PM under pressure over check paid to former MP

Transcription

1 basketball Page 50 THE FIRST ENGLISH LANGUAGE DAILY IN FREE KUWAIT Established in 1977 NO WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2009 / ZUL QEDAH 23, 1430 AH 52 PAGES 150 FILS PM under pressure over check paid to former MP Kuwait reports 26th death Pilgrims snub flu, flock to Haj KUWAIT CITY, Nov 10, (Agencies):The Health morning. Ministry announced on Tuesday the death of the Kuwait s total number of swine flu cases stand at 26th victim of the A(H1N1) virus, saying that the 7,718 as of late last week, most of which were mild deceased was a man in his 40s. cases that had fully recovered. Ministry Spokesman Dr Qais Al-Duwairi told Standing in the middle of a long queue at Jeddah KUNA that the patient had been treated with the airport, Mahdi Sharif is one of millions of Muslims necessary medication, but his condition remained waiting to enter Saudi Arabia to start the annual haj unstable and he passed away early Tuesday Continued on Page 43 Newswatch MINNEAPOLIS: The mother of one of three US hikers held in Iran says their families are trying not to get pulled into the tense relationship between the US and Iran. Cindy Hickey, the mother of Shane Bauer, says the families only job is to keep stressing their loved ones innocence in the face of espionage accusations. Bauer, Sarah Shourd and Josh Fattal were taken into custody near the Iraqi border in late July. Their families say they were on a hike, but recently a senior Iranian prosecutor accused them of espionage. (AP) BRUSSELS: European Union states on Tuesday agreed to raise the excise tax on cigarettes by nearly 30 percent to try to reduce smoking and improve public health, a move that could hurt tobacco manufacturers. The agreement is part of the EU s drive to combat smoking, which British statistics show kills more than one million men and 200,000 women in Europe each year. The directive is intended to ensure a higher level of public health protection by raising minimum excise duties on cigarettes, the EU said in a statement. The tax rises, agreed to by finance ministers at talks in Brussels, will start in 2014 for most of the EU s 27 members. (RTRS) ANCHORAGE, Alaska: The Coast Guard is searching for a Filipino crewman missing from a cargo ship north of Dutch Harbor. The 21-year-old man went missing from the Panamanian-flagged cargo vessel Corona Infinity on Sunday. The Coast Guard diverted a helicopter out of Kodiak to help in the search. An urgent marine information broadcast also was issued encouraging vessels in the area to keep a look out for the man. The fishing vessel Andronica from Dutch Harbor is helping in the search. The missing crewman s name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin. (AP) MOBILE, Ala.: Ida dwindled to a tropical depression on Tuesday after crawling ashore in Alabama from the Gulf of Mexico, and oil operations in the Gulf were quickly returning to normal after being widely disrupted by the storm. Ida, which at its peak had been a late-season Category 2 hurricane, made its first US landfall at Mobile, Alabama. As it brought rain inland, it appeared to cause only limited flooding and minimal power outages. Gulf of Mexico oil and natural gas companies, many of which carried out evacuations of personnel and shutdowns as Ida passed on Monday, were restoring operations on Tuesday. Giant energy facilities in the Gulf like the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port and the Independence Hub hoped to restore operations late on Tuesday or early on Wednesday, according to owners and operators. (RTRS) Continued on Page 43 Personal for humanitarian cause KUWAIT CITY, Nov 10, (Agencies): showed in parliament a copy of the cheque Kuwaiti opposition groups are urging the prime minister to step down for handing a 700,000-dollar cheque to a former MP, charging it amounted to political corruption, newspapers reported on Tuesday. The beleaguered premier, Sheikh Nasser signed by the prime minister but did not reveal the name of the beneficiary. He said the cheque was issued in June 2008 to a person who was a member of parliament at the time but lost his seat in the country s May general election. Mohammad al-ahmed al-sabah, a senior Al-Seyassah newspaper quoted the member of the ruling family, has denied prime minister as telling a group of MPs any wrongdoing, insisting the cheque was that the cheque is personal from my private money and not from public funds, from his personal funds and for a humanitarian cause, the reports said. and that it was for a humanitarian cause. Last week, Islamist MP Faisal al-muslim Continued on Page 43 REBELS CLAIM TO HOLD TERRITORY Saudis impose naval blockade Army Col Kathy Platoni hugs Susan Young in front of fallen soldiers memorial before the start of the Memorial Ceremony held at US Army s III Corps headquarters in Fort Hood, Texas, on Nov 10. (AP) Authorities warned one year ago Shooter s terror links discounted FORT HOOD, Texas, Nov 10, (AP): One As for the victims and the soldiers who Thousands upon thousands of people, by one, President Barack Obama spoke the rushed to help them, Obama said, We need many of them soldiers dressed in camouflage, gathered to pay their respects and names and told the stories Tuesday of the not look to the past for greatness, because it 13 people slain in the Fort Hood, Texas, is before our very eyes. He spoke at a hear the president. The shooting killed 12 shooting rampage, honoring their memories even as he denounced the twisted at 15,000 on this enormous Army post. and left a nation stunned and searching for memorial service before a crowd estimated soldiers and 1 civilian, injured 29 others logic that led to their deaths. The president and First Lady Michelle answers. No faith justifies these murderous and Obama began an afternoon of consolation Below the stage where Obama spoke craven acts; no just and loving God looks by meeting privately with family members was a somber tribute to the fallen 13 upon them with favor, Obama told the of those killed last week and with those pairs of combat boots, each with an inverted rifle topped with a helmet. A picture of crowd on a steamy Texas afternoon. And wounded in the attack and their families. for what he has done, we know that the Obama used his public remarks to put a each person rested below the boots. After killer will be met with justice in this human face on those who perished, victims the ceremony, Obama walked solemnly world and the next. ranging in age from 19 to 62. He also used along the row of boots, placing a commander in chief s coin next to each victim s He did not name Maj Nidal Hasan, the his platform to speak indirectly to questions about whether the alleged shooter had photo in tribute. military psychiatrist accused of the killings. ties to extremist Islamic ideology. Continued on Page 43 Al-Maliki denies eyeing new bloc Qaeda chief killed in Iraq shootout SAMARRA, Iraq, Nov 10, (Agencies): fighters who switched sides by joining with Iraqi security forces killed a regional al- US forces to combat the insurgency, came Qaeda chief on Tuesday after tracking him under fire at the farm and a shootout led to to a farm in Salaheddin province and shooting him in a gunbattle, police said. Twelve men, two of whom were armed, Ismail s death, police said. Hazim Ismail, also known as Abu Janna, were arrested after the clashes, and 35, had been wanted since 2005 for kidnappings and murders. A tip-off led police the kind used by suicide bombers were weapons and two explosives-filled belts of to the farm between Samarra, a Sunni seized, officers said. stronghold, and Baghdad. Meanwhile, Iraq s prime minister on Police and Sahwa fighters, former Sunni Continued on Page 43 Mom was right Eat slow to eat less NEW YORK, Nov 10, (RTRS): Your mother s advice to slow down at meal time may have been wise after all: a new study suggests that shoveling down your food blocks the body s natural appetite-control process. Most of us have heard that eating fast can lead to food overconsumption and obesity, and in fact some Continued on Page 43 Riyadh warns CAIRO, Nov 10, (Agencies): Saudi Arabia imposed a naval blockade on the Red Sea coast of northern Yemen to stem the flow of weapons and fighters to Shiite rebels along its border, a Saudi government adviser and media reports said Tuesday. Iran, the dominant Shiite power in the Middle East, warned neighboring countries not to interfere in Yemen s internal affairs in a clear reference to predominantly Sunni Saudi Arabia. Yemen and the Saudis have accused Iran of sending money and weapons to the rebels to fight government forces. Iran denies the charge. We seriously recommend the regional countries and especially the neighboring countries not interfere in the internal issues of Yemen and instead try to restore stability in Yemen, Iranian Foreign Minister Manochehr Mottaki said Tuesday. Saudi Arabia launched an air and ground offensive against the Yemeni rebels last week. The fighting has raised concerns of another proxy war in the Middle East between Iran and rival Saudi Arabia, a key US ally. Yemen has been embroiled in a sporadic, five-year conflict with Shiite rebels in northern Saada province along the border with Saudi Arabia. The Shiites accuse authorities of neglecting their needs and of allying with hard-line Sunni fundamentalists. Fighting has intensified since August, displacing tens of thousands of people and limited their access to humanitarian aid. Yemen s weak central government, which has little control outside the capital San a, is fighting on multiple fronts including the northern rebels and a separatist movement in the south. But the most worrisome is a lingering threat from al-qaeda militants. The Saudi blockade was the latest escalation of fighting in the impoverished country at the southern tip of the Arabian peninsula. After some border clashes between the rebels and Saudi forces last week, the Saudis responded with rare cross-border military action. They launched several days of airstrikes against the rebels, which continued on Tuesday according to the rebels. Continued on Page 43 Qaeda inciting Shia, Sunni rift DUBAI, Nov 10, (AFP): The head of an al-qaeda-linked group in the Gulf has warned the Muslim world s majority Sunnis that the Shiites and Iran pose a greater danger than Jews or Christians, a US monitoring group said Tuesday. We call on the nation... to stand by (Sunnis) with whatever means they can against the Continued on Page 43 Agility Q3 profit up 15% Details Page 34 S&P adjusts Gulf Bank rating Details Page 34 Opinion For success of Hariri regime By Ahmed Al-Jarallah Editor-in-Chief, the Arab Times FINALLY, Saad Al-Hariri has become a real Lebanese prime minister that his country requires during this trying period. Will the country, which is currently embroiled in civil war and external interference, ace the tests? Will they allow the prevalence of the Syrian-Iranian agenda while trying to remove Lebanon from the intensive care unit to live a normal life or it will remain a regional and international war zone? Several questions regarding the country s situation have been raised. Arabs are concerned about the country due to its peculiarities. However, every time the second youngest prime minister in Lebanese history puts his government to the test, the level of concern increases, especially since Lebanon has been facing risks from all angles. The country needs to undergo numerous tests, which include efforts to get out of the regional chaos instigated under the pretext of insurgency with unknown motives, time and objectives. Weapons should be left in the hands of Lebanese soldiers regardless of the justifications given by other groups. This became necessary after the international resolution 1701 exposed the hidden identity of insurgents who hold illegal weapons, which have been transformed into tools for paralyzing Lebanon. These weapons have also been used as regional tools for Tehran and Damascus to spill blood of the Lebanese. The second test, which is more important for the new government, is the need to escape from the sectarian tunnel dug by the militia groups to control the fate of citizens and convert institutions to farms of destroyers. It is quite impossible for Al-Hariri to develop institutions without clamping down on those who are hell bent on destroying the country. Al-Hariri painstakingly and patiently took the necessary steps to overcome all obstacles during the formation of the government. He has to face real tests that are not negotiable. This is based on the fact that files on the government s table require quick solutions to save Lebanon from further calamities, which the dreamers have been planning, particularly the issues related to the country s quest for political maturity by taking sovereign decisions. This is possible only in the presence of an effective and strong Continued on Page 43 US$/KD /10 Euro/KD Yen/KD British /KD KSE pts closing, Nov 10 See Page 41 Dow pts closing, Nov 10 See Page 42 Nasdaq pts closing, Nov 10 FTSE pts closing, Nov 10 Nikkei pts closing, Nov 10 Gold $1, per oz (London) NYMEX crude $78.94 pb Brent crude $77.93 pb 3-month $ LIBOR rate 0.27% Day by Day THE two economic arms of the government the finance minister and Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK) governor should focus on what happened in the international stock markets Tuesday. These markets eased their negotiations through a giant leap forward taken a year ago. This came after the finance ministers of the G20 promised Saturday to continue pumping government subsidy into the international economy until the actual recovery phase. Leaders of various countries reiterated this promise during the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, leading Continued on Page 43

2 LOCAL 2 Assembly panel okays new amendments to debtors fund CBK can be petitioned KUWAIT CITY, Nov 10, (Agencies): The Finance and Economy Committee at the National Assembly approved in its meeting on Tuesday some new amendments on the law calling for the setting up of a mutual fund for those who are overextended in their personal debts to banks and investments houses. Among the amendments is one that confines the ceiling for installment Zalzalah payments to between 40 to 50 percent of the debtor s monthly salary, the committee chairman Yousef Zalzalah told reporters. Another amendment allows the fund s capital to be increased to one billion dinars with the possibility of increasing it further should there be need for it, he said. Furthermore, he added, debtors will be permitted to petition the Central Bank of Kuwait if they feel mistreated by the bank or banks they deal with, particularly if they perceive unjustified spikes in interest rates on their loans. The chairman, also indicated that debtors still have the opportunity to make use of the advantages offered to them by the fund, although the official deadline for such use passed last Sept 30. Meanwhile, the official spokesperson of the Popular Labor Bloc MP Musallam Al- Barrak stated the bloc is united in its stance to waive off and reschedule citizens loans, reports Al-Anba daily. In a press statement, Al-Barrak said the Parliament meeting on Nov 17 will bring final solutions to the loan issue, and urged all government members to attend the meeting. He added that the government is unwilling to increase the capital of the Fund for the Needy to a billion Kuwaiti dinars and reopen registration for citizens. For his part, MP Dr Daifallah Buramiya unveiled plans to start a media campaign to support the demands to waive off loans. He added his campaign will include public seminars across all governorates of the country. Minister of Communications and State Minister for National Assembly Affairs Dr Mohammad Mohsen Al-Baseeri assured that the solution to the loan issue lies in the Fund for the Needy, reports Al-Watan Arabic daily. In an interview with Al-Watan television channel, Al-Baseeri said amendments in the fund are essential as they cover a large part of the community. He announced the government is giving importance to development projects that will benefit the country and will consider two main factors in this regard: the cost of the project and the timeframe. He added the government is prepared to defend each of its ministers in case of any grilling. Al-Baseeri also said the metro project will be executed within three years, after the completion of the first designing phase. He denied that the government has been monitoring Internet traffic, and added that Kuwait aims to be a leader in information technology. Review In other parliamentary developments, MP Dr Yousef Zalzalah called the government to review the selection of government members based on competence, instead of appointing people who don t understand politics, reports Al-Nahar daily. In a press statement, Zalzalah said he expects the current Parliament will complete its four-year term, despite efforts to create political instability in the country. He added cooperation between the government and the Parliament is essential for the future of the country, especially to fulfill the vision of HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah of transforming Kuwait into a financial and commercial hub. He asked HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammed Al- Ahmed Al-Sabah to review government members and support his administration with capable and competent people. On the issue of loans, Zalzalah announced government measures to increase the capital of the Fund for the Needy to a billion Kuwaiti dinars, and to carry out amendments in order to include every citizen whose monthly installment deduction exceeds 40 percent of the basic salary. News in Brief Hospital launches two divisions: Al-Ahmadi hospital has launched two state of the arts divisions for medicine and surgery to promote better health care and provide high quality service. The wings entail seven single wards and six double wards, besides several other alternative wards, stuffed with 38 beds. In his inaugural speech during the event, the Managing Director and Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) Sami Al- Rashed stressed the company has a social responsibility of providing the hospital with proficient medical staff and equipment. He went on to praise immense efforts exerted by the hospital to enhance on its performance, and thanked those who have contributed to completion of the project. Meanwhile, the Director of Al-Ahmadi Hospital Dr Emad Al-Awad has commended his colleagues and the other hospital personnel for their efforts in raising the standard of service at the hospital. Al-Bannai wins silver medal: Kuwait won the silver medal during the Jena 2009 Exhibition that took place on Nov 5-8 in Norenberg, Germany. A statement by Kuwait Embassy in Berlin, said that Kuwaiti engineer Mohammad Al-Bannai earned the silver medal for his invention: a self-powered engine that doubles as a gear. On his part, the Kuwaiti Ambassador Abdulhamid Al-Awadhi congratulated the participating Kuwaiti delegation, namely the inventors, expressing satisfaction at the innovations that were displayed by the participating nationals. These inventions depict the significant level of progress in the scientific field in Kuwait, due to the unlimited support offered by His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS), he said. Kuwait was represented at the exhibition by Mubarak Al- Harshati for his invention, a poster to reveal the quality of frozen food, Abdullah Jaafar Abdullah for inventing a gate for starting a race and a gadget for time measurement. (KUNA) Kuwait, Syria discuss cooperation: Kuwait s Ambassador to Syria Aziz Al-Daihani discussed on Tuesday with Syrian Industry Minister Dr Fuad Al-Jouni means to boost bilateral relations in the commercial, industrial and investment spheres. Speaking to KUNA, the Kuwaiti ambassador lauded the distinguished relations between the two sides, especially in economy, adding that Kuwait s Finance Minister Mustafa Al-Shimali would be visiting Damascus soon to announce a major tourism attraction in Tadmur, which would be dedicated to the late Syrian president Hafez Al-Assad and Kuwait s late Amir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. The tourism site will include a large mall and an opera house, among others, he said. (KUNA) Kuwait Today Prayer Timings Fajr...04:47 am Sunrise...06:08 Zohr...11:32 Asr...02:34 pm Maghreb...04:55 Isha...06:15 Night Pharmacies Kuwait City: Mejel Abdullah Mubarak St., Mirqab, Tel Hawally: Dream Al Bahrain 138, St., Salmiya, Tel Fahaheel & Ahmadi: Qarwa Al Uola Badawiya St., Block 33, Fahaheel, Tel Farwaniya & Kheitan: Switzerland Kuwait International Airport, Tel Jahra: Ibrahim Al Ghanim Al Dawliya Block 33, Tel Weather Expected weather for the next 24 hours By day: Sunny with light to moderate north westerly wind, with speed of km/h. By night: Fair with light variable wind changing to light to moderate north westerly wind, with speed of km/h. Kuwait Weather Station Max Min Rec Exp Kuwait City Kuwait Airport Nuwaiseeb Wafra Salmi Abdaly Jalaliyah Failaka Ahmadi Port Umm Al-Maradem Warba-Bubiyan Marine Forecast Station Max Min Sea Today s Exp Rec Surf Waves Ht Direction South Dolphin ft NW Ahmadi L/V ft NW Beacon M ft NW Beacon N ft NW Umm Al-Maradem ft NW Sea island buoy ft NW Al-Rashed deaths Sakena Abdullah Tawfek, 70 yearsold, widow of Mobarak Ibrahm Bathal Al-Rashidi, buried on Tuesday. Condolences: (Men) Rabiya, block 4, Police station St, house 8, Diwan Al- Bathal, Tel (Women) Ardiya, block 1, St 4, house 44, Tel Wathha Othman Mohammad Al-Hathram, 74 years-old, widow of Mejeb Dlahi Al-Hathram, buried on Tuesday. Condolences: (Men) Fahaheel, block 4, St 2, house 149, Tel (Women) Mubarak Al-Kabeer, block 6, St 9, house 15, Tel Ruqaya Basheer Salboukh Faraj, 84 years-old, widow of Sultan Farhan Al-Marzok, to be buried on Wednesday after Asr prayers. Condolences: (Men) Rawda, Dasman Hall, Tel (Women)Rumaithiya, block 11, St 113, house 18, Tel Nov 10, 2009 Salmiyah ft NW Julaia Port ft NW Tide times at Shuwaikh Port 1st high tide:...05:00 2nd high tide...19:45 1st low tide:...00:00 2nd low tide:...12:45 Sunrise:...06:07 Sunset:...16:56 Recorded yesterday at Kuwait Airport Max temp...33 Min temp...16 Max Rh...45% Min Rh...14% Max Wind...N 25 km/h Total Rainfall in 24 hr...00 mm Recorded yesterday at South Dolphin Min/Max/ Air Temp...23/32C Min/Max Rel Hum...16/74% Wind Direction/Wind Speed...N/20 km/h Prev Wave Dir/Max Wave Ht... N/3 ft Min/Max Sea Surface Temp...25/25 C Sea Current...Down draft Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Meteorological Dept. Health A filephoto showing students at a Kuwait school wearing protection masks. Preventive measures ease problem Proper steps to tackle swine flu By Dr Daisy Noble and Dr Noble Zachariah A filephoto of a doctor checking a student for swine flu. THE 2009 H1N1 influenza is caused by a new strain of influenza virus. This virus was originally called swine flu because laboratory testing showed that many genes in the virus were similar to the virus found in the North American pigs. But further testing showed it is a new virus which also has two genes from the virus found in European and Asian pigs, avian (bird) and human genes. It is therefore a quadruple reassortant virus. It is recognized as a pandemic, meaning it has spread to many countries in many different parts of the world. The incidence in Kuwait seems to be on the rise as higher numbers of confirmed cases are being reported. Like other flu viruses, H1N1spreads from person to person through droplet infection which occurs on coughing, sneezing, and touching nose or mouth after touching contaminated objects. The virus can survive up to 2 to 8 hours on a contaminated object. Symptoms of H1N1 usually include two or more of fever (38 C or more), sore throat, cough, sneezing, headache, body pain, chills, tiredness and sometimes diarrhea and vomiting. Some have respiratory symptoms without fever. It is to be noted that one does not get the infection by eating properly handled pork or pork products. Since the 2009 H1N1 is a new flu virus and very different from seasonal flu viruses, all children and most adults do not have immunity to it and can get infected. Most people feel better within a week. But some get pneumonia or other serious complications. Those who have a weak immune system or are on medicines like steroids that suppress immunity, pregnant women, children below the age of 4 years, people with diseases like diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, cancer, blood diseases, asthma and COPD (mainly in chronic smokers), neurological and neuromuscular diseases have a higher risk of catching the infection and complications. People above 65 years are less likely to be infected by H1N1 but become more sick if they catch the infection. Children and teenagers who are on continuous aspirin therapy have higher chance of complications. Those who are very sick or have high risk of complications may have to be hospitalized and some of the seriously affected may die. What is to be done if you catch flu. H1N1 and seasonal flu have the same symptoms initially and it is difficult to differentiate between the two without special tests. Remain calm as the vast majority of those infected recover without any complication. It is important to follow certain steps for quick recovery and to prevent infection of others. 1. Stay home if possible till you have recovered from fever. If this is not possible wear a mask when in contact with other people. The droplet infection can reach people who are up to 6 feet away from you. Practice good hygiene; cover nose and mouth with tissue while coughing or sneezing and dispose the tissue in the waste bin, wash hands with soap for 20 to 30 seconds before shaking hands with others, avoid kissing as greeting, do not share cups and utensils without washing etc. 2. Antibiotics have no effect on the virus. Many people including some health care workers feel antibiotics are required for all sore throats. Unless there is a secondary bacterial infection avoid use of antibiotics. It is not advisable to use antibiotics in the hope of preventing a bacterial infection. One can use an antiseptic or salt water gargle, paracetamol, antihistamines or simple cough syrups as required for relief. Antibiotics are required if there is a bacterial infection. Let your doctor, supported by appropriate tests, decide on that. 3. People with good immunity recover faster and have less complications. Some of the ways to boost your immunity are a) Eat wholesome healthy food with plenty of fruits and vegetables and avoid junk foods. b) Drink plenty of warm fluids. Soups and green tea are good. c) Take adequate rest and sleep. c) Use of food supplements and herbs like Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Selenium, Zinc, Omega 3 fatty acids, Turmeric, Garlic, Ginger, Echinacea, Aloe Vera and bioflavonoids may help. Please check with your doctor if you are on medications. 4. Anti-viral medicines: The antiviral medicine commonly available in Kuwait is Oseltamir ( Tamiflu and generics). Most healthy people except the ones at high risk for complications recover and do not require antiviral medicine. Antivirals are advisable in the very sick and who are at a higher risk of complication. To be most effective the medicine has to be started within 2 days of getting the infection and should be continued for 5 days. Some people recommend taking the medicine for those who had a close contact with infected people to prevent the infection. This, in our personal opinion, is not advisable as these medicines are effective only as long as they are taken and has to be taken for 10 days to prevent an infection. In the usual circumstances in Kuwait a person might have multiple exposures and a course of medication is required each time and these medicines are not without side effects. A better option would be that people who are at high risk of complication should keep a course of Oseltamir with them and should take the medicine for 5 days starting on the first day of symptoms. Please follow your physician s advice on this. Medicines for relief of fever and related symptoms: Paracetamol is the best choice. Aspirin should be avoided in children and adolescents as there is a risk of Reye s syndrome. Emergency warning signs to seek urgent medical care In children: Fast breathing or troubled breathing Bluish skin color Not drinking enough fluids Not waking up or not interacting Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and a worse cough Fever with a rash In adults: Breathing difficulty or shortness of breath Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen Sudden dizziness Confusion Severe or persistent vomiting How can we protect ourselves from getting the infection? Try to avoid close contact with sick people. Wear a protective mask when one has to get closer than 6 feet to a possibly infected person. Cover nose and mouth with a tissue or kerchief while coughing or sneezing. Throw the tissue in the trash after using it. Do not cough or sneeze into the hands. After touching contaminated objects, coughing or sneezing wash hands under warm running water, scrub with soap for 20 to 30 seconds, rinse thoroughly. Dry hands with a paper towel and use the paper towel to turn off the tap. Alcoholbased hand cleaners can be used when washing is not possible. Avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth after shaking hands or touching objects which may be contaminated. Avoid kissing an infected person. Germs spread this way. All those who have symptoms of flu should stay away from school or work. Practice healthy nutrition and healthy habits. Influenza virus is destroyed by heat at ºC. Several chemical germicides like chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, detergents (soap), iodine-based antiseptics and alcohols are also effective. Linens, eating utensils, and dishes belonging to those who are sick need not be cleaned separately, but it is important that these items should not be shared without washing thoroughly first. Tap water that has been treated by conventional disinfection processes is not likely to transmit the viruses. H1N1 virus is unlikely to spread through water in swimming pools, spas, water parks, interactive fountains, and other treated recreational water venues as the recommended free chlorine levels 1-3 parts per million for pools and 2-5 ppm for spas are believed to be adequate to kill the virus. Vaccination: Vaccination is considered to be the best way to protect against the virus. There are two types of vaccines. Inactivated vaccine containing killed virus which is given as injection Live attenuated (live, weakened) virus vaccine as nasal spray. About 2 weeks after vaccination the protective antibodies will develop in the body. Depending on the availability of the vaccine, priority may be given to pregnant women, those who live with or provide care for infants aged <6 months (e.g., parents, siblings, and daycare providers), health-care and emergency medical services personnel, those aged 6 months-24 years with higher priority for children aged 6 months4 years, children and adolescents aged 5-18 years with medical conditions which increase the risk for flu complications. those aged years who have such medical conditions. This is to be followed by vaccination of all in the age group when available. People who should not be vaccinated without the doctor s recommendation. People who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs. People who have had a severe reaction to an influenza vaccination. People who developed Guillian- Barre Syndrome within 6 weeks of getting an influenza vaccine previously. Influenza vaccine is not approved in children less than 6 months. People with moderate-to-severe fever should wait until they recover to get vaccinated. Vaccine Side Effects to be expected The flu injection: The viruses are killed (inactivated), so one cannot get the flu from it. Some minor side effects that may occur are: Soreness, redness, or swelling at the injection site, mild fever and body pain. The symptoms are usually mild and last 1 to 2 days. Very rarely flu vaccination can cause serious problems, such as severe allergic reactions. The nasal spray: This contains weakened viruses which may cause mild symptoms like running nose,sore throat, cough or wheezing, headache, muscle aches, vomiting and fever. One should follow the guidelines from the Kuwait Governmental authorities regarding vaccination. In conclusion, H1N1 influenza is likely to be with us for several months and with adequate preventive measures and proper care, it is not as much a problem as many fear. Please note: The above article has been compiled from a number of sources for the benefit of the community. See Also Pages 31 & 32

3 LOCAL 3 Sorry for promises not fulfilled Assembly focuses on people with special needs By Dahlia Kholaif Arab Times Staff KUWAIT CITY, Nov 10: Kuwait s National Assembly discussed the problems and needs of handicapped citizens in a special session Tuesday. During the session, the legislative and executive authorities reaffirmed their commitment to address the problems of people with special needs. Legislators also confirmed their plan to pass a draft bill on the handicapped affairs on Dec 3. Addressing legislators, representatives from non-government organizations (NGOs) dealing with the handicapped, as well as a number of families who accompanied their handicapped relatives, Parliament Speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi asserted the passage of this bill is a major development in this sector as it will pave the way for the transformation of the Higher Council for the Handicapped into an independent authority with broader jurisdiction. Moreover, there will be more room to assist the handicapped, he said. Responding to comments of representatives from NGOs that the Parliament has been distracted, neglected the handicapped, and broke promises made during the elections, Al-Khorafi admitted the Parliament s slackness. It is true we have made promises that we have not fulfilled due to the escalating tension in the political arena. We hope to meet your expectations this time, he stressed. On the other hand, Chairperson of Kuwait Society for the Handicapped Soad Al-Fares revealed she looks forward to the enactment of this bill, which she described as a result of long years of hard work. The Cabinet, represented by Health Minister Dr Hilal Al-Sayer, has vowed to consider remarks of the handicapped and their families and societies, emphasizing that his ministry will look into the needs of the handicapped. Head of the parliamentary Special Needs Committee MP Musallam Al- Barrak asserted the bill, which the Parliament intends to approve on Dec 3, is a major achievement. He added the committee welcomes comments from any concerned individual. This draft bill treats Kuwaiti and stateless handicapped individuals as equals and does not differentiate between them, said Al-Barrak who also warned that individuals who claim to be handicapped will be punished. Furthermore, State Minister for National Assembly Affairs Dr Mohamed Al-Baseeri clarified he attended the session on behalf of Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Mohammad Al-Afasi who is currently out of the country. The Cabinet has noted down the remarks made during the session. We look forward to the Dec 3 session as we fully support this draft bill. We also hope to meet members of the Special Needs Committee again to further debate on details of the bill, he stated. MP Dr Maasouma Al-Mubarak urged the government to implement this bill properly, while suggesting the appointment of a sign language expert to translate parliamentary sessions for people with hearing difficulties. She also proposed the same in ministers and other government departments to help these people handle their paper work. In a related development, around 50 parents and guardians of the handicapped have signed a petition for the parliamentarians to delay the submission of grilling requests until at least after the Dec 3 session, fearing such requests might lead to the dissolution of the Parliament prior to the passage of the handicapped draft bill. Treat all GCC citizens equally Al-Khorafi with some children with special needs. The Assembly session in progress. Photos by Rizk Taufik MUSCAT, Nov 10, (KUNA): GCC social affairs ministers have recommended that citizens of special needs should be treated equally with ordinary nationals and all their rights be attained and respected. The recommendation came at the conclusion on Tuesday of the 26th meeting of the ministers, who noted in a final statement that the handicapped nationals should be rehabiliated and given the chance to work on grounds that they are nationals who enjoy full citizenship rights. Some of these basic rights are just treatment, education, work and training, the statement noted. They also urged universities and colleges in the GCC states to set up special departments for education for this segment of the society in addition to securing social aid for the nationals of special needs. the Aljenfawi files Don t impose own ideology on others What about animal protection law? By Khaled Aljenfawi A hardline Kuwaiti Islamist MP on Sunday threatened to call for the prime minister to face a grilling in Parliament after the government made music classes compulsory in schools (Arab Times Nov ). Though we understand that MP Mohammad Hayef is an elected representative of his own constituency, yet his hardline views do not necessarily speak for the Kuwaiti general public. In addition, Mr Mohammad Hayef, MP, does not have the constitutional right to impose his own ideology on other citizens of Kuwait. As such, threatening a grilling of our Aljenfawi prime minister because of Mr what he perceives as Westernizing attempts by our Ministry of Education reflects only his own views and not the rest of the population of Kuwait. In addition, attempting to impose one s own personal and ideological preferences on the rest of the member of society goes against our Constitution and against early promises to achieve some kind of positive cooperation between our government and our national assembly. Whether the MoE has already changed music classes into a compulsory subject in our national school curriculum or whether it remains an elective, this does not give Mr Mohammad Hayef the right to question the Education Minister and the prime minister about such an issue. Our executive branch of the government carries its duties according to the articles of our Constitution. Therefore, dealing, changing or reorganizing school curriculums according to recent discoveries or developments in education continues to be part of governments responsibility, not the Parliament. MPs interfering in the daily workings of the government has always been a thorny issue in the relationship with the Parliament because stepping beyond the boarder line which separates these two branches of government will eventually cause more stress, quarrels and confusions. Such interference in fact will certainly cause unwanted overlapping of executive and legislative domains. Moreover, Mr Mohammad Hayef represents his own constituents who actually may or may not totally agree with his views about national education. Furthermore, he does not represent the general will of the rest of the people of Kuwait who have different views about music and school s curriculum. For example, it has been repeatedly proven that music education contributes to the improvement of the human psyche because it develops our capacity as humans to sharpen our perception, comprehension...etc. In other words, music education will help students attain new mental skills, capabilities and insights because of music s transcendental influences. Music is a science which continues to develop according to human needs and new discoveries in the relationship between this cultural phenomenon and individual s actions are phenomenal! Finally, Mr. Mohammad Hayef s call for the grilling of the prime minister goes against our national desire for more positive cooperation between the government and the Parliament. Just recently another MP has raised a firestorm which continues to engulf our political environment: its negative consequences has not been realized yet. We do not need another political storm which will certainly worsen the relatively positive atmosphere between the gov and Parliament. As an afterthought: why does not Mr Mohammad Hayef propose a new law for the protection of animals, instead of objecting to music classes? Enacting a new law which provides necessary protection for domestic and stray animals in Kuwait will produce tangible results with which everyone in Kuwait will certainly agree! khaledaljenfawi@yahoo.com News in Brief Delegation arrives in Muscat: Kuwait s Deputy Parliament Speaker Abdullah Al-Roumi and an accompanying delegation arrived in Muscat on Tuesday to participate in a meeting of the parliamentary committee on coordination and external relations of the Gulf parliaments. Agenda of the scheduled meeting deals with preparations for the forthcoming meeting of the Shura councils, parliamentary assemblies of the GCC states, due to be hosted by Kuwait, as well as plans for the promotion of parliamentary activities and inter-gulf cooperation at the parliamentary level. The Kuwaiti delegation was received upon arrival by Secretary General of the Omani Shura Council Abdel Qader Bin Salem Al-Thahab and the Kuwaiti ambassador. (KUNA) Office holds regular meeting: National Assembly office held its regulaer meeting on Tuesday under the chairmanship of National Assembly Speaker Jassem Al-Kharafi. The attendees, during the meeting, reviewed some admininstrative affairs related to the assembly Secretariat General and took appropriate decisions. The secretary of the National Assembly, MP Dleihi Al-Hajiri, was informed during the meeting about a tribute message addressed to Al- Kharafi from the Chairman of the Moroccan Parliament. Al-Hajiri said the office had approved the participation of two women deputies in the Conference on Women to be held in Bahrain. (KUNA) Al-Khorafi sends cable: ational Assembly Speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi sent a cable of congratulations on Tuesday to Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-hariri on forming a new government. (KUNA)

4 LOCAL 4 Better services to cut cost for having test-tube babies Gender selection on medical basis, not social KUWAIT CITY, Nov 10, (KUNA): The Health Ministry is mulling the implementation of gender selection of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) babies based on medical basis, and not for social reasons, a Health Ministry official said on Tuesday. Speaking to KUNA on the occasion of a visit by British specialists in treating fertility and Belgium, Head of the IVF Babies Department at the Maternity Hospital Dr Hazem Al- Rumeih affirmed that Kuwait will promote the medical services provided for infertility cases in the country, which will reduce the number of cases treated abroad. The visiting experts are to supervise and assess the quality of the IVF operations conducted at the Maternity Hospital, Dr Al-Rumeih said. They will be examining and providing medical advice regarding critical conditions which are being treated at the hospital. They will also be making field trips to the new IVF unit to be established in Al-Jahra Hospital, Dr Al-Rumeih added. Al-Rumeih said Kuwait has many elite IVF and infertility doctors and technicians, who are well experienced, and they could greatly benefit from medical conferences of which international advisors and specialists participate in, and that is to exchange expertise and develop health services in Kuwait. Speaking to KUNA, Medical Director at Bourn Hall Clinic, Consultant Dr Peter Brinsden of Cambridge, UK, affirmed the importance of having a well experienced and updated medical team of doctors and technicians. Dr Brinsden affirmed that his Kuwait eyes media prizes KUWAIT, Nov 10, (KUNA): Kuwait is expected to acquire the first place at Cairo s 15th Arab Media Festival, which is poised to start on Wednesday with 21 Arab nations partaking in the event, media official of the Ministry of Information Hmoud Al-Khaldi said on Tuesday. A senior delegation representing the Information Ministry is to participate in the event, said Al-Khaldi, who heads the work team of Good Evening Kuwait, in a statement to KUNA. The festival will honor three Kuwaiti media figures: Director General of Channel Three Hafez Abdulrazaq for his media expertise, the late Abdulaziz Jaafar, and actress Souad Abdullah. team is tirelessly working to give the chance for couples to have an IVF baby, noting the couples should both be treated at the same time, especially that the possibility of infertility is estimated 50 percent in each one. On his part, a Consultant from Canada Dr Mortimer praised the Health Ministry s plans and its vast concern of the wellbeing of citizens, by having IVF units established in the state s various hospitals. The common cause leading to infertility in the Middle East is the polycystic ovarian syndrome, Dr Brinsden explained. A great number of women in the Middle East are overweight, which is considered an infertility factor, Dr Brinsden said, however the contagious diseases at the pelvic area are far less in the Middle East than in Europe. The IVF unit in Kuwait will examine the embryos before transferring and inseminating them based on medical reasons and not social before the end of 2009, thus reducing the dispatch of IFV cases abroad by 5-10 percent. The cost of medically treating an IVF case abroad comes around KD 10,000-20, 000. The total cases that were treated at the IVF unit at the Maternity Hospital in 2008 reached 800, and intrauterine insemination was performed for 380 cases and pregnancy occurred by 8-16 percent. A total of 420 IVF operations were done and the pregnancy occurred by percent. DIWANIYA A DIGEST OF PUBLIC OPINION THE situation in Kuwait on all levels is much serious than what we hear and see on satellite TV channels and read in newspapers and electronic websites, columnist and Secretary-General of the Kuwait Journalists Association (KJA) Faisal Al-Qannai wrote for Al-Seyassah daily. What appears on the surface does not give the complete picture of what lies beneath the ground abuse of power and conspiracy against the stability and security of the country. There are those who are trying to destroy the fundamentals on which Kuwait is founded. They try hard to promote chaos and the culture of hatred among Kuwaitis and incite the citizens against the members of the ruling Al- Sabah family and the incumbent regime through various media means and the Parliament by corrupting the minds of the youth and giving rise to doubts in their minds about the honesty and fairness of the members of the ruling family ministers and ordinary Sheikhs. What I am talking about is no longer a secret but an open book in front of everybody. Al-Qannai The citizens can see for themselves how through various media means vested interests try to speculate and promote ideologies intentionally or unintentionally. Everyone is looking for an opportunity to instigate and publish disturbing material through the media in an open provocation against ministers, Sheikhs, businessmen and some Members of Parliament. All this happens because the government is unable to defend itself through the mass media because it has no media strategy or human resources to promote its policy. Moreover, the media of the government is underdeveloped and primitive and looks bedridden because it is being managed by primitive and bureaucratic minds because they neither have the vision nor the interest to develop their minds. The private mass media and the satellite TV channels have overtaken the Kuwait TV in all respects human and financial capabilities while the Stateowned TV looks like a sick old woman trotting along the road with the help of a walking stick. What I want to say here is that our country has become a victim of serious conspiracies due to our negligence and policy of unconcern to the situation which one day may end up in bloody confrontations if the government does not act to stop the conspirators before it is too late. Also: With regards to what MP Dr Faisal Al- Muslim said about the cheque issued by HH the Prime Minister to one of the former MPs many questions were raised in this regard. In a previous article I wrote about the right of the MP to question the Prime Minister on his personal bank account and I concluded saying according to Article 99 of the Constitution this is unconstitutional, columnist and former MP Ahmed Al-Mulaifi wrote for Annahar daily. Today I will talk about another question on this topic in respect of the parliamentary immunity and whether or not the MP can be taken to court? The parliamentary immunity is absolutely granted to all Members of Parliament and this includes all statements, opinions and ideas and comments an MP makes in Parliament or parliamentary committees to enable the MP to perform his supervisory and legislative role. Unlike a normal person, he cannot face criminal or civil charges even if his statements or ideas represent criminal or civil charges. Therefore approving principles of parliamentary immunity for an MP is a principle which was adopted by almost all constitutions in the world and the Kuwaiti Constitution adopted it in accordance with its Article 110 which stipulates A member of Parliament is free to express. This immunity extends to people who say or publish this idea as it is without making any changes. The parliamentary immunity also extends to newspapers that publish the ideas and opinions of MPs in the Parliament or at its committees, so the newspapers will not be questioned in this regard in accordance with these limitations. It is true that sometimes an MP, in his statement, may stray away from his role and attack government employees or others by defaming them without evidence and still enjoy full parliamentary immunity without being questioned or pursued by criminal or civil charges. However, Article 89 of the parliament bylaw gives right to the Parliament to carry out one of the punishments on the MP who violates the regulation, which are to warn, blame or prevent him from talking during the rest of the session or removing him from the Parliament hall, banning him from participating in the rest of session activities or banning him from participating in the activities of the Parliament and its committees for not more than two weeks. Unfortunately even these disciplinary punishments have never been implemented in the Kuwaiti Parliament which eventually have led to all these wrangling and conflicts among MPs in the National Assembly. In conclusion, we say there are no criminal or civil responsibilities on what MP Dr Faisal Muslim has said concerning the check issued by the prime minister in accordance with Article 110 of the Constitution. This immunity extends to what was published on this issue by Kuwaiti newspapers and other mass media. It looks like the political work in Kuwait is now moving in one direction with personal interests outweighing general interests as some players in the political arena particularly some Members of Parliament are adopting different policies with one purpose to create tensions and drag the country into dangerous political twists, columnist Adnan Falah Al- Shimmari wrote for Al-Anba daily. The issue of the cheque preoccupies the mind of MP Dr Faisal Al-Muslim who on several occasions has threatened to grill HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad. This has been the topic of all his symposia and media and television meetings. This issue may snowball and thrust the country into a tunnel of political turmoil. It has become clear to everyone that the cheque was paid from the personal account of the Prime Minister and not from public funds. This issue has implicated individuals and financial institutions in the country which otherwise are supposed to maintain the confidentiality of personal accounts. This issue will have diverse effects on the judiciary and we don t know who will file a case against whom? We no longer know what tops the agenda at this point whether the MPs was giving his viewpoint or defending the principle of personal freedoms of people or looking to leak out information. HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad has stressed several times on the need to preserve national unity and the need to know when to use the constitutional tools wisely, but it is very clear that there are those who want to create tensions and political conflicts. The advice I have for the government and the Parliament is that anyone who wants to create tensions and problems in the Parliament is an ineffective minority. This minority should not be given an opportunity to push forward their plans for the dissolution of the Parliament just because they want to change the current structure of the Parliament because it is obvious they are not happy with it. For the MPs who still issue threats and insist to grill ministers my advice is be calm and use other constitutional tools to gain their objectives. The cheque issue should have been solved through friendly meetings with the concerned government parties and the facts disclosed through meetings with special Parliament Committees without the need to create a political storm that will affect everyone. The Eid Al-Adha festival is around the corner and as usual once again we will face the problem of animal price hike and the Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources will remain silent and there will be slow reaction from the Kuwait Livestock Transport Company. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry will remain mum and the citizens will be compelled to perform their sacrifice outside the country where they can find cheap cattle, columnist Dr Essam Abdullatif Al-Folaij wrote for Al- Watan Arabic daily. Last year I wrote an article about the negative role played by the livestock company although it had promised to bring cheap cattle from Africa. After a month of writing the article that is after the Eid the chairman of the company, Bader Jarallah telephoned me to explain the global situation and how the company tried to enter the China market and South America in addition to Sudan and some African countries, but the demand superseded the supply and also there was stiff competition from some European states to buy cattle from Australia and other countries offering high prices, in addition to problems the company was facing from animal rights organizations. In spite of all this the company was able to provide government subsidized Australian sheep. In spite of all problems facing the livestock owners due to increase in prices of fodder and grains in addition to a ban on the import of sheep from Syria, Iran and Iraq we hope the Kuwait livestock company will make early preparation to supply sufficient number of animals. We also hope the Ministry of Finance will provide enough support (subsidize) for the fodder to real owners of livestock. We further hope that the Ministry of Commerce and Foreign Ministry will take action to facilitate entrance of Turkish and Syrian sheep in the country so as to face the big hike in sheep prices. I wish at the beginning of every legislative term a book is issued containing the profiles of all Members of Parliament, to include their place of birth, which school and universities they attended and in what surroundings they were bred because with the help of this information we will be able to get acquainted with the ideas of MPs and their lifestyle, Kuwaiti columnist and attorney Mohammad Musaed Al-Saleh wrote for Al-Qabas daily. Before talking about grilling on the subject of music, I would like to tell MP Mohammad Hayef who has offended me and surely many other citizens that it is not fair to describe the Minister of Education Dr Mudhi Al-Hamoud as deceptive and misleading. This language is far from normal parliamentary conversation, particularly since a majority of citizens enjoy learning music. If we assume that the Minister of Education has bowed in to the demand MP Hayef it will mean doing away with the national anthem and putting an end to satellite TV, the Kuwait TV and radio transmissions. This cannot be accepted by anyone. Music is used in wars to encourage soldiers and music is a tool of education and entertainment. Maybe the MP fears the music will lead to dancing. This depends on the individual who listens to the music. Nevertheless, all these are personal issues. So I appeal to the Minister of Education to be firm and not give in to the demand of the MP who is hostile to music and modern life. Domestic workers in our homes must be blessing and cursing us at the same time due to an increasing number of problems. However, we cannot get rid of them because they are essential in our lives and we require their services, wrote Khaled Al-Abdulali for Arrouiah daily. I thought I was the only person who had encountered problems while bringing and hiring domestic personnel, but then discovered that each one of us has been in similar situations. Problems related to domestic help have increased greatly and can be witnessed in nearly every house. These issues are also made public in local dailies after they are registered as cases in police stations. I hope that solutions will be found to these problems as they cannot be ignored anymore. It makes me proud to see GCC countries confirm their support to Saudi Arabia in its fight against the Houthis, who infiltrated its borders with Yemen, wrote Mohammad Jassem Al-Saqer for Al-Jareeda daily. The decision of HH the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al- Sabah to provide the necessary military aid to Saudi Arabia is a positive step to strengthen relations with our neighboring country. Let all the GCC countries proclaim, We are with Saudi Arabia. It is clear to all that stability in the region is very important to lead a country towards development. Extremism and fundamentalism have no place in a progressing country. Moreover, these concepts are not in the interest of religious beliefs and should be eliminated. The United Nations General Committee recently held a vote to decide whether to refer a report prepared by an investigations committee to the Security Council on the issue of the tension at Gaza. While 114 members voted in favor of the report, 18 countries voted against the idea, and 44 members refrained from voting, Dr Nada Sulaiman Al-Mutawwa for Al-Jareeda daily. The report, which did not receive support from many Arab countries in spite of efforts by the Arab League, won the approval of most Arab ambassadors at the Council. In addition, some European members allegedly aimed to modify a few concepts specified in the file. This report was prepared by Goldstone, but who is he? Goldstone is a South African man working as a judge, who was also a legal activist in the Constitutional Court when the constitution of South Africa was written. Jewish by birth, he presided over the Hebrew society in Jerusalem and wrote several articles on human rights and international law. During the Book Fair in Mishref four days ago, I was surprised to find that cookery books and books on magic and sorcery were in demand. This trend is very different from the one that was followed in the 1970s, when the fair was first organized, wrote Motlaq Musaed Al-Ajmi for Awan daily. Consumers earlier used to buy books that would benefit them and help them improve their way of life. I was also surprised to find that many books were unavailable as they were banned due to the nature of their content. However, I was glad to locate a book written by John Henry Miller, who worked in Kuwait in the 1970s as an engineer during the construction of Shuwaikh Port. I discovered that the book had been translated and published in Arabic as well. This rare find, for me, was the highlight of the fair. The London-based Times Daily published a story with the picture of a huge and weak English camel, stating the camel was from the Third World, Sameh Al-Qallaf wrote for Al-Dar daily. The daily called for rich readers to donate in order to change the fortune of camels in the Third World because they are suffering from stress, without wages. He recommended fixing two hours as working period for the camels, increase their fodder and equip their accommodation, and the daily was surprised to receive thousands of letters from readers from Third World countries, with their pictures, demanding similar treatment. One of my colleagues wrote about the plan to establish the camel union here coinciding with the publication, where several readers applied for membership. It was surprising to observe that female applicants outnumbered males. Moreover, camels are of various types. The wild camels are like traders, who do not have mercy for the poor, greedy and tight-fisted, because they do not bother to change pyjamas. Many grilling sessions in the parliament end with the termination of the grilled ministers, but without an end to corruption, wrote Saud Al-Sebaie for Arrouaih daily. Whenever a few corrupt individuals are exposed and taken to court, we find that they usually get away due to lack of evidence. The problem lies not with the law, but with the method of tampering with proof. If this is the case, what is the use of grilling? What is the point of creating an issue out of it when it does not help in reducing corruption? Many MPs believe that creative ideas can only take birth in a boisterous environment. Those who have witnessed this chain of events before do not believe in the false promises anymore. This is why corruption has become a form of socially-accepted behavior. Offenders and violators usually roam scot-free since the law is unable to reach them. Compiled by Abubakar A. Ibrahim

5 LOCAL 5 Steps not taken to ensure independence of judiciary Boundaries must be redefined Other Voices By Falah Bulbanat Special to the Arab Times KUWAIT CITY, Nov 10: Messages sent over mobile phones have increased rapidly over the last few years, and experts expect the total value of these messages sent by 2012 to exceed $88 billion by This practice has been criticized and taunted as a one of the media forms with the most potential to have a social impact. Results of a survey on the texting practices of the people in Kuwait conducted recently by Head of Academics at Kuwait Maastricht Business School (KMBS) Professor Hernan Riquelme showed that 62 percent of the respondents send up to 10 messages per day, 11 percent sends 11 to 16 messages a day, and 4.5 percent are heavy users more than 17 messages a day. With so much texting, it is no longer surprising that SMS messages can interrupt social interaction by, at the very least, distracting the interlocutors. Political SMS messages are a good example of intrusion. Sometimes it is annoying to receive a text message from a political candidate at an appropriate hour of the day or night, especially if we are expecting an They contribute to the society Kuwaiti politicians go mobile Falah Bulbanat important message, says Ahmed, one of the respondents. Riquelme pointed out although political SMS messages can be disturbing, they can also contribute to society. He said the use of SMS messages has been instrumental in turning around the 2004 Spanish general elections. Reports about the United States election in 2006 showed the likelihood of a voter turning up during elections increases by 5 percent when reminded through the mobile phone. Hispanics are reported to have positive feelings about the voting reminder. In the most recent election, US President Barack Obama, in an attempt to mobilise young voters, allowed supporters to download ring tones and wallpaper, sign up for Twitter updates, and receive text messages about policy and campaign events, he added. Asked about the attitude towards these types of SMS messages in Kuwait, Riquelme admitted the opinion seems to be divided. He cited a recent study I conducted in which 40 percent of the respondents perceive the use of political SMS as unpleasant, while 41.5 percent said otherwise. Around 46.3 percent of the respondents believe political candidates can get closer to the voters through the use of SMS messages while 34.6 percent disagree. A good proportion of the respondents (42.7 percent) agree that SMS messages have contributed in developing democracy and almost 38 percent disagree. When it comes to comparing credibility of the medium with traditional sources of news, the same study showed 57 percent agree that traditional sources TV, radio, newspapers are more credible than SMS messages and 55 percent think SMS messages are a more reliable source of information. Only 16 percent said people who send political SMS messages are more credible than journalists. Three points have also been highlighted in the study to make political SMS messages more credible. First is the importance of clearly identifying the person who sends the message, second is the message should come with an explicit affiliation or sponsorship, and third is the person sending the message should be more or less familiar with the recipient. Asked if the political SMS messages are persuasive, 64 percent of the respondents replied in the negative while 58.1 percent consider text messages useful during elections. On the people who persuade others during political times besides the politicians, the study showed those who agree to influence friends and family through political SMS messages are 31 years and above while males outnumber females in this regard. Males are also more educated and have a positive attitude towards the medium. Initially, younger people were expected to persuade others more than the elderly because they are known to have larger networks. However, the study has proven that networking is not an attribute of younger people in Kuwait, as it appears in the West. On the expectations about the medium for political use in the future of Kuwait, Riquelme expect more frequent use of political SMS messages in the future, however, it has to be done in a smarter way. At the moment, text messages are mainly informational and repetitive. Besides, the cost of reaching people through this medium is much lower than alternative broadcasting media. The evidence of text usage appears to support the above view. The use of mobile phone to produce political text messages and voting reports has been prevalent not only in Western countries but also in the Middle East. The Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections (LADE) and the Lebanese Coalition for the Monitoring of Elections deployed more than 2,500 volunteers to observe and report from 5,181 polling stations through an extensive SMS reporting system. Even amid the violence ongoing in Iraq daily, people still joke, send text messages or download ring tones on suicide bombings, sectarian violence or love quotes. By Jabber Al-Hammoud Special to the Arab Times KUWAIT CITY, Nov 10: The Chairman of the Kuwait Transparency Society (KTS) Salah Al- Ghazali said the Constitution supports the independence of the judiciary, while lamenting that necessary steps have not been taken to ensure this independence. During the inaugural of a seminar titled Towards an independent judiciary at KTS on Sunday, Al-Ghazali said inadequate measures have stopped the judiciary from achieving its potential, despite the efficiency of its officials. MP Hussein Al-Huraiti highlighted the importance of a proposed law for the independence of the judiciary, saying it has been included in the parliament schedule. He added the Constitution clearly states that the judiciary should have a separate budget and its own work procedures. After I was appointed as the Minister of Justice, I discovered that the Chairman of the Higher Council for Judiciary cannot attend a foreign meeting without the approval of the Minister, he said. He mentioned that the Public Prosecutor used his personal funds to attend a foreign meeting after a dispute over the budget of the trip. He added the judiciary should not be humiliated by the administration in such a manner. Meanwhile, Counselor Adel Buresli spoke about the neutral position occupied by the judiciary in comparison with the executive authority and the parliament. He underlined the importance of redefining the boundaries of authority for the three bodies. He added that Article 63 clearly defines the judiciary system in the country, but administrative offices tend to ignore the article and attach the judiciary to other authorities. Buresli went on to say Article 74, which speaks about the organization of the judiciary, says the Minister of Justice can allocate a minor part of the budget to the judges, but this was appeal ignored by the Minister. Furthermore, Chairman of the Kuwaiti Bar Association Omar Al-Essa said there is no practical independence for the Kuwaiti judiciary. He added that lawyers sympathized with the financial difficulties faced by the judicial system, and opined that a dissolution of the parliament will be the only solution for the judiciary. KIU to tackle Haiman issue By Ayed Al-Arfaj Special to the Arab Times KUWAIT CITY, Nov 10: Kuwait Industries Union (KIU) will soon present a set of recommendations to address the environmental problem in Umm Al- Haiman, said KIU Chairman Hussein Al-Kharafi at a press conference recently. Asserting the union will provide solutions that would satisfy all the concerned parties, Al- Kharafi wondered why the Parliament demanded the removal of industries in the area to reduce the level of pollution. He warned this step would amount to nothing but the destruction of the hard work of industries for many years. Confirming the union supports the proposed establishment of environment friendly industries, Al-Kharafi stressed the union is keen on protecting the environment and providing the necessary facilities to achieve this goal. He said the union calls on all industries to strictly comply with environment protection regulations, indicating the concerned authorities should ensure that industries abide by the international environmental protection standards prior to the issuance of a license to operate. Discouraging the politicization of the industrial pollution issue, Al-Kharafi emphasized the need to discuss the problem in a scientific manner, away from politics, to come up with suitable solutions. He said the union will thwart any attempt to push for the removal of industries to serve personal or political interests. He added factories are investments for the citizens, provided they adhere with the environment and safety regulations. Some of the dignitaries who attended the event. Use alternative ways to settle commercial disputes By Jabber Al-Hamoud Special to the Arab Times KUWAIT CITY, Nov 10: Minister of Justice, Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Rashed Al-Hammad said the alternative ways of settling commercial disputes, instead of the traditional process of going to the court, will greatly contribute in reducing pressure on the judiciary and ensuring the confidentiality of cases. Al-Hammad made the statement at a Photo by Anwar Daifallah symposium on commercial disputes organized recently by Kuwait Institute for Judicial and Legal Studies. Affirming those involved in commercial disputes will find scientific solutions to their problems through the new method Al-Hammad guaranteed the fairness and neutrality of the judiciary, while encouraging the use of alternative ways to settle commercial disputes. He added the alternative methods are totally different from the traditional court proceedings. On the other hand, Jamal Al-Shamari, manager of the institute, admitted the court and its branches have the final say in various cases, but the recent developments in the commercial and trading sector entail the use of advanced methods to settle disputes related to the sector. He affirmed this concept is aimed at reducing pressure on the court and enhance the process through the use of the most advanced technology.

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7 LOCAL 7 Western teachers spotlight challenges in Kuwait schools Michelle shares interesting experience of teaching Cambodian Independence Day celebrated The Embassy of the Kingdom of Cambodia organized a reception Monday at the Marine Museum in Radisson Blu Hotel on the occasion of the Cambodian Independence Day under the auspices of Cambodian Ambassador to Kuwait H.E. Long Kem. Several dignitaries attended the event. By Valiya S. Sajjad Arab Times Staff KUWAIT CITY, Nov 10: As a teacher you need both qualifications and soft skills such as an amiable disposition, good personality and courtesy among others to be successful in your profession, says Michelle Natasha, art teacher at Fahaheel English School. She was talking on the topic Challenges faced by western teachers working in Kuwait at Advocates for Western-Arab Relations and Exchange (AWARE) Center Tuesday. Michelle said that one of the challenges Western teachers faced in classrooms in Kuwait was that some children have English as their third language, while some have it as their first language. In my school, there is a good mix of students. Michelle also tackled some emotional problems that teachers face by having to play roles of a mother or wife on top of being a teacher. Then what about your needs and wants. Teachers will need time to get adjusted to a new atmosphere and be focused on what they are here for. Michelle narrated her own experiences about how people back in her home country perceive her as a teacher working in a tax-free country. They think we are very rich because we work in the Middle East. Further she noted that when she goes to her home country, she finds there is a gap between her and her friends. I feel like a fish out of water, your friends have moved and so have you. There is nothing to talk between us. She underlined the importance of getting on with life instead of getting bogged down with the problems. School is hard, but get up and move on. You are important to yourself. Get to know the people in school, the electrician, the cleaner and so on. She said these associations are important to get your way through at school. Get to school early and it will be useful. Later on moving on to questions and answers, Michelle agreed with a questioner that parents here have to tendency to demand high grades for their children irrespective of the fact whether the children deserve them or not. The questioner, a teacher himself, noted that he was shocked to find maids turning up for parents-teachers meeting and arguing over grades of children. He said that it came as a big surprise to him that parents are not interested in knowing about their children s progress. About the treatment of teachers at schools, Michelle shared her experience in Qatar, where she was received by the headmaster at the airport and dropped in her apartment, which was fully furnished and fridge stocked with food. They gave me money to see me through the first couple of weeks. The apartment also had a telephone with which I could call my parents back home. Booster She was stressing on the importance of making teachers feel at home as a morale booster. A teacher, who was part of the discussion, observed that teachers move from one school to another not just on account of pay. There are psychological needs such as freedom, attitude and so on and it should be met by significant people in the management. Adding to the point, Michelle said that there are a lot of frustrations that can accumulate in Kuwait. She even named factors such as the lack of greenery in comparison to countries one originally comes from. But you should just brush dust off your shoulders and go on. One of the participants in the discussion said that one way to get around frustration is by focusing on what you have come for. In some cases it is making money, for some it is to make a change. He observed that when students after growing up come to you and tell you about how your words changed their lives, you feel like your life s mission is fulfilled. Michelle added: One parent once came to me and said that her son, my student, loves me a lot. You can make him do anything you want, the parent said. She said it made her very happy. It s important to meet parents face to face. Another lady, who handles children from lower grades, spoke about the difficulty of remembering names of children as there are many Mohammeds and Ahmeds in every class. Some teachers agreed to having similar problems and said that they keep a class photo with them while talking to parents so they can identify their children. We know the MoE to recruit Bedoun teachers KUWAIT CITY, Nov 10: The Ministry of Education has reportedly approved the recruitment of 100 Bedoun teachers who meet the required ministry conditions, after the Civil Service Commission (CSC) agreed to appoint them in this domain, reports Al-Sabah daily The daily quoting reliable sources explained the teachers are graduates of Kuwait University s Faculty of Basic Education, and have specialized in subjects such as science, mathematics, computer and English. The sources stressed the teachers will be interviewed in the next few days to get the final approval of the ministry, and indicated 10 Bedoun teachers, in rare specifications, begun official duty as of the beginning of the new school year. Meanwhile, a number of expatriate teachers have forwarded petitions to the Ministry of Education asking for increase in accommodation allowance, which is currently KD 60. The teachers complained about hikes in the prices of commodities and rent, as the ministry is exerting tremendous efforts to settle the problems and complaints. In another development, the Chairperson for Medical Committees at the Higher Council of the Disabled Khawlah Al- Subai e has urged HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed to allow her to resume duty at the council, following turmoil incited on mistrusts at the council, reports Al-Seyassah daily. Khawlah said Kuwait is a democratic country run by laws, wondering how she could be excluded from duty without evidence of rumors being spread, purposely to defame the council and its noble members. children by their faces, but not by their names. Michelle shared an interesting experience of teaching a pair of identical twins, each in a different classroom, and not realizing they were two separate individuals until she found them sitting together one day during non-study hours. Michelle was trying to explain how teachers have difficulty in identifying students because of unfamiliar names and other reasons. A teacher from Uganda with long years of teaching experience in Kuwait said that while he was teaching Arabic in a public school, a group of parents took issue with the fact that a non-arab was teaching their children Arabic. This they feared would affect the children s accent. Triumphant He explained that a group of backtrackers in school were behind the move, and that he eventually came out triumphant when the ministry of education supervised his classes and acknowledged his teaching skills with a salary raise. The same teacher also had the experience of taming a group of very unruly adolescents, following which difficult children from other the classes were transferred to his class. This overtaxed him, and without any commensurate increase in salary, he opted to quit the job. The teachers then shared their experiences of culture shock in Kuwait. The high rate of homosexuality among students, said one teacher, was a big shock to him. However, a psychologist disagreed saying that homosexuality was not as rampant in Kuwait as in some of the other developed countries. Speaking of pleasant culture shock, a teacher from the US, said that parents in Kuwait tended to treat her like an expert, seeking her advice in all matters related to their children. I could tell them to get their children s eyes checked and so on, which in the US wouldn t have been taken very kindly by parents. However, she also had a rather unpleasant shock, especially with her experience as a child-abuse reporter in her school in the US. Child abuse is not illegal here. She remembered how a mother beat her child in an attempt to make him cooperate for an interview. It took place in the teacher s office and she asked the mother to leave.

8 LOCAL 8 Spouse killer case adjourned to Dec 22 MP Adwa sues MoI for damages in bungled 09 poll count Pakistani trucker killed By Munaif Nayef and Nawaf Al-Hamlan Special to the Arab Times A Pakistani national died, while another Asian expatriate sustained injuries in a collision between a tanker and another heavy vehicle on Kabad Motorway. Firefighters, security officials and paramedics rushed to the scene on receiving information about the incident and managed to rescue the driver of the heavy vehicle. He was immediately referred to Farwaniya Hospital by paramedics. The firefighters also took the Pakistani out from the tanker but discovered that he had succumbed to his injuries. His corpse was referred to the Forensic department. A case was registered. Meanwhile, a two-vehicle collision on Salmi Motorway resulted in the injury of a Kuwaiti The water tanker s cabin is totally destroyed. Primaries case to Prosecution minor aged 15 years. He was referred to Farwaniya Hospital by paramedics and a case was registered. In a similar story, a two-vehicle collision on Arabian Gulf St. resulted in the injury of a Kuwaiti citizen aged 25 years. He was referred to Farwaniya Hospital by paramedics and a case was registered. Another two-vehicle collision in Farwaniya resulted in the injury of three Kuwaiti citizens. They were referred to Farwaniya Hospital and a case was registered. Also, a Bangladeshi expatriate aged 32 years sustained injuries and fractures when he was knocked down by a motorist at the Vegetable and Fruit market. He was referred to Sabah Hospital by paramedics and a case was registered. Man seeks verdict in ruler abuse By Moamen Al-Masri Special to the Arab Times KUWAIT CITY, Nov 10: The Court of Cassation Tuesday set Jan 21, 2010 to look into an appeal filed by a 42-year-old Kuwaiti first sergeant, identified only as Naif Q. The Criminal Court had earlier convicted the man for insulting HH the Amir and the lower court ruling was upheld by Court of Appeals. The Public Prosecution charged the man with defaming the name of HH the Amir by calling him friend and speaking ill of him. During interrogation Naif denied the allegations and said he was drunk at the time. He also said someone might have called from his cell phone without his knowledge when he was in a disoriented condition. News in Brief Illegals held: During a surprise inspection campaign the Jahra police have arrested 25 expatriates for violating residence laws, reports Arrouiah daily. The men have been referred to the Deportation Center. Indian robbed: Police are looking for four men wearing dishdashas for assaulting an Indian man and stealing his wallet containing his civil ID and some money, reports Al-Rai daily. The daily did not give more details. Man run over: A 53-year-old Pakistani man who was run over by an unidentified motorist while crossing a road in Fahaheel has been admitted to the Adan Hospital with fractures on the leg, reports Al-Dar daily. Indian hurt: An unidentified Indian man who sustained second degree burns when his apartment caught fire in Abu Halifa, has been admitted to the Adan Hospital, reports Al- Seyassah daily. The fire was put out by firemen before it spread to neighboring apartments. Hurt on job: An unidentified Egyptian worker has been admitted to the Mubarak Al- Kabir Hospital with injuries, reports Arrouiah daily. It has been reported the man was cleaning a drain in Mishref when a vehicle belonging to the Ministry of Public Works hit him. He was taken to the hospital by paramedics. Blast injury: An unidentified Asian man has been admitted to the intensive care unit of the Sabah Hospital with second degree burns following a mishap in his home, reports Al- Watan Arabic daily. The daily added the man works as a guard of a garage in Kabad and the cooking gas cylinder exploded while preparing food in the kitchen. He was taken to the hospital by paramedics. 7 dead in accidents: According to statistics issued by the General Department of Criminal Investigation seven people died in road accidents three of them Kuwaitis and four bedouns, reports Arrouiah daily. Primaries The Criminal Court Tuesday referred the case of 22 Ajmi tribesmen to the Public Prosecution with a request to address the National Assembly to lift the parliamentary immunity of three MPs. The men are charged with taking part in the primaries to choose candidates for the May 2009 National Assembly elections. The three MPs are Al-Saifi Mubarak Al-Saifi, Khaled Al-Adwa and Khaled Al-Tahous. During a previous session defense attorneys Fahhad Al-Ajmi, Mohammad Al-Jumai and Fahad Kumayekh had requested the court to acquit their clients saying there was no evidence against them. The lawyers also added the arresting officer s investigations were not serious. The session was presided over by Judge Abdurrahman Al-Darmi. The copper thieves. Police surround the dead body. Copper thieves caught By Nawaf Al-Hamlan Special to the Arab Times In an intensive operation in Farwaniya to apprehend law violators on Monday, three Asians were arrested for stealing iron and copper cables in Rabya, while eight persons were arrested for previously registered criminal cases. The arrests were made at various checkpoints placed by security officials in the governorate. A security source said similar operations would continue to arrest all those who disobeyed the laws of the country. In another development, police are looking for a hitand-run motorist for running over and killing an unidentified Indian man while crossing a road at an unidentified location, reports Al-Dar daily. The remains of the victim have been referred to Forensics. Meanwhile, in a press statement the Ministry of Interior has called upon motorists and other road users to adhere to traffic laws and regulations. The statement also said traffic accidents have a negative impact on the society. By Moamen Al-Masri Special to the Arab Times KUWAIT CITY, Nov 10: MP Khaled Al- Adwa Monday filed a case with the Administrative Court of First Instance demanding KD 200,000 compensation from the Ministry of Interior (MoI) for the harm done to him by declaring Badi Al-Dossari winner from the Fifth Constituency during the May 2009 National Assembly elections instead of him. In his memo, presented to the court by his lawyer Mohammad Menwir Al- Mutairi, Adwa said during the vote count it was announced that he had come in the tenth position. However, he was surprised when the Ministry of Interior declared Badi Al- Dossari winner from the Fifth Constituency following which he filed a case against the ministries of Interior and Justice at the Constitution Court. This court ruled in favor of Adwa and declared him winner from the Fifth Constituency. In his memo, he said he was harmed both materially and abstractly. Spouse killer The Criminal Court Tuesday allowed the defense lawyer until Dec 22, 2009 to prepare his case papers in the lawsuit of a Kuwaiti woman, identified only as Six train to fight coalition Court to hear terror convicts appeal Dec 27 By Moamen Al-Masri Special to the Arab Times KUWAIT CITY, Nov 10: The Court of Appeals Tuesday set Dec 27, 2009 to look into an appeal filed by six men. They were convicted on Sept 30, 2009 by a Criminal Court and sentenced to three years imprisonment each and also ordered to pay KD 300 each to suspend the sentence for going to Pakistan and receiving training on the use of arms and ammunition to fight the US forces in Afghanistan. Tahani, who has been charged with the premeditated murder of her Kuwaiti husband. Case papers indicate Tahani decided to kill her husband when she discovered he was planning to marry another woman. One day before the incident, she returned The Public Prosecution has charged Salah S., Saad N., and Salah H., with carrying out hostile acts against a foreign country by joining a camp to receive training on arms and ammunition which could harm Kuwait s relations with a friendly country. The accused are also charged with receiving training on arms and ammunition fully knowing that their actions were meant to achieve illegal goals - fighting the allied forces in Afghanistan. The other three Abdurrahman S., Adel A. and Mohammed S., are charged home after spending time with her family. The case papers also say she had decided to commit suicide after killing her husband. So bought four kitchen knives the day before the incident and hid them in the bedroom. She waited until her husband fell sleep with collaborating with the above convicts arranging their travel to Pakistan and providing them with money and names of people in Pakistan who Al-Mutairi were them. to help The session was presided over by Judge Saleh Al-Muraishid. and stabbed him through the heart. She did not know the man was dead, but when she was told that she had killed him, she was shocked and began to cry hysterically saying she had killed her love. The session was presided over by Judge Abdurrahman Al-Darmi. Kuwaiti youth stabs friend to death in Mangaf cafe brawl By Munaif Nayef and Nawaf Al- Hamlan Special to the Arab Times KUWAIT CITY, Nov 10: A grocery store owner discovered the body of an Asian on the roof of his store in East Ahmadi on Monday. The man immediately reported the case to the police, who brought in detectives and paramedics for assistance. Preliminary report indicated the deceased might have fallen from a neighboring house and died on the spot. The corpse has since been referred to the Forensics for autopsy, while investigation is in progress to determine the cause of the incident. Suicide bid foiled: Firefighters, security officials and paramedics managed to convince a Filipino woman in her thirties not to commit suicide by jumping from the second floor of her sponsor s house. The Operations Room personnel reached the site after receiving information about the incident and discovered that the woman was threatening to jump from the floor and end her life. She was convinced not to do so after an hour of negotiations and was referred to the authorities for interrogation. A case was registered. Brother fired at in fight: A Kuwaiti citizen, who survived gunshots, fired at him by his brother in Al-Naseem area, stressed it was by God s mercy he was saved. The Operations Room of the Interior Ministry received information about a firing incident in Al-Naseem area, in a quarrel between two people, while security operatives rushed to the scene, accompanied by the Head of Al-Jahra Security Directorate Brigadier Ayed Al- Otaibi. The officers discovered the incident was a result of family dispute, and the gun shots episode involved two brothers. Meanwhile, night patrol officers arrested the shooter and transferred him to Taima Police Station, where a case was registered against him, plus possession of illegal weapons, with intention to commit murder. Agencies add: Kuwaiti stabs friend: A Kuwaiti youth, whose identity has not been disclosed, has been referred to the Juvenile Prosecution for stabbing to death his friend during a fight inside a café in Mangaf, reports Al-Shahid daily. Without going into details the daily said the remains of the victim have been referred to Forensics. Syrians fight, one critical: A 22- year-old Syrian who was seriously injured during a fight with a compatriot in front of a restaurant in Hawalli has been admitted to the Mubarak Al-Kabir, reports Al- Seyassah daily. The daily did not give details about the incident. The victim was taken to the hospital by paramedics. Kuwaiti stabbed at home: A 45- year-old Kuwaiti man who was stabbed in the back by an unidentified person inside his home in Farwaniya, has been admitted to the intensive care unit of the Farwaniya Hospital, reports Al-Seyassah daily. Police are looking for the suspect. Veiled men rob Asian: Police are looking for three veiled men for attacking and robbing a Pakistani man, reports Al-Watan Arabic daily. In his complaint to the police the victim said he was walking along a road on Bahrain Street and the men attacked him Dead body of Asian found on grocery s roof Based on the directives issued by the Minister of Health Dr Hilal Al-Sayer, and other ministry officials, the Medical Emergency Department conducted a drill at Mubarak Hospital Tuesday morning, involving 20 patients being transferred to Amiri and Adan hospitals, and power disconnection The Coast Guard carry the dead body to shore. Asian woman found dead on beach By Munaif Nayef Special to the Arab Times A sea rescue team, in the company of high ranking security officials arrived at an unidentified beach, after the Operations Room received a report about a corpse, believed to be of an Asian woman was found ashore. The body was transferred to the Forensics by Criminal Evidence Men and stole his cell phone and wallet containing his ID and KD 80. Man caught taking drugs: The Mubarak Al-Kabir police have arrested a 27-year-old Kuwaiti for taking narcotic pills. He was taken into custody from the parking lot of the Al-Qurain Cooperative Society, reports Al-Watan Arabic daily. He has been referred to the authorities. Meanwhile, the Hawalli police have arrested an unidentified 26-year-old Kuwaiti, employee of the Ministry of Education for drinking alcohol in a public place, reports Al-Watan Arabic daily. Police have reportedly seized from the man s car a bottle of locally-manufactured alcohol and referred him to the authorities. for autopsy, and security officers have registered the case for investigation. Meanwhile, in another development officers from the General Patrol Department apprehended a gang of minors, involved in various theft cases in Jahra, after an Asian woman lodged a complaint about four minors who forcibly seized her stuff, according to Interior Ministry press release. Inviting to sin: The Hawalli police have arrested an unidentified citizen for inciting others to commit immoral acts, reports Al- Watan Arabic daily. The youth was arrested from Hawalli behind the Cooperative Societies Union. Maid hurt fleeing sponsor: A 40- year-old Nepali maid who fell from the second floor apartment of her sponsor while attempting to escape has been admitted to the intensive care unit of the Adan Hospital, reports Al-Seyassah daily. The daily quoting security sources said the victim was climbing down from the apartment in Mahboula with a self-made rope, the rope snapped and she fell on the ground below. Photo by Mahmoud Jadeed to the hospital. The drill is part of the plan by the Ministry of Health to develop the skills of paramedics in tackling emergency situations, which measured their level of preparation for evacuation, on top of the rapid response of paramedics and doctors. Juvenile thieves in police custody. The patrol officers combed the area, in the company of the Asian woman and found the same gang, who were forcefully grabbing an item from another Asian expatriate. The thieves tried to escape when they spotted the police, however, the officers managed to arrest two of them, a Kuwaiti and another Arab national. The two suspects have since been referred to the concerned authority. Killing through magic: An unidentified Kuwaiti man has filed a complaint with the police accusing his maid, whom he has deported to the Philippines of sending him an SMS on his cell phone threatening to kill him through black magic, reports Al-Watan Arabic daily. The man told police he deported his Filipino maid after she constantly picked up quarrels with his family. Five Kuwaitis nabbed: During a surprise inspection campaign the Mubarak Al-Kabir police are said to have arrested five Kuwaitis wanted by law in connection with unidentified criminal offences, reports Al-Watan Arabic daily. The men have been referred to the concerned authorities.

