9th Oct

CR IP TI ON BS SU

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

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THULQADA 23, 1433 AH

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Amir: Work in harmony to uphold national unity Sheikh Sabah chairs cabinet, highlights challenges

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conspiracy theories

Human rights for all

By Badrya Darwish

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

B

edoon issue is an enigma. Kuwait has been living with the bedoons problem for so many years. It even reminds me of the movie: “The never-ending story.”

I have many bedoon friends, by the way. Some work with us in the newspaper. They are efficient and reliable hard-workers. I wonder why this problem is stretching for so many years. I wonder why this problem existed from the very beginning. We have been facing electricity, healthcare and education problems for many years. Why everything lacks a solution in Kuwait? Are we being jinxed once we were called the pearl of the Gulf?

But I digress. The bedoons started their uprising in Taima, which coincided with the Arab Spring stretching from Tunisia, Libya, Egypt down to Bahrain, Jordan, Syria and Yemen. We do not know who is next.

Nearly every week the bedoons threaten that there will be demonstrations. Sometimes they do. It has become the norm. During the demonstrations sometimes things go out of hand between the two sides just like in any demonstration around the world. Clashes happen between the police and the bedoons. In that moment, we immediately start receiving messages and news from all MPs asking the government to handle the situation with care and to be lenient towards the bedoons. I hope this sympathy is for the sake of sympathy only and not for interest. I appreciate the spirit of our MPs. I feel sorry for the bedoons. Their problem should be solved quickly. As these MPs are full of sympathy for the bedoons they should also have some sympathy for the expats’ situation in Kuwait.

Why are they so sensitive about the way they address the bedoons issue. They always defend and attack even police the way they handle the problem.

I expect the same sympathy, sensitivity and good feelings towards more than 1.5 million expats working in Kuwait. Why nobody fights to give them more rights? Why nobody among these MPs has a feeling towards them? Some expats are living comfortably but many others who are hired do not get their wages on time or are deported without a reason.

Often many are oppressed by their kafeel (sponsor).

Why nobody fights for them? Why nobody is asking for their kids to be allowed to join our government schools and the university. This could be even done for a fee. Why aren’t rights given to those who have spent their lives here and who came in their prime years? Why can’t they be given permanent residency and some facilities for their children? Or at least many of the medicines they have to pay for, which are expensive, could be given at a subsidized prize.

Please! Sympathy should be for all. Human rights are for everyone. I wish from my heart that the bedoons problem gets solved very soon and that whoever has rights should get them.

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah chairs a cabinet meeting at Seif Palace yesterday.— KUNA

Next hearing in Assembly storming case on Nov 19

By B Izzak KUWAIT: The criminal court yesterday set November 19 for the next hearing into the case of 68 activists, including 10 former MPs, accused of storming the National Assembly building at the height of protests last year.

Judge Hesham Abdullah asked defendants one-byone about the charges the public prosecution has pressed against them and all of them denied that they had any criminal intention and categorically insisted that they did not violate the law. It was the first session for former MPs to face the trial without their parliamentary immunity after the National Assembly was dissolved on Sunday.

Among those in attendance were ex-MPs Mussallam Al-Barrak, Faisal Al-Muslim, Waleed Al-Tabtabai, Mubarak Al-Waalan, Falah Al-Sawwagh and others. All the defendants are freed on a KD 1,000 each.

The men are accused of storming a public building, damaging public property, assaulting police, instigating military to disobey orders and others. Barrak and the rest acknowledged they had “entered” the National Continued on Page 13

soldiers kill 30 civilians in Nigeria MAIDUGURI: Nigerian soldiers angry about the killing of an officer razed buildings and shot dead more than 30 civilians yesterday in a northeastern city long under siege by a radical Islamist sect.

An Associated Press reporter in Maiduguri, the spiritual home of the sect known as Boko Haram, counted the dead while on a tour of the still-smoldering neighborhood. The journalist saw no weapons or evidence that the dead belonged to the sect. A soldier nearby, who did not identify himself, claimed the attack was a response to a bombing nearby earlier yesterday that he said killed a lieutenant. — AP

‘Worst-case scenario’ in Syria: Gul GUVECCI, Turkey: Turkish President Abdullah Gul said yesterday the “worstcase scenarios” were now playing out in Syria and Turkey would to do everything necessary to protect itself, while its army fired back for a sixth day after a shell fired from Syria flew over the border.

Gul said the violence in Turkey ’s southern neighbor, where a revolt against President Bashar Al-Assad has evolved into a civil war that threatens to draw in regional powers, could not go on indefinitely and Assad’s fall was inevitable.

“The worst-case scenarios are taking place right now in Syria ... Our government is in constant consultation with the Turkish military. Whatever is needed is being done immediately as you see, and it will continue to be done,” Gul said.

Stem cell pioneers win Nobel for medicine STOCKHOLM: Shinya Yamanaka of Japan and John Gurdon of Britain won the Nobel Prize yesterday for work in cell programming, a frontier that has raised dreams of replacement tissue for people crippled by disease. The two scientists found that adult cells can be transformed back to an infant state called stem cells, the key ingredient in the vision of regenerative medicine.

“Their findings have revolutionized our understanding of how cells and organisms develop,” the Nobel jury declared. “By reprogramming human cells, scientists have created new opportunities to study diseases and develop methods John Gurdon for diagnosis and therapy.”

KUWAIT: Faisal Al-Muslim (left) coming out of the Criminal Court building yesterday. —Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah chaired yesterday a cabinet meeting at Seif Palace attended by His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber AlSabah and Deputy Minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah.

After the meeting, Information Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah said that HH the Amir spoke about various developments and domestic matters in light of the Constitutional Court’s ruling issued on September 20 on the appeal made by the government to the Constitutional Court in Law No 42 of 2006 on re-defining constituencies followed by the issuance of a decree to dissolve the National Assembly of 2009.

HH the Amir also touched on the overall recent situation in the country, urging for careful reconsideration of matters that offend Kuwait’s status, reputation, capabilities and its different merits.

His Highness the Amir also called for correcting mistakes and returning to the right path. He also noted need to reconsider the mechanism of projects preparation and take the shortcut when it comes to (time consuming) paper work.

He also stressed on the importance of paying attention to what affects citizens’ concerns and interests and work to provide what they need of services in various areas and fields and all that would relieve their life burdens, including those related to securing housing for Continued on Page 13

Among those who acclaimed the award were Britain’s Royal Society, Ian Wilmut, “father” of Dolly the cloned sheep, and a leading ethicist, who said it eased a storm about the use of embryonic cells.

Stem cells are precursor cells which differentiate into the various organs of the body.

They have stirred huge excitement, with hopes that they can be coaxed into growing into replacement tissue for victims of Alzheimer ’s, Park inson’s and other diseases.

Gurdon, 79, said he was grateful but also surprised by the honor, since his main research was done more than 40 years ago.

Shinya Yamanaka Continued on Page 13

“There will be a change, a transition sooner or later ... It is a must for the international community to take effective action before Syria turns into a bigger wreck and further blood is shed, that is our main wish,” he told reporters in Ankara. Turkey’s armed forces have bolstered their presence along the 900 km (560 mile) border with Syria in recent days and have been responding in kind to gunfire and shelling spilling across from the south, where Assad’s forces have been battling rebels who control swathes of territory.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the escalation of the conflict along the Turkey-Syria border, as well as the impact of the crisis on Lebanon, were “extremely dangerous”.

“The situation in Syria has dramatical-

ly worsened. It is posing serious risks to the stability of Syria’s neighbors and the entire region,” he told a conference in Strasbourg, France.

Ban said UN and Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi would be heading back to the region this week. The exchanges with Turkey are the most serious crossborder violence in Syria’s revolt against Assad, which began in March last year with peaceful protests for reform and has evolved into a civil war with sectarian overtones.

Fighting further inside Syria also intensified yesterday. Syrian forces advanced for the first time in months into the rebel-held Khalidiya district in the besieged central city of Homs, one of 12 districts they have been bombarding for days. — Reuters

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

local

KUWAIT: His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah and other ministers attend a Cabinet meeting at Seif Palace yesterday.

Emergency decrees planned, law amendment unclear Supreme commission for elections planned KUWAIT: The decree to dissolve the parliament came simultaneously with “marathon discussions” within the Cabinet committees aimed at preparing the emergency decrees to be released before the new parliament is elected, likely by Dec 7, a local daily reported yesterday. The decrees are meant to tackle multiple issues including the state’s budget, the small projects law, Kuwait Airway’s privatization and the carrier’s issues with its Iraqi counterpart, amendments to sports regulations, and the national unity law, according to sources close to the Cabinet who spoke to AlQabas on condition of anonymity.

They added that a decree to establish a supreme commission for elections is also under consideration.

Meanwhile, a source described as “a senior Cabinet insider” in the Al-Qabas report claimed that a decree to reduce the number of votes each citizen is entitled to is “coming definitely”, adding that “the question is whether to reduce it to two or one”. Under the present law, a voter is eligible to vote for a maximum of four candidates in their respective constituencies.

The issue of reducing the number of votes has led to a lot of controversy since the

Constitutional Court upheld the electoral law two weeks ago after rejecting the Cabinet’s challenge to its constitutionality on the basis that it breached equality with regards to demographic distribution within constituencies.

The opposition believes that the Cabinet seeks to change the electoral law and come up with a system that favors pro-government candidates in order to prevent the oppositionists from taking control of majority seats.

Pro-government MPs, who felt marginalized in the parliament elected last February and annulled by a Constitutional Court ruling four months later, are pushing for an amended electoral law in which the number of votes per voter is reduced. In their opinion, a system in which a voter is entitled to one or two votes will reflect the citizens’ orientations more accurately.

The ministers are said to be divided on the issue of changing the electoral law outside the parliament. According to another “Cabinet insider” quoted by Al-Qabas yesterday, some within the Cabinet are against changing the law via an emergency decree “in order to avoid confrontation with the opposition which could also find the case a

KUWAIT: Canadian Ambassador to Kuwait Douglas George poses with other embassy staff during Canada Education Expo held at the Marina Hotel.

rich subject to boost their chances” during the next elections.

On the other hand, there are ministers who consider such a change as necessary “to prevent the opposition from controlling majority seats in the parliament” which in their opinion increases the confrontation that has been responsible for the stalemate in the country’s development.

Thirty four oppositionists won the elections held last February after the previous parliament’s initial dissolution, controlling majority seats in the 50-member parliament and subsequently forming an alliance known since as the Majority Bloc.

The 2009 parliament which was dissolved Sunday for the second time had been reinstated last June when the court found its earlier dissolution verdict made last December to be unconstitutional.

Finance Minister Nayef Al-Hajraf confirmed on Sunday that the Cabinet discussed passing the state’s budget for the fiscal year 2012/2013 through an emergency decree, but denied having a similar discussion to amend the electoral law. Article 71 of the Kuwaiti Constitution gives HH the Amir the authority to release emergency decrees while

the parliament is inactive, addressing subjects considered of high importance. The laws passed in this manner are subject to a review by the elected parliament during its first session, and MPs have the authority to overrule them. The opposition and other political groups, including the liberal National Democratic Alliance and Democratic Forum, announced plans to retaliate should the electoral law be changed by an emergency decree, with actions that may include demonstrations and boycotting elections.

(Qabas) Separately, Al-Rai reported yesterday that the opposition plans to launch their ‘Nahj TV’ tomorrow (Wednesday). The channel, named after a political group with the same name that staged demonstrations at the Iradah Square in the months preceding the 2009 parliament’s dissolution, focuses on activities of Majority Bloc members, according to sources who were not identified. (Rai) On the other hand, Al-Jarida daily reported yesterday that the Information Ministry received no requests to license a TV channel for the opposition, according to sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity. (Jarida) — Al-Qabas, Al-Rai & Al-Jarida

KUWAIT: The education expo in progress —Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

MEEI organizes education expo

By Ben Garcia KUWAIT: An education expo organized by the Middle East Education Initiative (MEEI) in collaboration with the Canadian Embassy in Kuwait was recently held at Marina Hotel in Salmiya. Students from various senior high schools in Kuwait enthusiastically participated in the seventh education expo, a bi-annual event and asked questions about concerns like visa, types of programs available, accommodation, required grades, environment in Canada and other such issues.

Douglas George, Canadian Ambassador to Kuwait, said the embassy was delighted to host an event like this as it helped prospective students in selecting where to study. Over 20 universities and colleges from Canada participated in the expo.

“It is a great opportunity for students and their parents

workshop focuses on economic balances KUWAIT: Director of the economic department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Sheikh Ali Al-Khaled Al-Sabah underscored here yesterday importance of continued cooperation between the ministry and the World Bank to reach a common vision to achieve aspirations of the State of Kuwait in achieving economic stability, therefore, reaching the sought development plan.

This came in a press statement today after the conclusion of a workshop organized by the economic department with the World Bank. entitled (Global economic crisis and its impact on the Arab states and Kuwait in particular) in which chief economist in the bank, Dr. Kevin Kerry, and Director of the bank office in Kuwait, Dr. Bassam Ramadan, took part.

The ambassador said the workshop came within the framework of the State development plan, aimed at developing diplomatic performance of staff of the ministry. The workshop addressed explaining economic fluctuations and incentives needed to correct such fluctuations in the world in general and the GCC countries in particular, especially in the State of Kuwait, which is looking to achieve economic balance to reach the strategic plan towards economic future until 2020. — KUNA

here to see our top quality schools and ask so many questions.

Canada is the best place for students as we are proud of our multi-cultural and safe environment,” the Ambassador said.

“We have a deep respect for other cultures and religions. If you study in Canada, you will get to know the country. Every student who comes to Canada becomes a future ambassador for the goodwill of our great country,” he added.

He said the cooperation between the two countries in the field of education remained strong and pro-active. “We have scholarship grants for Kuwaiti students, and Kuwait, too, offers the same to our students, although we currently have only one student studying here in a language program. But we are proud of the Kuwaiti students who are studying in Canada under their government’s scholarship program. They are into medicine, engineering and similar other courses,” he said.

The Education expo had gained momentum since its introduction in 2005.

“This has been a significant achievement for us. We are happy because the numberof students from Kuwait are growing as well as the universities and colleges.”

According to Collen Mapendere, Counsellor (Commercial) last year, about 16 colleges and universities had participated.

“Now, that number has risen to 23. Canada provides various incentives to students, not just a safer place to live and a multi-cultural environment. If you study full time in Canada, you can work and get the benefit of earning while studying,” she said.

When it comes to securing visa, the Canadian Embassy in Abu-Dhabi takes care of the processing. Mapendere said the visa usually takes about four weeks to process.

Detained bedoons admit role in demonstration KUWAIT: The bedoon activists who were arrested following a demonstration last week in Taima admitted during interrogation that they were responsible for calls made on social networks to gather in protest against the procedures adopted by the government to end their decades-old problem, a local daily reported yesterday.

Quoting security sources who wished to remain anonymous, Al-Rai reported that the activists arrested along with others on Saturday staged demonstrations against a new colortagged ID system adopted recently by the Central Agency for Stateless Residents, and expressed their opposition to the selection of Saleh AlFadhalah to head the agency. Their demands also included naturalizing stateless residents who possess documents for the 1985 census.

The Cabinet, during its weekly meeting a fortnight ago, approved a new form of security IDs given to stateless residents and used as their main form of identification. The new cards contain colored tags referring to the category under which a holder is recognized in state records, including those eligible for naturalization and others about whom the government claims to have proof that they belong to other countries.

Of those arrested, 18 Bedouins were remanded for ten days on Sunday as per orders of General Director of the Criminal Investigations General Department, Lt Gen Yousuf Al-Saudi, Al-Qabas reported yesterday. Sources quoted in the report indicated that 23 people were arrested till Sunday on charges that included calling for an illegal demonstration and assaulting police officers on duty. One of the accused was also charged with raising a Nazi banner. Meanwhile, Jahra detectives were trying to arrest ten others identified as having been involved in the assault on policemen and breach of security.

In the meantime, the detainees denied during interrogation that they had any links with instigators outside Kuwait, notably an Iraqi citizen named Mohammad Wally who resides in London and has been regularly exhorting the Bedouins in Kuwait to demonstrate, Al-Rai reported.

The Kuwaiti government established the Central Agency for Illegal Residents about two years ago with the goal of classifying the members of the stateless residents’ community and identifying those who meet conditions of naturalization, including residents whose Bedouin ancestors failed to register for citizenship following Kuwait’s independence more than fifty years ago.

Last year, the agency adopted measures to grant the Bedouins several rights that included obtaining marriage, birth and death certificates. The agency was given a five-year ultimatum to resolve the decades-old issue.

Kuwait has a large community of stateless residents who demand citizenship as well as civil and social rights that they are deprived of, given their illegal residence status. The government in the meantime argues that some of them are Arabs or descendents of Arab people who deliberately disposed of their original passports after coming to Kuwait and seek citizenship in the oil-rich country. The term ‘Bedouin’ is Arabic for ‘without’, and is used as a loose reference to the fact that stateless residents live without a nationality since birth.

Beverly Hills Medical Center in the offing

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: Kuwait will soon have a new VIP medical center, called the Beverly Hills Medical Center, which will be located in Symphony Complex near Missoni Hotel on Gulf Road in Salmiya. Affiliated with the Beverly Hill Center of Los Angeles, USA, Vissum Center for Advanced Head and Neck Surgery, Mersi and others, the new centre will be launched officially in December next.

This was announced yesterday during a press conference held at the Missoni Hotel, which was followed by a tour for the affiliated doctors who were visiting Kuwait to the medical center. The press conference was attended by the representative of the Beverly Hill Center of Los Angeles, USA Dr. Babak Azizzadeh, the representative of the Vissum Center, Spain, Dr. Jorge Alio, and other doctors.

The Beverly Hills Medical Center is the first private medical center in Kuwait that is affiliated with four international medical centers. “The Center will include four specialized departments in its first phase including eye care (Lasik and eye surgeries), plastic surgery, dermatology and skin care, and cosmetic dentistry and dental implants,” said Ghassan Zein, MD, PhD, FRCS, Director of Ophthalmology

and the CEO of Beverly Hills Medical Center-Kuwait during the press conference.

Beverly Hills Center will be offering the same services as those provided by the four centers that it is affiliated with.

“So our center is providing the same standards through the visits of the con-

sultants from these centers to our center and they will be setting work standards in our center as a condition to our affiliation. We have to apply the same medical system followed there since the patient arrives and during his treatment,” he added.

“We will provide experts in particular

KUWAIT: Dr Jorge Alio, Dr Ghassam Zein and Dr Babak Azizzodeh during the press conference held yesterday at the Missoni Hotel. — Photo by Joseph Shagra

specializations and fields. So, for instance, the plastic surgeon will not practice in all areas and kinds of plastic surgeries. Thus each surgeon will work in one area such as the nose, while the other will do breast surgeries. This makes us special compared to other centers,” explained Dr. Zein.

The high standard services will serve patients arriving from abroad. “We will offer the patients the same services they receive outside Kuwait. Besides the international specialists working in our center, there will be visiting doctors from different specializations visiting the center on monthly basis. They will do surgeries and follow-up of the patients which can only be treated abroad,” he further said.

The center is equipped with the most modern instruments and machines of best quality. “Our equipment includes the most modern vision correction instruments in the world, which is also the fastest. It dissects the cornea with laser and not a cutter as in other eye surgeries. And it is highly precise. Also Dr. Jorge Alio will do the cornea implants and the vision correction surgeries that will let patients stop using glasses for reading as they will have implanted contact lenses,” concluded Dr. Zein.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

local

Indian workers left in the lurch News

in brief

New students scholarships KUWAIT: The Education Ministry today announced scholarships for 9th and 10th class students wishing to study in the USA during the current year, provided the students were less than 17 years of age. The Director of the capital education area, Yusra Al-Omar, said scholarships will be available for 20 students from public and private schools.

The students must secure a recommendation from English language teachers in their schools. She said the students, once they were accepted, will live with American families and study for a year before returning to Kuwait to finish their studies.

NDA elections decisions KUWAIT: The sources at the National Democratic Alliance said a recommendation by its executive office about boycotting the elections in case of an urgent decree to reduce votes was not binding on everyone. They added that there were individuals affiliated to the NDA who will contest the upcoming elections even if the decrees were issued. “The recommendation is not compulsory and it is not within NDA’s rights to control its members’ decisions and take away their political choice,” the sources said.

Sexual assault KUWAIT: A Kuwaiti girl told the Mubarak Al-Kabeer police that a man working at the Defence Ministry tricked her into his Abu Al-Hasaniya home, and raped her. The police are on a look out for him.

Meanwhile, a citizen was sent to the drugs control department when police recovered around 300 grams of hashish from his car.

Projects review KUWAIT: Minister of Public Works Dr. Fadhel Safar reviews projects carried out in Hutain during a meeting with the area’s residents at citizen Ibrahim Al-Mansouri’s dewaniya this evening at 8:00 pm.

Another episode in the continuing saga of illegal recruitments

By Sajeev K Peter KUWAIT: In yet another episode in the continuing saga of illegal recruitments from India, scores of workers who were brought to Kuwait on fake promise of jobs in a reputed oil company here are now left in the lurch without work, wages and food.

The Indians were duped by a travel agency in Kerala that recruited the workers reportedly for a Kuwaiti contracting company after extracting huge amounts from the workers.

“We were offered jobs of ‘fuel fillers’ in Kuwait’s petrol stations run by an oil company by the recruiting agent Royal Rich Travels. We were promised a monthly salary of KD 75, plus KD 15 food allowance.

But we were cheated. We were neither given the promised job nor the salary,” said Sajeev from Quilon, one of the deceived Indians while talking to journalists. Four of the 15 workers, now staying in a camp in Mahboula, narrated their harrowing tale to the journalists on Sunday. They said they are just one batch and there are more than 400 workers who share their plight and live in different areas in Kuwait.

The Indians, who arrived in the country on June 9, 2012 were initially paid KD 30 each as advance and KD 15 as food allowance by the sponsors, though they were not paid afterwards, they said. The hapless workers said they want to go back to India as they are virtually stranded in this country without job, money or proper food. To make matters worse, the sponsor the contracting firm - declined to release their passports.

Intervention Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy here has asked the contracting firm Wael Al-

Nusif to release the passports and repatriate the workers as they could not honor the contracts. “We have written to them to release their passports and send them back to India,” Vidhu P Nair, First Secretary, Labour, Indian Embassy told the Kuwait Times yesterday. According to Nair, the embassy had given attestations to another

company Wael Al-Nusif recruited workers from India though it failed to employ the workers as promised.

“Now they are asking us to work as cleaners in hospitals or as road sweepers.

But there is no guarantee that we will get paid,” said Siraj, a native of Alleppey district of Kerala. Ten of them have started work-

KUWAIT: From left to right, Omar Sharif, Mansour, Siraj and Sajeev talking to journalists. company, not to Royal Rich. But the workers came through Royal Rich Travels, he informed. The official said that the embassy had informed the External Affairs Ministry in India about the issue.

The workers, who contacted the travel agents back home received lukewarm response from them who asked them to continue to stay in Kuwait. Royal Rich Travels is a popular travel servicing company in Kerala with branches across the state.

According to sources, the contracting

ing as cleaners in a private hospital in Kuwait though they are also not being paid.

Hopes belied “We arrived in Kuwait with great hopes.

We paid more than one lakh rupees (around KD 600) each to the travel agent,” added Mansour from Thrissur. The workers applied for the job in response to an advertisement that appeared in a leading Malayalam daily offering 500 vacancies in a

well-known oil company.

“Many of us raised the amount with great difficulty. Some of us pledged our property while others took loans. Now, we don’t know how we will pay back the money,” he added. According to sources in Kerala, the Indians were allegedly ‘pushed’ through immigration as their job contract was illegal.

The workers said the Indian ambassador is sympathetic and understanding towards their plight and offered help. “We approached the Indian Embassy here in Kuwait. The ambassador told us that the embassy is ready to pay the airfare for all the 15 of us. But, the company is not willing to give our passports back,” said Omar Sharif from Tellichery.

The stranded workers now seek some official intervention to retrieve their passports so that they can go back home.

Meanwhile, their relatives in Kerala have formed an action council and petitioned the Union Cabinet Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi and Indian Minister of State for Power K C Venugopal in addition to many police officials.

This disturbing story of these Indian workers once again highlights the glaring flaws in the Indian immigration law which is being misused by many manpower recruitment agents across the country.

Although, the India government had announced plans to establish an Immigration Regulation Authority to monitor and regulate orderly migration of its citizens to other countries, the bill remains in the pipeline. “It is unfortunate that fake recruitments and ‘pushing’ of laborers into Gulf countries continue despite a dedicated ministry to look after the welfare and safety of the Indians abroad,” said a community leader on condition of anonymity.

Relief society thanks PM KUWAIT: Kuwait relief society thanked yesterday His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber AlMubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah for his support in launching the society. The society ’s Board Chairman Yousef Jasem Al-Hajji said that the Kuwaiti Cabinet agreed on launching the entity during its last session. He noted that the approval came on the grounds that the society would be a positive addition to social and humanitarian efforts carried out by the state of Kuwait. The society, said Al-Hajji, would be working with local and international counterparts in relief aid missions, adding that such would reflect positively on Kuwait’s relief aid record.

Al-Ghanim slams 2012 majority

By A Saleh KUWAIT: Former MP Marzouq Al-Ghanim criticized the majority MPs in the 2012 annulled parliament and slammed their rally at the Iradah Square to sign a memo about ‘rejecting hatred’.

“Where were you when, along with the other MPs, I proposed a law on national unity that you totally ignored?” he asked, noting that the majority opposition MPs were always speechless when it came to their ‘leader’, a reference to MP Ahmed Al-Sa’doun.

Rreferring to Al-Sa’doun, Al-Ghanim said, “Someone has threatened that he would mobilize crowds of people and turn things upside down if the 2009 parliament convened. Only a political novice can say such things.”

He said those who were weak usually adopt a shrill tone.

NA intruders Former MP Ali Al-Rashid filed a law suit against the MPs who stormed the parliament demanding compensation. “Breaking into the parliament is a punishable crime,” he stressed, noting that the intruders had caused a great deal of damage.

Bedoon protesters The public prosecution yesterday extended the detention of the Bedoon protesters arrested in Taima, Jahra as the hearing resumes today.

Asian traditional Art Forum BEGINS KUWAIT: The Asian traditional Art Forum, organized by Kuwait National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL), kicked off yesterday at the modern Arts museum, part of the activities of the first Asia Cooperation Dialogue summit, hosted by Kuwait and scheduled to start in mid-October.

Director of Traditional Arts in NCCAL Mohammad Al-Assosi told KUNA that hosting the forum at the modern Arts museum was part of the NCCAL’s belief in traditional art in particular and arts in general in bolstering friendship and peace among nations, particularly with Asian countries.

The official added that the forum was amid activities of the first Asia Cooperation Dialogue summit which also showed Kuwait’s keenness to host and contribute to such cultural activity, especially with Asian countries and through cultural involvement with various countries.

Al-Assosi added that the NCCAL was also keen to assert Kuwait vital role through culture, political, or economic fields, expressing hope that the forum would please all visitors and contribute to expanding cultural and modernization arenas. The forum will continue throughout the Asian Cooperation summit days with participation from 18 countries which will provide 27 traditional arts. —KUNA

KUWAIT: The Ambassador of Spain Angel Losada hosted a reception at Hotel Missoni on the occasion of Spanish National day. High ranking officials, diplomats and media people attended the reception. — Photos by Joseph Shagra

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

LOCAL

Local Spotlight

Politics in disguise

Benefits of ageing

A peaceful development

By Alia Al-Hazeimi he darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis.” - Dante Alighieri I do like using quotes in the beginning of my articles as they help describe a general idea, but not all quotes are clear and many can be vague and confusing.

I am sure most of you are thinking that there is no relation between the title and the quote, but as you go on reading, you will find out. Let us skip the first part that has to do with “the darkest places” and concentrate on the key points which are “maintain neutrality” and “moral crisis”.

Some consider war as a moral crisis and some believe that maintaining neutrality is rather about being diplomatic, but nonetheless, the world we live in faced, and still faces, war, and many people remain neutral.

There is much that can be done besides staying neutral and worrying about the re-construction of the country and the society, not forgetting all the financial matters related to it. The key domain that is forgotten after wars is education, the foundation stone of any development.

During my research, I came to realize that many academic books used hostile and aggressive terms when talking about battles, instances of occupation and genocides in many parts of the world.

Don’t you think that “re-living” these events would only renew the rage in society even though fifty years have passed since then? What would happen in a world where facts are presented but without using negative language and shorn of all hate?

I am not advocating the idea of forgetting your history, but why would any society that seeks development and wants to re-construct itself would want to base that progress on hate? If the terminology of hate and aggression is predominantly used in books that are read by children who were not even there at the time of wars, then it is an indirect way of teaching them how to hate.

Is hate not the first obstacle to development? Is hate not the first distraction that humans have to deal with during times of peace and tranquility?

I firmly believe that people who lived in the times of crisis shall never forget what they went through, but what I do not understand is why should the world inherit such dark feelings for the sake of their children and generations to come? Why people cannot deal with such events in a civilized way? Instead of promoting the language of negativity, why cannot we be just neutral or “practical” about it? For example, instead of using the term “vicious war”, why can the people not just say “the war” and give out all the details without using such adjectives?

I often feel that people lean towards hate because they never got a chance to see things in a different light, and now feel trapped.

Promoting and educating peace is far more beneficial than hate and resentment. Victor Hugo said “Peace is the virtue of civilization. War is its crime.”

Realistically speaking, feelings of anger can never be stopped, but these may be left for another day, and will eventually be forgotten. This is what is called politically a “pacifistic approach”, which is indeed the first way to the eternal light of social, economic and, most importantly, political development. I do not know what you are thinking, but I do hope that one way or another, you understand the implications of an “education of hate”.

In the end, I would like to ask, “Wouldn’t a peaceful development be interesting?”

“T

kuwait digest

Constitutional court verdict

Muna Al-Fuzai

muna@kuwaittimes.net

I

kuwait digest

Where is the tampering?

By Abdullatif Al-Duaij he issue of emergency decrees, or more with the electoral law by modifying it in such a specifically a decree that can affect the way that it favors its supporters. upcoming elections, is the subject of a stateThat said, the proposed amendment to the elecwide controversy these days. A result of two con- toral law that the opposition, and the two demoflicting opinions, the controversy can be summa- cratic groups - the National Democratic Alliance rized in the positions of MP Maasouma Al-Mubarak and Democratic Front, as recently announced who supports the decree, and MP Waleed Al- oppose would only affect the mechanism of votTabtabaei who opposes it. ing, as opposed to the distribution of constituenI agree with MP Alcies or the number of votMubarak that emergency ers. In other words, the The decision to issue an emerdecrees are a constitutionnumber and demographical al right for HH the Amir to distribution of voters will gency decree that directly exercise when the parliaremain the same. The same affects the elections remains a ment is dissolved or number of people who votpersonal and a political issue, unable to convene. In this ed in favour of Musallam Almore than being a matter of case, the Amir is left with Barrak will not change as a necessity. It is true that the parthe responsibility of result of the proposed assessing how necessary amendment. And the same liament has the authority to is the subject that needs people who gave their votes overrule a decree issued when it to be passed through an to Faisal Al-Mislem will not was unable to convene, but in emergency decree. be moved to another conthe case of a decree that The parliament, in the stituency. The 113,400 votmeantime, has the authorers in the fourth constituenchanges the electoral system, ity to approve or reject cy can very well elect the the next parliament would look the said decrees following same ten MPs they elected into the legitimacy of its own the elections. However, the last time around. election and parliamentary the decision to issue an Therefore, where is the membership. emergenc y decree that “tampering” claim that the directly affects the elecopposition is talking about? tions remains a personal The Oppositionist, and and a political issue, more than being a matter of recently democratic, activists have been insisting necessity. repeatedly that the amendment should be made It is true that the parliament has the authority to inside the parliament. But did they not have the overrule a decree issued when it was unable to chance to do so before the parliament was disconvene, but in the case of a decree that changes solved? Of course their excuse is that the “parliathe electoral system, the next parliament would ment of shame” cannot be allowed to convene, but look into the legitimacy of its own election and what they are ignoring is the fact that this very parliamentary membership. This makes its decision parliament was elected by 400,296 Kuwaitis who about approving or rejecting the said decree ques- still have the opportunity to reelect its members in tionable. This is why the opposition claims that the free elections. So once again, where is the alleged government plans to use this loophole to “tamper” tampering? — Al-Qabas

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By Sami Al Nisf am certainly not an expert in constitutional theory and have never said that I may be consulted on the subject, unlike some of our former members of parliament. Still, the constitutional court verdict is exactly what we had called for, and is completely at variance with what many other MPs with much experience were asking for.

They openly demanded one district and put out their theories in its support. We objected to this demand since one district was neither justifiable nor was the practice in other democracies. The constitutional court verdict vindicated our stance and proved them wrong.

Those who claimed that there was a reference in the constitution calling for equal number of votes in all constituencies made suggestions to that effect, and it would have reduced the number of MPs in their areas. We, however, said that not all democracies in the world depended on equalization of votes.

The constitutional court verdict again held valid our position. The practice worldwide also is representation in terms of geographical areas and various segments of society.

They called for grilling of the prime minister for mistakes done by his ministers while we opposed it since this idea was totally wrong as it was in conflict with the demands of justice and was also illogical. It also violated the constitution and the minutes of the founding council which protected the prime minister and kept him from taking up any ministerial post for the sake of political stability. Instead, they advocated that the prime minister be held accountable for the work of all his ministers while preventing the ministers from being questioned about their work, thus making it possible that they too become corrupt just as some MPs had, since there was no one to hold them accountable. Once again, the constitutional court verdict underlined our position.

I

Note: It is clear as daylight to anyone that one voter one vote is the only solution to Kuwait’s political problems, and those trying to prevent it will be destroying the country. This solution will make the Kuwaiti people happy, and ensure that the country is once again on track in its march towards development. It will also expose those who seek to harm Kuwait by putting their interests and agendas ahead of the country’s interests. —Al-Anbaa

do think that ageing has its benefits, and do not get me wrong. It is not about losing use of certain body parts, watching your memory fade and possibly move closer to death, but you do become free from the silly and tiring obligations of daily chores like taking the kids to school, shopping for the entire family or rushing to a doctor late at night because your child is sick.

There are so many such chores, but perhaps dealing with teenagers is the most difficult parenting task.

But when you are old, you do not have to worry about any of those matters that consumed much of your

I think ageing could be more fun than youth because then you would be wiser, smarter and more discerning about whom you want to be around. Your choice of friends would be based on what you want for them and not what they expect from you. I guess this wisdom comes late but it is the price that you need to pay till you cross over to the other side. time and attention, and gave you blood pressure.

Parenting is a hard task, and if you were to take care of five children or even more, not only will it not be easy but will surely remain a concern for many years till they can stand on their own feet in life. Also, when you are young, you work hard because you do not want to be old and broke, particularly because at that stage you can also be possibly sick.

So, you may see too many worries in your youth but then, you will not have to deal with them when you are old. It would seem like someone else’s life and not yours.

Then you can lay back and smile, thinking that these matters seemed like such a big deal when you were young but would then seem so silly, and you would wonder why you were so worried about matters so trivial.

Anyhow, as you grow older, things settle down and life can become more enjoyable. I think it is all about freeing yourself from the pressure and let go of small things.

In fact, I think ageing could be more fun than youth because then you would be wiser, smarter and more discerning about whom you want to be around. Your choice of friends would be based on what you want for them and not what they expect from you. I guess this wisdom comes late but it is the price that you need to pay till you cross over to the other side. To all the ageing people, to every man and woman, I say enjoy life. It is your chance to be free, you are the best.

kuwait digest

Lack of understanding

kuwait digest

By Yasmine Al-Juwaisry

Do we need another city?

By Ali Al-Bedah ll talk about building the ‘Silk City’ is almost to ensure that life would remain sustainable even like telling a tale from ‘One Thousand and One after oil, we would be betraying our people, sons, Nights’. They are both fiction and amount to grandsons and all our future generations.

How can we sustain life and still have enough mere amusement without any real purpose or meanenergy, water, jobs and carry on construction, withing.

There are already thousands of towers and tall out oil? We can no more defer the task to a later buildings in Kuwait which are lying vacant and I do date. Today we may have surpluses, thanks to the not think we need any more of these. What we do high prices of oil currently, but we know for sure that oil is a finite resource that need, however, is to ensure a will either dr y out or better future for Kuwaiti citiUnless we spend on and become useless with the zens and prepare the couninvest in preparing the people discover y of better and try for the post-oil era. We cheaper alternative energy need to do this right away, for future projects, our future resources someday. So, we using the surplus funds that generations will be doomed. all need to plan for a better we have accumulated before Unless we start building someand more secure future. We they end up in the pockets cannot leave things to their of a few people through thing to ensure that life would fate while we are enjoying ventures such as building a remain sustainable even after these pleasures which are city we hardly need or recreoil, we would be betraying our transient. ational projects that would What we are currently only overburden the state people, sons, grandsons and all doing denotes nothing but without adding anything our future generations. pure ignorance and shortnew. sightedness. How can we We need thinking and wise men of Kuwait to focus more on the needs of rest when we see Kuwait’s funds being squandered the people and their future. We are sick of all this sil- away without any real use? How can we talk about a ly talk about competing with Dubai in building still new city while we still need more resources for higher towers. All this talk about spending arbitrarily income, water, energy and better job opportunities is as if we have come into possession of some end- for our children? I once wrote about some people’s indifference and how their senses have been dulled. less treasure.

Unless we spend on and invest in preparing the Now it seems, such shortsighted has come to plague people for future projects, our future generations the leaders of this country and they are trying to will be doomed. Unless we start building something avoid reality.—Al-Jarida

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hat if justice prevailed all over the universe?

What if all the governments and all the people around the world worked together to spread social justice? What if honesty became the dominant approach on earth? What would this world be like if selfishness never existed, racism ceased to exist and tyrant powers were to be eliminated? Such questions arise when governments become skilled in tyranny and are afflicted by passiveness.

A small country like Kuwait is spinning in a vortex of countless persisting problems that include the bedoons (stateless residents) issue, an inactive parliament, violation of children’s rights, and daily traffic jams, etc.

Move a little bit outside Kuwait, and we see destruction in Syria and obliteration of the Palestinian cause. A little farther, we see the world doing nothing to stop the persecution of the Rohingya Muslims in Burma, or end the repeated insults uttered against Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).

It is sometimes hard for us to comprehend the fast moving events happening around us, perhaps due to the lack of clarity about issues or demands, or due to our own imperfections which make us prone to skepticism and making judgments without knowing all the facts. Since flaws are a part of human nature, it is essential that we exercise ample caution before jumping to conclusions and pronouncing any judgments.

It is important to try to understand the reality through an objective assessment of events, and underline the commonly agreed areas in every case.

We can defend our ideologies that we think are based on our values, but without being angry or indulging in discrimination. Also, we must learn how to stop when we cannot understand anymore, and avoid speculating about issues we have not enough knowledge about. — Al-Rai

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

local

Shiite clergyman slams Al-Tabtabaei statements Iranian ambition to control Kuwait

By A. Saleh KUWAIT: A Shiite clergyman in Kuwait criticized former MP Waleed Al-Tabtabaei for certain statements in which he talked about an alleged Iranian ambition to control Kuwait, terming as “nonsense” all hints in the statements about alleged loyalty of Shiites to Iran.

“Troublemakers like Al-tabtabaei are the ones who seek to take control of the country through such smooth tactics,” Shiite Marja Mohammad Al-Mahri said in a statement yesterday, commenting on the Islamist lawmaker’s allegations of a “smooth Iranian takeover of Lebanon” by supporting Shiites and “buying the loyalty” of members from other sectarian groups.

Al-Mahri further called for ignoring “such regrettable sectarian statements that spread hate among the people,” and reiterated Kuwaiti Shiites’ loyalty to their country “and the Al-Sabah ruling family which were both proved during the Ba’athist invasion to Kuwait.”

NDA rejects votes’ reduction Political stability would come by following

laws and regulations, and by calling for new elections following the parliament’s dissolution as per the present electoral law which was upheld by the Constitutional Court, a liberal group said in a statement yesterday.

The National Democratic Alliance finalized a set of recommendations following a meeting yesterday which included a threat to boycott elections if the number of votes per voter was reduced by an emergency decree.

“Any tampering with the constitution through emergency decrees is a political failure on the Cabinet’s part that we will reject by all constitutional means necessary”.

MOC’s dilemma The undersecretary’s post in the Ministry of Communications is set to fall vacant when the legal term for Undersecretary Abdulmuhsin Al-Muzaidi ends this month However, technicalities might prevent naming of a new official for up to two months.

The outgoing undersecretary’s tenure cannot be renewed according to Civil Service Commission regulations since he has surpassed the legal age for retirement. However, naming of a new undersecretary or any other

state official for that matter cannot happen until after election results set for December 8th, which means that the position could remain vacant until then.

Housing projects The housing law needs to be amended in order to attract investors from the private sector, General Manager of the Public Authority for Housing Affairs admitted in a recent statement.

“Facilitations must be made and various aspects to attract investors from inside and outside must be put in place in order to create competition that allows for more housing projects to be executed,” Subhi Al-Mulla said, asserting the importance of “identifying the real reason behind the slow process in executing the majority of housing projects.” “The PAHA and the private sector are confused by the residential cities’ establishment law when it comes to the manner that the companies adopt to enter the bidding process for tenders,” Al-Mulla indicated, adding that the authority found “that investors refuse to take part in projects because they believe they are entering unprofitable investments.”

Gulf Bank extends support to Hayatt Early Detection of Breast Cancer Center KUWAIT: In line with its efforts to develop and improve medical services and spread health awareness, Gulf Bank announced its participation in the International Breast Cancer Awareness Month by contributing to Ruqaya AlQatami Charity Foundation to support the establishment of the Hayatt Early Detection of Breast Cancer Center in Kuwait.

The annual awareness campaign takes place during this month and aims to raise awareness of the disease and encourage women across the globe to conduct health checkups on a regular basis.

The Hayatt Early Detection of Breast Cancer Center in Kuwait will help many potential cancer patients in Kuwait receive an upto-date check-up for early breast cancer detection and have the chance to prevent the disease.

Mr. Fawz y Al Thunayan,

General Manager, Board Affairs at Gulf Bank said: “Gulf Bank is an institution that strives to provide ser vices beyond that of banking, and by being a part of this noble cause we are accomplishing just that.

We would like to thank The Breast Cancer Foundation for its role in supporting patients’ battle against the disease and their efforts to control it through early detection.

Through this contribution we hope to support this life changing role by supplying the Hayatt Early Detection of Breast Cancer Center with the equipment needed to facilitate the process of breast cancer check-ups for those who are financially incapable.”

The Breast Cancer Foundation initiative of establishing the Early Detection of Breast Cancer Center aims at providing free of charge chemotherapy for expats

KUWAIT: Fawzy Al-Thunayan, General Manager, Board Affairs at Gulf Bank handing the cheque to Dr. Labiba Temmim, Executive Director and Medical Affairs at the Ruqaya Al-Qatami Charity Foundation. in Kuwait, create support groups for patients and survivors, set up a breast cancer screening pro-

gram for women in Kuwait as well as enhancing the overall health status in Kuwait.

Zakat House distributes aid to Syrian refugees in Lebanon BEIRUT: Kuwait Zakat House distributed yesterday food aid to 1,500 Syrian refugee families in northern Lebanon.

Rations of food and blankets will be distributed to 750 families in the town of Daniya, its surrounding villages and 750 families in Akkar, northern Lebanon, Deputy Director of Zakat House Khaled Al-Husseini told KUNA. He pointed out that money will also be distributed to 33 families who are currently dwelling in one of the schools in northern Lebanon. Al-Husseini stressed the keenness of Zakat House on the delivery of essential aid to those who are most in need, because “this aid is nothing but a sincere gesture from Kuwait to our Syrian brethren,” hoping it will contribute to alleviating their suffering.

