13 Feb

CR IP TI ON BS SU

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

Armed govt supporters break up Yemen protest

150 FILS NO: 14999 40 PAGES

Indian ‘flying car’ that looks back to the future

Pakistan court issues arrest warrant for Musharraf

8

www.kuwaittimes.net

RABI ALAWAL 10, 1432 AH

21

11

Rooney fires Man United to 2-1 win over Man City

20

Egypt junta commits to civilian rule, treaties Jubilant Egyptians usher in post-Mubarak era

Bahrain gifts 1,000 dinars to every family

Kuwait hails choice of Egypt people Riyadh welcomes transition KUWAIT: Hosni Mubarak stepping down and assigning the armed forces to run affairs of Egypt is considered a “peaceful and civilized transition” of authority in answer to the legitimate demands of the Egyptian people, Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Roudhan Al-Roudhan said in a statement.

Kuwait, he added, respected the choices and will of change of the Egyptian people. Kuwait, as it was following with “great interest” the accelerating developments in Egypt, hoped the Arab country would overcome this crucial phase of its history in a drive to achieve stability, security and prosperity, said Al-Roudhan.

Kuwait, he added, was confident the wise people in Egypt will help their country overcome this phase so Egypt can play anew a key role at Arab and international levels. Kuwait, asserted the minister, would always remember the Egyptians’ “historic” position in supporting Kuwait’s just causes and their sacrifices during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990.

Meanwhile, Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem AlSabah said Kuwait commends the Egyptian army’s “responsible” role in the “peaceful” transition of authority. The State of Kuwait “is confident that Egypt, with its great people, is capable of overcoming this historic phase to play its active role regionally and internationally,” Sheikh Mohammad said in a brief statement to Al-Arabiya satellite channel.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, which had supported Mubarak throughout the mass protests that finally brought him down, said yesterday that it welcomed the peaceful transition of power in Egypt.

The kingdom’s state news agency said the Continued on Page 14

CAIRO: Egyptians dance and wave national flags in Tahrir Square yesterday. — AP CAIRO: Egypt’s new military rulers told the nation yesterday they were committed to civilian rule and democracy after Hosni Mubarak’s overthrow and said they would respect all treaties, a move to reassure Israel and Washington. Some pro-democracy activists in Cairo’s Tahrir (Liberation) Square, the epicentre of an earthquake of popular protest that unseated Mubarak, have vowed to stay there until the Higher Military Council accepts their

agenda for democratic reform. If the militar y fails to meet “people’s demands”, protest organisers said they would stage more demonstrations.

Throughout the Middle East, autocratic rulers were calculating their chances of survival after Mubarak was forced from power in a dramatic 18-day uprising that changed the course of Egypt’s history, unsettling the United States and its allies. “ The Arab Republic of

Egypt is committed to all regional and international obligations and treaties,” a senior army officer said in a statement on state television, outlining the armed forces’ broad strategies at home and abroad.

The message was clearly designed to try and soothe concerns in Israel which has a 1979 peace treaty with Egypt, the first Arab nation to make peace with the Jewish state.

Continued on Page 14

Arab papers jump ship CAIRO: Arab newspapers which served for decades as mouthpieces for Hosni Mubarak, including dailies in conservative Saudi Arabia, yesterday hailed the Egyptian president’s ouster. “The people brought down the regime” and “the youth of Egypt forced Mubarak to leave,” read the front-page headline of Egypt’s government-owned Al-Ahram, after having supported Mubarak throughout his 30-year rule. The newspaper also saluted the social networking site Facebook, which was used by young activists to initiate the daily mass protests that ended Mubarak’s reign. “The Facebook revolution toppled Mubarak and the symbols of the regime,” it said, describing the Internet site as the “command council headquarters of the revolution.”

A London-based Saudi daily, Asharq Al-Awsat, joined in the applause. “The youth made it... Mubarak stepped down,” bold letters declared on the front page of the pan-Arab paper. “The rhythm of Egypt’s revolt shakes Iran,” headlined another page of the daily, owned by Riyadh, which is a main rival of Tehran but was Mubarak’s top ally in the region. “While Iranians were celebrating the 32nd anniversary of the Islamic revolution (on Friday), the authorities” were afraid of the impact Egypt’s revolt would have “on the situation in Iran,” said the daily.

Iranian authorities fear that revolts in the region could spread to the Islamic republic and spark “protests calling for the ouster of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s government and its Islamist regime,” it said. Opposition leaders Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi have been denied permission to hold a rally in Iran on Monday in support of uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia. Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah at first condemned the mass protests that erupted in Egypt on January 25 as the work of “intruders” bent on destabilising the Arab country. But yesterday, almost a full day after the announcement in Cairo that Mubarak was stepping down, an official quoted by official Saudi news agency SPA said Riyadh in its first reaction welcomed the “peaceful transition of power.”

In Qatar, another energy-rich Arab monarchy in the Gulf, Al-Raya’s editorial said: “The new Egypt was born yesterday, crowning a long-standing struggle against tyranny and corruption”. “The revolt is Egyptian and the joy is Arab,” was the assessment of another Qatari daily, Al-Sharq.

Continued on Page 14

Max 19 Min 5 Low Tide 00:50 & 12:07 High Tide 08:53 & 17:53

ALGIERS: Algerian protesters chant slogans during a demonstration yesterday. — AFP

Thousands demand Bouteflika’s ouster Police stifle protests ALGIERS: Up to 2,000 demonstrators evaded massed police yesterday to rally in a central Algiers square demanding that President Abdelaziz Bouteflika step down like the leaders of Egypt and Tunisia. Ringed by hundreds of anti-riot forces, some carr ying automatic weapons in addition to clubs and shields, they waved a large banner reading “Regime, out” and chanted slogans borrowed from the mass protests in Tunis and Cairo. But police deployed in their thousands prevented a planned march from May 1 Square of some four kilometres to Martyrs Square.

The demonstrators included both the head of the opposition Rally for Culture and Democracy (RCD), Said Sadi, and his onetime arch enemy Ali Belhadj, former leader of the now-banned Islamist Salvation Front. A knot of police sur-

rounded Sadi to prevent him using a loudhailer to address the crowd, while a number of arrests were made, journalists witnessed. By the afternoon only some 150 mainly young protestors were left in a corner of the square still chanting defiantly.

But Fodil Boumala, one of the founders of the National Coordination for Change and Democracy (CNCD), which called the march, was jubilant.

“We’ve broken the wall of fear, this is only a beginning,” he said, adding, “ The Algerians have won back their capital.”

There were scuffles with security forces and numerous arrests well before the march had been due to begin at 11:00 am (1000 GMT ), witnesses said.

Authorities said 14 people had been held and then released but the head of the Continued on Page 14

MANAMA: Bahrain’s king has ordered that each family in the tiny Gulf monarchy be given $3,000 to mark the 10th anniversary of a national charter for reforms, state news agency BNA said on Friday. “On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the National Action Charter and as a sign of appreciation for the people of Bahrain who have approved it, King Hamad bin Issa Al-Khalifa has ordered 1,000 dinars ($2,650) to be paid to every Bahraini family,” BNA reported.

The pro-government Al Watan newspaper quoted a government statement yesterday as saying Bahrain respects the choice of the Egyptian people, a day after mass protests in Egypt forced President Hosni Mubarak to resign. The island kingdom, where a Sunni minority reigns over a Shiite majority, said it is confident in the ability of the Egyptian Higher Military Council to establish security and stability, the paper reported.

Mubarak’s 30 years of autocratic rule ended on Friday after 18 days of street protests, just four weeks after Tunisians toppled their own ageing strongman.

Bahrain also said it was confident of “the continuation of Egypt’s leading role in the common Arab work and defending the interests of the (Arab) nation” and said it was interested in developing its relationship with Egypt, Al Watan said.

Cyber activists have called for protests in Bahrain starting from tomorrow to demand political, social and economic reforms. In a Feb 2001 referendum, Bahrainis approved a national charter for reform which restored a parliament dissolved in 1975, and in February 2002, Bahrain became a kingdom ruled by a constitutional monarchy. Bahrain’s government has announced measures to support food prices and help families in need, as revolts in Egypt and Tunisia, sparked by poverty and unemployment, led to the ouster of both regimes. Bahrain, with a population of around 568,000 people, is considered the poorest among its oil-rich Gulf neighbours and its crude reserves have virtually dried up. — Agencies

2

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

local Crises management teams needed in Kuwait embassies KUWAIT: The lack of a crisis management team in Egypt's Kuwait Embassy was the reason why so many Kuwaiti students faced difficulties while trying to return home when the protests started, reported Al-Rai. Badr Al-Enizy, the executive director of the National Union of Kuwaiti Students (NUKS) and Nasser Al-Otaibi, Chairman of the NUKS branch in Egypt added that the Deputy Prime Minister

and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Dr Mohammad Al-Sabah should establish a crisis management team in all of Kuwait's embassies. Separately, the NUKS' branch for the United States of America announced that new students and those planning to study in the US can now visit the NUKS headquarters at the Free Trade Zone in Kuwait to receive help regarding scholarship presentations or any inquiries they may have.

Most Egyptians in Kuwait prefer Amr Moussa as president Online questionnaire KUWAIT: The results of a questionnaire conducted online by Egyptians in Kuwait website ( www.egkw.com) showed that the Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa was the most favored candidate to succeed president Hosni Mubarak. He won 52 percent of the votes. The questionnaire that was launched online last Wednesday and ended Friday (the day Mubarak stepped down) showed that over 16 per cent of the participants preferred electing a newcomer who has little political experience.

Former vice president, Omar

Suleiman won 10 per cent of the votes. As per the polls, Egyptian scientist and Noble Prize Laureate Ahmed Zuwail and former PM, Ahmed Shafeeq equally won seven percent of the votes. The other Noble Prize Laureate Mohammed Al-Barad'ei won only three percent of the votes. Al-Wafd Party leader, Al-Sayyed Al-Badawi received two percent of the votes, while activists Ayman Nour and Hamdeen Sabbahi won the least number - one percent of the votes.

Over 80 percent of the participants called for dissolving the

Two injured in Farwaniya apartment fire

By Hanan Al-Saadoun

Abdulqader hands over badges to Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and Jibril Al-Rjoub, Chairman of Palestinian Olympic Committee and Palestinian Football Association.

Palestinian president welcomes Arab sports media delegates KUWAIT: The Arab World's sports media has been more effective than its political counterpart in breaking the siege which restricts the Palestinian people.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas made these remarks after welcoming the participating delegation to the first Arab Media Sports conference. It was held in Ramallah, West Bank.

He asserted on the importance of hold-

ing such visits and said, "visiting the prisoner doesn't necessarily mean recognizing the legitimacy of the jailer."

Mohammad Abdulqader, Chairman of the Arab Union of Sports Journalism, Jibril Al-Rjoub, Chairman of the Palestinian Olympic Committee and the Palestinian Football Association, various officials, sports figure and media personnel from Palestine and the Arab World attended the event.

KUWAIT: A fire broke out in an apartment in Farwaniya. Two Egyptian expatriates aged 40 and 41-year-old were injured in the fire. One man sustained a hand injury and was taken to Farwaniya hospital. The other suffered from a case of smoke inhalation and was administered first aid treatment on the site.

Separately, a house in Yarmouk caught fire. An emergency call was placed to firemen who doused the flames. However, two firemen aged 27 and 21 sustained a burn injury while trying to tackle the fire.

Street fight A fight broke out between two men in Kaifan. A 25-yearold Indian expatriate was injured in the incident. He was admitted to Amiri hospital.

Motor accidents A motorcycle accident took place along the Arabian Gulf road opposite to 'Youm Al-Bahhar. ' A 28-year-old citizen suffered from chest pain and was admitted to Amiri Hospital. In another incident, a car accident took place along Al-Firdous between Block 2 and 7. A 17-year-old Kuwaiti citizen fractured his left leg. Also, 15-year-old citizen fractured his right arm.

Both of them were admitted to Farwaniya hospital.

Hit and run case A 16-year-old Jordanian girl who tried to cross the road at Salmiya, Al-Mughaira street was run over by a speeding vehicle. She was admitted to Mubarak Hospital.

Parliament. Responding to a question on whether all MPs and NDP members who have amassed large fortunes under Mubarak's regime be tried, a whopping 97 percent agreed.

When asked whether to amend the Constitution, over 72 percent suspected if honest and credible amendments would be made. Over 75 percent of the participants called for nationalizing public property that was sold cheaply to some investors in return for bribes. A 74 percent of the population also called for nationalizing public sec-

tor companies that had sold cheaply. They also called for prosecuting both buyers and sellers.

With regard to the international treaties and agreements that concern Egypt, over 78 percent called for cancelling them . Only 19 preferred not wanting to gain international enemies. An overwhelming 96 of the participants also called for paying more attention towards Egyptians living abroad and granting them the right to vote. Finally, more than 84 percent of participants refused foreign interference in their country's internal matter.

Pakistan premier to visit Kuwait KUWAIT: The Prime Minister of Pakistan, Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, accompanied by a high level delegation, will reach Kuwait on Feb 14, 2011 on a two-day official visit.

During his visit, the Prime Minister will have an audience with His Highness the Amir of Kuwait, HH the Crown Prince and hold delegation level talks with HH the Prime Minister of Kuwait.

The Prime Minister, who will be accompanied by a team of Federal and State Ministers, will also congratulate HH Amir of Kuwait on Kuwait’s 50th Independence, 20th Liberation anniversary and 5th anniversary of Amir’s accession. Since assuming office in 2008, this is Prime Minister’s first ever visit to Kuwait.

The Prime Minister will brief the Kuwaiti leadership about the measures adopted by the Government of Pakistan to strengthen parliament and democracy and to ensure provision of social justice, freedom of the press, empowerment of women and minorities and poverty alleviation. Besides meeting the political leadership, Gilani will also visit Kuwait National Assembly to meet the Speaker.

He will hold important meetings with the heads of Kuwait Chambers of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) and

Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA).

During these discussions further enlargement in bilateral cooperation in the fields of trade and investment would be examined. Pakistan and Kuwait enjoy extremely cordial and brotherly relations. These bilateral political, cultural, historic, and religious ties have been further strengthened by leadership level visits. The two countries have always stood by each other in difficult times. Pakistan was among those countries that sent their troops to Kuwait following the Iraqi invasion in 1990. Nine Pakistani soldiers embraced shahadat during the mine cleaning operation. Kuwait, on its part, has always extended help to Pakistan. Its government and people donated generously after the 2005 earthquake and the recent devastating floods. Pakistan and Kuwait also enjoy growing trade relations. The current trade volume between the two countries has crossed $ 2 billion.

The Prime Minister will also address a community meeting and will speak about challenges facing Pakistan and the measures taken by the present democratic government to resolve them.

Around 1,50,000 Pakistani expatriates work in diverse fields in Kuwait, including skilled and non-skilled workers.

News

in brief

Price manipulations KUWAIT: The Minister of Commerce and Industry, Ahmed Al-Haroun asserted that the ministry will exert efforts to control prices.. Al-Haroun added the ministry has been monitoring prices on a daily basis in Kuwait, particularly after the Amiri grant to citizens was announce, reported AlWatan. He also noted that daily reports and bulletins about prices in various local markets would be broadcast on TV and radio. It will also be published in local dailies. He added that any vendors caught violating price increase restrictions will be referred to the Public Prosecution Department. Penalties may involve withdrawal of commercial licenses.

The Arab media delegation visit the grave of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

Kuwait hails Bahrain MANAMA: Kuwaiti Ambassador to Bahrain Sheikh Azzam Al-Sabah hailed Bahraini Interior Ministry for facilitating the stay of Kuwaiti students, investors and tourists and attaining their needs. This reflected deeply-rooted relations between Kuwait and Bahrain, Sheikh Azzam said following a meeting with Bahraini Minister of Interior Lt Gen Sheikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al-Khalifa. Kuwaiti Ambassador praised the efforts displayed by leaderships in both countries to maintain security and stability. The meeting also touched on bilateral relations along with issues of mutual interest.

Kuwait national flag KUWAIT: All Kuwaiti people, regardless of gender or age, express their spontaneous joy and pride of national celebrations by raising the Kuwaiti flag, the most used symbol of patriotism in such occasions. It is a well-known custom to hoist the Kuwaiti flag during national celebrations, participation in international sports or even when Kuwaiti teams win first place or titles of championships. At the end of January, ceremonies of raising the Kuwaiti flag took place in all the governorates commencing the national celebrations of the 50th anniversary of Independence, 20th anniversary of Liberation Day and the fifth anniversary of His Highness the Amir's assumption of power. School students and families celebrated in their own ways, hoisting the national flag amid indescribable happiness.

KUWAIT: Despite being the capital of the state, Kuwait City is marred by the presence of dilapidated buildings and illegal constructions.

These have not been demolished. — Photos by Fouad Al-Shaikh

‘Kuwait plays big role in Mideast stability’ MADRID: Kuwait plays a major role in achieving security, peace and stability in the Middle East, President of the Spanish Senate Javier Rojo said yesterday.

In a statement marking Kuwait's 50th Anniversary of the Independence, the 20th Anniversary of Liberation, and the 5th Anniversary of His Highness the Amir's assumption of power, Rojo said that Spain was looking forward to boosting cooperation with Kuwait. Rojo hailed "excellent" relations that existed between the leaderships of both

countries based on trust, amity and respect.

Spain is keen on boosting cooperation with Kuwait, a country established with values of democracy and peace, especially in the fields of economy and commerce, he said. He pointed to the fact the Spanish companies won several contracts in Kuwait, adding that Spain was willing to take part in Kuwait's development plan. Rojo congratulated Kuwait on its national celebrations and wished for the country's development and prosperity.—KUNA

y

A

3

e niv rsar n

Years

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

local

Egyptians in Kuwait welcome ‘new era of democracy’ But what will happen next?

By Nisreen Zahreddine KUWAIT: After empty words that intended to pacify furious Egyptians failed to assuage them, Mubarak decided to heed to the voice of the people, and stepped down from the post he had illegitimately occupied for three decades. Many political pundits who had predicted the collapse of the regime, welcomed the new era of democracy that will help transform the country. Egyptians from around the world have been celebrating this tremendous change, with compatriots in Kuwait not being an exception. They held processions by holding aloft the Egypt flag, celebrating freedom and a country’s change.

Now that they are in control of their destinies, what do Egyptians in Kuwait feel about the tremendous changes. What are their opinions? An Egyptian friend that lives and works in Kuwait named Muhammad Amr sent me a text message right after the historical announcement. He feels that people in Egypt have risen up to the challenge of ousting a ‘dictator’ from his pedestal after a long period of silence and desperation, “Now, we believe we are able to change everything,” he said.

Another Egyptian expatriate, a young man named Ahmed said that people have gained a new lease of life now, with every breath infused with unabated freedom. He said that he is extremely confident that the people

making demands will not let their country down, and disappoint the hopes of all the Arab people. He dismissed fears that negative events may occur as a consequence.

Changes have been made. Mubarak’s 30 year rule has collapsed under the pressure exerted by people’s will. But what will happen next? Will the changes lead to the creation of a more secure place, or give rise to new unrest? Will the unity of protestors and other active groups continue to cooperate and develop a new form of government that is based on equal values? Will the conflict of views and opinions overshadow the revolution? These questions remain unanswered as of now.

Iraqi invasion broke all Arab principles

KUWAIT: The Seif Palace has been decorated and illuminated for Kuwait’s national anniversaries. The palace, overlooking the sea, is seen as an integral part of Kuwait history and progress.

BEIRUT: Former Lebanese House Speaker Hussein Al-Huseini said yesterday that “the 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait broke all the principles of inter-Arab relations.”

While receiving the visiting delegation of the Kuwait Journalists Association (KJA) he said that Lebanon is going through the same ordeal through Israel’s invasion of its lands.

The ex-MP, who was speaker of the Lebanese parliament during the invasion, said that Kuwait has been a generous supporter of his country, throughout its crises. He also paid tribute to Kuwait’s support of Arab issues.

Al-Huseini said that Kuwait was one of the first countries in the region to have a democratic system by founding the National Assembly in addition to allowing the flourish of a liberated and unique freedom of press.

He also criticized the former Iraqi regime for “its war on Iran, without consulting the Arabs.

We (Arabs) are still paying the price.”

The K JA continued their meetings with Lebanese incumbent and former officials, with a visit to the former Prime Minister Selim Al-Hoss, after encounters with several leading officials yesterday including President Michel Suleiman.

Their visit which coincides with the Kuwaiti 50th National Day, 20th Day of Liberation and the fifth anniversary of HH the Amir’s assumption of office, is aimed at expressing gratitude over Lebanon’s role in liberating Kuwait from the 1990 invasion. —KUNA

Some Egypt teachers still in Tahrir Square Exam woes expose lack of coordination KUWAIT: Due to the current circumstances in Egypt, a considerable number of Egyptian teachers are still held back there while over 800,000 students are returning back to school this morning to start their second semester for the year 2010-2011, repor ted Al-Watan underlining that, nevertheless, the assistant undersecretary at the ministry of education, Mohammed AlKanari urged all students to go to schools and disregard rumors that the midterm vacation would be extended.

Al-Kandari added that all regulations and penalties would be applied to absentees and therefore urged all parents to encourage their kids to go to school. He added that a special plan had been set to face any shor tage in teaching staff members resulting from the absence of some Egyptian teachers.

Within the same concern, Ahamdi educational zone director, Talaq Al-

Haim stressed that all Ahmadi schools were ready and that about 50 percent of the Egyptian teachers working in Ahmadi schools had not left Kuwait.

Separately, the difficulties faced by students during the midterm exams as well as the deteriorating pass rates has exposed an almost complete lack of coordination between teachers at public schools and the Ministr y of Education supervisors who set the exams, reported Al-Qabas. According to ministry sources, students of all ages between the four th and twelfth grades were startled by unexpected questions that either were too difficult to be answered, or were too lengthy to be answered during the given time. The sources specifically mentioned the mathematics exam for twelfth graders, which stirred a lot of confusion at the examination halls, while the marking results were said to be

“shocking”.

On their par t, teachers have complained on numerous occasions on the difficult level of the current curriculum which makes it hard for them to cover the entire textbooks during the already compact school year. On the other hand, supervisors have reportedly failed to detect this problem which left them unaware of the level of learning that students actually have been taught regarding their curriculum.

Meanwhile, the ministry’s mathematics general supervisor Ibrahim Al-Qattan insists that all questions included in the midterms “came directly from what students learned in their textbooks”, while attributing the problem that students faced to private lessons “during which teachers focus on certain types of questions that lead students to ignore all other types”, in addition to students’ absence from classes.

KUWAIT: Under the patronage of General Director of public authority for organizations security Lt. General Ayedh Al-Otaibi and the presence of the General Director of security forces administration Brig. Ali Madhi and other Directors, negotiations courses, level one, in cooperation with the French team GIGN, closing ceremony was held Thursday 10th February. 12 officers of different ranks have participated in this course and was held at the special forces administration to develop the skills of field leaders in fighting terror.

KUWAIT: Ahmadi Governor Sheikh Dr Ibrahim Al-Duaij Al-Sabah welcomed a team of Kuwaiti journalists and media personalities to his office. They discussed various contemporary issues including the preparations undertaken in a run up to this year’s national celebrations. The team comprised Sami AlNisf, Faisal Al-Zamel, Dr Mubarak Al-Therwa, Anwar Al-Yaseen, Madhi AlKhamees and Abdullah Al-Hajri.

Egyptian embassy secured KUWAIT: Tightened security measures were deployed near the Egyptian embassy in Bnaid Al-Gar on Friday. The step came as a precautionary measure that was taken by the Interior Ministry to dismiss a potential gathering of Egyptian nationals. Based on information that hinted at a demonstration that could have been planned outside the embassy

building following the Friday prayers, security forces were deployed since morning to maintain security around the embassy’s location. All main gates were closed with access restricted only to the embassy’s staff, reported Al-Qabas. An official also said that it was agreed upon to cordon off some roads that lead to the embassy.

A

y

e niv rsar n

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

Years

LOCAL

MP optimistic about new interior minister Citizens deserve to know details

KUWAIT: The Kuwait Fire Department Services (KFSD), represented by their public relations department, participated in the kids exhibition at the scientific club on the occasion of the Hala February Festival. The goal of their participation was to create awareness among children in order to teach them how to respond properly to a fire emergency situation. Fatima Bushehri played a short educational film for the youths participating in the event.

KUWAIT: A parliament member expressed optimism at the appointment of Sheikh Ahmad Al-Homoud Al-Sabah as the state’s Minister of Interior. He also described his decision to be present during the seminar held at the dewaniya of MP Mubarak Al-Waalan as ‘a good start.’ MP Ali Al-Deqbasi made these statements in a recent interview with Al-Rai TV. He said that that if one more case akin to the death of citizen Mohammad Al-Mutiari under police’s custody takes place, the entire Cabinet risks being ousted, not just the interior minister.

Furthermore, Al-Deqbasi acknowledged His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad AlSabah’s decision to release jailed Kuwait University professor Dr Obaid Al-Wasmi. Also, cases filed against MP Faisal Al-Mislem have been dropped as well.

Meanwhile, Popular Action Bloc member said that Kuwaiti citizens deserve to know details about those involved in importing bad food to the country, describing this case as being close to attempted murder. Moreover,

By Nawara Fattahova

KUWAIT: Official sources indicated

Controversy over grilling PM over sports The National Action Bloc (NAB) requested support from the Popular Action Bloc (PAB) and the reform and Development Bloc (RDB) to grill the concerned ministers over the recent sports scandal, reported official sources. They added that neither bloc responded to the offer because they wanted to file the interpellation themselves.

the ministry in order to restore confidence between the public and the state’s security forces. She indicated that the death of a Kuwaiti citizen as a result of police torture “opened a lot of closed doors,” but also acknowledged the efforts carried out by former interior minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Khalid AlSabah.

Also during the interview, Dashti said that the Cabinet needs to be reshuffled and that a number of ministers need to be replaced so that the development plan can be better handled. “We need ministers capable of fulfilling the development plan as well as the ambitions hopes of the Kuwaiti people,” she added.

In the meantime, the lawmaker criticized calls for a dissolution of the current parliament followed by early elections and that the current parliament has been very effective in carrying out its legislative and monitoring roles.

She also said that the unemployment allowance being paid to citizens that finish a job in the private sector should be extended for a nonrenewable period of six months.

Westwood Heritage offers unique antiques

Expats replace citizens at PPA that the Public Ports Authority (PPA) announced 30 vacant courier positions and initially requested that citizens apply for the vacancies. However, the source added that no citizens applied for the positions and that after waiting three months the PPA decided to change the nationality requirement, pending the approval of the Central Tenders Committee.

Al-Deqbasi did not rule out the option that the bloc might use ‘political questioning,’ insisting that talk about reform be accompanied by action, reported Al-Rai. He also criticized adjourning parliamentary sessions for an entire month. Meanwhile, chairman of the parliament’s investigations committee into the spoiled food crisis case issued a response to the critical statements made by MP Musallam Al-Barrak, reported Al-Rai. MP Rula Dashti indicated that she will not address “Al-Barrak’s inaccurate information,” and that according to the parliament’s regulations she is not authorized to talk about the committee’s work until their final report is released.

During a televised interview on Rai TV, MP Dr Rola Dashty indicated that the committee’s report would specify the names of the companies and individuals responsible for supplying the country with spoiled food. She assured that the committee would “not adopt a defamation approach.” Meanwhile, Dashti urged The Minister of Interior Sheikh Ahmad Al-Homoud to come up with a way to reform

The special stamp released by the KSSC in celebration of the national occasions.

Maj Gen Fahad Al-Fahad

KSSC releases poster, stamp KUWAIT: Chairman of Kuwait Sea

Sports Club (KSSC) Maj General Fahad Al-Fahad ex tended his congratulations to HH Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah on the fifth anniversary of being appointed as crown prince. Al-Fahad also added that

on the occasion of Kuwait ’s national anniversaries, KSSC has released a special poster that uses anniversaries logo on all publications. They issued a special postal stamp and took part in the recent ceremony held on Garouh island.

KUWAIT: Despite the hobby’s popularity, there are not many stores in Kuwait selling antiques. About 15 years ago a store selling antiques was opened in Salmiya and then moved to Rai. The Westwood Heritage store expanded and launched a branch in Salwa and another in Bida.

Each of these stores have unique items to offer their customers. The Kuwait Times visited the Westwood Heritage store in Rai and found that it contains more than 4,000 different items. They sell furniture, home accessories, decorations and much more.

The most expensive and interesting item there is a 75-year-old wooden door. It was made in India of 18 different pieces of Saj wood and costs KD 7,300. It was brought from a collector in India.

The items in the store are brought from different countries.

“We have collections from the Far East, China, India, Singapore, Thailand, Java and other places,” said Ramesh VR, the showroom manager of the antiques store in Rai. “The owner usually brings items from collectors in these countries, especially from villages.”

The majority of the items are classic furniture pieces but many of them are also porcelain, textile and decorative. “We only keep a few pieces of each item so that they remain unique,” he added.

Many of these items sell quickly.

“Some items are sold in the first day

KUWAIT: An inside view of the Westwood Heritage store. — Photo by Joseph Shagra

already while others remain in the store for months or even a year or two. Over the past 15 years we established a wide range of customers that are always updated with our newest collections,” noted Ramesh.

Westwood Heritage does not offer sales but their customers can sometimes get discounts. “Our prices are reasonable so we don’t need to offer sales. We also update our website with new items regularly,” he continued.

Besides the furniture and home decorations, jewelry is also available

at the branch in Rai. The jewelry is designed by the daughter of the owner, Paul Westwood. He owns six stores in the United Kingdom called the Westwood Rocks, which is a recognized international brand,” concluded Ramesh.

Westwood Heritage is a mix of traditional style antique reproduction furniture with luxurious modern fabrics. The showroom in Rai features a mix of beautiful pieces that would fit in every room of the house or make a stunning gift. The company prides itself on beautiful designs at a very competitive price.

5

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

local kuwait Digest

ATV auctions

By Iqbal Al-Ahmad quarter-page advertisement from the Ministry of Interior announces that 46 all-terrain vehicles (ATV) are being sold in an auction. These killing machines were seized by the ministry from drivers who were not using them properly. The majority of these vehicles were confiscated by youngsters who drove them on streets and or near chalets and their reckless driving caused a series of unfortunate fatalities.

Fatal ATV accidents have sadly become too common in Kuwait, to the point that when someone hears about the death of a child or young man on the road they assume it is ATV related. In other words, we can say that those machines were seized by the Ministry of Interior because of their threat to drivers and the general public. This makes me question why they are being resold because it is likely they will just be used again to kill more young drivers.

Instead of being brought back to the streets, these seized ATVs should be put away unless the ministry can ensure that they are not going to endanger the lives of the youth. While I agree that it is the way these ATVs are being driven that causes accidents and not the vehicles themselves, experience has shown that there are more negative aspects to driving ATVs than positive ones.

ATVs are better off being used in public locations where accessibility is available. They should also only be used by trained and responsible individuals that follow the rules of public safety. Returning them to the street without any sort of restriction is not going to solve the problem. —Al-Qabas

A

KUWAIT: The third annual publications exhibition which is held by the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic affairs each year during the Hala February festival, was concluded recently at the Grand Mosque with participation of Minister Rashid Al-Hammad. Head of the media commission of 2011 Hala February festival Waleed Al-Saqaabi said that the five-day event was a big success and featured participation of 30 bodies including ministries, embassies and non-government organizations.

Seminar on interpretation of constitution’s articles PAB commences activities KUWAIT: The Popular Action Bloc(PAB) plans to commence activities with a seminar scheduled to be held today at the diwaniya of MP Ahmad Al-Saadoun. It will discuss the Cabinet's request to interpret certain articles of the state's Constitution.

This seminar will be the first of many others to be held at the diwaniyas of parliament members. The Cabinet has asked that Articles number 50, 100, 111, and 163 be reinterpreted to clarify the political responsibilities of the premier, following the eight interpellations motions that were filed against His Highness the Prime Minister between May 2006 and December 2011.

On the other hand, the PAB regards this development as "a first step towards a redacting the Constitution," reported AlRai. Meanwhile, a different news report quotes 'reliable sources' which indicated that the Cabinet considers the option of retracting the request which will be reviewed by the Constitutional Court on February 21.

A number of MPs who previously supported the grilling motion that was filed against the HH the PM are believed to be currently working toward pushing the political and administrative reform laws.

This includes the establishment of the anticorruption authority, mandating financial disclosure and conflict of interests.

Separately, three lawmakers urged the Cabinet to devise prompt measures to resolve the ongoing problem that stateless residents face. They indicated that the current situation remains ambiguous despite assigning a central body to find solutions to the problems of 'Bedoons, ' reported AlWatan. Several MPs have announced that it will 'act' if rumors about the government's plans to reduce the pay rises accorded to servicemen from one hundred to seventy percent, turn out to be true.

Shuwaib Al-Muwaizri, Chairman of the parliament's defense and interior committee asserted in a press statement that the government has assured that the increase will be 100 percent, while adding the panel

will address 'governmental contradictions' if the rumors are confirmed.

MP Dr Ali Al-Omair said that a discrepancy exists in the salaries of employees at all sectors in the country are present; not only in the military sector, further explaining that inequality can be found in all fields "which needs to be addressed by the government." Meanwhile, MP Husain Al-Huraiti reiterated that the "government is required to help citizens with the pay increases that are in line with the increasing inflation rates and living costs," reported Al-Rai. Meanwhile, a parliament member asked the State Minister of Cabinet Affairs about the policies set by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to employ national manpower in different departments equally among all citizens. The question was among a series of inquiries made by MP Ali Al-Deqbasi to Minister Roudhan AlRoudhan regarding the employment of Kuwaitis in the public sector, reported AlQabas. The lawmaker asked about the decision in order to reorganize the employ-

ment structure of the public sector. He asked for suggestions on how expatriate laborers can be replaced by qualified citizens as well as how steps can be taken to further encourage private businesses to employ Kuwaiti citizens.

Separately, MP Dr Daifullah Buramia asked the Minister of Justice about procedures taken against a citizen accused by State Security Services of several serious crimes, including damaging Kuwait's relations with other countries.

Meanwhile, a lawmaker applauded the approval of the legislative and legal affairs' committees on drafting a law regarding the establishment of a public consumers protection authority.

The MP that initially proposed the draft law, Askar Al-Enizy, urged the parliament's economic and financial committee to look into the law promptly to speed up its enforcement. In his statement to the press, the MP explained that the authority would protect consumers from manipulated prices and poor quality.

Kuwait Scouts forum stresses virtues KUWAIT: Kuwait Scouts' Forum calls for virtues and serving society, said Kuwaiti Scouts participating in the event, which will wind up here yesterday.

The event in its 32nd year grouped a number of "beneficial" activities such as the painting of some schools, planting seedlings along with workshops tackling social and cultural topics, 22-year-old Fahad Al-Rashid said.

Fahad Fayroz, the 21-year-old who is studying engineering at Kuwait University, said that the forum stressed respecting laws and regulations, independence and developing skills among individuals.

Participating in the event for the fifth time, Fayroz said that he learnt ways to master work, manage time, along with expertise gained by the leaders of the forum.

Meanwhile, Alaa Al-Anzi, 22, said that the variety of the activities held such as the workshops on news writing and short story distinguished the forum. Al-Anzi called upon Kuwaiti youth to take part in the upcoming events, adding that they were very beneficial. —KUNA

A

y

e niv rsar n

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

Years

local

Two in police custody for forged residencies ‘trade’

kuwait digest

Stability, freedom required for national development

KD 1,500 charged for transaction KUWAIT: Police arrested two people for helping expatriates receive residency papers via forged documents, reported Al-Rai. An investigation was launched a f te r t h e M i gra t i o n I nve s t i g a t i o n s Department received information about the activity of a Farwaniya company that was issuing forged residencies. Police arrested the company’s owner, a Kuwaiti citizen, who confessed that he used the help of Arab workers to finalize 70 illegal residency transactions. He explained that he collected between KD 1,000 and KD 1,500 per transac tion. The man’s accomplice was arrested and the two were referred to the proper authorities.

Road accident An Asian man was killed in an accident on Ahmadi Road, reported Al-Rai. An investigation revealed that the driver was killed after he lost control of his vehicle and overturned it.

Suicide attempt A Filipina woman attempted to kill herself after learning that her son in the Philippines died, reported Al-Watan. The wo m a n w a s fo u n d i n h e r s p o n s o r ’s home in Bayan bleeding from a self inflicted wound on her left wrist from a kitchen knife. Paramedics responded to t h e e m e rg e n c y a n d a d m i t te d t h e woman to Mubarak Hospital.

Asian dead An Asian man killed himself by slitting his wrists with a razor in his sponsor’s home in Sabah Al-Salem. An investigation was launched.

Theft case An Egyptian man was seriously injured after he was dragged through the street in an attempt to stop thieves from stealing his motorcycle, reported Al-Watan. While in a shop in Salmiya, the man spotted a group of thieves load the motorcycle into their truck and drive away. The man grabbed hold of the truck in an attempt to stop them but lost his grip and fell to the asphalt.

At the hospital the man explained that he was desperate to prevent the motorcycle from being stolen because it actua l l y b e l o n g e d t o a f r i e n d . Po l i c e launched an investigation in an

By Waleed Al-Rujaib

attempt to locate the thieves.

Two arrested A driver was arrested on Fahaheel H i g hw ay fo r b e i n g i n p o s s e s s i o n o f drugs, reported Al-Watan. The Egyptian man was pulled over for driving erratically and police discovered that he was in possession of an amount of heroin and hashish. He was referred to the proper authorities. Meanwhile, a citizen was arrested after he was found to be in possession of alcohol at a checkpoint in Mubarak Al-Kabeer, reported Al-Watan.

Police found two bottles of imported liquor in the suspect’s car and an investigation revealed that the suspect was wanted by authorities for a previous offense.

Taima fight After getting into a fight in Taima, two paramedics were admitted to Jahra Hospital; one with a stab wound to the head and the other with a severed finger.

During the investigation, police learned that the man with the severed finger abducted the other with the intention of sexually assaulting him. The fight occurred between the two when the man who was kidnapped violently resisted him.

Neglect charges A man was released from the Rumaithiya police station with his two teenage daughters after being forced to sign a document promising that his daughters would not be arrested again for failing to carr y proper identification, reported Al-Rai. Authorities summoned the father to the police station after they arrested the girls for walking through a suspicious area late at night without their IDs. Upon reaching the police station the father protested against his daughters’ arrests but agreed to sign the document after being threatened with charges of neglect.

Drugs, phones found in Jail Security guards found three grams of heroin, 15 cell phones and three SIM cards after launching an unscheduled search of the cells of prisoners at the Central Jail, repor ted Al-Anba. An investigation revealed that the contraband was smuggled into the prison.

KAPF lays foundation stone for school in India KUWAIT: A delegation from Kuwait Awqaf Public Foundation attended the ceremony organized by the Orphanage Organization affiliated to the Society of Tabligh and Islamic Da’wa for laying down the foundation stone for a school an orphanage Quran Dar in Calicut, India. The ceremony was attended also by many Indian key political personalities and a number of philanthropic organizations from different countries.

Mohammad Al-Jalahma represented KAPF in this great ceremony.

This orphanage, an outstanding and pioneering charitable institution established in Calicut in 1922, is in charge of carrying out educational activities to the students in the neighboring areas, in addition to providing free food and shelter to both the orphans and the needy, Al-Jalahma said.. It is known that Calicut is situated on the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent and was the gateway for the merchants, who were searching for ivory and spice. Kuwaiti merchants frequented this area in the past for commercial purposes and established social and economic relations with the inhabitants of the area.

Some of those merchants completed their education in that area known for its elevated cultural history as reflected in the good number of schools and universities. However, the paucity of the financial resources hindered the development of the educational institutions in the area, which urged many Kuwaiti citizens and organizations to support the charitable projects operating there. Abdullah Al Noun Charitable Society is one of the major organizations which assist in funding the developmental projects in the area and its efforts are tangible in

this domain, Al-Jalahma added. In his statement, Al-Jalahma said, KAPP has allocated an amount of KD 116,320 for building a school and a Quran Dar for orphans consisting of three floors.

KAPF will check with Abdullah AlNoori Charitable Society in respect of the arrangements for spending the amount in view of its experience in the charitable domain in India.

This step, Al-Jalahma maintained, comes as part of the KAPF policy in supporting the project which help the disadvantaged categories from among the orphans and assist in rehabilitating them for integration into the society and building a better future for them. It comes also as part of its effort to boost the educational and humanitarian programs for the people confronting difficulties and crises in the hope of helping them to overcome these circumstances. KAPF, as early as its establishment, has witnessed great achievements in the humanitarian and educational spheres which substantiate its true and significant reaction to the community needs.

Al-Jalahma concluded his statement calling for joint efforts of all humanitarian organizations at the Arab and Islamic levels to support developmental efforts aiming to eradicate poverty and ease the burden of the disadvantaged people because it will constitute a great asset to the waqf activities and the teachings of the true Islamic religion. The project, Al-Jalahma added, is a distinctive model for fostering the educational potentialities in the poor areas and a nucleus for future individual-and-community-centered projects which comply with the shari’a intents and the waqifs’ conditions.

C

ongratulations to Kuwait for the release of Dr Obaid Al-Wasmi and for dropping charges against columnist Mohammad Al-Jassem and Khalid AlFadhalah, the former secretary general of the National Democratic Alliance. The move was a wise and generous one by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed AlSabah and His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah and marks the end of a period marred by the imprisonment of those for their opinions.

The day of the activists’ release marked the end of the political turmoil which created a confidence issue between the public and the government. The public never lost hope in the prudence of the state’s rulers nor did they lose faithfulness in their democratic system. A close relationship between the public and their ruling system is the most important thing to maintain security and stability. With the end of this era comes caution from a number of issues that still need reform. The most important of these subjects is the need for political reform with the aims of achieving social democracy. In order to further reduce tension there has to be an end to political prosecution and a drop in the exaggerated restrictions on the media and the press. Also, laws from the United Nations regarding human rights should be included in Kuwaiti national law.

I hope that privatization laws are reconsidered and reexamined so that they can counter the potential increase in unemployment rates and commodities.

Additionally, the hope is that the development plan focuses on human resources such as education and projects that provide job opportunities to young men and women.

Constant development requires an atmosphere of freedom, stability, transparency and control. Crises, corruption and suppression do not build nations but instead brings them to a dead end. — Al-Rai

Consultation and Training office to study environment plan KUWAIT: The Consultation and Training Office of Kuwait University’s Faculty of Science has been recognized as an authorized office by Environment Public Authority (EPA) to study the environment. The announcement was made by Chairman Dr Hamad Al-Mattar who indicated that the office will also receive an ISO certificate that is similar to an internationally recognized one. It will also be supplied with KD 50 million worth of equipment.

“We aim to be the number one environment office in Kuwait,” said Dr Al-Mattar in a press statement. He insisted that the quality surpasses expenses, while indicating that it is the only office in the Arab World which lends a hand to help a government body.

With its highly advanced equipment and the 220 science faculty professors, the Consultation and Training Office is fully prepared to provide necessary studies pertinent with the KD 35 billion development plan. According to Al-Mattar, who insists that his office is the best when compared to other consultation offices in the country.

inedible food stuff destroyed

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: In a recently held raid, the Ahmadi Municipality destroyed 1.9 tons of inedible food stuff. At least 27 citations were issued, along with five warnings during the inspection campaign to a number of central markets in Ahmadi and Mangaf.

The raid was carried out at the instruction of Minister of Public Works Dr Fadhel Safar, and the Director of Municipality Ahmad Al-Subaih. They emphasized on the necessity of pressing charges against violators. The Director of Ahmadi Municipality Eng Fahad Dughaim Al-Otaibi emphasized that inspection campaigns will continue to point toward the inspection team that destroyed 1,789 tons of local chicken was found to be unfit for human consumption. Samples sent to the laboratory showed that the meat was infected with the salmonella disease C1. More than 125 kilograms of foodstuff that was found to be unfit for human consumption was destroyed. Al-Otaibi asked citizens and expatriates to ensure that food items bought are suitable for consumption.

Kuwait participates in UNCITAL arbitration, conciliation session

KUWAIT: The Public Authority for Youth and Sports’ Al-Qusour Youth Center hosted an annual family get-together. Members and families participated in the event. Various programs that had a common theme focused on patriotism were presented.

UNITED NATIONS: Kuwait participated in the 54th session of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITAL) on arbitration and conciliation held in New York. Kuwait’s participation in the session which took place on Feb 7-11 will help boost the country’s position worldwide and benefit from international experiences in the domain, head of Kuwaiti delegation, Advisor Zalikha AlHabib said in a statement marking the end of the event.

Kuwait’s participation in the session aimed at setting criteria for transparency in treaty-based investor-State arbitration as the country will be adopting major projects based on its development plan, she said.

In order to achieve the vision of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and transform Kuwait into a financial and commercial center, agreements with foreign and local investors should be ratified, she said.

Kuwait is nominated for the membership of the UNCITAL in 2013, she said.

The commission grouping 60 members has been seeking to reform international commercial law for 40 years, restoring laws governing commerce and ensuring justice and balance in financial transactions. — KUNA

International SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

World ‘congratulates Egypt’ Fireworks and gunfire in Gaza, Beirut, Sanaa LONDON: Fireworks and celebratory gunfire rang out in Tunisia and Lebanon, South Africans recalled Nelson Mandela’s euphoric release from prison, and two words “Congrats Egypt” - dominated social media sites as the world cheered the ouster of Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak. US and European officials on Friday saluted the resilience of the demonstrators in Cairo - who mobbed the capital for 18 days to demand their rights, despite attacks from pro-government thugs and pledged assistance to help Egypt make the transition to democracy.

“In their eyes, you can see what power freedom can have,” German Chancellor Angela Merkel said of the protesters, adding that, by stepping down, Mubarak had rendered “a last service to the Egyptian people.” Merkel herself had lived under another autocratic regime, growing up behind the Iron Curtain in East Germany.

President Barack Obama - whose administration has walked a fine line between backing the protesters’ demands and supporting Mubarak, a long-term US ally - welcomed the wave of peaceful change washing across the country.

“The people of Egypt have spoken. Their voices have been heard. And Egypt will never be the same,” he declared. And while he noted that many important questions remain unresolved, Obama said: “I’m confident the people of Egypt can find the answers.” But mixed with the messages of hope was concern for the future of a critical par tner in the Middle East peace process, lingering fear of violent unrest and guilt over the close partnership that many Western countries shared with Mubarak’s regime. “Mubarak’s tyranny was typical across the region, and it is Europe’s shame that we sustained them,” said Edward McMillan-Scott, the European Parliament’s vice president for democracy and human rights.

Merkel expressed hope that whoever comes to power works to “uphold peace in the Middle East and respect the treaties

concluded with Israel,” while French President Nicolas Sarkozy said reforms are needed quickly so Egypt “can keep its place in the world at the ser vice of peace.”

Portuguese Foreign Minister Luis Amado warned that “we will face a very dangerous situation” if the transition isn’t completed soon. Peru’s foreign minister said he feared a rise in the price of oil amid continued instability.

Whatever the uncertainty, euphoria ruled the streets. In Tunisia, whose peoplepowered revolution pushed dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali into exile just last month and sparked the Egyptian protests, cries of joy and a thunderous honking of horns greeted the news. In Beirut, fireworks and celebratory gunfire erupted over the capital only moments after Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman said Mubarak had handed power over to the military. In the West African nation of Mauritania, pedestrians and cars filled Nouakchott, the capital, to celebrate.

