World leaders link arms at historic Paris march

Transcription

CR
IP
TI
ON
BS
SU
MONDAY, JANUARY 12, 2015
Amir meets
visiting
Bahraini
premier
62 killed in
fiery Pakistan
bus-tanker
crash
NO: 16400
150 FILS
4
40 PAGES
RABI ALAWWAL 21, 1436 AH
7
India on brink
of ‘quantum
leap’, Modi
tells investors
25
www.kuwaittimes.net
UAE roar
back to
thrash rivals
Qatar
18
World leaders link arms
at historic Paris march
Tears, cheers but ‘no fear’ at massive rally
Projects worth
$155bn planned
Mulla freed on bail
By B Izzak
KUWAIT: The government has set capital spending
in the five-year development plan starting in April
at KD 45.5 billion ($155 billion), a majority of which
will be spent on projects and development of
human resources, MP Mohammad Al-Jabri said yesterday. The draft plan was debated yesterday
between Minister of Social Affairs and Labor and
Planning and Development Hind Al-Subaih and the
National Assembly’s financial and economic affairs
committee, said Jabri, the committee’s rapporteur.
The plan needs to be debated and approved in the
National Assembly in the coming few weeks.
Jabri said that the government assured the committee that spending on projects will not be affected by the sharp drop in oil prices that sent the price
of Kuwaiti crude from above $110 a barrel in June
to as low as $43.21 a barrel at close of trading on
Friday. He said that the amount is projected to
finance 523 projects during the plan’s period of
2015/2016 to 2019/2020.
Continued on Page 13
PARIS: French President Francois Hollande (third left) observes a minute of silence surrounded by heads of
state including (left to right) Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Mali’s President Ibrahim Boubacar
Keita, Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel, European Council President Donald Tusk, Palestinian President
Mahmoud Abbas and King Abdullah and Queen Rania of Jordan as they attend a solidarity march in the
streets of the French capital yesterday. — AFP (See Pages 7, 10 & 14)
Min 03º
Max 16º
High Tide
03:22 & 16:38
Low Tide
10:01 & 22:44
PARIS: World leaders including Muslim and Jewish statesmen linked arms to lead an estimated million-plus French
citizens through Paris in an unprecedented march under
high security to pay tribute to victims of Islamist militant
attacks. Paris police said the turnout was “without precedent” but too large to count. One organizer said he had
indications it could be between 1.3 and 1.5 million people.
Some commentators said the last street presence in the
capital on this scale was at the Liberation of Paris from Nazi
Germany in 1944.
President Francois Hollande and leaders from Germany,
Italy, Israel, Turkey, Jordan, Britain and the Palestinian territories among others, moved off from the central Place de
la Republique ahead of a sea of French and other flags.
Giant letters attached to a statue in the square spelt out
the word “Pourquoi?” (Why?) and small groups sang the
“La Marseillaise” national anthem. Some 2,200 police and
soldiers patrolled Paris streets to protect marchers from
would-be attackers, with police snipers on rooftops and
plain-clothes detectives mingling with the crowd. City
sewers were searched ahead of the vigil and underground
train stations around the march route were closed down.
The march mostly went ahead in a respectful silence,
reflecting shock over the worst militant Islamist assault on
a European city in nine years. For France, it raised questions of free speech, religion and security, and beyond
French frontiers it exposed the vulnerability of states to
urban attacks. Two of the gunmen had declared allegiance
to Al-Qaeda in Yemen and a third to the militant Islamic
State.
Continued on Page 13
LOCAL
Crime
R e p o r t
Convertible rider
shot in head on
Gulf Road
KUWAIT: A citizen escaped death after a bullet penetrated
his skull while on a picnic with his friends. The incident
took place when four persons in a convertible car on
Arabian Gulf Road in Salmiya were surprised after one of
them started bleeding heavily. They rushed him to
Mubarak Hospital, where it was discovered that a bullet
was lodged in his head. He was operated on to remove it,
and investigations are underway.
Interior Ministry ‘not against
expats’: Assistant Undersecretary
Nearly 110,000 yet to update data
KUWAIT: While stressing that “we are not
against expats”, Interior Ministry Assistant
Undersecretar y for Nationality and
Residency Affairs Maj Gen Sheikh Mazen
Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah said the ministry will
continue implementation of the law to
preserve its respect, eradicate violations
and boost security in the country. Sheikh
Mazen said there are nearly 110,000
expats who did not update their status
and said there will be several campaigns
by the residency affairs department’s
detectives in order to catch violators.
He was optimistic over the collection of
fines, after expats realized the extent of
the law and began paying up. He said that
KD 1.138 million were collected during
two weeks since the law was activated
compared with KD 128,000 in 2013.
Sheikh Mazen said dealings with expats
are done with justice, adding those who
updated their data but it was not entered
in the system for any reason will not be
fined.
He reminded that expats who left
Kuwait after renewing their passports will
be given a month from the date of return
to Kuwait, and this is how fines are calculated. As for domestic helpers (article 20
visa) whose passports have expired, they
will be given a two-month grace period,
and if they receive a temporary extension
from their embassy, they should go to the
residency affairs department to update
their data until they receive their new
passports, Sheikh Mazen said. — Al-Rai
Police devices
Security for found police and defence ministry
devices put for sale at the Friday Market, including 26
flashers, six wireless devices and one infantry system,
as well as rocket pads.
Wedding thief
A man in his forties told Sulaibkhat police station that a
woman stole KD 200 from his wife when she was at a wedding party. Police when to the wedding party site, checked
the victim’s purse and lifted fingerprints. Investigations are
underway.
Stolen car found
A police patrol in Doha found a stolen car with two
citizens inside. The car was stopped for over-speeding
and was reported stolen earlier.
Thieves nabbed
A Saudi and a bedoon were arrested by Andalus police
for committing several thefts. A security source said that a
police officer was in his house when he heard knocks on
the door, but before opening the door, he noticed it was
broken. When he opened it, he saw two men outside, one
of whom escaped to the roof. Police were called, and they
arrested the person, who was found to be a bedoon exconvict. He said that he along with his friend knocked at
doors and took advantage of owners’ absence to steal.
Duo held with
250 gm of meth
By Hanan Al-Saadoun
KUWAIT: Drugs Control General Department officials
arrested two persons with 250 gm of meth. The two
bedoons confessed to trading in drugs. They were sent to
concerned authorities.
Thieves at large
Security authorities are looking for three masked men
who staged a robbery at Nahda polyclinic. An Arab guard
told police three masked men came in with knives, held
him, then broke into two stamp machines. Detectives are
working on the case.
Liquor factory busted
Ahmadi security authorities busted a local liquor factory
in Wafra run by four Asians, where 1,332 bottles, 62 barrels
and three gas cylinders were found. They were sent to concerned authorities.
Fuel price increase
still considered
KUWAIT: Despite statements from officials that fuel price
hikes are on hold, the ministerial committee that was
formed to study means of reducing government subsidies recommended petrol prices between 100-160 fils a
liter, based on its grade. The committee said this adjustment is necessary following a hike in diesel prices to 170
fils a liter, to avoid consumers switching to gasoline,
which is cheaper. The committee recommended 95
octane petrol at 130 fils/liter instead of the current 65 fils,
98 octane petrol at 160 fils and 91 octane petrol at 100
fils.
Meanwhile, 24 cement plants and companies threatened to take steps that may reach halting production if
the government does not solve the problem of raw material price hikes. The companies sent a warning to companies of raw materials to restore prices to what they were
before the hike of diesel prices on Jan 1, 2015, otherwise
they will go to Commerce and Industry Minister Dr
Abdelmohsen Al-Mudej to take deterrent action, and the
next step will be halting production.
In the meantime, companies and plants rejected any
increase in sand and gravel prices, as well as other materials that goes into making readymix concrete. They told
raw material companies that their lack of response during
the warning period means commitment to the previous
prices. Sources said that concrete factories received verbal responses from raw material companies that they cannot commit to the old prices because the increase in
diesel prices increased their costs. — Al-Rai
Worldwide Caution from the US Embassy
T
he United States’ embassy in
Kuwait sent the following security
notice to US citizens in the country:
The Department of State is updating
the Worldwide Caution to provide information on the continuing threat of terrorist actions and violence against US citizens and interests throughout the
world. Recent terrorist attacks, whether
by those affiliated with terrorist entities,
copycats, or individual perpetrators,
serve as a reminder that US citizens need
to maintain a high level of vigilance and
take appropriate steps to increase their
security awareness. This replaces the
Worldwide Caution dated October 10,
2014.
The Department of State remains
concerned about the continued threat
of terrorist attacks, demonstrations, and
other violent actions against US citizens
and interests overseas. On September
22, 2014, the United States and regional
partners commenced military action
against the Islamic State of Iraq and the
Levant (ISIL), a designated terrorist
organization in Syria and Iraq. In
response to the airstrikes, ISIL called on
supporters to attack foreigners wherever they are. Authorities believe there is
an increased likelihood of reprisal
attacks against US, Western and coalition partner interests throughout the
world, especially in the Middle East,
North Africa, Europe, and Asia.
Kidnappings and hostage events
involving US citizens have become
increasingly prevalent as ISIL, al-Qaìda
and its affiliates have increased
attempts to finance their operations
through kidnapping for ransom operations. ISIL, al-Qa’ida in the Arabian
Peninsula (AQAP) and al-Qa’ida in the
Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) are particularly
effective with kidnapping for ransom
and are using ransom money to fund
the range of their activities. Kidnapping
targets are usually Western citizens from
governments or third parties that have
established a pattern of paying ransoms
for the release of individuals in custody.
Extremists may elect to use conven-
tional or non-conventional weapons,
and target both official and private
interests. Examples of such targets
include high-profile sporting events,
residential areas, business offices,
hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, schools, public areas, shopping
malls, and other tourist destinations
both in the United States and abroad
where US citizens gather in large numbers, including during holidays.
US citizens are reminded of the
potential for terrorists to attack public
transpor tation systems and other
tourist infrastructure. Extremists have
targeted and attempted attacks on subway and rail systems, aviation, and maritime services. In the past, these types of
attacks have occurred in cities such as
Moscow, London, Madrid, Glasgow, and
New York City.
Middle East and Nor th Africa:
Credible information indicates terrorist
groups also seek to continue attacks
against US interests in the Middle East
and North Africa. The US government
remains highly concerned about possible attacks against US citizens, facilities,
businesses, and perceived US and
Western interests.
No part of Syria should be considered immune from violence. The security situation remains dangerous and
unpredictable as a civil war between
government and armed anti-government groups continues throughout the
country. There is an increased threat of
terrorism from groups such as ISL, alNusrah, as well as other extremists
whose tactics include use of suicide
bombers, kidnappings, use of small and
heavy arms, and improvised explosive
devices (IEDs). Since the start of the
uprising against Syrian President Bashar
al-Assad’s regime in March 2011, the
United States has received reports of
numerous foreigners kidnapped in
Syria, many of whom are still in captivity. The majority of the victims are journalists and aid workers. US citizens and
other Westerners have been murdered
by ISIL in Syria. Violent extremists from
various countries operate in Syria and
may be planning attacks against the
United States and other Western targets.
A number of extremist groups also
operate in Lebanon and the potential
for death or injury in Lebanon exists
because of periodic terrorist bombing
attacks throughout the country. As a
result of spillover violence from the
Syria crisis, Sunni groups are active and
Hezbollah, a group designated by the
US government as a terrorist organization, has been present and active for
many years.
US citizens in Iraq remain at high risk
for kidnapping and terrorist violence.
Numerous insurgent groups, including
ISIL, previously known as al-Qa’ida in
Iraq, remain active and terrorist activity
and violence persist in many areas of
the country. ISIL and its allies control
Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city, and
have captured significant territor y
across central Iraq and continue to
engage with Iraqi security forces in that
region.
Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb
(AQIM), the Movement for Unity and
Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO), and alMurabitun remain active and operate
primarily in southern Algeria, southwestern Libya and Tunisia in the wake of
French and African inter vention in
northern Mali. In Algeria, terrorists sporadically attack Westerners and Algerian
government targets, particularly in the
Kabylie region, and near Algeria’s borders with Libya and Mali. In September,
a French tourist was kidnapped and
murdered by an Algerian-based terrorist
group. Terrorists have targeted oil processing plants in Algeria, Saudi Arabia,
and Yemen. In Libya, various groups
have called for attacks against US citizens and US interests. Terrorist organizations continue to be active in Yemen,
including al-Qa’ida in the Arabian
Peninsula (AQAP).
Before You Go The Department of State
urges US citizens living overseas or
planning to travel abroad to enroll in
the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program
(STEP). When you enroll in STEP, we can
keep you up to date with important
safety and security announcements.
Enrolling will also make it easier for the
Embassy to contact you in the event of
an emergency. You should remember
to keep all of your information in STEP
up to date; it is particularly important
when you enroll or update your information to include a current phone number and e-mail address.
US citizens are strongly encouraged
to maintain a high level of vigilance, be
aware of local events, and take the
appropriate steps to bolster their personal security. For additional information, please refer to Traveler’s Checklist.
US government facilities worldwide
remain at a heightened state of alert.
These facilities may temporarily close or
periodically suspend public services to
assess their security posture. In those
instances, US embassies and consulates
will make every effort to provide emergency services to US citizens. US citizens abroad are urged to monitor the
local news and maintain contact with
the nearest US embassy or consulate.
As the Department of State continues to develop information on potential
security threats to US citizens overseas,
it shares credible threat information
through its Consular Information
Program documents, including Travel
Warnings, Travel Alerts, Country Specific
Information, and Emergency and
Security Messages, all of which are available on the Bureau of Consular Affairs
website athttp://travel.state.gov. Follow
us on Twitter and the Bureau of
Consular Affairs page on Facebook as
well. In addition to information on the
internet, travelers may obtain up-todate information on security conditions
by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in
the United States and Canada or, from
other countries, on a regular toll line at
1-202-501-4444. These numbers are
available from8:00 am to 8:00 pm
Monday through Friday, Eastern Time
(except US federal holidays).
Kuwaiti Women Police commended over security role
KUWAIT: Since Kuwaiti Women Police
emerged from the Institute of Authority
Support at Saad Al-Abdullah Academy
for Security Sciences seven years afo, it
has been making steady steps with
determination to conserve security and
safety of the Kuwaiti society.
Allowing women to join the Ministry
of Interior has been part of a march
launched by His Highness the Amir
Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber AlSabah to help them gain full rights in the
Kuwaiti society. In addition, the move
has been regarded as a quantum shift
that positively affects security performance.
Since joining security work, women
have proved eligibility and merit in all
missions they were tasked with, field and
administrative assignments, ministry
Assistant Undersecretary for Training and
Education Affairs Major General Sheikh
Faisal Al-Nawaf Al-Sabah said.
The ministr y spares no effort to
remove obstacles or hardships that
might face women police to help them
play due security role, he added. He
stressed in that respect the cooperation
between the Public Relations and Moral
Guidance, and Security Media
Departments and the Training and
Education Affairs sector to attract
women to join security services.
The Training and Education Affairs
sector at the Academy is eager to provide students with of leaderships and
administration expertise and skills, as
well as raising their cultural and knowledge levels and physical fitness according to well-prepared programs.
Dalal Khaled Al-Ruwaished, Assistant
Director General for Administration
Support Affairs at Saad Al-Abdullah
Academy for Security Sciences, underscored in a similar statement the significant role women play to build a sound
society. Working in the police is a good
example.
According to Ruwaished, the first
batch of women police graduated from
the Institute in 2008-2009. They were 27
members, among them 16 officers with
university degrees. She noted that the
numbers of women willing to join the
security work is on the rise, manifesting a
strong desire to serve the country.
Education and qualification form the
base for the Institute to reinforce the
national security values in policewomen,
Institute of Authority Support Director
Muna Eassa Al-Shatti said. The number of
graduates so far have reached 309 officers, NCOs and privates, she added.
Police doctor captain Login Al-Rashid,
who graduated in the Institute in 2010,
said that allowing women to join the
police opened fresh prospects for them
to prove themselves and play due role
side by side with men. She indicated that
the Kuwaiti society is in need for women
police in all sectors, security, services and
administration. — KUNA
‘Exercise Eagle Resolve 2015’
planning meeting underway
KUWAIT: Assistant Commander of
Kuwait Air Force Brigadier Pilot
Abdullah Al-Fodari highlighted yesterday the role by representatives of the
Exercise Eagle Resolve countries in the
groups and workshops planning for
the 2015 version of the military drills.
Brigadier Fodari said that taking
part in the five-day final planning
meeting of the 2015 Exercise that
kicked off here today is essential to
enrich it and secure it success, lauding
the efforts by the preparatory committee in the previous meetings.
He also expressed gratitude to
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of
Defense Sheikh Khaled Al-Jarrah AlSabah and Chief of Staff of Kuwait’s
Army lieutenant General Mohammad
Khaled Al-Kheder for their limitless
support to the Exercise Eagle Resolve
2015 preparatory committee.
This final meeting includes work-
shops aiming to design the joint scenarios of the Exercise that will be held
through March, led by the Kuwaiti
Army in cooperation with the US
Central Command. He said that the
Kuwait Oil Tanker Company had joined
the planning groups for Eagle Resolve
2015, with a crucial role in the scenario.
This is a major regional and international exercise, prepared through coordination with the US Central
Command, head of the preparatory
committee Lieutenant-Brigadier
Mohammad Abdullah Al-Kandari. Up
to 22 countries will take part in the
Exercise. This 13th version of Exercise
Eagle Resolve will take place on stages
in March 2015 for unifying visions on
how to coordinate efforts in fields like
countering terrorism, border security
and managing crisis and catastrophes.
Bahrain hosted the first Exercise in
2000.— KUNA
KUWAIT: The Kuwait Diveing Team removed three boats from the Shamlan harbor, each weighing five tons, in addition to two tons of waste at the location. The team, a member of the Environmental Voluntary Foundation, also warned that the harbor has become overcrowded with fishing and picnic boats, leaving it filled with waste.
LOCAL
Government intent on
countering price
imbalances: Minister
KUWAIT: British Ambassador Matthew Lodge speaks at the press conference yesterday. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat
Lord Mayor of London to
grace ‘Britain in Kuwait’ expo
Over 70 stands to be featured
By Ben Garcia
KUWAIT: Lord Mayor of London Alan Yarrow
will visit Kuwait next week for the ‘Britain in
Kuwait 2015’ exhibition, the British envoy to
Kuwait announced at a press conference yesterday. The Lord Mayor will be accompanied
by British business leaders and delegations to
look at the oil and gas sector and the newlyformed Kuwait-Britain Business Center.
Ambassador Matthew Lodge noted that
Yarrow’s delegations will hold separate meetings with business leaders and will visit the
exhibition venue. “It will be very exciting for
everyone, especially since the Lord Mayor of
London will come and join us in this exhibition,” he said. The exhibition will be held at
the Salwa Sabah Al-Ahmad Ballroom under
the patronage and presence of Sheikh Nasser
Al-Mohammed Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah from Jan
15 to 17.
Economic relations
Lodge also lauded Kuwait-British economic relations that continue to prosper and is
committed and determined to strengthen
bilateral relations. “The total value of trade
between the UK and Kuwait stood at £4 billion. In 2012, British expor ts to Kuwait
exceeded one billion pounds, while hundreds
of British companies are represented in
Kuwait either through franchises or through
sponsors and partnerships. A number of
these companies will be present at the exhibition,” he said.
Lodge mentioned that the Kuwait
Investment Authority is considered a partner
of the United Kingdom, especially the City of
London. “Whether you are driving a British
automobile, or buying British goods in
Kuwait - even in the oil and gas, pharmaceutical, healthcare and engineering sectors, luxury goods and retail, the Britain-Kuwait trading
partnership will go from strength to strength.
I am delighted to give my full support to this
exhibition,” he noted.
Top companies
The 9th trade exhibition will have over 70
stands with Zain and Al-Zayani as platinum
sponsors. “A great selection of Britain’s top
companies operating inside and outside
Kuwait will come together under one roof to
showcase the best of their products and services, with the aim of better servicing existing
and potential clients. This is a significant event
that we are proud to be part of, as it allows us
to build further on the successful relationship
we currently enjoy with Kuwait and its people,” the envoy said.
The ‘Britain in Kuwait’ exhibition was established in 1997 to solidify the trade ties
between the two nations and reinforce the
long-standing relationship that joins them
together and continues to grow stronger until
this day. A majority of industries and sectors
in Kuwait will be represented during the exhibition, including retail, education, healthcare,
automobile, hospitality, aviation and many
more. A number of exciting activities will take
place at the event, with some companies promoting numerous first-to-market promotions.
Reinforcing commitment
Ahmed Ismail Behbehani of event organizer Al-Jabriya Group said: “It is a privilege to
play a significant role in creating a platform
that brings together so many esteemed companies that have contributed greatly to the
economy of Kuwait. This event is not only
about the companies exhibiting their services,
but rather reinforcing their commitment to
developing different sectors across Kuwait”.
A host of participants are scheduled for the
event including NBK, British Petroleum, British
Airways, Alghanim Travel, Costa Coffee, East
India Tea Company, the British Council, OSN,
G4 Security, Inchcape Shipping, HCA
International, Burlington Stone, British
Business Forum, the British School of Kuwait,
Kuwait English School, Kuwait Banking
Association and the Kuwait Investment
Promotion Office.
KUWAIT: The government is determined
to avert any imbalances of commodities
and consumer goods prices, Deputy
Prime Minister and Minister of
Commerce and Industry Abdulmohsen
Al-Mudej.
This will be done through monitoring
by the Ministry or positive interference,
providing products of government companies in case a shortage of certain items
occurs, Mudej told reporters on the sidelines of signing an MoU and an agreement with Kuwait Flour Mills and
Bakeries Company.
Mudej stressed that the ministry is
keen on a “just application” of the cabinet
decision cutting subsidy on diesel,
kerosene and aircraft fuel. Part of this,
the concerned companies will be
exempted from the cuts, he said. They
have to submit the relevant official documents so that they can continue receiving subsidy.
However, he warned against unjustified rise in prices, noting that violating
companies will be prosecuted. Violators
have so far hit 100 companies. The minister noted that a ministry violation committee receives consumers’ complaints
on unjustified rise in prices.
Future subsidy cuts
Asked about further subsidy cuts,
Mudej said that a committee tasked with
the issue has a long program and
detailed studies, pointing out that the
aim is “rationalization” and not “curtailing” subsidy so as not to impact citizens
with limited income.
On yesterday’s agreement, the minister said that it is part of the ministry’s
duty to secure basic goods at reasonable
prices, and fulfill the country’s needs of
commodities and strategic goods. The
MoU, meanwhile, is a comprehensive
framework for a rapid mechanism to
meet citizens’ needs of subsidized goods
through the Flour Mills and Bakeries
Company, according to detailed and
model contracts.
The supply agreement to provide
flour and bread is an initial step to activate the MoU, with annual subsidy of KD
26 million. The Company’s CEO Youssef
Al-Zeid who signed the agreement
stressed that the official institutions have
the potential and production capacity to
secure citizens’ needs. — KUNA
KUWAIT: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce and Industry
Abdulmohsen Al-Mudej (right) and Kuwait Flour Mills and Bakeries Company’s
CEO Youssef Al-Zeid sign the agreements. —Photo by Fuad Al-Sheikh
LOCAL
KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and
Bahraini Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa speak shortly
after the Bahraini premier’s arrival to the country yesterday. — KUNA photos
Interior Ministry’s Undersecretary Lieutenant General Suleiman Al-Fahad
greets the visiting Bahraini premier.
His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah
sees off his Bahraini counterpart Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa as he
leaves following his short visit to Kuwait.
Amir meets visiting Bahraini premier
KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad AlJaber Al-Sabah met visiting Bahraini Prime Minister Prince
Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and his accompanying delegation at Bayan Palace yesterday.
HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber AlSabah, HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak AlHamad Al-Sabah, First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign
Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Deputy
Minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah and
several other ministers and officials were present in the
meeting. Talks between the two sides reflected brotherly
relations between the State of Kuwait and the Kingdom of
Bahrain, and shared willingness to further bolster and
strengthen them in order to serve mutual interests in the
context of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Later, HH the
Amir held a luncheon at Bayan Palace in honor of the
Bahraini premier and his accompanying delegation. Prince
Khalifa said in a statement following his arrival that his talks
His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah holds talks with Bahraini Prime Minister Prince
Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa.
with HH the Amir would focus on means to enhance coordination to preserve the march of GCC, its unity and strength
and interests of its peoples. He emphasized political, economic and security conditions sweeping the region, which
prompt collective action to maintain the interests of the GCC
states. The visiting premier referred to the Riyadh supplementary agreement, concluded in November thanks to the
wisdom and experience of Saudi King Abdullah bin
Abdulaziz, and the praiseworthy moves by HH the Amir. The
Riyadh agreement was aspired by all to push ahead the GCC
joint action and march, he said. He expressed belief that the
member states will abide by it, especially on the media level
to thwart potential attempts targeting the “historic agreement.”
The GCC lies amid a restive region, whose escalating
changes and developments are obvious, he said, adding that
upholding collective interests above personal ones is a must
to avert negative impacts. — KUNA
Kuwait-India ties highlighted at Qurain festival
NCCAL participates in Doha Book Fair
KUWAIT/DOHA: An exhibition and a lecture
on the history of Kuwaiti-Indian relations
kicked off yesterday as part of the 21st Qurian
Cultural Festival.
The events, which focus on bilateral ties
since the mid of the 18th century until
Kuwait’s independence, were held at the
National Library of Kuwait and organized by
the National Council of Culture, Arts and
Literature (NCCAL).
The exhibition displayed many artifacts
that represented the existing ties between
Kuwait and India back then. They included:
Indian banknotes and coins that were in circulation in Kuwait, trade documents between
Kuwaiti traders and their Indian counterparts,
photos that documented the many visits that
were undertaken by Kuwaiti rules to India, a
collection of Indian stamps and photos that
showed the Indian employees that worked in
Kuwait’s oil industry back in the 1950s.
The lecture, meanwhile, pointed out to the
deep historical connection between India and
Kuwait which was evident in many archaeological findings that belonged to the Magan,
Sumerian and Mesopotamia civilizations.
Arab culture
ministers
meet in Riyadh
RIYADH: The 19th meeting of Arab
Culture Ministers takes place in
Riyadh today under the patronage of
the Custodian of the Two Holy
Mosques King Abdullah Bin
Abdulaziz Al Saud. The meeting will
be inaugurated by Saudi Minister of
Culture and Information Dr Abdulaziz
bin Abdullah Al-Khudairi, as a representative of King Abduallah.
The event, to be held under the
rubric of “Arabic language, a platform
for cultural-humanitarian integration”, will tackle a number of vital
issues related to the cultural field,
with the participation of 30 countries
and organizations.
The conferees will discuss various
issues including: The Arab League
Educational, Cultural and Scientific
Organization (ALECSO) suggestion of
creating Council of Arab Ministers of
Culture, and Arab culture TV channel,
Arab cultural days, Arabic Poetry day,
and Arab Charter to preserve the
architectural heritage in the Arab
countries, besides others. — KUNA
Chaired by Dr Abdullah Al-Ghunaim, the
lecture also touched on the political, trade,
cultural ties that have been enjoyed by the
two countries for more than three decades.
Trade and cultural ties were the cornerstone of
the establishment of the diplomatic ties, it was
said in the lecture. India, which was also
Known as the “golden bird”, provided many
essential items that was needed by people in
the Gulf region, while the geographical location of Kuwait provided an important route of
communication for India to global trade venues. Due to the nature of trade ties, many
traders from both countries chose to settle
either in Kuwait or India, hence, it allowed for
the development of cultural relations, it was
pointed out. To see through their businesses,
many Kuwaiti traders opted to live in India and
opened trade offices in Mumbai, Karachi and
Kalkot, to name a few, setting up what it was
known back then as a “Kuwaiti community” in
India. Many charities and projects emerged
due to the presence of Kuwait in India. As for
the nature of the items that were traded
between Kuwait and India, Kuwait exported
dates, pearls and Arabian horses to the Indians
while India provided fabrics, vessels making
materials to Kuwaitis.
Arab library
Separately, Saad Al-Mutairi, NCCAL’s exhibitions department director, said that Kuwait
has taken upon itself to enrich the Arab library
through the publications of the NCCAL.
Mutairi made this remark to KUNA on the sidelines of the Doha International Book Fair, in
which NCCAL participated with a large collection of its publications.
Kuwait’s pavilion displays publications of
governmental bodies like NCCAL, Center for
Research and Studies on Kuwait and several
non-government bodies. Among the NCCAL
publications featured in Doha Book Fair
includes its cultural and art periodicals and
classic books, he said. He noted that Kuwait’s
pavilion and its content had attracted a huge
number of visitors. The displayed publications
tackle cultural, social, scientific and economic
topics, he said.
The fair is a significant one on the map of
Arab exhibitions thanks to the participations
of many publishers, Mutairi said, commending
the well-organized event. He went on to say
that book fairs at present include other cultural activities, namely seminars, poetry, lectures
and workshops that are highly attracted by
audience.
The fair is held under the auspices of Qatar’s
Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, with
the participation of at least 432 publishing
houses from 29 Arab and foreign countries. It
features a large collection of titles, e-books, children books and educational toys and software.
The fair runs until January 17. — KUNA
EQUATE’s partnership with local
manufacturers grew by over 400%
KUWAIT: EQUATE Petrochemical Company,
Kuwait’s first international petrochemical jointventure, said that its partnership with local
plastic manufacturers has resulted in increasing its sales in Kuwait by over 400% since 1998.
During EQUATE Polyethylene Technical
Seminar for Kuwait plastic manufacturers,
EQUATE President and CEO Mohammad Husain
noted, “Saying ‘Partners in Success” is not merely a slogan, it is a solid commitment to fully
cooperate with all of our customers, especially
local ones. Providing you with the highest quality products and exceptional services are the
best evidence of our successful partnership to
support your growth, development and success within a framework of sustainable innovation at every level.”
On his part, EQUATE Polyethylene Business
Director Ahmad Al-Saleh said, “Our sales
increased by over 400% to local plastics manufacturers from less than 10,000 metric tons in
1998. With the presence of over 30 plastic manufacturers in Kuwait, there has been a tangible
growth in local consumption of plastic products in multiple value-added applications.
EQUATE also established a solid base to launch
exports of made-in-Kuwait finished plastic
products. For that, EQUATE continuously supports your efforts in supplying the local market’s demands with reliability, as well as growing your exports and presence in other countries.”
EQUATE Research and Development (R&D)
Leader Arif Al-Qattan highlighted “EQUATE’s
support to customers includes evaluating new
products, promoting innovative applications,
ensuring regulatory compliance, handling
inquiries, guaranteeing technical acceptance of
products, as well as providing relevant economic and technical solutions. EQUATE is
pleased to extend such support especially to
you as local manufacturers. Our very competent human resources using state-of-the-art
technologies and facilities will always support
you towards success and development.”
With the attendance of over 20 local plastic
manufacturers and several management members of EQUATE, the seminar covered a variety
of economic, industrial, technical and latest
market trends through presentations and discussions with participants.
LOCAL
360 Mall hosts 3rd
Auto Moto car show
Over 30 brands participating
By Nawara Fattahova
KIB’s training program
educated 253 employees
KUWAIT: Kuwait International Bank has officially announced that 253 of its employees
have attended its 2014 Islamic Banking
Training Program as part of the bank’s efforts
to continuously develop the skills of its staff.
Composed of nearly a dozen courses
throughout the year, the training program
focused on key topics in the Islamic banking
field, including The Legality of Islamic
Banking, Basic and Advanced Islamic Banking
Products and Islamic Investment Funds.
Dr Hisham Abdul Hai, Shariah Coordinator
of KIB, explained that the bank’s in-house
Islamic Banking Training Program involved
class discussions on case studies and global
best practices in order to ensure a deep
understanding of these concepts.
He further noted that the Shariah
Committee at KIB places great emphasis on
ensuring that its employees remain fully upto-date with the fast-growing Islamic banking field.
The Journey of Hope crew awarding Gulf Insurance Group
Gulf Insurance receives
Journey of Hope crew
KUWAIT: Gulf Insurance, the leading insurance services provider in Kuwait and the
Middle East, received the Journey of Hope
crew, who came to thank the company for
supporting their recent sea journey.
Gulf Insurance, represented by
Chairman Farqad Abdullah Al Sane, CEO
Khaled Saoud Al Hasan, and department
managers, congratulated the Journey of
Hope team on their success. They awarded
a certificate of appreciation to Gulf
Insurance for providing Marine insurance,
as well as regulating health and safety
onboard.
Contributing to special needs causes is
part of Gulf Insurance’s contribution to
society and playing an active and positive
role in the community. — KUNA
KUWAIT: Over 100 vehicles and motorcycles
comprising of 30 international brands will be
on display at the third edition of the Auto
Moto car show at the 360 mall from Jan 18 to
24, 2015. The exhibition is organized by EPR
and held under the auspices of Sheikh Salman
Al-Hmoud Al-Sabah, Minister of Information
and State Minister for Youth Affairs.
“This is the most significant car exhibition
to be held in Kuwait and this is the first private company to hold such a huge event, as
the total value of the displayed vehicles and
motorcycles is over $7 million. Latest models
of various automobile brands will be unveiled
during the fair, which are on display exclusively for the first time in Kuwait,” said Osama
Bastaki, CEO of Osama Bastaki International
Group (EPR), during a press conference held
yesterday at 360 mall.
The main car show will be held in the lobby
of the 360 mall, in addition to also while other
spaces of the mall will also be utilized. “The
cars will be displayed by their agents in a professional way to attract visitors.
They will also talk about the future plans of
their companies and present their services to
the visitors. Furthermore, there will be special
areas outside the mall to test-drive some
vehicles. Many entertainment activities and
surprises are also awaiting visitors of the car
show,” he added.
“Auto Moto 15 is the biggest event of its
kind in Kuwait. It connects cars manufacturers
from all over the world with car lovers in
Kuwait. We came up with the idea of holding
this event as there is no international car
show in Kuwait,” concluded Bastaki.
First indoors show
Ismail Saddiq, Specialty Leasing Manager
of 360 mall, said they are keen to host the car
show. “We host more than one motor show
every year, and the beginning was with Auto
Moto, which is considered the first car show
held inside a shopping mall in the Middle
East. And we are proud that a popular mall in
Dubai imitated our idea and is doing the
same there. The Auto Moto 14 held last year
was very successful and we have been awarded for that. We will continue in holding this
event at the mall and wish for even more success,” he pointed out.
Ooredoo is the main sponsor and strategic
KUWAIT: (From left) Ahed Al-Eisa, Chief Executive of Car Financing at KFH, Osama Bastaki, CEO
of Osama Bastaki International Group, Ismail Saddiq, Specialty Leasing Manager of Mall 360
and Fatma Dashti, PR Manager. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat
partner of Auto Moto 15. Fatma Dashti, PR er strategic partner of Auto Moto 15. “Our parManager, highlighted the importance of sup- ticipation in this event is part of our customer
service, as we are providing financing soluporting the national youth projects.
“We believe such events are important, tions for visitors of this fair. KFH plays a main
especially since they attract large numbers of role in the automobile market and is the
car lovers. Also, the location of the event is leader in vehicle buying and selling activity in
very special and various bodies are support- cooperation with local agents. KFH has over
ing this important event, which helps the 30 years of experience in the local market and
economy of the country. We are proud to see has built strategic relations with various autoyoung Kuwaitis organizing such a great mobile agents, and this is in favor of the cusevent. In addition, during this event, a draw tomer. That’s why Baitak showrooms are very
for the lucky winner of a Corvette will be popular for those who want to buy or sell
their vehicles,” stressed Ahed Al-Eisa, Chief
held,” she noted.
The Kuwait Finance House (KFH) is the oth- Executive of car financing at KFH.
Medicine dispenser machine
added to Mubarak Hospital
KUWAIT: Mubarak Hospital have added a
medicine dispenser machine to the list of its
online medical and pharmaceutical services, a
ministry official said yesterday.
In a press release, head of Hawally governorate health department Dr Abdulaziz AlFarhood said that the dispenser machine will
provide medical prescriptions to patients
through the Mubarak Hospitalís online pharmacy system, noting that the step will hopefully lessen human error and speed up process
to receive medicine.
The machine was on trial basis for a period
of one year, said the official, noting that it was
part of the online pharmacy system that cost
$300,000.
The medicine dispenser machine is linked
to Mubarak Hospitalís online pharmacy system which allows doctors to send prescriptions to the pharmacy attendants who will collect the medicine from the machine and hand
to the patients. — KUNA
LOCAL
kuwait digest
Je suis Charlie
By Abdullatif Al-Duaij
I
Al-Jarida
In my view
France under attack - who’s next?
By Muna Al-Fuzai
muna@kuwaittimes.net
W
ith growing unrest in Middle Eastern countries, a
number of sons of immigrants have found these
lands as a haven to engage in violence and murderous acts, especially in countries mired in sectarian
wars and civil conflicts. We all witnessed the crime committed in France, with the tragedy of the assassination of
journalists and innocents at the hands of terrorists.
This incident must be a lesson learned. The incidents in
Australia and France are indeed wakeup calls for Western
governments to seriously observe the situation of immigrants, especially those who maintain ties with their
native countries, conservatives and suspicious organizations. With the rise of IS, the threat of an increased risk of
foreign fighters returning to their home countries was not
taken seriously.
I strongly condemn the criminal act carried out in
France and I cannot find enough words to express my
deepest sorrow for what these criminals have done. Their
crime has nothing to do with the religion of Islam, the
true religion of peace and peaceful coexistence, and I
reject it that such people represent Muslims anywhere.
I believe violence does not recognize borders, therefore I still warn of the threat of foreign fighters, not only in
nearby countries in the Middle East, where they are fighting and killing for what they believe is to support Islam,
but they are time bombs when they go back to their host
nations. They lack the sense of belonging and loyalty,
fuelled by hatred, thus they are indeed a threat. With the
technology of today, there is no excuse for any government on how to monitor suspicious moves by any of
them.
I never thought Western governments to be this naive
and careless over security until these two incidents
occurred, for which they should bear complete responsibility for the death of all innocents and possibly more to
come in the future. So far, it’s clear that foreign fighters
are a threat, but how have Western governments acted so
far? Nothing significant other than media statements!
Until this moment, many foreign governments still
believe that they have fortified security and the threat of
terrorism is from the hands of visitors from abroad tourists or students - but the facts so far show that all
security threats and bombings have occurred at the
hands of immigrants. It is a stupid perception that someone would travel to commit terror attacks, but governments refuse to recognize the fact that their resettlement
policies have failed and that a number of their emigrant
citizens consider these countries infidel lands to commit
killings and sow chaos. The question remains why these
immigrants have not integrated in those countries and
their native communities?
I have been always frowned upon those who emigrate
because of their religious beliefs, although I’m in favor of
the migration of great minds and opinions where they
may have a better climate of freedom in the West compared to their native countries. It is the responsibility of
the host governments to look at these people with a bigger scope and consider them as national threats that
require custody and observation before granting them
citizenship.
Foreign governments have granted many privileges to
immigrants for no apparent reason, especially to nonthinkers or non-scholars, especially to the so-called clergy
who are fleeing from their Islamic homelands to settle in
the countries under the claim of abuse. But they are not
offering anything significant to these countries or its governments. In return, they receive welfare and security
from the pocket of taxpayers, but they remain alienated
and without affiliation in the new community. Whose
fault is this? This should be a matter to discuss and analyze. Maybe the education policy, requirements and
immigration procedures need reform. The threat of foreign fighters is serious and needs more intelligence, wisdom and firmness. It is certainly a risk that goes beyond
all limits.
In my view
Domestic helpers.. be patient
By Talal Al Ghannam
G
ood morning to all my honorable readers
and I thank all of those who have given me
feedback on my articles and those who are
following up. In this article I will continue pinpointing on issues that seem unlawful in Islam but
unfortunately they are being done by many, making others believe that they are ok or permissible. I
have always been an advocate of those whose
rights have been violated by their sponsors, either
being a domestic helper or those working in companies.
Many whom I had spoken with tell me that no
one reads your articles being written in English
where they should be read by the Kuwaiti officials.
I tell them that the whole world and especially the
human rights organizations are very eager to know
about the human rights situation in Kuwait and are
following up keenly the situation in Kuwait.
Foreign embassies also follow up what is written in
the Kuwaiti press, both Arabic and English.
So, I assure those whose rights are violated to be
certain that your voice is heard and we pray for
Almighty Allah’s help in resolving this issue. I had
encountered few cases of tyranny against some
expatriates who contacted me while crying, saying
that they could not believe what happened to
them just all of a sudden. A woman from Africa
who came here to work as a domestic helper said
that she came to Kuwait to work in order to collect
the money for her mother’s complicated operation
back home, and prior to the termination of her
contract, she asked her sponsor to give her the rest
of her salaries for the past three months. Her sponsor refused, told her that she would book her a
ticket to go home and that she is deducting the
ticket money from her salary. Her mother has been
in pain and she was depending on the money her
daughter sends her. Now the daughter is back
home and the suffering of the mother goes on.
Another case for another domestic helper from
Africa who is here to work to secure her kids education money. She said that she has asked her
employer for advanced salaries to send back home
as the school fees were overdue. The sponsor, who
is a well-known doctor, refused and said that it was
impossible, and that a worker must strive to collect
her salaries by her own. What harm would that
request cause if she had given her servant one or
t wo months salaries in advance? We always
encounter unpredictable things that happen to us
and we seek some help from other because those
people might be in this situation sooner or later.
My point is that let us help them out if we could,
let us draw a smile on their faces, let us make their
kids happy, let us put ourselves in their shoes for
an hour and imagine us being in their situation and
our mothers or fathers are in dire need for a surgery. Wouldn’t we need an urgent help? And if our
request is refused, how would we feel afterwards
seeing our loved ones in suffer in pain and we are
only watching. It is really hard, very hard to imagine. Believe me, one day we might all be in their situation and by then we will understand and feel
what really goes on in their heart.
What harm will it cause if each family member
pitches in one dinar for their domestic helper every
month?
What harm will it cause if we buy our domestic
helpers nice clothes and have them enjoy as we do
with our kids. They have feelings like us and once
they enter your or my house they are our guests, so
they need a smile from us, best treatment, asking
them politely the same way you ask the waiter or
the waitress at the restaurant.
Finally, let us start to treat them humbly, help
them, care for their loved ones and kids, tell them
that they are part of the family, take them out
every now and then, give them their salaries with
no delay according to the teachings of Prophet
Mohammad peace and blessing be upon him, who
says to give the worker his or her salary before his
or her sweat dries out. And the best thing out of all
this is to be patient.
Until the next article Insha Allah
’m sure 99.999 percent of Arab citizens and
governments who condemned the terrorist
attack against Charlie Hebdo are mostly either
instigators or producers of terrorism. Those who
shed crocodile tears last Wednesday on Twitter
and wrote condemning the terrorist operation are
the ones - and no one else - who sponsored and
developed terrorism. They are the ones who prepared the attackers and encouraged them to
commit their attack. They are, and I completely
mean what I say, the ones who killed the martyrs
(yes, martyrs) in the Charlie Hebdo assault.
Here in Kuwait, the land of ‘democracy,’ the parliament passed a law that punishes offenders of
religious figures with the death sentence. When
the government changed the voting mechanism
in an attempt to save whatever is left of democracy, supporters of the law and those who passed it
- there is no difference - demonstrated in hundreds of thousands (allegedly) in support of the
parliamentary majority that passed a law to execute a person who expresses his opinion! These
are the same people who flooded Twitter with
posts condemning the terrorist attack and the terrorists!
The same parliament members and their same
suppor ters demonstrated in Irada Square
demanding that the government close down
media outlets for expressing an opinion that contradicts with theirs. Not only that, but went as far
as grilling the information minister for failure to
make a decision to close TV channels that broadcasted differing opinions, or whose owners
expressed an independent point of view.
There is no great difference between someone
who stops freedom of opinion by laws and someone who does the same by bullets. The result is
the same - both lead to murder of freedom of
opinion and abuse of its expresser. One of the
martyrs killed in the Charlie Hebdo attack said
shortly before the operation that he prefers death
over being deprived from expressing his opinion.
Islamist terrorists unfortunately made him pay the
price for committing to his opinion.
Punishing offenders of religious figures with
the death penalty by a law legislated by the
allegedly legitimately elected parliament is terrorism. It is even more cowardly and less honorable
than the terrorism in the Charlie Hebdo attack,
because it is practiced under the umbrella of the
law, as well as the protection and care of suppressive state departments and backward voters.
Terrorism is not murder and execution only.
Terrorism is suppressing other people’s rights.
And as one of the fallen Charlie Hebdo victims
said, there is no difference between murder and
taking away freedom of expression.
—Translated by Kuwait Times from Al-Qabas
kuwait digest
Kuwait Towers’ scandal
By Waleed Jassim Al-Jassim
“D
ad, when can we visit Kuwait Towers?”
