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THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015 RABI ALTHANI 2, 1436 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Khorafi warns Obama: Shadow Saudi single Sharapova, public funds of crisis has women defy Nadal survive ‘red line’, must passed, time to tradition in big scares in be protected3 turn the7 page love,40 marriage Melbourne20 Government pushes mega Min 03º Max 21º projects despite oil slide High Tide 00:03 & 13:53 Oman blasts market share war • Deficit not stopping development Low Tide 07:31 & 19:25 40 PAGES NO: 16410 150 FILS KUWAIT: Kuwait plans a mega spending spree just as international oil prices have collapsed. The government Court keeps intends to spend about $100 billion in the next five years to modernize oil infrastructure, Kuwait’s oil minister said yesterday. At the same time, the Municipal Council yes- Watan shut terday approved the first phase of a $7 billion Kuwait section of a pan-GCC railway system. This despite Brent By B Izzak crude, the global oil benchmark, selling for $48.84 a bar- rel yesterday and Finance Ministry predictions that the KUWAIT: The administrative court yesterday post- country will hit a budget deficit by 2017. poned until Jan 28 the next hearing on Al-Watan “We already have started the implementation of the newspaper’s closure case, but rejected an appeal to 2030 strategy, and overall spending over the next five reopen the daily. The delay was granted to allow the years is estimated to be at $100 billion,” Ali Al-Omair told government’s defense to complete documents per- an oil conference in Kuwait City. The funds “will be spent taining to the case, which has been condemned by on various projects related to production, refining, many circles. The court’s decision means that Al- petrochemicals, as well as transportation,” Omair said. Watan will remain shut until next week, when the Kuwait plans to increase its crude production capacity to judge can either reopen it or keep it shut until the 4.0 million barrels per day by 2020 and maintain it until next hearing. 2030 from the current level of about 3.2 million bpd. The commerce and industry ministry on Monday The investment plans come as oil prices have shed decided to withdraw the commercial license of Al- about 60 percent of their value since June. Income from Watan because of financial difficulties. The ministry the sector accounts for around 94 percent of Kuwait’s said it was applying the law which stipulates the public revenues. The government earlier this month pro- withdrawal of the commercial license when a com- posed investment spending of $155 billion during the pany’s losses exceed 75 percent of its capital. Al- next five-year development plan starting in April. Nizar Watan, which stopped publication in the past two Al-Adasani, the chief executive of national oil conglom- days, immediately challenged the decision before erate Kuwait Petroleum Corp, told the conference the the administrative court. state plans to raise its production capacity to 3.5 million The daily’s defense lawyer Rashed Al-Radaan bpd by the end of 2015. “We are focusing on the demanded in his arguments that the court cancel upstream where the challenges are so great. It is our the government’s decision and allow the daily to republish until it makes a final ruling on the case. KUWAIT: Oil Minister and Minister of State for National Assembly Affairs Ali Al-Omair speaks during the strategy to invest to maintain excess capacity,” said Continued on Page 13 opening of a forum to discuss emerging trends in hydrocarbon production and use in the region yester- Adasani. day. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat Continued on Page 13 LOCAL THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah receives His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah with spe- during his meeting with Iraqi Oil Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi. Malta’s Minister of Foreign Affairs George Vella. — KUNA photos cial envoy of the Libyan Parliament Speaker Khaled Amro Al-Tabib. Amir receives Iraqi Oil Minister, Malta FM

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Abdel Mahdi. HH the Amir also received First Deputy Minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh of the Libyan Parliament Speaker Khaled Amro both countries, including Quwaider’s congratu- Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received at Bayan Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Ali Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah and Foreign Ministry Al-Tabib. The Libyan official handed HH the lations to His Highness the Amir for being Palace yesterday Minister of Oil and State Affairs Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamd Al- Undersecretary Khaled Al-Jarallah. Amir a letter from Parliament Speaker Aqila granted the humanitarian leader title by the Minister for National Assembly Affairs Dr Ali Al- Sabah and Malta’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Meanwhile, HH Sheikh Sabah received Saleh Issa Quwaider. UN and Kuwait as a center for humanitarian Omair accompanied by Iraqi Oil Minister Adel George Vella. The meetings were attended by Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled and the special envoy The letter tackled bilateral ties between work. — KUNA GCC condemns events in Yemen

RIYADH: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) their supporters, and the ensued undermin- states, and that the country’s stability and Ministerial Council yesterday urged Yemen’s ing of the political process in Yemen (based unity is a top priority for the GCC. The GCC Houthis to give back to state the official insti- on the GCC Initiative and its executive mech- member states also underlined the fact that tutions they had captured, leave the presi- anism), failing the output of the comprehen- they will take the necessary measures to pro- dential palace and set free the Yemeni sive national dialogue and hindering the tect their security, stability and their vital President. peaceful transition, which all run against the interests in Yemen. The bloc’s Foreign Ministers meeting in higher interests of Yemen and its people.” The Ministerial Council emphasized sup- Riyadh yesterday stressed in a final statement port to the constitutional legitimacy in support to the Yemeni people and con- Coup against legitimacy Yemen, represented by President Abd demned “terrorist attacks, the last of which The GCC considered the Tuesday events in Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, and utter rejection of was trespassing constitutional legitimacy; Sanaa “a coup against legitimacy” urging the measures taken to impose a status quo by besieging, and then breaking into the presi- Houthis to withdraw from the presidential force, and the attempts to change the com- dential palace and kidnapping Chief of the palace, and the President’s and the Premier’s ponents and the nature of the Yemeni socie- Presidential Staff and the Secretary General houses, removing the checkpoints on roads ty. It also urged the Houthis to halt their use of the National Dialogue Conference Ahmad leading to them, in addition to releasing the of force and withdraw from all the regions Awad Bin Mubarak.” Presidential Chief of Staff, and nationalizing they had captured, hand over the arms they They also condemned the assassination the security conditions in the capital. had seized from the military and security attempt that targeted Prime Minister Eng. In case the Houthis respond positively to institutions and to get involved in the politi- Khaled Mahfouz Bahah, and Houthis’ use of these demands, a GCC Secretary General’s cal process. RIYADH: Kuwait’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al- violence against the state and its institutions, envoy will be dispatched to meet with all the Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah at yesterday’s meeting. — KUNA terrifying people, expanding in other Yemeni Yemeni political power to discuss implemen- Higher interest the necessity of the UNSC enforcing all its Foreign Ministers council is considered in a regions, which all pose a threat to the coun- tation of the rest of the Initiative, its execu- The GCC urged all the Yemeni political resolutions on Yemen, noting that “what is continuous session to follow up develop- try’s security, stability and unity. tive mechanism and the output of the nation- powers and parties to hold the country’s taking place in Yemen at present constitutes ments. Kuwait’s First Deputy Prime Minister According to the statement, the al dialogue, the Ministers said in the state- higher interest above all, so that the country a threat to the international safety and secu- and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Ministerial Council had followed with deep ment. The bloc stressed that Yemen’s security might not slide into more chaos. rity in the region and the world at large.” Al-Hamad Al-Sabah attended the extraordi- concern the “terrorist acts by the Houthis and is part of the security of the GCC member Meanwhile, the statement underscored The statement pointed out that the GCC nary GCC meeting. — KUNA

KUWAIT: Minister of Public Works, Electricity, and Water Abdul-Aziz Al-Ibrahim, ministry officials, engineers and workers in a group photo. — KUNA photos Power grid gains 1,000 MW before summer: Minister

KUWAIT: The nation’s power grid stands to gain about 1,000 megawatts before the onset of the hot summer season, due to expansions in major power plants, said the Minister of Public Works, Electricity, and Water Abdul-Aziz Al-Ibrahim yesterday. After having toured the southern Al-Zour power plant, the minister indi- cated in a press statement that expan- sion plans at the plant would add no less than 500 megawatts to the national grid. The same is true of the Al-Sabbiya power plant whose expan- sion will also provide 500 more megawatts before the arrival of the hot summer season, said the minister. Current expansion at the northern Al-Zour power plant, almost 70 per- cent completed, will provide a capaci- ty of 230 megawatts to the national grid and the estimation is that the Minister Abdul-Aziz Al-Ibrahim speaks to reporters. plant will be operational next July, Solar energy some government buildings, the min- said the minister. Regarding the use of solar energy istry he works for is studying the feasi- He noted that just because there to produce electric power, the min- bility of installing solar panels on its will be much power to spare, it should istry of Electricity and Water’s under- water reservoirs in twenty locations be no reason for consumers to abuse secretary Iyad Al-Falah said in a similar around the country. It is estimated that privilege, stressing that all should press statement that since the success that these panels will produce about conserve electric power for the bene- of the experiment as of last May with 300 megawatts of electric power, he fit of the general good. setting up solar panels on the roofs of said. — KUNA THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015 LOCAL

KUWAIT: Rami Tahboub, Palestinian Ambassador to Kuwait (left), and Kuwait Times Editor-in-Chief Abd Al-Rahman Al-Alyan (center) in a group photo with Palestinian Ambassador Former speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi (center) in a Abdulhameed Al-Failakawi, Director of the Foreign Ministry’s Arab Rami Tahboub, editors-in-chief of local newspapers and other guests. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat group with Palestinian Ambassador Rami World Department, cut the ceremony’s cake. Tahboub and the ambassador’s wife. Public funds ‘red line,’ must be protected: Khorafi Former speaker talks newspaper closure, oil prices at Palestinian event

By Faten Omar and KUNA are a state of institutions and no one can oppose pendent state with its capital in Jerusalem,” said Organization) kilometers away from where we are this. We hope that everything is according to legal Palestinian Ambassador to Kuwait Rami Tahboub. standing now, and Kuwait continued its support KUWAIT: Former National Assembly speaker and constitutional procedures.” On the decline in oil “Kuwait was the only Arab country that allowed and and has always been backing the decisions of the Jassem Al-Khorafi vowed to support His Highness prices, Khorafi said: “I always said the price of oil supported Palestinian national work, and opened Palestinian brothers and their political system,” told the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah “in changes - once it was $7 - and prices may fluctuate, its doors to start this revolution, led by martyr reporters during the reception. First Deputy Prime everything he does for all of us, and we will all work but we should take action. Perhaps this fall is a President Yasser Arafat, President Mahmoud Abbas, Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled for the stability of Kuwait and maintain its unity, wakeup call for us and helps us rationalize our martyr Khalil Al-Wazir, martyr Salah Khalaf, the late Al-Hamad Al-Sabah’s September 14, 2014 visit to and stay away from anything to do with dissension budget.” Khalid Al-Hassan and Salim Zanoun and his broth- Ramallah and performing prayers at Al-Aqsa and gossip”. He was speaking during celebrations ers in the leadership of the revolution and Fatah,” he Mosque was a new leap in Kuwait-Palestine rela- Tuesday by the Palestinian Embassy to mark the Palestinian cause added. tions, he said. Visits like the one paid by Sheikh 50th anniversary of the start of the Palestinian revo- He added that the issue of Palestine is not of Sabah Al-Khaled, said Al-Failakawi, would support lution at Regency Hotel. Khorafi stressed that public Palestinians alone, but also a cause of all Arabs and Kuwait’s support steadfastness of Palestinians. He said the Arab for- funds are ‘a red line,’ especially since Kuwait ranked Muslims, and called for stability and reconciliation. Meanwhile, Ambassador Abdulhameed Al- eign ministers had, during a January 15 meeting in 65th in an anti-corruption index. “Public money is a He urged Palestinians to find a common ground Failakawi Director of the Foreign Ministry’s Arab Cairo, formed a committee chaired by Kuwait. red line - it is not ours, and we and His Highness that does not leave room for Israel to oppress them, World Department, said that Kuwait hosted and This committee, he explained, would contact want to preserve the money not for our generation stressing Kuwait’s commitment to the Palestinian supported the Palestinian revolution since its incep- countries and international organizations to rally but for the future generations,” he said, calling for cause. “Kuwait was the beginning of the start of the tion on January 1 1965, and continues to do so at support for a new Arab draft resolution to the UN measures against public fund violators. great Palestinian revolution. This country and the present. Security Council, which would end the Israeli occu- Kuwait Times Editor-in-Chief Abd Al- On the closure of Al-Watan newspaper and Sabah family believed in the Palestinian people’s “The Palestinian revolution was launched by its pation and establish the independent Palestinian Rahman Al-Alyan with Vatican Ambassador restrictions on freedom of expression, he said: “We right to liberate their homeland and build an inde- historic leaders and main body (Palestine Liberation state with Jerusalem as its capital. to Kuwait Archbishop Petar Rajic.

‘largest crackdown’ on illegals plannned

KUWAIT: Interior Ministry Assistant Undersecretary for National and Passport Affairs Maj Gen Sheikh Mazen Al- Jarrah said a plan will be launched soon to arrest more than 100,000 residency violators who have been in hid- ing for a long time. This will be the largest operation in the history of Kuwait. He said most sectors of the min- istry will participate in the campaign that will be launched soon in several areas where violators are thought to be. He said the violators represent several nationalities headed by Indians at 25,000, followed by Bangladeshis at 20,000, Sri Lankans at 15,000, Egyptians 7,000, Filipinos 6,700, Syrians 5,250, Pakistanis 2,500, Iranians 750 and 1,300 Iraqi violators. Sheikh Mazen said whoev- er harbors a residence violator will face legal action, and asked violators to hand themselves over and adjust their status. Sheikh Mazen said a delegation from the Indian for- eign ministry will arrive in the country to discuss the KD 750 fee to bring Indian domestic helpers, which was imposed by the Indian embassy unilaterally without referring to concerned authorities in the country, and was rejected. He said that there are intense contacts with the Ethiopian foreign minister to reopen bringing in domestic helpers, after the Ethiopian government’s decision to stop sending them to Kuwait. — Al-Qabas

Burgan Bank 6th monthly SMS winner

KUWAIT: Burgan Bank announced yesterday the winner of its monthly SMS Draw Ambreen Malik Zafar Malik who won the new iPhone 6 for subscribing to the bank’s SMS service. The selection of the prize came to offer customers the latest smartphone device available in the country as a symbol of gratitude for their trust in the bank’s servic- es. Burgan Bank’s customer-centric strategy was designed to provide customers with far beyond than financial solutions and services, thus, the bank continu- ously works towards accommodating customers’ needs in all possible ways. The Bank urges customers who are interested to take part in the monthly draw, to subscribe to the bank’s SMS service for KD 10 per year, and enjoy multiple chances of winning the latest iPhone 6 device. Burgan Bank’s SMS service is the quickest way for customers to stay ahead and be informed about their latest transactions. With Burgan Bank’s SMS service, cus- tomers can choose between signing up for one or more automatic alerts or for pulling the information they need to their mobile devices in Arabic or English lan- guages. For detailed information and subscription, cus- tomers are advised to call Burgan Bank’s call center on 1804080 or visit the nearest Burgan Bank branch to fill in an application with the required details. Customers can also log on to Burgan Bank’s www.burgan.com for further information. THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014 LOCAL Living with cheaper oil amid weaker demand International Monetary Fund’s Regional Economic Outlook Update Middle East and Central Asia Department

large and possibly persistent decline in oil and some emerging economies, particularly cant buffers in the form of foreign assets that prices, and slower-than-projected growth China and Russia, have been revised down. will allow them to avoid steep spending cuts Ain the euro area, China, Japan, and Russia, Russia’s economy is now expected to shrink by 3 and limit the drag on growth. For countries in have substantially altered the economic context percent in 2015, with growth revisions amount- the CCA, the impact of lower oil prices is com- for countries in the Middle East and Central Asia. ing to 31/2 pp, because of lower oil prices and pounded by the deepening recession in Russia, The appropriate policy response will depend on increased geopolitical tensions. to which they are closely linked through trade, whether a country is an oil exporter or importer. Forecasts for the euro area have been revised remittances, and foreign direct investment (FDI), A common theme, however, is that these devel- downward by 0.2 pp to 1.2 percent, and for and by slowing growth in China, another impor- opments present both an opportunity and an China by 0.3 pp to 6.8 percent. These revisions tant trading partner. But the consequences for impetus to reform energy subsidies and step up are owing to both cyclical factors and slower economic growth in these countries will likely structural reform efforts to support jobs and potential growth. be mitigated by countercyclical expenditure growth. The CCA countries will be affected by Russia’s policy. Lower oil prices have weakened the external deepening recession through multiple channels, Across both regions, with buffers eroding at and fiscal balances of oil exporters, including especially trade, remittances, foreign direct varying speeds, most countries will need to re- members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). investment (FDI), and risk premiums. A tempo- assess medium-term spending plans and, if low- Large buffers and available financing should rary fall of 1 pp in Russia’s GDP growth in a given er oil prices persist for a prolonged period, will allow most oil exporters to avoid sharp cuts in year is estimated to lower growth in the CCA oil need to adjust gradually to the new realities in government spending, limiting the impact on exporters by 0.15 pp and in the CCA oil the global oil market. Some countries that do near-term growth and financial stability. Oil importers by 0.4 pp in that year. not have significant buffers or borrowing capaci- exporters should prudently treat the oil price China’s slower-than-expected growth will ty will need to adjust more quickly, with adverse decline as largely permanent and adjust their also have negative effects on growth in the CCA. consequences for economic growth. In all oil- medium-term fiscal consolidation plans so as to Among the MENAP oil importers, Maghreb exporting countries, deepening economic prevent major erosion of their buffers and to countries will face weaker export prospects reforms aimed at diversifying economies away ensure intergenerational equity. because of slower-than-expected growth in the from oil, and encouraging growth and job cre- Gains from lower oil prices provide much- euro area, while Mashreq countries could be ation, would help mitigate any adverse effects of needed breathing space for oil importers but affected by lower remittances, FDI, and tourism fiscal consolidation on growth. gy subsidies. Reducing subsidies and other cur- production are skewed to the downside. In addi- will be offset by a concurrent decline in external from the GCC. Declines in prices of other com- rent spending would be preferable to reducing tion, countries in conflict or difficult security sit- demand, particularly from Russia, but also from modities, which some oil-importing countries in Large Losses for capital spending because the former would like- uations (Iraq, Libya, Yemen) or facing a difficult the euro area and China. the region export example, copper in Armenia, Oil-Dependent Economies ly exert a smaller drag on economic growth external environment (Iran) could also suffer Russia’s sharp slowdown and currency depre- gold in the Kyrgyz Republic, and iron in The large decline in oil prices will lead to sig- while addressing fiscal rigidities. Identifying from declining oil production and/or face down- ciation have weakened the outlook for the Mauritania), will offset gains stemming from nificant revenue losses for oil exporters in the additional sources of non-oil revenue would side risks from conflict-induced disruptions in Caucasus and Central Asia (CCA) because of lower oil import bills. MENAP and CCA regions because most of these support efforts to contain spending. non-oil economic activity. A deeper recession in strong linkages through trade, remittances, and economies are highly dependent on oil. Oil Although fiscal stimulus in response to Russia and a further depreciation of the ruble foreign direct investment, suggesting the need Higher Interest Rates, Stronger exports account, on average, for two-thirds of adverse developments may be appropriate in could have an additional negative impact on for greater exchange rate flexibility and near- Dollar, and Weaker Ruble total exports in the MENAP and CCA oil some cases, countries would be well advised to non-oil exports from CCA oil exporters. term fiscal easing where financing allows, along Global interest rate and exchange rate devel- exporters. maintain a cautious approach to fiscal policy, with stepped-up reform efforts. opments, which are largely driven by the Oil export losses in 2015 are expected to because a prolonged period of lower oil prices Need to Adjust and Diversify expected normalization of US monetary policy, reach about $300 billion or 21 pp of GDP in the would ultimately require significant adjustment over the Medium Term Recent Global and Regional Shocks also have a bearing on the regional outlook, GCC, about $90 billion or 10 pp of GDP in the in most countries. Countries with low or inacces- As the decline in oil prices could prove to be Lower Oil Prices albeit to a lesser extent than declines in com- non-GCC, and about $35 billion or 8 pp of GDP sible buffers face more immediate adjustment persistent, most oil exporters in the region may Oil prices have declined by about 55 percent modity prices and external demand. The expect- in the CCA oil exporters. The countries that will needs, and some have taken appropriate initial well need to adjust their fiscal positions to the since September 2014, and in late November ed increase in US interest rates is likely to tight- be most affected are Kuwait, Qatar, Iraq, Oman, steps in this direction. For example, Yemen, new realities of the global oil market to ensure the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting en financial conditions in the MENAP and CCA Libya, and Saudi Arabia. although lower oil prices will have a smaller rev- that they maintain fiscal sustainability. Countries (OPEC) decided not to cut production. regions, particularly in the GCC because of their As a result, current account surpluses are pro- enue impact on its economy compared to other The adjustment would need to be anchored Since then, markets expect oil prices to be exchange rate pegs, and to dampen the growth jected to decline this year to 1.6 percent of GDP oil exporters, is planning to increase non-oil rev- by credible medium-term fiscal consolidation around $57 per barrel on average in 2015 (a of private credit. These interest rate spillovers in the GCC, while non-GCC oil exporters and enue collection, contain the government wage plans and would require limiting current spend- decline of about 43 percent from the October are likely to occur with a delay because of slow CCA oil exporters will likely post deficits of bill, and continue fuel subsidy reform. A large ing, including wage and subsidy bills. Although 2014 REO baseline) before rising gradually to pass-through. around 5 percent and 2.7 percent of GDP, financing gap in Iraq’s 2015 draft budget will some countries have already initiated subsidy $72 per barrel by 2019 (about 23 percent lower So far, long-term yields in the MENAP oil respectively. force a reduction in current and capital spend- reforms (Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, than projected in the October 2014 REO) Oil importers and the GCC have not been affected Fiscal revenues will also decline because oil ing. In Libya, fiscal adjustment is occurring Saudi Arabia, Turkmenistan, the United Arab prices are expected to partially recover over the much by concerns about tightening US mone- export revenues are captured almost entirely by through capital spending because of political Emirates) or started discussing them (Oman), medium term because of the likely decline in tary policy. Large fiscal and external buffers in governments in the MENAP and CCA countries. instability. In Algeria, lower current transfers and energy subsidies still remain large in the region. investment and future capacity growth in the oil the GCC, and declines in MENAP oil importers’ Most oil exporters need oil prices to be con- additional tax revenues should drive the fiscal Falling oil prices could make such reforms both sector in response to lower oil prices. country risk premiums, resulting from recent siderably above the $57 projected for 2015 to adjustment in response to lower oil prices. more urgent and, possibly, politically easier to Prices for other commodities have also progress in reforms, caused their long-term cover government spending, which has implement. declined, though not by as much as oil prices. yields to decline since the start of the “taper talk” increased in recent years in response to rising Limited Impact on Growth and Careful prioritization and appraisal of sizable Metals prices, for example, are now expected to in May 2013, in contrast to developments in social pressures and infrastructure development Inflation over the Near Term investment projects would also be important to be 13 percent lower in 2015-19 than was pro- emerging market yields. CCA long-term yields goals. As a result, the oil price decline is expect- With most MENAP and CCA countries expect- ensure medium-term growth dividends. Priority jected in the October 2014 REO. Baseline fore- have recently risen faster than emerging market ed to significantly erode fiscal positions across ed to use buffers in response to lower oil rev- projects, including large foreign-financed proj- casts for average gas prices remain broadly trends, in part because of the region’s exposure the region. Except for Kuwait, Turkmenistan, and enues in the next two years, the near-term ects in some CCA countries, should move for- unchanged; however, some gas exporters to Russia. Uzbekistan, all countries in the region are impact of lower oil prices on non-oil growth is ward. Countries also need to explore possibili- (Qatar) are facing lower gas prices because their Despite a predominance of dollar pegs in the expected to run fiscal deficits in 2015 (Table 2). likely to be contained. As a result, regional ties for diversifying revenue sources, which contracts are indexed to oil prices. GCC and other managed exchange rate regimes The GCC fiscal surplus (4.6 percent of GDP in spillovers from major oil-exporting countries, could include income and value-added taxes. The drop in oil prices is estimated to have in the MENAP and CCA regions, a number of 2014) is now projected to turn into a deficit of particularly from the GCC to the Mashreq and Accompanying measures that would help been driven by both supply and demand fac- local currencies have depreciated against the US 6.3 percent of GDP in 2015; a downward swing tors: higher-than-expected supply, particularly dollar since oil prices started to fall in June 2014. of about 11 pp of GDP. from the United States, was not offset by pro- On current policies, and assuming a partial duction cuts by OPEC members, just as global Banks Exposed But Resilient recovery of oil prices in line with futures mar- oil demand (especially from China, Japan, and The impact of lower oil prices on oil exporters’ kets, fiscal balances could gradually improve the euro area) was weakening. Uncertainty sur- banking systems is likely to be muted in the near over the medium term while remaining in deficit rounding the future path of oil prices is high, term, but downside risks are likely to increase in most countries. pointing to the possibility of short-term volatili- over time. Second-round effects of lower oil Even after the reduction in oil prices, energy ty. Downside risks stem from the possibility of prices on economic activity could weaken asset prices charged to consumers remain well below weaker-than-expected demand growth in key quality, liquidity, and profitability, but the speed international prices in most oil exporters. These advanced or emerging economies. Upside risks of adjustment is likely to vary across countries. ‘energy subsidies’ are not reflected in the budget relate to the possibility of supply disruptions - GCC banking systems will be affected by the but persist as important foregone revenue and for example, in Iraq - or to a decision by OPEC to decline in oil prices, given the strong correlation as a reason for the exceptionally fast growth of cut production. between non-oil growth and government energy consumption in these countries. Over the medium term, the outlook for is spending, but they should remain resilient owing The new fiscal realities facing most oil likely to depend on how oil investment and pro- to their high capital buffers, low nonperforming exporters make it all the more urgent to begin duction respond to lower prices. It will also loans (NPLs), and generally high liquidity. tackling the underpricing of energy products in depend on whether OPEC resumes its role as the oil-exporting countries in both the MENAP and swing producer or whether prices will be more Conflicts and Security Disruptions CCA regions. strongly influenced by the marginal cost of shale Conflicts, terrorism, and related security dis- oil production. ruptions continue to be a prevailing concern in Weaker Stock Markets Lower oil prices have different implications the region. Stock markets in a number of countries, for oil exporters and importers. A decline in Although airstrikes have slowed the advance including Iran, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, prices results in losses in export and fiscal rev- of the so-called Islamic State (ISIS), conflicts in and the United Arab Emirates, declined sharply enues in oil-exporting countries, with possible Iraq and Syria persist, creating significant eco- in late 2014 because of rising concerns about knock-on effects on government spending and nomic and political spillovers for neighboring how their economies will be affected by lower sub-Saharan Africa, through remittances, non- limit the adverse impact of fiscal consolidation non-oil economic growth. countries (especially Jordan and Lebanon). The oil prices, and particularly as to whether govern- oil imports, and/or outward investment are gen- on the growth of the non-oil economy include Oil-importing countries gain from lower oil security situations in Afghanistan, Libya, ments, which have been key drivers of corporate erally expected to be limited in the near term. In deeper reforms to diversify economies away prices through reduced oil import bills and low- Pakistan, and Yemen also remain challenging. earnings, would cut spending in response to a few financially constrained MENAP oil from oil, particularly by improving the business er energy subsidy bills. Higher disposable Conflicts cast a shadow over the economic out- lower oil prices. The decline in equity prices may exporters (Iran, Iraq, Yemen), growth will likely environment, creating incentives for private incomes and lower production costs could con- look for the MENAP region, not only because weigh on consumption, but the effects should slow in the next two years. In the CCA oil entrepreneurship in the tradable goods sectors, tribute to the growth of domestic demand. they disrupt economic activity; they also reduce be manageable. exporters, growth has been revised downward and increasing private employment of nationals. political space for the much-needed reforms Energy-related firms and banks with large in the near term because of the larger-than- Weaker Demand and delay the return of confidence to the exposures to the oil sector are facing more diffi- expected slowdown in Russia. Oil Importers Despite a large decline in oil prices, the IMF MENAP region. cult refinancing conditions because lower oil Overall, we expect growth in the GCC of Oil importers in the MENAP and CCA regions forecast of global growth for 2015 has been prices are expected to lower their earnings and around 3.4 percent in 2015, a downward revi- are benefiting from lower oil prices. Energy revised down by 0.3 pp to 3.5 percent. The posi- Oil Exporters creditworthiness. Capital flows to the GCC have sion of 1 percentage point relative to the import bills are reduced and, where lower oil tive impact of lower oil prices on global growth Oil exporters in the MENAP and CCA regions also slowed, though they remain broadly in line October 2014 REO. In the non-GCC oil exporters, prices are passed on to end-users, production is expected to be more than offset by the nega- are faced with substantial losses in government with trends for other emerging markets. growth is revised down by 0.7 pp in 2015 to 2.4 costs decline and disposable income rises. tive effects of various cyclical and policy factors. revenues and exports as a result of the large percent. In the CCA oil exporters, growth is Yet in most oil-importing countries gains Growth forecasts for the euro area, Japan, decline in oil prices. Many countries have signifi- Avoiding Sharp Cuts in Spending expected at about 4.9 percent this year, 0.8 pp from lower oil prices are offset by other adverse Most oil-exporting countries in the MENAP below the October 2014 REO forecast. factors, such as slower-than-expected domestic and CCA regions have significant fiscal buffers, The impact of declining oil prices on inflation demand growth and a weaker-than-expected which allow them to avoid sudden cuts in in MENAP and CCA oil exporters is likely to be outlook for growth in the key trading partner spending in response to declining oil revenues. subdued because most countries use adminis- countries: the euro area and GCC, for MENAP oil GCC countries, which are expected to be tered prices for fuel products. Countries with a importers, and Russia and China, for CCA oil most severely affected by the decline in oil more flexible exchange rate (for example, Iran) importers. In addition, some countries export prices in terms of revenue losses, and which would need to be vigilant and tighten monetary non-oil commodities, the prices for which have generally peg their currencies to the dollar, have policy if lower oil revenue leads to a sharp been declining. As a result, the impact on growth large financial assets and borrowing capacity to depreciation of the exchange rate and higher and on fiscal and current account deficits is help cushion the impact on near-term growth. inflation. CCA countries that are facing simulta- mixed, with expected improvements in some Nevertheless, most GCC countries (except neous external shocks can allow more exchange countries but a worsening in others, especially in Qatar) are now expected to slow spending rate flexibility. These countries should maintain the CCA countries, which have been strongly growth in 2015 compared to what was project- adequate foreign exchange buffers so that they affected by a deepening recession in Russia. ed in the October 2014 REO, resulting in a can address potential financial stability con- Lower oil prices create favorable conditions for decline in their non-oil fiscal deficits. These cerns, and should adjust monetary policy both continuing subsidy reforms and for stepping up declines are much smaller than the loss of fiscal to address emerging signs of inflation pressures structural reform efforts to support medium- revenues, suggesting that countries are using and to limit exchange rate pressures. term growth and job creation. However, oil their fiscal buffers. Oil production and evolving conflicts in the importers should not overestimate the positive In the GCC, most of the slowdown in spend- region constitute important downside risks to impact of the decline in oil prices on their ing is expected to affect capital spending. By the outlook. Regional OPEC oil producers are economies: demand growth is weak in trading contrast, current spending, particularly on pub- not expected to cut oil production under base- partner countries and there is considerable lic wage bills, is unlikely to change significantly, line projections, but apparent oversupply in the uncertainty about the persistence of lower oil though some countries are reforming their ener- global oil market suggests that the risks for oil prices and the availability of external financing. THURS DAY, JANUARY 22, 2015 LOCAL Crime Oil companies affected by prices drop Report Effects on Kuwait’s economy discussed in symposium

Suspect sells drugs By Nawara Fattahova legislation on this issue, as any saving of energy will save oil consumption, which on inmate’s behalf KUWAIT: The dramatic drop in oil prices is will turn into national income. Other solu- affecting the country, and the government tions may be reviewing some of the proj- KUWAIT: Farwaniya detectives arrested a Sri Lankan man has announced various proposals to cut or ects. Some projects should continue, while selling drugs on behalf of a central prison inmate, and he reduce subsidies on power, fuel, etc. It has others should not,” he said. had shabu with him. Detectives used an undercover agent even lifted subsidies on diesel, kerosene to strike a deal with the suspect, and he was arrested dur- and aviation fuel. In view of this situation, Better prepared ing the exchange. He said that he works for an inmate in the Kuwait Economic Society held a sym- Rsheid said that this is not the first time the central prison. posium titled ‘Oil Price Drop and its Effect oil has plunged and he doesn’t expect it to on the Financial Situation of the Country’ be the last. “We should be better prepared on Tuesday at its premises. It was present- for the next time. As we know, oil demand Cable theft ed by two experts in the field - Jasim Al- is connected to economic development. In A thief stole copper cables from a Ministry of Saadoun, Deputy of Al-Shall Investment general, energy resources are the main Electricity Water site with an estimated value of KD Company, and Sami Al-Rsheid, Founding engine of economic development and oil 16,000. Police received a call from an Indian who works Partner of GEMS Investment and former makes up about 45 to 50 percent of energy for a contracting company about the theft. Chairman and Managing Director of resources. High oil prices encourages Investigations are underway. Kuwait Oil Company (KOC). investing in difficult reservoirs such as the Rsheid spoke about the effect of the oil North Sea oil in the 1980s or oil shale or price fall on the oil industry. “Some oil proj- alternative energy such as solar, wind or KUWAIT: (From left) Jasim Al-Saadoun, Deputy of Al-Shall Investment Company, Man hurt in fight ects are not affected, as these are long nuclear energy in the present time,” Abdulwahab Al-Babtain, Kuwait Economic Society Board Member, and Sami Al- A citizen stabbed a colleague during a fight in term projects of 5 to 7 years. But about 200 stressed Rsheid. Rsheid, former Chairman and Managing Director of Kuwait Oil Company (KOC). Rumaithiya. A security source said they got a call about the oil drilling projects in the US have stopped, “High oil prices also encourage rational- —Photo by Joseph Shagra arrival of a citizen to Mubarak Hospital’s ICU with a stab and this has caused a surplus of rigs. Also, izing energy, so we shouldn’t be happy wound in the chest. Police are investigating. many companies have merged, many with the high prices. Energy saving is tations of decreasing execution of projects, between 1971 and 1980 when the price of employees were fired, and many compa- applied globally in factories, houses and which also happened in Qatar and other oil was $40. In 1985, OPEC dissolved when Wife reported missing nies announced bankruptcy. Yet some transportation, and this saving decreases countries, but we can exploit this chance oil prices dropped, and after the American A citizen told Sabah Al-Salem police that his Syrian companies working in the field of refining the growth of world oil demand. Also, as the cost of production will drop. president intervened in 1986, OPEC wife left the house and did not return. He said he tried have succeeded to make profits. companies with various oil activities Regarding Kuwait Oil Company, strategic reemerged. During the 1990s, oil price was to call her several times, but there was no answer. Petrochemical products have also seen a including exploration, producing and projects should continue such as produc- stable, and in 1998, the price dramatically Detectives are investigating. drop in profits as demand fell,” he said. refining are less affected than those only ing Jurassic gas and heavy oil, the Al-Zour dropped to about $10. Then the prices rose producing oil. Also, a low oil price increas- refinery, China refinery, saving energy and again until 2002. In 2007, the price went Oil output es oil demand. The effect of the oil price diversifying source of income,” concluded up to $127, but this was due to geopoliti- Policeman insulted Rsheid explained why OPEC members drop is appearing now in some rigs that Rsheid. Saadoun took the attendees on a cal reasons such as the sanctions on Iran A bedoon and an Omani attacked a policeman on didn’t cut their oil output. “If OPEC are temporary out of commission. I expect journey from the past to future, speaking and the unstable situation in Libya and Fifth Ring Road. A security source said police suspected a decreases its production, then its market that oil prices will increase when the sup- about the crises in oil in the past and the Syria. I consider the period between 2003 car, so they stopped and found two men in an abnormal share will shrink, and it’s not easy to get it ply and demand are balanced, and as a experience we should take from it. “Oil is to 2014 as a catastrophe as Kuwait’s condition. When asked to get out of the car, they refused back. I see that the decision taken by OPEC result the world demand for oil will grow,” our only source of income after 50 years, expenses increased to KD 18.9 billion,” he and attacked the officer. Both were taken to concerned is correct. So the member countries will he noted. and although we are talking about diversi- pointed out. authorities. bear the pain for some time now rather fying income since 1960, nothing has been Saadoun also reviewed expected sce- than losing their market share future. Also, Economy reform realized, as 92 percent of the national narios. “The time of surpluses has gone. Liquor factory reaching a deal between the members is Rsheid’s recommendations: “Exploit this budget goes on paying salaries and 75 The logical scenario is that the oil barrel difficult and each of them is defending not opportunity to reform the Kuwaiti econo- Policemen closed a liquor factory in Sabah Al- percent of Kuwaiti employees work in the price will be around $70. It will never drop to decrease production from their point of my. This includes rationalizing subsidies, Ahmad city. Police, after getting several tips, formed a public sector, and even the rest who work below $30 as its production cost is about view,” he added. rationalizing expenses, which are currently task force, and smelled the liquor as soon as they in the private sector receive financial sup- $29. Also, I believe it will never reach $95. Rsheid has some solutions. “This is the very high without any increase in produc- approached the house. The place was raided and port from the government,” he explained. The growth of China and India which situation and we have to deal with it, and tion, apply taxes, increase qualification of three 200-liter barrels and 182 bottles were found. increased the demand on oil is an unre- we should find suitable solutions for this employees and privatize some sectors. We The confiscated material was sent to concerned Oil history peatable phenomenon. So we have to deal situation, including rationalizing energy can also appoint local and international authorities. —Al-Rai He also spoke about the four significant with the fact that the price will hover that includes fuel and electricity. We are experts to make economic reforms that are phases or eras in Kuwait’s oil history. “The between $70 to $90. Our biggest problem one of the top countries in wasting energy. very important,” he said. first was after discovering oil in Kuwait, is the leadership and management of the We need awareness programs and strict “We read recently that there are expec- from 1946 to 1960. The second was country,” he concluded.

Thousands of liquor bottles busted Leaders Group to organize By Hanan Al-Saadoun

KUWAIT: The customs department confiscated a large amount of alcohol and gambling tools that arrived from Kuwait Cooking Festival China at Shuwaikh port. Customs director Khalid Al-Saif said that his men seized a 40-ft container with more than 19,000 whisky bottles, and 14,400 beer cans. Horeca 2015 wraps up Drugs Control General Department officers arrested an Arab with 250 gm of heroin. Tips received by the depart- KUWAIT: The third and final day of the Leaders Group General Manager ment about the Arab trading in drugs led to his arrest. He Horeca Kuwait 2015 exhibition was full of Nabila Al-Anjeri stressed that the exhibi- confessed he traded and used drugs, and was sent to con- activities and visits as it included an tion achieved remarkable success, and in cerned authorities. international cooking competition where response to participating and sponsor- over 200 chefs competed, in addition to ing companies, Leaders Group intends to Body found a visit by spouses of ambassadors to organize a ‘Kuwait Cooking Festival’ in An Egyptian who works as a cook at the Interior Ministry Kuwait who admired the exhibition, not- the coming few months in addition to died at home, and his body was recovered by the coroner. ing that it matches the best international several activities aimed at supporting the A case was filed for investigations. specialized exhibitions and included cre- tourism and hospitality sector. ative ideas. Anjeri also thanked Hospitality Hot pursuit The second day was also as busy and Services Co, the main organizer of all A security source said that Mubarak Al-Kabeer police witnessed a special ceremony held by Horeca exhibitions throughout the arrested a wanted citizen to serve a four-year jail sentence following a chase on the Seventh Ring Road, after he drove the organizers - Leaders Group - to honor Middle East, for cooperating with the wrong way at high speed. The suspect stopped when a sponsors. Visitors numbered 1,500 on the Leaders Group in organizing Horeca tyre burst and he hit a tree. He had drug paraphernalia, first day and 2,000 on the second and Kuwait 2015. “The next Horeca Kuwait theft tools, stolen license plates and a fake pistol. third days in addition to 5,500 experts exhibition will be held in the period of and specialized businesspeople. January 18-20, 2016”, she concluded. No injuries in fire Fire broke out in Wafra farms, prompting Wafra and Nuwaiseeb fire centers to respond. The fire was in a feed warehouse, and was put out without injuries.

