pilot’s family condole Jordan Kuwaiti MPs

severely damaged browncoloredthree-storeybuilding -but lished photosallegedly ofthebombedsite, showinga killed intheairstrikes,statement furtherclaimed.Itpub- “the samelocationformorethan anhour”.Nomilitantswere she waskilledduringFridayprayers inairstrikesthattargeted ment identifiedthewomanas KaylaJeanMuellerandsaid of Raqqa,themilitantgroup’s main stronghold.Thestate- airstrike yesterdayontheoutskirts ofthenorthernSyriancity an AmericanfemalehostagewaskilledinaJordanian brave youngpilot.” our retaliationoverthishorrificandbrutalmurderof Nasser JudehtoldCNNtheoperationwas“thebeginningof Syria toincludetargetsinneighboringIraq.ForeignMinister struck ISonThursday,andhadwidenedtheircampaignfrom against thejihadists.Jordansaiddozensofitsjetfighters by theIslamicStategroup,asAmmanintensifieditsfight demanding retributionfortheburningaliveofafighterpilot AMMAN: SUBSCRIPTION T Late yesterday,apurportedstatementbyISclaimedthat IS claimsJordanstrike killsUShostage housands marchfor Thousands marchedinJordan’scapitalyesterday 4 150 Fils AUDY ERAY7 05 AIATAI1,13 HNo:16426 SATURDAY, 1436 AH RABI ALTHANI FEBRUARY 18, 7,2015 hand inunlicensedarms Ruling familyinvitedto Interior ministervowstoenforcelawonall Queen Raniaholdsaplacardduringthedemonstration.—AFP murdered bytheIslamicStategrouplastmonth.(Inset)Jordanian stration yesterdayinthecapitalsolidaritywithJordanianpilot AMMAN: Jordaniansshoutslogansagainstjihadistsduringademon- she told the British broadcaster. — she toldtheBritish broadcaster.— and unitedvery determinedtoridthisworld ofthisevil,” ing tofrightenJordanians,butall theydidistomakeusangry Rania toldtheBBC.“Throughtheir heinousactsthey’rehop- horror andourgrief,”the44-year-old Kuwait-bornPalestinian “Today I’mjustlikeanyotherJordanian. Weareunitedinour marchers afterweeklyprayers at theAl-Husseinimosque. martyr ofrighteousness”,Jordan’s QueenRaniajoinedthe eradication ofterrorism.” ing placardsaloftthatread:“Yestopunishment.Yesthe are allMuath...WeJordan,”theychanted,somehold- people wavedJordanianflagsandpicturesofKassasbeh.“We sparked griefanddeepangerinJordan.InAmmancrowdsof killing ofairmanMuathAl-Kassasbeh,whosedeathhas safety. whose identitywasneverdisclosedoutofconcernsforher no imagesofthewoman.Muellerisa26-year-oldaidworker assume power parliament, Houthis dissolve Holding aportraitofthepilotwithwords“Muath Earlier thisweek,ISreleasedavideoofthegruesome 7 Agencies p ilot weekly meeting. —KUNA Al-Sabah saidin apressstatementfollowing theCabinet’s Cabinet Affairs SheikhMohammadAl-Abdullah Al-Mubarak from everybodytoprovesuccessful, MinisterofStatefor ment ofthislawisanationalduty thatrequirescooperation with securityagencies.TheCabinet stressedthattheenforce- enhance statesecurityandurged allpeopletocooperate the unlicensedfirearmsand ammunition collectionlawto unlawful firearmsorammunition. there wascausetobelievetheexistenceofunlicensedor search anypubliclocationandprivateorvehiclesif taking properauthorizationfromthepublicprosecutor,to censed firearmsandammunition.Thelawallowspolice,after to KD50,000foranyonewhodeals(iebuysorsells)inunli- increases jailtimetotenyearsandthemaximumlimitonfines fined uptoKD10,000oroneofthetwopenalties.Italso firearms andammunitioncouldbejailedforfiveyears be Kuwaiti citizens’homestoinspectwomenareas. raids. Henotedthatfemaleofficerswillparticipateinraids on the society’straditionsandIslamicteachingsduringinspection minister stressedthatlawenforcerswillshowduerespectto authorities beforetheendoffour-monthgraceperiod.The unlawful weaponsintheirpossessiontohandthem ing onanationwidemediacampaigntopersuadethosewith the country. or ammunitioninanypartof sessors ofunlicensedfirearms search andbringtojusticepos- tight forcedeploymentplanto ministry haspreparedawater- crime. Herevealedthatthe security andtofightrising law aimstoboostKuwait’s minister underlinedthatthe approval ofthelaw,interior day aftertheparliament’s punishment. OnJan29,anda tion andbeexemptedfrom censed firearmsandammuni- people tohandintheirunli- statement yesterday. the InteriorMinistry’sSecurityMediaDepartmentinapress on everyonewithoutexceptionandinfulltransparency,said framework oftheministry’spreparationtoenforcenewlaw the parliamentonJan28.Thisinvitationcomeswithin firearms andammunitioncollectionlawwhichwaspassedby be arolemodelforallpeopleinabidingbytheunlicensed opened sooninallKuwait’sgovernorates. session totheunlicensedfirearmcollectioncentersthatwillbe to handinanyunlicensedfirearmsorammunitiontheirpos- tation totheAmiriDiwanaskmembersofrulingfamily Mohammad Al-KhaledAl-HamadAl-Sabahsentawritteninvi- KUWAIT: over Clippers streak withwin Cavs stretch 48 The Cabinetlastweekhadunderscored theimportanceof The lawstipulatesthatanyonepossessingunlicensed Sheikh Mohammadstatedthattheministryalsoisembark- It notedthatthelawprovidesafour-monthultimatumfor In hisrequest,theministerurgedrulingfamilymembersto Deputy PrimeMinisterandofInteriorSheikh Sheikh Mohammad Max Min 24º 11º LOCAL SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

Kuwaiti author Mai Al-Naqeeb showcases her new book before WB. Kuwaiti Writer Al-Naqeeb showcases her new book WASHINGTON: Kuwaiti writer and professor of English litera- She reviewed the dimensions of her book from several lin- For her part, Director of External Relations for the Middle ture at Kuwait University Dr May Al-Naqeeb said that her book guistic or objective aspects which “were centered about mem- East in the World Bank Group Hiba Shamsuddin praised the titled ‘Hidden Light of Things’ deals with historical facts, such ory, especially regarding things that have sentimental mean- opportunity given to the public and employees of the group as the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, the civil war in Lebanon and ings or related to certain memories in our lives, thus, making to read the book and the invitation extended by Al-Naqeeb to the Palestinian issue. Al-Naqeeb said after submitting her our memories issue the ‘Hidden Light of Things’ around us.” announce the World Bank Group’s hosting of a series of semi- book in a panel discussion at the World Bank Group building Al-Naqeeb said that she had written her book in English nars and lectures from the Middle East to bring in more enthu- within framework of a literary tour carried out to a number of instead of Arabic, saying that “in addition to the fact that siasts from that region to the World Bank Group. Shamsuddin universities and organizations in the United States that the English is the first for her because of her studies, the English said among the main goals of these series was to shed more book’s narration of such facts, had made the attendance at the allows a wider audience to become acquainted with her light on the situation in the Middle East and how people live seminar, which was mostly from the Arab community, more book”, welcoming the idea of translating the book if the atten- there in addition to the various communities, especially liter- interactive with what had been raised. tion attached to it has increased. ary ones. — KUNA Kuwait-UK Joint Steering stresses better relations KUWAIT: The Kuwait-UK Joint Steering Group and Sky Marshalls, it noted. has underlined the significance of promoting Discussions on bilateral cooperation in cul- and developing bilateral cooperative relations ture and education focused on intensifying the in various fields. At its fifth meeting held on cooperation between both countries’ scientific February 4-5, the biannual group said ways to establishments and universities, providing facil- further strengthen mutual cooperation were ities for Kuwaiti students in the UK and looking identified, and both sides welcomed the at how to increase student numbers. Both sides progress made by the joint group and high- emphasized the importance of cooperation in lighted the bilateral relationship between the the field of medicine and medical researchers. UK and Kuwait. The meeting was co-chaired by They discussed ways to benefit from the devel- Undersecretary of the Kuwaiti Ministry of opment of the medical sector through training Foreign Affairs Ambassador Khaled Al-Jarallah and providing facilities to Kuwaiti patients and UK Minister for the Middle East Tobias receiving private treatment in UK hospitals, Ellwood. according to the joint statement. They signed an action plan for the next six On wider issues, both sides focused on the months and a memo of understanding on edu- importance of fighting terrorism and countering cation to strengthen the bilateral links in this violence and extremism, and discussed how to important sector through exchanging experi- sustain human life and dignity, and freedom of ence and supporting Kuwait’s aims to improve expression, provided that it does not cross the its capacity in the field, the group said in a joint line into incitement to extremism, hatred, or KUWAIT: Photo shows the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Sheikh Khaled statement. Both sides emphasized the impor- defamation. Furthermore, they praised the Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah with UK Minister for the Middle East and North Africa Tobias Elwood tance of reinforcing UK-Kuwait relations in humanitarian efforts of both countries, particular- during the meeting. — KUNA many sectors, including security, defense, econ- ly with regard to the suffering of people from omy, trade, investment, culture, migration, Syria. The UK welcomed the decision by Kuwait planning and development, it said. They agreed to host a third Top Donor Pledging Conference to on the importance of exchanging visits, imple- raise fund for the humanitarian situation in Syria. GCC urged to tackle menting agreements signed, and identifying Minister Ellwood and Al-Jarallah concluded and overcoming any obstacles, according to the meeting with the signing of a formation illegal tobacco trade the joint statement. action plan for the next six months, and agreed RIYADH: Health Minister Ali Al-Obaidi dens of cancer patients, and a decision to They also agreed on the significance of that there would be a sixth Joint Steering group urged Gulf Cooperation Council member limit advertisements for energy drinks. developing and strengthening trade and meeting in London in six months’ time. states, following ministerial talks on These recommendations are to be adopted investment relationships, in particular Kuwait’s Speaking to reporters following the Joint Thursday, to approve a protocol on tackling “on the ground immediately” due to their National Development Plan and infrastructure Steering Group meeting, Al-Jarallah said their the illegal tobacco trade based on a 2015- importance to the health and safety of peo- projects in the UK. Plans were made to further discussions covered political, trade, investment, 30 strategy. Meanwhile, the minister said he ple of the region, minister Al-Obaidi said. this cooperation through trade facilitation and security, defensive, health, educational and cul- was pleased with the outcomes of the talks, On non-communicable (chronic) diseases, the exchange of trade delegations, it said. Both tural aspects. He said both sides have signed a on tackling chronic diseases and adopting he urged GCC member states to adopt a sides were pleased with the close military links memo of understanding in order to consolidate World Health Organization-set standards on national plan on the matter based on the between the two countries, and agreed to a educational relations through exchange of healthcare staff and efficiency assessment. joint regional plan. Other decisions call for mechanism for Kuwait to benefit further from experience and training. He added that they Kuwait’s proposal to spread public developing healthcare data systems and British defense training and technology, it have also agreed to maintain a mechanism for awareness on limiting salt consumption launching an observatory on health sys- added. On security, both sides agreed to continuing meetings, noting that the UK online according to another WHO recommenda- tems and policies in cooperation with the enhance cooperation in security and police visa system would not be effective soon for tion was also adopted as a GCC initiative, WHO Eastern Mediterranean regional training, aviation security and on immigration technical reasons. — KUNA along with a recommendation on the bur- office. — KUNA LOCAL SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015 Crime Report

Drug dealers nabbed

KUWAIT: A guard of the criminal detectives was arrested with shabu in his Jahra house. Drugs Control General Department (DCGD) officers learned that a group of ex-convicts were trad- ing in drugs, including a person who works with detectives and became a drug addict. Detectives raided his home and found 12 shabu envelopes weighing 0.5 kg. He was sent to concerned authorities. Also, Farwaniya detectives arrested an expat with 500 gm of hashish and 270 gm of shabu. Detectives learned that an expat, later identified as Egyptian, living in Farwaniya met his clients in certain places to avoid suspicion. When the suspect’s home was raided, a mixture of drugs were found, including the hashish, shabu, drug paraphernalia and a Kuwait donates $1 million sensitive scale. He was sent to the DCGD.

4 injured in accident for Islamic Center in Utah Four firemen were rushed to Adan Hospital after sustain- ing injuries during a road accident near Mina Abdullah bridge. The firemen were on their way to deal with a traffic Govt promotes tolerance, cultural exchange accident, but when they reached the Mina Abdullah bridge traffic light, they were hit by a dump truck. The four WASHINGTON: Kuwait has been seen sustained fractures and bruises. as the definition of a moderate Islamic society that promotes peace and has Kuwaiti beats policeman always sought to raise profile of Muslims in various parts of the world. Kuwait has A citizen who beat and insulted a policeman after they recently donated one million US dollars stopped him for traffic violation in Hawally was arrested. The for establishment of an Islamic center in citizen was taken to Maidan Hawally police station. the state of Utah, located in the American West. The area is known for its Thief pays dearly conservative society which makes it a distinct destination for Muslim families An Egyptian thief paid dearly when he stole from a around the world. Salmiya grocery store, after residents of a nearby building More than 40,000 Muslims currently beat him so badly that he was taken to hospital. A security live in the state, which has six Islamic source said that they received a call about residents arrest- centers directed towards various Muslim ing a thief, and when they arrived, they found him beaten. communities. But these centers are con- Police are investigating. centrated in the capital, Salt Lake City, located in southern Utah, where great ‘Under the influence’ services are offered to the Islamic com- A citizen was arrested in front of a church in Ahmadi in an munity, including places for congrega- abnormal condition. A guard of the church called police when tional prayers, lessons in Arabic lan- “humanitarian leader,” in gratitude for the rising number of Muslims in need for the car was parked in front of the church and loud music was guage and Islamic religion. Funeral serv- abundant philanthropic aid to nations its services, such as attending Quranic being played. Police found him under the influence of drugs ices also became available after these and communities outside Kuwait. classes and performing prayers. and placed him under arrest. centers purchased land in the public Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) met In recognition of Kuwait’s continuous cemetery. with Director for the North Utah Islamic support for Muslim communities around In this sense, Consul General of Kuwait Center Mohammed Alnajar, who the world, he announced the non-profit Ethiopians found drunk in Los Angeles Abdulatif Yahya said in a explained that establishment of the cen- organization will now be officially known Two audacious Ethiopians filled water bottles with liquor, statement to Kuwait News Agency ter came directly after the events of as the Kuwait Islamic Center in Utah. He took them to a Nugra cafe and got drunk before being (KUNA) that, “Kuwait and its government September of 2001 in order to convey explained that the center, 18.4 hectares arrested. A call was made about an Ethiopian and his girl- are interested in promoting tolerance the Islamic religion as one which rejects of space, includes a church, nuns’ houses friend acting abnormally in the cafe, so police went there and the exchange of cultures all over the violence, promotes peaceful coexis- and other affiliate facilities and chambers. and found them drunk with four water bottles filled with world, especially the United States.” tence between civilizations and respect The land and buildings, licensed by the liquor. Both were sent to concerned authorities. Kuwait believes that the project will ben- for other religions, Alnajar said. He US Administration, is appropriate to host efit thousands of Muslims in Utah, espe- added that number of Muslims in the religious rituals. The complex was origi- cially Kuwaiti and the Gulf students there, north of the state, namely in Ogden, has nally a monastery, before being turned Music parties, prostitution he said, hinting that such an approach is been growing-including 4,000 from vari- into an Islamic center. The monastery Mina Abdullah police closed down an unlicensed camp where encouraged by the Kuwaiti leadership, ous Arab states and hundreds of stu- was built in 1999 as a green building or music parties and prostitution acts were held. Acting com- namely His Highness the Amir, Sheikh dents from Gulf countries. Alnajar indi- environmentally friendly in terms of ener- mander of the area asked Kuwait Municipality to remove the Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, cated in this respect that the center gy consumption in general with the lat- camp. — Al-Rai and Al-Watan recently designated by the UN as a space could no longer accommodate est modern technology. — KUNA 100-day probation Iqama fees to be raised period for expats KUWAIT: KUWAIT: Expatriates who want to transfer their iqamas Interior Ministry Assistant He said some of them are accepted and of the increase, he said they will consider to new companies will now get temporary work permits Undersecretary for Nationality and others are not. About Kuwait’s readiness the amount because the current fees are that are valid for 100 days, for the first time in Kuwait. A Passport Affairs Maj Gen Sheikh Mazen Al- to receive them and the mechanism it will minimal and vary from one type of iqama source at the Public Manpower Authority, which began Jarrah, in his answer to the discussions follow, he said: “We do not have any to another. He said the total amount of activation of this administrative decision that was issued during the meetings of the Kuwait-British objection to receive them, and anyone money collected from expired and extend- in July, said the issuance of a temporary work permit Guidance Committee with regards to who has a Kuwait document in the form of ed passports exceeded KD5 million, and requires the approval of the employer with whom the bedoons and how they can return to an article 17 passport will be received as that the process is about to be completed. iqama is registered to transfer it to another, and that the Kuwait, said: “We do not have the so called we are committed to maintain Kuwait’s He said the remaining violators are very worker should have spent at least one year with the bedoon - rather they are individuals living reputation and these documents carry the few, including Syrians, and “we are waiting employer he is registered with. The new work contract in Kuwait illegally, and enter Britain name of Kuwait.” for a decision from the political leadership must contain a stipulation that the expat will work on a because they seek asylum every now and Sheikh Mazen also said the ministry will for them, either to exempt them from pay- 100-day probation period, and get the new work permit then, and they are living in Britain illegally activate laws related to expatriates, and ing the fees or any other action because during the trial period. — Al-Watan too, and have documents that prove that fees will be raised for all iqamas like family we understand their current circum- they are in Kuwait.” reunions or others. About the percentage stances”. — Al-Watan LOCAL SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

KRCS lauds Kuwaitis’ swift response to help Syrians

AMMAN: The Kuwaiti people’s swift response EU’s new strategy measures target Syria and Iraq, but also rorism has no boundaries and that Muslims are to provide relief aid to the Syrian refugees in Meanwhile, the European Commission and Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey, she added. the first victims of ISIL. We face common chal- Jordan is reflective of the strong ties between the EU High Representative Federica Mogherini Mogherini commented that “this package will lenges and common threats. We share an inter- Kuwaitis and their Syrian refugee brethren, yesterday announced the first EU comprehen- strengthen our actions to help restore peace est with our friends and partners in the region to Director General of Kuwait Red Crescent sive strategy on tackling the crises in Syria and and security in a region that is so close to us stand up to them in the most effective way. Society Abdulrahman Al-Oun said yesterday. Iraq and the threat posed by the Islamic State in and that has been devastated by terrorism and And this is what we are doing today,” she Al-Oun said that the current relief aid cam- Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). It brings together violence for too long. We are now better noted. The new EU strategy includes a mix of paign, which gathered around 80 tons of relief ongoing and planned initiatives of the EU and equipped to do more together, with our mem- political and practical measures ranging from aid material for the Syrian refugees, sends a its Member States and boosts their efficiency, ber states, regional partners and the interna- diplomatic engagement, provision of basic serv- strong signal that Kuwait will continue its mis- with an additional 1 billion euro in funding for tional community - in political and diplomatic ices , anti-radicalization programs, fight against sion to aid those in need. The relief aid materi- the next two years for relief, stabilization and terms as well as through aid and on security. terrorist financing, prevention against foreign al will be distributed to the 1,600 refugee fami- development in the region, as well as counter- We can now better tackle the root causes of fighters and better border controls. This new lies through a collaborative effort among the ing the threat posed by terrorist groups like ISIL, instability and violence.” strategy will now be tabled at the EU Council of KRCS, the Jordanian Red Crescent Society, and noted a Commission press release. “The murder of Jordanian pilot Moath Al- Ministers and the European Parliament for their the Kuwaiti embassy, said Al-Oun. These political, social, and humanitarian Kasasbeh just days ago is further proof that ter- approval. — Agencies Kuwait Parliament Kuwait Parliamentary delegation media department condoles pilot’s family in Jordan KARAK: A Kuwaiti parliamentary delegation, ‘enhances knowledge’ headed by Deputy Speaker Mubarak Al- KUWAIT: National Assembly’s the legislators’ awareness of the vital Khurainej, arrived in Jordan yesterday to offer Information Department plays a cru- role of this sector for the legislative condolences to the family of Jordanian pilot cial role in promoting parliamentary tasks. The publications, books and Moath Al-Kasasbeh, who was executed by the activities and achievements, particu- booklets, printed by the depart- ISIL by burning him alive. “In the name of the larly at the national level. Muthafar ment, are distributed to foreign Kuwaiti government and people, we offer Rashed, the department director diplomatic missions based in Kuwait, condolences to you, the Jordanian King and said the sector carries out a lot of Kuwaiti embassies abroad, visiting people over the killing of our brother hero activities for enhancing citizens’ legislative delegations and are being Moath, “ Al-Khurainej told the family of the knowledge of the parliament and its made available at conventions and demised pilot. works, employing the various media academies. On his part, Dr Fawaz Al- He prayed to Allah to bless the pilot’s soul outlets and the local press for Ajmi, assistant at the media faculty with mercy in Paradise. “Islam does not call for achieving this purpose. Particular at Kuwait University, also affirmed hatred, but for tolerance. All religions reject all attention is being dedicated to the significant role of the media for pro- brutal terror acts committed by this gang that youth, namely the students, he moting authorities such as the is called the Islamic State in Iraq and the explained. Kuwaiti Parliament. Levant (ISIL),” he said. Kuwaiti Ambassador to The department of the The publications include minutes Jordan Hamad Al-Duaij said in a statement to Parliament Secretariat General pub- of some committees’ meetings. One KUNA that the embassy, under the directions lishes various publications and of the important books, provided by of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al- booklets for the public, uses the the parliamentary department, is the Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and the delegation internet for reaching the largest one titled, “the National Assembly .. were keen to visit the pilot’s family. number of citizens and people seek- march and history,” shedding light The visit comes in the framework of the sol- ing information about the legislative on the national parliamentary histo- id ties between the two countries which are assembly. Moreover, direct contact ry since the assembly establishment backed by His Highness the Amir and Jordan’s is also significant and the depart- in 1961. “Our constitution is our King Abdullah II. ment, aware of this fact, regularly fence,” is a booklet addressed to stu- On his part, the pilot’s father voiced his grat- holds exhibitions and seminars to dents. It is available along with oth- itude to His Highness the Amir, the Kuwaiti promote such issues, he said, citing ers, including translation texts of the government and people, calling for further the latest forum marking the 52nd Kuwaiti Constitution in English and support to combat “this terrorist organization”, anniversary of Kuwait Constitution, French. The Secretariat General ISIL, whose ideology is totally far from the and another on human rights as department has also produced a teachings of Islam. The ISIL in a video published stipulated by the Constitution. film, themed “democracy in Kuwait, online had announced that it killed the pilot by “The media largely contributes to touching on the “constitution birth” burning him alive. The video showed a man efforts to determine trends of the and major political events through- standing in a cage engulfed in flames. Moath public opinion and helps the deci- out the Kuwaiti history. It also prints was captured when his plane came down near sion makers,” Rashed said, affirming the magazine, “Tawasol.” — KUNA Deputy Speaker Mubarak Al-Khurainej offers condolences to the Syrian city of Raqqa during a mission Jordanian pilot’s father. against the ISIL in December. — KUNA

SATURDAY, FEBRUARAY 7, 2015 US moves pilot rescue Merkel, Hollande take Aquino facing growing aircraft to north Iraq 9 Ukraine plan to Putin 10 storm over deadly raid 12

SANAA: Yemeni soldiers guard the presidential palace in the capital yesterday. — AFP Houthis finalize Yemen power grab Militia installs ‘presidential council’

SANAA: The Shiite militia that has seized Yemen’s capital set by the militia for political parties to resolve the crisis passed peace plan, in a country awash with weapons and where pow- announced yesterday it had dissolved parliament and installed with no agreement. After another round of talks late Thursday erful tribes hold sway, emerging as a consensus figure. But a “presidential council” to run the country in the face of a power attended by UN envoy Jamal Benomar, participants had said unlike his predecessor Saleh, who ruled Yemen for 33 years, vacuum. The Houthi militia said it would set up a national coun- negotiations would resume today. Yesterday, Benomar flew Hadi had no popular or tribal base to fall back on. cil of 551 members to replace the legislature in the violence- out of the country before the declaration was announced. The situation escalated last month when the militia seized a wracked country, a key US ally in the fight against Al-Qaeda. presidential aide in an apparent attempt to extract changes to The heavily armed Houthis swept into Sanaa from their Years of Turmoil a draft constitution which they opposed because it would have northern stronghold in September, seeking greater influence Yemen has been riven by instability since the Arab Spring- divided Yemen into six federal regions. After heavy fighting in running the country. Last month they seized the presidential inspired uprising that forced autocratic president Ali Abdullah between government forces and the Houthis that killed at least palace and key government buildings and encircled the hous- Saleh from power in 2012. Saleh has been accused of backing 35 people, the UN Security Council and Yemen’s Gulf neigh- es of senior officials in what authorities called a coup attempt. the Houthis - who are from the same Zaidi sect of Shiite Islam bours had all voiced support for Hadi’s continued rule. In the That plunged the country deeper into crisis and prompted as the ex-leader - as has Shiite-dominated Iran. The fall of formerly independent south, officials have vowed to defy President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi and Prime Minister Khalid Hadi’s Western-backed government has raised fears of com- Sanaa following the resignation of Hadi, who is a southerner. Bahah to tender their resignations. plete chaos engulfing Yemen, strategically located next to oil- The country is an important power base for Al-Qaeda in The five-member presidential council will form a transitional rich Saudi Arabia and on the key shipping route from the Suez the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), which claimed responsibility government to govern for two years, the Houthis announced Canal to the Gulf. for last month’s deadly attack on French satirical weekly in a “constitutional declaration” attended by tribal and military Hadi said when he stepped down that he could no longer Charlie Hebdo. Yemen has allowed the United States to carry representatives as well as by the outgoing interior and defence stay in office as the country was in “total deadlock”. The former out repeated drone attacks on Al-Qaeda militants in its terri- ministers. The declaration came after a Wednesday deadline career soldier took office in 2012 under a UN- and Gulf-backed tory. — AFP INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015 Egypt military Kurds seize Kobane, kills 27 in Sinai but self-rule far off CAIRO: Military air strikes killed 27 Islamic militants in Egypt’s Northern Sinai yesterday in one of the biggest security operations in the region in months, security sources said. Apache helicopters targeted militants from Syria strikes kill 82 after rebel rocket attack the Sinai Province group, which pledges allegiance to Islamic State, the ultra-hardline militants who have seized KOBANE, Syria: Kurds are celebrating after swathes of Iraq and Syria, the sources said. Sinai Province, flushing Islamic State militants out of the fighting to topple the Cairo government, has claimed town of Kobane, but victory is not yet cer- responsibility for coordinated attacks that killed more tain in their campaign to cement hard-won than 30 members of the security forces in late January. autonomy in northern Syria. Hundreds of After that bloodshed, President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi told US-led coalition air strikes have devastated Egyptians the country faced a long, tough battle against the town, which is adrift in an Islamic State- militants. controlled sea. Objections to autonomy Sinai-based militants have killed hundreds of soldiers from neighbouring Turkey and the United and police since then army chief Sisi toppled president States could also make it hard for them to Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood in mid-2013 sustain their gains. The retaking by after mass protests against his rule. A security crackdown People’s Protection Units (YPG) last week of on Brotherhood supporters - hundreds were killed in the predominantly Kurdish Kobane after a four- streets and thousands arrested - has weakened the group. month siege by Islamic State was a major Yesterday, Brotherhood supporters and security forces defeat for the Sunni fundamentalist group clashed in the Cairo suburb of Matariya, the state news that controls a 20,000-square mile arc of Syria and Iraq. agency reported. For the Kurds, it is a bittersweet victory, Eighteen people were killed in the Brotherhood strong- as almost 200,000 people, almost the entire hold during the Jan 25 anniversary of the start of the 2011 population of Kobane province, are still uprising that ousted autocrat Hosni Mubarak. Egyptian sheltering in Turkey. But many were still authorities have also jailed liberal activists, including some exuberant. Dozens of men waiting at the DOUMA, Syria: An injured Syrian girl is treated at the Syrian Arab Red Crescent that gained prominence in the 2011 popular uprising that Turkish crossing to return to Kobane late medical center (SARC) following air strikes by regime forces in this rebel-held toppled autocrat Hosni Mubarak, on charges of violating a last week shouted and danced for joy, area northeast of the capital Damascus yesterday. — AFP law that effectively bans protests. — Reuters unfazed by the wrecked city looming behind them. Most of Kobane is destroyed, 60 strikes on the Eastern Ghouta district on “They will attack again ... The coalition has with unexploded shells and twisted hunks Thursday and into yesterday. Eighteen chil- supported us with weapons and air strikes. Lebanon removes of cars strewn along the streets. dren and 11 fighters were among the dead, We are hopeful they will continue so we A few solitary YPG fighters in baggy it said. High death tolls from air attacks are can eradicate ISIS,” Muslim said, adding fatigues prowl the town as shelling and not rare but the Observatory said the that Iraqi Kurdish peshmerga and a few political banners, gunfire echo in the distance. Fighting has focused barrage was a response to rocket Free Syrian Army brigades remain in now moved to the dusty outskirts, for the attacks by Islam Army insurgents on Kobane. legacy of civil war 400 or so villages that Islamic State, or ISIS, Thursday, which killed 10 people in The FSA cooperation marks a turn- steamrolled through in September. “This Damascus. around after earlier clashes between them victory is for the Syrian people, but it is a Syria’s state news agency SANA said and the Kurds. Last month, Syrian govern- BEIRUT: Lebanon has begun removing political posters and party first step,” said Idris Nassan, a senior official yesterday that the army had “eliminated ment forces also battled Kurds, breaking a banners from neighbourhoods of the capital in a move to unify a in Kobane. “We have to continue until we scores of terrorists, the majority of them tacit agreement between the two sides to country still divided from a civil war, following an agreement destroy ISIS. If they remain in Syria, Iraq or from the so-called ‘Islam Army’ organisa- focus on other enemies in the war. between the militant and political group Hezbollah and its rivals. other places in the world, they will attack tion in the villages of Eastern Ghouta in the The Kurds, who espouse socialism and Beirut is fragmented into fiefdoms where political banners and pho- us again.” Damascus countryside.” It said the army promote gender equality, first captured tographs of dead fighters and warlords have marked territory con- The Syrian Observatory for Human had also carried out a series of strikes in the Kobane in 2012 after Assad’s forces with- trolled by various groups since the start of the civil war that raged Rights, which monitors the war from district of Jobar, and special operations in drew, dubbing it the Rojava, or western, from 1975 to 1990. Britain, said Islamic State persists in rural Zamalka and Erbin. The Observatory said Revolution. Two other non-contiguous The poster ban was agreed by Lebanon’s main political groupings areas more than 10 km from town. “Islamic 26 people were also killed in insurgent- Kurdish-dominated regions of Syria are also after gun battles, car bombs and skirmishes on the border with Syria State has relocated some fighters from the held areas of Aleppo on Thursday. The civil under their control. Kurds say the territory highlighted the need for reconciliation. Shiite Hezbollah supports countryside north of Aleppo to villages war, which began as a popular uprising is home to about 4 million people. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad against a majority Sunni insurgency, around Kobane,” said the Observatory’s against President Bashar Al-Assad in March “This victory means a lot for the Rojava angering its Lebanese political rivals who say it is dragging the small Rami Abdulrahman, adding it was impor- 2011, has killed 200,000 people and turned Revolution. When we defeated ISIS in the Mediterranean state into conflict 25 years after peace accords. tant to focus on Syrian government offen- 3 million more into refugees. city, we removed the fear from other parts In neighbourhoods where Hezbollah is strong, posters of men sives across the country as the war heads of Rojava” that have been battling the who fought Israel for decades have been joined by pictures of young into its fifth year. Revolution jihadists, said Muslim. men killed more recently in Syria’s civil war. “Ripping down the Syrian air force strikes killed at least 82 The battle for Kobane weakened Islamic Kurds in Iraq too are fending off new posters is sensitive but it’s a political decision,” said a Beirut people in an opposition area outside of State, its best fighters perishing and much Islamic State offensives and complain of Hezbollah supporter who asked to remain anonymous as he was not Damascus following rocket attacks by of its heavy weaponry depleted, Anwar being out gunned. authorised to speak to the media. “One family on this road was upset rebels that had hit the government-con- Muslim, the top official in the town told “The YPG have proven they are the because we took down a photo of their son who died late last year trolled centre of the Syrian capital, the Reuters at Freedom Square, where a statue most effective force on the ground against fighting in Syria,” he said, speaking in Zarif, an old district full of bat- Observatory said yesterday. The of an eagle still stands, surrounded by flat- ISIS,” said Mutlu Civiroglu, a Kurdish-affairs tered French-style houses. —Reuters Observatory said the air force conducted tened tower blocks and cratered streets. expert based in Washington. —Reuters S Sudan fighters carried out ‘month of rape’ campaign: UN

JUBA: South Sudanese fighters carried out a the multiple armed forces was responsible. Ban Ki-moon this week accused the leaders “month of rape” campaign, a top United “It is essential to push for peace, this situa- of putting their own interests above those of Nations rights chief has said, warning that tion is not sustainable,” he added, in a state- their people, after they agreed another atrocities continue with a seventh ceasefire ment released yesterday. Fighting erupted in ceasefire on Sunday but failed to reach a broken. “Violations continue to take place,” South Sudan, the world’s youngest nation, in power-sharing deal. said UN Secretary-General for Human Rights Dec 2013 when President Salva Kiir accused Kiir and Machar have been set a March 5 Ivan Simonovic, after visiting the “destroyed” ousted deputy Riek Machar of attempting a deadline to strike a final full peace agree- towns of Bentiu and Malakal. Simonovic, coup. It quickly spread from the capital Juba, ment, but similar previous deadlines have speaking after visiting areas that have seen triggering a cycle of retaliatory massacres been repeatedly ignored. some of the worst fighting in the past 13 across the country. Diplomats at peace talks in luxury hotels months of war, said he had received the Zainab Bangura, UN envoy on sexual vio- in Addis Ababa-due to restart later this JUBA: US actor Forest Whitaker, the UNESCO Special “simply appalling” report of fighters embark- lence, said in October that the levels of rape month - have warned that hopes of formulat- Envoy for Peace and Reconciliation, accompanied by UN ing on a campaign of rape. in South Sudan were the worst she had ever ing a comprehensive deal that addresses Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and the “This is absolutely intolerable,” he said, seen, reporting horrific accounts of children South Sudan’s underlying problems and trib- Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos, arrive in without giving further details as to which of and the elderly repeatedly raped. UN chief al divisions have faded. —AFP South Sudan yesterday.— AFP INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015 US moves pilot rescue aircraft to north Iraq Killing puts pressure on rescue ops

