News from 2012-2-2

Life

Looks to fall in love with this Valentine's

Romantic dresses, glamorous accessories and stylish separates make for a perfect Valentine's Day match. Shot on location at The Ritz Carlton, JBR [read full article]

Fiat brings back the Multipla

Ready for the Geneva motor show, Fiat is revealing the next model in the 500 line up, the 500L [read full article]

Group test for Mercedes' pre-production vehicles

Stuttgart is gearing up to unveil three new or updated models in the upcoming year, and our spy has already snapped the lot [read full article]

Soul searching: Kia Rio tested on its home turf

Imran Malik heads to South Korea to check out the all-new Kia Rio saloon. Does it have any heart and soul? [read full article]

Steven's 2003 Honda Civic LXI

Steven loves his Honda Civic so much that when the time came for a repaint, he did it himself [read full article]

Driven: Volkswagen CC

Volkswagen's CC is more than just an affordable version of the Merc CLS. And it's now got a mid-life dose of Botox. Iain Dooley drives one to see what else has changed [read full article]

Classic cars: Maserati BiTurbo

The common man's Maser is arguably the best stepping stone into the world of Italian classic cars [read full article]

Duckworth and Costin: Pair of kings

When a brilliant automotive engineer teamed up with a former racing driver with an aviation background, few could've guessed where the pair would end up [read full article]

Nissan Juke-R driven around Dubai Autodrome

Tim Ansell takes Nissan's automotive oddity, the Juke-R for a blast around Dubai Autodrome [read full article]

Hip hangouts: Arrested Development Live and more

The hottest events and places to see and be seen at in the UAE this week [read full article]

Sports

F1 launch time and optimism is in the air

Expect a fresh wave of optimism, with teams and drivers gamely talking up their prospects before the bitter chill of reality changes the body language, when Formula One's launch season picks up speed this week. [read full article]

Raina sees a revival

Unfazed by the Test debacle as he was not a part of the team, Indian middle-order batsman Suresh Raina on Monday said his side will play some "different cricket" to give a better account of itself in the shorter formats starting with a Twenty20 match against Australia on Wednesday. [read full article]

Hard work is paying dividends: Mohsin

Pakistan's Test series victory against the world's top side has taken the cricketing fraternity by surprise. The team branded as the most unpredictable one.. [read full article]

From joker to topper

Rod Laver was the last man to complete the Grand Slam back in 1969 and after Novak Djokovic's astonishing win in the Australian Open final it looks like the Serb could be next. [read full article]

Middle East

Syrian troops storm areas near Damascus

BEIRUT - In dozens of tanks and armored vehicles, Syrian troops have stormed rebellious areas near the capital, shelling neighborhoods that have fallen under the control of army dissidents and clashing with fighters. At least 62 people were killed in violence nationwide, activists and residents said. [read full article]

Iran says it has laser-guided artillery rounds

TEHRAN - Iran has developed laser-guided artillery rounds designed to home in on stationary or moving targets at a distance of up to 20 kilometres (12 miles), Defence Minister Ahmad Vahidi told state media Monday. [read full article]

Hamas Gaza chief leaves for regional tour

GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories - The head of the Hamas government in Gaza, Ismail Haniya, left on Monday for a regional tour expected to include stops in Iran, Qatar and Bahrain, his spokesman told AFP. [read full article]

Jordan hikes electricity price after Egypt gas cut

AMMAN - Jordan said on Monday it will raise electricity prices this week by between nine and 17 percent to offset losses caused by cut-offs in Egyptian gas supplies. [read full article]

France's Juppe to push Arab League plan at UN

PARIS - France's Foreign Minister Alain Juppe will address the UN Security Council in New York on Tuesday in an effort to push through an Arab-backed resolution for political change in Syria. [read full article]

Palestinians drag feet on reconciliation path

Rival Palestinian movements Fatah and Hamas are delaying implementation of their reconciliation accord, paying lip-service to the deal [read full article]