This has probably become the most frequently asked question by children
nowadays, especially whenever a parent drives past
the Kuwait Towers. It is an embarrassing question
that parents have been unable to answer since 2011
and might as well remain so forever!
My two kids have been asking to visit Kuwait
Towers for years now, but I am still unable to realise
their wish of visiting and exploring this famous
Kuwaiti edifice! It would have been much easier if
they had asked for a bike, a new mobile phone or a
computer game. The same applies for asking to visit
the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben or the Leaning Tower of Pisa
despite the high cost I might have to pay. It is much
easier than driving your car, parking it underneath
the Towers and taking your kids up this beautiful
Kuwaiti landmark.
According to what I read in Wikipedia, the idea of
building Kuwait Towers began in 1963 and was
revived in 1968 and its construction began in 1975
to be finished four years later in 1979, when they
officially opened. Building the towers was a simple
idea from a very unusual insight such as that of the
late Amir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah. When
Kuwait needed to build huge water reservoirs to
replace the old ugly metal ones, he had an idea of
building reservoir towers to hold two million gallons
of water, and at the same time, be a beautiful cultural landmark of Kuwait that beats the ugliness of all
the world’s water reservoirs.
Though building them from scratch took only
four years, such a beautiful unique landmark has
been closed for four years now, awaiting a decision
to be repaired. The Towers have been closed to the
public since 2011, depriving both kids and adults of
the joy of visiting them merely because we are
unable to make decisive decisions and opting to
annoy the judiciary with each and every petty grievance and complaints of corruption.
How can we adults explain our incapability to
make decisions concerning this edifice? How can we
explain our clear corruption? How will they ever
comprehend our negligence of the Towers and forgetting to fill them with water, as recommended in
their design, for twenty years following the Iraqi
invasion, which wore them out and they need
repairs now? How can we explain that even when
repairs were needed, we failed to do so for four or
five years, which is more that the initial construction
period when we had less technologically developed
construction equipment and materials? Now we
cannot even repair them and threw the responsibility of doing so on the judiciary as if we are getting rid
of it!
No, gentlemen. Kuwait Towers’ destiny is your
responsibility no matter how much you deny it. You
have to know that what is happening is a scandal
and history will never forgive you for it.
— Translated by Kuwait Times from Al-Watan
Bashir rides high
as he launches
reelection bid
Times Square had 1m revelers, zero tickets
Page 8
Page 9
KARACHI: Pakistani volunteers gather beside the bodies of victims at a hospital early yesterday following an accident between a passenger bus and an oil tanker along the Super Highway. (Inset) Pakistanis gather around and inside
the wreckage of the bus. — AFP/AP
Fiery Pakistan crash kills 62
Bus collides with oil tanker travelling on wrong side
Brothers by blood,
brothers in arms?
WASHINGTON: The fact that Said and
Cherif Kouachi, the two men accused
of carrying out the deadly attacks at
French satirical magazine Charlie
Hebdo, were brothers should come as
no surprise, experts say. “The history
of terrorism is replete with pairs of
brothers and sisters operating together,” University of Massachusetts Lowell
criminology professor John Horgan
told AFP. “It’s actually far more common than people realize.”
Radical groups may actually aim
for recruiting siblings to fight side by
side. There were three pairs of brothers among the 19 hijackers involved in
the Sept 11, 2001 attacks. In Nov 2012,
the Qazi brothers were arrested for
planning a bomb attack in New York.
After Mohammed Merah killed seven
people at a Jewish school in Toulouse
in March 2012, his brother was arrested as an accomplice. And the three
Duka brothers were jailed for life in
the United States for plotting to kill
soldiers at New Jersey’s Fort Dix.
“We have plenty of examples
across the terrorism spectrum, of multiple kinds of terrorism in Indonesia,
Northern Ireland, Middle East,” said
Horgan, who previously directed a
center for terrorism and security studies at Pennsylvania State University.
More recently, the Tsarnaev brothers
carried out the deadly bombing at the
Boston marathon finish line, with the
youngest facing a possible death sentence at his trial now under way. And
in Canada, the Larmond brothers were
arrested Friday on terror-related
charges. These same blood ties linked
the two men who stormed into the
Charlie Hebdo offices in Paris with
guns this week. Said Kouachi, 34, and
Cherif, two years younger, gunned
down 12 people before being killed by
police after a two-day manhunt and a
hostage standoff.
Extremist ‘Bubble’
“Together, they formed a hermetic
bubble, a molecule of extremism,” said
University of Maryland psychology
professor Arie Kruglanski. Between
brothers and sisters, “there’s a social
connection that reinforces realities.”
The two brothers in Paris “reinforced
the ideology (of jihad), because
Cherif Kouachi
Said Kouachi
they’re close to each other. They reinforced the goal to terrorism: you’re
going to be a hero, it would bring you
glamor and glory,” added Kruglanski,
who studies terrorism and violence.
Both brothers were on the US terror watchlist. Said had gone to Yemen,
where he attended Al-Qaeda training
camps, while Cherif was convicted in
2008 for involvement in a network
sending fighters to Iraq. Usually, the
older sibling tends to influence the
younger ones, psychologists say. But
for the Kouachi brothers, Cherif
appears to have been more radical.
The younger brother was arrested
when he tried to leave for Iraq and
then further indoctrinated by a radical
Islamist in prison.
Regardless, siblings undeniably
have an impact on each other. “They’ll
have had some similar experiences,
such as marginalization, lack of assimilation,” explained Jennifer Jenkins, psychology professor at the University of
Toronto. “As they talk about those
shared experiences, they will be influencing how the other views such
events,” she said. “I think they could
certainly fuel one another’s experience of marginalization (and) the
need for retribution.” —AFP
56 die in Mozambique
from poisoned beer
MAPUTO, Mozambique: Contaminated traditional beer has
killed 56 people in Mozambique, health authorities in the
southern African country said yesterday. An additional 49 people were admitted to hospitals in the Chitima and Songo districts in the northeastern Tete province, and 146 more people
have reported to hospitals to be examined for the poisoning,
district health official Alex Albertini told Radio Mozambique.
Those who drank the contaminated brew were attending a
funeral in the region on Saturday, Albertini said.
Pombe, a traditional Mozambican beer, is made from millet
or corn flour. Authorities believe that the drink was poisoned
with crocodile bile during the course of the funeral. Blood and
traditional beer samples were being sent to the capital
Maputo to be tested, said provincial health director Carle
Mosse. “We don’t have the capacity to test the samples,” she
told Radio Mozambique.
Mosse told Radio Mozambique on Sunday that she expected the situation to worsen because the region did not have
the necessary resources to deal with the disaster. Mourners
who drank the beer in the morning reported no illness, while
those who drank the beer in the afternoon, fell ill, authorities
said. They believe the beer must have been poisoned while
funeral goers were at the cemetery. The woman who brewed
the beer is also among the dead.
KARACHI: At least 62 people including women
and children were killed early Sunday in southern Pakistan when their bus collided with an oil
tanker, starting a fierce blaze which left victims
burnt beyond recognition. Initial reports said the
tanker was travelling on the wrong side of the
road along a dilapidated stretch of highway,
police said. It was the second crash involving
major loss of life in Sindh province in less than
three months.
Authorities transferred the remains to a local
morgue after taking samples for DNA testing in
order to identify them. Doctor Semi Jamali at
Karachi’s Jinnah hospital said another four passengers with minor injuries have been discharged. The bodies were “completely burnt and
stuck to each other”, she earlier told AFP. The
overloaded bus was en route to the town of
Shikarpur from the southern port city of Karachi
when the collision occurred.
“I was sitting on top of the bus when I saw a
tanker hit it, and a minute later it caught fire,”
said Ikhtiyar Ali. “There were three of us on the
roof of the bus. We jumped to the ground to save
our lives when we saw the fire.” The tanker was
carrying oil and a compressed natural gas cylinder was fitted in the bus, said Talib Husain, a relative of one of the victims. “After the collision the
bus caught fire and, as a result, the CNG cylinder
exploded,” Husain said. “One passenger bravely
smashed the window from inside and rescued
his family while the bus was on fire.”
Senior police official Rao Muhammad
Anwaar said the bus “hit the oil tanker, which
according to initial reports was coming in the
wrong direction” and caught fire. “We are trying
to ascertain if the driver of the oil tanker was
solely at fault or whether the bus driver also
showed negligence,” Anwaar said. Another senior police official, Aamir Shiekh said it appeared
that the poor condition of the single-track road
contributed to the accident. —AP
I N T E R N AT I O N A L
In Israel, concern over fate of France’s Jews
JERUSALEM: For many in Israel, the deadly attack
on a kosher supermarket in Paris was further evidence that France is becoming hostile territory for
Jews and authorities are unable to protect them.
“I’m angry with French Jews. Why are they hesitating to pack their bags and come here? France has
become a dangerous place for the Jews,” said
Manuel Allal, a 26-year-old French-Israeli sitting in
an Internet cafe in Jerusalem. Such comments
reflect a growing consensus in Israel over threats to
France’s large Jewish community, which is increasingly on edge after a series of anti-Semitic incidents
including Friday’s hostage-taking at the supermarket in eastern Paris.
For many the incident, which ended with four
shoppers dead and an Islamist gunman killed in a
police assault, brought back memories of deadly
shootings in southern France in March 2012. The
Toulouse attacks - which saw Islamist Mohamed
Merah shoot dead three children and a teacher at a
Jewish school - appears to have set off a wave of
French immigration to Israel which last year hit a
record high of 6,600. And many believe the Paris
slayings will only accelerate the trend. The latest
bloodshed, which began on Wednesday when two
Islamic extremists gunned down 12 people in a raid
on the offices of satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, is
being seen as something of a watershed.
Pressure to ‘Leave France’
“French-Israelis are in shock. This is the straw that
has broken the camel’s back,” said Avi Zana, director
of AMI, an organisation that helps French Jews integrate into Israel. “They are going to put pressure on
their families to join them and we can expect that
the number of Jews looking to leave France will
grow,” he told AFP. Since the attack, Israel has open-
curity for the community, starting with the 2006
death of a 23-year-old Jewish man after he was kidnapped and tortured in a housing estate south of
Paris. The Toulouse attacks, which ended with
Merah killed in a police assault, followed, along with
what officials say is a significant increase in antiJewish incidents.
JERUSALEM: Israelis, mostly French Jews, hold signs that read “I am Charlie”, “Israel is Charlie” and “I
am a Jew of France” during a gathering in the municipality yesterday. — AP
ly called on French Jews to move to the Jewish they have been facing for years. “The French are not
state. “To all the Jews of France, all the Jews of used to terrorism like we are here in Israel,” said
Europe, I would like to say that Israel is not just the Asher Zaguri, a 51-year-old teacher at a coffee shop
place towards which you pray, the state of Israel is in central Jerusalem. “After what happened, I hope
your home,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu they are going to take the Islamist threat seriously.”
France’s Jewish community, which numbers
said Saturday in remarks that were not well received
between 500,000 to 600,000 people, is the third
by Paris.
Many in Israel expressed hope that the latest largest in the world after Israel and the United
attacks would hammer home to Europeans the States. Friday’s attack follows a string of recent
threat posed by Islamist militants, which Israelis say events which has created a growing sense of inse-
Belated Wakeup Call
Figures cited by the SPCJ, a French-Jewish security watchdog, show that the number of anti-Semitic
incidents rose by 91 percent in the first seven
months of 2014 compared with the same period a
year earlier. For some Israeli commentators, comparisons in the public response to the supermarket
attack and the Charlie Hebdo killings have also
been revealing. “On Wednesday evening, all of
France declared ‘Je suis Charlie’ in what became the
symbol of resistance to the barbarity... On Friday
evening, there was no similar wave of pronouncements saying ‘I am a Jew’,” wrote Sefy Hendler in the
left-leaning Haaretz daily. “This gap is hard to
explain.”
Pundits also berated the “colossal failure” of the
French intelligence services in monitoring homegrown extremists. Writing in the top-selling Yediot
Aharonot newspaper, Alex Fishman said the
attacks were a belated wakeup call for France.
“Until now, Islamic terror was of not much interest
to the French, since it focused on Jews. As long as
only Jews were killed, they didn’t really give a
hoot,” he wrote. “Today they, and all of Europe, are
shocked to the depths of their soul since French
police and journalists were killed. “All the red lights
that should have gone off years ago, when Islamic
terror k illed Jews, did not even blink for a
moment,” he wrote. — AFP
Bashir riding high as he
launches reelection bid
Sudanese president faces little threat
GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba: This April 8, 2014 file photo shows an unidentified
detainee walking in the exercise yard of the ìCamp 6î detention facility at the US
detention center. — AFP
Hurdles abound
for Gitmo closure
WASHINGTON: Thirteen years after terror suspects first arrived in Guantanamo, the United
States is sending inmates out at a faster rate
than ever before - but hurdles remain in the
effort to shutter it entirely. In 2014, 28 detainees
were freed in “the largest single-year reduction
in detainee population” since 2009, said Paul
Lewis, the US official charged with closing the
Guantanamo detention facility. As the facility
entered its 14th year yesterday, Lewis told AFP
the government is striving to “maintain momentum” of its prisoner releases. “The road to closing
Guantanamo is clear and well lit,” wrote his former counterpart from the State Department Cliff
Sloan in an editorial in the New York Times.
But Noor Mir from Amnesty International
USA, is calling on the Obama administration to
work faster. “As we count a grim thirteenth year
since Guantanamo opened, dozens of men continue to languish there with no idea when or
even if their detention will end,” he said. The first
detainees arrived at the US prison camp in Cuba
on Jan 11, 2002 when, some four months after
the attacks of Sept 11, 2001, president George W
Bush locked in open-air cages some of the
“worst of the worst” in the country’s war on terror. Today, 127 Guantanamo inmates remain,
down from some 680 prisoners held in 2003. The
prison population could fall below 100 within
two months, with the aim of cutting the population by half before the end of the year. However,
President Barack Obama’s administration has
been hampered by Republicans in Congress
who oppose any transfer detainees to US soil,
even for trial.
Next Transfer
Of the prisoners remaining are 83 Yemenis.
They pose the biggest problem for
Guantanamo’s closure, due to the volatile political situation in Yemen.The first step for Obama,
who has reiterated his intention to close the
prison facility, is to find host countries for the 59
Yemenis cleared for release. “We’re trying to
transfer those 59 as soon as possible, hopefully
this year,” a senior defense official told AFP. “It’s
on a case by case, individual basis,” the official
said on the condition of anonymity.
The official said the US is focusing on finding
destinations in South America and then in the
Middle East and Europe. Next week, five Yemenis
are to be transferred to two unidentified countries. So far, nearly two dozen countries have
accepted Guantanamo detainees originally from
somewhere else. US authorities seek countries
that will take the prisoners, treat them well and
monitor them.
The prisoners, who have never been convicted of a crime, are not intended to be treated as
criminals after their release, but they must stay
in the host country for at least two years. The
next step for the administration would then be
the 10 “high value” prisoners who await prosecution. Among them is self-proclaimed Sept 11
mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his
four co-defendants, who await a military trial.
The trial has not yet begun, dimming the
prospect of closing Guantanamo in the near
future.
Finally, to close the facility any time soon, the
administration may need to expedite the review
of each of the remaining 58 prisoners who have
not been charged or approved for transfer. Not
all are expected to be released from prison, as
some are committed jihadists, according to the
government. But estimates say the number of
prisoners could be reduced to 40. Obama could
then turn to Congress to obtain permission to
transfer the remaining detainees to high security US prisons, where the cost would be significantly less than the $3 million per inmate spent
annually in Guantanamo. “If he can’t bring these
detainees to the US, he will have to keep them
in Guantanamo,” said lawyer David Remes who
represents 18 Yemeni detainees. “I don’t see
Congress ever relenting and letting him bring
them to the US, so Guantanamo will remain
open,” Remes said. — AFP
PLO faces US civil trial
over attacks in Israel
NEW YORK: More than a decade after a
series of shootings and bombings in the
Jerusalem area, a trial is slated this week in
New York to determine whether the
Palestine Liberation Organization and
Palestinian Authority should pay up to $1
billion to victims. Jury selection begins on
Jan 13 for the civil trial, which is expected
to last 12 weeks and adds a new dimension
to the long-running Middle East conflict
and tensions among Palestinians, Israel and
their respective allies. “The political considerations are extremely complex,” said Bruce
Zagaris, a partner at Berliner, Corcoran &
Rowe in Washington, DC, specializing in
international law.
The case concerns seven shootings and
bombings from 2001 to 2004 that killed 33
people and wounded more than 450.
Victims and their families claim that the
defendants helped carry out and finance
the attacks, in part through support for
Hamas and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades,
which the US government has labeled terrorist organizations. The PLO and the selfgoverning Palestinian Authority have
denied the claims, including that they violated the US Anti-Terrorism Act.
Mark Rochon, a partner at Miller &
Chevalier representing the defendants,
through a spokeswoman declined to comment. Kent Yalowitz, a partner at Arnold &
Porter representing the plaintiffs, was
unavailable to comment. US District Judge
George Daniels in Manhattan will oversee
the trial. —Reuters
KHARTOUM: Sudan’s President Omar Al-Bashir
launched his bid for re-election yesterday, facing
little threat to his quarter century in power
despite an ailing economy, multiple insurgencies and allegations of war crimes. Bashir’s supporters view him as a strong hand capable of
holding the chaotic country together, while his
opponents are hounded by the security forces,
marginalised inside Sudan and riven by personal
rivalries. It is unclear whether anyone will challenge Bashir to lead the country of nearly 39 million people that covers an area almost one-fifth
the size of the United States. Formal applications
to register for the April 13 vote opened yesterday, and the electoral commission said it had
received Bashir’s nomination. The opposition
looks set to boycott the vote, with Mariam AlMahdi, deputy leader of the Umma Party,
sharply criticising the move and saying her party
would not take part in the April election. “We
believe it is a total waste not only of the time
and resources of Sudan but also the hopes of the
people,” she told AFP by telephone.
The opposition also boycotted elections in
2010, the first contested vote since Bashir seized
power in a 1989 coup. In 2010, opposition leaders accused the president’s loyalists of rigging
ballots. But Bashir has proven to be a political
survivor. Since 2009, the 71-year-old incumbent
has defied an arrest warrant from the
International Criminal Court for alleged war
crimes in the nearly 12-year-old conflict in
Sudan’s western Darfur region. In 2011, he oversaw a separation from South Sudan, after it voted to split following a 22-year civil war.
The president hinted last year he might not
stand for re-election, raising fears of a succession
struggle within his ruling National Congress
Party, but in October, the NCP announced he
would seek another term. “Bashir is in a strong
position internally within government,” said
Ahmed Soliman, Horn of Africa research assistant at Chatham House.
Consolidating Power
He consolidated power earlier this month
when parliament granted him the right to
appoint state governors, who were previously
elected. Bashir has worked to shed his image as
an international pariah, travelling to Egypt and
Saudi Arabia last year and welcoming Russian
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to Sudan. China’s
foreign minister also visited Khartoum on
Sunday for talks about boosting relations and
KHARTOUM: Members of Sudan’s National Electoral Commission review applications from
potential candidates yesterday in the capital as formal applications for the April 13 presidential and legislative poll opened. — AFP
the conflict in neighbouring South Sudan.
The ICC’s decision to shelve investigations
into allegations of war crimes in Darfur over UN
inaction gave him a further boost. “The ICC’s
announcement that it was suspending its investigations was seen as a victory by President
Bashir,” said Jerome Tubiana, senior analyst for
the International Crisis Group. “The NCP should
win without difficulty but all the problems will
still be left,” Tubiana added.
Sudan faces major economic challenges with
nearly half of the country’s population living in
poverty, according to World Bank figures. When
South Sudan broke away, it took with it 75 percent of the formerly united country’s oil production. Insurgents are still battling government
troops in Darfur as well as in Blue Nile and South
Kordofan states on the South Sudan border. Last
January, Bashir announced a national dialogue
to address the problems, inviting opposition
groups, including rebels, to participate. But the
talks have yet to materialise, and critics view the
invitations as a bid by Bashir to buy time before
the elections.
United Opposition
Opponents to Bashir’s rule are more united
than they have been for years but are still
expected to struggle to challenge him. In
December, the Umma Party joined other opposition parties and civil society groups to sign the
“Sudan Call” document demanding a transitional
government to pave the way for free and fair
elections. Sudan’s powerful National Intelligence
and Security Service has kept up the pressure on
opposition parties, arresting two signatories to
Sudan Call.
NISS has also shown it will brook no dissent
from protesters. Its forces gunned down dozens
of Sudanese who protested against the lifting of
fuel subsidies in Sept 2013. Their handling of the
protests caused divisions within the NCP, with
Bashir adviser Ghazi Salahuddin Atabani breaking away to form his own party. But analysts say
opposition failings have played into Bashir’s
hands. “This alliance remains fragile because
these opposition groups have for a long time
been riven by personal rivalries,” said Soliman of
Chatham House. — AFP
Nigeria calls for support
after ‘deadliest’ attack
ABUJA: Nigeria’s military has called for support
in tackling Boko Haram after a major attack on
a key northeast town that is feared could be
the worst in the bloody six-year insurgency.
There are still no independently corroborated
figures for the huge numbers said to have been
killed in Baga, on the shores of Lake Chad in the
far nor th of Borno State. But defence
spokesman Chris Olukolade said in a statement
issued late Saturday that the description of the
assault as “the deadliest” in a conflict that has
claimed more than 13,000 lives since 2009 was
“quite valid”.
“ The attack on the town by the bloodhounds and their activities since January 3rd,
2015, should convince well-meaning people all
over the world that Boko Haram is the evil all
must collaborate to end, rather than vilifying
those working to check them,” he said. Nigeria’s
militar y - west Africa’s largest - has faced
repeated criticism for failing to end the six-year
Islamist insurgency, as well as allegations of
human rights abuses. Soldiers have complained
of a lack of adequate weapons and even
refused to deploy to take on the better-armed
rebels, who want to create a hardline Islamic
state in northeast Nigeria.
With elections set for next month, Nigeria’s
government has also been accused of playing
politics with the insurgency, as most of the areas
worst affected by the violence are main opposition strongholds.
But Olukolade said: “The Nigerian military has
not given up on Baga and other localities where
terrorist activities are now prevalent.
“Appropriate plans, men and resources are
presently being mobilised to address the situation,” he said on defenceinfo.mil.ng, in the military’s first detailed comment on last weekend’s
attack. The military and government often
makes such statements, without giving specific
details, yet there are reports of attacks on an
almost daily basis. On Saturday, two explosions
rocked northeast Nigeria, including one at a
crowded market in the Borno State capital,
Maiduguri, by a girl suicide bomber thought to
be just 10. Nineteen people were killed. The
Baga attack, which local officials said forced at
least 20,000 people to flee, also overran the
headquarters of the Multinational Joint Task
Force made up of troops from Nigeria, Niger and
Chad.
Nigerien and Chadian soldiers were not at the
base at the time. Olukolade said 14 soldiers were
killed and more than 30 injured as well as “several” insurgents. There was no credible estimate
yet of the numbers of civilians killed, after huge
numbers cited locally, he added. “It is necessary
to reassure Nigerians that the Nigerian Armed
Forces and security agencies are capable of
flushing out the terrorists from Baga and all
parts of the nation’s territory where their activities are prevalent.”
Territorial Gains
Boko Haram has seized dozens of towns and
villages in northeast Nigeria in the last six
months and now reportedly controls the border
areas of Borno state with Niger, Chad and
Cameroon. The territorial gains have led to fears
of a total loss of government control in the
remote region - and a claim last year by a senior
US diplomat that the military was in denial
about the situation. Olukolade maintained on
Saturday: “No portion of Nigeria’s territory has
been or will be conceded to terrorists. “The use
of all available resources within the armed forces
will continue to be maximised to sustain the
tempo of the counter-terrorism campaign
towards containing and eradicating terrorism in
the nation’s territory.” — AFP
Times Square had 1m revelers, zero tickets
’Broken windows’ crime-fighting tactic questioned
NEW YORK: Of all the statistics from the
recent New Year’s Eve in Times Square - 1
million revelers, 900 kg of confetti, thousands of police officers, dozens of surveillance cameras - there is one number that
stands out: zero, as in zero tickets for lowlevel crimes. No tickets for having an open
container of alcohol, no tickets for public
urination, no tickets for double parking, no
tickets for furry, costumed characters hassling tourists to take their picture. Add in
low-level arrests, and there was just one, for
a subway-related offense.
And that wasn’t just on New Year’s Eve.
That was for the entire week containing the
holiday. During the Christmas week, when
the neon-lit streets were every bit as
jammed, the total for such infractions was
23 - compared to more than 650 summonses per week the previous year, according to
police statistics.
Times Square is perhaps the most jarring example of a slowdown in low-level
enforcement across New York City amid
tension between rank-and-file police and
Mayor Bill de Blasio, whom they accuse of
encouraging violence against cops by siding with protesters after the chokehold
death of Eric Garner, an unarmed black
man stopped on suspicion of selling loose,
untaxed cigarettes. Many police officers
were particularly incensed by comments in
which the mayor said he had warned his
biracial son to be wary in dealing with officers.
In the two weeks after two NYPD officers
were shot to death in their patrol car Dec
20 by a fugitive who had ranted online
about avenging police killings, low-level
arrests citywide dropped 61 percent.
Summonses were down more than 90 percent. Arraignment courts have been so
slow they have sometimes closed early, and
Rikers Island’s jails have about 2,000 fewer
inmates.
“They haven’t been on top of us like
they used to,” Luis Martinez said on a recent
night in Times Square, where he roams the
streets in a Cookie Monster costume posing for photos in hopes of tips. “They’re
minding their own business now.” On
Friday, Police Commissioner William
Bratton said he’d concluded that some officers had purposefully cut down on smalltime arrests and tickets - and that enough
was enough. “We’ll work to bring things
back to normal,” he said, adding that the
numbers were already rising. No officers
are being disciplined, with Bratton noting
“the extraordinarily stressful situations” in a
month filled with protests, police funerals
and discord. The latest figures will be available today.
Ottawa twin
brothers face
terror charges
NEW YORK: In this Jan 8, 2015 photo, a policeman looks out the window of his patrol car in Times Square. — AP
Police unions say there was no sanctioned work slowdown, and they are quick
to point out that officers are still rising to
the call of duty. Just this past week, two
police officers were shot and wounded
responding to a report of a robber y
moments before their shifts ended. “Our
members are doing their job,” said Patrick
Lynch, head of the Patrolmen’s Benevolent
Association, which represents 24,000 rankand-file officers.
Nervous
The 14-block precinct in the heart of
Times Square was among at least seven
across the city where not a single summons
was issued for parking, moving or criminal
violations during New Year’s week - a statistic that makes some people nervous. “It’s
dangerous for the public to know that the
police are doing less,” said Madeline Sorel,
57, who teaches knitting at a senior center
in Brooklyn’s Coney Island, one of the zerosummons precincts. “It might make criminals more eager to do crime.”
The slowdown has overshadowed an
overall, years-long decrease in every measurable crime statistic: Complaints of crime,
arrests and summonses. Crime of all kinds
decreased 4 percent to an all-time low in
2014, when there were 332 homicides,
down from 335 the previous year. The slowdown in enforcement hasn’t translated to a
rise in crime. In the past two weeks, reports
Obama’s chemistry with
Congress - or lack of it
WASHINGTON: He hardly ever calls. When
he does, it’s all business. And that’s US
President Barack Obama’s vibe with top
Democrats on Capitol Hill. With
Republicans, there’s even less chemistry.
But GOP congressional leaders don’t show
much inclination to buddy up to the president, either. When the president sits down
with eight top legislators - four from each
party - at the White House tomorrow,
there’s little expectation it will usher in a
new era of comity and cooperation.
Republican leaders will head to the White
House already peeved with the president
for his recent veto threats and go-it-alone
policy moves. Democratic leaders, now in
the minority party in both chambers, will
find themselves less relevant.
The White House is waving off any
notion that the meeting is the start of a
new congressional charm offensive. “For
anyone craning to hear the conversation
through the walls, I wouldn’t expect a lot
of laughter,” says Jim Manley, a former aide
to Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of
Nevada. “It’s not the funniest group of people you’ve ever put together.” Three
thoughts on how Obama gets along with
top Republicans and Democrats in
Congress, and how much it matters.
They Just Don’t Click
Although Obama was a senator from
Illinois for four years before he became
president, he never has had a strong rapport with members of Congress.
Legislators from both parties have grumbled for years that the Obama White
House doesn’t reach out to them much or
even pay enough attention to small gestures such as White House tour tickets or
Christmas cards. “That’s been missing for
the whole time the president’s been in
office,” says former Rep Steve LaTourette.
Occasional attempts by the White
House to change that dynamic - by inviting key legislators to dinners or the like typically have faded fast. Obama’s first golf
game with House Speaker John Boehner
came about only after the president had
been pestered relentlessly about why he
hadn’t invited a fellow lover of the game to
tee off. The outing was never repeated.
Last week, the No. 2 Republican in the
Senate, John Cornyn of Texas, told a home
state newspaper he never had gotten a
call from the president, “which is kind of
amazing to me”.
Boehner and Senate Majority Leader
Mitch McConnell took it as a poke in the
eye for the White House to issue veto
threats just as lawmakers were taking the
oath of office for the new Congress. “He
could have waited a few hours,” the speaker groused. While Obama has a “rock-solid”
relationship with Reid, Manley says, even
they aren’t particularly chummy.
“Everybody jokes about Reid and his nasty
habit of hanging up the phone as soon as
he’s done with his end of the conversation,
but the president’s not much better,”
Manley says. “There’s not a lot of idle
chitchat.” White House press secretary Josh
Earnest dismisses the intense interest in
Obama’s chemistry with congressional
leaders. “We’re focused a little less on sort
MARYLAND: In this June 18, 2011 file photo, US President Barack Obama
and House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio are seen on the first green as
they play golf at Andrews Air Force Base. -—AP
of the charm and more on the substance,”
he says
Relationships Matter...
Trust and goodwill lubricate the legislative process and any negotiations
between the Capitol and the White House.
It’s possible to do a deal without them, but
it’s a lot harder. California’s Nancy Pelosi,
the top Democrat in the House, credits
Obama for going overboard to try to build
positive ties with the GOP. “The president
has always extended the hand of friendship,” she says. “Some say too much.” But
plenty of legislators from both parties talk
wistfully about the presidency of
Democrat Lyndon Johnson, who was
unafraid to tangle, cajole and horse-trade
with legislators to translate big ideas into
law.
Cornyn describes Obama, by contrast,
as “so detached and disengaged and
apparently disinterested in doing the
grind work that goes along with passing
legislation that it would be hard to do anything”. As for the trust factor, LaTourette
says both Boehner and Obama carry the
scars of failed budget negotiations from
2011, in which “both men honestly believe
that the other one sort of double-dealt
them.” Such misgivings can loom large in
the final push to seal a deal. “In any business, it’s easier to negotiate when there is a
personal relationship and a level of trust,”
says Brian Walsh, a Republican strategist
and former congressional aide. “That may
not necessarily exist in this situation.”
Obama and McConnell, while not
chummy, at least seem to know what they
can expect from one another. “This is certainly not the kind of interaction, back and
forth, that you would expect in a normal
circumstance,” Sen Bob Corker says of the
president and the new majority leader.
“But yeah, they have a relationship. In
times past, when there’s been a major ox
in the ditch they’ve been able to work
through it.” Corker’s takeaway from all the
recent fireworks: “I wouldn’t write this year
off.”
It’s always nice to get along, but voices
from both Congress and the White House
caution against attaching too much
importance to the idea. “People read way
too much into personalities and all that
stuff,” says Corker. “Despite what the
American people think, there are a good
many adults up here that understand that
regardless of how you may feel personally
about a situation, we have a job to do.”
Obama himself seems to subscribe to that
notion. Last spring, the president pointed
back to those failed budget talks from
2011, and that infamous golf game: “I like
Speaker Boehner personally, and when we
went out and played golf we had a great
time. But that didn’t get a deal done.” —AP
of serious crimes were down to 3,704 from
4,130 in the same period a year earlier.
That has critics questioning Bratton’ signature crime-fighting tactic: The “broken
windows” theory that targeting low-level
infractions discourages more serious crime.
Some police reform advocates say the
slowdown proves that the city can do without a tactic they see as heavy-handed.
“There have been unnecessary arrests, and
this proves it,” said Monifa Bandele of
Communities United for Police Reform. But
Bratton says the arrests are no less necessary, despite the let-up. “The whole thesis
of ‘broken windows’ is: If over time you
don’t address an issue, over time it will create a larger issue,” he said. — AP
TORONTO: Twin brothers living in Ottawa have been
arrested on terrorism-related charges, including one
count of attempting to travel abroad to engage in terrorist activities. A Royal Canadian Mounted Police statement said that Carlos Larmond, 24, was arrested Friday
at Montreal’s Trudeau International Airport on charges
of intending to travel overseas for terrorist purposes. He
has also been charged with participating in the activity
of a terrorist group. Ashton Larmond, 24, is charged
with facilitating terrorist activity, participating in the
activity of a terrorist group and instructing to carry out
activities for a terrorist group. He was arrested in
Ottawa.
Police did not specify which terrorist group the twins
allegedly were involved with. A lawyer for the twins said
Saturday that he plans to vehemently dispute the
charges against them, after the twins appeared in
Ottawa court on Saturday via video link. “This is going
to be a case that will determine the Canadian system’s
value of freedom of expression, freedom of assembly,
freedom of religion, as these will be core issues at the
trial,” Ottawa lawyer Joseph Addelman said. Addelman
said the next court appearance for the brothers is
scheduled for Feb 12 in Ottawa.
In Paris, Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney said the
arrests were not connected to this week’s terror attacks
in the French capital. “The arrests yesterday are part of
ongoing investigations that have been going for a while
in Canada,” Blaney told reporters after he laid a wreath
at the offices of the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo,
where a dozen people were killed.
But Blaney said that while there is no direct link to
the French attacks, the two Canadian terror suspects
share “this extremist ideology”. Blaney represented
Canada at a unity rally and march held in Paris yesterday. The minister said he met with the head of mission
in Paris for the Canadian Security Intelligence Service
and will meet with his French counterpart on Sunday.
In October, Canada was hit by two terror attacks by
so-called “lone wolves” believed to have been inspired
by the Islamic State group. In Ottawa, a gunman shot
and killed a soldier at Canada’s National War Memorial
and then stormed Parliament before being gunned
down. The attack in Ottawa came two days after a man
ran over two soldiers in a parking lot in Quebec, killing
one and injuring the other before being shot to death
by police. The man had been under surveillance by
Canadian authorities, who feared he had jihadist ambitions and seized his passport when he tried to travel to
Turkey. Canada, like France, is taking part in the US-led
air campaign against Islamic State extremists in Iraq
and Syria. — AP
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Paris gunman appears in video, declares loyalty to IS
DUBAI: One of three gunmen behind the
worst militant attacks in France for
decades appeared in a video released
online yesterday, declaring his allegiance
to the Islamic State armed group and urging French Muslims to follow his example.
In the seven-minute video apparently
intended for release after the actions,
Amedy Coulibaly, who staged the attack
on a Jewish deli, said the planned
assaults on a satirical journal and a Jewish
target were justified by French military
interventions overseas.
A French anti-terrorist police source
said there was no doubt it was Coulibaly
in the French-language recording.
Seventeen victims were killed in three
days of violence that began with an
attack on the Charlie Hebdo weekly on
Wednesday and ended with Friday’s dual
sieges at a print works outside Paris and a
kosher supermarket in the city.
French security forces killed Coulibaly,
32, on Friday after he planted explosives
at the Paris deli in a siege that claimed
the lives of four hostages. They also shot
dead two brothers behind the Hebdo
killings, Said and Cherif Kouachi, after
they took refuge in the print works.
The Kouachi brothers said they were
aligned to al Qaeda, which competes for
influence with Islamic State among militant Islamists.
Coulibaly had also called BFM-TV on
Friday to claim allegiance to Islamic State,
saying he wanted to defend Palestinians
and target Jews. He said in that call that
he had jointly planned the attacks with
the Kouachi brothers. Police confirmed
they were all members of the same
Islamist cell in northern Paris.
The video showed scenes of man
resembling Coulibaly doing physical
training and images of an arsenal of
weapons and ammunition on the wooden floor of an apartment. He was shown
variously in white robes, sitting with a
gun at his side, and in combat outfit.
“I pledged allegiance to the Caliph as
soon as the caliphate was declared,” he
says, referring to Islamic State leader Abu
Bakr al-Baghdadi, whose group is an antigovernment paramilitary force in both
Iraq and Syria that has a growing network
of followers elsewhere in the Middle East
and Asia. Coulibaly said he would be
working together with the Kouachi
brothers: “We’ve done things a bit together, a bit apart, to try and (achieve) more
impact.” —Reuters
No Ukraine summit
without progress on
peace plan: Merkel
BERLIN: German Chancellor Angela Merkel
told Russian President Vladimir Putin that a
four-way summit to discuss the situation in
eastern Ukraine would not take place until
there was real progress on the Minsk peace
plan.
German government spokesman
Steffen Seibert said in a statement after the
phone call between the leaders that Merkel
welcomed Russian efforts to find a solution
to the crisis.
Putin underlined the need to observe a
ceasefire and “to support the economic
recovery of the affected regions in southeastern Ukraine”, the Kremlin said in a
statement.
It said both sides confirmed their intention to promote a peaceful settlement in
Ukraine.
However, the chancellor told Putin that
a summit by leaders from France, Germany,
Russia and Ukraine in Kazakhstan’s capital
Astana or another city could not be confirmed at this stage, Seibert said.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko
has invited the leaders of Russia, France
and Germany to talks in Astana on Jan. 15
in an attempt to restore peace.
But Germany and France have already
raised doubts about whether such a four-
way summit can take place without further
progress on the peace plan which was
agreed in the Belarussian capital Minsk in
September.
The foreign ministers of France,
Germany, Russia and Ukraine will meet in
Berlin on Monday to discuss the situation in
eastern Ukraine and the implementation of
the 12-point protocol.
Merkel’s spokesman said the chancellor
told Putin that all sides needed to make
their contribution to implement the peace
plan. “That includes that Russia uses its
influence on the separatists in order to
reach consensual solutions,” he said.
In a separate phone call, Merkel discussed the situation in Ukraine also with
Poroshenko, the spokesman said.
A four-way summit would only make
sense if there was a substantial improvement on important points like a ceasefire
and a demarcation line between the
Ukraine -Russia border, Merkel told
Poroshenko, according to the statement.
More than 4,700 people have been
killed in fighting between Kiev’s forces and
pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine since
last April. The conflict has provoked the
worst crisis in relations between Russia and
the West since the Cold War. — Reuters
Struggling Croatia holds
tight presidential run-off
ZAGREB: Croatians cast ballots yesterday
to elect a president in a tight run-off
between incumbent centre -left Ivo
Josipovic and conservative Kolinda GrabarKitarovic, both pledging to help kickstart
the newest EU member’s ailing economy.
The two emerged practically neck and
neck from the first round of polling two
weeks ago, with Josipovic, a 57-year-old
former law professor and classical music
composer, just one percentage point ahead
of Grabar-Kitarovic with 38.5 percent of the
vote.
The popular incumbent, the third president of the former Yugoslav republic since
independence in 1991, is a member of the
Social Democrats (SDP), the main force in
the ruling coalition.
His rival from the main opposition HDZ
party, a former foreign minister and NATO
assistant secretary general, aims to become
the country’s first woman president.
Turnout was 21.92 percent at 1030 GMT,
four and a half hours after polling stations
across the Balkan nation opened, the electoral commission said. It was almost nine
percentage points more than at the same
time in the first round and for elections in
2010.
Although presidential powers are limited in Croatia, Sunday’s vote is seen as a key
test for parliamentary elections later this
year in which the HDZ is likely to make significant gains.
Analysts believe the close first-round
result reflects dissatisfaction with the SDPled government’s per formance and
Josipovic’s failure to criticise its economic
policies. Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic’s
government has become hugely unpopular after failing to revive Croatia’s economy,
which has been struggling with recession
for the past six years.
“The recession ... is not only the consequence of the global crisis in 2008.
Problems are rather structural and the
authorities have not been solving them,”
economic analyst Damir Novotny told AFP.
Hopes that entry into the European
Union would be an economic boost for the
small Adriatic nation of 4.2 million have
faded.
Among EU’s weakest
Croatia joined the EU in 2013, but its
economy remains among the bloc’s weakest. Unemployment is almost 20 percent,
half of job-seekers under the age of 25 are
unemployed and the government forecasts
a meagre 0.5 percent growth this year.
Analysts say the ruling coalition has
failed to reform the huge and inefficient
public sector, improve the business climate
and attract EU development funds.
While vying for a post that is chiefly ceremonial, the two rivals made campaign
promises to overcome a grim economic situation.
Josipovic has vowed to initiate constitutional changes-namely decentralisation-as
a way to revive the economy. Sasa
Sainovski, a seller in his 30s, said he backs
the incumbent president.
“Josipovic is a modern politician. He is
an excellent legal expert with an exceptional education and above all a good person.”
But Grabar-Kitarovic, 46, who represents
moderates within the HDZ, insists the firstround result showed a desire for change.
She labelled Josipovic the “incapable
and cold-hearted government’s accomplice” in bringing about economic hardship.
“To be a president one... has to speak
and not remain silent... to call the government to account,” the former top diplomat
said in a recent television debate. “But this
is exactly what you have not been doing
during the past five years.”
However, Josipovic argued that his rival
would not bring the change voters seek,
given that she was a minister in the graftplagued HDZ government headed by exprime minister Ivo Sanader-who was tried
and jailed for corruption.
“We are in a crisis and we now know
why... You were in the government that was
robbing Croatia, the government of Ivo
Sanader,” Josipovic said.
But Srecko Lukac, a voter from Zagreb,
supports Grabar-Kitarovic, a staunch
Catholic running against avowed agnostic
Josipovic.
“Kolinda is above all a Catholic and has
an impeccable career. She is a woman of
the world, educated and certainly a patriot,”
Lukac told AFP. First official results in the
predominantly Catholic country were
expected around 2100 GMT, three hours
after polls close. — AFP
ZAGREB: Presidential candidate of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) Kolinda
Grabar-Kitarovic votes at a polling station on the second run of the presidential elections in Zagreb yesterday. Kitarovic is facing current Croatian President Ivo Josipovic
for mandate at sixth presidential election since Croatia gained independence. — AFP
HAMBURG: Firefighters stand outside the building of the ‘Hamburger Morgenpost’ in Hamburg, northern Germany, yesterday morning.
According to police fire broke out in an archive room of the paper after an arson attack. The newspaper ran caricatures of the Charlie Hebdo
newspaper after the attack on Wednesday. — AP
German paper that ran Charlie
Hebdo cartoons firebombed
‘Thick smoke is still hanging in the air’
BERLIN: A German tabloid that paid tribute to
those killed at Charlie Hebdo by reprinting cartoons from the French satirical paper mocking
the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) was targeted in
a firebombing yesterday, police said.
With security services on high alert after a
jihadist killing spree in Paris, police in the northern German port city of Hamburg said no one
was at the headquarters of the regional daily
Hamburger Morgenpost at the time of the
attack, which caused only slight damage.
Hamburg police said it was “too soon” to tell
whether there was a connection between the
Charlie Hebdo tribute and the firebombing,
which would mark the first revenge attack over
the cartoons since Wednesday’s massacre of 12
people at the French weekly.
State security forces took over the investigation. “Rocks and then a burning object were
thrown through the window,” a police
spokesman told AFP. “Two rooms on lower
floors were damaged but the fire was put out
quickly.”
The Hamburger Morgenpost, known locally
as the MOPO, had splashed the
Charlie Hebdo cartoons on its front page
after the murders at the Paris publication, running the headline “This much freedom must be
possible!”
Police said the attack had occurred at about
0120 GMT and that two men seen acting suspiciously near the scene were detained.
They declined to provide further information
about the suspects but Hamburger Morgenpost
gave their ages as 35 and 39. The newspaper,
which has a circulation of around 91,000,
declined to comment but it offered regular
updates of its article on the firebombing on its
website.
“Thick smoke is still hanging in the air, the
police are looking for clues,” it said in its initial
story, under the headline “Arson attack on the
MOPO - Due to the ‘Charlie Hebdo’ cartoons?”.
Later yesterday it had removed any reference
to Charlie Hebdo but quoted the regional representative body for the media as calling the firebombing a “cowardly and insidious act of terror
against press freedom”. Hamburg is Germany’s
second city, with a population of around 2.4 million.
Solidarity with French cartoonists
Reports said the newspaper’s publishers had
ordered private security protection for the building in the western district of Othmarschen
Thursday. Several German newspapers ran the
cartoons featuring the Prophet Mohammed
(PBUH) on their front pages in a gesture of solidarity with the murdered French cartoonists and
in defence of free speech.