For his part, Head of humanitarian relief and aid at the Dar AlFatwa in Lebanon Riyadh Aitani praised the significant role of the Kuwaiti Amir, government and people in helping the Syrian refugees in Lebanon.

He also praised the charitable work done by Zakat House in the

Arab and Muslim countries in general and in Lebanon in particular.

Furthermore, Aitani carried out a message of appreciation and gratitude by the Grand Mufti of

extending a helping hand to their brethren. Several activists and philanthropists from Kuwaiti charitable organizations are racing to provide humanitarian assistance

the Lebanese Republic Sheikh Mohammad Qabbani, stressing that this is not the first initiative made by KZH or the Kuwaiti philanthropists who are always

to the Syrian refugees in Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan such as Zakat House, Kuwait’s Al-Rahma AlAlamiya Society for relief and development, International

Islamic Charitable Organization (IICO), Eslah Social Association and many others. The latest statistics indicate that the number of Syrian refugees in Lebanon reached more than 80,000, mostly in northern Lebanon in Akkar, Tripoli, Minyeh and Daniya.

Meanwhile, Islamic Education Association announced here yesterday that a school for teaching Syrian refugees, due to open next Thursday, in the northern region of Akkar was named after the State of Kuwait. This gesture is the least that can be done to express gratitude for Kuwait and its faithful people who spared no effort for securing largest aid possible for the displaced Syrians in Lebanon, President of Islamic Education Association Ghassan Halbas said..

An official ceremony will be held for the opening of the school for educating the displaced Syrians next Thursday.

Kuwait’s Al-Rahma Society has covered expenses of teaching 200 displaced Syrian students for primary and intermediate stages.

Curricula are taught by Syrian teachers. — KUNA

KUWAIT: The Ambassador of Azerbaijan Tural Rzayev visited Kuwait Times yesterday and discussed matters of mutual concern with Editor-in-Chief Abd AlRahman Al-Alyan.

UNESCO Board to look into educational, heritage-related issues PARIS: Permanent Representative of Kuwait to the United Nations Education, Science and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Ambassador Dr. Ali Al-Tarrah said here yesterday that meetings of the Executive Board of UNESCO, which started today will consider a range of issues, mainly education and destruction of World Heritage in Danger as a result of wars and conflicts.

Al-Tarrah said on the sidelines of a meeting of the Executive Board of UNESCO, which runs until October 18, that participation of the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in the meetings tomorrow reflects the importance of UNESCO and the significant role it plays in the areas of rights of mankind, which are the main pillar of sustainable development.

He added that Ban Ki-moon will deliver a speech before ambassadors and permanent delegates about partnership programs between (UNESCO) and the United Nations and especially the issue of education as a right for all and the issue of cultural expression and the importance of achieving world peace through the promotion of UNESCO programs in the areas of education, cultural diversity, right of expression, freedom of information and the change led by young people in the world.

He noted that the Secretary-General of the United Nations provided his vision for the establishment of a Scientific Advisory Board to carry out issues related to UNESCO’s work, especially the right to

learn, sustainable development programs and how to make it on the grounds as UNESCO is the entity entrusted with this business and programs relating to education, culture and education.

He said that the Executive Board of UNESCO will consider the issue of exposure of world heritage recently to destruction as a result of the wars in several regions of the world and specifically what happened in the Syrian city of Aleppo, adding that discussions would also cover developments in Syria and its membership in the Committee on Conventions including human rights convention for UNESCO. He disclosed that the Arab Group had discussed with various groups the possibility of suspending Syria’s membership in the Committee on Conventions after the serious violations of human rights in Syria, adding that “Kuwait expressed its rejection of these violations and the position of the State of Kuwait in UNESCO would be consistent with the international positions of in this regard.”

The ambassador pointed out that the Arab group agreed to focus during the meetings on the theme of world peace and specifically ways of activating the Arab peace initiative in the Middle East.

He said the State of Kuwait participates in the work of the Executive Board as an observer where its membership ended, having occupied the a seat in the Executive Board for four years, hoping to return to the Executive Board membership as of 2014. — KUNA

Gulf cultural cooperation achieves outstanding success RIYADH: An outstanding success has been achieved in the field of cultural cooperation between the GCC countries despite its recency, (Kuwait’s) National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL) Secretary General Ali Al-Youha said tomorrow.

This came in a statement by AlYouha on sidelines of his participation at the preparatory meeting for the GCC Culture Ministers meeting, which is hosted by Riyadh on Wednesday.

The Kuwaiti delegation will be headed by Minister of Information and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah AlMubarak Al-Sabah.

Al-Youha said what contributed to achieving these accomplishments are common interests and great response from all the GCC countries to the cultural development plan, stressing that “all indicators bode well for further achievements on the cultural level in the Gulf states.”

On the cultural similarities between the GCC countries, Al-Youha explained that cultural heritage can be considered to be the same in some aspects and different in others.

Furthermore, he said that the culture of the Gulf is rich and diverse,

pointing out that the GCC countries have realized importance of highlighting it outside their geographical borders as they will be discussing several cultural projects at the meeting with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the European Union (EU), Russia, China and the Paris-based Arab World Institute.

In addition, he said that the main aim of this meeting is to reflect the Gulf states’ cultures to these countries in order to succeed in changing the stereotyped image of them as oil producing countries only, while they bear rich cultures as well as ancient civilizations, which date back to pre-history.

During the meeting, several issues on the subject of cultural strategy and its development between the GCC countries will be discussed, especially that its execution program has been adopted to proceed for the upcoming years until 2016, NCCAL Secretary General added.

Al-Youha concluded by saying that the program has a variety of cultural activities in the fields of art, photography, poetry, storytelling, music and others, noting that each GCC member state is obliged to implement its share of this program. — KUNA

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

LOCAL

Search on for rapists of disabled child in Taima Aunt uses child for begging KUWAIT: Search is on for three men accused of sexually assaulting a disabled child in Taima recently. The victim was forcibly taken away from outside his house after he answered the door. He was taken to a remote location where he was subjected to sodomy. The boy could neither resist the kidnappers due to his handicap, nor could he shout for help since he was mute, too. The suspects later left the boy outside his house and fled. After the boy explained to his family what had happened, a case was registered at the area’s police station.

Child negligence A Jahra resident faces child negligence charges after reportedly forcing her mentally unstable niece to beg for money. The case was filed after the 13-year-old girl reached out to her neighbor for help. She was escorted to the area’s police station by a woman neighbor who explained to the officers that the child was in the custody of her aunt who was using her for begging every alternate day. The woman was being summoned for investigations.

Suicide attempt A girl who attempted suicide by drowning at the Blajat beach near Salmiya was rescued by the coastguards recently after they had rushed there following an emergency call.

They were informed that a girl had jumped into the gulf and was fighting for her life. The Kuwaiti girl was too panicked to make a statement when she was brought out from the water and detectives were still to find out the motives behind the suicide attempt. A case was registered for investigations.

hol inside the apartment for trade. Meanwhile, the patrol officers arrested a Korean man for possessing 108 homebrewed liquor bottles which he admitted he was going to sell in Khaitan. All three suspects were referred to the proper authorities to face charges.

Drug overdose A middle-aged man died in his apartment, apparently due to drug overdose. The 49-yearold Kuwaiti man was found unconscious in his Nugra apartment by his wife who called the police. The crime scene investigators were summoned after paramedics declared the man dead. Some drug paraphernalia was recovered from the scene and the body was taken to the forensic department.

Beggars held Nine women were arrested recently for begging in Al-Fahaheel market and were currently in custody pending deportation procedures. The women, six Arab and three Asian nationals, were detained following complaints from shoppers that the women with their faces hidden by a veil approached them asking for money. They told their interrogators that they were begging for money to pay for their families.

Bootleggers arrested Two people were arrested for trading in homebrewed and imported alcoholic liquor during a recent police operation in Jleeb AlShuyoukh. The patrol officers had first arrested an Indian man after thirty liquor bottles were found inside his car. Later, the police raided the suspect’s apartment where his Sri Lankan partner was also arrested while a total of 79 imported and 212 homebrewed liquor bottles were recovered. The woman confessed that she used to help the male suspect brew alco-

Passports stolen Investigations are on to trace and arrest a thief who stole sixteen passports from a company representative’s car in Salhiya. The suspect reportedly broke into the man’s car which was parked outside the company’s building, and stole the passports belonging to employees who wanted to get residency transactions finalized. The detectives were sent to the scene after the Egyptian representative reported the theft to the local police as soon as he discovered it. —Al-Watan, Al-Anba, Al-Rai

Al-Sumait Voluntary Prize launched

KUWAIT: The Commercial Bank of Kuwait opened a women’s table tennis tournament for players with visual impairment. It was held in cooperation with Kuwait Blind Association. The tournament lasts until the end of the month, and is part of the CBK’s efforts to “build bridges of cooperation and communication between all parts of the society”, said Assistant General Manager - Media and Public Relations Department, Amani Al-Waraa.

12 injured in road accidents

By Hanan Al Saadoun KUWAIT: A car accident on King Fahad road resulted in a serious head injury for a 29-year-old Kuwaiti man who was rushed to the intensive care unit of the Adan Hospital. Another man, a 55-year-old Kuwaiti, suffered a minor injury in the head and was also admitted at the same hospital.

A car hit a 27-year-old man trying to cross the road on the 6th Ring Road, opposite Sulaibiya, and left him with a broken right leg. He was rushed to the Farwaniya Hospital.

A motorcycle accident on King Faisal Road opposite the 360 commercial complex left a 38-year-old Kuwaiti man with pain in his shoulder. He was taken to the Farwaniya Hospital.

A motorcycle accident on the 2nd Ring Road opposite Al Nuzha resulted in multiple injuries, including a head injury, for a 22-year-old Kuwaiti man who was rushed

to the Amiri Hospital and admitted to its intensive care unit.

A car accident in Naseem, opposite the industrial area, left a 35-year-old Bangladeshi expat with a broken left leg and a 53-year-old Egyptian expat with multiple injuries. Both were taken to Jahra Hospital.

A 19-year-old Kuwaiti man broke his shoulder and left leg in a car accident at the 5th Ring Road after Bayan Palace that also left a 9-year-old Kuwaiti boy with multiple injuries. Both the injured were taken to Mubarak hospital.

A car accident on Al Ghazali bridge resulted in multiple injuries for a 26yearold Egyptian expat. A 32-year-old Egyptian expat also suffered various injuries in the same accident. Both were taken to Sabah hospital.

A car accident on 5th Ring Road opposite Al Rabiya resulted in a head injury and other injuries for a 53-year-old Indian expat. He was taken to Sabah hospital.

KUWAIT: Chairperson of Kuwait’s Volunteer Center Sheikha Amthal Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah yesterday announced Abdulrahman Al-Sumait Voluntary Prize for 2012, saying the Prize would start at local level then moving to Gulf all the way to being international.

Al-Sumait, currently ill, “is an icon of voluntary work. He is a source of pride for Kuwait and for whoever works in voluntary domain because of his relentless acts in a number of African countries,” Sheikha Amthal said in a speech at the “Hands for Promising Nation” gathering. She praised Allah to heal Al-Sumait who has spent his life in the service of needy “in the most difficult spots and times, and his keenness to highlight Islam and Kuwait.” On the gathering, Sheikha Amthal hoped a day for voluntary work would be held in all of Kuwait’s six governorates. During that day, she added, volunteers would do cleaning or painting or any useful act in every governorate.

Sheikha Amthal said Kuwaitis has been raised on voluntary work, citing their construction of Kuwait’s fence and joining of forces against foreign invadors. Chairman of the organizing committee and coordinator general of the gathering, Sulaiman Al-Aqili said the gathering was featuring participation of more than 60 volunteering teams. Al-Aqili said the number of male and female youth volunteers were on the rise.

The gathering was organized based on field studies showing that 65 percent of youth did not believe in the importance of civil society organizations, while 45 percent of them believe voluntary work was essential in the development of society. The gathering, said Al-Aqili, aimed at developing the spirit of citizenship and belonging among the Kuwaiti youth. —KUNA

Care for disabled priority of countries, organizations KUWAIT: Minister of Public Works Dr Fadhel Safar said here yesterday that caring for the disabled constitutes one of the priorities of different countries and organizations, which derive from the legitimacy of the right of the handicapped to equal opportunities with others in all areas of life and to live in dignity and freedom.

The minister said, in a speech on the occasion of the opening of a workshop on the (strategy to facilitate access for people with disabilities in Kuwait) held by the Kuwaiti Society for the Disabled, that the level of care and attention given to the disabled persons is one of the basic criteria according to which the level of nations’ civilizations is measured. —KUNA

KUWAIT: The Assistant Undersecretary for Traffic Affairs, Lt Gen Dr Mustafa Al Zaabi, said the traffic jam problem at the university parking in Khaldiya was mainly due to poor organizing skills and stubborn attitude of some of the youth coupled with violations of traffic rules. Further, there is construction related digging work going on inside and outside the university which was supposed to have been done during the summer vacation and now requires coordination among all concerned parties.

Expo Pakistan 2012 sheds light on surgical industry KARACHI: The 7th Expo Pakistan 2012, which was held at the Karachi Expo Centre from Oct 4 to Oct 7, featured around 350 Pakistani companies and manufactures that showcased various Pakistani made products of different fields of life.

Products from surgical, industrial, commercial, cultural, and sports fields were displayed to over 1,000 international business representatives, buyers and guests.

Out of these fields, the surgical was one of an interest especially for many European and North American guests and buyers due to participation of around 16 Pakistani surgical companies for the first time in the expo.

The surgical industry in Pakistan is based mainly in the city of Sialkot, where over 1,000 surgical unites manufacture and export instruments to countries from all over the world.

Syed Fiaz Bukhari, a local owner of a surgical manufacturing company named A.L.M. Surgicare, based in Sialkot, pointed out in an interview with KUNA that Pakistani surgical equipment were already reaching US, European, and Middle Eastern markets in large number.

“We are manufacturers of surgical instruments and we have our own manufacturing units that supply the best quality instruments to all over the world. We are even a main supplier to German manufactures,” Bukhari said.

“We are also supplying to GCC countries, especially Kuwait. We have three to four Kuwaiti customers, most prominently is Al-Rabiah Medical Center,” he added, pointing out at the same time that his company’s trade volume of annual exports to Kuwait is worth $150,000.

Also, Bukhari noted that he exports his products to some Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, adding that he also exports to some European and North American countries such as UK, Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, and United States.

“We hope to expand our businesses further and we are trying to promote our products by participating in many worldwide exhibitions and events such as this Expo Pakistan, as well as other exhibitions Germany, Korea, USA, and Indonesia,” said the Pakistani businessman.

He indicated that Pakistani surgical instruments are known throughout the world for their

competitiveness, effectiveness, and durability, pointing out that they are earning “precious” foreign exchange worth millions of dollars for the country. “We have our own products and we are producing them in a very high quality. Expo Pakistan would also help Pakistan’s economy and attract international buyers and investors from various countries to visit Karachi,” Bukhari noted.

On his part, Jehangir Bajwa, chairman of Surgical Instruments Manufacturers Association of Pakistan (SIMAP), he said that Expo Pakistan is a very important event for the Pakistani surgical industry.

“This year; around 16 companies from the surgical industry in Pakistan are taking part for the first time in this expo and displaying their products, which indicates how important this event is for our industry,” said Bajwa.

He noted that Expo Pakistan would have a very positive and good impact on Pakistani economy due to its popularity among international visitors from around the globe.

“Our embassies around the world through their commercial consolers are inviting large number of potential buyers to visit this expo and it will benefit Pakistani exports, as well as Pakistani medical field,” Bajwa said.

On the other hand, Bajwa expressed his hope that GCC countries would increase their imports of surgical instruments from Pakistan due to the products’ high quality and low costs.

“We always stress on the subject of eliminating the role of mediators because some German companies which import medical instruments from our manufacturers in cheap prices, he said, indicating that “they would, afterwards, attach their own logo on the instruments and export them in very high prices to some GCC countries, including Kuwait.”

Also, he disclosed that the country’s surgical exports are estimated at around $225 million, while the total capital investment in the surgical industry is estimated at PKR 20 billion.

In addition, Bajwa pointed out to KUNA that there are about 1,000 to 1,200 active small and medium surgical units. The number of workers in the surgical industry is about 500,000. The industry manufactures about 110 million instruments annually. —KUNA

ABK managers attend training in Basel III standards KUWAIT: Al-Ahli Bank of Kuwait organised a training seminar for its senior managers on the Basel III standards, one of the most important developments in the banking and economic sector in recent times. On the Sept 15 and 16, the special training was held at the bank for senior managers in Risk Management, Financial Control, Internal Audit, as well as Treasury and Investments. In attendance were Jamal Iqbal, Executive General Manager Risk Management and Balwant Bains, Chief Internal

Auditor. The training session was to provide an overview of the key aspects of Basel III standards, which require banks to have more capital resources to cope with financial crisis events. The standard intends to achieve this by increasing the existing capital adequacy requirements and improving the quality of capital by putting more emphasis on Core Tier I capital (CET) and allocating additional capital for, capital conservation and counter cyclical buffers.

Liquidity standards have been introduced to maintain adequate

liquidity reserves and stable funds.

Additionally, measures on how to safeguard banking and keep it under controlled supervision were discussed at the Seminar, so areas of risk that banks are now exposed to could be identified early.

Jamal Iqbal stated that, “Basel III emphasizes the need to maintain a higher percentage of capital, which thereby enables banks to face any financial crisis in the future without the need for government intervention. There

needs to be a renewed focus on liquidity management and all banks need to be urged to increase their competence in risk management.”

As part of its annual training plan to ensure that ABK employees gain expertise in their respective fields, staff are encouraged to consistently learn, develop and upgrade their skills. This enables them to contribute richly to the ABK team, thereby creating a professional and competent work force for the Bank.

KARACHI: One of the stalls at the 7th Expo Pakistan 2012.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

Israel strikes Gaza after rocket salvo

Armed Maldives police arrest ex-president Page 12

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CARACAS: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez speaks to supporters after receiving news of his re-election in Caracas Sunday. According to the National Electoral Council, Chavez was re-elected with 54.42% of the votes, beating opposition candidate Henrique Capriles, who obtained 44.97%. — AFP

Chavez revels in re-election victory Socialist leader vows to extend self-styled revolution CARACAS: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez scored a comfortable election victory that could extend his rule to 20 years and vowed to deepen his self-styled socialist revolution that has polarized the South American OPEC nation.

Tens of thousands of ecstatic supporters thronged the streets around the presidential palace in downtown Caracas, pumping fists in the air and shouting Chavez’s name after the former soldier beat opposition candidate Henrique Capriles by more than 9 percentage points.

The new six-year term will let Chavez consolidate his control over Venezuela’s economy, possibly by extending a wave of nationalizations, and continue his support for left-wing allies in Latin America and around the world.

“Truthfully, this has been the perfect battle, a democratic battle,” Chavez thundered from the balcony of the palace late on Sunday, holding up a replica of the sword of independence hero Simon Bolivar.

“Venezuela will continue along the path of democratic and Bolivarian socialism of the 21st century.” It was an extraordinary victory for a leader who just a few months ago feared for his life as he struggled to recover from cancer. He won 54.4 percent of the vote, with 90 percent of the ballots counted, compared with 45 percent for Capriles. More than 80 percent of registered voters cast ballots.

Supporters dripping with sweat strained to catch a glimpse of Chavez from the street below the palace while dancing and drinking rum. “Chavez, the people are with you!” they chanted. The victory was considerably slimmer than his win by 25 percentage points in 2006, reflecting growing frustration at his failure to fix problems such as crime, blackouts and corruption. In a nod to those complaints, Chavez said he would be more focused in his new term beginning on Jan. 10.

“Today we start a new cycle of government, in which we must respond with greater efficacy and efficiency to the needs of our people,” he said. “I promise you I’ll be a better president.”

A retired lieutenant colonel who first won fame with a failed 1992 coup, Chavez has become Latin America’s main anti-US agitator, criticizing Washington while getting close to its adversaries, including Cuba, Syria and Iran.

A decade-long oil boom has given him tens of billions of dollars for social investments that range from free health clinics to newly built apartment complexes, helping him build a strong following among the poor.

Following his victory on Sunday, Chavez could order new nationalizations in some largely untouched corners of the economy, including the banking, food and health industries.

He took advantage of his landslide win in 2006 to order

takeovers in the telecoms, electricity and oil sectors.

But any recurrence of the pelvic that which has already forced him to undergo three operations in Havana since June 2011 could derail his plans.

Opposition leaders were crushed by the loss. It followed nearly a month of euphoria among Capriles supporters as the 40-year-old polished his stump speeches, held increasingly fervent rallies and appeared be to gaining ground in the polls.

The youthful state governor put on a brave face, hailing his “house-by-house” campaign as the start of a long road to changing the direction of the country. “I gave it my all and I’m proud of what we built,” a subdued Capriles told supporters at his campaign headquarters.

“I will continue to work for Venezuela.” The US State Department congratulated the Venezuelan people for the high turnout and generally peaceful voting. “We believe that the views of the more than 6 million people who voted for the opposition should be taken into account going forward,” said State Department spokesman William Ostick.

Capriles and other leaders of the Democratic Unity coalition must now prepare for state governor elections in December, when they will hope at least to increase the opposition’s influence.

Though Capriles was indisputably the strongest candidate to face Chavez since the leftist leader’s was elected in 1998, few in the opposition thought the fight was fair. Chavez made ample use of state television and spent 47 hours in “chain” broadcasts that force other local television stations to carry speeches peppered with political commentary.

He also handed out homes and pensions financed with state funds, often in ceremonies that glorified his administration, while warning that the opposition would cancel such programs. The spending spree has weakened Venezuela’s finances and may force a currency devaluation in early 2013, which would likely spur inflation that has been a top complaint among voters.

The election result is likely to prompt a sell-off in Venezuelan bonds, which have jumped in recent weeks on Wall Street optimism about a possible Capriles win. “Going forward, we believe the market is likely to, as in recent years, continue to look at Venezuela as a gradually deteriorating macro story and trade it increasingly as an oil play,” Goldman Sachs said in a research note. Relations with Washington are also likely to remain on edge, though Venezuelan oil has continued to flow to the United States over the years despite diplomatic tensions. — Reuters

Egypt road accident kills 21 policemen CAIRO: Twenty-one Egyptian policemen were killed in a road accident yesterday as their driver lost control of their truck in the Sinai, where security forces are battling Islamist militants, the interior ministry said.

Twenty-four policemen were injured in the accident near the border with Israel, it added in a statement. The dead and injured conscripts belonged to the interior ministry’s Central Security Forces, which along with the army has been battling Islamist militants behind a series of deadly attacks in the lawless peninsula.

In a separate incident, a policeman and a gunman were killed in a gunfight in the northern Sinai town of El-Arish during a foiled attempt to rob a postal vehicle carrying money, security officials said.

They said the firefight was unrelated to militant attacks in the region that have targeted police and soldiers, including a brazen August 5 ambush on an army outpost that killed 16 soldiers.

The sparsely inhabited peninsula is home to the country’s most lucrative beach resorts along the Red Sea, but has also become a hub for Islamist militants, drug traffickers and smugglers.

The military launched an unprecedented operation involving tanks and helicopters to quell the militants after the August 5 attack, which also led to the sacking of top military generals and the head of intelligence.

Security in the desert and mountainous region had collapsed after a January-February 2011 uprising that forced president Hosni Mubarak to step down. — AFP

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

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

Egypt draft constitution fails to protect key rights: HRW CAIRO: A draft Egyptian constitution contains articles that could pose a serious threat to basic human rights in post-Mubarak Egypt, Human Rights Watch said yesterday.

A 100-strong panel picked in June and headed by senior judge Hossam alGhariani has been tasked with drafting the new constitution, after the old charter was suspended following the 2011 uprising which toppled Hosni Mubarak.

“The Constituent Assembly has a landmark opportunity to lay the groundwork for respecting human

rights in tomorrow’s Egypt,” said Nadim Houry, deputy director of the Middle East and North Africa division at Human Rights Watch.

“But its current draft fails to meet that standard because of vague language or limitations that destroy the essence of many rights.” While the draft upholds some civil, political, social and economic rights, “other key provisions are inconsistent with international human rights standards and would pose a serious threat to the future of human rights in Egypt,” the New York-

based rights group said.

It said Article 5 of the draft failed to ban torture, Article 36 threatened equality between men and women, while Article 9 — still under negotiation-”would amount to a serious threat to freedom of speech and religion.”

The 2011 uprising that ousted Mubarak and changed the course of the Arab world’s most populous nation was largely driven by popular anger at police impunity. “The failure to fully prohibit torture is especially surprising given the fact that anger against police

abuse played a central role in the January 2011 uprising,” HRW said.

Another cause for concern was Article 36 which has already prompted several demonstrations by women’s rights activists.

The article says the state shall ensure equality between men and women as long is it does not contradict “the rulings of Islamic Sharia.”

It also says that a woman will “reconcile between her duties toward the family and her work in society,” according to the draft reviewed by HRW. “This

provision is inconsistent with the provision in the same chapter that prohibits discrimination on the grounds of sex,” the rights watchdog said.

Ghariani has said that the constitution was expected to be ready by November, after which it will be put to a national referendum.

But rights groups and secular political activists say they fear the Islamists, who dominate the constituent assembly, will use their grassroots influence and organisational skills to push for a yes vote. — AFP

Israel strikes Gaza after rocket salvo Hamas acknowledges role in latest rocket firing

BAGHDAD: Indian nurses arrive in Iraq after being hired by the Ministry of Health to work in local hospitals where there is a shortage of nurses with special skills, yesterday. The ministry hired 35 nurses from India to work in Baghdad hospitals. — AFP

Liberal-Islamist thaw leaves Libya PM in cold TRIPOLI: Libya’s dismissed premier Mustafa Abu Shagur appears to have paid the price for an unlikely rapprochement between liberals and Islamists planning to form a government of national unity.

The two biggest parties in the national assembly, Mahmud Jibril’s liberal National Forces Alliance (NFA) and the Justice and Construction Party (JCP) spawned by the Muslim Brotherhood, joined forces on Sunday to ensure the success of a vote of no confidence in the premier.

Abu Shagur, who had offered the assembly a crisis cabinet of 10 ministers three days after his first line-up of 26 was rejected, blamed his ouster on his refusal to bow to the demands of the two parties for control of a raft of ministries.

An NFA official told AFP that his party and the JCP had decided to pull the plug on Abu Shagur so that they could form a national unity government headed by an independent in order to secure control of more ministries than they would have under his leadership.

The possibility of such a national unity government was discussed yesterday by members of the General National Congress, the national assembly, when they met in a televised debate on the appointment of a new prime minister.

The pressure is on to resolve the impasse because one of the chief tasks of the GNC, which was elected on July 7, is to ensure the appointment of a transitional government to run the country for 12 months until elections can be held on the basis of a new constitution.

Abu Shagur, who was elected as prime minister on September 12, was seen as close to Islamists. The backing of the JCP, whose own candidate lost the first round, gave him a two-point victory over Jibril in the run-off vote.

But he vehemently denied that he was in league with the Islamists, and was elected premier on an independent ticket. “Is everyone convinced now that I am

not part of the Muslim Brotherhood?” wrote Abu Shagur on microblogging site Twitter after the national assembly the motion of no confidence, which was supported by 126 of its 200 members.

A source close to the toppled prime minister told AFP that “Abu Shagur knew his government team would be rejected even before he pitched the new cabinet to the assembly.”

Analysts had said Abu Shagur faced an uphill task in forming a new government that satisfies all regions and political tendencies while also tackling security issues such as strengthening the army and disbanding illegitimate militias.

The premier spoke bitterly when he presented his proposed cabinet to the assembly on Sunday.

“It is unfortunate that I am not worthy of the confidence of some because I refused to meet their unrealistic demands,” he declared.

“When I started to amend the composition of the government, I tried to contact the political parties in vain because they had already decided to withdraw their confidence,” he added. “The first government was not perfect. And we should have discussed and modified it...

(But) the demands made by the representatives were unrealistic: some wanted specific ministries for their region,” Abu Shagur said.

The technocrat also accused assembly members and political blocs of blackmail, noting that one party had asked for 11 ministers and another for nine, demands he refused to meet out of principle.

The NFA, a coalition of smaller parties led by one of the architects of the 2011 revolt against slain leader Moamer Gaddafi, holds 39 of the 80 seats reserved for parties in the national assembly.

The JCP is the second largest force with 17 seats. The remaining 120 seats in the national assembly are held by independent representatives whose allegiances remain largely unknown. — AFP

STRASBOURG: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, left, clasps hands with 2011 Nobel Peace Prize Tawakkol Karman, of Yemen, during the World Forum for Democracy, yesterday at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, eastern France.

Yemeni activist and journalist Tawakkol Karman, who galvanized Yemeni support for the Arab Spring, is also a cofounder of the human rights group Women Journalists Without Chains and a senior member of the opposition political party Al-Islah. — AP

GAZA: Israel said it struck targets in the Gaza Strip yesterday after Palestinian militants fired rockets at southern Israel, in what they said was a response to an Israeli air strike that killed one militant and wounded a second a day earlier.

Israel said its air raid targeted 25-year-old Mohammed Makawi whom it linked to a radical group involved in a recent Sinai border attack in which an Israeli was killed. Hospital sources in Gaza said Makawi died of his wounds.

The armed wing of Hamas, the Islamists who control the Gaza Strip, said it had joined in yesterday’s rocket attack along with the smaller Islamic Jihad group. Gaza has been under the control of Hamas since 2007. The Islamist group rejects permanent peace with Israel and the two sides fought a three-week war in December-January 2008-2009. The border is tense, with frequent clashes.

The Israeli army says over 470 rockets have been fired from Gaza this year, but it was the first time since June that Hamas had acknowledged launching rockets at Israel. A Hamas spokesman said the movement would not remain passive in the face of what it called “one-sided” Israeli violence.

The Israeli army said it had targeted “Hamas terror activity sites and terrorist squads responsible for the rocket fire”, but gave no details. Israeli forces say they will not tolerate such attacks and will hold Hamas responsible for them.

Gaza hospital officials said one Islamic Jihad militant thought to have been involved in the rocket attack had been wounded by Israeli tank fire east of the town of Rafah.

Residents of Khan Younis in southern Gaza said an Israeli tank fired at the suspected launch area, slightly wounding four children and damaging a minaret and a water tower.

Abu Ubaida, spokesman of the Hamas armed wing Izz El-Deen Al-Qassam Brigades,

said the rocket firing was a message to Israel that it would not accept “a formula of a onesided aggression by the occupation on flimsy pretexts”.

With Egyptian mediation, Hamas has made

aggression against the Gaza Strip the reaction by the resistance will be stronger and broader,” he said.

The homemade weapons fired from Gaza are inaccurate, but potentially lethal. An Israeli

GAZA STRIP: Palestinians mourn during the funeral of Abdullah Maqawai in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip yesteray after he died of his wounds sustained in an Israeli air strike.

Gaza’s ruling Hamas movement and the Islamic Jihad group fired a barrage of projectiles at Israel, a day after a targeted Israeli air strike on the Palestinian enclave. — AFP efforts in the past to clamp down on smaller spokeswoman said some exploded harmlessmilitant groups that persist in mounting ly yesterday near the border with the Gaza attacks on Israel, partly in order to avoid Strip. But one kibbutz resident said children another devastating war. The Israeli offensive could have been killed.

“It was a very powerful barrage,” Ilan Yosef in the winter of 2009 killed more than 1,000 of Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak near the Gaza border Palestinians.

But yesterday Abu Ubaida said Hamas had told Israel radio. “The goat pen in the (childisplayed a “high level of coordination” with dren’s) petting corner was severely hit and a Islamic Jihad in unleashing the latest rocket vet is treating the animals still alive and dealbarrage. “Should the enemy continue its ing with those that aren’t.” — Reuters

Syria rebels postpone Iran hostages execution BEIRUT: Syrian rebels holding dozens of Iranian hostages since August and who threatened to execute them have temporarily postponed their killing, a Free Syrian Army spokesman told AFP. “Contact has been established with the Turkish authorities as part of indirect negotiations between the FSA and the Syrian and Iranian regimes,” said Ahmed al-Khatib, spokesman for the FSA’s Military Council in Damascus province.

“If the Syrian regime does not in the coming hours release three girls and two families detained from the Eastern Ghuta area of Damascus province, the group holding the hostages may start fulfilling their ultimatum,” said Khatib.

On Thursday, the FSA’s Revolutionary Military Council said it would execute the hostages within 48 hours if the army did not withdraw completely from the Eastern Ghuta area, a focus of heavy military operations since early on in the anti-regime revolt.

“We also have other secret, military demands.

If the regime does not fulfill them we will start finishing off the hostages,” Abul Wafa, the Revolutionar y Militar y Council chief in Damascus province, told AFP via Skype on Friday.

It is the second time the rebels have issued such a threat against the Iranian hostages. The rebels claim the men are members of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards. Iran maintains they were visiting Syria as pilgrims to a Shiite Muslim shrine in southeastern Damascus, but have also said some of them are retired army and Guards members.

The rebels delayed the execution of the Iranian hostages a day after Al-Baraa Brigade posted on its Facebook page a short video of a group of the hostages appealing to the Iranian authorities for help.

“We assure our families in Iran that, thank God, we are well and healthy,” one unidentified man in civilian clothing said as he read out a statement in Farsi. “We ask the Iranian government to act seriously (to ensure) our freedom without losing time,” he added.

Dozens of civilians have been killed and arbitrarily arrested during army shelling and clashes in the province in recent days, monitors and activists say.

Human rights monitors have accused both the regime and rebels of committing war crimes, including extra-judicial executions. — AFP

BEKAA VALLEY: Lebanese Hezbollah militants carry the coffin of a comrade during his funeral in the eastern city of Baalbek in the Bekaa Valley yesterday. More than 2,000 Hezbollah supporters gathered in the Bekaa Valley of eastern Lebanon to bury one of their fighters who a security source said was killed in the border area with Syria. — AFP

Syria looms over Iraq PM’s Moscow visit BAGHDAD: Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri alMaliki set off for Moscow yesterday to boost defence and trade ties, but events in Syria loom large over talks between two states criticised over their support for Damascus. Maliki’s visit, his first to Russia in three and a half years, comes with Baghdad and Moscow accused of helping prop up embattled President Bashar al-Assad during a nearly 19-month uprising which according to a watchdog has left more than 31,000 dead.

The two countries have persistently called for a political solution to the conflict, and have avoided explicitly pushing for Assad to give up power as Western and Arab leaders have argued for. “The stance of Iraq calls for finding a political solution to the Syrian crisis, and it is opposed to violence ... for solving the crisis,” Maliki said in a recent television interview.

“Iraq has not intervened in Syria on behalf of the regime’s interests, or for the interests of the armed opposition,” he continued. Iraq has pushed its own proposals

for ending the conflict by calling for an end to violence by all parties, the holding of new elections and the formation of a transitional government in Syria, with which it shares a 600-kilometre (375-mile) border.

Moscow, meanwhile, has used its veto power within the UN Security Council to block resolutions condemning the Syrian regime’s use of force. “Syria will be on the negotiating table during the PM’s visit, they will discuss a way to solve the current conflict there,” said Ali al-Haidari, a Baghdadbased security analyst. “The international community has a problem when it comes to the Syrian opposition, which is made up of a mixture of Al-Qaeda and the civilian and liberal opposition,” Haidari added. “The question is, who do we deal with? And how?” Seeking Moscow investment in energy sector-The Iraqi premier is travelling with the ministers of defence, foreign affairs, oil and trade, as well as the head of the country’s investment commission and the chairs of the parliamentary committees on security and foreign relations. —AFP

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

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

Islamist militants ban Muslim agency’s aid to 1.3m Somalis MOGADISHU: Somalia’s al Shabaab militants said yesterday they had banned Muslim aid agency Islamic Relief from areas under their control, a move that would deprive 1.3 million people of food, clean water and health care.

Islamic Relief, one of few international aid agencies able to work in al Shabaabrun areas, said it had not been notified by the rebels that its permit had been revoked and that a ban would also threaten access to areas under government control. Faced with a military

offensive by African Union and Somali forces, the al Qaeda-linked insurgents have pulled out of a number of urban strongholds in southern and central Somalia. They still hold sway over vast rural areas where the central government and regional administrations have minimal control.

Al Shabaab accused the humanitarian organisation of working with other relief groups it had already expelled. “Islamic relief was found to be covertly extending the operations of banned organisations,

particularly WFP,” al Shabaab said on Twitter, referring to the United Nations’ food agency, World Food Programme. An al Shabaab spokesman confirmed that the Twitter messages were authentic.

“Islamic Relief has repeatedly failed, despite persistent warnings, to comply with (our) operational guidelines,” the rebels’ Twitter feed said.

Iftikhar Ahmed Shaheen, Islamic Relief ’s regional director, said the announcement was a “very strong sign” from al Shabaab and that relief services

helping more than one million Somalis in the regions of Bay, Bakool, Gedo and Lower Juba were at risk. “We have no programme as far as I am aware that is funded by WFP. We will try and engage with (al Shabaab) through our local teams and try to explain our organisation’s policies in a better way,” he said.

The militants, who abandoned their last urban stronghold of Kismayu late last month after an assault by Kenyan and Somali troops, expelled the International Committee of the Red

Cross (ICRC) from parts of the country under its control in January.

That followed the expulsion of WFP which has had no access to areas under al Shabaab’s control since January 2010.

Locals and relief organisations accuse al Shabaab of blocking emergency food aid during a famine in 2011 that ravaged southern Somalia. WFP told Reuters it had not been working directly or indirectly with any other aid group in rebelcontrolled territory in Somalia since then. —Reuters

Romney: Obama ‘has failed to lead in Syria’ Voters give Obama higher marks than Romney

MOSCOW: Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki waves before delivering a speech at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Moscow yesterday.

Maliki arrived in Moscow for three days of discussions yesterday that media reports speculated would conclude with the signature of a $4.3 billion arms deal that makes Russia Iraq’s biggest supplier after the United States. — AFP (See Page 8)

Gunmen kill Chinese worker in north Nigeria KANO: Gunmen have shot dead a Chinese national who was working as a chef for a construction company in Nigeria’s troubled northeast, a company official said yesterday. Borno state, where the attack occurred on Sunday, has been hit hard by the radical Islamist group Boko Haram but the shooting in the town of Gubio may have been motivated by robbery.

“One of our Chinese workers, a cook, was killed by some gunmen who stormed the livestock section of the market where he had gone to buy a lamb in the company of two local staff,” said Albert Audu, of the China GeoEngineering Corporation (CGC).

Audu added that a livestock vendor in the market was also shot dead and that the alleged gunmen ran off with some cash. He identified the Chinese victim as 43-year-old Cheng Jingli.

Officials from the Chinese embassy in Nigeria could not immediately be reached for comment.

CGC is working on a road project in Gubio, roughly 80 kilometres (50 miles) from Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state and considered the base of the Boko Haram Islamists who are blamed for killing more than 1,400 people in Nigeria since 2010.

Imitators and criminal gangs including thieves are also believed to have

carried out violence under the guise of the group. Boko Haram itself is also suspected of committed robberies, especially of banks, to finance their operations.

A military spokesman said he was yet to be informed of the attack. Foreigners have been caught up in violence in Nigeria’s volatile north in the past. In July, suspected members of Boko Haram attacked a factory in Maiduguri, killing two Indian nationals and stealing about $600 in cash.

Separately, the high-profile kidnappings and subsequent deaths of British, Italian and German nationals earlier this year was blamed on Islamist extremists.

The Italian and British hostages were killed in the northwestern Nigerian city of Sokoto in March after being kidnapped nearly a year earlier and as a joint British and Nigerian rescue operation sought to save them.

A German kidnapped in Nigeria in January was killed during a military raid in May in the northern Nigerian city of Kano. Foreign firms and embassies have been forced to increase security in the capital Abuja and in the country’s north as a result of Boko Haram’s insurgency.

Its attacks have included a suicide bombing of UN headquarters in Abuja in August 2011 that left at least 25 people dead. — AFP

Mortar fire hits capital of Sudan’s Kordofan KHARTOUM: Mortar fire struck the capital of Sudan’s war-torn South Kordofan state yesterday, the United Nations said, forcing the agency’s humanitarian staff to seek safety at a nearby peacekeeping base.

Sudan’s army said one woman was killed in the shelling by rebels. “To our knowledge there were five mortar shells that landed in and around the town” of Kadugli, Damian Rance of the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told AFP. Residents also reported shelling in the government-controlled capital of the state where the army has been battling rebels of the Sudan People’s Liberation MovementNorth (SPLM-N) since June last year.

Rance said all UN staff in Kadugli, both Sudanese and foreign, were moved “as a precautionary measure” to a base between Kadugli and the local airport. The base is used by a UN peacekeeping mission, UNISFA, which operates in the Abyei region contested by Sudan and South Sudan.

Rance could not say how many UN personnel were involved, but the UN’s World Food Programme said that 15 Sudanese staff from its office, eight of their family members, and one international employee were taken to the UNISFA base.

“They are all safe,” a WFP official said. The incident-rare for the state capital-comes after Sudan and South Sudan late last month signed deals on security and cooperation that they hailed as ending their countries’ conflict.

The neighbours fought in their border regions in March and April, sparking fears of wider war and leading to a UN Security Council resolution ordering a ceasefire and the settlement of unresolved issues, under African Union mediation.

The deals signed include a key agree-

ment on a demilitarised border buffer zone, where troops must withdraw 10 kilometres (six miles) from the de facto line of control along the undemarcated frontier.

The buffer zone is also designed to cut support for rebels in South Kordofan and Blue Nile state, where the SPLM-N has also been fighting. Khartoum accuses Juba of backing those insurgents and the South, in turn, accuses Sudan of arming rebels in its territory.

Sudanese army said rebels tried to get inside Kadugli town. “This morning a group from SPLM-North tried to get inside Kadugli town and they shelled an area six kilometres (four miles) east of Kadugli. As a result of this a woman was killed and three citizens injured,” Sawarmi Khaled Saad, the Sudanese army spokesman, told AFP. One Kadugli resident told AFP the shelling came from surrounding hills and lasted about two hours at mid-day. “The shells fell in various parts of the town,” he said, adding that he saw some people wounded and damage to a school and homes. Another resident also said he heard the firing. “Because I am inside an office I didn’t see any wounded, but I heard the sound of the shelling,” he said. A rebel spokesman could not immediately give any information about what happened.

The incident coincided with the start of talks in Kadugli between the ruling National Congress and other political parties about how to solve the war, which the UN says has displaced or severely affected hundreds of thousands of people.

Ethnic minority insurgents from the SPLM-N previously fought alongside the rebels from southern Sudan who waged a 22-year civil war which ended in a 2005 peace deal that led to South Sudan’s independence last year. — AFP

LEXINGTON: US President Barack Obama has “failed to lead in Syria,” and the strains between his administration and chief regional ally Israel are emboldening Iran, White House hopeful Mitt Romney warned yesterday.

Making the case in a major foreign policy speech that the United States and the Middle East are less safe now than they were at the start of Obama’s term, Romney said the president’s dithering had increased the threat of instability in a region clamoring for US leadership.

“The president has failed to lead in Syria, where more than 30,000 men, women and children have been massacred by the Assad regime over the past 20 months,” and rebels do not have the necessary weapons to battle President Bashar al-Assad’s troops, Romney said at the Virginia Military Institute.

“Our ally Turkey has been attacked. And the conflict threatens stability in the region,” the Republican nominee said. Laying out his foreign policy platform less than a month before the November 6 election, Romney acknowledged that Obama had taken some key steps, notably the elimination of chief terror suspect Osama bin Laden last year.

