Premiums for gold bars at highest since 2004

Premiums for gold bars rose to their highest level since at least seven years in Hong Kong on tight supply, short covering ahead of the Lunar New Year and unrest in Egypt.

Gold bars were offered at a premium of $4 an ounce to the spot London prices, its highest level since Reuters began compiling the data in 2004. The premium stood at $3 last week.

Thousands of inmates escape jails in Egypt turmoil

Thousands of inmates escaped prisons across Egypt on Sunday, including at least one jail that housed militants northwest of Cairo, adding to the chaos engulfing the country as anti-government protests continue to demand the ouster of long-time authoritarian President Hosni Mubarak.

Security officials said the prisoners escaped overnight from four jails after starting fires and clashing with guards. The inmates were helped by gangs of armed men who attacked the prisons, firing at guards in gun battles that lasted hours.

Looting and arson continued overnight as the police totally disappeared from the streets of the capital and several major Egyptian cities. There has been no explanation for why the police have vanished.

The vacuum left by the police has prompted residents to form neighbourhood protection groups, armed with firearms, sticks and clubs to set up self-styled checkpoints and barricades to ward off looting gangs roaming Cairo and other cities. The groups set up barricades, using bricks and metal traffic barriers.

Groups of youths also directed traffic in parts of Cairo, chasing away gangs of criminals smashing passing cars. Residents said gangs were also stopping people on the streets and robbing them.

At least one shopping mall was on fire Sunday morning after it was looted the previous day.

Army helicopters were flying low over the city.

The army appears to be reinforcing its presence on the streets of Cairo, but entire neighbourhoods remained without any troops two days after Mubarak called the army out on the streets to restore order.

The security officials said several inmates were killed and wounded during the escapes early Sunday, but gave no specific figures. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to share the information with the media.

State Egyptian television, meanwhile, said authorities have decided to close down the Cairo offices of the Qatar-based Al-Jazzera television and suspend the accreditation of its reporters.

The Egyptian TV did not give a reason for the move, but Egyptian authorities have often in the past charged that station’s coverage of events in Egypt was sensational or biased against Mr. Mubarak’s regime.

AIADMK MLA Sekar Babu joins DMK

The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) Member of Legislative Assembly P.K. Sekar Babu

Police divers find no Upper Norwood murder weapon in canal

Police investigating a double murder have found nothing in a canal after dredging it in a hunt for the murder weapon following a tip-off.

Holborn and West Hampstead police stations could lose 999-cars

RESPONSE teams which attend emergency calls may be axed from two police stations in the borough, the New Journal can reveal.
Proposals to move Camden’s five response teams, currently based at Kentish Town,

National Lottery star hosts fundraising event in Golders Green

THOUSANDS of pounds were raised for charity at a quiz night hosted by the National Lottery’s Alan Dedicoat, better known as the ‘Voice of the Balls’.

Losses due to BJP shutdown put at Rs 2,000cr

BANGALORE: Streets in Bangalore were deserted but stray incidents of stone throwing here, and elsewhere in the state

Woman, lover arrested for husband's murder

NEW DELHI: Police have arrested a 28-year-old woman and her paramour on charges of murdering her

Performances enliven DSF in Dubai malls

Spectacular performances of every kind have started to liven up the malls across Dubai as they began captivating shoppers to the 16th Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF).

The malls, which are among the strategic and key sponsors of DSF in the past and this year’s editions, are alive with exciting events and international performances featuring lion show, walking lights acts, stilts walking, traditional dancing, children’s adventures, juggling, unicycling and musical shows.

This year’s edition also witnesses many firsts. Among them is the spectacular Light and Sound Show at Wafi, the first to be held in the entire Gulf Region. A synchronised light and sound featuring Egyptian-themed graphics, the event will be featured every night at the Wafi Central Courtyard.

Mercato in Jumeirah has transformed into a magical old-time European court with a platform for stage shows where stunning performances are created and choreographed exclusively for Mercato shoppers.