The Hamburg firebombing comes at a time of
heightened tensions over the rise of a new antiIslamic movement in Germany. A right-wing
populist group called “Patriotic Europeans
Against the Islamisation of the Occident”(PEGIDA), has called for its weekly march in the eastern city of Dresden Monday to be dedicated to
“the victims of terrorism in Paris”.
Justice Minister Heiko Maas accused the
group of trying to exploit the killings and urged
it to call off its rally. “The victims do not deserve
to be misused by rabble-rousers like these,” he
told the daily Bild.
On Saturday about 35,000 people, organisers
said, took to the streets in Dresden against PEGIDA. And several Muslim groups have called a
silent march in Berlin today to denounce violence and call for social cohesion.
Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was in Paris
Sunday for a massive march for the victims, on
Saturday addressed members of her party in
Hamburg, which is also one of Germany’s 16 federal states and which is holding elections next
month. She stressed the need for the exchange
of security intelligence among Europe’s secret
services, particularly between members of the
Schengen passport-free zone, ahead of a
European interior ministers’ meeting in Paris yesterday.
Hamburg’s Islamist scene came to global
attention in 2001 when it emerged that three of
the suicide hijackers from the September 11
attacks on the United States, including ringleader Mohammed Atta, had lived and studied
in the city.
The Bild am Sonntag newspaper reported
earlier that the bloodshed in France could signal
the start of a wave of attacks in Europe, citing
communications by Islamic State leaders intercepted by US intelligence.
A 24-year-old German suspected of joining
Islamic State jihadists in Syria was arrested
Saturday, months after he returned from the
war-ravaged country.
German officials estimate around 550 of their
citizens have made their way to Syria and Iraq to
fight alongside Islamic State, raising fears of
attacks on home soil when they return. —AFP
Latvia takes over presidency of EU
RIGA: European Union meetings in Riga last
week were heavy with the historical symbolism
EU leaders turn to for relief from economic
malaise, terrorism or fears of Russia.
EU chief executive Jean-Claude Juncker
hailed the start of Latvia’s first turn as chair of
ministerial councils since the small, ex-Soviet
state joined the bloc a decade ago, calling it a
completion of Europe’s “reunification” after the
Cold War.
But in a city built by the Teutonic Knights on
their fire-and-sword crusades to convert the
peoples of the east, it was hard not to detect a
modern missionary zeal in Latvian plans to
spread “European values” beyond the EU frontier - and challenge Moscow on what they call
its propaganda war against the West.
A focus of their six-month presidency is a
summit in May on the bloc’s Eastern
Partnership, a programme to strengthen ties
with other former Soviet republics. A similar
meeting in 2013 in Lithuania sparked a crisis
when Russian President Vladimir Putin sought
to prevent Ukraine slipping fur ther from
Moscow’s orbit. “We definitely don’t see our
presidency as anti-Russian,” Latvian Foreign
Minister Edgars Rinkevics told reporters.
Yet his list of targets for closer EU ties included not just Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia but
states hitherto friendlier to Moscow, such as
Armenia, Azerbaijan and in Central Asia - not to
mention the West’s old bugbear Belarus. The
eastern strategy should even stretch all the way
to Afghanistan, he said.
EU leaders say Russia is wrong to fear “encirclement.” But Rinkevics, who is on what he
called a “reconnaissance mission” for the EU in
Kiev and Moscow this weekend, may struggle to
convince the Kremlin that the hitherto hawkish
Latvian government can help wind down the
East-West rhetoric.
Television wars
Having long accused Moscow of agitating
among a 30 percent Russian-speaking minority
that is wary of Latvians who see it as an unwelcome relic of Stalin’s annexation, the Riga government plans to take the offensive against
Kremlin-backed media.
“Propaganda against the EU, the US, our way
of life ... has become so intense,” Rinkevics said,
that Latvia and its allies are studying a new
“strategic communications” plan. It may include
launching a television channel that could compete with Kremlin-financed entertainment networks which carry news.
“We will try to get our message across,” he
said, while dismissing any suggestion of seeking
“regime change” in Moscow.
Viktors Makarovs, a Russian-speaking aide to
Rinkevics, is working with the EU-funded
European Endowment for Democracy in
Brussels as well as governments that include
Germany and Poland, Nordic and other Baltic
states on a study that could end up with proposals to EU leaders before Latvia’s presidency
ends in June.
He and Rinkevics reject the notion of simply
beaming back “counter-propaganda” against
Putin. They also acknowledge that broadly independent news is available to Russians who seek
it. But an option to reach a mass audience may
be the kind of big-budget TV that Moscow
offers, in which news is slotted in between ratings-grabbing entertainment: “Do we sit still
and do nothing?” Makarovs asked. “Or do we
offer an alternative?”
Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma also
spoke of a threat from Kremlin media influence,
relating her own experience as a viewer. But
despite ambitions to share with fellow ex-Soviet
states the hard-won experience of joining the
EU, Straujuma doubted all states would fund a
new Russian-language channel.
Admitting to fears last year that Russia might
move against Latvia, Straujuma was placing
more faith in the armies of the West than in converting Russians to embrace the EU: “NATO
membership,” she said, “is the guarantee of our
security.” -— Reuters
India staffer ‘offloaded’ at Delhi airport: Greenpeace
NEW DELHI: Delhi airport authorities
barred a Greenpeace India staff member
yesterday from flying out of India
despite holding a valid visa, a move the
campaign group described as “bullying”
by the government.
Priya Pillai, a senior campaigner, was
on her way to London when immigration officials stopped her and stamped
“offload” on her passport, a statement
from the international environmental
group said. Officials told her she was
barred from leaving the country and
they were “just following orders from the
Indian government”.
“Today my right to freedom of movement has been infringed and there was
an attempt to treat me like a criminal,”
Pillai said in the statement.
India’s new government tightened
controls on foreign fund transfers to
Greenpeace India in June following an
intelligence report accusing activist
groups of “stalling development projects” by protesting against power projects, mining and genetically modified
food. “The government’s intentions are
clear-they are trying to intimidate and
bully Greenpeace and its employees,”
said Samit Aich, executive director of
Greenpeace India.
“At a time when the whole world is
making a strong pitch to safeguard free-
dom of speech and democratic rights,
this action by the world’s largest democracy is problematic.”
The home ministry did not immediately respond to AFP’s calls for comment. Sunday’s incident comes four
months after another British Greenpeace
staff member was stopped from entering India and put back on a Londonbound flight. India’s government has
clamped down on activist groups over
the past two years following campaigns
that delayed important industrial projects. Greenpeace chief Kumi Naidoo had
personally appealed to Prime Minister
Narendra Modi in November to release
funds after the Delhi High Court directed authorities to unblock them.
Greenpeace India says it has not
received any money since the order. A
final hearing on the matter is expected
on January 20. —AFP
China detains passengers
who opened plane exits
BEIJING: Chinese police detained 25 angry
plane passengers who opened emergency
exit doors before take-off after their flight
was delayed by snow, state media reported, the latest case of rowdy behaviour by
Chinese travellers.
The passengers were forced to wait in
their seats for hours late Friday and early
Saturday after their China Eastern flight
from the southwest city of Kunming to
Beijing was delayed, Xinhua news agency
said.
After requesting that they be allowed
off the plane for health reasons, some passengers “opened three emergency doors in
an attempt to stop the flight” and forced
the plane to return to the terminal, Xinhua
cited a passenger as saying.
Two of the passengers surnamed Zhou
and Li were sentenced to 15 days in detention for violating public order, the state-run
China News Service said.
They were members of a 25-person travel group which got “overly excited”, leading
to the opening of the doors. The other
members of the group were detained for
questioning, but apparently later released.
The passenger told Xinhua that those
on board were worried that the vice captain could not control himself after he
“swore and cursed”, the agency said.
The plane had already been delayed for
five hours before they boarded, only to face
further delays while ice was cleared from
the aircraft, the report said.
Others on the aircraft travelled to
Beijing by another flight. China’s growing
wealth has seen a boom in air travel over
the past decade, but its airports are
plagued with delays and incidents of
unruly passenger behaviour have risen.
Last month a budget flight from Thailand
to China was forced to return to Bangkok
after a Chinese passenger threw hot water
at a cabin attendant.
Chinese state-run media branded four
unruly passengers on board as “barbarians,”
reporting that one of them had threatened
to blow up the plane in a row over a seating arrangement.
An airport in Kunming saw chaotic
scenes in 2013, when thousands of angry
passengers were stranded for hours after
thick fog delayed flights.
Passengers stuck at the airport for more
than a day struggled with airline staff, damaging computer equipment belonging to
an airline, while police broke up scuffles.
In 2012 a plane carrying 200 people
from Zurich to Beijing was forced to turn
back after a fight between two Chinese
passengers. —AFP
Indonesia zeroes in
on crashed AirAsia
plane’s black boxes
PANGKALAN BUN: Indonesian authorities
said yesterday they may have tracked
down the crucial black box recorders of an
AirAsia plane that crashed into the sea two
weeks ago, killing all 162 people on board.
Strong ping signals were being picked
up by three vessels involved in the search
in the Java Sea, S.B Supriyadi, a director
with the National Search and Rescue
Agency, told reporters.
Those signals are coming from the
seabed less than one kilometre (0.6 miles)
from where the tail of the plane was found,
Malaysian Navy chief Abdul Aziz Jaafar said
in a post on Twitter. Malaysia’s Navy is helping in the search.
But Supriyadi said powerful currents
had again frustrated military divers in their
search and they had to call off their efforts
before sunset without reaching the origin
of the signals, about 30 metres (100 feet)
underwater.
“We sent divers to three spots, and they
went down twice, but there is no result.
They couldn’t find anything. The undercurrent was very strong,” Supriyadi said.
The Indonesian meteorological agency
has said stormy weather likely caused the
Airbus A320-200 to crash as it flew from the
Indonesian city of Surabaya to Singapore.
But a definitive answer is impossible
without the black boxes, which should contain the pilots’ final words as well as various
flight data.
Time is running out to find the boxes by
tracking the signals, as their batteries for
the pings are expected to run out after
about 30 days.
48 bodies recovered
Supriyadi said an object believed to be
the main body of the plane had also been
detected close to the area from where the
pings were emanating.
The search efforts, which have involved
US, Chinese and other foreign naval ships,
has recovered just 48 bodies.
Supriyadi said many bodies were
believed to be trapped in the cabin, so
reaching that part of the wreckage was also
a top priority.
The tail of the plane, with its red AirAsia
logo, was lifted out of the water on
Saturday using giant balloons and a crane.
It was brought by tugboat on Sunday to
a port near the search headquarters, at
Pangkalan Bun town on Borneo island. All
but seven of those on board were
Indonesian. The bodies of a South Korean
couple were identified on Sunday, but their
11-month-old baby remains unaccounted
for, Indonesian authorities said. The other
foreigners were one Singaporean, one
Malaysian, one Briton and a Frenchman-copilot Remi Plesel. Their bodies have not
been recovered. While the cause of the
crash is unknown, the disaster has once
again placed Indonesia’s chaotic aviation
industry under scrutiny. Indonesian officials
have alleged Indonesia AirAsia did not
have a licence to fly the route on the day of
the crash, although the airline rejects the
claim. Indonesia’s transport ministry quickly banned AirAsia from flying the SurabayaSingapore route.
On Friday it suspended dozens more
routes operated by five other domestic airlines for similar licence violations.— AFP
KANDY: Sri Lanka’s new President Maithripala Sirisena greets his supporters as he arrives to address. Sri Lanka’s new government will investigate an alleged attempt by Rajapaksa to stage a coup to try to stay in power when results showed he was losing last week’s election, a
spokesman for the country’s new leader said yesterday. — AP
Coup averted in Sri
Lanka: New govt
Army chief, police general refused to support Rajapakse
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s new government yesterday accused toppled strongman Mahinda
Rajapakse of having tried to stage a coup to
cling to power after losing last week’s presidential election.
Rajapakse, South Asia’s longest-serving
leader before losing last Thursday’s polls, had
been widely praised for conceding defeat to
Maithripala Sirisena before the final results had
been announced.
But a top aide to Sirisena told reporters that
Rajapakse had in fact tried to persuade the army
and police chiefs to help him stay in office with
the use of force. “People think it was a peaceful
transition. It was anything but,” Mangala
Samaraweera, who is expected to be named as
Sirisena’s foreign minister, told a press conference. “The first thing the new cabinet will investigate is the coup and conspiracy by president
Rajapakse. “He stepped down only when the
army chief and the police Inspector General (N.K.
Illangakoon) refused to go along with him.”
Illangakoon was “very vocal and did not want
to be a party to this coup” while army chief Daya
Ratnayake also refused to deploy troops for
Rajapakse to seize power, said Samaraweera.
The attorney general’s department had also
warned that there would be “dangerous consequences”, he said. Samaraweera said diplomatic
pressure had in addition been brought to bear
on Rajapakse, who came in for international criticism during his near-decade in office over his
administration’s human rights record.
Critics also accused him of increasing authoritarianism and a culture of nepotism and corrup-
tion. “Some world leaders also spoke with president Rajapakse and prevailed on him to ensure a
peaceful transition,” Samaraweera said.
“I don’t know who had spoken (to him), but
we know some leaders did talk to him.” US
Secretary of State John Kerry and even Sirisena
himself had thanked Rajapakse for quitting in
the early hours of Friday, after his defeat in an
election he had seemed certain to win when he
called it in November.
The head of the army was not immediately
available for comment. But military spokesman
Ruwan Wanigasooriya said he was “not aware of
such a coup attempt”.
Samaraweera said it was important for the
new administration to disclose what had happened while results were being released, and an
independent investigation probe would be a priority.
Join hands for reform
In an address to the nation, Sirisena appealed
for a government of national unity to carry out
the political and economic reforms he promised
in his election campaign.
The new president wants to establish independent commissions to run the police, the
public service and the judiciary and to transfer
many of his executive powers to parliament.
“I hope all the parties will accept my invitation and join hands to ensure good governance,
rule of law and carry out the reforms we have
promised to improve the quality of life for our
people,” he said from the historic hill city of
Kandy. The president invited all parties to join
his cabinet, which is expected to be finalised by
January 19 when parliament will open.
He reiterated a call to normalise relations
with Western nations and neighbouring India.
Rajapakse had alienated many foreign leaders by refusing to allow an international probe
into allegations of mass civilian casualties in the
brutal finale to Sri Lanka’s 37-year Tamil separatist war in 2009. Another top lieutenant said
Sirisena had already received the backing of
more than 40 lawmakers previously loyal to
Rajapakse, virtually assuring approval for his
programme of radical constitutional reforms.
“We now have more than we need in parliament,” Rajitha Senaratne told AFP. Sirisena previously had the backing of 89 lawmakers and
needed another 24 for a simple majority in the
225-member house. The new leader, who is himself a defector from Rajapakse’s party, has
already pledged to reverse many of the constitutional changes made by his predecessor which
gave huge powers to the president.
Even Rajapakse’s Sri Lankan Freedom Party
has said it will support Sirisena’s constitutional
reforms, making their enactment a formality.
Sirisena quit Rajapakse’s cabinet in November
to emerge as an opposition unity candidate in
the January 8 polls, triggering a mass defection
of lawmakers. While Rajapakse still retains significant support from the majority Sinhalese community, anger had been growing over rising levels of corruption.
Rajapakse had installed relatives in some of
the most sensitive posts, including his younger
brother Gotabhaya as defence secretary.—AFP
Rains threaten papal mass on
storm-hit Philippine island
PANGKALAN BUN: Crew members of Crest Onyx ship prepare to unload the wreckage of part of the ill-fated AirAsia Flight 8501 crashed off the Java Sea, at Kumai port
in Pangkalan Bun, Indonesia, yesterday. A day after the tail of the crashed plane was
fished out of the sea, the search for the missing black boxes intensified yesterday
with more pings heard. —AP
MANILA: The Philippines was
watching nervously yesterday as a
tropical storm threatened a
typhoon-prone central island that
Pope Francis will visit this week on
his tour of the fervently Catholic
nation. The country ’s weather
bureau said a low-pressure area
currently over the Pacific Ocean
was on course for Leyte Island,
touted as one of the highlights of
the pontiff ’s four-day visit, and
could develop into a storm by the
time it enters Philippine waters on
Thursday.
Leyte was the province worst-hit
by Super Typhoon Haiyan in
November 2013, and suffered landslides and floods late last year
wrought by tropical storm Jangmi.
“Part of contingency planning
are possible inclement scenarios....
options are being developed,” presidential spokesman Herminio
Coloma from the papal visit organising committee told AFP. Asked if
cancelling the events on Leyte
island on January 17 was an option,
Coloma said: “It’s best to wait until
the (weather disturbance) enters
the Philippines before making specific contingency plans.”
In a best-case scenario, the low
pressure area would turn northwards and spare the country, but
there is also an equal chance it will
intensify into a storm, state weather
forecaster Alvin Pura told AFP.
“This may hit the Eastern Visayas
and bring rains to the pope’s
events,” he said, referring to the
island chain in which Leyte sits.
Pura could not immediately say
how much rain was possible on
Leyte if the storm developed and
hit the island.
During the last week of 2014,
the Eastern Visayas were caught
offguard when a storm bearing relatively weak winds brought heavy
rains, triggering flashfloods and
landslides that killed 54 people. The
pontiff, who arrives in the country
on Thursday, will be in Leyte on
Saturday to give a mass at the airport in Tacloban, ground zero for
Haiyan, and have lunch with storm
survivors in nearby Palo town.
The weather disturbance was
unlikely to affect another mass in
Manila the day after, where millions
are expected to attend, Pura said.
Partly cloudy skies and cool
weather are expected in the capital
on that day, he said. The Philippines
is hit by an average of 20 typhoons
per year, many of them deadly.
Haiyan, the strongest typhoon to
hit land with 230-kilometre (143mile) per hour winds, brought
tsunami like waves to the central
Philippines, wiping out entire
towns and leaving more than 7,350
people dead or missing. — AFP
MANILA: A photo of Pope Francis stands in front of a Philippine
national flag as preparations for his visit continue at Manila’s Rizal
park, Philippines, yesterday. Pope Francis embarks on his second
Asian pilgrimage next week, visiting Sri Lanka and the Philippines
exactly 20 years after St. John Paul II’s record-making visit to two
countries with wildly disparate Catholic populations. — AP
NEWS
Muslims gesture from a departing train following the conclusion of the World Muslim Congregation, also known as Biswa Ijtema, in Tongi on the outskirts of the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka yesterday. The ijtema is the worldís second largest Islamic gathering after the hajj, with devotees coming from all over the globe to pray and hear imams preach for three days. — AFP
World leaders link arms at historic Paris march
Continued from Page 1
All three were killed during the police operations
in what local commentators have called “France’s
9/11”, a reference to the Sept 2001 attacks on US targets by Al-Qaeda. “Paris is today the capital of the
world. Our entire country will rise up and show its
best side,” said Hollande. “Fantastic France! I am told
there could be as many as 1.3 million to 1.5 million of
us in Paris,” Francois Lamy, the lawmaker charged by
the ruling Socialist Party with organizing the rally,
tweeted. At least 700,000 more joined vigils in other
cities across France. In London, several landmarks
including Tower Bridge were due to be lit up in the
red white and blue colours of the French national flag
in a show of support for the event in Paris. Fifty-seven
people were killed in an Islamist militant attack on
London’s transport system in 2005.
Seventeen people, including journalists and
police, were killed in three days of violence that
began with a shooting attack on the weekly Charlie
Hebdo known for its satirical attacks on Islam and
other religions as well as politicians. It ended on
Friday with a hostage-taking at a Jewish deli in which
four hostages and the gunman were killed. Hours
before the march, a video emerged featuring a man
resembling the gunman killed in the kosher deli. He
pledged allegiance to the Islamic State insurgent
group and urged French Muslims to follow his example. “We’re not going to let a little gang of hoodlums
run our lives,” said Fanny Appelbaum, 75, who said
she lost two sisters and a brother in the Nazi concentration camp at Auschwitz. “Today, we are all one.”
Zakaria Moumni, a 34-year-old Franco-Moroccan
draped in the French flag, agreed: “I am here to show
the terrorists they have not won - it is bringing people
together of all religions.”
“Who am I?” yelled a driver on one metro line.
“Charlie!” responded the crowd, clapping, on a journey where people usually avert gazes and stay glued
to their cellphones. “I am really happy to work today
and take you to the Republican march,” said another
driver on the Metro also to applause. Despite their
differences, people came together under wintry blue
skies with a defiant message: France will not be divided by fear or religious differences. “I am French and I
am not afraid” read one banner. Daniel, a hip young
Jewish singer and Riad a 60-year-old Muslim shopkeeper swapped views on the country’s ordeal as the
crowd gathered.
The tragedy spurred the greatest outpouring of
patriotic spirit seen in decades, with the French flag
fluttering through the air and the Marseillaise anthem
ringing out through days of marches. One of the most
unexpected scenes of the day, was when a crowd
burst into spontaneous applause for passing gendarmes, shouting “Thank You” - in a country where
riot police are notoriously unpopular. Then there were
the tears. First from some marchers unable to contain
their emotion, then from families of those killed in the
three days of terror who wept and held hands.
But not everyone went to the march. Samir, 29,
said he found it hard to condemn the Islamist attack
on Charlie Hebdo, as the satirical magazine had
“insulted the Prophet (PBUH)”. Samia, 47, in another
part of Paris, was annoyed for other reasons. She
thinks the march “gives importance to jihadists, to
these crazies”.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, British Prime
Minister David Cameron and Italian Prime Minister
Matteo Renzi were among 44 foreign leaders marching with Hollande. Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu - who
earlier encouraged French Jews to emigrate to Israel and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas were also
present. Immediately to Hollande’s left, walked
Merkel and to his right Malian President Ibrahim
Boubacar Keita. France intervened to help fight
Islamist rebels there two years ago to the day.
In a rare public display of emotion by two majorpower leaders, cameras showed Hollande embracing
Merkel, her eyes shut and forehead resting on his
cheek, on the steps of the Elysee before they headed
off to march. After world leaders left the march,
Hollande stayed to greet survivors of the Charlie
Hebdo attack and their families.
While there has been widespread solidarity with
the victims, there have been dissenting voices. French
social media have carried comments from those
uneasy with the “Je suis Charlie” slogan interpreted as
freedom of expression at all cost. Others suggest
there was hypocrisy in world leaders whose countries
have repressive media laws attending the march. The
head of France’s 550,000-strong Jewish community,
Roger Cukierman, the largest in Europe, said Hollande
had promised that Jewish schools and synagogues
would have extra protection, by the army if necessary,
after the killings.
Far-right National Front leader Marine Le Pen,
whom analysts see receiving a boost in the polls due
to the attacks, said her anti-immigrant party had been
excluded from the Paris demonstration and would
instead take part in regional marches. In Germany, a
rally against racism and xenophobia on Saturday drew
tens of thousands of people in the eastern German
city of Dresden, which has become the centre of antiimmigration protests organised by a new grassroots
movement called PEGIDA. A building of the newspaper Hamburger Morgenpost, which like many other
publications has reprinted Charlie Hebdo cartoons,
was the target of an arson attack and two suspects
were arrested, police said yesterday. — Agencies
Projects worth $155bn planned
Continued from Page 1
Jabri said that KD 29.5 billion will be
spent on economic development and KD
15.5 billion on human resource development, while the remaining KD 500 million will be spent on administrative
development. As for next year, the plan
envisages spending KD 6.6 billion, Jabri
said.
The lawmaker added that the ministries of oil and oil have agreed to calculate oil at $45 a barrel, way below the $75
a barrel adopted in this year’s budget.
This means oil revenues will be 60 percent of the KD 18.8 billion projected oil
income for this year, provided production remains the same. The actual
income however will greatly depend on
oil prices. If the same conditions remain
throughout the next fiscal year, Kuwait is
certain to post its first budget deficit
after 16 consecutive years of windfall
that boosted the country’s fiscal reserves
to around $550 billion.
Oil income makes up around 94 percent of public revenues in Kuwait. While
insisting to keep capital spending intact,
the government has vowed to cut current spending, especially subsidies. It has
already started by scrapping subsidies
on diesel, kerosene and aviation fuel and
is considering similar measures for
petrol, electricity and water.
In another development, the criminal
court yesterday freed former opposition
MP Saleh Al-Mulla on a KD 2,000 bail
after detaining him for six days on accusations of insulting HH the Amir and
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi.
Mulla was questioned for posting a number of tweets deemed offensive to the
Amir and Sisi during the Egyptian president’s visit to Kuwait last week. The court
however set Feb 15 as the start of the trial of Mulla, who was a member of parliament for several years until 2012.
The court meanwhile decided to look
today into the case of former information
minister and academic Saad bin Taflah
Al-Ajmi who was arrested while attempting to leave the country for Saudi Arabia
to perform umrah along with his wife
and daughter. Ajmi, currently a professor
of linguistics at Kuwait University, was
detained to serve a one-week jail term
passed against him in absentia for
allegedly being responsible for an article
deemed derogatory to Finance Minister
Anas Al-Saleh.
The article was published on Al-Aan
electronic newsletter in 2012. The same
sentence was passed on Zayed Al-Zaid,
Ajmi’s partner and the co-owner of the
newsletter. The sentence was passed
although Zaid had admitted that Ajmi
had nothing to do with the article, of
which he took full responsibility for writing. The court is expected to suspend the
jail term and call for a retrial.
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Focus
Michel, Lassana,
Ahmed France’s
ordinary heroes
By Ambre Tosunoglu, Eve Szeftel and Thibauld Malterre
he manager at a printing shop who hid his
employee from hostage-takers, a Muslim who
rescued Jews, a policeman whose death was
broadcast worldwide - these were three of the ordinary heroes caught up in France’s twin terrorist
attacks this week.
T
‘Protect Lilian’
It was a regular Friday morning for Michel
Catalano, 47, at the printing shop in Dammartin-enGoele, north of Paris, when the two most wanted
men in France showed up outside. “I did not realise it
was them, then I saw the Kalashnikov (rifle) and a
rocket launcher,” he told AFP. His first thought was to
find his graphic designer, Lilian Lepere, who is 26, to
tell him to hide, he said. Lepere quickly hid under a
kitchen sind.
Catalano then went to face the danger. “They
came by the stairs and I went to meet them. I tried to
talk to them to slow them down so that Lilian would
have time to hide,” Michel said, barely able to get the
words out. “I even offered them a coffee. I saw one of
them was wounded in the neck and I offered to
help,” he said. All the time, though, “I thought of
Lilian and how they must not find him.”
Unexpectedly, the Kouachi brothers - who two
days earlier had killed 12 people in an Islamist attack
on the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo for publishing
cartoons insulting Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) - let
Catalano go. Evidently they were not interested in
keeping hostages and were ready to die. Meanwhile,
Lepere remained hidden, using his phone to text
crucial information to the anti-terrorism police stationed outside ahead of an assault a few hours later.
“I’m not a hero,” Catalano says.
‘We’re Brothers’
At a kosher supermarket on the edge of Paris, it
was Lassana Bathily, a Muslim employee of Malian
roots, who helped Jewish shoppers to hide in a cold
storage room from another Islamist gunman. It was
lunch hour on Friday when Amedy Coulibaly
entered, firing from a Kalashnikov. He said he wanted to help the Kouachi brothers who at that point
were still under siege in Dammartin-en-Goele. As
people fled, Bathily, 24, guided them to the cold
store - taking care to turn off the refrigeration. “I
heard shooting. Then I saw my colleague and clients
running. I said to them, come, come!” he recalled in
television interviews.
Then Bathily suggested escaping via the freight
elevator, but no one wanted to take the risk and he
left by himself and was immediately met by police. “I
gave them the layout of the shop to help the police
prepare their assault,” he said. “We’re brothers,” he
said. “It’s not a question of Jews or Christians or
Muslims. We’re all in the same boat.” The modest
hero got a phone call from President Francois
Hollande on Sunday to give thanks.
‘I am Ahmed’
The entire crisis started on Wednesday when Said
and Cherif Kouachi attacked Charlie Hebdo, shouting that they were avenging the Prophet (PBUH) for
the insulting cartoons. Among the first police officers to reach the scene was Ahmed Merabet, who
was wounded and then - on footage shown on television worldwide - finished off as he lay on the pavement outside, with one hand up in the air.
His brother Malek Merabet says he’s haunted by
the voice of Ahmed in that footage as he asked the
approaching gunmen to spare his life. “I hear him all
the time,” he says. The family is originally from
Algeria and Malek Merabet said his brother had
been a “hard worker” wanting to better himself. He
worked at McDonalds, then for the French railways
and finally got a job in the police.
Most of the attention has focused on the slain
staff at Charlie Hebdo, including its famous cartoonists who had provoked widespread ire in the Islamic
world with their caricatures of Mohammed. The “Je
suis Charlie” slogan has become a global phenomenon. But now those honouring Ahmed Merabet, a
Muslim confronting Islamists, have their own Twitter
hashtag: #JeSuisAhmed. — AFP
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.
Ruthless and bumbling - killers’ odd mixture
By Michel Moutot
hey killed like pros, but when the time
came to flee, the Charlie Hebdo murderers morphed into bumbling characters
from a crime caper - an odd and troubling
mix, according to French security experts.
Amateur footage and photos taken immediately after Wednesday’s massacre showed the
Kouachi brothers wielding their Kalashnikov
assault rifles with the assurance of trained soldiers. Kitted out in hoods, black clothing and
ammunition pouches, they moved through
the street outside the satirical weekly’s offices
in a way that clearly showed knowledge of
infantry tactics - for example, one covering
the other as they advanced.
When one of them finished off a wounded
policeman on the sidewalk, he fired without
breaking stride, displaying the cold bloodedness of a veteran. “You can clearly see the way
they hold their weapons, the way they move
calmly, coldly. They have definitely had a military type of training. These are not hotheads
acting on the spur of the moment,” a police
source told AFP, noting how the duo held
their weapons close to their bodies and fired
single shots, not the wild bursts typical of
panicky beginners. Other elements suggested good preparation. The men apparently
knew that the whole Charlie Hebdo editorial
team would be holding a meeting and
planned their attack despite knowing that
first they’d have to kill a police officer stationed to protect Charb, the editor in chief,
because of previous threats. A major slip-up
was not knowing the exact location of the
office where the meeting took place, meaning the attackers first had to ask directions.
But they handled what could have been a disastrous error in their plans equally calmly,
persisting until they reached their target.
T
Chaotic Getaway
It was afterwards that the brothers’ apparently careful preparation unravelled.
Although they were not yet being chased,
they ran into another car with the black
Citroen C3 they were using to leave the
scene. Next, they switched to a hijacked Clio,
but when they left their earlier car behind,
Said Kouachi blundered by leaving his French
identity card, handing investigators an immediate breakthrough. On Thursday, after having successfully evaded police for about 24
hours, they gave themselves away by robbing
a gas station in the Picardie region of northern France. The station manager immediately
recognised the brothers and gave police a
crucial tip off.
Finally driven to ground in a small town
near Paris, the fugitives holed up with a
hostage at a printing business. But their
actions looked highly improvised, the duo
even letting a man go free after he unwittingly came up to the front door. The brothers
Weapons serious, but available
By Michel Moutot
he weapons wielded by gunmen sowing
mayhem at Charlie Hebdo magazine
and a Jewish supermarket in Paris this
week were powerful but - for those in the
know - available in France, experts say.
Kalashnikov assault rifles, the M82 grenade
launcher, hand grenades, explosive material,
Tokarev handguns: everything in the arsenals
possessed by the Koubachi brothers and
Amedy Coulibaly would be available from the
same sources supplying urban crime gangs.
“Unfortunately these types of military
weapons have been available for a long time
and one can get them without attracting
attention,” an anti-terrorism official who asked
not to be identified told AFP.
“Look at people who rob armoured bank
vans. They’ve long been able to get explosives, military Semtex, heavy weapons and
rocket launchers. They also know how to use
them,” he said. An expert in arms trafficking in
France, who also wanted to remain anonymous, said Coulibaly, who took hostages at a
supermarket on Friday and killed four before
being gunned down by anti-terrorist police,
had a “very easily” available weapon.
“Coulibaly had a Czech-made Scorpion
sub-machinegun. It’s been around for 30
years on the grey market. It’s sought after by
drug traffickers because of its small size and
firepower. As for the Kalashnikov, it’s even
easier to get,” he said. Yugoslav-manufactured
T
AK-47 Kalashnikovs have been available
throughout western Europe since the fall of
the communist regime in Albania and the
break-up of Yugoslavia. The going price on
the black market is between Ä1,000 and
Ä2,000 ($1,300 and $2,600), depending on its
condition, while a Scorpion costs about
Ä1,500, and a grenade launcher with ammunition goes for about Ä2,000.
Rocket Launchers no Harder
“It’s small-scale trade, two or three
Kalashnikovs at a time hidden in the boot of a
truck going between Bosnia or Serbia. There’s
no network or supply line that the police can
infiltrate,” the expert said. “It’s no harder with
rocket-launchers. They also come from the
east and the big gangs hitting bank vans have
used them for a long time.” Explosives
brought by Coulibaly to the supermarket
were never used. These were of civilian grade,
for example the type used in mines, and are
often stolen.
Jean-Charles Antoine, at the French
Institute of Geopolitics and author of the
book “At the Heart of Arms Trafficking”, said
the intelligence services are unlikely to pick
up on these kinds of weapons purchases,
unless the assailants buy everything at once.
“But that would be especially stupid,” he said.
“Most probably they bought everything in
stages through intermediaries and built up
their little arsenal bit by bit, some here, some
there,” he said. —AFP
also never found out that another man was
hiding inside the printing shop. When commandos closed in for the kill, the two men
who had plunged France into its worst terrorism crisis for decades had no more tricks left and went out shooting to die in a blaze of
gunfire. “They didn’t think they could get out
(of the Charlie Hebdo office) and certainly
they hadn’t planned their escape as carefully
as they had the attack on the magazine,” a
second police source said. “Afterwards, they
were clearly improvising.”
Dangerous New Breed
Experts say the Kouachis could signal a
dangerous new breed of radical, but otherwise clear-headed youngsters who have
weapons proficiency. Alain Chouet, a former
external intelligence service officer, told AFP
that mistakes like leaving behind the identity
card were less important than the techniques
seen during the rest of the assault. “What I
find very worrying is that we’re no longer
talking about psychotics, as it was in the case
of Mohamed Merah,” he said, referring to a
massacre at a Jewish school in March 2012 in
Toulouse. “They were well trained and calm,
but just as much as any gang of bad guys
from the suburbs who launch an attack on an
armoured (bank) vehicle with military
weapons,” he said. “We are witnessing a dangerous shift where we see the techniques of
major banditry applied to something else,
terrorism. That means there could be many
more potential candidates, which is really
worrying.” Eric Denece, director of the CF2R
intelligence affairs think tank, highlighted “a
definite improvement in the technique of
their attack. But for the rest, for their exfiltration and survival in hiding, that was a lot less
good.” The improvements that were displayed
in the incident would not be hard to replicate,
he said. “What you must know is that in a few
days you can train someone to use a
Kalashnikov and move properly with a
weapon.” — AFP
Christie may reach for reset button
By Hilary Russ
ew Jersey Governor Chris Christie, under
pressure to decide whether to seek the
Republican nomination for president in
2016, has a chance next week to reset his governorship after being stymied all year by national
controversies and home-grown fiscal crises. On
Tuesday, Christie will deliver his state of the state
address, potentially the biggest speech he’ll
make before announcing his presidential intentions, a decision that could come by the end of
the month. After a difficult year, Christie may “try
to regain some momentum and frame his
tenure, both for the New Jersey audience as well
as the national audience,” said Ben Dworkin,
who heads a New Jersey politics institute at
Rider University.
Christie has been hounded by the so-called
Bridgegate scandal and related ongoing federal
criminal probes, as well as controversy over
whether he should have gone to Texas for a Jan
4 Dallas Cowboys game, the trip paid for by
team owner Jerry Jones. The Cowboys are part
owner of a company that does business with the
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the
transportation agency Christie’s former aides are
accused of abusing in order to engineer a traffic
jam on the George Washington Bridge as an
alleged act of political retribution against a local
mayor. The bridge scandal “effectively made
2014 a giant missed opportunity” for Christie,
said Dworkin. “Christie has cultivated an image
of being the atypical politician,” Dworkin said.
“He is a reformer, he is able to get things done
with Democrats but still be a strong conservative. He doesn’t look like or sound like anybody
else out there. “What issues like Bridgegate and
N
In this Nov 17, 2014 file photo, New Jersey Gov Chris Christie waves as leaves Capitol
Hill in Washington. — AP
the Jerry Jones gifts provide is an opportunity
for Christie’s opponents to paint him as the
opposite, as a very typical politician.”
Polls have consistently shown former Florida
Governor Jeb Bush ahead of Christie in a potential Republican presidential primary. Voters
would also elect Democrat Hillary Clinton over
Christie in the general election, according to the
most recent polls. Christie is likely to use his
state address to recite his accomplishments last
year, such as rebuilding after Hurricane Sandy.
His constituents may also listen to hear his plans
on how to improve an underfunded pension
system, a transportation funding crisis, sluggish
economic growth and the fiscal meltdown of
Atlantic City, the once-strong East Coast gambling hub. New Jersey has recovered only about
half of the jobs it lost during the recession, compared to well over 100 percent nationally and
nearly 200 percent for neighboring New York.
Matters got worse on Tuesday, when MercedesBenz announced that it would move its US
headquarters from northern New Jersey to
Atlanta, affecting about 1,000 jobs. That loss
comes after a year that saw roughly 8,000 jobs
vanish with the closing of four casinos in
Atlantic City, an economic engine of southern
New Jersey.
Also pressuring Christie will be the decision
he made amid a revenue crisis last year to cancel
nearly $2.5 billion of contributions to the state’s
already underfunded retirement system for public employees. New accounting methods in
November showed the system funded at just 44
percent. In last year’s state of the state, Christie
said bipartisan pension changes he won in 2011
didn’t go far enough, setting the stage for his call
a month later in his budget address for additional reforms. Yet even now, he hasn’t detailed or
endorsed any specific new proposals, like moving employees to a 401(k)-style plan, for example. Christie formed a pension study commission
last year, but so far it has produced one report
without specific recommendations. Commission
Chairman Thomas Healey did not return a call
seeking comment. Competing for attention, and
money, is the state’s nearly insolvent transportation fund. Currently, all of the gasoline taxes collected in New Jersey goes to pay existing debt
service costs instead of funding new projects.
The fund, which has nearly gone broke several
times, will run out of money on July 1 unless lawmakers find additional funding.
One quick fix would be to raise the gas tax.
At 14.5 cents a gallon, New Jersey’s tax hasn’t
been raised since the late 1980s, making it one
of the only low-tax bright spots for residents of a
high-tax state. Long-term, raising the gas tax
alone likely won’t be enough to fix the problem.
“We’re at a turning point,” said Gordon
MacInnes, president of the left-leaning think
tank New Jersey Policy Perspective. “Our greatest economic asset, which is our location, is
under threat because the that pays for modernizing, expanding and rehabilitating our transportation networks goes broke.” — Reuters
S P ORTS
Del Potro plans comeback
Australia captain ruled out
Misbah to retire from ODIs
SYDNEY: Watching tennis on television has been an all too regular way of
passing time for Juan Martin del Potro and it does not get any easier for the
injury-prone Argentine. The giant from Tandil is preparing for yet another
comeback in Sydney next week having spent nearly a year on the sidelines
with a serious left wrist injury.
It was the right wrist that required surgery in 2010, six months after he
won the U.S. Open, and fans of the 26-year-old, an there are many, believe he
would have already added to his one grand slam title were it not for injuries.
Olympic bronze medallist Del Potro is just happy to be playing again, even
if he is having to grimace through the pain. “It was horrible to watch all the
tournaments on TV and see how open it was in the grand
slams,” he said in an interview on the website of the ATP. “It’s
good for tennis but it was sad for me because I was ready
and prepared.
“All of that is in the past for me now. I am positive now.
I know I need to be calm and to be patient, to stay
healthy and play as well as I can. It will be a long road to
get in good shape and to get to my level.” Smouldering
groundstrokes and a beefy serve are Del Potro’s big
weapons and the worry is, with his wrist still causing
discomfort, his shots will have lost some of their power.
“(The wrist) hurts a little bit,” he said. —Reuters
MELBOURNE: Australia captain Mile Jedinak has been ruled out of
Tuesday’s Asian Cup clash with Oman in a blow for the hosts after he suffered an ankle injury in the Socceroos’ win over Kuwait.
Midfielder Jedinak twisted his left ankle in a clash in the first half of
Friday’s 4-1 win at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium but played out the
match and scored a second-half penalty.
The 30-year-old Crystal Palace skipper arrived in Sydney airport on
Saturday ahead of the Oman match at Stadium Australia wearing a protective boot. “He’s not quite right to play and at this stage of the tournament
we are better to give it a few days extra rest and we will re-assess where he’s
at for the game against Korea Republic,” coach Ange Postecoglou said in a
statement. “While it is not ideal for Mile to miss the game I’m confident we
have the players and depth to be able to cover for not having him out there.”
A tough, versatile midfielder capable of playing holding roles and setting
up attacking forays, Jedinak is likely to be replaced by Melbourne Victory
skipper Mark Milligan.
Oman lost their Group A opener 1-0 to South Korea in Canberra on
Saturday. Australia play their third and final group match against South
Korea in Brisbane on Jan. 17. Australia lead Group A on goal difference from
South Korea, with both teams on three points. — Reuters
KARACHI: Pakistan’s long-serving captain Misbah-ul-Haq has announced
he will retire from one-day internationals and T20 cricket after the World
Cup. “Misbah has formally informed us he will retire from ODIs and not play
T20 cricket after the World Cup. He wants to focus on Test cricket,” Pakistan
Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khan told Reuters yesterday. Misbah, 41,
told Geo News channel he informed the board about a week ago.
“I took the decision to retire after much thought and feel this is the best
time to go from ODIs. The World Cup is my last ODI venture,” he said of the
tournament starting in Australia and New Zealand next month. Misbah
became Pakistan’s most successful test captain in the recent series against
New Zealand in the UAE.
He was appointed test captain in late 2010 after the spot fixing scandal in England led to Salman Butt being banned. The
board also handed Misbah the ODI and T20 captaincy in mid2011 after Shahid Afridi was sacked as captain of limited
overs cricket. In 2012 he was removed as T20 captain but continued to feature in domestic T20 matches.
Since his debut for Pakistan in 2002, Misbah has
played 153 ODIs and scored 4,669 runs at an average of
42.83 with 37 fifties. He has led Pakistan in 78 games,
with a more than 50 percent success rate. —Reuters
Penguins roll, Capitals triumph
MONTREAL: Sidney Crosby scored a power-play
goal 3:41 into overtime, lifting the Pittsburgh
Penguins over the Montreal Canadiens 2-1 on
Saturday. Evgeni Malkin also scored for the
Penguins, and Marc-Andre Fleury made 27 saves.
Max Pacioretty scored the lone goal for the
Canadiens, who have lost two consecutive
games after winning nine of their previous 10.
Carey Price stopped 35 shots.
Crosby beat Price with a one-timer, while the
Penguins played with the man-advantage. It was
only the second power-play goal for the
Penguins in their past 23 opportunities.
CAPITALS 3, RED WINGS 1
John Carlson and Joel Ward scored in the second period, and Braden Holtby stopped 26 shots
as the Washington Capitals beat the Detroit Red
Wings. Troy Brouwer also scored for Washington,
which improved to 12-1-4 in its last 17 games.
Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard, named to his
second NHL All-Star game earlier Saturday, left
early in the first period with a groin injury after
attempting to make the save on Brouwer’s goal.
Howard finished with two saves. Jonathan
Ericsson scored his first goal of the season for
Detroit, and Petr Mrazek made 12 saves in relief
of Howard.
2015 Abu Dhabi HSBC
golf championship
BRUINS 3, FLYERS 1
Rookie David Pastrnak scored his first two
career NHL goals to lead the Boston Bruins over
the Philadelphia Flyers. Chris Kelly added a
short-handed goal for Boston, which won its
third straight.
Claude Giroux scored for Philadelphia, which
fell further out of the Eastern Conference playoff
race. Jakub Voracek, who entered leading the
NHL with 49 points, assisted Giroux’s goal.
The Flyers lost goaltender to injury as Steve
Mason left 7:07 into the opening period with a
lower body injury. Mason went down and
appeared to clutch the back of his right knee
after extending his right leg to save Craig
Cunningham’s shot.
AVALANCHE 4, STARS 3
Nathan MacKinnon broke a second-period
deadlock and Semyon Varlamov stopped 37
shots, leading Colorado over Dallas. Erik
Johnson, John Mitchell and Matt Duchene also
scored as the Avalanche won for the fifth time in
six games to leapfrog Dallas in the Central
Division standings. MacKinnon’s score with 8.4
seconds left in the second was part of a threegoal period for the Avalanche. They came out
fast to start the third, too, with Duchene scoring
just 12 seconds into period. Brett Ritchie, Colton
Sceviour and Ales Hemsky had goals for the
Stars, who have dropped five straight in Denver.