9 MIDEAST 9 Two Hezbollah ministers named in 30-member cabinet Lebanon s Hariri forms unity govt BEIRUT, Nov 10, (Agencies): Lebanon s Prime Minister Saad al-hariri formed a new unity government on Monday that includes two ministers from Syrian- and Iranian-backed Hezbollah. Lebanon has been without a functioning government since Hariri led his coalition, backed by the United States and Saudi Arabia, to victory in a June parliamentary election against Hezbollah and its allies. A government acceptable to all main parties is seen as key to maintaining stability in a country facing sectarian and political tensions, as well as a huge debt burden. Finally, the government of national concord has been born, Hariri told reporters after agreeing the cabinet at a meeting with President Michel Suleiman at the presidential palace in Baabda on the outskirts of Beirut. We have turned a page that we don t want to go back to and opened a new page that we strive to make a page of concord and work, he said. French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner welcomed the formation of the Lebanese government and pledged the former colonial power s support for Hariri. The formation of a new government was necessary to resolve the conflict that Lebanon was facing, to assure the security and stability of the country..., Kouchner said. He urged the new government to push through economic reforms demanded by donors and implement UN Resolution 1701 that ended a 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah. Welcomed UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also welcomed the formation of a new government and called on it to recommit to the full implementation of Security Council resolution The secretary-general hopes that Lebanese political leaders will continue to work together in a spirit of unity, dialogue and cooperation, his spokeswoman said. Hariri spent more than four months brokering a deal with the opposition. A warming of ties between the two sides main backers Syria and Saudi Arabia in recent weeks helped ease the rift in Beirut and led eventually to a power-sharing agreement. The new 30-minister cabinet includes 15 ministers from Hariri s France wants Israeli settlement freeze before talks coalition, 10 from the opposition including two Hezbollah ministers, and five, including the key interior and defence portfolios, were nominated by President Suleiman. The president s ministers in theory hold the balance of power in cabinet, with the Hariri coalition unable to gain a simple majority and the minority unable to block key decisions as they do not hold a third plus one votes in government. Incumbents Ziad Baroud and Elias al- Murr kept their interior and defence portfolios. Raya Haffar al-hassan was appointed finance minister, responsible for managing Lebanon s public debt burden, while retired university professor Ali al-shami was named foreign minister. Mohammed Safadi kept his job as economy minister. Hassan, who is close to Hariri, manages a United Nations Development Programme project aimed at supporting decision-making at the office of the prime minister. Shami, 64, was named by close Hezbollah ally Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. He will be the country s top diplomat when Lebanon takes over a seat at the United Nations Security Council at the start of next year. The new government s first task would be to draw up a policy statement and present it to parliament for a vote of confidence. Despite deep disagreements between the two camps on some crucial issues, such as the fate of Hezbollah s guerrilla army, the statement is expected to go smoothly and swiftly. Talks Hariri is then expected to visit Damascus and hold talks with Syrian President Bashar al-assad in a move set to redraw the political landscape in Lebanon. Hariri s coalition had accused Syria of assassinating statesman Rafik al-hariri, Saad s father, in February Syria denies any links, but the killing forced Damascus to end its 29-year military presence in Lebanon in April 2005 and led to the formation of a special court in The Hague to investigate and prosecute the killers. Hopes are also high that Hariri, a billionaire businessman who is close to Saudi Arabia, and his government will tackle the country s economic woes. Obama, Netanyahu discuss stalled peace, Abbas urged to negotiate WASHINGTON, Nov 10, (Agencies): US efforts to revive the Middle East process floundered Tuesday after President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held closed door talks amid signs of friction. The two went into talks with the United States having renewed its opposition to Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Netanyahu left the White House after spending an hour and 40 minutes, without making the customary public appearance with the US president. The president reaffirmed our strong commitment to Israel s security, and discussed security cooperation on a range of issues, the White House said in a brief statement. The president and prime minister also discussed Iran and how to move forward on Middle East peace. Ahead of the meeting, Netanyahu said he was ready to immediately start peace negotiations with the Palestinians, but prospects appear dim. Aides to Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas said he could resign if the deadlock continues, threatening the viability of the Palestinian Authority. Palestinian supporters of the ruling Fatah party chant slogans as they hold a picture of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas during a rally supporting Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Nov 9. (AP) Defining moment is here, says Erekat Abbas to quit if peace efforts stay stalled RAMALLAH, West Bank, Nov 10, (Agencies): President Mahmud Abbas could quit, leading to a potential collapse of the Palestinian Authority, if US efforts to relaunch Middle East peace talks stay deadlocked, aides said on Tuesday. The move could hand Israel a major problem since a total breakdown of efforts to achieve a two-state solution could lead to pressure for Palestinians to become equal-rights citizens. Israel has already rejected that concept, saying it would threaten the Jewish character of the state. President Abbas is not playing games and he is not going to hold on to the presidency just for the title, Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat told AFP. If president Abbas feels that his project of establishing a Palestinian state is in danger and that Israel wants to destroy the idea of a Palestinian state, then I think he will not remain in the position of the presidency. If there is not going to be a Palestinian state, then there is not going to be a Palestinian Authority, Erekat said. His comments came as US President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held closed-door talks in Washington as efforts to relaunch peace talks floundered. After months of backing the Palestinian call for Israel to freeze all settlement activity before the resumption of talks, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton hailed an Israeli offer of a limited reduction in construction as unprecedented, sparking Arab fury. Although Washington has since backtracked, this has done little to allay concerns over one of the thorniest issues in the Middle East conflict. For Palestinians who have watched the number of Israeli settlers double since the start of the Oslo peace process in the mid 1990s, gobbling up land on which they hope to establish a state the settlements issue is crucial. Days after Clinton s controversial statement, Abbas said he would not stand for reelection in a poll called for January in what aides said was a result of frustration with the US stance. Analysts said the move also aimed at putting pressure on Washington to act more forcefully on settlements. France, where Netanyahu is due to hold talks with President Nicolas Sarkozy on Wednesday, said that it was still pushing for a settlement freeze before peace talks resume. Indispensable We think that a freeze on settlements, that s to say no more colonisation while talks are ongoing, would be absolutely indispensable, Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner told France Inter radio. Another senior Palestinian official told AFP that Abbas is likely to resign if the peace process remains bogged down. If that happens the Authority will fall, and there will not be a Palestinian Authority or any of the institutions of a Palestinian state, the official said, requesting anonymity. The Authority was created in the mid 1990s as part of the Oslo peace accords that gave Palestinians limited self-rule in parts of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Should it be dissolved, responsibility for administering the Palestinian territories would probably again fall to Israel as the occupying power that captured the West Bank and Gaza during the Six-Day War of Meanwhile, the chief Palestinian negotiator on Monday warned Israel that if it does not take peacemaking seriously, it will find itself dealing with the militant Hamas instead of moderates like him. Negotiator Saeb Erekat and other Palestinian officials have been quoted as recommending dismantling the Palestinian Authority, set up in interim accords with Israel to prepare for creation of a Palestinian state. Erekat said that plan has failed because 18 years of negotiations since the two-state solution was raised have gone nowhere. We have reached our defining moment, he said. We are still trying to convince the Israelis to stop (West Bank) settlement activities and accept a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza, and if progress is not made, we will have to take other steps. He would not elaborate. But he denied calling for dissolving the Palestinian Authority. I didn t say that. Nobody said that, he told The Associated Press in a telephone interview late Monday. He spoke as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was about to meet President Barack Obama in Washington. The summit was announced late Sunday only after Netanyahu had arrived in Washington, forcing both sides to deny the last-minute invitation reflects US frustration with the hawkish premier. Israeli prime ministers hardly ever go to Washington without meeting the US president, usually holding a high-profile press conference. Israel s ties with the Obama administration have become strained over Netanyahu s rejection of demands for a full settlement freeze in the West Bank ahead of peace talks. The White House appeared wary not to present Monday s meeting as a backing of Netanyahu s stance. The policy of the United States government for many decades has been: no more settlements, that s not something that is new (with) this administration, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said before the talks. Netanyahu on Monday urged Abbas, who last week announced he would not run for re-election in January, to start immediate negotiations. I say today to Mahmud Abbas, the leader of the Palestinian Authority, let us seize the moment to reach an historic agreement. Let us begin talks immediately, he told a conference of North American Jewish leaders. Setbacks On Wednesday, Netanyahu heads for Paris to meet President Nicolas Sarkozy, Israeli officials said. He will leave Washington facing a number of setbacks to its efforts to relaunch peace talks. The first came when Secretary of State Hillary Clinton last week praised Netanyahu s offer of a limited easing of settlement construction as unprecedented, triggering Arab fury. The declaration marked a stark break from months of US support of the Palestinian demand for a total settlement freeze. Clinton later backtracked, but her statements were widely interpreted as a U-turn by Washington which could put pressure instead on the Palestinians to restart talks without preconditions. The Obama-Netanyahu meeting a little more than a week after Clinton s remarks would likely reinforce that view among Palestinians and the Arab world, analysts said. Netanyahu insisted that no Israeli government has been so willing to restrain settlement activities as part of our efforts to relaunch peace talks. The Palestinian Authority warned before the Obama- Netanyahu meeting that violence could again erupt if Washington fails to get Israel to halt settlement building. Violence will rush in to fill the void left by the failure of efforts to relaunch the peace process if the US administration does not hurry up and exert pressure on the Israeli government, presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina told AFP. File photo shows Egypt s antiquities chief Dr Zahi Hawass (center), supervises the removal of King Tut from his stone sarcophagus in his underground tomb in the famed Valley of the Kings in Luxor, Egypt. (AP) King Tut s tomb set for renovation Egypt s famous Tomb of Tutankhamun will undergo a five-year project to clean and restore the lavish wall paintings in the underground chambers of the boy king whose golden mask and artifacts have long awed the world. The project to restore the country s most famous tomb is the latest collaboration between Egypt s Supreme Council of Antiquities and the Los Angeles-based Getty Conservation Institute, which in the past restored nearby tombs and designed airtight cases to display Egypt s mummies. Since the small, four-roomed tomb and its famous golden burial mask were discovered in 1922 by British archaeologist Howard Carter, observers have noted strange brown spots marring the wall paintings. RAMALLAH, West Bank, Nov 10, (AFP): Every time Nader Ismail comes to Ramallah he makes his way to the white mausoleum of Yasser Arafat, the father of the Palestinian struggle for statehood, to say a prayer. President Arafat is a symbol of the Palestinian revolution, and I cannot come to Ramallah without reading the fatiha (Quranic verses) over his tomb, says Ismail, who lives in a small village 50 kms (30 miles) away. Five years after the leader passed away, the Palestinians are fiercely divided and no closer to their dream of statehood, with the divergent paths of peaceful negotiations and armed struggle both at an apparent impasse. Arafat s successor Mahmud Abbas, his authority confined to the Israeli-occupied West Arafat Bank, has said he will step down in January out of frustration with Washington s failure to get Israel s right-wing government to freeze settlements ahead of fresh peace talks. His rivals in the Islamist Hamas movement meanwhile rule over an increasingly isolated Gaza Strip still devastated from an Israeli onslaught at the turn of the year aimed at halting rocket attacks. The two sides are as bitterly divided as they were when Hamas seized power in Gaza in June 2007, a crisis most Palestinians believe the wily and charismatic Arafat would have never allowed. If this division had happened during Arafat s era he would have felt as though he had died 10 times every hour, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat, a lifelong Arafat aide, told AFP. This black rift is the most painful Palestinian wound. During the nearly four decades in which Arafat led the Palestinian struggle he often had troubled relations not only with Israel and Arab states but with Hamas, which vehemently opposed his decision to sign the 1993 Oslo A symbol of revolution I always see the tomb of King Tut and wonder about those spots, which no scientist has been able to explain, said Zahi Hawass, the head of the SCA, in a statement. Now I am happy that the Getty will look at the tomb and preserve its beautiful scenes, he added. Thousands of tourists visit the underground chambers in the Valley of the Kings every month, bringing heat and humidity, which damage the more than 3,000-year-old tomb. Tutankhamun wasn t Egypt s most powerful or important king, but his staggering treasures, rumors of a mysterious curse that plagued Carter and his team debunked by experts long ago and several books and TV documentaries dedicated to him have added to his intrigue. (AP) Palestinians adrift after Arafat autonomy accords launching talks with Israel. But most Palestinians, even former rivals, remember Arafat for catapulting their cause onto the world stage and never giving up on their core demands of an independent state with its capital in east Jerusalem. A recent opinion poll found 81.9 percent of Palestinians in all the territories missed him. When Abu Ammar was around the entire world respected us, but now we are very weak, said Salim Abu Nadir, 36, a teacher in the West Bank town of Nablus, using Arafat s popular nickname. Now we re like a football that gets kicked around... America and Europe and some Arab countries are pressuring us to give in to Israeli conditions. Abbas has said he will not run in the elections he called for Jan 24 because of the US failure to convince Israel to halt settlement activity which the Palestinians say threatens the establishment of a viable state. The Palestinians internal rift meanwhile appears to be deepening, with Hamas having rejected the elections called by Abbas and vowing to prevent the vote from being held in Gaza. Hamas, which still has grudging respect for Arafat despite his security forces crackdown on the Islamist group in the 1990s, blames Abbas for causing the divide by abandoning Arafat s willingness to resort to armed struggle. Arafat refused to make concessions on principles, senior Hamas official Ismail Radwan said. We paid a price for that, but that was how we were able to preserve national unity. He believed in the option of resistance as one of many strategic options for the Palestinian people to recover their rights, which is the opposite of Mahmud Abbas, who has targeted the resistance, he added. In the West Bank there is a mass rally planned to commemorate Arafat, who died in a French hospital on Nov 11, 2004 at the age of 75 Ḃut in Gaza those who revere the departed leader do so largely in secret, fearful of attracting the attention of the Hamas-run police, who killed seven people at a giant rally held in Gaza on the third anniversary of his death.

10 INTERNATIONAL Suicide car bomb kills 32 people in Pakistan market, say officials CHARSADDA, Pakistan, Nov 10, (AFP): A suicide car bomb tore through a crowded shopping street in Pakistan on Tuesday, killing 32 people in the third militant attack to strike the nuclear-armed country in as many days. The bomber blew up his vehicle in the heart of the northwest town of Charsadda on a road lined with fruit and juice shops, ripping off shop roofs and littering the ground with slippers, Seven of the dead are children 20 assailants take part in abduction Ties with US won t suffer, say Italians MANILA, Philippines, Nov 10, (AP): Gunmen in camouflage stormed a plywood factory and abducted three workers Tuesday, a day after suspected Muslim militants beheaded a kidnapped schoolteacher on a nearby southern Philippine island, officials said. About 20 assailants broke through a wooden fence and took away three men from the factory in coastal Maluso town on Basilan Island, military spokesman Maj David Hontiveros said. The latest abductions in the restive southern region, where al-qaedalinked Abu Sayyaf militants have evaded US-backed Philippine offensives, came as the military promised a swift retaliation for the beheading of a teacher whose family failed to raise ransom money on Jolo Island. The severed head of Gabriel Canizares, 36, was left in a bag at a Jolo town gas station Monday, three weeks after suspected Abu Sayyaf militants stopped a passenger minibus and dragged him away in front of his colleagues. Hontiveros refused to say if the Abu Sayyaf also was suspected in the Basilan attack. The kidnappers and hostages, including two factory managers, were moving on foot and authorities were tracking them, said Basilan Vice Gov Al Rasheed Sakalahul. He suspected ransom was the motive for the attack. BRDO PRI KRANJU, Slovenia, Nov 10, (AFP): Italy s foreign minister said Monday he did not expect ties with the US to suffer because of the conviction of 23 CIA agents for the 2003 abduction of an Egyptian cleric. I don t think there will be any problem due to the verdict, Franco Frattini said on the sidelines of a meeting with Slovenia s Foreign Minister Samuel Zbogar at Brdo pri Kranju, near Ljubljana. The decision was taken by an Italian court and not by the Italian government and, as you well know, the Italian government was of a different opinion, he added. human flesh and broken push carts. The United States has put Pakistan on the frontline of its war against Al-Qaeda and has been increasingly disturbed by deteriorating security in the country where attacks and bombings have killed about 2,500 people in 28 months. I was buying something before closing my shop. A car was parked on the other side of the road and all of a sudden there was a huge blast, said Hazrat Ali, a shopkeeper with shrapnel wounds to his chest and forehead. There was smoke and darkness everywhere. I passed out, he told AFP. The blast damaged signboards and at least six vehicles, including two buses, during the afternoon shopping rush in the town s most popular market. The death toll has gone up to 32 and more than 100 people have been wounded in this suicide attack, Senior Minister of North West Frontier Province Bashir Bilour told reporters. Seven children and three women were among the dead, police said. The wounded were being treated in Charsadda and the northwestern capital Peshawar on the edge of Pakistan s tribal belt, which US officials call the most dangerous place on Earth and a chief Al-Qaeda sanctuary. The government blames increasing attacks on Tehreeke-Taleban Pakistan (TTP), which is the target of a major ongoing offensive and which wants to avenge the killing of their leader Baitullah Mehsud by a US missile in August. Charsadda is the ideological centre of the secular Awami National Party (ANP), which is currently governing NWFP, and the town has been struck by a series of deadly bomb and suicide A Pakistani father mourns the death of his son after a car bombing in Charsadda, Pakistan, Nov 10. A suspected car bomb exploded outside a crowded market in northwest Pakistan on Tuesday, killing at least 32 people in the latest attack by suspected militants apparently aimed at avenging an army offensivealong the Afghan border. (AP) Gunmen kidnap 3 in Philippines Spain negotiating with Somalia over pirates Somali pirates demand $3 mln for ship with 18 crew MOGADISHU, Somalia, Nov 10, (AP): Pirates have hijacked a Panamanian-flagged ship with 18 crew off the east coast of Africa, the latest in an increasing number of attacks, a Somali businessman said Tuesday. A group of Somali businessmen called the Juba General Trading Company had hired the al-mizan to carry cargo from the United Arab Emirates to Mogadishu, said Abdirisaq Abdulkadir, the head of the consortium. Abdulkadir said there are 15 Indians, two Pakistanis and a Somali on board. He denied media reports that the ship is carrying weapons. The ship was carrying 3,000 tons of general business materials, he said. It set out from Dubai Roadside bomb kills one US soldier in Afghanistan TV footage shows Taleban with US ammo KABUL, Nov 10, (AP): Television footage broadcast Tuesday showed insurgents handling what appears to be US ammunition in a remote area of eastern Afghanistan that American forces left last month following a deadly firefight that killed eight troops. The US military said the forces that left the area said they removed and accounted for their equipment. The Al-Jazeera video showed insurgents handling weapons, including anti-personnel mines with US markings on them, but it was unclear when the video had been filmed. The television station reported that insurgents said they seized the weapons from two US remote outposts in Nuristan province. The ammunition could be used against US and Afghan forces, although the amount shown was not extensive. However, the footage will no doubt be used by insurgent propagandists to promote their victory over the Americans and encourage their supporters. Separately, NATO officials said international forces and the Afghan National Police seized 5,000 components used in roadside bombs and 250 tons ammonium nitrate fertilizer, which is often used in making explosives. Fifteen people were detained in Sunday s raid on a warehouse in Kandahar. Another 4, pound bags of fertilizer were found in a nearby compound. NATO also said a US troop was killed Tuesday by a roadside bomb in Helmand province, but provided no other details. Nuristan was the site of an Oct 3 battle in which some 200 fighters bombarded a joint US-Afghan army outpost with small arms, rocket-propelled grenades and mortar shells. Eight US troops died as well as three Afghan soldiers in one of the heaviest losses of US life in a single battle since the war Cabinet approves package Japan pledges $5 billion for Afghanistan TOKYO, Nov 10, (AFP): Japan said Tuesday it would give up to five billion dollars in new aid to Afghanistan over the next five years to help rebuild the war-torn nation. The announcement came just ahead of US President Barack Obama s visit to Tokyo on Friday and Saturday. We will offer aid of up to five billion dollars over five years, the government said in a statement after the cabinet of centre-left Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama approved the package. Since coming to power in September, the Hatoyama government has said it will end a naval refuelling mission that has supported the US-led campaign in Afghanistan, but instead promised to step up aid. began. Lt Col Todd Vician, a spokesman for NATO forces, said the material in the footage appears to be US equipment. He said it was unclear how the insurgents got the weapons. It s debatable whether they got them from that location, Vician said, referring to the mountainous Kamdesh district of Nuristan where the nearly six-hour battle took place. Tech Sgt. Angela Eggman, another spokeswoman for NATO, said no formal investigation was being conducted regarding the on the 24th of October. We were expecting it on the 6th or 7th of this month but it did not arrive. When the consortium called the ship, he said, a pirate answered the phone and said it had been hijacked. A man who answered a satellite phone number provided by Abdulkadir on Tuesday identified himself as a pirate and said the bandits were demanding a $3 million ransom. The man refused to give his name for fear of arrest. He said the ship was captured 10 days ago about 60 miles off the Somali coast. Meanwhile, the Spanish government is negotiating with Somali authorities over the possible transfer of two suspected pirates held in Spain, Spanish The $5 billion is likely to be disbursed through international organisations such as the UN Development Programme, said media reports. The main pillar is assistance, such as job training, to help former Taleban soldiers return to mainstream society, and the redevelopment of the capital city of Kabul. The aid will also include salary payments for police officers and teaching programmes on rice farming and agricultural development. We will provide our maximum support for the improvement of Afghanistan s capability to maintain security, the government said. It is necessary to set up a practical system in which former soldiers can return to society. claims in the video. Before departing the base, the units removed all sensitive items and accounted for them, Eggman said. Nuristan s provincial police chief Gen. Mohammad Qassim Jangulbagh disagreed, saying, The Americans left ammunition at the base. Three American platoons were deployed at the two posts, mostly troops from Task Force Mountain Warrior of the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, based at Fort Carson, Colorado. media said Tuesday. The two were captured and brought to Spain over their alleged role in the seizure of Spanish tuna trawler, the Alakrana, and its 36 crew members on Oct 2. The kidnappers of the Alakrana are demanding the release of the two suspects as well as four million dollars (2.6 million euros) in ransom. The crew s families have appealed to Spain s government to negotiate with the kidnappers, who have threatened to kill the hostages. The government is working intensively to reach a deal with Somalia to allow the handing over of the two pirates held in Spain, the daily El Pais said, quoting government sources. attacks targeting ANP leaders. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said militants were waging a guerrilla war to avenge the military operation against the Taleban in South Waziristan. They are launching suicide attacks because our army has captured their strongholds in the tribal region, he told parliament late Tuesday. Pakistan authorities, embarrassed and weakened by the deluge of attacks, repeatedly bat aside suggestions that security services, which have a history of supporting Islamist groups in a bid to counter rival India, could do more. It is a war-like situation and foolproof security is not possible in such a situation. Our police force is geared up for any emergency... They are motivated and tackling terrorism with great courage, NWFP law minister Arshad Abdullah said. Armed police officers guard some of the seven suspected Somali pirates as they walk to the Mombasa Law Courts, Kenya, after disembarking from a police vehicle to answer charges of piracy on Nov 10. The seven who were arrested by marine officers on board a German naval ship MV Frigate Karlsruhe, had attempted to hijack a fishing trawler Captain St Vincent. (AP) Kiramat (center), who asked to go by his nickname because he fears Taleban retaliation for cooperating with NATO, arrives at the Rocco combat outpost in the Uzbeen valley, Surobi district, some 50 kms northeast of Kabul, Afghanistan, Nov 8. (AP) Afghans being won over French make gains in contested valley COMBAT OUTPOST ROCCO, Afghanistan, Nov 10, (AP): Shortly before nightfall, an Afghan farmer slipped into this Nato outpost with a bag of ammunition and gear he d collected from nearby Taleban positions. It turned out not to be much: pieces of 82-millimeter mortar guns and some combat food rations. Still, the French officers commanding the base were thrilled. The informant s help encouraged the French, who believe they re slowly winning over the population in the Uzbeen Valley northeast of Kabul. To that end, French Nato forces, steeped in counterinsurgency, say they are treating sick children rather than bombing Taleban positions and focusing on intelligence-gathering rather than major ground offensives. The French methods aren t that different from the counterinsurgency tactics that US commander Gen Stanley McChrystal outlined this summer for the roughly 100,000 international forces in Afghanistan. Now discussing a troop surge with the Obama administration, McChrystal says he needs the manpower to spread deeply across Afghanistan and focus on winning the population rather than simply killing Taleban. The French example could serve as a test case for that strategy. Let s not gloat about a socalled French touch, said Col Benoit Durieux, the commander of the elite Foreign Legion battalion overseeing the Surobi area east McChrystal of Kabul, where nearly a third of the 3,000 French troops in Afghanistan are stationed. I think all Nato forces are trying this, and maybe Surobi is more favorable terrain. Success can be fleeting in counterinsurgency warfare, and if the French leave, the Taleban could return. Still, there are signs of progress. A year ago, the Uzbeen Valley, about 30 miles (50 kms) northeast of Kabul, was entirely in Taleban hands. Overlooking the main road between the Afghan capital and Pakistan, as well as a dam that provides much of Kabul s electricity, the valley was teeming with insurgents. In one of the single bloodiest ambushes against coalition forces, 10 French soldiers were slain when they first tried to move into Uzbeen in August Attacked Now the Foreign Legion holds two-thirds of the valley, overseeing about half of Uzbeen s population of 25,000. Rocco, the outpost they established last August, has been directly attacked only once. The front line, known as parallel 44 after its position on the military grid, starts barely a mile uphill. The estimated 40 remaining insurgents mount fierce counterattacks every time Nato forces tentatively cross that line, but they are in a cul-de-sac, with their backs to mountains that rise over 13,000 feet (4,000 meters), and increasingly cut off from resupply lines. The French estimate they ve killed or wounded at least a dozen insurgents during the small-scale clashes they ve had in recent weeks. But killing the Taleban isn t as important as sidelining them, Durieux says. His goal in the months ahead is to peel off local, part-time fighters from the hard-line Taleban. It s all a question of social pressure, we re there until villagers get the insurgents to quit or leave, said Durieux, adding his troops are willing to offer amnesty and protection to smalltimers who renounce violence. We re nibbling north up the valley, step by step, and I think insurgents will tire before we do. Capt Vincent, the second-incommand at the Rocco combat outpost, named after an American liaison officer who died in a car crash here earlier this year, thanked the informant for carrying in the mortar pieces. Vincent, who like other soldiers gave only his first name because of French army regulations, served him tea as they debriefed. I went all the way up the cliff to fetch these, in my sneakers, said the farmer, who asked to go by his nickname, Kirarmat, because he feared Taleban retaliation for cooperating with Nato. He said he thought about snatching a large white Taleban banner that floats over Uzbeen s high ground, but decided against it for fear of being caught and possibly beheaded. Snow had begun falling at above 6,500 feet (2,000 meters) in the valley, and a sharp, cold rain was drenching the French outpost lower down. Kirarmat confirmed the insurgents were getting miserably cold in their barren positions high in the foothills of the Hindu Kush mountains. Commander Two Taleban had just returned their Kalashnikovs to Mullah Azrat, their local commander, because they didn t want to fight anymore, he said. A dozen fighters from Pakistan were also preparing to go home before the weather got unbearable, Kirarmat added. Information gathered from villagers like Kirarmat can provide precious intelligence once crosschecked with drone observations and other methods. But I view the mere fact he wants to work with us as a sign of success, said Capt Guillaume, the commander of the French Foreign Legion company stationed in Uzbeen. Kirarmat gets no pay for the help he gives at considerable personal risk. He reached out to Nato forces after receiving a letter the French distributed seeking assistance from civilians in Taleban-held areas. A relative working for the government had recently been killed by insurgents at a polling station during the Afghan presidential election in August. I absolutely hate the Taleban. I want them crushed, he said through a translator during an interview with The Associated Press. In presence of French officers, he said Nato s work in the valley building roads, handing out farming gear and medication had convinced him the US-led coalition and government forces would eventually win. Though he wouldn t elaborate on whether he d once sided with the insurgency, the informant acknowledged a large section of his Pashtun clan lives in the Taleban-held villages farther up the valley. Kirarmat said his relatives readily provide him with detailed information on insurgents that he then passes on to the coalition. Out of earshot, he also hoped the French would help him retaliate against the Taleban for his dead relative. Our pride is what we live for, he said. I want revenge. 10

11 INTERNATIONAL 11 Future Tory admin will reduce state intervention: Cameron Big government can t fight corruption LONDON, Nov 10, (RTRS): A future Conservative government would reduce state intervention and turn to charities and community activists to tackle poverty and inequality in Britain, party leader David Cameron will say in a speech on Tuesday. But he will also turn his back on the laisser-faire approach to welfare adopted by the Conservatives under Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s that saw levels of deprivation and unemployment soar. Poverty and inequality have got worse, despite Labour s massive expansion of the state, Cameron will say, according to excerpts of the speech released in advance. He will say government intervention since Labour came to power in 1997 has squeezed out human kindness, generosity and imagination. The recent growth of the state has promoted not social solidarity, but selfishness and individualism, he will say. There is less expectation to take responsibility: to work, to stand by the mother of your child, to achieve, to engage with your local community... Why? Because today the state is ever-present: either doing it for you, or telling you how to do it, or making sure you re doing it their way. Instead the Conservatives would redistribute power to individuals and local communities, and encourage people to take part in social renewal. Our alternative to big government is the big society, he will say, adding that the state s role should be to help families, charities and communities to come together to solve problems. Matters to be sorted out in next few days Blair only UK candidate for EU job: Brown LONDON, Nov 10, (RTRS): Former prime minister Tony Blair is the only British candidate seeking one of the new top jobs in the European Union, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said on Tuesday. Brown said Blair wanted to become the bloc s new president, but Britain s Foreign Secretary David Miliband would not attempt to become the EU high representative for foreign affairs. Britain has only one candidate for the European Council positions that are being discussed at the moment. That candidate is Tony Blair and his candidature is for the presidency of the council, Brown told a news conference. These matters will be sorted out in the next few days. Labour Work and Pensions Secretary Yvette Cooper said Cameron was being dishonest to suggest his proposals would reduce deprivation. The voluntary and community sector play a vital role in tackling poverty, often working with public services and with public funding, but they cannot do it alone, Cooper said. Miliband was never a candidate for the high representative job, Brown added. After emerging as a front-runner for the foreign affairs role, Miliband, 44, has distanced himself from the post and supporters say he wants to focus on his career in Britain. His name often crops up on lists of possible future leaders of Brown s centre-left Labour Party and he was briefly linked to a challenge to his leadership last year. The post of president of the Council of EU leaders is being created under the EU s Lisbon treaty, designed to make decision-making smoother at the top of a political and trading bloc representing nearly 500 million people. David Cameron is calling for the state to withdraw, leaving people to fend for themselves and charities and community groups to pick up the pieces. This is a return to Thatcherism, or even nineteenth century liberalism cutting back on government action on poverty, yet still backing tax cuts for the wealthiest estates. Britain pays respects to six new war dead flown home from Afghanistan WOOTTON BASSETT, England, Nov 10, (AP): Hundreds gathered in this small English market town Tuesday to pay tribute to six soldiers killed in Afghanistan five of whom were shot to death by an Afghan police officer trained by allied forces. The deaths have been branded as a betrayal in Britain British and allied forces have spent years training Afghan forces and securing villages vulnerable to Taleban attacks but they have also added to waning support for the US-led mission. Life support to be switched off Father drops baby right-to-life fight LONDON, Nov 10, (RTRS): A father who has been fighting to stop the life support for his seriously ill baby son being switched off, on Tuesday withdrew his opposition to the move which had been backed by doctors and the little boy s mother. The decision came on the seventh day of an emotionally charged High Court hearing in which a judge faced the formidable task of deciding whether chronically disabled oneyear-old baby RB should be allowed to live, or die in peace after withdrawal of his ventilation. Baby RB was born in October last year with what is thought to be congenital myasthenic syndrome (CMS), a rare neuromuscular condition which severely limits the ability to breathe and move limbs. Expert medical witnesses described him as having a normal brain locked inside an immobile and non-communicative body. All of the parties in court now agree that it would be in RB s best interests for the course suggested by the doctors to be followed, lawyers for the health authority caring for the baby in intensive care told the judge Justice McFarlane. The judge said it was a sad but in my view inevitable outcome and the only tenable one for RB, the Press Association reported. Deaths branded as a betrayal in UK Honor beyond Faldo s dreams LONDON, Nov 10, (AFP): British golf great Sir Nick Faldo said receiving his knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II on Tuesday had been an unbelievable experience. Faldo, Britain s most successful golfer of modern times with six Majors to his credit (three British Opens and three US Masters), is now entitled to call himself Sir Nick It was amazing, said the 52-year-old Faldo after being dubbed a knight by the Queen in a ceremony at Windsor Castle, west of London. That was an unbelievable experience, added the Englishman. Some 232 British troops have died since 2001, questions have erupted over a lack of equipment for the troops and several military officers have resigned over the mission s strategy. Other governments with troops in Afghanistan, including the United States, have faced similar discontent. I don t support the war anymore, said Anne Saville, a 54-year-old surveyor from Bolton, in northern England. There seems to be no end in sight and no justification for the troops to be out there. President Obama is due to decide whether more US troops will be deployed a decision that The coffins of six British soldiers are driven through Wootton Bassett, England, after being repatriated at RAF Lyneham, Nov 10. Hundreds gathered in this small English market town Tuesday to pay tribute to six soldiers killed in Afghanistan, five of whom were shot to death by an Afghan police officer who turned against them. (AP) Group to share 45.5 mln Magnificent 7 quit UK call centre on lottery win LONDON, Nov 10, (RTRS): Seven call centre workers who will share Britain s biggest lottery prize with a couple from south Wales said on Tuesday they have already told their bosses that they are leaving. The seven, who worked for US computer company Hewlett Packard in Liverpool, won 45.5 million in a syndicate that they only formed four months ago. The winners, dubbed the Magnificent Seven, said they had worked out it would have taken 150 years for their combined wages to match that sum. We have all handed in our notice, said James Bennett, one of the members of the group, who will each pocket 6.5 million. We all plan on leaving. Syndicate leader John Walsh, 57, said he found out they had won at 3 am on Sunday morning when he checked the EuroMillions numbers on Teletext after he couldn t sleep. I had to wake my wife, son and daughter so that they could double-check I was not dreaming, he told a news conference. Walsh calmly rang other members of the group to tell them that they had won a few thousand pounds, before he went into the office to collect the ticket and revealed the true amount. Houses, cars and holiday homes topped their shopping lists. However, the youngest winner, Alex Parry, 19, said she now hopes to go to university to study business after initially being put off by the high costs. I never wanted to go to uni because I didn t want all the debts afterwards, so now I think I might go, she said. Lottery operator Camelot said the 91 million jackpot was Britain s biggest ever lottery payout. It will be shared with unemployed mechanic Les Scadding, 53, and his wife Samantha Peachey- Scadding, 38, from south Wales. Scadding said he had been telling his family for the last 12 years that he always felt he was going to win a lottery jackpot. could affect Britain s 9,000 troops. Any decision to send more troops could backfire for the British Labour-led government, which lost significant support from voters in local and general elections when it joined the US-led occupation in Iraq. A poll last week showed that 64 percent of Britons up from 58 percent in a similar poll over the summer think the war is unwinnable. And 63 percent of the 1,009 people across Britain who were questioned wanted the troops withdrawn from Afghanistan. The poll had an error margin of three percentage points. British media coverage of troop deaths in Afghanistan has been constant, and Wootton Bassett about 85 miles (135 kms) west of London has become a somber reminder of the treacherous mission. The flag-draped coffins arrive at a nearby Royal Air Force base and then travel through the town s streets lined with grieving family members, friends and veteran s groups. The numbers lining the streets have swollen from dozens to thousands in the past two years. For the six bodies returning Tuesday, five of the soldiers were killed a week ago when an Afghan police officer trained by allied forces opened fire at a checkpoint in the volatile southern province of Helmand. The gunman escaped. A sixth soldier died in an explosion Thursday. The slain men ranged in age from 22 to 40. The repatriations usually broadcast live on television has taken on national significance in this small country with a voracious national media This year, the American military removed its 18-year ban on media covering the return of US service members killed in action if family permission was provided. The British way of mourning war dead is quite formal, said Robert Lee, spokesman for the Royal British Legion. Euromillions lottery winners (from left to right), Emma Cartwright, Ceri Scullion, Sean Connor, Alex Parry, James Bennett, Donna Rhodes and John Walsh celebrate their GBP 45,570,836 win at a hotel near Liverpool in north-west England, on Nov 10. (AFP) The fountain of the Great Court of Cambridge University s Trinity College is seen on Oct 29. The 500-year-old college, one of the wealthiest academic institutions, has bought The O2, London s top music venue. (AFP) Trinity pays 24m for O2 Cambridge college buys top London music venue CAMBRIDGE, England, Nov 10, (AFP): Cambridge University s Trinity College, one of the world s oldest seats of learning, would not normally be associated with showbiz glitz and the pounding beats of rock music. But the 500-year-old college, one of the wealthiest academic institutions, has bought The O2, London s top music venue, where Led Zeppelin staged their famous comeback and Michael Jackson planned to do so, too. The purchase of the site fits well with the long-term investment strategy of the college, said Rory Landman, senior bursar at the college which lists Isaac Newton among its alumni, along with 32 Nobel Prize laureates. The long-term income stream from this and Trinity s other property investments helps secure the future of world-class education and research at Trinity College, he added. Trinity paid 24 million (27 million euros, $40 million) last month for Meridian Delta Dome Limited (MDDL), the holding company which controls the 999- year lease of The O2, formerly known as the Millennium Dome. The purchase adds to an already vast property portfolio owned by Trinity, one of the oldest and largest of the 31 colleges in the University of Cambridge, eastern England. The college is Britain s third largest landowner after only the Crown Estate and the Church of England its students like to relate that you can travel from Cambridge to London, or the city s ancient rival Oxford, without stepping off Trinity soil. Trinity, founded in 1546 by king Henry VIII, refuses to divulge figures on its investments and property, which include News in Brief Brown apologises: Gordon Brown said on Tuesday he had apologised to the grieving mother of a British soldier killed in Afghanistan, who had taken offence at a sloppily written condolence note from the Prime Minister. Jacqui Janes had called the handwritten note, which appeared to mis-spell her son s surname, a hastily scrawled insult. In his regular press conference, Brown expressed regret and blamed the incident on his poor handwriting. Brown I apologised to Jacqui Janes yesterday for any mistakes that had been made, he said. The last thing on my mind was to cause any offence to (her) and I think people know me well enough to know that it would never be my intention... to cause any grief to a grieving mother. I understand very well the sadness that she feels, and the way that she has expressed her grief is something that I can also clearly understand. Brown s apology was made in a private phone call to Janes which she had taped and which was reproduced by The Sun newspaper, a critic of government policy on Afghanistan. Downing Street said Brown was unaware his conversation was being recorded. (RTRS) Family relieved at arrest: The family of a British teacher killed in Japan two years ago expressed their relief Tuesday that the only suspect in her murder had finally been arrested. Bill Hawker said it had been a long, hard battle for his family to ensure that Tatsuya Ichihashi was made to face justice over the murder of his 22-year-old daughter Lindsay Ann. We re just so relieved that this part of our life is over. I can go down to my daughter s grave this afternoon and tell her, he said outside the family home in Coventry, central England. Flanked by his wife and two other Felixstowe on the east coast, Britain s largest container port. But the Cambridge University Reporter, the institution s official journal, suggested that Trinity s property is insured for more than 260 million pounds, while the Education Investor business magazine put its rent yields in 2008 at 40 million pounds. The O2, which attracts about eight million visitors a year, is the icing on the cake. It brings with it rents from management firm AEG that last year totalled 1.5 million pounds. It s definitely a good investment, said Oli McFarlane, 20, the president of the Trinity College Student Union and a third-year Natural Sciences student. The college s income was evident in the lifestyle of its 1,100 students, he told AFP, adding: At Trinity, you notice the wealth of the college. If you can t pay your bills, they just say, No worries, we can wait. Many other colleges have financial difficulties at the moment, they are pressing their students hard... Trinity has so much cash. McFarlane noted that a nearby college asked its students to pay for their food and lodging for the year in one payment, rather than in three as they had previously a 3,000 sum that many may find hard to come up with. Tuition fees at Cambridge and most universities across Britain are set by the government at about 1,100 pounds for each of the three terms. Trinity cannot help out its students here but it does have a generous system of grants. The bursary system is incredibly rich. The problem is not to find money but to find students with scholarships, McFarlane said. Unnatural, hysterical UK couple in court over howling sex LONDON, Nov 10, (AFP): A British couple whose sex sessions were so noisy that neighbours could not sleep heard in court how their marathon romps sounded like someone being murdered, reports said Tuesday. Steve and Caroline Cartwright s howling lovemaking sounded unnatural, hysterical and like they are both in considerable pain, Newcastle Crown Court in northeast England heard. A 10-minute recording of their sex sessions was played out before a judge and two magistrates in the court, who also heard how he tried covering her face with a pillow to muffle the orgasmic screams. Neighbours at their home in Washington, south of Newcastle, complained about the noise as did a woman who walked past the house taking her child to school, and the postman. The couple were banned from shouting, screaming or vocalisation at such a level as to be a statutory nuisance, but now Caroline Cartwright, 48, is appealing against her conviction for breaching a noise abatement notice. Caroline Cartwright said she was unable to stop the din. I tried to control it. I even tried to use a pillow (over her face) to try and lessen the noise, she said. I have tried to minimise the situation by having sex in the morning not at night so the noise was not waking anybody. Next-door neighbour Rachel O Connor said: It s just quite unnatural. The noise sounds like they are both in considerable pain. daughters, he said: Our lives will never be the same. But at least tonight we know that Ichihashi is caught and he can t do this to anybody else, he can t destroy another family like he s destroyed our family. (AFP)

12 ISSUES 12 Obama warns of strains unless US, China balance growth Hard for Iran to make decisions WASHINGTON, Nov 10, (RTRS): An unsettled political situation in Iran may be complicating efforts to seal a nuclear fuel deal between Tehran and major world powers, US President Barack Obama said on Monday. Obama told Reuters in an interview that the United States had made more progress toward global nuclear non-proliferation in the last several months than in the past several years. But it is going to take time, and part of the challenge that we face is that neither North Korea nor Iran seem to be settled enough politically to make quick decisions on these issues, he said at the White House. Obama said the United States, along with Russia, China, Germany, Britain and France, had made a fair offer to Iran that would allow it to have a legitimate civilian nuclear program while allaying suspicions that it was seeking to build atomic weapons. Iran maintains its nuclear program is for purely civilian purposes. The proposal by the UN International Atomic Energy Agency calls for Iran to transfer about 75 percent of its known 1.5 metric tons of low-enriched uranium to Russia for further enrichment by the end of this year, then to France for conversion into fuel plates for a Tehran reactor that produces radio isotopes for cancer treatment. In talks with six world powers in Geneva on Oct 1, Iran agreed in principle to the draft deal. But the deal has since stalled over details and goals and Iranian suspicions that any nuclear fuel sent abroad will not be returned to them. Although so far we have not seen the kind of positive response we want from Iran, we are as well positioned as we ve ever been to align the international community behind that agenda, Obama said. The United States sees China as a vital partner and competitor, but the two countries need to address economic imbalances or risk enormous strains on their relationship, President Barack Obama said in the interview. Three days before leaving on a nine-day trip to Asia, Obama said the world s two most powerful nations need to work together on the big issues facing the globe, and any competition between them has to be fair and friendly. On critical issues, whether climate change, economic recovery, nuclear nonproliferation, it is very hard to see how we succeed or China succeeds in our respective goals, without working together, Obama continued. Speaking in the Oval Office, he warned that the economic relationship between the two countries had become deeply imbalanced in recent decades, with a yawning trade gap and huge Chinese holdings of US government debt. Obama said he would be raising with Chinese leaders the sensitive issue of their yuan currency which is seen by US industry as significantly undervalued as one factor contributing to the imbalances. As we emerge from an emergency situation, a crisis situation, I believe China will be increasingly interested in finding a model that is sustainable over the long term, he said. They have a huge amount of US dollars that they are holding, so our success is important to them. The flipside of that is that if we don t solve some of these problems, then I think both economically and politically it will put enormous strains on the relationship. Excessive consumption and borrowing in the United States and aggressive export policies, high savings and lending from Asia fueled a global economic bubble which burst last year. The United States is trying to persuade China to consume more at home, and to buy more US goods in the process, while Washington pledges to save more and borrow less. Leaders of the Group of 20 major rich and emerging economies pledged at a summit in Pittsburgh in September to aim for policies to ease economic imbalances. Obama said one of the goals of his trip was to build on that agreement. Open markets The Obama administration has resisted domestic pressure to brand China a currency manipulator, but has slapped tariffs on Chinese tires, steel pipes and other products. Obama said he would be telling Beijing it needed to do more to open its markets. Our manufacturers, I think, would have legitimate concerns about our ability to sell into China, he said, emphasizing that boosting US sales oversees was a crucial part of his strategy to revitalize the economy and create jobs. Obama took office in January when the US economy was mired deep in recession. Although there have been mounting signs of economic recovery, unemployment is stubbornly high. The US jobless rate jumped to 10.2 percent in October, the highest rate in 26 years. It is particularly important for us when it comes to Asia as a whole to recognize that in the absence of a more robust export strategy it is going to be hard for us to rebuild our manufacturing base and employment base in this country, Obama said in the 21-minute interview. Climate change Obama said addressing climate change would also be a key part of the talks with his Chinese counterpart, Hu Jintao, and added the world s two biggest emitters of carbon dioxide needed to find common ground if global talks on the issue in President Barack Obama walks to the Oval Office where he gave an interview on a wide range of topics including the political situation in Iran. (AP) Copenhagen in December are to succeed. The key, he said, was for the US and China to reach a framework agreement other nations could buy into. I remain optimistic that between now and Copenhagen that we can arrive at that framework, he said, adding he would travel to Denmark next month if he felt there was a chance of progress. If I am confident that all of the countries involved are bargaining in good faith and we are on the brink of a meaningful agreement and my presence in Copenhagen will make a difference in tipping us over edge then certainly that s something that I will do, Obama said. Obama will be visiting China for the first time. But the trip will mark his third bilateral meeting with China s President Hu. The Obama administration has sought to build on a policy begun in the Bush administration of encouraging Beijing to take on a higher-profile role in global affairs. But in turn the United States expects China to use its clout responsibly on issues from the global economy to the Iranian and North Korean nuclear disputes. One of the clearest signals of the administration s desire to give China and other large, fast-growing economies a bigger role was the decision adopted at the Pittsburgh G20 summit to make the G20 the premier forum for discussing global economic issues. A vital partner A Thomson Reuters/Ipsos poll published last week showed that while Americans view China as important, many are wary. Thirty-four percent of Americans chose China as the most important bilateral relationship ahead of Britain and Canada. Yet when asked to characterize China, 56 percent saw it as an adversary while only 33 viewed it as an ally. I see China as a vital partner, as well as a competitor, Obama said. The key is for us to make sure that that competition is friendly, and it s competition for customers and markets, it s within the bounds of well-defined international rules of the road that both China and the United States are party to but also that together we are encouraging responsible behavior around the world. Obama has been accused by some of soft-pedaling on China s human rights record, criticism he rejected. We believe in the values of freedom of speech, freedom of press, freedom of religion, that are not just core American values but we believe are universal values, he said. And there has not been a meeting with the Chinese delegation in which we did not bring these issues up. That will continue. Obama s Asia trip will take him to Japan, Singapore, China and South Korea. Following is the transcript of the interview: Question: You ve described China as a partner of opportunity, not necessity. Reuters and Ipsos actually took a poll last week, and Obama: I saw it in your article. Question: Okay. Well, we found that Americans place a high importance on the relationship but tend to view Beijing as more of an adversary than a friend. And I m wondering, do you see China as a rival or do you see it as an ally? Obama: Well, I see China as a vital partner, as well as a competitor. The key is for us to make sure that that competition is friendly, and it s competition for customers and markets, it s within the bounds of well-defined international rules of the road that both China and the United States are party to, but also that together we are encouraging responsible behavior around the world. And on critical issues, whether climate change, economic recovery, nuclear non-proliferation, it s very hard to see how we succeed or China succeeds in our respective goals without working together. And that is, I think, the purpose of the strategic partnership and that s why this trip to China is going to be so important. Question: What about trade? Obama: Well, trade... Question: In terms of the rival... Obama: As I said, we are competitors. We have a very important economic relationship. One of the goals of this trip is to build off what we talked about at the G20, which is that over the last several decades that relationship was deeply imbalanced. On the one hand, we benefited greatly from cheap imports into the United States when it comes to as consumers. On the other hand, that was financed by huge debt, both on the consumer level and at the business and federal levels, or government levels, that are unsustainable, and our manufacturers I think have legitimate concerns about our ability to sell into China. One of the things that we need to do coming out of this extraordinary economic crisis that we ve seen over the past year is to move beyond this imbalanced bubblebased economic model towards one that is sustainable. And that means us selling more exports into China; it means us being more responsible in terms of our savings rate; it means China building on the growing consumer demand in their country. If both countries recognize their interest in a more sustainable growth model, then I think we will both benefit and the world in general will see greater stability. Question: One of the causes of those imbalances that you talked about during your campaign was the currency issue, manipulation of the currency. And I d just like to ask you directly, are you going to raise that with the President of China on your visit? And do you agree with US manufacturers when they say that the Chinese currency is significantly undervalued? Obama: Tim Geithner, my Treasury Secretary, has been talking extensively to his counterpart about not only currency issues but the whole array of factors that have contributed to these imbalances. That broader conversation will be at the center of our conversations with the Chinese delegation. And as I said before, I think that as we emerge from an emergency situation, a crisis situation, I believe China will be increasingly interested in finding a model that is sustainable over the long term. They have a huge amount of US dollars that they re holding, so our success is important to them. The flip side of it is that if we don t solve some of these problems, then I think both economically and politically it will put enormous strains on the relationship. So I m confident that so the answer is, currency, along with a host of other issues, will come up. And I m confident that both the United States and China can arrive at a broad set of policies that encourages trade, that benefits both countries, that allows ongoing economic growth. It s particularly important for us when it comes to Asia as a whole to recognize that in the absence of a more robust export strategy, it s going to be hard for us to rebuild our manufacturing base and our employment base in this country. And right now we have about 9 percent of a 9 percent share of Asia s not just China, but Asia s trade overall, and it s estimated that for every 1 percent of increased share that we get, that could mean 250,000, 300,000 jobs. So this is a jobs agenda for the United States. And the nice thing is, is that, look, Chinese consumers, they I think are ready to consume more. In some ways their consumption has been put on the backburner in the interest of export-led growth. That was an entirely legitimate strategy as they were trying to pull themselves out of very difficult economic times. As they become more confident, I think that they will be more interested in the kind of balanced growth that we think is achievable. Question: Sure. But you keep away from... I mean, just very quickly, you keep away from sort of perhaps talk in the campaign of calling... China a currency manipulator? Obama: I think that it s important as President of the United States to make sure that as we enter into these discussions that we are looking at all the issues involved and not just one. Question: Mr President, you said currency would be one of many issues. I want to look at another one that might come up. Critics have said that you are softer on China on human rights than your predecessor, and that this has encouraged hardliners. Will human rights be a big part of your talks with the Chinese, and will you are you prepared to get tough on them on this issue? Obama: You know, I don t find the critics credible, because if you look at my statements, they have been entirely consistent, we believe, in the values of freedom of speech, freedom of press, freedom of religion, that are not just core American values, but we believe are universal values. And there has not been a meeting with the Chinese delegation in which we didn t bring these issues up. That will continue. Question: If we could turn to another one of those key questions: climate change. That s obviously going to be a key issue in your talks with the Chinese. Just on the subject of climate change, could we ask you whether you are intending to go to Copenhagen for the talks? You went there for Chicago s bid for the Olympics; are you intending to go there for the climate change summit? Obama: Well, here s what I ll say. Since before I was sworn in, I was very clear that I think dealing with climate change is vital to our security interests, is vital to our economic interests. It is an opportunity, as well as an enormous challenge, for us to shift to a clean energy economy. And after eight years in which there was resistance to even acknowledging the problem, I think my administration has been very clear that we intend to be a leader on this issue internationally. Now, getting to a deal internationally is difficult. This will be one of the top subjects for our conversations with the Chinese. In my previous conversations with President Hu Jintao, I think he acknowledges that this is an area of great interest to the Chinese. The effects of climate change could be devastating on their agricultural systems and their ecology. And the key now is for the United States and China as the two largest emitters in the world to be able to come up with a framework that along with other big emitters, like the Europeans and those countries that are projected to be large emitters in the future like India, can all buy into. And I remain optimistic that between now and Copenhagen, that we can arrive at that framework. It s hard work. And one of the things that I ve come to believe based on a lot of summits this year is that the work is really not done at the summit; the work is done before the summit. And if I am confident that all the countries involved are bargaining in good faith and we are on the brink of a meaningful agreement and my presence in Copenhagen will make a difference in tipping us over the edge, then certainly that s something that I would do. But I ve got to make sure that over the next three weeks, pressure is continually applied on our teams and everybody else s teams to actually create a framework that people can sign off on. Question: Do you think there s more you can bring, apart from what s happening on the Hill, sort of legislation which may not indeed be ready by then, but I mean Obama: Well, I think everybody understands that the Senate won t have acted on climate change legislation before Copenhagen. And our key partners, including Prime Minister Rasmussen of Denmark, the host, who s taken a very constructive and active role on this issue, I think recognizes that not every t is going to be crossed and i dotted in the next three weeks. I think the question is, we can create a set of principles, building blocks, that allow for ongoing and continuing progress on the issue, and that s something I m confident we can achieve. And I am confident also last point I d make I m confident that the American people will recognize the enormous opportunity around a clean energy economy and the ability for us to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. But it takes time. In meetings with world leaders, I ve repeatedly explained that America is not a speedboat; we re a big ocean liner. And you can t reverse course overnight. But what we can do and we are doing is I think changing the trajectory of how we approach this issue, both in terms of public opinion, attitudes on Capitol Hill, and certainly among businesses who really understand that for America to lead in this issue ultimately will create enormous economic opportunities. Question: I d like to ask about Iran and North Korea. You won the Nobel Prize for your nuclear disarmament efforts but don t seem to be making a lot of progress on either. And one of the stumbling blocks seems to be China, in both cases. Can you convince the Chinese to get tougher? And if you can t, do you really expect progress anytime soon? Obama: Well, first of all, I think it s very important to say that if by lack of progress you re suggesting we have not already eliminated nuclear weapons from the face of the earth in the first nine months of my administration, then that s true. Question: Come on, you ve won the Nobel Prize. Surely, by now... Question: What s taking so long? Obama: Right. On the other hand, I m confident that the United States and Russia is going to sign a start treaty that institutes verifiable, serious reductions in our nuclear arsenals. That is something that we saw as an important message to send to the world, that we re not only talking about non-proliferation when it comes to other countries, but we are serious about meeting our commitments under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. That will be accomplished, I believe, by the end of the year. With respect to North Korea, we were able to institute very vigorous sanctions that are being followed by countries around the world. And China was a signatory to that security resolution. And I have to remind people that the expectations were very low when North Korea first started on these tests. And the expectation was China would never go along, and yet they did, on much more robust sanctions than people expected. With respect to Iran, we have unprecedented agreement with Russia and the other P5-plus-1 countries putting an offer on the table to Iran that every international observer suggests is a fair offer, giving them a pathway for legitimate civilian nuclear energy use, but that makes clear they are not that builds confidence in a process that will lead to an Iran without nuclear weapons. And although so far we have not seen the kind of response positive response that we want from Iran, we are as well positioned as we ve ever been to align the international community behind that agenda. So I would strongly argue that we have made more progress on this issue over the last several months than we ve seen in the last several years. But it is going to take time. And part of the challenge that we face is, is that neither North Korea nor Iran seem to be settled enough politically to make quick decisions on these issues. Obama: I ve used up our time. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs: You have two minutes, so go quickly. Question: One quick question. You re nearing the final stages of your decisionmaking on Afghanistan. Obama: Yes Question: And I know that you ve been frustrated that a lot of the discussion has spilled out into the public view. Obama: Yes, it does seem... Question: But given that it has... Gibbs: Was that the question? Question: Given that it has, do you think that you have leeway to give General McChrystal anything less than the 40,000-troop increase that he s requested without risking the perception that you re weakening the commitment in Afghanistan? Obama: That s not how I think about the problem. My obligation my solemn obligation, as Commander-in-Chief, is to get this right. And then I worry about people s perceptions later. Question: Sir, then I would just throw in one last final question. You know, you ve had a very challenging first year, nearly a year in office. And you ve had some notable successes, the economy, and made a lot more progress on health care than many people would have thought. I d just like to ask you whether you think you ve made any mistakes in your time? Obama: Oh, we make at least one mistake a day. Question: Any you d like to tell us about? Obama: But I will say this, I don t think we ve made big mistakes. I don t think we ve made fundamental mistakes. Everything from how we handled some of the early vetting on our appointments to how I phrased commentary on an arrest in Cambridge to I mean, there are constant sort of things that I think have proven unnecessary distractions. But in terms of the core decisions that we ve made to rescue the economy, to move forward on a path for moving our troops from Iraq, on making sure that we ve gone through a rigorous process in Afghanistan to how we have moved health care to a place that seven Presidents have not been able to get to. I feel very good about our progress. Gibbs: Thanks, guys. Question: Thank you very much. Obama: Thanks for taking the time. I appreciate it. Thank you so much.

13 SUBCONTINENT 13 China expresses dissatisfaction Dalai Lama holds prayer A Buddhist monk wearing prayer beads on his head, attends a preaching session of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama in Tawang, near the frontier with Chinese-controlled Tibet, Arunachal Pradesh state, India, Nov 10. (AP) TAWANG, India, Nov 10, (AFP): The Dalai Lama on Tuesday held a second mass prayer meeting close to India s border with Tibet, as China took a fresh swipe at his week-long tour of the Arunachal Pradesh region. The exiled Tibetan spiritual leader told tens of thousands of devotees gathered in Tawang that Tibetan Buddhism faced great difficulties but that their religion and culture would survive the challenges. China protested vigorously before the trip, and on Tuesday a spokesman in Beijing said the Dalai Lama s presence in Arunachal state fully exposed his anti-chinese nature. China claims Arunachal state, in northeast India, as its own territory, and also accuses the Dalai Lama of seeking to split up China by campaigning for an independent Tibet a charge he denies. With ties between India and China strained by the visit, Beijing added on Tuesday that it had expressed its strong dissatisfaction with India allowing the Dalai Lama s visit to the disputed area. The Indian government has said that the Nobel laureate, who has lived in exile in the country for 50 years, is free to travel where he wishes, but it has also discouraged reporting of his trip to Arunachal. On his arrival on Sunday, the Dalai Lama said that his agenda was non-political and that Beijing s accusations that he wanted an independent Tibet were totally baseless. His trip to the ethnically Tibetan region has triggered widespread celebrations, with large crowds trekking for days to see a man they consider a living God. Beijing s reaction to the Dalai Lama s visit is simply illogical, said Thengu Dhondup, a Buddhist monk from Sella, a village on the Chinese border, who listened to Tuesday s teachings. The Dalai Lama is visiting an Indian town and China should have no problems with that. India flu death crosses 500 NEW DELHI, Nov 10, (AFP): More than 500 people have died from swine flu in India since the first fatality was reported in August, the health ministry said Monday. The western state of Maharashtra has seen the largest number, with 207 deaths from the influenza A(H1N1) virus, the ministry said in a statement. Besides the 502 deaths, more than 14,000 people Communists lose in key state elections KOLKATA, India, Nov 10, (RTRS): India s communists on Tuesday lost key seats in elections held in two of their heartland states, weakening them further and paving the way for the ruling Congress government to speed up reforms. In West Bengal state, ruled by the world s longest-serving democratically elected communist government, the Trinamool Congress, an ally of the ruling Congress party, won seven of 10 byelections, while the Congress won two. In southern Kerala, the Congress party won by-elections held in all three seats, defeating the communists. The weakening of the left will make it more easy for the Congress-led government in New Delhi to carry out its economic reforms, said Abhirup Sarkar, an economist with the Indian Statistical Institute. The job becomes easier for the government. The communists provided crucial support for the earlier Congress-led federal government from outside, allowing stakes sales in some state-run firms but blocking reforms in the insurance, pension and banking sectors. They withdraw support last year over a civilian nuclear deal signed with the United States. In this year s April/May parliamentary polls, the communists won just 24 parliamentary seats, down from 60 earlier. Experts said an aggressive land acquisition drive for industry in West Bengal has seen the left alienate rural voters the backbone of its support for decades and send them into the folds of the opposition Trinamool Congress. have tested positive for swine flu across India since it was first detected here in May, it added. More than 5,700 people have died worldwide since the virus was first discovered in April, with most of the deaths in the Americas region, according to the World Health Organization. The Americas region accounts for nearly three quarters of the global toll with 4,399 deaths, an increase of 224 in a week. Pakistan capable of securing nuke arsenal, says Gen Majid ISLAMABAD, Nov 10, (RTRS): Pakistan is capable of ensuring the security of its nuclear arsenal and a report it is negotiating understandings for US units to augment the weapons safety was absurd, a top Pakistani commander said. The security of Pakistan s nuclear weapons and facilities has been brought into question by an increasingly violent Islamist insurgency, though the United States has repeatedly said it has confidence in Pakistan s ability to protect them. The New Yorker magazine reported in its latest issue Pakistan and the United States were negotiating highly sensitive understandings that would allow specially trained US units to augment security for the Pakistani weapons in case of a crisis. The Pakistani military s Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee chairman, General Tariq Majid, rejected the report as absurd and plain mischievous. There is absolutely no question of sharing or allowing any foreign individual, entity or a state, any access to sensitive information about our nuclear assets, Majid said in a statement. Highly sensitive understandings under discussion: New Yorker Activists of Jammu Kashmir Democratic Youth Federation shout slogans during a protest against the Indian government s ban on prepaid cellphones in Srinagar, Nov 10. The Indian government announced the ban on pre-paid connections last weekend, citing concerns that militants were using them to trigger bombs in Kashmir, the scene of a deadly 20-year-old insurgency against New Delhi s rule. (AP) News in Brief Landslides, floods kill 45: Heavy rain in southern India triggered flash floods and landslides that killed 45 people in the last 24 hours and left about 1,000 tourists stranded, police said Tuesday. More than 70 deaths have been recorded across several districts in the state of Tamil Nadu in the last week, where downpours have caused widespread damage to buildings and ruined crops. Police and fire officials worked to rescue about 1,000 domestic tourists who were trapped after two major roads were cut off in the hillside district of Nilgiris, about 450 kms (280 miles) west of the state capital Chennai. Rescuers used cranes to remove giant boulders from railway tracks in the area, which received up to 61 centimetres (24 inches) of rain over two days, police said. (AFP) Kashmir talks agreed: A major separatist leader in Indiancontrolled Kashmir agreed Tuesday to take part in direct talks with New Delhi to settle a six-decades-long dispute over the Himalayan province. The decision by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq offers some hope in the long-stalled effort to resolve the conflict. However, three previous rounds of talks ended in failure, and other separatists leaders appeared divided over whether to try again. (AP) India bans US ship: The Indian government said Tuesday it will not allow a US-flagged ship to be dismantled at a shipyard in the western state of Gujarat after a team of experts found toxic and radioactive material on board the vessel. The federal government ordered the Gujarat government not to allow the aged American cruise liner Platinum II to berth. They said technical experts examined the ship and found evidence of asbestos and some radioactive substances in the hull. (AP) Myanmar leader to visit S. Lanka: Myanmar s junta leader General Than Shwe will visit Sri Lanka this week for bilateral talks and to tour Buddhist shrines, the foreign ministry said Tuesday. The reclusive leader will arrive Thursday at the invitation of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse, a ministry official said, asking not to be named because she was not authorised to speak to the media. (AFP) Maoists block highways: Nepal s former rebels protested against the president and government Tuesday, blocking highways leading to the capital and cutting off road access to the city. Supporters of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), the former rebels, gathered on the highways connecting Katmandu with the rest of the Himalayan nation. At the Thankot checkpoint, the main entrance to Katmandu, hundreds of Maoist supporters held banners and their party s red flag, stopping vehicles and chanting slogans. (AP) Rare turtle confined: Hundreds of poor Hindu villagers in eastern India have refused to hand over a rare turtle to authorities, saying it is an incarnation of God, officials said on Tuesday. Villagers chanting hymns and carrying garlands, bowls of rice and fruits are pouring in from remote villages to a temple in Kendrapara, a coastal district in eastern Orissa state. (RTRS)

14 INTERNATIONAL 14 World News Roundup Crime Killer profiled Ties to deaths abroad probed CLEVELAND, Nov 10, (AP): Authorities are investigating whether a suspected serial killer whose home and yard harbored the remains of at least 11 people is connected to any killings in places he lived while in the military, including Japan, California and the Carolinas. The FBI will investigate any leads in the case against Anthony Sowell, 50, who served in the Marines from 1978 to 1985, said Scott Wilson, an FBI spokesman in Cleveland. Sowell FBI behavioral specialists visited the Sowell property during the weekend and will try to develop a profile of the killings that could help determine whether investigations need to be opened or reopened elsewhere, Wilson said. Sowell was stationed at various times at South Carolina; North Carolina; Okinawa, Japan; and Camp Pendleton, California. Unsolved The city of East Cleveland is also reviewing three unsolved slayings in 1988 and 1989, after Sowell returned there from service in the Marines and before he went to prison for attempted rape, said Sgt Ken Bolton, a detective for the police department in the Cleveland suburb. Sowell has been charged in Cleveland with five counts of aggravated murder in connection with the bodies found at the home. He was indicted Monday on one count of attempted murder, two counts of rape, two counts of kidnapping and two counts of felonious assault in an alleged attack Sept 22 that led to the search of his home. Sowell has asked for a courtappointed attorney, but court records don t reflect that one has been chosen. The FBI will review its national database of unsolved crimes for any clues to possible connections to Sowell, particularly at his military service locations, Wilson said. The first step is to get a detailed timeline of his service, Wilson said. Confirm Police in Coronado, California, near Camp Pendleton, said a woman told them that she saw Sowell s mug shot on TV and was sure he had raped her in Officers talked with the woman but were unable to confirm her story because rape investigation records from 30 years ago have been thrown out, said Jesus Ochoa, Coronado police commander. She seemed credible, he said. Near Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, Onslow County Sheriff Ed Brown and his deputies are sifting through paper records to check for any unsolved killings or disappearances during the time Sowell was at the Marine base from May 20, 1978, to July 12, Brown said he has already run Sowell s name through computerized court files and hasn t found that Sowell got so much as a traffic ticket while in the area. But the paper search is slow going. The computer technology then is not what it is now, Brown said. Near Parris Island, where Sowell did his initial Marine training, Beaufort County authorities said they were waiting to be told the specific dates Sowell lived in the area before going back over any cases. Once we have received more concrete information regarding the time frame in question, we will certainly be evaluating any connections to unsolved crimes in our area, said sheriff s Cpl Robin McIntosh. The unsolved East Cleveland slayings of Rosalind Garner on May 27, 1988, Carmella Prater on Feb 27, 1989, and Mary Thomas on March 28, 1989, will be checked against the autopsies of the bodies found at Sowell s home to check for similarities, Bolton said. It s for the family s closure, he said. They are unsolved and they happened around the time that he was not in jail. No connections had been made by Monday, he said. Also Monday, the remains of two additional women Janice Webb, 48, and Kim Yvette Smith, 44 were identified by the Cuyahoga County coroner s office, according to Cleveland police Lt Thomas Stacho. Webb, of Cleveland, was last seen June 3 and reported missing Aug 2. Webb had a son and three grandchildren and had struggled with alcohol and drug addictions, said her sister, JoAnn Moore. She was loving and regardless of her addiction, she knew that we loved her unconditionally, Moore said. Police said they had searched for Webb by checking with friends and relatives and at hospitals and shelters. Webb s boyfriend, Ronnie Bowie, said he last saw her in June when she left to visit family and friends in Sowell s neighborhood. A memorial is shown honoring the victims of the 2002 sniper shootings that gripped the metro D.C. area, Nov 6, at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, Md. (Inset): In this Oct 21, 2002 file photo, Montgomery County Police Chief Charles Moose reading from a notebook during a news conference in Rockville, Md., regarding the sniper shootings in the metro D.C. area. (AP) Gov. David Paterson speaks to a joint session of the Legislature at the Capitol in Albany, NY on Nov 9. Paterson asked legislators to support painful midyear spending cuts to help close a $3 billion budget deficit. A special session is planned for Tueday to enact any cuts and possibly consider other measures, including legalisation of same-sex marriage. (AP) Kennedy America Gotti Court mulls juveniles sentences: A seemingly divided US Supreme Court wrestled Monday in Washington with whether teenagers can be locked away forever for their crimes. The question arose in two cases involving Florida men who are serving life prison terms with no chance of parole for crimes they committed as teenagers. Their lawyers argue that the sentences for people so young are cruel and unusual, in violation of the Constitution, because young people have greater capacity to change. The US Constitution specifically bans but does not define cruel and unusual punishment. Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote the Supreme Court opinion four years ago that ruled out the death penalty for people under 18, judging them less responsible than adults. So most eyes were on him Monday as the court considered whether to extend that rationale to life without parole sentences. But Kennedy offered little hint of his position, at one point suggesting it might be difficult to distinguish between juveniles and adults in cases that do not involve the death penalty. Why does a juvenile have a constitutional right to hope, but an adult does not? he asked. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg provided a possible answer, wondering whether teenagers can be accurately evaluated at the time they are sentenced. It may be possible that only after some years have passed that the state can determine, Has this person overcome those youthful disabilities? she said. Sniper US area relives terror of Washington sniper Supreme Court denies stay of execution WASHINGTON, Nov 10, (Agencies): Washington sniper John Allen Muhammad, who killed 10 people in a 2002 shooting spree around the US capital, was to be put to death Tuesday after the nation s top court denied a stay of execution. Muhammad s lawyers had appealed for the US Supreme Court to delay the execution while it examines a plea on whether his sentence was constitutional. The application for stay of execution of sentence of death presented to the chief justice and by him referred to the court is denied, Monday s Supreme Court ruling obtained by AFP said. Muhammad was to be put to death by lethal injection at 9:00 pm (0200 GMT) Tuesday in Virginia. During the 2002 rampage that left 10 people dead and the Washington region paralyzed with fear, Muhammad, a skilled marksman, picked off victims in shopping malls, outside schools and at gas stations. With the aid of a high-power sniper rifle and scope, he unleashed a reign of terror over three weeks, killing each of his victims with a single bullet fired from a distance. He was tracked down after an exhaustive manhunt by federal and local police. But his lawyers argued Muhammad On the other side of the issue, Justice Samuel Alito questioned whether every last juvenile offender had to be given a second chance. Some of the actual cases in which this sentence has been imposed in Florida involve factual situations that are so horrible had not been properly legally represented during his trial in March 2004, when his legal team did not contest his request to defend himself even though he was clearly suffering from mental problems. Constitutional The defense team had asked the Supreme Court to rule on whether the 2004 sentence was constitutional, and a hearing had been set for Nov 24. In a dissenting statement attached to the ruling, Justice John Stevens, backed by two other justices, said Monday: This case once again highlights the perversity of executing inmates before their appeals process has been fully concluded. By denying Muhammad s stay of application we have allowed Virginia to truncate our deliberative process on the matter involving a death row inmate that demands the most careful attention. This result is particularly unfortunate in light of the limited time Muhammad was given to make his case to the district court. Muhammad s lawyers last week asked the nation s highest court to halt his execution to give the justices more time to examine an appeal against his death sentence. Trial counsel knew that Muhammad had been diagnosed with severe mental that I couldn t have imagined them if I hadn t actually seen them, Alito said, recounting two that involved the rape of children. (AP) I-quit contrary to evidence: Don t Floritza Parra, (left) and Isaac Cruz listen to music during a vigil Nov 9, in front of the home of Army Pvt Francheska Velez, 21, in Chicago. Velez, pregnant and preparing to return home, was one of the people killed in the Fort Hood shootings last week. (AP) illness, and personally observed Muhammad s struggle with severe symptoms of psychiatric disorders prior to the start of the trial, said one of two documents presented to the court last week. These paranoid and delusional beliefs were clearly evident in and had devastating effect on, Muhammad s behavior in this case, the lawyers petition read. Muhammad s teenaged accomplice, Lee Boyd Malvo, who was 17 at the time of the shootings, is serving a sentence of life in prison. Awful When James D. Martin was shot dead seven years ago in the parking lot of a grocery store in suburban Washington, it got little attention on the nightly news. Early the next morning, a landscaper was fatally shot in nearby Rockville, also by a.223-caliber bullet. Then a cabbie, at a gas station not far away. There was another shooting a half-hour later just up the road a woman slain as she sat reading on a sidewalk bench. Within 90 minutes, another woman was gunned down while vacuuming her van at a service station. By 10 am, it was clear that something sinister was happening. Something awful. Then it spread. A shooting that night in Washington believe a defense lawyer s argument that John Junior Gotti quit organized crime with a sudden epiphany more than a decade ago, a prosecutor told a jury Monday during closing arguments in Gotti s fourth trial on racketeering charges in as many years. Defiant, unapologetic Man confesses killing WICHITA, Kansas, Nov 10, (AP): Defiant and unapologetic, a man accused of shooting a Kansas abortion provider confessed to the slaying Monday, telling The Associated Press that he killed the doctor to protect unborn children. Scott Roeder, 51, of Kansas City, Missouri, spoke to the AP in a telephone call from jail, saying he plans to argue at his trial that he was justified in shooting Dr. George Tiller. Because of the fact preborn children s lives were in imminent danger this was the action I chose.... I want to make sure that the focus is, of course, obviously on the preborn children and the necessity to defend them, Roeder said. Defending innocent life that is what prompted me. I mean, it is pretty simple, he said. Roeder is charged with one count of first-degree murder in Tiller s death and two counts of aggravated assault for allegedly threatening two ushers who tried to stop him during the May 31 melee in the foyer of the doctor s Wichita church. moved the sniper killings south. The next day, a woman was wounded in a craft store parking lot in Virginia, 50 miles (80 kilometers) from DC. Fear reigned. People stayed indoors, afraid to go shopping or pump gas. Authorities on television recommended ways to avoid becoming targets. Schoolchildren were kept inside at recess and drilled on duck-andcover techniques. Then came a lull three days without a shooting. But on Oct 7, 13-year-old Iran Brown was shot in the chest as he was dropped off at school in Maryland, just east of Washington. We were thinking everything was going to be OK, said retired school teacher Bernice Easter. It wasn t. On Oct 19, a man was shot outside a steakhouse in Virginia, about 80 miles (130 kilometers) south of Washington. Three more days passed quietly. Then bus driver Conrad Johnson was killed in Maryland, not far from where the shootings began. On Oct 24, police captured John Allen Muhammad and teenage accomplice Lee Boyd Malvo at a rest stop 50 miles (80 kilometers) northwest of D.C. The nervetingling terror that had gripped the region s 5.4 million people and captivated the nation was over. Assistant US Attorney James Trezevant called the claim contrary to evidence. It makes no sense, he said as he started daylong closings. Gotti would have had to turn against hundreds of mobsters working for him and immediately stop more than a decade of nonstop crime, Trezevant said. He has never, never quit that life, the prosecutor said as Gotti sat calmly at the defense table at the 2-month trial. Three others ended in mistrials. Gotti s lawyer, Charles Carnesi, countered the prosecution s closing by attacking the government s turncoat witnesses, saying they were willing to tell lies about Gotti to reduce their own prison sentences. The trial should be a search for the truth. The truth should not be for sale, Carnesi said. Carnesi finished for the day without addressing the prosecutor s claims that Gotti never quit organized crime. He left the subject for Tuesday morning, when he will resume his argument. Carnesi has maintained that Gotti quit the Gambino family business when he pleaded guilty in 1999 to racketeering and agreed to serve five years in prison. Just before he concluded the defense case earlier Monday, Carnesi introduced evidence to show that a fellow mobster threatened Gotti s life after hearing he had given up organized crime. Trezevant told the jury to convict Gotti of racketeering conspiracy and two drug-related murders, saying he had made millions of dollars by creating a mob-run network of drug dealers in the 1980s that he maintained using violence, including murder. (AP)