In South Africa, officials noted that Mubarak’s resignation took place exactly 21 years to the day after Mandela’s historic release from prison. “One can’t escape the symbolic importance of this day and the release of Mandela and how that ushered in a new process for South Africa,” said Ayanda Ntsaluba, director general of South Africa’s foreign affairs department. “Let’s hope this happy coincidence will also one day make the Egyptian people look back and say this indeed was the beginning of better times in Egypt.” Tunisia’s caretaker government, put in place after the nation’s leader fled the countr y, praised the Egyptian people for forcing Mubarak out of office and expressed hope that it will lead to the “triumph of Arab causes.”

Some European and US officials have expressed concern that instability in Egypt could throw the peace process between Israelis and Palestinians into chaos and provide an opening for Islamist forces such as Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood. Many are

Palestinian negotiator Erakat quits over leaks Page 8

BEIRUT: Lebanese and Egyptians celebrate outside the Egyptian embassy in Beirut. — AP

also worried that the military takeover may not necessarily spell an end to the rights abuses perpetuated during Mubarak’s nearly three decades in power. Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski of Poland, whose own nation threw off repressive communist rule 21 years ago, said the changes sweeping Egypt “create both hope and anxiety.”

Amnesty International’s Secretar y General Salil Shetty agreed, saying that Mubarak’s departure “is not the end.” “The

repressive system that Egyptians have suffered under for three decades has not gone away and the state of emergency remains in place,” he said. The sentiment was shared across Europe, whose leaders had increasingly pushed Mubarak to open up Egyptian society and worked quickly to shake off any links to the deposed leader.

Sarkozy described Mubarak’s resignation as “necessary,” while Swiss officials froze assets belonging to Mubarak and his family. An unusual joint statement from EU

president Herman Van Rompuy, foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and Jose Manuel Barroso, head of the executive Europ e a n Com m i s s i on, s a i d t he E U “salutes the courage of the Egyptian people” and called for the formation of a civilian government. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also called for the “early establishment of civilian rule,” while Britain’s foreign minister warned Egypt’s newly installed military authorities against backsliding. — AP

A

y

e niv rsar n

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

Years

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

Will history repeat itself in Egypt?

CAIRO: People took to the streets in their thousands demanding the end of the government. They marched on the headquarters of the state broadcaster which had been churning out the government line. The president fell. The army took charge.

Cairo in 2011? No, Sudan in 1985.

As I watched the unprecedented protests in Egypt that have overturned what seemed like the immutable ruling system of President Hosni Mubarak, I have constantly found myself thinking of the last time I had a front row seat at a military takeover. I keep wondering whether the coup in Sudan, which marked the first step towards a civilian government, albeit one that only lasted four years, provides clues to what will happen in Egypt.

To me, it suggests the jubilation I witnessed on Cairo on Friday is just the first step and protesters will return to their homes only if they are sure the officers now in charge will dismantle the old order and deliver civilian rule.

I was a teenager when I watched Sudanese President Jaafar Nimeiri tumble. My parents had a house with a verandah overlooking the Nile. Along the riverside ran a road that led to Radio Omdurman, the main broadcasting building. There was no better place to watch the coup unfold.

Demonstrators in their thousands marched up to the state broadcaster’s building, the government’s mouthpiece, chanting “Ya Nimeiri, Ya himar”-”Oh Nimeiri, you donkey”. Popular discontent had grown as the economy, weak for years, gradually disintegrated leaving millions impoverished.

RATIONS AND SHORTAGES My father, an expatriate worker, once spent 60 hours, sleeping in our family car, waiting to get four

Jubilant Egyptians uncertain about life after Mubarak

CAIRO: An Egyptian woman presents flowers to Egyptian army soldiers in Tahrir Square in Cairo yesterday. Egyptian protesters were jubilant over their success in ousting former President Hosni Mubarak, but many vowed to stay camped in Tahrir Square until they hear “clear assurances” that the military will meet their demands. — AP gallons of fuel. That was our weekly ration. We had to queue for bottles of cooking gas. Eggs, sugar and flour were in short supply. That was the daily struggle for a Western family living on a good salary. For Sudanese, multiply the battle to survive many times. Sudan’s pound went into freefall.

Patience ran out. The demonstrators demanded change and the army stepped in. They threw out one of their own. Nimeiri was an army officer who had seized power in 1969. Here’s where the usual

Separation fears for stranded South Sudan returnees KHARTOUM: In a makeshift camp on the outskirts of Khartoum for south Sudanese awaiting transport back home, Kushak Gumlon’s wife has just given birth. But he has no idea if he can take his family with him. “We have been here for one month and 20 days.

And still we are waiting for the trucks,” says the 60-year-old father of eight, sitting inside a cramped tent. His anxieties vanish and he beams with pride as he lifts the red cloth protecting the sleeping baby from the flies.

Infisal was born in the Dar al-Naim camp four days before the final results of last month’s landmark referendum on southern independence were con-

firmed, and Kushak gave him the Arabic name for the vote’s landslide outcome: Separation. But the child’s fate-and that of the thousands who moved into the 19 camps in and around Khartoum before the referendum expecting free transport back to their homeland-is as shrouded in uncertainty as the future of their newborn country-to-be.

Around 140,000, many of whom, like Kushak, fled to the north more than 20 years ago at the height of a 22-year civil war between the Khartoum government and southern rebels, are stranded at the camps, according to southern officials. The

United Nations puts the number of around 20,000. The southern regional government in Juba had promised to directly assist the mass return of southerners through its humanitarian arm, the Southern Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Commission. But just as its staff went home to vote in the January 9-15 referendum, the program ran out of money and effectively ground to a halt.

As a Catholic priest working in Mayo explains, people thought they would get transport straight away, so they left their houses, quit their jobs and moved into the temporary camps.

— AFP

African script for military coups changed. Suwar alDahab, the army officer who took charge, promised he would hold elections in a year’s time. Few believed him. But exhausted, the people trusted him. He delivered.

In 1986, Africa’s largest country by land area and at the time riven by a civil war between north and south, held multi-party elections. A civilian government took office. Until Tunisia’s revolt in January, it was the last time an Arab people-northern Sudan is

Arabic-speaking-could claim to have changed their government by a popular movement. The parallels with Egypt are far from perfect. Like Sudan, it was a combustible mix of economic and political anxieties that drove Egyptians onto the streets.

Egyptians throughout the country demanded Mubarak go, blaming him and his allies for high prices, unemployment, a yawning gap between rich and poor and political repression. On Friday, they achieved what they could hardly have imagined was possible. They showed the people could control the streets and make Egypt ungovernable.

The people decided. Mubarak fell. A military council has taken charge. The council has pledged to meet the people’s demands. It has promised to lift emergency laws in place for 30 years, which have been used to crush dissent. Crucially, it has promised free and fair elections.

NOVELTY IN EGYPT That will be a novelty in Egypt. The November parliamentary poll was blatantly rigged. Hardly a seat in the lower house went to a member of the opposition. Most of the main opposition forces in Egypt simply boycotted the contest. Egypt has held just one multi-candidate presidential election. In 2005, Mubarak predictably swept up the votes. His main rival, Ayman Nour, came a distant second and was then jailed on charges that he said were politically motivated. With a military council in charge, Egypt may be able to re-write the constitution. The existing document, occasionally amended with cosmetic changes, was written to ensure Mubarak and his clique had a built-in guarantee of power.

Now many Egyptians, waking up to a new order, are starting to wonder what comes next. —Reuters

Palestinian negotiator Erakat quits over leaks Palestinians to hold elections by Sept RAMALLAH: Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erakat tendered his resignation yesterday amid deadlock in efforts to renew peace talks with Israel, a Palestinian official said. Erakat said he was stepping down because of his responsibility for the disclosure of confidential documents on Al-Jazeera, shortly after his resignation was announced by senior PLO Yasser Abed Rabbo. The chief negotiator said he was assuming “responsibility for the theft of documents from his office” that he said had been “deliberately” tampered with.

Last month, Erakat accused AlJazeera of taking part in a campaign to overthrow the Palestinian Authority (PA) after the Doha-based television began to release more than 1,600 confidential files known as “The Palestine Papers.” The documents, shared by AlJazeera and Britain’s Guardian daily, expose concessions to Israel in 10 years of secret peace talks, embarrassing and angering the Palestinian lead-

ership. Erakat at the time accused AlJazeera of trying provoke his people into “a revolution against their leaders in order to bring down the Palestinian political system.”

He pointed to a possible US-Israeli effort to topple the PA because of its refusal to take part in US-brokered direct peace talks unless the Jewish state halts West Bank settlement construction. The files allege that Palestinian negotiators offered unprecedented concessions during peace negotiations, including on the ultra-sensitive subjects of Jerusalem and refugees, with nothing in return from Israel. They also show PA members closely cooperating with Israel in the fight against the Palestine Islamist movement Hamas, Fatah’s bitter rival which rules the Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian presidential and parliamentary elections would be held before September. The announcement was made after a meeting in Ramallah on the West Bank

of the Executive Committee of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) under Mahmoud Abbas’s presidency. “The Executive Committee has decided to start preparations for presidential and parliamentary elections in the coming months ... no later than September,” the committee secretary Yasser Abed Rabbo told journalists.

The PLO, which groups the main Palestinian nationalist movements, has been under Abbas’s leadership since 2004.

Hamas rejects election call Hamas Islamists who rule the Gaza Strip rejected a call for new Palestinian elections made by Western-backed President Mahmoud Abbas. “Hamas will not take part in this election. We will not give it legitimacy. And we will not recognize the results,” said spokesman Fawzi Barhoum. Previous presidential and parliamentary elections were postponed because the rival groups were unable to reach a reconciliation deal. — Agencies

Yemeni gang breaks up anti-govt protest SANAA: Pro-government demonstrators armed with knives and batons broke up a protest yesterday by around 2,000 Yemenis inspired by the overthrow of Egypt’s president. Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, trying to ward off protests spreading across the Arab world, has promised to step down when his term ends in 2013, but the opposition has yet to respond to his call to join a unity government. The opposition wants talks to take place under Western or Gulf Arab auspices. As well as sporadic protests, the Arabian Peninsula state is also struggling with a secessionist movement in the south, a shaky ceasefire with Shiite rebels in the north and a resurgent al Qaeda presence, all against a backdrop of chronic poverty.

Some 300 anti-government student demonstrators assembled at Sanaa University yesterday morning. As numbers swelled into the thousands, they began marching towards the Egyptian embassy. “The people want the fall of the government,” protesters chanted. “A Yemeni revolution after the Egyptian revolution.”

But a group of government supporters armed with knives and sticks confronted the protesters at the central Tahrir Square. Scuffles broke out and the protesters were forced to flee. Two people were lightly injured, witnesses said. The clash came after armed men forced around 300 anti-government protesters to quit an impromptu demonstration in the Yemeni capital on Friday night.

Yemeni authorities detained at least 10 people after anti-government protesters in Sanaa celebrated Mubarak’s downfall on Friday, USbased Human Rights Watch said.

The group said the celebrations turned to clashes when hundreds of men armed with assault rifles,

SANAA: A Yemeni police officer pushes back a government supporter (center) carrying a dagger as he and other supporters reach to scuffle with antigovernment demonstrators celebrating the resignation of Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak and demanding the ouster of their own president yesterday. — AP

knives and sticks attacked the protesters while security forces stood by. “The Yemeni security forces have a duty to protect peaceful protesters,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. “In this case, security forces seem to have organized armed men to attack the protesters.”

Yemen’s ruling party set up tents in Sanaa’s central Tahrir Square last week to occupy the space and prevent people from gathering in large

numbers. Party officials handed out small amounts of money to reward pro-government protesters yesterday. Some used the cash to buy food or Qat, a mild green stimulant leaf that more than half of Yemen’s 23 million people chew daily and which has been cited as a deterrent to protest. Yesterday, Yemen said it respected the choice of the Egyptian people and would support them in their search for progress and development. — Reuters

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

I n t e r n at i o n a l Turkey arrests 162 military officers ISTANBUL: Turkish police began arresting 162 retired and serving military officers, including former top commanders, who are on trial accused of plotting a coup in 2003 to topple Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan’s government. The trial of alleged plotters of “Sledgehammer” reflects a lingering mistrust between the traditionally secular military and a ruling party that critics say retains Islamist leanings. Erdogan denies planning to roll back the secular constitution, and his AK Party goes into an election in June as firm favorite to win a third consecutive term, but the case is among a series of domestic and foreign policy challenges.

A court in Silivri, west of Istanbul, issued the arrest warrants for the defendants on Friday. In total 196 officers are on trial, around three-quarters of them still serving, and most have been in and out of detention in the past year. Not all of them attended Friday’s hearing. After the court served arrest warrants, 133 were taken for health checks before being escorted on Saturday either to the town’s prison or, for those on active duty, a military prison in Istanbul. The remaining 29 were expected to surrender themselves at a courthouse in Istanbul.

Television images showed a coach and two minibuses taking the defendants to prison. Concerns about political tensions are for now unlikely to unsettle investors, well-used to Turkey’s turbulent political scene, so financial markets are not expected to move for now. General Cetin Dogan, former commander of the prestigious First Army, and retired commanders of the navy and air force, Admiral Ozden Ornek and General Halil Ibrahim Firtina, were among the defendants that the court ordered to be arrested.

The trial, which began in December, was adjourned to March 14, and the chief judge pressed for an interim verdict to be read. Defense lawyers said their arguments were being overlooked and the arrests were unjustified. They objected to a change in judges during an earlier hearing. “There is absolutely no risk they will escape. I have been an attorney for 33 years and I can’t believe what’s happening on this case, this is a travesty of justice,” defense lawyer Sule Nazli Erol told CNN Turk. The “Sledgehammer” plot allegedly involved plans to bomb historic mosques and provoke conflict with Greece, as part of a plan to undermine the government and enable a military takeover. The defendants, important figures in NATO’s second biggest army, deny any conspiracy and say the ‘plot’ was a war game exercise at a military seminar seven years ago. If found guilty, they could face 15 to 20 years in prison.

Since coming to power, the AK Party government has used reforms designed to boost Turkey’s European Union membership bid to rein in the authority of an army that has toppled four civilian governments since 1960. Erdogan has also driven an economic transformation which has shifted power to a new emerging business class and away from old elites made up of generals, judges and educators devoted to the secular vision of the republic’s founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. —Reuters

Romney blasts US president Obama’s jobs record is an ‘inconvenient truth’ WASHINGTON: Republican Mitt Romney has accused President Barack Obama of presiding over “the greatest job loss in modern American history” in a speech to conservatives that hinted strongly at a run for president. Romney, the former Massachusetts governor who ran for the Republican nomination in 2008 and lost to John McCain, wasted little time in attacking the Democratic incumbent in remarks to the Conservative Political Action Conference. “Let me make this very clear. If I decide to run for president, it won’t take me two years to wake up to the job crisis threatening America,” Romney said to cheers.

Romney was among many potential Republican presidential aspirants to address the 11,000-strong conservative conference to try to generate buzz for themselves as Republicans consider what is likely to be a crowded field in 2012. Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels, who is considering a run for president, warned that America’s crushing debt of $14 trillion will require a sweeping, focused effort that will require sacrifice like World War Two or the Cold War. “We are at such a moment,” said Daniels. “I for one have no interest in standing in the wreckage of our republic saying ‘I told you so’ or ‘You should’ve done it my way.’” All the speakers to one degree or another criticized Obama, who is likely to be a tough adversary in his re-election bid.

Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, expected to announce his presidential bid in the weeks ahead, said Obama was projecting a weak foreign policy that emboldened US adversaries. He said the Obama administration was appeasing Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, on the day Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak handed power to the army, while undermining friends like Israel. “Mister President, with bullies, might makes right. Strength makes them submit. Get tough on our enemies-not on our friends,” he said. More than the other speakers, Romney took on Obama’s stewardship of the economy in a sign he believes that is the president’s Achilles’ heel as Obama girds for his re-election battle in 2012.

WASHINGTON: Mitt Romney speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington. — AP

‘GOING TO TAKE A NEW PRESIDENT’ US unemployment is at a stubbornly high 9 percent and millions of Americans remain out of work.

Obama inherited a financial crisis and deep reces-

sion from his predecessor, Republican President George W Bush, and says his stimulus policies, much criticized by Republicans, had to be taken to avoid another Depression. “President Barack Obama has stood watch over the greatest job loss in modern American histor y,” Romney said. “And that, my friends, is one inconvenient truth that will haunt this president throughout history. “It’s going to take more than new rhetoric to put Americans back to work. It’s going to take a new president,” he said.

Romney avoided much mention of healthcare. He has struggled to explain how the Massachusetts healthcare plan he led as governor is different from Obama’s healthcare overhaul, which Republicans are seeking to repeal.

Daniels, who was President George W Bush’s budget director, said the federal government was “morbidly obese” from spending and dramatic change is needed to rein it in. “The second worst outcome I can imagine for next year would be to lose to the current president and subject the nation to what might be a fatal last dose of statism. The worst would be to win the election and then prove ourselves incapable of turning the ship of state before it went on the rocks, with us at the helm,” he said. The conference concluded yesterday with a straw poll of Republican presidential candidates. —Reuters

Disgusted by sex scandal, Italy women plan protest ROME: Enraged by the degrading images of the female sex emerging from the ‘Rubygate scandal’ surrounding Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, Italian women plan protests today to “defend their dignity.” “This isn’t a political mobilization, it’s a spontaneous movement of very different women of all ages, artists and normal people,” Elisa Davoglio, a 35-year old poet said. The protest follows weeks of intense media coverage of allegations-strongly denied-that Berlusconi paid for sex with underage disco dancer Ruby as part of a raucous sex life. “We are against this wildly-spread culture of taking shortcuts, earning lots of money, enough to make yourself beautiful, going to a party and selling yourself for a night,” actress Lunetta Savino said.

A manifesto, “If not now, when?,” signed by over 50,000 women in a week, denounces “the indecent, repetitive representation of women as a naked object of sexual exchange” in newspapers, on television and in advertising.

“We are inundated with calls from women who want to participate, it’s like an avalanche we didn’t expect,” actress

Francesca Comencini, who is organizing the demonstrations along with her thespian sister Cristina said. A video on Youtube calls on women to join the demonstrations as well as the flash-mobs and non-stop lectures that will be held today in Milan, Rome and hundreds of towns across the country.

Although those involved have been asked not to politicize the demonstration, several members of parliament who recently broke away from Berlusconi’s centre-right ruling party have said they will be attending. “Berlusconi has long shown a violent contempt for women with his misogynist remarks,” Francesca Comencini said. “He has now exceeded acceptable limits, he’s created a totally archaic image of women,” added her sister Christina, who promotes the “Di Nuovo” group, set up to draw attention to problems facing Italian women on http://dinuovodinuovo.blogspot.com/.

Poet Davoglio, who has started a blog for the occasion, will be attending the demonstration with her baby and partner. Men who support the cause are welcome. The

issue is no longer about pitting certain types of women against others. “This isn’t a mobilization against call-girls,” Davoglio said, with a a movement for the defense of prostitutes’ rights due at Sunday’s protest. Famous faces in Italy, such as the architect Gae Aulenti or actress Laura Morante, both of whom will attend the protests, will use their own lives as an example to try and show that there are other ways to achieve success.

Even after today’s demonstrations, Cristina, Francesca and the others hope the movement will serve as a network to bring together women’s associations in Italy, which they say are often fractured and politicized. “Neither right-wing governments, nor left-wing ones have every done anything,” Christina Comencini said, criticizing “discrimination in the job market due to a lack of day-nurseries, family helpers and part-time jobs.” In Italy, where the birth rate is one of the lowest in Europe at 1.4 child per family, only one woman in two works-compared to 59 percent in the European Union-despite they being, on average, better educated than men. — AFP

A

y

e niv rsar n

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

Years

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

Malaysian Shiites face uncertain future KUALA LUMPUR: Like other Muslims they read

the Quran and face Makkah to pray, but the Shiite community in Malaysia is considered a “deviant sect” and faces harassment in the multicultural country. Religious authorities in December arrested 200 Shiites as they observed the holy day of Ashura, accusing them of threatening national security in a country where most of the 16.5 million Muslims are members of the Sunni sect. The majority of those detained were Muslim Malays-who dominate the Malaysian population-joined by followers from Indonesia, Myanmar, Pakistan and Iran.

Former state religious department head Mohammed Khusrin Munawi, who led the December 16 raid, said that the faith, if left to grow, could undermine security as “fanatical followers of the sect consider other Muslims infidels”. “For them, the blood of the followers of other faiths is lawful which means that it is ok ay to k ill (Sunnis),” he told the Utusan Malaysia newspaper. “Shiite doctrine is more dangerous than other deviant teachings (as)...

Shiite followers in Iran and India are fighting against other Muslims merely because of different faiths,” he said.

The split dates back to a dispute over succes-

sion after the death of the Prophet Muhammad in 632. In a country where non-Muslims are constitutionally free to practice their faith, the crackdown on an Islamic sect which forms the majority in other countries, including Iran and Iraq, has raised concerns.”Everyone in the country should have freedom of worship,” Reverend Thomas Philips, head of the country’s largest inter-religious council said. “But in the Muslim context in Malaysia, they have a different understanding and so it is a very sensitive issue.”

The estimated 40,000 Shiites in Malaysia are one of several Islamic sects under close watch by religious authorities, who crack down hard on so-called deviant Islamic groups. A 1989 Islamic law and a 1996 fatwa by Malaysia’s top Islamic clerics banned Shiism, declaring it a deviant ideology. Malaysia has a dual-track legal system, with civil courts running in parallel with Islamic Sharia courts where Muslim Malays can be tried on religious and moral charges.

However, Chandra Muzaffar, head of rights group JUST, says that religious officials are abusing their power.

“The Shiites are not deviants, they are very much part of the Muslim community and if you deny them, then you are saying that 15 percent

of Muslims worldwide are also deviant,” he said.

“They follow almost all the tenets of the majority Sunni sect and the differences are more political and historical so we should engage them through dialogue rather than carry out raids, arrest and prosecute them.” Kamil Zuhairi Abdul Aziz, 45, the Iranian-trained leader of the Hauzah ar-Redha or “Knowledge House” raided by authorities in December, says they are forced to practice their faith quietly.

“We are Muslims just like any other Muslims in the country but we live in fear as we are constantly attacked verbally and are often arrested and detained by authorities,” he said after prayers at the hauzah, the biggest of 40 Shiite community halls throughout the country.

“Shiism came to the shores of Malaysia in the 14th century when Islam arrived here as many of the Arabic, Indian and Persian traders who brought the religion were also Shiites. “The authorities must recognize that we are not a recent phenomenon and that we should be respected just like any other faith in the country,” he said in the hall filled with religious banners and pictures of Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

“We do not believe in bloodshed or that we

are justified in killing anyone but yet these are the lies spread about us.” Community elder Muhammad Hassan, 72, said the last waves of arrests of Shiite followers in Malaysia came in 1997 and 2001. He says his grandchildren are discriminated against in school and higher learning institutions, where religious teachers “criticize Shiites openly although they don’t even understand or are bothered to even study our teachings.”

State religious department head Marzuki Hussin said “the bottom line is that Shiism clashes with Islam in Malaysia and so it cannot be allowed to propagate here as it can cause instability.”“We are happy to counsel the Shiite community on the practices of Malaysian Sunnis as what they are practicing is a violation of our religious laws,” he said. Kamil, who was among those arrested in the December raid, will answer charges of preventing Islamic officials from carrying out their duties on February 17. “Our future is very uncertain as we have lived here for centuries but now don’t know for how long we can exist like this on the periphery of society,” he said. “We are treated as outcasts when we actually contribute much to society. We are fellow Muslims-treat us as such.” — AFP

Americans’ least favorite lands: Iran, North Korea Israel viewed favorably by 68 percent

NORTH PHYONGAN: This undated photo shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-II (center) visiting the newly built Unsan Instrument Factory in North Phyongan Province. —AFP

Beijing thwarts efforts to punish North Korea

NEW YORK: Americans have a negative view of Iran and North Korea, which they rated their least favorite countries in Gallup’s annual World Affairs poll. Iran and North Korea have been the two lowest-rated countries in the poll every year since 2004. This year they tied at the bottom with only 11 percent favorability ratings, according to the poll released Friday. The poll found that Americans have the most positive view of Canada, at 92 percent, followed closely by Britain at 88 percent.

These two countries have been the topranked throughout the 11-year history of the poll. They were followed in the rankings by Germany (82 percent), Japan (80 percent) and India (72 percent).

France’s favorability rating topped 70 percent in the poll for the first time since 2002. Its ranking has steadily recovered since hitting a

low of 34 percent in 2003 when Americans’ views of France soured in the run-up to the Iraq war, which Paris opposed. Americans’ favorable opinions of South Korea have also been steadily rising from 49 percent in 2001 to 65 percent in the current poll. The United States and South Korea reached a free trade agreement at the end of last year, which is awaiting ratification in both countries’ legislatures.

At the same time, Americans’ opinions of Mexico have plummeted in recent years, from 74 percent in 2005 to 45 percent this year.

Gallup said the decline is likely attributable to the ongoing controversy over illegal immigration and violence linked to Mexican drug cartels. Egypt’s favorability rating plunged to 40 percent this year - an 18-point drop from last year’s poll - the biggest change in any single

Beating ban stirs debate in South Korean schools

Diplomacy fails on nuke talks SEOUL: China does not back efforts by Washington and Seoul to punish North Korea at the United Nations for its uranium enrichment program and wants sixparty talks to deal with the issue, a top South Korean envoy said yesterday.

International disagreement over how to deal with the North’s growing nuclear capability comes just days after interKorean talks collapsed, as diplomatic efforts to defuse simmering tensions on the divided peninsula faltered.

The six-party talks, which offer Pyongyang aid and diplomatic recognition in return for disabling its nuclear weapons program, were last held two years ago. They collapsed when the North quit in protest against UN sanctions for its nuclear and missile tests. The six-way talks started in 2003 and are chaired by China, and also involve the United States, Japan and Russia. “Both sides were concerned about it (the North’s uranium enrichment program) and will work closely,” the South’s nuclear envoy Wi Sung-lac said after a two-day visit to Beijing to discuss the issue with his Chinese counterpart.

But Wi said China disagreed that the United Nations should be involved, and said the six-sided forum should deal with it. The North and its main ally and benefactor China have called for the six-party talks to be restarted, but Washington, Seoul and Tokyo have questioned the North’s sincerity about denuclearizing, pointing to its uranium enrichment as

proof. Tensions spiked on the peninsula last year after the sinking of South Korean warship and the North’s shelling of a remote South Korean island. The North denies it was responsible for sinking the ship and says it was provoked into shelling the island. In November, the North raised international security concerns when it revealed big advances in its uranium enrichment program, giving it a second route to make an atomic bomb along with its plutonium program. The North says the uranium program is for peaceful energy means, but Washington and Seoul says it contravenes a 2005 agreement and Security Council resolutions, and that Pyongyang should be reprimanded by the United Nations.

Both Beijing and Washington have said that before the six-party nuclear talks can reconvene, the two Koreas, still technically at war after signing only a truce to end the 1950-53 Korean War, must iron out their differences at bilateral talks. This week, military officers from the two Koreas met for the first time since last November’s attack on Yeonpyeong Island, but discussions collapsed when they failed to agree on an agenda and rank of participants for a higher-level meeting.

Analysts say the two Koreas will likely return to the negotiating table again, under pressure from Beijing and Washington. However, they say six-party talks are a long way off as both the South and the United States doubt the North’s sincerity. — Reuters

SEOUL: With the new school year starting in March, high

school teacher Jennifer Chung is worried about coping without her longtime classroom companion - a hickory stick for smacking misbehaving students. “I don’t know if I can survive the jungle of 40 restless boys in each class, let alone keeping them quiet with no means to punish them,” said the 36-year-old maths teacher in Gyeonggi province surrounding Seoul. Education authorities in Seoul, the country’s largest school district with 1.36 million pre-college students, last November banned corporal punishment.

Gyeonggi and one other province followed suit, with SEOUL: This photo shows South Korean students sitting in a classroom during their the new rule to take effect there in March. The move graduation ceremony at a high school in Seoul. — AFP has sparked intense debate in South Korea, where education is highly valued and physical punishment has long been tolerated—if not encouraged—to discipline students and push them to excel. Entry to a prestigious college or university largely determines a career path and even marriage prospects. So parents and teachers often drive children to work harder through physical MOSCOW: A top Kremlin official yester- Naryshkin was quoted as saying by the pain. Slapping or spanking is a common punishment for day slammed Japan’s recent statements RIA Novosti news agency, citing a missing homework, performing poorly in exams or chaton the disputed Kuril Islands, telling the Kremlin statement. The Kurils, which lie ting too loudly during class.

Japanese foreign minister that talks on just north of Japan’s Hokkaido island, Children breaking school rules may be ordered to do the island chain were “losing meaning.” have been controlled by Moscow since push-ups, hold their arms straight above their heads or The Russian president’s chief of staff, they were seized by Soviet troops in walk the playground in a squatting position known as a Sergei Naryshkin harshly upbraided 1945 but their status remains a major “duck-walk”. One survey showed about 70 percent of Japan’s top diplomat, Seiji Maehara, over problem in Moscow-Tokyo relations. The experience corporal punishment.

Tokyo’s outraged reaction to a visit by dispute surrounds the southernmost high school students led to President Dmitry Medvedev to the four islands-known in Russian as Iturup, But injuries from severe beatings have sometimes teachfor terms jail and parents by filed lawsuits bitter Shikotan, Habomai and Kunashir-which islands in November last year.

Tokyo’s position had “led to a situation are still claimed by Tokyo and collectively ers. Kim Dong-Seok, a spokesman for the Korean where continuing a discussion of the ter- known in Japan as the Northern Federation of Teachers Unions, said overcrowded classrooms and pressure to get students into good colleges ritorial problem is losing meaning,” Territories. — AFP prompt educators to rely on tough and quick discipline.

“With about 40 students in each class and all parents demanding that their children go to good colleges, you just can’t do the job without physical punishment,” he said. Each class in South Korean schools has 35.3 stuBEIJING: China’s state-controlled media “Social stability should be of overrid- dents on average, one of the highest among OECD downplayed the news of Egypt’s popular ing importance. Any political changes member countries whose average is 23.9. “It’s the paruprising that toppled its president, with will be meaningless if the country falls ents who still want teachers to use physical methods to some outlets carrying only brief items prey to chaos in the end,” said the editori- make their children fare better in exams,” Kim said. But and one editorial warning yesterday that al in the China Daily, an English-language a four-minute video clip of a Seoul elementary school the country could fall into “chaos.” The paper that is geared toward foreign read- classroom made public in July ignited a debate that for reluctance to highlight the Cairo celebra- ers. Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma long was the preserve of minority groups of liberal tions likely stemmed out of wariness of Zhaoxu said in a statement that China teachers and parents.

A cellphone video taken by a pupil showed a cursing spawning unrest at home that might hopes Egypt can restore stability and yelling middle-aged teacher smack the face of a and threaten the Communist Party’s monop- normal order as soon as possible. grader, hurl him to the floor and kick him repeatsixth oly on power.

Internet censors continued to block China’s authoritarian government the ability to search “Egypt ” and edly. Seoul’s education office, headed by a newly-electseized on the public relentlessly punishes political dissent “Mubarak” on microblogging sites as ed former liberal education activist, fury to ban all corporal punishment in schools later that and bans most public demonstrations. they have since the protests started, year. “Corporal punishment is barbaric, inhumane and Most Chinese newspapers and online though the restriction could be sideoften used by teachers simply to release their own portals were running a terse report yes- stepped by searching for an abbreviat- anger. What’s worse, it makes youngsters take violence terday from the official Xinhua News ed version of the former president’s in everyday life for granted,” said Cho Shin, a spokesman Agency that gave basic facts about name, “Muba.” Most postings on the for the office.

President Hosni Mubarak’s resignation popular Sina Weibo site referred to the “No one had mustered the courage to put an end to while only briefly mentioning the wide- news in general terms without connect- this vicious, longstanding cycle. But now is the time to spread, emotional demonstrations that ing it to the political situation in China, end it, no matter how tough it is doing so,” he said. brought about his ouster. though it’s not clear whether more Teachers, however, say the sudden policy switch leaves The news from Egypt was buried in pointed comments had been deleted by them with few disciplinary alternatives. “Some really the middle of state television’s noon censors. “ Today Mubarak stepped rebellious kids already taunt me when I try to scold newscast yesterday. CCTV did not air any down, here we have been looking at them for chatting too loudly during a class, saying footage of protesters but instead used these same faces for 20 years. When will ‘Should I take out my cell phone?’ or ‘Now you’re not showed scenes of shuttered shops and they ‘get out,”‘ one user wrote, using a supposed to hit me, are you?’” said one Seoul high school teacher who declined to be named. — AFP empty streets. coarse expression. — AP

Kremlin: Japan Island talks ‘losing meaning’

Wary China downplays Egypt popular uprising

BEIJING: A Chinese man pushes a bicycle past a copy of a newspaper front page showing Egyptians celebrating and title “Mubarak hands over power” at a newsstand in Beijing. — AP

country’s ratings from 2010. The poll was conducted from Feb. 2-5 when Egypt was rocked by anti-government protests that made Americans more aware of the Mideast ally’s autocratic government, Gallup said.

The protests forced Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to give up power on Friday.

Israel was viewed favorably by 68 percent of Americans, while the Palestinian Authority only had a 19 percent favorability rating.

Americans were more evenly divided in their opinions about Russia (51 percent) and China (47 percent). Others at the bottom of the poll included the Palestinian Authority (19 percent), Pakistan (18 percent) and Afghanistan (14 percent). The poll, based on telephone interviews among 1,015 randomly chosen adults, has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. — AP

A

y

e niv rsar n

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

Years

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

India, Brazil, Germany want UN to ‘open up’ UNITED NATIONS: Brazil, Germany, India and Japan said that they would press for “concrete” action this year to ‘open up’ the UN Security Council to new members. Foreign ministers from the four nations met at the UN headquarters to step up their campaign even though there is no broad acceptance within the 192 UN members on how to reform the world body’s supreme peace and security body.

“Pressure is mounting here at the United Nations for the UN membership to finally face the challenge of addressing Security Council reform in a realistic manner, adjusting it to the current geo-political realities,” said Brazil’s Foreign Minister Antonio de Aguiar Patriota after the meeting. The four nations believe “that we should work towards concrete outcome in the current session of the general assembly,” which ends in September, he added. India’s Foreign Minister S M Krishna said “the response that we are getting is overwhelming and we feel confident that we can move in that direction.” He said the four would “press ahead for reform of the Security Council on an urgent basis.”

Britain, China, France, Russia and United States have been the only permanent members of the Security Council, able to veto any resolution, since its creation in 1945. The number of nonpermanent members was increased from six to 10 in 1963. Brazil, Germany, India and Japan, the so-called Group of Four (G4), renewed their longstanding campaign to get permanent seats on the Security Council last year. On top of the G4, African nations believe they should have up to two permanent seats on the council, with South Africa, Nigeria and Egypt all considered contenders. Arab and Latin American nations are also demanding stronger representation. Change requires a two thirds majority at the General Assembly, however, and reform efforts have repeatedly floundered on which nations should get a permanent seat and how other places should be divided up. The United States and other permanent members oppose various parts of the G4 ideas made public so far. — AFP

21 die in Taleban raid Insurgents storm Kandahar police headquarters KANDAHAR: Taleban insurgents armed with bombs, automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenades attacked the Kandahar police headquarters yesterday during a bloody assault on the southern Afghan city that killed at least 21 people and wounded dozens more. The bold afternoon raid showed insurgents are still able to launch deadly strikes on heavily fortified government institutions despite the past year’s influx of US troops into Kandahar province, the Taleban’s birthplace. The Taleban claimed responsibility for the attack. Fifteen of those killed were Afghan police officers, said provincial Governor Toryalai Wesa. Interior Ministry spokesman Zemeri Bashary said three Afghan soldiers, two civilians and one intelligence service agent also died in the assault. Insurgents first struck around noon, detonating a series of explosions that rocked the area near the provincial police headquarters. The police post is located in central Kandahar, not far from the governor’s offices.

Initial reports suggest a car bomb exploded outside the police compound, and then immediately afterward two suicide bombers tried to storm the headquarters but blew themselves up outside the perimeter wall, according to NATO officials in Kandahar. Five militants fitted with suicide vests battled with police for several hours, Bashary said. Some occupied a multistory building housing a wedding hall across the street from the headquarters. From there, they fired on the police headquarters compound with automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenades. An Associated Press reporter nearby said multiple explosions rocked the neighborhood around the station. Exchanges of gunfire occasionally died down, only to pick up again several minutes later. Residents quickly shuttered shops and took cover inside as the fighting raged, and NATO vehicles could be seen inside the city. Helicopters hovered over the city as police deployed extra forces on the streets and around government buildings.

Several loud explosions again rattled buildings more than an hour after the first blast struck. Bashary said 49 people were wounded - 25 police officers, 23 civilians and one intelligence agent. Taleban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi told The Associated Press the group was behind the attack. He said the Taleban deployed six suicide bombers armed with hand-held weapons to various parts of the city, including a team of three to the site near the police headquarters. The claim could not be inde-

Raytheon offers ‘pain gun’ to troubled India BANGALORE: US defense group Raytheon says it wants to sell India a controversial “pain gun” it claims would be safer than rubber bullets in quelling unrest in the insurgencyracked country. The Silent Guardian Protection System is billed by its makers as the 21st century equivalent of tear gas or water cannon-a way to subdue rioters while inflicting minimal harm.

The US militar y withdrew the weapon last year from war-torn Afghanistan amid opposition from human rights activists worried about its safety. The US army has never commented on why it withdrew the system. “ We are meeting various ele ments of the Indian government, who are seeking information” on the weapon, senior Raytheon executive George Svitak said at India’s largest airshow in Bangalore late on Friday.

Raytheon says the weapon, which causes agonizing pain but no lasting damage, would be less likely to cause injury than water cannon, tear gas or rubber bullets frequently used by Indian troops to break up unruly crowds.

Raytheon has already sold the

system, variously dubbed the “pain gun” or “ray gun”, to unnamed government clients, said Svitak on the sidelines of the airshow slated to end Sunday that has drawn 675 international firms. India has been searching for better ways to control crowds after 114 people were killed last summer during anti-India street protests in restive Indian Kashmir, mainly by police bullets.

The weapon sends out beams of radiation that stimulate human nerve endings from a transmitter the size of a large TV screen mounted on the back of a truck. The beam barely penetrates the skin, meaning it cannot cause visible or permanent injury, said Svitak.

However, anyone in its path will feel an extremely painful sensation all over their body. It can also be used to pinpoint individuals. Indian Premier Manmohan Singh recently told state police chiefs to deal with protesters humanely.

“We need to revisit crowd control measures to deal with public agitations with non-lethal, yet effective and more focused measures,” Singh said, referring to use of excess force in Kashmir. — AFP

KANDAHAR: In a traditional game Afghan men fight each other with slings in a park in the center of Kandahar. — AP pendently verified. A NATO spokesman in Kabul said the multinational force was looking into reports of attacks in Kandahar, but he had no immediate report of coalition involvement. Kandahar remains a hotbed of Taleban activity. Insurgents continue to attack officials and others who support pro-government forces. Late last month, a suicide bomber killed the province’s deputy governor. On Monday, a suicide bomber killed a retired US Customs and Border Protection officer and wounded three other American customs workers when he detonated explosives inside a customs warehouse compound during a visit by NATO forces.

Photojournalist Giles Duley was critically wounded on Feb 7 when he was struck by a roadside bomb while embedded with US troops in Afghanistan, the UK-based photo agency Camera Press said in a statement yesterday. The agency said Duley, 39, underwent emergency

surgery in Kandahar and additional surgery in Britain after losing parts of multiple limbs. Duley had planned to document the suffering of bomb victims in Afghanistan, but decided to embed with the US Army when the opportunity arose, according to Camera Press. His work has appeared in magazines including Vogue, GQ, Esquire and Rolling Stone.

He also has shot photos for humanitarian organizations including Doctors Without Borders and the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

NATO declined to comment on the incident, citing operational policy. US and NATO commanders insist they are making progress in the fight against the Taleban and its allies. The US hopes to solidify gains against insurgents as it prepares to begin drawing down forces in July. NATO aims to hand over responsibility for Afghanistan’s security to local forces by 2014. — AP

court orders arrest of Musharraf Ex-president wanted over Bhutto’s death ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani court yesterday issued an arrest warrant for exiled former president Pervez Musharraf in connection with the 2007 assassination of Benazir Bhutto, officially implicating him for first time in the death of the former prime minister and rival.

Bhutto, who was an opponent of Musharraf’s rule, was killed in a gun and suicide bomb attack after an election rally in the city of Rawalpindi on Dec. 27, 2007, weeks after she returned to Pakistan following years in selfimposed exile.

Her assassination was one of the most shocking events in Pakistan’s turbulent history and remains shrouded in mystery. “The court has issued an arrest warrant and asked that he (Musharraf ) should be produced before the court during the next hearing on February 19,” said Musharraf spokesman Mohammad Ali Saif, adding that Musharraf is accused of not providing adequate security for Bhutto.

“There is a frivolous allegation, a baseless allegation... that he was involved in the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.”

Since Musharraf has limited support within Pakistan, the arrest warrant is unlikely to stir up a backlash against the government of this unstable US ally where a coalition headed by the Pakistan People’s Party of the late Bhutto is in power. Her husband, Asif Ali Zardari, is now president and is struggling to cope with the multiple challenges, including a stubborn Taleban insurgency and a stagnant economy.

Saif said Musharraf would cooperate with the judiciary if asked to recount his version of events, but did not say if he would appear in court. The former military chief, who came to power in a bloodless coup in 1999, has lived

RAWALPINDI: Pakistani people walk by the assassination place of Pakistani ex-prime minister Benazir Bhutto in Rawalpindi yesterday. A Pakistani anti-terrorism court issued an arrest warrant for former President Pervez Musharraf over the assassination of ex-prime minister Benazir Bhutto, a public prosecutor said. — AFP in self-imposed exile since he stepped down under threat of impeachment in 2008. He spends most of his time in London and Dubai.

Prosecutor Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali said the warrant had been issued on the recommendations of a joint investigation team which “had attached evidence” against Musharraf and declared him an absconder. He did not elaborate.

Shafqat Mahmood, a political analyst, described the arrest warrant as a “symbolic gesture” that would have no impact on Pakistani politics. “Nothing is happening.

Musharraf actually doesn’t mean much in

Pakistani politics. We are making too much of him,” he said.

Musharraf, who become embroiled in a row with the judiciary and briefly imposed a state of emergency in 2007, has said he realised his popularity had plummeted because of some wrong decisions he had made in the last year of his presidency.

A UN report said no one believed the 15year-old suicide bomber who killed Bhutto acted alone, and the failure to examine her death effectively appeared to be deliberate, but the commission did not say who it believed was guilty. — Reuters

Hariri legacy falters in Lebanon, six years on BEIRUT: Six years after Rafiq Hariri’s assassination galvanized Lebanon, sparking mass protests seen in Beirut as a model for Egypt’s uprising, his legacy is faltering in a country torn by a UN probe of the murder. The camp of outgoing Prime Minister Saad Hariri, son of the slain five-time premier, has since “suffered a number of setbacks,” said Asaad AbuKhalil, professor at California State University and author of a political blog. “But it would be too soon to declare its death because the factors that gave rise to the movement remain,” AbuKhalil said.

Monday marks the anniversary of the February 14, 2005 bombing that killed Sunni billionaire Rafiq Hariri and 22 others, setting in motion a wave of demonstrations demanding the withdrawal of Syrian troops.

Many Lebanese see the events as having set the precedent for the fall of Egypt’s president Hosni Mubarak and for last month’s revolution in Tunisia. The protests forced Damascus to withdraw its troops under massive international pressure after 29 years of military domination over Lebanon, igniting a sense of euphoria among millions that was to prove short-lived.

For the past two years, a bitter political battle has revolved around the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), a controversial UN-backed court expected to implicate members of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah in the Hariri murder. Son and political heir Saad Hariri heads the anti-Syrian “March 14” coalition, which rallied massive popular support

BALAMAND: A billboard shows a picture of assassinated Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri with the emblem of the Special Tribunal For Lebanon (STL) and Arabic writing that reads “Justice is my right” near the town of Balamand, north of Beirut. Lebanon commemorates on February 14 six years since the assassination of Hariri. — AFP after his father’s death and went on to win two legislative elections. But today the tables have turned for Hariri and his Westernbacked allies. “Six years on, things are looking pretty grim for the original coalition formed after Hariri’s assassination,” said political commentator Nicholas Noe, editor of a book on Hezbollah.

“The deepest cut over the years has been the issue of the tribunal,” Noe added. “Those forces opposed to the tribunal have been able with a fair degree of success to undermine its credibility.” March 14’s popularity has

waned as Damascus regains sway over its smaller neighbor and Saad Hariri-whose unity government was toppled last month in a feud over the tribunal-finds himself in the opposition. Hezbollah and its allies on January 12 withdrew their ministers from a unity government, forcing its collapse, and tapped Sunni billionaire Najib Mikati to head the next government.

Even before its formation, Mikati’s cabinet has earned the moniker “Hezbollah’s government” from the Hariri camp, who say they will not join. — AFP

12

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

OPINION

THE LEADING INDEPENDENT DAILY IN THE ARABIAN GULF ESTABLISHED 1961

Founder and Publisher

YOUSUF S. ALYAN Editor-in-Chief

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

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

Issues

Israel confronts Egyptian reality

By Crispian Balmer he political earthquake in Egypt has sent shockwaves through Israel, shredding decades-old security assumptions and leaving the Jewish state to face more turbulent, demanding relations with its power ful neighbour. The toppling of President Hosni Mubarak following a popular uprising was greeted by scenes of jubilation in Cairo and wild celebrations on the streets of Gaza, but in Israel, Friday’s dramatic events were met with silent anxiety. It is hard to overstate the importance to Israel of its 1979 peace accord with Egypt, which has given it stability on its southern flanks and has helped successive Israeli leaders maintain the status quo in the unresolved Palestinian conflict.

A future Egyptian government is unlikely to tear up the historic Camp David peace treaty, because such a move could deprive it of crucial US aid.

However, most analysts foresee a more testy and uncomfortable ties in the years ahead. “This has left us dangerously isolated. Egypt was our only strategic partner in the region,” said Alon Liel, a former director-general of Israeli Foreign Ministry. “In the future, Egypt will have different relations with Israel. More hostile and more unpredictable,” he added.

Mubarak ruled Egypt for three decades, dealing with eight different Israeli prime ministers during that period and providing them a vital anchor of certainty as they continued to strike out against numerous enemies across the Arab world. Egypt is the only Arab state to still have an ambassador in Israel and has played an important role in helping contain the Islamist group Hamas, which governs Gaza and has close links to the Muslim Brotherhood - a potential winner in Egypt’s turmoil.

Hamas has already urged Cairo to relax its strict border controls with Gaza that Israel says are vital to prevent the flow of arms into the coastal enclave. A new leadership in Cairo is bound to take time to settle in and it is impossible to predict at this stage who will hold the real power, but it seems very unlikely that whoever takes charge will continue with Mubarak’s benign policy towards Israel.