WASHINGTON: The US military has deployed aircraft and troops to northern Iraq to boost its ability to rescue downed coalition pilots, after a Jordanian airman was captured and NABI SALEH: A Palestinian woman holding the national killed by jihadists in Syria, a defense offi- flag takes cover from tear gas fired by Israeli security cial said Thursday. “We are repositioning forces during clashes following a demonstration in this some assets into northern Iraq,” a US West Bank village yesterday to protest against the expan- defense official told AFP. The move is sion of Jewish settlements on Palestinian land. — AFP designed to shorten the response time needed to reach pilots who end up in Boehner ‘misled’ territory held by the Islamic State group, officials said. Search-and-rescue crews had been Netanyahu based in Kuwait, but officials said Wednesday the military was reviewing JERUSALEM: A senior Israeli official suggested on Friday that Prime where its hardware and specialists were Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been misled into thinking an invi- located following the loss of the tation to address the US Congress on Iran next month was fully sup- Jordanian pilot. The redeployment came ported by the Democrats. Netanyahu was invited by the Republican as US aircraft on Thursday escorted speaker of the house, John Boehner, to address Congress on March 3, Jordanian warplanes over Syria for AMMAN: An image grab taken from Jordanian TV on Thursday shows a war- an invitation Boehner originally described as bipartisan. The move dozens of retaliatory air strikes against plane of the Jordanian air force taking off before launching airstrikes against angered the White House, which is upset about the event coming the IS group. American F-16 and F-22 two weeks before Israeli elections and the fact that Netanyahu, who Islamic State. — AFP jets provided security to Jordan’s fighter has a testy relationship with President Obama, is expected to be criti- in Iraq, which was launched on Aug 8. “All that is finished. Now, it’s barbarity, planes on the strike mission while US cal of US policy on Iran. The United States plays a dominant role especially in these asymmetrical wars. refueling tankers and surveillance air- “It appears that the speaker of Congress made a move, in which in the air war, carrying out at least 80 The pilots know that if they go down in craft provided additional support, we trusted, but which it ultimately became clear was a one sided percent of the raids, according to offi- the heart of the conflict, their lives are defense officials said. move and not a move by both sides,” Deputy Israeli Foreign Minister cials. Kassasbeh was captured in not worth much.” The United Arab Emirates, fearing for Tzachi Hanegbi told 102 FM Tel Aviv Radio yesterday. The interviewer December after being shot down near Since the Vietnam war, when cap- the safety of its pilots, reportedly had asked if that meant Netanyahu had been “misled” into believing Raqqa, the de facto capital of the Islamic tured troops faced horrific ordeals, the Boehner’s invitation was bipartisan, a characterisation Hanegbi did raised concerns about search-and-res- State group in northern Syria, and a res- US military has made an absolute priori- not contest. cue resources with the Americans, urg- cue operation came too slowly to save ty of rescue procedures, which has since Asked whether the prime minister should cancel or postpone the ing them to redeploy some V-22 tilt- him. His fate will be playing on the spread to other modern armies. Aircraft speech, Hanegbi said: “What would the outcome be then? The out- rotor Osprey aircraft to northern Iraq. come would be that we forsake an arena in which there is a going to minds of pilots throughout the coalition, carry two positioning beacons that are US officials suggested the move of said a former French intelligence chief, automatically launched when a pilot be a very dramatic decision (on Iran).” The invitation has caused a some search-and-rescue teams to furore in Washington, leading to much criticism of Boehner by speaking anonymously. “Images like ejects, and are picked up by surveillance Democrats and repeated statements by Boehner and other northern Iraq would include helicopters that certainly hurt morale,” he said. planes that are constantly flying over Republicans explaining their position. Top Democratic lawmaker but not necessarily Ospreys, an aircraft “Pilots are people like anyone else, not the conflict zone. Nancy Pelosi said on Thursday the event was “politicised” and she that takes off like a chopper but flies robots. They know they are taking risks As soon as the pilot is located, a race hoped it would not take place - piling pressure on Netanyahu after like a plane. flying over these hostile zones, but after against time starts. Specialised air com- the White House said it would not meet him during the visit. The UAE pulled out of air strike flights this, they will think twice.” mandos are mobilised in helicopters, Netanyahu has denied seeking electoral gains or meddling in in December, shortly after the Jordanian with back-up from fighter jets, but it can internal US affairs with the speech, in which he is expected to warn pilot was captured by IS extremists after ‘Not a Gentleman’s Affair’ still take hours for them to reach the world powers against agreeing to anything short of a total rollback of his F-16 fighter jet went down in eastern General Gilles Desclaux, who was crash site. Iran’s nuclear program. A Netanyahu spokesman declined to com- Syria. The UAE has indicated that the head of operations for France’s air force The US often uses its Osprey hybrid ment on Hanegbi’s comments on Friday. Hanegbi is a senior member suspension of its participation in the air until 2011, said the incident would aircraft. In addition, patrol planes fire on of Netanyahu’s Likud party. Acknowledging that Democrats had been campaign would continue until the undoubtedly play on pilots’ minds but anything that approaches the ejected “pained” by the invitation, Hanegbi said Netanyahu and Israeli emis- Osprey aircraft were moved to northern “they are psychologically prepared”. In pilot in order to protect him. Pilots are saries were making “a huge effort to make clear to them that this is Iraq, according to the New York Times. his day, Desclaux said, pilots wrestled trained to hide as best as possible dur- not a move that flouts the president of the United States”. Yet IS militants posted a grisly video with the possibility they might be ing the day and move, if necessary, at Hanegbi said the address to Congress could help pass a bill, opposed Tuesday showing the Jordanian airman, ordered to drop a nuclear bomb - a task night. “Even before an air mission is car- by Obama, for new US sanctions on Iran. “The Republicans know, as Muath Al-Kassasbeh, being burned alive. the president has already made clear, that he will veto this legislation. that meant “no hope of returning” - but ried out, the first thing we think of is the So in order to pass legislation that overcomes the veto, two-thirds are Apart from the UAE, Bahrain, Jordan and that fear was something they were rescue operation. But doing that in a required in the Senate. So if the prime minister can persuade another Saudi Arabia take part in US-led air raids trained to ignore. “For a while now, this zone controlled by IS is extremely hard,” one or two or another three or four, this could have weight,” he said. in Syria, which began in September. war has not been a gentleman’s affair. In the former intelligence chief said. “A Hanegbi said he was not aware of any Israeli polling that showed the Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, the past, pilots who were shot down coalition partner can refuse to put its speech would help Netanyahu in the March 17 election, where Likud France, the Netherlands and the United would be captured and placed in deten- pilots in danger if there isn’t a credible is running neck-and-neck against the centre-left. — Reuters Kingdom participate in the air campaign tion,” said the former intelligence chief. rescue procedure in place.” — Agencies IS under strain but far from collapse BEIRUT: Islamic State’s defeat in Kobane and other recent setbacks in of its caliphate in Iraq. The group faces no serious challenge to its rule Regime Forces, Kurdish elements, and other opposition groups with- Syria suggest the group is under strain but far from collapse in the over those Sunni Arab areas, where it has violently crushed all opposi- in Syria,” he told Reuters. Adding to the pressure, Islamic State’s Syrian half of its self-declared caliphate. Islamic State’s high-profile tion. It may yet respond to the Kobane defeat by opening new fronts finances are believed to be under strain because of a global collapse defeat by Kurdish militia backed by US-led air strikes capped a four- in Syria. And its capacity to wage psychological warfare was amply in oil prices. The group has bankrolled itself partly by selling oil in the month battle that cost Islamic State 2,000 of its fighters, according to demonstrated by this week’s video showing the group burning to areas it controls. the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which tracks the war. death a captive Jordanian pilot. Yet the Kobane defeat marks the first Further from the spotlight, Islamic State has also lost ground to Syrian significant setback for Islamic State (ISIL) in Syria since the rapid Defensive Positions government and Syrian Kurdish forces elsewhere. Its foes have noted expansion of its territorial grip there last year following its capture of Beyond Kobane, Islamic State has recently lost territory to Syrian unusual signs of disorganisation in its ranks, while reports of forced Iraqi city of Mosul in June. government forces in an important battle near an air base in Deir al- conscription may indicate a manpower problem as the group wages Islamic State had paid “a very heavy price in Kobane”, said Zor province, the Observatory has reported. It has also lost ground to war in both Syria and Iraq. Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Gilleran, a US military officer and media government and Kurdish forces in the northeastern Hasaka region, a There is a long way to go before the tide turns decisively against official in the US-led alliance against Islamic State. “Outside of province bordering Iraq, according to the Observatory and a Kurdish the group in Syria, where it has faced less military pressure than in Kobane, there are admittedly many areas in Syria where ISIL is official. In the latest advances there, the Syrian military seized 16 vil- Iraq. Islamic State still has a firm grip over its Syrian stronghold in uncontested by opposing ground forces. However, there are multi- lages from Islamic State, killing large numbers of its fighters, the Raqqa province and territory stretching all the way to the other half ple areas as well where they are indeed under pressure by Syrian Syrian state news agency SANA reported on Friday. —Reuters INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015 Pentagon study claimed Putin has Asperger’s

WASHINGTON: A Pentagon study from 2008 claimed that that he “simply lacks trust in human interactions,” it said. The Russian President Vladimir Putin has Asperger’s syndrome, study cited a neurobiologist, Stephen Porges, saying that giving him a need to exert “extreme control” when faced Putin had a form of autism. But when contacted by USA with crises, according to the report released Thursday. Today, the psychiatry professor at the University of North Experts studying his movements and facial expressions in Carolina said he never saw the final report and was not video footage theorized Putin’s neurological development ready to give a definitive view on whether Putin had was disrupted in infancy, giving him a sense of physical Asperger’s syndrome. imbalance and a discomfort with social interaction, accord- The Pentagon played down the study, saying it apparent- ing to the report by the Pentagon’s internal think tank, the ly never made its way to the desk of the defense secretary or Office of Net Assessment. other top decision makers. “The Office of Net Assessment “This profound behavioral challenge has been identified did not send these reports to the secretary, and are not by leading neuroscientists as Asperger’s Syndrome, an autis- aware of any requests from any DoD (Department of tic disorder which affects all of his decisions,” wrote the Defense) leaders to review these reports,” Lieutenant study’s author, Brenda Connors, a senior fellow at the US Colonel Valerie Henderson, a Pentagon spokesperson, told Naval War College. “During crisis, to stabilize himself and his AFP. All indications were that “the reports remained in the perceptions of any evolving context he reverts to imposing office,” she said. The same office paid for another study in extreme control,” wrote Connors, who has analyzed the 2011 by the same author, analyzing Putin and then-presi- body language of other world leaders. dent Dimitry Medvedev, based on their body movements. USA Today first revealed the study in a report King Felipe VI The report portrayed Medvedev as an “action man” who saw Wednesday, following a Freedom of Information request. aback by the Russian president’s decision to annex the situations in black-and-white terms, while Putin was Putin’s condition also can prompt him to “withdraw from Crimean peninsula last year and back pro-Moscow sepa- described as more of “chess player”. The study recommend- social stimulation as he did at the time of the Kursk nuclear ratists. Former president George W Bush once famously said ed US officials present Putin with “meaty policy research and submarine incident” in 2000, when a Russian sub sank in the he looked his counterpart in the eye and was able to see “his white papers” to satisfy his craving for information. Barents Sea, the study claimed. The theory about Putin’s soul”. But the Pentagon study claimed Putin’s unrelenting But the report’s author, Connors, argued that examining condition could not be definitively confirmed without a stare reflected a neurological abnormality and an inability to the body movements of leaders and their potential “to pre- brain scan, the report said. But experts cited the Russian pick up on social cues. dict behavior and decisions is as potent an instrument as an president’s body movements and “microexpressions” as His condition meant that Putin would display a “hyper- evolving weapon system”. At the start of the US-led invasion indicators of Asperger’s, a high-functioning form of autism. sensitivity” and “a strong reliance on the fight, flight and of Iraq in 2003, American experts on nonverbal communica- freeze responses” instead of a more nuanced social behav- tion were able to confirm that a puffy-looking man in an Seeing Putin’s ‘Soul’ ior, it said. Putin is uncomfortable presenting his ideas to army uniform speaking on state television was indeed Since coming to power more than a decade ago, Putin “large audiences” and his neurological “challenge” meant Saddam Hussein and not an imposter, Connors wrote in a has vexed the United States. Washington experts were taken 2006 article. — AFP UK says intel Merkel, Hollande take sharing with US unlawful Ukraine plan to Putin

LONDON: A British tribunal ruled yesterday that some Brief truce allows civilians to leave aspects of intelligence-sharing between security agencies in Britain and the United States were unlawful until Dec MOSCOW: German Chancellor Angela 2014, in a ground-breaking case brought by civil liberties Merkel and French President Francois groups. The Investigatory Powers Tribunal ruled that Hollande arrived in Moscow yesterday to Britainís GCHQ had acted unlawfully in accessing data on secure President Vladimir Putin’s support millions of people in Britain that had been collected by for a peace plan to end surging separatist the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA), because the violence in the east. Ukrainian President arrangements were secret. Petro Poroshenko said talks with Merkel Campaign groups Liberty, Privacy International, and Hollande late Thursday raised “hope Amnesty International and others brought the case fol- for a ceasefire” after the duo jetted in to lowing revelations about mass surveillance made by for- Kiev in the biggest push yet to resolve the mer NSA contractor Edward Snowden. It was the first time ten-month conflict. As fears have soared over an escalation in its 15-year history that the tribunal, which deals with in the conflict, Merkel said yesterday in legal challenges to Britainís GCHQ, MI5 and MI6, had Berlin that the surprise peace bid was issued a ruling that went against one of those security aimed at defending “European peace” and agencies. The legal challenge forced the British govern- that the duo were not acting merely as ment to reveal some details about the previously secret “neutral intermediaries”. Hollande said rules governing how GCHQ accessed data collected as that they were heading to Moscow to part of the NSAís Prism and Upstream programmes, first “seek a deal” with Putin that would help revealed by Snowden in June 2013. end the crisis in the long-term. “Everyone The tribunal ruled that ìthe regime governing the solic- is aware that the first step must be a MOSCOW: German Chancellor Angela Merkel (left) and French President iting, receiving, storing and transmitting by UK authorities ceasefire, but that is not enough and there Francois Hollande arrive at Vnukovo airport yesterday. — AP/AFP of private communications of individuals located in the must be a comprehensive settlement,” 5,300 people, rebel and Ukrainian forces terday. Hundreds of civilians have been UK, which have been obtained by U.S. authorities pur- Hollande told reporters ahead of his on the ground agreed a ceasefire for sev- killed over recent weeks in east Ukraine as suant to Prism and ... Upstreamî contravened human departure. eral hours yesterday around the battle- fighting spiralled after insurgents ignored rights laws until the governmentís disclosures about how The two European leaders flew to ground town of Debaltseve to allow civil- an earlier truce deal and pushed into gov- the arrangements worked. A spokeswoman for Prime Moscow later yesterday to meet Putin - ians to leave, both sides said. ernment-held territory. Before setting off Minister David Cameron said the rules on intelligence- who the West sees as the mastermind on the surprise diplomatic push, Hollande behind Ukraine’s pro-Moscow rebellion - in sharing were now fully lawful, adding: ìThe judgment will Evacuating Civilians said Thursday that he and Merkel would hopes he will sign up to the peace plan. An AFP journalist in government-held “propose a new solution to the conflict not require GCHQ to change what it does.î The frantic high-level diplomacy to end the ëViolated Our Rightsí Debaltseve said some 25 city buses sent by based on the territorial integrity of worst East-West crisis since the end of the both the rebels and Kiev drove into the Ukraine”. No confirmed details have Material revealed by Snowden and cited by the civil lib- Cold War came as US Secretary of State shattered town to take civilians out to their emerged of what exactly the new peace erties groups showed Prism allows the NSA to access data John Kerry also visited Kiev on Thursday respective territories. proposal contains and there is much dis- handled by the worldís largest Internet companies, and Washington mulled whether to supply The sound of sporadic shelling could be quiet in Kiev after the collapse of the pre- including Google, Yahoo, Facebook and others. The arms to the Ukraine army. “President Putin heard in the distance but mortar bombard- vious peace deal. groups hailed yesterdayís ruling as a major victory. ìWe can make the choices that could end this ments in the town itself had halted after Kerry said that the plan is a “counter- now know that, by keeping the public in the dark about war,” Kerry said, voicing support for the days of fierce fighting. Ukrainian Major proposal” made by Merkel and Hollande their secret dealings with the National Security Agency, “helpful” Franco-German plan to be put to General Oleksandr Rozmaznin said that the to suggestions made earlier this week by GCHQ acted unlawfully and violated our rights,î Libertyís the Russian leader on Friday. truce around the town that rebels have Putin. The European plan was then pre- legal director James Welch said in a statement. As pressure grows for a peaceful reso- almost encircled would last from 0600- sented to the US and Ukraine for their lution to the conflict that has killed over 0800 GMT and from 1200-1600 GMT yes- input Wednesday. —AFP

INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

India minorities hail Obama tolerance call

NEW DELHI: Muslim and Christian lead- John Dayal, spokesman for the that India needed to face up to the “reali- becoming more powerful under Modi ers yesterday warned of growing fear United Christian Forum for Human ty” that different religions were attacking and were spreading “a feeling of inse- among India’s religious minorities after Rights, said the unease about religious each other. “I don’t think anyone will dis- curity among religious minorities”. US President Barack Obama said intolerance in India was growing and the agree with what he (Obama) has said as “There is no denying the fact that divi- Mahatma Gandhi would have been nature of Obama’s comments was par- he has said it for all and it is the reality in sive Hindutva forces are gaining shocked by communal violence in the ticularly striking. “The entire world is India,” he told the NDTV network. strength in India,” he told AFP. “This is a mainly Hindu country. Only days after dangerous trend. The world will do bet- warning in New Delhi about the need to ter to see it for what it is.” promote religious tolerance, Obama Modi was persona non grata in the invoked the memory of India’s inde- US for a decade following anti-Muslim pendence icon to drive home a similar violence that left at least 1,000 people appeal during a speech in Washington dead in Gujarat, where he was state on Thursday. chief minister before winning the 2014 While praising its “magnificent diver- general election. He has also been criti- sity”, Obama then described India as a cised for failing to speak out against a place where “religious faiths of all types BJP lawmaker who called for Hindu have, on occasion, been targeted by oth- women to have at least four children to er peoples of faith, simply due to their “protect” their religion and a recent heritage and their beliefs”. Such “acts of spate of “re-conversions” to Hinduism. intolerance ... would have shocked Around 80 percent of India’s 1.2 bil- Gandhiji”, Obama added - using a term lion population is Hindu but it is also of respect for the late icon - in comments home to large numbers of Muslims, that made front-page headlines in Indian Christians and Buddhists. Later yester- newspapers yesterday. day, the Modi government insisted the The issue of religious freedom in India country has always had a “cultural his- - an officially secular country - has tory of tolerance”, saying “any aberra- become particularly contentious since SRINAGAR: A Kashmiri Muslim woman carries her daughter while pray- tions do not alter that history”. “In our the election last year of Prime Minister ing as the head priest displays a relic of Sufi saint Syed Abdul Qadir nation we do not discriminate on the Narendra Modi, a fervent Hindu national- Jilani at his shrine yesterday. —AP basis of caste, creed or religion,” Home ist. Obama’s comments came on the Minister Rajnath Singh told reporters in same day that a protest in Delhi by speaking about the fears of religious ‘Dangerous Trend’ Delhi. “Religious tolerance is inherent Christians to denounce a spate of attacks minorities in India,” Dayal told AFP. “For Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the chief cler- in our Indian culture, all sects of on churches ended in clashes with police President Obama, this is as direct as he ic in India’s only Muslim majority state Muslims, Parsis and Christians are that saw a nun knocked to the ground in can get.” Father Dominic, the spokesman of Jammu and Kashmir, said it was “dis- found living (in harmony) in India,” he the violence. for the Delhi Catholic Archdiocese, said turbing” that Hindu hardliners were added. —AFP Aquino facing growing Obama calls Dalai Lama ‘good friend’ storm over deadly raid WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama warmly acknowledged the Dalai Lama on Thursday but did not meet him directly at a religious event in Washington closely watched by China, which has warned against any Police chief resigns exchange with Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader. Obama and the Dalai Lama were both at an annual prayer breakfast where Obama spoke about the MAMASAPANO, Philippines: Philippine leader Benigno Aquino is facing to be involved in planning and executing the raid. importance of religious freedom. his biggest political crisis over a botched operation to capture a wanted mili- Yesterday evening, Aquino went on national television to announce he Obama greeted the Buddhist monk with a bow-like gesture and called tant, amid revelations that a suspended police general who is a close friend had accepted the resignation of Purisima, who he praised for his loyalty him “a good friend” and “a powerful example of what it means to practice of the president played a central role in the raid. The risky mission to arrest and service. Aquino and Purisima’s friendship dates back to 1987 when compassion and who inspires us to speak up for the freedom and dignity Zulkifli bin Hir, an al Qaeda-linked bombmaker with a $5 million US bounty Aquino was shot in the neck during a coup attempt against his mother, of all human beings”. The Dalai Lama was in the audience at a table in the on his head, went disastrously wrong when commandos from the Philippine then president Corazon Aquino. A police intelligence officer told Reuters front row across from the president along with senior Obama adviser police’s Special Action Force (SAF) were ambushed and 44 were killed. the information on the location of the “high value target” from last Valerie Jarrett, a signal of White House support. Obama nodded and A public outcry has heaped pressure on Aquino to abandon the peace month’s operation came from Purisima, not from a US tip-off as had been smiled at the Dalai Lama, waving after clasping his hands to greet the spiri- deal signed in March with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the reported in local media. tual leader as the event began. Organizers also recognized the monk, largest Muslim rebel group in the mainly Catholic country, and seek retribu- “He packaged everything. It was his plan, he used his own alpha and the prompting applause. China’s Foreign Ministry, asked about the event, tion for the troopers’ deaths. It has also raised uncomfortable questions for SAF units were there to execute the raid,” he said. “Alpha” is intelligence jar- repeated its opposition to any country “using the Tibet issue to interfere in Aquino over why he allowed Alan Purisima, suspended from his job as gon for an informant. In a television interview, Purisima admitted that he China’s domestic affairs”, but did not directly national police chief for six months in November over corruption allegations, supplied the intelligence information on bin Hir’s whereabouts, but denied condemn Obama, likely because there was no directing the actual police operation to get him. Two bishops, potentially face-to-face meeting. “The Dalai Lama is a politi- powerful voices in a country where the Church wields great influence, and a cal exile who has long waved the flag of religion handful of lawmakers have called on Aquino to resign. A civil society group to engage in anti-China separatist activities,” is planning a protest action on Monday to urge Aquino to crack down on ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a daily news rebels in the Muslim majority south. “This is Aquino’s biggest political crisis,” briefing. The Dalai Lama fled to India after a said Ramon Casiple, executive director of the Institute of Political and failed uprising against Chinese rule in 1959 and Electoral Reform. “Anything can happen.” has infuriated Beijing, which denounces him as a In his address yesterday, Aquino asked MILF rebels to either surrender dangerous “splittist” seeking to establish an Abdul Basit Usman, another militant on the US terror list who got away dur- independent Tibet. He has said he wants auton- ing the raid, or help the authorities capture him. “May this serve as a warning omy for Tibet and does not advocate violence. and a reminder: We will get Usman, whatever you decide, regardless of who Dalai Lama The state-run Xinhua news agency, in an provides a safe haven for him, regardless of where he may be hiding,” English-language commentary issued shortly Aquino told the rebels in his address. before the prayer breakfast, took a strong line. “Chumming with a seces- sionist is playing with fire,” it said. Outside the hotel hosting the event, Deadly Raid nearly 100 supporters of the Dalai Lama waved Tibetan flags while across Bin Hir, a Malaysian on the US government’s “most wanted terrorists” list the street, about 50 people protested against his presence. Obama and also known by the alias Marwan, had taken refuge with MILF guerrillas in a the Dalai Lama are both Nobel Peace Prize laureates and have met three marshy area on the southern island of Mindanao. Operation “Exodus” was times, most recently in February 2014. MANILA: Protesters display messages launched at 4 am on Jan 25, when US-trained seaborne SAF commandos At the event, Obama echoed some of the monk’s teachings, calling for during a rally near the Presidential Palace sneaked into the village where Marwan was sleeping, according to police religious tolerance and noting that too often faith is twisted to justify vio- to coincide with Philippine President accounts. Marwan was almost certainly killed in the raid - commandos cut lence. “We see faith driving us to do right but we also see faith being twist- Benigno Aquino III addressing the nation off the right index finger of a dead suspect and sent it for analysis to the FBI, ed and distorted, used as a wedge or, worse, sometimes used as a which this week said the DNA showed a link to a known relative. —Reuters (inset) in a live broadcast yesterday. —AP weapon,” he said, citing recent attacks in Pakistan and Paris. —Reuters INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015 Australian PM to fight party vote to oust him Widespread criticism of Abbott’s leadership

SYDNEY: Party critics of Australian Prime to defeat this particular motion”. “We 2009. The ruling Liberal-National coali- Minister Tony Abbott launched a dra- have a strong plan... and we are deter- tion stormed to power in Sept 2013 elec- matic bid yesterday to unseat the mined to get on with it,” he said. tions, but in polls this week it trailed the unpopular conservative leader after less ‘Disconnected’ from Voters opposition Labor Party 46 to 54 percent. than 18 months in office, but he vowed Abbott’s personal rating tumbled to just to fight on. The move comes after Simpkins appealed to the best inter- 34 percent. Abbott’s much-ridiculed decision to ests of the country in asking the party The seed for questions about DILI: East Timorese Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao award Britain’s Prince Philip a knight- room, made up of 102 Liberal members Abbott’s leadership was planted early gestures during a democratic transition dialogue yes- hood sparked two weeks of turmoil in of the lower and upper houses of parlia- with his first budget in May last year terday. —AFP his Liberal Party, exposing discontent ment, to “either endorse the prime min- which slashed spending in a bid to rein over months of policy failings and plung- ister or seek a new direction”. Chief gov- in deficits, said Haydon Manning of the ing poll figures. ernment whip Philip Ruddock confirmed politics department of Flinders “I think we must bring this to a head he had received notice of the leadership University in South Australia. “The first E Timor resistance and test the support of the leadership,” “spill” move and that it would be on the budget of the Abbott government sur- West Australian Liberal MP Luke agenda at Tuesday’s Liberal Party meet- prised Australians, they were ill-prepared hero PM resigns Simpkins said in an email to colleagues announcing he will initiate a challenge. DILI, East Timor: East Timor resistance hero Xanana Gusmao has “The reality is people have stopped lis- submitted his resignation as prime minister, the government said tening to the prime minister,” Simpkins Friday, after more than a decade leading the half-island nation later told Sky News, ahead of a meeting during the fraught early years of its independence. The president of the 102 Liberal parliamentarians next must now decide whether to accept the resignation of the 68- Tuesday where the secret ballot is set to year-old, who has served as either president or prime minister take place. since East Timor became independent in 2002 following a long Abbott hit back immediately, saying struggle against Indonesian occupation. he had the support of his deputy Julie The departure of the former guerrilla fighter would deprive Bishop, whose strong performance as East Timor of a unifying figure who has helped resolve numerous foreign minister had seen her touted as crises, but analysts say it is time for Gusmao to step aside to one of the contenders for the leadership. enable a transition to a new generation of leaders. Speculation “They are asking the party room to vote had been mounting that Gusmao would step aside soon after he out the people that the electorate voted began talks with the president earlier this week about a major in,” the prime minister said. government overhaul, which is expected to be announced in the Bishop said in a statement she was coming days. In a statement yesterday, the government said that opposed to holding a vote on the leader- Gusmao “has sent his letter of resignation from the post of prime ship in the interest of cabinet solidarity. minister to the president”, Taur Matan Ruak. “It is now for the But should the backbenchers get the go- president of the republic to consider and respond to the letter of ahead for a vote, she provided no reas- resignation.” If it is accepted, then Gusmao will remain premier SYDNEY: Australia’s Prime Minister Tony Abbott speaks during a press surance that she will stand on a joint until a replacement is sworn in. Gusmao has “encouraged all conference yesterday. —AFP ticket with the prime minister. Abbott members of government to work calmly in this time of transition rose to power promising stable govern- ing in the capital Canberra. for any austerity after a decade of until the new government is sworn in,” the statement added. It is ment and an end to the brutal internal Earlier this week several lawmakers boom,” he told AFP. not clear what role, if any, Gusmao would play in a new govern- warfare that undermined the previous openly revolted against the premier and But the decision to award Prince ment, or who would succeed him. Observers say he may keep Labor administration, but amid plunging called for a leadership vote, and Philip a knighthood on Australia’s some sort of role to ensure a smooth transition. popularity and policy reversals he now Simpkins said he had been inundated national day was too much to bear, finds himself in a similar position. with emails and questions about the alienating even his core constituency Government Restructure Under Labor, Julia Gillard first ousted “direction the government is being led because it “overwhelmingly pointed to In an earlier statement, authorities said talks were under way prime minister Kevin Rudd in 2010 only in”. Abbott’s personal decision to award the Australian people that this prime on a “major restructure of the government”. Authorities want to to be overthrown herself three years lat- 93-year-old Prince Philip a knighthood minister is out of touch”. “Everything “reduce the size of the executive to create a more efficient and er by Rudd, who was then defeated in “was for many the final proof of a discon- that had been difficult for him up to now functional body focused on results, and allow opportunities for a elections that installed Abbott as leader. nection with the people,” he said. was simply exacerbated,” Manning said. younger generation of leaders to make a contribution to the “We are not the Labor Party... and we are If the leadership is declared vacant, “All these diehard Liberals are knocking nation”, said the government statement. Analysts said that the not going to repeat the chaos and the the favourite for the prime ministership on the door saying, ‘Tony Abbott is an reshuffle could be aimed at getting rid of ministers from instability of the Labor years,” Abbott is Communications Minister Malcolm idiot. Why should we put up with this Gusmao’s coalition who had been accused of corruption, before said, adding that he and Bishop would Turnbull - who led the party before anymore? We’ve got to get somebody he steps down. “stand together in urging the party room Abbott ousted him by a single vote in else in to win the next election’.” —AFP Gusmao has repeatedly delayed his resignation, with observers saying he was likely trying to ensure the graft scandals were dealt with before he stepped aside. He led the military wing of the Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor (FRETILIN), which fought against Indonesian occupation. Before Mexico rescues 129 workers Indonesia invaded in 1975, Portugal had ruled East Timor for cen- turies. He spent years hiding out in the jungle before being cap- MEXICO CITY: Mexican authorities have rescued 129 workers, The four South Koreans could not prove whether they legally tured and imprisoned in Jakarta towards the end of Indonesian including six children, who said they were exploited and physi- lived in Mexico. The South Korean consulate was notified to pro- occupation. However, he continued to lead the struggle for inde- cally and sexually abused at a garment factory run by South vide assistance to the suspects, officials said. Jalisco’s chief pros- pendence from behind bars. Koreans, officials said Thursday. Four South Korean nationals ecutor, Luis Carlos Najera, said authorities are investigating After the Timorese voted overwhelmingly for independence have been handed over to prosecutors in the western state of whether child abuse and sexual crimes were committed. The in a UN-backed referendum in 1999, he returned to his home- Jalisco after workers identified them as the owners or managers employees toiled in “unsanitary” conditions, with pollutants in land a hero and was elected the country’s first president in 2002. of the company named Yes International, the National Migration their place of work, and the material they handled posed a fire He has been prime minister since 2007. He is credited with Institute (INM) said. hazard while the company had no fire safety equipment, said resolving numerous crises in the chaotic early years of the coun- Authorities raided the company in the town of Zapopan on Victor Manuel Torres Moreno, a labor ministry official. try’s independence. After returning to East Timor following the Wednesday after receiving an anonymous tip, INM coordinator Officials also said the employees endured verbal abuse; referendum, Gusmao urged reconciliation, persuading pro- Ardelio Vargas Fosado told reporters, describing the South lacked contracts; worked more than the legal eight hours per Indonesian militiamen who had gone on a murderous rampage Koreans as a “gang of suspected human traffickers”. Officials res- day; only had 15-minute lunches instead of half an hour; were following the vote to return home. Gusmao also helped to keep cued 121 women and eight men, including six minors who were not paid for overtime; and were not given health benefits. The a lid on communal tensions after a crisis in 2006, when soldiers 16 and 17 years old. The workers told prosecutors that they were minors were handed over to their parents following the opera- sacked from the army launched a mutiny that sparked factional “victims of physical and sexual abuse, as well as threats, psycho- tion, but authorities are also checking their family surroundings. violence that left dozens dead and forced 150,000 into logical harm and grueling work days,” Vargas Fosado said. Other workers were given psychological assistance. —AFP makeshift camps. —AFP INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015 Taiwan pilots faced engine problems

TAIPEI: One engine failed on the TransAsia judgement yet,” he said. powered anymore.” Startling Images plane that crashed in Taiwan this week But analysts said it was probable the Such a hypothesis recalls the 1989 crash Taiwan authorities said that the year- with the loss of at least 35 lives, and the crew made an error. “It looks like they shut of a British Midland Boeing 737-400, which old plane had also developed a problem pilots may have inexplicably shut down the wrong engine,” said Greg Waldron, the came down on a motorway in central with an engine during its delivery flight the other, investigators and experts said Singapore-based Asia managing editor at England when the pilots shut down a func- from manufacturer ATR, from the French yesterday. Initial findings from the plane’s aviation industry publication Flightglobal. tioning engine instead of a defective one. city of Toulouse to Macau, en route to black boxes were released as reports Taiwan. The TransAsia plane crashed short- emerged that the chief pilot was still ly after take-off on a domestic flight to an clutching the joystick when his body was outlying island. The startling footage found in the cockpit, after he apparently showed it hitting the road as it banked battled to avoid populated areas. steeply away from buildings and into the The Civil Aeronautics Administration Keelung River. (CAA) also disclosed that TransAir Airways Pilot Liao Chien-tsung has been hailed had failed to meet around a third of the as a hero for apparently making a desper- regulatory requirements imposed after ate attempt to steer the plane, with 53 pas- another fatal crash just seven months ago sengers and five crew on board, away from in Taiwan’s western Penghu islands. On built-up areas during its steep descent. His Wednesday the French-made ATR 72-600 body was found in the cockpit still holding plane, equipped with two Pratt & Whitney the joystick with both hands, and with his turboprop engines, plummeted into a river legs badly fractured, according to the after clipping an elevated road, as shown in China Times. “He disregarded his own life. dramatic dashcam footage. He sacrificed it,” Liao’s sobbing mother told In the first account of the last moments reporters. of Flight GE235, Taiwan’s Aviation Safety Vice President Wu Den-yih also praised Council said the right engine had “flamed Liao as he visited a funeral parlour where out” about two minutes after takeoff from crash victims were taken. “The pilot an airport in northern Taipei. Warning sig- TAIPEI: Search and rescue divers continue to search for missing persons gripped the joystick tightly and was trying nals blared in the cockpit and the left at the site of a commercial plane crash yesterday. —AP to control the airplane right up to the very engine was then shut down manually by last moment so as to avoid hitting city resi- the crew, for unknown reasons, the coun- “The right-side engine flamed out but that Forty-seven people were killed. Gerry dents,” Wu said. Fifteen people survived cil’s director Thomas Wang told a news in itself is not enough to cause a crash Soejatman, a Jakarta-based independent the crash, and rescuers are still searching conference. “The pilot tried to restart the because the ATR is designed to fly on one aviation analyst, said the Taiwan incident the river and submerged wreckage for engines but to no avail. That means that engine,” he noted. “What happened was “could have been an innocent mistake”. “I another eight who remain missing. The during the flight’s final moments, neither that a few seconds after engine two will have to take a look again but changes CAA has grounded a total of 22 ATR planes engine had any thrust,” he said. “We heard flamed out, they (the pilots) cut the fuel to in the layout of the engine instrumentation from two Taiwanese airlines for safety ‘Mayday’ at 10:54:35.” Wang said it was engine one, and when they cut fuel to of the aircraft (compared with an older ver- checks following the accident, and “not clear” why the left engine was shut engine one that’s when things started to sion of the ATR 72) could be a factor,” he TransAsia has been banned from applying down manually. “We are not reaching any go haywire because the plane was not said. for new routes for one year. —AFP Malaysia, Indonesia seek resolution of sea disputes Labor rights also discussed

PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia: The leaders of Malaysia and Indonesia yesterday Borneo, which the two nations share along with Brunei. But they also have pledged renewed efforts to resolve stubborn disputes over maritime bor- disputed maritime borders in other spots, and Indonesia has lately sought ders that have long nagged at one of Southeast Asia’s most important to crack down on illegal fishing in its waters, using explosives to destroy HUIDONG, China: Firefighters spray water into a shopping bilateral relationships. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and visiting and sink a number of seized foreign fishing vessels, including from mall through a hole they torn open in a wall after a fire broke Indonesian President Joko Widodo held talks yesterday morning and later Malaysia. Najib said each side would appoint special envoys “to lead out on the top floor of a four-storey building in Huizhou in told a joint press briefing they agreed to set up a new mechanism for exploratory talks and to find a formula that is acceptable to the govern- south China’s Guangdong province yesterday. —AFP resolving territorial issues. Najib said the effort was necessary because ments and peoples of both nations”. Widodo’s two-day stay is his first offi- years of negotiations had seen “no significant advancement”. Widodo cial bilateral trip abroad since taking office late last year and the choice of added that maritime disputes had “lingered for too long”. Malaysia appeared to underline the mutually-held importance of steady Boy detained The tension has centred on competing claims to potentially energy- relations between two countries that sprawl across vital Southeast Asian rich seabeds in the Celebes Sea off the eastern coast of the vast island of sea lanes. after China mall Another perennial bone of contention has been recurring reports of poor treatment of the hundreds of thousands of Indonesian maids and other workers, and the frictions surfaced again just before Widodo’s arrival. inferno kills 17 Indonesia’s embassy in Kuala Lumpur said it had formally protested this BEIJING: A nine-year-old boy has been detained after a shopping mall week over an advertisement by a Malaysian distributor of automatic vacu- inferno that killed 17 people in China, police said yesterday, the latest um cleaners that said users of the product can “Fire your Indonesian maid deadly accident in a country where safety standards are often flouted. now!” The company’s website also was defaced, apparently by Indonesian The fire broke out Thursday on the top floor of a four-storey building in hackers who posted a message on the page decrying the ad and calling for Huidong, in the city of Huizhou in the southern province of Guangdong, respect for their compatriots in Malaysia. Najib and Widodo mentioned the the local government said. Rescue efforts took 18 hours and 17 people labor issue only in passing, saying they agreed that Indonesian workers died, the Huidong government said on its verified account on China’s should only come to Malaysia via official recruitment channels to ensure Twitter-like Sina Weibo. their safety. Over the years, relatively affluent Malaysia has attracted mil- Huizhou police said on its Weibo account that “the fire was caused lions of migrant workers - both legal and illegal - from Indonesia, including by a boy playing with fire at the mall,” adding that the nine-year-old sus- large numbers of domestic workers. pect had been fiddling with a “lighter”. A total of 270 firefighters and 45 An estimated 400,000 foreign maids are now employed in Malaysia, fire engines were mobilised to extinguish the blaze, it added. The fire the vast majority of them Indonesian women. But reports of physical and broke out in a warehouse facility, reports said. China has a dismal indus- other abuse by Malaysian employers or recruiters have repeatedly sparked trial safety record as some property and business owners evade regula- anger in Indonesia. Later yesterday, Widodo visited a factory run by tions to save money and pay off corrupt officials to look the other way. Malaysian national car manufacturer Proton, where a memorandum was PUTRAJAYA: Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo (left) A fire at a poultry plant in the northeast of the country killed 119 peo- signed on exploring possibilities for Proton’s involvement in developing an and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak shake hands ple in 2013. Reports at the time said that managers had locked doors Indonesian national car brand. Southeast Asia’s car market is steadily grow- after a joint press conference at the prime minister’s inside the factory to prevent workers from going to the toilet, leading to ing, but it is unclear how successful such a project would be. —AFP office outside Kuala Lumpur yesterday. —AFP the high death toll. —AFP US electronics chain Australia central Why you should care what BusinessRadioShack pulls plug 17 bank cuts growth 19foreign bonds are doing? 20 SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015 Strong US job, wage gains open door to rate hike 16

ATHENS: Crowds gather in front of the Greek parliament in Athens on Thursday in support of the new anti-austerity government’s efforts to renegotiate Greece’s international loans. About 5,000 people gathered in Syntagma Square, police said, in front of the Greek parliament, the site of violent protests at the height of the Greek crisis in 2012. — AFP Greece isolated in euro zone Finance ministers to meet February 11

BRUSSELS: Greece’s new government was iso- zone countries were so far apart. “It was Greece in a paper prepared for the meeting that it did gency liquidity assistance from the Greek cen- lated at its first meeting with senior euro zone against all others, basically one versus 18,” one not agree to any rolling back of reforms or com- tral bank, which is more costly and can be officials but will have a chance to put forward its official said, describing the discussions. The new mitments made by previous Greek govern- stopped by the ECB if there are no prospects for plans at a special meeting of finance ministers government is dominated by the hard-left ments. “There were no conclusions after the a deal between the euro zone and Greece. of the currency bloc next week, EU officials said Syriza party which campaigned on a platform of talks last night. It is up to the Greek government Moreover, some analysts say Greece could yesterday. demanding a partial debt write-off, putting an to tell us what they want to do,” one euro zone run out of cash as early as March if it does not Eurogroup finance ministers will discuss how end to austerity measures and reversing some official said. Greece is free to design its own get further euro zone help. “Greece’s financing to proceed with financial support for Athens at a of the reforms of last four years. Prime Minister reforms in line with Syriza’s campaign promises, needs over the next five years may amount to special session next Wednesday in preparation Alexis Tsipras and his ministers promised in their as long as the end result is in line with commit- 30-35 billion euros,” Unicredit bank said in a for talks among European Union leaders on the first days in office to raise the minimum wage, ments to stronger public finances, debt repay- research note. issue the following day. re-hire some sacked government employees ment and reforms, the official said. “However, if we set the primary surplus at 1- The meeting, to start at 1630 GMT in and stop some privatisations. This clashed with “The overall policy mix may reflect the priori- 1.5 percent of GDP and assume that privatisa- Brussels, will be a chance for the leftist-led gov- the commitments made by previous govern- ties of Syriza. But it has to make sense financial- tions will stop, as requested by the Greek gov- ernment elected on Jan. 25 to explain how it ments to the International Monetary Fund and ly,” a second official said. ernment, overall financing needs would rise to wants to reform its economy and consolidate euro zone countries, which have lent Athens a Time to reach a deal is short, because Greek 60 billion euros,” Unicredit said. public finances while respecting commitments total of 240 billion euros. banks will no longer be eligible to use Greek “In any case, a very quick fix is needed Greece accepted under previous governments. government bonds as collateral in daily refi- because in 2015 there will be a peak in both Euro zone officials made no progress at a Free to design reforms nancing operations with the European Central redemptions and financing needs. Without preparatory meeting on Thursday evening The position of euro zone countries is more Bank from Feb. 11. external support, Greece could run out of cash because the positions of Athens and other euro in line with that of Germany, which spell out out After that, they will have to rely on emer- as soon as March,” the bank said. — Reuters BUSINESS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

Ousted Turkey bank chief takes ‘illegal’ seizure to court

ISTANBUL: The ousted chief executive of “We trust the judicial system. We have Ahmet Davutoglu has insisted that it was ers of being behind the sweeping corrup- a Turkish bank linked to the top foe of to trust it. Our only option is to go to not political. “Everyone is going to see that tion probe that rocked his government President Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday court,” the ousted chief executive of Bank this is illegal. I cannot say if it’s political or while he was prime minister. said the deposed leadership was appeal- Asya, Ahmet Beyaz told AFP in an inter- not, I only can say this is not legal,” said However Erdogan and Gulen were ing the “illegal” decision in court. view. Beyaz. seen as close allies until recent years. Turkey’s state-run Savings Deposit “Our shareholders went to court and He pointed out that Bank Asya is not a Gulen and Erdogan had both attended Insurance Fund (TMSF) late Tuesday seized opened a case. We’ll have to wait for some small bank. “We have around 4.5 million the launch of Bank Asya in October 1996, control of Bank Asya, which is linked to time before a decision. That’s our only customers.” The seizure of the bank smiling broadly alongside then prime Erdogan’s former ally turned enemy, the option now.” The TMSF took control of appears to be the latest crackdown minister Tansu Ciller. US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen. Bank Asya, an Islamic bank which is against Gulen’s powerful movement Gulen has been based in the United The entire leadership of the bank-who Turkey’s number 10 financial institution, known as “Hizmet”, which brings together States since 1999 but Washington has as comprised its main shareholders-were citing a lack of transparency. interests ranging from finance to schools yet shown little interest in repeated sacked in a move that shocked commen- The opposition denounced the swoop to media. requests by the Turkish government to tators. as a “scandal” but Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan accuses Gulen and his follow- extradite him. —AFP

Strong US job, wage gains open door to rate hike WASHINGTON: US job growth rose solidly in January and wages rebounded strongly, a show of underlying strength in the economy that puts a mid-year interest rate increase from the Federal Reserve back on the table. Nonfarm payrolls increased 257,000 last month, the Labor Department said yesterday. Data for November and December was revised to show a whopping 147,000 more jobs created than previously reported, bolstering views consumers will have enough muscle to carry the economy through rough seas. At 423,000, Novemberís payroll gains were the largest since May 2010, when employment was boosted by government hiring for the population count. While the unemployment rate rose one-tenth of a percentage point to 5.7 percent, that was because the labor force increased, a sign of confidence in the jobs market. January marked the 11th straight month of job gains above 200,000, the longest streak since 1994. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast hiring increasing 234,000 last month and the unemployment rate hold- ing steady at 5.6 percent. The continued improvement in the labor mar- ket comes despite the economy slowing. Sputtering growth overseas and lower oil prices have weighed on exports and business investment. Wages increased 12 cents last month after falling five cents in December. That took the year-on-year gain to 2.2 percent, the largest LONDON: A Poundland store is pictured in south London. Britain’s Poundland yesterday snapped up rival since August. Interest rate hike expectations had been dialed back to group 99p Stores for £55 million ($84 million, 74 million euros) in a deal underlining the nation’s booming dis- September in the wake of Decemberís surprise drop in wages. count retail sector. —AFP The Fed last week ramped up its assessment of the labor market. Brisk job gains and the improvement in wages could harden expecta- tions of a June policy tightening. Poundland to pay Global turmoil The pick-up in wages is likely to combine with lower oil prices to pro- vide a massive tailwind for consumer spending and keep the economy growing at a fairly healthy clip, despite the global turmoil. $84m for 99p Stores Growth braked to a 2.6 percent annual rate in the fourth quarter. While several states put in place higher minimum wages last month, that likely had a minimal impact on wages. Economists say roughly three mil- Deal won’t impact existing store opening plans lion workers may have been affected, accounting for just 3 percent of the private sectorís more than 118 million employees. —Reuters LONDON: Europe’s largest single-price half earnings 12.6 million pounds on McCarthy said the transaction would retailer Poundland has snapped up sales of 528.2 million pounds. not affect its existing store opening smaller and struggling British rival 99p Poundland CEO Jim McCarthy denied plans. Shares in Poundland, which listed Stores, seeking to speed up its already the transaction represented a distressed at 300 pence, were up 36 pence at 393.5 rapid expansion. sale by the Lalanis, saying the deal made pence at 1023 GMT, valuing the busi- Poundland shares rose up to 10.3 per- sense for both parties. ness at 975 million pounds. cent yesterday after it said it had agreed “The vendors recognised that some- “Poundland should be able to gener- to pay 55 million pounds ($84 million) to times you need to move the business on ate buying synergies and make the 99p 99p Stores’ owners, the Lalani family. The to develop it,” he told Reuters. stores more profitable,” said analysts at purchase will add 251 stores to “Poundland has a business and a propo- Jefferies, who have an ‘underperform’ Poundland’s existing 534 UK stores. It sition which is superior to 99p Stores, rating on the stock. “However adding also has 39 shops in Ireland and a five- they recognise that value can be created circa 250 stores in one go is a big step store trial in Spain under the Dealz name. from a combination of the two.” for Poundland and could lead to signifi- With recession-era shopping habits cant cannibilisation.” Poundland will pay entrenched, discount retailers, both in Disappear cash of 47.5 million pounds and new general merchandise and food, are win- McCarthy said the 99p Stores name shares worth 7.5 million pounds, subject ning market share across the industry. would eventually disappear as its stores to the approval of competition authori- However, while Poundland, which would be converted to the Poundland ties. It forecast the deal would be earn- joined the London Stock Exchange in fascia.In its 2014-15 year so far ings enhancing once 99p Stores had MIAMI: Job applicant Rafael Ferrer, 49, left, shakes March last year, has thrived, 99p Stores Poundland has opened a net 45 stores been fully integrated. hands with a representative of the Hilton Bentley has struggled, making core earnings of in the UK and Ireland. It plans a net 60 It will fund the cash portion and the 6.1 million pounds on sales of 370.4 mil- over the full year, the same next year cost of integrating 99p Stores through Miami Beach hotel during a job fair at the Hospitality lion pounds in the year to Feb. 2014. and prior to the 99p Stores deal saw an equity placing and an increase in its Institute, in Miami. The Labor Department released In November Poundland posted first scope for about 1000 UK stores. banking facilities. —Reuters employment data for January yesterday. —AP BUSINESS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

Gulf producers grab market share in Asia

SINGAPORE: Saudi Arabia’s move to slash the price it million barrels per day (bpd) between December and tial recovery from six-year lows last week. charges in Asia for its oil this week to the lowest in January, with the market share improving to 53.9 The increase in shipments has come mostly at the more than a decade is the latest aggressive action by percent from 52.2 percent in December, according to expense of producers such as Nigeria, Angola and Gulf states to defend market share in the world’s top estimates by Thomson Reuters Oil Research and Venezuela - and to a lesser extent Colombia and oil consuming region. Forecasts. Brazil - which in recent years have boosted exports to A price war between producers has raged since “The Gulf states seem to be in this for the long Asia after U.S. import requirements were curbed by Saudi Arabia and its Gulf OPEC allies last November haul. I think they will continue to make their crude the shale boom. chose to keep their taps open in a bid for market competitive regardless of what happens in the mar- Shipments from West Africa to China fell around 6 share over price, sending oil prices down more than a ket,” said Richard Gorry, managing director of energy percent in January, while those from Latin America third to under $50 a barrel in just two months. consultancy JBC Asia. dipped 9 percent, the data shows. Saudi Arabia cut Since then, Gulf producers - including Saudi Saudi exports to China rose by 13 percent in its monthly oil prices on Thursday for Asian buyers to Arabia and the United Arab Emirates - have steadily January from the previous month, as the Asian coun- the lowest in at least 12 years, while raising prices to increased shipments to Asia, helped by low produc- try took advantage of low prices to stockpile, Reuters Europe and the United States. tion costs that allow aggressive discounts, at the data shows. Asia is the only major consuming region in which expense of West African and Latin American supplies. Oil prices began tumbling in June 2014 when the Gulf dominates supplies. In Europe, Russia is the Middle East exports to China, by far the region’s traders reacted to rising output around the world at a biggest supplier while the shale boom has sharply biggest importer, increased 2.5 percent to around 3.8 time of slowing demand, though have staged a par- reduced US import needs. — Reuters

Wage cuts and discounts as Swiss firms respond US electronics chain to franc strength ZURICH: Swiss companies are cutting prices, asking suppli- RadioShack pulls plug ers for discounts, paying staff in euros and demanding new hours to protect profits from a soaring franc currency. The central bank last month abandoned its cap on the Swiss franc, causing the currency to strengthen and Sprint to take over some stores prompting firms across Switzerland to warn of a plunge in profits. The 1.20-per-euro cap had protected the export- NEW YORK: Electronics retailer reliant economy from the effects of a strong currency since RadioShack Corp filed for US bankruptcy 2011. protection on Thursday and said it had a “We did the math, and would have gone into the red deal in place to sell as many as 2,400 stores from normal profitable numbers this year if we hadn’t done to an affiliate of hedge fund Standard anything,” said Adrian Fuchser, the head of Schneeberger General, its lender and largest shareholder. AG Lineartechnik, a maker of precision machinery. Wireless company Sprint Corp would The small family-owned firm of 230 employees is typical operate as many as 1,750 of those stores of one whose products became far more expensive to euro under an agreement with Standard zone customers overnight. Ripples of the currency cap General, Sprint said separately. removal are expected to spread in the coming months, RadioShack’s bankruptcy, which has from the tourism sector that took an instant hit, to banking been expected for months, follows 11 con- and engineering. secutive unprofitable quarters as the com- Some think tanks such as the KOF Swiss Economic pany has failed to transform itself into a Institute have warned that the move economy could tip the destination for mobile phone buyers. But economy into recession this year, with exports sliding and its sale agreement with Standard General the unemployment rate rising to 3.4 percent - still low in could spare it the fate most retailers suffer comparison with the rest of Europe. in Chapter 11, liquidation. RadioShack said in a statement that the CREATIVE APPROACH Standard General affiliate, called General Analysts estimate that most global players on the Swiss Wireless, would acquire between 1,500 blue-chip index will be spared a major hit from the strong and 2,400 of its 4,100 stores. franc because their global footprint means their sales and Sprint would occupy about one-third of costs are spread out over a variety of currencies. But small- each RadioShack store, selling “mobile and medium-sized companies have fewer natural defences. devices across Sprint’s brand portfolio as DALLAS: Maxine Simons walks out of the RadioShack store on Mockingbird Schneeberger’s Fuchser said he had no choice but to well as RadioShack products, services and Lane in Dallas on Thursday. The struggling electronics retailer has filed for respond aggressively to the central bank’s decision. Based accessories,” Sprint said in its statement. Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and says it will sell up to 2,400 stores. — AP in Roggwil, roughly 70 kilometres west of Zurich, the com- Other potential buyers will also have pany draws the majority of its supply in Swiss francs, but the opportunity to bid on RadioShack The Standard General deal is only a bankruptcy include Loehmann’s Inc and sells roughly 40 percent into the euro zone. assets. Any deal will need approval by the piece of its restructuring efforts. Borders Group, which were sold to liquida- It has cut prices by 12 percent to keep its clients and is U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware, so RadioShack has a deal with liquidation firm tion firms, and Coldwater Creek. seeking similar discounts from suppliers. Also, it is asking nothing is etched in stone. Hilco to shutter as many as 2,100 under- RadioShack over the past year tried to staff to work 42 hours a week instead of 40, effectively cut- Sprint’s chief executive, Marcelo Claure, performing stores and said it has already avoid bankruptcy by closing 400 stores ting wages, and will cut temporary jobs, Fuchser said. in a statement said the deal will “allow begun discussions with other potential and reducing workforce by 19 percent, Other companies are getting similarly creative. Dental Sprint to grow branded distribution quick- buyers to acquire the rest of its assets. court documents show. It changed its logo, implant maker Straumann has asked employees who com- ly and cost effectively.” “These steps are the culmination of a reduced store clutter and tried to connect mute from Germany or France to accept payment of their In an interview with Reuters earlier on thorough process intended to drive maxi- with tech-savvy shoppers through brighter salaries in euros instead of francs. Thursday, Claure said RadioShack had mum value for our stakeholders,” “concept stores” featuring interactive dis- Nearly 289,000 people work in Switzerland but live in “incredible store locations,” and he was RadioShack Chief Executive Joe Magnacca plays. neighbouring countries such as Germany, France and Italy. keen to acquire some to cut down on long said in the statement. But as the company’s public struggles Straumann is also cutting bonuses for Swiss-based staff waits at Sprint’s current stores. “Customers The chain’s more than 1,000 dealer went on, vendors lost confidence, and is asking some of its suppliers to cut prices and invoice have to wait one or two hours to get a franchise stores, its Mexican subsidiary and RadioShack’s chief financial officer, Carlin in euros instead of francs. phone and that’s not acceptable,” Claure its Asian operations are not part of the Adrianopoli, said in a court statement on “We want to convince our suppliers that they should car- said. A spokesman for Standard General bankruptcy, it said. Thursday. ry the currency risk. That will make us better prepared for did not respond to a request for comment. “RadioShack’s operating losses have situations like what we’ve seen in the past few weeks,” said RETAIL BLUES been well documented, which has caused Chief Executive Marco Gadola. RESTRUCTURING MOVES Fort Worth, Texas-based RadioShack, a many vendors to alter their relationships Private bank Julius Baer, which analysts estimate gener- RadioShack, with 21,000 employees, 95-year-old company that began as a mail- with the company,” Adrianopoli said. ates about 60 percent of its costs in francs while more than $1.2 billion of assets and $1.39 billion of order radio service, hopes to avoid liquida- RadioShack had hoped to ramp up store 80 percent of its revenues are in other currencies, debts according to court papers, said it tion, the fate many bankrupt retailers suf- closures but butted heads with lenders announced plans this week to cut about 200 jobs in also has an agreement with a lender group fer due to laws that give them little time to who would not agree unless RadioShack response to the SNB decision. — Reuters led by DW Partners for a $285 million loan decide whether to keep or break leases. prepaid a chunk of its debt and agreed to to operate in bankruptcy. Recent retailers that met their demise in other concessions. — Reuters BUSINESS SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 2015

Siemens says to cut 7,800 jobs in drive to cut costs

BERLIN: German engineering giant Siemens said Chief executive Joe Kaeser unveiled a mass employee representatives about the cuts in Germany yesterday it was slashing 7,800 jobs worldwide, more streamlining plan in May 2014 aimed at dramatically as soon as possible and “search constructively for than 3,000 of them in Germany, as part of an ongo- reducing both the number of divisions and hierarchy socially responsible solutions”. ing restructuring plan aimed at saving about one bil- levels within the industrial group by 2016. Last month, Siemens, which runs its business from lion euros. “The savings achieved will be invested in innova- October to September, said that net profit fell by 25 “In a drive to streamline administrative and over- tion, productivity and growth initiatives, a consider- percent to 1.095 billion euros ($1.2 billion) in the first head functions, about 7,800 jobs are to be cut world- able part of which will be in Germany,” the company three months. Press reports in recent days had indi- wide, including some 3,300 in Germany,” the compa- statement said. cated a similar figure for the job losses. Shares in ny, which employs more than 300,000 staff, said in a Janina Kugel, a board member and labour direc- Siemens slid 1.3 percent to 95.01 euros on a slightly statement. tor, said the company wanted to start talks with lower Frankfurt stock exchange. — AFP

Despite US fine, BNP Paribas posts profit As middle class flees, PARIS: BNP Paribas surmounted the 6.6 billion euro ($8.9 billion) fine imposed by US authorities to post profits in Puerto Rico lures rich 2014, the French bank said Thursday, but warned tighten- ing business conditions could undermine future results. BNP Paribas said it turned a 157 million euro profit Enjoy life without taxes on capital gains ($179.2 million) in 2014 despite the record fine imposed by the US Justice Department for violating international sanc- PALMAS DEL MAR: Bond trader Ben Eiler tions by doing business with Iran, Cuba, Sudan and other swapped life in suburban Georgia for an regimes targeted by embargoes. island in the Caribbean, and he didn’t According to an average of analysts’ forecasts by finan- even have to apply for a visa. cial data company FactSet, the bank’s 2014 profit more than The towering 38-year-old native of tripled the 50 million euros BNP Paribas-watchers had been Arkansas is one of at least 250 people expecting. who’ve accepted Puerto Rico’s invitation The bank said in a statement that 2014 revenues rose to to well-heeled US citizens to move to the 39.2 billion euros, up 2 percent on the year, which also island and enjoy life without taxes on cap- exceeded average analyst expectations of 38.8 billion. ital gains, an enticing offer for those Excluding one-off items, pre-tax profit increased 8.9 per- whose income is derived from invest- cent in 2014 to 1.3 billion euros. The bank’s net profit for the ments. fourth quarter alone stood at 1.3 billion euros. Eiler lives in a gated community on The results not only surpassed analysts’ anticipations, Puerto Rico’s southeastern shore, making but took many market observers by surprise, given the con- a commute of less than 5 minutes from troversial American fine that some feared would sink the house to office across manicured greens, bank into the red. with an expansive ocean view. “Revenues increased in all operational sectors, (and) the “Driving to work in your flip-flops and positive business dynamic testifies to the confidence of golf cart is not bad,” he says with a quick institutional clients, companies, and individuals,” said BNP laugh. Paribas general director Jean-Laurent Bonnafe. This semi-autonomous US territory But even in closing out that painful American episode sets its own tax policy, and its residents with a profit, Bonnafe warned that some of the bank’s tar- pay no federal tax on income derived gets heading towards 2016 would be difficult to fullfil, due locally. Mired in a recession for almost a to the slowing international economic environment, and decade and with an unemployment rate HUMACAO: Bond trader Ben Eiler poses for a photo on the second-floor balcony application of post-financial-crisis regulations. stuck above 13 percent, more than dou- of his new home in Humacao, Puerto Rico. The towering 38-year-old native of “The circumstances we find ourselves in are difficult, so ble the US rate overall, it decided in 2012 Arkansas is one of at least 250 people who’ve accepted Puerto Rico’s invitation we have to be better to attain our objectives,” Bonnafe told to try to lure wealthy investors who to well-heeled US citizens to move to the island and enjoy life without taxes on a press conference Thursday. “There are head winds, and would be likely to buy expensive real capital gains, an enticing offer for those whose income is derived from invest- side winds.” estate, establish businesses and create ments. — AP Among those, Bonnafe noted, are new taxes, regula- jobs. tions, and increased capital reserve levels being applied Act 22, the legislation that set up the from the mainland. is a draw not offered by the Bahamas and across the banking sector in Europe, and the tightening of program, exempts people from taxes on Economists also say the new residents other Caribbean destinations that have operating rules for foreign banks in the US. any capital gains accrued after they move won’t do enough to rescue the island created tax incentives to lure investors. Those are expected to cost BNP Paribas 500 million and it provides an exemption from local from its deep economic woes. A smarter Lawyers and tax experts in Puerto Rico euros annually, and slice 0.7 percent off the bank’s return taxes on dividends and interests if they strategy would be to focus on broadening say they get calls daily from people seek- on equity performance, which would complicate its target take up permanent residence, among the tax base, said Barry Bosworth, an ing to move, including managers of of reaching at least 10 percent ROE in 2016. — AFP other conditions. A government brochure economist with the Brookings Institution hedge funds or private equity funds who sums it up as “Sun, Sand and Zero Taxes.” in Washington. make most of their money from capital “Frankly, for Americans, it’s sort of an “Instead, Puerto Rico spends a lot of gains. In the US, long-term capital gains unprecedented thing,” said Alex Daley, a time and effort to attract a sub-popula- are taxed at 23.8 percent. technology investment strategist who tion that wants special treatment and is The tax refugees must not have lived moved from Vermont with his wife in seeking to avoid paying taxes on the in Puerto Rico for six years prior to when December 2013. mainland,” he said. “It gives the appear- the law was approved in order to qualify. Daley said he felt the U.S. mainland ance of being for sale.” had become a more hostile tax environ- A recent report from Standard & Poor’s Income taxes ment under President Barack Obama. issued another warning: “If Puerto Rico Their arrival bucks a trend in the other “They try to hold the people with the becomes too successful at marketing direction. From 2010 to 2014, Puerto most mobility and the most wealth cap- itself as a tax haven, the U.S. Congress in Rico’s population dropped 5 percent to tive,” Daley said of the US government. our view would likely enact restrictions.” 3.5 million, according to the US Census “People are getting angry about that.” So far, however, at least 500 people Bureau. Many of those who left are mid- have applied and been approved, half of dle-class professionals, driven out by the Economic woes whom have made the move like Eiler. He lack of economic opportunity and the The law is sparking some controversy had only briefly visited Puerto Rico before high cost of living. in Puerto Rico, however, particularly settling here with his family, but he finds While Puerto Ricans do not pay US among economically beleaguered mid- the environment familiar. income taxes, except for Social Security PARIS: French telecom equipment group Alcatel-Lucent dle-class workers who pay island taxes on “We have a Walmart and Costco and and Medicare, they do pay the equivalent director-general Michel Combes gestures during a press non-investment income. Others say the P.F. Chang’s,” he said. of state income taxes. The highest brack- conference to present the company’s annual results in strategy helps erode the US federal gov- Such familiarity and the ability to et, for those with incomes above $62,000, Paris, yesterday. — AFP ernment’s tax base by diverting revenue move while staying within US jurisdiction is 33 percent. — AP BUSINESS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015 McCain to open US domestic routes to foreign ships

WASHINGTON: Sen John McCain, who York, for example, or the barges and tug Garamendi’s campaign also received seems to revel in the occasional lonely boats that travel from Memphis to New $99,250 from transportation unions. crusade, is now taking on America’s mar- Orleans. “Tens of thousands of jobs itime industry and the longstanding law would wind up in Singapore, in Korea, in US commodities barring foreign-built ships from trans- Japan. Now, Mr. McCain, you tell me why The Farm Bureau supports McCain’s porting goods within the United States. that would be good for America,” said efforts. In a letter to senators, the group’s McCain’s opposition to the 1920 Garamendi, the ranking Democrat on president argued that increased compe- Jones Act isn’t new, but his status as the House subcommittee. tition would drive down the cost of NEW YORK: In this May 4, 2014 file photo, a security chairman of the Senate Armed Services McCain acknowledges there would transportation, which would make US camera hangs above the Pfizer logo on the exterior of Committee is. He’s made clear in recent be losers under his proposal, but he commodities more attractive to national a former Pfizer factory in the Brooklyn borough of weeks that one of his priorities is to strip maintains that the average American and international customers. away the maritime industry’s protec- would gain because the change The issue also gives McCain the New York. —AP tions, which he says stifle competition would lead to lower prices for an array chance to reinforce his free-trade cre- and drive up the cost of food, gasoline Pfizer buying Hospira and steel. “As has been my habit over the years, I will not quit on this issue,” for about $15.23bn McCain said during a recent speech on the Senate floor. NEW YORK: Pfizer is buying Hospira for approximately $15.23 Federal law requires that ships trans- billion, saying it is a good fit with its established global pharma- porting cargo between two US ports be ceutical business. built in the United States, manned by US The buyout will also help Pfizer tap into the growing market citizens and primarily owned by US citi- for biosimilars, which are cheaper versions of biologic drugs zens. For now, McCain is focused on that are used to treat conditions such as anemia. rolling back the American-made require- Shares of both companies rose in morning trading Thursday. ment in the law. Ships moving goods Hospira Inc., based in Lake Forest, Illinois, is a provider of between two US ports would still require injectable drugs and infusion technologies. It also offers an American crew. biosimilars. Hospira announced last month that it was seeking Congress barred foreign-made ships approval from the Food and Drug Administration for Retacrit, a and crews from domestic routes to help proposed biosimilar to the anemia treatments Epogen from ensure the US has the vessels, shipyards Amgen and Procrit from Janssen. and crews necessary to sustain a healthy Pfizer Inc. will pay $90 per share in cash, which is a 39 per- defense and economy. Many countries cent premium to Hospira’s Wednesday closing price of $64.80. have similar protections in place for their shipbuilders and workers. The companies put the deal’s value at about $17 billion includ- California Reps. Duncan Hunter, a ing debt. Republican, and John Garamendi, a Pfizer - which is the world’s second-largest drugmaker by NEWPORT: In this May 24, 2012, file photo the lower bow section of the Democrat, are among the lawmakers nuclear powered aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford is lowered into position at revenue - said Thursday that it will use its global network to who have signed letters encouraging help expand Hospira’s reach to Europe and key emerging mar- Senate leaders to maintain the protec- Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News. Sen. John McCain, this time kets. Hospira’s products are currently distributed mostly in the tions. They said weakening the Jones Act is taking on America’s maritime industry and the longstanding law barring US. would harm an industry that supports foreign-built ships from transporting goods within the United States. —AP Pfizer, a Dow component whose products include Viagra more than 400,000 domestic jobs. and painkiller Celebrex, has been under pressure from investors Virginia, California, Louisiana, Texas and of products. dentials ahead of what is likely to be to boost its share price. The company has sold and spun off big Mississippi have the highest employ- The Congressional Research Service, another re-election campaign for the parts of its business over the last few years, including animal ment associated with the industry. relying on federal studies, has told law- long-serving Arizona Republican. health, nutrition and a capsule-making unit. This has helped, Hunter said his opposition to makers that US-made tankers cost about Supporters of the shipbuilder protec- but hasn’t satisfied detractors. McCain’s efforts is based primarily on four times more to build than foreign tions question the savings for businesses national security. Great nations, he said, ones. A US-flagged ship also costs about and consumers, especially since Approvals rule the ocean. three times more to operate, largely McCain’s amendment would still require That’s pushed CEO Ian Read to attempt Pfizer’s oft-used because their crews receive greater pay the ships to be manned by American strategy of doing big deals to quickly boost revenue and cut Jobs to disappear and benefits than the foreign-flagged workers. They also note that the cost of costs. Analysts have said that since Pfizer’s $119 billion offer for “What happens an entire generation crews, which typically come from poor building a ship is paid off over a lengthy Britain’s AstraZeneca PLC was rejected last May it needed to from now when something really bad countries. period, typically 40 years, which limits find another big takeover target. happens and the people who had been Companies and unions focused on the cost impact of an individual voyage. selling ships to us no longer want to do it sea transportation spend millions of dol- McCain had planned to seek to attach Read previously said that he’s open to any deals that boost or are unable to? What do you do then?” lars in campaign contributions and lob- his proposal to the Keystone XL pipeline value. During a conference call on Thursday, Read said that it’s asked Hunter, chairman of the House bying expenses each year. Hunter legislation in the Senate, but the amend- still too early to talk about whether any assets will need to be subcommittee with oversight over mar- ranked fifth among federal lawmakers, ment never came up for a vote. He isn’t divested to get the Hospira deal done. John Young, group pres- itime transportation issues. with his campaign receiving $111,600 giving up. “It’s one of these things you ident of Pfizer’s established global pharmaceutical business, Garamendi predicted that a multi- from the industry during the latest elec- just keep after and keep after,” McCain said that the companies’ analysis shows that their businesses tude of jobs would disappear if other tion cycle, according to the Center for said during a recent speech on his efforts are complementary, and that they will work with regulators in nations were allowed to build the cargo Responsive Politics. Garamendi ranked to repeal the protections. “Sooner or lat- order to obtain the necessary approvals. —AP ships that travel from Houston to New 12th, with his campaign netting $66,100. er the dam breaks.” —AP Australia central bank cuts growth, inflation forecasts