“But when we look at the Middle East todaywith Iran closer than ever to nuclear weapons capability, with the conflict in Syria threatening to destabilize the region, with violent extremists on the march, and with an American ambassador and three others dead likely at the hands of Al-Qaeda affiliates-it is clear that the risk of conflict in the region is higher now than when the president took office,” he said.

Romney warned that Obama’s poor handling of Syria is emblematic of a president that opts to “lead from behind” instead of asserting US influence on the region. He attacked Obama for “sitting on the sidelines” on the prickly issue of the Syrian rebels, and said it was vital to help arm the rebels that are battling Damascus.

“In Syria, I will work with our partners to identify and organize those members of the opposition who share our values and ensure they obtain the arms they need to defeat Assad’s tanks, helicopters, and fighter jets,” Romney said.

“It is essential that we develop influence with those forces in Syria that will one day lead a country that sits at the heart of the Middle East.”

With the race growing tighter after Obama’s poor performance in last week’s presidential debate - the first of three - Democrats and Republicans now are looking to Thursday’s debate

confrontation between Vice President Joe Biden and Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan.

And all in all both tickets are bearing down on their attempts to draw in the small percentage of voters who remain undecided in fewer than 10 states, with Iowa, Ohio, Virginia and Florida all set for candidate visits this week.

The US president is not elected by the nationwide popular vote, but in a series of state-by-state contests. In an election-year display of incumbent’s power, Obama yesterday was declaring a national monument at the home of Latino labor leader Cesar Chavez, the United Farmworkers Union founder who died in 1993. That is designed as an open appeal to Hispanic voters in swing states, before the president moves from Los Angeles to San Francisco for more fundraising.

The Obama campaign was hitting back in advance. “We’re not going to be lectured by someone who has been an unmitigated disaster on foreign policy,” Obama campaign spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.

Voters give Obama higher marks than Romney on questions of national security and crisis response, but world affairs in general are a distant priority compared with the struggling US economy, polling shows. Nevertheless, Romney will speak at Virginia Military Institute to broaden his explana-

tion of how he would serve as commander in chief.

After the speech, Romney has a rally slated in Virginia, then events in Iowa and Ohio later in the week. After polls recently suggested Obama had narrow leads in several swing states, the Romney campaign says the race is tightening following his strong performance in last week’s debate. To help maintain his momentum, Romney has tweaked his message over the last week, highlighting his compassionate side and centrist political positions.

Obama engaged in a bit of self-deprecation in his Los Angeles fundraising appearance Monday, taking a good-natured shot at his own underwhelming debate performance last week, marveling at how his friends in the entertainment business could turn in flawless showings every time.

“I can’t always say the same,” Obama said of his debate performance, compared to those of his entertainment business friends. He spoke to thousands of supporters who got the joke. It was Obama’s most direct acknowledgment that Romney won their debate as the campaign entered its final month. Obama appeared on stage after comments by actor George Clooney and performances by Katy Perry, Stevie Wonder, Jon Bon Jovi and before a night-capping dinner for 150 guests at Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant at $25,000 per person. —Agencies

LOS ANGELES: President Barack Obama speaks at a campaign event at the Nokia Theater, Sunday, in Los Angeles. — AP

Rio mayor re-elected, to oversee 2016 Olympics RIO DE JANEIRO: Riding a wave of support from Rio’s slums, Eduardo Paes was re-elected mayor Sunday and now takes up the challenge of overseeing major infrastructure projects ahead of the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Paes, a member of the centrist PMDB backed by the ruling Workers Party (PT), got 64.6 percent of the vote, easily defeating his ultra-leftist rival Marcelo Freixo with 28.1 percent. “We are going to work together over the next four years,” said the incumbent, whose party is a member of President Dilma Rousseff’s ruling coalition.

In municipal elections seen as a key test ahead of presidential polls two years from

now, some 139 million Brazilians were called upon to elect 5,561 mayors and 48,000 municipal councilors for four-year terms.

Around 450,000 candidates represented more than 20 political parties.

The surprise came in Sao Paulo, where campaign frontrunner Celso Russomanno was shut out of the key mayoral race. Opposition Brazilian Social Democratic Party (PSDB) candidate Jose Serra will face off against PT rival Fernando Haddad in a runoff vote scheduled for October 28.

A second round will take place on the same day in cities with more than 200,000 people where no candidate secured an

DECATUR: Andrea Sneiderman appears at an arraignment hearing yesterday in DeKalb County Superior Court in Decatur, Ga. Sneiderman was arraigned on a variety of charges, including malice murder and criminal attempt to commit murder. She pleaded not guilty to charges related to her husband’s death. She is accused of conspiring with her former boss, Hemy Neuman, to kill her husband, Russell “Rusty” Sneiderman. He was gunned down just after dropping off their son at preschool in 2010. — AP

absolute majority. With 99.6 percent of the votes officially counted, Serra, a former presidential candidate, had with 30.7 percent, against 29 percent for Haddad, who got the active support of Rousseff and ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Lula.

Russomanno, a populist ex-television consumer advocate backed by a powerful evangelical Christian church, finished third with only 21.5 percent. He had led throughout the campaign, but his rivals closed the gap in recent days.

The PT and the PSDB are Brazil’s two main parties and the post of Sao Paulo mayor is often seen as a stepping stone for candidates with presidential aspirations. Serra, who lost to Rousseff in the 2010 presidential poll, touted his broad experience-he previously served as congressman, senator and Sao Paulo state governor-and suggested that Lula and the PT were tainted by the major bribery trial now before the Supreme Court.

Thirty-seven former ministers, lawmakers, businessmen and bankers are facing prosecution before the Supreme Court over the alleged scheme that ran from 2002 to 2005 during Lula’s first term. While Lula was cleared, the scandal nearly cost the 66-year-old his reelection in 2006.

Analysts had suggested that Haddad would be hurt by the vote-buying scandal.

Thanking his supporters after a strong showing, Haddad, a former academic of Lebanese descent who served as education minister under Lula and Rousseff, vowed to widen an alliance with smaller parties in order to win the runoff vote.

One of the 12 Brazilian cities that will host the 2014 World Cup, Sao Paulo suffers from economic inequality, an inadequate mass transit system, horrendous traffic, a shortage of low-income housing and a large drug addict population. Haddad said, that unlike Serra, he had a detailed, credible program to improve the quality of life for Sao Paulo’s 11 million residents. The nationwide electronic voting is mandatory. — AFP

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

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

Kazakh opposition leader jailed after oil town unrest AKTAU: An outspoken critic of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev was jailed for seven-and-a-half years yesterday for his part in a failed attempt to overthrow the government of the oil-producing Central Asian state.

Vladimir Kozlov, leader of the unofficial Alga! party, was found guilty of orchestrating dissent among striking oil workers in the prelude to riots last December that left 15 people dead and dented Kazakhstan’s reputation for

stability. Kozlov, 52, denied the charges. Speaking at the end of the seven-week trial on Oct. 1, he described his case as an “undisguised attempt” to stifle civic protest and labour rights. In more than two decades as president, Nazarbayev, 72, has eschewed democratic freedoms in pursuit of the resource-fuelled growth and investment that has made Kazakhstan’s economy the largest in Central Asia.

In recent years, authorities have tried to balance their desire to preserve stability and economic growth with efforts to improve the country’s image on the world stage.

Prosecutors had earlier said Kozlov, whose property was also confiscated by the court, had acted under orders from Mukhtar Ablyazov, an archopponent of Nazarbayev and the former head of BTA bank who fled Kazakhstan in 2009.

Britain granted Ablyazov political asylum as he awaited embezzlement charges brought by the bank, which he has said were politically motivated.

But his whereabouts are unknown since he fled after being convicted in February in Britain of contempt of court.

Two independent opposition activists standing trial alongside Kozlov, Serik Sapargaly and Akzhanat Aminov, were given suspended sen-

tences of four and three years respectively. On Dec. 16, police opened fire on protesters, including hundreds of sacked oil workers, when riots broke out during a street party in the town of Zhanaozen to mark 20 years of Kazakhstan’s independence from the Soviet Union.

At least 14 people were killed.

Rioting spread the next day to the nearby village of Shetpe, where another person died.—Reuters

Georgia’s Ivanishvili names first cabinet Vote ends political domination of US-allied Saakashvili TBILISI: Georgian tycoon Bidzina Ivanishvili named a retired soccer player and a former envoy to the United Nations yesterday as his prospective cabinet deputies after leading an opposition coalition to election victory.

Ivanishvili, the billionaire political newcomer whose six-party Georgian Dream ended President Mikheil Saakashvili’s nine-year dominance in the Caucasus nation, intends to become prime minister after parliament convenes later this month.

party promised to cooperate in forming a government - a sign Georgia’s first post-Soviet transfer of power between parties through an election will be peaceful despite fears of unrest over the Oct. 1 vote.

Ivanishvili told a news conference that Irakly Alasania, who resigned as ambassador to the United Nations in 2008 and went into opposition to Saakashvili, would be defence minister and one of two deputy prime ministers.

Kakha Kaladze, a former defend-

Netherlands, to be foreign minister.

Irakly Garibashvili, a close ally of the billionaire and former head of his charity fund, is to be interior minister.

Parliament must ratify Ivanishvili’s cabinet choices but this will be only a formality since his coalition commands a majority in the chamber.

Western governments are watching whether Ivanishvili will push ahead with democratic advances made under Saakashvili and how he will juggle relations with Russia and the United States.

TBILISI: Parliament Speaker David Usupashvili (L) shakes hands with new Infrastructure and Regional Development Minister Kakha Kaladze (R), former AC Milan football star, yesterday as new Defense Minister Irakli Alasania (C) walks past them during a presentation ceremony of new members of the government in Tbilisi. —AFP He named his picks for some senior government posts, shunning Saakashvili allies as expected after a bitter campaign in the nation that straddles an energy supply route to Europe and is an arena of strategic rivalry between Russia and the West.

Saakashvili and members of his

er for AC Milan and the national soccer team and seen as a staunch Ivanishvili loyalist, was to be the other deputy and also the minister for regional development, he said.

Ivanishvili picked his spokeswoman Maya Panjikidze, a former ambassador to Germany and the

Ivanishvili says he wants to repair ties with Moscow wrecked by a brief 2008 war that followed strains over the U.S.-allied Saakashvili’s efforts to bring Georgia, dominated by Russia for almost 200 years before the 1991 Soviet collapse, into NATO. But two Russian-backed break-

away Georgian regions pose a big obstacle and Ivanishvili has said he will pursue integration with NATO and Europe and that his first trip abroad following the election will be to the United States.

Ivanishvili, 56, Georgia’s richest man with an estimated $6.4 billion, entered politics only a year ago when he mounted a challenge to Saakashvili, who rose to power in the peaceful Rose Revolution of 2003 but had seen his popularity fade.

Footage on opposition TV channels showing brutal treatment of prison inmates deepened disaffection with Saakashvili, whose critics say he has trampled on freedoms, monopolised power and damaged the chances of his United National Movement in the vote.

“Besides the fact that we have peacefully changed the government, now we should do something even bigger, which is to become truly the people’s government and truly an honest government,” Ivanishvili told a news conference.

He said he might meet Saakashvili today for the first time since the election in the nation of 4.5 million. The two face a potentially uncomfortable period of co-habitation before a presidential election next year.

Saakashvili is barred from seeking a new term. Reforms scheduled to take effect after the presidential vote will weaken the head of state while giving more power to parliament and making the prime minister the most powerful executive official.

Mark Mullen, head of anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International Georgia, told Reuters that the announced cabinet picks were “very good news ...

“I think overwhelmingly the people that have been chosen for the jobs are very good, some of them are extremely experienced.” Discussions over portfolios including the economy, finance and energy ministries were still under way, Ivanishvili said. —Reuters

Sexual abuse of children common AMSTERDAM: An estimated 23 percent of Dutch children removed from troubled homes became victims of sexual abuse once they were put in statefunded institutions, more than three times the national average, according to a commission’s findings published yesterday.

The commission was set up in May 2010 after a similar investigation into Catholic boarding homes began also receiving complaints of abuse in nonCatholic institutions. The Catholic investigation found that around 10 percent of children who attended them may have been sexually abused, compared with around 7 percent nationally.

The problems at state-funded institutions appear to have been equally bad, if not worse, the commission’s chairwoman, Rieke Samson, said yesterday. “We can no longer ignore sexual abuse in child care,” she said. She said short-term measures to fix the problems would be insufficient, and a “change of culture” was needed “from high to low, from minister and bureaucrats to guardians and group leaders.”

She said that since 2010 her commission has received more than 800 complaints, some dating back decades, and has referred 42 recent cases to prosecutors. The commission found that more than half of abuse came at the hands of other, often older children. Adult men were the abusers in around twothirds of the remaining cases, while girls made up two-thirds of victims.

Perhaps most worrying, the commission estimated that only about 2 percent of abuse cases are ever detected by the current system. “There are few quality requirements and there’s actually too little capacity for independent” checks on the system, Samson said.

The cycle of commissions and investigations looks set to continue. Child Care Netherlands, which oversees child services, received the harshest criticism in the Samson report.

It apologized to victims and said Monday it is setting up a commission to investigate how sexual abuse can be prevented, or at least reduced. “I wish that we could take the pain away, but we can’t,” said spokeswoman Ans van de Maat. —AP

VATICAN: Bishops listen as Pope Benedict XVI delivers his speech for the opening of the synod of bishops, at the Vatican, yesterday. —AP

Leaks author defends pope’s butler, seeks clemency VATICAN CITY: The author of the book of Vatican secrets that earned the pope’s former butler an 18-month sentence for stealing private papal correspondence has set out to explain his source’s motives and appeal for clemency.

Several European newspapers published an op-ed piece by Gianluigi Nuzzi on Monday in which the Italian journalist defended the actions of Paolo Gabriele and sought to put them in a context he said hadn’t been fully explained during Gabriele’s trial. Nuzzi provided an advance copy to The Associated Press.

A Vatican tribunal on Saturday convicted Gabriele of aggravated theft for stealing the pope’s private correspondence and passing it onto Nuzzi in the gravest Vatican security breach in recent times.

Gabriele was sentenced to an 18-month term, which he is serving under house arrest in his Vatican City apartment awaiting an expected papal pardon.

Gabriele confessed to photocopying some of the pope’s private letters and giving them to Nuzzi, saying he wanted to shed light on the “evil and corruption” he saw around him in the Vatican that he believed was being kept from the pope.

Nuzzi said he wanted to fur ther explain Gabriele’s motives, which he said he ascertained over the course of several encounters that formed the basis of the book “His Holiness: Pope Benedict XVI’s Secret Papers,” which was published in May. Gabriele, he said, was at the receiving end of disgruntled Vatican cardinals, bishops and managers who came to him “day after day” with their secrets and concerns “hoping he would bring them to the pope.”

The 85-year-old Benedict, Nuzzi wrote, had called for greater transparency in the church and yet was himself the

victim of apparent efforts to keep him in the dark. “Surely enjoying a privileged point of view - for six years he was one of the people closest to the Holy Father in the pontifical apartment - Gabriele strongly doubted that Benedict XVI was always aware or received truthful information,” Nuzzi wrote.

“He spoke to me about this profound perplexity, his discomfort as evidenced by a filial love for the pope, a veneration for his simplicity, recounting stories of a man in the middle of the wolves.”

Many of the issues Gabriele brought to light haven’t yet been explained, “but certainly they explain the frustration of a man who, when confronting these intrigues, perceived the fragility of his pastor in a battle between good and evil,” Nuzzi wrote.

Gabriele didn’t elaborate much on the stand during the weeklong trial, saying only at one point that when he would sit down to lunch with the pope, he would realize that Benedict wasn’t being kept informed of certain issues based on the questions he was asking.

The three -judge Vatican tribunal reduced Gabriele’s three-year sentence in half, in part because he admitted he had betrayed the pope and thought “albeit erroneously” that he was doing the right thing. The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, has said a papal pardon is “likely” although there’s no knowing when it might come.

Nuzzi appealed for a pardon, noting that Gabriele’s leaks didn’t reveal state or military secrets but merely shed light on events that were damaging the church.

Nuzzi was neither charged in the case nor called to testify. The Vatican didn’t investigate him for receiving stolen goods because the handoff of documents occurred on Italian soil, out of the Vatican’s jurisdiction. —AP

Czech corruption scandal embroils former adviser KOMOTINI: European Union Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malstrom visits a detention center with illegal immigrants in Komotini town, northern Greece, yesterday. Greece is Europe’s busiest transit point for illegal immigration, and Greek authorities recently launched a crackdown to round up several thousand suspected illegal immigrants in street searches, and holding them to newly created detention centers, built with the help of EU funds. —AP

Algeria, Mauritania urge dialogue in Mali crisis NOUAKCHOTT: Mauritania and Algeria have called for dialogue in a bid to reach a political solution to the six-month-old crisis in neighbouring Mali, after ruling out sending troops there to battle Islamist militia. “Both countries agree on the importance of dialogue for the emergence of political solutions to the crisis in Mali,” Abdelkader Messahel, Algeria’s minister for Maghreb and African affairs, said in Nouakchott late Sunday.

After a meeting with Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, Messahel also said however that both countries were also committed to stamping out extremists in the region. “We are in favour of the fight against terrorism and organised crime by all means and at the same time support dialogue to bring about political solutions,” he said. Mali has been effectively split into two since late March, when Islamist groups with ties to Al-Qaeda conquered the north on the back of a rebellion by secular Tuareg rebels who they soon overpowered. The Islamists have since enforced an extreme form of sharia law and fuelled fears in the region and beyond that north-

ern Mali could become a new global sanctuary for jihadi fighters. The common influence among the fundamentalist armed groups ruling northern Mali is Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, which originated in Algeria and is active in several of regional countries including Mauritania.

Several of those groups have also been involved in a lucrative drug trafficking business feeding the European market, as well as smuggling and kidnapping for ransom.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has a force of more than 3,000 on standby to help the ailing government in Bamako begin its reconquest of the north. The deployment still needs to be approved by the UN Security Council and it could be months before military operations begin. Algeria, by far the dominant military power in the region, has refused ruled out contributing troops for the force, as has Mauritania. Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore, the lead mediator in the crisis, promised Sunday that he would set up a “dialogue framework” for talks with Mali’s rebels. —AP

PRAGUE: The Czech republic’s long-running corruption scandal among high officials boiled up again yesterday when Czech police brought charges against a close associate of a former prime minister over a deal to buy armoured personnel carriers.

Graft among the political class has dominated public debate in the central European country and hurt the popularity of the main political parties.

The centre-right cabinet of Prime Minister Petr Necas, in power since 2010, has beefed-up legislation on public procurement and appointed new prosecutors who have taken a more aggressive stance, bringing charges against current and former players in both government and opposition camps.

High State Attorney Lucie Bradacova said police have charged Marek Dalik, an adviser to Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek during his term in 2006-2009, with fraud in relation to the government’s purchase of 107 Pandur armed personnel carriers from Austria in 2009 for 14.4 billion crowns ($756.34 million).

“The corruption and financial crime unit has detained...one person in connection with the Pandur case,” Bradacova told Czech Television yesterday, identifying the person as Dalik. Earlier documents leaked to Czech media had alleged that a man-

ager for Austrian firm Steyr, a unit of US firm General Dynamics that makes the carriers, told investigators that Dalik asked for a bribe of 18 million euros to secure the deal.

A US embassy cable leaked by Wikileaks last year also cited a Steyr official as saying Dalik had sought a bribe. Dalik, who faces up to 10 years in jail if convicted, had earlier d enied he had sought any bribes.

Topolanek has also denied any irregular procedures in the contract.A Steyr spokesman was not immediately available for comment.

Earlier this year, police charged Governor of Central Bohemia David Rath, from the opposition Social Democrats, with taking bribes after catching him with a box containing 7 million crowns, which they say was a bribe for a construction contract.

The parliament has stripped the immunity of former defence minister Vlasta Parkanova, suspected of signing an unfavourably priced deal to buy military transport planes. Another former defence minister, Martin Bartak, has been charged with allegedly demanding bribes in a case involving the purchase of army trucks. All deny any wrongdoing. Last week, Labour Minister Jaromir Drabek said he would resign at the end of October after his deputy was charged with corruption. —Reuters

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

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

Indonesian court urged to jail Japanese teen DENPASAR: Indonesian prosecutors yesterday sought a one year prison term for a Japanese teenager charged with possession of a small amount of marijuana on the resort island of Bali. The 17-year-old, a student at an international high school on the island, was arrested in August after police found 2.61 grams (0.09 ounces) of the drug in his trouser pocket.

“The defendant has been proven guilty of drug abuse...we demanded the judges to sentence him to one year jail,” Wayan Widana, a prosecutor, told

reporters following a closed-door trial at the Denpasar district court.

“The defendant was a minor, and being polite during the trial, admitted his mistake and promised not to repeat it”, he said. The teen was charged with drug possession last month, which carries a sentence of up to 12 years in prison, and drug abuse, which carries up to four years in jail.

The boy’s lawyer Ahmad Hadiana expressed regret that the prosecutors did not recommend the judges

return the defendant to his parents despite him being a minor.

“We object to the prosecutors’ recommendation which neglected the fact that he is a minor and must be returned to his parents,” he told reporters. An Indonesian court last November sentenced a 14-yearold Australian boy to two months in jail in Bali for marijuana possession, after intense lobbying for his release, namely by the then Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd.

Indonesia enforces stiff penalties including life

imprisonment and death for drug trafficking. Two members of an Australian drug smuggling gang known as the “Bali Nine”, who were arrested in 2005, are on death row, while seven others face lengthy jail terms.

Another Australian, Schapelle Corby, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison for smuggling 4.1 kilos of marijuana in 2005, recently had her term slashed by five years after a clemency appeal to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. — AFP

Philippine sees naval port as vital to US US planning to shift fleet to the Pacific by 2020

PHNOM PENH: Cambodian people from Boeung Kak lake, Borei Keila and other communities take part in a march to mark World Habitat day in Phnom Penh yesterday.

Cambodian people are demanding authorities to end forced home evictions, activists say land conflicts are Cambodia’s most pressing human rights issue.

Protests have intensified this year and campaigners say the authorities are increasingly cracking down on dissent. — AFP

Cambodia’s K Rouge court adds mass killings to trial PHNOM PENH: Cambodia’s UN-backed court yesterday added a mass killing episode to the trial of three former Khmer Rouge leaders, amid fears they will not live long enough to answer for the regime’s worst atrocities.

The move to expand the scope of the trial comes as ex-foreign minister Ieng Sary, 86, is in hospital with a string of serious ailments. Few tribunal insiders expect to see him back in court, lending fresh urgency to the proceedings.

The prosecution wanted three more crime sites to be part of the trial. But judges said they did not want to “risk a substantial prolongation of the trial” and approved just one-the alleged killing of up to 3,000 former military officers at an execution site in western Cambodia.

“We’re disappointed,” deputy co-prosecutor William Smith told AFP. Ieng Sary, “Brother Number Two” Nuon Chea and former head of state Khieu Samphan deny charges of war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity for their roles in a regime blamed for up to two million deaths in the late 1970s.

Their complex case was last year split into a series of smaller trials, starting with the forced evacuation of the population into rural labour camps. Given the concerns over the health of the octogenarian defendants and as the court struggles to attract

fresh funding, most observers believe this first “mini-trial” will also be the last, prompting calls for it to consider more serious allegations.

Court monitor Clair Duffy said the inclusion of the killings at Tuol Po Chrey execution site, where the Khmer Rouge allegedly murdered soldiers and officers of the former regime immediately after taking power in April 1975, was “a small victory for the prosecution and for the historical record”.

“It does capture a bit more of the conduct they are accused of... of killing, targeting individuals on political grounds,” said Duffy, who works for the Open Society Justice Initiative. According to the indictment, the victims at Tuol Po Chrey were buried in mass graves, their hands tied behind their back and their bodies “covered in blood” from gunshot wounds.

“Witness estimates as to the number of victims range from 2,000 up to approximately 3,000 corpses,” the document reads.

Led by Pol Pot, who died in 1998, the Khmer Rouge wiped out nearly a quarter of the population through starvation, overwork and execution in a bid to create a communist utopia. The court has so far jailed just one man-former Khmer Rouge prison chief Kaing Guek Eav, better known as Duch. He was sentenced to life in jail this year for overseeing the deaths of some 15,000 people. — AFP

YANGON: Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi addresses a press conference at the National League for Democracy (NLD) headquarters in Yangon yesterday.

Nobel laureate Suu Kyi briefed the press following her triumphant trip to the US where she was also given a hero’s welcome. — AFP

SUBIC: The Philippines said yesterday a former US naval base facing the South China Sea could play a key role as a hub for American ships as Washington moves to strengthen its presence in the Asia-Pacific.

Once the US military’s largest overseas facility, the former Subic Bay naval base 80 kilometres (50 miles) northeast of Manila has been transformed into a freeport and tourism zone since it was shut down in 1992.

But a senior Philippine official pointed out that, with the United States planning to shift the bulk of its fleet to the Pacific by 2020 as it focuses on Asia, it would need natural deep water bays to dock its ships and submarines.

“Based on US official pronouncements, there is a strategic rebalancing (of its forces) and that means more assets, more aircraft in the Western Pacific,” said Edilberto Adan, a former general who heads the government’s Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) commission.

“There are very few ports that can accommodate naval assets and naval carriers, and one of them is Subic. “As the US begins to implement (the shift), Subic will play an important role because it is one of the important facilities that can service their presence in the Pacific.” He said Subic could “provide the necessary port calls, port visits and servicing required by US assets, naval or aircraft”. Adan was talking to reporters at Subic Bay aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard, an amphibious Marine Expeditionary Unit assault ship taking part in a 10-day joint exercises with Filipino forces. Subic, along with the nearby Clark Airbase, were key facilities for the United States, the former colonial ruler of the Philippines, during World War II. They then provided logistical support during the Vietnam War in the 1970s, and remained of strategic importance during the Cold War. Clark closed down in 1991 after nearby Mount Pinatubo volcano erupted, covering the base in ash and making it unusable.

Subic, which is in the northern town of Olangapo facing the South China Sea, survived the eruption. But, amid strong nationalist sentiment and street protests calling for US troops to leave the Philippines, the Senate voted in 1992 to end a lease agreement that allowed the bases to operate.

In November 1992 the last US ship sailed out of Subic. The Philippines, however, ratified a visiting forces agreement with the United States in 1999, allowing the resumption of

SUBIC FREEPORT: US Marines and their Philippine counterpart stand at attention during the opening ceremony for the Philippines-US amphibious landing exercise, dubbed Phiblex 2013, aboard the destroyer USS Bonhomme Richard, which is docked at Subic Freeport, a former US naval base, west of Manila, Philippines. — AP

large-scale training exercises between the allies. US troops have since been engaged in various exercises with the Philippines annually. Adan, whose commission oversees the joint exercises with US troops, also said an increased American presence in the Philippines could help protect the surrounding seas.

“Our concern and everyone’s concern in the region is freedom of navigation, to ensure that commerce and trade, commercial shipping go unhampered,” he said.

“And the Philippines is in a very strategic location in the region, so it is important that (it) plays a role in that regional geographical configuration.”

The Philippines has repeatedly expressed concern about a perceived more aggressive Chinese presence in the South China Sea. China claims virtually all of the South China Sea, even waters close to the coasts of the Philippines and other Asian countries.

Tensions escalated this year after Philippine and Chinese ships were locked in a stand-off at a disputed shoal in the South China Sea. The Philippines also accused China of using bullying diplomatic tactics to assert its claims, and sought expressions of support from the United States in its dispute.

Under a mutual defence treaty, the United States is bound to come to the defence of the Philippines if it is attacked. However, Adan

‘Terrorist threat’ forces Chinese plane to land BEIJING: A plane was forced to make an emergency landing when it received an “anonymous terrorist threat” after taking off from China’s restive northwestern Xinjiang region yesterday, state media said.

The plane landed at an airport in Lanzhou, capital of China’s northwest province of Gansu following the alert at around 1730 (0930 GMT), state-run news agency Xinhua said, quoting the airline and local security sources.

The CZ680 China Southern Airlines flight had originally taken off from Istanbul in Turkey, before its scheduled arrival at Xinjiang’s provincial capital, Urumqi. It was en route for Beijing when the alert happened. Domestic reports said the plane was a Boeing 757 which had 186 passengers and 10 crew on board.Pictures posted online

showed the plane stationary on the tarmac of the airport, with the luggage offloaded and being checked by security personnel and sniffer dogs.

The reports gave no further details, and did not say who had made the “terrorist threat”. Similar incidents on Chinese planes are rare, although a year ago a plane bound for Urumqi was forced into an emergency landing after a passenger claimed there was a bomb on board. Police detained the 27year-old woman passenger after she threatened to detonate a bomb during the China United Airlines flight from Beijing to Urumqi.

She told police she had a problem with her boyfriend and was flying to Xinjiang to talk to him, state media said. Xinjiang-a resource-rich and strategically vital region that borders eight countries-is home to

roughly nine million Turkic-speaking Uighurs who have long bridled under what many see as government oppression.

An influx of ethnic Han Chinese has fuelled anger, with some Uighurs complaining that Han get better jobs and pay and saying traditional Uighur culture is being deliberately diluted.

Two years ago, bloody ethnic riots in Urumqi killed 197 people and injured around 1,700. Beijing has blamed much of Xinjiang’s unrest on the “three forces” of extremism, separatism and terrorism. The incident comes at a particularly sensitive time for China’s leaders, who are preparing for a generational handover of power which is set to commence at the 18th Communist Party Congress, which begins in Beijing on November 8. — AFP

China uses Bo Xilai case as triumph against corruption BEIJING: China is using the case of ousted politician Bo Xilai as a triumphant example of the Communist Party’s effort to rein in rampant corruption that threatens its hold on power.

The party’s top official for discipline, He Guoqiang, gave a speech yesterday in which he cited the investigation into Bo as one of the recent successes of the party’s efforts to uncover “major disciplinary violations.” Bo was one of China’s best known politicians until he fell from grace earlier this year when a close aide disclosed that Bo’s wife had murdered a British businessman. Bo was dismissed as party chief of the megacity of Chongqing and his wife was given a suspended death sentence after confessing to the murder.

In a long-awaited move, the party expelled Bo on Sept. 28 and accused him of charges ranging from corruption to illicit sexual affairs as it tried to sweep away a scandal that had threatened to overshadow an upcoming leadership transition.

Corruption is a pervasive problem throughout the Chinese bureaucracy, with huge amounts of money involved, and the Communist Party has said repeatedly that it threatens its legitimacy. “We should keep a strong momentum in our fight against corruption,” He told a meeting of the AntiCorruption Coordination Team of the party’s Central Committee. “The corrupt elements, no matter who they are, will be resolutely dealt with without mercy. Never let them get away from

the punishment of party discipline and state laws.” He, head of the party’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, said authorities have punished more than 660,000 officials for disciplinary violations in the past five years. Officials have hastened to distance the Communist Party from Bo. After the announcement of Bo’s expulsion, the Chongqing municipal committee held a meeting led by current party chief Zhang Dejiang to endorse the party’s decision. City officials vowed to “prevent the individual from being placed above the system.”

The charges against Bo span more than a decade and include allegations that he took bribes, abused his power and had improper relationships with several women. — AP

SOLO: In this Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2012 photo, members of Indonesian police anti-terror unit Special Detachment 88 move into positions as they prepare for a raid in Solo, Central Java, Indonesia. — AP

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

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

Decade after Bali, Indonesian terror aims at govt BALI: Ten years after terrorist attacks at two Bali nightclubs killed more than 200 people, mostly foreign tourists, Indonesia has won international praise for its counterterrorism efforts. Militant organizations have been fractured and many of their charismatic leaders have been killed or jailed.

But an Associated Press analysis shows the number of strikes within the country has actually gone up, especially since 2010, when radical imams called on their followers to focus on domestic targets rather than Westerners. The more recent attacks have been conducted with less expertise, and the vast majority of victims have been Indonesians.

“It turns out that the terrorism problem in Indonesia is not finished yet,” said Maj. Gen. Tito Karnavian, a former counterterrorism official recently appointed police chief of Papua province. “The quality of their attacks has decreased, but the quantity has increased.”

Since Oct. 12, 2002, when the Bali attacks killed 202 people - including 88 Australians and seven Americans - there have been four major terror strikes targeting Westerners in Indonesia, resulting in 45 deaths. The last was in 2009, when attacks on the J.W. Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels in Jakarta killed seven people.

That compares to 15 attacks against security forces, local authorities, Christians and some moderate Muslims in just the past two years. Those attacks have killed a total of 11 people - all police officers and wounded dozens of civilians.

Although the targets may have shifted, the methods for recruiting young men remain the same. They

are indoctrinated to believe that as jihadist “grooms” they will reap God’s rewards for martyrdom - paradise for the bomber and 70 family members and the gift of 72 virgin angels. It’s a belief shunned by most Muslims.

Fadlan, a convicted militant who goes by a single alias name, was trained to be a suicide bomber in 2001 by Jemaah Islamiyah, the al-Qaida-linked group that sent two other bombers to the Bali nightclubs on a busy Saturday night. He told the AP that his mentor, Imam Samudra, one of the plot masterminds, deemed it too risky to use him in the attacks because he was already wanted for an earlier botched bombing.

Today, Fadlan believes he would be in paradise if he had been picked. “I still believe it ... because it’s not promised by my recruiter, but God,” Fadlan said softly in a mosque near his house in central Jakarta.

Fadlan was jailed for four years in 2006 after being found guilty of harboring terrorists, including Noordin M. Top, who was Southeast Asia’s most wanted militant before police killed him in 2009. Fadlan was released on good behavior that same year and is now part of the government’s deradicalization program, designed to reform convicted extremists.

He told the AP he also was involved in two 2001 bombings at churches in eastern Jakarta that injured more than 70 worshippers. He was never convicted in those incidents due to a lack of evidence.

Now 36, Fadlan says he’s not actively involved with any militant groups in Indonesia and no longer interested in becoming a groom there because the country is not seen as a battle ground for holy war.

But he smiles broadly when asked if he would still be willing to serve as a suicide bomber on another front if called.

“Nobody refuses a reward in heaven, right?” he says. “But I live like I’m in a large aquarium now ... authorities are watching me everywhere I go, and I could not go abroad.” A turning point for Indonesian terrorist groups came in 2010, when police raided a paramilitary jihadi camp hidden in the mountains of Aceh. An anti-terrorism crackdown followed that left more than 100 suspected militants either dead or arrested. Another alleged Bali bombings mastermind, Dulmatin, was shot to death in a raid. Radical Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir was arrested; last year he was sentenced to 15 years in jail. That led Indonesian extremist religious leaders to order militants to change their mission. Instead of going after Westerners and American symbols they were directed to target Indonesian ‘infidels’ such as police, antiterrorism squads, lawmakers and others deemed as obstacles to transforming the secular country into an Islamic state governed by Sharia law.

Most of Indonesia, a country of 240 million, practices a moderate style of Islam that condemns violence, and its government is keeping up pressure against extremists. Data from the National Police revealed more than 700 militants have been arrested over the past 10 years, including 84 last year. Dozens more have been killed since the Bali bombings.

Though the number of domestic terrorist attacks has risen, suicide bombers are more likely to act alone or in smaller groups than they did in years past.

“I don’t think there is any one person who is the cur-

rent face of terrorism in Indonesia,” said Ken Conboy, a Jakarta-based expert on Southeast Asian terrorism.

“Rather, the terrorists have splintered into small cells that have only fleeting contact, if that, with one another.”

That lack of organization makes it more difficult to pull off devastating attacks. Last year, a suicide bomber blew himself up inside a mosque packed with police, injuring 30 people, and another detonated his explosives in a church in Central Java’s Solo town, dying instantly and wounding 22 worshippers.

Just last month, police arrested 10 Islamist militants and seized a dozen homemade bombs from a group suspected of planning suicide attacks against security forces and plotting to blow up the parliament building. The alleged bomb maker, Muhammad Toriq, turned himself in to police while wearing an empty suicide vest.

The explosives seized were pipe bombs, dangerous but much less powerful than those used in Bali 10 years ago. But other would-be suicide bombers remain at large.

In March, authorities received an intelligence tip that at least one jihadist “groom” had arrived in Bali.

They found a note he wrote to his family, saying he would carry out a suicide mission with God’s blessing and that the family would be reunited in paradise, said Ansyaad Mbai, who heads the country’s anti-terrorism agency. Security forces killed five suspects who were believed to be plotting several armed robberies in Bali to fund their terrorist activities. But the groom got away, and it’s unclear what attack he had planned or whether he will still attempt it. — AP

Armed Maldives police arrest ex-president Ignored court orders to stand trial

HELMAND: Afghanistan security forces walk at the site of a suicide attack in Lashkar Gah, capital of Helmand province in southern Afghanistan yesterday. A suicide car bomber targeting an Afghan police station in the southern city of Lashkar Gah killed at least two intelligence agents and wounded 15 other people, police said. — AFP

Afghanistan government may collapse: Report KABUL: The Afghan government could implode after NATO troops pull out in 2014, particularly if presidential elections are fraudulent, a report by the International Crisis Group said yesterday.

“There is a real risk that the regime in Kabul could collapse upon NATO’s withdrawal,” said Candace Rondeaux, the ICG’s senior Afghanistan analyst. “The window for remedial action is closing fast.”

The report-”Afghanistan: The Long, Hard Road to the 2014 Transition” — said the country was on course in 2014 for another set of fraudulent elections after the chaotic presidential and parliamentary polls in 2009 and 2010.

A repeat could undermine what little hope remains for stability after the Afghan government takes full responsibility for security from US-led NATO forces, the analysis by the respected Brussels-based group said.

The coalition, which has waged an 11-year war against Taleban insurgents, is drawing down its troops from a peak of some 130,000, and almost all combat forces are scheduled to quit the country by the end of 2014.

“The Afghan army and police are overwhelmed and underprepared for the transition,” said Rondeaux. “Another botched election and resultant unrest would push them to breaking point.” Within hours of the report’s publication, a suicide car bomber rammed a police station in Lashkar Gar, capital of southern Helmand province, killing two intelligence agents and wounding 15 other people.

Afghan police are increasingly targets of such assaults as they take a bigger role in the fight against the Taleban ahead of the NATO withdrawal.

The Western-backed government of President Hamid Karzai and the parliament have failed to take any serious steps towards preparing for a clean vote, Rondeaux said.

“Karzai seems more interested in perpetuating his own power by any means rather than ensuring credibility of the political system

and long-term stability in the country.”

The president is constitutionally required to step down at the end of his second term in 2014, and has said he will do so, but there are fears that he might try to manipulate the polls to ensure the election of an ally, possibly one of his brothers.

“The danger is President Karzai’s top priority is maintaining control, either directly or via a trusted proxy,” Rondeaux said. “He and other leading members of the elite may be able to cobble together a broad temporary alliance, but political competition is likely to turn violent on the heels of NATO’s withdrawal.”

The report said the possibility cannot be excluded that Karzai will declare a state of emergency as a means of extending his power, which would accelerate state collapse and likely precipitate a civil war.

“If that occurs, there would be few opportunities to reverse course in the near term.

Securing the peace in Afghanistan would then remain at best a very distant hope,” Rondeaux said.

The ICG is not alone in predicting trouble ahead. Afghan expert Gilles Dorronsoro of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace also sees renewed strife and even a Taliban return to power.

“After 2014, the level of US support for the Afghan regime will be limited and, after a new phase in the civil war, a Taliban victory will likely follow,” he wrote in a recent analysis.

This sort of forecast contrasts sharply with predictions by the NATO military and Western governments that Afghan forces will be able to defend the country after 2014, but it is so widespread that Karzai has railed against it.

“This is a psychological war by the Western media against Afghanistan: once the foreign troops pull out, Afghanistan will be poor, there will be civil war and the Taleban will return, etcetera,” Karzai told a news conference last week. However, he noted that “local media, television and radios and analysts” were making similar predictions. — AFP

MALE: Armed Maldivian police arrested the country’s first democratically elected president yesterday after he ignored court orders to stand trial for allegedly abusing his power while in office, his party said.

Police in riot gear and armed with an arrest warrant broke down a door of a house where Mohamed Nasheed was staying on the island of Fares Maathodaa in the south of the archipelago, a famous honeymoon spot for the rich and famous.

The ex-president, who resigned in February in what he considers to be a coup, was escorted by at least a dozen officers and was taken away by boat to the capital Male, according to his party and photos of the arrest.

“Police are carrying out their duties,” presidential spokesman Masood Imad told AFP. “Police have not used excessive force. He is being accorded due respect as a former president of the country.” On Sunday, a local court ordered police to arrest Nasheed, who has twice failed to show up for trial. He faces charges of abusing his powers while in office by ordering the military to arrest a senior judge.

He has challenged the legality of the trial and says he is unable to get a fair hearing, and has refused to abide by a travel ban that restricts him to the capital island.

A magistrates’ court Sunday issued a warrant asking police to “keep Mr Nasheed in custody until he is produced before the court”. In a statement issued hours before his arrest, Nasheed’s MDP party urged the international community to put pressure on his successor as president, Mohamed Waheed, his former deputy.

“The MDP strongly calls on the international community, our development partners, to immediately engage in dialogue with Dr Waheed to maintain maximum restraint,” said the statement.

Nasheed, who won the first free elections in the Maldives in 2008, resigned as president in February after public protests and a mutiny by police who took over the state television broad-

MALE: In this Feb. 10, 2012 file photo, Maldives’ former President Mohamed Nasheed waves as he walks back home after prayers in Male, Maldives. Police in the Maldives arrested Nasheed yesterday, after he twice failed to appear before a court to face charges that he illegally ordered the arrest of a judge while in office. — AP caster. A Commission of National Inquiry, consisting of four respected Maldivians and a Singaporean judge appointed by the Commonwealth group of nations, rejected the “coup” theory and held the transfer of power as “constitutional”.

MDP spokesman Hamid Abdul Ghafoor said that democracy had been “on life-support since February, but today the plug was pulled and the lights turned off.”

The government rejected the MDP allegation and said Nasheed was arrested because he was in contempt of court and Monday’s police action showed that democracy was at work in the nation of 330,000 Sunni Muslims.

“Democracy is strong and alive in the Maldives and we have shown that even a former

News

in brief

6.3 quake strikes off Indonesia JAKARTA: An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3 struck off the eastern Indonesian coast yesterday evening, the US Geological Survey said, but no tsunami alert was issued and no damage was reported. The epicentre of the quake, which occurred at 6:43 pm Monday (1143 GMT), was located in the Banda Sea 139 km (86 miles) southeast of the town of Ambon, the USGS reported. It took place at a depth of 34 km. “There was no tsunami warning issued. It was felt moderately in Ambon city and Banda island,” Agung Utomo from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency told AFP. He said there were no reports of damage so far. Indonesia sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” where continental plates collide, causing frequent seismic and volcanic activity. An 8.7 earthquake that struck west of Indonesia in April was the biggest of its kind ever recorded and confirms suspicions that a giant tectonic plate is breaking up, scientists said last month.

Briton could face jail

AHMADABAD: Gujarat state Chief Minister Narendra Modi addresses a gathering during an election campaign on the outskirts of Ahmadabad, India, yesterday. The Gujarat state elections are scheduled to be held in December. — AP

president cannot be in contempt of court,” spokesman Imad told AFP. If convicted, Nasheed could be jailed or banished to a remote island for three years, a punishment that could bar him from future elections. The next elections are scheduled to take place by July next year.

