM MUSCAT MUMBAI CAIRO BAHRAIN DUBAI BAHRAIN BEIRUT DAMASCUS BAHRAIN DOHA BAHRAIN / AMSTERDAM MUMBAI DUBAI ISLAMABAD LUXOR ALEXANDRIA CAIRO ALEXANDRIA BANGKOK / MANILA

15:10 15:15 15:25 15:40 15:45 15:50 16:20 16:25 16:30 16:40 17:05 17:40 18:00 18:05 18:10 18:15 18:15 18:25 18:35 18:40 19:10 19:15 19:15 20:05 20:50 21:00 21:00 21:10 21:15 21:55 22:00 22:10 22:15 22:20 22:20 22:30 22:35 22:40 22:45 22:50 22:55 23:00 23:35 23:45 23:45 23:55

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2011

s ta rs CROSSWORD 222

STAR TRACK

CALVIN & HOBBES

Aries (March 21-April 19) Your life takes on a kind of mystical quality at the emotional and instinctive levels. Dreams and illusions arouse deep feelings. Your conversations tend to move along the lines of mysticism and you are able to enchant others with your ideas. With an attitude that follows such an evolved line of thinking, your common sense and day-to-day reasoning may seem to be missing. Hectic emotional energy could be present. While all of this is very enlightening, if you do not participate in a grounding activity you could find yourself susceptible to falls or find yourself running into things. Take a moment to hug a tree or hold a stone and if you choose a crystal, make sure the point is toward the ground for grounding purposes. Enjoy laughing tonight.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) You may find this morning a little out of sync with the rest of the day. The confusing energies you may be feeling can be eliminated with the creation of a list for your plans. Being guided by a list, you will feel that you have accomplished quite a lot by the time the afternoon rolls around. This could mean you are into a creative frenzy, decorating a room or painting a picture. If this work affects others, make sure they are included in the decision making. Take a little time after your noon meal to walk a bit or do a little different exercise. Make sure that if you received help with your work, everyone is included to a bit of celebration when the work is complete. Support those that help you by treating the group to a movie or meal away from home.

POOCH CAFE ACROSS 1. A legal document codifying the result of deliberations of a committee or society or legislative body. 4. A geographical area and former kingdom in northeastern India in the Himalaya Mountains between Nepal and Bhutan. 10. An accountant certified by the state. 13. Two items of the same kind. 14. Flesh of large European flatfish. 15. Thigh of a hog (usually smoked). 16. Lower in esteem. 18. An edible tuber native to South America. 19. (informal) Of the highest quality. 20. A tricycle (usually propelled by pedalling). 22. A resident of Iowa. 24. The blood group whose red cells carry both the A and B antigens. 25. A deep bow. 29. Of or relating to or characteristic of the Republic of Chad or its people or language. 30. In bed. 34. A religious belief of African origin involving witchcraft and sorcery. 38. The capital and largest city of Yemen. 41. A small pellet fired from an air rifle or BB gun. 43. Any of numerous hairy-bodied insects including social and solitary species. 44. Someone who works (or provides workers) during a strike. 47. A barrier constructed to contain the flow or water or to keep out the sea. 48. A Kwa language spoken by the Yoruba people in southwestern Nigeria. 50. Australian shrubs and small trees with evergreen usually spiny leaves and dense clusters of showy flowers. 52. Sluggish tailless Australian arboreal marsupial with gray furry ears and coat. 56. A constellation in the southern hemisphere near Telescopium and Norma. 57. African mahogany trees. 59. An informal term for a father. 61. A light touch or stroke. 62. Swiss mathematician (1707-1783). 63. Having sections or patches colored differently and usually brightly. 64. The 7th letter of the Greek alphabet. 65. A short composition for a solo instrument. 66. Type genus of the Alcidae comprising solely the razorbill. DOWN 1. (Babylonian) A demigod or first man. 2. Spicy fruit of the cubeb vine. 3. Any of various tailless stout-bodied amphibians with long hind limbs for leaping. 4. A detailed description of design criteria for a piece of work. 5. Being nine more than forty. 6. The quarter of many North African cities in which the citadel is located. 7. (British) Sleep. 8. A hospital unit staffed and equipped to provide intensive care. 9. Transmissions that are disseminated widely to the public. 10. A wad of something chewable as tobacco. 11. Large burrowing rodent of South and Central America. 12. A primeval personification of air and breath. 17. Move as if through a sieve. 21. United States writer (born in Poland) who wrote in Yiddish (1880-1957). 23. A member of the Siouan people formerly living in the Missouri river valley in NE Nebraska. 26. A white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily. 27. A public promotion of some product or service. 28. Belonging to or on behalf of a specified person (especially yourself). 31. Found along western Atlantic coast. 32. A member of an Iroquoian people formerly living on the south shore of Lake Erie in northern Ohio and northwest Pennsylvania and western New York. 33. Small European freshwater fish with a slender bluishgreen body. 35. A soft silvery metallic element of the alkali earth group. 36. A workplace for the conduct of scientific research. 37. Of or like a cecum. 39. A French abbot. 40. A Samoyedic-speaking person in northwestern Siberia. 41. A hospital unit staffed and equipped to provide intensive care. 42. A mountain in the Himalayas in Nepal (27,790 feet high). 43. The sciences concerned with gathering and manipulating and storing and retrieving and classifying recorded information. 45. A unit of weight for precious stones = 200 mg. 46. Jordan’s port. 49. The 10th letter of the Greek alphabet. 51. Widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions for its fragrant flowers and colorful fruits. 53. A river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine. 54. An organization of countries formed in 1961 to agree on a common policy for the sale of petroleum. 55. An informal term for a father. 58. Temporary military shelter. 60. Aromatic bulb used as seasoning.

Yesterday’s Solution

Gemini (May 21-June 20) You find yourself talkative and quick-witted this Sunday. Your ideas are clear and easy to come by. Your heart will tell you the wise thing to do and time will confirm your heart’s desire. The need for stability may be what spurs your thinking at this time—make sure any compromises are worth the objectives. Everything points to your taking the initiative in family matters. You create a sense of harmony with those around you today and feel a sense of support for your efforts. There is genuine charity in your heart and you look for ways to serve others. A study of different opportunities to serve others may take you to volunteering in the zoo or possibly helping in a nearby school. Tonight you serve a banquet from the leftovers.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

NON SEQUITUR

Your duties take you in a different direction from your friends and this could cause you to feel a bit lonely. However, since this is short-term you might consider a book on tape, music or just enjoying the different surroundings, especially if you are driving. You are appreciated for the contributions you make with regard to family. Find ways in which others could help so that you are not taking on all the responsibilities. This could concern an elderly person or the birth of a child or children. You could enjoy making your own way and finding solutions to whatever problem you have; however, there is a tendency to do too many things. Easy does it! Plan a shopping trip for next week and look for pastels that help you to create a calming effect.

Leo (July 23-August 22) Community activities may become a large part of your day. This could include activities with young people or within your place of religion or perhaps inside a community hall. Communication with others about matters away from work is a change you welcome and enjoy. You and others can make a difference if you continue to interact with the needs of the community. Why not start a newsletter that will inform and update people? Material things and the whole concept of value take on more importance for you now. Financial security and enjoying the finer things in life will bring you to reassess your position in the work field. Now is the time for an upgrade or a change of employment if you so desire. Hugs come from friends.