SYDNEY: Australia’s central bank yesterday cut its 2.25 percent in a bid to kickstart the economy. The bank also lowered its inflation outlook to 2.0- forecasts for economic growth and inflation this year Yesterday’s update said the economy had grown at 3.0 percent this year, from the 2.25-3.25 percent fore- and warned unemployment would likely rise as the about 2.5 percent on average in the past two years cast previously. economy transitions away from a mining investment but non-mining business investment was subdued. The RBA said lower interest rates and the further boom. The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) said gross The RBA said growth in the year to June 2015 was depreciation of the Australian dollar, which has fallen domestic product would expand 2.25-3.25 percent in expected to come in at 2.25 percent, the lower end about 9.0 percent against the US dollar since 2015, compared with a November estimate of 2.50- of its November forecast of 2.0-3.0 percent. November, were expected to support demand. 3.50 percent. “Growth overall is now forecast to “GDP growth is forecast to remain a bit below But unemployment, currently 6.1 percent, was remain at a below-trend pace somewhat longer than trend over the course of this year, before picking up likely to remain above 6.0 percent until mid-2017. had earlier been expected,” the RBA said in a quarter- to an above-trend pace in the latter part of the fore- “While leading indicators of labour demand have ly economic update. cast period as consumption growth improves, non- picked up since late 2013, at this stage they point to The bank had hinted at lower growth rates mining business investment lifts and LNG exports only modest employment growth and a slight rise in Tuesday when it cut interest rates to a record low of increase,” it said. the unemployment rate in the near term,” it said. —AFP BUSINESS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015 HK jewellery giant branches into ‘black gold’

BEIJING: Hong Kong-based Chow Tai Fook president. Beefing up oil business another former Sinopec trader. The com- group, owner of the world’s biggest jew- China-based oil traders said the jew- The company is not alone in gearing up pany has also registered a Singapore oper- ellery company, is making an unlikely foray ellery maker had been looking at diversify- for the opening up of China’s oil markets; ation, led by James Goh, a seasoned into China’s oil trading business, according ing into the oil business for some time, but traders told Reuters this week that CEFC Singapore-based crude oil trader formerly to several traders recruited by the group. the decision to launch a trading operation China Energy, a small chemicals and fuel with Astra Transcor Petroleum. China’s state-controlled oil sector is may have been prompted by a slowdown company, is also beefing up its oil business Goh and Zhou confirmed their appoint- subject to heavy restrictions, but inde- in its core activities. Company traders in readiness. ments. It will soon set up London and pendent companies are expecting Beijing declined to comment on the move into oil. Like CEFC, Chow Tai Fook could be Houston outlets. to lift at least some of the barriers this year, Its China-centric Chow Tai Fook looking to obtain a permit from Beijing Beijing hopes market-based reforms and family-controlled Chow Tai Fook has Jewellery business, which has a market val- authorities to import crude oil into China, will make the energy sector more efficient, already prepared the ground to take ue of around HK$102 billion ($13 billion), senior China-based oil traders said, though and the involvement of independents advantage of the opportunities. posted a 10 percent drop in sales in its the fact it does not own oil and gas pro- would also help make a success of its The group, which also has a large prop- most recent quarter and is expecting the ducing assets could prove an obstacle. launch of oil futures in Shanghai. erty business, set up Chow Tai Fook current quarter to be weak, too. In the meantime, it could start by act- Henry Cheng Kar Shun, head of the Energy Co. Ltd last July, the traders said, A slowing Chinese real estate market ing as a regional trader or a supplier in family’s business interests, is a member of and Gao Jianfeng, a former trading man- has also clipped cash flow for its property China, they said. Company traders said the Chinese People’s Political Consultative ager for Chinese oil and gas giant Sinopec arm, New World Development, worth just Chow Tai Fook Energy has already opened Conference (CPCCC), an advisory body to Corp, said he had been appointed as its over HK$83 billion. a Beijing operation, led by Zhou Xuan, parliament. — Reuters

Why you should New law requires workaholic care what foreign Japanese to take days off bonds are doing Toiling 14 hours a day NEW YORK: It would be nice — and so, so easy — to ignore what bond markets are doing in Germany, Japan and Zambia. TOKYO: College-educated and gainfully But you shouldn’t. employed 36-year-old Eriko Sekiguchi If you own a bond mutual fund or have a 401(k) account, should be a sought-after friend or date, there’s a good chance that you have some foreign-bond planning nights on the town and faraway investments, even if you don’t know it. That’s because many resort vacations. But she works in Japan, a bond funds have been buying foreign bonds in recent years, nation where workaholic habits die hard. including some that say they could serve as the only bond Often toiling 14 hours a day for a major fund in your portfolio. Also, most target-date mutual funds, trading company, including early morning which have become the default way for many investors to meetings and after-hours “settai,” or net- save for retirement, keep small portions of their portfolios in working with clients, she used just eight of foreign bonds. Some fund managers are going abroad for her 20 paid vacation days last year. Six of diversification, while others are hungry for higher yields than those days were for being sick. what’s available in the United States. These global bonds, “Nobody else uses their vacation days,” though, come with risks. Bonds from emerging markets offer said Sekiguchi, who was so busy her inter- higher yields but also much higher price swings. Changes in view with The Associated Press had to be the dollar’s value against other currencies can quickly wipe rescheduled several times before she could out any returns. In many developed markets, yields are even pop out of the office. The government lower than in the United States. “Do people have more foreign wants to change all that. bond (investment) than they think? Yes, and it’s very possible Legislation that will be submitted dur- that it’s been there a long time,” says Karin Anderson, a senior ing the parliamentary session that began analyst at Morningstar. To see how common foreign bonds Jan. 26 aims to ensure workers get the rest have become, look at target-date mutual funds. They put TOKYO: In this Jan 21, 2015 photo, 36-year-old Eriko Sekiguchi stands at a cross- they need. In a break with past practice, it investment decisions on autopilot, automatically morphing road of business district in Tokyo. Often toiling 14 hours a day for a major trading will become the legal responsibility of from a stock-heavy portfolio to a bond-heavy one as the tar- company, including early morning meetings and after-hours “settai,” or network- employers to ensure workers take their get retirement date approaches. ing with clients, she used just eight of her 20 paid vacation days last year. — AP holidays. Japan has been studying such legislation for years. There has been more Working literally to death is a tragedy That means workers save two or three Popular impetus for change since 2012 as a con- so common that a term has been coined vacation days for fear of catching a cold or Their ease of use has made them very popular, and they sensus developed that the health, social for it: “karoshi.” The government estimates some other minor illness so they can stay control more than $650 billion in total assets. Nearly 60 percent and productivity costs of Japan’s extreme there are 200 karoshi deaths a year from home, said Yuu Wakebe, the Health and of the target-date fund series tracked by Morningstar held for- work ethic were too high. causes such as heart attacks or cerebral Labor Ministry official overseeing such eign bonds at the end of 2013, says Janet Yang, director of Part of the problem has been that many hemorrhaging after working long hours. standards. multi-asset research at Morningstar, citing its most recent data. people fear resentment from co-workers if It’s aware of many cases of mental depres- Wakebe himself routinely does 100 Perhaps more importantly, all three of the industry’s biggest they take days off, a real concern in a con- sion and suicides from overwork not hours of overtime a month, and took only players had them. Fidelity, Vanguard and T. Rowe Price control formist culture that values harmony. After counted as karoshi. five days off last year, one of them for stay- nearly three quarters of all target-date fund assets. all, in Japan, only wimps use up all their About 22 percent of Japanese work ing home with a cold. He managed to take It’s not just target-date funds that are scouring the globe. vacation days. more than 49 hours a week, compared a vacation to Hawaii with his family. Bond mutual funds commonly have the freedom to invest as with 16 percent of Americans, 11 percent “It is actually a worker’s right to take much as 20 percent of their assets outside the United States, Salarymen of the French and Germans, according to paid vacations,” he said. “But working in Anderson says. Managers have taken advantage, buying Most of the affected workers are “salary- data compiled by the Japanese govern- Japan involves quite a lot of a volunteer bonds from developing economies in particular. men” or “OL” for office ladies like ment. South Koreans seem even more spirit.” Younger workers feel uncomfort- That means you should look at your funds and make sure Sekiguchi, so dedicated to their jobs they workaholic, at 35 percent. Barely half the able going home before their bosses do. you’re comfortable with how much and what kind of foreign can’t seem to go home. They are the vacation days allotted to Japanese workers Working overtime for free, called “sah-bee- bonds they hold. Funds typically include a link describing their stereotypes of, and the power behind, are ever taken, an average of nine days per soo zahn-gyo,” or “service overtime,” is composition on their websites. Japan Inc. That has come with its social individual a year. prevalent. Pay close attention to whether the fund “hedges.” This costs. Sekiguchi worries she will never get Job descriptions also tend to be vague, refers to whether it tries to limit the impact that shifting cur- married or even find a boyfriend, unless he Paid vacation especially in white-collar occupations, rency values can have. When the euro, yen or peso fall against happens to be in the office. She wishes The problem in Japan in some ways meaning a person not coming in translates the dollar, it can quickly wipe out foreign bonds’ returns. companies would simply shut down now parallels the situation of American workers, to more work for others in his or her team. Some funds invest in currencies to hedge against such risk. and then to allow workers to take days off many of whom don’t get guaranteed paid The new law will allow for more flexible Others prefer to remain unhedged, looking to benefit from without qualms. vacations at all. But those who get them work hours, encouraging parents to spend the boost received when the dollar is falling. A primary reason The workaholic lifestyle and related usually do take all or most of them. more time with their children during sum- to include foreign bonds is to diversify. Foreign bonds alto- reluctance of couples to raise children have Japanese must use their vacations for mer months, for instance, when school is gether make up a larger market than US bonds by value, and long been blamed as a factor behind the sick days, although a separate law guaran- closed. Although Japan is notorious for each country has its own set of interest rates and inflation, the nose-diving birth rate that’s undermining tees two-thirds of their wages if they get hard work, it’s equally known for inefficien- main factors that dictate bond returns. —AP the world’s third-biggest economy. seriously ill and take extended days off. cy and bureaucracy. —AP 2015 SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 7, FEBRUARY SATURDAY, www.kuwaittimes.net

A model presents a creation by Ernesto Sillero during the first day of the SIMOF (International Flamenco Fashion Show) in Sevilla on February 5, 2015. The show runs from February 5 to 8. — AFP

SEE PAGE 25 SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

SIMOF SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

(International Flamenco Fashion Show)

Models present creations by Vicky Martin Berrocal during the first day of the SIMOF (International Flamenco Fashion Show) in Sevilla, on February 5, 2015. — AFP

Models present creations by Rocio Peralta. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015 ‘Oman Fascinates’ ‘Oman

Models present creations by designer Omani Hana Al-Oheibeh and Zakiah Al-Mouwahiya during a fashion show organized as part of the Muscat Festival on February 5, 2015 in the Omani capital, Muscat. The 2015 edition, under the theme ‘Oman Fascinates’, includes cultural, entertainment and sporting events. — AFP photos

Handle it, InStyle: Kerry Washington’s skin lighter on cover andle it, InStyle. Kerry Washington took to social media late influence on the ways in which we present all women going forward,” Wednesday to gush about her March cover for the magazine, but the magazine said. Hher skin tone in an image she posted on Instagram and Twitter The InStyle cover has Washington brightly lit in a white, shoulder-bar- appeared significantly lighter than in real life. The difference wasn’t lost ing dress, hands on hips and hair wind-swept. Washington later tweeted on dozens of commenters, while others were as “THRILLED” as the the magazine’s explanation in full, adding: “Beautiful statement. Thank u “Scandal” star. Wrote one sad fan: “Glad you made the cover kerry, but 4 opening this convo. It’s an important 1 that needs to be had.” The this isn’t right. I’m sorry. It’s not. Don’t let them do that to you.” Another Olivia Pope actress isn’t a newcomer to cover controversy. Lucky maga- chimed in: “Why is she white in this picture.” zine took some Photoshop heat for a Kerry cover also declared unrecog- Some negative comments were later removed. The magazine said in nizable by some in 2013. Additionally, the cosmetics giant L’Oreal was a statement Thursday that it, too, fielded complaints from people con- accused of “whitening” Beyonce’s skin tone in a several magazine ads cerned that Washington’s skin was deliberately lightened. “While we did dating to 2008. — AP not digitally lighten Kerry’s skin tone, our cover lighting has likely con- tributed to this concern. We understand that this has resulted in disap- In this image released by InStyle, actress pointment and hurt. We are listening, and the feedback has been valu- Kerry Washington appears on the cover of able. We are committed to ensuring that this experience has a positive the March 2015 issue.— AP SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

The mihrab in the Mosque-Cathedral of A woman takes pictures as she visits the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba. Cathedral of Cordoba is pictured. Cordoba is pictured. In multi-faith city, row rumbles over mosque-cathedral

he Spanish city of Cordoba boasts that different ‘Distorting’ Muslim history faiths have long co-existed there, but locals are Local Muslims have kept a low profile in the dis- Tnow squabbling over its star tourist attraction: a pute. But Kamel Mejelef, president of the Cordoba cathedral that was once a mosque. One of the most Muslims Association, admitted: “It hurts us when famous Islamic monuments in Europe, the grand they try to distort the history of the building, erase stone edifice dominates the old centre of the city in the name of the mosque. “When people visit the southern Andalucia region. It is listed by UNESCO Cordoba, they come to see the mosque, not the as a world heritage site, a jewel of Islamic architec- cathedral.” The campaign group is demanding the ture with later Christian additions, located not far building be run jointly by the church and local from the old Jewish quarter. Locals call it the authorities as a conservation site. “Priests know all “Mosque-Cathedral”-but critics accuse the Catholic about mass, but I doubt they know much about Church which runs the site of covering up the Islamic tourism and culture,” said Santiago. part of the building’s past. The Church insists it is able to preserve the Visitors to the site are issued with tickets and Mosque and its history, saying it has done so for information leaflets that call it a cathedral, with just the past eight centuries. minor passing references to the mosque. “The “This place of worship is a cathedral, which was Mosque-Cathedral is the cultural heart of the city and formerly a mosque and before that was a Visigoth Nuns visit the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba. — AFP photos its principal tourist business,” said Miguel Santiago, a basilica,” said Jimenez. “We did not do what the spokesman for the campaign group Mosque- Muslims did with the basilica, which was destroyed Cathedral, Heritage of All. “Changing its name goes at the time. We respect, care and conserve. Anyone against the tourism interests of Cordoba and, worst who visits can see the Islamic traces.” of all, against its historical, artistic and symbolic Inside, Moorish columns and alcoves stand essence.” alongside the soaring Cathedral nave that was added in the 16th century. An online petition Consecrated by Christians demanding that Spanish authorities and UNESCO A spokesman for the local cathedral council, Jose intervene has gathered 387,000 signatures on the Juan Jimenez, said the Church has been the “legiti- website change.org. The city hall is worried about mate owner” since 1236 when Christian King the effect of the row on Cordoba’s image. “Before Fernando III had it consecrated. A mosque had been this goes any further, we want to clear up the mat- built there on the site of an earlier Visigoth church ter and give an image of Cordoba as an open city, a from the eighth century when Cordoba was held by city of consensus in which understanding and Islamic Umayyad rulers. Fernando converted it into a coexistence prevail,” said its mayor, Jose Antonio cathedral when he reconquered the city in the 13th. Nieto. In 1998, a change in the law by the conservative Nevertheless, last year as the row rumbled on A picture shows a view of Cordoba and the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba. Popular Party government permitted the church to the site received more than 1.5 million visitors, nine register certain places of worship as its own property percent more than in 2013. The bishopric took 10 even without possessing title deeds. million euros in entry fees. “As a cathedral, it is like In 2006, the Cordoba bishopric registered the all the others in Andalucia,” said Maria Angeles cathedral as its own property for a sum of 30 euros. Querol, a specialist in heritage management at “Until 1998, all the bishops of Cordoba had consid- Madrid’s Complutense University. “As a mosque, it ered themselves users and protectors of the monu- is unique.”— AFP ment, but never its owners,” said a spokesman for the group, Miguel Santiago. “When they start to consider themselves its owners, they start to change its histo- ry, even eliminating its name.” The campaigners say the act of consecration did not grant the church legal rights to the property. They say leaflets that downplay the building’s Muslim past and that talk of a mere “Islamic interven- tion” or “Islamic traces” do a disservice to the city. A visitor walks in the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015 Cumberbatch wins praise for troubled genius

e made his name playing a physicist, won a global following as since graduating from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic a brilliant private detective and has Bafta and Oscar nomina- Art, he has never sought out the typical ‘leading man’ roles. Htions for his role as a World War II maths genius. But ahead of Cumberbatch first caught the attention of the critics a decade ago the BAFTA awards in London on Sunday, Benedict Cumberbatch in a TV biopic of wheelchair-bound theoretical physicist Stephen rejects the idea that he is typecast. Hawking. It is a role that fellow Briton Eddie Redmayne has reprised The 38-year-old British actor, who has a best actor nod for playing for the big screen in “The Theory of Everything”. He is up against codebreaker Alan Turing in “The Imitation Game”, insists he can and Cumberbatch at the forthcoming Oscars as well as the BAFTAs. His has played idiots. “If anyone’s got any other stupid people I can play, next big break was “Sherlock”, the BBC’s sharp remake of the detec- let me know,” he said while being quizzed about his latest incarnation tive stories written by Arthur Conan Doyle, which turned as the troubled intellectual. In the movie, Cumberbatch harnesses the Cumberbatch into a star overnight. astonishing energy he showcases in hit TV series “Sherlock” into the He portrays Sherlock Holmes as a manic, obsessively intelligent obsession that Turing had with cracking the Nazis’ Enigma code man with few social skills, a performance that has won him an Emmy machine. and a Golden Globe nomination. Since then, Cumberbatch has barely He puts in a mesmerizing performance as a brilliant, tortured man been off our screens, with parts in “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”, “Star who helped bring forward the end of World War II but ended his life in Trek Into Darkness”, “12 Years A Slave”, “August: Osage County”, and despair after being prosecuted and then chemically castrated for even “The Simpsons”. “The Fifth Estate”, where Cumberbatch played being gay. S Barry Cooper, a maths professor who has written a book WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, was something of a flop, although about Turing, said Cumberbatch “deeply inhabited Turing’s story, his performance was well-regarded. Once described as having a voice encompassing all his brilliant insight, struggle and 1954 suicide”. like a “jaguar hiding in a cello”, the actor also played the dragon in Cumberbatch said Turing “got under my skin”, and is a passionate “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” and stars in the upcoming defender of a man he said was a “war hero” but who was treated movie “Penguins of Madagascar”. British actor Benedict Cumberbatch speaks to the media as deplorably by the country he served. Cumberbatch found his calling watching his mother Wanda he arrives for the US premiere of The Imitation Game at the Ventham on stage. “It was like looking behind the curtain and seeing Ziegfeld Theatre in New York. — AFP Playing ‘the long game’ how a magician does his tricks-and it thrilled me,” he told one inter- Cumberbatch is not classically handsome but has remarkable viewer. His father Timothy Carlton is also an actor and the couple August. While he is clearly having a moment, Cumberbatch is deter- allure-entire fan sites are dedicated to his cheekbones-and in 2013 played his on-screen parents in “Sherlock”. Cumberbatch is now start- mined not to be taken in by the hype, repeatedly insisting: “I’m in it for was named Empire magazine’s sexiest movie star. He has an army of ing his own family, having recently announced his engagement to the long game.”— AFP followers who call themselves the “Cumberbitches” although, with Sophie Hunter and that they are expecting their first child. But he the good manners instilled by his expensive Harrow boarding school, shows little sign of slowing down-another series of “Sherlock” is in the he prefers to call them “Cumberpeople”. But despite working solidly pipeline and his much-anticipated “Hamlet” opens in London in

‘Bubblegoth’ rebel Kerli thanks Estonia for her music f her catchy “bubblegoth” music is winning fans worldwide, pop star Kerli chalks it up to her revolt against the hard grind of life as Iher native Estonia shook off its Soviet legacy. “I knew in my heart there was this crazy big world out there, but I hadn’t seen it,” said the diminutive 27-year-old with waist-length platinum hair. “We had the blocks from Soviet times, next to the woods. You had the beauty of nature, and then you had these blocks where everyone’s apartment was the same,” she told AFP in an interview via Skype. “It was creepy in a way,” she said. “I didn’t know any artists, or any- one who would challenge the way of existence.” But Kerli Koiv-who Berlinale director Dieter Kosslick welcomes the niece of Protesters show posters featuring Iranian director Jafar goes by her first name-has come a long way from Elva, population Iranian director Jafar Panahi and another relative on the red Panahi, displayed in front of the Berlinale Festival Palace as 5,600, where she was born four years before Estonia regained inde- carpet upon arrival at the Berlinale Palast for the premiere they demonstrate against the travel ban of Panahi. pendence in 1991. Now living in Los Angeles, she has won wider screening of the film ‘Taxi’ by Iranian director Jafar Panahi — AFP photos recognition than any other Estonian pop star. presented in the competition of the 65th Berlin International Her buoyant electronica and quirky costumes-reminiscent of Film Festival Berlinale in Berlin yesterday. Iceland’s Bjork-grabbed attention in dance music circles with her 2008 debut album, “Love Is Dead”. “Bubblegoth” was born-a melange of bubble gum girliness and gothic edge, partly inspired by “anime”, the Japanese style of animation with sexy heroines in fantastic set- Iranian director’s banned tings.—AFP

film premieres at Berlin fest Kerli ranian dissident director Jafar Panahi’s latest picture defying an Each person he offers a lift has a story to tell. His first fares, two official ban, “Taxi”, premiered to enthusiastic applause yesterday at strangers going the same way, launch into a political debate about Ithe Berlin film festival, marking a new chapter of his career in the Sharia law and capital punishment. The man argues that car parts shadows. The 54-year-old’s work is celebrated in the world’s arthous- thieves should be hanged, while the teacher in the back seat says the es but outlawed in Iran where the regime considers his gritty, socially state ordering the death penalty has done little to foster the social critical productions to be subversive. order. “After China, we have the most executions!” she protests, as He was detained for a documentary he tried to make on the the discussion grows increasingly heated. A third man gets in and unrest following Iran’s disputed 2009 presidential election and offi- when the feuding pair finally get out of the taxi, he says he recognizes cially banned from making more films for 20 years for “acting against the director Panahi in the driver’s seat. national security and propaganda against the regime”. “Taxi” is the Thus begins a film within a film in which the man, a seller of pirat- third picture he’s made flouting the sentence, and while he won’t be ed film DVDs, jokes with Panahi about the acting skills of the first two able to walk Berlin’s red carpet as he is barred from travelling abroad, people in the cab. Panahi continues to drive and is a genial master of he issued a wrenching statement about his drive to keep working ceremonies, treating his sometimes hysterical fares with unfailing despite the risks. politeness and good humor. The tone shifts again when he picks up “I’m a filmmaker. I can’t do anything else but make films. Cinema is from school his precocious young niece, a budding filmmaker who my expression and the meaning of my life,” he said. He said “cinema has been taught the strict rules governing movie distribution.—AFP as an art” was the “main preoccupation” of his life. “That is the reason why I have to continue making films under any circumstances to pay my respect and feel alive.” In “Taxi”, Panahi himself offers his impres- sions of contemporary Tehran from behind the wheel of a yellow cab, ducking the authorities’ prying eyes by filming with a mounted dash- board camera. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015 Jenner ‘gender change’ captures US attention

lympic champion turned reality TV star Bruce Jenner has twist, the Kardashian family-into which Jenner has been married- Americans’ rapt attention once again amid talk that he is cancelled all press events Thursday in the run-up to season 10 of Osoon to come out as transgender. People magazine, a their hit reality TV show “Keeping Up with the Kardashians.” trusted conduit for Hollywood publicists, reported this week that Jenner himself has been lying low, ahead of the premiere of a Jenner, 65, would open up in a forthcoming interview with ABC documentary that will reportedly chronicle his gender transition. News. “Bruce is transitioning to a woman,” the celebrity news Speculation that the actor, race-car enthusiast and 1976 Montreal weekly quoted a source close to the family as saying, after weeks Summer Olympics decathlon gold medallist is undergoing a sex of tabloid speculation. change has been rich fodder for supermarket tabloids for months. “He is finally happy and his family is accepting of what he’s Supposed telltale signs, based on paparazzi photos from the doing. He’s in such a great space. That’s why it’s the perfect time streets of Los Angeles, include shaved limbs, long hair worn in a to do something like this.” Jenner’s 88-year-old mother Esther ponytail and what appears to be a sports bra under a T-shirt. Jenner, who lives in Idaho, meanwhile told RadarOnline.com that Bob Marley she had “just learned” about her son’s gender transition. “I have Throat surgery clue never been more proud of Bruce for who he is, himself as a father, In late January, Jenner was seen emerging from a Beverly Hills as an Olympian, a wonderful public speaker,” she told the gossip clinic with a bandage around neck, presumably after surgery to website. flatten his Adam’s apple. Known as a laryngeal shave, the proce- Jamaica celebrates 70th “He instills enthusiasm in people. He’s gifted.” In the latest dure-which involves reducing cartilage in the throat for a more feminine look-is common among transgenders. “I just never liked Bob Marley my trachea,” he told the TMZ.com gossip website prior to the out- birthday of patient operation. American society is widely perceived as amaicans celebratet the 70th anniversary of the birth of late reg- becoming more accepting of gender diversity, as seen by the gae legend Bob Marley yesterday with a jamming session at his legalization of same-sex marriage in many states. Jformer home and a free concert as the Caribbean island contin- Transgender people, however, still face “staggering levels of ues to wrestle over his place in its pantheon of heroes. discrimination and violence,” according to LGBT media activist Marley, who was born in Nine Miles, northwest Jamaica, died on group GLAAD. In the media, they typically appear as either vic- May 11, 1981, in a Florida hospital from cancer age 36. A “mini-jam tims or villains, GLAAD said, although the Golden Globe-winning session” is scheduled at Marley’s former home at Hope Road, north of Amazon original series “Transparent” has cast them in a more Kingston, as well as discussions on reggae, a popular genre that sympathetic light. Born outside New York in October 1949, thrice- began in Jamaica in the 1960s with strong influences from calypso married Jenner became an American sports hero when he set a and jazz and lyrics of social protest. A free concert on the Kingston world record with his Montreal decathlon victory. Leveraging his waterfront on Saturday is expected to draw crowds, and local reggae fame, he appeared on boxes of Wheaties, a popular American artists, including one of Marley’s sons, Ky-Mani, are set to perform. cereal known as “the breakfast of champions,” then tried his hand Police have announced traffic detours and street closures in anticipa- as a movie actor, with less than stellar results. tion of the throngs. “I was not around when Bob was alive ... but peo- He did better on television, appearing in the 1980s police ple are still excited about his music,” said Marcia Facey, 32, a fashion series “CHiPs” and sitcom “Silver Spoons” among other shows, designer who lives in Kingston. and in 2003 the American version of “I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out Jamaica has debated for years adding Marley to its Order of of Here!” But it was through his marriage to the former Kris National Hero, its highest honor. Jamaica’s current seven heroes are Kardashian that he once again became a household name in dominated by political figures. No new heroes have been added “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” in which he appeared as the since the 1980s and a committee has been examining nominations sometimes bemused stepfather of her flamboyant daughters for the last three years, with Marley and former Prime Minister Kourtney, Kim and Khloe.—AFP Michael Manley among a list of 10 names mentioned. “It is high time Olympic Gold Medalist Bruce Jenner during the launch of that the government makes him our eighth national hero,” said Errol DRIVE4COPD in New York.-AP Campbell, 57, a mechanic, also of Kingston.—Reuters

Davis says he’s praying Thile excited about for Houston’s daughter subbing for Keillor live Davis says he’s been in touch with Hilton Hotel, where Houston died in 2012 and Whitney Houston’s family and is praying where he will hold his pre-Grammy gala today. andolinist Chris Thile (THEEL’- Cfor her daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown. Police said the 21-year-old daughter of ee) of the band Punch Brothers Davis, who was Houston’s mentor, said in an Houston and R&B singer Bobby Brown was tak- Msays hosting “A Prairie Home interview Thursday that he’s offered his support en to a hospital last week after she was found Companion” is like “getting to be Luke and prayers, “and they’re so grateful.” “Of course unresponsive in a bathtub in a suburban Skywalker.” Thile will substitute for it’s heartbreaking to see the family go through Atlanta town house. A statement from the “Prairie Home” host and creator this pain once again,” Davis said at the Beverly Houston family this week said she was fighting Garrison Keillor on the live public radio for her life. “They just ask that the public show Saturday and Feb. 14 from the respect their privacy,” Davis added. Davis intro- Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul. duced Houston to the music industry more A longtime “Prairie Home” fan, Thile than two decades ago at his annual pre- was 15 when he made his first appear- Grammy soiree. He guided the big-voiced ance on the show in 1996. His Nickel singer’s illustrious career. Houston was found Creek bandmate, singer and fiddler Sara unresponsive in a bathtub on Feb 11, 2012, and Watkins, hosted in 2011. The 33-year- died at age 48. Authorities found a dozen pre- old Thile says Keillor told him to “just scription drug bottles in her Beverly Hills Hotel talk to the people.” Punch Brothers will suite and concluded that she accidentally be one of the musical guests today. The drowned, although heart disease and cocaine 72-year-old Keillor, who’s on a West use were listed as contributing factors. — AP Coast tour of his one-man show, says he’s looking forward to listening to “Prairie Home” live for the first time in its 40-year history. — AP

Music mogul Clive Davis Chris Thile and Punch Brothers per- attends the 2014 Billboard forms on day 3 of the Lockn’ Festival at Women In Music Luncheon Oak Ridge Farm in Arrington, Va. — AP in New York.—AP SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

This laundry room, designed by Flynn, is covered in a high In this photo provided by Brian Patrick Flynn/HGTV.com, a dining room designed by Flynn gives folk art a more sophisticated energy hue which many of his clients ask for, aqua. spin by pairing rustic elements with clean tailored accents such as the custom drapery and a soft dove grey wall color. —AP photos Ask a Designer: Embracing the ‘new feminine’ By Melissa Rayworth thetic that’s classic with a soft, eclectic spin,” says Flynn, are excellent modern-day feminine options.” founder of Flynnside Out Productions. Pretty is back, If your heart is set on pink, he says, “pair it with navy year ago, menswear-inspired decorating was but designers are using traditional florals on furniture blue. Dark blue and muted pink strike a gender-neutral wildly popular. Interior designers hung sharply with edgy, sleek lines to create modern mashups. Even balance and also create a super preppy vibe.” Atailored draperies alongside furniture covered in the color pink has enjoyed a makeover: Pantone’s “col- The Tilton Fenwick designers suggest uncommon pinstripes. Sophisticated shades of gray were every- or of the year” for 2015 is a sexy, dark pink called color pairings. “Color combinations like olive green and where, as was navy blue. But “since the pendulum “marsala.” turquoise, for example, feel unique and fresh rather always swings, we’re starting to see fresh feminine “There was a period in design when ‘pretty’ or ‘femi- than stuffy and dated,” they say. “It allows you to use spaces,” says interior designer Brian Patrick Flynn, nine’ were considered bad words,” says New York- traditional patterns in fabrics and textiles without feel- “regardless of who lives in them.” based designer Young Huh. “It was considered light- ing dowdy.” The trend that designers are calling “the new femi- weight and not serious. Ideal rooms were masculine, a One of Huh’s favorite tricks for giving a feminine nine” isn’t a return to an excess of florals, shabby-chic bit somber, devoid of pattern and softness. Recently, room edge is to add black (or another “masculine” col- lace and other cliches of feminine decor from a decade there is a return to appreciating traditional design and or). “Paint some molding black, the legs of a chair, add ago. Instead, “feminine style” has evolved into “an aes- also pretty rooms.” Believe it or not, Huh says, “there is black trim to traditional chintz pillows and all of a sud- a new generation discovering chintz and florals.” So den you’ve made that ‘nice girl’ look sexy,” she says. how do we pull off this new look to give rooms a beau- tiful, feminine touch without getting too “girly”? Don’t fear the flowers Although an overload of floral patterns will look dat- Contrast is key ed, don’t avoid flowers completely if you love them. Anne Maxwell Foster and Suysel dePedro “Florals are a great starting point for a feminine feel” Cunningham, the designers behind the design firm but pair them with a more modern and clean palette, Tilton Fenwick, suggest layering a feminine room with say the designers at Tilton Fenwick. They also suggest an eclectic mix of furniture and patterns. “We love tradi- mixing in “more modern or unexpected furniture tional-style upholstery details (like a gathered skirted pieces, art and accessories - a modern photograph for chair, for example), but aren’t afraid to pair it with a example - that adds a layer of interest.” clean and modern side table,” they said in an e-mail. Huh also emphasizes contrast: “When I think of fem- Break the rules inine elements, I turn toward traditional design, such as If a client wants some shabby chic, Flynn gives it an the curvilinear shapes of Louis VI pieces, floral or other eclectic twist. “Instead of the classic shabby chic look of nature-inspired textiles and wallpapers, trims and white lace, weathered ivory finishes and lots of silver,” passementerie, and traditional curtain and furniture he says, “I like to simply stick with weathered wooden making,” she says. “But to make the style fresh and finishes in high energy colors, then mix hand-woven or modern, make sure the room contains contrasting ele- blocked prints in. This results in a well-traveled look ments that are edgy, clean and contemporary. ... packed with organic textures and shapes.” Having modern bookcases, simple molding and con- Take it a step further and you’ve got what Flynn calls temporary architectural lighting make the feminine “rustic elegance” - “the clever juxtaposition of weath- embellishments look new and fresh within that con- ered finishes and farmhouse elements mixed with text.” clean, tailored lines.” “I just completed a dining room which my female In this photo provid- Shake up the colors client wanted to feel very folk-art-inspired. To pull it off, ed by Brian Patrick Pink is possible, but it doesn’t have to be your start- we covered the walls and windows with a soft shade of Flynn/HGTV.com, ing point. “I’ve been designing and decorating homes gray, added tailored drapery and then brought in Flynn used all classic for eight years, and not once has a female client asked almost all worn, weathered pieces. While there are defi- elements when for a pink room,” says Flynn. “There are so many colors nitely moments of femininity, the space is just as designing this mas- to choose from that add a soft, feminine spin. ... You appealing to men as it is to women.”— AP ter bathroom for a can never go wrong with white on white, but if that’s female client. too impractical, mint green and red, lavender and white, and turquoise mixed with just about anything SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

