3rd Oct

CR IP TI ON BS SU

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

Douri: Invasion of Iraq helped Iran

150 FILS NO: 15587

www.kuwaittimes.net

India out of World T20 despite win, Pak through

inside

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13 40 PAGES

THULQADA 17, 1433 AH

Bedoons demand rights in Jahra demonstration Riot police use tear gas to break up protest

Khorafi calls to change voting system Oppn cries foul

By B Izzak KUWAIT: Opposition MPs yesterday strongly lashed out at National Assembly Speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi for calling to change the number of votes allowed by voters, as the controversy over dissolving the Assembly and calling fresh election continues. Khorafi told reporters that he believes that issuing an emergency Amiri decree to alter the number of votes is better and quicker and the majority can change the system in the coming Assembly. Under the current electoral constituency law, upheld last week by the constitutional court, each Kuwaiti voter can pick a maximum of four candidates in a general election.

Pro-government activists and Khorafi believe that the system plays in favour of the opposition as it gives them the advantage to secure more seats in the Assembly and that is why they have been pressing for reducing the number to one or two votes. Six pro-government MPs who met the Amir on Sunday urged him Continued on Page 13

KUWAIT: Protesters raise provocative banners during a demonstration by bedoons to demand citizenship and other basic rights in Taima in Jahra yesterday. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Max 40º Min 20º High Tide 00:58 & 14:02 Low Tide 07:21 & 19:19

KUWAIT: Riot police yesterday used tear gas and smoke bombs to disperse hundreds of stateless demonstrators who were demanding citizenship and other rights, witnesses and activists said. The stateless, known as bedoons, converged on the so-called “Freedom Square” in Jahra to observe the International Non-Violence Day. Witnesses and activists said at least three people, including a policeman, were slightly wounded and 10 stateless were arrested as security forces laid a siege on Taima in Jahra which houses tens of thousands of bedoons.

Encouraged by Arab Spring protests, stateless people estimated at more than 105,000 have been regularly demonstrating since Feb 2011 to press Kuwaiti authorities to resolve their decades-old problem, especially their claim to citizenship. The government has made many promises in the past but failed to implement most of them as bedoons still claim they are deprived of most basic rights including the right to jobs and medical care.

Around 200 stateless were arrested in the previous protests and are still on trial for illegal assembly, assaulting police and resisting arrest. The new protest comes a week after three international human rights groups sent an unprecedented letter to HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Sabah urging him to end alleged abuse against stateless people. The letter by Refugees International, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International highlighted the plight of bedoons and called for a solution.

“The bedoons are not treated equally before the courts and continue to be denied protection conveyed through nationality and residency, and have been subjected to repeated abuse and discrimination,” the letter said. It said that police has used excessive force against Continued on Page 13

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

local Kuwait seeks to improve its human rights image

By A Saleh KUWAIT: The government’s human rights policies included in the development plan take into consideration the agenda of improving Kuwait’s international image as a protector of human rights and a country that maintains social security by protecting its expatriate workforce and fighting human trafficking. Kuwait is also making serious efforts to find the best solution for the illegal residents’ problem.

This was mentioned by the Minister of Public Works, Fadhel Safar, during a visit to the Kuwait Human Rights Society where he asserted that Kuwait was “keen on responding to reports made by local and international human rights organizations.”

“Kuwait opens its doors to local and international human rights bodies to carry out their work in the country, and makes sure to rectify any situation immediately when it receives any complaints about cases concerning human rights,” Safar told the reporters recently, detailing the steps included in the development plan to improve the quality of work in the private sector. He also spoke about the “plan to replace the sponsorship system.”

Safar’s visit and statements “reflected the government’s commitment to human rights.” The visit also featured an exposition of draft laws concerning human rights in Kuwait which the cabinet plans to forward to the parliament to be taken up on priority basis for legislating.

“The development plan includes 54 draft laws including establishing an anticorruption authority, a national unity law, a law for organizing the judiciary and another for protecting human rights,” the minister said.

Dashty added to top economic team The Minister of Planning and Development, State Minister of Parliament Affairs, Rola Dashty, will now be part of the government team tasked with finding solutions to the economic problems faced by Kuwait. The decision was made “in order to benefit from [Dashty’s] long experience in the economic field,” sources privy to the development, said.

In addition to Dashty, the team included Minister of Commerce and Industry Anas Al-Saleh, Minister of Finance Nayef Al-Hajraf, Central bank Governor Mohammad Al-Hashel, and Managing Director of the Kuwait Investment Authority Badr Al-Saad.

Suspects in election camp arson summoned The Public Prosecution summoned a number of suspects as part of investigations into a case of arson that occurred at an election camp earlier this year, sources privy to the case said. The comes following revelations made by other suspects during investigations that these new suspects, who are members of the Mutair tribe, also took part in burning down the camp of the then candidate, Mohammad Al-Juwaihel, last January.

These developments come one day after the Criminal Court sentenced nine Kuwaitis from the Mutair tribe to prison for storming into the Al-Watan TV headquarters, and just two days after the fire at Al-Juwaihel camp.

In this regard, sources indicated that a “delegation from the Mutair tribe was expected to meet Sheikh Ali Al-Khalifa AlSabah and his son, Al-Watan daily editor-in-chief Khalifa Ali AlKhalifa Al-Sabah, with hopes of getting the case dropped.”

Police Academy recruits disqualified A revised list for new recruits at the Saad Al-Abdullah Police Academy is set to be released next week after leaving out twenty names which were dropped for being unqualified, said sources privy to the issue.

“The new list will be referred to the First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Interior Sheikh Ahmad Al-Hmoud AlSabah, with a detailed report about the names of those disqualified and the reasons for their disqualification,” sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity said. They confirmed that the disqualified students included the “sons of MPs who failed to meet the conditions for recruitment.”

NA dissolution pending decision on timing KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah told a number of lawmakers on Monday that a decision to dissolve the 2009 parliament was ready, and was only waiting for an assessment about whether it be declared before or after the Eid Al-Adha holiday which falls late this month, the local newspapers reported yesterday.

“HH the Amir assured that the dissolution will be happening for the public good, which will then be followed by emergency decrees to resolve some pressing issues that include the state budget, criminalizing hate speech, and bringing in regulations to boost the local economy such as amendments to the B.O.T law,” said sources privy to a meeting held on Monday afternoon with six members in the majority that was supportive of the former prime minister, Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah’s cabinet, in the 2009 parliament.

The MPs Ali Al-Rashid, Adnan Abdulsamad, Saleh Ashour, Adnan Al-Mutawa, Dr. Maasouma Al-Mubarak and Dr. Salwa Al-Jassar reportedly began the meeting by expressing their wish to that the 2009 parliament, which was reinstated last June by a Constitutional Court ruling, be given an opportunity to complete its course.

HH the Amir responded by indicating that the dissolution matter has already been decided, and was pending the best timing. “It was clear from HH’s speech that the decision to dissolve the parliament is final,” the sources, who spoke to Al-Rai on the condition of anonymity, said.

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received yesterday at Bayan Palace newly-appointed ambassadors to the State of Kuwait. His Highness the Amir was presented with copies of the credentials of the new ambassadors of Austria, Tajikistan, Macedonia, Portugal and Singapore.

Expats banned from joining Hajj expedition Pilgrims quota already exceeded

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: Starting from next year, the expats living in Kuwait would not be able to go for Hajj, an Arabic newspaper reported yesterday, quoting a well informed source in the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs. The source said the ministry has issued a decree recently, banning expat pilgrims from joining the Hajj expedition as the sanctioned quota of pilgrims has already been exceeded.

The decision will make it difficult for the expats who desired to go for hajj from Kuwait, especially those who have lived in this country for many years now.

Also, the countries that many expats hail from have strict rules for Hajj. “I think it will not be possible for me to go for Hajj from Jordan as it also has its own quota, and the Jordanians residing there will get priority.

Further, as far as I know, there is an age limit for the pilgrims because of the high demand, which I will not be able to meet as I am only 24, and I believe the required age limit is 40 years or above,” said Mohammed, who hoped to go for Hajj in 2013.

Some campaigns may not be much affected by this decision due to the strata that their clients come from. “All the pilgrims going with our campaign are Kuwaitis, so we will still have the same number of pilgrims. We will only be affected on the workers’ front as those who serve the pilgrims during the entire trip are all expats,” Ahmad Al-Houti, owner of the AlHouti Hajj Campaign, told the Kuwait Times.

According to Al-Houti, this news was not absolutely definitive. “I am still not sure if this decision will really be applied next year. The Ministry has repeatedly spoken in

the past about reducing the number of Kuwaiti pilgrims from 400 to just 200, but till today, they have not implemented this decision. However, if it was indeed applied, we will surely suffer a financial loss,” AlHouti said, claiming there were about 80 campaigns in Kuwait for Hajj.

Sumaya, a 31-year-old expat, was very disappointed to hear this news. “It would be very difficult for me to go to Lebanon and then travel to Hajj from there. I may not be able to undertake the pilgrimage at all, or I will be forced to search for an alternative option such as traveling from a country nearby, such as the UAE or Bahrain.

If there is a waiting list, I might chose to wait, hoping that in case the quota was not filled up by Kuwaiti pilgrims, expats like us may get a chance,” she said.

Ahmad Al-Duweihi, the owner of the AlDuweihi Hajj Campaign, explained that

Kuwait was allotted the quota of 8,000 pilgrims, of which the Ministry of Awqaf set aside 3,000 slots for the expats living here.

“The reason for issuing such a decree is the rising demand for Hajj every year. We always seek an addition of 6,000 more seats to the existing quota so that no one is kept waiting,” he said.

According to him, six years back, the Ministry of Awqaf also classified the local campaigns into ones meant for Kuwaitis and others for expats. “The Saudi government has divided the land as per nationalities, and allotted a quota to all countries.

Earlier, the Kuwaiti campaigns included everyone and each nationality used to stay in a different area, but now when the campaigns themselves have been divided, the members of each camp arriving from Kuwait can stay at the same place,” he added.

Zain discount on Iraq National Day KUWAIT: Zain, the leading telecommunications company in Kuwait, has announced that it will offer a 50% percent discount on all SMS messages to the Republic of Iraq and 20% discount on International calls to the Republic of Iraq as they celebrate the National Day on the 3rd of October.

Zain, expressed its congratulations on this occasion to the people of the Republic of Iraq, represented in its leadership, the embassy and all Republic of Iraq expatriates residing in Kuwait. The company stressed that Zain is a global company which is always keen to participate in the celebrations of nations. Zain added that the offer is extended to all SMS & International calls to the Republic of Iraq only on Wednesday, 3rd of October for both post-paid and pre-paid customers.

KUWAIT: Ambassador of Cyprus Panikos Kyriacou celebrated his country’s National Day in a reception held at the ambassador’s residence in Salwa Monday. The event was attended by Minister of Information Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, as well as ambassadors and other dignitaries.

— Photos by Fouad Al-Shaikh

Obeidi honors Egyptian physician CAIRO: Kuwaiti Health Minister Dr Ali Saad Al-Obeidi honored here late Monday Egyptian physician Dr. Mohammad Mohsen Ibrahim for his efforts and research within the field of cardiovascular diseases. Al-Obeidi presented this award on the sidelines of the 59th meeting for the Regional Office for the Eastern-Mediterranean of the World Health Organization (WHO). Al-Obeidi told KUNA that his country would continue to encourage medical research, noting that the Kuwait prize for combating cancerous, cardiovascular, and diabetes-related diseases was awarded for the sixth time since its inspection in 2003. The Kuwaiti minister also touched on Sheikh Sabah’s award for the encouragement of research and health initiatives for geriatrics and elderly care, noting that the $500,000award was part of Kuwait’s WHO contributions.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ibrahim said that he was honored to receive the award. He said that it was considered as a boost for medicine to have such incentives that would encourage research and combat of disease. —KUNA

Praise for Quran competitions KUWAIT: Holding Kuwait’s 16th Quran Memorization and Tajweed Grand Competition shows the great respect among Kuwaitis of the Holy book and the great keenness of the state to promote its proper understanding and to promote related studies, Minister of Oil and Acting Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Hani Hussein said. The words were read on the minister’s behalf by Secretary General of Kuwait Awqaf Public Foundation Dr. Abdulmohsen Al-Kharafi Monday night on

the start of the finals of the competition, held under the auspices of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

The minister stressed the patronage of His Highness the Amir is indicative of his keenness to support all activities related to serving Islam and the Holy Quran in the state. The competition contributed in promoting Islamic values within society, and to encouraging citizens of all ages to study and memorize the Quran, he said. The

KUWAIT: Bedoons (stateless residents living in Kuwait) are seen protesting in Taima, Jahra yesterday.— Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

prize supplements other efforts in this field by many state institutions.

The official expressed hope that this competition would be a good start for the participants to prepare them to represent Kuwait in international contests. Modern technology is put to use this year, and this includes interaction with participants via social networks, publishing updates on the contest, and random selections of questions and answers posted for public viewing, Al-Kharafi said. —KUNA

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

T

his is the land of Bach and Mendelssohn, Wagner and Goethe, Robert Schumann and Johann Bottger. This is also the land whose people played a huge role in bringing about the fall of Communism, when tens of thousands of people took to the streets to protest in Leipzig. A unique cultural landscape exists in the very heart of Europe.

East and West meet here.

Europe is coming together here. Nature and culture grow here in perfect communion. It is a long story. A historical past. An exciting present and an interesting future.

This is Germany, situated at the very heart of Europe. The time is now to travel to the cultural capital of Germany and experience this beautiful and historic country in all its splendor. It is Saxony, State of the Arts.

Experience the majestic beauty of castles and palaces, explore fascinating museums, or delve into the music of some of the most famous German composers. Explore the festivals and visit the home of the discovery of Nutcracker! Germany’s landscapes offer a wealth of options for an unforgettable holiday: long sandy beaches on the coasts and lake shores, enchanting lowland plains, extensive ranges of hills and the high peaks of Saxon Switzerland.

Whether you choose leisurely exploration, a spa or wellness break, or a sports activity, you’ll be amazed at what Germany’s natural landscapes have to offer.

D

o you know where the largest number of steam trains are in Germany? The first German steam engine was also built here and operated on Germany’s first long-distance track between Dresden and Leipzig.

Did you know that Germany boasts 27 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The 20-kilometer-long Elbe river valley snakes from the southeast to the northwest fringes of Dresden, encompasses a rich ensemble of ornate royal residences, historic architec-

Dresden On the banks of the lovely Elbe River, the German city of Dresden is lush and green, filled with forests and gardens and parks. The city is rich with cultural and artistic history; the great operatic composer Wilhelm Wagner debuted a number of works here in the 1800s and, today, an independent light opera company keeps the classical art form modern and fresh. Culture vultures will love the Gemaldegalerie Alte Meister and Grunes Gewolbe museums, and architecture buffs will salivate over the melange of styles reflected in the cityscape.

tural monuments as well as swaths of natural reserves and river landscapes.

Did you know that there is a small Slavic minority in Germany? The Sorbs have preserved their languages and traditions for centuries in Lusatia. There are about 40,000 Catholic Sorbs who speak Upper Sorbian, which is related to Czech.

Munich Frankfurt Many people travel through Frankfurt for business, as it’s a major transportation hub and an industrial and financial metropolis. Of course we know that business travelers hate to have any fun on the road, but it’s worth lingering in Frankfurt if you can. The 2,000-year-old city has much to offer: skyscrapers, the Main River, a famous opera house, thriving theater district, zoo, pedestrian shopping street, parks, scores of clubs, and more than 50 museums.

Munich was almost completely destroyed in two world wars, yet it’s managed to recreate much of its folkloric, Bavarian past. Oktoberfest is legendary, but you can visit the Hofbrauhaus any time of year. Olympiapark, the site of the 1972 games, is not to be missed (you can skate on the Olympic ice rink and swim in the pool). On a somber note, take time to visit the concentration camp at Dachau-it’s an intense, yet unforgettable, glimpse into the not-too-distant horrors of the Holocaust.

Mercedes-Benz Kuwait partners with Behbehani Group, Boubyan Bank KUWAIT: Mercedes-Benz Kuwait offers 1,500 more reasons to drive the luxury German car with the three pointed star.

Kuwait - AR Albisher and Z Alkazemi Co the exclusive general distributor for Mercedes-Benz in Kuwait - has officially named the next six weeks as Luxury Season, offering 1,500 more reasons for Kuwaiti customers to make the dream of owning a luxury German car with the three pointed star a reality.

Partnering with Behbehani Group and Boubyan Bank, the luxury season further entices customers into owning one of the latest glistening new Mercedes-Benz models with gift vouchers up to the value of KD 1,500, redeemable at select Behbehani luxury boutiques across Kuwait. Running from September 23 to November 15, 2012, the promotion is valid across all MercedesBenz 2012 and 2013 model year vehicles, including AMG. Michael Ruehle, General Manager, Abdul Rahman Albisher & Zaid Alkazemi Co, said: “Mercedes-Benz has always been synonymous with luxury, a subtle yet resolute statement of status and success. By announcing Luxury Season in Kuwait, we hope customers will be further enticed into making one of the sparkling cars with the three pointed stars the pride of their driveways, and look forward to welcoming

them to Albisher and Alkazemi showrooms.”

With a voucher value dependent on the Mercedes-Benz model purchased, Luxury Season vouchers can be redeemed at following Behbehani Luxury boutiques: Al-Hamra Centre-Behbehani General Showroom, Korloff Mariage boutique and Samsonite Black Label boutique; and in Avenues Mall from Behbehani General Showroom, Omega boutique and Samsonite boutique.

fashion

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Berlin’s

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

scene struts into the future

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cruffy and cheap, Berlin isn’t traditionally associated with fashion and glamour. Nonetheless, the bi-annual Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week has been doing its coutureclad utmost to unite the Berlin fashion industry’s commercial and creative interests since 2007. Unlike the fashion week events of cities such as London or Paris, Berlin tends to rely on large trade fairs, such as the much-hyped Bread&Butter, for its bombastic glamour, rather than an endless succession of the kind of high-octane catwalk shows that you might find elsewhere. While some designers stage shows at the historic spots such as Bebelplatz and near the Brandenburg Gate, many in Berlin do fashion week slightly differently. Throwing open the doors to ateliers with peeling walls and vintage chandeliers in dilapidated corners of districts like Wedding and Kreuzberg, lots of local designers simply allow prospective buyers to come and browse their frequently self-funded efforts.

“The big shows are very expensive, which means that many independent designers can’t afford them,” said couturier Andrea Schelling, adding she hoped media coverage will also extend to the more off-piste events such as her own.

But many are adamant that this boutique style is more representative of the Berlin fashion scene, and some even believe local designers should resist the glamour of “mainstream” shows. “These glitzy runway shows are not Berlin,” said Judith Thomas, a Berlin-born designer whose avant-garde creations were displayed at one of the many smaller events displaying cutting-edge German design across the city as part of Fashion Week. “You find more passion and artistry in these little showrooms than you do at the big trade shows: they are the heart of the Berlin scene.”

Low rent, high fashion Much like Berlin’s art and music scenes, the abundance of people in the city who can try their hand at being a fashion designer stems in part from the Germany capital’s cheap rents and low cost of

living - the primary reason Berlin’s mayor once famously dubbed the city “poor but sexy.” Vitali Gelwich, sometime model as well as the fresh-faced manager of the Edged Showroom in Mitte, was positive yet uncompromising in his view of the city’s scene.

“Berlin is cheap in terms of production - you can run an atelier here for next to nothing,” he said. “I think that having such low basic costs allows people far more creative freedom, and the fashion to become far more adventurous. Spending money

on rent hinders creativity.” Gelwich emphasized that while the Berlin fashion scene is overflowing with cutting-edge creative designs, the kind of financial backing required to turn these into a business is harder to come by.

“It’s easy to become a designer here, but success is harder to attain,” he said. “Berlin has the potential to become a world fashion city. But creativity is just one side of the coin. The growth in the fashion scene is unsustainable without the business element.”

The business International buyers Sebrina Pitt and Yaw Dabanka of Wardrobe Berlin agreed more German designers needed to see fashion as a business venture. They said the underfunding of the Berlin scene was partly hindered by

the fact that the city, unlike fashion heavyweights London or Paris, is Germany’s political capital but not the nation’s financial centre. Pitt and Dabanka also pointed to the different approaches to fashion across Germany, and how this affected its growth as an industry nationwide.

“The value of fashion varies between German cities. For example, people from Stuttgart are far more into fashion than those from Berlin, and you see it reflected in the way they dress,” said Pitt. Pitt and Dabanka said Berlin had the potential to grow into a fashion capital, but not at the luxury end of the market.

“Fashion is really a street thing,” said Dabanka. “The Berlin mentality is kind of anti-expensive...so if Berlin was going to do expensive haute couture it would still need to show that roughness, that edge”.

Cutting it at the top Nonetheless, there is no shortage of homegrown talent when it comes to Berlin couture. One shining example is Parsival Cserer, who won the Peek&Cloppenburg “Designer for Tomorrow” award in 2010 and whose show is one of the most anticipated moments of Berlin Fashion Week this year. Cserer is a sterling example of how

the relative isolation of the Berlin fashion scene can be at once positive and negative for the designers themselves.

A surprising advantage is how a lack of an international mass market has allowed Cserer the time and space to create more ethically sourced designs, something which designers abroad might aspire to but are not normally able to achieve.

“The clothes are made in China,” he said. “But I live at the production site, together with the people who make the fabrics, to develop everything alongside them, because I want to give people joy through my designs - not only to the customer but also to the people who produce them.”

However, it’s uncertain Berlin can hold onto the talent it has so far managed to foster. The main difficulty faced by the city’s designers is that reaching the very top of the local fashion scene does not equal any form of international acclaim, and Cserer exemplifies this. “I think the next step for me once Fashion Week is over, if I don’t find any financiers or people who want to produce my designs, is to go abroad. This is for sure,” he said sadly.

“I will have to go to Paris or to London and there I will live like some impoverished intern at a big company, and hope to work my way up.” But Cserer also said the future of Berlin’s fashion scene depended on interest from abroad, not just in terms of international investment but also for new influences.

— www.thelocal.de

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

LOCAL

Australia colleges woo Kuwaiti, expat students Education expo opens

By Ben Garcia KUWAIT: At least 16 colleges and universities took part in a five-hour long Education Expo organized by IDP Australia, in cooperation with the Australian embassy in Kuwait on Monday night at the Sheraton Hotel here. Many Kuwaiti and expat students and their parents sought clarifications and asked questions about education in Australia at the event which was inaugurated by the Australian Ambassador

to Kuwait, Robert J. Tyson. The IDP organizes bi-annual expos in different cities in the Middle East aimed at promoting education in Australia and addressing the needs of interested and prospective students from this part of the world.

Speaking to the reporters, Ambassador Tyson said not only Australia offers a warm and welcoming environment for students but the country was also proud of its very high standards in education.

KUWAIT: Australian Ambassador to Kuwait Robert J. Tyson, center, cutting the ceremonial ribbon.

KUWAIT: Australia education expo in progress.

“We have a lot of experience dealing with foreign students and in fact, we have about half a million foreign students in Australia right now.

The good thing about our universities is that we are accustomed to looking after the welfare of foreign students, be it on the campus or outside it, their academic performances and the quality of education,” he said.

According to Ambassador Tyson, the Australian education standards were high and it helps in finding jobs elsewhere in the world.

“We have a lot of students from the GCC countries including Kuwait and they enjoy the multi-cultural environment we offer,” he said. Ahmed Elsayed, the IDP Regional Marketing Manager, said the students and their parents need help to select universities best suited to their interest.

“Although we can offer such information through our websites but the best thing about Education Expo is that we are able to talk directly with the students and their parents and explain to them the current scenario. The university representative can answer all the questions that they may have in their mind,” he added.

As regards securing student’s visa, Australia is among the countries that have streamlined requirements to accommodate the growing number of students from the Middle East.

“Securing a student’s visa is certainly much easier than it was before. We help people as much as we can, especially with regard to securing visas. There are no significantly difficult issues when it comes to visa. Kuwaiti students can easily get their visa although some expats have to undergo certain procedures. If they complete all requirements, it becomes easier for them as well,” he added.

The Education Expo offers students and their parents advice on the courses available, details about universities, accommodation facilities and visa etc.

There are at least 1,200 Kuwaiti students currently enrolled at various universities or colleges in Australia.

Private sector capable of improving youth: Al-Bahar KUWAIT: Only the private sector is now capable of augmenting the capacities of our young workforce and providing job opportunities to it, NBK CEO Sheikha Al-Bahar said on Monday at the launch of the ‘Youth Empowerment’ program held under the patronage of HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah.

Terming the National Bank of Kuwait as “an example in empowerment and improvement of national young labor forces,” Al-Bahar said that more than 1,800 young Kuwaiti men and women took part in training and development programs organized by the NBK this year.

“The private sector is the best place to accommodate young labor forces since it invests in human resources and provides training and improvement opportunities that the young people need but will not be able to find in the public sector,” Al-Bahar said. She also called for steps to encourage young citizens to pursue jobs in the private sector including “reducing the gap in payment between the two sectors and boosting privatization.”

The senior banking official further explained that the private sector contributed up to 30 percent of the national economy, hoping that it regains its golden age when it contributed 70 percent during the 1960s and ‘70s.

Al-Bahar believed that the reform process for the state’s economy needed to “boost the private sector and measure are required to enable it to regain its leading role, especially since 80 percent of the workforce is employed in the public sector which causes negative fallout since this number is far more than the sector’s actual need.”

Despite the “long and short term structural flaws” that the local economy was suffering from, Al-Bahar believed that there were reasons for optimism “given the presence of developmental plans with high potential.”

“The state’s plans include vital role for our young citizens and many reform measures, and will add to the state’s large surplus which has already reached KD13 billion in 2011-2012,” she further explained.

Al-Bahar mentioned statistics which indicated that 60 percent of Kuwait’s population was less than 24 years of age “which brings us face to face with the challenge of creating 150,000 job opportunities over the next ten years.”

She further underlined that the young labor forces are actually “a true wealth” for the country and require encouragement in order to “utilize their capabilities to launch small projects, engage in social activity, launch non-governmental organizations” and other ventures.

KUWAIT: The drug enforcement agents arrested an Asian woman on charges of trading in drugs after receiving a tip off. Once the security men verified the advance information, they obtained legal permission and arrested her. The agents recovered 12 medium sized nylon bags from her bedroom containing a powder, suspected to be heroin. All the bags were stuffed in another bigger nylon bag, and contained 1.5 kg of drug.

The woman confessed that the powder was indeed drugs meant for sale.

Al-Bahar also provided clear solutions “for a future with no reasons for concern” by launching a “comprehensive reform operation on the economic, social, educational and health levels” as well as by creating job opportunities “in accordance with the expected demographic increase that is predicted to double by 2030.”

KRCS distributes food parcels to Syrian families BEIRUT: The Kuwait Red Crescent Society announced it had distributed around 3,000 food parcels to a number of displayed Syrian families, currently residing in northern Lebanon.

The head of the Red Crescent team Yousef Al-Maraj said in a statement that the team has been distributing aid in cooperation with the Social Affairs in Lebanon, pointing out that this first phase will be distributing 2000 food parcels in the coming days in a number of Lebanese regions inhabited by Displaced Syrians.

Al-Maraj stressed the keenness of the Assembly’s commitment to stand by Syrian people, who live in a tragedy, noting that the Kuwaiti Red Crescent will seek

through its humanitarian programmes in Lebanon to alleviate the suffering of the Syrian Family and meet their needs as much as possible.

Many activists from and charities from Kuwait are racing in providing humanitarian assistance to the displaced Syrians in Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan such as Zakat house, Al-Rahma Al-Alamiya Society, International Islamic Charitable Organization, Social Reform Society, and many others.

The latest statistics indicate that, the number of displaced Syrians in Lebanon exceeded 50.000 refugees, mostly in northern Lebanon regions of Akkar and Tripoli, El-Minieh and Al-Dhania. — KUNA

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

LOCAL kuwait digest

kuwait digest

Final solution to bedoon issue

Challenges of next Assembly

By Abdul-Aziz Al-Kandari he next episode in the parliament’s history is being characterized as extremely crucial after the much anticipated Constitutional Court ruling that upheld the electoral law. There are a number of major challenges facing the next parliament which, I believe, will be responsible for the decision making process through parliamentary committees where lawmaking happens.

If we consider the 2012 parliament as an exception, we find that some committee members in recent years have not been taking the committee meetings seriously, which, in my opinion, resulted in a limited number of legislations being made.

The first thing that the parliament needs to address is to reach an agreement with the cabinet on a reform plan to be presented during the first session. In the meantime, expressing confidence in the cabinet must be based on such a program.

After that, the parliamentary committees should be focusing on the many draft laws that need to be enforced. For example, the legislative committee should work on the judiciary’s independence law and another piece of legislation for establishing a supreme authority for elections, besides the integrity and anticorruption laws. It should also formulate the parameters based on which candidates are hired for key posts, and work on the political parties’ law that paves the way for enforcing an elected cabinet in the future.

Meanwhile, I believe the interior and defense committees face a crucial test, especially since the official statistics have recently revealed that 227 people were killed in 44,000 car accidents during the first six months of this year, an increase of 25 percent compared to the same period last year.

So many lives are being lost because of the reckless drivers who often escape punishment, which is why, I believe, stricter penalties need to be legislated into law by the parliament.

The financial committee, the backbone of the parliament, also faces challenges in the form of passing regulations that help push forward the economy and the development process, as well as attract foreign investors and support young citizens’ projects.

Meanwhile, the health and educational committee also share a heavy burden since true development can never be achieved without regulations to improve the health and education sectors.

Many advanced countries, who lacked natural resources, managed to succeed by investing in their human resources. Malaysia, for example, is one such country which plans become a leading world power in information technology by 2020, and has begun by improving education and digitizing the domain.

I hope all political conflicts end in order to pave the way for the beginning of true reforms which require all of our collective efforts as citizens and as residents of Kuwait. — Al-Rai

By Dr Ghanim Al-Najjar

T

ome of us might wonder about the significance of three international organizations, including two very important ones Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch - besides a more specialized one, the Refugees International, jointly addressing HH the Amir regarding the bedoon issue.

These organizations know Kuwait very well and are quite aware about the intricacies of the bedoon issue since they have visited Kuwait more than 15 times in less than three years.

As a matter of fact, while various other issues were discussed during those visits, the issue of bedoons was always there. In fact, some of the visits were dedicated solely to this issue.

During its recent visit, the Human Rights Watch devoted an entire press conference to discuss a report about bedoons. During every such visit, each of these organizations separately met with the top ranking officials who made many promises. However, it was found later that there was a lot of gap between their words and actions on the ground

S

kuwait digest

Controversial humans

By Alia Al-Hazeimi ll things truly wicked start from innocence,” said Ernest Hemingway. What is wicked and what is innocent? Or have we reached a stage where these two extremes clash, and do not know the difference?

Wickedness and innocence are two concepts that apply to all fields and aspects of our life, from personal to international level, but it is the evolvement of innocence that is rather interesting. That quote by Hemingway leaves us with much room for imagination; some would consider it complete nonsense while some can actually relate to it directly.

The idea of evolvement is rather interesting among mankind which begins with a genius of an idea and then paves its way towards wickedness, regardless of the original nature of that idea. The evolution of these ideas does not stop, be it a political feud or the idea of God. Looking back, again, the most significant political moves, or religious wars, began with the right idea and for the right principles, and people expected to achieve clarity of thought and material prosperity.

Nevertheless, the reality turned out to be different, as those who talked about peace and truce were the first to start wars and preach people about the virtue of

“A

dying for the “man-made” causes.

Is peace built on war? Or is it the other way around?

How come that the whole world till this day cannot tell the difference? We are human beings, God’s greatest creation, blessed with minds that are able to think, analyze and prosper and serve this earth we live on with the purest of beliefs and actions.

On the other hand, after much analysis of our history and philosophy, one is confronted by a famous quote by Confucius that says, “To see and listen to the wicked is already the beginning of wickedness.”

Does this mean that listening is the first stage of implanting an idea, and that idea will evolve to become a person?

Take a minute and think about it, how many tyrants did the world witness in modern history and politics who started as a “one man show” and ended up becoming a belief system for an entire nation or metamorphosed into a virtual trade mark for a specific race?

How is it possible that the ability to promote wickedness and a belief in it seems easier to achieve than peace?

Even when we look at religion, for instance, it is the core of pureness, and should be the last thing that people should try to change. But even religion was not safe from mankind’s attempts to pollute it, translate it to mean commands of violence, racism and destruction. We remember that when we were children, our mothers would tell us to do the right thing and to never forget that we came here to prosper and live in peace.

Mothers all over the world have throughout history told their children these words even as our homes became religious foundations, whether these were mosques, churches or temples, teaching us about our merciful God and our duty towards Him and leaving aside the work of the Satan.

What can I say? Sometimes when people grow older they forget what they were taught and lose track and get blinded by power.

But the question still remains: Do you think all things wicked start from innocence?

The color-coded IDs are evidence that the Kuwaiti government does not realize that it will symbolically be representing racism by using different colors to distinguish various social sects.

The government must stop this immediately and opt for other means of classification to avoid an international scandal.

The three organizations are well aware of what the bedoons were going through as well as of the fact that the same official statements were being recycled. In fact, they have become frustrated with the state’s failure to keep its promises.

The color-coded IDs are evidence that the Kuwaiti government does not realize that it will symbolically be representing racism by using different colors to distinguish various social sects.

The government must stop this immediately and opt for other means of classification to avoid an international scandal.

Those behind the decision to issue color-coded IDs are deliberately or inadvertently harming the image of Kuwait through this shallow bureaucratic decision.

The message from the three international organizations indicates that the measures taken by the government to solve the bedoon issue were still insufficient and unconvincing. We have in the past warned of the consequences of dillydallying on this issue, but as per past practice, when we want to delay solving a problem, we keep setting up more and more special committees till the issue fades away. — Al-Jarida

kuwait digest

Give companies an opportunity

By Faisal Al Zamal he traditional way to deal with the companies and the market in general is for the state to pump in cash, either by buying a portfolio from the stock exchange market, or through commercial papers through which banks’ and companies’ loans are changed into shares and bonds. However, a better way than that is to start the projects that are at a standstill.

T

The Kuwaiti companies have succeeded in executing projects in other GCC states and in North Africa. They are running airports like the Queen Alya airport in Amman, apart from others. But we deal with them in Kuwait as if they are incapable when they are working successfully offshore.

This solution will provide an opportunity to each company and to each individual in the state to start working.

Once the projects get going, it will automatically reflect upon the standard of living of the individuals and the performance of the companies and banks. In turn, it will reflect on the stock exchange market which flourished when His Highness the Amir had held a meeting about getting things to work.

How about the projects getting on track one after the other, and specialized companies being called to bid? The existing companies and the new ones can execute projects that the state badly needs.

The Kuwaiti companies have succeeded in executing projects in other GCC states and in North Africa. They are

running airports like the Queen Alya airport in Amman, apart from others. But we deal with them in Kuwait as if they are incapable when they are working successfully offshore.

These companies should be given an opportunity, instead of being spoon fed. They should be made a stakeholder in building the country. Then the outcome will be positive, resulting not just in an improvement in the balance sheets and solving the loan problems, but in creating job opportunities for the Kuwaiti youths. They will not be running to the stock exchange market every time a statesponsored dose is pumped into the economy. Whenever governments pump money into the markets, it leaks through the cracks and entices new victims from among the citizenry.

Pumping KD 2 billion in this market will be simply a case of drug overdose. It will be better if a long term view is taken and this money is used to help the youth escape unemployment and instead turn towards real productivity.

It is more important than being spoon fed, to repeat a phrase used earlier. There goes a phrase that says “Do not feed me a fish, teach me how to catch a fish.” Even better than this phrase is a saying by Abdul Rahman Ben Ouf, who told the Ansari, who had become his brother in Islam and had given him half of his house and money and farm, “May Allah bless your house and your money and your farm. I am a trader, just show me the market.”

Ben Owf said, “I was buying and selling and Allah blessed my trade. If I turned a stone, I will find money under that.” It was because he was honest that he declined to be spoon fed by any one.

The direct attention paid by His Highness the Amir to these production activities will give them an impetus and everyone will pool in their energies, be they citizens, politicians or administrative leaders. All of them are sons of this country and are worried about the interests of our current and future generations, and they all want that the country should march ahead. We all are the state, and it is for all of us to end this period of non-activity that has already lasted for too long. — Al-Anbaa

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

LOCAL

Rapist leaves victim to die in South Surra Three dead in road accidents KUWAIT: A woman was hospitalized in a critical condition after a man allegedly stabbed her following a sexual assault. The patrol officers spotted the victim bleeding by the roadside when they were driving in South Surra. She was rushed to Mubarak Hospital where she underwent extensive treatment to stop the bleeding from several stab wounds that she had sustained.

After her condition stabilized, the Filipina woman told officers that a man had kidnapped and raped her inside his car, before attacking her with a knife and had left her to die.

A case was registered.

KUWAIT: The Public Authority for Civil Information (PACI) yesterday held a two-hour sit-in in protest over the new working hours. If the demands to change the working hours are not met the sit-in, employees warned, will grow into a full-fledged strike.

WHO Regional Office resumes meeting CAIRO: The 59th meeting for the Regional Office for the Eastern-Mediterranean of the World Health Organization (WHO) continued here its activities at its headquarters in Cairo. The office is discussing in the session this year a number of vital health issues, at the top of them the five strategic priorities besides, other decisions approved by WHO in its latest meeting.

A number of paper works will be tackled, including the non-communicable diseases mentioned in the political announcement of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, means of developing medical systems in Middle Eastern countries, as well as universal health coverage for all the countries of the Middle East.

Kuwait is participating with a number of working papers including fighting chronic non-communicable diseases, the role of Kuwait and effort it exerts in fighting AIDS, as well as health systems and effort of the Ministry of health and various official institutions in the field.

Kuwait is participating in the event with a delegation headed by the Minister of Health Dr. Ali Saad Al-Obeidi, Assistant Undersecretary for Public Health Affairs Dr Qais AlDouri, Hawally Health District Director Dr Khalid AlAbdulGhani, Head of Legal Affair Department Dr Mahmoud AbdulHadi, Director of Public Relations Department Faisal Al-Dosiri, Director of Primary Health Care Department Dr. Rehab-Al-Wotayan, Head of AIDS office at Public Health Department Hind Al-Shawmer. — KUNA

KUWAIT: The Commercial Bank of Kuwait concluded a campaign launched in July to provide drinking water, face masks and other gifts to cleaning and construction workers working outdoors around Kuwait. The announcement was made in a statement released by the bank yesterday, which also quoted Assistant General Manager - Media and Public Relations Department, Amani Al-Waraa, describing the campaign as successful.

GCC consumer protection laws center in offing RIYADH: Kuwaiti Minister of Commerce and Industry and Minister of State for Housing Affairs Anas Al-Saleh said that the GCC commerce and industry ministers were looking forward for the establishment of a Consumer Protection Laws Center for the GCC states.

This came in a statement on the sidelines of a GCC ministerial meeting held here today devoted to consumer protection law.

The meeting was chaired by the Minister of Trade and Industry of Saudi Arabia Dr. Towfeeq Al-Rabi’a.

Al-Saleh added that the meeting reviewed a number of international and Gulf experiences on consumer protection, noting that the Gulf center will work to educate and protect GCC consumers and will also publish and circulate experiments and observations in any GCC country.

He pointed out that the State of Kuwait presented at the meeting an initiative prepared by the Kuwaiti private sector (the Gulf consumer portal), in addition to reviewing the experience of the State of Kuwait in the field of consumer protection.

Among proposals set to be discussed at the meeting are a unified laws competitiveness and anti-commercial fraudulent activities. — KUNA

KD50,000 compensation The Appeals Court ordered the National Guard to pay KD50,000 in compensation to a recruit who was injured during a training session.

The ruling came on Monday after the court found the National Guard’s administration guilty of failing to ensure proper safety measures that had led to the trainee’s injuries. The serviceman had sustained bone fractures and other multiple injuries when he fell off a rope that was not tied properly. The Court of First Instance had ordered the National Guard to pay a KD30,000 compensation, but the

complainant chose to appeal the ruling.

Traffic accidents A female driver was killed after she was trapped inside her car which caught fire following an accident with another car on the Fourth Ring Road on Monday, reports said. The police, firefighters and paramedics rushed to the site of the accident near Sulaibikhat after getting a report. One of the cars struck a tree and caught fire while its driver was still inside. The crime scene investigators sent the charred body to the forensics department after she was declared dead. Investigations were on to determine the circumstances behind the accident.

Similarly, a man died following a car accident on the Sixth Ring Road which left the vehicle in flames. The victim was declared dead on the spot by paramedics who had arrived along with police and firefighters immediately after the crash was reported. The body was sent to the forensics department for identification. An investigation was underway to probe the cause of the crash.

In another accident, a young driver was pronounced dead on the

spot in Sulaibiya when his car crashed into a light post, while his companion had to be hospitalized in a critical condition. The victim’s body was taken to the coroner and a probe was started to find the circumstances that led to the accident.

Two shot Investigations are on in a case in which two armed suspects shot and injured two stateless residents in Al-Sulaibiya and also damaged their car before fleeing. After arriving at the scene, police and paramedics found the two men bleeding, one from a gun wound on his shoulder and the other in his abdominal area. The two were rushed to the Sabah Hospital where preliminary investigations revealed that the two suspects had fired many shots at them, due to an earlier dispute. The Jahra Police were later called to the hospital where around 40 of the victims’ relatives had gathered.

Drug overdose A Jahra resident was declared dead on Monday after he apparently overdozed on drugs. The man, a Kuwaiti in his thirties, was found unconscious by his family inside

their house after which they made an emergency call. Preliminary investigations indicated that the man died of a drug overdose. Also, heroin was found on the scene.

Investigations are ongoing.

Armed suspect The Salwa police are searching for a suspect who used a sophisticated weapon to threaten a man during a traffic dispute. Police launched the investigations when a Kuwaiti woman reported the incident that happened in the parking lot of the area’s co-operative society branch. According to her statements, the suspect pointed an AK47 rifle in the man’s direction following a dispute which was triggered by the man asking the suspect to move his car out of the way. School arsonist Criminal detectives arrested a male suspect who admitted to setting a fire recently inside a Sabah Al-Salem school. The Pakistani man told the officers after his arrest late Monday night that he wanted to avenge the company’s failure to pay his three months’ worth of wages.

Police had started searching for the suspect after evidence of foul play was found during fire fighting operations. The man was taken to the relevant authorities to face charges.

‘Democracy molded by nations, not dictated’ KUWAIT: Democracy takes many shapes and forms, as it is molded by the unique qualities and characteristics of different nations, said US elections speaker Affiliated with the Democratic Party, Jay K. Footlik, adding that “we can learn a lot from each other.”

“We have an incredibly close relationship between the United States and Kuwait that is a positive, certainly from our perspective, and part of that closeness is sharing things on political, military, and economic levels and I have no doubt that it will continue,” Footlik said. The official was speaking during a US Embassy-organized discussion on “US Elections and Presidential Campaigns” held at Kuwait University (KU) with the attendance of Rick Smotkin who is affiliated with the Republican Party. As to whether he believed other nations should be taking cues from American Democracy, he said “The US is not in a position to dictate to others how to build their political culture.”

Echoing Footlink’s response, Smotkin said that many countries have the basic components that would lead to unique democratic systems. He added the US political system was not flawless and has it shares of anomalies that should be addressed. Asked whether the American elections were more and more becoming a corporate affair rather than one of democracy, the two officials took different positions. For his part, Footlik said this was an “interesting critique”, adding that such notion might have stemmed from the amount of money being pumped in the American political system. By the end of the election, several billion dollars would have been spent by both the Democrats and Republicans. “In my view there is a

threat when that much money goes into the system, especially when part of that money is given anonymously,” Footlik stated. This last fact could harm the democratic system. Giving a different prospective, Smotkin said that money was not necessarily a negative thing in a political system. “Money is really a way for people to get engaged in the (election) process.

Most of the money is given in small increments and it’s a way for people to let their voice be heard.”

When it came to US foreign policy towards the Middle East, both speakers agreed that on a political level, the Democrats and Republicans have an almost full-agreement on issues relating to the region. They named the Iranian nuclear file as an issue both parties were eager to tackle. However, Footlik said that on the national level, most Americans cared about issues pertaining to the economy and the advent of jobs and work rather than the Iran dossier.

Foreign policy, stressed Footlik, did not play a major role for Americans in their voting process and it is issues of domestic nature that are driving this upcoming election. As to whether President Barack Obama had lost his “glitter”, Footlik noted that the 2008 elections were very unique because of the excitement generated by the Obama campaign, especially with the age and racial prospective. “It is easier to run as a member of the opposition to promote some ideas on your agenda and criticize the person who is currently sitting there, than to defend your own record in a re-election,” said Footlik. He added that President Obama might have a tougher challenge this time around, but expressed hope that he would still win the election. — KUNA

Wataniya wins ‘Best Interactive Facebook Application Award’ KUWAIT: Wataniya Telecom was honored with the “Best Interactive Facebook Application Award” from the Pan Arab Award Academy during a ceremony held recently in Sharm Al-Sheikh.

The Facebook Awards aim at promoting the innovative spirit of the Facebook community as well as strive to develop an interactive, proactive and reactive community that serves the end consumers in the most efficient way.

Wataniya Telecom said in a press statement released today:”At Wataniya, weunderstand the importance of social media.With our Facebook page we give our customers a chance to stay in touch with us around the clock and from anywhere around the world.”

“We would like dedicate this award to our Facebook fans and would like to thank our customers for their daily and lively interactions on our Facebook page. We want to also thank the organizers of Pan Arab Award Academy for their efforts in bringing together a great award ceremony that values the hard work and recognizes the creative initiatives of Arab companies in the region.”

Wataniya’s Facebook page has gained immense popularity amongst customers in recent months and has helped in keeping them up to date on the latest services and products. Wataniya’s Facebook page guarantees that customerswill not miss a chance on any of the exclusive offers, promotions and attractive campaigns.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

Bahrain protester dies in custody

Anti-corruption party launched in India

Page 9

Page 14

AT SEA: Police officers on a small boat secure the area around a half submerged boat yesterday after Monday night’s collision near Lamma Island, off the southwestern coast of Hong Kong Island. — AP

At least 36 perish as ferry sinks 2 ferries collide near island south of Hong Kong HONG KONG: At least 36 people died and dozens were injured when a ferry carrying more than 120 revelers on a company outing collided with another ferry and sank near an island south of Hong Kong on Monday night, in one of the city’s worst maritime accidents. The ferry belonging to the Hongkong Electric Company, controlled by billionaire Li Ka-shing, was taking staff and family members to watch fireworks in the city’s Victoria Harbor to celebrate China’s National Day and midautumn festival when it hit the other ship and began sinking near Lamma Island.

Survivors said they had little time to put on life jackets before the ferry flooded, trapping passengers. “Within 10 minutes, the ship had sunk. We had to wait at least 20 minutes before we were rescued,” said one male survivor, wrapped in a blanket on the shore. Some survivors said people had to break windows to swim to the surface. “We thought we were going to die.

Everyone was trapped inside,” said a middle-aged woman. HongKong Electric, a unit of Power Assets Holdings which is controlled by Asia’s richest man Li, said the boat had capacity to hold up to 200 people. The tragedy was the worst to hit Hong

Kong since 1996 when more than 40 people died in a fire in a commercial building.

The other ship, owned by Hong Kong and Kowloon Ferry Holdings, suffered a badly damaged bow in the collision but made it safely to the pier on Lamma, an island popular with tourists and expatriates about a half-hour boat ride from Hong Kong. Several of its roughly 100 passengers and crew were taken to hospital with injuries. “After the accident, it was all chaos and people were crying. Then water began seeping in and the vessel began to tilt to one side and people were all told to stand on the other side and everyone started putting on life jackets,” a male passenger who was on the Lamma ferr y told reporters.

SEARCH FOR SURVIVORS CONTINUES Hong Kong is one of the world’s busiest shipping channels, although serious marine accidents are rare. The waters around Hong Kong were busy on Monday with numerous passenger ferries, private leisure boats and fishing vessels out to watch the city’s fireworks, but it is unclear why the two ferries collided. “Our ferry left Lamma island at 8.15 pm to watch the fire-

works display out at sea, but within a few minutes, a tugboat (ferry) smashed into our vessel,” Yuen Sui-see, a director for Hongkong Electric, one of the city’s two main electricity generators, told reporters.

A spokeswoman for Hong Kong and Kowloon Ferry said they were assessing what had happened. “Our captain is not well and we have not been able to talk to him so far,” the spokeswoman told local television.

A maritime department spokesman told reporters: “Normally vessels ought to stay and help other vessels in distress. But what we heard was that the other ship had passengers who were injured and needed help.” The nighttime collision sparked a major rescue operation involving dive teams, helicopters and boats that saw scores of people plucked from the sea.

Television pictures showed the red and blue bow of the Hong Kong Electric Company ferry pointing skywards, surrounded by rescue vessels. Yesterday a large crane on a barge had been connected to the stricken ferry.

“We will continue our search. We also don’t rule out that some may have swam to shore themselves and haven’t contacted

their families and so may not be accounted for,” Ng Kuen-chi, acting deputy director of fire ser vices told local television. The search was hampered by the vessel being partly sunken, poor visibility and too much clutter inside the vessel, Ng said. Teams of men in white coats, green rubber gloves and yellow helmets carried corpses off a police launch in body bags yesterday.

Local media reported that children were among the dead.

At one of the city’s public mortuaries around 50 grieving relatives gathered, some crying, while others were called into identify the dead. More than 100 people were sent to five hospitals and nine people suffered serious injuries or remain in critical condition, the government said in a statement. Hong Kong leader Leung Chunying visited survivors of the collision and pledged a thorough investigation into the crash. Flags flew at half mast at Li’s Cheung Kong Group headquarters in the heart of the city’s financial district yesterday, as well as at government headquar ters.

Thousands of Hong Kong residents live on outlying islands such as Lamma, which lies about three km southwest of Hong Kong island. — Reuters

Monastery target in apparent hate crime Anti-Christian graffiti painted on Jerusalem monastery JERUSALEM: Attackers spray-painted antiChristian graffiti in Hebrew on a Franciscan monastery just outside Jerusalem’s Old City, the church and Israeli police said yesterday, in an apparent “price-tag” hate crime. Photos on a church website showed blue graffiti scrawled on the monastery’s front door denigrating Jesus, the central figure in Christianity, and adding the words “price tag”-a euphemism for revenge hate crimes by Israeli extremists.

It had been removed by mid-morning, an AFP photographer at the scene said.

Israeli police confirmed the incident. “What took place is that a church on Mount Zion was targeted. On it was written graffiti against Christianity, and ‘price tag,’ and now we’re investigating the incident,” police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said. “It happened during the early hours of the morning,” he added.