US cannot account for Iraqi billions

BAGHDAD - The US Department of Defence cannot account for some $2 billion of Iraqi funds it spent, a report from a US watchdog said on Monday, in the latest case of apparently lax US oversight of Iraq's money. [read full article]

Iraq parliament could see new draft oil law in Feb

LONDON - After five years in the making, Iraq's parliament could have a first reading of a landmark oil law by early February, a senior Iraqi energy official said on Monday. [read full article]

Clinton urges Security Council to act on Syria

WASHINGTON - US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Monday that the UN Security Council "must act" on Syria to end President Bashar al-Assad's "violent and brutal attacks" against demonstrators. [read full article]

Iran offers to extend UN nuclear inspection

Iran's top diplomat offered on Monday to extend the current visit of UN nuclear inspectors and expressed optimism their findings would help ease tensions [read full article]

Egypt lays out presidential election rules

Egypt's ruling military on Monday laid out the rules governing the country's first presidential elections since a popular uprising ousted Hosni Mubarak. [read full article]

Environment

Singapore fights against rising sea level

A 15-km (10 mile) stretch of crisp white beach is one of the key battlegrounds in Singapore's campaign to defend its hard-won territory against rising sea levels linked to climate change. [read full article]

Entertainment

Paris Hilton working on new album

NEW YORK - Socialite Paris Hilton says she is preparing her new CD with the help of her DJ-producer boyfriend, Afrojack. [read full article]

Spice Girls gear up for Royal reunion

LONDON - Former pop group Spice Girls are set to get back together to celebrate the British monarch's 60th year on the throne. [read full article]

'Project Nim' wins Directors Guild doc award

LOS ANGELES - James Marsh won the documentary prize Saturday at the Directors Guild of America Awards for "Project Nim," his chronicle of the triumphs and trials of a chimpanzee that was raised like a human child. [read full article]

'Beasts of the Southern Wild' wins at Sundance

PARK CITY - A mythical film starring an 8-year-old girl and a documentary about the war on drugs took top honors at the Sundance Film Festival. [read full article]

Survival story 'The Grey' wins weekend box office

LOS ANGELES - Survival story "The Grey" starring Liam Neeson topped the weekend movie box office charts with an estimated $20 million in U.S. and Canadian ticket sales, according to studio estimates released on Sunday. [read full article]

Ranbir, Vidya best actors at 57th Filmfare awards

Vidya Balan, who painted "The Dirty Picture" in Bollywood last year, and "Rockstar" Ranbir Kapoor picked the best actor trophies at the annual Filmfare awards ceremony here, while "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara" bagged the best film honour. [read full article]

Ranbir, Vidya best actors at 57th Filmfare awards

New London play tells story of "Guantanamo Boy"

LONDON - A theatre in east London is staging new play "Guantanamo Boy" this week, focusing on the U.S. detention camp as it marks it 10th anniversary and engaging local Muslims in political debate. [read full article]

Madonna feels kinship with vilified Wallis Simpson

Madonna says it's pretty obvious why she was drawn to the story of Wallis Simpson - the American divorcee who was vilified for persuading a British king to give up his throne in order to marry her. [read full article]

Author Lee Weeks on her one-way ticket to success

The best-selling author on why she has always travelled on one-way tickets [read full article]

Author Lee Weeks on her one-way ticket to success

The best-selling author on why she has always travelled on one-way tickets [read full article]

Forever blowin' kisses

February is ‘love month’, and it looks like living in the glam glare of the public eye just ups your loved-up quota. The pap-pose du jour is definitely to blow a kiss at the cameras, so in the spirit of Valentine’s, we’ve collected snaps of celebs giving us an air-smackeroo. [read full article]

Forever blowin' kisses

Ritesh and Genelia’s Sangeet ceremony

The wedding fever has begun, and B-Town’s biggest names turned out to celebrate with song, dance and music for the cute couple’s Sangeet ceremony on Tuesday January 31 [read full article]