The Farwaniya traffic control department carried out a sudden campaign in cooperation with Kuwait Municipality at the Friday market. The campaign resulted in impound- ing 20 lorries, confiscating the plates of five half-lorries and issued 90 indirect traffic violations. The security information department urged citizens and expats in general and truck drivers in particular to adhere to instructions and traffic laws to avoid any violations. —By Hanan Al-Saadoun THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015 LOCAL

kuwait digest Al-Anbaa kuwait digest Fighting trade Herd instinct concealment in This way if we have a fight, we can Saudi Arabia

By Dr Sajed Al-Abdali beat them, right?! Jamal Khashoggi

n the way to attend a certain ceremony, one n Saudi Arabia, Commerce Minister Toufic al- might meet scores of people looking up for Rabiah has become the most popular minister Osome reason, and one might most probably Iafter he ordered shutting down big stores that and without thinking do the same and look up as were manipulating discount prices, forcing mer- well. Why? Well, psychiatrists define such behavior as chants to accept citizens’ right to return goods, and ‘collective unconsciousness’, ‘crowd psychology’ or uniting the system of electric plugs, which has ‘social conformity’. You join the party and during a caused confusion for the last half a century. speech, one of the audience members may start He is now battling real estate developers who applaudingloudly, and without thinking, the rest will sell units on maps before receiving the required surely follow him. Why? It is the same collective social permits. This practice has caused problems that cognition. This phenomenon is harshly described in collo- the judiciary is unable to resolve when a merchant quial language as the ‘herd’ instinct or behavior disappears or goes bankrupt. which describes individual behavior whenever it These achievements may appear to a distant mimics that of the group it belongs to without think- Demographic restructuring study observer simple, but they are important to citizens. ing about it or planning to do so. The reason for such They touch on the basic living needs which are behavior is that an individual thinks he/she is acting Two Kuwaitis for often more important for citizens than issues such right as long as the group, or a majority, does the as cultural identity, the roots of terrorism or same. every expat! women’s veil, which writers, scholars and experts In this regard, the famous American psychiatrist tend to focus on. Citizens want proper accommo- Solomon Asch made an exciting experiment in the dation, jobs, education, health services and decent 1950s to study social conformity or what is also cost of living. known as ‘peer pressure’, besides all other herd-relat- If these achievements are simple, why did previ- ed expressions. The experiment involved showing ous ministers fail to do them? Why have other min- 123 male participants a card with a line on it, fol- istries that are supposed to share these tasks with lowed by another card with 3 lines on it labeled A, B the Commerce Ministry not fulfilled them? A critic and C. The participants were then asked to say which said Rabiha did what the consumer protection line matched the line on the first card in length. All agency was supposed to do. So why did the participants gave the obvious, correct answer. agency not do it? In the second trial of the experiment, each partici- pant was put into a group with 5 people who already Major confrontation knew the aim of the experiment and where asked to Rabiha has set himself for a major confrontation give wrong answers before the real participant gave by announcing that his ministry will strictly imple- his. Despite the obvious answer, the study showed ment the anti-concealment law, which the cabinet that one third of the participants in this phase fol- adopted years ago but was not properly imple- lowed the previous wrong answers their group mented. He went as far as naming and shaming mates gave before them despite its clear wrongness! kuwait digest The question here is why people act in this way. those breaking the law, setting penalties of up to 2 Some psychological analyses suggest that it is innate million riyals ($532,600) and cancelling their com- in human beings’ genetic makeup. Just imagine If only we had 10 like him mercial registration. It is a war against a disease someone travelling through a jungle with a group of that has distorted the Saudi economy. his tribe 10,000 years ago and all of a sudden, every- If Rabiha keeps up his efforts and gets govern- body runs for shelter and vanishes. What would he By Hassan Al-Essa mental services’ full cooperation, then the econo- do? He would undoubtedly do the same in almost my and people’s lives will improve, thus helping to 99.99 percent of the cases because he would never he expression of ‘If only we had ten people sudden wealth. form a new Saudi Arabia. Concealment is so preva- stop to think about his peers’ decision - whether they like him’ is usually said in times of distress Speaking in an interview with Al-Qabas, lent in the kingdom that it is almost the norm. It ran escaping from a lion or just a dog. Tand frustration whenever someone comes Rashid said that he felt very lonely when he filed has led Saudis to exit the market, and made them Psychiatrics say that such behaviors were passed out of the crowds of corrupt people and opens a his complaint. Many people blamed him and lose the skills of commerce and making profit - this down to us in genes through our ancestors over window with hope to see a brighter image of life. nobody supported him. “Many, except for a few, latter loss will have a higher cost than just unem- thousands of years until they reached us in the cur- ployment. Well, though this idiom is not very accurate even tried to discourage me and convince me rent form, making us take refuge in social conformity. His campaign will put him in confrontation with TV shows presented in front of live audiences mainly and does not reflect real life, we still say it to hail that I would lose my case,” he said. It is very nor- influential businessmen, as well as small and medi- depend on controlling them as ‘herds’, as some peo- and praise a patriotic citizen such as the whistle- mal that many people advised him that he would um-sized merchants. They will strongly resist, espe- ple are especially hired to sit amongst them to burst blower Dr Fahd Al-Rashid, a former board mem- lose the case because of the accumulating expe- cially since he has begun the battle by using the into laughter after remarks made by the interviewed ber in the Social Security Authority that runs and riences where corruption prevailed and strongest weapon against them - naming and stars, no matter how silly those jokes may be, only to invests billions in the form of citizens’ pensions. destroyed many state establishments. They told shaming in a tribal, sensitive society. stimulate the rest of the audience to laugh and react When he became skeptical about the way those him that reports made against corrupt figures Rabiha’s previous battles will seem like a walk in the same way. fortunes were being administered, and when he had been forgotten and that we very often forget the park compared to this one. Concealment in The advertising industry and marketing compa- suspected that some individuals were abusing in a country that gives handsome grants for no Saudi Arabia, indeed the entire Gulf, intertwines nies also follow the same technique. The most com- their powers to gain personal profits, Rashid did- reason except to sedate citizens’ awareness with with the culture of feudalism, influence and mon automobile ads, the most commonly bought authority. products and the bestselling books succeed in stimu- n’t hesitate to report this to the public prosecu- public funds and turn blind eyes to corruption! lating people’s instinct to purchase and own them tion, as a citizen heavily concerned with public So, rub your head now and try to remember Anti-concealment law just like other group members did, even if they were issues and protecting public funds. such forgotten cases and how some of those fil- terribly awful. The famous British novelist William He provided the prosecution with all the infor- ing them were prosecuted while the corrupt One of those exposed for violating the anti-con- Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) said: “If fifty million mation he had, and when his complaint was wander freely as if they had been victims of cealment law had his commercial registration can- celled. The man was found concealing two Yemeni people say a stupid thing, this will never change the investigated in Switzerland, the public prosecu- hoaxes or false malicious reports. Therefore, I truth - it remains stupid”. nationals and Indian national operating a business tion asked Swiss authorities to disclose the sus- urge Dr Fahd Al-Rashid to excuse those who tried in watches, food and car maintenance under his The bottom line is, one has to be always aware, pects’ bank accounts to find they had $395 mil- discouraging him and telling him that there was wonder and question what he hears or sees and name and commercial registration. lion, according to media reports. This is a huge no use of what he was doing. Well, Dr Fahd, you thinks about deeply regardless of the effect of what Details of the case were advertised in two others did before he made his own decision. sum, and might be the top of an iceberg floating know that money, certain names and marginal- dailies at his expense. This man could be upset as NB: This article was inspired by the amazing philo- in a Gulf full of corrupt waters. Well, we need to ized laws have their own power. But we are in the minister will likely ask him to also pursue oth- sophical book written by the Swiss Dr Rolf Dobelli wait till the disgusting story and justification of ‘I dire need of hundreds and thousands like you, ers, maybe bigger violators. under the title “The Art of Thinking Clearly”. found it in my mother’s cupboard’ whenever any people who are stubborn and righteous! The minister will pursue others involved in simi- —Translated by Kuwait Times from Al-Jarida of those suspects is asked about the source of his — Translated by Kuwait Times from Al-Jarida lar concealment. These people do not care about how concealment harms citizens and the econo- my. They will not give up easily because they have been doing this for decades, so to them it is nor- mal. National emblem symbolizes Rabiha began his campaign with small and medium-sized businesses, which make billions in Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Gulf. It is as if this Kuwait’s historic traditions disease is a condition of belonging to the Gulf Cooperation Council. However, the Saudi economy feels more pain KUWAIT: Kuwait marks today the Kuwait was first introduced in 1956 waves and sailing ship represent due to the size of the market and the number of 59th anniversary of the adoption of and officially adopted by the cabi- the marine environment, especially Saudi youths being expelled from it. This abnormal the current state emblem by the net in 1963 to replace the second Kuwait’s sea trade and historic tra- economy of concealment has led to unemploy- 11th Amir of Kuwait late Sheikh emblem which comprised ‘a helmet dition of diving for pearls, which ment and deprived youths of experience in busi- Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah. with a falcon and two intersecting was the main source of livelihood ness, which is now monopolized by foreign labor- The emblem of Kuwait includes flags over it and was in use since for Kuwaitis in the past. ers. Hadad and others will say it is unjust to punish a golden falcon with outspread 1940. The first emblem of Kuwait The desert, symbolized by the them while sparing bigger figures. They will send wings embracing a dhow (boom) was adopted in 1921 till 1940 with golden falcon, represents Kuwait’s sailing on blue and white waves the simple design of two crossed geographic characteristics and its letters to prominent officials. They want to defeat with the full name of the state writ- flags. desert life and traditions. The the war on concealment. ten (in Arabic) at the top and a The present emblem was care- emblem is a log or seal reserved for large national flag at the bottom. fully designed to reflect the two use by the state as a symbol of it. It Bigger sharks The sailing dhow is a symbol of main life environments and historic used also a seal put on official We think our economy is prosperous because Kuwait’s maritime tradition. The traditions of Kuwaiti people; the papers and documents and is print- an official takes a tour at night and sees small current and third emblem of maritime and desert ones. The sea ed on national bank notes. —KUNA shops full of customers consuming cheap prod- ucts. However, a huge segment is not included within the official’s category of citizens, and he does not know much about them. He does not even know their language. They have estab- lished an economy worth billions, and transfer billions to foreign banks, without having any rights, duties or political aspirations. Meanwhile, more citizens will lose their skills. Even the bigger sharks will gradually lose their Current emblem of the State of Kuwait skills in commerce and get bored of reviewing accounts. They will settle for whatever amount of money the foreign merchant, with the real experience and relations, gives them. Youths will not lose anything - they have not entered the market in the first place, and have not learnt any skills. The issue of foreign laborers, who have become the majority of workers in Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf countries, will be a problem in the future. They are not demanding political rights today, but what about after one or two decades? Our region has changed, or rather col- lapsed, in the past four years, so what will hap- pen in a decade or two? The issue of conceal- ment and economic distortions is as serious as ISIS. This article was first published in al-Hayat on January 17, 2015. Third emblem of the State of Kuwait Second emblem of the State of Kuwait First emblem of the State of Kuwait THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015 Knife attack wounds 12 on US, Cuba start historic talks on restoring ties Tel Aviv bus Page 9 Page 8

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama waves at the conclusion of his State of the Union speech before members of Congress in the House chamber of the US Capitol on Tuesday. — AFP Obama: Shadow of crisis has passed Time to ‘turn the page’ and help middle class

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama on Tuesday wage, equal pay for women and tax breaks for the middle President in his State of the Union speech is more interest- century-old embargo on Cuba and vowed to veto any move declared America has turned the page on years of war and class. Drawing a stark contrast with tax-averse Republicans, ed in politics than in leadership”. He added: “More intent on to put further sanctions on Iran. “Our shift in Cuba policy economic hardship, in a populist-tinged State of the Union he dared his foes to oppose proposed tax hikes for the rich winning elections than on winning progress, he ignores the has the potential to end a legacy of mistrust in our hemi- address that set up the battle to succeed him. But that would pay for middle class breaks. “We have risen from fact that the country has elected a Congress that favors sphere,” he said. Polls suggest Americans support the Cuban Republicans quickly said the speech was more about poli- recession freer to write our own future than any other smaller government and lower taxes.” Republican Senator outreach and Obama hammered home his advantage by tics than leadership. Emboldened by a stronger economy nation on Earth. It’s now up to us to choose who we want to Ted Cruz, said “Tonight, America saw a powerful demonstra- inviting Alan Gross, a former US prisoner in Cuba, who whis- and better approval ratings, Obama called for a new chap- be over the next fifteen years, and for decades to come. Will tion that it is time to move on beyond President Barack pered “thank you, thank you” during the speech. ter in US history that ushers in a fairer economy with a bet- we accept an economy where only a few of us do spectacu- Obama. Just two months ago we had a national election, in On Iran, Obama warned that any move to impose new ter shake for the middle class. “We are 15 years into this new larly well? Or will we commit ourselves to an economy that which the American people spoke loud and clear and said sanctions could scupper delicate negotiations aimed at century. Fifteen years that dawned with terror touching our generates rising incomes and chances for everyone who the path we’re on isn’t working. The American people said reaching a complex nuclear deal. “New sanctions passed by shores; that unfolded with a new generation fighting two makes the effort?” he asked. the Obama economy isn’t working, millions are hurting, and this Congress, at this moment in time, will all but guarantee long and costly wars; that saw a vicious recession spread Obama’s Republican opponents have branded such talk we want a different path.” that diplomacy fails ,” he said. “That is why I will veto any across our nation and the world,” he said. “It has been, and as little more than class warfare and will use their majority Hillary Clinton, also expected to run for president, said in new sanctions bill that threatens to undo this progress.” still is, a hard time for many. But tonight, we turn the page.” in both houses of Congress to make sure the plans never a tweet minutes after the speech, “BarackObama #SOTU Obama also used the speech to call on Congress to author- He heralded the “growing economy, shrinking deficits, become law. Republican Senator Joni Ernst, who was tasked pointed way to an economy that works for all. Now we need ize the use of force against the Islamic State jihadist group. bustling industry, and booming energy production” that with rebutting Obama’s speech, said Americans are still suf- to step up & deliver for the middle class.” In recent months, “In Iraq and Syria, American leadership - including our mili- have also helped revive his political fortunes as his time in fering from “stagnant wages and lost jobs”. She also decried Obama has used his executive authority - opponents would tary power - is stopping ISIL’s advance. This effort will take the White House nears its end. For six years Obama’s presi- Obama’s “failed policies” and a “stale mind-set” that led to argue he has stretched it to the limit - to circumvent time. It will require focus. But we will succeed.” dency was often subsumed by an economic crisis that “political talking points, not serious solutions.” Republican opposition, imposing and opposing some poli- Just days after jihadist attacks in Paris killed 17 people, stymied efforts to narrow inequality and put other liberal cies by decree. Obama said “deplorable anti-Semitism... has resurfaced in policy priorities on the backburner. Appealing to Executive authority Many of his efforts have focused overseas, including certain parts of the world.”He added: “We stand united with Democrats determined to retain the White House in 2016, Mitt Romney, passed and potential future Republican attempts to improve relations with America’s most implaca- people around the world who’ve been targeted by terrorists Obama on Tuesday called for an increase in the minimum presidential candidate, said that, “True to form, the ble foes. On Tuesday, he redoubled calls to end the half- - from a school in Pakistan to the streets of Paris.” — AFP 2 Turkish police jailed ‘Race against time’ to save IS hostages TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe admitted Islamic State group (IS) has murdered five Western yesterday it was a “race against time” to free two hostages since August last year, but this is the first time over protester’s killing hostages snatched by Islamist militants who are it has threatened Japanese captives. In footage posted demanding $200 million for their lives. A defiant Abe on extremist websites Tuesday, a black-clad militant KAYSERI, Turkey: Two Turkish police were jailed yesterday for at dent for the mild sentence. “Justice was not done,” he said. “We said he would not bow to “terrorism” as he took charge brandishing a knife addresses the camera in English, least 10 years for beating to death a teenage protester during will appeal so the suspects are brought before trial again,” he said. of the crisis that Japan was thrust into with the release standing between two hostages wearing orange jump- 2013 demonstrations against the rule of President Recep Tayyip Speaking by video link from Ankara where he has been hospi- of a chilling video apparently showing two Japanese suits identified as journalist Kenji Goto and military con- Erdogan. The court in the central city of Kayseri sentenced Mevlut talised, Saldogan insisted that he was innocent. “I was the victim men kneeling in the desert of Syria or Iraq. “This is a very tractor Haruna Yukawa. “You now have 72 hours to pres- Saldogan to 10 years and 10 months in prison and fellow police of a tragicomic procedure,” he said. “I was not at that place at the tough race against time, but the government will do its sure your government into making a wise decision by officer Yalcin Akbulut to 10 years for the killing of Ali Ismail moment when the facts took place.” utmost,” he told reporters. “I have ordered the govern- paying the $200 million to save the lives of your citizens,” Korkmaz, 19, in the western city of Eskisehir on June 2, 2013. The Ebubekir Harlar, who was sentenced to three years and four ment to use all diplomatic channels and routes possi- he says. judgement sparked uproar in the courtroom, with supporters of months, said the police had ordered him to seize Korkmaz. “All I ble... to ensure the release of the two people.” Tokyo said yesterday it believed the deadline would the Korkmaz family chanting “you are all assassins” and “the did was to carry out that order.”Korkmaz died after being pum- Abe, who rushed home from a tour of the Middle expire at 2.50 pm (0550 GMT) tomorrow. The militant assassin state will be brought to account”. melled with baseball bats and truncheons in one of the most East, said he had sought help from Palestinian leader says the sum is equal to the aid that Abe pledged in sup- After the verdict was read out, around 1,000 protesters notorious examples of police brutality in the protests. He suffered Mahmud Abbas, as well as from Egyptian President port of the fight against IS jihadists, money Japan says is clashed outside the court with riot police who dispersed them a brain haemorrhage and died after 38 days in a coma. He was Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, Jordan’s King Abdullah and Turkish to help refugees fleeing the fighting in Iraq and Syria. using tear gas and water cannon. The sentences were far lower one of eight people to have been killed in the three weeks of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. “Japan will never yield Media pored over the video yesterday, with much than the life imprisonment demanded by prosecutors. Three bak- unrest sparked by plans to redevelop an Istanbul park that then to terrorism. Japan will do its best in the battle against discussion of its authenticity, amid suggestions it may ers were handed sentences of six years, eight months for taking grew into a nationwide wave of anger against Erdogan, then pre- the cowardice of terrorism, hand in hand with the inter- have been confected from at least two sources. part in the killing while another suspect received a three year and mier. In September, a Turkish policeman was jailed for seven national community,” Abe said. Speaking while on a visit Commentators seized on apparent discrepancies in the four months sentence. Two other policemen were acquitted for years and nine months for shooting dead 26-year-old Ethem to London, Japan’s Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida way shadows fell, the movement of the two men’s lack of evidence. The court threw out charges that the murder Sarisuluk in Ankara during the 2013 protests. While there are described the hostage situation - and the attack on the clothes and the fact that neither appears to flinch as had been premeditated, resulting in lighter sentences than those handful of cases of police accused of killing protesters during the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo - as “deplorable their captor waves a big knife near their heads. Chief demanded by prosecutors. protests, thousands of people are being investigated for taking acts of terrorism”. Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said experts had The teenager’s mother Emel slammed the verdict. “I did not part in the rallies. More than two dozen alleged leaders of Taksim Japan has been “greatly contributing to world peace, examined the footage. He did not address the specula- expect this. The people who killed a young 19 year-old boy do Solidarity - the main activist group behind the protests - went on stability and prosperity, and our path will remain the tion, but said the Japanese government was assured of not deserve to benefit from any clemency.” A lawyer for the trial in June, also facing lengthy prison terms for their part in lead- same as a peace-loving nation”, he added. The self-styled the identity of the men. — AFP Korkmaz family, Ayhan Erdogan, blamed pressure from the presi- ing the protests. — AFP p8_Layout 1 1/21/15 9:53 PM Page 1

THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015 INTERNATIONAL

Turkey’s porous Syria border no barrier for jihadists

ANKARA: On grainy Istanbul airport passport being stamped at an Istanbul it Turkey’s fault to have a border with eventually join IS and behead others? enemy - the Syrian regime,” said the security footage, she is shown entering airport, then the young woman being Syria?” he asked. There are people in IS ranks not just Western diplomat. “They are sadly mis- the country like any tourist. A week later, waved through with an unidentified from Turkey, but from more than 80 taken.” Officials say up to 700 Turkish she is in Islamic State-controlled Syria, male companion. A week later, on Jan 8, ‘We can’t Fight Alone’ countries,” he told AFP. nationals have joined radicals’ ranks, and without ever being apprehended. How she confirmed having crossed into Syria. When France launched a hunt for Turkey has drawn the wrath of the raise alarms over a threat to Turkey’s was Hayat Boumeddiene, the fugitive “The Syrian border is still open, Boumeddiene, she was already off West for not doing enough to stem the national security with potential attacks partner of one of the Paris attackers, whatever they say. Provided you’re Turkish authorities’ radar. They con- flow of foreign fighters seeking to join when those recruits return home. able to cross through Turkey into Syria spending a few dollars, everyone can firmed her arrival from Madrid at an IS, which has captured chunks of territo- “Turkey has become a centre harbour- so easily? Turkey may have stepped up cross it in both directions without Istanbul airport only after Paris provided ry in Syria and Iraq right up to the ing sleeper cells of terrorist organisa- efforts to improve security on its border any problem,” a Western diplomat a tip-off on her whereabouts. Despite Turkish border. One of the criticisms is tions,” opposition leader Kemal with Syria, but the area remains a major told AFP on condition of anonymity. that, Turkey says intelligence-sharing based on Ankara’s tendency to see the Kilicdaroglu said. thoroughfare for jihadists and their sym- Turkey’s border with Syria is by far its with Europe has increased in recent regime in Damascus as the number one IS recruitment activities in Turkey are pathisers seeking to enter the country longest, and Ankara officials months and is “above normal”, particu- enemy, rather than IS - which shares an “issue of radicalisation” which has from Europe. acknowledge is not easy to control, larly with France. But it said that partner- Turkey’s goal of bringing down the moved deeper into Turkish society, said The flight of Boumeddiene, 26, the comparing it to the US border with ship must be further strengthened to Assad regime. The protracted war and Nihat Ali Ozcan, security expert at the partner of Jewish supermarket assailant Mexico. Foreign Minister Mevlut fight a threat which does not concern Assad’s ability to remain firmly in power, Ankara-based TEPAV think tank. “Turkey Amedy Coulibaly, has revived questions Cavusoglu has said Turkey is taking only Ankara. however, have turned Ankara’s calcula- not only has the problem of IS, but also over the porousness of Turkey’s borders, “extreme measures” to ensure securi- “This is a problem that we cannot tions upside down, with the emergence PKK recruitment,” he told AFP, referring and Ankara’s political will to confront ty along the restive border, but could fight alone,” a Turkish government offi- of IS as a potential threat to Turkey. to insurgents with the separatist Kurdish the threat posed by IS jihadists. never make it completely hermetic. cial said, while also blaming Europe for rebels. Turkish authorities have also Boumeddiene entered Turkey on Jan 2 “A passage (into Syria) can always be its failure to fully integrate Muslims - ‘Sleeper Cells’ been rattled by a deadly suicide bomb- at an Istanbul airport, passing through found,” he said. Prime Minister Ahmet some of whom end up in Syria to take “Turks believe that IS won’t target ing earlier in January carried about by a immigration - then the entire country - Davutoglu implied it was unfair to up arms. “How can an individual born them, or does not constitute a direct Muslim female bomber from Dagestan - without being stopped. Security footage blame Turkey over a border that and raised in London, Paris or Madrid threat because they are Sunni (Muslims) who was reportedly the widow of an IS broadcast by Turkish media shows her would never be fully controllable: “Is remain outside integration policies and like them, and they have a common jihadist. —AFP Knife attack wounds 12 on Tel Aviv bus

TEL AVIV: A knife-wielding Palestinian out. “We saw the bus swerve to the side... attacked passengers on a morning rush-hour then stop at a green light,” he said. “Suddenly, bus in Tel Aviv yesterday, wounding 12 peo- we saw people running out of the bus, and ple, before being shot by a passing prison when we saw them shouting for help, we officer in the latest lone-wolf attack. It was jumped out (of our vehicle) and I and three the first attack in Tel Aviv since November, others started running after the terrorist. At when a young Israeli soldier was stabbed to first we fired in the air, then at his legs. “The death by a Palestinian. The attacker struck in terrorist fell, we handcuffed him and turned the heart of Israel’s commercial capital, police him over to police.” There was no claim of spokeswoman Luba Samri said, describing responsibility for the attack, but it was him as a “terrorist”. Twelve people were praised by the Islamist movement Hamas. A wounded, including three who were in seri- senior member of its exiled leadership, Izzat ous condition, four in moderate condition Al-Rishq, hailed the “heroic operation,” calling and five who sustained light injuries, hospital it a “natural response to the crimes of the sources said. Another seven people were occupation,” in a post on Facebook. treated for shock. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “The terrorist stabbed the bus driver sev- denounced the attack as a direct result of eral times but the driver fought back until he incitement by the Palestinian Authority of fled on foot and was neutralized by a guard president Mahmud Abbas. “The attack in Tel from the prisons’ service,” a police statement Aviv is a direct result of poisonous incitement said. He was shot in the leg then taken to hos- from the Palestinian Authority towards Jews pital. Witnesses told army radio the driver and their state. This is the same terror which apparently used pepper spray or tear gas to tried to harm us in Paris, Brussels and every- try to stop the attack. Brief footage from the where,” he said on his Facebook page. “We scene broadcast on television showed people shall continue to work forcefully against ter- fleeing a man who rams a knife into the back ror, which has tried to harm us ever since the of a woman, then runs on when she collapses. creation of the state, and we shall ensure it Police identified the attacker as 23-year- does not achieve its aims.” old Hamza Matruk from Tulkarem refugee Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman camp in the northern West Bank, who was issued a statement blaming the attack on SANAA: Members of the Shiite Houthi movement man a checkpoint near the presidential palace in the capital yesterday after they seized con- staying in Israel illegally. Pictures from the Abbas, Hamas, Israeli Bedouin and Arab Israeli trol of Yemen’s presidential palace and attacked President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi’s residence the previous day. — AFP scene showed what looked like a large politicians, saying it was part of a broader kitchen knife lying on the ground, which plot to kill Jews. “They are all parts of the police said he had purchased in Tulkarem. same branch whose aim is to destroy the During his interrogation, Matruk gave several Jewish state,” he said. “So we must work deter- Yemen leader expected to reasons for carrying out the attack: Israel’s minedly against all of these people, who... war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip last sum- have the same aim: to kill Jews and to destroy mer, the wave of unrest in and around Israel.” The last attack in Tel Aviv was on Nov accept Houthis’ demands Jerusalem’s flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque com- 10 when a Palestinian from the northern West pound as well as Islamist material he had Bank stabbed a young soldier who later died seen, police said. Matruk told investigators he of his injuries. That attack took place as Israel perpetrated the attack in order to “reach was struggling to contain a growing wave of Militia says Hadi free to leave his home heaven”, according to police. violence in annexed east Jerusalem, which SANAA: Yemen’s President Abd-Rabbu Mansour secured little lasting power base during his mili- officials denounced what they called a coup spread to Arab towns and villages in Israel. It Hadi was expected to yield to demands yesterday tary service while the Houthis have penetrated key against him. They shut the air and sea ports of the ‘Poisonous Incitement’ has since abated, although there have been a for constitutional change and power sharing with institutions since September. south’s main city, Aden and closed land entry Speaking to army radio, the prisons serv- number of violent incidents over the past Houthi rebels who took up positions outside his After clashes at the president’s office and home routes. ice officer described how the incident played month. -— AFP home after defeating his guards in two days of on Tuesday, the Houthis’ leader threatened in a Gulf Arab states, which support Hadi and battle. Gulf neighbours denounced what they speech overnight to take further “measures” unless oppose Iranian influence in the region, denounced described as a coup in Yemen, although both the Hadi bowed to his demand for constitutional what they called terrorist acts by the Houthis and Houthis and some of the president’s allies denied changes that would increase Houthi power. By ear- their allies. They demanded state bodies be that he had been overthrown. A source close to ly morning yesterday, Houthi fighters, accompa- returned to government control and Hadi’s chief the president said Hadi had met an official of the nied by an armoured vehicle, had replaced the of staff, detained by the Houthis last week, be Shiite rebel group and would soon issue decrees guards at the president’s residence. Presidential released. Yemen, an impoverished nation of 25 resolving all differences. The source denied Hadi guard sentry posts were initially empty, however a million, has been plagued by Islamist insurgency, was under house arrest inside the residence, sur- few guards later appeared and were permitted to separatist conflict, sectarian strife and economic rounded since early morning by Houthi fighters. take up positions. “President Hadi is still in his crisis for years. An “Arab Spring” popular uprising “Within hours, decisions will be made heeding home. There is no problem, he can leave,” in 2011 led to the downfall of long-ruling the Houthi demands,” said the source, speaking to Mohammed Al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthi President Ali Abdullah Saleh, bringing more chaos. Reuters on condition of anonymity before the offi- politburo, told Reuters. Prime Minister Khaled The Houthis, rebels from the north drawn from cial announcement. “We expect an announcement Bahah quit his official residence, which had also a large Shiite minority that ruled a 1,000-year king- to resolve all problems within hours.” The Houthis, been surrounded by Houthi fighters, for “a safe dom in Yemen until 1962, stormed into the capital friendly to Iran, swept into the capital four months place after three days of siege”, one of his aides in September but had mostly held back from ago and have emerged as the dominant force in told Reuters. directly challenging Hadi until last week. They the country. For now at least they appear to have accuse the president of seeking to bypass a pow- decided to stop short of overthrowing Hadi, possi- Southern Protest er-sharing deal signed when they seized Sanaa in bly preferring to exert control over a weakened One of Hadi’s guards told Reuters that while September, and say they are also working to pro- leader rather than take on the burden of power. the Houthis were outside his compound, the presi- tect state institutions from corrupt civil servants Their defeat of the presidential guards in gun- dent’s security men were with him inside. He said and officers trying to plunder state property. battles and artillery duels in recent days adds to Hadi had held meetings with several of his politi- Houthi fighters battled guards at Hadi’s disarray in a country where the United States is cal associates during the day. Yemeni military home and entered the presidential palace on TEL AVIV: Israeli medics transport a Palestinian man on a gurney who stabbed and also carrying out drone strikes against one of the sources said the Houthis also seized the military Tuesday. In his televised speech that followed, wounded passengers in an attack on a bus yesterday. — AFP most powerful branches of Al-Qaeda. The guards’ aviation college located close to Hadi’s home, and the group’s leader Abdel-Malek Al-Houthi defeat was made possible because the army did the main missile base in Sanaa, without a fight. In warned Hadi that he had to implement the pow- not fight, a reflection that Hadi, a former general, the south of the country, Hadi’s home region, local er-sharing deal. —Reuters AKP hit by rebellion Thousands mourn Iran general killed by Israel on ex-ministers’ fate TEHRAN: Thousands gathered in Tehran yester- “They have in the past seen our wrath,” he said, of Iran’s Expediency Council, added that day at a funeral procession for a Revolutionary adding the Guards “will continue its support for Hezbollah would eventually retaliate against ISTANBUL: Turkey’s ruling party was yes- Former interior minister Muammer Guler, Guards general killed by Israel, after his com- Muslim fighters and combatants in the region.” “this recent atrocity,” but that the group was terday shaken by a rare rebellion by its law- ex-environment minister Erdogan Bayraktar, mander warned the Jewish state it should “await For his part, the defence minister, Brigadier “prudent and has a long term plan and will not makers in a key late night vote on whether ex-economy minister Zafer Caglayan and ex- destructive thunderbolts”. General Mohammad General Hossein Dehqan, said “this action of be infuriated.” Once solely focused on fighting to send to trial four former ex-ministers EU affairs minister Egemen Bagis faced accu- Ali Allahdadi died alongside six fighters from Zionists will not be left without a response. The Israel, Hezbollah is now deeply involved in the accused in a 2013 graft investigation. The sations of bribery and influence-peddling. Lebanon’s Hezbollah group in the attack Sunday important thing is the question of the time and war in Syria, where it backs President Bashar Al- Turkish parliament voted against putting They are accused of receiving bribes from an near Quneitra on the Syrian-controlled side of place of this response”. Mohsen Rezaie, secretary Assad.—AFP the ministers on trial, drawing a line under Iranian businessman, Reza Zarrab, to facili- the Golan Heights. Allahdadi’s coffin was draped a scandal that shook President Recep tate UN sanctions-busting trade with Iran in an Iranian flag as it was carried into a Guards Tayyip Erdogan’s government. The ruling and other deals. Caglayan allegedly accept- base in southeast Tehran. He is to be buried on Justice and Development Party (AKP), co- ed a $300,000 wristwatch as a bribe. At least Thursday in Pariz, a town in the southern founded by Erdogan and which has domi- 48 AKP lawmakers defied their party and province of Kerman. nated Turkish politics for more than a voted to prosecute Bagis, making him the “The path of martyr Allahdadi is unstoppable decade, has a comfortable majority in par- least favoured of four ministers. The vote on and will be continued until the liberation of the liament and most expected the vote would Bayraktar encountered the least opposition, Holy Quds (Jerusalem) and obliteration of the be a formality. with only 14 AKP deputies voting to send Zionist regime,” Guards commander Major But dozens of ruling party lawmakers him to the court. General Ali Jafari said at a ceremony at the base, broke rank, casting doubt over party unity Official images however showed Bagis according to the official IRNA news agency. The ahead of key legislative elections in June in defiantly flinging the ballot paper into the mourners chanted “Death to Israel” and burned the usually tight-knit AKP. The 550-seat par- ballot box, drawing ridicule on Twitter. “How two Israeli flags. Allahdadi died alongside Jihad liament voted on the fate of each of the ex- brazen is that. That tops it all!” wrote former Mughniyeh, the son of an assassinated ministers - all Erdogan allies - in secret bal- football player Saffet Sancakli. Deputy par- Hezbollah commander, and Mohammed Issa, a lots in a session that stretched past mid- liament speaker Aysenur Bahcekapili, also fighter responsible for the Lebanese group’s night. Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who from the AKP, said that a 50 Turkish lira ban- operations in Syria and Iraq. was absent during the vote on a trip to knote (worth $21) had been found inside An Israeli security source told AFP one of its Britain, brushed off concerns over a split in one of the ballot boxes. “Unfortunately, it helicopters carried out the strike, but a United the party. “Dissenting votes show that we will be returned to the treasury, my friends,” Nations’ observer force in the Golan on raised are respecting the legal process,” he told she quipped. Private NTV channel said the the possibility that drones may have been used. TEHRAN: Iranian mourners carry the coffin of Brigadier General Mohammad Ali Allahdadi, a Turkish reporters in London. “The AKP did banknote was cast by opposition lawmaker On Tuesday, Jafari took aim at Israel, saying “the commander of the Islamic republic’s Revolutionary Guards killed in an Israeli air strike on the what was legal and ethical.” Mahmut Tanal.—AFP Zionists should await destructive thunderbolts”. weekend in Syria, during his funeral procession in yesterday. — AFP INTERNATIONAL THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015 LRA commander arrives at ICC prison

THE HAGUE: A Ugandan commander of the notorious lord Joseph Kony, who is still at large and being pur- as an adult,” said Daniel Bekele, Human Rights Watch’s Lord’s Resistance Army arrived at the International sued by regional troops and US special forces. Africa director. Criminal Court in The Hague yesterday to face war Ongwen’s surrender dealt a major blow to the LRA’s “He was denied parental care and has spent his crimes charges. His detention means the world is “one three-decade campaign across several central African formative years under control of adults who used vio- step closer to ending the LRA’s reign of terror in the nations. He has been sought by the ICC to face charges lence and extreme brutality as a form of discipline and African Great Lakes region,” the court’s chief prosecutor that also include murder, enslavement, inhumane acts punishment,” Bekele said in a statement. “These are Fatou Bensouda said. Ongwen was brought to the and directing attacks against civilians. The former child mitigating factors that should be considered during a court following his surrender to US special forces in the soldier-turned-warlord gave himself up to US troops in possible sentencing in the event of a trial and convic- Central African Republic earlier this month. Ongwen is CAR, and was then handed over to Uganda’s army, tion, and could be relevant to his defence.” one of the main leaders of the Uganda rebels, who are then to African Union troops and finally to the CAR’s accused of killing more than 100,000 people and government, according to Ugandan officials, before The ‘White Ant’ abducting some 60,000 children in a bloody rebellion being flown to the Netherlands. Over the years the LRA has moved across the that started in 1987. porous borders of the region: It shifted from Uganda to He gave himself up after being wanted for nearly a Child Soldier sow terror in southern Sudan before again moving to decade for crimes against humanity, with the United Both the UN Security Council and human rights northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, and final- States offering a $5 million reward for his capture. groups have hailed Ongwen’s arrest. The UN said it was ly crossing into southeastern CAR in March 2008. Ongwen will be given a medical check-up ahead of an a “positive step for international criminal justice and for Combining religious mysticism with an astute guerrilla initial appearance before judges to be held “as soon as the fight against impunity for the perpetrators of the mind and bloodthirsty ruthlessness, Kony has turned possible”, the court said. During the initial hearing most serious crimes... as well as towards efforts to scores of young girls into his personal sex slaves while Ongwen must confirm his identity and decide which address the threat posed by the LRA”. Ongwen was claiming to be fighting to impose the Bible’s Ten language will be used during the proceedings. abducted by the LRA at the age of 10 and turned into a Commandments. Known as the “White Ant”, Ongwen child soldier, before rising through the ranks to Dominic Ongwen commanded troops who excelled in punishment raids, Major Blow become one of its top commanders. tant questions relating to his status as a child soldier, which involved slicing off the lips and ears of victims as Ongwen was a senior aide to LRA leader and war- “Judicial proceedings against Ongwen raise impor- though the crimes he is charged with were committed grim calling cards. — AFP Boehner invites Bibi to address Congress

WASHINGTON: House of Representatives that diplomacy fails - alienating America from Speaker John Boehner, rebuffing President its allies, and ensuring that Iran starts up its Barack Obama on Iran, said yesterday he had nuclear program again,” Obama said Tuesday invited Israel’s prime minister to address a night. “It doesn’t make sense. That is why I will joint meeting of the US Congress next month veto any new sanctions bill that threatens to about the threats from Tehran and radical undo this progress. The American people Islam. The Republican leader released a letter expect us to only go to war as a last resort, extending the invitation to Benjamin and I intend to stay true to that wisdom.” Netanyahu for Feb 11. Boehner also told a pri- Obama last week warned that rash action vate meeting of Republican lawmakers that by Congress would increase the risk of a mili- Congress would proceed on new penalties tary showdown with Iran, and that “Congress against Iran despite Obama’s warning that will have to own that as well.” In an unusual any legislation would scuttle diplomatic step, British Prime Minister David Cameron negotiations over the country’s nuclear pro- had called members of Congress to urge gram. them to hold off on sanctions. The White “You may have seen that on Friday, the House had no immediate comment on the president warned us not to move ahead with Boehner invitation. Typically, requests for for- sanctions on Iran, a state sponsor of terror,” eign leaders to address Congress are made in Boehner told colleagues, according to his lengthy consultations with the White House office. “His exact message to us was: ‘Hold and the State Department. HAVANA: Members of the US (left) and Cuban delegations hold the first day of closed-door talks aimed at reestablishing diplomatic relations, at your fire.’ He expects us to stand idly by and Boehner said in a statement that the Convention Palace yesterday. — AFP do nothing while he cuts a bad deal with Iran. Netanyahu “is a great friend of our country, “Two words: ‘Hell no!’ ... We’re going to do no and this invitation carries with it our unwaver- such thing,” the speaker said. The invitation ing commitment to the security and well- US, Cuba start historic comes at a crucial time for Netanyahu, who is being of his people. In this time of challenge, I in the middle of a re-election campaign. In am asking the prime minister to address Israel, there was no immediate comment Congress on the grave threats radical Islam from the prime minister’s spokesman. and Iran pose to our security and way of life. The US and other Western countries Americans and Israelis have always stood talks on restoring ties believe that Iran is intent on trying to develop together in shared cause and common ideals, nuclear weapons. Tehran claims its nuclear and now we must rise to the moment again.” program is peaceful and exists only to pro- Boehner is enlisting Netanyahu as a pow- Opening of embassies in focus duce energy for civilian use. The high-stakes erful messenger who could argue for a invitation came just hours after Obama, in his tougher stance toward Iran and an individual State of the Union address, told Congress that who carries considerable sway with Congress. HAVANA: The United States and Cuba opened meeting,” the official said, according to state to the US mission and lift a cap on personnel. he would veto any sanctions legislation and The prime minister repeatedly has warned two days of historic talks in Havana yesterday to media. “The normalization of relations is a much Both nations currently have “interests sections” in he urged Congress to delay further penalties that a nuclear deal could undercut Israel’s end decades of Cold War-era animosity and longer and complex process in which we must each other’s capitals. In a throwback to Cold War against Iran. security. Netanyahu has addressed a joint reestablish diplomatic relations. The meetings in discuss issues of interests for both sides.” days, a Russian spy ship docked in Havana on the “New sanctions passed by this Congress, meeting of Congress on two previous occa- Havana follow the historic decision by US eve of the talks. at this moment in time, will all but guarantee sions, in July 1996 and May 2011. — AP President Barack Obama and Cuban leader Raul Migration, Embassy Negotiations Castro in December to seek normal ties. US The migration talks will tackle an issue that Cubans Hopeful deputy assistant secretary of state Alex Lee and has vexed both nations for years, with Cubans Ordinary Cubans hope the rapprochement will Cuban foreign ministry official Josefina Vidal sat regularly hopping on rickety boats to reach improve their lives in a country where supermar- down for the first day of closed-door talks in the Florida, 145 km away. Gustavo Machin, a Cuban ket shelves often lack basic goods and people capital’s Convention Center, which focused on delegation official, told reporters his government make $20 a month on average. “Things could migration issues. Their opening remarks were not expressed concerns about the US “wet foot, dry change for the better, giving us a little more than broadcast. foot” policy, complaining that it was the “main what we normally have in the material and spiri- The reopening of mutual embassies, closed stimulus for illegal emigration” to the United tual sense,” said Dayron Herrera, 27, an artist who after relations broke in 1961, will be at the center States. The policy gives Cubans who reach US soil was drawing Old Havana while sitting on a street of today’s talks, which will be led on the US side quick access to permanent residency while those near the capital’s Cathedral. The island’s dissident by Roberta Jacobson, the US assistant secretary caught at sea are deported back to their island. community has had a mixed reaction, thanking of state for Western Hemisphere affairs. Jacobson The United States has seen a surge of Cuban Obama for his attempt to improve their country is the highest-ranking American official to visit migrants who apparently fear that the US-Cuba while voicing concern that too much was conced- the communist island since 1980. negotiations will end the policy. The number of ed to the Castro regime without getting much in On the eve of the talks, Obama urged the sea intercepts doubled in December compared return. In Washington, some US lawmakers have Congress to end the decades-long embargo to the previous year. Machin said the first day of criticized Obama’s decision, with Republican against Cuba, which the Castro regime has talks, due to finish later in the morning, were Senator Marco Rubio, a Cuban-American, saying it blamed for the country’s economic woes. “In “constructive” so far but that the two sides “agree was “enriching a tyrant and his regime”. The two Cuba, we are ending a policy that was long past that we disagree” on migration issues. A US offi- countries have already taken steps to thaw their its expiration date,” Obama said in his annual cial also downplayed expectations of agreements once glacial relations. The Cuban government State of the Union speech late Tuesday. “When yesterday. “I wouldn’t look for any specific deliv- completed this month the release of 53 political what you have done doesn’t work for fifty years. erables,” the official told AFP. “This is part of ongo- prisoners demanded by Washington. Days later, It’s time to try something new.” A Cuban foreign ing consultations (on migration).” the US Treasury Department eased travel and ministry official sought to downplay expecta- For today’s embassy talks, the US side wants trade restrictions, though the US Congress has tions of major breakthroughs this week. “We can’t Cuba to reaccredit its diplomats, lift travel restric- final word on lifting the embargo, which prevents expect that everything will be resolved in one tions for them within the island, ease shipments US tourism. — AFP Federal testing at heart of education law debate

WASHINGTON: In this May 24, 2011 file photo, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin WASHINGTON: A Republican-controlled Senate com- ers who think the government should not dictate test- Alexander said he hears from governors and school Netanyahu walks with House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio to make a statement on mittee began work yesterday on revising the land- ing. Murray said Congress “can and should encourage superintendents who say if the government did not Capitol Hill. — AP mark No Child Left Behind education law, focusing states and districts to reduce redundant and low-qual- dictate policy, then it would be difficult for them to do first on federally mandated testing of America’s ity tests.” “While we carefully consider changes to it. But, he said, he is concerned about the government schoolchildren. The chairman, Sen. Lamar Alexander, assessments and accountability to give states and dis- getting in the way of positive change and of a back- US top court backs said at the heart of the debate is whether there is too tricts the flexibility they need, we can’t forget our obli- lash against policies embraced at the federal level. “I much testing. Alexander said he is open to discussion gations to the kids who too often fall through the understand that there can be short-term gains from on whether the federal government should dictate cracks,” Murray said. Alexander said he wants to get an Washington’s orders, but my experience is that long ex-air marshal in standardized testing or leave it up to states. update of the law to Obama in the first months of the term success can’t come that way,” Alexander said. The “Are there too many tests? Are they the right tests? year. Much of the debate probably will focus on law has been due to be renewed since 2007. All sides whistleblower case Are the stakes for failing them too high? What should Washington’s role in improving failing schools. agree it needs to be fixed. — AP Washington, DC have to do with all this?” said WASHINGTON: The US Supreme Court yes- cial US flights to monitor security. The events Alexander, before a hearing of the Senate Health, terday ruled that a former air marshal can took place in the aftermath of the Sept 11, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Alexander seek whistleblower protections for disclosing 2001, attacks on the United States in which al has release a proposal with two options. One would sensitive information to the news media Qaeda militants hijacked airliners and keep the testing mandate as it is. The other would about the absence of security officers on cer- crashed them into the World Trade Center in allow states to decide what to do on testing. Both tain flights. On a 7-2 vote, the court rejected New York, the Pentagon in Virginia and a approaches would require annual reporting of stu- the arguments made by President Barack Pennsylvania field. dent achievement broken down by smaller groups. Obama’s administration, which was seeking The legal question was whether President George W Bush’s education law was to reverse an appeals court ruling favoring MacLean’s actions may be protected by the designed primarily to help poor and minority children. whistleblower Robert MacLean, who was US Whistleblower Protection Act, a law that It mandated annual testing in reading and math for all fired for the 2003 leak. protects employees if a disclosure exposes students in grades three to eight and again in high The litigation is not over as the courts unlawful conduct, gross mismanagement or school. Schools had to show annual growth or face have not yet definitively resolved whether threats to public safety. The court ruled that consequences. The requirement has been credited MacLean’s actions merit protection under the MacLean was potentially protected. with showing how schools handle minorities, low- whistleblower law. He will need to show he The government said the TSA had income students, English learners and special-needs had a reasonable belief the information he grounds to remove MacLean from his posi- children, but also led to complaints that the law disclosed was a threat to public health or tion in 2006 because disclosure of such sensi- opened the door to more tests and a test-taking cul- safety. MacLean told a reporter with the tive information was prohibited under ture. MSNBC cable TV network that the US agency regulations. During the oral argu- Since 2012, President Barack Obama has allowed Transportation Security Administration (TSA) ment, several justices questioned whether states to get a waiver from some of the more stringent had decided not to assign air marshals to cer- those regulations carried any weight. requirements. The administration has steadfastly sup- tain long-distance flights, a decision he dis- The Obama administration appealed after ported the annual testing requirement as a way to agreed with. the US Court of Appeals for the Federal chart student growth and track how historically He said the decision was made soon after Circuit ruled in April 2013 for MacLean, saying underserved groups are doing. The testing require- the TSA had told marshals of a potential plot the Aviation and Transportation Security Act ment is backed by Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, WASHINGTON: Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Sen Lamar to hijack US airplanes. The TSA places under- did not specifically prohibit him from making the committee’s top Democrat, but not by Alexander and the committee’s ranking member Sen Patty Murray arrive on Capitol Hill yes- cover armed air marshals on some commer- the disclosure. — Reuters Republicans such as Kentucky Sen Rand Paul and oth- terday for the committee’s hearing, looking at ways to fix the No Child Left Behind law. — AP INTERNATIONAL THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015 New flashpoint in east Ukraine