“Price tag” is a term given to hate crimes carried out by Israeli extremists, normally targeting Palestinians and Arabs and often involving the torching and vandalism of cars, mosques and olive trees. But attacks have widened in scope in recent months, and have also targeted the Israeli army,

Israeli anti-settlement activists and several churches. In a statement, the Catholic bishops of the Holy Land expressed their “deep dismay” over the incident. They added their “concern about the education given to young people in certain schools, where contempt and intolerance are taught” and noted that the “price-tag” language used suggested that Israeli extremists were responsible.

Last month, vandals burnt the door of a Catholic monastery west of Jerusalem, scrawling anti-Christian graffiti on its walls.

The incident targeted the Trappist monastery in Latrun, which sits on the border between Israel and the occupied West Bank, by the 1949 armistice line, and is one of the most famous monastic sites of the Holy Land. The Israeli government has strongly condemned such incidents in the past, but the Palestinians and Israeli antisettlement activists say police have taken little action to apprehend those responsible. Washington and the European Union have also condemned such attacks, which often spike after Israeli government action to move settlers from settlements in the West Bank. — AFP

News

in brief

Saudi beheads Syrian RIYADH: Saudi Arabia beheaded a Syrian yesterday for drug smuggling, the interior ministry announced in a statement carried by the official SPA news agency.

Abdulrahman Al-Sweidan was “arrested as he was attempting to smuggle large quantities of narcotic pills into the kingdom,” SPA reported. He was beheaded by sword in the northern region of Jawf. That brings to 61 the number of people executed in Saudi Arabia so far this year, according to an AFP tally based on official reports.

Amnesty International says 79 people were put to death in the Gulf kingdom last year. Rape, murder, apostasy, armed robbery and drug trafficking are all punishable by death under its strict version of sharia, or Islamic law.

Seasonal floods kill 148 LAGOS: Flooding across Nigeria has killed at least 148 people and displaced more than 64,000, the Red Cross said yesterday, warning of an increased risk that waterborne diseases like cholera could spread. Local officials in two northern states have previously reported at least 135 cases of cholera linked to heavy downpour during the rainy season. The Red Cross said residents in 18 of Nigeria’s 36 states have been affected by seasonal flooding and announced the launch of an emergency funding appeal to procure needed relief materials including temporary shelter. “The situation is likely to become even more dire if nothing is done, with weather forecasts predicting that the rains will continue,” said the Red Cross’ West Africa chief, Daniel Sayi, in a statement. The latest flood figures mark an uptick from the September 10 toll provided by the Red Cross, when the organization reported 137 deaths and more than 35,000 displaced. Cholera, an intestinal infection, is transmitted by water soiled by human waste.

The disease leads to diarrhea, dehydration and death if untreated.

Suspected hackers nabbed

JERUSALEM: A handout picture shows anti-Christian graffiti denigrating Jesus, the central figure in Christianity, and adding the words “price tag” - a euphemism for revenge hate crimes by Israeli extremists, sprayed in Hebrew on the front entrance to Franciscan monastery just outside Jerusalem’s Old City. — AFP

LONDON: British police yesterday arrested two men as part of their ongoing investigation into breaches of privacy sparked by the News of the World phone-hacking scandal. A 58-year-old was arrested in Kent, southeast England, and a 61-year-old journalist detained over suspected offences under computer misuse legislation and other laws, said a statement from London’s Metropolitan Police.

The pair were detained at around 07:00 local time (0600 GMT) and were interviewed at separate police stations in London and in Kent while searches were conducted at their homes. They are the 14th and 15th people to be arrested under Operation Tuleta, a police probe into alleged computer hacking and privacy breaches. The operation is running in conjunction with the investigation into the phone-hacking scandal at Rupert Murdoch’s nowdefunct News of the World tabloid. Tuleta is one of three inquiries sparked by the scandal at the News of the World, which Murdoch closed in July 2011 when it emerged it had hacked the voicemails of hundreds of people including a murdered schoolgirl.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

i n t e r n at i o n a l Ahmadinejad: Iran will not back down on nukes TEHRAN: Iran will not back down on its nuclear program despite the problems caused by Western sanctions, including a dramatic slide in the value of its currency, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said yesterday. “We are not a people to retreat on the nuclear issue,” he told a news conference in Tehran. “If somebody thinks they can pressure Iran, they are certainly wrong and they must correct their behavior,” he said. Ahmadinejad’s comments came amid an accelerated slide in Iran’s currency, which has now lost more than 80 percent of its value compared to a year ago-with 17 percent of its value shed on Monday alone.

The currency, the rial, slipped another four percent yesterday to close at 36,100 to the dollar, according to exchange tracking websites. Ahmadinejad said the plunge was part of an economic “war” waged by the West on the Islamic republic and “a psychological war on the exchange market.” Iran, he said, had sufficient foreign currency reserves. Those reserves were estimated at around $100 billion at the end of last year, thanks to surging oil exports. But the US Treasury, which is monitoring the sanctions, believes Iran’s foreign earnings have been cut by $5 billion a month under the Western economic measures.

“These are the most punishing sanctions we have ever been able to amass as an international community and they are very important for trying to get Iran’s attention on the important denuclearization work,” US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said in Washington on Monday. In his media conference, Ahmadinejad backtracked on hints he had made during a visit to New York last week to attend a UN General Assembly that Iran could consider direct negotiations with the United States on the nuclear issue. “Direct negotiation is possible, but needs conditions, and I do not think the conditions are there for talks. Dialogue should be based on fairness and mutual respect,” he said.

But he also said: “I think that this situation cannot last in the relations between Iran and the United States.”

Ahmadinejad on his return was criticized by hardliners in Iran for opening the door to the possibility of negotiations with America. That also fuelled criticism that his government is mismanaging the economy. The chairman of Tehran’s chamber of commerce, Yahya Ale-Eshagh, was quoted as saying by the Mehr news agency that “part of this tumult is due to sanctions.” But he also said “the person who is not able to manage in a time of crisis should not continue working in his post.”

Mehdi Mohammadi, a figure close to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, wrote in a piece for the Vatan Emrouz newspaper yesterday: “Is the currency situation in the market due to sanctions? No... The problem is not a lack of (foreign) currency.” He put blame on the government, and on unidentified “mafias” he said were profiting from the currency volatility. Mohammadi also said holding talks with the United States was not an option. “Past experience shows that speaking of negotiations in these conditions only sends a signal of weakness. The enemy only makes concessions and takes you serious when you’re strong,” he wrote. On the prospect of a military conflict breaking out over the nuclear issue, Ahmadinejad reaffirmed that he was “not very concerned” about persistent threats from Israel. — AFP

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Bahrain anti-government protester dies in custody 6 Bahraini medics begin jail terms DUBAI: A young Bahraini jailed for taking part in antigovernment protests last year died in custody yesterday after being taken to hospital for treatment of a hereditary disease, the interior ministry said. The interior ministry said on Twitter than Mohammed Mushaima, who was serving a prison term, was pronounced dead at a government hospital, where he was admitted on August 29 “for treatment from sickle-cell anaemia.” The major Bahraini opposition bloc Al-Wefaq confirmed Mushaima’s death, saying he “passed away in custody today (Tuesday) while serving a seven-year sentence for participating in pro-democracy demonstrations.”

Lawyers said they had asked the court earlier to release 24-year-old Shiite Mushaima due to his “bad” health, but the court rejected their request. Sickle-cell anaemia, a genetic disorder in which red blood cells form an abnormal sickle shape, is an inherited illness common in Bahrain where the marriage of close relatives is frequent. Several other anti-regime activists have died of the disease while in custody, according to the government, including two in April 2011, prompting Human Rights Watch to call for an investigation.

In September of last year, the authorities said another man, whom the opposition claimed died after being tear-gassed, had passed away due to “acute respiratory” problems resulting from sickle-cell anemia. In August, Bahrain opened a sickle-cell clinic at the governmentowned Salmaniya Medical Complex which announced Mushaima’s death yesterday. Thousands of people, mostly from the majority Shiite population, took to the streets last year to call for reforms in the kingdom ruled by the Sunni Al-Khalifa dynasty. The kingdom has continued to witness sporadic demonstrations, mostly outside the capital, since it crushed the protest movement in a bloody crackdown in March last year.

MEDICS BEGIN JAIL TERMS In another development, six Bahraini medics were jailed yesterday, a day after their conviction in connection with last year’s anti-regime protests were upheld by the k ingdom’s highest cour t, lawyers said. The medics, who were on bail, were among 20 doctors and nurses who worked at the Salmaniya Medical Complex in Manama during the predominantly Shiite uprising against the kingdom’s ruling Sunni dynasty in February 2011. They include consultant orthopaedic surgeon Ali

Alekri, who was sentenced to five years, and senior nurse, Ibrahim Damastani, who received three years. Both men were convicted of possessing a non-firearm weapon and of illegal assembly.

The remaining four medics were found guilty of illegal assembly and inciting hatred, and were handed sentences ranging from two months to one year. Three other medics’ convictions were also upheld by the high court Monday, but so far there has been no news of their being taken into custody. All 20 were first charged and convicted by a quasi-military court formed in the aftermath of the government’s brutal crackdown on the protests in March 2011.

SADAD: Friends of Bahraini anti-government protester Ali Hussein Niema, 17, who allegedly was shot dead by riot police mourn together at his funeral in Sadad, Bahrain. — AP

Iraq politicians silent on attacks BAGHDAD: Most high-ranking officials are publicly silent on the deadly attacks that claim hundreds of Iraqi lives each month, rarely issuing any statements condemning or even acknowledging the violence. While Iraqis were contending with a wave of bombings and shootings that killed at least 33 people and wounded 106 in 10 different cities and towns at the weekend, no high-ranking official made any comment on the unrest. The websites of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al-Malik i, President Jalal Talabani, and Parliament speaker Osama Al-Nujaifi did not mention the attacks, with the victor y of Iraq’s national youth football team over Kuwait garnering far more attention.

Parliament’s website also made no mention of the attacks, but did carry a statement quoting Nujaifiusually the only top Iraqi politician to comment on violence-as congratulating the youth football team on the victory. Iraqiya state television meanwhile issued an “urgent” on the win and another on congratulations from various Iraqi officials, but made only a passing mention of the attacks. “The policy

of ignoring (the violence) is caused by a feeling of guilt,” said Ibrahim Al-Sumaidaie, an Iraqi political analyst. “If they (politicians) realize they can benefit from it, they would have been using it all the way,” Sumaidaie said, referring to the violence. “But as long as the condemnation is not politically useful, then staying quiet is golden,” he added. “Regrettably, terrorist acts of violence have become something that happens without some politicians noticing, or even blink ing,” said former national security advisor Mowaffak AlRubaie. “The reason is that they are par t of the problem,” he said.

Sumaidaie also said that “even the Iraqi journalists have become like ostriches that bury their heads in the sand and see nothing.” Most of the newspapers associated with Iraqi political parties did not focus on the attacks in their editions the day after the wave of violence on Sunday. The official Al-Sabah newspaper did not mention the attacks until page four, and when it did, it used the headline “Baghdad Operations (Command) announces foiling an attempted terrorist plot with eight car

bombs.” Only later did it get to the numerous bombs that actually did go off in Baghdad and elsewhere.

Al-Dawa newspaper, which is close to Malik i’s par ty, and Al-Adala newspaper, close to the Supreme I raqi Islamic Council, another member of the premier’s National Alliance, made no mention of the attacks. September was the deadliest month in Iraq in more than two years, with 365 people killed in violence, according to statistics compiled by the health, interior and defense ministries.

The statistics showed that that 182 civilians, 88 police and 95 soldiers were k illed in attacks in September, while another 683 people were wounded — 453 civilians, 110 police and 120 soldiers. It was the highest monthly toll given by the government since August 2010, when figures showed 426 people were killed and 838 wounded in attacks. “Violence has become a part of our daily life. It is something ordinary with the current failure in security,” 35-year-old Abdelsattar Alwan said in Baghdad. “Violence is all over us,” while politicians “are living in another world, or a different Iraq.”— AFP

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AU troops brace for Al Shabaab assaults MOGADISHU: African Union troops and tanks entered the former Al Shabaab stronghold of Kismayu yesterday, but a blast claimed by the Al-Qaeda-linked militants who have fled the Somali port signaled their intention to fight back. The government said the explosion caused no casualties, but the incident pointed to Al Shabaab’s capacity to hit back with guerrilla strikes and bombings in both Kismayu and neighboring Kenya, whose troops led the assault on the town.

Residents and a government spokesman described a loud blast aimed at Somali soldiers patrolling Kismayu’s dusty streets, but the rebels said they had detonated a bomb at a building housing Somali troops, “killing many”.

“The bomb was planted inside a district administration office building,” Al Shabaab spokesman Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab said, warning of more attacks. “This is only an introduction to the forthcoming explosions.”

The African Union forces entered Kismayu for the first time yesterday after launching an

Many initially received harsh sentences of up to 15 years. Nine of them were acquitted by a lower appeals court in June. Many of the 20 medics - 15 of whom are doctors-alleged they were tortured in prison. Earlier this month, the public prosecutor’s office charged seven policemen with torture and maltreatment of the medics, all of whom are Shiite. The authorities say they are implementing the recommendations of an independent commission of inquiry ordered by the king that confirmed allegations of excessive use of force by security forces during the protests. International rights groups continue to accuse the Gulf kingdom of failing to implement sufficient reforms.— Agencies

offensive against the port on Friday, forcing the rebels to flee.

Hundreds of Somali government troops and allied militia fighters deployed in the city’s winding streets on Monday. Mohamud Farah, a spokesman for Somali government forces in the southern Juba region, said the militants had thrown a grenade at Somali troops, but there were no casualties. “A hand grenade was hurled at one of our military cars passing in front of the district headquarter building. No casualties,” he told Reuters from Kismayu. “ The grenade missed the car. We have seized one of the three Al Shabaab suspects who were behind the grenade attack.”

Although the successes against Al Shabaab are welcomed by Somalia’s government and its international backers, there are fears that even Kismayu’s capture may not deliver a knock-out blow to the combat-hardened rebels.

The Islamist militant group, which merged with Al-Qaeda in February, has carried out a campaign of suicide bombings since it withdrew from the capital last year under military pressure.

Suspected Al Shabaab militants threw a hand grenade at a Kenyan police post on Monday in the northern town of Garissa close to the border with Somalia, police said, a day after two police officers were shot dead in the town.

Kenyan authorities blame the rebels for a series of attacks in the east African country since it sent its troops into Somalia last October. Residents in Kismayu spoke of two grenade blasts, then another big explosion. “First two successive grenades were hurled at the Somali troops patrolling the middle city streets, the forces opened fire and then we heard a bigger explosion that shook the whole city in the direction of the district office building,” a resident, Halima Farah said. Residents said the African Union troops fired in the air to disperse people who had gathered to watch the tanks rolling into the city for fear that militants would mount grenade attacks. “AU tanks and Somali military vehicles have taken positions in Kismayu, people have welcomed us,” General Ismail Sahardiid, the commander of Somali government forces said.— Reuters

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

i n t e r n at i o n a l

Crises strengthen Spain-Morocco ties RABAT: The economic crises rocking Spain and Morocco may favor stronger ties between the neighboring k ingdoms ahead of a top-level Spanish delegation’s visit to Rabat, despite their historic differences. Prime ministers Abdelilah Benkirane of Morocco and Spain’s Mariano Rajoy are to meet today in the Moroccan capital for the first such high-level encounter in four years.

Numerous bilateral accords will be inked during the visit, which also marks two decades since the signing of a friendship treaty. Given their long history, the two nations already have strong social and commercial links, with Spain hosting the second largest Moroccan expatriate community (around one million) after France, and having become its top economic partner in January.

Around 20,000 small- and medium-sized Spanish businesses export to Morocco. And aside from the tiny north African enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, held by Spain for more than 400 years but

considered occupied by Rabat, the prospects for closer cooperation are promising. “It is a good moment for us too. The crisis in Europe has brought opportunities,” and the more sensitive issues “make themselves felt less,” Spain’s ambassador to Morocco, Alberto Navarro said. “That prompts our businesses to look outside the European Union, starting in this case with our neighbors,” he added.

Another Morocco-based European diplomat agreed. “Spain, in the current context, needs to develop its external cooperation,” he said. On the other hand, “there is a Moroccan campaign that hopes to push Madrid on Western Saharan,” the ex-Spanish colony which Rabat annexed in 1975 in a move never recognized by the international community. In addition, while not as badly affected by the European debt crisis as its northern neighbor, Morocco has suffered the knock-on effects, as economic growth dropped from 4.5

percent in 2011 to less than 3.0 percent this year.

WARMING UP IN RELATIONS But Spanish exports to Morocco saw a rise of more than 20 percent in the first half of 2012, compared with the previous year. “ There is a warming-up in relations, which derives from the mutual desire to guard against future crises, economic for sure, but also migratory,” the European diplomat said. He noted that Spain was the only country mentioned by King Mohammed VI in his last public speech in early August. Stemming the flow of illegal sub-Saharan immigrants, a top political priority for Spain in its dealings with Morocco, remains a potentially divisive issue that has also led to surprisingly close cooperation.

Last month, as well as cooperating to evict scores of African migrants who had swum to a tiny Spanish islet off the Moroccan coast, a joint border project was set up with European funds.

“Several indicators have revealed a real change in Rabat-Madrid relations,” Al-Tajdid, the newspaper of Morocco’s ruling Islamist party the PJD, commented last week. At the diplomatic level, Rajoy already visited Rabat in January, his first trip abroad since taking office, while Benkirane travelled to Madrid in May, and in September an inter-parliamentar y forum was held in the Moroccan capital.

To boost trade during the upcoming visit, Spain will be eyeing the chance to further participate in Morocco’s ambitious renewable energy plans, which include the construction of five major solar power plants by 2020. Two Spanish firms were named last week as minority partners in the first such project, near the desert frontier town of Ouarzazate. An easing of visa restrictions, meanwhile, is likely to be one of the accords that some Moroccans are hoping will be announced today.— AFP

Russia tells NATO to Stay away from Syria Shells rock rebel bastions as violence escalates

TUNIS: Accused of immoral behavior, an unidentified Tunisian woman (center) - her face hidden by a black veil, is led by her lawyer as they leave the central Tunis courthouse yesterday. — AP

Tunis judge questions raped victim over indecency claims TUNIS: A young woman allegedly raped by two policemen was questioned yesterday by a magistrate in Tunis who is to decide whether she is to be charged with indecency, an AFP journalist reported, in a case that has sparked outrage. She arrived at the court just before 0900 GMT, wearing sunglasses and a black scarf, alongside her fiance, who faces the same accusation and who also covered his head to conceal his identity. “The whole world supports me. I ask you for your support too,” the tearful women said, just before entering the office of investigating magistrate Mohamed Ben Meftah with her lawyers.

The 27-year- old woman, who was allegedly raped on September 3, and her fiance are under investigation for “indecency,” a crime that carries a possible jail sentence of up to six months. The alleged rapists say they took the couple by surprise in an “immoral position” just before the rape purportedly took place.

At the end of yesterday’s hearing, the judge will decide whether or not to charge the couple, a judicial source said yesterday. “After the questioning and after having listened to the lawyers, the judge should dismiss the case of transfer it to the competent cour t,” the source explained, adding that the decision would

not necessarily be yesterday.

The police did take the couple by surprise as they were having sex in their car, according to the same source. Two of them then took the women to the police car, where they raped her, while a third restrained and tried to extort money from her fiance, the source added. Last week, the couple came face to face with the police accused at a court hearing last week. The three policemen, who were arrested shortly afterwards and are awaiting trial, face heavy sentences if found guilty, with rape at least in theory risking the death penalty in Tunisia.

In practice, no one has been executed for more than 20 years. Several hundred protesters gathered outside the court early yesterday waving banners and placards and shouting slogans in support of the woman. “Revolution raped, woman raped, young girl raped,” read one. “Ministry of rape!” and “The people want an independent judiciary!” were some of the slogans shouted by the activists. The case has sparked a storm of protest in Tunisia, with NGOs, media outlets and opposition figures charging that the proceedings have transformed the victim into the accused and reflect the Islamist-led government’s policy towards women.— AFP

UN: Iran clampdown on critical voices ‘worrying’ GENEVA: The UN human rights agency yesterday voiced deep concern over the arrest and imprisonment of a number of prominent human rights and political activists, lawyers and journalists in Iran over the past two weeks. “This appears to reflect a further severe clamp-down on critical voices in the country,” Rupert Colville, a spokesman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, told reporters in Geneva. “Lawyers, human rights defenders and independent media make a key contribution in democratic

TEHRAN: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad speaks during a press conference in Tehran yesterday. — AFP societies and must be allowed to carry out their work without facing intimidation, harassment, arrest and prosecution,” he insisted.

Colville mentioned in particular the arrest on September 29 of Mohammad Ali Dadkhah, a human rights lawyer who cofounded the Centre for Human Rights

Defenders along with 2003 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi. Dadkhah has begun serving a previous nine-year jail sentence handed to him for his “membership of an association seeking to overthrow the government and propaganda against the system.” “The case against him is widely believed to be linked to his work as a human rights defender,” Colville said, also lamenting the arrest last week of the son of Iran’s former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, just two days after authorities jailed Rafsanjani’s daughter.

The UN human rights office also voiced concern over the Iranian authorities closure last week of the country’s leading moderate newspaper, Shargh, after it published a satirical cartoon seen as insulting war veterans, and arrested its director Mehdi Rahmanian. The agency also pointed to the arrest last week of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s press advisor, Ali Akbar Javanfekr, to serve a six-month prison sentence on previous charges of publishing material offensive to Islamic codes and public morality. And it expressed concern over charges lobbed against Reuters’ Iran bureau Chief Parisa Hafezi of spreading lies and propaganda. According to Iranian media, the international news agency was found guilty of the crime of “propaganda against the regime” for a report mischaracterizing female ninja students as assassins. “ The ongoing arrest and detention of media professionals and intimidation of media organizations is deeply worrying, especially given we are now entering the run-up to the June 2013 presidential elections,” he said. “We urge the government of Iran to promptly release all those who have been arrested for peacefully exercising their fundamental rights,” he said.—AFP

MOSCOW: Russia told NATO and world powers yesterday they should not seek ways to intervene in Syria’s civil war or set up buffer zones between rebels and government forces. Moscow further called for restraint between NATO-member Turkey and Syria, where violence along their shared border has strained relations between the former allies. Tensions have flared since a mortar round fired from inside Syria struck the territory of Turkey.

Ankara has threatened to respond if the strike were repeated. When asked by Interfax if Moscow worried whether the tense border situation could prompt NATO to intervene to defend Turkey, its easternmost member, Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov warned against any such step. “In our contacts with partners in NATO and in the region, we are calling on them not to seek pretexts for carrying out a military scenario or to introduce initiatives such as humanitarian corridors or buffer zones.” Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, one of Assad’s most caustic critics, recently lashed out at Russia for blocking efforts at the UN Security Council to exert pressure on Assad and said Moscow’s stance allowed massacres in Syria to continue.

Turkey has floated the idea of setting up “safe zones” inside Syria to protect civilians from the conflict but that would also have to be approved by the Security Council. Russia and China have vetoed three Security Council resolutions condemning Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and have blocked attempts to impose further sanctions on his government or intervene more directly in the conflict.

Ankara has repeatedly complained of artillery and gunfire spilling over the border into Turkey, leading to threats of retaliation.

“We believe both Syrian and Turkish authorities should exercise maximum restraint in this situation, taking into account the rising number of radicals among the Syrian opposition who can intentionally provoke conflicts on the border,” Gatilov was quoted as saying. The West accuses Russia of supporting Assad in the bloody 18-month conflict and imposing a stalemate in the Security Council as violence in Syria has spiralled. Moscow says Syrians themselves should decide their fate and says it will veto any Security Council resolution that could

serve as a springboard for military intervention.

Russia accuses the West of overstepping its mandate when it set up a no-fly zone in Libya last year, leading to the fall of Muammar Gaddafi to a popular uprising and insurgency. Western diplomats in Moscow say Russia seems to believe Assad may still successfully cling to power though they see Russia’s dialogue with some Syrian opposition groups as an attempt to secure its interests there if he were overthrown.

Meanwhile, the Syrian army rained shells on rebel bastions in and around Damascus yesterday and sent extra troops to second city Aleppo, as a watchdog said the death toll from 18 months of violence now tops 31,000. The fresh offensive came hours after UN chief Ban Ki-moon urged Damascus to show compassion to its people and Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said a political solution was still possible if the West and Gulf states halted support for the rebels.

A bombardment by the army of the rebel-held Harasta district in the eastern suburbs of the capital killed at least 11 people, two of them women, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. At least five civilians were killed in shelling in the city of Douma, northeast of Damascus, the Britainbased watchdog said. Amateur video posted by activists showed several vehicles carrying women driving off under cover of darkness in what they said was an exodus of Douma residents. The army also bombarded a string of other towns outside Damascus, the Observatory said.

Activist network the Local Coordination Committees said more than 100 shells fell on Zabadani, once a resort destination known for its mild weather and scenic views but now devastated by the civil war ravaging Syria. The official daily AlBaath said yesterday that the “end of security operations throughout Damascus province” was approaching. Government forces “have destroyed many weapons caches and seized large quantities of ammunition and equipment... which indicates that the end of security operations throughout Damascus province is approaching,” the newspaper said. On July 18, rebels carried out a massive bombing on a complex in Damascus, killing four security chiefs, including Assad’s brother-in-law

and the defense minister. Since then, regime forces have pushed the rebels to the outskirts of the capital but have lost control of several border crossings and are battling to fully retake Syria’s second city of Aleppo, which has been the focal point of the conflict since mid-July. Several districts of Aleppo were bombed yesterday, the Observatory said, a day after 22 civilians died in the violence ravaging the city of 1.7 million people.

EXTRA TROOPS FOR ALEPPO Pro-regime daily Al-Watan said yesterday that extra troops were being sent to Aleppo. “New reinforcements have arrived to support the army... and the armed men (rebels) are now fatigued and have begun to flee to their villages and towns in the province of Aleppo and elsewhere,” the paper said.

“This is a sign of the determination of the Syrian army to win the battle of Aleppo as soon as possible,” it added. Fighting at the weekend rocked the city’s centuries-old UNESCO-listed souk and sparked a fire which damaged hundreds of shops and dealt a severe economic blow.

Violence also raged yesterday in the southern province of Daraa, the Observatory said. Nine rebels were killed in an explosion at dawn near the Jordanian border. Nine people, including a pregnant woman, were killed in shelling and clashes in a camp for displaced people. And Turkish troops fired across the Syrian border, killing a member of a Kurdish militia and wounding two others in the first such fatal shooting at the Turkish frontier, the Observatory said.

At least, 31,022 people have now been killed in violence since the uprising against President Bashar Al-Assad’s rule erupted in March last year, according to the Observatory’s figures. At least 4,727 people died in September alone, including 305 on September 26 - the bloodiest single day of the conflict. On the political front, Ban said after a meeting with Syria’s Muallem at UN headquarters in New York that it was time for Damascus to lower the scale of its offensive against the insurgency.

“He stressed that it was the Syrian people who were being killed every day and appealed to the government of Syria to show compassion to its own people,” a spokesman said. — Agencies

Saakashvili concedes defeat Georgian Dream gains in polls TBILISI: Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili conceded yesterday that his ruling party had lost an election to a coalition led by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, increasing the chances of a peaceful transfer of power in the former Soviet republic. Ivanishvili said he was confident of becoming prime minister as partial results put his six-party Georgian Dream on course to win Monday’s parliamentary election.

Ivanishvili’s supporters streamed through Tbilisi’s streets after polls closed on Monday, waving flags and sounding car horns in celebration even though Saakashvili’s United National Movement (UNM) had initially claimed victory. “According to preliminary results, it is clear that Georgian Dream obtained a majority in this elec tion,” Saakashvili, 44, said in a televised address in which he finally conceded defeat on behalf of his party. “This means that the parliamentary majority should set up a new government, and as president, in accordance with the constitution, I will do everything to make their work comfor table, so that the parliament can choose a chairman of the parliament as well as set up a new government.”

The election could mark the first peaceful transfer of power between rival parties since the Caucasus countr y won independence when the Soviet Union broke up in 1991. Any instability in the nation of 4.5 million would worry the West because it is a conduit for Caspian Sea energy supplies to Europe and has a strategic location on the Black Sea between former Soviet master Russia and Iran, Turkey and central Asia. Saakashvili will remain president until his term expires next year but governing the country could be much more difficult as he will no longer have a compliant parliament and the prime minister is likely to be his 56-year-old rival, Ivanishvili.

MOSCOW’S ORBIT The US-educated Saakashvili won praise for curbing corruption and implementing economic reforms, but he led Georgia into a disastrous five-day war with Russia over two breakaway regions in 2008. Opponents say he has monopolized power, mistreated opponents and trampled on rights and freedoms. Saakashvili says

the Georgian Dream coalition would move Georgia away from the West and back into Moscow’s orbit, and has suggested Ivanishvili is doing the bidding of the Kremlin after making his money in Russia. Ivanishvili denies this and accuses Saakashvili of raising the spectre of Russia to avoid addressing internal problems.

The UNM had said after the first exit polls were released on Monday that it thought it

utive official. Ivanishvili, who has little experience in politics after giving up his business career only a year ago, set out plans he would pursue as prime minister, saying a balanced budget would be a priority.

He said the diverse six-par ty Georgian Dream might split up into as many as three factions in parliament but that “we all have a common vision on all the main issues”. Georgian

TBILISI: A street musician sleeps next to various election posters in Tbilisi, Georgia yesterday. — AP would cling to power, but its hopes faded as the official results trickled in. “My political plan is very simple,” Ivanishvili said in televised comments. “When our victory is officially confirmed, I hope ... parliament will approve me as a prime minister.” Under reforms that take effect after a presidential election next year, the authority of the head of state will be weakened and more power will go to parliament and the prime minister, who will become the most powerful exec-

Dream’s strong showing was an indictment of Saakashvili, who was first elected in 2004 after the Rose Revolution - street protests over alleged fraud in a parliamentary election - toppled the post-Soviet old guard. “I expected this result. Justice has finally been restored,” I believe that Bidzina will make our lives better,” said Nino Kantaria, 42, walking on Freedom Square in Tbilisi. “This is not a time for protests, it is a time for celebration.”— Reuters

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

I N T E R N AT I O N A L

Cheating spouses keep Pakistani private detective busy Private detective finds niche market in infidelity LAHORE: Twenty-three years of military service come in handy when Masood Haider gets a call from a suspicious spouse. He quickly dispatches a surveillance team to keep tabs on the partner believed to be heading off for an illicit rendezvous. In deeply conservative Muslim Pakistan where arranged marriages are common and adultery can be punished by death, it is an illustration of how much the society is changing that Haider’s private detective agency exists at all. “What was taken as taboo 20 to 25 years ago is no more taken that way,” said Haider, 53, a former army pilot who founded FactFinders, Pakistan’s first licensed private detective agency.

The business of exposing cheating spouses, he says, is growing. “People simply understand that if two people cannot live under one roof and they cannot co-exist peacefully it is better to disengage and carry on with their lives instead of dragging it on.”

Pakistan portrays itself as a progressive Islamic nation. But since the 1980s, it has been drifting towards a more conservative interpretation of Islam that has reshaped the political landscape, fuelled militancy and cowed champions of tolerance into silence.

Adultery is a capital crime under Islamic Sharia law. Death sentences are rarely carried out by the state but people sometimes do take matters into their own hands, especially in rural areas. Yet women are becoming increasingly assertive about confronting unfaithful spouses. So are men. “When I opened this company I was not sure whether Pakistani men would confide in me regarding their wives,” said Haider, in his spacious office in the city of Lahore where he began his venture on Valentine’s Day two years ago. “But to my surprise the first case I received was of a cheating wife.”

His services do not come cheap. The downpayment for FactFinders to check on an unfaithful partner is $5,500, out of reach of most people who on average bring home just $60 a month. Clients are mostly wealthy Pakistanis who live here, or in Britain, the United States or United Arab Emirates and want to keep a close eye on spouses or fiancÈes from afar.

His investigations are not restricted to cases of infidelity. One man, for example, desperately wanted him to retrieve a stolen computer with compromising pictures of his naked wife.

But it is mostly husbands or wives tormented by

suspicion of cheating who turn to Haider. His website promises to “Off load your burden with full confidentiality” with the suggestive image of a turned-over high heeled-shoe beside a wine glass. To reinforce the point, another photograph shows a luxury car splashed with graffiti from an angry wife or girlfriend.

EMERGENCY HOTLINE For the really desperate, there is an emergency hotline. “I think if women could afford it, 80 percent of Pakistani women would be here,” said one woman client. “In our culture women are discouraged. They are expected to suck it up and be quiet about it. I am done with the being scared part.” His staff of 30, scattered across Pakistan with a few in Britain for clients there, are recruited from retired military and police officers and the financial industry. Fatima, 32, worked for Britain’s Scotland Yard before joining Haidar’s outfit, where she does research and manages surveillance teams and other operations. “In a country like Pakistan, we should promote such things (businesses). There is nothing bad about it.”

Some philanderers go to creative extremes to avoid being caught. A wealthy Karachi man posed as

a rent-a-car driver when meeting his lover. To keep a closer watch, Haider deployed a female detective agent disguised as a maid in the woman’s house. “So, under one roof, the driver was not the driver and the maid was not the maid. It was ‘The Bold and the Beautiful’ going on in real life,” said Haider, referring to the US television soap opera. Most infidelity takes place in the first five years of marriage or 20 years into married life, he pointed out.

The indiscretions may be one reason why divorce rates are rising. The Islamabad Arbitration Council, where divorces are officially registered, says the number of broken marriages, have doubled in the last ten years. In 2011, there were 557 divorces filed in the capital Islamabad alone, compared to 208 in 2002.

Even after 150 cases, some still shock Haider. “A client caught his wife red-handed in the bedroom with her lover,” said Haider, who has grey hair and a light mustache and retired from the army in 2000. “Instead of being ashamed, she blamed the lover for being caught.” “It is because of this idiot that I was caught.

Otherwise I was doing it for three years’,” Haider laughingly quoted her as telling her husband. “I thought ‘look at the guts of this lady’.”— Reuters

Colombian president to undergo cancer surgery Latest Latin American leader afflicted BOGOTA: Colombian President Juan Manuel time” and his doctor expected the president to be Santos said on Monday he would undergo sur- able to make a quick recovery, Santos said. The gery for a non-aggressive prostate cancer in a surgery will be conducted with a local anesthetic health scare that seemed unlikely to derail his at a hospital in Bogota. “I am going to stay in the government’s imminent talks with Marxist rebels clinic a few days. I will be subject to a few physical to end decades of war. Santos, 61, said the tumor limitations, but I will continue exercising my funcwas discovered as part of a routine checkup and tions as president of the Republic,” he said.

Santos, who has three children, joins several will be removed on Wednesday.

“It’s a small tumor located on the prostate other Latin American leaders who have fought gland and it’s a good prognosis. It’s not aggres- cancer in recent years. Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez, sive,” he said at the presidential palace in Bogota, who seeks re-election on Sunday, has had three flanked by his doctor and his wife. “There’s a 97 operations for tumors since mid-2011. Former percent chance of being totally cured.” The Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was Harvard-educated economist, who took office two years ago, is about to embark on negotiations in coming weeks with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), whose insurgency has led to the deaths of tens of thousands in half a century.

A successful end to the peace negotiations would help secure Santos a place in history and allow him to further build on the economic and security advances that began under President Alvaro Uribe a decade ago. Colombia, a nation of about 46 million, has attracted record foreign direct investment over the last few years as a USbacked military offensive against drug traffickers and FARC rebels improved business confidence.

Santos, who as Uribe’s defense minister dealt some of the harshest blows against the FARC, said he would not be handing over presidential duties. The cancer was detected “very much in Colombia’s President Juan Manuel Santos

successfully treated for a throat tumor earlier this year and his successor, President Vilma Rousseff, was treated for lymphoma cancer in 2009 but has been given a clean bill of health by her doctors.

Paraguay’s former President Fernando Lugo also beat non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2011 after four months of chemotherapy treatment. A flood of messages appeared on Twitter offering support for Santos, including best wishes from allyturned-foe Uribe, opposition lawmakers and government officials. “My solidarity and support to the President and his family,” said Vice President Angelino Garzon, who also was hospitalized recently. “The country, now more than ever, needs him.”

The peace talks helped lift Santos’ approval ratings at a time when he was being slammed by critics, like former boss Uribe, who said security had deteriorated considerably, raising the possibility he would be unable to seek a second term.

Negotiations with the FARC, which will take place in Norway and Cuba, have raised Colombians’ hopes of an end to the war. Santos, who appeared alongside his soldier son earlier on Monday at a military event, seemed in good spirits and said that he had sought medical advice last week during a meeting of the United Nations in New York. He left for Peru after the cancer announcement to attend a meeting of Latin American and Arab heads of state and will return to Bogota yesterday, a presidential spokesman said.— Reuters

Chavez attacks rival at hometown rally SABANETA: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez sang, greeted throngs of supporters and launched a searing attack on his rival as he stormed into the final stretch of his re-election campaign. Chavez rode a caravan through a jubilant crowd of thousands clad in his leftist party’s red in his hometown of Sabaneta on Monday, the start of a tour taking him to six states over three days before Sunday’s

vote. “I salute my dear town. I salute this nest of my life,” Chavez said, pointing out how the local trees had grown since his childhood in the southwestern town of 40,000 people. “Viva Sabaneta! Viva la revolucion!”

While the left-wing leader, in power for 14 years, remains the favorite to win a new six-year term in the election, opposition candidate Henrique

SABANETA: A boy dressed as a soldier salutes during a campaign caravan of Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez from Barinas to Caracas in Sabaneta. — AP

Capriles has closed the gap by half to 10 points in the latest opinion poll. In a new attack against Capriles, Chavez accused his rival’s campaign of receiving cash from drug trafficking. “These great businessmen have brought a lot of money to his campaign, and it has come from abroad too, from fugitive bankers, some mafias, money laundering, drug trafficking,” Chavez told reporters. Chavez did not provide more details to back his accusation.

The opposition says 80 percent of the Capriles campaign funds come from raffles, street fundraising and Internet donations. They counter that the president misuses public funds to promote his reelection bid. In an interview with AFP, Capriles said Chavez was “sick with power,” adding: “All world leaders who end up sick with power, end badly.” He went on to accuse Chavez of lavishing social services on his supporters, saying: “For me, this is fascism.

These are fascist practices.” One day after addressing hundreds of thousands of people in Caracas, Capriles took his campaign to the southern states of Amazonas and Bolivar on Monday, voicing confidence that he could pull off a major upset.

“I do not think that this is going to be a close race. I think we can win by more than one million votes,” Capriles told foreign reporters. “This government will not have a hard time acknowledging its defeat.” With just days to go before Sunday’s election, Chavez charged that a Capriles victory would mark the return to power of “the bourgeoisie, big corruption and the Yankee (US) empire.” Later Chavez addressed another rally in the northwestern town of San Carlos, where he declared the “bourgeoisie has plans to destabilize” the country and the “far right plans to not recognize the people’s victory.”—AFP

VATICAN CITY: File picture shows Pope Benedict XVI’s at the time butler Paolo Gabriele at St Peter’s square. — AFP

Pope former butler takes the stand VATICAN CITY: Pope Benedict XVI’s former butler Paolo Gabriele took the stand yesterday at his historic trial for stealing secret memos in what he said was a bid to battle “evil and corruption” in the Vatican. It will be the first time that Gabriele speaks out since his arrest in May this year and his 53-day detention in a Vatican security cell. The hearing in the tiny state’s 19th-century courtroom began at 0715 GMT, a Vatican spokesman said. Television cameras are banned and only 10 journalists are allowed access to the trial, details of which are expected later.

Gabriele, who is now under house arrest, is accused of leaking hundreds of memos that reported fraud and intrigue among senior Vatican figures. At the start of the trial on Saturday, Gabriele suffered a series of setbacks when judges turned down his lawyer’s requests to strike down his indictment and throw out the case because of rules on papal secrecy. Judges also declined to include in the trial a top secret report on the “Vatileaks” scandal compiled by a committee of cardinals appointed by the pope who interviewed dozens of people in a parallel investigation into the leaks. The pope’s secretary and closest confidant, Monsignor Georg Gaenswein, and one of the four lay housekeepers who help the 85-year-old pope go about his daily life, Cristina Cernetti, are expected to testify later in the trial.

A German like the pope, Gaenswein is a hugely influential figure at the Vatican as he is effectively the filter for the pope’s interactions with the outside world and his role has sparked jealousy behind the Vatican walls. The first hearing also revealed that Vatican gendarmes had seized 82 boxes of material from Gabriele’s service apartments in the Vatican and at the pope’s summer residence and installed a camera on the landing of his Vatican flat. Gabriele gave only one interview in February to Gianluigi Nuzzi, the Italian investigative journalist to whom he is accused of having leaked the stolen documents.

His identity was hidden in the interview

where Gabriele used the codename “Maria”but it was revealed by the journalist after Gabriele’s arrest. Nuzzi wrote a Twitter message on Saturday urging support for Gabriele saying: “Good luck, brave Paoletto, let’s not leave him alone!” The journalist has also said he is ready to appear before Italian authorities if there is a formal request from the Vatican that he be charged for receiving stolen goods-something which has not happened. The key question is whether Gabriele acted on his own or whether the leaks point to wider unease. That would spell a more serious crisis for the Vatican which is already struggling with paedophilia scandals and rising secularism.

Gabriele himself in his February interview spoke vaguely of “around 20” likeminded people spread across the Vatican institutions and there have been unconfirmed reports in the Italian press of battles between rival cardinals. The butler expressed frustration with a culture of secrecy in the Vatican from the mysterious disappearance of the daughter of a Vatican employee in 1983 to a quickly hushed-up double murder and suicide by a Swiss guard in 1998. “There is a kind of omerta against the truth, not so much because of a power struggle but because of fear, because of caution,” Gabriele said in the interview, using the term for the code of silence of the Sicilian mafia.

“It annoys people when you stick your nose in their dirty laundry,” he said. The leaking of documents had been “a gesture of rage” against inaction, he added.

Gabriele comes across in the interview as a deeply religious man who says he was inspired by the Holy Spirit to reveal intrigues behind the Vatican walls so as to help the pope clear out corruption from the heart of the Catholic Church. “There is a lot of hypocrisy, this is the kingdom of hypocrisy,” he said. Gabriele also said he was aware of the consequences of his actions but that the potential to change something in the Vatican was worth the risk. “Being a witness to truth means being ready to pay the price,” he said. — AFP

Gunmen massacre 27 Nigerian students KANO: Gunmen massacred at least 27 people in a student housing area of northeast Nigeria yesterday, calling victims out by name before shooting them or slitting their throats, officials said. The attack occurred in the early hours in the town of Mubi, where the military last week carried out a high-profile raid against Islamist extremist group Boko Haram, which has been waging a deadly insurgency. Some officials however suggested the massacre may have been linked to a recent student election.

According to a police spokesman, the attackers knew their victims and called them out by name in an off-campus area near a polytechnic school where students live. The police spokesman, Mohammed Ibrahim, put the death toll at 25, including 19 students from the polytechnic, three students from a health technology school, two security guards and a retired soldier. A relief official speaking on condition of anonymity said 26 people had been confirmed dead and 15 were wounded and taken to hospital. The military had taken

over the area. “The attackers knew their targets,” Ibrahim said.

“They were calling out names of their targets in each house they entered, and once the target identified himself, he would be shot dead. We strongly suspect an inside operation.” He added that some victims’ throats were slit. The suggestion that the killings were linked to the student election however raised questions over how and why the dispute would have turned so violent. There were suggestions of ethnic tensions between the mainly Muslim Hausas and predominately Christian Igbos involved in the vote.

Violence has erupted between student gangs in the past in Nigeria, but it is not known to have previously led to a massacre on such a scale. Nigerian officials have been seeking to show success in the fight against Boko Haram with a number of raids and arrests. There had been a lull in major attacks in recent weeks. A spokesman for the National Emergency Management Agency said reports indicated some of the victims were candi-

dates in the polls. “The crisis in Mubi is suspected to have been fueled by campus politics after an election at the Federal Polytechnic,” said the agency’s Yushau Shuaib.

Abdulkarim Bello of the Red Cross said “they are conducting elections in the Federal Polytechnic and unknown gunmen just entered and sprayed people with bullets”. Nigeria’s military said last week it had killed a senior Boko Haram leader and arrested 156 suspected members of the group during a raid in Mubi. The town had been placed under curfew during the raid, but it has since been lifted. In September, Boko Haram claimed arson attacks on about two dozen telecommunication masts across northern Nigeria, with Mubi among the areas hit. Mobile phone reception has been badly affected in some areas.

Mubi is not far from the city of Maiduguri in neighboring Borno state, which is considered the base of the Islamist group that is blamed for killing more than 1,400 people in northern

and central Nigeria since 2010. The town has seen previous such violence, including in January, when gunmen opened fire on Christian Igbos at a house as they mourned the death of a friend killed in a shooting the night before. Residents and a relief official reported up to 17 people dead, while police said 12 were killed, with between two and five people killed the previous night in the same town.

Boko Haram has claimed to be seeking an Islamic state in Nigeria’s mainly Muslim north, but its demands have repeatedly shifted and it is believed to include a number of factions with varying aims. Nigeria’s government has claimed to be engaging in back-channel talks in a bid to end the insurgency, but Boko Haram’s suspected leader, Abubakar Shekau, denied dialogue had occurred, in a YouTube video posted on Sunday. Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation and largest oil producer, is roughly divided between a mainly Muslim north and predominately Christian south. — AFP

NEWS Khorafi calls to change voting system Continued from Page 1 to keep the 2009 Assembly which was dissolved last December but revived by the constitutional court in June, and to issue a decree to reduce the number of votes allowed to each voters from four to one or two.

Khorafi said that the change falls within the constitutional powers of the Amir and the issue is under consideration, adding that reducing the number of votes will effectively combat outlawed tribal primary elections. The reduction will also break the monopoly of majorities on seats and help minorities get a better representation, said Khorafi, adding that this issue can be treated in a better and quicker way through an emergency Amiri decree which can be rejected and changed in the next Assembly.

Opposition MP Faisal Al-Mislem said that Khorafi’s statements on the number of votes “confirm what I had said earlier that Khorafi is leading a conspiracy against the will of the people and the state of institutions in order to serve his personal interests and not the interests of the country”. Mislem warned

the government against heeding Khorafi’s suggestions, adding that the Kuwaiti people are awaiting for a decree to dissolve the Assembly and call for fresh polls on the basis of the current electoral constituency law.

MP Falah Al-Sawwagh described Khorafi’s statements as a new conspiracy being hatched against Kuwait led by the Assembly speaker and certain forces of corruption with the aim to control the next Assembly through changing the voting system. Liberal MP Saleh Al-Mulla said that the right to issue an emergency Amiri decrees under article 71 of the constitution is not “absolute” but must fulfill the condition that it is for an issue which is very urgent and cannot be delayed until after the election. Article 71 gives the Amir the right to issue laws in the form of decrees for urgent matters when the Assembly is dissolved or in recess. Such decrees must be referred to the Assembly and debated in the first session and the Assembly has the right to reject them. Meanwhile, the long-awaited decree dissolving the Assembly is expected to be issued by this weekend or early next week, paving the way for another decree inviting Kuwaitis to elect a new Assembly.

Bedoons demand rights in Jahra...

Continued from Page 1 peaceful bedoon protesters who were demanding rights and citizenship, and detained dozens who have claimed abuse during detention.

Kuwait has long alleged that bedoons, and in some cases their ancestors, destroyed their original passports to

claim the right to citizenship in order to gain access to the state-provided services and benefits. In a bid to force the bedoons to produce their original nationality papers, Kuwait has refused to issue essential documents to most of them, including birth, marriage and death certificates. The government says only 34,000 of bedoons qualify for citizenship. — AFP

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

Douri: Invasion of Iraq helped Iran CAIRO : The highest-ranking member of Saddam Hussein’s ousted regime purportedly said the 2003 USled invasion of Baghdad has ultimately served to make Iraq beholden to Iran. In an online interview, a man claiming to be fugitive Izzat Ibrahim Al-Douri called the invasion a “horrible crime in America’s history” and said it was part of an imperialist plan engineered by the US, Israel and Iran.

“The US administration provided the cover for Iran and its agents for nine years to destroy Iraq and kill its people,” he purportedly said in the interview, published this week in Egypt’s online AlAhram newspaper. “Then it handed over Iraq entirely to Iran through (Iran’s) agents in the political process.”

Iran’s growing influence in Baghdad since the US military left last year has raised widespread doubts over just how independent Iraq and its majority Shiite population can remain from its eastern neighbor, the region’s Shiite heavyweight. Douri, who was Saddam’s deputy, has been reported dead or captured more than once in

the past. He has not been seen in public since the USled invasion, though audiotapes purporting to be from him have been released, as well as a video as recently as last April. His whereabouts are not known.

Douri is believed to have played a key role in financing Sunni insurgents seek ing to undermine Iraq’s postSaddam government. He was the “king of clubs” in the deck of playing cards issued by the US to help troops identify the most-wanted members of Saddam’s regime. The newspaper said the interview was conducted through an online question-and-answer session, and The Associated Press could not immediately verify that it was with Douri. The interview also appeared on the website of Saddam’s Baath party, which is outlawed in Iraq. In Baghdad, a spokesman for Iraq’s Shiite prime minister called the report “worthless propaganda”. “Al-Douri has no value, whether he is alive or dead,” said Ali al-Moussawi, spokesman for Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki. — AP

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

i n t e r n at i o n a l

Anti-corruption party launched in India NEW DELHI: One of India’s most prominent anticorruption campaigners launched a new political party yesterday, aiming to tap into a rich seam of public anger against the graft-tainted government. Arvind Kejriwal said the formation of his party would mark a new chapter in the struggle against a “bribe-taking culture” and pledged to field candidates at a general election due in 2014. “Our political party is the first step in the right direction, the common man will soon become the lawmaker,” Kejriwal said, after the launch in New Delhi.

The unveiling of the yet-unnamed party was held on the anniversary of the birth of the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi. “We derive lessons from Mahatma Gandhi’s teachings. We are determined to clean up the entire political spectrum. Our candidates will be committed to honesty and transparency and they will fight elections,” Kejriwal added. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s government has been rocked by a string of graft accusations, including revelations that officials pocketed millions of dollars when awarding tenders for telecoms and coal-mining ventures. Kejriwal, a former civil servant, cofounded a group called India Against Corruption, which caused huge embarrassment for the Congress-led coalition government when another leader Anna Hazare went on hunger strike.

Hundreds of thousands of people took part in protests organized by India Against Corruption.

Although the movement has since largely fizzled

out, disquiet about levels of corruption was fuelled over the summer by a scandal over the allocation of lucrative mining rights. An official

AHMADABAD: An Indian man and children dressed as Mahatma Gandhi wait for the start of a rally against violence to mark the birth anniversary of Gandhi in Ahmadabad yesterday. - AP

Maldives’ Nasheed risks arrest after trial boycott MALE: The first elected president of the Maldives risks arrest after boycotting the scheduled start of his criminal trial and violating a travel ban, the government said yesterday. Mohamed Nasheed had been due to go on trial on Monday on abuse of power charges in connection with the events that led to his toppling in February.