ZITS

Virgo (August 23-September 22) The energies today are toward doing and planning many, perhaps too many things at once. This can cause you to be unfocused and give you the feeling of going nowhere. Enjoy the people around you and take a planning attitude when necessary. Getting in touch with the mystical and the spiritual gives you a sense of satisfaction and completeness. An exchange of ideas becomes a focal point in your life. Neighbors and brothers or sisters may play a role in this; young people figure more prominently in your life. There is a chance to understand those around you and to have a special time with someone you love. General good feelings and a sense of support and harmony make this a happy time. A loved one wants to wait on you this evening—enjoy.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM

Your goals are admirable but your efforts in reaching your goals can be slowed by your own self-criticism. Make it a point to write out the path in which you think you must travel to reach your goals and listen to the advice of an outside party. This will give you focus and encouragement. You will become excited as you get close to your goals. Planning and self-talk make up most of this day. Others encourage you better than you encourage yourself so make friends with industrious and achievement-oriented friends. You enjoy being with friends this afternoon. Perhaps a game of chance is going your way. Focus in on what it is you want because you can be most persuasive with others at this time. Your sense of humor is highly contagious.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) Friends or groups you associate with have an element of mystery or idealism about them—perhaps an aura of the mystical or psychic or perhaps, a certain amount of deception. You may become involved with causes that you believe in strongly. A healing process is at work in your life: you isolate what doesn’t work, eliminate it and go on from there. There is a longing for a soul mate or a yearning to save the world; it could mean carrying a torch, as well. Fighting for friends and ideals may even mean struggling with issues. You become more actively involved on a social level, taking a bigger part in collective events and developments. You have little patience for people who do not live up to their principles. Easy does it, there is a lot of energy available.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) You may decide to expand your business this year. Think about what makes the business profitable and why you think the public will want what you have to sell. Taxes are a consideration as well. Do not rush, but walk your way through this, timing is everything. Use this day to make plans or to discuss with a friend some of your plans. Try to instill a balance in your responsibilities and your own personal progress. Lovers, children and other people or things dear to your heart are emphasized at this time. Missing time with your loved one(s) can be hard. Keeping on schedule and making time for one-on-one communications will help bring people together. A wedding could be in the planning phases at this time.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

Romance, recreation and creativity take on inspiration. Such experiences can be truly soul stirring. A child or lover may have difficulty distinguishing fantasy from reality. You may find yourself guiding this young person. Although most could throw things out of proportion, you stay focused and make good progress in all areas of your life. As you look back over your life, you will see that life has gotten better over the years. Lessons learned from past mistakes have been taken seriously and you have changed or adjusted because of them. Independence, freedom from past patterns and a daring readiness to innovate are the paths of achievement now. Choose peace over conflict and every time the ego steps in to make a decision, choose again.

Yesterday’s Solution Yester

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) Commitment to move forward and accomplish your goals seems more evident now. High-level differences of opinion or outlook represent an important area of change in your life. This extends to fundamental religious or philosophical beliefs, which cry out for re-examination in the light of new information and influences. Donít be too surprised to see religious groups represented through computer networking—and they are. Your intuitive abilities come into play today as you remember your dreams or events unfold that feel suspiciously familiar. Listening and taking the advice of your inner consciousness today will prove beneficial while making choices. Dinner out, or a good movie with a friend or loved one can be enjoyed.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Word Sleuth Solution

Tension of a psychological or political nature may be present. Issues could become emotional but you may be able to transport yourself into a listening mode. Create answers by removing your emotions from the subject matter. Listen for the positive and work toward compromise that can make everyone happy. This is a time for imagination and creativity when it comes to ideas and thinking. Coupled with the ability to put your thoughts into words, you are able to captivate and spellbind. If someone were to ask you to step in and help with regard to a family situation, you could. This is a perfect time to help others. You have all the energy you need and it should be easy to channel. The path is open and clear and there is a lot of desire to accomplish goals.

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Years

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2011

i n f o r m at i o n

FIRE BRIGADE

112

Al-Madena

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

24812000

Al-Jahra

25610011

Amiri Hospital

22450005

Al-Salmiya

25616368

Maternity Hospital

24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

Chest Hospital

24849400

Farwaniya Hospital

24892010

Adan Hospital

23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital

24874330/9

Ministry of Interior website: www.moi.gov.kw For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128

Hospitals Sabah Hospital

POLICE STATION 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

Clinics Rabiya

4732263

Roudha

22517733

Adhaliya

22517144

Khaldiya

24848075

Keifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salim

22549134

Al-Nuzha

22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Al-Khadissiya

22515088

Dasmah

22532265

Bneid Al-Ghar

22531908

Al-Shaab

22518752

Al-Kibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Kibla

22451082

Al-Mirqab

22456536

Sharq

22465401

Salmiya

25746401

Jabriya

25316254

Maidan Hawally

25623444

Bayan

25388462

Mishref

25381200

W.Hawally

22630786

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

New Jahra

24575755

West Jahra

24772608

South Jahra

24775066

North Jahra

24775992

North Jleeb

24311795

Al-Ardhiya

24884079

Firdous

24892674

Al-Omariya

24719048

N.Kheitan

24710044

Fintas

3900322

22434064 22435865 22544200 22547133 22515277 22616662 25714406 22530801

THE PUBLIC AUTHORITY FOR CIVIL INFORMATION Automated enquiry about the Civil ID card is 1889988

PHARMACIES

AIRLINES

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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

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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

Psychologists /Psychotherapists

Paediatricians

Plastic Surgeons Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf

22547272

Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed

Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari

22617700

Dr. Zahra Qabazard

Dr. Abdel Quttainah

25625030/60

Family Doctor Dr Divya Damodar

23729596/23729581

Psychiatrists Dr. Esam Al-Ansari

22635047

Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan

INTERNATIONAL CALLS

22613623/0

Gynaecologists & Obstetricians DrAdrian arbe

23729596/23729581

Dr. Verginia s.Marin

2572-6666 ext 8321

Endocrinologist 25340300

25710444

Dr. Sohail Qamar

22621099

Dr. Snaa Maaroof

25713514

Dr. Pradip Gujare

23713100

Dr. Zacharias Mathew

24334282

(1) Ear, Nose and Throat (2) Plastic Surgeon Dr. Abdul Mohsin Jafar, FRCS (Canada)

Dr Anil Thomas

3729596/3729581 22641071/2

22655539

Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami

25343406

Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed

22562226

Dr. Ahmad Al-Khooly

25739272

Dr. Abidallah Al-Amer

22561444

Dr. Salem soso

22618787

Dr. Faysal Al-Fozan

22619557

Dr. Abdallateef Al-Katrash

22525888

Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer

22610044

Dr. Abidallah Al-Duweisan

25653755

Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher

25327148

Dr. Bader Al-Ansari

25620111

Neurologists

Dr. Adnan Ebil

22639939

Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri

25633324

Dr. Mousa Khadada

22666300

Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan

25345875

Gastrologists

25728004

Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra

25355515

Dr. Sami Aman

22636464

Dr. Mobarak Aldoub

24726446

Dr. Mohammad Al-Shamaly

25322030

Dr Nasser Behbehani

25654300/3

Dr. Foad Abidallah Al-Ali

22633135

Soor Center Tel: 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688

info@soorcenter.com www.soorcenter.com

Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924 Physiotherapists & VD Dr. Deyaa Shehab

25722291 22666288

Rheumatologists:

Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan

Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan

Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888

Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees

Dentists

Internists, Chest & Heart

25339330

25655535

Dr. Shamah Al-Matar

General Surgeons

Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman

Dr. Naif Al-Mutawa, Ph.D. 2290-1677 Susannah-Joy Schuilenberg, M.A. 2290-1677

Dr. Adel Al-Awadi

25330060

Dr. Khaled Al-Jarallah

25722290

Internist, Chest & Heart DR.Mohammes Akkad

24555050 Ext 210

Dr. Mohammad Zubaid MB, ChB, FRCPC, PACC Assistant Professor Of Medicine Head, Division of Cardiology Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital Consultant Cardiologist Dr. Farida Al-Habib MD, PH.D, FACC Inaya German Medical Center Te: 2575077 Fax: 25723123