MOSCOW: Separatist forces in eastern widely seen in the West as irrefutable evi- Ukraine deployed large quantities of arms dence of Russia’s direct involvement. and manpower yesterday to an emerging Speaking during a visit to Kiev, US Army flashpoint, undermining hopes for a new Europe commander Lt Gen Ben Hodges said peace initiative taking shape. Ukraine’s presi- the amount of Russian equipment being pro- dent to cut short a visit to Switzerland to deal vided to separatists had doubled between with the unfolding crisis. Earlier in the day, the signing of a cease-fire deal in September Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov pro- and the year’s end. posed that both Ukrainian forces and “It is very clear from the capabilities that Russian-backed rebels pull back their heavy the proxies (rebels) have used against weapons from a previously agreed-upon divi- Ukrainian security forces, the type of artillery, sion line to help reduce hostilities. Lavrov’s modern equipment, the amount of ammuni- remarks received nominal approval from his tion that has been used,” Hodges said. “It is Ukrainian counterpart, Pavlo Klimkin. irrefutable that they are getting direct sup- While Lavrov urged measures to contain port from Russia.” The now-destroyed unfolding unrest, he said nothing about Donetsk airport has been the focus of fight- rebels surrendering territory they acquired in ing for months because of its strategic loca- violation of September’s peace deal. Ukraine tion and symbolic value, part of fighting in says separatists have overstepped agreed- eastern Ukraine has killed more than 4,700 upon boundaries by 500 square kilometers people since April. (190 square miles). Ukrainian President Petro Northwest of Luhansk, the second largest Poroshenko, who headed home early after rebel-held city, the Ukrainian government speaking at an economic forum in Davos, and the rebels were fighting over two check- Switzerland, strongly urged Russia to with- points on a strategic highway. Ukraine’s draw its forces from eastern Ukraine and seal Defense Ministry said one of those positions, the border to stop the flow of troops and Checkpoint 31, had been abandoned but weapons. On the ground, the Russian-backed operations were underway to retake it. separatists sent large amounts of weaponry Around midday, an AP reporter saw nine all day yesterday toward a tense checkpoint Gvozdika self-propelled howitzers and six area northwest of the rebel-held city of anti-tank cannons moving near the eastern Luhansk - 50 kilometers (30 miles) west of the Ukrainian town of Perevalsk. A rebel militia- Russian border - prompting Poroshenko’s sur- man with the convoy, who declined to pro- prise return home. Lavrov, who was to meet vide his name, said the armament heading in PARIS: All kinds of tributes including candles and pencils are displayed on the pavement close to the Charlie Hebdo site where brothers, Said with his Ukrainian, French and German coun- the direction of Checkpoint 31. Along the and Cherif Kouachi killed people in a terror attack at the offices of French satirical publication Charlie Hebdo Tuesday. — AP terparts in Berlin later yesterday, said the pro- same road, the AP saw four Grad multiple posed withdrawal of artillery should help end rockets launchers accompanied by four trucks the surge in fighting to control Donetsk’s air- carrying ammunition and 15 pristine-looking France to get better guns, more port and other flashpoints. tanks, also heading toward the checkpoint. Moscow has denied Ukrainian and Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Western claims that it provides manpower Yevhen Perebyinis says separatist forces had intelligence agents to fight terror and arms to the separatists but has acknowl- seized 500 square kilometers (190 sq. miles) edged that some Russians have joined the of territory since the division line was agreed insurgents. Yet the sheer amount of sophisti- upon at September talks in Minsk, the capital ‘Cover for yet another security crackdown’ cated heavy weaponry in insurgent hands is of Belarus. —AP PARIS: France announced sweeping new meas- measure - expected to be activated in the com- Molins said. Mickael A. also had 18 phone con- ures to counter homegrown terrorism yesterday, ing weeks - would allow authorities to ask tacts with Coulibaly on Jan 6. Molins said three of including giving security forces better weapons Internet service providers to block sites that glo- the men are believed to have procured weapons and protection, going on an intelligence agent rify terrorism. Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin, head of and tactical material for Coulibaly. hiring spree and creating a better database of France’s national data protection agency CNIL, anyone suspected of extremist links. The meas- told reporters yesterday her agency would insist Less progress ures detailed by Prime Minister Manuel Valls that any additional snooping privileges for The lawyer for one of those charged said his came as four men were handed preliminary France’s intelligence services should only be client was unaware of any terrorist plot and charges of providing logistical support to one of allowed if they are matched by greater protec- feared Coulibaly since being roughed up by him the Paris terror attackers - the first charges issued tions for personal data. A leading civil liberties six years ago. “Coulibaly is known in this neigh- for three days of mayhem that left 20 people group, La Quadrature du Net, said Valls’ proposals borhood as an outlaw, a big shot. People were dead, including three gunmen. “presage a new retreat of civil liberties on the afraid of him,” said the lawyer, Fabrice Delinde. He The new security measures include increased Internet.” It accused the government of “using the would not identify his client for security reasons. intelligence-gathering on jihadis and other radi- attacks to put in place some of the most repres- The client “acted as an intermediary so that cals, in part by making it easier to tap phones. sive legislation” and warned that huge marches Coulibaly would not be buying weapons directly. Valls said Internet providers and social networks against terrorism in France mustn’t provide “cov- He was forced. If he refused, he would have been “have a legal responsibility under French law” to er for yet another security crackdown.” beaten,” the lawyer told The Associated Press. comply with the new measures. In all, France will Also yesterday, authorities acknowledged that spend 425 million euros ($490 million) over the Prison friendships Coulibaly and his common-law wife Hayat next three years for all the counter-terror efforts, Outlining a web of phone calls, shared keys Boumeddiene were stopped by police in a rou- he said. Some 2,600 counter-terrorism officers and prison friendships, Paris Prosecutor Francois tine control Dec 30, the week before the attacks, will be hired, 1,100 of them specifically for intelli- Molins said the four suspects given preliminary then let go. The incident is now under investiga- gence services. Anti-terror surveillance is needed charges overnight will remain behind bars while tion. Boumeddiene fled to Syria as Coulibaly car- for 3,000 people with ties to France - some at the investigation continues. All are in their 20s, ried out his attacks in Paris. The Paris prosecutor home, others abroad, the prime minister said. and all were arrested in the Paris region. He iden- acknowledged that investigators have made less KIEV: People express their grief during the funeral of Georgian fighter of the tified them only as Willy P, Christophe R, Tonino G progress in their probe of the Kouachi brothers Ukrainian volunteer battalion of Donbass killed during ATO (Anti-Terrorists ‘Extreme rarity’ and Mickael A. Under French law, if convicted on than the probe into Coulibaly. Operation) yesterday. — AFP Also yesterday, President Francois Hollande’s the preliminary charges of criminal association French authorities are working with other office announced that the government now with a terrorist organization, they could face up countries to search for other possible accom- German PEGIDA leader resigns after plans to cut 7,500 fewer jobs from the military to to 20 years in prison. plices, Molins said. They are especially trying to better fight terrorism. Authorities say more than Three of the men are suspected of buying find out who was responsible for the posthu- Hitler pose prompts investigation 1,200 French citizens and residents are now weapons for Amedy Coulibaly. Coulibaly shot a mous video of Coulibaly, edited and released linked to foreign jihad - the defense minister said policewoman to death Jan 8 on the outskirts of days after he and brothers Said and Cherif BERLIN: The leader of the fast-growing attack. Bachmann, who denies he is a racist, yesterday about 10 of those who have gone to Paris and then a day later killed four hostages at a Kouachi died in standoffs with police. In the German anti-Muslim movement PEGIDA had heard yesterday that he faces a criminal Syria or Iraq to fight with Islamic extremists are kosher supermarket before being killed in a video, Coulibaly pledges allegiance to the Islamic resigned yesterday after a photo of him pos- investigation for incitement to racial hatred. former French soldiers. Minister Jean-Yves Le police raid. Three of the four suspects charged State group and details how the Paris attacks ing as Hitler - and reports that he called State prosecutors in Dresden said preliminary Drian insisted the phenomenon remains an had criminal records; at least one met Coulibaly were coordinated. refugees “scumbags” - prompted prosecutors proceedings had been launched following the “extreme rarity.” in prison, Molins said. Coulibaly himself had met to investigate him for inciting hatred. Bild report. Since three police were among those killed by Cherif Kouachi, one of the two brothers behind Behind bars Bachmann, a 41-year-old convicted burglar, the Paris terrorists, the prime minister said the attack on the Charlie Hebdo newspaper, in In a separate terrorism investigation in neigh- had appeared on the front page of top-selling ‘Impulsive’ improving officers’ weapons and protective gear prison. Among the measures announced by Valls boring Belgium, authorities said a fifth suspect daily newspaper Bild yesterday sporting a Bild printed the photo of him with Hitler- was among the top priorities. France has repeat- was hiring new officers to counter prison radical- linked to an alleged terror cell plotting a major Hitler moustache and haircut. Bild and anoth- style moustache and hair on its front page. It ization and segregating those prisoners who are attack on Belgian police was put behind bars. er paper said he had called aslyum-seekers quoted him as saying the photo had been tak- edly strengthened its counterterrorism laws over “animals” and “scumbags”. en as a joke, prompted by a recent satirical the years, including a measure passed in already radicalized. The DNA of Mickael A was Belgium prosecutors also said those killed in an Oertel said his resignation had nothing to book about Hitler called “Er ist wieder da” November that focused on preventing French found on a revolver in Coulibaly’s apartment and anti-terror raid in eastern Verviers last week were do with the Hitler photo but was linked to (“Look Who’s Back”). The Dresdner extremists from joining fighters abroad. Another on a glove the gunman wore in the supermarket, two Belgian nationals in their twenties. — AP comments posted on the internet. “Yes, I can Morgenpost newspaper also quoted what it confirm that Lutz Bachmann has offered his said were Facebook messages from resignation and it was accepted,” another Bachmann saying asylum seekers acted like Boats, oxen deployed to PEGIDA co-founder, Kathrin Oertel, told “scumbags” at the welfare office and that Reuters. She added: “PEGIDA will go on.” The extra security was needed “to protect employ- news came just as sympathisers with PEGIDA ees from the animals”. Deputy Chancellor (Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation Sigmar Gabriel, the Social Democrat leader, save Zambia’s election of the West), which is based in Dresden, were said the real face of PEGIDA had been due to stage a march in another east German exposed: “Anyone who puts on a Hitler dis- city, Leipzig. guise is either an idiot or a Nazi.” In an inter- LUSAKA: Boats and ox-wagons were deployed the election was free and fair.” vote badly fractured by a bitter power struggle PEGIDA has forced itself onto the political view with Reuters last week, Bachmann to get ballot papers to parts of Zambia hit by after Sata’s death in October. agenda with its anti-immigrant slogans that played down a ribald comment made in 2013, torrential rains as presidential elections were ‘Two-horse race’ With ideological differences between have attracted tens of thousands to regular seized on by the media, that “eco-terrorist” extended for a second day yesterday. A planned In the absence of reliable opinion polls, ana- Zambia’s political parties difficult to pin down, rallies in Dresden. Its Leipzig sister movement, Greens, first and foremost former party leader airlift of ballot papers and polling officers to lysts hedged their bets. “It’s a two-horse race,” voting patterns are often determined by person- LEGIDA, was due to march yesterday evening Claudia Roth, should be “summarily executed”. remote villages was disrupted on Tuesday by said Oliver Saasa, CEO of Premier Consult, a busi- alities and ethnicity rather than issues. Despite after police banned a PEGIDA march in “I am an impulsive person... I regret I didn’t “extreme thunderstorms” which grounded ness and economic consultancy firm. “It’s quite growth-oriented policies and a stable economy Dresden on Monday due to a threat of an resist my impulsiveness.”— Reuters flights, election authorities said. Some 21,00 vot- clear this is a very closely run race.”Hichilema’s over the past few years, at least 60 percent of ers in dozens of polling stations are now expect- camp is seen to have received a boost from the Zambia’s population of 15 million lives below ed to cast ballots yesterday in a hotly contested infighting within another major opposition par- the poverty line, according to World Bank fig- A look at the suspects in presidential election to replace Michael Sata, ty, the Movement for Multiparty Democracy ures. About 5.2 million people were eligible to who died in office last year. (MMD), whose candidate Nevers Mumba has lit- vote, but turnout is expected to be low, partly At stake is the remaining year and a half of his tle chance. Lungu’s PF, meanwhile, went into the because of the weather. — AFP Paris terror investigation five-year term in the copper-rich but impover- ished southern African nation. Eleven candidates PARIS: A French anti-terror judge has criminal records, including mainly driving are vying for the presidency, but the frontrun- charged the first suspects in connection with without a license and aggravated robbery. ners are tipped to be ruling Patriotic Front (PF) the Jan 7-9 Paris terror attacks in which broth- Phone records indicate Coulibaly was in candidate Edgar Lungu and Hakainde Hichilema ers Said and Cherif Kouachi and their friend regular contact with the suspects, including of the United Party for National Development Amedy Coulibaly slaughtered 17 people 18 telephone contacts between him and (UPND). The extension of voting led to a suspen- before being killed by police. Here is a sum- Mickael A the day before the attacks began. sion of the release of early results from the elec- mary of what is known about these four sus- Records of the positions of their cell phones tion. “Let’s allow them to vote without undue pects and others wanted in connection with also indicate Coulibaly and Mickael A. were influence,” said Electoral commission chair- France’s bloodiest terror attacks in decades. together for six hours on Jan 5, two days woman Irene Mambilima. Final results are not before the attacks began. expected until Friday. The delay in the delivery The suspects of polling material initially led Hichilema, a The four suspects charged yesterday were: Bulgarian connection wealthy businessman, to cry foul and allege Willy P, Christophe R, Tonino G and Mickael A. Extradition proceedings are underway for fraud. The first three were charged with procuring another Frenchman wanted in connection He has also complained about the extension weapons, a car and other gear for Coulibaly, with the attacks. Fritz-Joly Joachin, 29, was of voting, the shifting of some polling stations who killed a police woman and four hostages arrested Jan. 1 on an unrelated warrant while and alleged acts of violence by ruling PF sup- at a kosher grocery. Mickael A, was charged trying to cross the Bulgarian border into porters “Clear acts of violence... obviously fright- with possession and transport of a weapon Turkey. French police say he was an associate en off voters,” he told reporters after meeting in connection with a terrorist operation. of the Kouachi brothers, who killed 12 people electoral officials. The head of a Southern African Prosecutors say some of his DNA turned up in an attack against the satirical weekly observer team, South African Foreign Minister on a revolver found in Coulibaly’s apartment Charlie Hebdo. He’s accused of participating Maite Nkoana-Mashabane commended the and on one of the gloves he wore during the in an organized crime group with terrorist electoral body for holding a “generally peaceful” attack. They say Mikael A. met Coulibaly in aim, as well as having links to a network vote under “challenging” conditions. A group of LUSAKA: Zambian police officers apprehend a supporter of the opposition United Party for prison between November 2011 and May organizing the transfer of volunteers to fight southern African NGOs said the “elections were National Development party outside the Presidential Election result centre at Mulungushi 2013. All suspects except Tonino G. have with extremists in Syria. —AP credible based on the voting day and generally International Conference Centre yesterday. — AFP INTERNATIONAL THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014 Attempts to block book on Sonia Gandhi only fueled interest

NEW DELHI: Efforts by India’s Congress party to his right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party snatched pow- figure considered one of the world’s most powerful books. “There may be exigencies at times, but we block the publication of a “dramatized” biography of er from the Congress in May. Moro said he was sur- women. Any writer would be lucky to get his hands need to find more subtle ways of dealing with it,” its president Sonia Gandhi only stoked interest in prised there were no books available on the media- on material such as Sonia’s life, he said. Congress Manish Tewari told Reuters in a text message. the book, said author Javier Moro. “The Red Sari”, the shy politician, who rose from obscurity after her party leaders had opposed the publication of the Despite the “incomprehensible” delay to publish a English translation of the 2008 Spanish-language “El marriage into India’s Gandhi dynasty and was thrust book in 2010 and threatened to take legal action. book he says contains nothing offensive, Moro’s sari rojo”, hit bookstands in India last week, seven into the limelight as the widow of an assassinated Moro, an Indophile writer like his uncle Dominique faith in the freedom of expression in India has not months after the party was ousted after a decade in former premier. Lapierre, said he stayed away from the country after been shaken. power. Gandhi took over the reins of a floundering his effigies were burned. “There is a free press, there is free expression,” he “I’m thankful, because they gave me a fabulous Congress party in 1998 and was the architect of its Among parts of the book that riled the Congress said, warning that in any democracy, vigilance was free publicity campaign,” said Moro, speaking in unexpected triumph in national elections six years was the assertion that Gandhi had considered leav- needed to protect free speech. Spanish about the protests against the book at an later. In what was seen as a masterstroke in the wake ing India after her husband was killed in 1991. Moro The 59-year-old writer, who won Spain’s highest event in India’s capital on Tuesday. “The Red Sari” of protests over her Italian birth, she declined to said he did not know if Gandhi had read the book, literary award in 2011, said he would never again was ranked second among new releases on the become prime minister, preferring to wield power adding that at their only meeting, she told him that write about a living person as it was too much trou- Amazon India website’s bestseller list yesterday. from behind the scenes. the Gandhis never read what’s written about them. ble. “I’ll write about people who have been dead for The Italian-born Gandhi, 68, has played a reduced Moro wrote his book on Gandhi without her con- Yesterday, a Congress leader said the party had a long time,” Moro said. “And whose lawyers are also public role since Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sent, calling it the “dramatized” biography of a public never been comfortable with the idea of proscribing totally dead.” — Reuters Attacks on journos threaten media freedom in Afghanistan KABUL: When Afghan journalist Hussain takes place outside the capital, Kabul, “away Sirat’s car disappeared in late December, he from the concentrated spotlight of both assumed it was simply theft, until a man domestic and international media,” said called to say that he had the vehicle, and a HRW’s researcher on Afghanistan, Patricia gun with which he planned to kill him. In the Grossman. President Ashraf Ghani and his weeks since then, Sirat, an editor at political rival-turned-chief executive Abdullah Afghanistan’s biggest daily newspaper 8AM Abdullah pledged during campaigning last who also works for Deutsche Welle, has been year to uphold constitutional protections for attacked in the street and received death a free media. Abdullah vowed in November threats in text messages that accuse him of to end impunity for crimes against journalists. being an “infidel” - which he assumes is relat- Reporters Without Borders, a nonprofit group, ed to his work for the German broadcaster. “I said over the weekend that the initial months don’t feel safe,” he said. The 33-year-old has of Ghani’s administration “have seen signifi- moved to a safe house away from his wife cant advances for media freedom,” including and five children, who are afraid to go out- improving access to information and the side. Neither the police nor security services planned establishment of a media regulatory have been able to find the people who body. But it ranked Afghanistan 128 out of threatened him. “They can’t make me feel any 180 countries on its 2014 press freedom safer,” he said. Eight journalists were killed in index. “The main reason for the continuing Afghanistan in 2014, making it the deadliest violence (against journalists) and resulting year for the media since 2001, when the US- instability has been the war waged by the led invasion toppled the Taleban, rights Taleban against the desire for peace and groups say. A free media had been hailed as democracy that the Afghan people demon- one of Afghanistan’s greatest achievements strated in the president election,” said Reza since the 2001 invasion, with almost 1,000 Moini, head of the organization’s Iran- news organizations operating, compared to Afghanistan desk. just 15 under the Taleban’s extremist rule. “But news media and journalists are But more than 40 journalists have been increasingly being threatened by local gov- killed since then, according to Nai, a media ernment officials and military personnel. All support organization in Kabul. Many of these abuses must be stopped,” he said. reporters feel pressured by the government, Female Afghan journalists are especially vul- AMRITSAR: An Indian kite-maker poses with kites adorned with images of US President Barack Obama (left) and Indian Prime Minister insurgents and corrupt warlords to self-cen- nerable. “Along with the threats, intimidation Narendra Modi (right) yesterday. — AFP sor to avoid trouble or leave journalism and violence faced by all journalists, female entirely. “There is no doubt that things are reporters are impeded by social and cultural getting worse,” said Abdul Mujeeb Khalvatgar, restrictions,” the HRW report said. “The mere As Obama visit looms, signs that Nai’s executive director. Incidents of violence, act of appearing on television can be particu- threats and intimidation were up 65 percent larly controversial for a woman in India pushing back against China in 2014 compared with 2013, he said. The Afghanistan,” it added. Royeen Rahnosh, 27, killing of journalists more than doubled from an editor at Khaama Press, was attacked by a three the previous year. man with a knife as he walked home from his New York-based watchdog Human Rights Kabul office last year. He believes he was tar- ‘Message is clear: Do not ignore Indian security concerns’ Watch, which released a report Wednesday geted because of reports he wrote about titled “Stop Reporting or We’ll Kill Your Family,” Taleban violence - which has intensified in NEW DELHI: When Sri Lanka unexpectedly turfed ‘Last straw’ cern for India, the destination for the majority of says perpetrators of violence against journal- the past year as US and NATO troops have out President Mahinda Rajapaksa in an election Washington made no bones about its distaste the trans shipment cargo through Colombo. ists are rarely punished, reflecting a “wider ended their combat role. this month, it was the biggest setback in decades for Rajapaksa, who critics accuse of war crimes, “The message is clear, that you do not ignore impunity and failure to establish the rule of “I no longer write specifically about the for China’s expansion into South Asia - and a corruption and nepotism. But until last year India Indian security concerns,” said the Indian diplo- law in Afghanistan.” “Afghan journalists face Taleban, I refer to them now as ‘armed anti- remarkable diplomatic victory for India. Despite was indecisive, perhaps afraid of pushing the matic source. Modi is looking for similar good threats from all sides: government officials government forces,’” he said. “I haven’t New Delhi’s protestations, diplomats and politi- hero of the war against Tamil separatists even news elsewhere in South Asia. He has already vis- exploiting weak legal protections to intimi- changed my own views, and my reporting cians in the region say India played a role in closer to China. That changed in September, ited Nepal twice, becoming the first Indian prime date reporters and editors to compel them doesn’t hide the reality, but the use of lan- organizing the opposition against pro-China when Rajapaksa allowed a Chinese submarine to minister to travel to the Himalayan buffer state not to cover controversial topics; the Taleban guage has changed.” “A free media is a huge Rajapaksa. His successor, President Maithripala dock in Colombo, without informing India, as it with China in 17 years, and signing long delayed and other insurgent groups using threats and achievement for this country made by the Sirisena, has said India is the “first, main concern” was bound to under an existing agreement. “That power projects. India has muscled into an $8 bil- violence to compel reporting they consider people and journalists, not the government. If of his foreign policy and that he will review all was the last straw,” a senior Indian diplomat told lion deep water port project that Bangladesh favorable; and police and justice officials let- this situation doesn’t change, the small inde- projects awarded to Chinese firms, including a Reuters. “He told Modi: “the next time I will keep wants to develop in Sonadia in the Bay of Bengal, ting threats, assaults and even murders go pendent news organizations like Khaama will sea reclamation development in Colombo that you informed,”“ the diplomat said, a promise that with the Adani Group, a company close to Modi, uninvestigated and unprosecuted,” it says. disappear because they cannot function would give Beijing a strategic toehold on India’s was broken when the submarine visited again in submitting a proposal in October. China Harbor Much of the violence and intimidation without protection,” he said. — AP doorstep. November. Engineering Company, an early bidder, was previ- India has pushed back against China else- In the build up to the Jan 8 election, India ously the front-runner. where in the region since Prime Minister played a role in uniting Sri Lanka’s usually frac- “Modi is willing to engage on long-term issues Narendra Modi took office in May, improving ties tious opposition, for which the station chief of that stretch beyond India’s border, including mar- with Japan and Vietnam, both locked in territorial India’s spy agency was expelled, diplomatic and itime security in the South China Sea, as well as disputes with Beijing, and contesting a port proj- political sources say. North Korea and Islamic State militants in Iraq and ect in Bangladesh that could otherwise have “At least that was the perception of Mahinda Syria,” said Richard Rossow at policy think tank been a cakewalk for China. The new robust diplo- Rajapkasa,” said MA Sumanthiran, a prominent CSIS. “That’s when we start to think about India as macy, which Modi calls “Act East”, has delighted member of the Tamil National Alliance, a coalition a regional global provider - or as a global provider Washington, which has been nudging India for of parties close to India. “He managed to get one of security.” years to dovetail with the US strategic pivot of their top diplomats recalled.” The Indian gov- However, the bonhomie has limits - India and toward the region. When President Barack Obama ernment denies any of its officers was expelled. the United States do not see eye-to-eye on makes a landmark visit to India starting Sunday, But Sumanthiran said Modi had in a meeting Pakistan, New Delhi’s traditional foe that enjoys he will be the chief guest at New Delhi’s show- encouraged the Tamil alliance to join forces with substantial funding from Washington. Tricky con- piece Republic Day military parade, and rarely for others in politics. “The Indians realized that you flicts over trade and intellectual property hold a presidential trip, is not scheduled to visit any can’t do business with this man and they were back business, and India has limits to its ability to other country before returning to Washington. hoping for a change,” he said. project force outside its immediate neighbor- “What is appealing to me and my colleagues is hood. But Modi’s policies mark a departure from the fact that Prime Minister Modi has undertaken ‘Family matter’ India’s traditional non-aligned approach to for- to build from what has been a ‘Look East’ policy to On Friday, Sri Lanka said it would review a $1.5 eign power blocs. an ‘Act East’ policy,” US Assistant Secretary of State billion deal with China Communication “Having the US president at the Republic Day for East Asia and the Pacific Daniel Russel said in Construction Co Ltd to build a 233 hectare patch celebration is a good thing, he is blessing Modi,” Washington last month. “He has shown in word of real estate on redeveloped land overlooking said Mohan Guruswamy, of the Centre for Policy and deed his interest in involving India in the Colombo’s South Port. Alternatives, a think-tank. “And that is a lesson to KABUL: In this file photo, an Afghan soldier inspects a damaged bus at the site of a thinking and the affairs of the broader region. In return, China was to get land on a freehold the Chinese that you have to mend your fences suicide attack by the Taleban. — AP That’s very much to be welcomed.” basis in the development. This is of particular con- with us.” — Reuters Nepal’s Maoist chief sorry for brawl Mongolian model’s Malaysian KATHMANDU: Nepal’s Maoist chief apologized peacefully and offer stability it will require the and Limbu ethnic minorities. Other parties say murderer arrested in Australia yesterday for his party’s role in a parliament widest support,” they said in a statement. such a move would be divisive and a threat to brawl that injured four security officers in the Disagreements persist on crucial issues, with national unity. The ruling parties and their allies SYDNEY: Australian police have arrested a Malaysian authorities’ interest in this individ- tense run-up to a deadline for a post-war con- the opposition calling for new provinces to be have the two-thirds majority in parliament that Malaysian police officer convicted of killing ual, however due to privacy reasons cannot stitution. Maoist lawmakers hurled chairs and created along lines that could favor historically they need to approve a constitution without and blowing up a Mongolian model linked comment further.” Australia does not have scuffled with security staff early Tuesday as rul- marginalized communities such as the Madhesi Maoist support. —AFP with a former associate of Malaysian Prime the death penalty, nor does it extradite peo- ing party politicians tried to push proposals for Minister Najib Razak, media reported yester- ple to countries in which they may face exe- a new charter through parliament before day. Two police officers, part of Najib’s per- cution for their crimes, a point which may today’s deadline. “The confrontation in the con- sonal security detail at the time of the 2006 have factored into Sirul’s choice of Australia stituent assembly meeting on Tuesday morn- murder of 28-year-old Altantuya Shaariibuu, as a destination. ing was a mistake,” said Maoist leader Pushpa were found guilty in 2009 but were acquitted The Australian Attorney General’s Kamal Dahal, known better as Prachanda. “We in 2013. Department does not comment publicly on had no intention of starting a fight but the situ- That acquittal was overturned by extradition matters, and would not confirm ation got out of control,” Prachanda told a press Malaysia’s Federal Court this month, reviving whether it had received a request for extradi- conference. He said the party had instructed public outrage over the model’s grisly death. tion in line with longstanding practice. lawmakers to disrupt proceedings by chanting Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar was taken into “Australia’s extradition legislation does not slogans, but matters got out of hand when rul- custody by immigration officials in Brisbane allow a person to be surrendered to another ing party politicians attempted to move ahead earlier this week, The Star newspaper quoted country for an offence punishable by death with a vote on the terms of the constitution Malaysia’s Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri unless the country has given Australia an without all-party agreement. Khalid Abu Bakar as saying. undertaking that the death penalty will not The former rebels say discussions should Sirul did not show up to hear the verdict, be carried out on the person,” a spokes- continue until all parties agree even if that at which point the court issued an arrest war- woman said in a statement. means missing the deadline to approve the rant. He faces the death penalty in Malaysia. Civil society groups have alleged charter and complete a peace process begun in The Australian Broadcasting Corporation Shaariibuu’s murder was linked to her role as 2006, when they ended their decade-long reported that Sirul had arrived in Australia in an interpreter and associate of Razak insurgency. The United Nations and diplomats October. “The department detained an Baginda, a former associate of Najib, in in Nepal urged politicians to return to the unlawful non-citizen yesterday in Brisbane,” a Malaysia’s purchase of two Scorpene-class negotiating table “in a spirit of flexibility and spokeswoman for Australia’s Department of submarines from French shipbuilding giant urgency”. “The constitution is meant to be a Immigration and Border Protection Services DCNS in 2002. Najib had previously denied foundational document... to be implemented KATHMANDU: Nepalese campaigners demonstrate yesterday. — AFP told Reuters yesterday. allegations of links to Shaariibuu or corrup- “The department is aware of the tion in the purchase. — Reuters INTERNATIONAL THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015 Indonesian murder charges against US couple ‘absurd’

BALI: Lawyers representing an American couple However, the lawyers said that the prosecutors cited versation and text messages on Aug 12, Mack and charged with murdering the woman’s mother argued the wrong hotel room numbers in the indictment’s Schaefer discussed plans to kill von Wiese-Mack and yesterday that the indictments are absurd and inaccu- description of the alleged activities of Schaefer and setting it up to look like a suicide. Phone communica- rate and should be annulled. Heather Mack, 19, and Mack the morning of the woman’s death. tions “are prone to manipulation, given the sophisti- her boyfriend Tommy Schaefer, 21, both from Chicago, cated information technology,” Wirani said. are being tried separately at the Denpasar District Inaccuracies in indictment Prosecutors said the couple plotted the murder Court on the resort island of Bali. They could face the According to the indictment, “around 8:30 (0030 because von Wiese-Mack did not endorse their rela- firing squad if found guilty of premeditated murder of GMT) Schaefer, with an iron grip of a fruit bowl on his tionship, and Mack once suggested that Schaefer hire Sheila von Wiese-Mack, 62, whose badly beaten body hand, has come to the 616 rooms, rang the bell and someone to kill her mother for $50,000 before their was found in a suitcase on the trunk of a taxi outside Mack opened the door for him. They then hug each visit to Bali. An argument over the hotel bill made an upscale hotel Aug 13. In their pleas, the lawyers other and chatted.” “How come the defendant Tommy Mack’s mother angry and scolded Schaefer, using a said indictments submitted last week have raised Schaefer, who stayed at room 616, came to room 616... racial slur. Schaefer then battered her with the iron questions of whether other people entered the vic- and who has come to the room 317?” said Mack’s grip of a fruit bowl. Security camera video showed the tim’s room and killed her. They asked the judges to lawyer Ni Kadek Sri Novi Wirani. She asked whether victim earlier having an argument with Schaefer in the annul the indictment. other people entered room 317 and said inaccuracies hotel lobby. Mack who is seven months pregnant with Mack and her mother arrived in Bali on Aug 4 and in the indictment caused multiple interpretations of Schaefer’s child, helped conceal her mother’s body in a stayed in Kuta before moving to the St Regis hotel in the suspects’ activities and the crime scene. Wirani suitcase by sitting on it to enable Schaefer to close it, Nusa Dua, where they planned to stay at room 317 and Iswahyudi Edy, who represented Schaefer, also the indictment said. The couple then hired a taxi and until Aug 14, while Schaefer arrived Aug 12 and stayed objected to the citing of communication between the placed the suitcase containing the body in the trunk BALI: Tommy Schaefer leans on a bar inside a cell at room 616 of the same hotel, booked by Mack under defendants on cellphones as evidences of premeditat- and told the driver they were going to check out of the at Denpasar district court before his hearing her mother’s name, according to the indictment. ed murder. According to the indictment, in their con- hotel and would return, but they never show up. — AP objections trial yesterday. — AP China’s property market no longer ‘red hot but deep cold’

DAVOS: China’s property market is no rupling in Beijing and Shanghai from 2003 longer “red hot but deep cold”, elites gath- and doubling across the country-the sector ered at the Davos forum heard Wednesday, has recently come to a screeching halt, as fears grow that a real estate slump could with prices falling in the second half of accentuate slowing growth in the giant 2014. In a bid to cool the market in past Asian economy. “China’s urbanization-led years, China has introduced market control growth is almost coming to an end. Very lit- measures including limits on buying sec- tle money is going into buying new land ond and third homes. But local authorities and building new buildings because so rely on the property sector for a significant many buildings have been built,” said proportion of their income, and cities Zhang Xin, chief executive and co-founder began rolling back some of the measures of real estate giant SOHO China. this year as China’s economy slowed and “Real estate has moved from red hot to the central government relented. deep cold. This is the cold, cold sector of The central bank in September eased the economy. No money wants to go into mortgage policies for the real estate sector real estate,” Zhang said. “Developers like and last month announced a surprise inter- me which used to spend so much time est rate cut-the first in more than two buying land and building buildings, now years-that analysts said would benefit are also moving on the consumption side,” home buyers the most. Axel Weber, former she said. That means finding more creative Bundesbank chief, suggested however that ways to rent out office space, for instance. the slowdown in the real estate market is to “Can I come up with a new product that be expected and not a cause for concern. can suit the new generation, the mobile “China’s building boom has been going on generation?” she said. for a long time,” he said, adding that the China’s property slump has fuelled prices are now undergoing correction. fears that it could further slow economic He also predicted that investments are growth at a time when the world is look- simply going to switch from property to ing at the Asian giant to provide momen- stocks. “There’s big inflows of overseas tum. Chief economist at consultancy IHS, funds into China. The flow of money will Nariman Behravesh, said: “China is going move from the property markets to equity through a housing crunch and it’s bring- markets so a major rally should continue in KUMAI: In this photograph, a member of Indonesia’s search and rescue team walks past wreckage of AirAsia flight QZ8501 recovered at sea and ing growth down. What we don’t know is China,” he said. Chinese central bank chief stored in a warehouse for investigators in Kumai, Central Kalimantan on Borneo island. — AFP when it will stop.” Zhou Xiaochuan also did not appear to be too worried about the trend. “Generally we ‘Merely cyclical’ see there may be a cyclical adjustment,” he After a decade of breakneck rises in said, adding that the central bank “will basi- AirAsia jet’s alarms were property prices-with rates more than quad- cally keep monetary policy stable”. — AFP UN panel on N Korea rights ‘screaming’ before crash says report still stands Doomed AirAsia jet’s climb echoes Air France disaster SEOUL: The head of the UN commission that news agency, the spokesman noted that Shin produced a damning report on North Korean was one of the best-known defectors who tes- JAKARTA: Warning alarms in AirAsia flight “In the final minutes, the plane climbed at a of the remaining passengers and crew. The two rights abuses has dismissed Pyongyang’s tified to Kirby’s panel. QZ8501 were “screaming” as the pilots desperate- speed which was beyond normal,” the minister black boxes-the cockpit voice recorder and the claim that doubts about the credibility of a The commission’s conclusion that North ly tried to stabilize the plane just before it told reporters. Analysts said the AirAsia jet’s rapid flight data recorder-were recovered last week prominent witness made the panel’s findings Korea was committing human rights viola- plunged into the Java Sea last month, a crash ascent had echoes of the crash of an Air France jet after a lengthy search, and investigators are “invalid.” “The partial retraction of Shin Dong- tions “without parallel in the contemporary investigator said yesterday. The noise of several into the Atlantic in 2009, with the loss of 228 lives. examining them. hyuk of the testimony he gave to the world” was the basis of a resolution adopted alarms-including one that indicated the plane Air France flight 447 vanished en route from Rio Investigators have listened to the data from Commission of Inquiry on North Korea is not by the UN General Assembly last month. It was stalling-can be heard going off in recordings to Paris at night during a storm. The Airbus A330’s the cockpit voice recorder, and are also looking at significant for the report, conclusions or rec- urged the Security Council to consider refer- from the black box in the Airbus A320-200’s cock- speed sensors were found to have malfunctioned, a wealth of information from the flight data ommendations of the commission,” said ring Pyongyang to the International Criminal pit, the investigator told AFP, requesting and the plane climbed too steeply, causing it to recorder, which monitors every major part of the retired Australian judge Michael Kirby. Court (ICC). Shin, a well-known defector and The North Korean spokesman said Shin’s anonymity. “The warning alarms, we can say, stall. The investigation into AF447 found that plane. They are focusing on the possibility of Pyongyang critic, admitted this week that ele- recent retractions proved that the commis- were screaming, while in the background they both technical and human error were to blame. human or aircraft error, after ruling out terrorism ments of his best-selling gulag survivor book sion’s report was “a false document cooked up (the pilot and co-pilot) were busy trying to recov- following an analysis of the cockpit voice “Escape from Camp 14” were inaccurate, on the basis of false testimonies made by er,” the investigator said, adding the warnings ‘Striking similarities’ recorder. Committee head Tatang Kurniadi said although he stressed that the crucial details of human scum”.”So, needless to say, all the reso- were going off “for some time”. As with the AirAsia disaster, the accident hap- that the preliminary report into the crash would his suffering and torture still stood. For his lutions on human rights forcibly adopted The investigator, from Indonesia’s National pened in an area around the equator where be completed next week, a month after the acci- part, Kirby noted that Shin was only one of against (North Korea) on the basis of such Transportation Safety Committee (NTSC), added north and south winds meet, and thunderstorms dent. He said the full report would not be 300 witnesses interviewed by his commission, false documents are invalid,” he added. The that the pilots’ voices were drowned out by the are common. “The similarities are pretty striking,” released publicly but the media would be told whose overall findings were based on a mass Security Council held its first-ever discussion sound of the alarms. The revelation came a day Daniel Tsang, founder of Hong Kong-based con- some of its contents. There was a huge interna- of “overwhelming” corroborative evidence. on the North’s rights after Indonesian Transport Minister Ignasius sultancy Aspire Aviation, told AFP. So far, just 53 tional hunt for the crashed plane, involving ships “The dispute over Mr Shin’s evidence record in December, but any referral to the Jonan said that the plane had climbed abnormal- bodies have been recovered following the from several countries including the US and appears to relate to the exact detention camp ICC would almost certainly be vetoed by per- ly fast before stalling and plunging into the sea, as AirAsia crash. Divers have been struggling for a China. All but seven of those on board the flight from which he escaped,” Kirby said in a state- manent members China and Russia. The it flew on December 28 in stormy weather from week against rough seas and strong currents to were Indonesian. The foreign nationals were from ment.”In the big picture of gross abuses of North has repeatedly sought to discredit Shin Indonesia’s Surabaya to Singapore with 162 peo- reach the plane’s main body, which was spotted South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Britain and human rights of the entire population of as a fabulist and criminal, and last October ple on board. on the seabed and is thought to contain the bulk France. — AFP North Korea over more than 65 years, his aired a TV interview with his father who called experience-although very important to him Shin a “liar” and denied the family was even in and his family-is not critical to the inquiry,” he a labor camp. Shin said his father must have added. been coerced into denouncing him. For Disillusioned Hong Kongers activists within the North Korean defector A ‘false’ document community, Shin’s admissions of inaccuracies But a spokesman for North Korea’s in his survivor story are a genuine blow, given press UK for escape route Association for Human Rights Studies said his high profile. North Korea’s inaccessibility yesterday that Shin’s admissions “self- makes it hard to verify individual defector exposed” the flimsy foundations of efforts to accounts of their lives in the reclusive state, HONG KONG: With Hong Kong increasingly polarized people are disappointed to see how Hong Kong is one who is drowning would grasp whatever he can censure Pyongyang for its rights record. In a placing a lot of weight on their personal credi- on political reforms and fears growing over the influ- greatly affected by the ‘Chinese way’,” he said. “People reach,” he told AFP, saying the recent democracy statement carried by the North’s official KCNA bility. —AFP ence of Beijing, frustrated residents are pressing for- now want to think of a way out.” protests spurred him to renew the document. The ral- mer colonial power Britain to offer them an escape lies were sparked by Beijing’s insistence that candi- route. Their push for a new status that would allow Desperate measure dates in the city’s 2017 leadership vote must be vetted them right of abode in Britain reflects their anger over Before the handover, 50,000 selected Hong by a loyalist committee, which critics dismiss as “fake Pope rows back from what they see as a lack of support from the UK in their Kongers-mainly white-collar professionals and civil democracy”. Attacks on outspoken media figures and time of need. servants-were given British passports, but more than the arrests of protest leaders have added to fears that It follows more than two months of pro-democra- three million had to make do with BNO status. Signing Hong Kong’s semi-autonomous status is eroding. ‘rabbits’ comments cy protests, which failed to win concessions from the up was optional and the status can be held alongside Peter told AFP the failed protests proved “how we are government on the way the city’s next leader is elect- a Chinese passport. Applying was only possible ignored by our government and how helpless we VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis yesterday teachings did not mean “Christians should have ed, and ties in with concerns that civil liberties are before the handover, but holders can renew their BNO Hong Kong people are”. “The BNO passport may save described large families as a “gift from God”, just children one after the other”, he added in com- being chipped away. Before Britain gave the city back every 10 years for around HK$1,000 ($130). me one day, when Hong Kong is no longer a place for days after he said Catholics did not need to ments that made headlines worldwide. Catholic to China in 1997 it offered Hong Kongers a special For 33-year-old Peter, a pilot, renewing his BNO us and we cannot call ourselves Hong Kong people “breed like rabbits”. In an apparent row back teaching prohibits the use of artificial contra- “British National Overseas” (BNO) status to calm those passport is a desperate measure. “(It) is just like some- anymore,” he added. —AFP from comments he made on his way back from ception but allows the use of the so-called worried about their future under Beijing’s rule. the Philippines, the Argentinian pontiff argued rhythm method, where couples avoid unwant- Holders can enter the UK without a visa and get that an unfair economic system is the primary ed pregnancy by planning sex on days during consular assistance abroad, but have no right to live in cause of poverty, rather than overpopulation. the woman’s menstrual cycle on which she is Britain. Around 400,000 Hong Kong residents hold the “The meetings with families and young people less likely to conceive. BNO passport and some are now calling on Britain to in Manila were stand-out moments during the allow them residency as they seek to escape rising visit to the Philippines,” Francis told a crowd of Poverty link tensions. “It is an extra option for Hong Kong people- around 7,000 gathered in St Peter’s square for Francis’s comments had particular reso- it’s a right they deserve,” says Sampson Noble, a 30- his weekly audience. “Healthy families are nance in the Philippines, where large families year-old Hong Kong Chinese resident who runs the essential to the life of society. It provides us are seen by some as perpetuating and exacer- British Hong Kong campaign group. “I was born with consolation and hope to see so many large bating poverty levels which act as a restraint on British,” he added. “It should not relate to my ethnicity.” families who welcome children as a gift from development. The Church claims more than 80 The group’s forum has 3,000 members and has God,” he said. percent of the country’s 100 million as its fol- sent letters to British lawmakers, as well as a state- “These families know that each child is a lowers and it waged a 15-year battle to block a ment to a UK parliamentary inquiry into Hong Kong’s post-handover relationship with Britain. In that state- blessing.” Francis surprised reporters on the family planning law. The law was finally intro- ment the group called Britain’s stance “discriminative”. papal plane on Sunday by recounting an anec- duced last year, allowing the state to distribute “We were ruled for 156 years and we are being dis- dote about how he had once asked a mother free contraceptives. criminated against,” said Humphrey Lau, a campaigner who had seven children by caesarian section The Church’s opposition to contraception for the group. and was pregnant with her eighth if she wanted was formalized by former pope Paul VI in 1968, “There is a feeling of being betrayed.” Popular to “leave behind seven young orphans”. “She as the birth control pill was beginning to be Facebook page “BNO Concern”, which also calls for said, ‘I trust in God.’ But God gave us the means widely used in the developed world. At the right of abode, has 6,000 likes with users dismissing to be responsible,” Francis said. “Some think-and same time, Francis appeared to approvingly cite their status as “rubbish” and pushing for change. excuse the term-that to be good Catholics, they population experts who say three children per Twenty- and thirty-somethings are particularly frus- HONG KONG: This picture shows a woman and a child walking past banners of a pro-democra- must be like rabbits.” Following the Church’s family is an ideal number. —AFP trated, says political columnist Martin Oei. “Young cy protest site outside the British consulate. — AFP NEWS THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015

A man walks along the snow-covered towpath of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal in the village of Marsden, northern England, yesterday during heavy snowfall. — AFP

Government pushes mega projects despite... Court keeps Watan shut

Continued from Page 1 correct oil prices upward.” Continued from Page 1 Khalifa Al-Ali Al-Khalifa Al-Sabah strongly criticized The Iraqi minister said current low prices will knock out National Assembly Speaker Marzouk Al-Ghanem, indi- In the past year, Kuwait has launched two mega proj- part of the high-cost production, especially shale oil. This After the session, Radaan said that the ministry’s deci- rectly accusing him of being responsible for the daily’s ects - one worth $12 billion to make two of its three is likely to reduce the amount of surplus production, cur- sion to withdraw the commercial license of Al-Watan is closure. refineries more environmentally friendly and another val- rently estimated at 2.5 million barrels per day, and sup- not legal and not based on the law, adding that the max- In another development, MP Duwaisan said yesterday ued at $4.2 billion to produce heavy crude. It is still port prices, he said. OPEC’s top producer Saudi Arabia has imum penalty the ministry should have imposed was to that he plans to submit amendments to a law that bans reviewing bids for a $15 billion project to build a new said it will not cut production for fear of losing market refer the establishment to the public prosecution over dealings with Israel, and strongly criticized statements 615,000-bpd refinery. share. Its close ally the United Arab Emirates has said the its finances, but “the ministry exceeded its role and by MP Nabeel Al-Fadhl who had said that he wanted to price slump was necessary to correct oversupply by shale scrapped the license”. propose normalization of ties with Israel. Fadhl has not Oman Fumes producers. Acting National Assembly speaker Mubarak Al- submitted the proposal yet. Duwaisan said that if the At the oil conference, non-OPEC oil producer Oman However, Abdul Mahdi said that other cartel members Khrainej criticized the decision, saying that it was too law about prohibiting dealing with Israel had been described as bad politics and bad business the cartel’s had been attempting to broker an output cut in coordina- harsh. MP Faisal Al-Duwaisan also criticized the action, approved and issued properly, the lawmaker would not November decision to make no cut in output, which sent tion with the world’s top crude producer, non-OPEC saying that the government is encouraged to apply the have made his call. The lawmaker said he was surprised world prices crashing. OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia said the Russia, to shore up prices. “Venezuela is exerting huge law but the application should not be selective, like the at the weak government reaction towards Fadhl’s nor- decision was necessary to prevent the cartel losing mar- efforts ... and there are contacts involving Russia and case of Al-Watan. Al-Watan website however remains malization call. He also called on the Assembly speaker ket share after a sharp increase in US shale oil production. OPEC to try and cut production,” he said. operational and is publishing news and updating it. In not to refer any proposal on ties with Israel to the But Oman, a Saudi neighbor which has been badly hit by one such news item, Al-Watan editor in chief Sheikh Assembly panels because such a call is totally rejected. the resulting loss in revenue, said it saw no logic to it. Railway Obstacles “I fail to comprehend how market share became more Among the country’s mega development projects, the important than revenue,” Omani Oil and Gas Minister railway is now seeing movement as well. The first stage of Mohamed Al-Rumhi said. Rumhi said that before the deci- the Gulf railway cuts through Kuwait from the south and sion, with oil trading at $100 a barrel, OPEC was earning stretches to Abdali in the north. The railway tracks span 70 $3 billion a day from its output of 30 million barrels per m in width, while an extra 200 m will augment it pending day. “When earnings dropped to $2.9 billion, $2.8 billion, further studies on the final look of the system when com- they got up to defend market share ... and as a result, rev- pleted. Having approved the first stage of the mega proj- enues dropped to roughly $1.5 billion,” the Omani minis- ect, the council turned the matter over to the ministry of ter said. “This is politics that I don’t understand. Business? communication to coordinate its plans with other govern- This is not business.” ment ministries and agencies regarding the path of the Ruhmi said the fall in prices had hit the Gulf sultanate railway tracks in Kuwait. hard and “it is really a difficult time in Oman.” Income from As part of the changes that would have to be made for Oman’s oil output of around one million bpd accounts for the Gulf railway, the council agreed to set aside an alter- some 80 percent of revenues and the sultanate last native location for a livestock project run by the Public month forecast a budget deficit for 2015 of $6.47 billion. Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources. The Rumhi’s comments were Oman’s first direct, public criti- council also approved appropriating over two million cism of the group since oil prices plunged last year. square meters from the location of the southern airbase Kuwait’s oil minister did not show any reaction to Rumhi. and endorsed the relocation of the ministry of education’s boy scout campsite. Iraq: Oil Prices hit ‘Bottom’ Also to be relocated is a storage warehouse belonging Iraqi Oil Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi predicted yester- to the Kuwait Flour Mills Co and another belonging to the day that world prices would not fall much further after a Public Authority for Industry. Other relocations involve plunge of nearly 60 percent since June. “Our estimate is moving the site of a town set for housing blue-collar that the prices have reached the bottom. It is very difficult labor, a truck stop in Um Al-Aish and TV transmission tow- to drop lower than this,” Abdul Mahdi told the oil confer- ers belonging to the ministry of information, all seen as ence in Kuwait. “We do not find any real justification for obstacles in the way of the railway tracks. The Council the big and persistent drop in oil prices,” said the Iraqi stressed that farm owners whose properties are in the minister whose country is the second largest OPEC pro- way of the tracks in Wafra should be duly compensated ducer after Saudi Arabia. “A number of factors will work to for the relocation of their farms. — Agencies The city’s landmark St Isaak’s Cathedral is silhouetted as the sun sets in St Petersburg, Russia yesterday. — AP THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015 ANALYSIS

THE LEADING INDEPENDENT DAILY IN THE ARABIAN GULF ESTABLISHED 1961

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Focus With few friends, Obama looks to shape election