But his case was adjourned, without a new date being set, after Nasheed failed to turn up at court. He was then seen sailing out of the archipelago’s main island in defiance of an order to stay in the capital. “The court will issue him another summons,” presidential media secretary Masood Imad said.

“After the second summons, if he does not comply, the standard procedure is they (the court) will instruct the police to bring him in.” Nasheed, who won the Maldives first democratic elections in 2008, had been ordered to appear before a three-judge bench in Male at an early evening sitting.

But he was seen leaving the capital by boat to meet with supporters of his Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) in the south of the Maldives, an atoll nation of 1,192 tiny coral islets scattered across the equator. “I don’t think the charges are correct,” Nasheed told reporters at the jetty. The 45-year-old former leader told AFP at the weekend he did not expect a fair trial that could see him jailed or banished to a remote island.

The case centers on Nasheed’s decision

to send the military to arrest a senior judge, which fuelled already simmering anti-government protests and culminated in a police mutiny in February and his ultimate downfall. Nasheed justified the arrest of the chief criminal court judge by saying the judicial service commission had failed to act on a string of allegations against him.

Nasheed, a climate change campaigner who was tortured in jail during Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s three-decade rule of the Maldives, insists he was threatened by armed rebel officers and forced to announce his resignation on television. But Mohamed Waheed, Nasheed’s deputy who became president, has rejected claims his former boss was forced to resign and that he is the target of a vendetta. Apart from the criminal case, Nasheed also faces two defamation suits filed against him by Police Commissioner Abdulla Riyaz and by Defense Minister Mohamed Nazim. A judge indefinitely postponed the first case on Sunday at the request of Riyaz, while the second case is due to be called yesterday, but official sources said it was also likely to be put off.Political tensions have also been heightened by the murder of a ruling party legislator who was stabbed on the steps of his apartment in Male yesterday.

Police said Afrasheem Ali’s killing was the first assassination of a lawmaker in the country’s history. —AFP

Korean peninsula ‘could face thermonuclear war’ UNITED NATIONS: US policy toward North Korea has made the Korean peninsula the most dangerous place on the planet because a “spark” there could ignite a nuclear war, a senior North Korean official told the UN General Assembly on Monday. One of the last speakers at the 193-nation assembly’s annual gathering in New York, North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Pak Kil-yon was also full of praise for Kim Jong-un, the reclusive communist country’s young new leader.

“Today, due to the continued US hostile policy towards DPRK, the vicious cycle of confrontation and aggravation of tensions is an ongoing phenomenon on the Korean peninsula, which has become the world’s most dangerous hot spot where a spark of fire could set off a thermonuclear war,” Pak said. DPRK refers to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the country’s official name. Speaking of North Korea’s nuclear “deterrent,” Pak said that it was a “mighty weapon that defends the country’s sovereignty.”

North Korea is under UN Security Council sanctions due to its 2006 and 2009 nuclear tests. Earlier this year, Western powers had expressed concern that North Korea would

auditor’s report found in August that private operators who won coal blocks without competition enjoyed “financial gains to the tune of 1.86

carry out another atomic test but that detonation never took place. North Korea has long argued that in the face of a hostile United States, which has military bases in South Korea and Japan, it needs a nuclear arsenal to defend itself. Six-party aid-for-disarmament talks involving the two Koreas, the United States, Japan, Russia and China have been stalled since 2008. Pak said that the North Korean people were united behind their new leader, who came to power after Kim’s father Kim Jong-il died last December.

“Our dear respected marshal, Kim Jongun, is firmly determined to make our people, who have overcome manifold hardships, enjoy a happy life to their heart’s content in a prosperous, socialist state,” he said. “Our people are following dear respected marshal Kim Jong-un with absolute trust in him and are vigorously advancing to the final victory with full conviction and optimism about the future, single-heartedly united behind him,” Pak said. United Nations estimates show that a third of North Korea’s population is malnourished, and the economy still has yet to regain output levels seen in the 1990s, when a devastating famine and the withdrawal of Soviet aid hit the country hard.— Reuters

trillion rupees ($33.4 billion)” since 2004 — some of which should have gone to the government.

The scandal was particularly embarrassing for Singh because he served as coal minister as well as prime minister from 2004-2009. Hazare has parted ways with Kejriwal over his plans to enter politics, which he has described as “full of dirt”.

Kejriwal said that his group would continue to “seek Hazare’s blessings” despite the rift. The new party’s manifesto details its aspirations for “a complete political revolution” as well as pledges to expose corruption at all levels of government and to inspire young people to participate in the political process. “We are not greedy for power or hungry for money. We want to bring a social, political and economic change to wipe out corruption,” said Kejriwal in a speech in New Delhi.

V Narayanasamy, the minister of parliamentary affairs and a senior leader of the ruling Congress party, dismissed Kejriwal’s party as a “political stunt” and accused him of deceiving people by pretending to be a social activist. “In the last two years, Kejriwal and his team members projected themselves as social activists to hide their political ambitions but now their true colors are out in the open,” Narayanasamy said.

“Our country is a democracy and people will only vote for those who work for them and not for those who have no understanding of governance.” Scores of national and regional parties contest general elections in India, the world’s largest democracy.— AFP

Estrada defiantly returns to politics Philippines ex-president runs for mayor MANILA: Graft-tainted former Philippine president Joseph Estrada was mobbed by fans yesterday as he applied to run for mayor of Manila, nearly 12 years after a military-backed revolution ousted him. The 75-year-old actorturned politician vowed he had the energy to return to politics, and was ready to turn around the fortunes of the country’s rundown capital.

“I am still strong, and I will not stop serving the people until the end,” Estrada said shortly after registering his candidacy to run for mayor of Manila in midterm elections next year. “Manila needs a change. There is urban decay, people are without jobs, the government is in deficit.”

Estrada said that, if he won, he would continue his programs for the poor that were halted when an uprising forced him to step down as president in 2001, only halfway through his six-year term. Estrada was convicted in 2007 of corruption for plunder and taking kickbacks worth tens of millions of dollars while president. But his successor, Gloria Arroyo, quickly pardoned him. Estrada, whose enduring popularity derives from an acting career in which he typically played heroes of the poor, finished second in the 2010 presidential race won by incumbent Benigno Aquino.

Estrada has said repeatedly that result vindicated his stance that powerful political and business figures had conspired to oust him from power unfairly. Some of the roughly 500 supporters who crowded around Estrada as he registered at the election office yesterday also said he had been framed for corruption. “I don’t believe he was involved. That was just black propaganda,” said April Medina, 28, an unemployed mother of a baby boy. Many of Manila’s 1.6 million people live in slums, and large parts of the the city where the country’s

former colonial Spanish rulers were based are dilapidated.

Estrada’s main opponent will be Alfredo Lim, 82, the incumbent mayor who is also very popular with the masses. Lim, a former policeman, earned the nickname of “Dirty Harry” in the 1990s during an initial stint as mayor for closing down Manila’s strip bars and marking the homes of suspected drug pushers with spray

MANILA: Ousted President Joseph Estrada (second from left) is greeted by supporters after filing his certificate of candidacy at the Commission on Elections in Manila, Philippines yesterday. — AP

Chinese ships in disputed waters TOKYO: Chinese government ships returned to waters off disputed Japanese-controlled islands yesterday, the coastguard said, a week after they last left and days after heated exchanges at the UN General Assembly. Four maritime surveillance ships entered the waters shortly after 12:30 pm, where they remained for around six hours, ignoring demands from Japan’s coastguard to leave. “Patrol ships from our agency have been telling them to sail outside of our territorial waters. There has not been any response” from the Chinese ships, the agency said.

It was the first time in about a week that Chinese ships had entered the waters, and came after a lull in a fearsome diplomatic spat over the sovereignty of the islands known as the Senkakus in Japan and Diaoyus in China.

Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba said the Japanese government lodged an immediate

protest to China over the latest case, telling reporters: “We want the Chinese side to exercise self-restraint.” Official Chinese vessels repeatedly sailed into the archipelago’s waters until last Monday, defying warnings from Japan’s wellequipped coastguard.

And last week Chinese and Japanese diplomats at the United Nations in New York traded insults, with China’s Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi accusing Japan of theft. The islands lie in rich fishing grounds and on key shipping lanes. The seabed in the area is also believed to harbor mineral reserves. Japan’s deputy UN ambassador Kazuo Kodama retorted that the islands were legally Japanese territory and said “an assertion that Japan took the islands from China cannot logically stand”. Historical grievances stemming from Japan’s wartime expansionism also complicate the argument, as does a claim

S Korea shuts down 2 nuclear reactors SEOUL: South Korea shut down two 1,000megawatt nuclear reactors at separate plants yesterday, following apparently unrelated systems malfunctions that triggered calls for a safety review. “Both power plants remain stable and pose no threat of radiation leakage,” the state-run Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP) said in a statement, adding that investigations were under way to determine the cause of the malfunctions.

A KHNP spokesman told AFP there was “no correlation” between the two incidentsat Yeonggwang on the southwest coast and Shingori on the southeast coast. The Shingori reactor, near the city of Busan, was shut down after a warning signal at 8:10 am (2310 GMT Monday). “There was a malfunction in the reactor’s control rod, but the reactor is now stable,” the spokesman said.

It is the first time the reactor has been shut down since it began operations in February last year. South Korea operates 23

nuclear power reactors which meet more than 35 percent of the country’s electricity needs. It plans to build an additional 16 reactors by 2030. In the other incident at the Yeonggwang plant, a reactor automatically shut down around 10:45 am after its steam generator showed a low water level. In July, a different 1,000-megawatt reactor at Yeonggwang-some 260 kilometers south of Seoul-went into automatic shutdown after a malfunction.

The South Korean government has vowed to stick to its nuclear power program despite public concerns arising from last year’s nuclear disaster in Japan. Doubts over safety standards were fuelled in May when five senior engineers were charged with trying to cover up a potentially dangerous power failure at South Korea’s oldest nuclear plant. The five, including a 55-year-old chief engineer at the Gori-1 reactor, were accused of violating a law on nuclear safety.— AFP

paint. Many other colorful figures have hit the headlines during this week’s registration period for the midterm elections. Imelda Marcos, the 83-year- old widow of dictator Ferdinand Marcos, will run for re-election as a congresswoman, her chief of staff told AFP on Monday.

World boxing champion Manny Pacquiao is also widely expected to seek another threeyear stint as congressman.— AFP

SENKAKU ISLANDS: A Chinese fishing patrol ship cruising near the disputed islands known as the Senkaku islands in Japan and Diaoyu islands in China, in the East China Sea.— AFP

of ownership by Taiwan.

That claim was pressed last week when dozens of fishing boats were escorted into island waters by the Taiwanese coastguard, sparking water cannon exchanges with Japanese coastguard vessels. The decades-old dispute came to the fore earlier this year when the China-baiting governor of Tokyo, Shintaro Ishihara, announced he wanted to buy the island chain from its private Japanese landowner. Nationalists from both sides staged island landings before Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda stepped in to outbid Ishihara, who had amassed well over a billion yen ($12.8 million) in public donations towards the cost.

The government completed its purchase of three of the five islands in the chain-it already owned one and leases the fifth-on September 11. Observers said Noda’s move to nationalize the islands had been an attempt to hose down an issue that looked set to become an international problem. But Beijing reacted furiously and unleashed diplomatic vitriol on Tokyo, while tens of thousands of protesters poured onto the streets in cities across China. In demonstrations that commentators said had at least tacit approval from the authorities, Japanese businesses were targeted by violence and arson, with some forced to close temporarily. The protests escalated, culminating a fortnight ago on a day coinciding with the 81st anniversary of the Mukden Incident, an episode marking the beginning of Japan’s occupation of swathes of modern-day China. Chinese state media announced late last week that the Communist Party congress-at which a generational leadership change is expected to take place would begin on November 8. Chinawatchers had said a behind-the-scenes tussle over who will occupy key positions has been going on for some time, complicating Beijing’s behavior over the island dispute. Japan’s political scene is also fragile and prey to nationalist sentiment. A weakened Noda is expected to call a general election over the coming months in which his fragmenting party looks set to fare badly.— AFP

15

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

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Issues

Obama, Bibi got what they hoped for at UN meeting

By Luis Charbonneau President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to get what they hoped for at the annual UN General Assembly after closing ranks to send a message to Iran that it may face war over its nuclear program. Obama and Netanyahu did not meet with each other at the United Nations, where leaders and foreign ministers from the world body’s 193 member states have gathered since last week to give speeches and hold private talks to resolve conflicts and boost trade.

But the two men left the UN meeting with more than they arrived with: Obama with an assurance that Israel would not attack Iran’s nuclear sites before the Nov 6 US presidential election, and Netanyahu with a commitment from Obama to do whatever it takes to prevent Iran from producing an atomic bomb. The General Assembly, concluding on Monday, was notable for what was not accomplished. World powers failed to break deadlocks over Iran’s nuclear program, the conflicts in Syria, Mali and Congo, and the stalled Israel-Palestinian peace talks.

As in previous years, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad assailed the United States, Israel and Europe, while calling for a new world order. He made his eighth and likely final address to a UN General Assembly. The lack of substantive progress on the world’s protracted conflicts led diplomats and analysts to question the relevance of the United Nations, saying it was incapable of moving decisively as it did last year on Libya. “The diplomatic situation at the UN may have to get worse before it gets better,” said Richard Gowan of New York University. “Perhaps we need a diplomatic debacle on the scale of Iraq - or a peacekeeping failure like Srebrenica (Bosnia) before big states wake up and ask why the UN is stagnating.” In July 1995, UN peacekeepers in Bosnia failed to prevent the massacre of some 8,000 Muslim men and boys in Srebrenica.

Analysts and diplomats argue that the lack of UN backing for the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 highlighted the need for a UN seal of approval for military interventions. Widely seen as “illegal,” as former UN chief Kofi Annan described it, Western powers made certain that the NATO intervention in Libya last year had the backing of the UN Security Council unlike the Iraq war. While the United States and Israel have long refused to rule out the use of military force to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, Netanyahu has criticized Obama for failing to make clear to Tehran under what circumstances Western powers would be prepared to attack Iranian nuclear facilities.

Suggestions from Israel that he was letting down the Jewish state were an irritant Obama did not want to put up with in the final weeks before an election, especially given the way the issue has been leveraged by Republican challenger Mitt Romney. Meanwhile, Western officials say, Netanyahu may want to avoid antagonizing Israel’s main ally and poisoning ties with the man who could occupy the White House for another four years.

Iran rejects Western allegations that it is developing the capability to produce atomic bombs - it says its nuclear program is for peaceful energy and medical purposes - and refuses to comply with Security Council demands to halt nuclear enrichment. This has led to increasingly harsh UN and Western sanctions, which have caused the value of Iran’s currency to plummet. Israel sees a nuclear-armed Iran as a threat to its existence.

In his speech to the General Assembly on Thursday, Netanyahu held up a cartoonish diagram of a bomb with a fuse to illustrate the threat of Iran’s nuclear program. He used a red marker to draw a line at the point where Iran would be close to producing an atomic bomb. Images of “Bibi’s bomb” - referring to Netanyahu’s nickname - with its graphic “red line” representing the moment Iran can no longer be stopped from getting a nuclear weapon will likely be the defining image of this year’s assembly.

It may also join other memorable moments when visual aids were used in UN speeches. These include: US Ambassador Adlai Stevenson’s unveiling of U-2 spy plane photos of Cuba during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, and US Secretary of State Colin Powell’s flawed intelligence briefing seeking to make the case for war with Iraq before the March 2003 US-led invasion.

Netanyahu praised Obama for telling the General Assembly that the United States will “do what we must” to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and acknowledged that there was still room for diplomacy. Harsh sanctions, Netanyahu said, could probably persuade Tehran not to build a nuclear weapon.

But the Israeli leader also hinted at war. He said Iran’s enrichment plants were visible and vulnerable to attack and suggested that a decision on force could come by next spring. Tehran’s UN mission responded by saying Iran has the means and right to retaliate with full force against any attack. Israel, presumed to be the region’s only nuclear power, has twice destroyed sites it feared could be used to develop atomic weapons - in 1981 in Iraq and in 2007 in Syria. —Reuters

US

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Civilians struggle to check Pak army power

By Nahal Toosi he footage was startling: A group of what appeared to be Pakistani soldiers gunning down several blindfolded men in a forested area. As the clips circulated online and the US threatened to cut aid, Pakistan’s army chief promised a full investigation and punishment for any wrongdoers. Two years later: Silence.

What has the inquiry found? The army won’t say. Was anyone punished? Not a word. Some rights activists question whether an investigation even took place.

Pakistan has spent nearly five years under civilian rule, an unusually long stretch for a 65year-old country prone to military coups. But as the firing squad footage and several other prominent scandals suggest, the army remains largely unwilling to hold itself accountable to the public. This despite some pressure from more active media and judiciary and despite hopes that the military would rethink its ways after the humiliation it suffered following the unilateral US raid that killed Osama bin Laden.

The army’s lack of transparency and resistance to civilian oversight could cripple Pakistan’s transition to a healthy democracy, something the United States says the country needs. But the Americans can’t protest too much: Washington needs the Pakistani army’s cooperation as the war in Afghanistan winds down and it already struggles to balance a strained relationship as it presses the army to root out anti-US insurgents hiding in Pakistan.

“It’s important to understand that generally the Pakistani military is very careful about not hurting its own people,” especially as they fight Islamists trying to overthrow the state, said Ayesha Siddiqa, a prominent Pakistani defense analyst. Most ordinary Pakistanis feel powerless to take on the army, and when it comes to reining in the men in uniform, the still-weak civilian government “can’t do anything”, she said.

The two video clips that spawned the sup-

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posed inquiry fueled allegations that the military carried out numerous extrajudicial killings in the Swat Valley during a major offensive against the Pakistani Taleban in 2009. Bloodied corpses of suspected militants were found dumped on the streets for months after the army retook the valley from the Taleban. The army denied those killings. The grainy footage, which came to light in Sept 2010, is believed to have been recorded in Swat. A nearly six-minute clip shows men in Pakistani military uniforms lining up six blindfolded men in civilian clothes, then shooting them. After a voice says “finish them one by one”, one apparent soldier walks over to the men and shoots them again. The other, 53-second clip shows only the executions.

On Oct 8, 2010, army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani announced an inquiry into the matter. He noted the probe would consider if the footage was even real, but also said, “It is not expected of a professional army to engage in excesses against the people whom it is trying to guard against the scourge of terrorism.” In the two years since, The AP has repeatedly asked the army about the status of the probe. At most, the answer has been that it’s under way.

Attempts to get army comment for this story led nowhere.

Other cases further illustrate the difficulty in holding the army accountable. A year before the execution videos surfaced, a clip on YouTube and Facebook appeared to show Pakistani soldiers beating and whipping four militant suspects. The army promised to investigate but has never released any findings. In mid-September, Kayani announced that the military would take over the investigation and prosecution of three retired generals accused in a financial scam that was being probed by a parliamentary committee. The three were “recalled” into the army, apparently so they could be shielded from civilian courts.

And then there’s the “Abbottabad commission”, the panel tasked with finding out what bin

Laden was doing in Pakistan and what led to the May 2011 US raid that killed him. The panel’s creation was hailed because it was technically independent of the military. But its report has been repeatedly delayed, and if it is ever released, many doubt anyone in the security establishment will be held to account - at least not in public. The United States is legally bound to cut aid to foreign military units that violate human rights, and American officials have said the execution clips prompted a cutoff of funding to multiple Pakistani army units whose identities are classified.

That doesn’t mean net funding for Pakistan goes down, however - the money can simply be shifted to other Pakistani units. The nucleararmed country is of such strategic importance that American leaders say it is difficult to withhold funds. In total, Pakistan receives roughly $1 billion in economic aid and $1 billion in military assistance each year. Sen Patrick Leahy, who spearheaded the legislation that imposed the human rights requirement on foreign aid, is said to have had trouble getting answers on the execution videos. The senator “has repeatedly requested information from representatives of the Pakistani government on the status of the promised investigation of this war crime, but so far has received nothing”, said his spokesman, David Carle.

Ali Dayan Hasan, head of Human Rights Watch in Pakistan, is not convinced the military even pursued a proper probe. Pakistan’s civilian government, led by the party of President Asif Ali Zardari, remains far too weak to take the army head on over accountability. At this point, the government is focused on surviving, and it has to tread carefully around the generals.

Analysts said army leaders are reluctant to be more transparent to civilian authorities largely because of concerns about morale amid the fight against militants, who are themselves notorious for ruthless tactics. The Pakistani military says thousands of its soldiers have died in

Georgia to achieve rare democratic handover

By Matthew Collin eorgia looks set to achieve a peaceful and democratic handover of power following President Mikheil Saakashvili’s defeat in parliamentary elections, a rarity in a region known for poll unrest and autocrats who refuse to let go.

Georgia long tried to portray itself as a “beacon of democracy” in the former Soviet Union and the outcome of the parliamentary elections could boost the country’s image, analysts say. In other ex-Soviet states from Azerbaijan to Tajikistan strongman leaders cling tightly to power, but Saakashvili dramatically admitted his party’s defeat and vowed to hand over to the opposition led by his bitter rival, billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili.

“It’s a monumental development. It’s an unprecedented event in any former Soviet republic excluding the Baltic states,” Lawrence Sheets, Caucasus project director at the International Crisis Group think tank, told AFP. The surprise move by Saakashvili turned the tables on critics who labelled him a dictator and showed how far Georgia had come in its “democratic transformation”, said Alexander Rondeli of the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies. “It’s good for the country’s image,” Rondeli told AFP. The polls also drew qualified praise from OSCE international observers who called them an “important step” for the Western-backed country’s democratic development.

Saakashvili was swept to power in the

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2003 “Rose Revolution” by a wave of anger against corruption but his party’s dominance has been ended amid another upsurge of righteous fury this time sparked by a scandal over torture in prisons.

The defeat takes Georgia into unknown territory. Like Saakashvili’s party, Ivanishvili’s Georgian Dream coalition says it wants to join NATO and the EU while mending relations with arch-foe Russia, but it remains unclear how these seemingly incompatible ideas will be translated into action. It is also unclear whether an Ivanishvili government packed with staunch enemies of Saakashvili might seek retribution against hate figures from the previous administration. Ivanishvili has said that only former officials who committed crimes will “face justice”.

This brings to mind the campaign against former Ukrainian premier Yulia Tymoshenko and other allies who were jailed after they lost power to arch rival Viktor Yanukovych in 2010. “When Yanukovych won elections they were praised as a democratic transfer of power but the net result was a decrease in democracy,” independent Georgian analyst Ghia Nodia told AFP. “Ivanishvili still has to prove that he really is a democrat,” Nodia said. Witchhunts could cause turmoil in the country, warned Sheets. “The two sides must realise the potential consequences of destabilisation,” he said. Ivanishvili says he intends to become prime minister, a position that will gain strong new powers next year when the president’s role is reduced by constitutional changes

the conflict since 2001. It’s entirely possible soldiers are punished in private for abuses, but to publicize that would, again, undermine morale.

The army also doesn’t necessarily trust the civilian institutions. The military often prefers to hold alleged insurgents indefinitely, even secretly, for fear civilian courts, which rarely convict terrorism suspects, would set them free. Still, a more assertive judiciary and a more technologically advanced media landscape are bringing signs of change. In August last year, an anti-terror court sentenced to death a soldier who shot and killed an unarmed youth as he begged for mercy in the southern port city of Karachi. The incident was caught on videotape and repeatedly broadcast by TV stations, triggering enough public anger the military could not ignore it.

In January, a government-appointed commission released a report on the death of Pakistani journalist Saleem Shahzad, who was killed after telling friends he was threatened by the country’s premier intelligence agency, the military-led Inter Services Intelligence. The report said it did not have enough evidence to blame the ISI in the killing but that the agency should be more “law-abiding”. The mere issuing of a report was seen by rights advocates as a mini-victory. The judiciary has also increasingly demanded the army and intelligence agencies account for suspects allegedly held in secret, believed to number in the thousands. Some have even been freed due to the court’s demands, though no one in the security establishment is known to have been punished.

Sustained protests by victims’ relatives helped in pushing for the release of some of the missing, said Hasan. But so far there isn’t a widespread public outcry for accountability from the military as the fight against Islamic militants continues. Even liberals “don’t want too much focus on human rights in a situation like Swat”, said Babar Sattar, a legal expert. “There is that sense that if you put too much focus on those issues it’ll make it harder for the army to fight.” -—AP

Egypt’s Morsi seeks to ‘reshape’ foreign policy

By Christophe de Roquefeuil n three months in office, Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has sought to “reshape” diplomacy, while trying to attract foreign investment necessary for the recovery of post-revolt Egypt. Shuttling between Beijing, New York, Brussels and Ankara, the Islamist leader has hammered his goal of restoring Egypt’s “rightful place”, particularly on key Middle Eastern issues such as Syria and the Palestinian question.

With a desire to distance himself from his pro-Western predecessors Anwar Sadat and Hosni Mubarak, he has slammed what he says is Egypt’s “marginalisation” in recent decades.

“There is a lot of movement on the international scene, but with inflections rather than radical changes” that would cause alarm abroad and discourage investors, said Mustafa Kamel al-Sayyed, professor of political science at Cairo University. Morsi has bluntly called for the departure of the Syrian regime, initiated a dialogue with Iran which had been broken for 30 years but without restoring full diplomatic relations, resumed relations with Turkey, and visited Beijing with great fanfare. No trip to Washington - a traditional ally of Egypt - has yet been planned.

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Relations with Israel are not as comfortable as they were under Mubarak, who was toppled by a popular uprising last year, but Morsi said that a revision of the 1979 peace treaty with the Jewish state was not currently needed. “One of the main goals of Morsi is to reshape the image of himself as an independent president, democratically elected by the Egyptians,” said Khalil al-Anani, Middle East expert at Britain’s Durham University. “He is trying to invest in the historical credentials of Egypt. He is very preoccupied by the nationalistic and patriotic character of Egypt,” Anani told AFP. The five-point plan set by Morsi for his first 100 days in office made no mention of foreign policy, focusing more on everyday life: rubbish collection, improving the country’s notorious traffic situation, providing bread for the poor, resolving the fuel crisis and restoring security. The president received more praise at home for his statements on Syria and his pro-Palestinian stances at the United Nations, than for his uncertain efforts to tame the chaotic traffic in Cairo.

“There is a lot of pressure to change foreign policy, which many Egyptians felt had deteriorated under Hosni Mubarak, with a loss of influence and excessive dependence on the United States and Israel,” said political analyst and columnist Hassan Nafea. —AFP

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

sp orts Arsenal’s Diaby ruled out

Chievo fire Di Carlo

LONDON: Arsenal midfielder Abou Diaby will be out of action for three weeks due to a thigh injury, the Premier League club’s manager Arsene Wenger said yesterday.

Wenger was speaking ahead of his team’s Champions League Group B match against Olympiakos at the Emirates yesterday. “Diaby is out for three weeks with a thigh injury,” Wenger told a news conference. “(Mikel) Arteta to have test tomorrow.”

The injury-prone Diaby had to be substituted early in the Premier League match against Chelsea on Saturday which Arsenal lost 2-1, their first defeat of the season.

Better news for Wenger was that 20-year-old midfielder Jack Wilshere played an Under-21 game on Monday, his first competitive appearance after missing 14 months through injury. “You always have to make that first step, and he has done that today and that is fantastic,” reserve team coach Terry Burton told Arsenal’s website (www.arsenal.com). “He is a quality player, it is great for the club that he has taken that first step on the road towards getting back into the first team.”— Reuters

TURIN: Domenico Di Carlo became the second coaching victim of the Serie A season yesterday when he was fired by Chievo and immediately replaced by Eugenio Corini.

After winning their opening game of the season, Chievo have lost five in a row and were hammered 4-1 by previously winless Palermo on Sunday. Di Carlo had been in charge since June last year in his second stint at the club, having coached them for two seasons between 2008 and 2010.

In between, he was also in charge of Sampdoria, where he

Sri Lanka captaincy switch

was fired after nine months. “The club would like to thank the ‘Mister’, not only for the excellent results in his three seasons with Chievo but also for his effort, professionalism and dedication,” said Chievo in a statement.

Corini captained Chievo during the 1990s but has never coached a Serie A side before.

His previous coaching jobs were at Portos-ummaga, Crotone and Frosinone in the lower divisions.

Palermo’s Giuseppe Sannino was the other coach to lose his job this season when he was fired after only three games.

— Reuters

COLOMBO: The International Cricket Council (ICC) is likely to look into Sri Lanka’s captaincy switch in Monday’s World Twenty20 Super Eight match against England.

Regular captain Mahela Jayawardene handed over to former skipper Kumar Sangakkara to avoid the threat of a ban because of slow over rates.

The hosts were fined for a slow over rate during their match against West Indies and under ICC rules Jayawardene will face a one-match suspension if Sri Lanka infringe again in the next 12 months under his captaincy.

Jayawardene continued to take the decisions on the field on Monday, although Sangakkara went in for the toss with England captain Stuart Broad, starting a debate whether or not the move was against the spirit of the game.

Yesterday the ICC said all playing conditions and conduct would be reviewed after the tournament. “As is always the case, the ICC will be reviewing the playing conditions and the code of conduct at the conclusion of the event,” an ICC spokesman said in an email to Reuters.—Reuters

Nationals win NL East title WASHINGTON: Thanks to strong pitching from Gio Gonzalez and Stephen Strasburg, Bryce Harper’s burst of energy and Adam LaRoche’s slugging, the Washington Nationals won enough from April through September that even a loss on the first day of October could not stop them from clinching the NL East. Despite being beaten 2-0 by the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday night, the Nationals earned their first division title since moving from Montreal in 2005, because the secondplace Atlanta Braves lost 2-1 at the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Washington, in first since May 22, leads Atlanta by three games with two to play in the regular season. The Braves’ loss finished as the top of the ninth inning ended in Washington, and the Nationals celebrated in their dugout with hugs, high-fives and spiked gloves.

SEATTLE: Los Angeles Angels shortstop Maicer Izturis (right) and Seattle Mariners’ Dustin Ackley both look toward first on Izturis’ throw there after forcing out Ackley at second base in the eighth inning. — AP

Tigers halt Royals march KANSAS CITY: Miguel Cabrera had four hits, including a homer during a five-run sixth inning, as the Detroit Tigers held off the Kansas City Royals 6-3 Monday night to clinch the AL Central title.

Gerald Laird added a bases-loaded double, Rick Porcello (10-12) pitched shutout ball into the sixth inning and Jhonny Peralta went deep off Bruce Chen (11-14) to help Detroit reach the postseason in consecutive years for the first time since 1934-35.

After hanging over the dugout railing the entire ninth inning, the Tigers streamed onto the field and behind the pitchers’ mound to celebrate their accomplishment the moment Jose Valverde got Alcides Escobar to ground out to shortstop with a runner on second for his 35th save in 40 chances. The Tigers (87-73) will have the worst record among AL division champions, which means they’ll open the playoffs Saturday at home against the division winner with the second-best mark.

Cabrera, making a run at baseball’s first Triple Crown since 1967, broke a tie with Texas slugger Josh Hamilton for the major league lead in homers with his 44th, a solo shot to right. Prince Fielder also had four hits.

Yankees 10, Red Sox 2 In New York, Robinson Cano, Curtis Granderson, Russell Martin and Mark Teixeira homered in a nine-run second inning, and New York routed Boston to open a one-game lead over Baltimore in the AL East with two games to play.

Baltimore lost at Tampa Bay and dropped into second place, prompting cheers from the Yankee Stadium crowd when the final score was posted before the ninth inning. The Yankees, who clinched their 17th playoff berth in 18 years on Sunday, would ensure their 13th division title in 17 years by sweeping the three-game series against the Red Sox. New York tied its record for home runs in an inning, achieving the feat for the third time.

The offense backed CC Sabathia (15-6), who allowed two runs and four hits in eight innings with seven strikeouts.

Alex Rodriguez hit a sacrifice fly to end a streak of 11 games without an RBI. He tied Stan Musial for fifth place on the career list at 1,950. Boston, starting what may be its final series under first-year manager Bobby Valentine, has lost six in a row and 10 of 11, reaching 91 defeats for the first time since dropping 100 games in 1965. The Red Sox started just two regular position players, Cody Ross and Jarrod Saltalamacchia.

Clay Buchholz (11-8) was roughed up for a career-high eight runs and six hits - three of them homers - in 1 2-3 innings.

Rays 5, Orioles 3 In St. Petersburg, Alex Cobb allowed two hits over seven innings, helping Tampa Bay keep its slim playoff hopes alive with a victory over Baltimore. Ben Zobrist hit his 20th homer and Chris Giminez had a two-run double off Wei-Yin Chen (12-11) as the Rays pulled away from a 1-all tie in the seventh. Cobb (11-9) yielded a fourth-inning single to J.J. Hardy and a solo homer to Matt Wieters that tied it in the seventh.

The Rays won for the 11th time in 12 games, a stretch that’s kept them in contention for the second AL wild card. They began the night trailing Oakland by three games and must sweep the Orioles and hope the A’s drop three straight to Texas. Baltimore already is assured of being in the playoffs for the first time in 15 years.

Chris Davis homered for the fifth straight game for the Orioles, a two-run shot off Kyle Farnsworth that trimmed Baltimore’s deficit to 5-3 in the ninth.

Fernando Rodney worked out of a jam to earn his 47th save in 49 opportunities. The Orioles arrived in St. Petersburg for the season-ending series later than expected Sunday night after their plane had to divert to

Jacksonville because of a fire in the galley.

White Sox 11, Indians 0 In Cleveland, White Sox rookie Hector Santiago allowed one hit in seven shutout innings to beat Cleveland, but Chicago was eliminated from postseason contention when Detroit defeated Kansas City.

Santiago (4-1), who began the season as the team’s closer, struck out a season-high 10.

The Indians’ only hit off the left-hander was Shin-Soo Choo’s two-out single in the third.

The second-place White Sox won for the third time in 13 games. They collapsed down the stretch after leading the AL Central for 63 straight days. The White Sox scored four runs in the sixth off Corey Kluber (2-5) and added six in the ninth. Dayan Viciedo hit his first grand slam to make it 11-0.

Blue Jays 6, Twins 5 In Toronto, Anthony Gose singled home the winning run in the 10th inning and Toronto rallied to beat Minnesota. Adam Lind went 4 for 4 and Brandon Lyon (4-0) worked out of a bases-loaded jam to earn the win in front of a season-low crowd of 12,359.

Adeiny Hechavarria hit a one-out single off Brian Duensing (4-12) and moved to second on a wild pitch. Toronto tied it in the ninth when Yan Gomes hit a two-out homer, snapping Glen Perkins’ streak of 12 straight successful save conversions. Trevor Plouffe homered and had three RBIs for the Twins.

Three-time AL batting champion Joe Mauer went 1 for 5, dropping his average to .322, seven points behind Miguel Cabrera.— AP

MLB results/standings NY Yankees 10, Boston 2; Chicago White Sox 11, Cleveland 0; Philadelphia 2, Washington 0; Pittsburgh 2, Atlanta 1; Toronto 6, Minnesota 5 (10 innings); Tampa Bay 5, Baltimore 3; Miami 3, NY Mets 2; Houston 3, Chicago Cubs 0; Detroit 6, Kansas City 3; Milwaukee 5, San Diego 3; St. Louis 4, Cincinnati 2; Colorado 7, Arizona 5 (13 innings); Oakland 4, Texas 3; LA Angels 8, Seattle 4; LA Dodgers 3, San Francisco 2.

American League Eastern Division W L 93 67 NY Yankees Baltimore 92 68 Tampa Bay 89 71 Toronto 71 89 Boston 69 91 Central Division Detroit 87 73 Chicago White Sox 84 76 Kansas City 71 89 Cleveland 67 93 Minnesota 66 94 Western Division Texas 93 67 92 68 Oakland LA Angels 89 71 Seattle 73 87 National League Eastern Division Washington 96 64 93 67 Atlanta Philadelphia 81 79 NY Mets 73 87 Miami 68 92 Central Division Cincinnati 96 64 87 73 St. Louis Milwaukee 82 78 Pittsburgh 78 82 Chicago Cubs 60 100 Houston 54 106 Western Division San Francisco 93 67 85 75 LA Dodgers Arizona 80 80 San Diego 75 85 Colorado 63 97

PCT GB .581 .575 1 .556 4 .444 22 .431 24 .544 .525 3 .444 16 .419 20 .413 21 .581 .575 1 .556 4 .456 20

Cardinals 4, Reds 2 ST. Louis, Jaime Garcia homered off Bronson Arroyo and pitched into the seventh inning, helping the Cardinals clinch a share of the second NL wild card spot and spoil Dusty Baker’s return from a mini-stroke. The defending World Series champions have won 11 of 14 and lead the Dodgers by two with two games to play.

Arroyo (12-10) threw 73 pitches while allowing three runs over five innings in a tuneup for the postseason. He topped 200 innings for the seventh time but is 0-3 in his last four starts.

The Reds are 96-64, tied with the Nationals for the best record in the National League with two games to go, and must finish ahead of Washington to get home-field advantage throughout the postseason after losing the season series.

Dodgers 3, Giants 2 In Los Angeles, Elian Herrera singled in the goahead run in the bottom of the ninth inning, lifting the Dodgers to a victory over the Giants that kept their postseason hopes alive.

The Dodgers’ sixth consecutive victory tied a season high and kept them two games behind St. Louis for the second NL wild card. Their win prevented the Cardinals from clinching a playoff berth. The Dodgers and Cardinals each have two games remaining.

Hanley Ramirez led off the ninth with a single off Santiago Casilla (7-6), advanced on a sacrifice

by Shane Victorino and was held up at third on Luis Cruz’s single. A.J. Ellis was intentionally walked and Herrera lined an 0-1 pitch off the glove of second baseman Marco Scutaro for the winning run.

Brandon League (2-6) got the win.

Astros 3, Cubs 0 In Chicago, the Chicago Cubs got their 100th loss of the season when Lucas Harrell threw six shutout innings to lead the Astros to a win.

Four Houston pitchers combined on a two-hitter and Fernando Martinez homered for the third consecutive game. The Astros avoided their franchise-record 107th loss in the opener of their final series in the National League before they move to the American League next season.

The Cubs lost 100 games in a season for the first time since 1966 and were shut out for the 14th time this season. Chicago has lost more than 99 games twice, setting the franchise record of 103 losses in 1962 and 1966. The Cubs have dropped 12 of their last 14.

Houston has matched its franchise record for losses with 106, but the Astros have won four of their last five and are 14-14 since Sept. 1.

9 14 18 36 42

.581 .531 8 .500 13 .469 18 .394 30

Brewers 5, Padres 3 In Milwaukee, Carlos Gomez, Rickie Weeks and Jonathan Lucroy all hit home runs to lead the Brewers to a win over the Padres.

Shaun Marcum gave up two runs and six hits in

.600 .544 .513 .488 .375 .338

Rockies 7, D’backs 5 In Phoenix, Chris Nelson drove home Tyler Colvin to start a four-run rally in the 13th inning and the Rockies hung on for a victory over the

Diamondbacks. Paul Goldschmidt sent the game into extra innings when he homered off Rockies closer Rafael Betancourt with one out in the ninth to make it 3-3.

Colvin led off the 13th with a ground-rule double off Brad Bergesen (21) and Nelson followed with a looping single to center. Charlie Blackmon later added a bases-loaded, RBI single off Mike Zagurski, the Diamondbacks’ seventh pitcher.

Nelson scored on a fielder’s choice and Matt McBride came home on a wild pitch to complete the rally. Josh Outman (1-3) allowed two runs, walked two and struck out two in 2-3 of an inning for the win. — AP

Pirates 2, Braves 1 In Pittsburgh, the Atlanta Braves’ hopes of winning the National League East ended with a loss to the Pirates that gave the division title to the Nationals. The Braves, who needed to sweep the Pirates and have first-place Washington drop three games to Philadelphia to tie for the division lead, will instead be the top wild card team and host the wild card game Friday. Starling Marte hit his sixth home run of the season and scored twice to lead the Pirates.

Atlanta managed just two hits against Pittsburgh’s Jeff Locke (1-3), who picked up his first major league win. Jared Hughes worked the ninth for his second save in place of regular closer Joel Hanrahan. Paul Maholm (13-11) gave up two runs in seven innings while losing to his former team for the first time, striking out eight and walking three.

Marlins 3, Mets 2 In Miami, Giancarlo Stanton hit his 37th homer, and Rob Brantly hit a tiebreaking RBI double in the eighth inning to help the Marlins beat the Mets.

Heath Bell (4-5) pitched a scoreless eighth inning and Steve Cishek pitched the ninth for his 15th save in 19 chances. Cishek issued a two-out walk to Fred Lewis before Ike Davis grounded out to end the game, giving the Marlins their second win in 11 games.

In the bottom of the eighth, Ramon Ramirez (34) allowed a lead-off walk to Carlos Lee and then allowed Lee to reach second on a wild pitch.

Brantly followed with a double down the left-field line.

.600 .581 3 .506 15 .456 23 .425 28

six innings as Milwaukee clinched a winning season for the second straight year.

Jim Henderson gave up a run in the seventh inning, Francisco Rodriguez pitched a scoreless eighth and John Axford struck out the side in the ninth inning to get his 34 save in 43 chances.

Clayton Richard (14-14) gave up five runs and 10 hits in seven innings for his second straight loss after winning five straight decisions.

PHOENIX: Colorado Rockies’ DJ LeMahieu (left) scores a run as Arizona Diamondbacksí Konrad Schmidt (33) drops the ball during the 13th inning.—AP

Bears feast on Romo mistakes Rout Dallas Cowboys DALLAS: Jay Cutler comfortably won a battle between two unpredictable quarterbacks to lead Chicago to a 34-18 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Monday as the Bears feasted on a string of Tony Romo mistakes.

Romo matched a career-high five interceptions, two of them returned for touchdowns, and was never able to get in tune with his receivers in front of a hugely disappointed Dallas crowd.

“You can have 10 good plays but one play can take away all those things quickly,” Romo told reporters. “That’s what happened tonight. “I have to do a better job of maintaining those important plays that win or lose a ball game.”

The Bears led by just three points at halftime but took full advantage of Romo’s second half meltdown as Lance Briggs intercepted one of his errant passes and ran 74 yards to give the visitors a 24-7 lead. “Back in my college days (I played some running back),” said Briggs, a fleet-footed linebacker. “You never know with our team, so you have to get into the endzone somehow.”

Cutler fared decidedly better than Romo, tossing two touchdowns in the second half, with the final effort finding Brandon Marshall for a 31-yard completion that put his team 34-10 clear in the fourth quarter. The Chicago quarterback had suffered a similar fate to Romo against the Green Bay Packers on Sept. 13 when he coughed up four interceptions, was sacked seven times and publicly berated his offensive line.

But Cutler, who completed 18-of-24 passes for 275 yards and no interceptions against the Cowboys (2-2), has rebounded and lifted the Bears (3-1) into a tie with Minnesota for the NFC North lead. Adding to the good news for Chicago was the return of Pro Bowl running back Matt

Forte, who missed last week’s game with a sprained right ankle but gained 52 yards on 13 carries. Marshall had a huge night with 138 yards receiving and a touchdown after he had failed to score in his previous two games. “Some days it may just be one or two catches (for me), but you have to stay levelheaded and stay in the game,” Marshall said.

Despite boasting a talented roster, the Cowboys are the lowest scoring team in the NFC this season. Their running game was once again non-existent and lead rusher DeMarco Murray has managed just 106 yards in his last three games. With his options limited, Romo was forced to throw often and completed 307 passing yards, including one touchdown, but his game was defined by the interceptions. — Reuters

ARLINGTON: Chicago Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall (15) celebrates a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys during the second half of an NFL football game. — AP

NFL standings American Football Conference AFC East W L T OTL PF PA New England 2 2 0 0 134 92 NY Jets 2 2 0 0 81 109 Buffalo 2 2 0 0 115 131 Miami 1 3 0 2 86 90 AFC North Baltimore 3 1 0 0 121 83 Cincinnati 3 1 0 0 112 112 Pittsburgh 1 2 0 0 77 75 Cleveland 0 4 0 0 73 98 AFC South Houston 4 0 0 0 126 56 Indianapolis 1 2 0 0 61 83 Jacksonville 1 3 0 1 62 97 Tennessee 1 3 0 0 81 151 AFC West San Diego 3 1 0 0 100 71 Denver 2 2 0 0 114 83 Oakland 1 3 0 0 67 125 Kansas City 1 3 0 0 88 136

PCT .500 .500 .500 .250 .750 .750 .333 0 1.000 .333 .250 .250 .750 .500 .250 .250

National Football Conference NFC East Philadelphia 3 1 0 0 66 83 2 2 0 0 65 88 Dallas Washington 2 2 0 0 123 123 NY Giants 2 2 0 0 111 84 NFC North Minnesota 3 1 0 0 90 72 3 1 0 0 108 68 Chicago Green Bay 2 2 0 0 85 81 Detroit 1 3 0 1 100 114 NFC South Atlanta 4 0 0 0 124 76 1 3 0 0 82 91 Tampa Bay Carolina 1 3 0 0 80 109 New Orleans 0 4 0 1 110 130 NFC West Arizona 4 0 0 0 91 61 San Francisco 3 1 0 0 104 65 St. Louis 2 2 0 0 79 91 Seattle 2 2 0 0 70 58

.750 .500 .500 .500 .750 .750 .500 .250 1.000 .250 .250 0 1.000 .750 .500 .500

17

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

SPORTS

India out despite win, Pakistan in semi-finals

TOKYO: Andy Murray of Britain reacts after missing a return to Ivo Karlovic of Croatia during their first round match of the Japan Open tennis championships. —AP

Murray sends Karlovic packing TOKYO: Defending champion Andy Murray blew away the cobwebs with a 76 6-4 win over Croatian Ivo Karlovic yesterday in his first tennis match since winning last month’s US Open.

The Olympic gold medallist said winning his first grand-slam title in New York had forced him to change his objectives and become more “responsible.”

“I was so, I don’t want to say ‘obsessed’ with winning a grand slam, but it was so important to me,” world number three Murray told reporters.

“Sometimes during the year in certain matches I haven’t done myself justice. I felt after the U.S. Open (I needed to) reset some goals. “I was always focusing on the next grand slam rather than every tournament and every match I played.

“Now I feel like I can hopefully concentrate better, take more responsibility for my performances in every tournament throughout the year.”

The Scot said he felt no different having finally won his first grand slam after losing in four finals. “It didn’t feel a whole lot different (stepping on court as a grand slam winner),” said the 25-yearold.

“Hopefully with time that will come,” added Murray, who reached his first Wimbledon final this year before exacting his revenge on Roger Federer in the Olympic final in London.

“I think where I will feel it more will be if I’m getting to the latter stages of grand slams. Hopefully I will start feeling more confidence to go on to win.”

Murray had been scheduled to open his Japan Open defence against Gael Monfils but the Frenchman pulled out with a knee injury, to be replaced by lucky loser Karlovic.

He got a workout from the 2.08-metre Karlovic and was forced into a tiebreak in

the first set which the Scot took 9-7 with a superb running forehand pass down the line.

After a quick wardrobe change, Murray, now in all black, patiently waited for his opportunity as Karlovic, beaten in qualifying by Swiss Marco Chiudinelli, blasted 18 aces.

Karlovic, facing three match points at 5-4 down, saved two with unplayable serves but Murray pounced on the third, closing out proceedings with a vicious backhand to the Croatian’s body.

“It’s always hard the first match after a few weeks off,” said Murray, who had won all his four previous meetings against Karlovic. “I played well when I needed to.”

Murray, who was on court for an hour and 38 minutes, will face Slovakia’s Lukas Lacko in the second round. Japan’s Kei Nishikori survived a fright against countryman Go Soeda, the eighth seed squeaking through 4-6 6-2 6-3 to the relief of Tokyo organisers in two hours 29 minutes.

Nishikori, who reached his first semifinal of the year in Kuala Lumpur last week, next plays Spaniard Tommy Robredo, a 6-2 6-4 winner over Finland’s Jarkko Nieminen.

Big-serving Milos Raonic hit 10 aces in a 6-4 6-4 victory over Czech Radek Stepanek, the Canadian’s 40th win of the year taking him through to face Serbia’s Viktor Troicki.

Russian qualifier Dmitry Tursunov piled more misery on Australian hope Bernard Tomic, recently given a dressing down by Davis Cup captain Pat Rafter, beating the 19-year-old 6-4 7-5.

Former Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis scraped past Ukrainian qualifier Sergiy Stakhovsky 7-6 7-5 to reach the last 16.—Reuters

India GP targets long-term success NEW DELHI: The success of last season’s inaugural Indian Grand Prix has convinced organisers they can build both a long-lasting legacy within Formula One and break even on their substantial outlay within “five to seven years”. Jaypee Sports International Ltd (JPSI) raced against time to get the $450 million Buddh International Circuit ready for motor racing’s most prestigious series last October with the event running smoothly after some early teething problems.

The Herman Tilke-designed 5.14km circuit on the outskirts of Delhi has also landed a four-year contract to host a round of the FIM Superbike World Championship from next year, which the organisers hope will boost the facility’s financial viability.

“The commercial proposition is such that you can’t hope to recover it in a couple of years,” JPSI managing director and chief executive Sameer Gaur told Reuters in an interview. “You have to look at it from a longterm view. Maybe five to seven years, that’s the time when one should be looking at

breaking even,” he said.

Now that the foundations had been laid, the immediate job at hand, Gaur said, was to develop the circuit into a Formula One village. “It’s time to create some entertainment zones. Fans want a race which would be a three-day picnic. We have to create that facility and we are doing it,” Gaur added.

“The proposed underground metro service (scheduled for completion in 2015) would improve transport and there would be more restaurants and hotels too. “In the next couple of years, we have to create an F1 village there, so that a fan can enjoy the race and the entertainment surrounding it.”

World champion Sebastian Vettel triumphed in the inaugural race almost a year ago and Gaur promised an even better experience in the second race on Oct. 28.

“God was very kind, we got a perfect start last year,” he said. “Of course, some finishing touches were missing but everything is in order this year and you won’t hear any complaints.” —Reuters

Butaiban hails launch of shooting season

By Abdellatif Sharaa KUWAIT: Kuwait Shooting Sport Club Treasurer Essa Butaiban expressed his pleasure that the shooting season will be launched with the tournament of HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, on the heels of the outstanding achievements by Kuwait’s shooting during the London 2012 Olympics by Olympian Fuhaid Al-Daihani who won the bronze medal in the trap event and grabbed the bronze medal in the double trap event of the World Cup in Slovenia.

Butaiban lauded the large number of shooters who registered to participate including those from the police and military federations, bringing the total number to 210 shooters of both genders who will participate in the skeet, trap, double trap, air pistol and rifle in addition to Olympic archery.