15 INTERNATIONAL 15 Healthcare Abortion complicates debate Clinton meets with Senate Democrats WASHINGTON, Nov 10, (Agencies): Former President Bill Clinton knows just how high the political stakes are in the fight to overhaul America s health care system. His failed attempt to revamp the delivery of medical care contributed to the Republican takeover of the House and Senate in Now, with the fate of health care legislation in the Senate s hands, Clinton is heading to Capitol Hill where he s expected to speak to Senate Democrats during their weekly caucus on Tuesday, officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss his schedule. President Barack Obama wants to sign the legislation into law by the end of the year. But abortion opponents in the Senate are seeking tough restrictions in the health care overhaul bill, a move that could roil a shaky Democratic effort. A fight over abortion could complicate Senate action on a sweeping US healthcare reform bill as some moderate Democrats on Monday voiced support for a strict ban on using federal funds to pay for the procedure. Sen Ben Nelson of Nebraska said Monday he could not support a bill unless it clearly prohibits federal dollars from going to pay for abortions. Nelson is weighing options, including offering an amendment similar to the one passed by the House this weekend. I want to make sure something comparable... is in there, Nelson said. The House-passed restrictions were the price Speaker Nancy Pelosi had to pay to get a health care bill passed, on a narrow vote. But it s prompted an angry backlash from liberals at the core of her party, and some are now threatening to vote against a final bill if the curbs stay in. Obama said the legislation needs to find a balance. I want to make sure that the provision that emerges meets that test that we are not in some way sneaking in funding for abortions, but, on the other hand, that we re not restricting women s insurance choices, Obama said in an interview with ABC News. Senate Democrats will need Nelson s vote and those of at least a half-dozen other abortion opponents in their caucus. They face a grueling debate against Republicans who are unified in their opposition to a sweeping remake of the health care system. It s unclear how the abortion opponents would line up; the pressure on them will intensify once the legislation is on the floor. An intraparty fight over abortion is the last thing that Majority Leader Harry Reid needs. Reid is already facing a revolt among Democratic moderates over the government-sponsored health plan that liberals want to incorporate in the legislation as a competitor to private insurance companies. Reid, who is himself opposed to abortion, will have to confront the issue directly as he puts together a Democratic bill for floor consideration. Two Senate committees approved separate health care bills which differ on abortion, but none would go as far as the restrictive amendment passed by the House. The House bill would bar the new government insurance plan from covering abortions, except in cases of rape, incest or the life of the mother being in danger. That s the basic rule currently in federal law. It would also prohibit health plans that receive federal subsidies in a new insurance marketplace from offering abortion coverage. Insurers, however, could sell separate coverage for abortion, which individuals would have to purchase entirely with their own money. At issue is a profound disagreement over how current federal restrictions on abortion funding should apply to what would be a new stream of federal funding to help the uninsured gain coverage. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi addresses a news conference at Swedish Medical Center, Nov 9, in Seattle. Pelosi toured Swedish on her first public appearance after the House passed a health care bill over the weekend. (AP) America Hostage crisis ends peacefully: A hostage drama ended peacefully on Tuesday after the gunman who briefly captured the principal at a high school in New York State surrendered following police negotiations, a local official said. He is in custody, he has given himself up. No gunshots fired, said Gregg Pulver, town supervisor in Pine Plains, speaking on CNN television. The students are safe. We have a good outcome. The gunman was an adult who had attended Stissing Mountain High School in the 1980s, Pulver said. The short standoff began at the start of the school day in Pine Plains, about 90 miles (144 kilometers) north of New York City. Police, including heavily armed SWAT officers, quickly locked down the school and none of the approximately 500 students and 100 other staff were at risk. They have him isolated. The students are in their classrooms, are locked down. You know, there are police in the building, Pulver said during the crisis. The incident initially prompted fears of the kind of extreme violence periodically erupting in US schools, universities and other crowded establishments. Last Thursday a US army major opened fire on his own comrades, killing 13 and wounding 42 others at Fort Hood in Texas. (AFP) Pulver Mallahan Powder sent to consulates: Envelopes containing suspicious powder were sent to three foreign consulates in Manhattan on Monday, but initial tests suggested the mailings were a hoax, police officials said. A field test done on the powder sent to the Uzbekistan Consulate came back negative for anthrax or any other dangerous substance, New York Police Department spokesman Paul Brown said. Envelopes containing a powder were also sent to the French and Austrian consulates. All three envelopes had Dallas, Texas, postmarks, and at least one contained a note referencing al-qaeda, Brown said. The potential threat prompted an emergency response from federal and local authorities, including hazardous material units that decontaminated employees of the consulates who handled the envelopes. The FBI is working with the NYPD to determine the origin of these letters, said Richard Kolko, spokesman for the FBI s New York Office. Our field office will follow all leads to locate the sender. (AP) Mallahan concedes mayor race: T- Mobile executive Joe Mallahan has conceded defeat in the race to be Seattle s next mayor, handing environmental attorney Mike McGinn a victory, Mallahan conceded Monday after the latest batch of results from King County revealed McGinn had more than doubled his lead. After Monday s King County results, McGinn s lead was nearly 5,000 votes. Last Friday, he led Mallahan by 2,384 votes. The two newcomers finished ahead of incumbent Mayor Greg Nickels in the August primary. McGinn s campaign highlighted his activism with the Sierra Club, the national environmental organization. (AP)

16 INTERNATIONAL 16 World News Roundup People watch the individually painted dominos falling along the former route of the wall in Berlin on Nov 9, as part of the celebrations marking the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Some 1,000 giant dominos, many of them decorated by schoolchildren, will be toppled during the official ceremony in Berlin on Nov 9, the day of the commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the fall of the wall. (Inset): Former Polish president Lech Walesa pushes the first of the individually painted dominos along the former route of the wall in front of the Reichstag in Berlin. (AFP) Europe Merkel back to work after party: Fresh from the euphoria of celebrations for the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, Chancellor Angela Merkel pulled no punches Tuesday as she outlined the hefty challenges facing Germany. In her first major policy speech since winning a second four-year term in elections in September, Merkel, 55, said that despite tentative signs of recovery, the economy, Europe s biggest, was still in its worst post-war slump. The problems are going to get bigger before the situation improves, Merkel told the German parliament as she outlined a 24-billioneuros ($36-billion) package of tax cuts to get the economy moving. As a consequence of the crisis, Germany now finds itself in the worse recession in its history. The economic contraction is five times worse than the previously worst slump in the early 1970s, added the chancellor. There are the first faint signs of recovery but large parts of industrial production are still well under their pre-crisis levels. Important banks are still dependent on the state, the financial system is still far from capable of supporting the German economy, and in particular a recovery. Export-dependent Germany as a whole has been hit hard by the global recession, pushing it into its steepest slump in six decades, leaving the country s public finances and its reputation for fiscal rectitude in tatters. (AFP) Nazi hit man trial postponed: The trial of an 88-year-old man accused of murdering three civilians in wartime Holland as part of a Nazi hit squad was postponed Tuesday until next week on medical grounds. The decision came on the third day of the trial after defense attorneys for Heinrich Boere argued their client could not hear the proceedings properly. When questioned by presiding Judge Gerd Nohl, Boere sitting in a wheelchair with a monitor on a finger of his right hand measuring his blood pressure and blood oxygen levels indicated he had not understood when the charges against him were read in court last week, despite saying then that he had. Only, lifelong, lifelong, he muttered slowly, indicating he had only understood he faces a possible life sentence if convicted. Nohl ruled that the trial be postponed until next week so that Boere could be fitted with hearing aids, prompting an angry reaction from the attorney representing the son of one of Boere s victims. (AP) France worried about journalist: French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner has urged the Tunisian government to release an ailing journalist from jail so he can receive medical treatment, a spokesman said Monday in Paris. Kouchner wrote a letter to his Tunisian counterpart over the weekend to ask that Taoufik Ben Brik be released immediately so he can be hospitalized, Foreign Ministry spokesman Bernard Valero said. Reporters Without Borders says Ben Brik has Cushing s Syndrome, a disorder caused by prolonged exposure of the body s tissues to high levels of the hormone cortisol. The Tunisian national has written for French media including Le Nouvel Observateur magazine. His health is worrying his family and loved ones, Valero said, adding that France had raised the issue with other EU countries. The news we have is not good. Reporters Without Borders says Taoufik Ben Brik was detained Oct 29 for allegedly harassing a woman on the street. The group says it believes the allegations were trumped up in an effort to muzzle him. (AP) Mikhail Kalashnikov, the Russian inventor of the globally popular AK-47 assault rifle, gestures during festivities to celebrate his 90th birthday at the Kremlin in Moscow, Nov 10. Kalashnikov declared himself a happy man with few regrets as he celebrated his 90th birthday. Lavished with honours for designing the iconic rifle, Kalashnikov said he had never intended for it to become the preferred weapon in conflicts around the world. (AFP) Widmer-Schlumpf Sarkozy Burqa ban in future Switzerland s justice minister said Tuesday that her country could ban fullbody Muslim veils in the future, as neighboring France is currently debating. Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf said seeing a woman in a burqa makes her uncomfortable, even though the head-to-toe outfits are rarely worn in Switzerland. If the number of women wearing a burqa increases, we could study a possible ban, said Widmer-Schlumpf, 53, at a news conference to which she wore a short skirt and black leather boots. But she said the veils weren t currently on the government s agenda. In neighboring France, President Nicolas Sarkozy has spoken out against the burqa, and a parliamentary commission is holding six months of hearings that could lay the groundwork for banning the veils in public. A number of French politicians believe the garb is an affront to women s rights and the French commitment to equality. It is worn by a minority of the 5 million Muslims in France. (AP) Ex-prez detained in Tahiti: Ex-French Polynesia president Gaston Flosse, an ally of former president Jacques Chirac, has been questioned and detained in a graft probe by Germany Berlin plans memorial to would-be Hitler assassin World leaders make Wall call for justice BERLIN, Nov 10, (AFP): A Berlin Wall anniversary plea by world leaders for a new fight against tyranny was hailed on Tuesday as Germany cleared away its dominoes of freedom. Even the sky was weeping with joy, screamed a headline in the mass circulation Bild a reference to the driving rain throughout the Freedom Party on Monday which drew more than 100,000 revellers to the route of the Berlin Wall that was torn down 20 years ago. Nov 9 was the happiest day in recent German history, Chancellor Angela Merkel said in parliament on Tuesday. The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung said Nov 9 had become the new unofficial national German day. In emotion-charged speeches evoking the night when the Wall, a symbol of the Cold War division of Europe, was torn down without a shot fired, world leaders said Berliners spirit should inspire a new campaign for justice. In a surprise video address that delighted the cheering crowds, US President Barack Obama said: Today, there are still those who live within the walls of tyranny, human beings that are denied the very human rights that we celebrate today. authorities in Tahiti, the prosecutor in the case said. Gaston, 78, was accompanied to prison in a suburb of Papeete, the capital of French Polynesia on the island of Tahiti, on Monday by dozens of party supporters and friends Appeal That is why this day is for them as much as it is for us. The fall of the Berlin Wall is an appeal, an appeal to all to vanquish oppression, to knock down the walls that throughout the world still divide towns, territories, peoples, said French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Britain s Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the world s oppressed should draw inspiration from the East Germans who broke the shackles of their communist regime and forced their way peacefully to freedom. Let me thank you, the people of Berlin for showing that in a troubled world with an Africa in poverty, a Darfur in agony, a Zimbabwe in tears and a Burma in chains, individuals even when in pain need not suffer forever without hope, said Brown. Merkel, who grew up in East Germany, called for a new world order to combat global problems such as climate change and crises on the financial markets. This world will only be a peaceful and good world if we have more of a world order and more multilateral cooperation, she said. chanting slogans and denouncing France s justice system. Hundreds of supporters earlier spent the afternoon outside the Palace of Justice where Gaston was questioned for two hours by Judge Philippe Stelmach before going before a court Afghan migrants chat after employees of Doctors Without Borders or Medicins Sans Frontiers (MSF) delivered supplies like tents and heater kits to ensure that families have adequate shelter for the winter, Nov 10, in Calais. Riot police bulldozed on Oct 2, 2009 a makeshift camp called the jungle that was used as a base to sneak across the Channel to Britain. Rather than rounding up migrants, both the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the EU s justice commissioner say the priority should be to offer full and fair asylum rights to migrants across the European Union. (AFP) The global leaders of today and luminaries of 1989 including the last Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and Solidarity trade union chief Lech Walesa joined the leaders to watch the fall of more than 1,000 styrofoam dominoes which traced the Berlin Wall route. Also: BERLIN: Berlin authorities said Tuesday they would put a memorial on the site of Adolf Hitler s former chancellery building to a German man who tried to kill the dictator weeks after World War II began. Andre Schmitz, the city s culture state secretary, said that the memorial would honour Georg Elser, who in November 1939 planted a bomb in a beer hall in Munich where Hitler was to make a speech. By a quirk of fate, Hitler finished his speech early and had been out of the room for nearly a quarter of an hour when the bomb exploded, killing eight people and injuring more than 60 others. Elser was captured and tortured by Hitler s SS before being imprisoned in solitary confinement at the Dachau concentration camp. He was executed in April Schmitz said the decision to locate the monument in Berlin was fitting. which placed him in detention. Prisoners at the jail greeted him with cries of the old lion is in prison, and welcome old lion. His lawyers said they did not expect his detention to last more than two weeks. Denmark urges immigrants Home for cash COPENHAGEN, Nov 10, (AFP): Denmark has agreed to increase tenfold the amount of money offered to immigrants who return home permanently to 100,000 kroner (13,443 euros, $20,172), officials said Monday. The centre-right minority government reached an agreement with its key ally, the far-right Danish People s Party (DPP), on the issue late Sunday as part of their 2010 budget negotiations. A financial incentive of 11,000 kroner had until now been offered to immigrants to resettle in their country of origin. The scheme is aimed at immigrants from outside the European Union and Nordic countries, DPP deputy leader Peter Skaarup told AFP. It in practice targets those nationals from non-western countries who are struggling to adapt to Danish society and who would be tempted by a fairly significant sum to go back home forever, he said. In September police searched the French senator s home and his Tahoera s Huiraatira party headquarters. Flosse, a French senator, served four terms as head of the French Pacific territory between 1984 and He was questioned in July by financial investigators in Paris over the alleged embezzlement of some 1.5 million euros ($2.2 million) from the Polynesian post and telecoms office. (AFP) Berlusconi wins backing: Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, set to go on trial this month, on Tuesday won backing for a radical justice reform just as judges issued an arrest warrant for a senior aide on charges of Mafia collusion. Lower house speaker Gianfranco Fini said after meeting Berlusconi that they agreed to present soon a draft law putting time limits on trials one of Berlusconi s key demands in his fight against judges he says are biased against him. Berlusconi has demanded that his allies commit themselves to protecting him from what he calls an onslaught by communist magistrates and judges. Fini, a leader of one of the major factions in the centre-right coalition, Berlusconi said the law would impose a total six year limit on the three stages of court cases initial trial, first appeal, and final appeal. Trials in Italy can last for more than a decade. Fini gave few details but it appeared the law could apply to some of Berlusconi s trials, depending on when it comes into effect and its retroactivity. This is just a masked trick to save the prime minister, said Felice Belisario, of the opposition Italy of Values party. Former anti-graft magistrate Antonio Di Pietro called it a criminal game. Donatella Ferranti of the largest opposition party, the Democratic Party, said legislators should reject any tailor-made laws crafted to protect Berlusconi. (RTRS) Man plunges to death: A man died after jumping off Greece s Acropolis, a major tourist attraction visited by millions every year, police said on Tuesday in Athens. Tourists witnessed the man s plunge, police said, adding he was not Greek and believed to be in his late twenties. Witnesses said he ran and jumped off the Acropolis hill killing himself, a police official said. We believe it is a suicide but we are still investigating. Police said it was a rare case but not the first time someone had jumped off the 150-metrehigh flat-topped rock on top of which stands the fifth century BC Parthenon temple built in the Golden Age of Athens. (RTRS) Damage closes Helsinki station: Helsinki s biggest subway station will be closed for several weeks or even months due to water damage caused by a flood, the city s public transport company said on Monday. The closure means some 60,000 people who use the central metro station daily will have to find alternative means of transport. A pipe under a busy road in front of the railway station ruptured on Sunday and thousands of cubic metres (cubic feet) of water flooded the metro station, which was evacuated and closed down. Nobody was injured. The central metro station will be out of use for at least weeks, possibly up to six months, Matti Lahdenranta, the managing director of Helsinki City Transport, told AFP. He added the water had caused damage worth millions of euros (dollars) and destroyed lifts and escalators. Helsinki City Transport company said it had increased the number of buses and trams in traffic in order to help commuters. The Finnish capital s subway system has just one line. (AFP) Well-known Romanian actor dies: Gheorghe Dinica, a Romanian actor who delighted his country by portraying characters such as villainous politicians and defiant Gypsies in dozens of plays and movies, died Tuesday. He was 75. Dinica, famous throughout Romania, died at Floreasca Hospital in Bucharest from pneumonia with complications, said hospital spokesman Dr. Bogdan Oprita. Dinica began his long acting career with a role in a Romanian film version of Albert Camus The Stranger in He continued in dozens of Romanian and foreign movies, soap operas and plays, right up until his death. In 2007, he acted in Francis Ford Coppola s Youth Without Youth movie. He also performed with French actor Anthony Delon in the film L Homme Press in He said he was never tempted to act in movies produced in the United States. I am not Robert de Niro. I am from Romania, he said. Still, some called Dinica the Robert de Niro of Romania, given his resemblance to the American actor. Romanians admired him for his wide repertoire and his singing, but also because of his modesty, humor and his refusal to praise the country s late Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, as some artists had done. I was lucky because my face didn t look that good on television, he said. (AP) New PM names cabinet: Romania s new prime minister-designate Liviu Negoita unveiled his cabinet on Monday in Budapest in the hope of ending a month-long political crisis, although it has little chance of winning parliamentary approval before a Nov 22 presidential election. Opposition groupings, which dominate parliament, rejected a previous nominee of President Traian Basescu last week and made clear on Monday that they would not back Negoita, a Bucharest district mayor, either. The groupings, including the leftist Social Democrats, have backed their own candidate in a tactical manoeuvre before the election, probably extending a policy stalemate until after a victor is chosen in an expected Dec. 6 runoff. The standoff has already delayed a badlyneeded loan tranche under a 20 billion euro, International Monetary Fund-led bailout originally slated for next month, and analysts say this threatens to deepen instability in the Black Sea nation. Romania needs a government with full powers to negotiate with representatives of the international financial institutions, Negoita told reporters. We need to be credible, we need to observe commitments. (RTRS)

17 INTERNATIONAL 17 Bases Major test Base debate clouds ties TOKYO, Nov 10, (AP): The deepening debate over the future of a major US Marine base on the southern Japanese island of Okinawa has opened a broad rift in Washington s most important alliance in Asia ahead of President Barack Obama s visit to the region this week. For decades, it has been a rallying point for Okinawans frustrated by the realities of sharing their tiny island with tens of thousands of American troops. So when Tokyo and Washington agreed three years ago to move Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to a less crowded place the product of nearly 12 years of talks the deal was hailed as a huge breakthrough. Then Japan got a new government. Hatoyama Now, with Obama visiting Friday and Saturday, Japan s fledgling liberal Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has put the plan on hold and the debate about the future of Futenma and its nearly 4,000 Marines is fast becoming a major test of their countries alliance. Influence With China s influence and military strength rising rapidly and North Korea honing its nuclear and missile technologies, the U.S. security relationship with Japan is more vital than ever. It s almost certain that Hatoyama and Obama won t resolve the Futenma issue at their brief weekend meeting, delayed by a day for Obama to attend a memorial service for victims of the Fort Hood shooting. To project unity, the two leaders will likely reaffirm the importance of their alliance, and Hatoyama will highlight new aid for Afghanistan, given as his government plans to end a naval refueling mission in the Indian Ocean to support US-led forces. Climate change and economic challenges will also be discussed. Still, the reorganization of US troops in Japan and Futenma in particular looms as the biggest issue between the two nations. Senior American officials say that as long as the future of the Futenma base is on hold they can t move forward with a bigger effort to reshape their footprint in the Pacific including a plan to move 8,000 Marines from Okinawa to the US Pacific territory of Guam. Some even wonder whether Tokyo s new administration can be trusted to carry that out, or, more importantly, if it wants to. What seemingly has been brought to the fore is the commitment on the part of this government to an agreement that we made with the Japanese government, between our two countries, Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, said before a recent meeting with Japan s foreign minister. We think it is urgent to examine and commit as rapidly as possible. Tokyo has not been swayed. Before taking office in September, Hatoyama said he wanted the base moved off Okinawa or pulled out of Japan completely. He has since essentially frozen plans to move the base to a location farther north on Okinawa by 2014 and vowed to fundamentally review a broader effort to reorganize the 47,000 US troops in Japan. Promise Hatoyama has tried to be careful not to upset the United States, but is also keenly aware of his campaign promise to lighten the load on the southern island of Okinawa, which hosts about 75 percent of all US bases in Japan. This is an issue that needs careful consideration, Hatoyama said under sharp questioning in parliament last week by members of the staunchly pro- US. Liberal Democratic Party, which signed off on the 2006 Okinawa deal. We must not hurry to a decision. That stance has not gone over well in the Pentagon. In two high-profile and unusually pointed visits intended to pave the way for Obama s visit, Mullen and Defense Secretary Robert Gates bluntly told Tokyo they wanted Japan to sign off on the realignment plan in time for the president s arrival. Japan has long been one of Washington s most reliable military partners. It pays more than $2 billion a year to support the US troops more than any other host nation. Along with hosting the biggest overseas US Marine contingent that is not in a war zone, Japan is the home port for the US 7th Fleet, including the USS George Washington aircraft carrier and its battle group, and several important US Air Force bases. The US military presence in Okinawa is an emotional issue as well. More than 20,000 people joined a protest against the military presence on Okinawa on Sunday, in one of the biggest demonstrations since outrage over the 1995 rape of a schoolgirl by two Marines and a sailor pushed US military and Japanese government officials to negotiate the realignment plan in the first place. Japanese suspect Tatsuya Ichihashi, his head wrapped in clothing, is escorted by police into a bullet train at Osaka, Japan, station to be brought to Tokyo for further investigation on Nov 10. (Inset): This undated handout file picture made available on March 28, 2007 shows 22-year-old British woman Lindsay Ann Hawker whose body was found at an apartment in Ichikawa in Chiba prefecture, suburban Tokyo on March 26, (AFP) Asia Japanese police arrest suspect in British woman s murder Japanese police on Tuesday said they had arrested the only suspect in the killing of 22-year-old British teacher Lindsay Ann Hawker, more than two years after her murder. Hawker, an English-language teacher, was found dead in a sand-filled bathtub on the balcony of an apartment near Tokyo in March 2007 and police have Lee Ki-sik of the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staffs speaks to reporters during a briefing on the two Koreas have exchanged fire off the west coast, at the Defense Ministry in Seoul, South Korea, Nov 10. The two Koreas briefly exchanged naval fire Tuesday along their disputed western sea border, with a North Korean ship suffering heavy damage before retreating, South Korean military officials said. (AP) Roos Obama Obama to visit Hiroshima in future: President Barack Obama says he wants to visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki sometime during his presidency but won t have time during this week s trip to Japan to go to the cities devastated by US atomic bombs at the end of World War II. In an interview with Japanese broadcaster NHK that ran Tuesday, Obama said he would be unable to visit the cities on his trip to Japan this weekend due to time constraints but would be willing to do so in the future. The memories of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are etched in the minds of the world and I would be honored to have the opportunity to visit those cities at some point during my presidency, Obama said in the interview, done Monday at the White House. Calls have grown in Japan for Obama to visit the two cities since his April speech in Prague envisioning a nuclear-free world and since he was named Nobel Peace Prize winner last month. Many Japanese were impressed when new US Ambassador John Roos visited Hiroshima last month, just weeks after he arrived in Tokyo. (AP) Japan PM ratings slip: Support for Japan s new government slipped eight points to 63 percent, while 85 percent of voters said they would rather see some campaign promises broken than a rise in the country s already long sought Tatsuya Ichihashi, 30, who lived there, as the only suspect. Police last week said Ichihashi had undergone plastic surgery to his eyelids and nose, had a facial mole removed and grown a beard, in an effort to alter his appearance, while releasing postoperation photos of the man. Ichihashi was caught after a witness Clash tip-off at an Osaka ferry terminal as he tried to catch a ship to southern Okinawa island to evade the dragnet of police closing in on him, reports said. He was wearing a hat, a pair of sunglasses and a face mask. He looked obviously suspicious, a witness told public broadcaster NHK. Many Japanese wear surgical face masks South Koreans watch lanterns on the eve of Seoul Lantern Festival 2009 on the Cheonggye stream in Seoul, South Korea, Nov 10. About 20 counties will participate in this event from Nov 11 to Nov 15. (AP) against the spread of flu and other diseases. Television footage later showed police lead Ichihashi, his head obscured with a black cloth, through a riotous media throng, before officers put him on a Shinkansen bullet train for transfer to Tokyo. The victim s father, Bill Hawker, US warns Pyongyang, Ban urges maximum restraint thanked Japan s police and media for helping catch the suspect, who was charged with abandoning a body. I feel absolutely shocked, and I feel... the agony is finally over, he told Tokyo Broadcasting System TV by telephone. I very much look forward to seeing Ichihashi in a court room. My nightmare is finally over. (AFP) N. Korea boat in flames after naval clash SEOUL, Nov 10, (Agencies): A North Korean patrol boat was set ablaze after exchanging fire with South Korea s navy on Tuesday, Seoul officials said, as crossborder tensions rose a week before a scheduled US presidential visit. The two sides blamed each other for the clash, the first for seven years, near the disputed Yellow Sea border. President Lee Myung-Bak called an emergency meeting of security ministers as his Prime Minister Chung Un-Chan accused the North of making a direct attack on a South Korean high-speed patrol craft. There was no damage on our side, while a North Korean patrol boat engulfed in flames sailed back (across the border), Chung told parliament. He described the clash, which follows recent peace overtures from the North, as unplanned. But some analysts said Pyongyang may be sending President Barack Obama a message before he arrives in South Korea as part of an Asian tour. Defence Minister Kim Tae-Young told parliament the North s boat sailed more than 1.6 kms (1 mile) south of the border: I believe they clearly knew about the intrusion. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said the South s boat sent several warning signals after the North s craft crossed the border, but the intruder held its course. After the South fired warning shots, the huge debt, a survey showed on Tuesday in Tokyo. Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama took office in September pledging to cut wasteful spending and put more cash in the hands of consumers to stimulate growth. But falling tax North s side opened fire, directly aiming at our ship. Then our ship responded by firing back, forcing the North Korean boat to return to the north, a statement said. There were no casualties on our side. We are on the lookout for any further provocations by the North, it said. Meanwhile, the White House on Tuesday warned North Korea against any actions that could be seen as an escalation after a fiery maritime clash between the North s navy and a South Korean vessel. The clash, which South Korean officials said left the North Korean boat ablaze, ocurred a week before Obama is due to visit Seoul as part of an Asian tour, on which Pyongyang s nuclear challenge will be a dominant issue. I would say to the North Koreans that we hope that there will be no further actions in the Yellow Sea that could be seen as an escalation, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said as President Barack Obama flew to Texas. Pyongyang is demanding a one-on-one dialogue with the United States but Washington has said formal bilateral talks can only take place as part of international sixparty talks on the North s nuclear program. A senior State Department official said on condition of anonymity on Monday that Washington would likely soon send US envoy Stephen Bosworth to North Korea, but only after Obama visits Asia. revenues due to the fragile economy, and a public debt seen topping 200 percent of gross domestic product this year are making it hard to find funds. (RTRS) Elsewhere, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday called for maximum restraint by North Korea and South Korea after a naval clash that flared cross-border tensions, a spokesman said. Ban is closely watching the situation on the Korean peninsula, he calls for maximum restraint by both parties, said UN spokesman Farhan Haq. This incident highlights the need to resolve all outstanding issues through dialogue and in a peaceful manner. Also: SEOUL: France s special envoy Jack Lang on Tuesday discussed matters of mutual concern with North Korean Foreign Minister Pak Ui-Chun on the second day of his trip to the communist state, state media said. The two sides exchanged views on the issue of the bilateral relations and a series of matters of mutual concern, the North s official Korean Central News Agency said in a brief report. Lang, a former Socialist culture minister who has also served as French President Nicolas Sarkozy s special envoy to Cuba, arrived in Pyongyang Monday on a fiveday mission expected to include talks on the North s disputed nuclear programme. The envoy told AFP last week he hoped to start a dialogue with the reclusive state s leaders, adding that Pyongyang s US should hand over soldier PM: Japan s Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama said Tuesday in Tokyo that the US military should hand over a soldier detained over a deadly hitand-run crash on Okinawa island, the centre of a row over American bases. According to law Deaths justified BEIJING, Nov 10, (AFP): China on Tuesday defended its handling of the executions of nine people over deadly ethnic unrest in its far-western Xinjiang region in July, saying the cases were dealt with according to law. So far, 21 people have been convicted over the violence that erupted in the regional capital Urumqi, which left 197 people dead, according to an official toll. Twelve were sentenced to death, but three were given suspended sentences. The United States urged China to ensure fair, transparent trials following the executions, putting the thorny issue of human rights in the spotlight just days before US President Barack Obama makes his first visit to China. nuclear drive and the establishment of French diplomatic ties with North Korea would be on the agenda. France is the only major European country not to have formal relations with Pyongyang. Lang refused to comment directly when asked if talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il were on the cards. French diplomatic sources said Monday such a meeting had still not been confirmed. WASHINGTON: The Obama administration has decided, after months of deliberation, to accept an offer by North Korea to send a special envoy to Pyongyang for direct talks on nuclear issues, two administration officials said Monday. President Barack Obama will send envoy Stephen Bosworth, although no date for his trip has been set, the officials said. The officials discussed the matter on condition of anonymity because the decision has not been publicly announced. It would be the first direct one-on-one US talks with North Korea since Obama took office in January. The administration hopes Bosworth s meeting would be a step toward persuading the North Koreans to return to nuclear disarmament negotiations with the US and four partner countries Russia, China, Japan and South Korea. North Korea quit those negotiations in April. The accident happened Saturday, a day before 20,000 Okinawans rallied against the US military presence on the island, raising the heat in a simmering row ahead of President Barack Obama s first visit to Japan later this week. Asked about media reports that a US serviceman had been detained, Hatoyama told reporters: If the US military really took a soldier into custody, I would like to see the person handed over. Japanese officials said earlier the US army on southern Okinawa island had informed them that it had taken into custody a serviceman over the accident which killed a 66-yearold local man. (AFP) Japan parental abductions pressed: Nearly one-quarter of the US Senate asked President Barack Obama on Monday to press Japan on his upcoming visit about parental abductions, saying Tokyo s policies were an anomaly among developed nations. Japanese courts virtually never award child custody to divorced foreign parents sometimes even handing them to a child s Japanese grandparents instead of giving them to a foreigner. Activists say that thousands of foreign parents have lost access to children in Japan. The row recently was thrown in the spotlight after a US man was briefly jailed for snatching his own children on their way to school. (AFP)

18 INTERNATIONAL 18 World News Roundup An impatient driver attempts to pass cyclists on a tree-lined snow covered street in central Beijing on Nov 10. On Nov 4, government scientists in Beijing were pilloried for inducing a heavy snow fall that jammed traffic, delayed air travel and dropped more than 16 million tonnes of snow on the Chinese capital. (AFP) Asia Carbon deal will be difficult : Forging a political deal on Australia s carbon trade laws will be difficult after a new round of opposition infighting, the government said in Canberra, casting fresh doubts on whether parliament will endorse the plan. The government is in talks with the opposition over changes to the carbon trade bills aimed at ending a political deadlock in the upper house Senate, with the government keen to pass the laws before December s global climate talks in Copenhagen. But Climate Change Minister Penny Wong on Tuesday questioned whether the opposition could honour any agreement on the bills after a series of senior opposition lawmakers said a majority in the party does not believe in human-induced global warming. I think it will be difficult, Wong told Australian radio. I think the question most Australians would have is, is the coalition (opposition) able to negotiate in good faith if these are the views of many of its Senators? Opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull wants a deal on the carbon laws to head off the threat of an early election on climate, but divisions with his party resurfaced late Monday when several opposition lawmakers said they opposed his policy. (RTRS) Pro-rape Facebook page scandal: Members of an elite Australian college linked to Sydney University provoked outrage Tuesday after it was revealed they had set up a pro-rape group on social networking site Facebook. The page, set up by mostly past and present students at the all-male residential college St Paul s, called itself Define Statutory and described itself as pro-rape, anti-consent, local media reports said. It has since been taken down. Former sex discrimination commissioner, now New South Wales state parliamentarian, Pru Goward said she understood the site was designed to draw an analogy between rape and competing with another football team. If that is a case, that they have very foolishly used the metaphor of rape to encourage people to be aggressive and competitive on the sporting field, then it shows an extreme insensitivity, she told The Sydney Morning Herald. (The) college has got to take extremely strong action. It is a shocking reflection on the culture. Sydney University vice-chancellor Michael Spence said he was appalled by the reported behaviour and apparent attitudes of some students. (AFP) Australia jails 6 Indonesians: Australia has jailed six Indonesian fishermen for five years each for smuggling Afghan asylum seekers into the country. The men were sentenced Tuesday in Perth District Court. The court was told that the men were paid about 1,000 Australian dollars ($929) each to crew a vessel from Indonesia into Australian waters carrying about 150 Afghans between April and May this year. The men normally earned less than AU$60 ($56) a month. Judge Andrew Stavrianou said the men s actions put lives at risk for financial gain and imposed the minimum mandatory sentence. Australia is caught up in a political battle over an increasing number of boat arrivals this year. (AP) Premier defends trip: Taiwan s premier on Tuesday sued an opposition politician who alleged that he had once tried to use his influence to help a gangster s business. Attorney Lai Su-ju said Premier Wu Den- Former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra (right), shakes hands with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen (left), a house that Hun Sen prepared for Thaksin in Phnom Penh on Nov 10. (AFP) Clinton Kenney Probe rights record A human rights watchdog on Tuesday urged US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to press the Philippine president to prosecute soldiers allegedly responsible for political killings. Clinton s two-day visit to Manila this week will primarily focus on solidarity with Filipinos after massive floods and landslides killed more than 900 people last month, said American Ambassador Kristie Kenney. She gave no indication that human rights would be on the agenda. The New York-based Human Rights Watch said in a statement that Clinton should not waste the opportunity to raise concerns over hundreds of people allegedly killed by state forces since President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo came to power in Clinton should stress to Arroyo that the US is gravely concerned about the inadequate efforts to investigate and prosecute military personnel responsible for extrajudicial killings, said Elaine Pearson, the group s deputy Asia director. (AP) yih filed the suit against Lee Wen-chung, a former opposition lawmaker, with the Taipei District Court and is demanding 3 million New Taiwan dollars ($92,000) from Lee. Lee, who is running for magistrate in the southern county of Nantou, charged that Wu traveled to the Indonesian resort island of Bali last December with gangster Chiang Chinliang to help him set up a gravel business. At a Thaksin Visit could push the two countries to war Tension as Thaksin arrives in Cambodia PHNOM PENH, Nov 10, (AFP): Ousted Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra arrived in Cambodia to start work as a government economic adviser Tuesday, fuelling tensions between the two countries after a series of border clashes. Thailand vowed to seek the extradition of the fugitive billionaire who was ousted in a bloodless coup in 2006 and is living abroad to avoid corruption charges but Cambodia said it would refuse any request. The row has plunged relations between the neighbouring nations to their lowest for years and threatens to cloud weekend talks between Southeast Asian leaders and US President Barack Obama. Thaksin landed in a private jet at Phnom Penh International Airport and was escorted into the capital by a convoy of cars under tight security early Tuesday, said an AFP photographer. Thaksin is here for the economy and no activities related to politics. It is an honour for Cambodia s economic sector and we hope that Cambodians nationwide welcome him warmly, Cambodian cabinet spokesman Phay Siphan said. Thaksin is due to address 300 Cambodian economics experts in Phnom Penh on Thursday in his first engagement in his new post. Phay Siphan said Thaksin and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen who are close friends and occasional golf partners shared a welcoming lunch, and then Thaiksin was expected to stay for two or three days. Thaksin confirmed on his official Twitter account that he had arrived in Phnom Penh, adding that he was really homesick. Thailand and Cambodia recalled their news conference last week, Chiang said he went to Bali to inspect the resort island s tourism industry and denied running a gravel respective ambassadors last week in the escalating row over Thaksin, a telecommunications tycoon and the former owner of Manchester City Football Club. He won two elections and remains a massively influential figure in Thai politics, stirring up mass protests by so-called Red Shirt supporters against the government. His presence on Thailand s doorstep is the closest he has come since he last left the kingdom in August 2008, a move that is likely to alarm the shaky government of Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia remain high following recent deadly skirmishes on their disputed border near Cambodia s 11th-century Preah Vihear temple, which was granted UNESCO World Heritage status in July Comply Abhisit said Thailand would review its extradition treaty with Cambodia if it failed to comply with Bangkok s request. The Thai foreign ministry said that it was sending the extradition request to the embassy in Phnom Penh late Tuesday and expected to hand the documents to Cambodian officials on Wednesday. Thailand s cabinet also agreed to cancel an oil and gas exploration deal with Cambodia that was signed during Thaksin s time in power. Cambodian foreign ministry spokesman Koy Kuong rejected the extradition threat. We will not extradite him. We already clarified this case because he is a political victim, Koy Kuong said. The country s royalist Yellow Shirt group, which helped bring down Thaksin in 2006 and blockaded Bangkok s airports to oust his allies last year, said it would business. Wu, a two-term lawmaker, became Taiwan s premier in September. He had earlier A fleet of battery powered Jeepnies make their maiden voyage in Manila s financial district of Makati on Nov 10. The rides, which are for free, are financed by the city government as part of a campaign to reduce its greenhouse emissions. (AFP) stage a mass anti-thaksin protest in Bangkok on Sunday. The visit comes just days before Abhisit is due to chair a summit in Singapore between Obama and leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), also Sunday. Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo said the Thai-Cambodia row worried ASEAN members. We are very concerned about this bilateral problem between two fraternal members of ASEAN and we hope they will find a way to reconcile and to act with restraint, Yeo said. Thaksin Shinawatra s visit to Phnom Penh benefits both the ousted Thai leader and his Cambodian host, but could drag the two countries back into a simmering border conflict, analysts said. But analysts warned that the pair are now locked in a dangerous game of brinkmanship with Bangkok s furious administration that could reignite deadly clashes over an ancient temple on the Thai-Cambodian border. This new situation has moved Thailand and Cambodia closer to a potential conflict, Paul Chambers, a senior research fellow in Thai politics at Heidelberg University in Germany, told AFP. Thaksin and Hun Sen have been close since 2003 when they repaired relations after Cambodian rioters burned down the Thai embassy, and remained so after Thaksin was toppled in a bloodless coup in The furore over Thaksin s new job has let Hun Sen carry out his vendetta against new Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political analyst at Bangkok s Chulalongkorn University. served as Nantou County magistrate and mayor of Kaohsiung, Taiwan s second-largest city. Bid to promote ties No more dictator:wh WASHINGTON, Nov 10, (AFP): The United States said Monday it would no longer allow its row with Myanmar to hold its ties with Southeast Asia hostage, as President Barack Obama geared up for his debut official visit to the region. Obama is due to hold the first-ever meeting between a US president and leaders of all 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations members, including Myanmar Prime Minister Thein Sein, on Sunday in Singapore. One of the frustrations that we ve had with policy toward Burma over recent years has been that the inability to have interaction with Burma has prevented certain kinds of interaction with ASEAN as a whole, said Obama s Asia policy aide Jeffrey Bader. Many of Taiwan s local politicians are known to have close associations with gangsters, who allegedly use their local connections to help the politicians win elections. Wu, however, has never been linked to corruption. His clean-cut image was a main reason why President Ma Ying-jeou appointed him as Taiwan s premier. Ma has made clean politics a central task of his administration. (AP) Leader to outline ties with US: Indonesia s president hopes to discuss a new strategic partnership with the United States when he meets US President Barack Obama in Singapore on the weekend, an official said in Jakarta. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is scheduled to meet Obama on Sunday on the sidelines of a summit of the 21-member Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal told reporters. I believe the president has proposed that there will be a strategic partnership between Indonesia and Yudhoyono the US. This has received a good response by the US government, Djalal said. Senior officials from both countries were drafting a document outlining practical measures to raise the relationship between Indonesia and the US to a higher level, he added. Top officials of Indonesia and the US are finalising the content and not just the concept. We re moving towards that. It will be more clear after the meeting, he said. Indonesia s Muslims make up 88 percent of the country s 234 million people, making the vast archipelago the most populous Muslimmajority country in the world. It is also the third-biggest democracy after India and the United States, and the largest economy in Southeast Asia with a growth target of at least 7.0 percent by As such it is seen as a key partner for the Obama administration s plans to re-engage with the Asia-Pacific region and with the Muslim world. The White House last week announced Obama would hold the first meeting between a US president and leaders of all 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), including Myanmar Prime Minister Thein Sein, in Singapore on Sunday. Washington has previously refused to sit down with members of Myanmar s junta because of their suppression of democracy and rights abuses, allowing its differences with the regime to upset ties with the rest of Southeast Asia. (AFP) Extreme weather seen on Yangtze: Increased droughts, floods and storms will hit China s Yangtze River Basin over the next few decades, the result of rising temperatures globally, according to a report released Tuesday. Climate change will trigger extreme weather conditions along the country s longest river, but strategies can be taken to control it, said the report, issued by the environmental group WWF-China. In the past two decades, the temperature in the river basin area has risen steadily, which has led to a spike in flooding, heat waves and droughts, the report said. It is the largest assessment yet on the impact of global warming on the Yangtze basin area, which is home to 400 million people. Data collected from 147 monitoring stations along the 700,000-square-mile (1.8 million-square-kilometer) area showed temperatures rose by 0.59 degree Fahrenheit (0.33 degree Celsius) during the 1990s. Additional findings show that between 2001 and 2005, the basin s temperature rose on average another 1.28 degrees Fahrenheit (0.71 degree Celsius). Extreme climate events such as storms and drought disasters will increase as climate change continues to alter our planet, said Xu Ming, the lead researcher on the report, which included expert contributions from the China Academy of Sciences, the China Meteorological Administration and other academic institutions. The report identifies key areas that will be affected: from agriculture to various ecosystems such as forests, grasslands, wetlands and coastal regions. (AP) 18 dead, 300,000 hit by floods: Floods and mudslides in southern Thailand have killed 18 people and affected more than 300,000 over the past five days, the interior ministry said in Bangkok. Ten provinces in the south have been hit by monsoon rains since Thursday, the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation department said in a statement. There are 18 people dead and 327,025 people have been affected. Currently the situation has eased in four provinces, it said. Ten of the deaths occurred in Narathiwat and six in Yala, two of the Muslim-majority southernmost provinces bordering Malaysia that have been gripped by a bloody separatist insurgency since January (AFP) Case against graft agency weak: Indonesian police do not have enough evidence to charge two of the country s top antigraft officials with bribery or extortion, the head of an independent team formed to examine the case said in Jakarta. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono set up the team last week after a public outcry over a suspected plot involving police and state prosecutors to undermine the respected Corruption Eradication Commission, or KPK, by framing two of its officials. The facts in possession and the legal process undertaken by the police investigators are not enough to be used as evidence for charges of bribery or extortion, Adnan Buyung Nasution, a presidential adviser and head of the team of academics and legal experts, told a news conference. He said the team, which submitted its findings to the president, stopped short of recommending that prosecutors drop the case, since it could not dictate this to law enforcers. Police last month detained Chandra Hamzah and Bibit Samad Riyanto, two of four deputy chiefs at the KPK, after they had been named suspects on charges of graft and abuse of power. The two officials denied the allegations. In their defence, they submitted tapes to the Constitutional Court of conversations between a businessman and several people alleged to be in the police and the attorneygeneral s office, in which the various players discussed plans to undermine the KPK. (RTRS)

19 INTERNATIONAL 19 Africa Rebels threaten election workers: Rebels from Sudan s Darfur region on Monday threatened to attack any election officials that came into their territory, underlining the challenges facing the country s first multi-party poll in 24 years. The insurgent Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) gave its warning as teams of officials started fanning out across Darfur and other parts of the oilproducing country to register voters for the delayed national elections, now due in April If any of them come into our territory we will Al-Nur target them as soldiers, senior SLA official Ibrahim al-helwu told Reuters, speaking by phone from France. These officials are security men in the clothes of civilians, said Helwu, part of the faction loyal to SLA founder Abdel Wahed Mohamed Ahmed al-nur, who is based in Paris. Helwu said his group saw the poll as a propaganda exercise, covering for continuing atrocities in the western region, where more than six years of conflict has forced millions to flee. (RTRS) UN to scale back peace mission: Declaring that the situation in war-torn eastern Congo had dramatically improved over the past year, UN envoy Olusegun Obasanjo announced plans on Monday to scale back his regional mediation efforts. Obasanjo, a former president of Nigeria, told the UN Security Council improved ties between presidents Joseph Kabila of Congo and Paul Kagame of neighboring Rwanda had been key to reducing violence, but admitted underlying problems remained. Obasanjo said he and and fellow mediator, former Tanzanian president Benjamin Mkapa, would submit a final report to an African Union summit in January, but would remain on alert should their services be needed again. He proposed turning his support office in Nairobi into a listening post. Obasanjo was appointed a year ago after a revolt by Tutsi insurgents caused 250,000 people to be driven from their homes in eastern Congo, the latest chapter in a conflict that has led to more than 5 million deaths since (RTRS) Taylor claims US behind charges: Charles Taylor claims he was indicted for war crimes as part of a U.S. regime change plan to gain control of West African oil reserves. The former Liberian president in Hague has made the allegation in a typically defiant final day of direct testimony in his own defense at the Special Court for Sierra Leone. The international tribunal is trying Taylor on allegations he controlled and supported rebels who murdered and mutilated thousands of civilians during Sierra Leone s civil war. Taylor said Tuesday that Americans believed he was a destabilizing factor in West Africa, a region Washington saw as a possible future source of oil. He said the reason he was on trial had nothing to do with what he called the terrible things that happened in Sierra Leone. (AP) French staff kidnapped in Chad : The Red Cross said Tuesday in Geneva, that a French staff member was abducted last night by several armed men in eastern Chad, near the border with Sudan. The incident occurred around 9:00 pm local time. The staff member, Laurent Maurice, an agronomist, was in the area to evaluate the most recent harvest, said the International Committee of the Red Cross in a statement. Maurice was spending the night with five Chadian colleagues in the village of Kawa when he was kidnapped. The ICRC currently has no indication of who the abductors might be or of their motives. It is in contact with the authorities and other parties with the aim of resolving the situation as swiftly as possible, it added. The aid agency called for the rapid and unconditional release of its kidnapped staff member and said it has temporarily suspended its activities in eastern Chad. (AFP) Butcher of Gitarama goes on trial: Former Rwandan government minister Callixte Nzabonimana, described by prosecutors as the Butcher of Gitarama, went on trial Monday at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) in Tanzania. Nzabonimana, who served as youth minister in the mainly Hutu government during Rwanda s 1994 genocide, did not appear in court to hear the opening arguments in his trial. He stands accused of genocide, complicity to commit genocide and direct and public incitement to genocide. Prosecutor Paul Ng arua told the UNbacked tribunal that Nzabonimana enjoyed authority and influence over local militia and police who killed several people, including children, on his orders, calling him the Butcher of Gitarama - the accused s native region of Rwanda. A member of the presidential party during the killings, the National Republican Movement for Democracy and Development (MRND), prosecutors say Nzabonimana took part in a plan to eliminate Rwanda s Tutsi minority and opposition Hutus. (AFP) Malawi jails opposition leaders: Two Malawian opposition leaders have been sentenced to 20 months in prison for sedition and inciting violence ahead of the May elections, a court official said Tuesday. The convictions in Zomba, 70 kms (45 miles) north of the commercial capital Blantyre, mark the first time that Malawi s courts have handed down a sedition conviction since Hophmally Makande of the United Democratic Front, led by ex-president Bakili Muluzi, told a rally in March that the party would take the law into its own hands if the former leader was barred was running in the elections. Kamlepo Kalua, who leads the small Malawi Democratic Party, was sentenced for saying at the same rally that: We can t fear police, we can t fear Bingu, referring to President Bingu wa Mutharika. The speeches were broadcast on Joy radio, owned by Muluzi. Magistrate Nyakwawa Usiwa Usiwa said in his judgement that the statements were emotive and could have incited people to be violent and get angry with the president and cause physical harm to others. (AFP) A local resident walks through an area severely damaged by a landslide caused by the passage of Hurricane Ida, in Verapaz, some 78 km east of San Salvador on Nov 9. (Inset): Jason Rodgers is hit by high surf, rain and wind from Tropical Storm Ida as it approaches the coast at Perdido Pass in Gulf Shores, Alabama, Nov 9. (AP) Rescue workers in El Salvador on Tuesday tried to reach dozens of towns cut off by torrents of mud and debris unleashed by a devastating late-season hurricane that killed at least 140 people. The situation is still serious. We already have 140 dead, Jorge Melendez, the In this photo taken on Nov 7, student Geisy Arruda poses at her home in Sao Paulo wearing the same dress that she was expelled for wearing on campus at Bandeirante University in Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brazil. Arruda, a 20-year-old tourism student, can however, now return to the classroom after Bandeirante University reserved its decision to expel her following a flood of negative reaction in a nation known for tiny bikinis, beaches and Carnival. The dean of the private college in suburban Sao Paulo released a statement Monday announcing the reversal, without saying why it had decided to let her back in. (AP) Peres Lat/Am Abbas Perez visits Brazil, ahead of Iran: Dueling visits to Brazil by the presidents of Israel and Iran are showing the South American powerhouse s growing role in Mideast diplomacy. Israeli President Shimon Peres opens a visit to Brazil on Tuesday, in the Jewish state s latest bid to battle growing Iranian influence in Latin America. Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is due on Nov. 23, and Brazilian officials say in Rio De Janeiro, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas may visit later this month. The visits follow a July trip by Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman to Brazil, during which time he tried to enlist help in stymieing Iran s alleged effort to build a nuclear weapon. During his seven years in office, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has maintained a broad range of ties around the world from Cuba s Castro brothers to former President George W. Bush to Ahmadinejad and analysts say he is becoming a key player in Israel s diplomatic struggles. (AP) Neighbors keep up war of words: Ve- Floods, landslides kill 140 in El Salvador head of the country s civil protection agency, told AFP. We have to clear access roads to 37 municipalities that are covered by tonnes of mud, rocks and trees, he said. Landslides and overflowing rivers swept away homes, while a raging torrent ripped through a large section Mexico Children visiting the Botanical Garden of Bogota, look at blooming Victoria Regias, on Nov 9 in the Colombian capital. Natural of the Amazon jungle, the Victoria Amazonica (scientific name) at the Botanical Garden has bloomed these days after doing it for the last time 14 years ago. (AFP) of the town of Verapaz, where bodies covered in mud-caked sheets were stored in a local chapel, waiting to be identified. Rescue efforts focused on the eastern San Vicente department, where 72 people were still missing after three days of driving rain, 60 of them in Verapaz alone, officials said late Monday. The problem here in finding bodies is removing all these rocks and trees, Carlos Arce, 27, told AFP in what remained of his town of 6,800 after the storm. The floods took away people, houses and destroyed the crops, said Javier Martinez, a local farmer. A civil protection official updated the storm death toll from 130 to 136, adding that more than 13,000 people fled their homes, 1,800 homes were damaged or destroyed and 18 bridges and many roads were washed away by the floods. (AFP) Struggle with drug traffickers poses dilemma Clergy seek global help as violence grows MEXICO CITY, Nov 10, (AP): Gunmen shoot a priest and two seminary students in the back. Federal police storm a Mass to capture a suspected drug kingpin. Priests pray with the families of murdered men, then face killers in the confessional. Mexico s Roman Catholic clergy, increasingly caught in the middle of the nation s drug war, are meeting this week to draft a strategy for coping with the violence, aided by advice from colleagues who faced similar threats in Colombia and Italy. We have become hostages in these violent confrontations between the drug cartels living among us, said Archbishop Felipe Aguirre, who works in Acapulco, located in Guerrero state where the priest and seminary students were killed in June. The Vatican spokesman, the Rev Federico Lombardi, lauded the Mexican bishops for taking action. It s good that the Catholic Church is involved with the major social issues in a country, he said. That s particularly so when the issue is as critical as drug-related violence. Mexico trails only Colombia as the most dangerous place for priests in Latin America, with two out of every 10 priests facing serious risks, according to an nezuela stoked a diplomatic feud with Colombia on Monday by accusing its South American neighbor of lies and hypocrisy in a growing dispute that is threatening trade and regional stability. Colombian President Alvaro Uribe s government reacted angrily at the weekend when Venezuela s President Hugo Chavez told his army to prepare for war, a comment widely interpreted as rhetoric but one that still raised passions on both sides. August study by the Mexican Council of Bishops. The council, which began its strategy conference Monday outside the capital, plans to release a report Thursday with recommendations for priests and parishioners in drug hotspots. Church officials say threats received by clergy have included notes and telephone calls following sermons against drug use and trafficking. Others fear for their safety because of information received from parishioners. Many priests have reported extortion attempts by gangs. Consequence Speaking has consequences. Keeping quiet also has consequences, said the Rev Manuel Corral, the council s public relations secretary. Archbishop Hector Gonzalez of drugplagued Durango state knows that all too well. Gonzalez told reporters at a news conference in April that Mexico s most wanted drug lord, Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, lived in a small town nearby, and that everybody knows it except the authorities. Days later, investigators found the bodies of two slain army lieutenants in Durango s mountains, accompanied by a note: Neither the government nor priests can handle El Chapo. After the killings, government officials said they stepped up surveillance of the area. Guzman, the leader of the Sinaloa cartel, remains at large. Gonzalez on advice from church leaders clammed up, telling reporters who asked for comment: I am deaf and dumb. Mexico s struggle with drug traffickers has long posed a dilemma, sometimes deadly, for priests whose congregations may include impoverished marijuana farmers or cartel hit men. In 1993, Cardinal Juan Posadas Ocampo died in a hail of automatic weapons fire in the parking lot of an airport in central Mexico. Authorities said a drug gang killed him by mistake, confusing him with a rival trafficker, but some church leaders say Posadas was targeted for his denunciations of drug trafficking. Crackdown Since President Felipe Calderon launched his crackdown on drug gangs after taking office in December 2006, the cartels have responded fiercely: Violence has spread across the country, killing nearly 14,000 people, and priests have not Venezuela says Uribe, a conservative and close ally of Washington, is allowing the US government a dangerous foothold in the region by giving its troops access to Colombia s military bases. (RTRS) Resisting police 10,000 killed in clashes RIO DE JANEIRO, Nov 10, (AFP): More than 10,000 people have been killed in clashes with Rio de Janeiro police over the past 11 years, many of them in the city s lawless slums, according to a study published on Monday. Between January 1998 and September 2008, a total of 10,216 people were killed, according to the report printed in the daily Estado de Sao Paulo. Most of those killed were classified as suspected drug traffickers who were resisting police. But the study s author, sociologist Ignacio Cano, said that the charge of resisting police dated from Brazil s military dictatorship, and that Rio police who claimed to confront such behavior received a bonus for bravery up until 1998, when the payment was scrapped. This Far West bounty reinforced the policy of armed clashes as the policy of the security forces, Cano told the newspaper. been immune. In June, the Rev Habacuc Hernandez, 39, was killed on his way to a spiritual retreat, together with two seminary students, Eduardo Oregon, 19, and Silvestre Gonzalez, 21. Gunmen forced them out of their car and then shot them in the town of Arcelia in the coastal state of Guerrero a region known for marijuana and opium production and as a shipment route for cocaine. The murders remain unsolved, and officials have not provided any possible motives, said the Rev Juan Carlos Flores, who heads the legal division of the Archdiocese of Acapulco. Two months later, federal forces in neighboring Michoacan state raided the Temple of Perpetual Help in the middle of a Mass, locking more than 200 parishioners and the priest inside for hours. The raid netted a suspected high-ranking lieutenant of La Familia drug cartel. Church authorities demanded and later received an apology from Mexican officials for disrupting the service Ṁexico s bishops have consulted clergy in other countries that have faced similar problems. Beating won t stop blogger: Cuban dissident blogger Yoani Sanchez vowed on Monday in Havana to keep on writing her Generation Y Web log, which is critical of the government, despite being beaten last week by men she thinks were state security agents. Sanchez, 34, said she experienced 25 minutes of terror during the incident on Friday. She said she and another opposition blogger, Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo, were held down, and struck repeatedly after being bundled into an unmarked car by three men she believed to be government security officials. Cuba s communist government has so far not commented on the incident, which was condemned by the US administration and by US.-based Human Rights Watch. (RTRS) Man gets 14 yrs in smuggling case: A Texas man was sentenced Monday in Houston to more than 14 years in prison for his role in what became the deadliest human smuggling attempt in US history. Abelardo Flores was part of a smuggling ring that packed more than 70 illegal immigrants into the back of a stifling tractor-trailer in May 2003 and tried to transport them from southern Texas to Houston, prosecutors said. The immigrants, from Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic, were found after the driver, whom Flores had recruited, abandoned the trailer at a truck stop in Victoria, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) southwest of Houston. Seventeen people were found dead in the trailer, and two others died later, all of dehydration, overheating and suffocation. (AP)

20 INTERNATIONAL 20 World News Roundup Warming Dangerous gamble? Toshiba tests CO 2 trap tech In this image released by The Planetary Society showing an illustration of LightSail-1 the first of a trio of solar sail craft that will be propelled by the subtle pressure of sunlight. (AP) New solar-sail mission planned after 2005 failure Backers of a failed mission to launch the world s first solar-sail spacecraft unveiled plans on Monday to try again five years later with a smaller, swifter satellite to test the limits of sunlight propulsion. The privately funded venture, organized by the Pasadena, California-based Planetary Society, is based on the premise of spaceflight powered not by rocket Research EPA sends WH CO 2 risk report: The US Environmental Protection Agency has sent its final proposal on whether carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions pose a danger to human health and welfare to the White House for review, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson told Reuters on Monday. The EPA s final finding, if it follows the agency s earlier assessment and is approved by the Office of Management and Budget, would allow the EPA to issue rules later to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, even if Congress fails to pass legislation to cut US emissions of the heat-trapping gases that contribute to global warming. We sent the final proposal over to OMB on Friday, Jackson said in an interview at her EPA headquarters office. She said the OMB has up to 90 days to review the proposal, but the EPA would like a quicker timetable. We ve briefed them a couple of times. So we re hoping for an expedited review, Jackson said. Along with its final endangerment finding, the EPA also sent to OMB the agency s final finding on whether cars and trucks cause or contribute to that pollution, Jackson said. Such a finding would allow the federal government to regulate tailpipe emissions by increasing vehicle mileage requirement. Jackson said the government is facing a hard deadline of next March to let automakers know of any required increases in fuel economy standards that would affect vehicles built for the 2012 model year. She said the EPA received more than 300,000 comments on its initial proposed public health endangerment and vehicle pollution findings that were issued last April. (RTRS) Civil war shipwreck identified: Officials in the Southern state of North Carolina say they have identified a famous Civil War shipwreck that burned at sea more than 145 years ago. The North Carolina Underwater Archaeology Branch said Monday that a silver-plated spoon inscribed with the name of a crew member from the CSS Appomattox confirmed the ship s identity. A four-member diving team discovered the shipwreck in August 2007 in the Pasquotank River. They had been searching for the Appomattox for more than 10 years. The Appomattox was part of a set of armed steamers that defended northeastern North Carolina waters. Its Confederate crew set the ship on fire in 1862 while fleeing federal Union forces. (AP) Grown penis help rabbits mate: Researchers have engineered artificial penises in rabbits, using cells from the animals, who then used their new organs to father baby rabbits. The work takes scientists closer to making other complex solid organs such as livers using a patient s own cells, the researchers reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Monday. fuel or chemical propellants but by streams of photons light particles pushing against a sail in the vacuum of space. Some space enthusiasts see solar sailing as a first step in light-powered propulsion technology that may prove the most feasible mode of travel to distant stars. Tomomi Takada of Japan, a candidate for the 2009 Miss Earth beauty pageant, plants a Palawan Cherry tree sapling at the Nuvali upscale real property development at Sta Rosa, Laguna province south of Manila, Philippines, Nov 10. More than 80 beauties from all over the world are vying for the Miss Earth title, an international beauty contest with a unique advocacy to save Mother Earth. (AP) Ramesh Pachauri Minister under fire India s environment minister came under fire Tuesday from scientists for denying climate change was causing Himalayan glaciers to melt and disputing the work of the UN s top global warming body. Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said Monday there was no conclusive scientific evidence linking global warming to the melting of the glaciers and questioned work by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The IPCC, a UN body regarded as the world s top authority on climate change, has warned Himalayan glaciers are receding faster than in any other part of the world and could disappear altogether by 2035 if not sooner. Shresth Tayal, a glaciologist with The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in New Delhi, rejected a new report from an Indian scientist presented by Ramesh that denied the link between rising temperatures and receding ice. IPCC chairman Rajendra Pachauri also blasted the research by geologist Vijay Kumar Raina, calling it unsubstantiated and said Ramesh s support of it was arrogant. (AFP) It provides a tailor-made transplant, said Dr Anthony Atala of Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center s Institute for But experts say the technology has nearer-term applications in establishing permanent solar weather stations for monitoring magnetic storms on the sun that can wreak havoc on Earth-bound communication networks and electrical grids. The first attempt to launch such a space vehicle, dubbed Cosmos 1, ended Science Regenerative Medicine, who led the study. Once the tissue is there, the body recognizes the tissue as its own, Atala said in a telephone interview. in disaster when a Russian rocket that was supposed to carry it into orbit malfunctioned shortly after liftoff from a submarine in the Barents Sea in June Organizers have since redesigned the spacecraft. The new LightSail vehicle, the size of a loaf of bread, is smaller and 20 times more lightweight than Cosmos but built to accelerate more quickly once Atala focused on the penis because he is a pediatric urologist, who has specialized for years in disorders and congenital defects of the bladder and sexual organs. its aluminum Mylar sail is unfurled in high orbit, 500 miles (800 km) or more above Earth. No launch date has been set. But backers plan to have the LightSail-1 ready to go as early as the end of They are looking at various US or Russian launch options, Betts said. (RTRS) Animals with human material offer big scientific potential Public should debate what s acceptable LONDON, Nov 10, (RTRS): A mouse that can speak? A monkey with Down s Syndrome? Dogs with human hands or feet? British scientists want to know if such experiments are acceptable, or if they go too far in the name of medical research. To find out, Britain s Academy of Medical Sciences launched a study on Tuesday to look at the use of animals containing human material in scientific research. The work is expected to take at least a year, but its leaders hope it will help establish guidelines for scientists in Britain and around the world on how far the public is prepared to see them go in mixing human genes into animals to discover ways to fight human diseases. Do these constructs challenge our idea of what it is to be human? said Martin Bobrow, a professor of medical This file photo taken on May 31, 2009 shows a zookepper displaying a sign designed to help visitors locate koalas in the numerous eucalyptus trees at the Taronga Western Plains Zoo near Dubbo. (AFP) genetics at Cambridge University and chair of a 14-member group looking into the issue. It is important that we consider these questions now so that appropriate boundaries are recognised and research is able to fulfil its potential. Using human material in animals is not new. Scientists have already created rhesus macaque monkeys that have a human form of the Huntingdon s gene so they can investigate how the disease develops; and mice with livers made from human cells are being used to study the effects of new drugs. Boundaries But scientists say the technology to put ever greater amounts of human genetic material into animals is spreading quickly around the world raising the possibility that some scientists in some places may want to push boundaries. There is a whole raft of new scientific techniques that will make it not only easier but also more important to be able to do these cross-species experiments, Bobrow said. A row erupted in Britain last year over new laws allowing the creation of human-animal embryos for experimentation. The row drew interventions from religious groups, who said such experiments pervert the course of nature, and scientific leaders, who say they are vital to research cures for diseases. One Catholic cardinal branded such work Frankenstein science. Bobrow said he and his colleagues were keen to avoid such frenzied debate again and hoped that by acting now they would be able to inform discussion rather than react to it. That was the inspiration for this work. We are seeing babies born with deficient genitalia all the time. There are no good options, Atala said. (RTRS) Extinct in 30 years Koalas endangered SYDNEY, Nov 10, (AFP): Australia s koalas could be extinct in 30 years, conservationists warned Tuesday, calling for the iconic creatures to be declared an endangered species. The Australian Koala Foundation said a recent survey indicated numbers may have plunged by more than half in the past six years due to climate change, disease and over-development. The study showed there were between 43,000 and 80,000 koalas on mainland Australia, down from an estimated 100,000 in 2003, said Foundation chief Deborah Tabart. We re saying (numbers) could be as low as 43,000 and as high as 80,000, Tabart told public broadcaster ABC Radio. Large numbers have been killed by an outbreak of chlamydia, a sexually transmitted disease, while others have been affected by loss of habitat due to deforestation and climate change, Tabart said. OMUTA, Japan, Nov 10, (AFP): Swathes of dirty clouds brood over a coal plant in rural Japan, but scientists are now hoping to send the pollutants the other way, deep into the bowels of Mother Earth. The cutting-edge but controversial technology of carbon capture and storage (CCS) is being tested at the Mikawa power station, located near the coast of Japan s southern Fukuoka prefecture. Toshiba Corp whose President is Norio Sasaki has Sasaki chosen it as a pilot site for a technology it sees as a necessary complement to renewable energies such as wind and solar in the battle to cut industrial emissions blamed for global warming. There is no silver bullet to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, said Toshiba engineer Kensuke Suzuki during a tour of the plant, about 900 kms (560 miles) southwest of Tokyo. Solar energy will not solve all the problems, and you can t just switch from coal to nuclear. You need to find a way to balance the reduction of emissions. Rise With worldwide coal use projected to rise in coming decades, especially in China and India, proponents of the technique say it can help fight climate change that is melting ice caps and threatening eco-systems. CCS will be the only technology to reduce emissions on a grand scale, said Shigeo Murai, who heads a study group on storing carbon dioxide, or CO 2, at Japan s Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth. At the same time it won t be able to reduce overall emissions on its own. It will need help from solar and wind power. Last month the six-storey Toshiba trial plant began trapping 10 tonnes of CO 2 from flue gas, which is created when coal is burnt to make electricity. In what is called the post-combustion method, the gas is pumped into a boiler which mixes it with amines and other liquid solvents. Subjected to high and low temperatures, the CO 2 is then separated and compressed into a liquid. The next step, still in the future in Japan, would be to pump the mixture deep underground into a geological formation, a depleted oil reservoir or a saline field and lock it far away from the atmosphere. Captures Although Toshiba s pilot plant captures only 10 percent of the emissions and has yet to find a way to store the CO 2, it says the technique promises to eventually trap up to 90 percent of the pollutants. Many question marks still hover over the technology, which is slowly unfolding around the world. Five large-scale integrated CCS projects are now operating in North America, Europe and North Africa. Environmentalists warn that the CO 2 could seep out, and some geologists worry that it could erupt to the surface or even trigger minor earthquakes. Greenpeace labels it a dangerous gamble in a recent report, warning that large-scale projects pose significant risks including negative health effects and damage to ecosystems (and) groundwater contamination. There is also concern among green groups that CCS technology could give a new lease of life to fossil fuel use at a time when the world should quickly move on to cleaner energies. Both critics and proponents say CCS could even boost fossil fuel use by helping to flush out hard-toreach oil or methane deposits. Toshiba experts say that in the socalled Enhanced Oil Recovery system, CO 2 would be injected into semidepleted oil fields and help release remaining oil pockets by acting like turpentine on hardened paint. Then there is the question of cost. A plant fitted with CCS burns up to 40 percent more energy and faces 60 percent more in costs than an ordinary plant, energy experts say. For consumers, that translates into adding up to 65 dollars per tonne of CO 2 to the cost of electricity, according to a report compiled by the Pew Center on Global Climate Change based near Washington. But Japan is aiming to drive down costs to 2,000 yen (22 dollars) a tonne by 2015 and to 1,000 yen by 2020 levels competitive with other types of green energy, according to a government report. Toshiba, which also entered the solar energy market this year, aims to market CCS technology by 2015 and eyes revenues worth 100 billion yen by 2020.