ABU DHABI: The Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf
Championship, January 15-18, 2015, will
celebrate its tenth anniversary in style by
gathering one of the best fields of the year
on the European Tour in terms of strength
and depth.
Some of golf’s biggest names, including
four of the world’s top 10, will tee off at
Abu Dhabi Golf Club for the
Championship’s landmark event and a cut
of the US $2.7 million prize fund.
Ror y McIlroy and Henrik Stenson,
ranked number one and two in the world,
will head the 126 draw with world number
five Justin Rose and three-time Champion
Martin Kaymer also among the favourites
to challenge for the 2015 title, currently
held by Spain’s Pablo Larrazabal.
American star Rickie Fowler, ranked 10th
in the world, will also make his Arabian
debut as he attempts to win his first
European Tour event at one of the toughest
tournaments on the calendar.
Stars of the 2014 European Ryder Cup
Team, Jamie Donaldson and Victor
Dubuisson are amongst those looking to
start their year off with a bang by securing
one of the most coveted titles on the
European Tour. They will be joined by a
whole host of Europe’s finest including the
likes of Nicolas Colsearts, David Howell,
Robert Karlsson, Oliver Wilson and Edoardo
Molinari.
The future of the European Tour has
never looked brighter with a new generation of talented youngsters regularly taking
titles and featuring on leaderboards each
week. Heading this list is Abu Dhabi’s global golf ambassador, Matteo Manassero, a
record-breaking four-time winner by the
age of 20, while Alexander Levy, Thorbjorn
Olesen, Eddie Pepperell, Tommy
Fleetwood, Emiliano Grillo, Peter Uihlein,
Oliver Fisher, and Tyrrell Harron are all exciting young talents to look out for come
Sunday afternoon of the 2015
Championship.
Additionally, the world’s best will be
faced with the most challenging test yet
posed by Abu Dhabi Golf Club’s National
Course following a series of course
enhancements. After previous work on
tightening fairways, adding bunkers and
toughening the rough, 2015 brings water
into play.
Giles Morgan, Global Head of
Sponsorship and Events at HSBC, said: “One
of the main reasons why this tournament
has earned a reputation as the jewel in the
crown of Middle Eastern golf is the sheer
quality of the field. Year on year it just gets
better and better as the world’s best players gravitate to Abu Dhabi - World No 1
Rory McIlroy starts his new year with us,
World No 2 Henrik Stenson is back hoping
to go one better than 2006 and 2008 and
Rickie Fowler had a stellar year in 2014 and
will be looking for more of the same. Add in
three time winner Martin Kaymer and
Ryder Cup stars Justin Rose, Victor
Dubuisson and defending champion Pablo
Larraz·bal and it really is a mouth-watering
prospect.”
Morgan continued, “As a long-term
international sponsor of the sport, we’ve
seen the strength of the fields for our global flagship events just grow and grow we’ve seen it in Shanghai for HSBC
Champions, we’ve seen it in Singapore for
HSBC Women’s Champions and in the last
few years the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf
Championship has evolved into a genuinely world class event.” The Abu Dhabi HSBC
Golf Championship has earned something
of a reputation over the past decade of
throwing up one or two surprises - a trend
Sultan Al Dhaheri, Acting Executive
Director Tourism for Abu Dhabi Tourism &
Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi), which
owns and organises the event, believes
now applies both on and off the fairways.
“Over the years, we’ve congratulated
great champions and watched the game’s
giants sometimes be edged out in a flurry
of tense finales and unexpected results. At
the same time, players and spectators have
seen the destination come up with some
surprising and well above-par developments year-on-year. We’re looking forward
to watching the drama unfold at Abu Dhabi
Golf Club this January and to showing off
our latest attention-grabbing attractions
and products off the course. We hope all
will be very pleasantly surprised.
PREDATORS 3, WILD 1
Calle Jarnkrok scored a tiebreaking goal early
in the third period as Nashville beat Minnesota.
Mike Fisher and Colin Wilson also scored for
Nashville, which improved to 9-1-2 in its past 12
games and has a league-best 60 points. Pekka
Rinne made 36 saves. Charlie Coyle scored for
Minnesota, which has lost 10 of 12 and began a
three-games-in-four-days stretch that includes
games in Chicago late yesterday and Pittsburgh
tomorrow. Jarnkrok broke a 1-all tie at 3:48 of
the third period.
ISLANDERS 5, BLUE JACKETS 2
Brian Strait had a goal and an assist as the
New York Islanders used a three-goal second
period to power past the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Nikolay Kulemin, Matt Martin, Anders Lee and
Kyle Okposo also scored for the Islanders, who
remained in first place in the Metropolitan
Division with a second win in as many nights.
Ryan Strome and Thomas Hickey each had two
assists, and backup Chad Johnson made 16
saves in his first start since Dec. 23. Jack Johnson
and Nick Foligno scored for Columbus, back
home from a 2-2 road trip.
Vancouver Canucks. Mikael Backlund scored in
the first period for Calgary and Ortio made it
stand in his first start of the season to help the
Flames snap a three-game losing streak.
The Flames came in having lost nine straight
against Vancouver (0-6-3), and hadn’t beaten the
Canucks since a 4-2 victory on March 3, 2013, at
the Scotiabank Saddledome.
Eddie Lack stopped 22 shots for Vancouver,
which has dropped two straight after going 5-11 in its previous seven outings.
SENATORS 5, COYOTES 1
Five Ottawa players scored as the Senators
ended a three-game losing streak with a victory
over the Arizona Coyotes. Craig Anderson had
31 saves for the Senators, who scored five
straight after the Coyotes took an early lead on
Mikkel Boedker’s goal. Milan Michalek, Clarke
MacArthur, Mike Hoffman, Cody Ceci and David
Legwand scored for Ottawa. The goals by
Michalek and Ceci came on power plays.
RANGERS 3, SHARKS 1
Henrik Lundqvist made 30 saves just hours
after getting passed over for the All-Star game as
the New York Rangers completed a rare
California sweep by beating the San Jose Sharks.
Chris Kreider scored one goal and set up
Martin St. Louis for another for the Rangers, who
have 13 wins in 14 games for the first time since
1973. That includes wins in a four-day span at
Anaheim, Los Angeles and San Jose - the first
time New York has even beaten those three
teams on the road in the same season.
Rick Nash added an empty-net goal to seal it.
Melker Karlsson joined Jeff Friesen as the only
Sharks rookies ever to score goals in five straight
games when he converted on the power play in
the third period.
BLUES 5, HURRICANES 4
Vladimir Tarasenko equalized early in the
third period and T.J. Oshie had the lone goal in a
shootout to lift the St. Louis Blues to a victory
over the Carolina Hurricanes.
Jake Allen allowed one goal after replacing
NHL results/standings
Boston 3, Philadelphia 1; Nashville 3, Minnesota 1; Colorado 4, Dallas 3; Pittsburgh 2, Montreal 1 (OT);
Washington 3, Detroit 1; NY Islanders 5, Columbus 2; Ottawa 5, Arizona 1; St. Louis 5, Carolina 4 (So);
Calgary 1, Vancouver 0; Winnipeg 5, Los Angeles 4 (SO); NY Rangers 3, San Jose 1.
Western Conference
Pacific Division
W L OTL GF GA
Anaheim
26 10 6
116 114
Vancouver
23 14 3
113 104
San Jose
22 16 5
116 118
Los Angeles 19 13 10 119 112
Calgary
22 18 3
123 114
Arizona
16 21 4
97 136
Edmonton
10 23 9
95 141
Central Division
Nashville
28 9 4
125 93
Chicago
27 13 2
130 94
St. Louis
26 13 3
136 105
Winnipeg
21 14 7
109 104
Colorado
18 16 8
112 122
Dallas
18 16 7
126 135
Minnesota
18 17 5
110 117
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
Tampa Bay
27 12 4
140 111
PTS
58
49
49
48
47
36
29
60
56
55
49
44
43
41
58
Brian Elliott after the Hurricanes scored on three
of their first 10 shots and took a 3-1 lead.
The Blues, who have won four in a row, had
won each of the previous three by five or more
goals for the first time in franchise history. Oshie
beat Cam Ward to open the shootout.
Carolina, 3-1-1 in January after a 3-10-1
December, got goals from Victor Rask, Jeff
Skinner, Eric Stahl and Riley Nash. Blues defenseman Jay Bouwmeester had an apparent gamewinner disallowed with 1:52 remaining in overtime because Patrik Berglund was in the crease.
FLAMES 1, CANUCKS 0
Joni Ortio made 36 saves for his first NHL
shutout, leading the Calgary Flames past the
Montreal
Detroit
Boston
Florida
Toronto
Ottawa
Buffalo
26 12 3
111 95 55
22 11 9
117 106 53
22 15 6
113 111 50
19 11 9
96 103 47
22 17 3
137 130 47
17 16 8
110 113 42
14 26 3
81 147 31
Metropolitan Division
NY Islanders 28 13 1
131 116 57
Pittsburgh
25 10 6
122 98 56
NY Rangers 24 11 4
124 95 52
Washington 22 11 8
123 105 52
Columbus
18 19 3
104 131 39
Philadelphia 16 19 7
112 126 39
New Jersey 15 21 8
96 124 38
Carolina
13 24 5
88 112 31
Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one
point in the standings and are not included in
the loss column (L).
JETS 5, KINGS 4
Mathieu Perreault, Bryan Little and Blake
Wheeler scored with Winnipeg’s first three shots
against Jonathan Quick during a 3-minute span,
and then Little got the only goal in a four-round
shootout to help the Jets beat the Los Angeles
Kings. Zach Bogosian scored the tying goal in
the third period to end a 41-game drought
going back almost a year.
Michael Hutchinson gave up goals on two of
the first five shots he faced, but finished with 25
saves and stopped four more shots in the
tiebreaker.
Anze Kopitar, Justin Williams, Marian Gaborik
and Kyle Clifford scored for the Kings, who have
lost three straight and five of six. — AP
MONTREAL: Pittsburgh Penguinsí Sidney Crosby celebrates after scoring the winning goal against the Montreal Canadiens during overtime of
an NHL hockey game. — AP
S P ORTS
Bulls charge past Bucks
CHICAGO: Pau Gasol had a career-high 46
points to go along with 18 rebounds as the
Chicago Bulls bounced back from two ugly
losses with a 95 87 vic tor y over the
Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday.
Gasol was 17 for 30 from the field and 12
for 13 at the line. Kirk Hinrich added 16
points for Chicago, and Jimmy Butler had
nine points, 10 assists and eight rebounds in
the opener of a three-game homestand. The
Bulls were coming off a pair of bad losses to
Utah and Washington, when they shot a
combined 36 percent from the field. They
weren’t much better against Milwaukee, finishing at 40 percent (35 for 88), but Gasol’s
big performance was enough to hold off the
Bucks.
Gasol helped the Bulls close it out in the
final period. He had a driving layup that
made it 87-75 with 4:01 remaining. He finished with four straight free throws, surpassing his previous career best of 44 points for
Memphis against Seattle on March 28, 2006.
The Bulls played without starters Derrick
Rose and Mike Dunleavy. Rose, who missed
much of the last 2 1/2 seasons due to a
series of injuries, was sidelined by left knee
soreness, and Dunleavy missed his fifth
straight game with a right ankle injury.
Brandon Knight scored 20 points for
Milwaukee, which had won its last five road
games. Jared Dudley had 15 points, and fellow reserve O.J. Mayo finished with 12.
FOXBOROUGH: New England Patriots strong safety Duron Harmon (30) intercepts
a pass by Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco in front of Baltimore Ravens
wide receiver Torrey Smith (82) in the second half of an NFL divisional playoff
football game. — AP
Patriots down Ravens
DENVER: The New England Patriots fought
back from 14-point deficits twice to beat
the Baltimore Ravens 35-31 in a thrilling
divisional playoff contest as they advanced
to the AFC Championship game for the
fourth straight year.
The Patriots will now host the winners of
Sunday ’s game between Denver and
Indianapolis with a place in the Super Bowl
on the line.
New England did not lead in the game
until quarterback Tom Brady connected
with Brandon LaFell for a 23-yard touchdown with five minutes to play to give the
Patriots their 35-31 advantage.
The score allowed Brady, who threw for
three touchdowns, to break Joe Montana’s
record of 45 playoff touchdowns. The
Ravens, who twice since 2000 had beaten
the Patriots in playoff games, demonstrated their intent on the game’s first drive with
Joe Flacco leading them on a five-play, 71yard drive culminating in a 19-yard touchdown pass to Kamar Aiken.
The freezing Foxborough crowd were
stunned when, on their second possession,
the Ravens scored again, Flacco, who threw
for four touchdowns in the game, finding
Steve Smith who beat Patriots cornerback
Darrelle Revis on a slant.
Brady, who passed for 367 yards,
brought the Patriots back with a clever
four-yard touchdown run. New England
pulled level at 14-14 when Brady found
Danny Amendola with a 15-yard touchdown pass, the receiver evading a tackle
before a spectacular dive into the end
zone.
If Baltimore were downhearted, they
showed no signs of it with Daryl Smith
showing great awareness to intercept a
Brady pass towards Rob Gronkowski.
From the resulting possession, the
Ravens advanced down the field with the
confident Flacco splitting two Patriots
defenders to find Owen Daniels and send
Baltimore in at the half with a 21-14 lead.
Busted coverage from the Patriots defense
allowed Flacco to find a wide-open Justin
Forsett with a 16-yard touchdown pass
that he ran in unchallenged in the third
quarter.
Once again New England had dug
themselves a 14-point hole. But Brady
found Gronkowski for a five-yard touchdown and then the Ravens were caught
out by a brilliantly worked play as Brady
passed back to receiver Julian Edelman and
the former college quarterback threw a 51yard pass to Amendola. The Ravens’
attempt at a comeback was effectively ended when a long throw from Flacco towards
Torrey Smith in the end zone was picked off
by Duron Harmon. — Reuters
HORNETS 110, KNICKS 82
Kemba Walker scored 28 points as
Charlotte extended New York’s losing streak
to 15 games. Charlotte won its fifth in a row
and did it so easily that Walker played only
three quarters.
Walker has played a big role in the fivegame winning streak. He had 30 points in a
victory over Orlando, 33 against Boston, 31
against New Orleans - when he made the
go-ahead basket with 1.4 seconds left - and
29 against Toronto on Thursday night.
Bismack Biyombo added 14 points, tying
a career high, and 12 rebounds for the
Hornets, the latest team to enjoy a laugher
at the expense of the NBA’s worst team - and
maybe the worst Knicks team ever. The
Knicks fell to 5-35 with their 25th loss in 26
games. Quincy Acy led them with 18 points.
New York reaches the midway point of its
schedule Thursday when it plays Milwaukee
in London. The Knicks are on their longest
single -season skid ever and free -falling
toward their worst finish, which is 23-59 in
the 82-game schedule.
CLIPPERS 120, MAVERICKS 100
Blake Griffin scored 22 points, and Chris
Paul had 17 points and 13 assists as Los
Angeles beat Dallas for its sixth win in eight
games and second in a row.
Jamal Crawford added 19 points, Matt
Barnes had 18 points, J.J. Redick 16, and
DeAndre Jordan had 13 points and 15
rebounds in the Clippers’ eighth win in their
last 11 games against the Mavericks.
Dirk Nowitzki scored 25 points and Monta
Ellis had 15 of his 23 in the first half for
Dallas, which had its three-game road winning streak snapped.
Rajon Rondo was held to two points and
eight assists in 27 minutes after going scoreless in the first half.
Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle was ejected
midway through the third after picking up
his second technical for arguing a foul on
Tyson Chandler.
SPURS 108, TIMBERWOLVES 93
Austin Daye scored a season-high 22
points and had 10 rebounds to help San
Antonio hand Minnesota its 15th straight
loss. Patty Mills scored 19 points and Tim
Duncan added 13 points and six rebounds in
20 minutes for the Spurs (23-15), who were
missing Manu Ginobili and Marco Belinelli
with injuries.
Minnesota (5-31) hasn’t won since Dec. 10
and is tied with New York for the longest
active losing streak in the NBA. Gorgui
Dieng had 18 points, 12 rebounds and four
blocks for the Timber wolves. Andrew
Wiggins also finished with 18 points. That
snapped a streak of six 20-point games for
the No. 1 overall pick.
ADELBODEN: Stefano Gross of Italy clears a gate during the first run of the men’s
slalom FIS World Cup race. Gross won the World Cup event. — AP
Gross takes maiden victory
ADELBODEN: Italy’s Stefano Gross made
the best of soft snow conditions to snatch
his maiden World Cup victory in a slalom in
Adelboden yesterday.
At 28, the skier from Bolzano finally left
his lingering back-problems behind him to
upset the favourites and win in a combined
time of one minute and 56.70 seconds after
a close battle. Fastest in the morning run,
Germany’s Fritz Dopfer played it a little too
safe in the afternoon and missed his first
World Cup win by 0.02.
The warm conditions and the resulting
soft snow favoured outsiders and World
Cup leader Marcel Hirscher had to be content with third place, 0.03 behind Gross,
after winning Saturday’s giant slalom on
the same course lined by 40,000 Swiss fans.
Hampered by poor form and injuries in
recent seasons, 2010 Olympic champion
Giuliano Razzoli of Italy and 2011 world
champion Jean-Baptiste Grange of France
signalled their return to from by finishing
4th and 6th respectively.
“It was a long road for me because I had
ups and downs in the last few years, and
especially in the last few months with my
back problems. I’ve only felt better and
competitive in the past couple of weeks,”
said Gross, who made it on to the podium
in Adelboden three years ago.
“The gaps are tight but for once they’re
on my side unlike at the Olympics”, added
the Italian, who missed the podium by 0.05
in Sochi last year.
Germany’s Felix Neureuther failed to
complete the first leg, leaving the top spot
and the red bib in the discipline to Hirscher.
The three-times winner of the big globe,
who has won at least a race every year
since 2012 in the Swiss resort, also tops the
overall World Cup standings with a comfortable 212 points lead over Norway’s
Kjetil Jansrud.
“Of course it’s hard to swallow to miss
victory by 0.03 seconds. But once it’s swallowed, I can only be pleased with my third
place especially as I don’t have the answer
in warm conditions like this,” Hirscher said.
The women’s Super-G scheduled in Bad
Kleinkrchheim had to be called off because
of gusty winds in the Austrian resort.
Eleven skiers went down the course before
organisers called it a day. — Reuters
TRAIL BLAZERS 103, MAGIC 92
LaMarcus Aldridge scored 25 points as
Portland handed Orlando its sixth consecutive loss. Aldridge hit 10 of 22 shots to help
the Blazers (29-8) tie Golden State for most
wins in the NBA this season. Wesley
Matthews added 18 points. Orlando’s Nikola
Vucevic scored a career-high 34 points and
grabbed 16 rebounds. Victor Oladipo had 18
points and eight rebounds.
76ERS 93, PACERS 92
Michael Carter-Williams hit a running
layup with 9.2 seconds lef t to lif t
Philadelphia past Indiana. Tony Wroten had
20 points to lead Philadelphia, which won
consecutive games for just the second time
this season and earned its third victory in
the last four. The 76ers are 7-13 since opening 0-17.
David West had 28 points for the Pacers,
but came up short on a 13-footer at the
buzzer that would’ve won it for Indiana.
West had put the Pacers in front with a fadeaway 12-footer with 17.6 seconds left.
PISTONS 98, NETS 93
Brandon Jennings scored all 20 of his
points in the second half to help Detroit
beat Brook lyn. Greg Monroe added 16
points and 17 rebounds for Detroit.
The Pistons have won eight of nine since
releasing Josh Smith. Joe Johnson led
Brooklyn with 17 points. Brook Lopez had 11
points and 15 rebounds.
CHICAGO: Chicago Bulls’ Nikola Mirotic (44) of Montenegro, goes up to shoot against
Milwaukee Bucks’ Kenyon Martin (6) and Jared Dudley (9) during the first half of an NBA basketball game. —AP
RAPTORS 109, CELTICS 96
Kyle Lowry scored 10 of his 19 points in
the fourth quarter, and James Johnson had
15 points and 10 rebounds as Toronto beat
Boston to end a four-game losing streak.
Lou Williams scored 19 points and Jonas
Valanciunas and Amir Johnson each had 15
to help the Raptors improve to 6-0 against
Atlantic Division opponents and avoid losing consecutive home games for the first
time since March 2014. Toronto is 15-4 at
home this season.
Kelly Olynyk scored 23 points for Boston.
Celtics forward Jeff Green was inactive for
the second straight night and a person
familiar with the situation told The
Associated Press on Saturday night that
Boston, Memphis and New Orleans have
agreed on a five-player trade that would
send him to Memphis. The person spoke on
condition of anonymity because the trade
hasn’t been announced and formal approval
by the NBA is not expected until Monday
morning.
ROCKETS 97, JAZZ 82
James Harden had 30 points and five
assists as Houston beat Utah for its third
straight vic tor y. Harden made four of
Houston’s 13 3-pointers, including two in
the fourth quarter. Houston used 16 steals
and forced 31 turnovers to overcome poor
first-half shooting. Trey Burke and Enes
Kanter each scored 16 points for Utah. — AP
NBA results/standings
Charlotte 110, NY Knicks 82; LA Clippers 120, Dallas 100; Detroit 98, Brooklyn 93; Philadelphia 93,
Indiana 92; Toronto 109, Boston 96; Chicago 95, Milwaukee 87; Houston 97, Utah 82; San Antonio
108, Minnesota 93; Portland 103, Orlando 92.
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
W
L
PCT
Toronto
25
11
.694
Brooklyn
16
21
.432
Boston
12
23
.343
Philadelphia 7
29
.194
NY Knicks
5
35
.125
Central Division
Chicago
26
12
.684
Cleveland
19
18
.514
Milwaukee
20
19
.513
Indiana
15
24
.385
Detroit
13
24
.351
Southeast Division
Atlanta
28
8
.778
Washington
25
11
.694
Miami
15
21
.417
Charlotte
15
24
.385
Orlando
13
27
.325
GB
9.5
12.5
18
22
6.5
6.5
11.5
12.5
3
13
14.5
17
Western Conference
Northwest Division
Portland
29
8
.784
Oklahoma City 18
19
.486
Denver
17
20
.459
Utah
13
25
.342
Minnesota
5
31
.139
Pacific Division
Golden State 29
5
.853
25
12
.676
LA Clippers
Phoenix
22
17
.564
Sacramento
15
21
.417
LA Lakers
12
25
.324
Southwest Division
Houston
26
11
.703
25
11
.694
Memphis
Dallas
26
12
.684
San Antonio 23
15
.605
New Orleans 18
18
.500
11
12
16.5
23.5
5.5
9.5
15
18.5
0.5
0.5
3.5
7.5
S P ORTS
WELLINGTON: New Zealand’s captain Brendon McCullum loses control of his bat during the first one day international cricket match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at the Hagley Park Oval in Christchurch. — AFP
McCullum blitz sets up New Zealand victory
CHRISTCHURCH: A cracking half-century by
Brendon McCullum set New Zealand up for a
comfortable three-wicket win over Sri Lanka in
their first one -day international in
Christchurch yesterday.
After McCullum’s 51 in 19 balls had provided his side a comfortable target well under
four an over as they chased 219, Corey
Anderson stepped up with 81 to ensure the
job was done.
When Anderson was dismissed New
Zealand required a further 10 runs which they
achieved with seven overs remaining. “I
thought Corey under pressure really stepped
up nicely and got the job done,” New Zealand
skipper McCullum said, adding Anderson’s
catch to remove Sri Lankan centurion Mahela
Jayawardene was also crucial.
“That dismissal of Mahela when he was
looking to pull the trigger at that stage, to get
him with a very good outfield catch from
Corey allowed us to get some momentum.”
Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews believed
the target they set New Zealand was 30-40
runs short of what was required. “It wasn’t the
easiest wicket to bat on. It was a little bit two-
paced. It wasn’t coming on to the bat really
well so we had to work really hard,” he said.
“The batters had to hang in there and try
and rotate the strike but we kept losing wickets.” Sri Lanka, electing to bat first, posted 2189 on the back of Jayawardene’s 104 in 107
balls. It was the 18th ODI century for the 37year-old, the fifth highest run-scorer in the history of the shortened game, who was rarely in
trouble by the New Zealand attack until
caught in a wicket meltdown late in the late
innings. Although Jayawardene received little
support in the middle, Sri Lanka had reason to
believe their modest target was defendable
when they removed Martin Guptill on the
third ball of New Zealand’s reply. But for
McCullum that was a signal to open up as he
blazed away to bring up his 50 in just 19 deliveries with six fours and three sixes.
It was the seventh fastest half century of all
time, and only two behind the record held by
Sri Lankan Sanath Jayasuriya, who took 17
balls to reach 50 against Pakistan in 1996.
McCullum had no sooner reached his 50
than his rollicking innings was over, beaten in
the air by Sachithra Senanayake and stumped
Clarke in fitness race
SYDNEY: Selectors named Michael
Clarke yesterday as captain of
Australia’s squad for next month’s
World Cup, with a fitness contingency
should he not be able to play following
recent hamstring surgery. Clarke, who
missed the final three Tests against
India following the surgery, has been
given until February 21 to prove his fitness for the one-day tournament.
“Captain Michael Clarke will lead our
World Cup campaign should he recover
from his injury,” chief selector Rod
Marsh said. “He is one of the world’s
best batsmen and we want to give him
every chance to prove his fitness for a
tournament as important as this one.
“(By February 21) we want to be
completely and utterly settled. What
we don’t want is talk about people’s fitness. “We had to draw the line somewhere, we just couldn’t keep it hanging
on and on and on.” A standby player for
Clarke has not been named however
Marsh said that if he became unavailable, George Bailey would captain the
side in his absence.
Clarke, 33, who has a history of
chronic back/hamstring trouble, admitted he has a lot of work to do over the
next six weeks, but was upbeat he will
return as captain.
“I’m confident I’ll be fit,” Clarke said.
“My focus is to get fully fit. However
long that takes. “It’s really irrelevant
what I think. That’s what the selectors
have gone with. That’s the system.
“I have to get fit and healthy and get
myself back on the park.” All-rounder
Mitchell Marsh, who missed the recent
Melbourne and Sydney Tests against
India with hamstring trouble, was also
named in a squad that contained few
surprises. Selectors included allrounders Shane Watson and James
Faulkner, while the versatile Glenn
Maxwell gets his chance.
Xavier Doherty was picked as the
sole recognised spinner, with Maxwell
expected to provide the side’s spin in
most games. Mitchell Johnson, Pat
Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh
Hazlewood form Australia’s pace attack,
while Brad Haddin will keep wickets.
Johnson, who missed the final Test
in Sydney with hamstring soreness, will
be rested from the early stages of this
month’s tri-series against India and
England.
David Warner and Aaron Finch will
open the batting for Australia, with
batsmen Steve Smith, in the form of his
life after scoring 769 runs in the fourTest series against India, and Bailey
rounding out the squad.
“Mitchell (Marsh) is progressing well
with his rehab and we expect him to be
available at some stage during the triseries with the aim to have him well
prepared for the World Cup,” chief
selector Marsh said. “These players
have really gelled over the past 18
months with their preparation geared
towards giving us the best chance of
winning a World Cup on home soil.”
Australia are chasing a record fifth
ICC Cricket World Cup after winning the
tournament in India in 1987, England in
1999, South Africa in 2003 and the
West Indies in 2007. Australia begin
their World Cup campaign against
England at the Melbourne Cricket
Ground on February 14. Australia Michael Clarke (capt), George Bailey,
Pat Cummins, Xavier Doherty, James
Faulkner, Aaron Finch, Brad Haddin,
Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Johnson,
Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve
Smith, Mitchell Starc, David Warner,
Shane Watson. — AFP
by Kumar Sangakkara to trigger a mini New
Zealand collapse. Three wickets fell for 13 runs
in 27 balls as Kane Williamson (15) and Grant
Elliot (one) followed McCullum back to the
pavilion. Williamson was snared by a remarkable catch at first slip by a diving Jayawardene
who juggled the ball twice in his left hand
before securing the wicket.
Tom Latham was stumped on 15 and New
Zealand were 101-5 before Anderson and
Ronchi put the innings back on course with 48
for the sixth wicket, and Anderson with
Nathan McCullum then added 60 in their seventh wicket stand. Tillakaratne Dilshan, who
had Anderson leg before wicket, finished with
two for 28 while Senanayake and Nuwan
Kulasekara both took two for 43. Apart from
Jayawardene there was little resistance in the
Sri Lankan innings with Lahiru Thirimanne and
Jeevan Mendis, both 23, the only other players
to get past 20. Mitchell McClenaghan, who
dismissed Jayawardene in a spell of three
wickets in four balls late in Sri Lanka’s innings,
finished with four for 36. The second game in
the seven-match series is in Hamilton next
Thursday. — AFP
SCOREBOARD
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand: Completed scoreboard in the first one-day international between
New Zealand and Sri Lanka at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Sunday:
(1w), N. McCullum 10-1-38-1
Sri Lanka
New Zealand
D. Karunaratne lbw Milne
5
M. Guptill c Dilshan b Kulasekara
0
T. Dilshan st Ronchi b N. McCullum
19
B. McCullum st Sangakkara b Senanayake
51
K. Sangakkara c Williamson b Milne
4
K. Williamson c Jayawardene b Senanayake 15
M. Jayawardene c Anderson b McClenaghan 104
T. Latham st Sangakkara b Dilshan
15
A. Mathews run out (B. McCullum/Ronchi) 15
G. Elliott b Kulasekara
1
L. Thirimanne c Williamson b McClenaghan 23
C. Anderson lbw Dilshan
81
J. Mendis c B. McCullum b McClenaghan
23
L. Ronchi c Mathews b Eranga
17
T. Perera c Ronchi b McClenaghan
0
N. McCullum not out
25
N. Kulasekara not out
6
A. Milne not out
7
S. Senanayake c Ronchi b Anderson
7
Extras (lb5, w2, )
7
S. Eranga not out
5
Total (seven wickets; 43 overs)
219
Extras (w7)
7
Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Guptill), 2-63 (B. McCullum), 3Total (nine wickets, 50 overs)
218
Fall of wickets: 1-10 (Karunaratne), 2-16 76 (Williamson), 4-77 (Elliott) 5-101 (Latham), 6(Sangakkara), 3-51 (Dilshan), 4-82 (Mathews), 5- 149 (Ronchi), 7-209 (Anderson)
155 ( Thirimanne), 6-200 (Mendis), 7-200 Bowling: Kulasekara 10-1-43-2 (1w), Eranga 6-049-1 (1w), Senanayake 10-0-43-2, Mathews 2-0(Jayawardene), 8-200 (Perera), 9-213 (Senanayake)
Bowling: Boult 10-1-46-0 (4w), Milne 10-1-37-2, 17-0, Dilshan 7-0-28-2, Perera 7-0-29-0, Mendis 1McClenaghan 10-1-36-4 (2w), Anderson 10-0-61-1 0-5-0
Gayle leads Windies to world record triumph
JOHANNESBURG: South Africa’s captain Faf du Plessis (right) plays a shot as West Indies’s wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin watches during their 2nd T20 cricket match at the Wanderers stadium. —AP
SCOREBOARD
JOHANNESBURG: Scoreboard in the second Twenty20 international between South Africa and
the West Indies at the Wanderers on Sunday:
South Africa
Sammy 1-0-17-0, Pollard 1-0-12-0
R. Rossouw c Ramdin b Holder
15
West Indies
M. van Wyk c Pollard b Benn
4
D. Smith lbw b De Lange
17
F. du Plessis c Bravo b Holder
119
C. Gayle c Van Wyk b Wiese
90
D. Miller run out (Russell)
47
M. Samuels c Behardien b Wiese
60
J. Ontong c Holder b Bravo
19
K. Pollard c Behardien b Wiese
7
F. Behardien not out
8
A. Russell c Miller b Abbott
14
D. Wiese c Smith b Bravo
6
D. Bravo c Ontong b Phangiso
10
K. Abbott run out (Ramdin)
2
D. Sammy not out
20
Extras (lb2, nb2, w7)
11
D. Ramdin not out
7
Total (7 wkts, 20 overs)
231
Extras (b4, w7)
11
Did not bat: M. de Lange, A. Phangiso, Imran Total (6 wkts, 19.2 overs)
236
Tahir
Did not bat: J. Holder, S. Benn, S. Cottrell
Fall of wickets: 1-5 (Van Wyk), 2-21 (Rossouw), Fall of wickets: 1-19 (Smith), 2-171 (Gayle), 33-126 (Miller), 4-156
178 (Samuels), 4-185; (Pollard), 5-198 (Russell),
(Ontong), 5-222 (Du Plessis), 6-228 (Wiese), 7- 6-209 (Bravo); Bowling: Abbott 4-0-68-1 (1w),
231 (Abbott)
De Lange 3.2-0-42-1 (2w), Wiese 4-0-43-3; (3w),
Bowling: Benn 3-0-42-1, Cottrell 3-0-47-0 (1nb), Phangiso 3-0-33-1, Imran Tahir 4-0-29-0 (1w),
Holder 4-0-40-2 (2w),
Ontong 1-0-17-0.
Russell 4-0-39-0 (1nb, 4w), Bravo 4-0-32-2 (1w), Result: West Indies won by four wickets
JOHANNESBURG: Chris Gayle blasted 90 off 41 balls
as the West Indies achieved a world record run chase
in the second Twenty20 international yesterday to
beat South Africa by four wickets.
South Africa captain Faf du Plessis hit a 46-ball century in his team’s total of 231 for seven-their second
highest total in the shortest form of the game. But it
was overhauled with four balls to spare on a recordbreaking day at the Wanderers with West Indies captain Darren Sammy finishing the match with a six to
take his team to 236 for six.
Man of the match Gayle was again the star for the
West Indies as he shared a second wicket stand of 152
off 75 balls with Marlon Samuels, who made 60.
“Cricket was the winner today,” said Sammy. “We were
dominated in the Tests but we have different energy
in this series.” It was astonishing batting by both teams
in ideal conditions on a field where the world record
50-overs run chase was achieved by South Africa
when they scored 438 for nine against Australia in
2005/06. The previous T20 record chase was 211 for
four by India against Sri Lanka in Mohali in 2009/10.
Du Plessis said his South African record score of 119
off 56 balls was “bittersweet”.
He added: “I said at half-time that this game is very
far from finished. Nothing is out of reach. Chris played
so well up front, it is very hard to contain him.” The
tempo of the match was set when Du Plessis and
David Miller (47) put on 103 off 49 balls for South
Africa’s third wicket. Du Plessis hit five sixes and 11
fours, while Miller’s three sixes and four fours off 26
balls included arguably the biggest hit seen at the
ground, a mighty blow over long-on which cleared a
four-tier grandstand and sailed into an adjacent golf
course. The West Indies replied with even more brutality at the start of their innings. They raced to 86 for
one in the six-over power play, with Gayle and
Samuels posting a fifty partnership off 21 balls.
Gayle, who hit a 17-ball half-century in the first
match in Cape Town on Friday, was only marginally
slower yesterday, reaching the mark off 20 deliveries
with three sixes and seven fours.
The carnage continued, with Gayle bludgeoning
the bowling, while Samuels managed to play with
more classical control despite scoring his 60 off 39
balls with seven fours and two sixes.
South Africa were still in with a chance when medium-pacer David Wiese had Gayle caught behind in the
14th over and followed up with the wickets of
Samuels and Kieron Pollard, both caught at long-on,
in his next over. —AFP
S P ORTS
AUSTRALIA : Iran’s Ashkan Dejagah (right) is challenged by Bahrain’s Abdulwahab Ali Alsafi (left) during their football match at the AFC Asian Cup in Melbourne. — AFP
Iran, UAE turn on the style at Asian Cup
SYDNEY: Ehsan Hajsafi’s glorious volley fired Iran
to victory over Bahrain and Omar Abdulrahman
starred for UAE as the region’s brightest stars
turned on the style at the Asian Cup yesterday.
Hajsafi’s swift control and scything strike from
the corner of the box raised the roof at
Melbourne Rectangular Stadium as Team Melli
opened with a pulsating 2-0 win.
Earlier UAE’s top-rated midfielder Oman
Abdulrahman bewitched Gulf rivals Qatar in a 41 rout achieved through braces to both Ahmed
Khalil and Ali Mabkhout in Canberra.
UAE went behind to “Qatari Maradona”
Khalfan Ibrahim’s sweetly executed volley before
they roared back to put a huge hole in the campaign of the 2022 World Cup hosts.
The atmosphere in Melbourne was at fever
pitch from the start and Iran almost opened the
scoring when Ashkan Dejagah forced a smart
stop from Sayed Abbas in the Bahrain goal.
Bahrain’s Nigerian-born striker Jaycee
Okwunwanne blazed just wide and Sayed
Shubbar headed a golden opportunity over as
Bahrain threatened to capitalise on Iran’s sluggish start. But with nearly the last kick of the first
half, Hajsafi struck when he juggled a clearance
from his left to his right boot and smashed it into
the top corner.
Okwunwanne knocked Iran ‘keeper Alireza
Haghighi backwards with a ferocious drive
before Masoud Shojaei popped up to steer home
a mishit effort from a corner.
“The first game is always difficult. After 10
minutes we started to settle and control the
game and the only thing is I believed we should
have scored one more goal,” said Iran coach
Carlos Queiroz. “We deserved one more goal.
But to play against Bahrain is difficult.” He added:
“The game dictates that the team that controls
the game, the best team on the pitch, won today.
So we start to move forward, rest, and I think our
next game Qatar will be a decisive game for both
teams.” The Gulf derby in Canberra lacked the
frenzied atmosphere of Melbourne’s 17,000strong crowd but the UAE put on an exhibition
fit for the big stage.
Goal of the game went to Qatar’s Ibrahim, a
former Asian player of the year, who controlled a
rebound on his chest and acrobatically lobvolleyed for a memorable strike.
But Gulf Cup champions Qatar were profligate at the back and Khalil equalised from the
rebound of his own header before the first half
was done. After half-time, man-of-the-match
Khalil’s free-kick from the left evaded everyone
including Qatar goalkeeper Qasem Burhan as it
crept into the goal to put UAE ahead.
Burhan then gifted Mabkhout his first goal,
when he palmed the ball to the striker, before
qualifying’s top-scorer combined with
Abdulrahman for his second.
“I have been with this group a long time,
maybe around nine years,” UAE coach Mahdi Ali
said. “More than 16 of them have worked with
me since 2004 when I was an assistant coach and
then since 2008 as head coach.
“We’ve grown together, we help each other a
lot, we know each other, we understand each
other and this is what I need to do my job.” Today,
defending champions Japan launch their bid for
a record-extending fifth title when they take on
war-torn Palestine in a potential mismatch in
Newcastle. Iraq, surprise and popular winners in
2007, make their entrance against neighbors
Jordan, now managed by former England international Ray Wilkins.
Hosts Australia were hit by the news that their
captain Mile Jedinak will miss tomorrow’s game
with Oman after injuring his ankle in the tournament-opening 4-1 win over Kuwait. — AFP
Palestine praying for Japan miracle
SYDNEY: War-torn Palestine will attempt to bridge
one of the widest gaps in Asian football when they
take on defending champions Japan at the Asian
Cup today.
The team from the Palestinian territories has
already made history just by reaching their first
Asian Cup, thanks to their AFC Challenge Cup triumph last year. But they face arguably the toughest assignment of the group stages with a Group D
opener against Japan, whose star-studded lineup
is targeting a record-extending fifth Asian Cup title.
It remains to be seen how the Blue Samurai will
react to a match-fixing scandal engulfing coach
Javier Aguirre, who is set to give evidence in court
in Valencia next month following allegations over a
match in 2011 when he was manager of Spanish
club Zaragoza. “I can tell you clearly that it has had
no effect on the team,” Japan captain Makoto
FRANCE: Lyon’s French Belgian midfielder Steed Malbranque (right)
vies with Toulouse’s Serbian defender Dusan Veskovac during the
French L1 football match. — AFP
Lyon defeat Toulouse
PARIS: Seven-time champions Lyon are
the new Ligue 1 leaders after comfortably defeating Toulouse 3-0 at the Stade
Gerland yesterday. Frenchman Alexandre
Lacazette extended his lead at the top of
the scoring charts with his 18th and 19th
goals of the season while Nabil Fekir
added further gloss to a perfect evening
for Hubert Fournier’s side as they lead
the table in January for the first time
since 2012. In yesterday’s other early
match, Nantes were held to a 0-0 draw in
Brittany by Metz, a result that lifts the
Canaries up to sixth while Metz climb out
of the relegation zone but only ahead of
Evian on goal difference. Previous leaders Marseille slumped to a 2-1 defeat at
Montpellier on Friday while champions
Paris Saint-Germain threw away a 2-0
lead and were beaten 4-2 by Bastia in
Corisca on Saturday.
Those results left Lyon one point clear
of Marseille with Saint-Etienne third,
three adrift, and PSG surprisingly fourth
and five points back. “It’s great to be top
after 20 matches but there’s a long way
to go and it’s not finished yet,” said Lyon
captain Maxime Gonalons. “There are
some big teams out there and we can’t
let up because you never know what can
happen in football,” added the 25-year-
old. “Things can change quickly and we
just have to concentrate on our objectives. Alexandre (Lacazette) has been
incredible and he brings a lot of quality,
to score two goals in four straight games
shows what he can do and it’s good for
the club and our objectives.”
Lyon’s victory was their ninth straight
home success and fifth straight league
win as they edge closer to a first French
title since 2008 when they won the last
of seven in a row. Lacazette’s closest rival
in the scoring charts is Marseille’s AndrePierre Gignac who is now seven back on
12 goals for the campaign. “The result is
logical but severe,” bemoaned Toulouse
coach Alain Casanova. “We created some
chances but made some mistakes which
cost us, especially on the first goal which
made the game more complicated for us
and when they got the third goal it was
all over.
“Today there was too much difference in quality between the two teams
and Lyon definitely have the potential to
be champions.” added Casanova. PSG’s
shock defeat left them in fourth place
after Saint-Etienne extended their
unbeaten league run to 10 games on
Saturday, beating Reims 2-1 to climb up
to third. —AFP
Hasese told reporters, when asked about the
furore. “We all believe in one another in this team,
all the players and coaching staff are pulling in the
same direction.”
While Japan are Asia’s second-ranked side at 54
in the FIFA rankings, Palestine come in 61 places
lower at 115, the second-lowest in the tournament
and above only Kuwait.
If they could somehow produce even a draw in
Newcastle-itself a massive ask-it would trigger wild
celebrations from the West Bank to the Gaza Strip
and provide a small slice of solace in their homeland, devastated by years of war and political turmoil. Japan, however, will be looking to make a
statement after watching hosts Australia open
their campaign with a thumping 4-1 victory over
Kuwait and midfielder dynamo Keisuke Honda has
been putting in extra hours on the training ground
fine-tuning his trademark free kicks.
Hit with little or no spin, in a similar fashion to
Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, Honda’s
technique can bamboozle the world’s best, as he
has frequently demonstrated since he shot to fame
at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. For Palestine
it will be important to make an impact in their
Asian Cup debut after president Mahmoud Abbas
reminded the players that “sport is still an important weapon in politics” before they departed for
Australia as the battle to achieve statehood continues for the territories.
FIFA recognised the Palestine national team in
1998 and the team has made steady progress
since, despite the hardship caused by the conflict
with Israel, which makes travel to and from tournaments extremely difficult and at times puts the
players in peril. — AFP
Sullivan bags maiden tour win
JOHANNESBURG: Briton Andy Sullivan profited
from a flurry of late dropped shots by home
favourite Charl Schwartzel to win the South African
Open at the first playoff hole and record his first
European Tour victory yesterday. Schwartzel
dropped four shots in his last five holes to enter a
playoff with Englishman Sullivan, having seemingly been cruising to what would have been his
maiden home championship win.
Having carded a final round 67 for a tournament
total of 277, Sullivan then produced a superb iron
into the green from the rough to set up the birdie
chance on the first extra hole and defeat a deflated
Schwartzel.
The South African had led by five shots going
into the final round, but could only manage a 74
on Sunday as his game fell apart on the final five
holes. “It’s unbelievable. After yesterday, I didn’t
think I stood much of a chance with Charl getting
that far ahead, but I just dug in there and got
myself into a position to win,” Sullivan said at the
trophy presentation. He carded two birdies and an
eagle on his back nine in Sunday’s round and managed to take that momentum into the playoff.
He looked to be in trouble after a wayward
drive, but left himself a 10 foot putt for the win
after a fine iron through a cluster of trees.
“I was delighted just to hit the green and have a
chance to win it. I didn’t want to give him a second
chance to take the title away from me,” Sullivan
said. He added he hopes the beers will be flowing
at his home Nuneaton Golf Club tonight. “I try and
enjoy myself as much as possible, it’s something I
have wanted to do my whole life and just playing
on the European Tour is a dream.