Essa Butaiban Butaiban thanked HH the Crown Prince for his continued annual championship, which goes along with his support for shooters.

COLOMBO: Former champions India beat South Africa by one run yesterday but still crashed out of the World Twenty20 as Pakistan went through to the semi-finals by virtue of a higher run rate.

India made 152-6 in their 20 overs and needed to restrict South Africa to 121 runs or less to reach the last four at Pakistan’s expense. In the event they bowled their opponents out for 151 in a narrow but academic victory.

Pakistan will meet host Sri Lanka in the first semi-final in Colombo on Thursday while Australia, who went through on run rate despite losing to Pakistan, will play West Indies on Friday.

Faf du Plessis led the South African reply with an aggressive 65, studded with two towering sixes and six boundaries off just 38 balls.

When he fell in the 13th over with 58 runs were still needed but India’s bowlers led by Zaheer Khan (3-22) kept their nerve to record their second win in three Super Eights encounters.

South Africa, who had lost both of their two earlier matches in the round of eight, needed 14 off the last Lakshmipathy Balaji over. Albie Morkel hit a six off the first ball but was bowled off the second.

Morne Morkel also hit a six off the fourth ball but Balaji snatched the win when he bowled the last man with a full-length delivery, ending on figures of 3-37.

India owed their total of 152-6 to Suresh Raina’s 45. Raina hit five boundaries during his 34-ball knock and added 44 for the fifth wicket with Rohit Sharma who made 25.

India were off to a disastrous start as opener Gautum Gambhir was bowled by Morne Morkel in the fourth over for eight, before the in-form Virat Kohli was caught behind off a rising delivery from Jacques Kallis for two in the next.

It became 36-3 when Peterson bowled Virender Sehwag for 17, after the Indian opener hit him for a big six a ball earlier.

Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni chipped in with a quick 13-ball 23 with three boundaries. Morkel finished with 2-28 while Peterson took 2-25. —AFP

COLOMBO: South Africa’s bowler Faf du Plessis dives unsuccessfully to catch a ball during the ICC Twenty20 Cricket World Cup Super Eight match against India. —AP

Scoreboard COLOMBO, Sri Lanka: Scoreboard of the World Twenty20 Super Eights group two match between India and South Africa at Premadasa stadium yesterday: India G. Gambhir b M. Morkel 8 V. Sehwag b Peterson 17 V. Kohli c de Villiers b Kallis 2 R. Sharma lbw b Peterson 25 Y. Singh b M. Morkel 21 S. Raina run out 45 M. Dhoni not out 23 Extras: (lb10, nb1) 11 Total: (for six wickets, 20 overs) 152 Fall of wickets: 1-23 (Gambhir), 2-30 (Kohli), 3-36 (Sehwag), 4-68 (Yuvraj), 5-112 (Sharma), 6-152 (Raina).

Bowling: Steyn 4-1-26-0, M. Morkel 4-0-28-2 (nb1), Kallis 3-0-24-1, Peterson 4-0-25-2, Botha 3-0-30-0, de Plessis 1-0-3-0, Duminy 1-0-6-0.

South Africa Hashim Amla c Sehwag b Khan J. Kallis c Sharma b Pathan

0 6

AB de Villiers b Yuvraj 13 F. du Plessis c Raina b Yuvraj 65 JP Duminy c Gambhir b Balaji 16 F. Behardien c Raina b Khan 13 R. Peterson b Khan 10 A. Morkel b Balaji 10 J. Botha c Raina b Ashwin 8 D. Steyn not out 0 M. Morkel b Balaji 6 Extras: (lb3, nb1) 4 Total: (all out, 19.5 overs) 151 Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Amla), 2-16 (Kallis), 3-46 (de Villiers), 4-95 (du Plessis), 5-107 (Duminy), 6-127 (Behardien), 7-127 (Peterson), 8-138 (Botha), 9-145 (A. Morkel).

Bowling: Khan 4-0-22-3, Pathan 3-0-26-1, Yuvraj 40-23-2, Sharma 1-0-13-0, Ashwin 4-0-27-1, Balaji 3.5-0-37-3 Result: Indian win by one run

Australia into semis despite Pakistan upset COLOMBO: Pakistan gave themselves a big chance of reaching the World Twenty20 semifinals yesterday with a shock 32-run win over Australia, who qualified regardless on net runrates.

Pakistan made 149-6 after being sent in to bat in the group two Super Eights match at the Premadasa stadium, before a five-man spin attack restricted Australia to 117-7.

Prolific spinner Saeed Ajmal claimed 3-17, but it was 20-year-old Raza Hasan who was declared man of the match for conceding just 14 runs and taking two wickets in four overs of steady left-arm spin. Both teams ended the Super Eights on four points each, which knocked winless South Africa out of the tournament.

“I am grateful to see the effort put up by the boys today,” said Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez. “It was a big game for us and we needed to be at our best against a side like Australia.

“Once we got a good total, we knew we will do well because there was going to be help for the bowlers. Raza Hasan was brilliant, a great find for us.”

Australia advanced to the semi-finals despite the defeat due to having the best net run-rate in the group. The result left India needing an emphatic win over South Africa later on Tuesday to stop Pakistan’s progress.

Sri Lanka and the West Indies have already qualified from group one. Australia, who have never won the World Twenty20 despite taking four World Cup titles in the 50-over game, had breezed through four consecutive matches in the tournament before being halted by Pakistan.

“Pakistan outplayed us,” Australian captain George Bailey admitted. “The ball turned a lot more than before and they used spin against us very well. “The challenge for us now will be to get the winning form back in the semis.”

Veteran Mike Hussey was Australia’s mainstay with an unbeaten 54 off 47 balls, as none of the other batsmen managed to cross 15 against the rampaging spinners.

Australia never looked comfortable after their in-form openers, Shane Watson and David Warner, were dismissed by the fifth over with only 19 runs on the board.

Australia, who needed to make 112 or more to qualify, achieved the target when Hussey cut seamer Umar Gul to the fence off the first ball of the final over.

Gul’s two overs at the end were the only ones by a seamer as the spinners shared 18 overs between themselves. Pakistan’s innings revolved around left-hander Nasir Jamshed’s 55 off 46 balls, which contained four boundaries and two sixes.

After the openers were removed by the sixth over, Jamshed put on 79 off 55 balls for the third wicket with Kamran Akmal, who made 32 before both batsmen were dismissed in the space of three deliveries. Abdul Razzaq marked his return to the side in place of Yasir Arafat to make 22 from 17 balls. Left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc claimed 3-20 for Australia.—AFP

COLOMBO: Pakistan’s captain Mohammad Hafeez (8) watches his bowler Raza Hasan (right) celebrate after taking the wicket of Australia’s batsman Shane Watson (unseen) during their ICC Twenty20 Cricket World Cup Super Eight match. —AP

Scoreboard Scoreboard from the World Twenty20 Super Eight Group Two match between Pakistan and Australia in Colombo yesterday.

Pakistan Mohammad Hafeez lbw b Starc 4 Imran Nazir c Bailey b Watson 14 Nasir Jamshed c Warner b Doherty 55 Kamran Akmal c White b Starc 32 Umar Akmal not out 9 Abdul Razzaq c Watson b Cummins 22 Shahid Afridi b Starc 4 Shoaib Malik not out 4 Extras (lb-2, w-3) 5 Total (six wickets; 20 overs) 149 Did not bat: Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Raza Hasan Fall: 1-5 2-29 3-108 4-108 5-136 6-144 Bowling: Doherty 4-0-27-1 (1w), Starc 4-0-20-3, Watson 4-0-23-1 (1w), Cummins 4-0-42-1 (1w), Maxwell 1-0-6-0, Hogg 3-0-29-0

Australia S. Watson lbw b Hasan 8 D. Warner lbw b Hafeez 8 M. Hussey not out 54 G. Bailey lbw b Ajmal 15 C. White c Nazir b Hafeez 12 G. Maxwell c Hafeez b Raza 4 M. Wade b Ajmal 13 P. Cummins lbw b Ajmal 0 M. Starc not out 1 Extras (b-1, w-1) 2 Total (seven wickets; 20 overs) 117 Did not bat: B. Hogg, X. Doherty Fall: 1-15 2-19 3-44 4-58 5-65 6-110 7-110 Bowling: Hafeez 4-0-22-2, Hasan 4-0-14-2, Ajmal 4-0-17-3, Afridi 4-0-33-0, Malik 2-0-19-0, Gul 2-011-0.

Pakistan won by 32 runs.

18

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

sp orts Preview

Man City look to get up and running against Dortmund

LONDON: Arsenal’s Gervinho (left) Marouane Chamakh (second left) Sebastien Squillaci and Laurent Koscielny (right) warm up during their training session.

Arsenal will play Greek side Olympiakos in a Champions League group B match today. —AP

Wenger worried over back four LONDON: Arsenal face Olympiakos Piraeus in the Champions League today with manager Arsene Wenger talking nervously about a defence he says lacks personality and authority after they suffered their first defeat of the season.

The north London club will be expected to return to winning ways against the Greek league leaders after they were beaten 2-1 at home by Premier League pacesetters Chelsea on Saturday.

Despite conceding only four league goals in their first six games and winning their opening Champions League encounter 2-1 against Montpellier, Wenger felt the weekend’s defensive display in which they conceded twice from set pieces was a cause for concern.

“Defensively we were just not at the level you have to be in,” he said about his side’s rearguard. “For the rest, we have shown quality and spirit but we have to show more personality and authority on the goals we conceded.”

German defender Per Mertesacker was rested on Saturday and could return as Arsenal face Olympiakos in the group stage of the competition for the third time in four seasons.

The omens are in Arsenal’s favour having not lost a European home game in their last 15 while no club from outside England has beaten them in 47 European home matches. They have also not lost any of their seven home games against Greek clubs.

Olympiakos are currently bringing up the rear of Group B, having lost their opening group match to Schalke 04 2-1, and have a distinctly poor record in England, losing on all 10 previous visits, conceding 31 goals and scoring only twice in those games.

They are, however, blazing a trail domestically having won their opening

five matches. They have also developed a knack of nicking away wins, winning their last three European matches on the road by 1-0. Leonardo Jardim’s team were made to work hard for their latest domestic win, beating Atromitos away 10 courtesy of David Fuster’s first-half strike.

The Spanish midfielder headed in Olympiakos’ consolation in their 2-1 defeat at the Emirates last season when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain marked his Champions League debut with an early goal and Andre Santos scored his first for the club to secure the points.

Olympiakos will be boosted by the return of Algeria striker and the Greek Super League’s top scorer Rafik Djebbour, who missed the weekend win, but Greece full-back Vasilis Torosidis is out.

Within the Olympiakos ranks there is a familiar foe for Arsenal in the form of goalkeeper Roy Carroll who played for Manchester United when they ended the Londoners’ famous 49-match unbeaten run in 2004.

The Northern Ireland international joined the Greek club in 2012 after a nomadic seven years in which he played for five different clubs including West Ham United and Rangers.

The game in 2004 resulted in a tunnel bust-up that became known as “pizzagate” or the “battle of the buffet” after a slice of pizza was reportedly thrown at United manager Alex Ferguson after the match. “That game in 2004 was a great occasion and I was delighted to keep a clean sheet,” Carroll said in the Daily Mirror.

“So to beat them and end their unbeaten run was fantastic. I honestly still don’t know exactly what happened in the tunnel after the game.” —Reuters

Real plot ambush for Ajax MADRID: Cristiano Ronaldo is smiling again, Real Madrid are back scoring goals and the side’s stuttering start to the season looks to be behind them as they return to Champions League soccer action away to Ajax today.

Jose Mourinho’s side turned the corner in their opening Group D match at home to Manchester City two weeks ago when Ronaldo completed a thrilling comeback for a 3-2 win at the Bernabeu which lifted their early-season blues.

The Portugal international’s comments that he was ‘sad’ at the beginning of last month coincided with a poor run of form and two league defeats, the same number they suffered during the whole of last season’s championshipwinning campaign.

The City comeback, however, has helped to dispel the doubts. Real followed it up with a 2-0 win at Rayo Vallecano and thrashed Deportivo Coruna 5-1 at home on Sunday when Ronaldo netted a hat-trick to make it five goals from his last three outings.

“We have achieved three consecutive victories and this is the way forward,” Real defender Sergio Ramos told reporters after the win over Deportivo.

“Now we need to enjoy this and think about Ajax and the Champions League.

We are very keen to win this title.” Real have reached the Champions League semi-finals for the last two years and the club feel a tenth European title is within their grasp.

However, Ramos also indicated that the side had one eye firmly on next Sunday’s ‘clasico’ at the home of league leaders Barcelona, whom they trail by eight points.

“There are a large number of points between us (and Barca) and the ‘clasico’ will be a chance to...cut the difference,” the Spain international said. “Ronaldo is in tremendous form. I hope it lasts and that we’ll see him this way in our next league game.”

Ajax are looking to young playmaker Christian Eriksen to help them improve on a four-match losing streak from the last two seasons against Madrid, when

they failed to score a single goal while conceding 12.

“In matches like this, big players stand up and Eriksen has the potential to become such a player,” Ajax coach Frank de Boer told reporters.

“That’s why I criticise him, just to challenge him. I know he is only 20 years old but still his team mates need his support.

If it gets difficult he has to stand up and guide his team through it.

“Barcelona are the ultimate example.

They keep passing and dominating as a team until they get the ball to (Lionel) Messi, who can do something with the ball no-one else can.” Without injured Serbian winger Miralem Sulejmani, De Boer is likely to start with the same team that lost their opener 1-0 at Borussia Dortmund. —Reuters

Matches on TV (Local Timings) UEFA Champions League Zenit v AC Milan Aljazeera Sport +1 Aljazeera Sport 1 HD

19:00

Dinamo v Dinamo Zagreb 21:45 Aljazeera Sport +7 Porto v PSG Aljazeera Sport +5

21:45

Arsenal v Olympiacos Aljazeera Sport +2

21:45

Schalke v Montpellier Aljazeera Sport +9

21:45

Anderlecht v Malaga Aljazeera Sport +1

21:45

Man City v Dortmund Aljazeera Sport +8

21:45

Ajax v Real Madrid Aljazeera Sport 1 HD Aljazeera Sport +4

21:45

MANCHESTER: Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho believes it is inevitable that Manchester City will win the Champions League one day but the more immediate concern for the English champions is winning their first match of the new campaign today.

Borussia Dortmund provide the opposition at the Etihad Stadium looking to build on their 1-0 victory over Ajax Amsterdam in their opening Group D match while megarich City need to win after losing 3-2 at Real two weeks ago despite leading 2-1 with less than three minutes of normal time remaining. Group D is the only one of the eight in the first stage comprising four reigning champions and City can ill-afford another slip-up if they are to avoid last season’s fate when they failed to advance to the last 16.

Coincidentally they were also grouped with German opposition then, losing 2-0 at Bayern Munich last October before beating them by the same score at home on the night they were eliminated in December.

Striker Sergio Aguero told reporters after City beat Fulham 2-1 in the Premier League on Saturday that both competitions were of equal priority for the club.

“We can’t choose between the two. We have to do well in the Premier League, we have to do well in the Champions League and the FA Cup.” City do not have to worry about the League Cup as they were knocked out of that competition by Aston Villa last week- their first defeat at home in any competition since January-and another home defeat to Dortmund would severely harm their chances of advancing in this far more prestigious affair.

Although they are still unbeaten in the league and sit fourth in the table, City have made a patchy start to the season, have rarely played like champions and had gone four games without a win before their victory at Fulham on Saturday.

Dortmund also tasted success after two

LONDON: ManchesterCity’s Mario Balotelli (right) trains alongside teammates including Aleksander Kolarov (center right) at Carrington training ground.

ManchesterCity will play Borussia Dortmund today in a Champions League Group D soccer match. —AP games without a win, crushing Borussia Moenchengladbach 5-0 on Saturday to move up to third in the Bundesliga.

Their offensive performance against Gladbach was exactly what coach Juergen Klopp wanted to see prior to their departure for Manchester with forward Marco Reus scoring twice, including a fine solo effort, to show he was back to his very best after a minor ankle injury a few weeks ago.

Dortmund had managed only one point in their previous two league games. The coach, however, said Wednesday’s game would be a much tougher affair and urged his players to keep their feet on the ground.

“We know how we need to really play in Manchester to have any chance to survive,” warned Klopp. “Despite our victory against Gladbach we are a long way from being

excused for becoming audacious now. City are a team that is sprinkled with world stars.”

Germany international Reus, who has scored four league goals in six games so far, said Saturday’s win should boost their confidence as they seek to improve from last season’s dismal Champions League performance that saw them finish fourth in their group.

“I hope this 5-0 will give us self-confidence and an additional push for that tough game on Wednesday,” Reus said.

Klopp is expected to bring top striker Robert Lewandowski back into the starting lineup. The Poland international was rested on Saturday ahead of the Champions League encounter after playing 62 consecutive games in all competitions since March 2011. —Reuters

Feuding Zenit host Milan

GERMANY: Schalke’s Jefferson Farfan of Peru exercises during the last training session prior to the Champions League Group B soccer match between FC Schalke 04 and Montpellier Herault SC. —AP

Schalke aim to bounce back for Montpellier GERMANY: Schalke 04 host Montpellier in Group B of the Champions League today with the Royal Blues looking for a second successive European win on the back of a poor performance in the German league. Both Schalke and Montpellier were on different ends of 2-1 scorelines when they started their European campaigns a fortnight ago as the Royal Blues of Schalke won at Olympiakos while Montpellier lost at home to Arsenal.

Schalke won all three home group games when they reached the Champions League’s last four in 2011 and are looking to pick up their second straight win to take control of the group.

Montpellier warmed up for their trip to Gelsenkirchen with a 2-0 win at Nancy on Saturday, their first win in four Ligue 1 games, while Schalke were held 2-2 at newly promoted Fortuna Dusseldorf last Friday. After a poor display, Schalke’s players were taken to task by general manager Horst Heldt, with the draw leaving them fourth in the Bundesliga, with the players clearly at odds with each other.

“Recriminations amongst ourselves do not help anyone, everyone has their job to do,” said Schalke captain Benedikt Hoewdes. “It is not necessary for us to shout and attack each other in the dressing room. “Of course we have to address what went wrong and learn from our mistakes, so they don’t happen again.”

Holland striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who scored the winner at Olympiakos, said Schalke must build on the win in Greece against Montpellier with their next game against Arsenal coming on October 24.

“We made a good start in the Champions League with the victory over Olympiakos, now we want to get our first home win against Montpellier, so we have to do better than in the second half in Dusseldorf,” he said.

The statistics are against Montpellier who have won just one and lost five of their last nine matches in European competition. The French champions have garnered just eight points from their first seven matches to leave them 13th in Ligue 1, but Hoewdes said the hosts can ill afford to be complacent. “Montpellier are a relatively unknown opponent, but anyone who has been French champions cannot be underestimated,” he said.

“It is our goal to have six points after the first two matches, giving us a good starting position for the other group games.” Schalke are boosted by the return of Peru striker Jefferson Farfan, who was missing in Dusseldorf with an ankle injury, while teenager Julian Draxler is expected to start. — AFP

SAINT PETERSBURG: Russian champions Zenit St Petersburg go into their Champions League clash with Italy’s giants AC Milan shadowed by a bitter internal feud and a lack of domestic league wins that has tarnished their early season.

The multinational Russian side this weekend dropped two home points in a 1-1 draw with visitors Lokomotiv Moscow ahead of their Group C clash today in Saint Petersburg.

Zenit have been riven by feuding after their big money signings of Brazilian star Hulk and Belgian Alex Witsel, the pair reportedly costing the club around 100 million euros. The moves sparked a revolt by some lesser-paid Russian stars.

The problems have been felt on the pitch-Zenit are seventh in the table with 18 points from 10 matches, five behind leaders Anzhi Makhachkala.

Zenit’s star players Alexander Kerzhakov and Igor Denisov, who rebelled over the $6.5 million annual salary being earned by Hulk, demanded a pay rise, which led to teir demotion from the first team to the youth squad.

Kerzhakov returned to the senior squad ahead of the Lokomotiv encounter after several days with the youth line-up but started on the bench after being forgiven for his outburst. He came as a halftime substitute but failed to make any contribution of note.

Russian national captain Denisov is still training with the youth line-up and will definitely miss the match with Milan.

Today, Zenit will also be without their Slovak defender Tomas Hubocan, who is still injured. Zenit’s Portuguese midfielder Danny, who has recovered from his knee ligaments rupture but is still on his

way to complete recovery, is uncertain for the match with Milan.

Despite losing points against Lokomotiv, Zenit manager Luciano Spalletti said he was pleased wth his team’s performance and the state of affairs at his club.

“It wasn’t our best match of the season, but I noticed some progress,” Spalletti said. “We are coming back. Every year we experienced periods of hardship and this year is not an exception. But I believe we will manage to find the right way out and Zenit will become an easy-tempered and bright team again.”

Spalletti had an excellent record against Milan as coach of AS Roma, while Zenit’s impressive recent European record at their home arena suggests a tough battle with the seven-time European champions in the two clubs’ first ever meeting.

At the weekend Milan, who lost several key players in the summer and have made a disastrous start into the new season, produced a performance worthy of the 2012 league runners-up against Parma, recording a 1-1 away draw.

Milan forward Stephan El Shaarawy, an Italy under-21 international who has also made his senior nationanl side debut, was the star performer for Milan and scored a fine individual effort five minutes into the second half.

Despite Milan’s domination, Parma saved the day with a 66th-minute equaliser from Daniele Galloppa’s freekick.

Zenit will try to improve their Group C position after a nightmarish 3-0 defeat at Malaga in the opening day, while Milan drew 0-0 at home with Andrlecht in their opener. —AFP

ST, PETERSBURG: AC Milan’s players attend a training session. AC Milan will face Zenit in a Champions League Group C soccer match today. —AP

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

sp orts

BATE stun Bayern

ITALY: Juventus’ Mirko Vucinic, of Montenegro, controls the ball past Shakhtar Donetsk’s Olexandr Kucher during a Champions League, Group E soccer match. —AP

Shakhtar share points in Turin scare for Juve MILAN: Juventus’s 45-game unbeaten streak came close to being broken in spectacular fashion yesterday when the Serie A champions escaped with a 1-1 draw against Champions League Group E opponents Shakhtar Donetsk.

Shakhtar came to Turin with ample knowledge of their opponents thanks mainly to the nous of their coach Mircea Lucescu, who formerly coached Brescia.

And it looked like the Ukrainian side had put it to good use in an encounter they were unlucky not to win. Juventus had talked prematch of the danger posed by Brazilian Willian and fellow midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan and the latter spurned a golden chance when he sent a close range effort over the bar on six minutes.

In reply, Alessandro Matri then failed to connect with fellow striker Mirko Vucinic’s cross after it had been deflected by Yaroslav Rakitskiy. Juve’s three-man defence was often exposed, and they were made to pay in the 23rd minute.

Willian was allowed to shoot from the edge of the area, pick up the rebound and feed Brazilian striker Alex Teixeira whose angled shot flew past Gianluigi Buffon and into the roof of the net.

Minutes later Juve levelled. Shakhtar’s defence was found lacking when unmarked Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci firsttimed Andrea Pirlo’s low corner into the roof of the net.

On the half hour Matri’s effort from the

edge of the area went straight into arms of keeper Andriy Pyatov. Ghanaian Kwadwo Asamoah then did well to get ball across goal and although it went out for a corner Bonucci’s downward header forced Pyatov to save frantically with his feet.

Juve started the second half more brightly and dominated possession, but ultimately struggled to find the final touch.

Stephan Lichsteiner’s return pass into the area for Juve, with Matri in a scoring position, lacked power and when the Swiss midfielder was fed by Chilean Arturo Vidal another cross towards goal was cleared.

Sebastian Giovinco came on for Vucinic just before the hour and the little midfielder powered down the left to cross for Matri but the striker’s first-timer from close range went over the bar.

Matri was replaced by Chelsea goal hero Fabio Quagliarella, but it was Shakhtar who would gain the momentum in the closing stages.

On 73 minutes Darijo Srna’s freekick took a deflection off the Juve wall and panicked Buffon, who saved with both hands.

Moments later Mkhitaryan’s shot went just wide of Buffon’s right-hand post after he had been set up nicely by Luiz Adriano.

The visitors spurned a golden chance to snatch the win in injury time when Willian picked up a loose ball in area. Although his shot was blocked, the Brazilian picked up the rebound to hit another shot which came off the post.—AFP

MOSCOW: Spartak Moscow’s Evgeni Makeev (right) and Celtic’s Garry Hooper struggle for the ball during their Champions League Group G soccer match.—AP

Celtic end CL away woes MOSCOW: A last-minute goal by Giorgos Samaras gave Celtic their first ever away win in 21 Champions League games here yesterday as they defeated 10-man Spartak Moscow 3-2.

The Greek international headed home to seal a famous win for the Scottish champions — who ended a losing run of 11 successive away Champions League losses since drawing in Barcelona in 2004 — and complete a great second-half comeback.

That had been sparked when trailing 2-1 thanks to an Emmanuel Emmenike double French referee Tony Chapron sent off Spartak defender Juan Insaurralde just after the hour mark for bringing down Gary Hooper, who had given Celtic the lead early in the first-half.

“My players played exciting football tonight,” said Hoops manager Neil Lennon. “It’s fantastic that we managed to battle back and win in the second half as we were playing against very strong opponents. “We were relying on the counter-attacks and it paid off as we managed to end our winless series on the road. “Of course it’s too early to make any conclusions as we have two matches with Barcelona ahead but we have already taken a big step forward.”

Meanwhile, Spartak Irish wing Aiden McGeady, who was playing against his former team, blamed a lack of concentration in the hosts defence, after Insaurralde was sent off, for the defeat.

“Of course Insaurralde’s sending off was the key moment of the match,” said McGeady. “We were 2-1 up but after we were reduced to 10men we didn’t play well allowing Celtic to score two easy goals because of complete disarray in our defence.

“We have made our task of reaching the knock-out stages really hard as we have zero points after two matches, while Celtic already have four. But anyway we will battle to the very end.” Celtic - whose last away win in the European Cup came in 1986 over Irish side

Shamrock Rovers - broke the deadlock with their first attack of the match after they had been pegged back by the hosts for the opening 10 minutes.

Victor Wanyama won the ball with a brilliant tackle in midfield and the Kenyan star fed Swedish international Mikael Lustig out on the left, who beat a defender before putting in a perfect low cross for Hooper to put it away into the far corner.

Hooper — scoring his 60th goal in 99 games for Celtic since moving from unglamorous English side Scunthorpe — had the ball in the back of the net again in the 24th minute but he had just veered offside when he met Samaras’s cross.

Celtic suffered a blow subsequently when Wanyama picked up a booking which rules him out of the daunting trip to Barcelona in their next Group game.

Spartak, though, deservedly levelled before the break as another brilliant long pass by Kim Kallstrom found Brazilian Ari, who passed the ball inside to Emenike and he made no mistake planting the ball past Fraser Forster. Celtic got off to the worst possible start to the second-half as Ari and Emenike combined for the second goal, though, a large part of the blame has to go to Forster.

Emenike’s shot from outside the box looked to be going wide, after taking a deflection off Kelvin Wilson, but Forster opted to save it, only managing to tip it to Ari, whose unselfish pass inside found Emenike and he tapped into an empty net.

The match swung back Celtic’s way when Charpon, after consulting his assistant, sent off Insaurralde. Lennon made an inspired substitution soon after, taking off Wanyama and sending on James Forrest whose first shot on goal after a good move by the visitors was saved by the Spartak ‘keeper but it rebounded in off defender Dmitri Kombarov in the 71st minute.—AFP

son’s beaten Champions League finalists as the hosts claimed a deserved win.

With Arjen Robben left back in Munich to recover from a thigh

MINSK: Bayern Munich’s hopes of progressing to the knock-out phase of the Champions League suffered a mauling in Minsk yesterday as they slumped to a shock 3-1 defeat at Belarus champions BATE Borisov.

“This is a sensational result for us, we will celebrate a bit but we need to keep working hard,” said BATE’s ex-Arsenal star Aleksandr Hleb.

“Bayern are still favorites in our group, we are taking it one match at a time. “It was a very difficult match but we fought until the end.”

With the Group F match held at Dinamo Stadium in Minsk, Bayern’s defence leaked goals either side of half-time as midfielder Aleksandr Pavlov, then striker Vitali Rodionov put BATE on the way to their second straight European win.

France wing Franck Ribery pulled back a late consolation in the 91st minute, but a brilliant Renan Bressan goal from a counterattack, 10 minutes after he came off the bench, left Bayern well beaten.

“I already knew before the game then we would be facing a very good opponent and you have to take your chances to go ahead,” said Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes after midfielder Toni Kroos hit the post early on.

“We had them under permanent pressure, but we have to accept our opponents’ victory.” Having won 3-1 at Lille in France a fortnight ago, victory in Minsk leaves BATE top of Group F while Bayern failed to back up their opening 2-1 home win over Valencia, scoring one goal despite 20 shots on goal and 43 crosses. This was Bayern’s first competitive match against a side from Belarus, but it proved to be a long flight back to Munich for last sea-

injury, Kroos squandered a great chance to put Bayern ahead when he rounded BATE goalkeeper Andrei Gorbunov, but his shot hit the post on 13 minutes.

MINSK: Bayern Munich’s Toni Kroos controls the ball as Bate’s Andrei Gorbunov looks on during their Group F Champions League soccer match.—AP

After a clever pass from rightback Denis Polyakov in the buildup play, BATE’S Pavlov gave Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer no chance with a low shot to put the hosts ahead on 23 minutes.

Despite enjoying only 40 percent possession, the hosts were only denied doubling their lead by some fine work from Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.

A crisp exchange of passes between Rodionov and ex-Arsenal midfielder Aleksandr Hleb opened up some space and after Hleb’s clever backheel, Polyakov’s fierce shot was brilliantly saved by Neuer on 55 minutes.

BATE kept attacking in waves and when Pavlov found himself in space in the penalty area, he could only fire over with the goal at his mercy with 35 minutes left.

Despite the lion’s share of possession, Bayern looked no closer to breaking the Borisov defence with coach Jupp Heynckes throwing on striker Claudio Pizarro and misfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger.

Munich were finally floored when Rodionov exchanged passes with midfielder Edgar Olekhnovich which put the striker clear and he brushed off both Bayern defenders Jerome Boateng and Dante to fire home on 78 minutes.

A superb through pass from Bayern’s Swiss midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri, who was fresh off the bench, was drilled home by Ribery in added time to give the guests hope.

However, with the Bayern defence all at sea, subsitute Dmitri Mozolevsky sprinted clear and passed to fellow replacement Bressan in the 94th minute to compound Bayern’s misery.—AFP

Valencia see off Lille in Champions League VALENCIA: A goal in either half from Brazilian forward Jonas Oliveira reignited Valencia’s Champions League Group F hopes yesterday, cementing a 2-0 win over French outfit Lille.

Valencia, beaten finalists in 2000 and again in 2001, started off their campaign with a 2-1 loss at Bayern Munich, their conquerors in the second of those finals, but these three points put them right back into the mix. Jonas bagged his first eight minutes from the break after taking a pass from Roberto Soldado.

Lille, beaten at home by BATE Borisov in their opening fixture, did not wilt, however, and were almost level three minutes later.

Senegalese international Idrissa Gueye fed Dimitri Payet but his first-time effort just kissed the side netting with Vicente Guaita, who had earlier smothered a long-distance drive from Franck Beria, beaten in the Valencia goal. Soldado should have made it 2-0 just after the hour mark but sent a free header over.

But the hosts made the pressure tell at the Mestalla Stadium when Algerian star and former Grenoble man Sofiane Feghouli, making an impression this season in La Liga, found Jonas, who shrugged off Aurelien Chedjou before flicking a cross shot over veteran keeper Mickael Landreau in the Lille goal 14 minutes from time.

To compound the visitors’ misery they had fullback and Newcastle summer transfer target

Mathieu Debuchy sent off for a second bookable offence in the closing stages as his frustration boiled over, having already received a first yellow just before the interval for fouling

SPAIN: Valencia’s Jonas from Brazil (left) duels for the ball with Lille’s Benoit Pedretti (right) during their Champions League Group L soccer match.—AP

Champions League standings PARIS: Champions League tables after yesterday’s matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Chelsea Shakhtar Donetsk Juventus Nordsjaelland

2 2 2 2

BATE Borisov Valencia Bayern Munich Lille

2 2 2 2

Barcelona Celtic Benfica Spartak Moscow

2 2 2 2

Manchester United CFR Cluj Sporting Braga Galatasaray

2 2 2 2

Group E 1 1 1 1 0 2 0 0 Group F 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 Group G 2 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 Group H 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 0

France teammate Aly Cissokho. With Borisov scoring a shock win over Bayern, Mauricio Pellegrino’s Valencia moved into a three-way tie at the top of the group.—AFP

0 0 0 2

6 3 3 0

2 1 3 6

4 4 2 0

0 1 1 2

6 3 3 1

2 2 4 5

6 3 3 0

0 0 1 2

5 3 0 4

2 2 2 6

6 4 1 0

0 1 1 2

3 3 2 0

1 2 2 3

6 3 3 0

Braga defeat Galatasaray ISTANBUL: Ruben Micael and Osorio Alan scored to give Braga a 2-0 win over Galatasaray in the Champions League for the Portuguese team’s first points of the group stage.

Micael put the visitors ahead in the 27th minute after Antonio Eder penetrated the Galatasaray defense and passed the ball to Ruben Amorim, whose shot was blocked by goalkeeper Nestor Fernando Muslera. The ball fell to Micael, who knocked it low into the empty net.

Burak Yilmaz had several attempts at the Braga goal but it was Aydin Yildiz who came closest in the 77th minute with a powerful shot that was tipped onto the crossbar.

In the fourth and final minute of injury time, Alan secured the win on a counterattack after taking a pass from the left.—AP

Cardiff go top as Brighton stumble LONDON: Cardiff moved to the top of the Championship yesterday with a 2-1 win over Birmingham after previous leaders Brighton stumbled to a 1-1 draw against struggling Ipswich.

Malky Mackay’s Cardiff opened up a one-point lead over second placed Leicester thanks to Mark Hudson’s 57th minute winner.

The B l ue b i rd s ha d t a ke n t he l e a d t h ro u g h fo r m e r L i ve r p o o l striker Craig Bellamy in the 38th minute before Leroy Lita levelled for Birmingham in the 54th minute.

Cardiff hit straight back through H ud s on, w ho b und l e d hom e a cross from Peter Whittingham three minutes later to keep the s out h Wa l e s c l ub, ow ne d by a Malaysian consortium, on course for p rom ot i on to t he Pre m i e r League after several near-misses in recent years.

Brighton, beaten by Birmingham on Saturday, needed a late equaliser to salvage a home draw with Ipswich. Daryl Murphy converted a Carlos Edwards cross in the 27th minute to put Ipswich ahead and, although substitute Will Buckley levelled with 10 minutes left, Gus

Poyet’s team dropped to third.

Le i ce s te r c l i m b e d to s e cond thanks to a 2-0 win at Huddersfield.Anthony Knockaert scored both goals for the Foxes, slamming them ahead with a 35yard strike in the 30th minute, and adding his second on the hour from close range af ter Paul Konchesky’s ball into the box.

Fifth placed Wolves missed the chance to boost their promotion prospects as Wilfried Zaha scored twice in the second half to give Cr ystal Palace a 2-1 win at Molineux after Sylvan Ebanks-Blake opened the scoring for the hosts.

Elsewhere, Black pool went fourth after a 3-2 win over Hull at the KC Stadium, Bolton drew 2-2 with Leeds and bottom of the table Peterborough won 2-0 at Barnsley.

Watford beat Charlton 2-1 at the Valley despite having Fernando Forestieri sent off in first half stoppage-time. Charlie Austin’s hattrick for Burnley was not enough to take the points at Tur f Moor as Sheffield Wednesday claimed a 3-3 draw, while Bristol City and Millwall shared a 1-1 draw at Ashton Gate.—AFP

BATE stun Bayern in Champions League

India out despite win, Pakistan in semi-finals

19

17

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

Man City look to get up and running against Dortmund

Page 18

ROMANIA: Cluj’s defender Laszlo Sepsi (left) and Manchester United’s Dutch forward Robin van Persie vie for the ball during the Champions League Group H football match. — AFP

Van Persie double sinks Cluj ROMANIA: Robin van Persie put the bite on Romanian minnows CFR Cluj in Transylvania as the Manchester United striker’s double clinched a 2-1 win in Champions League Group H yesterday.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s side suffered an early fright in the region best known for providing the supposedly vampire-filled setting for Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

But Pantelis Kapetanos’s early goal for Cluj didn’t suck the life out of United, who maintained their 100 percent start to this season’s competition thanks to van Persie’s brace.

United were rarely at their best at the Dr Constantin Radulescu Stadium, but Cluj ultimately lacked the quality to take advantage and Ferguson could take heart from the way van Persie and Wayne Rooney combined for both goals.

“The pass and the finish were equally good for Robin’s second goal. It was a fantastic finish,” Ferguson said. “But they kept us under pressure and on edge because we didn’t finish them off.

“To be fair we defended well apart from the goal. I’ve got to be pleased because Cluj have a good home record and coming away from home in Europe is never easy.”

Ferguson’s star strikers were starting together for the first time, with Javier Hernandez also included in an attacking line-up, as United looked to bounce back after Saturday’s surprise 3-2 home defeat against Tottenham.

United’s go for broke approach worked, but only after Cluj made a flying start. The Romanian champions had won their opening game in Braga a fortnight ago thanks to two goals from Rafael

Bastos and they showed no signs of being overawed by United in the early stages.

Ioan Andone’s side gave a warning of their ability as Modou Sougou headed just wide from a Bastos corner. United’s defensive frailties have been clear for all to see this season, but it was still shocking to witness the ease with which Cluj sliced through the visitors’ rearguard to take the lead in the 14th minute. When Bastos flighted a long pass over the head of Patrice Evra, the United left-back’s lack of pace was brutally exposed as Sougou surged clear before drilling over a low cross.

Even then the danger could still have been averted but Jonny Evans had taken up a position too far from Kapetanos and the Greece forward took full advantage to sweep his shot past David de Gea.

Barca maintain winning start LISBON: Barcelona continued their imperious form this season as they retained top spot in Champions League Group G with a 2-0 victory away to Benfica.

Alexis Sanchez struck after six minutes and Cesc Fabregas added a second following the break to leave Barca with a 100 per cent record from their opening two games while Celtic are on four points following their earlier win away to Spartak Moscow.

Sergio Busquets was sent off with two minutes to go after a clash with Maxi Pereira. Tito Vilanova arrived at the Camp Nou over the summer looking to win back the Champions League, which they have lifted twice out of the last four years, and the domestic league title.

And despite the pressure of replacing Pep Guardiola he could hardly have made a better start with also six wins from six in La Liga.

Now Vilanova’s men turn their attention to the small matter of the El Clasico on Sunday against Real Madrid - but they will be without Carles Puyol, who fell heavily on his arm and was stretchered off with 15 minutes remaining.

The main news for Barcelona before kick off had been that Puyol was returning from injury to lead the team from the back while Andres Iniesta was fit for a place on the bench.

For Benfica seeking their first victory against a Spanish side since the 1982-83 season they were missing defender Luisao and up front Oscar Cardoza, while playmaker Pablo Aimar, who had overcome a strain, was left out of the starting eleven as coach Jorge Jesus sought a more mobile midfield. The home side began at a blistering pace with a well-worked move seeing Bruno Cesar cracking a left-foot shot from the edge of the area that was too central and keeper Victor Valdes parried. But Benfica found themselves behind after

Rooney led United’s response and the England striker’s snap-shot forced Cluj goalkeeper Mario Felgueras to concede a corner with a sprawling save. Anderson flashed a powerful effort narrowly wide moments later and, with Cluj fading as an attacking threat after Sougou went off injured, United’s pressure paid off with a 29th minute equaliser. While United could claim their dominance at that point deserved a reward, the actual goal had more than a hint of good fortune about it as van Persie mistimed his attempt to head goalwards from Rooney’s free-kick, but still found the net as the ball looped over Felgueras off the Dutch forward’s shoulder. Van Persie had a chance to strike again before the break but his shot was well blocked by Felgueras. The former Arsenal star didn’t have to wait long to notch his second of the night

as United took the lead four minutes into the second half. Van Persie’s first had been a little fortuitous, but the second bore all the hallmarks of the Dutchman’s sublime talent.

Rooney was the creator once more as his lofted pass picked out van Persie’s run and the United forward, noticing that Felgueras had advanced too far off his line, cleverly flicked the ball past the goalkeeper and into the unguarded net with the outside of his boot.

De Gea preserved United’s advantage as he tipped over Cadu’s powerful header from a Bastos cross. Some Cluj fans took to directing green laser pens at United’s players in a bid to distract them in the closing stages, but De Gea remained focused and produced an excellent stop to deny Bastos in stoppage-time. — AFP

Mata at the double as Chelsea down Danes

LISBON: Benfica’s Serbian midfielder Nemanja Matic (second left) vies with Barcelona’s Argentine forward Lionel Messi (second right) during their UEFA Champions League Group G football match. — AFP Barcelona’s first attack of the match as with Pereira pressing forward from right-back, Leo Messi found space on the left of the area and crossed for Sanchez to slide the ball home and end a barren spell which had seen him not hit the back of the net since last April. Benfica quickly returned to the offensive and Puyol and Javier Mascherano were being run ragged while they received little protection from their midfield. Rodrigo Lima burst through and Valdes saved well with his feet and then after 16 minutes Osvaldo Gaitan volleyed over from 15 yards. As the first half progressed Barca began to find their composure and assert themselves on the midfield although the Portuguese continued to bite at their heels.

In a reverse of the first goal Sanchez on the left of the area found Messi, who forced a fine save from keeper Artur Moraes before Sanchez fired

over. Benfica were using the strategy of harrying Barca’s midfielders which was used with some success by Chelsea and Real Madrid last season. But almost every time the visitors did break they went close to scoring. A Sanchez effort was blocked by Artur and then on the point of half-time a Pedro Rodriguez cross was just too long for Messi. Benfica brought the more attack-minded Carlos Martins into midfield but Barca started to dominate in the second half and got their second goal through an in-form Cesc. He latched onto a Messi pass and finished clinically on his left foot past Artur. Benfica went close with headers from Jardel Vieira and Nemanja Matic but Barca were in control and the only stains on their evening were the injury for Puyol and Busquets’ harsh expulsion late on when he seemed to make little contact with Pereira when they jumped for a ball. — AFP

COPENHAGEN: Juan Mata scored twice as Chelsea belied an off-key performance to win 4-0 at competition debutants FC Nordsjaelland yesterday and record the first victory of their Champions League title defence.

Having been held 2-2 by Juventus in their Group E opener, Chelsea’s campaign is now up and running, but the scoreline hid the fact that Roberto Di Matteo’s side toiled for long periods at Copenhagen’s Parken Stadium.

Making their home debuts in the tournament-albeit away from their Farum Park home-Nordsjaelland took the game to the visitors after Mata’s 33rd-minute opener and threatened to equalise several times before David Luiz made the game safe 11 minutes from time. Mata and Ramires added late goals to rubber-stamp Chelsea’s first away win in the competition’s group phase since a 2-0 success at Spartak Moscow in October 2010.

Chelsea made three changes to the team that won at Arsenal on Saturday, Frank Lampard coming into the team alongside Victor Moses and Gary Cahill, who replaced John Terry despite the Blues captain having served a two-game UEFA ban. Moses was making his competition debut and he should have marked it with an early goal, but when Oscar’s dink found him at the back post in the fourth minute, he planted the ball against the upright from point-blank range.

Lampard fired over from a Mata cut-back shortly afterwards, but the hosts did not appear inhibited by the stature of their oppo-

nents. Nordsjaelland coach Kasper Hjulmand had asked his players to show “courage” and they displayed impressive assurance on the ball. Their ease in possession was to prove a double-edged sword, however, and after Fernando Torres had tested goalkeeper Jesper Hansen in the 22nd minute, the visitors exploited that over-confidence and took the lead. Enoch Adu was at fault, the centre-back dwelling on the ball and being robbed by Torres, whose pass was helped into the path of the onrushing Mata by Lampard, enabling the Spaniard to finish with the inside of his left foot. The Danes responded with a low shot from Patrick Mtiliga that Petr Cech fielded comfortably, before Torres spurned a good chance to make it 2-0 when he shot at Hansen after Oscar’s pass caught the home defence square. Chelsea had the lead, but they failed to seize the initiative, and the Premier League leaders were subjected to three scares in the first 15 minutes of the second half.

Joshua John shot wide of the near post after cutting in from the left flank, and after Mikkel Beckmann looped a header onto the roof of the net, Cech had to beat away a firmly hit drive from home skipper Nicolai Stokholm.

In response, Di Matteo introduced Eden Hazard from the bench, but still Nordsjaelland came, and in the 73rd minute they hit the woodwork. Once again, John danced infield from the left, this time dispatching a curler that Cech touched onto the far post, with Beckmann’s follow-up blocked

by Ashley Cole. —AFP

Business

Qatar won’t take 787s until engine fault fixed Page 23 Russia eyes new rate hike despite slowing growth

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

Page 24 India’s Kingfisher halts flights for 3 days

Property stocks boost Abu Dhabi, Egypt down Page 22

Page 25

MADRID: People queue to enter an unemployed registry office in Madrid yesterday. The number of people registered as unemployed in Spain rose by a little under 80,000 in September as summer tourism season came to an end taking the jobless toll to 4.71 million. Spain is in its second recession in three years with a overall unemployment rate of nearly 25 percent. It is debating whether to seek a bailout for its economy similar to those already granted to Greece, Ireland and Portugal. — AP

US stocks sink on mixed signals Investors wait for Spain, central bank meetings NEW YORK: A batch of mixed economic signals tugged major US stock indexes lower yesterday. The largest US fertilizer company, Mosaic, said weak demand from China and India weighed on its profits. But a measure of American home prices posted the largest gain in more than six years, the latest data to indicate an improving housing market.

Mosaic, Dupont and stocks of other companies in the materials industry fell. Shortly before noon (1600 GMT), the Dow Jones industrial average was down 75 points at 13,439. Dupont led the Dow lower, sinking 1.8 percent, or 84 cents, to $49.52. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index dropped three points to 1,441, while the Nasdaq composite fell two points to 3,112.

Health care and utility stocks, where investors often retreat in a slow-growing economy, were the only two industry groups to rise out of the 10 that make up the S&P 500 index. Material and energy companies, whose fortunes are closely tied to the economy, sank the most.

Weak earnings from Mosaic were one culprit.

Mosaic reported net income and sales early yesterday that fell short of analysts’ estimates. The company blamed slumping demand for its fertilizer from China and India as well as unfavorable weather for slower production. The results pushed the company’s stock down $2.52 to $55.49.

The market could look quiet until the government gives its monthly jobs report on Friday, said Paul Zemsky, chief investment officer of multi-asset strategies at ING Investment Management. Economists expect the unemployment rate increased to 8.2 percent in September from 8.1 percent in August.

Zemsky said a surprise swing up or down “could change the direction of the stock market and the Presidential election.”

Core Logic, a private provider of real estate data, said US home prices in August rose 4.6 percent compared with the same month last year. Prices also rose 0.3 percent from July, the sixth consecutive month of gains.

Other gauges of the housing market have improved in recent months, including home sales. On Monday, the manufacturing survey from the Institute for Supply Management also showed improvement. ISM’s main index nosed above 50, a reading that signals growth. The index had been below 50 from June through August.

Investors are looking ahead to quarterly earnings, which begin in earnest when Alcoa, the aluminum company, reports results Oct. 9. Elsewhere yesterday, the yield on the benchmark 10-year US Treasury note sank to 1.62 percent from 1.63 percent Monday.

Reports that Deutsche Telekom may buy the cellphone carrier MetroPCS Communications sent MetroPCS’s stock

up 18 percent. Bloomberg News reported that the board of Deutsche Telekom, which owns T-Mobile USA, would vote to approve the deal today. MetroPCS gained $2.35 to $13.87.

European markets were modestly lower. Benchmark stock indexes fell 0.3 percent in Germany, 0.2 percent in Britain and 0.6 percent in France. Borrowing costs fell slightly for Spain and Italy.

European shares and the euro crept higher after earlier falls yesterday as investors decided that news from Spain was encouraging and looked ahead to central bank meetings and data releases later in the week.

The FTSEurofirst index of top European shares, which has outperformed many major indices with a 17 percent rise since June, reflected the uncertainty, dipping when markets opened before recovering by midday to add 0.3 percent at 1107.9 points.

The euro also shrugged off early weakness to climb back above $1.291 but moves were choppy. Spain is ready to request a euro zone bailout for its public finances as early as next weekend but Germany has signalled it should hold off, European officials said on Monday, adding to the confusion about when aid could arrive.

Spanish media also reported that Spain’s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has told party members he will not request aid this weekend. “It’s difficult for markets to get any sense of direction when you have such contrasting comments coming out from Europe,” said Alastair McCaig an analyst for spreadbetting firm IG. “One second you believe the Spanish are about to apply for a bailout, the next we are getting comments from Germany saying they should hold off a bit longer.”

Requesting aid would pave the way for the European Central Bank to buy Spanish bonds.

European and global financial markets have been buoyed over the last two months on hopes that a new ECB bond buying plan can put a floor under Spain and Italy’s debt troubles and prevent the euro from unravelling.

That has partly countered the effects of weak economic data that point to the euro zone sliding back towards recession, emerging economies such as China faltering and anaemic growth in the US, Japan and other major economies.

“People are sitting on their hands and it’s noticeable the euro has been in a process of steady reversal since the ECB’s decision on the bond-buying programme,” said Neil Mellor, currency strategist at Bank of New York Mellon.

“We’re waiting for Spain to do something, judging by various headlines there’s still a lot of backroom dealing going on.” — Agencies

Iranian currency plunges again as sanctions bite DUBAI: The Iranian currency fell to a record low yesterday as the Islamic republic struggles under the impact of Western economic sanctions and nervous citizens rushed to change their savings into hard currency.

The Iranian government blamed speculators for the rial’s collapse and ordered the security services to take action against them. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad rejected criticism of his policies and insisted the country could ride out the sanctions, imposed because of Iran’s nuclear programme, after the rial lost about a third of its value in a week.

“Enemies have managed to reduce our oil sales but hopefully we will compensate for this,” a combative Ahmadinejad told a news conference. He suggested domestic criticism of him was part of a “psychological war” against Iran.

“According to a report from one of the security services, 22 individuals are ringleaders of the recent turmoil in the currency market, and since these individuals are known, security institutions must act,” Ahmadinejad said.

The rial tumbled to a record low of around 37,500 to the US dollar in the free market yesterday, from about 34,200 at the close of business on Monday, foreign exchange traders in Tehran said. On Monday last week, it traded at around 24,600.