Many Jewish leaders fear that Egypt will follow the path of Iran, which created an Islamic republic after the overthrow of the Shah and has threatened to wipe Israel off the map. “Egypt is not a similar earthquake to Tunisia, but rather what happened in Iran,” said Major General Aharon Ze’evi Farkash, a former director of military intelligence. “However, I think it will all take time, and we will be able to prepare.” If such a scenario plays out, it would jeopardise Israel’s remarkable, recent economic expansion, which has given it per capita GDP of some $30,000 a year against just $6,200 in Egypt.

Israel imports 40 percent of its gas from Egypt and Islamist militants have already taken advantage of the political chaos this month to blow up desert pipelines, disrupting supplies. The peace treaty has allowed Israel to keep a minimal presence on its 250km border with Egypt, freeing up forces for the more troubled northern and eastern flanks, but the military is likely to want to review that. That could have implications for defence spending, which has fallen to around 7 percent of gross domestic product today from some 25 percent before the peace accords.

Israel is unlikely to make any hasty budget changes, for fear of sending hostile signals, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will almost certainly pursue a low-profile approach to avoid fanning extremist flames. However, the Egyptian upheaval has already sparked a frantic review of strategic options and fuelled fears that a new Arab order will be more effective in resisting core Israeli policies. “These include pursuing a farcical peace process, the Gaza closure and other policies ... which public opinion in the Arab world opposes,” said Daniel Levy, a senior research fellow at the New America Foundation and former Israeli peace negotiator. “This could become the main difference.

Arab public opinion now matters,“ he said in emailed comments. Peace talks aimed at ending the Middle East conflict foundered last year and Palestinian leaders say they will not return to negotiations until Israel halts settlement building on land it seized in a 1967 war. —Reuters

T

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

Fallout from Egypt being felt in region

By Brian Murphy ess than a month after the world watched Tunisia celebrate the collapse of the country’s strong-arm ruler, the scenes in central Cairo on Friday offered an even more potent display of the newfound power of the Arab street: fist-pumping crowds cheering the end of President Hosni Mubarak. The downfall of Mubarak - one of the mainstays of Middle East politics and Western policies in the region for nearly three decades - marks another history-shaping moment for the Arab world from a country seen by many as its political and cultural crucible. What began as a tentative cry against an entrenched regime in late January grew into a popular mutiny that forced Mubarak to flee Cairo and then step down in just a few dizzying hours. But the revolution on the Nile - which reached its climax 32 years to the day after the fall of the government of the USbacked shah of Iran - raises deep questions about the long-term stability of other Western-allied regimes across the region and could significantly recalibrate America’s policy playbook from the Mediterranean to the Gulf. There is no guarantee that the reform wave will wash over another country soon.

An attempt to stir Egypt-inspired protests in Syria earlier this month was snuffed out by security forces.

L

The reverberations, however, are already being felt in smaller but significant ways. In Saudi Arabia - the other traditional cornerstone of US interests in the Mideast - a group of opposition activists said Thursday they asked the nation’s king for the right to form a political party in a rare challenge to the absolute power of the ruling dynasty. “You know well that big political developments and attention to freedom and human rights is currently happening in the Islamic world,” the activist said in a letter to King Abdullah, who was one of Mubarak’s staunchest supporters up until the end.

Jordan’s new prime minister, Marouf Bakhit, promised Wednesday to continue political reforms demanded by protesters who forced King Abdullah II to reshuffle the cabinet. Last week, Yemen’s President Ali Abdullah Saleh - a key US ally in office for more than three decades - bowed to pressure from protesters and announced he would not seek re-election in 2013 and would not try to pass power to his son.

“Egypt is going to have a big, big impact around the region,” said Salman Sheik, director of The Brookings Doha Center in Qatar. “It is - as it always has been - a bellwether for what happens elsewhere. It’s wrong, though, to get into a count about what country could be next. The real impact is already being seen in reforms that are coming from countries

feeling the pressure.” It could hit next in the strategic Gulf kingdom of Bahrain, where opposition groups are calling for street rallies Monday.

Bahrain is home to the US Navy’s 5th Fleet and the most politically divided in the Gulf.

Majority Shiites have long alleged they face second-class status under the Sunni rulers.

Last summer, the tiny nation was torn by clashes and riots after a wave of arrests against perceived Shiite dissidents. On Friday - just hours before Mubarak stepped down Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa granted each Bahraini family the equivalent of nearly $2,700 in an apparent bid to calm tensions.

In Kuwait, the other Gulf nation with serious political opposition, outlawed any “gatherings, rallies or marches” after Friday prayers, said a report on the state news agency KUNA. “Everybody should put the interests of the homeland above all considerations,” said the statement by Kuwait, which has key US military bases and is an important way station for the US military withdrawal from Iraq. It also showed how close any unrest in the region comes to US military and political bulwarks seen as a critical frontline alignment against Iran.

But even Iran’s main Mideast ally, Syria, has been showing some concessions to the reformist fervor. This week, Facebook and

YouTube were available for the first time in three years amid signs Damascus may be lifting its ban on the popular social networking websites that have helped energize and organize protests. Speaking in Michigan on Thursday, US President Barack Obama said the world is “witnessing history unfold” in Egypt. But he also was quick to extend a hand of friendship to the “new generation” who led the uprising, which includes the well-organized Muslim Brotherhood group that could steer the new leadership in Egypt away from its tight bonds with Washington.

“The US is being forced to rewrite its Middle East diplomatic strategy on the fly,” said Sami Alfaraj, director of the Kuwait Center for Strategic Studies. “But everyone is in the same position to some extent. The events have been so unexpected and so fast.”

Tunisia offers a cautionary tale for what could be ahead in Egypt or elsewhere.

Tunisia’s interim President Fouad Mebazaa was given decree-making powers this week to speed reforms and try to quell lingering unrest following the ouster of former dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali on Jan 14. But a prominent Tunisian dissident told AP in Paris that he worries the “people’s revolution” is at risk of collapsing into chaos and possibly leading to calls for the return of the deposed president. “All this is extremely dangerous for the country,” said Moncef Marzouki. — AP

Behind Mubarak exit: A military coup

By Hamza Hendawi t was the people who forced President Hosni Mubarak from power, but it is the generals who are in charge now. Egypt’s 18-day uprising produced a military coup that crept into being over many days - its seeds planted early in the crisis by Mubarak himself. The telltale signs of a coup in the making began to surface soon after Mubarak ordered the army out on the streets to restore order after days of deadly clashes between protesters and security forces in Cairo and much of the rest of the Arab nation.

“This is in fact the military taking over power,” said political analyst Diaa Rashwan after Mubarak stepped down and left the reins of power to the armed forces. “It is direct involvement by the military in authority and to make Mubarak look like he has given up power.” Army troops backed by tanks and armored fighting vehicles were given a hero’s welcome by the protesters angry over brutal treatment by the police. The goodwill was reciprocated when the military vowed not to use force against protesters, a move that set them apart from the much-hated police who operated with near impunity under Mubarak.

The generals adopted a go-slow approach, offering Egyptians carefully weighed hints that it was calling the shots.

They issued statements describing the protesters’ demands as “legitimate” and made halfhearted calls on the demonstrators to go home and allow normal life to resume. Rather than quit the protests, the demonstrators turned out in ever greater numbers. Mubarak offered one concession after another, but they all fell short of the protesters’ demands that he immediately leave. The military was clearly torn between its loyalty to the regime and the millions of protesters. Mubarak is one of their own, a former air force commander and a hero of the 1973 Arab-Israeli war. But as the president continued to defy the growing crowds and cling to power, the Egyptian army moved more definitively toward seizing control for the first time in some 60 years. Thursday brought the surprise announcement that the armed forces’ highest executive body, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, was in “permanent session” - meaning that it was on a war footing.

State TV showed Defense Minister Hussein Tantawi presiding over a table seating some two dozen stern faced generals in combat fatigues - but no sign of commander in chief Mubarak. His newly appointed vice president, former army general and intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, was not there either - indicating a rift between the civilian and military leadership. A statement, tellingly referred to as “communique number 1” - phrasing that in the Arab world suggests a coup made no mention of Mubarak or Suleiman. The council, it said, met to “discuss what measures and arrangements could be taken to safeguard the homeland and its achievements and the aspirations of the great Egyptian people.” Translation: The

I

Egyptians celebrate as they carry an army soldier in Tahrir Square after President Hosni Mubarak resigned and handed power to the military in Cairo Friday. — AP generals are in charge, not Mubarak, not Suleiman nor the Cabinet.

The communique set the stage for what the crowds of demonstrators expected would be Mubarak’s resignation Thursday night. Instead, Mubarak announced he would stay in office and hand over power to Suleiman, who told protesters to go home and stop watching foreign news reports. The protesters were furious - and so were the generals. “Both of last night’s addresses by Mubarak and Suleiman were in defiance of the armed forces,” Maj Gen Safwat el-Zayat, a former senior official of Egypt’s General Intelligence, told Al-Ahram Online, the Internet edition of Egypt’s leading daily, on Friday.

Protest leaders pleaded for the military to take over after Mubarak’s speech, saying the country would explode until the army intervened. If Mubarak had stepped down, handing Suleiman his presidential powers in line with the constitution would have kept his regime largely intact after he had gone, something that would have left the protesters unhappy. In contrast, a military coup would provide a clean break with a regime they hated for so long, opening up a wide range of

possibilities - suspending the constitution that many protesters saw as tailored to keep Mubarak in office and dissolving a parliament formed by an election marred by widespread fraud.

A coup seemed to be the best way forward. The first official word the protesters received from the generals on Friday, however, was discouraging. A second military communique contained what appeared to be a reluctant endorsement of Mubarak’s blueprint for a way out of the crisis, though it also projected the military as the ultimate guarantor of the country’s highest interests. El-Zayat said the language in the statement was an attempt to avoid an open conflict.

Later Friday, with millions out on the streets demanding that he step down, Mubarak finally did just that. He may have been denied the chance to announce his own departure _ say goodbye to the people he had ruled for nearly 30 years.

Suleiman announced the decision for him. Alternatively, he may have not wanted to go on television to say he was stepping down after less than 24 hours after insisting to serve out the remaining seven months of his current term. —AP

A

y

e niv rsar n

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

Years

ne ws

CAIRO: An Egyptian holds up newspaper fronted with a picture of former President Hosni Mubarak and the Arabic headline “Finally he steps down” at Tahrir Square yesterday. – AP

Egypt junta commits to civilian rule, treaties Continued from Page 1

diers on the first day of the postMubarak era. A carnival air lingered in the capital’s Tahrir Square, where the army dismantled checkpoints and some makeshift barricades were removed. Volunteers proudly swept the square. Eighteen days of rallies, resisting police assaults, rubber bullets, live rounds and a last-ditch charge by proMubarak hardliners on horses and camels, had brought improbable success. “This is the start of the revolution, it’s not over yet, but I have to go back to work,” said Mohammed Saeed, 30, packing away his tent. Mohammed Farrag, 31, who was also departing, said he believed stability was returning. “But we will not give up on Egypt as a civilian state, not a military state,” he said.

Many wanted to see the immediate end to emergency laws. “People’s Communique No. 1”, issued by protest organisers, demanded the dissolution of the cabinet Mubarak named on Jan. 29 and of the parliament elected in a rigged vote late last year. Some organisers were forming a Council of Trustees to defend the revolution and negotiate with the military council. “If the army does not fulfil our demands, our uprising and its measures will return stronger. Next Friday is a vital march,” Safwat Hegazi, a protest leader, told Reuters.

The Council of Trustees plans to call for a mass turnout next Friday to celebrate the success of the revolution. The reformists want a transitional fivemember presidential council made up of four civilians and one military officer.

The communique called for the formation of a transitional government to prepare for an election to take place within nine months, and of a body to draft a new democratic constitution.

Egypt’s opposition had been throt-

tled by emergency rule imposed after Mubarak succeeded Anwar Sadat, shot dead by an Islamist army officer in 1981, and there has been no obvious Nelson Mandela or Lech Walesa to spearhead Egypt’s revolution. Protest groups that have sprung up in recent years have proved far more nimble and web-savvy as Mubarak’s grip weakened. One possible leader is Amr Moussa, a former foreign minister who has said he will resign from his post as Arab League chief. Other potential contenders are retired diplomat Mohamed ElBaradei and scientist Ahmed Zewail, both Nobel Prize winners.

The best-organised group is the Muslim Brotherhood, but its true level of support, and internal cohesion, is not known. “We support and value the sound direction that the Higher Military Council is taking on the way to transfer power peacefully to create a civilian government,” said the Brotherhood, saying it would not seek power. It was unclear if any of the littleknown youth leaders behind the wellorganised revolt wanted to hold office.

Mubarak’s political end was swift, taking place less than a day after he stunned protesters by insisting he would not step down despite widespread expectations that he was about to do so. In the United States, President Barack Obama said “nothing less than genuine democracy” would satisfy Egyptians. “This is not the end of Egypt’s transition. It’s a beginning. I’m sure there will be difficult days ahead,” he said. Washington has pursued a sometimes shifting line since the antiMubarak protests began on Jan 25, wary of losing a bulwark against militant Islam but keen to back political freedom. — Agencies

Israeli Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz welcomed the statement. In another move to restore order, the army said it would “guarantee the peaceful transition of power in the framework of a free, democratic system which allows an elected, civilian power to govern the country to build a democratic, free state”.

After the army statement, Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, viewed warily by the United States, said it was not seeking power and praised the army’s plans to transfer power to civilians. Crowds celebrated in Tahrir Square while protest organisers urged the army to meet demands including the dissolution of parliament and the lifting of a 30-year-old state of emergency used by Mubarak to crush opposition and dissent. “The army is with us but it must realise our demands. Half-revolutions kill nations,” pharmacist Ghada Elmasalmy, 43, told Reuters.

It remains to be seen what appetite the military has for a quick transition to genuine parliamentary democracy. The military council gave few details of a “transitional phase” and gave no timetable for presidential or parliamentary elections. The new administration, keen to dissociate itself from Mubarak’s old guard, said they were investigating accusations against the former prime minister, interior minister and information minister, state television reported.

The tumultuous events in Egypt sent shock waves abroad. In Sanaa, a demonstration by some 2,000 people inspired by the Egyptian revolt broke up after clashes with pro-government demonstrators armed with knives and batons. In Algiers thousands of police stopped government opponents from staging a march. Mubarak, 82, was believed to be at his residence in the Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh, his future nclear.

Al Arabiya has said the army will soon dismiss the cabinet and suspend parliament. The head of the Constitutional Court would join the leadership with the military council, which was given the job of running the country of 80 million people. The best deterrent to any military attempt to stay in control could be the street power and energy of protesters who swept out Mubarak because he governed without their consent. One priority was restoring law and order before the working week starts today. Tanks and soldiers have guarded key buildings and intersections since the disgraced police force largely melted away after CAIRO: An Egyptian woman sings patriotic songs by herself as she failing to crush protesters.

Cairo residents photographed each walks along the street outside the Egyptian Museum near Tahrir Square other holding flowers with smiling sol- in downtown Cairo yesterday. — AP

Arab papers jump ship Continued from Page 1 In Syria, where President Bashar Al-Assad’s iron-fisted regime had lukewarm ties with the ousted Egyptian leader, the government daily Al-Baath said: “The revolt has won... Egypt returns to its Arabism.” Ath-Thawra paper said the opening pages of Egypt’s modern history were being written “after more than 30 years of political sterility and external diktats and submission”. “Egypt today... is recovering its role in the region and the Arab world to redraw the map of the region,” said the official paper in Syria, where the authorities are fierce critics of

Egypt’s 1979 peace deal with Israel.

Tishrin daily said: “Mubarak and his system fell thanks to a revolution whose purity was stained only by the violence of security forces and the old regime’s henchmen, who killed, destroyed and spread corruption.” Syria’s ruling Baath party, in its newspaper of the same name, welcomed a “historic revolt” for the Arab world, “which had never recovered from the loss of Egypt” since the peace treaty with the Jewish state. Earlier this month, Syrian cyber activists scored more than 12,000 “likes” on a Facebook page calling for “a day of rage” in their country. But no anti-regime demonstration has taken place. — AFP

Thousands demand Bouteflika’s ouster Continued from Page 1 Algerian League for the Defence of Human Rights (LADDH), Mustapha Bouchachi, said there had been 300 arrests in Algiers and elsewhere. “Some were freed but other are still being held,” he said. Those detained at least briefly included two RCD deputies, Othmane Maazouz and Feta Sadad, as well as Boumala of the CNCD. Expressing outrage, Sadi also told AFP that 90-yearold veteran human rights campaigner Ali Yahia Abdelnour had been manhandled by police. He said police had already violently dispersed a gathering on Friday of people celebrating Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak’s downfall and made 10 arrests. “It wasn’t even an organised demonstration. It was spontaneous. It was an explosion of joy,” he said.

From early yesterday, authorities took draconian measures against the planned protest with nearly 30,000 police deployed in the capital along the proposed route of the march. Anti-riot vehicles and water cannon were seen ready for action near the square where it was scheduled to begin. In the main western city of Oran, between 400 and 500 protestors also rallied yesterday

for a demonstration which the opposition said had been banned by the authorities, though the interior ministry denied it. A dozen arrests were made, an AFP correspondent said. They included the local CNCD leader and his son, two journalists and two mime artists with their faces whitened and black crosses on their lips.

The CNCD, an umbrella group of opposition parties, civil society movements and unofficial unions including the RCD and the LADDH, was set up only three weeks ago, emboldened by the mass protests in Tunisia and Egypt. The CNCD is demanding the immediate end of Bouteflika’s regime, citing the same problems of high unemployment, housing problems and soaring costs that inspired uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt. Mounting grievances triggered riots in early January that left five dead and more than 800 injured.

A protest called by the CNCD in Algiers on Jan 22 left many injured as police blocked a march on parliament.

Like their north African counterparts, the protesters have used Facebook and text messages to spread their call for change. Bouteflika has acted to curb price rises and promised political concessions, including pledging to lift a two-decade state of emergency, which the opposition says do not go far enough. — AFP

Kuwait hails choice of Egypt people Continued from Page 1 government of the biggest Arab economy and the world’s top oil exporter expressed hope the Egyptian armed forces would ensure stability. It made no mention of the pro-democracy demonstrators. “ The government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia welcomes the peaceful transition of power in the Arab Republic of Egypt, and expresses hope in the efforts of the Egyptian armed forces to restore peace, stability and tranquility,” the SPA agency said. The kingdom added that it hopes Egypt “will continue to play its historic Arab, Islamic and international role”.

Mubarak’s 30-year rule over the most populous Arab state was brought to a tumultuous end on Friday after weeks of protests across Egypt. His departure followed the flight of Tunisia’s long-time leader

Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali to Saudi Arabia. Both events have fuelled speculation that popular discontent with economic hardships and a lack of political freedoms could spread to other Arab states, although the distribution of oil wealth among the wider population remains a key factor for the US-allied Saudi royal family in muting dissent.

King Abdullah had expressed support for Mubarak during the protests against his 30 years of oneman rule. As recently as Thursday, Saudi Arabia had denounced what it saw as “blatant interference” by foreign countries in Egypt, where the United States had called for a political transition and the lifting of emergency law. Earlier the same day, British newspaper The Times said King Abdullah had told US President Barack Obama that he would help prop up Mubarak’s government if the United States with-

drew aid to Cairo. In a Jan 29 conversation, Abdullah had urged Obama not to humiliate Mubarak, the paper said. Saudi Arabia controls more than a fifth of the world’s crude oil reserves. As home to Islam’s holiest sites, as well as the birthplace of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, Saudi Arabia is also central to global efforts to fight Islamic militancy.

Also, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, secretary general of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, the world’s largest pan-Islamic body, congratulated Egyptians “for the victory of their will and national choices,” in a statement yesterday.

“I have expressed my full confidence that this great country will be able to overcome the crisis with constructive dialogue, wishing them the progress and prosperity to which they aspire,” Ihsanoglu said. — Agencies

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

sp orts D-day for Roland Garros

Liu eyes world title DUESSELDORF: Former Olympic 110 metres hurdles champion Liu Xiang said he was ready to challenge for the world title later this year despite finishing third on Friday in his first athletics outing in Europe in three years.

Liu came in at 7.60 seconds in the 60m hurdles race behind Czech Petr Svoboda and American Kevin Craddock who both clocked 7.57.

“I feel very good and I will be getting better. I already look forward to the world championships (in Daegu, South Korea). I want to do really well there,” Liu told Reuters through a translator after the final at the Duesseldorf meeting.

“Sixty metres is not my strength anyway because I am faster in the second part of the race and the 60m is too short for me. But it was good preparation.

The world championships are over 110m so it is a different thing,” said Liu, looking relaxed and smiling. The 2004 Athens Olympic champion has also set his sights on the Olympic title in London next year after limping out injured in Beijing in front of 90,000 stunned home fans three years ago with a nagging Achilles injury.

A much-awaited clash with Olympic champion Dayron Robles did not materialise in Duesseldorf after the Cuban dropped out with a minor back muscle injury just before his heat. “That is normal. He did not want to get more injured,” the 27-year-old Liu said. “But there are many more competitions ahead.”—Reuters

PARIS: French tennis confronts a historic moment today when a decision is taken on whether or not to abandon Roland Garros, the historic home of the French Open.

Roland Garros, built in 1928, is bursting at the seams and three alternative sites have been proposed so that the country’s claycourt Grand Slam tournament can grow and expand.

Those sites are at Versailles, at Gonesse, to the north of Paris, and at Marne-la-Vallee, a stone’s throw from Disneyland.

In total, 195 people will vote on the plans, with a straw-poll by AFP indicating that a redevelopment of the current site in the city’s plush 16th arrondissement would be the preferred option.

“This will be the most important decision in the history of

French tennis,” one voter told AFP. “But no doubt it will be some years before we know if it was the right decision.”

The problem facing the French tennis authorities is one of spaceat 8.5 hectares, Roland Garros is less than half the size of Wimbledon, which boasts 18.5 hectares of prime south-west London grass.

But the plan to renovate the existing premises received a boost in November after a special commission made up of elected officials, architects and historians gave it the thumbs-up.

The project proposed jointly by the French tennis federation (FFT ) and the Mayor of Paris would involve expanding Roland Garros to create a new 5,000seater court.—AFP

Contador’s doping decision MADRID: Three-time Tour de France champion Alberto Contador could learn whether he is to be banned from cycling for doping tomorrow, widespread reports have claimed. Contador’s future has hung in the balance since he announced last August he had tested positive for minute traces of the banned substance clenbuterol during last July’s race. Despite repeatedly denying taking any banned substances, blaming the result on a steak he claims was contaminated by the drug, it increasingly looks like stage racing’s biggest talent will be banned.

The Spanish cycling federation (RFEC) made a proposal last month to ban Contador for a year, an offer which was seen by experts as a compromise deal. The RFEC would “announce on Monday” a definitive decision regarding Contador, according to Saturday’s El Pais newspaper, while AS sports daily added “the decision will come tomorrow or Tuesday”.

El Pais added that the RFEC is currently poring over a comprehensive dossier submitted by Contador’s defence team. Contador complained Thursday the RFEC, in proposing a one-year ban, had buckled to pressure from the International Cycling Union (UCI) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). The UCI appeared to pour water on those comments Friday by saying it expects the RFEC, which has the task of sanctioning Contador first before the UCI can take any further action, to reach any decision in a “composed manner”.—AFP

Red Wings rout Bruins

NHL results/standings NHL results and standings on Friday: Detroit 6, Boston 1; New Jersey 2, San Jose 1; NY Islanders 9, Pittsburgh 3; Columbus 3, Colorado 1; Atlanta 3, NY Rangers 2; Minnesota 5, St. Louis 4 (SO); Dallas 4, Chicago 3 (SO); Anaheim 5, Calgary 4 (OT). (OT Denotes overtime win, SO is shootout) Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L OTL GF GA PTS Philadelphia 36 13 5 182 138 77 35 18 4 170 136 74 Pittsburgh NY Rangers 29 24 4 157 141 62 New Jersey 22 30 4 120 158 48 NY Islanders 19 29 7 144 180 45 Northeast Division Boston 31 17 7 170 131 69 30 20 6 148 143 66 Montreal Buffalo 26 22 5 155 155 57 Toronto 23 26 6 144 171 52 Ottawa 17 30 8 121 183 42 Southeast Division Tampa Bay 33 17 5 168 169 71 29 16 10 150 136 68 Washington Atlanta 25 22 10 165 185 60 Carolina 26 22 7 162 169 59 Florida 23 24 7 143 146 53

BOSTON: The Detroit Red Wings broke out of a scoring slump to rout the Boston Bruins 6-1 on Friday and boost their lead in the NHL’s Central Division to seven points.

The Red Wings, who had been outscored 12-4 in losing three of their previous four games, jumped into a 2-0 lead through goals from Todd Bertuzzi 1:10 into the first period and Danny Cleary at 3:10 Bertuzzi scored twice while Henrik Zetterberg and Jiri Hudler each had a goal and two assists for Detroit. David Krejci scored for the Bruins, who could not build on their three -point lead atop the Northeast Division.

Ducks 5, Flames 4 In Calgary, Saku Koivu had two goals and an assist as Anaheim beat Calgary in overtime. Rookie defenseman Cam Fowler scored in overtime for Anaheim while Teemu Selanne, who tied the game 4-4 on the power play with under 3 minutes to go in regulation, added a goal and three assists for the Ducks. Brandon McMillan also scored for Anaheim. Rene Bourque, Olli Jokinen, Jarome Iginla and Curtis Glencross replied for Calgary.

Stars 4, Blackhawks 3 In Dallas, the hosts came back from 3-0 down to defeat Chicago in a shootout. Brenden Morrow, Brad Richards and Mike Ribeiro scored in the shootout against former Dallas goaltender Marty Turco. Stephane Robidas, Richards and Morrow scored in regulation for the Stars, who stopped a three-game losing skid. Turco made 32 saves in his first game against his former team, Patrick Kane had a goal and two assists, and Brent Seabrook and Patrick Sharp also scored for Chicago.

Thrashers 3, Rangers 2 In Atlanta, the hosts broke out of a losing skid while extending that of of New York. Evander Kane scored two third-period goals and Anthony Stewart had a goal and an assist to help the Thrashers notch just their third regulation victory in 22 games. New York has lost six straight, the club’s longest skid since it dropped seven in a row in 200607. Brandon Dubinsky scored his 19th goal to give the Rangers a 2-1 lead early in third.

Islanders 9, Penguins 3 In Uniondale, New York, the hosts piled on four goals in the first period and another four in the second to exact some revenge on an injury-depleted Pittsburgh. Just nine days after Penguins goalie Brent Johnson knocked out Rick DiPietro with a punch that left the Islanders goalie with broken bones in his face, the Islanders responded on the scoreboard and with yet more fisticuffs.

There was a fight in between the two Islanders scoring bursts, but that was just the appetizer for a thirdperiod donnybrook — in which Johnson fought again — that caused a delay of about 15 minutes. With multi-

UNIONDALE: Travis Hamonic No. 36 of the New York Islanders controls the puck against Nick Johnson No. 38 of the Pittsburgh Penguins at Nassau Coliseum. — AFP ple ejections, both benches had only a handful of players for the final 12-plus minutes. John Tavares, Matt Moulson and rookie Michael Grabner all scored their 20th goals of the season while Travis Hamonic, Jesse Joensuu, and P.A. Parenteau added goals for the Islanders. Moulson and Grabner both added second goals to give them a team-leading 21. Kris Letang, Jordan Staal and Tyler Kennedy scored power-play goals for Pittsburgh.

Wild 5, Blues 4 In St. Louis, Cal Clutterback scored twice in regulation and John Madden netted in the ninth round of a shootout to lift Minnesota over St. Louis.

Martin Havlak forced overtime on a power-play goal with 57.6 seconds to go, and Andrew Brunette had a goal and assisted on the tying score. David Backes had two goals, Andy McDonald added a goal and an assist, and

Vonn, Riesch misfortune is rivals’ gain GERMANY: Austria’s Anna Fenninger believes world champion Lindsey Vonn’s struggle for form, as she battles to recover from a head injury, gives her a chance at a second gold in today’s downhill.

Fenninger claimed a maiden world title in Friday’s super-combined, and with Vonn finishing seventh in the super-G and 12th in the downhill section of the event the US star appears a shadow of her usual self at the world ski championships.

As both Olympic and world downhill champion, Vonn is determined to brush off headaches and concentration problems in the wake of last week’s training crash.

Likewise, local heroine Maria Riesch is suffering with ‘flu and the current overall World Cup leader finished 15th in Friday’s super combined.

But Fenninger, 21, says Vonn and Riesch’s misfortune gives their rivals the chance to step out of the shadows. “ We all have our ups and downs, we all have our crashes, it is unfortunate that two of the best are not in their best shape, maybe it gives the others a chance,” said Fenninger.

“You can’t assign the medals before a championships.” Fenninger, who was fourth fastest down the

tricky Kandahar course in Friday’s downhill section of the combined, says she will shut out all other distractions as she focuses on a second medal.

“I am just going to think about myself and not worry about what people think, I will go into myself and not think about the pressure too much,” she said. “I try to go to another level and just focus on what I need to do.”

In the women’s events so far, Austria have been dominating.

Elisabeth Goergl won the super-G in midweek and she was fastest in the downhill section of the super-combined.

Warm temperatures in the Bavarian Alps have significantly softened the icy course and Goergl says that could play into her hands. “The conditions work for me, I love this snow,” she said.

Switzerland’s Lara Gut meanwhile faces a race to be fit for today’s race after injuring her knee during Friday’s slalom when she was sent tumbling down the course after her ski clipped a gate.

With yesterday’s training cancelled, Norwegian teenager Lotte Smiseth Sejersted, a junior world champion, was the fastest in Thursday’s training session. — AFP

Detroit Nashville Chicago Columbus St. Louis

Patrik Berglund scored for the Blues.

Blue Jackets 3, Avalanche 1 In Columbus, Rick Nash scored and assisted on Derick Brassard’s go-ahead goal as Columbus beat Colorado.

Defeat spoiled ex-Columbus center Peter Forsberg’s return with the Avalanche, playing his first game for three years.

Derek MacKenzie added an empty netter for the Blue Jackets. Philippe Dupuis scored for Colorado, which has lost six straight.

Devils 2, Sharks 1 In Newark, New Jersey, Ilya Kovalchuk scored with 3:59 to play for his second game-winning goal in as many nights for New Jersey. Brian Rolston had tied the game for the Devils earlier in the third period on a power play.

Patrick Marleau scored for San Jose, which lost for the first time in regulation in 11 games. — AP

Vancouver Calgary Minnesota Colorado Edmonton Dallas Anaheim San Jose Phoenix Los Angeles

Western Conference Central Division 33 16 6 183 29 19 7 145 28 22 5 175 27 23 5 150 24 20 9 144 Northwest Division 35 11 9 186 28 21 8 166 29 20 5 143 25 24 6 167 16 30 8 134 Pacific Division 31 18 6 158 31 21 4 155 30 20 6 156 28 19 9 159 29 22 3 151

161 130 155 167 159

72 65 61 59 57

131 168 144 181 184

79 64 63 56 40

156 157 148 158 131

68 66 66 65 61

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

Guay wins men’s downhill GERMANY: Erik Guay tore down the Kandahar course to take a surprise victory in the men’s downhill at the world championships yesterday and make it back-to-back titles for Canada in the blue riband event.

Didier Cuche, one of the top skiers of his generation who missed out by fourth hundredths of a second to Guay’s compatriot John Kucera in 2009, had to settle for silver again, the Swiss this time finishing 0.32 seconds adrift. Italian Christof Innerhofer followed up his win in the Super G by taking the bronze.

It was the latest upset in Garmisch, where the two women’s races so far also went to outsidersElisabeth Goergl taking the Super G and Anna Fenninger the super combined-as favourites Lindsey Vonn and Maria Riesch struggled for fitness.

The warm, sunny conditions were always going to favour the early starters and, with the big names racing between 16th and 22th, a surprise was on the cards.

Guay, racing 10th, clocked one minute 58.41 seconds on the 3.3 kilometre course and Cuche was the only one of the big names who could get near him.

Guay’s first medal at either the world championships or Olympic Games surprised the 29year-old as much as anyone else as he had been struggling with a back injury which forced him to miss a number of races during the season.

“The secret today was to be as relaxed as possible,” said Guay. “I felt really well on the course.

“As we (Canada) already had the gold medal, I thought it would be as well to keep it.”

The warm weather appeared to favour the early racers with Innerhofer, starting ninth, setting the early pace. Guay was next to go and he bettered the Italian’s time by 0.76 seconds.

Austrian Michael Walchhofer and Norwegian Aksel Lund Svindal, two of the early favourites to race, were always well off Guay’s pace.

Svindal suffered an ugly crash after finishing but walked away unhurt. Cuche, who last month became the oldest man to win a World Cup race with his victory at Kitzbuehel, was a different

GERMANY: Canada’s Eric Guay speeds down the course to win the gold medal in the men’s downhill, at the Alpine World Skiing Championships.—AP

story, leading by 0.11 seconds just after the halfway mark. The 36-year-old Swiss, who has never won a world or Olympic title in the downhill, lost time in the lower half. He did, however, have the consolation of winning his country’s first medal of the championships at the fourth attempt. “We were lucky with our start number

and Cuche made a miracle run,” said Italy trainer Claudio Ravetto. Cuche said: “I won the silver, I did not lose the gold. I knew with the weather getting warmer, the higher start number would be a problem.” Cuche’s compatriot and World Cup titleholder Carlo Janka missed the race because of fatigue. — Reuters

y

A

16

e niv rsar n

Years

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

sp orts

Clijsters, Kvitova in Paris Open final

PATTAYA: Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia celebrates after winning the semifinal match against Vera Zvonareva of Russia at the Pattaya Open tennis tournament. —AP

Zvonareva hat trick hopes dashed by Slovak PATTAYA: Daniela Hantuchova put paid to Vera Zvonareva’s hopes of a third successive Pattaya Open title with an eventful 7-6 6-4 semi-final win yesterday over the fiery world number three.

Hantuchova prevailed in a tight match of extremes, from bland slugging stalemates to thrilling crosscourt rallies and heated protests from the top seed and twice champion who refused to play at one stage.

Zvonareva was on the wrong side of a series of contentious line calls and the Russian spent much of the match mumbling angrily to herself or shouting and gesticulating at the umpire.

Hantuchova was the better of the two in a tight first set and cancelled out a stream of poor returns with some stunning cross-court backhands that had Zvonareva under pressure and on the decline in the deciding tiebreak.

The Slovak held her nerve in the

second set and kept Zvonareva’s frustrated comeback efforts at bay.

Zvonareva’s aspirations for a title hattrick sank when Hantuchova broke at 3-3 in the second set, prompting a lengthy and entertaining bout of Russian racket-smashing.

The Russian was penalised for improper conduct, which put Hantuchova at match point.

Zvonareva refused to play and demanded the referee intervene after questioning the umpire, who said she had read her lips and detected abusive language.

“I didn’t agree with that. I talked to myself-in Russian. I don’t think she can understand that,” she told reporters. “It wasn’t a good day for me. There’s too much on my mind this week. I’m not just under pressure as defending champion here, it’s everything and I’m not focused on my game.”

Hantuchova said she was the stronger of the two players but

empathised with her opponent. “It really was dramatic and was a good fight. I was surprised with my top form too,” she said.

“When you play her, you have to expect she won’t give it to you easily.

I really didn’t know what’s going on, but it was tough for her. Mentally, you have to stay strong.”

Hantuchova will play eighth seed Sara Errani after her 6-1 6-4 win in an all-Italian semi-final with Roberta Vinci.

Errani reached her first final in two years after a match that was far from one-sided. Playing her training partner and best friend on the tour in such a crucial match was no easy task.

“It was difficult for both of us to play against each other, for me, m u c h m o re,” E r ra n i s a i d. “ Th e game could have gone either way.

She played below her standard but I’m feeling ver y confident now.” —Reuters

British, German shooters practice for Sheikh Fahad championship

By Abdellatif Sharaa KUWAIT: British and German shooters who arrived in Kuwait to participate in the Sheikh Fahad Al-Salem Al-Sabah Grand Prix Shotgun Championship began their practice shooting at the Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Olympic Shooting Ranges Complex.

Kuwait’s shooting officials are making sure that facilities are ready from all aspec ts, be it technical or logistic. The ranges are set to go as teams are arriving to participate in this important event.

British 10M pistol shooting coach Peter Flippant said that he did not know what to expect when he arrived in Kuwait, but found out the people are very friendly. He said the 10M range and what we see around are world class ranges adding that “they are absolutely the best possible facilities. It is very nice to shoot in this kind of quality range, and we do not have one like this in Britain”.

Shooter Geri Buckley said everything is fantastic and “the ranges compared to anything we have in the UK are 10 times better. She said the facilities provide for fantastic training, as it has been great coupled with the lovely weather”.

“We certainly will come back here again. The only issue is money, because the girls have to pay for everything, as there is no state funding for shooting at all” commented coach Flippant.

Meanwhile Shooter Gorgs Geikie said “we had a competition against Kuwaiti girls which was really fantastic, and we would love to come back and compete again”.

German coach Metelmann Wiltielm was happy with the competition atmosphere, adding that “our participation in the Grand Prix has several reasons including mak ing good results and have the players get into international competition atmosphere”.

Meanwhile coach Axel Kramer said the friendly spirit and hospitality of Kuwaitis did not change since the last time I

German coach Wiltielm (center) and team members

PARIS: Fourth-seeded Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic thrashed American Bethanie Mattek-Sands 6-2, 6-0 yesterday to reach the Open Gaz de France final where she will face top-ranked Kim Clijsters of Belgium.

Clijsters, the Australian Open champion who returned to the top of the world rankings this week in Paris, beat third-seeded Kaia Kanepi of Estonia 6-1, 7-5 on her third match point.

“I played aggressive, went for the line and tried to make her move,” Clijsters said moments after her win. Kvitova broke MattekSands’ serve three times in each set and wrapped up her victory in just 59 minutes with a powerful serve that Mattek-Sands could only get the tip of her racket to. The 20year-old Kvitova was a quarterfinalist at last month’s Australian Open.

Clijsters raced into a 4-0 lead before Kanepi finally won a game. Clijsters was not always at her best, and dropped her serve three times in a scrappy second set where she trailed 4-2 and 5-4 with Kanepi even serving to level the match.

Clijsters set up her first match point by winning a long rally. She retrieved Kanepi’s excellent drop shot and whipped a backhand crosscourt winner. After saving the first two match points, Kanepi then hit a backhand return into the net.

Kanepi lost her serve seven times in a match lasting 1 hour, 20 minutes. Earlier, Mattek-Sands, who was unseeded, struggled throughout, winning only 30 percent of points on her second serve, allowing Kvitova to pick her off easily.—AP

PARIS: Belgium’s Kim Clijsters returns the ball towards Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi during the semi-fianal of the Paris Open tennis tournament. —AP

Monfils pulls out of SAP Open with wrist injury SAN JOSE: While Juan Martin del Potro took another step in his comeback from wrist surgery, Gael Monfils pulled out of the SAP Open on Friday with his own wrist injury.

Monfils announced his withdrawal just hours after beating Tim Smyczek 64, 7-6 (6) to advance to the semifinals.

Del Potro also reached a semifinal for the first time since his wrist surgery last May, beating Lleyton Hewitt 6-2, 6-3.

Monfils originally hurt the wrist in the first round of the Australian Open last month against Thiemo de Bakker.

He played two more matches in Melbourne and then came to San Jose, where he won his first three matches and beat Pete Sampras in an exhibition.

But the wrist was still painful and limited him almost to slice shots on his backhand all week. He had an MRI on Monday, then was examined by tournament and French federation doctors Friday before making his decision. “I can’t hit a backhand,” he said.

“I tried but my backhand was very soft. I have a better backhand than I showed here, more powerful. The worst is it hurts. It hurts.” Monfils will be sidelined for four to six weeks, pulling out of tournaments in Memphis, Acapulco and the Davis Cup. The withdrawal sends Canadian Milos Raonic into his first career final after knocking off Richard Berankis 6-4, 7-6 (2). Raonic will play Ivo Karlovic in an exhibition on Saturday in place of his scheduled semifinal match. Del Potro’s semifinal opponent willbe defending champion and top-seeded Fernando

Verdasco, who beat fifth-seeded Denis Istomin 6-4, 6-4. Del Potro is trying to regain the form that helped him win the 2009 U.S. Open and reach No. 4 in the rankings. He was sidelined by a right wrist injury last year, playing just three tournaments and failing to win a match after the Australian Open in January.

He is showing signs of his old form this week in San Jose, especially in the way he dismantled Hewitt, the former No. 1 player who won the US Open in 2001 and Wimbledon in 2002. But Hewitt hasn’t been a top-10 player in more than five years and has slipped to 70th in the rankings after losing in the first round of the Australian Open.

Hewitt had no answer for del Potro’s powerful first serve in the first matchup here between former slam winners since Andre Agassi beat Michael Chang in the first round in 2003.

With del Potro getting 69 percent of his first serves in and winning 81 percent of those points, Hewitt was unable to find a rhythm all match. Del Potro lost just 12 points in eight service games, using a pair of aces to come back from 0-40 in the final game of the first set. The result gave del Potro his 15th straight win on US soil, including the titles at the U.S. Open and in Washington in the summer of 2009.

Raonic had six aces in each set against Berankis and saved the only break point he faced all match. The Canadian earned the only break of the match in the third game of the opening set and came up with two aces in the tiebreaker to advance.

Raonic, who made it through qualifying to reach the fourth round of the Australian Open, has been the biggest mover on the tour rankings this season, going from 152nd at the end of last year to 84th entering this tournament. He is expected to be around 75th after this tournament. “It feels good but there’s another match tomorrow,” Raonic said.

“I have to prepare for it the same way I prepared for today. At the end of the week I’ll look back and have my reflection on it.” Monfils survived a pair of set points in the second-set tiebreaker to win a hard-fought match against Smyczek that featured only one break of serve.

“He played great today,” Monfils said.

“He was strong at the baseline and moved very fast. I was a bit surprised. It was a good match. It was a great challenge for me.” Monfils fought off two break points in the fifth game of the opening set before coming up with the only break in the 10th game with help from a double fault by Smyczek on game point. Monfils won the first set when Smyczek hit a forehand long.

Smyczek then squandered four break-point chances in Monfils’ first two service games of the second set and fought his way into the tiebreaker in his first ATP Tour quarterfinal.

Smyczek took a 6-4 lead on his serve but hit a backhand long to lose the first set point. Monfils then hit a forehand passing shot that hit the line to even the tiebreaker and won the match when Smyczek hit a backhand volley into the net. —AP

UK shooter Gorgs Geikie, coach Flippant and shooter Geri Buckley was in Kuwait three years ago.

He said the German shooters are ready and look forward for good competition.

Head of the shotgun judges Mohammad Abbas said Kuwait’s shooting sport community is proud that all judges in this Grand Prix are Kuwaitis having international licenses at all levels.

He said that there will be five competitions in the shotgun discipline, two for women in the

skeet and trap while men will compete in the skeet, trap and double trap.

He said the completion will take place for two days, as the competition comes during a time when Kuwait is celebrating its national days and the 5th anniversary of HH the Amir ’s assumption of power. He invited the public to come and follow the competitions between some of the best shooters in the world.

SWEDEN: Dmitry Tagirov and Anna Zavershinskaya of Russia drive their Subaru Impreza P during the 11th special stage of the WRC Rally Sweden 2011. —AP

Hirvonen leads Rally of Sweden KARLSTAD: Finland’s Mikko Hirvonen snatched the overall lead from Mads Ostberg after the first four special stages on the Rally of Sweden’s second day yesterday.

Ostberg had powered his Ford Fiesta to take the provisional lead on the opening day Friday but the 23-yearold Norwegian now sits second overall at just 0.3sec behind Hirvonen.

Hirvonen, also in a Ford Fiesta, won the Rally of Sweden-the opening event of the World Rally Championship-last year.

France’s seven-time world champion was virtually out of the running for victory after finishing Saturday morning’s session nearly three minutes behind Hirvonen. In third place is Norwegian Petter Solberg, at 31sec, with Finn Jari-Matti Latvala fourth at 44.3. —AFP

A

y

e niv rsar n

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

Years

sports

Kallis, Morkel star in South Africa victory World Cup warm-up

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan (left) plays a shot in front of Netherlands’ wicketkeeper Wesley Baressi during their World Cup warm-up cricket match.—AP

Sri Lanka crush Netherlands COLOMBO: Hosts Sri Lanka proved far too strong for minnows Netherlands, posting a crushing 156-run victory in a morale-boosting World Cup warm-up match yesterday. Sri Lanka, runners-up at the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean, scored 351-5 off their allotted 50 overs even without prolific run-getters Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, who did not bat.

The Netherlands, who have not beaten an ICC full member country in their previous three World Cup appearances, were bowled out for 195 in the 48th over at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground in Colombo.

The highlight of their innings was a fighting 76 by Tom de Grooth, who cracked one six and 10 fours in his 96-ball knock. He added 80 for the fifth wicket with Bas Zuiderent (38) and 62 for the seventh with Atse Buurman (25).

Fast bowler Dilhara Fernando finished with 4-43 for Sri Lanka, while seamer Thisara Perera and left-arm spinner Rangana Herath bagged two wickets apiece.

Tillakaratne Dilshan (78), Thilan Samaraweera (60), Chamara Silva (54) and Chamara Kapugedera (50 not out) earlier made the most of a mediocre Dutch attack, each scoring a half-century after the hosts elected to bat.

Openers Dilshan and Upul

Tharanga (47) put Sri Lanka on course for a big total with a 117-run stand before Silva and Kapugedera added 94 for the fifth wicket to help their team set a stiff target.

Paceman Mudassar Bukhari was the most successful Dutch bowler with 2-52 off 10 overs, while seamer Bernard Loots conceded 83 runs off nine overs and fast bowler Ryan ten Doeschate gave away 75 off nine overs.

The Netherlands also conceded

21 runs in wides. Sri Lanka are in Group A with defending champions Australia, Pakistan, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Canada and Kenya, while Group B comprises India, South Africa, England, the West Indies, Bangladesh, Ireland and the Netherlands.

Four teams from each group will advance to the quarter-finals. The World Cup opens in Dhaka on February 19 with a match between India and Bangladesh.—AFP

SCOREBOARD COLOMBO: Complete scoreboard of a World Cup warm-up match between Sri Lanka and the Netherlands on yesterday: Sri Lanka: U. Tharanga c Barresi b Seelaar 47 T. Dilshan c Szwarczynski b Raja 78 T. Samaraweera retd out 60 A. Mathews c Barresi b Bukhari 21 C. Silva b Bukhari 54 C. Kapugedera not out 50 K. Kulasekara not out 14 Extras (b1, lb4, nb1, w21) 27 Total (for five wickets; 50 overs) 351 Fall of wickets: 1-117 ( Tharanga), 2-167 (Dilshan), 3-227 (Samaraweera), 4-227 (Mathews), 5-321 (Silva).

Bowling: Bukhari 10-1-52-2, Raja 7-0-44-1, Loots 9-0-83-0, ten Doeschate 9-0-75-0, Seelaar 10-0-44-1, Westdijk 3-0-26-0, Cooper 2-0-22-0.