2611555-2622555

William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677 Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677

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e niv rsar n

Years

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2011

lifestyle G o s s i p

Brook copied Madonna’s scent elly Brook got perfume advice from Madonna. The 31-year-old model-andactress - whose former boyfriend Jason Statham is close pals with the singer’s ex-husband Guy Ritchie - loves the scent Fracas by Robert Piguet after first smelling it on the ‘Hung Up’ hitmaker. She said: “I first smelt this perfume on Madonna and asked her what it was. I decided there and then that I always wanted to smell like her. Who wouldn’t want to smell like Madonna? “It’s a lovely jasmine-based scent which you can get from Harrods. Once somebody came up to me and said, ‘Madonna wears that fragrance too.’ And I replied, ‘Yeah I know.’ “ The ‘Piranha 3-D’ star has previously revealed she takes inspiration from Brigitte Bardot and loves to work the “sex kitten” look reminiscent of the French actress. She said: “I do love that 60s sex kitten vibe. One of my favorite films is ‘Manina’, which was one of Bridget Bardot’s first movies and she looks so beautiful and young and pretty. She spends the whole film in a bikini. I

Riley’s show-off wedding am Riley got married so he could “show off”. The ‘Brighton Rock’ actor who tied the knot with actress Alexandra Maria Lara in August 2009 admits he is a “romantic” and liked the idea of proving his love for the German beauty in front of other people. He said: “Both of our parents are still married and I’m a romantic. I like the idea of declaring my undying adoration in front of people. I’m an actor, of course, so I like to show off.” Sam met Alexandra when they worked on ‘Control’ - a biopic of Joy Division’s late frontman Ian Curtis - in 2007 and the British actor admits their scenes together were among the most enjoyable he has ever done. He told Britain’s Elle magazine: “Was it unprofessional to date my leading lady? Well, it was my first film so I didn’t know any better. Those are the only kissing scenes I’ve ever really enjoyed in a movie. I won’t go into details...” Sam and Alexandra currently live in Germany and the actor insists he has no desire to move back to his home town of Leeds, North England. He explained: “I couldn’t really take a girl from Berlin to live in Leeds. I love it here. I miss the Yorkshire sense of humour and things like bitter and Yorkshire puddings, but I can still get my hands on salt ‘n’ vinegar crisps.”

LaBeouf handcuffed after fight hia LaBeouf was placed in handcuffs by police after a fight broke out in the early hours of Saturday morning .The ‘Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps’ actor was involved in an altercation with another man outside the Mad Bull’s Tavern in Sherman Oaks, California, after he was reportedly called a “Coward” by someone who asked for an autograph. Mark Mastro told RadarOnline.com: “My girlfriend saw Shia, and told me. I wanted to get a picture with him so I went over to his table, sat down next to him, and told him I was a fan of his. I called him Mr. LeBeouf. “He didn’t want anything to do with me. He said he just wanted to

chill and refused to do a photo. I walked away.” Later, outside the bar, Mark and a friend tried again to talk to the 24-year-old star, before insulting him with the gay slur. He said: “My friend said, ‘what’s up Shia?’ Shia told him to ‘Get out of my way.’ He was slurring his words. “That’s when I said to my buddy, ‘don’t worry, he’s just a coward anyway’. “He turned around, cursed me out, and I started laughing.” However, the situation turned ugly after Shia ran from his car and charged at Mark, only to end up in a headlock by a bouncer who handed him over to nearby police. He added: “A bouncer put Shia in a head lock. A cop just

happened to be driving by and saw the commotion. He pulled up the bouncer literally handed LeBeouf over to him “Apparently the cop called for back-up because there were at least seven other squad cars there in minutes.” Despite the commotion, no charges were made and no one was arrested. Shia - who broke up with British actress Carey Mulligan last year - has a history of run-ins with the police. He was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving in 2008 and was charged with misdemeanour criminal trespassing after being found intoxicated in a drug store in Chicago in the same year.

Blunt awkward

Rascal likes making

about awards

‘cheesy’ music

mily Blunt feels “relieved” if she doesn’t win awards. The 27-year-old British actress - who had a stammer when she was younger - hates having to speak out in public so doesn’t get upset if she misses out on accolades. She said: “I don’t have that, ‘I really want to win sort of thing.’ Am I disappointed if I lose? No. Absolutely not. I am almost relieved that I don’t have to go up there and make a speech.” The ‘Gnomeo and Juliet’ star also admitted she doesn’t necessarily think awards honor the best production or performances because people’s opinions are so subjective. She added: “The awards thing is tricky to understand because it’s about momentum and a general opinion on what’s been great. “I don’t know if you can necessarily pin down what is a better performance. It’s subjective - not everyone likes some of the Oscar-winning performances that have been out there. “Even if you were to win there would be people who’d hate the fact you’d won it.”

Beckham’s pregnancy has helped cure her acne he former Spice Girls singerturned-fashion designer who has experienced skin problems since being a teenager is delighted by the change in her appearance since falling pregnant with her fourth child. A source close to the 36-year-old star - who is due to give birth in the summer - said: “Victoria has tried everything under the sun for her skin, yet nothing has worked as well as getting pregnant with her fourth baby. The hormones really suit her and she’s said this pregnancy has cleared up her spots! “She has a pretty flush to her cheeks that wasn’t there before. It’s like a natural blusher. The texture of her skin is much smoother and any open pores seem to have closed up. She’s been drinking lots of water and eating fruit like kiwis and strawberries.” As well as Victoria - who already has three sons, Brooklyn, 11, Romeo, eight, and five-year-old Cruz - being pleased with her skin, soccer star husband David Beckham, 35, thinks she is looking better than ever. The source added: “David loves this healthy new glow. He thinks she’s sexier than ever.”

he ‘Bonkers’ hitmaker insists he is happy to make commercial pop music with mass appeal, though he admits his attitude now is very different to his view earlier in his career. He said: “I’ve done a bit of cheese. When you’re trying to reach the masses, people want something they can sing along to instantly, that they can do their little dance to, out drunk in the pub... I like that. “If you’d asked me five years ago if I’d have done ‘Bonkers’ I probably would have said no.” Last year, the 25-year-old rapper’s album ‘Tongue N’ Cheek’ got him nominated for the prestigious Barclaycard Mercury Prize for the third time, and Dizzee - whose real name is Dylan Mills - was delighted to be recognised again. He said: “For me, that’s a fine indicator, especially when you’re at a point where you’re so pop. It’s that seal of approval, thank you very much.” Dizzee also admitted one of his role models is Black Eyed Peas star will.i.am for the way he has successfully fused commercial music with his edgier roots. He told Esquire magazine: “He got the perfect balance now of the pop and the underground.”