Late yesterday, some Iranian media reported that the currency had recovered to around 32,000, but traders contacted by Reuters could not confirm this, saying they had stopped dealing because of the extreme volatility. The rial’s slide suggested the Western sanctions were doing serious damage to the country’s economy.

On Sunday, Israeli Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz said Iran’s economy was “on the verge of collapse”. By freezing Iran out of the global banking system, sanctions have made it hard for Tehran to obtain payment for its oil exports. Iranians have responded by rushing to change their savings into hard currency, fuelling the rial’s slide.

“This is going to cause a shutdown in transactions in Iran. All the main distributors of electronics and household items will be concerned about trading - they’ll want to know where the bottom is and how long it will continue,” said Mehrdad Emadi, an Iranian-born economic adviser to the European Union who is based in Britain.

With Iran’s official inflation rate running at around 25 percent, the rial’s weakness threatens to increase the costs

of industrial companies, worsening a recent spate of job losses in addition to reducing living standards.

But Ahmadinejad insisted on Tuesday that the impact of the sanctions had been manageable. Iran’s imports totalled $26 billion in the first half of this year, down only moderately from $29 billion in the same period last year, he said.

“The central bank has provided all the currency for these imports,” he said. Many businessmen and ordinary citizens in Iran say the government is at least partly to blame for the currency crisis, and Ahmadinejad has been criticised for it by political enemies in parliament.

The rial has been depreciating for over a year and has lost about two-thirds of its value since June 2011. Its losses accelerated in the past week after the government launched an “exchange centre” to supply dollars to importers of basic goods; businessmen say the centre failed to meet demand for dollars.

“Eighty percent of our economic issues and problems are related to the system of management,” parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani said yesterday, quoted by the Fars news agency. Parliamentary news agency ICANA quoting Mohammad Bayatian, a member of parliament’s industry and mines committee, as saying enough signatures had been collected to call Ahmadinejad to parliament for questioning over the rial’s fall.

Iranian university students protested in front of parliament on Monday over a lack of government-subsidised dollars for their studies abroad, the Iranian Labour News Agency reported.

However, there is no clear sign that the criticism has reached a level that would force any change in the government.

The Iranian government has not released data showing the impact of the sanctions on living standards, but it can be glimpsed 150 kilometres (100 miles) across the Gulf in Dubai, traditionally a major centre of trade with Iran.

At the Dubai Creek, a crowded waterway from which motorised dhows ship goods to Iran, merchants said Iranian business had fallen off dramatically in the last two weeks. “Everyone is losing; traders from Iran are losing because of the depreciating rial, and we’re losing here because Iranians can’t afford to buy our products any more,” said Ahmed Mohammed Amin, 53, an Iranian trader who has lived in Dubai for 40 years. “These are our worst days.” — Reuters

22

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

BUSINESS

Property stocks boost Abu Dhabi, Egypt down Market still affected by IMF news

MICHIGAN: Mark Fields, Ford president of the Americas, poses for a photo next to a 2013 Fusion at the Flat Rock Assembly in Flat Rock, Mich. Interest rates are low, trade-in values are high, and automakers are rolling out attractive new cars and trucks in key areas. All of these factors combined to keep auto sales strong in September. Automakers report US sales figures throughout the day yesterday. — AP

Qatari property firm Barwa eyeing London DUBAI: Qatar’s Barwa Real Estate is looking to invest in the London property market before the end of the year, the company’s deputy group chief executive said yesterday. “We’re looking for a few investments in Europe, mainly London. We’re interested in hotels, business towers and hope to finalise an investment before year end,” Ahmad Abdulla al-Abdulla told Reuters on the sidelines of the Cityscape real estate conference in Dubai.

He did not give details on potential targets or how much the company is willing to invest in Europe. The oil rich state’s sovereign wealth fund has spent 5.7 billion euros ($7.36 billion) on real estate since 2007, almost 80 percent of it in London and Paris, August data from research firm Real Capital Analytics showed. Barwa, the Gulf Arab state’s largest listed property

developer, has investments in the U.K., France, Switzerland and Turkey, and owns a building in London’s upmarket Mayfair Conservation Area.

Barwa’s main focus is on developing projects in the local Qatari real estate market ahead of the soccer World Cup in 2022.

“The company’s international business makes up between 10-20 percent of our overall portfolio. We’re focusing on Qatar but also looking at buying property in the UK,” he said, noting that asset valuations in London have become attractive.

Investors from Qatar have embarked on a shopping spree in London over the past few years b uying a stake in Songbird Estates, owner of London’s second financial district Canary Wharf, luxury department store Harrods and the European Union’s tallest skyscraper, the S hard. — Reuters

CALIFORNIA: This Tuesday, Aug 21, 2012, photo, shows an exterior view of a home sold in Palo Alto, Calif. A measure of US home prices jumped 4.6 percent in August compared with a year ago, the largest year-over-year increase in more than six years. CoreLogic, a private real estate data provider, also said yesterday that prices rose 0.3 percent in August from July, the sixth straight monthly gain. — AP

DUBAI: The Abu Dhabi index hit a 14-month yesterday, lifted by real estate stocks which gained on the prospect of consolidation in the struggling sector. Aldar Properties and Sorouh Real Estate were the main drivers, together accounting for nearly 75 percent of all shares traded on the bourse.

The firms said due diligence on their proposed merger was ongoing but the discussions were at an advanced state, in a joint statement to the stock exchange yesterday.

This followed a senior Sorouh executive saying on Sunday that an announcement would be made within a month.

“There has been a lot of speculation on the share prices, and we’re still lacking some clarity on the merger details,” said Haissam Arabi, chief executive and fund manager at Gulfmena Investments.

“However, especially for Sorouh, the book values are trading well down so people are looking to get closer to where they think they should be,” he said, adding there was still some possible upside for both firms’ shares and the index in general.

Other markets in the region ended mixed, with Egypt’s index slipping for a fourth

straight session on concerns of a delay in talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) over a $4.8 billion loan.

The loan is seen as vital to restoring confidence in the economy. “The market is still affected by the IMF news which also kind of backed up a general sentiment among clients that the new government’s economic polices are not clear,” said Hisham Metwalli, a trader at Cairo-based Arab Finance Brokerage.

Egypt’s benchmark ended 0.7 percent lower at 5,612 points. Orascom Construction fell 0.3 percent and Pioneers Holding slumped 6.6 percent, weighing on the index. Profit-taking after the recent rally weighed on Dubai’s index which fell for the first session in four, following on from Monday’s largest one-day gain since July. Property stocks, which drove the market higher in the previous session, ended lower.

Union Properties fell 2.7 percent, while bellwether Emaar Properties slipped 0.8 percent, underperforming the broader index which ended 0.3 percent lower. Markets in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman rose slightly.

The Saudi index ended 0.2 percent higher amid subdued volumes.

YESTERDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS ABU DHABI The index advanced 0.5 percent to 2,647 points.

EGYPT The index retreated 0.7 percent to 5,612 points.

DUBAI The measure fell 0.3 percent to 1,604 points.

SAUDI ARABIA The benchmark grew 0.2 percent to 6,896 points QATAR The measure climbed 0.2 percent to 8,536 points.

OMAN The index advanced 0.7 percent to 5,602 points.

KUWAIT The measure slipped 0.1 percent to 5,972 points.

BAHRAIN The benchmark edged up 0.1 percent to 1,079 points. — Reuters

Qatar is a gold mine for advisors DUBAI: Cash-rich and outward looking Qatar is a gold mine for advisors. Yet for those hoping to land work on any of the multi-billion dollar transactions led by the Gulf state, it’s no longer enough just to put in a call to its highestprofile sovereign wealth fund, the Qatar Investment Authority. Today, Qatar’s financial activities are spread across different but related entities, with blurred dividing lines.

Last week’s confusion over which Qatari entity is studying an investment in the AUX gold firm of Brazilian billionaire Eike Batista illustrates the problem. Qatar Holding, a QIA subsidiary that has taken an interest in gold mining, put out a rare and strongly worded denial of any involvement. The refutation was only the third it has issued, after rubbishing speculation of talks to purchase soccer team Manchester United and Britain’s Silverstone Grand Prix circuit. But days later, Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani, the chief executive of the QIA, confirmed the Gulf state is indeed studying an investment.

That might not be inconsistent: the chosen vehicle is thought to be Qatar Mining, a little-known highly opaque state-owned entity established in 2010 to invest in mining and metals.

The best way to think about Qatar’s investment activity is as three separate government-backed

institutions with separate remits: the QIA, Qatar Petroleum, and the Qatar Foundation.

The QIA is what most people think of when Qatar pops up on a deal. It has led the bulk of Qatar’s foreign acquisitions through its various subsidiaries - mainly Qatar Holding. Stakes in Barclays, Credit Suisse, Agricultural Bank of China, and German carmakers Volkswagen and Porsche, plus full ownership of luxury retailer Harrods, have all been pursued by Qatar Holding. Other QIA subsidiaries include Qatari Diar, which takes charge of the QIA’s real estate development projects around the world, and Hassad Food, which has a mission to establish a global presence as a food producer and secure food supply. Qatar Holding also owns stakes in Qatar National Bank and Qatar Telecom, which are themselves internationally acquisitive. The QIA board includes the prime minister, the governor of the central bank, and the finance minister. However, the man credited for forging the fund’s aggressive overseas strategy is Ahmad Mohamed Al-Sayed, the chief executive of Qatar Holding. QIA board member Hussain al-Abdulla is another key figure.

The QIA’s sprawling portfolio and broad mandate to diversify the economy make it a natural target for companies needing finance, but direct investments that don’t

require day-to-day management is the fund’s speciality.

As for Qatar Petroleum, its function is to maximise the value of the country’s hydrocarbon reserves and make strategic investments in energy and petrochemical projects. The fund’s foreign ambitions are pursued mainly through Qatar Petroleum International.

Another subsidiary, cash-rich Industries Qatar, is expected to take on a bigger role. This is used as a vehicle for wealth redistribution to Qatari citizens, with a roughly 20 percent stake now held by Qatar’s General Retirement and Social Insurance Authority (there’s a 30 percent free float).

In turn, Industries Qatar has several subsidiaries including Qatar Steel, which also has a joint venture with Qatar Mining.

It’s not clear precisely where Qatar Mining fits into the matrix.

The firm has been pretty active, signing memorandums of understanding or mineral exploration agreements in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Slovenia, Sudan and Bulgaria, mostly during foreign visits by the emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, the Prime Minister or heir to the throne Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani. The firm also has a stake in an Indonesia-based Canadian exploration company with gold and copper prospects.

The key movers at Qatar

Petroleum include the firm’s finance director Abdulrahman alShaibi who is involved in the firms various expansion efforts, as well as many of Qatar’s wider financing decisions.

Then there’s Qatar Petroleum’s newish chairman, Mohammed alSada, who is also the energy minister. His predecessor, Abdullah alAttiyah, is credited with the transformation of Qatar into a modern state and is now a trusted advisor as chairman of the emir’s court.

That leaves Qatar Foundation, a not-for-profit entity controlled by Sheikha Mozah, the second wife of the country’s emir. Its mandate is to develop Qatar’s human capital and a knowledge-based economy. Still, it owns commercial-looking investments, housing the government’s stake in Vodafone Qatar.

International technology and research firms, and education institutes, go to Qatar Foundation when they want to set up in the country.

Increasingly, there are other piecemeal bits too. One-off vehicles are set up to make private purchases for royals, such as fashion label Valentino. Sheikha Mozah has led the emirate’s recent luxury purchases through her Qatar Luxury Group.

Meanwhile, Qatar Sports Investment, which recently completed a buyout of French football club Paris SaintGermain, is thought to be owned by the finance ministry and the Qatar Olympic Committee. — Reuters

EXCHANGE RATES Commercial Bank of Kuwait US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian Dollar Australian DLR Indian rupees Sri Lanka Rupee UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi riyals Omani riyals Egyptian pounds

.2740000 .4500000 .3590000 .2960000 .2830000 .2900000 .0040000 .0020000 .0761350 .7417630 .3870000 .0720000 .7271670 .0430000

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES US Dollar/KD .2804500 GB Pound/KD .4539780 Euro .3612900 Swiss francs .2988120 Canadian dollars .2853730 Danish Kroner .0484560 Swedish Kroner .0425660 Australian dlr .2917660 Hong Kong dlr .0361700 Singapore dlr .2282490 Japanese yen .0036110 Indian Rs/KD .0000000 Sri Lanka rupee .0000000 Pakistan rupee .0000000 Bangladesh taka .0000000 UAE dirhams .0763860 Bahraini dinars .7441950 Jordanian dinar .0000000 Saudi Riyal/KD .0748070 Omani riyals .7287250 Philippine Peso .0000000

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. ASIAN COUNTRIES

Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka Philippine Peso Thai Baht Malaysian Ringgit

3.616 5.358 2.968 2.184 3.340 230.290 36.384 3.438 6.757 9.170 92.220

.2860000 .4610000 .3650000 .3070000 .2930000 .2990000 .0058500 .0035000 .0769000 .7492180 .4100000 .0780000 .7344750 .0510000 .2825500 .4573780 .3639950 .3010490 .2875100 .0488190 .0428850 .2939510 .0364410 .2299580 .0036390 .0053290 .0021800 .0029940 .0034750 .0769580 .7497680 .3996460 .0753670 .7341820 .0067950

Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham

GCC COUNTRIES 75.257 77.543 733.010 749.570 76.846

ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash 47.550 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 46.211 Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.317 Tunisian Dinar 180.250 Jordanian Dinar 398.140 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 1.893 Syrian Lier 4.923 Morocco Dirham 33.543 EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 282.100 Euro 365.600 Sterling Pound 456.720 Canadian dollar 288.150 Turkish lire 157.400 Swiss Franc 302.260 US Dollar Buying 280.900 GOLD 331.000 167.000 86.000

20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

Australian dollar Bahraini dinar Bangladeshi taka Canadian dollar Cyprus pound Czek koruna Danish krone Deutsche Mark Egyptian pound Euro Cash Hongkong dollar Indian rupees Indonesia Iranian tuman Iraqi dinar Japanese yen Jordanian dinar Lebanese pound Malaysian ringgit Morocco dirham Nepalese Rupees New Zealand dollar Nigeria

50.500 731.720 3.090 6.970 77.920 75.210 230.920 36.370 2.683 459.000 43.700 303.900 4.100 9.440 198.263 76.810 282.100 1.350

10 Tola

GOLD 1,879.270

Sterling Pound US Dollar

731.540 2.985 6.770 77.490 75.210 230.920 36.370 2.180 457.000 302.400 4.100 9.360 76.710 281.700

COUNTRY

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 457.000 281.700

SELL CASH

SELL DRAFT

294.200 749.160 3.730 290.400 553.200 45.900 49.700 167.800 48.120 367.700 37.030 5.440 0.032 0.161 0.242 3.730 399.200 0.191 94.180 45.100 4.330 237.100 1.825

292.700 749.160 3.435 288.900

230.900 46.243 366.200 36.880 5.355 0.031

SELL DRAFT

Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Euro US Dollar Sterling Pound Japanese Yen Bangladesh Taka Indian Rupee Sri Lankan Rupee Nepali Rupee Pakistani Rupee UAE Dirhams Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Jordanian Dinar Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

296.55 290.92 304.42 365.28 281.25 458.35 3.69 3.447 5.346 2.174 3.356 2.976 76.64 748.87 46.20 400.69 731.98 77.67 75.21

SELL CASH

296.000 291.000 305.000 364.500 282.400 458.500 3.690 3.620 5.450 2.290 3.530 3.150 77.350 748.500 47.650 398.100 735.000 78.000 75.650

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd 399.170 0.190 94.180 3.380 235.600

Rate for Transfer

US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro

Selling Rate

281.850 286.925 455.460 361.975

Swiss Frank Bahrain Dinar UAE Dirhams Qatari Riyals Saudi Riyals Jordanian Dinar Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupees Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Pesso Cyprus pound Japanese Yen Thai Bhat Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit

299.360 746.190 76.715 77.365 75.125 397.310 46.261 2.180 5.332 2.966 3.444 6.732 691.380 4.615 9.225 4.370 3.425 91.600

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co.

UAE Exchange Centre WLL

Bahrain Exchange Company COUNTRY

Norwegian krone Omani Riyal Pakistani rupees Philippine peso Qatari riyal Saudi riyal Singapore dollar South Africa Sri Lankan rupees Sterling pound Swedish krona Swiss franc Syrian pound Thai bhat Tunisian dollar UAE dirham U.S. dollars Yemeni Riyal

Currency

Rate per 1000 (Tran)

US Dollar Pak Rupees Indian Rupees Sri Lankan Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso UAE Dirhams Saudi Riyals Bahraini Dinars Egyptian Pounds Pound Sterling Indonesian Rupiah Yemeni Riyal Euro Canadian Dollars Nepali rupee

281.600 2.966 5.364 2.189 3.449 6.805 76.775 75.250 748.625 46.163 460.600 2.990 1.550 369.400 292.800 3.395

Al Mulla Exchange Currency

Transfer Rate (Per 1000)

US Dollar Euro Pound Sterling Canadian Dollar Japanese Yen Indian Rupee Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupee Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso Pakistan Rupee Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham Saudi Riyal *Rates are subject to change

281.150 366.000 456.900 288.600 3.640 5.345 46.140 2.176 3.445 6.753 2.965 749.000 76.600 75.100

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

BUSINESS

Firmer American market lifts Wolseley profits LONDON: Improving industrial and residential activity in North America offset weak European markets for British plumbing and building supplies group Wolseley over the past year, leading to a 10.4 percent rise in trading profit. The group, which operates the Plumb Center and Ferguson chains in the UK and the US, also declared a special dividend of 350 million pounds ($565 million) yesterday, largely from proceeds from disposals of businesses and assets during the year.

The US economy has grown at a lackluster pace this year and has struggled to create jobs, but the housing sector has been a relative bright spot for the first time since the 2007-09

recession, boosting business in Wolseley’s core geography.

Wolseley said like for like sales in the US had risen 8.4 percent in the year to July 31 as industrial and commercial activity picked up and residential markets began to recover.

Many economists expect construction of new homes will contribute to growth this year for the first time since 2005, boosting a US economy that has hinted at some signs of improvement in recent weeks. Repair and maintenance work had also improved in line with better consumer confidence in America, where Wolseley generates over half of group profit.

The group posted full-year trading

profit of its ongoing businesses of 658 million pounds, just below a companycompiled consensus of 662 million, with group revenue up 5.4 percent to around 12.7 billion pounds.

“Wolseley continues to be highly cash generative and we have adequate resources to fund future investment in the business alongside growth in ordinary dividends,” Chief Executive Ian Meakins said, adding the company was confident of progress this year.

Improvements in the US and Canada helped ease the pain of struggling markets in Europe, including the Nordic regions, where it said more cost cuts were planned in light of rapidly deteriorating construction markets,

and in France, where the group may shut its business.

The group is considering all options in France, including an outright sale, a joint venture or restructuring, after construction markets were hurt by government incentives for new homes and renovations coming to an end.

“We have had quite a lot of incoming interest from various parties but we are at an early stage. We expect this to be resolved over the coming six months,” Meakins said.

UK sales, which represent around 16 percent of profit, fell 1 percent and the firm warned it had yet to see any improvement in market conditions.

Wolseley rival Saint-Gobain, which

has also seen good growth in North America, said in July it would aim to save 750 million euros in the next year to cope with declining sales in Western Europe. Shares in Wolseley, which proposed a final dividend of 40 pence, bringing the total for the year to 60p and 33 percent ahead of last year, were up 2 percent at 0945 GMT, having risen 26 percent in the year to date.

“The overall footprint seems right now, as shown by the increased revenue growth from continuing operations. It’s largest market - North America - is still the strongest, so overall further progress is likely,” Neil Shah, analyst at Edison Investment Research, said. — Reuters

Qatar won’t take 787s until engine fault fixed Not planning to join oneworld alliance

ATHENS: Students draw on the ground during a protest outside the Greek parliament in Athens yesterday. Students from special-curricula state schools staged the protest against government cuts that have left them without transport. Greece is preparing major new austerity measures that is set to extend the country’s recession that started in 2008. — AP

Greece pushes for austerity deal as time runs short ATHENS: Greece held a new round of talks with foreign lenders to bridge differences over 2 billion euros of disputed austerity cuts yesterday, with time running short to clinch a deal before a key meeting of euro zone ministers next week.

Athens has been haggling for weeks over 12 billion euros of cutbacks that its European Union and International Monetary Fund lenders have refused to sign off on over fears that some of the proposed savings are unlikely to materialise.

For the second day in a row, inspectors from the so-called troika of European Commission, European Central Bank and IMF lenders had to face rows of angry Greeks heckling them as they entered a ministry building to start discussions.

At the labour ministry yesterday, dozens of disabled Greeks and their carers blocked the main entrance and chanted “We won’t let it pass!” in protest at the cuts. One held a banner saying: “They handed 200 billion to bankers but cut down on medicine, treatment and benefits for the disabled.”

The protests came a day after Greece unveiled an austerity budget that predicted a sixth year of recession in 2013 but failed to convince the troika, which has been sceptical of Athens’ plans to cut health and defence spending.

“The troika is questioning the effectiveness of the measures related to structural reforms,” a government official said, citing planned savings from restructur-

ing entities in health and other ministries. The official expressed optimism that a deal with the troika would be struck by the end of the week, but a second government source cast doubt on that, saying such an outcome now appeared “difficult”.

Both sources said talks over the cuts were being further complicated by an internal rift between the EU and the IMF over how to solve the Greek crisis, as reported by Reuters last week.

The IMF wants Greece to cut its debt further to make up for going hugely offtrack from the terms of its bailout, while Europe is resisting the option of a new debt restructuring and instead prefers to give Athens more time to get back on track, officials have told Reuters.

“If the troika doesn’t have a unified stance, the negotiations become more difficult,” the first official said. Failure to get a deal by Monday will be another setback for Greece’s efforts to quickly unlock its next instalment of aid, without which the debt-laden country faces bankruptcy and the prospect of an exit from the euro zone.

Athens needs the troika’s blessing on the austerity package as well as a positive review by inspectors on the country’s progress in meeting the terms of its bailout to secure that aid.

But with European leaders scrambling to shore up bigger economies like Spain and Italy, analysts say Greece will eventually be handed enough aid to keep afloat to avoid throwing the bloc into further turmoil. — Reuters

SEATTLE: The flight deck of a Boeing 787 operated by All Nippon Airways is shown at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, yesterday, after it landed on the first day of service for the 787 on ANA’s Seattle-Tokyo route. — AP

DOHA/LONDON: Qatar Airways will not take delivery of Boeing C o’s 787 Dreamliner until an engine defect is modified, its chief executive said yesterday.

Qatar has placed orders for 60 Dreamliners - 30 firm and an option for 30 more - and selected General Electric Co’s new-generation GEnx engine for the aircraft. “The 787 has an engine with new technology. However, there has been a material defect in the engine which now needs replacement and inspection,” Akbar Al-Baker said after a speech in the Qatari capital Doha.

“We have informed Boeing that we will not take delivery until the 787s have the new modified shaft,” said Baker, who has often been outspoken about planemakers Airbus and Boeing and other industry issues.

GE, the world’s largest maker of jet engines, said last month it was investigating a second failure of the GEnx jet engine after a Boeing freighter aircraft aborted a takeoff in China. It was the second incident involving a GEnx engine since July, when an engine on a jet being tested before delivery in South Carolina failed due to cracking in a fan shaft.

The US National Transportation Safety Board said last week that unlike the engine that failed in South Carolina, the one that

failed in Shanghai showed no cracking in the shaft. A GE spokesman said on Tuesday that the company has inspected GEnx engines it has delivered. The conglomerate has also changed the way it manufacturers the engine.

“GE is working very closely with its customers as the GEnx fleet is being very successfully managed in the field with regards to the fan mid-shaft issue,” GE spokesman Rick Kennedy said. “The entire fleet in operation has been inspected with no issues.”

Qatar Airways, established in 1993, has a fleet of 111 aircraft, with 214 planes on order, including options.

Baker also said Qatar was not preparing to join the oneworld alliance after sources close to the airline group said that next week it would become the first Gulf carrier to join.

Alliances were formed in the 1990s to help airlines benefit from each other’s marketing and routes in the face of tightly controlled bilateral traffic rights. So far the Gulf carriers have refrained from joining as they build up big networks alone.

“Qatar Airways is not considering joining oneworld at this time,” Baker said. Earlier yesterday sources close to the alliance said Qatar Airways would be unveiled as the group’s latest member at a news conference in New York

planned for Monday. Baker added he was not going to New York this weekend. Oneworld, which is the smallest of the three global alliances and includes IAG’s British Airways and American Airlines, said it would not comment on speculation about a forthcoming event. Baker said he was in favor of the proposed $45 billion merger of EADS and BAE Systems, arguing a combined entity would make better products. Airbus parent EADS and BAE Systems are battling to save their tieup, which would create a European aerospace and defense giant, amid competing government interests.

“It will make them strong,” Baker said.

“They’re coming back together because staying apart was not in their best interest. They can provide better products and customer service together.” Baker said he was content with the Airbus A380 superjumbos after the manufacturer moved to address wing crack problems. In April, the Gulf carrier deferred delivery of the aircraft, saying it wanted more details on cracks found in a handful of wing components of most aircraft in service. Qatar, which struck an inter-airline partnership agreement with short-haul Canadian carrier Porter Airlines in August, is still eyeing Bombardier’s C-series jets. — Reuters

S Africa feels bite from truckers’ strike JOHANNESBURG: ATMs lacked cash, fuel stations were running dry and hospitals saw vital coal supplies diminish yesterday as South Africa felt the pinch from a truck drivers’ strike that entered its second week.

The strike has halted the delivery of goods across the country, as more than 20,000 workers dig in on their demand for higher wages. Fuel pump stations have begun to dry up in several areas in Gauteng province, the country’s economic centre, according to the South African Petroleum Industry Association (SAPIA).

“Some garages in Gauteng have been reporting fuel shortages since this past weekend,” said Fani Tshifularo, the association’s spokesman. “Unfortunately garages do not keep large reserves of fuel on premises, so shortages are likely to occur faster,” he said.

SAPIA warned the public to refrain from panic buying, saying the shortages were not yet widespread. Since the beginning of the stayaway, striking drivers have torched delivery trucks and assaulted non-striking workers, aggravating the supply crunch. “We are concerned about the safety of our workers, as a result plans have been made to provide additional security to non-striking workers to deliver fuel,” said Tshifularo.

The strike has also halted the delivery of coal to public hospitals, which need the fuel to operate boilers for cooking and water heating. The Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto, the largest public hospital in the country, said it had not taken delivery of coal since last week.

“Our stock levels are still good, but if a solution is not found soon our position may change,” said Phumelele Kaunda, the hospital’s spokeswoman.

About 20,000 drivers are seeking a 12-percent wage increase for 2013 and 2014, more than the rate of inflation, which stands at five percent. They have rejected the employers’ offer of an eight-percent wage increase, and talks have deadlocked.

Yesterday hundreds of strikers brought central Johannesburg to a crawl, as they marched across the central business district. They handed a memorandum of demands to the offices of the transport sector bargaining council, before dispersing.

“We are here to protest that we need a 12 percent (pay rise). Whatever the employer is promising us, it’s just peanuts,” driver Mabule Molelemane said. Other protest marches were held in major cities across the country. According to transport authorities, 80 percent of all freight in South Africa is conducted by road.

First National Bank (FNB), one of the country’s four major banks, issued a warning to clients of possible cash shortages at ATM machines.

“Due to the transport strike some FNB ATMs may run out of cash,” read a text messages sent to customers.

Business Unity South Africa (BUSA), an organisation representing business interests, sounded the alarm about the rash of strikes that has hit the country, including the ongoing wildcat stayaways in the mining sector, saying they may have a long-term effect on the economy.

“Strikes not only affect production, the image of the country as an investment destination also suffers,” said chief executive Nomaxabiso Majokweni.

“This determines how the world view South Africa, right now our image is not too pretty,” she said.

Majokweni said it was not easy to quantify the cost of the drivers’ strike as not all sectors have suffered equal impact. According to the Freight Employers’ Association, talks with the drivers will resume on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, major food retailers say they have engaged contingency plans to prevent running out of key fresh produce in stores.

Woolworths, a high-end food retailer, said adequate contingency plans were in place “to keep our stores open and to deliver fresh produce”. — AFP

JOHANNESBURG: South African striking truck drivers demonstrate yesterday in the streets of Johannesburg. The strike which has entered its second week has halted the delivery of goods across the country, as ATM machines and fuel stations run dry. About 20,000 drivers are seeking a 12-percent wage increase for 2013 and 2014, more than the rate of inflation, which stands at 5.0 percent. They have rejected the employers wage increase offer of eight percent and talks have deadlocked. — AFP

Abu Dhabi property firms say merger talks at advanced stage DUBAI: Talks of a potential merger between Abu Dhabi property firms Aldar Properties and Sorouh Real Estate are at an advanced stage but a due diligence process was still ongoing, the two companies said in a joint statement yesterday.

Indebted Aldar and Sorouh said in March that they were evaluating a state-backed merger, which would create a company with $15 billion in assets.

A senior Sorouh executive said on Sunday that the potential merger could be announced “within a month.”

“Aldar Properties and Sorouh Real Estate would like to clarify that they remain in ongoing due diligence discussions to evaluate the merits of a potential merger,” the statement said.

“A decision on whether to recommend a merger to shareholders will follow the completion of these discussions which are at an advanced stage.”

Shares in both the property firms surged on Monday as investors bought in ahead of the potential tie-up, lifting the UAE capital’s bourse to a sevenmonth high. Aldar rose 4.8 percent,

while Sorouh shares jumped 5.1 percent.

Cash-rich Abu Dhabi, which is conducting a strategic review of its statelinked entities, has spent more than $10 billion on Aldar itself in the last two years as the emirate’s property market was hit by oversupply and falling prices, compounded by a similar collapse in neighbouring Dubai.

Aldar, which built Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Formula One motor racing circuit, is part-owned by state investment fund Mubadala, who is playing a key role in the merger discussions.

Goldman Sachs and National Bank of Abu Dhabi are advisors to the steering committee overseeing the proposed tie-up. Credit Suisse is advising Aldar while Morgan Stanley will work with Sorouh.

The merger talks between the two firms come as Abu Dhabi’s property market continues to face challenges amid a huge supply of high-end homes entering the market this year. Property prices in the emirate are expected to fall another 5 percent in 2012, a Reuters poll in May showed. — Reuters

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

business

Nissan wants to offer Datsun at $3,000: Report TOKYO: Nissan chief executive Carlos Ghosn wants to relaunch retro-brand Datsun with a price tag as low as $3,000 when it hits the road in 2014, a report said. The company will target drivers in developing nations-India, Indonesia and Russiaoffering the barebones model at prices that put it well below current Nissan offerings, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The paper, citing interviews with Ghosn and other executives, said Nissan is aiming for six Datsun models at between $3,000 and $5,000, a price that only a handful of Indian- and Chinesemade cars could compete with.

To cut costs, the company will source parts almost entirely from the country in which the finished product is to be made and sold. And the absence of rigorous safety standards that would be applied to models aimed at the US or European markets will also help keep the price down, the paper reported.

“If you go to the US, it’s not going to end up being $3,000,” Ghosn told the paper in an article published Monday.

The Brazilian-born Ghosn said a future Datsun would be “modern and fresh” and had to appeal to buyers in developing markets because it would

make “them feel good and is in their budget”.

He said the new brand will be one of Nissan’s primary “accelerators of growth”, in the campaign to grab eight percent of the world market by 2016, up from six percent at present. All of which means boosting sales in emerging economies, which the company expects will account for three-fifths of all sales five years from now, compared with 43 percent now.

The resurrection of Datsun marks the return of a car with something of a cult following, more than three decades after it was phased out.

Datsun-the first set of wheels for many adoles-

cents-was a big seller especially in the United States where its sporty, two-door hatchbacks became synonymous with fuel-efficiency during the 1970s oil crisis.

Analysts have said the plan to reanimate the brand could help Nissan get around the problem of producing vehicles cheap enough to compete in emerging markets without polluting existingmore expensive-marques.

Nissan’s move underscores the growing importance of emerging economies, a key battlefield among global carmakers as growth in developed markets stagnates. — AFP

Russia eyes new rate hike despite slowing growth Central bank fears headline inflation MOSCOW: Russia’s central bank yesterday signalled plans to raise interest rates for the second time in three weeks in response to soaring inflation worries that have subsumed earlier growth concerns.

That earlier hike had made Russia the world’s only major economy to raise the main interest rate during the current global wave of financial struggles and concern over the eurozone’s health.

“We believe that the inflation risks are higher (than the dangers of slowing growth),” the RIA Novosti news agency quoted the central bank’s first deputy head Alexei Ulyukayev as saying. “We do not rule out the possibility of either leaving the rates unchanged or raising them,” he said in advance of Friday’s policy-setting bank governors meeting.

Critics have questioned the validity of Russia’s bet that restrictions on consumer demand could temper the rising food prices that have accompanied this summer’s heavy North American and European droughts.

Some Russian officials have even raised the option of reimposing grain export curbs. The country stands among the world’s top wheat providers but such a move would be the second such move since 2010. But the London-based Capital Economics warned last week that there was little the Russian authorities could do to ward off food inflation under current conditions.

“All told, we think headline inflation will peak at just under seven percent by the end of the year,” the consultancy said in its report. Russia’s double bind of growth drying up as prices rise has put pressure on President Vladimir Putin only five months into his new term.

His government has already been forced to raise its year-end inflation target from six percent to seven after

seeing prices climb above the initial target last month.

Putin also took the unusual step of lashing current prime minister and presidential predecessor Dmitry Medvedev in public for failing to fulfil presidential budget orders on time. That exchange sparked rumours of a spat at the highest levels of government caused by nervousness over growing cash constraints.

The sudden downturn in the Russian economy comes a year after the country set impressive figures that made it seem impervious to international wobbles and increasingly reliant on exploding middle class demand.

Yet inflation is now set to come in well above last year’s post-Soviet low figure while growth is due to be almost halved. The central bank said it feared headline inflation-a figure that does not discount price fluctuations in food and fuel-could end the year up 6.4 percent. Ulyukayev pessimistically set a two-percent growth rate estimate for “the coming years” after seeing it reach 4.3 percent-among the fastest in all of Europe-in 2011. Putin had early last month said he still expected his government to achieve growth of 4.0-4.5 percent on the year and repeated those fighting words on Tuesday.

“Today, despite growth slowing in almost all the neighbouring regions, our economy continues to grow,” the Russian leader told a Moscow investment conference. He added that last year’s figure was “more balanced” because it came when oil export prices were off their historic peak while Russian partners’ consumption had slowed off its standard rate.

“We expect things to improve. But we will insure ourselves against any eventuality,” Putin added in reference to Europe’s economic future.— AFP

ROME: A general view taken on September 28, 2012 shows the Maestoso cinema in Rome covered with banners, reading “Maestoso occupied” and “no to the closing of the Maestoso”. Rome’s historic Maestoso cinema, the first multiplex to open in the capital in 1956, may soon be turned into a shopping center due to the crisis hitting the Italian movie industry. Italy’s cinemas have been hit hard by the economic crisis, which has forced many historical movie theaters to close their doors. — AFP

Dubai’s DREC takes over management of Shaibani

S Korea central bank hints at rate cut

DUBAI: State-owned Dubai Real Estate Corp. (DREC) has taken over the management of Zabeel Investments, the indebted firm owned by Dubai’s crown prince, the chief executive of Investment Corporation of Dubai said yesterday.

Sources told Reuters last week that DREC had taken over the company, which owes about 6 billion dirhams ($1.6 billion) to mostly local banks. “Zabeel is only managed by DREC, the ownership is still the same,” Mohammed al-Shaibani told Reuters on the sidelines of a real estate conference.

The sources said DREC will lead fresh debt discussions. Talks on restructuring the debt ground to a halt in January.

Zabeel, owned by Crown Prince Hamdan bin Mohammed al-Maktoum, once had stakes in Sony Corp and planemaker EADS. Formed in 2006, the company has hospitality, property and private equity assets. It owns the lavish Zabeel Saray hotel on Dubai’s man-made Palm Jumeirah island.

Shaibani, who is also head of Dubai’s Rulers Court and a member of the emirate’s Supreme Fiscal Committee, said Investment Corporation of Dubai had no plans to offload businesses.

“There are no plans to sell assets at ICD, all our holdings are strategic,” he said. ICD holds about $70 billion in assets and its financial position is bolstered by dividend payouts from its portfolio of companies. Its investments include successful airline Emirates , bank Emirates NBD and Dubai Islamic Bank.

Dubai has negotiated terms to restructure some $41 billion of debt related to its flagship conglomerate Dubai World and its proper ty arm Nak heel, promising to repay the debt partly through asset sales. — Reuters

SEOUL: South Korea’s central bank said yesterday it would focus its monetary policy on boosting economic growth, raising prospects of an interest rate cut as new data pointed to a deepening manufacturing slump.

The Bank of Korea “plans to operate the rate policy to ensure that the economy recovers its potential level of growth”, the bank said in its biannual monetary policy report. South Korea’s export-driven economy has faltered in recent months, as the global economic downturn-and in particular the crisis in the eurozone-has hit overseas shipments.

Korean exports fell year-on-year for the third consecutive month in September while manufacturing activity in the same month contracted at the sharpest rate for nearly four years. The HSBC Purchasing Managers’ Index for September-released yesterday-stood at a seasonally adjusted 45.7 in September, compared with 47.5 the previous month. A reading above 50 indicates expansion in manufacturing activity, while a reading below that level signals contraction. The central bank confounded expectations by keeping its key policy rate unchanged at 3.0 percent last month, despite mounting pressure for a cut to push back against slowing growth.

Last month, the International Monetary Fund lowered its growth outlook for South Korea to 3.0 percent from a previous estimate of 3.25 percent, citing the eurozone crisis and household debt.

Inflation accelerated to 2.0 percent in September but remained below the central bank’s 3.0 percent target ceiling, paving the way for a rate cut as early as next week, analysts said. — AFP

25

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

BUSINESS

Hong Kong mogul sells loss-making Taiwan TV arm TAIPEI: Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai announced yesterday he will sell his prized Taiwan television business, best known for its fanciful animated takes on political and celebrity scandals, because of big financial losses.

In a brief letter to employees of his Next Media Group, Lai apologized for his “failure” in running Next TV. Next TV has incurred losses of over $340 million since it was founded in Taipei three years ago, says Next Media’s Apple Daily newspaper. At the TV unit’s much ballyhooed launch, Lai pledged to invest heavily to build a “world class, high-quality digital video and sound plat-

form.” The group’s television unit and an affiliated company will lay off 500 employees as part of the sale to Lien Tai-sheng, owner of Taiwan’s Era Television, according to Apple. The profit-making Apple Daily and a weekly magazine will not be affected.

Apple editor-in-chief Ma Wei-min blamed the TV business’ heavy losses on Taiwan’s “complicated” political and commercial environment, noting Lai has run into strong opposition because of his “consistently uncompromising anti-Beijing stance.” It was also reportedly blocked from being picked up by cable TV networks, restricting its advertising revenue. Taiwan’s freewheeling

democracy protects freedom of speech, but many businesses have distinctive pro- or anti-China positions. Taiwan and China split amid civil war in 1949, but trade across the 160-kilometer- (100-mile-) wide Taiwan Strait has boomed amid warming relations in recent years, raising the commercial stakes for media companies on this island of 23 million people.

Like the Next Media group’s newspaper and its weekly magazine, Next TV is best known for its coverage of scantily clad starlets, its paparazzi-generated entertainment news, and its racy reports of corruption and scandals among politicians and

celebrities. Next TV first attracted international attention with its computerenhanced animated news featurettes, a Lai brainchild that was introduced in 2009.

The clips offer fanciful interpretations of cutting edge news events, and made arguably their biggest splash in November 2009, when one depicting golf superstar Tiger Woods arguing with his wife over an extramarital affair went viral on the Internet.

But the company was encountering difficulties at home, held back by its lack of a broadcasting license for its news channel, which was only granted in July 2011, after

Lai promised regulators he would avoid overly sensational animated reports portraying sex and violence. That limited its broadcasts to entertainment, sports, and movies, significantly crimping profits. Also hurting it was its failure to be picked up by a cable TV channel, the conventional way of attracting advertising revenue in Taiwan. Lai launched the Apple Daily and Next Magazine in Taiwan in 2001. Their successful operations have put pressure on Taiwan’s traditional, more conservative news media, which look pale and uninspired compared to Lai’s glitzy stable of products. —AP

Asian markets mixed, Spain fears remove early shine Tokyo ends 0.12% lower HONG KONG: Asian markets were mixed yesterday as early gains caused by better-thanexpected manufacturing data from the United States were overshadowed by lingering concerns over Spain’s debt woes.

But the US figures, which followed minor improvements in Asian and European activity, boosted the dollar and euro against the yen, lifting Japanese stocks, while Sydney climbed after Australia’s central bank cut interest rates.

Tokyo ended 0.12 percent lower, shedding 10.46 points to 8,786.05, Seoul closed flat, dipping 0.18 points to 1,996.03 and Sydney jumped 1.01 percent, or 44.4 points, to 4,433.0. Taipei rose 0.56 percent, or 42.96 points, to 7,718.68. Hong Kong, Shanghai and Mumbai were closed for public holidays.

Traders took their lead from Wall Street, which ended broadly higher after the Institute for Supply Management said its Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) edged up to 51.5 last month from 49.6 in August-representing the first expansion after three months of contraction.

A reading above 50 indicates growth and anything below represents shrinkage. On Monday China said its own PMI was at 49.8 in September, which while still negative represented a modest improvement on 49.2 in August. And a European PMI reading by a research firm came in at 46.1, up from 45.1.

CLSA equity strategist Nicholas Smith said that the figures appeared to show “that the general picture is for a turnaround in global markets”.

At the close of trade on Wall Street Monday the Dow added 0.58 percent and the

S&P 500 rose 0.27 percent while the Nasdaq was flat. On currency markets the dollar stood at 78.21 yen in European trade Tuesday, from 77.98 yen in New York late Monday.

The euro was at $1.2914 and 101.03 yen, compared with $1.2887 and 100.51 yen in New York. However, Europe continues to cast a pall as dealers await a decision from Spain on asking for a bailout to prop up its struggling economy.

Madrid unveiled a tough austerity budget last week that many expect to have been a precursor to a rescue request, but the country’s prime minister has so far held off until he knows the full conditions that would be imposed.

Adding to concerns, ratings agency Moody’s warned it might downgrade Spain’s debt to junk status when it makes a decision on the country in the next few days.

In Sydney, shares extended their morning gains after the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) said it would cut interest rates 25 basis points to 3.25 percent, their lowest level since October 2009.

The bank said it was concerned about a slowdown in the global economy, and the decision sent the Australian dollar down against its US counterpart.

The Aussie slipped to US$1.0305 from US$1.0369. “The cut will be a welcome relief for our domestic economy that has been struggling with a stubbornly high Aussie dollar, falling commodity prices and cuts to mining investment plans,” said Ben Taylor, a sales trader at CMC Markets. “The RBA is hoping that a reduced rate will shield us from a slowing China and the European debt crisis whilst

keeping our domestic growth robust,” he told Dow Jones Newswires.

Oil prices were mixed in afternoon trade.

New York’s main contract, light sweet crude for delivery in November, added 27 cents to $92.75 a barrel and Brent North Sea crude for November deliver y shed two cents to $112.17. Gold was at $1,779.60 at 1000 GMT compared with $1,770.50 on Monday.

In other markets: Singapore closed up 0.70 percent, or 21.28 points, at 3,079.14. Keppel Corp. gained 0.44 percent to Sg$11.49 and Singapore Airlines added 0.56 percent to Sg$10.77.

Manila closed 0.76 percent higher, adding 40.16 points to 5,348.68. Philippine Long Distance Telephone was unchanged at 2,760 pesos while Ayala Corp. rose 0.23 percent to 420 pesos. Banco de Oro Unibank rose 2.09 percent to 65.90 pesos.

Wellington rose 1.08 percent, or 41.22 points, to 3,871.25. Fletcher Building gained 1.4 percent to NZ$7.16 and Mainfreight was up 1.2 percent at NZ$10.39. Air New Zealand closed at a 19-month high, adding 2.1 percent to NZ$1.21.

Jakarta gained 0.48 percent, or 20.55 points, to 4,256.84. Kuala Lumpur rose 0.47 percent, or 7.72 points, to 1,651.03. UEM Land Holdings added 3.5 percent to 1.78 ringgit, while Genting Malaysia rose 2.5 percent to 3.68 ringgit. Sime Darby lost 0.6 percent to 9.74 ringgit.

Bangkok rose 0.46 percent, or 5.95 points, to 1,305.66. Mobile telephone giant Advanced Info Service dropped 0.93 percent to 212 baht, while retailer Siam Makro added 3.54 percent to 410 baht. —AFP

Oil slips towards $112 as growth worries weigh

SYDNEY: A file photo taken on April 17, 2012 shows mining billionaire Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest speaking during a business luncheon in Sydney.

Forrest yesterday won a High Court appeal against a ruling that he misled investors on Chinese deals that could have seen him banned as a company director. The billionaire founder of iron ore giant Fortescue Metals Group was facing a multi-million dollar fine and directorship ban after the Federal Court ruled last year that he misled the market on a project in 2004. —AFP

Barclays rejig gives retail banking louder voice LONDON: Barclays has promoted two of its top consumer banking bosses to its executive committee as the British bank’s new boss puts more focus on traditional banking after criticism of its rapid growth in higher risk investment banking.

Under the rejig, Ashok Vaswani will become global head of retail and business banking products and services, widening his current UK role. Antony Jenkins, who took over as chief executive a month ago after an interest rate rigging scandal rocked Barclays and forced the resignations of its CEO and chairman, is expected to put more focus back on retail banking after more than a decade of expansion in investment banking.

“These changes reflect the importance of our retail businesses for Barclays and will make for a better balance between business and functional representation on the executive committee,” Jenkins said.

Vaswani, a cricket fan who was born and educated in India, has had a rapid ascent since joining Barclays in 2010 to run its European credit cards. He was promoted to manage the bank in Africa and then handed control of the core UK retail and business banking business.

Vaswani spent 20 years at Citigroup, where he worked with Jenkins, who

spent 16 years at the U.S. bank before being poached back to rejoin Barclays in 2006. Jenkins is scrapping the title of CEO of retail and business banking, the position he held before being promoted to group CEO, which also oversaw its Barclaycard credit card business.

Instead, Vaswani and Barclaycard CEO Valerie Soranno Keating will both join the executive committee. American Keating, 48, joined Barclays in June 2009 after 16 years at American Express.

Vaswani, 51, was previously a partner at New York-based private equity firm Brysam Global Partners, focused on building retail financial service businesses in emerging markets. At Citi he worked in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America, including as CEO of its consumer bank in Asia-Pacific.

Jenkins’ background is in retail banking and credit cards, and a review he will unveil in February on the future size and shape of Barclays is expected to see investment banking streamlined and cuts made in European and corporate banking arms. The executive committee sits just below the board, and will now have 10 people, including Jenkins, Finance Director Chris Lucas and Rich Ricci, head of corporate and investment banking. —Reuters

LONDON: Brent crude oil slipped to around $112 a barrel yesterday as investors weighed a weaker outlook for fuel demand and sluggish economic growth against the risk of possible supply disruptions.

Global economic activity has slowed this year, curbing the growth in fuel demand in Asia, Europe and the United States but investors are worried an unexpected disruption to supplies from the Middle East or elsewhere could force prices higher. US manufacturing unexpectedly grew last month for the first time since May but euro zone factories suffered their worst quarter since early 2009 and China lost steam. Brent crude oil futures for November were down 5 cents at $112.14 a barrel by 0940 GMT. US crude rose 20 cents to $92.68.

“Economic data is bearish for oil and the immediate risk for prices is to the downside,” said Tamas Varga, oil analyst at brokers PVM Oil Associates in London. “But geopolitics is supporting the market. It may be very unlikely, but investors are still worried there could be a war in the Middle East. And, as long as stories about Iranian nuclear operations keep coming, those worries are not going to go away.” Tension between Iran and the West is high with the United States and Europe imposing sanctions on the Islamic Republic in an attempt to stop the development of an Iranian nuclear bomb.

This has removed around 1 million barrels per day (bpd) of Iranian crude oil from the global market and put massive pressure on the Iranian economy. Iran’s rial plunged at least 9 percent to a record low of about 37,500 to the dollar yesterday. —Reuters

TOKYO: Japan’s auto giant Toyota Motor unveils their concept vehicle “Smart Insect” based on Toyota Auto Body’s one man ride electric vehicle Coms at Asia’s largest electronics trade show in Chiba, suburban Tokyo yesterday. The Smart Insect can recognize human face and motion to communicate with a driver. —AFP

MUMBAI: Passengers wait for refund after Kingfisher Airlines flights were canceled at the domestic airport in Mumbai, India yesterday. Kingfisher Airlines has grounded flights for at least three days after a violent strike over unpaid wages at the cash-strapped Indian carrier. —AP

India’s Kingfisher halts flights for 3 days MUMBAI: Kingfisher Airlines has grounded flights for at least three days after a violent strike over unpaid wages at the cash-strapped Indian carrier. The company said late Monday that it was forced to declare a lockout after “unabated incidents of violence, criminal intimidation, assault” by disgruntled employees who have been intimidating their colleagues.

Flights will be halted at least through Thursday. Chief executive Sanjay Aggarwal met with India’s airline regulator yesterday. After the meeting, he told reporters that Kingfisher would decide on Thursday whether to resume flights and said the airline planned to pay staff “in the next few days.”

Aggarwal said half of Kingfisher’s employees received their salary for March 2012, though he forfeited his. He did not comment on staff payments since then. “I get the last cheque,” he said.

The disruption is likely to hamper the money-losing carrier’s efforts to attract much-needed new investment. Its share price plunged 4.8 percent Monday, bringing its slide for the year so far to 27

percent. India’s aviation minister, Ajit Singh, has warned Kingfisher over safety compliance since its engineers are on strike and said the company must keep at least five aircraft in its fleet flying in order to maintain its license, the Press Trust of India reported.

Kingfisher spokesman Prakash Mirpuri defended the airline’s safety record and said it is not in danger of losing its license to operate. “There is no threat to our operating license,” he said by email Tuesday. “Our lock out follows violence by a section of employees. We have more than sufficient pilots and engineers to operate safely. However, they are being prevented from coming to work and hence the action.”Kingfisher is operating 12 aircraft in its fleet, Mirpuri said. That’s down from 66 in March 2011, according to Kingfisher’s annual report.

Kingfisher posted a loss of 6.5 billion rupees ($124.0 million) in the quarter ending June. Its total debt as of March 2012 was 87.3 billion rupees ($1.7 billion), according to FactSet, a financial information provider. —AP

Australia bank cuts interest rates to 3.25% SYDNEY: Australia’s central bank yesterday cut interest rates to 3.25 percent, their lowest level since the global financial crisis, warning that the growth outlook for next year had weakened.