Nasheed is a former Amnesty International prisoner of conscience. He was thrown in jail over a period of six years during the rule of former autocratic leader Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

Nasheed ousted Gayoom at the 2008 elections. But his party failed to win an outright majority at subsequent parliamentary elections, leading to constant friction between the executive and a hostile legislature. — AFP

DENPASAR: An Indonesian court in the resort island of Bali charged a British woman yesterday with cocaine possession, an offence punishable by life imprisonment. Rachel Dougall, 39, was arrested in May at her luxury villa for alleged involvement in a plot to smuggle 4.79 kilograms (10.6 pounds) of cocaine. Two other Britons facing multiple charges in the case could face the death penalty. But prosecutors only charged Dougall with possession of nearly fifty grams of cocaine. “In a police raid at the defendant’s villa, police found a cigarette package containing 48.94 grams of cocaine in her bag,” one of the prosecutors, Putu Astawa, told Denpasar district court. The charge carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Astawa said that “no evidence” was found that Dougall had ordered five kg of cocaine as mentioned earlier by British woman Lindsay June Sandiford. Sandiford is one of the two Britons facing a possible death sentence if convicted, after being arrested in May at the island’s airport. In total, four Britons and an Indian were detained in May in connection with the alleged cocaine plot.

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s judges and lawyers demonstrate next to a coffin which they said symbolized the death of independent judiciary as they protest outside a court complex in Colombo, Sri Lanka, yesterday. — AP

S Lanka’s judges boycott courts over attack COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s judges and lawyers boycotted courts yesterday to protest the assault of an outspoken judge, and hundreds of lawyers staged a demonstration demanding a thorough investigation into the attack.

About 500 lawyers and staff wearing black headbands marched in front of Colombo’s court complex. They carried a coffin, saying the weekend attack on Judge Manjula Tilakaratne symbolizes the death of independent judiciary. Later, they burnt the coffin.

They held placards reading: “Stand up to the protect judiciary. Protect lives of judges.

Arrest those who attacked a judge.”

Tilakaratne, the secretary of the Judicial Service Commission that handles appointment and transfer of judges, was assaulted

by four men on Sunday as he was in his car reading a newspaper after dropping off his son at school. He sustained injuries to his face and right hand. Police said an investigation is under way.

Protesters said Tilakarartne had irked the government with a statement two weeks ago complaining of outside influences on the commission’s decisions.

A protesting lawyer J.C. Weliamuna said the attack was “unprecedented” and blamed the government for the attack. “This attack symbolizes the death of Sri Lanka’s independent judiciary. It’s not just an attack on one judge, it has dealt severe blow to the whole judiciary. The government should take the responsibility for this attack,” said another lawyer Gunaratne Wanninayake. —AP

NEWS Next hearing in Assembly...

Continued from Page 1

Assembly building on November 16 last year but had no criminal intention as he was an MP and could go to parliament any time.

Barrak also said that the charges had been fabricated by former Assembly Speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi “who is a political foe” and asked how Al-Seyassah newspaper managed to obtain and publish the minutes of investigations by the public prosecution into the case even before the defense lawyers were allowed.

The opposition figure also insisted that Al-Seyassah had deliberately changed part of the investigations and asked “why no action had been taken against the daily and those who leaked the minutes to it”.

Several former MPs also questioned outside the jam-packed courtroom why the former MPs implicated in a major corruption case have not yet been referred to the court for trial, insisting that those who defend the country and the people are mistreated while corrupt elements are let free.

The postponement was made to allow defense lawyers to study the case and prepare their defense arguments. In another

important development, former Islamist opposition MP Waleed Al-Tabtabai warned on his Twitter account that certain people are plotting to discredit His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad AlSabah in a bid to remove him from power and replace him with a leading ruling family personality.

Tabtabai did not name the people or the group but it is evident from the language he used that he was referring to personalities and groups at loggerheads with the country’s Islamist and nationalist opposition.

“They are preparing to appoint Hatem in his place” claimed Tabtabai, in reference used by the opposition to identify a leading ruling family member. Tabtabai’s claims came as local Arabic daily Al-Wasat warned in its editorial against attempts by unnamed quarters to tarnish the image of HH the Crown Prince.

On his part, former liberal MP Marzouk Al-Ghanem charged yesterday that a prominent member of the ruling family has given KD 10 million to a former minister to use during the forthcoming general elections. Ghanem did not name either personality.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

Amir: Work in harmony ...

Continued from Page 1

citizens, including provision of residential plots, securing infrastructure and services as an urgent priority as housing is one of the key elements of stability for the Kuwaiti family.

He also underscored the importance of working on the completion of a number of bills that would achieve a quantum leap in government work and overcome the obstacles that hinder the sought achievements citizens await, including speeding up the completion of an integrated bill to find practical ways to combat corruption, financial disclosure, as well as a draft law establishing the National Committee to organize the elections and election campaigns, so as to enhance the integrity of the election process, and a bill to renounce hatred and maintenance of national unity, and the criminalization of all actions which represent prejudice to the unity of Kuwaitis.

HH the Amir also urged everyone to work as one hand in order to achieve stability, which is the basis of all achievements and maintaining the security of

the country and national unity, and uphold the interest of Kuwait over other interests.

He stressed that out of his grave responsibility before God and loyal Kuwaiti people, he would not hesitate at all in taking all the steps and measures that preserve reasons of security and stability and decent living for the Kuwaiti people, and all that leads to their progress and prosperity.

HH the Amir expressed his full confidence in the consciousness of the people of Kuwait and their awareness in the seriousness of the volatile situation experienced by many countries of the region and their implications and effects, which require taking all means of caution and vigilance and “work on our cohesion to maintain our national unity.”

His Highness the Crown Prince and His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah expressed great appreciation and pride for the parental feelings expressed by HH the Amir which are characterized by a spirit of great responsibility towards the nation and people. — KUNA

Stem cell pioneers...

Continued from Page 1 In 1962, he discovered that the DNA code in the nucleus of an adult frog cell held all the information to develop into every kind of cell. This meant that an adult cell could in essence be reprogrammed. His landmark discovery was initially met with skepticism, as the journey from immature to specialized cell was previously deemed irreversible. “I’m amazed and immensely grateful and astonished that they should recognize work done such a long time ago,” Gurdon told Swedish Radio.

“Of course I’m extremely grateful to be recognized with Shinya Yamanaka who’s done this wonderful work,” he added. “It is particularly pleasing to see how purely basic research, originally aimed at testing the genetic identity of different cell types in the body, has turned out to have clear human health prospects,” he later told reporters in London.

Based at Cambridge University, Gurdon is fond of recalling that his school tutor told him when he was 15 that it would be a “total waste of time” to pursue a career in science, and credits his mother with encouraging him to follow his passion.

More than four decades later, in 2006, Yamanaka, now 50, discovered how mature cells in mice could be turned back to their youthful state using a batch of reprogramming genes.

The advantage of this would be to avert the need to use stem cells taken from early-stage embryos. These are hugely versatile but have stirred ethical controversy.

Perhaps the most-watched award, for peace, will be announced Friday and the economics prize will wind up the Nobel season on October 15. The laureates will receive their prizes at formal ceremonies in Stockholm and Oslo on December 10, the anniversary of prize founder Alfred Nobel’s death in 1896. — AFP

14

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

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Issues

A long road to resolution of Philippine revolt

By Karl Malakunas final resolution to a decades-long Muslim rebellion in the Philippines is a long way off with many tough issues yet to be resolved, experts cautioned yesterday, a day after a peace roadmap was unveiled.

President Benigno Aquino raised hopes of ending the conflict when he announced the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) had agreed on a blueprint for achieving peace before his term ended in 2016. Under the plan, the MILF’s 12,000 soldiers would lay down their arms and the group would give up its claims for an independent homeland in the southern Philippines, in return for the creation of a new semi-autonomous Muslim region.

However both sides acknowledged that many of the most sensitive points of contention still needed to be addressed, while experts questioned whether a final agreement could be implemented before Aquino stood down. “There are real differences between the two parties that they need to thrash out,” Rommel Banlaoi, executive director of the Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research, told AFP. “Meeting the deadline of 2016 will be difficult... the hardest part of the negotiations have only begun.” The MILF and other Muslim organizations regard the southern region of Mindanao as their ancestral homeland dating back to Islamic sultanates established before Spanish Christians arrived in the 1500s. The centuries-old animosities escalated in the 1970s amid a government crackdown, with Muslims taking up arms and establishing formal rebel groups.

About 150,000 people have died in the conflict, most in the 1970s when an all-out war raged. The MILF is the largest and most dangerous rebel group left.

The organization has tried and failed to negotiate peace deals with previous governments, and its leadership remains cautious this time around even though it has confidence in Aquino. “This is just a preliminary agreement... there is much work to be done,” MILF vice chairman for political affairs Ghazali Jaafar told AFP. Among the most contentious points between the two sides that still need to be addressed is how to share the largely untapped wealth on offer in Mindanao.

The region is one of the country’s most fertile farming areas, and is believed to have hundreds of millions of dollars worth of gold, copper and other minerals available for exploitation.

Aquino said on Sunday that the people in the planned new autonomous region would have a “fair and equitable” share of its wealth, but gave no details.

Steve Rood, Philippine country director for the Asia Foundation and a formal monitor of the peace talks, said he believed a final resolution was possible before Aquino stood down.

“If I was to bet money, I would bet it can be done,” Rood told AFP, but said wealth sharing remained a major obstacle. “That has been one of the sticking points.”

Another problem that has yet to be addressed is the MILF’s insistence on a constitutional amendment to give legal certainty to the autonomous region, and potentially give it more power than the government is willing to concede.

Aside from the extent of power issue, Aquino’s government has resisted changing the constitution because of the difficulties in securing support from the majority Catholic public and politicians who represent them. Even without constitutional change, the national parliament will have to approve a “Basic Law” for the planned new autonomous region.

The government is aiming for parliament to approve this in 2015, to allow enough time for implementation before Aquino stands down.

Aquino, who is one of the most popular presidents in the country’s history, can convince enough MPs to approve the Basic Law, according to Rood and Banlaoi.

But one concern is that if there are delays in the peace process the situation would be back to square one when a new president takes office in 2016.

Under the Philippine constitution, presidents can serve just one six-year term. “If it is not signed by 2016, we may have another government that would have a new outlook to the problem,” Banlaoi said. —AFP

A

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Romney to outline foreign policy

By Steven R Hurst epublican challenger Mitt Romney gained ground on President Barack Obama in their debate over the US economy last week and will be trying to diminish the incumbent’s strength in foreign policy with a speech yesterday that will draw heavy attention abroad after a series of stumbles on issues that signal Romney would vastly overhaul American relations with an increasingly interdependent world.

With the presidential race having grown tighter after a strong Romney performance in the first presidential debate last week, the Republican challenger is now hoping he can narrow Obama’s commanding lead in the polls as the candidate best equipped to cope with global upheavals and keep the United States safe from the terrorist threat that was magnified by the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on American soil.

In excerpts of the speech released early, Romney says “hope is not a strategy” when dealing with knotty issues like chaos in the Middle East and Iran’s suspected drive to build a nuclear weapon. Obama has been at pains to improve the US image abroad, one that was badly tarnished by the administration of former President George W Bush.

American standing, particularly in the Middle East, suffered considerable damage over the US invasion of Iraq and the overthrow of Saddam Hussein.

Romney has an uphill climb on that front, not so much among his supporters among US voters, who are paying little attention to global affairs in this election, but among countries around the world - both friends and adversaries - who have been stung by the candidate’s ill-chosen remarks. Watching closely as well will be some independent voters who may be concerned by the fact that Romney has surrounded himself with a

R

coterie of foreign policy advisers that is made up of many who played critical roles in the neoconservative path taken by former President George W Bush.

Romney finds himself in a bit of a hole after having irritated Britons and Palestinians during a summer tour abroad. What’s more, he has declared Russia to be America’s No 1 geopolitical foe. Just last week, the Republican candidate raised eyebrows in Spain by holding it up as a prime example of government spending run amok.

That left Spaniards confused, and threatened to reinforce Romney’s perceived handicap in international affairs, precisely at a time when lingering questions over the Sept. 11 attacks against the US Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, has President Barack Obama on the defensive. “I don’t want to go down the path of Spain,” Romney said Wednesday night during the first presidential debate. He argued that government spending under Obama has reached 42 percent of the US economy, a figure comparable with America’s NATO ally. “I want to go down the path of growth that puts Americans to work.”

The remark was Romney’s latest to cause international offense during a campaign that much of the world is closely monitoring.

Spanish reaction to Romney was swift.

“What I see is ignorance of what is reality, but especially of the potential of the Spanish economy,” said Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria.

Maria Dolores Cospedal, leader of Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s Popular Party, noted that “Spain is not on fire from all sides like some on the outside have suggested.”

Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia Margallo called it “very unfortunate that other countries should be put up as examples” when the facts are skewed.

US voters and world leaders also will listen for Romney’s ideas about preventing Iran

from building a nuclear weapon. He has declared Tehran would never have such a weapon of mass destruction under his leadership and that it would under a second Obama term. But his policy prescription on the Iran front shows virtually no difference from the path that Obama has followed. And the president, too, insists that the US will never allow the Islamic Republic to achieve nuclear weapons status.

Romney will have a chance to fully articulate his vision of America’s role in world affairs when gives his address Monday at the Virginia Military Institute. But the furor in Spain, however minor, serves as a reminder of Romney’s record of diplomatic stumbles, such as calling Russia - not Iran or China, for example - America’s primary global adversary in March. Russian President Vladimir Putin has since pointed to Romney’s comment as justification for Russia’s opposition to America’s missile defense plans in Europe, saying the statement has “strengthened Russia’s positions in talks on this important and sensitive subject.” Then on a July trip to Europe and Israel meant to burnish Romney’s foreign policy credentials, the candidate criticized Britain over its preparations for the London Olympic Games. The comment baffled America’s closest ally, drawing withering retorts from the British press, the Conservative prime minister and London’s right-wing mayor. He also cited a private meeting with Britain’s spy service MI6, in a significant breach of protocol.

In Israel, he followed up by declaring Jerusalem the capital of the Jewish state, which Republican and Democratic US administrations have refused to accept for decades given Palestinian claims to the ancient city.

At a gathering of mostly American Jewish donors, Romney implied that Israel was more advanced than the Palestinians because of cultural superiority. The comment drew a charge of racism from the Palestinians’ chief

peace negotiator, with whom the U.S. has been working to reach a two-state peace deal with Israel and counter the threat posed by Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that rejects Israel’s existence.

Obama, too, has made mistakes. He was forced to apologize to Poland’s president in June after using the expression “Polish death camp” in reference to an extermination center operated by Nazi Germany on Polish soil during World War II. By singling out Spain, Romney ruffled feathers in a country he will probably need to call on for assistance if he becomes president.

Spain has almost 1,500 troops in Afghanistan.

It contributed fighter jets, refueling planes and naval vessels to the U.S.-led NATO mission that ousted Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi from power.

Romney may also feel compelled to talk about America’s decade-long involvement in Afghanistan. Obama has promised remove American fighters and to turn the conflict over to Afghan forces by the end of 2014.

While Romney has spoken of making that a goal, he has not locked himself into that date, saying it would depend on the advice of US military commanders and the conditions on the ground in the warscared nation. The world also will be listening carefully for what Romney has to say about the bloody civil war in Syria and fears and an eruption of cross-border shelling between its forces and the Turkish military along their shared frontier. Turkey has given refuge to thousands of Syrians who have fled north across the border to escape the savagery of the fighting in their homeland. Despite heavy pressure from some at home and many in the region, Obama has been leery of US involvement in that conflict, the latest upheaval in the so-called Arab spring that has seen popular revolts that overthrew dictators in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Yemen. — AP

Chavez’s rivals thwarted again

By Andrew Cawthorne and Diego Ore enezuela’s young opposition leader Henrique Capriles began election day on Sunday jovially donning his “lucky shoes” - but ended it gravely trying to stem the tears of shattered supporters.

Yet another victory for Hugo Chavez, this one giving him a new six-year term, was too much to bear for some of the volunteers and fans who coalesced around Capriles for the opposition’s best shot at unseating the president since he was elected 14 years ago.

“People should not feel defeated. God’s timing is perfect, the country is not going to end today,” Capriles consoled them, as he accepted electoral defeat shortly before midnight. In the morning light, the opposition will reflect on an improved showing - 45 percent this time, up from 37 percent at the last presidential election, held in 2006. In Capriles they still have undoubtedly their most successful anti-Chavez candidate. The 40-year-old state governor showed extraordinary energy on the campaign trail with a months-long “house-by-house” tour and made inroads into poor Chavez heartlands where the opposition had barely been able to show its face before.

He also managed to keep the hard-won and fragile unity of a diverse coalition of 30 or so political organizations, from left to right, whose only common factor was opposition to Chavez.

“Capriles has been, by far, the best candidate who has faced Chavez, and his story is barely starting,” local pollster Luis Vicente Leon said, predicting Capriles would run for re-election as governor of populous Miranda state, which encompasses part of the capital Caracas, while continuing to steer the opposition at the national level.

“He has become the indisputable leader of the opposition and his face-to-face work is a key

V

asset for the future.” While some opposition activists might like to curl up and cry, they have little time to lick their wounds before the next fight. State governorship elections in December give them an early chance to try and improve on their share of seven states they control out of Venezuela’s 24 - though Chavez will go into that fight with momentum from Sunday’s win.

Crucial to their prospects will be maintaining the Democratic Unity alliance that was their single vehicle for the 2010 parliamentary and 2012 presidential elections. While all the opposition leaders rallied behind Capriles after he won a resounding primary victory in February, there is no guarantee that egos will be kept in check

going forward. Telegenic former Caracas district mayor Leopoldo Lopez and Zulia state governor Pablo Perez are both ambitious men who belong to the same 40-something generation of opposition leaders who have broken with a more hardline “old guard.”

The older leaders were discredited by their association with a pre-Chavez political elite when corruption and nepotism were common and their failed tactics of boycotting elections and trying to oust the president via street protests. In his remarkable 14-year rule of the South American OPEC member, Chavez has won about a dozen national votes that also include referendums and legislative elections.

He also survived a 48-hour ouster in 2002 from

CARACAS: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez gestures at supporters before casting his vote in Caracas on election day on Sunday. — AFP

power by the military, and then saw off an oil industry strike and vast demonstrations by the opposition. As he accepted defeat, Capriles gave a hint that he would try to keep a firm rein on the opposition when an ex-legislator called out that there had been fraud. “Radicalism has always damaged Venezuela,” he retorted. “I am never going to mess around with our people, or subject them to instability. The other side obtained more votes and that’s democracy.”

The 58-year-old Chavez did not deign to mention Capriles by name once during the campaign, preferring to insult him as a “loser”, “sycophant” and even “fascist” - a particularly offensive epithet for a man who lost greatgrandparents in the Holocaust.

Yet the president, in his victory speech, had rare praise for the opposition’s quick acceptance of defeat. Capriles’ tactic during the campaign was to focus attention on everyday problems that Chavez had failed to fix: from pot-holed streets and the failing electricity grid, to runaway crime and collapsing bridges.

While that resonated with many voters, the margin of Chavez’s win was still comfortable, reflecting the power of his personal connection with Venezuela’s masses and the popularity of his welfare policies in the slums. There is always a chance, of course, that Capriles - or another opposition leader - may get another crack at the presidency, should Chavez suffer a recurrence of his cancer. Under Venezuela’s constitution, a new election would have to be called if Chavez was incapacitated within the first four years of his six-year term. Such thoughts, though, were far from the minds of dejected Capriles supporters in the early hours of yesterday as they trooped to bed. “We had invested all our hope this time,” said sobbing housewife Teresa Perez, 51, outside his campaign base. “I can’t believe it. I refuse to believe it. Now what am I going to do?” — Reuters

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

sp orts Minev given two-match ban

Turkish golfing event

Ronaldo injury ruled out

SOFIA: Bulgaria defender Veselin Minev has been banned for two matches by FIFA for his role in a fracas during his team’s 1-0 win over Armenia in a World Cup qualifier on Sept. 11, the Bulgarian Football Union (BFU) said yesterday. Left back Minev, who escaped unpunished in a tense game featuring three red cards, was also fined 6,000 Swiss francs ($6,500) by soccer’s world governing body. The suspension means that Minev, who turns 32 on Sunday and plays for Turkish club Antalyaspor, will miss Bulgaria’s qualifiers against Denmark on Friday and away to Czech Republic four days later.

Bulgaria coach Luboslav Penev, who will also have to manage without suspended midfielder Svetoslav Dyakov, c alled up CSKA Sofia defenders Ivan Bandalovski and Mihail Venkov as replacements. Bandalovski last played for Bulgaria in their 1-0 win over Cyprus in a friendly in August while Venkov has been called up for the first time since Penev took over last November. — Reuters

TURKEY: The inaugural eight-man Turkish World Finals featuring world number one Rory McIlroy and 14-times major winner Tiger Woods will go ahead as planned this week despite violence in the region, organisers said yesterday.

Turkish forces fired across the frontier into Syria on Sunday after a shell launched from its neighbor landed in the border town of Akcakale, underlining Ankara’s warning it will respond with force to any violence spilling into its territory.

It was the fifth consecutive day of Turkish retaliation against incoming bombardment from northern Syria where President Bashar al-Assad’s forces have been battling rebels who control swathes of land close to the Turkish frontier.

Organisers of this week’s $5.3 million golf tournament told Reuters that Woods, McIlroy, Lee Westwood, Hunter Mahan, Justin Rose, Matt Kuchar, Webb Simpson and Charl Schwartzel had all arrived in time for Tuesday’s first round.

The players will be competing for a first prize of $1.5 million at the Antalya Golf Club in Belek from Oct. 9-12. Organisers say the tournament would be televised live in more than 50 countries.

Belek is on Turkey’s southwest coast and is not near the Syrian border. — Reuters

MADRID: Cristiano Ronaldo’s shoulder injury is not serious and he will join up with the Portugal squad later yesterday, his club Real Madrid said.

Ronaldo hurt his left shoulder attempting an overhead kick in the second half of Sunday’s 2-2 La Liga draw at Barcelona and although he appeared in some discomfort he played on until the end of match. “The Real Madrid forward was examined by club medical staff at his home this morning and a serious injury was ruled out so further tests at a hospital are not necessary,” Real said in a statement on their website (www.realmadrid.com).

“Real Madrid have already informed the Portuguese football federation of Cristiano Ronaldo’s situation and he can join up with his national team in Obidos,” the statement added. Ronaldo would remain under observation but should be available for Portugal’s World Cup 2014 Group F qualifiers away to Russia on Friday and at home to Northern Ireland four days later, Real said.Ronaldo turned in another imperious display against Barca, netting twice to become the first player to score in six consecutive ‘Clasicos’ against Real’s arch rivals. — Reuters

Reds down Giants in NLDS

DETROIT: Tigers’ Don Kelly hits a sacrifice fly to right to score teammate Omar Infante during the ninth inning of Game 2 of the American League division baseball series against the Oakland Athletics. —AP

Tigers beat A’s to lead 2-0 DETROIT: Don Kelly is on Detroit’s postseason roster because he can play any position in the field, so it was with some irony that he stood at the plate - as the designated hitter - with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Kelly hit .186 during the regular season, but all the Tigers needed was a flyball. “We need everybody here, all 25,” Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera said.

“It’s not only about one guy. I think when everybody’s got a job, they have to try to do it.”

Kelly’s sacrifice fly lifted the Tigers over the Oakland Athletics 5-4 Sunday for a 2-0 lead in their AL playoff series.

Kelly entered the game as a pinch runner an inning earlier and scored the tying run on wild pitch. He stayed in the game in the DH slot, and with Detroit almost out of position players, Kelly delivered to put the Tigers one win closer to a second straight trip to the AL championship series.

“Was looking for a fastball and I got it,” Kelly said. “It’s a great feeling, to be able to go out there in that situation and do that.”

Detroit overcame three A’s leads and seesawed to victory. It was 1-all before a wild final three innings that included a key error by Oakland center fielder Coco Crisp, two game-tying wild pitches and several momentum changes.

Tigers reliever Al Alburquerque kept it tied in the ninth when he got Yoenis Cespedes to hit a comebacker with men on first and third and two outs. He gave the ball a little kiss before throwing underhand to first.

Omar Infante and Cabrera hit back-toback singles off Grant Balfour with one out in the bottom half. With runners on first and third, Prince Fielder was intentionally walked, bringing up Kelly, who was designated for assignment in early August but returned to the Tigers less than a month later.

“He’s one of the best guys in the clubhouse. We all love him,” Detroit pitcher Max Scherzer said. “For him, a utility guy, to get a hit like that, it’s great.”

Kelly’s fly to right was plenty deep enough to score Infante without a play at the plate. It was Kelly’s first RBI since June and another big playoff moment for him - his home run last year helped the Tigers beat the New York Yankees in the decisive fifth game of the division series.

On Sunday, Kelly became the first player to score a run and have an RBI in a postseason game with no official at-bats since Baltimore’s Gary Roenicke in Game 3 of the 1983 ALCS, according to STATS, LLC. Detroit will go for a sweep of the division series matchup in Game 3 on Tuesday at Oakland. The Tigers lost to

Texas in the ALCS last year. The A’s were left to lament a poor performance by their bullpen and some crucial mistakes in the late innings that allowed this game to slip away.

Cliff Pennington gave the A’s the lead with an RBI single in the seventh, but Crisp dropped Cabrera’s two-out flyball in the bottom half, allowing two runs to score.

Oakland tied it in the eighth on a wild pitch by Joaquin Benoit, and Josh Reddick followed with a solo homer to give the A’s a 4-3 lead. Then it was Ryan Cook’s turn to throw a tying wild pitch, allowing Kelly to score.

Pennington nearly came through again for Oakland in the ninth, but his deep drive down the left-field line was just foul.

“It was certainly a good game for the fans,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. “Both teams played hard. Both teams got big hits and did good things at the right moments, and both teams did some made some mistakes that got the other team in the game.”

Alburquerque missed most of the season after offseason surgery on his throwing elbow. He came on to face Cespedes with the Tigers in a jam, and that one out was enough to earn him the win.

The right-hander said he wasn’t trying to show up the A’s when he gave the ball a smooch. “I just did it,” he said. “It was the emotion of the game. I wasn’t trying to be a hot dog.” Reddick wasn’t amused.

“We didn’t appreciate that. I thought it was immature and not very professional,” Reddick said. “You don’t do that on the field. Save it for the dugout. That’s all I’m going to say.”

The A’s have taken the lead four times in this series, but on each occasion they failed to hold it through the bottom half of the inning.

Doug Fister allowed two runs and six hits in seven innings for Detroit, striking out eight. Rookie Tommy Milone was impressive for the A’s, allowing a run and five hits in six innings. He struck out six.

Fister gave the A’s trouble early with his slow, sweeping breaking ball, but Oakland hit four singles in the third.

Crisp’s slow roller to third turned into an infield hit when Cabrera threw wide to first. Stephen Drew struck out looking and had words for plate umpire Mark Wegner - but Cespedes followed with a run-scoring single.

Oakland nearly scored again on a single to right by Brandon Moss, but rookie Avisail Garcia threw Crisp out at home.

Cabrera hit a one-out double in the bottom of the third. He went to third on a single by Fielder and scored on a dribbler

by Delmon Young that was too slow to be a double play.—AP

SAN FRANCISCO: Dusty Baker walked down the hallway in his former ballpark to cheers from Giants fans. He smiled, waved hello, offered handshakes, high-fives and hugs - even a few hang loose signs.

Baker is still beloved in the Bay Area 10 years after managing the Giants within six outs of a World Series title before falling short. That didn’t change even after his Cincinnati Reds routed San Francisco 9-0 on Sunday night for a commanding 2-0 lead in their NL division series.

This time, it’s the Reds riding some serious postseason momentum. Two years ago, the Giants made an improbable run to the city’s first World Series championship and Cincinnati got swept out of the first round by the Phillies.

“You’re not comfortable at all until it’s over,” Baker said. “We’ve been there before. It’s hard to take the last breath out of anything.”

Game 3 in the best-of-five series is Tuesday at Great American Ball Park. Homer Bailey (13-10), who pitched a no-hitter Sept. 28 at Pittsburgh, takes the mound as the Reds try to close out the series against Giants right-hander Ryan Vogelsong (14-9). The Reds headed home to Ohio on quite a roll, thanks to a bunch of memorable firsts.

Bronson Arroyo won his first game in seven tries at San Francisco. Ryan Ludwick hit his first postseason home run, while Ryan Hanigan had his first playoff RBI. More than anything on this night, it was Arroyo’s turn to celebrate on what he figured to be a fun flight back to Cincinnati.

“We couldn’t put ourselves in a better situation,” he said. “It doesn’t mean you’re going to close it out, but for us personally, I know the fans are going to be as jacked as they have ever been in that ballpark since it has been built, which is going to be nice.”

Arroyo retired his first 14 batters and delivered a gem a day after 19game winner Johnny Cueto went down with a back injury.

A pair of Ryans provided the big

hits. Ludwick connected leading off the second inning and Hanigan hit a two-run single in the fourth and a later RBI single. Jay Bruce added a two-run double and Joey Votto had three hits in his first multihit postseason game.

“Coming on the road, you think

right-hander with that high leg kick slightly resembling the familiar motion of Giants Hall of Famer Juan Marichal, went untouched before Brandon Belt’s two-out single to the gap in right-center with two out in the fifth. San Francisco didn’t get another hit until Pablo

SAN FRANCISCO: Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Bronson Arroyo (61) delivers in the first inning during Game 2 of the National League division baseball series against the San Francisco Giants. —AP about getting one as a success and victory,” Bruce said. “To be able to come here and get two is very important.”

Many fans didn’t stick around until the end to see the Giants get handed their worst playoff shutout in franchise history.

The Reds got their first playoff victory in 17 years by taking Game 1 without their ace Saturday night, and now they’re going back home looking for their own sweep after the Phillies eliminated them in a frustrating three-game first round two years ago.

The Reds will try for their first postseason sweep since beating the Dodgers in the first round in 1995. Cincinnati got swept in the NL championship series that year

by Atlanta to start what became a seven-game postseason losing streak.

The shaggy-haired Arroyo, the

Sandoval lined a double off the right-field arcade with two outs in the ninth.

“You hate to get beat like that, especially at home,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “It happened.

We know where we’re at right now.

We know our backs are to the wall.

We have to come out and be ready to play once we get to Cincinnati. I know they know what’s at stake.

They’ve done a great job all year bouncing back.”

The 35-year-old Arroyo worked ahead and had four straight strikeouts during one stretch to baffle the Giants. Arroyo’s seven innings marked his longest postseason outing in five starts and 13 appearances - and he couldn’t have picked a better moment to do it.

Cueto threw all of eight pitches in Saturday’s 5-2 win before leaving with back spasms, and Mat Latos and a patchwork pitching

staff handled the rest.

Baker said he picked Arroyo for Game 2 here in part because the righty is susceptible to giving up home runs after he allowed 26 this year. And AT&T Park is “one of the most forgiving ballparks in baseball.” Arroyo thoroughly outpitched Madison Bumgarner to beat the Giants for the first time since 2008.

He had gone 0-2 with a 2.42 ERA in four starts since, getting two nodecisions this season.

And he took the hard-luck loss in Game 2 against the Phillies in 2010 as the victim of a blown save.

Boy did he give the bullpen a break with this one. Baker might have left him in longer had it not been a long inning before.

“A no-hitter in this type of environment is nearly impossible,” Arroyo said. “A win for the ballclub is the pinnacle, nirvana.” Cincinnati beat San Francisco’s two best pitchers on the Giants’ home field.

Matt Cain lost Game 1.

Bumgarner had pitched a onehitter June 28 against the Reds at home, but was nothing close to that dominant this time.

The last time Baker managed in a playoff setup like this season with the higher seed opening on the road for the first two games he was on the other end. In 1997, while managing the favored Giants, San Francisco lost the first two games in Florida and the Marlins completed a three-game sweep of the NL division series at Candlestick Park en route to the World Series title.

Baker has felt good about these Reds all along, even more so after recently missing 11 games while recovering from a mini-stroke, including when they clinched the NL Central.

“He’s kind of the heartbeat of this team,” Bruce said. “To have him back for the last series and starting the playoffs, especially in San Francisco, where he obviously has a ton of history and is a storied manager here, it’s good. It gives us a vibe that’s pretty easy to play for.”

He is getting contributions from throughout his lineup and a readyfor-anything pitching staff.—AP

F1 title race turning into Alonso v Vettel SUZUKA: The Formula One title battle is turning into a straight duel between Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso and Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel for the honour of becoming the youngest triple world champion. By winning Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix after Alonso had spun off at the start, 25-year-old Vettel slashed the 31-year-old Spaniard’s lead to four points with five races - a maximum 125 points - remaining. Finland’s 2007 champion Kimi Raikkonen is third for Lotus but 37 points off the lead and has yet to win a race this season while McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton is fourth a further five points adrift.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner refused to rule out McLaren, winners of five races this year, and Lotus but he also spelled out where the real challenge lay for the champions.

“Luck tends to balance itself out over a 20race season and it will be down to what the two of them do on track now and the relative performances of the cars over the remaining five races,” he told reporters. Vettel has suffered two alternator failures and not scored on three of his races, while Alonso has twice drawn a blank - both coming in the last four outings and due to first lap incidents beyond his control. Raikkonen is where he is because of consistency - 12 races in a row in the points - while 2008 champion Hamilton and his car have been quick but erratic.

“The championship now is effectively a battle of five races between Fernando and Sebastian,” said Horner. “You can’t rule out the others but whoever does the best job over the next five races will ultimately prevail.”

After the first seven races of the season

Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso of Spain waves in this file photo.

were won by an unprecedented seven different drivers, the championship has settled into a familiar pattern with the focus on Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull.

Vettel’s commanding pole-to-flag triumph, with the fastest lap thrown in as well, at Suzuka made him the first driver this season to chalk up back-to-back wins and he joined Alonso and Hamilton as a three-times winner in 2012.

As in 2010, when the German became the youngest champion, the season appears to be coming good for Vettel at just the right time.

Alonso had led by 29 points before Suzuka but he could lose his advantage altogether when Formula One re-groups in South Korea for the 16th round of the season this weekend. “I guess Fernando will be going home more unhappy than most, he is under pressure, more pressure frankly from Sebastian than from us but we have closed that gap and we have five races to go,” McLaren principal Martin Whitmarsh told reporters in the Suzuka paddock on Sunday. “Red Bull were on form here and at the moment Ferrari are under some pressure from us and Red Bull,” added the Briton, who had Jenson Button fourth and future Mercedes driver Hamilton fifth on Sunday. Ferrari president Luca Di Montezemolo expected his team to hold their nerve.

“We know we can count on the strongest driver around at the moment and it’s only mistakes from others at Spa and again at Suzuka that have prevented him from having a more comfortable lead over his rivals,” he said of Alonso on the team website (www.ferrari.com).

“But for those two collisions, today Fernando would have had at least 30 points more and that’s a conservative estimate. In sport, as in life, the wheel turns and we must not forget that.” —Reuters

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

sp orts

Japan’s Nishikori has grand slam plans TOKYO: Japan’s Kei Nishikori has mapped out a three-year plan to challenge for grand slam glory after blazing his way to a second career title.

The 22-year-old told Reuters that overcoming suffocating pressure to win the Japan Open had given him the belief he can break into the top 10 and walk with the game’s giants.

“I think winning a grand slam is possible,” the swashbuckling Nishikori said in an interview after beating Milos Raonic 7-6 3-6 6-0 in Sunday’s Tokyo final. “This week I probably played the best tennis of my life. Breaking into the top 10 is the goal now.

“To win a (ATP) 500 title in Japan has special meaning. Until now I had never been able to play well in Japan. “There was so much pressure,” added Nishikori, set to rise from 17th to 15th in the world rankings after becoming the host country’s first Japan Open champion.

“I thought I lacked mental toughness. Being able to break through that barrier playing my best tennis was amazing. I still can’t believe it.”

Nishikori’s storming run through a quality field headed by last year’s winner and U.S. Open champion Andy Murray showed the Japanese he had the game to compete at the highest level.

“Winning a tour title was this year’s objective,” said Nishikori, who burst onto the scene as an 18year-old by winning in Delray Beach as a 244thranked qualifier in 2008. “From now I’ll be aiming to win a Masters event. I reached a semi-final last year (in Shanghai). “I want to beat the top four players in the world. That’s still a big wall for me but that’s my goal.” Nishikori showed flashes of genius in Tokyo, demonstrating the potential to become a serious contender at future grand slam tournaments, and often leaving opponents gaping

in dismay. “Winning the Japan Open has made me feel I’ve got a little closer to them,” he said of Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafa Nadal and Murray.

“Obviously they’re fantastic players to me. But playing tennis like I have been this week consistently is the aim now.

“I’m still a little bit off winning a grand slam. In the next two or three years I have to strengthen my body to be able to withstand seven five-set matches. “First make my body stronger, play well more consistently and once I’ve combined the two things then I’ll have a chance to win a slam.”

Nishikori, who floored world number six Tomas Berdych on his way to the Tokyo final, had feared his career could be over when an elbow injury cut short his 2009 season. “ That was the toughest time for me,” said Nishikori, who reached the quarter-finals of this

year’s Australian Open. “I didn’t know if I would play again after the elbow surgery.”

Nishikori, whose maiden title was the first by a Japanese man since Shuzo Matsuoka beat Todd Woodbridge in Seoul in April 1992, finished last year ranked 25th.

His run-and-gun style worked to perfection at the Japan Open, and forced players ranked above him to take notice.

“Kei is a superstar,” said Raonic after the Canadian had suffered the dreaded ‘bagel’ in the third set of the final. “He has the potential to do great things.” Nishikori, already a huge celebrity in Japan, blushed when asked how good he could be become. “The other players will look at me differently now,” Nishikori said with a toothy grin. “This tournament will take my ranking up so I want to keep improving.” —Reuters

Moore grabs Vegas jackpot by one shot LAS VEGAS: American Ryan Moore, rock-solid over the closing stretch, fended off playing partner Brendon de Jonge of Zimbabwe in a final-round duel to win his second PGA Tour title by one shot at the $4.5 million Las Vegas Open on Sunday.

Tied for the lead overnight with de Jonge and Swede Jonas Blixt, Las Vegas resident Moore fired a five-under-par 66 in glorious afternoon sunshine at the TPC Summerlin to finish with a 24-under total of 260. “It’s been an unbelievable week,” a jubilant Moore said on the 18th green after tapping in a short par putt there to clinch victory before thrusting his arms skywards in celebration.

“I have had such great support from a bunch of family and friends out here. When I won the Wyndham, there was actually nobody there with me and I’ve got about 35, 40 people with me this week.” Moore covered the back nine in a flawless three-under 33 to shake off de Jonge in what proved to be a two-man Sunday shootout in the Nevada desert, the Zimbabwean having to settle for a career-best second after closing with a 67.

PGA Tour rookie Blixt, like de Jonge seeking a maiden title on the U.S. circuit, carded a 70 to secure third place at 20 under, two strokes better than Australian Jason Day (65).

Moore, who claimed his first PGA Tour title at the 2009 Wyndham Championship, will have further cause to celebrate as his wife Nichole is scheduled to give birth to their first child in less than a month.

“We’ve got our first baby on the way in about 25 days, so the countdown starts right now,” Moore beamed. “This is it for me (on the 2012 PGA Tour). I am done for the year.”

Though three players had shared the lead

overnight in the first of four events in the PGA Tour’s Fall Series, Blixt slipped back with a bogey at the par-four first, effectively leaving Moore and de Jonge to duel for the title.

Moore birdied three of the first seven holes to move two strokes clear but then bogeyed the parthree eighth, where de Jonge holed a birdie putt from just off the edge of the green, to make it a two-way tie at the top at 20 under.

Moore and de Jonge carded matching birdies at the ninth, 11th and 13th to remain level, though the Zimbabwean squandered a golden chance to grab the outright lead when his six-foot birdie attempt on 12 slipped past the right edge of the cup.

The tournament was ultimately decided at the par-five 16th where Moore edged one stroke clear with a two-putt birdie after the longer hitting de Jonge had found trees off the tee and was forced to chip out sideways with his second shot.

“You’ve only got to get a ball on the fairway there and then you’re going to be hitting a midiron in there today, it was playing a little bit down breeze,” de Jonge said of his wayward drive at the 16th. “That was definitely the turning point for me.”

Both players parred the last two holes and de Jonge, who had previously finished third three times on the PGA Tour, had to settle for his first ever runner-up spot.

“I am obviously a little bit disappointed right now but, in saying that, Ryan played great all day,” said the 32-year-old Zimbabwean. “He was very, very solid, especially down the stretch. He hit some great shots. “I will build on that. Obviously it’s disappointing but I’ll get over it pretty quickly. It was fun out there.” — Reuters

MEXICO: A cheerleader of the New Orleans Hornets slam dunks the ball during the half time show at the Arena Ciudad de Mexico, during a pre-season match of the National Association Basketball (NBA). — AFP

Howard-less Magic stung by Hornets MEXICO CITY: The post-Dwight Howard era opened on a sour note for the Orlando Magic as the New Orleans Hornets rode a late surge for an 85-80 preseason victory before a packed house at the Mexico City Arena on Sunday.

The Magic, in their first game since trading six-time All-Star Howard to the Los Angeles Lakers as part of a blockbuster 12player trade in August, failed to get more than 13 points from any of their five starters. “We don’t have any superstars on our team now,” Magic forward Glen Davis, who finished the game with 13 points, said as he left the lockerroom. “We need to win together.”

Treating 18,133 sports fans to the sights and sounds of the National Basketball Association, the Hornets’ Brian Roberts led the way with a game-high 17 points.

The Magic were led by E’Twaun Moore, who came off the bench to score 16 points, while local boy and starting center

LAS VEGAS: Ryan Moore holds up the trophy after winning the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open golf tournament.— AP

Bolt says he’ll defend sprint titles in 2016 AUCKLAND: Usain Bolt will aim for a threepeat of Olympic sprint titles in the 100 and 200 meters at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, rather than trying out a new event.

Usain Bolt does a traditional challenge dance in this file photo

After Bolt became the first man to successfully defend both sprint titles at the London Olympics, he was coy about his prospects of competing in Rio, and there was speculation he could switch to the long jump or 400 for a new challenge.

But during a promotional visit to New Zealand yesterday, the self-declared “living legend” said his plan for 2016 “is all about just going and defending my titles.”

“I don’t want to try any different events at Rio, because at Rio I will just defend my titles to show the world that there is a possibility that I can do it again,” Bolt said at a news conference. “The three-peat. That’s the focus there’s not going to be any different event.”

Bolt won the 100 and 200 and helped Jamaica win the 4x100-meter relays at Beijing and London.

The 26-year-old Bolt was under intense pressure from Yohan Blake heading into the London Olympics after losing to his training partner at the Jamaican trials. But he vowed to deliver his best when it counted most and showed with his commanding runs in London just how far ahead of the competition he can be when he’s in peak form.

Bolt has the world record in the 100 and 200 and wants to go even faster. He’ll return to training later this month and turn his attention immediately to the world championships next year in Moscow.

“I continue to work hard, continue staying focused and pushing myself, so for me that’s the focus right now,” he said. “I don’t know how fast I can go, but I definitely try to go faster each year. I enjoy being challenged all the time.” — AP

Gustavo Ayon added 12 points in the loss.

The Magic led the game, often by double digits, until New Orleans tied it at 76 with about two minutes to go in the final quarter. Two free throws by forward Lance Thomas then put the Hornets ahead for good.

The game signaled the start of a new era for the Magic since they parted ways with former first-overall draft pick Howard, the team’s top scorer and rebounder for the last six seasons.

But the Hornets’ Ayon, only the third Mexican-born player in NBA history, was the clear crowd-favorite as fans cheered his every move.

The exhibition match marked the start of the NBA preseason for both teams, as well as the 20th such game on Mexican soil, more than any other country outside the United States or Canada.

On Saturday, former NBA All-Star turned league ambassador Cedric Ceballos

told Reuters that Mexico City will host regular season games in 2012 and 2013, but a league executive said Sunday the announcement was premature.

“We have no plans (for regular season games in Mexico) at the moment,” said Philippe Moggio, the NBA’s vice president for Latin America.