21 Up conundrum one of many dramas playing out this year Animated movies expected to impact Oscars Film LOS ANGELES, Nov 10, (RTRS): As the buzz on a best-picture nomination for WALL-E hit a fever pitch last year, one Pixar confided: This is it. This is our last chance. After this year, we re out of the awards game. Well, perhaps not. The Oscar buzz this year couldn t be higher for Pixar s Up, not only for best animated category but for best picture, thanks in part to a lucky-to-beborn late blessing of 10 best-picture nominations (up from the usual five). A dual accolade would make history: The only instance of an animated movie being nominated for best film was Beauty of the Beast in 1991, long before the best animated feature category existed. A double nomination also would create complications and not only for executives at Pixar and its Disney parent who might have to shell out some extra coin on a broader campaign. Pixar and director Pete Docter might hope that the best-picture momentum will carry it to a victory in the animation category. But for some voters, it could slice the other way, prompting them to choose something else in animation because they ve already put Up high on their best picture ballot. (In that sense, Up would be unlucky to be nominated twice.) The Up conundrum isn t the only drama playing out this year. The animation race is more wide open than ever, thanks to a likely five slots, which are possible (though not mandated) if the Academy qualifies at least 16 animated releases. Some 20 films are said to have been submitted this year. That, in turn, could charge up more than a few dark horses. There s real anticipation this year because of the possibility we re finally going to hit the magic number of 16, which would be a real bonus for many of the smaller pictures at the box office and on DVD, says Animation Magazine s Ramin Zahed. We say that every year, but this year there s a real feeling it could happen. Contender It s hardly a surprise the category has swelled, what with indies and studios ramping up their animation output. Every major studio besides Warner Bros. has a contender this year, including a few smaller companies not often seen in the race, like IFC, in the mix with Mary & Max. That augurs for an awards season with more than just the usual competition between Pixar and DreamWorks Animation, Lasseter and Disney alumnus Katzenberg (juicy as that is). Sony is a real contender with Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, and Focus is a contender twice over for Henry Selick s Coraline and for Shane Acker s 9. The race also will offer the rare case of pitting classic Disney (as in the hand-drawn The Princess and the Frog ) against the new, computer-generated Disney (Pixar s Up ). Indeed, the prize is becoming, more than ever before in its nine-year history, a referendum on format, at a time when the animation world is seeing technology and opinions proliferate (and, sometimes, create fissures). Robert Zemeckis A Christmas Carol is likely to qualify, though its absence from a five-nomination field also could be seen as a rebuff to motion-capture technology. And 3D is likely to be a factor, though studios are taking different strategic approaches to the new technology. Focus has opted to send out to voters the 3D version of Coraline, hoping that Selick s work is best seen that way. Pixar, however, won t send Up screeners in 3D, on the assumption that busy voters don t want to fiddle with a pair of glasses. Variety Features Actress Andie MacDowell (left), and daughter Rainey Qualley attend the Glamour Magazine 2009 Women of the Year Awards at Carnegie Hall, Nov 9, in New York. (AP) Film WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2009 LOS ANGELES: It seems almost strange to recall now, but when Precious premiered at Sundance in January, it not only wasn t the biggest movie of the festival, it wasn t even the biggest movie of the night. That honor belonged to Brooklyn s Finest, a cop drama that debuted to high expectations thanks to the starring presence of Richard Gere and Ethan Hawke and the pedigree of director Antoine Fuqua. Since then, the fates of the two movies couldn t have diverged further. Finest got a mixed reception because of its comically bloody final act, landed one buyer, then switched to another buyer, and had a director re-cut the picture drastically. It s anyone s guess how and when new acquirer Overture will bring it out. Precious, on the other hand, has led a charmed life an inversion of the hard-luck tale told by the movie itself. Director Lee Daniels tale of inner-city woe and pluck excited buyers, ended up at Lionsgate, generated awards talk, drew the interest of both Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry and went on to become the toast of Cannes and Toronto. (RTRS) LOS ANGELES: Sgt. Rock, a long-gestating movie project based on the DC Comics World War II hero, is moving forward by going into the future. Sgt Frank Rock was the leader of his infantry unit, Easy Company. He first appeared in a 1959 issue of Our Army at War. In 1977, the comic was renamed Sgt Rock and ran until Until now, the feature version has retained its World War II setting, with producer Joel Silver and Warner Bros trying to make a big-budget action adventure movie that was a throwback to flicks like Gere Hawke Clooney, Streep, Murray lead voice cast Fantastic Mr Fox offers goofy fun IT MAY not merit the adjective in its title, yet the animated yarn Fantastic Mr. Fox offers some of the most goofy fun you ll have at a theater this season. With George Clooney, Meryl Streep and Bill Murray leading the top-notch voice cast, director Wes Anderson has found an ideal story and medium stop-motion animation to bring his cockeyed vision to the cartoon world. Brits may be annoyed at this latest Americanization of one of their beloved literary works. Yet in the hands of Anderson ( The Royal Tenenbaums, Rushmore ), Roald Dahl s illustrated children s book gets loving treatment and a distinct handcrafted style that sets it apart from the sleek computer-generated imagery dominating animation today. This story of a poultry-thieving fox and the evil farmers waging war on him is a delightful whirlwind of mayhem and high spirits. It s lightweight fun, yet Fantastic Mr. Fox succeeds on all levels, presenting cute and clever little varmints to charm children while offering adults merry screwball humor that slyly stretches the film s family-friendly PG rating. Clooney provides vocals for the title character, a fox who reluctantly gives up his glamorous but perilous chicken-snatching life at the behest of his wife (voice by Streep), who wants to raise a family in peace and quiet. Years later, they have a nice new home that stretches the finances of Mr. Fox s job as a The Dirty Dozen, which feature acts of American derring-do. But a big budget always was an obstacle and, Inglourious Basterds notwithstanding, period war movies have not been in vogue in Hollywood for years, unless it was a more serious contemplation of the subject like Saving Private Ryan. newspaper columnist for the local animal community. The Foxes have a sullen teen son ( Rushmore star Jason Schwartzman) whose insecurities are compounded by a visit from his handsome, talented cousin (Anderson s brother, Eric, also an illustrator on the film). His domicile in plain sight of the livestock and produce riches of farmers Boggis, Bunce and Bean, Mr Fox is unable to resist one last poultry caper, but his raids on all three farms bring down the mechanized wrath of the human world on all surrounding wildlife. Trapped Trapped underground with his family and a menagerie of angry neighbors, Mr Fox marshals an inter-species rebellion against the humans that want to exterminate them. The slightly clunky, coarse animation little puppets on miniature sets, moved in tiny increments and photographed a frame at a time beautifully complements this shaggy-dog story. Some of the facial expressions the animators achieve with their furry puppets are as weirdly expressive as anything you ll find in the human world, while the Wolfman-like close-ups of Mr. Fox at his most manic add to the energy of the film. The wisecracks in Anderson and co-writer Noah Baumbach s screenplay often are hilarious, as is the slang the animals use to cuss like sailors. Clooney s in his best smooth-talker form and Also, American jingoism went out of style after 9/11; even this summer s G.I. Joe movie dropped the toy s A Real American Hero tagline and made the action team internationally focused. (RTRS) LOS ANGELES: Terrorist Carlos the Jackal is coming to the Streep s vocals are pure grace and class, supported by great drollery from Schwartzman and frequent Anderson collaborator Murray, providing the voice of a Badger who is Mr Fox s attorney. Willem Dafoe provides menace as a rat guarding the poultry, while Michael Gambon lends sonorous voice to the main heavy, Farmer Bean (the farmers all have British accents, the animals American; since Clooney was cast first, Anderson decided to give the other creatures American accents for consistency). These animals basically are humans in fur costumes, walking upright and relating to one another in neighborly isolationism, each family and species caught up in their private concerns. Common foes and shared adversity break down their aloofness. The effect is rather like watching the kinship-building that goes on in Anderson s live-action films as disparate blood relations and oddball strangers coalesce into something resembling a family. A perfect family, no. But definitely one you won t mind joining for an hour and a half. Fantastic Mr Fox, a 20th Century Fox release, is rated PG for action, smoking and slang humor. Running time: 88 minutes. Three stars out of four. (AP) Also: LOS ANGELES: Oscar-winners Gwyneth Paltrow and Nicole Kidman are to play husband and wife in an upcoming film about the Sundance Channel and then to US theaters via IFC Films. Under a deal struck at the annual American Film Market trade show, the Sundance Channel has snapped up rights to the three-part French miniseries Carlos, directed by Olivier Assayas, and will air it in the spring. IFC Films will then distribute a world s first transsexual, it was reported Monday. Paltrow, 37, and Kidman 42, will play artists Greta and Einar Wegener in The Danish Girl, entertainment industry newspaper Daily Variety reported. Einar Wegener, who will be played by Kidman, was a male artist who underwent groundbreaking surgery to become a woman in 1931 after pretending to be a female model in a series of successful portraits painted by Greta Wegener. South African actress Charlize Theron had initially been pencilled in for the role of Greta Wegener until being replaced by Paltrow. (AFP) LOS ANGELES: Fox Searchlight is going to the ballet. The specialty division of 20th Century Fox will co-finance and distribute Black Swan, a supernatural thriller from Darren Aronofsky, the director of The Wrestler. Black Swan centers on a young dancer at the New York City Ballet (Natalie Portman) who may or may not be having delusions about a rival dancer (Mila Kunis). The cast also includes Winona Ryder, Barbara Hershey and French actor Vincent Cassell. The project, which began life at Universal before being reconceived as an indie, has drawn comparisons to The Others and other high-end supernatural thrillers. (RTRS) short version of the miniseries in the fall, both in theaters and as a simultaneous video-on-demand offering. The film stars Edgar Ramirez, of Che and Domino, as Illich Ramirez Sanchez, who was known as Carlos the Jackal, the mastermind behind a wave of assassinations and terrorist attacks that swept Europe and the Middle East in the 70s and 80s. The film was shot in Austria, France, Germany, Hungary and Morocco with an international cast. It is half in English and half in other languages such as Spanish and French. It will air on Canal Plus early next year. (RTRS)

22 NEWS/FEATURES 22 People & Places OnLine Truth or old ploy Framed for child porn by PC virus SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 10, (AP): Of all the sinister things that Internet viruses do, this might be the worst: They can make people an unsuspecting collector of child pornography. Heinous pictures and videos can be deposited on computers by viruses the malicious programs better known for swiping your credit card numbers. In this twist, it s your reputation that s stolen. Pedophiles can exploit virus-infected PCs to remotely store and view their stash without fear they ll Michael Fiola get caught. Pranksters or someone trying to frame you can tap viruses to make it appear that you surf illegal Web sites. Whatever the motivation, you get child porn on your computer and might not realize it until police knock at your door. An Associated Press investigation found cases in which innocent people have been branded as pedophiles after their co-workers or loved ones stumbled upon child porn placed on a PC through a virus. It can cost victims hundreds of thousands of dollars to prove their innocence. Their situations are complicated by the fact that actual pedophiles often blame viruses a defense rightfully viewed with skepticism by law enforcement. It s an example of the old `dog ate my homework excuse, says Phil Malone, director of the Cyberlaw Clinic at Harvard s Berkman Center for Internet & Society. The problem is, sometimes the dog does eat your homework. The AP s investigation included interviewing people who had been found with child porn on their computers. The AP reviewed court records and spoke to prosecutors, police and computer examiners. Case One case involved Michael Fiola, a former investigator with the Massachusetts agency that oversees workers compensation. In 2007, Fiola s bosses became suspicious after the Internet bill for his state-issued laptop showed that he used 4 1/2 times more data than his colleagues. A technician found child porn in the PC folder that stores images viewed online. Fiola was fired and charged with possession of child pornography, which carries up to five years in prison. He endured death threats, his car tires were slashed and he was shunned by friends. Fiola and his wife fought the case, spending $250,000 on legal fees. They liquidated their savings, took a second mortgage and sold their car. An inspection for his defense revealed the laptop was severely infected. It was programmed to visit as many as 40 child porn sites per minute an inhuman feat. While Fiola and his wife were out to dinner one night, someone logged on to the computer and porn flowed in for an hour and a half. Prosecutors performed another test and confirmed the defense findings. The charge was dropped 11 months after it was filed. The Fiolas say they have health problems from the stress of the case. They say they ve talked to dozens of lawyers but can t get one to sue the state, because of a cap on the amount they can recover. It ruined my life, my wife s life and my family s life, he says. The Massachusetts attorney general s office, which charged Fiola, declined interview requests. At any moment, about 20 million of the estimated 1 billion Internet-connected PCs worldwide are infected with viruses that could give hackers full control, according to security software maker F-Secure Corp. Computers often get infected when people open attachments from unknown sources or visit a malicious Web page. Viruses Pedophiles can tap viruses in several ways. The simplest is to force someone else s computer to surf child porn sites, collecting images along the way. Or a computer can be made into a warehouse for pictures and videos that can be viewed remotely when the PC is online. In the first publicly known cases of individuals being victimized, two men in the United Kingdom were cleared in 2003 after viruses were shown to have been responsible for the child porn on their PCs. In one case, an infected or pop-up ad poisoned a defense contractor s PC and downloaded the offensive pictures. In the other, a virus changed the home page on a man s Web browser to display child porn, a discovery made by his 7-year-old daughter. The man spent more than a week in jail and three months in a halfway house, and lost custody of his daughter. Chris Watts, a computer examiner in Britain, says he helped clear a hotel manager whose co-workers found child porn on the PC they shared with him. Watts found that while surfing the Internet for ways to play computer games without paying for them, the manager had visited a site for pirated software. It redirected visitors to child porn sites if they were inactive for a certain period. In all these cases, the central evidence wasn t in dispute: Pornography was on a computer. But proving how it got there was difficult. Tami Loehrs, who inspected Fiola s computer, recalls a case in Arizona in which a computer was so extensively infected that it would be virtually impossible to prove what an indictment alleged: that a 16-year-old who used the PC had uploaded child pornography to a Yahoo group. Charge Prosecutors dropped the charge and let the boy plead guilty to a separate crime that kept him out of jail, though they say they did it only because of his age and lack of a criminal record. Many prosecutors say blaming a computer virus for child porn is a new version of an old ploy. We call it the SODDI defense: Some Other Dude Did It, says James Anderson, a federal prosecutor in Wyoming. However, forensic examiners say it would be hard for a pedophile to get away with his crime by using a bogus virus defense. I personally would feel more comfortable investing my retirement in the lottery before trying to defend myself with that, says forensics specialist Jeff Fischbach. Even careful child porn collectors tend to leave incriminating s, DVDs or other clues. Virus defenses are no match for such evidence, says Damon King, trial attorney for the U.S. Justice Department s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section. But while the virus defense does not appear to be letting real pedophiles out of trouble, there have been cases in which forensic examiners insist that legitimate claims did not get completely aired. Loehrs points to Ned Solon of Wyoming, who is serving six years for child porn found in a folder used by a file-sharing program on his computer. Solon admits he used the program to download video games and adult porn but not child porn. So what could explain that material? Software Loehrs testified that Solon s antivirus software wasn t working properly and appeared to have shut off for long stretches, a sign of an infection. She found no evidence the five child porn videos on Solon s computer had been viewed or downloaded fully. The porn was in a folder the file-sharing program labeled as incomplete because the downloads were canceled or generated an error. This defense was curtailed, however, when Loehrs ended her investigation in a dispute with the judge over her fees. Computer exams can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Defendants can ask the courts to pay, but sometimes judges balk at the price. Although Loehrs stopped working for Solon, she argues he is innocent. I don t think it was him, I really don t, Loehrs says. There was too much evidence that it wasn t him. The prosecution s forensics expert, Randy Huff, maintains that Solon s antivirus software was working properly. And he says he ran other antivirus programs on the computer and didn t find an infection although security experts say antivirus scans frequently miss things. He actually had a very clean computer compared to some of the other cases I do, Huff says. The jury took two hours to convict Solon. Everybody feels they re innocent in prison. Nobody believes me because that s what everybody says, says Solon, whose case is being appealed. All I know is I did not do it. I never put the stuff on there. I never saw the stuff on there. I can only hope that someday the truth will come out. But can it? It can be impossible to tell with certainty how a file got onto a PC. Computers are not to be trusted, says Jeremiah Grossman, founder of WhiteHat Security Inc. He describes it as painfully simple to get a computer to download something the owner doesn t want whether it s a program that displays ads or one that stores illegal pictures. Oscar-nominated actor James Woods reacts as the defence describes how his brother died during opening statements in his lawsuit against Kent County Hospital, Nov 9, at Kent County Superior Court in Warwick, R.I. Woods is suing Kent Hospital over the 2006 death of his brother, Michael, who died from what was believed to be a heart attack. Inset: Actor James Woods stands up for a recess prior to opening statements in his lawsuit. (AP) A Bald Eagle sits on a branch overlooking ponds at Water Works Park, Nov 9, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP) Williams Variety Halderman NEW YORK: A lawyer for the TV news producer accused of blackmailing talk show host David Letterman plans to ask a judge to dismiss an extortion case that prompted the late-night comic to acknowledge affairs with staffers. Robert J. Joe Halderman is due in a Manhattan court Tuesday. His defense attorney, Gerald Shargel, said he planned to challenge whether the evidence presented to a grand jury was sufficient and ask a judge to dismiss the attempted first-degree grand larceny charge against his client. Challenging grand jury evidence is a common first defense step in New York criminal cases. Shargel wouldn t discuss details of his argument in advance of the court appearance, Halderman s first since being released on $200,000 bail last month in the headline-grabbing case. Prosecutors said Halderman left a bizarre and threatening package in Letterman s car on Sept 9, demanding $2 million to keep quiet about some of the Late Show host s dalliances. The materials included a letter, a synopsis of a supposed screenplay that said Letterman s world would collapse around him when information about his private life was disclosed, photos, personal correspondence and portions of a diary, authorities said. The diary entries were allegedly written by Halderman s former girlfriend and outlined her affair with Letterman. (AP) ATLANTA: Comedian and rapper Katt Williams was released on bond Monday after police said they arrested the entertainer for breaking into a home and stealing thousands of dollars worth of jewelry Woods brother did not get proper care and coins. Williams, who police say is 38, is charged with burglary and criminal trespassing, according to Coweta County A hospital did not do enough to care for the brother of James Woods when he went to the emergency room complaining of a sore throat and vomiting in 2006, a lawyer for the actor told jurors Monday at the trial of a wrongful death lawsuit. Michael Woods died from heart disease at Kent Hospital in Warwick on July 26, 2006, after going into cardiac arrest on a gurney. He was 49. Attorney Mark Decof said in opening statements that the actor s brother wasn t seen by a doctor until an hour after he arrived and was initially treated in a section Sheriff s Office Maj James Yarbrough. A Coweta County magistrate set bond at $41,150 Monday afternoon. Williams was released Monday night. As he emerged Hollywood actress Goldie Hawn (right) meditates in a boat in Varanasi, India, Nov 9. (AP) of the emergency room generally reserved for less-urgent cases. Even after an EKG came back abnormal, he was not given oxygen, aspirin or hooked up to heart monitoring to track further deterioration all part of the standard of care in treating someone in Woods condition, Decof said. (AP) Wish this book had never been written Holcomb grieves In Cold Blood deaths HOLCOMB, Kan., Nov 10, (AP): It s one of America s most haunting crime stories: four members of a Kansas family brutally murdered on Nov 15, 1959, at their rural farmhouse. The slayings of the Clutters chronicled in Truman Capote s book, In Cold Blood have overshadowed the town of Holcomb for the past half century and the trial and execution of the culprits has brought little, if any, closure. For many townsfolk, the wounds have been slow to heal partly because of Capote s critically acclaimed, nonfiction novel that spawned a new literary genre. The book has been reviled in its birthplace by residents because of its recreation of events that never happened and what they say is commercial exploitation of the victims. The subsequent movies have also been unpopular here. They made a tremendous amount of money off our great tragedy, said Bob Rupp, who as a teenager dated Nancy Clutter. The horrific slayings of Herbert Clutter, a prominent farmer and community leader, and his wife, Bonnie Mae Fox, along with their children, 15-year-old Kenyon and 16-year-old Nancy, shattered the innocence of a generation accustomed to leaving their doors unlocked. The hunt for their killers parolees Dick Hickock and Perry Smith mesmerized the nation, drawing journalists from across the country to this rural outpost on the Kansas prairie. Then when Capote s book hit the shelves, it forever linked the small town with a crime now known around the world. Alan Schwartz, a longtime friend of the author, said many Holcomb residents didn t really grasp that Capote was not writing a purely factual account but was using the basis of facts to show what it was like to live in such a town and confront this crime. It is different than what they expected, but it is a work of art. It is not simply a matter of historical reporting. I can imagine that a lot of people who were freaked out by what happened in the middle of Kansas never understood that, Schwartz said. The book stands on its own as a major work of American literature and a major description of how a small town dealt with an incredible, horrible tragedy, he said. Dedicate When Holcomb residents gathered recently to dedicate a memorial to the Clutters, a lingering bitterness against Capote s book intermingled with an unwavering sense of loss for their beloved neighbors. I wish the book had not been written. I didn t like the book the little bit I read, said Shirley Clutter. Her father-in-law was Herbert Clutter s brother. The 80-year-old woman found that reading about the killings was too painful. Beyond the infamy wrought by their murders, the Clutter family also left a legacy of community leadership. Engraved in the stone memorial is a litany of the family s accomplishments in local community groups, school and church. He (Herbert Clutter) was beginning to be a national figure in agriculture on some committees in Washington, D.C. Who knows what he might have done had he lived out his life, said Dolores Hope, the city editor of the Garden City Telegram at the time of the murders. In Cold Blood became a literary sensation soon after the first copies rolled off the press in The book has been translated into numerous languages. In 1967, a black-and-white film by the same name was released. A CBS television miniseries followed in Capote s writing of the book became the focus of a 2005 movie, Capote, for which Phillip Seymour Hoffman won an Academy Award for best actor. Book sales that year spiked to 1.5 million. A year later, the movie Infamous hit the silver screen with a similar theme, but it centered more on the town. One friend of the Clutters, Fielding Hands, said Capote sure made an interesting book. I think he did the family justice for the things he said about them and what they did for the community, said Hands, 83. from the Coweta County Jail, he called the alleged burglary a misunderstanding between me and two stupid detectives. The Atlanta-Journal Constitution reported he was mobbed by about 50 excited fans before departing in a van filled with friends and associates. Yarbrough said the Sunday night incident happened at a home in Newnan, about 38 miles (61 kilometers) southwest of Atlanta. An employee identified in a police report as Daniel Broach who works at the estate where the comedian is staying called police around 9 p.m. to report a break-in at a guesthouse on the property. (AP) PITTSBURGH: Professional wrestler and Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle and his former girlfriend have agreed to have no contact with one another, about three months after Angle was charged with assaulting her. An Allegheny County judge signed the order Monday. Trenesha Biggers, who s a wrestler herself, also withdrew a protection from abuse complaint against Angle, but he s scheduled for a preliminary hearing Tuesday for a simple assault charge in the case. Police say Angle attacked Biggers at his suburban Pittsburgh home Aug 6. (AP)

23 NEWS/FEATURES 23 Lifestyle Focus on health US first lady on Sesame Street NEW YORK, Nov 10, (AP): She s hanging with Elmo and Emeril Lagasse, Big Bird and Bobby Flay. Michelle Obama was to appear on Sesame Street Tuesday and recently taped an episode of Iron Chef America, just two of the varied platforms she s been using lately to get her healthy-eating message out to the masses. And while the first lady herself didn t appear on The Biggest Loser last week, her staff invited NBC s popular Michelle weight-loss show into its kitchen and into Mrs Obama s famed White House Kitchen Garden. First ladies have appeared on Sesame Street before. In fact, the show, which marks its 40th anniversary with Tuesday s season opener, has also hosted Barbara Bush, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Laura Bush. But Iron Chef and The Biggest Loser? We re trying to reach as many people as possible with the first lady s message of healthy eating, and by working with platforms with similar goals like Iron Chef, The Biggest Loser and Sesame Street, we re able to do just that, said Katie McCormick Lelyveld, Mrs. Obama s spokeswoman, in an message to The Associated Press. While some of the venues may be untraditional, the strategy is actually quite traditional for a first lady, says Mark Jurkowitz, associate director of the Project for Excellence in Journalism. Message If you re trying to lay out a nonpolitical message, you go to nonpolitical media, says Jurkowitz. And what s more nonpolitical than a beloved children s show, a popular food contest or a show about losing weight? In the nine months since she became first lady, Mrs Obama has focused on several issues: She s been a vocal advocate for veterans and military families, for example. But perhaps her most visible cause has been her emphasis on healthy eating and fighting obesity, particularly in children. She delighted chefs across the country when she had her vegetable garden planted on the South Lawn, and she s appeared there numerous times before the cameras. At a recent health fair nearby, she engaged in a hula-hooping session in which she reached an impressive 142 swivels. No hula-hooping on Tuesday s Sesame Street, but Mrs. Obama beams as she s introduced by red, furry Elmo himself. We re here digging up soil so we can plant a garden, she says to Elmo and to the children helping her. Veggies taste so good when they come from the garden, don t they? Big Bird soon arrives. You re tall like me, maybe we re from the same family, he says. Are you part bird? No, Big Bird, I m not, Mrs. Obama says. But she tells the children: If you eat all these healthy foods you re gonna grow up big and strong, just like me! Viewers Sesame Street reaches some 5 million viewers each week. Mrs Obama may be the fourth first lady to appear, but what made her appearance so special is that she s the first to have actually grown up watching the show, says Carol-Lynn Parente, the show s executive producer. We realized that when we saw her come on the set and make a beeline for Grover to give him a big hug. The Iron Chef America episode, which has been taped but doesn t air until Jan 3, features White House chef Cristeta Comerford and three celebrity chefs: Bobby Flay, Mario Batali and Emeril Lagasse. Comerford and Flay are pitted against Batali and Lagasse in the contest, which brings them to the White House. That s where Mrs Obama comes in, revealing the secret ingredient they all must use: Anything from her garden. The chefs get to work choosing their veggies. We knew we wanted to do a super chef battle, says Bruce Seidel, the Food Network s senior vice president of special productions. The task was to make it intriguing. The White House garden popped into my head, and I just thought it was such a great message something we want to do better at the Food Network. The White House was very excited. Mrs Obama neither cooks on the show nor judges the results, however; The judges are actress Jane Seymour, former Olympic swimmer Natalie Coughlin and chef Nigella Lawson. On The Biggest Loser episode, which aired last week, the contestants didn t get to meet Mrs Obama, but they did get to harvest vegetables from her garden. This May 5, 2009 photo released by Sesame Workshop shows First Lady Michelle Obama (third from left), with Big Bird, Elmo, Muppets & cast in Michelle Obama Plants A Garden in Astoria, NY. Mrs Obama appears on Sesame Street, Nov 10, and recently taped an episode of Iron Chef America, just two of the varied platforms she s been using lately to get her healthy-eating message out to the masses. Inset: Chef Bobby Flay (from left), and White House chef Cristeta Comerford, Alton Brown, First Lady Michelle Obama, chef Mario Batali and chef Emeril Lagasse. (AP) Journalists and honorees Laura Ling (left), and Euna Lee attend the Glamour Magazine 2009 Women of the Year Awards at Carnegie Hall on Nov 9, in New York. (AP) Angelou Variety Rihanna NEW YORK: Even for a venue as grand as New York s Carnegie Hall, there was a pretty dazzling concentration of star power at Glamour magazine s Women of the Year awards. Pop star Rihanna was there, in the most body-hugging of gowns. Tennis star Serena Williams was there, too, in a bright red, oneshoulder number. Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones were presenters; so were Katie Couric and former president Bill Clinton. And there were not one but three Beatle wives. But the biggest ovation at Monday evening s award ceremony went to the 81- year-old poet Maya Angelou, whose soaring words on the power of womanhood brought many to tears and nearly everyone to their feet. Women, Angelou told the crowd in her speech, are rainbows in the clouds. I am grateful to be a woman, said Angelou, who won the lifetime achievement award. I must have done something great in another life. As for the men: You have to write your own poem, the poet said to laughter, including from Clinton, the man who had called upon her to recite poetry at his inauguration. The annual Glamour Women of the Year awards always honor a group of eclectic women, and this year was no exception. One of the evening s most emotional moments was the award to pediatrician Jane Aronson, who works to better the lives of orphans overseas and founded the Worldwide Orphans Foundation. She was in tears after Couric introduced her, even more so when surprised onstage by a group of her kids, children from foreign countries, now adopted by American families. She got a standing ovation, as did the Iranian women of the One Million Signatures Campaign, introduced by CNN anchor Jobless Christiane Amanpour. The women are working toward gender equality in Iran. Model Iman, who presented Rihanna s Kyoto Prize laureates, (from left), Japan s Nagoya University Prof Isamu Akasaki, Princeton University biologists, Peter Grant and his wife Rosemary Grant, and French composer and conductor Pierre Boulez show their medals and diplomas during their joint press conference following an awarding ceremony in Kyoto, Japan, Nov 10. (AP) Life easier in some ways Unemployed more vulnerable today WASHINGTON, Nov 10, (AP): It hurts more to be unemployed now in the United States than the last time the jobless rate hit 10 percent. Americans have more than triple the debt they had in 1982, and less than half the savings. They spend 10 weeks longer off the job. And a bigger share of them have no health insurance, leaving them one medical emergency away from financial ruin. For these reasons, the unemployed are more vulnerable today to foreclosure and bankruptcy than they were a generation ago. Donald Schenk knows. He s been without work both times. It s worse now, he says. Back in the early 1980s, when Schenk lost his job at a phone company, he was able to find several temporary jobs including one testing pinball machines to make ends meet until he landed full-time work nearly two years later. But now Schenk, 55, of the Chicago suburb of Schaumburg, Illinois, has been seeking work for a year and a half after losing his information technology job. Potential employers aren t interested if you are not a perfect fit, he says. The unemployment rate hit 10.2 percent in October. All told, 15.7 million Americans are out of work. Add in workers forced to settle for part-time work or those who have simply given up looking, and the rate is 17.5 percent. Only twice since World War II has unemployment topped 10 percent now and from September 1982 to June In a few respects, life is better today for the unemployed than it was then. Unemployment benefits are more generous, adjusted for inflation, and the Internet allows jobseekers to network, scan for openings and apply without leaving home. Values And thanks in part to higher home values, Americans are worth more now. Measured in 2009 dollars, net worth comes to about $173,000 per person, compared with $94,000 in 1982, according to Lynn Reaser, president of the National Association for Business Economics. Even if the average American has a larger cushion to fall back on, times are tough. A much larger share of jobs these days more than four out of five are in the service sector, such as tax preparers, hair stylists and retail clerks. Those jobs generally pay less and offer fewer benefits than blue-collar manufacturing work. Manufacturing, which typically offers more generous benefits, accounts for less than 9 percent of payrolls today down from 19 percent in Back then, the United Auto Workers award, referred to the singer s ordeal early this year, when she was assaulted by boyfriend and fellow singer Chris Brown. Rihanna initially persuaded the Big Three auto companies to pay up to 95 percent of the gap between a laid-off worker s unemployment benefits and what he or she made on the job. But since the decline of the size and influence of unions, that would be inconceivable today, says University of Illinois professor Michael LeRoy, who studies unions. Unemployment also squeezes families tighter these days because they are less conservative about how they spend and save. People carry an average of about $46,000 in debt mortgages, credit cards, auto loans and other consumer debt. That s a far bigger load than in 1982, when per capita debt totaled about $14,000 in today s dollars. Percentage And savings, as a percentage of aftertax income, was only 2.7 percent last year, down from 10.9 percent in Americans stashed an average of just $940 last year, compared with $2,537 in That helps explain why the foreclosure rate runs about seven times higher today. Not surprisingly, that means more Americans about three times as many are going bankrupt. Lawrence Mishel, president of the left-leaning Economic Policy Institute, says the ripple effects of the rising returned to Brown but said last week that she regrets it, because it sent the wrong message to her fans. Brown has pleaded guilty to Google responds News can be removed LONDON, Nov 10, (AFP): Google said Tuesday, in response to threats by Rupert Murdoch to ban the search engine from listing content from his news empire, that any company could ask to have stories taken off. In an interview in his native Australia, Murdoch accused Google of stealing stories from News Corp newspapers for the Google News service, and said he might ban them once he introduces charges for the papers online editions. Google said it was up to individual news organisations to decide whether they wanted their stories listed on Google News, and there were simple technical standards that would remove them if they wished. News organisations are in complete control over whether and how much of their content appears in search results, it said in a statement issued in London. Publishers put their content on the web because they want it to be found, so very few choose not to include their material in Google News and web search. But if they tell us not to include it, we don t. unemployment rate will be felt for years. He predicts the poverty rate for children will rise to 27 percent in 2011, from 18 percent in It will scar a generation of kids, he says. If you re unemployed today, the odds are better that you ll stay unemployed longer than a generation ago. And government surveys suggest that if you get laid off, it s more likely to be for good. Today s unemployed have been out of work about half a year on average. In the early 1980s, they spent about four months without jobs. One reason is that industries such as construction and finance may never bulk back up to pre-recession levels. Even before the economy went south, demand for their products was inflated by the housing bubble. Another reason layoffs are more permanent: Manufacturers these days are more aggressive about using technology to boost productivity or they hire cheaper workers overseas as the economy improves. Schenk, who is drawing unemployment aid, has managed to stay up-todate on his mortgage and credit card payments, but at a significant cost to his financial future. I m burning through my savings, he says. And the next thing I ll dip into is my retirement account. felony assault. Now I am even more impressed with her dignity and courage, Iman said, noting that Rihanna would serve as a role model to victims of domestic violence. Other honorees recently in the headlines were Laura Ling and Euna Lee, the American TV journalists who were arrested in North Korea and sentenced to 12 years hard labor after briefly crossing the border from China. They were pardoned in early August after a trip to Pyongyang by Clinton, who also mentioned the ordeal in his remarks, calling the day of their release one of the happiest of his life. (AP) LISBON: Hollywood bad girl Lindsay Lohan s first collection as artistic advisor for Emanuel Ungaro was a disaster, the founder of the French couture house said in Lisbon, local press reported. Lindsay Lohan s collaboration was a disaster, the designer said during a meeting on Monday night with the public at the international film festival in Estoril, near Lisbon. I am furious but I can t do anything about it, fumed the designer, who emphasised that he no longer had any contact with the house which bears his name since he left in The house now belongs to an American investment company. Lohan, 23, whose drug habits and drinkdriving conviction turned her into paparazzi fodder and wreaked havoc with her acting career, was named official muse to the prestigious house alongside Spanish designer Estrella Archs in September. (AFP)

24 NEWS/FEATURES 24 People & Places Music 2 million tunes sold Glee lights up music scene By Jill Serjeant Its characters may feel like a bunch of unloved high-school misfits, but the quirky musical TV comedy Glee is putting smiles on the faces of music industry executives searching for new revenue in an era of plunging album sales. Two months into the TV season, Glee is drawing a weekly audience of 8.6 million viewers to the Fox television network. Fans have bought more than two million tunes sung by the show s cast on itunes, and soundtracks are being compiled and sold in traditional stores. Revenues are being split among Fox and the record company, and artists and music publishers are being paid licensing fees for songs Glee uses in musical numbers in each episode. Record labels have been desperate for new revenue, said Steve Knopper, contributing editor for Rolling Stone Rihanna magazine. They are trying to figure out any way to make money and one pretty reliable way is to sync up with a hot TV show. That s exactly what Sony Music Entertainment s Columbia Records did last January when the Fox network shopped a pilot of Glee to record labels months before it aired. Columbia won the deal to partner with News Corp s Fox on the release of all Glee music on Apple Corp s itunes, as well as on traditional soundtrack albums. Deals Columbia also has broad 360 deals all-encompassing agreements with the previously unknown actors playing the Glee kids. The deals cover first rights to recording contracts, and a percentage of earnings from concert revenue, endorsements, merchandising and ringtones. The first Glee soundtrack was released last week, a second is due out on December 8, and discussions are underway for a national cast tour and several more albums. Neither Fox nor Columbia would give disclose financial details. But Glen Brunman, soundtrack consultant at Columbia, said: We are hopefully going to make history together. We felt (in January) that it wasn t just a TV show but that it had the potential to be a pop culture icon, Brunman told Reuters. It is unique and it is an approach with a TV show that hasn t existed in the past. Digital downloads are released each week of Glee cover versions before the show is broadcast, allowing Columbia to capitalize on the appetite of fans to buy immediately. In a sign of just how popular some of the tunes have become, the Glee cast s rendition of the 1981 Journey song Don t Stop Believin was certified gold last week after more than 500,000 digital sales. Rihanna s Take a Bow single saw a 189 pct sales increase after it was covered on Glee. Now Madonna, eager to get in on the act, has offered her catalog for an upcoming episode. Knopper said industry economics are such that the revenue from TV partnerships is pretty much a drop in the bucket in the multi-billion dollar record business. Exposure Still, the music industry has fallen on hard times. Album sales are off 40 percent over the last 10 years, and in 2009 US revenue is down 13 percent at $287.6 million. Leonard Richardson, vice president of music at the CW network, said that in an era of piracy and changing consumer habits, the music industry is now fighting for every dollar. TV has basically become the new radio. It is about exposure and making an impression, Richardson said. The CW, whose programs are aimed mostly at year-old females, also cuts deals with record labels to promote music in tune with its shows audience. Record labels are very aggressive these days in letting us know what they have coming, said Richardson. The CW gets a reduced rate on music licensing in return for showing ads on screen for songs featured in dramas like Gossip Girl. Our demographic is watching TV. They are on their computers and they are on their cellphones. So with the ad cards, they can go immediately to CWTV.com and purchase the song right then and there, said Richardson. The music deals build on a trail blazed by RCA also part of Sony Music Entertainment with Fox TV show American Idol, which has produced multi-platinum recording stars like Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood. (RTRS) Models (also inset), showcase creations from the Mark Cheung High Class Fashion Show 2010 during the China Fashion Week in Beijing on Nov 8. The bi-annual fashion extravaganza showcases China s fashion houses and their latest collections to buyers all over the world. (AFP) Rapper Jay-Z performs onstage during his Blueprint 3 Tour at UCLA s Pauley Pavilion on Nov 8 in Los Angeles, California. (AFP) Variety PARIS: He turned his back on the music business in the 1970s to practice Zen Buddhism, but a very special stone lured renowned Japanese percussionist Stomu Yamashta back into melody-making. Today he is one of the rare musicians in the world playing the enchanting sanukite stone, which he first discovered in 1985 through the study of ancient texts. The ex-jazz fusionist, who wrote the music for David Bowie s Man Who Fell to Earth, is giving two concerts Monday and Tuesday in Saint-Eustache church in Paris to show off the range of sounds and frequencies produced by Vocalist Steven Tyler at odds with bandmates Aerosmith looking for new singer LOS ANGELES, Nov 10, (RTRS): Who wants to become the new singer for Aerosmith? The lead guitarist with one of America s most successful rock groups said on Monday that he and his bandmates were positively looking for a new singer to work with, following a rift with energetic frontman Steven Tyler. Joe Perry, 59, made the announcement on his Twitter page, ratcheting up an unusually public feud with his songwriting partner of 40 years but he added that the band was not breaking up. The duo, dubbed the Toxic Twins for their hard-living days of yore, wrote such classic-rock staples as Walk this Way and Love in an Elevator. Their musical relationship has been likened to that of their role models, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones. But Tyler, 61, recently said he wants the magnetic stone which is played like a marimba. The first concert is a world premier of Yamashta s The Void, specially written for sanukite stones, accompanied by Icelandic countertenor Sverrir Gudjonsson and Syrian soprano Noma, as well as traditional flutes. On Tuesday, the sound waves and notes produced by the stones chiselled and placed together to form an organ-like instrument will combine with the mantra chants of the monks of Daitoku-Ji, a Zen temple in Yamashta Buble to concentrate on solo endeavors, a claim he has made in the past but never followed through on. He also stopped communicating with the rest of the band several months ago, and hired his own manager. Perry told Reuters last month that Tyler has refused to write a song with him for a decade. More recently, Perry said that the last time he phoned Tyler, the singer hung up on him. Incredibly, the band has still managed to perform concerts, but a summer trek through North America was cut short in August when Tyler fell off the stage and broke his shoulder. None of his bandmates accompanied him to the hospital. In recent weeks, Aerosmith reunited for a pair of shows in Hawaii, and then performed at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Nov. 1, temporarily papering over the cracks to recoup some of the revenue lost by the canceled American tour. But Tyler surprised his bandmates by telling Britain s Classic Rock magazine, in an article published last Wednesday, that he would focus on his own projects, Brand Tyler, as he dubbed it. His bandmates were less than enthusiastic about being sidelined. In the same article, guitarist Brad Whitford raised the possibility of bringing in a new vocalist. Tyler was one of a kind, it quoted Whitford as saying. But if somebody was willing to do it and the chemistry was right, why not? Perry quickly took to Twitter to express his dismay at learning about Tyler s apparent departure online, and he described Tyler s attitude as a bit cold. Kyoto that Yamashta has attended frequently for decades. The sanukite stone comes from Sanuki, on Japan s Shikoku island, Yamashta told AFP, describing the material as alive and organic. The music has a meditative effect on listeners. The moment I touch these stones, a resonance is produced that sometimes escapes me, said Yamashta, who says his life revolves around rhythms and frequencies. (AFP) DETROIT: Michael Buble plans to give fans another dose of Crazy Love in The Canadian singer tells Billboard.com that he will reissue the album which recently spent its first two weeks at No. 1 on the US charts with some tracks left over from the recording sessions. Among them will be Hollywood Dead, which will be the third single from Crazy Love after Have I Met You and Hold On. That s probably the best pop song I ve ever been part of, says Buble, who co-wrote the track with Toronto songwriter Robert Scott. It s kind of like our take on the culture of celebrity and how fked up it is and how people lose their way in the hunt for fame...it s just one of those things saying, If you re gonna go for it, don t give everything up for it. Remember where you came from...you need to remember what you asked for when you get it. Another candidate for the expanded version of the album is The End of May by a group called The Actual Tigers, which Buble says is so beautiful I can t even tell you. I think it might be one of the best vocal performances I ve ever given...if I could go back I probably would have replaced something (on the album) with this song. A release date for the new edition of Crazy Love has not yet been determined and will depend on the life of Hold On at radio. Meanwhile, Buble is gearing up for his world tour in support of the album, which begins during March in North America and will last into He plans to play mostly in arenas and is currently working with production designers from the late Michael Jackson s planned This Is It shows in London. (RTRS) BERLIN: The German government has banned hard rock group Rammstein s latest hit album from public display in stores because of its depictions of sado-masochism. Officials were offended by the track Ich tue Dir Weh ( I Want to Hurt You ), which includes such lines as Bites, kicks, heavy blows, nails, pincers, blunt saws - Tell me what you want, as well as artwork showing guitarist Richard Kruspe with a masked, naked woman on his knees. The album, Liebe ist Fuer Alle Da ( Love is For All ) has been a big seller globally since its release a month ago via Universal Music. It hit No. 1 in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Finland and the Netherlands. It made No. 2 in France, and No. 3 in Sweden and Belgium. In the United States, it debuted at No. 13, a record for the band. The German Federal Office for the Examination of Media Harmful to Young People in Bonn also criticized the single Pussy, stating that it incites listeners to engage in unprotected sexual intercourse despite the risk of AIDS. But the song was not officially part of the ruling. The video for Pussy has also caused some commotion as it shows what appear to be members of the band participating in sex scenes, although sources close to the band insist that the band members were doubled. (RTRS) NEW YORK: After much delay, rapper Lil Wayne s rock-inspired album, Rebirth, is now slated for a Dec 15 release date according to Universal Music Group. The set was originally scheduled for April 7. The first single, Prom Queen, reached No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100. Guest artists include the members of rock band Fall Out Boy, Lenny Kravitz, Travis Barker and Canadian rapper Drake. Lil Wayne plays guitar on most of the tracks. The leaked song Fix My Hat is one of the few rap tracks that made it onto the Rebirth set. In related news at Universal, the new Mary J. Blige album, Stronger, is due out Dec 22, while Redman s 9-1/2 is confirmed for a Dec 15 release date. (RTRS) DETROIT: After reinterpreting his past for The Kinks Choral Collection, which comes out Tuesday, Ray Davies says that my initial instinct is to write some new songs again. And he may well record them with some familiar colleagues. I ve been in the studio with a couple of the Kinks, actually, Davies tells Billboard.com specifically original drummer Mick Avory and later members Jim Rodford on bass and Ian Gibbons on keyboards. We ve got four, five new songs...and I m just sort of getting them motivated and seeing what they re playing like, because I haven t played with the Kinks for eight or nine years. Davies says he s not sure when or if his brother, guitarist Dave Davies who suffered a stroke in 2004 but continues to make music will become part of the proceedings. We ll see how he reacts to it, Davies says. If he s physically able to do it is another matter, because he was quite seriously ill. But we re in communication, and we re not disregarding it yet. Davies isn t putting any sort of time constraint on releasing the new music which would be the Kinks first since Phobia in 1993 but says he s enjoying having his old bandmates around. I ve discovered there is definitely an interplay between the way Mick plays drums and my vocals, Davies explains. He waits for the vocal. Most drummers just lay down a backbeat, but Mick feels the songs, so there s a definite continuity there that you wouldn t get with any other player, so it ll be interesting. (RTRS) LOS ANGELES: On the eve of a hearing in the Michael Jackson estate, a lawyer for the singer s father filed a 60-page motion Monday that intensifies a bid to get money from his son s estate by making accusations of fraud against the administrators of his will. Joseph Jackson s attorney, Brian Oxman, filed a blizzard of documents in court late Monday claiming that the singer believed his old friends John Branca and John McClain had defrauded him. He also accused both of conflicts of interest and said they should be removed from administering the will. Joseph Jackson was omitted from his son s will with all of Michael Jackson s assets going to his mother, his children and children s charities. Howard Weitzman, one of the attorneys representing Branca and McClain, issued a statement Monday night in response to the motion. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for Tuesday morning. These claims filed by Joe Jackson are so outrageous that they don t deserve any response, said Weitzman. It was unclear whether Joseph Jackson has the legal standing to challenge its provisions. Oxman said in a phone interview that the father is allowed to challenge the executors as an interested party who has the right to be an executor or personal representative. (AP)

25 NEWS/FEATURES 25 Gaming Call of Duty greeted Warfare 2 stirs up battle in UK Vaz LONDON, Nov 10, (Agencies): The hotly-anticipated video game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 was launched in Britain on Tuesday amid a political row over its levels of violence. Its launch saw tanks and soldiers descend on London s Leicester Square, the first game launch in the square normally home to red-carpet film premieres, as shops opened at midnight to sell the first-person shooter game. Set in Russia, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan and Brazil, the conflict also spread to the British parliament as lawmakers battled over the game s content. Keith Vaz, a former Europe minister, urged the government to ensure children did not get their hands on the game, created by California-based video game publisher Activision Blizzard. It contains such scenes of brutality that even the manufacturers have put in warnings within the game telling people how they can skip particular scenes, Vaz told parliament s lower House of Commons. Former digital minister Tom Watson said he had seen the game and it wasn t pleasant, though no worse than many films and books. Everything that comes out of parliament in relation to video games is relentlessly negative. Lawmakers should support the many thousands of games designers and coders and the many millions of games users, rather than... create moral panic over the use of video games. In a review in The Guardian newspaper, Charlie Brooker said the game was the Citizen Kane of repeatedly shooting people in the face. The storyline makes less sense than a gas ladder, but in terms of technical achievement, this is an undoubted masterpiece... not so much a game as a borderline nightmare experience. Launch Don t worry. It won t turn anyone into a killer. Some 722 British stores opened overnight for the game s launch. At the launch at HMV s flagship store in central London, around 700 fans queued up to get their hands on the game. The guy at the front had been queuing for 22 and a half hours, a spokesman for the launch told AFP. He was queuing up in full combat gear, he had camouflage, netting a mask and goggles, the full ensemble. Games retailers have taken more than 750,000 pre-orders, The Guardian said. We estimate that the game will exceed one million UK sales in its first week, which would be a new record, HMV spokesperson Gennaro Castaldo said, according to the BBC. Meanwhile online retailer Amazon said its pre-orders were the highest they had ever seen for a video game. Grand Theft Auto 4, released last year, holds the first week sales record with 800,000. The console version of Modern Warfare 2 costs around 54 ($90, 60 euros) in Britain, while the PC product retails for around 35. Activision Blizzard Inc s hugely anticipated Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 video game went on sale early Tuesday morning in US, welcomed by eager fans who lined up hours in advance of the release. The first-person shooter game is set to be one of the biggest and fastestselling titles in history, challenging records set by blockbuster releases from the Grand Theft Auto series. This despite a dicey economic climate that is pinching consumer spending. Video game industry revenue in the United States, the world s largest market, is down 13 percent this year, according to industry tracker NPD. Expectations But Call of Duty arrives amid high expectations and plenty of hype. Activision partnered with retailers including GameStop Corp and Best Buy Co for more than 10,000 midnight store openings in North America. At the GameStop store near Union Square in New York City, around 80 mainly young people were lined up Monday night ahead of the launch, some for two hours. This is the only game I m probably going to do this for, said Paola Altamirano, 21, who was waiting in the queue. She said she planned to play Call of Duty against another friend online later that night. With what Activision called a record level of preorders, there was little doubt about the strong demand for a game. A handout picture released by Egypt s Supreme Council of Antiquities shows Hollywood actress Salma Hayek, her husband Francois-Henri Pinault (left), and their daughter Valentina posing for a picture with SCA s chief Zahi Hawass during a tour of the Great Pyramids of Giza on Nov 9. (AFP) Robin Williams (left), and Tom Hanks arrive to the premiere of Old Dogs on Nov 9 in Los Angeles. (AP) Yen Variety Lopez HONG KONG: Action star Donnie Yen says he signed on to play an ancient Chinese secret service agent in his new film even though it was another kung fu epic because he wanted to tackle the role of a villain who discovers his humanity. Historical or martial arts blockbusters have dominated the booming mainland Chinese film market in recent years and Yen is one of the genre s biggest stars. The mainlandborn, Hong Kong and Boston-raised actor most recently starred in the hit biopic of Bruce Lee s teacher, Ip Man. Other recent action credits include Hero, Seven Swords, Flash Point, Dragon Tiger Gate and An Empress and the Warriors. Promoting his new movie 14 Blades in Hong Kong on Tuesday, Yen told reporters while he s always looking to broaden his repertoire, he agreed to another action flick because he could explore a villain s transformation. (AP) LOS ANGELES: Jennifer Lopez won a court order Monday barring her first husband from making their sex life public at least for a day. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge James C Chalfant issued a temporary restraining order blocking distribution of a proposed movie, The J.Lo and Ojani Noa Story. The order is in effect until a hearing on whether to extend it is completed. That hearing was scheduled to resume Tuesday. I m going to fight this, Noa said of the order. Lopez sued Noa on Friday for $10 million, claiming he breached a prior confidentiality agreement by intending to sell a movie containing hours of home video footage, including some showing Lopez in sexual situations on their 1997 honeymoon. (AP) LOS ANGELES: A judge on Monday ordered Film Script fails to live up to production grandeur Disaster flick 2012 preposterously fun By Stephen Farber If you rolled every disaster movie into one spectacular package, you would wind up with something close to 2012, Roland Emmerich s latest apocalyptic fantasy. This time Emmerich and co-writer Harald Kloser use the Mayan calendar and other end-of-days prophecies for their doomsday scenario, which imagines the world coming to an end in Eye-popping special effects ensure that the Columbia Pictures release will be a smash hit once it opens on Friday. But while it s entertaining for most of its excessive (156 minutes) running time, the cheesy script fails to live up to the grandeur of the physical production. Stitching together highlights from Earthquake, The Poseidon Adventure, Volcano, and even Titanic, the movie follows the fate of a dozen characters as they fall victim to a series of calamities brought on by some kind of solar meltdown. The issue is not so much what caused the cataclysm but how humanity will respond to the crisis. A venal presidential adviser (Oliver Platt) has the task of handpicking the people who will be allowed to board the atomic-age equivalent of Noah s ark. So the film aims to ask profound questions about how we choose the people worth saving. But profundity is not the director s strong suit. Laughable Luckily, Emmerich s movies which include the disaster flicks Independence Day and The Day After Tomorrow never take themselves too seriously, so it s easy to enjoy the often laughable dialogue without balking. Credibility takes a flyer near the start, when an amateur pilot (Tom McCarthy) is able to steer a small plane through all kinds of fireballs and find his way to a tiny landing strip in Yellowstone National Park. You know the major char- a woman to stay away from singer Justin Timberlake for the next three years. Timberlake wrote in court filings that Doomsday stories Internet hoax NASA on crusade to debunk 2012 apocalypse myths WASHINGTON, Nov 10, (AFP): The world is not coming to an end on Dec 21, 2012, the US space agency insisted Monday in a rare campaign to dispel widespread rumors fueled by the Internet and a new Hollywood movie. The latest big screen offering from Sony Picture, 2012, arrives in theaters on Friday, with a 200-million-dollar production about the end of the world supposedly based on myths backed by the Mayan calendar. The doomsday scenario revolves around claims that the end of time will come as an obscure Planet X or Nibiru heads toward or collides with Earth. The mysterious planet was supposedly discovered by the Sumerians, according to claims by pseudo-scientists, paranormal activity enthusiasts and Internet theorists. Some websites accuse NASA of concealing the truth on the wayward planet s existence, but the US space agency denounced such stories as an acters aboard the airplane (John Cusack and Amanda Peet) aren t going to meet a fiery death this early in the movie, so you tolerate the ludicrous plot device. Every disaster movie derives its suspense from trying to guess which of the characters will survive and which will expire. One of the disappointments of 2012 is how predictable the crash-and-burn list turns out to be. As in many of these epics, the characters who have committed some kind of extramarital transgression are the ones marked for death. Cecil B. DeMille would have been Karen McNeil repeatedly showed up at his house and trespassed on his property last month. Indian Bollywood personalities Soha Ali Khan (left), Emraan Hashmi (centre), and director Kunal Deshmukh (right), pose at the Grand Bhagwati s Cafe Piano, in Ahmedabad on Nov 9. Bollywood personalities Soha Ali Khan and Emraan Hashmi attended an event at a cafe to promote their forthcoming film Tum Mile, scheduled to be released on Nov 13. (AFP) Internet hoax. There is no factual basis for these claims, NASA said in a question-andanswer posting on its website. If such a collision were real astronomers would have been tracking it for at least the past decade, and it would be visible by now to the naked eye, it added. Obviously, it does not exist. Credible scientists worldwide know of no threat associated with 2012, it insisted. After all, our planet has been getting along just fine for more than four billion years, added NASA. There is another planet, Eris, floating in space. But the dwarf planet similar to Pluto will remain safely lodged in the outer solar system and it can come no closer than four billion miles (6.4 billion kilometers) to Earth, according to NASA. Scores of Internet postings and books delve into the supposed disaster, including Apocalypse 2012 and How to Survive pleased. Technically, Emmerich and his crew bring off a series of wonders. The movie hits its peak early on, when Cusack drives a limo through the streets of Los Angeles as freeways and skyscrapers crumble all around him from the shock of a 10.5 earthquake. The preposterous flying sequence is equally thrilling. The climax occurs aboard the giant ark, when an equipment malfunction almost threatens the entire mission. Unfortunately, this crucial sequence is not filmed or edited with the requisite clarity. Say what you will Carol rules UK box Dickens classic tops LONDON, Nov 10, (RTRS): Walt Disney s high-tech adaptation of Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol dominated the box office over the weekend, but takings were sharply lower than other big autumn charttoppers in Britain. Director Robert Zemeckis reworking of the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, played by Jim Carrey, only managed 1.89 million, according to Screen International on Tuesday. By comparison, Michael Jackson s This Is It, which was down in second place, made 4.8 million on its debut, while Up, down one place in third, managed 6.4 million on its first weekend. The Men Who Stare at Goats, a military farce with George Clooney and Jeff Bridges, was new at four while alien abduction thriller The Fourth Kind came in at five. Initial theories set the disaster for May 2003, but when nothing happened the date was moved forward to the winter solstice in 2012 to coincide with the end of a cycle of the ancient Mayan calendar. NASA insisted the Mayan calendar in fact does not end on Dec 21, 2012, as another period begins immediately afterward. And it said there are no planetary alignments on the horizon for the next few decades. And even if the planets were to line up as some have forecast, the effect on our planet would be negligible, NASA said. Among the other theories NASA has set out to debunk are that geomagnetic storms, a pole reversal or unsteadiness in the Earth s crustal plates might befall the planet. For example, some myths claim the Earth s rotation and magnetic polarity are related, with a magnetic reversal taking place about every 400,000 years. about Titanic, but James Cameron did a brilliant job of photographing the spectacular shipwreck so that the logistics were always crystal clear. In 2012, by contrast, Emmerich leaves us befuddled as to exactly what is happening to whom. On the other hand, Emmerich deserves credit for offbeat casting. Cusack supplies his trademark hangdog charm, and McCarthy (recently better known as the director of The Station Agent and The Visitor ) has perhaps his best role ever as Peet s cocky but likable boyfriend. (RTRS) McNeil, who represented herself in the case, opposed the court order, writing in a court document that she thought she was destined to marry Timberlake and to rule with him. During the hearing, Judge David S Cunningham III ordered a five-minute recess after an outburst by McNeil when the judge issued the order. Outside court, McNeil said, That was all lies. I did not break into Justin s house. I was let on the property. (AP) LONDON: Pop singer Peter Andre accepted substantial damages on Tuesday in London s High Court after an article in Now magazine alleged that he had lied by portraying himself as a loving father and husband. Andre, 36, who is best known for his relationship with glamour model Katie Price and their recent acrimonious divorce, was in court for a brief hearing. The legal action related to an article published in July in Now, a weekly celebrity and gossip magazine, which said Andre may have been at fault for two accidents suffered by Price s disabled son Harvey, the Press Association reported. Andre and Price have two children, Junior and Princess. Separately, Mr Andre was also said to have demanded sick sexual threesomes from his wife, which horrified her and which she did not enjoy, feeling used and like a sex doll, Andre s lawyer Gordon Williams told the court (RTRS)

26 26 click Drinking problem?: Drinking problem: You are no longer alone! Confidential helpline Narcotics Anonymous: NA can help with addiction problems. Totally confidential: English/Arabic. Latest Nov 12 IEI conducting seminar: The Institution of Engineers (India) Kuwait Chapter is pleased to announce that a seminar is scheduled to be conducted on Thursday, Nov 12, at Kuwait Society of Engineers Hall. The registration will start at 7:00 pm followed by seminar at 7:30 pm. The topics of the seminars are 1. Business excellence through quality seminar delivered by Engr M. S. Ray, FIE, Managing Director, TCB Co. 2. Cost of quality seminar delivered by Dr Abdul Razaak Ruman, FIE. All those who are interested to attend the seminar are requested to register their names by contacting IEI office by ieikwt@hotmail.com on Sunday through Thursday or contact (Joseph), (Sushant). Nov 13 PABAK games: 22nd Conference PABAK schedule of games on Nov 13, at the Hawally Disabled Club. 1st game: 7:30-8:30 Gulf Net vs Shrimpy 2nd game: 8:30-10:00 Yiaco Medical Group vs Deutche Post 3rd game: 10:00-11:30 Al Corniche Club vs KEO 4th game: 11:30-1:00 Kabayan Restaurant vs Razorbacks 5th game: 1:00-2:30 FPS vs Guardians New bio of Sugar Ray Robinson packs punch Story of World War II told through 3 generals atton, Montgomery, Rommel: Masters Pof War (Crown Publishing, 448 pages, $30), by Terry Brighton: During a dinner in Saigon with some news correspondents in 1971, Gen Creighton Abrams, the US commander in Vietnam, was asked his opinion of the movie, Patton. Abrams, who had served under the bombastic George S Patton in World War II, paused. Then he slammed his fist on the table and exulted, That was Patton! That the film accurately depicted the brilliant but often erratic tank commander known as Old Blood and Guts comes through as well in Patton, Montgomery, Rommel: Masters of War. In this meticulously researched book, British historian Terry Brighton deftly retells the story of WWII from North Africa in 1942 to Germany s surrender in 1945, through the three rival generals American, British and German who were as famous for their egos, arrogance and colorful personalities as for leading armies in battle. The author makes the most of the idea that these three being cast together by fate seemed almost too good to be true. His narrative ricochets among his subjects, with startling details and ironic touches that other big picture historians might have missed. Brighton relates anew the stories of Patton nearly being relieved of command after slapping a wounded soldier in a hospital for alleged cowardice, and of Gen Erwin Rommel barely escaping death when British Spitfire fighters attacked his car near a Normandy village coincidentally called Ste- Foy-de-Montgommery. Of particular note is Brighton s unflinching portrayal of Monty Bernard Montgomery Britain s most honored soldier of WWII, as a petty schemer and wouldbe Napoleon who constantly demeaned his US allies, took credit for other commanders successful plans and told transparent lies to explain his own failures. The author also casts significant doubt on the widely accepted belief that Rommel was among the senior German officers who conspired to kill Hitler with a bomb in While that failed plot was the reason Rommel was forced to commit suicide, Brighton says evidence suggests Rommel went only so far as to secretly advocate surrender to the Americans and British to forestall a Russian seizure of Berlin. Sweet Thunder (Knopf, 464 pages, $27.95), by Wil Haygood: The boxer Sugar Ray Robinson was a man of glittering skill and deep complexity. So complex, in fact, that several writers including Robinson himself have tried and failed to render a full portrait. Until now. Wil Haygood s new biography of Robinson, Sweet Thunder: The Life and Times of Sugar Ray Robinson, is about as Destinations Book covers of Patton, Montgomery, Rommel Masters of War, by Terry Brighton (left), and Sweet Thunder The Life and Times of Sugar Ray Robinson, by Wil Haygood. (AP) fine a book about a boxer as you will find up there with the right-left combo of David Remnick s King of the World and David Margolick s Beyond Glory. Some of the finest writers alive have endeavored to wax poetic about the brutal sport of boxing. As a topic, Robinson lacks, perhaps, the cultural punch of Ali but one of the many services Haygood provides in Thunder is putting a proper historical frame on Robinson. Thunder is the third biography in a trilogy of books by Haygood, a Washington Post writer, about pivotal black figures that also includes Adam Clayton Powell Jr and Sammy Davis Jr In each he delivers a comprehensive biography and a compelling case for their cultural importance. Sugar Ray Robinson was the first modern prizefighter to take culture music and grace and dance into the ring with him, Haygood writes. He had convinced himself that style was as much a discipline as boxing. Robinson s evolution was pivotal. His concept of style, swagger and showmanship came to define boxing for generations to come. Without Robinson, in other words, there might not have been an Ali. Haygood takes us deftly from Robinson s childhood in Detroit, where he was born Walker Smith, to New York City s Harlem, where he first took on the name Ray Robinson for a fight. He charts the heights of Robinson s boxing career, his retirement work with children and ultimately his early death at age 67. For decades, it seems, boxing scribes have fussed over one of those unending arguments: Who is, pound for pound, the best fighter of all-time? Robinson is always in that conversation. And should the topic ever pivot to the best writers about the sport, Haygood should be too. (AP) In these Oct 23, 2009 photos, the Ocean House resort stands nearly complete on a private beach along the oceanfront in Westerly, RI. The new resort, consisting of 23 condos and 49 hotel rooms, has been constructed so the exterior is a replica of the historic hotel it replaces. (Inset): The living room and kitchen are on display in one of the condominiums of the Ocean House resort in Westerly, RI. (AP) New Ocean House bids to compete with rival destinations Luxury resort opening in Rhode Island By Eric Tucker Between the private beach and butler service, a new resort on Rhode Island s shore promises to be among New England s most luxurious when it opens in June. The original Ocean House was a post- Civil War resort destination for the rich. The 1916 silent movie American Aristocracy with Douglas Fairbanks was filmed at the towering Victorian hotel, known for its yellow facade and striking ocean views. But the 135-year old hotel, in need of extensive repairs and upgrades, was closed in 2003 and razed. Now a group of sentimentally attached investors led by mutual fund magnate Charles Royce is taking a $140 million gamble, building an upscale replica of the hotel in the seaside enclave of Watch Hill. They want the new Ocean House with its 49 rooms and 23 condos to compete with rival destinations in places like Newport, Nantucket and the Hamptons. Summer Royce, who owns a summer home in Watch Hill, said he was dismayed by the prospect of losing the hotel, where guests, socialites and local residents converged for grand celebrations or simply drinks at the bar. He bought the property from a developer 6th game: 2:30-4:00 Marios Legends vs The Commissioners 7th game: 4:00-5:30 Hot Line Cargo vs JCS Arrows 8th game: 5:30-7:00 Ilocano Warriors vs Pogi Points 9th game: 7:00-8:30 Club-X vs Mark 40S who planned to build large homes on the site. The world doesn t need more McMansions, especially in (place of) something that was such an important part of the community, Royce said. The sole purpose was to make certain that this very important community asset could be preserved. Royce, founder and president of the Royce Funds, assembled about a dozen investors with ties to Watch Hill. The investors received a short-term $60 million construction loan and expect to repay it by the time the project opens, and say the balance is their own money. Of course it s a risky time to open a luxury boutique hotel with $600-a-night rooms, especially in Rhode Island. The state has among the highest unemployment and foreclosure rates in the country. The local economy has been hammered by the credit crisis and vanishing manufacturing jobs. Ocean House will also be competing for visitors against East Coast destinations with instant name recognition. Occupancy Nationally, room occupancy at luxury hotels is forecast to fall to 61 percent this year, down from about 68 percent last year, with the average daily room rate sliding to $240 from $289, according to estimates from PKF Hospitality Research. Note: A 15-minute grace period shall be given to all scheduled games to avoid default and technicalities. Call: or Rod Cerezo. rodcerezo@yahoo.com KIFF 7-a-side tourney: Kuwait Goan But the project s investors say they re unfazed by Rhode Island s sputtering economy, and expect the hotel s amenities and proximity to New York and Boston to be prime selling points. They also point to the success of the original Ocean House, which, despite lacking air conditioning and falling into disrepair, still offered rooms for about $250 a night before it closed. People still, even in this economy if not more in this economy, are looking for luxury. They re looking for shorter getaways, where instead of going for a week they ll go for two or three days, said project managing director Daniel Hostettler. And if interest in Ocean House s condos is any sign, he may be right. Despite prices ranging from $1.5 million for a studio to a $7 million penthouse, 10 are under contract, he said. Owners can lease their condos to hotel guests when they re not there, keeping 55 percent of the revenue. There were objections from some preservation-oriented town residents determined to see the original building saved, but the project has generally been well-received, said Jack Felber, a restaurateur and Westerly Town Councilman. What I m looking forward to is a grand destination in town where people know before they get in their car and even leave Association is pleased to announce the first edition of their 7-A-Side tournament to be held on the second day of Eid at KIFF grounds at Shuwaikh (MoH) under the affiliation of KIFF. Draw will be held on Nov 13, 2009 on the grounds after the second match. All affiliated members are requested to confirm their their homes that they re going to spend money, Felber said. Renovate Royce had initially planned to renovate the building, but ultimately concluded that structural problems and severe wear-and-tear made it impossible. It was torn down and rebuilt to its original design. About 5,000 artifacts from the original building were saved, including a fireplace that was rebuilt stone-by-stone and the check-in desk. We want to make sure that Ocean House is here for our children, our grandchildren and our great-grandchildren, said Donna Simmons, one of the investors who lives in Greenwich, Connecticut, and has been visiting Watch Hill for about 20 years. Backgammon and croquet will be offered to lend an old-time feel, but modern touches abound, including a 12,000-square-foot (1,100-sq. meter) spa with seven treatment rooms. An on-site food forager will seek out local products for the hotel s restaurants, and guests will have access to a floor butler and 650 feet (200 meters) of private beach. I don t think there is anything that has ever been built on the eastern seaboard that has been built to this standard or will be in the foreseeable future, Hostettler said. It s all based on the history of the original building, but inside, it s an absolute gem. participation and if they are going to field more than one team before the day of the draw. Kindly contact Josse Fernandes on Mobile No: , Michael Mobile No: , Avinash Mobile No: Continued on Page 27 travel wednesday, november 11, 2009 airport inquiry tel: NEW YORK: US hotel room prices are expected to drop a total of 8.8 percent in 2009 compared to 2008 and will continue creeping down in 2010, though at a much slower rate, according to the 2010 lodging forecast from PricewaterhouseCoopers Hospitality & Leisure Practice. It is expected that the steepest declines in ADR (average daily rates) have passed, but that year-over-year ADR levels will continue to decline, resulting in a 1.8 percent decline next year, PricewaterhouseCoopers said. A 3.2 percent increase in the number of hotel rooms this year added to the hotel industry s problems, PricewaterhouseCoopers said, expanding supply just as consumer demand weakened and further hurting the ability of hotel operators to maintain stable pricing. Many new hotels, including a number of luxury projects and high-end renovations like the Fontainebleau in Miami and the Roosevelt in New Orleans, have opened during the recession as projects that were planned before the downturn came to fruition. Occupancy levels for 2009 are expected to decrease 8.4 percent over the previous year to 55.2 percent, PricewaterhouseCoopers said, meaning that hotels in 2009 will be on average just over half-occupied. (AP) FRANKFURT: German airline group Deutsche Lufthansa AG said Tuesday its October passenger levels rose nearly 30 percent, helped by the inclusion of newly acquired airlines, but warned the market remained difficult. The Cologne-based airline said it transported nearly 8 million passengers for the month, up from 6.3 million in October However, the latest results include passenger figures from new group airlines Austrian Airlines and British Midland which were not part of the group in Lufthansa, Europe s biggest airline by sales, also holds stakes in other airlines including Swiss International Airlines, JetBlue of the US, and Brussels Airlines. Lufthansa said its passenger load factor for October a measure of how full airplanes are also improved by 1.7 percentage points to 80.5 percent from 78.8 percent in October Freight and mail volume in October, however, continued to be affected by a lack of demand in the downturn. (AP) LONDON: US tourism chiefs are targeting credit-crunched jobless people with time on their hands the so-called funemployed while in Asia golfing holidays are booming, notably in China, a study said Monday. Africa is cashing in on Barack Obamainspired roots tourism, while the Middle East could see a surge in women-only hotels, added the Global Trends Report, released at the start of the World Travel Market industry event. In the United States, which triggered last year s global financial near-meltdown, the travel trade is pinning its hopes on the funemployed to keep the industry afloat. Some are embracing their situation by becoming funemployed... Most have severance packages to cushion the blow and more than half... are under 35, mainly single, without children or a mortgage, said the survey s authors. The funemployed serve as a target for extended trips, world cruises and long haul airline tickets, and a means to boost offseason occupancy rates, added trend spotter Euromonitor International. But in Asia, which is leading the world out of the downturn, travel bosses are looking to a more traditional source of income. Asians are crazy about golf and the recession has done little to curb their enthusiasm... Rapid economic growth in China has created a new elite class jumpstarting demand for golf, said the survey, adding that China ranks fifth in the world with around 310 golf courses and hundreds more in the pipeline. Africa is hoping to benefit from the Obama effect saying the US leader s recent trip to Ghana put Africa under the international tourism spotlight. Africa is benefiting from roots tourism, still largely unknown to many core markets with the potential to boost economic prosperity in local African communities, it said. (AFP) HELSINKI: Finland s national carrier Finnair Plc said Monday it slashed capacity by 12 percent last month to adjust to weaker demand and warned it will make more cuts this winter as the economic downturn continues to hit air travel. The company said its overall traffic fell by 11 percent in October from the same month last year, while passenger numbers declined by more than 11.5 percent. Even the Finnish airline s traditional growth area, Asia, saw dwindling numbers, with passenger traffic falling 12 percent. Capacity was optimally cut to match falling demand. Winter is expected to continue to be difficult, so further adjustments to traffic will be made, Finnair spokesman Christer Haglund said. For leisure traffic in particular, the coming winter season will be tough. Last month, Finnair PLC reported that third-quarter net loss wideneded 15 percent to 21 million euros ($31 million) and warned it would take a long time before it became competitive again. Sales fell 22 percent. The airline has announced 200 layoffs and said it will begin statutory talks with all its 9,000 personnel to initiate more cost-cutting measures. In June it said it would double a savings program to 200 million euros with most of the new cuts aimed at personnel costs. (AP) MADRID: Spain s national carrier Iberia cancelled 184 flights Tuesday as cabin crew launched a two-day strike over a pay dispute, a spokeswoman for the airline said. She said further cancellations were planned for the second day of the walkout on Wednesday. It was the second 48-hour strike by cabin crews, whose unions are in dispute with management over their collective agreement. A strike on Oct forced Iberia to cancel some 400 flights. Because of the strike called by the CTA and SITCPLA cabin attendants unions, Iberia is cancelling some flights scheduled for Nov 10-11, since they are not covered by the minimum services requirement established by Spanish authorities, Iberia said in announcing the strike on its website, last week. (AFP)

27 27 Poetry, sculptures and photographs among exhibits Iran s Kiarostami, Tanavoli works go on display in Dubai DUBAI, Nov 10, (AFP): Art works of Iranian filmmaker and photographer Abbas Kiarostami as well as by sculptor Parviz Tanavoli have gone on display at a joint exhibition in Dubai. Thirty pieces by Iran s most renowned sculptor Tanavoli, including Big Heech Lovers and Poet in Love, are being exhibited along with 13 photographs by Kiarostami at the show which opened on Monday night at Meem Gallery. Kiarostami, winner of the Cannes festival s Palme d Or for best film in 1997 for his Taste of Cherry, is also a well known photographer whose work has been exhibited worldwide. When I took this photo, I had no idea I will become a photographer, let alone a professional one, Kiarostami told AFP, standing next to one of his first works. The black-and-white print of vast open meadows with snow-capped mountains in the background that is part of a display of his Snow, Rain and Road Series was taken 35 years ago on the road leading to the Caspian Sea, he said. Some of my photographs were taken while looking for locations to shoot my films, he said explaining the link between his cinematic work and photographic output. Even during the shooting of films, I take Iranian director and photographer Abbas Kiarostami (left), stands next to one of his pictures and Iranian artist Parviz Tanavoli (right), stands next to his sculptures during an exhibition in the Gulf state of Dubai on Nov 9. (AFP) a day or two off to do photography, he said. But when I make movies, I am a filmmaker. When I take photos, I am a photographer. Some of Kiarostami s poetry also features in the exhibition in the form of excerpts he complement the photographs. On a snowy morning, I run out, hatless and coatless, happy as a child, a poem from Kiarostami s Snow White featured next to a selection of photographs of leafless trees covered in white and endless snow-covered slopes. Tavanoli s collection features several versions of the Farsi word Heech, meaning nothingness that he started working on in the early 1960s. Other items include his Poet and the Cypress Tree bronze sculpture, which has a list price of $500,000, according to gallery managing partner, Charles Pocock. Pocock pointed out that prices of art works in the exhibition have been brought down in light of the global financial crisis. Prices have to reflect today s prices, not prices of two years ago... We have to be realistic. Prices go up and they go down, he said. The highest price paid on the opening day for one of Kiarostami s exhibits was around $100,000, for a triptych of snowy slopes, according to organisers. In 1999, Kiarostami won the Grand Special Jury Prize at the Venice international film festival for directing The Wind Will Carry Us. Most famous treasures being displayed Japanese manga comes to British Museum LONDON, Nov 10, (RTRS): Japanese manga artist Hoshino Yukinobu has brought his popular character Professor Munakata to London s British Museum, featuring some of the collection s most famous treasures in his drawings. In a single-room display near the entrance to the famous museum, a giant picture of folklore expert Munakata donning his trademark bowler hat and black cape includes the Sutton Hoo helmet dating from the 7th century. One reason the British Museum wanted to work with Hoshino was because of its exhibition of dogu, ceramic figures from ancient Japan which runs until Nov 22. A lot of his Professor Munakata stories have shown him touring around Japan to archeological sites and having encounters with the dogu, so it was actually the dogu project that brought us to him, said curator Tim Clark. Clark also said the character of Professor Munakata had a common purpose with the museum in that both, in different ways, have a fascination in unravelling the mysteries of the past. Although the display, which runs until Jan 3, is small, a larger exhibition on manga and its place in popular culture could follow. I hope that happens in the future, said Clark. The current display features a handful of drawings, only some of which include items from the British Museum s collection, and blown-up versions on the walls and on the floor. There is also a stand containing manga comic books which visitors are invited to browse. Clark said Hoshino, inspired by his visit to the museum, was working on eight or nine stories linking his character to the collection. They are expected to be published in Dar Al Athar KCP Chopin concert Kuwait Chamber Philharmonia (KCP) will hold a Chopin Recital concert on Nov 14, 2009 at 8:00 pm at Hashemi II Grand Ballroom, Radisson Blu Hotel, under the patronage of Polish Ambassador to Kuwait Janusz Szwedo. The concert, being held on the occasion of Polish Independence Day, will see recitals by two outstanding Polish artists, Kinga and Karol Masternak. The program includes the most famous Chopin piano works and songs from Chopin and Paderewski. The Embassy of Poland in Kuwait is the main sponsor of the event. The sponsors of the whole season are: Radisson Blu, GAC, Tanagra, British School of Kuwait, Kuwait English School and English School of Fahaheel. For tickets, which cost KD6 for adults and KD4 for children, are available at Radisson Blu Hotel. Call to make a reservation. For more information visit: click Al-Amiri band members pose with Dr Lisa Urkevich (seventh left standing) and perform (inset). Dar event pays tribute to Gulf songs of the past Al-Amiri band revives musical memories By Chaitali B. Roy Special to the Arab Times On Monday, Nov 9, Dar Al-Athar Al- Islamiyyah paid tribute to the past with a presentation titled Gulf Songs of the Past: Musical Memories at the Al-Maidan Cultural Centre at 7 pm. It was an evening dedicated to different sounds with the Al- Amiri band playing from different repertoires, bringing together the sound of desert, sea and city to a packed auditorium. It comes as no surprise that for the past four seasons, Dr Lisa Urkevich, Assistant Professor of Musicology and Ethnomusicology and Director of the Arabian heritage Project at the American University of Kuwait, has become an integral part of the Dar s cultural calendar. Her presentations are a must see for both Kuwaitis and expatriates with little or no knowledge of Gulf music. She punctuates her deep insight of the subject with humour, empathy and respectful appreciation for traditions of a country, whose musical heritage is either unknown or ignored by young locals or by some section of the expatriate population. Another welcoming feature of her presentation is the live performance by the few remaining bands specializing in folkloric or traditional music in Kuwait. Dr Urkevich s presentation is a spectacle involving drum beats and a group of tall, traditionally dressed men chanting and swaying to the beat. In the past years her lectures have featured performances by the Bin Hussein Band and the Mayouf band and on Monday night it was the turn of the great Al-Amiri sea band, one of the last great surviving traditional ensembles of the Arabian Gulf and a significant representative of regional heritage for decades. Discovery Before the discovery of oil, the economy of the Arabian Gulf was driven by pearl diving and trading. Every summer from May to September, hundreds of boats from Kuwait and neighbouring states like Bahrain and Qatar would depart for the pearl diving season. In the long summer months divers and sailors worked on merchant ships that traveled to India, southern Arabia and East Africa, said Dr Urkevich. Most of these boats were equipped with a small group of musicians who aided the sailors and divers in relieving the tedium and hard slog of everyday existence on board. Each team of musicians had a lead singer known as nahaam. The word nahaam which means to wail or lament, used to have a passionate strong voice, and his job was to encourage the divers and others. At times the nahaam would be paid more than or as much as the best diver. The music on board was functional because they worked such long days that by the end they would collapse. Life was excruciatingly hard for the Kuwaitis on board these ships. They slept on the hard deck with the sky for cover and worked sixteen hours at a stretch. According to a conversation that Dr Urkevich had with a sailor of yore, the difference between life on a pearling ship and a merchant ship was that between heaven and hell. It was music that gave meaning to the life of these hardy sea men and provided them with external encouragement. Traditional folk music survived and flourished among the Bedouins, pearl divers, city dwellers and women. Each separate social group nurtured the musical forms and though each subculture was distinct, none existed in isolation. At one time there were many sea bands and a large number of gifted musicians in Kuwait, which had a tiny population of 10,000. Today there are only ten of the traditional sea bands left in the Arabian Gulf. There are three sea bands in eastern Saudi Arabia, three in Bahrain (the father of sea band music) and there is one left in Qatar. There are three sea bands in Kuwait including the Al-Amiri. In her previous shows Dr Urkevich, who Once again due to popular demand Costa Del Sol Hotel, will host on nightly weekends, our famous violinists from 7:00 pm till 11:00 pm. First come first seated basis, enjoy the lovely atmosphere and facing the dancing colored fountain to match the night. For reservations call us on Telephone No ext and has over the past five years made field recordings and documented findings on the music and musicians of Kuwait and neighbouring Gulf countries, shed light on a form of Kuwaiti music called the sawt, spoke of the role of work songs in the lives of beleaguered sailors and pearl divers, and addressed the theme of war songs traditionally known as ardha. On Monday evening she presented the Al-Amiri band, which has regularly performed locally and internationally under the musical leadership of Khaleefa Al-Amiri and the intellectual guidance of Ali Al Roomi. Both these men serve as important archival sources of traditional song texts and their meanings, of performance practices and of historical regional accounts, notes Dr Urkevich. In her lecture performance, Dr Urkevich presented these old and unique Gulf lyrics, some of them compiled by Khaleefa and Al Roomi in a book, in the context of the culture of the day. The Al-Amiri band made an impressive entry through the audience playing ardah bahri. Khaleefa Al-Amiri, a diminutive smiling man is the founder and leader of the band. Born in Sharq around 1932, he took up his first assignment on the ship at the age of 13. He traveled to Karachi, Bombay and Calcutta. When he was first at sea, his job was to assist the captain. He would pour water when the captain washed his hands, washed the captain s dishdasha and hung it up to dry and cut vegetables. Later he worked his way up. Soon Khaleefa with his strong voice became a nahham. Presented On Monday evening the Al-Amiri band presented a typically Kuwaiti piece called the Sangini which is a ritualistic song performed after a boat was cleaned before being put out to sea. This song is almost like a blessing and was special to Kuwait. Of all the sea songs, sangini has the largest structure with three parts. The word sangini has Indian origins meaning heavy. Some people say they have heard the same rhythmic mode in Calcutta, India, but with different words and melodies than what is used here in Kuwait, continued the Professor. Kuwaiti folkloric music accepted influences from musical cultures, with which they had close relation and India was one of them. It was not unusual to come across the same type of song in both the countries though with different rhythms and to the accompaniment of different musical instruments. The sangini is sung in three parts to the accompaniment of a tar with jingles on the insides. The sound of tar, cymbals and drone invaded the auditorium as the men raised their hand, gently moved the lower portion of their body and made that amazingly natural percussion sound through group clapping. This was followed by the performance of Uns or a suite of entertainment songs. After the pearl divers would return, they would go to diwaniya and perform these all night suites or uns which means happiness. It is a prescribed order of composition performed all night. The Uns follows a certain order according to which the performers pay respect to the land followed by the sea and the city. In the first piece in which they played adasani the musicians used the tar, which is a land instrument. While singing the hedadi and emkhallif as a tribute to the sea they used the ehalla (water jug), hawwan (mortar and pestle), twysat ( cymbals), mirwas ( small drums) and tabl bahri( double sided Indian barrel drums). Soon after the band switched over to sawt, a type of traditional city music with noticeable ease to the accompaniment of oud, a sophisticated urban instrument. The presence of Sulaiman Amari, the lead singer of the group gave the show that added edge. With a deep, lyrical voice, Sulaiman can voice sentiments of pathos, love and longing with equal intensity and is one of the rare singers who can sing all forms of music. To get the full sense of traditional Arabic music, one has to see them as well as hear them. They are poetry, song, music, dance and rhythm rolled into one big lavish display as seen on Monday evening. Latest Continued from Page 26 First AG Church Kuwait picnic: First Assembly of God Church, Kuwait Picnic Nov 13, Friday at Sabhaiya Park from 9.30 am - 3 pm. Breakfast and Lunch will be provided. Have a fun filled blessed day with lots of kids & adults programmes. Exciting prizes await you all! Free transport. For Registration and other details contact Pastor V D Thomas at / or Bro George Cherian at / E mail: firstagkwt@gmail.com Friends of Kannur family get-together: Friends of Kannur Expatriates Association (FOKE) is arranging a get together for its members and families at Kheiran Shaley on Friday, Nov 13, 2009 Friday. Transport facilities are arranged from the following areas and the members are requested to contact their respective area co-ordinators before Wednesday, Nov 11, Abbasiya ( ), Fahaheel ( ), Jahra ( ), Farwaniya ( ). Drawing competition by GCC: Goan Cultural Center (GCC) will organize a grand drawing/painting competition on Friday, Nov 13, 2009 at the Carmel School, Khaitan. The competition is open to all Indian school students in the age group of 3 to 14 years. The competition will commence at 4:00 pm sharp and each contestant will be alloted one hour. Contestants is the age group of 3 to 6 years will be allowed only painting, and contestants in the age group of 7 to 14 years will be allowed drawing of Goan scenery. Fabulous prizes will be awarded to the winners at the annual traditional Snowball with Painatal Christmas celebrations on Friday, Dec 11, The prizes have been sponsored by reputed Kuwaiti companies. For details contact, and Kala Kuwait Niram registration: Kala Kuwait, a leading progressive art and socio cultural organization among the Indian community in Kuwait has scheduled to conduct Children s Day by marking the birthday of the first prime minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, under the auspices of Kala Kuwait on Friday, Nov 13 at the Indian Community School, Khaitan branch, at 2:00 pm. The programme named as Niram 2009 consists of drawing and painting competition for the Indian school students and a Marathon Open Canvas Painting for the other attendees including parents, visitors and guests. The drawing and painting competition will be conducted in four different age groups. Group A from LKG to 1st Standard, Group B from 2nd to 4th standard, Group C from 5th to 8th standard and Group D from 9th to 12th standard. The media for Group A and B will be crayons while Group C and D are water colours. Crayons and water colours to be brought by the participants. Stamped drawing papers will be supplied by the organizers. Clay modelling competition also will be conducted for 7th to 11th standard students. The Marathon Open Canvas Painting is conducting in a view to display everyone s views and talents through their vivid creations. Besides the 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes, ten percent of the participants will be awarded with consolation prizes. The winners are liable to Continued on Page 29