By Andy Sullivan

President Barack Obama’s vision of a stronger and more expensive safety net USfor middle class and poor Americans stands little chance of becoming law this year, but it could shape the debate for the 2016 election. With his clout fast diminishing in Washington, and Republican and Democratic candidates gearing up for the White House race, Obama did his best in Tuesday’s State of the Union address to set the agen- da for potential successors wooing voters. Even as he offered proposals such as higher taxes on the wealthy, which are likely to be rejected by the Republican-controlled Congress, Obama drew atten- tion to income inequality that has persisted despite an improving economy. Wage growth remains slug- Income equality next battleground gish and the wealth gap between the most affluent and everybody else is the widest on record, accord- ing to the Pew Research Center. Most Americans still By Paul Handley work two jobs to make ends meet. remove loopholes that mean the country’s billionaires believe the economy is headed in the wrong direc- often pay a lower tax rate than their clerical staff. “That’s tion, according to Reuters/IPSOS polling data. President Barack Obama can claim credit for Wages Flat for Decades what middle-class economics is - the idea that this coun- Already, potential Republican candidates like bringing the economy back from the edge of In theory, American workers should be able to try does best when everyone gets their fair shot, every- Rand Paul and Mitt Romney have signaled that they UScatastrophe. But on Tuesday he turned his demand more money. But the reality is that paychecks one does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same will devote more attention to helping the less afflu- focus to a glaring failure of the recovery: While the have barely risen. In constant dollars the average hourly set of rules,” he said. His proposals pay for themselves fis- ent. While they are unlikely to sign off on a plan that wealthy are now wealthier than ever, the average salary today is barely higher than that of 1964. cally, rather than adding to the deficit, a crucial issue for raises taxes on the wealthy to expand government American has not seen any rebound in his wages since Meanwhile, the ultra-rich have steadily accumulated Republicans. safety nets, as proposed by Obama, they will be the 2008 crisis. In his annual State of the Union address, wealth. At the end of the 1970s, the top 0.1 percent of under greater pressure to lay out their own proposals Obama vowed to take on rising income equality, two Americans controlled seven percent of the country’s Roads, Bridges and Trains in detail. Obama’s speech will also have an impact on months after frustrated voters dealt his Democratic Party wealth. Today they control 22 percent. The racial divide is But Zipperer said this limitation was a “serious weak- his own party. Hillary Clinton, the likely frontrunner ness”, not increasing the budget to invest in things like for the Democratic nomination, is already facing heat a resounding defeat in Congressional elections. equally stark: White families are on average 14 to 15 from Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren and Obama called for higher taxes on the very rich, more times wealthier than blacks and Latinos. roads, bridges and trains that will create more jobs and others on the left, who worry Clinton may bow to tax breaks for middle class families, an increase in the “The fruits of the economic recovery unreasonably go strengthen the economy. “There’s a broad need for infra- pressure from Wall Street and chip away at financial minimum wage and better workplace benefits to to the very rich in the United States,” said economist structure expenditures. We recognize that that’s not reforms enacted during Obama’s tenure. In a post on strengthen household incomes. Touting a new “middle Justin Wolfers of Peterson Institute for International something that the private sector is going to provide at Twitter after the speech, Clinton wrote: class economics for the 21st century”, he demanded: Economics. It “is not just the poor getting clobbered; it’s the level that we want. “That’s where you want the state “@BarackObama #SOTU pointed way to an economy “Will we accept an economy where only a few of us do the very rich doing extremely well.” Economists say that to actually step in and increase those expenditures.” But it that works for all. Now we need to step up & deliver spectacularly well, or will we commit ourselves to an the low jobless rate hides the fact that millions of work- was more than likely that the Republicans, now in control for the middle class. #FairShot #FairShare” economy that generates rising incomes and chances for ing age Americans have given up seeking jobs, and won’t of both houses of Congress, will turn most of Obama’s When, as expected, Clinton starts to hit the cam- everyone who makes the effort?” return unless they can get higher pay. proposals back. They have repeatedly rejected any tax paign trail in earnest this spring, she will have to say The issue has long been on the boil. The rebound Until they do, there will not be the tight supply of increases for the wealthy, and, tapping into a deep whether she supports the specifics of Obama’s plan from the 2008 to 2009 recession has put the United workers needed to force wages up. “Unemployment is American cultural sensitivity, accuse the White House of to raise taxes on capital gains and other types of States at the forefront of all major economies. Last year definitely lower now, but that’s largely a part of the fact fomenting class warfare. “Traditionally, Americans like to income that currently benefit the wealthiest - an job creation was the strongest since 1999, and the that a lot of people have left the labor force,” said econo- think of ourselves as a ‘classless society’,” said Amy Traub uncomfortable topic for many of her deep-pocketed unemployment rate fell to 5.6 percent, enviable within mist Ben Zipperer of the Washington Center for Equitable of Demos, a liberal research group focused on inequality. donors. As a candidate who plans to make women’s the G20 group of leading economies. And yet tens of Growth. “There’s a tremendous amount of slack... We are But she said increasingly people are wondering why they rights a central part of her message, Clinton would millions of Americans still need soup kitchens and social seeing nothing in the data that wages are going to grow.” have not benefitted in the recovery. “People can see and also have to say whether she backs Obama’s plan to handouts to survive. Workers in fast food chains and Aside from raising the minimum wage, Obama’s pro- feel in their own lives that the benefits of economic make child care more affordable through tax credits huge retailers like Walmart are increasingly taking to the posals focused on tax changes that will shift benefits growth are going somewhere else, not going to their and expanded preschool education, or whether she streets to protest bottom-level pay that forces them to from the wealthy to the middle class and poor, and own working and middle-class families.” — AFP agrees that all businesses should be required to pro- vide paid sick leave. Some Plans May Bear Fruit Brash Obama bets on staying power Some of Obama’s proposals could become reality before he leaves office. The sheer power of the presi- dency ensures that every visit to a community col- By Jim Kuhnhenn lege or job-training site draws a rush of local media coverage that can pressure officials to act. For exam- S President Barack Obama’s State of the Union ple, Congress hasn’t raised the minimum wage since address marked a sweet spot in his presidency when Obama asked for that in his 2013 and 2014 speeches, Ueconomic signs and his own personal approval are but 20 states raised their own minimum wages at the on the rise. He made sure to capitalize, taking credit for beginning of this year. policies he said raised the country out of its recession. But Congress is not likely to back Obama’s proposal to sweet spots are by definition fleeting - moments in time make community college free, which would cost $60 billion per year. But by highlighting places like that can just as quickly sour. Tennessee and Chicago that have set up their own Tuesday’s speech capped a remarkably activist 11 weeks free-tuition programs, he can pressure other states to since Obama suffered the humiliation of Democratic losses consider the idea, or at least call upon them to that gave Republicans control of both chambers of restore higher-education subsidies that they slashed Congress. But this was not a lessons-learned address. in the 2008-2009 recession. Instead, Obama drew lines in the sand that cautioned Beyond the high-profile battles over healthcare against Republican overreach. And while he offered a nod and budgets, Obama has been able to chalk up wins to bipartisanship on issues such as trade, he pushed a tradi- on less glamorous initiatives that have been regular tional Democratic economic agenda of tax increases for the features of his past State of the Union addresses. In rich, expanded paid leave for workers and increased aid for December, Congress finally provided funding for a education. network of advanced-manufacturing research cen- For a president two months removed from a devastating ters after the president highlighted a pilot program political loss, this was not a speech uttered in retreat. in his 2013 address. Instead, he brashly wagged his finger at his critics. “At every This year, Republicans have signaled an interest in step, we were told our goals were misguided or too ambi- paying for more infrastructure improvements and tious; that we would crush jobs and explode deficits,” he bolstering cyber crime defenses, both of which said. “Instead, we’ve seen the fastest economic growth in Obama called for in his speech on Tuesday. But over a decade, our deficits cut by two-thirds, a stock market Obama made clear he was not focused solely on that has doubled, and health care inflation at its lowest rate US President Barack Obama delivers his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill on short-term gains and wanted to ensure that his ideas in 50 years.” Tuesday in Washington. —AP remain influential after he leaves the White House. “We have risen from recession freer to write our own The White House is betting that by promoting the eco- Washington Post-ABC News poll released Tuesday showed but not change. He wants that in order to conclude two future than any other nation on Earth,” he said. “It’s nomic successes, Obama can boost his governing credibili- Obama with an approval rating of 50 percent, the poll’s major commerce agreements - one with Europe and one now up to us to choose who we want to be over the ty. By laying credit at the doorstep of his own administra- highest rating for the president in more than 18 months. with countries on the Pacific rim. next 15 years, and for decades to come.” — Reuters tion, Obama is looking to gain leverage over Republicans Other polls also showed Obama’s approval rising, though That’s where Democrats and his allies in organized labor and weaken their resolve to undo his go-it-alone initiatives not as high. But the Post-ABC poll shows that Obama’s bet- abandon him. To succeed Obama is going to have to apply on Cuba, immigration and climate change. ter standing is largely the result of support coalescing pressure on his friends and risk taking a hit on his own It is a better bet today than it was last year or the year among the groups that backed his presidential campaigns approval ratings. It won’t be easy. “Trade agreements or All articles appearing on these before that. But the global economy remains fragile and in the first place - Democrats, moderates, Hispanics and boosting wages? We can’t do both,” the liberal Economic pages are the personal opinion of while the US is better positioned to withstand overseas younger people. Policy Institute declared Tuesday. the writers. Kuwait Times takes no pressures, it is not immune. Europe is still wrestling with Cheaper gas, lower unemployment, a strong stock mar- So far, Obama and the Republicans have stayed in their responsibility for views expressed economic stagnation and questions remain about the fate ket no doubt have contributed to the good feelings. So own corners, swinging at each other from a distance. of its shared currency, the euro. China’s once exploding have issues that Obama has pushed that appeal to those Republicans began the year by seeking to undo Obama’s therein. Kuwait Times invites read- economy is slowing. Oil prices could bounce back up if groups, including his executive action to shield more than 4 immigration initiative, weaken provisions in the 2010 finan- ers to voice their opinions. Please OPEC nations decide to decrease production. And for all the million immigrants living illegally in the U.S. from deporta- cial regulations law, and force approval of the Keystone XL send submissions via email to: opin- improvements, the US economy still has room to improve. tion and his call for free community college for all. oil pipeline from Canada. Obama countered with seven [email protected] or via snail Nearly 7 million people are working part-time but would But the success of Obama’s remaining two years also veto threats in quick succession, including two on the very prefer full-time work. Participation in the labor force depends on his relations with the ruling Republicans in day of his State of the Union address. “Divided party gov- mail to PO Box 1301 Safat, Kuwait. dropped to a low of 62.7 percent. Some weaknesses pre- Congress. Obama cited trade as one of the most prominent ernment is always tough on a president,” said American The editor reserves the right to edit date the Great Recession; over more than three decades, topics that could attract bipartisan support. The president is University presidential scholar James Thurber. It is even any submission as necessary. productivity has increased but wages have stayed flat. seeking “trade promotion authority,” or the ability to negoti- worse during the last two years of a presidency. “You’re real- Still, the moment is for now Obama’s to exploit. A ate trade deals that Congress can either approve or reject ly a double lame duck.” — AP p15_Layout 1 1/21/15 8:19 PM Page 1

THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015 SPORTS

Arsenal sign Bielik Taylor facing new gun charges Tomas Berdych gets engaged LOS ANGELES: International Boxing Federation middleweight world champi- MELBOURNE: Tomas Berdych popped the question at the beach. And his LONDON: Arsenal yesterday confirmed the signing of teenage midfielder on Jermain Taylor is facing assault charges in Arkansas after allegedly pulling a now-fiancee, Czech model Ester Satorova, has tweeted a picture of the ring. Krystian Bielik from Polish side Legia Warsaw. The transfer of the promis- gun on a family. Taylor is charged with aggravated assault, endangering the ing 17-year-old was posted on the official Arsenal website, with a The couple announced their engagement at the Australian Open, where the welfare of a minor and a misdemeanor of possession a controlled substance-a fee in the region of £2.5million ($3.8million, 3.3 million euros) said 29-year-old Berdych advanced to the third round Wednesday and said he had small amount of marijuana. A representative of the district court in Little Rock, to have been agreed. The Poland youth international is expected proposed during a holiday late last year.”It was simple,” said Arkansas, confirmed to AFP that on Tuesday Taylor entered an automatic not to work initially within the Gunners’ Under-21s side, but then the the No. 7-ranked Berdych, when asked for details about aim would be for him to swiftly progress through to the senior guilty plea to the charges. Television station KTHV in Little Rock, the Arkansas state capital, reported that Taylor had posted $50,000 bond and been released the proposal. “It was after dinner on the beach.” His squad. A statement from Arsenal read: “Arsenal have completed the fiancee offered a bit more color. “Our secret from last signing of 17-year-old midfielder Krystian Bielik from Legia on Tuesday. Thelton Smith, the man who claimed Taylor threatened to kill him and then shot at him, told the station that he and his wife and children were year holiday is OUT,” she tweeted, with the hashtags Warsaw for an undisclosed fee.” Bielik, who made his sen- “Maldives” and “engagement ring.” She attached a pic- ior debut for Legia at the age of 16, has made six taking pictures with Taylor and his title belt on Monday when Taylor became ture of her hand inside a heart etched in white sand, a appearances for the club, and can play in both mid- violent and angry, accusing Smith’s son of dropping the belt. Taylor was already field and defence. Arsenal won 2-0 at Manchester City facing charges over a shooting in suburban Maumelle, Arkansas. The 36-year- large diamond on her ring finger. The ATP said in a state- on Sunday to close back up on the top four of the old Little Rock native is a former undisputed middleweight world champion. ment announcing the engagement that the couple Premier League and manager Arsene Wenger is deter- Taylor hung up his gloves for two years after suffering bleeding in the brain started dating in late 2012. Berdych, a 2010 mined to secure some more defensive cover in the and losing four of five fights over two years before returning to the ring in Wimbledon finalist, said he feels a good balance January transfer window. — AFP 2011.—AFP between his personal life and tennis career.

ZHANGJIAKOU: This picture aken on January 17, 2015 shows people skiing at YundingSki Field in Chongli town, near the Zhangjiakou, in China’s Hebei Province. A flag on a barren mountain side marks where China hopes ski jumpers will vault to glory at the Winter Olympics, marking a giant leap the country must make to stage the Games. — AFP China has mountain to climb with 2022 Winter Olympics bid

TAIZICHENG: High on a barren mountainside, and even less of a tradition in winter sports. “on a par with Tokyo’s Fuji”, said Beijing plan- both the summer and winter Games if it won a red flag marks the spot where China hopes Only about one metre of snow falls annual- ning official Ma Jinghua. the bid, with the Chinese capital itself hosting ski jumpers will launch themselves to glory at ly in the mountains north of Beijing, leaving Yanqing would also gain a bobsleigh track. the ice sports. A total of 11 venues from the 2022 Winter Olympics. But hosting the an average depth of 21 centimetres (8 inches) There is virtually no bobsleigh infrastructure Beijing’s spectacular 2008 Olympics would be Games would require a giant leap of its own. in Zhangjiakou, the city which includes in China at present, nor does it have a national put to use, including the Bird’s Nest stadium For now, the bitterly cold valley is home to Taizicheng, and just over five centimetres (two team. President Xi Jinping has said 300 million for the opening and closing ceremonies, and Taizicheng, a sleepy community of about 100 inches) in Yanqing, where the alpine skiing new winter sports enthusiasts will be created the Water Cube for curling. houses where traditional Chinese music drifts events would be held. on the back of the Games, a new generation Authorities say using existing venues on the biting wind. On the opposite hillside- “I think from a natural conditions point of of skiers and skaters Beijing vice mayor Zhang would help the candidate city keep to a slen- where biathletes would race and shoot-peas- view this is definitely not the best place to Jiandong described as a “contribution to the der budget of $3.9 billion, a fraction of the $51 ants weighed down by loads of firewood are have a big winter activity, at least for snow Olympic movement”. billion Russia spent on last year’s Sochi Games. the only sign of life. sports,” said Fabio Ries, the general manager “Our existing national conditions and facili- But much of the infrastructure improve- According to Beijing’s bid document, the of the nearby Dolomiti Mountain Resort. ties will meet the requirements of the Winter ments are not included in the total costs, site would see 30 gold medals decided in the But officials have outlined a bold plan to Olympic Games,” Zhang added confidently, including a high-speed rail line-to be built in nordic skiing events, and become the base for carve world-class skiing facilities into desolate but admitted that the pollution which regular- any case-which will cut travel times between a bustling Olympic village, complete with a mountainsides and weave a bullet train sys- ly blights northern China remains an issue. Beijing and Zhangjiakou, around 200 kilome- newly erected bullet train station. tem through the rugged terrain-and they Authorities have in the past ordered wide- tres away, from more than three hours to a Six months ahead of the International claim to be confronting the notorious smog of spread factory closures to ensure clear skies mere 50 minutes. Olympic Committee making its decision, China’s northern rustbelt. for major events, but last year a stage of the There were “pros and cons” over holding Sheikh Ahmad Al-Mansour Beijing 2022 has emerged as the front-runner Tour of Beijing cycling race between Chongli- the Games, said the Dolomiti resort’s Ries, in the race after a string of European cities Cool runnings the county which includes Taizicheng-and who has been involved in skiing in China since Championship withdrew, leaving it facing off against only the According to the bid document, if Beijing Yanqing was cut short because of the smog. 1985. But he raised concerns over a tendency Kazakhstan city of Almaty. wins a new resort will be built on Yanqing’s “We say that we will spare no efforts to for Olympic hosts to build new facilities where has full support: The Chinese capital has financial muscle Xiaohaitou mountain, including a piste with a improve the air quality,” said Zhang. “We still none previously existed and there was no and the kind of political support that only a vertical drop of 830 metres, just scraping in need the blessing from heaven, and many demand, “especially some sports which are Al-Mansour one-party state can provide, and officials say over the International Ski Federation’s mini- people wonder if we can get that luck.” commercially a nonsense like bob-sledding, public backing is overwhelming. mum for a top-class men’s downhill race. skeleton, ski-jumping and so on”. By Abdellatif Sharaa But the country has few top-class facilities It will have an elaborate artificial snow- Double Olympian The Italian added: “For some disciplines, for outdoor events, little snow in the bid area, making system and be a tourist destination Beijing would become the first city to host you can’t move mountains.” — AFP KUWAIT: Chairman of the Board and Managing Director of the Public Authority for Youth and Sports Sheikh Ahmad Al-Mansour expressed his full support to HH the Amir Fourth Annual England recall Cipriani and Easter International Grand Prix, to be held at Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Olympic LONDON: Danny Cipriani and Nick Easter However, the 27-year-old has impressed for a marker down,” Lancaster told a Twickenham “It’s a steep learning curve and for him to Shooting Complex from Jan 24 until Jan were both recalled by England when coach club side Sale so far this season amidst specu- news conference. be involved in the Saxons is great for him,” said 31 with the participation of 58 countries, Stuart Lancaster announced yesterday his 34- lation he could join French and European Easter has not played for England since England backs coach Andy Farrell. represented by a large number of shoot- man training squad for the Six Nations opener champions Toulon if he fails to revive his Test Lancaster took charge after the team’s 2011 “We’re pleased with his progress, certainly,” ers. Al-Mansour welcomed all participat- away to Wales on February 6. career. World Cup exit, with the Harlequins back-row added Farrell, himself a former dual code inter- ing countries, as he expressed confi- Talented fly-half Cipriani featured in two of Now Cipriani will look to establish himself reportedly making the infamous comment national. In his senior squad midfield, dence in the club’s ability to successfully England’s three Tests in New Zealand in June, in a squad where George Ford and Owen “that’s £35,000 down the toilet” following the Lancaster has picked Bath’s Jonathan Joseph organize this major event, especially that ending a six-year international exile, but was Farrell are the first-choice fly-halves and quarter-final loss to France. to replace the injured Manu Tuilagi. the shooting club has a distinguished omitted from the November international Stephen Myler is also vying for the No 10 shirt. However, he has been in fine club form and Up front Lancaster has brought in record in this matter. Al-Mansour said the campaign. “It’s a chance for Danny to come in and put with specialist No 8 Ben Morgan out with a Leicester’s Graham Kitchener to the second championship has full support from state broken leg, Lancaster has decided to revive row, with lock Courtney Lawes set to miss at establishments headed by PAYS, because the 36-year-old Easter’s international career. least the first two matches of the Six Nations of its large value as it carries the name of Federer backs S Africa “Nick has not been involved before with because of ankle trouble and Joe Launchbury HH the Amir and humanitarian leader, in me,” said Lancaster. “Billy Vunipola was out- out of the whole tournament with a neck addition to the championship’s strength standing at the weekend but we need some problem. and its internationally recognized name. at Rugby World Cup specialist No 8s and Nick, to be fair, has been Although this squad is officially for one Al-Mansour said the participation of the outstanding and deserves a chance to see if match only, those who perform well in the large number of countries from all conti- MELBOURNE: Self-confessed sports nut we go to the States, we follow the American he can replicate that again at international lev- Cardiff matchday 23 and in training are likely nents reflects the importance of this Roger Federer goes to watch games when- sports over there. “In Europe it’s more of the el. “They are both are in the mix-and we’ll see to keep their places as England face Italy at Grand Prix at the International and ever his schedule allows and is in no doubt football, soccer. With rugby, for some reason how they go. “We base a lot of our decisions Twickenham just eight days after their regional levels. who he’ll be cheering at this year’s rugby I don’t see it enough. But I’ll be supporting on the training. There is no definitive Millennium Stadium clash. Al-Mansour wished Kuwait’s shooters World Cup-South Africa. South Africa.” good results as expected from them. The tennis great’s mother Lynette is Federer is a well-known fan of his home- decision on who starts and who goes on the bench yet because we’ve got that two- England squad This Grand Prix will be held with an South African-she met his Swiss father town FC Basel football team and recently unprecedented participation, as presi- Robert while he was working in Gauteng- saw English Premier League heavyweights week period to prepare for the Wales game.” Backs: dent of Kuwait and Arab Shooting and this is where his allegiances lie. “I’ll be Arsenal play. Brad Barritt (Saracens), Mike Brown Federations, Chairman of the Higher supporting South Africa, of course,” he said “I went to an Arsenal game during the Burgess boost (Harlequins), Luther Burrell (Northampton, when asked who he will be cheering for. World Tour Finals (in London). That was Rugby League convert Sam Burgess bid to Danny Care (Harlequins), Danny Cipriani (Sale), Organizing Committee Engineer Duaij Al- But whether Federer gets to see the good fun. I try to go, but it’s not always that gain a place in hosts England’s squad for this Kyle Eastmond (Bath), Owen Farrell (Saracens), Otaibi announced that 59 countries will Springboks play is another question. “I hon- simple.” He added that he had seen the LA year’s World Cup received a boost when he George Ford (Bath), Alex Goode (Saracens), participate with more than 550 shooters, estly don’t see it very often. I don’t know Lakers and Miami Heat while in the United was selected for the second-string Saxons Jonathan Joseph (Bath), Jonny May some of whom are world champions and why. I don’t know where we are in the world States but had never been to a Formula squad after a handful of rugby union matches. (Gloucester), Stephen Myler (Northampton), Olympians to compete in 24 events. The when it’s happening, why I keep missing it,” One, although he had made it to Moto Former South Sydney star Burgess, playing Jack Nowell (Exeter), Billy Twelvetrees HOC revealed that total prizes are he said of the World Cup, which is in Grand Prix. at centre for Bath, is set to feature for the (Gloucester), Anthony Watson (Bath), Richard $260,000, where first place winners will England this year. “There’s clearly many things I would like Saxons against the Ireland Wolfhounds in Cork Wigglesworth (Saracens), Ben Youngs get $5000, besides other prizes for sec- “But I see cricket frequently (and) when to do,” he added. -—AFP on January 30. (Leicester)—AFP ond and third place. p16_Layout 1 1/21/15 8:44 PM Page 1

THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015 SPORTS China’s Wang buys 20% of Atletico Madrid for $52m

BEIJING: Chinese billionaire Wang Wang is number 42 on Forbes maga- ing to diversify away from the real estate annual income is just over a fifth of that young Chinese footballers to Spain, with Jianlin bought a 20 percent stake in zine’s list of the world’s richest people, sector-which is facing considerable chal- enjoyed by Real and Barca, the world’s the number expected to reach 180 by Spanish league champions Atletico with a fortune estimated at $18 billion, lenges in China-by investing in an ever- two richest clubs. 2017. Madrid yesterday, his company and was named as China’s second- expanding portfolio of companies “It is a very important step forward “What we are doing is to raise the announced, the first mainland Chinese wealthiest man last year. The flotation of including cinema chain AMC and yacht for the club in its effort to build a lead- level of Chinese game,” Wang was cited investment in a top European football one of his firm’s subsidiaries may have builder Sunseeker. ing global brand that will bring us the by the news agency as saying. club. since propelled him into first place. Last year he paid 265 million euros to financial resources to continue being “Hopefully, three to five among those 90 The deal was worth 45 million euros He is a diehard football fan and buy the Edificio Espana, an iconic sky- competitive in Europe and offer fasci- young players will play for top European ($52 million) the real estate tycoon’s Wanda became a household name scraper in central Madrid, from nating experiences to our fans,” Atletico clubs in the future and in five years, Wanda Group said on a verified account across China after Wang bought a Dalian Santander bank. Atletico stunned giants chief executive Miguel Angel Gil Marin Spain-trained players will fill the Chinese on China’s Twitter-like Sina Weibo. football club in 1994, renamed it after Real Madrid and Barcelona to claim a said in a statement released on the team in the Asian Cup,” he added, refer- It will provide “all-round support for the firm and transformed it into the first La Liga title in 18 years last season, club’s website. ring to the continental championship, the development of Chinese football”, strongest team in China. as well as reaching the Champions Both Gil Marin and Atletico chairman which is currently being played in the statement said, adding that both But Wang sold Dalian Wanda in 2000 League final where they were beaten by Enrique Cerezo agreed the deal with Australia. sides will spend 30 million euros on a after he became disillusioned with city rivals Real. Wang in Beijing. The two sides will collaborate on set- youth training centre in Madrid to foster widespread corruption in the Chinese However, the club have consistently State-run news agency Xinhua said ting up three football schools in China, young talent, including players from game at that time. had to sell their top players to pay off Wanda Group is currently funding a the Wanda statement said, and Atletico China. More recently Wanda has been look- huge debts in recent years and their youth training project which sent 90 may tour China later this year. — AFP

Ex-pro wrestlers sue WWE over concussions that caused injury

PHILADELPHIA: Two former professional erwise, from our (performers). WWE was wrestlers accuse the WWE of “selling vio- well ahead of sports organizations in lence” while ignoring concussions that they implementing concussion management say left them with serious brain injuries. procedures and policies as a precautionary The men, including one who performed measure as the science and research on under the name Skull Von Krush, have filed this issue emerged,” lawyer Jerry McDevitt a potential class-action lawsuit in federal said. court in Philadelphia that echoes thou- The suit describes some of the more sands of suits pending against the NFL. The dramatic tricks performed by WWE NFL litigation, pending in the same court- wrestlers, including the flying head butt house, could yield a $1 billion settlement if and the chair shot, which involves striking a a judge approves the proposed deal. performer in the head with a folding chair. The WWE plaintiffs are 50-year-old Vito “When performed by, and on, hulking, LoGrasso of Coatesville and 22-year-old poorly trained ... wrestlers with various lev- Evan Singleton of Lancaster. “Under the els of dexterousness, they (the tricks) are a guise of providing entertainment, the WWE recipe for disaster - and widespread, long- has, for decades, subjected its wrestlers to term brain damage,” said the lawsuit, filed extreme physical brutality that it knew, or by lawyers Harris L. Pogust of suburban should have known, caused created latent Philadelphia and Charles J. LaDuca of conditions and long-term irreversible bodi- Bethesda, Maryland. ly damage, including brain damage,” the The lawsuit accuses the WWE of down- lawsuit said. playing the seriousness of head injuries suf- The lawsuit said that Singleton, who fered in the ring and discouraging performed under the name Adam Mercer Singleton from seeing a neurologist. The from 2012 to 2013, is now disabled plaintiffs also allege that two WWE per- because of brain trauma he suffered early formers were found after their deaths to in his career, which began at 19. LoGrasso have the brain decay known as CTE, or suffers from migraines, memory loss, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, and depression and deafness after nearly a that 13 current or former performers com- decade with the WWE, the lawsuit said. His mitted suicide over 10 years. various stage names included Skull Von The suit seeks unspecified economic Krush and Big Vito. damages and medical monitoring. The NFL A lawyer for the Stamford, Connecticut- expects about 6,000 former players to based company, led by Chairman and CEO develop Alzheimer’s disease or moderate Vince McMahon, said the lawsuit and a sim- dementia in the coming decades. Their ADELAIDE: Juan Jose Lobato of Spain gets a kiss on the podium after winning stage 2 of the 2015 Tour Down Under cycling competition in ilar one filed in Oregon have no merit. awards could reach $3 million to $5 million Adelaide yesterday. The Tour Down Under is being held between January 18 to 25. — AFP “WWE has never concealed any medical but would likely average $190,000 given information related to concussions, or oth- their age and condition. — AP Spaniard swoops to win Robert Allenby quits PGA Tour Down Under 2nd stage Tour after Hawaii robbery ADELAIDE: Spain’s Juan Jose Lobato Del Valle stayed together until Cameron Meyer (Orica taken up by Garmin-Cannondale for Nathan HONOLULU: Australian golfer Robert tered in the park told him she had seen a swooped in the last 50 metres to win the second GreenEDGE) and Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Haas. Allenby, who reported being abducted, few men drive up in a car and throw him stage of the Tour Down Under in the South Soudal) broke clear after 18 kilometres. With an average speed of 43.5kmh over the robbed and dumped from a car in a Hawaii out of the vehicle, and that a man he Australian town of Stirling yesterday. They were soon joined by Campbell last climb into Stirling, the peloton was soon park after failing to qualify for the Sony described as a “retired military guy” paid for Lobato Del Valle came from 10th place in the Flakemore (BMC), with the trio opening a lead of broken apart, but main general classification Open in Honolulu, says he has pulled out a taxi ride back to his hotel. closing stages to fly past South African Daryl almost four minutes by the 62km mark. contenders Cadel Evans and Richie Porte man- from a PGA Tour event in California to Facial injuries were evident in published Impey (Orica GreenEdge) at the end of the long But unlike Tuesday when the peloton mist- aged to hang on. recover from his ordeal. pictures and television news footage of uphill finish and win in 3hr 42min 24sec. imed the chase and let the breakaway stay clear Haas launched his bid for glory 400 metres Police in Honolulu, meanwhile, issued a Allenby after the incident, and he opted His Movistar teammate Gorka Izaguirre until the finish, this time the main teams were out, but he was caught by Impey, who looked statement on Tuesday saying detectives out of this week’s Humana Challenge tour- Insausti was third, just ahead of Dutchman Tom taking no chances. certain to take the win until Lobato Del Valle’s were “reviewing witness statements and nament in California. Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin). “It was a very difficult The chase was organised by IAM and Team late surge. gathering security video footage” as part of “On the advice of my personal doctor I finish for me but I managed to come through Sky and steadily reeled in the leaders, catching Bobridge, 25, who now leads the Spaniard by a robbery and credit-card fraud investiga- have decided to withdraw from this week’s towards the end, and it’s a good win for the them at the end of the second of two 20km laps three seconds overall, will attempt to break the tion. Humana Challenge,” he said in a statement. team,” Lobato Dell Valle said. around the countryside surrounding Stirling. world one-hour record next week, but conceded But police made no mention in their “This will enable me to ensure I am fully “We always come to this race with a great that was now under a cloud. statement of Allenby’s account of having recovered prior to rejoining the PGA Tour. I team, we like to ride well here and it’s important Glory bid “I came here to look after the young guys (on been kidnapped from the Amuse Wine Bar anticipate a full recovery and look forward for us to do well in the Tour Down Under.” Calvin Watson (Trek Factory Racing) and the UniSA team) for general classification, so this in Honolulu and then beaten, and said no to returning in the near future.” Australia’s Jack Bobridge rode in with the Danilo Wyss (BMC) broke clear at the start of the has thrown a spanner in the works,” he said. arrests had been made in the case. Allenby has won four times on the US peloton to maintain his hold on the ochre last lap and stayed away for 10 kilometres, but “Now I’m in the (ochre) jersey I have to Allenby, 43, has said he went out for Tour, most recently at the 2001 leader’s jersey after a day’s racing in perfect con- they were caught at the bottom of the long defend it as much as possible and worry about drinks in Waikiki on Friday night with his Pennsylvania Classic. He turned profession- ditions on the testing course around the uphill finishing stretch into Stirling. the one-hour record next week.” Thursday’s caddy and a friend, then became separated al in 1992 and has won 18 other tourna- Adelaide Hills. IAM tried to set the race up for sprinter 143.2km third stage starts at Norwood and fea- from his companions after the group had ments around the world including 13 on From the inner-city Adelaide start the race Heinrich Hessler, but most of the running was tures a mountain top finish at Paracombe. —AFP paid their tab. the PGA Tour of Australasia. Allenby missed He told Reuters over the weekend that the cut at the Sony Open after shooting the next thing he recalled was waking up successive rounds of one-over-par 71 at the groggy in a park miles away from the bar to Waialae Country Club in Honolulu. The Russian athletics boss ready to resign find he had been beaten and robbed of his Humana Challenge, the third event of the wallet, cell phone, cash and credit cards. year on the PGA Tour, will be played at La MOSCOW: Russian Athletics Federation chief for RUSADA between 2008 and 2011. released a statement, saying: “An investigation He said a homeless woman he encoun- Quinta from Jan. 22-25. —Reuters Valentin Balakhnichev has said he is ready to RUSADA reacted immediately announcing by the IAAF Ethics Commission is already ongo- step down from his post following a string of their decision to open an investigation into ing with respect to some of the allegations doping scandals, local media reported yesterday. these accusations just two days after the docu- made in the documentary.” “My resignation may be necessary based on mentary was broadcasted. Balakhnichev, who is also the IAAF treasurer, the needs of the athletics federation,” Meanwhile, World Anti-Doping Agency has temporarily stepped down while the allega- Balakhnichev was quoted as saying by R-Sport WADA has also appointed an independent com- tions are investigated. news agency. “I’d like to fulfill my obligations and mission led by Richard Pound, a former head of The International Olympic Committee (IOC) to stay in charge until the end of all these scan- the agency, to investigate the case. added they had been in contact with the IAAF dals and investigations, but if the higher authori- The International Athletics Federation (IAAF) and were ready to act if necessary. —AFP ties decide that my resignation is required I’ll definitely step down,” he later told ITAR-TASS agency. On Tuesday three Russian Olympic champi- ons in race walking-Sergei Kirdyapkin, Valery Borchin and Olga Kaniskina-were all banned by the country’s anti-doping agency RUSADA for abnormal indexes of haematological profiles in their biological passports. The same punishment was meted out to 2011 50km world champion Sergei Bakulin. With these cases the number of banned athletes, who have been training in the race walking center in Saransk, the capital of Russia’s republic of Mordovia, has reached 20. The bans for Russian race walking Olympic champions caused has angered the country’s sports minister Vitaly Mutko, who announced his intention to purge the Russian athletics federa- tion. “This is very upsetting news for sport in Russia,” Mutko told ITAR-TASS. “And after such great scandals we have no other choice but to make serious organizational and personnel changes inside the (athletics) fed- eration and Saransk walking center.” Last month a 60-minute documentary “Secret Doping Dossier: How Russia produces its Winners” aired by Germany’s state broadcaster ARD, pointed the finger at Russian athletics boss Balakhnichev amongst others. JOHNS CREEK: This file photo taken on August 13, 2011 Australian golfer Robert The documentary featured hard-hitting accu- Allenby of Australia lines up a putt on the 2nd green during the third round of the sations by 800m runner Yulia Stepanova, who KREISCHBERG: First placed Switzerland’s Fabian Boesch celebrates on the podium after the 2011 PGA Championship Tournament in Johns Creek. Allenby has withdrawn from has also been banned for a doping violation, and Men’s Ski Slopestyle Finals of FIS Freestyle and Snowboarding World Ski Championships 2015 this week’s Humana Challenge after being beaten and robbed in Hawaii. —AFP her husband Vitaly Stepanov, who had worked in Kreischberg, Austria yesterday. — AFP p17 2_Layout 1 1/21/15 9:45 PM Page 1

THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015 SPORTS NFL investigation into deflated footballs ongoing GLENDALE: The NFL says its investiga- air. ESPN did not say how that occurred. but because it would compromise the Patriots coach Bill Belichick on up, but that’s life, that’s the world we live tion into whether the New England Vincent said earlier Tuesday he integrity of the game. Tuesday deferred questions about the in.” Patriots used under-inflated footballs in expected the probe to be concluded by Deflating a football can change the investigation, saying reporters should Colts coach Chuck Pagano said he did the AFC championship game is ongoing the end of the week. The last thing the way it’s gripped by a player or the way it ask league officials. Belichick earlier said not notice issues with the football and after a report Tuesday night claimed the NFL wants after a difficult season off the travels through the air. Under NFL rules, he wasn’t aware there was an issue until didn’t specify when asked whether the league found 11 balls were not properly field is a potential cheating scandal that each team provides balls each game for Monday morning and promised to Colts had reported the issue to officials. inflated. disrupts Super Bowl week. New England use when its offense is on the field. The “cooperate fully with whatever the “We talk just like they talk to officials Troy Vincent, the NFL’s executive vice faces Seattle on Feb. 1 in Glendale, balls are inspected before the game by league wants us to, whatever questions (before the game),” he said. “We have an president for football operations, told Arizona. the officiating crew, then handled dur- they ask.” opportunity to talk to the officials about The Associated Press that the “investiga- The Patriots, who beat Indianapolis ing the game by personnel provided by Belichick, of course, was fined a lot of things.” Patriots wide receiver tion is currently underway and we’re still 45-7 for the AFC title, said they were the home team. $500,000 in 2007 for having an assistant Julian Edelman said the balls didn’t feel awaiting findings.” cooperating with the league, and a Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said spy on the New York Jets’ defensive sig- different than usual. And defensive tack- Vincent was responding to an ESPN Seahawks spokesman said the team the investigation is the least of his wor- nals. Special teams captain Matthew le Vince Wilfork seemed amused by the report that cited anonymous league would defer to the league on the matter. ries. And tight end Rob Gronkowski Slater said the Patriots “try to do things matter and didn’t shed any light on it. sources saying 11 of the Patriots’ 12 The NFL began looking into the issue tweeted a photo of himself spiking the the right way. We work hard at our jobs, “I don’t know anything about that,” he allotted game footballs were under- not only because doctoring the footballs ball with the words: “WARNING GRONK- our professions, to be successful and it’s said. “I don’t touch footballs. I tackle inflated by 2 pounds per square inch of could provide a competitive advantage, ING MAY CAUSE DEFLATION.” unfortunate that things like this come people.” —AP

Perez expects best season with new-look Force India

MEXICO CITY: Force India revealed an a big high so I am sure it’s going to be a aggressive new look for the 2015 Formula great year. One season yesterday with Mexican driver “I am going into my fifth season (in F1) Sergio Perez telling his compatriots he with my best condition ever in all aspects, expected his best season yet. so I expect to have my best year in Formula In a livery presentation at Mexico City’s One,” he added. Soumaya museum streamed online, the German team mate Nico Hulkenberg, team revealed a mostly silver and black car who scored 96 points to Perez’s 59 last sea- with orange side streaks and a smoother, son, agreed that the sixth-placed team more attractive nose. could do well. “We have a really solid foun- The Mercedes-powered VJM08 car, with dation and I look forward that we get even a number of prominent new sponsors, will better, we take the next step,” added not debut on track until the second pre- Hulkenberg. “I think we have some new season test in Barcelona next month and personnel so I’m really excited and look for- the team will use the 2014 car in Jerez on ward to this year.” Feb 1. Perez, who has yet to win a grand Team principal Vijay Mallya said the car’s prix, said it was an emotional day for him to colours made it look ‘a little more mean and present the car in his home country, which a little more hungry’ and hoped the team, is returning to the Formula One calendar who came close to beating McLaren last this year for the first time since 1992. year, could again challenge the ‘big boys of “I think everyone in the team is really F1’. “We are lucky to have two exceptional motivated,” said the Guadalajara-born driv- drivers who will hopefully steer the... chal- er, who joined Force India from McLaren at lenger to the front of the grid and hopeful- the end of 2013. ly a few podiums during the current year,” “We are looking forward to a great sea- he said. The season starts in Australia on son. I think we are starting the season with March 15. — Reuters

Boston organizers to make 2024 Olympic bid info public

BOSTON: Boston residents will get their others. The IOC will make its decision in first chance yesterday to see how Olympic 2017. organizers would handle the 2024 Summer Boston has promised a walkable, sus- Games if they are awarded to the tainable games that would take advantage MONTREAL: Nashville Predators’ Victor Bartley, left, is checked into the boards by Montreal Canadiens’ Brandon Prust during the first period of Massachusetts city. of facilities and fundraising at the area’s 100 an NHL hockey game Tuesday, in Montreal. —AP Local bid organizers are planning a pub- colleges and universities and require no lic encore on Wednesday for the presenta- public funding. But very little of the bid tion that won over the US Olympic information has been made public so far. Committee last month. The privately run Doubters cite recent cost explosions at Claude Giroux scores into OT to Boston bid committee is also planning to the Sochi and Beijing Games and say the release many of the documents that detail Olympics is a bad deal for the city. The how the games would be staged and group No Boston Olympics has complained lift Philadelphia over Pittsburgh financed. that the bidding has been conducted in Later Wednesday, the group will hold secret and called for all of the bid informa- PHILADELPHIA: Claude Giroux scored 3:57 lation. Purcell scored at 15:49 to make it 4-3, early as Mike Fisher broke in alone. Price the first meeting of its Citizen’s Advisory tion to be released. Group. “They still seem to be taking their orders into overtime, lifting the Philadelphia Flyers and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins tied it with a wrist made 37 saves. Boston beat out bids from San from the USOC,” said Chris Dempsey, one of over the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 in a fight- shot at 18:53 after Fasth vacated the net for Francisco, Los Angeles and Washington, the group’s founders, calling for all of the filled game Tuesday night. After a throwback an extra skater. Derek Roy and Nikita Nikitin Blackhawks 6, Coyotes 1 D.C., earlier this documents that were signed by the mayor clash that featured one ejection and 93 penal- also scored in regulation for Edmonton. Andrew Shaw broke out of a scoring slump month to be selected as the U.S. nomi- and submitted to the USOC to be made ty minutes, perhaps this one should have been Despite the loss, Washington headed into the with two goals to help Chicago beat strug- nee for the 2024 Games. The city now goes public. “Releasing just a partial set doesn’t decided by the judges’ scorecards rather than All-Star break with at least a point in 19 of its gling Arizona. Patrick Kane had a goal and two up against potential bids from Rome, Paris, exactly reassure the public that this bid is goals. Philadelphia wing Zac Rinaldo was last 22 games. Jay Beagle and Nicklas assists, and rookie Teuvo Teravainen had a goal and Berlin or Hamburg, Germany, among good for the citizens who live here.” — AP tossed and faces a likely suspension for plow- Backstrom also had goals for the Capitals, and an assist as the Blackhawks got back on ing Kris Letang into the glass. Flyers All-Star who have lost three straight. track after dropping two in a row and three of and NHL scoring leader Jake Voracek threw a four. Kane’s goal in the second was No. 200 for series of fists in his first fight of the season. Red Wings 5, Wild 4, SO his career, and Teravainen had his first multi- And Pittsburgh forward Steve Downie gave a Gustav Nyqust and Pavel Datsyuk scored point game in the NHL. Chicago goalie Antti flippant wave to a jeering crowd as he skated in a shootout, and Detroit outlasted Raanta made 35 saves while improving to 7-0 to the locker room after his role in a brawl. Minnesota after the Wild rallied from three at home this season. Arizona lost its sixth con- Heated rivals for years, the teams fought four goals down in the third period. Detroit won secutive game, extending its season-worst times in the second period for a total of 66 for only the second time in nine shootouts streak. Lucas Lessio scored his first career goal penalty minutes. Pittsburgh’s Beau Bennett this season and came away with its fifth con- in the second, and Mike Smith finished with 45 and Philadelphia’s Chris VandeVelde scored in secutive victory overall. Nyquist also scored stops. The Coyotes played without Mikkel the third to make it 2-all. Luke Schenn also in regulation, but the Red Wings blew a 4-1 Boedker, who leads Arizona with 14 goals. scored for the Flyers, and Chris Kunitz tied it lead in the third. Zach Parise scored twice for Boedker had his spleen removed after he was with a short-handed goal. Minnesota, but missed his attempt to start injured in Sunday’s shootout loss at Winnipeg. the shootout. Mikko Koivu, who also scored Chicago also got a power-play goal from Lightning 4, Canucks 1 in regulation, had his shootout attempt Jonathan Toews on the captain’s bobblehead Alex Killorn had two goals, Valtteri Filppula stopped by Petr Mrazek. Nyquist’s backhan- night, and Blackhawks defenseman David added a goal and an assist, and Tampa Bay der under Minnesota goalie Darcy Kuemper Rundblad scored in the third period against took over the top spot in the Eastern gave the Red Wings the win. The Red Wings his former team. It was Toews’ first goal since Conference with a victory over Vancouver. reached the All-Star break a point behind Dec. 21, stopping an 11-game drought. Brian Boyle also scored for the Lightning, Tampa Bay for the top spot in the Eastern who lead the New York Islanders by one point Conference. Detroit’s five-game winning Bruins 3, Stars 1 in the East. Ben Bishop stopped 27 shots in streak is a season high. Tuukka Rask made 36 saves, and Dougie Tampa Bay’s eighth straight home win. Hamilton had a goal and an assist to lead BOSTON: In this Dec. 4, 2014 photo, people walk near Park Street station in down- Vancouver got 22 saves from Ryan Miller. Canadiens 2, Predators 1 Boston past Dallas. Hamilton assisted on town Boston after dark. Boston residents will get their first chance yesterday to see Frank Corrado ruined Bishop’s shutout bid at P.K. Subban scored on a power play 4:09 Gregory Campbell’s second-period goal that how Olympic planners would handle the 2024 Summer Games if they come to the 8:09 of the third. into overtime, lifting Montreal over Nashville broke a 1-all tie, then scored on a third-period city. Local bid organizers are planning a public encore for the presentation that won in the last game for both teams before the power play. Rask allowed the game’s first goal over the USOC last month. — AP Rangers 3, Senators 2, OT All-Star break. Alex Galchenyuk also scored by Vernon Fiddler at 6:46 of the second. Loui Carl Hagelin deflected in Derek Stepan’s for the Canadiens (29-13-3). Mike Ribeiro Eriksson tied it at 14:17 of the second before slick backhand pass 2:55 into overtime to scored for Nashville (30-10-5), which failed to Campbell gave the Bruins the lead at 18:27. Newcastle could wait to give New York a comeback victory over win following a loss for the first time in 14 Kari Lehtonen made 24 saves for Dallas. The Ottawa. The Senators had the better of the tries this season. Carey Price was back in the Stars failed to score on any of their six power appoint new manager chances in the extra session, but Hagelin put Montreal net after missing two games with plays. They are 3 for 37 over the last nine the winner behind goalie Craig Anderson as an upper-body injury and had to be sharp games. —AP LONDON: Newcastle United might wait “I’ll know the really, really credible indi- the Rangers won their third straight and 16th until the end of the season to appoint a viduals who would be of real interest to us in 19 games heading into the NHL All-Star NHL results/standings new manager, the Premier League club’s and from there, whether a decision can be break. Chris Kreider tied it for New York in the managing director Lee Charnley said. made now or whether that decision can third period. Kevin Hayes also scored, and Edmonton 5, Washington 4 (So); NY Rangers 3, Ottawa 2 (OT); Philadelphia 3, Pittsburgh 2 (OT); Montreal 2, Nashville Alan Pardew left Newcastle after four wait until the summer.” Newcastle are 11th Henrik Lundqvist made 33 saves. Erik 1 (OT); Detroit 5, Minnesota 4 (SO); Tampa Bay 4, Vancouver 1; Chicago 6, Arizona 1; Boston 3, Dallas 1. years in charge to take the helm at strug- in the table but have won only one of their Karlsson and Milan Michalek had second- gling Crystal Palace at the beginning of the previous seven league games. Western Conference Detroit 27 11 9 139 119 63 year. Caretaker coach John Carver took A delay in appointing a manager has led period goals for Ottawa. Anderson stopped Pacific Division 32 shots, but let New York’s only one in over- Montreal 29 13 3 123 106 61 temporary charge at St James’ Park and has some pundits to claim the club are doing W L OTL GF GA PTS Boston 25 16 6 124 118 56 time get past him. Anaheim 30 10 6 133 121 66 overseen one draw and three defeats in all so to avoid spending money on new play- Florida 20 14 10 107 122 50 Vancouver 26 16 3 124 114 55 competitions. ers during the January transfer window. Toronto 22 22 3 139 146 47 The 50-year-old confirmed he has Charnley said the club did not expect to Oilers 5, Capitals 4, SO San Jose 24 17 6 127 130 54 Calgary 25 18 3 133 119 53 Ottawa 18 18 9 122 125 45 applied for the job on a permanent basis be active during the window anyway and Teddy Purcell scored the decisive goal in a Los Angeles 20 14 12 127 122 52 Buffalo 14 30 3 89 167 31 and urged the club to make a decision on that any new appointment would not have shootout after Edmonton rallied from a two- Arizona 16 25 5 105 156 37 Metropolitan Division the appointment quickly but Charnley says sole control of transfers, taking the role of a goal deficit late in regulation, and the Oilers Edmonton 12 26 9 109 158 33 NY Islanders 31 14 1 151 129 63 he is prepared to wait for Pardew’s succes- head coach rather than overall manager. ended Washington’s seven-game home win- Central Division sor. “Clearly my preference is to try to find “The traditional English manager who ning streak. Purcell beat Capitals goalie Nashville 30 10 5 137 104 65 Pittsburgh 26 12 7 136 114 59 someone to bring in now,” Charnley told would want full control is not what I’m Braden Holtby in the fourth round of the St. Louis 29 13 4 148 111 62 NY Rangers 27 13 4 134 106 58 the Newcastle Chronicle newspaper on looking for-they don’t fit within our struc- shootout after Viktor Fasth stopped Eric Fehr. Chicago 29 15 2 145 106 60 Washington 24 13 9 137 120 57 Tuesday. “However, if I have to wait until ture or strategy,” said Charnley. Winnipeg 25 14 8 131 117 58 Philadelphia 19 22 7 130 146 45 The victory was the 12th in 47 games for Dallas 21 18 7 144 151 49 the summer for what I believe is the right “This isn’t something new but it’s a Columbus 20 21 3 113 138 43 Edmonton and only the fourth on the road. Colorado 19 18 10 122 135 48 individual, then I would rather wait. refinement of the role Alan had. He’s the Alex Ovechkin scored twice in the opening Minnesota 20 20 6 128 137 46 New Jersey 17 22 8 107 134 42 “We’ve had about 80 applications of head coach, not a traditional manager. He 14 minutes for the Capitals, who held leads of Eastern Conference Carolina 16 25 5 98 120 37 people interested in the role. I hope that by doesn’t have the final say on transfers and 2-0, 3-1 and 4-2 before the Oilers made one Atlantic Division Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the the end of this week I will have a better doesn’t get involved in every aspect of the final push during the final 5 minutes of regu- Tampa Bay 30 14 4 156 127 64 standings and are not included in the loss column (L). indication of where we sit. business.—Reuters THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015 SPORTS Tunisia coach Leekens plays down group hopes EBEBIYIN: Tunisia coach George favourites to go all the way and win the the group. We have never said we are Ahmed Akaichi and Edem Rjaibi for the Bullets) must do without midfielder Leekens has played down the strength February 8 final. But far from seeing his going to top the final standings.” His moderate performance. Nathan Sinkala, whose knee injury of his team ahead of an Africa Cup of Eagles as strong title candidates, caution stems partly from a less-than- “We used two newcomers against against the Congolese will sideline him Nations showdown with fellow former Belgian Leekens surprised reporters in impressive 1-1 opening draw with Cape Cape Verde and this upset our rhythm. for four weeks. champions Zambia in Equatorial Guinea north-eastern town Ebebiyin by saying Verde last Sunday. Opening group games are always diffi- Cup of Nations rules do not permit today. Tunisia were not even the group Mohamed Moncer gave the 2004 cult because you do not know how your replacements. Veteran DR Congo goal- The Carthage Eagles were ranked the favourites. champions a mid-second-half lead only opponents play.” Zambia, shock win- keeper Robert Kidiaba says the second best African national team This view contrasts with the popular for Heldon to level from a penalty he ners of the 2012 Cup of Nations co- Leopards must be wary of the Cape behind neighbours Algeria by FIFA this pre-tournament media belief that Cape created soon after. “We will be more hosted by Equatorial Guinea, were for- Verde Blue Sharks in the second match month. That placing puts them five Verde, DR Congo and Zambia would focused for our next two games,” prom- tunate to draw 1-1 with DR Congo after of a Neuvo Estadio de Ebebiyin double- spots above nearest Group B rivals Cape fight for second spot behind Tunisia. ised Leekens, referring to fixtures snatching a 62-second lead through header. “We must take Cape Verde seri- Verde, nine ahead of Zambia and 11 Leekens, twice manager of Belgium and against the Zambians and the Given Singuluma. ously because they are organised and above the Democratic Republic of briefly coach of Algeria, said: “At this Congolese. Coach Honour Janza looked on the have proved to everyone that they Congo. stage every team in the group is the He blamed late injury-induced squad bright side: “It was most important that deserve respect,” said the shot-stopper And a leading British bookmaker has favourite to finish on top. changes which saw Fakhreddine Ben we did not lose, and lessons were famous for his bouncing-bottom goal made the North Africans 9-1 fourth “Tunisia are not the favourites to win Youssef and Saber Khalifa replaced by learnt.” The Chipolopolo (Copper celebrations. —AFP