Moggio acknowledged “internal conversations” regarding such a development, but said the league would not announce potential regular season games in Mexico until early next year.

Hornets coach Monte Williams declared the international preseason game a success even beyond his team’s win. “The NBA is a global game and anytime you can extend the boundaries of basketball in a positive way, it’s only going to help,” said Williams.

“Locals get a chance to see the kind of basketball up close and personal that they don’t normally get a chance to see and that’s good for everybody.”— Reuters

Porsche drivers set sights on second win of season in Bahrain World Endurance Championship KUWAIT: The World Endurance Championship showcases the world’s fastest sports cars in the Gulf region on Sept 29. At round six of the new long distance championship in Bahrain, the Porsche works drivers Marc Lieb (Germany) and Richard Lietz (Austria) are keen to score their second win of the season with their Felbermayr-Proton Porsche 911 GT3 RSR. The six hour race is contested on the Bahrain International Circuit close to Sakhir. On the 5.407 kilometre track, two Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup races are held each year as support to the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Marc Lieb and Richard Lietz, the winners of the race in Spa-

Francorchamps, share the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR in the hotly-contested GTE Pro class against strong opposition from Ferrari and Aston Martin. Christian Ried (Germany) and his Italian teammates Gianluca Roda and Paolo Ruberti, the winners of the season-opener in Sebring, contest the GTE Am class aboard the 2011 model year Porsche fielded by Felbermayr-Proton.

The Porsche 911 GT3 RSR is the top model of Porsche Motorsport’s customer racing vehicles. For the 2012 racing season, the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR received extensive modifications.

Additionally, the race car was fitted with a new front splitter and an adapted rear wing after Le Mans.

Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, Team: Felbermayr-Proton Marc Lieb, Richard Lietz. (Inset) Marc Lieb.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

sp orts

Free agents find a place to fight for another chance NORTH MIAMI BEACH: The quarterback takes three steps back, glances to his left and zips a pass right into the path of a sprinting receiver who grasps the ball, turns sharply and rushes into open space. It is a perfect play, performed by professionals, but no one is paying them and no one is even watching. There is no offensive coordinator barking instructions from the sidelines, no assistant coach taking notes and no team mates shouting on encouragement.

This is the world of National Football League (NFL) free agents, players without a team and whose only hope of seeing game action this season is plugging a gap somewhere caused by injury or bad form.

For NFL players who get the feared call into the general manager’s office and return to their locker to see their nameplate already removed, there are three options - quit, go to the gym alone or workout with other free agents.

Some of those who take the latter option gather at an unlikely venue - a Jewish community center in North Miami Beach, where Bommarito Performance Systems helps players rehab from injury or stay fit and be ready

for when a team calls. They gather daily at 8 a.m. (1200 GMT), Super Bowl winners like Plaxico Burress walking past little old ladies heading for a gentle gym session. Experienced NFL receivers like Donte’ Stallworth catching the attention only of children heading for the outdoor basketball court.

“It is hard to simulate the actual (NFL) team practices and games but this is the closest thing I can possibly do,” Bryant McFadden, a former NFL cornerback who won two Super Bowls with the Pittsburgh Steelers, told Reuters as he sits on a bench, dripping in sweat after an intense session on the field. “You can get a call at anytime saying ‘be on the field tomorrow’ and you have to be ready to go, that’s why I am here consistently.”

While the surroundings may hint at an informal workout, the reality is anything but casual. Program founder Pete Bommarito has a team of fitness and medical staff who ensure that agents looking for work for out-of-contract players turn to him.

“We have a good track record of keeping guys in shape,” says Bommarito, who is particularly proud of one of his

clients, running back Kevin Smith, who was a free agent from March of last year.

After nine months away from a team, Smith was called back by the Detroit Lions and in just his second game ran for 140 yards and two touchdowns.

“Football makes certain metabolic demands and we can mimic those,” said Bommarito. “The only thing we can’t do is hit. I tell guys all the time, as long as you stay focused, positive and consistent, we will keep you ready from a mental and physical standpoint.”

Tough physical drills in the South Florida heat and humidity, such as dragging loaded sledges across the field, are followed by weight sessions with individually planned routines, as well as any rehab sessions and ball work.

“A lot of fans are in the dark about the amount of work that guys put in trying to get back into the league,” says receiver Danario Alexander, who is searching for a deal after being cut by the St. Louis Rams in August.

The players clearly enjoy the chance to maintain the camaraderie of being part of a group, the chance to test themselves against fellow professionals while submitting themselves to a routine.

“Being around other guys that have the same hunger that I have is very important for me instead of being somewhere else working out by myself,” says McFadden. But the weekend offers a different challenge for free agents with no involvement in a game, it can be tough to even turn on the television set and watch live NFL action.

Offensive tackle Alex Barron was drafted by the Rams in 2005 and has also played for the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints but was cut by the Seattle Seahawks in August.

The 30-year-old says he finds it hard not to be involved in the game. “This is a little abnormal for me. I’ve never been in this situation before with a season going on and not playing as part of a team,” he says, sitting in the community centre reception. Barron says he expects to find a team soon but finds it tough to watch games on television.

“Sometimes it’s a little irritating when you’re watching and you see a lot of stuff going on. Like if you see someone out there making mistakes and it’s something you wouldn’t do and you wonder why you’re not out there.”

Others watch games in order to keep

themselves fired up. “You can’t switch off. You have to watch because it feeds your drive, because you know you should be out there and you are going to do everything you can to get back out there,” says former Minnesota Vikings safety Tyrell Johnson, who was cut by the Miami Dolphins last month.

“I like that feeling because it makes me more hungry. It makes me appreciate what I had more as opposed to acting like it didn’t happen. It did happen. I did get cut. That’s how you keep yourself strong mentally.”

For Johnson, as much as the expert physical preparation provided by Bommarito’s team, it is the feeling of being with similarly spirited men trying to get back in the game that leads him to the field behind a community center every morning.

“You have to be around like-minded people that are willing to work and try to get back to where they want to be instead of sitting around sulking,” said Johnson.

“The people sitting around sulking are not here. These are people that are staying strong-minded and are willing to do what it takes.”—Reuters

Nothing left to hide Gay boxer

COLOMBO: West Indies’s captain Darren Sammy walks with the ICC Twenty20 Cricket World Cup trophy in Independence Square a land mark building in Colombo.—AP

West Indies party after sweet Twenty20 victory COLOMBO: West Indies cricketers partied through the night yesterday after their triumph in the World Twenty20, as defeated hosts Sri Lanka cursed yet another “choke” in a final. Chris Gayle, the West Indies’ star batsman, and his teammates earned a fun-loving reputation during the tournament, and victory in the final triggered further outbreaks of the “Gangnam” dance craze that the players adopted. “I want to know who (is) bringing me breakfast this morning? I’m still up and ready to replay the T-20 final tonight,” Gayle tweeted on Monday morning, joking that he felt like “running a marathon”.

The win on Sunday night in Colombo gave the West Indies their first world title since the 50-over World Cup triumph under Clive Lloyd in 1979, although they won the invitational Champions Trophy in England in 2004.

Gayle, one of the world’s most feared batsmen, only scored three runs in the game, handing Sri Lanka a major opportunity to seize control until man of the match Marlon Samuels made 78 runs off 56 balls.

The victorious team-captained by Darren Sammy-celebrated with a high-spirited party that started in the banquet hall of the luxury Cinnamon Grand hotel in Colombo with a cake in the shape of the trophy.

“They were very happy. They had a lot of fun singing and dancing,” a Sri Lankan official who was with the West Indies team told AFP. “It was a private affair and no outsiders were

invited or allowed in.” A hotel employee who declined to be named said the party went on until the early hours of Monday, with armed guards providing security and keeping fans away. “I’m feeling strong, wonder which wrestler I should take in a wrestling match?” tweeted Gayle, who has 300,000 Twitter followers. He finally signed off on Monday morning, saying he had to pack.

Gayle reinforced his party-boy image earlier in the tournament when police bodyguards broke up a party in his hotel as he and fellow players entertained three British female fans. Some downhearted Sri Lankan players were also spotted at the Cinnamon Grand after the final as they tried to come to terms with defeat in the biggest cricket game ever held in the island nation. The local press was equally distraught over the result, with criticism focused on the team’s record of crumbling under pressure.

Millions of fans had prayed that Mahela Jayawardena’s side would not choke again, but the outcome was the fourth defeat for Sri Lanka in major tournament finals since 2007.

“Silence of the Lion,” said the privately-run Ceylon Today. “West Indies carry out their threat and dance on a Sri Lankan graveyard.”

“Samuels pummels chokers,” said the Daily Mirror in a reference to Samuels’ destructive innings that led to the home side’s defeat by 36 runs.—AFP

Pietersen’s text row claim ‘absolute rubbish’ JOHANNESBURG: South Africa have rubbished claims their players provoked the text message row that led to England axing batsman Kevin Pietersen.

Pietersen was dropped for the final Test and a one-day international series against South Africa and the World Twenty20 tournament after allegedly criticising England cap-

Kevin Pietersen tain Andrew Strauss in texts to South African players.

England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chief executive David Collier claimed Sunday in a radio interview that the Pietersen texts were a response to messages from the opposition. But Cricket South Africa (CSA) acting chief executive Jacques Faul poured scorn Monday on the claims by Collier, labelling them “absolute rubbish” in a statement.

“This is absolute rubbish. What is particularly disappointing is that I had a face-to-face meeting with Collier when in London for the Lord’s Test and he did not raise this allegation with me then. “I would have thought, as a matter of courtesy and decency, that he would have spoken to me about it before going public in the media,” said the South African official. “It is not the way CSA goes about its business and it is not the way the ECB has done business with us in the past. It is very disappointing because our relationships have always been cordial and constructive. “This is an internal ECB matter in which we do not wish to be involved. It served as a distraction to our players that we did not need during the Test series.”

South Africa-born Pietersen will be in the country this month as part of the Delhi Daredevils squad competing in the fourth edition of the Champions League Twenty20 competition.

Pietersen apologised last week for sending the messages and signed a new central contract with the ECB after the two sides agreed “a process for his re-integration into the England team”. Collier said Pietersen, a 32year-old native of KwaZulu Natal capital city Pietermaritzburg, was only replying to Blackberry Messenger messages sent by the opposition. “ That is our understanding,” Collier told the BBC Radio Five Live Sportsweek programme during an interview.

“I have not seen those messages and no one has kept those messages. “ These were responses to messages from certain members of the South Africa team and I would not condone an England player doing it if it was the other way round. I certainly think they (South Africa) provoked the situation.”—AFP

PUERTO RICO: For more years than he wanted to count, Orlando Cruz kept it a secret as best he could. He thought he had no choice, because of who he is and what he does.

Cruz is a fighter, and a pretty good one at that. He won 179 amateur bouts and represented Puerto Rico in the 2000 Olympics. By the time this year is over, he hopes to hold a piece of the world title at 126 pounds.

But his legacy won’t be defined with wins and losses, or gaudy green belts. Cruz made sure of that last week by saying words no professional boxer had ever dared utter before.

“I have always been, and always will be, a proud gay man,” Cruz said.

The words came easy, because for Cruz it was way past time. He was tired of hiding who he was, tired of trying to pretend he was something else.

He came out to the world, and to his next opponent and the one after that. Then he held his breath and waited to see just how far society has really come. It didn’t take long to get an answer.

The best fighter in Puerto Rico, Miguel Cotto, reached out to offer encouragement and support to his former Olympic teammate. Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin — who came out himself two years ago — sent him a text offering the same.

And the rest of the boxing world more or less just yawned. “People say, ‘It’s OK, Orlando, don’t worry,’” Cruz said in a phone conversation from Puerto Rico “They tell me, ‘It’s your life and we support you.’”

That could change, of course, depending on who Cruz faces in the ring and how they view the issue of sexual orientation. It won’t be until he actually fights something he is scheduled to do two weeks in Florida — that Cruz will get a better idea how being publicly gay in the most macho of all sports will eventually play out.

It’s uncharted territory, because no active male athlete in any major sport has ever come out before. To

have it happen in the sport of boxing — where fighters still routinely taunt their opponents with gay slurs — is almost unthinkable. But if boxing can live with a gay fighter, could the NFL, Major League Baseball or the NBA be next?

Not likely, because there is still a stigma against homosexuality in major sports played by males. Cruz will have to deal with his own issues after coming out, but he

doesn’t have teammates he has to win over in the locker room.

That doesn’t minimize what Cruz did, or the courage it took to do it.

The 31-year-old has been fighting since he was a kid, but this is one fight he couldn’t take on alone.

He spoke to psychologists, talked with his family. They were all supportive, but in the end the decision was his and his alone to make.

“I don’t want to hide any of my

PUERTO RICO: Boxer Orlando Cruz poses for pictures after a training session at a public gym in San Juan.—AP

identities,” Cruz said. “I want people to look at me for the human being I am.”

The decision by Cruz to come out comes 50 years after Emile Griffith - who would later say he enjoyed the company of both men and women - was taunted with a gay slur by Benny Paret at the weigh-in at Madison Square Garden for their welterweight title fight. Griffith would go on to knock out Paret with a savage series of punches in the 12th round, and was still celebrating when Paret was taken from the ring on a stretcher.

Paret died 10 days later in the hospital, something that has haunted Griffith ever since. In a 2005 interview with The New York Times, though, Griffith said he wanted to give Paret a beating for what he said. “He called me a name. ... So I did what I had to do,” Griffith said.

Cruz said he won’t respond to any slurs, and isn’t concerned what his opponent thinks or says. He’s the No. 4 ranked featherweight by the WBO and is focused on resurrecting a career that floundered when he was stopped in two straight fights in 2009-10.

He believes he is good enough to win a world title and, should he win his next fight, would be in line for a shot at the interim WBO belt.

“I don’t care if the other guy is homophobic,” Cruz said. “My focus and concentration will always be on winning the fight. I am hungry now, ver y hungr y to become a world champion.”

He has already become a champion of gay rights activists, who cheered when he came out. And he hopes that kids who are bullied will see what he did and understand that who you are or who you love shouldn’t be a barrier to what you can accomplish.

He’s happy with himself, pleased with what he’s done. Instead of dreading what might come next, Cruz feels a sense of liberation and relief. For the first time in his life, he has nothing to hide.—AP

Haas ousts Almagro as Gasquet triumphs SHANGHAI: German veteran Tommy Haas ousted Nicolas Almagro in the first round of the Shanghai Masters yesterday, dealing a huge blow to the Spaniard’s hopes of qualifying for the ATP World Tour Finals. The former world number two withstood a barrage of 18 aces and saved seven of eight break points against the ninth seed, battling back from losing the first set to win 4-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-2.

The 27-year-old Almagro, bidding to qualify for the end-of-season showpiece for the first time, started the week in 10th place in the Race to London but could not compete with the quality of Haas’s game in the decider.

Haas, 34, who earlier this year won his 13th Tour title by beating Roger Federer in Halle, Germany, has risen from outside the top 200 at the start of 2012 to his current ranking of 21.

Elsewhere on day two of the Shanghai Masters Richard Gasquet, also chasing one of the remaining four slots in London, rediscovered the winning formula after last week’s shock defeat in Beijing.

Gasquet crashed to a humiliating loss at the China Open to Chinese wildcard Zhang Ze, who was ranked 151 places below him, just days after the Frenchman won the Thailand Open by beating compatriot Gilles Simon.

But the 26-year-old, seeded 11th in Shanghai, made sure there was no repeat on the second day of action in Shanghai, winning four out of five break points to dispatch American journeyman Brian Baker 6-2, 6-3.

Tenth seed Marin Cilic, who stands 6 feet

6 inches (198 cm) tall, joined him in the second round with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Lukasz Kubot, hitting eight aces and breaking his Polish opponent four times.

It was the first main draw match win in four attempts at the Shanghai Masters for the 24-year-old Croat, who fell in the first round in 2009-2011.

Earlier, Sam Querrey of the United States fired 11 aces in a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Chinese wildcard Zhe Li. “I feel like I’m playing better now than a year and a half ago when I was ranked number 17,” said Querrey, now ranked 26th.

“I’m more confident,” he added. “Felt good out there today. It was fun to play in that stadium. I thought I served great. I thought I returned well and I took advantage of the break points. That was the key.”

Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov set up a clash with Novak Djokovic by beating Pablo Andujar of Spain 7-5, 6-3. But he faces a daunting task against the second seed, fresh from victory at the China Open and aiming to displace Federer at the top of the rankings.

The number one ranking is on the line at the Shanghai Masters. Federer can guarantee he remains as the top-ranked player by reaching the quarter-finals but anything less and Djokovic would overtake the Swiss by winning the Shanghai crown.

Frenchman Benoit Paire defeated German qualifier Philipp Petzschner 7-6 (7/2), 6-4 to set up a clash with compatriot Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the fifth seed, and there were also wins for Spain’s Tommy Robredo and Kevin Anderson of South Africa.—AFP

SHANGHAI: Tommy Haas of Germany serves to Nicolas Almagro of Spain during the first round of the men’s singles match of the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament.—AP

19

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

S P ORT S

Ref! Ghost goals making football look dumb LONDON: Hey, referee! That was a goal! Or it was very, very close. To be fair to Howard Webb and his team of touchline assistants, it wasn’t humanly possible for them to judge whether it was or wasn’t. It all happened in the blink of an eye.

The ball thudded off Manchester United’s crossbar, down onto the turf and back up to head-height with Papiss Cisse. The Newcastle United striker from Senegal, not particularly tall but plenty quick, then head-butted it as hard as he possibly could at United’s goal.

Newcastle was 2-0 down at this point. A score from Cisse could have put his team back in the game.

But United’s young Spanish ‘keeper, David De Gea, got a gloved hand to it.

Diving acrobatically to his left, he scooped the ball away - either as it was crossing, or after it had crossed, United’s goal-line.

Which was it? We’ll never know.

Machines exist that could have told us.

But they’re still not being used in football- making the sport and people who run it look it silly.

Because this is silly. In years to come, we’ll look back on this era when technology could have solved a glaring

problem but wasn’t quickly deployed and wonder how this was possible. How could administrators of the world’s most popular game have been so boneheaded and sluggish?

Did-it-or-didn’t-it-cross-the-line incidents are a serious but treatable disease for football. Medicines are there to vaccinate against it, in the shape of detection systems with cameras or sensors to tell referees when a goal is a goal. The medicine should have been administered long ago.

FIFA is getting there, slowly and proceeding with extreme caution and lashings of red tape. Like those who took so long to accept that the Earth revolves around the Sun, FIFA boss Sepp Blatter won’t be remembered for his U-turn in 2010 when he finally recognized the need for goal-line technology but for the amount of time and evidence it took for him to reach that conclusion.

After rounds of testing over months and in different countries, proposed goal-line systems from eight companies have been whittled down to two: Hawk-Eye, using multiple cameras, and GoalRef, employing magnetic sensors.

There’ll be yet more testing, in competition this time, at FIFA’s Club World Cup

in Japan in December. That should clear the way for the use of these technologies at FIFA’s Confederations Cup in Brazil next June and then for one or both to be used at Brazilian stadiums staging the World Cup in 2014. Too late, in other words, to have helped Webb referee Newcastle against United on Sunday.

Even television replays and magnified freeze-frames couldn’t provide a conclusive answer as to whether all of the ball crossed the line before de Gea slapped it away. In real time, at that speed, and without the benefit of replays, Webb’s assistant can’t be expected to have seen it, either.

United manager Alex Ferguson was honest enough to admit that it wouldn’t have been an injustice if Webb had awarded a goal, “because I thought enough of the ball’s over” the line.

“It’s inconclusive to be honest with you. The whole ball’s not over but I would be disappointed if we didn’t get a goal ourselves in that situation,” he said.

The Newcastle perspective from manager Alan Pardew was: “It’s so close to call. I’ve looked at it about seven times and I still can’t make out whether

it went in or didn’t.” How absurd.

Respected managers like Ferguson and Pardew and referees like Webb having to guess about the trajectory of a ball in the era of space travel. It’s unfair on them. It makes football look foolish.

And it happens every season, at every major tournament - with England’s disallowed goal against Germany at the 2010 World Cup followed by what should have been a goal for Ukraine against England at Euro 2012.

In May, the Premier League spoke of possibly introducing goal-line technology sometime this season. That looks unlikely now. League spokesman Phil Dorward said Monday that FIFA needs to license the technology before the Premier League can talk in detail to English clubs about deploying it, including how much it will cost and how long it will take to install. FIFA said Monday that “the licensing process is ongoing and more details will be provided soon.”

“Until that’s kind of fully approved, we can’t go about the business of installing it,” Dorward said. “We hoped it was something that could be introduced in-season, but of course these things are kind of subject to changes in

time-frame. “We would like to see it as soon as practically possible.”

United outplayed Newcastle on Sunday, scoring three times without reply. Cisse’s header, had it been given as a goal, would have made the score 21 with 40 minutes to play. Pardew argued it could have kick-started a Newcastle comeback. “ The stadium would have gone mad,” he said. “Suddenly we would have had great pressure and they would have got a bit nervous.”

Or United might have won anyway.

That’s academic now. Still, who knows how important a goal for Newcastle, even if it didn’t alter the result, could prove when these things are tallied at the end of the season? Last season, Manchester City and United finished top of the table with exactly the same number of points - 89. But City was crowned Premier League champion because its goal difference - between goals scored and conceded - was better than United’s. So these things can matter.

This multi-billion dollar global sport is always going to be full of what-ifs and maybes. But whether a ball crossed a line shouldn’t be generating them. —AP

Cole charged over Twitter comments

SPAIN: Atletico de Madrid’s Radamel Falcao from Colombia, celebrates with teammate Raul Garcia in this file photo. —AP

Real test still to come for high-flying Atletico MADRID: However wildly Atletico Madrid fans celebrated the last-gasp 2-1 win at home to Malaga, deep down they know the real test of their resurgence will come against La Liga heavyweights Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Under inspirational coach Diego Simeone, the Europa League champions have made their best start to a domestic campaign since winning La Liga and the King’s Cup in 1996 when the Argentine was a hugely-popular player at the club.

Atletico are level on 19 points with Barca at the top of the table having won six games and drawn one and in Colombia striker Radamel Falcao they have a genuine goal-scorer to compliment their creative midfielders and gritty defenders.

Falcao fired Atletico ahead in the sixth minute at the Calderon on Sunday, his eighth league goal of the season, before Roque Santa Cruz levelled for thirdplaced Malaga half an hour later.

The game was heading for a draw when Falcao threw himself into a challenge close to the Malaga goal in the 90th minute and the ball diverted into the net off defender Weligton.

Ecstatic Atletico fans poured out of the stadium after the final whistle, chanting “Ole, ole, ole!”. Simeone said the supporters should enjoy the moment during this week’s international break without getting carried away.

“Today is an important day for the Atletico family,” he told a post-match news conference. “We are in a privileged position in the Spanish championship after many years of not seeing ourselves in this situation,” added the former Argentina captain. “The reality is that we are going well and we need to focus on each game at a time.”

Atletico play at city rivals Real in the first weekend of December before a trip to Barca two weeks later. The heavyweight pair were both left chewing over

what might have been after Sunday’s ‘Clasico’ at the Nou Camp ended in a 2-2 stalemate.

A win for Barca would have stretched their lead over their great rivals to 11 points, possibly killing off Real’s title defence. It would also have boosted Barca’s bid for a fourth La Liga crown in five years.

A Real victory would have reignited the title race and given Jose Mourinho’s side a huge psychological lift before the players head off to play for their various national sides. “ We deserved a lot more and we always want more when it comes to our eternal rival,” said Barca playmaker Xavi. “ The eight-point gap to Real in the championship will give us a certain calm in tackling our future objectives,” added the Spain international.

Real fully deserved their point on Sunday having made the better start to the game and taken a 23rd-minute lead through Cristiano Ronaldo.

The game then became a personal duel between Ronaldo and the man who replaced him as World Player of the Year, Lionel Messi.

Messi levelled in the 31st minute with a close-range volley before firing Barca ahead just after the hour with a stunning free kick.

Ronaldo equalised for Real five minutes later before substitute Martin Montoya hit the crossbar and his Barca team mate Pedro squandered a great chance late on as the home side went after a winning goal.

“The result wasn’t the worst it could have been but we have the feeling that we could have won the game,” Real midfielder Xabi Alonso said.

“If we had managed to go 2-0 up the match would have been different,” added the former Liverpool player. “We have little margin for error now and we have to keep winning.” —Reuters

LONDON: Ashley Cole was hit with a Football Association (FA) misconduct charge yesterday after the Chelsea star’s foul-mouthed Twitter rant at the English game’s governing body.

Cole made comments after having his evidence questioned by the organisation’s disciplinary commission conducting an investigation into claims that his Chelsea team-mate John Terry racially abused QPR defender Anton Ferdinand.

The England left-back later deleted the tweet but only after it was re-tweeted more than 19,000 times, and then made a full apology. But that did not stop the FA taking action, in addition to disciplinary proceedings already taken by his club.

A statement on the FA’s website said: “Chelsea FC’s Ashley Cole has been charged

by The FA in relation to a Twitter comment which was improper and/or brought the game into disrepute.” Cole, who is in England’s squad for Friday’s World Cup qualifier against San Marino at Wembley, has until 1500GMT on Thursday to respond to the charge.

Despite Cole’s evidence in support of Terry, the defender was banned for four matches and fined £220,000 after being found guilty of racially abusing Ferdinand.

Cole had said he thought Ferdinand may have used a word during the verbal exchange with Terry, which supported his team-mate’s version of the incident.

But according to the FA commission, Cole did not mention the word in the initial interview with the FA on October 28 last year and the written summary of the case suggested the left-back’s evidence “evolved” over time to suit Terry’s defence. Some pundits, including former England striker Alan Shearer, have called for the 31-year-old to be banned from the San Marino game and next week’s trip to Poland as punishment for his tweet.

Shearer told the BBC: “I think the FA can put a big statement out here by not fining him but actually banning him on Friday

against San Marino.” However, Cole has spoken to England coach Roy Hodgson, who was reportedly keen to ensure the player didn’t retire from international duty in response to the controversy, and was due to meet up with the England squad at the FA’s new national football centre, St George’s Park, late yesterday.

against Poland, will also be par t of the England squad that assemble at St George’s Park for the official opening today by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo had confirmed on Saturday that the former Arsenal star would be punished by his club.

“We’ve got a social media policy at the club

Ashley Cole and John Terry It is understood that if he is left out of the San Marino match it will be a case of Hodgson resting players against the Group H minnows rather than any statement relating to the controversy that erupted on Friday.

Cole, who has 98 England caps to his name and could reach the century mark

and there’s going to be a disciplinary process — action — against the tweet and that’s how I’ll leave it,” Di Matteo said.

“The image of the club is very important to us of course. We have rules, and anybody who breaks the rules faces disciplinary action against them.” —AFP

We’ve learnt our lesson, says France’s Matuidi PARIS: The French national soccer team have learned painful lessons from their behavior at recent major tournaments and will not tarnish their image again, midfielder Blaise Matuidi has told Reuters.

Matuidi was a member of the squad at Euro 2012 where Samir Nasri was hit with a threematch suspension for insulting a journalist and Jeremy Menez was also sanctioned for abusing a referee.

Two years earlier, France’s World Cup campaign in South Africa disintegrated when the squad went on strike and were then knocked out in the first round.

Blaise Matuidi

“We learned the lessons from what went wrong during the last two competitions,” Matuidi told Reuters in an interview. “Everybody make mistakes. The important thing is not to make those mistakes again and learn from them.

“That is what we’ve been doing. All this is behind us now.” The 2010 debacle cost coach Raymond Domenech his job and his replacement, Laurent Blanc, was unable to restore order.

Blanc left the job after France were knocked out in the 2012 Euro quarter-finals by eventual champions Spain, and his replacement Didier Deschamps has been quick to stamp his authority on the squad. Deschamps, a former France captain, decided Nasri needed “more time” away from the national team before he would be considered for a recall and was not named in the squad to face Japan in a friendly and Spain in a World Cup qualifier.

“Some rules have been set, we have to abide by them. We need to have a new image, that’s the truth. And for now, it’s working,” said Paris St Germain’s Matuidi.

“We know we have to be beyond reproach, on and off the pitch. Since Euro 2012, some things have already changed.”

Hatem Ben Arfa and Yann Mvila, the other Euro troublemakers who got away with just a warning from their federation, have not been called up by Deschamps since he took over.

“I have set some firm ground rules. They won’t help you win matches, but it’s a start,” Deschamps said in August. Matuidi, who has six caps, is now focused on helping France qualify for the 2014 World Cup. “That is what matters now,” he said. “I was at Euro and I can tell you everything was fine between us. The atmosphere within the squad was good. We are not bad boys.” —Reuters

Tijuana defeats Toluca MEXICO CITY: Tijuana edged Toluca 1-0 in a top-of-the-table clash on Sunday to move into No. 1 spot in Mexico’s Apertura championship after 12 rounds.

Colombian Duvier Riascos’ 54th-minute strike helped Tijuana to the victory and to 27 points in the standings, one ahead of Toluca.

Riascos took possession on the edge of the penalty area, slalomed past two defenders and drove a shot into the bottom corner from a tight angle to give Tijuana the winner.

Toluca finished the match with 10 men after Sinha was sent off in the 74th minute for a second yellow card.

On Saturday, Chivas defeated America 31 in a match featuring Mexico’s most popular clubs. Both teams are now in the playoff race. Rafael Marquez Lugo scored twice in the second half for Chivas, including a leftfoot strike from 25 yards to finish off the scoring in the 68th, to seal the victory against bitter rivals America.

Marco Fabian headed in to put Chivas in the lead in the 36th, with Juan Carlos Medina equalizing for America four minutes later.

In other weekend matches, Pumas defeated Monterrey 3-2, Jaguares had a 4-0 win over San Luis, Puebla beat Tigres 2-1 and Atlante and Morelia drew 2-2. The Queretaro vs. Santos Laguna, Cruz Azul vs. Atlas and Pachuca vs. Leon all finished 1-1.

Eduardo Herrera got Pumas first goal in the 14th minute after racing clear of the defense and slotting the ball past keeper Jonathan Orozco. —AFP

Moore grabs Vegas jackpot by one shot

16

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

Haas ousts Almagro as Gasquet triumphs

17

Just watch us go, says United boss Fergie Page 18

Colts cruise to victory, Saints roll INDIANAPOLIS: Andrew Luck capped a second-half comeback by throwing a 4-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne with 35 seconds to go that gave Indianapolis a stunning 30-27 victory over Green Bay on Sunday in the Colts’ first game without coach Chuck Pagano.

Green Bay (2-3) had a chance to force overtime, but Mason Crosby missed a 51-yard field goal with 3 seconds to go. Luck then took a knee and time ran out and the team celebrated. Missing was Pagano, who is in a hospital undergoing treatment for leukemia that was recently diagnosed.

Luck came through with just what Pagano wanted - getting the Colts (2-2) to .500. And they did it despite trailing 21-3 at halftime.

After Adam Vinatieri gave Indy its first lead at 22-21 with a 28-yard field goal, Aaron Rodgers threw an 8-yard TD pass to James Jones to make it 27-22 with 4:30 left before the Colts rallied.

Saints 31, Chargers 24 In New Orleans, Drew Brees threw for 370 yards and broke a half-century-old NFL record by throwing a touchdown pass in his 48th straight game, and New Orleans won for the first time this season with a victory over San Diego.

Brees’ 40-yard pass to Devery Henderson eclipsed the mark of 47 consecutive games with a touchdown pass set by Johnny Unitas from 1956-60. Brees’ also had three scoring strikes to Marques Colston, giving him a franchise-record 52 touchdown catches with the Saints (1-4).

At Brees’ request, the NFL allowed head coach Sean Payton, assistant head coach Joe Vitt and general manager Mickey Loomis - all serving various suspensions in connection with the NFL’s bounty investigation - to attend the game. Unitas’ son Joe was also in attendance. Philip Rivers passed for 354 yards

and two touchdowns for the Chargers (3-2), but had an interception and fumble in the final quarter.

Falcons 24, Redskins 17 In Landover, Michael Turner ran 13 yards for the go-ahead score with 2:46 to play, and Atlanta knocked Robert Griffin III out of the game. The Falcons are 5-0 for the first time in franchise history.

Matt Ryan completed 34 of 52 passes for 345 yards as Atlanta handed Washington (2-3) its eighth consecutive home loss.

Griffin left the game in the third quarter after being hit in the head on a sack by linebacker Sean Weatherspoon. Coach Mike Shanahan said RG3 has a “mild concussion.”

Kirk Cousins took over and threw a 77yard touchdown pass to Santana Moss to give the Redskins a fourth-quarter lead, but the fourth-round pick also threw two interceptions in the final two minutes.

Patriots 31, Broncos 21 In Foxborough, Tom Brady won his latest showdown with Peyton Manning with the help of a career-high 151 yards rushing from Stevan Ridley.

In the 13th meeting between the star quarterbacks, and first since Manning left the Indianapolis Colts, Brady directed four scoring marches of at least 80 yards and the Patriots rushed for 252 yards.

Brady improved to 9-4 against Manning, He completed 23 of 31 passes for 223 yards and one touchdown and ran for another.

Manning was 31 of 44 for 345 yards and three touchdowns but lost a fumble on a thirdquarter sack. The fumble led to Ridley’s 8-yard run that put the Patriots (3-2) ahead 31-7 with about five minutes left in the third quarter.

Manning then threw touchdown passes of 2 yards to Eric Decker and 5 yards to Brandon Stokley but Denver (2-3) lost a fumble with 3:42 remaining.

Steelers 16, Eagles 14 In Pittsburgh, Shaun Suisham hit a 34yard field goal as time expired. The Eagles (3-2) took the lead on a 2-yard touchdown pass from Michael Vick to Brent Celek with 6:33 remaining, but the Steelers responded by driving 64 yards, including a pair of key third-down conversions by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, to set up the winning kick.

Pittsburgh running back Rashard Mendenhall ran for 81 yards and a touchdown in his first game of the season as the Steelers (2-2) avoided their first two-game

Andy Dalton’s overthrown pass at midfield with 1:22 left, preserving a win that ended two weeks of miserable, last-minute finishes for Miami.

Miami (2-3) had dropped its past two games in overtime. The Dolphins held on against the Bengals (3-2), who never got anything going consistently on offense and wasted a chance for a tighter finish.

Mike Nugent was wide right on a 42yard field goal try with 3 minutes left - his first miss of the season - giving the Dolphins a chance to run down the clock

INDIANAPOLIS: Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck (12) is sacked by Green Bay Packers’ Mike Neal during the first half of an NFL football game.—AP losing streak in three years.

Vick completed 20 of 30 passes for 175 yards and two scores but fumbled twice for the Eagles, who couldn’t keep their string of narrow early-season victories going.

Dolphins 17, Bengals 13 In Cincinnati, Reshad Jones intercepted

behind rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who was smooth in the toughest moments.

The Bengals got the ball back at their 20 following a punt with 1:45 to go, but Dalton’s second interception sealed it.

Dalton was 26 of 43 for 234 yards with three sacks and two interceptions.

Giants 41, Browns 27

In East Rutherford, Victor Cruz and Ahmad Bradshaw set career bests in leading New York Giants over winless Cleveland.

Cruz caught three touchdown passes from Eli Manning covering 3, 7 and 28 yards, while Bradshaw surpassed his yardage on the ground for the season with a career-high 200. He had 132 entering the game. The Giants are 9-0 in games he has rushed for 100 yards or more.

New York (3-2) also forced three turnovers, including Chase Blackburn’s interception in the end zone midway in the fourth quarter to clinch it. The Browns are 0-5 for the first time since their return season to the NFL in 1999.

Vikings 30, Titans 7 In Minneapolis, Percy Harvin pounded his way through Tennessee’s defense for one touchdown rushing and another receiving for Minnesota. Harvin caught eight passes for 108 yards for the Vikings (4-1), who have given up a combined 33 points in winning three straight games.

Christian Ponder threw his first two interceptions after 143 attempts without one, but he still finished 25 for 35 for 258 yards and two scores against the reeling Titans (1-4).

Matt Hasselbeck, starting in place of the injured Jake Locker, went 26 for 43 for 200 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Most of those gains came near the end with the outcome no longer in doubt.

49ers 45, Bills 3 In San Francisco, Alex Smith threw for a season-high 303 yards and three touchdowns, Frank Gore ran for 106 yards and a score, and San Francisco amassed a franchise-record 621 yards.

Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis

each eclipsed 100 yards receiving to back Smith, who threw TD passes of 43, 28 and 10 yards and surpassed 300 yards passing for only the third time in his career.

Rian Lindell kicked a 31-yard field goal in the first quarter before San Francisco scored the final 42 points to hand Buffalo (2-3) its second straight embarrassing loss.

Bears 41, Jaguars 3 In Jacksonville, Charles Tillman and Lance Briggs returned interceptions for touchdowns - their second in six days and Chicago used stifling defense to overwhelm Jacksonville.

The Bears (4-1) scored 38 unanswered points in the second half to win their third consecutive game. The streak has everything to do with defense. Chicago has returned five interceptions for touchdowns in the last three weeks.

Tillman and Briggs returned two of the team’s five interceptions for touchdowns in Monday night’s 34-18 victory at Dallas.

Safety Major Wright returned one the previous week against St. Louis. The Jaguars (1-4) never recovered and played the final quarter amid a chorus of boos.

Seahawks 16, Panthers 12 In Charlotte, Russell Wilson threw a 13yard touchdown pass to Golden Tate with 35 seconds left in the third quarter and Seattle came up with four sacks against Cam Newton. Wilson shook off two third quarter interceptions - including one that was returned for a touchdown. Wilson threw for 221 yards, while Marshawn Lynch ran for 85 yards for the Seahawks (3-2). Newton threw for 141 yards on 12for-29 passing, while the Panthers (1-4) managed 190 total yards. Their only touchdown came on Captain Munnerlyn’s 33-yard interception return early in the third quarter. —AP

Business TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

Egypt foreign reserves fall $84m in September Page 22 California takes action as gas prices increase Page 24 Land Rover delivers new premium look to the LR2

European govts in race to save EADS-BAE merger Page 23

Page 26

LUXEMBOURG: Spanish Finance minister Cristobal Montoro Romero (left) speaks with Prime Minister and President of the Eurogroup Council Jean-Claude Juncker (centre) and EU commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs Olli Rehn (right) before a European Stability Mechanism (ESM) session yesterday. — AFP

Spain doesn’t need help: EU ministers Euro-zone to discuss direct recapitalisation of banks LUXEMBOURG: Euro-zone finance ministers delivered a united defence of Spain yesterday, saying the country was taking steps to overhaul its economy, funding itself successfully in the financial markets and did not need a bailout, at least for now.

Arriving at a meeting in Luxembourg to discuss Greece and Spain and to inaugurate the euro-zone’s permanent bailout mechanism, the ESM, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said Madrid had made clear it wanted no help.

“Spain needs no aid programme. Spain is doing everything necessary, in fiscal policy, in structural reforms,” he told reporters as he arrived for a gathering that will also discuss plans to establish a single supervisor for euro-zone banks.

“Spain has a problem with its banks as a consequence of the real estate bubble of the past years,” he said. “That’s why Spain is getting (EU) help with banking recapitalisation.”

Luxembourg Finance Minister Luc Frieden took the same line but added that if Spain were to make a request for aid beyond the 100 billion euros already earmarked to recapitalise its banks, it would be examined. “I think we should deal with such a request when it comes, but so far the Spanish government is undertaking reforms which go in the right direction,” he said. Finance ministers agreed in June to provide up to 100 billion euros for Spain’s banks, many of which are weighed down with bad property loans and need to be recapitalised. An independent audit has shown the banks need around 40 billion euros, less than originally expected, a result Austria’s finance minister, Maria Fekter, said was positive. “We have the banking application from Spain,” Fekter said. “We are likely to hear today that this 100 billion euros is not all needed, that Spain needs significantly less.”

Many in the financial markets are convinced Spain will not be able to meet its sovereign funding needs at an affordable cost without euro-zone and European Central Bank support, especially with several of its regions requiring a bailout from Madrid. A euro-zone source said ministers may also discuss Spain’s 2013 budget, outlined last month, which the International Monetary Fund and the European Commission both believe is based on an over-optimistic forecast of a 0.5 percent economic contraction next year. The IMF forecast of a 1.2 percent recession may be revised further downwards on Tuesday.

No moves on Greece As well as Spain, ministers will discuss the situation in Greece, where intense negotiations continue between the government and the ‘troika’ of inspectors from the Commission, the ECB and the IMF over budget cuts for 2013-2014. But JeanClaude Juncker, the chairman of the Eurogroup, said no developments on Greece, which has fallen behind on its second bailout programme, were likely at least until the troika finishes a report on the country’s debt situation. That report is now expected in early November.

“I don’t think that we will have any major decisions on Greece,” Juncker said. Asked whether a decision on Greece could be expected soon, he replied: “Hope never dies.”

Monday’s meeting will also discuss plans for the ECB to be given responsibility for supervising all euro-zone banks and the idea of creating a single budget for euro-zone countries, issues that will be discussed further by euro-zone and EU leaders at a summit in Brussels on Oct. 18-19.

But little formal progress is expected, with questions unresolved about how many of the euro-zone’s 6,000 banks the ECB will be charged with overseeing and whether it will be able to start its new role from January next year. Instead, the only firm action taken on Monday was the unveiling of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), a 500 billion euro, rescue mechanism for the 17 euro-zone countries.

The ESM, which replaces the temporary EFSF, will be used to lend to distressed euro-zone sovereigns in return for strict fiscal and structural reforms that aim to put economies that have lost investor trust back on track. “The start of the ESM marks a historic milestone in shaping the future of the European monetary union,” the fund’s chief executive, Klaus Regling, told reporters.

“The euro area now is equipped with a permanent and effective firewall, which of course is a crucial component in our strategy to ensure financial stability in the euro-zone.” The fund’s lending capacity will be based on 80 billion euros of paid-in capital and 620 billion of callable capital, against which the ESM will borrow money on the market to lend it on to governments cut off from sustainable market funding. From Monday it has a capacity of 200 billion euros and it will reach its full capacity gradually by 2014. — Reuters

Saudi bourse hits 10-week low MIDEAST STOCKS DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s share index hit a 10-week low and most other Gulf Arab bourses declined yesterday as slumping oil prices and a gloomy start to the week on world markets weighed on regional sentiment. The Saudi stockmarket slipped 0.8 percent to its lowest finish since July 29 and has now shed 5 percent since hitting a four-month peak on Sept 15.

Crude oil has fallen 9.9 percent over the same period, trading at $89.13 a barrel at 1349 GMT yesterday, while Saudi Arabia’s petrochemicals index was down 0.7 percent on the day. Oil prices must be above about $75 a barrel to meet the government’s spending budget, said Hesham Tuffaha, head of asset management at Bakheet Investment Group, claiming worries over the recent drop were exaggerated. “We don’t want oil to reach prices that will impact global demand,” said Tuffaha. He was upbeat on the prospects for local stocks, arguing they were undervalued. The Saudi bourse’s price-to-earnings ratio is about 12 when outliers Kingdom Holding and Saudi Electricity are excluded, Tuffaha said.

That is well below the historical average of 16-20. Kingdom Holding, the investment vehicle of billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, rose 0.7 percent after the company said it had sold a land plot in Riyadh for 250 million riyals ($66.66 million) and expects to book a gain in the third quarter.

TAIWAN: A man visits an HTC store in the Younghe district yesterday. Taiwan’s leading smartphone maker HTC said yesterday its net profit in the three months to September tumbled 79.1 percent year on year as it faces stiffer competition from rivals like Apple and Samsung. — AFP

Dubai shares pull back Dubai’s stock index fell 1.1 percent, retreating from Sunday’s 23-week high. “Today’s drop is more linked with weakness in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf markets, which is starting to affect sentiment in the UAE,” said Marwan Shurrab, vice president and chief trader at Gulfmena Alternative Investments.