Netherlands: A. Kervezee lbw b Fernando W. Barresi c Sangakkara b Malinga

17 2

T. Cooper c Sangakkara b Perera 13 R. ten Doeschate c Sangakkara b Perera 1 B. Zuiderent c Mendis b Herath 38 T. de Grooth c Perera b Fernando 76 E. Szwarczynski lbw b Fernando 0 A. Buurman c Herath b Fernando 25 B. Kruger b Herath 7 M. Bukhari c Samaraweera b Mendis 1 P. Seelaar not out 4 Extras (lb3, nb1, w7) 11 Total (for all out; 47.3 overs) 195 Fall of wickets: 1-8 (Barresi), 2-31 (Cooper), 333 (ten Doeschate), 4-37 (Kervezee), 5-117 (Zuiderent), 6-117 (Szwarczynski), 7-179 (Buurman), 8-185 (de Grooth), 9-186 (Bukhari), 10-195 (Kruger).

Bowling: Malinga 3-0-12-1, Kulasekara 4-0-160, Perera 6-1-16-2, Fernando 9-0-43-4, Mathews 6-1-18-0, Silva 4-0-26-0, Mendis 8-0-40-1, Samaraweera 3-0-10-0, Herath 4.3-1-11-2.

Result: Sri Lanka win by 156 runs

Sarwan shines as Windies beat Kenya COLOMBO: Ramnaresh Sarwan struck a masterful 123 to set up a comfortable 61-run victory for West Indies in a World Cup warm-up match against Kenya yesterday.

Sarwan, 30, hit 11 fours and five sixes in his 125-ball knock and put on 94 runs with Dwayne Bravo (54) for the fifth wicket to propel his side to 253-8 after they were put in to bat at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

Kenya started their chase confidently with Collins Obuya making 68 and opener Seren Waters 43, but they lost quick wickets in the middle overs and were bowled out for 192 off 45.3 overs. Young West Indies paceman Andre Russell, who is yet to make his one-day debut, impressed the most among the bowlers, picking four wickets for 43 runs off his 10 overs while Kemar Roach took 3-23.

West Indies were in early trouble when veteran Kenyan seamer Thomas Odoyo (3-34) removed openers Devon Smith and Adrian Barath inside the first 10 overs.

Fast bowler Peter Ongondo then had Darren Bravo caught by wicketkeeper Maurice Ouma for 12 and Alex Obanda sent back the experienced Shivnarine Chanderpaul (seven) to reduce the West Indies to 65-4.

Sarwan, recalled to the World Cup squad after being dropped in May last year, showed his worth once again in sub-continent conditions as he set out to rebuild the innings.

The right-hander has an excellent one-day record in India, where West Indies play five of their six World Cup group games. He has played 15 matches there with an average of 57.30 and five half-centuries.

Dwayne Bravo provided solid support to Sarwan before Steve Tikolo brought an end to his 56-ball innings that included six fours and a six.

Kenya have played every World Cup since 1996 and pulled off a couple of surprises. They beat West Indies in 1996 and even qualified for the semi-final in 2003.

Kenya and the West Indies are in different groups in this edition of the World Cup starting on February 19 in Dhaka.—AFP

CHENNAI: Morne Morkel grabbed three wickets and Jacques Kallis hit an unbeaten 49 as South Africa raced to an emphatic eight-wicket win over Zimbabwe in a World Cup warm-up match yesterday.

Paceman Morkel took 3-16 and Pakistan-born leg-spinner Imran Tahir bagged 3-35 as Zimbabwe were dismissed for 152 after electing to bat in the day-night match in Chennai.

South Africa achieved the target with more than 26 overs to spare in the one-sided contest, with Hashim Amla (45), skipper Graeme Smith (41) and Kallis being the main run-scorers.

All-rounder Kallis, who missed a recent home one-day series against India due to a rib injury, did not bowl but smashed three sixes and as many fours in his 39-ball knock.

Amla played some handsome shots in his 33-ball cameo, hitting seven fours, while Smith hit one six and three fours in his 54-ball knock.

South Africa were earlier wellserved by Morkel and Tahir, who did not allow Zimbabwe to build a big partnership with their disciplined spells. The pair were backed by leftarm spinner Robin Peterson, who took two wickets, and off-spinner Johan Botha (1-18).

Opener Brendan Taylor top-scored with 40 in a disappointing Zimbabwean batting performance.

Sean Williams (35) and Charles Coventry (21) were the other main run-getters. South Africa are in Group B with India, England, the West Indies, Bangladesh, Ireland and the Netherlands, while Group A comprises Australia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Canada and Kenya. Four teams from each group will qualify for the quarter-finals. India meet Bangladesh in the opening World Cup match in Dhaka on February 19.

Meanwhile, Cricket South Africa (CSA) president Mtutuzeli Nyoka was ousted Saturday following a public feud with the organisation’s chief executive Gerald Majola.

A meeting of CSA members’ forum, comprising provincial presidents, passed a vote of no confidence in Nyoka at a special meeting in Johannesburg. A CSA statement said a majority of the forum proposed a motion of no confidence and that Dr Nyoka’s position would be terminated immediately. Vice president AK Khan will be acting president until an annual general meeting is scheduled for August. A dispute between Nyoka and Majola has been simmering since Nyoka challenged the payment of a 1.7 million rand (233,757 dollars)

CHENNAI: South African captain Graeme Smith (right) bats as Zimbabwe’s wicketkeeper Tatenda Taibu looks on during their World Cup cricket warmup match.—AP

bonus to Majola following the staging of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in South Africa in 2009.

Other key staff also received bonuses, which were awarded without the approval of CSA’s remuneration committee. Nyoka recently accused Majola of lying to him about the contents of a contract between CSA and the IPL. The then president claimed he was deceived into supporting Majola in a row with the Gauteng Cricket Board, which controls the country’s biggest cricket stadium, the Wanderers in Johannesburg, resulting in the Gauteng board being dissolved.

Gauteng demanded to know the terms of the contract between CSA and the IPL, stating that it believed Majola had put CSA at financial risk.

Casualties of the controversy

include the board’s treasurer, Hentie van Wyk, and leading banker Paul Harris, an independent director, who failed to gain re-election at last year’s annual meeting after querying the bonus payments.

When the payments were first made public before the 2010 annual meeting, CSA promised an independent inquiry but this was later changed to an internal hearing, headed by vice-president Khan, which cleared Majola of wrongdoing. While the row was at its height last month, South African captain Graeme Smith put his name to a statement backing Majola, who he said “backed the team to the hilt in every possible way”.

Smith said he did not believe the controversy would affect his team’s performance at the World Cup, which begins in India next week.—AFP

SCOREBOARD CHENNAI: Complete scoreboard of a World Cup warm-up match between South Africa and Zimbabwe yesterday: Zimbabwe: B. Taylor c de Villiers b Tahir 40 C. Coventry c Tahir b Morkel 21 T. Taibu c Smith b Morkel 0 G. Lamb c de Villiers b Peterson 11 E. Chigumbura lbw b Peterson 0 C. Ervine lbw b Botha 8 S. Williams run out 35 R. Chakabva c de Villiers b Morkel 18 P. Utseya c Duminy b Tahir 5 G. Cremer not out 3 S. Masakadza lbw b Tahir 0 Extras (lb6, nb2, w3) 11 Total (for all out; 41.5 overs) 152 Fall of wickets: 1-49 (Coventry), 2-49 (Taibu), 3-76 (Lamb), 4-76 (Chigumbura), 5-82 ( Taylor), 6-95 (Er vine), 7-141 (Chakabva), 8-144 (Williams), 9-152 (Utseya), 10-152 (Masakadza).

Bowling: Steyn 6-1-29-0, Tsotsobe 2-010-0, Morkel 6-0-16-3, Parnell 5-0-11-0, Tahir 8.5-0-35-3, Peterson 6-1-21-2, Botha 6-0-18-1, Duminy 2-0-6-0.

South Africa: H. Amla c Taibu b Price 45 G. Smith st Taibu b Lamb 41 J. Kallis not out 49 AB de Villiers not out 12 Extras (w6) 6 Total (for two wickets; 23.3 overs) 153 Fall of wickets: 1-69 (Amla), 2-117 (Smith).

Bowling: Mpofu 3-0-22-0, Utseya 3-0-140, Masakadza 5-0-27-0, Price 4-0-19-1, Cremer 4.3-0-26-0, Lamb 4-045-1.

Result: South Africa win by eight wickets.

Bangladesh whip Canada

COLOMBO: West Indies’ batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan (in red) plays a shot in front of Kenyan wicketkeeper Morris Ouma during their World Cup warmup cricket match.—AP

SCOREBOARD COLOMBO: Scoreboard of a World Cup warm-up match between Kenya and the West Indies played at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo yesterday: West Indies: D. Smith b Odoyo 0 A. Barath c Ouma b Odoyo 17 Darren Bravo c Ouma b Ongondo 12 R. Sarwan run out (Otieno) 123 S. Chanderpaul c Tikolo b Obanda 7 Dwayne Bravo c Ngoche b Tikolo 54 D. Sammy lbw b Tikolo 7 C. Baugh c Patel b Odoyo 12 A. Russell not out 4 Extras (lb2, w15) 17 Total (for eight wkts; 50 overs) 253 Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Smith), 2-32 (Barath), 332 (Darren), 4-65 (Chanderpaul), 5-159 (Dwayne), 6-178 (Sammy), 7-235 (Baugh), 8-253 (Sarwan).

Bowling: Odoyo 8-0-34-3 (w1), Ongondo 62-26-1 (w2), Obanda 7-0-40-1 (w1), Odhiambo 7-1-45-0 (w6), Ngoche 5-0-41-0 (w1), Kamande 8-0-30-0 (w1), Tikolo 8-0-32-2 (w3), Obuya 1-0-3-0.

Kenya: S. Waters st Baugh b Miller 43 A. Obanda lbw b Russell 15 C. Obuya b Roach 68 S. Tikolo b Sammy 15 M. Ouma lbw b Roach 5 R. Patel b Dwayne Bravo 2 J. Kamande not out 19 T. Odoyo c Miller b Russell 5 N. Odhiambo b Russell 7 P. Ongondo b Russell 0 E. Otieno b Roach 6 Extras (lb1, w6) 7 Total (all out; 45.3 overs) 192 Fall of wickets: 1-28 (Obanda), 2-98 (Waters), 3-137 (Tikolo), 4-152 (Obuya), 5-153 (Ouma), 6-155 (Patel), 7-162 (Odoyo), 8-171 (Odhiambo), 9-171 (Ongondo), 10-192 (Otieno).

Bowling: Roach 7.3-1-23-3, Russell 10-2-434, Dwayne Bravo 8-0-40-1 (w2), D. Sammy 10-0-49-1 (w3), N. Miller 10-1-361 (w1).

Result: West Indies win by 61 runs.

CHITTAGONG: Skipper Shakib Al Hasan led from the front as World Cup hosts Bangladesh trounced lowly Canada by nine wickets in a one-sided practice match yesterday.

Shakib grabbed three wickets for five runs with his left-arm spin as Canada were shot out for 112 in 37.3 overs after being sent in to bat at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhur y stadium in Chittagong.

The left-handed opening pair of Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes then put on 106 by the 17th over to ensure the day-night match finished early.

Tamim smashed seven boundaries and three sixes in his 69 off 50 balls before he was bowled by Rizwan Cheema when just seven runs remained for victory.

Kayes remained unbeaten on 39 and Junaid Siddique was on one when the hosts surpassed the modest target in the 20th over.

Shakib was supported in the field by two wickets apiece from seamers Shafiul Islam and Rubel Hossain and off-spinner Mohammad Mahmudullah.

Canada were reduced to 22-2 by the seventh over before skipper Ashish Bagai (30) and Amarbir Hansra (22) added 39 for the fourth wicket.

But the Canadians lost wickets at regular intervals and were bowled out with 12.3 overs still remaining in their innings.

The warm-up match, which did not have official status, involved all the 15 players from either side, but batting and fielding was restricted to 11.

Bangladesh take on co-hosts India in the World Cup opener in Dhaka on February 19. Canada’s first match is against the third cohost, Sri Lanka, in the island’s southern town of Hambantota on February 20.—AFP

DHAKA: A Bangladeshi army soldier rehearses a rescue operation ahead of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Cricket World Cup at Bangabandhu National Stadium.—AP

SCOREBOARD CHITTAGONG, Bangladesh: Scoreboard of the World Cup warm-up match between Bangladesh and Canada on yesterday: Canada: H. Patel c Junaid b Shafiul 0 J. Davison c Razzak b Shafiul 2 R. Gunasekera c Shakib b Rubel 13 A. Bagai b Mahmudullah 30 A. Hansra c Rubel b Naeem 22 Z. Surkari b Shakib 11 R. Cheema b Mahmudullah 0 N. Kumar b Rubel 15 K. Whatham lbw b Shakib 0 H. Baidwan st Mushfiqur b Shakib 9 K. Chohan not out 5 Extras (w5) 5 Total (all out, 37.3 overs) 112 Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Patel), 2-13 (Gunasekera), 3-22 (Davison), 4-61 (Hansra), 5-81 (Bagai), 6-81 (Cheema), 7-81 (Surkari), 8-81 (Whatham), 9-101 (Kumar),

10-112 (Baidwan).

Bowling: Shafiul 4-0-5-2, Rubel 8-1-42-2 (w5), Nazmul 4-1-10-0, Razzak 8-1-28-0, Naeem 5-0-13-1, Shakib 3.3-2-5-3, Mahmudullah 5-0-9-2.

Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal b Cheema 69 Imrul Kayes not out 39 Junaid Siddique not out 1 Extras: (lb1, w3) 4 Total (for one wicket, 19.2 overs) 113 Fall of wicket: 1-106 (Tamim) Bowling: Chohan 2-0-12-0, Osinde 2-0-20-0 (w2), Davison 3-0-27-0, Baidwan 6-0-30-0, Hansra 1-0-1-0, Cheema 4-0-16-1, Desai 1.2-0-6-0 (w1).

Bangladesh won by nine wickets

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

S P ORT S

Sixers hold off Spurs

NBA results and standings on Friday: Indiana 116, Minnesota 105; New Orleans 99, Orlando 93; Philadelphia 77, San Antonio 71; Portland 102, Toronto 96; New Jersey 94, Charlotte 89; Cleveland 126, LA Clippers 119 (OT); Miami 106, Detroit 92; LA Lakers 113, NY Knicks 96; Memphis 89, Milwaukee 86; Phoenix 95, Utah 83. (OT denotes overtime)

PHILADELPHIA: The Philadelphia 76ers shot poorly all night but still had enough to notch an impressive 77-71 win over the NBA-leading San Antonio Spurs Jrue Holiday scored 27 points and Elton Brand tied his season high with 17 rebounds for the 76ers, who defeated the Spurs for the fourth consecutive season in Philadelphia and remained in the seventh spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Tim Duncan had 16 points and 13 rebounds, while Antonio McDyess added 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Spurs, who fell short in their goal of becoming the sixth team in NBA history to begin 45-8 or better.

Boston NY Knicks Philadelphia New Jersey Toronto

Hornets 99, Magic 93 In Orlando, Willie Green scored 24 points to lead New Orleans over Orlando. David West added 17 points and 17 rebounds as the Hornets snapped a four-game losing streak. The Magic erased a nine-point halftime deficit, but came up short due to a slew of late turnovers. They had 16 for the game. Dwight Howard led the way for Orlando with 20 points and 17 rebounds.

Lakers 113, Knicks 96 In New York, Kobe Bryant scored 33 points in another effortless night at Madison Square Garden as Los Angeles cruised past struggling New York.

Bryant scored 19 in the first quarter and grabbed 10 rebounds for the night despite playing only 29 minutes.

Bryant shot 12 of 17 from the field and hit four 3-pointers as the Lakers made 54 percent of their shots.

Heat 106, Pistons 92 In Auburn Hills, Michigan, streaking Miami beat Detroit to take over sole possession of the Eastern Conference lead. Dwyane Wade scored 24 points and LeBron James added 16 points and 10 assists for Miami, which has won eight straight games.

The Heat entered the game tied atop the conference with Boston, which had a night off Friday. The Celtics host the Heat on Sunday. Austin Daye scored 18 points for Detroit.

Suns 95, Jazz 83 In Salt Lake City, Utah suffered defeat in its fist match without Jerry Sloan as coach in more than 22 years, beaten by Phoenix. Steve Nash had 18 points and 10 assists for the Suns, who moved above .500 for the first time since Dec. 7 with their sixth win in seven games.

Deron Williams and CJ Miles each scored 19 points for the Jazz, under new coach Ty Corbin.

Grizzlies 89, Bucks 86 In Memphis, Mike Conley had 23 points, including a key 3-pointer with 1:12 left, and eight assists as Memphis beat Milwaukee.

NBA results/standings

Chicago Indiana Milwaukee Detroit Cleveland

NEW YORK: Ron Artest No. 15 of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots over Timofey Mozgov No. 25 the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. — AFP

Sam Young finished with 19 points and a career-high eight rebounds as Memphis gave coach Lionel Hollins his 100th victory. Corey Maggette led the Bucks with 22 points, including 20 in the third quarter to help Milwaukee erase a first-half deficit.

T Blazers 102, Raptors 96 In Toronto, LaMarcus Aldridge scored 14 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter to lead Portland over skidding Toronto. Coming off a career-high 42 points in Monday’s win over Chicago, Aldridge shot 14 for 25 and grabbed 10 rebounds. He went 9 for 12 from the free throw line. Portland’s Rudy Fernandez had 23, making his first eight shot attempts, six of them 3-pointers, before missing for the first time late in the third quarter.

Andrea Bargnani scored 29 points for the Raptors, who lost for the 16th time in 17 games.

Nets 94, Bobcats 89 In Charlotte, New Jersey ended a 12-game road losing streak by defeating Charlotte. Brook Lopez had 31 points and 11 rebounds for his second double-double of the season. Devin Harris added 16 points and eight assists for the Nets, who raced to a 12-2 lead and never trailed.

Stephen Jackson scored 21 points for the Bobcats.

Pacers 116, T’wolves 105 In Indianapolis, Dahntay Jones scored all of his 19 points in the fourth quarter to spark Indiana’s big finish against Minnesota. Jones, who played sparingly under former coach Jim O’Brien, keyed the victory by making six of seven shots from the field — including 2 of 2 from 3-point range — as Indiana rallied from a seven-point deficit to start the fourth quarter. Danny Granger also had 19 points for the Pacers, who won for the sixth time in seven games under interim coach Frank Vogel. Kevin Love finished with 22 points to lead Minnesota.

Cavaliers 126, Clippers 119 In Cleveland, the hosts needed overtime to do it, but finally broke their record losing streak by edging Los Angeles. Nearly two months after it started, Cleveland stopped the NBA-record losing streak at 26 games.

Antawn Jamison scored 35 points and made the game’s biggest basket, a 3-pointer with 22 seconds left in OT for the Cavs. Daniel Gibson scored 10 in overtime.

Blake Griffin had 32 points and 13 rebounds for the Clippers. — AP

Miami Atlanta Orlando Charlotte Washington

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L 38 14 26 26 25 28 17 37 14 40 Central Division 35 16 23 28 20 32 20 34 9 45 Southeast Division 39 14 33 19 34 21 22 31 14 37

Western Conference Northwest Division Oklahoma City 33 18 31 23 Denver Utah 31 24 Portland 29 24 Minnesota 13 40 Pacific Division LA Lakers 38 16 26 25 Phoenix Golden State 23 29 LA Clippers 20 33 Sacramento 12 37 Southwest Division San Antonio 44 9 37 16 Dallas New Orleans 33 22 Memphis 29 26 Houston 25 29

PCT .731 .500 .472 .315 .259

GB 12 13.5 22 25

.686 .451 .385 .370 .167

12 15.5 16.5 27.5

.736 .635 .618 .415 .275

5.5 6 17 24

.647 .574 .564 .547 .245

3.5 4 5 21

.704 .510 .442 .377 .245

10.5 14 17.5 23.5

.830 .698 .600 .527 .463

7 12 16 19.5

Woods fights like cornered Tiger to stay in the hunt McIlroy, Aiken and Hansen lead in Dubai

DUBAI: US golfer Tiger Woods plays a shot during the third round of the Dubai Desert Classic golf tournament.—AP

Tseng leaves pack behind GOLD COAST: Taiwan’s Yani Tseng, who can take the No. 1 ranking in women’s golf with victory at the Australian Masters, took a three-stroke lead into the final round Saturday, shooting a 9-under-par 63.

Tseng had a three-round total of 20under 196 at the joint Australian and Ladies European Tour event at Royal Pines.

Second-round co-leader Stacey Lewis was in second place after a 67, while fellow American Ryann O’Toole also shot 67 and was five back. Ashleigh Simon of South Africa shot 68 and was six strokes behind in fourth place. Current No. 1-ranked Jiyai Shin of South Korea tied for second last week at the Women’s Australian Open in Melbourne, won by Tseng. Tseng was unaware a win would move her to No. 1 until told after her round.

“So if I win, I will be No. 1? Jeez, I will be nervous,” she smiled. “I feel very excited. I want to go out and shoot a lot of birdies tomorrow.” Seven-time winner Karrie Webb shot 68 Saturday and was at 205, nine shots behind.

“I guess a little better than yesterday, still very up and down, inconsistent,” said Webb.

“A perfect example, I hit it to two feet on 16, great iron shot and a good drive. Hit it to two feet on 17 and then snap hooked it off the tee at 18.” If Tseng wins, she will be the only the second player to win the Women’s Australian Open and Ladies Masters titles in the same year. Webb won both tournaments in 2000 and in 2007. The Royal Pines tournament record of 26-under par from 2010, held by Webb, is also under threat in the final round. — AP

DUBAI: Tiger Woods was just one stroke behind the Dubai Desert Classic third-round leaders yesterday after a topsy-turvy, even-par 72 in gusting winds left him firmly in contention to end a 14-month wait for victory.

Dane Anders Hansen (71), South African Thomas Aiken (74) and Briton Rory McIlroy (75) led the way on eight-under 208, with 14-times major winner Woods one of seven players on 209. World number one Lee Westwood (72) was back on 211.

Woods stumbled to the turn in 39, mixing one birdie with three bogeys and a double-bogey six at the ninth. The twice former Dubai champion, though, reignited his title charge by storming back in 33 with three birdies, one eagle and a single dropped stroke.

“It was a tough day but if I got even-par I figured that would be a good goal,” world number three Woods told reporters. “I’m only one back, still right there in the ball game.”

The 35-year-old American shares fourth place with Frenchman Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (72), Australia’s Brett Rumford (72), Swede Fredrik Andersson Hed (69) and Spanish trio Alvaro Quiros (68), Sergio Garcia (75) and Alvaro Velasco (65).

McIlroy, who led on his own after the opening two rounds, made a woeful start with four bogeys in seven holes. He also dropped a stroke at the 11th but birdies at the ninth and 12th meant the 21-year-old from Northern Ireland was well placed in his bid to record a second Dubai Classic triumph.

“I got off to a rough start but I thought I steadied the ship really well,” said 2009 champion McIlroy. “I played the last 11 holes in one under which was actually pretty good.

“It’s now going to be a test of patience and about trying to play smart golf and make pars and make the odd birdie when you can get it. Overall I wish I had played a little better today and given myself a bit more of an advantage.”

Aiken had three bogeys and a solitary birdie at the 14th in his round while twice former European PGA champion Hansen registered three birdies and two dropped shots.

Woods is looking for his first win since capturing the Australian Masters crown at the end of 2009.

“There are a bunch of guys in there with a chance and ... tomorrow you never know,” he said.

Woods’s double-bogey came when he dumped his second shot in the water guarding the ninth green. He battled back with an eagle three at the 10th and a birdie at the next before ending his round by coaxing in a curling left-to-right, 25-foot putt at the last, prompting two pumps of his right fist in an outburst of emotion.

Garcia, without a European Tour victory since the Champions Tournament in Shanghai in November 2008, led for long spells on Saturday before taking a double-bogey six at the 17th after a wayward drive into bushes cost him a penalty drop.

Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin recorded a hole-inone at the par-three seventh on the way to a 69 for 211. World number two Martin Kaymer, who entered the event with hopes of replacing Westwood at the top of the rankings, struggled in the wind and posted a four-over 76 for 216. — Reuters

PEBBLE BEACH: David Duval tees off on the 13th hole during the second round of the AT&T Pebble Beach National ProAm at Monterey Peninsula Country Club. — AFP

Marino ahead at Pebble Beach PEBBLE BEACH: Steve Marino fired a sixunder par 66 on Friday to seize the lead at 13-under par 131 after two rounds of the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. For the second day in a row Marino nabbed seven birdies, this time on the par72 Pebble Beach Golf Links, one of three courses in use for the tournament.

“This tournament is kind of strange,” Marino said of the event which also pairs amateurs-many of them popular celebrities like comedian Bill Murray-with the pros.

“You play a different course every day.

You’re playing with amateur partners. It’s a little more low-key and laid back.”

DA Points was second after posting a 70 on the par-72 Spyglass Hill course for a total of 133. Points’ nine-under total put him four off the lead in relation to par.

Marino and Points had started the day level atop the leaderboard in relation to par-Marino with a first-round 65 at Spyglass and Points after a 63 at the par-70 Monterey Peninsula layout on Thursday.

Marino made his first bogey of the week at the par-five 14th at Pebble Beach, but responded with birdies at three of his final four holes. He punctuated his second round with a 15-foot birdie putt at the 18th. Keegan Bradley posted a 69 at Spyglass for an eight-under total of 134.

Bradley is the nephew of LPGA Hall of Fame golfer Pat Bradley, who followed his round. He was born in 1986, the year his

aunt won three of four women’s major championships.

“Pat and I have a lot of similarities in our game, in our approach to the game, our work ethic,” he said. “I look up to her in a lot of different ways, and that’s one of the ways. I try to emulate her toughness and work ethic.”

A group of 10 players at four-under included Ireland’s Padraig Harrington, who played alongside Marino and carded a second-round 68. “We’ve really had a relaxed two days so far,” said Harrington, a threetime major champion. “It’s easy to play good golf when your playing partner is playing well and you see him making birdies.”

Like Marino, Harrington bogeyed the 14th. Harrington was plugged in a bunker and his shot out ran off the back of the green. Marino was in the right rough with his second shot and his wedge also found a bunker.

Harrington said both got a wake-up after talking about how they had managed to cope with the 14th at last year’s US Open, when it was one of the toughest holes on the scenic Pebble Beach course.

“It was silly,” Harrington said. “We were talking about how tough this was at the US Open, and that we both had made four pars and could have sold that to half the field. “And then we both made a mess of it.” — AFP

y

A

19

e niv rsar n

Years

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

sp orts Soccer results/standings Arsenal 2 (van Persie 16, 56) Wolverhampton 0; Birmingham 1 (Zigic 90) Stoke 0; Blackburn 0 Newcastle 0; Blackpool 1 (Grandin 14) Aston Villa 1 (Agbonlahor 10); Liverpool 1 (Meireles 24) Wigan 1 (Gohouri 65); Manchester United 2 (Nani 41, Rooney 78) Manchester City 1 (Silva 65); West Bromwich 3 (Dorrens 2, Thomas 8, Reid 32-og) West Ham 3 (Ba 50, 83 Cole 58); Sunderland 1 (Gyan 11) Tottenham 2 (Dawson 44, Kranjcar 57).

Playing today Bolton v Everton Playing tomorrow Fulham v Chelsea English Football League results Championship Barnsley 1 Ipswich 1; Bristol City 0 Leeds 2; Cardiff 1 Scunthorpe 0; Coventry 2 Crystal Palace 1; Doncaster 0 Portsmouth 2; Hull 1 Preston 0; Middlesbrough 3 Swansea 4; Norwich 2 Reading 1; Sheffield United 1 Millwall 1; Watford 1 Burnley 3.

Bradford 1 Wycombe 0; Burton 1 Chesterfield 0; Cheltenham 0 Hereford 3; Crewe 1 Gillingham 1; Lincoln 2 Morecambe 0; Oxford 2 Rotherham 1; Port Vale 1 Northampton 1; Shrewsbury 1 Stevenage 0; Stockport 2 Bury 1.

Postponed Accrington v Southend Scottish Premier League results Hamilton 0 Hearts 2 (Elliott 22, 47); Hibernian 2 (Sodje 52, Palsson 70-pen) Kilmarnock 1 (Hammill 74-pen); Rangers 6 (Naismith 5, Jelavic 34, 37, 79 Hutchinson 76-og, Healy 83) Motherwell 0; St Mirren 3 (Higdon 28-pen, Thomson 29, McGregor 74) Inverness 3 (Rooney 6, 61 Doran 33).

Postponed St Johnstone v Aberdeen Playing today Dundee United v Hibernian Scottish Football League results First Division Cowdenbeath 0 Dunfermline 4; Dundee 2 Raith 1; Falkirk 1 Morton 0; Queen Of The South 3 Partick 3; Ross County 0 Stirling 0.

Playing later Derby v Leicester Playing today QPR v Nottingham Forest

Postponed Dunfermline v Cowdenbeath

Division One Brighton 4 Hartlepool 1; Charlton 2 Peterborough 1; Colchester 2 Swindon 1; Dagenham & Redbridge 2 Yeovil 1; Huddersfield 0 Oldham 0; Leyton Orient 4 Bristol Rovers 1; Milton Keynes Dons 1 Brentford 1; Notts County 0 Exeter 2; Plymouth 1 Tranmere 3; Rochdale 2 Sheffield Wednesday 1; Southampton 1 Carlisle 0; Walsall 0 Bournemouth 1.

Second Division Alloa 0 Forfar 3; Ayr 0 Livingston 3; Brechin 3 Peterhead 1; Dumbarton 1 Airdrie 1; Stenhousemuir 0 East Fife 2.

Third Division Albion 2 East Stirlingshire 0; Berwick 2 Annan 3; Clyde 3 Elgin 3; Queen’s Park 1 Arbroath 1; Stranraer 2 Montrose 2.

Division Two Aldershot 0 Macclesfield 0; Barnet 0 Torquay 3; English Premier League table English Premier League table after yesterday’s late match (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Man United Arsenal Man City Tottenham Chelsea Liverpool Sunderland Bolton Stoke Newcastle Blackburn Fulham Everton Birmingham Aston Villa Blackpool W Bromwich Wigan West Ham W’hampton

26 26 27 26 25 27 27 26 26 26 27 26 25 25 27 26 26 27 27 26

16 16 14 13 13 11 9 8 10 8 9 6 6 6 7 8 7 5 5 7

9 5 7 8 5 6 10 9 3 8 5 12 12 12 9 5 6 12 10 3

1 5 6 5 7 10 8 9 13 10 13 8 7 7 11 13 13 10 12 16

57 56 43 3 46 35 33 36 31 40 34 28 33 25 31 39 34 27 30 26

25 57 27 53 24 49 72 847 22 44 32 39 33 37 37 33 33 33 38 32 42 32 28 30 34 30 33 30 46 30 50 29 51 27 45 27 48 25 45 24

English Football League tables Championship QPR 30 16 11 3 49 18 30 16 6 8 49 35 Cardiff Norwich 31 15 9 7 49 39 Swansea 31 16 5 10 41 30 Nottingham 28 14 10 4 39 23 Leeds 31 14 10 7 57 47 Burnley 30 12 10 8 46 37 Millwall 31 12 10 9 40 31 Hull 31 11 12 8 37 33 Leicester 30 13 6 11 46 47 Watford 29 12 7 10 54 44 Reading 30 10 12 8 44 33 Barnsley 31 11 8 12 37 45 Coventry 31 11 6 14 35 38 Ipswich 29 11 5 13 36 38 Doncaster 29 10 7 12 41 48 Derby 29 10 5 14 41 42 Portsmouth 30 9 8 13 41 46 Bristol 31 9 8 14 35 46 M’brough 30 9 6 15 36 41 Crystal 31 8 7 16 29 50 Sheffield 30 7 7 16 27 48 Scunthorpe 28 7 3 18 27 52 Preston 29 5 6 18 29 54 Brighton B’mouth H’field Southampton Charlton Oldham Milton Rochdale P’borough Colchester Leyton Exeter Hartlepool Sheffield Brentford Carlisle Tranmere Yeovil Plymouth N County Swindon Dagenham Walsall Bristol

Division One 28 16 8 4 30 15 8 7 29 15 5 9 28 14 6 8 27 13 8 6 29 11 12 6 30 13 6 11 29 11 11 7 28 13 4 11 28 10 11 7 28 10 10 8 29 10 8 11 28 10 7 11 28 10 6 12 29 10 6 13 27 9 8 10 27 9 7 11 29 9 6 14 31 9 6 16 26 9 5 12 31 7 10 14 27 7 7 13 30 7 6 17 30 6 9 15

52 53 48 50 46 44 41 42 62 36 46 41 29 44 34 37 33 30 36 32 41 31 38 36

22 31 33 27 37 38 43 34 58 37 38 49 43 39 39 32 39 43 51 34 53 42 55 65

59 54 54 53 52 52 46 46 45 45 43 42 41 39 38 37 35 35 35 33 31 28 24 21 56 53 50 48 47 45 45 44 43 41 40 38 37 36 36 35 34 33 33 32 31 28 27 27

Liverpool frustrated, Wigan make a point

Chesterfield Shrewsbury Wycombe Rotherham Bury Gillingham Port Vale Oxford Utd Crewe Torquay Southend Cheltenham Lincoln Northampton Stevenage Aldershot Bradford Accrington Morecambe Hereford M’field Burton Albion Stockport Barnet

Division Two 29 15 10 4 31 14 9 8 28 14 8 6 30 13 8 9 28 13 7 8 31 12 10 9 29 12 9 8 30 12 7 11 29 11 9 9 27 10 9 8 28 11 6 11 30 10 9 11 28 11 4 13 28 9 9 10 28 8 11 9 29 8 11 10 29 10 4 15 26 7 12 7 29 8 9 12 28 8 8 12 27 7 8 12 23 7 7 9 31 6 10 15 30 6 8 16

34 30 30 39 32 38 25 38 45 34 34 44 42 38 28 36 37 39 42 46 45 28 69 54

55 51 50 47 46 46 45 43 42 39 39 39 37 36 35 35 34 33 33 32 29 28 28 26

Scottish Premier League table Celtic 24 18 4 2 53 14 23 18 2 3 53 20 Rangers Hearts 25 16 3 6 39 21 Kilmarnock 25 10 6 9 38 28 Inverness 25 7 9 9 34 33 Dundee Utd 20 7 8 5 25 25 Johnstone 23 8 5 10 17 27 Motherwell 24 8 4 12 26 33 Aberdeen 23 7 2 14 23 42 Hibernian 25 6 4 15 25 43 St Mirren 24 4 7 13 21 41 Hamilton 23 2 8 13 14 41

58 56 51 36 30 29 29 28 23 22 19 14

Scottish Football League tables First Division Raith 21 11 6 4 28 16 D’fermline 20 11 4 5 37 19 Falkirk 19 10 2 7 35 21 Q of South 17 7 3 7 25 23 Partick 19 6 5 8 23 25 Morton 19 5 6 8 20 20 Dundee 21 12 6 3 31 16 R County 20 3 8 9 14 24 C’beath 18 5 2 11 21 41 Stirling 18 3 4 11 17 46

39 37 32 24 23 21 17 17 17 13

Note: Dundee deducted 25 points Second Division Livingston 19 12 4 3 37 22 Brechin 18 9 7 2 35 19 Ayr 18 10 3 5 32 30 Forfar 17 9 4 4 28 19 Alloa 22 7 5 10 34 44 Airdrie 20 6 6 8 28 32 Peterhead 21 5 7 9 32 37 East Fife 18 5 5 8 41 36 Dumbarton 21 6 2 13 24 41 S’housemuir 20 5 3 12 20 31

40 34 33 31 26 24 22 20 20 18

Arbroath Albion Stranraer Elgin Athletic Queens Park Berwick Montrose E Stirling Clyde

Third Division 20 11 3 6 19 10 4 5 19 8 8 3 21 9 5 7 18 8 7 3 20 7 3 10 17 5 7 5 20 5 5 10 18 6 2 10 16 1 4 11

56 49 39 52 49 44 32 39 57 44 37 40 30 35 33 29 27 37 35 37 32 28 33 33

46 30 37 35 31 25 31 32 16 16

36 24 29 36 21 27 26 36 25 39

36 34 32 32 31 24 22 20 20 7

Liverpool 1

Wigan 1

LIVERPOOL: Liverpool suffered frustration at the hands of struggling Wigan as Steve Gohouri equalised for the visitors to force a 11 draw at Anfield yesterday.

Raul Meireles’s fifth goal in six games looked to have put Kenny Dalglish’s team on course for a fifth successive win.

But Gohouri equalised in the 65th minute from close range to deny Liverpool their best winning sequence in the Premier League since May 2009.

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez marked his first start since his 22.8 million pound (30 million dollars) move from Ajax by twice striking the woodwork, but the Reds couldn’t find a winner as Wigan boosted their survival bid.

The hosts are unbeaten in their last six outings but Dalglish will view this as two points dropped against opponents who are fighting for their Premier League lives. No player has illustrated Liverpool’s transformation under Dalglish more than Meireles.

The Portuguese midfielder, signed by Roy Hodgson last August, went into this game looking to continue his incredible scoring form after his winner at Chelsea last weekend.

Perhaps it was because many of the side had been on international duty in midweek, but Liverpool, without both Steven Gerrard and Daniel Agger, started slowly against their lowly opponents. In contrast, Wigan’s bright start was summed up by Charles N’Zogbia, who created space for himself before curling a ninth-minute effort wide from the edge of the area. It was only after Hugo Rodallega’s ambitious 13th minute overhead kick that Liverpool clicked into gear.

Wigan keeper Ali Al Habsi grabbed Dirk Kuyt’s speculative 20-yard drive at the second attempt before Meireles broke the deadlock in the 24th minute with a thunderous volley from 16 yards after Fabio Aurelio’s cross from the left. Liverpool should have doubled their

(Local Timings)

Blackpool 1

English Premier League Bolton v Everton

19:00

Aston Villa 1

Abu Dhabi Sport HD 3 Abu Dhabi Sport HD 5

Spanish League

Deportivo v Villarreal

21:00

Al Jazeera Sport 2 Espanyol v Real Madrid Al Jazeera Sport 2

23:00

BLACKPOOL: Blackpool were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw against 10man Aston Villa at Bloomfield Road yesterday. Ian Holloway’s side ended a run of five successive defeats but they were left to rue a missed opportunity to move further away from the Premier League relegation zone.

Gabriel Agbonlahor opened the scoring for Villa early in the first half but Elliot Grandin equalised for the Seasiders four minutes later.

Blackpool had a chance to push for victory when Villa were reduced to 10 men in the 70th minute after

lead three minutes later. Suarez caused the Wigan defence countless problems with his trickery. And the Uruguay international made space inside the area before letting fly with a curling effort which hit the far post and bounced to safety. Wigan had taken four points from their last two meetings with

Zigic late show shatters Stoke Stoke 0

BIRMINGHAM: Birmingham striker Nikola Zigic scored a stoppage time winner to clinch a 1-0 victory over Stoke at St Andrews yesterday.

Zigic headed in a Cameron Jerome cross at the end of a dour clash to lift Birmingham three points clear of the relegation zone.

Alex McLeish’s side, who achieved back-toback league wins for the first time in 14 months, were the first to threaten when Zigic powered a header over the bar from Sebastian Larsson’s cross.

Stoke keeper Asmir Begovic was called into action for the first time in blocking a header from Liam Ridgewell after Barry Ferguson had headed a cleared free-kick from Larsson back into the box.

Blues keeper Ben Foster, who had recovered from the thumb injury which ruled him out of England’s friendly with Denmark, went down to cling onto a deflected drive from Jon Walters. Stoke enjoyed a spell of possession and John Carew had a shot blocked by Ridgewell inside the box.

Jermaine Pennant, who had a spell on loan at Birmingham earlier in his career, curled a free-kick past the post after being brought down by Larsson. Begovic needed two attempts to hold onto a dipping drive from Craig Gardner although Obafemi Martins was

Jean Makoun was shown a straight red card after a challenge on DJ Campbell. However, Gerard Houllier’s side dug in for a point that kept them one point and one place above Blackpool. Villa made the breakthrough in the 10th minute following a swift counter attack that left the home side exposed. Darren Bent laid the ball off to Agbonlahor and he showed a blistering turn of pace before going around Richard Kingson and firing a shot into the corner.

However not for the first time this time this season Holloway ’s side stormed back and equalised in the 14th minute. Grandin got a vital touch at the near post after Villa failed to deal with a corner from Charlie Adam. Two minutes later Luke Varney should have put Blackpool ahead only to head wide from six yards following a cross from Marlon Harewood. — AFP

Liverpool and they finished the half strongly as Pepe Reina was forced to keep out a low free-kick by Honduras international Maynor Figueroa. But Liverpool failed to kick on after the interval and paid the price when Gohouri struck from close range in the 65th minute after a Wigan set-piece. — AFP

West Brom 3

West Ham 3

Hammers climb off bottom

Birmingham 1

Blackpool held by 10-man Villa Matches on TV

LONDON: Liverpool’s Dirk Kuyt (left) vies for the ball against Wigan Athletic’s Ben Watson during their English Premier League soccer match. —AP

LONDON: Birmingham City’s Nikola Zigic celebrates scoring against Stoke City during the English Premier League soccer match.—AP better placed ahead of him inside the box.

Birmingham started the second half on the offensive and a 50-yard crossfield ball from Gardner was controlled by Larsson who cut inside before sending a dipping drive just wide.

But at the other end Carew was only just off target with an angled effort. Blues had a strong appeal for a penalty rejected when Robert Huth appeared to block a fierce drive from Bentley with his hand.

Huth went down clutching his face even though replays showed the ball had struck his hand. McLeish brought on Jerome for Martins with 15 minutes remaining and he teed up Roger Johnson but he dragged his shot wide as Birmingham searched for the winner. Then in injury-time Zigic headed the winner from close range from a Jerome centre after Begovic had parried David Bentley’s drive. —AFP

Tottenham triumph SUNDERLAND: Niko Kranjcar netted Tottenham 2 Tottenham’s match-winner for the second successive yesterday as the London club rallied to Sunderland 1 beat Sunderland 2-1 in the Premier League. A third successive league win enabled Tottenham to provisionally dislodge Chelsea from fourth place ahead of the champions’ match at Fulham on Monday. Sunderland is seventh.

Kranjcar volleyed into the bottom corner in the 57th minute after pouncing when Sandro’s right-wing cross was only half-cleared by John Mensah. The Croatian also scored the winner in last weekend’s match against Bolton. Asamoah Gyan put Sunderland in front after 11 minutes with his 10th goal of the season. But Michael Dawson headed Tottenham level in the 44th after meeting Steven Pienaar’s corner. —AP

BIRMINGHAM: West Ham moved off the bottom of the English Premier League yesterday after mounting a sensational second-half comeback to snatch a point against fellow strugglers West Bromwich.

The Hammers were three goals down at the break but rescued a 3-3 draw after two goals from Senegal’s Demba Ba on his full debut and one from England striker Carlton Cole stunned the home team.

New West Brom manager Roy Hodgson was watching from the Hawthorns stands, and could only have been impressed by the sensational start made by his new charges.

French striker Marc-Antoine Fortune served warning of the home team’s attacking intent with a shot after two minutes which was saved, but West Ham’s relief was short lived.

Midfielder Graham Dorrans punished the Hammers just two minutes later, firing a vicious 25-yard shot past England ‘keeper Rob Green into the corner of the goal.

Things went from bad to worse for under-pressure manager Avram Grant in the eighth minute when winger Jerome Thomas burst into the area and curled a finish past Green to make it 2-0.

Nigeria attacker Peter Odemwingie should have made it 3-0 on 18 minutes, but fluffed his lines when presented with a free header six yards from goal. Shell-shocked Hammers were denied a route back into the game when Cole was incorrectly flagged for offside as he finished past home keeper Boaz Myhill. Despite a period of consolidation, the away team were punished again shortly after the half-hour mark when Dorrans whipped in a dangerous free-kick which defender Winston Reid could only turn into his own goal. The Hammers nearly gave themselves hope shortly before halftime, but Ba was denied by a superb fulllength save by Wales stopper Myhill.

Former Portsmouth midfielder Gary O’Neil came even closer during first-half added time, striking the crossbar with a superb long-range attempt. The rebound fell to Cole, but his effort was deflected over the top for a corner.

Former Hoffenheim striker Ba threw the Hammers a lifeline five minutes into the second half, capitalising on Mark Noble’s pinpoint pass to control and fire past Myhill.

The away team’s hope turned into belief after an hour when Cole cut the deficit to one goal after heading in from close range after good work by substitute Frederic Piquionne. West Brom hearts were in mouths moments later when goal creator Piquionne nearly turned scorer, but his header bounced agonisingly off the bar. — AFP

Clijsters, Kvitova in Paris Open final

16

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

Sri Lanka crush Netherlands in World Cup warm-up

17

Sixers hold off Spurs in nba action Page 18

LONDON: Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney (center right) scores the winning goal with an overhead kick against Manchester City during their English Premier League soccer match.—AP

Rooney’s magic sinks City Man United 2

Man City 1

MANCHESTER: Wayne Rooney’s stunning finish gave Manchester United a 2-1 victory over Manchester City at Old Trafford yesterday which left the leaders firmly in control of the title race.

Rooney erased memories of what had been a mediocre performance, personally and by his team, when he produced a moment of genius in the 78th minute.

Paul Scholes found Nani on the right and his cross was dispatched into the top right corner of the City goal by Rooney’s spectacular overhead kick. Sir Alex Ferguson’s side are now seven points ahead of second placed Arsenal, while City are a further point behind and have played a game more than their bitter rivals.

Rooney said: “I think it’s the best goal I’ve ever scored, I saw it coming over and I thought, ‘why not hit it?’. “I was just delighted to see it go in the net and get the three points. Nine times out of 10 they go into the stand. It’s the first overhead kick I’ve scored since school.” United’s opening goal, four minutes from the halftime whistle, came largely against the run of play but was just reward for Nani, the Portuguese winger, who had been United’s most dangerous attacking player throughout the first period.

Wide on the right, Nani had often been United’s only potent threat but, when the opener arrived, it came from a long punt through the middle from home goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar. Rooney’s strength saw him glance the ball to Ryan Giggs and he flicked on to Nani, who had caught defender Pablo Zabaleta out of position.

Nani kept his composure admirably, advancing before rolling the ball past Joe Hart, leftfooted, from a dozen yards. City looked stunned, and understandably so after they had more than held their own in an opening 45 minutes which laid to rest memo-

ries of the awful goalless draw between the clubs at Eastlands earlier this season. Indeed, the visitors should have been ahead after three minutes. Yaya Toure found Carlos Tevez whose angled pass played in the impressive Silva who, with the goal at his mercy, placed his shot beyond van der Sar, missing the far-post by inches from a tight angle. That early foray gave City confidence and a Gareth Barr y free -kick found the head of Toure at the far post only for the midfielder to turn the ball harmlessly back across the face of goal.

Both sides chanced their arm with long-range shots before United created their first opening, just after the half hour, with John O’Shea’s square ball allowing Giggs the room to cross for Darren Fletcher whose header, at full run, was well kept out on his line by Hart. Nani’s 20-yard shot tested Hart as it deflected unkindly off Richards, while, before the interval, Silva enjoyed the luck of a deflection from Patrice Evra only to have his follow-up shot blocked by the Frenchman.

The interval brought City some much-needed breathing space and Tevez, a virtual nonfactor thus far against his former club, opened the second half with a committed run to the byline, with his cross being cut out by a home defender.