To win an event caps it all off.” Despite his jitters,
Schwartzel still led by three shots going into the
final three holes. Then a double-bogey on the 16th
and another dropped shot on the next hole left
him scrambling for a par on the 18th to force the
playoff, where Sullivan’s greater confidence ultimately showed. — Reuters
Johnson back in contention
KAPALUA: Hawaii seems to bring the very best out
of Zach Johnson and the straight-shooting
American was once again back in contention on the
island of Maui at the Hyundai Tournament of
Champions on Saturday.
Winner here last year after closing with a sevenunder-par 66, Johnson fired a 67 on the hilly
Plantation Course at Kapalua Resort to share the
36-hole lead with fellow Americans Jimmy Walker
and Russell Henley, and South Korea’s Bae Sangmoon. Johnson is in illustrious company as one of
only four players to have won each of the two PGA
Tour events staged in Hawaii and he is in ideal position to push on for his 12th career victory on the
U.S. circuit over the next two days.
“It means a lot,” Johnson told reporters when
asked how he valued being bracketed with fellow
former major champions Ernie Els, Vijay Singh and
Jim Furyk as winners of the Hawaiian ‘double’.
All four players have triumphed in the
Tournament of Champions at Kapalua and also in
the Sony Open at Waialae Country Club, which will
be played next week on the island of Oahu.
“I guess it means I like Hawaii, first and foremost,”
smiled Johnson, who won the 2009 Sony Open. “I
like what both golf courses present, and they are
vastly different, yet almost kind of the same.
“It’s hard to explain. Obviously one (Kapalua) is
hilly, one (Waialae) is very flat. But when it comes to
execution with wind and trajectory control, they
are both very similar and I like that kind of golf.
That’s kind of what I grew up playing.”
Johnson, whose only major victory came at the
2007 Masters, displayed superb control of his game
on Saturday as he coped well with shifting breezes
in dazzling sunshine on a receptive layout.
“It was solid,” the 38-year-old said after hitting
15-of-15 fairways and reaching every green in regulation to post an 11-under total of 135. “I was trying
to go the week without a three-putt, but I failed on
that one, so we’ll go the week with one three-putt “I
gave myself some putts that didn’t go and I made
some and that’s really what you’ve got to do. I put
the ball on some holes where you’ve got to take
advantage of it. I played conservative when I needed to play conservative.” — Reuters
S P ORTS
Dollar protest fails
to spoil America win
MEXICO CITY: Coach Gustavo Matosas was
showered with fake dollar bills bearing his
picture in the middle by angry fans of former club Leon over his defection to champions America.
Matosas shrugged off the protests at the
Azteca on Saturday as his new side scored
two goals in the opening seven minutes
through Mexico striker Oribe Peralta and
went on to win 3-2.
“Everyone knows what Leon means to
me in my life (but) today I’m at America and
I enjoyed the victory because that’s what
coaches live off,” Matosas told reporters
after the win on the opening weekend of
the Clausura championship.
“We all like to win although Leon has a
place in my heart for all the good things we
experienced,” added the Uruguayan, who
replaced Antonio Mohamed at America as
soon as the Argentine had secured the title
last month. Matosas steered Leon to promotion in 2012 and both the Apertura and
Clausura championships in the 2013/14
season. Leon, now under former San
Lorenzo and Valencia coach Juan Antonio
Pizzi, pulled level before halftime with an
own goal by America midfielder Moises
Velasco and a header from Argentine striker Mauro Boselli.
Colombian Darwin Quintero, one of
America’s new signings for the Clausura,
scored the winning goal in the 66th
minute. Another newcomer to the Liga MX,
Paraguay captain Roque Santa Cruz,
enjoyed a winning start for his new club
Cruz Azul, who won 1-0 at Pachuca with a
goal from Ecuador’s Joao Rojas. Pachuca’s
Hidalgo pitch looked as if it was covered in
snow an hour and a half before kickoff after
a sudden hailstorm but the match went
ahead as scheduled after the field was
cleared.
Guadalajara, Mexico’s biggest club and
arch-rivals of America, made a disappointing start to their efforts to avoid relegation
with a 2-1 defeat at Chiapas.
The Chivas are one from bottom of the
relegation standings which are based on
teams’ average points over three seasons.
The team in bottom place at the end of the
Clausura goes down. — Reuters
Wawrinka clinches Chennai Open
CHENNAI: An aggressive Stanislas
Wawrinka won his third Chennai Open
title on Sunday beating qualifier Aljaz
Bedene in the final for a perfect buildup
to his Australian Open title defence later
this month. The world number four, winner in 2011 and last year, hardly broke
sweat against his Slovenian opponent for
a 6-3 6-4 victory.
“It’s just amazing to win it again, to
start the year with a trophy,” the 29-yearold Swiss, in his seventh straight year in
the south Indian city, said in a courtside
interview. In a match between opponents who had split their previous two
encounters, Wawrinka drew first blood in
the sixth game, breaking Bedene before
going on to seal the first set.
In the second set, Wawrinka converted a second break point to forge 4-3
ahead and eventually clinched title without losing a set in the tournament which
bodes well for his Australian Open campaign. “It would be a strange feeling to
come back as the defending champion in
a grand slam,” he said the of the year’s
first major starting on Jan. 19.
“First I’m going to enjoy a little bit
(winning) this trophy. It’s not every week
that you win a trophy.” Bedene was the
first qualifier in the 20-year history of the
tournament to reach the final, winning
seven matches en route to his maiden
ATP Tour final. — Reuters
ITALY: AS Roma forward Francesco Totti vies with Lazio’s defender from Romania Stefan Radu during the Italian Serie A football match. —AFP
Totti saves Roma blushes
MILAN: A second-half brace by captain
Francesco Totti saved Roma’s blushes in a 2-2
draw with city rivals Lazio that pulled them level
with Juventus at the top of Italy’s Serie A yesterday. Roma started the 141st derby only one point
behind Juventus, who can pull three points clear
with a win away to high-flying Napoli in Sunday’s
late game.
But it took a second-half double from veteran
playmaker Totti to secure a share of the spoils
after Stefano Mauri and Felipe Anderson had given Lazio a 2-0 first-half lead.
“I said it before the game, Totti is a genius. This
was his kind of game,” Roma coach Rudi Garcia
told Sky Sport. “We came back from two goals
down, and this is never easy to do. It’s like being
at the circus, you’re playing without the safety
net.” Lazio coach Stefano Pioli was quick to congratulate his players, telling Sky: “The lads had a
great game. For the past two years Roma have
been targeting much bigger goals than we have.
“The important thing is we went out there to
win. We still have to improve on certain aspects.
If you look at both of Roma’s goals, we had
greater numbers in defence.”
Totti reduced arrears with a fine angled strike
three minutes after the restart and claimed his
second just after the hour mark.
It was Totti’s 239th goal in Serie A, taking the
38-year-old to within 35 of Silvio Piola’s all-time
record of 274. Totti, who is in his 22nd season
with the club, celebrated by taking a telephone
from one of the Roma coaching staff and taking a
‘selfie’ picture of himself before returning to the
pitch. Totti’s 11th goal in the city derby was also a
record, and he told Sky Sport: “I had the idea during the week. After scoring my 11th goal it was
an unforgettable moment.”
Elsewhere, Fiorentina moved into the top six
after dominating Palermo in a seven-goal thriller
in Florence. The hosts were given a 2-0 lead by
Manuel Pasqual and Jose Maria Basanta, only for
Palermo to pull level in the space of two secondhalf minutes when Robin Quaison hit a brace on
the hour. Three minutes later Juan Cuadrado put
Fiorentina in front and although Joaquin’s 74th
minute strike appeared to put the match beyond
reach, Palermo kept the hosts on their toes when
Andrea Belotti reduced arrears from the spot
nine minutes from time.
“In the dying minutes we were afraid of them
pulling level, but the lads held firm and showed
that on the day we were the superior side,”
Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Montella told Rai
Sport. Sampdoria remained in the hunt for a
Champions League place thanks to Eder’s 49th
minute strike in a 1-0 home win over Empoli.
Sinisa Mihajlovic’s men ended a three-game
winless run to sit fourth, 10 points behind Juve
and only one behind Lazio in the third and last
Champions League qualifying spot.
“We’ve got 30 points already and we’re one
match away from the halfway stage of the season, so we have to be satisfied,” Mihajlovic told
Radio Rai. “We’re fourth in the table but we continue to take it one match at a time.” Cagliari gave
their bid to beat the drop a boost with a precious
2-1 win over basement side Cesena.
Atalanta and Chievo played out a dull 1-1
draw in Bergamo, while Parma’s relegation woes
were compounded by a 3-1 defeat away to
Verona with veteran striker Luca Toni hitting his
sixth goal of the campaign for the hosts.
Earlier, former Manchester United defender
Nemanja Vidic’s first goal for Inter Milan secured
a 3-1 win over Genoa in their Serie A clash on
Sunday as on-loan Arsenal for ward Lukas
Podolski made his first start for the hosts. Inter
are now 15 points behind champions and leaders Juventus, but just six behind third-placed
Lazio. — AFP
Saudi Al-Rajhi claims
debut Dakar stage win
BRISBANE: Roger Federer of Switzerland holds the winner’s trophy and pose for photos after he won the men’s final match against Milos Raonic of Canada during the
Brisbane International tennis tournament. — AP
IQUIQUE: Saudi Arabia’s Dakar Rally rookie
Yazeed Al-Rajhi claimed a maiden stage win in
the spectacular sand dune finish in Iquique yesterday to break Mini’s stranglehold on this year’s
race. As the Toyota driver celebrated his landmark day on the world’s toughest rally, his Qatari
rival Nasser Al-Attiyah did enough in his Mini in
third to consolidate his position at the top of the
driver standings.
The 2011 Dakar winner even gained a few
seconds on his closest pursuer, South Africa’s
Giniel de Villiers (Toyota), who finished fourth.
Up to this win for Toyota, each stage had ended
up being claimed by one of the Minis.
Sunday’s 808 kilometre run, with 784km
timed, took Al-Rajhi and the rest of the car competitors from Bolivia’s salt flats in Uyuni to the
vertiginous dunes of the Chilean Pacific coastal
city of Iquique.
He covered the route in three hours, 26 minutes and 49 seconds, with Saturday’s stage winner Orlando Terranova in second in his Mini, over
one minute behind.
Al-Attiyah, a further two-and-a-half minutes
back in third, has an almost eight-and-a-half
minute lead over de Villiers in the race for the
drivers crown. Today is the final rest day for the
car drivers ahead of Saturday’s finish in Buenos
Aires.
After Saturday’s day off for motorcyclists the
717km (321km timed) seventh stage which took
the two-wheeled competitors from Iquique to
Uyuni was won by Honda’s Paulo Goncalves.
The Portuguese rider is placed third in the
overall motorbike standings, 11minutes behind
his Spanish teammate Joan Barreda, with this
pair separated by KTM’s defending champion
Marc Coma. Coma, a four time winner, is six minutes adrift. — AFP
Federer claims 1,000th
career win in Brisbane
BRISBANE: Roger Federer beat Milos
Raonic in an enthralling final at the
Brisbane International yesterday to register
his 1,000th ATP career win and complete
the per fect build up to this month’s
Australian Open.
Federer survived the inevitable serving
blitz from the towering Canadian to win
the two hour 13 minute slugfest 6-4 6-7(2)
6-4 and join Jimmy Connors (1,253) and
Ivan Lendl (1,071) as the only men to reach
the magical milestone.
The Swiss master, as fiercely competitive
as ever at the age of 33 even if he doesn’t
move quite as quickly as he once did, also
chalked up his 83rd career title and has
now won at least one tournament every
year since 2001, an unbroken streak spanning 15 seasons.
Federer was presented with the tournament trophy by Roy Emerson, a 12-time
grand slam winner, and also received a special framed photo marking his 1,000th win
from Rod Laver, the only tennis player to
win all four majors in the same year on two
separate occasions.
“It’s a special moment, no doubt about
that,” Federer said at the post-match presentation. “I’ve played a lot of tennis over
the years...so to get to 1,000 wins means a
lot to me and I will never forget this match.”
Raonic, one of the emerging stars of men’s
tennis since making the semi-finals at
Wimbledon last year was gracious in defeat
and also paid tribute to Federer, saying he
was in awe of his achievements.
“We all know today is a significant mile-
stone for Roger,” he said. “When we came
out and they listed all the things you’ve
won, I thought you must have been playing
for 2,000 wins.”
Raonic was unable to dictate terms
against the vastly more experienced
Federer once he adapted to his booming
serve but pushed his opponent all the way
in a high-quality match where the pair hit a
combined total of 92 clean winners.
Raonic had blasted 34 aces past Kei
Nishikori in his semi-final but managed
only 12 against Federer, who replied with
20 of his own, including one where Raonic
misjudged the bounce and took an embarrassing air swing. Federer, returning the ball
deep and mixing up his shots, broke
Raonic’s serve once in each set as the
capacity crowd at the Pat Rafter Arena
roared in admiration. The world number
two broke in the third game of the match
when Raonic dumped a backhand into the
net then broke him again in the opening
game of the second set.
But Raonic showed that he has more to
his game than just his big serve when he
quickly broke back and forced a tiebreaker,
his sixth of the tournament.
Federer won the first two points of the
tiebreaker but Raonic reeled off the next
seven on the trot to square the match at
one set apiece. The standard of play rose
along with the tension in the deciding set
before Raonic blinked first, double faulting to give Federer match point then hitting a forehand into the net to concede
defeat. — Reuters
BOLIVIA: Toyota’s driver Maik Willems and co-driver Rob Van Pelt, of Netherlands, compete during the Stage 8 of the Dakar 2015 between
Uyuni, in Bolivia. — AFP
Totti saves
Roma blushes
Gross takes
maiden victory
19
16
McCullum blitz sets up New Zealand victory
Page 17
OLD TRAFFORD: Manchester United’s Angel Di Maria (centre right) fights for the ball against Southampton’s Florin Gardos, left, as Nathaniel Clyne looks on during the English Premier League soccer match. — AP
Tadic strike punishes shot-shy United
Man United 0
Southampton 1
MANCHESTER:
Southampton
leapfrogged a lacklustre Manchester
United into third place in the Premier
League table yesterday as substitute
Dusan Tadic’s goal secured a clinical 1-0
victory at Old Trafford. Despite controlling
possession, Louis van Gaal’s United failed
to muster a single shot on target and saw
their 11-game unbeaten run in all competitions ended when Tadic netted in the
69th minute. The Serbian’s goal gave
Southampton a first win at Old Trafford
since January 1988 and enabled them to
avenge their 2-1 loss in December’s
reverse fixture, when United had managed only three attempts at goal.
It took Ronald Koeman’s side two
points above their opponents into third
place, while United, who have won only
once in their last five league games, now
lead fifth-place Arsenal by a single point.
United had new goalkeeper Victor
Valdes on the bench and welcomed Daley
Blind back from injury, while Angel di
Maria made his first start since November,
but Radamel Falcao was absent from the
match-day 18.
United had not played at home since
Boxing Day and as they took time to reacquaint themselves with home comforts,
Southampton almost capitalised, with the
fit-again Nathaniel Clyne shooting wide in
the first minute.
Di Maria, who had been sidelined by
hamstring and pelvis problems, started
up front alongside Robin van Persie, but
although he flashed a few shots wide,
United struggled to bring him into the
game. Southampton, who have now won
four times in five league outings, flooded
the midfield, frustrating United captain
Wayne Rooney in his attempts to create
openings from deep.
The visitors’ plans were compromised
in the 19th minute when Toby
Alderweireld was forced off after appearing to hurt his thigh as he cleared
Rooney’s pass towards Di Maria.
But Florin Gardos, who replaced the
Belgium international, produced an
important block to thwart van Persie
before half-time.
Southampton forced United onto the
back foot in the early stages of the second
half and it took smart blocks from Chris
Smalling and Saints old boy Luke Shaw to
deny Steven Davis and Pelle in turn.
United manager van Gaal took
action by introducing Ander Herrera
and Tyler Blackett in place of van Persie
and Shaw, which saw Rooney move further forward and Blind take up a place
at left wing-back.
But it was Southampton substitute
Tadic-sent on in place of Southampton
debutant Eljero Elia-who made the most
telling contribution.
Five minutes after coming on, the
Serbian released Pelle and when the
Italian’s low shot came back off the foot of
the right-hand post, Tadic, following up,
stroked the rebound home.
Van Gaal sent on the calvary, throwing
on Marouane Fellaini for Di Maria, but still
United failed to test Fraser Forster in the
visitors’ goal. Juan Mata was guilty of two
glaring misses, shooting wide of an
unguarded goal after Forster had swatted
away a cross from Blind and then clipping
over from six yards when the Dutchman
bent another centre into the box. Blind
also volleyed wide from an Antonio
Valencia cross, but despite referee Phil
Dowd awarding five minutes of stoppage
time, United could not avert a fourth
defeat of the campaign. — AFP
EPL results/standings
Arsenal 3 (Koscielny 6, Sanchez 33, 49) Stoke 0 ; Manchester
United 0 Southampton 1 (Tadic 69).
English Premier League table after yesterday’s matches (played,
won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points):
Chelsea
Man City
Southampton
Man Utd
Arsenal
Tottenham
West Ham
Liverpool
Swansea
Newcastle
Stoke
Everton
Aston Villa
West Brom
Crystal Palace
Sunderland
Burnley
Hull
QPR
Leicester
21
21
21
21
21
21
21
21
21
21
21
21
21
21
21
21
21
21
21
21
15
14
12
10
10
10
9
9
8
7
7
5
5
5
4
3
4
4
5
4
4
5
3
7
6
4
6
5
6
6
5
7
7
6
8
11
8
7
4
5
2
2
6
4
5
7
6
7
7
8
9
9
9
10
9
7
9
10
12
12
46
45
35
34
37
30
32
29
26
25
22
30
11
20
22
18
19
20
23
20
19
20
15
21
25
29
25
27
25
33
27
34
23
29
31
31
33
27
37
33
49
47
39
37
36
34
33
32
30
27
26
22
22
21
20
20
20
19
19
17
Arsenal back in the groove
Arsenal 3
Stoke 0
LONDON: Alexis Sanchez capped an outstanding individual display with two goals as
Arsenal moved up to fifth in the Premier
League with a 3-0 victory against Stoke yesterday.
Laurent Koscielny set Arsene Wenger’s side
on course for the win with a sixth minute
header but it was Sanchez who stood out,
scoring either side of half-time at the Emirates
Stadium to take his season tally to 18. And
while a serious looking shoulder injury to
Arsenal right-back Mathieu Debuchy took
some of the gloss off the win, the return of
Mesut Ozil for his first appearance since early
October provided Wenger with another welcome boost.
Arsenal had no shortage of motivation in
their efforts to revive their top four challenge
in the wake of the New Year’s Day defeat at
Southampton that had left them in sixth place.
Tottenham’s loss at Crystal Palace on
Saturday offered Wenger’s side a chance to
leapfrog their north London rivals, while they
were also keen to avenge a chastening 3-2
defeat at the Britannia Stadium last month.
On that occasion, Mark Hughes’ side had
gone ahead after just 19 seconds and were in
complete control when they reached half-time
three up, sparking fierce criticism of Wenger.
But Stoke had lost on each of their 12 visits
to Arsenal since 1981 and it soon became clear
that run would continue as Wenger’s men set
about the game like a side with a score to settle. Almost immediately Stoke were forced
onto the back foot and had cause to thank the
outstanding reactions of goalkeeper Asmir
Begovic who saved well from Sanchez’s curling shot.
Then in the sixth minute the Bosnia keeper
produced an even better full length dive to tip
Tomas Rosicky’s angled shot wide.
The respite was short-lived however, with
Begovic left exposed when Sanchez whipped
in the resulting corner. The Chilean’s set-piece
was half-cleared but when he returned it into
the Stoke box at the second time of asking,
Koscielny had pulled away from the inattentive Glenn Whelan and directed a free header
beyond Begovic.
Already it appeared as though Arsenal were
in for a relatively routine afternoon, although
they were forced to overcome the 12th minute
loss of Debuchy who was stretchered off with
a shoulder injury after crashing into the pitchside hoardings after colliding with Marko
Arnautovic.
Debuchy has already missed three months
of the season with an ankle problem and
another prolonged absence will be a major
loss during a crucial part of the campaign.
On this occasion though, Arsenal coped
easily without the France international, with
David Ospina rarely troubled. The Colombia
goalkeeper was selected ahead of Wojciech
Szczesny, with Wenger keen to insist the decision had been made on form and not as a
result of Szczesny being fined for smoking in
the showers after the Southampton defeat.
Whelan should have done better with a
clear shot on goal but that was the only
time Stoke threatened and Arsenal doubled
their lead in the 33rd minute when Sanchez
produced his latest moment of individual
LONDON: Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez runs past Stoke City’s Ryan Shawcross during
their English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Stoke City at
the Emirates stadium. — AP
brilliance.
He exchanged passes with Rosicky
and cut into the Stoke area from the left
before deceiving Begovic with an angled
shot that flew in at the near post.
A double substitution at half-time did
nothing to lift Stoke and Sanchez put the
game beyond the visitors’ reach when he
drilled a low free-kick through an uncon-
vincing defensive wall after Alex OxladeChamberlain had been brought down by
Geoff Cameron.
The contest was effectively over
although Arsenal should have added to
Stoke’s embarrassment with Santi
Cazorla, Theo Walcott and Ozil all spurning good chances to widen the margin of
victory. — AFP
Business
Japan readies record
$800bn 2015-16 budget,
curbs bond sales
Page 22
Eurozone slips into
deflation, Euro currency
continues to drop
Page 25
Modi promises ‘
unlimited’ reforms
to India economy
Page 26
Page 25
Bayt.com announces complete revamp of its mobile app
RIYADH: In this photo released by Saudi Press Agency, Deputy Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, front right, receives Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro at the King Khalid International Airport in
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, yesterday. — AP
Venezuela’s Maduro in OPEC kingpin Saudi for talks
RIYADH: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was in
OPEC’s leading oil producer Saudi Arabia for talks yesterday,
officials said, after he visited Iran to discuss the impact of
plummeting crude prices.
He was to continue on for further discussions in fellow
OPEC producer Algeria. “The visit aims to strengthen ties
and friendship,” a Venezuelan official told AFP in brief
remarks, adding that it was part of a “tour to OPEC members”. Maduro landed on Saturday in Riyadh where Deputy
Crown Prince Moqren bin Abdul Aziz received him, the
Saudi Press Agency said. “The Venezuelan president was
accompanied by a number of ministers,” it said, giving no
further details.
Saudi Arabia is the world’s largest crude exporter and the
biggest producer in the 12-member Organization of the
Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), to which Venezuela
and Iran also belong.
While Saudi Arabia says it is financially strong enough to
withstand the drop in world oil prices, which fell about 50
percent last year, the budgets of Venezuela and Iran are
under strain. Venezuela has said it is willing to cut production to support prices but OPEC decided in November to
maintain an output ceiling of 30 million barrels per day.
The decision intensified the price slide that began in the
middle of the year, blamed on softer growth in demand and
a stronger United States dollar as well as oversupply.
Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani, his oil minister and other
top officials have criticised Saudi Arabia for not backing
steps to bolster prices.
During his meeting with Maduro on Saturday, Rouhani
again appeared to single out Riyadh, in remarks carried on
the Iranian government’s website.
“Without doubt, cooperation of countries that are on the
same line in OPEC can neutralise the plans of some powers
who are against OPEC, stabilising a reasonable price for oil in
2015,” Rouhani said.
According to the official remarks, Maduro echoed
Rouhani, “calling for the cooperation of oil exporting countries to bring back stability.”
Saudi Arabia traditionally acted to balance demand and
supply in the global oil market because it is the only country
with substantial spare production capacity.
But Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi has been quoted as
saying it is unfair to expect the cartel to reduce output if
non-members, who account for most of the world’s crude
Most Gulf stock markets rally on but
Industries Qatar tumbles on dividend
DUBAI: Most Gulf stock markets maintained
their positive momentum yesterday, supported
by good corporate news, but major petrochemical producer Industries Qatar tumbled and
dragged down the Doha bourse after announcing a dividend cut.
Industries Qatar plunged its daily 10 percent
limit as Qatar’s index dropped 2.4 percent. The
company said late on Thursday that its board
had recommended a 2014 dividend of 7 riyals
per share, down from 11 riyals paid for 2013
and below analysts’ average forecast of 11.13
riyals.
Many investors treat Qatari stocks as dividend plays, and payouts offered by local companies are usually among the highest in the
Gulf.
Industries Qatar’s dividend was a potentially
negative signal for petrochemical producers
around the region; they face tougher times
because of the plunge of crude oil prices, which
has been dragging down petrochemical product prices and eroding the advantage which
Gulf producers enjoy from cheap feedstock.
Petrochemical stocks underperformed on
Sunday in Saudi Arabia, where the sector’s
index edged up 0.5 percent. The overall Saudi
market index rose 1.9 percent, largely on the
back of banking stocks.
National Commercial Bank rose 1.9 percent,
Al Rajhi Bank added 4.1 percent and Bank
Albilad surged 4.8 percent. Albilad’s board last
Thursday recommended a 0.5 riyal per share
dividend for 2014, its first dividend in at least
five years, along with issuing one bonus share
per four shares held.
Shares in Yanbu Cement jumped 3.2 percent
after it said its fourth-quarter profit had risen
20.6 percent, even though full-year profit
declined 2.3 percent.
UAE, OMAN
Dubai’s bourse jumped 2.7 percent in a
broad rally led by property-related stocks.
Major developer Emaar Properties rose 5.8 percent and its smaller competitors Union
Properties and Deyaar climbed 4.2 and 4.7 percent respectively.
The emirate’s property stocks were beaten
down in the panic selling that engulfed the
bourse during December as oil slid, and are
attracting fresh interest as some investors
realise an international city such as Dubai could
actually benefit from cheaper oil if that spurs
global growth. Also, having closed their books
for last year, some funds may now be returning
to buy blue chips such as Emaar with the new
year’s allocations.
Positive momentum in the sector could
boost another Dubai property developer,
DAMAC, which will list on the emirate’s main
bourse on Monday. DAMAC, currently listed
only in London, last traded at 5.9 times its 2013
earnings, a big discount to Emaar and Deyaar’s
ratios of 20.5 and 31.8 times respectively.
Bourse operator Dubai Financial Market
surged 6.7 percent, continuing the leg up
which started last week after economy minister
Sultan bin Saeed al-Mansouri said the United
Arab Emirates government would favour a
merger of the main Abu Dhabi and Dubai
bourses, although the decision was up to the
exchanges themselves.
Abu Dhabi’s benchmark was nearly flat, but
developer Aldar Properties jumped 2.9 percent.
Oman’s index jumped 2.4 percent and shares
in Oman Cables Industry rose 4.4 percent after
it reported a 4.9 percent increase in 2014 profit.
The company earned 17.7 million rials ($46 million) last year, slightly surpassing the estimates
of analysts, who had on average forecast a profit of 17.0 million rials.
Kuwait’s bourse added 1.1 percent and
Egypt’s index weakened by 0.4 percent as most
stocks pulled back.
SUNDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS
DUBAI
The index rose 2.7 percent to 3,775 points.
ABU DHABI
The index inched up 0.03 percent to 4,480
points.
SAUDI ARABIA
The index rose 1.9 percent to 8,445 points.
QATAR
The index dropped 2.4 percent to 12,014
points.
EGYPT
The index edged down 0.4 percent to 8,910
points.
KUWAIT
The index added 1.1 percent to 6,563 points.
OMAN
The index jumped 2.4 percent to 6,403 points.
BAHRAIN
The index inched up 0.04 percent 1,426
points. — Reuters
production, do not.
The United States was the world’s biggest oil producer in
the third quarter of last year, ahead of Saudi Arabia, according to the US Energy Information Administration.
In such an environment, “OPEC as we used to know it is
finished, for the time being,” said Beshr Bakheet, a Saudi
investment fund manager. Maduro was to leave Riyadh later
yesterday for Algeria, another member of OPEC.
During his two-day state visit beginning Monday he is to
meet his Algerian counterpart Abdelaziz Bouteflika, said a
presidential statement carried by Algeria’s APS press agency.
They would hold talks about “the current crisis in the
price of oil, and on the ways and means of turning it around,
in the framework of an effort broadened to non-OPEC producers,” it said. — AFP
Tesla Motors runs
into roadblocks
NEW YORK: Tesla Motors has been the darling of Wall Street. A-list stars including
Hollywood’s leading men Leonardo
DiCaprio, Brad Pitt and George Clooney are
all also fans.
It lured them with the luxury electric
Model S and is now going after the middle
class with its Model 3, a compact electric
sedan set to debut in 2017 for a starting
price of $35,000-$40,000.
Compare that with the sleek Model S,
costing upwards of twice the price. Elon
Musk, Tesla’s billionaire founder, hopes the
Model 3 will propel the California manufacturer into the mass market and has ambitions to triple Tesla production to 100,000
vehicles this year and to 500,000 per year
by 2020.
But Musk, the man behind the online
payment site PayPal who also founded
SpaceX, faces an uphill task and growing
skeptics.
The rapidly falling price of oil has put
gas-guzzling cars back to the fore, at the
expense of electric vehicles, and Tesla shifted 18,750 cars on the US market in 2014,
down 3.1 percent year on year. It had a target of 35,000 deliveries worldwide last year.
Morgan Stanley, one of the few US
banks that believed in Tesla’s lofty ambitions, is now doubtful. “We continue to
view Tesla as a niche player,” it said in a note
to investors late last year, saying that it
expects the company to deliver closer to
300,000 electric vehicles by 2020 — far
short of its 500,000 target.
Tesla’s ambitions rest on its ability to
manufacture a battery at a competitive
price, which seems difficult in the current
environment, where oil is plumbing record
lows with each passing week, Morgan
Stanley said.
Financial markets are also doubtful of
Tesla’s ability to segue its way into the popular car market. Its stock was trading at
$275 in September, but, ahead of the
Detroit auto show next week, it is now
down to $206, providing more ammunition
for the skeptics.
‘Special case’
Nobody could accuse Tesla of standing
still, however, and it is building its
Gigafactory in Nevada to produce lithiumion batteries, costing an eye-watering estimated $5 billion to construct.
The purpose of this mega project is to
reduce the cost of the battery, thereby
reducing the selling price of electric cars.
But analysts say this huge investmentwhile central to Tesla’s plans-may affect its
financial results.
In addition, Tesla forked out fast-charging stations for free in western Europe for
its standard bearer Model S. Tesla, also
pushing hard to boost overseas sales-especially in fast-growing China-was “a special
case,” said Martin Zimmerman, a professor
at the University of Michigan and former
head economist at Ford. — AFP
BUSINESS
Stocks slide on falling wages, oil slump
NEW YORK: A turbulent week of trading
ended Friday with US stocks finishing
lower for the third time in five days. The
decline followed two days of big gains
and nudged major indexes lower for the
year.
A slide in oil prices deepened, stoking
concerns about global economic growth.
Energy stocks tumbled, extending their
losses for the year. Investors also were
discouraged by a report showing that
average US hourly pay declined in
December, despite another strong
increase in hiring.
“We finally got the jobs growing,” said
Erik Davidson, chief investment officer of
Wells Fargo Private Bank. “Now people
are looking through that at the actual
wage growth numbers and they want to
see improvement on wages, which obviously would spur demand and consumer
confidence.”
The Standard & Poor’s 500 index shed
17.33 points, or 0.8 percent, to 2,044.81.
The index is now down 0.7 percent for
the year.
The Dow Jones industrial average slid
170.50 points, or about 1 percent, to
17,737.37. The Dow has fallen 0.5 percent
this year. The Nasdaq composite lost
32.12 points, or 0.7 percent, to 4,704.07.
It’s down 0.7 percent this year.
After a long period of relative calm,
stock markets have become more
volatile as investors grapple with slowing
global growth and slumping oil prices. A
gauge of investor anxiety, the Chicago
Board Options Exchange’s volatility
index, or VIX, rose 3 percent to 17.5 on
Friday, up from 12 a month ago.
“It’s going to be a volatile year, but I
think if you remain a long-term investor
... and you push
out this volatility and you focus on
the trends, I think (the stock market) is
going to have a pretty good year,” said
Robert Pavlik, chief market strategist at
Banyan Partners.
A combination of positive US economic news, hopes for stimulus from
Europe’s central bank and renewed confidence that the Federal Reserve will keep
supporting the economy helped push
stocks higher in the middle of the week
after a tough start to the year.
But by Friday, the jobs data and a
renewed decline in oil prices put traders
in a selling mood once again. US crude
fell 43 cents, or 0.9 percent, to close at
$48.36 a barrel in New York on further
evidence that OPEC will not cut production in an effort to support prices. In
London, Brent crude fell 85 cents, or 1.7
percent, to $50.11 a barrel, setting a new
five and a half-year low.
The price of oil has fallen by more
than half since June as traders anticipate
a glut of supply caused by increased production. The slide also has stoked concern about the already troubled state of
economies overseas.
“Is it a canary in the coal mine for bigger global economic concerns?”
Davidson said. “Is oil telling us something
about the future of the global economy?”
The latest US jobs data also gave
some investors reason for concern. The
government reported that employers
added 252,000 jobs in December, slightly
more than economists expected. The
government also noted that more jobs
were added in October and November
than it had previously estimated.
Still, average hourly pay slipped 5
cents in December. And the unemployment rate fell to 5.6 percent from 5.8 percent in part because many of the jobless
gave up looking for work and were no
longer counted as unemployed.
Among individual stocks, Avon
Products declined the most among companies in the S&P 500. The stock shed 66
cents, or 7.5 percent, to $8.17. It’s down
13 percent this year.
All 10 sectors in the S&P 500 fell.
Financial stocks were the biggest losers
on the day. The sector is down 2.4 percent this year.
In government bond trading, prices
rose. The yield on the benchmark 10-year
Treasury fell to 1.95 percent from 2.02
percent on Thursday. The euro edged up
to $1.1841 from $1.1792 the previous
day. The dollar fell to 118.51 yen from
119.80 yen. In metals trading, gold
edged up $7.60 to $1,216.10 an ounce,
silver rose three cents to $16.42 an ounce
and copper fell two cents to $2.75 an
ounce.
In other futures trading on the
NYMEX:
Wholesale gasoline fell 1.8 cents to
close at $1.323 a gallon. Heating oil fell
0.8 cent to close at $1.703 a gallon.
Natural gas rose 1.9 cents to close at
$2.946 per 1,000 cubic feet.
Among other stocks making big
moves Friday: Star Bulk Carriers sank 23.1
percent after the global shipping company priced a public offering of stock below
the previous day’s closing price. The
stock slid $1.51 to $5.02.
Ruby Tuesday’s latest quarterly revenue fell short of expectations as sales at
restaurants open at least a year declined.
Shares in the chain-restaurant operator
shed 83 cents, or 11.7 percent, to $6.27.
Agenus jumped 28.7 percent on news
that the biotechnology company signed
a licensing, development and commercialization deal with Incyte for immunotherapeutics. Agenus rose $1.18 to $5.29.
Incyte fell $1.18, or 1.6 percent, to
$72.03. — AP
Small and mid-cap stocks are cheap
By Hayder Tawfik
I
t looks as if the underperformance of
small and mid- cap stocks that
occurred over the past few years has
come to an end. Some of the underperformance has resulted in contraction of
the price earnings multiples and increase
in dividends yields rather than an outright
underperformances. Small and mid-cap
stocks valuations are no longer seems
extended relative to big capitalization
stocks.
The underperformance of small-cap
stocks has been quite clear in 2014 particularly in the US. There are quite few reasons for this but I think the main ones are
the global economic uncertainty, the dramatic fall in interest rates, continuous fall
in inflation rates, most investors have a
structural bias towards small and mid-cap
companies that have done badly over the
years and obviously the lack of volume
and liquidity in trading small-cap shares.
However, those small and mid-cap stocks
that are heavily exposed to the domestic
economy have done much better than
those that have exposure to overseas
markets. The strong economic growth has
helped US small and mid-cap companies
more than their international peers. To be
fair there has not been a wide overly opti-
mistic bets on small-caps over the past
few years. The main reason for the bias is
that the future expected reward from a
successful stock pick tends to be higher
among smaller, more volatile stocks. This is
what we call high-risk high reward. Overall
2014 was not good year for small and midcap companies. This trend has been seen
throughout the world. Most fund managers including active and passive ones
who invest in small cap stocks have shown
a dismal performance.
With hindsight, there were reasons to
suspect this might be a bad year. Investors
had chased strong performance in small
cap-focused mutual funds throughout
2013, driving up share prices, but revenues
and earnings at the Russell 2000 companies actually fell last year. The result was
that valuations were stretched coming into
2014 and even more so when compared
with large-caps. Small-caps typically trade
higher than their blue-chip peers, their forward price-earnings multiple should not
be on a high premium to the main indices.
A premium of 10% to 15% might be
acceptable but anything much higher
would look overstretched.
The outlook this year for small and midcap is much better than last year. Small
and mid-cap companies have not been sitting on cash like the big multinationals.
They have been active in capital expenditure, taking advantage of the availability of
cheap money. So they are poised to reap
bigger dividends from the expansion of
their domestic economies. On the opposite side most large-cap companies have
been busy buying back their shares and
increasing dividends payout. I expect that
with the reasonable valuation small-cap
are showing, merger and acquisition activity should pick up throughout the year. We
have seen this happening throughout
2014 within the biotech sector.
Large multinationals, on the other
hand, have the drag of decelerating in
economic growth in major emerging markets and the Eurozone. The clear signs of
economic slowdown in Russia, Brazil, and
China and some smaller ones will not
benefit the large-cap companies. Also,
large-cap companies do not benefit as
much as small-cap from falling oil prices.
If investors are willing to ride the shortterm volatility then they should be on a
winning streak. Small-caps are proven
winners over the very long run.
Some studies have noted a tendency
for small-caps to underperform in the
year or two leading up to a recession. But
as I mentioned earlier the underperformance over the past two years was the
result of overvaluation rather than eco-
nomic recession. The most important
issue is valuation, which is reason to
believe small could do much better this
year than the past few years. The valuation premium over large-caps has come
back into line with historical norms as we
enter the New Year. Small and mid-cap
earnings has expanded and price earnings multiples have contracted, this is a
recipe for good outperformance for the
coming years.
Japan readies record $800bn
2015-16 budget, curbs bond sales
TOKYO: Japan’s government will propose a record
budget for next fiscal year of more than $800 billion but
cut borrowing for a third year, government officials said
yesterday, as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe seeks to maintain growth while curbing the heaviest debt burden in
the industrial world.
The third annual budget since Abe swept to power in
late 2012 also highlights his struggle to contain bulging
welfare costs for the fast-ageing society while increasing discretionary spending in areas such as the military.
Abe’s 96.3 trillion yen ($813 billion) draft budget for
the year from April, to be approved by the Cabinet on
Wednesday and submitted to an upcoming session of
Parliament, is up from this fiscal year’s initial 95.9 trillion,
the two officials told Reuters.
But spending restraint and a surge in tax revenues as
the economy recovers allows the government to cut
bond issuance by 4.4 trillion yen to 36.9 trillion, the
third decrease in a row and the lowest level in six years,
the officials said.
The improved fiscal picture helps Abe trim Japan’s
public debt, which is well over twice the country’s GDP
after years of sluggish growth and huge stimulus
spending. The budget for the coming year follows an
extra budget of 3.1 trillion yen for this fiscal year,
approved last week. With the budget deficit - excluding
new bond sales and debt servicing - projected at roughly 3 percent of gross domestic product for the 2015-16
fiscal year, Abe will meet the government’s promise of
halving the debt ratio from 2010-11 levels.
But Finance Ministry calculations show that the goal
of balancing the budget by 2020-21 remains ambitious.
Abe raised the national sales tax in April to 8 percent
from 5 percent, sending the world’s third-biggest economy into recession. He postponed a second increase, to
10 percent, by 18 months to April 2017, but the economy’s upturn under the premier’s easy-money policies is
set to boost tax revenues in the coming year.
The draft budget projects tax revenues rising 4.5 trillion yen to 54.5 trillion yen, the officials said, easing
somewhat the need to issue more bonds. Debt will
finance about 38 percent of the coming year’s budget,
down from this year’s 43 percent.
But as the government continues to run a deficit,
debt servicing, interest payments and redemptions, are
set to rise about 200 billion yen to 23.5 trillion yen.
Social-welfare spending, such as medical care, is set to
rise 1 trillion yen to 31.5 trillion yen. — Reuters
Syrian Pound
Nepalese Rupees
Malaysian Ringgit
Chinese Yuan Renminbi
Thai Bhat
Turkish Lira
Sierra Leone
Singapore Dollar
South African Rand
Sri Lankan Rupee
Taiwan
Thai Baht
EXCHANGE RATES
Al-Muzaini Exchange Co.
ASIAN COUNTRIES
2.487
4.731
2.923
2.221
2.961
222.420
38.014
3.768
6.564
8.979
61.555
121.740
GCC COUNTRIES
Saudi Riyal
78.618
Qatari Riyal
80.995
Omani Riyal
766.050
Bahraini Dinar
783.050
UAE Dirham
80.289
ARAB COUNTRIES
Egyptian Pound - Cash
41.650
Egyptian Pound - Transfer
41.132
Yemen Riyal/for 1000
1.318
Tunisian Dinar
156.420
Jordanian Dinar
416.070
Lebanese Lira/for 1000
1.978
Syrian Lira
2.101
Morocco Dirham
32.208
EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES
US Dollar Transfer
294.700
Euro
350.990
Sterling Pound
448.530
Canadian dollar
250.060
Turkish lira
128.240
Swiss Franc
292.940
Australian Dollar
244.010
US Dollar Buying
293.500
GOLD
20 gram
238.100
10 gram
121.740
5 gram
61.560
Japanese Yen
Indian Rupees
Pakistani Rupees
Srilankan Rupees
Nepali Rupees
Singapore Dollar
Hongkong Dollar
Bangladesh Taka
Philippine Peso
Thai Baht
Irani Riyal transfer
Irani Riyal cash
UAE Exchange Centre WLL
COUNTRY
Australian Dollar
Canadian Dollar
Swiss Franc
Euro
US Dollar
Sterling Pound
Japanese Yen
Bangladesh Taka
Indian Rupee
Sri Lankan Rupee
Nepali Rupee
Pakistani Rupee
UAE Dirhams
Bahraini Dinar
Egyptian Pound
Jordanian Dinar
Omani Riyal
Qatari Riyal
Saudi Riyal
SELL DRAFT
231.31
253.86
295.89
353.27
294.65
450.33
2.51
3.775
4.631
2.229
2.898
2.928
80.07
782.03
41.08
418.66
764.12
81.14
78.49
SELL CASH
229.31
254.86
293.89
354.27
297.65
453.33
2.53
4.045
4.931
2.664
3.433
2.790
80.53
784.10
41.68
424.31
771.42
81.69
78.89
Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd
Rate for Transfer
US Dollar
Canadian Dollar
Sterling Pound
Euro
Swiss Frank
Bahrain Dinar
UAE Dirhams
Qatari Riyals
Saudi Riyals
Jordanian Dinar
Egyptian Pound
Sri Lankan Rupees
Indian Rupees
Pakistani Rupees
Bangladesh Taka
Philippines Pesso
Cyprus pound
Japanese Yen
Selling Rate
291.750
260.085
456.630
366.500
303.035
775.760
79.330
80.935
77.975
411.660
40.707
2.225
4.716
2.867
3.759
6.481
715.865
3.480
2.710
3.945
87.645
48.035
9.885
131.225
Bahrain Exchange Company
CURRENCY
Belgian Franc
British Pound
Czech Korune
Danish Krone
Euro
Norwegian Krone
Romanian Leu
Slovakia
Swedish Krona
Swiss Franc
Turkish Lira
Australian Dollar
New Zealand Dollar
Canadian Dollar
US Dollars
US Dollars Mint
Bangladesh Taka
Chinese Yuan
Hong Kong Dollar
Indian Rupee
Indonesian Rupiah
Japanese Yen
Kenyan Shilling
Korean Won
Malaysian Ringgit
Nepalese Rupee
Pakistan Rupee
Philippine Peso
BUY
Europe
0.007677
0.441909
0.004473
0.042821
0.344419
0.034644
0.084531
0.008649
0.032709
0.284370
0.126731
Australasia
0.233815
0.225084
America
0.243101
0.290600
0.291100
Asia
0.003454
0.046034
0.035911
0.004404
0.000019
0.002403
0.003276
0.000260
0.080000
0.003012
0.002754
0.006503
SELL
0.008677
0.450909
0.016473
0.047821
0.352419
0.039844
0.084531
0.018649
0.037709
0.294570
0.133731
0.245315
0.234584
0.251601
0.295300
0.295300
0.004054
0.049534
0.038661
0.004805
0.000025
0.002583
0.003276
0.000275
0.086000
0.003182
0.003034
0.006783
Bahraini Dinar
Egyptian Pound
Iranian Riyal
Iraqi Dinar
Jordanian Dinar
Kuwaiti Dinar
Lebanese Pound
Moroccan Dirhams
Nigerian Naira
Omani Riyal
Qatar Riyal
Saudi Riyal
Syrian Pound
Tunisian Dinar
Turkish Lira
UAE Dirhams
Yemeni Riyal
0.000065
0.217887
0.019646
0.001861
0.009116
0.008641
Arab
0.775237
0.038810
0.000082
0.000195
0.411598
1.000000
0.000146
0.024074
0.001199
0.759434
0.080236
0.077950
0.001748
0.152852
0.126731
0.079254
0.001331
0.000071
0.223887
0.028146
0.002441
0.009296
0.009191
0.783237
0.041910
0.000083
0.000255
0.419098
1.000000
0.000246
0.048074
0.001834
0.765114
0.081449
0.078650
0.001968
0.160852
0.133731
0.080403
0.001411
Al Mulla Exchange
Currency
US Dollar
Euro
Pound Sterlng
Canadian Dollar
Indian Rupee
Egyptian Pound
Sri Lankan Rupee
Bangladesh Taka
Philippines Peso
Pakistan Rupee
Bahraini Dinar
UAE Dirham
Saudi Riyal
*Rates are subject to change
Transfer Rate (Per 1000)
293.950
351.450
447.150
249.900
4.650
41.095
2.223
3.749
6.528
2.920
782.700
80.050
78.500
BUSINESS
Russian businessmen bears no grudge over arrest
MOSCOW:
Russian billionaire Vladimir
Yevtushenkov said he bore no grudge against the
state for putting him under house arrest and seizing his stake in an oil company, moving to ease ties
after the asset grab scared investors. In an interview
with newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda, the businessman said he was looking ahead after the privatisation of Bashneft oil company was overturned
and he was held on suspicion of money laundering
during its acquisition.