This July 12, 2012 file photo dachshunds dressed for the occasion, Dee Dee, foreground left, This file photo dressed for the occasion, Hec-lin, a toy poodle from the Bronx borough of New and her cousin Clifford, foreground right, are held by their owner Valerie Diker, as they and York, foreground, waits with other dogs and people for the start of the most expensive wed- other dogs and people wait for the start of the most expensive wedding for pets in New York. ding for pets in New York.— AP photos Expect tiny tuxes but no real puppy love at doggy weddings

hen pet owners dress up their dogs in miniature white first dance is a walk around a patch of grass instead a waltz. “The designer dress, a sushi chef, mixologist to create “puptails,” florist, dresses and tiny tuxes, some believe the barks that sig- weddings are for the dogs,” said Adina Slotsky, the owner and orchestra, wedding planner and parking valets. Ellen DeGeneres’ Wnal “I do” reveal true puppy love. These animal lovers say CEO of Hollywood Pet Parties. Though birthday parties, dubbed pet food company furnished a dog food buffet. The event raised their pooches can feel real longing for other pets, but experts “barkdays,” are much more popular, she said. $158,187.26 for the Humane Society of New York and earned a aren’t so sure. Most people agree a wedding is just for fun or char- When owners plan doggy nuptials, aka “puptials,” they can go place in Guinness World Records for the most expensive pet wed- ity when the groom is drooling and the bride’s gown needs tailor- all out. There are groomsmen and bridesmaids of every breed - ding. Everything was donated, and guests spent up to $10,000 for ing for her tail. After all, “you may now lick the bride” doesn’t have and even some people who get down on all fours - flowers, music a table of 10. quite the same ring to it. and a reception with food both people and pooches can enjoy, One thing pet owners don’t have to worry about is divorce. The doggy nuptials are gaining attention as Valentine’s Day ranging from apple slices to baby back ribs with spinach. But because animals have unique personalities just like people, approaches and people find new and unique ways to pamper All pet weddings move quickly because of short animal atten- there is no guarantee two animals will get along, Beaver said. No their pets. “Pet marriage or weddings are for people,” said Dr tion spans. With all the distractions, dogs spend lots of time on studies show pets like or love one another, but “it is very common Bonnie Beaver, executive director of the American College of leashes. A simple wedding costs about $300, Slotsky said. But it for two or more individual animals to spend a great amount of Veterinary Behaviorists and a professor at Texas A&M University’s can easily grow to thousands of dollars if guests are plentiful, the time together and show signs of stress if separated,” she said. But College of Veterinary Medicine. venue is top-notch, the food is extravagant, a band plays and a some stick by the belief that dogs love, including Carol Bryant, co- Owners host weddings because it makes them feel good, she florist creates centerpieces, she said. founder of Wigglebutt Warriors, the fundraising division of dog said, though most get planned for dogs instead of cats. People The most lavish pet wedding took place in New York in 2012 health website Fidose of Reality. “I do believe that dogs can love can’t know what dogs are thinking, but studies have shown they when Baby Hope Diamond, a fluffy white Coton de Tulear, mar- and be in love with each other,” said Bryant, whose cocker spaniel do experience emotion, Beaver said. “Fear is a classic example,” ried a poodle named Chilly Pasternak as a charity fundraiser. married another dog for a company fundraiser. — AP she said. “But we don’t know if they experience it as you or I would.” A dog food buffet Others say it’s all about the animals - even if that means the It was a ceremony for the ages, complete with limos, a $6,000

Jake Pasternak, from Richmond, Va, left, stands with his poodle Chilly, as Wendy Diamond, of Blue Joie is held by his owner Ingrid Robinson of New York, as they and others wait for the New York, right, holds her Coton de Tulear Baby Hope Diamond, during their dogs’ ‘wedding’ start of the most expensive wedding for pets. officiated by Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, played by comedian Robert Smigel, center, in New York. TECHNOLOGY SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015 Verizon gets $15bn from wireline sale

NEW YORK: Verizon Communications will years, with an option to buy. The company make almost $15 billion from selling part of expects to close the deal during the first its wireline business and leasing thousands half of 2015. New York-based Verizon of wireless towers. Communications Inc. said it plans to return The largest US cellphone carrier is sell- some of the cash to shareholders with a $5 ing its California, Florida and Texas wireline billion stock buyback. Its shares rose 1 per- businesses, which serve telephone, TV and cent to $48.35 in aftermarket trading. Internet customers, to Frontier The moves come almost a year after Communications Corp. for $9.9 billion in Verizon took full control of its wireless busi- cash. Frontier is also taking on $600 million ness, buying out Vodafone Group PLC’s 45 in debt. percent stake in a deal valued at $130 bil- Verizon says it wants to concentrate on lion. The purchase means Verizon no the East Coast wireline business and will longer has to share its wireless revenue focus on expanding its FiOS broadband with Vodafone. and high-speed Internet business in that Citi Investment Research analyst region. Michael Rollins said the sales are a positive In 2010, Verizon sold Frontier 4 million development for Verizon, and he kept a phone lines in 14 states for $5.3 billion. “Neutral” rating on the stock. Frontier said the newest deal is scheduled Shares of Stamford, Connecticut-based to close in the first half of 2016. Frontier Communications Corp. stock rose American Tower Corp. will pay $5.06 bil- BOSTON: This June 4, 2014 file photo shows signage at a Verizon Wireless 26 cents, or 3.4 percent, to $7.96 in extend- lion to lease 11,300 wireless towers and retail store at Downtown Crossing in Boston. Verizon Communications on ed trading. Shares of Boston-Based buy 165 others. It will be able to operate Thursday said it will make almost $15 billion from selling part of its wireline American Tower Corp. rose 12 cents to the leased towers for an average term of 28 business and leasing thousands of wireless towers. — AP $99.71. — AP Twitter revenue doubles, user growth misses mark

SAN FRANCISCO: Twitter reported its rev- Flipboard. In January, Twitter began rolling Twitter chief financial officer Anthony enue nearly doubled in the final three out new group chat and video features. Noto declined to provide analysts perspec- months of last year, but user growth fell Costolo said that “a relationship” with tive on any revenue considerations stem- short of analyst expectations. Google has been rekindled, but he was coy ming from the Google alliance. Twitter shares rallied more than 10 per- on the details. The deal will make Twitter cent in after-market trades, evidently pow- messages more visible on the Internet, Bird ‘stands for something’ ered by an optimistic outlook painted by according to reports by Bloomberg News Costolo has stressed efforts Twitter made executives who expected user growth to and The New York Times, with tweets show- to greet new members with tailor-made, ramp and who confirmed an alliance with ing up in Google searches as soon as they are enticing streams of tweets as well as to make Internet search titan Google. posted. “I do want to confirm that we have a registered users out of the legions of people “We closed out the year with our business relationship that we have agreed to with who visit the service without logging in. GENEVA: Sarah Harrison, left, of WikiLeaks, and former advancing at a great pace,” said Twitter chief Google,” Costolo said during a quarterly “We have an obligation to better organize Spanish judge Baltasar Garzon, right, Director of executive Dick Costolo. Revenue hit $479 earnings call with analysts. “I don’t have any content and deliver it in compelling ways to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s defense team, arrive million in the fourth quarter, up 97 percent more details to share with you at this time.” our audience,” Costolo said. for a press conference, at the Press Club, in Geneva, from $242.6 million in the same period a year Deutsche Bank analyst Ross Sandler said in a Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey launched Switzerland. The secrets-spilling group WikiLeaks has crit- ago. Its quarterly loss shrank to $125 million, research note that the tie-up “could be the a “tweetstorm” last week defending the com- icized Google for failing to inform it about US search war- as compared with a $511 million loss a year catalyst to push shares meaningfully higher,” pany and Costolo. rants issued against three of its staff. — AP ago. The number of active monthly users of and help Twitter add users. When pressed, Dorsey said “there isn’t a single person the San Francisco-based one-to-many mes- Costolo said that renewing its alliance with who has been thinking longer about Twitter” saging service monthly grew to 288 million- Google was driven, in part, by the opportuni- than its chief executive. WikiLeaks site just four million more than in the previous ty to drive tremendous amounts of attention Dorsey also said Twitter is not just a com- quarter. to Twitter given the online search giant’s pany but “a movement.” “Twitter has more slams costs of That figure fell short of expectations-ana- scale and scope. global awareness than most century-old lysts had predicted the figure would climb to “This is not something that you are going companies, and yet the brand actually stands policing Assange 292 million. Twitter said that it lost four mil- to see launched or rolled out for several for something,” he said. “The Twitter bird has lion monthly users due to a glitch in the new months,” Costolo said. “I just want to make come to stand for empowerment and a posi- iOS 8 mobile operating system rolled out for that very clear.” tive force in civil society.” — AFP LONDON: WikiLeaks launched a website yesterday to condemn iPhones, iPads and iPod touch devices. the costs to Britain of policing the group’s founder Julian “There was an unforeseen bug in iOS 8,” Assange, who has sought refuge from extradition to Sweden in Costolo said. “Once we understood the issue ‘Dying Light’ seeks new spin Ecuador’s embassy in London. The website has a counter clock- we moved as fast as we could to minimize ing up policing costs — £10 million (13 euros, $15 million) and the impact.” About 80 percent of the people on well-used zombie theme rising-and states how many hospital beds (39,000) and meals for using Twitter monthly connected with the the needy (8.3 million) could be provided for the same amount. service using mobile devices. For the full LONDON: “Dying Light” is the latest addi- the rest of the story earning their trust. They could also pay the salary of 459 school teachers, said the year, Twitter reported a loss of $578 million, tion to the zombie apocalypse genre cur- This involves venturing out into the infest- site, which features a large image of the police cordon outside during which revenue more than doubled to rently regarded by filmmakers and games ed city to carry out a series of missions the embassy. Another counter tallies the amount of time elapsed $1.4 billion. Twitter shares were up more developers as the gift that keeps on giving. from rescuing people, finding medical sup- since the beginning of the investigation and detention of than 10 percent to $45.65 in after-market The creation of Polish developer plies and other items, and setting traps for Assange — 1,522 days and counting. trades that followed the release of the earn- Techland-best known for earlier zombie the zombies. The site-govwaste.co.uk-also condemns as “shameful” the ings figures. romp “Dead Island”-videogame “Dying All this is done with occasional request for Assange’s extradition made by Sweden, where he Light” sticks to many of the tried and test- reminders of his real reason for being faces allegations of rape and sexual molestation which he denies. Wooing users ed staples of the genre: a deadly virus turn- there-a secret mission to locate a missing A WikiLeaks spokesman Kristinn Hrafnsson said the costs of Twitter is stepping up efforts to boost its ing most of humanity into rabid homicidal high-ranking military officer. user base and monetization as the messag- patrolling the embassy, where Assange has been holed up since maniacs while a handful of people inexpli- Key features of the game include the ing platform faces pressure from lackluster June 2012, were “embarrassing”. cably immune to the disease are left to fact it is “open world” videogame jargon growth since its stock market splash debut in make the best of it. for being able to wander around the imag- The figures are in line with estimates by the police, which last late 2013. This one is set in a fictional Middle inary world at will rather than follow a set year said they were spending 11,000 euros a day on 24-hour sur- This week, Twitter unveiled plans to sell Eastern city and players get to be Kyle course. veillance of the embassy, including overtime, cars and computer ads that run outside its own platform in what Crane, “undercover operative”, arriving by It also combines daylight scenes, when equipment. Assange would be arrested if he stepped outside the could be the start of a broader advertising parachute and soon set upon by zombies. lethargic zombies stumble around, and embassy. Assange says his extradition to Sweden could see him network. Rescued by a couple of other survivors, nighttime sequences when they become transferred on to the United States, which is investigating the The plan allows advertisers to place “pro- one of whom is promptly eaten, and taken far more active, running round attacking release in 2010 of 500,000 secret military files on the wars in moted tweets” on third party sites, the first of to their HQ in a tower block, Crane spends Crane and anyone else still alive. —Reuters Afghanistan and Iraq and 250,000 diplomatic cables. — AFP which are Yahoo Japan and the news app TECHNOLOGY SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

Congress slow to agree Sony’s next boss: on Internet regulation Who’s likely to Imposition of taxes could chill investment succeed Amy LOS ANGELES: Sony’s candidate to replace Amy Pascal WASHINGTON: Few members of ment at a time of exponential growth. But Feb. 26. Industry lobbyists say it’s as co-chairman of Sony Pictures is almost sure to come Congress appear willing to move toward a consumers also support the idea of an inevitable that one of the major providers from inside the company, insiders say, since there are bipartisan update to the 80-year-old, open Internet and “net neutrality,” in will sue and that the FCC is overreaching in already several executives on the Culver City lot with Depression-era law that top US regulators which service providers don’t manipulate its legal authority. It’s also unclear whether experience running studios. say gives them the authority to regulate or block web traffic. For years, the Federal Wheeler’s plan could be used by future the Internet. Communications Commission tried to rely FCC commissioners to justify price controls Here are the top insiders in line for the position-and That means that communications legis- on 1996 legislation to enforce an open and other heavy handed regulation. who isn’t likely to get the job. lation written in 1934, when Franklin D. Internet, but a federal court disagreed with Roosevelt was in office, will likely be used that approach and tossed out key portions Communications law Most likely to regulate how Internet service providers of the rule. “If Congress doesn’t rein in the FCC, Doug Belgrad: The Columbia Pictures President likely like AT&T, Verizon and Comcast do busi- On Wednesday, FCC Chairman Tom broadband providers will soon look and has the inside edge. He’s popular on Sony’s lot and has a ness with content providers like Google, Wheeler announced a plan that would put act like power companies and the old Ma firm grasp of finances and a talent for keeping budgets Netflix, YouTube and Amazon. Internet service in the same regulatory Bell telephone monopoly: stagnant, slow- in check-not one of Pascal’s strengths. He’s been at Sony “I don’t think there’s much appetite in camp as the telephone. Using Title II of the moving, and anything but innovative,” since 1989 and developed the warned Ryan Radia of the Competitive “Men in Black” franchise, Adam Enterprise Institute, a libertarian group. Sandler’s pictures, and teamed But a day after Wheeler’s announce- with MGM on the James Bond ment, there were few indications that law- series including “Skyfall.” makers were interested in striking a biparti- san deal to modernize communications See More: Sony’s Amy Pascal law. Democrats like Sen. Ed Markey, D- Stepping Down as Co-Chairman Mass., had already said they were satisfied Tom Rothman: The current with the Title II approach and declared it a head of TriStar Pictures joined in victory for consumers. Meanwhile, mid-2013 was co-chairman and Republicans like Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., Amy Pascal CEO of Fox and founded Fox and Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., accused the Searchlight in 1994. He is the White House of bullying the independent only Sony insider who has run one of Hollywood’s major regulatory agency when President Barack studios. But he has detractors in Hollywood for his brash Obama called on the FCC to apply Title II to management style and sometimes tense relationships Internet service. “The White House needs with talent. to get its hands off the FCC,” Upton declared Thursday in a statement. Less likely Thune and Upton have drafted legisla- tion that would enforce basic open Michael De Luca: The current production president of Internet rules, but would strip the FCC of Columbia Pictures, named in late 2013, has deep rela- other authority including its ability to help tionships with talent and produced “The Social Network” local municipalities to build their own and “Moneyball” at the studio before he joined the exec- NEW YORK: Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom broadband. That’s considered a non- utive track. Unlike Belgrad, he’s a virtual newcomer to Wheeler speaks during new conference in Washington. Internet serv- starter for Democrats and would be vetoed Sony and doesn’t have the same kind of institutional ice providers, including those selling wireless connections, would be by Obama. knowledge of the studio. He’s also a producer on “Fifty prohibited from slowing down or speeding up web traffic, under rules Lawmakers and their staff were expect- Shades of Grey” outside of the Sony umbrella. While proposed Wednesday by a top US regulator. —AP ed to take some time dissecting Wheeler’s head of production at New Line, he shepherded several proposal, including its technical implica- successful franchises such as “Austin Powers” and “Rush Congress for compromise, nor do I think 1934 Communications Act, the FCC would tions. Hour.” one’s necessary,” said John Simpson of be given broad authority to ban providers But after that, it’s unclear what incen- Consumer Watchdog, an advocacy group from manipulating web content. Wheeler tive Democrats would have to hash out a Unlikely that says using the 1934 Communications would allow for some business deals compromise with Republicans who want Jeff Robinov: He’s also on the lot with his Studio 8, Act gives US regulators flexibility by allow- among Internet players to manage data, to limit the FCC’s authority in general. Sen. which launched in 2014, and offers big studio experi- ing them to update rules if necessary. but those “interconnection” agreements Bill Nelson, the top Democrat on the ence, having overseen Warner Bros.’ film division for sev- “They pass a law and get really into the would be subject to FCC review. Senate Commerce Committee, and Rep. eral years. However, he likely can’t replace Pascal since specifics where frankly they don’t have the Wheeler says his approach won’t dis- Frank Pallone, the top Democrat on the he has made commitments to his investors, a group that expertise,” Simpson added. courage industry investments because House Energy and Commerce Committee, includes Shanghai-based Fosun International, that “Circumstances change, and they don’t he’ll withhold enforcement of sections of are seen as the most likely to work with would make it difficult for him to abandon his new pro- have the flexibility or inclination to go back the law that don’t apply to broadband, and their GOP counterparts. But they would and change it.” Many people agree too he won’t try to regulate industry prices. have to find support among their col- duction company. Studio 8 is an independent entity much regulation and imposition of taxes The proposal is likely to be approved by leagues who see Title II regulation as a with plans to make 24 films over five years. —Reuters on Internet commerce could chill invest- the FCC’s five-member commission on good approach. —AP

White House asked to help on China cybersecurity rules

WASHINGTON: US business lobbies called on the technology (ICT) sector,” said the letter, first report- US manufacturers would also suffer as the poli- White House this week for help to overturn new ed in the Wall Street Journal. cies would restrict cross-border data flows and cre- Chinese cybersecurity regulations they say would Cybersecurity has been a significant irritant in ate another market barrier for foreign financial hurt market opportunities abroad and jobs in the US-China ties, with both sides accusing the other of services and telecommunications companies said United States. In a letter sent to officials including abuses. U.S. tech groups wrote to the Chinese the letter, which was also signed by the National Secretary of State John Kerry and US Trade administration about the same policies on Jan. 28. Association of Manufacturers. Representative Michael Froman on Feb. 4, the US New cybersecurity regulations would force tech- American companies have enjoyed huge market Chamber of Commerce and 16 other US business nology vendors to Chinese banks to hand over opportunities in China, China’s Foreign Ministry lobbies said the new rules raised questions about secret source code and adopt Chinese encryption spokesman, Hong Lei, said in Beijing on Friday. China’s international trade commitments. algorithms. The policies would have a “significant “We will continue to guarantee the legal rights “(We) request your immediate action to work negative impact” on US ICT companies’ market of foreign enterprises in China, and welcome them with Chinese officials to reverse an alarming num- opportunities in China and ultimately crimp invest- to continue to break new ground in China’s market ber of troubling, new Chinese government policies ment in research and development back home, and jointly research and produce with Chinese impacting the information and communications hurting US jobs, the groups said. firms,” Hong told a regular news briefing. —Reuters TV listings SATURDAY, FEBRUARAY 7, 2015

01:20 Rachel Khoo’s Kitchen 18:00 Come Dine With Me 11:25 Street Outlaws 03:45 Art Attack 03:00 My Dog Ate What? Notebook: London 18:25 Fantasy Homes By The Sea 12:15 Hellriders 04:10 Jungle Junction 04:00 Big, Bigger, Biggest 01:45 Sweet Baby James 19:15 Fantasy Homes By The Sea 13:05 Auction Hunters 04:20 Jungle Junction 05:00 Ultimate Airport Dubai 02:10 Nigel Slater’s Simple Cooking 20:00 How To Cook Like Heston 13:30 The Liquidator 04:35 Jungle Junction 06:00 Secrets Of The Great Escape 02:40 Masterchef: The Professionals 20:20 Come Dine With Me: South 13:55 Auction Hunters 04:45 Jungle Junction Revealed 00:20 Swamp Brothers 03:05 Bargain Hunt Africa 14:20 Tethered 05:00 Art Attack 07:00 Caught In The Act 00:50 Mountain Monsters 03:50 Come Dine With Me 21:10 Baking Mad With Eric Lanlard 15:10 Fat N’ Furious: Rolling Thunder 05:25 Art Attack 08:00 One Ocean 01:45 Deadly Islands 04:15 Planet Cake 21:35 Masterchef: The Professionals 16:00 Fast N’ Loud 05:50 Mouk 09:00 The Indestructibles 02:40 Tanked 04:35 Fantasy Homes By The Sea 22:25 Bargain Hunt 16:50 How It’s Made 06:00 Kim Possible 09:30 The Indestructibles 03:35 Shamwari: A Wild Life 05:20 Food & Drink 23:10 Come Dine With Me 17:15 How It’s Made 06:25 Austin & Ally 10:00 Animal Autopsy 04:00 Shamwari: A Wild Life 05:50 Nigel Slater’s Simple Cooking 23:35 The Hairy Bikers USA 17:40 Dual Survival 06:50 Girl Meets World 11:00 Breakout 04:25 Deadly Islands 06:15 Sweet Baby James 18:30 Overhaulin’ 07:15 Liv And Maddie 12:00 Fight Science 05:15 Treehouse Masters 06:40 Masterchef: The Professionals 19:20 Kindig Customs 07:40 Jessie 13:00 Ancient Secrets: Witch Hunter’s 06:02 Call Of The Wildman 07:05 Delicious Iceland 20:10 The Liquidator 08:05 Dog With A Blog Bible 06:25 Call Of The Wildman 07:35 Planet Cake 20:35 Auction Hunters 08:30 Good Luck Charlie 14:00 Megacities 06:49 Shamwari: A Wild Life 08:00 Bargain Hunt 21:00 Overhaulin’ 08:55 Good Luck Charlie 15:00 Mega Factories: Supercars 07:12 Shamwari: A Wild Life 08:45 Come Dine With Me 21:50 Kindig Customs 09:20 Sonny With A Chance 16:00 Mega Breakdown 07:36 The Wild Life Of Tim Faulkner 09:10 Fantasy Homes By The Sea 00:20 Fast N’ Loud 22:40 Fantomworks 09:45 Sonny With A Chance 17:00 Live Free Or Die 08:00 The Wild Life Of Tim Faulkner 09:55 Food & Drink 01:10 Airplane Repo 23:30 Dual Survival 10:10 Suite Life On Deck 18:00 Hunter Hunted 08:25 Too Cute! 10:25 Rachel Khoo’s Kitchen 02:00 Street Outlaws 10:35 Suite Life On Deck 19:00 Mega Factories: Supercars 09:15 Shamwari: A Wild Life Notebook: London 02:50 Hellriders 11:00 That’s So Raven 20:00 Mega Breakdown 09:40 Shamwari: A Wild Life 10:50 Big Chef Takes On Little Chef 03:40 Auction Hunters 11:25 That’s So Raven 21:00 Live Free Or Die 10:10 Call Of The Wildman 11:40 Masterchef: The Professionals 04:05 The Liquidator 11:50 A.N.T. Farm 22:00 Hunter Hunted 10:35 Call Of The Wildman 12:10 Sweet Baby James 04:30 Auction Hunters 12:15 A.N.T. Farm 23:00 Breakout 11:05 Gator Boys 12:35 Bargain Hunt 05:00 How It’s Made 00:00 Violetta 12:40 Hannah Montana 12:00 Too Cute! 13:20 Come Dine With Me 05:30 How It’s Made 00:45 The Hive 13:05 Hannah Montana 12:55 Shamwari: A Wild Life 13:50 Fantasy Homes By The Sea 06:00 Tethered 00:50 Art Attack 13:30 Wizards Of Waverly Place 13:20 Shamwari: A Wild Life 14:35 Food & Drink 06:50 Fat N’ Furious: Rolling Thunder 01:15 Art Attack 13:55 Wizards Of Waverly Place 13:50 Treehouse Masters 15:00 Rachel Khoo’s Kitchen 07:40 Fast N’ Loud 01:40 Jungle Junction 14:20 Austin & Ally 14:45 Deadly Islands Notebook: London 08:30 Auction Hunters 01:50 Jungle Junction 15:00 Girl Meets World 15:40 Tanked 00:30 The Daily Show With Jon 15:30 Big Chef Takes On Little Chef 08:55 The Liquidator 02:05 Jungle Junction 15:20 Girl Meets World 16:35 Shamwari: A Wild Life Stewart 16:20 Masterchef: The Professionals 09:20 Auction Hunters 02:15 Jungle Junction 15:45 Liv And Maddie 17:00 Shamwari: A Wild Life 01:00 Modern Family 16:50 Sweet Baby James 09:45 How It’s Made 02:30 Violetta 16:10 Violetta 17:30 Sharkageddon 01:30 Family Guy 17:15 Bargain Hunt 10:10 How It’s Made 03:10 The Hive 17:00 Snow Buddies 18:25 Treehouse Masters 02:00 It’s Always Sunny In 10:35 Airplane Repo 03:20 Art Attack 18:40 Girl Meets World 19:20 Wild Things With Dominic Philadelphia 19:05 Girl Meets World Monaghan 02:30 South Park 19:30 Violetta 20:15 Tanked 03:00 New Girl 20:20 I Didn’t Do It 21:10 Gangland Killers 03:30 How I Met Your Mother 20:45 I Didn’t Do It 22:05 Treehouse Masters 04:00 Raising Hope 21:10 I Didn’t Do It 23:00 Wild Things With Dominic 04:30 The Tonight Show Starring 21:35 I Didn’t Do It Monaghan Jimmy Fallon 22:00 Suite Life On Deck 23:55 Gator Boys 05:30 My Boys 22:25 A.N.T. Farm 06:00 The Goldbergs 22:50 Shake It Up 06:30 Better Off Ted 23:10 Wolfblood 07:00 Late Night With Seth Meyers 23:35 Wolfblood 08:00 Raising Hope 08:30 My Boys 00:25 Eastenders 09:00 New Girl 00:55 Doctors 09:30 Community 01:25 Lark Rise To Candleford 10:00 Hot In Cleveland 02:20 The Mimic 00:00 Fashion Bloggers 10:30 Better Off Ted 02:45 Zen 00:30 Fashion Bloggers 11:00 The Tonight Show Starring 04:15 The Weakest Link 00:55 Extreme Close-Up Jimmy Fallon 05:00 The Green Balloon Club 01:25 Kourtney And Khloe Take The 12:00 The Goldbergs 05:25 Mr Bloom’s Nursery Hamptons 12:30 Raising Hope 05:45 Me Too! 02:20 E! News 13:00 My Boys 06:05 Jollywobbles 03:15 Giuliana & Bill 13:30 Better Off Ted 06:15 The Green Balloon Club 04:10 The E! True Hollywood Story 14:00 How I Met Your Mother 06:35 Mr Bloom’s Nursery 05:05 E!ES 14:30 Community 06:55 Gigglebiz 06:00 Keeping Up With The 15:00 Hot In Cleveland 07:15 The Weakest Link Kardashians 15:30 The Daily Show With Jon 08:00 Dad’s Army 06:55 Kourtney And Kim Take Miami Stewart 08:30 The Omid Djalili Show 07:50 Style Star 16:00 Modern Family 09:00 Eastenders 08:20 E! News 16:30 The Goldbergs 09:30 Doctors 09:15 Giuliana & Bill 17:00 Late Night With Seth Meyers 10:00 Lark Rise To Candleford 10:15 E!ES 18:00 New Girl 10:50 The Weakest Link 11:10 E!ES 18:30 How I Met Your Mother 11:35 Dad’s Army 12:05 E! News 19:00 Community 12:05 The Omid Djalili Show 13:05 Fashion Police 19:30 Hot In Cleveland 12:35 2 Point 4 Children 13:35 Fashion Bloggers 20:00 The Tonight Show Starring 13:05 Eastenders 14:05 Fashion Bloggers Jimmy Fallon 13:35 Doctors 14:30 Fashion Bloggers 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon 14:05 Lark Rise To Candleford 15:00 House Of DVF Stewart 14:55 The Mimic 16:00 Kourtney And Khloe Take The 21:30 Modern Family 15:20 Dad’s Army Hamptons 22:00 Silicon Valley 15:50 The Omid Djalili Show 17:00 Kourtney And Khloe Take The 22:30 Silicon Valley 16:20 The Weakest Link Hamptons 23:00 South Park 17:10 My Family 18:00 E! News 23:30 Late Night With Seth Meyers 17:40 Doctors 19:00 Beyond Candid With Giuliana 18:10 Casualty 20:00 Giuliana & Bill 19:00 Blackadder II 21:00 Fashion Bloggers 19:30 Lead Balloon 21:30 Fashion Bloggers 20:00 Zen 22:00 E! News 00:00 Covert Affairs 21:30 Ideal 23:00 Fashion Police 01:00 American Idol 22:00 Live At The Apollo 02:00 24: Live Another Day 22:45 Watson & Oliver 03:00 Grimm 23:15 Blackadder II 04:00 American Idol 23:45 The Weakest Link 05:00 The Flash 06:00 Covert Affairs 07:00 The Fosters 00:00 One Ocean 08:00 Parenthood 01:00 The Indestructibles 09:00 American Idol 10:00 The Flash 00:10 Fantasy Homes By The Sea 01:30 The Indestructibles 11:00 Suits 00:55 Food & Drink IRONMAN ON OSN MOVIES ACTION 02:00 Animal Autopsy TV listings SATURDAY, FEBRUARAY 7, 2015

12:00 Emmerdale 14:00 Hunt To Kill 10:00 Son Of Rambow-PG 10:45 My Last Day Without You-PG15 06:00 Marvel’s Ultimate Avengers II- 14:00 UIM Aquabike Champs 13:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 15:45 Iron Man 12:00 So I Married An Axe Murderer- 12:30 Tales Of The Night-PG PG 16:00 Prizefighter 14:00 Parenthood 18:00 The Peacemaker PG15 14:00 Reviving Ophelia-PG15 08:00 The Great Ghost Rescue-PG 19:00 NHL 15:00 Covert Affairs 20:15 Haywire 14:00 Held Up (1999)-PG15 16:00 The Last Harbor-PG15 09:45 Transformers-PG15 21:00 UFC Unleashed 16:00 Emmerdale 22:00 Flightplan 16:00 Son Of The Mask-PG 18:00 Too Big To Fail-PG15 12:15 Vehicle 19-PG15 22:00 UFC 17:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 18:00 In A World...-PG15 20:00 Texas Killing Fields-PG15 14:00 Epic-PG 18:00 Parenthood 20:00 The Incredible Burt 22:00 Fruitvale Station-18 16:00 The Great Ghost Rescue-PG 19:00 Once Upon A Time Wonderstone-PG15 18:00 Dark Tide-PG15 20:00 Grey’s Anatomy 22:00 The Details-18 20:00 Drinking Buddies-PG15 01:30 Dubai World Cup Carnival 21:00 American Idol 22:00 The Counselor-18 01:00 Hummingbird-PG15 09:30 ICC Cricket 360 23:00 Grimm 00:00 End Of Days-18 02:15 Recoil-PG15 03:00 Mandela: Long Walk To 10:00 World Cup of Pool 04:00 The Peacemaker-PG15 Freedom-PG15 11:00 World Cup of Pool 06:15 Iron Man-PG15 05:30 Call Me Crazy: A Five Film-PG15 12:00 World Pool Masters 01:30 Golfing World 08:30 Recoil-PG15 01:00 Emperor-PG15 07:00 Frozen-PG 03:00 Live IRB Sevens World Series 21:00 World Cup of Pool 10:15 Haywire-PG15 03:00 The Citizen-PG15 09:00 The Wolverine-PG15 12:30 Golfing World 22:00 World Cup of Pool 01:00 Good Morning America 12:00 Hunt To Kill-PG15 05:00 Timer-PG15 11:15 Oggy & The Cockroaches: The 13:30 Total Rugby 05:00 Good Morning America 13:45 Iron Man-PG15 07:00 The Glass Man-PG15 Movie-PG 23:00 World Pool Masters 14:30 Volvo Ocean Race Highlights 10:00 Emmerdale 16:00 The Peacemaker-PG15 09:00 The Butler-PG15 13:00 A Family Reunion-PG15 15:00 Inside The PGA Tour 11:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 18:15 Haywire-PG15 11:15 Timer-PG15 14:45 Grace Of Monaco-PG15 16:00 Snooker - The Masters 15:00 Live Good Morning America 20:00 Flightplan-PG15 13:00 Love And Honor-PG15 16:45 The Wolverine-PG15 19:00 Golfing World 19:00 Drop Dead Diva 22:00 Battle Of The Damned-PG15 15:00 Playing For Keeps-PG15 19:00 Ender’s Game-PG15 20:00 IRB Sevens World Series 01:00 NHL 20:00 Chicago Fire 16:45 The Butler-PG15 21:00 Tinker Bell And The Pirate Fairy- 23:00 Live Super League 03:00 Bellator MMA 23:00 Justified 19:00 I, Anna-PG15 FAM 07:00 Monster Jam 21:00 The Pact-PG15 22:45 The Legend Of Hercules-PG15 23:00 Killing Season-18 09:00 The World’s Strongest Man 10:00 WWE Smackdown 00:00 Lockout 00:00 Son Of Rambow-PG 01:00 NHL 12:00 NHL 02:00 End Of Days 02:00 RV-PG 03:00 WWE This Week 14:00 WWE Raw 04:15 Recoil 04:00 So I Married An Axe Murderer- 01:00 Metro Manila-PG15 06:30 Motor Sports 2013 17:30 Bellator MMA 06:00 The Peacemaker PG15 03:00 Sense And Sensibility-PG 00:00 Legendary Amazons-PG15 09:00 WWE Bottom Line 08:15 Iron Man 06:00 All American Christmas Carol- 20:00 NHL 05:15 Great Expectations-PG15 02:00 One Direction: This Is Us-PG 10:00 WWE Vintage Collection 10:30 Recoil PG15 22:00 WWE Bottomline 07:15 Bully-PG15 04:00 Vehicle 19-PG15 11:00 NHL 12:15 Haywire 23:00 WWE Superstars 08:00 Son Of The Mask-PG 09:00 The Last Harbor-PG15 13:00 Motor Sports 2013