Evans still has no idea about Avengers plot hris Evans still has no idea what ‘The Avengers’ is about. The 29-year-old actor will play Captain America in the Marvel blockbuster which draws together a number of superheroes, including Thor, The Hulk and Iron Man - but insists he doesn’t know what will happen in the film. He said: “I don’t know anything. I don’t even know what they’re thinking plot wise. It’s strange. I’m in a movie and I have no idea what it’s about. It’s a blind challenge I’m facing.” Chris - who previously played superhero The Human Torch in ‘Fantastic Four’ will first play Captain America in the forthcoming movie ‘Captain America: The First Avenger’ and admitted he was both excited and terrified the first time he donned his costume. He told Empire magazine: “I’m trying to approach this as if it wasn’t a superhero movie. It’s just about a guy who gets this amazing gift. “But the first time I put on the costume, it was a real mix of excitement and terror, ‘What have I gotten myself into?’ But it’s started to feel more like home. A lot of responsibility comes with this costume, I hope I’m doing it justice. Man, I could be wearing this for ten years.” —Bang Showbiz

e niv rsar n

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2011

Years

lifestyle Music and Movies

US actress Renee Zellweger arrives on stage during the awards.

(Front row from left) US actress Renee Zellweger, Canadian actor Michael J Fox and US actor Danny DeVito pose after the awarding of the Goldene Kamera 2011 (golden camera media prize) of the Axel Springer Verlag publishing house on February 5, 2010 in Berlin.—AFP photos

J Canadian actor Michael J Fox is given his international lifetime achievement award by actor Danny DeVito.

ohn Travolta, Renee Zellweger and Michael J Fox were among the honorees at the Golden Camera awards in Germany last night. The Back to the Future star landed the Lifetime Achievement trophy for his contribution to movies and singer Gloria Gaynor received the music equivalent at the Berlin ceremony. Travolta won the Best International Actor Prize,

while Zellweger won the Best International Actress prize - and the Bridget Jones’s Diary star admits she was overwhelmed to land the award, which has previously been handed to Meryl Streep, Cate Blanchett and Jodie Foster. She told the audience, “I am so honored to be part of the same group of great artists who have received this honor over the last 46 years.” www.torontosun.com

John Travolta and Robin Gibb

US actor John Travolta receives the award for best international actor from British musician Robin Gibb.

Writers Guild honors ‘Social Network,’ ‘Inception’

acebook film “The Social Network” and thriller “Inception” won top honors from the Writers Guild of America Saturday in one of the last major Hollywood award shows before the Oscars later this month. “Social Network” writer Aaron Sorkin took the award for best adapted screenplay from the group that represents US film and television writers and “Inception” creator Christopher Nolan was named best writer of an original script. Awards from Hollywood’s professional guilds often provide hints about which films and filmmakers will com-

pete for Oscars, the world’s top ﬁlm awards, given out by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Feb 27, because many members of the guilds also belong to the academy. While that is certainly true in the category for best adapted screenplay, where Sorkin and “Social Network” are tipped to win, the other Oscar front-runner, royals drama “The King’s Speech,” was not nominated for the Writers Guild award for best original screenplay. Accepting his trophy, Nolan gave a nod to the absence of “The King’s Speech,” which is leading the

Oscar race with 12 nominations but was ineligible for the WGA award because the production was made outside WGA guidelines. Nolan noted he was “heartbroken” nine years ago when he failed to earn a nomination for his screenplay for “Memento” because it too was outside WGA guidelines. He indicated his award Saturday night would have been more meaningful had “certain screenplays” been nominated. He did not name “The King’s Speech” by name, however, “for fear of boosting their chances at any other awards,” Nolan said to

‘Smurfette’ role no leap from reality

a knowing audience. “King’s Speech” did receive an Oscar nomination for best original screenplay. Nolan said his was “one man’s opinion,” adding, “This is an incredible honor to me.” Sorkin’s script detailing the creation of the social networking site in a Harvard dormitory room in the early 2000s, took top prize for adapted screenplay, and he gave a nod to the movie’s director, David Fincher. “I wrote a good screenplay, but David Fincher made a great movie,” Sorkin said. Along with “King’s Speech,” “Social Network” is the other front-runner for the

best movie Oscar. Sorkin is widely considered the favorite for best adapted screenplay having won several early critics’ awards and now the WGA honor. In the documentar y categor y, writer/director Charles Ferguson took the prize for best writing of a nonﬁction ﬁlm for “Inside Job.” More winners can be found at http://www.wga.org. The Writers Guild also gives awards in TV categories, and the top two honors in that arena went to “Mad Men” for best TV drama series writing and “Modern Family” for top TV comedy series.—Reuters

om File picture fr en Syrian docum ar m O or ct re di tary s Amiralay show e th ng ri du him ene filming of a sc n ow kn un at an location.—AFP

of fashlike a utti sense Perr y says she felt ing fr itt tu r m he the upco aybe it ’s ason, K aty hatever re e of “Smurfette” in e feels like a w r o F . n io sh voic y fun s because oing the res. That’ s movie was reall natural d tu a re c e rf lu u ye a r I b m e e S th th e t of “ Th out movie ab rac ter in real life. k now, 360 days ou as a natural w ha yo u cartoon c a cartoon new of times, use a lot ht playing the launch of her a g c u o e m th I r fo o t S a . n y o a o cart aturd feel like a ,” the singer said S can be in o d . y it to C dio and I g u o st ic x e thin e of a th M alk into ich is k ind “Purr,” in perfume, e Smurfs’ I get to w ute little voice, wh “With ‘Th d I make a really c e,” she said. m o re voic as an ta k e o n a CBS o ls a l my pajam y voice and a little il w e fm p o p s ta r ode of th mixture o o m in a te d est star on an epis e was excited -n y m m s ra e u sh i ag The G den Perr y said she has g role as attorney -up ac tin I Met Your Mother.” y Awards, where ar for n e w c ro a g l k it “How 13 Gramm g album of the ye tole nec I comedy h rming at the Feb. r he includin o rm a n ce. at o th actress s rf rd r awa s, z in g p e rf yesterday out pe u a y b id le fo a m sa a d r e ey n fo rn m ld a d to a ou e s at dw inate to b ing to be indsay Lohan’ eal a $2,500 necklace an been nom re a m .” “I t’s g o in g but it ’s go to be a lot of surt st atement it st e D to Th e in . g ed h a c fil n client did no e mu going “ Te e ges if they ar the first to get too said. “But there’s t n a w fight any char n Chapman Holley was date, too. ith me. ’t n e do police bout her am,”‘ sh a ce Shaw n re d si D e ey p it rn e ome w m c g to x ca a at e from f ‘Teen let oing to c .” She’s e ac tress’ o ar g th re st e is d m , le o th ured if I b fr ld d ou o rd n tr years here a ause I fig 0 ating the c s official wo 9 ig t st ase e is g ri ve le rp p o in al a h e c e er w thes a, w red y granny,” revealed they “We vehemently deny ht them in y grandm e with m as part te on the a “M m d o h y m o t. g e ef fig ugust g to b get to for grand th arges are filed, we will She’s goin ny Grammys I still me to Mexico in A h. She said ofie & Co, a ch o a c nis tions and, if e press,” Holley said. Kam e necklace a t in p h S w e mig ng in don’t th th and rr y said sh ight even tr y a so court, not in jewelry store, reported the actress ing fans e k P a . e id p sa -s h e m r is m te sh o d n af st a n a ks p cu S r ree wee Venice from rld tou urt-ordered 22, roughly th of her wo itter messages are stolen on Jan om three months of co btained a .—AP e w T g a r u fr eo e lang half he th rn was released etty Ford Center. Polic e necklace a le to B ve th she wants rehab at the to to try to retrie