28 28 Int l Dialing Codes emergency 777/ Important Tel. Nos. Afghanistan 93; Algeria 213; Argentina 54; Australia 61; Austria 43; Bahrain 973; Bangladesh 880; Belgium 32; Bolovia 591; Brazil 55; Bulgaria 359; Canada 1; Chile 56; China 86; Colombia 57; Croatia 385; Cyprus 357; Denmark 45; Egypt 20; Finland 358; France 33; Germany 49; Ghana 233; Greece 30; Guatemala 502; Hong Kong 852; Hungary 36; India 91; Indonesia 62; Iran 98; Iraq 964; Ireland 353; Italy 390; Japan 81; Jordan 962; civil ID info Kazakhstan 7; Kenya 254; Korea 82; Kuwait 965; Lebanon 961; Libya 218; Luxembourg 352; Malaysia 60; Malta 356; Mauritius 230; Mexico 52; Morocco 212; Nepal 977; Netherlands 31; New Zealand 64; Nigeria 234; Norway 47; Oman 968; Pakistan 92; Philippines 63; Poland 48; Portugal 351; Qatar 974; Russia 7; Saudi Arabia 966; Singapore 65; Somalia 252; South Africa 27; Spain 34; Sri Lanka 94; Sudan 249; Sweden 46; Switzerland 41; Syria 963; Turkey 90; United Arab Emirates 971; United Kingdom 44; United States 1; Venezuela 58; Yemen 967; Zambia 260. Electricity: Kuwait City , ; Fahaheel , ; Hawalli /4; Kuwait City ; Hawalli , ; Jahra ; Kheitan /7; Salmiya , ; Shuwaikh ; Street lights Water: Emergency (drains) ; Ahmadi , ; Jahra , ; Salmiya ; Shuwaikh , ; Sulaibikhat , Hospitals: Amiri Casualty ; Al Sabah / ; Mubarak Al Kabeer to 709; Farwaniya , ; Adan ; Ibn Sina ; Al Razi ; Al Jahra ; Maternity ; Allergy ; Blood Bank ; Burns Centre ; Cancer Control Centre ; Chest Diseases , ; Drug Control ; Infectious Diseases ; Islamic Medicine Centre Private Hospitals: Ahmadi ; Dar Al Shifa Ambulance: Central ; Emergency ; Adan / ; Amiri Hospital ; Dai ya ; Dasman ; Fahaheel ; Faiha a ; Farwaniya ; Farwaniya ; Jahra ; Mubarak Al-Kabir ; Nuwaisib ; Sabah ; Salmiya ; Shuaiba Consumer Protection Hotline: / Traffic Violation Inquiry: 198 The Scientific Center: Labour Complaints Hotline: Tel , Fax Social Work Society of Kuwait (Human Rights Organization): Tel , Fax Q8sws@q8sws.com, Conceptis Sudoku The grid must be so completed that every row, column and 3x3 box has every digit from 1 to 9 inclusive. indoor gardening beauty tips taste buds bulbophyllum facetum curl your eyelashes miso chicken Answer to yesterday s puzzle Bulbophyllum facetum is endemic to the mountains of central Luzon in the Philippines, with persistent basal bristles pseudobulbs carrying a single oblong to elliptic, leathery leaf that blooms on a single bracted inflorescence carring a single flower that opens in the morning and closes by early afternoon only to reopen the next day. The flowers each morning reopen and then close at midday to repeat the process again mostly for four days. Site: Partial shade Temperature: This species is best grown in hot to warm temperatures. Water: The plant grows well given ample water and fertilizer. Open the curler and place your upper lashes inside its mouth. Close your eye slightly, then open it; all of the lashes should move into the curler s mouth. Always hold the eyelash curler so that the mouth is parallel to your lashes. Move the curler closer to the eye until the tool comes to the base of the lashes, but not over the skin of the eyelid. Keep the eye open and slowly close the curler. Your eyelashes should fan out evenly across the upper bar. If at any time you feel pinching, readjust the curler. Hold the closed curler for a slow count of five, keeping your hand and face steady. Repeat for additional volume. Repeat with the other eye. Ingredients: 1 lb thin sliced Chicken breast (about 12 pieces) 2 tbsp of miso (white would be better, but red is fine, too) 1 tbsp of mirin 1 tsp of sugar 1/2 tsp of lemon juice Method: Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, mix miso, mirin, sugar and lemon juice until you get a creamy sauce. Lightly grease a baking pan (9x13inch pan), and spread the miso sauce on each side of chicken pieces and spread them into the pan. Bake for minutes until the chicken is cooked. The Bengali Cultural Society (BCS) of Kuwait is planning to stage Badal Sarkar s Pagla Ghora at the Indian Community School in Salmiya on Thursday, Nov 26. Pagla Ghora, regarded as one of Sarkar s immortal and classic plays explores the subject of love and human relationships, and examines the subservient role of women in rural Bengali families. Kepemchim Kirnnam is an international reputed Goan dance and music troupe doing yeomen service in promoting and keeping alive the rich and varied cultural heritage of the Indian state of Goa to perform at the World Goa Day on Nov 20, at Carmel School Kheitan, organized by Goan Welfare Society Kuwait in association with Goan clubs & organizations. Challenger DIRECTIONS: Fill each square with a number, one through nine. Horizontal squares should add to totals on right. Vertical squares should add to totals on bottom. Diagonal squares through center should add to total in upper and lower right. THERE MAY BE MORE THAN ONE SOLUTION. Today s Challenge Time 4 Minutes 0 Seconds Your Working Time Minutes Seconds Yesterday s solution legal clinic PRO BONO LEGAL ADVICE Visit visa transfer I just want to know, that if I bring my wife on a visit visa to Kuwait can I transfer the visit to residence so that she can live here permanently. Does she need to get a medical checkup done here. My salary is KD 350. Name withheld Answer: No, you can t transfer your wife s visit visa to residence. This is only allowed for infants. So it is better you apply directly for a dependent visa as you meet the salary requirement. The Arab Times invites questions on all aspects of Kuwaiti law. If you face a problem, or need specific advice on any legal matter, from commercial and investment law to divorce and labour, send questions to the Managing Editor, Arab Times, P.O. Box 2270, Safat, Kuwait, or Fax to Shanthi Association, Kuwait organized a seminar on Human Values in Education for the teachers of Integrated Indian School Kalka Public School on Nov 7. L.R. Krishnan, Chairman, Shanti Association and his team of 36 people were welcomed by the Principal Mrs Ritu Mathur. The resource persons for the US embassy holiday/closure: The American Embassy will be closed today to observe the US Veteran s Day holiday. The embassy will reopen for normal business on Thursday, Nov 12, Regular business hours are 8:00 am to 04:30 pm Sunday Thursday. The embassy telephone number is and fax number Dar Al-Athar Forum lecture: Dar Al-Athar Al-Islamiyyah Forum will hold a lecture by: Thomas Modeen on Kuwait School Manifesto 8 Maxims & Designs (lecture in English) today at 7:00 pm. Moderated by Ms Budour Al-Qassar. Place: Al-Maidan Cultural Centre, Abdullah Aal-Salem School, Maidan Hawally, near Al- Sha ab Leisure Park, Tel: , Fax: membership@darmuseum.org.kw. Festival of India schedule: Repeat of the Inaugural Event Featuring Performing Arts by eminent Indian artistes today. * Traditional Art of Henna Application (with live demonstration) from Nov 9-13 from hrs & hrs at Al-Sadu House. * Traditional Puppet Show & Shadow Puppet Show * Exhibition of Traditional Indian Dolls * Traditional Art of Henna Application (with live demonstration), from Nov 9-13 from hrs & hrs at Discovery Centre. * Exhibition of Photographs of Mumbai through the Ages from 9-13 Nov from at Al Fanoon Hall, Ahmad Al Edwani Hall at Dahiyat Abdullah Al-Salem. * Exhibition of Arabic Calligraphy occasion were Dr Raj Raghupathy, Sunder Sreenivasan and Mrs Vijayshree Krishnan. After the ceremonial lighting of the lamp, the session began with the welcome address by the chairman followed by introduction to Human Value Education by Dr Raj Raghupathy. He discussed the challenges and choices of what s on today * Exhibition of Indian Muslim Religious Posters and Calendar Art, from Nov 9-13 from hrs & hrs at Grand Mosque. Folk Dances Nov from hrs at Avenues Mall. An Evening of Indian Music and Folk Dances on Nov from hrs at Keifan Auditorium. Special Event of the Festival Flute Recital by Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia & Tabla Recital by Rimpa Siva on Stage set for Soorya fest AS part of propagating the art of India outside the country, Soorya Kuwait Chapter, is all set to stage this year s last program, on the evening of Friday, Nov 27, at the American International School Auditorium, Maidan-Hawally, at 06:30 pm. H.E. the Indian Ambassador Ajai Malhotra will inaugurate the program under Soorya banner, in association with UAE Exchange. A team of 7 renowned artistes from India will be flown into Kuwait to stage Laya Shakthi, a blend of both Bharatha Natyam/Kathak along with an instrumental fusion. A two-hour breathtaking performance by leading Bharatha Natyam dancer Kirti Ramgopal and Kathak by Hari and Chetana coupled with the instrumental fusion of Ustad Nazir Khan (sarangi) Fateh Singh (phakhawaj) Premkumar (mridangam) Ustad Rashid Mustafa (tabla) will delight the art lovers of Kuwait. As usual, the entry will be restricted with invitations. Nov 14 from hrs at Keifan Auditorium. Note: Entrance to events at Keifan Auditorium are by invitation only. Turkish language courses: The Embassy of the Republic of Turkey announces that Turkish language courses will restart after a summer break at the Embassy s Tourism, Culture and Information Office. The lessons will be held on Mondays and Wednesdays A flyer of the event the world today and the need for human values in our lives and in education. Academic knowledge alone is of no great value. It may help one to earn a livelihood. But education should go beyond the preparation for earning a living. It should prepare one for the challenges of life morally and spiritually. from 06:00 to 08:00 pm. For further details and registration please contact the Embassy at Tel or (only from 9 am to 3pm). KTAA meeting: Today Quilt Group meeting. Meets twice a month on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month with both a morning and an evening group at Sadu House. For more information contact: q8yarnandfibregroup@yahoo.com English lecture: An English lecture will be held every Wednesday from 07:15 pm to 08:15 pm on: The Sublime Character of Prophet Muhammad in Light of Imam Al-Tirmidhi conducted by Mohammed Daniel. Location: Masjid Al Kulaib, Qurtoba (Masjid next to co-op in Qurtoba). Sadu weaving workshop: Sadu weaving workshop starts for four weeks until Nov 22, every Sunday and Wednesday, from 09:00 am to 12:00 noon at the Sadu House. There will be a total of 8 sessions of three hours each. Sadu House can also schedule evening workshop from 04:00 pm to 07:00 pm every Sundays and Wednesdays. Contact Aiesha Khalid , Sadu House ; Saduweaving@gmail/com; info@alsadu.org.kw; web page: AWARE Culture Orientation course: The Aware Center is glad to announce that its Cultural Orientation course continues until today. Join AWARE for an inside look at the Kuwaiti lifestyles from within the home.

29 29 Cinema From Thursday 05/11/09 to Wednesday 11/11/09 Case 39 (Renee Zellweger) Sharqia 1 16:45, 21:15 Sharqia 3 13:15 Muhalab 1 14:45, 17:00 Muhalab 1 00:15 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Muhalab 2 22:15 Fanar 1 12:30, 14:45, 21:30 Fanar 1 00:15 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Marina 1 20:15 Marina 2 17:15 Avenues 11 13:45, 16:30, 19:30, 22:15 Avenues 11 00:45 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) :45, 15:00, 18:00, 21: :45 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Al Kout 4 14:45, 19:15 Al Kout 4 23:45 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Bairaq 1 20:15, 22:30 Bairaq 1 01:00 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Laila 23:00 Tear Enta Sharqia 2 14:30, 17:00, 19:30, 22:00 Sharqia 2 00:30 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Muhalab 3 13:45, 16:15, 18:45, 21:15 Muhalab 3 23:45 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Fanar 4 13:45, 16:15, 19:00, 21:45 Fanar 4 00:30 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Marina 3 13:30, 16:00, 18:30, 21:00 Marina 3 23:30 Avenues 3 12:30, 15:00, 17:30, 20:00, 22:30 Avenues 3 01:00 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Avenues 4 12:30, 15:00, 17:30, 20:00, 22:30 Avenues 4 01:00 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Avenues 9 13:30, 16:15, 18:45, 21:15 Avenues 9 23:45 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) :00, 16:00, 19:00, 22: :45 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) :00, 16:00, 19:00, 22: :45 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Al Kout 1 13:00, 15:30, 18:00, 20:30, Al Kout 1 23:15 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Al Kout 1 23:00 (Sun, Tue, Wed) Bairaq 3 13:30, 16:00, 18:30, 21:00 Bairaq 3 23:30 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Plaza 17:15 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Plaza 19:45, 22:15 Laila 20:15 Metro 2 18:00, 20:30, 23:00 Capitalism: A Love Story Sharqia 3 15:30, 18:00, 20:30, 23:00 Muhalab 1 19:15, 21:45 Muhalab 2 00:30 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Fanar 2 15:00, 17:30, 20:15 Fanar 2 23:15 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Fanar 5 13:15 Marina 2 14:45, 19:30, 22:00 Marina 2 00:30 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Avenues 5 13:00, 16:00, 19:00, 22:00 Avenues 5 00:30 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Avenues 6 13:00, 16:00, 19:00, 22:00 Avenues 6 00:30 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) :30, 15:30, 18:30, 21: :15 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) :30, 15:30, 18:30, 21: :15 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Al Kout 3 14:00, 16:45, 19:30, 22:00 Al Kout 3 00:30 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Bairaq 2 17:30, 22:15 Bairaq 2 00:45 Laila 17:45 Michael Jackson s This Is it (Michael Jackson) Sharqia 1 12:45, 19:00 Sharqia 1 23:30 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Muhalab 2 15:30 (Sun to Thu) Muhalab 2 17:45, 20:00 Fanar 3 15:30, 22:15 Marina 1 17:45, 22:30 Marina 2 12:30 Avenues 10 12:45, 15:30, 18:30, 21:30, 00: :15, 16:15, 19:15, 22: :30 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) imax 12:30, 14:45, 17:00, 20:15, 22: imax 00:45 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Al Kout 4 12:30, 21:30 Al Kout 4 17:00 (Sun to Fri) Bairaq 2 13:00, 15:15, 20:00 Laila 15:30 Missing Lynx (Abraham Aguilar, Beatriz Berciano) Sharqia 1 14:45 Muhalab 2 13:30 (Thu, Mon) Muhalab 2 12:45 (Sat) Fanar 5 16:00 Marina 1 15:45 Avenues 8 13:30, 15:45, 18: :45, 16:00, 18:15 Al Kout 2 13:45 Al Kout 4 17:00 (Sat) Metro 2 16:00 Kill Switch (Steven Seagal, Holly Dignard) Sharqia 2 12:30 Fanar 2 13:00 Marina 1 00:45 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Avenues 1 01:15 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Avenues 2 14:45, 19: :45, 17:45, 20: :45 Al Kout 2 16:00 Metro 1 17:30 (Sun to Thu) Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani (Hindi) (Ranbir Kapoor, Katrina Kaif) Muhalab 2 14:45 Fanar 5 18:15, 21:15 Avenues 1 13:15, 19:15, 22:15 Scorpion (Clovis Cornillac, Francis Renaud) Fanar 5 00:15 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Marina 1 13:45 Avenues 7 16:15, 21: :15, 17:15, 20:15, 23: :15 Al Kout 2 00:15 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Ajial 3 16:15 Ajial 3 18:30 Sleuth (Michael Cane, Jude Law) Fanar 3 13:30 Fanar 3 00: :45, 15:45, 22: :45 (Thu to Tue) :30 (Wed) Al Kout 2 18:15 Plaza 15:30 Plaza 18:00 (Sun, Tue, Wed) Ajial 2 15:30, 22:30 Al Farah (Goumana, Murad) Fanar 3 17:45, 20:00 Avenues 8 20: :30, 17:30, 20: :30 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) :15 (Sun, Tue, Wed) Al Kout 2 22:15 Ajial 2 17:30 Granada 20:00 (Sun, Mon) Aladin and the Mystery of the Lamb (Hindi) Avenues 1 16:15 Metro 1 15:30, 21:30 My Sister s Keeper Avenues 8 23: :45, 16:45, 19:45, 22:45 Granada 17:45 (Sun, Mon) Mercury Man :00, 17:00, 20:00, 23:00 Ajial 4 16:30, 20:45 Metro 1 19:30 (Sun to Thu) The Final Destination :45 (Thu to Tue) :45 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) :30 (Wed) Under the Sea 3D :15 London Dreams (Hindi) :00, 17:00, 20: :00 Ajial 1 16:00, 19:00, 22:00 Toy Story -3D Bairaq 1 12:30, 14:30, 16:30, 18:15 Angel John (Malayalam) Ajial 2 19:30 Peranmai (Tamil) Ajial 3 18:30 (Thu, Fri, Sat) Ajial 3 21:30 (Tue to Sat) Ek Nranjan (Telugu) Ajial 3 18:30 (Sun, Mon) Granada 15:30 (Fri, Sat) Granada 18:30, 21:30 (Tue to Sat) All the Best (Hindi) Metro 1 18:30 (Fri, Sat) Surrogates Granada 15:45 (Thu, Mon) Blue (Hindi) Granada 22:00 (Sun, Mon) Movies inquiries and Fax Back hotline IMAX Tuesday Showtime available for groups 09:30 am Sea Monsters 3D 10:30 am, 08:30 pm Under The Sea 3D 11:30 am, 06:30 pm, 09:30 pm Journey to Mecca 12:30 pm, 05:30 pm Fly Me to the Moon 3D 07:30 pm Under The Sea 3D, Sea Monsters 3D and Journey to Mecca are in Arabic, English Headsets are available upon request. Fly Me to the Moon 3D is in English Film schedule is subject to changes without notice. For visitor information call or visit Engineering solutions to combat climate change urged IEI marks Engineers Day with calls to save the Earth KUWAIT CITY, Nov 10: The IEI Kuwait Chapter celebrated 42nd Engineers Day 2009 with warmth and vigour to celebrate the birth anniversary of India s great Engineer cum Statesman Bharat Ratna Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvarya at Multipurpose Hall of Arab Organizations Building. The theme for this year s Engineers Day was Engineering Solutions to Combat Climate Change having global importance. His Excellency Shri. Ajai Malhotra, the Ambassador of India to the State of Kuwait inaugurated the function by lighting the lamp. Engr Joseph Panicker Chairman IEI, Kuwait Chapter welcomed the engineers, dignitaries, sponsors, and guests and emphasized to utilize the engineering solutions to combat climate changes. He informed about various activities the IEI Kuwait Chapter is conducting in relation to save the planet Earth. He informed about IEI Kuwait Chapter s participation for planting trees in Kuwait, on Volunteer Day, with the support of Voluntary Work Centre under the patronage of Her Excellency Sheikha Amtal Al-Sabah and inauguration of IEI-ICSK Green Club with emphasis to extend to all the schools. He further informed about IEI obtaining full membership of Engineers Mobility Forum which will enable Indian Engineers to practice the profession in par with the other member countries in this jurisdiction. He elaborated IEI role as a founder member of World Federation of Engineering Organization (WFEO) and requested all the members to attend the international conference on Alternative Energy Applications, Option or Necessity? which is being arranged by Kuwait Society of Engineers (KSE). His Excellency Shri Ajai Malhotra, the Ambassador of India to the State of Kuwait lauded the achievements of Shri M. Visvesvarya and elaborated India s role in the global complex to combat climate change. Dr Salah Al-Mudh hi, the Chief Guest of Engineers Day celebration, released the IEI Souvenir He emphasized upon the importance of combating the climate change and appreciated IEI s role in creating the awareness about this topic. He requested the audience to avail this opportunity to attend the international conference which will be held in Kuwait. The Chief Guest presented mementos to Executive Committee members of 2008 for their valuable contribution to IEI Kuwait Chapter activities. Engr Ahmed Al-Mershed, Deputy Chairman of Voluntary Work Centre, appreciated IEI Kuwait Chapter role in the awareness of environmental protection and other related subject and their association with the Voluntary Work Centre. Khalid M. Shuaibi, BSK Senior history students with HE the Hungarian Ambassador, Dr Janos Hovari, HE the German Ambassador, Dr Michael Worbs and HE Marian Warba at the lecture which took place at Mishref Exhibition Hall to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall. HE the Hungarian Ambassador Dr Janos Hovari addressing the BSK Senior History students on the Fall of the Berlin Wall. BSK students attend unique presentation on the fall of Berlin Wall By Amber Loutfi, Year 11 Agroup of students from BSK studying IGCSE and A-Level history were honoured to be invited to visit a photographic presentation on the collapse of the Soviet Union of The Ambassadors from Hungary, Austria and Germany were present to give speeches and answer questions raised by the students. The German ambassador, HE Dr Michael Worbs, told us of the fascinating events that unfolded and how he witnessed it all as a young man. He spoke of the various events that took place prior to the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989 and how it was the greatest achievement in Europe at this time. In response to a question as to whether there was any on-going resentment for the reunification of Germany the Ambassador stated that people underestimate the huge problems that Some photos from the event. Indian festival presents unique works: ambassador India Ambassador to Kuwait Ajai Malhotra said Tuesday the Cultural Festival of India held here presented unique works that are held for the first time in Kuwait. Malhotra told KUNA that the photography exhibition, held in the sidelines of the festival, exhibited photographs of BSK Hungarian student Gergeli Kulcsar making a presentation to the Hungarian ambassador. east Germany faced at this time and that this was the right thing to do for both areas that unification was the best solution to the problem, no question at all. The Hungarian Ambassador, HE Dr Janos Hovari, stated that the collapse of communism in Europe started in Central Europe, with Poland becoming the first liberated country after many years of living under strict dictatorship. Since then there seemed to be a reversed domino effect of countries falling away from communist rule rather than towards it. This was considered a huge victory for the victimized countries as they had lived for years under an extremist communist rule. Ambassador Hovari talked about the Reunification of Germany, how it changed Germany s character, politics and its way of life completely for the better and that the fact that Austria, Hungary and Germany are together for the exhibition shows that they are working together and that there is on-going co-ordination between the liberated powers. The Austrian Ambassador, HE Marian Warba, spoke about Vienna being a free world that it is so much better than it used to be in the days of the iron curtain. He shared some personal anecdotes on the event, how when they went on holidays his father had taken him to see the border, the huge fences and barbed wires that separated the countries. He felt that it was a different planet altogether when looking over the fences, that it was so hard to imagine what life could be like on the other side. Ambassador Warba also talked about the border control that used to exist between Austria and Czechoslovakia, the difficulty of crossing from one country to the other, having to wait in 4 hour long queues because of the intensive security procedures. However, today, it is easy to step into Austria for lunch and come home to the Czech Mumbai from the archives of the Indian Culture Ministry. The exhibition was inaugurated Monday evening with the attendance of Assistant Secretary General of the National Council of Culture, Arts, and Letters (NCCAL) Ali Al-Youha. The ambassador said that the festival s activities included a puppet show that was presented at Discovery mall. He called the Kuwaiti audience to attend cultural Indian music shows that will begin in the Avenues mall on Tuesday, adding that an art exhibition will be held at the same place. Bait Al-Sado will present a number of Republic for dinner. The visit concluded with a talk from a visiting Hungarian linguist and writer who discussed the difficulties she faced pre 1989 to publish her books for her university students to use for their studies. She spoke of the strict censorship rules and of her many challenges with editors, publishers and television producers. She had to fight to get on television and talk about her book (knowing a suitable time that the communists wouldn t be watching) and get her dictionaries published by private publishers. She told us of how it was so hard to be in business as a writer because if you were to oppose them in any way there would be harsh consequences. The visit was an insightful and interesting experience for all who were present. We found it very helpful in our study of the collapse of the Soviet Union and were given the unique opportunity to ask the ambassadors many questions related to our course work. Photos by Anwar Daifallah Indian silk textiles and an expert in henna art will be present there until Nov 14, he noted. He said that he discussed holding a Kuwaiti cultural festival in India with Information Minister and Oil Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah and NCCAL Secretary General Bader Al-Rifai. (KUNA) from the Meteorology Department, DGCA, made a brief presentation about the theme. His presentation was supported with graphical data which was very enlightening. Mahmoud G. Abdullah General Manager, Fleet Marine Operation Group, KOTC spoke about marine pollution created by the vessels and ships and informed about the steps taken to prevent water pollution. He also informed about the new regulations which has to be followed by tankers while entering the Gulf Waters. Dr Ali Muhammad Khuraibet, General Manager, ECO-Environmental Consultant, the keynote speaker for the evening, presented the various engineering solutions. He elaborated about the latest techniques to combat carbon-di-oxide with artificial trees and other practical mitigation processes. All the dignitaries and honorary guests were presented with saplings in support of promoting environmental protection. The function concluded with vote of thanks by IEI General Secretary, Engr. Sushant Chakravarty. click Latest Continued from Page 27 prove their group with relevant documents in case the organizers requested so. For more details and registration please visit website or contact by at kalakuwait@gmail.com or the following telephone numbers , , , , according to Mukesh Vanpulli, President Kala Kuwait and K. Hassan Koya General Secretary, Kala Kuwait. Nov 14 AWARE s Grand Mosque tour: Saturday, Nov 14, 9:30 am. Guided tour of The Grand Mosque; for a rewarding, spiritual and informative experience. For further details contact AWARE by Tel: or visit us online at s may be sent to info@aware.com.kw AWARE Address: Surra, Block 3, Surra St., Villa 84. Mukadan shines in cricket tourney: Five wicket haul by Mohammed Mukadan in Late Haji Mohammed San Memorial Cricket Tournament. The match was played at Khaitan Cricket Ground between SSC and Emerging Stars on 23/10/2009. SSC captain won the toss and elected to bat first in overcast conditions. Their openers started in brisk fashion pulling and cutting the short balls, but the partnership was broken by accurate swing bowling from Waleed Mukadam. Thereafter SSC lost 4 wickets to Asmat and Rizwan, Asmat claimed 3 and Rizwan one wicket. At the fall of the 5th wicket the Emerging Stars Captain introduced Mohammed to the attack. The eleven years old youngster with his accurate line and length frustrated the SSC batsman who had no clue as what was happening and surrendered their wickets one after the other giving, Mohammed his maiden 5 wickets haul. In the end SSC managed 121 runs. Emerging stars started their reply aggressively particularly Bilal going hard on the bowlers. Munaf failed early but Asmat and Bilal steadied the innings. Emerging stars completed the required runs with 8 Overs to spare with 5 wickets down. Bilal continuing his brilliant form of the season by completing well-deserved 50. Annual Holiday Bazaar: The largest Annual Bazaar will take place on Nov 14, at the Salwa Sabah Al-Ahmad Hall at Marina Complex. Doors will open at 10:00 am until 9:00 pm. There will be something for everyone, Arts, Crafts, Food, Clothing, Gifts. Be sure to come visit this year s Holiday Bazaar. The largest to date, Central Blood Bank will be there, as well as Knet. Fun and surprises galore!! We still have some vendors tables available if you are interested, or need more info please contact Kevents@live.com Nov 19 AWARE Center s Art Workshop: Thursday, Nov 19, Art Workshop with Kuwaiti Artist, Tariq Al-Obaid, 6:30-9:00 pm. Tariq is passionate about art; mosaics, stained glass creations, oil on canvas and water colors. In this first workshop, he joins AWARE to share a variety of techniques related to working with water colors. All materials are provided. No previous experience is necessary. For further details contact AWARE by Tel: or visit us online at s may be sent to info@aware.com.kw AWARE Address: Surra, Block 3, Surra St, Villa 84. Nov 20 TISOK plans sportfest: To all Triskelion International State of Kuwait members: What: Triskelion International State of Kuwait TISOK Sportfest and 5th year anniv. When: Nov 20, 2009, Friday at 4:30 pm Where: Jabriya Gymnasium Bayan School For more info you may call: Clyde Aldus Chairman, Mobile: Barnaby Ibanez Vice-Chairman Internal Nov 21 KTAA to hold handcraft bazaar: The Kuwait Textile Arts Association (KTAA) under the auspices of Sadu House invites to their Bazaar of Handcrafted Items on Saturday, Nov 21, 2009 from 9:30 am to 1:00 pm at Sadu House, Arabian Gulf Street on the corner of the National Museum. Nov 25 Dr Babu George in Kuwait: Dr Babu George who is the general secretary of assemblies of God, Malayalam district in India, has arrived in Kuwait for a short visit. He is also the vice chairman of Powervision Television, the only full gospel channel broadcasting in Malayalam. In addition to this, he is the chief Continued on Page 30 Mukadan

30 30 Star Movies Nov 11 Couch slouch contract bridge By Steve Becker BYE BYE LOVE AT 21:30 UAE Starring Matthew Modine, Randy Quaid and Paul Reiser; Directed by Sam Weisman A comedic drama, Bye Bye Baby focuses on the difficulties faced by three divorced men and their children. Dave (Modine) is diligently playing the field, while Vic (Quaid) is enraged over his ex-wife s spending problem. Elsewhere, Donny (Reiser) is struggling with the love he still feels for his ex and his own feelings of rejection. But over the course of a weekend when Vic goes on a nightmare date with a neurotic woman, Dave loses control of his female interests, and Donny finds himself unable to communicate with his teenage daughter, the three men all discover what they really need to get their life back on track. Also: LOS ANGELES: Mya is tops on Dancing With the Stars. The 30-year-old Grammy winner was the top scorer Monday on the hit ABC show. She finished a point away from perfect, earning 59 points out of 60 for her two dances and beating fellow competitors Donny Osmond, Kelly Osbourne, Aaron Carter and Joanna Krupa for the top spot on the judges leaderboard. Krupa is in second place with 52 points. Osbourne follows with 51, while Osmond and Carter are tied with 50 each. One contestant will be eliminated during Tuesday s results show. (AP) NEW YORK: Robin Roberts is comfortable in the knowledge that when ABC s Good Morning America makeover is complete, she will keep her seat at the anchor desk. She just doesn t know who will be sitting next to her. As she waits, ABC is showing her some love. Roberts is the centerpiece for two prime-time specials this month: a Tuesday night hour featuring country music stars and an interview with Janet Jackson that will air on Nov 18. The Jackson interview is the type of important get for which Diane Sawyer and Barbara Walters used to compete. The specials could be read as both internal and external signs of Roberts importance to the news division. She s worked at ABC News or cable sister ESPN since 1990 and her contract expires in the spring. ABC News President David Westin expects to choose Diane Sawyer s replacement as GMA anchor in December, spokesman Jeffrey Schneider said. Sawyer is taking over for Charles Gibson at World News at the end of the year. Like most people at ABC, Roberts is keeping mum about the search ( I haven t seen a list yet ) and certainly won t express a favorite. Two people thought to be contenders George Stephanopoulos and Chris Cuomo have filled in as co-anchors in recent weeks. Even though she s been a GMA anchor since 2005, Roberts, 49, acknowledges that Sawyer s experience and stature makes her a first among equals. She expects that to change. I always want to be a team player, said the former Southeastern Louisiana basketball star. I m not making any demands, or feeling like, Ah-ha, now it s my turn. I m the nice one. I do throw some elbows under the basket, though. ABC s morning show is a longtime, yet profitable, No 2 to NBC s dominant Today show, and Roberts doesn t seem to Bye Bye Love is shown on Star Movies at 20:30 hours. expect the coming anchor change will bring with it a dramatic format shift. I have my routine in the morning and when it changes a little bit, I feel off-kilter, she said. I can t imagine any sweeping changes, but you re always evaluating what your audience wants. Roberts is serving an important role during a transition period for the show, said Jim Murphy, Good Morning America executive producer. She s doing a lot of hard work right now. She keeps the show steady, he said. Roberts has spent much of the past week preparing for her Jackson interview, which will be filmed at the singer s home in Malibu, Calif. She has a difficult balancing act. Jackson is still mourning the death of her brother Michael, a story that continues to fascinate the public. But she s also a major star in her own right, with something to sell: Jackson has a greatest hits CD coming out in time for the holidays. Roberts said she hasn t determined in advance how much of the interview would be related to Michael Jackson. (AP) LOS ANGELES: The CW s Life Unexpected has a premiere date, Jan. 18, where it will temporarily replace Gossip Girl as part of a strategy to keep original episodes airing on Monday nights. Unexpected will take the place of Gossip Girl for its run, then Gossip will return for another 12 episodes. The logic is that Gossip performs stronger when aired with fewer interruptions. Last year the show dropped significantly in the ratings during the early part of the year as the network cycled in repeats. Life Unexpected stars Britt Robertson ( Swingtown ) as a teenager who seeks legal emancipation from her foster family and uncovers her real parents in the process. (RTRS) tv highlights click Latest Continued from Page 29 pastor of Faith Church in Kerala and founder of Faith Bible College in Kerala. He is attending various functions in Kuwait. Also he is the main preacher of New Life A.G. Convention at Mangaf from to For more details please contact mobile nos or Nov 26 Christian Brethren Family confab: Christian Brethren Assembly Kuwait is conducting Family Conference 2009 during Nov 26, (5 pm to 9 pm), 27th and 28th Nov (8:30 am to 09:00 pm). The fundamental purpose of the conference is to train families in resolving issues that unravel healthy bonds of family life and to equip them in successfully meeting the challenges of building up and maintaining a meaningful family life. Family education experts John Kurian, (Kottayam) Varghese Chacko and Bella Varghese (Bangalore) and Binoi Samuel (Sharjah) will lead various sessions. Hurry and register before Nov 25, Contact , , Dec 5 The Ahmadi Music Group concerts: The Ahmadi Music Group are putting on 2 Seasonal Concert s on Dec 5, 2009 at the New English School Jabriya. The first concert will begin at 5pm followed by refreshments, a further concert will take place at 7.15pm also followed by refreshments. Call the box office on General Pehla Star World 07:00 The Simpsons 07:30 The Simpsons 08:00 Painkiller Jane 09:00 Cops 09:25 Cops 09:50 Different Strokes 10:00 Grey's Anatomy 10:50 Married With Children 11:00 Worst Week 11:25 Worst Week 11:50 Bewitched 12:00 Australia's Next Top Model 13:00 My Wife And Kids 13:30 The Bold And The Beautiful 14:00 7th Heaven 14:50 Married With Children 15:00 Grey's Anatomy 15:50 Bewitched 16:00 [V] Tunes 17:00 Cops 17:30 Cops 18:00 The Simpsons 18:30 The Simpsons 19:00 Painkiller Jane 20:00 How I Met Your Mother 20:25 How I Met Your Mother 20:50 Different Strokes 21:00 Prison Break 21:50 Married With Children 22:00 Hp Space 22:50 Bewitched 23:00 Cops 23:25 Cops 23:50 Different Strokes 00:00 Prison Break 00:50 Married With Children 01:00 Hp Space 01:50 Bewitched 02:00 [V] Tunes 03:00 The Simpsons 03:30 Ngc Program 04:00 How I Met Your Mother 04:30 How I Met Your Mother 05:00 [V] Tunes 06:00 7th Heaven 07:00 The Simpsons Orbit America Plus 06:00 Good Morning America 08:00 Good Morning America Health 08:30 What`s The Buzz 09: :00 Ally McBeal 11:00 Gilmore Girls 12: :00 The O.C. 14:00 In Treatment 14:30 In Treatment 15:00 Good Morning America 17:00 Good Morning America Health 17:30 What`s The Buzz 18:00 In Plain Sight 19:00 The O.C. 20:00 Dollhouse 21:00 Smallville 22:00 Smallville 23:00 Supernatural 00:00 Dollhouse 01:00 Smallville 02:00 Beauty And The Geek 03: :00 The O.C. 05:00 Beauty And The Geek 06:00 Good Morning America Hollywood Channel 05:55 Island Escapes 06:20 Manhattan Matchmaker 06:45 Girly Ghosthunters 07:10 Innertainment 07:35 Art And Soul 08:00 Caribbean Work Out 08:25 Breathing Space Yoga 08:50 African Workout With Maobong Oku 09:15 Belly Dance 09:40 Sizzle 10:05 Saturday Cooks 10:30 Maxed Out 11:00 My Parent`s House 11:25 My Parent`s House 11:50 Diva On A Dime 12:15 I Do- Let`s Eat! 12:40 Perfect Getaway 13:10 A Place In The Sun 14:00 Sizzle 14:25 A Cook`s Tour 14:50 I Do- Let`s Eat 15:15 Saturday Cooks 15:45 Hollywood Pets 16:10 Jackie: Behind The Myth 17:00 Divine Design 17:25 Divine Design 17:50 Maxed Out 18:20 Maxed Out 18:45 10 Years Younger New Zealand 19:10 Diva On A Dime 19:35 Maxed Out 20:00 A Place In The Sun 20:55 Diva On A Dime 21:20 Diva On A Dime 21:45 Maxed Out 22:10 Maxed Out 22:35 Maxed Out 23:00 Jackie: Behind The Myth 23:55 Mansions 00:20 Mansions 00:45 Matched In Manhattan 01:10 10 Years Younger New Zealand 01:35 Divine Design 02:05 Divine Design 02:30 10 Years Younger New Zealand 02:55 Manhattan Matchmaker 03:20 Single In Vegas 04:10 Journeys Of The Heart 05:05 Perfect Getaway 05:30 Picture This! tv today Orbit Disney 06:00 Higglytown Heroes 06:10 My Friends Tigger and Pooh 06:35 Handy Manny 07:00 Special Agent Oso 07:20 Lazytown 07:45 Lazytown 08:10 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 08:35 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 09:00 Handy Manny 09:25 Special Agent Oso 09:45 Brandy & Mr Whiskers 10:10 Fairly Odd Parents 10:35 Hannah Montana 11:00 I Got A Rocket 11:25 Wizards Of Waverly Place 11:45 Phineas and Ferb 12:10 Suite Life On Deck 12:35 Replacements 12:55 American Dragon 13:20 Kim Possible 13:40 Famous Five 14:05 Fairly Odd Parents 14:30 Phineas and Ferb 14:55 Replacements 15:15 I Got A Rocket 15:40 Wizards Of Waverly Place 16:00 Hannah Montana 16:25 Kim Possible 16:45 Fairly Odd Parents 17:10 Phineas and Ferb 17:35 Suite Life On Deck 18:00 Wizards Of Waverly Place 18:25 Hannah Montana 18:45 Fairly Odd Parents 19:00 Phineas and Ferb 19:25 Suite Life On Deck 19:50 Wizards Of Waverly Place 20:15 Hannah Montana 20:40 Hannah Montana 21:05 The Suite Life of Zack and Cody 21:30 The Suite Life of Zack and Cody 21:50 Brian O Brian 22:00 American Dragon 22:25 Kim Possible 22:50 Famous Five 23:15 Fairly Odd Parents 23:35 Phineas and Ferb 00:00 My Friends Tigger and Pooh 00:20 Handy Manny 00:45 Special Agent Oso 01:10 Lazytown 01:35 Lazytown 02:00 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 02:25 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 02:45 Handy Manny 03:10 Special Agent Oso 03:35 Brandy & Mr Whiskers 04:00 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31 HEALTH 31 Health Plavix benefits differ in men, women Pollution, heat, cold may all trigger heart attack NEW YORK, Nov 10, (RTRS): Extreme temperatures and heavy air pollution boost heart attack risk, according to a major new study. And on days when the air is extra dirty and the temperature is unusually hot or cold, the effects are likely to be particularly bad, given that temperature and pollution seem to harm the body in different ways, Dr Krishnan Bhaskaran of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in the UK, the lead author of the research, told Reuters Health. Several studies have linked changes in temperature to increases in deaths due to any cause, as well as heart disease mortality, Bhaskaran and his team note in their reports. But looking at heart attacks-not just deaths from heart disease-could offer a more accurate picture of the overall health risks of temperature changes and air pollution, they say, and might also offer clues to why they may trigger heart attack in high-risk people. In two separate reports, the researchers reviewed 19 studies on temperature and heart attack and 26 examining air pollution and heart attack. In the 12 temperature studies that collected winter data, eight showed shortterm increases in heart attack risk with colder temperatures. Seven of the 13 studies that looked at the effects of warmer temperatures found increased heart attack risk in hotter weather. Cold temperatures seemed to have a greater effect on heart attack risk in areas that were warmer, on average, Bhaskaran and colleagues note, suggesting that people living in colder areas may be better adapted to dips in temperature. But hot days boosted heart attack risk whether they happened in Sweden or Brazil. In a city that normally sees 10 heart attacks a day, Bhaskaran explained, the findings show there might be an extra one to four heart attacks on the hottest or coldest days. There was a lot of variation in the methods and quality of the studies we reviewed, so more work is needed in this area, but we thought the results were consistent enough to suggest that these effects are real, he added. The evidence from the pollution studies was less clear-cut, the researcher said, but overall suggested that the risk of heart attack increases with levels of several different pollutants. Also, he noted, there appeared to be no safe level of air pollution at which no effect on heart attack risk was seen. Our findings would suggest that further lowering limits would likely further reduce the health burden associated with pollution, which is of course a desirable outcome, he said. Governments can also make an effort to alert at-risk people when extreme temperatures or high levels of pollution are expected, the researcher said. He noted that the UK now makes automated phone calls to people with emphysema when they are at risk due to changes in temperature; this, he said, has led to a reduction in hospital admissions for lung disease patients. In an editorial accompanying the study, Professor David E. Newby of the University of Edinburgh and colleagues note that efforts to control air pollution are likely to help reduce carbon dioxide emissions as well, possibly helping to alleviate the effects of climate change down the road. Plavix: The popular blood-thinner Plavix prevents heart attacks and strokes in both women and men, but the benefits differ slightly by gender, US researchers said on Monday. They analyzed data from five major studies of more than 80,000 people, 30 percent of them women, and found that Plavix or clopidogrel cut the risk of having a heart attack or stroke by 16 percent in men and by 7 percent in women. The study by Dr Jeffrey Berger of the New York University School of Medicine offers the first look at gender differences with Plavix a $9 billion-a-year seller made by Sanofi-Aventis and Bristol- Myers Squibb. Plavix is used widely in treating heart attack patients. It works in a similar way to aspirin by stopping platelets tiny blood cells vital for the normal clotting process from clumping together and forming life-threatening clots. In women, the benefit from Plavix mostly comes from a reduction in the risk of heart attacks, but does it not significantly reduce the risk of stroke or death, Berger and colleagues wrote in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. In men, Plavix significantly cut the risk of all three heart attacks, stroke and death, they said. The study also found differences in the risk of bleeding, with women who take Plavix in addition to aspirin having roughly twice the bleeding risk as men. The team said the overall differences in benefit were not statistically significant, and the findings suggest both men and women benefit from taking the drug. Other studies have shown significant differences in the effects of blood thinners on men and women with heart disease. Dr Kirk Garratt of Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, who was not involved in the study, said in a telephone interview that women are traditionally underrepresented in clinical trials, particularly of heart drugs. In this analysis, the benefit in women was about about half that seen in men, he said. Garratt said the study also shows that women have a higher bleeding risk than men that doctors need to watch. The risk to benefit (ratio) has gotten narrower for women than it appears to be for men on these drugs, he said. Garratt said Plavix will soon go generic, but he said the findings may cause drugmakers to work harder to enroll women in studies of new anti-platelet drugs, such as AstraZeneca s experimental blood-thinning drug Brilinta. The hope is that the manufacturers will take this to heart and structure trials that are more oriented toward women, he said. Thyroid cancer: People who live in volcanic areas may have an elevated risk of developing thyroid cancer, a new study suggests. Italian researchers found that between Radiation helps Dense breasts up cancer return risk NEW YORK, Nov 10, (RTRS): Women with dense breasts who have had lumpectomies for breast cancer are at a higher risk of a recurrence, according to a new study. However, the increased risk is for recurrences near the original cancer. The higher risk was also only seen in women who were not treated with radiation after their surgeries. And breast density does not seem to have an effect on the risk that the disease will spread or the chance of survival, researchers report in the journal Cancer. Women with dense breasts are known to be at increased risk of breast cancer, but it was unclear whether they were at a higher risk of a recurrence once they had been treated. It is also unclear why breast density should have any effect on risk. Dr Steven A. Narod, at the Women s College Research Institute, and colleagues studied 335 women, in whom breast density was classified as low, intermediate or high. About one in ten of the women developed a recurrence of cancer during the time the researchers studied, about eight years: 20 with high-density breasts, 11 with intermediatedensity breasts, and 3 with lowdensity breasts. That meant that at ten years, women in the high, intermediate and low density groups had a 21 percent, 13 percent and 5 percent risk of recurrence, respectively. The investigators point out, however, that denser breasts increased the recurrence risk only when patients did not have radiation treatments. Among women who did not have postoperative radiation treatment, the risk of recurrence at 10 years was 40% in the highdensity group, while there were no recurrences in the low-density breasts. The findings, write the authors, confirm the benefit of radiation therapy in women with dense breasts and 2004, rates of papillary thyroid cancer the most common form of thyroid cancer were twice as high in Sicily s volcanic region compared with the rest of the island. Among people living in Sicily s Catania province, home to the active Mt. Etna volcano, there were 32 cases of thyroid cancer per 100,000 women per year, and six cases per 100,000 men. Across the rest of Sicily, those rates were 14 and three per 100,000, respectively. The large majority of cancers were papillary thyroid tumors, a slow-growing form of the disease that accounts for most cases of thyroid cancer. The increase of thyroid cancer is striking in the volcanic area of Sicily more than the double in respect to the rest of the island, senior researcher Dr Riccardo Vigneri, of the University of Catania Medical School, told Reuters Health in an . Because all volcanoes are not the same, it s not clear whether people living near any volcano might have an elevated risk of thyroid cancer, Vigneri said. Further research should be done to track rates of thyroid and other cancers in these areas, according to Vigneri, who noted that about 500 million people worldwide live in a volcanic region. He and his colleagues report their findings in the current issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Located at the base of the neck, the thyroid gland produces hormones that help regulate heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature and weight. Thyroid cancer is relatively uncommon; in the US, for example, it is diagnosed in about 37,000 people each year, according to the NCI. But the incidence of the disease has been on the rise in recent decades, in the US, France, Italy and elsewhere, Vigneri and his colleagues point out. Risk factors include iodine deficiency and exposure to high levels of radiation such as radiation treatment to the head and neck but beyond that, little is known about the types of environmental exposures that might contribute to the cancer. According to Vigneri s team, it s possible that thyroid cancer rates were higher in Catania because of chemicals that are present in drinking water from the volcanic aquifer. In many specimens of drinking water from the volcanic area we found that four metals and the natural radioactive compound radon 222 (were) increased over the maximum admissible concentration, Vigneri explained. Registered nurse Susan Eager explains to the sons of Carlos Granillo, 31, how to help care for their injured father at their home on Nov 9, in Denver, Colorado. Granillo, an immigrant from Mexico, suffered severe brain damage in a jet ski accident in July and received emergency medical care at a hospital emergency room. He was working as a construction worker without health insurance when the accident occurred. Nurse Eager Maclaren umbrella strollers are displayed in a Maclaren store on Nov 9, in New York. The British company has announced a voluntary recall of approximately 1 million of its umbrella strollers due to a problem with the side hinges. 12 fingertips amputations have reportedly occurred to children whose fingers were pinch in the hinges. Sweanor Health Tenenbaum Reynolds eyes co to cut smoking: Reynolds American Inc., maker of Camel cigarettes and Grizzly smokeless tobacco, is in talks to buy a Swedish company that helps people stop smoking, a tobacco expert who said he was briefed by people close to the talks told The Associated Press Monday. The second-largest US tobacco company is eyeing Niconovum AB, which sells cigarette replacement products in gum, pouch and spray form outside the US, according to David Sweanor, a Canadian law professor and tobacco expert. The deal, which could be worth $44.5 million, could be imminent, he said. Sweanor said Reynolds interest in Niconovum may be focused on offering smoking alternatives rather than products meant to help people stop using nicotine and tobacco. The market s coming to understand that nicotine products exist on a very broad continuum of risk, and cigarettes are at the far risky end of that, and it s possible to have far less hazardous products that would probably meet the needs for a very significant number of smokers, Sweanor said. The possibility of a deal between Reynolds and Niconovum was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. Karl Olov Fagerstrom, an expert on smoking cessation and nicotine dependence, formed Niconovum in 2000, according to its Web site. Niconovum did not immediately return calls seeking comment. Reynolds American spokesman David Howard declined to comment. Reynolds, like all tobacco companies, is looking to cigarette alternatives such as smokeless tobacco for growth as demand for cigarettes has declined as taxes, health concerns, smoking bans and social stigma have increased. The company, based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, has introduced Camel brand moist, smokeless tobacco and snus small teabag-like pouches that users stick between the cheek and gum. It also has introduced dissolvable tobacco products finely milled tobacco shaped into orbs, sticks and strips in test markets. (AP) Children strollers recalled reports: About a million children s strollers sold in the United States during the past decade are being recalled following reports of young fingers being amputated in the hinges. works for Dominican Sisters Home Health Agency, a non-profit organization that performs some 25,000 home visits each year in the Denver area. The agency provides free home nursing care to patients with chronic diseases, helps them to better manage their disabling illnesses and provides custodial services with the aim of keeping patients in their homes and out of more expensive nursing home care. (AFP) Bid to diagnose unseen disorders in vets Scanning invisible harm of PTSD WASHINGTON, Nov 10, (AP): Powerful scans are letting doctors watch just how the brain changes in American veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and concussion-like brain injuries signature damage of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. It is work that one day may allow far easier diagnosis for patients civilian or military who today struggle to get help for these largely invisible disorders. For now it brings a powerful message: Problems too often shrugged off as just in your head in fact do have physical signs, now that scientists are learning where and how to look for them. There s something different in your brain, explains Dr Jasmeet Pannu Hayes of Boston University, who is helping to lead that research at the Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD. Just putting a real physical marker there, saying that this is a real thing, encourages more people to seek care. Up to one in five US veterans from the long-running combat in Iraq and Afghanistan is thought to have symptoms of PTSD. An equal number are believed to have suffered traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs most that do not involve open wounds but hidden damage caused by explosion s pressure wave. Symptoms Many of those TBIs are considered similar to a concussion, but because symptoms may not be apparent immediately, many soldiers are exposed multiple times, despite evidence from the sports world that damage can add up, especially if there s little time between assaults. My brain has been rattled, is how a recently retired Marine whom Hayes identifies only as Sgt N described the 50 to 60 explosions he estimates he felt while part of an ordnance disposal unit. Hayes studied the man in a new way, tracking how water flows through tiny, celery stalk-like nerve fibers in his brain and found otherwise undetectable evidence that those fibers were damaged in a brain region that explained his memory problems and confusion. It is a noninvasive technique called diffusion tensor imaging that merely adds a little time to a standard MRI scan. Water molecules constantly move, bumping into each other and then bouncing away. Measuring the direction and speed of that diffusion in nerve fibers can tell if the fibers are intact or damaged. Those fibers are sort of a highway along which the brain s cells communicate. The bigger the gaps, the more interrupted the brain s work becomes. Sgt N s brain is very different, Hayes Maclaren USA Inc announced THE voluntary recall with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) headed by Inez Tenenbaum on Monday. The CPSC said consumers should immediately stop using the strollers, which were made in China, unless otherwise instructed. The recall involves all Maclaren single and double umbrella strollers sold in the United States starting in Maclaren said it has received 15 reports of children placing their finger in the stroller s hinge mechanism, which led to 12 reported fingertip amputations in the United States. President Victor Yuschchenko (right), listens to a pharmacy worker during his visit Kiev, Nov 9. Ukraine s flu death toll has climbed to 109 since last week s outbreak in the western city of Ternopil. The World Health Organization says most flu cases in the country can be assumed to be H1N1. (AP) Anxiety, depression levels cut High-carb, low-fat diet beats blue SYDNEY, Nov 10, (RTRS): Pass the bread: eating a diet high in carbohydrates and low on fat helps people lose weight and also makes them feel happier than a diet with less carbs but more meat and dairy, Australian researchers say. The study was based on 106 overweight or obese people in Australia aged 24 to 64 who followed one of two diets for a year: a low-fat, highcarb diet with bread, pasta and rice, or a low-carb, high-fat diet with more meat and dairy. Researchers from several Australian institutions including CSIRO, the University of South Australia and Flinders University found the dieters lost an average of 13.7 kg (30 lbs) each, with no significant difference in weight loss between the two groups. But the dieters following the highcarb, low-fat diet were found to be less angry, hostile, depressed and confused than those eating more meat and diary products after the year. Over one year, there was a favourable effect of an energyrestricted (low-fat) diet compared with an isocaloric (low-carb) diet on mood told a military medical meeting last week. His connective tissue has been largely compromised. There s a remarkable overlap of symptoms between those brain injuries and PTSD, says Dr James Kelly, a University of Colorado neurologist tapped to lead the military s new National Intrepid Center of Excellence opening next year to treat both conditions. Yes, headaches are a hallmark of TBI while the classic PTSD symptoms are flashbacks and nightmares. But both tend to cause memory and attention problems, anxiety, irritability, depression and insomnia. That means the two disorders share brain regions. And Hayes can measure how some of those regions go awry in the vicious cycle that is PTSD, where patients feel like they re re-living a trauma instead of understanding that it s just a memory. What happens? A brain processing system that includes the amygdala the fear hot state in overweight and obese individuals, the researchers said in their report published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine. The researchers said both groups were less angry, less depressed and less confused after eight weeks of dieting but over the course of a year, those on the low-fat diet maintained their improved mood, while those on the low-carb diet returned to previous moods. The researchers said both diets followed for 12 months had a similar effect on working memory, which improved over the year but the speed of mental processing remained largely unchanged. They said the results of their study were consistent with results from epidemiological studies showing that diets high in carbohydrate and low in fat and protein are associated with lower levels of anxiety and depression and have beneficial effects on psychological well-being. This study was funded with grants from the National Heart Foundation of Australia and the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia. spot becomes overactive. Other regions important for attention and memory, regions that usually moderate our response to fear, are tamped down. The good news is this neural signal is not permanent. It can change with treatment, Hayes says. Suppress Her lab performed MRI scans while patients either tried to suppress their negative memories, or followed PTSD therapy and changed how they thought about their trauma. That fear-processing region quickly cooled down when people followed the PTSD therapy. It is work that has implications far beyond the military: About a quarter of a million Americans will develop PTSD at some point in their lives. Anyone can develop it after a terrifying experience, from a car accident or hurricane to rape or child abuse. The incidents occurred while the strollers were being opened or closed, not while the children were seated in the strollers, a spokeswoman said. Maclaren is offering consumers a free repair kit. The recall only relates to the British company s US business. Models affected by the recall include Volo, Triumph, Quest Sport, Quest Mod, Techno XT, TechnoXLR, Twin Triumph, Twin Techno and Easy Traveller. The well-known strollers, priced from $100 to $360, were sold at stores including Babies R Us and Target. (RTRS) Watch for kidney stones in kids: Many children with kidney stones don t have the classical symptoms associated with the condition, such as painful, bloody urination, according to a new study. Dr. Cesare Polito and co-researchers studied 100 patients, 3 to 18 years old, with recurrent abdominal pain and kidney stones. They report in the journal Pediatrics that more than half - 53 percent - did not have a history of painful or bloody urination, and only about a third had blood in their urine when they saw their doctors. Many of the children did not have the flank pain typically associated with kidney stones, instead having general pain in the abdomen. The take home message: Doctors, and their parents, should consider kidney stones in kids with recurrent abdominal pain, especially those who have a history of such stones in the family, even if painful and blood urination is absent. (RTRS)

32 HEALTH 32 Make US streets safe for pedestrians, cyclists Path to good health, less pollution is the sidewalk WASHINGTON, Nov 10, (Agencies): US pressure groups joined forces Monday to urge authorities to spend more to improve Americans health and cut greenhouse gas emissions. But it was neither health care reform nor cap-and-trade that they were talking about, but a call for state and local authorities to spend more to make US streets safe for pedestrians and cyclists. Designing towns and cities to make it more appealing and safer to walk or ride a bike would not only help fight the US obesity epidemic and improve health but would also reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, a report issued by the Surface Transportation Policy Partnership and Transportation for America said. Currently, no state spends more than five percent of federal transportation funds on projects that could improve pedestrian and cyclist safety, such as building more sidewalks or zebra crossings, the report said. Groups including the influential AARP seniors group and the American Public Health Association contributed to the report, which showed that the 52 largest urban areas in the United States spend just 1.39 dollars of federal funding per person on projects for cyclists and pedestrians. And that despite the fact that nine percent of all trips in the United States are made on foot and 107 million Americans walk to work each day. Too often, walkers take their lives into their hands in the United States, where streets are engineered for speeding cars and make little or no provision for people on foot, in wheelchairs or on a bicycle, the report said. More than 76,000 Americans have been killed while crossing or walking along a street in their community. Forty percent of US communities either don t have sidewalks or have inadequate ones, the report pointed out. Pedestrians comprise nearly 12 percent of all traffic deaths in the United States. But less than 1.5 percent of funds authorized under a 2005 federal transportation law have been allocated to projects to improve the safety of pedestrians and cyclists, the report said, calling for government funding for walker and bicycle infrastructure to be boosted to match, in percentage terms, the ratio of traffic fatalities. Florida, with four of the five most treacherous metropolitan areas for walking, is the most dangerous state in the United States for pedestrians. Orlando, Tampa, Miami, and Jacksonville and their surrounding areas were the top four hazardous cities for walkers in the Pedestrian Danger Index, which is used to assess the risk of walking in urban areas, followed by Memphis, Tennessee. Nine of the top 10 cities, which included Raleigh, North Carolina, Louisville in Kentucky, Houston, Texas, Birmingham in French designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac poses next to his creation at the Petit Palais museum in Paris, on Nov 9. For the UNICEF event Frimousses de Createurs (creators little face) 80 dolls, designed by creators, are displayed at the Petit Palais in Paris from November 10 till November 15, Dolls will be sold by auction on November 19, 2009 at Drouot auction house in Paris. Money collected will serve to vaccinate children in Darfur. (AFP) Alabama and Atlanta, are in the southern United States. These areas are dominated by lower density and automobile-orientated development patterns, which include high-speed urban arterials that are particularly hazardous for walking, according to the report by Transportation for America, (T4), a coalition of organizations focused on Bring your workout in from the cold Fitness when weather outside frightful transportation problems. More than 9,000 pedestrians were killed in collisions with cars and trucks in 2007 and 2008, and 70,000 more were injured, according to the latest statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. More than 700 pedestrians killed during the same period were 15-years or younger. Safety for pedestrians has not advanced a greal deal, said Anne Camby, the executive director of the Surface Transportation Policy Partnership, a coalition working to ensure safer roads. In the metro areas where walking is most hazardous the design of those communities came about mostly after the Second World War and were auto-orientated in their design and pedestrians and bicyclists were not considered with any great attention, she added in a conference call about the report. Among the safest metro cities to take a stroll in are Minneapolis-St. Paul in NEW YORK, Nov 10, (RTRS): Baby, it s cold outside. Or, if you re in the Northern Hemisphere, it soon will be. And that means tis the season when extra pounds can pile up faster than frost on a pumpkin. But fitness experts say that with a little extra effort you can successfully bring your workout in from the cold. The real key is to stick with it. Stay motivated and don t let the winter get the best of you, said Kerri O Brien, an exercise physiologist with Life Fitness, which designs and manufactures exercise equipment. In winter we cover up a lot more and we don t have the threat of the dreaded bikinis, so we negotiate with ourselves, she said. The average American gains eight pounds over the holidays. And then they hit the gym. Keith Worts, chief operating officer of the Crunch national health club chain, says attendance always spikes in winter. We have about 25 percent more members joining, Worts said. People can t go outside to run and bike. Worts said as the seasons change, so do the fitness classes. A summer workout geared to getting clientele ready for their bikinis will likely give way to a winter preski class that strengthens leg muscles for the slopes. He said the economic downturn has even more people flocking to clubs as the thermometer plunges. It helps your mind cope with stress and anxiety. The days are shorter. You get cooped up, especially in New York apartments. And it s a place to go. David Harris of the Equinox fitness chain urges the would-be winter warrior to ask an expert how to safely warm up those cold weather muscles and joints. Consult a floor trainer who can demonstrate a dynamic warm up, he explained, rather than a generalized warm up on a fixed path like a treadmill, which is just one direction. He added that callisthenic-based low impact movements increase the elasticity of muscles. Pete McCall, spokesperson for the American Council on Exercise, says winter can be perilous for stiff muscles. As the temperature drops your muscles are very elastic. Like a rubber band, if you put them in the freezer, they ll probably snap, he said. In cooler weather muscles just aren t as pliable, so the likelihood of injury is greater, he said. McCall also recommends adding more hip work, core and balance exercises in cold months to increase stability in snow and ice. He also stresses the importance of staying hydrated. In winter the body can spend a lot of energy trying to stay warm, so one might not feel as thirsty because of the cooler hair. McCall recommends eight to 16 ounces of fluid before exercise, a few ounces every 15 minutes while working out, and ounces to rehydrate afterwards. If the expense or inconvenience keeps you from the gym, there s always the shopping mall. Health clubs during the winter are great because you don t have to feel the environmental factors, McCall said. But another option is to go to malls, or other areas with controlled climates, and use that to walk, stay fit without a health club membership. Of course, stay away from the food court, he cautions. And leave the wallet at home. Minnesota, Boston, New York, Pittsburgh and Seattle. T4 analyzed 52 metropolitan areas with a population of more than a million people for the report. The findings are based on the average pedestrian fatality rate per 100,000 residents and the percentage of residents who commute to work on foot. Although Florida has a high number of elderly retired residents, the report showed that the portion of elderly dying as pedestrians in Florida is not out of line with the rest of the country. Seventeen percent of pedestrians in Florida in the years studied were older Americans, the same as the national average of 17 percent, the report said. Hawaii, California and New York have the highest fatality rates for people over 65 years old, who are two-thirds more likely to be killed in traffic crashes than younger people.

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34 Motorola and Zain Kuwait to rollout HSPA+ dinar gains Motorola, Inc has announced a contract with Zain s operation in Kuwait to expand and upgrade the operator s 3G HSPA mobile broadband network to HSPA+, which supports increased download speeds of up to 21.6 Mbps, as well as implementing enhancements to the uplink. Zain strives to offer its customers the fastest mobile broadband service possible and our continued collaboration with Motorola provides us with the latest solutions to facilitate the best customer experience, said Khaled Al Hajeri, CEO, Zain in Kuwait. We have trust in Motorola s technology and ability to deliver on 3G, as was previously demonstrated in the rapid deployment of our first contract. With the expansion of the network and implementation of new HSPA+ software, Zain will be able to provide customers with improved indoor coverage, as well as an enhanced mobile internet experience with improved internet browsing and faster downloading of video clips, films and music. To accommodate the improved services, Zain will offer customers devices capable of supporting data speeds of up to 21.6 Mbps. Our HSPA+ technology enables Zain to offer customers rich mobile services, this coupled with Motorola s continued support and renowned service capabilities will help ensure quality of service and optimal customer experience, said Ali Amer, vice president, Middle East, Africa and Pakistan, Motorola Home & Networks Mobility. This network expansion and upgrade builds on Motorola s successful deployment of Zain s 3G network announced in 2007 and subsequent upgrade that enabled increased data speeds of 14.4 Mbps as announced in mid Zain is a leading telecommunications operator across the Middle East and Africa providing mobile voice and data services to 69.5 million active customers as at 30 June In terms of country footprint, Zain is the 3rd largest mobile operator in the world with a commercial presence in 24 countries. Following are details of the latest dinar reference rate versus the dollar set by Kuwait s central bank. Mid point: ; Change from day earlier: 0.07; Change since May 19, 2007: pct. The central bank severed the dinar s peg to the dollar on May 20, 2007 and started tracking a basket of currencies. It has declined to give the composition of the basket, saying only that the dollar is its biggest component. (RTRS) Market Movements Points Closing pts AUSTRALIA - ASX , HONG KONG - Hang Seng , JAPAN - Nikkei , EUROPE - DJ Stoxx , FRANCE - CAC , SWEDEN - OMX SOUTH KOREA - KRX , Points Closing pts BELGIUM - Bel , GERMANY - DAX , NETHERLANDS - AEX NORWAY - OSE Industry INDIA - Sensex , Business Rater cites asset quality deterioration S&P lowers Gulf Bank rating to BBB-/A-3, outlook negative PARIS, Nov 10: Standard & Poor s Ratings Services said today that it lowered its long- and short-term counterparty credit ratings on Kuwait-based Gulf Bank to BBB-/A-3 from BBB+/A-2. The outlook is negative. The rating action mainly reflects Gulf Bank s asset quality deterioration, which is exceeding our previous expectations and puts pressure on its financial performance, said Standard & Poor s credit analyst Nicolas Hardy. The bank is exposed to some vulnerable sectors of the Kuwaiti economy, including real estate and investment companies, leading to increasing asset quality problems. This puts the bank in a weaker position than peers, notably as the impact on its overall business franchise is yet to be known. The ratings on Gulf Bank benefit from its good commercial position and importance to the Kuwaiti banking system. We classify Gulf Bank as a systemically important bank in the State of Kuwait (AA-/Stable/A-1+), which we consider as interventionist toward its banking system. The long-term rating on Gulf Bank is therefore two notches higher than the bank s stand-alone credit profile. This reflects our expectation of the strong likelihood of the Kuwaiti government providing extraordinary and timely Oil surge linked to weak dollar, upbeat signs Dar s Bahraini unit extends claims freeze KUWAIT CITY, Nov 10, (RTRS): The Bahraini unit of Kuwait s Investment Dar, which is in the midst of a debt restructuring, said on Tuesday it had extended its standstill agreement to March 31, It was not clear from the statement, posted by Investment Dar Sukuk Co on the Bahrain stock exchange, whether this means that Dar s standstill agreement which was supposed to run until support if needed. This expectation was fully met in October 2008, when the Kuwait crude up $11.7 in Oct By National Bank of Kuwait In its latest economic brief on the oil market and budget developments, NBK reports that, oil prices surged through October, breaking decisively through the $70 per barrel (pb) mark for the first time since the recovery in prices began at the beginning of the year. The price of Kuwait Export Crude (KEC) rose by $11.7 to $76.1 in October and is now higher than a year ago. Some of this rise has been attributed to further weakness in the US dollar, which fell by 0.5% through October. But crude prices surged by 18% in Euro terms, too, suggesting that there were other factors at play. Amongst these were encouraging signs from various macro-level indicators, including September Chinese (+13.9% y/y) and Indian (+10.4%) industrial production, more upbeat purchasing manager indices from around the world and stronger-than-expected corporate earnings in 3Q09, especially in the US. All of these seem to support the case for a reasonably strong rebound in global oil demand. The prices of other major global benchmark crude prices also appeared to move into a new range of $70-80 pb rather than the $60-70 seen since June. The prices of Brent and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) ended October at $74.0 and $77.0, respectively, with the latter even rising above the $80 pb mark late in the month as dollar pessimism peaked. Despite this surge, the WTI benchmark received a blow in late October when Saudi oil major Aramco announced that it would no longer use it as a reference for pricing Saudi oil sales into the US, citing distortions that have left WTI prices unrepresentative of broader market conditions on occasion over the past few years. From January 2010, a new blend of sour US Gulf coast crudes will be used instead. The move appeared to have little immediate impact on WTI contract prices, however. As confidence in the short-term, NBK noted that economic situation has solidified; analysts have continued to revise up their forecasts for global oil demand, albeit from very low levels. In October, for example, the International Energy Agency (IEA) revised up its projections for growth in oil demand in 2010 by 0.15 million barrels per day (mbpd) to 1.4 mbpd (1.7%). It also expects the fall in demand in 2009, at 1.7 mbpd (1.9%) to be 0.2 mbpd less severe than previously thought. These upgrades were driven by more optimistic forecasts for world economic growth by the International Monetary Fund (3%), from which the IEA takes its lead. While analysts disagreements over demand in 2009 have narrowed, the IEA s forecast for 2010 is still strikingly bullish compared to others in the market. Both OPEC and the Centre for Global Energy Studies (CGES), for example, see oil demand rising by just mbpd next year. The disagreement is over the KEC Price (Scenarios) ($/barrel) Low Mid High Q FY08/ Q Q09f Q09f f Q10f FY09/ FY07/10f strength of oil demand growth in emerging markets. Demand in the OECD is expected to be flat-to-falling. NBK added that, on the supply side, OPEC-11 (i.e. excluding Iraq) output increased for the sixth month in a row between August and September, by 72,000 bpd, and is now 675,000 bpd higher than at its trough in March. Compliance with OPEC s target of reducing crude production by 4.2 mbpd from September 2008 levels has slipped to 63% from a peak of 79% in March. With crude prices rebounding towards $80 pb, there is little incentive for producers to restrict production any further at this stage. Indeed, recent speculation has focused upon whether the cartel will raise output quotas at its next meeting in December. But with output already above target, such a cosmetic move might not affect market fundamentals very much. Moreover, even if the global economy continues to recover, a number of downside risks to oil prices remain, including a strengthening dollar, rising OPEC spare capacity, increasing non-opec output (particularly from Russia) and still high crude inventory levels. In such an environment, OPEC is likely to remain cautious in announcing any gear change in policy. Assuming that OPEC leaves production close to its current levels over the next six months, the short-term prospects for oil market fundamentals will rest upon the speed of improvement in demand and/or changes in non-opec production. Going into the Northern hemisphere winter, these two factors could be more or less offsetting with rising seasonal demand for oil (+0.7 mbpd between 3Q09 and 1Q10) met by higher non- OPEC supply. This scenario might keep crude prices more or less at 3Q09 levels into 1Q10 close to $70 pb. The price of KEC averages $65.7 for FY2009/10 as a whole. A faster than expected world economic recovery perhaps of the sort envisaged by the IEA - would raise the demand for oil in But in practice, this is unlikely to be felt until the spring when the traditional winter boost to demand has faded, so the shortterm impact on crude prices might be modest. Assuming that OPEC leaves its output unchanged, the price of KEC could climb up towards $75 pb in 1Q10, but strengthen even further into the next fiscal year. A downside risk to prices, on the other hand, could emerge if (as assumed by the IEA) non-opec production were to turn out stronger than expected perhaps ending up 0.3 mbpd higher than previously expected in 1Q10. But again, the impact would mostly be felt in the post-winter period. Under this scenario, the price of KEC slips slightly to $66 pb in 1Q10. In the absence of further production cuts from OPEC, prices could fall towards $40 pb by the end of In all three of these scenarios, the price of KEC averages between $65 and $68 pb for FY2009/10 as a whole, a much better outcome than the $35 pb assumed by the government in its budget. Indeed, the latest official data shows that budget revenues in the first half of FY2009/10, at KD8.2 billion, have already exceeded what the government had originally projected for the entire year. If, as expected, public expenditures come in at 5-10% below budget, we estimate that the government will run a budget surplus of between KD 4.7 and 6.4 billion, before allocating 10% of revenues to the Reserve Fund for Future Generations (RFFG). On our own forecasts, this surplus which could be the third largest ever in absolute terms would equate to between 17% and 23% of 2009 GDP. Budget Outcome/Forecast for Fiscal Years 2008/09 and 2009/10 Million KD, unless otherwise noted Under Alternative Oil Prices Scenarios FY 2008/09 FY 2009/10 Official Closing Official Low Base High Budget Account Budget Case Case Case Oil Price ($/barrel) Total Revenues 12,680 21,006 8,075 16,199 16,728 17,290 Oil Revenues 11,650 19,711 6,925 15,049 15,578 16,140 Non-Oil Revenues 1,030 1,295 1,150 1,150 1,150 1,150 Expenditures (official) 18,968 18,262 12,116 12,116 12,116 12,116 Surplus (deficit) -6,286 2,744-4,041 4,083 4,612 5,174 After RFFG -7, ,849 2,463 2,939 3,445 Expenditures (NBK estimate) 11,510 11,268 10,904 Surplus (deficit), NBK estimate 4,689 5,460 6,386 After RFFG 3,069 3,787 4,657 the end of 2009, had also been extended. The meeting of the certificate holders authorises the company to agree at its sole discretion to an extension to the standstill period... until 31 March 2010, it said in the statement. The Islamic investment firm said in September it signed an agreement with creditors and investors to temporarily freeze claims. authorities provided strong funding support to Gulf Bank. In addition, Kuwait Dar, which owns half of British luxury carmaker Aston Martin, defaulted on a $100 million Islamic debt issue last May the first of its kind on a major, public Islamic instrument in the region and has said it may sell some assets to meet its obligations. In September, Kuwait s central bank appointed a temporary supervisor to monitor debt restructuring and the compilation of financial results at Dar. Investment Authority (KIA; not rated) bought the unsubscribed portion of the 2009 rights issue to hold a 16 percent stake in the bank. The negative outlook reflects our opinion that Gulf Bank may continue to suffer from the deteriorated operating environment, said Mr Hardy. We could lower the ratings if the effects of the real estate market correction and local investment companies troubles further weaken the bank s overall financial profile, or if the bank s liquidity weakens significantly. Although unlikely in the near-term, we could consider a positive rating action if, all other things being equal, Gulf Bank s asset quality metrics improve, and its commercial position shows resiliency. Net profit up by 15% to KD 40.5 mln Agility posts strong financial performance in third quarter KUWAIT CITY, Nov 10: Agility today reported continued profitability for the third quarter of 2009, despite the ongoing global economic crisis. The company; with its focus on cash optimization, capital allocation, and cost rationalization was able to report a healthy net income of KD 40.5 million, an increase of 15%, compared to the third quarter of Earnings Per Share stand at Fils, a 19% increase over the same period last year. Adjusted for non-recurring items, Agility s Q net profit stands at KD 44 million, a 25% increase over the third quarter of last year, and Earnings Per Share have grown 28% to 43.7 fils. Gross revenue decreased by 11% to KD million compared with Q3 of However, net revenue increased by 0.42% to KD million compared with the same period last year. Agility also continues to demonstrate a strong balance sheet. Agility s net debt position is KD 39 million. Cash from operations stand at KD million, showing a growth of 28.7% compared to Bayan, NIC sustain loss; KIC logs profit KUWAIT CITY, Nov 10: Kuwait Investment Company (KIC) reported that it obtained the approval of the Central Bank of Kuwait to its financial statements for the period ending Sept 30, 2009, dated Nov 9, KIC earned a profit of KD 880 thousand for the three months ending Sept 30, 2009 as compared to a profit of KD 684 thousand earned during the three months period ending Sept 30, Particulars (9 mths Sept 30, Sept 30, ending) Profit (Loss) (KD) 5,018,955 12,434,089 EPS (LPS) (fils) Total current assets 136,731, ,664,720 Total assets 301,825, ,841,917 Total current liabilities 154,414, ,064,190 Total liabilities 160,509, ,951,905 Total equity 135,400, ,128,202 The net profit includes total income from transactions with related parties worth KD 2,599,327 and total expenditure from transactions with related parties of KD 784,727. Bayan Investment Company (Bayan) obtained the approval of the Central Bank of Kuwait to its financial statements for the period ending Sept 30, 2009, dated Nov 09, Bayan sustained a loss of KD 2.5 million for the three months ending Sept 30, 2009 as compared to a profit of KD 155 thousand earned during the three months period ending Sept 30, Particulars (9 mths Sept 30, Sept 30, ending) Profit (Loss) (KD) (4,207,573) 26,232,077 EPS (LPS) (fils) (11.86) Total current assets 59,209,351 12,940,539 Total assets 115,847, ,519,401 Total current liabilities 41,773,680 11,399,381 Total liabilities 49,707,552 59,309,946 Total equity 66,085,259 95,159,139 The net profit includes total income from transactions with related parties of KD 5,201,817 and total expenditure from transactions with related parties amounting to KD 2,062,383. Central Bank of Kuwait approved the the previous period. Agility s strategic controller business model is yielding results, said Tarek Sultan, Chairman and Managing Director of Agility. Dividing Agility into three independently-managed business groups has seen more focus and clearer financial accountabilities within each group. However, at the same time, Agility s business groups are able to work together to offer customers unique capabilities that make a real difference. Revenue Gross revenue decreased by 10% to KD 1.2 billion compared with the 9 months of However, net revenue increased by 1% to KD 467 million compared with the same period last year. Net income for the first 9 months was KD million, an increase of 7%, compared to the nine months of Earnings Per Share stands at Fils, a 10% increase over the same period last year. Adjusted for non-recurring items, Agility s Mena Holding Q3 loss at KD 212k financial statements of National Investment Company (NIC) for the period ending Sept 30, 2009, dated Nov 9, NIC sustained a loss of KD 6.5 million for the three months ending Sept 30, 2009 as compared to a profit of KD 9 million with EPS valued at 11 fils earned during the three months period ending Sept 30, Particulars (9 mths Sept 30, Sept 30, ending) Profit (Loss) (KD) (5,057,040) 42,427,206 EPS (LPS) (fils) (6) 50 Total current assets 37,218,687 79,051,111 Total assets 261,778, ,775,525 Total current liabilities 40,135,662 90,409,829 Total liabilities 46,283,662 96,476,629 Total equity 215,494, ,298,896 Kuwait Stock Exchange announced that the governing council of Tameer Real Estate Investment Company (TameerK) met on Monday and adopted the financial statements for the nine months period ending Sept 30, TameerK incurred a loss of KD 465 thousand with LPS valued at 2.01 fils for the three months ending Sept 30, 2009 as compared to a loss of KD 873 thousand or 3.77 fils per share incurred during the three months period ending Sept 30, Particulars (9 mths Sept 30, Sept 30, ending) Profit (Loss) (KD) (1,212,810) (793,833) EPS (LPS) (fils) (5.25) (3.43) Total current assets 4,640,125 4,190,052 Total assets 48,878,628 52,869,196 Total current liabilities 14,079,918 13,739,433 Total liabilities 19,005,114 18,191,044 Total equity 29,494,345 34,265,633 Al-Dar National Real Estate Company s (ADNC) board of directors met on Nov 9, 2009, and adopted the Interim financial statements of the company for periods ending Sept 30, ADNC sustained a loss of KD 1.4 million for the three months ending Sept 30, 2009, with LPS valued at 3.5 fils compared to a loss of KD 4.8 million or 11.8 fils per share incurred during the three months period ending Sept 30, Particulars (9 mths Sept 30, Sept 30, ending) Profit (Loss) (KD) (10,169,263) (4,216,697) EPS (LPS) (fils) (24.7) (10.3) nine month 2009 net profit stands at KD million, a 22% increase over the nine months of last year, and Earnings Per Share have grown 25.5% to Fils. Agility Global Integrated Logistics (GIL) reported revenues of KD million, a decline of 21% compared to the third quarter of Net revenue stands at KD 79.6 million, a 0.75% increase compared to the third quarter of However, GIL net revenue margin stood at 36% compared to a margin of 28% in Q3 of GIL continues to make progress against its three strategic imperatives of growth, performance, and innovation. In the third quarter of 2009, GIL has seen significant customer wins with Nokia Siemens, Pfizer, Adelaide Aqua, as well as a KD 2.88 million ($10 million) contract with Ras Gas Limited in Qatar. Internal transformation efforts focused on IT modernization and leadership development programs have also been an area of continued investment. Agility Defense and Government Services Total current assets 23,030,706 40,072,652 Total assets 80,240, ,408,689 Total current liabilities 27,327,885 28,380,677 Total liabilities 61,225,989 58,673,880 Total equity 19,014,627 51,734,809 The net profit for the Q3 includes total expenses amounting to KD 63,000. Governing Council of Mena Holding Company met on Nov 9, 2009, and adopted the financial statements for the nine months period ending Sept 30, Tijara incurred a loss of KD 212 thousand with LPS valued at 0.40 fils for the three months ending Sept 30, 2009 as compared to a profit of KD 4 million or 9.92 fils per share earned during the three months period ending Sept 30, Particulars (9 mths Sept 30, Sept 30, ending) Profit (Loss) (KD) 5,505,931 15,733,722 EPS (LPS) (fils) Total current assets 192,389,494 56,084,417 Total assets 284,187,452 93,950,279 Total current liabilities 16,629,113 11,894,363 Total liabilities 125,593,773 58,140,043 Total equity 158,293,679 35,810,236 The net profit includes total expenses from transactions with related parties worth KD 36,296 and total income from transactions with related parties worth KD 6,561,353. Sokouk Holding Company (Sokouk) reported that it obtained the approval of the board of directors to its financial statements for the period ending Sept 30, 2009, dated Nov 10, Sokouk incurred a loss of KD 780 thousand for the three months ending Sept 30, 2009 as compared to a profit of KD 1.02 million earned during the three months period ending Sept 30, Particulars (9 mths Sept 30, Sept 30, ending) Profit (Loss) (KD) (694,821) 4,538,773 EPS (LPS) (fils) (0.69) 4.54 Total current assets 26,875,242 32,047,144 Total assets 137,941, ,887,495 Total current liabilities 13,087,202 14,682,664 Total liabilities 17,077,581 22,577,778 Total equity 119,796, ,355,092 The net profit includes total expenses from transactions with related parties worth KD 608,096 and total income from transactions with related parties worth KD 1,437,936. (DGS) reported revenue of KD million, an increase of 4% compared to the third quarter of Net revenue stands at KD 58 million, a 2% increase compared to the third quarter of Net revenue margin stands at 32%, which is almost flat compared to a margin of 33% in Q Imperatives DGS continues to make progress against its three strategic imperatives of growth, diversification, and excellence in execution. In the third quarter of 2009, DGS has grown its revenue through a number of contract wins, such as LOG- CAP IV Task Order in Southern Afghanistan estimated at KD million ($643.5 million) for the one year base period. DGS has also reported the successful renewal of major contracts, such as Heavy Lift VI one year extension estimated at KD 26.2 million ($91 million) and one-year option for Defense Depot Kuwait-South (DDKS) Asia contract estimated at KD 12 million ($42 million).