HAYWIRE ON OSN MOVIES HD ACTION WHAT’S ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

Message from CBSE appoints Dr Binumon Indian Embassy as pre-exam counselor n case of death of an Indian national in a road accident, work-site accident, other accident, the Embassy has r V Binumon, the Principal of the 94954746 between 8 pm and 10 pm on Ibeen invariably sending an advisory message through Indian Community School all days from 2nd February, 2015 to 20th a registered letter to the legal heirs of the deceased (copy DKuwait, has been selected as a April, 2015. Dr V Binumon is a trained enclosed for circulation among the Indian community in counselor for Kuwait region as part of personnel who has a brilliant record as Kuwait ) to appoint the Embassy as their Attorney and for- the CBSE annual pre-examination coun- an Education Counselor and is empa- ward Power of Attorney and Legal Heirship certificate, seling. CBSE conducts this annual coun- thetic to the needs of students. He has duly attested by the concerned authorities in India (i) seling to provide psychological counsel- undergone courses and training in District Magistrate or First Class Magistrate; (ii) Authorized ing services to students at the time of Neuro-Linguistic Programming and officer of the State Government (Home Department); (iii) preparation as well as examinations to Hypnotherapy as well. Simultaneous to Ministry of External Affairs, Consular Section, New Delhi or overcome exam-related stress. The the counseling session, students and Branch Secretariat of the Ministry of External Affairs (out- counseling session will be carried out parents shall be instructed on tech- side Delhi) for filing a claim for death compensation on telephonically and Dr V Binumon can be niques of harnessing stress and stress- behalf of the legal heirs. reached at the mobile number 00965 related problems. The Legal Heirship certificate and Power of Attorney are required by the Kuwaiti authorities for processing the claim for death compensation. In India, the concerned Republic day celebrations at State Government issues legal heirship certificate in form of “family member Certificate” or “ Certificate” which carry the same information which the local authorities required India International School to be mentioned in the legal heirship certificate. Such documents are accepted by the local authorities at par with the legal heirship certificate. 2. The legal heirs of the deceased can appoint any person of their choice, who is residing in Kuwait or Embassy of India, as their attorney for filing a case for death com- pensation with the concerned Kuwaiti authorities. According to the local laws, death compensation cases related to work-site accident should be filed within ONE YEAR and traffic accident case should be filed within THREE YEARS from the date of accident, other- wise it becomes time barred. 3. The Embassy has five qualified lawyers on its panel whose services can be utilized in these cases. The advocate normally charges ten percent of the total compensation / service dues awarded by the local court / employer as lawyer fee. Apart from this the actual expenses on translation, attestation of docu- ments and court fees (usually 2.5% of the compensa- tion amount) are also charged by the advocate. The remaining amount is transmitted to the concerned District Collector for reimbursement to the legal heirs. It may be noted that the Kuwaiti court does not award any compensation in those cases where the accident/ death was due to negligence / fault of the deceased. 4. If the legal heirs appoint a private lawyer by their own, then Embassy has no role in claiming insurance claims. The legal heirs should communicate directly to the lawyer in that case. 5. Generally, the local authority takes 3-4 years time for settlement of death compensation cases. In case, the case file is referred to the Higher Appeal Court, it may take longer period for settlement. 6. Please circulate these information among the commu- nity members after translating in vernacular language so that the family members are aware of the facility available with Embassy and are not duped by local agents who have been promising them unrealistic amount and charging 30-50% of compensation money as their fees. he 66th Republic Day of India was celebrated at India International viewers about the hardships that our great national leaders underwent to School (IIS) with a great deal of patriotic zeal and solemnity. The make our freedom possible. They also made a comparative analysis of the Tstrong passion and desire to nurture our children with the true past and present political scenario of India and urged the young genera- Indian values and deep love for our culture encourage us to venture fur- tion to be inspired by the role models like the Father of our nation. They What’s On - Submission Guidelines ther into every territories, to mark the importance of the day. The tiny-tots concluded the skit by raising a few rhetorical questions to the audience ‘Is of kindergarten observed the day by engaging in various competitions it for this that our forefathers strived for?’; ‘What were their goals and what like Rangoli filling, Jewelry making and Poster making. It was indeed a are we heading to?’ It was followed by a remarkable enactment of the All photos submitted for What’s On spectacular sight to see the little civilians moving about in pride, clad in past as they recreated JallianwalaBagh, Simon Commission, Lahore tri-colored clothes. Special assemblies were organized by the junior and Session of Congress, Khilafat Movement, Assassination of Mahatma should be minimum 200dpi. senior sections of the school bringing the entire student community Gandhi and other important folios of our freedom struggle. A thought Articles must be in plain text and together under the canopy of patriotism, once again highlighting the slo- provoking poem with patriotic fervor, written and presented by Master gan ‘Unity in Diversity’. The entire school courtyard was reverberating Anfal Ahmed literally kindled national feelings in the minds of the listen- should include name and phone with the rhythmic beats of patriotic songs. ers and reminded them of their personal obligations to the mother land. numbers. Articles and photos that In the junior school assembly, children came dressed up as eminent The events that followed, included a beautiful piece of dance perform- personalities like Mahatma Gandhi, Chatrapati Shivaji, Maharana Pratap, ance to the tune of ‘Manwalage & Indiawele’ by the students of class VII. fail to meet these requirements will Subhash Chandra Bose and Sarojioni Naidu. It was a novel experience for The assembly was concluded with a motivational speech by the school not be published. the small kids as these great personalities of the rich history of India Principal, FM Basheer Ahmed. The students dispersed with the image of walked among them spreading the message of nationalism and universal the fluttering tricolor in their minds. The special attraction of the celebra- Please send them to brotherhood. A spell binding classical dance performance by the students tion was the Patriotic Song Competition conducted for the students of of class II added additional color to the day. classes VII&VIII which perfectly suited for the occasion. The school [email protected] The high spirited students of class X showcased a skit emphasizing the Director, Malayil MoosaKoya, Sr Vice Principal, Narinderkaur and Section past and present of India. It was a true eye opener as they reminded the Vice Principals also graced the occasion. WHAT’S ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015 Lu&Lu Hypermarket gifts winners tickets to India

u&Lu Hypermarket, the country’s and applause rang out as the winners were largest retail chain, held their much announced and received their prizes. The Lawaited raffle draw on 4 February, winners expressed appreciation to Lu&Lu 2015 at their Al Rai outlet. Organized as Hypermarket for providing great deals and part of their ‘Incredible India’ promotion, rewards for shopping at their outlets. the raffle draw offered customers a lucky Lu&Lu Hypermarket, which brings world coupon for every KD5 worth of purchase class shopping to Kuwait, offers a vast that gave them the opportunity to win one selection of products at competitive prices of 26 free air tickets to India. The start of to serve the diverse population of this cos- the draw was exciting with a large turnout mopolitan country. KVGCEAA celebrates 10th anniversary

or the art lovers of Kuwait, KVGCE Alumni copy to the representative of Mark Association (KVGCEAA) Kuwait chapter, Technologies, the main sponsor of the event. Fan association of the alumni of KVG The floor was then dominated by the 13- College of Engineering, Sullia, a reputed engi- member musical orchestra “PRAYAN”, led by neering college in Karnataka, India, presented a the musical realty show stars Ajay Sathyan and spectacular a musical odyssey on the happy Jithin Raj. For the first time in Kuwait, “Prayan” occasion of 1ts 10th anniversary celebrations the rocking band from Kochi, displayed their last Friday, at the American International talents in almost all areas of music that mes- School, Maidan-Hawalli. merized the audience of all ages. Dr Jnanesh, Principal, KVG College of Various committees that worked tirelessly Engineering inaugurated the function by the for the event were headed by association traditional lamp lighting, chaired by President members Mohammad Kamal, Anil B.T, Pradeep Manoj Naliath. In his inaugural address, Dr Kumar, Arun Prasad, Sudheer Babu and Jnanesh appreciated the old students’ of KVG Sreemon K V Advisors of the association, B S Engineering College, for their dedicated Pillai, Santhosh Kumar G, Manimara Chozhan approach in keeping the unity and high morale and Rajesh Sagar were present on the occa- of the college and wished them continued suc- sion. cess. General Convener Suresh C Pillai wel- Ajaya Raj, General Secretary proposed vote comed the fully packed audience. of thanks. Alumni Association Member Sebin During the meeting, previous presidents was the master of ceremonies. and general secretaries were honored for their Established in the year 2005, under the lead- immaculate leadership. And to commemorate ership of Sreekumar Nair and Suresh Pillai, the the anniversary, the Principal released an association has achieved a distinguished name informative Souvenir compiling the last 10-year among the professional organizations in activities of the association, by giving the first Kuwait, due to its commendable services. HEALTH SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

‘Encouraging’ Ebola drug results in Guinea

PARIS: For the first time since the west Cross and aid group Doctors Without patients evacuated from West Africa to access to treatment in the fight against African Ebola outbreak began over a Borders (MSF). It is the largest clinical tri- Europe, though this was not part of an this disease,” it said. year ago, a clinical trial with a candidate al yet with a candidate Ebola treatment, official trial. It has commercial authori- MSF said in December that “if favipi- treatment has yielded “encouraging” the French statement said. Favipiravir, zation in Japan as a flu medicine, and ravir is shown to be safe and effective, results, researchers announced also known as Avigan, is developed by large doses can be made quickly avail- it will be made accessible to Ebola Thursday. The trial with 80 patients in Toyama Chemical, a subsidiary of able-an advantage over other experi- patients in other Ebola treatment cen- Guinea resulted in fewer deaths and Fujifilm Holdings. Inserm said the scien- mental treatments, like ZMapp, of ters through advancing the trial to the faster recovery rates, the French govern- next phase. “This means that after ment and medical research agency approval from national authorities and Inserm said of tests with the Japanese- independent ethics committees more manufactured anti-viral drug favipiravir. Ebola positive patients in west Africa No scientific trial data has been made will be placed on the treatment.” public, but the outcome was said to There is as yet no licensed vaccine offer “hope” for tackling the haemor- or treatment for Ebola. The WHO gave rhagic fever virus that has infected the green light last August for experi- 22,495 people and killed 8,981 in the mental treatment to be used in the worst Ebola outbreak in history, accord- current crisis, and several candidate ing to the latest World Health drugs are being fast-tracked through Organization tally. “Encouraging results the normally years-long trial process. of the trial... will be submitted shortly to Ebola, one of the deadliest viruses a scientific journal for publication,” known to man, is spread through Inserm said in a statement to AFP. direct contact with the bodily fluids of The French presidency said in a sepa- an infected person showing symptoms rate statement the trial showed “a such as fever or vomiting. reduction in the number of deaths People caring for the sick or han- among adults and teenagers, with slow- dling corpses are at highest risk, and er virus multiplication. Recovery is accel- the disease is best contained by limit- erated”. ing exposure through patient isolation and safe burials. A sharp drop in new ‘Important step forward’ cases in recent weeks gave rise to opti- The head of France’s Ebola Task mism that the worst was over, but the Force, Jean-Francois Delfraissy, and SIERRA LEONE : A file picture taken on November 15, 2014 shows a WHO on Wednesday reported the first Inserm head Yves Levy briefed President nurse wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) assisting a rise for 2015 in the weekly number of Francois Hollande and government offi- patient at the Kenama ebola treatment center run by the Red Cross cases in all three countries. A trial with cials on Wednesday, it added, and Society on November 15, 2014. —AFP another candidate treatment, brincido- described the results as “an important fovir, was halted in Liberia Tuesday. step forward”. Inserm is in charge of the The trial’s funder, the Wellcome Trust trial at a treatment centre in Gueckedou tific results will be made public once which stocks are limited. research charity, cited dropping in the east of Guinea-one of the three they have been officially reviewed and The Japanese company said last patient numbers and said there was countries, with Liberia and Sierra Leone, validated by the scientific community, year it had sufficient reserves for more “no realistic prospect of the trial hardest hit by the outbreak. which could happen by month’s end. than 20,000 people. The Elysee said the enrolling sufficient patients to be able The trial, which started on December results gave rise to “hope”, but cau- to reach a conclusion about the effica- 17, was conducted with Guinean Emergency treatment tioned they have to be confirmed with cy of the drug.” The first large-scale tri- researchers and authorities, non-govern- The drug has already been adminis- a larger group of trial patients. “These als with two Ebola vaccines started in ment organizations, the French Red tered as an emergency treatment to early results open new avenues for Liberia on Monday. —AFP Fears over abandoned Ebola orphans allayed

DAKAR: Almost every child who has lost parents to Ebola is risked being shunned, with the outbreak “turning a basic being cared for in their community, UNICEF said yesterday- human reaction like comforting a sick child into a potential allaying fears that thousands would be shunned by relatives death sentence”. UNICEF spokeswoman Sarah Crowe said in and neighbors. The United Nations children’s fund con- October the African system of extended family and friends firmed an estimate it gave last week that more than 16,000 taking on orphans-particularly evident during the HIV/AIDS children have lost at least one parent or main carer to the epidemic-had “broken down” with the onset of Ebola. west African epidemic. But less than three percent have been placed outside family or community care, according to ‘Last mile the hardest NEW YORK: First Lady Michelle Obama visits students UNICEF, which has appealed for $500 million to help Ebola “The numbers kept climbing in terms of kids who lost making smoothies with fresh fruits and vegetables victims and prevent fresh outbreaks as the epidemic abates. their parents so we needed to put in place a strategy to while on a tour of Edward A. Reynolds West Side High “Since overcoming their initial fears and misconceptions provide immediate care for those kids,” Andrew Brooks, School on February 5, 2015. The first lady was at the about Ebola, families have been showing incredible support, UNICEF’s regional head of child protection for west Africa, school to support a decision by the Robert Wood providing care and protection for children whose parents told AFP in Dakar yesterday. “And we were worried, it’s true. Johnson Foundation to commit $500 million over the have died,” UNICEF regional director Manuel Fontaine said There was a lot of concern and the fear was very real.” But next decade to end childhood obesity. —AFP in a statement. “This shows the strength of kinship ties and the traditional reflex of families taking in orphaned children the extraordinary resilience of communities at a time of had endured, he said, confounding the worst expectations Health Organization. great hardship.” that thousands of children would require centre-based OCHA, the UN’s humanitarian affairs office, has warned UNICEF said the outlook was particularly good in Guinea, care. the international community to not be complacent over where all 773 children who lost both parents had been UNICEF said 2,960 children had been infected in the what it describes as “the most difficult phase” in the fight to placed with their extended families. The outbreak has three hardest-hit countries since Ebola broke out in the eliminate the virus. “I was told repeatedly by partners that claimed almost 9,000 lives in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra forests of southern Guinea in December 2013, and 58 the last mile in the fight against Ebola will be the hardest,” Leone, leaving a similar number of children with just a single percent had died. Although there has been a decline in director of operations John Ging said Thursday after a parent and some 3,600 orphaned. A further 3,800 have lost Ebola infections in recent months, the weekly toll of week-long visit to Ebola-affected countries. “While remark- their main carer, UNICEF said. new confirmed cases rose in the last week of January, able progress has been made, we must not forget that it The agency warned in September that bereaved children marking the first hike in 2015, according to the World only takes one new case to start a new outbreak.” —AFP HEALTH SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015 5 infants at Illinois day care diagnosed with measles

CHICAGO: Five infants who attend a subur- been at least 102 confirmed measles cases in unless a child’s health is in danger. ban Chicago day care center have been 14 states, not including the Palatine cases. Of Health officials do not recommend Tiger nations to set up diagnosed with measles and about 10 more those 102, 94 were related to the Disneyland measles shots before a child turns 1-year-old, children, including some also too young for outbreak. at which time the government recommends anti-poaching network vaccinations, could have been exposed to Mason said children who have not been all children get a first dose of the measles the disease, health officials said Thursday. vaccinated - whether infected or exposed - vaccine with a second dose between the KATHMANDU: Thirteen countries which are home to the The Illinois and Cook County health depart- should not return to the Palatine center ages of 4 and 6. Illinois state law requires one world’s dwindling population of wild tigers yesterday ments said in a news release that lab tests until Feb 24 or until they provide proof of dose of measles vaccine for children in day agreed to establish an intelligence-sharing network to confirmed measles in two infants who go to vaccination or immunity to measles, which care by age 2, or proof that they already have fight traffickers, concluding an anti-poaching conference the KinderCare Learning Center on East is spread through the air when an infected had the disease. Two doses are required for in Kathmandu. Around 100 experts, government and law Palatine Road in Palatine. Tests are pending person coughs or sneezes. It’s so conta- those entering kindergarten. enforcement officials attended the five-day summit, co- for three others, but they have been diag- gious that 90 percent of people who aren’t hosted by Nepal and conservation group WWF to hammer nosed based on symptoms. immunized are infected if exposed to the Palatine facility out a regional plan to fight poaching in Asia. Officials had not identified the source of virus, according to the Centers for Disease KinderCare spokeswoman Colleen Moran “We cannot allow wildlife crime to continue to wrap its the infections at the center as of Thursday, Control and Prevention. The Illinois cases said that while the company, which operates tentacles deeper into the region,” said Tikaram Adhikari, but Dr Terry Mason, chief operating officer come amid growing concern about chil- facilities nationwide, follows local health director general of Nepal’s department of national parks for the county’s health and hospitals system, dren who are not vaccinated, including in department guidelines and encourages fami- and wildlife conservation. “Our individual efforts may win told a news conference there is no known California where lawmakers are hoping to lies to consult their doctors about vaccina- us a few battles, but we can only win the war only if Asia link between the infants’ measles and a follow the lead of two other states with tions, “We realize some don’t (have their chil- presents a united front to stop the poaching, end the traf- recent outbreak at Disneyland that sickened proposed legislation that would require dren vaccinated) for health or religious rea- ficking and wipe out demand,” Adhikari said in a press dozens of people. The CDC says there have parents to vaccinate all school children sons and we do not exclude kids who haven’t statement. Nepal has twice been recognized for going a been vaccinated.” Moran said the Palatine full year with no poaching incidents involving tigers, while facility has been thoroughly cleaned and the population of the endangered cats rose almost two KinderCare officials at multiple centers are thirds between 2009 and 2013. going through records to determine which David Lawson of WWF’s Tigers Alive Initiative said the children are and are not vaccinated. She said network of national liaison officers would “help countries did not have any information about whether communicate better with each other, build trust and any staff members at the Palatine facility deepen cooperation which is essential to win the fight were unvaccinated or had been asked to stay against poachers”. “Asian governments need to recognize away, or whether any other centers have that we are in the midst of a poaching crisis and that this asked staffers, parents or children who have theft of natural resources must be stopped,” Lawson told not been vaccinated to stay home. AFP. Decades of trafficking and habitat destruction have The county health department said one slashed the global tiger population from 100,000 a centu- of the five children who became ill was hos- ry ago to approximately 3,000, according to the pitalized earlier this week but has since been International Union for the Conservation of Nature. released. Spokeswoman Amy Poore-Terrell Poachers hunt the animal for its bones, which used to said she did not have any information about be an ingredient of traditional Chinese medicine, its their conditions as of Thursday. For most pelt, which can fetch up to $16,000 on the black market, people, measles is miserable but not life- and its penis, believed to increase male sexual perform- threatening. The most common symptoms ance. Countries with tiger populations-Bangladesh, include fever, runny nose, cough, and a rash Bhutan, China, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, all over the body. However, a very small frac- Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand and Vietnam tion of people get much sicker, and can suf- in 2010 launched a plan to double their numbers by ILLINOIS: Dr Wendell Wheeler gives vaccinations to Ny-riel Wilson, as fer complications like pneumonia and 2022. —AFP her mother Briana Steele, holds her in South Holland. —AP encephalitis. —AP SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

Kuwait KNCC PROGRAMME FROM THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY (05/02/2015 TO 11/02/2015)

SHARQIA-1 JUPITER ASCENDING 2:00 PM A MOST VIOLENT YEAR 12:00 PM JUPITER ASCENDING 4:30 PM A MOST VIOLENT YEAR 2:30 PM JUPITER ASCENDING (3D) 7:00 PM TAKEN 3 5:00 PM JUPITER ASCENDING 9:30 PM AMERICAN SNIPER 7:15 PM JUPITER ASCENDING 12:05 AM A MOST VIOLENT YEAR 9:45 PM A MOST VIOLENT YEAR 12:15 AM MARINA-3 THE GAMBLER 12:15 PM SHARQIA-2 AMERICAN SNIPER 2:45 PM JUPITER ASCENDING (3D) 11:45 AM THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA 5:15 PM JUPITER ASCENDING 2:15 PM THE GAMBLER 8:00 PM THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA 4:45 PM AMERICAN SNIPER 10:15 PM JUPITER ASCENDING (3D) 7:30 PM THE GAMBLER 12:45 AM JUPITER ASCENDING 10:00 PM JUPITER ASCENDING 12:30 AM AVENUES-1 THE ATTICUS INSTITUTE 11:45 AM SHARQIA-3 SON OF A GUN 2:00 PM THE GAMBLER 11:30 AM THE ATTICUS INSTITUTE 4:15 PM Plan B (ARABIC) 1:45 PM SON OF A GUN 6:30 PM THE GAMBLER 3:45 PM THE ATTICUS INSTITUTE 8:45 PM Plan B (ARABIC) 6:00 PM SON OF A GUN 11:00 PM Plan B (ARABIC) 8:00 PM THE ATTICUS INSTITUTE 1:15 AM ROBOT OVERLORDS 10:00 PM THE GAMBLER 12:05 AM AVENUES-2 A MOST VIOLENT YEAR 12:00 PM MUHALAB-1 A MOST VIOLENT YEAR 2:30 PM THE GAMBLER 11:45 AM A MOST VIOLENT YEAR 5:00 PM THE GAMBLER 2:00 PM A MOST VIOLENT YEAR 7:30 PM Plan B (ARABIC) 4:15 PM A MOST VIOLENT YEAR 10:00 PM THE GAMBLER 6:15 PM A MOST VIOLENT YEAR 12:30 AM Plan B (ARABIC) 8:30 PM Plan B (ARABIC) 10:30 PM AVENUES-3 THE GAMBLER 12:30 AM AMERICAN SNIPER 1:15 PM AMERICAN SNIPER 3:45 PM MUHALAB-2 AMERICAN SNIPER 6:15 PM SON OF A GUN 11:30 AM AMERICAN SNIPER 8:45 PM SON OF A GUN 1:30 PM NO THU+FRI+SAT+MON TAKEN 3 3:30 PM AMERICAN SNIPER 11:15 PM SON OF A GUN 5:45 PM NO THU+FRI+SAT+MON AMERICAN SNIPER 7:45 PM YENNAI ARINDHAAL... (Tamil) 8:45 PM TAKEN 3 10:15 PM THU+FRI+SAT+MON SON OF A GUN 12:45 AM AMERICAN SNIPER 12:15 AM THU+FRI+SAT+MON MUHALAB-3 JUPITER ASCENDING 11:30 AM AVENUES-4 JUPITER ASCENDING (3D) 2:00 PM AMERICAN SNIPER 12:30 PM THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA 4:30 PM TAKEN 3 3:00 PM JUPITER ASCENDING 7:15 PM AMERICAN SNIPER 5:15 PM Mormugao, Goa, South Goa, JUPITER ASCENDING (3D) 9:45 PM TAKEN 3 7:45 PM ACCOMMODATION holder of Indian Passport No. JUPITER ASCENDING 12:15 AM AMERICAN SNIPER 10:00 PM J6280192, would like to state TAKEN 3 12:30 AM that I have changed my FANAR-1 Ideal for working ladies, a name from Cecelia A MOST VIOLENT YEAR 12:45 PM AVENUES-5 semi furnished room avail- A MOST VIOLENT YEAR 3:15 PM JUPITER ASCENDING (3D) 11:30 AM Mendonsa E Camelo to able for a single to share ROBOT OVERLORDS 5:45 PM JUPITER ASCENDING 2:00 PM Cecilia Mendonca E Camelo. with a small family in a 2BR Plan B (ARABIC) 7:45 PM JUPITER ASCENDING (3D) 4:45 PM (C 4923) Plan B (ARABIC) 9:45 PM Special Show “Book of Life” 5:00 PM central AC flat with separate A MOST VIOLENT YEAR 11:45 PM JUPITER ASCENDING 7:30 PM bathroom. Nice location JUPITER ASCENDING (3D) 10:15 PM I, Martinha Trindade Ferrao, building on main road, very FANAR-2 JUPITER ASCENDING 12:45 AM R/O H. No. 244/A, near THE ATTICUS INSTITUTE 12:30 PM 9:00 PM close to a garden and bus Rebello’s hospital, Madel THE ATTICUS INSTITUTE 2:15 PM 360 º- 1 stop. Contact: 67060429. Pequeno, Margao, Salcette - TAKEN 3 4:00 PM JUPITER ASCENDING (3D) 1:00 PM (C 4922) AMERICAN SNIPER 6:15 PM JUPITER ASCENDING 3:45 PM Goa would like to state that I 7-2-2015 TAKEN 3 8:45 PM JUPITER ASCENDING (3D) 6:30 PM have changed my name THE ATTICUS INSTITUTE 11:00 PM JUPITER ASCENDING 9:15 PM THE ATTICUS INSTITUTE 12:45 AM JUPITER ASCENDING 12:05 AM from Trindadde Mendonsa to Martinha Trindade FANAR-3 360º 2 SITUATION WANTED Ferraro. (C 4924) THE GAMBLER 12:15 PM SON OF A GUN 1:00 PM THE GAMBLER 2:45 PM THE ATTICUS INSTITUTE 3:15 PM THE GAMBLER 5:00 PM THE ATTICUS INSTITUTE 5:30 PM 12 years experienced profes- I, Luis Francisco De Fatima THE GAMBLER 7:15 PM SON OF A GUN 7:45 PM sional looking for senior posi- De Menino Jesus Mendonca, BLACKHAT 9:30 PM THE ATTICUS INSTITUTE 10:00 PM tion in finance / accounts. R/O H. No. 244/A, near THE GAMBLER 12:15 AM SON OF A GUN 12:15 AM Qualification: CFA Rebello’s Hospital, Madel FANAR-4 360º- 3 Level1/CMA (IMA (IMA-USA), Pequeno Margao, Salcette - JUPITER ASCENDING 11:45 AM BLACKHAT 12:30 PM BCom. Contact: 60320220. (C Goa would like to state that I JUPITER ASCENDING (3D) 2:15 PM BLACKHAT 3:15 PM 49020) have changed my name THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA 4:45 PM YENNAI ARINDHAAL... (Tamil) 6:00 PM JUPITER ASCENDING 7:30 PM BLACKHAT 9:30 PM 4-2-2015 from Francisco Mendonsa to JUPITER ASCENDING (3D) 10:00 PM BLACKHAT 12:30 AM Sri Lankan lady, well experi- Luis Francisco De Fatima De JUPITER ASCENDING 12:30 AM enced cook, looking for a job. Menino Jesus Mendonca. AL-KOUT.1 (C 4925) FANAR-5 JUPITER ASCENDING 11:45 AM Tel: 65905887. (C 4915) SON OF A GUN 11:30 AM JUPITER ASCENDING (3D) 2:15 PM 7-2-2015 SON OF A GUN 1:30 PM THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA 4:45 PM Need job for a B.Sc degree SON OF A GUN 3:30 PM JUPITER ASCENDING 7:30 PM holder with computer diplo- I, Makela Suresh (old name) DILWALE DULHANIA LE JAYENGE (Hindi) (Re-Release) 5:30 PM JUPITER ASCENDING (3D) 10:00 PM SHAMITABH (HINDI) 9:00 PM JUPITER ASCENDING 12:30 AM ma with 8 years experience in holder of Indian Passort No: SON OF A GUN 12:05 AM Kuwait looking for job as F4198356, Gundampalli (V), AL-KOUT.2 Admin / Sales executive Mallapur (M), Karimnagar MARINA-1 SON OF A GUN 12:15 PM (Indian license only). Please Dist (A.P) changed my name THE ATTICUS INSTITUTE 12:30 PM SON OF A GUN 2:15 PM TAKEN 3 2:30 PM SON OF A GUN 4:15 PM contact: 66894543. (C 4916) as Makela Shirish Kumar. THE ATTICUS INSTITUTE 5:00 PM ROBOT OVERLORDS 6:15 PM 3-2-2015 (C 4921) Plan B (ARABIC) 6:45 PM Plan B (ARABIC) 8:15 PM 4-2-2014 Plan B (ARABIC) 8:45 PM Plan B (ARABIC) 10:15 PM TAKEN 3 10:45 PM SON OF A GUN 12:15 AM CHANGE OF NAME THE ATTICUS INSTITUTE 1:00 AM AL-KOUT.3 I, Cecilia Mendonca E MARINA-2 THE GAMBLER 12:30 PM JUPITER ASCENDING (3D) 11:30 AM THE GAMBLER 2:45 PM Camelo, R/O H. No. 982(1), Nova Palmar, Cortalim, information SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015 DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

In case you are not travelling, your proper cancellation of bookings will help other passengers use seats

Arrival Flights on Saturday 7/2/2015 JZR 777 Jeddah 17:55 IRM 1181 Mashhad 10:50 Airlines Flt Route Time UAE 875 Dubai 18:00 QTR 1071 Doha 11:00 JAI 574 Mumbai 00:10 SVA 500 Jeddah 18:00 KAC 541 Cairo 11:05 JZR 239 Amman 00:25 JZR 177 Dubai 18:20 KAC 165 Rome/Paris 11:15 JZR 267 Beirut 00:30 KAC 542 Cairo 18:25 GFA 214 Bahrain 11:25 JZR 539 Cairo 00:40 KAC 118 New York 18:30 KAC 741 Dammam 11:45 KLM 413 Amsterdam/Dammam 00:40 FDB 063 Dubai 18:40 RBG 554 Alexandria 11:55 THY 772 Istanbul 00:45 ABY 121 Sharjah 18:40 JZR 776 Jeddah 12:20 FDB 069 Dubai 00:55 CLX 856 Luxembourg 18:50 MSC 402 Alexandria 12:25 QTR 1084 Doha 01:00 QTR 1080 Doha 18:50 UAE 874 Dubai 12:30 RJA 642 Amman 01:05 KAC 618 Doha 19:15 SYR 342 Damascus 13:00 DLH 637 Dammam 01:15 KAC 674 Dubai 19:25 IRM 1189 Mashhad 13:10 SAI 441 Lahore 01:30 GFA 217 Bahrain 19:30 JZR 176 Dubai 13:45 PGT 858 Istanbul 01:35 KAC 176 Geneva/Frankfurt 19:45 MSR 611 Cairo 14:00 ETH 620 Addis Ababa 01:45 IRA 669 Mashhad 19:50 MRJ 4814 Mashhad 14:10 GFA 211 Bahrain 02:30 KAC 774 Riyadh 19:55 UAE 872 Dubai 14:15 UAE 853 Dubai 02:35 KAC 104 London 19:55 IAW 158 Al Najaf 14:20 JZR 553 Alexandria 02:45 JAI 572 Mumbai 20:00 JZR 324 Al Najaf 14:25 JAI 526 Chennai/Abu Dhabi 02:50 MSR 618 Alexandria 20:05 AGY 685 Sohag 14:40 FDB 067 Dubai 02:55 JZR 189 Dubai 20:15 IRC 527 Mashhad 14:55 MSR 612 Cairo 03:10 OMA 647 Muscat 20:20 MSR 576 Sharm el-Sheikh 15:00 FDB 061 Dubai 20:20 ETD 305 Abu Dhabi 03:10 KAC 673 Dubai 15:00 KKK 6507 Istanbul 03:20 KNE 474 Jeddah 20:25 ABY 123 Sharjah 20:35 KAC 785 Jeddah 15:00 OMA 643 Muscat 03:25 QTR 1079 Doha 15:05 QTR 1076 Doha 03:45 DLH 634 Frankfurt 20:50 KAC 786 Jeddah 21:05 FDB 058 Dubai 15:10 MSC 401 Alexandria 04:05 KAC 617 Doha 15:15 KAC 546 Alexandria 04:10 ALK 229 Colombo 21:10 KNE 473 Jeddah 15:20 JZR 503 Luxor 05:25 MEA 402 Beirut 21:20 THY 770 Istanbul 05:35 ETD 307 Abu Dhabi 21:30 IZG 4168 Mashhad 15:35 DHX 170 Bahrain 05:40 FDB 073 Dubai 21:35 JZR 188 Dubai 15:40 BAW 157 London 06:40 UAE 859 Dubai 21:40 GFA 222 Bahrain 15:45 KAC 416 Kuala Lumpur/Jakarta 06:45 GFA 219 Bahrain 21:45 KNE 471 Jeddah 15:50 KAC 412 Manila/Bangkok 07:10 QTR 1074 Doha 21:55 RJD 136 Abu Dhabi 16:05 KAC 204 Lahore 07:45 KNE 480 Taif 22:00 KAC 503 Beirut 16:15 FDB 053 Dubai 07:45 JZR 135 Bahrain 22:05 KAC 773 Riyadh 16:20 QTR 1086 Doha 07:50 JZR 157 Dubai 22:10 OMA 646 Muscat 16:25 KAC 352 Kochi 08:10 KLM 415 Amsterdam 22:15 ABY 128 Sharjah 16:25 KAC 302 Mumbai 08:20 ETD 309 Abu Dhabi 22:15 KNE 463 Madinah 16:30 KAC 206 Islamabad 08:25 FDB 059 Dubai 22:30 KNE 481 Taif 16:50 UAE 855 Dubai 08:40 AIC 975 Chennai/Goa 22:30 FDB 052 Dubai 17:00 KAC 362 Colombo 08:45 MSC 403 Sohag 22:45 JZR 266 Beirut 17:05 KAC 344 Chennai 08:45 UAL 981 Bahrain 23:10 NIA 252 Alexandria 17:15 KAC 284 Dhaka 08:50 AGY 684 Sohag 23:15 JZR 156 Dubai 17:35 ABY 125 Sharjah 09:00 JZR 185 Dubai 23:15 UAE 858 Dubai 17:45 ETD 301 Abu Dhabi 09:20 THY 764 Istanbul 23:35 JZR 538 Cairo 17:45 IRM 1186 Tehran 09:40 KAC 614 Bahrain 23:40 ETD 304 Abu Dhabi 17:50 FDB 055 Dubai 09:40 FDB 071 Dubai 23:45 RJA 641 Amman 17:55 QTR 1070 Doha 10:00 IRM 1187 Tehran 18:15 GFA 213 Bahrain 10:40 Departure Flights on Saturday 7/2/2015 SVA 511 Riyadh 18:15 UAE 873 Dubai 11:00 Airlines Flt Route Time GFA 216 Bahrain 18:20 RBG 553 Alexandria 11:15 AIC 976 Goa/Chennai 00:05 JZR 184 Dubai 18:40 MSC 405 Sohag 11:25 PIA 206 Lahore 00:40 IZG 4162 Mashhad 18:45 JZR 165 Dubai 11:30 FDB 072 Dubai 00:45 JZR 238 Amman 18:50 IRM 1188 Mashhad 11:45 JAI 573 Mumbai 01:10 JZR 134 Bahrain 19:10 SYR 341 Damascus 12:00 KLM 413 Amsterdam 01:55 UAL 982 Bahrain 19:15 UAE 871 Dubai 12:50 DLH 637 Frankfurt 02:15 ABY 122 Sharjah 19:20 MRJ 4815 Mashhad 12:55 SAI 442 Lahore 02:30 SVA 505 Jeddah 19:30 JZR 241 Amman 12:55 ETH 621 Addis Ababa 02:45 UAE 876 Dubai 19:40 MSR 610 Cairo 13:00 THY 773 Istanbul 02:55 QTR 1081 Doha 19:50 IAW 157 Al Najaf 13:20 PGT 859 Istanbul 03:25 FDB 064 Dubai 19:55 JZR 779 Jeddah 13:35 KAC 381 Delhi 03:40 KAC 613 Bahrain 19:55 AGY 680 Alexandria 13:40 UAE 854 Dubai 03:50 GFA 218 Bahrain 20:15 KAC 382 Delhi 13:45 FDB 068 Dubai 03:55 CLX 856 Hong Kong 20:20 IRC 526 Mashhad 13:50 ETD 306 Abu Dhabi 04:05 KAC 283 Dhaka 20:30 KAC 672 Dubai 13:55 MSR 613 Cairo 04:10 IRA 666 Esfahan 20:50 QTR 1078 Doha 14:05 KAC 361 Colombo 20:50 MSR 575 Sharm el-Sheikh 14:15 KKK 6508 Istanbul 04:10 OMA 644 Muscat 04:25 JAI 571 Mumbai 21:00 KNE 472 Jeddah 14:25 MSR 607 Luxor 21:05 FDB 057 Dubai 14:30 QTR 1085 Doha 04:30 JZR 554 Alexandria 21:05 IZG 4167 Mashhad 14:35 MSC 406 Sohag 05:05 KAC 742 Dammam 14:45 QTR 1077 Doha 05:15 KNE 475 Jeddah 21:10 KNE 470 Jeddah 14:55 THY 765 Istanbul 05:40 KAC 331 Trivandrum 21:10 RJD 135 Abu Dhabi 14:55 FDB 070 Dubai 06:30 ABY 124 Sharjah 21:15 GFA 221 Bahrain 15:00 JAI 525 Abu Dhabi/Chennai 06:35 KAC 351 Kochi 21:15 OMA 645 Muscat 15:25 JZR 164 Dubai 06:55 FDB 062 Dubai 21:20 KAC 788 Jeddah 15:40 RJA 643 Amman 07:05 OMA 648 Muscat 21:20 KNE 462 Madinah 15:45 GFA 212 Bahrain 07:15 DHX 171 Bahrain 21:50 UAE 857 Dubai 15:45 JZR 240 Amman 07:15 ALK 230 Colombo 22:10 ABY 127 Sharjah 15:45 THY 771 Istanbul 07:30 ETD 308 Abu Dhabi 22:15 FDB 051 Dubai 16:00 JZR 778 Jeddah 07:55 KAC 301 Mumbai 22:15 KNE 460 Riyadh 16:00 FDB 054 Dubai 08:25 MEA 403 Beirut 22:20 JZR 535 Cairo 16:10 BAW 156 London 08:45 FDB 074 Dubai 22:30 NIA 251 Alexandria 16:15 QTR 1087 Doha 08:50 GFA 220 Bahrain 22:30 KAC 562 Amman 16:20 JZR 534 Cairo 09:15 UAE 860 Dubai 22:50 JZR 357 Mashhad 16:30 KAC 671 Dubai 09:25 KNE 461 Riyadh 22:50 RJA 640 Amman 16:55 ABY 126 Sharjah 09:40 KAC 205 Islamabad 22:55 ETD 303 Abu Dhabi 16:55 KAC 787 Jeddah 09:50 ETD 310 Abu Dhabi 23:00 IRM 1180 Mashhad 17:00 KAC 101 London/New York 09:50 QTR 1075 Doha 23:05 SVA 510 Riyadh 17:15 UAE 856 Dubai 09:55 KLM 415 Dammam/Amsterdam 23:15 GFA 215 Bahrain 17:30 ETD 302 Abu Dhabi 10:20 KAC 543 Cairo 23:20 IZG 4161 Mashhad 17:45 KAC 561 Amman 10:25 KAC 411 Bangkok/Manila 23:30 JZR 325 Al Najaf 17:50 JZR 356 Mashhad 10:30 MSC 404 Sohag 23:45 UAL 982 IAD 17:55 FDB 056 Dubai 10:35 FDB 060 Dubai 23:55 Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw) SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