s ’ n a h o L L

turned in nt Tuesday search warra ouse, but the item was executed. If h e ’s nt could b from Lohan ra ar w e th test problem efore detectives b the case would be the la ly with the p d, m she is charge who has struggled to co ken driving s, n es ru tr d ac for the for a 2007 n io at b ro e for violatp ic terms of her nt her to jail last year tw ed to sense en case. Judges n, and a judge has threat nnot stay ca e atio b sh ro if p il r ja he in g in six months to ounty were C up e to id r rs tence he ors in Rive ut ec os Pr es against g . le attery char b worker b out of troub g in ss re p ing reha also consider ember altercation with a ar was due st ec s” D irl a r G fo n n ea ha Lo ter. The “M en C rd hearing. The Fo us y at tt at the Be probation st me after she a r fo 25 b. in court on Fe ﬁfth rehab session, ca eing granter rb treatment, h a drug test shortly afte . ng ent program ili fa tm ea ed tr itt er th adm o a an n ke m o ase fr have ta ed early rele ruggles and treatment er. Her role st re t ca ur ’s co ar ’s st y an isne Loh the former D as recast last serious toll on a Lovelace in a biopic w o replacend dn Li as porn star an was at Betty Ford an h AP Lo — nounced. year while have been an s ct je ro p t men

ia r y S l a i t n Influe

s e i d y a l a r i m film-maker A

in g n”, ab o u t le ad , m ak e “C o u si rk u -T ed p al el h ad Ri , A m ir al ay o n fig u re ti ar si m o p O p lito er po ak an a ri e Sy years as yr ia n fil m -m ries exposed th t more than 17 rta en du en t sp m en ho cu m w do ne Sy ri a whose ary confi alon om ic life in five ical prisoner in solit ez ec af H d t an en al id ci es so p ower rule of late Pr h Pa rt y to ok 66. ing the as w e si nc e th e Ba at H . ay rd marchssad. died Satu try steadfastly ld’s most A decades ago, un or w co a b ra in A e e liv “I of th w n d em is e, Amiralay, one m ak er s w h o ac h ie ve d o ve s to it s o rs, deserto h s it n o g m in le in flu en ti al fil orks such as trayed by its ru doned by renown with w d a hear t after it was be an ab d an er international ow ha ainp s ath Countr y”, s ed by its br ls,” Amiralay said before hi “A flood in Ba as cu s, fr ie n d ua y ct am m lle D te an in in th e e its m mor ed at ta ck at h o death, he sign y cinema is no despair and s “M hi h. re at fo de be k e said. A wee t Syrian fig scorn at th by independen vernment expression of nd me, and a declaration verns life arou go go tiat an th e y with th nn of ra t ty or di died mpoun ng it ures in supp ypt. “Amiralay ed the role of man in co d ab us e.” A ta ll, Eg in ts es ot street pr as n ee d sn es s an t w h en h e w se n se o f m or e ho p el es at th e m o m en for liber ty in Syria,” one an w it h a d ry an govm n ke o sp ft e so ic Sy issed ri most as a vo , Amiralay dism culture, which he or m hu . in id er nned friend sa ent controls ov y’s films are ba sulted ost of Amirala e has a monopoly ernm othered innovation and re sentation M re p e th g at ing as sm n st ri go id e a u sa th d m re ria, whe nce of cine B o rn in photos . —AP Sy ra y r . a n ea fo io pp rd s ct sa e u tu di s d a e o th p ro ity, S rry p rk is h an d in tional pastime.—Reuters o n ci n em a Mexico C r Katy Pe ir ca ss ia n , Tu na C US singe perfume “Purr” in a f o s e H cu as s. ri Pa D am w of her ne h e st u d ie d in A ra b o ri g in ,

e niv rsar n

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2011

Years

lifestyle F a s h i o n

When you need an outfit fast

You know the drill S

Time: 14:35 button on my stopwatch and ... start shopping. cenario I: You get on a plane in your jeans or sweats In case the skirt didn’t Work from the feet up. First, get the shoes. heading for a business meeting, a job interview, work, I snagged a backDepending on what’s available, they’ll dictate something important. You arrive fine. But your suitup dress in a subtle color choice for the rest of the outfit. Stick case with your interview clothes doesn’t. black/gray herringto basics. No open toes (not proScenario II: You dressed for a day at your bone for my pile of fessional). No 5-inch desk or running errands, and suddenpossibilities and platform stilettos ly a key meeting is scheduled. You started to think (ditto). I was look unprofessional with no about top happy to find time to commute back to your options to try some closet to change. with that skirt. workScenario III: You hate to shop. It took only worthy kitten You have had weeks to put a couple of heels in can’t-gotogether an outfit for a certain minutes to wrong black. event, but you keep putting it off. locate a black Time: 4 minutes, 25 secNow what? cardigan onds Do you show up in your slob (instead of a Now pick a basic outfit colwear? Not an option. Instead, jacket). You can’t or-and stick with it. Camel. you go speed shopping for go wrong with Navy. Black. Gray. Beige. I setsomething presentable to wear classics. tled on black, not just because later that day. We all know that Time: 17:10 it would go with the shoes panicky shopping leads to paying However, all but because a quick look too much for stuff you don’t A photo shows a day-to-evening shrug, around showed that black was really like and probably won’t getting to be me that the selection of wear again. Why does it have to $24.80; and bag, $6.80. too much of a black pieces in the store was be that way? Well, it doesn’t. To good thing, so huge. Plus, it’s slimming. It’s forprove my point, I created a Beat now came the fun part: Pick giving (cheaper fabric and poor construction look better in the Clock Shopping Challenge. Could I put together a busia pop of color to perk it dark shades). And, you can dress it up or down easily. ness-appropriate outfit-top to bottom-in under an hour for up. I grabbed silky Choose a skirt or a dress in that basic shade. Locating less than $100? You know the answer. blouses in three styles trousers that fit-they often are way too long for instant wear It’s a resounding yes, and you can do it too, stress-free, and a trio of colorsability-can take forever. And this is deadline shopping. by following my guidelines. You just need a game plan. magenta, emerald and Here goes: In the interest of speed, efficiency and frugali- Forget the pants option. A simple black dress would have been the perfect fast choice, but I couldn’t find one that ty, I picked Forever 21 as my one-stop deadline destination looked right. They were too revealing. Too short. Too shiny. because it carries everything I would need. That’s the first A photo shows a basic meeting attire includes So the hunt was on for a black skirt. Less than 15 minutes rule: Limit your options. When possible, shop at just one into my challenge, I found an outstanding candidate. To store where you’ve had success in the past, or just a few cardigan, $13.80; necklace, $5.80; green silk top, save time running back and forth from the dressing room, stores that are very close together. This makes the jobless $24.80; skirt, $17.80; and shoes, $17.80. and because sizing is so inconsistent, it’s always wise to overwhelming (and time-consuming). take multiple sizes of the same thing to try on. So, we’re off. I spin through the revolving doors, hit the

A photo shows a leopard coat for $42.80 and woven purse, $26.80. —MCT photos coral-to try with the staples. I had as much as I could carry, so I headed for the dressing room. Time: 23:47 I needed to make quick judgments. To check the back, find a three-way mirror. The herringbone dress looked terrible. Don’t linger over the losers. There was much mixing and matching of blouses and sweater, but the unadorned neckline of the green shirt was an easy choice-leaving me time and budget to buy jewelry to polish the outfit. Time: 41:04 A black and “crystal” necklace added just a touch of sparkle but still kept with my keep-it-simple mantra. Time: 43:25 I’d been keeping a rough total of my choices and realized I was well under my $100 limit. So I went back for more. I picked a few splurges that could add to the look-a fabulous leopard coat and a pretty purse, both spotted early in my look around. Time: 45:15 I couldn’t stop there. For just a few more bucks (well, $31.60) I picked up some glittery pieces _ a little purse and a sequined shrug (for over that green blouse) to transform from “I’m all business” into an evening that has nothing to do with work. I walked out of the store with a giant bag filled to the top. Time: 47:58 I beat the clock with more than 12 minutes to spare. Now it’s your turn.