Dubai is the top-performing Gulf benchmark in 2012, rising 20.2 percent year-to-date, although it remains 74 percent below a 2008 peak when the emirate’s real estate crash sent house prices and property stocks tumbling. Indications the sector is recovering - some developers have relaunched delayed projects as well as announcing new ones in recent months - are tempting equity investors back. —Reuters

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

BUSINESS

UK’s Osborne set to slash welfare Proposes shale gas tax breaks, employee share plan BIRMINGHAM: Britain’s Conservatives would slash government spending on welfare by 10 billion pounds ($16 billion) a year if re-elected, finance minister George Osborne said yesterday, though he offered few ideas on how to bring the economy out of recession. The 2015 election is likely to be decided on the health of the economy, the pace of deficit reduction and the areas of spending and taxation on which each party would focus to balance stretched public finances.

The Conservatives, who had bet that growth would reduce the deficit and help them win the next election, are struggling with a recession and a series of blunders which have put them about 10 points behind the opposition Labour Party in opinion polls.

Chancellor of the Exchequer (finance minister) Osborne and Prime Minister David Cameron are trying to use their party’s annual conference in Birmingham to project an image of economic prudence and have promised more spending cuts across the board.

They hope voters will welcome a further 10 billion pounds of cuts in welfare spending - an area often portrayed in the media as rife with scroungers and waste. “How can we justify giving flats to young people who have never worked?” Osborne told party supporters before a large Union Jack-design backdrop at a party conference whose slogan is “Britain can deliver”. “We will have to find greater savings in the welfare bill,” he said.

But his plans may cause tension with the government’s Liberal Democrat junior coalition partners. Osborne dismissed their calls for a “mansion tax” on expensive homes or a further tax on the wealthy. “This party of home

ownership will have no truck with it,” he told the conference. “The great bulk of savings must come from cutting government spending - not increasing taxes.” Osborne, a close Cameron ally who was booed by crowds at a Paralympics medal ceremony last month, said Western democracies faced impoverishment relative to wealthy emerging economies unless they reformed welfare, education and tax. In the 35-minute speech, Osborne said the Conservatives must appeal to those who aspired to improve their situation, adding it was a delusion to believe public finances could be put back on track by raiding the “wallets of the rich”. Britain’s welfare budget is estimated at 207 billion pounds ($335.2 billion) in 2012/13 - almost a third of total spending.

Labour, which wants to see more taxes on banks and the rich, says Osborne has cut spending too quickly and choked demand.

The government says softening its austerity plan would endanger Britain’s recovery by putting its low borrowing costs at risk. But many Conservative lawmakers are worried that Osborne cannot revive growth. In one of the biggest set-piece speeches of the political calendar, the 41-year-old offered few new ideas on how to nurture Britain’s stagnating economy back to health.

Osborne’s gamble Osborne’s March budget forecast he would have to cut borrowing by 49 billion pounds in the two years following the 2015 election, after weak growth put paid to his plan to eliminate the record deficit before the election.

Osborne has staked his reputation on preserving Britain’s AAA sovereign credit rating. A 375

billion pound central bank-funded bond-buying drive has reduced the cost of government borrowing to record lows.

But the underlying budget deficit has risen by a fifth so far this year compared to the same period last year and public sector debt rose to more than 1 trillion pounds at the end of August - 66 per cent of gross domestic product. Investors say Osborne, who announces revised economic and borrowing forecasts on Dec 5, will be forced to either cut spending more deeply or extend austerity well after the next election to honour his pledge to tame the deficit. Osborne has refused to say how far behind schedule his deficit reduction plan is but he rebuffed critics who say he should pump up demand with government spending.

“Our critics would gamble everything: our credibility, our financial stability, our low interest rates, the cost of our debt they would risk everything on the dubious idea that a few billion more of spending would dramatically improve the fortunes of the trillion-and-a-half pound British economy,” he said.

Osborne said he would allow companies to offer shares in the business to new employees in return for giving up certain dismissal and redundancy rights. He also said shale gas could get generous tax breaks. Shaving more off the welfare budget would allow cuts in other government departments to be held at a similar pace as is being enforced in current spending plans which run until the end of the 2014/15 fiscal year, according to Treasury calculations. The government’s next spending review, expected before 2015, will cover much of the 2015-2020 parliament and set the tone for the election battle. — Reuters

Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) said on its website.

Reserves have plunged by more than half since a popular uprising in January 2011 scared away tourists and investors, two of Egypt’s main sources of foreign currency. Since February, they have hovered near $15 billion, a level seen as a minimum to avoid a crisis of confidence in the local currency the Egyptian pound.

They would have fallen further without aid from countries such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar, disbursed since Egypt’s new president took office in late June. “With the political scene normalising and aid starting to flow, these reserves numbers leave (the central bank) looking pretty well placed to manage the downward pressure on the currency over the rest of the year,” said Simon Williams, Dubai-based economist for HSBC.

Abu Dhabi bank plans big expansion in Asia KUALA LUMPUR: The National Bank of Abu Dhabi launched its commercial banking operations in Malaysia yesterday, and will also debut in Shanghai this week as part of its expansion in Asia. Senior General Manager for international banking, Qamhar Ali Al-Mulla, said the United Arab Emirates’ top lender was a latecomer in Asia with its first branch launched in Hong Kong just three years ago.

He said the bank will launch an office in Shanghai, its first to tap China’s mass market tomorrow and is eyeing to acquire a bank in Indonesia. “We have ambitious plans for Asia.

Asia is a priority for us,” he told The Associated Press. “Indonesia is a key market and we are looking at acquiring a

bank. If there is an opportunity, we will grab it.” The National Bank of Abu Dhabi said it is the most profitable bank in the UAE, with a presence in 14 countries across the world. Al-Mulla said the bank aims to expand its presence to around 41 countries in the next decade.

International banking now contributes about 16 percent to the bank’s profit, but is expected to rise up to 30 percent by 2022, he said.

In Malaysia, the bank said it has invested 310 million ringgit ($101 million) to set up a wholly-owned subsidiary. Bank officials said the lender aims to establish up to 50 branches in Malaysia over the next decade and seek a license to tap the fast growing Islamic banking sector. — AP

KRG gets oil payment from Baghdad

Egypt foreign reserves fall $84m in September CAIRO: Egypt’s foreign reserves fell by $84 million in September but held above the $15 billion seen as necessary to shore up the pound for a third straight month after foreign donors began fulfilling promises of aid. With the reserves still close to danger level, economists cautioned against reading too much into the latest number until it was clear whether it included disbursements of foreign aid. But one said Egypt had adequate reserves till the year-end.

Government efforts to secure a $4.8 billion International Monetary Fund loan to support the struggling economy have cut Egypt’s borrowing costs in recent weeks although a planned visit to Cairo by an IMF team has been delayed until late October. Net international reserves fell to $15.04 billion at the end of September from $15.13 billion at the end of August, the

HERAT: An Afghan woman looks at glass vases for sale at a shop. Historic decorative glass making mainly targets tourists visiting the western Herat province. —AFP

But he added: “It’s hard to read the numbers until its clear if any of the recent aid pledges and disbursements are captured in the data.”

Foreign investors began to increase holdings of Egyptian treasury bills in June for the first time since the uprising. But many are still wary of a sharp fall in the pound that would damage the beleaguered economy and are waiting to see if Egypt will seal the $4.8 billion IMF loan. “The fall is disappointing. However, reserves are still around the critical three months of import cover and the aid that has materialized in October should increase the coming month’s figure,” said a Cairo-based fixed income analyst. Like others, he said he wanted to see a breakdown to determine whether any extra aid was included in the September figure which could mask a bigger drop. —Reuters

LONDON: Iraqi Kurdistan’s leading oil producer, Genel Energy, said it would keep crude exports flowing after the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) finally received an initial payment from Baghdad.

The central government and the autonomous region agreed last month to settle a dispute over oil payments after the KRG promised to continue exports and Baghdad pledged to pay foreign companies working there.

Iraq’s finance ministry issued an initial payment early last week, but the funds had not landed in the KRG account by Friday, prompting Genel to say it would halt exports if the money did not arrive soon.

Yesterday, the first installment of 650 billion Iraqi dinars ($558.9 million) was received, a KRG spokesman said.

“We won’t cut exports now,” Genel Energy President Mehmet Sepil told Reuters. “The KRG will reconcile (the payments) with all the

contractors, and then we will get paid.” The KRG spokesman said the northern region expected a second payment of 350 billion Iraqi dinars to arrive imminently. “We trust there will not be the same delays with the second tranche,” he said.

Exports from Kurdistan have risen to 170,000 barrels per day (bpd), and the fields of Taq Taq and Tawke, where London-listed explorer Genel Energy has a stake, are contributing about 110,000 bpd.

In April, the KRG halted oil shipments in protest over what it said were overdue payments from the central government to companies in the Kurdish region.

It later resumed exports through a Baghdad-controlled pipeline from Kirkuk to the Turkish port of Ceyhan but threatened to cut them off again if no agreement was reached on payment. Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Rosh Nuri Al-Shawish said yesterday the Finance Ministry had issued an

initial payment to the KRG. Genel has complained it has not been paid for most of the oil exported in 2009 and 2011. Other operators, including Norway’s DNO, have voiced similar grievances. Taq Taq and Tawke form the backbone of KRG exports, and Sepil said deliveries from Taq Taq alone could be ramped up to around 95,000 bpd.

Deliveries from Tawke could climb to 90,000 bpd, industry sources said. Khurmala, the northernmost part of the giant Kirkuk oilfield, makes up the remainder of exports. Kurdistan has angered Baghdad by signing deals with foreign oil majors, such as Exxon and Chevron, which the central government rejects as illegal.

The oil contracts row is part of a broader battle between the Baghdad government and Kurdistan over oil rights, territory and regional autonomy, which is straining Iraq’s uneasy federal union. — 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 .4490000 .3630000 .2980000 .2820000 .2830000 .0040000 .0020000 .0760400 .7408400 .3870000 .0720000 .7262610 .0430000

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES US Dollar/KD .2801000 GB Pound/KD .4519550 Euro .3650960 Swiss francs .3013770 Canadian dollars .2862400 Danish Kroner .0489850 Swedish Kroner .0424430 Australian dlr .2852960 Hong Kong dlr .0361310 Singapore dlr .2278630 Japanese yen .0035600 Indian Rs/KD .0000000 Sri Lanka rupee .0000000 Pakistan rupee .0000000 Bangladesh taka .0000000 UAE dirhams .0762900 Bahraini dinars .7432670 Jordanian dinar .0000000 Saudi Riyal/KD .0747130 Omani riyals .7278160 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

3.5856 5.403 2.947 2.192 3.381 229.170 36.332 3.433 6.795 9.189 91.832

.2860000 .4610000 .3670000 .3070000 .2940000 .2980000 .0058500 .0035000 .0768050 .7482850 .4100000 .0780000 .7335600 .0510000 .2822000 .4553440 .3678340 .3036370 .2883860 .0493520 .0427610 .2874350 .0364020 .2295710 .0035870 .0054690 .0022050 .0029670 .0034750 .0768620 .7488390 .3991510 .0752730 .7332730 .0068600

Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham

GCC COUNTRIES 75.137 77.419 731.840 748.370 76.723

ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash 47.950 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 46.149 Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.314 Tunisian Dinar 180.950 Jordanian Dinar 397.900 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 1.890 Syrian Lier 4.915 Morocco Dirham 33.650 EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 281.650 Euro 367.130 Sterling Pound 455.010 Canadian dollar 289.020 Turkish lire 155.930 Swiss Franc 302.850 US Dollar Buying 280.450 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

50.600 731.200 3.090 6.980 77.870 75.160 230.100 36.350 2.681 457.400 43.500 305.400 4.100 9.520 198.263 76.750 281.900 1.350

10 Tola

GOLD 1,872.680

Sterling Pound US Dollar

731.020 2.973 6.795 77.440 75.160 230.100 36.350 2.192 455.400 303.900 4.100 9.380 76.650 281.500

COUNTRY

Currency

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 455.400 281.500

SELL CASH

SELL DRAFT

289.600 748.630 3.690 291.400 552.900 45.900 50.000 167.800 47.950 369.900 37.000 5.530 0.032 0.161 0.246 3.680 398.920 0.190 93.960 45.100 4.330 233.900 1.823

288.100 748.630 3.435 289.900

230.100 46.153 368.400 36.850 5.405 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

SELL CASH

290.82 291.84 307.40 369.80 280.90 457.14 3.65 3.445 5.436 2.197 3.396 2.957 76.55 747.94 46.10 400.19 731.07 77.57 75.12

294.50 291.50 307.00 369.50 282.00 457.50 3.69 3.620 5.500 2.290 3.530 3.150 77.25 748.50 48.00 398.50 735.000 78.00 75.65

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd 398.880 0.189 93.960 3.390 232.400

Rate for Transfer

US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro

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

302.140 744.995 76.590 77.240 75.005 396.675 46.148 2.189 5.398 2.945 3.439 6.776 690.275 4.580 9.290 4.365 3.495 92.065

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

Selling Rate

281.400 285.600 454.736 366.030

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

281.450 2.947 5.413 2.200 3.449 6.825 76.718 75.195 748.100 46.149 458.800 2.990 1.550 371.300 293.700 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

281.200 368.900 456.050 289.300 3.620 5.385 46.153 2.191 3.445 6.785 2.952 748.550 76.600 75.080

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

business

European govts in race to save EADS-BAE merger Invesco attacks $45bn merger plan

ATHENS: Greek pensioners shout slogans while marching in central Athens to protest the new austerity cuts yesterday. — AFP

Merkel’s Athens visit chance to ease tension ATHENS: German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s visit today to debt-strapped Greece may provide a chance to ease tensions born of the economic crisis, but she looks set to receive a tepid welcome from those who blame Germany for the Greek government’s draconian austerity policies.

Her first visit since Greece’s financial crisis started almost three years ago, during which she will meet with Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, comes at a crucial time for Greece, which is currently negotiating a near 13.5-billion-euro ($17.6-billion) package of spending cuts with its creditors.

Auditors from the European Union, International Monetary Fund and European Central Bank must approve the package before agreeing to the release a 31.5 billion euros ($41.1 billion) instalment of EU-IMF rescue loans that have been keeping Greek finance alive. Heading for a sixth year of continuous recession, Greece desperately needs this tranche of aid to recapitalise banks and repay outstanding domestic debts amounting to almost eight billion euros.

Samaras has called Merkel’s visit a “positive development” and said the chancellor would be “welcomed in the appropriate way for the leader of a major power and a friendly country.” On Sunday, Germany’s Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle called the trip “an act of recognition for the Greek government, which is under great pressure with its reform policy.” But others in Greece are not so pleased. Merkel has often been singled out in the press and in street protests as carrying the blame for austerity measures that have included drastic salary and pension cuts in Greece.

‘Barbaric measures’ The radical left main opposition party Syriza, Greece’s two main labour unions and the communist-affiliated group Pame are organising a “warm welcome” for the chancellor to include work stoppages and street protests today. “She is not coming for our benefit. This is to help the government impose the new barbaric measures,” Pame said in a statement. “(Merkel) is coming to rescue a corrupt and discredited political system that is subject to her interests,” Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras said at the party’s annual youth festival in Athens on Saturday. But local media largely welcomed the visit and underlined its importance, with state television Net describing it as a “clear message of support to the country” and its efforts on Sunday.

The Kathimerini newspaper commented

Sunday that the chancellor would bring to Athens a “passport for the stabilisation of Greece’s place in the euro-zone.” Yet police are on high alert and will take the same security measures as those adopted during the recent visit of former US president Bill Clinton, Net reported.

The economic crisis has often caused tension between Greece and Germany, fuelled by the popular and often populist press in both countries. Earlier this month, during a general strike against austerity, protesters marching past the Bank of Greece crossed out “Greece” on the bank’s sign and wrote “Merkel” over it.

The press on both sides had a field day early this summer when the two countries faced each other in the quarter-final of the Euro 2012 that Greece eventually lost.

Ahead of the much-publicised game, Greek sports media ran flashy headlines such as “Bring us Merkel” and “This is how your debtors qualify, Angela get ready.”

Berlin has often openly criticised Greece for not making good on promises of implementing structural reforms. On Saturday, popular German daily Bild ran a photograph of a poster depicting Merkel in a Nazi uniform asking: “Is this how Angela Merkel will be greeted in Athens?” Bild has long railed against “the Greek failure”. In late 2010, it called on Greece to “sell your islands... together with the Acropolis”.

That same year, Focus ran cover picture of Venus de Milo pointing the middle finger at Europe, accompanied by a headline calling Greeks the “swindlers” of the euro family. But more recently tensions appear to have calmed down, as talk of a possible Greek exit from the euro-zone, a hot topic during the summer, has subsided.

In addition, the conservative Greek prime minister recently carried out a European tour in an effort to restore the country’s credibility. The tour included meetings with Merkel in Berlin, French President Francois Hollande in Paris, as well as ECB President Mario Draghi in Frankfurt. Merkel’s spokesman Steffen Seibert said Friday the message she would take to Athens would be that “we want to help Greece stabilise itself within the euro-zone.” “We are doing that by massively contributing to the two aid packages that are supposed to help Greece come out of the crisis,” he said, stressing that aid was possible only if Greece stuck to the austerity cuts demanded by international creditors. Nevertheless, he said Berlin saw greater effor ts being made under Samaras.— Reuters

PARIS: Britain, France and Germany pushed on with talks yesterday aiming to prevent a disagreement over state shareholdings wrecking a proposed merger of EADS and BAE Systems. Plans by Airbus parent EADS and UK arms firm BAE Systems to create the world’s largest aerospace and defence company must overcome a knot of political concerns over security and jobs. Facing a deadline tomorrow set by Britain, the goal is to make enough progress over the central issue dogging the talks to allow BAE Chief Executive Ian King and Tom Enders of Franco-German EADS to seek an extension.

BAE’s top investor questioned the very rationale of the $45 billion deal.

“If they can get the central issue of shareholding resolved, then there’ll probably be some more time to tie up other issues like headquarters, weights on the board and other matters,” said a senior diplomat following the talks. “Otherwise, Enders and King have signalled they will pull the plug on the 10th (tomorrow).”

Officials failed to resolve incompatible demands over state involvement in a video conference on Friday. EADS and BAE denied German reports that the talks had collapsed. British Defence Secretary Philip Hammond warned on Sunday that Britain would block the deal if key “red line” priorities were not met, including an ability to cap the influence the French and German governments would have on the new company.

He told the BBC yesterday he saw little chance of a deal being reached by tomorrow’s deadline. Plans have already been drawn up to request extra negotiating time, but the companies are unwilling to release pressure by deploying them until they have some real political progress to show British regulators, banking sources said. People close to the talks said Britain appeared most open to the deal, Germany was the least keen

director for Brazil and a constituency of other Latin American and Caribbean countries, told Reuters. China, Brazil and other large emerging market economies have long contended that the IMF’s current voting set-up unfairly benefits Europe and the United States, which dominated the IMF since its founding after World War Two. They argue that if the IMF expects them to contribute more both to IMF resources and to the global economy, they deserve more power within the Fund.

That was the reasoning behind two sets of IMF reforms in 2008 and 2010.

Priorities Ted Truman, a senior fellow at Washington’s Peterson Institute and a former assistant Secretary of the US Treasury for international affairs from 1998-2001, said IMF reforms may not be Washington’s highest priority even after the election. “One question is whether the US will be able to do this as part of the lame duck exercise, which would be positive. But my sense is maybe it won’t be the highest priority of the administration and not the lowest either.

“I don’t think you have to be too partisan to say if (Mitt) Romney wins... this is not going to be the highest national priority for the new administration. If Obama wins, then you are likely to have a continuity of policy with regard to the Fund,” said Truman.

Ironically, it was the United States that pressed hard for IMF quota and board reform in 2009. US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, himself a

has brought pressure from investors and unleashed new negotiating demands. BAE’s top shareholder Invesco Perpetual blasted the proposed deal yesterday, citing state interference, poor terms and a lack of strategic rationale. The investment company, which has 13 percent of BAE, is reported to have clashed in private with BAE leaders as soon as the talks surfaced last month. BAE shares dipped 1 percent. EADS was fractionally lower.

Sovereignty In order to improve the chances of winning approval in the United States, Britain wants France to commit in writing to forego any future increases in its shareholding, which would start out at 9 percent under a

MUNICH: A combo made of two file pictures of The European Aeronautic Defence and Space company (EADS) logo and British arms manufacturer BAE Systems is pictured.— AFP

proposed 60:40 split between EADS and BAE. France has told partners it has no intention of upping its stake but is unwilling to surrender sovereignty over future industrial policy.

Barring a wider escalation of the problems surrounding the deal, sources briefed on the discussions said a formula would probably be found to get round the impasse.

Government leaders are being kept in the loop on the talks but there are so far no plans for direct intervention or a three-way summit, officials said. Britain’s David Cameron faced a revolt over the merger by 45 members of parliament last week after they said in a letter to the prime minister that Germany and France should take no stakes in the new company.

Their stance was met with opposition from a surprising source yesterday, when Mike Turner, the former chief executive of BAE who sold the company’s stake in Airbus in 2006, was quoted as saying links with EADS now would help. “It’s widely recognised that large parts of BAE’s UK operations face a run down in activities in the next few years as existing programmes come to an end,” he told the Financial Times, adding jobs would be lost.

“If you put BAE and EADS together, the BAE part of the entity would benefit from a stronger balance sheet of the combined group and would be in a better position to win new orders, especially in export markets.”

Britain left open the door on Sunday to a German state participation in EADS-BAE in a move towards addressing Berlin’s demands for equal treatment with France in the new group.

Germany has renewed demands to have the headquarters and is involved in potentially tough negotiations with EADS about job guarantees and company conditions on continued defence orders. —Reuters

Services trade talks begin as WTO seeks out of stalemate GENEVA: Countries representing 70 percent of the global economy are set to negotiate lower barriers to trade in services after agreeing the structure of a deal, Australian Trade Minister Craig Emerson said in an interview. The push for a deal on trade in services is one of several attempts to steer the World Trade Organization (WTO) towards achievable goals for trade reform, a contrast with the ambitions of the Doha Round of talks that collapsed last year. Australia, which rode out the economic crisis on the strength of its trade with China, is now at the forefront of efforts to kickstart talks to reduce global barriers to trade, with the emphasis on picking winnable battles.

“I think that’s better than spending many years getting the perfect agreement with the perfect level of ambition and settling nothing until that happens,” Emerson said. “That’s been one of the defining features of the Doha Round, which has led us nowhere.” The new pact involves 46 countries and could affect a wide range of sectors - from banking and insurance to air transport and healthcare - now

IMF vote reforms bogged down by delays, deadlock TOKYO: The politics of mathematics has deadlocked IMF discussions on shifting voting power to emerging economies such as China, as European countries dig in their heels over changes to a little-known formula with big implications. Governance reforms in the International Monetary Fund have been years in the making. A historic deal sealed in 2010 - and supposed to come into force t h is week in Tokyo where the IMF and World Bank are holding annual meetings - would make China the third-largest voting member and revamp the Fund’s board to reduce Western Europe’s dominance.

But that has been stalled by the US presidential election. Washington has effective veto power over the 2010 package. Approving it would mean putting more money into the IMF, something the Obama administration is reluctant to do before the election.

The 2010 deal was part of a broader plan by the IMF to recognise within the organisation the growing economic clout of emerging economies.

The next phase, which the IMF had hoped would be completed by January 2013, involves establishing a formula that would determine voting shares based on economic size, capital flows, foreign exchange reserves and other variables. Depending on the weighting, different countries benefit, which helps explain the wrangling over the maths.

“The message being sent by the institution is that it is having enormous difficulty adapting its structure and functioning to the 21st Century,” Paulo Nogueira Batista, the IMF executive

and France wanted more time to think it over. Yet as problems pile up, all sides have moved to deflect the responsibility in case the talks break down.

Despite the negative atmosphere left by Friday’s press briefings, industry experts say it is too early to say whether the merger will happen but note the parties are used to negotiating down to the wire. EADS was created from a merger in 2000 only after talks between France and Germany broke down and the plan collapsed, bringing the two sides back together to negotiate a complex shareholder pact limiting the role of the French state.

However, those negotiations were held in secrecy while a blizzard of publicity surrounding the latest talks

former IMF official, conducted shuttle diplomacy between European and emerging economies to try to reach a reform deal.

David Lipton, the No. 2 official at the IMF and the highest ranking American, said the Obama administration had been clear that it would not be able to seek congressional approval for more IMF funding before the November election. He said there was still time to reach a compromise on IMF governance reform and described an “emerging consensus” behind increasing the weight given to GDP to determine voting shares.

“It is a complicated matter and different countries have different interests right now, but I think it would be wrong to surmise the membership doesn’t stand strongly behind modernising the governance structure of the IMF to keep up with the evolution of the global economy,” Lipton told Reuters in an interview in Tokyo. “There will be some elbow-throwing in the course of these discussions.”

Maths becomes political Any change to the quota formula that gives more weight to purchasing power GDP - which measures the buying power of an economy instead of just the dollar value - would benefit China and other developing economies. European countries want to put more emphasis on openness, the most hotly debated of all the measurements, because it captures among many things the vast trade flows among euro zone countries. —Reuters

regulated by rules that are not easily transferable across borders. Until now, supporters of the move had been split on how to do it.

The United States was keen for a “high quality” deal covering everything not explicitly excluded.

But the European Union urged a simpler design that could easily accommodate new joiners, with the ultimate goal of being “multilateral” - including every member of the 157-strong WTO. “We still retain the strong ambition that it can be multilateralised and the design features will be sensitive to that but the most important thing is just to get on with it,” Emerson said after hosting talks on the plan in Geneva.

The final approach is a “hybrid”, he said, open to all but with benefits only accruing to signatories who would open trade in services to each other but not to other WTO members. “It already covers 70 percent of global GDP and 70 percent of services. That’s likely to be a club that people would want to join.” Informal negotiations under the agreement have already begun, Emerson said, although the

formal launch is expected only at the start of 2013.

Some participants have previously said they want a deal signed within a year. However, many developing countries are aghast at the idea of a deal covering fewer than one in three WTO members. They regard the proposal as a betrayal of Doha Round promises that nothing would be agreed until everything was agreed.

The WTO is slowly emerging from the Doha stalemate and is now trying to find smaller chunks of reform that offer something for everybody. The likely centrepiece of such a deal is “trade facilitation”, which means cutting red tape and standardising customs procedures, and which Emerson said was estimated to account for 44 percent of the value of the Doha Round.

Many of the poorest countries have bristled, however, about the costs of complying to the standard. Asked if it might make sense for a minority of WTO members to forge ahead with trade facilitation, as they have with services, Emerson said: “We’re more optimistic than that.” —Reuters

China auto sales hit record in September SHANGHAI: General Motors’ China sales hit a record in September, the US auto giant said yesterday, amid a territorial row between Beijing and Tokyo that has reportedly hit the business of Japanese competitors. GM’s sales in the world’s biggest car market reached 244,266 vehicles in September, rising 1.7 percent from the same month last year and jump-

ing 10.5 percent from August, it said in a statement.

For the first nine months of the year, the company and its ventures sold nearly 2.1 million vehicles in China, up 10 percent from a year earlier. Analysts said GM likely benefited from the territorial row between Japan and China which saw tens of thousands of Chinese protest in cities

RIZHAO: In this photo, workers count the small currency notes from bus fares at the accounting center of a bus company in Rizhao city in east China’s Shandong province.— AP

across the country, some urging a boycott of Japanese products. “ The Sino-Japan dispute... has affected Chinese consumers’ purchasing choices to some extent,” Haitong Securities analyst Zhang Qi told AFP. “This has caused a negative impact for certain Japanese products, but in the meantime driven demand for other foreign car brands including those from the United States and Germany.”

Sales of Toyota cars in China plunged by 50 percent in September from August amid the anti-Japan backlash over disputed islands, Japan’s Yomiuri newspaper said last week. A festering row over the Senkaku islands in the East China Seacontrolled by Japan but claimed by China, which knows them as the Diaoyu islands-has affected Japanese automakers operating in the country.

Japan’s top three carmakersToyota, Honda and Nissan-will halve production in China following a sales slump sparked by the backlash, the Nikkei business daily said yesterday.

China’s nationwide auto sales slowed last year from 2010 after the government rolled back purchasing incentives and some cities imposed limits on car numbers to ease traffic congestion and cut pollution.

The nation’s auto sales rose just 2.5 percent to 18.51 million units in 2011, compared with an annual increase of more than 32 percent in 2010. But some foreign brands have managed to buck the trend with better brand recognition and perceptions of better quality among domestic consumers.

GM sold more than 2.5 million vehicles in China last year. — AP

24

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

business

California takes action as gas prices increase Hundreds of pastors back candidates, defy tax rules CHARLOTTE: Baptist Pastor Mark Harris stood before his flock in North Carolina on Sunday and joined hundreds of other US religious leaders in deliberately breaking the law in an election-year campaign that tests the role of churches in politics. By publicly backing candidates for political office from the pulpit, Harris and nearly 1,500 other preachers at services across the United States were flouting a law they see as an incursion on freedom of religion and speech.

Under the U.S. tax code, non-profit organizations such as churches may express views on any issue, but they jeopardize their favorable tax-exempt status if they speak for or against any political candidate. “Pulpit Freedom Sunday” has been staged annually since 2008 by a group called the Alliance Defending Freedom. Its aim is to provoke a challenge from the US Internal Revenue Service in order to file a lawsuit and have its argument out in court.

The event has grown steadily in size, but the IRS has yet to respond - even though the pastors tape their sermons and mail them to the agency.

Now in an election year, where a few swing states - including North Carolina will be crucial, political analysts say pas-

tors campaigning from the pulpit could have an impact. Critics say the movement threatens the US constitutional principle of separation of church and state and makes pastors look like political operatives rather than neutral spiritual leaders.

“When the church further divides the country, where’s the win in that?” asked Reverend C Welton Gaddy, president of the Interfaith Alliance, and an opponent of “Pulpit Freedom Sunday.”

In his sermon at First Baptist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, Harris endorsed a Republican candidate for the state’s Supreme Court, but did not specifically takes sides in the Nov 6 contest for the White House between Democratic President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney. “I don’t feel I’m breaking the law,” Harris said before addressing a congregation of almost 1,000. “I am speaking as a pastor and as a citizen of the United States where we have that freedom of speech.”

Event’s popularity grows Erik Stanley, senior legal counsel of the Alliance Defending Freedom, said the group was not pushing any particu-

lar political agenda and participants came from both conservative and liberal churches. However, the event in past years has tended to be dominated by evangelical fundamentalist churches and conservative causes such as opposition to abortion and gay-marriage. It has grown steadily in size, with just 33 pastors taking part in 2008, rising to 539 last year and to a record 1,477 this year. It is not entirely clear why the IRS has stayed silent and the agency did not respond to a request for comment.

Stanley said that if the IRS continued to ignore the speeches, it could become clear it was not enforcing the ban and hand preachers the de facto right to do as they wish from the pulpit.

IRS lost key case in 2009 Marcus Owens, a partner with law firm Caplin & Drysdale and former head of the IRS division that oversees tax exempt organizations, cited a 2009 case as a turning point. In that case, the agency took action against James Hammond, pastor of the Living Word Christian Center in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, after he endorsed Republican Michele Bachmann for Congress. — Reuters

Supply problems ease out SAN FRANCISCO: California Governor Jerry Brown on Sunday ordered pollution regulators to let service stations stock winter-grade gasoline early after an abrupt price spike last week sent some pump prices past $5 a gallon and left residents fuming. Wholesale markets indicated that prices would likely ease in the coming days, but the political fallout may be just beginning. US Senator Dianne Feinstein wrote a second letter on Sunday asking for federal regulators to investigate possible price manipulation in the California gasoline market.

A series of refinery mishaps have constrained gasoline supply in California, which is largely cut off from US national pipeline and refinery networks and thus more subject to supply and price disruptions. Reuters reported on Friday that a “short squeeze” in trading markets may have also played a role in an unprecedented wholesale price increase of almost $1 a gallon last week for California-grade gasoline.

Brown’s order will allow retailers to begin selling winter-blend gasoline, which is more plentiful and easier to make but emits more polluting vapors, ahead of the traditional Oct 31 transition date. “Allowing refiners to make an early transition to winter-blend gasoline could quickly increase fuel supply and provide a much needed safety valve with negligible air quality impacts,” Brown said in a letter on Sunday to the California Air Resources Board, which regulates the types of gasoline sold in California.

The Air Resources Board issued regulations late on Sunday allowing the immediate manufacture, importation, and sale of winter-blend gasoline.

Feinstein, in a letter to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), called for the agency to implement broad monitoring of oiltrading markets and investigate possible “collusion.”

“Publicly available data appears to confirm that market fundamentals are not to blame for rising gas prices in California,” she wrote, citing state data that showed gasoline production last week was almost as high as a year ago and that gasoline and blending components were equal to this time last year.

The California senator cited Reuters’ Friday report on the “short squeeze,” in which traders said refiner Tesoro Corp had to scramble to buy fuel from other companies to meet commitments.

While traders told Reuters that no single party appeared to be withholding supply intentionally and that there was no suggestion anyone conspired to drive up prices, Feinstein wrote: “An FTC investigation is likely the only way to determine whether this reported squeeze took place.”

Supply boost coming California traditionally has some of the highest gasoline prices in the United States, but the gap has widened dramatically over the past week. Average retail prices hit a peak of $4.655 a gallon on Sunday, compared with a national average of $3.814 a gallon. The supply constraints have been largely attributed to problems at several of the state’s biggest refineries.

An Aug. 6 fire shut down the key crude refining unit of Chevron Corp’s 245,000 barrel-per-day plant in Richmond, California. On Oct 1, prices rose on news of a power failure at Exxon

sultancy in Irvine, California. “That’s like adding another Exxon Torrance.” Bob van der Valk, a refined products market analyst from Terry, Montana, said proprietary oil company pipelines from the refineries would be able to start shipping winter-blend gasoline right away.

But Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, which operates the largest pipeline network on the West Coast, has set an Oct 15 start date for when it will accept winter-blend gasoline for shipment.

Reduced gasoline availability forced some retailers to turn off their pumps.

Costco shut 14 of 40 filling stations in the Los Angeles area late last week, although on Sunday, the firm’s website said all California stations were now open. Southern California has borne the brunt of the supply disruptions and has seen the highest prices in the state.

In her letter calling for the FTC to establish a permanent market-monitoring team for oil and gasoline markets, Feinstein noted that California com-

VAN NUYS: Costco members fill up with discounted gasoline at a Costco gas station in Van Nuys, California.—AP Mobil Corp’s 149,500-bpd Los Angelesarea refinery in Torrance, California, though the company said operations were restored by Friday. Analysts said the decision to move up the state’s transition to winter gasoline would give a significant boost to the fuel pool.

“Gasoline supply will go up 10 percent with the change to winter-blend gasoline,” said David Hackett, president of Stillwater Associates, an energy con-

muters already faced the highest gas prices and the longest commutes in the country. “Paying hundreds of dollars to fill your tank every time you go to the pump is untenable, particularly because it does not appear the price spike and supply disruption are in any way related to supply and demand,” she added. “I fail to understand why the FTC has not yet set up its own unit to oversee oil markets.” — Reuters

Can stocks continue to rise as earnings fall?

NEW YORK: One type of investor buys stocks when everyone is convinced that corporate earnings will fall. He buys because he thinks they’re wrong and earnings will rise instead. Call him the contrarian. Another type of investor buys when everyone thinks that earnings will rise. He buys because he thinks they’ll rise even more than expected.

Call him the eternal optimist. Now, the 31/2-year-old bull market may have produced a third type of investor, an undiscovered breed with a curious strategy for success: He expects earnings to fall but buys anyway because he hopes it won’t matter. Call him the blind-faith investor. Or maybe just blind.

“How do you explain where the stock market is?” Barclays Capital stock strategist Barry Knapp said Thursday, as the Standard & Poor’s 500 inched higher yet again. “Stock prices are not warranted by the fundamentals.” The financial reporting season begins Tuesday, when Alcoa announces third-quarter results.

Brace yourself: For three months, stock prices have risen while, in seeming contradiction, Wall Street analysts have slashed estimates for earnings. Earnings for July through September are expected to drop 1.3 percent compared with a year earlier for S&P 500 companies, according to S&P Capital IQ, a research firm. That would break an 11-quarter streak of rising earnings that began just after the Great Recession ended three and a half years ago. Earlier this year, analysts had expected earnings for the quarter to rise 7 percent. To be fair to the bulls, it’s generally future quarters that investors should be most concerned about, not the one that just passed. That’s a time-honored rule of investing.

But analysts have been cutting estimates for those quarters, too. They’ve lowered forecasts for earnings growth for each of the next two quarters by a third since the summer, and as much as half since the beginning of the year. The bad news started in July, when UPS, the world’s largest package delivery company, said the global economy was slowing and lowered its 2012 profit forecast as a result.

Then FedEx said that shipping volume had fallen to recession levels, and that investors should expect lower earnings. Norfolk Southern, the giant railroad company, cut its forecast, too.

The flurry of so-called negative preannouncements ranged across industries - from steel maker Nucor Corp. and Applied Materials Inc., which sells semiconductor-chip-making machines, to Starbucks and Tiffany & Co. On Tuesday, Fifth & Pacific, the company behind Juicy Couture products, said sales were weakening and it was likely to report lower earnings than expected, too.

Investors pushed its stock down 11 percent in just a day.

Tally it up and 78 percent of companies issuing pre-announcements have suggested they will disappoint, according to FactSet, a financial data provider.

That is the worst reading since FactSet began keeping records six years ago.

The problem is companies are running out of ways to increase earnings.

You can see that in the results for the previous quarter, from April through June. Earnings for companies in the S&P 500 barely rose from a year earlier, just 0.8 percent. US economic growth has slowed to an annual rate of 1.3 percent, practically stall speed. Meanwhile, the old formula that companies have used to compensate - pulling more profit out of each sale by trying to run leaner suddenly isn’t working.

You can only cut expenses and squeeze workers so much, and many companies seem to have reached the limit. Profit margins are falling for the first time in the recovery, after hitting a record of nearly 9 percent, according to Goldman Sachs. The other way US companies have posted higher profits is by selling more abroad. But many of the 17 countries that use the euro have fallen into recession. And developing countries are facing headwinds now, too.

China, India and Brazil are slowing. On Wednesday, the Asian Development Bank slashed its growth forecast for emerging economies this year and next.

So what’s kept stocks rising? One theory is loose monetary policy. The Federal Reserve announced last month a third round of bond-buying to try to stimulate the economy. That followed a bold plan by the European Central Bank

to buy government bonds of struggling countries in its region.

“Central banks have single-handedly kept asset prices elevated,” said Peter Boockvar, equity strategist at trading firm Miller Tabak Advisors. “It’s certainly not the economy. It’s certainly not the trajectory of earnings.”

To be sure, analysts have been too pessimistic before, and investors who ignored them made money. Analysts expected earnings to fall in the first quarter of 2012, but they didn’t. Those who bought the S&P 500 at the start of the year are up 16 percent. And even if analysts are right and earnings fall, you can still make money buying stocks, though history suggests it’s risky. In the 46 quarters since the start of 2001, earnings for the S&P 500 have fallen 15 times. Seven of those times, stock prices rose the following three months, sometimes spectacularly.

In the first quarter of 2009, S&P 500 earnings plunged 35 percent. Yet investors who were brave enough to buy stocks enjoyed an S&P 500 gain of 15 percent over the next three months.

If they held on after that, they doubled their money. Similarly, investors won big who bought after the third quarter of 2001, when earnings fell 23 percent.

Stocks rose 10 percent the following three months. But unlike in 2009, the next few quarters produced losses as earnings kept plunging. Stocks dropped for the next three quarters, in one of them by 18 percent. Investors shrugging off disappointing earnings now are hoping the current period resembles 2009. But it’s not a sure bet, and they may end up getting something closer to 2001 instead. — AP

CHICAGO: In this file photo, shoppers carry their purchases at a Target in Chicago. Americans spent at the fastest pace in six months in August but much of that increase went to pay their higher gas bills, the Commerce Department announced. — AP

25

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

business DTCM named lead sponsor for UAE’s World Expo 2020 bid DUBAI: In line with its vision to promote Dubai as a leading tourist destination and global commercial hub, the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) was recently named a lead sponsor for the UAE’s bid to host the 2020 World Expo in Dubai. DTCM and the Expo team will work together toraise awareness about the country’s bid campaign through a series of ongoing outreach initiatives, which include hosting conventions, branding, and distributing informational brochures across the city.

Since 1851, World Expos have been a platform to communicate the world’s most brilliant ideas, bringing the global community together to learn, share and grow, while introducing significant new technologies and innovations.Held every five years, these events serve as catalysts for economic, cultural and social transformationacross the globe.

Commenting on the potential impact of the event, Khalid A Bin Sulayem, Director General of DTCM, said: “Expo 2020 would be a significant addition to the city’s growing list of milestones. With our bid focused on sustainability, transport and logistics and new models of economic growth, Expo 2020 would not only be a major step for the Middle East, but for the whole world.” Under the bid theme “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future,” the 2020 World Expo in Dubai would be the first ever held in the Middle East, Africa or South Asia.

He also added: “Expo 2020 would attract over 20 million new visitors to the country and feature Dubai on the global stage as a leader in sustainable development while highlighting the importance of working together and creating connections for a better world.”

Dubai, UAE, is competing against four other candidate cities bidding to host the 2020 World Expo, including Ayutthaya ( Thailand); Ekaterinburg

India works on ‘credible’ plan to cut fiscal deficit ‘No reason growth should stagnate at 5.5%’

Khalid A Bin Sulayem (Russia); Izmir (Turkey); and Sao Paulo (Brazil). The winning city will be announced in November 2013 following a vote by the 161 member nations of the Bureau International des Expositions - the international organisation responsible for overseeing the bidding, selection and organisation of World Expos.

The DTCM was established in January 1997 with an aim to increase understanding and awareness about Dubai to the world in order to attract tourists and investment.

It is the principal authority for the planning, supervision and development of the tourism sector in Dubai.

Since inception, DTCM has played a pivotal role in promoting Dubai and growing the economic contribution of tourism to the Emirate. The significance of inbound tourism to the Emirate of Dubai has been seen and felt not just in the region, but also globally. The World Tourism Organization puts the inflow of visitors to Dubai ahead of Hong Kong, France, Turkey, Belgium, China and Germany.

NEW DELHI: India’s finance minister promised yesterday a “credible” plan to cut a gaping fiscal deficit that has alarmed investors and said he was determined to push through more reforms to spur the economy. The pro-market minister, P Chidambaram, said there was an “imperative need” to cut spending after a government panel warned that India stood on the edge of a “fiscal precipice” due to a swelling subsidy bill.

“It is our intention to announce a credible and feasible path of fiscal consolidation beginning this year,” he said, giving a new target for the deficit of 5.3 percent of gross domestic product. Since taking over the finance job in July, Chidambram and 80-yearold Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have begun what some economists say are the biggest reforms in two decades since India began opening up its economy to the world.

Chidambaram said the government, which last month eased foreign investment curbs in retail, aviation and broadcasting, would keep pushing forward with reforms. “The reform momentum will remain strong and unabated,” he said, warning without modernisation India risked a “sharp and continuing slowdown of the economy”. India’s economy grew by 5.5 percent in the fiscal first quarter, the lowest in around three years, but Chidambaram said expansion should accelerate over the rest of the year and hoped for eight-to-nine percent expansion longer-term.

“There is no reason growth should stagnate at 5.5 percent in all four quarters,” he said, adding “the India growth story is sound.”

The government also outlined last week plans to raise foreign investment caps in the insurance and pension sectors. Chidambaram said the insurance market needed $5-6 billion in “the immediate future” to begin covering India’s overwhelmingly under-insured population.