His words follow overtures by President Vladimir
Putin, who at his end-of-year news conference in
December invited Yevtushenkov to a business
meeting and said he hoped his Sistema conglomerate would restore its position on the stock market.
Asked whether he resented the authorities,
Yevtushenkov told Komsomolskaya Pravda: “Are
you joking or what? I am the flesh and the blood of
this country - what offence (could I take)?”
He hinted that being held under house arrest
had been tough, but said in the interview published on Saturday: “You realise that you cannot live
in the past, you need to live in the future. And I live
in the future, and the past is the past.”
Yevtushenkov said Sistema, which brings
together telecoms and retail businesses among
others, was still profitable without Bashneft, in
which Sistema once held an almost 80 percent
stake. It was transferred to the state in December.
His words come at a time when Russia’s economy is heading for recession, brought low by
Western sanctions over Moscow’s actions in
Ukraine and a flagging oil price. They also underline
big business’s loyalty to the Kremlin’s policies so far.
The Bashneft case had raised fears among
investors that Putin wanted to increase state intervention to try to bolster the economy and prompted comparisons with the case of Mikhail
Khodorkovsky, whose Yukos oil empire was broken
up and sold off into the hands of the state.
Yevtushenkov, known in the business world as
an efficient manager loyal to the Kremlin, said
Russia faced difficult economic times, but added
that the rest of the world did as well. — Reuters
FILE — In this Oct. 6, 2014 file photo, people wait to enter the Supreme Court in
Washington. The Supreme Court could put the brakes on the Obama administration’s
growing crackdown against companies facing claims of discrimination against
women, minorities and other protected groups. — AP
Volvo to sell Chinese
made cars in America
BEIJING: Volvo Car Group plans to export
a Chinese-made midsize sedan this year
to the United States, and is starting to
weigh the possibility of building a vehicle
factory in the United States, people familiar with the Chinese-owned automaker’s
plans said.
Both moves would be significant for
the auto industry and Volvo’s parent,
Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co. So far,
global automakers have chosen not to
ship vehicles made in China to the U.S.
market in any significant numbers, and
efforts by Chinese automakers to export
vehicles to the United States have
foundered.
Volvo is also behind rivals BMW and
Mercedes in establishing production in
the United States, which insulates the
German brands from currency fluctuations.
Volvo might also export a large “strategic, flagship” sedan based on a newly
developed underpinning technology,
said the executives, who work for
Zhejiang Geely. That car would be
shipped out of China in addition to the
Volvo S60L, a long wheelbase version of
the S60 sedan Volvo began producing in
the southwestern China city of Chengdu
more than a year ago.
The moves are aimed at reviving
Volvo’s momentum in the US market
where volume last year fell 8 percent
from 2013 to 56,371 vehicles. The U.S.
market, which has long been Volvo’s
largest market, was replaced by China last
year. China bought 81,221 Volvos in 2014,
up 33 percent.
More broadly, the moves are part of
Geely’s turnaround strategy for Volvo
which has struggled to go beyond being
a brand with an annual volume of less
than a half-million vehicles. Thanks to its
focus on China where the brand expanded its distribution network and product
portfolio, Volvo sales volume is on the
rise. It sold a total of 465,866 vehicles
globally last year, up 9 percent from 2013.
Long-standing goal
“The S60L offers class-leading rear
space, something that has been consistently demanded by US customers. It will
be made at Volvo’s plant in Chengdu,
China, and will be on show for the first
time at this year’s North American
International Auto Show in Detroit,” said
David Ibison, a Gothenburg, Swedenbased Volvo spokesman. “The S60L forms
just one part of our US revival plan.”
Ibison said Volvo plans to launch seven new products by 2018 and increase US
sales to around 100,000 cars a year in the
medium term. He declined to elaborate.
Exporting Chinese-produced mainstream passenger cars to the United
States and other advanced auto markets
has been a long-standing goal of China’s
indigenous automakers - an objective
that has largely eluded the industry.
“It would be a big breakthrough” not
just for Geely but for China’s industry, said
James Chao, Asia-Pacific director of consulting and research firm IHS Automotive.
“Volvo is not an indigenous Chinese
brand but it is wholly Chinese-owned.
Perhaps this is the model or strategy that
finally works for Chinese companies trying to enter the US market and other
markets.”
Chao added Volvo’s owner, Geely,
could follow Volvo into the US market
with its own products, perhaps leveraging Volvo’s manufacturing and parts supply chains.
Geely’s purchase of Volvo from Ford
Motor Co five years ago surprised many
in the auto industry, who doubted that a
relative newcomer could turn around the
nearly 90-year-old Swedish business
while protecting its famous brand.
The S60L was developed originally as a
China-specific model to cater to wealthy
Chinese consumers who prefer cars with
bigger, comfortable rear seats because
many of these owners have chauffeurs.
Volvo expects to ship roughly 1,500
made-in-China S60L cars to the United
States this year, compared with the car’s
projected volume in China this year of
26,000.
The additional car Volvo plans to
export to the United States, those executives said, is a flagship large sedan that
might be called the S90 which uses
Volvo’s new vehicle underpinning technology called “scalable platform architecture” or SPA. The S90 will be a second
vehicle based on that new architecture,
following the redesigned XC90 sport utility vehicle based on the same technology.
Volvo announced in late 2013 that it
would produce “a large premium sedan”
based on SPA at a new plant in the northeastern Chinese city of Daqing. At
Daqing, Volvo began producing in
September last year the XC Classic, the
previous generation of the redesigned
XC90. — Reuters
Habano Cigar Festival
to held from Feb 23-27
HAVANA: The International Habano Cigar
Festival will be held February 23 to 27 at
Havana’s Conventions Palace with the usual
attendance of business people, cigar distributors, specialists who will dedicate the
event to the Cuban traditionally famous
brand Romeo y Julieta.
Participants will taste exclusive shapes
to be launched into the market this year
and they will also visit tobacco leaf plantations in the renowned Cuban province of
Pinar del Rio, cradle of the best tobacco
leaves to hand-roll Cuban cigars.
Habano Cigar company vice-president
Javier Terres said that the new brands
launched into the international market will
favor sale increase and the consolidation of
the international prestige of Cuban cigars.
Despite the international financial crisis
and the anti-smoking campaign, Cuban
cigars continue to enjoy the preference of
smokers at the markets.
Habanos Company markets the Cuban
product in over 150 countries, including
famous brands such as Cohiba, Romeo y
Julieta, Montecristo, Partagas, San Cristobal
de La Habana, and Trinidad and Bolivar,
among others.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 12, 2015
BUSINESS
Eurozone slips into deflation, Euro currency continues to drop
Weekly Money Market Report
KUWAIT: In Summary, the Inflation rate
across the Eurozone fell to an annual rate
of negative 0.2% in December, according
to the first estimate from the European
Unions’ statistics agency. The CPI figure
came below market expectation of a
0.1% drop and it was the first time the
inflation rate has turned to negative
since October 2009. In 2009, the
European economy was struggling to
recover from the recession that followed
the collapse of Lehman Brothers, but this
time the decline was due to weak
growth rates alongside a drop in energy
prices. Currently markets are expecting
the European Central Bank would
announce a QE program at their next
meeting on January 22.
The Euro extended its losses last
week, reaching a nine-year low of 1.1761
against the US Dollar. A fall in German
industrial orders and a drop in the
Eurozone consumer inflation expectations, alongside concerns that a Greek
general election on Jan 25 would lead to
a standoff between Germany and Athens
over the austerity imposed on Greece. All
these factors reinforced bearish views on
the single currency.
The dollar Index rose last week to its
highest level in more than 9-1/2 years
against a basket of currencies, helped by
the Federal Reserve officials’ mostly
upbeat comments on the outlook for the
US economy, alongside the prospect of
raising interest rates, although the timing
remains unclear. Minutes of the
December meeting offered no new clues,
although most expect the US Federal
Reserve to act around mid-year. The
Dollar Index closed at 91.935
The Sterling Pound continued to drop
last week, reaching an 18-month low of
1.5032 against the US Dollar. The decline
in sterling is due partly to the continued
deterioration of the background in
Europe as well from the potential negative side effects of Russia’s economic and
financial market pressures. There was no
surprise in the BOE last week decision to
leave policy unchanged. Markets have
measurably pushed back the expected
timing of the first Bank of England’s rate
hike until early 2016.
US ISM Non-Manufacturing
Index Improve
US Service industries improved in
December at its slowest pace in June
2014, indicating that the US economy is
cooling down. The Institute for Supply
Management’s Non-Manufacturing Index
dropped to 56.2 from a November reading of 59.3 that was the second strongest
since 2005.The Arizona-based group’s
report showed that the average for all of
2014 was the highest in nine years.
0.2% rise expected. The wage data
would suggest that the Federal Open
Market Committee would not feel bound
to start tightening early this year despite
solid job growth and declining unemployment levels.
European Economy
German Prelim CPI m/m Drops
German inflation decelerated the
most in over five years in December, putting pressure on European Central Bank
United Kingdom Economy
UK Construction PMI Grew Slightly
United Kingdom construction sector
grew last month at its slowest rate since
July 2013. Markit Construction
Purchasing Managers Index dropped to
57.6 in December from 59.4 in
November, still above its long-run average but missing economist forecast of
59.0. House building remained healthy,
with residential construction enjoying its
strongest year since at least 1997. A sen-
US Trade Balance Narrows
The US trade deficit dropped to an
11-month low in November as declining
oil prices limited the import bill. The
Commerce Department said last week
that the trade gap narrowed 7.7 % to 39
Billion US Dollars, the smallest since
December 2013. October’s shortfall on
the trade balance was revised down to
42.2 Billion Dollars from a previously
reported 43.4 Billion Dollars. Economists
had forecast the trade deficit falling to
42.0 Billion.
Minutes of the Federal
Open Market Committee
At its December FOMC policy-setting
meeting last week, the Federal Reserve
took a close look at the plunging world
oil prices and the deflationary situation
across Europe and decided that those
negative trends would not undo that
underlying US strength. However, the
minutes did not offer any clues when the
Fed would start raising the interest rates.
US Non-Farm Payrolls Improve
US Nonfarm Payrolls improved by a
solid 252,000 in December slightly better
than market expectation and accompanied by a 50 thousand upward revision
for the past two months. The jobless rate
dropped to 5.6 % putting the total job
creation in 2014 at nearly three million
jobs with a monthly average increase of
246K.The hourly earnings dropped by
0.2% Month on Month contrary to the
ter, down from 0.7 % in the previous three
months. Bank of England officials will
probably keep this week, the benchmark
interest rate unchanged at 0.5%.
UK Official Bank Rates Unchanged
The Bank of England kept interest
rates at a record low, as the country’s
economy continues to hold up relatively
well compared to its Eurozone partners.
The central bank held its benchmark
base rate at 0.5 %, and maintained its
asset purchase target at 375 billion
pounds. The bank has been unenthusiastic to increase rates while wage growth
in the UK remained under pressure, but
data released in December showed that
wages grew in the three months to
October. While the UK economy looks
relatively strong, the outlook for its
European counterparts is not so healthylooking.
Asian Economy
Chinas CPI Unchanged
China’s annual consumer inflation
drifted near its five and a half year low of
1.5 % in December, little changed from
November’s levels, indicating consistent
weakness in the Chinese economy, but
giving officials more room to ease policy
and support growth.
President Mario Draghi to introduce
unconventional measures later this
month to ward off a deflationary spiral in
the Eurozone.
Europe’s Unemployment
Rates Unchanged
The Eurozone seasonally adjusted
unemployment rate came at 11.5% in
November 2014, stable compared with
October 2014, but down from 11.9% in
November 2013. Among the Member
States, the lowest unemployment rates
in November 2014 were recorded in,
Austria 4.9% and Germany 5.0%, and the
highest in Greece 25.7% and Spain
23.9%.
ior economist at Markit said, “While new
business growth moderated to its lowest
for a year-and-a-half in December, UK
construction firms are still highly upbeat
about their prospects for output growth
in 2015.”
UK Service PMI Slowdown
United Kingdom service sector slowed
in December, adding to signs that the
economy is losing momentum. Markit
Economics said its Purchasing Managers’
Index dropped to 55.8 from 58.6 in
November, marking the lowest level since
May 2013.Markit economist said, the
report, along with its manufacturing and
construction surveys, indicates Britain’s
economy grew 0.5 % in the fourth quar-
Chinas HSBC Service PMI
China’s services sector improved at
its fastest pace in three months in
December as new orders remained
strong .The HSBC Markit Ser vices
Purchasing Managers’ Index picked up to
53.4 last month from November’s 53.0,
an encouraging sign of strength even as
manufacturing activity slows and the
property market softens. The chief economist at HSBC said, “We continue to
believe that there is insufficient demand
in the overall economy and more easing
measures are warranted in the coming
months.”
Kuwait
Kuwaiti Dinar at 0.29385
The USDKWD opened at 0.29385
Sunday morning.
Safe-haven assets back
under the spotlight
KCIC Weekly Analysis on Asia
KUWAIT: The majority of asset classes performed positively in the first three quarters
of last year, in line with the trend set after
the 2008 crisis. Most stock markets generated positive returns. The Gulf region led
the global performance; Dubai stocks rose
more than 50%. American, European and
emerging Asian stocks also did well.
Simultaneously, demand for safer assets
increased. The yields of the sovereign
bonds of the safest economies, such as the
10-year US and German bonds, fell by more
than 15% and 50% respectively - bond
yields fall when demand, and hence prices,
increases. The US dollar index, which compares the US dollar against a basket of
major currencies, also rose by more than
7% during that period. Traditionally, both
types of assets follow inverse trends. The
main reason for the rise in both safe and
risky asset prices lies in the large liquidity
injections carried out by the US Federal
Reserve (Fed), the Bank of Japan (BOJ), the
Bank of England, and to a lesser extent the
European Central Bank (ECB).
However, something has changed in the
markets in the last three months of the
year. Safe assets continued to gain in the
last three months. The benchmark US and
German government bonds rose in that
period as much as in the whole of the first
three quarters of 2014. The same happened
to the US dollar index. On the other hand,
riskier investments underperformed. The
Spanish and Italian stock markets fell by
more than 10% each, while German and
emerging Asian returns were also negative.
US stock market gains were minimal. The
Gulf region witnessed the worst declines,
with Dubai falling more than 30%.
Reasons are varied. In the particular case
of the GCC, the collapse of oil prices constitutes the key factor affecting markets. The
oil supply glut, which has cut crude oil
prices by roughly half their mid-2014 peak
levels to more than a five-year low, is hurting energy firms in the world and GCC
countries as a whole. Since 2008, economic
fundamentals have not been supportive of
the high asset prices, but investor sentiment has weakened in the last few months.
Furthermore, geopolitical tensions in
Ukraine and the Middle East, ˝the imminent
recession in Russia, deflation in the euro
zone and the looming interest rate hike in
the US and UK keep saddling the market’s
mood. The latest addition to the list of
potentially destabilizing events includes
the upcoming snap elections in Greece,
which considerably heighten Greece’s - and
the bloc’s - sovereign risks. Consequently,
investors have been looking for protection
in these safe-haven assets.
Given the deterioration of market conditions, it is uncertain whether demand for
riskier assets will recover in the short run.
Rising demand for low-risk assets seems a
likelier development. US and German sovereign bonds are clear candidates. In the
case of the US, demand for government
bonds may be entering its final year of positive performance as the Fed prepares for
an eventual interest rate hike. The German
Bund however is more likely to attract
investors, despite already yielding below
0.5% compared to around 2% for the US
government bond. The deflationary trend
in the Eurozone is unlikely to change in the
near term, especially given this year’s oil
market outlook, boosting the likelihood of
the ECB to undergo bond purchases. Other
safe-haven assets include the Japanese yen
and the Swiss franc. However, the BOJ’s
ultra-loose policies, which are depreciating
the yen, and the Swiss National Bank’s currency interventions will probably prevent a
rally in those assets. Gold could also attract
investors’ attention. Gold has been underperforming for more than two years, but
low prices and the lack of clear alternatives
are drawing attention. Last week, gold
enjoyed the longest run of gains since
October. However, the US dollar appreciation will continue to discourage foreign
currency holders and global disinflation
will corrode the asset’s function of hedging
against inflation. Holding assets in US dollars - or pegged currencies - could be an
adequate protection for investors. This
year’s bear market may persist, and finding
the right safe-haven asset can be the key
investment decision of the year.
GANDHINAGAR: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, center, speaks with US Secretary of State John Kerry, second from left, at the Vibrant
Gujarat summit in Gandhinagar, India, yesterday. Kerry is in India to attend an international investment conference and push trade ties with the
giant South Asian nation ahead of visit by President Barack Obama later this month. — AP
Modi promises ‘unlimited’
reforms to India economy
‘We want to do this in a cleaner and greener way’
GANDHINAGAR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi
promised “truly unlimited” reforms yesterday in his
bid to transform India’s economy into a global powerhouse as he showcased his long-time fiefdom to
global political and business leaders.
Speaking at a major investment summit in the
western state of Gujarat attended by US Secretary
of State John Kerry, UN chief Ban Ki-moon and
World Bank supremo Jim Yong Kim, Modi pledged
to slash red tape and banish India’s reputation as a
hard place to do business. Modi was Gujarat chief
minister for 13 years before leading his Bharatiya
Janata Party (BJP) to national power last May, and
much of his electoral appeal centred around his
economic stewardship of the coastal state.
The presence of Kerry and Kim at the summit is
seen as a vote of confidence in Modi’s efforts to
replicate his local success and kickstart growth in
Asia’s third-largest economy.
Kim predicted that Modi’s government was on
the verge of lifting millions of Indians out of poverty, while Kerry said the world’s two largest democracies could make huge strides together.
Modi said his right-wing BJP government had
already introduced a slew of initiatives since ending
a decade of rule by the left-leaning Congress.
“In a very short span of seven months, we have
been able to change the atmosphere of despair and
uncertainty,” he told the crowd of thousands of
business leaders and foreign government ministers.
“Since day one, my government is actively working to revive the economy. My government is committed to create a policy environment that is predictable, transparent and fair.”
But Modi said he was planning even greater,
unspecified reforms to make it easier to do business
in India and revive the flagging economy, which is
struggling through the worst slowdown in decades.
‘Quantum leap’
“We are planning to take a quantum leap. It is
not limited to one sector or region, it is truly unlimited,” he said. “We want to do this is a cleaner and
greener way.” Under the previous Congress government, investors frequently complained about a hostile business climate in India, frustrated by bureaucracy and corruption.
In contrast, Gujarat won a reputation as India’s
most investor-friendly state during the era of ‘Modinomics’-even if critics say he tilted the playing field
in favour of big business through tax breaks and
subsidies. Kerry told the gathering the United
States has looking forward to stronger trade and
diplomatic ties between the world’s two largest
democracies, with American companies primed for
more investment.
“I can’t think of a moment in all my years in public life when our destinies are converging as significantly as they are today,” said Kerry, who is due to
visit a Ford auto plant in Gujarat during his trip.
“This is a relationship where we believe we can
turn sustainable growth into opportunities we have
not seen before,” he told the crowd.
Kerry’s visit to India, his second in six months,
comes a fortnight before US President Barack
Obama is due in New Delhi as Washington seeks to
warm up sometimes frosty ties.
It is only a year since Washington ended a de
facto boycott of Modi, who was blacklisted following deadly communal riots in Gujarat in 2002.
Modi received a rapturous reception from members of the diaspora on a visit to the US last autumn
and a number of Indian-origin bosses, including
MasterCard’s Ajaypal Singh Banga, are attending
the Gujarat summit.
Indian ‘bright spot’
At the opening session, World Bank president
Kim hailed Modi as a “visionary leader” and forecast
India’s growth would hit 6.4 percent this year and
even faster next. “We project that India will a bright
spot in an otherwise mediocre global economic
outlook,” Kim told the summit.
He said Modi’s government must press on with
reforms, including by slashing bureaucratic redtape and simplifying taxation by introducing a
national goods and services tax.
As well as simplifying labour rules, Modi has
made manufacturing a priority of his leadership,
echoing his time in Gujarat.—AFP
BUSINESS
Infiniti raises the bar with Middle East launch of QX80SUV
DUBAI: Infiniti, the fastest growing premium automotive brand in the region,
has launched the latest enhanced version of their flagship full size SUV, the
new 2015 QX80 across the region.
For the coming model year, the
Infiniti QX80 full-size luxury SUV offers a
fresh new exterior design, a more crafted interior, additional standard features
and technology and will come in two
Grade levels - QX80 Excellence Grade
and QX80 Luxury Grade, both with the
option of seven or eight seats.
Juergen Schmitz, Managing Director,
Infiniti Middle East, said:”We are very
pleased to launch our new 2015 QX80
full size SUV across the Middle East. The
new model further enhances the First
Class, Every Day character familiar to
current QX80 owners and takes it to
even greater heights. We have introduced significant changes to the QX80,
that give it a more muscular and poised
stance from the outside, while a host of
new features inside deliver supreme
comfort for up to eight passengers
alongside the latest safety technologies,
which include Predictive For ward
Collision Warning (PFCW) and Forward
Emergency Braking.”
The extensive exterior design refinements focus on the QX80’s frontend
appearance, with new upper grille shape
and added lower grille. The revised front
fascia also features new LED high/low
beam headlights, LED turn signals, LED
fog lights and a new bumper with flushmounted sonar sensors.
In the rear of the QX80 a larger, standard bumper protector helps reduce
potential damage when loading or
unloading recreational gear or bulky cargo. There are also three new exterior colors among the seven total color choices:
Al Tijari Announces winners of
daily draw for the Najma account
KUWAIT: Commercial Bank of Kuwait
held the Al Najma Account Daily draw
yesterday.
The draw was held under the supervision of the Ministry of Commerce &
Industry represented by Saguer Al
Manaie.
The winners of the Najma Daily Draw
are :Hassan Radhi AbdulKareem KD 7000
Sulaiman Saleh Al Therban KD 7000
Mohammed Alamgir Mohammed
KD 7000
Jumanah Yousef Abbass KD 7000
Rajaa Hmoud Al Mutairi KD 7000
or 2 months prior to the mega draw. In
addition, for each KD 25 a customer can
get one chance for winning instead of KD
50.
Commercial Bank of Kuwait takes this
opportunity to congratulate all lucky
winners and also extends appreciation to
the Ministry of Commerce and Industry
for their effective supervision of the
draws which were conducted in an
orderly and organized manner.
The Commercial Bank of Kuwait
announces the biggest daily draw in
Kuwait with the launch of the new Najma
account. Customers of the bank can now
enjoy a KD 7,000 daily prize which is the
highest in the country and another 4
mega prizes during the year worth KD
100,000 each on different occasions: The
National Day, Eid Al Fitr, Eid Al Adha and
on the 19th of June which is the date of
the bank’s establishment.
With a minimum balance of KD 500,
customers will be eligible for the daily
draw provided that the money is in the
account one week prior to the daily draw
Hermosa Blue, Graphite Shadow and
Majestic White. A new wheel design is
also introduced -14-spoke 22-inch
forged aluminum-alloy wheels.
The 2015 QX80’s interior refinements
and revised grade level content reflect
input from current owners, who have
requested greater visual differentiation
between color/wood trim offerings and
more choices in the optional technology
groupings. Two interior color atmospheres are available - Wheat or Graphite
leather-appointed seating - along with
two interior finisher colors. The previous
Tuscan Burl trim has been replaced with
a Mocha Burl with a heavier, richer and
more reddish wood grain on the
Excellence Grade, while a new Stratford
Burl is available on the Luxury Grade.
Several new technologies have been
added for 2015, starting with the
advanced High Beam Assist and
Predictive Forward Collision Warning
(PFCW) systems. The High Beam Assist
headlight function, which is standard on
all models, utilizes a forward camera to
read oncoming or upcoming traffic and
automatically dips the high beams to
the low beam setting. The high beam
setting is restored when the traffic is
clear.
The Predictive Forward Collision
Warning (PFCW) system, which comes as
standard on the Luxury Grade, warns the
driver of risks that lie beyond the driver’s
forward field of vision. It not only can
sense the relative velocity and distance
of a vehicle directly ahead, but also of a
vehicle travelling in front of the preceding one. Also added are standard 3-Blink
one-touch turn signals.
An extensive suite of advance safety
systems is standard with the QX80
Luxury Grade including Front
Emergency Braking and Front Collision
Warning System, alongside available features such as Blind Spot Warning, Blind
Spot Inter vention, Lane Departure
Warning (LDW ) and Lane Departure
Prevention (LDP).
As in previous years, all 2015 Infiniti
QX80s include a high-stiffness frame
structure that enhances ride comfort
while reducing noise, vibration and
harshness. The proven 5.6-liter V8
engine combines the responsive acceleration of Infiniti’s VVEL (Variable Valve
Event & Lift) technology with the efficiency of Direct Injection Gasoline (DIG)
to produce 400 horsepower and 560Nm
of torque. A smooth 7- speed automatic
transmission is standard on all models.
The 2015 QX80 is offered in two
Grade levels: QX80 Excellence Grade and
QX80 Luxury Grade, with 7 seat and 8
seat options available in both.
Bayt.com announces complete
revamp of its mobile app
Making job searching easy, social and well-informed experience!
DUBAI: Bayt.com, the Middle East’s number one
job site, has released a completely revamped
version of its popular mobile app, with new features, new design, and new capabilities! The
exciting relaunch makes the job seeking experience truly mobile, as users can now get notifications on suitable jobs, get access to market information, recommend jobs to friends, and much
more.
Omar Tahboub, VP of Product, Bayt.com, said:
“We want to provide our members with technology for the future, to make their job search easier and enhance their overall experience. With
our new mobile app, users can apply for jobs
instantly with a touch of a finger, while incorporating a social element that now allows them to
recommend jobs to their friends, get network
updates, market insights and much more
through the app’s Newsfeed feature. This integrated, mobile approach to job seeking is where
the future of job searching lies.”
Among other features, the new app offers:
BuildCV and apply to jobs on the go. Users
can apply for jobs directly on their smartphone,
anywhere, at any time, and instantly with just
the touch of a finger. They can register for a
Bayt.com account directly from the app or using
their Facebook or Google account - no need to
go back to the main site to do that anymore!
Users can also directly build their CVs with the
app without having to visit the site again.
Connect to peers. Bayt.com knows the power
of being social, and has infused a social element
into its new app. Users can now use the app to
recommend jobs to their friends. They can get
recommended for a job; connect to the app
using their Facebook account to find out where
their friends are working and harness the power
of referrals; and get updated on recommended
jobs, news from their network, market insights
and much more through the ground-breaking
Newsfeed feature - all essential to stay on top of
their job searching process.
Increase profile’s visibility. Through a powerful notification centre, users are now notified
about which employers,from which countries,
viewed their CV, and what keywords were used
by employers to find their CV. They can also see
who viewed their public profile and from which
countries and industries. This is powerful information that can help them tailor their CV, public
profile and job applications based on the needs
of employers who search for them and are interested in hiring them.
Get insights and market information. Users
now have top-class market information at their
disposable, whenever they need it. They can discover the three fastest growing job roles by
country, as well as the average salary paid for a
specific job title by country, through the
Bayt.com
Salary Search feature
Founded in 2000, and at the forefront of the
online recruitment industry, Bayt.com boasts
over 18,250,000 job seekers and more than
40,000 employers. By embracing the future of
recruitment, which is in large part mobile,
Bayt.com has become the daily career partner of
professionals in the region and around the
world. The free-to-download Bayt.com mobile
applications not only offer professionals realtime connectivity to career opportunities in the
job market, but also help job seekers access their
Bayt.com CV statistics, analytics and social feeds.
Smartphone users can download the
revamped Bayt.com app for free from the
Android App Store, or iPhone App Store.
KUCM’s agreement contract
with KNPC extended to mid-2016
KUWAIT: Kuwait United Construction
Management - announced the extension of
the company’s contract agreement with
Kuwait National Petroleum Company
(KNPC) for the Main Support Emergency
and Operation Center Project at Ahmadi. As
per the agreement, the contract now
extends to mid-2016.
The extension agreement was marked
with a dinner celebration held at Flavors
Restaurant in Safir Hotel & Residence in
Fintas. Attending the event was Chairman
of United Real Estate Company, Mr. Tariq
AbdulSalam, KUCM’s CEO, Eng. Gamal
Alnomiry and KNPC representatives.
KUCM is the Project Management Arm
of KIPCO - Kuwait Projects Company
(Holding) - and is a subsidiary of United
Real Estate Company.
Commenting on this occasion, Mr. Tariq
AbdulSalam said: “We are delighted to be
extending our contract with KNPC for the
Main Support Emergency and Operation
Center Project. The contract extension is a
testament to the high standards that KUCM
has maintained in existing projects, and is a
strong indicator of the successful partnership that we have forged with KNPC.”
2015 GMC Terrain: A compact crossover
perfectly-suited to luxury-minded driver
DUBAI: Today, the 2015 GMC Terrain remains a
fan-favorite, introducing drivers to the brand’s
renowned commands respect philosophy in a
well-appointed vehicle. The vehicle brings an
exceptional level of style, power and refinement
to the compact crossover segment.
Unique exterior and interior appointments,
exclusive wheels and design cues set it starkly
apart from competitors. A chrome grille, bodycolor fascias and rocker moldings, satin-chrome
accents, specific headlamp and taillamp designs,
and dual chrome-finish exhaust outlets emit a
look of superior finishes. Denali-specific 19-inch
wheels complete its sculpted appearance.
Interior highlights for the Terrain Denali offer
a sophisticated feel with soft-touch Jet Black
leather lining the seats and door inserts. Denaliexclusive touches such as contrast stitching,
along with a soft-touch instrument panel and
leather-wrapped steering wheel with smoked
mahogany wood accents, contribute to a luxurious interior.
Dual-flow dampers are exclusive to the
Terrain Denali’s suspension system and provide a
smoother ride and improved handling by controlling suspension dampening across a broader
range of driving conditions.
Exceptional safety features on the Terrain
Denali include the standard forward collision
alert and lane departure warning systems, which
uses a single-camera crash-avoidance system to
visually and audibly warn drivers when a colli-
sion is imminent or the vehicle crosses a lane
marker. The side blind zone alert and rear cross
traffic alert, also standard, use radar technology
to watch spots the driver may not be able to see
and provide visible and audible warnings to help
avoid collisions.
With the touch of a button, Terrain Denali
drivers can access several convenience features,
such as a programmable power liftgate, which
allows access to the vehicle’s 1,810 liters of cargo
space behind the first row, while a memory function stops the liftgate at a chosen height to help
shorter drivers or accommodate low garage
heights. Other technology available on Terrain
Denali includes color touch navigation and a
rear-seat entertainment system.
technology
Good time to focus on mobile solutions to MEA’s healthcare
DUBAI: ICT investments will boost in
the four core healthcare markets of
Middle East and Africa. According to the
newly released data by International
Data Corporation (IDC), spending on IT
services and products among healthcare providers in Saudi Arabia, South
Africa, Turkey, and the UAE will grow by
70% over the next five years, expanding
at 11.2% CAGR over the five-year period
from 2013 to 2018. Spending priorities
will be strongly driven by healthcare
policy mandates and efficiency
improvement needs. In the context of a
pronounced shortage of IT expertise
among healthcare organizations, IDC
Health Insights expects the demand for
IT services to continue to rise in all four
markets. In fact, IT services will be the
fastest growing segment of the healthcare providers’ market, with particularly
intense growth projected in Saudi
Arabia and the UAE.
Additional highlights from the data
about the four countries include:
• Healthcare is the second-fastest-
growing sector after government in
terms of IT spending.
• Saudi Arabia is the fastest-growing
healthcare IT market in the MEA region,
forecast to expand by around 13.4%
annually, followed by United Arab
Emirates.
• Spending on mobile devices and
networking equipment will contribute
significantly to overall hardware spending growth in all four markets.
• In the software segment, system
infrastructure software still accounts for
the largest share of total external IT
spending. Clinical information systems
make up the smallest share but will
post the fastest growth at 13.5% annually.
“All of the four markets are set to
grow at an impressive rate” says Nino
Giguashvili, senior research analyst for
IDC Health Insights.”While these markets present exceptional opportunities
to healthcare IT suppliers across the
whole ecosystem, it is the right time to
focus on mobile solutions to healthcare
providers’ organizational needs, and
MEA’s healthcare challenges overall”.
IDC ’s M iddle East and Africa
Healthcare Provider 2013 IT Spending
and 2014-2018 Forecast provides IT
spending data and forecasts for 15
technologies and five countries (Saudi
Arabia, South Africa, Turkey and the
United Arab Emirates). It is designed to
help IT suppliers identify short- and
long-term opportunities and for health
providers to assess the state of the
market.
GM plans affordable
200-mile electric car
DETROIT: General Motors plans to start
selling an affordable electric car in 2017
that will be able to go 200 miles on a single charge.
A person briefed on the matter told
The Associated Press that GM plans to
start selling a $30,000 battery powered
family car called the Chevrolet Bolt
sometime in 2017.
A concept version of the car will be
unveiled Monday at the North American
International Auto Show in Detroit,
according to the person, who asked not
to be identified because the official
announcement hasn’t been made.
The Bolt has been in the works for
years and is designed to compete with
electric offerings from Tesla Motors Inc.
and Nissan Motor Co.
The Palo Alto, California-based Tesla
has plans for a $35,000 electric car called
the Model 3, which also is expected to go
200 miles per charge. Nissan sells the
electric Leaf, which starts at about
$30,000 and can go up to 100 miles per
charge.
GM has been selling the Chevrolet
Volt plug-in electric car since late 2010,
but it goes only 38 miles on electric power before a gas generator kicks in. An
updated version of the Volt with greater
all-electric range also will be unveiled at
the auto show. GM conceived the
$35,000 Volt as a mass-market car that
could handle most trips on electric power, but had the generator to end worries
that people would run out of juice. A
concept version of the first-generation
Volt was unveiled eight years ago at a
time when GM didn’t know for certain
that the battery system would work.
The company also offers the all-electric Chevy Spark subcompact that can go
82 miles on a charge. It starts at $26,685.
Electric cars are eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit.
Doug Parks, GM’s vice president of
global product development, said in
2013 that GM was working on a 200-mile
electric car for around $35,000, confirming that the company was in a race with
other automakers to hit that mileage
range at a moderate price.
GM has invested millions in developing
electric cars starting with the EV1 in the
1990s. It doubled the size of its battery testing lab at a technical center in suburban
Warren, Michigan, to 100,000 square feet in
2013, allowing it to test batteries and controls faster. It took about four years for GM
to develop the Volt and bring it to market.
The new Volt, due out later this year, will
hit showrooms at an uncertain time for
electric vehicles with gas prices at $2.15 a
gallon nationwide, down more than $1 per
gallon from a year ago. The 200-mile electric car was first reported late Friday by the
Wall Street Journal. — AP
CAPE CANAVERAL: The Falcon 9 SpaceX rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station — AP
SpaceX launches for NASA
but ends up in pieces
LAS VEGAS: A man holds up the Invoxia Triby at CES Unveiled, a media preview event
for CES International. The device can make phone calls, receive digital messages and
play music. — AP
Remembered: CES founder
‘Analog Jack’ Wayman
LAS VEGAS: The man who started the
Consumer Electronics Show in 1967 was
known affectionately as “Analog Jack” by
family and friends.
Jack Wayman died in August at the age
of 92. He loved a good gimmick (a phone
on his bedside featured a statuette of
Marilyn Monroe whose skirt would waft up
when it rang) but wasn’t the most techsavvy by modern calculations, laughed son
Jack Wayman Jr. as he waited in the audience before the event’s opening keynote
speech this week.
When the elder Wayman decided he
needed an email address, he called Jack Jr.
to set it up, then later phoned to ask if he
had gotten any email yet.
It didn’t stop him from enjoying the latest and greatest gadgets, though. He liked
small ultrahigh-definition televisions. He
wasn’t crazy about 3D. He would have been
surprised to see as many car companies as
there were at the show this year, 10 total,
Wayman Jr. said.
The International CES in Las Vegas is
now the largest trade show in the
Americas, with more than 2 million square
feet of exhibit space - the size of about 35
football fields. CES takes over the Las Vegas
Convention Center, the Sands Expo and
several nearby hotels. More than 160,000
people attended in 2014. The show opened
to the public on Tuesday and closes Friday.
Hundreds of tech companies use the
gadget show as a platform to unveil new
products. Hot trends this year included
Internet connectivity in everyday products
such as cars and appliances and the growth
of online video as an alternative to traditional television broadcasts.—AP
CAPE CANAVERAL: The private SpaceX company sent a supply ship soaring flawlessly
toward the International Space Station on
Saturday, but the booster rocket ended up in
pieces in the Atlantic following a failed
attempt to land on a barge.
“Close, but no cigar this time,” the company’s billionaire founder, Elon Musk,
announced via Twitter shortly after the
unprecedented touchdown effort.
Despite the high-profile flop in the dark
ocean, Musk said he was encouraged. The 14story booster managed, at least, to fly back to
the floating platform from an altitude dozens
of miles high.
“Rocket made it to drone spaceport ship,
but landed hard,” he said in a tweet. “Bodes
well for the future too.” He’s already planning
another landing test next month.
Musk, who also runs electric car maker
Tesla Motors, maintains that recovering and
reusing rockets is essential for bringing down
launch costs and speeding up operations.
Until Saturday, no one had ever tried anything like this before. The modified barge nearly the size of a football field - was positioned a couple of hundred miles off Florida’s
northeastern coast. The uncrewed platform
was spared serious damage from the impact,
although some equipment on deck will need
to be replaced, according to Musk. A recovery
ship with SpaceX staff was a safe 10 miles (16
kilometers) away.
SpaceX’s primary mission was delivering
more than 5,000 pounds (2,268 kilograms) of
station supplies ordered up by NASA, including hasty replacements for experiments and
equipment lost in the destruction of another
company’s cargo ship last fall, as well as extra
groceries. Belated Christmas presents were
also on board for the six station astronauts.
“Hurrah! A #Dragon is coming to visit
bringing gifts,” Italian astronaut Samantha
Cristoforetti said in a tweet from orbit.
Without interfering with the $133 million
delivery, Musk had fins for guidance and landing legs installed on the first stage of the
unmanned Falcon rocket.
Once separated from the upper stage of
the rocket, the main booster reignited as
planned for the flyback. Automatic engine firings maneuvered the booster down toward
the autonomous, modified barge. The Air
Force maintained the ability, as always, to
destroy the booster if it strayed off course.
There was no good video of the
“landing/impact,” Musk said, noting the “pitch
dark and foggy” conditions. Brief TV images
from booster cameras, broadcast by NASA,
showed only water bubbles.
“Will piece it together from telemetry and
... actual pieces,” said Musk, one of the cofounders of PayPal. Later in the day, Musk said
the fins on the rocket ran out of hydraulic fluid
right before touchdown. Regardless, he
praised his team “for making huge strides
towards reusability on this mission.”
“Upcoming flight already has 50% more
hydraulic fluid, so should have plenty of margin for landing attempt next month,” he said.
In the weeks preceding the test, Musk had
estimated there was a 50-50 chance, at best,
that the Falcon’s first-stage booster would
land vertically on the platform. A pair of
attempts last year to bring boosters down vertically on the open ocean went well, but company officials conceded before Saturday’s try
that a platform touchdown was considerably
more challenging.
The platform measures 300 feet (90 meters)
by 100 feet (30 meters), with wings stretching
the width to 170 feet (51 meters) - a relatively
puny spaceport in the vastness of the sea.
NASA watched the post-launch drama
with keen interest, but its primary focus was
on the Dragon racing toward the space station. The capsule is due to arrive there
Monday.
The shipment - the sixth by SpaceX since
2012 - is especially crucial given the recent
loss of another company’s supply ship.
Orbital Sciences Corp.’s Antares rocket
exploded seconds after liftoff in October,
destroying the entire payload and damaging
the Virginia launch complex. That rocket is
grounded until 2016. Orbital Sciences plans to
shift some of the backlog to an Atlas rocket
later this year.
This SpaceX delivery was supposed to
occur before Christmas, but was delayed by a
flawed test-firing of the rocket. Then a problem with the rocket’s steering system cropped
up at the last minute during Tuesday’s initial
launch attempt. — AP
China bans private drivers
on ride-hailing apps
BEIJING: The Uber app is displayed on a phone posed for photos near a woman peering into a car outside a office building in Beijing. China has banned drivers of private
cars from offering services through ride-hailing apps, throwing up a new hurdle to
Uber Technologies Ltd.’s global expansion. — AP
BEIJING: China has banned drivers of private
cars from offering services through ride-hailing apps, throwing up a new hurdle to Uber
Technologies Ltd.’s global expansion.
Only licensed taxis may use ride-hailing
apps, the Ministry of Transport announced
Friday. Such apps are hugely popular in
China, and the ministry said it needed to protect users.
The ruling could be a setback for Uber,
which faces legal challenges in South Korea,
India, Europe, California and other markets
for using drivers who lack taxi licenses.
“While we encourage innovation, we prohibit private cars from using platforms to
participate in the ‘hired car’ business,” said a
ministry announcement. It said companies
that operate ride-hailing apps will be
required to make sure no unlicensed drivers
use them.
China’s ride-hailing market is dominated
by domestic competitors Didi Dache, backed
by Internet giant Tencent, and Kuaidi Dache,
backed by rival Alibaba Group. Those services are used mostly by taxi companies. A third
Chinese Internet giant, search engine operator Baidu Inc., jumped into the market in
December by investing in Uber.
Taxi companies in the United States,
Europe and other countries have complained Uber and similar ride-hailing services
have an unfair advantage because they are
not covered by regulations that affect the
established industry.
In December, the Shanghai city government detained and fined 12 unlicensed drivers who received business through the Didi
Dache app. — AP
CAMBRIDGE: In this May 10, 2005 file photo, Helen
Greiner, chairman and co-founder iRobot
Corporation, poses for photo with an iRobot
PackBot EOD in front of her booth during
RoboBusiness Conference and Exposition. — AP
Drone market
resembles Silicon
Valley’s early days
DANVERS: To see the future of drones, head up the hill at
the intersection of Industrial Drive and Electronics Avenue.
Inside a bland brick office building, the team at CyPhy is
working on tethered machines that can fly nonstop for
days and pocket-sized drones for search-and-rescue missions.
It’s not a fancy building. There’s no giant aerospace or
defense company here in Danvers, north of Boston. Just
small teams of computer scientists and mechanical engineers working in spaces called “The Playpen,” “The Den”
and “The Department of Failed Good Intentions.”
In many ways, the nascent drone industry looks a lot
like the personal computer industry did in its infancy. The
money to fuel development is coming largely from entrepreneurs’ own checkbooks.
“They get just enough money to make a prototype, get
it out the door and get a couple of clients,” says Maryanna
Saenko, an analyst with the science and technology consulting firm Lux Research.
When the Federal Aviation Administration announces
rules opening U.S. airspace to some commercial drones,
more investors are expected to get on board. But until
then, many venture capitalists say, drones remain too risky
and too expensive to bet on.
CyPhy Works is one of the few manufactures to attract
deep pockets. It raised $10 million in venture capital, but
that’s probably because founder Helen Greiner has a
proven track record with robotics. She was one of the cofounders of iRobot, the company behind the Roomba vacuuming robot as well as military robots that helped U.S.
troops in Iraq and Afghanistan remotely detonate bombs.