A little sparkle T s Durol earring . from Aldo

e simulated These Jet-ton d chandelier crystal beade hl’s. earrings at Ko

C tiered The Lydell NY chain beaded lect necklace at se s. Bloomingdale

bracelet at Astronomer’s blic. Banana Repu s —MCT Photo

teardrop Nadry crystal rrings at chandelier ea Nordstrom.

es Cara Accessori at t bangle se Nordstrom.

he buzz around red carpet interviews at awards shows is almost always drowned out by the same question: “Who are you wearing?” The 68th Golden Globe Awards was no different. I enjoy watching the arrivals more than the actual award shows, but every year, after some starlet yells, “Marchesa” or “Armani,” I’m always left with the same burning question: “What about the jewelry?” Sure the runway’s leading ladies were dressed in designer bigwigs such as Lanvin, Versace, Calvin Klein and Vera Wang, but an Oscar-worthy gown is always short of amazing without the right accessories. Would Catherine Zeta-Jones really sparkle in her Golden Globes Monique Lhuillier emerald green gown without her earrings? (To be honest, that woman would sparkle in a burlap sack, but the earrings did help.) Her diamond chandelier earrings drew eyes to her face and were the perfect accent to her strapless dress. Natalie Portman looked stunning in her Viktor & Rolf gown, but she gave her maternity glow a boost with her Tiffany layered diamond necklace. The piece definitely made a statement but still gives the look of a soft, dainty piece of jewelry. A pair of diamond earrings and necklace are a given when accessorizing an evening gown, but when you’re waving to adoring fans why not give your wrists a little extra sparkle? “The Closer” star Kyra Sedgwick rocked a bright orange Emilio Pucci dress at the Globes and adorned her right wrist with a number of chunky, shiny gold bangles.

It might be easier to clasp a dozen gold bangles on your wrist or fix a diamond necklace around your neck with a movie star bank account, but there’s no reason why you can’t go glam on a budget. A layered necklace is the perfect way to make a statement with your jewelry but keep things looking refined. If you have a flare for the dramatic try a Lydell NYC Tiered Chain Beaded Necklace from Bloomingdales for $48, or the mixed metal Peggy Necklace from Chico’s for $58. For something a little softer, the Falling stars necklace from Banana Republic is $47.99. The chandelier earring went on hiatus for a while but it’s safe to say it’s back-at least on the red carpet. If you’re looking for the perfect pair to wear to a charity gala check out these frugal finds: Chandelier drop earrings from Arden B for $24, Durol earrings in White Nubuk from Aldo for $13.98, Apt 9 Jet-Tone Simulated Crystal Beaded Chandelier earrings on sale for $10 at Kohl’s or the Nadri Crystal Teardrop Chandelier earrings from Nordstrom for $88. When it comes to bangles, go for the gold and the more the merrier. Budget shoppers can look for bangles sold as a set, giving you a layered look without having to buy 10 bracelets. Mix in some chunkier pieces with stone, pearl or glass accents for fun. Nordstrom has a great set of bangles by Cara for $58. Layer the bangles with a set of four Kaya bangles from Chico’s for $38 or the Astronomer’s bracelet from Banana Republic for $39.50. Happy shopping. —MCT

Winter thrill S

till can’t get Gwyneth Paltrow’s performance of Cee-Lo’s “Forget You” on “Glee” out of your head? The 38-year-old actress is making it impossible to forget her as she seems to be everywhere, doing everything at once. Let’s see if I can do this in one breath — she has an Academy Award (for 1998’s “Shakespeare in Love”), has been in ad campaigns for Estee Lauder and Tod’s, is a personal shopper/lifestyle guru on her website Goop, is the new brand ambassador for Swiss watchmaker Baume & Mercier, performed at the Country Music Awards, has signed on for another guest spot on “Glee,” and was scheduled to host “Saturday Night Live” this weekend. “Coming Home,” a song she sings in her new ﬁlm, “Country Strong,” is in contention for best song at Sunday’s Golden Globe Awards too. Whew! Not only is she one busy lady, but whether she’s on the red carpet or on her way to an interview, she looks great doing all of it. While promoting “Country Strong” recently, Paltrow braved the New York weather for a “Good Morning America” appearance in an anorak with a face-framing warm fur collar, simple black tights and leather wedge booties by Balenciaga. It may seem hard to look sleek Cara Accessories when layering is a bangle set at must to stay warm, but Paltrow Nordstrom. showed just how to do it, keeping her model-esque look even under the hefty jacket by revealing her long legs and adding some height with her booties. Even in Southern California, it’s been chilly enough, often

enough, over the last few weeks to take a cue from Paltrow when you’re deciding what to wear on a cold morning. Warmer coats tend to be on the more expensive side but a London Fog coat with faux fur hood from Macy’s is only $69.99. This quilted down jacket is definitely heavy duty enough to keep you from freezing, and the slightly fitted waist and removable hood will keep you stylishly warm. To keep your toes from turning blue, booties are the perfect way to keep your feet cozy while satisfying your inner shoe diva. Paltrow’s wedge booties are genius for two reasons: One, they are warm, and two, the wedge heel adds height without killing your feet. If you’re more conservative with your shoe styles, try Suedette wedge booties from Forever 21 for $27.80. If you’re a little more adventurous, go for Bamboo Liberate boots from Tilly’s for $29.97 with a lace-up style and fur cuff. These frugally priced warmer finds almost have me excited about the cold weather. Ah, who am I kidding? Southern California girls love the sun, but if we have to brave the winter chill, we might as well look amazing doing it. —MCT

These frugally priced warmer boots will have you excited about the cold weather. —MCT Photos

This quilted down jacket is definitely heavy duty enough to keep you from freezing, and the slightly fitted waist and removable hood will keep you stylishly warm.

e niv rsar n

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2011

Years

lifestyle T r a v e l

Tourists spend languid days on

Holly Beach, Louisiana, features a very wide beach, but Hurricane Rita in 2005 and Hurricane Ike in 2008 destroyed most homes.

Sunset on the Gulf of Mexico, Galveston, Texas.