Group D favourites on ropes already in Cup of Nations

MALABO: Group D favourites Cameroon win the game.” His opposite number and and the Ivory Coast breathed a sigh of relief fellow Frenchman Michel Dussuyer on Tuesday as both came from behind to remarked: “In the end we’re a bit frustrated draw their opening matches at the 2015 because we let the game go at a time when Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea. we were in control of events.” A goal down and a man down against The Estadio de Malabo had been some Guinea after the sending-off of Gervinho, way short of full during the first game of the Ivorians had substitute Seydou Tuesday’s double-header, but by time kick- Doumbia to thank for salvaging a point off arrived between Cameroon and Mali, from a 1-1 draw in the first game of the day there was not an empty seat to be found, at the Estadio de Malabo. and indeed many fans were forced to gath- And later the Indomitable Lions of er in gangways to try and catch a glimpse Cameroon came from behind to draw 1-1 of the action. with Mali as Ambroise Oyongo cancelled They saw a game that came to life in the out Sambou Yatabare’s second-half opener closing stages, with Sambou Yatabare con- to leave Group D perfectly poised ahead of trolling and volleying home at the back the second round of matches. post after a free-kick had been flicked on Elephants’ coach Herve Renard has been 19 minutes from time. quick to play down his side’s chances of It was not enough for Mali to win the winning the continental crown for the first game, however, as right-back Oyongo, of time since 1992, and things looked bleak MLS outfit New York Red Bulls, latched onto for them after an hour of an entertaining Raoul Loe’s high ball and equalised with encounter with their west African neigh- only six minutes left. bours. Sambou Yatabare had what would have Guinea took the lead eight minutes been a stoppage-time winner for Mali disal- before the interval when Lyon striker lowed because of offside, but the Eagles’ Mohamed Yattara lashed the ball high into Polish coach Henryk Kasperczak was never- the roof of the net after the Ivory Coast theless content with his side’s display. defence made a mess of dealing with a “It was a very complete performance, hanging cross from the Syli Nationale’s with intensity and a good rhythm. We stand-in skipper Ibrahima Traore. played quality football against a Cameroon Gervinho, who had been the Ivorians’ team whose own qualities we are well most enterprising player and hit the wood- aware of,” he said. work in the first half, then saw red just The second round of games in Group D before the hour mark after a clash in the will be played in Malabo on Saturday, with Guinea box which left the impressive Naby the Ivory Coast facing Mali before EAST LONDON: West Indies, Narsingh Deonararine, at the wicket during their ODI cricket match against South Africa in East London, South Keita on the ground. Cameroon face Guinea. In Group A, hosts Africa, yesterday. — AP Traore then crashed a shot against the Equatorial Guinea take on 2013 runners-up bar for Guinea, before substitute Doumbia, Burkina Faso while Gabon meet Congo of CSKA Moscow, came on to equalise 18 Brazzaville looking to clinch their place in S Africa cruise to series minutes from time after linking up with the last eight with a game to spare. Wilfried Bony. The hosts, meanwhile, must move on “If it was before the game we wouldn’t from their opening 1-1 draw with Congo, be happy with this result. In the first half we when they had a second goal wrongly dis- win over woeful W Indies weren’t fantastic but should have been in allowed before being pegged back late on. front from two chances for Gervinho. Then On Tuesday, the country’s football feder- we lost a goal from an error of communica- ation complained of a plot to stop them EAST LONDON: On a pitch which captain Jason tial partnerships. Philander had opening bats- dropped catches in making his runs off 71 balls. tion,” said Renard. from progressing in the competition. say- Holder admitted held no terrors, the West Indies men Dwayne Smith and Chris Gayle caught South Africa fielded the same side for the “We pushed forward and then Gervinho ing it was “a planned action to complicate collapsed to 122 all out and suffered a humiliat- behind inside the first four overs and fast bowler third match in the row and captain AB de Villiers was sent off. We had to react, but even at Equatorial Guinea’s chances of reaching the ing nine-wicket defeat in the third one-day inter- Dale Steyn followed up with the wickets of said it was an important win ahead of the World 10 against 11 we could have gone on to quarter-finals.” —AFP national against South Africa at Buffalo Park yes- Narsingh Deonarine and Denesh Ramdin as the Cup next month. terday. West Indies stumbled to 43 for four. “We’ve said that in the knockout stages of the Marlon Samuels made 26 but no other West Samuels looked the one batsman capable of World Cup you need to win three matches in a Indian batsmen reached 20 in a dismal perform- playing a major innings before he was caught on row and we’ve done that,” said de Villiers, who ance on a good pitch. Man of the match Vernon the long-off boundary off Tahir. scored the fastest ever century in one day inter- Philander took two wickets inside the first two The South Africans were batting before the national cricket in the win last Sunday. overs and finished with three for 27, while leg- scheduled supper break and needed just an With the series secured, De Villiers said the spinner Imran Tahir claimed a career-best four hour afterwards to secure the win. remaining members of the World Cup squad for 28. Amla cruised to his 61 off 63 balls with nine would get an opportunity to play in the two South Africa needed just 24.4 overs to com- fours, while Du Plessis profited from two remaining matches. — AFP plete a series-clinching win. Hashim Amla took his tally for the series to 280 runs for once out with an unbeaten 61 not out, while Faf du Plessis SCOREBOARD made 51 not out. It was another crushing defeat for the West EAST LONDON, South Africa: Final scoreboard in the third one-day international between South Africa and the Indies following a one-sided encounter in the West Indies at Buffalo Park yesterday. second match in Johannesburg last Sunday when South Africa made 439 for two on the way West Indies Bowling: Morkel 7-0-26-1 (1w), Philander 8-2-27-3, to winning by 148 runs. “We batted poorly,” said D. Smith c De Villiers b Philander 5 Steyn 6-1-21-2, Duminy 3-0-11-0, Behardien 2-0-5-0, Holder. C. Gayle c De Villiers b Philander 1 Imran Tahir 7.4-0-28-4 N. Deonarine c De Villiers b Steyn 10 “The pitch was a little slow but there was M. Samuels c Rossouw b Imran Tahir 26 South Africa nothing wrong with it.” Holder said the senior D. Ramdin b Steyn 2 R. Rossouw c Deonarine b Holder 7 players in the side had not yet performed as J. Carter lbw b Imran Tahir 18 H. Amla not out 61 they should have done. “We need to show pride A. Russell b Morkel 16 F. du Plessis not out 51 in the last two games now,” he said. C. Brathwaite lbw b Imran Tahir 4 Extras (lb3, w2) 5 It was no surprise that the West Indies batted J. Holder not out 17 Total (1 wkt, 24.4 overs) 124 first on a dry pitch J. Taylor lbw b Philander 0 Fall of wicket: 1-27 (Rossouw) expected to get slower and lower in the sec- S. Benn st De Villiers b Imran Tahir 18 Bowling: Taylor 5-0-28-0 (1w), Benn 3-0-23-0, Holder 5- ond half of the match, especially after the pun- Extras (lb4, w1) 5 1-14-1, Russell 5-0-15-0 (1w), Deonarine 1-0-5-0, Total (33.4 overs) 122 Brathwaite 5-0-31-0, Gayle 0.4-0-5-0 ishment their bowlers took after South Africa ESTADIO DE MALABO: Cameroon’s Ambroise Oyongo, left, celebrates after scoring a Fall of wickets: 1-5 (Smith), 2-6 (Gayle), 3-33 (Deonarine), Did not bat: A. de Villiers, D. Miller, J. Duminy F. were sent in to bat in Johannesburg. 4-43 (Ramdin), 5-52 (Samuels), 6-83 (Russell), 7-87 Behardien, V. Philander, D. Steyn, M. Morkel, Imran Tahir. goal against Mali, during their African Cup of Nations Group D soccer match in But the tourists were in trouble almost imme- (Carter), 8-95 (Brathwaite), 9-96 (Taylor) Result: South Africa won by nine wickets. Estadio De Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, Tuesday. —AP diately and were unable to mount any substan- Spurs, Thunder nab needed wins

DENVER: The San Antonio Spurs and the way. In Miami, Oklahoma City’s reigning Oklahoma City Thunder, trying to reassert NBA Most Valuable Player Kevin Durant flirt- themselves in the NBA’s powerful Western ed with a triple-double and didn’t turn the Conference, gained needed victories on ball over in more than 39 minutes on the floor Tuesday. The Spurs beat the Thunder in last as the Thunder moved over .500 for the first season’s Western Conference finals en route time this season with a 94-86 victory over the to a fifth NBA title. But with the season arriv- Heat. Durant had 19 points, eight rebounds ing at its midway point, both find themselves and eight assists, leading the Thunder to their jockeying for playoff position. third straight win. He filled the stat sheet French point guard Tony Parker, who has despite missing all eight of his attempts from been slowed this season by a nagging ham- free-throw range and had a scary moment in string injury, scored 18 points to lead six the fourth quarter when he appeared to be Spurs players in double figures as San hurt in a fall, but said he didn’t expect any lin- Antonio pulled away for a 109-99 victory over gering problems. Russell Westbrook had 19 the Denver Nuggets. points with 10 rebounds and six assists, and Kawhi Leonard finished with 17 points and both Thunder stars had four steals. 15 rebounds, while Tim Duncan added 16 “It’s great to be over .500,” Westbrook said points and Aron Baynes chipped in 15 for San with a chuckle after the team improved to 21- Antonio, who have won four straight and six 20. “We fought so hard to get ourselves in this of seven overall. position. I think we’re in a good spot as a The Nuggets, coming off a 43-point loss to team right now.” The Thunder, who dealt with Golden State on Monday, kept it close until injuries to both Durant and Westbrook early San Antonio pulled away in the final period. in the season, lost in both of their prior Leonard made two three-pointers during chances to gain a winning record. They were an 11-2 scoring run to open the fourth quar- routed by Portland on opening night and fell ter that gave the Spurs a 91-78 advantage. to the red-hot Golden State Warriors on MIAMI: Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade (3) drives around Oklahoma City Thunder’s Serge Ibaka (9) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Denver didn’t get closer than eight the rest of January 5. —AFP in Miami, Tuesday. —AP THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015 SPORTS Asian Cup agony for Gulf countries

MONGOMO: Algeria coach Christian Rantie missed a chance to make it 2-0 Vahid Halilhodzic after the World Cup “It was a real test for the players on a Algeria could qualify with a win Gourcuff accepted a missed penalty by from the spot. And a Thulani finals last year. “Given the problems we pitch which does not allow you to keep against Ghana in their next game, also Tokelo Rantie proved crucial as his side Hlatshwayo own-goal restored parity were having in midfield on a pitch that the ball. in Mongomo, on Friday, depending on stormed back to beat South Africa 3-1 in before Faouzi Ghoulam and Islam does not favour passing football, I “It was a very intense match. The the outcome of the other Group C the Africa Cup of Nations on Monday. Slimani secured a big win for the pre- brought on (Ishak) Belfodil to give their penalty was a turning point, because at match between Senegal and South Thuso Phala put Bafana Bafana tournament favourites. defence more problems. We managed 2-0 the game was not over but we Africa. ahead early in the second half in the “Our start to the second half was cat- to gain the upper hand at the end of the would have been in a difficult situation,” Senegal came from behind to beat Group C game in Mongomo, before astrophic,” said Gourcuff, who replaced match. added the 59-year-old Frenchman. Ghana 2-1 earlier on Monday. — AFP Return of the Jedi as Aussies face China

BRISBANE: Inspirational captain Mile has enjoyed its best ever start to the Asian Jedinak is set to return for Australia as the Cup, winning all three group matches for Socceroos and undefeated China battle for the first time. a place in the semi-finals of the Asian Cup But Postecoglou said he wasn’t thinking today. about the potential fall-out from a defeat. “I The Crystal Palace midfielder was don’t have a great imagination,” he said. “I injured in Australia’s opening Group A win am pretty boring in that way. All I see is against Kuwait, and sat out the 4-0 drub- what is in front of us.” bing of Oman and Saturday’s narrow loss to South Korea. “If selected, I’ll be ready. That Zheng concern goes without saying,” said Jedinak, nick- China boss Alain Perrin is sweating on named “Jedi”. the fitness of his own captain, Zheng Zhi, “Sitting out the last couple of games after the skipper was substituted complain- hasn’t been easy. But it’s given me a little ing of back pain in Sunday’s 2-1 win over (bit) of time to see what other ways I can North Korea in Canberra. help,” he added. “Do I think I will be affected The 2013 Asian player of the year is one by lack of game time the last couple of of China’s most successful footballing games? Probably not, but that is just me- exports and the 34-year-old lynchpin is we will have to wait and see.” seen as crucial to his side’s chances of win- Jedinak’s return from an ankle injury is a ning a first Asian Cup. massive boost for coach Ange Postecoglou, China-twice Asian Cup runners-up-fin- who is expected to return to his first-choice ished with a perfect three wins out of three attack of record scorer Tim Cahill and Bayer in Group B, two of them in Brisbane, and Leverkusen forward Robbie Kruse. largely thanks to the goals of Sun Ke. Postecoglou rued the decision to bench The winger has netted three times, Cahill, Kruse and striker Mathew Leckie for including a spectacular winner against their game against the Koreans when Uzbekistan, and he said China were fully Australia lost 1-0, leaving them with a quar- focused for the quarter-final. ter-final in hot, humid Brisbane and a “I think if we can focus on the game, and potential semi against holders Japan in keep our concentration to make sure we Newcastle. pay attention to every detail, I think we can The stakes are high on Thursday, with leave the pitch having performed well,” said defeat likely to set back Australia’s push to Sun. Perrin has warned his players to popularise football in a country traditional- expect a backlash from the Socceroos after LIVERPOOL: Liverpool’s Martin Skrtel, center top, competes for the ball with Chelsea’s Gary Cahill during the English League Cup semi-final first ly focused on rugby, cricket and Australian their Korean defeat but thinks his team’s leg soccer match between Liverpool and Chelsea at Anfield Stadium, Liverpool, England, Tuesday. — AP rules. Aussie summer can continue. China, like Australia, have never won the “Beijing is very cold right now so we Asian Cup and they are seeking a title want to enjoy the warm weather here for a which would finally put football’s “sleeping little bit longer. Australia is a good, strong Brendan Rodgers buoyed by giant” at the top of the regional pecking team but we will continue to move for- order. ward,” he said. “They are at home and have The Socceroos won’t be at full strength quality players like (Tim) Cahill who are and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors defender tough and have technical ability. But if our Sterling-inspired Liverpool Alex Wilkinson is expected to replace sus- players play with the spirit they have had pended centre-back Matthew Spiranovic. so far, I think we’re in for a very good result LIVERPOOL: Liverpool manager Brendan even more. “You see defensively how we were; “I’ve felt the benefit of the break because They must now overcome a China side that tomorrow.” — AFP Rodgers said his side’s stirring display in their really aggressive, really compact. They’ve got there are times you need a bit of rest and the League Cup semi-final first leg with Chelsea had top-class players. I felt the performance tonight manager gave me some time off and it’s convinced him of their ability to win the tie. was a good benchmark for us. helped.” A dazzling solo goal by Raheem Sterling “There is absolutely no doubt we can go to Rodgers felt that Liverpool were twice the earned Liverpool a 1-1 draw on Tuesday after the second leg and get the result that we need.” victims of injustice-first when the ball struck Eden Hazard’s penalty had put Chelsea ahead Liverpool’s late rally, which also saw Steven Diego Costa on the arm inside the Chelsea box and the home side would have prevailed had it Gerrard hit the post, sent their fans out into an (a “clear handball”), and then when Courtois not been for the reflexes of visiting goalkeeper ice-cold night full of optimism and Rodgers appeared to slide out of the penalty area with Thibaut Courtois, who produced a number of gave them further reason to be cheerful by the ball in his grasp late in the second half. excellent stops. revealing that striker Daniel Sturridge could Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho claimed not Hazard’s away goal gives Premier League make his long-awaited return from injury in the to have properly seen either incident, but was leaders Chelsea a slender advantage ahead of second leg. more forthcoming on his side’s chances of next week’s return leg at Stamford Bridge, but “He’s really kicked on in his rehab and done reaching the final. Rodgers said that his team will approach the really well today, so we’ll see how that looks Asked if Hazard’s goal made Chelsea the game with no fear. between now and then,” Rodgers said. favourites, he replied: “I don’t know really, but to “It was a big performance from us,” said the play here is obviously difficult and to transform Northern Irishman, whose side have lost only Mourinho lauds goalkeepers the two-leg semi-final into a one-leg semi-final once in their last 15 games in all competitions. Sterling’s moment of magic arrived in the at Stamford Bridge is obviously better for us “I think they know that they were moved 59th minute and saw him gather a pass from because this stadium (Anfield) plays. about the pitch tonight (Tuesday). The space Jordan Henderson, spin away from Nemanja “People don’t come to this stadium to see that was opening up for us-we got the goal and Matic and burn off Gary Cahill before beating football; the people come to play football, to they really had to hang on there. Courtois with a low, left-foot shot. play their way. They cannot kick the ball “They’ll be happier in terms of the scoreline, The 20-year-old forward was recently grant- because they are in the stands, but they come but I’m extremely happy that our performance ed a break by Rodgers, during which he spent to play.” levels are improving all of the time.” time in Jamaica, where he was born, and the He also praised Courtois’s performance and Asked if Liverpool’s showing had reinforced England starlet said that the time in the sun had described the 22-year-old Belgian as one of the his belief in their ability to reach the final, where done him good. “three best goalkeepers in the world” alongside they would face either Tottenham Hotspur or “It’s always good to get on the scoresheet Manuel Neuer and Petr Cech-Chelsea’s second- Sheffield United, he replied: “That’s reinforced it and help the team out,” Sterling told Sky Sports. choice goalkeeper. —AFP Koreans look to keep Wolves from the door

MELBOURNE: South Korea face a serious test of Sticky end of expectation on the national team in South Korea their title credentials when they take on Nevertheless, they last won the Asian title in and we’ve felt it.” Uzbekistan in the Asian Cup quarter-finals today 1960 — the year Muhammad Ali, then Cassius Clay, Injuries to winger Lee Chung-Yong, with a frac- with the White Wolves hungry for revenge. won Olympic boxing gold and Elvis Presley tured shin, and midfielder Koo Ja-Cheol to torn CANBERRA: This file photo taken on January 18, 2015 shows Sun Ke of China cele- The Koreans, looking to end 55 years of hurt in returned from military duty in Germany. elbow ligaments have given the German selection brating after scoring the first goal against North Korea during their Group B football the region’s showcase tournament, broke Uzbek “One bad game now and we’re on the plane headaches but golden boy Son Heung-Min, match at the AFC Asian Cup in Canberra. China, like Australia, have never won the hearts by denying them a place at the 2014 World home,” said Stielike, under pressure to avoid com- dubbed “Sonaldo” by his Bayer Leverkusen team Asian Cup and they are seeking a title which would finally put football’s “sleeping Cup by virtue of goal difference, forcing them to ing to a sticky end at the Asian Cup. “There is a lot mates, returns from a bout of sickness.—AFP giant” at the top of the regional pecking order. China play Australia for a place in the contest a playoff with Jordan which they lost. semi-finals of the Asian Cup today. — AFP Failure to qualify for a first World Cup gives the former Soviet republic added incentive and Uzbekistan coach Mirdjalal Kasimov has promised Briefs the Group B runners-up will tear into their illustri- ous opponents in Melbourne. Superb leader-but a bit dim opponents, the referees, or the AFC, the “We will use that as motivation for sure,” Japan captain Makoto Hasebe has weather in Australia, nothing, because in Kasimov told AFP on Wednesday. “We’ll use every shown impeccable leadership in steering my life usually when I give my opinions... little bit of motivation to get a big result. We want the Blue Samurai through the group you usually pay for that, so I don’t want revenge but it’s also important for us to be calm. stages but he is also, according to Eiji to be in that position,” said the South Korea are one of the most dangerous teams Kawashima, “a bit dim”. The goalkeeper Portuguese. in Asia.” Uzbekistan, Asian Cup semi-finalists in gently teased his captain as he said: “He’s 2011, overpowered Saudi Arabia 3-1 to progress to a superb leader and has really grown into 14 seconds to immortality the last eight, Sardor Rashidov scoring twice as the captaincy. But I went out for a walk The head of UAE’s football association Kasimov opted to rest Korean-based captain Server yesterday to buy him a birthday present said Ali Mabkhout’s name will reverber- Djeparov, and they will pose a serious threat to the and he wanted to come with me, so I ate through the ages after he scored Taeguk Warriors. couldn’t get him anything. At times like after just 14 seconds against Bahrain. South Korea coach Uli Stielike coaxed his team that you want him to be more switched After combing through nearly 60 years of of walking wounded to top spot in Group A after on.” results and statistics, officials confirmed beating hosts Australia 1-0 at the weekend, making Mabkhout’s goal as the fastest recorded it three wins out of three. Once bitten, twice shy in Asian Cup history. What’s more, he out- While their football has rarely hit the heights of He was dubbed “Rottweiler” by Alex did Fathi Kameel, a player for Gulf neigh- South Korean teams past, notably the dynamic ver- Ferguson but Iran coach Carlos Queiroz is bours Kuwait who scored a lightning sion which reached the 2002 World Cup semi-finals once bitten, twice shy after being fined strike in 1976. “We are delighted. It’s under Dutchman Guus Hiddink, Stielike’s team will for slamming refereeing at the Asian Cup. enough that Fathi Kameel of Kuwait was be difficult to beat. Queiroz, after being hit with a $3,000 the record holder for over 30 years,” Shock call-up Lee Jeong-Hyeop’s sharp finish sanction for criticising a referee, kept his Yousef Al Serkal was reported as saying. toppled the Aussies in a match largely dominated counsel when asked about Brisbane’s “Now Ali Mabkhout’s name will be CANBERRA: This file photo taken on January 10, 2015 shows Son Heung Min of South Korea (L) by the tournament hosts, South Korea displaying shoddy pitch. “I don’t want to make com- immortalised, and with it will be the fighting for the ball with Eid Al-Farsi of Oman during the first round Asian Cup football match the technical nous to soak up pressure and strike ments about the pitch, the players, the name of the Emirates.” — AFP between South Korea and Oman in Canberra. South Korea face a serious test of their title cre- on the break. dentials when they take on Uzbekistan in the Asian Cup quarter-finals today. — AFP S Africa cruise to Brendan Rodgers series win over buoyed by woeful18 W Indies Liverpool19 THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015

Ex-pro wrestlers sue WWE over concussions Page 16

MELBOURNE: Spain’s Rafael Nadal hits a return during his men’s singles match against Tim Smyczek of the US on day three of the 2015 Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne yesterday. — AFP Nadal, Sharapova survive in Melbourne Federer joins Murray, Dimitrov in third round MELBOURNE: Rafael Nadal and Maria Sharapova sur- geous compatriot Alexandra Panova 6-1, 4-6, 7-5. changeovers. in the day and steadied after losing the first set to vived huge scares after being pushed to the limit at the World number two Federer also had a wobble, drop- Sharapova, who can unseat Williams as world num- sweep past Bolelli, despite a mystery swollen finger. Australian Open yesterday, but Roger Federer had an ping the first set before bouncing back to trounce ber one if she wins the title, wilted badly after winning “Simone played really well in the first set, I wasn’t easier workout in the gruelling Melbourne conditions. Italian Simone Bolelli 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 and move into the opening set, firing a slew of unforced errors that playing badly, and I had to fight in the middle of the World number three Nadal battled stomach cramps the third round. almost had her on an early plane home. third set and go up a break to enable me to relax a little to come out on top of a mammoth five-setter with British sixth seed Andy Murray joined him with a 6-1, “I didn’t actually want to be out here for two-and-a- bit and play a touch better because of less pressure,” American qualifier Tim Smyczek, with the 14-time Grand 6-3, 6-2 drubbing of local hope Marinko Matosevic, half hours but that’s sometimes the way it goes on days Federer said. “He didn’t have to lose as much as me, I Slam champion prevailing 6-2, 3-6, 6-7 (2/7), 6-3, 7-5 in a while Romanian third seed Simona Halep dropped just when you’re not playing your best-sometimes it’s good guess sometimes it can be an advantage and some- 4hr 12min epic. four games in a clinical demolition of another enough just to get through,” she said. times a disadvantage to be favourite.” The Spaniard is returning from injury and with little Australian, Jarmila Gajdosova. “I was one point away from being out of this tourna- Federer, chasing his 18th Grand Slam title, has always match practice said he found it tough going in the Other seeds progressing included men’s and ment twice today and not playing my best tennis so I’m made the third round in 16 attempts in Melbourne and humid night conditions, suffering dizzy spells. women’s seventh seeds Tomas Berdych and Eugenie just happy I was able to win that last point.” has reached the semi-final stage for the last 11 “For me after a tough period of time out of competi- Bouchard, and 10th seeds Grigor Dimitrov and Australian Opens. tion in the last seven months and just playing a few Ekaterina Makarova. Out of the blocks Murray, a three-time runner-up, was always in charge matches, today was a little bit humid and I felt very tired World number ones Serena Williams and Novak The five-time Grand Slam champion, red-faced from against Matosevic, continuing his dominant record after the first set and for the whole match,” he said. Djokovic play their second round matches today. While the heat, trailed 4-1 in the deciding set and looked out against Australians, having now won all 10 previous The second seeded Sharapova also struggled, melt- the searing 42 Celsius (107.6 Fahrenheit) heat of last for the count, but rallied to save two match points when Tour level meetings with Australian players. ing down as the afternoon heat was turned up. She year has yet to materialise in Melbourne, temperatures down 4-5 before hanging on for an unlikely victory. The Scot jumped out of the blocks and wrapped up needed to draw on all her experience to save two match topped 33C and players, including Sharapova and Federer, chasing his fifth Australian Open title, the opening set in just 21 minutes but had some tighter points before staging a gritty comeback to beat coura- Nadal, draped ice towels around their shoulders at the enjoyed slightly cooler, but still humid conditions, later games in the second and third sets. — AFP Bouchard powers into Open third round Venus eyeing late

MELBOURNE: Rising star Eugenie Bouchard demolished Dutchwoman Kiki Bertens 6-0, 6- career renaissance 3 to power into the Australian Open third round yesterday as she hunts for a maiden MELBOURNE: Venus Williams has long that I can,” she said of her recent battles. Grand Slam title. been hindered by illness and injury but the “I’m creeping closer. I did enter the top The Canadian seventh seed confirmed her seven-time Grand Slam champion is feeling 20 again. But I had some issues, and now I’m growing status with the most one-sided dis- more upbeat this year than she has for some back again, and I’d like to think that moving play seen so far at this year’s season-opening time. The elder Williams sister is on a 6-0 forward I have a lot of good days ahead of Grand Slam, utterly dominating her oppo- run, having won the lead-up Auckland me in terms of health. nent, ranked 72 in the world. Classic title-beating world number eight “I think also learning to manage things, Cheered on by the “Eugenie Army”, Caroline Wozniacki in the final-and then her because it’s a mental challenge when you Bouchard overwhelmed Bertens from the first match at the Australian Open. don’t feel well. outset, hitting 10 winners to three as she ran It is a continuation of the form she “I think I’m learning to manage that a lot away with the first set 6-0 after 23 minutes. showed in 2014, when she reached the third better.” Despite the setbacks, and watching Her dominance continued in the second, round at Wimbledon and the US Open, won Serena power to 18 Grand Slam titles, although Bertens at least managed get on the Dubai Tennis Championship, and made Williams said her will to win was undimmed the scoreboard with three games to avoid the final of Montreal, defeating sister Serena after easily beating Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor the dreaded “double bagel”. en route. in straight sets on Tuesday “I love the game, “I lost my focus a little bit and that’s really The 34-year-old American, one of the I love the thrill, I love the ‘Go Venus’,” she unacceptable, I’ll make sure that doesn’t hap- oldest women on tour, hasn’t won a Grand said. “It takes a lot of work to get to this lev- pen again and make it quicker for you guys,” Slam since Wimbledon in 2008 and few are el, so while I can play I’m going to play, the Canadian joked. betting on her changing that at Melbourne when I can’t I’m going to watch it on TV.” “I’m really hard on myself, a bit of a perfec- Park. Williams has made the final at Melbourne tionist-that’s a good quality, no?” But she feels her form is getting back to Park once, in 2003, along with one appear- The emphatic win builds on a first-round its best after a long battle with the energy- ance in the semis and five in the quarters performance that Bouchard rated only “solid”, sapping Sjogren’s Syndrome, which was since she debuted in 1998. MELBOURNE: Eugenie Bouchard of Canada makes a forehand return to Kiki Bertens of with the world number seven saying she was diagnosed in 2011, and a string of injuries. She faces compatriot Lauren Davis next the Netherlands during their second round match at the Australian Open tennis cham- gaining confidence as she looks to improve Williams adopted a raw foods diet to up and despite not having the agility of the pionship in Melbourne, Australia, yesterday. — AP on last year’s semi-final performance. ease her symptoms and decrease inflamma- younger players, she said experience count- “I am. I had a great off-season. I had a Bouchard also reached the final four at Her round three opponent will be world tion in her body and is trying to reach the ed for a lot. “When I get out here on court, I break from the tennis tour, which is always Roland Garros and the Wimbledon decider number 36 Caroline Garcia of France, who second week of a Grand Slam for the first feel like I rely on experience,” she said. nice, but I was anxious to get back and the last year, becoming the woman tipped as he beat the Canadian in their only previous time since Wimbledon in 2011. “I feel even if I’m playing my worst tennis, Australian Open is a great way to start the most likely to win a maiden Grand Slam in meeting last year at the Acapulco quarter- “You know, I got issues, but so do a lot of I still have a chance in every match. So if I year.” the near future. finals. — AFP people. Everyone has different kinds of can just play well, I have an even better issues, and I deal with my own the best way chance.” — AFP Erdogan, ministers slam central bank over rate cut Page 22

Gulf Bank sponsors 5th Business edition of ‘Road Rush’ Page 26 THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015 Toyota still world’s top automaker Obama urges support for ‘middle-class economics’ Page 23 Page 23

DAVOS: Former US Vice President Al Gore attends a session of the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting yesterday. — AFP OPEC, oil companies clash at Davos over price fall Top economists battle over ECB bond-buying

DAVOS: OPEC defended yesterday its Reuters Television. He expected prices cent this year from 2014’s $26 billion, al occasions since Greece nearly decision not to intervene to halt the oil to stay low for 12-18 months but then reducing investments in the North Sea dragged down the bloc with its debt, price collapse, shrugging off warnings start a gradual recovery as US shale oil and US shale production, he added. unleashing a succession of unconven- Cheap oil lifts Egypt by top energy firms that the cartel’s pol- production began falling. Total joins a raft of international oil tional measures since late 2011 to calm icy could lead to a huge supply short- companies, including BP and jittery markets. However, growth age as investments dry up. The strain Sticking to guns ConocoPhillips, that have slashed 2015 remains sluggish, unemployment is to 6-1/2-year high the halving of oil prices since June is But both OPEC and Saudi Arabia, the budgets due to lower prices. high and the eurozone is in danger of putting on producers was laid bare group’s largest producer, stuck to their Meanwhile, top economists in Davos sliding into deflation, forcing the ECB to when member Oman voiced its first guns. “If we had cut in November we clashed yesterday over the impending consider deploying QE, widely credited direct, public criticism of the would have to cut again and again as decision by the ECB to buy up sovereign with having helped boost the US and MIDEAST STOCK MARKETS Organization of the Petroleum non-OPEC would be increasing produc- debt, an unprecedented measure to British economies. Low oil prices helped Egypt’s stock index hit a 6-1/2-year Exporting Countries’ November deci- tion,” OPEC Secretary General Abdullah fight deflation that powerful Germany DUBAI: closing high yesterday, as bets on property stocks and positive cor- sion not to cut production but instead Al-Badri said in Davos. “Everyone tells us believes would merely allow over- ‘Late in the game’ porate news also buoyed sentiment. Gulf markets mostly edged to focus on market share. to cut. But I want to ask you, do we pro- spending euro-zone states to put off Adam Posen, the former central down after unimpressive earnings reports. Brent crude oil traded Oil prices have collapsed to below duce at higher cost or lower costs? Let’s reforms. Europe has squandered three banker who sat on the policy commit- just above $48 per barrel yesterday, slightly up from Tuesday’s close $50 a barrel as a result of a large supply produce the lower cost oil first and then years of opportunity to carry out badly tee of the Bank of England for three but down from $116 last June. glut, due mostly to a sharp rise in US produce the higher cost,” Badri said. needed economic reforms, former years, told AFP the threat of deflation The Cairo benchmark added 0.5 percent to 9,856 points, rising shale production as well as weaker “Prices will rebound. I saw this 3-4 times Bundesbank chief Axel Weber said at a was too great to be ignored any longer. above a major chart barrier at 9,831 points, September’s multi-year global demand. The rapid decline has in my life.” Al-Badri said the policy was panel in Davos, the ski resort hosting “What’s dangerous are the people who peak, to reach to its highest finish since July 2008. A clean break of left several smaller oil producing coun- not directed at Russia, Iran or the United the global elite over four days at the oppose QE, who I think are wrong, are the resistance - two straight daily closes above that level - would tries reeling and has forced oil compa- States. State-run oil company Saudi World Economic Forum. trying to make sure QE fails,” said Posen, indicate the index could this year challenge the record high of nies to slash budgets. Speaking at the Aramco Chief Executive Khalid Al-Falih “The real issue is the ECB has contin- who was a major proponent of QE at 12,039 points hit in April 2008. Global Telecom was one of the main World Economic Forum in Davos, also appeared unfazed, saying that uously bought time for European policy the BoE. “We are very late in the game supports, surging its daily 10 percent limit after Algerian news Switzerland, the heads of two of the although it could take some time, the makers to fix the issue,” Weber said, and I’m very concerned that Germany agency TSA cited sources to report that Global Telecom’s $2.6 billion world’s largest oil firms warned that the oil market will eventually balance itself. reflecting the views of many in the cur- is going to keep the QE from as being deal to sell a 51 percent stake in local operator Djezzy to the decline in investments in future produc- The chief executive of French oil rent German government. But “they as aggressive as they need it to be,” Algerian government had been agreed and would be signed next tion could lead to a supply shortage major Total Patrick Pouyanne echoed didn’t do that”, said Weber, who famous- Posen said. Germany’s aversion to the week. Falling oil prices have driven a broad rally in the last few and a dramatic price increase. Descalzi’s warnings. “There is a natural ly stormed out of his job at the plan was also borne out in remarks by weeks, with cheaper crude likely to ease pressure on Egypt’s budget Claudio Descalzi, the head of Italian decline of five percent a year from exist- Bundesbank when the ECB unveiled the ECB’s former chief economist, who and trade balance. Also, the decision by Egypt’s central bank this energy company Eni Spa , said that ing fields around the world. That means unconventional measures in late 2011. also resigned angrily after the bank week to allow a gradual depreciation of the pound has fuelled bets unless OPEC acts to restore stability in by 2030 more than half of the existing The ECB holds its first policy meeting of accepted unconventional measures. on property stocks, on the assumption that Egyptians will use real oil prices, these could overshoot to global oil production will disappear. the year today and is widely expected The European Central Bank “wants to estate as a hedge against a weaker national currency. $200 per barrel several years down the There is an enormous amount of money to announce some sort of buy-up of drive down the refinancing costs of In another move that has supported the market, the central bank line. “What we need is stability... OPEC is that needs to be invested to get anoth- sovereign debt, a measure known as individual countries. That is very differ- last week made a surprise 50 basis-point cut in its main interest like the central bank for oil which must er 50 million barrels per day of new pro- quantitative easing. ent from traditional monetary policy,” rates. “It’s mainly due to the macro developments: the depreciation give stability to the oil prices to be able duction,” Pouyanne said in Davos. Total The European Central Bank has come Juergen Stark told the business daily and the rate cut,” Harshjit Oza, an analyst at the Cairo-based Naeem to invest in a regular way,” Descalzi told is set to cut capital spending by 10 per- to the rescue of the euro-zone on sever- Handelsblatt. —Agencies brokerage, said about the drivers of the rally. “And then you have the earnings season coming along.”