DOWN 1. Very close in friendship or affection. CROSSWORD808 2. (law) A defense by an accused person purporting to show that he or she could not have committed the crime in question. 3. Of superior grade. 4. A doughnut-shaped chamber used in fusion research. 5. (astronomy) A measure of time defined by Earth's orbital motion. 6. Being or occurring in fact or actuality. 7. Relating to or having the characteristics of bees. 8. Having the surface damaged or disfigured. 9. Having small chinks or crannies (especially in or between rocks or stones). 10. The branch of computer science that deal with writing computer programs that can solve problems creatively. 11. The airforce of Great Britain. 12. Large burrowing rodent of South and Central America. 13. Of or relating to near the ear. 14. A woman hired to suckle a child of someone else. 21. (Norse mythology) The chief race of gods living at Asgard. 23. Australian shrubs and small trees with evergreen usually spiny leaves and dense clus- ters of showy flowers. 27. A place where taxis park while awaiting customers. 29. A radioactive transuranic element produced by bombarding plutonium with neu- trons. 30. Considerate and solicitous care. 33. Raised pinkish scar tissue at the site of an injury. 34. A city in northwestern Turkey. 35. Manner of acting or conducting yourself. 37. Goddess of love and fecundity. 39. A Kwa language spoken by the Yoruba people in southwestern Nigeria. 42. An aggressive remark directed at a person like a missile and intended to have a telling effect. 44. A Loloish language. 48. A narcotic that is considered a hard drug. 49. Weedy annual native to Europe but widely distributed as a weed especially in wheat. 53. (biochemistry) Purine base found in DNA and RNA. ACROSS 55. Any member of Athapaskan tribes that migrated to the southwestern desert (from 1. Strong woody fibers obtained especially from the phloem of from various plants. Arizona to Texas and south into Mexico). 5. A four-wheeled wagon that runs on tracks in a mine. 57. A public promotion of some product or service. 12. Chiefly perennial grasses of cool temperate regions. 58. (prosody) Of or consisting of iambs. 61. A very poisonous metallic element that has three allotropic forms. 15. A spread made chiefly from vegetable oils and used as a substitute for butter. 63. A spirit believed by Muslims to inhabit the earth and influence mankind by appear- 16. Classification used for 5 species of terrestrial ferns usually placed in other genera. ing in the form of humans or animals. 17. A unit of pressure. 65. South American armadillo with three bands of bony plates. 18. A fabric made from the fine threads produced by certain insect larvae. 66. Flat tableland with steep edges. Yesterday’s Solution 19. Long-tailed arboreal mustelid of Central and South America. 68. Little known Kamarupan languages. 20. A sheet or band of fibrous connective tissue separating or binding together muscles 70. Type genus of the Alcidae comprising solely the razorbill. and organs etc. 71. Any of numerous local fertility and nature deities worshipped by ancient Semitic 22. A religious belief of African origin involving witchcraft and sorcery. peoples. 24. Acquire or gain knowledge or skills. 72. A city in northern India. 25. (used of count nouns) Every one considered individually. 74. A unit of absorbed ionizing radiation equal to 100 ergs per gram of irradiated 26. A member of the Algonquian people formerly inhabiting the Maritime Provinces of material. Canada. 75. Used of a single unit or thing. 28. A Uralic language spoken by a Samoyed people of northern Siberia. 76. An honorary degree in science. 31. The basic unit of money in Bangladesh. 32. Regarded with aversion. 36. A substance produced by the hypothalamus that is capable of accelerating the secre- Yesterdayʼs Solution tion of a given hormone by the anterior pituitary gland. 38. Cubes of meat marinated and cooked on a skewer usually with vegetables. 40. Any system of principles or beliefs. 41. Someone who engages in arbitrage (who purchases securities in one market for immediate resale in another in the hope of profiting from the price differential). 43. Inquire about. 45. Being two more than fifty. 46. Close-fitting pants of heavy denim for casual wear (usually in the plural). 47. A narrow flattened pleat or fold that is stitched in place v 1. 50. A port in southwestern Scotland. 51. The syllable naming the fourth (subdominant) note of the diatonic scale in solmiza- tion. 52. Good at incubating eggs especially a fowl kept for that purpose. 54. A small cake leavened with yeast. 56. Submerged aquatic plant having narrow leaves and small flowers. 59. Yellow-fever mosquitos. 60. A genus of Ploceidae. 62. Oval reproductive body of a fowl (especially a hen) used as food. 64. Any of several plants of the genus Camassia. 67. Long coarse hair growing from the crest of the animal's neck. 69. A island in the Netherlands Antilles that is the top of an extinct volcano. 73. An organization of countries formed in 1961 to agree on a common policy for the sale of petroleum. 77. The act of slowing down or falling behind. 78. A mixture of mashed malt grains and hot water. 79. Of or relating to anions. 80. 4-wheeled motor vehicle. 81. (Scotland) A slope or hillside. 82. Fixed or established especially by order or command. 83. A flat wing-shaped process or winglike part of an organism. CHALLENGING MAZE Daily SuDoku Yesterday’s Solution SPORTS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015 Blues see off Sabres, Islanders down Flyers

BUFFALO: Jake Allen stopped 23 shots and the St. Louis Blues set a franchise record by extend- ing their points streak to 13 games with a 3-0 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night. Dmitrij Jaskin scored on a wraparound late in the second period, and Vladimir Tarasenko tapped in David Backes’ pass in the third period for St. Louis, which improved its run to 12-0-1. Jaden Schwartz added an empty-netter. The Blues (34-13-4) won their seventh straight to match a season best, while beating the Sabres for the sixth straight time. Buffalo (15-34-3) was shut out for the ninth time this season - one short of matching a fran- chise high. And the Sabres failed to build off the momentum of a 3-2 win at Montreal on Tuesday, when Buffalo snapped a team-worst 14-game skid.

ISLANDERS 3, FLYERS 2 Cal Clutterbuck scored the deciding goal in the seventh round of the shootout. Clutterbuck also scored in regulation for the Islanders, as did Mikhail Grabovski. Frans Nielsen got a puck past Steve Mason on the first shot of the shootout, and Wayne Simmonds scored on Philadelphia’s last tying attempt in the third round. After Clutterbuck’s wrister got past Mason, Sean Couturier was denied by Jaroslav Halak on the tying attempt and Philadelphia’s season-high four-game win- ning streak was over. New York had lost three straight. Nick Schultz and Chris VandeVelde scored in regulation for the Flyers.

PANTHERS 3, KINGS 2 Brandon Pirri scored with 3:05 remaining to PHILADELPHIA: Cal Clutterbuck No. 15 of the New York Islanders skates past Mark Streit No. 32 of the Philadelphia Flyers in the third lift the Panthers over the struggling Kings 3-2. period at Wells Fargo Center. — AFP Nick Bjugstad and Aleksander Barkov also game road trip in dominating fashion even with The Stars’ Alex Goligoski had a goal and an to Ron Hainsey, but officials later determined scored for the Panthers, and Roberto Luongo center Ryan Getzlaf scratched after aggravating assist. Stamkos and Victor Hedman scored on the puck had hit Rask on the way to the net. stopped 29 shots. a lower-body injury in warmups. Colin Wilson the Lightning’s first two shots. Dallas defense- Moss scored his first goal of the season 6:38 in. Pirri grabbed a loose puck in the left circle and James Neal each scored in the third period men John Klingberg and Goligoski scored in the and fired it past Jonathan Quick. He scored for for Nashville. But Corey Perry got an empty-net- second period, and Trevor Daley tied the game RED WINGS 3, AVALANCHE 0 the fourth consecutive game and the sixth in his ter with 1:19 remaining. at 3 in the third Andrei Vasilevskiy made 33 Petr Mrazek had 28 saves for his first shutout past seven. saves for Tampa Bay. Lehtonen had 25. of the season and Detroit scored twice into The Panthers have won their past two games LIGHTNING 5, STARS 3 empty nets. Justin Abdelkader put the Red and Luongo beat the Kings for the first time in Tyler Johnson scored two third-period goals, HURRICANES 2, COYOTES 1 Wings on the scoreboard in the second period, nine games. Marian Gaborik and Jamie McBain lifting the Lightning. Johnson tipped Brian Eric Lindholm scored the only goal of the and Darren Helm and Luke Glendening added scored for the Kings, and Quick made 17 saves. Boyle’s shot from the top of the left faceoff circle shootout. Carolina’s Victor Rask and Arizona’s empty-net goals in the last three minutes. The Kings lost their third straight game and sev- down between goalie Kari Lehtonen’s legs to David Moss scored early, then the teams went Detroit improved to 8-1-0 in its last nine games enth in their past nine. Los Angeles has break a 3-3 tie with 3:37 remaining. He’d put scoreless through the rest of regulation and and pulled two points behind Tampa Bay for dropped nine of its past 11 road games, and Tampa Bay ahead 3-2 with a power-play goal at overtime. Mike Smith had 39 saves for Arizona, tops in both the Atlantic Division and the remained tied for the fewest road wins in the 12:27. Nikita Kucherov scored into an empty net including a sprawling block with his toe in over- Eastern Conference. Semyon Varlamov had 25 NHL with Buffalo and Edmonton. with 1:17 to go. Kucherov and Steven Stamkos time. Cam Ward had 28 saves for the Hurricanes. saves for Colorado, which dropped to 3-1-1 in its each had a goal and an assist. Ondrej Palat Rask was credited with a goal for Carolina last five. The Avalanche were 0 for 3 on the pow- CAPITALS 3, SENATORS 2 assisted on Tampa Bay’s final two goals. just 1:03 into the game. It initially was credited er play and have not scored in their last 22 Alex Ovechkin scored the winning goal, chances over their last four games. Evgeny Kuznetsov also scored for the Capitals and Braden Holtby picked up his 25th win of the NHL results/standings SHARKS 5, CANUCKS 1 season by stopping 25 shots. Antti Niemi made 33 saves as San Jose Kyle Turris scored the lone Ottawa goal, and defeated the listless Canucks. Matt Irwin, Melker Robin Lehner made 27 saves. Trailing 2-1 to start St. Louis 3, Buffalo 0; NY Islanders 3, Philadelphia 2 (SO); Washington 2, Ottawa 1; Florida 3, Karlsson, Joe Pavelski, Andrew Desjardins and the third period, the Senators did their best to Los Angeles 2; Anaheim 5, Nashville 2; Tampa Bay 5, Dallas 3; Detroit 3, Colorado 0; Carolina Chris Tierney, with his first NHL goal, scored for score the equalizer but couldn’t find a way to 2, Arizona 1 (SO); San Jose 5, Vancouver 1. San Jose. Brent Burns and Logan Couture each beat Holtby. Thursday’s game was a milestone added two assists. Tierney also tacked on an for defenseman Chris Phillips, who set the fran- Western Conference Eastern Conference Pacific Division Atlantic Division assist. Radim Vrbata had the only goal for chise record by playing in his 1,179th game to Tampa Bay 33 15 5 172 138 71 Vancouver and Ryan Miller stopped 33 shots in surpass Daniel Alfredsson. Alfredsson and for- W L OTL GF GA PTS Detroit 30 12 9 152 129 69 the loss. The Canucks had won the first two mer teammate Wade Redden were on hand for Anaheim 34 12 6 157 140 74 Montreal 32 15 3 132 114 67 meetings with the Sharks this season, but were the occasion. San Jose 28 18 7 149 144 63 Boston 27 17 7 136 127 61 Florida 23 17 10 125 142 56 down 1-0 after the first period and things got Calgary 29 20 3 152 132 61 worse in the second. DUCKS 5, PREDATORS 2 Ottawa 20 21 9 138 140 49 Vancouver 28 19 3 135 131 59 Toronto 22 26 4 147 160 48 Burns jumped on a Canucks turnover at the Jakob Silfverberg scored two goals, and the Los Angeles 21 18 12 136 139 54 Buffalo 15 34 3 97 184 33 blue line and fired a shot that Karlsson tipped Ducks took the top of the NHL standings for Arizona 19 26 7 121 173 45 Metropolitan Division past a helpless Miller for his ninth of the season. themselves. Anaheim and Nashville came in tied Edmonton 14 29 9 120 172 37 NY Islanders 33 17 1 163 145 67 San Jose then put things out of reach late in atop both the NHL and the Western Conference Central Division Pittsburgh 29 14 8 147 129 66 the period when Vancouver defenseman Dan with 72 points, though the Predators have a NY Rangers 30 15 4 148 117 64 Nashville 33 12 6 155 123 72 Washington 27 15 10 153 130 64 Hamhuis was assessed a tripping penalty before game in hand. The teams also have the league’s captain Henrik Sedin picked up an extra minor winningest goalies with Pekka Rinne back in net St. Louis 34 13 4 165 121 72 Philadelphia 22 22 8 142 154 52 New Jersey 20 22 9 115 139 49 for unsportsmanlike conduct protesting the for Nashville after missing three weeks with an Chicago 31 18 2 155 118 64 Winnipeg 26 18 9 146 140 61 Columbus 21 25 3 121 155 45 original call. The Sharks controlled the puck for injured knee. Frederik Andersen made 44 saves Carolina 18 26 7 111 135 43 90 seconds on the two-man advantage before in tying Rinne with his 29th win. Colorado 22 19 11 134 146 55 Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point Minnesota 24 20 6 138 140 54 Pavelski’s shot from the side of the net deflected Sami Vatanen and Matt Beleskey scored a in the standings and are not included in the loss off Vancouver forward Nick Bonino’s stick and Dallas 23 20 8 162 167 54 column (L). goal each for Anaheim. The Ducks started a five- past Miller for his 28th. — AP SPORTS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

Sledging remains Confidence abounds for slippery issue well-balanced Proteas LONDON: The World Cup promises to feature plenty of big-hitting and dramatic bowling but will there be ver- CAPE TOWN: South Africa’s reputation as cricketing ‘chokers’ has bal fireworks too? Not if the International Cricket Council become a dressing room joke, they say, and there has been noth- can help it. ing spluttering about their build-up as they head to the World Cup “Over the last six months, or even going back further in Australia and New Zealand in confident mood. to the last Ashes series, there have been too many exam- It is true that the Proteas have found novel ways of exiting previ- ples of player behavior going too far and overstepping ous tournaments, from miss-reading the Duckworth/Lewis permu- the boundaries of acceptability,” ICC chief executive tations to disastrous run-outs and spectacular batting collapses. David Richardson said. But the retirement of stalwarts such as Graeme Smith, Jacques “The amount of sledging (verbal abuse) and disre- Kallis and Mark Boucher mean they now boast a squad of players spect shown by players to each other was bad,” the for- no longer carrying that baggage. mer South Africa wicketkeeper added as he promised “We’ve got the right players to win the World Cup. It’s just now a match referees would come down hard on sledging at matter of going there and finding a way to do so,” a confident cap- the World Cup. Many of the best remembered ‘sledges’ tain AB De Villiers, who smashed the fastest century in ODIs off 31 have been relatively amusing. balls against West Indies in January, told reporters. “That’s always For example, England fast bowler Greg Thomas once the difficult part, but we’re prepared to put in the hard yards. We told West Indies great Vivian Richards “it’s red, round are going there to bring the cup back.” and weighs about five ounces in case you were wonder- The Class of 2015 looks a formidable unit with good balance ing” after beating the outside edge only for the ‘Master and fringe players who have performed well this season, providing Blaster’, having smacked the next ball out of the ground, strength in depth as they head into conditions that should be to reply: “You know what it looks like, you go fetch it”. much to their liking. With either opener Quinton de Kock or De However, there has been little humor in the obscene Villiers to keep wicket, it gives them the option to play an extra or crude taunts of recent times, with Australia captain batsman and provides for a solid top seven. SRI LANKA: In this July 11, 2014 file photo, South Africa’s AB Michael Clarke telling James Anderson to “get ready for a They have three of the best seam bowlers in the world in Dale de Villiers catches a ball during a practice session ahead of broken arm” when the England tailender was batting Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander, as well as a fine leg- their third one-day international cricket match against Sri during the last Ashes series. spin option, in the 50-over format at least, in Imran Tahir. Lanka. — AP Fiery Australian opener David Warner was involved in several altercations during India’s recent tour but coach THE CONCERNS in the side to clear the boundary in the final few overs when bat- Darren Lehmann said he was happy with the batsman’s The concerns for the side lie in two areas, notably their ‘death’ ting. For all the optimism, De Villiers does admit that the weight of aggression. bowling at the end of the innings. Bowling coach Allan Donald, expectation is an element to be reckoned with. “If the ICC decides we cross the line, then they’ll come who played in four World Cups, says the key will be to mix it up. “We do feel pressure representing South Africa in the World Cup, down on us-we all know that,” Lehmann said. “We’re “We’ve spoken about the last 10 overs of bowling, we know we haven’t won one yet,” he said. “We desperately want to win one. always going to teeter pretty close to it-that’s the way what we have to do,” he said. “We want to be unpredictable and We’ve been playing some good cricket and we’re confident going that we play-we’ve just got to make sure that we don’t that is not going to be about bowling 40 yorkers in the last 10 to Australia that we have a really good chance to win this World cross it.” overs.” Cup.” South Africa are in group B with Zimbabwe, India, Pakistan, With cricket unusual amongst many major team They have also been criticised for not having enough big hitters West Indies, Ireland and the United Arab Emirates. — Reuters sports in that its leading teams come from a variety of cultural backgrounds —- European, Asian and Afro- Caribbean-the problem is that where Australia draw the line may well be different from their opponents. Such was Australia’s dominance in the 1990s and 2000s, when skipper Steve Waugh gave sledging the ICC cracks down rather more dignified status of “mental disintegration” that many sides followed suit, even though plenty of the game’s most greatest players-such as legendary West Indies fast bowler Malcolm Marshall-rarely both- on live betting ered with ‘verbals’ and were often rather more ‘aggres- sive’ than the sledgers they came up against. SYDNEY: The International Cricket Council vowed Friday to Sir Ronnie Flanagan, head of the ICC’s anti-corruption and Unlike other sports, cricket’s on-field umpires have clamp down on live betting to try to ensure a corruption-free security unit, said the issue went far deeper than a few clever not traditionally had a disciplinary function allowing World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. people getting one over on betting shops. “I think the risk is them to impose an immediate punishment for poor Anyone caught breaking the rules will be barred from the that this feeds into a wider and more sophisticated network behaviour which has some bearing on the match in whole tournament, which starts on February 14. Live betting of illegal betting, often in the Indian sub-continent,” he said. progress. or “pitch-siding” involves gamblers at sports events gaining Gambling is mostly illegal in India, but betting on cricket an upper hand on other punters by taking advantage of the matches thrives through networks of underground bookies. ‘GENTLEMEN’S GAME short time-lag, usually a matter of seconds, between play and “Facilitating people to either bet on events which are then Given the fines imposed are rarely a deterrent and live international broadcasts on television. known events or in terms of illegal bookmakers adjusting don’t tend to lead to suspensions-although Lehmann their odds to know they should be shortening the odds on himself was banned for five one-day games for a “racially something ... I think that’s where it is a risk of being some sort motivated obscenity” after he had been run out by Sri of minor contagion.” Lanka in 2003 most players carry on as they always did. At least three examples of pitch-siding have been report- New Zealand great Martin Crowe has called for the ed during the southern hemisphere summer, with one man introduction of a yellow and red card system, common thrown out of two T20 Big Bash League games and another to many other sports, into cricket-which has traditionally ejected from the first match of the ODI series against India. prided itself on being a “gentlemen’s game”. Flanagan, a former British chief constable, said the ICC Meanwhile Ian Chappell has said he fears it can only was sharing information with the New Zealand and be a matter of time before things get so heated that a Australian governments as well as state administrations. He physical clash ensues. urged players to be wary of criminals who might seek to take However, Chappell’s remarks may provoke a wry reac- advantage. tion. When New Zealand won their first Test match “In our line of work, we too often meet and know that against Australia, in Christchurch in 1974, they did so on there are rotten people out there, criminal people out there, the back of a hundred in each innings from Glenn Turner. who will do all in their power to get at players and others of The batsman asked for an apology from Chappell, influence within the game,” Flanagan said. “They will trick Australia’s captain in that match, for the abuse he had them, they will coerce them, they will try and attract them. been subjected to on the field, with the Sydney Daily “They are almost like paedophiles in how they attempt to Telegraph commenting it was not the first time the skip- groom people into ultimately attempting to do what suits per had lost his self-control on the field. their nefarious intentions in terms of illegal betting and other But the forthright Chappell was in no mood to apolo- AUSTRALIA: Ronnie Flanagan, head of the ICC’s anti- corruption and security, speaks at a press conference elements of criminality.” The Indian Premier League 2013 gise, saying: “I believe what happens on the field should season was mired in controversy after police launched legal stay there”. However, as Chappell knows only too well in in Sydney. The International Cricket Council vowed to clamp down on live betting, often known as pitch-sid- proceedings against several officials and cricketers for illegal his role as a respected television commentator, modern betting and spot-fixing. — AFP technology means that’s rarely the case. — AFP ing, at next week’s cricketWorld Cup. — AFP SPORTS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

No Tendulkar gives Pakistan World Cup hope

NEW DELHI: India go into the World played in whites. April 2, 2011. way to a glorious 98 off 75 balls at Cup without the reassuring presence Over the next six editions, the pro- The 41-year-old, whose six World Centurion in 2003 is part of World of retired batting superstar Sachin lific Mumbaikar scored more runs Cups is a record matched only by Cup folklore that enabled India to Tendulkar for the first time since (2,278) and centuries (six) than any Javed Miandad of Pakistan, has been chase down a challenging 273-7 with 1992, which surely must bring relief other batsman in the tournament, apppointed as the brand ambassador six wickets to spare. to arch-rivals Pakistan. ending his World Cup career with a for the upcoming tournament by the “That innings must rank as one of Pakistan have lost all their five creditable average of 56.95. International Cricket Council. the best I have played because of the World Cup meetings against India Tendulkar often spoke of his Tendulkar appeared to reserve his immense pressure it was played and Tendulkar, who featured in all of dream of winning the World Cup for best at the World Cup for the high- under,” Tendulkar wrote in his recent them, proved a stumbling block on at India, saying he was inspired as a 10- profile matches against Pakistan, con- autobiography ‘Playing It My Way’. least four occasions. year-old by the country’s triumph in tests that were followed passionately “The ground was buzzing hours India and Pakistan face each other the 1983 editon when Kapil Dev’s by millions of fans on both sides of before the match. It was sport at its in a high-voltage clash at the men stunned favourites West Indies the border. best. This is why I played cricket, to be Adelaide Oval on February 15 to kick- at Lord’s. In his first tournament in 1992, out in the middle for my team, on the start their campaigns in the 2015 edi- He saw action from close quarters Tendulkar top-scored with an unbeat- world’s biggest cricketing stage, tion of cricket’s showpiece event. as a ball boy at Mumbai’s Wankhede en 54 in India’s 43-run win in Sydney. against India’s arch-rival.” In the 2011 Tendulkar, who retired in 2013 as stadium when India co-hosted the But Pakistan survived the morale-sap- semi-final in Mohali, Tendulkar hit a the world’s leading run-getter in both World Cup with Pakistan in 1987, two ping defeat to win the title even as streaky, but match-winning 85, after Test and one-day cricket, added years before he burst on the world India crashed out in the first round. being dropped four times by colour to the World Cup, both literally scene as a 16-year-old. Tendulkar was He made 31 in the 1996 quarter-final Pakistani fielders and let off twice by and metaphorically. the tournament’s leading scorer in Bangalore which India won by 39 the umpires’ review system. Coloured clothing was introduced when India made the semi-finals in runs and 45 in a second round match Tendulkar’s knock turned out to be to the World Cup when Tendulkar 1996 and the final in 2003 before he at Old Trafford four years later that the top score in the match which made his tournament debut in realised his dream when Mahendra helped fashion a 47-run victory. India won by 29 runs in front of a sell- Australia and New Zealand in 1992 Singh Dhoni’s side won back the title Tendulkar’s spectacular assault on out crowd that included the Prime after the first four editions were on a memorable night in Mumbai on Pakistani tearaway Shoaib Akhtar on Ministers of both nations. —AFP

Whatmore looks to lift ‘fed up’ Zimbabwe CAPE TOWN: New Zimbabwe coach Dav Whatmore says the players are fed up with failure and are looking to make a state- ment of their potential at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Zimbabwe returned deflated from a dismal tour of Bangladesh late last year that saw them lose all three test matches and whitewashed 5-0 in the one-day series. That prompted Zimbabwe Cricket to dump former coach Stephen Mongongo and bring in the vastly experienced Whatmore, who led Sri Lanka to the global title in 1996. He will have had just six weeks to work with the players when the World Cup starts, not long enough to iron out major flaws but time to improve strategy and build confidence. “I got a sense of genuineness to turn things around, espe- cially from the players,” Whatmore told ESPNcricinfo. “They seem to think enough is enough and want to do better. They PORT ELIZABETH: In this Sunday, Jan. 25, 2015, file photo, West Indies’ Jason Holder (left) celebrates a South want to move on. Africa wicket during their one day international cricket match. —AP “I am always an optimist but I am going in with my eyes wide open. They can play and they are tough enough. They’re just looking for more of what they need to perform.” West Indies need to Key to Zimbabwe’s chances will be the form of batsman Brendan Taylor, the most accomplished of their top six and the player they try to build their innings around. Captain Elton Chigumbura provides power-hitting down the order and is also find right chemistry useful with the ball. There has been a recall for spinner Prosper Utseya despite the International Cricket Council banning his off-break ball MIAMI: Winners of the first two World Cups, ODI series defeat. Former skipper Darren Sammy, who will be because of an illegal action, with the player now trying to rein- West Indies head into the 2015 tournament The World Twenty20 triumph in 2012 now expected to provide some useful support and vent himself as a medium-pacer who bowls cutters. All-rounder with little or no expectations of success as the seems like another false dawn, with the hopes advice to Holder, believes the World Cup can Hamilton Masakadza and left-handed middle-order batsman chaotic mismanagement of the game in the that success in the shortest form would transfer bring the best out of the team. Sean Williams are other players to watch, while the pace attack Caribbean continues to take its toll. Rows over to the ODI and test arena, looking little more “When it comes to the World Cup, it is a dif- will be led by Tinashe Panyangara, who is the liveliest of their player contracts led to the abandonment of than wishful thinking. The frustration for ferent atmosphere, a different venue and more quicks. the tour of India in October and the disputes Caribbean fans is that their squad is not lacking pressure. Hopefully we can do something spe- over selection continued with the decision to in talent-especially in the shorter forms of the cial. The West Indies people need us to do AWAY BLUES leave out of the World Cup squad Dwayne game-but the constant wrangles appear to something special,” he said. Zimbabwe will expect to beat United Arab Emirates in their Bravo, spokesman for the players during that undermine the progress being made in finding The bowling attack looks decent with first round pool and will likely have to overcome Ireland to dispute. young talent. Jerome Taylor, Andre Russell and Kemar Roach stand a chance of a place in the quarter-finals. Clive Lloyd, captain of the West Indies team The current squad has a nice blend of youth providing pace although the absence of spin- Victory would still be needed over at least one of South in their triumphs in 1975 and 1979, also faced and experience, some genuine pace bowling ner Sunil Narine may hurt. Africa, West Indies, Pakistan or India. Since the last World Cup in criticism for the omission of big-hitting bats- and quality spinners, aggressive strokemakers Big-hitting Jamaicans Chris Gayle and 2011 they recorded home wins against New Zealand, Pakistan man Kieron Pollard and questions over the and agile men in the field. Marlon Samuels are both capable to taking an and most recently Australia last August, but those matches were choice of 23-year-old Jason Holder as captain. The big question is whether the talent that attack apart but it is the other top order bats- played on low and slow conditions that will not be found Down Prior to heading to the World Cup, West takes the field against Ireland for the team’s men-Darren Bravo, Dwayne Smith and Lendl Under. Their only away victory against a major test-playing Indies travelled to South Africa where they Pool B opener in Nelson, New Zealand on Feb. Simmons, who will have to deliver more regu- nation since 2003 came in West Indies five years ago. —Reuters lost a three test series 2-0 and fell to a 4-1 16 will be focused, motivated and ready. larly. —Reuters SPORTS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015 Reichelt finally claims gold