he Aransas National Wildlife Refuge is the winter home of the whooping crane, a bird on the verge of extinction. I drove 20 miles off the main road to get there. I climbed a tall observation tower. In the distance, at least four football fields away, were, or at least seemed to be, two white dots in the waving reeds. “Whooping cranes,” a man announced to his wife. He lifted his camera to shoot a photograph in which, no doubt, the birds would appear the size of two dots of lint. It was then that I couldn’t help but brag. “I already saw three whooping cranes, down in Lamar, in somebody’s back yard,” I piped up. They looked skeptical. “No, really,” I said. “They were right there, by the Big Tree.” This time of year, the western Louisiana and Texas Gulf coast is teeming with Winter Texans from Northern states. The region also attracts migratory waterfowl that spend winters much like humans dolounging around and gobbling seafood. This year, 268 whoopers are bunking in or near the wildlife refuge, including 45 chicks. That is a good number for the only wild flock in existence. It is an incredible comeback for a bird that in 1941 numbered just 16 left in the world. The hard part is that most cranes feed far from the refuge’s observation tower, making them hard to spot. Luckily, someone at the Rockport Chamber of Commerce earlier that day mentioned that whoopers were also sighted in a residential neighborhood in Lamar. Let’s back up a moment. This region of Texas is called the coastal bend, with strings of barrier islands creating a tidal marsh feast for birds-and scenic splendor for humans. Rockport and its neighbor Fulton are cute artists’ towns. Just south is Port Aransas and Padre Island National Seashore, in my opinion the nicest part of the Texas coast. To the north lie Galveston, Crystal Beach, Texas, and Holly Beach, La. Except for South Padre Island, Texas beaches aren’t as white or tropical as Florida’s. “As a whole, many people don’t even realize Texas has a coast,” says RoShelle Gaskins, spokeswoman for the Galveston Convention and Visitors Bureau. Many tourists also believe that the Gulf of Mexico is one big oil slick. But western Louisiana and Texas were untouched by last year’s Deepwater Horizon gulf oil spill. “People were calling every day,” says Rockport tourism director Krystal White, who had to keep reassuring folks that her area was not affected-and in fact, that’s where a lot of oil-rescued birds from Louisiana were temporarily relocated. In January, it’s too cold to swim in the area; water temperature this month was 54 degrees in Galveston and 58 degrees on South Padre Island (by comparison, St Petersburg, Fla was 62 degrees.) Water temperatures warm up into the 70s by April. Anyway, the Rockport Chamber of Commerce gave me a map to the mysterious Big Tree. I followed US-35 north about 10 miles to the Lamar turnoff. Soon, the road was lined with live oaks, bent over with their gnarled bark and gray-green leaves. Near Goose Island State Park, I kept driving until St Charles Bay appeared. No sign of birds. But here was the Big Tree. With a trunk the width of a station wagon, it is the biggest tree in Texas. It is at least 1,000 years old, the survivor of countless hurricanes, floods, droughts and humans. I stood near its comforting bulk for a moment, then turned back to the road. That’s when I saw the cranes. Across a big field, three of them stood. Two were white, nearly five feet tall, with black legs as narrow as piping and flashes of black frills on their wings. The

5 beach towns in Texas, 5 vibes

rom western Louisiana down to the Texas coastal bend, beaches are wider and browner than Florida’s. The gulf can look brownish-green due to rivers emptying into it, but it gets bluer the farther south you go. Here’s my assessment of 5 popular beach towns:

Holly Beach, La. Once a hopping spot on the western corner of Louisiana, the so-called Cajun Riviera was wiped out by Hurricane Rita in 2005 and again by Hurricane Ike in 2008. It’s now just a few small streets with lonely trailers and houses. The beach is wide and beautiful. Holly Beach is adjacent to the Sabine National Wildlife Refuge. The nearest store is 20 miles away. You can rent one of eight trailers on the beach in the summer for $75 a day from Eric Monceaux (www.cajunriviera.com, 337-569-2318): “I’m pretty much the only game in town,” he says.

Crystal Beach, Texas Most beachfront property on the Bolivar Peninsula in East Texas was destroyed by a 20-foot storm surge from Ike. But Crystal Beach is in vigorous rebuilding mode, with some nice beachfront homes ready to rent. Crystal Beach is a short, free ferry ride from busy Galveston (www.crystalbeach.com, 409-684-5940).

Galveston, Texas This house on the beach is a testament to hope over experience.

In 2008, Ike ﬂooded the town so badly even residents had to stay away. But it has made an amazing recovery. Locals may see what’s still undone, but tourists will notice only that hotels are open, and beaches, water parks, bars and restaurants are bustling. Galveston is both a cruise and commercial port. Its elegant island architecture is mixed with kitschy attractions and too many high-rises, but there is lots to do. Coolest museum is the Ocean Star-a real retired oil rig. Tons of vacation rentals and hotels (www.galveston.com, 866-505-4456).

Port Aransas, Texas Port A, as the locals call it, is an exuberant spring break spot, a slightly ramshackle beach town featuring huge souvenir shops that stock skimpy bikinis and raunchy t-shirts. As on all Texas beaches, you can drive on the wide, tan sand. Drive south and encounter tamer areas of Mustang Island, where Winter Texans from the north have found nirvana. Lots of vacation rentals (www.portaransas.org, 800452-6278).

Padre Island National Seashore, Texas

Padre Island National Seashore is 110 miles of empty coastline along the Gulf of Mexico in Texas. third was a youngster, still a blotchy tan and white. They nibbled in a pond. They fluffed their feathers. Not far behind them, a man worked on his lawnmower in his garage. Later, I found out the true best way to see whooping cranes is by boat tour from Rockport or Fulton. They’ll get you up close before the flock flies home to the Northwest Territories, Canada, in spring. And it’s worth visiting the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge for its excellent visitors center and chance to see more whoopers. And if you’re down in this part of

Texas already (about 4 hours south of Houston), you’d might as well visit Corpus Christi, with its famed Texas State Aquarium and USS Lexington battleship museum. If you are a spring breaker, tip a brew in Port Aransas or South Padre Island. And if you like pure nature, try Padre Island, the 110-mile national seashore. It’ll be just you and the dunes. Out of all the places in the world, this Texas Gulf Coast is the choice spot for one of the world’s rarest birds. The Big Tree said it’s got room for you, too. —MCT

Pristine Padre Island National Seashore runs for 110 miles. The seashore here is gorgeous, with blue, big waves crashing on beaches on the longest stretch of undeveloped barrier island in the world. Find hotels, restaurants and other signs of civilization on the island’s far north end and in nearby Corpus Christi, but once in the park it’s just you and nature. Don’t confuse Padre Island with South Padre Island, the well-known beach resort 160 miles south (www.visitcorpuschristitx.org, 800-678-6232). —MCT

The southern Texas Gulf Coast is winter home for the only wild flock of whooping cranes, which almost went extinct. —MCT photos

Influential Syrian film-maker Amiralay dies

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2011

37 Performers twirl poles with fire on each end while entertaining the crowd at a temple fair in Beiijng on the third day of the Lunar New Year on February 5, 2011 in front of a display of mythical Beijing folk icon Lord Rabbit figurines, celebrating the Year of the Rabbit. —AFP

Chinese New Year, Vegas-style B

rian Wu hoisted his six-year-old daughter onto his shoulders at The Mirage hotel-casino so the delighted little girl could get a better look at the leaping dragons shimmying to a boisterous drumbeat. For Wu’s daughter, Yvonne, this is what Chinese New Year is all about. The Wu family, who live near Los Angeles, have celebrated the holiday on the Las Vegas Strip every year she and her 8-year-old brother have been alive. Like thousands of American Chinese, the family ﬂocks in for lion dances, special meals, Canto-pop concerts and elaborate decorations that have made this gambling capital a key destination for the event. The two-week Chinese New Year period, which began on February 3 and celebrates the Year of the Rabbit, is now the second biggest wagering event of the year for Las Vegas, tying New Year’s Eve and just behind the Super Bowl which, this year, happens to also fall the same weekend. While resorts here have been throwing Chinese New Year events since Caesars Palace did the ﬁrst in 1975, the relationship between Las Vegas and China has blossomed over the past

decade. The Vegas gaming companies MGM Resorts, Wynn Resorts and Las Vegas Sands now own elaborate casino-resorts in the Chinese special administrative region of Macau, and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority opened a tourism office in Shanghai in 2008. Macau has eclipsed Las Vegas as the world’s gaming destination with the most wagering and a new Singapore casino owned by Las Vegas Sands has proved stunningly profitable. And yet that seems to have merely whetted the Chinese desire to see Las Vegas. The city greeted more than 100,000 Chinese tourists last year, up from about 87,000 in 2006, despite there being no direct flights. “With the proliferation of gaming, people see the Macaus and the Singapores of the world and say, ‘This is great, but let’s go to the Entertainment Capital of the World, let’s go to Las Vegas,” said Greg Shulman, vice president of international marketing for MGM Resorts International, which owns the Mirage and Bellagio casinos. “I think overall it’s helped. Having a property over there that’s recognized and established there is really important. It’s