Gulf soft Europe car sales speed up after 6 years of decline Meanwhile, most Gulf markets edged down after a series of poor fourth-quarter earnings reports. Saudi Arabia’s index fell 1.1 percent PARIS: New car sales in Europe rose by nearly six comparing the 12.5 million units sold last year to remaining mostly subdued through 2015, hopes as shares in Saudi Arabian Mining Co (Maaden) tumbled 6.6 percent. percent in 2014, ending a long slump in activity that the 16 million which rolled off dealer’s lots in 2007 that 2014 might mark a definitive rebound for car- The Gulf’s largest miner reported a fourth-quarter net profit of 376 began in 2007, but analysts warn the sector has not before Wall Street unleashed a global financial crisis. makers are equally guarded. “The European econo- million riyals ($100 million) on Tuesday, missing analysts’ average yet turned the corner in the region. The European IHS said it does not expect the market to approach my is still ailing, with weak growth and high unem- estimate of 490.2 million riyals. Another major drag on the bench- Automobile Manufacturer’s Association (ECEA) said those levels until the end of the decade. ployment,” said Belorgey. “It’s more a case of 2014 mark was retailer Fawaz Abdulaziz Alhokair Co, down 6.3 percent; it last week that 2014 new car sales grew by 5.7 per- Moreover, activity across Europe varied greatly having been a nice surprise.” reported a 20.3 percent fall in quarterly profit. It made 106.2 million cent, but noted current volumes of activity remain by market, lacking the generalized effervescence riyals while analysts had forecast 144.7 million riyals. significantly lower than they were before the global needed to drive enduring growth across the indus- Volkswagen European leader Rabigh Refining and Petrochemical Co lost 6.1 percent after it financial crisis that drove the sector into six years of try. Among the largest markets, Spain led the sales The Volkswagen group remained Europe’s largest swung to a net loss in the fourth quarter because of oil’s plunge. It decline. Europe’s continuing economic sluggishness growth at 18.1 percent, in part due to a new govern- car producer in 2014, with sales rising by 7.2 per- missed analysts’ full-year earnings forecast by 60 percent. Dubai’s means carmakers are unlikely to be able to repeat ment incentive program. Britain followed with 9.3 cent to 3.2 million units. It was followed by Peugeot index edged down 0.7 percent and most stocks in the emirate 2014’s performance, with analysts expecting sales percent growth, Italy at 4.2 percent, Germany 2.9 maker PSA, which managed a 3.7 percent increase declined. Abu Dhabi’s bourse rose 0.4 percent as First Gulf Bank growth to be limited to one to three percent this percent. France managed only 0.3 percent growth. to 1.4 million vehicles. But number three Renault climbed 1.2 percent and Etisalat added 0.9 percent. Trading volumes year. “The situation in Europe is still quite contrasted, posted a much larger 13.3 percent increase to 1.2 on both United Arab Emirate bourses were very low compared with A recovery to pre-crisis levels is most likely still but it’s much better than we expected at the begin- million units. those seen in the last few weeks. years away. Carlos Da Silva, an auto industry expert ning of the year, when we forecast two to three per- Ford moved into fourth place, with sales rising Qatar slipped 0.1 percent, but Doha Bank surged 6.1 percent. The at IHS consultants, said that “2014 should be taken cent,” noted Jean-Francois Belorgey, an analyst with by 5.8 percent to 927,861 vehicles. General lender made a profit of 219 million riyals ($60.2 million) in the fourth with relief and satisfaction.” “However, by any consultants EY. “(There is) a rather clear relationship Motors fell into fifth place as sales dropped by 4.3 quarter, well short of analysts’ forecast of 307.7 million riyals. But its means, this growth should not be misinterpreted: between (national) economic health and market percent to 905,444 vehicles, due largely to the board yesterday recommended a 2014 dividend of 4.0 riyals, which the foundations for a flourishing car market are yet activity.” Britain has been a bright spot in the region, withdrawal of its Chevrolet line from Europe. was in line with estimates. Also, the stock had dropped 3.9 percent to be built,” he added. “Right now, the patient is still with its economy expected to have grown 3 percent Renault said this week that low-cost models are in the previous session, indicating the market had expected poor limping, not starting to run on both legs!” The in 2014. now three of its top-five selling vehicles world- earnings.— Reuters European car sector’s convalescent state is clear in But with the Europe-wide economic outlook wide. —AFP BUSINESS THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015

Dubai taps cheaper solar to raise renewable energy target

ABU DHABI: Dubai has more than doubled its tar- intense year-round sunshine, solar energy has Mohammed Al-Tayer, chief executive of Dubai built by Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power and Spain’s TSK get for renewables in its overall energy mix given struggled to take off in the Gulf, where heavily sub- Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA). “When we see by 2017, as well as a 1,200 MW coal-fired power the falling cost of solar power, the head of the sidized fossil fuel makes green investments unat- an opportunity, we have to catch it,” Tayer told plant and by adding 700 MW to the gas-fired M sta- Emirate’s only utility told Reuters yesterday. The tractive. Dubai’s strategic plans had envisaged 1 Reuters at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu tion power plant in Jebel Ali. “Our (capacity) targets change comes days after the emirate upsized a percent of power generation coming from renew- Dhabi. are achievable with all this expansion,” he said. The planned solar plant to 200 megawatts (MW) from ables by 2020 and 5 percent by 2030, as the emi- With energy demand in the emirate growing by M station’s current capacity is around 2,000 MW. 100 MW after receiving what the consortium build- rate looked to diversify away from its current ener- about 5 percent per year, Dubai needs to add some Final negotiations are underway with developers ing the scheme said was the cheapest cost ever gy mix of 99 percent gas and 1 percent diesel. 2,100 MW of generating capacity by 2021 to the on who will secure the expansion contract, with a proposed to generate power from the sun’s rays. This has been revised to a minimum of 2.3 per- current 9,700 MW, Tayer said. The additional capaci- decision due this month or next, Tayer said, declin- Despite vast expanses of empty desert and cent by 2017 and 15 percent by 2030, said Saeed ty will come from the 200 MW solar plant to be ing to name the bidders. — Reuters Erdogan, ministers slam central bank over rate cut Govt wants lower borrowing costs to fuel growth

ISTANBUL: Turkish Central Bank Governor Erdem tral bank’s independence. “The main reason behind in emerging markets and concern about Turkey’s Basci must be wondering what more he can do to the AK Party’s success is the economy and they domestic politics. It has since recovered somewhat get President Tayyip Erdogan off his back. Hours know this well,” one senior banker in Istanbul told on hopes that the US Federal Reserve will be after delivering a 50 basis point interest rate cut on Reuters, casting the government’s growth-above-all patient in raising interest rates. Tuesday, wider than most economists had expect- rhetoric as a play to voters ahead of the June polls. The head of forex at one of Istanbul’s biggest ed, Erdogan and government ministers were falling “There are many economic experts in the AKP banks, speaking on condition of anonymity like over themselves to lambast him for not cutting far and they understand how bad the consequences many bankers who fear openly criticizing the gov- enough. Erdogan, who in economics as in politics is would be if the central bank does exactly what ernment, put the lira’s falls on Tuesday wholly down ill disposed to defiance or criticism, said yesterday they’re saying at the wrong time. It won’t reach the to ministers’ comments. Basci might find some sol- the central bank had “still not got the message” on point where the governor has to resign,” he said. ace in the fact that falling global oil and commodity interest rates. He described the cut as insufficient Columnist and former central banker Ugur Gurses prices are brightening the outlook for Turkish infla- Mijbil Alayoub and said current rates made it impossible for Turkey concurred. “It is highly likely that Basci will not be tion, giving him some elbow room and meaning to secure investment. reappointed in 2016 when his term ends. But I don’t Tuesday’s move might well mark the beginning of a The brouhaha, which sent the lira to a one- think he will resign... because that would be a cycle of easing. month low on Tuesday, has raised doubt over major sign of an ongoing and deepening crisis,” he But “measured”, one of Basci’s favorite terms, will Mijbil Alayoub joins whether Basci’s mandate will be renewed when it told Reuters. Central bank insiders describe a highly be the watchword. The central bank has repeatedly expires next year. Some analysts even questioned centralized decision-making process around made clear that any rate moves will depend largely whether he would last that long. Erdogan warned Ankara-born Basci, highly respected for his com- on the pace of inflation and that, broadly, it aims to Ooredoo Kuwait days ahead of the rate decision that he could sum- mand of academic theory but at times criticized by keep policy tight. Thirteen of 14 economists in a mon central bank officials if they failed to announce the market for an overly complicated monetary pol- Reuters poll expect further rate cuts by June, some KUWAIT: Ooredoo Kuwait, a member of the tions and public relations strategies. Alayoub rate cuts. Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus icy mix. of up to an additional 100 basis points. That is ooredoo International Group, announced yes- holds a degree in mass communications from said Tuesday’s reduction was “at odds” with the gov- unlikely to be enough for Erdogan, meaning Basci terday that Mijbil Alayoub joined as director Northeastern University and a degree from ernment’s vision. Gradual easing will have to continue his delicate balancing act. of Corporate Communications Department. the London School of Business in manage- The political pressure to cut is only likely to The irony is that the louder the government “Turkey is the only emerging market central bank I Alayoub has more than 18 years of experi- ment. Alayoub will play a major role in setting increase before June elections that Erdogan hopes shouts, the harder it becomes for the central bank know that is going to explain to you with a straight ence in different establishments such as up and executing strategies related to public could give the AK Party he founded the majority to make the rate cuts it wants, because concern face that it keeps a tight monetary stance, while EQUATE, Zain Group, and the Kuwait Fund for relations and corporate image and reputa- needed to bolster his presidential powers. But about central bank independence raises Turkish risk cutting its policy rate by 50 basis points at the same the Advancement of Sciences. His vast work tion, as well as working on corporate social calmer heads in the AKP know they can ill afford to premiums and leads investors to dump the lira. The time,” said Benoit Anne, head of emerging markets experience includes setting up communica- responsibility strategies. trigger a full-blown crisis of confidence in the cen- lira hit a record low on Dec. 16 amid a major selloff strategy at Societe Generale. — Reuters Dubai Tourism set for a brighter year

DUBAI: Alpha Tours, one of leading travelling solutions hotel guests in 2014, the UAE is continuing to prove “With targets to attract 3.5 million hotel guests to future”, said Adnan Aridi, Managing Director of Alpha providers in the UAE and GCC, held its first congress for itself as a popular destination for tourists across the Abu Dhabi in 2015, and a vision to bring in 20 million Tours. To end the congress, some of the key partnering 2015 to kick start the new year. The event brought world, snatching the title of world’s number one desti- tourists per year to Dubai by 2020, the UAE’s tourism hotels made presentations showcasing their plans for together Natalie Tours and TUI, 2 leading tour operators nation for hotels. industry is ready for an exciting new year and a brighter the future. from around the world. The congress was held at Radisson Royal Hotel in Dubai bringing in 55TUI agent’s representing different Russian regions. The event focused on the efforts and initiatives of Natalie Tours and TUI for tourism in the UAE along with their plans for 2015. Natalie Tours has carved a niche as one of the lead- ing tour operators into the UAE, bringing around two million tourists from Russia and the CIS states over the past decade. The company has been working closely with Alpha Tours for the growth of tourism in the region. TUI is a leading tour operating firm from Germany and also the world’s number one integrated leisure tourism group. They are known for providinghigh quali- ty end-to-end customer experience to 30 million cus- tomers in 31 major source markets. The congress commenced with a welcome speech from Vladimir Vorobiev, President of Natalie Tours. This was followed by speeches from Adnan Aridi, Managing Director of Alpha Tours and Inessa Verkhovskaya, Cluster Sales Manager Radisson Royal Hotel. The event saw a healthy dialogue of all participating parties with the agents,discussing the current tourism scenario in the region and the steps that can be taken in to make 2015 the biggest year for tourism in the UAE. Dubai alone is expected to attract more than 15 million tourists from around the globe in 2015. This reflects positively to the growth of the hotel industry. With Abu Dhabi surpassing its target of attracting 3.1 million Natalie Tours & TUI Congress group EXCHANGE RATES

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. UAE Exchange Centre WLL Syrian Pound 2.710 Philippine Peso 0.006520 0.006800 Nepalese Rupees 3.945 Sierra Leone 0.000067 0.000073 Malaysian Ringgit 87.645 Singapore Dollar 0.217217 0.223217 ASIAN COUNTRIES COUNTRY SELL DRAFT SELL CASH South African Rand 0.019440 0.027940 Japanese Yen 2.518 Chinese Yuan Renminbi 48.035 Australian Dollar 232.53 229.53 Sri Lankan Rupee 0.001862 0.002442 Indian Rupees 4.749 Thai Bhat 9.885 Canadian Dollar 249.90 250.90 Taiwan 0.009143 0.009323 Pakistani Rupees 2.928 Turkish Lira 131.225 Swiss Franc 293.82 291.82 Thai Baht 0.008666 0.009216 Srilankan Rupees 2.230 Euro 350.75 351.75 Nepali Rupees 2.971 US Dollar 294.90 297.90 Arab Singapore Dollar 221.370 Sterling Pound 449.01 451.01 Bahrain Exchange Company Hongkong Dollar 38.022 Bahraini Dinar 0.775503 0.783503 Japanese Yen 2.53 2.55 Bangladesh Taka 3.779 Egyptian Pound 0.038236 0.041336 Bangladesh Taka 3.778 4.048 CURRENCY BUY SELL Philippine Peso 6.603 Iranian Riyal 0.000082 0.000083 Indian Rupee 4.746 5.046 Thai Baht 9.006 Europe Iraqi Dinar 0.000196 0.000256 Sri Lankan Rupee 2.227 2.662 Irani Riyal transfer 61.555 Belgian Franc 0.007680 0.008680 Jordanian Dinar 0.411740 0.419240 Irani Riyal cash 121.740 Nepali Rupee 2.964 3.499 British Pound 0.440120 0.449120 Kuwaiti Dinar 1.000000 1.000000 Pakistani Rupee 2.926 2.790 Czech Korune 0.004334 0.016334 Lebanese Pound 0.000144 0.000244 GCC COUNTRIES UAE Dirhams 80.14 80.60 Danish Krone 0.042624 0.047624 Moroccan Dirhams 0.024086 0.048086 Saudi Riyal 78.645 Bahraini Dinar 782.70 784.77 Euro 0.341803 0.349803 Nigerian Naira 0.001200 0.001835 Qatari Riyal 81.022 Egyptian Pound 41.12 41.72 Norwegian Krone 0.033921 0.039121 Omani Riyal 0.759694 0.765374 Omani Riyal 766.310 Jordanian Dinar 419.01 424.66 Romanian Leu 0.077159 0.077159 Qatar Riyal 0.080263 0.081476 Bahraini Dinar 783.310 Omani Riyal 764.77 772.07 Slovakia 0.008654 0.018654 Saudi Riyal 0.077977 0.078677 UAE Dirham 80.316 Qatari Riyal 81.21 81.76 Swedish Krona 0.032465 0.037465 Syrian Pound 0.001748 0.001968 Saudi Riyal 78.55 78.95 Swiss Franc 0.282758 0.292958 Tunisian Dinar 0.153118 0.161118 ARAB COUNTRIES Turkish Lira 0.127345 0.134345 Turkish Lira 0.127345 0.134345 Egyptian Pound - Cash 41.450 UAE Dirhams 0.079282 0.080431 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 41.146 Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd Australasia Yemeni Riyal 0.001331 0.001411 Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.376 Australian Dollar 0.230221 0.241721 New Zealand Dollar 0.221016 0.230516 Tunisian Dinar 156.190 Rate for Transfer Selling Rate Jordanian Dinar 415.970 Al Mulla Exchange US Dollar 291.750 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 1.979 America Canadian Dollar 260.085 Syrian Lira 2.102 Canadian Dollar 0.240411 0.248911 Sterling Pound 456.630 Currency Transfer Rate (Per 1000) Morocco Dirham 32.325 US Dollars 0.290700 0.295400 Euro 366.500 US Dollar 294.250 US Dollars Mint 0.291200 0.295400 Euro 348.000 EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES Swiss Frank 303.035 Bahrain Dinar 775.760 Pound Sterlng 448.650 US Dollar Transfer 294.800 Asia UAE Dirhams 79.330 Canadian Dollar 247.700 Euro 348.750 Bangladesh Taka 0.003456 0.004056 Qatari Riyals 80.935 Indian Rupee 4.738 Sterling Pound 448.390 Chinese Yuan 0.046051 0.049551 Saudi Riyals 77.975 Egyptian Pound 41.135 Canadian dollar 246.690 Hong Kong Dollar 0.035930 0.038680 Jordanian Dinar 411.660 Sri Lankan Rupee 2.222 Turkish lira 128.450 Indian Rupee 0.004406 0.004807 Egyptian Pound 40.707 Bangladesh Taka 3.770 Swiss Franc 290.590 Indonesian Rupiah 0.000019 0.000025 Sri Lankan Rupees 2.225 Philippines Peso 6.590 Australian Dollar 239.820 Japanese Yen 0.002429 0.002609 Indian Rupees 4.716 Pakistan Rupee 2.928 US Dollar Buying 293.600 Kenyan Shilling 0.003216 0.003218 Pakistani Rupees 2.867 Bahraini Dinar 783.450 Korean Won 0.000262 0.000277 Bangladesh Taka 3.759 UAE Dirham 80.150 GOLD Malaysian Ringgit 0.079551 0.085551 Philippines Pesso 6.481 Saudi Riyal 78.600 20 gram 238.100 Nepalese Rupee 0.003013 0.003183 Cyprus pound 715.865 *Rates are subject to change 10 gram 121.740 Pakistan Rupee 0.002740 0.003020 5 gram 61.560 Japanese Yen 3.480 BUSINESS THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015

Toyota sells 10.23m vehicles in 2014, still world’s top automaker

TOKYO: Toyota sold 10.23 million vehicles last year, about the health of the world’s number-two econ- it said yesterday, outpacing General Motors and omy. Volkswagen to remain the world’s biggest automaker. The record worldwide annual sales fig- Fuel-cell cars ure beat Volkswagen, which logged sales of 10.14 The maker of the Camry sedan and Prius hybrid million vehicles, and US-based GM, which said it has frozen the building of new plants for the three sold 9.92 million cars last year. But Toyota also said years until early 2016, and a Toyota executive at the sales would decline this year to an expected 10.15 Detroit auto show told AFP last week that the giant million vehicles, as demand falls off in its home automaker is emphasizing quality of sales rather market. than volume. Among the moves, Toyota is pushing Toyota broke GM’s decades-long reign as the further into the fast-growing market for environ- world’s top automaker in 2008 but lost the crown mentally-friendly cars, especially in China where three years later as Japan’s earthquake-tsunami officials are struggling to contain an air pollution disaster hammered production and disrupted the crisis. Toyota said this month it had been swamped supply chains of the country’s automakers. by domestic orders for its first mass market hydro- However, in 2012 it once again overtook its Detroit gen fuel-cell car, with demand in the first month rival, which sells the Chevrolet and luxury Cadillac nearly four times higher than expected for the brands. whole year. Toyota boosted its fiscal year through March The company received more than 1,500 orders profit forecast to 2.0 trillion yen ($16.97 billion), for its “Mirai” sedan since its launch in mid- and said revenue would come in at 26.5 trillion yen, December. It had planned to sell 400 in Japan over as it saw strong results in North America while a 12 months. The company also announced plans to MIYAKAWA: This file photo shows employees of Toyota Motor’s subsidiary Toyota Motor Kyushu check sharply weaker yen inflated its bottom line. But it develop components for hybrid vehicles with two Lexus vehicles on an assembly line at the Miyata Plant in Miyawaka, Fukuoka Prefecture. — AFP earlier warned over a downturn in some other key Chinese automakers in an unprecedented technol- fear of losing their competitive edge. Previously, the price of models such as its Prius, which has Asian markets including Indonesia and Thailand, ogy-sharing deal aimed at increasing green car Toyota would make key components such as bat- seen sluggish sales in China. Toyota shares slipped which has been hammered by political unrest. sales in the world’s biggest vehicle market. teries and motors in high-cost Japan and then ship 1.15 percent to 7,571.0 yen in the afternoon, as the There are also growing fears about the entire The deal marked a shift away from Japanese car- them to joint ventures overseas. But that drove up broader Tokyo market fell 0.89 percent. — AFP industry’s prospects in China owing to concerns makers’ traditional reluctance over such deals for

Kuwait: Public spending up 13% during first 8 months of FY14/15

NBK ECONOMIC UPDATE

KUWAIT: Interim figures indicate govern- project execution is picking up. Both compo- ment spending rose by 13 percent during the nents of capital spending, the transportation first eight months of fiscal year 2014/15 & equipment component, and the projects, (FY14/15) compared to the same period the maintenance and land purchases component, year before. Growth was visible in both cur- are witnessing strong growth of 63 percent rent and capital spending. Revenues contin- y/y and 21 percent y/y, respectively. ued to decline on lower oil prices. The gov- Government revenues were down in ernment’s preliminary surplus stood at KD November as a result of a decline in the price 10.5 billion at the end of the eight month of oil. While revenues have declined by 10 period, down from KD 13.5 billion during the percent y/y to KD 19.0 billion, they remain comparable period a year ago. We expect well above conservative budget projections; spending to grow by 10 percent year-on-year revenues to-date stood at 95 percent of the (y/y) to KD 20.8 billion in the full fiscal year. full-year budget. Total revenues have been Government spending stood at KD 8.5 bil- driven lower by reductions in both oil rev- lion fiscal-year-to-date (fytd) in November. enues and non-oil revenues. This was KD 1.0 billion higher than during the Oil revenues fell by 9 percent y/y on the same period last year. Spending stood at 37 back of declines in Kuwait’s crude price and percent of the FY14/15 budget, marginally oil production. Kuwait export crude (KEC) below the historic average of 38 percent. price averaged $97 per barrel in the eight Current spending, which dominates over- months to November, 6 percent lower than in all expenditure, came in at KD 7.8 billion fytd. the same period last year. Production was ‘Miscellaneous expenditures & transfers’, also 3 percent lower. While oil production is which include military salaries and transfers expected to remain relatively stable, oil prices to the social security fund, were up a solid 18 will continue to average much lower with the WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama delivers the State of the Union speech before members of Congress in the US Capitol, January 20, percent year-on-year (y/y) and were at KD 4.3 KEC price recently falling below $50 per bar- 2015. — AP billion fytd. Meanwhile, the wages and rel. salaries segment declined by 1 percent y/y to The interim budget’s surplus is at KD 10.5 KD 2.2 billion fytd. Goods and services, a billion, comparatively lower than the preced- Obama urges support for much smaller component of current spend- ing three fiscal years, due to higher spending ing, rose by a strong 22 percent y/y to KD 1.3 levels and lower revenues. The budget is pro- billion fytd. jected to log in a much smaller surplus of Capital spending grew by a robust 23 per- around KD 4.5 billion for the full fiscal year ‘middle-class economics’ cent y/y and stood at KD 0.7 billion fytd in ending in March 2015. Government spending November. Figures indicate that 32 percent of is set to grow by 10 percent y/y and revenues the full-year budget was spent to-date, just are expected to fall by around 20.5 percent Obama trumpets rising US wages above the five-year average of 31 percent; y/y. At 9 percent of GDP in FY14/15, this will this is a further indication that the rate of be the lowest budget surplus in five years. WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama chal- sanctions on Iran while negotiations with Tehran munity college. The idea of raising the top capital lenged the Republican-led Congress on Tuesday to on reining in its nuclear program unfold. Obama gains and dividends tax rate to 28 percent from break out of the “tired old patterns” of confronta- had a message for both Democrats and 23.8 percent is popular with Democrats who are Three KD 5,000 winners in NBK’s tional politics and back an effort to lift the middle Republicans on trade, where he wants to complete looking beyond Obama’s tenure to the 2016 elec- Jawhara weekly draws for January class, with higher taxes on the rich and trade deals. trade deals with Asia and Europe to create more tions. Dogged since the start of presidency six years ago export-related jobs. He urged Congress to give him In appealing for higher taxes, Obama blamed KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) one entry in the draw, thus more money in an by an ailing economy, Obama appeared before a trade promotion authority, the power to negotiate lobbyists for the current state of the tax code, say- announced the three lucky winners in Al- account means more chances in each draw. joint session of Congress and millions of Americans free trade deals. Democrats have opposed giving ing it is riddled with loopholes that let some corpo- Jawhara weekly draws during the month of The new feature introduced to Al-Jawhara watching on television to declare that his policies him the power, fearing the deals he makes will hurt rations pay nothing. “They’ve riddled it with give- January. Minor Fatemah Nabeel Mohammad Account enables customers to double their have paid off with an economic revival that has American labor. Warning that China wants to “write aways the superrich don’t need, denying a break to Abul, Bateaa Ali Abdul Bari and Ghazi Faisal chances when maintaining their balance trimmed the jobless rate to 5.6 percent. the rules for the world’s fastest growing region,” middle class families who do,” he said. But the pro- Al-Temimi each won KD 5,000. The winners without withdrawing. It is now time, he said, to “turn the page” from Obama said both parties should give him the trade posal seems dead on arrival given opposition from expressed their gratitude and thanked NBK Al-Jawhara is the most popular prize-giv- recession and war and work together to address authority as a way of protecting American workers, Republicans. “Let’s iron out loopholes to lower rates for its great services and promotions. NBK has ing account in Kuwait. Al-Jawhara account those middle-class Americans who have been left “with strong new trade deals from Asia to Europe - and create jobs, not pay for more government re-launched Al-Jawhara account recently by entitles account holders to enter the weekly, behind. His State of the Union speech was at times that aren’t just free, but fair.” spending,” said Iowa Republican Senator Joni Ernst doubling customers’ chances to win in the monthly and quarterly Al-Jawhara draws. All conciliatory in calling for a spirit of compromise in excerpts from remarks that were to be the offi- weekly, monthly and quarterly draws when prizes are automatically credited to the win- but also defiant - making proposals that are anath- Tax proposals cial Republican response. For Obama, seeking to they do not withdraw or transfer from their ners’ accounts the day after the draw. Al- ema to Republicans and vowing to veto any The core of Obama’s plan to boost the middle burnish his legacy, Tuesday’s speech will be his accounts. Jawhara accounts are available to both Republican effort to roll back his signature health- class is to raise taxes on the wealthiest Americans best opportunity of the year to talk to millions of NBK customers have chances to win KD Kuwaitis and expats and can be opened at care law or his unilateral loosening of immigration by $320 billion over the next 10 years to pay for Americans about the improved economy. When he 5,000 weekly, KD 125,000 monthly and a any one of NBK’s branches around Kuwait, policy. Addressing Congress for the first time since expanded tax credits and educational benefits for first took office in January 2009, the country was in grand prize of KD 250,000 quarterly. Each KD or through NBK website for existing cus- Republicans seized the Senate in November elec- the middle class, including two years of free com- the grips of a crippling financial crisis. — Reuters 50 in a customer’s account entitles them to tomers. tions, the Democratic president made clear he will not back down from his political opponents, urging them to work with him to engage in a debate about the future “without demonizing each other.” “Imagine if we broke out of these tired old pat- Many Palestinian workers left terns,” he said. “Imagine if we did something differ- ent.” Many of the proposals outlined in Obama’s address, while popular with many Americans, are unlikely to become reality, given Republican oppo- broke as Israel freezes funds sition and the fact Obama will soon become a lame duck as the county turns its attention to the 2016 campaign to succeed him. But his proposals for RAMALLAH: Palestinian head teacher Abdelhakim Abu budget, excluding foreign aid, and prevents it paying its Palestinians with a monthly “safety net” of $100 million wealth redistribution could serve to shape the Jamus has just given his last shekels to his daughter for roughly 180,000 employees, which costs almost $200 mil- (86 million euros), but the commitment has rarely been political debate around the next White House elec- school and has nothing left to feed his family of eight. lion (170 million euros) a month. activated. The funds could offer vital assistance for the tion and could help former Secretary of State Like tens of thousands of Palestinian public sector work- PA, economist Nasser Abdelkarim said. “Since the second Hillary Clinton, the overwhelming favorite for the ers, he has not been paid since December after Israel sus- Quick solution needed intifada (the Palestinian uprising in 2000-2005), the econ- Democratic presidential nomination if she decides pended millions of dollars in tax revenues which should “We know very well that Israel freezes the money for omy has experience a major downturn,” he said, with to run. have been transferred to the Palestinian Authority, as political reasons to put pressure on the Authority, but as about 140,000 Palestinians who previously worked inside punishment for joining the International Criminal Court. civil servants we need to see the situation resolved quick- Israel losing their jobs. Defending Cuba move “I gave my daughter the last money I had and now I ly,” Abu Jamus said. Dalal Yassin, who works for In order to counter the soaring unemployment rate, On foreign policy, Obama defended his decision don’t know how we’re going to manage tomorrow,” said Palestinian television, also has not been paid since Israel the Palestinian public sector enlarged its ranks-and with in December to seek to normalize relations with Abu Jamus who runs a school in the West Bank city of froze the transfers. But she is in a better position than it, its monthly spending on salaries. But the Palestinian Communist-ruled Cuba and urged Congress to lift Ramallah. On January 2, the Palestinians formally pre- most because her husband works in the private sector. “I government is facing an even bigger employee-related the more than 50-year-old US economic embargo sented a request to join the Hague-based ICC in a first see my colleagues struggling to pay their monthly bills problem than the salary freeze. In 2007, when Hamas against Havana. He called on lawmakers to pass a step towards suing Israel for war crimes. Israel reacted and going through a really difficult time,” she told AFP. seized power in Gaza, forcing out forces loyal to the Fatah new authorization of military force against Islamic furiously, freezing $127 million (110 million euros) in tax The Palestinian government has managed to raise movement of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, State militants to replace powers that were given revenues that are usually transferred to the Palestinian enough funds to start paying 60 percent of the roughly 70,000 government employees were left jobless. to President George W Bush to prosecute the Iraq Authority (PA) — a move often employed as a punitive December salaries “through loans, Arab aid and its own Hamas then took on 50,000 new workers who have war. measure during diplomatic disputes. resources”. Yasser Mussa, who runs a shop in Ramallah, is served the Gaza administration for the past seven years. Lawmakers waved yellow pencils to show their Under an economic agreement between the sides hoping that the partial payment of salaries will mean Since a national unity government took office in June, support for free speech when Obama mentioned signed in 1994, Israel transfers to the PA tens of millions some of his customers pay off their outstanding debts. ending seven years of separate administrations in the the attacks earlier this month in Paris. The 17 peo- of dollars each month in customs duties levied on goods “Every month, we extend credit to our clients, but this West Bank and Gaza, the Hamas employees have not ple killed by Islamist militant gunmen included destined for Palestinian markets that transit through time, the salaries have not been paid at the same time as been paid. News that the consensus government plans to staff at French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo. Israeli ports. Although the sanction has been imposed a major storm hit the region and we have had to sell rehire the 70,000 staff who were employed before 2007, Obama, reprised a promise he made when he first many times, it has rarely lasted more than one or two many products on credit,” he said. in place of the Hamas workers, has sparked a series of took office and vowed an unrelenting effort to close the US military prison at Guantanamo Bay, months, except in 2006 when Hamas won a landslide vic- Ahead of a major winter storm earlier this month, angry protests and strikes. The dispute threatens a fragile Cuba, where foreign terrorism suspects have been tory in Palestinian legislative elections. On that occasion many Palestinians went out and bought heaters to com- reconciliation deal between Fatah and Hamas which took held since 2002. “It’s time to close Gitmo,” he said. Israel froze the funds for six months. Blocking the money bat a cold snap which has only just begun to ease. Arab effect last April and led to the establishment of the unity He said he would block an effort to increase deprives the PA of more than two-thirds of its monthly foreign ministers have promised to provide the government. — AFP BUSINESS THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015 Romania to expand debt help scheme

BUCHAREST: Romania’s government plans heels of Hungary, Poland, Serbia and was seen as a move to lure voters ahead of way, about 75 percent of franc borrowers it was cutting interest rates for clients with to expand a scheme to ease the debt bur- Croatia. Croatia proposed a scheme yester- the presidential election in November will qualify against 51 percent at present.” Swiss franc loans effective from Jan 23. den of its lowest earners as holders of day similar to Hungary’s to convert franc 2014. The government now proposes lift- The expanded scheme would cost the Volksbank Romania, which according to Swiss franc-denominated loans are being loans into local currency. Loan payments in ing the income bracket for those that can public purse about 0.1 percent of GDP, Valcov holds 42 percent of the country’s hit by the currency’s surge, its finance min- francs are set to soar since the Swiss cen- join the scheme to 3,000 lei ($770) per Valcov said. In the years before the finan- franc loans, announced on Monday a tem- ister said yesterday. Many households tral bank removed its cap on its currency month from 2,200, to make more borrow- cial crisis, Romania’s central bank repeated- porary freeze in the leu/franc rate for its across central and eastern Europe took out last Thursday, as the franc is 16 percent ers eligible. It also plans to cut monthly ly warned of the risks attached to borrow- franc loan clients. OTP Bank Romania will Swiss franc mortgage loans at attractively stronger against the Romanian leu than a loan payments by 240 lei, rather than the ing in what it called “exotic currencies”. temporarily cut up to 1.5 percentage low interest rates in the 2000s, despite week ago. current 144 lei. Only 75,000 people borrowed in Swiss points off its franc interest rate margin. The warnings from economists. Romania introduced the scheme last “We proposed lifting the maximum per- francs, compared to millions who took stock of franc-denominated loans in Romania is the latest country in the year to help reduce monthly loan pay- sonal income ceiling to qualify for this pro- euro or leu loans and a very low propor- Romania was 10.1 billion lei ($2.6 billion) as region to float measures to shield borrow- ments, including in local currency, for the gram for Swiss franc borrowers,” Finance tion compared to in Poland, for example. of the end of November, a fraction of ers from the franc’s rise, following on the country’s lowest earners for two years. It Minister Darius Valcov told reporters. “This Raiffeisen Bank Romania said yesterday Poland’s $36 billion. — Reuters Job cuts at Air France KLM despite cheap oil

PARIS: Cheap fuel prices are doping the another 5,000 jobs.But a company spokesman finances of airlines, but analysts say European told AFP: “Nothing has been decided regarding a giant Air France-KLM may still be forced to make possible new voluntary departure plan; so it is further job cuts to cope with stiff competition completely premature to talk about one, either and a sluggish economy. Despite the company’s about whether it will happen in principle or assertions that no decisions have been taken, about its size.” However Air France-KLM boss the leaders of Europe’s second largest airline Alexandre de Juniac complained to investors last have for months seemed to be preparing the September of a “difficult” environment, with ground for the inevitability it will have to shed geopolitical instability in several markets. He further staff. Last May, Air France chief executive called for “strict financial discipline” and stressed Frederic Gagey said during a visit to Shanghai the need to maintain the pace of “reducing unit that the company aimed for an operating profit costs by 1.0 to 1.5 percent per year” through in 2014. Air France-KLM, which lost 1.8 billion improved productivity. euros in 2013, hasn’t turned a profit since 2010. “If we were in the red we would be at more of Productivity gains = job cuts? a disadvantage, which would change the terms Air France-KLM has reduced its unit costs by of social dialogue,” Gagey told reporters. He said 8 percent since 2012. But it’s not enough, the heavily indebted French flag carrier would according industry experts, as Gulf and Asian airlines have unit costs 30 to 40 percent lower than their European rivals. Analysts say produc- tivity gains are often a code word for job cuts. “When you talk about productivity gains you are talking about excess manpower,” said an avia- tion sector analyst who asked not to be named. “So a voluntary departure plan is absolutely among the various measures that could be tak- en,” he added. Job cuts are not the only option open to the airline group. In December AirFrance-KLM financial director Pierre-Francois Riolacci said the group was thinking of freezing some investments and postponing the delivery of new aircraft. The intensely competitive air TOKYO: Men wait to cross a street in front of an electronic stock indicator yesterday. — AP travel sector is especially saturated in Asia and North America, forcing companies to keep fares down, hurting revenues. BoJ slashes inflation outlook Cheap fuel ‘passing relief’ PARIS: Air France-KLM Group CEO Air France-KLM has also had to absorb the Alexandre de Juniac delivers a speech cost of September’s strike by French pilots-more Policymakers claim ‘economy rebounding’, boost forecast to present his new year wishes to the than 400 million euros. The strike, combined press. — AFP with the economic doldrums of the past nine months, virtually wiped out the gains of the past TOKYO: The Bank of Japan yesterday slashed its “Given the drastic moves in crude oil prices Policymakers also tweaked some lending pro- make its decision solely on the basis of annual two and a half years, according to some analysts, inflation outlook as plunging oil prices dent efforts recently, the timing could move forward or back- grams that were due to expire, extending them by results to be announced on February 19, hinting judging it unlikely that the group will be able to to slay years of deflation, but policymakers still ward,” Kuroda told reporters after the bank’s policy a year and boosting their volume. “The main mes- that new red ink would lead to new job cuts. rein in its debt of some four billion euros. The boosted their growth forecasts and said the econ- meeting. “We’re saying (the timing) is centred on sage from today’s decision is growth will acceler- Since then the airline has suffered a crippling recent plunge in fuel prices will help the bottom omy was rebounding. The BoJ, which held off fiscal 2015, we’re not saying within fiscal 2015,” he ate and inflation is fine, if the effects of oil are dis- strike and warned that results will fall short of lines of airlines, but only as long as they don’t fresh easing measures after a two-day policy added. Plunging oil prices-they have lost more counted,” Koya Miyamae, an economist at SMBC targets. cut ticket prices to gain market share. meeting, said inflation for the year starting in April than half their value from above $100 in June last Nikko Securities, told Bloomberg News. “Still, by Unions are expecting bad news at a meeting “We think falling kerosene prices (halved would come in at 1.0 percent, well down from an year-would ultimately benefit resource-poor October it will be hard for the BoJ to argue infla- with management today. Under its Transform since June 2014) provide only passing relief as earlier 1.7 percent forecast. But the economy Japan and give the wider economy a shot in the tion will reach two percent in or around fiscal 2015 restructuring program, Air France-KLM we see these competed away in still fragment- would expand by 2.1 percent, up from an earlier arm, generating higher prices, Kuroda said. “For 2015. That’s when they will be forced to expand already cut 8,000 jobs in the three years to the ed European markets,” analysts at RBC Capital 1.5 percent forecast, it said. Japan, which imports almost all of its crude oil, the stimulus.” end of 2014 — through a voluntary departure Markets noted recently. They said pursuing fur- The price downgrade underscores how reach- price declines are a positive and will lead to Japan’s massive asset-buying program has so scheme-or 10 percent of a workforce today esti- ther cost reduction would be helpful and given ing the BoJ’s 2.0 percent inflation target by early stronger corporate earnings and firms’ real pur- far not worked as well as expected, the mated at some 95,000. The French daily Le recent comments by airline executives it next year looks unlikely, and it may ramp up chasing power,” he said. International Monetary Fund said this week, with Figaro reported recently the French-Dutch expected AirFrance-KLM would cut routes and expectations for another round of monetary eas- the economy expected to grow just 0.6 percent group plans “in the coming months” to cut aircraft. —AFP ing to kick-start the world’s number three econo- Bleak outlook this year, picking up to a still-sluggish 0.8 percent my. “We continue to think that policymakers are The BoJ’s inflation target is a cornerstone of in 2016. “At this stage potential medium-term too sanguine on inflation,” said Marcel Thieliant at Tokyo’s wider bid to turn around years of tepid growth in Japan is very, very low,” Olivier Capital Economics. “The chances of hitting the growth by generating price rises and prompting Blanchard, the IMF’s chief economist, told a press inflation target are slim without additional mone- firms to boost their hiring and expansion plans. briefing in Beijing. “So far both private domestic tary stimulus.” BoJ chief Haruhiko Kuroda insisted But a sales tax rise in April slammed the brakes on and foreign demand have disappointed.” The BoJ that the bank was still on track to reach its goals, consumer spending, plunging the economy into surprised markets in October last year when it and that the BoJ never claimed it would hit its goal recession and throwing the success of Abenomics announced an expansion of its huge asset-buying in exactly two years. The target followed the into question. The BoJ, however, yesterday kept up program-similar to the Fed’s quantitative easing launch of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s growth proj- its view that the economy was on track for a recov- plan. The scheme is aimed at trying to pump cash ect, dubbed Abenomics, in early 2013. Observers ery, and said its longer-term inflation view remains into the banking system at a current annual pace have widely interpreted the bank’s original dead- unaffected. The inflation rate for the year starting of about 80 trillion yen ($679 billion) and, in turn, line as early next year. April 2016 would come in at 2.2 percent, it said. stimulate the economy. — AFP Lawmakers look at how Airbnb affects NYC housing, economy

NEW YORK: They cater to travelers, but Airbnb has made affordable housing a centerpiece of Noting Schneiderman’s report and the thou- and other short-term rental sites are sparking his agenda. sands of New York listings still visible on Airbnb debate over an issue few tourists are likely to and other sites, several council members said unpack: affordable housing. Scores of propo- Illegal hotel complaints the city should expand enforcement. “We defi- NINGJIN: This picture shows laborers working in a workshop at Jinglong group in nents and critics held dueling rallies and crowd- The number of New York City apartments and nitely have to use some different strategies, Ningjin, central China’s Hebei province. — AFP ed a City Council hearing Tuesday on the short- private rooms rented through Airbnb rocketed some proactive strategies,” said City Council term rental boom and whether it saps housing from about 2,650 in 2010 to 16,500 early last Housing and Buildings Committee Chairman China labor activists face affordability or saves it. On one side are tenants year, state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman’s Jumaane Williams, who suggested Airbnb hadn’t who say landlords are illegally turning their office said in an October report. The report said done enough to address illegal rentals. unprecedented intimidation homes into de facto hotels by renting apart- nearly three-quarters of Airbnb listings violated San Francisco-based Airbnb has removed ments to high-paying tourists instead of full- city or state laws. Nearly 2,000 units were thousands of listings that violated New York GUANGZHOU: As China’s economic growth police told his landlords he was a politically time residents. On the other are homeowners booked as short-term rentals for at least half of laws, and prospective hosts are informed of the slows, fuelling industrial unrest, independent problematic tenant. Other labor activists tell and tenants who say Airbnb provides crucial 2013, the report said, and some users were list- laws and asked to obey them, Airbnb public pol- labor advocates say they have never faced so similar tales. “The crackdown last year was the income in a city where even a studio apartment ing multiple apartments and reeling in as much icy head David Hantman said, though he said much intimidation - and they expect it to get toughest in history,” says Chen Huihai, director can easily top $2,000 a month. as $6.8 million over four years. The Mayor’s the company couldn’t check up on them to worse this year. In coastal areas like Guangdong of worker training at leading labor dispute law In New York state, it’s generally unlawful to Office of Special Enforcement fielded 1,150 ille- make sure. Airbnb says most of its 25,000 New province in southern China, the slowdown and firm Laowei. “2015 is going to be even tougher.” rent an apartment for under 30 days unless the gal-hotel complaints last year - a 62-percent York City hosts rent their homes only occasional- rising costs are forcing some factories to close or Police in Guangzhou and Shenzhen did not apartment’s resident also stays there. But Audrey increase from 2013 - and conducted 883 inspec- ly, and many of them do stay there throughout. move inland, often without properly compen- respond to requests for comment. On top of the Smaltz says an entire floor in the midtown tions and issued hundreds of violation notices, Regardless, Hantman argued, they have little sating workers. The number of strikes more than police action, Zeng and Zhang describe other Manhattan building where she has lived since focusing on health and safety concerns, said effect on the housing market in a city of three doubled in 2014 to 1,378 from 656 the year worrying incidents they suspect are related to 1977 has been diverted to short-term rentals for Elizabeth Glazer, who oversees the office. million households. —Reuters before, according to China Labor Bulletin, a their labor advocacy. much as $600 a night while the number of rent- Hong Kong-based advocacy group. April saw One morning last month four men came to stabilized apartments has dwindled. “My friends the biggest strike in decades, when about Zeng’s office, accusing him of unpaid debts. Two and neighbors are being replaced by strangers 40,000 employees of Adidas and Nike supplier of them kicked and punched him, breaking his and tourists,” she said, adding that one tourist Yue Yuen went on strike to demand social insur- glasses and leaving him with bruises on his leg ance payments. and back. Last fall, Zhang’s car was doused in wandered onto her terrace one night. All of which is making work for labor activists gasoline and its rear window smashed. Both City records show her building got illegal- such as Zeng Feiyang and Zhang Zhiru, while reported the incidents to police, but they hotel citations last year. Her landlord didn’t social media platforms such as WeChat, QQ and remain unsolved and unexplained. Zhang says immediately return a call seeking comment Sina Weibo are making it easier for word of police did not investigate. The police did not Tuesday. But such strangers and tourists are a industrial action to spread. It is also increasing respond to requests for comment. financial lifeline for writer-attorney Josh activists’ run-ins with the police and others in a Greenberg and actress-stage dresser Karen country where officials see strikes as a threat to Squeeze on foreign funding Wight-Greenberg. The parents of two make social stability, and investors often see workers’ Activists say the police appear particularly about one-sixth of their income from guests rights as a threat to their wallets. After nearly concerned about groups receiving money from who book their Brooklyn condo’s spare room two decades as one of China’s most prominent outside China. “The police come to see us regular- about three-quarters of the year but don’t feel as labor activists, Zeng, based in provincial capital ly. Their main objection is to our foreign funding,” ever-present as a full-time roommate might be. Guangzhou, is no stranger to trouble. But last said an employee of advocacy group Beijing On “This is our answer to affordable housing,” Josh month was the first time he had been held Action International Cultural Centre who asked Greenberg said outside the hearing. Airbnb and overnight in a police station without charge, and not to be named. As a result of such pressure, the similar sites have become a focal point for dis- twice he has spent the night under police guard organization has stopped most of its work on cussion nationwide about whether and how to at hotels since September. labor rights. Zhang’s group, Chunfeng Labor regulate the growing “sharing economy.” Their Zhang, based in Shenzhen, says he has lost Dispute Service Center, has also had to stop tak- impact on housing affordability also has come count of how many times police questioned him ing foreign money, and since October Zeng has into question elsewhere, but it’s perhaps most last year. And he has been forced to move 13 not taken funding from China Labor Bulletin pointed in New York, where Mayor Bill de Blasio times over the same period because, he says, under pressure from the police. —Reuters NEW YORK: Supporters of Airbnb hold a rally outside City Hall. — AP THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015 BUSINESS Qatar Foundation-United Kingdom host joint forum

LONDON: High-level discussions have taken the field of education by representatives of place between senior leaders at Qatar Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), the Foundation for Education, Science and World Innovation Summit for Education ini- Community Development (QF) and partners tiative (WISE), Academic Bridge Program, and from Britain’s leading research and develop- Qatar National Library. ment, and higher education institutions. The These were complemented by research- ‘Qatar Foundation-United Kingdom: The Road focused discussions hosted by Qatar Research Ahead’ Forum provided participants with an and Development (QF R&D), Qatar Biomedical opportunity to share the latest developments Research Institute, Qatar Computing Research in ongoing partnerships, as well as explore Institute, Qatar Environment and Energy potential collaborations and initiatives of Research Institute, Qatar National Research mutual interest in their respective fields of Fund (QNRF) and Qatar Science and expertise. The event supported Qatar Technology Park. Foundation’s vision to lead the human, social The event was held at King’s College and economic development of Qatar through London with over200 participants. Breakout education and research. With its mission to sessions were organized in order to allow the promote a culture of excellence, QF’s collabo- academics and research leaders to meet with ration with eminent practitioners from the UK others in their own field to discuss collabora- KUWAIT: Salma Al-Hajjaj, General Manager, Human Resources at Gulf Bank with the Road Rush team. was focused on driving innovation and pro- tion. Dr Abdul Sattar Al-Taie, Executive ductive change that supports national priori- Director of QNRF, led a discussion with repre- ties, as set out in the Qatar National Vision sentatives of UK research councils about pro- 2030, and to develop cutting-edge infrastruc- posals that would promote long-term eco- Gulf Bank sponsors 5th ture and initiatives for the benefit of Qatar nomic diversification as well as short-term and beyond. benefits to Qatar’s people. The day witnessed the announcement of Other workshops included QF members the next stage of the British Library-Qatar discussing open access to information, edu- edition of ‘Road Rush’ Foundation Partnership which will lead to the cational innovation, an overview of innova- digitization of 1.1 million more pages of tive technologies in the fields of energy, envi- material related to Qatar and the Gulf’s histo- ronment and water, as well as discussions ry that will be shared with researchers, stu- about the computing, biomedical and health Road Rush a unique motorsport activity held exclusively for women dents and the general public for free through research landscapes in Qatar. The ‘Qatar KUWAIT: Gulf Bank announced its sponsorship of ing the development of Kuwaiti youth interests ents in an exciting series of events taking place in Qatar National Library’s online Qatar Digital Foundation-United Kingdom: The Road the 5th edition of Road Rush. This unique motor- and activities. Road Rush features a number of car Kuwait and Kingdom of Bahrain. This year, a new Library. Elsewhere, over 1,700 British school Ahead’ Forum follows long-term partnership sport activity, which is exclusively for women, will racing activities in which women with different skill element has been added called “Road Rush children are benefiting from educational and agreements signed with British institutions be held at Bahrain International Circuit in Manama, levels can participate and enjoy; including an School”. This seeks to educate young people on cultural initiatives as well as 40 Arabic lan- which have delivered a range of benefits to Kingdom of Bahrain on January 30, 2015. Road opportunity to learn different driving skills and to safe driving practices and provide them with the guage teachers gaining qualifications Qatar and promoted greater understanding Rush is the first and only ladies team in the MENA take part in a karting race and official sports car necessary training to allow them to compete in through the Arabic Language and Culture about the Arab world in the United Kingdom. region that conducts this motorsport activity on an racing at the Formula 1 track at Bahrain similar events in the future. Gulf Bank is a socially Pilot Project in partnership with the British The discussions held at the Forum will form official formula 1 circuit. International Circuit. The aim of Road Rush is to responsible Kuwaiti leading financial institution Council and the Greater London Authority. the basis for a new set of discussions and col- Gulf Bank’s sponsorship to this event is aligned encourage and inspire women while providing which is fully committed to supporting youth In addition to participation in the Formby laborations between Qatar Foundation and with the bank’s long-term commitment to support- them with the opportunity to showcase their tal- events. the Embassy of the State of Qatar in the UK partners that participants expect will mir- United Kingdom, contributions from the ror the fruitful outcomes of previous agree- Qatari delegation included presentations in ments. Zain offers new prepaid plan with unlimited On-Net calls

KUWAIT: Zain, the leading telecommunications compa- ny in Kuwait, today announced the launch of its exciting new and enhanced prepaid plan that will enable cus- tomers to enjoy unrivaled features catering to their per- sonal and professional daily needs for just KD 12. Prepaid customers subscribing to the new plan will now be able to enjoy more talk time with the addition of unlimited On-Network Zain-to-Zain calls. Customers will also be entitled to 500 local minutes of non-Zain local number calls. Additionally, the new plan includes unlimited inter- national and local SMS and MMS, as well as providing 6GB of high-speed 4G LTE Internet access on Zain’s state-of-the-art nationwide 4G network. The new plan is part of Zain’s tireless efforts to provide customers with the best services tailored to their specific needs. Zain continues to seek to surpass customers’ expectations, and the company’s customer-centric strategy focuses on introducing the latest industry offerings while pro- viding flexibility, simplicity, and the best value. This announcement offers the most competitive prepaid packages in the market.