35 BUSINESS 35 UAE s Etisalat to spend $1.4 bln on fibre optics Abu Dhabi targets boost in FDI The UAE s Emirates Telecommunications Corp (Etisalat) is investing about 5 billion dirhams ($1.36 billion) to boost fibre optic coverage across the country by 2011, its chairman said on Tuesday. Etisalat, the Arab world s second biggest telecoms firm, has faced increased competition in its home market after its monopoly was broken in 2007 by Dubai-based du. The UAE is to be covered 90 percent by fibre optic network by 2011, Mohammed Hassan Omran said at a conference organised by Londonbased MEED, adding fibre optics covered about 60 percent of the oil exporting country at present. The total cost of the project is 5 billion dirhams, Omran told reporters. Omran said the government had approved plans for Etisalat s fibre optic network to be used by other operators on a commercial basis. Fibre optics are glass or plastic fibres widely used in communications enabling transmission over longer distances and at higher bandwidths compared to other forms of communication. Thousands of expatriates have lost their jobs in the Gulf trade and tourism hub of Dubai since the global financial crisis took hold, hitting earnings across sectors, but both Etisalat and du saw better than expected third-quarter results signalling the worst may be behind them. Etisalat, which operates in 18 countries, including Egypt and India, is one of a number of Gulf Arab telecom operators that have expanded overseas after losing their monopolies at home. Omran also said he expected better opportunities for bond issuance in (RTRS) Abu Dhabi, the largest and wealthiest emirate in the UAE federation, said it wants to attract more foreign direct investment and lift non-oil exports to boost their contribution to the emirate s GDP, a senior official said on Tuesday. Mohammed Omar Abdullah, under secretary at the department of economic development, said Abu Dhabi is targetting foreign direct investment (FDI) of 23 percent of GDP by FDI currently accounts for 14 percent of the emirate s GDP. Growth has to be driven by non oil exports to reduce GDP volatility through diversification and this will see Abu Dhabi (become) an attractive investment destination, he said at a conference organised by London-based MEED. The emirate one of seven in the UAE federation, the world s third largest oil exporter also has most of the UAE s oil wealth. Abdullah said the emirate wants to boost non-oil exports to 11 percent of GDP, from 1.5 percent now. (RTRS) Gas-rich state eyes 17 pct increase in voting stake Qatar tops up war chest, sells VW preference shares FRANKFURT/DUBAI, Nov 10, (Agencies): Qatar plans to sell up to half its Volkswagen preference shares, cashing in on recent gains and raising around 1.6 billion euros ($2.4 billion) for possible future deals. The news sent VW preference shares widely expected to join Germany s bluechip DAX index once VW ordinary, voting shares drop out due to low free float down more than 13 percent by 1149 GMT. Qatar Holding (QH), the investment arm of the country s sovereign wealth fund, said it was selling 25 million preference shares in Europe s biggest carmaker to enhance the liquidity of the preference shares, but added it remained committed to its Volkswagen investment. The world s largest liquefied natural gas exporter has ramped up investments since the summer after previously slowing down its activity as financial markets plummeted and oil revenue fell. A source close to the deal told Reuters Qatar would make about 750 million euros from the sale. Qatar is exhibiting exit strategies akin to a private equity fund that makes wise profits and knows when to cash in, said John Sfakianakis, chief economist at Banque Saudi Fransi-Credit Agricole. It has shifted its investment interests as market dynamics change and that is what they are doing now. QH said in a statement it would continue increasing its holding in Volkswagen as previously announced. That would give Qatar the third largest voting stake in VW behind automotive group Porsche SE and VW s home state of Lower Saxony. Qatar s voting stake in VW was 6.78 percent in August. Qatar also agreed on a lock-up period for the remainder of its non-voting VW preference shares until Dec 31 this year. VW, which has around 105 million preferred shares in circulation, declined to comment. Hussein al-abdullah, executive director of the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), which controls QH, could not be reached for comment. Credit Suisse and Goldman Sachs are helping with the share sale. Volkswagen plans to carry out a capital increase in the first half of next year. It will issue up to 135 million new preference shares in order to raise money for its planned acquisition of Porsche s sports car business. One analyst at a Frankfurt-based bank recommended that investors looking to gain exposure to VW should wait until at least January since there were plenty of preferred shares that would soon be looking for a home. The stock overhang that was already there due to the capital increase has increased considerably, he said. The voting shares traded down 3 percent at euros. Porsche in August said it was selling assets worth billions of euros to Qatar in a move to prop up its strained finances, marking a climbdown for a predator that once sought to dominate Volkswagen but ended up agreeing to a takeover by its rival. Reuters reported in August, citing sources close to the deal, that Qatar had bought from Porsche options on 50 percent of VW s preferred shares at a price of about 60 euros each. Qatar, ruled by Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, owns key stakes in banks Barclays and Credit Suisse, grocer Sainsbury, publisher Lagardere and the London Stock Exchange. When Qatar sold shares in Barclays, rumours resurfaced that it might be amassing cash to make a bid for Sainsbury, in which Qatar has a 26 percent stake following a failed bid in Shares in Sainsbury rose 0.5 percent. Also: FRANKFURT: Shares in Volkswagen, the biggest European carmaker, plunged Tuesday as the Gulf emirate of Qatar sold preferential shares in the group. VW shares showed a loss of 8.31 percent to euros in late trading, while the DAX index of leading stocks was essentially unchanged overall. A statement cited by Dow Jones Newswires said Qatar had decided to sell around 25 million preferential shares. A broker was quoted saying the shares, which do not give the bearer voting rights, were being sold at 60 euros (dollars) each. Growth despite bearish market conditions: CEO BKIC net profit up 3 pct in Q3 Amir s patronage highlights KCCI role Capitalism, Volker take on crisis KUWAIT CITY, Nov 10, (KUNA): Two activities will discuss in Kuwait Wednesday the world economic crisis; Michael Moore s Capitalism: A Love Story will be screened in cinemas, and a lecture by renowned US economist Paul Volker will be delivered at Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI). The movie, shown in cinemas around the world, sheds light on hidden aspects of the world economic crisis, especially social aspects and their impact on people s lives. The movie is expected to encourage international film production companies to make more movies that attack the economic crisis and its effects, related to housing and unemployment. The famous 1929 crisis was a clear example on the impact of economic crises on the cinema industry. On Wednesday, KCCI will host on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of its establishment a lecture that will be delivered by Volker, who is head of the advisory team of US President Barack Obama. The lecture will discuss the current crisis and its effects on economies. Volker, who is aged 82 and towers 203 centimeters tall, is one of the United States famous economists. From 1979 to 1987, during the rule of presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan, Volker was Chairman of the Federal Reserve, and in 2004 he headed the committee that was formed by the UN secretary general to investigate on the Oil-for-Food scandal. Volker believes that crises are always there, but thinks the current economic crisis was different because of its complexity and great governmental interference. Also: KUWAIT CITY: The fact that Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) is celebrating the golden jubilee under the patronage of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al- Ahmad Al-Sabah reflects the influential role of KCCI, Chairman of the GCC s Federation of Chambers of Commerce Issam Fakhro said Tuesday. Fakhro who is also the President of Bahrain Chamber of Commerce, was speaking on the sidelines of the 107th meeting for GCC commerce chambers held in Kuwait. The meeting held today emphasizes the valuable contributions of KCCI in boosting joint economic action and in serving Kuwait for 50 years. The membership of the Kuwait and Bahrain s chambers is obtained through elections, he said, and noted that representatives of the 27th board of Bahraini chamber will soon be elected. A number of economic figures worldwide will be participating in the celebrations held Wednesday and of which mark KCCI s golden jubilee. KUWAIT CITY, Nov 10: Mr Ebrahim Al Rayes CEO of Bahrain Kuwait Insurance Company (BKIC) announced that despite the recent bearish market conditions in the region, the Company was able to achieve a good result for the nine months ended Sept 31, 2009, where the Company achieved 3% increase in net profit from BD 3,625,855 in Q3 of last year to BD 3,735,283 for the same period this year. The earnings per share stood at 62 fils as of Q as against 60 fils in the Q Underwriting profit increased by 48% from BD 2,299,692 in Q to BD 3,400,658 for the same period this year. The Company reported a decrease by 41% in investment income to BD 916,861 in the Q3 this year compared to BD 1,549,687 for the same period last year. This is due to the decline in the region s financial markets and decrease in interest rates. Also, the final results were affected by the fall in the exchange rate of the Kuwait Dinars by 7.5% as compared to the end of The gross premium revenue decreased by 2% from BD 25 millions in the Q to BD 247,7 for the same period of The return on Shareholders funds is 15.32% as of end of Q compared to 13.93% for the same period last year, and the technical reserves increased by 1% from BD 12,709,692 in the Q3 last year to BD 12,786,735 for the same period of this year. Mr Al-Rayes hoped that the trend in growth will continue despite the increasing competition in the market, and the company will fulfill its objectives and retains its current position. ALAFCO announces KD 10.2m Q3 profit amid financial crisis Assets increase 50 pct to KD 390mn GFH swings to Q3 loss of $29m MANAMA, Nov 10, (Agencies): Gulf Finance House (GFH) posted its fourth consecutive quarterly loss on Tuesday as revenue from placing investments dwindled. Bahrain s largest Islamic investment house by market value said it made a net loss of $29 million in the three months ended Sept 30, compared with a net profit of $82.1 million in the year-earlier period and a second-quarter loss of $54 million. Its business model of earning fees on financing arranged for real estate and infrastructure projects has been hit by a regional downturn in property markets. It also had to book impairment charges on falling asset prices. During the last three months GFH has focused on strengthening its balance sheet, diversifying the strategic business model and making the organizational changes necessary to begin bridging the revenue gap in 2010 and emerge as the world s leading Islamic investment bank. During the course of a highly successful rights issue exercise targeted at raising between $200 mn to $300 mn, the Bank received subscriptions in excess of $300 million. In addition, GFH has announced the first of two $100 million convertible murabaha facilities with Macquarie Group and has begun the sale of non-core assets with a partial divestiture from Qinvest in a deal worth $51 million. As a result of ongoing capital management initiatives, GFH has significantly enhanced its liquidity position and will soon be able to deploy approximately $350 million of the monies raised. The Bank s capital adequacy post these initiatives is around 20% making it one of the best capitalized investment banks in the region. In the months ahead, with a strategic plan of realizing value from exiting investments and closing its balance sheet capital and debt raising efforts, this ratio is expected to improve further. Al Zabin KUWAIT CITY, Nov 10: The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ALAFCO Aviation Lease and Finance Company Mr. Ahmad A. Alzabin announced the company realized a net profit of KD 10.2 million ($35.6 million) in the fiscal year that ended Sept 30, He said although the net profit was only slightly more than the previous year, it is viewed positively in light of the financial crisis that afflicted the world economy during the year. The earning per share was Fils and the assets increased by 50 percent to KD 390 million ($1.4 billion). The shareholders equity increased by 15 percent to KD 93.6 million ($326.5 million). The Board of Directors recommended the distribution of bonus shares of 8 percent of issued shares. Alzabin stated through a press statement that such profit was realized despite the extraordinary circumstances in the world markets that impacted economic activities including air transport. During the year, ALAFCO took delivery of all ordered aircraft and pushed ahead with its expansion plans into regional and international markets. Alzabin also thanked the shareholders for their continued support for the company and for their confidence in its performance. He also thanked the Board of Directors for its guidance in formulating strategy and all company staff for their contribution and exemplary performance. He added that during the last fiscal year the company witnessed a substantial increase in its fleet of leased aircraft. The company took delivery of twelve Boeing and Airbus direct from manufacturers, of which nine were leased to local, regional and global airlines increasing the leased aircraft portfolio to twenty six. Three of the twelve aircraft were sold. During the year the company also managed to secure finance for the acquisition of aircraft in the amount of $460 million through Export Import Bank of the United States, European Credit Export Agencies and local and global banks at competitive finance rates. ALAFCO is based in Kuwait and leases aircraft to 15 airlines worldwide and has assets in excess of $1.4 billion. Deal to be signed in Dec China to forgive 80 pct Iraq debt BAGHDAD, Nov 10, (RTRS): China has agreed to forgive 80 percent of $8.47 billion in debt owed by Iraq, sealing a preliminary deal struck more than two years ago, Iraqi officials said on Tuesday. The agreement comes as China s imports of Iraqi crude rise and Chinese oil firms like CNPC eye contracts to develop Iraq s vast oil reserves as the world s 11th largest oil producer emerges from years of war and sectarian bloodshed. We have agreed the terms of the deal, which will be signed by the finance minister at another meeting, said Hassan al-haidari, a central bank adviser. China said in June 2007 it would cancel Iraq s debt owed to the Chinese government, without disclosing the amount involved. Haidari said the deal was similar to accords reached with the Paris Club of creditor nations that has called for the cancellation of 80 percent of debt from the Saddam Hussein-era. China is one of the largest outstanding creditors to Iraq alongside Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Iraqi finance officials agreed the terms in Beijing this month, and the final agreement will be signed in December, the finance ministry said in a statement. The deal forgives debt owed to Chinese government companies, the advisor said. It is expected to encourage Chinese firms to participate in rebuilding Iraq, but companies would not get preferential treatment on investment bids as a result, he said. CNPC, along with British partner BP Plc, earlier this month signed Iraq s first major oil deal since the US invasion in 2003, snapping up a contract to develop the Rumaila oilfield.

36 BUSINESS 36 Japanese bank in UAE green city talks Egyptian equities overweight Photo by Hamdy Shawke Trading in progress at KSE trading floor. The bourse has closed lower in last three sessions. See Also Page 41 Japanese Bank for International Coooperation is in talks to finance renewable energy projects in a new $15 billion carbon-neutral city in Abu Dhabi, a company executive said on Tuesday. We are currently running a feasibility study for financing Masdar s renewable energy projects, Moriyuki Aida, the bank s chief representative in Dubai told Reuters. Masdar was set up by the Abu Dhabi government in the United Arab Emirates to develop sustainable and clean energy. It aims to put the emirate of Abu Dhabi, holder of 90 percent of the United Arab Emirate s oil reserves, at the forefront of the future energy industry. Speaking on the sidelines of a conference organised by MEED, Aida said projects under discussion included solar and wind. Masdar is investing $15 billion to build the world s first carbon-neutral, zero waste city and is developing various alternative energy projects. (RTRS) Credit Suisse maintained its overweight rating on Egyptian equities citing the country s strong gross domestic product (GDP) growth. Egypt has the strongest 2009/10 GDP growth in the mainstream Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region, with a solid external position and low currency risk, Credit Suisse said in an EMEA equity strategy note. The region offers a play on global economic recovery and has increasingly taken on the role as manufacturing base for neighbouring Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, with excellent growth prospects given strong demographic support, the brokerage said. (RTRS) Investcorp gets $310 mln hedge fund mandates Sukuk market rise helped by sovereign issues: Moody s MANAMA, Nov 10, (RTRS): Global issuance of Islamic bonds, or sukuk, has risen 40 percent in the first ten months of the year, helped by sovereign issues that will provide benchmark pricing to corporates still hesitant to launch, Moody s said on Tuesday. The recent surge in sovereign or government-backed issuance amid continued uncertainty over the timing and magnitude of the economic recovery is a long-awaited development that should help create a more efficient and soundly based sukuk market, the ratings agency said in a report. It should also help the market develop a more detailed yield curve, and hence a risk benchmark across several tenors and credit profiles, the report said. Several sovereigns, including Gulf Arab state Bahrain and Indonesia have issued sukuk in recent months. A number of quasi-sovereign institutions have also issued sukuk in the Gulf Arab region, while corporates have yet to tap the market in significant numbers. Global issuance in sukuk fell over 50 percent in 2008 compared with 2007, as it was hit by the global liquidity freeze and a debate on the compliance of some of its structures with Islamic law. Issuance is expected to top $20 billion in 2010, according to a Reuters poll from last month. Moody s said the establishment of the first sukuk funds, a very recent development, would help bring liquidity to the secondary market. The emerging sukuk market has lacked a strong secondary market common in conventional bond markets that could provide a yield curve to help the market gauge investor demand for new issues. Also: MANAMA: Bahrain- and London-listed alternative investment house Investcorp said on Tuesday it has been appointed to manage two hedge fund accounts in the United States worth $310 million. It said the deals bring the total new hedge fund mandates received this year in the United States to a total of more than $1 billion. Investcorp said a large US insurer had mandated it with a $250 million hedge fund portfolio, while a $60 million mandate came from a pension fund, without providing further details. The company posted its first-ever fullyear loss of $780.6 million for the year ended June 30 after the companies in its private equity portfolio were hit by the global economic crisis and it earned less fees on transactions. It raised over $500 million in fresh capital in August to reduce its debt and make investments. DUBAI: Qatar National Bank, one of the Gulf region s largest banks by market value, on Tuesday said it had launched a Swiss private banking subsidiary. The lender said the Geneva launch will offer further market capabilities to QNB s longstanding Qatari customers looking to expand their investments internationally. QNB Banque Privee Switzerland recently received regulatory approval to start operations there, it said in a statement. The parent company, QNB Private, already offers private banking services in Europe through its Paris and London offices. QNB said only a handful of Gulf-based financial institutions are active in Switzerland. investment funds Funds Fund Manager Valution Valued date Currency Net Asset Value (NAV) Prev NAV Prev NAV Dated National Bank of Kuwait Money Market Funds Watani KD Money Market Fund NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Weekly Nov 03, 2009 KD Oct 27, 2009 Watani KD Money Market Fund (Islamic) NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Weekly Nov 03, 2009 KD Oct 27, 2009 Watani Foreign Currency Money Market Fund NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Weekly Nov 03, 2009 USD Oct 27, 2009 Watani Foreign Currency Money Market Fund (Euro) NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Weekly Nov 03, 2009 Euro Oct 27, 2009 Watani USD Money Market Fund (Acc NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Weekly Nov 03, 2009 USD Oct 27, 2009 to Islamic Shariah principles) Equity Funds NBK Gulf Equity Fund NBK Weekly Oct 29, 2009 USD Oct 22, 2009 NBK Kuwait Equity Fund NBK Weekly Oct 29, 2009 KD Oct 22, 2009 NBK Qatar Equity Fund NBK Weekly Oct 29, 2009 USD Oct 22, 2009 Ijara Fund Islamic Ijara Fund IV Wafra Investment Advisory Group Inc Monthly Oct 31, 2009 USD Sept 30, 2009 Islamic Ijara Fund V Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly Oct 31, 2009 USD Sept 30, 2009 Islamic Ijara Fund VI Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly Sept 30, 2009 USD Aug 31, 2009 Islamic Ijara Fund VII Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly Sept 30, 2009 USD Aug 31, 2009 Islamic Ijara Fund VIII Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly Oct 31, 2009 USD Sept 30, 2009 Islamic Ijara Fund IX Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly Sept 30, 2009 USD Aug 31, 2009 Islamic Ijara Fund X Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly Sept 30, 2009 USD July 31, 2009 Islamic Ijara Fund XI Wafra Capital Partners LP Cayman Islands Monthly Oct 31, 2009 USD Sept 30, 2009 Thahabi Ijara Fund I Monthly Sept 30, 2009 USD Aug 31, 2009 Thahabi Ijara Fund II Wafra Investment Advisory Group Inc Monthly Sept 30, 2009 USD Aug 31, 2009 Thahabi Ijara Fund III Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly Sept 30, 2009 USD Aug 31, 2009 Thahabi Ijara Fund IV Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly Sept 30, 2009 USD Aug 31, 2009 Thahabi Ijara Fund V Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly Sept 30, 2009 USD Aug 31, 2009 Islamic Ijara Fund I Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly Sept 30, 2009 KD Aug 31, 2009 Islamic Ijara Fund II Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly Oct 31, 2009 KD Aug 31, 2009 Islamic Ijara Fund III Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly Sept 30, 2009 KD Alternative Funds Watani US Real Estate Income & Growth Fund NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Quarterly June 30, 2008 USD 1, , Mar 31, 2009 Watani European Real Estate Fund NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Quarterly July 31, 2008 Euro 1, , Mar 31, 2009 Central European Real Estate Fund NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Quarterly June 30, 2009 Euro 10, , Mar 31, 2009 Islamic European Real Estate Fund A Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Quarterly Mar 31, 2009 Euro 1, , Dec 31, 2008 Islamic European Real Estate Fund B Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Quarterly Mar 31, 2009 Euro 1, , Dec 31, 2008 Islamic Asian Real Estate Fund Wafra Investment Advisory Group Inc Quarterly June 30, 2009 USD 10, , Mar 31, 2009 Islamic China India Real Estate Fund Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Quarterly June 30, 2009 USD 1, , Mar 31, 2009 NBK Multi-Strategy Hedge Fund NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Monthly June 30, 2009 USD 1,085,690 1, May 29, 2009 Real Estate Security Islamic Global Real Estate Securities Fund A Wafra Capital Partners L.P. Monthly Sept 30, 2009 USD Aug 31, 2009 Funds Islamic Global Real Estate Securities Fund B Wafra Capital Partners L.P. Monthly Sept 30, 2009 USD Aug 31, 2009 Islamic Turkey Real Estate Fund Wafra Capital Partners L.P. Mar 19, 2009 USD 1, Multi Asset Funds Thahabi Multi Asset Fund Conservative portfolio Frontier Capital Management (Jersey) Ltd Monthly Sept 30, 2009 USD Aug 31, 2009 Thabi Multi Asset Fund Moderate Portfolio Frontier Capital Management (Jersey) Ltd Monthly Sept 30, 2009 USD Aug 31, 2009 NBK Frontier Multi Asset Fund Conservative Portfolio Frontier Capital Management (Jersey) Ltd Monthly Sept 30, 2009 USD Aug 31, 2009 NBK Frontier Multi Asset Fund Moderate Portfolio Frontier Capital Management (Jersey) Ltd Monthly Sept 30, 2009 USD Aug 31, 2009 NBK Frontier Multi Asset Fund Plus Portfolio Frontier Capital Management (Jersey) Ltd Monthly Sept 30, 2009 USD Aug 31, 2009 Gulf Bank GB Capital protected Investment - Index Basket Gulf Bank Daily Nov 10, 2009 USD 1, , Nov 09, 2009 Al Basha er GCC Equity Fund Kwt. Fin. & Inv. Co. & Gulf Fin. House Monthly Sept 30, 2009 USD July 31, 2009 Coast Fund Coast Investment Co. Monthly Oct 31, 2009 KD Sept 30, 2009 Noor Fund for Local & Arab Equity Noor Financial Investment Co. Monthly Sept 30, 2009 KD Aug 31, 2009 Sanaya Dow Jones Kuwait Index Fund Industrial & Financial Investment Co. 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37 BUSINESS 37 Jordan s CPI falls 2.6 pct in Oct Abu Dhabi sees sharp rise in water, electricity demand Jordan s inflation rate fell 2.6 percent year-on-year in October as deflationary pressures mount with lower energy costs in the oil importing kingdom, according to data released by the Department of Statistics on Tuesday. The consumer price index (CPI) was down 0.8 percent in October compared to the previous month on the back of a fall in the meats and poultry, vegetables, fruits and diary products baskets components of the index. Most of the drop in the last few months was due to falling energy prices and weaker domestic consumption as the kingdom suffers from the repercussions of the global downturn, analysts say. The index fell 0.9 percent in the first ten months of the year compared to the same period last year on a steep 16.4 percent drop in the transport basket component followed by a 12.6 percent fall in energy and lighting, the statistics show. The consumer price index CPI turned negative in July and fell 0.36 percent, marking its first decline on a year-on-year basis under current calculation methods dating from The annual inflation rate has dropped from a peak of 14 percent in 2008 on the back of record oil and commodity prices. It is forecast to hover between 1 to 3 percent in 2009 as the economy faces a contraction this year. (RTRS) Water and electricity demand in Abu Dhabi is expected to rise 7 to 8 percent over next five years and its power authority will look to duel fuel, gas or coal, to generate its power, a senior official said on Tuesday. The growth of power demand in the UAE between 2008 and 2009 (was) 11 percent, Abdulla Said al Nuaimi, director of privatisation at Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA), told a conference organised by Londonbased MEED. This shows a sign in the economy s growth and when the economy grows, we grow. Over the next five years, we expect the power and water sector to increase by 7-8 percent. He said ADWEA was looking for sources of fuel to meet that demand and could consider duel fuel, gas or coal, even though the latter would present logisitical difficulties. The emirate, the largest and wealthiest in the seven-member United Arab Emirates federation, will invite international firms to participate in its ninth independent water and power project (IWPP) by the end of this year, Nuaimi said. Last month, Abu Dhabi sealed a $2.15 billion long-term financing deal for its Shuweihat 2 water and power project the eighth IWPP which is expected to about $2.72 billion. (RTRS) OPEC not expected to change output at Dec meeting World oil demand to grow 700,000 bpd in 2010: OPEC DOHA, Nov 10, (RTRS): Global oil demand will grow 700,000 barrels per day (bpd) in 2010 as demand growth returns after two years of contraction, OPEC Secretary- General Abdullah al-badri said in a speech delivered on his behalf on Tuesday. China and India will lead global economic growth next year, with the producer group forecasting world GDP growth at 2.7 percent next year, up from an earlier forecast of 2.3 percent in July, he said in the text of the speech. There are signs that overall global demand contraction will ease in the fourth quarter, Badri said. The consensus is that oil demand growth will return after two full years of contraction. Oil demand growth will gradually rise to 1.2 million bpd by 2013, he said. Most of this demand growth will again be in non-oecd countries, with transportation, industrial and petrochemicals leading the way, Badri said. OECD countries will contribute 0.5 percent of global economic growth, while emerging economies like China and India will lead the way with expected 2010 growth rates of 8.5 percent and 6.5 percent respectively, Badri said. All these indications are in line with Opec s expectations. While we remain cautiously optimistic, there are signs that we are moving into positive territory in 2010, he said. But we recognise that there are still many challenges ahead. Badri said Opec was well positioned to meet any sudden supply disruptions and it continued to maintain spare capacity of about 6 million bpd. And while non-opec supply is growing, Opec continues to invest in capacity in order to ensure that there will be ample supply to meet consumer needs in the future, he said. The changing regulatory environment set in motion to help the countries across the world to respond to the financial crisis will require some adjustment, Badri said. World oil supply estimates distorted: report LONDON, Nov 10, (AFP): The world is much closer to running out of oil than official estimates admit, but the International Energy Agency is underplaying a looming shortage for fear of sparking panic buying, a report said Monday. The United States has played an influential role in encouraging the IEA to underplay the rate of decline from existing oil fields, the Guardian said. The newspaper cites an unnamed senior IEA official as saying the US has also A US Federal Trade Commission rule which took effect last week was expected to hit energy traders and companies with fines of up to $1 million a day if they manipulate the oil markets. The oil fine was just $11,000. Uncertainty over the impact of pending encouraged the Paris-based organisation, formed to try to safeguard energy supplies, to overplay the chances of finding new reserves. The allegations come ahead of this week s publication of the IEA s latest World Energy Outlook on oil demand and supply which many governments use to help guide their energy and climate change policies. The last outlook predicted that oil production can be raised from its current level of 83 million barrels a day to 105 million barrels. Many inside the organisation believe that maintaining oil supplies at even 90m to 95m barrels a day would be impossible but there are fears that panic could spread on the financial markets if the figures were brought down further, the official said on the newspaper s website. And the Americans fear the end of oil supremacy because it would threaten their power over access to oil resources, he added. environmental legislation was something Opec was keeping a close eye on, Badri said. There is also pending environmental legislation in the world s advanced, oil-consuming countries which require that we all adjust to the realities of a carbon-constrained world, he said. The organisation recognises that industrialised countries have a historic responsibility to lead the way in its development, but Opec also sees a need for more predictability in these emerging energy policies. Also: DOHA: Opec is not expected to change its policy on production levels when it meets in December, as global oil inventories remain well above the five-year average, an official from the group said on Tuesday. There is plenty of supply in the market so I don t see why Opec should increase production at this stage, Hasan M. Qabazard, director of Opec s research division, told Reuters in an interview on the sidelines of an oil conference. Kuwait cuts Japan naphtha contracts Other ME producers to benefit SINGAPORE, Nov 10, (RTRS): Kuwait has ceased its contracts for December- November naphtha with all Japanese buyers after difficult negotiations, in a shocking move that left end users in Japan with no term supply from the Middle East producer for the first time for that one-year period. These customers Mitsubishi Chemical Corp, Mitsui Chemicals Inc, Idemitsu Kosan Co and Maruzen Petrochemical Co along with traders Marubeni and Petro-Diamond, held a total of at least 575,000 tonnes of full-range naphtha for the period. Kuwait Petroleum Corp (KPC) had already terminated their contracts with Marubeni and Petro-Diamond, owned by Mitsubishi Corp, over the past two weeks, traders said. They told one of the trading houses that they have limited supplies and needed to terminate the contract, one trader said on Tuesday. KPC s move opens the way for other Middle East producers who are raising their naphtha output to supply to Japan via traders. Japanese petrochemical makers had been holding out for better prices, alongside others including South Korea s Hanwha, YNCC, Samsung Total and India s Haldia Petrochemicals. Traders said the non-japanese buyers had accepted KPC s final offer of $13.00 a tonne premium to Middle East quotes, free on board (FOB) basis, after a series of cuts to its offer which opened a month ago at a $19.00-premium. Taiwan s CPC Corp had even agreed to the offer at $14.00-premium, after which KPC Asia s second-largest supplier after Saudi Aramco further reduced its premium in an unprecedented move, traders said. Japanese petrochemical makers continued to seek lower premiums, forcing KPC to end the protracted talks, traders said. Shocking This is really shocking to hear that all the Japanese end users are now not holding the (December-November) contract, said another trader. Japanese buyers were often the first to accept KPC s price in the past. I think KPC s first indication was too high, and that took many by surprise, said a third trader. Trade sources said KPC may have kicked off offers at high premiums as it has less term supplies since much of its full-range naphtha will be diverted to its new aromatics plant. The facility, with a nameplate capacity of 83,000 tonnes per year (tpy) of paraxylene and nearly 400,000 tpy of benzene and can produce up to 1 million tpy of light naphtha, started production last week after at least six months of delay. It needs 2.5 million to 2.7 million tonnes of fullrange naphtha as feedstock. During the period when the plant s start-up was delayed, KPC sold the volumes it had cut from previous term deals on the spot market. These monthly volumes had been as high as 300,000 tonnes in May and July, unruffling some term buyers because the spot premiums were at times lower than their contract prices. For instance, term buyers were paying $12.00 a tonne premium for supplies lifting during August 2009-July 2010, and $19.00 premium for April 2009 to March 2010 naphtha. But recently, it sold at least 350,000 tonnes of naphtha for September-November loading to traders including Gunvor, Vitol and Itochu at premiums ranging from $7.00 to $19.50 a tonne. It was not clear if KPC would continue selling such high spot volumes now that its aromatics plant is operating at a 60 percent rate and is set to run fulltilt by early December. There was also talk that KPC could seal new term deals for its excess supplies with other customers. Kuwait is also committed to supply naphtha to Oman, which is receiving less than 30,000 tonnes of the feedstock a month. The Japanese petrochemical makers on their part have several supply options to meet their demand. They can buy on a cost-and-freight (C&F) basis Dollar decline blamed Kuwait crude down $1.03 pb KUWAIT CITY, Nov 10, (KUNA): Kuwaiti crude oil dropped $1.03 and came to $76.41 per barrel (pb) on Monday, compared to closing on Friday, said Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) on Tuesday. The oil prices are in a state of recovery in general amid indications the global economy is improving, which means improved demand for oil. But observers believe there is more to the hikes than the normal supply and demand mechanism. The decline in the exchange rate of the US dollar against other main currencies was a main factor in bolstering prices, as well as reports that speculation was back to the oil market. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) seeks a 70-$80 range to meet the needs of producers who constantly spend on exploration and development as well as those of consumers who are suffering the strain of the global financial crisis. The current price of Kuwait s crude is a reasonable figure within the $70-80 pb range set by Opec as desirable range. The crude had peaked at around $136 pb in July 2008 while the low of $32 pb price had been seen late last December. from traders, or they can term up with Middle Eastern suppliers such as Tasweeq or Abu Dhabi National Oil Co (ADNOC), said a fourth trader. ADNOC will have some 3 million tonnes of new naphtha supplies a year from 2010, as it is expanding its gas projects. Qatar has an additional 200,000 tonnes of naphtha a month since October, after it started a new condensate splitter. Those volumes have already been termed up with trading firms, who could now provide the barrels to Japanese buyers. This is not the first time end users are not in KPC s term contracts. In February 2008, South Korea s Samsung Total did not renew a 12-month contract with KPC spanning April 2008 to March 2009, citing high prices of $19.75 a tonne premium at the time. Taiwan s Formosa, Asia s top privately run ethylene maker, failed to renew the April 2009-March 2010 deal with KPC, but has a contract with traders for 1 million tonnes for January-June 2010 at a discount of $6.00-$7.00 a tonne to Japan spot quotes, C&F. Production expected to start immediately Occidental forms partnership for Bahrain field NEW YORK, Nov 10, (RTRS): Occidental Petroleum Corp said on Tuesday that it had formed a partnership to run a oil and natural gas field in Bahrain. Tatweer Petroleum-Bahrain Field Development Co will operate under a production agreement between Occidental, the United Arab Emirates Mubadala Development Co and the National Oil and Gas Authority of Bahrain. The production agreement was first announced last spring. Tuesday s announcement puts in place the legal and corporate mechanism to operate the field. Tatweer will begin operating Bahrain Field immediately, and oil production is expected to peak at 100,000 barrels per day with natural gas production of 2.5 billion cubic feet per day. Under the terms of the production agreement, Los Angeles-based Occidental holds a 48 percent stake, with Mubadala holding 32 percent and the Bahrain oil and gas authority holding the rest. Mubadala is technically a public company, but the Abu Dhabi government is its sole shareholder. Shares of Occidental, which closed Monday at $83.05, have traded between $40.18 and $84.75 in the past 52 weeks. Reliance Industries strikes oil in western India MUMBAI, Nov 10, (AFP): India s energy giant Reliance Industries said Tuesday it had struck oil in the Cambay basin in western India but it did not reveal the estimated size of the field. Reliance has 100 percent interest in an on-land exploration block that covers an area of 635 square kilometres (245 square miles) in the Cambay basin in Gujarat state. The discovery has been named Dhirubhai 43 after the founder of the Reliance empire Dhirubhai Ambani and because it is the 43rd oil discovery by the firm across India. Five wells were drilled in the block and oil was found in the fifth, Reliance said in a statement. Reservoir thickness of 15 metres was found. The well flowed at the rate of 500 barrels of oil per day, the statement added. This discovery is expected to open future potential within the block, the company said. Commerciality of this discovery is being ascertained through more data gathering and analysis, it said.

38 BUSINESS 38 Oman inflation retreats to 1.25 pct in Sept Egypt urban inflation up at 13.3 pct Oman s annual inflation fell to 1.25 percent in September, after a brief uptick in August, resuming a year-long downward trend, data from the Ministry of National Economy showed on Tuesday. Inflation in Gulf Arab states has dropped sharply from last year s record highs after the global financial crisis and weaker oil prices halted a boom in the world s largest oil producing region. The Omani consumer price index (CPI) stood at points in September, data showed. The annual inflation rate was 1.89 percent in August. The weak dollar is jacking up landed cost of imported food materials from Europe. However, moderation in rent and other services is holding the CPI from going sharply up, said Joice Mathews, senior researcher at United Securities. The annual inflation rate in Oman, which pegs its currency to the U.S. dollar, peaked at almost 14 percent last year but has steadily retreated as oil prices fell from record peaks in July The dollar held close to 15-month lows against a currency basket on Tuesday. Oman s food, beverage and tobacco index, which has the largest weight in the overall CPI index, rose to points in September from points in the previous month. The rent component edged up to points in September from points, government data showed. The base year for the index is (RTRS_ Urban consumer inflation in Egypt rose to 13.3 percent in the year to October compared to 10.8 percent in September, the state statistics agency reported on Tuesday, a bigger jump than analysts had forecast. Four analysts forecast urban inflation the most closely watched indicator of prices would be in a range of between percent for October. The consumer price index for urban areas was in October 2009 compared to in October 2008, a rise of 13.3 percent, the statistics agency CAPMAS reported on its website. This was an unpleasant surprise, said Sally Mikhail, a senior analyst at Naeem Holding. She had been expecting the central bank to keep rates on hold at least to the end of 2009 but said that this could be brought forward after this figure. Other analysts said any new cycle of monetary policy tightening might start in The central bank also published core inflation figures on Tuesday, saying the year-on-year figure in October was 6.5 percent, versus 6.3 percent in September. The core inflation figure excludes fruit and vegetables, as well as goods with regulated prices. The rise is not alarming, Beltone analyst Reham ElDesoki wrote after the core figure was released. The urban inflation figure had been well above her forecast of 11.5 percent. (RTRS) Iraq cabinet to OK Zubair, West Qurna deals next week Iraq s Kurds to hold on to oil revenues, says Barzani BRUSSELS, Nov 10, (RTRS): The president of Iraq s Kurdish region criticised the central government on Tuesday for its failure to draw up a clear law on sharing oil revenues and said the Kurds would hold on to what they earn for now. Speaking during a visit to the European Parliament, Masoud Barzani said Kurdistan had the right to retain the income from the export of about 100,000 barrels of oil per day, despite a law stating that all Iraq s oil and gas assets are shared. The Iraqi oil ministry has failed... in their laws and therefore we are not obliged to adhere to the oil laws of Iraq because they have failed in producing a much more transparent situation, Barzani told a news conference. Eight billion dollars has been used by the Iraqi oil ministry for development of oil production but unfortunately the level of production has dropped. Therefore we have no faith in that law that already exists, he said through a translator. Iraq s central government and semiautonomous Kurdistan have since 2004 engaged in a long-running dispute over Iraq s vast oil and gas assets and the growing revenue generated by them. The discord threatens to aggravate the political strains that already exist between autonomy-minded Kurds and Shi ites. According to Iraq s constitution, all the country s hydrocarbon assets are shared and there is a formula for distributing the income among regions, with the Kurdish region granted 17 percent of total oil revenues. But Kurdistan, which occupies the top third of Iraq along the borders with Turkey, Iran and Syria, has been quicker to exploit the oil and gas assets that lie in its territory and is reluctant to give up the revenue they generate. Foreign investors including Norway s DNO International and Toronto-listed Addax Petroleum have helped expand the OPEC output hike not needed, prices normal : Iraq BAGHDAD, Nov 10, (RTRS): Iraqi Oil Minister Hussain al-shahristani told Reuters on Tuesday that there was no need for OPEC to raise production levels at a December meeting, and that prices at $80 per barrel were not hurting global region s oil production to 100,000 barrels a day, generating potential income of $2.9 billion a year at current oil prices of nearly $80 a barrel. Barzani said on Tuesday output could increase tenfold to more than 1 million barrels a day by the end of 2011, bringing forward a previous forecast for that level of output in But the income would not be shared, he said. Until the disputed areas are resolved, we feel that the share of Kurdistan of 17 growth. We don t think that the actual demand for oil on the global market requires any raise in production. Inventories, whether in America or Europe or floating inventories, are still higher than the average of percent should go to the account of Kurdistan by itself and not be distributed by the finance (ministry) in Baghdad because often they use that as a weapon against us, Barzani said. We believe it is our right. While the Kurdish region moved rapidly after the US-led invasion in 2003 to boost oil output, the central government is catching up, signing a series of development contracts with major international oil companies in recent months. the last five years, he said. Current prices are normal. I can say that the current price level is supporting global economic growth. It s wrong to say that the current prices are having an impact on global economic growth. If all the deals in the pipeline come together in the coming years, Iraq is set to triple its total oil output to 7 million barrels per day, making it the world s largest producer after Russia and Saudi Arabia. Also: BAGHDAD: Iraq s cabinet has put off approval of oil deals struck with an Exxon Mobil-led group for the West Qurna field and Eni for the Zubair oilfield to next week, the government said on Tuesday. The cabinet is set to give its blessing to the Zubair oil deal on Nov 17 after addressing issues raised by the cabinet s legal committee, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al- Maliki told reporters. Approval of the deal for the massive West Qurna oilfield, inked with US oil major Exxon last week, will also be delayed to next week, Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-dabbagh told Reuters. Iraq has cut the official selling price of its Basra Light crude loading in December to customers in Asia, a trader said on Tuesday. The December price for Asian buyers was a discount of 15 cents a barrel to the average of Oman/Dubai quotes, down 15 cents from parity in November, the trader said. This was within the range of expectations in a Reuters survey for the December OSP. Extra year s climate inaction has $500 bln price tag IEA warns of huge cost for energy revolution PARIS, Nov 10, (Agencies): The economic crisis gives the world a chance for a low-carbon revolution to ensure energy supplies and fight global warming, but it will cost a huge chunk of worldwide output, the IEA warns. The scale and breadth of the energy challenge is enormous far greater than many people realise, the International Energy Agency said on Tuesday. But it can and must be met, it said. The time to act has arrived. The language from the usually staid agency, a branch of the OECD in Paris, amounted to an alarm call on the state of the world in terms of energy supplies and the threat of disastrous climate change. The IEA laid out the dangers, and its declaration for action, in its World Energy Outlook which falls this year shortly before a landmark international conference on climate change in Copenhagen in December. The IEA is the energy arm of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, a policy powerhouse for the 30 leading industrialised countries. If governments do not change their policies, there will be alarming consequences for energy security, and almost certainly massive climate change and irreparable damage to the planet. The agency estimated that even existing policies to ensure supplies to meet inexorable growth of demand and combat greenhouse gas damage would cost $26 trillion (17.3 trillion euros) in real, or inflation adjusted, dollars for capital investment by This cumulative bill was equivalent to $1.1 trillion or 1.4 percent of world economic output per year, on average. The power sector needed 53 percent of the total and more than half of the global figure was needed in developing countries. But under its best-case hypothesis of greenhouse gases being limited to an increasingly accepted target of 450 parts per million of carbon dioxide, there would be an additional investment bill of $10.5 trillion. Of this extra amount, 45 percent was needed in the sector of transportation. The total implied investment cost, in dollars valued in 2008 terms, is therefore about 36.5 trillion dollars over about 20 years. Greenhouse-gas The IEA said: The recession, by curbing the growth in greenhouse-gas emissions, has made the task of transforming the energy sector easier by giving us an unprecedented, yet relatively narrow, window of opportunity. The focus should be on investment in lowcarbon technology, but energy investment worldwide has plunged over the past year, the IEA said. The IEA forecast that the oil price, excluding the effects of inflation, would be 100 dollars a barrel in 2020 and $115 in 2030, saying oil demand would rise by one percent per year. Global demand would rise from 85 million barrels per day in 2008 to 105 mbd in 2030, assuming that the negotiations in Copenhagen did not result in immediate big changes in energy policies, the IEA said. The average oil price this year would be about $60 per barrel against a background of weak economic activity. The price would then rise with economic recovery to $115 a barrel in 20 years time in constant dollar valuations, meaning after stripping out the effect of inflation, the agency said. In the last 12 months there had been enormous upheavals in energy markets but the challenges of transforming the global energy system remain urgent and daunting. Depending on how governments reacted to the challenges, falling investment would have far-reaching and potentially serious effects on energy security, climate change and energy poverty, it warned. There was therefore a risk of a supply shortage which could lead to a renewed surge in prices in a few years down the line. High-ranking Kuwaiti, Saudi, and Chevron officials pose for a group photo at the inauguration of LSP project. Chevron hosts Saudi and Kuwaiti senior petroleum officials at the onshore PNZ LSP project Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources His Excellency Ali Al-Naimi and Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah, minister of Oil and minister of Information in the state of Kuwait, at an event today marking the successful start-up of Joint Operations (Saudi Arabian Chevron and Kuwait Gulf Oil Company) Large-Scale Pilot (LSP) steamflood project at the Wafra field in the onshore Partitioned Neutral Zone (PNZ). Minister Al-Naimi was accompanied by His Excellency Abdul Rahman Abdul Karrem, Advisor, Companies Affiers, and a delegation of high-ranking Saudi petroleum officials. They were welcomed by It said: The financial crisis has cast a shadow over whether all the energy investment needed to meet growing energy needs can be mobilised. But referring to the Copenhagen conference and the 450 parts-per-million target, it also declared: With a new international climate policy agreement, a comprehensive and rapid transformation in the way we produce, transport and use energy a veritable low-carbon revolution could put the world onto this 450- ppm trajectory. This would put the world onto a truly sustainable energy path. Carbon emissions The world will have to spend an extra $500 billion to cut carbon emissions for each year it delays implementing a major assault on global warming, the International Energy Agency said on Tuesday. UN talks meant to agree a deal in Copenhagen in December to extend or replace the existing Kyoto Protocol have struggled to overcome a rich-poor rift on how to split the cost of curbing carbon emissions, for example from burning fossil fuels. Developed countries accept that they have to take the burden of cutting carbon emissions, but want developing nations to accept binding actions too under a new treaty. Poor countries want financial help to implement carbon emissions cuts and prepare for unavoidable global warming, including droughts, floods and rising seas. The Copenhagen conference will provide important pointers to the kind of energy future that awaits us, it said. To continue present trends of energy demand and burning of fossil fuels would lead almost certainly to massive climatic change and irreparable damage to the planet, it said. To implement swingeing carbon cuts, on the other hand, would require a huge shift in the world s energy system. That would raise, for example, the share of non-fossil fuels to 32 percent of total primary energy in 2030, from 19 percent in The share of the internal combustion engine in Chevron s George Kirkland, Executive Vice President for Global Upstream and Gas and newly appointed vice chairman, Guy Hollingsworth, president of Chevron Europe, Eurasia and Middle East, and Ahmed Al-Omer, president of Saudi Arabian Chevron (SAC). Following formal remarks by Chevron s executives, the distinguished guests were led on a tour of the project s facilities. The $340 million LSP, which achieved first-steam injection in June 2009, is the final test in a nearly 10-year staged assessment by SAC to determine the technical and economic viability of thermal-recovery projects in the Eocene heavy-oil carbonate reservoir. The threeyear project could potentially lead to fullfield steamflooding of the reservoir, marking the first commercial application of a conventional steamflood in a carbonate reservoir anywhere in the world. Chevron is applying new technologies to free-up in commercial quantities the potential of the First Eocene carbonate reservoir. It is a potential in the onshore PNZ and elsewhere measured in billions of barrels of new energy resources, Kirkland said in an address to the distinguished guests. Steamflooding involves new car sales would fall to 40 percent by 2030 from more than 90 percent under current trends. The global financial crisis has led to a dangerous drop in energy investment around the world which could choke off the nascent economic recovery, the International Energy Agency said Tuesday. The warning from the Paris-based agency comes just a month ahead of the major UN climate conference in Copenhagen, where injecting steam into heavy oil reservoirs to heat the crude oil underground, reducing its viscosity and allowing its extraction through wells. This phase of the project includes 16 injection wells, 25 producing wells and 16 observation wells and installing water treatment and steam generation and distribution facilities. Chevron has successfully employed steamflooding to produce heavy oil from sandstone reservoirs at Kern River, Calif., for more than 40 years and at Duri in Sumatra, Indonesia, for 25 years. The company is recognized as the world s leader in steamflood technology. world leaders hope to agree on so-called climate finance to help developing countries cut emissions by switching from fossil fuels to cleaner energy such as wind and solar. The EU has said that there should be a 100 billion euros ($150 billion) annual package of public and private finance by 2020 to help poorer nations develop green industries and adapt to climate change. Drop Top Asian refiner expects boost in Saudi supplies Sinopec imports from Iran to stay FUZHOU, China, Nov 10, (RTRS): Top Asian refiner Sinopec Corp expects crude oil imports from Iran to stay at 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) or slightly more next year, the company s president said on Tuesday, a level unchanged from this year s contract amount. For the first nine months of this year, Iran had actually exported to China close to 500,000 bpd of crude, Chinese customs data showed, a quarter above the 2009 contract volume, partly because of supply cuts from top exporter Saudi Arabia. The volume from Iran should be around 20 million tonnes next year. There won t be a big increase if any, Sinopec Corp s president Wang Tianpu told Reuters. Sinopec has meantime expected supplies from Saudi Arabia to reach 1 million bpd from next year, a level nearly 30 percent higher than the actual imports recorded in the first three quarters of 2009, to feed new refineries including one invested in by state-run Saudi Aramco. China, Iran s second-largest crude buyer, lifted crude imports under term supply agreements from Tehran by a third in 2008 versus Chinese refineries have occasionally sought extra Iranian crude beyond contract volumes as supplementary supply when the Saudis scaled back on the heavier grades, traders have said. Wang also told Reuters that Sinopec s planned LNG import terminal in the Chinese port city of Qingdao will gain government approval very soon. Sinopec has just signed a deal with Exxon Mobil Corp to buy 2 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the US oil major s Papua New Guinea project. Without an LNG supply deal it will be difficult to get government approval (for the terminal), said Wang. We bring four decades of experience in enhanced oil recovery to this project and are pleased with the progress we have made testing the technology in the onshore PNZ s First Eocene carbonate reservoir, Al-Omer shared with those gathered. It s through our long-standing partnership with the Kingdom and our joint operatorship with Kuwait Gulf Oil Company, that we are able to apply innovative technology expected to grow recoverable reserves in the onshore PNZ, and to create thousands of jobs in the process, as well as provide other benefits for the region. The IEA, a policy adviser to 28 mostly industrialized oil-consuming nations, estimates that the financial and economic crisis is responsible for a $90 billion drop in global oil and gas investment this year, a 19 percent cut from Falling energy investment will have farreaching and, depending on how governments respond, potentially serious consequences for energy security, climate change and energy poverty, the IEA said in its annual World Energy Outlook report. The resulting drop in oil and electricity supplies could undermine the sustainability of the economic recovery, the IEA warned. Meanwhile, oil demand is set to continue rising over the next two decades, with a drop in developed countries oil use more than offset by increases in the developing world, mainly China and India, the IEA said. The IEA forecast global oil demand would rise to 105 million barrels a day by 2030, up from 85 million barrels a day last year. The new forecast is slightly lower than the 106 million barrels a day that the IEA forecast last year, before the global economic downturn spurred a steep drop in energy use in the developed world. Investment in renewable energy sources has been particularly hard hit by the downturn, falling by about one-fifth in 2009 compared to a year earlier. Without the stimulus plans enacted by governments in response to the crisis, renewable energy investments would have fallen 30 percent this year, the IEA said. The financial crisis has cast a shadow over whether all the energy investment needed to meet growing energy needs can be mobilized, the IEA warned.

39 BUSINESS 39 Conoco, Mubadala Kazakh JV may hit 3m bpd Aramco, Sinopec in investment talks Abu Dhabi investment vehicle Mubadala s jointventure with ConocoPhillips to develop an offshore oilfield in Kazakhstan could produce up to 3 million barrels per day in three to four years, a top executive said on Tuesday. We could produce 1.5 million barrels per day (bpd) to three million barrels per day in three to four years if our drilling is successful, said Maurizio La Noce, chief executive of oil and gas at the government owned investment fund during a MEED industry conference. ConocoPhillips and Mubadala signed a preliminary agreement last October, and then paid Kazakhstan a $100 million signing bonus a few months later, officials at the time had said. Conoco and Mubadala will each hold 24.5 percent in the block which covers 8,100 square kms (3,100 sq miles) and located 30 kilometres (19 miles) off the Caspian seaport of Aktau. The block is estimated to hold 270 million tonnes of oil in recoverable reserves, according to majority owner and state energy firm KazMunaiGas The focus of the investment company s oil and gas business would centre on the Middle East and North Africa, the Caspian and Southeast Asia, he said. Mubadala s production was currently at 350,000 bpd, La Noce said. He also said that Emirates Aluminium (EMAL), the world s biggest single aluminium smelter, was expected to keep a third of its production in Abu Dhabi to produce finished aluminium products. We are attracting foreign investors to open finished aluminium projects, if we don t succeed we will sell all the aluminium, he said. (RTRS) Saudi Aramco is in discussion with Sinopec to invest in the Chinese refiner s 200,000 barrel-per-day (bpd) Qingdao refinery in east China, Saudi Aramco s chief executive Khalid Al-Falih said on Tuesday. Sinopec said last week that it was very hopeful that the two sides would reach a deal. The talks, which began well before the start-up of the Qingdao plant in May 2008, have not resulted in any solid progress, partly because of Saudi Aramco s concerns over China s fuel price controls. Al-Falih also said they had yet to pin down the timing for supplying 1 million bpd of crude to China, a target that Sinopec has said would begin next year. We have not pinned down the timing, but we are always ready to meet China s demand, Al-Falih told Reuters. When asked if 1 mln bpd was a realistic target, he said: It depends on how demand in China materialises. Once it materialises, we are ready to supply. (RTRS) Market seen promising, growing: chairman Wataniya Palestine to receive $700 mln investment RAMALLAH, West Bank, Nov 10, (RTRS): Mobile phone company Wataniya Palestine is to receive investment of $700 million over the next 10 years, the chairman of Qatar Telecommunications said on Tuesday. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed Saud al-thani made the announcement at the official launch of Wataniya Palestine in Ramallah. Wataniya Palestine is owned by Kuwait s National Mobile Telecommunications Co, a unit of Qatar Telecommunications Co, and a holding company for Palestinian public assets. Sheikh Abdullah said $140 million had been invested in licence fees and more than $100 million in setting up the network. This is in addition to extra investments, planned for the coming 10 years, in order to complete, develop and manage this network, reaching $700 million, Sheikh Abdullah told a news conference to mark the launch of the new network, which will be the second in the Palestinian territories. We have been determined, since the start, to build a mobile network of the highest quality, based on our belief that the Palestinian telecoms market is promising and enjoys a high degree of growth, he said. The Wataniya Palestine mobile network was switched on earlier this month, even though Israel has yet to release the full range of frequencies agreed for the network. Mohammad Mustafa, head of the Wataniya Palestine board, said the firm was still awaiting the release of 1 MHz of frequencies that Israel has yet to make available. The establishment of Wataniya, the second mobile operator in the West Bank, has been backed by the World Bank and the US government as part of efforts to boost support for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his Western-backed government. It enters the market alongside a network operated by the Palestine Telecommunications Co (PalTel), until now the sole provider. PalTel, which has about 1.5 million subscribers in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, is majority owned by Kuwait s Mobile Telecommunications Co (Zain). The dispute between Israel and the Palestinians over frequency for the network has been dragging on for more than two years. As occupying power, Israel controls the airwaves of the West Bank, where 2.5 million Palestinians live. An Israeli official said last month the remaining frequencies would be released once the Palestinians had met their part of the agreement, but did not detail what the unfulfilled commitments were. US Economy Bid to minimize turmoil Lawmaker proposes US financial reform WASHINGTON, Nov 10, (AP): The chairman of the Senate Banking Committee on Tuesday called for sweeping new US government powers to prevent another economic collapse, protect consumers and dismantle failing institutions. Sen Christopher 1,100 page-draft bill, inspired by last year s financial meltdown and President Barack Obama s call for new financial regulations, is aimed at minimizing economic turmoil and protect(ing) the interest of taxpayers, the Democrat wrote. An advance copy of the legislation was obtained by The Associated Press. President Barack Obama has demanded that Congress rewrite the federal regulations governing Wall Street to close legal loopholes and prevent the kind of fraud and abuse that fed the crisis. Support Dodd s proposal was expected to gain broad support among Democrats, but Republicans have not signed on. Among the top points of contention is Dodd s desire to create a new agency to protect consumers taking out home loans or using credit cards against predatory lending and surprise interest rate hikes. Republicans counter that creating another bureaucracy will make business harder for banks and limit the availability of credit. The Senate Banking Committee was expected to review the legislation next week, paving the way for a floor vote by early next year. The House was already on track with its own proposal. Rep Barney Frank, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, said he expects a floor vote in December. Dodd s plan differs slightly from Frank s bill and the administration s proposal in that it would do more to scale back the powers of the Federal Reserve, which many lawmakers blame for the economic crisis. For example, Frank has proposed that the Fed be in charge of enforcing tougher regulations on large and influential financial firms so that they do not grow too big to fail. A council of regulators would monitor these firms and make recommendations. Under Dodd s bill, the Fed would have less reach. An agency for financial stability, managed by a board that includes Fed representation would enforce new rules and dismantle complex financial firms if they threaten the broader economy. Both the House and Senate bills would likely put limits on the Fed s ability to provide emergency loans and eliminate its oversight of consumer protections. Also unlike the House bill, Dodd s proposal would establish a single federal regulator for banks called the Financial Institutions Regulatory Administration. The single regulator would get rid of two existing federal bank regulators the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Office of Thrift Supervision. It also would strip the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation of its oversight of state banks and the Fed in their supervisory powers of bank holding companies. Dodd has said consolidated oversight is needed to prevent banks from shopping around for an agency that will impose the least amount of oversight. Dodd s draft legislation includes the financing change for the SEC, a government agency that is charged to protect investors; maintain fair, orderly and efficient markets; and facilitate capital formation. The Dodd move is aimed at giving the market watchdog agency more resources to prevent future disasters like its failure to detect Bernard Madoff s multibillion-dollar fraud. Proposed by Democratic Sen Charles Schumer, the new system would dedicate all the annual revenue collected by the SEC to its budget. Currently, a large portion of the fees paid by public companies and other entities that register stock with the agency go to the Treasury Department for general use by the government. That would give the SEC a funding structure similar to that of the Federal Reserve, the US central bank, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp, which guarantees private deposits in banks and other financial institutions. Those agencies already can use all revenue they collect from banks to pay for their operations. SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro requested the funding change in a speech last week. Also included in Dodd s package is a requirement for so-called say-on-pay in corporate America, requiring all public companies to give shareholders a nonbinding vote on executive compensation packages. That also is part of the administration s proposal and the financial overhaul package approved last week by the Financial Services Committee of the House of Representatives and expected to be voted on by the full House early next month. Median home prices fall in 8 out of 10 US cities in Q3 NEW YORK, Nov 10, (AP): A real estate group says home prices fell in eight out of every 10 US cities in the third quarter of this year as heavily discounted distressed sales made up 30 percent of all deals. But home sales continued their climb, with quarterly sales outpacing the second quarter and the previous year s figures, the National Association of Realtors said Tuesday. The median sales prices of existing homes declined in 123 out of 153 metropolitan areas compared with the same period a year ago. Prices rose in the other 30 cities. The national median price clocked in at $177,900, or 11 percent below the third quarter last year. The decline in the national median price has moderated recently, and a shrinking supply of unsold inventory suggests we are getting closer to price stabilization in many areas, said Lawrence Yun, the group s chief economist, in a statement. But we need a steady stream of financially qualified buyers to further reduce inventory and get us to a self-sustaining market. Prices in Fort Myers, Florida, plunged 40 percent to $98,000 from a year ago, the worst in the US Las Vegas saw its median price tumble almost 35 percent to $138,500 year-over-year. The federal tax credit of up to $8,000 for first-time homebuyers helped boost sales in the third quarter. US home sales grew in 45 states from the second quarter, with 28 states posting double-digit gains. Total quarterly sales hit a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.3 million, up more than 11 percent from 4.76 million in the second quarter. President Barack Obama signed a bill last week extending and expanding the federal tax credit. Now, buyers who have owned in their current homes for at least five years are eligible for tax credits of up to $6,500. First-time homebuyers or anyone who hasn t owned a home in the last three years would still get up to $8,000. Economic forecasts in US bank tests miss mark, some still face problems Capital needs based on unrealistic projections WASHINGTON, Nov 10, (AP): All but one of the 19 largest banks have raised the extra capital cushion regulators said they would need to withstand a deeper recession, which the US Treasury secretary described as a sign of how much the financial system has improved since the crisis began. Still, the banks capital needs were based on unrealistic economic projections. Some have proved too rosy, others too grim. For example, the test envisioned unemployment reaching 8.9 percent this year; it stands at 10.2 percent. On the other hand, the tests assumed housing prices would fall 22 percent this year in a worst-case scenario. Instead, they fell 5.5 percent in the first half of the year and have risen Trader Richard Cohen (right), works on his handheld device on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Nov 10. (AP) See Page 42 Fed officials say unemployment likely to remain high Weak recovery won t spur jobs WASHINGTON, Nov 10, (AP): US unemployment likely will remain high for the next several years because the economic recovery won t be strong enough to spur robust hiring, Federal Reserve officials warned Tuesday. The cautionary note struck by the presidents of regional Fed banks in San Francisco and Atlanta were the first public remarks of Fed officials since the government reported last week that the nation s jobless rate bolted to 10.2 percent in October. It marked only the second time in the post-world War II period that the rate surpassed 10 percent. In separate speeches, Janet Yellen, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, and Dennis Lockhart, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, warned that rising unemployment could crimp consumers, restraining the recovery. Consumer spending accounts for about 70 percent of economic activity. With such a slow rebound, unemployment could well stay high for several years to come, Yellen said. In other words, our recovery is likely to feel like something well short of good times. Yellen envisions the shape of the recovery kind of like an L with a gradual upward tilt of the base. Lockhart said very slow net job gains may occur sometime next year. Troubles in the commercial real estate market and the plight of small businesses also will weigh on the recovery, they said. Losses Small businesses which held up reasonably well in the 2001 recession have been clobbered by the downturn, accounting for about 45 percent of net job losses through the end of 2008, Lockhart said. During the last two economic recoveries, small businesses contributed about one-third of net job growth. Lockhart said he doubted that would be the case this time. That s because many small businesses rely on smaller banks for credit. But troubled commercial real estate loans are concentrated at those banks, hobbling the flow of credit. Lockhart said for the past three months. Early this year, the Obama administration subjected the 19 largest banks to stress tests. The goal was to boost confidence in the financial sector by showing how strong banks balance sheets were. Regulators used a series of economic projections to see if banks could withstand the losses they would suffer in case of a deeper-than-expected recession. The recession diverged far from the economic projections used. Analysts say their results reveal little about what troubles the banks now face. Though conditions have improved since the depths of the credit crisis, some analysts say certain banks face problems the stress-test buffers may not solve. We re already at record numbers on losses, and those numbers are rising, said Christopher Whalen, managing director of Institutional Risk Analytics. The test results in May found that 10 of the 19 largest banks needed more capital to withstand losses they would suffer should the recession worsen. They were given six months to raise $74.6 billion of capital. The Federal Reserve said Monday they have raised $77 billion. Whalen said if the banks approach the loss rates the stress tests envisioned, they still might not have enough capital to stay afloat. The only bank that failed to raise the required capital was GMAC, which is weighed down by bad mortgage loans but provides financing to auto dealers and buyers. Regulators had said GMAC needed to raise an additional $11.5 billion. The company is in talks with the Treasury Department about getting a fresh bailout from the $700 billion financial rescue fund. It is unclear how much money it will require. But Secretary Timothy Geithner said it is expected to be lower than anticipated when the stress test results were announced. Resolve GMAC already has received $12.5 billion in federal money. The Detroit-based lender is in active dialogue with Treasury about its next round of bailout money, said spokeswoman Gina Proia. Those funds will be used to fulfill the stress test requirement and not to resolve any new matter related to our business, she added. GMAC provides wholesale financing to many General Motors and Chrysler dealerships to pay for the vehicles on their lots. The company also operates a mortgage lending unit, Residential Capital, which has been pummeled by the housing market downturn. It runs an insurance unit and an online banking unit called Ally Bank. Geithner said the success of the other 18 companies showed that the financial sector he is particularly concerned about that linkage. Meanwhile, Eric Rosengren, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, weighed in on a different hotbutton issue for Congress: how best to handle huge financial companies whose failure could endanger the economy. Rosengren endorsed living wills that outline wind-down arrangements in the event of failure, rather than having the government restrict the size or activities of financial firms. I am skeptical such dramatic action would significantly limit systemic risk, he said in a speech in London. The Obama administration has called on Congress to set up a mechanism to safely dismantle failed financial companies along the lines of what the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. does for collapsed banks. Although key legislative proposals revamping the nation s financial rules contain such a provision, some lawmakers and others have expressed interest in limiting the size of colossal firms or breaking them up if they get too big. has become far more stable since January. Banks are repaying the taxpayers with interest and credit is coming back, but we need to reinforce that improvement and ensure that small and medium-sized businesses can borrow to create jobs, he said in a statement. Whalen said that despite government subsidies, banks like GMAC and Citigroup Inc. still are too troubled to extend credit and support an economic recovery. Loans These are zombies, and they can t make loans, he said. None of this is helping the real economy. Whalen said the only way to improve the companies would be to push them into bankruptcy and get rid of the bad assets that are weighing them down. GMAC could not raise money in part because investors needed to charge high interest rates to offset the risk that the company could fail. The nine other banks, including Bank of America Corp, Wells Fargo & Co. and Citigroup, raised the money from private investors, by selling assets or by converting preferred equity into common shares. The stress tests subjected banks balance sheets to two economic scenarios. One was meant to replicate the recession and recovery analysts expected. The second was envisioned as a much worse recession. Banks were told to raise enough money to withstand the losses they would see under the harsher scenario. Some analysts have criticized the additional bailout as an equity investment in an otherwise insolvent company. GMAC s bailouts have come from Treasury s automaker rescue program, rather than from the pool of money designated to shore up healthy banks.