Silva also had a shot, which van der Sar held comfortably, but City were struggling to rediscover their attacking spark of the first half and, by the hour, Roberto Mancini had brought on Shaun Wright-Phillips and Edin Dzeko as substitutes in a bid to salvage at least a point.

It was a tactical re-shuffle that brought an almost instant dividend, through City’s fortunate 64th minute equaliser. WrightPhillips probed down the right, delivering a dangerous cross to the six-yard line where Dzeko swung his foot for an untidy shot which deflected off the back of Silva and into the United goal.

Both sides probed thereafter, without either keeping being forced into a save in anger, until Rooney’s superb solo effort settled the outcome.—AFP

Newcastle frustrated by Blackburn Blackburn 0

Newcastle 0

LONDON: Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere (left) competes with Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Richard Stearman during their English Premier League soccer match. —AP

Arsenal stay in title race Arsenal 2

Wolves 0

LONDON: Robin Van Persie struck twice as Arsenal moved within four points of Premier League leaders Manchester United following a comfortable 2-0 home victory over Wolves yesterday.

United’s win in the Manchester derby earlier in the day meant Arsene Wenger’s side kicked off seven points adrift. But the second-placed Gunners were never in danger of failing to reduce the deficit, completing a routine win that left Wolves bottom of the table. Wenger had urged his side to ignore Wednesday’s Champions League clash with Barcelona. But having successfully recovered their league form following last weekend’s morale-sapping collapse at Newcastle, they can look forward to the visit of the Catalans with renewed confidence. The news that United had won will have filtered through to the home dressing room around 15 minutes before kick-off but if it had any effect, it served only to increase Arsenal’s motivation.

The Gunners quickly assumed control over a Wolves side locked in a desperate battle for Premier League survival. And any concerns Arsenal would suffer a hangover from events at Newcastle disappeared when Van Persie volleyed them into a 16th minute lead. Wenger admitted he had welcomed the international break that allowed his

shell-shocked players time away after conceding a four-goal lead in a 4-4 draw seven days previously.

Jack Wilshere, fresh from an impressive full international debut for England in Denmark midweek, made the first meaningful foray with the midfielder’s surging run halted by a foul on the edge of the box. Van Persie was unable to make the subsequent free kick count but he was far more precise when connecting with Cesc Fabregas’s low cross in the 16th minute. Fabregas, who awoke to reports he is a 54 million pound (70 million dollars) target of Real Madrid, picked out Van Persie and the Holland international struck an acrobatic first time volley past Wolves keeper Wayne Hennessey.

The quality of the strike matched the quality of Arsenal’s early play and the home side should have gone on to build a commanding first half lead.

Four minutes after Van Persie’s effort Andrei Arshavin missed a gilt-edged chance at the far post when he sliced a volley wide of an open goal from six yards out.

And when Arsenal did manage to direct their efforts on target, Hennessey was in outstanding form, producing a stunning one-handed save to deny Theo Walcott before his centre back Richard Stearman cleared Fabregas’s follow-up shot off the line. Wolves offered little by way of reply although they did have a good shout for a penalty when Adam Hammill went down under a clumsy challenge from Johan Djourou. Mick McCarthy’s side, who ended United’s long unbeaten run last weekend, had done well to remain in the game going into the second half. But their hopes should have been snuffed out immediately after the restart when Walcott missed a glaring opportunity.—AFP

BLACKBURN: Newcastle United were unable to repeat the heroics of their stunning comeback against Arsenal as they were held to a dreary 0-0 draw at Blackburn Rovers yesterday.

The Magpies fought back from a 4-0 half-time deficit to draw 4-4 with Arsenal last weekend in one of the great Premier League comebacks, but the fare at Ewood Park was decidedly less captivating. The stalemate kept the sides level on points, with Newcastle holding onto 10th place, above Blackburn on goal difference.

Newcastle were the first side to threaten, a sliding Kevin Nolan narrowly failing to connect with Jose Enrique’s teasing low cross, before both teams struck the woodwork in quick succession.

Roque Santa Cruz was Blackburn’s nearly man, flicking a header against the post from close range in the ninth minute after Paul Robinson’s long ball had been helped on by Christopher Samba.

Five minutes later it was Peter Lovenkrands cursing his luck, after his delightful lob from Enrique’s fine pass landed on the top of the crossbar. Nikola Kalinic fired over after a neat piece of control but the hosts were struggling to unlock the Newcastle defence and Blackburn coach Steve Kean introduced Jason Roberts and Morten Gamst Pedersen at half-time.

Newcastle again made a more purposeful start after the interval and Robinson had to produce a stunning reflex stop to prevent centre-back Fabio Coloccini giving the visitors the lead from a Joey Barton corner.

The visitors began to turn the screw as the game ticked into the final 15 minutes and Enrique saw a goal-bound effort brilliantly blocked by Michel Salgado after the Spaniard had weaved his way between defenders.

The Magpies gave a debut to new signing Shefki Kuqi as a late substitute, but the 34-yearold Finnish striker was unable to procure any opportunities to break the deadlock.

Newcastle are in league action again on Tuesday when they travel to Birmingham City, while Blackburn’s next assignment is not until February 26, when they visit Aston Villa.—AFP

y

A

Weber saw credibility problem with ECB job

e niv rsar n

Business Years

Page 25

Greece slams asset sale demand by EU and IMF Page 26

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

Egypt turmoil impacts Kuwait bourse

Page 22

IBQ net profit up 34% in 2010 to Qar 458m Page 23

KABUL: A street money changer talks on his mobile phone as he waits for customers in Kabul yesterday. More than 70 percent of Afghanistan’s population are tied to the land as tenant farmers or share-croppers, experts say. The CIA put unemployment in 2008 at 35 percent and inflation in 2009 at 30.5 percent.—AFP

Markets worry ‘what next?’ for Egypt Reopening of Egypt stock Exchange put off by 3 more days WASHINGTON: Global markets showed quick approval of Egyptian strongman Hosni Mubarak’s resignation on Friday, but analysts quickly began worrying about what comes next in the absence of a clear path for the future for the country.

After three decades of relative stability, the lack of a clear leadership and the specter of popular impatience with the transition kept analysts on edge, even amid the euphoria Mubarak’s departure.

John Sfakianakis, an economist at Riyadh-based Banque Saudi Fransipart of the French Credit Agricole CIB group-called Mubarak’s ouster good news, short-term, “but not necessarily perfect news.”

“If violence doesn’t come back, then Mubarak’s exit can be used as a breather toward opening the stock market, calming bond yields and

bringing down credit default swaps,” he told AFP. “But if the street begins to make demands on regime change and violence erupts, then things will get worse for the economy and Egypt’s reputation.” Global oil prices dropped and stock markets spiked upward almost immediately after Mubarak’s ouster was announced on Friday.

The regulator of Egypt’s stock market says the resumption of trading has been put off by three more days. The regulator says the market will reopen Wednesday, instead of Sunday, as initially anticipated. Saturday’s statement said more consultations with brokers and companies are needed.

The exchange was closed on Jan 28, three days the outbreak of an uprising that ousted Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak In the two days before the closure, the market’s

benchmark EGX30 index had dropped almost 17 percent. The crisis has rattled international investors, prompting an exodus of foreign funds and raising worries about sharp fluctuations when the market reopens.

Communications and banking services have largely been restored.

Traders had grown uneasy that rising tensions could spill into violence over the weekend, after Mubarak defied pressure and clung to power.

Those worries dissipated as tens of thousands of protesters on the streets in Cairo and Alexandria erupted in jubilant cheers when he finally threw in the towel. But, at least on the London oil market, prices just as quickly went into reverse, amid the ongoing uncertainty in a country that sits astride a key oil shipment corridor, the Suez Canal.

While the oil price in New York-rep-

resenting a less-immediately vulnerable market-dropped $1.15 to $85.58 in closing trades Friday, the Brent North Sea contract in London finished 56 cents higher at $101.43 per barrel.

Gains on stock markets in Europe and the Americas were also moderated by the murky picture of the way forward, said brokers. “ We think having the militar y takeover was the best solution in ending the deadlock between the protestors and Mubarak,” said Win Thinn at Brown Brothers Harriman.

“However, there are still more questions than answers with regards to Egypt’s ultimate fate and so investors must be prepared for ongoing volatility.”

As the crisis in Egypt unfolded the biggest concern was for interruptions of oil shipments through the country.

Some three million barrels a day pass

Indian ‘flying car’ looks to future BANGALORE: It would be the ultimate answer to the daily horror of gridlock on the trafficchoked, exhaust-filled roads of Indian cities.

Unassumingly parked next to some of the world’s most lethal warplanes, a converted 800cc Maruti hatchback has stolen some of the thunder from the supersonic exhibits at the Aero India 2011 air show in the southern city of Bangalore.

The attraction? Rotating blades fitted on the four corners of the roof, and a vacuum section around the tyres which-its inventor insists-gives the car a vertical lift-off capability, allowing it to soar over any traffic jam.

Built in the 1980s by Japan’s Suzuki and only phased out last year, the Maruti 800 was India’s first small car, revolutionizing transport for millions of people for whom car ownership had previously been a distant dream.

Now A K Vishwanath is hoping his “flying Maruti” will have an equally dramatic impact on the way people look at car travelalthough it has never actually flown and he is extremely tightlipped about its exact inner workings. “After studying 2.5 mil-

lion shapes and objects linked to automobiles and work ing through complex theories I built this technique which will give my car vertical lift capabilities,” the soft-spoken inventor told AFP. Vishwanath, 52, has devoted the past 16 years to developing his prototype, obtaining 40 patents along the way, and says he drew inspiration from many sources, including the aerial prowess of bumble bees.

An electrical generator kickstarts the device, after which its original engine pumps out “energy flows” which, he says, will provide the lift- off and cruising capability.

“My invention is backed by complex mathematics and I have already tried a scaled-down version in a wind tunnel which I built myself,” he said.

The car was developed by Vishwanath’s own company, B’Lorean-named after his hometown Bangalore and the gullwinged DeLorean sports car of the 1980s, famously used as a time-travelling machine in the Hollywood blockbuster “Back To The Future”.

Vishwanath says he has been

BANGALORE: This file photo shows a prototype of a flying car, called the “flying Maruti” developed by Indian innovator A K Vishwanath on the tarmac at the Aero India 2011 air show. — AFP

approached by several firms willing to fund his work. “Business talk can begin, but only once the necessary paperwork is out of the way,” he said.

O ther specialists are also working on the project. “I believe in its principles and I joined him to learn more about the technologies involved,” said engineer B N Raghukumar.

Flying cars are hardly a new concept, and early prototypes of

one sort or another were tested as far back as the 1930s. Serious modern versions include the Terrafugia Transition, a “roadable aircraft” with a flying range of around 400 kilometres that was developed by Terrafugia-a private company founded by MIT graduates in the United States.

But the fact that the flying Maruti has yet to get airborne has left many skeptical about its inventor’s claims.— AFP

through, mostly northward toward Europe. Two million barrels pass through the Suez Canal and another million moves via a Red SeaMediterranean pipeline.

Reflecting that concern, Brent prices rose as much as four dollars a barrel during the protests, topping $102. Other assets, however, were not deeply affected. Investment management giant PIMCO pointed out that investors did not seek the traditional safe haven of the US dollar during the period.

“It’s hard for markets to know how to react to Egypt: It’s important geopolitically, but it’s not systemic in a traditional sense,” said PIMCO’s Mohamed El-Erian in a tweet Friday.

SEB Commodity Research analyst Filip Petersson was optimistic that the Egyptian military would more likely be a calming influence. “My guess is

that we will see a military-led dialogue and optimism in the country over the coming weeks. Some of the risk premium in the crude oil market is likely to fade as a result.”

“Initial reaction will be good for risk assets-and this has seen oil, gold and silver slide and equities rise,” said CMC Markets analyst Michael Hewson.

“Once the hullabaloo has died down, though, the key test will be how the military fills the vacuum created by this action, and the effect this has on risk appetite going forward.”

Sfakianakis added: “I think that once euphoria is over, the real questions about what would be the role of the army, the cabinet and society will be asked,” said. “Will this be a Turkish style military transition to democracy or something else. All these are unclear and investors will be looking for answers.” — Agencies

Budget will feature cuts, Investment, says Obama WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama said yesterday he was determined to carry out budget cuts to improve America’s balance sheet but insisted on making key investments in the country’s future. The president unveils his spending blueprint tomorrow, with White House officials saying it will freeze annual domestic spending for the next five years and help the United States reduce the budget deficit by more than $400 billion over the next decade. “We have stripped down the budget by getting rid of waste,” Obama said in his weekly radio address.

“For example, we are getting rid of thousands of government-owned buildings that sit empty because they aren’t needed,” he explained.

“I have also proposed freezing salaries for hard-working government employees because everyone has to do their part.

And I’m going to make sure politics doesn’t add to our deficit, by vetoing any bill that contains earmarks (for special spending).” Obama said his administration was also determined to continue making what he called “job-creating investments” in roads, high-speed trains and broadband Internet connections. He also emphasized the need to create new industries such as clean energy and biotechnology, improving schools and making college more affordable. “So, after a decade of rising deficits, this budget asks Washington to

live within its means, while at the same time investing in our future,” the president stressed. “It cuts what we can’t afford to pay for what we cannot do without.” The US Treasur y Department reported Thursday that the budget deficit in January was $49.8 billion, a 16.8 percent rise from a year earlier but less than analyst forecasts for around $59.5 billion.

Nevertheless, expenditure grew 11.3 percent year-on-year in January, faster than receipts, up 10.2 percent. Overall, the US national debt has now reached $14 trillion, on top of an annual $1.5 trillion government deficit.

Meanwhile, Republicans proposed a budget plan Friday that would cut billions of dollars in spending from the State Department and foreign programs, including US contributions to the United Nations. The proposed cuts are part of an overall Republican effort in the House of Representatives to reduce spending by $100 billion. Leaders in the Democratcontrolled Senate say the proposals are unrealistic. The planned cuts to State Depar tment and foreign operations amount to a $3.8 billion, or an eight percent reduction. “I will ensure that our foreign aid is not used as a stimulus bill for foreign countries,” Republican congresswoman Kay Granger, who chairs a budget subcommittee, said in a statement. — AFP

22

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

business

Egypt turmoil impacts Kuwait bourse KUWAIT: Very low trading activity in the Kuwaiti market with volume and value being at their lowest levels since the week ending in December 9, 2010 was a main cause for this week’s retreat. The first trading session of the week was too quiet with nothing new to spur investors to pump more money into the bourse. Also fear from the side effects of the Egyptian political turmoil on the regional markets continued.

Looking at the Global General Index, which is a market weighted index, the index dropped to its year low at the beginning of the week at 218.08 point last Sunday, February 6 before managing to regain some base in a volatile trend. However, still in the negative, it ended the week down by 0.34 percent at 219.53 percent. On a year-to-date basis, the index is down by 1.79 percent.

On the other hand, Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) price index was also down by 0.53 percent (35.60 points) and closed at 6,738.9 points.

Total market capitalization reached KD35.69bn.

Market breadth skewed towards decliners, with 73 stocks being down against 41 increasing, out of 153 shares traded last week.

Total trading activity was at its lowest base this year as investors are still monitoring the year end corporate results. Total trading volume dropped by 46.15 percent, reaching 592.7mn shares changing hands, at a total traded value of KD118.9mn (representing a 27.37 percent decline compared to the week before). Trading volume was the highest on the Services Sector, which accounted for 25.55 percent (151.5mn shares traded) of the total market volume.

National Ranges Company was the most traded share in the sector, with 49.6mn shares changing hands. Al-Safwa Group Holding was also among the top volume traded list for the week with 29.8mn shares traded.

On the value side, the Banking Sector topped the value traded list, accounting for 48.78 percent (KD58mn) of the overall market traded value. The biggest Kuwaiti bank topped the value list. National Bank of Kuwait saw KD43.2mn traded on its share, however, the scrip ended the week down by 1.39 percent.

Market sectors were mixed last week and almost balancing the market index. On the losers’ side, the banking sector, largest Kuwaiti sector, was down by 1.03 percent with only three out of the nine Kuwaiti listed banks ended at higher closings. Industrial and Investment sector were also down by 0.62 percent and 0.31 percent, respectively. However, the Food sector was the biggest loser this week, shedding 2.25 percent from its value with no gainers seen in its constituents.

On the other hand, the biggest increase seen in the services sector, the second biggest sector in market capitalization, helped the market index to end the week with moderate loses.

Global Services Index was up by 0.67 percent at the end of the week with a push from the biggest Kuwaiti listed company, Zain.

The scrip was up by 1.41 percent after some news hinting that the 46 percent Etisalat-Zain deal is coming to a near end. Biggest loser and gainer of the week were real estate companies.

Kuwait Real Estate Holding Company topped the gainers list with 16.67 percent increase in its share value. On the counter side, Real Estate Trade Center Company was the biggest loser, shedding 24.47 percent of its share value.

Global Real Estate Index was marginally up by 0.08 percent. Global’s special indices were all down. Global Large Cap (Top 10) index shed 0.34 percent while Global Small Cap (Low 10) Index dropped by 0.61 percent. However, Global Islamic Sharia Index was the most loser, with a 0.89 percent decrease in its value.

said this week. Dar increased the size of a senior facility by KD55 million to KD405 million ($1.45 billion) with the annual profit payment in cash increased from 2 percent to 5 percent as well as a payment-in-kind component which offers 6 percent, payable in three to four years. A junior facility will see its tenor reduced to six years from eight. Ten percent of the Islamic firm’s shares will be given to creditors, it said, adding that it aims to complete the plan by the end of June 2011. Dar’s shareholders will infuse up to KD20mn in fresh equity in the first twelve months of the plan.

Bahrain’s Batelco has made an offer for a 25 percent stake in Zain Saudi, Batelco said in a statement on Wednesday, February 9, 2011.

“Our offer remains valid till February 16, 2011,” Peter Kaliaropoulos, Batelco Group chief executive, said in the statement, without giving the value of the offer.

GLOBAL WEEKLY MARKET REPORT

Macroeconomic News Finance Minister Moustafa Al-Shamali is hoping that oil prices will not fall below $75 per barrel, the break-even point for the country’s 2011/2012 budget, a local media reported. Kuwait is expected to spend KD17.93bn ($64.2bn) in 2011/2012, a 10 percent increase from the current fiscal year. The country’s cabinet approved the budget earlier the month, based on an oil price of $60 per barrel for the year.

The Kuwaiti dinar stood at KD0.278 against the US dollar, while its rate also placed against the euro increased to KD0.380. The Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK) said that the rate of the national currency decreased to KD0.448 against the Sterling pound, continued unchanged as well at KD0.003 against the Japanese yen, and dropped against the Swiss franc at KD0.289. the increase in US dollar against other currencies is due to European Central Bank’s decision to tame inflation before ending its liquidity support.

Price of Kuwaiti crude oil reached $95.28 on Wednesday, February 9 per barrel (pb), slightly down by $0.62 compared to the price of $95.90 recorded on Wednesday, February 2, as announced by Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC). The resent boost in oil prices is due to the weekly report on US oil reserves, that was expected to show increase in reserves during the past week.

Other Local News The Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) committee was requested by unnamed sources to step up their efforts in approving the new KSE index.

Furthermore, the same sources also proposed to the committee to finalize the index by July 2011, five months prior to the previous selected date of November-2011, so that enough time will be given to test the new system.

Spanish builder Obrascon Huarte Lain (OHL) has won its first contract in Kuwait with a EUR645.5mn ($873mn) order to build a viaduct

in the country’s capital. OHL holds 48 percent of the winning consortium for the contract, part of the government’s program to improve traffic flows in the city of Kuwait, OHL said this week.

Kuwait Stock Exchange Global Investment House won an arbitration appeal against Al-Madina for Finance and Investment Company over a disputed share repurchase agreement. In April, Madina won an arbitration against Global over an KD11.57mn ($41.28mn) which Global appealed and won. The funds will now be paid to Global, the firm said in a statement. In a separate case, Madina won an arbitration appeal in September against Global over a separate $10mn debt amount.

Global Investment House Saudia (Global Saudia) announced that Standard & Poor’s (S&P) Fund Services has assigned an “A” fund management rating to the Global Saudi Equity Fund, the first time a Saudi Equities Fund is assigned such a highly recognized rating. The Global Saudi Equity Fund invests in stocks listed on the Saudi stock exchange and seeks to achieve long-term capital growth with predefined and controlled levels of risk. It aims to realize returns that exceed the average by benefiting from the expected economic growth in Saudi Arabia while maintaining a suitable level of diversification for fund assets and reduction of total risk by investing in different market sectors.

Capital Management LTD, the alternative asset management arm of Global Investment House, announced this week that the Global Buyout Fund has successfully acquired 80 percent Gulfinvest International Company secured the preliminary approval of all its creditors to convert the part of its debt that is not covered by guarantees into shares in the company’s capital. This is a significant step towards the company’s restructuring as it will enable it to dispose of all its debt, Gulfinvest said. The second phase of Gulfinvest restruc-

turing plan will see it raise its capital through the participation of existing shareholders in addition to the participation of a new strategic investor in unsubscribed shares after coordination with the restructuring advisor, it added.

In the third phase, the decisions will be made through shareholders meetings in coordination with the regulatory authorities.

Gulfinvest, dropped from the list of investment firms in Kuwait, on Sunday, February 6, said its creditors may own a stake in the company as part of initial approval for its debt restructuring plan.

Dubai builder Arabtec won a AED900mn ($245.1mn) contract to build part of a university complex in Kuwait. The largest builder in the United Arab Emirates by market value said 60 percent of the Sabah Al-Salem University will be built by the company and the work is expected to be completed in 42 months. It will work on the project along with Kuwait’s Combined Group Contracting Company (CGC). The entire project is estimated to be worth KD119.94mn (AED1.5bn) ($408.5mn).

Arabtec will construct four buildings, each having six floors while CGC will build the Faculty of Arts and Faculty of Education in Sabah Al Salem Campus, Kuwait. Combined Group Contracting Company has received the letter of award from the Central Tenders Committee (CTC) for tender No RFP-2179, for which it had submitted the lowest bid. Under the KD26.94mn deal, the company will design, supply and construct fire-fighting centers in Burgan as well as northern and western areas of Kuwait city over 28 months.

The Investment Dar reached an agreement to restructure $3.58bn of its debt in a plan that gives creditors a 10 percent stake in the company. Dar, which appointed a new creditors committee in December after the previous one resigned, said the new proposal will include full repayment with profit over a period between six to eight years. The deal was reached after a revised offer that provided “substantive enhancements” to creditors, Dar

Highlights of the week According to a research released this week

by GulfTalen.com, one of the leading online recruitment firms in the Middle East, and among the GCC countries, Qatar and Saudi Arabia had the highest pay rises in 2010 at 6.8 percent and 6.7 percent, respectively.

Oman was in third place with 6.4 percent, followed by Kuwait at 5.7 percent. The UAE and Bahrain saw the smallest increases at 5.2 percent and 4.9 percent, respectively. The findings were published in GulfTalent.com sixth annual review of labor market trends entitled “Employment and Salary Trends in the Gulf 2010-2011” and were based on a survey of 32,000 professionals and 1,400 companies across the six Gulf states. Although much lower than the double-digit increases of 2008, the pay rises were all higher than the rates of inflation, resulting in improving living standards for many. However, an estimated 55 percent of professionals did not receive any pay increase at all.

Gulf Finance House, an Bahraini-based Islamic investment bank listed in Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE), announced that the Kuwait Investment Company (KIC) has been appointed to assist the bank with the recapitalization and raising up to $500mn program through a convertible Murabaha as part of the restructuring plan agreed to by shareholders. KIC’s appointment opens up an opportunity to individual, private investors who will now through KIC - be able to participate in the capital increase.

VIVA, the third telecom operator in Kuwait, announced that it had signed a KD51mn deal with Ahli United Bank (AUB) of Kuwait that would last for five years. Chairman of the board of VIVA Adel Al-Roumi said that the deal would help solidify VIVA’s position in the market as it would help the company to develop its infrastructure, telecom network, and services.

Shuaiba Industrial Company won a contract worth almost KD1.8mn. Under the one-year agreement, the company will supply a Saudi cement producer with paper bags in 2011.

Kuwaiti Egyptian Investment Company, an Egyptian unit of Kuwait-based Mena Holding Company, is awaiting the stabilization of the political situation in Egypt in order to approach the new government regarding the fate of a plot of land it owns there. The company wants to know the Egyptian government’s decision regarding the Al Ayyat plot of land, whether it will remain an agricultural project or whether the plan to convert it into an urban development zone will continue, Ahmad Abdul Salam, chairman of Kuwaiti Egyptian Investment, said.

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

.2766930 .4438850 .3769120 .2872350 .2771930 .2777590 .0060880 .0025040 .0753530 .7341290 .3913630 .0738050 .7188710 .0063830 .0477060 CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES .2781500 .4462220 .3788960 .2887470 .2786520 .0508230 .0428360 .2792210 .0357150 .2176620 .0033610 .0000000 .0000000 .0000000 .0000000 .0757490 .7379940 .0000000 .0741930 .7226550 .0000000

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

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co.

Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka

ASIAN COUNTRIES 3.371 6.103 3.286 2.512 3.827 218.170 35.861 3.850

.2820280 .4524420 .3841780 .2927720 .2825370 .2831130 .0062050 .0025520 .0768050 .7482820 .3989080 .0752280 .7327300 .0065060 .0486260 .2802500 .4495910 .3817570 .2909270 .2807550 .0512070 .0431600 .2813290 .0359850 .2193050 .0033860 .0061660 .0025360 .0033050 .0039750 .0763210 .7435660 .3963930 .0747530 .7281110 .0064650

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

6.373 9.070 0.271 0.273

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

GCC COUNTRIES 74.538 76.822 726.210 742.410 76.116

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 50.500 47.501 1.309 197.710 394.830 185.500 6.062 34.292

EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 279.480 Euro 382.750 Sterling Pound 451.670 Canadian dollar 287.260 Turkish lire 176.090 Swiss Franc 291.850 Australian dollar 279.980 US Dollar Buying 278.995 GOLD 259.000 131.000 67.500

Sterling Pound US Dollar

SELL CASH 284.100 744.780 4.230 287.000 550.000 14.100 52.000 167.800 50.500 384.000 36.640 6.400

395.830 0.188 94.860 3.850 215.300

SELL DRAFT 282.600 744.780 3.858 285.500

220.100 47.635 382.500 36.490 6.130

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 Indian Rupees

290.000 6.100 9.290 76.320 280.000

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 450.000 280.000

Selling Rate 279.300 283.260 450.647 384.845 290.639 739.234 76.020 76.694 74.450 394.543 47.516 2.514 6.141

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

3.287 3.856 6.389 685.114 3.481 9.164 6.191 3.921 91.856

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co. 727.260 3.310 6.410 77.040 74.770 220.120 41.050 2.517 450.000

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd

Bahrain Exchange Company COUNTRY Australian dollar Bahraini dinar Bangladeshi taka Canadian dollar Cyprus pound Czek koruna Danish krone Deutsche Mark Egyptian pound Euro Cash Hongkong dollar Indian rupees

0.032

GOLD 1,428.530

10 Tola 20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

0.033 0.262 0.252 3.450 397.430 0.189 94.860 46.500 4.390 216.800 1.905 49.100 727.440 3.360 6.640 77.470 74.770 220.120 41.050 2.717 452.000 44.300 291.500 6.100 9.480 198.263 76.420 280.400 1.350

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) 279.300 3.290 6.145 2.525 3.870 6.435 76.150 74.680 742.500 47.520 456.200 0.00003280 3.910 1.550 396.800 5.750 388.300 287.300

Al Mulla Exchange Currency Transfer Rate (Per 1000) US Dollar 278.950 Euro 380.000 Pound Sterling 450.000 Canadian Dollar 285.200 Japanese Yen 3.400 Indian Rupee 6.115 Egyptian Pound 47.500 Sri Lankan Rupee 2.511 Bangladesh Taka 3.821 Philippines Peso 6.390 Pakistan Rupee 3.287 Bahraini Dinar 743.000 UAE Dirham 76.100 Saudi Riyal 74.550 *Rates are subject to change

A

y

e niv rsar n

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

Years

BUSINESS

Kuwait budget could see KD 5-6bn surplus Oil breaches $100 mark after Egypt turmoil KUWAIT: Oil prices moved back into the headlines over the past month, as the price of Brent - the main European benchmark crude - breached the $100 per barrel (pb) mark for the first time since the super spike of 2008. Through January, the price averaged $96.3, up 5% from December. But this did not fully reflect the sharp $6 rise seen more recently.

The price of Kuwait Export Crude (KEC) saw an equivalent rise of $5pb at the end of the month, but is still trading at a discount to other major world crudes. Its price reached a near-term peak of $95.9 on February 2.

Note that the world’s other premier benchmark crude, West Texas Intermediate (WTI), peaked at just $91 in late January, beset by oversupply issues.

The primary cause of the end-January surge in prices was the political turmoil engulfing, in the wake of Tunisia, Egypt. Although there has been little sign of any significant disruption to oil supplies transiting through either the Suez canal or the Sumed pipeline - which combined are estimated to distribute as much as 4 million barrels per day (mbpd) of oil and derivative products - the market response reflects the potential for delays or shut-ins, contagion to other countries and a perceived increase in geopolitical risk. In addition to Egypt, a more subtle positive effect on oil prices may have come from the renewed decline in the US dollar, which lost nearly 7% versus the Euro from its high of mid-January. This dollar move was partly due to views that monetary policy outside the US may soon be tighter in response to higher food prices.

After it came roaring back in 2010, the growth in world oil demand is expected to slow this year to between 1.2 mbpd and 1.6 mbpd, or 1.4-1.8%. The slowdown reflects the return to more moderate rates of economic growth following last year’s rebound from the economic crisis. But it also reflects the potential impact of tighter economic policy on final demand, as governments seek to reduce their own budget deficits and central banks move to normalize ultra-loose monetary stances. Almost all demand growth is likely to be accounted for by countries outside the OECD, where economic growth is expected to be relatively fast and whose early phase of development tends to support growth in heavy industrial - and therefore oil intensive sectors. Another factor in slowing demand growth might be the high level of oil prices themselves, which

NBK ECONOMIC REPORT

Million KD, unless otherwise noted

could reduce real incomes in oil importing countries.

Crude oil production of the OPEC-11 (i.e. excluding Iraq) saw its biggest jump in 18 months in December, rising by 130,000 bpd to 26.77 mbpd. This cannot necessarily be attributed to a deliberate change in OPEC policy, since it merely offsets an unexpectedly large (revised) fall in production in November. But it is worth noting that Saudi Arabia - often the cartel’s swing producer - saw a big increase in its output for the second month running, hinting at a conscious attempt to prevent prices from climbing any further. OPEC’s next scheduled policy meeting is not until June and members have repeated their view that the market is well supplied and that upward price movements are being driven by financial speculation. Despite rising by 0.5 mbpd on average in 2010, OPEC-11 output is still nearly

2 mbpd lower than it was in 2008.

Outside of OPEC crude, non-OPEC oil is expected to have increased by around 1 mbpd in 2010, while natural gas liquids (NGLs) supplied by OPEC - not subject to the organization’s quota system - are expected to have added a further 0.5 mbpd. This year, the aggregate increase in supply from these sources could be smaller, at around 1.1 mbpd, though still significant. Such an increase might be used by OPEC to justify caution in bringing too much more of its own crude oil to the market, too quickly.

Our latest central projection for oil prices this year is based upon an increase in oil demand of 1.3 mbpd, close to the below-average increase forecast by OPEC. Meanwhile, non-OPEC supply is expected to rise by 1.1 mbpd, including additional production from Canada,

Brazil and another large increase in OPEC NGLs. Although this arithmetic implies the need for an extra 0.2 mbpd of OPEC crude, more will be needed if a continued drawdown in stock levels is to be avoided. An increase in OPEC crude output by 1 mbpd -towards the second half of the year - would be enough to avoid another fall in inventories. Under such a scenario, the price of KEC might retain some momentum in the first half of the year, rising to $98 pb by 2Q 2011, before easing back to $94 by 4Q 2011 as the impact of additional OPEC output takes hold. Given its apparent hesitation, OPEC might raise its production by less than 1 mbpd, either because it underestimates the increase in global demand this year or because of some unforeseen production outage suffered by one or more of its members.

If OPEC output increased by just 0.7 mbpd, stock levels would once again be drawn down and prices would push much higher. The price of KEC could reach as high as $116 by the end of the year.

If, however, the global economy turns out weaker than expected - perhaps because of tighter monetary and fiscal policies worldwide - global oil demand could rise by just 1.1 mbpd this year. The price of KEC could fall back to $84 by 3Q 2011 and $74 by end-year. In the event, OPEC would be likely to respond to falling prices by reversing production increases made earlier in the year, attempting to limit the decline.

The above scenarios generate average oil prices of $80-81pb in the current fiscal year, with the main impact of changes in demand and supply on prices being felt in subsequent quarters. This is almost double the $43 assumed in the government’s budget. Actual revenues in the first nine months of the year, at KD15.1 billion, are already 56% above the government’s revenue projections for the entire year. If, as we expect, actual spending comes in 5-10% below budget, this year’s surplus could end-up between KD4.9 and KD6.1 billion. The NBK report concluded: It is also worth noting that, although detailed figures have not yet been published, government statements have pointed to a projected budget deficit of KD 4.5 billion in FY2011/12, based upon an assumed oil price of $60 pb. To the extent that the government’s oil price projection is once again too conservative, the final budget position is likely to be substantially better.

IBQ NET PROFIT UP 34% IN 2010 TO QAR 458M NBK’s associate in Qatar

(From Left to Right): Mohammed Al-Hamadi, Vice Chairman, Ghanim Bin Saad Al Saad & Sons Group with Hussam A S Abu Issa, Vice Chairman and COO, Salam International.

GSSG’S MEDIA GROUP ACQUIRES 80% OF SALAM MEDIA CAST GSSG’s Media Group announced the acquisition of 80 per cent of Salam Media Cast, a leading provider of media solutions. Salam Media Cast specializes in the provision of telecommunications, broadcasting, integrated systems and technologically advanced security solutions in the Gulf Region and beyond. With the addition of Salam Media Cast to the established Media Group, a subsidiary of Ghanim Bin Saad Al-Saad & Sons Group Holdings (GSSG), Media Group will be able to facilitate high quality media services and production throughout the region.

“In today’s world media has become one of the most important components of any country’s development,” said Mohammed Al-Hammadi, deputy Chairman of GSSG. “Together we will be able to participate in the rapid development of Qatar and its neighbors through providing high quality media content, that would enrich their media outlets,” Al-Hammadi added.

“Media Group is planning to expand its scope to cover a variety of media services that would meet the needs of the evolving media market,” said Mohammed Badr Al-Sada, Vice President of Media Group.

“Together, Media Group and Salam

KUWAIT:

Media Cast, plan to work with the key constituents in the media industry to better understand the needs of all media outlets in the region and help them to maximize yield and achieve their media objectives,” Al-Sada Added.

Media Group, a subsidiary of GSSG, was established in 2010 with the main aim of providing high quality media services for GSSG and any clients in Qatar and the Gulf region. Their main scope of works include Public Relations, Media Production, Event Management, Marketing and IT solutions.

GSSG Holdings is one of Qatar’s leading private holding companies, comprising over 30 businesses ranging from engineering and trading, to real estate and information technology, education and fitness, aviation services and automobiles. In addition to this diverse portfolio, GSSG Holdings also has global business interests and actively welcomes business opportunities for diversification. GSSG applies re-engineering techniques such as process mapping, measuring success through key performance indicators and maintaining quality assurance standards. This serves to keep the business fully up to date with the latest industry standards and requirements, both in product and service delivery.

Saudi to save energy through insulation JEDDAH: Top oil exporter Saudi Arabia plans to cut up to 40 percent of its energy use, largely by enforcing investment in insulation, its water and power minister said yesterday.

Power demand in the top OPEC producer is rising at an annual rate of 8 percent, requiring investments of close to $80 billion by 2018.

Without reducing the rate of energy consumption growth, the kingdom could see oil available for export drop some 3 million barrels per day (bpd) to less than 7 million bpd in 2028, Khalid al-Falih, the chief executive of state oil

firm Saudi Aramco said last year.

“Insulation in homes is expected to lower energy consumption by 40 percent,” Hussayen said yesterday. “Now it will be mandatory and we are working on implementing it,” he said, giving no timeframe. He added that air-conditioners make up for 70-80 percent of energy used.

The kingdom has established the King Abdullah City For Atomic and Renewable Energy (KA-CARE) to diversify its energy mix and reduce its dependence on fossil fuels domestically that it would rather export. — Reuters

DOHA: IBQ announced yesterday its financial results for year ending December 31, 2010 with net profits reaching QAR 458 million up by 34% from 2009. Annual Operating Income increased 27% to reach QAR 853 million as compared to QAR 670 million in 2009.

Total conventional and Islamic customer deposits also witnessed a considerable rise of 22% on the previous year, finishing at QAR 16 billion as compared to QAR 13 billion in 2009. Net Interest income including income from Islamic financing and investment activities grew by 28% to QAR 667 million. IBQ’s Loans portfolio was equally strong with a total of QAR 15.34 billion compared to QAR 12.97 billion in 2009 and with an 18% increase. IBQ’s total assets now stand at QAR 24.1 billion up by 5% from QAR 22.9 billion in 2009.

“This has been another good year for IBQ as we grow from strength to strength owing to several factors, and in particular our partnership with the National Bank of Kuwait. This partnership has started in 2004 during which

George Nasra

time our customer base has more than quadrupled while our net profits have risen by more than 12-fold. In 2010, we have also expanded our nationwide coverage with new branches in areas such as Ras Laffan and Al Rayyan making a total of 14 branches and service centres across Qatar.

Importantly, our profits derived from core earnings, all underpinned by our quality loan port-

folio and investments. We have strongly invested across all channels developing our infrastructure, ICT technologies, service delivery, product innovation, human capital and quality assurance frameworks.”

IBQ has achieved above average market growth rate for 6 consecutive years with assets CAGR growth of 51% versus 36% for the market, loans CAGR growth rate

of 57% versus a 36% growth of the market, and deposits CAGR growth of 48% versus a 31% for the market.

Nasra concluded, “ We are proud to see our customer service recognized as a benchmark consecutively with the Best Customer Service Award 2008, 2009 and 2010 from the Banker Middle East. We continue to solidify our position in the marketplace aiming to become the Bank of Choice and a major banking force in Qatar.”

Lafarge Kuwait receives Kuperfarb, Sheardown KUWAIT: Lafarge Kuwait Co was pleased to receive Gerard Kuperfarb, Executive Vice-president of Lafarge S A and Greg Sheardown, Regional president Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa for the inauguration of its production facilities in Kuwait.

The pair visited the newly updated factory unit at Sulaibiya to meet with company employees and view the recently installed computerized production and quality control systems. They also participated in the daily safety briefing with all employees and undertook a tour of the site to view the many improvements in safety and operations which have been made.

The world leader in building materials Lafarge is No 1 in cement, No 2 in aggregates and No 3 in concrete globally. Lafarge employs over 78,000 people in 78 countries on over 2000 production sites with annual sales of over 15 billion euros.

Lafarge Kuwait commenced operations in 2010 and currently operates three production units and a fleet of modern concrete pumps and truckmixers. The company is proud to be associated with Fouad

Alghanim and Sons Group of Companies.

As well as producing a range of standard and high-strength concrete mixes the company will be launching a range of technologically-advanced, high-performance concretes for the first time in Kuwait. Lafarge invests over 15 million euros annually in research and development at its 25,000m2 purpose built research centre based at Lyon in France. These products bring unique and innovative solutions with a wide-range of performance and aesthetic enhancing properties in order to provide customers with products and solutions which generate real added value.

Kuberfarb thanked the employees and management of Lafarge Kuwait for the smooth transition and integration of the new business and was extremely pleased to note that “the company was firmly set to deliver the sector-leading values of quality and innovation along with the highest standards of health & safety for our customers and employees” For further information please visit www.lafarge.com

24

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

business

KSE indices record losses, Egypt weighs KUWAIT: Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) ended last week in the red zone, as both its m a i n i n d i ce s re co rd e d l o s s e s. Th e p r i ce index ended last week with a decrease amounted to 2.44%, while the weighted index retreated 2.34% compared to the closings of the week before. Furthermore, last week’s average daily turnover decreased by 29.13%, compared to the preceding week, reaching KD 32.73 million, whereas trading volume average was 220.15 million shares, recording a retreat of 41.32%.

The political circumstances in Egypt continued to have a negative influence on the market, due to the fact that many listed companies have investment in Egypt. On the other hand, the annual results for listing companies started to appear, yet, the number of companies which disclosed its results still relatively limited.

Moreover, Banks sector contained to lead the daily trading, as it was subject to both buying and profit taking actions. Yet, Investment and Real Estate sectors had its share from the

BAYAN WEEKLY MARKET REPORT traders’ attention, as both of them were a subject for profit taking. By the end of the week, the price index closed at 6,738.9 points, down by 0.53% from the week before closing, whereas the weighted index registered a 0.38% weekly loss after closing at 474.85 points.

Sectors’ Indices Seven of KSE’s sectors ended last week in the red zone except for one sector, whereas the Insurance sector’s index closed with no change from the week before. The Food sector headed the losers list as its index declined by 1.61% to end the week’s activity at 4,382.7 points. The Non Kuwaiti Companies sector was second on the losers’ list, which index declined by 1.37%, closing at 6,625.7 points, followed by the

Industry sector, as its index closed at 5,097.6 points at a loss of 0.88%. The Real Estate sector was the least declining as its index closed at 2,252.7 points with a 0.08% decrease.

trading value. The Services sector took the second place as the sector’s last week turnover of KD 19.28 million represented 16.22% of the total market trading value.

Sectors’ Activity The Services sector dominated total trade volume during last week with 151.47 million shares changing hands, representing 25.55% of the total market trading volume. The Investment sector was second in terms trading volume as the sector’s traded shares were 21.14% of last week’s total trading volume, with a total of 125.31 million shares. On the other hand, the Banks sector’s stocks where the highest traded in terms of value; with a turnover of KD 57.98 million or 48.78% of last week’s total market

Market Capitalization KSE total market capitalization declined by 0.37% during last week to reach KD 34.30 billion, as four of KSE’s sectors recorded a decrease in their respective market capitalization, Three recorded increase, whereas the Insurance sector’s market capitalization remained the same from the week before. The Food sector headed the decliners list as its total market capitalization reached KD 751.50 million, decreasing by 2.25%.

The Banks sector was the second in terms of recorded decline with 1.06% decrease after the

total value of its listed companies reached KD 14.17 billion. The third place was for the Industry sector, which total market capitalization reached KD 2.79 billion by the end of the week, recording a decline of 0.62%. The Investment sector was the least declining with 0.33% recorded decrease after its market capitalization amounted to KD 2.81 billion.

On the other hand, the Services sector headed the growing sectors as its total market capitalization reached KD 9.47 billion, increasing by 0.63%. The Non Kuwaiti Companies sector was the second in terms of recorded growth with 0.34% increase after the total value of its listed companies reached KD 2.14 billion. The third place was for the Real Estate sec tor, which total market capitalization reached KD 1.83 billion by the end of the week, recording an increase of 0.11%.

For further details, please visit our web site: www.bayaninvest.com Prepared by the Studies & Research Department, Bayan Investment Co.

25

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

business

Toyota shares jump on profit outlook, US probe relief TOKYO: Toyota Motor Corp shares soared on Wednesday after a US government report gave its cars a clean bill of health and a better-than-expected profit outlook helped the world's largest automaker put a dismal year behind it.

The stock jumped 5.2 percent to a ninemonth high, making it the biggest percentage gainer on the Nikkei 225 index.

"The numbers were good. The second thing was the US report which says there are no problems with Toyota electronics. It was a double header," said Chris Richter an auto analyst with CLSA Asia Pacific Markets in Tokyo.

"This is still a work-in-progress and they have a lot of things to fix, but if things are

getting better I want to get in Toyota now when things are still bad," he added.

Posting a smaller-than-expected fall in third-quarter operating profit Tuesday, Japan's biggest company raised its prediction for the full year by 45 percent to 550 billion yen ($6.68 billion) saying stronger sales in Asia and lower costs were boosting profitability.

US transport officials later added to the car maker's cheer by clearing its electronics of causing cars to accelerate unintentionally. The findings vindicated Toyota's claim that it had identified and fixed the only known safety problems with popular vehicles like the Camry.

"The problem they had in the US seems

to be over and they don't have a big problem at the moment with the management of the company and the product," said Yuuki Sakurai, president of Fukoku Capital Management in Tokyo.

For Toyota's boss, Akio Toyoda, who broke down and cried in front of his US employees last year amid a tsunami of car recalls that in the past year have amounted to about 14 million vehicles, it provides relief from shareholder pressure to mend the automaker's earnings engine.

"Toyota still has a challenge competing against its rivals in emerging markets, but there are hopes that it can regain its market share in the US market," said Mitsushige Akino, a fund manager at

Ichiyoshi Investment Management.

Toyota's lifting of its annual outlook was a source of relief for investors, he said.

Investors and analysts, however, caution that for Toyota, which just stayed ahead of General Motors Co as the world's biggest automaker last year, the next chapter in its recovery could be tougher still.

Unlike its nearest domestic rival, Nissan Motors Co., Toyota has been slow to tackle money-losing production at home that is squeezing overall profitability.

"The policy of Nissan is that they are not interested in making their own cars anymore, they have tie-ups with other car manufacturers like Mazda Motor Corp or Mitsubishi Motors Corp. It means they

don't really care where the car comes from," said Fukoku Capital's Sakurai.

The titan of Japan's auto industry still makes 43 percent of all its cars in Japan, most of those in or near a small city in central Japan that named itself Toyota City after its biggest employer.

Nissan's own home output is a much smaller 28 percent, while Honda Motor Co makes an even smaller 27 percent of its cars in Japan. That means they are far less vulnerable to the profit sapping impact of a strong yen.

Toyota climbed 180 yen to 3,670 yen.

The Nikkei average was down 0.17 percent cent increase from 7.24 million in the previous fiscal year. —Reuters

Weber saw credibility problem with ECB job Unease over ECB program created confusion

Markaz KSE Market Index KSE index loses modestly Open: 6,767, High: 6,780, Low: 6,721 Close: 6,738 KUWAIT: The Kuwait Stock Exchange index showed small loss and Weight index ended the week at 475 level, a decline of 0.4%. While the KSE price index was down 0.5% or 36 points to 6,739 level. All the sectors indexes ended in negative territory. The food and the Non-Kuwaiti indexes slipped 1.6% and 1.4% respectively. The Industrial and the Investment indexes moved lower 0.9% and 0.6% respectively. While the Services, the Banking and the Rea-estate indexes lost 0.1% to 0.3% compared to last week. The market sentiment was negative as 68 stocks declined against 39 stocks gained and 38 stocks closed at same level as the previous week. Among

the large caps stocks the major losers were KFH -3.2%, FOOD -2.5%, GBK -1.8%, NBK 1.4%, KIBK -1.4%, NINV -1.1%, NMTC -1.1% and the gainers were BOUBYAN +1.7%, ZAIN +1.4%, NIND +1.4%, While the stocks of KPROJ and BPCC remained unchanged on weekly basis.

The KSE Weighted index faces upside resistances at 477 and 480 levels and downside support remains at 470 level, however if index breaks support level of 470 then it may find support at 460 level. While the KSE market price index has downside support at 6,650 level and upside it face resistances at 6,800 level.