BEAVER CREEK: A long and challenging road alpine ski world championship Super-G on his daughter covered her eyes before he was for Hannes Reichelt, so often the nearly man Thursday, exiting in the attacking style that helped up and skied down the hill despite an in alpine skiing, reached a perfect summit on has become his trademark. open wound. Thursday when the veteran clinched his A shaken Miller was able to ski to the bot- “Bode was skiing outstanding, he was maiden world championship gold medal. tom of the hill where he was greeted by a going for it absolutely sending it from top to The 34-year-old Austrian made a storming thundering ovation from the packed grand- bottom and putting down a run that inspired start to the men’s Super-G at Beaver Creek stand, who just might have witnessed the Americans, inspired the world,” said U.S. and did just enough on the bottom stretch of final chapter in a remarkable career. He exited team head coach Sasha Rearick. the plunging Birds of Prey course to beat his the hill and was taken to hospital with a grue- “Unfortunately in the Abyss he caught his closest challengers. some gash cutting across his right calf. arm on the gate, the force spun him around “That’s sounds really good-world champi- on,” Reichelt smiled after finishing 0.11 sec- onds ahead of unheralded Canadian Dustin Cook with Frenchman Adrien Theaux taking third. “To be at the top of the podium is a dream come true. “When I started, I said, ‘Ski aggressive and do what you can to make a good result here.’ I was pushing hard at the top ... to make the win is amazing.” SAN DIEGO: Nicholas Thompson reacts as his eagle Reichelt, who missed the 2014 Sochi chip lips out on the par-5 14th hole of the north Olympics because of back problems, won a course at Torrey Pines, during the first round of the World Cup Super-G on the same Birds of Prey Farmers Insurance Open golf tournament. —AP piste in December, but he knew he still had something to prove at the elite level of the sport. Thompson tops Though he claimed the World Cup season title in the Super-G in 2008, he had earned Torrey as wounded just one medal, a silver, from his previous five world championship appearances with some saying he lacked the ability to deliver when it Tiger quits again mattered most. LA JOLLA: Former world number one Tiger Woods withdrew “Some of the media guys said that BEAVER CREEK: Austria’s Hannes Reichelt celebrates on the podium after 11 holes of his opening round at the Farmers Insurance Reichelt at the big events, like world champi- after he won the men’s super-G competition at the alpine skiing world Open on Thursday because of a back complaint, with onships or Olympics, has some problems to championships. —AP American compatriot Nicholas Thompson leading the way at ski fast,” he grinned. “So I am really happy Torrey Pines. Woods, coming off his worst score as a profes- with this result today so that those guys are Competing in his first race of the season in an instant and he took a nasty crash. A real sional at the Phoenix Open last week, had been favouring his now quiet. after missing the start of the World Cup cam- nasty crash.” back throughout his round after being forced to sit and wait “Here it was really tough. I was one of the paign following back surgery, Miller took a Asked if he thought Miller would race out a lengthy fog delay. veterans and the pressure from outside was deep breath and pushed out of the start hut again at these championships Rearick was The 14-times major winner, who continued to struggle big but the pressure from myself was even onto a sun-kissed Birds of Prey layout to loud cautious but hopeful, “I hope so, we’re wait- with his swing and short game, was two-over-par on the bigger. That’s what makes me so happy cheers. ing for evaluation”. North course when he decided to pull out, his third withdraw- today.” With his wife Morgan and two children Long a favorite performer on the White al in his last nine tournaments. Thompson headed the field Reichelt, who made his world champi- looking on from the finish area, the 37-year- Circus, Miller has spent his career entertain- with an eight-under-par 64 on the North course, good enough onship debut in 2003 at St. Moritz, said he was old American launched into one of his patent- ing fans and bristling at authority often at for a one shot lead over Michael Thompson, who shot 65 on inspired as a child by fellow Austrian Rudolf ed charges, leading by more than half second odds with the US ski team and the the same layout. Forty two players failed to finish their round Nierlich, a three-times gold medallist at the at the second interval when disaster struck. International ski Federation. before darkness fell. worlds. As always, Miller raced on the edge He broke away from the US association Phoenix Open winner Brooks Koepka and Cameron “He was a great slalom skier and I watched searching for the most direct line possible to and started his own team travelling to races Tringale shared third at six-under on the North, while when he won a race in the world champi- the finish but clipped a gate with his left arm in a recreational vehicle that became known Columbian Jhonattan Vegas had arguably the best round of onships in Saalbach in ‘91 and it was remark- as he roared into the section of the course as the Bode-mobile and once threatened to the day as the only one of six players at five-under who played able to see him winning,” Reichelt recalled. known as the Abyss. He was twisted back- start his own race circuit. But above all Miller the South course. Woods was due on the tee after an already “For me, he was a hero and when I saw it, I wards, flying spread-eagled into the air was a ski racer, unorthodox and brilliant lengthy delay before more Thursday fog rolled over the hoped my day would also come and I would before slamming violently onto the snow his winning medals in all five alpine disciplines. coastal course, causing another suspension. also enjoy such a moment. But I had to fight skies exploded from his boots. His resume includes six Olympic medals “When we had that break. It just never loosened back up for it.” Miller tumbled down the hill before slow- (one gold), five world championship medals again. And when we went back out, it just got progressively Meanwhile, American showman Bode ly coming to a stop and managed a small (four gold), 33 World Cup wins and has tighter,” Woods told reporters. Miller, one of the greatest and most contro- wave to the crowd. While coaches rushed to twice been crowned overall World Cup “It’s frustrating that it started shutting down like that. I was versial skiers of all-time, crashed out of the Miller’s side his wife looked on in horror while champion. —Reuters ready to go. I had a good warm-up session the first time around. “Then we stood out here and I got cold, and every- thing started deactivating again. And it’s frustrating that I just can’t stay activated.” Sharapova targets Olympics FedEx Cup champion Billy Horschel, who was playing with Woods, noticed something was wrong early in the round and PARIS: Maria Sharapova leads Russia in their Fed Cup World Group 2012. Attention will also be focussed on her new team captain even started picking up tees for him. opener against Poland this weekend looking to take a step closer to Anastasia Myskina, who a decade ago threatened to pull out of the “If I didn’t see it on 10 (their first hole), I saw it on 11,” the 2016 Olympics. It will be the first meeting between the two coun- Russian team if Sharapova was selected. Horschel said. “Then I asked him when I walked off 12 tee, I tries and a rare Fed Cup appearance by 2012 Olympic silver medallist Myskina, the first Russian woman to win a Grand Slam at Roland said: ‘back hurting you again?’ He said: ‘Spasms’. It was unfor- Sharapova, who must compete in the women’s team event if she Garros in 2004, the year she spearheaded their first Fed Cup victory, tunate. wants to bid for gold in Rio next year. The Russian star, runner-up to retired as a player in 2007 and took over the Fed Cup captaincy in “He’s a fighter. He wants to get the reps in, he wants to Serena Williams at the Australian Open last Saturday, has played just 2014. Russia are favorites with world number two Sharapova joined by play well, and he kept trying to play through it, hoping that three ties for Russia since her 2008 debut and has a 3-1 singles record. 27th-ranked Sveltana Kuznetsova, a two-time Grand Slam winner, it would loosen up and I think it was getting there. “It was Champions the Czech Republic open their defence against Canada Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (34), and Vitalia Diatchenko (82). World real tough to see him walk and even make swings.” The 39- in Quebec City, as 2014 runners-up Germany host Australia in Stuttgart Group newcomers Poland will be led by former Wimbledon finalist year-old Woods now has six withdrawals in 304 PGA tourna- and France travel to play Italy, last year’s semi-finalists, in Genoa. The Agnieszka Radwanska, ranked eighth, after her run to the fourth round ment starts but all of them have come in the last five hardcourt clash on Saturday and Sunday at Krakow Arena will see 27- of the Australian Open, alongside her younger sister Urszula, ranked years.—Reuters year-old Sharapova return to Fed Cup for the first time since February 135. —AFP SPORTS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015 Juve host Milan, Napoli pile pressure on Roma

MILAN: Champions Juventus host ailing yet to throw in the towel. Cagliari, has been sidelined after making a run of results that has seen the Nerazzurri AC Milan looking to extend their seven- Napoli were the only top five team to late substitute’s appearance in Roma’s Cup drop to 13th, 24 points behind Juventus. point lead over title-chasers Roma, and the claim all three points, thanks to a 2-1 win defeat on Tuesday. Inter had only two shots on goal against Giallorossi’s woes could deepen with away to Chievo when new signing Manolo The pressure is growing on Garcia and Napoli on Wednesday and Mancini, who Gonzalo Higuain-inspired Napoli now tar- Gabbiadini hit a 62nd minute winner. the Frenchman admitted: “We need a won two trophies from four consecutive geting second place. It was a huge win for Rafael Benitez’s result at Cagliari to get luck back on our Cup finals in his previous spell in charge in Juventus spurned the chance to extend men, and its significance did not escape side.” A Roma slip-up would be welcomed 2004-2008, did not spare his misfiring play- their Serie A lead to nine points last week the attention of Roma either. Napoli, who by a Napoli side that has lost only twice in ers. “They were like chickens,” said Mancini, following an unexpected scoreless draw sit 11 points adrift of Juventus, are now 18 games ahead of hosting Udinese at the whose side have lost their past two league away to Udinese. But with Roma conceding only four behind second-placed Roma. If San Paolo, which is still ringing from the outings at home to Torino and away to a fourth draw on the trot, Massimiliano the injury-hit Giallorossi lose away to sound of Wednesday’s 1-0 Italian Cup win Sassuolo. Allegri’s league leaders look to be cruising Cagliari and Napoli beat Udinese at home, over Inter. Higuain, whose 93rd minute “I don’t even remember the last time I towards a fourth consecutive league title. the gap will be reduced to just a point. strike secured the win for the Cup holders, lost three consecutive games.” Thanks to “Winning four titles in succession is not Roma striker Gervinho, along with new is in fine scoring form having hit the net results elsewhere last week, and a 3-1 win an easy feat, especially in such a tactical signing Seydou Doumbia, is still at the five times in their past five league games. over Parma that ended a five-game win- and physical league,” striker Carlos Tevez, Africa Cup of Nations having scored once Rafael Benitez was quick to hail less streak, city rivals AC Milan moved up who celebrated his 31st birthday on in a 3-1 win over DR Congo which qualified Higauin’s performance, but despite his to ninth at 21 points adrift of Juventus Thursday, told Jtv. the Ivory Coast for Sunday’s final. ambitions in the the Cup, Europa League and 10 behind Napoli in third place. “Winning a fourth consecutive champi- Kevin Strootman (knee) is facing a and Serie A the Spanish coach remains coy. Embattled Milan unveiled several new onship would see us make even more his- lengthy spell on the sidelines and fellow “It’s a bit like asking whether you prefer players on Thursday including Mattia tory.” Nevertheless, Italy’s top flight pro- midfielders Daniele De Rossi and Juan your Mum or your Dad,” Benitez said after Destro (Roma), Gabriel Paletta (Parma) duced several shock results last weekend Iturbe are also out with injury knocks. Wednesday’s win. “All I focus on is our next and Luca Antonelli (Cagliari) - although and Roma, dumped out of the Italian Cup Even forward Victor Ibarbo, who arrived game.” Inter, meanwhile, host in-form Juve have yet to concede defeat in the after a 2-0 home defeat to Fiorentina, have on a six-month loan deal last week from Palermo on Sunday looking to end a sorry league this season. — AFP PSG face tough Ronaldo returns for test at Lyon Real in Madrid derby PARIS: Champions Paris Saint-Germain can reclaim the top spot in Ligue 1 tomorrow, but they need to beat current lead- ers Lyon away from home to do so. MADRID: World Player of the Year It’s a tough assignment for Laurent Blanc’s men, but they Cristiano Ronaldo returns for a Real were boosted by a 1-0 win over Lille in midweek that took Madrid side otherwise stricken by them into the French League Cup final. injuries and suspensions as they look to With the Cup behind them and the Champions League beat Atletico Madrid for the first time in clash against Chelsea coming up, the Ligue 1 giants need to six meetings this season today. Ronaldo focus on improving their league ranking. completed his two-game ban for kicking “It’s not a final but it could be the turning point of the sea- out at Cordoba defender Edimar as the son”, admitted Blaise Matuidi. “We’ve got a lot of avenues European champions sneaked past open to us and we want to do well in all the different compe- Sevilla to open up a four-point lead over titions.”With 15 games to go, PSG have little margin for error. Barcelona at the top of the table on The defending champions have yet to hit their stride during a Wednesday. However, victory came at a mediocre campaign but maximum points at Gerland would cost as World Cup star James Rodriguez take PSG ahead of their rivals in the table. The Ligue 1 title broke a bone in his right foot that will race has effectively become a three-way tussle between cur- keep him out for two months, whilst rent leaders Lyon on 49 points with Marseille and PSG hot on centre-back Sergio Ramos will also be their heels on 47. sidelined due to a hamstring problem in And PSG have no choice in Lyon, as Thiago Motta the coming weeks. explained. “If we lose on Sunday in Lyon, people will talk Left-back Marcelo misses out at the about a crisis at PSG. Our aim is to win and reclaim the top Calderon too after his appeal against his spot”, said the Italian midfielder. fifth yellow card of the Liga campaign The pressure is thus on Laurent Blanc and his men. was dismissed on Thursday. Bernard Lacombe, special advisor to Lyon president Jean- Real boss Carlo Ancelotti is short of Michel Aulas, knows that and cunningly added to their bur- defensive options with Pepe also out SPAIN: Real Madrid Karim Benzema (center right) duels with Sevillaís Daniel Carrico during a Spanish La Liga soccer match in this file photo. — AP den. “PSG will be champions. At one point, the Parisian play- with a rib injury, but he insisted he has ers are going to rebel. Let’s hope it’ll be as late as possible”, confidence in the inexperienced pairing good, so we have to change this bad Barcelona will be eager to capitalise Lacombe told Radio Scoop. of Raphael Varane and Nacho in central run,” added Ancelotti. “It will be a very should Real slip up when they travel to Lyon, who are surprise leaders at this point in the season, defence. “What we lose above all is difficult game, but we want to do some- face Athletic Bilbao on Sunday. The are on eight-match unbeaten run, having only dropped experience, but sometimes enthusiasm thing different. Catalans have been in scintillating form points at Monaco. But, just as they did in the Principality, is a good thing,” said Ancelotti. “The two “The motivation is so big for this since their last visit to the Basque coun- Lyon will have to do without their number one striker of them (Varane and Nacho) give me a game being a Madrid derby we don’t try ended in defeat to Real Sociedad at Alexandre Lacazette (21 league goals). lot of confidence. Ramos and Pepe are need the motivation of leaving Atletico the beginning of January, winning eight Second place Marseille could also take the reins, should 10 points behind.” games in a row and scoring 29 goals in they manage to win their first away game since October at among the best defenders in the world, Brittany outfit Rennes, who are winless in five Ligue 1 out- but I am not worried.” In contrast to the visitors, Diego the process. ings. Marcelo Bielsa squad was boosted with the arrival of Atletico have bounced back from Simeone has a fully-fit squad to choose However, they have failed to win in Lucas Ocampos from Monaco this week while their target their heartbreaking Champions League from for the first time since November any of their previous three trips to man Pierre Andre Gignac is on clinical form in front of goal final defeat at the hands of Real last sea- and defender Diego Godin insisted their Bilbao, including a 1-0 defeat on their with a league tally of 14. At the bottom of the table, Metz face son to beat them in the Spanish Super desire to beat their cross-city rivals first visit to the new San Mames last sea- a tough battle against Bastia whose confidence has been giv- Cup and Copa del Rey over two legs this hasn’t been diminished by recent suc- son. Elsewhere, Sevilla, Valencia and en a massive boost with their reaching the League Cup final. season, as well as winning 2-1 at the cess. “We want to win, we always want Villarreal continue their fight for the Losing League Cup semi-finalists Monaco face Guingamp Bernabeu in La Liga earlier in the cam- to win and even more so against Real fourth and final Champions League and will rely on their defence, which has let in just one goal in paign. Madrid,” said the Uruguayan. “It is a dif- place. Villarreal have the easiest task on their last 14 games, to overhaul Saint-Etienne in fourth spot However, defeat this weekend would ferent game and just because we have paper when they host relegation threat- while Les Verts take on Lens late yesterday. Lens, who are just see them fall 10 points behind the won the previous games doesn’t mean ened Granada today. goal difference away from the bottom spot, need points league leaders and all but end their we will win this one. “We need to pre- Sevilla make their second trip to the quickly and they know it. “We hope to get the better of Saint- defence of the title. pare well, continue with what we have capital in five days as they travel to Etienne”, said Lens manager Antoine Kombouare. —AFP “I think it is important because the been doing and that will help us get Getafe, whilst Valencia are away to last games against Atletico weren’t closer to the result we want.” Espanyol tomorrow. — AFP SPORTS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

Silverware in Rodgers’s sights ahead of landmark derby

LIVERPOOL: Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has success to the club by winning trophies. “Whatever point I involved in as a manager and a player,” said Rodgers. outlined his determination to bring trophies to Anfield as leave here, whenever that time comes, hopefully I will “Whether it’s at Anfield or at Goodison they are tough he prepares to celebrate his 100th Premier League game have left something people can be proud of. But this first games. But we are playing well and arriving into the in charge of the club with a Merseyside derby away to city two-and-a-half years have been a wonderful experience,” game creating opportunities that we weren’t at the rivals Everton today. Rodgers went close to ending the Northern Irishman added. “I think from when I came beginning of the season. Liverpool’s 24-year-wait to become English champions for in to now, the club has moved forward in the identity of “As a team we are operating at a really good level, so a 19th time when they finished second in the Premier the football and now over the next couple of years we whether it’s home or away there’s a real confidence that League to Manchester City last season. have to go and rubber stamp that by getting some silver- we can go and win a game and that maybe wasn’t the The title looks to be beyond Liverpool this term as ware.” Rodgers could barely have asked for a higher pro- case at the beginning of the season when we were still they are currently seventh in the table, 15 points behind file game to mark his latest managerial landmark and trying to find our way and solutions to win. leaders Chelsea. But they are in the last 16 of the FA Cup takes Liverpool across Stanley Park to Goodison Park “But certainly now we are in a real good moment.” The and in the knockout stages of the Europa League. defending an unbeaten personal record in the same couldn’t be said of Everton, who are 12th in the Now the 42-year-old Rodgers wants some silverware Merseyside derby. Liverpool were denied victory in table. However, they stopped their slide towards the rele- to reflect the progress he believes Liverpool have made August by Everton defender Phil Jagielka’s last-minute gation places with a first win in seven league games at since he replaced the iconic figure of Kenny Dalglish as goal in a 1-1 draw. Crystal Palace last weekend. manager in June 2012. But Liverpool are unbeaten in the fixture in nine Now manager Roberto Martinez is looking to build on “To follow in the steps of so many incredible managers games stretching back to October, 2010 and approach that to end Everton’s barren run in one of English foot- who have been here before me is a huge privilege,” said today’s latest instalment having just one of their last 13 ball’s oldest rivalries on a day when Everton will unveil a Rodgers. matches against all opponents. plaque in memory of the 96 Liverpool supporters who “I have loved my life here and I only hope I can bring “They (derby matches) are incredible games to be lost their lives in the 1989 Hillsborough disaster.—AFP Kompany relaxed over Chelsea lead

MANCHESTER: Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany believes the champions’ recent experience can help them claw back Chelsea’s lead at the top of the Premier League table. Second-placed City will kick-off their match against Hull at the Etihad Stadium today five points behind Chelsea, who are in action at the same time away to Aston Villa. Manuel Pellegrini’s men were a point behind Liverpool with two matches left last season but still won the title. And City were eight points behind Manchester United with six matches remaining before lifting the Premier League trophy on the final day of the 2011/12 season under former manager Roberto Mancini. “This is just such a usual situation for us,” said Belgium central defender Kompany, who was a key figure in both title triumphs. “Five points behind in January or February-big deal.”We feel very comfortable being in that position. We have been in it many times before.” Kompany added: “We don’t get over excited, we don’t get over confident or too desperate. “I can’t remember ever lead- BERLIN: Newly appointed interim coach of Germany’s soccer First Division Hertha BSC Berlin, Pal Dardai (second from right) ing. I would love to be 20 points clear but it is what it is.” With leads the team during a training session. — AP United’s dominance fading in the past two seasons, Chelsea have emerged as City’s main title rivals. United have struggled since the departure of manager Alex Guardiola shows strain as Ferguson in 2013 and neither of his successors, David Moyes and Louis van Gaal, have been able to keep the Red Devils in contention for the title.“Manchester United, under Sir Alex Bayern head to Stuttgart Ferguson, were always a force to be reckoned with,” Kompany said. “Winning the title when Ferguson was still in charge was BERLIN: Pep Guardiola is showing signs of feeling the pressure as Shakhtar Donetsk in the Ukrainian city of Lviv in the Champions a big thing because United were still a dominant force. Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich hunt their first win of the year at League last 16, first-leg clash. “But I think Chelsea now, they look solid, look like they strugglers VfB Stuttgart today. Bayern have failed to impress so far in Second-placed VfL Wolfsburg are set to give Andre Schuerrle his know what they are doing, they have a lot of experience and 2015 in their two matches since returning from the Bundesliga’s win- debut at home to Hoffenheim after signing the Germany winger from lot of great players but we have that too.” City, who have ter break with an 11-point lead. Chelsea on Monday to end his 19-month sojourn in London. Wolves accommodated new striker Wilfried Bony-signed for a report- Their shock 4-1 thrashing at second-placed Wolfsburg last Friday needed a late Kevin de Bruyne goal to scrape a point in their 1-1 draw ed fee of up to £28 million ($42 million, 36 million euros) from was followed by a 1-1 draw at home to Schalke on Tuesday after play- at Eintracht Frankfurt on Tuesday after their shock win over Bayern. Premier League rivals Swansea by omitting Stefan Jovetic- ing for 70 minutes with ten men. The usually calm and composed China’s Zhang Xizhe is waiting for his debut. Hertha Berlin are at have failed to win their last four matches in all competitions. Bayern coach sprinted 45 metres to remonstrate with the assistant Mainz 05 on Saturday with the capital city club second from bottom However, they could be boosted by the return to fitness of referee after a Robert Lewandowski goal was disallowed in the 66th and with former player Pal Dardai and ex-assistant coach Rainer winger Samir Nasri. The France star was back in training this minute against Schalke. “It was an emotional thing to do. I just spoke Widmayer now in charge. week after recovering from a groin strain that has kept him to him. It was very, very nice,” said Guardiola tongue-in-cheek after On Thursday, ex-coach Jos Luhukay became the fifth Bundesliga out of action since January 10. Hull have lost their last four the heated confrontation. But despite his brush-off remark, Guardiola coach to be sacked this season after Wednesday’s 1-0 loss at home to matches in all competitions and are third-bottom in the needs an impressive display from Bayern to sooth any jarred nerves Bayer Leverkusen meant three defeats in three games. Premier League, with defender Andrew Robertson suggesting after the Wolfsburg defeat. The Berlin club are battling to avoid their third relegation since any points they acquired at the Etihad would be a bonus in Having steamrollered their domestic rivals before Christmas, 2010. Mainz will have striker Shinji Okazaki back in the side for the first their battle against relegation. Bayern were rattled in Wolfsburg and allowed Schalke to equalise, time since his return from the Asian Cup where Japan reached the “We have Man City away and it doesn’t get much harder albeit with a numerical disadvantage following Jerome Boateng’s dis- quarter-finals. Ahead of their trip to face Freiburg, Borussia than that but it is our home form that has not been good missal. The Germany defender is banned for the next three games Dortmund’s coach Jurgen Klopp has insisted he will not resign with enough and we have to pick that up in the run-in if we want and misses the Stuttgart trip, plus home matches against Hamburg his side bottom of the table as they bid to avoid a first relegation since to stay in this league,” Robertson said. and away to PaderbornStuttgart present the ideal chance to get back 1976. Dortmund will be without Kevin Grosskreutz at Freiburg and “We have all got to still believe that the squad is strong on track as Huub Stevens side are third from bottom after winning the Germany midfielder misses the next six weeks with a torn thigh enough and that is what the boys are doing.” Hull will be just one of their nine home games this season. muscle. He joins Ilkay Gundogan, Erik Durm and Lukasz Piszczek on without long-term injury absentees, Robert Snodgrass, James Arjen Robben headed Bayern into the lead at the Allianz Arena Borussia’s injury list. Roberto di Matteo’s Schalke 04, who are sixth, Chester, Liam Rosenior and Mohamed Diame, while new sign- before Schalke equalised and the Dutch star says they can ill afford have the chance to climb further up the table when they host third- ing Dame N’Doye is not expected to be available. N’Doye similar performances as they bid for silverware. “Of course, we played placed Borussia Moenchengladbach. joined Hull for £3 million ($4.6 million, 4 million euros) from with ten men for most of the match, but when you let them equalise, “They are a direct competitor for a Champions League place and if Lokomotiv Moscow on Monday but is still awaiting documen- conceding a goal like that can be deadly in the Champions League,” we play as well as we did at Bayern, we will make Friday count,” said tation allowing him to play. — AFP said the 31-year-old. Bayern have two league games before they face Schalke captain Benedikt Hoewedes. — AFP SPORTS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015 Arsenal in search of derby delight Matches on TV (Local Timings) LONDON: Per Mertesacker remains confident Arsenal can overcome “We did very well last season, as we scored very early and then north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur this weekend although Alexis defended well until the end, so it’s going to be the target for this Sanchez will be absent from the Gunners’ line-up. year.” Arsenal have reacted well to the New Year’s Day defeat by Sanchez has been ruled out of Saturday’s trip to White Hart Lane Southampton and their sequence of victories have moved the English Premier League after failing to recover from the hamstring that kept him out of Emirates Stadium club back to the brink of the top four and in the fifth Arsenal’s comfortable 5-0 victory over Aston Villa last weekend. round of the FA Cup. Only goal difference is keeping Arsenal out of Tottenham v Arsenal 15:45 The loss of the Chile forward is a blow to Arsene Wenger’s side as the Champions League places at present, with Tottenham one place beIN SPORTS 1 HD they attempt to repeat their success in last season’s corresponding fix- and two points behind. beIN SPORTS 11 HD ture in March. While Arsenal make the short journey to the home of The loss of Sanchez will be partly eased by the return of Danny their nearest neighbours and fiercest rivals full of confidence after an Welbeck to the squad for the first time since the former Leicester v Crystal Palace 18:00 impressive recent run, Spurs are also heading into the game in good Manchester United forward featured in the victory over West Ham beIN SPORTS 7 HD form. Gunners centre-back Mertesacker knows Mauricio Pochettino’s in late December. Arsenal manager Wenger said: “The latest is that Man City v Hull City 18:00 men will present a testing challenge as Wenger’s side attempt to Alexis is not ready. He is not far away, the Leicester game is a pos- beIN SPORTS 11 HD extend their run of five straight victories. sibility. He is of course very difficult to keep quiet! He is training QPR v Southampton 18:00 But the Germany international believes the key will be whether but it’s light training. “Welbeck is back in the group,” the beIN SPORTS 8 HD Arsenal can maintain their defensive solidity that has produced four Frenchman added. “Apart from that we have the same squad clean-sheets in their last five games and left them level on points with available as last week.” Aston Villa v Chelsea 18:00 fourth-placed Southampton heading into this weekend’s round of Tottenham’s build-up to the match has been overshadowed by a beIN SPORTS 1 HD Premier League fixtures. “We know from recent years that defensive row over the future of striker Emmanuel Adebayor. The Togo forward Swansea v Sunderland 18:00 unity is vital especially against our north London rivals, so we have to was keen to leave White Hart Lane and join West Ham United but beIN SPORTS 9 HD be really cautious on the defensive front,” Mertesacker said. Spurs chairman Daniel Levy refused to sanction the move.—AFP Everton v Liverpool 20:30 beIN SPORTS 1 HD beIN SPORTS 11 HD

Spanish League Atletico v Real Madrid 18:00 beIN SPORTS 2 HD beIN SPORTS 14 HD Villarreal v Granada 20:00 beIN SPORTS 8 HD beIN SPORTS 14 HD beIN SPORTS 2 HD Levante v Malaga 22:00 beIN SPORTS 2 HD beIN SPORTS 14 HD beIN SPORTS 2 HD

Sunday Real Sociedad v Celta 0:00 beIN SPORTS 2 HD beIN SPORTS 14 HD LONDON: Chelsea’s French striker Loic Remy (right) celebrates scoring a goal with Chelsea’s French defender Kurt Zouma (left) beIN SPORTS 2 HD in this file photo. — AFP

Italian League Verona v Torino 20:00 Willian lifts lid on beIN SPORTS 3 HD Juventus v AC Milan 22:45 beIN SPORTS 3 HD Mourinho tactics beIN SPORTS 12 HD BIRMINGHAM: Willian has confirmed what many have long suspect- joined in a transfer deadline day switch from Fiorentina for a report- German Bundesliga ed in revealing that Jose Mourinho’s complaints about the treatment ed initial fee of £23.3 million ($34.9 million, 30.8 million euros) after Freiburg v Borussia 17:30 of Chelsea are a way to motivate his squad. Andre Schurrle left for Wolfsburg. beIN Sports Max 4 Chelsea manager Mourinho is set to break his self-imposed ban Willian accepted his own place would be threatened by Colombia Stuttgart v Bayern Munich 17:30 on speaking to the media ahead of today’s visit to Aston Villa when winger Cuadrado but insisted he was ready for the challenge. “It is the Blues will attempt to consolidate their five-point advantage at true that with the arrival of Cuadrado, the competition in the squad beIN SPORTS 4 HD the head of the Premier League table. Last weekend the Portuguese is stronger,” said Willian. “But I will always fight for my place. I will Hamburger v Hannover 20:30 maintained his silence either side of the meeting with title rivals never feel comfortable otherwise someone will come and take my beIN SPORTS 4 HD Manchester City. His stance was triggered by the Football place. “He (Cuadrado) is a good player. He did his first training ses- Association’s decision to retrospectively impose a three-match ban sion with us and fitted in well. We hope he can be happy with us here French League on Diego Costa for the forward’s stamp on Liverpool’s Emre Can that at Chelsea.” Meanwhile Villa manager Paul Lambert said Christian Stade Rennes v Marseille 18:00 went unnoticed by match referee Michael Oliver during Chelsea’s Benteke’s dip in form had come at just the wrong time for his goal- League Cup semi-final victory. shy side. The Birmingham club are the lowest scorers in all four beIN SPORTS 5 HD Mourinho has repeatedly complained of a campaign against English professional divisions with just 11 league goals this term and Bastia v FC Metz 22:00 Chelsea this season, with his grievances stretching back to the open- were thrashed 5-0 by Arsenal last weekend. beIN Sports Max 8 ing game of the season when Costa was booked for diving at Belgium striker Benteke has failed to score in his last six Premier Caen v Toulouse 22:00 Burnley. But midfielder Willian believes the manager’s stance is dou- League outings and has managed just two top-flight goals since beIN Sports Max 5 ble-edged, and is partly directed at his players. recovering from an Achilles injury in October. Montpellier v Lille 22:00 “Jose Mourinho talks with us a lot. I think he says these things, That setback saw him miss last year’s World Cup in Brazil and also that there is an agenda against Chelsea, to protect us as a group,” the potentially cost him a lucrative move to a bigger club. beIN SPORTS 5 HD Brazil international said. “If I had Christian Benteke right on his game, performing when beIN Sports Max 4 “He says it to motivate us and to show he is with us all the time. back from injury, I’m pretty sure I’d have a long list of clubs knocking Reims v Lorient 22:00 Sometimes he says things to the media to make us stronger. “As we down the door for him,” Lambert said. “He’s had a dip in form, he’s beIN SPORTS 10 HD are top of the league, everyone wants to steal our position. That’s human like everyone else. We can’t rest everything on his shoulders. beIN Sports Max 7 why he wants us to be aware of it and maintain our focus for the rest “We’re working hard to get him back to what we know he can do. Gaillard v Bordeaux 22:00 of the season,” Willian added. Chelsea secured a 1-1 draw with “You don’t have the talent he’s got and fall that far. Everyone has dips Manchester City despite the absence of leading scorer Costa and in form, it’s more noticeable in him,” the Scot added. Villa central beIN SPORTS 8 HD Cesc Fabregas, who is sidelined with a hamstring problem. defenders Ron Vlaar and Philippe Senderos are set to miss today’s beIN Sports Max 6 The two players will again be missing at Villa Park but Chelsea’s match through injury but Scott Sinclair could make a first start since squad will be strengthened by the arrival of Juan Cuadrado, who arriving on loan from Manchester City. — AFP Willian lifts lid on Mourinho tactics 47 SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015 FEBRUARY SATURDAY, SportsSports

CLEVELAND: Cavaliers’ LeBron James (right) dunks the ball in front of Los Angeles Clippers’ Blake Griffin (32) in the first half of an NBA basketball game. —AP Cavaliers advance, Hornets sting Wizards

CLEVELAND: LeBron James scored 23 points, Kevin spark late in the third quarter after Charlotte fell Love had 24 and the Cleveland Cavaliers pushed their behind by 11. Lance Stephenson, Michael Kidd- NBA results/standings winning streak to 12 games Thursday night with an Gilchrist and Jason Maxiell added 11 points apiece for easy 105-94 win over the Los Angeles Clippers, who the Hornets (22-27). Charlotte 94, Washington 87; Cleveland 105, LA Clippers 94; Dallas 101, Sacramento 78; also lost their composure. Paul Pierce scored 19 for the Wizards. John Wall Portland 108, Phoenix 87. The Cavs built a 32-point lead in the third quarter, had 15 points and 13 assists. Charlotte picked up its Eastern Conference Western Conference allowing James and Love to sit out the fourth and rest. defense in the fourth quarter, holding the Wizards to Atlantic Division Northwest Division With their longest winning streak since a franchise- 5-of-19 shooting. W L PCT GB best 13-gamer in 2010, the Cavs moved into first place Wizards guard Bradley Beal left in the first half with Portland 34 16 .680 - Toronto 33 17 .660 - in the Central Division. Cleveland was seven games an injury to his right big toe and did not return. He Oklahoma City 25 24 .510 8.5 behind Chicago when the streak began with a victory had one point in 11 minutes. Brooklyn 20 28 .417 12 Denver 19 31 .380 15 over the Lakers on Jan. 15. Boston 18 30 .375 14 Utah 17 32 .347 16.5 The Clippers were whistled for five technical fouls, MAVERICKS 101, KINGS 78 Philadelphia 11 39 .220 22 Minnesota 9 40 .184 24.5 NY Knicks 10 39 .204 22.5 including four in a contentious third quarter when Monta Ellis had 21 points and six assists to lead Pacific Division Central Division they lost their California cool and forward Matt Barnes Dallas, minus Dirk Nowitzki and Rajon Rondo, over Golden State 39 8 .830 - was ejected. Blake Griffin scored 16 points for Los struggling Sacramento. The Mavericks broke open a Cleveland 31 20 .608 - LA Clippers 33 17 .660 7.5 Angeles, whose subs made the score respectable in tie game in the second quarter when they made nine Chicago 30 20 .600 0.5 Phoenix 28 23 .549 13 the fourth. straight shots, including four 3-pointers, in a 31/2- Milwaukee 27 22 .551 3 Sacramento 17 31 .354 22.5 minute span as they outscored the Kings 22-6. Dallas Detroit 19 31 .380 11.5 HORNETS 94, WIZARDS 87 had a 37-20 edge in the second to take a 60-43 half- Indiana 18 32 .360 12.5 LA Lakers 13 36 .265 27 Gerald Henderson scored 27 points and Charlotte time lead. Southeast Division Southwest Division defeated Washington for the second time this week. Tyson Chandler had 16 points and 16 rebounds for Atlanta 41 9 .820 - Memphis 37 12 .755 - Henderson was 10 of 15 from the field as the Hornets the Mavericks. Devin Harris and JJ Barea each scored Houston 34 15 .694 3 beat the Wizards for the fifth straight time. Charlotte 15 points, and Richard Jefferson added 14. Dallas Washington 31 20 .608 10.5 Dallas 34 18 .654 4.5 won at Washington on Monday night, 92-88. coach Rick Carlisle chose to rest Nowitzki on the sec- Charlotte 22 27 .449 18.5 The Wizards have dropped five in a row overall. ond night of a back-to-back. Rondo (broken orbital Miami 21 28 .429 19.5 San Antonio 31 18 .633 6 Brian Roberts had 12 points and provided a huge bone) missed his third straight game. — AP Orlando 15 37 .288 27 New Orleans 26 23 .531 11