Ritesh and Genelia’s Sangeet ceremony

The wedding fever has begun, and B-Town’s biggest names turned out to celebrate with song, dance and music for the cute couple’s Sangeet ceremony on Tuesday January 31 [read full article]

Business

Top etisalat official elected IPRA-GC VP

DUBAI - Ali Al Ahmed, the chief corporate communications officer of etisalat, has been elected as the vice-president for UAE of the International Public Relations Association - Gulf Chapter, or IPRA-GC. [read full article]

UAE-NZ ties growing

DUBAI - Trade between the UAE and New Zealand is expected to continue its significant growth, according to New Zealand Consul-General in Dubai Steve Jones. [read full article]

DEC-Deloitte meeting focuses on using best practices

DUBAI - Hani Al Hamli, the secretary-general of the Dubai Economic Council, or DEC, received a delegation from Deloitte global, the leading company in financial advice. The meeting took place at the DEC headquarters in Dubai. [read full article]

UAE, Korea trade touches $23b in 2011

DUBAI - The trade exchange between the UAE and South Korea stood at $23 billion in 2011. The Korean exports to the UAE were $2.27 billion from January to April last year up by 53 per cent. While the UAE exports to South Korea in corresponding period were $4.58 billion up by 14. 4 per cent. [read full article]

Masdar budget approval hailed

ABU DHABI - Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, the CEO of Masdar and chairman of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, commended Abu Dhabi's Executive Council for approving the institute's budget for 2012. [read full article]

Tabreed up on sentiment; Abu Dhabi shares decline

DUBAI - National Central Cooling Company, popularly known as Tabreed, was the star performer in Dubai, posting its biggest one-day gain in 15 months. [read full article]

DI records Dh202.5m profit in 2011

DUBAI - Dubai Investments, or DI, whose manufacturing business was hit by political unrest in Libya and Syria last year, swung to a quarterly loss on Monday, hurt by lower asset valuations. [read full article]

DWC handles 90,000 tonnes of cargo in 2011

DUBAI - Dubai Airports on Monday announced traffic statistics for Dubai World Central, or DWC, that showed the airport handled 89,729 tonnes of air freight during its first full calendar year of operations. [read full article]

Dalma Mall, Apparel Group sign lease agreements

ABU DHABI - Dalma Mall, the largest shopping and lifestyle destination in Abu Dhabi, has signed lease agreements with Apparel Group, an international fashion and lifestyle brand conglomerate, to open 10 outlets featuring an assortment of fashion, footwear and accessories brands in the mall. [read full article]

Mazda introduces 2012 line-up in the UAE

DUBAI - Galadari Automobiles Co Limited, or GAL, sole distributors of Mazda vehicles in the UAE, announced the availability of a complete range of the latest 2012 models of all its cars across its network of showrooms in the UAE. [read full article]

First Gulf Bank profit up 8% at Dh3.7b

DUBAI - First Gulf Bank, or FGB, on Monday declared an eight per cent increase in its net profit that reached Dh3.7 billion for 2011 and also recommended a 100 per cent cash dividend for its shareholders. [read full article]

Qatar Airways threatens to cancel Maldives services

Qatar Airways has threatened to cancel its services to Maldives following planned moves by the private airport operator of Male International Airport to raise handling fees by 51 per cent [read full article]

Dubai Islamic Bank 2011 profit up 25 per cent to Dh1.01b

Dubai Islamic Bank has reported 2011 net profit up 25 per cent on 2010, clocking in at Dh1.01 billion [read full article]

Logistics firm Aramex warns of uncertain outlook for 2012

Logistics firm Aramex warned of an uncertain outlook for 2012 on Thursday after posting a full-year net profit of Dh211.5 million, up four per cent [read full article]

Union Properties announces 2011 net loss of Dh1.6b

The Dubai developer Union Properties made a net loss of Dh1.6 billion in 2011, as the company continued to suffer from falling property prices in the emirate [read full article]