BERLIN: The outgoing head of Germany's Bundesbank decided against seeking the presidency of the European Central Bank because he believed his open opposition to its bond-buying program would have posed a credibility problem, according to an interview published yesterday.

Axel Weber was long a favorite to succeed Jean-Claude Trichet at the ECB when the Frenchman's term expires in October. But that status evaporated over days of confusion that culminated in Friday's announcement that Weber will leave the Bundesbank on April 30, a year early, for personal reasons.

Weber had voiced unease over the ECB's program, launched last year, to buy bonds of troubled eurozone countries and called for the program to be stopped. Weber, 53, was quoted as telling the weekly Der Spiegel that he had taken "clear positions that I still stand by." "These positions may not always have been conducive to my acceptance by some governments," he said. "I was aware since last May that a potential (ECB) candidacy would be impaired by this." Weber was never formally proposed for the job, and said he had decided over recent months not to

BERLIN: The President of the German Federal Central Bank, Bundesbank, Axel A Weber, arrives for a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the chancellery in Berlin on Friday.—AP seek it. He said he indicated to Chancellor Angela Merkel in January that he was "not available for package solutions" combining his candidacy with policy issues, and the two agreed then to talk again in March.

"The ECB is the bulwark for stability in Europe," Weber was quoted as saying. "The president has a special position -- but if he represents a minority opinion on important questions, then the credibility of this

office suffers." Weber is a member of the ECB's governing council in his capacity as president of Germany's central bank. In the Bundesbank's tradition, he has been an advocate of tough steps to prevent inflation.

In yesterday's interview he underlined his concerns about the ECB buying government bonds, although he conceded that "the current volumes are controllable." "That doesn't change anything about my fundamental concerns," he said. "A central bank must always be aware of what risk it is taking as soon as it acts in the border zone between monetary and fiscal policy." Weber's departure from the ECB race leaves Trichet's succession wide open. Bank of Italy governor Mario Draghi is widely viewed as another front-runner, while analysts point to the possibility of a candidate from a smaller, northern country such as the Finnish or Luxembourg central bank governors. "In the end, which nation provides the president is not so important," Weber said. The ECB needs "people who are credible, embody the culture of stability and can communicate this to Europe's population," he added. Weber said he hasn't yet decided what he will do next, but he won't start a new job before next year. — AP

AirAsia delays delivery of 10 Airbus A320s

Valentine’s Day Surprises That Sparkle All Year Long There are no gifts that can truly express all the warmth of Valentine's Day, but that sure doesn't stop us from trying. This year, break away from the usual chocolate and roses by standing out with a stylish gift that shines beyond the romantic season.

Chic curves and modern elegance are the hallmark of consumer electronics-always a great choice for either him or her!

Checking out some of the brands out there, there are a number of combos from Samsung that look to be the hot choices this spring.

Women or men, young and oldwho doesn't enjoy a designer gadget?

The incredibly popular Samsung Galaxy Tab is the creme de la creme of the tablet market and has received global recognition for its slick design and highperformance applications. Just a few months old within the Gulf, consumers are able to experience PC-like web browsing and enjoy all forms of multimedia content on the perfectly sized 7-inch display.

Combined with a 1GHz processor, support for the latest Adobe Flash Player 10.1, and native Arabic-language functions, the Galaxy Tab is the best way for loved ones to stay in touch wherever they may be.

devices (mobile phones, notebooks and digital cameras)-uploading your most memorable photos, videos and music onto the big screen and enjoying them with your loved one. The social experience comes further to life with qualities such as Internet@TV and ConnectShare(tm), providing a totally new experience of Internet through TV and opening up a host of multimedia options by simply connecting to the USB port, using true plug-and-play technology. Stunning precision in full 3D is an added feature on higher-end models.

Average retail price for Galaxy Tab is AED 2899 All those special moments can be recorded with the latest Samsung ST600 camera-the perfect creative tool whether you're taking a self-portrait in the home or a couple's shot at your favorite restaurant. The dynamic Dual Display feature lets you see the shot on the front-side LCD before taking it, so you can smile for the camera and be the photographer at the same time. Add to that is the camera's ability to automatically frame and take the shot for you, using scene recognition to make sure that you always get the photo you're imagining. The stunning 14.2 megapixel sensors

come with a 5x optical zoom capability that ensures all the details are captured just as you remember them.

Average retail price for ST600 is AED 1399 If photography isn't your forte, being nestled up on the couch is the opportune time to enjoy the pinnacle in audio visual electronicsthe LED TV! Samsung once again raises the bar with its Samsung Smart TV LED range enabling consumers to enjoy all their favorite multimedia content with the utmost clarity and vibrancy.

Through the AllShare feature you can create a DLNA wireless network among all Samsung-compatible

Starting price for Smart LEDs is AED 2999 The Samsung Champ mobile phone introduces a new touch experience for users who want to combine their need for pragmatic efficiency with their desire for multimedia and social networking on the go. Touch makes navigation more intuitive and fun, with dual speakers and Sound Alive technology that produces amazing sound quality for a true to life audio experience. The mobile's beautiful crystal design enhances the attractiveness of this already desirable phone, which is now available in a specially-branded Hello Kitty model for the ultra-lush experience.

Starting price for Samsung Champ is AED 349.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia has delayed the scheduled delivery of ten of its aircraft by three years to 2015, in a bid to switch its order to more fuel-efficient planes, the company said.

AirAsia agreed to order 175 Airbus A320 aircraft in 2005, with a delivery schedule running from December 2005 to October 2014, but earlier deliveries have been put back several times due to its overcrowded budget terminal.

"A key commercial reason for the (present) deferral... is to afford the company some flexibility to switch from its current order of the classic A320 to a new generation A320 aircraft which is more fuel efficient when such aircraft come into production in the near future," it said in a filing with the local bourse on Friday.

"Despite the deferral, AirAsia will nevertheless be taking delivery of 14 aircraft in 2012," it added.

"This will enable the company to support the growth of its joint ventures

in the Philippines as well as Vietnam while continuing to support existing affiliate airlines." The company also said that the number of planes delivered in 2015 would accordingly increase from 9 to 19 aircraf t, with no penalties payable for revising its delivery schedule. I n August the budget airline deferred delivery of seven aircraft by four years to 2015 due to space constraints at its Kuala Lumpur terminal.

In 2009, the Malaysian government vetoed AirAsia's ambitious plan to build its own 460-million-dollar airport far from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in a bid to improve standards and lower operational costs. However, it is now relying on Malaysia Airports Holdings, which runs KLIA, to build a new budget terminal that is scheduled for completion by M arch 2012.

AirAsia, which was launched in 2001 with just two planes, is now the region's fourth-biggest carrier with 25 million passengers a year.— AFP

Landmark Group soon to launch Carluccio’s in Kuwait KUWAIT: L a n d m a r k G ro u p, t h e region's leading retail and hospitality conglomerate, will soon be launching Carluccio's, the internationally renowned Italian cafÈ, restaurant and foodshop in Kuwait. Located in the Avenues, diners will very soon be able to enjoy delicious Italian cuisine at great value for money.

Speak ing about the upcoming launch Naveed Dowlatshahi, the Head o f Fo o d m a r k , t h e fo o d d i v i s i o n o f Landmark Group:"We are looking forward to launching Carluccio's in Kuwait. As the Group has grown and diversified its interests, our vision is to continually expand in the region in both our retail and hospitality segment. We have huge plans for Carluccio's; in the coming 4 years there

would be over 25 Carluccio's restaurants in the region."

Having originated in the UK, the first Carluccio's was opened in 1999 in London and has gone on to expand to 50 locations across the UK , and 56 worldwide. Carluccio's will be entering Kuwait for the ver y first time after enjoying immense success in United Arab Emirates and Qatar. Carluccio's captures the essence of contemporary Italian dining in a relaxed yet stylish atmosphere. It is famous for selling ingredients and merchandise, also used in Carluccio's restaurants and cafes around the world, such as olive oil, fresh bread and imported cheeses.

Landmark Group would like to welcome both locals and expats in Kuwait to experience a little taste of Italy.

26

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

business

Market pushes higher as optimism builds WALL STREET WEEKLY REPORT NEW YORK: US stocks marched resolutely upward this week to new two-year highs amid signs the economic recovery was gaining traction. But as a generally positive company earnings season begins to fade, analysts warn that stocks may sputter. "There's nothing that's really compelling on the downside. That's the reason we're holding there," said Marc Pado at Cantor Fitzgerald. The Dow Jones Industrial Average clinched a ninth week of gains in the past 10 weeks, adding 1.50 percent. At 12,273.26 points, it finished Friday at its highest level since mid-June 2008.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index, a broad measure of the markets, rose 1.39 percent over the week, to 1,329.15 points. The tech-rich Nasdaq Composite hit a November 2007 high after rising 1.45 percent over the week to 2,809.44 points. Wall Street watched developments in Egypt that culminated with the ouster Friday of President Hosni Mubarak after two weeks of massive protests calling for his resignation. But positive economic and company news kept stocks ticking higher.

The stock markets were buoyed from Monday onward by a series of big mergers and acquisi-

tions that included Wednesday's announcement that Germany's Deutsche Boerse was in advanced talks to buy the New York Stock Exchange.

Several earnings reports from major companies beat market expectations, with the notable exceptions of Cisco Systems, the telecommunications equipment giant, and Kraft Foods. Both offered disappointing outlooks. The flurry of results from the Dow's 30 blue-chip components has "been rotating through and keeping the market up," Pado said.

Pado noted that sentiment got a lift from diversified group 3M's decision to raise its dividend and increase its share buyback program.

"They're putting their cash on the sideline to work in a way that is going to boost shareholder value," he said. But, he warned, "we're running out of companies to report earnings.

The market is just drifting upwards, not driving upwards." Nicholas Colas at BNY ConvergEx said the most important takeaway from the earning reports overall was "that analysts covering the companies have become more optimistic about revenue growth for the companies in the forward couple of quarters." Traders face a lively calendar

The Investment Dar Restructuring Update KUWAIT: The Investment Dar Co KSCC (TID) provides the following update on progress on its ongoing restructuring program.

The Special Circuit Court of Appeal under the Financial Stability Law of Kuwait sat in session on Thursday 10 February. At the hearing, TID presented the Court with a written submission and copies of the headline commercial term sheet for the previously announced enhanced supplementary plan ("ESP") signed by the Chairman of the Board and the members of the Coordinating Committee.

The Board of TID and the Coordinating Committee believe the ESP presents a workable commercial solution, which complies with current and prospective Central Bank of Kuwait ratios and is in the best interest of both TID's banks and investors and shareholders.

Alternative solutions to the restructuring process would be lengthy and value destructive to all TID's stakeholders and would deliver significantly decreased returns for all parties. The Court adjourned to April 7 to allow the parties to review and respond to the documents filed.

Further updates will be announced in due course.

Obama’s high-speed rail faces political challenge WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama wants to build high-speed trains like France's famous TGV around the country to boost US competitiveness and create jobs.

But when his 2011-2012 budget plan comes out on Monday, Republicans are likely to hone in on $8 billion in proposed rail funds in their effort to slash spending. An issue of national economic strategy for the White House, high-speed railways, which are under construction from Latin America to the Middle East and across Asia, are mired in political party rivalry over budgets in the United States.

Two newly elected Republican governors in the past three months denied crucial federal funds to rail projects, all but killing them, after their Democratic predecessors backed the projects.

And the powerful, allegedly pro-rail head of a key House of Representatives committee on transportation, Republican John Mica, condemned Obama's plan to use federal funds speed up trains in the country's most heavily traveled rail stretch, the Boston-New York-Washington corridor run by the government-owned Amtrak.

"Amtrak's Soviet-style train system is not the way to provide modern and efficient passenger rail service," Mica said. In January. Obama declared that building rapid railways is key to the US economy's recovery.

"To attract new businesses to our shores, we need the fastest, most reliable ways to move people, goods, and information-from high-speed rail to high-speed Internet," he said in his January 25 State of the Union address. "Countries in Europe and Russia invest more in their roads and railways than we do. China is building faster trains and newer airports."

Obama proposed to give 80 percent of Americans-essentially all the largest urban areas-access to rapid train transport in 25 years.

"This could allow you to go places in half the time it takes to travel by car. For some trips, it will be faster than flyingwithout the pat-down." Two weeks later, Vice President Joe Biden-the administration's biggest rail fan-spelled out the details of a $53 billion, six-year plan to support a number of rail projects, with $8 billion the first year.

The plan's idea of "high-speed" rail is modest: the main proposals mean boosting existing lines to 200 kilometers per hour (125 mph). But Biden also proposed ground-up projects for "very high speed" trains like those in Europe, Japan and now China: trains running 350 kph (220 mph) or more, that would require laying entirely new tracks.

Routes are already roughly laid out: improving Amtrak's northeast corridor; linking Los Angeles and San Francisco in California; creating a Chicago-centered system in the industrial upper midwest; and tying Florida's major cities Tampa, Orlando and Miami.

But partisan fights over whether the country should invest more in infrastructure has left all of those projects uncertain.

And, despite Mica's call for rail projects to be privately financed, investors and rail builders say they won't undertake such massive investments without government money or a clear commitment. "Obviously it needs both funding and political will," said Stephen Robillard, vice president of Siemens' US high-speed rail division, which is working on the California project. "What I don't know is to what extent it will happen," he said. Projects in Ohio and Wisconsin were killed when new Republican governors said they would not accept federal funds for them.

In Wisconsin, the governor turned back $810 million meant for a link between Milwaukee and Madison. That left Spanish train builder Talgo hanging: it had already plowed money into a production facility for four train sets for the route. "We had a bad experience in Wisconsin where the governor rejected the funds," chief executive Antonio Perez told AFP. "That's why I'm skeptical" of the US program. Andy Kurz, president of the US High Speed Rail Association, said the Obama government needs an agency dedicated to high-speed rail, like the one that built interstate highways decades ago, so that the onus is not on cash-strapped states. — AFP

of economic news that kicks off Monday with President Barack Obama's fiscal 2012 budget plan, giving investors fodder to chew on the potential direction of the economy. Data on January retail sales follows Tuesday. Analysts forecast sales rose despite severe winter weather in broad swaths of the country.

The minutes of the Federal Reserve's last policy-setting meeting, scheduled to be published Wednesday, were expected to confirm the central bank's cautious outlook on the nascent economic recovery. "The US stock market continues to display amazing resiliency," said Frederic Dickson at DA Davidson & Co. "We see daily selling pressure quickly evaporate as buyers with too much cash on the sidelines become more nervous every day that they might miss a meaningful market move, leaving them substantially behind their benchmarks. Thus, they are reacting quickly to very small intraday market pullbacks to put funds to work." Dickson said that corporate and individual investors were holding nearly $2.9 trillion in money market funds that are essentially losing their "real value" every day due to inflation eroding the tiny return generated from those funds. — AFP

Greece slams asset sale demand by EU and IMF ‘The bosses have gone crazy’ ATHENS: Greece yesterday blasted calls by EU and IMF officials for a massive privatization drive worth 50 billion euros by 2015 to alleviate the country's crushing debts.

"The behavior of the European Union, International Monetar y Fund and European Central Bank representatives ... was unacceptable," government spokesman George Petalotis said in an early morning statement.

"We asked them to help and are fully meeting our obligations. But we did not ask anybody to meddle in the internal matters of the country," he said. Greek newspapers and opposition parties were equally scathing but many also took a swipe at the ruling Socialists for bargaining with the EU, the IMF and the ECB, the 'troika' supervising Greece's recovery from near bankruptcy. "The troika demanded and is taking away whatever it wants in (terms of ) companies, water and land," said the centre-left Eleftherotypia daily while pro-government Ta Nea was headlined: "The 'bosses' have gone crazy!"

"State property on debt altar," commented the liberal Kathimerini daily while proconservative Eleftheros Typos said that Greece was "On Sale". The main opposition New Democracy part accused the government of "hypocrisy" and called for the finance minister's resignation. After a quarterly audit found a revenue shortfall

ATHENS: International Monetary Fund's Poul Thomsen (left), European Union's Servaas Deroose (center) and the European Central Bank's Claus Masuch listen to questions during a news conference in Athens on Friday.—AP and reforms at risk of slowing down, the EU, IMF and ECB on Friday told Athens to start selling state assets and speed up reforms to keep its tortuous recovery on track.

"It is well known that there is huge potential for privatization," European Commission representative Ser vaas Deroose told a news conference. "A comprehensive plan through 2015 will be

finalized ... aiming at proceeds of 50 billion euros ($68 billion) between 2011 and 2015," he said.

Out of that total, to be used for debt reduction, 15 billion euros is to come in the next two years, the EU official said. The Greek government had originally planned to privatise state assets worth seven billion euros over three years. It announced in November a sale list including four

Airbus A340 jets and stakes in one of the country's top casinos and in public-owned defense, train and mining companies.

"We are in need but we also have limits," Petalotis said yesterday. "We will not bargain the limits of our dignity with anybody. We only take orders from the Greek people," he said, adding that no state land would be sold.

Greece's public debt stands at around 300 billion euros after years of large public deficits that in 2009 stood at 15.4 percent of output, over five times the allowed EU level.

The government has already endured a wave of social anger over unprecedented wage cuts and tax hikes last year to reduce the public deficit by six percent of output, a huge correction by any standards. Its objective is to bring the deficit to below three percent of output-the level mandated under EU rules-by 2014.

A p l a n n e d e x te n s i o n o f a u s te r i t y reforms to 2015, two years after the government's current mandate, has prompted speculation that the government could call early elections. According to Ta Nea, one key factor is an EU summit in M arch that will determine whether Greece will secure a repayment extension on its rescue loan. "Early elections are high in Papandreou's agenda ... Much will be decided in the next 45 days," Ta Nea said. — AFP

China to vet inward M&A deals for national security

ROME: Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne (right), and Fiat Chairman John Elkann, at center with red tie, are photographed by the media during their meeting with Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi, not pictured, at Chigi Premier’s Palace yesterday. Marchionne met with Premier Berlusconi to discuss Fiat strategy in Italy after he was quoted as saying the headquarters of a merged Fiat Chrysler could be in the United States.—AP

Ailing Greek state rail to halt international trains ATHENS: Greek railway operator OSE yesterday will halt all trains to international destinations under broader cost-cutting measures to restore the organization's troubled finances, a company spokesman said.

The measure will affect services to Greece's neighbors Bulgaria, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Turkey, a spokesman for OSE's train operations subsidiary Trainose said yesterday.

"These are costly services that sadly did not attract the number of passengers required to keep them going," the spokesman told AFP. "It is part of a broader strategy to return the company to profitability. Ticket increases are also planned and domestic services have also been reduced," he said, noting that trains to the southern Peloponnese peninsula have

been "almost completely eliminated."

The cuts will affect trains to Skopje and Belgrade, Sofia, Istanbul and Bucharest.

Trainose's parent company, OSE, is one of the most heavily indebted Greek state organizations and currently owes more than 10 billion euros ($14 billion).

The Greek socialist government is now trying to shift some of OSE's 6,000 staff to other state agencies and break up the organization-whose assets include train operation, railway construction and real estate companies-in order to attract private investors. The overhaul is part of a tough austerity program mandated by the European Union and the International Monetary Fund which last year rescued Greece from bankruptcy with a 110-billioneuro loan. — AFP

BEIJING: China will launch a state-level investment review body to check that merger and acquisition deals struck by foreign firms in one of the world's fastestgrowing economies do not endanger "national security", China's State Council, the cabinet, said yesterday.

The new regulation, which will come into effect in March, is set to install a new red-tape barrier for doing business in China, the world's second largest economy where double-digit growth has attracted more than $105 billion in foreign direct investment last year.

Foreign investments in military, agriculture, energy and resources, key infrastructure, transport systems, key technology sectors and "important equipment manufacturers" may be subject to reviews, according to a statement published on the central government Internet portal, www.gov.cn.

The review will be conducted by a "foreign investment security review board" under the cabinet. Members of the board will come from the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Commerce and other agencies on ad hoc basis.

The new body could enable China to turn the tables on some countries that have previously blocked its investments on national security grounds. China suffered the biggest knock to its deal-making confidence in 2005, when state-controlled oil firm CNOOC Ltd withdrew an $18.5 billion bid for US oil firm Unocal after the Senate moved to block it on national interest grounds.

But Beijing, which introduced an antitrust law in 2008, has also blocked deals that do not conform with its national plans in the past. China rejected CocaCola's $2.4 billion bid for China's top juice maker Huiyuan , in 2009 and buyout giant Carlyle's $375 million bid for Xugong, China's biggest construction equipment maker, in 2008.

The government wants to consolidate many heavy industries such as steel into the hands of a few big players, and it has blocked several foreign attempts to buy into its huge steel sector, by far the

world's biggest.

In 2007, it blocked ArcelorMittal from gaining a majority stake in China Oriental Group and in 2009 it forced Russia's Evraz Group to abandon an option to take control of Delong Holdings Ltd , a Chinese steelmaker listed in Singapore, in a $1.5 billion deal.

China attracted $105.7 billion in foreign direct investments in 2010, 17.4 percent more than in 2009, but some foreign businesses have complained that the Chinese government is becoming more unfriendly towards investors. According to the new regulation, Chinese government agencies, trade associations, competitors, suppliers and other related parties are allowed to apply for the start of a review of a foreign-related M&A deal.

The process will include two parts as "general review" and "special review". For those deals failed to pass the "general review", a "special review" will be started that may last up to 60 days.

If Beijing finds a deal that could potentially threaten national security, it can terminate the deal.

"Related departments and units must enhance the sense of responsibility to guard state and commercial secrets... to effectively safeguard national security," the cabinet said in the notice. The body could be similar to Australia's Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB), which has held sway over dozens of planned Chinese investments into resources sector in Australia, and which can block deals it deems not to be in the national interest.

The FIRB advises Australia's treasurer, who has the final say. In 2009, the stateowned China Non-Ferrous Metal Mining (Group) Co dropped a $400 million bid for 50.6 percent of Lynas Corp , owner of the world's richest deposit of rare earth minerals, saying the conditions set by the FIRB were too stiff. Earlier in the same year, Treasurer Wayne Swan forced Chinese metals group Minmetals to withdraw a $1.7 billion bid for OZ Minerals until it revised the deal to exclude a mine situated in a restricted weapons testing area. — Reuters

y

A

27

e niv rsar n

Years

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

TECHNOLOGY

Egyptian activist creates image issues for Google Google executive became face of Egyptian uprising SAN FRANCISCO: A Google Inc executive who has become a hero of the Egyptian revolution is public relations gold for the Internet power, but analysts say the company must be careful not to overplay its hand. Google marketing executive Wael Ghonim became the public face of the uprising that led to President Hosni Mubarak handing power to the army on Friday. Ghonim was detained by security forces and came out swinging on his release, calling for Mubarak to step down.

When Internet access was shut down during an early phase of the Egyptian protests, Google engineers hacked together a way to allow Egyptians to use Twitter by dialing a phone number and leaving a voicemail message.

Despite its association with the events in Egypt, Google has not commented on the politics of the country’s upheaval. Instead, it has focused on values surrounding freedom of information and the Internet. “We’re incredibly proud to see Googlers take a stand on those issues,” spokeswoman Jill Hazelbaker said on Friday, when asked about Ghonim.

TIANJIN: In this file photo, workers place partially assembled electronic cigarettes in a tray after testing their amber LED lights at the Ruyan factory. The US Department of Transportation said Friday, Feb 11, 2011, the use of smokeless electronic cigarettes on airplanes is prohibited and plans to issue an official ban this spring, according to a letter from Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood obtained by The Associated Press. — AP

Nokia, Microsoft to join forces in mobile market HELSINKI: Nokia, the world’s largest mobile phone company, and Microsoft said Friday they had agreed to join forces in developing platforms for mobile telephones, opening up “a three-horse race.”

Finnish-based Nokia said it would use Microsoft’s Windows Phone “as its primary smartphone platform” - a move aimed at clawing back market share from rival smartphone platforms by Apple and Google. The strategic partnership between the two heavyweights would entail “a three-horse race” with its rivals, Nokia Chief Executive Stephen Elop told analysts in London.

Nokia’s share price, however, dipped some 8 per cent on the bourses in Helsinki and Stockholm in early trading.

The move to cooperate with Microsoft had been anticipated as Nokia’s own operating system Symbian has suffered from delays in recent years as has its MeeGo system. Elop said Symbian would continue as a franchise. The partnership with Microsoft also reflected the overall development in the mobile phone market that had moved from “a battle of devices to a war of ecosystems,” Elop said, explaining that “ecosystems” comprise software, services, applications and customer support.

Microsoft’s chief executive Stephen Balmer said the partnership “provides incredible scale, vast expertise in hardware and software innovation.” Elop, a Canadian national, is the first non-Finn to head Nokia. He warned that there would

be “significant” job cuts globally, but would not spell out where. The group would also review other costs. In Helsinki, the Finnish government braced for cuts in Nokia’s homebase. The government planned to work closely with Nokia to assist those affected, said Mauri Pekkarinen, economic affairs minister, and Labor Minister Anne Sinnemaki.

Nokia has in recent years seen its share of the global handset market - and the high-end smartphone sector - erode.

Last year, Google’s Android overtook Nokia’s Symbian as the world’s most popular smartphone operating system. On lower end phones, Chinese manufacturers were developing new products faster than Nokia. Earlier this week, an internal memo from Elop was published in which he outlined the challenges the mobile phone giant was facing.

Elop compared the company to a man standing on a burning oil platform who must decide whether to perish in the flames or jump into the icy waters. The memo was published Wednesday on the US technology site Engadget as analyst company Gartner released new figures showing that Nokia in 2010 had a 28.9 per cent share of the global handset market, down from 36.4 per cent in 2009.

Elop, former head of Microsoft’s business division, joined Nokia in September.

Nokia also announced changes in management and said as of April it would create two new business units for smart devices and mobile phones. — dpa

That has played well for the company. “This is going to get Google some positive publicity,” said Rosabeth Kanter, a professor at Harvard Business School. But she added, “They have to be careful.” Consumers and businesses would love the tools for communication that Google supports and provides-but less democratic governments might see Google as a threat.

“Google will not be their search engine of choice,” she said. “You’re going there to sell products and services, you’re not going there to topple the regime.”

Internet revolution Ghonim’s ties to Google and the Internet have become part of his appeal. “I always said that if you want to liberate a society, just give them the Internet,” Ghonim said in an interview on CNN on Friday. He helped create a Facebook page devoted to a victim of police brutality that helped spark the uprisings.

Internet tools, particularly social networking services like Facebook and Twitter, have been credited with playing an important role in the Egyptian uprising, helping protesters organize

and communicate.

“Had he been an executive for Philip Morris or something, I don’t think it would have been as big a part of the story,” said Hani Sabra, an analyst who focuses on the Middle East and Africa at the Eurasia Group. Google has made irregular progress toward its goal of “Don’t be Evil,” some say. It took a public stand against Internet censorship in China. It partially withdrew from mainland China last year, redirecting Web surfers to a Hong Kong site.

But it had operated in China and self-censored its search results for several years before that and it left some business in China after relocating its search service to Hong Kong.

“They’re not a company that is consistent in terms of how they do business in the world in terms of a value standpoint,” said Paul Argenti, a professor of corporate communication at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business. Ghonim himself credits another Internet company for the ousting of Mubarak. “This revolution started on Facebook,” he told CNN, adding, “I want to meet (founder) Mark Zuckerberg someday and thank him.” — Reuters

News Corp launches The Daily for iPad NEW YORK: Proclaiming a revolution in modern news technology, News Corp Chairman Rupert Murdoch on Tuesday unveiled The Daily, a news publication designed from the ground up to take advantage of Apple’s iPad tablet computer. “New times demand new journalism. Our challenge was to take the best of traditional journalism and combine with the best of new technology,” Murdoch said. “ We believe The Daily will be the model of how stories are told and consumed.” The first edition looked more like a daily news magazine than a traditional newspaper. Its cover page featured a picture of a flag- waving Egyptian youth with the headline Falling Pharaoh.

Other stories in the first issue included a look at Venice’s battle against flooding, fashion features

and a video series about various slices of Americana. It also features, sports, arts and opinion sections. Murdoch said that the digital publication is aimed at a “growing segment of the population that is educated and sophisticated but does not read a national paper.” “But they do consume media,” he said. “And they expect content tailored to their specific interest available anytime, anywhere.”

The online-only newspaper will be published every morning and will be available in the US for 99 cents a week or 39.99 dollars a year. Murdoch said that the publication would be made available for other tablet computers, and internationally, but gave no time frame for these developments.

Murdoch said that the publication could be run profitably at

such a low price because it would not have to pay for printing presses or delivery trucks. “As other tablets get established we will develop the technology to be on them,” he said at the launch event in New York. “We expect to be on all major tablets.”

The publication is being closely watched throughout the media world, where it is seen as a possible savior for newspapers that have been badly battered by the flight of readers to the internet, where the vast majority of content is available for free and typical advertising rates are just a 10th of those commanded by print publications. The launch of the Daily had been delayed for several weeks, reportedly to allow Apple more time to introduce a rolling subscription system to its iTunes digital store, which is the

only way to buy The Daily. Apple Vice President Eddie Cue said that the company would shortly allow other publications to roll out subscription services on iTunes.

Murdoch said that News Corp had invested 30 million dollars in The Daily’s startup costs, but that the publication would only cost 500,000 dollars a week to operate, a sum that he expected would be easily covered by advertising and subscriptions.

Executive editor Jesse Angelo said that the publication would feature an average of 100 pages of content a day. The content will include text, graphics, photos and high-definition videos. Readers will use a carousel-like feature to navigate through the publication.

They will be able to share articles on the web through email, Facebook and Twitter. — dpa

Yap.TV a virtual living room for show lovers SAN FRANCISCO: Startup Yap.T V believes that whether shows are streamed over the Internet, airwaves, or cable lines people will always want to talk about what they are watching.

Yap.TV software for Apple iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch devices lets show watchers engage in real time on Twitter, Facebook or the firm’s own social network.

“We mated the television program guide with the Twitter stream and social networks to basically allow you to see what everyone in the world is talking about right now,” Yap.T V co-founder Shawn Cunningham told AFP on Friday.

“So when you zap into a show, you are

immersed in the experience.” The San Francisco-based firm is working on versions of the “social TV” platform for computer Web browsers and smartphones or tablets running on Google’s Android software. Yap.TV backers include former Apple executive David Austin, and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak is an advisor to the startup. “We thought we could create a social world for television content, which people love to talk about almost more than anything else,” Cunningham said.

“It was really things like the iPad that opened the gateway,” he added. “A second-screen device perfect for this type of activity.” — AP

WASHINGTON: A Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agent looks at the monitor of an advanced imaging technology machine during a demonstration of the machine’s new software at Reagan National Airport. The new software eliminates passenger specific images using a generic outline of a person. — AFP

BAE Systems showcases technology at IDEX 2011 ABU DHABI: Showcasing a wide range of innovative products and technologies, BAE Systems’ presence at IDEX continues to underline its strong commitment to the Middle East region, with a focus on innovation across land, sea, air and security. The introduction of an Innovation Zone will highlight new and futuristic technologies, focusing on active protection, autonomy and biometric surveillance. The Future Protected Vehicle program being developed by BAE Systems aims to highlight both short and long-term technologies and concepts, which can be used to boost the effectiveness of lightweight armored vehicles, and will be a key highlight of the Innovation Zone. Simon Keith, Managing Director for the Middle East, will be joined at IDEX by Bob Murphy, Executive Vice President, Product Sectors, for BAE Systems.

Headquartered in the United States, Product Sectors consists of Land & Armaments, Electronic Solutions and Platform Solutions. Commenting on the Group’s presence at IDEX, Simon Keith said: “Innovation and technology is the cornerstone of BAE Systems and we are pleased to be able to showcase key products and services that reflect the high level of R&D which goes into everything we do. Our Innovation Zone is new for IDEX and we look forward to showing our stakeholders current developments in exciting new areas of autonomy, active protection and security.

“IDEX is an important show for BAE Systems, giving us the opportunity to strengthen our relationship with customers and partners and underlining the region’s importance to the company.”

BAE Systems continues to build successfully on its position as one of the world’s largest, and most geographically diverse, defense and security companies. The group is based around key markets in Australia, India, Saudi Arabia, the UK and the US, with over 100,000 employees spread across the globe. In 2009 BAE Systems reported sales of £22.4 billion ($36.2 billion). The group serves defense and security customers across the

BvS10 Armored All Terrain Vehicle The track record alone is evidence of the extreme performance of our All Terrain Vehicles.

More than 11,000 vehicles and over 50 variants of the BvS10 have been delivered worldwide. The BvS10 is a further development of the smaller Bv206S and the latest version, the BvS10 MkII provides perfect combination of protection, mobility and payload. With a built in growth potential for the future, the vehicle is designed for a payload of up to 6 tons. Built for the highest level of tactical and strategical mobility, the unique design of the chassis, power train and steering units gives the vehicle speed and comfort on road and in terrain comparable with modern infantry fighting vehicles.

BvS10 Armored All Terrain Vehicle air, land and sea domains and in 2010 saw the positive development of its business in its core market segments of Services, Electronic Systems and Platforms, which provide a solid base for future growth in existing and new home markets and export business.

BAE Systems has been exporting to the Gulf region for over 50 years and currently has offices in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. The Group has a comprehensive installed base across the air, land and sea domains platforms and systems, including MRAP vehicles in the UAE and the Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer throughout the region. Its strategy is based on industrial partnerships and in 2009 BAE Systems Surface Ships formed a joint venture with Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB): Gulf Logistics and Naval Support

is a leading provider of through-life naval support services to the Middle East region. GLNS is exhibiting on the ADSB stand at NAVDEX. Highlighted products on display outdoors at the BAE Systems’ pavilion include the RG-12 Armored Personnel Carrier and the BvS10 Armored All Terrain Vehicle with a LEMUR remote controlled weapon station.

RG-12 Armored Personnel Carrier The RG12 Mk4 Armored Personnel Carriers on display at IDEX is one of 10 vehicles which BAE Systems has built for Dubai’s elite police force.

The Mk4 vehicle is BAE Systems’ latest version of the RG12, featuring a new engine with increased power and torque, and revised axles with disc brakes on all wheels for improved braking performance.

Lemur The Bofors Lemur system is a fully mature product in operation and combat proven. With its high performance stabilization, integrated fire control system and high sighting/firing accuracy Lemur is a very effective system with high first round hit probability. The accuracy and low dispersion minimize the collateral damage and also minimize the use of ammunition.

Self-Defense Remotely Operated Weapon turret With many turret systems, the gunner is often exposed to possible enemy fire, but with BAE Systems’ Self-Defense Remotely Operated Weapon (SD-ROW) turret, a vehicle’s operator can engage hostile targets without exposing their gunner. BAE Systems first introduced its lightweight SD-ROW turret at Africa Aerospace and Defense, a trade show held in Cape Town, South Africa in September of last year. Since then, the turret, which is equipped with a small caliber weapon for use on a variety of lighter attack vehicles and Mine Protected Vehicles (MPV), has been garnering interest from customers who are in need of an effective, yet economical first-order defense solution for a myriad of operational vehicles.

y

A

28

e niv rsar n

Years

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

health & science

New stroke rehab goes high-tech Nearly 800,000 Americans suffer strokes annually

MAINE: In this file photo, Science teacher Maria Palopoli, of Brunswick winces as Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches cover her head. —AP

This Valentine’s gift might bug your babe NEW YORK: If lingerie is too intimate and dinner out is too expensive, the Bronx Zoo suggests another Valentine’s Day gift: a Madagascar hissing cockroach.

Spokesman John Calvelli says, “Nothing says forever like a cockroach.” The Wildlife Conservation Society runs the New York City zoo and is raising funds by offering the public the chance to name the huge roaches. In return for each name, it’s asking for a $10 donation.

Calvelli says about 1,700 cockroach names were bought in the first two days of the promotion.

Recipients get a certificate. The zoo says naming a roach will honor a sweetheart’s resourcefulness and resiliency. As the zoo puts it: “Flowers wilt. Chocolates melt. Roaches are forever.” —AP

LOS ANGELES: The largest study ever on stroke rehabilitation found that doing physical therapy at home improved walking just as well as a hightech treadmill program. More surprising, patients who started rehab late - six months after their strokes - still improved. It’s long been thought that there was little to gain from rehab after half a year. “We now have evidence, for the first time, that a prolonged course of therapy will have benefits,” said Dr Jeffrey Saver, director of the stroke center at the University of California, Los Angeles. “For virtually everyone, we should be doing more intensive therapy than we are.” He had no role in the federally funded study, which was led

by Duke University researchers and discussed Friday at an American Stroke Association conference in Los Angeles.

Each year, nearly 800,000 Americans suffer a stroke, and up to two-thirds of sur vivors have problems walk ing.

Sophisticated machines like robots and weight-supporting treadmills increasingly are being used, but there’s limited research on how well they work compared to more traditional therapy.

Such equipment is popular in highend rehab hospitals like the one in Houston where US Rep Gabrielle Giffords is being treated after her gunshot wound to the head. The new study included 408 stroke survivors who had trouble walking. On average, they took 1,700 steps a day; normal is 10,000 steps a day. They either traveled to a facility to get high-tech rehab or received physical therapy at home.

Some began therapy two months after a stroke; others started six months after the stroke to see if there was a difference. In high-tech rehab, patients exercised on a treadmill while their weight was supported by an overhead harness.

As they gained speed and endurance, they could practice walking on their own. In the home program, a physical therapist helped patients do exercises to improve strength and balance, and to walk every day. After a year, both groups made similar

improvements in how far and how fast they could walk. However, the treadmill exercisers were more likely to feel dizzy or faint during training, and had a higher risk of falling. What’s more, fewer patients dropped out of the home therapy - 3 percent compared to 13 percent in high-tech rehab.

“There’s a tendency in our country to go to high-tech machines,” but this study shows they’re not always better, said Dr Walter Koroshetz, deputy director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the study’s main sponsor. The bigger message, said study leader Pamela Duncan of Duke University, is that longer treatment and more treatment is best. She said many insurance companies allow 20 visits, while this study gave 36. The care that stroke victims usually get now - less intense therapy for three to six months - “does not get them to the point where they could be,” Koroshetz said. Doctors are working on a cost comparison, but believe the home program is much cheaper. High-tech rehab requires expensive equipment and two to three therapists per patient; the home program needs only one.

Also at the conference: Doctors may be missing “silent strokes” in a small but significant number of children with severe anemia, who may be unfairly labeled as slow learners when in fact they have a medical problem.

Strokes have long been known to be a risk for children with sickle cell anemia, an inherited blood disease that mostly affects blacks. The new study found they also were occurring undetected in children with other conditions that can cause anemia, such as cancer, kidney failure or blood loss from trauma such as a car crash. “I don’t think there’s any reason to panic,” but doctors need to consider the possibility of stroke when treating any child with severe anemia, said Dr Michael Dowling of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. Dowling led the study involving 52 children at Children’s Medical

JACKSONVILLE: In this undated picture, physical therapist Joann Gallichio (seated) and research assistant Amanda Ayala (left) use a body weight treadmill system to help train a stroke patient with walking at the Brooks Rehabilitation Center. —AP Center Dallas - 22 with sickle cell and 30 with other causes of severe anemia. MRI scans revealed fresh strokes were occurring in four of the 22 children with sickle cell, and two of the

News

US study links pesticides to Parkinson’s disease vWASHINGTON: US researchers said Friday they have found that people who used two specific varieties of pesticide were 2.5 times as likely to develop Parkinson’s disease. The pesticides, paraquat and rotenone, are not approved for house and garden use. Previous research on animals has linked paraquat to Parkinson’s disease, so it is restricted to use by certified applicators. Rotenone is approved only for use in killing invasive fish species.

“Rotenone directly inhibits the function of the mitochondria, the structure responsible for making energy in the cell,” said study coauthor Freya Kamel, a researcher at the National Institute of Environmental Health

in brief

Health at birth tied to ADHD risk

Sciences. “Paraquat increases production of certain oxygen derivatives that may harm cellular structures. People who used these pesticides or others with a similar mechanism of action were more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease.” The study examined 110 people with Parkinson’s disease and 358 people who served as a control group from the Farming and Movement Evaluation (FAME) Study. FAME is part of a larger Agricultural Health Study looking at the health of approximately 90,000 licensed pesticide applicators and their spouses. The study appears in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives. —AFP

NEW YORK: A baby’s health in the first minutes after birth may be linked to his or her risk of developing attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) later on, a new study suggests. The findings, reported in the Journal of Pediatrics, suggest that the so-called Apgar score assigned to all newborns in the first five minutes of life may give some hint of a child’s future risk of ADHD, a condition that involves attention problems and impulsive behavior.

Will young doctors recognize melanoma?

NEW ORLEANS: Fourth-year medical students at least those at the University of Illinois at Chicago- are not very proficient at detecting melanomas, the most serious type of skin cancer, researchers from that school said this week at the 69th annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Actors wearing a medical moulage (a simulated melanoma) were examined for carpal tunnel syndrome with the moulage clearly in view, but less than a quarter of the 190 students saw the lesion and recommended treatment, according to Dr. Claudia Hernandez.

In age-related hearing loss, others usually notice first BERLIN: Friends or relatives are usually the ones who drop a hint. At some point they notice that the TV’s volume is always turned up ver y high, or that chats with the grandchildren hardly take place any more.

Because hearing loss occurs gradually, it seldom dawns on the affected people themselves that something might be wrong. They have grown accustomed to sounds being less distinct. It is extremely important that they do something about it promptly, however, because untreated hearing loss can significantly lower their quality of life, not to mention their safety.

Hearing loss is not a marginal problem. For example according to the German Senior Citizens League, among Germany’s 82 million people more than 14 million suffer from hearing loss, making the condition more common than even near- or farsightedness. Causes include loud noises, illnesses or - in most cases simply age. Chronic exposure to loud noises can harm the sensitive hairs and nerve cells in the inner ear. These convert sound vibrations into electrical signals which are transmitted via the auditory nerve to the auditory centre of the brain.

Ear infec tions and tumors or abnormal bone growths in the outer or middle ear can also lead to hearing loss, noted Jan Loehler, a member of the German Association of ENT (ears, nose and throat) Physicians. Age is a factor, too. Agerelated hearing loss, known as presbycusis, happens to everyone who lives long enough, Loehler said. “The outer hair cells are subject to natural wear and tear,” he explained. The first effect of this natural deterioration is that higher pitched tones become muffled.

While people who suffer sudden hearing loss are aware of it immediately, those whose faculty of hearing has deteriorated due to age hardly notice because they have gradually got used to it. “It’s noticeable mainly in difficult auditory circumstances,” Loehler said. One sign of presbycusis is trouble following dialogues.

Hearing loss is barely apparent in one-on-one conversations, which is why many patients insist when examined by an ENT physician, “But doctor, I hear you well!”

Relatives are more likely to notice hearing loss. Besides the blaring TV, becoming withdrawn and no longer engaging in conversations is a sign of age-related hearing loss, Loehler said. For the affected persons, the condition is embarrassing. They feel old and frail and regard hearing loss as a stigma. Leaving the problem untreated can lead to withdrawal from social interactions.

Neglect has other adverse consequences as well. Intelligence is affected by hearing loss, Loehler said.

“The brain must be ready to receive all sounds,” he remarked. “Hearing is an intellectual ability that must be practiced constantly.” Language ability must be cultivated too, otherwise it becomes stunted. And ignoring hearing loss diminishes the chances of getting used to a hearing aid.

One’s sense of hearing has a further important function that is impaired with hearing loss. As Germany’s National Guild of Hearing Aid Acousticians noted, it serves to alert and to warn, which is especially important in places where not all dangers can be seen - in road traffic, for example. This is why Loehler recommends that someone suffering from hearing loss be examined by an ENT physician as soon as possible. —dpa

other 30 kids. “Silent strokes” - evid e n ce o f d a m a g e b u t n o o bv i o u s symptoms - were found in three of the 22 sickle cell patients and seven of the other 30. —AP

NEW YORK: Diamond takes part in a yoga session during the ASPCA’s (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) 6th Annual “Best in Show” talent competition, February 11, 2011. The talent show featured 11 shelter dogs, all of which are available for adoption, showcasing their talents for a panel of celebrity judges that included columnist and author Cindy Adams, singer Roberta Flack, singer Debbie Harry, actress Aida Turturro and the ASPCA’s Humane Law Enforcement assistant director Joseph Pentangelo. —AFP

Whale experts think sick whale may have scoliosis HONOLULU: Whale experts believe a sick whale spotted off Kauai this week may be suffering from scoliosis or curvature of the spine. It’s a rare disorder but scientists say they have seen it in other marine mammals like dolphins.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s marine mammal response coordinator, David Schofield, says officials are confident the whale was either born with the condition or acquired it over the course of its life.

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser newspaper repor ted Friday that Schofield ruled out a boat collision, saying it’s not plausible an animal hit by a boat would have retained the shape of such an injury. A flight instructor on Kauai spotted the white, emaciated whale

KAUAI: In this photo released by Gerry Charlebois of Birds in Paradise Flight School, a humpback whale is seen in the waters off the Hawaiian Island. —AP with a severely deformed spine on Monday. He said the 50 foot whale “appeared to be bent in half.” —AP

Morning after pill faces test over access WASHINGTON: The maker of the Plan B morningafter pill is gearing up for another round with the US Food and Drug Administration over whether the emergency contraceptive can be sold without a prescription for younger women and girls. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd earlier this week said it had asked the FDA for permission to sell the drug without any age limits, the latest salvo in a decadelong battle over the pill. Only those 17 and older can buy it now without a doctor’s order.

How much Vit D do pre-teen girls need?

NEW YORK: In the winter, pre-teen girls may need more vitamin D-either from diet or supplements- to have healthy bones, a new study says. The goal of the study was to figure out how much vitamin D girls aged 11 to 12 would need to take every day in order to keep the levels of this nutrient in their blood at healthy levels. Some experts think that since these girls are growing fast, vitamin D might be particularly important.

Second-hand smoke ups risk NEW YORK: Another reason second-hand smoke is bad: there’s a chance it can damage the tissues in a woman’s cervix, putting her at higher risk for cervical cancer, a new study suggests. Women smokers have a higher-than-average risk of cervical cancer. The new research did not show that women who inhale other people’s smoke are also more likely to end up with that cancer-but it did show they have a higher risk of having damaged cells in their cervix.

Miscarriage tied to family heart disease history NEW YORK: New findings suggest there could be a link between parents’ heart disease and their grownup daughter ’s risk of having miscarriages.

Researchers in the UK found that women who miscarried twice before having their first child had a higher than average risk of having parents with heart disease. This risk was even higher in women who’d miscarried three times before giving birth, said Dr Gordon Smith of Cambridge University and his colleagues.

A

y

e niv rsar n

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

Years

H E A LT H

Hot dog: Airlift rescues abandoned LA Chihuahuas Young people treat little dogs like a ‘nice bag’ LONG BEACH: Blame it on Paris Hilton: the craze for owning small dogs as fashion accessories has led to an explosion in the number of Chihuahuas in Los Angeles, where tiny canines are everywhere. But now an animal-friendly philanthropist has come to their rescue, organizing an airlift of diminutive pooches abandoned by impatient owners in California-jetting them off by private plane to Canada, of all places. “In Los Angeles, in particular, we have an overpopulation of small dogs, many of them Chihuahuas because people think that having a small dog is easy to maintain in a home,” said organizer Madeline Bernstein.