The Reserve Bank of Australia slashed 25 basis points off the cash rate, taking it to lows not seen since October 2009, when it first resumed hiking them following the world downturn. Governor Glenn Stevens said global weakness was weighing on the outlook, with Europe contracting and the United States only seeing modest growth.

“The outlook for growth in the world economy has softened over recent months, with estimates for global GDP being edged down, and risks to the outlook still seen to be on the downside,” he said in a statement.

“Growth in China has also slowed, and uncertainty about near-term prospects is greater than it was some months ago.”

The Australian dollar slumped about half a US cent on the surprise cut, to US$1.0320 from US$1.0369.

Treasurer Wayne Swan stressed Australia’s strong economic fundamentals following the bank’s downbeat assessment and said top trading partner China remained robust despite a recent cooling.

“Whilst China may be growing a little more slowly than people had anticipated, it’s doing it from a very much bigger base,” Swan told reporters. China was now 40 percent larger than it had been before the financial crisis, meaning that growth of seven or eight percent remained “substantial”, added Swan.

“The fact is that for a long time to come China is going to be a very, very

important influence on regional and global growth, and nothing I can see in the outlook is going to fundamentally change that medium term,” he said.

China is the major customer for Australia’s natural resources, particularly coal and iron ore, and slowdown in its demand for the key steelmaking ingredients has weighed on prices.

Stevens said commodities prices were “significantly lower than earlier in the year ”, squeezing export earnings.

Looking ahead for mining, Stevens said the “peak in resource investment is likely to occur next year, and may be at a lower level than earlier expected”, with demand in other areas of the economy yet to strengthen as forecast.

Commonwealth Bank analyst Michael Blythe said Stevens’ remarks on the mining sector were significant, signalling a more hawkish view on how long the boom had left to run.

“Before now they were saying (the peak in investment) would be in the next few years,” said Blythe. “So we’ll need the non-mining part of the economy to pick up.”

On the domestic front Stevens said the labour market appeared to be softening despite the unemployment rate remaining relatively stable at 5.1 percent, with credit growth slowing and the Australian dollar still high.

“At yesterday’s meeting, the board judged that, on the back of international developments, the growth outlook for next year looked a little weaker,” Stevens said. “The board therefore decided that it was appropriate for the stance of monetary policy to be a little more accommodative.” —AFP

26

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

BUSINESS

MBMC’s customer service excellence recognised with award KUWAIT: The commitment of Al Mulla & Behbehani Motor Company (MBMC) to consistently deliver customer service excellence has received further recognition in the form of the Parts Manager of the Year Award, which was recently presented to MBMC’s Ramakumar Nagaraja.

MBMC, the sole distributor of Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep(R) and Ram vehicles in Kuwait, runs an on-going employee development programme which is part of Chrysler Group’s Certified Training Programme, and Maher Abu Shaaban, Deputy GM of Sales and Marketing at MBMC is delighted that the company’s commitment has resulted in yet another award.

“Our training programme, which is strongly supported by Chrysler Group Middle East, ensures that our front line team have the essential skills and knowledge to consistently deliver the world-class

levels of customer service that our vision demands, with the customer’s personal requirements always put first,” said Abu Shabaan. “Ramakumar’s award is the latest proof of our success in this area.”

A proactive leader with over two decades of experience in business startups, trading, spare parts management, supply chain, inventory, purchasing and procurement, market development, distribution, logistics and warehousing with leading organisations, Ramakumar has successfully handled Genuine and After Market Spare Parts Business for Passenger cars (American, Japanese and European), Commercial Vehicles (Mercedes Trucks)

and Earth Moving Equipments (Caterpillar & Komatsu).

“Ramakumar’s skills in the preparation of demand forecasts, MIS and analytical reports has been highly beneficial to our operation,” said Abu Shabaan.

“A keen analyst with good negotiation and relationship management skills and abilities in liaising with external agencies, he has made a significant contribution to strategic and commercial decisions as a part of the highly professional MBMC management team.”

Since 2009, Ramakumar has spearheaded MBMC’s Sales, Product and Warehousing operations with a team

of 34 members dealing in MOPAR (R) Genuine Spare Parts for Chrysler, Jeep (R), Dodge and Ram vehicles - the team has already received major recognition in the form of awards for Best Per former for MOPAR (R) Genuine Parts Purchases in 2009 & MOPAR (R) Genuine Accessories in 2010.

“We have invested considerable time and money to create state of the art retail operations in our new facility, creating an environment in which customers can feel more comfortable and relaxed, enjoying a very smooth purchasing experience,” said Ramakumar.

“We understand the needs and expectations of our high profile customers and we have put in place a highly skilled and motivated team to ensure that we are able to meet spare parts requirements off the shelf in order to minimise down

time and offer our customers total peace of mind.” In-line with the central pillars of the company’s long-term objectives, which are built around total customer satisfaction, MBMC continues to work hard to instil the mindset that the customer is king to every single one of its employees and has invested heavily to increase its parts inventory, enabling it to deliver world-class customer service excellence and add real value to customer relationships.

“The opening of the new Mopar (R) RDC in Dubai is a key part of Chrysler Group Middle East’s regional expansion plans,” explained Ramakumar. “As our sales continue to grow significantly, it’s essential for us to offer first-class after sales service, an important part of which is rapid parts supply. This new facility will help us ensure that our our customers consistently receive fast and efficient response.”

Gulf Bank announces Al Danah winner —Photos by Yasser Al Zayyat

Nikon releases lightest and smallest FX-format DSLR camera New camera offers excellent performance KUWAIT: Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce the release of its new D600 digital SLR camera. Despite having the smallest and lightest body among Nikon FX-format cameras, the D600 offers advanced performance. It is equipped with a new FX-format CMOS image sensor with 24.3-million effective pixels and the same EXPEED 3 imageprocessing engine built into high-end Nikon DSLRs (D4, D800, D800E) for superior definition and image quality.

The D600 is the latest and most compact model in the Nikon FX-format digital SLR lineup at approx.

141 (W) 113 (H) 82 (D) mm, 760 g1. It is extremely portable, yet it offers the superior image quality and rendering performance, operation, and durability of high-end FX-format D-SLRs. In addition to a new FX-format CMOS image sensor with 24.3million effective pixels and the same EXPEED 3 image-processing engine built into high-end models, the D600 boasts a number of advanced features, including an optical viewfinder with 100%2 frame coverage, a large and clear 3.2-inch LCD monitor with wide angle viewing, and the same dust and water-resistance as the D800 and D800E. What’s more, this FX-format camera also supports the complete DX NIKKOR lens lineup for greater convenience with both still image shooting and movie recording. The D600 makes full use of its 24.3-million effective pixels with high-resolution, full-HD movie recording (1920 1080/30p). It is also equipped with the Multi-area mode Full-HD DMovie function, which enables recording in either FX- or DX-based movie format for more creative freedom.

1Body only 2With shooting in FX format ● D600 Development Background Nikon has been strengthening and expanding its FX-format digital SLR camera lineup, most recently with the release of the D4, the new flagship model that offers the ultimate function and performance, followed by the D800 and D800E, both equipped with a 36.3-million pixel CMOS image sensor for incredible definition and image quality. The D600 was developed to bring fun and enjoyment to a wide range of FX-format users. It offers the superior rendering characteristics, image quality, operation, and the durability of previous FX-format D-SLRs in a body that is compact, lightweight, and easy to use. The D600 is not only suit-

able for advanced amateur and professional photographers, but also for photo enthusiasts who want to expand their creativity. ● D600 Primary Features The most compact and lightweight Nikon FX format DSLR camera The D600 measures approximately 141.0 113.0 82.0 mm (W H D) and weighs approximately 760 g1, making it extremely compact and light. In addition to adopting a lightweight and durable magnesium alloy for the top and rear body covers, it also effectively seals the camera from dust and water like the D800 and D800E.

1Body only A new 24.3-megapixel FX-format CMOS image sensor for superior image quality and resolution

over a broad range of sensitivities The D600 is equipped with a new FX-format CMOS image sensor with 24.3-million effective pixels to ensure a high signal-to-noise ratio and a broad dynamic range. The camera supports ISO 100 to ISO 6400 for beautiful images with very little noise and rich tones. The range of sensitivities can also be expanded to the equivalent of ISO 50 (Lo 1) or up to ISO 25600 equivalent (Hi 2). What’s more, NIKKOR lenses equipped with Nikon’s advanced optical technologies can maximise the performance of the D600’s FX-format CMOS sensor to offer clear and sharp images with the finest details.

The EXPEED 3 image-processing engine, opti-

mised for the D600, offers superior and highspeed processing The D600 is equipped with the same EXPEED 3 high-speed image-processing engine built into the D4, D800, and D800E Nikon FX-format cameras. The EXPEED 3 image-processing engine has been optimised for digital SLR cameras to offer faster and better performance for rendering, vivid color reproduction, and capturing a broad dynamic range. It also effectively reduces noise for still images captured at high sensitivities under dim lighting, while preserving definition and sharpness. Special noise-reduction was designed to maintain crisp, clear outlines in movies recorded in low-light situations.

Excellent camera performance and operational comfort The Multi-CAM4800 autofocus sensor tracks the intended subject with 39 focus points. Crosstype sensors have been adopted for the nine most frequently used focus points at the center of the frame. In addition, seven focus points (5 horizontal focus points and 1 above and below the center of the frame) are fully functional at f/8. This delivers more precise autofocusing when supertelephoto NIKKOR lenses are used with a teleconverter (2.0). Full-HD movie recording at 1920 x 1080/30p and Multi-area mode movie recording available in two formats By simply pressing the movie-record button next to the shutter-release in the movie live view mode, users can enjoy video recording that optimises the camera’s 24.3-million effective pixels.

Not only does the D600 support full-HD movie recording at 1920 1080/30p, but the H.264/MPEG-4 AVC video compression standard ensures that superior picture quality is maintained while data is compressed to record a single movie for up to 29 minutes and 59 seconds.

The Multi-area mode Full-HD D-Movie function offers two movie formats2, the FX-based movie format or the DX-based movie format to record full-HD 1920 1080/30p (both FX- and DX lenses can be used). The FX-based movie format makes full use of the large image sensor and offers a shallow depth-of-field with an emphasis on blur characteristics while the DX-based movie format is optimal for recording movies and bringing subjects closer when lenses with short focal lengths are used.

S&P raises Warba Insurance Co. KUWAIT: Standard & Poor’s (S&P), one of the world’s leading international credit rating agency, upgraded Warba Insurance Co.’s financial strength rating to BBB, and counterparty credit ratings to the same while raising the company’s outlook to stable. The stable outlook indicates Warba’s financial profile could further improve over the next two years.

Standard & Poor’s explained in their issued report that Warba Insurance’s ratings have been raised to ‘BBB’, making remarkable progress and maintaining a lead market share of 11% amongst more than 30 licensed insurance providers in Kuwait. With noticeable improvement in its operating performance, it has been predicted that Warba Insurance will maintain its strong financial and business profiles supported by strong

risk-based capital. Additionally, Standard & Poor’s stated in its report that the strong underwriting performance reflects the significant steps Warba Insurance has taken to strengthen its investment risk controls and risk appetite, thus materially reducing its still-high equity holdings, improving capitalization to strong and reducing the potential volatility of its capital.

The steps consisted of distinguished management performance through expanding its client base and enhancing its market share, strong underwriting performance, which led to a strong competitive position, and finally by its competitive attitude by strengthening its capitalization. The report also reflects the strong cover that liquid assets to net technical reserves worth 5.6 times, and and net claims reserves are covered by

cash deposits by 2.8 times.

Commenting on S&P’s decision, Mr. Tawfiq S. Al Bahar - Warba Insurance Co.’s Managing Director, said that the report is a great endorsement of our excellent management team, its strong leadership and our dedicated work force, as well as our risk management systems and controls. It also confirms that our strategy of focusing on providing the best and most dependable services is working, and is delivering the results we had planned. The last two years have seen us put Warba Insurance Co.on a solid growth trajectorate, and I believe we are now well positioned for continued future growth. We have strengthened our balance sheet significantly, made good progress to meet challenges in a difficult market, delivered good results by concentrating on our core areas of Consumer and Corporate insurance products, and have greatly enhanced our levels of customer service.

Our challenge now is to maintain our focus as we continue our development.

KUWAIT: Jalila Hassoun Al-Rifaie’s name was announced as the winner of the Al Danah KD 500,000 which was hosted live on the Dewaniya show on 88.8 Marina FM on the 30th September 2012.

The show was filled with excitement and entertainment as Ms. Al-Rifaie was called live on air by Marina F.M hosts and Haneen Al-Ghanim, Manager, Consumer Banking at Gulf Bank. In addition to the KD 500 000 Al Danah prize, and additional five callers to answer a question relating to Al Danah correctly were given KD 500 each.

The winners were: Mariam Bader Al-

Jazzaf, Abdulaziz Abbas Al-Shatti, Sameer Mursi Saleh, Abdullah Hussain, and Basel Saleem Shahwan. Al Danah offers a number of unique services including the Al Danah Deposit Only ATM card which helps account holders deposit their money at their convenience and the Al Danah calculator is now in operation to help customers calculate their chances of becoming an Al Danah Millionaire directly online.

Opening an Al Danah account is simple; customers are encouraged to visit one of Gulf Bank’s 56 branches or call the Customer Contact Center.

VIVA launches 2nd ‘VIVA festiva’ KUWAIT: VIVA, Kuwait’s newest and most advanced mobile telecommunications service provider, announced today the launch of the 2nd ‘VIVA Festiva’ season presenting both its prepaid and postpaid customers with a series of unique offers and promotions. This Festival comes in line with VIVA’s mission to continuously offer its customers a differentiated experience while catering to their different needs.

This 2nd ‘VIVA Festiva’ season of promotions and offers was designed and launched as a result of the great success it witnessed the first round, and entails exclusive deals on VIVA services such as voice minutes, SMS text messages and internet data services

and even Blackberry packages.

Commenting on this great event, VIVA’s Chief Executive Officer, Eng. Salman Bin Abdul Aziz Al Badran said, “‘VIVA Festiva’ is just another way to treat our clients to more amazing and exceptional offers and promotions. At VIVA, we are committed to presenting them with ongoing privileges and surprises that make each VIVA customer even more unique and distinctive.” New and existing customers should anticipate a one of a kind experience through the outstanding deals offered during the ‘VIVA Festiva’ season. For more information about VIVA’s latest promotions, customers can visit any of VIVA’s 14 branches or authorized dealers.

Land Rover celebrates golden ’versary of James Bond at Paris motorshow PARIS: Land Rover celebrated 50 years of James Bond at the 2012 Paris Motor show by displaying one of the Land Rover Defenders used in Albert R. Broccoli’s EON Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, and Sony Pictures Entertainment’s upcoming motion picture SKYFALL, in cinemas around the Middle East on 26th October. The Double Cab Pick Up, driven in the opening sequence by field agent Eve (played by Naomie Harris), was shown on the Land Rover stand during the second press day on Friday 28 September.

Land Rover provided a total of 77 vehicles to the SKYFALL production, including the Land Rover Defender and Range Rover for use both on-screen and as production support vehicles.

Speaking at Pinewood Studios, where Bond was filmed, Co-Producer Andrew Noakes, a veteran of 11 James Bond films, said; “Bond is quintessentially British and Land Rover is one of the most established and globally recognised British brands, so it

was a natural step for us to involve them in the film. “ Alongside Daniel Craig as James Bond, the cast includes; Dame Judi Dench, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes, BÈrÈnice Marlohe, Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw and Albert Finney. Global Brand Director for Land Rover John Edwards said: “Land Rover is extremely proud to be associated with the new James Bond film SKYFALL. The iconic Land Rover Defender is recognised around the world for its rugged appeal and the Range Rover is the pinnacle of SUV luxury and capability. Both vehicles are renowned as examples of excellence in British design and engineering.”

The film, from Albert R. Broccoli’s Eon Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, and Sony Pictures Entertainment, is directed

by Academy Award(r) winner Sam Mendes and stars Daniel Craig, who returns for his third film as James Bond 007. SKYFALL will begin its worldwide roll-out in the Middle East on 26th October 2012.

27

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

TECHNOLOGY

Letting hackers compete, Facebook eyes new talent MENLO PARK: Late this January, some 75,000 people around the planet sat in front of their computers and pondered how to make anagrams from a bowl of alphabet soup. They were participants in the Hacker Cup, an international programming battle that Facebook organized to help it find the brightest young software engineers before competitors like Google do.

After three more rounds of brain teasers, Facebook will fly the top 25 coders to its head office in Menlo Park, for an adrenaline-soaked finale that will award the champion $5,000. In return, Facebook gets a shot at hiring the stars discovered along the way.

“I’m in an all-out land grab for talent,” says Jocelyn Goldfein, Facebook’s director of engineering and most senior woman on its technical staff. The social network builds almost all of its own software, and young, smart coders are the company’s most critical asset as it manages the comments, photos, and “likes” of more than 800 million users.

“We are in uncharted waters every day,” says Goldfein. “What’s great about young people is that they don’t know what’s impossible, so they try crazy things and lead us to be the first to make them work.”

Google and many other companies are chasing the same code slingers as Facebook, causing salaries to shoot up.

Average salaries for technology professionals in Silicon Valley rose 5.2 percent in 2011 to break the $100,000 barrier, while pay rose just 2 percent nationally, according to a recent salary survey. One graduating college senior, posting anonymously on the Web, claimed that Facebook offered a $100,000 salary, a $50,000 signing bonus, and $120,000 in stock options.

Facebook declined to comment.

According to the prospectus filed in connection with Facebook’s planned initial public offering of stock, the company’s headcount jumped from 2,127 to 3,200 full-time employees in 2011.

Unlike some large companies, Facebook does not leave recruiting programmers to its human resources department. “The HR departments are in one building and engineering is in another,” says Goldfein. “Recruitment sits with us.”

The best hiring strategies simulta-

neously test skills and advertise Facebook’s internal culture, which Goldfein says values “clever workarounds that shortcut complexity.” In addition to the Hacker Cup and a series of similar “Camp Hackathon” contests that tour US colleges, there’s a set of fiendishly tricky online puzzles that Facebook maintains online.

Solving them with sufficient style can net a phone call from a recruiter. “This is a way to say that if you’re brilliant we don’t care where you worked and if you have a college degree,” says Goldfein.

All that reinforces Facebook’s status as a cool place to work. On Glassdoor, a job information site, Facebook leads technology companies in a ranking by employees of the best workplaces. In another survey that asked workers under 40 where they would most like to get a job, Facebook placed third, behind Google and Apple. Increasingly, other large technology companies aren’t even the stiffest competition for talent, says Rusty Rueff, a board member at Glassdoor. Many talented young people in Silicon Valley are finding that investors and startup accelerator programs will back them to go it alone and found their own companies.

One consequence is that technology companies are buying startups simply as a way to hire their twentysomething founders. Another is that companies aren’t hiring for specific jobs.

Facebook puts new hires through a sixweek boot camp where they rotate through projects, choosing one that suits them best. “Facebook and other companies doing this are saying, ‘You can work for us and still be entrepreneurial and create your own thing,’” Rueff says.

Although the coder competition looks like a fun and free-wheeling meritocracy, it also reflects problems in the US education system. Very few women participate, and most of the winners are from overseas. “Facebook [is] aggressively going to other countries because there aren’t enough skilled people in the US,” says Goldfein.

Of the 2011 Hacker Cup winners, all three were foreign men 26 or younger.

Facebook hired the second-place finisher. The first-place winner was already employed by Google. — MCT

US judge lifts ban on Samsung tablet SAN FRANCISCO: A judge yesterday lifted a ban on US sales of Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 computers as the South Korean firm added Apple’s new iPhone 5 to a patent brawl between the two market rivals.

US District Court Judge Lucy Koh issued an order clearing the way for Samsung to restart sales of the Tab 10.1 tablets that were halted while it dueled with Apple in a high-stakes trial.

A jury declared on August 24 that Samsung should pay Apple $1.049 billion in damages for illegally copying iPhone and iPad features, in one of the biggest patent cases in decades-a verdict that could have huge market repercussions. However, the jury agreed that Samsung did not abuse design patents that were the grounds for a temporary ban on Galaxy Tab 10.1 imports that Koh put in place at Apple’s behest in June.

“The sole basis for the June 26 preliminary injunction no longer exists,” Koh wrote in her ruling. “The court finds it proper to dissolve the injunction.”

In a statement, Samsung welcomed the ruling, saying it “vindicates our position that there was no infringement of Apple’s design patent and that an injunction was not called for.”

However, Koh denied a request by Samsung for $2.6 million that Apple had posted as a bond to “pay the costs and damages sustained by any party found to have been wrongfully enjoined or restrained.”

The court will hold onto the bond cash pending resolution of post-verdict legal motions that could bear on whether the ban was a wrongful restraint. Koh is on record noting that the

August jury verdict in her San Jose, California, courtroom did not represent a “final ruling” in the case since it was being appealed.

Samsung reacted by saying the verdict was “a loss” for consumers and that Apple had “manipulated” the patent system. Meanwhile, Samsung said Tuesday that it had added Apple’s new iPhone 5 to a list of products it believes infringe its patents in a second case the two smartphone giants are fighting in the same California court.

“We have always preferred to compete in the marketplace with our innovative products, rather than in courtrooms,” Samsung said.

“However, Apple continues to take aggressive legal measures that will limit market competition. Under these circumstances, we have little choice but to take the steps necessary to protect our innovations,” it added.

The new iPhone went on sale around the world last month and enjoyed a record launch weekend, with sales topping five million.

Samsung and Apple-respectively the world’s number one and two smartphone makers-have been at loggerheads over dozens of patent lawsuits in 10 nations, accusing each other of copying technologies and designs.

The August verdict in California affected a range of Samsung products, including some of its popular Galaxy smartphones. Samsung has steadfastly denied the patent infringement charges by Apple, claiming it developed its devices independently. It unsuccessfully argued that Apple infringed on its wireless patents. — AFP

SEOUL: A woman walks past banners advertising Samsung smartphones at a mobile phone shop in Seoul yesterday. South Korea’s Samsung Electronics Co. says it has filed a motion with the California court to add Apple’s iPhone 5 to their ongoing patent battle. —AP

TOKYO: Japanese electronics giant NEC demonstrate their new technology used for image recognition in their smartphones or mobile terminals to provide information related to items photographed which is relayed from a server at a demonstration, at Asia’s largest electronics trade show CEATEC in Chiba, suburban Tokyo yesterday. Some 600 Japanese and foreign companies exhibited their latest technology and products. — AFP

TOKYO: A student of the Science University of Tokyo demonstrates a robotic “Muscle Suit”, developed by professor Hiroshi Kobayashi and powered by compressed air to assist the muscular ability of nursing carers and manual workers, at Asia’s largest electronics trade show CEATEC in Chiba, suburban Tokyo yesterday. — AFP

Smartphones control smart homes at Asia tech fair 600 companies showcasing gadgetry MAKUHARI, Japan: Homes where every device is linked up and can be controlled by smartphone were touted in Japan yesterday when Asia’s biggest tech fair threw open its doors.

Manufacturers said more and more items-from ovens to carswere now able to integrate thanks to better wireless technology, offering convenience and the chance to save energy.

More than 600 companies are showcasing cutting-edge gadgetry at this year’s Combined Exhibition of Advanced Technologies (CEATEC) in Makuhari, near Tokyo.

One of the highlights is “smart innovation” which connects home appliances from washing machines and air conditioners to security cameras at the door to mobile devices.

“You will soon be able to use your smartphone or tablet PC as if it is a remote control for all these appliances,” said Shuji Tomaru of Japanese mobile phone carrier NTT DoCoMo. “If somebody tries to break into your house, you would immediately know because your phone will receive the informa-

tion.” Residents, he said, could also use their phone to switch on the air conditioner before they return home or to turn on a washing machine.

Panasonic, which has already unveiled rice cookers and washing machines that can be controlled from a mobile phone, was Tuesday demonstrating bathroom scales and blood pressuremeasuring devices connected to the Internet. Masaki Matsukura at the company’s booth said that in ageing Japan, where grown children often live far from their parents, these devices can provide reassurance. “They can be used when you want to check on your father’s health condition, for example,” he said. “You can see the medical data whenever he measures his blood pressure, no matter where you live.” Japanese car giant Toyota used its first appearance at CEATEC to show off its new Smart Insect car.

These small electric vehicles can recognise their driver and can be programmed only to operate if they know the person behind the wheel. And in a move apeing the gestures that are becoming

increasingly familiar as the use of tablet computers spreads, the car will do things like open its door at the wave of an arm. “The Smart Insect is a car which can communicate with you, your home and society,” said Toyota’s Shigeki

Tomoyama. “You can tell it what you want by making gestures, and the car understands you and will adapt to your personal style.

“We like to think of it as a welltrained pet or a friend who understands you very well.” — AFP

TOKYO: Visitors browse the latest tablets and smartphones available from Japanese mobile communication company NTT DoCoMo, at Asia’s largest electronics trade show CEATEC in Chiba, suburban Tokyo yesterday. — AFP

Innovators getting older as complexity rises WASHINGTON: Venture capitalists in Silicon Valley prefer to fund the young, the next Mark Zuckerberg. Why? The common mantra is that if you are over 35, you are too old to innovate. In fact, there is an evolving profile of the “perfect” entrepreneur-smart enough to get into Harvard or Stanford and savvy enough to drop out. Some prominent figures are even urging talented young people to skip college, presumably so they do not waste their “youngness” on studying.

To a degree, the cult Silicon Valley has built around young people makes sense —particularly in the Internet and mobile technology. The young have a huge advantage because they aren’t encumbered by the past.

Older technology workers are experts in building and maintaining systems in old computer languages and architectures. They make much bigger salaries. Why should employers pay $150,000 for a worker with 20 years of irrelevant experience when they can hire a fresh college graduate for $60,000? After all, the graduate will bring in new ideas and doesn’t have to go home early to a family.

These graduates grew up in an era when the whole world was becoming connected. To them, the world is one giant social network in which they can play games or work with anyone, anywhere. This is not a USonly phenomenon. Children in Egypt and China are as Web-savvy as Americans.

With better, more timely information at their fingertips than any generation has had in history, the world’s children can rise above the fears and biases of their parents. That is why youth in the Middle East are fomenting revolutions and the Chinese are getting restless. A key ingredient in innovation is the ability to challenge authority and break rules, a passion the Internet is unlocking among a new generation of youth worldwide.

The young understand the

limits of the Web world, but they don’t know their own limits. It’s proving to be a powerful combination. Since they don’t know what isn’t possible, the Zuckerbergs can come up with new solutions to old problems.

That is why they lead the charge in starting innovative mobile and Web companies.

But great ideas by themselves don’t lead to breakthrough technologies or successful companies.

Ideas are dime a dozen. The value comes from translating ideas into inventions and inventions into successful ventures. To do this, you have to collaborate with others, obtain financing, understand markets, price products, develop distribution channels, and deal with rejection and failure. In other words, you need business and management skills and maturity.

These come with education, experience, and age.

Indeed, research by a team revealed that the average and median age of the founders of successful US technology businesses (with real revenues) is 39.

We found twice as many successful founders over 50 as under 25, and twice as many over 60 as under 20. So everyone has a shot at success, but age provides a distinct advantage.

Are venture capitalists misguided, then, in funding companies with baby-faced CEOs? Perhaps one answer lies in the results of a study conducted by the Kauffman Foundation. It found that during the period when funding young technology entrepreneurs became the norm, from 1997 to 2007, the venture industry grew dramatically. But returns actually stagnated and then declined-precipitously. The returns of venture industry lagged those of the small-cap Russell 2000 Index by 10 percent over the 10-year time frame.

When you meet entrepreneurs in India, Ireland, Brazil, and other parts of the world, you find many of the same dynamics at play. The young have the outrageous ideas, but its older people who

achieve business success. In all these countries, youth entrepreneurship is on the rise. And as in the United States, most of these businesses fail.

That’s okay when you can learn from your failures and start over-again and again. This has been Silicon Valley’s advantage: it accepts failure and encourages entrepreneurs to keep trying. It hasn’t been like this in other parts of the country and the world. In most places, if you fail, you don’t get a second chance. But cultures are changing. They are beginning to accept failure. So entrepreneurs all over the world are trying again and again. In the process, they are getting older and smarter, and eventually achieving success.

Even China is becoming more open to entrepreneurship, though in that country a chasm divides old and young. Despite the billions of dollars that China’s government is investing in research, there is practically no innovation in its labs: they are staffed by a generation that came of age in the days of the Cultural Revolution, when defying authority was a capital offense. But if you meet the young at the universities or the Internet cafes, you find the same innovative ability you see in Silicon Valley.

Most of what I discussed above was in the computing world. But we live in an era of exponentially expanding technologies. Moore’s law describes the advances in computing power. Today there are other fields of science and engineering advancing just as rapidly, such as robotics, synthetic biology, medicine, and nanomaterials.

The human genome, for example, was first sequenced about a decade ago at cost of more than a billion dollars; now the same feat costs $1,000. Together, all these advances are making it possible to address many of the grand challenges of humanity: making sure we all have adequate education, water, food, shelter, health, and security.

Entrepreneurs can now do what only governments and large corporations were once capable of.

But understanding these diverse technologies isn’t the domain of the young. Though college dropouts may know all about social media, it is very unlikely that they understand the intricacies of nanotechnology and artificial intelligence as well as their elders do. These are complex technologies that require not only a strong education but also the ability to work across domains and collaborate with intellectual peers in different disciplines of science and engineering.

Given all the new complexities in the sciences, it is no surprise that innovators are actually getting older.

Kellogg School of Management economist Benjamin F. Jones looked at the backgrounds of Nobel Prize winners and other great inventors of the 20th century. He found that the average age at which they made their greatest innovations was 39.

The largest mass of great advances - 72 percent - came in an inventor’s 30s and 40s, and only 7 percent came before the age of 26. What’s more, Jones found that the age at greatest achievement is actually rising, by about six years over the last century. Indeed, that effect was due to decreasing rates of invention at younger ages. The explanation is probably simple. People are spending more time in training as a prerequisite to contribute to complex fields.

The reality is that there is no age requirement for innovation.

The young and old can both innovate. The young dominate new-era software development, and software will be a key driving force in the convergence of other technologies that are expanding exponentially. So we badly need our young. And we need our older entrepreneurs to develop cross-disciplinary solutions that solve the grand challenges of humanity.

28

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

health & science

Great Barrier Reef coral halved in 27 years We can’t stop the storms but we can stop the starfish

CHICAGO: File photo shows Dr Andrew Wakefield speaks. —AP

Fraud growing in scientific research papers WASHINGTON: Fraud in scientific research, while still rare, is growing at a troubling pace, a new study finds. A review of retractions in medical and biological peer-reviewed journals finds the percentage of studies withdrawn because of fraud or suspected fraud has jumped substantially since the mid1970s. In 1976, there were fewer than 10 fraud retractions for every 1 million studies published, compared with 96 retractions per million in 2007.

The study authors aren’t quite sure why this is happening. But they and outside experts point to pressure to hit it big in science, both for funding and attention, and to what seems to be a subtle increase in deception in overall society that science may simply be mirroring.

Fraud in life sciences research is still minuscule and committed by only a few dozen scientific scofflaws. However, it causes big problems, said Arturo Casadevall, a professor of microbiology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.

Casadevall is the lead author of the study which looked at the reasons for 2,047 retractions among many millions of studies published in journals and kept in a government database for medically focused research. Fraud was the No 1 cause of retractions, accounting for 43 percent of them. When fraud was combined with other areas of misconduct, such as plagiarism, it explained about 2 out of 3 retractions, the study found. ÁVery few people are doing it, but when they do it, they are doing it in areas that are very important,‘ Casadevall said. ÁAnd when these things come out, society loses faith in science.‘ Prominent retractions that Casadevall cited for fraud include a notorious British study that wrongly linked childhood vaccines to autism, nine separate studies on highly touted research at Duke University about cancer treatment, and work by a South Korean cloning expert who later was convicted in court of embezzlement and illegally buying human eggs for research. Casadevall said he was surprised because he didn’t set out to study fraud. His plan was to examine the most common avoidable errors that caused retractions. What he found was that 889 of the more than 2,000 retractions were due to fraud or suspected fraud.

While other studies have shown a rise in retractions, no previous study has found scientific misconduct as the leading cause, said Nicholas Steneck, director of the research ethics program at the

University of Michigan, who wasn’t involved in the Casadevall study. That shows a need for better, more honest reporting of retractions by the science journals themselves, he said. He and others also said the findings suggest there may just be better detection of scientific fraud overall. Most Áscientists out there are well meaning and honest people who are going to be totally appalled by this,‘ Casadevall said. The study was published online Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, which had the second most retracted articles for all reasons, behind only the journal Science.

The publication with the most fraudbased retractions was the Journal of Biological Chemistry. PNAS ranked fifth.

Casadevall said that even if society as a whole has become more deceptive, ÁI used to think that science was on a different plane. But I think science is like everybody else and that we are susceptible to the same pressures.‘ In science, he said, ‘there’s a disproportionate reward system‘ so if a researcher is published in certain prominent journals they are more likely to get jobs and funding, so the temptations increase.

‘Bigger money makes for bigger reasons for fraud,‘ said New York University bioethicist Arthur Caplan. ‘More fame, more potential for profit... Some of the cheating and fraud is not too dissimilar to the cheating and fraud we’ve seen in banking.‘ Science historian Marcel LaFollette, author of a book about science fraud ‘Stealing into Print,‘ said researchers can’t prove that more people are lying in general in society, but they get the distinct feeling it’s happening more. And in 2006 an Associated Press-Ipsos poll found that while most people say they don’t approve of lying, 65 percent of those questioned said it is OK to lie in certain situations.

The world has become accustomed to lying and forgives politicians when they do it in relationships, LaFollette said. But it’s different when it’s a doctor, scientist or an engineer because people can get hurt, she said. Casadevall and Caplan pointed to the 1998 study in Lancet by Andrew Wakefield temporarily linking childhood vaccines to autism - a study later retracted because it was found to be what another scientific journal called Áan elaborate fraud.‘ ÁThink about the damage society took when mothers started to question vaccines,‘ Casadevall said. ‘ That—s damage and it—s still going on.‘ — AP

New Zealand team edges closer to allergy-free milk WELLINGTON: A team of New Zealand scientists claimed to be a step closer to producing allergy-free milk yesterday, using a genetically-modified cow for their medical breakthrough. The team at the AgResearch Institute said they had bred the first cow in the world to produce high-protein milk with significantly reduced amounts of a protein believed responsible for allergies. “This outstanding breakthrough has enormous implications,” said Graham le Gros, director of New Zealand’s Malaghan Institute, which focuses on finding cures for allergies.

The project has been underway since 2006 and came to fruition with milk from an 11-month old cloned calf named Daisy. “We were successful in greatly reducing the amount of beta-lactoglobulin (BLG), a milk whey protein which is

not in human breast milk and which can cause allergic reactions,” said Dr Stefan Wagner, one of the lead authors on the paper. “Two to three per cent of infants are allergic to cow’s milk, and BLG allergies make up a large part of that percentage.” The scientists first used a mouse to test their process of knocking BLG protein out of the composition of milk before Daisy was genetically modified and induced to lactate.

“We only obtained small quantities (of milk) over a few days for these initial studies,” Wagner said. “We now want to breed from Daisy and determine the milk composition and yield from a natural lactation.” The scientists are also interested to know why Daisy does not have a tail, although they do not believe this is linked to the genetic modification. —AFP

SYDNEY: Australia’s Great Barrier Reef has lost more than half its coral cover in the past 27 years due to storms, poisonous starfish and bleaching linked to climate change, a study found yesterday. The research by scientists from the Australian Institute of Marine Sciences (AIMS) and the University of Wollongong warned that coral cover on the heritage-listed reef-the world’s largest-could halve again by 2022 if trends continued.

Intense tropical cyclones were responsible for much of the damage, accounting for 48 percent, with outbreaks of the coral-feeding crown-of-thorns starfish linked to 42 percent.

Two severe coral bleaching events in 1998 and 2002 due to ocean warming also had “major detrimental impacts” on the central and northern parts of the reef, the study found, putting the impact at 10 percent.

Study author Hugh Sweatman said the findings, which were drawn from the world’s largest ever reef monitoring project involving more than 2,700 days at sea, showed that coral could recover from such trauma. “But recovery takes 10-20 years. At present, the intervals between the disturbances are generally too short for full recovery and that’s causing the long-term losses,” Sweatman said.

AIMS chief John Gunn said it was difficult to stop the storms and bleaching but researchers could focus their efforts on the large, spiny starfish, which feasts on coral polyps and can devastate reef cover.

Researchers believe starfish numbers have grown as its few predators declined and agricultural runoff such as fertilizer increased along the reef coast-causing algaes that starfish larvae feed on to bloom. “We can’t stop the storms but perhaps we can stop the starfish,” said Gunn. “If we can, then the reef will have more opportunity to adapt to the challenges of rising sea temperatures and ocean acidification.”

He said researchers would try to “better predict and reduce the periodic population explosions” of the crown-of-thorns starfish and explore how intervention on factors like water quality can reduce their numbers.

According to the study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, coral cover would be able to rejuvenate by 0.89 percent every year without the starfish. “So even with losses due to cyclones and bleaching there should be slow recovery,” said Gunn. UNESCO warned it was considering listing the reef as a heritage site in danger earlier this year due to the unprecedented gas and coal mining boom in northern Australia and increasing coastal development. —AFP

SYDNEY: An undated handout photo received from Australian Institute of Marine Science yesterday shows the coral eating starfish at Australia’s Great Barrier Reef which has lost more than half its coral cover in the past 27 years. —AFP photos

SYDNEY: Bleaching on a coral reef at Halfway Island in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.

Overnight dementia care gives caregivers some rest NEW YORK: Just after 10 pm, when most people their age are going to sleep, a group of elderly folks suffering from dementia are just getting started, dancing and shaking tambourines and maracas in a raucous version of “La Bamba.”

“It’s a party,” says an 81-year-old woman, among dozens of patients brought to a Bronx nursing home every night for a structured series of singalongs, crafts and therapy sessions that lasts until dawn.

The program, which appears to be rare, is kind of a “night camp” for dementia victims who don’t sleep at night or tend to wake up agitated or become frightened or disoriented by the fall of darkness. It’s meant to provide care and activity - lots of activity - to fill the wee hours for people with Alzheimer’s and similar diseases who live at home. And it’s meant to provide their caregivers - usually a son or daughter - with a treasured night’s sleep.

“Without this program, my father would be lost, and I would be crazy,” said Robert Garcia, whose 82-year-old father, Felix, is in the program at the Hebrew Home at Riverdale called ElderServe at Night. “He doesn’t sleep. At night he’s wide awake, and he needs activity.” Garcia, who lives in a Bronx apartment with his wife and three of their children,

said that before his father went into the program he would wake up in the night, loudly, and keep everyone else from sleeping.

“We would all wake up, and my daughter would ask, ‘Why is Grandpa screaming? Why is he so grumpy?’” Garcia said. “Now he comes home in the morning, shows me his drawings, tells me what they did all night.” While many nursing homes offer temporary “respite care” so caregivers can catch up on sleep or go on vacation, the overnight-only program at the Hebrew Home fills a niche.

But costs are high, and such programs are rare. An official at the Alzheimer’s Association said she knew of no other.

Daniel Reingold, president and CEO of the Hebrew Home, said the nonsectarian overnight program was started in 1998 because anecdotal studies found the biggest reason people gave for admitting loved ones into the nursing home was sleep deprivation of the caregiver. “Someone with Alzheimer’s can be getting up at 3 a.m., banging the pots and pans, thinking they were making dinner, even walking out of the house,” Reingold said. “We heard stories of caregivers who were sleeping on mattresses across the front doorway so their loved one couldn’t get out.”

Most patients’ care is covered

by Medicaid, which pays the Hebrew Home $140 a night, plus $74 for transportation to and from home. Dr Robert Abrams, a geriatric psychiatrist at NewYorkPresbyterian Hospital, said sleep problems are typical in dementia and include the syndrome known as “sundowning,” in which the fall of darkness causes confusion and fear. At the Hebrew Home, shades are kept closed.

Abrams says an overnight activity program like the Hebrew Home’s is preferable to “fighting nature by insisting that participants try to sleep.”

Ruth Drew, director of family services at the Alzheimer’s Association in Chicago, said, “Many family members want to care for relatives with Alzheimer’s at home, but in order to do that, the caregivers themselves have to remain healthy. You cannot stay healthy if you don’t get a good night’s sleep.”

Many patients sleep a few hours at home during the day.

As the night passed at the Hebrew Home, other activities were offered to the 34 patients, who were in their 60s to 90s. Most moved on to a “cooking” program, where they were asked to peel and slice a banana, then add grapes and blueberries for a fruit salad.

During the slow process, the

patients were asked, in English and Spanish, about colors and shapes.

Several downed the fruit as it came their way, before salads could be compiled.

Other nighttime activities include walks through the nearly empty halls of the nursing home and “movie nights” with popcorn.

Patients who are up to it are sometimes taken on field trips, for example to see the neighborhood’s Christmas lights. In quiet rooms, patients with more profound dementia were guided in simple puzzles like putting a peg in a hole. Others had sand or water poured over their hands to stimulate tactile sensations and perhaps reminiscences.

“They haven’t been to the beach in years,” said program director Deborah Messina. “Maybe it’s a fond memory.” One darkened room was filled with recorded sounds of nature, a pleasant aroma and twinkly lights, all meant to provide gentle stimulation. On occasion, a patient would nod off.

There are “resting rooms” for patients who want to sleep, but half-hour naps in their chairs are more common.

“It’s like a sleepover,” Messina said. “It’s a little bit of a party, and like a sleepover, when they come home in the morning, they haven’t slept much.” —AP

Smoked salmon blamed for salmonella outbreak NETHERLANDS: Dutch public health authorities say smoked salmon tainted with salmonella bacteria has sickened hundreds of people in the Netherlands and the United States, sparking a major recall. Those infected by the salmonella bacteria can suffer symptoms including fever, vomiting and diarrhea.

The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment says the salmon has been traced to Dutch com-

pany Foppen, which sells fish to many major Dutch supermarkets and to stores around the world. The institute said in a statement yesterday that around 200 people - and likely more in the Netherlands and more than 100 people in the United States have been sickened. Foppen, which processes fish in the Netherlands and at a factory in Greece, says it is investigating the cause of the outbreak. —AP

NEW YORK: File photo shows dementia patient naps at the Hebrew Home at Riverdale in the Bronx borough of New York. —AP photos

NEW YORK: A staffer uses a water-filled toy to stimulate a dementia patient’s sense of touch at the Hebrew Home.

H E A LT H & S C I E NC E

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

Shootings expose cracks in US mental health system MINNEAPOLIS: Andrew Engeldinger’s parents pushed him for two years to seek treatment for what they suspected was mental illness, but even though he became increasingly paranoid and experienced delusions, there was nothing more they could do.

Minnesota law doesn’t allow people to be forced into treatment without proof that they are a threat to themselves or others. Engeldinger’s parents were horrified last week, when their 36-year-old son went on a workplace shooting spree that led to the deaths of a Minneapolis sign company’s owner, several of his employees and a UPS driver. Engeldinger then killed himself.

“They wanted him to get treatment.

They wanted him to get help,” said Sue Abderholden, the executive director of the Minnesota chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, who has acted as a family spokeswoman. She added: “You’re not going to convince someone they’re ill if they don’t want

to believe it.” This is a problem faced by many friends and relatives of people suffering from mental illness, along with the police officers and health care providers to whom they turn for help.

While a small number of people with mental illness commit acts of violence, the difficulty of securing treatment and ensuring it is successful - and the catastrophic consequences of failure are common threads that often link such outbursts. “ These are not random acts of violence,” said Dr E. Fuller Torrey, a psychiatrist at the nonprofit Stanley Medical Research Institute in Maryland. “It is my personal belief that these episodes will increase in number and severity and will continue until we figure out what to do about it.”

Engeldinger was never formally diagnosed with a mental illness, but his family was concerned enough by their son’s behavior, which included claims that he was being followed, to

VIENNA: Kevin Earley, 33, displays one of his paintings outside his apartment that he shares with a roommate.—AP photos

enroll in a free, 12-week course for loved ones of people with mental illness before he cut off contact in late 2010. His willful estrangement kept his parents from the basement of his small bungalow, where police said he stockpiled 10,000 rounds of ammunition and a second gun on top of the 9mm Glock semi-automatic pistol he used in Thursday’s shooting. Without evidence that he was a threat to himself or others, they were unable to force him into treatment under Minnesota law.

A successful patients’ rights movement in the 1970s made it difficult and illegal in some states - to force a person into treatment unless he or she was homicidal or suicidal. Dr Darold Treffert, a Wisconsin psychiatrist, coined the phrase “dying with their rights on” in 1974, after collecting stories of people who didn’t qualify for involuntary commitment and later killed themselves. In the years since, 41 states have added “need for treatment” standards to their laws that allow more individuals to be placed into court-ordered treatment programs. Minnesota is not among them.

“The pendulum is slowly returning to a reasonable balance,” Treffert said.

“I have comforted myself on this long mission with the realization that some things can be learned and can’t be taught. We do seem to be learning slowly from tragedies.”

A sly suggestion from a police officer led Kevin Earley’s father to lie and say the young man was violent so that he would get treatment. Earley, then 23, was arrested after breaking into someone else’s house to take a bubble bath. “He said, ‘Unless you tell them your son threatened to kill you, they won’t admit him and we’ll take him to jail, and you don’t want that,’” said Pete Earley, an author in Fairfax, Va., who has written about his son’s experience in the mental health care system.

Kevin Earley was seeing secret messages all around him, but his father

VIENNA:Kevin Earley stands next to the medicine cabinet which has an old photo taped to it, in the bathroom of his apartment. never heard his clearly psychotic son threaten himself or others. “I went in and I lied. And that got him into the hospital,” Pete Earley said.

But just getting patients diagnosed or enrolled in treatment often isn’t enough. Virginia Tech gunman SeungHui Cho was ordered into outpatient treatment before he killed 32 people in 2007.

This summer, prosecutors say, James Holmes killed 12 people at a midnight premiere of a new Batman movie in Colorado. His attorneys say he had an undisclosed mental illness, and his psychiatrist tried to report him to a campus behavioral and security committee. Experts say it can take years before patients agree to stick with a prescribed treatment. Elyn Saks, a law professor at the University of Southern California, has schizophrenia and, without medication, starts to believe she can kill hundreds of thousands of people with her thoughts.

Until the mid-1990s, when she was in her 40s, Saks tried periodically to skip

her drugs.“I felt so ashamed,” said Saks, a MacArthur Foundation “genius grant” winner for her contributions to mental health law. “It’s an internalized stigma. I wanted to be whole, I wanted to be well. Each time I tried to get off medication, I did it with great gusto and failed miserably.” Now, she takes her pills. “Frankly, I’m sorry I wasn’t smarter sooner.” Earley initially didn’t stick with treatment after his father lied to get him into a hospital. He became violent - he was shot with a Taser by a police officer at one point and was hospitalized five times before he realized he couldn’t live without his medication.

“I know I have a mental illness and if I leave it untreated it will destroy me,” said Earley, who now works full time as a peer counselor in Fairfax County, Va., helping others with severe mental illnesses. With treatment, he said, “I have my own apartment, a car ... I’m able to do things with friends and family. I have a job I can go to that gives me pride.”—AP

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

WHAT’S ON

Oriental Wednesdays at Radisson Blu SEND US YOUR INSTAGRAM PICS

uffet treats from Kuwait to Beijing.

Starting October 3 at the Rangoli Restaurant. Rangoli will serve you amazing Oriental flavors from India, China, South East Asia and the Middle East. Our live music performers will add zest to your evening every Wednesday from 06:30 pm to 11:00 pm.

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hat’s more fun than clicking a beautiful picture? Sharing it with others! This summer, let other people see the way you see Kuwait - through your lens. Friday Times will feature snapshots of Kuwait through Instagram feeds. If you want to share your Instagram photos, email us at instagram@kuwaittimes.net

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Consular Open House

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KTMCC Annual convention 2012 uwait Town Malayalee Christian Congregation’s (KTMCC) annual convention will be held at National Evangelical Church (NECK) from 2 - 5 Oct 2012 (7:30- 9:30 pm). Dr Alexander Kurian from Dallas USA, a renowned orator will be the main speaker.

Message will be in English and translation into Malayalam. KTMCC is the 1st Indian Christian congregation established in Kuwait 60 years back consisting of believers from Mar Thoma Church, CSI Church, Indian Evangelical Church, Pentecostal Churches and Brethren Assembly. Currently around 30 congregations under KTMCC’s umbrella are worshipping at NECK. KTMCC’s choir with participation of all the churches will be leading the singing session of the convention. KTMCC Secretary, K P Koshy and president M Mathews informed arrangements for the convention are in progress.Various committees are working for the success of convention. Free transportation provided from different parts of Kuwait.

TLKS holds mega religious and cultural extravaganza

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Study In Canada Fair 2012 he Embassy of Canada in Kuwait is pleased to announce that the seventh annual Middle East Education Initiative (MEEI), composed of approximately 20 leading Canadian universities and colleges, will be visiting Kuwait from October 2-4, 2012. Representatives from the institutions will be available to meet with students, parents and other members of the education community, and provide information about study opportunities in Canada.

The tour includes select school visits and a Study in Canada fair at the Marina Hotel, Salmiya, on October 3 from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

Quality education is available throughout Canada, and each of our 10 provinces and three territories have something exciting to offer. With its safe and welcoming environment and affordable tuition fees, Canada remains a top destination for international students wishing to pursue their studies abroad.

The enthusiasm shown by international students for post-secondary studies in Canada gives testimony to the superior quality of our education system.

Students recognize that Canada offers them the opportunity to earn academic qualifications that are recognized and respected around the world, while being part of a tolerant and vibrant multicultural community.

International students in Canada have access to the most sophisticated and up-to-date technologies and facilities, and to programs which allow them to gain valuable work experience through work placements and cooperative education. We invite you to come and meet the representatives from Canada’s colleges, universities and language schools, and discover how studying in Canada will set you on the path to achieving your dreams.

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The schools participating in the tour will be: Carleton University Columbia College University of Winnipeg University of Alberta Dalhousie University Memorial University University of Windsor Vancouver Island University Mount Saint Vincent University University of Manitoba Saint Mary University SAIT Polytechnic Institute College of New Caledonia Fraser International College York University University of the Fraser Valley Grant MacEwan University Ryerson University Kwantlen Polytechnic University University of Waterloo, UAE International College of Manitoba (Navitas College) Seneca College Sheridan Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning

elugu Lalitha Kala SamithiKuwait held a three-day mega religious and cultural extravaganza called “Gulf Ganesh Utsavaalu2012” which started on Wednesday, 19th Sep 2012 evening with auspicious pooja of Ganesha Prathima Prathistapana pooja performed by priest Sharma, with religious flavors by the members of TLKS while other devotees observed utmost devotion in seeking the divine blessings of Lord Ganesh at Carmel School Khaitan, Kuwait.