Even with that money, CyPhy - pronounced “sci-fi” - is
still a small company that often uses Greiner’s house for
staff barbeques and meetings over pizza.
The largest recipient of investor dollars in the drone
world - at $40 million - has been Airware of San Francisco,
which is building an operating system to let drones and
their added components work together. The industry for
small drones is potentially larger than the defense industry
“and certainly more interesting and beneficial to society,”
says Airware CEO Johnathan Downey. — AP
H E A LT H & S C I E N C E
PITTSBURGH: An African Penguin chick undergoes a physical exam before going on public display for the first time, Thursday, Jan 8, 2015 at the National Aviary. — AP photos
Cam captures penguin hatching at Pittsburgh aviary
PITTSBURGH: A webcam captured images of the first of
two African penguins hatching at the National Aviary in
Pittsburgh. Yesterday’s birth brings to 17 the number of
endangered African penguins in the aviary’s Penguins
Point exhibit. A second egg is expected to hatch this
week, though spokeswoman Robin Weber said that was
unlikely to occur tomorrow. Scientists estimate fewer than
20,000 of the birds exist in the wild.
The public can monitor the penguins at www.penguinnestcam.org and see the parents, Sidney and Bette,
sharing nesting duties. The father, Sidney, is named for
Sidney Crosby, the star of the city’s National Hockey
League team, the Penguins.
Sidney and Bette successfully bred two previous sets of
chicks, so aviary officials expect the new chicks to thrive.
They’ll be reared for three to four weeks by their parents
in a cave that is part of the exhibit. After that, they’ll be
hand-reared by aviary staff.
Having the staff rear the penguins “will ensure they are
ready to fulfill their future roles as ambassadors for their
species in the National Aviary’s educational and interactive programs,” which will require the birds to be exposed
to humans, the aviary said in a statement. People who
view the nesting penguins can expect to see the parents
taking turns incubating the unhatched egg and keeping
the newborn - slightly larger than a golf ball - warm.
Penguin chicks are born with the yolk sack attached,
which provides nutrition. When that’s gone, the chick will
beg for food and be fed partially digested fish by its parents. The chicks won’t be named until tests in a few weeks
determine their gender. The aviary plans to name the
chicks after prominent individuals. — AP
Brazil drought brews
trouble for coffee market
RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazil’s coffee harvest last year was hit
by one the country’s worst droughts in decades, with
effects on the world’s largest producer now threatening
to spill over into this year, pushing prices ever higher.
Brazil’s 290,000 growers produce around a third of the
world’s coffee-out-producing the country’s nearest competitor, Vietnam, by more than three times. But last
year’s total yield was down 7.7 percent from 2013 and
well below initial forecasts, the ministry of agriculture
said this week. Production of high grade arabica
slumped even more drastically, by 15 percent.
The falling production has sent prices soaring, with
arabica up by half in 2014 and expected to keep increasing this year. A pound of arabica for March delivery was
fetching around $1.77 on New York’s ICE Futures US market Thursday, compared to around $1.06 a year earlier.
Unlike many crops that are replanted and harvested
each year, coffee is grown in a two-year cycle. So initial
predictions for 2014, made before the drought took
hold, had initially forecast a much stronger harvest.
“This harvest was all set to be a bumper one, given
many plantations were new and cultivators had invested
to increase productivity,” said Gil Barabach of Safras &
Mercado specialist news agency. “At the end of 2013 we
expected production to hit 60 to 65 million sacks,”
Barabach said. The final total, measured in 60-kilogram
bags, was actually just 45.3 million, thanks in large part
to severe rain shortages in south and central south
Brazil, the country’s main production centers, that
stretched from the first weeks of last year through
November.
“Annual rainfall normally comes in at between 1,600
millimeters (63 inches) to 1,800 millimeters,” said Paulo
Sergio Elias, a spokesman for a coffee growing cooperative of some 3,000 producers in Minas Gerais, north of
Sao Paulo and Rio states. But rainfall last year “didn’t
even reach 900 millimeters,” Elias said.
Stunted growth
The drought had a particularly severe impact because
“it happened from January and February, just as the
beans were growing larger and ripening,” Elias
explained. “It will also affect the productive potential of
this coming year as plant reserves are too weak to
ensure the development of future fruit,” he added. In
other words, given coffee’s two-year growing cycle, the
effects of last year’s stunted growth will be seen in the
bean yield over the next 12 months.
“The plants expended a huge amount of energy in
enduring the lack of water and high temperatures,” Elias
said. “As a result, the branches are shorter than usual and
hence will bear less grains. Buds are also lacking in the
clusters.” Production was further hit last year by frost in
the southern state of Parana. The region’s harvest
slumped by two-thirds over 2013, according to national
supply company Conab.
Plantations of lower grade robusta in regions less
affected by drought saw their harvests rise 20 percentbut their yield only accounts for a third of national production. Barabach says he expects production this year
to be “similar” to 2014, but exports may be even lower,
potentially pushing prices yet higher. “The country had
major reserves to call on given weak demand and the
low prices of (2013),” explained analyst Barabach. “Once
the falloff in production was felt and prices rose it sold
off stock at a good price. “Reserves will be much tighter
in 2015,” Barabach predicted. — AFP
ORNIA: In this image provided by the Ventana Wildlife Society, a “mystery” condor is seen on the live streaming
webcam belonging to VWS Condor Sanctuary on Jan 2, 2015 in the Santa Lucia Mountains. — AP
California condors secretly mate,
producing unexpected baby
BIG SUR: Two California condors have secretly mated in the
woods of Northern California, thrilling wildlife biologists by
producing unexpected offspring. The San Francisco
Chronicle reports that the breeding was only the third
unobserved pairing of condors in the wild since 1997, when
biologists began releasing the endangered birds in Big Sur.
The last 27 California condors left in the wild were cap-
Sanofi, Regeneron cholesterol
drug also effective in monthly doses
NEW YORK: An experimental drug from Sanofi SA
and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals was found to be
effective in lowering “bad” cholesterol even when
administered once every four weeks, instead of
every two weeks. The drug, alirocumab, belongs
to an emerging class of injectable drugs that block
a naturally occurring protein called PCSK9, which
inhibits the liver from expelling “bad” LDL cholesterol.
These drugs, called PCSK9 inhibitors, are aimed
at patients whose cholesterol levels do not fall
enough despite the use of statins such as Pfizer
Inc’s Lipitor, and those who are unable to tolerate
them. Sanofi SA and Regeneron are in a fierce race
with Pfizer and Amgen Inc to bring their PCSK9
inhibitor to the market, which is expected to be
worth billions if these biotech drugs are also able
to significantly reduce heart attacks and deaths as
statins have.
Roth Capital’s Joseph Pantginis said that by
2016, about 36 million patients across the United
States and European Union are expected to be eligible for alirocumab and Amgen’s evolocumab,
which was also assessed using fortnightly and
monthly doses. Amgen, though, has a head start
in getting marketing approval for evolocumab,
having submitted an application with the US Food
and Drug Administration in August.
TORONTO: This April 30, 2009, file photo shows a box of Tamiflu in a health clinic. — AP
Unable to tolerate
Hoping to close the gap, Sanofi and Regeneron
paid BioMarin Pharmaceutical $67.5 million for a
voucher that could speed up alirocumab’s review
process. Alirocumab was tested in 803 high cholesterol patients with a moderate-to-high heart
risk. It compared a 300 mg dose of the drug given
every four weeks against a placebo, with over twothirds of the patients also on statins.
A second study evaluated alirocumab in 233
high cholesterol patients with a high heart risk
and/or a history of being unable to tolerate two or
more statins. The trial compared a 150 mg dose of
the drug given every four weeks against a placebo.
Early data from another trial suggested
alirocumab could halve heart risk. A study also
proved that the number of high-risk statin-intolerant patients able to get their “bad” cholesterol
down using alirocumab was 10 times more than
those on Merck & Co’s Zetia. Regeneron’s stock
was up 1.3 percent at $408.41 in morning trading
on the Nasdaq on Friday. Sanofi’s shares were
down 3 percent in Paris. — Reuters
tured and placed in a breeding program in 1987. The Big
Sur flock came from that program. The bird is already 9
months old. The parents raised the hatchling for many
months before being detected by prying biologists.
Ventana Wildlife Society Senior Wildlife Biologist and Big
Sur Condor Project Coordinator Joe Burnett said the surprise bird is a sign the flock is doing well. — AP
Medical charity MSF opens
Ebola clinic for pregnant women
FREETOWN: Medical charity Medicins
Sans Frontiers (MSF) has opened the first
care center in the current Ebola epidemic
for pregnant women, whose survival rate
from the virus is virtually zero, the charity
said on Saturday. There is currently one
patient in the clinic, which is perched on a
hill in the compound of a disused
Methodist boys high school in the Sierra
Leone capital.
More than 20,700 people have been
infected with the virus in Guinea, Sierra
Leone and Liberia since it began a year
ago and at least 8,200 people have died,
according to World Health Organization
figures. The rate of transmission has
slowed in Guinea and Liberia and there are
signs it is starting to ebb in Sierra Leone.
Women are particularly vulnerable to a
disease spread through direct contact
with infected people and with the corpses
of victims, because women often care for
sick family members, said MSF Field
Coordinator, Esperanza Santos.
“Pregnant women (with Ebola) are a
high risk group so they have less chance
than...than the rest of the population,” she
told Reuters. The charity has played a leading roll in the fight against the virus.
Medical authorities say it is unclear why
the survival rate for pregnant women is
lower than for other patients but early
testing and rapid treatment will help lower mortality rates.
After treatment
Ramatu Samura’s story illustrates issues
facing pregnant women. The 16-year-old
miscarried when she first contracted
Ebola, but has recovered after treatment
at MSF’s Kingtom Care Unit maternity
ward in northwest Freetown.
Survivors cannot contract the same
strain of the virus and Samura is now at
looking after her baby niece and the
baby’s mother, both of whom are being
treated for the virus. Samura said she bled
for two hours and miscarried when she
arrived at the care unit. She only knew she
was pregnant after she miscarried and survived partly because the pregnancy was at
an early stage, hospital sources said.
Sierra Leone’s first confirmed Ebola
case was last May 24 when a pregnant
woman was brought to the public hospital
in the eastern town of Kenema from the
border district of Kailahun. She miscarried
and died, infecting her nurses. — Reuters
H E A LT H & S C I E N C E
Compression stockings may ease sleep apnea
NEW YORK: Wearing compression stockings during
the day may slightly improve sleep apnea at night,
a small study suggests. The benefits of the kneehigh socks, however, failed to convince sleep specialists that they’d hit on a new cure for obstructive
sleep apnea, which is a potentially serious condition. In obstructive sleep apnea, breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep because the airway becomes narrowed or blocked. The condition
affects 12 million Americans, raising their risk of
high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, irregular
heartbeat and diabetes. It also raises their risk of
being sleepy and fatigued during the day, because
they sleep poorly at night.
The gold-standard therapy for obstructive sleep
apnea is a continuous positive airway pressure, or
CPAP, device. In the new study, 22 patients with
obstructive sleep apnea who wore compression
stockings during the day for two weeks saw their
frequency of apneas decrease by 27 percent, compared to 23 patients who didn’t wear the stockings,
Dr T. Douglas Bradley and colleagues report in
Sleep Medicine. The authors call the 27 percent
reduction “modest.” They say it reduced patients’
sleep apnea “from the severe to the moderate
range.”
They did not, however, see any improvements in
patients’ daytime alertness or sleepiness. There are
a number of reasons the airway may be blocked
during sleep. For example, the throat muscles and
tongue may relax, blocking the airway. This new
study points to another potential mechanism,
Bradley told Reuters Health. He believes fluid can
move from the legs into the neck, restrict the flow
of oxygen and cause obstructive sleep apnea.
“Getting rid of excess fluid is one approach of
treating sleep apnea,” said Bradley, a sleep specialist
and professor at the University of Toronto.
Compression stockings, widely used to treat varicose veins and by workers whose jobs keep them
on their feet all day, exert pressure on the legs and
reduce fluid movement.
“This study highlights what we believe to be a
new cause of sleep apnea,” Bradley said. “This is further evidence that it really is a mechanism that
causes sleep apnea.” But sleep specialist Dr Jafari
Behrouz of the University of California, Irvine, told
Reuters Health he is not ready to prescribe the
knee-highs to his apnea patients.
Bariatric surgery
“At this point, I do not recommend stockings to
treat sleep apnea,” said Behrouz, who was not
involved with the current study. The first thing he
recommends for sleep apnea patients is that they
improve their sleep hygiene by eliminating sedatives and alcohol for six hours before bedtime and
by avoiding caffeine after lunch. He also advises
that overweight patients try to lose weight and
morbidly obese patients consider bariatric surgery.
He also recommends that patients use the goldstandard CPAP device when they sleep. Some
patients have trouble using it or do not like using it.
A mouthpiece called a mandibular advancement
device is an alternative that holds the lower jaw
and tongue forward during sleep. Snorers, especially men 50 years and older with a history of high
blood pressure or stroke should talk to their doctors about their risk for sleep apnea, Behrouz said.
“The patient and physician can discuss what’s the
best treatment for them,” he said. “For the majority
of the patients, the best treatment still is the CPAP
machine.” — Reuters
US okays Roche
test to identify HIV,
hepatitis viruses
GENEVA: US authorities have approved a
test developed by Swiss pharmaceutical firm
Roche that can detect both HIV and hepatitis
viruses, the company said yesterday. The
Cobas Taqscreen MPX is the only test
approved by the US Food and Drug
Administration that can simultaneously
detect the HIV, hepatitis B and C viruses in
human blood and plasma, Roche said.
Having a single test eliminates “the need for
consecutive rounds of testing” Roche said,
stressing that it could shorten the time it
takes to reach a crucial diagnosis of the killer
viruses.
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
which causes AIDS, has killed some 39 million people since it emerged in the 1980s.
Hepatitis B and C, which are transmitted
from infected mothers to newborn babies by
unsafe injections during medical procedures
and drug use, or unsafe sex, kill more than a
million people each year. Roche is a leader in
the global blood and plasma screening market using so-called nucleic acid-based techniques, which allow earlier detection of virus
or bacteria infections in antibody tests. That
market is worth an estimated 660 million
euros ($779 million) worldwide. — AFP
Dr Naif Al-Mutawa certified
as Clinical Hypnotherapist
D
r Naif Al-Mutawa, founder and Clinical Director of the Soor Center for
Professional Therapy and Assessment, has been certified as a clinical hypnotherapist by the National Guild of Hypnotists. Dr Naif offers hypnotherapy for issues pertaining to weight loss, smoking cessation, stress management, pain management, end of relationship, sleep, overcoming fears, doing
well on tests amongst others.
A not-for-profit, educational corporation established in 1950, the National
Guild of Hypnotists is the largest and oldest hypnotherapy membership organization in the world
and is headquartered in New Hampshire, USA. It
offers certification courses in the field of hypnotism and provides”an open forum for the free
exchange of ideas concerning hypnotism”, while
operating as a “vehicle for legal and legislative
action.”
Under the supervision of US educated and
licensed clinical psychologist Dr Naif Al-Mutawa,
the Soor Center has become the largest private
psycho-educational practice in the Middle East
over the past six years. It has a range of qualified
Dr Naif Al-Mutawa
and licensed psychologists who help clients navigate the stresses of today’s complicated lifestyles. It provides individual, couple,
child and family counseling and employs a wide variety of therapies for a broad
range of personal health and emotional issues including depression, anxiety,
eating disorders, marital issues, phobias, obsessive-compulsive behavior, learning disabilities, attention deficit disorders, educational problems and other challenges of modern life.
TAIWAN: Agriculture personnel cull geese at a local farm in Taiwan’s southern Chiayi county yesterday. — AFP photos
Thousands more poultry culled
as bird flu fears grow in Taiwan
TAIPEI: Taiwan yesterday ordered the slaughter
of 16,000 geese and ducks to try to curb a bird flu
outbreak that has already led to the culling of
120,000 chickens. Authorities on Friday ordered
the culling of the chickens at a farm in the southern county of Pingtung after samples tested positive for H5N2, one of the less virulent strains of
avian flu. Officials yesterday ordered the slaughter of 7,500 ducks at a farm in Pingtung and 8,500
geese at five farms in Yunlin and Chiayi, two
counties also in the south, after a new variant of
H5N2 as well as the H5N8 strain were detected.
“This (H5N8) has never been discovered in
Taiwan before, it probably could be brought to
Taiwan by migratory birds,” Chang Su-san, head
of the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health
Inspection and Quarantine, told reporters. The
H5N8 virus had previously hit Europe, South
Korea, Japan, Canada and the United States,
prompting the culling of poultry. Many of the
duck and geese farms were also asked to
strengthen nets to prevent contacts between
poultry and wild birds. The island has reported
several outbreaks of H5N2 in recent years. But
Taiwan has no recorded cases of the potentially
deadly H5N1 strain, although authorities said pet
birds smuggled from China tested positive for the
strain in 2005 and 2012. The birds were subsequently destroyed. — AFP
TAIWAN: Agriculture personnel collect the carcasses of dead geese at a local farm in Taiwan’s
southern Chiayi County.
W H AT ’ S O N
Mughal Mahal: Three decades of culinary excellence
I
n 1985, a small unpretentious restaurant in
Sharq drew the attention of three young
connoisseurs of fine food and gracious hospitality. Infused with the idea of introducing
authentic Mughlai cuisine to Kuwait, they
threw all their energy and effort into ensuring
that great food was always served with a
pleasing service in a relaxing ambiance. Thus
was born Mughal Mahal, Kuwait’s best known
Indian restaurant and a culinary icon in the
country.
As Mughal Mahal enters its thirtieth year of
serving what are undoubtedly some of the
finest Mughlai dishes outside the Indian subcontinent, we take a look at the restaurant,
and the trio of Ashok Kalra, Jatinder Suri and
Mukesh Kumar, who are behind the restaurant’s phenomenal success story.
Barely one year into their opening, Mughal
Mahal blazed into culinary limelight when it
was feted as providing a ‘Feast fit for Kings’ in
the popular dining review section of a local
newspaper. The reviewer merited the restaurant with five stars in the three categories of
quality of food, service and value for money,
while leaving it with four stars in atmosphere.
The total was the highest ranking given to any
eatery in Kuwait at that time. The crowds that
began flocking to the restaurant from that day
have not diminished till date.
Over the years, the restaurant has warmly
welcomed seasoned food connoisseurs as well
as newbies to fine dining and in the process
changed perceptions about Indian cuisines
among Kuwaitis and other expatriates in the
country. Serving as cultural and social hub for
community members and others alike, the
restaurant has played host to hundreds of
receptions for visiting glitterati, including
politicians, businessmen, artists, musicians
and film stars.
It was no accident of fortune, place or time
that led Mughal Mahal to transform from one
small, unassuming restaurant in Sharqinto one
of the finest restaurant chains in Kuwait. The
remarkable expansion and evolution of
Mughal Mahalis the outcome of anamalgam
of strong management leadership, the tireless
dedication and diligence of staff and an unwa-
vering commitment to delivering an exquisite
culinary experience to guests.
Attaining and retaining one of the top
rankings among restaurants in Kuwait for
more than a quarter-century is also the result
of an unrelenting attitude to sourcing only the
best quality ingredients, preparing dishes consistently to the highest culinary standards and
persistently delivering exceptional service
toguests in elegant surroundings. The remarkable success story of Mughal Mahal is attested
by the exponential growth over the years in its
menu, services, staff, covers and revenues.
From serving only an authentic Indian
Mughlai cuisine the restaurant chain has
expanded to offer specialized Chinese and
international cuisines. The brand, once
renowned only for its dine-in facilities, now
offers the same level of unrivaled food quality
and service through its dedicated outdoor
catering division and its take-away, homedelivery and banqueting service. What started
out with just 55 covers and a staff of five has
grown today to offer 1,500 covers with a staffstrength of around 500, while revenues have
grown multiple-fold in the same time span.
Operating a restaurant is no easy task, as
anyone who has entered the business will tell
you. Between space, sourcing, servicing and
personnel problems, it is an uphill battle from
day one. Factor in the sky-high costs of rent
and rising prices of supplies and the chances
of success are really very slim. Stories of highprofile restaurants opening with much fanfare
and then shortly closing for good are frequent
in Kuwait.
It is quite an achievement when any restaurant remains open successfully for a decade or
more, but to do it continuously for thirty years
is an accomplishment by itself. “For a restaurant to successfully remain in the top tier for
30 years is a rarity in any country; for an Indian
restaurant to accomplish this feat on foreign
land is even rarer,” said Partner and Managing
Director Kalra. He added, “We attribute this
success to the continued support from concerned authorities in Kuwait, our gracious
sponsors, dedicated staff and most of all our
guests who have trusted us with their patronage all these years.”
“Responding positively to the needs of
guests has always been a top priority with us.
While developing customer relations and
building loyalties are a long-term ongoing
process, our extensive menu conceptualized
out of a love for fine food and our restaurant’s
ethos based on a passion for gracious hospitality have ensured that we continue to deliver
a memorable dining experience to our guests
on every occasion,” noted the brand’s Partner
and Director Suri. Pointing to the company’s
future plans, he added, “We have a clear vision
of our growth path for 2015 and beyond; this
includes adding a coffee-shop, a dedicated
bakery and confectionary to further expand
our bouquet of offerings.”
In its three decade long history Mughal
Mahal has weathered the woes that Kuwait
went through, including economic downturns,
political upheavals and an invasion, to emerge
triumphant and rebuild itself, as the country
did, after liberation. The restaurant reopened
without much fanfare in 1991,welcoming back
loyal guests, meeting new faces and making
them into long-term patrons.
In the immediate post-liberation environment, the restaurant served as a prominent
pivot for convivial reunions among Kuwaitis
and expatriates separated by the seven-month
long invasion. The restaurant’s increasing popularity with the public and growing customer
loyalty, encouraged the management to soon
engage in an assertive expansion program.
From 1993 to 2005, eight more branches
were opened across Kuwait, including three in
Salmiya and one each in Fahaheel, Farwaniya,
Fintas, Jahra and Hawally.
The next two outlets followed in rapid succession in May and June of 2010, with the
tenth branch opening in the resort city of
Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt and the eleventh
outlet opening as a lavish banqueting facility
in Fahaheel.
“A customer’s repeated visit and menu
choices are an expression of their preference;
we have ensured that Mughal Mahal outlets
are situated in prime location that provide
convenient and easy access for our guests. We
are also constantly endeavoring to tailor our
menus to better define and express the culinary choices of our guests. Over the years, as
customer expectations became more
nuanced, we have responded by creating
meaningful niche dining experiences for
them. For instance, when there was a demand
from guests for banqueting and events management venue, we then introduced Rayan
Banquet Hall in Fahaheel,” said Partner and
Director Kumar.
The foresight and perseverance of management along with the dedication and commitment of the staff, has led to the brand gaining
plaudits in various media reviews and winning
numerous accolades in Kuwait, which was
topped by its repeated recognition as a Super
brand in the country. Over a times pan of
three decades, Mughal Mahal has not only
captured the culinary taste and imagination of
Kuwaitis and expatriates alike, but also created
a growing cult behind Indian cuisine in
Kuwait.
As an iconic Indian brand, Mughal Mahal
through its food diplomacy has been at the
forefront in promoting the image of India in
the country. Also, their corporate commitment
to giving back to society has led the brand to
being involved in various community activities, including supporting Indian cultural,
social and professional gatherings, and providing voluntary catering to the thousands who
arrive for the Republic Day and Independence
Day celebrations at the Indian Embassy premises every year.
The brand’s corporate social responsibility
extends beyond the hospitality sector and
offers annual scholarships to deserving students of Indian schools in Kuwait and in India,
as well as providing medical care through
their support for specialized medical institutions in India. The three Mughal Mahal directors are also loyal and patriotic Indians who
never fail to respond immediately through
monetary contributions and other support to
any national or regional disaster in India, as
well as support various philanthropic and
needy causes of the Indian community in
Kuwait. In between his busy professional obligations, Kalra has also found time, in the past
fifteen years to be an honorary member, and
for five years as Chairman, of the Board of
Trustees of the Indian Community School
Kuwait, the largest and oldest Indian school in
the country.
“It is quite gratifying to note that the ripples we created with the opening of the first
authentic Indian Mughlai restaurant back in
1985, continues to resonate endearingly with
guests to this day. More than anything we owe
this continued success to the unwavering loyalty and support of our guests who have taken
us from where we were yesterday to who we
are today and what we aim to be tomorrow,”
said Kalra in conclusion.
The Ajman Palace Hotel prepares for SATTE in India
T
op sales executives from The Ajman
Palace Hotel will be present at SATTE
travel show scheduled to take place in
New Delhi, India, from 29th to 31st January,
2015.
Ferghal Purcell, General Manager, The
Ajman Palace Hotel, said, “SATTE is one of
South Asia’s leading travel shows that offers a
fantastic platform to conduct business with
over 12,000 travel trade professionals. This
year marks the 21st edition of the show with
more than 640 exhibitors taking part in the
event from 35 countries as well as 23 Indian
states. It provides us a fabulous opportunity to
Canadian Bilingual
School earns Middle
States Accreditation
T
he Canadian Bilingual School announced
that it has earned accreditation by the
Middle States Association Commissions on
Elementary and Secondary Schools, a worldwide leader in accreditation and continuous
school improvement.
“We are pleased to have earned accreditation
by the Middle States Association and to share in
our success with the greater school community,
especially the teachers, parents and students
who worked so hard to make this possible,” said
K O Mathew, School Director. “Accreditation
confirms and validates the work we do each and
every day to ensure a top quality education for
our students.” Accreditation is a self-evaluation
process that schools voluntarily undergo to
demonstrate they are meeting a defined set of
performance standards. The accreditation
process helps schools - and ultimately students to continuously grow and improve.
The process begins with a self-study that is
conducted by the school and requires input
from school leaders, teachers, parents and students. Following the self-study, a team of volunteer educators from Association member
schools conducts an on-site peer review visit to
observe school operations and interview various
stakeholders. The visiting team makes its recommendation to the Middle States Association
Commissions, which votes on the accreditation.
“The accreditation process is an effective and
efficient approach to helping schools plan for
the future, promote staff development and
advance student achievement,” said Henry G
Cram, Ed D, president of the Middle States
Association Commissions on Elementary and
Secondary Schools. “School leaders, teachers
and parents are to be commended for working
together to establish goals focused on providing
high quality education for all students.”
showcase our product to the Indian market
that is one of the key source markets for the
UAE. Our aim is to increase our share of visitors
from the country by primarily targeting leisure
groups, families and women travelers, luxury
seekers and wedding groups as well as MICE
business. Destination weddings are extremely
popular in India and have got outstanding
facilities including the spectacular ‘Al Saalah’
Ballroom that is the largest in the Northern
Emirates with a capacity of 700 guests. This
makes us the most prestigious address for
weddings and corporate events. “
India is among the top 10 feeder markets
for The Ajman Palace Hotel. In 2014 more than
8 per cent of hotel’s total guests came from
India. As the UAE experiences a surge in visitors from the country, this number is likely to
go up. The property is also witnessing an
increase in average length of stay of Indian
guests.
W H AT ’ S O N
IWC holds first meeting in 2015
T
he International Women Committee
(IWC) recently held its first monthly
meeting in 2015, said the committee
chairperson, Josephine; spouse of the Italian
ambassador to Kuwait. She noted that the
committee discussed this month’s agenda,
which includes visiting Ahamdi City, Kuwait
Oil Company (KOC), KOC’s museum, the
Oases area, and Horeca 2015 exhibition. IWC’s
meeting was attended by Dr Adel Al-Yousifi; a
Kuwaiti businessman, who talked about both
his career and his favorite hobby; photogra-
phy. Yousifi riefed the committee about his
passion for photography, its scientific techniques and displayed some of his photos.
‘Winter Wonderland’ at
Marina Hotel Kuwait’s
annual Staff party
KUWAIT: Marina Hotel Kuwait recently
held its annual staff party, which was
themed “Winter Wonderland”. The event,
which took place at Salwa Sabah Al
Ahmed Theater and Hall, provided an
opportunity for attendees to celebrate
the success and achievements of 2014
and to welcome the New Year along with
the challenges that it will bring. The
event was filled with fun, excitement and
individuality, which allowed participants
to celebrate and enjoy.
Nabil Hammoud, General Manager of
Marina Hotel, thanked the management
and employees for their great efforts and
dedication throughout 2014. He emphasized on the importance of team work to
foster good service leading to better
results. He also encouraged the staff to
aim higher and work better through constant commitment while striving for
excellence.
The evening was made special by distributing certificates and awards in various categories for best employee of the
year, best performer of the year, best
supervisor of the year, best supervisor of
the 4th quarter and the employee of the
month October, November and
December 2014.
The event included exciting activities
and a variety of enjoyable entertaining
interdepartmental competitions. It further concluded with a lavish dinner buffet, where employees and management
were glad to be part of the celebration.
Nabil Hammoud, General
Manager of Marina Hotel
Abdul-Aali Hamad Al-Salami celebrated the wedding of his son, Ahmad, to the daughter of Abdul-Sattar Abdulmuhsen Al-Wazzan at Sheikha
Maryam Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah Hall in Qadsiya last Thursday. —Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat
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Classifieds
Kuwait
SHARQIA-1
090 (Kuwaiti Film)
NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: SECRET OF THE TOMB
THE WOMAN IN BLACK 2 ANGEL OF DEATH
090 (Kuwaiti Film)
SHARQIA-2
SEVENTH SON-3D
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SEVENTH SON
KNCC PROGRAMME FROM THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY
(08/01/2015 TO 14/01/2015)
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3:45 PM
6:00 PM
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12:15 AM
11:45 AM
2:00 PM
4:00 PM
6:15 PM
8:15 PM
10:30 PM
12:45 AM
SHARQIA-3
LEGEND OF THE NEVER BEAST
THE IMITATION GAME
THE IMITATION GAME
THE IMITATION GAME
THE IMITATION GAME
THE IMITATION GAME
11:30 AM
1:15 PM
3:30 PM
5:45 PM
7:30 PM
9:45 PM
12:05 AM
MUHALAB-1
090 (Kuwaiti Film)
090 (Kuwaiti Film)
12:15 PM
2:30 PM
4:15 PM
6:15 PM
8:15 PM
10:30 PM
12:45 AM
MUHALAB-2
THE IMITATION GAME
THE IMITATION GAME
THE IMITATION GAME
THE IMITATION GAME
VICE
THE IMITATION GAME
11:30 AM
1:45 PM
4:00 PM
5:45 PM
8:00 PM
10:15 PM
12:15 AM
MUHALAB-3
SEVENTH SON-3D
SEVENTH SON
SEVENTH SON-3D
SEVENTH SON
SEVENTH SON
SEVENTH SON
12:45 PM
3:00 PM
5:15 PM
7:30 PM
9:45 PM
12:05 AM
FANAR-1
AUTOMATA
090 (Kuwaiti Film)
AUTOMATA
UNBROKEN
VICE
AUTOMATA
AUTOMATA
12:30 PM
2:30 PM
4:15 PM
6:15 PM
9:00 PM
11:00 PM
1:00 AM
FANAR-2
11:30 AM
1:45 PM
3:45 PM
5:45 PM
7:45 PM
10:00 PM
12:15 AM
FANAR-3
THE IMITATION GAME
THE IMITATION GAME
VICE
090 (Kuwaiti Film)
THE IMITATION GAME
090 (Kuwaiti Film)
THE IMITATION GAME
11:45 AM
2:15 PM
4:45 PM
6:45 PM
8:30 PM
10:45 PM
12:45 AM
MARINA-1
INTO THE WOODS
11:30 AM
THE IMITATION GAME
090 (Kuwaiti Film)
VICE
THE IMITATION GAME
THE IMITATION GAME
2:15 PM
4:30 PM
6:15 PM
8:00 PM
10:00 PM
12:15 AM
MARINA-2
11:45 AM
2:00 PM
4:00 PM
6:00 PM
8:15 PM
10:30 PM
12:45 AM
MARINA-3
SEVENTH SON-3D
SEVENTH SON
SEVENTH SON-3D
SEVENTH SON
SEVENTH SON
SEVENTH SON
12:45 PM
3:00 PM
5:15 PM
7:30 PM
9:45 PM
12:05 AM
AVENUES-1
1:00 PM
3:15 PM
5:30 PM
7:45 PM
10:00 PM
12:15 AM
AVENUES-2
VICE
VICE
VICE
090 (Kuwaiti Film)
090 (Kuwaiti Film)
090 (Kuwaiti Film)
090 (Kuwaiti Film)
12:15 PM
2:15 PM
4:15 PM
6:15 PM
8:15 PM
10:15 PM
12:15 AM
AVENUES-3
AUTOMATA
AUTOMATA
AUTOMATA
VICE
AUTOMATA
AUTOMATA
1:15 PM
3:30 PM
5:45 PM
8:00 PM
10:15 PM
12:30 AM
360º- 1
SEVENTH SON
SEVENTH SON
SEVENTH SON-3D
SEVENTH SON
SEVENTH SON-3D
SEVENTH SON
SEVENTH SON
11:30 AM
1:45 PM
4:00 PM
6:15 PM
8:30 PM
10:45 PM
1:00 AM
360º- 2
TEVAR (HINDI)
TEVAR (HINDI)
090 (Kuwaiti Film)
090 (Kuwaiti Film)
090 (Kuwaiti Film)
090 (Kuwaiti Film)
1:15 PM
4:15 PM
7:15 PM
9:15 PM
11:15 PM
1:15 AM
360º- 3
INTO THE WOODS
INTO THE WOODS
INTO THE WOODS
TEVAR (HINDI)
INTO THE WOODS
VICE
12:00 PM
2:30 PM
5:00 PM
7:30 PM
10:30 PM
1:00 AM
AL-KOUT.1
SEVENTH SON-3D
SEVENTH SON
SEVENTH SON-3D
SEVENTH SON
SEVENTH SON-3D
SEVENTH SON
SEVENTH SON
11:30 AM
1:30 PM
3:30 PM
5:45 PM
8:00 PM
10:15 PM
12:30 AM
FOR SALE
Prayer timings
Toyota Camry - GL 2014,
light blue color, km 12000,
KD 4100. Mob: 50994848.
(C 4904)
Fajr:
05:20
Shorook
06:44
Duhr:
11:56
Mitsubishi Lancer GLX
2013, white color, km
44000, KD 2000. Tel:
66729295. (C 4905)
12-1-2015
Asr:
14:50
Maghrib:
17:09
Isha:
18:30
Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)
Airlines
BBC
JAI
JZR
JZR
JZR
THY
FDB
QTR
RJA
DLH
PGT
ETH
MSC
GFA
UAE
JAI
FDB
MSR
ETD
CEB
OMA
QTR
MSC
JZR
THY
DHX
NCR
BAW
KAC
FDB
QTR
KAC
KAC
KAC
UAE
KAC
KAC
FDB
ABY
ETD
GFA
FDB
IRA
QTR
GFA
UAE
AXB
MSC
JZR
JZR
IRC
MEA
SYR
UAE
Flt
043
574
239
267
539
772
069
1084
642
637
858
620
403
211
853
526
067
612
305
7694
643
1076
401
503
770
170
606
157
412
053
1086
352
302
206
855
344
362
8063
125
301
047
055
667
1070
213
873
889
405
165
561
6521
404
341
871
Arrival Flights on Monday 12/1/2015
Route
Dhaka
Mumbai
Amman
Beirut
Cairo
Istanbul
Dubai
Doha
Amman
Dammam
Istanbul
Addis Ababa
Sohag
Bahrain
Dubai
Chennai/Abu Dhabi
Dubai
Cairo
Abu Dhabi
Manila
Muscat
Doha
Alexandria
Luxor
Istanbul
Bahrain
OAI
London
Manila/Bangkok
Dubai
Doha
Kochi
Mumbai
Islamabad
Dubai
Chennai
Colombo
Dubai
Sharjah
Abu Dhabi
Bahrain
Dubai
Esfahan
Doha
Bahrain
Dubai
Mangalore/Bahrain
Sohag
Dubai
Sohag
Lamerd
Beirut
Damascus
Dubai
Time
00:05
00:10
00:25
00:30
00:40
00:45
00:55
01:00
01:05
01:15
01:35
01:45
02:30
02:30
02:35
02:50
02:55
03:10
03:10
03:10
03:25
03:45
04:05
05:25
05:35
05:40
06:30
06:40
07:10
07:45
07:50
08:10
08:20
08:25
08:40
08:45
08:45
08:55
09:00
09:20
09:40
09:40
09:45
10:00
10:40
11:00
11:15
11:25
11:30
11:45
11:50
11:55
12:00
12:50
MSR
KAC
QTR
KNE
SVA
FDB
KAC
OMA
GFA
KAC
KAC
ABY
UAE
FDB
KNE
KAC
QTR
RJA
ETD
SVA
GFA
JZR
UAE
JZR
KAC
FDB
ABY
KAC
QTR
GFA
FDB
KAC
KAC
KAC
KAC
GFA
KAC
JAI
KAC
OMA
FDB
DLH
ALK
MEA
ETD
FDB
UAE
GFA
QTR
KNE
ETD
AIC
FDB
JZR
THY
PIA
FDB
610
672
1078
472
500
057
538
645
221
788
284
127
857
051
460
562
1072
640
303
510
215
777
875
177
118
063
121
786
1080
048
8057
618
774
542
674
217
104
572
614
647
061
634
229
402
307
073
859
219
1074
480
309
975
059
185
764
205
071
Cairo
Dubai
Doha
Jeddah
Jeddah
Dubai
Sohag
Muscat
Bahrain
Jeddah
Dhaka
Sharjah
Dubai
Dubai
Riyadh
Amman
Doha
Amman
Abu Dhabi
Riyadh
Bahrain
Jeddah
Dubai
Dubai
New York
Dubai
Sharjah
Jeddah
Doha
Istanbul
Dubai
Doha
Riyadh
Cairo
Dubai
Bahrain
London
Mumbai
Bahrain
Muscat
Dubai
Frankfurt
Colombo
Beirut
Abu Dhabi
Dubai
Dubai
Bahrain
Doha
Taif
Abu Dhabi
Chennai/Goa
Dubai
Dubai
Istanbul
Lahore
Dubai
13:00
13:55
14:05
14:25
14:30
14:30
14:50
15:00
15:00
15:10
15:15
15:45
15:45
16:00
16:00
16:20
16:40
16:55
16:55
17:15
17:30
17:55
18:00
18:20
18:30
18:40
18:40
18:45
18:50
19:10
19:15
19:15
19:15
19:25
19:25
19:30
19:55
20:00
20:00
20:20
20:20
20:50
21:10
21:20
21:30
21:35
21:40
21:45
21:55
22:00
22:15
22:30
22:30
23:15
23:35
23:40
23:45
Airlines
AIC
FDB
UAL
JAI
BBC
DLH
KAC
ETH
THY
PGT
MSC
UAE
FDB
ETD
MSR
OMA
QTR
CEB
MSC
JZR
QTR
THY
FDB
JAI
JZR
RJA
GFA
THY
KAC
FDB
BAW
QTR
KAC
KAC
NCR
FDB
ABY
UAE
ETD
KAC
GFA
FDB
IRA
QTR
KAC
GFA
KAC
AXB
KAC
JZR
MSC
UAE
IRC
MEA
Departure Flights on Monday 12/1/2015
Flt
Route
982
Ahmedabad/Hyderabad/Chennai
072
Dubai
981
IAD
573
Mumbai
044
Chittagong/Dhaka
637
Frankfurt
283
Dhaka
621
Addis Ababa
773
Istanbul
859
Istanbul
404
Sohag
854
Dubai
068
Dubai
306
Abu Dhabi
613
Cairo
644
Muscat
1085
Doha
7695
Manila
406
Sohag
560
Sohag
1077
Doha
765
Istanbul
070
Dubai
525
Abu Dhabi/Chennai
164
Dubai
643
Amman
212
Bahrain
771
Istanbul
537
Sohag
054
Dubai
156
London
1087
Doha
787
Jeddah
671
Dubai
817
Dubai
8064
Dubai
126
Sharjah
856
Dubai
302
Abu Dhabi
561
Amman
047
Istanbul
056
Dubai
666
Esfahan
1071
Doha
165
Rome/Paris
214
Bahrain
541
Cairo
890
Mangalore
103
London
776
Jeddah
402
Alexandria
874
Dubai
6522
Lamerd
405
Beirut
DIAL161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION
Time
00:05
00:45
00:55
01:10
01:35
02:15
02:25
02:45
02:55
03:25
03:30
03:50
03:55
04:05
04:10
04:25
04:30
04:40
05:05
05:10
05:15
05:40
06:30
06:35
06:55
07:05
07:15
07:30
08:20
08:25
08:45
08:50
09:25
09:25
09:30
09:35
09:40
09:55
10:20
10:25
10:25
10:35
10:45
11:00
11:15
11:25
12:05
12:15
12:20
12:20
12:25
12:30
12:50
12:55
KAC
SYR
JZR
MSR
UAE
KAC
QTR
FDB
KAC
KNE
SVA
GFA
KAC
OMA
ABY
KAC
KNE
FDB
JZR
QTR
JZR
UAE
ETD
RJA
SVA
GFA
JZR
JZR
ABY
UAE
QTR
FDB
GFA
FDB
GFA
KAC
JAI
KAC
KAC
FDB
OMA
DHX
ALK
ETD
KAC
MEA
FDB
GFA
UAE
KNE
KAC
ETD
QTR
KAC
FDB
785
342
176
611
872
673
1079
058
617
473
501
222
773
646
128
613
481
052
266
1073
538
858
304
641
511
216
184
238
122
876
1081
064
048
8058
218
1785
571
331
351
062
648
171
230
308
301
403
074
220
860
461
205
310
1075
411
060
Jeddah
Damascus
Dubai
Cairo
Dubai
Dubai
Doha
Dubai
Doha
Jeddah
Jeddah
Bahrain
Riyadh
Muscat
Sharjah
Bahrain
Taif
Dubai
Beirut
Doha
Cairo
Dubai
Abu Dhabi
Amman
Riyadh
Bahrain
Dubai
Amman
Sharjah
Dubai
Doha
Dubai
Bahrain
Dubai
Bahrain
Jeddah
Mumbai
Trivandrum
Kochi
Dubai
Muscat
Bahrain
Colombo
Abu Dhabi
Mumbai
Beirut
Dubai
Bahrain
Dubai
Riyadh
Islamabad
Abu Dhabi
Doha
Bangkok/Manila
Dubai
13:00
13:00
13:45
14:00
14:15
15:00
15:05
15:10
15:15
15:20
15:45
15:45
15:50
16:00
16:25
16:35
16:50
17:00
17:05
17:40
17:45
17:45
17:50
17:55
18:15
18:20
18:40
18:50
19:20
19:40
19:50
19:55
19:55
19:55
20:15
20:55
21:00
21:10
21:15
21:20
21:20
21:50
22:10
22:15
22:15
22:20
22:30
22:30
22:50
22:50
22:55
23:00
23:05
23:30
23:55
34
stars
CROSSWORD 782
STAR TRACK
Aries (March 21-April 19)
This is not a good time to make any concrete decisions about a relationship or fret over an upcoming business deal. Rather, it’s best to spend time enjoying the
quiet surroundings. Your thoughts may tend to turn inward, toward your situation in life.
If you see something that you can fix, fix it, otherwise move forward. The actions of this
afternoon will have long-lasting effects whether they are positive or negative-careful.
Also, you should open up to relatives at this time-there is a great deal of emotional support available for you. You are particularly attractive this evening and will be pleased
with the results of time spent refurbishing and refreshing your energies this day. Perhaps
you might share a massage with your beloved this evening.
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
Courage and confidence reign at this time. Others will follow your lead in
any group effort. Your energy is high-perfect for getting some exercise or chopping
wood. Just make sure any new projects are short-term. This is a good time to lead the way
on projects-your creativity is unusually heightened. Your desire to succeed and improve
your income may find you concentrating on ways to improve your resume. You may also
consider further education. Helping friends and relating to their true feelings can be
accomplished with little effort on your part. You can be a good listener. Friends and family are a great source of strength and you enjoy building on the relationships you have
with family, as often as possible.
Gemini (May 21-June 20)
ACROSS
1. The ratio of the distance traveled (in miles)
to the time spent traveling (in hours).
4. Of or relating to the peoples who speak
the language of the Arawak.
12. Nocturnal mouselike mammal with forelimbs modified to form membranous wings
and anatomical adaptations for echolocation
by which they navigate.
15. A plant hormone promoting elongation
of stems and roots.
16. Any ameba of the genus Endamoeba.
17. The United Nations agency concerned
with international maritime activities.
18. Stout-bodied insect with large membranous wings.
20. Acid gritty-textured fruit.
22. A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug
(trademarks Aleve and Anaprox and
Aflaxen).
24. King of Saudi Arabia since 1982 (born in
1922).