The phenomenon has increased after films like “Legally Blonde,” and “Beverly Hills Chihuahua” adds Bernstein of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles (SPCALA). To make it worse, “a significant number of young celebrities like Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, they started to get out with these little dogs like accessories,” she told AFP. “The problem is, they are not accessories, they are dogs. They poop, pee and you should take care of them, ..

and young people want them as if they were a nice bag, then they get tired ..and leave the dogs in the streets or shelters.”

There are estimated to be more than 60,000 Chihuahuas in Los Angeles, where newcomers are often shocked at the luxuries afforded to the miniature hounds, often petted over like babies in the street or in cafes and bars. Owners can choose from a seemingly endless range of dog spas, boutiques and even schools of canine yoga for their tiny charges-although the costs involved may possibly help explain why so many are being abandoned.

Whatever the reasons, animal lovers are determined to rescue those that they can from a sad and lonely life in a shelter in California. That’s why on Friday Bernstein and a group of other dog-lovers took action, strapping some 60 dogs in for a three-hour “Air Chihuahua” flight from Long Beach, California, to Edmonton, Canada.

Candy, Kobe, Sadie, Winnie, Taylor and Trudy were among those heading for a new life further north, a long way from the heat of California, and even further from the northern Mexican

province from which they get their name.

The SPCALA has been organizing Air Chihuahua flights since December 2009, to destinations including Colorado, Houston and Florida. But Friday’s 40,000 dollar operation was the first international airlift. Jan Folk, a Canadian businesswoman and philanthropist who owns the plane, said that in southern California animal rescue centers deal with large volume of strays admitted every day. “They feel that they would have no other choice but to eventually euthanize the dogs if they were not transferred,” she lamented to AFP on the tarmac in Long Beach, just south of Los Angeles.

In Edmonton, “more people are willing to wait for the California dogs because they know that many .. may come from puppy mills or brokers where they often live in horrible conditions,” she added. “The small breed dogs are in such demand that most were adopted within two or three weeks of arriving in Edmonton. In fact, there was a line of potential adopters at the Edmonton shelter waiting for the dogs to arrive!” she said. —AFP

LONG BEACH: Denise Jakcsy carries “Trudy,” one of 58 homeless Chihuahuas and small mixed breed dogs from Los Angeles, which are being flown to Edmonton, Canada for adoption as part of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles (SPCALA) “Air Chihuahua program,” at an airport, February 11, 2011. — AFP

y

A

30

e niv rsar n

Years

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

w h at ’s o n

Don Bosco Inter School Choral Recitation Competition

A

chorus of angelic voices, their voice absolutely innocent, the recitation simply magnificent!

Such was the performance displayed by the students of grade I to IV hailing from the various participating schools in this year’s Choral recitation competition. Seven Indian schools participated in this competition. The IEAS premises were packed with parents, teachers and students gathered to watch their children/students recite their masterpieces. Year after year, this competition gets tougher and tougher as schools now have caught up with the idea. No poems were repeated. All applauded the little children in their colorful costumes and acknowledged the hard work put in by the teachers, who took the trouble to train these little children.

The President of DBPPA, Venkatesh Ramaswamy commented, “This is a yearly event and schools look forward to this competition. The judges hail from various walks of life and nationalities. Staging such an event requires a lot of efforts by the organizers, schoolteachers and parents. Of course the lion’s share of hard work is put in by the children who come and perform in front of a large audience”. Stanley D’souza, General Secretary, DBPPA added, “We try to organize various activities for the school children here in Kuwait, as it reminds us of our childhood days back in India. So many interschool competitions were held then, and what a joy it was take part in them.

We need such activities here for our children, as the world gets more and more competitive. Our trophies, imported from the USA add a final magical touch to the competition.

Indeed, it was a competition worth watching. The faces of the little children said it all; their message one of unity and love. The overall champions: Points tied between Gulf Indian School & Fahaheel Al-Wataniya School (Joint winners for 2010).

Hotel Missoni set to make grand debut

T

he Rezidor Hotel Group, one of the fastest growing hotel companies worldwide, in collaboration with prominent Italian fashion house Missoni, has announced the official opening of Hotel Missoni Kuwait, on March 1, 2011. Missoni Kuwait is part of the fashionable Symphony Centre, a boutique emporium perfectly located in the capitalís shopping district.

Inspired by the Arabian Gulf and the culture of Kuwait, Creative Director Rosita Missoni combines her signature use of vibrant patterns and of bold colour, with strong accents of turquoise, green and gold seen throughout the hotel.

The property offers 169 sea-facing rooms with breakfast, laundry, highspeed wireless internet, free local calls, movies on demand, and the entire contents of the minibar, Inclusive in the cost of the room. The hotel also features extensive meeting space, a cuttingedge gym, a steam room, a sauna and a pool deck overlooking the city. ìHotel Missoni Kuwait is a fantastic addition to the Rezidorís growing portfolio across the Middle East and a key property in this important region. The hotel will strengthen our presence in the Middle East and reinforce our position as one of the leading international hotel groups. A combination of design, lifestyle and technology will bring a truly new and authentic travel experience - as soon as you walk through the doors, youíll know itís Missoni,î said Kurt Ritter, President and CEO of Rezidor.

Hotel Missoni Kuwait offers guests exquisite food and beverage concepts: Italian restaurant, Cucina lies at the heart of the hotel and offers authentic Italian cuisine. Luna Restaurant, located on the 18th floor, serves a fusion of Arabic-oriental and Mediterranean cuisine. For lighter meals, Choco Cafe offers pastries, chocolates and a selection of savoury dishes, and the Pool Bar serves continental cuisine.

State-of-the-art technological design elements ensure that every guestís stay is seamless, using iPads for check-ins, the latest Bang & Olufsen T Vs in guest rooms, and ëMagic Mirrorsí, present in the suite bathrooms which enable guests to convert their bathroom mirror

into a television, at will.

For relaxation, Hotel Missoni Kuwait will also feature a 1,500-square meter luxury Six Senses Spa, which will be open to guests and non-residents later in the year. Offering a full range of beauty treatments including Six Sensesí signature treatments, the spa will have 10 treatment rooms with manicure/pedicure stations, two yoga studios, relaxation areas and a juice bar.

The Spa has separate gyms, hammams and changing areas for men and women, each with a sauna and steam room.

Carefully crafted with well-travelled individuals in mind - particularly those with a strong interest in design, an understanding of food, and a craving for an authentic experience Hotel Missoni Kuwait will be staffed by over 17 nationalities, speaking more than 14 languages. Rooms at the hotel start from 280 Euro per night including a la carte breakfast, limousine airport transfers, mini-bar, laundry and wifi.

Annoncements KIFF to organize Indian Schools 7 a-side football tournament

K

uwait Indian Football Federation (KIFF) are pleased to announce the Indian schools one day 7 a side football tournament, to be held on 27th February 2011 (Public Holiday) at MOH ground, Shuwaikh starting at 7 am. The draw of the tournament will be held on Friday, 18th February 2011 at MOH ground, Shuwaikh at 9 am. Following school have confirmed their participation, Carmel School Kheitan, Al Wataniya Indian Private School Fahaheel, Al Rashed Indian School Salmiya, Indian Community School Salmiya/Kheitan, Indian Central chool Abbasiya, Indian Public School Salmiya, Al Amal Indian School Salmiya, Indian Educational School Abbasiya, and United Indian School Abbasiya. Any Indian Schools

still not confirmed their participation are kindly requested to do so on or before 16th February 2011. For further details of the tournament kindly call Fidelis Fernandes (66583537) or Bernardo Fernandes (94060018).

IMA youth wing sports day

I

MA YOUTH WING will hold a one day Spor ts Event on 18th Feb. Winners will take home exciting prizes. Cricket, Volleyball & Tug of war will be part of the event. For registration kindly call the below numbers 66031736, 60634301, 97214743 or Visit www.imayouthwing.org for more information.

Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

y

A

31

e niv rsar n

Years

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

w h at ’s o n

Embassy 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).

Art expo

●●●

The Embassy of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh in Kuwait will remain closed on Thursday, February 17, 2011 on the occasion of holy Eid-E M1ladun Nabi.

E

brahim Habib, a perfectionist who climbed the ladder of art starting along with a collection of portrait.

Gradually he moved on to painting the Rulers of Kuwait. Later, Ebrahim found his strength in calligraphy on wood blocks, creating the most elegant murals and wooden sculptures using calligraphy, acrylic ornamentation and gold leaves. Now his exhibition is open from tomorrow till Feb 22 at Gallery Tilal.

Art exhibition

S

heikh Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad AlSabah, Minster of the Public Council and the President of the Kuwait Association for Contemporary Arts Kuwait Art Association will hold an art exhibition on 5th Kuwait Creative Art Festival on the fifth anniversary of His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad AlJaber Al-Sabah on Sunday, February 20, 2011 at 7:30 pm at KAA Hawally.

Arpan Farm Retreat 2011

A

rpan Kuwait will hold ‘Arpan Farm Retreat 2011’, a fun-filled outdoor picnic for the entire Arpan family on Thursday and Friday (February 17-18, 2011) at a beautiful chalet in Wafra. A wide range of entertainment programs and games are planned for kids and adults during the 24-hour retreat which will conclude on Friday at 10:30 am at the farmhouse. For details and registration, contact Tel: 99738175, 66872372, 65027530, 99483940 or 97917319.

ICSK Mega Carnival is a super hit

T

he Indian Community School, Kuwait hosted its 8th Mega Carnival on January 28, 2011, at Senior branch, Salmiya.

The Chief Guest Ali Abdulla Johar, Technical Advisor and Instructor of Ministry of Private Education of Kuwait inaugurated the daylong event amidst cheers from the vast gathering in the illustrious presence of Ashok Kalra, Hon Chairman, Board of Trustees, Archie Menezes, Hon Vice Chairman, Vijayan Karayil, Hon Jt Secretary, Francis Machado, Hon Jt Secretary, Dinesh Kamath, Hon Treasurer, Rajpal Tyagi Hon member, Board of Trustees, PAC members, Principals, Vice Principals, Staff & Students of ICSK School branches, parents and guests. The carnival logo was unveiled by the Hon Chairman. The carnival souvenir with attractive advertisements sponsored by the elite corporate sector in Kuwait was released by the Chief Guest amidst a

thunderous applause. The visitors thronged the stalls and treated themselves to a day of fun, joy, mirth and festivity. As at every fete the games stalls held magnetic attraction for all. The numerous food stalls serving Indian, Continental and Chinese cuisine attracted one and all with their mouth watering delicacies. The central platform was the venue for several rounds of bingo which kept the gathering glued to the ground.

The ‘Grand Finale’ of the event was the Mega raffle draw with ‘Lancer’ car as the bumper prize. The lucky winners of the raffle were announced by the Hon Chairman and other dignitaries. The aim of the annual event to create the School Welfare Fund was accomplished with success, for which the school management expressed its gratitude to all the sponsors, PAC members, school staff, parents, students and the well wishers.

Sultan Gallery Exhibition Schedule: February 15th | 7-9 pm February 16th | 10am - 4pm & 7-9 pm February 17th - 28th|10am - 4pm (Closed on Fridays & Saturdays)

EMBASSY OF INDIA

For more information please contact: Sultangallery1969@gmail.com Sultan Gallery South Sabhan Block 8, Street 105 Building 168 Kuwait Tel: +965 24714325 ext. 111 Mob: +965 60970001

Successlines to open library

A

s part of its commitment to literature and the habit of reading, Successlines is going to open a library 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.

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/forms/IMM5257E.PDF. A guide explaining the process can be found here: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/guide s/5256E.PDF.

ISRO chairman visits ICSK Khaitan

T

he former Chairman of ISRO and the legendary space scientist, Dr G Madhavan Nair paid a visit to ICSK Khaitan on January 29. The students’ interactive session was organized by Nair Service Society, Kuwait, where 150 students from the Indian schools in Kuwait participated.

It was a celestial treat to the students of classes IX and X who took part in the forum with the great scientist. It inspired and encouraged the students as he very patiently answered

Japanese martial arts demonstration

T

he Embassy of Japan has the pleasure to invite Kuwaiti media representative to cover the Japanese Martial Arts (JAT-DO) Demonstration presented by Masato Matsuura today from 5:00 to 6:30 pm at Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST) Theatre and sponsored by Japan Foundation, Embassy of Japan and GUST. The demonstration entitled “you can touch and feel the soul of Japan” by Masato Matsuura who directs and perform regularly in modem and traditional plays. The demonstration will be followed by a short workout by Matsuura for those who wish to practice and try the IAI-DO. IAI-DO is the fighting technique using swords, which was established at the end of the waning states period (16th century). This technique is not only limited to being a training techniques, but it also includes elements of characters building and is said to be a method of self training.

all their questions. In his address Dr Madhavan Nair gave a vivid picture of development of space science in India and the future plans of ISRO. ICSK Khaitan gave a special welcome to distinguished guest by arranging a small exhibition with the theme KOSMOS. Thanks to Chairman of NSS Kuwait Muraleekrishnan and coordinator of the program Lalu P, for giving the opportunity of receiving a great Indian scientist in our school.

The Embassy of India has further revamped and improved its Legal Advice Clinic at the Indian Workers Welfare Center, and made the free service available to Indian nationals on all five working days, i.e. from Sunday to Thursday every week. Kuwaiti lawyers would be available at the Legal Advice Clinic daily from Monday to Thursday, while Indian lawyers would be available on Sundays. Following are the free welfare services provided at the Indian Workers Welfare Center located at the Embassy of India: [i] 24x7 Helpline for Domestic Workers: Accessible by toll free telephone no. 25674163 from anywhere in Kuwait, it provides information and advice exclusively to Indian domestic sector workers (Visa No. 20) as regards their grievances, immigration and other matters. [ii] Help Desk: It offers guidance to Indian nationals on routine immigration, employment, legal, and other issues (Embassy premises; 9 AM to 1 PM and 2 PM to 4.30 PM, Sunday to Thursday); (iii) Labour Complaints Desk: It registers labor complaints and provides grievance redressal service to Indian workers (Embassy premises; 9 AM to 1 PM and 2 PM to 4.30 PM, Sunday to Thursday); (iv) Shelters: For female and male domestic workers in distress; (v) Legal Advice Clinic: Provides free legal advice to Indian nationals (Embassy premises; Kuwaiti lawyers 3 PM to 5 PM, Monday to Thursday; Indian lawyers 2 PM to 4 PM on Sunday); and (vi) Attestation of Work Contracts: Private sector worker (Visa No. 18) contracts are accepted at the Embassy; 9 AM to 1 PM; Sunday to Thursday; Domestic sector worker (Visa No. 20) contracts are accepted at Kuwait Union of Domestic Labor Offices (KUDLO), Hawally, Al-Othman Street, Kurd Roundabout, 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. ●●●

The Embassy of India will remain closed on Wednesday, February 16, 2011 on account of “Milad-un-Nabi”.

EMBASSY OF NETHERLANDS The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands welcomes Dutch citizens living in Kuwait to register with the Embassy. This registration service is provided so that the Embassy can contact and assist Dutch citizens in case of an emergency, such as a natural disaster or civil unrest, or inform Dutch citizens in case of a family emergenc y in the Netherlands.

Registration forms are available online at: www.mfa.nl/kwe.

A

y

e niv rsar n

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

Years

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

The Ellen Degeneres Show Karen Sisco Good Morning America Supernatural Rescue Me Commander In Chief Karen Sisco Good Morning America Glee Friday Night Lights The Ellen Degeneres Show Psych Friday Night Lights Commander In Chief Glee Karen Sisco Live Good Morning America Psych American Idol American Idol Detroit 1-8-7 Criminal Minds Sons Of Anarchy Kathy Griffin: My Life On The

00:50 01:45 02:40 03:35 04:00 04:30 05:25 06:20 07:10 08:00 08:25 09:15 09:40 10:10 11:05 11:30 12:00 12:55 13:20 13:50 14:45 15:40 16:35 17:30 18:25 19:20 20:15 21:10 22:05 Baker 23:00 23:55

Untamed And Uncut Journey Of Life Cats 101 Gorilla School Gorilla School Pit Bulls And Parolees I’m Alive Untamed And Uncut Cats 101 Meerkat Manor Growing Up...

Planet Wild Breed All About It Corwin’s Quest Project Puppy Project Puppy Animal Precinct Wildlife Sos E-Vets: The Interns Life Of Mammals Life Of Mammals Baby Planet Must Love Cats Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 Last Chance Highway World Wild Vet League Of Monkeys Dogs 101 Weird Creatures With Nick

00:00 00:30 01:15 01:30 02:20 03:05 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

Big Top Doctor Who Doctor Who Confidential The Weakest Link The Weakest Link Big Top My Family My Family 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 My Family

K9 Cops Whale Wars

11:10 11:55 12:55 13:45 14:40 15:30 16:30 19:05 19:50 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:55

Doctor Who The Weakest Link Casualty Casualty The Weakest Link The Weakest Link Doctors Doctor Who Doctor Who Confidential My Family My Family Himalaya With Michael Palin Robin Hood

00:05 02:20 03:05 03:50 07:05 08:10 09:00 11:30 14:50 15:35 16:20 17:10 18:00 18:45 19:10 20:50 21:35 23:15

Fantasy Homes By The Sea Design Star Cash In The Attic USA Come Dine With Me Cash In The Attic USA Come Dine With Me Glamour Puds Come Dine With Me Bargain Hunt Cash In The Attic Home For Life Superhomes Design Star Cash In The Attic USA Come Dine With Me Design Star Come Dine With Me Come Dine With Me

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

00:00 00:25 00:50 01:15 Doo 01:40 02:05 02:30 02:55

BBC World News Dateline London BBC World News World Features Our World BBC World News World Features BBC World News Dateline London BBC World News Newsnight BBC World News Click BBC World News India Business Report BBC World News Fast Track BBC World News World Features BBC World News World Features Dateline London BBC World News Explore BBC World News World Features Newsnight BBC World News World Features Third Eye BBC World News Click BBC World News Sport Today Racing Green BBC World News One Square Mile BBC World News India Business Report BBC News Special: Bafta 2011 Third Eye BBC World News Sport Today Click BBC World News World Features BBC World News

Hong Kong Phooey New Yogi Bear Show Help! It’s The Hair Bear Bunch Scooby-Doo And ScrappyDroopy And Dripple Popeye Classics The Jetsons Dastardly And Muttley

03:20 03:45 04:10 04:30 04:55 05:25 05:50 06:15 06:40 07:05 07:30 08:00 08:25 08:55 09:20 09:45 10:15 10:40 11:05 11:30 12:20 12:30 14:00 14:20 14:45 15:10 15:30 15:55 16:20 16:40 17:00 17:25 17:50 18:20 18:45 19:10 19:35 20:00 20:20 20:45 21:10 21:35 22:00 22:25 22:50 23:15 23:40

The Flintstones Scooby Doo Where Are You! Tom And Jerry A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Yogi’s Treasure Hunt Looney Tunes Hong Kong Phooey Droopy: Master Detective Dastardly And Muttley The Flintstones Tex Avery Show Droopy And Dripple Looney Tunes Pink Panther And Pals The Scooby Doo Show Tom And Jerry Paddington Bear Duck Dodgers The Garfield Show Tom And Jerry Hour Wacky Races Scooby Cinema Dastardly And Muttley The Jetsons Hong Kong Phooey Looney Tunes The Flintstones Help! It’s The Hair Bear Bunch King Arthur’s Disasters Dexter’s Laboratory Johnny Bravo Tom And Jerry Wacky Races Dastardly And Muttley Top Cat The Scooby Doo Show Tom And Jerry Looney Tunes The Garfield Show Duck Dodgers Pink Panther And Pals Tom And Jerry The Jetsons Droopy: Master Detective The Flintstones Looney Tunes Tom And Jerry Kids

00:15 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 00:40 Chowder 01:05 Cow And Chicken 01:30 Cramp Twins 01:55 George Of The Jungle 02:20 Adventure Time 02:45 Eliot Kid 03:10 Ed, Edd N Eddy 03:35 Ben 10: Alien Force 04:00 The Powerpuff Girls 04:15 Chowder 04:40 The Secret Saturdays 05:05 My Gym Partner’s A Monkey 05:30 Ben 10: Alien Force 05:55 Best Ed 06:20 Skunk Fu! 06:45 Cramp Twins 07:10 Eliot Kid 07:35 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 08:00 Casper’s Scare School 08:25 Chop Socky Chooks 08:50 Chowder 09:15 Ben 10: Alien Force 09:40 Bakugan: New Vestroia 10:05 Batman: The Brave And The Bold 10:30 The Secret Saturdays 10:55 George Of The Jungle 11:20 My Gym Partner’s A Monkey 11:30 Angelo Rules 11:55 Best Ed 12:20 Eliot Kid 12:45 Skunk Fu! 13:10 Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroes 13:35 Bakugan: New Vestroia 14:00 Ben 10 14:25 Codename: Kids Next Door 14:50 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 15:15 The Life And Times Of Juniper Lee 15:40 George Of The Jungle 16:05 Ed, Edd N Eddy 16:35 Chop Socky Chooks 17:00 Robotboy 17:25 Squirrel Boy 17:50 Chowder 18:15 The Secret Saturdays

18:40 Ben 10: Alien Force 19:05 Bakugan: New Vestroia 19:30 Angelo Rules 19:55 Best Ed 20:20 Adventure Time 20:45 Cow And Chicken 21:10 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 21:35 Courage The Cowardly Dog 22:00 The Powerpuff Girls 22:25 Ed, Edd N Eddy 22:50 Robotboy 23:00 Batman: The Brave And The Bold 23:25 Skunk Fu! 23:50 Ben 10

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

Sea Of Love-18 Whip It-PG15 Cry Baby-PG15 Mama I Want To Sing-PG Operating Instructions-PG15 The Life Before Her Eyes-PG15 Not Easily Broken-PG15 Finding Forrester-PG 45 R.P.M.-PG15 Bottle Shock-PG15 Aspen Extreme-PG15 Genova-PG15

00:00 World’s Untold Stories 01:00 The Best Of Backstory 01:30 World Sport 02:00 World Report 02:30 Open Court 03:00 World Report 03:30 Inside Africa 04:00 Your $$$$$ 05:00 Piers Morgan Tonight 06:00 The Best Of The Situation Room 07:00 World Sport 07:30 Open Court 08:00 World Report 08:30 The Best Of Backstory 09:00 World Report 09:15 CNN Marketplace Middle East 09:30 Business Traveller 10:00 World Report 10:15 CNN Marketplace Africa 10:30 Cnngo 10:45 Future Cities 11:00 World Sport 11:30 Open Court 12:00 African Voices 12:30 Talk Asia 13:00 Larry King Live 14:00 World Report 14:30 World Sport 15:00 World’s Untold Stories 16:00 Fareed Zakaria Gps 17:00 State Of The Union With Candy Crowley 18:00 International Desk 18:30 World View 19:00 Business Traveller 19:30 World Sport 20:00 Prism 20:45 CNN Marketplace Middle East 21:00 International Desk 21:30 Cnngo 21:45 Future Cities 22:00 World Report 22:30 Open Court 23:00 World Report 23:30 African Voices

00:40 Miami Swat 01:35 Surviving Disaster 02:30 Destroyed In Seconds 03:25 Battle Machine Bros 04:20 How It’s Made 04:50 How Do They Do It? 05:15 Extreme Fishing 06:05 Mythbusters 07:00 Fifth Gear 07:25 Fifth Gear 07:50 Battle Machine Bros 08:45 American Chopper: Senior Vs Junior 09:40 How Do They Do It? 10:05 How It’s Made 10:30 River Monsters 11:25 Extreme Fishing 12:20 Swamp Loggers 17:50 How It’s Made 18:15 River Monsters 19:10 Extreme Fishing 20:05 Time Warp 20:35 Time Warp 21:00 Mythbusters 21:55 Aircrash Unsolved: The Mystery Of...

22:50 Surviving Disaster 23:45 Police Women Of Broward County

00:40 Nextworld 01:30 Ldrs (Large Dangerous Rocket Ships) 02:20 The Gadget Show 03:10 The Future Of...

04:00 Sci-Fi Science 04:50 How Stuff Works 05:45 Engineered 06:40 How Stuff’s Made 07:10 Superships 08:00 What’s That About?

08:55 Catch It Keep It 09:50 Brainiac 10:45 Sci-Fi Saved My Life 14:15 Science Of The Movies 15:55 Patent Bending 16:20 The Gadget Show 16:45 The Gadget Show 17:10 Sci-Fi Science 18:00 Nextworld 18:50 Mighty Ships 19:40 Mega World 20:30 How Stuff Works 21:20 What’s That About?

22:10 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 23:00 Could It Happen Here?

23:50 The Future Of...

I Spy on Show Movies

00:20 00:45 01:10 01:35 02:00 02:20 02:45

Replacements Replacements Fairly Odd Parents Fairly Odd Parents A Kind Of Magic A Kind Of Magic Stitch

03:10 03:35 04:00 04:25 04:50 05:15 05:35 06:00 06:25 06:45 07:10 07:35 08:00 08:25 08:50 09:00 10:30 10:55 11:15 11:40 12:00 12:12 12:25 12:50 13:14 13:15 13:40 14:00 14:25 14:47 14:50 15:15 15:35 16:00 16:25 16:45 17:10 17:30 17:55 18:00 18:20 18:45 19:10 20:40 20:58 21:00 21:25 21:50 22:15 22:40 23:05 23:30 23:55

Stitch Kim Possible Kim Possible Emperors New School Emperors New School Stitch Stitch Special Agent Oso Jungle Junction Handy Manny Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Fairly Odd Parents Sonny With A Chance Phineas And Ferb Have A Laugh Camp Rock 2 Rock-A-Long Hannah Montana Good Luck Charlie Shake It Up Fish Hooks Phineas And Ferb Phineas And Ferb Sonny With A Chance Wizards Of Waverly Place Have A Laugh Hannah Montana Fairly Odd Parents Sonny With A Chance Replacements Have A Laugh Phineas And Ferb Jonas La Fairly Odd Parents Sonny With A Chance Hannah Montana Forever Wizards Of Waverly Place Shake It Up Fish Hooks Have A Laugh Hannah Montana Forever Good Luck Charlie Sonny With A Chance Starstruck Hannah Montana Forever Have A Laugh Wizards Of Waverly Place Jonas La Good Luck Charlie Sonny With A Chance Wizards Of Waverly Place Jonas Hannah Montana Kim Possible

00:00 Programmes Start At 7:00am KSA 07:00 Kid vs Kat 07:25 Kick Buttowski 07:48 Phineas And Ferb 08:00 Pokemon 08:25 Phineas And Ferb 08:50 Phineas And Ferb 09:15 Suite Life On Deck 09:40 Have A Laugh 09:45 Pair Of Kings 10:10 Have A Laugh 10:25 The Avengers: Earths Mightiest Heroes 10:50 New Spiderman 11:15 Zeke And Luther 11:40 I’m In The Band 12:05 The Super Hero Squad Show 12:30 The Suite Life Of Zack And Cody 12:55 Have A Laugh 13:00 Toy Story 2 14:30 Pokemon 15:00 The Super Hero Squad Show 15:25 Kick Buttowski 15:50 Pair Of Kings 16:15 Phineas And Ferb 16:40 Have A Laugh 16:45 I’m In The Band 17:15 Zeke And Luther 17:40 Zeke And Luther 18:00 The Super Hero Squad Show 18:30 Pokemon 18:55 Suite Life On Deck 19:20 Suite Life On Deck 19:45 Phineas And Ferb 20:10 The Avengers: Earths Mightiest Heroes 20:35 New Spiderman 21:00 Kick Buttowski 21:25 Have A Laugh 21:30 Kick Buttowski 22:00 Zeke And Luther 22:25 I’m In The Band 22:50 Have A Laugh 22:55 American Dragon 23:20 The Super Hero Squad Show

00:15 Kendra 00:40 Fashion Police 01:05 Chelsea Lately 01:30 THS 03:15 25 Most Stylish 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 Extreme Close-Up 09:50 Extreme Close-Up 10:15 Style Star 10:40 Style Star 11:05 Kimora: Life In The Fab Lane 12:00 THS 15:25 E!es 16:15 THS 17:10 Behind The Scenes 17:35 Behind The Scenes 18:00 E! News 19:00 Married To Rock 20:00 Live From The Red Carpet 21:15 Giuliana And Bill 22:10 E! News 23:00 Chelsea Lately 23:30 The Soup

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

A Haunting Psychic Witness The Haunted Ghost Lab A Haunting Psychic Witness Black Museum On The Case With Paula Zahn Mystery Diagnosis Forensic Detectives Accident Investigator Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Real Emergency Calls Accident Investigator Fbi Files On The Case With Paula Zahn Who On Earth Did I Marry?

Who On Earth Did I Marry?

Paper Heart on Super Movies 14:40 15:30 15:55 16:20 17:10 18:00 18:50 19:40 20:30 20:55 21:20 22:10 22:35 23:00 23:50

Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Real Emergency Calls Accident Investigator Forensic Detectives Accident Investigator Fbi Files Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Real Emergency Calls On The Case With Paula Zahn Who On Earth Did I Marry?

Who On Earth Did I Marry?

Deadly Women Solved

01:10 The Music Lovers 03:10 War Party 04:45 Summer Heat 06:05 Chains Of Gold 07:40 Italian Movie 09:15 Inherit The Wind 10:50 High Spirits 12:25 Boy, Did I Get A Wrong Number!

14:05 Hour Of The Gun 15:45 Seven Hours To Judgement 17:15 The Adventures Of Buckaroo Banzai 18:55 The Miracle 20:30 Sheba, Baby 22:00 Friday Foster 23:30 Oleanna

00:00 The Office 00:30 Family Biz 01:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 01:30 The Colbert Report 02:00 Entourage 02:30 Cougar Town 03:00 Saturday Night Live 04:00 South Park 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 05:30 Coach 06:00 Yes, Dear 06:30 The Drew Carey Show 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:00 Family Biz 08:30 Coach 09:00 Yes, Dear 09:30 The Drew Carey Show 10:00 The New Adventures Of Old Christine 10:30 Melissa And Joey 11:00 Coach 11:30 Yes, Dear 12:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 13:00 Family Biz 13:30 Coach 14:00 Yes, Dear 14:30 The Office 15:00 Melissa And Joey 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 Entourage 20:30 Cougar Town 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 Saturday Night Live 23:00 South Park 23:30 Billable Hours

00:00 Milk-18 02:15 My Son, My Son, What Have You Done?-PG15 04:00 By The People: The Election Of Barack Obama-PG15 06:00 Mr. Troop Mom-PG 08:00 Nativity!-PG 10:00 Sugar-PG15 12:00 Four Last Songs-PG15 14:00 I Spy-PG 16:00 Nativity!-PG 18:00 Hey Hey Its Esther Blueburger-PG15 20:00 Inglourious Basterds-18 22:30 Stuart: A Life Backwards-18

01:00 03:00 PG15 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:15 15:00 16:45 19:00 21:00 23:00

Timeline-PG15 X-Men Origins: WolverineAlien Raiders-18 Serbian Scars-PG15 Mortal Kombat-PG A Knight’s Tale-PG15 Messengers-PG15 Mortal Kombat-PG National Treasure-PG15 The International-18 XXX-PG15 Bugsy-18

00:00 Santa Baby 2-PG15 02:00 Futurama: Bender’s GamePG15 04:00 Paul Blart Mall Cop-PG15 06:00 Anger Management-PG15 08:00 Flirting Wth Flamenco-PG15 10:00 Married To It-PG15 12:00 The Match-PG15 14:00 Adventures Of Power-PG15 16:00 Santa Baby 2-PG15 18:00 Futurama: Into The Wild Green Yonder-PG15 20:00 Bam Margera Presents: Where The #$#% Is Santa?-18 22:00 Tomcats-18

00:00 The Jetsons Meet The Flintstones-FAM 02:00 Batman: Under The Red Hood-PG15 04:00 Blank Check-FAM 06:00 The Three Musketeers-PG 08:00 Franklin And The Green Knight-FAM 10:00 Blank Check-FAM 12:00 Cars-PG 14:00 Batman: Under The Red Hood-PG15 16:00 Wonder Woman-PG 18:00 Stuart Little 2-FAM 20:00 Scruff In Midsummer Night’s Dream-FAM 22:00 Cars-PG

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

Scoundrels Damages 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 Scoundrels Damages The Deep End The View Emmerdale Coronation Street C.S.I. New York Huge White Collar The View The Deep End

00:00 00:30 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00

Futbol Mundial PGA European Tour Super League Aviva Premiership Super League Super League NRL Special Live Super League Live Super League Live Super League PGA European Tour

01:00 03:00 05:00 09:30 10:00 12:00 16:00 16:30 17:00 17:30 19:30 20:00 22:00

Super League Super League PGA European Tour ICC Cricket World Aviva Premiership Live PGA European Tour ICC Cricket World Total Rugby Futbol Mundial Scottish Premier League Total Rugby Live Aviva Premiership Super League

01:00 02:00 03:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 09:00 09:30 10:30 12:30 14:30 15:00 17:00 18:00 20:00 22:00 23:00

WWE Bottom Line WWE NXT WWE SmackDown UFC Unleashed UFC Unleashed V8 Supercars Championship Full Throttle WWE Bottom Line WWE Smackdown V8 Supercars Championship Futbol Mundial Live Scottish Premier League WWE NXT WWE SmackDown V8 Supercars Championship UFC Unleashed UFC Unleashed

01:00 03:00 04:30 07:15 PG 09:00 10:45 12:45 14:15 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

Synecdoche, New York-18 Paper Heart-PG15 2012-PG15 Where The Wild Things ArePaper Heart-PG15 Jump Tomorrow-PG15 A Number-PG15 2012-PG15 The People Speak-PG15 Accidents Happen-PG15 Adventureland-PG15 Mother And Child-PG15

00:40 California Suite 02:30 Cimarron-FAM 05:00 The Carey Treatment-PG15 06:40 Lili-FAM 08:00 Cimarron-FAM 10:25 Carbine Williams-PG 12:00 Easter Parade-FAM 13:40 Kiss Me Kate-FAM 15:30 Tribute To A Bad Man-PG 17:05 Lassie Come Home-FAM 18:35 Northwest Passage-PG 20:40 Screening Room, The - Film Piracy-PG 21:10 Young Cassidy-PG 23:00 Diner-PG15

00:40 01:30 02:20 03:10 04:00 04:55 05:50 06:40 07:30 08:20 09:10 10:00 10:55 11:50 12:40 13:30 14:20 15:10 16:00 16:55 17:50 18:40 19:30 20:20 21:10 22:00 23:50

Evolve Dinosaur Secrets Life After People Giganto: The Real King Kong Lost Worlds Man Moment Machine Tunnellers Evolve Dinosaur Secrets Life After People Giganto: The Real King Kong Lost Worlds Man Moment Machine Tunnellers Evolve Dinosaur Secrets Life After People Giganto: The Real King Kong Lost Worlds Man Moment Machine Tunnellers Evolve Dinosaur Secrets Life After People Giganto: The Real King Kong Ancient Aliens Ufo Files

e niv rsar n

y

A

Classifieds SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

Years

Lamar Hunt, the one-time owner of the Kansas City Chiefs, saw his daughter playing with a Super Ball and was inspired to call the championship game between the National Football League and the American Football League the “Super Bowl.”

“You have a laugh that makes science lab seem like recess.”

— Rico Rodriguez as hopeless romantic Manny on ABC’s “Modern Family.”

— TIME Book of Why

3 (3-o packa unce) ges flavor of red e gelati d n

YOU WILL NEED 1 (1 -o of s unce) c w a con eetene n d den milk sed

2 en ( 1/ 4un velo oun fla pe ce ge vo s ) la re of tin d

M A RT Y W E S T M A N / M C T

This lovely dessert is easily assembled and, even sweeter, it’s low-fat.

1. Dissolve one package of flavored gelatin in ¾ cup boiling water. Add ¾ cup cold water, then pour the mixture into a 9- by 13-inch glass pan and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. Stir together ½ cup boiling water and the condensed milk. In a separate bowl, dissolve all the unflavored gelatin in ½ cup cold water for 1 to 2 minutes.

Thoroughly mix in ¾ cup boiling water, then combine this mixture with the milk and let it cool. Add half the mixture to the pan of red gelatin, pouring it over a spatula to slow the stream, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

3. Continue alternating layers — gelatin mix (repeat step 1 for each gelatin layer), the remaining milk mix, the final gelatin mix — chilling each for 20 to 30 minutes to set it. Create individual servings with a heart-shaped biscuit or cookie cutter.

A N S W E R S : H E A RT, L OV E , C U P I D, RO S E , C A N DY, C A R D S

Doodle away!

— Disney FamilyFun magazine P H OTO S C O U RT E S Y O F D I S N E Y FA M I LY F U N M AG A Z I N E

The only care these wild mailboxes require is a steady diet of Valentine’s Day cards.

YOU WILL NEED: For both: Solid-color tissue box (you can paint one if it’s not solid) Tape Glue Card stock Plus, for the alien monster: 1½-inch googly eye Pipe cleaners Felt Plus, for the cat: Thin wire 1-inch googly eyes

Each card holder is made from a solidcolor tissue box.

For the alien monster, glue soft felt teeth inside the box’s opening and a card stock heart nose just above. Curl two pipe cleaners into springs by wrapping them around a pen, then glue a 1½-inch-wide googly eye to the end of each spring. Insert the other ends through the box and secure them with tape inside.

To make the cat, glue a card stock forehead, ears and tail to the box. (If needed, you can download templates for these shapes from FamilyFun. com/magazine.) Use glue to attach thin wire whiskers, a heartshaped card stock nose, and 1-inch-wide googly eyes.

— Disney FamilyFun magazine

Calling all doodlers! Google needs your help.

The Internet giant kicked off its fourth annual “Doodle 4 Google” competition. The company wants kids in grades K-12 to use their artistic talent to create a new look for the familiar Google logo. The top doodle will be spotlighted on the search site’s homepage on May 20.

This year’s theme is “What I’d like to do someday ...” To start, students should think about what they would do if anything were possible.

Would they be president? Solve world hunger?

Would they invent a flying bicycle? They can then use the ideas as inspiration for their doodles.

The grand-prize winner will receive a $15,000 college scholarship, a laptop computer, a digital design tablet and a trip to the Google office in New York City. A $25,000 technology grant will be awarded to the winner’s school.

Registration ends March 2. Doodles are due March 16. For official contest rules, visit google.com/doodle4google.

— Vickie An

Honored book The Coretta Scott King award, given to an African-American author and illustrator of “outstanding books for children and young adults,” went to Rita Williams-Garcia for “One Crazy Summer.” Set in 1968, the novel follows three sisters from Brooklyn, N.Y., who visit their mother, a poet who ran away years ago and lives in California.

The King prize for best-illustrated work went to “Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave.”

The book, which was written by Laban Carrick Hill and illustrated by Bryan Collier, tells the story of a skilled potter who engraved his poems on the clay pots and jars he made. The enslaved potter, known only as Dave, lived in — Brenda Iasevoli South Carolina in the 1800s. © 2011 Time Inc. All Rights Reserved.

TIME FOR KIDS and Timeforkids.com are registered trademarks of Time Inc.

SITUATION VACANT An Asian driver required to work for a house. Contact: 99726932. (C 3104) 10-2-2011

ACCOMMODATION One room available for Pilipino couples only to share with Pilipino family in Hawally behind Popeyes restaurant, interested please call: 66440968 / 66266105. (C 3110) 13-2-2011 Accommodation available for decent Keralite bachelor in Abbassiya near German Medical Care. Rent KD 37.5.

Call on 66941892. (C 3106) One independent room in a CA/C three bedroom flat in Ashbiliya, fully furnished is available with all facilities of home. Contact Afzal Shafi.

Tel: 99714430. (C 3108) 12-2-2011 Sharing accommodation available for bachelor in

Abbassiya near Holy Sweets Restaurant.

Contact: 65129145 / 99472115.

(C 3102)

FOR SALE Camry 2001, excellent condition, next passing January 2012. Price KD 2,000/-, genuine buyers please contact: 99827113. (C 3105) 12-2-2011 SITUATION WANTED

MATRIMONIAL Proposals invited for graduate Marthomite boy 31 years, 182cms, working in Kuwait. Looking for girls working in Kuwait. Email: kmtharakan@hotmail.com (C 3111) 13-2-2011 Seeking proposals for Pakistani Muslim family daughter, 24 years, MSc. Chemistr y, on job, tall, smart, well mannered.

Contact Email: proposal9321@gmail.com (C 3101)

An Indian MBA (Finance) having 5 years experience in Kuwait seeking suitable placement in Investment/ Auditing/ Corporate Finance. Fluent in English, Arabic & Hindi and proficient on MS-Office, Excel, Word and Power point.

Please Call: 66516791.

(C 3109) Licensed practitioner of general sawing, advance diploma in Industrial Engineering, having 20 years experiences as Industrial Engineering man-

ager in foreign countries, seeking suitable placement in garment or related industry.

Contact: 66317879. Email: prabashpremasinghe@gmail.com (C 3112) 13-2-2011 A well qualified female (Indian) with several years of experience with multinational organizations in Kuwait, as Ex. Secretary/Admin.

Coordinator is looking for a full-time one shift job or part-time job. Contact: 94470318 or Email: ambilivarma@rocketmail.com (C 3107) 12-2-2011

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 WAN THY UAE WAN QTR DHX FDB GFA ETD ETH JZR KAC JZR KAC FCX BAW KAC KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC KAC UAE KAC QTR ABY ETD GFA IRA FCX JZR IRC JZR MEA KAC JZR KAC JZR KAC MSR FDB UAL SVA KAC KAC

Flt 267 306 772 853 408 138 370 67 211 305 620 207 544 223 546 201 157 412 206 53 382 302 332 676 855 286 132 123 301 213 603 203 787 6801 165 404 772 561 672 555 512 610 57 982 500 562 284

Arrival Flights on Sunday 13/2/2011 Route BEIRUT CAIRO ISTANBUL DUBAI BEIRUT DOHA BAHRAIN DUBAI BAHRAIN ABU DHABI ADDIS ABABA / BAHRAIN DAMASCUS CAIRO ALEPPO ALEXANDRIA DOHA LONDON MANILA / BANGKOK ISLAMABAD DUBAI DELHI MUMBAI TRIVANDRUM DUBAI DUBAI CHITTAGONG DOHA SHARJAH ABU DHABI BAHRAIN SHIRAZ DUBAI RIYADH AHWAZ DUBAI BEIRUT RIYADH SOHAG DUBAI ALEXANDRIA TEHRAN CAIRO DUBAI WASHINGTON DC DULLES JEDDAH AMMAN DHAKA

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

JZR QTR SYR WAN WAN ETD UAE GFA JZR SVA JZR RJA JZR ABY JZR KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC ALK AFG KAC FDB OMA JAI DHX GFA WAN VOS MEA QTR UAE KAC KAC IAC JZR JZR MSR RBG JZR UAL AXB DLH PIA

257 134 341 110 304 303 857 215 121 510 213 800 239 127 177 542 618 786 614 744 674 166 102 267 405 552 61 647 572 372 217 104 81 402 136 859 172 502 981 157 185 612 3553 135 981 389 636 205

BEIRUT DOHA DAMASCUS DUBAI CAIRO ABU DHABI DUBAI BAHRAIN BAHRAIN RIYADH DEIREZZOR AMMAN AMMAN SHARJAH DUBAI CAIRO DOHA JEDDAH BAHRAIN DAMMAM DUBAI PARIS / ROME NEW YORK / LONDON COLOMBO / DAMMAM KABUL / DUBAI DAMASCUS DUBAI MUSCAT MUMBAI BAHRAIN BAHRAIN DUBAI BAGHDAD BEIRUT DOHA DUBAI FRANKFURT BEIRUT CHENNAI / AHMEDABAD / HYDERABAD DOHA DUBAI CAIRO ALEXANDRIA BAHRAIN BAHRAIN KOZHIKODE / MANGALORE FRANKFURT LAHORE

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

Airlines AXB UAL IAC DLH KAC THY FDB UAE ETD ETH QTR DHX JZR JZR JZR RJA GFA JZR VOS FDB BAW MHK JZR KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY QTR KAC ETD GFA IRA FCX JZR KAC JZR IRC KAC MEA KAC JZR JZR FDB

Depatrure Flights on Sunday 13/2/2011 Flt Route 394 COCHIN / KOZHIKODE 981 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 576 GOA / CHENNAI 637 FRANKFURT 1283 DHAKA 773 ISTANBUL 68 DUBAI 854 DUBAI 306 ABU DHABI 620 ADDIS ABABA 139 DOHA 371 BAHRAIN 560 SOHAG 554 ALEXANDRIA 164 DUBAI 803 AMMAN 212 BAHRAIN 786 RIYADH 94 DUBAI / KANDAHAR 54 DUBAI 156 LONDON 711 BAGHDAD 256 BEIRUT 671 DUBAI 171 FRANKFURT 511 TEHRAN 561 AMMAN 771 RIYADH 856 DUBAI 124 SHARJAH 133 DOHA 117 NEW YORK 302 ABU DHABI 214 BAHRAIN 602 SHIRAZ 204 BAGHDAD 212 DEIREZZOR 541 CAIRO 238 AMMAN 6802 AHWAZ 103 LONDON 405 BEIRUT 785 JEDDAH 176 DUBAI 120 BAHRAIN 58 DUBAI

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

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

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

551 611 673 982 617 503 480 480 342 501 613 135 743 304 216 858 801 184 128 156 511 305 204 134 361 62 351 228 648 571 373 675 218 403 203 381 102 137 301 860 502 343 530 3554 613 554 415 411

DAMASCUS CAIRO DUBAI BAHRAIN DOHA MEDINAH / JEDDAH SABIHA SABIHA DAMASCUS BEIRUT BAHRAIN DOHA DAMMAM ABU DHABI BAHRAIN DUBAI AMMAN DUBAI SHARJAH DOHA RIYADH CAIRO DAMASCUS BAHRAIN COLOMBO DUBAI COCHIN DAMMAM MUSCAT MUMBAI BAHRAIN DUBAI BAHRAIN BEIRUT LAHORE DELHI BAHRAIN DOHA MUMBAI DUBAI LUXOR CHENNAI ASSIUT ALEXANDRIA CAIRO ALEXANDRIA KUALA LUMPUR / JAKARTA BANGKOK / MANILA

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

34

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

s ta rs CROSSWORD 228

STAR TRACK

CALVIN & HOBBES

Aries (March 21-April 19) Friendships and involvement in group activities play an important part today. This is a great time to be with others and perhaps enjoy a drive out of town, a nearby tourist attraction or a weekend trip. If you decide the weather is better for hibernating—all sorts of hobbies, card games or parlor games and get-togethers can be quite fun. General good feelings and a sense of support and harmony make this a happy time. Unbelievably—this weekend can present opportunities to increase your earnings. Remove the personal aspect of a problem today and look at a particular issue from a distance. You will gain a new perspective.

Tonight is a good time to catch up on your reading, writing, talking on the phone or planning next week’s meals.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Sacrifices are acceptable occasionally so that greater gains are realized. This may be one of those times. If you are single, you may find yourself changing living quarters. If you are married, you could be traveling from a home base. Perhaps there will be opportunities for your loved one(s) to join you on one of your trips. There is a strong drive to unify and simplify. You want something more imaginative and less mundane. There is a yearning for other worlds and for a more cosmic form of love. You may find yourself analyzing your life situation and surroundings. Conversations of an inspiring kind may be in order with young people, or others around you. This is a great time to reflect on all the positive changes that have happened in your life lately.