40 BUSINESS 40 German investor confidence falls in Nov Japan tells Geithner Tokyo supports strong dollar German investor confidence fell in November from the previous month, a leading survey showed Tuesday, reflecting doubts about the sustainability of economic recovery. The ZEW survey, which tracks views of Europe s largest economy, dropped 4.9 points and now stands at Despite the decline, which follows a 1.7 point monthly dip in October, the index is still well above its historical average of 26.9 points. The ZEW, based in Mannheim and also known as the Center for European Economic Research, said the assessment of the current economic situation in Germany improved by 6.6 points to minus 65.6 points in November. Economic expectations for Germany are still high, although financial experts became slightly less confidence and were still uncertain over how the economy will progress. The ZEW said there were concerns about the labor market and its impact on consumer spending. On the other hand, the survey showed that the continued improvement in German exports is feeding optimism for recovery. Earlier this week, official data showed German exports rose 3.8 percent on the month in September. Still, exports remained 18.8 percent below the levels of a year earlier, the Federal Statistical Office said. (AP) Japan s finance minister told visiting US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner Tuesday that Tokyo supported Washington s strong dollar policy, during talks on the global economy. A strong dollar policy is correct, Japanese Finance Minister Hirohisa Fujii said he had told Geithner. The current weakness of the greenback reflects US economic conditions, Fujii told reporters. He also briefed Geithner on plans by Japan s new centre-left government to stimulate domestic demand to boost the export-dependent economy. US officials ritually express their backing for a strong dollar but have done nothing to arrest its slide, which many see as necessary to reduce the big US trade deficit and support struggling American exporters. The dollar has plunged about 15 percent against a basket of six other major currencies from a peak earlier this year as investors chase higher yields outside of the United States. The dollar s weakness against the yen has taken a heavy toll on Japanese exporters. Geithner arrived in Japan Tuesday for a two-day stop on his way to a meeting of finance chiefs from member nations of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum on Thursday in Singapore. (AFP) UK retailers say sales bounced back in Oct HSBC, Barclays log strong investment banking profits LONDON, Nov 10, (AP): Britain s two biggest banks, HSBC Holdings Plc and Barclays Plc, reported strong investment banking profits on Tuesday and signalled that bad debts may be nearing their peak, raising hopes the worst of the financial crisis is over for them. The success of HSBC and Barclays in weathering the storm both rebuffed a government bailout of the banking system contrasts with their beleaguered taxpayer-supported counterparts including Lloyds Banking Group Plc, which on Tuesday announced plans to shed 5,000 more jobs. HSBC provided the most upbeat trading update, with Chief Executive Michael Geoghan declaring that the biggest jolt has now passed through the global economy. While HSBC s statement lacked details figures, it said that pretax profit for the third quarter was significantly ahead of the same period last year and that losses on US consumer loans had shrunk for the first time in three years. Its global banking and markets division was having a record year and commercial banking was solidly profitable in all regions over the first nine months, it added. Barclays, meanwhile, resumed dividend payments for the first time in more than a year as it reported that income in its investment banking business Barclays Capital, which took over the US business of bankrupted Lehman Brothers just over a year ago, surged 32 percent over the first 9 months. Barclays underlying pretax profit stripping out bad debt provisions and other one-off factors more than doubled over the same period to 4.4 billion pounds. HSBC shares were up 4 percent at pence in afternoon trade, while Barclays shares fell 4.7 percent amid disappointment over the one penny price on the half-year dividend it announced on Tuesday and its struggling British retail banking division. Barclays shares have already more than doubled since the start of the year, while HSBC s shares have risen 8.3 percent. Crucially, both banks cautiously suggested that provisions for bad debts appeared to be nearing a ceiling. At Barclays, Britain s biggest bank, a 29 percent fall in net profit for the first nine months was largely due to a 65 percent surge in impairment charges write-offs on the value of assets to Britain to emerge from recession in current quarter LONDON, Nov 10, (RTRS): The British economy probably bounced back to growth in the current quarter from the longest downturn on record, though the chances of a double-dip recession remain significant, according to a Reuters poll. The median forecasts of around 30 economists, questioned over the past week in the Reuters monthly UK survey, showed they expected dire third quarter numbers to be confirmed but the economy would grow 0.4 percent in the current quarter. Preliminary data released last month showed the UK economy contracted 0.4 percent in the third quarter, confounding expectations for growth, quashing hopes the downturn had ended and marking the sixth successive quarter of contraction, the longest unbroken string since records began in Economists in the latest poll predict the battered economy will swing to growth of 6.21 billion as economies remained fragile and unemployment rose. But impairments slowed in the third 0.4 percent in the fourth quarter and continue growing between 0.3 and 0.5 percent well in to Growth is seen dipping early next year as the government raises consumption tax and a car scrappage scheme ends but median forecasts give only a 30 percent chance of a double-dip recession, in line in a poll taken last month. The central bank has slashed rates to near-zero and said on Thursday it was expanding its quantitative easing programme of buying government bonds outright by 25 billion to 200 billion, to resuscitate the battered economy. Median forecasts from around 40 economists see the economy shrinking 4.7 percent this year and then growing 1.1 percent in 2010, compared to a 4.4 percent contraction and 1.1 percent growth predicted respectively in October s poll. The range of forecasts was relatively quarter to 1.4 billion, down from 1.8 billion pounds in the previous three months and Finance Director Chris Lucas said they wide, from 4.0 to 4.8 percent contraction for 2009 and between 0.1 percent and 1.9 percent growth for The outlook for the UK compares equally with the euro zone, which is also expected to grow 1.1 percent next year, but behind the United States which is seen bouncing back to 2.5 percent growth on an annualised basis. Also: A surge in car imports in September pushed Britain s goods trade deficit to its widest since January, surprising analysts who had expected the weakness in the pound to boost exports and narrow the shortfall. The Office for National Statistics said on Tuesday that Britain s goods trade gap widened to billion in September from billion in August, confounding expectations for a slight narrowing in the deficit. may peak in the final quarter of the year, rather than the first quarter of next year. Barclays now expects charges for the full year to be at the lower end of its previously forecast range of billion. At HSBC, US loan impairment charges fell for the first time since the start of 2006 and the lowest level in more than a year. Also: LONDON: UK retailers reported their best year-on-year growth since 2002 in October, with sales up 3.8 percent from a year earlier, when financial markets were crashing, the British Retail Consortium said Tuesday. The figures do not account for new stores opened over the past 12 months. Total sales including additional floor space were up 5.9 percent. Still, the authors of the report said the gains will be difficult to sustain. The longer-term outlook remains considerably more challenging, given the economic backdrop, levels of unemployment, uncertainty regarding the impending (sales tax) rise and the impact of future fiscal policy following next year s election, said Helen Dickinson, head of retail KPMG, which cooperated in preparing the BRC report. On the up side, conditions are benign with less discount activity as most retailers approach Christmas with less bought in stock, said Freddie George, retail analyst at Seymour Pierce. Economy Deficit cut imperative : FM India gung-ho at economic forum NEW DELHI, Nov 10, (AFP): The Indian economic party is back on. Twelve months ago, delegates to India s annual economic jamboree in New Delhi were sunk in gloom about the country s prospects, with the world mired in the worst financial crisis since the 1930s. This year, the tone at the India World Economic Forum, attended by over 600 delegates from around the globe, has been decidedly gung-ho. Spirits have been lifted by government promises to press ahead with longawaited reforms and create an investment-friendly climate. India has come through the crisis better than other countries. We have growth here, said Lars Thunell, chief executive of the Washington-based International Finance Corporation, at the meeting, which began at the weekend. India is in a sweet spot, said Rajan Raghuram, finance professor at the University of Chicago. India s growth prospects appear decidedly rosy compared with the West, where economies are still sunk in recession. In fact, its leaders have been sounding downright smug. I am happy to say India has been able to face the global economic downturn better than most other countries in the world, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told the summit. Economy He forecast the economy would grow by 6.5 percent in the current fiscal year to March and by more than seven percent next year, saying the country looks forward to the future with confidence. India is the next country off the block after China, Japan and Korea, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, deputy head of a blue-ribbon government economic advisory panel, told the three-day meeting. Strong auto sales, robust industrial output figures and other data all point to a rebounding economy, experts say. It s all happened much faster than we expected. We didn t see this kind of positive news coming through until next year, said Jairaj Purandare, executive director of PricewaterhouseCoopers. There is a caveat however: even growth rates of seven percent, which might sound turbo-charged in the developed world, are not enough for India. The government says it needs nine to 10 percent growth to make any significant reduction in deeply entrenched poverty. Some 42 percent of Indians still live below the extreme poverty line of 1.25 dollars a day, compared with 16 percent in China, according to the World Bank. To shift onto a higher growth plane, India says it plans to invest billions of dollars in overhauling its dilapidated roads, ports, power and other infrastructure sectors. To raise the funds this will require from both domestic and foreign sources, the government says it needs to pursue further reforms and open up the financial sector, including pensions and insurance. We are better placed than any time in the recent past to push the reform process forward, said Singh, who is credited with firing the starting pistol in India s liberalisation process in the 1990s. He said India had drawn foreign direct investment of over 120 billion dollars since but needed much more to develop its economy. You are all welcome in our efforts, the premier told delegates. But Transport Minister Kamal Nath cautioned that even under best-case scenarios, change could be slow in this country of nearly 1.2 billion people, where public suspicion of liberalisation is widespread. We are not only the largest democracy. We are the rowdiest. We have to encompass all kinds of views, said the minister. However after the Congress party was decisively re-elected in May, freeing it from reliance on Communists in parliament, the government has a much stronger political hand. Klaus Schwab, executive chairman of the World Economic Forum, which has been staging the India conference for 25 years, said the country had become a much easier sell to foreigners seeking investment opportunities. Twenty-five years ago it was an uphill battle to sell India in the international market. But today India is a brand and we all know how precious brands are these days, he told reporters. Sure I think there are opportunities, said Randy Eisenbach, chief executive officer of US printing equipment company Printronix Inc. That s why I m here. Also: NEW DELHI: India s Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee promised Tuesday the government would reduce the fiscal deficit as it seeks to put the nation s financial house in order. Fiscal consolidation is absolutely imperative, Mukherjee said in a speech to a World Economic Forum meeting in New Delhi. He said the government would cut the deficit to four percent of gross domestic product by 2012, down from an expected 6.8 percent in the current financial year. This kind of tight-rope walking cannot be done for a long time, Mukherjee told more than 600 investors, fund managers and other delegates from around the world. India s deficit, which stood at 6.2 percent last year, has been swollen by stimulus measures taken by the government to shield the economy from the impact of the global economic slump. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told the forum at the weekend that the government would take appropriate action next year to roll back the stimulus. Mukherjee echoed the pledge but added the exact timing of phasing out the stimulus would depend on the strength of domestic recovery. Britain top credit rating at risk over debt, Japan faces review TOKYO, Nov 10, (RTRS): Britain is most at risk among the big economies of losing its top-notch credit rating, while Japan faces a review of its rating if government debt issuance rises greatly, Fitch Ratings warned on Tuesday. Germany AAA rating most secure now: Fitch A man walks out of a branch of Barclays Bank in central London, Nov 10. (AP) Nations back new bankers pay, capital rules EU confirms 2011 exit strategy BRUSSELS, Nov 10, (Agencies): European Union finance ministers confirmed Tuesday that they would start withdrawing billions of euros (dollars) in government support for their economies by 2011 at the latest. But Swedish Finance Minister Anders Borg, whose country currently holds the EU presidency, said it was premature to end targeted support to the financial sector. The EU s executive commission has suggested ending bank aid in June 2010, when it says governments should hike the price of state guarantees for banks. Governments will also eventually have to shed stakes they bought to rescue banks with extra capital over the last year and end programs that purchase problem assets. There is a need to keep these systems going for quite some time, Borg said. It s very difficult to assess given that we now have an extremely low credit amount due to low investment levels. Bank lending is still fragile after seizing up last year. Now, lending is down largely because companies and households are spending less than they were before last year s financial crisis. Banks are also applying tighter conditions when they grant loans, which reduces the number they give out. The European Commission says that all 27 nations in the European Union should see growth finally lift in 2011, when it forecasts growth of 1.6 percent after picking up by 0.7 percent next year. Stronger growth will allow governments to end economy stimulus programs such as tax breaks, major public spending projects and even cash-for-clunkers initiatives that are boosting the economy at the moment. Tackle They will then need to tackle mounting public debt and swelling budget deficits, a particular problem for EU nations because their aging populations mean they will see government spending surge on added costs for pensions and health care in coming decades. The EU executive is also keen to see countries take action to reduce yearly budget gaps under an EU limit of 3 percent of gross domestic products. EU Economy Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said he would on Wednesday set deadlines for nine countries to bring their deficit down: Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Portugal, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Plans for new cross-border European Union supervisory bodies to oversee banks, insurers and markets are at a make-or-break point, the bloc s Swedish presidency said on Tuesday. David Riley, Fitch s co-head of global sovereign ratings, told Reuters Television in an interview that Britain s AAA rating is more at risk than that of any of the four big economies with a top rating. The other AAA countries are the United States, Germany and France. His comments sent the pound down more than a cent to $ Amid British opposition to a new system, first agreed in principle in the summer as a response to the financial crisis, the Swedes fear key EU member states have not drawn the right lessons from the economic crisis. The most important part of the (exit strategy) is building the new financial supervisory infrastructure, said Swedish Finance Minister Anders Borg after a meeting of EU counterparts. Borg warned failure to reach a deal would be very problematic for Europe, adding: That is the make or break issue. If we don t have a decision in December, on the whole package, both the macro and the micro supervision, then I have to say we have not drawn the right lessons from the economic crisis. Also: BRUSSELS: European Union countries on Tuesday backed new financial oversight rules for bankers pay and how much extra capital banks should set aside to cover high-risk investments. The new rules, agreed by finance ministers, still need the support of the European Parliament before they could enter into force in late 2011 at the earliest. Finance ministers said they were prepared to negotiate the details of the rules with lawmakers before they are finalized. It s clear that the UK s ability to sustain large public fiscal deficits and a level of public debt without driving up interest rates and without putting sterling under significant pressure is much less than in the case of the US, he said. If there was another significant fiscal stimulus package in the UK, then UK rating would be at risk. Riley welcomed growing political consensus towards fiscal discipline ahead of a general election expected next year. Fitch s outlook on the rating is still stable, and no major political party plans significant extra fiscal stimulus. Expecting Whichever government will come to office, we are expecting a more stringent and more detailed plan for stabilising public financing. But if we don t get that after the election, the UK rating is at quite significant risk. The IMF projects Britain will run a deficit of 11.6 percent of GDP in 2009, the second biggest among G20 countries after 12.5 percent in the United States. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said on Tuesday that he had already taken steps to assuage concerns over government borrowing with a plan to cut the budget deficit by half over four years. A 2.5 percentage point cut in value-added tax will be reversed on Jan. 1 and incentives to trade old second-hand cars in for new ones are also expected to expire in early Riley s comments confirmed market worries about Britain s fiscal position, said Marc Ostwald, strategist at Monument Securities in Londoin. Everyone knew that that point around June or July next year is the critical point for this ratings influence on gilts, he said. Riley said Fitch would review its AAminus rating on Japanese government bonds if debt issuance materially rose above this fiscal year s 44 trillion yen ($490 billion) next year. Its outlook on the rating is stable for now. To be frank, at this point it is quite hard to see how they are going to maintain the 44 trillion yen, Riley said. We would be seriously concerned if there was a material increase in the level of JGB issuance above the 44 trillion yen level, the current level... particularly if that was combined with a lack of any credible commitment to stabilise public finance in Japan and ultimately bring down debt. Government bond yields have risen to a four-and-a-half month high this week on investor worries about a rise in issuance. Cabinet ministers have said they want to keep new debt issuance below 44 trillion yen next fiscal year, the same as this year, but an expected shortfall in tax revenue is raising doubts on whether that is possible. He also said Fitch was concerned about France. We do have also some concerns in case of France... We have seen significant deterioration in fiscal position in France. There is some pressure starting to build there. The country that is so far looking the most secure in terms of triple-a status is Germany. Germany has the least fiscal adjustment needed to stabilise the debt. Riley said it would be too soon to take away stimulus from big developed countries as too early an exit could be damaging.

41 BUSINESS 41 KIPCO BoD to meet Nov 15 Kuwait Stock Exchange announced that the Board of Directors of Kuwait Investment Projects Company (KIPCO) will meet on Nov 15, 2009 at 1:00 pm, to discuss the interim financial statements of the company for the third quarter ending Sept 30, Al-Deera Holding Company s board of directors will meet on Nov 12, 2009 at 1:00 p.m., in order to discuss the interim financial statements for the third quarter ending Sept 30, Photo by Hamdy Shawky Investors seen at KSE trading floor earlier in the week. The bourse dropped 17.2 pts on Tuesday led by Zain. Zain plunges 7 pct, NBK ends flat KSE declines 17.2 pts in volatile trade, extends losses to third day By John Mathews Arab Times Staff KUWAIT CITY, Nov 10: Kuwait stocks lost more ground on Tuesday, extending its losses to the third consecutive day. The index dropped 17.2 points as sell-offs battered select blue chips and some of the mid-level stocks. The market, after trading briefly above the red, closed at 7255 points amid a surge in volume turnover. Zain and Agility paced the decline. Weighted index slid 5.95 points to close at points. Zain plummeted 7 percent after posting a volume turnover of 4.8 million shares. It winded up at KD The stock has been in the limelight in the past weeks after the major shareholder Kharafi group announced that it had agreed to sell a 46 percent stake in Zain to an Indian-led consortium. Kuwait has its own dynamic and the market has unfortunately been influenced by the Zain issue, Reuters quoted Rami Sidani, head of investment at Schroders Middle East. The market is dominated by investment companies and many of them hold the stock. Agility pulled 1.6 percent lower, trimming the strong gains in the previous session. It closed at KD and the counter saw over 2.2 million shares changing hands. The scrip had slid 7.9 percent in October but has surged over 83 percent year-to-date. Wataniya Telecom dropped 20 fils in thin trading to wind up at KD Among other decliners, Gulf Cables plunged 100 fils trading in a broad 80 fils range and Kuwait Food Co (Americana) slid 80 fils to close at KD The stock has been losing heavily since the start of the week. Kuwait Foundry Co however gained 30 fils to end at KD The sentiments see-sawed right through the session as investors remained largely wary of the market direction. The index has slid 92 points since the start of the month and is trading 4.67 percent down yearto-date. KSE, after rallying strongly from March, has been losing ground since middle of June mainly owing to lack of strong cues to bolster the market confidence. Muted Banking stocks remained muted with almost half of the counters closing flat. National Bank of Kuwait held the ground unchanged at KD and Gulf Bank followed suit to close at KD after eking slight gains in the previous session. The lender posted a volume turnover of 1.8 million shares. Al Ahli Bank and Bank of Kuwait and Middle East both closed flat at KD while Commercial Bank slipped 10 fils to wind up at KD The lender has edged 1 percent lower during October and is trading 16 percent lower since the close of Burgan Bank fell 5 fils to close at KD after fluctuating in a 5 fils range while Kuwait Finance House bucked the downtrend to climb 20 fils. It winded up at with a volume turnover of 1.6 million shares. Boubyan Bank was down 10 fils at KD In the bourse related news, Abraj Holding Company has announced its interim financial statements for the periods ended September 30, In the three-month period it incurred a net loss of KD 1,849,777 and loss per share of fils compared to a net profit of KD 103,224 and earnings per share of 0.76 fils for the same period in In the ninemonth period the net loss worked out at KD 9,388,032 and loss per share of fils. KSE listed Ahli United Bank has logged a net profit of KD 11,597,543 and earnings per share of 2.4 fils in the three-month period ended September 30, Dubai gains 0.7 pct, Saudi retreats GCC bourses close mixed DUBAI, Nov 10, (RTRS): Kuwaiti mobile telephone firm Zain s plunged on Tuesday on a negative revenue outlook and stagnation in plans to buy Syria s top telecoms company. Kuwait s index edged down under pressure from Zain, United Arab Emirates and Qatari markets rose, while Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Oman fell as volatility continued to dent investor sentiment in the Gulf Arab region despite improving volumes. Zain s chief executive said on Monday that the global financial crisis could cut $1 billion from its forecast revenue of $9 billion in Saad al-barrak also said that Zain had held talks to buy Syriatel but the talks have been postponed for reasons he did not reveal. The stock tumbled 7 percent and the index eased 0.24 percent to 7,255 points buoyed by the top two banking stocks. Kuwait has its own dynamic and the market has unfortunately been influenced by the Zain issue, says Rami Sidani, head of investment at Schroders Middle East. The market is dominated by investment companies and many of them hold the stock. Dubai s index advanced again after receiving a confidence boost from assurances by the ruler on debt obligations. Dubai s index rose 0.7 percent on Tuesday, spurred by bellwether Emaar Properties which advanced 2.3 percent. Abu Dhabi s market climbed 0.7 percent also on gains by top developer Aldar Properties which surged 3.8 percent. Emirates Telecommunication (Etisalat) climbs 0.4 percent after its chairman said on compared to a net profit of KD 19,767,536 and earnings per share of 4.2 fils for the same period in In the nine-month period the company notched a net profit of KD 53,092,709 and earnings per share stood at 11.1 fils. Investment major KIPCO fell 5 fils after stagnating on Monday. It ended at KD while National Investment Co slid 25 fils to close at KD Securities House Company rose 10 fils with low trading volume while Kuwait Middle East and Financial Investment Co edged 5 fils higher. International Investment Group took in 1 fils whereas Aayan Leasing and Investment Co did not budge from its previous close of KD Bayan Investment Co fell 1 fils to KD after posting a volume turnover of 13.1 million shares while Global Investment House closed unchanged at KD The investment banker has incurred a net loss of KD 5.6 million in the third-quarter while in the nine months the losses came in at KD million. The firm said that its total debt to be restructured stands at about KD 500 million. Posted Al Madar For Finance and Investment Co fell 3 fils to KD while Al Deera Holding dropped 6 fils to KD Al Safat Investment Co did not Tuesday it was investing to boost its fibre optic network. Saudi Arabia s index closed 0.6 percent lower partly due to a pause in U.S. markets after a 13-month high on Monday. Regional markets have been tracking international markets since the financial crisis struck and the correlation has increased drastically to a virtually day to day basis, said Shakeel Sarwar, head of asset managemet at Sico investment bank. Qatar s index gained momentum from heavyweights Industries Qatar and Qatar Gas Transport (Nakilat), which rose 1.9 percent and 1.7 percent respectively. Tuesday s highlight Dubai The index rose 0.7 percent to 2,170 points. Abu Dhabi The measure increased 0.7 percent to 2,968 points Qatar The benchmark rose 0.6 percent to 7,055 points. Saudi Arabia The benchmark retreated 0.6 percent to 6,239 points. Kuwait The index fell 0.2 percent to 7,255 points. Oman The index declined 0.03 percent to 6,290 points. Bahrain The measure declined 0.7 percent to 1,488 points. move in either direction and so did Al Madina For Finance and Investment Co. Noor Financial Investment Co was unchanged at KD Markaz Real Estate Fund has posted net profit of KD 587,870 in the three-month period ended Sep 30, 2009 with earnings per share of 28 fils compared to a net profit of KD 472,309 and earnings per share of 20 fils for the same period in In the nine-month period the company incurred a net loss of KD 2,048,247 with loss per share of 99 fils. National Industries Company has announced its interim financial statements for the periods ended September 30, In the three-month period the net profit reached KD 1,987,735 and earnings per share of 5.77 fils compared to a net profit of KD 587,831 and earnings per share of 1.71 fils for the same period in In the nine-month the net loss reached KD 429,650 with loss per share of 1.25 fils. The market opened on a flat note but rose briefly above the red in early trading helped by bargain buying in select scrips. The index however failed to hold on to its gains and slid sharply as a bout of sell-offs hit the trading floor. It bottomed out at points and recovered slightly and traded sideways thereafter. The market went through another shallow trough before closing with moderate losses. Name: Kuwait Sharia Compatible Indices Providers: Al Madar Finance & Investment Co. Description: Index of Sharia compatible companies traded on the KSE Website: Today s Previous Bloomberg Today s closing closing % 1-week 3-month YTD 12-month 24-month Index name ticker value as of value value change change change change change change Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Composite AMIC Nov 10, % -2.05% % 1.90% % % Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Kuwait Only AMIC Nov 10, % -2.10% % 2.27% % % Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Active AMIC Nov 10, % 2.32% % 4.51% % % Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Banking Sector AMIC Nov 10, % 1.38% -5.35% 4.32% % % Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Investment Sector AMIC Nov 10, % 2.88% % % % % Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Insurance Sector AMIC Nov 10, % -2.04% -2.04% 0.18% 23.72% % Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Real Estate Sector AMIC Nov 10, % 0.45% % % % % Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Industrial Sector AMIC Nov 10, % 0.16% -8.43% 18.72% -8.08% % Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Services Sector AMIC Nov 10, % -3.92% % 9.26% -6.91% % Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Food Sector AMIC Nov 10, % % % -3.99% % % Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Islamic Sector AMIC Nov 10, % 1.63% -9.71% -5.53% % % Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Non Kuwaiti Sector AMIC Nov 10, % -0.69% % % % % Kuwait Stock Exchange Index - Price KWSEIDX Nov 10, , , % 0.18% -7.66% -6.78% % % S&P 500 SPX Nov 9, , , % 4.81% 9.93% 22.73% 17.41% % DJ Islamic Index. DJIM Nov 9, , , % 4.58% 11.13% 30.12% 30.23% %

42 BUSINESS 42 Qatar Commercial Bank sets price guidance UK insurers oppose hybrid bond A trader works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange before the closing bell, in New York City. (AFP) Commercial Bank of Qatar has set price guidance on benchmark five-year and 10- year bond issues, a banker familiar with the deal said on Tuesday. Guidance on the five-year issue was set at mid-swaps plus basis points (bps), while the 10-year subordinate bond issue has been set at mid-swaps plus 400 bps, the banker said, adding the transaction could be priced later today. The bank has a $380 million loan maturing this month, according to financial statements on its website. Gulf issuance of conventional as well as Islamic bonds this year has remained well below 2008 levels, but a growing appetite for emerging market debt has encouraged more bond issuance this quarter. Qatar s third-largest lender by market value last week kicked off a series of roadshows in the United States to gauge investor appetite for the bond, which will be listed on the London Stock Exchange. Benchmark is generally deemed to be about $500 million. (RTRS) The Association of British Insurers said on Tuesday its members were against including a new type of hybrid bond, so-called contingent convertibles, in bond indexes. Our members are strongly opposed, at this present time, to these instruments being included in bond indices, the ABI said in a statement. The ABI said if contingent convertibles were included in indexes this would effectively require some bond investors to buy these instruments and subsequently to become forced sellers if and when they convert into equity. The contingent convertibles form part of a cash raising planned by British bank Lloyds. (RTRS) the bottomline US, Europe stock markets weaken, SINGAPORE: Yahoo Inc Chief Executive Carol Bartz promised Tuesday to turn around the struggling Internet company after this year s terrible performance. Bartz reiterated her goal to boost operating profit margin to between 15 percent and 20 percent within the next two or three years by spurring revenue and cutting costs. That would be a sharp improvement over this year s margins of 6 percent a result she described as terrible, terrible. Yahoo is certainly poised to execute financially, Bartz said at a luncheon hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore. We saw the economy stabilize in the last quarter and that feels really good. Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Yahoo has been losing ground to Google Inc. and other hot Web sites, such as Facebook. Yahoo expects revenue to fall in 2009 by 11 percent to $6.4 billion, despite trimming its work force by 13 percent, or 2,000 jobs in the past year. (AP) BRUSSELS: EU antitrust regulators said Tuesday that they are investigating whether Thomson Reuters Corp is breaking monopoly abuse rules by preventing customers from applying their own codes to financial market datafeeds. Thomson Reuters said it would fully cooperate with the investigation. The probe centers on real-time market datafeeds on trading prices that news and information provider Thomson Reuters supplies to financial customers. EU spokesman Jonathan Todd said it involves the data piped to banks internal computer systems, not the company s terminals. The European Commission says it wants to check if the company locks in customers because it may make it difficult for them to use their own or other software to translate the Reuters Instrument Codes (RIC) that identify the securities and where they are traded. (AP) LONDON: Tesco, Britain s largest retailer, is growing market share in its core grocery business for the first time in almost two years, market researchers TNS Worldpanel said on Tuesday. Tesco s sales rose 4.7 percent in the 12 weeks to Nov 1, ahead of the market average of 4.4 percent, helped by the expansion of its Clubcard loyalty scheme in August, TNS said. This nudged its market share up to 30.7 percent from 30.6 percent at the same time last year. Tesco continued to lag its main rivals over the 12-week period. However, analysts said data from the last four weeks put Tesco ahead of J Sainsbury. Sales at upmarket chain Waitrose surged 12.3 percent over the 12-week period, its best performance since September 2005 and a sign recessionary pressures are easing. (RTRS) BRUSSELS: The European Commission and Oracle Corp entered a war of words Tuesday after the company criticized EU regulators objection to its takeover of Sun Microsystems. Oracle said Monday that a formal antitrust charge sheet from the European Commission laying out problems with the proposed $7.4 billion acquisition of Sun Microsystems Inc reveals profound misunderstanding of both database competition and open source dynamics. The European Commission, the executive branch of the EU, replied Tuesday that such criticism was facile and superficial. EU spokesman Jonathan Todd said regulators were obliged to investigate a whole series of complaints from customers of these companies expressing their concerns that Oracle s purchase of open-source database software MySQL could eliminate a crucial rival. (AP) LONDON: British mobile phone giant Vodafone said Tuesday that net profits soared 125 percent during its first half, adding that it planned to double annual cost savings to two billion pounds. Profit after tax soared to 4.82 billion (5.35 billion euros, 8.03 billion dollars) in the six months to Sept 30 compared with 2.14 billion in the equivalent period a year earlier, Vodafone said in a statement. Net earnings were skewed largely owing to a huge write-off linked to its Turkish business a year earlier but a nine percent increase in group revenues to 21.8 billion did contribute to the group s strong interim profits. Operating profit rose 2.9 percent to 7.5 billion during the first half, while revenues climbed 9.3 percent to billion. (AFP) TOKYO: Local media reports that Toyota Motor Corp. is shutting 300 dealerships in Japan over the next three years. Toyota is the world s biggest automaker and has 4,000 dealerships nationwide but is expecting its second straight year of losses for the fiscal year through March Kyodo News, reporting out of Nagoya, central Japan, did not identify the source of the information, and calls to Toyota offices in Japan went unanswered late Tuesday. The company managed to post a betterthan-expected profit for the second fiscal quarter, and recently trimmed its projected loss for the fiscal year to 200 billion yen ($2.2 billion) less than half the 450 billion yen ($5 billion) of red ink it had expected earlier. (AP) DALLAS: The CEO of American Airlines says Japan Airlines would be taking a risk and suffer financially if it breaks ties with American and joins an alliance with Delta Air Lines. Gerard Arpey said Monday that American and its partner airlines produce hundreds of millions of dollars of value for JAL and want to strengthen their ties. Arpey made the comments in Mexico City at a meeting of the oneworld alliance of global airlines, which includes American, British Airways and JAL. Delta belongs to another alliance, SkyTeam, and is trying to lure JAL away from oneworld. American and Delta have battled over JAL for several weeks, largely in private. Arpey s remarks elevated the fight by marking the most detailed public comments by either CEO. (AP) SINGAPORE: Singapore Airlines (SIA) on Tuesday said losses in the second quarter narrowed from the previous three months and forecast travel demand to improve. The flag carrier said in a statement it lost million Singapore dollars (114.5 million US) in the July-September period compared with a net loss of million dollars in the previous quarter. SIA had made a net profit of million dollars for the same quarter last year. It earned revenues of 3.08 billion dollars during the September quarter, down from 4.38 billion dollars year ago, but up 210 million dollars from April-June, SIA said. The carrier, which is consistently ranked among the best by travellers, has been squeezed badly by a steep decline in demand amid the global economic slump. (AFP) SEOUL: Korean Air, South Korea s biggest airline, said Tuesday it posted a third-quarter net profit compared with a big loss the year before thanks to cheaper fuel costs and a stronger local currency. Korean Air Lines Co. earned 264 billion won ($227.6 million) in the three months ended Sept. 30, the company said in a regulatory filing. Korean Air posted net loss of billion won a year earlier. Revenue, however, fell 10 percent to 2.48 trillion won from 2.76 trillion won the year before. It was Korean Air s second straight profit after six straight quarterly losses. The airline s third-quarter loss last year was its worst in 14 years, resulting from high fuel costs and weakness in the South Korean won. (AP) Asian equities gain on G-20 pledge LONDON, Nov 10, (Agencies): US and European stock markets paused for breath and turned generally weaker Tuesday, after healthy gains a day earlier, with auto giant Volkswagen plunging 8.0 percent on a big share sale by Qatar. Asian exchanges by contrast gained ground earlier in the day, continuing to draw support from pledges by G20 finance ministers at the weekend to maintain official stimulus measures for the world s leading economies. Analysts said locking in profits after big gains was normal and pointed out that market sentiment remained bullish. The market continues to impress despite the big rally from the spring lows and the multitude of problems that face investors, said Wells Fargo Advisors senior equity market strategist Scott Marcouiller. Some analysts believe that Wall Street is setting the stage for a sustained year-end rally. This is a market that is being supported by the fear of missing out on further gains, even as many participants recognize that there is ample justification for the market to stall out, said Briefing.com s Patrick O Hare. An added factor in the market s favour right now is that it is entering what has traditionally been a strong seasonal period. US Investors cooled their buying of stocks and commodities, pausing from a surge that s carried major stock indexes to their highest levels in more than a year. Stocks slipped Tuesday, a day after the Dow Jones industrials shot up 200 points for the second time in three days. Following a recent pattern, the stock market on Monday took its cue from the dollar, driving higher as the dollar weakened. A modest rebound in the dollar Tuesday weighed on stocks. On Tuesday, investors increased their buying of safe-haven assets like the dollar and Treasurys. The ICE Futures US dollar index, which measures the dollar against other currencies, crept up less than 0.1 percent. People are reaching for a little less risk today after we ve had such a run, said Bill Stone, chief investment strategist at PNC Wealth Management. Record-low interest rates in the US and the resulting slide in the dollar have been major forces behind the surge in stocks over the past several months. A weaker dollar allows investors to borrow money cheaply, while the low interest rates also encourage them to hold any assets other than low-yielding cash, such as stocks, commodities and bonds. The falling dollar has enabled many investors to look past some of the economy s persistent trouble spots, including unemployment. The jobless rate rose to 10.2 percent in October, the highest level in 26 years. A number of market watchers still believe that the recent upsurge in stocks has been overdone given the weaknesses that remain Dollar up on buying, oil climbs above $80 pb in the economy, such as the large amounts of souring loans on banks balance sheets. In late morning trading, the Dow fell 10.28, or 0.1 percent, to 10, On Monday the Dow closed at its highest level since October The Standard & Poor s 500 index fell 3.30, or 0.3 percent, to 1,089.78, while the Nasdaq composite index fell 7.86, or 0.4 percent, to 2, In other trading, the Russell 2000 index of smaller companies rose 024, or 0.04 percent, to Europe European shares closed lower on Tuesday, snapping a four-day winning streak, weighed down by telecoms after disappointing results from Vodafone and mining stocks tracking weaker metal prices. The pan-european FTSEurofirst 300 index of top shares closed down 0.2 percent at 1, points. The benchmark index has gained nearly 57 percent since reaching a record low in early March and is up 21 percent for the year. We have had a fairly uncertain day, sometimes positive and sometimes negative. The market has been fairly indecisive about which way it wants to go. Much of it hinges on the progress Wall Street makes, said Mike Lenhoff, a strategist at Brewin Dolphin. I don t know how confident people feel. I think in many ways they are overwhelmed by the fact the market has been so defiant in its progress. Telecom stock featured among the biggest decliners. Vodafone slipped 1.5 percent after the group s earnings margin declined 2.1 percentage points, due to tough competition in emerging markets such as India and a turnaround plan in Turkey. Miners were on the downside after metal prices retreated. Anglo American, Antofagasta, Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation and Xstrata were down 1.4 to 2.5 percent. Carmakers were also lower, with Volkswagen down 8 percent. Qatar plans to sell up to half its Volkswagen preference shares, cashing in on recent gains and raising around 1.6 billion euros ($2.4 billion) for possible future deals. Volkswagen preference shares were down 15.8 percent. UK Britain s leading share index ticked down 0.1 percent on Tuesday, ending a four-day winning run, as weakness in miners and Vodafone offset strength in banks, underpinned by a strong update from HSBC. The FTSE 100 closed 4.63 points lower at 5,230.55, after hitting a two-week high earlier in the session. After last week s slew of economic data and Monday s big gains on the major indexes it s no surprise that today has really been a nothing day, said James Hughes, market analyst at CMC Markets. Investors booked profits on miners, which have risen 13 percent over the last five days, buoyed by the prospect of a recovery in demand and soaring metal prices. Sector fallers included Randgold Resources, down 4.2 percent after the gold miner posted higher output but lower-thanexpected profit in the third quarter. Fresnillo, Anglo American, Antofagasta, Xstrata, Eurasian Natural Resources and BHP Billiton dropped 0.3 to 3.7 percent. Japan Tokyo stocks rose Tuesday on optimism driven by a rally on Wall Street and a sense of relief about recent Japanese company earnings. The benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average added points, or 0.6 percent, to close at 9, The broader Topix index edged up 1.77 points, or 0.2 percent, to Among advancing stocks were financials, such as Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, which climbed 2.7 percent and Mizuho Financial Group, up 1.1 percent. Tokyo s market perked up after a jump in the Dow Jones index, which shot up 2 percent Monday to its best finish since Oct. 3, News that the Group of 20 countries will keep economic stimulus measures in place also helped investors sentiments. The earnings reports were better than expected, and that is sending a sense of relief on the Tokyo market, said Shinichiro Matsushita, analyst with Daiwa Securities Co. in Tokyo, while warning that Wall Street gains may not last. Recent earnings reports from major Japanese companies, including Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co., also helped. Auto shares were mixed in Tuesday s trading. Toyota slid 2.6 percent to 3,410 yen, although Honda added 0.7 percent to 2,850 yen. The rise in Tokyo share ran out of steam as it approached the psychologically significant 10,000 level, as investors wanted to take a wait-and-see view ahead of Japanese machinery orders data set to be released Wednesday. China China s shares rose for an eighth session Tuesday amid optimism ahead of the release of October s economic figures. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index added 0.1 percent, or 3.03 points, to close at 3, The Shenzhen Composite Index for China s smaller second market gained 0.36 percent, or 4.1 percent, to 1, Real estate developers, which are sensitive to interest rates, gained. Poly Real Estate Group was among the strongest performers, adding 2.86 percent to yuan. Oil Oil prices rose on Tuesday to above $80 a barrel after a late-season hurricane disrupted oil and gas output in the Gulf of Mexico and the dollar stayed close to a 15-month low. US crude for December delivery was up 92 cents to $80.35 a barrel by 1525 GMT, after trading most of the session below yesterday s close of $ London Brent crude was up $1.01 at $ Hurricane Ida, the first real weather threat to oil production of the 2009 season, was downgraded to a tropical depression on Tuesday, but output remained curtailed as producers awaited its passage out of the Gulf. Ida shut in 29.6 percent of oil production and 27.5 percent of gas output from the Gulf of Mexico, the US Minerals Management Service said Monday. Traders said other reasons for oil s gains were the dollar s ongoing weakness, which has also spurred gold to record highs above $1,100 an ounce. We ve held onto the hurricane gains, but the strength in gold above $1,100 and the weak dollar are the reasons we haven t come down more, said Christopher Bellew, a broker at Bache Commodities. The dollar rose on Tuesday from a 15- month low, but analysts said the trend of dollar weakness was still in place, potentially providing support for dollar-denominated commodities. Looking to the long term, the International Energy Agency published its annual World Energy Outlook on Tuesday, forecasting a rise in primary energy demand globally by 1.5 percent every year until 2030, and calling for $26 trillion in investment to meet the expected demand. Market reaction to the report was negligible because the annual report is a projection on the basis of a scenario, trying to look 20 years out, Harry Tchilinguirian, senior oil analyst at BNP Paribas, said. The latest snap shots on near-term fundamentals will come from US inventory data. Analysts predicted US crude oil inventories last week rose slightly because of higher imports, according to analysts polled by Reuters late on Monday. Industry group the American Petroleum Institute (API) will release weekly inventory data later on Tuesday, while a report from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) will be delayed from Wednesday to Thursday due to a federal holiday on Nov 11. Oil prices have more than doubled from a low of less than $33 touched in December, although they are still barely half their high of more than $147 a barrel touched in July last year. Currencies The European single currency lost ground against the dollar on Tuesday after a closelywatched survey showed sentiment among German investors dipped slightly in November. The euro was down at $ in late afternoon trading in London, compared to late in New York on Monday. The euro also lost against the Japanese unit, falling to yen from yen previously. The dollar meanwhile dipped to yen from yen late on Monday. The pound also dropped against both the dollar and the euro after international ratings agency Fitch warned Tuesday that Britain was the country most at risk of losing its toplevel AAA credit assessment. In London late on Tuesday, the euro was changing hands at $ against $ late on Monday, at yen (134.89), (0.8945) and Swiss francs (1.5115). The dollar stood at yen (89.95) and Swiss francs (1.0079). The pound was at $ (1.6759). Gold On the London Bullion Market, the price of gold dipped to $1, an ounce from $1, an ounce late on Monday. exchange rates Nov 10 BEC Muzaini Dollarco Commercial Bank Gulf Bank NBK Burgan Bank ABK Oman BEC Muzaini Dollarco Commercial Bank Gulf Bank NBK Burgan Bank ABK Oman BEC Muzaini Gulf Bank ABK Buy Sell Sell Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Sell Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell travellers cheques Cash Cash Cash US dollar Sterling pound Euro Japanese yen Swiss franc Canadian dollar Swedish kroner Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Danish kroner Indian rupee Pakistani rupee Sri Lanka rupee Bangladesh taka Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft BEC Commercial Bank Gulf Bank Al-Ahli Bank local gold BEC Muzaini Exchange Transfer Philippine peso Draft Cash Transfer Cash Transfer Cash Saudi riyal Draft Transfer Cash UAE dirham Draft Transfer Australian dollar Hong Kong dollar Singapore dollar Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Cash Bahraini dinar Draft Transfer Jordanian dinar Draft Transfer Cash Cash Omani riyal Draft Transfer Egyptian pound Draft Cyprus Pound Yemeni riyal Thai baht South African rand Korean won Syrian pound Iranian riyal Lebanese pound Malaysian ringgit Indonesian rupiah New Zealand dollar Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft US dollar Sterling Euro Gold 999 kg Gold tola 1, , Gold ounce Gold gm 22k Gold gm 21k Gold gm 18k gm gm All rates in KD per unit of foreign currency Transfer Transfer

43 INTERNATIONAL 43 Nuke race not in Tehran s interest: Clinton Israeli general says readying all options on Iran JERUSALEM, Nov 10, (Agencies): Israel is readying all options to try to force Iran to halt its atomic programme, Israel s top general told a parliamentary panel on Tuesday, an official said. He said he expected world leaders to decide by the close of 2009 which course of action to take to try to stop the Iranian programme, the Israeli official said, briefing reporters. We are readying all the options and decision-makers will have to consider which paths to take to stop Iran s nuclear development, Gabi Ashkenazi, chief-of-staff of Israel s armed forces told parliament s Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee. Hinting Israel was still weighing a military option to stop what Israel sees as a plan to produce nuclear weapons which Iran denies Ashkenazi suggested diplomatic or economic sanctions may also help. If the Iranians understand they will have to pay a steep price, it wouldn t be illogical or unreasonable to say they may change their current direction, the official quoted Ashkenazi as saying. Israel routinely declines comment on international assessments that it currently possesses the region s only nuclear arsenal, of more than 100 atomic warheads. Ashkenazi said Iran plays an active role in what he called a battle being waged between radicals and moderates for hegemony in the Middle East and is a key supplier of weapons to two arch enemy militias of Israel s the Hezbollah guerrillas of Lebanon and the Islamist Hamas group in the Gaza Strip. Israel cites Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad s repeated calls for the destruction of the Jewish state as a clear sign that Iranian nuclear weapons, if they are made, would threaten the country s existence. We cannot protect the entire country with an iron dome, he said, using the name of an interceptor system for short-range rockets that Israel has plans to deploy in two years time. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said pursuing nuclear weapons was not in Iran s own interest as she pressed for Tehran to accept a UN-backed deal. Clinton said in a television interview aired late Monday that the United States has many reasons for distrusting Iran, including its support for terrorism, such as its backing for the Islamic movements Hezbollah and Hamas. We ve always said that every option is on the table. Our goal is to prevent or dissuade Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, Clinton told The Charlie Rose Show on public broadcaster PBS during a visit to Germany. Clinton said President Barack Obama s administration has tried to create a new dynamic by telling Iran, Look, we don t have to trust or love each other to understand that it is in our interest to try to stabilize the world. It is not in Iran s interest to have a nuclear arms race in the Gulf, where they would be less secure than they are today. It is not in Iran s interest, to the Iranian people s interest, to be subjected to very onerous sanctions, she said. Iran said on Tuesday that three arrested American hikers committed the crime of entering the country illegally, even as they are also reported to be facing other possible charges. The crime they committed is of illegally entering Iranian territory. The other things are at the level of accusations, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki told reporters, indicating that the trio may not have been formally charged with spying as reported on Monday. The judiciary is examining their case... but what is important is the verdict which will be pronounced against them, Mottaki said. Iranian forces in July captured Shane Bauer, 27, Sarah Shourd, 31, and Josh Fattal, 27, near the border with Iraq. On Monday, Tehran s chief prosecutor Abbas Jaffari Doulatabadi said investigations were continuing. The three Americans arrested near the border of Iran and Iraq are facing accusations of spying and the inquiry is continuing, he was quoted by the official IRNA news agency as saying. Washington has repeatedly called for their swift release, saying they are innocent hikers and were wrongly detained. Day by Day Continued from Page 1 to the rise of stock market indices in various parts of the world. We urge our finance minister and CBK governor to take note of the aforementioned events to realize the need to subsidize the local stock market; otherwise, we will incur further losses and witness a disaster for which they will be held liable. Both officials should issue factual statements, instead of whining about public funds. They should refrain from issuing nonsensical statements about the tycoons and other beneficiaries. We incurred huge losses after investing public money in other countries. If we had only used this money to help local companies, we would have regained our confidence, which we have lost due to the negligence of the concerned authorities. Forgive us! Zahed Matar ahmed@aljarallah.com For success Continued from Page 1 government which is not ready to give in to any regional agenda in Lebanon. A popular adage says a person without a back beats his stomach. Al-Hariri s government should be decisive so it would not beat its stomach and avoid the ugly situation that Lebanon has found itself over the last four years. It should live up to the expectations of the electorate who bestowed their trust in the authority despite the intention of the regional dreamers to manipulate the outcome of the elections. The new government has ample opportunity to meet the electors expectations. It should expose the location of explosives which the hired destroyers have been planting from time to time. It must close all worrisome doors because the international administration dictionary does not contain any terminology for trying to please everybody, while the fate of citizens does not lie in numerous tests. ahmed@aljarallah.com PM under Continued from Page 1 The prime minister also asked his lawyer to sue Muslim, the MP, in court for breaching the privacy of his bank accounts. However, five liberal, Islamist and nationalist opposition groups and a number of MPs have called on Sheikh Nasser, a nephew of the ruler, to resign, and also called for an investigation. Presenting funds by the prime minister to a member of parliament constitutes a flagrant breach of the constitution, morals and political principles, said the liberal National Democratic Alliance. The prime minister should apologise to the political leadership and to the Kuwaiti people and resign, the Alliance added. The nationalist Popular Action Bloc, headed by veteran opposition MP Ahmad al- Saadoun, called for a probe into the cheque and for the issue to be referred to the courts. In March, Muslim filed to question the prime minister over charges that the staff of his office misappropriated tens of millions of dollars of public funds in the run-up to a 2008 general election. At the same time, the lawmaker alleged that Sheikh Nasser had issued cheques to at least three MPs without providing any evidence. The allegations, along with two more requests filed by other opposition MPs to quiz the prime minister, led HH the Amir to dissolve parliament and call for snap polls. Kuwait has been rocked by a series of political crises since Sheikh Nasser was appointed prime minister in February Over the period, parliament was dissolved three times and six cabinets were formed. Meanwhile, speaker of the National Assembly Jassem Al-Khorafi on Tuesday described recent reports about the government readiness to face possible MP s interpellations as good a sign. In response to questions by reporters regarding recent remarks by Sheikh Nasser affirming his personal readiness to face such interpellations, the speaker stated, These are good signs and by the will of (His Almighty) Allah the atmosphere will be non-cloudy. Local newspapers have affirmed the government readiness to face any possible interpellation by the MPs regarding its work and platform. Sheikh Nasser s lawyer has recently issued a lengthy legal response to a revelation of a check bearing his name, affirming that Sheikh Nasser as a national enjoys full rights to issue checks and spend his personal money the way he wishes, according to the law. Government officials have repeatedly called for focus of administrative work on execution of long-shelved development schemes. Pilgrims snub Continued from Page 1 pilgrimage despite a global outbreak of the H1N1 flu virus. Little fazed by the spread of the virus, Sharif, who has been waiting for two years to be selected from a raffle of 5,000 Kurdish Iraqis to visit Makkah, wears a protection mask but never thought for a second of delay- ing his pilgrimage. This year I was chosen so I came, I could not say no. The happiness of being chosen is stronger than fear (of illness), said Sharif in a muffled voice through his medical mask. Since the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the virus a pandemic in June, experts feared that the 3 million pilgrims, from over 160 countries, congregating around Mecca s holy sites this month will aid in the transmission of the virus, initiate waves of outbreaks worldwide and strain healthcare systems. In June, the Saudi authorities advised persons over 65 and under 12, as well as people suffering from terminal illness, and pregnant women, to postpone their pilgrimage. Several Muslim countries also imposed similar restrictions on their pilgrims and Tunisia barred its citizens from this year s ritual. About 580,000 pilgrims have so far arrived to the Western region of Saudi Arabia, site of the two holy mosques in Mecca and Medina, in preparation for the pilgrimage that will start on Nov 26. Saudi authorities have tightened health measures at the airports and sea port where pilgrims arrive. At Jeddah airport the Health Ministry increased medical staff by 22 percent from the previous year to 568 that includes doctors, nurses, lab technicians and pharmacists. Upon arrival, pilgrims pass by thermal censors installed at the end of each jetway to detect their temperature. If a pilgrim was found to have a temperature above 38 degrees, an alarm will sound and the pilgrim will be taken aside for examination. If the fever is accompanied by symptoms of the flu... they will take a swab and confirm the case either negative or positive. If found positive, they will keep him under observation for five days and give him treatment, said Mohamed Al-Harti, health manager at King Abdulaziz airport. King Saud Hospital in Jeddah, created especially to cater for H1N1 cases during the haj, currently has up to 300 beds but officials say that no confirmed cases have been recorded yet. Health authorities have stopped announcing the number of people who have caught the virus but there are 66 deaths related to the virus in Saudi Arabia so far. This month, the authorities approved a GlaxoSmithKline s vaccine for the H1N1 virus and launched a national vaccination campaign among its population of nearly 25 million people. Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates has said everyone going on the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia must be vaccinated against swine flu before leaving the country, a newspaper reported on Tuesday. We have decided to make it mandatory for the haj pilgrims to take the swine flu vaccine in order to protect them, protect their families and protect all those around them, Mahmoud Fikri, chairman of the National Committee for Combatting Swine Flu, was quoted as saying by The National. This year s haj, in the last week of November, will see some three million pilgrims descend on the Muslim holy city of Mecca, including around a million from within Saudi Arabia itself. The UAE on Monday launched a campaign to increase awareness about A(H1N1) and the importance of vaccination, the newspaper said. Members of the UAE s official haj delegation were vaccinated at Abu Dhabi airport on Monday before leaving for Saudi Arabia. Pilgrims can be inoculated free of charge at four centres in Dubai and 30 elsewhere in the UAE, the newspaper said. Vaccines The World Health Organization said Tuesday it expects drug maker GlaxoSmithKline to complete shipping donations of swine flu vaccine for poor countries by May 2010 almost a year after the pandemic was declared. The global body hopes to start receiving the first of 50 million doses from Glaxo in late November or early December, said WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl. Qaeda chief Continued from Page 1 Tuesday denied reports he will form an alliance with the nation s leading Shiite parties ahead of national polls in January. Nouri al-maliki said the suggestions that he will create an election bloc with the rival Shiites of the Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council and the followers of anti-american cleric Muqtada al-sadr, are not true. But al-maliki also welcomed all parties including his Shiite rivals to come under the umbrella of his party for the vote or afterward. We said if they want to form fronts now, they are welcome to, and if they want to form them after elections, they are also welcome to do so, al-maliki told reporters. The door is open for all. A British army veteran blames his fellow soldiers for the 2003 death of an Iraqi detainee. Garry Reader has told a public inquiry into the death of 26-year-old hotel receptionist Baha Mousa that he saw two soldiers beat and kick the prisoner only minutes before he died. Mousa died in the custody of British troops following a raid on his hotel in the southern Iraq city of Basra in September His death led to Britain s first war crime conviction. Meanwhile, an oil dispute between Iraqi Kurdistan and the central government in Baghdad is unlikely to be resolved by the elections on Jan 21, 2010, the autonomous A grab taken from a video released on the Internet by Al-Huthi rebels media group and obtained by AFP on Nov 10, allegedly shows a wounded Saudi soldier who was captured by the Yemeni Shiite rebels during clashes on the border in an undisclosed location. (AFP) Saudis impose Continued from Page 1 An adviser to the Saudi government told The Associated Press on Tuesday the kingdom s warships had been ordered to search any suspected ship sailing near the Yemeni coast for weapons or fighters destined to aid the rebels. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya satellite television also reported the blockade. Seized Saudi Arabia said on Tuesday it would continue its offensive against Yemeni rebels unless they retreated well away from its borders, after insurgents said they had seized more territory near the world s largest oil exporter. Saudi Arabia is getting increasingly drawn into a conflict to its south between the Yemeni government and Shiite Muslim rebels, which Riyadh fears could weaken the kingdom s stability. We will not stop the air strikes until they retreat tens of kilometres away from the Saudi border, said Prince Khaled bin Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz, assistant minister for defence and aviation, speaking on Al Arabiya television. Prince Khaled also said the kingdom had fully secured its border against rebel incursions. Multi-drug resistant bacteria kills 25,000 a year in Europe Antibiotic overuse a threat in medicine LONDON, Nov 10, (RTRS): Overuse of antibiotics in Europe is building widespread resistance and threatening to halt vital medical treatments such as hip replacements, intensive care for premature babies and cancer therapies, health experts say. Dominique Monnet of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control s (ECDC) scientific advice unit said the whole span of modern medicine is under threat because bugs are become resistant to antibiotics, rendering the drugs useless. If this wave of antibiotic resistance gets over us, we will not be able to do organ transplants, hip replacements, cancer chemotherapy, intensive care and neonatal care for premature babies, he told reporters at a briefing. Antibiotics are needed in all these treatments to prevent bacterial infection. But drug-resistant bacteria are a growing problem in hospitals worldwide, marked by the rise of superbugs such as methicillinresistant Staphyloccus aureus (MRSA). region s leader said Tuesday. I do not think the differences between our autonomous region and the federal government will be resolved by the elections, Kurdish regional president Massud Barzani told members of the European parliament in Brussels. I don t think that can be done in coming months, he said. Last month, Iraqi Kurdistan halted oil exports due to a payment dispute with Baghdad. The two sides have clashed over how oil revenues should be distributed and Kurdish authorities have said they will not resume crude exports until Baghdad pays the foreign energy companies which are pumping the oil. In another development, Iraq has arrested 73 people suspected of playing a direct role in two massive bombs that killed more than 150 people in Baghdad on Oct 25, Prime Minister Nuri al-maliki said on Tuesday. They are suspected of working on the orders of the outlawed Baath party of executed dictator Saddam Hussein, and included members of Al-Qaeda, Maliki told reporters in Baghdad. Such infections kill about 25,000 people a year in Europe and around 19,000 in the United States. On top of the risks to future treatments, Monnet said the costs of antibiotic resistance were already hurting and may hit healthcare budgets across the European Union yet harder if the problem is not addressed. The six most common multi-drug-resistant bacteria often referred to as superbugs cause around 400,000 infections a year in Europe, killing around 25,000 people and using 2.5 million hospital days a year. The ECDC, which monitors and advises on disease in EU, calculates that with a hospital day costing an average of 366 euros ($548), superbug infections are already sucking up 900 million euros a year in extra hospital costs, and a further 600 million euros a year in lost productivity. Across the European Union the number of patients infected by resistant bacteria is increasing and that antibiotic resistance is Yemeni rebels said on Tuesday they had taken full control of the Qatabar directorate, which lies in the mountainous northern province of Saada where most recent fighting has taken place, and borders Saudi Arabia. On Sunday Saudi Arabia said it had regained control of Jabal Dukhan, which was seized by rebels last week in a cross-border incursion, after the kingdom launched air strikes on rebels in northern Yemen. Riyadh is becoming increasingly anxious about instability in Yemen, which is facing the Shiite insurgency in the north, separatist sentiment in the south and a growing threat from resurgent al-qaeda fighters. On their website, the rebels said Saudi fighter planes continued to bomb Yemeni villages on Tuesday, killing two women and wounding a child. The 1,500 kms (930 miles) frontier between Yemen and Saudi Arabia is a security worry for the kingdom, which is building a high-tech border fence to prevent infiltration. In the past few weeks the Shiite rebels have accused Saudi Arabia of allowing Yemeni forces to use its territory as a base to launch attacks against them and threatened to respond. The rebels first took up arms against President Ali Abdullah Saleh s government in 2004, citing political, economic and religious marginalisation by the Saudi- and Westernbacked administration. The conflict intensified in August when Yemen s army launched Operation Scorched Earth. Aid groups, which have been given limited access to the northern provinces, say up to 150,000 people have fled their homes since Yemeni Shiite rebels said two women were killed and a child was wounded in Saudi air strikes on Yemeni villages near the two countries border on Tuesday. One of the raids hit a house, martyring two women and wounding a child in Shida, the rebels said in a statement posted on their website, adding that a government building was targeted in the village. Shooter s terror Continued from Page 1 Even as Obama honored the dead, there was government finger-pointing over what had been known about Hasan and whether he should have been investigated further. US officials said a Pentagon worker on a terrorism task force had looked into Hasan s a major threat to public health, the ECDC said. Britain s government was criticised by a parliamentary committee on Tuesday for failing to tackle the majority of hospitalacquired infections by narrowing its focus to two high profile ones MRSA and Clostridium difficile. The ECDC is planning an antibiotic awareness campaign on Nov 18 to urge doctors to stop overprescribing antibiotics. Patients demanding antibiotics for viral infections often are not aware that they will not work, it said, but doctors are and should stop giving in to pressure. Sarah Earnshaw of the ECDC s communications unit, pointed to a 2002 survey that showed 60 percent of patients do not know that antibiotics do not work against viruses like flu and colds. Patients often demand antibiotics, she said. And doctors often think, she said, that giving in is a quicker way to deal with a demanding patients than persuading them otherwise. background months ago and had concluded he did not merit further investigation. Two officials said the group had been notified of communications between Hasan and a radical Islamist imam overseas and the information had been turned over to a Defense Criminal Investigative Service employee assigned to the task force. The two spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the investigation. Meanwhile, The Washington Post reported Tuesday that Hasan warned his medical colleagues a year and a half ago that to decrease adverse events the US military should allow Muslim soldiers to be released as conscientious objectors instead of fighting in wars against other Muslims. Hasan, an Army psychiatrist, made the recommendation in a culminating presentation to senior Army doctors at Walter Reed Medical Center, where he spent six years as an intern, resident and fellow before being transferred to Fort Hood. Obama remembered the slain not as shooting victims but as husbands and fathers, immigrants and scholars, optimists and veterans of the war in Iraq. He cited one woman who was pregnant when she was gunned down. The president spoke to loved ones left behind, saying: Here is what you must also know: Your loved ones endure through the life of our nation. Every evening that the sun sets on a tranquil town; every dawn that a flag is unfurled; every moment that an American enjoys life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness that is their legacy, he said. He named and described each victim, including Chief Warrant Officer Michael Cahill, a physician s assistant back at work just weeks after having a heart attack; Maj Libardo Eduardo Caraveo, who spoke little English when he arrived in the United States from Mexico but earned a Ph.D and helped combat units cope with the stress of deployment; Pfc. Aaron Nemelka, an Eagle Scout who signed up to do one of the most dangerous jobs in the service defuse bombs. Later, the president and first lady went to a military hospital to meet with those still recovering from wounds incurred during the attack. Also: WASHINGTON: A US Marine is under arrest on suspicion of killing a fellow marine by hitting him on the head, said a spokesman at the Marine base in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Private Jonathan Law, 21, is under arrest for the alleged murder of Corporal Joshua E. Hartzell, 22, said base public affairs officer Captain Timothy Patrick. An initial autopsy indicated that Hartzell died from blunt force trauma to the head, Patrick said in a statement late Monday. Law apparently tried to commit suicide, but was treated at a hospital and is now being held on murder charges. Camp Lejeune military police were called at 1:00 am Friday regarding a disturbance at the French Creek barracks, and rushed to the site along with emergency paramedics. When they arrived they found Law with apparent self-inflicted wounds and Hartzell s body in the woods across the street from the barracks, Patrick said. Law was rushed to the Camp Lejeune hospital, then flown to civilian hospital in Greenville, North Carolina. Afterwards, he was read his rights and arrested for suspicion of murder, Patrick said. Qaeda inciting Continued from Page 1 danger of Iran and those who follow (the Shiite) faith in the region, Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman al-rashid, leader of al-qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, said in an audio recording carried by SITE Intelligence group. Do you not see and hear the Huthis aspirations in Yemen and their incursion against Sunnis? He was referring to Shiite Zaidi rebels, loyal to commander Abdul-Malek al-huthi, who have been embroiled in a war with Sunni-ruled Yemen s army in north of the country. Rashid said the Shiite branch of Islam had helped facilitate the US-led invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. They (Shiites) are being driven by a greed to take over Muslim countries and they are full of a wish to annihilate Sunnis, he said. Their threat to Islam and its people is much bigger than that from Jews and Christians. Eat slow Continued from Page 1 studies have supported this notion, Dr Alexander Kokkinos, the lead researcher on the study, said in a written statement. What has been missing, however, is biological evidence that a leisurely meal is better for appetite control, according to Kokkinos and his colleagues at Athens University Medical School in Greece and the Imperial College London in the UK. To study the question, the researchers had 17 healthy men eat a generous portion of ice cream under two different conditions: in one, they ate the treat in two servings over 5 minutes; in the other, they ate it in small servings over 30 minutes. Although the groups feelings of fullness and hunger did not seem to differ, the researchers found that when the men ate slowly, they showed higher blood levels of two hormones peptide YY (PYY) and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) for roughly three hours after the meal. Newswatch Continued from Page 1 SYDNEY: An Australian student has created what is thought to be the world s first iphone worm, which replaces the popular device s wallpaper with a picture of 1980s pop icon Rick Astley. Ashley Towns, a 21-year-old technical college student who lives with his family near Sydney, said he concocted the worm, which can spread from phone to phone, to raise awareness about security. This virus pretty much exploits people s laziness to change their password, he said, according to public broadcaster ABC. (AFP) THE HAGUE, Netherlands: Dutch prosecutors said Tuesday they have arrested a 43-yearold Somali man wanted by US authorities for allegedly financing Islamic extremist terrorists. Prosecutors said in a statement the man lived in Minneapolis before leaving the United States in November 2008 and arrived in the Netherlands about one month later. The identity of the man, who was arrested Sunday at an asylum seeker s center in Dronten 75 kms (45 miles) northeast of Amsterdam, was not released in line with Dutch privacy laws. (AP) LONDON: A senior British anti-terror chief says the country faces a growing threat from violent right-wing extremists operating alone. Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner John Yates says police are monitoring a number of potentially dangerous extremists. He says these people tend to act alone, without an organized network behind them. Yates was speaking Tuesday to lawmakers in Parliament. He said several such people had been arrested in the past few months. (AP) RICHMOND, Viriginia: Virginia s governor denied clemency Tuesday for sniper John Allen Muhammad, clearing the way for him to be executed for the attacks that terrorized the nation s capital region for three weeks in Muhammad is set to die by injection Tuesday night at Greensville Correctional Center in Jarratt. His attorneys had asked Gov Tim Kaine to commute his sentence to life in prison because they say he is mentally ill. The US Supreme Court turned down his final appeal. (AP) Earlier Story Page 14

44 LEISURE N E W Y O R K T I M E S CROSSWORD 44 Horoscope Sherman s Lagoon By J. P. Toomey Mutts By Patrick McDonnell Hagar The Horrible By Chris Browne Beetle Bailey By Mort Walker Garfield By Jim Davis Baby Blues By Rick Kirkman & Jerry Scott A Great Egret (Ardea alba) flies at Esteros del Ibera natural reserve an immense system of humedals located in the Argentine northeastern province of Corrientes, near the town of Carlos Pellegrini, on Nov 4. (AFP) dearabby Teenager wants old mom back By Abigail Van Buren Dear Abby: I m a 16-year-old girl whose parents have been married for almost 19 years. Mom started school two years ago to become a nurse. She has always been an independent woman, but since she went back to school and is making her own money, she feels the need to be more free. Mom works eight to 12 hours a day. She leaves early and comes home late. She never stays for dinner when she s home, nor does she do anything with us as a family anymore. She used to work in the same study as my dad, but she moved upstairs. She also won t sleep in the same bed as Dad. Mom is seeing a marriage counselor, and she wants a divorce and to move away. She says nothing is broken in the marriage and there s nothing to fix but why does she want to leave? She promises she won t see less of us, but she will be more than a half-hour away. She works nonstop and is constantly going out with her friends. I miss her, and I want my old Mom back! Is there any way I can stop her from going? Am I selfish for wanting her to stay? Shaken in Virginia Dear shaken: You are going through a rough period, and you have my sympathy. Your mother appears to be so preoccupied with herself that she has Word by Word Friend Numbers 5083 Five thousand and eighty-three (Sadeeq) A friend in need is a friend indeed. Sadeekoka al haq howa al sadeeq alathi yaqef ela jabebak fe al shadaed. Khamsat alaaf wa talath wa thamanon forgotten she s a mother. Under the circumstances, all of your feelings are normal. Of course you want your mother and your old life back, and those feelings aren t selfish. While you can t stop your mother from leaving, you can ask her if you can join her during a couple of her therapy sessions so you can air your feelings in a safe environment and get some of the answers you re looking for. There are Abigail Van Buren very real changes going on in your life and your parents. You deserve some answers, and you are old enough to hear them. Dear Abby: My boss wants my cell phone number for work purposes. He has trouble with limits, and I am reluctant to give it to him. I don t want to receive text messages, unsolicited calls or contact outside of work. My private life is just that private. I have kept an unlisted cell number for many years for good reason. I have a home phone and will answer it when the boss calls. I arrive promptly at work, but leave the job there. My privacy is important. I had a bad marriage, and there was stalking and invasion by my ex-husband. Those individuals who need my cell number have access to it. Am I out of line? I realize that many people use their cell phones as their only phones and others don t mind receiving calls, but am I required to do so? I think this has upset my boss even though I have explained my reason. I don t use my cell phone on the job; it s in my purse except during personal time (lunch, etc.). Must I give up my privacy to keep my job? Wants privacy Dear wants privacy: As long as your boss has your home phone and can reach you in case of some emergency, I see no reason why he should be pressuring you for your cell phone number. Stick to your guns and don t apologize for it. Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Write Dear Abby at or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA (Source: Universal Uclick) By Jacqueline Bigar Happy birthday for Wednesday, November 11, 2009: Many people support your long-term goals. In fact, so many that you might be taken aback. Knowing your long-term priorities might be instrumental. The first step is knowing your goals; step two is creating them. Confusion surrounds communication around home and family. Don t allow rifts to develop. If you are single, you ll meet someone through your friends. This person could be quite exciting and fun. If you are attached, socialize with couples and people you both enjoy more often. Don t become self-absorbed as a couple. You can count on Virgo. The Stars Show the Kind of Day You ll Have: 5- Dynamic; 4-Positive; 3-Average; 2-So-so; 1-Difficult. Capricorn - (Dec 22 - Jan 19): ***** You will want to fill in where you see a lack. In some cases, this could involve learning a new skill or learning more about a skill. In any case, detach enough from yourself to see where change might be needed. Tonight: Surf the Net. Put on some music. Aquarius - (Jan 20 - Feb 18): ***** Relate directly to those individuals in your life who make your life work. Do nothing halfway, and you will be much happier. If you give 100 percent and you experience a backfire, you can relax, because you know that you have given your best. Tonight: Togetherness is the theme. Pisces - (Feb 19 - Mar 20): **** Others want what they want. You could be conflicted. You might misunderstand what someone else says. In any case, you discover a lot about key associates and friends. In some cases, you actually might want to run away. Tonight: First decide what you want, then look at suggestions. Aries - (Mar 21 - Apr 19): **** Exciting defines your morning. Your sense of direction could be tested by a conversation. You need to do a reality check. Do you have all the facts? Be sensitive to the possibilities. The unexpected runs through your day as a theme. Tonight: Stick with a project. Taurus - (Apr 20 - May 20): ***** Allow more creativity and productivity into your life. Lots of ideas keep popping up. Think positively, and you might even surprise yourself with a solution. A boss or someone you look up to could be creating a lot of confusion. Tonight: Let the fun begin. Gemini - (May 21 - June 20): *** Home is where the heart is so much so, you might like to stay at your pad and work from home. Consider an office or home-based business. You might be much happier working from home than you think. Someone is giving a mixed message. Tonight: At home. Cancer - (June 21 - July 22): ***** Communication is starred. You hear news that takes you in a new direction. A partner might not want to see the facts as they are, and therefore is creating confusion. Be realistic. Tonight: Visit with a pal. Leo - (July 23 - Aug 22): *** Be aware of your financial involvements, especially if there is a hazy detail or question. Stay on top of your game; be willing to play devil s advocate and say no. A partner reacts out of the blue. Tonight: Invite a friend out for dinner. Virgo - (Aug 23 - Sept 22): ***** Your positive vibe allows greater give-and-take. You are on top of your game, no matter what occurs. Someone in your daily life is tossing a haze over a situation. The unexpected occurs when dealing with others. Tonight: Whatever makes your heart and mind smile. Libra - (Sept 23 - Oct 22): *** Take your time assessing a situation. Understand what is happening behind the scenes. You seem to know what to do in order to get the reaction you want. You easily misunderstand what someone says. This person s intentions are good. Tonight: Vanish while you can. Scorpio - (Oct 23 - Nov 21): ***** Zero in on what you want. Realize what must happen with a child or loved one. Examine your intentions with a family member. Do you have a personal agenda here? This person cannot get your message. Look to better communication as a path to success. Tonight: Midweek break. Sagittarius - (Nov 22 - Dec 21): **** All eyes look to you. Act like the boss, give orders like a boss, and you could achieve the type of success and respect you crave. The unexpected occurs at home when you least expect it. Maintain a sense of humor. Tonight: Burning the candle at both ends. Born today: Writer Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (1922), actor Jonathan Winters (1925), actress Demi Moore (1962) odds n ends BERKELEY, California: It was the roll of a lifetime. Hundreds of amateur sushi chefs at the University of California, Berkeley got their hands fishy Sunday as they assembled a 330-foot (101-meter) California roll. A university spokeswoman says Sunday s rice-and-seaweed monstrosity is the largest of its kind ever rolled, surpassing a 300-foot (91-meter) California roll made in Hawaii in Students used 200 pounds of rice, 80 pounds of avocado, 80 pounds of cucumber and 180 pounds of fish. And in a nod to the school s scores of vegetarians, the final 15 feet (4.6 meters) contained tofu instead of seafood. (AP) LAS VEGAS: Joey Chestnut maintained his dominance in the sport of competitive eating and expanded his palate by setting a new world record and winning the first-ever Martorano s Masters Meatball Eating Championship in Las Vegas. Chestnut on Sunday gobbled 50 meatballs in 10 minutes at the Rio All Suite Hotel & Casino. The 6.25 pounds (2.8 kilograms) was a new world record and earned him the first-place prize of $1,500. Pat Deep Dish Bertoletti finished in second place, just one meatball behind Chestnut. (AP) BRISBANE, Australia: It was just a routine car wash. Except there was no car and no clothing. Four Australian men who allegedly undressed and soaped up at a car wash have been charged with exposure and public nuisance. Police say the two 19-year-old and two 23-year-old men paid for a wash before stripping nude and cleaning themselves in the soapy water while their female companions took photos. Police arrived mid-cycle after being called Sunday by Smart Wash operators in the town of Biloela in Queensland state. The four men are due to appear in court next month. (AP)

45 SPORTS 45 Cold War politics played havoc with Drechsler s career Germany remembers rules of Wall games PARIS, Nov 10, (AFP): Retired long jump legend Heike Drechsler remembers her fears of being shot during the historic demonstrations that helped lead to the collapse of the Berlin Wall in Twenty years on, Drechsler looks back with pride at German reunification, but the years preceding the end of the Cold War were filled with fear for athletes isolated in the East. While democratic West Germany went on to football greatness at the World Cup of 1974, the Communist-ruled East won their duel when it came to the Drechsler Boys in high school sports more likely to fight, drink: study NEW YORK, Nov 10, (RTRS); Teenage boys involved in high school team sports are less likely to get depressed or smoke but they are more associated with increased fighting and binge drinking, according to a US study. The findings by Ohio s Injury Prevention Center, Rainbow Babies & Children s Hospital, conflict with the idea that getting high school students involved in team sports will help keep them away from drugs, alcohol and other unhealthy behaviors. Research presented on Monday at Olympics although it s now generally accepted that much of the East s success was the result of a programme of Statesponsored doping. Cold War politics played havoc with the career of East Germany-born Drechsler. Four years after the American-led boycott of the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, in protest at the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Russia snubbed the Los Angeles Games leaving East Germany a fellow absentee. Speaking in a Eurosport documentary to mark the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, Drechsler said: I was very disappointed. It would have been my first Olympic Games. I was in the shape of my life. In 1983, I became world champion and at these world championships I beat my main rivals, who were then successful at the Olympics. Competing for a unified Germany, Drechsler made amends by winning gold at Barcelona in 1992 and Sydney She has never forgotten the fear she felt during the demonstrations that eventually led to the fall of the Wall in November, We were afraid that people could be shot. We were afraid that the government might decide to react like in China where people were killed on the Tiananmen Square, she added. These were peaceful demonstrations, there were no riots, and then the way things evolved was like a historical phenomenon. Also born in the East, German swimmer Franziska Van Almsick enjoyed a happy childhood, which was nonetheless spiced with secret family visits to the West so we could at least see each other and hug each other. Retired since 2004, Van Almsick was the youngest member of a united Germany the American Public Health Association s annual meeting showed team sports participation can have both protective and risk-enhancing associations for high school students, said researcher Susan Connor. There is a lot of rhetoric that promotes sports team participation as a complete positive something that has no negative effects, Connor told Reuters Health. Sports participation is kind of almost rhetorically positioned as a panacea for social ills; it will stop crime and alcohol team at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 where she won a silver and bronze. Although experiencing a happy childhood, she said she was raised to believe that the West was the enemy. I played football in school and the ball was sometimes kicked over the wall, and the ball usually came back. When you are a kid you want to ask (how), said Van Almsick. We found it funny that the ball came back whereas we did not know what was on the other side. We never got any answers to that question. My mother explained me, and there and drug use. But all the bits and pieces of evidence suggest that s not really true. Connor and her colleagues analyzed survey responses from more than 13,000 US high school students who participated in a 2007 Youth Risk Behavioral Survey. Our hypothesis was that sports team participation would not be overwhelmingly positive but it would have positive and negative effects, which is just what we found, Connor said. About 60 percent of the boys surveyed participated in team sports in the past year. These male high school athletes were found to be 1.4 times more likely to binge drink and 1.3 times likelier to fight but less prone to suffer from depression or smoke, the study found. Among the high school girls surveyed, 48 percent reported being on one or more sports team in the past year and they were less likely to fight, smoke cigarettes or marijuana, feel depressed, or follow unhealthy weight loss practices. were always strange explanations, like they are not our friends. Although divided, Olympics chiefs did not allow the East and West to compete separately until the Mexico Olympics in 1968, when the GDR left its Western rival trailing in the medals table.