LONDON: High-level discussions take place between senior leaders at Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) and partners Liter of Light wins Zayed from Britain’s leading research and development, and higher education institutions. PepsiCo presents achievements at Future Energy Prize International Water Summit 2015 ABU DHABI: Liter of Light, a project in partnership with PepsiCo that brings cost effective solar lighting ABU DHABI: PepsiCo, one of the world’s lead- lic private partnerships to achieve positive solutions to communities in need while recycling ing food and beverage companies, presented results. For us, the necessity of water steward- plastic bottles, has been honored as the winning several breakthrough accomplishments in the ship is immediate; there is no business with- entry in the Zayed Future Energy Prize Non-Profit areas of water conservation and replenish- out water. We owe it to ourselves and to Organization category. ment at the International Water Summit 2015 future generations to be responsible stew- The award was presented to Illac Diaz, Liter of (IWS). The company declared that it exceeded ards of this limited resource.” Light Founder and Executive Director of My Shelter its 2015 global goal of improving water-use IWS 2015 brings together world leaders, Foundation, during the opening ceremony of the efficiency by 20 percent per unit of produc- field experts, academia luminaries and busi- Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week and the World Future tion. PepsiCo is the official beverage partner ness innovators to accelerate the develop- Energy Summit, held under the patronage of His of IWS, a unique global platform for promot- ment of new sustainable strategies and tech- Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, ing water sustainability in arid regions. nologies. Held under the patronage of Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme During a panel discussion titled “Water General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al- Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. Stewardship to Improve Local Water Sources Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al- and Enable Commercial Sustainability Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the through a Value Driven Strategic Approach”, Armed Forces, IWS fosters innovation, best UAE and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Liese Dallbauman, Director of Water practice and collaboration, to offer tangible Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan and Egyptian Stewardship for PepsiCo’s global food and solutions to the pressing issue of water scarci- President, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi handed the prize to beverage businesses, unveiled a series a ty. PepsiCo’s support for IWS is consistent Illac Diaz. Illac Diaz launched the Liter of Light as a measures the company has taken to reduce with the company’s philosophy of social enterprise in the Philippines in 2011, under water use by more than 20 percent per unit of Performance with Purpose - delivering top- the My Shelter Foundation. “The purest form of char- production from a 2006 baseline, from tier financial performance while creating sus- ity is to make yourself obsolete and through this ABU DHABI: His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Vice-President and improving leak detection to harvesting rain- tainable growth in shareholder value. A key people’s technology, supported by PepsiCo, it shows Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai looks on as Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el- water. Later, Vivek Bharati, Vice-President, part of this philosophy involves holistic water that empowering the bottom of the pyramid, by Sisi hands the prize to Illac Diaz. Agriculture and Corporate Affairs, PepsiCo stewardship. PepsiCo respects water as a fun- putting the power of solar in human hands and mul- India, presented a case study on PepsiCo’s damental human right, and conserves water tiplying it by hundreds of thousands could be the future,” said Sanjeev Chadha, CEO of PepsiCo Asia, International Water Summit, held from January 19- approach to water sustainability in India. The and assures its quality in internal operations greatest energy solution of all,” said Illac Diaz. Middle East & Africa. 22 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, can two presenters led a delegation of PepsiCo and throughout the supply chain. The food “We are very proud to be associated with the Liter of Light is a global open source movement, experience Liter of Light at PepsiCo’s stand (#4300). senior executives attending the event. and beverage company respects shared users Liter of Light project and we believe that the work which aims to provide ecologically-sustainable light- PepsiCo is the official beverage partner of the “Our partnering with the International of water within watersheds where it operates that Illac Diaz is doing provides a sustainable solu- ing solutions, free of cost, to simple dwellings International Water Summit (IWS), a unique global Water Summit reflects the importance that and works with partners to help provide tion that can light up the world in a cost effective around the world. It uses a simple device to do so - a platform for promoting water sustainability in arid water sustainability plays in our business as access to safe water to people in developing and energy efficient way. The Liter of Light is transparent 1.5-2l plastic bottle, such as those used regions. The Zayed Future Energy Prize Non-Profit well as in the communities where our countries. already lighting up villages in the Philippines, by Pepsi. The bottle is filled with water, and bleach Organization category honors non-profit organiza- employees and customers live and work,” said Hosted by Masdar and organized by Reed Pakistan, Mexico and Columbia, and we are excited to inhibit algal growth, and is then fitted through tions that have made a clear technical, organization- Sanjeev Chadha, CEO of PepsiCo Asia, Middle Exhibitions, IWS 2015 is endorsed by the UAE to now roll it out in the Middle East & Africa as well, the roof of a home to provide as much light, during al or social impact in the world of renewable energy East & Africa, which has its headquarters in Ministry of Environment and Water, Abu in Egypt and Ethiopia. We look forward to working the day, as a 40- to 60-watt light bulb, with zero car- or sustainability, particularly those involved with the UAE. “Through our participation at the Dhabi Water & Electricity Authority, the closely with Illac to expand to more countries in the bon emissions. Visitors to the Abu Dhabi issues of energy access and human impact. summit, we also want to highlight the initia- Environment Agency of Abu Dhabi, the tives we’ve undertaken to tackle water scarci- Regulation and Supervision Bureau, and Abu ty issues globally and the importance of pub- Dhabi Sewerage Services Company. Jazeera Airways reports Nov 2014 Operational Performance KUWAIT: Jazeera Airways released its November passengers from November 2013 on routes serving 2014 Operational Performance Report yesterday, Istanbul, Beirut and Amman. The increase in flown which shows a 7 percent increase in total flown pas- passengers comes during a low-season month when sengers from November 2013, and an on-time per- families return from summer holidays into the school formance of 95 percent. Jazeera Airways issues its season. Flown passengers also increased on routes Operational Performance Report on both a monthly serving Egypt, increasing by 10 percent from and annual basis. The Report is based on official fig- November 2013 to the five cities served during the ures and statistics from Kuwait’s Directorate General month, compared to six cities served in November for Civil Aviation (DGCA). The airline’s on-time per- 2013. The decrease in number of cities served comes formance is based on its reporting, in comparison to after the Assiut International Airport was momentari- results by the independent US-based OTP tracker, ly closed for renovations. On routes serving the Gulf FlightStats. cities of Dubai, Bahrain, Jeddah and Riyadh, Jazeera ABU DHABI: PepsiCo presents accomplishments at the International Water Summit 2015 (IWS). Jazeera Airways saw a 7 percent increase in flown Airways saw a 9 percent increase in flown passengers technology THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015 US settles case over fake Facebook page

WASHINGTON: The Justice Department has reached a The settlement resolves allegations that the Drug use of that information to aid in ... ongoing criminal agents of intentionally shutting off Internet service to $134,000 settlement with a New York woman after fed- Enforcement Administration took photos and other investigations.” But the tactic drew concerns from the rooms so they could pose as repairmen and enter eral drug agents used information from her cellphone information from Arquiett’s cellphone to create a fake Justice Department officials, who announced a review. the suits to gather evidence. Under US law, a person to set up a fake Facebook page in her identity, a tactic Facebook page in hopes of tricking her friends and whose property is inspected generally must waive his that raised privacy concerns and led to a federal govern- associates into revealing incriminating drug secrets. The Questionable tactics constitutional protections against unreasonable search- ment review of the ruse, according to court papers filed Facebook page, which included photos of her posing on The five-page settlement agreement does not es unless authorities obtain a warrant. Evidence collect- Tuesday. The government did not admit wrongdoing as the hood of a sleek BMW and a close-up with her young specifically prohibit the DEA from using similar under- ed improperly is not supposed to be used at trial. part of its settlement with Sondra Arquiett, which son and niece, was created by a DEA agent after cover tactics in the future, but a Justice Department A federal judge hearing the case in Las Vegas has not comes months after a judge referred both sides into Arquiett was arrested in a cocaine investigation. Court spokeswoman said in a statement department leader- yet ruled on the legality of the government’s actions. In mediation. But after initially defending the practice, the papers show she pleaded guilty in 2011 to a conspiracy ship had already met with law enforcement agencies to another case, the FBI sent a fake news story it attributed Justice Department said last October that it would charge and was sentenced in 2012 to time served and “make clear the necessity of protecting the privacy and to The Associated Press to trick a suspect in a bomb- review whether the undercover tactic went too far and, given a period of home confinement. safety of third parties in every aspect of our criminal threat case into clicking on the website link and reveal- on Tuesday, called the settlement a “fair resolution” of She sued the federal government in 2013, saying she investigations.” The DEA’s settlement with Arquiett clos- ing his location. The AP objected that the FBI’s practice the case. suffered “fear and great emotional distress” and was es out the first of a series of recently disclosed high-pro- was “unacceptable” and “undermined AP’s credibility.” “This settlement demonstrates that the government endangered because the fake page gave the impression file and widely criticized undercover investigations by Since details of the 2007 case emerged late last year, is mindful of its obligation to ensure the rights of third that she was cooperating with a federal investigation. federal agents that involved questionable tactics. FBI Director James Comey has said he was “not willing parties are not infringed upon in the course of its efforts She said the DEA agent who set up the page used it to In the wake of disclosures about the fake Facebook to say never” when asked if the FBI would swear off to bring those who commit federal crimes to justice,” “initiate contact with dangerous individuals he was page, criminal defendants in an Internet gambling case future use of the tactic in response to an Associated Richard Hartunian, the US Attorney for the Northern investigating,” all the while pretending to be her. in Las Vegas accused FBI agents of posing as computer Press demand for such a promise. The settlement agree- District of New York, said in a statement. “It also takes The Justice Department initially defended the cre- technicians to surreptitiously gain access to multiple ment with all parties was dated last week, but not pub- into account emerging personal privacy concerns in the ation of the page in court filings, saying that Arquiett luxury high-roller suits where the gamblers were licly filed until late Tuesday afternoon, hours before age of social media, and represents a fair resolution of “implicitly consented by granting access to the informa- accused of running an illegal online sports betting ring. President Barack Obama was to deliver his State of the plaintiff’s claims.” tion stored in her cellphone and by consenting to the The group of Asian gamblers accused government Union address. — AP

China plans to block domestic tech giants path to success

BEIJING/LOS ANGELES: As Netflix Inc tack- around this, Netflix may have to partner with les stalling US growth, the online video pio- online payment services - the biggest of neer known for hit political drama “House of which are run by Alibaba’s PayPal-like affiliate Cards” plans a play for China that may see it Alipay and Tencent’s payment platforms. lock horns with potent domestic firms that Netflix’s potential Chinese rivals, which rule the world’s biggest Internet market. broadcast popular domestic entertainment Netflix said on Tuesday it would expand as well as foreign content, have another to as many as 200 countries within two years, advantage: they are free, supported by up from about 50 now, to extend its growth advertising in a market where people don’t prospects. “For every country we know what expect to pay for online media. Subscription we want to do, but in China we are still models are almost entirely non-existent in exploring our options,” Chief Executive Reed China. If Netflix doesn’t go with an estab- Hastings said in an interview. lished Chinese partner, it needs a licence to Hastings told investors Netflix would start operate. “It’s not 100 percent clear we’ll be with a “modest” move in China centred able to do that,” Hastings told analysts. around its original series and licensed con- Even with a licence, home-grown compe- tent. “We’ll learn a great deal if we can suc- tition will be tough. China’s regulators are cessfully operate a small service in imposing new licensing and quota restric- China...That is our preference, for the next tions - helping the domestic TV and film few years, if we are able to acquire the neces- industry develop with less competition from sary permissions,” he said. mature foreign media, analysts say. The state But China, with two Internet users for has reserved the right to remove anything it every US citizen, is not easy for foreign firms. considers “harmful” content from the Google Inc, YouTube, Facebook Inc and Internet, ranging from what it deems to be Twitter Inc, have all been blocked in the pornography to “distortions of history”. Netflix’s content itself may be an issue for country. And China now boasts domestic DAVOS: Participants of the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting are seen at the Congress center yesterday in Davos. Global business leaders an audience as particular as China. “House of online giants from Tencent Holdings Ltd and are very downbeat on the potential for economic growth in 2015, a closely watched survey said, bringing a gloomy start to the World Economic Forum Cards”, with Academy Award winner Kevin Alibaba Group Holding Ltd to rising smart- in Davos. — AFP phone maker Xiaomi Inc. Together they are Spacey as star and co-executive producer, spending hundreds of millions of dollars to was well received in China but its latest sea- bring foreign TV and films to China. son got 8.2 million average streamed views “The real question is do they (Netflix) per episode, a small audience for a nation of Tech barons paint rosy future think they’ve got something, have they ham- 1.3 billion. mered out all these relationships with for- Meanwhile, the BBC’s “Sherlock” detective eign content providers that Chinese compa- series had 29 million views per streamed at Davos despite security fears nies can’t offer?” said Mark Natkin, managing episode on average on Alibaba’s Youku director of Beijing-based Marbridge Tudou Inc, while South Korean romantic Consulting. “My sense is not.” comedy “My Love from the Star” had a whop- DAVOS: Technological advances are to explode 10 Many stressed the importance of education in By 2020, the vast majority of people on the To succeed in China, Netflix may also ping 181 million average views on Internet times faster than even the Internet boom in the pushing out tech-savvy graduates able to thrive in planet will be hooked up to such a device, he pre- need flexibility in its business model, both in firm Baidu Inc’s iQiyi and streaming site LeTV 1990s, top tech tycoons told the global Davos elite the new digital economy. Nevertheless, most felt dicted. “How can that not be a wonderful opportu- finding ways to accept payments and in cop- combined. Two popular Chinese shows aver- yesterday, but also warned that security threats the overall impact of technological advance would nity for people to connect?” ing with a domestic streaming market built aged 76 million and 61 million per episode. would be worse this year than ever. inevitably be positive for society. The World Economic Forum in the snowy picture- on advertising rather than subscriptions. And For Marbridge Consulting’s Natkin, As the world’s political and business movers- Pointing to a smartphone, one top Indian CEO perfect resort of Davos brings together 2,500 of the it may need to tailor its programming - Netflix’s ambition provides an echo of that and-shakers opened their annual meeting in the said: “There’s more than 11 times the computing top global business, political and financial elite for an “House of Cards” has aired in China in voiced by the string of international firms Swiss ski resort of Davos, one of the hot-button power in here than took Apollo to the Moon.” annual meeting that ends on Saturday. — AFP dubbed form, to critical acclaim, but gar- dazzled by the market’s promise, obscuring issues was the impact of technology on society and nered comparatively small audiences. China’s complexities. the growing income gap. “Another company...sees this magical 1.3 John Chambers, chief executive of tech giant Payment questionmarks billion number, multiplies it by some frac- Cisco, wowed the assembled elites with a bold pre- CEO Hastings acknowledged in an inter- tional percentage of market share, and that diction: “Take what happened with the Internet in view the “relatively low” prevalence of credit equals a pot of gold at the end of the rain- the 1990s, multiply it by 10 and that’s what you’re cards for online payments in China. To get bow,” said Natkin. — Reuters about to see and the benefits are going to be seen by every single person.” “Every company, every country, every person is going to become digital,” said Chambers, head of one of the world’s biggest tech companies. “This will change society for the better.” Meanwhile, PayPal founder Max Levchin told Davos that revolu- tions in data management and wearable tech were going to transform societies both in the developed world and in emerging nations. “The barefoot doctor in China will wear some- thing like Google glass and-without a medical degree-this doctor will have access to a huge amount of data telling him ‘that’s not a bruise, that’s something worse, get antibiotics’,” he predict- ed. “It really is the most exciting time to be alive.”

‘Security, security’ But on the flip side, the tech barons also warned that cyber attacks will come to dominate the indus- try, in the wake of high-profile hacks on firms from WASHINGTON: Small multi rotor remote controlled aircraft are seen during a press con- Sony to ebay, as well as cyber attacks on govern- ference by the Small UAV Coalition in Washington, DC. The group who advocates for mall ment institutions like US Central Command. remote controlled, frequently multi rotor, aircraft held the conference to democrat their “The four biggest challenges the tech industry technologies and speak about legal issues effecting the industry. — AFP faces in the coming years are security, security, security and security,” said Pierre Nanterme, chief executive of consultancy firm Accenture. TRACY: Amazon.com workers pack orders at an Amazon fulfillment center yesterday in Tracy, In Gaza, IT company has Chambers predicted the problems with security California. Amazon officially opened its new 1.2 million square foot fulfillment center in Tracy, would increase “exponentially.” California that employs more than 1,500 full time workers as well as 3,000 Kiva robots that can fetch Google-sized aspirations “If you think last year was bad, wait until this merchandise for workers and are capable of lifting up to 750 pounds. Amazon is currently using year. Every company will be broken into, every 15,000 of the robots spread over 10 fulfillment centers across the country. — AFP GAZA: His company may not rival Google or ing in a smart district of Gaza overlooking the country will be broken into.” “Bad guys have to get German software maker SAP yet, but Gaza- Mediterranean. it right once, we have to get it right every time. based IT entrepreneur Saady Lozon has plans At the offices, dozens of women, most It’s just bad news,” explained Levchin. to change that. In nine years, Lozon and his wearing headscarves, are busy at work, one On an international government level, some of Microsoft to show off partner Ahmed Abu Shaban have transformed group entering data on global trademarks for a the biggest world powers are banding together to their firm, Unit One, from a tiny outfit in a single company in the Netherlands. tackle the threat of cyberattacks, with the leaders more Windows 10 room in the blockaded Gaza Strip into a suc- Gaza’s Google of Britain and the United States last week pledging cessful business with clients in Europe, the Initially Unit One was focused on software a joint cell to fight cyber crime. REDMOND: Microsoft will use an event today to Windows 10 last fall. More features will be United States and the Arab world. development and building apps for iPhone And at a company level, the corporate leaders offer a wider glimpse of the next version of announced as Microsoft gets closer to releasing They can’t leave Gaza easily, but they can and Android, but now there is a larger unit at Davos said security issues were now their pri- Windows. The company is planning to show off it later this year. develop applications for Web and mobile handling data-processing. Along the way mary concern when planning new business. new features of its flagship operating system - The stakes are high for Microsoft. Its last devices online and provide international clients there have been serious hurdles, including the “You have to start with security in mind, built it and possibly an improved Internet browser and Windows release alienated users with a new with data-management services, competing war between Hamas and Israel last July and in from the ground up,” said Levchin. more uses for Microsoft’s voice-controlled digital interface that many found difficult to navigate. with firms in India and elsewhere. August which caused staffing and power dis- assistant, Cortana. Executives will also demon- Microsoft is hoping to win them back with an “We have managed to knock a hole in the ruptions, and the fact banks in Gaza cannot ‘Pie continues to grow’ strate how the new Windows is designed to pro- interface that is more familiar. Microsoft has said wall of the blockade,” Lozon, 33, said of the easily receive transfers from abroad. “It was And with one of the topics at this year’s Davos vide a more consistent experience and a com- Windows 10 will resemble earlier versions of company, which will soon expand to more than difficult at the beginning,” said Lozon. “In 2006, being the growing inequality between the haves mon platform for software apps on different Windows for personal computers, while addi- 60 employees from 13, the majority women. when the blockade started, we had to open and have-nots, several participants voiced concern devices, from personal computers to tablets, tional features will emerge automatically on “We deliver in time, just as the client wishes.” an account in the West Bank,” he said, referring that the speed of technological progess risked smartphones and even the company’s Xbox touch-controlled tablets or other gadgets “It Lozon and Abu Shaban came up with the to the other Palestinian territory, which is not leaving people behind. “Today the pie continues to gaming console. can’t be overstated how important this is for idea after graduating with degrees in computer subject to the same restrictions. Israel grow bigger, record wealth, more billionaires than The company has invited journalists and Microsoft,” Gartner tech analyst Brian Blau said. science. Lozon worked briefly as an IT contrac- imposed a blockade on Gaza after the Islamist every before, but the average person in the devel- industry analysts to this event at its headquar- “They’ve positioned Windows 10 as the solution tor for the United Nations and quickly realised group Hamas won power in 2006. Both Egypt oping country isn’t participating in that pie,” said ters in Redmond, Washington. CEO Satya Nadella to all the problems they created with Windows he would rather run a company of his own. and Israel continue to impose tight controls American academic Erik Brynjolfsson. plans to talk about the new system and the com- 8.” They won their first client after making a on the movement of goods and people in and Concern is also mounting that jobs also in pany’s battle to stay relevant in a world where PC There won’t be a Windows 9. Microsoft has pitch via Skype and offering a free trial. They out of the enclave, where 1.8 million people advanced economies will be shed as technology users are increasingly shifting to mobile gadgets skipped ahead in naming, from Windows 8 to borrowed money from friends to buy comput- live. Lozon said the Gaza war had been partic- races ahead, with Chambers predicting that 40 per- and Internet apps. Windows 10, as though to put more distance ers and slowly expanded. The firm now occu- ularly problematic in an industry where suc- cent of tech companies will not survive if they fail Microsoft gave only a limited preview of between them. — AP pies two apartments on the 5th floor of a build- cess depends on quick delivery. —Reuters to innovate. HEALTH & SCIENCE THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015 US insurance study charts huge price gaps for hip, knee surgery WASHINGTON: Hip and knee replacements, workers through high-deductible insurance two of the fastest-growing US medical proce- plans. dures, are subject to huge - and apparently Researchers described the variations as random - price variations within the same “seemingly random” and said the data geographical areas, a new insurance industry demonstrated the need for transparent pric- study said yesterday. The study by Blue Cross ing in medicine. “Extreme price variation in Blue Shield health insurers adds to the evi- healthcare can have obvious financial conse- dence of massive disparities between what quences for individuals and employers,” the different hospitals and medical practices study’s authors said. “And from a macroeco- charge in the world’s most expensive health- nomic perspective, it can have serious impli- care system. cations for the sustainability of (the) US It examined claims in 64 healthcare mar- healthcare system.” kets over three years and found the biggest Researchers also noted that a lack of price price swings for hip surgery in Massachusetts, variation can penalize consumers in markets where the same type of care varied by more where prices are consistently high, such as than 313 percent, from a low of $17,910 to a Fort Collins, Colorado, where knee replace- high of $73,987. The biggest gaps in total ments exceeded the national average by knee replacement surgery appeared in Dallas, nearly $25,000 but varied locally by less than Texas, where prices varied 267 percent from 1 percent. $16,772 to $61,584, according to researchers. Data contained in the study reflects mon- Nationwide, typical knee and hip replace- ey that insurers and patients paid to hospi- ments cost an average of just over $30,000, tals, doctors, labs, physical therapists and oth- the study found. Both procedures ranged as ers involved in procedures that are expected low as $11,300 in Alabama. But while the to increase as the U.S. population continues price of knee replacements soared to more to age. The study cited independent research than $69,000 in New York City, hip surgery estimating that knee replacements tripled climbed even further, to nearly $74,000, in and hip replacements doubled between 1993 Boston. The study, which looked at claims for and 2009. General spending on healthcare is more than 53,000 procedures from 2010 to expected to grow 5.7 percent annually over 2013, underscores the inconsistencies in the next decade as health coverage expands medical pricing at a time when employers under the Affordable Care Act, according to are increasingly shifting healthcare costs to government forecasters. — Reuters PORTLAND: This Nov 12, 2014 file photo shows the HealthCare.gov website, where people can buy health insurance, on a laptop screen, shown in, Ore. — AP US govt health care website quietly sharing personal data ‘You don’t need all of that data to do customer service’

WASHINGTON: The government’s health insurance mation officer, Theresa Payton, said third-party ven- Swift action website is quietly sending consumers’ personal data dors are a weak link on any website. She questioned Google said it doesn’t allow its systems to target ads to private companies that specialize in advertising both the number of vendors on HealthCare.gov and based on health or medical history information. “When and analyzing Internet data for performance and the specific details some of them are collecting. we learn of possible violations of this policy, we investi- marketing, The Associated Press has learned. The gate and take swift action,” the company said in a state- scope of what is disclosed or how it might be used Final enrollment ment. Still, the outside connections surprised a tech was not immediately clear, but it can include age, “You don’t need all of that data to do customer expert who evaluated HealthCare.gov’s performance income, ZIP code, whether a person smokes, and if a service,” said Payton, who served under President for the AP. “Personally, I look at this ... and I don’t know person is pregnant. It can include a computer’s George W. Bush. “We know hackers are just waiting what is going on between the government and Internet address, which can identify a person’s name at the door, salivating to get at this data.” The privacy Facebook, and Google, and Twitter,” said Mehdi Daoudi, or address when combined with other information concerns come against the backdrop of President CEO of Catchpoint Systems. “Why is that there?” HIV patients, relatives and volunteers protest to demand that the Peruvian govern- collected by sophisticated online marketing or Barack Obama’s new initiative to protect personal Tracking consumers’ Internet searches is a lucrative ment declare of public interest the anti retro viral drug Atazanavir, in front of the advertising firms. data online. Separately, the administration is getting business, helping Google, Facebook and others tailor Health Ministry building in Lima, Peru, Tuesday, Jan, 20, 2015. The demonstrators The Obama administration says HealthCare.gov’s the health care website ready for the final enroll- ads to customers’ interests. Because your computer are pressuring the government to eliminate the pharmaceutical companies’ monop- connections to data firms were intended to help ment drive of 2015, aiming to have more than 9 mil- and mobile devices can be assigned an individual sig- oly on the drug so that they can acquire it at a more accessible price. The signs help improve the consumer experience. Officials said out- lion people signed up by Feb. 15 for subsidized pri- nature, profiles of Internet users can be pieced togeth- by the protestors read in Spanish “No to overpaying for Atazanavir, “ “Our taxes side firms are barred from using the data to further vate coverage. er, generating lists that have commercial value. should be well spent” and “Health is not for commerce.”— AP their own business interests. There is no evidence Administration spokesman Aaron Albright said Third-party sites embedded on HealthCare.gov that personal information has been misused. But outside vendors “are prohibited from using informa- can’t see your name, birth date or Social Security num- connections to dozens of third-party tech firms were tion from these tools on HealthCare.gov for their ber. But they may be able to correlate the fact that UN Ebola chief calls for documented by technology experts who analyzed companies’ purposes.” The government uses them to your computer accessed the government website HealthCare.gov and then confirmed by AP. A hand- measure the performance of HealthCare.gov so con- with your other Internet activities. Have you been ful of the companies were also collecting highly spe- sumers get “a simpler, more streamlined and intu- researching a chronic illness like coronary artery block- final $1 billion to fight virus cific information. That combination is raising con- itive experience,” he said. The administration did not age? Do you shop online for smoking-cessation aids? cerns. explain how it ensures that companies were follow- Are you investigating genetic markers for a certain DAVOS, Switzerland: United Nations agen- the international response has included bal- Leading lawmakers on Tuesday asked the admin- ing the government’s privacy and security policies. type of breast cancer? Are you seeking help for finan- cies need a final $1 billion to fight West ance of payments and military support as istration to explain how it oversees the data firms to Albright said HealthCare.gov comports with cial problems, or for an addiction? Africa’s deadly Ebola epidemic as experts well as medical help. So far, UN bodies have make sure no personally identifiable information is standards set by the federal National Institute for Daoudi’s company, Catchpoint Systems, came move to a new phase involving a massive received around $1 billion, two-thirds of a tar- improperly used or shared. “This new information is Standards and Technology. But recent NIST guid- across some 50 third-party connections embedded on detective operation to trace remaining cases, get set last year. Nabarro, who heads the UN extremely concerning, not only because it violates ance cautions that collecting bits of seemingly ran- HealthCare.gov. They work in the background, unseen the UN Ebola chief said yesterday. David response, said at the World Economic Forum the privacy of millions of Americans, but because it dom data can be used to piece together someone’s to most consumers. The AP replicated the results. In Nabarro estimated that an overall total of $4 in Davos that the World Health Organization, may potentially compromise their security,” Sens. identity. In a recent visit to the site, AP found that one 10-minute visit to HealthCare.gov recently, billion in new money, equivalent to all the aid UNICEF and the World Food Program now Orrin Hatch, R -Utah, and Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, certain personal details - including age, income and dozens of websites were accessed behind the scenes. committed so far, was needed by relief agen- needed the same amount again. wrote to the administration. smoking habits - were being passed along, likely They included Google’s data-analytics service, Twitter, cies and the worst affected countries them- Although the rate of infection is slowing, Created under the president’s health care law, without consumers’ knowledge, to advertising and Facebook and a host of online advertising providers. “I selves to end the epidemic and “help these experts in Davos said tracking down remain- HealthCare.gov is the online gateway to govern- Web analytics sites. Third-party outfits that track think that this could erode ... confidentiality when countries to get back to the economic trajec- ing cases so that the disease cannot flare up ment-subsidized private insurance for people who website performance are a standard part of e-com- dealing with medical data and medical information,” tory they had”. again will be a major task. Jeremy Farrar, lack coverage on the job. It serves consumers in 37 merce. HealthCare.gov’s privacy policy says in bold- said Cooper Quintin, a staff technologist with the The unprecedented outbreak has so far director of Britain’s Wellcome Trust interna- states, while the remaining states operate their own face that “no personally identifiable information is Electronic Frontier Foundation, a civil liberties killed more than 8,400 people, overwhelm- tional medical charity, said the epidemic insurance markets. A former White House chief infor- collected” by these Web measurement tools. group.—AP ingly in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, and would have “a long and bumpy tail”.—Reuters On Ebola front line, first glimpse of end to epidemic

FREETOWN: Here at the front line of the Ebola told the World Economic Forum in Davos yester- epidemic, the tide seems to be turning against day that UN agencies needed a final $1 billion to the disease. A military-style operation to fight fight the epidemic in West Africa. the outbreak in Sierra Leone - the worst-affected country - has helped to dramatically reduce new ‘EBOLA EVANGELIST’ cases, in what health officials say is a major step The National Ebola Response Centre (NERC), towards defeating Ebola. Since it was launched a new military-style body chaired by Koroma, about one month ago, the drive has doubled launched “Operation Western Area Surge” last the number of ambulances for patients in the month in Sierra Leone - a country of six million densely populated west of a country where people where the main industries are fishing more than 3,000 people have died. Police halt and farming but which has huge, largely vehicles at checkpoints in the tumble-down untapped, mineral reserves. A jingle is played streets to check temperatures, while posters pro- repeatedly over loud speakers at the command claim in the local Krio language: “Togeda we go centre: “Ebola go, we don’t tire!” stop ebola.” Freetown’s main Kingtom cemetery has been Aid workers also report success in changing expanded and highly contagious bodies are behavior in rural areas, notably discouraging buried in deep graves within 24 hours according people from burial rituals involving direct con- to strict protocols to prevent transmission. tact with the dead - a major source of transmis- Burials are important in West African culture, sion. As a result, transmission of the haemor- with mourners often touching the corpse in inti- rhagic fever has slowed sharply in the West mate, spiritual farewells to their loved ones. African country, which has recorded more than Ebola spreads via contact with bodily fluids of 10,000 cases since May. There were just 184 new infected people or with corpses of someone INDIA: In this Saturday, April 26, 2014, file photo, a Royal Bengal tiger prowls in Sunderbans, at the Sunderban delta, about 130 kilometers (81 cases in the week to Jan 11 - the lowest in five killed by it. The Ebola centre has noted pockets months. More than half of beds in treatment of resistance in the capital, which officials attrib- miles) south of Calcutta. — AP centers across Sierra Leone are now empty - a ute to mistrust of authorities due to the weak stark contrast from a peak in November when response before the surge. In one home in the centers in Freetown overflowed, patients waited Devil Hole neighborhood outside Freetown India counts more wild days for ambulances and bodies were unburied, where a nine-year-old boy was taken away by or interred secretly in backyards. This has medics, relatives said he caught Ebola from prompted President Ernest Bai Koroma to say he malaria drugs handed out by the government. tigers, credits conservation believes his government - helped by the nearly “The challenge is this last small group of people 800 British soldiers and more than $450 million who aren’t changing their behavior,” said Joanna in foreign aid - can stamp out Sierra Leone’s last Reid, head of Britain’s Department for NEW DELHI: India’s latest tiger census shows a and human settlements as the country pushes banned tiger hunting and embarked on a pro- case by the end of March. Some health special- International Development in Sierra Leone. sharp increase in the number of the endangered ahead with rapid industrialization and economic gram to create special reserves and protected ists and aid workers are more cautious. They “That’s the last mile.” Aid workers say overcom- cats in the wild, raising hopes that conservation development. The disappearance of forests has areas in national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. hope the success in Freetown and its environs is ing misperceptions and changing behavior was a big step towards beating the epidemic - which efforts are working, officials said Tuesday. The affected the availability of prey and led tigers to Conservation efforts began to pay off around critical to breaking transmission chains in rural has killed more than 8,400 people - now that hotspots like Kailahun, where case counts have census conducted in 2014 found at least 2,226 stray into human habitats. Javadekar said more 2010 when tiger numbers began to rise. Liberia and Guinea also appear to have stabi- fallen to zero. The same must now happen in tigers in forests across the country, up from than 9,700 cameras were used in the massive India faces intense international scrutiny lized, but are wary of calling the end of an out- Freetown, they say. David Heymann, head of 1,706 counted in 2010. Environment minister count and the results are the most accurate in over its tiger conservation efforts as it has near- break that last April seemed to wane in Guinea, Britain’s Chatham House Centre on Global Prakash Javadekar described the figure as a the past few decades. ly three-fourths of the world’s estimated 3,200 only to return ferociously. Health Security, said both current success and huge success story and said it was the result of “Never before has such an exercise been tak- tigers. Shrinking habitats have brought the “The Sierra Leone problem is turning the cor- future progress is largely due to communica- sustained conservation efforts. en. We have unique photographs of 80 percent wild cats into conflict with farmers who live ner. I think we’ll get close to zero there by March tion.“They’ve finally got strong communication “While the tiger population is falling in the of the tigers” in the wild, he said. Officials said near tiger reserves. Also, the illegal trade in so long as there are no surprises,” said Philippe ... probably through traditional leaders and oth- world, it is rising in India. This is great news,” nearly 380,000 square kilometers (146,000 tiger skin and body parts remains a stubborn Maughan, senior Ebola operations manager at ers who are helping communities understand Javadekar told journalists in New Delhi. square miles) of forest area in 18 states were sur- and serious threat. Tiger organs and bones ECHO, the European Commission’s humanitarian how to prevent transmission. From my past Tigers in India have been threatened by ram- veyed. A century ago an estimated 100,000 fetch high prices on the black market because aid branch. “But ... there will be cases popping up experience with outbreaks, when communities here and there over the next six months to a learn how to communicate the risks and how to tigers roamed India’s forests. Their numbers of demand driven by traditional Chinese medi- pant poaching and shrinking habitats from year and we’ll need to snuff them out.” prevent infection, the outbreak stops - it’s as sim- deforestation caused by power projects, roads declined steadily till the 1970s, when India cine practitioners. — AP United Nations Ebola chief David Nabarro ple as that.” —Reuters HEALTH & SCIENCE THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015 IVF babies healthier than before

PARIS: Better techniques and policies have given first year of life was compared to that of children conceived twins,” Henningsen said. In the period were milder than before. The biggest gain, children born from artificial fertilization a much conceived without ART. “We observed a remark- 1988-1992, the rate of pre-term singletons born though, was in a policy change to encourage a sin- better chance of survival and good health, a able decline in the risk of being born pre-term or from ART was 13 percent, compared to five per- gle embryo implant at a time, not several. Scandinavian study said yesterday. Doctors looked very preterm,” said Anna-Karina Aaris Henningsen cent among babies that had been spontaneously Multiple embryos boost the chance of a live at data from 1988 to 2007 from Denmark, Finland, at the University of Copenhagen. “The proportion conceived. birth, but also raise the odds of having twins or Norway and Sweden for more than 92,000 chil- of single ART babies born with a low or very low But by 2007, this had fallen to eight percent in triplets, which can result in lower birthweight and dren born through assisted reproduction technol- birth weight-less than 2,500 grams (5.5 pounds) or the ART group, while the non-ART group stayed at health complications. From 1989 to 2002, the pro- ogy (ART), the term for in-vitro and other meth- 1,500g respectively-also decreased. five percent. Henningsen said several factors con- portion of ART twins in the four Scandinavian ods. Of them, more than 62,000 were single births, “The rates for stillbirths and death during the tributed to the improvement. Laboratories countries was stable at about 23 percent of births, also called singletons, and more than 29,000 were first year declined among both singletons and became more skilled at culturing fertilized eggs but then began to decline. By 2007, it had halved twins. twins, and fewer ART twins were stillborn or died before returning them to the uterus, and hormon- to 11.6 percent. The study appears in the journal The health of the babies at birth and in their during the first year compared with spontaneously al drugs to stimulate ovaries for egg harvesting Human Reproduction. — AFP

AIDS crisis brewing in Crimea and east Ukraine, says UN

PARIS: A lethal health crisis is brewing in Russian-annexed Crimea and war-torn eastern Ukraine, where injecting drug users have lost access to therapy to wean them off heroin, the UN’s AIDS envoy said yesterday. Out of 805 people in Crimea who before annexation were receiving opioid substitution ther- apy (OST) — a tried and tested UN-backed treatment-”between 80 and 100” have now died, Michel Kazatchkine told journalists. “The causes of death, from what we have been hearing, are mainly from suicide and overdose,” he said, outlining a report that he said will be handed to UN Secretary Ban Ki-moon. A “humanitarian crisis” is also developing for different reasons in eastern Ukraine, where the Ukrainian government has stopped providing OST drugs to rebel-held territory, said Kazatchkine. Lack of the therapy not only endangers addicts, who turn to dangerous street drugs to feed their craving, but also fuels one of the world’s fast-growing HIV epidemics, said Kazatchkine, Ban’s special envoy for AIDS in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. “This is the region where, firstly, the AIDS epidemic continues UKRAINE: Medicine donated by humanitarian organizations lies on the ground of a UKRAINE: A man leaves a pharmacy where medicine is given for free in the eastern to grow and secondly, where the AIDS epidemic is largely pharmacy in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk. — AFP photos Ukrainian city of Donetsk. dependent on people who use drugs,” he said. OST entails pro- viding addicts, under supervision by support staff, with methadone, a safer substitute for heroin, and buprenorphine, a In Ukraine war zone, a rebel drug used to ease dependence. Endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO), OST is considered by experts to be an exceptional help in easing heroin addiction-a spiral that typically leads to shared syringes and prostitution and thus fuels the pharmacy seeks to ease pain spread of HIV. Under Ukrainian rule, Crimea provided drug users with OST. DONETSK, Ukraine: Inside a ramshackle and once-aban- retired, disabled man who was prescribed a drug that costs then redistributed to hospitals,” Zhiltsova said. In Donetsk and But the treatment is banned under Russian law, which prevailed doned pharmacy in Donetsk in Ukraine’s war zone, Doctor the now hefty sum of 400 hyrvnias (22 euros, $25). From the other large cities in Ukraine’s east hit by the conflict that has after Moscow annexed the territory last March. Within around Andrei Volkov is thrilled. Medicine — 150 bags of it-has just hospital, “I was sent to the free pharmacy and I am waiting killed more than 4,800 people, the distribution of humanitari- six weeks, those enrolled in OST were cut off from their therapy, arrived. But Volkov won’t earn any money from it. He plans to here hoping to have my medication,” he said. “We don’t help an aid, particularly food, is reasonably organized. Charities a pace that was several times faster than is recommended, give it away for free. “But we don’t have enough of it,” Volkov, only those who aren’t covered socially. We also help civilians including the Red Cross carry out near-daily distributions. Kazatchkine said. Many turned to street drugs or killed them- 41 and thin with brown hair, said of such donations. “About who have suffered from the war,” meaning the wounded, doc- But when it comes to drugs, Volkov says his pharmacy is selves. “People were left... with impossible choices,” he said. “To 200 to 250 people come here every day, and half of them tor Zhiltsova added. the only one he is aware of distributing free medicine, though them, it was a sort of unbearable transition, from a state of leave without the medicine they need.” an organization financed by oligarch Rinat Akhmetov has held social, psychological and physical stability back to street drugs Shortages are rampant, everything from antibiotics to cold ‘A new republic’ drug give-aways. Such distributions have occurred at the and stress,” he said in a telephone press conference. remedies and-after nine months of bloody turmoil in the The 37-year-old red-haired doctor said most of the dona- recently built Donbass Arena football stadium, but Zhiltsova country’s worst conflict since independence in 1991 — stress tions have come from Russians, but help has also come from said the pharmacy does not participate. “That’s Ukraine. Now Russian problems medications. Since the start of the war in April between French, German and Greece citizens, she said. However, they we are building ourselves a new republic,” she said, though Kazatchkine said he had tried in vain to get Russia’s authori- Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian rebels in the country’s east, denied having benefited from the Russian humanitarian aid the oligarch, a Donetsk native, has received criticism from ties to ease their stance on OST. Dialogue with Russia had so far Volkov has been doing his best to distribute free drugs to that has arrived in convoys of white trucks. both sides, with Ukrainians having accused him of collaborat- been “hugely difficult”, he admitted. At almost every corner, offi- those who need it. “That aid goes directly to the (rebel) health ministry and is ing with the separatists.—AFP cials cited evidence-which came from a conference in 1977 in He first concentrated his efforts on supplying rebel fighters the now-disbanded Soviet Union-that maintained substitution with medicine, and the flag of the separatist and self-pro- therapy was harmful or useless, Kazatchkine said. He con- claimed Donetsk People’s Republic still hangs at the pharma- demned it as “an amazing situation, where politics and law cy’s entrance. More recently he has expanded to civilians, with New outbreak of avian flu enforcement have taken over evidence and science and UN- Kiev having cut funding to rebel-held territory. Ukraine’s aim based recommendations.” in cutting funding has been to pressure the rebels it says are Of the 805 who had been enrolled in Crimea’s OST program, supported by Russian weapons and troops. But the move has found in Washington state more than 200 were infected with HIV which cases AIDS, accord- also prevented residents from collecting pensions and welfare ing to a local NGO, the International HIV/AIDS Alliance in payments. “We’re hardly paid benefits anymore,” said Natalia SEATTLE: A third outbreak of avian flu has been detected in there was no immediate public health concern, federal agri- Ukraine. A different, but also very worrying, situation is develop- Bykova, a mother of three who depends on the free pharma- Washington state, prompting agriculture officials on Tuesday culture officials said. Most strains of bird flu viruses do not ing in rebel-controlled eastern Ukraine, to which Ukraine has cy. “When one child is sick, afterwards the others are sick too. to warn bird owners to keep their flocks away from migrato- infect humans, although some strains can be dangerous or stopped deliveries of OST drugs, Kazatchkine said. It’s a real problem to buy medicines for everyone...Here, they ry birds that have spread viruses from Oregon to British deadly. “With the border now blocked, major stockouts (shortages) give us the necessary drugs,” she said. Columbia. State and federal agriculture officials culled about In December, the USDA confirmed two separate virus of antiretroviral drugs, OST and other life-saving treatments are “When the fighting began, the original occupants of the 120 backyard chickens, geese and ducks in Clallam County, strains of bird flu in Washington’s northern Whatcom County, anticipated by the end of February,” he said. According to the pharmacy fled,” Volkov said. “We reached an agreement with 125 miles (200 km) northwest of Seattle, on Sunday after near the Canadian border, with infections detected in pintail British-based International HIV/AIDS Alliance, more than 300 the owners of the location. He lets us use the building for free, confirmed infections of the highly pathogenic H5N2 strain of ducks and captive Gyrfalcons that were fed hunter-killed OST patients in Donetsk and Lugansk have lost access to treat- but we have to pay the bills.” avian flu. “All bird owners, whether commercial producers or wild birds. Earlier this month, the Washington State ment since the conflict there began. A further 550 patients on The seat-of-the-pants pharmacy is now open Monday to backyard enthusiasts, need to continue practicing good Department of Agriculture imposed an emergency eight- methadone will run out “imminently” unless emergency supplies Saturday and concentrates its efforts on those most in need, biosecurity, preventing contact between their birds and wild month quarantine of poultry and eggs in parts of Benton can be delivered, it says. “We do not yet have any information particularly retirees, the disabled and single mothers. “They birds and reporting sick birds or unusual bird deaths,” said and Franklin counties, in the state’s southeast, after the can no longer allow themselves to buy medicine. It’s too about mortality among those who are out of treatment, but we US Department of Agriculture spokeswoman Joelle Hayden. H5N2 strain was found in two flocks of mixed poultry expensive,” said one of Volkov’s four colleagues, Yulia do have information that a lot of them have shifted to illegal The virus has not been found in commercial poultry and there.—Reuters drug use,” Pavlo Skala of the Ukrainian NGO told AFP. — AFP Zhiltsova, who is also a doctor. Typical is Sergei Noulev, a WHAT’S ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015 Pianist Jane Coop performs at Amricani Center

anadian pianist Jane Coop performs on stage at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, the Beijing Concert the Amricani Cultural Center on Sunday, Hall and the Salle Gaveau in Paris. In her own country, CJanuary 25, 2015, in a concert organized as part she has given concerts in every province as well as of the Al-Qurain Cultural Festival. Yukon. This season, can be heard as concerto soloist Elegant, experienced, and brilliant, are words to with the Prince George Symphony, as well as in describe pianist Jane Coop who takes her art form to recitals across Canada and with a special performance a higher stratum. Renowned for her highly appealing in Kuwait. performance style, she is considered Canada’s premier Jane has recorded extensively and has garnered Mozart interpreter by The Calgary Herald, and has multiple JUNO nominations. The latest recording Indian author consistently been praised for her capacity to gracious- addition, titled A Century of Piano Classics features ly carry the sensitivity and spirit of the music she works by Beethoven, Brahms and Chopin. Jane’s grow- seeks information plays, right to her listeners. ing discography also consists of chamber works Jane has worked with prominent conductors such recorded with the Satie String Quartet of Paris and the as Sir Andrew Davis, John Eliot Gardiner, Rudolf complete Beethoven Piano and Violin Sonatas with on migration Barshai and with orchestras around the world includ- esteemed colleague Andrew Dawes. ing the Royal Philharmonic, Seattle and Oregon Coop’s major teachers were Anton Kuerti and Leon am Pynumood, veteran social activist among the Symphonies, Hong Kong Philharmonic, National Fleisher. Rounding out her significant contribution to Indian community in Kuwait, is writing a book in Taiwan Symphony Orchestra, Bavarian Radio Canadian music, Jane served as Professor of Piano and SMalayalam and English on Indian migration to Kuwait. The first of its kind 150-page book has a timeline Orchestra and most orchestras in Canada. As a Chamber Music at the University of British Columbia’s from the 1900’s to the present. The author is searching respected concerto soloist, recitalist and chamber School of Music for more than three decades. In for information on early migrations and related photos. musician, Ms. Coop has made appearances in eminent December 2012, for her years of artistic dedication to Please contact: 66656642, halls such as the Bolshoi Hall in St. Petersburg, the this country, Jane Coop was appointed to the Order of [email protected] Kennedy Center, Alice Tully Hall, Roy Thomson Hall, Canada.

18th Youth Chorus Christmas celebrations

elodious carol songs were rendered by the most made the offertory announcement and Shibu Pullampallil awarded with prestigious ever-rolling and individual tro- sub-committee conveners, Raju Zakarias, Shibu popular and well-trained carol teams from all the extended the vote of thanks. phies. St George Universal Syrian Orthodox Church, Pulampallil, Santhosh Eayo, Shaji Simon, Abey Koshy, Jojy MEpiscopal churches in Kuwait, United Indian A huge crowd witnessed the spectacular function with Divine Voice of Kuwait and the St Stephen Indian Jacob, Shiju Othara, Sen M P, Iype Mathew, Prakash, School and Youth Chorus on the same stage, at the 18th a joyful heart as the various choirs in different colors sang Orthodox Congregation bagged the First, Second and Manoj Othara, Shyju Thomas, Liju Abraham, Kessiya Youth Chorus Christmas celebrations held at United English, Malayalam and Tamil carol songs. Youth Chorus Third Prizes respectively. International as well as the con- Sunny, Santhosh Oommen, George Henry coordinated Indian School Auditorium on 18th December 2014. Rt Rev rendered a new Malayalam song written and composed solation prize winners of the Bible Quest 2014 were the program. Jogy Jacob, Pr Sam Thomas, Jocey Benny Dr Thomas Mar Theethos Episcopa, Bishop of the Mumbai by John Abraham, the Choir Master and President of the awarded the certificates and trophies. and Princy Eayo read the scripture portions. Chinnu Diocese of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church was association. Choirs of KTMCC, Kuwait City Mar Thoma Priests and spiritual leaders from various congrega- Maxin and Bhavitha Bright compered the whole event. the Chief Guest and delivered the Christmas message. Church, St Peter’s C S I Church, St George Universal Syrian tions led different sessions of the event. Principals from William K Daniel was the Choir Advisor and Chris Jose John Abraham, the President of Youth Chorus and Adv Orthodox (Reesh) Church, St. Gregorios Indian Orthodox Indian Schools and community leaders were also present served as the Organist of Youth Chorus. The offertory Prakash P Thomas, Lay Trustee of Mar Thoma Church, Maha Edavaka, St John’s Tamil C S I Church, United Indian to witness the mega function. A Committee led by amount was given to The Navodaya Project of the felicitated on the occasion. Gen Secretary Somu Mathew School and Youth Chorus performed mellifluously. Thomas Chandy M L A, John Abraham, Somu Mathew, Mumbai Diocese of the Mar Thoma Church by Tony welcomed the audience, Secretary Adv John Thomas P Youth Chorus Group Song Competition winners were Adv John Thomas P and Tony Mathew along with various Mathew, the Treasurer of Youth Chorus.