POOCH CAFE ACROSS 1. Not divisible by two.

4. English historian noted for his constitutional history of medieval England (1825-1901).

10. Angular distance above the horizon (especially of a celestial object).

13. Hawaiian dish of taro root pounded to a paste and often allowed to ferment.

14. (Arthurian legend) The battlefield where King Arthur was mortally wounded.

15. A unit of length of thread or yarn.

16. A federal agency established to coordinate programs aimed at reducing pollution and protecting the environment.

17. Strike with disgust or revulsion.

19. West Indian tree having racemes of fragrant white flowers and yielding a durable timber and resinous juice.

21. Tall feather palm of northern Brazil with hard-shelled nuts yielding valuable oil and a kind of vegetable ivory.

23. The blood group whose red cells carry both the A and B antigens.

25. The bill in a restaurant.

26. So scary as to cause chills and shudders.

29. Someone who works (or provides workers) during a strike.

34. Exhibiting or restored to vigorous good health.

36. Jordan’s port.

38. The compass point that is one point south of due west.

39. Rock that in its molten form (as magma) issues from volcanos.

41. Type genus of the Anatidae.

42. Highly excited.

44. Minor or subordinate.

45. An informal term for a father.

47. (informal) Of the highest quality.

48. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

51. An Arabic speaking person who lives in Arabia or North Africa.

54. Electronic warfare undertaken to insure effective friendly use of the electromagnetic spectrum in spite of the enemy’s use of electronic warfare.

57. The content of cognition.

59. The capital and largest city of Yemen.

61. According to the Old Testament he was a pagan king of Israel and husband of Jezebel (9th century BC).

63. The elementary stages of any subject (usually plural).

64. A user interface in which you type commands instead of choosing them from a menu or selecting an icon.

65. Small low-growing annual or perennial herbs of temperate and cool regions.

67. (British) A waterproof raincoat made of rubberized fabric.

68. Goddess of the dead and queen of the underworld.

69. A genus of Bothidae.

70. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

DOWN 1. An organization of countries formed in 1961 to agree on a common policy for the sale of petroleum.

2. Amino acid that is formed in the liver and converted into dopamine in the brain.

3. The face of a timepiece.

4. Covered with scabs.

5. Thin fibrous bark of the paper mulberry and Pipturus albidus.

6. An official at a baseball game.

7. Divulge information or secrets.

8. When dried yields a hard substance used e.g. in golf balls.

9. A silvery malleable metallic element that resists corrosion.

10. By bad luck.

11. A transparent optical device used to converge or diverge transmitted light and to form images.

12. About three feet long exclusive of tail.

18. A compartment in front of a motor vehicle where driver sits.

20. A river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine.

22. A small cake leavened with yeast.

24. An analytic or interpretive literary composition.

27. Open-heart surgery in which the rib cage is opened and a section of a blood vessel is grafted from the aorta to the coronary artery to bypass the blocked section of the coronary artery and improve the blood supply to the heart.

28. In addition.

30. Being five more than one hundred fifty.

31. (Irish) Mother of the Tuatha De Danann.

32. A master’s degree in business.

33. Any of several small ungulate mammals of Africa and Asia with rodent-like incisors and feet with hooflike toes.

35. American dramatist (1928- ).

37. A family of Sino-Tibetan languages spoken in southeastern Asia.

40. Not capable of being swayed or diverted from a course.

41. A silvery malleable metallic element that resists corrosion.

43. An amino acid that is found in the central nervous system.

46. A soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal.

49. Cubes of meat marinated and cooked on a skewer usually with vegetables.

50. An indehiscent fruit derived from a single ovary having one or many seeds within a fleshy wall or pericarp.

52. A rapid series of short loud sounds (as might be heard with a stethoscope in some types of respiratory disorders).

53. A blue dye obtained from plants or made synthetically.

55. An enclosure made or wire or metal bars in which birds or animals are kept.

56. The bill in a restaurant.

58. Fallow deer.

60. Of southern Europe.

62. The cry made by sheep.

66. A very poisonous metallic element that has three allotropic forms.

Yesterday’s Solution

Gemini (May 21-June 20) A personal project of yours is making a great beginning. A friend may be confused about their own personal matters today— give them space. Separate yourself from your friend for a while—your energies may not be very helpful to either one of you just now. You could be thinking about improvements in your life that will bring you beauty. You are moved to appreciate and discover the beauty in your life and in those around you. At the same time, if you are out shopping everything you see might be a tempting item. Be wise that you do not overspend or indulge too much just now. This evening is a time for thinking and ideas.

You may feel like talking a bit more than usual, exploring new ideas or getting happily lost in a conversation.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

NON SEQUITUR

You may feel that your avenues of progress have been blocked. Find out the details on some of the delays or interruptions and then progress can be resumed. This could be as simple as the weather to as difficult as construction or some human difficulty. Do not lose your cool—delays will not slow you for long. Whatever you are involved with today will proceed along quite nicely by the afternoon. Sophistication and relationships are the keys to emotional satisfaction for you. You may find yourself purchasing a new coat or new shoes to add that touch of sophistication to the impressions you make with others.

Connections with people on a grand scale play a big part in your life now—perhaps through travel or education.

Leo (July 23-August 22) This may be one of those days when emotions take hold and put you to a challenge. It could be difficult to remain in control. Now is the time to look inside the motives of your own actions. This will give you some insight into your emotional progress as well as some help with your goals. This afternoon your unusual qualities are brought out as you uncover or finish that piece of art or a project you have been working on at home. Some of your artwork or perhaps the refinishing of a chair or bedroom chest is appreciated by many people. Good causes attract your attention and support. Good relationships are the keys to emotional satisfaction now. Harmony and beauty are deeply satisfying and marriage could soon be the key arena for this need.

ZITS

Virgo (August 23-September 22) This morning there is time to think and study, for you have a real appreciation for ideas and thoughts. You may find yourself enjoying long conversations, writing letters or making phone calls. Family and security are things that rattle your chain more than ever. These are areas where you make beginnings and bold moves—things you care about and become motivated. This could mean participation in community affairs. Agreements, if needed, are easily reached today. A visitor in your home may compliment you on your tastes. During your meditation, or contemplation times today, picture yourself completing a project, receiving money or gaining the acknowledgement that you so much desire. The possibilities are endless.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM

Irritations can come from different directions today. If you look from the outside in, the circumstances could seem laughable. Why not get away for a while—run some errands, lend a helping hand. By the afternoon, irritating circumstances will have dissipated. Sympathy and understanding are emotional qualities that take on greater importance. Good luck will be with you all day. You and your loved one could be discussing a joint business project soon. If you consider a six-month review for reassessment and a progress report on each individual, you will find much success. Emotional and financial security is important and you instinctively feel this is the time to move forward with your plans. First, a business consultant would be wise.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) Consider a one-day vacation today and do not take so much time in getting ready for it. You may find that after a busy week, a small retreat with a loved one would be most enjoyable. This might include the rental of a cabin near a lake with picture-taking goals, hiking, bicycle path, etc. The stress from the lack of laughter or too many problems to solve will disappear with your ability to vanish from the regular routine today. Perhaps there is somewhere within a couple of hours drive from where you are now. Close personal ties to your loved ones are good and will always have a concrete base for good understanding and working through any changes that occur naturally in a lifetime. You can bring new excitement into an old relationship at this time.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) A conference or large group gathering for a time of camaraderie and generally having fun fills most of this day—perhaps there are sports. Neighbor(s) or sibling(s) will help you create your future goals this afternoon. Worldwide changes that are needed, such as ways to change trash to fuel or beneficial ways to cut down on global warming, deserve a little attention.

Conversations are productive and include suggestions and ideas that could eventually be submitted to a political source. Ideas and thoughts will have greater meaning and form just now. This is a mentally and socially active period for you. If you are not planning to attend a social affair tonight, this evening would be a good time to relax and enjoy the company of a loved one.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

To

People are beginning to notice the personal changes you have been making in your life. Your self-esteem or self-confidence is improved. A trace of luck finds you grinning from ear to ear in the afternoon. You find ways to tuck a bit of your earnings aside for a rainy day purpose and you teach the young people in your family to do the same. Refinement and relationships are the keys to emotional satisfaction for you. Developing an attitude of unconditional acceptance strengthens close relationships. Share your dreams and hopes with those that support you. Harmony and beauty are deeply satisfying. This is what you strive for now—a great support family team. Allow yourself time to enjoy the fruits of your labors.

Yesterday’s Solution Yester

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) Obstacles in the path of life are merely stepping-stones that will carry you forward. This is a lucky day for making plans or decisions and finding your way through just about any problem you may uncover. Do you suppose it is your attitude that is changing? You will feel successful and quite able to cope with any situation. Good advice from a guide or older person may be upcoming—listen. There will be time to relax and enjoy the evening. Improving and encouraging your relationships bring emotional fulfillment for you. You need other people and can be assisted a great deal if you let people help you when you need help. Close personal ties to other people are a focal point for your feelings. This is one of the better days for romance.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Word Sleuth Solution

A part-time job dealing in art or antiques might prove to be profitable for the next few weeks. Intuition or psychic insights are available for your use now and through the end of this month. If you have problems that you feel are difficult to solve, this could be the time to ask for help from a higher source. You appear at-ease today. Your creative instincts are in full gear. Instead of replacing a couch, you might purchase a new fitted cover. New color and new texture may create what seems like a completely new look. Perhaps a couple of throw pillows with that same material or color would be fun. A neighborhood group or friends group that you enjoy interacting with is in the process of planning a grand event . . . perhaps a bus tour; join in the fun of planning.

A

y

e niv rsar n

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

Years

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

ON 24 HRS DUTY GOVERNORATE

PHARMACY

ADDRESS

PHONE

Ahmadi

Sama Safwan Abu Halaifa Danat Al-Sultan

Fahaeel Makka St Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd

23915883 23715414 23726558

Jahra

Modern Jahra Madina Munawara

Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 Jahra-Block 92

24575518 24566622

Capital

Ahlam Khaldiya Coop

Fahad Al-Salem St Khaldiya Coop

22436184 24833967

Farwaniya

New Shifa Ferdous Coop Modern Safwan

Farwaniya Block 40 Ferdous Coop Old Kheitan Block 11

24734000 24881201 24726638

Hawally

Tariq Hana Ikhlas Hawally & Rawdha Ghadeer Kindy Ibn Al-Nafis Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Salmiya-Amman St Hawally-Beirut St Hawally & Rawdha Coop Jabriya-Block 1A Jabriya-Block 3B Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

25726265 25647075 22625999 22564549 25340559 25326554 25721264 25380581 25628241

Kuwait Airways Wataniya Airways Jazeera Airways Jet Airways Qatar Airways KLM Air Slovakia Olympic Airways Royal Jordanian Reservation British Airways Air France Emirates Air India Sri Lanka Airlines Egypt Air Swiss Air Saudia Middle East Airlines Lufthansa PIA Alitalia Balkan Airlines Bangladesh Airlines Czech Airlines Indian Airlines Oman Air Turkish Airlines Aeroflot

22433377 24379900 177 22924455 22423888 22425747 22434940 22420002/9 22418064/5/6 22433388 22425635 22430224 22425566 22438184 22424444 22421578 22421516 22426306 22423073 22422493 22421044 22414427 22416474 22452977/8 22417901/ 2433141 22456700 22412284/5 22453820/1 22404838/9

PRIVATE CLINICS Ophthalmologists Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444 Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222 Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171 Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999 Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700 Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223 Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223 Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510 Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660 Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478 Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996 Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988 Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166 Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426 General Practitioners Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123 Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312 Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920 Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465 Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528 Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781 Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501 Urologists Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534 Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955 Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660 Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120

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

Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Anguilla Antiga Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands

0093 00355 00213 00376 00244 001264 001268 0054 00374 0061 0043 001242 00973 00880 001246 00375 0032 00501 00229 001441 00975 00591 00387 00267 0055 00673 00359 00226 00257 00855 00237 001 00238 001345

Central African Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Cyprus (Northern) Czech Republic Denmark Diego Garcia Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador England (UK) Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia

00236 00235 0056 0086 0057 00269 00242 00682 00506 00385 0053 00357 0090392 00420 0045 00246 00253 001767 001809 00593 0020 00503 0044 00240 00291 00372 00251 00500 00298 00679 00358 0033 00594 00689

y

A

36

e niv rsar n

Years

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

lifestyle G o s s i p

Kunis

won’t dance again ila Kunis has vowed never to dance again. The ‘Black Swan’ actress found training for the ballet-based thriller incredibly intense, and suffered so many injuries and pain from wearing specialist shoes, she claims the finished movie marks the last time she will ever show off the skills she learned. She said: “I had never danced in my life. I trained for four months, seven days a week, five hours a day. I had one day off on my birthday. I lost 20 pounds. I tore a ligament. I dislocated my shoulder. I have two scars on my back. And it was worth every minute. “But I will never dance again... I was like, ‘Well - I wear heels; I can do this.’ I was wrong. Christian Louboutins are uncomfortable, but I screamed the first time I put on a pointe shoe. “It’s great that the performance has been captured on film, because I will never put on those pointe shoes again.”

Despite her pain, Mila, 27, was pleased with herself when she watched her performance in the film. She told the March edition of W magazine: “Before I started, I couldn’t even lift my arm properly. I literally had no posture, so, yeah, the first time I saw the movie, my jaw dropped. I was like, ‘Oh, my God - I don’t suck.’ “

M

Foxx

in party fight

Lohan

amie Foxx had a “full-on fight” with a former business associate during an Usher performance . The 43-yearold singer-and-actor was reportedly involved in an altercation with Breyon Prescott at Belvedere Vodka’s preGrammy party at the Avalon nightspot in California, with witnesses describing it as a “schoolboy stomp”. Onlookers claim the incident occurred after Jamie invited some of Breyon’s friends over to his table, but didn’t ask his former pal to join them. The pair then had a confrontation, before Breyon reportedly punched the ‘Soloist’ star, who immediately struck him back before friends, including music producer Jermaine Dupri, waded in to help. One insider told America’s OK! magazine: “He proceeded to start tackling Jaime onto the ground and a full on fight broke out between them. Jermaine was trying to get the guy off of Jaime with about five other men helping,” According to insiders, Breyon claims Jamie stole some of his music and there has been bad feeling between the two men for some time. A source told website RumorFix: “Tensions between them have been brewing for a while.” Jamie - who was unhurt - was escorted out of the building through a back entrance and accompanied by security guards as he returned to his car. Throughout the altercation, Usher was performing on stage at the nightspot, watched by guests including Kings of Leon and Paris Hilton.

J

indsay Lohan is being lined up for a role on US ‘X Factor’. The troubled ‘Machete’ actress - who could face a jail term over a recent accusation she stole a $2,500 necklace from upmarket Californian boutique Kamofie & Company is reportedly wanted by Simon Cowell to join him on the judging panel. A source told the Daily Mirror: “Simon wants him and three beautiful girls on the panel. He will sit there like the cat that got the cream.

Lindsay is notorious but she will give the show an edginess. “There’s been serious talks but Lindsay’s legal issues and her commitment to stay sober need to be worked through. She knows this could turn

L

Jensen

reduces workload eira Knightley decided to reduce her movie workload because she was suffering from “exhaustion”. The ‘Never Let Me Go’ actress who in the past has admitted she can see herself moving away from acting altogether - made the decision she needed a year off from lead roles after she was left drained after playing Georgiana Cavendish in 2008’s ‘The Duchess’. She explained: “After I did ‘The Duchess’ I was absolutely exhausted and I just went, ‘OK, I need to stop’. So I took a year off and I’ve been playing a lot of supporting roles recently. “I haven’t taken a lead, and I think that’s partly because of that need to find a balance.” However, the 25-year-old star - who split from her boyfriend of five years Rupert Friend in December - accepts she is “incredibly privileged” to be able to pick and choose when she works. Keira added: “I’m in an incredibly privileged position where I can choose my work. I suppose I’m looking to be stimulated in things that I can put myself into which teach me something about myself and the world.”

K

knew

her life around.” Cheryl Cole and Nicole Scherzinger are frontrunners for roles on the show when it launches in America later this year but Simon is still trying to decide on the perfect combination. The music mogul - who is set to announce the highly anticipated final judging line-up for the show within the next month - has previously said he is looking for an American superstar to join the judges and recently conceded ‘OMG’ hitmaker Usher fits the bill. He said: “I like Usher, I like the fact he worked with Justin Bieber, great mentor. But it’s about the level of commitment someone is willing to give to the show and if they’re willing to help another artist.”

happy to be flawed shley Jensen embraces her “imperfections”. The ‘Ugly Betty’ actress lives in Los Angeles with her husband Terence Beesley and their 15-month-old son Francis and while she is surrounded by beautiful women all day long, the Scottish star insists she doesn’t feel under pressure to always look good. She said: “People often ask if I am intimidated by living in Los Angeles surrounded by beautiful people. But I embrace my imperfections. As long as my body works I am pretty happy with it.

Of course, when I see myself on screen I do think I could stand up a wee bit straighter and that it might help to lose a few pounds.” Ashley, 41, also says she’s not scared about getting older and the effect the years will have on her body because she makes sure she lives a relatively healthy lifestyle. She said: “I exercise not to lose weight but to keep in control of my muscle. Now that I am carrying a child around most of the time I think that must be a bit of a workout. I’m not obsessed with exercise, just aware that as I get older I need to do weights to improve my bone density and cardio for my heart. “I don’t fear ageing. I embrace my laughter lines and sadness wrinkles.”

A

Knightley

Klum

for US ‘X Factor’?

Parker’s

Seal

would be great dad

hard divorce

eidi Klum knew Seal would be a good dad the first time she met him. The 37year-old model - who raises four children with the singer, Leni, six, five-year-old Henry, Johan, four, and one-year-old Lou - says when Seal adopted Leni, her daughter with Formula One boss Flavio Briatore, she saw how much “kindness and compassion” he possessed. She said: “When I first met Seal he had a kindness and compassion that was so sincere I knew he’d be a good father. But it wasn’t until Leni was born and we had our three other children that I grasped what a great dad he is. He has infinite amounts of love and patience for our kids. “He puts me and the children first. Our best interests are always first and foremost in his mind and he does everything in his power to make sure we’re happy and safe.”

The blonde beauty - who renews her wedding vows with the ‘Kiss From A Rose’ singer every year admitted despite having married her husband six times, she still feels like the “luckiest girl in the world”. Heidi added: “Each time has been really special and it means a lot to my husband and I to get our family and friends together to celebrate. “I’ve exchanged vows with my soul mate six times already and each time I feel like the luckiest girl in the world. Seal is my best friend and I am his.”

ony Parker admits splitting from Eva Longoria was “hard”. The basketball star - whose divorce from the ‘Desperate Housewives’ actress was finalized in late January, almost three months after they separated - is hoping to move on with his life now, and despite his personal woes, still feels “lucky” in his life. The 28year-old sportsman told French radio station Europe1: “Divorce was hard. Like anyone else, I’ve learned that life is full of experiences, and you learn from your mistakes and go on. “I’ve been really lucky in life. I’ve got super family, friends - that’s what’s most important. When you look around with what’s going on in the world - with sick children, people in real difficulties - I have no right to complain.” Earlier this week, Eva, 35, also admitted she had found adjusting to single life after three years of marriage “hard” and said she was praying to God for help to get through this difficult patch. She wrote on her twitter account: “Starting over is hard to do...but life goes on...I pray for strength, courage and wisdom on my new journey... (sic)” Eva is reportedly dating singer Eduardo Cruz, the 25-year-old brother of Penelope Cruz.

T

H

Nixon

and partner

have baby boy ex and the City” actress Cynthia Nixon and her partner have had a baby boy, her publicist told People magazine on Tuesday. Nixon’s partner Christine Marinoni gave birth to a son on Monday. The couple have named him Max Ellington Nixon-Marinoni. “Christine and baby are doing great,” Nixon’s publicist told the celebrity magazine. Nixon, 44 and Marinoni, an education worker, have been dating since 2004 and announced their engagement in 2009. Nixon, a prominent lesbian best known for playing workaholic lawyer Miranda in “Sex and the City”, has two children from a former marriage. —Bang Showbiz

“S

A

y

e niv rsar n

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

Years

lifestyle Music and Movies Barbra Streisand arrives at the MusiCares Person of the Year gala.—AP

Grammy weekend begins with

Streisand tribute

Leona Lewis performs at the MusiCares Person of the Year.—AP

Tony Bennett performs at the MusiCares Person of the Year.

said, drawing laughs.

With Jeff Beck on guitar, BeBe Winans and LeAnn Rimes performed a bluesy version of “Come Rain or Come Shine.” Hill did “Send in the Clowns” and Manilow sang “Memory,” a hit for both him and Streisand. “Neither one of us know what the heck the lyric means,” he said of the song from the Broadway musical “Cats.” Later, Streisand said, “I think it’s about a vampire.” It was a rare public per formance for Streisand, who was introduced by Prince as “very simply the one and only.” She hasn’t toured since 2007 in Europe.

Backed by an orchestra, she sang

“ The Way We Were,” “Evergreen,” “Happy Days Are Here Again,” “I Finally Found Someone,” “Windmills of Your Mind” and another song from a new album she is currently recording. Streisand poured herself a cup of tea between songs and gripped the mic stand with her left hand. “I love music for what it does to the soul, how it elevates the moment, the emotions,” she said. “I love music for what it’s given me. It gave me a job when I couldn’t get a job as an actress. I love how music binds us together. It also reflects the times we live in.” Streisand is nominated for best traditional pop vocal album for “Love is the Answer” at

Taylor treated for congestive heart failure

E

a Angelin

Jolie

Jolie ts r o p e r s e i n e d tion p o d a i t i a H of a ngelina Jolie has no plans to adopt child from earthquake-hit Haiti, despite persistent reports in British newspapers to her that she is about to add another child said ss actre the for n esma spok a brood of six, to Jolie on Friday. Adam Waldman, an advisor s webin her philanthropic efforts, told US new ning r-win Osca site The Daily Beast that the to ct proje a on ing work i Hait in actress was improve child welfare and safety. old Jolie has never even met the four-yearh and Haitian orphan called Leah, who Britis process other newspapers claim she is in the Beast. of adopting, Waldman told The Daily othand UK r Mirro Daily the , week “Earlier this Pitt ers reported that Angelina Jolie and Brad from child a ting adop of ess proc are in the re is Haiti,” Waldman said in a statement. “The is Jolie Ms er, “Rath rs. rumo e thes no truth to

A

legal focused on enhancing the welfare and , such As i.

Hait in with ren child protection of ent of she has been mee ting with gove rnm nonHaiti officials, Haitian legal experts and a new governmental organizations regarding initiative of the Jolie-Pitt Foundation. ws The recently launched Jolie Legal Fello Haiti in m syste ce justi the t assis Program will ment to improve child protection,” the state six have Pitt Brad er partn and 35, added. Jolie, and child ren, thre e of who m-M addo x, Pax bod ia, Zah ara- were ado pted from Cam star of Vietnam and Ethiopia respectively. The ed Unit a ed nam was ist” Tour “Salt ” and “The and has Nations Goodwill Ambassador in 2001 ting made several trips to Haiti, as well as dona s of the $1 million to relief efforts for the victim 2010 earthquake.—Reuters

lizabeth Taylor has been hospitalized for treatment of congestive heart failure. Her spokeswoman, Sally Morrison, said Friday that the Oscar-winning actress was admitted to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center within the past couple of days. The 78-year-old Taylor is being treated for symptoms caused by congestive heart failure, a condition she disclosed she had back in November 2004.

Morrison said it’s unknown how long she might be in the hospital. She added that Taylor’s family appreciated the support from fans, but asked for privacy to allow the medical team space to do its work.

Taylor had been scheduled to attend an amfAR benefit gala Wednesday night in New York, where she was to receive an award alongside President Bill Clinton and designer Diane von Furstenberg, celebrating their dedication to AIDS research. But she missed the event, so Elton John accepted the honor on her behalf and passed along a message from her: “I am there in spirit and I join you in saluting my fellow honorees and all these extraordinary leaders. I am inspired by their example, exhilarated by their vision, and encouraged by their compassion and love. And I love them in return.” Taylor, who’s appeared in more than 50 films, won Oscars for her performances in “Butterfield 8” (1960) and “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”

(1966). But she’s been just as famous for her marriages-all eight of them, including two to Richard Burton-and her lifelong battles with substance abuse, her weight and physical ailments, including numerous visits to the hospital for more than 20 major operations and countless treatments.

The actress had near-fatal bouts with pneumonia in 1961 and 1990, and another respiratory infection forced her to cancel all engagements for several weeks in late 1992.

She had both hip joints replaced in 1994 and 1995. Her 2004 diagnosis for Elizabeth Taylor congestive heart failure, compounded with spinal fractures and the effects of scoliosis, left her nearly bedridden. She’s also battled ulcers, amoebic dysentery, bursitis, and had a benign brain tumor removed in 1997. In recent years, she has had to use a wheelchair when out in public.—AP

Sunday’s Grammy Awards. She will perform on the CBS telecast and be introduced by “A Star is Born” co-star Kris Kristofferson. Friday’s dinner and auction produced the highest grossing evening in the tribute’s 21year history, Recording Academy president Neil Portnow said.

MusiCares, run by the Recording Academy, provides financial assistance to individuals in the music industry during times of need.-AP

ing

1970 movie of the same name.

Diana Krall played piano on “Down with Love” from 1963, while Lea Michele of “Glee” belted out “My Man” from 1965. Matthew Morrison, Michele’s castmate on the hit Fox show, and Kristin Chenoweth dueted on “One Less Bell to Answer/A House is Not a Home.” Darren Criss of “Glee” opened the show with “What Kind of Fool” before he and his a capella backups blew kisses to Streisand, who was seated in the audience next to her husband James Brolin. “My niece recently watched a DVD of ‘Funny Girl’ for the first time and asked why I was singing songs from ‘Glee,”‘ Streisand

s

Bennett and Streisand, who closed the show with what she called “the leftovers” of her hits at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Wonder played piano and harmonica on “People,” accompanied by trumpeter Arturo Sandoval. “I want you to know when I was 12 years old, I said, ‘I wish she could be my girlfriend because she sounds so good,”‘ Wonder told more than 2,000 guests. Bennett did “Smile,” a song he and Streisand dueted on in his 2006 TV special. With Herbie Hancock at the piano, 17-year-old Canadian Nikki Yanofsky sang a jazzy take of “On a Clear Day You Can See Forever” from Streisand’s

rs of d runk t weet

tevie Wonder, Tony Bennett and a trio of “Glee” stars led Barbra Streisand on a musical journey through her nearly 50-year career. They joined Faith Hill, Barry Manilow and Seal in launching Grammy weekend by honoring the Oscar-winning singer and actress as MusiCares Person of the Year on Friday night. Streisand, who turns 69 in April, was singled out for her musical achievements and philanthropic work. “I said yes because it’s such a wonderful organization that takes care of their own-the people who actually create the music,” she told the audience. The evening’s standing ovations went to Wonder,

Lamber t learn the dan ge

S

Stevie Wonder performs at the MusiCares Person of the Year.—AP

A

File photo during an shows singer Ada m Lambe rt Early Sho interview on CBS w” in New News’ “Th e York.—A P

da m La mb er t ha s lea rn Tweeting under the infl ed th e da ng ers of TU I: uence. At the Grammy Social Media Rock Stars Summ it, the pop singer admi that “drunk tweeting tted is not good,” and tha t when he has looked over some of his tweets from the past, he could see how they were offensiv e. “You have to be car eful,” Lambert said, who has over 86 0,000 Twitter followers . “Newspapers will quote your tweets. ” The former “American Idol” runnerup also said that while he loves when fans tak e pictures and record video footage at his concerts, he fee ls like they’re cheating themselves.

“It’s (also) adding pressu stuff is up and everywhe re on the performer ... since the re,” by rap pe r Ch am illi on he said. Lambert, 29, was joined air e at th e pr e -G ram my ev en t.

Chamillionaire won a Grammy in 2007 for his No 1 song, “Ridin’.” Lambert is no minated this year for best vocal performance for “Whataya Want from Me male pop .” glam pop-rocker has a Facebook profile with clo While the se to 1.3 million fans, he said he ha s a personal page, too . Though that might be changing.

“It was hacked,” he sai d, adding that someo ne has also posted his pictures onto message boards. Form er MT V News an ch or Jo hn No rri s ho ste d th e pa ne l, wh ich inc lud ed Facebook’s director of pla Beard, co-founder of Fo tform product marketing, Ethan ursquare Naveen Selva durai and Tim Westergren, Pandora’s founder and chief strate gy officer.

Beard said that becau se there’s a lack of rec today, he’s hoping the ord stores connection between art ists and fans are bu ilt ba ck th ro ug h th e int era cti on on mu sic ian s’ Facebook pages. “Musi c is social activity ... an d buying music on iTunes is different than using social media makes in CD stores,” Beard said. “(But) it more social.”—AP

A

y

e niv rsar n

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

Years

lifestyle F a s h i o n

T

here’s been plenty of talk about day-to-night dressing in these frugal times. Next season, you might try night-to-day instead. Designers at New York Fashion Week flipped the script on Friday, incorporating nighttime glamour into daytime classics instead of leaving women to glam up their more casual clothes. Jason Wu turned “classic” around with modern looks that evoked yesteryear in lace trim, high necks and full sleeves. For his contemporary Z Spoke label, Zac Posen showed a navy dress that would look great for daytime with a cardigan — but take off the sweater, and the back is completely bare. Peter Som presented beaded evening pants that could be paired with a work-appropriate dress shirt. In the second day of fall previews, designers were veering away from basics, seemingly encouraging shoppers to invest in some fancier pieces and figure out how to wear them more often. New York Fashion Week continues through Thursday.

JASON WU More than 15 types of lace were featured, and it seemed everything was dipped in gold-leaf embroidery, including the models’ hair. Silhouettes were modest, almost conservative, but colors ranging from barely there neutrals to electric blue and hot pink added youthfulness and sex appeal. Strategic sparkle didn’t hurt, either. Wu made the modern elegant in a lace-trim hoodie parka, a feminine tuxedo-inspired shirt dress and a champagne-colored sheer blouse adorned with feathers made of beading. Wu is known for dressing Michelle Obama, including the first lady’s inaugural gown. This season, he put into fabrics the same vibe photographer Robert Polidori used for his book “Parcours Museologique Revister,” which traced restorations at Versailles. The last two gowns on the runway, a black chiffon with a huge slit up the front and a bright pink strapless with gold embellishment at the bustline and waistband, seem ripe for a starlet looking to elevate her image.

RAG & BONE Some of the coolest kids in town will be wearing heavyduty layers of tweed, tartan, leather, wool and neoprene when the fall rolls around, thanks to Rag & Bone. The brand’s fall collection borrowed from Eskimos, Inuits, Native Americans and Siberians — with a few ‘70s skiers thrown in, according to notes from designers Marcus Wainwright and David Neville. The result was a mashup of texture, silhouettes and color that Vogue market director Meredith Melling Burke said was one of the duo’s strongest collections. “It fit their customers, who really wear streetstyle clothes. They can use all these knits with the denim they have,” she said. Legwarmers — yes, legwarmers, these

This product images courtesy of Zac Posen shows a design from the fall 2011 Z Spoke line. Zac Posen toned it down for his contemporary Z Spoke label this season. No big runway production for New York Fashion Week. — AP

with gold zippers up the back — had a strong presence on the runway in a SoHo loft space. Backstage after the show, Neville picked an orange-blue-black-and-ivory wool gauze skirt, worn with a blue-and-white top and matching legwarmers as one of his favorites and representative of the overall aesthetic.

PETER SOM There’s something to be said for getting your glam on every day. Allow Peter Som to help you with that. Pewter-color sequined pants for work? No problem when paired with a gray cardigan and printed blouse. Facing serious winter weather? A mink-lined twill parka slides right over an orange, lace-bonded tweed suit.

The head-to-toe look of a lace herringbone coat and skirt with a white crepe shirt, and the coordinated floral-print lining of a twill-leatherand-fox coat with a sheath dress, are for women ready for a polished-yet-unstuffy look. “It’s a young luxury,” said Tommy Hilfiger from his front-row seat.

“Peter speaks to a younger woman, but not someone who is flamboyant.” In addition to his own collection, Som serves as a design consultant for Hilfiger. Som might have gotten carried away on some outfits, though, especially with the fur sleeves that bulked up some of his outerwear and a fawn-colored dress with tiers of ruffles around the bodice that added fabric where most women don’t want it.

ZAC POSEN Zac Posen toned it down for his contemporary Z Spoke label this season. No big runway production for New York Fashion Week. No wild fruit prints. And certainly none of the theatrics that Posen was famous for with his signature label, which now gets previewed in Paris. Instead, editors, retailers and stylists were invited to his downtown studio for individual appointments to see some no-frill clothes — clothes that women will be likely to buy and wear. That was the thing about Posen’s grandest moments — thinking of the tornado and wheat gowns, for example: They made beautiful photos, but who could pull them off anywhere but the catwalk? But slim-cut stretch jersey dresses in navy, black and a dusty rose with Posen’s flattering technique of piecing together fabric are the sort of things that can be worn over and over again. Loose-weave, oversized cardigans can top dresses that are office-appropriate from the front, yet have fully open backs to add spice later in the day. There are also the more consumer-friendly prices, with dresses that would retail in the $450 range and handbags starting at $200.

A

y

e niv rsar n

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

Years

lifestyle F a s h i o n

Fall 2011 fashion from designer Cynthia Rowley is modeled during Fashion Week Friday yesterday in New York.—AP

NICOLE MILLER Nicole Miller relies for fall on a sophisticated edge using digital prints, diagonal stripes and asymmetrical necklines.

The collection was heavy on blacks and greys with splashes of red, blue and white. Miller showed several looks with a belt over a coat or vest. She also combined cashmere and leather to create sweaters and tunics. Some pants had leather patches at the knees. Angles over curves had a menswear influence, according to the show’s notes. “Pants, slouchy or slim, are a new focal point.” Liz Rodbell, Lord & Taylor’s executive vice president of merchandising, said the department store sees Miller’s customer as a chic, metropolitan woman. “We look at her line, it really expresses a lot of color for us and helps determine where the business is going,” Rodbell said.

Fall 2011 fashion from designer Cynthia Rowley is modeled during Fashion Week Friday Saturday in New York.—AP

CYNTHIA ROWLEY Blue lights bathed the runway and a drum beat pounded before Cynthia Rowley debuted a collection of printed, flowy silk dresses and glittered sweaters for fall at New York Fashion Week. Her hemlines varied from just above the knee to nearly on the floor. Dresses were loose fitting and willowy, moving easily around models in chunky metallic high heels. Rowley called them “walking dresses,” or “dancing dresses.” She used a green and brown chevron print on a swingy, silk dress with a tie at the neck. A long sleeved cream dress had a multicolored band hem that swayed back and forth. Rowley also used disintegrated velvets for dresses. One sleeveless, deep green velvet dress had an upside-down T-shaped panel on the back. The pants of a yellow velveteen suit were the length of culottes. Actress

Julia Stiles was in the front row. “She’s got such a fun, playful attitude toward clothing that I think is reflected in her designs.”

REBECCA MINKOFF Rebecca Minkoff’s fall mix of luxury and bohemian was inspired by Sean Lennon’s girlfriend, model-turned-singer Charlotte Kemp Muhl. The bonus was a performance by Lennon once the lights went down. He played for the duration of the show. Minkoff admires Muhl’s mastery of vintage and new. The designer showed black cigarette pants with patches on the knees and a leopard print jumpsuit with a black leather belt and black and gold handbag. A skirt in a leopard print had an asymmetrical hem and was worn with a black sequined off-the-shoulder sweater. The show’s finale was a flowy floor-length V-neck gown in a nearly sheer green and black print.—AP

The fall 2011 collection of designer Peter Som is modeled during Fashion Week in New York, Friday.—AP

Fashion from the Fall 2011 collection of Jason Wu is modeled on Friday in New York. —AP

Diet Pepsi ‘skinny’ stirs up big controversy

D

iet Pepsi has introduced a new “skinny” can for Fashion Week, but some critics are giving it a big, fat “no.” The can is a “taller, sassier” version of the traditional can that the company says was made in “celebration of beautiful, confident women.” Some say Pepsi’s approach only reinforces dangerous stereotypes about women and body image. PepsiCo Inc presented the new can at New York’s Fashion Week, which began Thursday. It will be available to consumers nationwide in March.

The company, a Fashion Week sponsor, is hosting a series of events to launch the new can, include collaborations with popular designers such as Charlotte Ronson and Betsey Johnson.

“Our slim, attractive new can is the perfect complement to today’s most stylish looks, and we’re

excited to throw its coming-out party during the biggest celebration of innovative design in the world,” Jill Beraud, chief marketing officer for PepsiCo said in a statement. Critics say it is nothing to celebrate.

Brand experts praised the new design but say the company may be a bit off on its sales pitch that skinny is better. The National Eating Disorders Association said it takes offense to the can and said the company’s comments are both “thoughtless and irresponsible.” Libby Copeland summed up many of the criticisms in an article for Slate.

“Same old story - aspirational, looks-oriented advertising with a thin layer of faux-empowerment on top,” Copeland wrote. “If you’re confident on the inside, you’ll be skinny on the outside, or something. Huh?” Pepsi said that can and its cam-

paign are focused on design.

“We are sensitive to this interpretation, and that is definitely not our intent,” the company said in an e-mailed statement. “We intend to highlight the innovative look for Diet Pepsi and provide our fans with an “inside look” at events that celebrate innovation and style.” The company will take its campaign one step further on Feb. 28 when it launches a print advertisement for the new can featuring the buxom actress Sofia Vergara. Pepsi says it will continue to sell its traditional-sized can. — AP

In this product image provided by PepsiCo Inc, a new Diet Pepsi Skinny Can is shown.

—AP

Lifestyle

Grammy weekend begins with Streisand tribute

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

37 L

et’s just get something out of the way right now-Valentine’s Day is the worst, right? Whether you’re happily ensconced in a long-term relationship, or uneasily treading the waters of new love, this Hallmark holiday never fails to strike fear in the hearts of lovers young and old. Once we’ve outgrown grade school’s helpful communist dictum of “one card for every classmate,” things just get confusing. I’ve found myself on both sides of the day’s fortunes — mushy in love and “Les Miserables”-style On My Own. What I’ve learned through the years is that the cliche gifts that get a groan when mentioned — flowers, chocolate and the like — have gotten a bad rap. The success or failure of these standards, long synonymous with unimaginative gift-giving, is all in the execution. Below, learn how to outsmart Cupid and make standard tokens of affection feel anything but.

Flowers Long-stemmed red roses are to Valentine’s Day as Mel Gibson is to action thrillers: No longer relevant. Update your floral gift-giving with a more modern bouquet. Bonus points if you know your lady love’s favorite flowers, but if not, what about her favorite color? Anything to give the florist a jumping-off point to work with. These days, bigger is not better when it comes to flowers.

Skip the waist-high bouquets in favor of tightly-packed buds in a short vase.

Have the arrangement delivered to her work to give her the added satisfaction of showing off how great her guy is to all her co-workers. Oh, and include carnations at your own risk. Teleflora Gerbera Brights Bouquet ($54, teleflora.com)

People dressed in red costumes promote a gift shop ahead of Valentine’s Day in Beirut on February 11, 2011. —AFP

Canada’s coolest hotel warms hearts G Photo shows the entrance to the ice bar at the l’Hotel of Ice.

uests huddle for warmth in sleeping bags on beds of ice, bonnets pulled over their ears to prevent frostbite, while sipping cocktails in glasses also made of ice. This winter wonderland on the outskirts of Quebec City has become one of Canada’s hottest attractions and most sought out accommodations. A cool place to host a memorable wedding or for a romantic getaway, the Quebec Ice Hotel has attracted 600,000 curious tourists, including 30,000 who stayed overnight, since opening seasonally 11 years ago.

Like Victoria and Jeremy Martin, dozens of couples will exchange vows this winter in a temporary chapel adjacent to the hotel, sculpted entirely from blocks of ice with pews covered in furs.

“There’s something I like more than being a little bit chilly ... it’s (cuddling up for warmth) with somebody you love,” says Victoria, sporting a fur hat, visiting with her fiance from the northeastern US state of Massachusetts. Average temperatures fall below minus 20 degrees C (minus four F) in winter, but inside the hotel’s 36 rooms it is relatively cozy. Thick walls of packed snow and ice act as an insulator, trapping body heat inside. It is

a building method conceived by Inuit who built igloos in the Canadian Arctic and Greenland out of blocks of snow in the winter.

First-time guests of the hotel, however, are recommended to stay only one night as sleeping in sub-zero temperatures is not very refreshing. This year for the first time the ice hotel has teamed up with a bricks and mortar Quebec City hotel to offer packages for one night accommodations at each. Prices for one night only at the ice hotel start at 200 dollars per person. “The place is an architectural feat,” said a review from New Yorker “jblifeguard” on travel website tripadvisor. “Sleeping basically in an oversized igloo in freezing cold temperatures is a crazy experience. Do it. You won’t have to do it again.” The 3,000-squaremetre (32,300-square-feet) hotel, spa and chapel take six weeks starting in December to build, using 15,000 tones of snow and 500 tones of ice, at a cost of some 750,000 dollars.

File photo shows the entrance to the l’Hotel of Ice in Quebec, Canada.—AFP

C

ynic into a sentimental softie, but for Colombia’s flower growers the holiday is less about romance than cashing in on a huge day for sales. Colombia sells some 15 percent of its annual rose production in the runup to the global commemoration of romantic love. It is expected to provide a much-needed billion-dollar boost, after a global recession and local frost hobbled last year’s crop. White plastic tarps cover the elevated plains outside Bogota and Colombia’s second city Medellin for as far as the eye can see. Inside the greenhouses, thousands of mostly female workers scramble to harvest, cut and box millions of roses bound for foreign markets, mainly in the United States.

Valentine’s is a frantic export period; Colombia is expecting to send 450 million flowers to the United States, which gets 65 percent of its roses from Colombia.

And it’s a race against time, as growers hold out as long as possible before picking the bulbs of red or yellow petals, which last no more than 15 days from when they are picked. Then in a flurry, the flowers are packaged and bundled on to flowers-only cargo flights-about 30

planes per day at the peak of the export. It’s a dramatic turnaround from last year, when Valentine’s Day production and exports plunged. “The US economic situation was not the best,” in early 2010 as a result of the worst American recession in generations, said Augusto Solano, president of Asocolflores, the Colombian Association of Flower Exporters.

“In addition, many farms in the savannah of Bogota were hit with frost, and some lost up to 80 percent of the production they had expected during that period,” he added. But this year sales are returning with a flourish, thanks in part to the US Congress, which renewed its duty-free trade program with Andean nations last December, conveniently until Valentine’s Day eve. The scheme allows growers to export their flowers duty-free, providing a boost to Colombia which is already the world’s second largest flower exporter, behind only the Netherlands.

Colombian flower exports hit $1.1 billion last year, but that is expected to rise in 2011. The United States is the main destination, taking 80 percent of Colombia’s roses,

Jewelry I’m all for jewelry — a well-chosen token will be cherished long after it’s given. But remember, if you’re not planning to pop the question this Valentine’s Day, avoid presenting your sweetheart with a ring-sized box. That means no elegant stud earrings (yes, even if they’re diamonds) or a bauble that goes on any finger other than the one next to the pinkie. Have I scared you enough? Good, then here’s some help — a necklace delicate enough to be worn every day is always a crowd-pleaser. Designer Jess LC’s braille “I love you” necklace ($58, jesslc.com; in the Franklin collection) Lingerie Listen closely: Step away from the Victoria’s Secret catalogue. Despite what the card may say, a gift of lingerie is always in danger of telegraphing, “This is a gift for me, not you.” The trick is to go for “lovely,” not “sexy.” Trust me, if she feels beautiful (as opposed to trashy) sexy will come naturally. Also, your first inclination may be to go with a padded push-up and flimsy bottoms, but consider a pretty bralette and boy short in lace. This set from Eberjey will set her heart aflutter and yours racing. So skip the red, the leopard-print, and especially, the mall brands. Eberjey Bluebird Isabella bralette and culottes ($32, $20; shopbop.com) Chocolate I’m not a huge chocolate fan, but I am a sucker for beautifully boxed foodstuffs. Like Julie Andrews in “The Sound of Music,” I’ll break into song for brown paper packages wrapped up in string. Shun the drugstore heartshaped box of boring milk chocolate in favor of a pretty package containing tasty contents. And you don’t even have to wrap it. I like Marie Belle for upscale chocolate in fancy boxes. They make amazing ganache (I’ve been told), but I’m all about their hot chocolate and the lovely tins they come in.

The best part, she’ll think about how sweet you are every time she makes herself a cup. Marie Belle hot chocolate tins ($42, mariebelle.com) Dinner Please, please don’t go out to dinner on Valentine’s Day. Even the best restaurants will be running an overpriced prix-fixe with a choice of salmon that’s been sitting under heat lamps, rib eye that’s been sitting under heat lamps or pasta that’s been sitting under heat lamps. No thanks. Instead, step into the kitchen and cook your specialty. Set the table with the best dishes you own and lots of candles. Use cloth napkins if you’ve got ‘em. Don’t have a specialty? Try this easy chicken dish from Real Simple magazine for a can’tmiss win: tiny.cc/RSrecipe. If she really wants to get out of the house, after dinner head to the nicest restaurant in town — you know, the one you drive by thinking, “Someday...” — and share a romantic dessert at the bar. Now you’re all set for your most stylish Valentine’s Day ever! —MCT

Veiled Pakistani women choose Valentine’s Day gifts at a shop in Peshawar on February 11, 2011. A number of shopping centers in Pakistan are full of gifts including cards, stuffed toys, chocolates and miscellaneous items for Valentine’s Day celebrated on February 14.— AFP

although in recent years the South American nation has shown it is intent on cracking Europe and Russia. “The European market is very attractive,” Asocolflores vice president Richard Franklin said. “A culture of daily flower consumption exists there, unlike in the United States, which is limited to celebrations. The Swiss spent on average 82 euros ($110) on flowers in 2009, while Americans spent only 21 euros ($28),” he said.

While Colombia has boosted its sales to Britain (now four percent of Colombia’s flower exports) and Spain (two percent), Franklin acknowledged there was stiff competition from the Netherlands. Moreover, the floral business can be subject to the whimsy of a discerning and style-obsessed public, unlike most other agricultural crops, noted Franklin. “They are luxury goods, a business in which the renewal of varieties is essential,” he added.

“The flower is a product that conveys emotion. Our competition is not the products of Ecuador or Kenya, it’s a bottle of wine or a box of chocolates.”

Such a perception is shared by Julian Herrera, manager of Flora Export, which has some 20 hectares (50 acres)

of farmland under cultivation on the outskirts of Bogota that produce about a million roses per month. “During this season we mainly export red roses,” Herrera said. “The favorite at this time is called ‘Freedom,’ which has a large bulb and good durability in the vase.” Such staying power is crucial to exporters, who must choose flowers with stems straight enough and thick enough to withstand a journey that can last up to five days from rose bush to a lover’s bouquet.

Shortly after being picked, the flowers are boxed and laid into refrigerated trucks which shuttle them to the airport. Authorities run them through scanners-designed to detect cocaine- before the flowers are placed in cargo containers wrapped in padding to prevent thermal shock while in the cargo hold for their night flights out of Colombia.—AFP