Facebook's $10b IPO will be internet's biggest

Facebook unveiled plans for the biggest ever Internet IPO that could raise as much as $10 billion, but made it clear CEO Mark Zuckerberg will exercise almost complete control over the company, leaving investors with little say [read full article]

ECB loans help Spain, France

Analysts warn of tough climate as second recession looms [read full article]

Consumer Comfort Index in US rises as mood improves

Employment gains, post-holiday sales created better buying climate [read full article]

Survey shows Apple's slice of corporation market is on the rise

iPad gains traction in area traditionally dominated by Microsoft [read full article]

Gulf banks need unorthodox strategy to meet refinancing

Funding is likely to succeed without systemic crises [read full article]

Mubadala aims to deliver first UAE plane in 2019

Sees maintenance, repair and overhaul operations as launchpad [read full article]

Gulf embraces repos as attitudes change

Banks are using repurchase agreements to manage liquidity as other sources of funding dry up [read full article]

Union Properties net loss widens

Despite a rise in revenue, developer had to account for a drop in asset valuation [read full article]

Gulf Capital seeks control of Reach

Deal with consultancy firm could be valued at around Dh100m [read full article]

Dubai Islamic Bank earns Dh1.01b net profit in 2011

Result shows lender's strong base and liquidity [read full article]

Ajman Bank profit up 75%

Lender gets boost from Islamic financing [read full article]

Aramex warns of uncertain outlook amid sluggish trade

Firm made net profit of Dh57.2m in fourth quarter [read full article]

Qatar Airways threatens to halt Maldives flights

Airport raises handling fees by 15% [read full article]

Jafz, DIFC 'may need state help to pay debt'

DIFC Investments may require as much as $983 million from the government to repay its $1.25 billion bond maturing in June [read full article]

Sony predicts loss will hit $2.9b in a year filled with disasters

Firm blames difficult trading conditions and floods in Thailand [read full article]

UK gas may spike on Qatar supply

Half of British needs covered by imports from Doha in first three quarters of 2011 [read full article]

US, China data lift Nikkei for a third day despite technical glitch

Banks, securities firms outperform but electronics firms bleed heavily [read full article]

Philippines bonds remain strong

Gains set to continue as investors confident country will be granted investment rating [read full article]

Learning to go past simple comparisons

The economic crisis over the past five years has thrown up many kinds of phenomena and concomitant policy puzzles [read full article]

Doha redevelopment on track

Downtown district is being given a facelift, retaining its traditional character [read full article]

Sport

Learning from defeats will help our future: Strauss

England skipper Andrew Strauss wants to use the series defeat against Pakistan as a learning curve and go on to do well in the third Test at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium commencing Friday [read full article]

UAE's doosra specialists bowl for England

England in their endeavour to play Pakistan's spin attack confidently in the Third Test match is being helped by UAE's promising spinners who can bowl doosra at the practice nets [read full article]

Sharjah about-turn on Tita sacking seven weeks on

Valeriu Tita has replaced Jorvan Vieira as coach of Sharjah Club in a bizarre turn of events [read full article]

England faces a million dollar question

The million dollar question on the eve of the third Test between England and Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium is 'Can England win $175,000 prize money for the side that tops the world Test ranking?' [read full article]

Yeste double helps Bani Yas to win

Yeste’s goals in the 54th and 88th minutes were enough to see Group B strugglers Bani Yas stay rooted in fourth position with 11 points [read full article]

Pacquiao-Mayweather bout put off

Filipino may have to be content with facing Bradley while American completes probation [read full article]

Amir's release creates a stir

Misbah tight-lipped over player's return [read full article]

Winning matches is our priority, Misbah says

Pakistan skipper has refused to change the team composition ahead of the third and final Test against England [read full article]

Desert Classic to enjoy Jumeirah Group hospitality

Official caterer provides great opportunity to savour top standards [read full article]

Gamilati poised for Classic glory

Godolphin filly looks the one to beat in today's uae 1,000 guineas at meydan [read full article]