Kuwait National English School Festival Concerts

The very young ones from the Early Years Department (KG and Reception classes) and Preschool children from Kuwait National English School held two fabulous festi- val concerts with songs and colorful costumes in front of an enthusiastic audience of parents and guests. This one was an excellent way at Kuwait National English School to end up the first school term and year 2014 with an ode to music to promote a culture of Peace through the universal language of music. WHAT’S ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015

Sheikh Khaled Al-Salem Al-Malek Al-Sabah celebrated the wedding of his son, Sheikh Mubarak, to the daughter of Abdulaziz Al-Kulaib recently. His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, attended the event, in addition to His Highness Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah, Farwaniya Governor Sheikh Faisal Al-Hmoud Al-Sabah attended the event, as well as other Sabah family members, senior officials and dignitaries.

The Women’s Committee of the Parliament Speakership organized its second spring festival recently at the Khalifa Resort’s chalets. Several activities and competitions were organized as part of the event.

The Sabah Al-Ahmad Heritage Village prepares to host National Holiday celebrations with several artistic and entertaining functions that are set to take place starting at the end of the month. Classifieds

THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015

Kuwait KNCC PROGRAMME FROM THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY (22/01/2015 TO 28/01/2015)

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

Arrival Flights on Thursday 22/1/2015 SVA 500 Jeddah 14:30 PIA 205 Lahore 23:40 MSR 611 Cairo 14:00 Airlines Flt Route Time FDB 057 Dubai 14:30 FDB 071 Dubai 23:45 UAE 872 Dubai 14:15 KAC 502 Beirut 00:05 MPH 951 Amsterdam 14:35 Departure Flights on Thursday 22/1/2015 KAC 673 Dubai 15:00 BBC 043 Dhaka 00:05 KAC 538 Sohag 14:50 Airlines Flt Route TimeAIC QTR 1079 Doha 15:05 JAI 574 Mumbai 00:10 RJD 135 Abu Dhabi 14:55 976 Goa/Chennai 00:05 FDB 058 Dubai 15:10 JZR 239 Amman 00:25 KNE 470 Jeddah 14:55 FDB 072 Dubai 00:45 THY 767 Istanbul 15:20 JZR 267 Beirut 00:30 GFA 221 Bahrain 15:00 JAI 573 Mumbai 01:10 KNE 473 Jeddah 15:20 JZR 539 Cairo 00:40 OMA 645 Muscat 15:00 BBC 044 Dhaka 01:35 JZR 188 Dubai 15:40 KLM 411 Amsterdam/Dammam 00:40 KAC 788 Jeddah 15:10 KLM 411 Amsterdam 01:55 GFA 222 Bahrain 15:45 THY 772 Istanbul 00:45 KAC 284 Dhaka 15:15 DLH 637 Frankfurt 02:15 KNE 471 Jeddah 15:50 FDB 069 Dubai 00:55 JZR 175 Dubai 15:20 KAC 283 Dhaka 02:25 KAC 773 Riyadh 15:50 QTR 1084 Doha 01:00 DLH 8379 Sharjah 15:45 SAI 442 Lahore 02:30 SVA 505 Jeddah 16:00 RJA 642 Amman 01:05 UAE 857 Dubai 15:45 ETH 621 Addis Ababa 02:45 OMA 646 Muscat 16:00 KAC 546 Alexandria 01:10 ABY 127 Sharjah 15:45 THY 773 Istanbul 02:55 MPH 951 Dubai/SIN 16:05 DLH 637 Dammam 01:15 FDB 051 Dubai 16:00 PGT 859 Istanbul 03:25 RJD 136 Abu Dhabi 16:05 SAI 441 Lahore 01:30 KNE 460 Riyadh 16:00 MSC 404 Sohag 03:30 KAC 501 Beirut 16:15 PGT 858 Istanbul 01:35 JZR 535 Cairo 16:10 KAC 381 Delhi 03:40 ABY 128 Sharjah 16:25 ETH 620 Addis Ababa 01:45 JZR 779 Jeddah 16:10 UAE 854 Dubai 03:50 KAC 613 Bahrain 16:35 MSC 403 Sohag 02:30 NIA 251 Alexandria 16:15 FDB 068 Dubai 03:55 KNE 481 Taif 16:50 GFA 211 Bahrain 02:30 KAC 562 Amman 16:20 ETD 306 Abu Dhabi 04:05 FDB 052 Dubai 17:00 UAE 853 Dubai 02:35 JZR 257 Beirut 16:30 MSR 613 Cairo 04:10 KAC 741 Dammam 17:00 JZR 553 Alexandria 02:45 QTR 1072 Doha 16:40 KKK 6508 Istanbul 04:10 JZR 266 Beirut 17:05 JAI 526 Chennai/Abu Dhabi 02:50 RJA 640 Amman 16:55 OMA 644 Muscat 04:25 NIA 252 Alexandria 17:15 FDB 067 Dubai 02:55 ETD 303 Abu Dhabi 16:55 QTR 1085 Doha 04:30 JZR 156 Dubai 17:35 ETD 305 Abu Dhabi 03:10 SVA 510 Riyadh 17:15 MSC 406 Sohag 05:05 QTR 1073 Doha 17:40 MSR 612 Cairo 03:10 GFA 215 Bahrain 17:30 JZR 560 Sohag 05:10 UAE 858 Dubai 17:45 KKK 6507 Istanbul 03:20 UAL 982 IAD 17:55 QTR 1077 Doha 05:15 JZR 538 Cairo 17:45 OMA 643 Muscat 03:25 JZR 777 Jeddah 17:55 THY 765 Istanbul 05:40 DLH 8379 Frankfurt 17:45 QTR 1076 Doha 03:45 UAE 875 Dubai 18:00 FDB 070 Dubai 06:30 ETD 304 Abu Dhabi 17:50 MSC 401 Alexandria 04:05 JZR 177 Dubai 18:20 JAI 525 Abu Dhabi/Chennai 06:35 RJA 641 Amman 17:55 JZR 503 Luxor 05:25 AFG 415 Kabul 18:30 JZR 164 Dubai 06:55 SVA 511 Riyadh 18:15 THY 770 Istanbul 05:35 KAC 118 New York 18:30 RJA 643 Amman 07:05 GFA 216 Bahrain 18:20 DHX 170 Bahrain 05:40 ABY 121 Sharjah 18:40 JZR 240 Amman 07:15 JZR 184 Dubai 18:40 BAW 157 London 06:40 KAC 786 Jeddah 18:45 GFA 212 Bahrain 07:15 JZR 238 Amman 18:50 KAC 412 Manila/Bangkok 07:10 QTR 1080 Doha 18:50 THY 771 Istanbul 07:30 JZR 134 Bahrain 19:10 TAR 327 Tunis 07:45 FDB 063 Dubai 19:00 KAC 537 Sohag 08:20 UAL 982 Bahrain 19:15 FDB 053 Dubai 07:45 AXB 393 Kozhikode 19:15 FDB 054 Dubai 08:25 ABY 122 Sharjah 19:20 QTR 1086 Doha 07:50 KAC 774 Riyadh 19:15 TAR 327 Dubai/Tunis 08:35 AFG 415 Jeddah 19:30 IRA 673 Ahwaz 07:50 KAC 542 Cairo 19:25 BAW 156 London 08:45 UAE 876 Dubai 19:40 SVA 512 Riyadh 07:55 KAC 674 Dubai 19:25 IRA 672 Ahwaz 08:50 QTR 1081 Doha 19:50 KAC 352 Kochi 08:10 GFA 217 Bahrain 19:30 QTR 1087 Doha 08:50 FDB 064 Dubai 19:55 IRA 667 Esfahan 08:10 KAC 176 Geneva/Frankfurt 19:45 SVA 513 Riyadh 08:55 AXB 393 Kozhikode 20:15 KAC 302 Mumbai 08:20 KAC 104 London 19:55 JZR 256 Beirut 09:05 GFA 218 Bahrain 20:15 KAC 206 Islamabad 08:25 JAI 572 Mumbai 20:00 IRA 668 Mashhad 09:10 KAC 361 Colombo 20:50 KAC 332 Trivandrum 08:30 KAC 614 Bahrain 20:00 JZR 534 Cairo 09:15 KAC 343 Chennai 20:55 UAE 855 Dubai 08:40 KAC 742 Dammam 20:00 KAC 787 Jeddah 09:25 JAI 571 Mumbai 21:00 KAC 362 Colombo 08:45 MSR 618 Alexandria 20:05 KAC 671 Dubai 09:25 JZR 554 Alexandria 21:05 ABY 125 Sharjah 09:00 JZR 189 Dubai 20:15 ABY 126 Sharjah 09:40 MSR 619 Alexandria 21:05 ETD 301 Abu Dhabi 09:20 OMA 647 Muscat 20:20 KAC 101 London/New York 09:50 KAC 331 Trivandrum 21:10 FDB 055 Dubai 09:40 FDB 061 Dubai 20:20 UAE 856 Dubai 09:55 KAC 351 Kochi 21:15 QTR 1070 Doha 10:00 ABY 123 Sharjah 20:35 ETD 302 Abu Dhabi 10:20 ABY 124 Sharjah 21:15 THY 5416 Istanbul 10:20 DLH 634 Frankfurt 20:50 KAC 561 Amman 10:25 FDB 062 Dubai 21:20 GFA 213 Bahrain 10:40 ALK 229 Colombo 21:10 JZR 778 Jeddah 10:30 OMA 648 Muscat 21:20 UAE 873 Dubai 11:00 MEA 402 Beirut 21:20 FDB 056 Dubai 10:35 DLH 635 Dammam 21:35 IZG 4161 Mashhad 11:10 ETD 307 Abu Dhabi 21:30 JZR 174 Dubai 10:45 DHX 171 Bahrain 21:50 RBG 553 Alexandria 11:15 FDB 073 Dubai 21:35 QTR 1071 Doha 11:00 ALK 230 Colombo 22:10 MSC 405 Sohag 11:25 UAE 859 Dubai 21:40 KAC 165 Rome/Paris 11:15 KAC 301 Mumbai 22:15 JZR 165 Dubai 11:30 GFA 219 Bahrain 21:45 THY 5417 Istanbul 11:20 ETD 308 Abu Dhabi 22:15 JZR 561 Sohag 11:45 QTR 1074 Doha 21:55 GFA 214 Bahrain 11:25 MEA 403 Beirut 22:20 MEA 404 Beirut 11:55 KNE 480 Taif 22:00 RBG 554 Alexandria 11:55 FDB 074 Dubai 22:30 SYR 341 Damascus 12:00 JZR 135 Bahrain 22:05 KAC 541 Cairo 12:05 GFA 220 Bahrain 22:30 UAE 871 Dubai 12:50 JZR 157 Dubai 22:10 IZG 4162 Mashhad 12:10 UAE 860 Dubai 22:50 JZR 241 Amman 12:55 KLM 417 Amsterdam 22:15 JZR 776 Jeddah 12:20 KNE 461 Riyadh 22:50 MSR 610 Cairo 13:00 ETD 309 Abu Dhabi 22:15 MSC 402 Alexandria 12:25 KAC 205 Islamabad 22:55 KAC 382 Delhi 13:45 FDB 059 Dubai 22:30 UAE 874 Dubai 12:30 ETD 310 Abu Dhabi 23:00 KAC 672 Dubai 13:55 AIC 981 Chennai/Hyderabad/Ahmedabad 22:30 MEA 405 Beirut 12:55 QTR 1075 Doha 23:05 QTR 1078 Doha 14:05 UAL 981 Bahrain 23:10 SYR 342 Damascus 13:00 KLM 417 Dammam/Amsterdam 23:15 THY 766 Istanbul 14:20 JZR 185 Dubai 23:15 KAC 785 Jeddah 13:00 KAC 543 Cairo 23:20 KNE 472 Jeddah 14:25 THY 764 Istanbul 23:35 JZR 176 Dubai 13:45 KAC 415 Jakarta/Kuala Lumpur 23:25 DIAL161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015 information

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Dubai Shopping Festival turns 20 ‘20th Anniversary - A Journey of Celebrations’ runs from Jan1 till Feb 1

By Taleb Kanjo launch of the 20th edition of Dubai Shopping The success of DSF as a game-changing ini- Festival is a landmark moment in a journey tiative that has contributed towards Dubai’s ubai Shopping Festival turns 20, as it that began in 1996, based on the vision of His economy is evident by the fact that the DSF sets off on a 32-day “Journey of Highness, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al- annually attracts on an average 4 to 4.5 million DCelebrations” that promises to offer Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of visitors with a total spending of AED 15 billion. sheer excitement, world-class entertainment the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The success of The festival attracted 56 million visitors from and unique shopping experiences aimed at Dubai Shopping Festival not only set the tem- 1996 to 2014, with a total spending of AED showcasing Dubai as one of the best family plate for the city-wide festivals that followed, 145 billion, a resounding growth, considering tourism destinations in the world. but it is also symbolic of the successful journey that in its first edition, DSF attracted 1.6 mil- With this spectacular start to the New Year made over the last two decades in becoming lion visitors resulting in a total spending of in Dubai, residents and visitors from around one of the world’s most visited destinations AED 2.5 billion. the world have the opportunity to experience and must-experience cities. As the world gath- Dubai Shopping Festival 2015 a mix of over 150 unique events and activities ers in Dubai to celebrate the 20th edition, we Calendar of events and activities” that can be enjoyed in every nook and corner look forward to welcoming visitors who have Journey into Music of the city of celebrations. never been to Dubai before and those who The 20th milestone edition of DSF runs return year-after-year, and providing them DSF Celebration Nights until Feb1 under the special theme “20th with an experience to be remembered.” 22, 23, 29, 30 January, Dubai Media City Anniversary - A Journey of Celebrations”, Laila Mohammed Suhail, CEO of Dubai Amphitheatre promising a calendar of events, which Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), an A mega concert series that will give resi- breathes new life into the festival’s key pillars agency of the Department of Tourism and dents and visitors from around the world the of shopping, winning and entertainment. Commerce Marketing (DTCM), said: chance to dance the night away with 20 super- The 20th anniversary slogan “Journey of “Throughout DSF’s journey from when it stars of the Arab world. The series of concerts Celebrations” is a reflection of the marathon began in 1996 to now, spanning two decades, will be the biggest of its kind in the region, journey undertaken by DSF for two decades, we have had the opportunity to host millions and is being produced in collaboration with on its way to achieving international fame. of people from around the world and have Platinum Records, a 360 music entertainment The year 1996 saw the brainchild of His also been successful at putting a smile on the company , owned by MBC Group, and in asso- Highness, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al- ciation with Dubai Media City. The line-up of Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of faces of families and tourists who have taken famous Arab singers who will feature in DSF the UAE and Ruler of Dubai - turn into a reality. home beautiful and unforgettable memories Celebration Nights includes Mohammad The launch of the Dubai Shopping Festival of DSF and Dubai. The success of DSF is also Abdo, Hussan Al-Jassmi, Amr Diab, Ahlam, (DSF) transformed the face of Dubai’s retail testament to the exceptional support extend- Nancy Ajram, Elissa, , Majed Mohandes, and sector into one that amazed the world by ed to DFRE by other Dubai government enti- many more. offering the best in both family entertainment ties and the private sector, especially our and shopping in one destination. And the idea strategic partners and key sponsors. Today, as Zakir Hussain ‘s Nirvana 2015 of introducing a tempting array of winning we open a new chapter in our historic journey, 31 Jan, Hall 6 Dubai World Trade Centre options worked like a magnet for thousands of we encourage residents and visitors to enjoy The “Legend” Ustad Zakir Hussain is back in visitors thronging to the city in search of a tru- DSF’s 20th Anniversary offerings and multiple Dubai to perform during DSF. The award-win- ly unforgettable holiday shopping experience. experiences that resonate with the festival’s ning tabla maestro will take the audience on a Today, DSF, which is organized by the universal slogan “One World. One Family. One musical extravaganza of percussion and Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment Festival.” melody featuring some of the greatest artists (DFRE), an agency of the Department of of our time. The concert features an eclectic Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), is mix of Instrumental Indian with Celtic/World the longest running festival of its kind in the Fusion. The maestro will be accompanied on world and has truly become a citywide stage by countrymen, Rakesh Chaurasia - an achievement that has grown from being award winning composer and flautist, who focused on sales and promotions to providing plays the Bansuri, an Indian bamboo flute, unique shopping experiences through retail Ganesh Rajgopalan, a Violinist, Vocalist, promotions and innovation. Composer and Teacher, and Navin Sharma, a Helal Saeed Al-Marri, Director-General, renowned percussionist. They will be joined by Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Celtic artistes, Charlie McKerron, from Commerce Marketing (DTCM), said: “”The Scotland, Patsy Reid, a popular traditional fid- dle player in the UK, Jean Michel Veillon - a musician of French origin and Breton culture, , Fraser Fifield, one of the patrons of the Wind instruments in the Scottish Music Industry, Francis Kelly and Tony Byrne. Market Outside The Box (Market OTB) 15-24 January, South Ridge Park, Downtown Dubai Market Outside the Box (OTB) - the region’s first sustainable fashion and lifestyle market- place featuring retailers operating out of styl- ishly refurbished shipping containers - is returning this year, much to the delight of lifestyle THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015 FEATURES

shoppers looking to pick up a wide selection well-known carpet producing countries of the Patrol every week. The Nissan Grand entertainment. The events include of sustainably produced fashion items, acces- world. Showcasing a choicest selection of Raffle is being run in cooperation a wide range of international shows sories, jewelry, shoes, bags, home dÈcor, sta- unique pieces, each offering its own charm with DFRE Strategic Partners, at leading malls in Dubai featuring tionery and beauty products, in addition to with amazing designs and striking patterns, ENOC/EPPCO and Arabian entertainers from different coun- organic food concepts. Musical stage perform- the Carpet & Arts Oasis offers visitors the Automobiles, the flagship com- tries, who will be performing live ances, film screenings, workshops and indus- chance to add elements of artistic decoration pany of AW Rostamani Group. on stage during DSF. Other events try-specific interactive sessions at Market OTB to their homes with a diverse line-up of art Customers are entitled to a raffle include Pinoy Fiesta, a family for families and individuals will add to the works and handicrafts also on sale. coupon for every AED20 spent at entertainment show featuring top overall excitement in a lively al fresco setting. the convenience store ZOOM or artists from the Philippines; Latin Journey into Winning at Pronto, AED 30 spent for a car Art Fest with the best of Latin art, Global Village wash at ENOC/EPPCO or AED music and food; the Little Until 11 April, 2015 Infiniti Mega Raffle 100 spent for an Oil Change Superstars, a musical show by the “Pre The Global Village is Dubai’s leading family 1 January to 1 February or any AutoPro service. The Skool” group famed for their perform- entertainment and cultural attraction, featur- The Infiniti Mega Raffle gives one DSF shop- raffle coupons will be ances in Britain’s Got Talent; Perch ing a unique shopping experience at several per the opportunity to take home a whopping entered into a daily draw for a Creek featuring a band of five ener- pavilions, each representing a different coun- prize worth AED 500,000 every day. The daily Nissan car and a weekly draw for a getic multi-instrumentalists and try. Visitors to Global Village are welcomed into prize given away to one winner consists of two Nissan Patrol, which is being given vocalists; Spirit of the Orient, a show a diversified but united world of joy, colors and luxurious Infiniti models, QX60 and Q50, plus away as a DSF 20th Anniversary featuring some of the most spectac- rhythms to explore the world, one pavilion at a AED 100,000 in cash. Shoppers can participate Special. Lucky customers ular and traditional Chinese art time. Launched in 1997, the Global Village is in the Infiniti Mega Raffle by purchasing a raffle can win one of 10 Nissan forms and music; From the West End the place to enjoy and savor the international ticket for just AED 200 available at selected models in the daily draw - to Broadway, that will stage some of flavors of multiple cultures from around the Enoc and Eppco petrol stations, Global Village, Micra, Sunny, Sentra,Tiida, the well-known musicals ever to world in surroundings that serve up a unique Gold Souk and at main streets. The DSF 2015 Altima, X-Trail, Murano, Z370, have been staged shown in these mÈlange of experiences Infiniti Mega Raffle is being run in cooperation Pathfinder and Armada. Buy two arenas of theatre; Caitlin , a including with Arabian Automobiles, the flag- a ZOOM DSF promo pack to Zambian-born electric violinist who triple your chances of win- has performed across the world and for ning a Nissan car a day or a royalty, and world leaders; B-Boying Nissan Patrol weekly in the with Ballerinas, which combines ballet and Nissan Grand Draw plus dis- break dancing, and much more. count coupons from Pronto, Celebration Tasjeel and major retailers. Fireworks 2 January - 1 February, The Gold and Jewelry Mega Raffle Beach - Opposite JBR and Fazza Beach 1 January to 1 February The special 20th anniversary celebrations The Gold and Jewelry Mega Raffle is the of Dubai Shopping Festival beckon residents, biggest ever gold and jewelry promotion, visitors and their families to join in the world- offering shoppers spending AED 500 at any of class festivities, as spectacular fireworks shows the participating outlets the chance to win up illuminate the Dubai night sky like never to AED 15 million in prizes including 100 kg of before to mark the milestone occasion. A big gold and 40 carats of diamond across 32 days hit with visitors, firework displays have of DSF. In a fitting tribute to the DSF 20th become synonymous with the Festival since anniversary, over 500 jewelry retail outlets its inception, and is a reflection of the city’s across Dubai will participate in making the vibrancy and joy throughout DSF. From 28 Jan world’s longest handmade gold chain named to 1 Feb, the grand pyrotechnics display will Dubai Celebration Chain spanning 5km in light up the skies over The Beach - Opposite length. JBR and from 22 Jan to 27 Jan the multicolor display will be at the Fazza Beach. “A Million Reasons to Shop” Promotion Dubai International Kite Fest 1 January to 1 February, Participating Malls 29 - 31 January numerous native ship company of AW Rostamani Group, a DFRE Shoppers spending a minimum AED 200 at Dubai International Kite Fest (DIKF) would cuisines, dance forms, costumes, handicrafts Strategic Partner. Further, DSF 20th participating malls have the chance to win up be the first large-scale events of its kind to be and much more. Global Village timings are Anniversary has a special surprise, as shoppers to AED 1 million in prizes that will be given held in Dubai featuring a mix of adventure, from 4pm to 12am Saturday to Wednesday, participating in the Infiniti Mega Raffle will get away in the form of cash and shopping vouch- fun and colours. Visualized as a family fun day 4pm until 1am on Thursdays and Fridays while a second chance to win with over AED 2 mil- ers in this promotion run by the Dubai out on the beach, DIKF would also see an Monday is a Family Day (except public holi- lion in additional prizes that will be up for Shopping Malls Group . attempt to break the Guinness World Record days). DSF information booths will be set up at grabs at weekly raffle draws. At these weekly It will also see AED 20,000 in cash awarded for the most kites flown simultaneously. The Global Village along with a stage to hold the draws, five lucky shoppers stand to win cash to 5 winners each week and a Mega Bumper world record bid will be made on the last day daily DSF Mega Raffle draws. prizes of AED 100,000 each. Cash Prize worth AED 100,000 won by one of the festival. person every week. Carpet & Art Oasis Nissan Grand Raffle On top of this fantastic offer, shoppers will Additional Citywide Activities 1 January - 1 February, Dubai Festival City 1 January to 1 February also be given the opportunity to double their Family Entertainment The Carpet & Art Oasis is a not-to-be-missed The Nissan Grand Raffle will offer shoppers chances of winning, with instant scratch and DSF will offer visitors many more events exhibition of some of the rarest, largest, and the opportunity to win a Nissan car every day win prizes worth AED 1000 each, to be given and activities that will further enhance the fes- most unique carpets and rugs from various and as a DSF 20th Anniversary Special, a Nissan to 200 lucky shoppers. tival’s image as a centre of shopping and lifestyle THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015

Features

‘Even if the marriage is arranged, the woman should always have the last word’

arriage is the legal and formal union of a man and that would be the perfect spouse. Which only makes you meet one another, to communicate and to explore. Girls a woman, however there is way more to that wonder, do arranged marriages work? Or are love mar- are being raised to have marriage looked at as an achieve- Mpaper than just the verification of that union. riages the kind of marriages that last a lifetime? Here’s ment, as a goal, as something that completes them. I am Along with piece of paper comes a life-long commitment what I think: not against marriage, but I definitely want to find the right to a person who you are going to spend the rest of your life person to get married to, and live a somewhat stable or with (hopefully). Similar social network decent life. Of course, not all love marriages last, neither do Being a girl from the Middle East, more specifically, the Personally, I hate seeing or hearing about girls getting all arranged marriages. At the end of the day, no parent or Gulf Region, I hear a lot about women and even girls being married to please their family, when they don’t genuinely family member can force the spark or chemistry to exist talked into and out of marriage for many reasons, mostly like the person or agree with the decision. It is every between two people when they are alone and under one by their parents. As we reach the age 18 and older, our par- human being’s right to be married to someone they actual- roof. ents start hinting about marriage, and sometimes joking ly love and want to be with. The decision making part about it, when in reality they are very serious about it. You behind arranged marriages is based on whether or not ‘Marriage certificate’ also start hearing about your aunt who knows this guy/girl their family is compatible with the man’s/woman’s family, if At the end of the day, you can never know how a mar- they are from the similar social network, if they are finan- riage will go. Many people have been with their better half cially on the same level and so on. Arranged marriages are for years before marriage, and once they got married rarely about the two people who are actually getting mar- everything went downhill, while others enjoy the most ried. successful marriages which are arranged. I think luck has a However, I do not encourage girls or women to be little bit to do with it, and of course the two people in the meeting men all the time to finally find the right one and marriage, and how much they are willing to put in the get married to him. I encourage women to have a say in effort to make the marriage work. I only feel though, that the decision they are making. It breaks my heart seeing even if the marriage is arranged, the girl or woman should women and even young girls getting married to these men always have the last word and make the decision of that they don’t even know. Imagine spending your whole whether or not she feels she can marry this person, or not. day with a stranger, now times that to a lifetime. Parents Marriages succeed when two mature and responsible should always have their children’s best interest at heart, individuals meet and share something in common, and that may sometimes mean that parents know and because as years pass by, with kids and just years added would want to choose who their children end up with, but to your relationship, you want to have that common many people can come from well-known families, with ground that you both can enjoy doing similar things amazing parents, but their child can be the exact opposite rather than have both of you live different and separate to your daughter or son. life and the only thing bringing you together is the “mar- How many of us had that one friend who was heart-bro- riage certificate”. ken because the person they loved can’t get married to him/her after years and years of love due to social reasons and family issues? We have all been put on this earth to

Bjork to release album early after leak Pharrell Williams heads up ‘Live jork said Tuesday she would release her new album months ahead of schedule after she became the latest Bartist to suffer an online leak. The Icelandic singer said Earth’ global climate concert her first album in three years, “Vulnicura,” would be out with- ore than 100 artists will take part in a glob- in the next 24 hours and described it as a “complete heart- al “Live Earth” concert on June 18 to gal- ‘Humanity harmonized’ break album” about a romantic breakup. Songs from the vanise demands for climate action, former Williams would not divulge details on the lineup, album emerged on pirate sites Tuesday, several days after M US vice president Al Gore said Wednesday. “We are but promised “there are some interesting surprises Bjork had announced that “Vulnicura” would come out in going to have one event all over the world on all coming up.” He added: “We are literally going to March and provided a list of songs. seven continents,” he announced at the World have humanity harmonized all at once.” The July 7, In a message on Facebook and Twitter, Bjork did not Economic Forum in Davos. Singer-songwriter 2007 Live Earth concert took place in eight loca- directly comment on the leak but instead thanked her fans Pharrell Williams, responsible for the planet-wide hit tions-London, New York, Sydney, Hamburg, Tokyo, for their interest. Bjork described the album as a “pretty “Happy”, will be the show’s musical director. Johannesburg, Rio and Shanghai. It had more than much accurate emotional chronology” with three songs Gore predicted a TV, radio and online audience 150 acts, including The Police, Linkin Park, UB40, before a breakup and three after. “The anthropologist in me of two billion for the extravaganza. It will seek to Eason Chan, Shakira, Crowded House, the Black sneaked in, and I decided to share them as such. First I was ramp up pressure on governments over a UN cli- Eyed Peas, Genesis and Madonna. worried it would be too self-indulgent but then I felt it might mate pact, due to be concluded in Paris in The 2015 concert will add star power to a years- make it even more universal,” she wrote. “And hopefully the December. “This is the year of climate,” Gore said old UN effort to curb Earth-warming carbon emis- songs could be a help, a crutch to others and prove how bio- during a presentation on global warming and its sions, which must climax in December with a new, logical this process is: the wound and the healing of the impacts. “The Paris negotiation is crucial. If we’re to global pact. It will be followed by an online petition, wound,” she wrote. ensure success, we need the political will.” The event said Wall. “The purpose is to have a billion voices Internet leaks of albums have become increasingly com- will be organized by US producer Kevin Wall, who with one message to demand climate action now,” mon in an era in which reproducing music files requires little also took charge of the 2007 Live Earth concert to said Gore. Paris will host the final round of talks in technical skill and pirate websites enjoy an eager listener- boost climate awareness. the suburb of Le Bourget from November 30 to ship. Madonna last month released six songs from her Wall said the June 18 event would comprise con- December 11. Bringing together 195 nations, the month, with the task of trimming down a sprawling File photo shows upcoming album months ahead of schedule after early ver- certs “in major stadiums”. “We start in China; Sydney, agreement will aim to limit global warming to two blueprint for the accord. Two more rounds will take Pharrell Williams perform- sions emerged on the Internet. In contrast to Bjork, Australia; Rio de Janeiro; Cape Town, South Africa; degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) over pre- place before Paris, with the likely focus being volun- ing on the main stage at Madonna voiced outrage, calling the leak “artistic rape” and New York City; in Paris, we’re ending at the national industrial levels. tary national pledges to reduce carbon pollution. Wireless festival in saying that the leaked tracks were not her final versions. stadium,” he said. “These events will run four to six Scientists say the world is on track for double Political pressure has been mounting from UN Finsbury Park, in London. The leaked versions of “Vulnicura” feature Bjork’s distinc- hours.” A band will play from Antarctica to account that by century’s end, based on current emissions. A Secretary General Ban Ki-moon as well as Pope — AP tive, wide-ranging voice over a lush orchestration of strings for the seventh continent, added Gore, who 4 degrees Celsius scenario would spell catastrophic Francis I, who last week urged governments to be and a layer of electronic beats, a defining trait of Bjork’s key became a campaigner on climate issues after leav- droughts, floods, rising seas and storms, as well as “more courageous” on climate change and is works including 1997’s “Homogenic.” Bjork worked on her ing office, and was a co-recipient of the 2007 Nobel potential conflict as countries war over scarce preparing an encyclical (letter to all bishops) on the latest album with Arca, the Venezuelan DJ known for pro- Peace Prize with the UN’s top climate science panel. resources, they warn. topic. — AFP ducing rapper Kanye West and the rising British trip-hop “We have major, major artists, some of the biggest The UN negotiations, always fraught, are at a dif- artist FKA twigs. The album is Bjork’s first since 2011’s artists ever collected, with one message: ‘Take cli- ficult phase and campaigners and observers fear a “Biophilia,” a wildly ambitious production that used smart- mate action now,’” said Wall. weak compromise. The talks resume in Geneva next phone apps and other multimedia to explore the links between technology, music and nature. Bjork last week announced a series of intimate New York concerts to promote “Vulnicura” including two nights at Carnegie Hall, one of the world’s premier classical venues. Linkin Park cancels Bjork’s work will also be featured in a retrospective exhibit in March at New York’s Museum Modern Art. — AP tour after lead singer injures his leg inkin Park is canceling the rest of its US tour after its lead singer injured his leg. Chester Bennington says he needs Limmediate medical attention and it’s impossible for him to perform. Bennington hasn’t said how he injured his leg. Linkin Park’s “The Hunting Party” tour kicked off last week. The rock band performed only three concerts. Bennington appeared onstage with crutches at the band’s Sunday concert in Indianapolis. He said Tuesday he’s “disap- pointed” he can’t perform and called the first few shows “mag- ical.” Fans can seek refunds for the remaining 16 shows. The Grammy Award-winning band’s hits include “In the End,” “Numb” and “New Divide.” — AP This July 14, 2008 file photo shows Icelandic singer Bjork as she performs during her concert in Vilnius. — AFP File photo shows Mike Shinoda, left, and Chester Bennington of the band Linkin Park performing in concert dur- ing their ‘Carnivores Tour 2014’ at the Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden, NJ. — AP lifestyle THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015 Features

Review Pacino bristles with comic energy in ‘The Humbling’ l Pacino delivers his best performance in years ery center where he is forced to confront the state of scenes are few and far between). But, the overlong in “The Humbling,” a tragicomic look at a veter- his life and mental health for the first time. When he’s film luxuriates on these two for far too long and at the Aan stage and film actor on the edge of a nerv- released to his Connecticut mansion, which, even expense of the much stronger supporting perform- ous breakdown. That description might seem like an after 14 years of residency, looks as though he’s just ances and cameos. unwelcome invitation for another ham-fisted late-era moved in, he contemplates suicide by shotgun Pacino bit, but, from the opening shot, it’s clear that (“Hemingway must have had longer arms,” he says Recent years the infamously over the top actor is trying something after it fails) and dallies the days away till he gets an Weist and Hedaya, horrified to learn of their different: subtlety. It’s just a shame “Birdman” had to unexpected visit from Pegeen (“Frances Ha’s” Greta daughter’s new relationship, share a few wonderful come out first. There’s probably only so much audi- Gerwig), the young lesbian daughter of his old the- bits with Pacino, while Dylan Baker delivers what has ence thirst for stories about hallucination prone, past- ater friends (Dianne Weist and Dan Hedaya). to be one of the best Skype performances ever seen their-prime actors, but Pacino fans (and skeptics) Pegeen, who harbored a longtime schoolgirl crush on film as a skeptical therapist. But it’s Pacino’s film would be remiss to skip this one, even if “Birdman” is on her parents’ famous friend, quickly and improbably through and through and he breathes life into every the superior film. seduces him and the two begin a fraught relationship. moment, whether he’s taking a pratfall, telling a sub- Adapted from Philip Roth’s 2009 novel, “The She pushes him to get back to work. He buys her urban housewife that he does not want to murder her Humbling,” directed by Barry Levinson (“Rain Man”), expensive things to try to make her look more femi- husband, or struggling to find a comfortable sleeping introduces audiences to Axler as he limply applies nine. It’s as cynical and unsentimental as anything position. In fact, “The Humbling” exists because of makeup and recites Shakespeare to himself in the else in the film and never veers into uncomfortable Pacino, who acquired the rights after reading the mirror. Not only is Axler worried he’s lost his talent, territory thanks in part to the fact that Pacino’s Axler book. Roth’s book, he said, seemed close to his own after 50 years of acting, he’s also become increasingly doesn’t seem to take Pegeen’s affection and interest life in some ways. unable to distinguish reality from his imagination, a as a given. Gerwig’s Pegeen is a thirty something in Both Pacino and Levinson have had a number of recurring theme that is used to disorient the audience arrested development who we always believe is in stinkers in recent years. Shot on a shoestring budget throughout. control of the situation. She’s the kind of effervescent over the course of 20 days, sometimes in Levinson’s dream girl that another movie might imagine as an own home, “The Humbling” is not quite a renaissance, More feminine unmotivated artist’s savoir and muse. Here, the “muse” but the scrappy effort sizzles with wit and energy definition of R: Restricted. Under 17 requires accom- This photo provided by After a brief delusion, where he thinks he gets is a self-absorbed brat who leaves a path of destruc- more often than it falters. “The Humbling,” a panying parent or adult guardian. — AP courtesy of Alchemy locked out of the theater and indifferent security tion after every relationship. Millennium Entertainment release, is rated R by the shows Al Pacino as Simon guards refuse to let him in, Axler takes the stage, Pacino and Gerwig, representing both the old and Motion Picture Association of America for “sexual Axler in the film, “The mumbles a few lines, and promptly swan dives into new guard of Hollywood, have a fun and easy chem- material, language and brief violence.” Running time: Humbling.”— AP the orchestra. The stunt gets him thrown into a recov- istry when they’re not actually being intimate (those 129 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four. MPAA

PARIS FASHION WEEK KICKS OFF UNDER HIGH SECURITY aris Fashion Week began yesterday, launching days of maintaining the highest level of security to counter possible menswear shows that will build up to the Haute further attacks. Thousands of police and soldiers have been PCouture main event-all of it under high security deployed across the city, guarding public buildings, media imposed since the Islamist attacks in the French capital this offices, places of worship, and the transport network. month. Big-name brands Valentino, Louis Vuitton, Givenchy Measures have been extended to the high-profile fashion and Dior are to send out their Autumn-Winter men’s collec- events in an effort “to reassure those attending the shows and tions over five days, along with the creations of nearly 50 oth- those participating in them,” according to a statement by er designers. Stephane Wargnier, head of the organizing Federation Come Sunday, the exclusive Haute Couture houses- Francaise de la Couture. Attendees are notably being subject- Versace, Chanel, Christian Dior, Valentino and Jean Paul ed to identity checks and bag inspections. The measures are Gaultier among them-take over, draping their ultra-expensive especially important given the intense media attention women’s Spring-Summer outfits over lithe models for another focused on the shows and the Hollywood and music stars five days. Some 4,000 people-designers, buyers, celebrities, who usually turn up. journalists, bloggers, mavens and well-connected fashion fans-are expected over the course of the menswear shows, Little sign of unease with an elite core staying on for the Couture spectacles. First There was little evidence of unease among the first atten- out the gate on Wednesday was Lucien Pellat-Finet, a designer dees of the shows. A senior editor for the Japanese men’s style using high-end cashmere to make streetwear imprinted with magazine Leon, Masaki Horikawa, was relaxed as he studied images of skulls and cannabis leaves. the clothes with colleagues. He said he expected several of Sleek and a little subversive, the jackets, T-shirts and pants the other Paris shows to present a similar style in their collec- are especially popular with well-heeled Japanese and US tions, following on from the trend already seen last season- youths with rebellious self-images. A couple of male models ”relaxed, clean lines, using rich fabrics and expensive leather”. of Justin Bieber ilk displayed the latest offer: outfits still jaunty, While less important than the women’s fashion shows, albeit a little more sombre than Pellat-Finet’s past collections. worldwide attention has nonetheless steadily grown for the The designer dismissed any suggestion fear from the menswear collections because of increasing interest by men recent attacks was seeping into his collection. “You can’t let in their style. “Homosexuals played a role of precursor in this yourself be swept away by any sort of depression. My work is change. They started the process by making banal what used 80 percent exported and you have to avoid a negative atti- to be poorly accepted or even taboo for boys,” said Gerald tude with foreign clients,” he said. “Where there is life there is Cohen, a PR agent for the fashion houses who has come out hope,” he added. “The message of French fashion is that it’s an with a book on how fashion reflects a changing world. idea of liberty.” Because of this, throwback wear from the 1970s and 1980s are making a comeback, he said, “becoming trendy for men what- Soldiers, police deployed ever their sexual orientation, and the rest of mens’ wardrobes The image of France and its fashionable capital, though, are following”. — AFP has been tested in the past couple of weeks, since the January 7 attack on the Charlie Hebdo satirical newspaper followed two days later by twin hostage dramas in which elite police commandos killed the Islamist perpetrators. Authorities are

Models present creations by Christophe Lemaire during the men’s Fall/Winter 2015 ready-to-wear collection fashion show yesterday in Paris. — AFP photos Dubai Shopping 36Festival turns 20 THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015

Saudi single women challenge tradition in love and marriage

Two veiled Saudi women enjoy the Red Sea at night, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

mna Fatani knows she wants a brilliant career and a life dif- However, stories of secretive courtships away from parents’ ferent from that of Saudi women of her mother’s genera- prying eyes abound in Saudi Arabia, pointing to a rebellious shift Ation who married early, usually to a husband not of their among the younger generation. One woman said she spent own choosing. The 27-year-old, studying for her master’s degree months chatting with a man online. They finally agreed to meet at at Georgetown University in Washington and hoping to someday a grocery store, where they texted from opposite ends of an aisle. become Saudi Arabia’s first female labor minister, is part of a grow- They spoke face-to-face for the first time when he asked her father ing number of Saudi women choosing to remain single through for her hand in marriage. Until today, their parents believe they their 20s and into their 30s as they pursue other ambitions. met through work. The trend has ruffled ultraconservatives who see it as an Saudi blogger and women’s rights advocate Tamador Alyami affront to the very foundations of the kingdom, where strict inter- says tradition is being outpaced by the Internet’s potential for pretations of Islam and rigid tribal codes have long dictated the match-making. Private chat rooms and social media have given terms of marriage. “My friends and I have reached a point (where) Saudis a space to pursue relationships on their own terms. Alyami we’re very specific about what we want,” she said. “I need some- said women today are asserting their greater independence. one who trusts that if I need to do something, I can make the deci- “They don’t just want their mothers to meet with their (prospec- sion to ask for help or choose to do it alone.” tive) husbands’ mothers and, you know, make all of the arrange- Saudi women stand at the center of a societal pivot between ments on their behalf.” the kingdom’s push for greater women’s education and rights to File photo shows Aziza Yousef drives a car on a highway in In this May 21, 2012 file photo, members of a Saudi female work, and laws that give men final say over their lives. Women Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as part of a campaign to defy Saudi soccer team practice at a secret location in Riyadh, Saudi cannot travel, study abroad, marry or undergo certain medical Arabia’s ban on women driving. Arabia. procedures without the permission of a male guardian - usually a father or husband, or in their absence, an older or even a younger brother. The growing number of single women has alarmed cler- ics, who have responded by pushing for early marriage and warn- ing of alleged evil consequences of “spinsterhood,” such as sex outside wedlock. During a 2005 sermon, the imam of Mecca’s Grand Mosque, Abdul-Rahman As-Sudais, raised an early outcry against “the dan- gerous phenomenon of life-long spinsterhood,” saying it endan- gers “the community as a whole.” Traditionally, women in Saudi Arabia are expected to be married by their early 20s. In 2011, more than 1.5 million Saudi women aged over 30 were single, accord- ing to the Economy and Planning Ministry. In this March 28, 2010 file photo, a Saudi girl wearing A Saudi woman smokes tobacco from a water-pipe as her According to government figures, 3.3 million are women over Saudi traditional clothes attends the Saudi Travel and friend looks at her cell phone in a coffee shop in Jiddah, 30 in this nation of 20 million people - and if the ministry’s 2011 Tourism Investment Market fair in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia. figure is unchanged, it means that about 45 percent of Saudi In this Tuesday, March 3, 2009, file photo, Saudi women women over 30 are single. While women’s rights activists agree Army of spinsters visit the 4th Riyadh International Book Fair in Riyadh, there’s a rise in the numbers of single women, some question the Some Saudi media have joined the clerics in hand-wringing Saudi Arabia. accuracy of the government’s figure, saying it supports the norm over - as one newspaper put it - “the army of spinsters.” A Saudi that Saudi men are allowed more than one wife. writer for the Al-Sharq news website called the phenomenon a “cancer” in society, leading to vice. Popular Saudi talk show host Women outnumber men Dawoud al-Shiryan dedicated an entire recent broadcast to dis- Women have been taking on a greater role in public life, cuss spinsterhood. In Al-Shiryan’s show, family psychologist though their jobs are mostly in the education sector. The Labor Fawzia al-Hani said the government is partly responsible for the Ministry says there are more than 400,000 working women in large numbers of young single women because young men find it Saudi Arabia, compared to less than 55,000 before 2009. Women increasingly difficult to afford a house, wedding and “mahr” - a outnumber men in the kingdom’s universities, and there are tens sum of money a groom traditionally gives his bride. of thousands of women among the 150,000 Saudis studying Some pundits have blamed fathers for demanding exorbitant abroad on government scholarships. Education is also changing sums of money from male suitors and have even accused them of women’s attitudes toward marriage and giving them more confi- intentionally keeping their working daughters single because dence, said Hatoon Al-Fassi, a professor of women’s history in they rely on their income. But ultimately, many Saudi women are Saudi Arabia. “You can no longer control these attitudes,” she says. staying single longer by choice. Fatani wants a husband who has Some Saudi women are also challenging the rules on how to also lived abroad and has aspirations similar to hers. She prefers to meet a prospective husband as they navigate through tradition meet him outside of an arranged setting and wants the chance to In this Sunday, May 11, 2014 photo, a Saudi couple sit on a and customs. The kingdom’s Wahhabi interpretation of Islam experience “things like grocery shopping together” before decid- bench overlooking the sea, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. keeps the sexes strictly segregated, making it harder for young ing if she wants to marry him. “I definitely want to know him out- In this Aug 3, 2008 file photo, a Saudi woman checks a people to meet. Morality police make sure women and men are side a traditional showfa,” she said. — AP wedding dress at a shop in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. apart in restaurants, malls and public spaces, and schools and most universities are segregated. Families are expected to arrange or, at the least, approve mar- riages. Conservative families see the idea of a daughter looking for a match on her own as scandalous. Entrenched tribal customs also weigh strongly. In the conservative central Najd region - the home to the capital, Riyadh - women are often barred from marrying outside their tribe. In 1977, a 19 year-old Saudi princess was rumored to have been killed for trying to elope. One young woman told The Associated Press that at work, her sister fell in love with a Saudi man who was not from a tribe. Their father agreed to the marriage after meeting him, but an older male rela- tive threatened to cut off the entire family if the marriage went ahead.

Conservative families The sister was forced to end the courtship and eventually mar- ried a man from her tribe, the woman said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss her family’s private matters. Parents usual- ly arrange a “showfa” - Arabic for a “viewing” - so a man can see his In this Sunday, May 11, potential bride at her home, without the traditional black robe 2014 photo, a Saudi and face veil worn by most Saudi women in public. The practice is woman seen through a widely accepted and is sometimes the only chance for a man and heart-shaped statue walks a woman to see one another before deciding on whether to get along an inlet of the Red Saudi women look at artwork during the opening of art engaged. Among the most conservative families, a groom is only Sea in Jeddah, Saudi exhibition featuring the work of seven Saudi female allowed to see his wife after the wedding. Arabia. — AP photos artists at the French Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.