Investors have welcomed the reforms blitz

that has ended years of policymaking paralysis amid massive government corruption scandals. The stock market has jumped nearly 10 percent since the end of August while the

MUMBAI: Kingfisher Airlines’ employees protest outside a domestic airport yesterday.

India’s Kingfisher Airlines last Friday extended its shut-down and said it won’t fly any planes for another week unless it can convince pilots and engineers who haven’t been paid for months to return to work. — AP Indian currency has gained more than five rupees against the dollar since June, trading at 52.13 yesterday, making both the best performing Asian assets.

“The rupee is stabilising,” Chidambaram said. Ratings agency Standard and Poor’s warned in June that India could lose its investment-grade rating unless it took urgent action to balance its books, rein in public spending and boost investor confidence.

India’s fiscal outlook has been hit by a slump in tax revenues due to economic weak-

GL 63 AMG: Perfect blend of Mercedes power and comfort DUBAI: A new heavy-weight champion of the road was crowned in August when the GL 63 AMG made its world premiere in Moscow. Emerging from the MercedesBenz Affalterbach performance division as the globe’s most powerful SUV, the GL 63 AMG blasts from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.9 seconds, hitting a top speed of 250 km/h (electronically limited). And in true Mercedes-AMG fashion, world leading performance is realised whilst combining compelling technologies with pure ride comfort, and striking, unmistakeable design with an extensive range of standard equipment. Floating like a supersonic butterfly and stinging like a sledgehammer, the heavy hitter’s effortless superiority comes courtesy of the AMG 5.5-litre V8 biturbo engine, harnessing the power of 557 stampeding stallions with a maximum torque of 760 Nm. The AMG Ride Control sports suspension with Active Curve System roll stabilisation provides high-level driving dynamics and comfort synonomous with the three pointed star.

“With the new GL 63 AMG, our all-wheel drive lineup is now complete. In addition to the ML 63 AMG all-rounder and the recently unveiled, iconic G 63 AMG and G 65 AMG models, the GL 63 AMG places particular emphasis on dynamism and style.

Combining the first-rate comfort of the SClass with the performance of an AMG sports saloon, the GL 63 AMG is unique in its segment,” says Frank Bernthaler, Director, Sales and Marketing, Mercedes-Benz Cars, Middle East & Levant.

For AMG, the Mercedes-Benz performance brand, the Middle East market is very important. With its growth potential, it is a major element in the ambitious future strategy entitled “AMG Performance 50”, leading up to the 50th anniversary of MercedesAMG GmbH. Frank Bernthaler, said: “2012 is the year of the AMG and SUV for us. With the launch of the new ML 63 AMG, G 63 AMG, and upcoming GL 63 AMG, we are having a fantastic year to date. July sales for AMG rose 178 percent over the same month last year, with five times more people buying the newly launched 0-100km/h in 4.7sec ML 63 AMG. The relentless success of the G 55 AMG, G 63 AMG and G 65 AMG grew sales 65 percent month on month.

When it arrives next year, the GL 63 AMG will become the powerhouse of our Mercedes-AMG SUV stable.” The perfect base for characteristic AMG performance and a superior driving experience comes in the form of the AMG 5.5-litre V8 biturbo engine. A look at the technical data provides some powerful arguments. Peak output of 557 hp and maximum torque of 760 Nm results in first-class performance while NEDC fuel consumption comes in at 12.3 litres per 100 kilometres. The AMG M 157 eight-cylinder engine features an innovative, high-tech power package including spray-guided direct petrol injection, piezo injectors, biturbo charging, air/water intercooling, all-aluminium crankcase, a fourvalve-per-cylinder design with variable camshaft adjustment, plus alternator management and the ECO start/stop system.

Power is transmitted to all four perma-

nently driven wheels by the AMG Speedshift Plus 7G-tronic. Featuring three modes and an automatic double-declutching function for downshifting, this sevenspeed automatic transmission offers a fascinatingly broad scope of variability. In “Controlled Efficiency” (C) mode the ECO start/stop function is active, shutting down the eight-cylinder engine as soon as the

vehicle comes to a standstill. “C” also stands for a gentle accelerator and transmission characteristic with early gear changes; startup generally takes place in second gear here. In the Sport (S) and Manual (M) driving programmes the ECO start/stop function is inactive and the engine-transmission combination displays far greater agility with more spontaneous responses. A brief and exactly defined retardation of ignition and injection during upshifting at full load additionally provides for shorter shift times and an acoustic experience.

Enhanced driving dynamics Mercedes-AMG deploys a specially designed transfer case for the 4MATIC permanent all-wheel drive, which distributes the drive power to the front and rear axle at a ratio of 40:60 in the interests of dynamic handling. As if that were not enough, the AMG Ride Control sports suspension with Airmatic package - consisting of air suspension, special damper struts, automatic level control and Adaptive Damping System (ADS) - is combined with the Active Curve System for active roll stabilisation. This system, which comes as standard and is specific to AMG, employs active anti-roll bars on the front and rear axles to reduce the body’s

roll angle during cornering. Apart from enhanced agility and driving pleasure, the Active Curve System has the additional effect of increasing handling stability and therefore safety, particularly at higher speeds.

Roll stabilisation, damping and suspension adapt automatically to the prevailing driving situation, offering both optimum

ride comfort and maximum stability. The GL 63 AMG driver is able to choose at the push of a button between the three suspension modes “Comfort”, “Sport” and “Sport plus”.

The fully load-bearing air suspension system is speed-sensitive, lowering the body at higher speeds in order to minimise drag while increasing driving stability. The AMGspecific elastokinematics at the front axle and the more robustly designed rear axle stabiliser bar are responsible for improved steering precision. The enhanced drive train delivers the best possible power transmission and hallmark Mercedes reliability. The 4ETS electronic traction control system which features as standard provides for optimised grip when friction coefficients vary.

AMG speed-sensitive sports steering, AMG high-performance braking system Electromechanical AMG speed-sensitive sports steering features variable power assistance which responds in accordance with the chosen suspension mode. It also helps to save fuel, as the steering assist function only requires energy when the driver actually moves the steering wheel.

The AMG high-performance braking system provides for the shortest possible braking distances and high fade resistance with

ness and surging subsidies for India’s hundreds of millions of poor. Chidambaram urged the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, which has stalled the last few parliamentary

ventilated and perforated brake discs allround in size 390 x 36 millimetres (front) and 345 x 26 millimetres (rear).

Performance-oriented design with masculine features Striking, masculine, unmistakeable: these attributes describe the design of the GL 63 AMG. Mercedes-AMG has enhanced the main stylistic features of the new GL powerful dynamism and sporty elegance using specific elements that emphasise the top V8 model’s exceptional performance.

The typically upright GL radiator grille with its central Mercedes star is adorned with high-gloss slats painted in black. AMG styling elements include the front apron with its large openings that ensure an effective air flow for the cooling modules. The bottom air intake takes the form of a typical AMG stylised “A” with a gap under the fine black fin through which air can flow optimally to the cooling modules - the perfect blend of design and high-tech. The trim insert in matt silver chrome installed under it creates a sense of width and coordinates optimally with the borders of the LED daytime running lamps in the side air openings.

The AMG front apron elegantly merges into the exclusive wheel-arch flaring. In order to accommodate the large 53.3 cm (21-inch) AMG light-alloy wheels with the wide-base 295 tyres, the flaring widens the vehicle by 22 millimetres on each side. From the side, observers will notice the V8 Biturbo logos on the wings and illuminated running boards with an aluminium finish. The rear wheel-arch flaring blends into the AMG rear apron which is again adorned with a striking trim insert in matt silver chrome and the suggestion of black air openings. Creating both a visual and acoustic highlight are the two chrome-plated, exposed twin tailpipes of the AMG sports exhaust system.

Exclusivity and dynamism dominate in the interior Great attention to detail, excellent ergonomics and a generous amount of space available - exclusivity and dynamism also dominate in the interior of the GL 63 AMG. All seven seats in the high-performance SUV are covered in high-quality leather, as is the centre armrest. Electrically adjustable AMG sports seats feature double topstitching in a contrasting colour and AMG badges on the front seat backrests and outer rear seat backrests. The dashboard, armrests and door panelling come in ARTICO man-made leather with double topstitching. As part of the optional designo Exclusive package, these components can be covered in high-quality designo leather. The AMG Performance 4-spoke steering wheel with perforated leather in the grip area, flattened bottom section on the steering wheel rim and aluminium shift paddles ensures optimal vehicle control.

Four round instruments on the AMG instrument cluster provide the driver with information. The central colour TFT monitor incorporates the AMG welcome logo and AMG main menu. The Middle East market launch of the new Mercedes-Benz GL 63 AMG is scheduled for Q1 2013.

sessions, to support reforms, noting it backed many of the same policies while in government.

“There is a judgement day for every government every five years-opposition is legitimate, obstruction is not,” he said. He said some subsidies in such areas as food, fertilisers and fuel, must remain “at this stage in India’s development”, but forecast “huge savings” with plans to make direct cash transfers to the needy and avoid widespread leakages. — AFP

Portugal slams tardy European central bank MADRID: Portuguese President Anibal Cavaco Silva criticised the European Central Bank for being slow to react to the eurozone debt crisis, in an interview published yesterday. The ECB revealed last month that it was now ready to drive down the borrowing costs of debt-wracked countries by buying their sovereign bonds on the secondary market under strict conditions. The announcement sparked a rally on debt markets but came only after months of doubt over how the euro-zone would help struggling countries such as Spain which has the fourthbiggest economy in the single currency region.

“The European institutions, including the ECB, have a tendency to arrive late,” Silva complained in an interview with Spanish business daily Expansion. The central bank for the 17 euro-zone states “acted very late” to ease market tensions, Silva added. “The delay in the intervention created enormous speculation in the media and public opinion.” The Portuguese head of state said it was “absurd” that some euro-zone members such as Germany were able to borrow on the markets at negative rates while others had to pay more than six percent. “I have been saying for more than a year that the central bank of a monetary union should be the lender of last resort, and that the ECB ought to be ready to buy unlimited amounts of sovereign debt on the secondary markets,” Silva said. — AFP

AXA ranked amongst top 100 Best Global Brands KUWAIT: For the fourth year in a row, the AXA brand is part of the top 100 Best Global Brands ranking unveiled today by Interbrand1. Overall, the AXA brand value has increased by 1 percent to euro 6.75 billion, making it the 58th best global brand, the 1st global insurance brand and the 4th French brand across all industries, behind Louis Vuitton, L’Oreal and Danone.

AXA’s brand valuation and its leading position notably reflect the quality of service offered by the company to its customers, as well as its commitment to delivering on its brand promise: to always be “available, attentive and reliable”. Beyond the fact that AXA has come out as leader in its field, it is essential and even more important to note that in a relatively challenging environment for the financial services industry, the value of insurance brands have progressed overall. This is a strong reward for an industry which has listened and increasingly proven that meeting customer expectations is its number one priority.

Veronique Weill, Chief Operating Officer of the AXA Group, commented: “Being once again named the top global insurance brand is a meaningful distinction and a great recognition of our deep and daily dedication to our clients. We are working hard to provide them with products and innovative services in synch with their needs, and that they can see as differentiating and value-creating. In these challenging times, beyond our financial strength - the first and essential guarantee we do offer to people -, our teams and distributors are truly committed to supporting and accompanying our 100 million clients throughout their lives, in good times and bad. I would like to thank them very warmly for their efforts and their instrumental role in making our brand such a great asset. To keep on deserving the trust of our clients, we must continue to strengthen our quality of service and relentlessly improve the customer experience. This is how AXA will stay amongst the leading brands of the industry.” AXA is also included in the 50 Best Global Green Brands ranking published by Interbrand in June-end 20122, an important recognition of the company performance in terms of its environmental initiatives.

26

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

business

QNB announces financial results Net profit up by 15.0 percent

Land Rover delivers new premium look to the LR2 Range Rover Evoque equipment now available in LR2 WHITLEY: Land Rover has given the LR2 a premium overhaul, delivering even better comfort, convenience and driving enjoyment. New colours, new exterior design features, upgraded equipment levels and the new lightweight and efficient petrol engine all contribute to make this SUV even better. Interior equipment levels soar to new heights in the LR2 with a host of fresh and exciting features including three new colour ways as part of a ‘Dynamic’ theme, brand new centre console, 7-inch colour touch-screen with enhanced audio systems from Meridian and upgraded satellite navigation.

Passive start replaces key dock and there’s a new ‘intelligent’ electric parking brake which adjusts brake force according to the slope the vehicle is parked on.

For the first time, rear view camera capability is also available on the LR2. Exterior design details have been revamped for an integrated and co-ordinated appearance, including more contemporary lights front and rear using the latest LED technology and a new signature graphic in the front running lights.

The exciting news on the engine front is that the six-cylinder Si6 petrol is replaced by the turbocharged Si4, four-cylinder engine. Essentially the same engine used in the Range Rover Evoque, this lightweight Si4 produces more power than the Si6 yet is more economical and sees a 14 percent reduction in CO2 to 224g/km.

“The LR2’s equipment levels bring a more premium look and feel to the overall driving experience. In addition, our customers continue to benefit from our refined and economical range of diesel engines and can now opt for the powerful and highly efficient new Si4 petrol,” says John Edwards, Land Rover Global Brand Director. He adds: “It’s another step forward for the LR2 where outstanding equipment levels, superb design, safety and all-terrain capability continue to set the standards in this class.”

All these great new features are underpinned by the fact that the LR2 scores 5 stars in the coveted Euro NCAP for occupant safety. As the most capable SUV in its class, the LR2 offers the durability and sure-footed all-terrain breadth of capability both on and off road that only a Land Rover can provide.

An interior packed with exciting features New features and more convenient equipment options bring a host of improved benefits to customers looking for a modern, all-terrain, multi-purpose vehicle. The first thing you notice when entering the LR2’s contemporary looking cabin is a brand new centre console. The original Terrain Response dial has been replaced by switches and a shutter reveals additional storage space.

An optional ‘Dynamic’ theme is based on the SE models and this comes in three new colours, Ebony, Ivory or Pimento, each with matching stitching and co-ordinated door casings to complete the look.

A crisp new instrument cluster with a 5-inch screen displaying primary vehicle-related information, such as temperature and fuel levels, gear positions and Terrain Response mode, now sits between the dials across the LR2 model range, complemented with steering wheel toggle switches to operate the clearest of drop down menus and vehicle set-up details.

Cabin space and safety are improved with the introduction of an intelligent electric parking brake which adjusts brake force according to the slope the vehicle is parked on. The system is so intelligent it

even takes into account whether the brakes are hot or cold. If hot, the system ‘wakes up’ periodically to ensure clamping force is not lost as the brakes cool down. Despite being operated by a single switch, the electric parking brake may still be used as an emergency brake, automatically selecting the most stable braking method by employing skid prevention techniques. An additional safety feature ensures the brake cannot be released unless the driving seat is occupied.

More convenience comes in the form of Passive Start which replaces the key docking system, meaning that as long as the key is somewhere inside the car, the engine starts at the touch of a button. Rear view camera capability is also introduced. The view from the back of the vehicle is displayed on the Infotainment screen with dynamic lines representing the boundaries of the vehicle and your predicted path as you reverse. The system also incorporates ‘Hitch Assist’, a graphic superimposed on the camera showing the position of the tow ball.

The navigation system is enhanced with a faster hard drive-based system which comes with all the features the customer would expect such as ECO Route planning, Dynamic Zoom, Visual Lane guidance and POI (Point of Interest) management. You can also manage waypoints and store locations as well as POIs by name.

Infotainment moves up a level For the first time on LR2, the premium Meridian audio system is available with a choice of 380W or 825W. The outstanding Meridian sound system is delivered with a new 7-inch colour touch-screen and either the 380W, 11-speaker system for exceptional stereo sound quality or the impressive 825W surround sound 17-speaker system with Trifield technology to provide a natural, enveloping concert-like experience for all occupants. Both are equipped with subwoofers for a deep, bass sound and Audyssey MultEQ audio tuning system. A new and upgraded 80W 8-speaker unit with 5-inch colour display screen is also available at entry-level.

Equipped with AM/FM radio tuner, the music players support CD, DVD, Virtual CD, iPod and USB. There’s also a 3.5mm aux jack input for music players and Bluetooth audio streaming to any supporting devices including headphones. The virtual CD comprises a hard drive which can store the equivalent of up to 10 Audio CDs identifiable using Gracenote.

Sharp detailing to the exterior Three stunning new colours are added to the LR2 range, Aintree Green, Havana and Mauritius Blue, whilst an additional all new 17-inch alloy wheel design becomes available as an option at entry-level.

Exteriors gain a number of new integrated design features resulting in a co-ordinated and premium appearance. Boasting the latest in Xenon LED technology, the front and rear lamps have been revamped giving the LR2 a sportier yet purposeful new look, set off with a new signature graphic in the front running lights. The grille and fog lamp bezels now sport a bright finish and there are paint detailing changes to the front grille surround, insert bars and fender vent to harmonise the different elements.

How the models line up With this generation of LR2, models are simply dif-

ferentiated by trim level and not by powertrain specification. Entry level to the range is the LR2 S with cloth seats as standard. The Dynamic version has gloss black fender vents and grille bars with black grille surround, complemented on the interior with three colourway choices of sport-themed electric leather seats. Top of the range is the HSE with a grained leather and wood interior as standard. There’s the option of 19-inch Diamond Turned wheels and Grand Black Lacquer finisher and also Windsor leather seats with premium carpet mats for that extra special touch.

Petrol power from the lightweight Si4 2.0 The new 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine joins the LR2 line-up, reducing CO2 emissions by 14 percent compared to the outgoing Si6 engine. Powering the LR2, the new direct injection, turbocharged Si4 engine now delivers 240PS and an increase of seven percent on torque to 340Nm, providing a broader spread of torque for relaxed cruising and strong lowspeed response. The all-aluminium engine is a full 40kg lighter than the previous six-cylinder and returns a competitive 224g/km CO2.

The Si4 engine first appeared in the Range Rover Evoque and is packed with advanced technical features including high pressure direct injection and variable valve timing on both inlet and exhaust. A high efficiency turbocharger delivers instant lag-free response and a fabricated steel exhaust manifold promotes quicker catalytic converter light-off to reduce emissions. Piston rings and tappets are treated with a low-friction coating to reduce friction and therefore, fuel consumption which is now 9.6 litres/100 km from 10.7 litres/100km . Twin balancer shafts ensure a silky, smooth response easily on a par with that of a sixcylinder engine.

Mechanically, the Si4 is virtually identical to the Evoque version. To suit the LR2, only minor changes were needed to the engine mounting points in the vehicle and the exhaust system was redesigned to achieve the appropriate noise characteristics within the LR2 bodyshell. The engine management system was adjusted slightly to suit the size and aerodynamic package of the LR2 but the torque and power characteristics remain unchanged from the Evoque.

The Si4 is paired with the quick-shifting, refined and highly efficient Aisin AWF21 six-speed automatic transmission with full-time four-wheel drive and a Haldex rear axle differential. The transmission was redesigned for 2011 with an advanced neutral logic control to reduce drag when the vehicle is stationary.

Revised clutches and the introduction of low viscosity oil also improved efficiency while adaptive shifting is available in both normal and sport modes. Land Rover’s peerless CommandShift provides slick manual shifting while Terrain Response gives sure-footed traction and handling in all conditions.

“Downsizing from a six cylinder to a highly efficient yet powerful four-cylinder engine combines high performance and refinement with the economy our petrol engine customers expect. It also delivers a significant weight reduction that further enhances the driving dynamics,” says David Mitchell, Chief Programme Engineer for LR2.

Saving every last drop of fuel with smart charging All LR2s are equipped with Land Rover’s Intelligent Power System Management (IPSM) which includes Smart Regenerative Charging. This feature ensures that, where possible, the alternator only charges the battery as the vehicle is decelerating, recovering kinetic energy rather than consuming fuel. IPSM was designed as part of Land Rover’s - Terrain Technologies programme which aims to continually improve engineering efficiency in every Land Rover.

Traditional Land Rover safety, durability and capability Four wheel drive models (TD4, SD4 and Si4) are all equipped with the same, class leading, intelligent four-wheel drive system. The system responds to changes in grip in 150 milliseconds to adjust torque between front and rear axles. Terrain Response optimises the electronic systems for conditions and there are four settings, General Driving, Grass-Gravel-Snow, Mud & Ruts and Sand. Gradient Release control ensures smooth hill starts both ascending and descending for absolute safety and driver confidence on any surface.

QATAR: QNB Group, one of the largest and one of the most highly regarded financial institutions in the Middle East and North Africa region, has announced its financial results for the nine months ended September 30, 2012. The group recorded a net profit of QR6.2 billion, up by 15.0 percent compared to the same period last year, demonstrating QNB Group’s success across business activities and the ability to achieve strong growth in profitability for the benefit of shareholders.

Key indicators of the nine months ended 30 September 2012: Robust growth and prudent management of assets and liabilities Total assets increased by 25.3 percent since September 30, 2011 to reach QR351.0 billion, the highest ever achieved by the group. This was the result of a strong growth rate of 41.9 percent in loans and advances to reach QR238.6 billion. Meanwhile, customer deposits recorded solid growth of 37.4 percent to QR268.5 billion.

Yousef Hussain Kamal

confirmed by Moody’s, Standard and Poor’s, Fitch and Capital Intelligence.

Based on the Group’s strong capitalization and high credit ratings, QNB was named one of the World’s 50 Safest Banks and one of the Safest Banks in the Middle East, according to the latest update published by Global Finance in April 2012.

Successful launch of the EMTN Program QNB Group launched its debut bond issue under its Euro Medium Term Note Program in the international capital markets which amounted to $1.0 billion with a 5-year maturity. This highly successful issue received an overwhelming interest from regional and international investors. The bank has also successfully closed a syndicated facility amounting to $1.8 billion with a maturity of three years that was competitively priced. This facility received a very strong interest from regional and international financial institutions and was several times oversubscribed.

Ali Shareef Al-Emadi

Outstanding assets quality The bank was able to maintain the ratio of non-performing loans to total loans at 1.2 percent, a level considered to be the lowest amongst banks in the Middle East and North Africa.

Provisions were conservatively managed, as the coverage ratio reached 116 percent.

Increased revenues with improved efficiency Total operating income increased to QR8.5 billion, up by 18.8 percent compared to the same period last year, as QNB Group succeeded in achieving strong growth across the range of revenue sources. Net interest income and income from Islamic financing activities increased substantially, up by 25.2 percent to reach QR6.8 billion.

QNB Group continued to diversify its income sources, with net fees and commissions income increasing by 4.1 percent to QR968.2 million, while net gain from foreign exchange increased by 31.4 percent to QR452.9 million.

The efficiency ratio (cost to income ratio) stood at 16.6 percent, compared to 15.3 percent in September 2011, one of the best ratios among financial institutions in the Middle East and North Africa.

Robust capitalisation Total shareholders’ equity increased by 13.1 percent since 30 September 2011 to reach QR46.2 billion. QNB Group maintains a strong capital adequacy ratio higher than the regulatory requirements of Qatar Central Bank and Basel Committee. The group is keen to maintain a strong capitalisation in order to support future strategic plans.

High credit ratings The Bank has a high rating assigned to it from a number of leading rating agencies. The Bank’s ratings are considered amongst the highest amongst the leading financial institutions in the region due to its strong financial position, high quality of its assets and its leading position in the financial sector.

During the year, the Bank’s rating was

Ambitious plans for the future A new 5-year strategic plan was approved which aims to make QNB Group a Middle East and Africa Icon.

The new strategy aims to maintain the group’s position as the leading bank in the area by expanding and improving operations, diversifying income sources, and achieving a high return to shareholders.

In line with QNB Group’s strategy for international expansion, the Bank has increased its stake in Mansour Bank in Iraq to 51 percent. As a result, QNB Group will effectively manage Mansour Bank and provide support to enhance its ability to offer a comprehensive range of products and services. Also, the bank’s stake in the UAE based Commercial Bank International was raised to 40 percent and the Bank has acquired a 49 percent stake in Commerce and Development Bank in Libya, one of the leading private sector banks in the country.

In line with efforts to further improve customer service through the offering of unique and advanced solutions, the group launched a mobile near field communication payment program. This service, which is first to be offered in Qatar, allows customers to process payments through their mobile phones.

QNB Group which operates in 24 countries around the world through its network, subsidiaries and associate companies employs more than 8,500 staff operating from 383 branches and offices that are supported by an ATM network that exceeds 780 machines.

Based on the group’s continuous strong performance and the expanding international presence, the bank is currently ranked as the most valuable brand in the MENA region, with a world ranking of 114 from 189 in 2011.

The bank continues to place high emphasis on recruiting Qatari nationals and to provide them with dedicated training programs to further enhance their capabilities through the Bank’s Training Centre. This has allowed the bank to achieve a Qatarisation ratio that exceeds 50 percent, the highest among financial institutions in Qatar.

M&C increases presence in China SINGAPORE: Millennium & Copthorne Hotels (M&C) yesterday signed a contract to manage its first resort hotel in China. The 151-room Millennium Hangzhou Resort is situated in a forested hillside in Jiuxi Ping Feng or Nine Creek Mountain in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. The 5star resort is located within a tranquil tea plantation, famous for growing Chinese teas like the Longjing or Dragon Well Tea and is scheduled to open in the third quarter of 2013.

Since the successful entry into China in 2006, M&C has expanded its footprint with 6 other properties Millennium Hotel Chengdu, Millennium Harbourview Hotel Xiamen, Millennium Hotel Wuxi, Copthorne Hotel

Qingdao and the luxury Grand Millennium Beijing Hotel.

It also operates the 329-room serviced apartment complex Millennium Residences Beijing Fortune Plaza, located in the capital’s CBD. Over the next three years, M&C will continue its expansion into China with two other new properties located in popular tourist and business destinations -M Hotel Chengdu in Sichuan Province (194 rooms), and Millennium Fuqing in Fujian Province (510 rooms).

Together with Millennium Hangzhou Resort, these new properties will add 855 rooms to M&C’s current portfolio in China. This current phase of expansion will see a total of M&C’s hospitality portfolio increase to 10 properties in

China with over 3,500 rooms. This is in line with M&C’s strategy of expanding its footprint in China by owning, or managing hotels in the world’s fastest growing economy and potentially the largest global tourist market said M&C Chairman Kwek Leng Beng at the signing ceremony for Millennium Hangzhou Resort, today (27 September 2012) at the Tower Club on the top floor of Republic Plaza, Singapore.

For the Chinese owners, Shanghai Seagull Holding Group, yesterday’s signing of the management contract is its second with M&C. The Millennium Hongqiao Hotel in Shanghai, which it owns, was also M&C’s first hotel that it managed in China in 2006. Shanghai Seagull Holding

Group President Yang Weijian speaking at the signing ceremony said “We have a strong and established longterm relationship with M&C since the signing of Millennium Hongqiao in 2006. Since then, the results have been impressive. The hotel has won various awards and has made an outstanding mark among Shanghai’s many other 5-star hotels.

M&C also announced that it will also expand in Taiwan soon when Millennium Vee Hotel Taichung opens there next month. Located in downtown Taichung, the 267room hotel aims at business and leisure travelers, offering convenient access to major travel links including business, shopping and cultural attractions.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

TECHNOLOGY

‘Mission Control’ events spark a global conversation DUBAI: On Monday, a global conversation around the The Human Face of Big Data was sparked at “Mission Control” events in London, Singapore and New York. Leading experts provided attendees (and those watching around the world via a live stream)with an extraordinary view of humanity’s new ability to collect, analyze, triangulate and visualize vast amounts of data in real time. Rick Smolan, co-creator of the groundbreaking “Day in the Life” series and other globally crowdsourced media projects, and The Human Face of Big Data primary sponsor EMC, shone a spotlight on how Big Data is changing our planet, addressing some of the most pressing issues of our time and creating what amounts to a central nervous system for our world.

“Big Data is beginning to affect every aspect of our existence,” said Smolan. “Everyone carrying a smartphone has become a human sensor.

Ourincreasing ability to sense and measure the world in real time is something our planet has never seen before. From curing diseases to conserving precious resources such as water and energy, Big Data may be the exact toolset we need to address many of the most pressing issues of our time.”

At Mission Control: NYC, attendees heard from an impressive list of presenters, including Carlos Dominguez, Esther Dyson, Juan Enriquez, Sheldon Gilbert, Scott Harrison, Aaron Koblin, Deb Roy, Paul

Sagan and Jer Thorp. They also got a preview of images and stories from the upcoming “ The Human Face of Big Data” book. The book features photography, essays and infographics by Nigel Holmes, and is being delivered to 10,000 world leaders, scientists, business leaders and other influencers in 30 countries on Nov 20.

Immediately following, more than 25 leading entrepreneurs, scientists and innovators shared examples of their work in an interactive “Big Data Lab.” At Mission Control in Singapore, speakers included Kristian Kloeckl and Russell John. In London, speakers included Jake Porway and Dave Lundberg.

“It’s important to show that Big Data isn’t just ones and zeroes; it affects people’s lives. Rick knows how to show that. He has a magical way of making things happen and getting people to contribute to projects like this,” said Esther Dyson, founder of EDVenture and a speaker in New York.

“Through Big Data, we can go beyond just isolating largely circulated messages and their authors. We can even find out how influential a person is in social media to show how they are driving real-time conversations. The compilation of Big Data gives us the power to identify the key influencers in any industry,” said Deb Roy, cofounder andchairman ofBluefin Labs.

“Big Data is changing our world and, for the first time in history, we have the ability to use data on our own to change the world for the better. By connecting the skills of the data science community with the causes and vision of the social sector, we can go beyond just using data to make better decisions about what kind of movies we want to see or what restaurants we want to go to, and instead use data to make better decisions about what kind of a world we want to see,” commented Jake Porway, executive director of DataKind.

Also shared at Mission Control Monday was a sampling of early results from the first of eight weeksof data to be collected from “The Human Face of Big Data” mobile app.This free applicationavailable now through Nov 20, when The Human Face of Big Data book and free iPad app will be released-allows people from around the world to anonymously share and compare their lives using the sensors in their phones and by responding to thought-provoking questions about their dreams, interests and views on family, sleep, trust, sex and luck. The Android version of the app is currently available, and the iOS version will launch soon.

At the end of the project on Nov 20, the anonymized data will be made available to educators, historians, anthropologists, scientistsand the public, providing a snapshot of two months in the

life of humanity. Full videos from each event-New York, London and Singapore-and individual videos from each presenter will soon be available on HumanFaceOfBigData.com.

To learn more about other elements ofThe Human Face of Big Data, including the book, the free iPad app and a student initiative called Data Detectives, please visit the website.

The Human Face of Big Data is editorially independent and is made possible through the support of EMC Corporation, which serves as the primary sponsor. Additional supporting sponsorship is provided by Cisco,VMware, Tableau and Originate.Visualizations were provided by metaLayer.

The Human Face of Big Data, produced by Against All Odds Productions, is a globally crowdsourced media project focusing on humanity’s new ability to collect, analyze, triangulate and visualize vast amounts of data in real time. Against All Odds, described by Fortune magazine as “one of the 25 coolest companies in America,” specializes in the design and execution of large-scale global projects that combine compelling storytelling with state-ofthe-art technology. The company’s projects have been featured on the covers of numerous magazines including Fortune, Time, Newsweek and US News & World Report.

China’s telecom gear makers pose potential risk to US House intelligence panel report

CHENNAI: Indian fishermen stand on their fishing boats as they protest against the Russian-built Kudankulam Atomic Power Project, background, at Kudankulam, about 700 km south of Chennai, Tamil Nadu state. Construction of the plant has been delayed by protests in the past year by residents and antinuclear groups against the loading of nuclear fuel in the Russian-built reactor and about safety following the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster in Japan last year. — AP

WASHINGTON/HONG KONG: China’s top telecoms gear makers should be shut out of the US market as potential Chinese state influence on them poses a security threat, the US House of Representatives’ Intelligence Committee said in a report yesterday. US intelligence must stay focused on efforts by Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and ZTE Corp to expand in the United States, and tell the private sector as much as possible about the purported espionage threat, the panel leaders said, based on their 11-month investigation of the two firms.

SINGAPORE: This file picture taken on June 19, 2012 shows visitors gathering at the Huawei booth during the CommunicAsia telecom expo and conference in Singapore. Chinese telecom giants Huawei and ZTE pose a security threat to the United States. — AFP

Kaspersky Lab warms up for participation at Gitex DUBAI: Kaspersky Lab, a developer of secure content management solution announced today its preparation for a fullyfledged participation at Gitex Technology week, ITU Telecom World (ITU is the International Telecommunication Union), the United Nations agency for information and communication technology. Both events will be held at the Dubai World Trade Center, United Arab Emirates, from Oct 14 to 18.

Kaspersky Lab stand will be located in Hall 1, booth numberC1-10 at Gitex Technology week. At the booth, Kaspersky Lab will be showcasing its latest solution range of security solutions for homes, small offices and enterprises, with a special highlight on its recently launched KIS 2013, which combines cloud-based functionality and powerful security technologies.

Commenting on the participation, TarekKuzbari, Managing Director of Kaspersky Lab Middle East and Turkey said, “We continue to reaffirm our commitment to the Middle East region through our significant participation in both events Gitex Technology Week and ITU Telecom World.

We are honored to welcome Kaspersky Lab’s delegation headed by Eugene Kaspersky, and we are positive that we will add so much value through sharing our global expertise,” “Kaspersky Lab has

always been known for its technological excellence and innovation in antimalware, demonstrated by its breakthrough detection technology. In the time of this new paradigm of evolving cyber-threats, it has become imperative that all users, whether at home or at work, grasp the appropriate education on internet security and undertake the proper measures to control cyber weapons, and the future of the IT security industry as a whole”, he continued.

A delegation of senior executives will be flying-in to Dubai to share their knowledge and experience, and showcase Kaspersky Lab’s latest security solutions throughout the events. The commission will be headed

by Eugene Kaspersky, founder and Chief Executive Officer, Kaspersky Lab, accompanied by CostinRaiu, Director, Global Research & Analysis Team, Stefan Tanase, Senior Security Researcher, EEMEA, Global Research & Analysis Team and a group of international researchers and analysts.

Eugene Kaspersky will deliver a keynote speech at ITU Telecom World, outlining the magnitude and global nature of cyberthreats today. Topics including mitigating risks posed by major coordinated cyberattacks at a national level and strengthening international cooperation will be explored during the ITU Telecom World.

Xerox strengthens workflow solutions DUBAI: Xerox is unveiling new enhancements to its FreeFlow(r) Digital Workflow Collection so printers can stay competitive in an increasingly demanding industry. A number of upgrades to several popular FreeFlow solutions give printers innovative ways to maximize time, productivity and resources.

As web-to-print orders continue to increase, upgrades to Xerox FreeFlow Web Services 9.0 makes it easier to interact with international companies with tools to handle multiple languages and currencies.

To address the spike in mobile device use, both printers and their customers can access FreeFlow Web Services via their smartphones and tablets, removing any barriers to placing or receiving an order.

Also, with the Web Services’ open system, printers can tailor and integrate their site with third party or organic software. New to the FreeFlow Variable Information (VI) Suite is an expanded feature set to support a PDF workflow. Both VI Design Express and VI Design Pro can now create PDF files right at a workstation. Users can select the best output option for their needs based on speed, flexibility and cost.

This update supports PDF objects as variable resources and is compliant with

industry standards. Debuting for the first time in North America are two workflow solutions that address common production frustrations: * IntegratedPLUS Finishing Solution for Booklets - eliminates bottlenecks often associated with in-line and off-line booklet production, allowing more jobs to be completed faster.

A touchless workflow in prepress operations increases uptime by removing the need for manual prepress and finisher setup - booklet jobs are preflighted and imposed according to the requirements of each unique job. Also, in-line finishing devices can be shared with multiple printers in a shop, maximizing productivity and flexibility. * FreeFlow Fleet Navigator - establishes a common workflow to send jobs to various multi-vendor devices within a print shop. By doing so, costs can be reduced by selecting the right press based on the economics of the job.

The automation feature ensures that the job is ticketed only once and that programming is maintained throughout the production cycle, regardless of the devices being used. This eliminates the need for additional operators or training, saving time and money.

SHENZHEN: This file photo taken on Feb 21, 2011 shows a general view of the head office of Chinese telecom giant Huawei in Shenzhen, in southern China’s Guangdong province. Chinese telecom giants Huawei and ZTE pose a security threat to the United States and should be barred from US contracts and acquisitions, a yearlong congressional investigation has concluded. — AFP Employee-owned and unlisted Huawei is the world’s second-biggest maker of routers, switches and telecoms equipment by revenue after Sweden’s Ericsson. ZTE ranks fifth. In the global mobile phone sector, ZTE is fourth and Huawei sixth. Huawei generated around 4 percent of its group sales from the United States, while ZTE’s US revenues made up 2-3 percent of its overall figure. The bulk of both companies’ US sales comes from selling handsets through US carriers such as Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile USA. “The impact will be quite limited if the report is referring just to telecoms equipment, but it’s another story if handsets are included as well,” said Huang Leping, an analyst at Nomura Securities. “Huawei and ZTE handsets have been consistently gaining market share in the United States.” In the US handsets market where Apple Inc and Samsung Electronics dominate, ZTE

ranks sixth and Huawei eighth, according to industry figures.

The broadside - just a month before US presidential elections where the impact of China’s growth on US jobs has been a campaign issue comes as Huawei mulls a possible initial public offering, sources said, as part of its efforts to allay suspicions that have all but blocked its US ambitions, including business tie-ups.

Huawei has been looking at the listing issue for years, but there has been little progress due to its complicated share structure and whether a listing would actually help, given that US lawmakers remain suspicious of ZTE even though it’s a listed company, analysts said.

Huawei spokesman William Plummer rejected the committee’s allegations in a statement emailed to Reuters. “Baseless suggestions otherwise or purporting that Huawei is somehow uniquely vulnerable to cyber mischief ignore technical and commercial realities, recklessly threaten American jobs and innovation, do nothing to protect national security, and should be exposed as dangerous political distractions from legitimate public-private initiatives to address what are global and industry-wide cyber challenges,” he said. For its part, ZTE released a copy of the letter on Monday it sent to the committee after a hearing in September, stating it “profoundly disagrees” with the claim that it is directed or controlled by the Chinese government. “ZTE should not be a focus of this investigation to the exclusion of the much larger Western vendors,” it said.

At a briefing in Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said Chinese telecoms firms operate according to market principles.

“We hope the US Congress will set aside prejudices and respect the facts, and also do more that is beneficial to Sino-American economic and trade ties, rather than the contrary,” he said.

ZTE’s Hong Kong-listed shares closed down 6 percent on Monday in their biggest one-day

drop in more than a month. The benchmark index fell 0.9 percent. Separately, US network equipment maker Cisco Systems Inc said it ended a longstanding sales partnership with ZTE after an internal investigation into allegations the Chinese firm sold Cisco networking gear to Iran. The US panel’s draft report faulted both Huawei and ZTE for failing to satisfy its requests for documents, including detailed information about formal relationships or regulatory interaction with Chinese authorities.

US companies thinking about buying from Huawei should “find another vendor if you care about your intellectual property; if you care about your consumers’ privacy and you care about the national security of the United States of America,” panel chairman Mike Rogers said in comments broadcast late on Sunday on the CBS News program “60 Minutes.”

Rogers and the committee’s top Democrat, C.A. Ruppersberger, have scheduled a 10 a.m.

Eastern time (1400 GMT) news conference to release the final, unclassified version of their report. The panel said it received credible allegations from unnamed industry experts and current and former Huawei employees suggesting Huawei, in particular, may be guilty of bribery and corruption, discriminatory behavior and copyright infringement. The committee plans to refer such allegations to the Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security, according to the draft made available to Reuters. “US network providers and system developers are strongly encouraged to seek other vendors for their projects,” it said. The document cited what it called long-term security risks supposedly linked with the companies’ equipment and services.Based on classified and unclassified information, Huawei and ZTE, which are both based in Shenzhen, China, “cannot be trusted to be free of foreign state influence and thus pose a security threat to the United States and to our systems,” it said. —AFP

Apple’s maps app lets you follow the voice FREMONT: Apple’s new maps app came out the day I started a 2,243-mile road trip through four states. As complaints about it trickled in and Apple’s CEO apologized, I was left wondering whether people were using the same app I was.

Although it’s not flawless or as good as Google’s maps app on Android phones, Apple’s new offering on the iPhone got me where I needed to go - for the most part. I know many people will disagree with me, but I even find it an improvement over the old app on iPhones because I now get voice navigation and automatic re-routing.

I’ve used Google’s Android app since it was released three years ago. I don’t own a car, but I travel a lot. The app has proven crucial in getting me to unfamiliar territories in New England and various Southern states from Arizona to South Carolina. Google brought to the phone the spoken-aloud, turn-by-turn directions once limited to GPS navigational devices from Garmin, TomTom and others. Make a wrong turn, and the app automatically updates with new directions.

Best of all, it’s always been free.

Until last month, Google was also behind the

free, main maps app on iPhones.

But that one didn’t have voice navigation or automatic re-routing. Driving with it meant swiping through pages of on-screen directions.

A friend missed a train in May as we overlooked a step and went the wrong way on a highway, ending up back where we came from. A drive from Ann Arbor to Lansing, Mich., took 17 steps, each with its own page. After Step 9, I had to pull into a rest stop to memorize subsequent steps and avoid an accident.

Apple wanted voice directions, too, and figured the only way to get it was to build its own maps app and bump Google from its perch as the default offering. It partnered with TomTom and shipped the iPhone 5 with the new app. A software update out Sept. 19 made it available on the iPhone 4S and the cellular versions of the latest two iPad models.

I updated an iPhone 4S in a hotel room in Grand Rapids, Mich., that night and was immediately impressed. It was a nice touch to have turnby-turn directions narrated by Siri, the familiar female voice from Apple’s virtual-assistant feature. Then I started hearing the complaints.

I agree with many of them. The Apple app didn’t show as many businesses and landmarks as Google’s. Some appeared in the wrong location or were mislabeled. The Apple app didn’t offer public transit directions, something crucial for New Yorkers like me. A friend I was visiting toward the end of the two-week trip immediately complained that the app looked different as she pulled it out for the first time.

Head to head, the Google app for Android, which I used on a Samsung Galaxy Nexus and a Galaxy S III, outperformed Apple’s version in many respects: Google’s app typically told me about turns a second or two quicker.

Sometimes, I didn’t hear from Siri until I got to the intersection, two lanes away from where I needed to be to make a right turn. I got better navigation on private roads with Google. At a shopping mall, Google guided me along the right driveways to get to JC Penney, while Apple got me to the general vicinity. Google also got me to the front door of my hotel in Ann Arbor, while Apple got me to the entrance of a complex that included other hotels, a gas station and retail stores. —AP

28

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

health & science

Seven dead in spreading US meningitis outbreak WASHINGTON: At least seven people have died and 91 have fallen ill in the United States in a worsening meningitis outbreak tied to a contaminated drug, updated figures showed Sunday. Cases have been identified in nine states, with the hardesthit being Tennessee, where 32 people have been diagnosed with the fungal infection and three have died, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

Michigan is the second-most infected state, with 20 cases and two deaths, so far.

Cases have also been noted in a vast region spanning Florida, Maryland and Minnesota. In its latest bulletin, the CDC urged doctors to “actively contact” any patients who received doses of the poten-

NEWYORK: This undated photo made available by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a branch of the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. —AFP tially contaminated steroid injection typically used to treat back pain-as far back as May 21.

The public health agency said symptoms of fungal meningitis, which has a very long incubation period, include fever, new or worsening headaches, neck stiffness, sensitivity to light, new weakness or numbness, increasing pain, redness or swelling of the injection site.

The rare infection-which inflames the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord-often goes undetected until it is too late because its flu-like symptoms can be mild at first. But meningitis is not contagious in this form. Early detection and treatment-requiring a hospital stay to administer intravenous anti-fungal medications-can prevent permanent damage.