Last day on Friday 21st Sep 2012 begin with a daylong celebration with cultural programs. During the celebration special tribute given to famous Telugu poet Mahakavi Shri Gurazada Appa Rao on his 150th birthday celebrations documentary by playing his famous poem “Puthadi Bomma Purnamma, kanya Sulkum”.

TLKS members and more than 1,500 Telugu people sung Deshamunu preminchu Manna” song which is one of his famous creation. The cultural programme conducted by TLKS were dedicated to the great poet Mahakavi Shri Gurazada Appa Rao. After the Ganesh pooja program, special attraction of the day was the laddu prasadam specially prepared for this occasion by Mayura Hotel (Narayana Reddy) which was kept for auction started with 50 KWD to the audience and the highest bidder was the well known businessman Mamidi Narayana and Mamidi Prameela garu family on behalf of his son Lakshman, who is currently working in USA, an

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amount of KWD 816 (INR 1,60,000).

The President of the Telugu Lalitha Kala Samithi, Kothapalli Mohan Babu presented the activities of the samithi and highlighted the achievements made by the samithi since its inception in that during first anniversary few poor people were gifted with flight tickets sponsored by TLKS presented by President Kothapalli Mohan Babu. Later, the outgoing president Mohan Babu, and his executive committee members dissolved

Krishna ( Devi Nagaraj Family) Eternity Travel & Tourism ( Babu Naidu), Jyothi Travels - Kodur (Polina Sivaiah Naidu), Chejarla Indra Kumar Raju, GKSR Klayana ManadamRajampet, Shri. Konduru Madhu ( Mobile Shop - Farwaniya) Shri. Gopal Raju, Naidu, Damodar Naidu (Double Click Computers), Ratnam Naidu ( Team), Shri P Partha Saradhi (Gulf Sea Est), Kuchivaripalli Youth association, and many other Telugu associations and Telugu communities and well-

the office bearers for the year 201112 and unanimously appointed the new office bearers for the year 201213 Executive committee were invited on behalf of current president of TLKS Raja Sekhar Chappidi.

The programs were sponsored by Sky Net Mobiles Co (Mr. K V N Prasad), Agri Gold ( Rajesh Kumar - Pearl Al Bayda Gen Trading Co), Yashaswy Sai

wishers.

Finally, The TLKS also extended its heartful thanks to the Kuwait government for extending support to the religious and cultural activities of the foreigners living in Kuwait. The programmes concluded with the immersion of the Ganesha idol.

Kulaura selects new committee n Sept 14 in Kuwait City at Gulshan Hotel, Kulaura social welfare organization, Kuwait’s new committee was declared (2012-13). The meeting was presided by Mujibur Rahman, convener of the committee. Chief guest Sayful Atom, special guest Muslim Uddin with Kulaura Upzila ten union and pouroshova representative members attended the meeting. All agreed to select Sheakh Nizamur Rahman (Tipu) president, Poet Md Abdus Salam General Secretary and Savdur Rahman (Rumen) Organization secretary.

Vice president Kurshed Alon, Nayor Ali, Joint secretary Suhel Box, Finance Secretary Muhibur Rah man, Joint Finance Secretary Sahed Miah, Office Secretary Md Moktis ur Rahman, Literature & Culture Secretary Abdul Kayum (Mintu), Publicity Secretary Manik Miah, Joint Sayful Islam, Affair Secretary

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Send to What’s On

UPCOMING EVENTS ‘Leniency of Islam’ n unprecedented initiative of KTV2 (English channel) is the new program by the name ‘Leniency of Islam’ presented by Shaikh Musaad Alsane and directed by Hamid Al-Turkait. The program is mainly meant to address the expatriates living in Kuwait.

Religious questions are received through the program email qislam@tv.gov.kw and sms can be sent to97822021 and answered by the lecturer and Imam in Awqaf Ministry Shaikh Musaad Alsane - a Master Degree holder in Sharia and fiqih from Kuwait University. So don’t forget to watch the program every Friday at 1:00 pm.

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Focus Kuwait 6th annual day s a part of the 6th anniversary celebrations, Forum of Cadd Users (FOCUS Kuwait), a nonpolitical, non-religious organization is set to stage a mega cultural event “Focus Fest-2012”. This mega event will be a blend of traditional and contemporary dance and musical extravaganza by renowned South Indian playback singers Jyotsna and Sudeesh.

Scheduled for the afternoon of Friday, October 12, 2012, at the Al-Jeel Al-Jadeed School Auditorium, Hawally, the mega musical show, is expected to be a super-hit in Kuwait.

Audition for ZEE Antakshari or the first time Indian Cultural Society brings you live excitement of ZEE - International Antakshari in Kuwait. Audition & first round will be held in Kuwait, there after followed by semi finals in India & Grand Finale in Dubai. Complete team of Carnival films & Zee TV will be in Kuwait for the final round of selection on Friday 5th October with Jaaved Jaaferi: Celebrity Judge, Akriti Kakkar: Female Bollywood Singer & Host of Antakshari, Manish Paul: Host for Auditions, Sarfaraz Khan: Actor, Director and Producer, Michael Amin: Producer & Director Carnival films world. Musicians, Male Singer & many more for live performances. Final audition at 10 am & music show at 7:30 pm at AISHawally.

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Tulukoota Kuwait ‘Merit Scholarship’ pplications are now being invited for “Tulukoota Kuwait Merit Cum Means Scholarship” to be awarded during Tuluparba 2012 scheduled to be held on October 11 and 12, 2012. The objective of this scholarship is to provide financial assistance and support to deserving meritorious students, to enable them to pursue their higher studies. Applications are accepted from minimum one year valid Tulukoota Kuwait member’s children studying either in the State of Kuwait or in India and scoring high grades in Xth and XIIth standard Board Examination held for Academic year 2011-2012.

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Asuk Miah, Joint Nazrut Islam, Information Secretary Fazlur Rahman, Joint Nazrul Alom, and the others members of Forid Uddin, Sahed Ahmed, Bodrul Miah, Moslu Miah, Abdus Satter, Sojol Dor, Tara Miah, Amru Miah, Hakim Miah,

Makku Miah. The advisor of Md Mujibur Rahman (Sufi Miah), Md Sayful Alom, M A Rahman (Buru), Sultan Miah (Selim), Juned Ahmed, Nazrul Islam & A Malik.

Fankaar arts show on Oct 6 ankaar Arts, celebrating its 27th year, presents yet another entertaining show ‘Drama & Dance Nite’ on Saturday, 6th Oct at 6:30 pm sharp at Salmiya Indian Model School, Salmiya. The group will perform its super hit play ‘Phir Bhi Mumbai Meri Jaan’ along with song and dance performances. Shri Satish Mehta, Ambassador of India, will grace the occasion as chief guest.

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Indian workers helpline/helpdesk: Indian workers helpline is accessible by toll free telephone number 25674163 from all over Kuwait. It provides information and advice to Indian workers as regards their grievances, immigration and other matters.

The help desk at the Embassy (Open from 9AM to 1PM and 2PM to 4:30PM, Sunday to Thursday) provides guidance to Indian nationals on routine immigration, employment, legal and other issues. It also provides workers assistance in filling up labour complaint forms. For any unaddressed issues, the concerned attache in the Labour section and the head of the Labour Wing can be contacted.

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Write to us

upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

onsular Wing is providing daily service of Open House to Indian citizens on all workings days from 1000 hrs to 1100 hrs and from 1430 hrs to 1530 hrs by the Consular Officer in the Meeting Room of the Consular Hall at the Embassy.

For any unaddressed issues, Second Secretary (Consular) can be contacted. Furthermore, the head of the Consular Wing is also available to redress grievances.

IOC Gandhidarsan exhibition on Oct 5 ndian overseas congress, Kuwait is organizing photo exhibition of Mahatma Gandhi’s life, “Gandhidarsan 2012” on October 5th and 6th at United Indian School, Abbasiya. The exhibition starts at 6:30 pm on Oct 5th. and ends on Oct. 6th evening which will be inaugurated by Aleyamma Thomas, a freedom fighter who met Gandhiji by person. More than 200 pictures of Gandhi’s life will be exhibited. Photos from Gandhi’s childhood to his tragic death will be exhibited at the venue.

Very rare photos of His African life, pictures of various Indian Freedom movement and other exclusive photos are included. IOC requests each and everyone especially parents to make use of the exhibition by encouraging children to the venue.

Exhibition is organized to encourage the new generation to study and disseminate the thoughts, values and ideals of Mahatma Gandhi. The organizers believe that it is the duty of every Indian citizen to spread the ideals of non-violence and to make aware of the great achievement by non-violence, India’s freedom. A committee of General convener Varghese Mamparampan, Jt. Gen. Conveners Tony Mathew and Santhosh, Prog.

Committee convener Tomychen Puthiyaparampil, Arrangement Comm. Convener Joshy Ullatil, Jt convenors Roy Kuttanad and Sunil Sunny with M.A.Hilal, Geevarghese Abraham, Somu Mathew and Raju Zakarias are leading the arrangements of the exhibition.

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WHAT’S ON

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

Embassy Information

Gandhiji exhibition held at Carmel

EMBASSY OF AUSTRALIA The Australian Embassy Kuwait does not have a visa or immigration department. All processing of visas and immigration matters in conducted by The Australian Consulate-General in Dubai. Email: info.ausdxb@vfshelpline.com (VFS) immigration.dubai@dfat.gov.au (Visa Office); Tel: +971 4 355 1958 (VFS) - +971 4 508 7200 (Visa Office); Fax: +971 4 355 0708 (Visa Office). In Kuwait applications can be lodged at the Australian Visa Application Centre 4B 1st Floor, Al-Banwan Building Al-Qibla Area, Ali Al-Salem Street, opposite the Central Bank of Kuwait, Kuwait City, Kuwait. Working hours and days: 09:30 - 17:30; Sunday - Thursday.

Or visit their website www.vfs-au-gcc-com for more information. Kuwait citizens can apply for tourist visas on-line at www.immi.gov.au/e visa/e676.htm.

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EMBASSY OF ARGENTINE The Embassy of Argentina requests all Argentinean citizens in Kuwait to proceed to our official email ekuwa@mrecic.gov.ar in order to register or update contact information. The embassy encourages all citizens to do so, including the ones who have already registered in person at the embassy.

The registration process helps the Argentinean Government to contact and assist Argentineans living abroad in case of any emergency.

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he greatest icon Gandhiji is unfortunately not known to many children belonging to the new generation. To remedy this situation, Carmel School hosted an exhibition on the life of Gandhiji on the 26th and 27th Sept 2012. The exhibition showcased a huge collection of large, rare, black and white

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photographs spanning Gandhiji’s entire life. The photographs were generously loaned to Carmel by The Indian Overseas Congress and the management wishes to express their heartfelt gratitude for the same.

Also exhibited were the collages and paintings of Gandhi done by the students of classes IX and X.

Through the photographs students got a better idea of Gandhi’s contribution to the freedom struggle.

Students from neighbouring schools attended the exhibition.

Family Day out at India International School ct 1 is designated as ‘International Day of Older Persons’ by the United National General Assembly. To venerate and honor all elders, to accord a great deal of respect to parents and grandparents in particular, IIS under the auspices of KG Head Shifana Muizz and her team of talented teachers, organized a ‘Family Day Out’. It was a remarkable day for everyone as the teacher and students clad in colourful attire displayed the roles of grandparents,

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parents, brothers and sisters. It was an amazing moment for the students to watch their teachers dressed up as their loved ones in special costumes.

Everyone was delighted to watch the spectacular performance of the teachers and their stupendous display of talent and creativity. From modern to traditional, from parents to grandparents, from Western to Eastern culture, from gorgeous and resplendent to austere and classic, students and teachers have made this day an

impressive and memorable one.

These moments were cherished by the Director Malyil Moosa Koya, Principal F M Basheer Ahmed and Vice Principal Narender Kaur. It was indeed a fantastic exposure for the children to understand and comprehend the significance and importance of a family. To realize and appreciate the bond that exists in a family, to talk about their beloved ones in the family.

EMBASSY OF CYPRUS In its capacity as EU Local Presidency in the State of Kuwait, the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus, on behalf of the Member States of the EU and associated States participating in the Schengen cooperation, would like to announce that as from 2nd October 2012 all Schengen States’ Consulates in Kuwait will use the Visa Information System (VIS). The VIS is a central database for the exchange of data on short-stay (up to three months) visas between Schengen States. The main objectives of the VIS are to facilitate visa application procedures and checks at external border as well as to enhance security. The VIS will contain all the Schengen visa applications lodged by an applicant over five years and the decisions taken by any Schengen State’s consulate. This will allow applicants to establish more easily the lawful use of previous visas and their bona fide status. For the purpose of the VIS, applicants will be required to provide their biometric data (fingerprints and digital photos) when applying for a Schengen visa. It is a simple and discreet procedure that only takes a few minutes. Biometric data, along with the data provided in the Schengen visa application form, will be recorded in the VIS central database.

Therefore, as from 2nd October 2012, first-time applicants will have to appear in person when lodging the application, in order to provide their fingerprints. For subsequent applications within 5 years the fingerprints can be copied from the previous application file in the VIS. The Cypriot Presidency would like to assure the people of Kuwait and all its permanent citizens that the Member States and associated States participating in the Schengen cooperation, have taken all necessary technical measures to facilitate the rapid examination and the efficient processing of visa applications and to ensure a quick and discreet procedure for the implementation of the new VIS. ■■■■■■■

EMBASSY OF FRANCE The Embassy would like to inform that starting September 2nd, 2012, visa demands for France will be handled by the outsourcing company “Capago - MENA Company”. Capago - MENA’S Call Center will be operational starting Sunday August 26 for setting appointments beginning September 2nd (+965 22270555).

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TEMBASSY OF INDIA The Embassy of India will remain closed on the following days during the month of October 2012: OCT 02, 2012 -TuesdayMahatma Gandhi’s Birthday. OCT 24, 2012 Wednesday-Dussehra (Vijaya Dashami) ■■■■■■■

Strikes hamper Kerala developments: Jacob f Kerala does not find a way to avoid ‘Hartaals’ and other conventional strikes that interrupt normal life, then the development initiatives of the state would not succeed.

Politicization of developmental initiatives should be avoided as the state is poised to lose its human resources capital to low standards in politics, “ warned Anoop Jacob, Kerala Minister of Civil Supplies.

The minister was giving the inaugural speech for the cultural get-together function named “Sargolsavam 2012” of the St Thomas Mar Thoma Church, Kuwait at the Indian Community School, Kuwait. He applauded the non-resident Malayalees of Kuwait for their special consideration and care in transferring knowledge on various traditional arts and cultural forms of Kerala to generations and in taking a keen interest in introducing these arts forms in different parts of the globe.

The inaugural function was chaired by Rev

“I

Thomas Koshy Panachimottil, Vicar, St Thomas Mar Thoma Church, Kuwait. Rev. K G Koshy, Rev. C. V Simon, Vicar, St Johns Mar Thomas Church, Kuwait), George Kunnapuzha, Roy Varghese, Laloo Thomas, Shibu Cherian, Manoj M Mathew and John Alexander gave felicitation speeches.

Various arts and cultural events along with some indoor sports competitions were held as part of the event. ‘Pookkalam’ competition held under the theme “world peace” for the prayer groups turned out to be a grant success. All eight pookalam designs made at the venue by the prayer group teams turned out to be very high quality floral arrangements depicting the theme.

Mahnaim prayer group bagged the first prize, while Emmaus and Canan prayer groups bagged 1st and 2nd runner up positions. Rajiv Nair and Nazurudhin gave away prizes for the winners.

EMBASSY OF MYANMAR Embassy of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar would like to inform the general public that the Embassy has moved its office to new location at Villa 35, Road 203, Block 2, Al-Salaam Area in South Surra. The Embassy wishes to advice Myanmar citizens and travellers to Myanmar to contact Myanmar Embassy at its new location. Tel. 25240736, 25240290, Fax: 25240749, email:myankuwait11@gmai1.com.

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EMBASSY OF NIGERIA The Nigerian embassy has its new office in Mishref. Block 3, Street 7, House 4. For enquires please call 25379541. Fax25387719. Email- nigeriakuwait@yahoo.com or nigeriankuwait@yahoo.co.uk.

■■■■■■■

EMBASSY OF UKRAINE We’d like to inform you that in response to the increasing number of our citizens who work in the state and the need for 24-hour operational telephone in case of emergency the Embassy of Ukraine in the State of Kuwait has opened “hotline telephone number” - (+ 965) 972-79-206.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

TV PROGRAMS

00:45 01:35 02:25 02:50 03:15 03:40 04:05 04:55 05:20 05:45 06:10 06:35 07:00 07:25 08:15 09:10 10:05 11:00 11:55 12:20 12:50 13:15 13:45 14:40 15:35 16:00 16:30 17:25 18:20 19:15 19:40 20:10 20:35 21:05 22:00 22:55 23:50

Killer Crocs I’m Alive Animal Airport Animal Airport Safari Vet School Safari Vet School Galapagos Animal Battlegrounds Dark Days In Monkey City Wild Africa Rescue Wild Africa Rescue Wildlife SOS Talk To The Animals Growing Up...

Dogs 101 Bad Dog Galapagos World Wild Vet Vet On The Loose Vet On The Loose Wildlife SOS Rescue Vet Animal Cops Houston Galapagos Dark Days In Monkey City Talk To The Animals America’s Cutest...

The Jeff Corwin Experience Dogs 101 Wildlife SOS Rescue Vet Animal Battlegrounds Dark Days In Monkey City Galapagos The Magic Of The Big Blue Monster Bug Wars Animal Cops Miami

00:30 Antiques Roadshow 01:25 Holmes On Homes 02:10 Holmes On Homes 03:00 Living In The Sun 03:55 Saturday Kitchen 2008/09 04:25 Saturday Kitchen 2008/09 04:50 MasterChef 05:20 Living In The Sun 06:15 MasterChef 07:10 MasterChef Australia 08:00 MasterChef Australia 08:25 Holmes On Homes 09:10 Holmes On Homes 10:00 Bargain Hunt 10:45 Antiques Roadshow 11:40 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 12:20 Gok’s Clothes Roadshow 13:10 Twiggy’s Frock Exchange 14:00 10 Years Younger 14:50 Bargain Hunt 15:35 Antiques Roadshow 16:30 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 17:10 Gok’s Clothes Roadshow 18:00 Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Secrets 18:25 The Hairy Bikers’ Cookbook 18:50 Rick Stein’s Far Eastern Odyssey 19:45 Coastal Kitchen 20:10 Antiques Roadshow 21:00 Open House 21:30 Holmes On Homes 22:15 Bargain Hunt 23:00 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 23:45 Gok’s Clothes Roadshow

00:00 00:30 01:00 01:30 01:45 02:00 02:30 02:45 03:00 03:30 03:45 04:00 04:30 04:45

BBC World News America BBC World News America Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today BBC World News Asia Business Report Sport Today

05:00 BBC World News 05:30 Asia Business Report 05:45 Sport Today 06:00 BBC World News 06:30 Hardtalk 07:00 BBC World News 07:30 World Business Report 07:45 BBC World News 08:00 BBC World News 08:30 World Business Report 08:45 BBC World News 09:00 BBC World News 09:30 World Business Report 09:45 BBC World News 10:00 BBC World News 10:30 World Business Report 10:45 BBC World News 11:00 BBC World News 11:30 Hardtalk 12:00 BBC World News 12:30 World Business Report 12:45 BBC World News 13:00 BBC World News 13:30 BBC World News 14:00 GMT With George Alagiah 14:30 GMT With George Alagiah 15:00 BBC World News 15:30 World Business Report 15:45 Sport Today 16:00 Impact With Mishal Husain 16:30 Impact With Mishal Husain 17:00 Impact With Mishal Husain 17:30 World Business Report 17:45 Sport Today 18:00 BBC World News 18:30 Hardtalk 19:00 The Hub With Nik Gowing 19:30 The Hub With Nik Gowing 20:00 The Hub With Nik Gowing 20:30 BBC Focus On Africa 21:00 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 21:30 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 22:00 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 22:30 World Business Report 22:45 Sport Today 23:00 Business Edition With Tanya Beckett 23:30 Hardtalk

00:10 Puppy In My Pocket 00:35 Tom & Jerry Kids 01:00 Scooby Doo Where Are You! 01:25 The Flintstones 01:50 Pink Panther And Pals 02:15 Looney Tunes 02:40 Help! It’s The Hair Bear Bunch 03:00 Dexter’s Laboratory 03:25 Tom & Jerry 03:50 Looney Tunes 04:15 The Scooby Doo Show 04:40 Johnny Bravo 05:00 The Flintstones 05:25 The Jetsons 05:50 Wacky Races 06:00 New Yogi Bear Show 06:15 The Garfield Show 06:30 Bananas In Pyjamas 06:55 Gerald McBoing Boing 07:20 Baby Looney Tunes 07:45 Jelly Jamm 08:00 Puppy In My Pocket 08:25 The Garfield Show 08:50 Moomins 09:15 Pink Panther And Pals 09:40 Dastardly And Muttley 10:05 Tom & Jerry 10:30 Scooby Doo Where Are You! 10:55 Looney Tunes 11:20 Duck Dodgers 11:45 Dexters Laboratory 12:00 Jelly Jamm 12:15 Baby Looney Tunes 12:40 Ha Ha Hairies 12:55 Gerald McBoing Boing 13:20 Bananas In Pyjamas 13:35 The Flintstones 14:00 Popeye 14:25 Top Cat 14:50 The Garfield Show 15:15 Pink Panther And Pals 15:40 Tom & Jerry 16:05 The Scooby Doo Show 16:30 Looney Tunes (Hannah Barbera) 16:40 Pink Panther And Pals 17:05 Moomins 17:30 The Garfield Show 17:55 Johnny Bravo

18:20 Doo 18:45 19:00 19:15 19:40 19:55 20:20 20:35 21:00 Doo 21:25 21:50 22:15 22:40 23:05 23:20 23:45

Scooby-Doo And ScrappyDexters Laboratory Jelly Jamm Baby Looney Tunes Ha Ha Hairies Gerald McBoing Boing Bananas In Pyjamas Pink Panther And Pals Scooby-Doo And ScrappyThe Garfield Show Johnny Bravo Dexter’s Laboratory Dastardly And Muttley Popeye The Jetsons Duck Dodgers

00:30 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 00:55 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 01:20 Foster’s Home For...

01:45 Foster’s Home For...

02:10 Courage The Cowardly Dog 03:00 The Amazing World Of Gumball 03:25 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 03:50 Adventure Time 04:15 The Powerpuff Girls 04:40 Generator Rex 05:05 Ben 10 05:30 Ben 10 05:55 Angelo Rules 06:00 Cow & Chicken 06:30 Casper’s Scare School 07:00 Eliot Kid 07:45 Johnny Test 08:05 The Powerpuff Girls 08:55 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 09:20 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 09:45 Courage The Cowardly Dog 10:35 Grim Adventures Of...

11:00 Level Up 12:15 The Marvelous Misadventures...

13:05 Batman: The Brave And The Bold 13:30 Young Justice 13:55 Camp Lazlo 14:45 Ben 10: Alien Force 15:10 Ben 10: Alien Force 15:35 Ed, Edd n Eddy 16:25 Angelo Rules 16:40 Hero 108 17:00 Level Up 17:25 The Amazing World Of Gumball 17:50 Adventure Time 18:15 Regular Show 18:40 Total Drama Action 19:05 Total Drama Action 19:30 Ben 10 19:55 Ben 10 20:20 Grim Adventures Of...

21:10 Courage The Cowardly Dog 22:00 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 22:25 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 22:50 The Powerpuff Girls 23:40 Chowder

00:00 00:30 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 10:00 10:30 11:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 19:30 20:00

Amanpour World Sport Piers Morgan Tonight World Report Anderson Cooper 360 Piers Morgan Tonight Quest Means Business The Situation Room World Sport World’s Untold Stories World Report World Report World Sport Inside Africa World Business Today Amanpour Inside The Middle East World One Piers Morgan Tonight News Stream World Business Today International Desk Global Exchange World Sport Inside The Middle East International Desk

WINDTALKERS ON OSN ACTION HD

21:00 Quest Means Business 22:00 Amanpour 22:30 CNN Newscenter 23:00 Connect The World With Becky...

00:15 Life On A Wire 01:10 The Men Who Jump Off Buildings 02:05 Rattlesnake Republic 03:00 Mythbusters 03:55 Border Security 04:20 Auction Hunters 04:50 Auction Kings 05:15 How Do They Do It? 05:40 How It’s Made 06:05 Extreme Fishing 07:00 American Chopper: Senior vs Junior 07:50 Mythbusters 08:45 Ultimate Survival 09:40 Border Security 10:05 Auction Hunters 10:30 How Do They Do It? 10:55 How It’s Made 11:25 Life On A Wire 12:20 Dual Survival 13:15 Rattlesnake Republic 14:10 Border Security 14:35 Auction Hunters 15:05 Auction Kings 15:30 Ultimate Survival 16:25 American Chopper: Senior vs Junior 17:20 Extreme Fishing 18:15 Mythbusters 19:10 How Do They Do It? 19:40 How It’s Made 20:05 Border Security 20:35 Auction Hunters 21:00 Auction Kings 21:30 Superhuman Showdown 22:25 Mythbusters 23:20 Mythbusters

00:35 Engineered 01:25 Stuck With Hackett 01:50 Stuck With Hackett 02:15 Moon Machines 03:05 The Gadget Show 03:35 Dark Matters 04:25 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 05:15 Scrapheap Challenge 06:05 Engineered 07:00 Catch It Keep It 07:50 Moon Machines 08:40 Head Rush 08:43 Weird Connections 09:12 How Does That Work?

09:40 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 10:30 The Gadget Show 10:55 The Gadget Show 11:20 Engineered 12:10 Scrapheap Challenge 13:00 Catch It Keep It 13:50 Moon Machines 14:45 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 15:35 The Gadget Show 16:00 Head Rush 16:03 Weird Connections 16:32 How Does That Work?

17:00 Engineered 17:50 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 18:40 Scrapheap Challenge 19:30 Space Pioneer 20:20 Stephen Hawking’s Grand Design 21:10 The Gadget Show 21:35 The Gadget Show 22:00 Space Pioneer 22:50 Stephen Hawking’s Grand Design 23:40 Dark Matters

00:10 Kim Possible 00:35 Kim Possible 01:00 Brandy & Mr Whiskers 01:25 Brandy & Mr Whiskers 01:50 Replacements 02:15 Replacements 02:40 Emperor’s New School 03:05 Emperor’s New School 03:30 Brandy & Mr Whiskers 03:55 Brandy & Mr Whiskers 04:20 Replacements 04:45 Replacements 05:10 Kim Possible 05:35 Kim Possible 06:00 Phineas And Ferb 06:15 Suite Life On Deck 06:40 Suite Life On Deck 07:05 The Adventures Of Disney Fairies 07:30 Recess 07:55 So Random 08:20 Shake It Up 08:45 Shake It Up 09:10 A.N.T. Farm 09:35 A.N.T. Farm 10:00 Den Brother 11:25 Fish Hooks 11:40 Good Luck Charlie 12:05 Wizards Of Waverly Place 12:30 Wizards Of Waverly Place 12:55 Phineas And Ferb 13:45 So Random 14:10 So Random 14:35 Suite Life On Deck 15:00 Austin And Ally 15:25 Shake It Up 15:50 Phineas And Ferb 16:00 Phineas And Ferb 16:15 Jessie 16:40 A.N.T. Farm 17:00 The Lion King 18:20 Austin And Ally 18:45 Austin And Ally 19:10 A.N.T. Farm 19:35 Good Luck Charlie 20:00 Jessie 20:25 Suite Life On Deck 20:50 Suite Life On Deck 21:15 Jonas 21:40 Jonas 22:05 Good Luck Charlie 22:30 Good Luck Charlie 22:55 Wizards Of Waverly Place 23:20 Wizards Of Waverly Place 23:45 Fish Hooks

00:55 01:25 03:15 03:40 04:10 05:05 06:00 07:50

Style Star Rich Kids Who Kill Behind The Scenes Extreme Close-Up E!es E!es THS Behind The Scenes

08:20 E! News 09:15 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 10:15 THS 12:05 E! News 13:05 Khloe And Lamar 13:35 Khloe And Lamar 14:05 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 15:00 Style Star 15:30 E!es 16:25 Behind The Scenes 16:55 Opening Act 17:55 E! News 18:55 THS 19:55 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 20:55 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 21:55 Married To Jonas 22:25 E! News 23:25 Chelsea Lately 23:55 Keeping Up With The Kardashians

00:30 01:20 02:05 02:55 03:45 04:30 05:20 06:10 07:00 07:50 08:15 08:40 09:05 09:30 10:20 11:10 12:00 12:50 13:15 13:40 14:30 15:20 15:45 16:10 17:00 17:50 18:40 19:05 Jones 19:55 20:20 21:10 22:00 22:50 23:40

The Haunted A Haunting Fatal Encounters Killer Kids Extreme Forensics The Haunted A Haunting Disappeared Killer Outbreaks Street Patrol Street Patrol Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

On The Case With Paula Zahn Undercover Disappeared Killer Outbreaks Street Patrol Street Patrol Forensic Detectives On The Case With Paula Zahn Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

Undercover Disappeared Forensic Detectives Mall Cops – Mall Of America True Crime With Aphrodite Who On Earth Did I Marry?

Nightmare Next Door Couples Who Kill Behind Mansion Walls American Greed Dr G: Medical Examiner

00:15 Travel Oz 00:45 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 01:10 One Man & His Campervan 01:40 David Rocco‚Äôs Dolce Vita 3 02:05 David Rocco‚Äôs Dolce Vita 3 02:35 Wheel2Wheel 03:00 Wheel2Wheel 03:30 Graham’s World 03:55 Market Values 04:25 Nomads 05:20 Graham’s World 05:45 Market Values 06:15 Nomads 07:10 Travel Oz 07:35 Travel Oz 08:05 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 08:30 One Man & His Campervan 09:00 David Rocco‚Äôs Dolce Vita 3 09:25 David Rocco‚Äôs Dolce Vita 3 09:55 Wheel2Wheel 10:20 Wheel2Wheel 10:50 Graham’s World 11:15 Market Values 11:45 Nomads 12:40 Bondi Rescue: Bali 13:05 Bondi Rescue: Bali 13:35 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 14:00 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 14:30 David Rocco‚Äôs Dolce Vita 3 14:55 David Rocco‚Äôs Dolce Vita 3 15:25 By Any Means 16:20 Wheel2Wheel 17:15 Which Way To 18:10 Don’t Tell My Mother 19:05 Long Way Down 20:00 David Rocco‚Äôs Dolce Vita 3 20:30 David Rocco‚Äôs Dolce Vita 3 21:00 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 21:30 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 22:00 Bondi Rescue 22:25 Bondi Rescue 22:55 Market Values 23:20 Market Values 23:50 Bondi Rescue: Bali

00:00 A Traveler’s Guide To The Planets 01:00 Megastructures 02:00 Megastructures 03:00 The Known Universe 04:00 Clash Of The Continents 05:00 Shark Nicole 06:00 Great Migrations 07:00 Is It Real? S3 (1 hour) 08:00 A Traveler’s Guide To The Planets 09:00 Megastructures 10:00 Megastructures 11:00 A Traveler’s Guide To The Planets 12:00 Jurassic C.S.I. 13:00 Shark Men 14:00 Great Migrations 15:00 Departures 16:00 Megastructures 17:00 World’s Toughest Fixes 18:00 World’s Toughest Fixes 19:00 The Known Universe 20:00 Superhuman 21:00 In The Womb 22:00 Nat Geo Amazing!

23:00 Is It Real? S3 (1 hour)

00:00 01:00 01:55 02:50 03:45 04:40 05:35 06:30 07:25 08:20

Philly Undercover Monster Fish The Living Edens Animal Superpowers Monster Crocs Wild Russia Catching Giants The Living Edens Animal Superpowers Monster Crocs

RESTLESS ON OSN CINEMA 09:15 10:10 11:05 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Octopus Volcano Manta Mystery Hunter Hunted Monster Fish Kingdom Of The Forest Ultimate Predator Mother Croc Dangerous Encounters Space Crab Hunter Hunted The Living Edens Animal Superpowers Monster Crocs Octopus Volcano Manta Mystery

00:00 Fading Of The Cries-18 02:00 Ip Man-PG15 04:00 Ip Man 2-PG15 06:00 Law Abiding Citizen-18 08:00 The Lost Future-PG15 10:00 The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course-PG15 12:00 S.W.A.T.: Firefight-PG15 14:00 The Lost Future-PG15 16:00 Time Machine: Rise Of The Morlocks-PG15 18:00 S.W.A.T.: Firefight-PG15 20:00 Windtalkers-PG15 22:15 Burning Bright-18

01:00 In Her Skin-18 03:00 My Sassy Girl-PG15 05:00 Ice Age-FAM 07:00 Last Of The Living-PG15 09:00 My Sassy Girl-PG15 11:00 African Cats: Kingdom Of Courage-PG 13:00 Every Jack Has A Jill-PG15 15:00 Family Gathering-PG15 17:00 Restless-PG15 19:00 Red Riding Hood-PG15 21:00 On The Inside-PG15 23:00 Sanctum-18

01:30 The League 02:00 The Ricky Gervais Show 02:30 It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia 03:00 30 Rock 03:30 Breaking In 04:00 Two And A Half Men 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 05:30 Gary Unmarried 06:00 Friends 06:30 Til Death 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:00 Two And A Half Men 08:30 30 Rock 09:00 Gary Unmarried 09:30 Cougar Town 10:00 The Office 10:30 Til Death 11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 12:00 Friends 12:30 Two And A Half Men 13:00 Gary Unmarried 13:30 Til Death 14:00 Breaking In 14:30 The Office 15:00 Cougar Town 16:30 Friends 17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:00 30 Rock 18:30 Breaking In 19:00 Cougar Town 19:30 New Girl 20:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 The Boondocks 22:30 The Big C 23:00 It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia 23:30 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00

Private Practice Homeland Breaking Bad Grey’s Anatomy The Tudors Good Morning America

07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

The View Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show White Collar The View Private Practice Grey’s Anatomy Live Good Morning America White Collar The Ellen DeGeneres Show Emmerdale Coronation Street Bunheads Franklin & Bash Combat Hospital Supernatural The Tudors

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Hawthorne Breaking Bad Homeland Greek Grey’s Anatomy Private Practice Hawthorne Emmerdale Coronation Street Castle The Ellen DeGeneres Show Grey’s Anatomy Private Practice Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Castle White Collar Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Castle Bunheads Franklin & Bash Combat Hospital Supernatural Greek

01:00 The Hit List-18 03:00 Ip Man 2-PG15 05:00 Flight Of The Phoenix-PG15 07:00 Jesse Stone: Innocents LostPG15 09:00 Warriors Of Heaven And Earth-PG15 11:00 Flight Of The Phoenix-PG15 13:00 Lords Of Dogtown-PG15 15:00 Warriors Of Heaven And Earth-PG15 17:00 The Librarian: The Curse Of Judas Chalice-PG15 19:00 Thick As Thieves-18 20:45 The Godfather-18 23:45 Neowolf-18

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

Tank Girl-PG15 Jumping The Broom-PG15 The Open Road-PG15 Stealing Harvard-PG15 Lottery Ticket-PG15 Evan Almighty-PG15 Little Fockers-PG15 Airheads-PG15 Evan Almighty-PG15 The Lonely Guy-PG15 Little Shop Of Horrors-PG15 Held Up (2010)-18

02:45 05:00 07:15 09:00 11:00 13:00 14:00 16:00 18:15 21:00 23:00

The Terminal-PG15 Thelma And Louise-PG15 The Flyboys-PG15 Blind Mountain-PG15 Patriot Games-PG15 Across The Sea Of Time-FAM Blind Mountain-PG15 Lorenzo’s Oil-PG15 The Insider-PG15 Le Divorce-PG15 Jude-18

00:45 The Terminal-PG15 03:00 Bobby Jones: Stroke Of Genius-PG 05:15 Jane Eyre-PG15 07:15 Henry’s Crime-PG15

09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

Page Eight-PG15 The Artist-PG Love The Beast-PG Certain Prey-PG15 Page Eight-PG15 Season Of The Witch-PG15 On The Inside-PG15 Going The Distance-18

00:00 Ghost Machine-PG15 02:00 Ballistica-PG15 04:00 What’s The Worst That Could Happen?-PG15 06:00 Ghost Machine-PG15 08:00 The Way-PG15 10:15 12 Dates Of Christmas-PG15 11:45 The Muppets-PG 13:30 Rango-FAM 15:30 The Way-PG15 17:45 Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Pt.2-PG15 20:00 Shadows & Lies-18 21:45 Anonymous-18

00:00 01:00 03:00 03:30 07:00 09:00 10:00 10:30 12:30 13:30 17:00 17:30 18:00 18:30 19:00 21:00 23:00

Trans World Sport Rugby Union Currie Cup Futbol Mundial Premier League Snooker Top 14 America’s Cup Highlights Futbol Mundial Live ITM CUP Trans World Sport Premier League Snooker Futbol Mundial Wake The Line Kiteboard World Cup Downtown Showdown ITM Cup The Rugby Championship Trans World Sport

00:00 WWE Experience 01:00 ITM Cup 03:00 Currie Cup 05:00 America’s Cup Highlights 06:00 Kiteboard World Cup 06:30 Downtown Showdown 07:00 Ryder Cup 13:30 Challenge Series Golf Highlights 14:00 Senior European Tour Highlights 15:00 ITM Cup 17:00 Trans World Sport 18:00 Volvo Ocean Race Highlights 19:30 Super League 21:30 PGA European Tour Weekly 22:30 Trans World Sport 23:30 NRL Premiership

00:00 Tour 02:00 03:00 03:30 06:00 06:30 07:00 08:00 10:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 14:30 15:30 18:00 18:30 20:30 21:30 22:30 23:00 23:30 Tour

01:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 17:30 18:00 20:00 23:00

Sailing World Match Racing Golfing World Top 14 Highlights Adventure Sports Futbol Mundial NRL Full Time Golfing World NRL Premiership Triathlon Top 14 Highlights Golfing World NRL Full Time AFL Premiership ITU World Triathlon series Asian Tour Golf Show Asian Tour Highlights Golfing World Squash PSA World Series PGA European Tour Weekly NRL Full Time Sailing World Match Racing

Prizefighter UFC Unleashed UFC The Ultimate Fighter UFC Unleashed WWE Vintage Collection WWE NXT NHL V8 Supercars Highlights WWE SmackDown WWE Bottom Line WWE Vintage Collection Mobil 1 The Grid V8 Supercars Extra V8 Supercars Highlights European Le Mans Series UFC The Ultimate Fighter

Classifieds WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

ACCOMMODATION Sharing accommodation available, near Jabriya Indian School, Jabriya, central A/C flat. Decent Muslim couple or two working ladies only. Call 66795253.

(C 4156) 3-10-2012 ROOM AVAILABLE - A room available in a furnished two bedroom flat for a working class lady in Salmiya — near the bus stop. Please call 99702658 30-9-2012 Sharing Accommodation, room partition for FILIPINO in Farwaniya near Coop main, Contact 66826412 or 66158188 27-9-2012 Immediate sharing accommodation available for a decent Indian Christian bachelor or, couple, near by Salmiya garden. Contact: 66884273, 25657832.

(C 4148) 25-9-2012

SITUATION WANTED Australian Project Manager, with two Engineering Degrees and four Master Degrees, with 23 years experience in Gulf and Australia, seeking top management job. Call: 65695468. (C 4141) 2-10-2012 Sri Lankan lady looking for house cleaning part time job, English family only.

Call 55680045. (C 4149) Sri Lankan driver looking for a job good company or

office with good salary, transferable visa 18 (license with pick up permit). Call 97970965. (C 4150) 25-9-2012

SITUATION VACANT Need driver to work or houseboy, visa 18 or 20 ok.

Contact: 55400994.

(C 4155) 2-10-2012 House driver needed, preferably Philippine nationality, minimum two years with driving experience in Kuwait and transferable residency. Mob: 97162925. (C 4151) 27-9-2012 Required driver for a Kuwaiti family.

Call: 99854312.

(C 4144) Wanted full time maid/nanny in Salwa. Offering KD 120 salary. Must speak English and be good with small children. Call 9768-7172.

(only cash) real buyers only contact mobile: 97473028 between 10 am - 6:30 pm).

(C 4154) 1-10-2012 Used DSLR Nikon D90 Camera body only for sale with Battery Grip and an extra battery, all with original package. Call or what’s app 66603401 25-9-2012

SITUATION VACANT PMP certified, IT Project Management, Software Testing Professional with 7 year experience including 3 year in UK, Postgraduate.

Looking for executive level job. Call 69905419.

(C 4158) 3-10-2012

VW TAUREG, 2004 model, white color, beige interior, full options, only 83,000 km.

Price KD 4,200. Contact: 99405067. (C 4145) 22-9-2012

CHANGE OF NAME Yuvaraja Dhanapal, son of Dhanapal and Paruvadhavarthani bearing an Indian Passport No: E6580676 having an address 2/59, East Street, Melnariyappanur, Kallakurichi, Villupuram 606 201, Tamil Nadu, India had embraced Islam and changed the name as NASEER AHMAD. (C 4152) 30-9-2012

Ministry of Interior website: www.moi.gov.kw

FOR SALE

Galant 1997 model, blue color, good condition, A/C, price KD 400, passing valid for one year. Contact: 97867910.

Kawai Piano, Yamaha electric organ, Yamaha keyboard, household furniture.

Please contact: 22661316.

(C 4157) 3-10-2012 For immediate sale Toyota Corolla (2011), 1.8 white, done only 22,000 km, expecting KD 3,900

MATRIMOIAL

112

Proposals invited for a girl, God-fearing (Marthomite, 30 yrs/160 cm) born and educated in Kuwait and Mangalore, MDS doctor presently working in India, from Post Graduate boys Marthomite/CSI, God-fearing and having good family background. Contact email: mthewjacob201@hotmail.com (C 4153) 29-092012

Prayer timings Fajr:

04:23

Duhr:

11:37

Asr:

15:00

Maghrib:

17:33

Isha:

18:49

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Airlines JZR QTR JZR JZR ETH GFA UAE ETD FDB MSR QTR THY DHX KAC BAW JZR KAC KAC QTR FDB KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC UAE ETD ABY GFA QTR FDB IRA ETD BAB GFA UAE MEA JZR MSR IRM JZR KNE MSR RJA GFA KAC FDB IRC QTR

Arrival Flights on Wednesday 3/10/2012 Flt Route 185 DUBAI 148 DOHA 539 CAIRO 267 BEIRUT 620 ADDIS ABABA 211 BAHRAIN 853 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI 67 DUBAI 612 CAIRO 138 DOHA 770 ISTANBUL 170 BAHRAIN 412 MANILA 157 LONDON 529 ASSIUT 206 ISLAMABAD 382 DELHI 6130 DOHA 53 DUBAI 302 MUMBAI 352 COCHIN 284 DHAKA 362 COLOMBO 344 CHENNAI 855 DUBAI 933 ABU DHABI 125 SHARJAH 223 BAHRAIN 132 DOHA 55 DUBAI 603 SHIRAZ 301 ABU DHABI 436 BAHRAIN 213 BAHRAIN 871 DUBAI 404 BEIRUT 165 DUBAI 606 LUXOR 5066 MASHAD 561 SOHAG 472 JEDDAH 610 CAIRO 640 AMMAN 219 BAHRAIN 672 DUBAI 57 DUBAI 6791 MASHAD 140 DOHA

Time 0:15 0:20 0:30 0:50 1:45 2:20 2:25 2:30 3:10 3:20 3:25 4:35 5:00 6:15 6:30 6:40 7:15 7:30 7:45 7:45 7:50 8:05 8:15 8:20 8:20 8:25 8:30 8:30 8:40 9:00 9:20 9:25 9:30 9:35 10:00 10:45 10:55 11:05 11:10 11:55 12:25 13:20 13:30 13:40 13:40 13:40 13:45 14:10 14:25

SVA KAC QTR JZR KAC IYE ETD UAE UAL SVA GFA JZR JZR ABY KAC QTR BAB KAC KAC FDB KNE MSR RBG JZR KAC KAC JAI KAC KAC AXB FDB OMA MEA QTR GFA ALK KLM UAE JZR BBC ETD ABY QTR AIC FDB GFA UAL JZR DLH MSR THY

500 788 134 535 538 824 303 857 982 510 215 177 777 127 542 144 438 166 786 63 460 620 3553 787 618 674 572 102 774 393 61 647 402 146 221 229 417 859 135 43 307 129 136 975 59 217 981 239 636 614 772

JEDDAH JEDDAH DOHA CAIRO SHARM EL SHEIKH SANAA ABU DHABI DUBAI WASHINGTON DC DULLES RIYADH BAHRAIN DUBAI JEDDAH SHARJAH CAIRO DOHA BAHRAIN PARIS JEDDAH DUBAI MEDINAH ASSIUT ALEXANDRIA RIYADH DOHA DUBAI MUMBAI NEW YORK RIYADH KOZHIKODE DUBAI MUSCAT BEIRUT DOHA BAHRAIN COLOMBO AMSTERDAM DUBAI BAHRAIN DHAKA ABU DHABI SHARJAH DOHA CHENNAI DUBAI BAHRAIN BAHRAIN AMMAN FRANKFURT CAIRO ISTANBUL

14:30 15:00 15:15 16:00 16:10 16:35 16:35 16:55 17:10 17:20 17:20 17:30 17:40 17:45 18:15 18:20 18:40 18:40 18:40 18:45 18:45 18:55 19:05 19:10 19:20 19:25 19:35 19:35 19:40 19:55 20:00 20:10 20:15 20:25 20:35 20:55 21:05 21:15 21:15 21:25 21:25 21:30 21:35 22:25 22:30 22:35 22:40 22:55 23:10 23:35 23:40

Airlines AIC UAL DLH MSR PIA THY ETH UAE FDB ETD MSR QTR QTR JZR JZR GFA THY KAC FDB BAW KAC ABY JZR QTR KAC GFA KAC UAE QTR KAC FDB ETD BAB IRA ETD GFA KAC MEA MSR JZR UAE KAC KAC JZR IRM KNE GFA FDB MSR RJA KAC IRC

Depature Flights on Wednesday 3/10/2012 Flt Route 982 AHMEDABAD 981 WASHINGTON 637 FRANKFURT 615 CAIRO 206 LAHORE 773 ISTANBUL 621 ADDIS ABABA 854 DUBAI 68 DUBAI 306 ABU DHABI 613 CAIRO 139 DOHA 149 DOHA 560 SOHAG 164 DUBAI 212 BAHRAIN 771 ISTANBUL 537 SHARM EL SHEIKH 54 DUBAI 156 LONDON 175 FRANKFURT 126 SHARJAH 534 CAIRO 6131 DOHA 671 DUBAI 224 BAHRAIN 787 JEDDAH 856 DUBAI 133 DOHA 117 NEW YORK 56 DUBAI 302 ABU DHABI 437 BAHRAIN 602 SHIRAZ 934 ABU DHABI 214 BAHRAIN 541 CAIRO 405 BEIRUT 619 ASSIUT 776 JEDDAH 872 DUBAI 103 LONDON 785 JEDDAH 176 DUBAI 5065 MASHHAD 461 MADINAH 220 BAHRAIN 58 DUBAI 611 CAIRO 641 AMMAN 673 DUBAI 6792 MASHHAD

Time 0:05 0:25 0:30 0:35 1:25 2:15 2:45 3:45 3:50 4:05 4:20 4:50 5:40 6:00 6:55 7:05 7:10 8:20 8:25 8:25 8:55 9:05 9:10 9:15 9:20 9:25 9:35 9:40 10:00 10:00 10:05 10:15 10:25 10:25 10:30 10:45 11:30 11:55 12:10 12:15 12:20 12:30 13:10 13:20 13:25 14:10 14:25 14:25 14:30 14:35 15:05 15:10

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

SVA KAC JZR QTR KAC ETD JZR IYE JZR QTR UAE GFA JZR ABY UAL SVA JZR QTR FDB BAB KNE RBG MSR JZR KAC KAC JAI FDB KAC KAC OMA MEA KAC GFA JZR DHX ALK KLM ABY KAC ETD UAE QTR KAC KAC JZR BBC QTR AXB FDB GFA KAC JZR

503 617 786 135 773 304 238 824 538 141 858 216 134 128 982 511 266 145 64 439 477 3554 621 184 283 361 571 62 331 351 648 403 543 222 502 171 230 417 120 381 308 860 137 301 205 554 44 147 394 60 218 415 528

MADINAH DOHA RIYADH DOHA RIYADH ABU DHABI AMMAN SANAA CAIRO DOHA DUBAI BAHRAIN BAHRAIN SHARJAH BAHRAIN RIYADH BEIRUT DOHA DUBAI BAHRAIN JEDDAH ALEXANDRIA ALEXANDRIA DUBAI DHAKA COLOMBO MUMBAI DUBAI TRIVANDRUM KOCHI MUSCAT BEIRUT CAIRO BAHRAIN LUXOR BAHRAIN COLOMBO DAMMAM SHARJAH DELHI ABU DHABI DUBAI DOHA MUMBAI ISLAMABAD ALEXANDRIA DHAKA DOHA KOCHI DUBAI BAHRAIN KUALA LUMPUR ASSIUT

15:45 15:45 15:50 16:15 16:25 17:20 17:30 17:35 17:40 17:45 18:05 18:20 18:20 18:25 18:30 18:35 18:50 19:20 19:25 19:30 19:35 19:45 19:55 20:05 20:15 20:20 20:35 20:40 20:50 21:05 21:10 21:15 21:30 21:35 21:45 21:50 21:55 22:05 22:10 22:20 22:20 22:25 22:35 22:40 22:45 23:00 23:05 23:10 23:10 23:15 23:30 23:50 23:50

34

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

s ta rs CROSSWORD 815

STAR TRACK

CALVIN & HOBBES

Aries (March 21-April 19) You can make a big move in your employment opportunities now. Many rewarding job offers come your way—especially those related to publishing, teaching, travel, foreign trade, law, hospitals or churches. New appliances at home or new machinery at work can make life easier and increase your productivity. It is a good time to join a professional or union association. You tend to be more thoughtful and considerate toward your family and parents just now. It is a good time for teamwork among family members— perhaps for tackling home improvements or a garden for the family. You can accomplish a lot of work around the house and property, especially if you can get someone to work with you. A move is possible.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) You have great opportunities for leadership without unpleasant duties or responsibilities. You can develop a more independent lifestyle. Self-improvement and the influence of those around you can go along educational, religious, philosophical or cultural lines. You find it easier to identify with a more professional and prosperous class of people. You may travel or do business over a distance. Beware of an inflated sense of self-importance.