become significantly easier to move our guests from there to Las Vegas for a different experience.” Those heavily sought-after Asian high rollers are ferried across the Pacific Ocean in lavish jets for Chinese New Year and then treated to private banquets attended by Chinese celebrities and showered with lavish gifts by hotel executives. “We will have lion dances at five of our properties, and the focal point of our weekend is our Chinese New Year gala on Saturday night, which is a multimillion-dollar affair for 3,000 of our best players,” said Shulman, whose company opened MGM Grand Macau in 2007. Across the city, hotels like Caesars Palace and The Venetian erect massive banners with the Chinese New Year greeting, “Gung Hay Fat Choy” in Chinese characters. Red Chinese paper lanterns and citrus trees are ubiquitous and Cantopop megastar Jacky Cheung performed yesterday at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. The Bellagio decked out its Conservatory for the holiday with a 12-foot-tall (four meter) rabbit made of 4,000 live plants as well as a 35-foot junk boat with a 38-foot mast made of cedar and teak

woods. At the Palazzo resort, an atrium area this year features a 16-foot-tall stuffed rabbit. Chinese restaurants all over the city offer special New Year’s menus, adding some traditional dishes or renaming existing offerings with lucky or upbeat words. It’s not unusual for a family to spend more than $20,000 for a Chinese New Year dinner, said Richard Chen, the executive chef at the Wing Lei restaurant in the Wynn Las Vegas resort. The restaurant imports abalone at more than $2,000 a pound and bird’s nest at $1,600 a pound for the festivities. At least 15 resorts scheduled lion and dragon dances this week, typically starting out in the porte-cochere, where the costumed dancers light firecrackers before roaming the casino. At the thresholds of high-limit baccarat areas, they dance and fling lettuce, a symbol of prosperity. “By and large, this is the major event of the year just in terms of the quality of gaming customers,” said Michael Weaver, vice president for marketing for Caesars Entertainment. “There are fewer players than on New Year’s Eve, but the type of player is of great significance.”—AFP

Famous faces lend voice to Egypt’s protests

Violin maker Christophe Landon uses a Chinese hand plane to work on the back of a violin in his shop. (Inset) Landon sands the wood body of a violin.—AFP

Despite China, US violin-makers second fiddle to none

merican violin-making is enjoying a rebirth, craftsmen say, despite the rapidly improving production by fellow makers in China which artisans here see both as a threat—and a boon—to their livelihood. Even with US interest in classical music slipping, and some orchestras folding in harsh economic times, support for the artisans’ business is such that hundreds of individual American violin-makers are thriving. “Violin and bowmaking in this country is the best it’s been in US history,” and the instruments being produced are among the world’s ﬁnest, Jerry Pasewicz, who heads the American Federation of Violin and Bow Makers, a collection of 180 top US artisans, told AFP. Whether China can mount a serious threat to the high end of the craft- known as lutherie-is in dispute; some believe it will take several decades before Chinese instruments, which now dominate the student market, come close to rivaling the best violins of Europe and the United States. But China’s massive production ramp up over the past decade is introducing large numbers of aspiring musicians, including thousands in China

itself, to the art of playing the violin. “As they start to grow up, they seek a better instrument,” said Pasewicz, who has been making violins for three decades and owns a shop in Raleigh, North Carolina. Feng Jiang, a violin-maker in Michigan, says the state of American lutherie is nothing short of “a renaissance,” thanks to institutions like the Violin Making School of America in Salt Lake City, Utah, and the Chicago School of Violin Making. “In the past 15 or 20 years it’s increased a few hundred percent,” he says of the number of US makers. But “the only reason we exist at all is that people are playing the violin.” That is where China is having its dramatic impact. Violins were hardly played at all there until Mao Zedong, the founder of communist China, considered it a revolutionary instrument and workshops sprung up during the 1966-1976 Cultural Revolution. The Asian giant has squashed European lowend makers and now manufactures the bulk of student instruments-so many that it has dramatically brought down entry-level costs for violinists and allowed dealers to set up broad rental networks. —AFP

gypt’s cultural glitterati have joined thousands of protesters from all walks of life calling for an immediate end to President Hosni Mubarak 30-year-rule. Khalid Abdalla, a British-Egyptian actor known for his lead role in the 2007 adaptation of Khaled Hosseini’s “The Kite Runner”, was among the crowd on Cairo’s Tahrir (Liberation) square on Saturday. “I’m here because I’m asking for Mubarak to step down,” Abdalla, 30, told Reuters. “I’ve been here since Friday before last.” Mubarak has pledged to stay on until the end of his term in September, but protesters mounted pressure on him to leave now as they gathered on the square for a 12th day of protests. As demonstrations continued, an Egyptian army commander was shouted down when he tried to persuade thousands of demonstrators to stop the protest that has stalled economic life in the capital. Khaled Youssef, director of films critical of the government, was another prominent

Khalid Abdalla

Khaled Youssef

face among the protesters. “ The Brotherhood are here in Tahrir, so what?” he said of the opposition Muslim Brotherhood group. “They are part of this nation-everyone is here. When citizens desire life, fate must respond.” The celebrated blind Egyptian composer Ammar El Shrei, who was guided by suppor ters through the throngs of demonstrators, was also among those who rallied on the square. Abdalla denounced

what he said was the intimidation of the international media and “brazen lies” by state media channels trying to weaken the protest movements. “I think with or without Mubarak, the next six months will be complicated, and I think we’re better off without him,” he said. “ The popular will here for social justice, political freedoms and political reform is now unstoppable whether it’s here in Tahrir Square or it’s moved out for other reasons.”—Reuters

Books not bombs at Pakistan literature festival

akistan has hosted one of the world’s youngest and fastestgrowing literary festivals, a showcase of new talent where writers urged citizens to reverse the tide of Islamist extremism and global isolation. Now into a second year and determined to become an annual ﬁxture on the international circuit, the Karachi Literature Festival portrays the softer face of a country more often associated with terrorism than award-winning prose. Students, authors, budding writers and avid readers descended on a hotel in an exclusive neighborhood near the

Arabian Sea for two days of book launches, workshops, dance, music and theatrical exhibits that ended yesterday. “It’s to promote our authors, who are underrated and do not get the credit they’re due, and also to interest people in reading and buying books,” organizer and Oxford University Press managing director Ameena Saiyid told AFP. Perhaps surprisingly, it was a British former Roman Catholic nun who pulled the biggest crowds-children and glamorous housewives were reduced to sitting on the ﬂoor to hear her

speak. It was a rock-star welcome for Karen Armstrong, the best-selling author on religion. Her call for a more compassionate society resonated strongly with an audience deeply rooted in religion but fearful about the rise of radical Islam. At other events, some of Pakistan’s best known novelists oﬀered a tantalizing glimpse into their creativity, while Indian literary TV host Sunil Sethi launched his book “The Big Bookshelf” and dispensed interviewing tips. “It’s the most fabulous development for Karachi,” said Aliya Naqvi, a doctoral

student in Islamic history and wife of author HM Naqvi, whose debut novel “Home Boy” recently won an Indian prize for South Asian literature. “Life goes on. You take a risk every time you step outside... But to ignore the rise of extremism would be disingenuous. It has to be acknowledged,” she told AFP. Gathering nearly 100 authors and moderators, a handful from abroad lent the event a veneer of cosmopolitanism, although organizers complained that the government denied visas to some Indians who had been invited. —AFP