Pay-to-play floodlight course set to open

Meydan partners with Troon to launch the nine-hole course where golfers can play until midnight [read full article]

Emirates renews Hamburg deal

Partnership with the German club extended to three more years [read full article]

Sadeqi excited as new UAE Beach Soccer League swings into action

14 teams prepare for round-robin preliminaries across the country [read full article]

Unheralded Ferreira had the last laugh

Cash, Bruguera, Ivanisevic among top names who fell early [read full article]

Tita brought back in placeof sacked Vieira

Fourth managerial change at Sharjah [read full article]

Pacey Abu Dhabi in high spirit

Rough weather forces race committee to hold third heat of UIM X-Cat World Series tomorrow [read full article]

We need to learn from our defeats, Strauss says

Strauss has thoroughly analysed the reasons behind his team's defeats [read full article]

England's top ranking at stake in final Test against Pakistan

Loss in Dubai will give South Africa a chance to claim No 1 spot [read full article]

India desperate to end miserable run

Hosts Australia are leaving nothing to chance and counting on repeat performance of thrashing struggling visitors [read full article]

Wise Wilson keeping his expectations in check

American just wants to play the best he can [read full article]

Wales return to Gdansk to prepare for Ireland clash

Cryotherapy chamber credited with improved World Cup fitness [read full article]

Barrichello is still fired up to race: Burning rubber

Barrichello's F1 career spanned 326 GPs, with 11 wins and 68 podiums [read full article]

Calls for Terry to be stripped of England captaincy

Skipper to face trial for racist abuse after European Championships [read full article]

Boxing's most trusted hand

dundee dies at 90 after a hall of fame career training the likes of ali and Sugar Ray [read full article]

Patriots pump up the volume for Super Bowl

Team prepare for big event with loud music as they haven't played inside a dome this season [read full article]

Milwaukee fight back to buck Miami's winning run

James' big effort goes in vain as Bucks post third straight victory [read full article]

UAE

Pedalling up to a world record

DUBAI - Polish cyclist Krystian Herba set a Guinness World Record by pedalling up the world's tallest hotel here on Monday. Herba raced up 2,040 steps of the Rose Rayhaan by Rotana in 1 hour, 13 minutes and 41 seconds. [read full article]

Nol cards now available at more locations

RTA has increased the numbers of selling points where Nol cards are available for customers to buy [read full article]

Families warned to monitor children's use of computers

Families have been advised to monitor their children's access to the internet to avoid falling victims to cyber crime, child abuse and harassment [read full article]

South-East wind blows Saudi Arabian desert dust across UAE

A layer of fine dust has spread all over the emirates Thursday as strong south-eastern winds have been pushing in from the Saudi Arabian desert [read full article]

13 jailed for torturing Asian for affair with kin

AJMAN - Thirteen men, including three Emiratis, a Bidoon and rest Asians, were sentenced to one- to two-year imprisonment on Monday for kidnapping an Asian man and sodomising him as a punishment for allegedly having a relationship with one of the female relatives of the nationals. [read full article]

Nakheel ex-manager jailed for forgery

DUBAI - Three former marketing employees of Nakheel, including an ex-manager, were cleared on Monday by the Court of First Instance of the charges of bribery and damaging the property developer's financial interests. [read full article]

Ajman police services at the doorstep

AJMAN - Under a new initiative launched by the Ajman Police on Monday, elderly and people with special needs can avail of the security services including filing of criminal complaints from their home. The initiative titled "At Your Services" comes as part of the police efforts to help such people and minimise their suffering. [read full article]

Seven envoys present credentials to Khalifa

ABU DHABI - The President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has stressed the UAE's keenness on the extension of bridges of friendship, cooperation and tolerance among different countries worldwide. [read full article]

Lawyer cleared of embezzling fees

DUBAI - An Indian lawyer was cleared by the Court of First Instance on Monday of misappropriating more than Dh80,000 paid in fees by a client when the advocacy and legal consultancy office where he worked had not assigned him to collect the fees. [read full article]

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