Indulgence in rich foods can contribute to unhealthy habits or excessive weight gain. Through hard work and prudent organization, you will gradually build up your savings and wealth. You can win a promotion or public recognition. Your skills can receive attention from people in high positions.

POOCH CAFE ACROSS 1. Little known Kamarupan languages.

5. United States neoclassical architect (1847-1909).

10. A writing implement with a point from which ink flows.

13. (Scottish) Bluish-black or gray-blue.

14. The capital and largest city of Bangladesh.

15. Devoid of warmth and cordiality.

16. A conceited dandy who is overly impressed by his own accomplishments.

17. South African plant widely cultivated for its showy pure white spathe and yellow spadix.

19. Singing jazz.

20. Lie adjacent to another.

23. Any of numerous local fertility and nature deities worshipped by ancient Semitic peoples.

24. Nut of any of several trees of the genus Corylus.

26. (old-fashioned) At or from or to a great distance.

28. A reptile genus of Iguanidae.

29. A flat wing-shaped process or winglike part of an organism.

31. Filled with a great quantity.

33. A white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily.

36. Established by or founded upon law or official or accepted rules.

40. A small pellet fired from an air rifle or BB gun.

41. How long something has existed.

45. Someone who procures customers for whores (in England they call a pimp a ponce).

46. (Babylonian) God of storms and wind.

48. A Powhatan Indian woman (the daughter of Powhatan) who befriended the English at Jamestown and is said to have saved Captain John Smith's life (1595-1617).

51. Submerged aquatic plant having narrow leaves and small flowers.

54. The atomic weight of an element that has the same combining capacity as a given weight of another element.

55. One of the five major classes of immunoglobulins.

56. English scholastic philosopher and assumed author of Occam's Razor (1285-1349).

59. A small cake leavened with yeast.

61. The molecular weight of a substance expressed in grams.

62. A narrow zigzag ribbon used as trimming.

64. Light informal conversation for social occasions.

65. Used of a single unit or thing.

66. Saudi Arabian minister of petroleum who was a central figure in the creation of OPEC (born in 1930).

67. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

DOWN 1. The elementary stages of any subject (usually plural).

2. A group of countries in special alliance.

3. A city of southeastern Mexico.

4. Right-hand page.

5. Designer drug designed to have the effects of amphetamines (it floods the brain with serotonin) but to avoid the drug laws.

6. An esoteric or occult matter that is traditionally secret.

7. One thousand periods per second.

8. Being nine more than ninety.

9. (British) A waterproof raincoat made of rubberized fabric.

10. Rice cooked in well-seasoned broth with onions or celery and usually poultry or game or shellfish and sometimes tomatoes.

11. Enthusiastic approval.

12. City in Sudan.

18. The blood group whose red cells carry both the A and B antigens.

21. A city in the European part of Russia.

22. A slight amount or degree of difference.

25. God of wealth and love.

27. Give in, as to influence or pressure.

30. A workplace for the conduct of scientific research.

32. United States astronomer (1835-1909).

34. English monk and scholar (672-735).

35. A Swiss patriot who lived in the early 14th century and who was renowned for his skill as an archer.

37. (Greek mythology) Goddess of the earth and mother of Cronus and the Titans in ancient mythology.

38. A soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal.

39. A chronic inflammatory collagen disease affecting connective tissue (skin or joints).

42. (music) The pace of music measured by the number of beats occurring in 60 seconds.

43. A salesman who travels to call on customers.

44. Eurasian primrose with yellow flowers clustered in a onesided umbel.

45. (prefix) Outside or outer.

47. (Phoenician and Philistine) God of agriculture and the earth.

49. Cubes of meat marinated and cooked on a skewer usually with vegetables.

50. Jordan's port.

52. A small boat of shallow draft with cross thwarts for seats and rowlocks for oars with which it is propelled.

53. Electronic warfare undertaken to insure effective friendly use of the electromagnetic spectrum in spite of the enemy's use of electronic warfare.

57. An independent agency of the United States government responsible for collecting and coordinating intelligence and counterintelligence activities abroad in the national interest.

58. A constellation in the southern hemisphere near Telescopium and Norma.

60. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

63. Being one more than one hundred.

Yesterday’s Solution

Gemini (May 21-June 20) You may be subject to unexpected conditions and disruptions that can cause a bit of tension and strain. Professional communications with superiors, government or other officials may be needed. News or publicity can affect your status or position. You have a true gift of rising above difficult situations. Consider homemade food for today instead of fast food; your temperament and your stomach will be much happier. New people are stimulating and energetic but may require more patience than you want to exert. You are sympathetic and understanding towards those in need. The people that are difficult to communicate with are the hardest to understand. You may enjoy quiet meditation later this evening. Art and music calm.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

NON SEQUITUR

This time fills you with much cheer; work progresses along very well. Technical or experimental matters are highlighted now.

Your concentration is probably going to take a bit of work for now. But with a little effort you will find good results. A good deed you do later today will be returned to you quickly. You will also enjoy the work that comes with being in groups and organizations. You may volunteer some of your time later today for a political cause.

Your power of attraction is increased. Exciting, new experiences may be the theme for the near future but they begin today! Your originality is heightened. This is an excellent time to plan for the future, both financially and socially. Do not forget to include family when making any important decisions.

Leo (July 23-August 22)

Yesterday’s Solution

You may want to express your ideas today but you will have to drop back to see where the best avenue of support can be enjoyed. This is a good time to exercise caution and care in business dealings, both in the physical and financial realm. You may feel that your energies have been all used up this afternoon. A little exercise beside your desk or some jogging up and down the stairs may move your circulation around enough to refurbish your energies. Celebrations that take place now should be both well attended and successful. The need for emotional security may be stronger than you realize and you should not pressure a partner into doing things just to please and satisfy you. Set aside a few minutes and enjoy as much silence as you can acquire.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) There is a sense of security just now—you can make steady progress toward your career and social goals. You can develop the confidence, honesty, maturity and self-respect that will make you better able to handle authority and responsibility. This is also a favorable time for seeking employment or promotion. Continue to develop your leadership skills and build a network of supportive co-worker friends. This particular time brings into focus the balance of give and take in your existing relationships. If you or your partner have been neglecting the needs of the other, this will become clear today. This is a great time to repair any problems in any of your relationships. The direction of your relationships will become more meaningful now.

Libra (September 23-October 22) At work, you may have discussions with your boss over issues of independence or insubordination. Change is inevitable and it is important to help your boss when new concepts are introduced. There is an opening in your workplace for a new job title. You have an interest in new or novel forms of architecture, food and domestic products and services. Your management and directional abilities are good. It is a good time to develop your negotiating skills and ability to coordinate joint or team efforts. You tend to desire more involvement with family and home life now—a trip or social gathering is in the forecast. There may also be several changes of residence. You might consider eventually working from home.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) You can benefit from all interpersonal and public relations, social contracts, legal affairs and public speaking appearances.

In-depth discussions and probing conversations find you at your mental best.

There is cooperation from others while working in groups today. Your analytical abilities are at a high point. Give your new associates your sincere loyalty. You tend to work hard to achieve specialized knowledge that will give you the freedom to advance your professional goals. You may apply yourself to extensive job retraining. You may pursue formal studies, especially in history, teaching, religion, law or philosophy. Young people are a hoot this evening. Whatever you are doing this evening, your day ends on a smile.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Your tongue and wit are sharp today—careful. This period emphasizes an importance in the signing of agreements or in being agreeable where social or professional matters are concerned. Initially, this is a period of transition from private to public responsibilities—you will have less time to spend with family and old friends. As you take on more responsibility in your profession, you will tend to choose partners and associates who share some of your goals and objectives. At present, you tend to make more contacts with older, more experienced people and those in positions of authority. Your restlessness this afternoon can be used for the positive. Finish your correspondence or tend to the chores at home. Improve your mind—read.

Word Search

Yesterday’s Solution Capricorn (December 22-January 19) Today is an excellent time to work alone in a physically demanding activity. You might benefit from examining your motivations. The better you get to know your own skills and talents, the less difficulty you will have in future communications. Take time to review your current projects, eliminate those that are fruitless and firm up those with promise. This time brings opportunities for regeneration through personal power. Plenty of opportunities now will bring about the changes you want in the workplace. You use your time successfully. While looking for something really important this afternoon you may come across some forgotten pictures or art work done by young people. A display of these mementoes is your next fun project.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) There are a lot of useful things to do today. If you are looking for employment, it is a good time to begin a job. If you are working, you will work to improve your work effectiveness and conditions. You may come up with a way to make a system or a method do more—faster. There is independence in your actions and higher-ups feel comfortable when they leave you in charge. Now is a good time to broaden your social contacts and extend your professional credibility. Issues surrounding a young person may come to your attention this afternoon. Teach them to point their wonderful talents of assertiveness in positive directions. Sometimes an activity that seems negative only needs a directional change.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) Although this is a good workday, it is not a good time to make any concrete decisions about a relationship or business deal. You enjoy that stable feeling that comes with your surroundings and your profession and you work to keep things in that situation. It may be difficult to gauge your monetary situation at times but you have the wherewithal to create new opportunities for yourself in many different arenas. A part-time job may be considered for a short time. Distractions this evening from an unexpected visitor are good things as you can always do the chores later. If your project is urgent, you could talk someone into helping you during the visit, depending on who is visiting. If you are hanging a plant, perhaps he or she could hold the ladder.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

i n f o r m at i o n For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128 GOVERNORATE Sabah Hospital

24812000

Amiri Hospital

22450005

Maternity Hospital

24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

Chest Hospital

24849400

Farwaniya Hospital

24892010

Adan Hospital

23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital

24874330/9

PHARMACY

ADDRESS

PHONE

Ahmadi

Sama Safwan Abu Halaifa Danat Al-Sultan

Fahaeel Makka St Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd

23915883 23715414 23726558

Jahra

Modern Jahra Madina Munawara

Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 Jahra-Block 92

24575518 24566622

Capital

Ahlam Khaldiya Coop

Fahad Al-Salem St Khaldiya Coop

22436184 24833967

Farwaniya

New Shifa Ferdous Coop Modern Safwan

Farwaniya Block 40 Ferdous Coop Old Kheitan Block 11

24734000 24881201 24726638

Tariq Hana Ikhlas Hawally & Rawdha Ghadeer Kindy Ibn Al-Nafis Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Salmiya-Amman St Hawally-Beirut St Hawally & Rawdha Coop Jabriya-Block 1A Jabriya-Block 3B Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

25726265 25647075 22625999 22564549 25340559 25326554 25721264 25380581 25628241

Hawally

Al-Madena

22418714

Al-Shohada’a

22545171

Al-Shuwaikh

24810598

Al-Nuzha

22545171

Sabhan

24742838

Al-Helaly

22434853

Al-Fayhaa

22545051

Al-Farwaniya

24711433

Al-Sulaibikhat

24316983

Al-Fahaheel

23927002

Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh

24316983

Ahmadi

23980088

Al-Mangaf

23711183

Al-Shuaiba

23262845

Kaizen center

25716707

Roudha

22517733

Adhaliya

22517144

Al-Jahra

25610011

Khaldiya

24848075

Al-Salmiya

25616368

Keifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salim

22549134

Al-Nuzha

22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Al-Khadissiya

22515088

Dasmah

22532265

Bneid Al-Ghar

22531908

Al-Shaab

22518752

Al-Kibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Kibla

22451082

Al-Mirqab

22456536

Sharq

22465401

Salmiya

25746401

Jabriya

25316254

Maidan Hawally

25623444

Bayan

25388462

Mishref

25381200

W.Hawally

22630786

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

New Jahra

24575755

West Jahra

24772608

South Jahra

24775066

North Jahra

24775992

North Jleeb

24311795

Al-Ardhiya

24884079

Firdous

24892674

Al-Omariya

24719048

N.Kheitan

24710044

Fintas

23900322

INTERNATIONAL CALLS

PRIVATE CLINICS Ophthalmologists Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444 Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222 Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171 Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999 Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700 Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223 Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223 Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510 Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660 Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478 Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996 Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988 Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166 Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426 General Practitioners Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123 Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312 Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920 Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465 Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528 Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781 Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501 Urologists Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534 Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955 Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660 Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120 Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427 Psychologists /Psychotherapists

Paediatricians

Plastic Surgeons Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf

22547272

Dr. Khaled Hamadi

Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari

22617700

Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed

Dr. Abdel Quttainah

25625030/60

Family Doctor Dr Divya Damodar

23729596/23729581

Psychiatrists Dr. Esam Al-Ansari

22635047

Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan

22613623/0

Gynaecologists & Obstetricians DrAdrian arbe

23729596/23729581

Dr. Verginia s.Marin

2572-6666 ext 8321

Endocrinologist

25665898 25340300

Dr. Zahra Qabazard

25710444

Dr. Sohail Qamar

22621099

Dr. Snaa Maaroof

25713514

Dr. Pradip Gujare

23713100

Dr. Zacharias Mathew

24334282

(1) Ear, Nose and Throat (2) Plastic Surgeon Dr. Abdul Mohsin Jafar, FRCS (Canada)

25655535

Dentists

Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan

22655539

Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami

25343406

Dr. Shamah Al-Matar

22641071/2

Dr. Ahmad Al-Khooly

25739272

Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed

22562226

22618787

Dr. Abidallah Al-Amer

22561444

Dr. Faysal Al-Fozan

22619557

Dr. Abdallateef Al-Katrash

22525888

Dr. Abidallah Al-Duweisan

25653755

Dr. Bader Al-Ansari

25620111

General Surgeons Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer

22610044

Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher

25327148

Internists, Chest & Heart Dr. Adnan Ebil Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan

22666300 25728004

Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra

25355515

Dr. Mobarak Aldoub

24726446

Dr Nasser Behbehani

25654300/3

Soor Center Tel: 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688

Neurologists

22639939

Dr. Mousa Khadada

info@soorcenter.com www.soorcenter.com

3729596/3729581

Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri

25633324

Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan

25345875

Gastrologists Dr. Sami Aman

22636464

Dr. Mohammad Al-Shamaly

25322030

Dr. Foad Abidallah Al-Ali

22633135

Kaizen center 25716707

25339330

Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888 Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924 Physiotherapists & VD Dr. Deyaa Shehab

25722291

Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees

22666288

Rheumatologists: Dr. Adel Al-Awadi

Dr Anil Thomas

Dr. Salem soso

Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman

25330060

Dr. Khaled Al-Jarallah

25722290

Internist, Chest & Heart DR.Mohammes Akkad

24555050 Ext 210

Dr. Mohammad Zubaid MB, ChB, FRCPC, PACC Assistant Professor Of Medicine Head, Division of Cardiology Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital Consultant Cardiologist Dr. Farida Al-Habib MD, PH.D, FACC Inaya German Medical Center Te: 2575077 Fax: 25723123

2611555-2622555

William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677 Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677

Afghanistan 0093 Albania 00355 Algeria 00213 Andorra 00376 Angola 00244 Anguilla 001264 Antiga 001268 Argentina 0054 Armenia 00374 Australia 0061 Austria 0043 Bahamas 001242 Bahrain 00973 Bangladesh 00880 Barbados 001246 Belarus 00375 Belgium 0032 Belize 00501 Benin 00229 Bermuda 001441 Bhutan 00975 Bolivia 00591 Bosnia 00387 Botswana 00267 Brazil 0055 Brunei 00673 Bulgaria 00359 Burkina 00226 Burundi 00257 Cambodia 00855 Cameroon 00237 Canada 001 Cape Verde 00238 Cayman Islands 001345 Central African 00236 Chad 00235 Chile 0056 China 0086 Colombia 0057 Comoros 00269 Congo 00242 Cook Islands 00682 Costa Rica 00506 Croatia 00385 Cuba 0053 Cyprus 00357 Cyprus (Northern) 0090392 Czech Republic 00420 Denmark 0045 Diego Garcia 00246 Djibouti 00253 Dominica 001767 Dominican Republic 001809 Ecuador 00593 Egypt 0020 El Salvador 00503 England (UK) 0044 Equatorial Guinea 00240 Eritrea 00291 Estonia 00372 Ethiopia 00251 Falkland Islands 00500 Faroe Islands 00298 Fiji 00679 Finland 00358 France 0033 French Guiana 00594 French Polynesia 00689 Gabon 00241 Gambia 00220 Georgia 00995 Germany 0049 Ghana 00233 Gibraltar 00350 Greece 0030 Greenland 00299 Grenada 001473 Guadeloupe 00590 Guam 001671 Guatemala 00502 Guinea 00224 Guyana 00592 Haiti 00509 Holland (Netherlands) 0031 Honduras 00504 Hong Kong 00852 Hungary 0036 Ibiza (Spain) 0034 Iceland 00354 India 0091 Indian Ocean 00873 Indonesia 0062

Iran 0098 Iraq 00964 Ireland 00353 Italy 0039 Ivory Coast 00225 Jamaica 001876 Japan 0081 Jordan 00962 Kazakhstan 007 Kenya 00254 Kiribati 00686 Kuwait 00965 Kyrgyzstan 00996 Laos 00856 Latvia 00371 Lebanon 00961 Liberia 00231 Libya 00218 Lithuania 00370 Luxembourg 00352 Macau 00853 Macedonia 00389 Madagascar 00261 Majorca 0034 Malawi 00265 Malaysia 0060 Maldives 00960 Mali 00223 Malta 00356 Marshall Islands 00692 Martinique 00596 Mauritania 00222 Mauritius 00230 Mayotte 00269 Mexico 0052 Micronesia 00691 Moldova 00373 Monaco 00377 Mongolia 00976 Montserrat 001664 Morocco 00212 Mozambique 00258 Myanmar (Burma) 0095 Namibia 00264 Nepal 00977 Netherlands (Holland) 0031 Netherlands Antilles 00599 New Caledonia 00687 New Zealand 0064 Nicaragua 00505 Nigar 00227 Nigeria 00234 Niue 00683 Norfolk Island 00672 Northern Ireland (UK) 0044 North Korea 00850 Norway 0047 Oman 00968 Pakistan 0092 Palau 00680 Panama 00507 Papua New Guinea 00675 Paraguay 00595 Peru 0051 Philippines 0063 Poland 0048 Portugal 00351 Puerto Rico 001787 Qatar 00974 Romania 0040 Russian Federation 007 Rwanda 00250 Saint Helena 00290 Saint Kitts 001869 Saint Lucia 001758 Saint Pierre 00508 Saint Vincent 001784 Samoa US 00684 Samoa West 00685 San Marino 00378 Sao Tone 00239 Saudi Arabia 00966 Scotland (UK) 0044 Senegal 00221 Seychelles 00284 Sierra Leone 00232 Singapore 0065 Slovakia 00421 Slovenia 00386 Solomon Islands 00677

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Shakira is expecting a boy he Columbian singer - who recently confirmed speculation she and her soccer star boyfriend Gerard Pique are having their first child together - has announced the gender of her unborn baby. When being interviewed about her pregnancy on German TV station RTL, she said: “Yes, it’s going to be a boy!” The ‘Hips Don’t Lie’ hitmaker is currently supporting the construction of a new school in Cartagena, Colombia, and she hopes her son will follow in her charitable footsteps to try and “change the world”. She said: “When the baby is born I want him to know he’s helping to change the world. He can really change the world!” Shakira has been dating Barcelona player Gerard for around two years and says he is the “best thing” to ever happen to her, until she got pregnant. She said: “This man is the best thing that could have happened in my life. And now the baby!”The couple only confirmed their relationship last year by posting a picture of them both together on twitter and Facebook with a caption reading, “I present to you my sunshine.” in Spanish.

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Drew Barrymore gives birth to baby girl rew Barrymore has given birth to a daughter named Olive, her first child with husband Will Kopelman, the actress said in a statement on Monday. “We are proud to announce the birth of our daughter, Olive Barrymore Kopelman, born September 26th, healthy, happy and welcomed by the whole family. Thank you for respecting our privacy during this most special time in our lives,” Barrymore said. The “Charlie’s Angels” actress, 37, wed art dealer Kopelman in a Jewish ceremony at their estate in Montecito, Southern California in June. The former child star of “E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial,” who has since forged a career in romantic comedies such as “Never Been Kissed” and “He’s Just Not That Into You,” was last seen in whale movie “Big Miracle,” released earlier this year.

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Friedkin to Direct Cage in ‘ I Am Wrath’ illiam Friedkin and Nicholas Cage are uniting for Emmett/Furla Films’ “I Am Wrath,” a spokeswomanfor the company told TheWrap. Cage was already attached to star as Stanley, a man whose wife is murdered and then discovers police corruption after the case goes cold.

In hunting the perpetrators, he also begins to realize the extent of corruption within the police force. Now Friedkin, no stranger to cop thrillers (see: “The French Connection”), will direct from Paul Sloan’s script. His last film, “Killer Joe,” also touched on the subject of dirty cops, with Matthew McConaughey playing a cop who moonlights as a hit man. Production on “I Am Wrath,” which Lionsgate is releasing, begins in February. Emmett/Furla, Cheetah Vision Films, Grindstone and Vallelonga Productions are all producing. Deadline first reported the news of Friedkin’s involvement.

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Spears has restricted phone use

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ritney Spears is reportedly having her phone and internet use restricted. The ‘X Factor’ USA judge - who has been under the conservatorship of her father Jamie for more than four years - is being protected by her family and fiance Jason Trawick from seeing any negative stories about her, so they don’t allow her to access any gossip websites. They are also restricting her phone use so her old manager Sam Lutfi can’t get in touch with her. A source told RadarOnline.com: “Britney’s cell phone and internet use is restricted and heavily monitored, and this is done for her protection. Britney’s father Jamie and her fiance Jason want to make sure that her former manager, Sam Lutfi, isn’t able to contact her. Britney and Jason essentially share a cell phone, and it’s routinely checked to see who has been calling. “Furthermore, the cell phones have been programmed to block calls from phone numbers associated with Lutfi. Britney’s computer usage is also restricted in the sense that certain websites are blocked. Her family doesn’t want Britney reading negative stories that would upset her.

Again, this is all done with love and for her well-being.”

A restraining order against Sam - who has made a string of allegations about Britney - which prevented him contacting the singer and her two sons ran out earlier this year so the family are doing everything they can to protect her. The source continued: “After the restraining order expired, the conservators went to extra lengths to make sure that Sam wasn’t able to contact Britney because there was no longer any criminal threat if he were to violate terms of the restraining order.”

Piano used by

Wonderon loan to US museum piano used by Stevie Wonder when he was a student has been loaned to the Museum of the American Printing House for the Blind and will be on display starting next week. The 1922 Steinway grand piano was long used by students at the Michigan School for the Blind, where Wonder, a child prodigy, studied in the mid-1960s.

Wonder signed with Motown at the age of 11 and became a singer, songwriter and multiinstrumentalist. Museum spokeswoman Roberta WIlliams told The Courier-Journal newspaper the piano will be on loan indefinitely. It goes on display starting Oct 11.

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Milla Jovovich only has ‘a few friends’ he ‘Resident Evil: Retribution’ actress doesn’t believe film stars have many people they can rely on in life and rather than hang out with “acquaintances” she prefers to spend time with her director husband Paul W. S. Anderson and make dolls houses and sew dolls with their four-year-old daughter Ever. She said: “I feel like movie stars don’t have many friends at all. They have acquaintances. I really only have a few friends. My regular life today is reading books, making dolls houses, sewing dolls with my daughter and barbecuing.” The 36-year-old star admits it is “stressful” making movies with her husband who has worked on all five films in the ‘Resident Evil’ franchise, in which Milla portrays main character Alice - but generally the couple have a great time on set. In an interview in the Independent newspaper, she added: “Working with Paul, in particular, there’s a lot more pros than cons because we make really fun movies together. It’s stressful physically but emotionally we have a good time. “We don’t have that kind of tension of like, ‘Aarrrgghh you’ve made me squeeze my soul out during the day and now I have to look at you all night.’

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Wilde idolized Garner livia Wilde idolized Jennifer Garner on the set of their new film ‘Butter’. The 28year-old actress plays a stripper called Brooke in the satirical comedy movie alongside Jennifer - who portrays Laura Pickler, the ambitious wife of a skilled butter sculptor.

Olivia admits she was in awe of 40-year-old Jennifer because she managed to balance work with the responsibilities of looking after her three children - Violet, six, Seraphina, three, and six-month-old Samuel. Olivia gushed: “I would stare at smart Jennifer, who has three children and shepherded this proj-

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ect, and I’d follow her around in her arms if she’d let me.” The ‘Tron: Legacy’ star had wanted the get the film - a political satire of the 2008 Democratic Presidential primary contest in the US - made for years but it was only when Jennifer showed an interest that the film got off the ground. Olivie added to the New York Post newspaper: “I play Brooke, a sardonic stripper with a heart of gold ... This outrageous comedy was on my list for years. I was obsessed with it. Willing to fight for the role. But I couldn’t get it going on my own.

Then along came Jennifer Garner, who has a production company and - voila! - it got made. “It’s sort of a political diatribe, picking on the Tea Party a little, but no characters like Sarah Palin or Michele Bachmann. It really makes fun of the delicious extremism in our country. And then, of course, on top of the whole thing, naturally, there’s a butter contest.” Olivia also confessed she is a reluctant gym goer and does very little exercise to maintain her enviable figure. She said: “I’m not good in terms of self care or maintenance.

I’m a workaholic. And I love fun. I go once in a while to a gym to take care of myself, but only out of guilt and shame.” — Agencies

Carter and Burton living together

elena Bonham Carter and Tim Burton are living together. The eccentric couple famously own houses next door to one another in London and live in them separately, but the pair have forced to live under one roof with their children Billy, eight, and Nell, four, while building work is being done on one property. Although they were nervous about adhering to a conventional living arrangement, the couple are finding the experience “surprisingly OK”. Helena said: “It’s going surprisingly OK. There’s a lot to be said for being in shouting distance. And it’s cosy. The kids love it.”

Despite their usually unconventional domestic set-up, Helena and Tim who have been together since 2001 - have an established routine which sees the 46-year-old actress do the family cooking and Tim, 54; prepare the accompanying drinks, much to the delight of their daughter. Speaking to Time Out magazine, Helena said: “I’ve always done the cooking, which I love. He can warm up. He does two-minute rice. And gets the drinks ready.

“He makes smoothies on a weekend. Our daughter once said to him, ‘Dadda, why don’t you make smoothies instead of movies?’ “

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This handout photograph released by www.thegreathimalayatrail.org on September 27, Nepalese actor Thinle Lundup Lama chatting to festival-goers during the Shey Dragon 2012 shows a yak caravan navigating the remote, harsh terrain of Upper Dolpa, some 500 Festival. kilometres (300 miles) northwest of the Nepalese capital Kathmandu. —AFP photos

Nepal’s ‘first’ global film star scrapes a living scar-nominated “Himalaya” opened up the remote, pristine villages of the world’s tallest mountain range to the West. But while the director Eric Valli and co-stars have gone on to land lucrative work in film and television, the movie’s ageing star is penniless and struggling to survive in one of the poorest and harshest landscapes on earth. “It’s like the way I lived before the film and now is the same.

Nothing has changed,” 71-year-old Thinle Lundup Lama told AFP at a religious festival in the mystical, culturally-Tibetan land of Upper Dolpa in northwest Nepal.

“Now my face is so familiar, I’m so famous in Dolpa, that a lot of the tourists who come to visit take pictures of me. They are the ones who benefit out of my face but I am just the same.”

“Himalaya” is the story of villagers who take a caravan of yaks across the mountains, carrying rock salt from the high plateau down to the lowlands to trade for grain. The movie, the first from Nepal to be nominated in the Best Foreign Film category at the 72nd Academy Awards in 2000, used a cast made up almost entirely of real farmers, local lamas, and village chiefs. Lundup plays Tinle, an irascible elderly chieftain of a yak-herding and farming village in a power struggle with Karma, a hot-headed upstart who would like to take his place, against the backdrop of the annual caravan.

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member of the cast, moved to Paris where he has landed TV and film work.

But Lundup was determined to remain in

Filmed in widescreen Cinemascope, “Himalaya” won worldwide plaudits for its intoxicating depiction of the lonely grandeur of the landscape. Lundup, who had lived a simple life in a stone house overlooking the remote village of Saldang, a week’s walk from the nearest town, found himself catapulted into the limelight. Critics recognized the charismatic widower as being the film’s real stand-out, with the Chicago Tribune hailing his “especially impressive” depiction of a chieftan “whose inspirational power over his men would have given John Wayne a run for his money”.

But Lundup says he was not chosen to travel to the Oscar ceremony and was unable to turn his new-found fame into a career or to promote the film, which eventually lost out to the Spanish feature “All About My Mother”. “During the time when I was acting my salary was only 300 rupees ($3.50) a day. The movie went on for nine months, so my salary for the entire project was only 90,000 rupees,” said Lundup, speaking through an interpreter. “But everyone said ‘Oh, Thinle’s getting big money’ because no one knew the value of money at that time.”

‘I really wanted to act’ Lundup’s co-star Lhakpa Tsamchoe, 40, an Indian actress of Tibetan descent, had already had her big break before “Himalaya”, starring alongside Brad Pitt in the 1997 Hollywood blockbuster “Seven Years in Tibet”. Gurgon Kyap, another

Nepalese actor Thinle Lundup Lama posing with his grandchildren in Upper Dolpa.

Nepal, hoping to carve out a film career in his home among the mountains, deep canyons and swollen rivers of Upper Dolpa.

He appeared in a music video by the popular Nepali dance-folk band Nepathya in 2003. But then the work dried up. “After the movie I really wanted to act but there was no big investor, no big movie that happened in Dolpa. There were small projects, like TV channels who used to come and interview me.”

Life is hard for the people of Upper Dolpa, one of the world’s poorest places where sanitation is a luxury, food is always scarce and the punishing summer heat gives way in autumn to a harsh, freezing wind which chills the bones.

Valli, an acclaimed National Geographic photographer, author and film-maker who has lived in Nepal since 1983, spent nine months filming in the region and boasts close friendships with the villagers he cast in the movie.

Lundup talks proudly of how Valli has spent tens of thousands of dollars helping him with medical bills for tuberculosis and cancer. Without exception, locals talk positively about the effect of the movie, known locally as “Caravan”, stressing that it showcased their beautiful, rugged landscape to the world and brought in trekkers with their bulging wallets.

Tourist numbers have increased in Upper Dolpa since the turn of the century, but the rise seems unlikely to have been spurred by “Himalaya”, with government figures showing visits to the area dropped in the years after the film came

out. Nepal’s ten-year Maoist insurgency ending in 2006 seems to have had more to do with the region’s new-found popularity, with tourist numbers between 300 and 400 a year now from an average of barely 80 in the last years of the war.

Nevertheless its people seem happy to give Valli the credit. “No one knew what Dolpa was until Eric Valli made a film called Caravan,” said Amchi Namgayal Rinpoche, 44, a senior Tibetan lama who was born in the region.

“After that it was known to the whole world and there were a lot of tourists coming here.” It is the foreign visitors who recognize Lundup, often asking for him to pose for their pictures, he says, while he is largely forgotten by Hollywood and the rest of the world.

“Now I’m retired and I am old, and I don’t have any great expectations about life. I just want good food, but because of my health I can’t have oily food-only buckwheat, wheat powder and potatoes,” he said. “And if I want to have a drink I can’t have any alcohol. I really want to try continental food but I can’t get it here. “Most of the time I roam here and roam there, walking around and meeting people. I get a lot of visitors but I have nothing much to do.” —AFP

Kenny Rogers opens up about childhood, career in memoir ountry music star Kenny Rogers offers a revealing look into his life and five-decadelong musical career in “Luck or Something Like It,” his memoir that was released yesterday.

From his humble beginnings in Depression-era Texas, the Grammy-winning singer paints a portrait of his road to success and how he became one of the world’s best-selling musicians with more than 120 million albums sold worldwide.

Rogers, 74, whose hits include “Lady,” “The Gambler,” “We’ve Got Tonight” and “Lucille,” spoke to Reuters about his childhood, his father’s alcoholism and why he compares music to a mistress.

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Asala gears up for brand new season of Sola exclusively on OSN Ya Hala!

KUWAIT: OSN, the leading pay-TV network in the Middle East and North Africa, has announced the return of popular hit Arabic show, ‘Sola’. Hosted by singing sensation, Asala Nasri, the Season 2 premier of ‘Sola’ from Thursday, 27th September at 22:00 KSA. The second season promises to be even bigger and better featuring some of the biggest Arab singing stars including Sheb Khalid, Mohammed Abdo, Hussein Al-Jasmi, Meriam Faris, Hatem Al-Iraqi and Mohammed Hejaki to name a few.

Providing her unique touch, Asala Nasri takes a different approach to the traditional format of most Arabic talkshows. ‘Sola’ is aired live from Asala’s own home where she delves into the lives of her celebrity friends as they share gossip and what is making headlines in the world of Arab celebrities.

The show wouldn’t be complete without Asala humming a tune, so be the

first to hear her latest material as she sings never heard before exclusive singles throughout the new series.

“Asala is a true gem of the Arab music industry. The first season of Sola was a huge success and we’re back by popular demand with a brand new season featuring a new look and a broadened format of the show to include the region’s top poets and actors in addition to Arab singing superstars. I am confident that Season 2 will be even more popular and we will continue to bring the best and premium Arabic content for our viewers in the months to come,” Said Khulud Abu Alhomos, SVP Programming at OSN. Be sure to catch Asala and her friends as they gossip, sing along and chit-chat exclusively on OSN Ya Hala!

HD’s Season 2 of ‘Sola’ at 22:00 KSA from Thursday 27th September 2012.

the candor and the fact that I don’t take myself that seriously. But I don’t think there is anything in that book that he would be offended by because it’s the truth as I saw it, and that’s really all you can do.”

Q: You have said: “Music, at least for me, is like a mistress, and she’s a difficult mistress for a wife to compete with.” Can you elaborate?

A: “When I became driven and selfish I was so intent to follow my life that it cost me. I was gone so much from some of my marriages that there was a disconnect.” “And this may seem like an absurd statement, but every woman I married, I really loved when I married her. And I don’t blame them for the marriage falling apart. I blame myself and my chosen field of music.

That’s why I say that music is a mistress, because you can’t wait to get out there to it, and usually the mistress wins in a situation like that. That’s kind of what happened to me. Hey, you can’t say I’m afraid of commitment. I’ve been married five times.”

Q: In what ways do you think your challenging upbringing has helped shaped you?

A: “I think it made me more determined. One of the things I talk about in the book is the fine line between being driven and being selfish. I think there were times in my life I was so driven I became very selfish, and I’m not proud of that. I think it’s a realization I came to when I was writing this book.”

Q: You also share your father’s struggles with alcoholism and its effect on you.

A: “I think that one of the real tragedies in my life is that I never really got to know why my dad drank. He was an alcoholic, but during that time, post-War World Two, a lot of people were unemployed and ended up drinking. He couldn’t really support his family and I think it just broke him down. It breaks my heart that I didn’t know that before he passed away.” “I never drank in my life.

I saw it destroy him and saw it destroy other people I work with, so I made a conscious decision about this. Plus I didn’t know if there was any predetermination for me as the son of an alcoholic to become addicted, so I just never tried it.”

Q: What do you think your father, Floyd Rogers, would have thought about your book?

A: “I think he would appreciate the honesty,

Q: So is five times (married) the charm?

A: “Wanda and I have been together now for 20 years, been married 15 years. She’s 28 years younger than me, and I say this from the bottom of my heart - she is my soul mate. She knows me better than anyone else has known me. She loves what I do and I’m not as insensitive to her needs as I may have been in the past.”

Kenny Rogers Q: How about your mom, your siblings?

A: “I don’t think any of my brothers or sisters have read the book yet since it just came out. I’m going to make them buy it. I have to sell all the books I can.” “I think my mom would have loved it. When I was working on this project, I was told if they like the boy, they’ll love the man. So we spent a lot of time talking about my childhood, how we didn’t have a lot of money and how my mom kind of force-fed us religion. She was a true

Nepal cinemas close after Maoist orders ost cinemas in Nepal’s capital were closed to film fans yesterday after their owners bowed to demands by hardline Maoists to stop screening Bollywood movies. Operators of around a dozen movie theatres in Kathmandu had either decided to shut up shop or else only show Nepalese movies, according to a police spokesman and cinema managers. “Three operators in Kathmandu have stopped showing Indian movies while two operators have switched to Nepalese movies,” Kathmandu police spokesman Dhiraj Prataph

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Singh told AFP. One cinema operator said he had no option but to close to customers as there were not enough Nepalese movies that could be shown as alternatives. “We have to suffer a daily loss of 300,000 Nepalese rupees (around $3,500) in the absence of Hindi movies,” Surendra Thapa, a manager of QFX Central which operates three cinemas in Kathmandu, told the English language Republica daily. The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), a breakaway faction that split from the ruling Maoist party in June,

believer with lots of wisdom. When I once complained about going to church, she told me, ‘You can never be more as an adult than what’s put into you as a child.’ She was amazingly astute for a person with a third grade education.”

ordered the move at the end of last month, saying that Indian movies were spreading “hatred against Nepal and Nepali people”.

Although it did not spell out the consequences for cinema managers who defied the edict, the party said it would send members to theatres to enforce the ban. The party also banned Indian-registered vehicles from crossing into Nepal in protest over what it sees as India’s growing influence on the Himalayan nation. —AFP

Q: So who is the Lucille of your famous song?

A: “My mom, whose name is Lucille, got very upset because she thought (the song) was about her. So I told her it’s not about her, because she had eight kids. But she was so angry because she thought I was putting her business on the street. Roger Bowling wrote the song, and whether he knew Lucille or not is hard to tell. It’s a great story song, though.”—Reuters

‘Hotel Transylvania’ checks in with top box office spot he animated monsters who become Dracula’s guests in “Hotel Transylvania” scared up $42.5 million in their first weekend out, topping the North American box office, industry figures showed Monday. Another film in its premiere weekend, “Looper,” a mob movie starring Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, trailed in second place with a $20.8 million debut.

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Cop drama “End of Watch” with Jake Gyllenhaal was in third place with $7.8 million for its second week, followed by Clint Eastwood’s “Trouble with the Curve,” about a baseball recruiter losing his sight, with $7.3 million. Fright flick “House at the End of the Street” brought in $7.1 million in the number five spot, while teen comedy-musical “Pitch Perfect” was sixth with $5.1 million. —AFP

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

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veryone loves a high-profile rivalry, but perhaps the fashion world more than most. This might explain why fashion writers have so eagerly pitted the two new influential faces of Paris’ ready-to-wear calendar against each other. In the Christian Dior ring, Raf Simons the house designer appointed in April whose Friday collection wowed journalists - and in Yves Saint Laurent’s, Hedi

Slimane, the 44-year-old appointed in March, who himself used to work at Dior menswear. Amid incredible pressure to deliver, Paris-born Slimane unveiled his new vision for the rival house Monday, with YSL themselves adding to the buzz through their strict guestlist and restricted invitations.

Meanwhile, the front row presence was proof enough of the brand’s enduring allure: From French First Lady Valerie

Trierweiler, actress Jessica Chastain and a roll call of his designing peers Vivienne Westwood, Alber Elbaz and Marc Jacobs. So who won?

Models wear creations by Frenchborn fashion designer Hedi Slimane for St Laurent his ready to wear Spring-Summer 2013 collection presented in Paris, Monday. — AP

YVES SAINT LAURENT When fashion editors put down their pens halfway through a catwalk show, it’s always cause for worry. This was the case at Hedi Slimane’s disappointing debut at Yves Saint Laurent - a rather confused ode to excess that used fringing, leather, lacing, tassels, feathers, sequins, skinny menswear tailoring, baggy pants, cinching cummerbunds, capes, tribal pendants and almost everything else under the sun. Pierre Berge, Saint Laurent’s former partner said: “(Slimane) knows the Saint Laurent DNA, the spirit.” There was definitely a nod to that. For example, black silk neck bows a house signature that was used as a leitmotif. But the collection lacked the empowering sex appeal that made Saint Laurent one of the most famous names in fashion.

The bows, rather symbolically, instead of unifying the collection, fought with other

busy materials for attention. Unflattering floppy Stetson hats capped it off. Slimane took a gamble on the no-holds-barred approach to impress, but somehow fell short of the mark in his basic silhouette.

Many individual garments - like one sumptuous look with side a spread of black feathers - were highly creative. But here the plumes’ dynamic horizontal energy was drowned out by the bow. Slimane pulled it off well when he wasn’t trying too hard: A classy skinny menswear pant looked great with a sharp shouldered tuxedo - and a spot on merging of YSL and Slimane’s own personal style. Had he kept it cleaner, Slimane might not have given the upper hand so easily to his Dior rival.

STELLA MCCARTNEY “Palatable, everyday.” That’s how Stella McCartney, backstage, describes her fresh, optimistic and relaxed spring-summer outing.

If she hoped the collection to be everyday, the show itself - in the gilded foyer of the Paris Opera Garnier with ornate, swinging double chandeliers in gold, not to mention the famous faces like Kate Moss, Salma Hayek and McCartney’s former Beatle father Paul - was not. It’s hard to be casual when you were born with one of the most famous dads on the planet - but she got full marks for trying.

Silhouettes ignored the waist, with a cool, low-

slung belted vibe, and the big curves of last season were gone. Thinking outside the box, McCartney created some fantastic elliptical curves in vibrant saffron yellow and forest green, sculpting a feminine shape like a geometric hourglass. Black and white camouflage print looked fantastic on a silky jumpsuit, worn by sassy model of the moment Karlie Kloss. This look wasn’t exactly every day, but its sure going to sell.-AP

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

lifestyle F a s h i o n

CHLOE The Chloe fashion house is celebrating its 60th birthday during Paris Fashion Week but its spring-summer 2013 show proved it’s still as fresh as a daisy. Designer Clare Waight Keller’s collection takes its cue from founder Gaby Aghion’s mantra: “I lived the life I wanted.” Chloe, founded in 1952, practically invented ready-to-wear in the first place and has always confidently led the way. That rebelliousness came out Monday in the clothes - strongly feminine and diaphanous but also structured with laser-cut edges in many large frills and ripples. “I wanted a feminine

spirit, but sharp...like a knife,” Waight Keller said after the show. This contrasted with the collection’s soft side.

Transparent organza silks played on volume, giving a layered three-dimensionality to soft, oversized T-shirts and knee-length skirts. The light touches came from hibiscus flower appliques on sheer white tops, or in one instance, in green down a singular pant leg. Features like this can look overly busy if handled poorly. But here the looks were paired with a clean-cut minimalist vest, jacket or Bermuda to tasteful effect.

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he silk was from Varanasi, the jewellery from Kenya, and the look right on trend as Maiyet-a socially-conscious new luxury brand-showed its latest ready-to-wear line at Paris Fashion Week on Monday. Embroidered silks, block prints, fluid pants, colored little leather jackets and exquisite jewels, Maiyet’s spring look felt both feminine and contemporary, sent out by its US designer Gabriella Zanzani.

Named after the Egyptian goddess of harmony, Maiyet bills itself as a new kind of luxury brand, discovering and partnering with craftsmen from around the world to cater to a savvy global fashion market. The two-year old firm is the brainchild of South African human rights lawyer Paul Van Zyl. After working on the post-Apartheid truth and reconciliation commission, Van Zyl spent eight years travelling the globe, working in countries trying to build similar initiatives.

“I saw that the artisans in these countries had an incredible skill, and I thought that skill was underused. It was trapped in the local market,” he told AFP ahead of the off-calendar show at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris. So he hit upon the idea of a fashion brand that would harness that potential. To do so he teamed up with social entrepreneur Daniel Lubetsky and fashion industry veteran Kristy Caylor, and together they travelled the world, visiting 25 cities in six months, from Indonesia to Africa, Peru or India. Today Maiyet employs 250 artisans worldwide, sourcing textiles in India, hand-knit sweaters in Peru, horn, bone and hand-poured brass in Kenya-where its 15 local artisans were until now churning out salad tongs. “Our philosophy is: ‘You have an amazing skill, and if somebody can give you some more training, and more design direction, then it gives you the opportunity to sell your products at a higher price’,” explained Van Zyl. The weavers asked for a subscription to Vogue In the Indian holy city of Varanasi, for instance,

this meant working to improve the conditions of traditional weavers, in partnership with the nonprofit artisan training and development organization NEST. “When we first met them they wove everything at home. When the monsoon comes the roofs leak, the water drips onto the loom, and they can only work for a few hours a day.”

Maiyet started by building a modern air-conditioned facility for its artisans to weave under, and offered training to teach them modern patterns better suited to the global market. According to Maiyet’s figures there are 90,000 weavers out of work in Varanasi, their traditional business flawed by cheap competition from industrial Chinesemade silk.

“Our view is, these people have an incredible skill but if they have to just hand weave at home the industry will die,” said Van Zyl. The net result, in Varanasi, is that from an initial 50 meters Maiyet has been able to increase its seasonal order to 600 meters, having sent in a Swiss expert who helped the weavers drastically improve their silk quality.

Maiyet asks its workers to set their own wages, with NEST acting as a monitor to ensure fair standards. It is also unusual in that it observes a principle of non-exclusivity with its artisans. “Because

we genuinely want you to be empowered,” Van Zyl explained. “If somebody else comes and wants to source with you, we say fine.” That said, the label’s founders are quite clear this is no charity. “It has to be about the product first,” said Caylor. “Even though we are doing the most beautiful thing with the people we work with.”

Caylor tells a little story that sums up the spirit of the scheme: when a pair of Maiyet silk shorts was pictured in Vogue, they showed the page to the head of their team in Varanasi. “He was so excited, he showed the Vogue article to all the weavers,” she said. And when Maiyet came to ask him about his training needs, he was quite clear on the three things he most wanted: “English classes, a new computer and a subscription to Vogue.”— AFP

Models wear creations for Maiyet’s ready to wear SpringSummer 2013 collection, presented in Paris, Monday. — AP

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urkish designer Hakaan Yildirim was forced to cancel his Paris fashion week show yesterday after his entire collection mysteriously disappeared in transit, his press service said. No other details about the loss were provided. Such problems are extremely rare, though Marc Jacobs’s 2012 Spring/Summer collection was stolen en route to London

in November 2011, causing Jacobs to cancel his presentation.

Hakaan received the Andam prize, which supports young designers working in France, in 2010, and his show at London fashion week that year attracted a lot of attention. — AFP

Nepal’s ‘first’ global film star scrapes a living

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012

A dance troupe from Russia’s far eastern Khabarovsk region performs South Korean rapper Psy’s signature horse-riding dance during a street parade in Seoul yesterday. The parade follows the rapper’s global hit ‘Gangnam Style’ topping the British music charts, a first for a Korean singer. — AFP

Iconic Amsterdam museum reborn in bullet-proof bathtub

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n enormous white bathtub made out of bulletproof material is to catapult Amsterdam’s worldfamous Stedelijk modern art museum back into the 21st century after an absence of almost 10 years. The museum that over 70 years ago set the trend for the now ubiquitous white gallery walls reopens on Sunday, adorned with its 100-metre bathtub-shaped extension that architect Mels Crouwel describes as “shiny, flashy... and white”. The Stedelijk’s collection of more than 90,000 art and design objects, from Bauhaus to Warhol, is one of the most important in the world, but times have changed since its 20th-century heyday when it had few competitors.

Dozens of modern art museums have sprung up around the world, with franchises such as the Guggenheim becoming globally marketable brands for wealthy cities seeking a higher-profile and tourist cash. The Stedelijk, founded in 1874 and whose name simply means “City Museum”, must now compete with the likes of London’s vast Tate Modern, opened in 2000 and already the most popular modern art museum in the world with over four million visitors a year.

But the Dutch museum has an edge thanks to its pioneering place in history, and now, of course, its headlinegrabbing extension. With its sloping sides and white legs, the extension’s seamless 3,000 square metre (32,000 square foot) surface is the largest composite building in the world, a deliberately light addition to the heavy neoRenaissance style of the original 1895 building. “It’s a composite of resin reinforced with very hi-tech fibres normally used in the boat or aerospace industry,” Crouwel told AFP.

‘Shiny, flashy... and white’

Edwin Dommershuijzen of Teijin Aramid which makes the fibres-a Dutch invention five times stronger than steelsaid that using anything else would not have worked because of expansion and contraction with temperature changes. “If you want to make such a huge part out of one piece of aluminium or steel, no way,” as they would expand and/or crack, he said. “The nice thing about these materials, carbon fibre and para-aramid fibre, is they both get shorter when the temperature rises, while the resin they’re contained in gets longer when the temperature rises,” said Dommershuijzen.

“It compensates and then in the end nothing happens,” he said. While the coating is “more or less exactly the same” as that used in flak-jackets and helmets, the museum’s new extension is not quite bullet-proof. That would require several more layers. The Stedelijk’s ornate 1895 building rubs shoulders with the now better-known Van Gogh Museum and Rijksmuseum, home to Rembrandt’s most famous work “The Night Watch”, on Amsterdam’s Museumplein (Museum Plaza). The area is a main draw for Amsterdam’s 12 million annual visitors, and all three museums are undergoing or are to undergo extensive renovations, with the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum both to reopen next April.

Nevertheless, work on the Stedelijk and the Rijksmuseum has taken years longer and cost many more millions than planned. Willem Sandberg, a graphic designer who curated the Stedelijk from 1937 to 1941 before

A man putting finishing touches on an exhibit in Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam. —AFP becoming its director until 1963, sealed its avant garde status by painting the interior walls white and with a series of daring exhibitions. The venue became quintessentially Dutch, moving away from the stuffiness of museums at the time to create what Sandberg called a place “where you dare talk, kiss, laugh out loud, be yourself, a focus of the life that’s lived today.” In a sign of the museum’s ambitions to internationalize itself, former Los Angeles Museum of Modern Art senior curator Ann Goldstein was named the Stedelijk’s first US and first woman director in 2009.

Proud history of controversy

Presenting the renovation work, she hailed a “unique

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museum that gets under people’s skin, that enters into peoples’ lives”, vowing to continue the museum’s tradition of engaging visitors by “turning confusion into curiosity.”

The museum is proud of the controversy it has caused over the years and remains as critical as it is criticized. This can be seen in the choice of John Knight’s “Autotypes, A Work In Situ”, housed in the “bathtub” and consisting of dining plates with blueprints of new additions to museums around the world on them, including the bathtub itself.

The Stedelijk says the work reveals “the uniformity of museum architecture... the changing role of the museum, which includes serving as a marketing tool for city branding within the ever-expanding spectacle of mass tourism.”

The museum has even had a dig at rising anti-immigrant politics in the usually tolerant Netherlands, with its first temporary exhibition called “Beyond Imagination”. The museum’s blog said the show “mirrors the diversity and international character of the highly experimental Dutch art scene, a unique ecosystem at risk due to the current political climate.” While the building’s architectural contrasts are obvious from the outside, once visitors are inside the exhibition space the interiors are all the same style and visitors do not know if they are in the old or the new.

“There are people who really hate it, they think it’s impossible to put such a white thing next to such a beautiful old building,” said architect Crouwel, whose father Wim Crouwel was the museum’s most famous graphic designer.

“But I think it’s good, you can see in which time which is built and you should always build for the future and not for the past.” — AFP