46 SPORTS 46 Thousands turn out for Tiger s practice round Woods in a spin over Australia reception MELBOURNE, Nov 10, (AFP): Tiger Woods was left stunned here Tuesday after Australian fans and media gave golf s world number one a rapturous welcome ahead of his first tournament appearance Down Under for 11 years. Thousands of fans turned out to watch Woods practice at the Kingston Heath course here in the lead-up to Thursday s European Tour co-sanctioned Woods Australian Masters, while television helicopters recorded his every move from overhead. No, it s not normal. Trust me, it s not. Thank God, it s not normal, Woods said when asked if the reception he had received in famously sports-loving Australia was par for the course. You don t normally see this many people at a practice round certainly, maybe at a major championship you might see this many people. I ve never experienced the helicopters before, they were overhead but they didn t interfere with my play. Tournament organisers paid a reported three million US dollars to luring the 14-time major winner to Melbourne, and the investment appears to have already paid huge dividends. Huge galleries not seen since the heyday of local golfing idol Greg Norman in 1980s are expected to follow Woods this week and GOLF media interest has been intense, giving Australian golf a much-needed fillip. Such is the clamour to see Woods play this week that all 25,000 tickets for each of the four days were snapped up early last month. Woods, 33, has yet to win a tournament in Australia, but he has not played here since the 1998 Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne, and he expressed genuine enthusiasm Tuesday about being back. It s an unbelievable golf course, we don t get a chance to play at venues like this and it is truly a treat to play the (Melbourne) sandbelt golf courses, the bunkering is just phenomenal, Woods said. You would never get a chance to see bunkering like this any other place in the world. I just love coming down here. You don t need a golf course to be 7,500 yards to be hard, you can build it just like this and having it nice and tricky. Woods was tied for eighth when he last played in the Masters at nearby Huntingdale in He comes into the Australian Masters after finishing tied for sixth behind American world number two Phil Mickelson at the World Golf Championships in Shanghai last weekend. With all the focus on the appearance of golf s one-billion-dollar man, a host of leading Australian golfers who are in Melbourne have been relegated to support acts. Members of Australia s elite who will seek to steal Woods thunder this week include Geoff Ogilvy, ranked 12 in the world, Michael Sim (59), Adam Scott (62), Mathew Goggin (69) and defending champion Rod Pampling (102). Hong Kong crucial in race to be Europe, Asia s best Ryo Ishikawa of Japan hits the ball at the 2nd green during the final round of the HSBC Champions golf tournament at Shanghai Sheshan International Golf Club, Nov 8 in Shanghai, China. (AP) McIlroy, Westwood headline field HONG KONG, Nov 10, (AFP): The race to end a marathon season as the top players in Europe and Asia enters the final stretch this week with plenty at stake in the UBS Hong Kong Open. The tournament in Fanling is the penultimate event of the long European year, along with the Australian Masters in Melbourne, before the top 60 head to the season-ending $7.5 million Dubai World Championship. With so much money on the line, it is there that the European number one will likely be crowned, but a good finish in Hong Joe Cada poses for photos after winning the 2009 World Series of Poker at the Rio Hotel & Casino, Nov 10 in Las Vegas. Cada defeated Darvin Moon to win $8.5 million. (AP) Moon finishes second Cada wins $8.5 mln jackpot LAS VEGAS, Nov 10, (AFP): A 21-year-old college dropout won the World Series of Poker early Tuesday, completing the biggest comeback in the tournament s history to earn a 8.5 million dollar jackpot. Joe Cada, the youngest champion in the 40-year history of the game s richest and most prestigious event, won with a pair of nines after about 90 hands head-to-head against second-place finisher Darvin Moon. Moon had a queen and jack, and none of the other cards drawn in the Texas Hold Em hand improved it. I d like to thank all my fans and my friends, an emotional Cada told a raucous theater full of supporters in bright-yellow T-shirts bearing his name. POKER Later he told reporters: It s really surreal right now. Cada squandered a huge lead at the start of play late Monday against 46-year-old Moon before barreling back in a finale of constant betting in which he moved strongly ahead for a time. It was played before an audience of more than 1,500 people at the Rio Hotel-Casino at a table stacked with bricks of cash. A diamond-encrusted championship bracelet gleamed on the side of the Kong is critical with$ 2.5 million to play for. England s Lee Westwood and Northern Ireland s Rory McIlroy, the men currently occupying the first two places in The Race to Dubai, headline the field. The duo both finished in the top eight in last week s enthralling WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai, with McIlroy s stunning closing 63 helping him to fourth place. The finish saw him leapfrog Germany s Martin Kaymer into second spot and to within 52,321 euros ($78,360) of leader Westwood. McIlroy, in particular, will be hoping to go one better than last year, when he was beaten in a play-off by Taiwan s Lin Wen- Tang. Although unfortunately I came up just short last year, playing in Hong Kong was a wonderful experience and I thoroughly enjoyed four days of great golf, said the Irish star. It is a strong field once again, and I ll be doing my utmost to go one better this time. World number four Westwood has enjoyed plenty of success in Asia in the past with victories in Japan, Malaysia and Macau, but he will be making his first appearance in Hong Kong. I m delighted to be making my debut in the UBS Hong Kong Open, said the Englishman. I ve heard great things about the tournament from the other players, and it promises to be a fantastic week. I understand Fanling is a tight, old-style course which places a lot of emphasis on accuracy, so hopefully it will suit my game and I can put on a good show for the fans. table. Cada s triumph was particularly stunning because he was down to just two million chips out of million on Saturday but came back to finish as the chip leader. He s another bright young voice, he s very good and he ll be a new light on the scene for some time, said Dennis Phillips, a poker professional who finished third in the 2008 World Series. He ll be a great ambassador for the game. Moon earned $5.1 million for his second-place finish. The lumberjack eschewed the spotlight and had never been on a jet until he won entry to the World Series by winning a tournament at a local casino that cost him $130 to enter. The top two outlasted a field of 6,494 who played down to nine finalists in July and then survived a 17-hour marathon session that ended Sunday morning when they knocked out Frenchman Antoine Saout for third place at $3.5 million. Cada is from recession-hit Detroit, Michigan, the son of an out-of-work auto parts design engineer. His mother, Ann, is a blackjack dealer at a Detroit casino who tried to dissuade her son from gambling when he left college to focus on his online play. When he started doing so well, I said go live your dream, she said. He can always go back to school if he wants but how many people do what they love? GOLF Asia has been kind to me in the past, and it would be wonderful if I could post another victory in the region. Others Europeans currently in the top 10 of the Race to Dubai looking to make up ground this week include England s Ian Poulter, Oliver Wilson and Simon Dyson, but Paul Casey is injured and has withdrawn. The tournament is not just about who becomes the European number one with the Asian Tour merit race also on a knife-edge with Thailand s Thongchai Jaidee and China s Liang Wenchong battling for honours. The Chinese ace knows that anything less than a second place finish will end his hopes as he currently trails Thongchai by $197,000 and only two more events, with small prize purses in Cambodia and Thailand, left to play. Victory in Hong Kong is worth $416,660. Thongchai has finished runner-up in Hong Kong previously while Liang has posted several top- 20 finishes. I m looking forward to Hong Kong. I m Thongchai thinking about it as I have a good chance to finish off the Asian Tour Order of Merit. It s going to be another big event with many big names there, said the Thai. I know the course well in Hong Kong. I m just going to think about my own game. I m feeling confident. Al-Omar with the Kuwaiti team. KFH honors Jet Ski world champions Kuwait Finance House (KFH) CEO Mohammed Al-Omar said that KFH s path shows that Kuwaitis can succeed and excel if they are given the opportunity, which is evident by the Kuwaiti cadres that worked at KFH, since they managed to make Islamic banking a major player in the local market. He added that Islamic products and services compete for a large market share, which allowed Islamic banking to influence regional and international markets, and led to making Islamic banking a vital sector in the global economy. Such a positive aspect has made Kuwait the leading country in this industry, which enables it to become a major financial center for Islamic banking around the world. It is to be noted that Al-Omar honored the Kuwaiti Jet Ski team that took third in the world championships held in Arizona in the United States. Al-Omar stated that KFH founders had great confidence in Kuwaiti youths, which is evident by the top ranks that they have achieved in many fields. He went on to explain that youths are the bedrock of any development in the society, which is evident by the indicators that show that most of the Kuwaiti labor force are youths. Such indicators show the importance of unleashing the abilities of the Kuwaiti youths. Another delay possible in drug list case The Kuwaiti jet ski team won 11 gold, silver, and bronze medals in the world championships that took place over 8 days, where Mohammed Bu Rabee won 8 gold medals, which makes him the jet ski world champion. Meanwhile, the Market and Public Relations Manager at KFH Fahad Al- Mukhaizeem announced during the honoring ceremony that KFH supports youths and sponsors their activities, which makes KFH proud to honor this elite Kuwaiti team for their participation in the world championships and for being third after Britain and the United States, among 32 countries and 400 participants. Matsui, Damon become free agents BASEBALL NEW YORK, Nov 10, (AP): Hideki Matsui, voted most valuable player in the World Series, became a free agent Monday along with New York Yankees teammates Johnny Damon, Eric Hinske, Jose Molina and Xavier Nady. Matsui and Damon both said after the Yankees six-game victory over Philadelphia last week that they would like to stay with New York. The Yankees said it was too early to address how they want to formulate their team for Phillies third baseman Pedro Feliz also filed Monday, as did teammates Matt Stairs, Chan Ho Park and Paul Bako. Feliz s $5.5 million option was declined by Philadelphia on Sunday. Also among the 31 players filing were Minnesota shortstop Orlando Cabrera, Mets outfielder Gary Sheffield and Colorado pitcher Jose Contreras. There are 151 players who have filed since the end of the World Series, and 28 more potentially are eligible to file by the Nov 19 deadline. Boston prevented Victor Martinez from filing by exercising a $7.7 million option on the catcher-first baseman. The Red Sox declined a $6 million option on shortstop Alex Gonzalez, who gets a $500,000 buyout and immediately filed. Boston also declined a $5 million option on captain Jason Varitek, and the catcher now must decide whether to exercise a $3 million player option. Rather than exercise its $4 million option on Tim Wakefield, the Red Sox agreed to a $5 million, two-year contract with 43-year-old knuckleballer. Tampa Bay blocked Carl Crawford from becoming eligible for free agency by exercising a $10 million option on the All-Star left fielder. The Rays declined $2 million options on left- Coaching stability for troubled Dodgers LOS ANGELES, Nov 10, (RTRS): While control of the Los Angeles Dodgers continues to be contested in a highly public divorce battle, the team gained much needed stability on Monday when the entire coaching staff was retained for next season. Hitting coach Don Mattingly, third base coach Larry Bowa, first base coach Mariano Duncan, pitching coach Rick Honeycutt and bullpen coach Ken Howell, among others, would return for 2010 general manager Ned Colletti said in a statement. Under manager Joe Torre, who has one year left on his three-year, $13 million contract, the Dodgers have won two consecutive National League West Division handed reliever Brian Shouse and backup catcher Gregg Zaun. Shouse gets a $200,000 buyout and Zaun receives a $500,000 buyout. Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Will Ohman filed after the team declined his $2.2 million option. He gets a $200,000 buyout. Meanwhile, all 27 active judges on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals may take the unprecedented step of rehearing the baseball drug list case, which could delay a final resolution until at least 2011 and possibly later. Because of its large size, the 9th Circuit has used limited en banc courts, currently 11 judges, since Cathy A. Catterson, Circuit and Court of Appeals Executive of the 9th Circuit, wrote in an to The Associated Press on Monday that the full titles. Although beaten 4-1 by the Philadelphia Phillies in their best-of-seven NL Championship Series, Los Angeles have reached the post-season three times in the last four seasons. They ended the 2009 regular season (95-67) with the NL s best record for the first time since 1983 and swept the NL Division Series for the second consecutive year. Earlier this week, Torre told the Los Angeles Times he was considering extending his contract with the Dodgers for at least one more year. We were talking about my coaches and I ve been thinking about it, Torre said. It s been fun. court has never sat on a case since then. In a one-sentence order last Wednesday, Chief Judge Alex Kozinski asked lawyers to submit briefs by Nov. 25 addressing whether the case should be heard by the full court. That day also is the deadline for the federal government to ask the Supreme Court to review the long-running dispute, although the Justice Department could request an extension. The dispute involves the records and samples of 104 players the government alleges tested positive in baseball s anonymous 2003 survey. As part of its Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative case, federal agents obtained search warrants for the records of 10 players and raided the offices of baseball s drug-testing companies in April 2004.

47 SPORTS 47 Sri Lanka beat Nepal to advance Ghana blank Benin 3-0 in 4th African Int l tourney KUWAIT CITY, Nov 10: Sri Lanka and black star Ghana won their matches convincingly in the 4th Kuwait African International Football tournament played at Digital Ground, Sharq, Kuwait City on Nov 6, The tournament is being organized by The Lighthouse Church (TLC), Kuwait. The match between Sri-Lanka and Nepal started on an attacking note with both sides making sporadic raids to take an early lead. However, the game was mostly confined to the midfield with either side trying to seek an opening. After a barren first half Sri-Lanka made some constructive moves and got their first breakthrough in the fifteenth minute when their striker Moh d Irfan gave them the lead 1-0. The goal was soon equalized by Nepal (1-1). Soon after the break Sri-Lanka s Moh s Sabry volleyed the ball into the opponent s net to lead the team again (2-1). The game continued as Nepal pushed forward at every available opportunity to equalize. The Lankans, however, made it 3-1 off a quick counter attack. Nepal did not stop mounting pressure but some solid defending by Kolvin and Mulaffir in the Sri Lankan defense gave Tottenham Hotspur post record year profit LONDON, Nov 10, (RTRS): Tottenham Hotspur posted a record full-year pretax profit, boosted by a player trading profit of 56.5 million ($94.13 million), the Premier League club said on Tuesday. Spurs made a profit before tax of 33.4 million pounds in the year to June 30, up from 3 million in the previous year, on revenue down 1.6 percent at 113 million. Spurs finished eighth in the Premier League in the 2008/09 season and reached the League little chance to the opponents. Moh d Faris and Dilshan Brantha SOCCER were cautioned with yellow cards by the match official. The other game of the day was Cup final. They are currently fourth in the league standings. The north London club said funds from the sale of players such as Dimitar Berbatov and Paul Robinson were reinvested in buying the likes of Peter Crouch and re-signing Robbie Keane. Chairman Daniel Levy said the club had three key priorities investment in the first team, a new training centre and an increased capacity state-of-the-art new stadium. We have assembled what we between black star Ghana and Benin. The young, energetic Benin lads played a cool, clean passing game with plenty of scoring moves. They held an upper hand in the opening minutes of the game until the black stars started to make some promising runs down the flank and were fully in command. Ghana took the lead through Theophilis believe to be one of the most talented squads we have had during our time in the Premier League, the ground is being turned and pitches laid for the new training centre at Bulls Cross in Enfield and we have submitted a planning application for a stunning new stadium on a site next to our existing stadium, he said. Shares in Tottenham were up 0.75 pence at 75 pence at 1126 GMT. The firm has a market capitalisation of about 200 million pounds if convertible shares are included. (1-0). Upon resumption Ghana put up a superb display of soccer skills and outplayed Benin in all departments of the game scoring another two quick goals 3-0. The League continues on Friday, Nov 13, 2009 with Nigeria facing Sierra Leone at 2.30 pm, and Bangladesh facing Yemen at 3.30 pm. The warriors of Ghana before their victory. Captain Toews back in line to help Blackhawks usurp Kings Kopitar joins Ovechkin as league top scorers CHICAGO, Nov 10, (AP): Jonathan Toews was back and so was the firepower that made the Chicago Blackhawks one of the NHL s most dangerous teams in the season s first two weeks. Toews, who had been out with a concussion since Vancouver s Willie Mitchell leveled him on Oct 21, followed Troy Brouwer s third-period power-play goal with one of his own 3:31 later and the Blackhawks went on to defeat the Los Angeles Kings 4-1 on Monday night. His presence, the way he plays the game, the way he competes every shift, that s why he s the captain, Blackhawks center John Madden said of Toews. He s not very vocal. He just leads by the way he plays, by example. It s contagious. If we just follow along and compete as hard as he does, everybody will be all right. The Blackhawks lost three of the six games Toews missed. It had been nearly four weeks since they had scored more than three times in a game, and they hadn t put in more than one power-play goal since the season s second game. I felt great on the ice, said Toews, who had a team-high 34 goals last season but has only two this year. If you look at a lot of our games in the past couple weeks, they were low-scoring. We struggled a bit on the power play. That was the difference tonight. Toews, who also was on the ice for Brouwer s goal, energized a power play that had converted on only three of its previous 33 attempts. The Blackhawks had scored but four manadvantage goals at home all season. I ve always said the power play can win you a game and penalty killing can lose you a game. And tonight, it lost us a game, Kings coach Terry Murray said. (The Blackhawks) brought their work boots. They got a couple-goal lead and played prevent (defense). The Kings managed only 18 shots, including two in the third period. Los Angeles ranks third in the league with 58 goals but has scored just once in each of its last two games, both losses. The mini-slump followed a ICE HOCKEY Triumphant Sri Lanka team. Vanquished Nepal squad. Jonathan Toews #19 of the Chicago Blackhawks returned to the line-up after missing 6 games from a concussion and skates between Anze Kopitar #11 and Justin Williams #14 of the Los Angeles Kings at the United Center on Nov 9, in Chicago, Illinois. (AFP) NHL Results/ Standings NHL results on Monday. Chicago 4 Los Angeles 1 Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L OTL GF GA PTS Pittsburgh New Jersey NY Rangers Philadelphia NY Islanders Northeast Division W L OTL GF GA PTS Buffalo Ottawa Boston Montreal Best of the Rest Kings lose top scorer: Sacramento Kings guard Kevin Martin, leading scorer for the NBA club, is expected to miss at least two months after undergoing left wrist surgery on Monday. The Kings said Martin had a hairline fracture in the wrist repaired at the University of California Davis Medical Center. Martin has averaged 30.6 points a game for the Kings, off to a 3-4 start. The Kings have won both games they have played since Martin was hurt, with rookie Tyreke Evans averaging 27.5 points a game in them to take up the slack for Toronto Southeast Division W L OTL GF GA PTS Washington Tampa Bay Atlanta Florida Carolina Western Division Central Division W L OTL GF GA PTS Chicago Columbus Detroit Nashville St Louis Northwest Division Martin s absence. (AFP) Guard James out for 5 weeks: The injury-depleted Washington Wizards will be without Mike James for the next four to five weeks after the veteran reserve guard broke a finger on his left hand, the team said on Monday. James, who has played in only one game this season, fractured the fourth metacarpal on his hand during practice on Saturday. The Wizards, who have already lost Antawn Jamison, Mike Miller and Javaris Crittenton to injuries, are 2-5 this season and W L OTL GF GA PTS Colorado Calgary Vancouver Edmonton Minnesota Pacific Division W L OTL GF GA PTS San Jose Los Angeles Phoenix Dallas Anaheim Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings and are not included in the loss column (L) have lose their last four games. (RTRS) Glencross suspended for 3 games: Calgary Flames forward Curtis Glencross has been suspended for three games for a dangerous high-hit on Chris Drury of the New York Rangers, the NHL said in a statement on Monday. The incident occurred in the opening minute of the 3-1 home win over the Rangers on Saturday when Glencross caught an unsuspecting Drury with a hit to the head, knocking him out of the game. (RTRS) stretch. They re a top team in the conference and the league, and you can see why, Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said. We played a very good game across the board. Anze Kopitar made it 1-1 with his 14th goal for the Kings, tying injured Washington star Alex Ovechkin for the NHL lead. Kopitar, who leads the league with 28 points, has teamed with linemates Ryan Smyth and Justin Williams for 51 points in their 13 games together. The Blackhawks went ahead for good 1:33 into the third period, when Brouwer, standing to the right of goalie Jonathan Quick, deflected Patrick Sharp s pass into the net. At 5:04, Sharp poked the puck away from defenseman Matt Greene in the left circle and Brouwer fed Toews, who scored on a backhander from the slot. Andrew Ebbett, claimed off waivers from Anaheim last month, scored his first goal with the Blackhawks with 10:40 to play. Madden had given Chicago a 1-0 lead 1:04 into the second period a goal Kopitar Murray said Quick should have prevented. Madden s coming down on his backhand off the wing. We need to have those stops, the coach said. Playing on the road in a hostile environment, you ve got to make sure you re making the routine stops. COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado, Nov 10, (AP): Olympic silver medalist Sasha Cohen withdrew from Skate America on Monday, saying she is still struggling with the tendinitis in her right calf that forced her to drop out of last month s Trophee Eric Bompard. I have been battling this injury for a while, Cohen said in a release from US Figure Skating. After meeting with my orthopedic surgeon, it was determined that in order for me to fully recover, I should not compete this week. As a reigning Olympic medalist, Cohen has a bye into the national championships Jan in Spokane, Washington. Though she said Monday she still hopes to compete there, she now would seem to be a long shot for the Vancouver Games. The Americans have only two spots in Vancouver and a half-dozen contenders for them. Although Cohen did triple jumps and many competitive moves while touring with Stars on Ice the last two years, she hasn t appeared before judges. Her last competition was the 2006 world championships, where she won a bronze medal. I m very disappointed I won t be able to compete in Lake Placid, Cohen said. I ve been going to physical therapy and training with every intention of being healthy and ready for this competition. But with 10 weeks before nationals, Cohen can never be counted out, said her longtime former Beaten Benin Isoking dejected. Sasha struggling with tendinitis Cohen out of Skate America FIGURE SKATING coach John Nicks. Some parts of her skating look absolutely wonderful. And there are still some weaknesses, Nicks said. If she stays healthy and stays with the same enthusiasm because she s very enthusiastic about nationals when she talks to me about it I think she s going to do well. Cohen is still coached by Rafael Arutunian, but has been working at her old rink recently to be closer to her doctors and physical therapists. Cohen will be replaced by 2006 Olympian Emily Hughes at Skate America, which begins Friday in Lake Placid, New York. Cohen s withdrawal is a blow for event organizers and US skating. Though she hasn t skated competitively in three years, Cohen is still hugely popular, and her announcement in May that she was returning for a go at Vancouver gave the struggling Americans some badly needed buzz. The United States has been searching unsuccessfully for a breakout star since Cohen and Michelle Kwan stepped away from the sport in She s a very interesting part of ladies figure skating, and has been for many years, Nicks said. And I think we need interesting people in the sport these days.

48 SPORTS 48 Nawaz demands overhaul of PCB setup Younis criticized for defeat against New Zealand ISLAMABAD, Nov 10, (AP): Younis Khan should have sacrificed his spot and allowed Shahid Afridi to lead Pakistan against New Zealand, outspoken former test paceman Sarfraz Nawaz said Tuesday in the wake of a limited-overs series loss to the Kiwis. He should have dropped himself from the last game and allowed Shahid Afridi to captain the side, Nawaz told The Associated Press. Pakistan lost the series decider by seven runs in Abu Dhabi on Monday despite young Mohammad Aamer scoring 73 runs the highest ever individual score by a No. 10 batsman in Younis the history of one-day internationals. The Pakistani batsmen had earlier struggled to chase down a modest target of 212 runs on a placid wicket at Sheikh Zayed Stadium. They were reeling at before Aamer and Saeed Ajmal brought them within sight of a sensational victory with a 103-run last wicket stand. Younis, whose resignation letter was rejected by the Pakistan Cricket Board last month, was out of form with the bat in all Sreesanth, Khan back in India s Test team NEW DELHI, Nov 10, (AP): Indian cricket selectors have recalled fast bowler Shanthakumaran Sreesanth and fitagain paceman Zaheer Khan for the three-test series against Sri Lanka. The 26-year-old Sreesanth played his last Test against South Africa in Kanpur in 2008 before he was sidelined due to disciplinary issues. He made his way back into the squad after taking 22 wickets in 10 matches for Warwickshire and will now likely share the new ball with Khan. three matches against New Zealand, managing 0, 19 and 3. But Pakistan preferred to rotate its three other inform batsmen Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal and Mohammad Yousuf in the series. CRICKET Other batsmen lose heart when they see their captain not scoring and it was unbelievable that those who were performing with the bat were given undue rest, Nawaz said. No matter how big a team is, if you start resting your key players there s no way you can win matches. If Younis was sincere with Pakistan team, he should have not played in the last match and given Yousuf an opportunity. Former chief selector Abdul Qadir said it was hard to believe the way Pakistan batsmen threw their wickets on a pitch where young Aamer scored a magnificent half century. If Aamer can score, what had gone wrong with our batsmen? Qadir asked. Nawaz demanded an overhaul in the Pakistan Cricket Board setup and also blamed the 71-year-old PCB chief Ijaz Khan has recovered from a shoulder injury that kept him out of the Champions Trophy and the one-day series at home against Australia. The experienced Test batting duo of Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman were also included after being ignored for the one-day series against Australia. The selectors also named uncapped left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha along with first-choice spinners Harbhajan Singh and Amit Mishra. The Test series begins in Ahmedabad on Nov 16, followed by Test matches at Kanpur on Nov and Mumbai on Dec 2-6. After the Test series, both teams will play two Twenty20 games and a fivematch one-day series. Squad: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, M Vijay, S Badrinath, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, Pragyan Ojha, Amit Mishra. Butt for the team s performance. He has gone too old to handle the matters of PCB and I think now it s high time that the cricket board should be looked after by the ministry of sports, Nawaz said. The cricket board is an autonomous body in Pakistan, but has president Asif Ali Zardari as its patron. Afridi, the Pakistan Twenty20 captain, said before the one-day series against New Zealand that some players had experienced problems with Younis during the Champions Trophy and he had informed both Butt and the captain about it. The victorious KGA. Duminy scores maiden ton as S. Africa destroy Zimbabwe Hosts win by 212 runs CENTURION, South Africa, Nov 10, (RTRS): JP Duminy struck his maiden one-day international century to lead South Africa to a crushing 212-run victory over Zimbabwe on Tuesday. The home team took the series 2-0, representing the perfect fillip ahead of Friday s opening Twenty20 against England in Johannesburg. Duminy, in his 51st ODI, thumped 111 not out in 87 balls as South Africa amassed 331 for five after being sent in to bat. Zimbabwe were then bundled out for 119 in 34.3 overs. Jacques Kallis scored a classy 81 for the hosts while captain Graeme Smith made 53 in an opening stand of 108 with the all-rounder. Mark Boucher, with 31 not out in 19 balls, helped Duminy provide a strong finish to the innings as the pair smashed an unbroken 58 for the sixth wicket in 33 balls. Duminy collected nine fours and two sixes with textbook strokes and clever innovations. Zimbabwe s spinners were the biggest threat, Ray Price claiming three for 55 and skipper Prosper Utseya picking up two for 53. The gutsy Tatenda Taibu (52) was the best of the visiting batsmen after openers Hamilton Masakadza and Brendan Taylor were dismissed for ducks. Australian captain Ricky Ponting hits a shot during a practice session in Mumbai, India, Nov 10. Australia will play the seventh one day international cricket match against India tomorrow. (AP) Shakib says captaincy role not burden B desh star looks to upset world order DHAKA, Nov 10, (AFP): Bangladesh s young all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who has been lauded as one of cricket s brightest prospects, believes his country can soon lift itself into the top tier of the game. Bangladesh have floundered against the world s best, but Shakib has recently led by example, becoming the top all-rounder in global one-day rankings and winning the Wisden Cricketer magazine s Test Player of the Year for The soft-spoken 22-year-old, standing in as Bangladesh captain in place of the CRICKET injured Mashrafe Mortaza, said the nation could tranform cricket s world order. One day, no one will consider Bangladesh the underdogs, Shakib told AFP. There will be no automatic predictions that we will end up losing. In the next five years I want to see Bangladesh ranked third to fifth in the world. Bangladesh, who won Test status in 2000, have won just three of their 61 Tests so far, losing 52 while six were drawn. They have enjoyed better success in oneday cricket, winning 55 of their 211 matches, including a place in the second round of the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies. Shakib, a left-arm spinner, became an overnight star when he led Bangladesh to their first Test win abroad against a secondstring West Indies in July. When Bangladesh went on to defeat fellow minnows Zimbabwe 4-1 in a one-day series in August, Shakib was promptly labelled by experts at home the finest Bangladeshi player ever. In the eight Tests Shakib played between September 2008 and August 2009 against tough opponents like New Zealand and South Africa, he took 45 wickets, including five five-wicket hauls, and scored 498 runs at an average of Last week he captained a comfortable 4-1 one-day home series win over Zimbabwe. Shakib said he did not consider the captaincy role a burden but looked forward to the return of Mortaza, who has been sidelined since July because of knee problems. The key to being a good captain is to be decisive and also focus on your own game, he said. It s difficult for a captain to be confident if he s not performing. Shakib also credited the team s recent success to Australian-born coach Jamie Siddons, who has been at the helm of the Bangladeshi team for two years. The most important characteristic in him is his positive attitude towards everything, he said. Jamie is very good at extracting the best in a player. In my case, my batting has improved so much because of him, Shakib said of Siddons, who recently signed on to stay as coach for another two years. Shakib, who hails from a family of footballers, said that as a youngster he modelled his cricket on Pakistani batsman Saeed Anwar and Pakistani fast bowler Wasim Akram. Shakib laughed off suggestions he is Bangladesh s most eligible bachelor and said his life was still the same, except he found it difficult to go out in public because he was now swamped by fans. There are a good number of marriage offers, he said. I ve lost count of the number. I don t like talking about this sort of stuff and I never take the offers too seriously. At home life is normal. My family celebrates my success, but I am still an ordinary son to my mother, and she fusses over me like any mother fusses over her son. Outside, though, it s pretty difficult to move freely. CRICKET South Africa paceman Charl Langeveldt, 34, took three for 36 on his international return after an 18- month absence. All-rounder Albie Morkel and spinner Roelof van der Merwe also claimed three wickets apiece. Scoreboard Scoreboard in one-day international between South Africa and Zimbabwe at SuperSport Park on Tuesday: SOUTH AFRICA G. Smith st Taibu b Utseya...53 J. Kallis c Chigumbura b Utseya...81 A.B. de Villiers b Price...5 J.P. Duminy not out A. Petersen lbw b Price...13 A. Morkel c M kadza b Price...14 M. Boucher not out...31 Extras (lb4, w19)...23 Total (5 wkts, 50 overs) Fall of wickets: Did not bat: Ryan McLaren, Roelef van der Merwe, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Charl Langeveldt Bowling: Mpofu (3w), Jarvis (4w), Utseya , Price , Cremer (1w), Chigumbura (2w) ZIMBABWE H. Masakadza c Kallis b Langeveldt...0 B. Taylor c Kallis b Tsotsobe...0 T. Taibu c Boucher b Langeveldt...52 S. Matsikenyeri c Boucher b Morkel...13 E. Chigumbura c Smith b Morkel...4 C. Coventry c De Villiers b Morkel...10 P. Utseya lbw b Van der Merwe...1 G. Cremer c and b Langeveldt...11 R. Price b Van der Merwe...9 K. Jarvis c McLaren b Van der Merwe...13 C. Mpofu not out...1 Extras (lb3, w2)...5 Total (all out, 34.3 overs).119 Fall of wickets: 1-0, Bowling: Langeveldt (1w), Tsotsobe (1w), McLaren , Morkel , Van der Merwe Curtorcares United. CRC split points with UG KGA beat Indian Strikers KUWAIT CITY, Nov 10: Six Teams produced a superb display of attacking soccer in the ongoing KIFF League for (late) J.P D Mello Rolling Trophy in the matches held at Sabah Hospital grounds, Shuwaikh. The first match of the day between CRC Chinchinim and UG Strikers failed to break the deadlock and both teams had to be content with 1 point each after playing out a goalless draw. The second match between Kuwait Goans Association (KGA) and newly inducted Indian strikers was played on a fast pace with both teams attacking each other s citadel right from the word go. A fine hat trick by KIFF player of the season for Andrew Dias and a goal from Jossee Fernandes helped KGA to collect maximum points. The match ended 4-1 in favor of KGA. Jai John was the lone goal scorer for Indian Strikers. The last match of the day between Curtorcares United and Santos football Club did not rise to utmost heights as expected. It was mostly a one sided affair as Curtorcares United routed their Defeated Indian Strikers. Best of the Rest Botham off on new walk: England cricket great Sir Ian Botham unveiled plans for his latest charity walk on Tuesday, saying he would not stop until childhood leukaemia had ceased totally to be a fatal condition. Former all-rounder Botham s 13th charity walk will start in April next year and take him on a 10- town tour of England. Beefy s Great Forget Me Not Walk will also mark the 25th anniversary of his first trek in aid of leukaemia research. My walk in 2010 will be extra special for me, Botham said on Tuesday. I never forget why I put myself through the pain and blisters. I won t stop until we beat childhood leukaemia. We re up to about 90 percent survival now and that s remarkable. Botham, who heads out to South Africa on Wednesday to commentate on England s tour for television satellite broadcaster Sky, has so far raised some 10 million pounds (16.67 million dollars) for leukaemia research. When the now 53-year-old Botham set off on his first walk, a 900-mile length of Britain effort from Scotland s John O Groats to England s Land s End in 1985, only 20 percent of children with leukaemia survived. young and spirited opponents by a 5-0 margin. The goal scorers for the winners were Jose Anthony Cardozo (2 goals), Minguel Mouro (2 goals) and Feltoa Gonsalves (1 goal). Jose Anthony Cardozo excelled for the winners in the midfield with his brilliant ball play and accurate passing. The matches were officiated by the KIFF referees Jerry D mello, PA Tony, Derrick Gomendes, Jose Colaco, Pascoal Fernandes and Robert Simon. The League is divided into 2 groups. Top 2 SOCCER teams in each group will qualify for the knockout stage. Friday ( ) Fixtures Navelim Youth Centre v/s YRC Rising Stars 7:00 am. United Friends Club v/s Fahaheel Brothers 8:15 am. U G Strikers v/s Indian Strikers 9:30 am. Botham s efforts were inspired after a visit while still a player for Somerset, the county where he made his name as a cricketer, to Taunton s Musgrove Park Hospital for treatment on a broken toe. He took a turn into the wrong ward where he was stunned to learn some of the children had only weeks to live. (AFP) Contador to stay with Astana: Two-time Tour de France winner Alberto Contador may stay with the Astana team until 2010, but no longer than that, Spanish media said Tuesday. The Spanish rider will make a decision in the coming days, but there is no question of him remaining at the Kazakh team for more than another year, sports dailies AS and Marca said. Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad reported that Astana had offered Contador 8.0 million euros a year over four years. Another Belgian daily, Le Soir, said he was on the point of signing for two years for 4.0 million euros a year. But Marca said Contador s brother and manager, Fran, dismissed the figure of eight million. If we stay with Astana, and that is still not certain, it will be for one year and for less than half of that amount, it quoted him as saying. (AFP)

49 SPORTS 49 China juggernaut rolls towards 10 Asian Games at Guangzhou Sheikh Ahmad confident stadiums will be full Torchbearer Lukasi Tukkiapik carries the Olympic torch on a dogsled in Kuujjauq, Quebec, Canada, Nov 10. The Olympic flame is on a 106 day cross country relay which will end in Vancouver on Feb 12, 2010 to mark the start of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games. (AP) 2 sports could be moved to Wembley Arena Organizers working to finalize last two venues LONDON, Nov 10, (AP): London Olympic organizers are working to reduce the travel time for athletes in the two sports whose venue for the 2012 Games is being changed to save money. Paul Deighton, chief executive of London organizing committee LOCOG, said Tuesday he is confident a solution will be finalized by the end of the year for badminton and rhythmic gymnastics. LOCOG has proposed moving the two sports to Wembley Arena adjacent to Wembley Stadium on the northern outskirts of London rather than build a temporary venue near the main Olympic Park complex in east London. That means the athletes will have to travel much further from the Olympic Village than previously planned. The two international federations have to sign off on the change, which then has to be ratified by the International Olympic Committee. I think (the sports) are perfectly happy with the arena as a venue, Deighton said. The issue is a bit further travel. The thing we have to work on is how we re going to get them there and manage the travel time.... It s just a question of how we configure the Olympic route network to make that work. Scrapping the temporary venue in east London would save organizers about 20 million ($33 million). In this economic environment it s not really acceptable to taxpayers to build a temporary venue when you ve already got an acceptable one, if the tradeoff is another 20 minutes travel time, Deighton told reporters at the Sports Event Management Conference in London. Deighton said organizers recently took representatives of the two sports to Wembley Arena from the athletes village site, and the journey took 42 minutes. He said that travel time is acceptable under the IOC s technical guidelines. They look at one hour as the break even before you need to put the athletes closer to Wales make five changes LONDON, Nov 10, (RTRS: Wales coach Warren Gatland made five changes to the starting line-up that lost to the All Blacks last weekend when he named his team to face Samoa in Cardiff on Friday. Ospreys fly-half Dan Biggar will start at half back for his fourth cap with former Lion scrumhalf Dwayne Peel making his 70th appearance for Wales after being omitted for this year s Six Nations championship. Peel was not released by Sale Sharks for Saturday s opening international at the Millennium Stadium. Winger Tom James replaces Shane Williams while Huw RUGBY Bennett starts at hooker with Matthew Rees moving to the bench. Back row Sam Warburton comes in for Martyn Williams. We ve named a strong side and shown the maximum amount of respect to Samoa, said Gatland. They have proved to be a difficult side for Welsh teams in the past and we don t expect the standard to be any different on Friday night. They are a tough physical team with players featuring for some of Europe s top sides and there is no question of us under-estimating what we are up against, added the New Zealander. Dan Biggar is a bright prospect and his performances at the Ospreys this season mean he fully deserves his opportunity. Tom James has another chance to show us what he can do and Sam Warburton has been knocking on the door for some time after impressing the coaches on tour to North America this summer, said Gatland. the venue, he said. So it s clearly comfortably doable within what s technically acceptable. Of course, it is further than it would have been initially. Deighton said LOCOG is also trying to ensure the Wembley facilities will allow athletes to prepare for their competition on site and wind down afterward so they don t have to rush back and forth from the village. LOCOG s sports director will travel to Lausanne, Switzerland, next week for further talks with the two sports federations. The IOC wants to finalize an agreement by its executive board meeting in early December. Yes, that would be the ideal thing, Deighton said. The IOC coordination commission will be visiting London from Nov and will hope to have a proposal on the table by then. They know these discussions are going on, Deighton said. We re going through a very detailed process. OLYMPICS On other issues, Deighton said organizers hope to bring in 400 million ($670 million) in revenue by selling about 9 million tickets for the London Olympics and Paralympics. Tickets will go on sale in London has already raised about 550 millions ($920 million) in domestic sponsorship out of its target of 700 million ($1.1 billion), which Deighton described as a gravity defying achievement during the economic downturn. London is still working on plans to ensure full venues in 2012 and avoid the problem of empty seats that occurred in Beijing in Deighton said plans involve selling tickets to people who really want to be there, making sure competition session lengths are sensible and using a Wimbledon-style recycling system where spectators can give their tickets to fans waiting outside when they leave the venue. GUANGZHOU, China, Nov 10, (AFP): At the last Asian Games in 2006 China demolished all comers and a year out from hosting the multi-sport spectacular on home turf it is working hard to cement that dominance. The Doha Asian Games were the most ambitious in the event s 55-year history with more athletes from more countries than ever before. In Guangzhou in 2010, organisers plan to take it to the next level with 12,000 athletes and officials converging on China from Nov There will be 42 sports, up from 39 at the last Games, as the city tries to outdo anything seen before. And Chinese athletes are sure to be at the forefront. After ending on top of the medal table at the Beijing Olympics, ousting the United States for the first time, it is inconceivable that any Asian nation will challenge them. In Doha, China topped the medal table with 165 gold. South Korea came second (58), with Japan (50), Kazakhstan (23) and Thailand (13) rounding out the top five. With a home crowd to spur them on and more sports to excel in, China will be aiming to build on what they achieved in Doha, and then Beijing. Olympic Council of Asia president Sheikh Ahmad Al Sabah said he had no problem with China being so dominant, and believes it will help ensure packed stadiums. China is a world sporting powerhouse and every host country tries its best to perform better in its backyard and I am sure Chinese athletes will try to do the same, he told AFP. However I am confident that other countries like Japan, Korea, India, Thailand and Kazakhstan will run them close in a majority of the sports. We are extremely confident that the stadiums will be full, he added. The organizing committee has already started receiving a large number of enquiries for tickets. For Asian athletes, next year s Asiad is the high point of their sporting year and a key preparation for the London Olympics in Of those likely to shine, fit-again hurdler Liu Xiang and 200m butterfly world record holder Liu Zige are set to be star draws, while China will also have its world-beating diving, table tennis and badminton teams on show. Despite having a population almost as large as China, fellow Asian giant India has always struggled to match its neighbour, and the traditional race to be second best once again looks to be between Japan and South Korea. India though could benefit from hosting the Commonwealth Games just a month ahead of the Asian Games. Lotte Friis of Denmark competes to win the women s 400 meters freestyle final at the FINA swimming World Cup series in Moscow, Russia, Nov 7. (AP) Michael Phelps flops on swim comeback Pride will be on the line in New Delhi and big money has been set aside by sports federations to help train the country s athletes so they can perform well on home soil, and this could boost their performance in Guangzhou. India is traditionally strong on the shooting ranges and the tennis courts and with cricket being played for the first time, they should pick up medals. Japan was disappointed in Doha by failing to convert more of its 71 silvers into gold, and has been working hard to correct that. It established its first national training centre for championship athletes, although it failed to pay dividends in time for the Beijing Olympics where they again finished behind China and South Korea. Swimming is one of Japan s top sports with two-time Olympic breaststroke champion Kosuke Kitajima and world 100- metre backstroke champion Junya Koga among its ranks. The Asian Games is our top target for next year. said senior Japan Swimming Federation official Yujiro Ishii. STOCKHOLM, Nov 10, (AFP): Swimming legend Michael Phelps failed to qualify for the final in two out the three races he contested here on Tuesday in the fourth leg of the short-course World Cup. The American, competing for the first time since the Rome World Championships in July, clocked seconds in the heats of the 100 metres freestyle, the 16th fastest time and 1.84secs slower than the best time set by Sweden s Stefan Nystrand (45.93 secs). He was then disqualified in the 100 backstroke heats for an overlong pushoff. Phelps did make the final of the 100m individual medlay, but only as the seventh-fastest qualifier in a time of 53.13secs. Also failing to make it into the final of the 100m freestyle were French speedster Frederic Bousquet (47.53secs), Australia s Eamon Sullivan (47.38secs) and Filipo Magnini of Italy (47.74secs). Phelps, who won an unprecedented eight gold medals at last year s Beijing Olympics, did have the excuse that he chose to anticipate the FINA ban on hightech bodysuits due to come into force on January 1. Until then swimmers can choose either to stick with the bodysuits which sparked an avalanche of world records in Rome or switch back to more conventional attire. The Stockholm meeting was also the first time that Phelps has taken part in a short-course event since 2006 and the first time in Europe since 2001, also in Stockholm. He is entered for five races in Sweden and will go on to compete in Berlin at the weekend. We will target 16 gold medals, the same as the last Games. But it will be tough because we found after analysing the results of the Chinese National Games that China s level in swimming was very high. While 2010 will undoubtedly be about China and who finishes second in the medals table, it will also be about the minnows. Seven countries failed to make the podium in Doha Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Maldives, Oman, and the Palestinian territories and they will be keen to put that right.

50 SPORTS 50 Fahaheel see off Berks Tigers edge Amana to keep win streak intact By Boie Conrad Dublin Arab Times Staff KUWAIT CITY, Nov 10: The Tigers kept their win streak intact but barely, Friday when they narrowly edged Team Amana on the second playing date of the FTAK 4th Quarter Team Tennis tourney at the Unity Center in Ahmadi. After rolling to an easy win over Berks on opening day, they had their hands full trying to contain a resurgent Amana squad, and thanks to a couple of lucky breaks, managed to scrape through by the skin of their teeth in their seesaw match. Amana drew first blood when Ronnie Rapatan and Jonil Dacer, playing a solid combination, out-stroked Tigers duo Rey Malapitan and Jen Gaa 8-4in AA-1but the latter quickly broke back through Jaypee Parayno and Pipo Dayao s 8-2 trashing of Oliver Abary and Eymard Mallillin in their BB-1 tussle. Jun Clamor and August Santos made it 2-1 for Amana when they out-pointed Arced and Jorge 8-6 in the CC-1 pairings but Oloy Payales and Roy Laguda leveled the count 2-2 by disposing off Drox and Dodong Bag-ao by the same score-line in their BB-2 encounter before the duo of Raed Al Saleem and Jen Gaa downed Amana s Jonil and Sammy Miclat 8-4 for a 3-2 Tigers lead. Bryan and Cris Belano dealt Amana s Mike TENNIS Corre and Lou Floreza a sound 8-2 whipping in their CC-2 tussle to stretch the Tigers lead 4-2 but August and Rao trimmed the deficit via an 8-5 defeat of Jorge and Cris Casenas in CC-3 and Dodong Bag-ao with Lou Floreza made it 4-4 when they outplayed Roy Laguda and Naths 8-3 in the CC-3 match-ups. Amana nosed ahead 5-4 when Ronnie and Drox outgunned the Tigers Raed and Tony Dezeda 8-3 in the AB encounter but their euphoria was short-lived as Ghie and Bernice evened the count once again with their 8-3 beating of Mylene and Katrina in the Ladies pairs before Bryan and Naths delivered the coup de grace with a masterful 8-0 drubbing of Jun Clamor and Rao in the CC-4 match-ups for the final 6-5 margin. On the other courts, Berks got tripped and went down to their second straight setback, this time to Team Fahaheel in their meeting on the other courts. The two squads fought on even terms in the early going of their match, splitting the first eight matches and seemed headed to a similar finish as the Tigers and Amana encounter. Berks took the opening encounter in the AA-1 pairings when Ashraf Al Rashidi and Russell Centeno outpointed Fahaheel s Bernie Dela Cruz and Randy 8-6 but long time partners Romar Macagaling and Adonis Bersales made it even when they trounced Rene Datuin and Sonny Cajipe 8-4 in BB-1. Ari and Rick Quider pummeled Danny Bumanlag and Lope 8-2 in CC-2 to give the lead back to Berks 2-1 but Rolando and Ato Mondejar evened the count when they outstroked Dewan and Rajib 8-6 in BB-2. Ashraf and William Naoe made it 3-2 when they downed Randy and Mohammed Hassan 8-4 before Fahaheel evened up again via the Jakimovska sibling s Demi and Nora 8-2 beating of Becky and Tess in the ladies match-ups but an 8-3 by Norman and Rick over Fahaheel s Sonny Roble and Jojith in CC-3 was quickly answered by Rolando and Sonny Roble who defeated Rajib and Norman 8-4 in their BC match. It was Fahaheel the rest of the way afterwards with Bernie and Adonis playing superbly together in beating William and Sonny Cajipe 8-5 in AB, Lope and Dodong edging Benny and Dale 8-7 in tiebreak in CC- 4; and Berks defaulted the CC-1 match for the final 7-4 result in favor of Fahaheel. Nash shines for red-hot Suns in victory over Philadelphia Berks winning pair Rick Quider and Ari (right), with Danny Bumanlag and Lope of Fahaheel. Spurs rip Raptors behind Ginobili PHILADELPHIA, Nov 10, (Agencies): Steve Nash scored 21 points and made 20 assists as the Phoenix Suns continued their fine start to the season with a victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday. Jason Richardson top-scored with 29 points as the Suns (7-1) overcame an eightpoint deficit in the final quarter to move clear of the idle LA Lakers at the top of the Western Conference. Andre Iguodala led the way for the 76ers with 24 points while Marreese Speights chipped in with 20 as Philadelphia fell to 3-4. The Suns, who failed to make the playoffs last year, trailed the 76ers with 7:07 remaining but rallied to post their third straight victory. Jared Dudley scored 13 of his 18 points off the bench in the final quarter, where he made three of Phoenix s 15 three-pointers. With the game tied at , Richardson scored the next five points to give the Suns a comfortable cushion and Nash made six straight free throws down the stretch to seal the game. One of the most potent offenses in the NBA, the Suns had six players in double figures scoring. The 35-year-old Nash, who signed a contract extension to stay with Phoenix in the offseason, has looked rejuvenated as he orchestrates the team s arsenal. Nash leads the league in assists and he tied his season-high of 20 on Monday, which was two off his career best. The Suns finished their five-game Eastern Conference road trip with four wins while the 76ers lost for the third time in four. Philadelphia forward Elton Brand had just 10 points and hasn t appeared on form this season since returning from an shoulder injury that sidelined him for most of the campaign. Spurs 131, Raptors 124 At San Antonio, Manu Ginobili scored 36 points without Tim Duncan and Tony Parker in the lineup as the Spurs beat the Toronto Raptors. Ginobili hit four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter as the Spurs fired despite their two leading scorers being sidelined with ankle injuries. Richard Jefferson had 24 and George Hill added 22 for San Antonio. Chris Bosh had 32 points and nine rebounds for Toronto, but his third 30-point game of the season wasn t enough after another soft defensive game for the Raptors. Jazz 95, Knicks 93 At New York, Carlos Boozer and Andrei Kirilenko each scored 23 points as the Jazz won at Madison Square Garden for the first BASKETBALL Victors Dodong Bag-Ao and Lou Floreza of Amana (right), with losing pair Roy Laguda and Naths of the Tigers. The Fahaheel Machos. San Antonio Spurs Manu Ginobili (left), of Argentina, and Toronto Raptors Hedo Turkoglu, of Turkey, dive for a loose ball during the third quarter of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Nov 9. (AP) NBA Results/Standings NBA results on Monday Phoenix 119 Philadelphia 115 Utah 95 NY Knicks 93 San Antonio 131 Toronto 124 Golden State 146 Minnesota 105 New Orleans 112 LA Clippers 84 Standings Eastern Conferecne Atlantic Division W L PCT GB Boston Philadelphia /2 Toronto /2 NY Knicks New Jersey /2 Central Division W L PCT GB Chicago Milwaukee /2 Cleveland /2 Detroit /2 Indiana /2 Southeast Division W L PCT GB Miami Atlanta /2 Orlando /2 Charlotte Washington /2 Western Conferecne Northwest Division W L PCT GB Denver Portland Oklahoma City /2 Utah Minnesota /2 Pacific Division W L PCT GB Phoenix LA Lakers /2 Sacramento /2 LA Clippers Golden State Southwest Division W L PCT GB Dallas Houston San Antonio New Orleans Memphis /2 LeBron wants max money and a title contender CLEVELAND, Ohio, Nov 10, (AFP): Winning comes first for LeBron James. Money ranks a close second. But the NBA club that expects the superstar to play for it next season had better be prepared to offer both. That was the message the reigning NBA Most Valuable Player had Monday after some weekend speculation that he might be willing to settle for less than the maximum amount of money he could make under NBA rules. Let s get this clear, James said. I said the max contract doesn t mean more than winning. I didn t say, I don t need a max contract or I m not going to get a max contract. All I m saying is that winning is more important to me than money at the end of the day. That has been the expected dynamic all along for James, who can opt out of his contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers after the current season, which would open the door for every team in the league to make a run at King James. Before last Friday s game at New York, James said a max deal did not really matter to him. New York has long been one of James s favorite places to play and he scored 33 points in Cleveland s victory over the Knicks, who have gutted their roster expenses for two seasons to make a financial run at the king s ransom it would take to entice him. That, however, has not led to success on the court, which is also one of the things James values. Clubs also realize that landing James could inspire other players to come and play for less money for the chance to play on a championship squad, a goal James desperately wants to achieve in his already much-lauded career. time in more than five years by beating the Knicks. Mehmet Okur had the go-ahead basket with 1:16 to play and finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds for the Jazz, who opened a difficult four-game road trip by winning in New York for the first time since Feb. 20, Deron Williams was limited to five points but had 16 assists. Utah, which earned its first road victory of the season, visits Boston next and wraps up the trip Saturday night at Cleveland. Rookie Toney Douglas scored a seasonhigh 21 points for the Knicks, who nearly dug their way out of another huge deficit with a big fourth-quarter rally. But he missed just before the buzzer, sending New York to its fourth straight loss. Hornets 112, Clippers 84 At Los Angeles, Chris Paul had 24 points and 10 assists and Devin Brown scored 25 points as the New Orleans Hornets bounced back from a blowout loss with a victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. David West added 17 points and nine rebounds in just New Orleans second win in six games. One night after the Hornets were routed by the Lakers in the same building, they ended the Clippers three-game winning streak with a dominant victory, opening a 31- point lead on James Posey s layup at the third-quarter buzzer. Warriors 146, Timberwolves 105 At Oakland, Kelenna Azubuike scored a season-high 31 points and Anthony Randolph added 23 to help the Warriors beat the struggling Timberwolves. Stephen Jackson had 10 points and a career-high 15 assists while Monte Ellis had 18 points with 10 rebounds to lead the Warriors to their most Okur lopsided win in more than a year. Jonny Flynn had 20 points, six assists and five rebounds while Al Jefferson added 18 points to lead Minnesota, which lost its seventh straight. Berks winning duo Ashraf Al Rashidi and Russell Centeno (left), with Fahaheel s Bernie Dela Cruz and Randy. Doctors say CML treatable NBA great Abdul-Jabbar has rare form of leukemia NEW YORK, Nov 10, (AP): Basketball great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is being treated for a rare form of leukemia, and he said his prognosis is encouraging. The NBA s all-time leading scorer was diagnosed last December with chronic myeloid leukemia, he told The Associated Press on Monday. The 62-year-old Abdul-Jabbar said his doctor didn t give any guarantees, but informed him: You have a very good chance to live your life out and not have to make any drastic changes to your lifestyle. Abdul-Jabbar is taking an oral medication for the disease. He is a paid spokesman for the Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis, which makes a drug that treats the illness. Citing the way Los Angeles Lakers teammate Magic Johnson brought awareness to HIV, Abdul-Jabbar said he wants to do the same for his form of blood cancer, which can be fatal if left untreated. I ve never been a person to share my private life. But I can help save lives, he said at a midtown Manhattan conference room. It s incumbent on someone like me to talk about this. Abdul-Jabbar became concerned last year after feeling odd sensations. He went for tests at UCLA, where he dominated college basketball in the late 1960s, winning three straight championships from I was getting hot flashes and sweats on a regular basis, he said. That s not normal, even for my age. An exam showed his white blood cell count was sky high and a doctor quickly diagnosed his condition. At first, all Abdul- Jabbar heard was the word leukemia. I was scared, he said. I thought it was BASKETBALL all the same. I thought it could mean I have a month to live. That was my first question, he said. Was I going to make it? A longtime student in martial arts, Abdul-Jabbar said he took the approach of a samurai, to face death without fear. I had my face on, he said. Instead, doctors told him CML was treatable with proper medication and monitoring.

51 SPORTS 51 We aim to identity top players with potential to develop and play professionally English Premier League side Everton visit Kuwait KUWAIT CITY, Nov 10: The Premier Football Academy welcomed Everton Football Clubs International Youth Development Manager Tony Farrell, Education and Welfare Officer Mike Dickinson and Youth Coach Paul Harris to Kuwait s new centre of footballing excellence based at the Hassan Abul Centre in Dasma. Everton are one of the English Premier Leagues top six clubs in terms of major honours and are delighted to be the first Premier League Club to provide opportunities for Kuwait s most promising players to fulfill their potential.the Everton visitors spent a week coaching the players at the P.F.A., leading coaches workshops and meeting officials from the Kuwait Football Federation. The Premier Football Academy has been brought to Kuwait by Dawoud Tawfic and Mike Finn with the specific aim of nurturing the best young talent in Kuwait and providing opportunity for players to maximise their potential along with helping to raise the international profile of football in Kuwait. Fully qualified English coaches, top facilities and a partnership with Everton Football Club make this a world class opportunity for Kuwait s top young talent, said Dawoud. My vision is to see the status of Kuwait football raised with our talented youngsters given the opportunity to develop and perform on the world stage. Director of Coaching at the Premier Football Academy, Mike Finn, has had many years coaching experience with some of England s top teams. He has designed the Premier Football Academy programme in association with Everton Football Club to ensure players receive a SOCCER high quality professional development programme with opportunities to compete at the highest level. Qualified English FA coaches will lead all coaching groups. We aim to identify the top players in Kuwait with the potential to develop and play professionally then provide the opportunities for them to succeed. We are also leading a coaches development program with the aim of raising standards of youth development. Everton trainers will lead courses and coaching sessions to bring Premier League standards to Kuwaiti football added Mike Finn. Tony Farrell, International Development Manager at Everton Football Club is keen to establish links in the Middle East and is enthusiastic about the new Premier Football Academy in association with Everton. Everton are delighted to participate in this exciting program from its inception. We want to help re-ignite Kuwaiti football so we can see the country performing well on the international stage again. We feel that working with young talented players and the Kuwait Football Federation can help achieve this in the long term The Everton Way online player and coach development program is the most advanced specialist coaching site of its kind and is accessible to all on Tony and members of the Everton coaching team will be visiting Kuwait regularly to support and monitor progress of selected players in the hope that players from Kuwait will be playing in the world s top league in the future. They are also looking forward to bringing the Everton Youth team to play a match in Kuwait in March Players with a high level of technical ability, fitness, dedication and determination to improve and succeed are invited to attend trial sessions at the Premier Football Academy. Selected players will then have the opportunity to sign up for Kuwait s Premier Football Academy in association with Everton Football Club. For further details and to arrange for your trial session premier_fa_kuwait@yahoo.com with your name, tel contact, date of birth and current team/club or contact Mike Finn, Director of Football on (English) or Khaled Al Saleh, Development Manager on (Arabic). Gerrard s disputed penalty earns Liverpool home draw Birmingham angry at referee decision Participants taking instructions from the coach during practice. Nelson hoping for stormy weather All Whites expected at full strength WELLINGTON, Nov 10, (RTRS): New Zealand coach Ricki Herbert should have a full-strength squad to choose from for the All Whites deciding Asia/Oceania World Cup qualifier second leg against Bahrain on Saturday. Goalkeeper Mark Paston and midfielders Michael McGlinchey and Simon Elliott arrived in Wellington for the team s final preparations with slight injuries, however Herbert told reporters he expected all three to take full part in the team s first training run later on Tuesday (0330 GMT). There were no other injury concerns in the squad and if any occurred in the build up Herbert added he would give every player until just before kickoff the opportunity to prove their fitness. Blackburn Rovers captain Ryan Nelsen and Gold Coast striker Shane Smeltz arrived in Wellington late on Monday, with Celtic s Chris Killen the last of Herbert s 18-man squad expected later on Tuesday. The match at Westpac Stadium has sold out with capacity increased by 1,000 temporary seats to 35,500 after unprecedented interest following the 0-0 draw in Manama last month, with the winner advancing to the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa. New Zealand have made just one previous World Cup finals, in Spain in 1982, while Bahrain are bidding to qualify for the first time. Herbert said while there had not been much time to prepare as a squad for the match, the benefits of a four-year plan would probably hold the team in good stead. We have had the same challenge (of lack of preparation) for the last four years, so it s not new, he told reporters in Wellington. The continuity of the players we have had, certainly over the last 12 months, will help. We haven t got a lot of time but it s a tough, tight group. I think we ve spent enough time together on and off the pitch and hopefully we bring it together on Best of the Rest Bangladesh sacks coach Dido: Bangladesh has sacked coach Adson Dido after the Brazilian named a controversial squad for next month s South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) championship. Prior to his removal on Tuesday, Dido dropped a host of regular players from the squad, allegedly for a rebellion against him, and the Bangladesh Football Federation installed former international Shahidur Rahman as a temporary replacement. Bangladesh will host the eight-nation tournament from Dec 4-13 with India, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan and Afghanistan also involved. (RTRS) Argentina call Perotti: Coach Diego Maradona has called up uncapped Sevilla left winger Diego Perotti for Argentina s friendly against Spain on Saturday. The 21-year-old was drafted in after injuries ruled out Jonas Gutierrez of Newcastle United and Atletico Madrid s Sergio Aguero, the Argentine Football Association said on its website ( on Monday. (RTRS) Smicer hangs up boots: Former Czech international star and Slavia Prague veteran Vladimir Smicer said on Monday he was hanging up his boots at the age of 36 after a Benfica s Javier Saviola (right), from Argentina challenges Naval s Diego Oliveira from Brazil during their Portuguese League soccer match, Nov 9, at Benfica s Luz stadium in Lisbon. (AP) Saturday. Herbert added that despite the external pressure generated from an expectant country building on the squad s shoulders, he was confident they would be able to handle it. SOCCER I think we re in a good space, he said. I don t sense tension around the group, external from what that tension should be. There needs to be that passion and adrenaline flowing through the body or we haven t got the right players in the squad. But I like what I see. I ve always backed this group. there is incredible strength there and Saturday is a great opportunity for the game. Meanwhile, for a man who plies his trade in the chilly north-west of England, New Zealand captain Nelsen had a strange request for Saturday s encounter. A good dirty southerly, some beautiful Wellington wind, and a nice bit of sleet, the Blackburn Rovers central defender told reporters on Tuesday when asked how the Gulf side may be unsettled. After battling horrendous conditions during the 0-0 first leg draw in a sweltering Manama last month, Nelsen said he was surprised at Bahrain s preparations for the match which will earn the winner a place at next year s finals in South Africa. Bahrain are training in Sydney, where the temperatures are approaching 30 degreed Celsius, and arrive in Wellington late on Thursday. New Zealand s Metservice has forecast cold and wet weather for Wellington when the match kicks off at 8 pm (0700 GMT) on Saturday. I was very surprised because there s a two-hour difference from Australia and the weather s going to be completely different, he said. Nelsen, who scored in Blackburn s 3-1 victory over Portsmouth in their English Premier League match on Saturday, went straight to the airport after the match and flew to New Zealand, joining the rest of the All Whites squad late on Monday. It has been excitement for the past month actually since the first leg, I couldn t wait to get back on the plane and get back here for this match, a smiling Nelsen said when asked how he had dealt with the effects of travel. Trust me if the game was on the moon I wouldn t care one bit. I d try to get there and be ready for it. Nelsen said the squad had gelled together well over the previous four years and while the ultimate prize of going to the World Cup was the reward, he would have some simple advice for his team mates before they took the field. It is different, no matter what people say, it s not just an ordinary game. Sabella, Estudiantes eye major double LA PLATA, Argentina, Nov 10, (RTRS): Alejandro Sabella will be relying on the rich heritage of Estudiantes as symbolised by the Veron family when his team attempt to become world club champions next month. The coach also hopes the good momentum Estudiantes have in the Argentine Apertura championship will carry the team, led by Juan Sebastian Veron, through to two major titles by the end of the year. spate of injury problems. I am not able to help Slavia on the field. I can no longer give it 100 percent, explained Smicer, who won the 2005 Champions League with Liverpool. My head and my heart want me to carry on but my body says no, added Smicer ruefully after playing the first half of a goalless draw with Viktoria Pilsen. Smicer scored 27 goals in 81 games for the Czech national side from , featuring for the squad which finished runners up to Germany at Euro (AFP) Veron s father Juan Ramon was the most skilled member of the Estudiantes team that won the club s first three South American titles from 1968 to 1970 and the world crown when they beat Manchester United for the Intercontinental Cup in The club s philosophy is to fight to the end and all the players (in the squad) are prepared for that. It s the life philosophy we were taught in the club, Sabella said. Bendtner named Danish player of yr: Danish international striker Nicklas Bendtner was named Denmark s player of the year on Monday. The 21-year-old Arsenal forward topped a vote conducted on the internet held between Oct 26 and Nov 9. Bentdner who is presently injured was in sparkling form for the Danish national side during their successful run to qualifying for the 2010 World Cup finals, scoring the goal in the 1-1 draw at home to Portugal taking his tally to 10 goals in 31 internationals. National coach Lars Olsen was named coach of the year. (AFP) LIVERPOOL, England, Nov 10, (AP): Steven Gerrard equalized with a disputed penalty Monday as Liverpool drew 2-2 with Birmingham to fall 11 points behind Premier League leader Chelsea. Liverpool trailed 2-1 in the 71st minute at Anfield when striker David Ngog went down in the area after a challenge by Lee Carsley, although the Birmingham midfielder clearly made no contact and afterward accused the French striker of cheating. He went past me and I was nowhere near (him). It s a joke, Carsley said. I didn t touch him at all. When (the ref) sees that he will be really disappointed. I know for a fact that, if I went home knowing I d done something like (Ngog did), I d be embarrassed. We re supposed to be teaching the kids and leading by example, and that s just an embarrassing case of cheating. SOCCER Gerrard, having come off the bench despite a lingering groin injury, scored from the spot to keep his team in seventh spot in a horror season that also has Liverpool facing elimination from the group stage of the Champions League. Liverpool has been beaten six times in its past nine matches in all competitions, drawing twice and winning only once. We can talk about the penalty, whether it was or not, Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez said. Maybe it wasn t a penalty, but I think we deserved to win because we had way too many opportunities. The Reds have 19 points, while Birmingham is 15th with 12 points after a seventh straight league game against Liverpool without losing. Chelsea has 30 points, five ahead of Arsenal and Manchester United. Tottenham has 22, Aston Villa 21 and Man City 20. Although Fernando Torres was missing with a groin injury, Benitez surprisingly selected Gerrard on the bench and then watched his side go ahead in the 13th minute through Ngog. Glen Johnson set up the chance with a weaving run down the right. Goalkeeper Joe Hart blocked shots from Ngog and Dirk Kuyt, but Alberto Riera lobbed the ball back toward the Frenchman, who powered it into the roof of the net McLeish with a first-time volley. Birmingham leveled from a free kick in the 26th. Headed passes by Roger Johnson and Liam Ridgewell set up Christian Benitez for Liverpool s Glen Johnson (left), fights for the ball with Birmingham s James McFadden during their English Premier League soccer match at Anfield Stadium, Liverpool, England, Nov 9. (AP) English Football Standings LONDON, Nov 10, (AP): Standings in English football after Monday s games: Premier League GP W D L GF GA Pts Chelsea Arsenal Manchester United Tottenham Aston Villa Manchester City Liverpool Sunderland Stoke Burnley Fulham Everton Wigan Blackburn Birmingham Bolton Hull West Ham Wolverhampton Portsmouth an close-range header to score. Liverpool lost Riera just before halftime with a recurrence of his hamstring trouble and Gerrard went on as his replacement. But the Liverpool captain had not touched the ball before his side fell behind to Cameron Jerome s amazing strike in first-half stoppage time. The striker collected a headed clearance by teammate Scott Dann, shrugged off a challenge and fired a dipping 30-meter shot that flew past goalkeeper Pepe Reina and under the crossbar. Gerrard almost made it 2-2 in the 63rd minute when his header hit the outside of the post after a cross from Johnson. Still, the Liverpool captain equalized in contentious circumstances. Ngog burst into the area from the left and went down under a challenge from Carsley, although it appeared clear from TV replays that no contact had been made. Referee Peter Walton awarded the spot kick and Gerrard sent Hart League Championship GP W D L GF GA Pts Newcastle W Bromwich Albion Cardiff QP Rangers Blackpool Leicester Bristol City Nottingham Forest Swansea Middlesbrough Preston Watford Crystal Palace Sheffield United Barnsley Sheffield Wed Coventry Derby Scunthorpe Doncaster Plymouth Reading Ipswich Peterborough the wrong way. This is a shame for the game. Why not stay on your feet? Birmingham manager Alex McLeish said of Ngog s fall. Peter Walton s a great referee but he s got that one wrong. If we hadn t lost the penalty, I felt we would have won it. Gerrard lobbed an 18-meter shot over the bar before Liverpool sent on Italian midfielder Alberto Aquilani for his home debut with eight minutes remaining but to no avail.

52 52 PRIME TIME wednesday (all times are kuwait local) 10:00 premier league... fox sports 11:00 pkra world cup... extreme sports 12:00 fia euro drag racing... extreme sports 13:00 ride guide mountain... extreme sports 14:00 golf central intl... fox sports 15:00 fighting spirit... fox sports 17:00 wanderers world... fox sports 18:00 monster energy... extreme sports Sports Almagro sets up Nadal meeting in Paris Davydenko, Verdasco boost London chances PARIS, Nov 10, (AP): Sixth-seeded Nikolay Davydenko of Russia moved closer to qualifying for next month s eight-man ATP World Tour Finals by beating Benjamin Becker of Germany 6-2, 6-1 Tuesday in the second round of the Paris Masters. Davydenko, who broke his opponent five times and saved the four break points he faced, is one of the five players who can still qualify for the season-ending event in London. Fernando Verdasco, Robin Soderling, Fernando Gonzalez and Jo- TENNIS Wilfried Tsonga are also in the running. The 28-year-old Davydenko, who won the Paris Masters in 2006, needs to reach the semifinals to secure one of the two remaining spots. The Russian said he didn t feel under more pressure going into this week. There are three guys who need to win this tournament to qualify, said Davydenko, who has won four titles this season. It won t be easy for the likes of Tsonga, Soderling or Verdasco and it makes me feel good. The seventh-seeded Verdasco rallied to beat Andreas Seppi of Italy for the sixth time in as many matches on the main tour with a 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-4 win. The 25-year-old Spaniard closed out the match on his first match point with a service winner and eliminated two contenders from the race to the ATP World Tour Finals Radek Stepanek and Marin Cilic. Verdasco, who had his foot bandaged in the third set, broke Seppi in the ninth game of the decider and served out the match. Verdasco will play in London later this month if he wins in Paris, but could qualify earlier depending on his rivals results. Davydenko won 71 percent of points on serve and had five aces against Becker. He will next face either Soderling or Ivo Karlovic. Nicolas Almagro of Spain defeated Marco Chiudinelli of Switzerland 6-2, 6-4 to advance to a second-round match against second-seeded Rafael Nadal. This tournament is always difficult, and this kind of surface is the most difficult of the year for me, said Nadal, who has never won the Paris Masters. And I think it s faster than the other years. The bounce is lower, but that s it. French qualifier David Guez, 179th in the rankings, defeated Stanislas Wawrinka 6-3, 6-4 to reach the second round, while Juan Monaco of Argentina broke Jeremy Chardy of France three times on his way to a 7-6 (6), 7-5 victory. Today, I was frustrated because I was not able to do what I wanted to do, Chardy said. When you are on the court and you just can t do what you want, it s always annoying. Meanwhile, former No. 1-ranked Marat Safin believes that Andre Agassi should give his tennis titles back after confessing he tested positive for a banned substance during his career and lied about it to the ATP. Broncos drop second straight after 6-0 start DENVER, Colorado, Nov 10, (RTRS): Ben Roethlisberger s three second-half touchdown passes and a stingy defense helped the Pittsburgh Steelers ease to a victory over the Denver Broncos on Monday. The Steelers returned to action after a bye week and limited the Broncos to just 27 rushing yards in winning a fifth consecutive game, as the Super Bowl champions continue to look more like the team that powered to the NFL title in February. Anyone who watches us play knows that we don t blink no matter what happens. There is always more football to be played, Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall told FOOTBALL Big Ben guides Steelers to win Nikolay Davydenko, of Russia, returns the ball to Benjamin Becker, of Germany, during BNP Masters indoor tennis tournament in Paris, Nov 10. (AP) SOCCER Friendly encounter slated for Nov 21 Barcelona to visit Kuwait KUWAIT CITY, Nov 10: A member of the Managing Board of FC Barcelona Albert Rineh, who headed a delegation from the club on Monday to inspect Al-Sadaqa and Al-Salama fields at Kathema Club, said Barcelona will visit Kuwait to play a friendly match at the club on Nov 21. The delegation included personalities protection manager Maya Farah, international relations officer Steven Dousan, development manager Khouseh Maya and Relations and Protocol Manger Ramon Bakhul. In a press release, Rineh said the management at Barcelona has ensured that all players, including stars like Messi, Ibrahimovic, Henry and Iniesta, will visit Kuwait once the World Clubs Tournament in Abu Dhabi ends. He refuted rumors that some of the players would be unavailable for the match. He announced Kuwaiti fans will be the first to view the five trophies won by the club together, including the Spanish League and the European Championship trophies. Rineh went on to say the team will fly from Abu Dhabi to Kuwait before heading home and urged Barcelona s fans to cheer for Best of the Rest Kuwait s Zankawi wins silver: Kuwait s Ali Al-Zankawi won Tuesday the silver medal in Hammer Throw event in the 18th Asian Athletics Championships, which started in China. Al-Zankawi threw meters to clinch the silver and came second to Tajikistan s Dishod Etisalat to sign 3-yr deal with City ABU DHABI, Nov 10, (RTRS): The UAE s Emirates Telecommunications Corp (Etisalat) said on Tuesday it had signed an agreement for a three-year sponsorship deal with English Premier league soccer club, Manchester City. The Arab world s second-largest telecommunication s firm said in a statement it had signed a memorandum of understanding, which preceded a full three-year strategic sponsorship agreement to be formalised later this year. Abu Dhabi billionaire Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahayan who took control of Manchester City the club at the ongoing tournament in Abu Dhabi. He added the visit of the club s Chairman Juan La Porta to Kuwait was an event that encouraged the club to accept the invitation to play the friendly at Kathema club to mark its 45th anniversary. Rineh expressed satisfaction at the preparations made for the match, adding that the fields was well-maintained. He said the Nazarov whose throw landed in the meter mark. Third was Chinese Liang Ma with meters. (KUNA) Al-Arabi defeats Al-Saad: Kuwait s Al- Arabi managed to win against Qatari Al-Saad in 2008 from Thaksin Shinawatra, Thailand s former prime minister has transformed the team into title contenders with a series of big money signings including Robinho, Carlos Tevez, Gareth Barry and Emmanuel Adebayor. Abu Dhabi-based Etisalat did not disclose the size of the proposed deal. In August 2008, Saudi Telecom Co (STC) unveiled plans to sign a marketing deal with football club Manchester United that could be worth $18.6 million ( 9.3 million), in its first-ever deal with a non-saudi football club. pleasant weather and the enthusiasm of the fans will also contribute to the friendly s success. After the visit, the officials posed for pictures with some young fans and were taken to Avenues complex for dinner. One of the members surprised the group by complying with a request to wear the traditional Kuwait costume within the Asian Men s Handball Club League Championship held in Amman, Jordan, on Tuesday. Al-Arabi came from one-goal deficit in the first half to show strong performance against the Qataris, who had Russia and Bosnian professional players in their squad. (KUNA) reporters after his team continued its resurgence from a 1-2 start to the year. The victory moved Pittsburgh (6-2) into a tie with the Cincinnati Bengals at the top of the AFC North and in position to challenge for a third straight division title. Roethlisberger hooked up with Hines Ward for a three-yard touchdown pass with 9:09 left in the third quarter to give his team a lead and finished off the Broncos with a 25-yard effort to Mike Wallace with seven minutes remaining. Mendenhall helped the Steelers control the game with 155 yards rushing on 22 carries as Roethlisberger put a seal on the victory with a second threeyard scoring pass to Ward with a little over a minute left in the fourth quarter. Denver (6-2) lost for the second time in a row after starting the season with six successive wins. The Broncos moved the ball well in the first half but trailed 7-3 at halftime after Tyrone Carter intercepted quarterback Kyle Orton and ran it 48 yards for a score two minutes into the second quarter. Carter started in place of Ryan Clark who was held out of the game due to a blood disorder that is aggravated by playing in high altitudes. His big play on Orton was one of three interceptions for the Denver QB who also threw for 221 yards. With 11:16 left in the third, Denver went ahead 10-7 when Robert Ayers recovered a fumble and scampered 54 yards for a TD. But after being outgained by Denver in the first half, the Steelers Big Ben quickly got their offense on track with an explosive 80- yard drive that required just four plays for the go-ahead score. We went no-huddle, picked Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall (right), is pulled down after a short gain by Denver Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams during the fourth quarter of the Steelers victory in an NFL football game at Invesco Field at Mile High, Nov 9, in Denver. (AP) NFL Results/Standings NFL Results on Monday. Pittsburgh 28 Denver 10 Standings American Football Conference AFC East W L T PF PA Pct New England NY Jets Miami Buffalo AFC North W L T PF PA Pct Cincinnati Pittsburgh Baltimore Cleveland AFC South W L T PF PA Pct Indianapolis Houston Jacksonville Tennessee AFC West W L T PF PA Pct Denver San Diego Oakland up the tempo and we did a good job of picking things up. The play-makers made plays, Roethlisberger said. We don t care what the critics say. We get it done. Meanwhile, the Kansas City Chiefs released controversial running back Larry Johnson on Monday, the day he had been scheduled to return from suspension for conduct detrimental to the club. On the team s official website ( Kansas City said head coach Todd Haley would hold a news conference later on Monday to discuss developments. Johnson, 29, was ordered last month to stay away from training and team activities while the Chiefs and the NFL investigated alleged comments made by the player. According to the Kansas City Star, Johnson posted demeaning comments, directed at Chiefs coach Haley, on his Twitter feed hours after the 37-7 loss to the San Diego Chargers on Oct 25. The newspaper reported Johnson also used derogatory language in a reply to a follower on Twitter and to a reporter. The Star said Johnson had Kansas City National Football Conference NFC East W L T PF PA Pct Dallas Philadelphia NY Giants Washington NFC North W L T PF PA Pct Minnesota Green Bay Chicago Detroit NFC South W L T PF PA Pct New Orleans Atlanta Carolina Tampa Bay NFC West W L T PF PA Pct Arizona San Francisco Seattle St Louis (RTRS) issued a statement to them, through his agent, apologising for his behaviour and language used. I want to apologise to the fans of the Kansas City Chiefs and the rest of the NFL, commissioner (Roger) Goodell, the Chiefs organisation, coach Todd Haley, his staff, and my team mates for the words I used yesterday, he said. I regret my actions. The words were used by me in frustration and they were not appropriate. I did not intend to offend anyone but that is no excuse for what I said. THE FIRST ENGLISH LANGUAGE DAILY IN FREE KUWAIT Published by: Arab Times Publishing House Editor-in-Chief AHMED AL JARALLAH Editorial Office: Airport Road, Shuwaikh P.O. 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