Mercato and its sister mall, Town Centre Jumeirah, will jointly run a Spend–to-Win promotion that entitles both malls’ shoppers to enter a draw to win one of two Infiniti cars, FX 35 and M 37. For every Dh200 spend, shoppers can claim one coupon to enter the draw.

Emaar Malls Group is offering a range of leisure activities at SEGA Republic, the 22-screen Reel Cinemas, Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo and KidZania® in The Dubai Mall, and at the six-screen boutique Reel Cinemas at Dubai Marina Mall.

SEGA Republic at The Dubai Mall, the first and largest of its kind indoor theme park in the region, offers special prizes every day from January 20 to February 20, where for every Dh100 spent by visitors, they enter a daily raffle draw to win annual Power Passes. Additionally, the 100^th customer who spends Dh100 at SEGA Republic, Dubai, will receive a complimentary Power Pass gift voucher.

Outside the malls, DSF is marked with the Night Souq, fun fair areas and kiosks. DSF festivities were kicked off with brightly-lit streets at Dhiyafa, Al Seef and The Walk at Jumeirah Beach Residence as destinations of the festival this year. –

Festivities begin in Al Riqqa

With the Night Souq,
 fun fair areas and kiosks, DSF festivities started at Al Riqqa Street, one of the main destinations of the festival this year.   

The ‘Night Souq’ offers visitors a leisurely night shopping experience and is being held through the DSF nights – from 
6pm until 3am, until 
February 20.

The brightly-lit street turns 
into a mini fun fair, 
providing visitors of all age groups with an opportunity to be an integral part of the festivities.
The Al Riqqa Street events will begin daily at 4pm and run until midnight, largely including three fair areas – the electrical games area, the redemption games area and the inflatable games area.

Harry Potter actor asks court not to jail brother

Afshan Azad, who acted in the Harry Potter movie series, has said she has forgiven her elder brother who beat her up for having a relationship with a non-Muslim man and asked a British court not to send him to jail.

Ms. Afshan, who played Padma Patil in the film series, had pleaded with the judge to show her brother leniency despite his violent attack after he discovered that she was involved in a relationship with a non-Muslim man. Ashraf (28), was handed a six-month jail sentence on Friday despite the plea from his sister for leniency.

Rapist lured girl, 4, with chocolate, parents allege

Dubai: The driver accused of sexually assaulting a four-year-old Modern High School

Panic as Pakistan quake cause tremors in UAE

Al Ain: Strong tremors caused by a powerful earthquake in Pakistan were felt in most parts of the UAE at

Daughters also rising in India's dynastic politics

Politics in India is witnessing a silent change from the tradition of years gone by. The son-rise phenomenon has for a change taken a back seat.

4-year-old raped by school bus driver, attendants

DUBAI — The Dubai Police arrested three Indians for raping a four-year-old girl in a school bus

Industrialist A. Sivasailam passes away

A. Sivasailam, Chairman and Managing Director of the Amalgamations Group, passed away in Manipal on

3 busted in mask scam

Three Hong Kong airport workers have been busted for trying to help smuggle a young Chinese immigrant out

Shot guardian of slain girl calls her name in hospital

The stricken neighbor who brought Dallas Green's granddaughter to the political event where she was shot to

72 dead in Iran Air plane crash

A Boeing 727 airliner with state-run Iran Air crashed on Sunday near a northwestern city in bad weather and broke into pieces, killing at least 72 of the 105 people on board.

2G fallout in DMK: Alagiri threatens to quit

New Delhi: Upset over inaction against A Raja, DMK chief MK Karunanidhi's son MK Alagiri has threatened

Chennai Book Fair from tomorrow

CHENNAI: The 34th edition of the Chennai Book Fair will be inaugurated on Tuesday by former chairman of the Indian Law Commission Justice A. R. Lakshmanan.

Father of sextuplets does not regret making plea

Abu Dhabi: It took months of convincing Syed Mohammad, father of the sextuplets, to speak with Gulf Newsabout his family's situation; and now that he has shared his story with the public, he has no regrets.

Landslide in Philippines kills 2 young children

MANILA — A landslide following days of heavy rain in the central Philippines has killed a 1-year-old baby