25. Boiled or baked buckwheat.
27. A former communist country in eastern
Europe and northern Asia.
29. A note appended to a letter after the signature.
31. A nonmetallic largely pentavalent heavy
volatile corrosive dark brown liquid element
belonging to the halogens.
36. Region of western Asia Minor colonized
by Ancient Greeks.
39. An organization of countries formed in
1961 to agree on a common policy for the
sale of petroleum.
40. (Hindu) A manner of sitting (as in the
practice of Yoga).
41. A Nilotic language.
42. A small pellet fired from an air rifle or BB
gun.
45. Xerophytic evergreen shrubs.
49. (astronomy) The angular distance of a
celestial point measured westward along the
celestial equator from the zenith crossing.
50. A large fleet.
51. The basic unit of money in Vietnam.
54. The basic unit of money in Iran.
55. Rise or heave upward under the influence of a natural force, as on a wave.
58. A silvery ductile metallic element found
primarily in bauxite.
60. A carriage consisting of two wheels and
calash top.
64. Young sheep.
67. An anxiety disorder associated with serious traumatic events and characterized by
such symptoms as guilt about surviving or
reliving the trauma in dreams or numbness
and lack of involvement with reality or recurrent thoughts and images.
70. A river in north central Switzerland that
runs northeast into the Rhine.
74. A self-funded retirement plan that allows
you to contribute a limited yearly sum
toward your retirement.
75. Howler monkeys.
77. A workplace for the conduct of scientific
research.
78. A young woman making her debut into
society.
79. Rank-smelling tropical American pigweed.
80. A loose sleeveless outer garment made
from aba cloth.
DOWN
1. Any of various minerals consisting of
hydrous silicates of aluminum or potassium
etc. that crystallize in forms that allow perfect cleavage into very thin leaves.
2. A roughly cylindrical that is vessel open at
the top.
3. A diacritical mark (an inverted circumflex)
placed above certain letters (such as c) to
indicate pronunciation.
4. Yellow-fever mosquitos.
5. A nucleic acid that transmits genetic information from DNA to the cytoplasm.
6. A public promotion of some product or
service.
7. A thin coat of water-base paint.
8. (Roman mythology) God of love.
9. United States writer who was a leading figure of the beat generation (1922-1969).
10. The superior of a group of nuns.
11. A silvery soft waxy metallic element of
the alkali metal group.
12. The capital and chief port of Qatar.
13. A woman hired to suckle a child of someone else.
14. Scottish chemist noted for his research
into the structure of nucleic acids (born in
1907).
19. A genus of Indriidae.
21. Again but in a new or different way.
23. Edible starchy tuberous root of taro
plants.
26. A hemoprotein composed of globin and
heme that gives red blood cells their characteristic color.
28. An orderly pile.
30. Large South American evergreen tree trifoliate leaves and drupes with nutlike seeds
used as food and a source of cooking oil.
32. (trademark) A material used to coat cooking utensils and in industrial applications
where sticking is to be avoided.
33. The Tibeto-Burman language spoken in
the Dali region of Yunnan.
34. (used of certain religious orders) Barefoot
or wearing only sandals.
35. The occurrence of a change for the
worse.
37. A small constellation in the southern
hemisphere near Lupus and Ara in the Milky
Way.
38. In bed.
43. South African term for `boss'.
44. A shape that sags.
46. A large gathering of people intended to
arouse enthusiasm.
47. Aromatic gum resin.
48. Either extremity of something that has
length.
52. Spherical gram-positive parasitic bacteria
that tend to form irregular colonies.
53. Type genus of the family Mustelidae.
56. A white metallic element that burns with
a brilliant light.
57. Angular distance above the horizon
(especially of a celestial object).
59. The blood group whose red cells carry
both the A and B antigens.
61. Swift timid long-eared mammal larger
than a rabbit having a divided upper lip and
long hind legs.
62. An Arabic speaking person who lives in
Arabia or North Africa.
63. Herb of the Pacific islands grown
throughout the tropics for its edible root and
in temperate areas as an ornamental for its
large glossy leaves.
65. Type genus of the Anatidae.
66. The officer below the master on a commercial ship.
68. Someone who works (or provides workers) during a strike.
69. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake
Chad.
71. A clawed foot of an animal especially a
quadruped.
72. A prominent rock or pile of rocks on a hill.
73. A slight amount or degree of difference.
76. A brittle silver-white metalloid element
that is related to selenium and sulfur.
Tomorrow is the key word for today. Some days it is okay to put off until
tomorrow all those chores you could do now-this is one of those days. A
day of relaxation may mean doing things you would not usually do. Your idea of stepping
outside your everyday norm may be a day of fishing or a day of playing with the kids in
your family . . . Perhaps giving parents a day at the movies. Although you are very energetic and interested in sports, you might enjoy helping a loved one complete some project. Your ability to effectively communicate with both friends and colleagues is on the
increase. The practical use of your time and energy will most certainly benefit you and
anyone around you. This is a day of relaxation and building on relationships.
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
You are in touch with your feelings and very loving-this is a good time to call
old friends or spend time with loved ones. The love you give will be returned tenfold. Your
sensitivity to others is increased. This may encourage you to spend a little time visiting any
homebound people you may know. Be sure to keep an open mind about ideas or proposals that a close relative suggests, paying attention to any details. A time of expanding your
mental horizons is at hand and you may consider signing up for class to learn a skill or
gather information about a future travel destination. Letter writing, bookstores and time
to visit interesting people are your possibilities for this afternoon.
Leo (July 23-August 22)
A common interest in spiritual and mystical values among family members
may occur today. After the noon meal everyone has places to go, things to do and people
to see. You might consider consolidating your friendships and strengthening them before
they disappear from your mind. Perhaps it has been a long time since you have seen a
special friend. Spending time with close, old friends is advisable at this time. Try to reflect
on past accomplishments and the friends you enjoy. It is a super day for socializing and for
catching up on the happenings of these friends-perhaps through phone calls or writing.
Your artistic sensibilities are heightened this evening.
Virgo (August 23-September 22)
If you have a fairly flexible nature, today will offer no problems for you. Try
to use this period to break out of counterproductive habits. You may take a serious attitude to just about all aspects of your life just now. Perhaps you are reassessing your future
goals. This is an excellent time to sit down alone and get many things accomplished. You
are apt to spend a great deal of time communicating with co-workers and people apart
from work later this afternoon. Perhaps others want to contribute to a group project.
Some planning would be a good thing. You will most likely be full of energy and ready to
take on the world. The synthesis or mixture of your creative energy with a partner’s realism and practicality could prove most rewarding.
WORD SEARCH PUZZLE
Libra (September 23-October 22)
Outside forces, good or bad, may cloud your judgment-give yourself time
to think. Being in too much of a rush or too busy is a blockage to the wisdom on which
you rely. Your artistic and sensitive side is insightful and you may start a creative project
or attend a cultural event. Relationship with your spouse is on solid ground. You and a
loved one are happily in tune with each other. Agreements are easily reached. Expressing
affection comes effortlessly and can do much good for your disposition now. Your thirst
for freedom and excitement, while a definite boon to any relationship, should not completely dominate your decision-making process. Creativeness adds to the ability to think
quickly on your feet.
Scorpio (October 23-November 21)
You may not feel at the top of your mental alertness today and this may be
the best time to step up and be more physical. Unless there is a headache, an activity of
moving your muscles in some project or chore will energize the whole body. You can
return to the mental work you had planned on doing in a little while. A young person has
a birthday soon and you may have a craft idea planned for the big day. Today is a good
time to complete your project because you will have help if you want it. Later this afternoon, you may feel like joining in with the family and watching a movie, partaking in
games or creating music together. The music you play together is infectious and you may
discover several friends join in to share an evening of music.
Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)
A little extra energy is available this day that will help sort out some of
those relationship problems you have been ignoring lately. You are right to
deal with them soon. You may also decide to take full stock of your accounts and debts so
as to find out where you stand. There may be several choices as to how you will expend
your energies later today. You may enjoy sports activities with friends in the afternoon.
Really good friendships are not easy to find and you have some good friends who enjoy
your company. This is a good time to nurture those friendships. This evening, you and
your family may decide to plan some future renovations for the home. This may work best
if all are allowed their own points of view.
Capricorn (December 22-January 19)
There is an opportunity today to renew old friendships and mend any rift
between persons. Healing results when two or more people decide to
respect individual opinion and either teach through example or learn through comparison. There is a strong connection between you and your loved ones and when the phone
rings, you will find yourself correct in guessing the person that might be on the other end
of the phone. Some sort of invisible energy is present that creates a connection of always
knowing somehow that your loved ones are happy or perhaps, in need of your attention.
Aquarius (January 20- February 18)
You may feel the need to express yourself through another person. You
may try to increase your power of attraction, consciously or subconsciously, during this
time. This could mean a new hair color or hairstyle-perhaps a new outfit. You also may
have a speaker represent your view or your product. Relax . . . The result you are seeking
will be successful. You may discover some shortcuts while tending to your favorite hobby
this afternoon. This may be how fast you can get the paint to dry or a new type of clay to
work with that will harden quicker, etc. The shortcut you discover at home may have possibilities in the workplace. You enjoy sharing some time with your family this evening.
Feeling cared for and needed is comfortable.
Pisces (February 19-March 20)
There is an interest in religion and philosophy. There are many questions
raised about mysterious topics like life’s purpose. Talk among friends is serious at this time.
Also, there is a strong wish to make your surroundings as pleasant as possible. This phase
marks an excellent time to be with loved ones, whether at work or at play. You are filled
with the energy and the desire to be with others. There may be opportunities for a party or
other types of social gatherings, like a family reunion or a trip to the zoo with friends. Go
for it! Periodically this day, you run new ideas through your head about making more money through rational, intellectual process than with brute, physical action. Ideas for fulfilling
your dreams are beginning to take form.
Yesterday’s Solution
Daily SuDoku
i n f o r m at i o n
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lifestyle
Blunt embarrassed
by musical ignorance
Tatum’s dramatic
weight loss
G O S S I P
C
hanning Tatum lost 15lbs in one day. The ‘Foxcatcher’ actor underwent a grueling regime to portray wrestler Mark Schultz in the movie
and admits he and co-star Mark Ruffalo resorted to extreme lengths
to get into the shape they needed to be in. He said: “I dropped 15lbs in a
day. You have a ton of water in your skin and stomach and Ruff and I figured
out how much weight we could lose in the gym. “I was not feeling very well
after that.” The 34-year-old hunk admires his character from the film
because wrestling takes much more discipline than acting. He explained:
“To win Olympic gold, you train from childhood. There’s no just jumping in,
saying, ‘I’m really gifted.’ It’s a day-in, day-out obsession.” Channing never
formally studied acting so views his work on movie sets as his training. The
former stripper told heat magazine: “I had on the job training. Each film has
been a school term. It’s an expensive education.” Though the ‘Magic Mike’
actor is enjoying a strong career, he still regrets roles he lost out on. He said
“I’ve not cried about losing a part but I really, really wanted ‘John Carter’. It’s
one of those that got away.”
Jackman ‘set
to star in Eddie
The Eagle film’
H
ugh Jackman is to star in a film about
Olympian Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards. The
46-year-old Australian will play Chuck
Berghorn, a ski expert from Lake Placid who
helped Eddie to prepare for the 1988 Winter
Games in Calgary, where he became an unlikely
hero after coming last in his two ski-jumping
events. Meanwhile, Taron Egerton has been cast in
the role of Eddie, having overcome competition
from the likes of George MacKay, Jamie Bell and
Daniel Kaluuya, all of whom were considered for
the part. However, Egerton secured the role after
performing a “magical” screen-test opposite
Jackman, according to the Daily Mail newspaper.
The screen-test was shot in New York, where
Jackman has been starring in the Broadway production of ‘The River’. Director Dexter Fletcher and
producer Matthew Vaughn - who hope to begin
filming in the spring - would like ‘Mr Turner’ star
Timothy Spall to portray Eddie’s father in the
movie. What’s more, it’s been speculated that some
scenes from the film will be shot in Cheltenham,
England, where Eddie was raised, while Take That’s
Gary Barlow has been lined up to write songs for
the movie.
Amy Adams: Lois Lane
is on a new journey
A
my Adams is enjoying taking Lois Lane on a “fun new
journey”. The 40-year-old actress is reprising her role as
the Daily Planet reporter in ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn
of Justice’ - the sequel to Superman film ‘Man of Steel’. It is the
first time Amy has reprised a character for a sequel and she
admits it’s been a thrill to revisit Lois, something she can’t say of
all her characters. The ‘Big Eyes’ star told The Guardian newspaper: “I’ve just had my first experience of bringing a character
back, playing Lois Lane again, and it was fun to take her on a
new journey. There are occasions where I’m grateful to let the
character go.” One alter ego she was please to walk away from
home was fraudster Sydney Prosser from ‘American Hustle’
because playing the damaged temptress took an emotional toll
on her. Amy - who earned a Best Actress Oscar nomination for
her performance opposite Christian Bale - said: “That’s how I felt
about Sydney. People love her. The reaction was that she was
strong and sexy, but I saw it differently. There was something so
damaged about her that didn’t sit well with me playing her. It
was fun making the film and Christian is one of my all-time
favourite people to work with. And Sydney is a great character.
But it didn’t feel good to play her. I felt her pain in a way that
was difficult to deal with.” Amy stars in ‘Batman v Superman:
Dawn of Justice’ with Henry Cavill, who is returning as DC
Comics hero Superman, Ben Affleck as Batman, Gal Gadot as
Wonder Woman, Jason Momoa as Aquaman and Jesse
Eisenberg as super-villain Lex Luthor.
E
mily Blunt is “embarrassed” not to have seen the ‘Into The Woods’ stage show. The 31-year-old
British actress plays the Baker’s Wife in the new movie adaptation of the hit musical but didn’t
have as much to reference as her American co-stars like Meryl Streep and Anna Kendrick, but
thinks that’s understandable because of her upbringing. She said: “I’m embarrassed to say I had not
seen the show, I had heard of it ... I don’t think it’s done as much in the UK, in every American school or
college it seems to be performed a lot.” Emily admits she was even shocked to learn her husband John
Krasinski - with who she has 10-month-old daughter Hazel - was more familiar with the production than
she was. She said: “I was surprised that my husband, who does not like musicals, knew of ‘Into the
Woods’ and even sang to me on my way to the audition, the man who never watches musicals.” The
brunette beauty had to sing in the production and found the experience “nerve-wracking” but was happy to overcome her fears as she wanted to work with her ‘Devil Wears Prada’ co-star Meryl again, under
the directorship of Rob Marshall. She explained: “That was a really nerve-wracking experience. I’ve
always found it very nerve-wracking to sing in front of people but in this case it was really hard to say no
because I wanted to work with Meryl again, I loved Rob and the part.”
Minaj releasing
documentary
N
icki Minaj has made a documentary about the “emotional
rollercoaster” of making her new album. The ‘Anaconda’ hitmaker released her third studio record ‘The Pinkprint’ last
month and will give fans an insight into her personal and professional struggles while making it in a one-off program titled ‘Nicki
Minaj: My Time Again’. Confirming the news on Twitter, she wrote: “I
can finally share this! Here’s the trailer for my new @MTV doc
#MyTimeAGAIN! (sic).” In the teaser trailer for the show - which will
premiere on MTV in the US on January 18 - the rapper hints the
documentary will include a look into her personal heartbreak in
2014, having split from her boyfriend of 12 years, Safaree Samuels.
She says in the trailer: “I didn’t know that this album would entail an
emotional rollercoaster.” As well as suggesting she will talk her relationship, she also describes the music industry as something “noone could prepare” her for. She adds: “No-one could prepare for this
business. Until you are in it you really can’t wrap your brain around
it.” The 32-year-old star released a similar documentary, ‘My Time
Now’, in 2010, which chronicled her rise to stardom and followed
her as she geared up for the release of ‘Pink Friday’ which spawned
the singles ‘Roman’s Revenge’, ‘Fly’ and ‘Moment 4 Life’.-Bang
Showbiz
Neeson admits Taken
4 could happen
L
iam Neeson admits ‘Taken 4’ could be made. The 62-year-old actor
stars as a former CIA operative Bryan Mills in the successful film franchise and having just released the third film, he admits there’s a
chance he’ll appear in another. He said: “I don’t think [the ‘Taken’ franchise]
can develop any more to satisfy audiences, but you never know. “We’ll see.
We’ll see how successful ‘Taken 3’ becomes.” The latest ‘Taken’ film leaves
room for Neeson’s on-screen character to return for a fourth film. However,
he admits that in order for this to happen, the film’s writers would have to
scrap the “family under threat” formula. He told Yahoo Movies: “I can’t see
there being a ‘Taken 4’ happening unless they take Bryan Mills and put
him into something completely different, [a new] scenario with his buddies, you know his little covert group of military buddies.” Meanwhile,
Neeson’s ‘Taken 3’ co-star Maggie Grace has admitted he is “incredibly protective” of her. She said Neeson once called one of her ex-boyfriends to
confront him about hurting her feelings. Maggie explained: “There was
this boy who had really hurt my feelings and was kind of being a hot mess,
and Liam was just like, ‘Let’s set this kid straight.’ “It was great.”
Damon and Renner ‘unlikely
to appear together on screen’
T
here are no plans for a Bourne film featuring Matt Damon and Jeremy Renner.
Executive producer Frank Marshall has revealed that while Renner is to remain
involved with the franchise, he is not set to appear on screen alongside Damon,
who agreed to return to the role of the action hero last year. He revealed: “We don’t
have plans for that. You never know. I never say never. But that’s not the plan. They’re
on separate tracks.” Marshall also explained why it took so long to convince Damon
to return to the role. He said: “It was really the challenge of finding the story. If you
look back five or six years ago, when we were maybe going on, we just didn’t have a
story. It’s taken this long for us to come up with a story that everybody responded to.
Now, we’re moving forward.” Also returning for the new Bourne film is director Paul
Greengrass, and Marshall said he needed all parties on board in order to progress
with the project. Asked if Greengrass was key to the film being made, he told
Collider: “No, it was about both of them responding to a story idea. Now, we’re off
and we’re going to go write the script and make it.”
Flowers’ struggle
to juggle
B
randon Flowers “struggles” with raising his kids and having a
career. The Killers frontman tries hard to find a balance between
family life with wife Tana and their sons Ammon, seven, Gunnar,
five, and three-year-old Henry and his “desire” to create and compete.
Asked if he struggles with fatherhood and the demands of the band,
he said: “Yeah. I struggle with it every day. But I do take daddy time off
and I also have this strong desire to create. “Sometimes it’s a desire to
compete. A lot of the time I’ll be competing with older stuff, like Blue
Oyster Cult. I’ll hear a purity in that stuff that I don’t hear on modern
radio and I’m striving for that sound in my own music.” The ‘Read My
Mind’ hitmaker loves hiking in the Las Vegas desert, both because it
gives him quality bonding time with his sons but also to find inspiration for his songwriting. He told Q magazine: “The desert doesn’t leave
you. It energizes me. That’s where I go for inspiration and perspective,
where I take my kids on a hike.”
lifestyle
F a s h i o n
Models present creations by Sibling on the second day of the Autumn/Winter 2015 London Collections: Men fashion event in London.—AFP photos
London Collections:
Men fashion event
Public School first US brand
to win Intl Woolmark Prize
Liam Hodges
Models present creations by J.W. Anderson.
D
esigners Maxwell Osborne and Dao-Yi Chow of Public
School won the prestigious International Woolmark Prize
on Friday, becoming the first American brand and the first
victors in the inaugural menswear category. The prize, with an
award of about $81,000, was announced in London at the start of
London Collections: Men, a round of fashion shows for menswear.
The street-inspired designers have had a rapid rise in the industry
and recently added womenswear after taking the Council of
Fashion Designers of America award in the men’s category.
For the Woolmark Prize, founded by Australian sheep farmers in
1936, Public School was chosen by judges over four other brands:
Sise of Japan, Asger Juel Larsen of Denmark, Strateas. Carlucci of
Australia and The Emperor 1688 of United Arab Emirates. “The
great thing about Public School is the way in which they have
mixed the traditional with the contemporary, creating an incredibly vibrant collection,” Dylan Jones, editor of British GQ and a
judge, said in a statement.
The duo’s collection in Merino wool included boxy pieces in
black and gray. One look paired loose short trousers with a slouchy
short-sleeve cowl neck fitted with string ties. “Many items were fully fashioned, so for sportswear they could fit the shape of the body
and could work for some of the major sportswear brands,” said
another judge, menswear designer Paul Smith. Osborne and Chow
said in the statement they were “really proud” to have one. Their
wool collection will be available in select retailers around the
world starting in August.—AP
In this Thursday, May 22, 2014 file photo, Dao-Yi Chow, left,
and Maxwell Osborne, the designers behind Public School,
pose for a portrait in their New York fashion studio.—AP
lifestyle
M U S I C
List of Golden Globe nominees
H
ere are the nominees in key categories for
the 72nd Golden Globe Awards, which was
handed out yesterday in Beverly Hills:
Film
Best film, drama:
“Boyhood”
“Foxcatcher”
“The Imitation Game”
“Selma”
“The Theory of Everything”
Best film, musical or comedy:
“Birdman”
“The Grand Budapest Hotel”
“Into the Woods”
“Pride”
“St Vincent”
Best actor, drama:
Steve Carell, “Foxcatcher”
Benedict Cumberbatch, “The Imitation Game”
Jake Gyllenhaal, “Nightcrawler”
David Oyelowo, “Selma”
Eddie Redmayne, “The Theory of Everything”
Best actor, musical or comedy:
Ralph Fiennes, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Michael Keaton, “Birdman”
Bill Murray, “St Vincent”
Joaquin Phoenix, “Inherent Vice”
Christoph Waltz, “Big Eyes”
&
M O V I E S
Hollywood set for Globes
after website ‘winner’ glitch
H
ollywood is holding its breath ahead of yesterday’s
Golden Globes, with dark comedy “Birdman” leading
the race for awards glory ahead of next month’s allimportant Oscars. While an eve-of-show computer glitch
appeared to suggest two other films could take the top
prizes, “Birdman” is still in strong position, earning a string of
accolades and other nominations leading up to the Globes.
Unusually rainy weather looks set to dampen the arrival of
A-listers on the red carpet in Beverly Hills for the Globes, second only to the Oscars in terms of Tinseltown awards buzz.
“Birdman,” which stars former “Batman” Michael Keaton as a
washed-up film actor trying to revive his career on stage, has
earned the most nominations with seven. Coming-of-age
drama “Boyhood” and Nazi code-breaking thriller “The
Imitation Game” starring Britain’s Benedict Cumberbatch are
also hotly tipped to take home trophies with five nods
apiece.
British actors feature strongly at the Globes: Cumberbatch
and his co-star Keira Knightley are among a batch of British
nominees in both the film and television categories. Comic
actresses Tina Fey and Amy Poehler will be hosting the show
for the third straight year at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, where
the festivities will begin at 5:00 pm (0100 GMT Monday).
porting actress (Emma Stone) and best director (Mexico’s
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu).
Its rivals include Wes Anderson’s “The Grand Budapest
Hotel,” Disney’s dark musical fairytale romp “Into the Woods,”
“Pride” and “St Vincent” On the drama side, the best film contenders are: “Boyhood,” “Foxcatcher,” “The Imitation Game,”
“Selma” and “The Theory of Everything.” Barely 48 hours
before the curtain goes up for the 72nd Globes ceremony, a
website glitch appeared to suggest that “Selma” and “Into the
Woods” could be set for best film honors.
In this image released by Sony Pictures Classics, Aleksey
Serebryakov appears in a scene from the film,
“Leviathan. — AP
Best actress, drama:
Jennifer Aniston, “Cake”
Felicity Jones, “The Theory of Everything”
Julianne Moore, “Still Alice”
Rosamund Pike, “Gone Girl”
Reese Witherspoon, “Wild”
Best actress, musical or comedy:
Amy Adams, “Big Eyes”
Emily Blunt, “Into the Woods”
Helen Mirren, “The Hundred-Foot Journey”
Julianne Moore, “Maps to the Stars”
Quvenzhane Wallis, “Annie”
Best supporting actor:
Robert Duvall, “The Judge”
Ethan Hawke, “Boyhood”
Edward Norton, “Birdman”
Mark Ruffalo, “Foxcatcher”
J.K. Simmons, “Whiplash”
Best supporting actress:
Patricia Arquette, “Boyhood”
Jessica Chastain, “A Most Violent Year”
Keira Knightley, “The Imitation Game”
Emma Stone, “Birdman”
Meryl Streep, “Into the Woods”
Best director:
Wes Anderson, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Ava DuVernay, “Selma”
David Fincher, “Gone Girl”
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, “Birdman”
Richard Linklater, “Boyhood”
Best foreign language film:
“Force Majeure” (Sweden)
“Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem” (Israel)
“Ida” (Poland/Denmark)
“Leviathan” (Russia)
“Tangerines” (Estonia)
Best animated feature:
“Big Hero 6”
“The Book of Life”
“The Boxtrolls”
“How to Train Your Dragon 2”
“The Lego Movie”
Television
Best drama series:
“The Affair” (Showtime)
“Downton Abbey” (PBS)
“Game of Thrones” (HBO)
“The Good Wife” (CBS)
“House of Cards” (Netflix)
Best drama actor:
Clive Owen, “The Knick”
Liev Schreiber, “Ray Donovan”
Kevin Spacey, “House of Cards”
James Spader, “The Blacklist”
Dominic West, “The Affair”
industry journal Variety. A spokesman said the films were
chosen “randomly” from nominees’ lists as Web technicians
fine-tuned the website ahead of the show, and that the captions should not have been live.
Some industry experts have highlighted the lack of a clear
frontrunner, in contrast to previous years like in 2012, when
“The Artist” had a virtual lock on Best Picture prizes straight
through to the Oscars. “It seems like a real toss-up,” Tom
Nunan of the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television
told AFP, adding that actors in this year’s race had all turned
in “career-best performances.”
Did glitch reveal winners?
This year’s crop of nominated movies is heavy on true stories: four of the five Globes best drama contenders are based
on real-life events. Among the historical figures featured are
British geniuses Stephen Hawking and Alan Turing, and
Martin Luther King Jr In the best musical or comedy category, the widely acclaimed “Birdman” still seems to be the film
to beat. The movie also earned nods for best actor for
Keaton, best supporting actor (Edward Norton), best sup-
The films were briefly posted on the Globes website as
winning the best drama and best musical/comedy film
awards, before the captions were taken down, according to
Kravitz to join Perry in
Super Bowl halftime show
Sara Watkins
performs at The
Life & Songs of
Emmy Lou Harris
at the DAR
Constitution Hall
on Saturday in
Washington.
—AP photos
Best drama actress:
Claire Danes, “Homeland”
Viola Davis, “How To Get Away With Murder”
Julianna Margulies, “The Good Wife”
Ruth Wilson, “The Affair”
Robin Wright, “House of Cards”
Best comedy series:
“Girls” (HBO)
“Jane the Virgin” (CW)
“Orange Is the New Black” (Netflix)
“Silicon Valley” (HBO)
“Transparent” (Amazon)
Best comedy actor:
Louis C.K., “Louie”
Don Cheadle, “House of Lies”
Ricky Gervais, “Derek”
William H. Macy, “Shameless”
Jeffrey Tambor, “Transparent”
Best comedy actress:
Lena Dunham, “Girls”
Edie Falco, “Nurse Jackie”
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “Veep”
Gina Rodriguez, “Jane the Virgin”
Taylor Schilling, “Orange Is the New Black”
Best mini-series or TV movie:
“Fargo” (FX)
“The Missing” (Starz)
“The Normal Heart” (HBO)
“Olive Kitteridge” (HBO)
“True Detective” (HBO)
Best mini-series or TV movie actor:
Martin Freeman, “Fargo”
Woody Harrelson, “True Detective”
Matthew McConaughey, “True Detective”
Mark Ruffalo, “The Normal Heart”
Billy Bob Thornton, “Fargo”
Best mini-series or TV movie actress:
Maggie Gyllenhaal, “The Honorable Woman”
Jessica Lange, “American Horror Story: Freak Show”
Frances McDormand, “Olive Kitteridge”
Frances O’Connor, “The Missing”
Allison Tolman, “Fargo” — AFP
Open TV field
On the small screen, “Fargo” took the most nominations
with five. In the television categories, critics see a free-for-all
now that the widely acclaimed “Breaking Bad” is no longer on
the air or in the running. Victories for either “House of Cards”
for best drama series and “Orange is the New Black” for best
comedy would be sweet for online streaming giant Netflix as
it battles the traditional broadcast and cable networks.
Unlike the Oscars, which are voted on by some 6,000
industry members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts
and Sciences, the Globes are selected by fewer than 100 journalists from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA).
But a Globes win can still provide a huge boost for an Oscars
campaign. Oscar nominations will be announced on
Thursday. The Academy Awards will then be held on
February 22. — AFP
Stars join Emmylou Harris in
Washington concert tribute
In this Sept 16, 2014 file photo, Katy Perry performs on stage at “The
Prismatic World Tour” at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. — AP photos
R
ock singer-songwriter Lenny
Kravitz will join pop superstar
Katy Perry to perform at halftime of Super Bowl 49 on February 1,
Perry revealed Saturday. Kravitz, 50,
captured four straight Grammy
Awards from 1999 to 2002 for Best
Male Rock Vocal Performance. He
recently announced the second leg
of his world tour for his latest studio
release of “Strut,” which Rolling Stone
Magazine named one of the top
albums of 2014.
Perry was announced in
November as the halftime headliner
for the NFL championship extravaganza to be held in suburban
Phoenix, Arizona. She confirmed
Kravitz would be joining her in a television interview that aired during
Saturday’s NFL playoff game
between New England and
Baltimore. The most recent Super
Bowl halftime show featured Bruno
Mars and the Red Hot Chili Peppers
and drew a record 111.5 million US
TV viewers last February.
Perry, 30, is known for her flamboyant costumes and such hits as
“Firework,” “California Gurls,” “Dark
Horse” and “Part of Me.” Past Super
Bowl halftime performers include
Beyonce, Madonna, The Who, Bruce
Springsteen, Prince, The Rolling
Stones, Paul McCartney, Sting and
the late Michael Jackson. — AFP
In this Sept 26, 2014, file photo,
Lenny Kravitz performs on stage at
the iTunes festival at Camden
Roundhouse in London.
T
he life and work of Emmylou Harris was celebrated in grand style Saturday at a tribute concert in
Washington featuring a galaxy of folk and country stars alongside the iconic American singer-songwriter herself. Kris Kristofferson, Sheryl Crow, Alison
Krauss, Steve Earle, Martina McBride and Mary Chapin
Carpenter were just a few of nearly two dozen recording artists who took turns at the 3,700-seat
Constitution Hall to salute Harris, who watched from a
side balcony when she wasn’t on stage herself.
“Those of you who are of my generation may
remember that show, ‘This is Your Life’,” said the 67year-old winner of 13 Grammy awards as she joined
her fellow entertainers for the closing number, her signature tune “Boulder to Birmingham.” “Well, this has
been a big chunk of my life... I’m blessed to have so
many friends. I must have been somebody good in a
past life.” Filmed and recorded for future broadcast and
DVD release, the 3-1/2 hour show-featuring 29 songsspanned Harris’s four decades in music, during which
she recorded some 40 albums.
Rodney Crowell, with whom Harris recorded last
year’s Grammy-winning album “Old Yellow Moon,”
delivered what he remembered to be the first song he
ever heard her sing live, in a Washington folk club in
1974 — the George Jones ballad “You’re Still on My
Mind.” Earle, whose two numbers included a duet with
Lee Ann Womack, said it was every songwriter’s dream
to have Harris record one of their songs-”and I’ve had
two.” Fittingly for an artist famous for enduring vocal
collaborations, songs in harmony featured prominently
throughout the evening, no more so than when Conor
Oberst, Patty Griffin and Shawn Colvin came together
for a Dylanesque rendition of “The Pearl.” Gospel legend Mavis Staples’ performance of “Will the Circle be
Unbroken” acknowledged Harris’s rich background in
American roots music, but some of the most impressive songs of the night came for a new generation of
Americana artists.
California indie folk duo Kenneth Pattengale and
Joey Ryan, who as the Milk Carton Kids got together
just three years ago, received a robust standing ovation
with their cover of “Michelangelo” off Harris’s 2000 hit
country album “Red Dirt Girl.” “I guess she wanted you
to know that she knows of some bands that you
haven’t heard of before,” said Ryan, who praised the
ability of the silver-haired Harris to stay relevant in the
midst of radical change in the music business. — AFP
Buddy Miller performs on stage.
lifestyle
M U S I C
&
M O V I E S
Rain can’t dampen nominees’ Spirits
at BAFTA LA Tea Party
Marion Cotillard arrives at the
BAFTA 2015 awards season tea
party at The Four Seasons Hotel
on Saturday. — AP photos
Sarah Hyland
Rosamund Pike
L
os Angeles was looking decidedly
British on Saturday afternoon, with
an uncharacteristic downpour
serving as the chilly backdrop for BAFTA/LA’s annual awards season Tea Party.
No strangers to drizzle, UK thesps were
out in full force along with a host of
Golden Globe and BAFTA nominees,
who filled the expansive ballroom at the
Four Seasons Beverly Hills to sup on a
spread of scones, sandwiches, roast beef
and Yorkshire Puddings, along with
cocktails and the titular beverage of
choice (as well as the prerequisite coffee
for those with less refined palates).
“The Theory of Everything” star Eddie
Redmayne-up for lead actor at both the
Globes and BAFTAs-admitted that the
awards circuit is “pretty new and overwhelming, but fun,” confiding that mingling with his cohorts is a highlight of
the season. “With acting, you work quite
intensely with people and then you
don’t see them for a while. What’s been
lovely is seeing friends that I haven’t
seen for a wee while and getting to
catch up, albeit under fairly extreme circumstances... When we all came over to
LA, when you start trying to get work
over here, it’s a difficult city to get a handle on, so there’s a band of Brits that
tend to stick together, and a lot of us
still remember those first days and now
we’re pinching ourselves that we’re
lucky enough to be here.”
Inside the soiree, Redmayne-cutting
a dapper figure in a bright blue suit-was
spotted blowing a kiss to fellow lead
actor nominee Steve Carell, pausing to
giddily shake his hand before being
accosted by numerous well-wishers.
Danielle Alexandra, who serves as UK
Business Ambassador for the Prime
Minster for Film and Television, noted
that “this is a very British year” in the
awards race, since three of the five best
actor contenders at the Golden Globes
(Redmayne, Benedict Cumberbatch and
David Oyelowo) and BAFTAs
(Redmayne, Cumberbatch and Ralph
Fiennes) originate from across the pond.
“It’s extremely exciting what’s happening right now... [with] the growth of UK
business and the amount of UK talent
that’s crossing between the US and the
UK; we’ve increased by 1.8 billion dollars
of production [with] US companies
shooting in the UK, and we’re likewise
donating half of our British talent to live
and work in the US,” she enthused.
Very good work
The influx of British talent to these
shores hasn’t gone unnoticed, and
Alfred Enoch-star of ABC’s “How to Get
Away with Murder”-jokingly confided,
“Sometimes I worry if that’s going to
make people a bit suspicious, all these
British people coming over... I try and fly
under the radar because I talk in my
American [accent] all the time.” Enoch’s
co-star, Viola Davis, is nominated for
lead actress in a TV drama, and he took
the opportunity to stump for her in the
star’s absence. “I think [Davis’ nomination is] rather important because she’s
done some very, very good work, and I
feel very proud to have been a part of
that and to be working with her,
because of the quality of her work and
her ability as an actress in general, but
also specifically what she’s been doing
Keira Knightley
Gillian Anderson
Cara Delevingne
past this, and try and sweep it under the
rug. I think the tensions that brings in all
of the characters’ lives, with their individual relationships outside of the work
group and inside, are really exciting,
we’re being given really interesting
things to play.”
“Boyhood” star Patricia Arquettewho scored supporting actress nominations at both the Globes and the
BAFTAs-observed that she and the rest
of the film’s cast have been promoting
the pic for over a year now, and admitted that “next year when this is all over,
it’s gonna be hard and strange” not to
see her co-stars after spending more
than twelve years of their lives together
over the course of the film’s unprecedented production. Arquette said that
she considers the film both “life-changing and illuminating,” and revealed that
the response “Boyhood” has received
has been changed by her role is “Jane
the Virgin’s” Gina Rodriguez, nominated
for lead actress in a TV comedy at
Sunday’s Golden Globes. “It feels really
good, and now I want to-with my production company-open doors for others
and I just want to create more opportunities. And to me what’s beautiful is to
start talking about the positives: how
great it is that this show has happened,
because it just means more people are
gonna realize that it’s not that big of a
risk. We wanna see ourselves, all ethnicities: Asian-American, Indian-American,
Adrien Brody
Rene Russo
Chris Miller aren’t taking anything for
granted ahead of Sunday’s Globes ceremony, where their film is up for best animated feature.
Among the other revelers were “Into
the Woods” stars Anna Kendrick and
James Corden, who were spotted talking to “Agent Carter’s” Dominic Cooper;
supporting actress nominee Keira
Knightley, who was animatedly catching
up with “Anna Karenina” co-star Cara
Delevingne early in the afternoon; and
“Gone Girl” contender Rosamund Pike,
who was deep in discussion with
Kendrick and Edgar Wright as the party
wore on. “Fargo’s” Allison Tolman-up for
a lead actress Globe in the TV Miniseries
or Movie category-gamely showed off
the party’s must-have accessory: a
leather Mulberry bracelet that could be
stamped with letters of a guest’s choosing; naturally, Tolman’s was proudly
emblazoned with “Fargo,” which also
earned nominations for best TV miniseries or movie; best actor for co-stars
Martin Freeman and Billy Bob Thornton,
and best supporting actor for Colin
Hanks.
“Batman v Superman” star Henry
Cavill was beset by partygoers eager for
intel on Warner Bros.’ upcoming superhero smackdown. The Brit was effusive
in his praise of co-star Ben Affleck, but
scoffed when asked whether he sustained any injuries while going toe to
toe with Affleck’s Dark Knight. “Are you
kidding? I’m the Man of Steel,” he
quipped. — Reuters
Anna Kendrick
Karen David
Patricia Arquette
Hannah Bagshawe and Eddie
Redmayne
week in, week out on the show. It’s difficult to do the volume of work we do
and keep working to that level.”
The highest-rated new drama of the
season, “HTGAWM” left viewers on a
killer cliffhanger before its midseason
break, and Enoch teased that there are
plenty more twists to come when the
show returns on Jan 29: “It’s a really,
really interesting position-it’s called
‘How to Get Away with Murder’ and now
they have to get away with murder, so it
feels to me like a beginning, in a sense.
We found out how it all happened and
how it came to pass, but now they have
to live with this, have to try and move
from audiences and fellow creatives has
been especially gratifying: “It’s an
incredible thing because I know there’s
value in this movie, just as a human
being-I’ve never had a movie before
where people said ‘we decided not to
get divorced after your movie,’ ‘we
decided we were going to change our
marriage after we saw your movie.’
Intimate films
I’ve had couples say to me, ‘we decided to become parents after we saw your
movie,’ or, many, many people, ‘I called
my mom and apologized for taking her
for granted.’ Yes, there are the awards
but there’s also that, and that is incredible. And to be getting awards for a
movie that has that content is also
incredible ... ‘Boyhood’ has broken all
the rules of the messaging of what audiences wanna see, and now when [independent filmmakers] talk about more
intimate films, producers are actually listening.”
Another star who feels that her life
Mallory Jansen
we all wanna see ourselves on screen, so
it’s empowering.” One of the first projects on tap for Rodriguez’s production
company is another female-driven project-a film she’s creating with “Jane” costar Justin Baldoni. “It’s a boxing film
where I’ll be able to play the lead,
because I box-my father was a professional referee for boxing and I grew up
boxing-so we’re gonna do a really beautiful story,” she said. “It’s a true story, an
amazing boxer that’s currently boxing,
one of the champions, and we’ll be
doing her biography.”
“Jane the Virgin” scored Globes nominations for Rodriguez and for best TV
comedy, earning the first above-the-line
awards recognition for The CW in the
network’s 10-year history. “It makes you
Miles Teller
wanna work harder,” the star said of the
nod.
Animated feature
“I work on Monday, I worked yesterday, always remembering the reason
why we’re here is because of the work
and how lucky I am to do that. The nomination is awesome; to make history for
The CW is awesome; so now we’ve just
gotta work really hard to prove that we
deserved it.” While “The Lego Movie” is
already a winner in terms of box office
haul, writer-directors Phil Lord and
Hannah New
Rain can’t
dampen
nominees’
spirits at BAFTA
LA Tea Party
39
La Dolce Vita actress
Anita Ekberg
dies at 83
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A file photo taken in 1960 shows Italian actor Marcello Mastroianni and his Swedish actress Anita Ekberg in Rome’s famous Trevi Fountain during the
shooting of Federico Fellini’s film “La Dolce Vita”. — AP/AFP photos
A
nita Ekberg, the Swedish-born actress and sex-symbol of the 1950s and ‘60s who was immortalized
bathing in the Trevi fountain in “La Dolce Vita,” has
died. She was 83. Ekberg’s lawyer Patrizia Ubaldi confirmed
she died in Rome yesterday morning following a series of
illnesses. She had been hospitalized most recently after
Christmas. Ubaldi said that in her last days Ekberg was saddened by the illness and her advancing age.
“She had hoped to get better, something that didn’t
happen,” she said. Ekberg had long lived in Italy, the country that gave her worldwide fame thanks to the iconic dip
opposite Marcello Mastroianni. The scene where the blond
bombshell, clad in a black dress, her arms wide open, calls
out “Marcello” remains one of the most famous images in
film history. Her curvaceous body and glamorous social life
made her a favorite of tabloid press in the 1950s and
1960s. She married twice but never had children - a fact
she came to regret later in her life. Some gossip magazines
called her “The Iceberg” in a nod to her Scandinavian background.
But even as she became one of Sweden’s most famous
exports, Ekberg maintained a problematic relation with her
native country. She never starred in a Swedish film and was
often at odds with Swedish journalists, who criticized her
for leaving the country and ridiculed her for adopting an
Regret in life
She said it was shot in February, the water in the fountain
was cold and Mastroianni was falling over in the fountain
drunk. “And there I was. I was freezing,” she said. “They had to
lift me out of the water because I couldn’t feel my legs anymore.” “I have seen that scene a few times. Maybe too many
times. I can’t stand watching it anymore, but it was beautiful
at the time,” she said.
Ekberg remained in Italy for years, appearing in scores of
movies, many forgettable. She returned in two Fellini movies:
“Clowns” and “Intervista.” Ekberg married Briton Anthony
Steel in 1956, but divorced him four years later.
In 1963 she married again to actor
Rik van Nutter, but that marriage
also failed. In an interview with
Swedish tabloid Aftonbladet in
2006, Ekberg said her only regret in
life was never having children.
“I would have liked to have a
child, preferably a son,” she was quoted as saying. “It didn’t turn out that
way. That’s life, you just have to
accept it.” In the interview, published
in connection with Ekberg’s 75th
birthday, she also said she wasn’t
afraid of death. “I’m just angry because
I won’t get the chance to tell others
about death, where the soul goes and if
there is a life afterward,” she was quoted
as saying. “I don’t know if paradise or hell
exist, but I’m sure hell is more groovy.”
Ubaldi said a ceremony would be held in
the coming days at a Lutheran church in
Rome, and that Ekberg had specified that
her remains be cremated. —AP
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In this May 9, 1962 file photo, Swedish actress
Anita Ekberg and Australian-American actor Rod
Taylor, who plan to marry soon, in San Francisco,
United States.
File photo taken on October 30, 2010 shows
Swedish actress Anita Ekberg arriving for
the premiere in Rome of a digitally remastered version of “La Dolce Vita”, at the 5th
Rome Film Festival.
American accent. Born on Sept 29, 1931, in the southern
city of Malmo, Ekberg grew up with seven siblings.
In 1951 she won the Miss Sweden competition, after
being recommended to enter by organizers who saw her
on the street, and went to the United States to compete for
the Miss Universe title. She didn’t win but became a model
in Hollywood and later started taking on small acting roles.
Her role in Federico Fellini’s “La Dolce Vita” - where she
played a movie star - shot her to stardom. The movie was a
colossal success and came to define the wild and carefree
days of the early 1960s. Hosting a Swedish radio program
in 2005, Ekberg recalled shooting the scene in the Trevi
Fountain in Rome.
In this May 29,
1961 file photo,
Swedish actress
Anita Ekberg
and Italian
movie director
Federico Fellini
stand talking in
a Rome suburb.
A picture taken on June 21, 2010 shows Swedish-born film star Anita
Ekberg posing aboard the Italian cruise ship Costa Atlantica at quay in
Stockholm next to a picture showing her famous swim in the Trevi fountain
in “La Dolce Vita” by Italian director Federico Fellini in 1960.

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