An initial investigation found that Tennessee clinicians who administered the contaminated drug “had no way of knowing” there was anything wrong with it and found “no lapses” in their standards,

according to the state’s health commissioner John Dreyzehner. “The evidence indicates this is a product issue,” he told reporters on Friday.

A multi-state investigation is underway to determine the cause of the outbreak, but the Food and Drug Administration said it had detected a fungal contaminant in a sealed vial of the drug produced by the New England Compounding Center in Massachusetts. While further testing is required to confirm it was the source of the outbreak, the company has issued a voluntary recall of all of its products and shut down all operations. Officials posted a list of the 75 health care facilities that received lots of the contaminated drug at: www.cdc.gov/hai/outbreaks/meningitisfacilities-map.html The two kinds of fungus linked to a meningitis outbreak are found in plenty of places and rarely make people sick. People inhale one kind, Aspergillus, all the time without any problem. It’s nearly impossible to avoid, found in such places as decaying leaves, trees, grain, soil, household dust, heating ducts and building materials. The fungus can also cause skin infections if it enters a break in the skin. The second kind, Exserohilum, is found in grass and rotting wood. When it causes disease, it’s most commonly skin infection or inflammation in the sinuses.

Both were detected this week in patients with meningitis that occurred after a contaminated steroid was injected into the spinal column of some patients getting pain treatments. That provides a rapid way for fungus to cause a serious infection. It’s not clear how the fungi got into the medication which was made by a specialty pharmacy. Usually, after somebody inhales Aspergillus spores, they’re destroyed by the body. But people with cystic fibrosis or asthma may have problems with it, wheezing and coughing. A more severe infection can arise in people with weakened immune systems, like those who’ve had transplant surgery or are getting chemotherapy for cancer.

This invasive infection can cause fever, chest pain and shortness of breath. Neither of those conditions spreads from person to person. It’s hard to tell exactly how common Aspergillus infections are, but one study suggests it may affect just 1 or 2 people per 100,000 every year. —Agencies

MASSACHUSETTS: The New England Compounding Center is shown here on October 5, 2012 in Framingham. —AFP

SpaceX readies supply mission launch WASHINGTON: NASA and US firm SpaceX are watching carefully to see if the weather will cooperate Sunday for the first launch of SpaceX’s $1.6 billion contract to supply the International Space Station. With less than an hour to go before liftoff, NASA said there was a 20 percent chance of unfavorable weather-specifically clouds and rain-that could force a delay until today. That is an improvement from earlier, when forecasters were predicting a 40 percent chance of bad conditions.

“Everything is looking real good for launch this evening,” said NASA launch commentator Mike Curie on the NASA TV broadcast, as images played of the Dragon capsule, loaded with around 1,000 pounds (455 kilograms) of supplies, and the Falcon 9 rocket that will power it into orbit, sitting on the launch pad. NASA said the rocket had been fully fueled and there were no technical problems that could delay liftoff.

SpaceX has said it has a “single instantaneous launch opportunity,” meaning if it misses its scheduled takeoff time-at 8:35 pm (0035 GMT) — it must wait until the next day. The launch is the next step in American efforts to commercialize the space industry, in the hope of reducing costs and spreading them among a wider group than government alone. SpaceX, owned by billionaire Paypal co-founder Elon Musk, is one of several private companies working with the US space agency to send flights to and from the ISS. NASA has been relying on Russian spacecraft for the last year, after retiring its fleet of shuttles.

The launch marks SpaceX’s second flight this year. In May, the company proved its mettle with a test flight to the orbiting outpost, conducting a near flawless nine-day trip to deliver cargo to

the $100 billion orbiting station-the first time a commercial outfit had sent its own capsule there and back. Although the equipment and software are largely the same this time around, SpaceX said the launch is hardly routine. “Every time we fly, we learn something,” SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell said in a Saturday news conference.

But Musk, the company owner, said earlier he aims to get to a point where space launches are nothing out of the ordinary. “The ultimate thing is to try to get spaceflight as routine as air flight. I don’t think it can quite get there but it can get closer than it has been in the past,” he said during an online “hangout” hosted by Google+. Like traveling by plane, Musk said he hopes one of the payoffs will be that everyday people, not just the rich, can one day afford a seat.

“Perhaps it can be brought down to being only 10 times more expensive” than a seat on an airplane, he said. “It can happen. If we can make rapidly and fully reusable spacecraft.” NASA Administrator Charles Bolden added that part of commercializing the space industry will mean the private sector building new low-orbit destinations where companies can use the zero gravity environment for things like materials processing and pharmaceuticals research. “That’s what we’re trying to do, is facilitate the true development of a real commercial industry where the government is an anchor tenant but not the primary source of income,” Bolden said during the Google+ chat. SpaceX says it has 50 launches planned-both NASA missions and commercial flights-representing about $4 billion in contracts. But the Dragon capsule’s cargo is not commercial: the manifest lists supplies from NASA, along with the Japanese and European space agencies. — AFP

KYOTO: Kyoto University Professor Shinya Yamanaka, left, speaks in front of packed photographers and TV camera crew during a news conference at Kyoto University. —AP photos

Reprogrammed cells open new medical window Safety a worry for alternative to embryo cells LONDON: The Nobel Prize-winning discovery of how to reprogram ordinary cells to behave like embryonic stem cells offers a way to skirt around ethical problems with human embryos, but safety concerns make their future use in treating disease uncertain.

While researchers have already applied the scientific breakthroughs of Britain’s John Gurdon and Japan’s Shinya Yamanaka to study how diseases develop, making such cells into new treatments will involve a lot more checks.

Stem cells act as the body’s master cells, providing the source material for all other cells. They could transform medicine by regenerating tissue for diseases ranging from blindness to Parkinson’s disease. Creating embryo-like stem cells without destroying embryos gets round a key controversy by avoiding the need to process embryos left over at fertility clinics - a system that has led to political objections in the United States and elsewhere.

Reprogrammed cells - known as induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPS cells - offer an ethically neutral alternative. They have been a source of intense research since Yamanaka discovered their potential in 2006, building on work that Gurdon did in frogs and tadpoles 40 years earlier.

Recently, however, different research groups have noticed problems with iPS cells, suggesting they may not be as good as embryonic ones. In one study, iPS cells died more quickly and another found multiple genetic mutations, raising concerns that they could cause tumours.

Despite this, Japanese researchers hope to test iPS cells in clinical trials for a form of blindness as early as next year - catching up with recent successful eye trials using embryonic stem cells.

Researchers in the West are generally more wary.

“There is a bit of a divergence between Japan and the rest of the world on this,” Chris Mason, professor of regenerative medicine at University College London, told Reuters. “Scientists in Japan are

trying to move very rapidly towards clinical trials of iPS cells, whereas many of us still feel there are a lot of issues to overcome, especially in terms of safety.”

The future potential for reprogrammed cells is that they could be taken from sick people who could have their own “person specific cell replacement” to mend damaged organs or tissues.

But key worries include the fact that iPS technology involves using genes which could also be tumour-inducing in some circumstances and that other as-yet undetected problems might crop up after the new cells have been put into patients.

Gurdon played down such worries and said regulatory authorities and governments should take a step back and let patients assess the potential benefits and risks for

themselves.

“If you explain to a patient what can be done, and what might be the downside - then you should let the patient choose. Don’t have ethicists or ... doctors or whoever say you may or may not have replacement cells,” he told reporters.

Experts agreed that the pioneering work by the two new Nobel laureates had changed the field of stem cell research. “What’s grand in this discovery is that these specialized mature cells can rewind in their development and become stem cells,” said Urban Lendahl, chairman of the Nobel awards committee. Still, many experts believe the true promise of iPS cells is as unique research tools, rather than necessarily forming the basis of new medical therapies. They have a key advantage

over embryonic stem cells in that researchers can take them from people with a known disease, offering a window into how currently incurable illnesses develop at the cellular level.

Already, researchers have made iPS cells from patients with Gaucher ’s disease, Down Syndrome, Parkinson’s and diabetes. “I see iPS cells more for use in drug discovery and in understanding the mechanism of different diseases, rather than therapy,” said Dusko Ilic, a senior lecturer in stem cell science at King’s College London. Traditionally, researchers have used stand-ins for human tissue such as yeast, flies or mice for their drug research. Now, they can use human cells containing a complete set of the genes that resulted in a particular disease. — Reuters

Recent winners of the Nobel Prize in medicine 2012: Briton John Gurdon and Japan’s Shinya Yamanaka for their discovery that mature cells can be reprogrammed into immature cells that can be turned into all tissues of the body, a finding that revolutionized understanding of how cells and organisms develop.

2011: American Bruce Beutler and French researcher Jules Hoffmann for their discoveries concerning the activation of innate immunity, sharing it with Canadian-born Ralph Steinman for his discovery of the dendritic cell and its role in adaptive immunity.

2010: British researcher Robert Edwards for the development of in vitro fertilization.

2009: Americans Elizabeth Blackburn, Carol Greider and Jack Szostak for their discovery of how chromosomes are protected by telomeres and the enzyme telomerase, research that has implications for cancer and aging research.

2008: Harald zur Hausen and Francoise BarreSinoussi and Luc Montagnier for discoveries of human papilloma viruses causing cervical cancer and the discovery of human immunodeficiency virus. 2007: Mario R Capecchi and Oliver Smithies of the United States and Martin J Evans of the United Kingdom, for their discoveries leading to a powerful technique for manipulating mouse genes. 2006: Andrew Z Fire and Craig C Mello, of the United States, for their work in

controlling the flow of genetic information.

2005: Barry J Marshall and Robin Warren, of Australia, for their work in how the bacterium Helicobacter pylori plays a role in gastritis and peptic ulcer disease. 2004: Richard Axel and Linda B. Buck, both of the United States, for their work in studying odorant receptors and the organization of the olfactory system in human beings.

2003: Paul C Lauterbur, United States, and Sir Peter Mansfield, Britain, for discoveries in magnetic resonance imaging, a technique that reveals the brain and inner organs in breathtaking detail.

2002: Sydney Brenner and John E Sulston, Britain, and H Robert Horvitz, United States, for discoveries concerning how genes regulate organ development and a process of programmed cell death. 2001: Leland H Hartwell, United States, R Timothy Hunt and Sir Paul M Nurse, Britain, for the discovery of key regulators of the process that lets cells divide, which is expected to lead to new cancer treatments. 2000: Arvid Carlsson, Sweden, Paul Greengard and Eric R Kandel, United States, for research on how brain cells transmit signals to each other, thus increasing understanding on how the brain functions and how neurological and psychiatric disorders may be treated better. 1999: Guenter Blobel, United States, for protein research that shed new light on diseases, including cystic fibrosis and early development of kidney stones. 1998: Robert F. — AP

Mediflow therapeutic waterbase pillows: A custom fit makes all the difference NEW JERSEY: The Mediflow Waterbase water pillow is the only therapeutic pillow clinically shown, in a published peer-reviewed study, to improve quality of sleep and reduce neck pain.

Most people choose their pillows according to what feels comfortable. However, in order to maintain sleep and specifically a deeper, more rejuvenating sleep, a pillow must also provide support for the neck as you change positions during the night. For conventional pillows, these two requirements are in conflict. A soft pillow will not provide the support needed for the neck and shoulders and a firm pillow is typically unpleasant, making sleep difficult to attain.

The Mediflow pillow offers a customizable solution. The top layer of the Mediflow pillow is a plump layer of hypoallergenic polyester that feels soft and cloudlike when you lay your head on it. This deluxe Dacron Hollofil polyester fiber has a special siliconized finish to keep it lofty and resistant to

lumping up. The first truly unique feature that sets the Mediflow pillow apart from other pillows is its waterbase.

The water level in the base can be adjusted by the user to provide a customized level of support. By simply adding or removing water, the user can adjust the support level to soft, medium, or firm.

Secondly, once the water base is adjusted to the optimum level, the Mediflow system is ready to support the neck and spine by actually adjusting as the user sleeps. The user sleeps on the cloudlike polyester with the non-compressible Waterbase indiscernibly shifting to maintain the support needed for cervical region and cradle the head.

Even as the user moves during sleep the Waterbase responds to head movement greatly reducing the number of times the user wakes to adjust the pillow.

Mediflow is proud to be a top selling pillow on Amazon.com. To date, over 4 million people trust their sleep to Mediflow.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

health & science

Baumgartner’s last 24 hours before launch Felix Baumgartner ready to accomplish Red Bull Stratos

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elix Baumgartner will attempt to break the sound barrier in freefall today with a jump out of a space capsule from 120,000 feet / 36,576 meters. He has prepared for the effort over five long years - but intense anticipation may make the last 24 hours before takeoff the most challenging of all.

When Felix Baumgartner wakes up, 24 hours before the highest jump mankind has ever seen, it will be with the knowledge that he has done everything he possibly can to prepare for his freefall from the edge of space. So as he waits for the countdown to begin, the most important thing Baumgartner can do is rest and save his energy for the long night of activities that will precede the dawn launch of his mammoth balloon.

“I’ll probably feel the most anxious when I’m trying to sleep in the hours before I start getting ready - when everything’s quiet and it’s just me and my thoughts,” Baumgartner admits. “Once my day begins, I’ll have a lot to do and my mind will have something to focus on.”

Launch Minus 24 Hours: Baumgartner will start the day before the jump with a light cardio-based workout, mostly to “relax and loosen up,” according to Red Bull High Performance Director Andy

Walshe. Minus 18h30: The 43-year-old Austrian will return to his hotel to rest up.

If he’s not ready to nap, Baumgartner can pass the time talking with his close friends and family, reading messages of support that have been pouring in from around the globe, drawing in his sketchbook - a pastime that he says helps to clear his mind - or mentally reviewing his checklists for the mission.

Minus 13h30: Baumgartner will join members of the crew for a light early dinner, but the food on his plate will be unique. For at least 24 hours before his jump, he must stick to a low-fiber diet prescribed by the mission’s medical team.

It is vital for him to eat only foods that will clear his system quickly, without leaving residue that could create gas: a condition that can cause problems in the low-pressure of the stratosphere because it can expand in the body and cause serious discomfort.?

Minus 12h00: Baumgartner will attempt to get to sleep early - before the sun has even set. He’ll try to eliminate every glimmer of outside light and shut out the noise of circulation fans or other guests in the halls. It is essential that he tries to get some sleep before his predawn wake-up call, even though he will

certainly be wondering what he’ll experience in his attempt to become the first person to break the speed of sound in freefall.

Minus 4h30: “When I need to ready, I’m always ready,” Baumgartner often says.

And while he will try to sleep as long as possible, he’ll need to rise four to five hours before dawn to be ready for the intense day ahead.

Minus 3h30: Baumgartner will arrive at

the launch site, accompanied by Walshe.

Mission team leaders including Col. Joe Kittinger, Technical Project Director Art Thompson, and Meteorologist Don Day will provide a personal briefing on the launch preparations so far, which will have been underway for five hours.

Minus 3h00: Baumgartner will head to the runway where, as is habitual for the experienced pilot before every flight, he will conduct a meticulous inspection of

the capsule. Minus 2h30: In Baumgartner’s personal trailer, he will undergo a final medical check, and a compact, state-ofthe-art physiological monitoring system will be strapped to his chest to be worn under his pressure suit throughout the mission.

Minus 2h00: Life Support Engineer Mike Todd will dress Baumgartner in his suit, a painstaking process, and the Austrian will “pre-breathe” oxygen for two hours to eliminate nitrogen from his bloodstream, which could expand dangerously at altitude. Videos will help pass the time as he awaits the announcement that his balloon inflation has begun and he can move to the capsule.

Minus 0h30: Baumgartner will be strapped into his capsule chair to conduct final instrument checks as directed by Mission Control.

Then Capsule Engineer Jon Wells will seal the clear acrylic door. For a several more long minutes of anticipation, Baumgartner will await countdown and, finally, launch.

Felix Baumgartner’s freefall from 120,000 feet / 36,576 meters can be watched live on the day of the jump on www.redbullstratos.com For more information, please visit: www.redbullstratos.com

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

WHAT’S ON

SEND US YOUR INSTAGRAM PICS 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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BLS celebrates 20 years in Kuwait he British Ladies Society held their Monthly Dinner on Tuesday 2nd October at the Movenpick Hotel Al Bida’a. The President of the BLS, Mrs. Avril Bailey, welcomed new members and guests, as well as those members, returning after the summer break.

It was an occasion for catching up and enjoying a typical Kuwait buffet. The guest speaker was Major Heather Grinted of the Salvation Army Kuwait. The presentation of the work they do in Kuwait was most informative and interesting. Examples of the handycrafts that their members teach using everyday recycled materials were on display to show what can be made out of items we usually throw away.

No BLS dinner would be complete without a raffle and the happy winners left with prizes generously donated by a few of our sponsors.

IWG President Anna Nalbandyan addressing her speech.

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Spoken Sanskrit workshop amskrita, or Sanskrit as we call it, is the core of our Bharatiya culture and tradition. To enable the large expat Indian population in the Middle-East to benefit from this endeavour, Samskrita Bharathi will be coming to our doorsteps soon. In the month of October, a Samskrita Camp will be conducted in Kuwait jointly by Samskrita Bharathi, Vichar Bharati and the Department of Sanskrit, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Kuwait. This is a golden opportunity for everyone to dip into the vast ocean of the treasures we Indians have inherited in the form of the ancient language of Samskrita. The courses will be held from 12OCT - 20OCT. From 4PM - 6 PM Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Abbasiya and from 7PM - 9 PM Indian Community School (Junior), Salmiya.

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PR Narjis Al-Shatti with some members of the IWG. —Photos by Joseph Shagra

IWG launches activities for 2012-2013 season

By Nawara Fattahova he International Women’s Group (IWG) launched its activities for the 2012-2013 season by holding its monthly meeting yesterday morning at the Radisson Blu Hotel which was attended by about 120 of the IWG members.

Welcoming the participants at the launch of the new season, the new president of IWG, Anna Nalbandyan, who is the spouse of the Armenian Ambassador to Kuwait, appreciated the cultural and social activities undertaken by the group.

“I am looking forward to enjoy even more interesting events this season. I

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also hope that you will enjoy today’s activity,” she said.

She also reminded the members to renew their membership and pay the fees for this new season. The members meet regularly and hold different events and activities. “These activities include various celebrations and events such as visiting traditional places, museums, Arab Fund, Bayt Lothan, etc. In addition, there were other cultural activities such as those presented by diplomat women from various countries. This year, we will have the Indonesian women’s presentations among others,” Narjis Al-Shatti, member of IWG and the PR and Media

told the Kuwait Times.

“At the beginning of each season, we review the program of the group including different activities. We also take into consideration the suggestions and opinions of members regarding the activities and programs,” she added.

This is the first activity after the summer holiday. “As our first activity, we have chosen an issue close to women’s hearts, which is beauty. Today the Japanese world brand of cosmetics, Shiseido, is presenting its new product to treat and protect the skin, which will be available for the participating members to try, thanks to the giveaway samples

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 to- 97822021 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 non-political, 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.

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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 AIS-Hawally.

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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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Oriental Wednesdays at Radisson Blu 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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Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

Live presentation and skin test of the Shiseido products

Kuwaiti artist Thuraya Al-Baqsami

presented to them by Shisedo,” Al-Shatti said.

She also said that the IWG Kuwait chapter is a branch of the International Women’s Association based in Denmark and has branches all over the world, where they organize similar programs and activities. “Here in Kuwait, the wives of ambassadors will meet with the other members to exchange information about their country, tradition, food, culture and other issues,” stressed Al-Shatti.

The event concluded with a lunch buffet followed by a draw for special gifts presented to the lucky winning members. —Photos by Joseph

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

WHAT’S ON

Ruby Tuesday’s upcoming feature menu is something to look out for! he official food-tasting event of the upcoming New Feature menu was held at Ruby Tuesday Shaab for the members of the media and press.

The feature menu will be rolled out and served to the public during the last week of October. The popular casual dining restaurant chain debuts a reflection of the changing preferences of Ruby Tuesday’s customers and clearly displays its commitment to quality, freshness, variety, and value. When it comes to offering new choices and tantalizing flavors, Ruby Tuesday is once again emerging as a trendsetter. Sandy Beall, the founder and CEO of Ruby Tuesday, says “We’re excited about the new bold flavors on this menu and believe our guests will love them as much as they love their old favorites.”

Ruby Tuesday will soon begin to serve complimentary fresh-baked Garlic Cheese Biscuits to all guests. Our delicious biscuits are a savory, yet sweet accompaniment to the meal.

“The new menu has great-tasting dishes, with absolutely no compromise on flavors” said Thomas Stafford, Ruby Tuesday International’s Culinary Manager who was on his 2-month visit to Kuwait to train all chefs and cooks on the new menu. The new menu offers even more options and to make the selection process even easier, the choices are divided into three categories. Along with more variety in our Signature Fresh Garden Bar, we have our Classics, our new Fit & Trim sides, and our Premium sides - a group that includes a new Tilapia Trio which is a 3 flavored combination with mango salsa, a Tuscan cream sauce with spinach and bacon and basil pesto and served over rice pilaf.

“The new menus have been tested in the US markets and based on the new feedback, we are confidant that guests are going to like the new menu. The new items are truly Chef inspired says Bill Robinson, VP Operations, National Arabic Company Kuwait.

Mr. Hani Kafafi, CEO of National Arabic Company, mentioned, all new menu changes are a continuation of Ruby Tuesday’s “Fresh Taste, Fresh Place” brand transformation. The new plate presentation and portions look trendy and large and absolutely good for sharing.

They also blend with local flavors and will certainly find their place as a favorite amongst the local residents.

The media personalities thoroughly enjoyed the food tasting and commended that the new menu is sure to become every guest’s delight with a longing to

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he Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST)recently announced the appointment of Dr Ali Jamal AlKandari as the new Director of the Research and Development Office at the university.

Dr Al-Kandari’s solid teaching background and exceptional research achievements will be of great value to the growth and development of the Research Department.

GUST is confident that Dr Al-Kandari will thrive in his new role as Director of the Research and Development Office and undertake it with the same efficiency and solid work ethic that he has demonstrated in his various roles within the university. The university would like to take this opportunity to wish him luck in his new role.

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Winter 2012 AMIE examination

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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. ■■■■■■■

Dr Ali Al-Kandari assigned as director of R&D at GUST

ravasandhra Telugu Desam, Kuwait supports TDP suprimo Nara Chandrababu Naidu, former Chief Minister of Andra Pradesh. Chandra Babu performing continuous 2345 kilometres foot walk (Padayatra) against state problems and Govt actions. In this ocassion Pravasandra TDP organised a meeting in Hawally last Friday. Pravasandra TDP, Kuwait president Mulakala Subbarayudu Naidu and officials Venkat Koduri, Malepati Suresh Babu Naidu and others expressed their confidence that the TDP is sure to become into power. More than 50 members and TDP followers attended this meeting. BP Naidu, Peram Ramana, Pidikiti Srinivasa Chowdary, Perugu Srinu, Chandra, Prasad Skynet,Venkateswarlu, Ramesh, Prakash, Sudarshan, Raja Sekhar took a lead part in this event.

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.

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.

that cares about your professional growth.

After the seminar, attendees were able to network with each other and Alghanim Industries’ senior management and employees, as well as enjoy a buffet dinner.

Professor Hall is an Albert H. Gordon Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, where he is the Head of the Negotiation, Organizations and Markets (NOM) Unit. He is also an Executive Advisor at Alghanim Industries, and has worked with the company for over 10 years.

Alghanim Industries will be offering similar invitation-only events in the near future.

Pravasandhra extends support to Chandra Babu

Information

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Alghanim Industries hosts ‘Harvard Seminar’ at Hotel Missoni s part of its continuing efforts to give back to the local community and connect with talented Kuwaiti graduates, Alghanim Industries recently hosted a ‘Career Seminar’ for a select group of recently-graduated Kuwaiti undergrads and business students, at the Hotel Missoni in Salmiya.

Led by Harvard Business School Professor Brian J. Hall, the seminar focused on “Negotiating Success in your Business Career”, providing the participants with world-class tools and techniques to give them the edge in shaping their professional futures. Professor Hall touched on topics such as key factors to consider when looking for your first job, how to become a great leader, and the importance of working for a company

Embassy

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he AMIE Winter 2012 examinations will be held between Dec 01-07, 2012 as follows:

Section A (Diploma) - December 1-4, 2012 Section A (Non-Diploma) - December 1-7, 2012 Section B - December 1-7, 2012 The last date for submission of examination application forms are given hereunder: Candidates not appeared at Summer 2012 Exam: Aug 21 - Sept 21, 2012 Candidates appeared at Summer 2012 Exam: Sept 21 - Oct 19, 2012.

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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EMBASSY OF INDIA The Embassy of India will remain closed on OCT 24, 2012 -Wednesday-Dussehra (Vijaya Dashami) ■■■■■■■

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.

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EMBASSY OF PERU The Embassy of Peru is located in Sharq, Ahmed Al-Jaber Street, Al-Arabiya Tower, 6th Floor. Working days/hours: Sunday-Thursday/09:00 am - 04:00 pm.

Residents in Kuwait interested in getting a visa to travel to Peru and companies attracted to invest in Peru are invited to visit the permanent exposition room located in the Embassy.

For more information, please contact: (+965) 22267250/1.

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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.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

TV PROGRAMS

00:45 01:35 02:25 03:15 04:05 04:55 05:20 05:45 06:35 07:00 07:25 08:15 09:10 10:05 11:00 11:55 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

Your Worst Animal Nightmares I’m Alive Cats 101 Bad Dog The Animals’ Guide To Survival Animal Battlegrounds Dark Days In Monkey City Safari Vet School Wildlife SOS Talk To The Animals Baby Planet Dogs 101 Must Love Cats The Animals’ Guide To Survival World Wild Vet Wild Africa Rescue Wildlife SOS Rescue Vet Animal Cops Houston The Animals’ Guide To Survival Dark Days In Monkey City Talk To The Animals Bad Dog Growing Up...

Dogs 101 Wildlife SOS Rescue Vet Animal Battlegrounds Dark Days In Monkey City The Animals’ Guide To Survival Wild Animal Repo Safari Vet School Animal Cops Miami

23:50 Animal Cops Houston 00:35 Antiques Roadshow 01:25 Gok’s Fashion Fix 03:05 Living In The Sun 03:55 Saturday Kitchen 2008/09 04:55 MasterChef 05:20 Living In The Sun 06:15 MasterChef 07:10 MasterChef Australia 08:25 Gok’s Fashion Fix 10:05 Bargain Hunt 10:50 Antiques Roadshow 11:40 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 12:25 Gok’s Clothes Roadshow 13:10 Holmes On Homes 14:50 Bargain Hunt 15:35 Antiques Roadshow 16:30 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 17:10 Gok’s Clothes Roadshow 18:00 Trish’s French Country Kitchen 18:55 Rhodes Across Italy 19:40 Coastal Kitchen 20:05 Antiques Roadshow 20:55 Open House 21:25 Holmes On Homes 22:15 Bargain Hunt 23:00 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 23:45 Gok’s Clothes Roadshow Edition 00:15 01:10 02:05 03:00 03:55 04:20 05:15 05:40 06:05 07:00 Junior 07:50 08:45 09:40 10:05 10:55 11:25 12:20 13:15 14:10 14:35 15:30 16:25 Junior 17:20 18:15 19:10 19:40 20:05 20:35 21:30 22:25 23:20

Around The World In 80 Ways Deadliest Catch An Idiot Abroad Mythbusters Border Security Dealers How Do They Do It? How It’s Made Extreme Fishing American Chopper: Senior vs Mythbusters Ultimate Survival Border Security Dealers How It’s Made Around The World In 80 Ways Deadliest Catch River Monsters Border Security Dealers Ultimate Survival American Chopper: Senior vs Extreme Fishing Mythbusters How Do They Do It? How It’s Made Border Security Dealers River Monsters: Lair Of Giants Body Invaders Rattlesnake Republic

23:20 Surviving Disaster 00:35 Weird Or What?

01:25 Catch It Keep It 02:15 Things That Move 02:45 Morgan Freeman’s Through The Wormhole 03:35 Moon Machines 04:25 Stephen Hawking’s Grand Design 05:15 How The Universe Works 06:05 Morgan Freeman’s Through The Wormhole 07:00 Meteorite Men 07:50 Meteorite Men 08:40 Head Rush 08:43 Sci-Fi Science 09:12 Sci-Fi Science 09:40 Mega World 10:30 Things That Move 10:55 Things That Move 11:20 Moon Machines 12:10 Weird Or What?

13:00 Space Pioneer 13:50 Catch It Keep It 14:45 Tech Toys 360 15:10 Tech Toys 360 15:35 Things That Move 16:00 Head Rush 16:03 The Tech Show 16:32 The Tech Show 17:00 Morgan Freeman’s Through The Wormhole 17:50 Da Vinci’s Machines 18:40 Things That Move 19:05 Things That Move 19:30 How The Universe Works 20:20 Trek Nation 22:00 How The Universe Works 22:50 Trek Nation 20:20 Bang Goes The Theory 00:15 00:40 00:55 01:10 01:30 01:55

Little Einsteins Jungle Junction Jungle Junction Little Einsteins Special Agent Oso Mini Adventures Of Winnie The

Pooh 02:00 02:25 02:50 03:20 03:40 04:05 Pooh 04:10 04:35 05:00 05:15 05:30 05:50 06:00 06:15 06:30 06:45 07:00 07:15 07:45 08:10 08:20 08:35 08:50 09:05 09:15 Pooh 09:20 09:35 09:45 09:55 10:20 Pooh 10:45 11:10 11:35 12:00 Pooh 12:10 12:25 12:40 13:05 13:15 13:30 13:55 14:20 Pooh 14:45 15:00 15:15 15:25 15:55 16:20 16:30 16:45 17:10 17:40 17:55 18:10 18:20 18:35 19:00 19:05 19:25 19:40 Pooh 20:05 20:20 20:30 Pooh 20:35 20:40 20:45 21:00 21:25 21:40 21:55 Pooh 22:20 22:30 22:45 22:55 23:20 23:35 23:50

00:25 00:50 01:20 02:15 03:10 04:05 04:30 05:00 05:55 07:00 07:25 07:55 08:50 09:15 09:45 10:40 11:05 11:35 12:30 13:25 14:20 15:15 15:40 16:10 17:05 17:30 18:00 18:55 19:50 20:45 21:40 22:05 22:35 23:30

Lazytown Little Einsteins Jungle Junction Little Einsteins Special Agent Oso Mini Adventures Of Winnie The Lazytown Little Einsteins Jungle Junction Jungle Junction Little Einsteins Special Agent Oso Special Agent Oso Jungle Junction Jungle Junction Handy Manny Special Agent Oso Lazytown Mickey Mouse Clubhouse The Hive Jake & The Neverland Pirates Jake & The Neverland Pirates Handy Manny The Hive Mini Adventures Of Winnie The Mouk Mouk The Hive Mickey Mouse Clubhouse New Adventures Of Winnie The Art Attack Imagination Movers Lazytown Mini Adventures Of Winnie The Handy Manny Jungle Junction Imagination Movers The Hive Special Agent Oso Lazytown Mickey Mouse Clubhouse New Adventures Of Winnie The Jake & The Neverland Pirates Mouk The Hive Imagination Movers Lazytown Jungle Junction Handy Manny Art Attack Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jake & The Neverland Pirates Jake & The Neverland Pirates The Hive Mouk Imagination Movers A Poem Is...

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jungle Junction New Adventures Of Winnie The Jake & The Neverland Pirates The Hive Mini Adventures Of Winnie The A Poem Is...

A Poem Is...

Mouk Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jake & The Neverland Pirates Special Agent Oso New Adventures Of Winnie The Timmy Time Jungle Junction Handy Manny Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Special Agent Oso Special Agent Oso Lazytown23:50 Lazytown

Gotta Grudge Gotta Grudge Pro Bull Riders 2010 World Combat League TNA: Greatest Matches Re-Evolution Of Sports Re-Evolution Of Sports Enfusion Pro Bull Riders 2010 Ride Guide Mountainbike 2009 Ride Guide Mountainbike 2009 Winter Dew Tour 10/11 X-Traordinary X-Traordinary Alli Presents Fantasy Factory Fantasy Factory Pro Bull Riders 2010 Mantracker Fight Girls World Combat League Fantasy Factory Fantasy Factory Winter Dew Tour 10/11 X-Traordinary X-Traordinary Mantracker Pro Bull Riders 2010 Fight Girls World Combat League Re-Evolution Of Sports Re-Evolution Of Sports TNA: Greatest Matches Enfusion

00:05 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 00:30 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 00:55 Jenny Morris Cooks Morocco 01:20 Jenny Morris Cooks Morocco 01:45 World Cafe Asia 02:10 World Cafe Asia 02:35 Luke Nguyen’s Vietnam 03:00 Luke Nguyen’s Vietnam 03:25 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 03:50 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 04:15 Guy’s Big Bite 04:40 Outrageous Food 05:05 Crave 05:30 Chopped 06:10 Barefoot Contessa 06:35 Barefoot Contessa 07:00 Iron Chef America 07:50 Barefoot Contessa 08:15 Barefoot Contessa 08:40 Crave 09:05 Charly’s Cake Angels 09:30 Jenny Morris Cooks Morocco 09:55 Cooking For Real 10:20 Cooking For Real 10:45 Healthy Appetite With Ellie Krieger 11:10 Unwrapped 11:35 United Tastes Of America 12:00 Chopped 12:50 Guy’s Big Bite 13:15 Cooking For Real

13:40 14:05 14:30 14:55 15:20 15:45 16:10 16:35 17:00 17:25 17:50 18:15 18:40 19:05 19:30 20:20 21:10 21:35 22:00 22:25 22:50 23:15 23:40 23:40

Barefoot Contessa Barefoot Contessa Crave Charly’s Cake Angels Jenny Morris Cooks Morocco Food(Ography) Unwrapped Barefoot Contessa Barefoot Contessa Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Guy’s Big Bite Unique Sweets Charly’s Cake Angels Chopped Iron Chef America Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives Guy’s Big Bite Guy’s Big Bite Grill It! With Bobby Flay Grill It! With Bobby Flay Guy’s Big Bite Guy’s Big Bite

00:30 Ghost Lab 01:20 Psychic Witness 02:05 Stalked: Someone’s Watching 02:30 Stalked: Someone’s Watching 02:55 Scorned: Crimes Of Passion 03:45 Dr G: Medical Examiner 04:30 Ghost Lab 05:20 Psychic Witness 06:10 Disappeared 07:00 Life Or Death: Medical Mysteries 07:50 Street Patrol 08:15 Street Patrol 08:40 Real Emergency Calls 09:05 Who On Earth Did I Marry?

09:30 On The Case With Paula Zahn 10:20 Undercover 11:10 Disappeared 12:00 Life Or Death: Medical Mysteries 12:50 Street Patrol 13:15 Street Patrol 13:40 Forensic Detectives 14:30 On The Case With Paula Zahn 15:20 Real Emergency Calls 15:45 Who On Earth Did I Marry?

16:10 Undercover 17:00 Disappeared 17:50 Forensic Detectives 18:40 Mall Cops– Mall Of America 19:05 True Crime With Aphrodite Jones 19:55 Who On Earth Did I Marry?

20:20 Nightmare Next Door 21:10 Couples Who Kill 22:00 Fatal Encounters 22:50 Killer Kids 23:40 Dr G: Medical Examiner

00:15 00:45 01:10 01:40 02:35 03:30 04:25 05:20 05:45 06:15 Planet 06:40 Planet 07:10 07:35 08:05 08:30 09:00 09:55 10:50 11:45 12:40 13:05 13:35 Planet 14:00 Planet 14:30 14:55 15:25 15:50 16:20 17:15 18:10 19:05 20:00 20:30 21:00 Planet 21:30 Planet 22:00 22:25 22:55 Planet 23:20 Planet 23:50

One Man & His Campervan Roam Don’t Tell My Mother Dive Detectives The Frankincense Trail Perilous Journeys Extreme Tourist Afghanistan Bondi Rescue: Bali Bondi Rescue: Bali Food Lover’s Guide To The Food Lover’s Guide To The One Man & His Campervan One Man & His Campervan Roam Don’t Tell My Mother Dive Detectives The Frankincense Trail Perilous Journeys Extreme Tourist Afghanistan Bondi Rescue Bondi Rescue Food Lover’s Guide To The Food Lover’s Guide To The One Man & His Campervan One Man & His Campervan Roam Don’t Tell My Mother Dive Detectives The Frankincense Trail Perilous Journeys Extreme Tourist Afghanistan One Man & His Campervan One Man & His Campervan Food Lover’s Guide To The Food Lover’s Guide To The Bondi Rescue: Bali Bondi Rescue: Bali Food Lover’s Guide To The Food Lover’s Guide To The David Rocco‚Äôs Dolce Vita 3

23:00 Naked Science

00:00 01:00 01:55 02:50 03:45 04:40 05:35 06:30 07:25 08:20 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 23:00

Zambezi Monster Fish Nordic Wild Wild Nights Shark Men The Living Edens Night Of The Lion Nordic Wild Wild Nights Shark Men My Life Is A Zoo Dangerous Encounters Philly Undercover Hooked Nordic Wild Wild Nights Shark Men A Man Among Bears Dangerous Encounters Philly Undercover Nordic Wild Wild Nights Shark Men My Life Is A Zoo Dangerous Encounters Hunter Hunted

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 PG15 12:00 14:00 16:00

Assassination Tango-18 Blood Out-18 Resident Evil 4: Afterlife-18 Star Trek: First Contact-PG Men In Black-PG15 True Justice: Dark VengeanceAnaconda-PG15 Men In Black-PG15 The Rocketeer-PG15

18:00 20:00 22:00 20:00 22:00

Anaconda-PG15 Fright Night-PG15 Legendary Assassin-PG15 Fighting-PG15 Homecoming-18

00:00 Melissa & Joey 01:30 Veep 02:00 The Big C 02:30 It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia 03:00 Happy Endings 03:30 Hot In Cleveland 04:00 Two And A Half Men 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 06:00 Friends 06:30 Til Death 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:00 Two And A Half Men 08:30 Happy Endings 09:30 Cougar Town 10:00 New Girl 10:30 Til Death 11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 12:00 Friends 12:30 Two And A Half Men 13:30 Til Death 14:00 Hot In Cleveland 14:30 New Girl 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 20:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:30 The Ricky Gervais Show 23:30 Late Night With Jimmy Fall on 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 23:00

White Collar Boardwalk Empire The Newsroom Grimm House Revenge White Collar Emmerdale Coronation Street Castle The Ellen DeGeneres Show Revenge House Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Castle White Collar Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Castle Grey’s Anatomy Private Practice Homeland Breaking Bad Grimm Grimm

01:00 02:45 04:45 07:00 08:45 10:30 12:45 15:15 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00 23:00

The Daisy Chain-PG15 The Shining-R Hidalgo-PG15 Last Breath-PG15 The Last Airbender-PG Hidalgo-PG15 Master And Commander-PG15 The Last Airbender-PG The Recruit-PG15 The Untouchables-PG15 Legendary Assassin-PG15 Don’t Look Up-18 Luster-18

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 PG15 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

The Trip-PG15 Loser-PG15 Just Go With It-PG15 Austin Powers In GoldmemberThat’s What I Am-PG15 The Ladykillers-PG15 Melinda And Melinda-PG15 Flipped-PG The Ladykillers-PG15 Nothing To Lose-PG15 The Family Stone-PG15 Frenemy-18

01:00 Oranges And Sunshine-PG15 03:00 Chasing 3000-PG15 05:00 Separate Lies-PG15 07:00 Soldier Love Story-PG15 09:00 Le Code A Change-PG15 11:00 Justice For Natalee HollowayPG15 13:00 Miracle-PG15 15:15 Le Code A Change-PG15 17:00 An Invisible Sign Of My OwnPG15 19:00 Desperately Seeking SantaPG15 21:00 Witness-PG15 23:00 Harley Davidson And The Marlboro Man-18 Square Grouper-18 01:00 Paul-PG15 03:00 Lord Of The Dance-PG 05:00 Alabama Moon-PG15 07:00 Despicable Me-FAM 09:00 Call Of The Wild-PG15 11:00 Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules-PG 13:00 Kung Fu Panda 2-PG 15:00 Glee: The Concert Movie-PG15 17:00 Call Of The Wild-PG15 19:00 The Company Men-PG15 21:00 Bad Teacher-18 23:00 Straw Dogs-18

00:00 Looney Tunes: Back In ActionFAM 02:00 Turtle Hero: Part II-FAM 04:00 Turandot-PG 06:00 Freddy Frogface-PG 08:00 The Three Bears: The Amazing Adventurers-FAM 10:00 Emperor’s Secret-PG 12:00 Megamind-FAM 14:00 Treasure Buddies-PG 16:00 D’fenders-PG 18:00 Emperor’s Secret-PG 20:00 Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed-PG 22:00 Treasure Buddies-PG

KNCC PROGRAM FROM THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY (04/10/2012 TO 10/10/2012) SHARQIA-1 THE APPARITION :2D PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) DARLING COMPANION :2D THE WORDS :2D DARLING COMPANION :2D THE WORDS :2D THE APPARITION :2D NO SUN+TUE+WED SHARQIA-2 TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D NO SUN+TUE+WED SHARQIA-3 ARBITRAGE :2D WON’T BACK DOWN :2D SILENT HOUSE (2D- Digital) SUN+TUE+WED WON’T BACK DOWN :2D AL SULTAN AL FATIH (Turkish) :2D WON’T BACK DOWN :2D ARBITRAGE :2D NO SUN+TUE+WED MUHALAB-1 ARBITRAGE :2D DARLING COMPANION :2D THE WORDS :2D DARLING COMPANION :2D THE WORDS :2D THE APPARITION :2D NO SUN+TUE+WED MUHALAB-2 PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) FRI AL SULTAN AL FATIH (Turkish) :2D WON’T BACK DOWN :2D WON’T BACK DOWN :2D WON’T BACK DOWN :2D AL SULTAN AL FATIH (Turkish) :2D NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:45 PM 2:30 PM 4:30 PM 6:45 PM 9:15 PM 11:30 PM 1:30 AM

1:00 PM 3:00 PM 5:00 PM 7:00 PM 9:00 PM 11:00 PM 1:00 AM

12:30 PM 2:45 PM 3:30 PM 5:15 PM 7:45 PM 10:30 PM 1:00 AM

1:30 PM 3:45 PM 6:00 PM 8:00 PM 10:15 PM 12:45 AM

2:00 PM 1:15 PM 4:00 PM 6:45 PM 9:30 PM 12:15 AM

MUHALAB-3 TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D DREDD :3D NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:30 PM 2:30 PM 4:30 PM 6:30 PM 8:30 PM 10:30 PM 12:30 AM

FANAR-1 DARLING COMPANION :2D AL SULTAN AL FATIH (Turkish) :2D DARLING COMPANION :2D DARLING COMPANION :2D AL SULTAN AL FATIH (Turkish) :2D AL SULTAN AL FATIH (Turkish) :2D NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:30 PM 2:45 PM 5:30 PM 7:45 PM 10:00 PM 12:45 AM

FANAR-2 WON’T BACK DOWN :2D WON’T BACK DOWN :2D BAIT (3D- Digital) WON’T BACK DOWN :2D WON’T BACK DOWN :2D DREDD :3D NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:00 PM 3:30 PM 6:00 PM 8:00 PM 10:30 PM 1:00 AM

FANAR-3 ARBITRAGE :2D ENGLISH VINGLISH :2D (Hindi) ENGLISH VINGLISH :2D (Hindi) ARBITRAGE :2D ARBITRAGE :2D NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:45 PM 4:30 PM 7:15 PM 10:00 PM 12:15 AM

FANAR-4 TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:30 PM 3:45 PM 5:45 PM 8:15 PM 10:15 PM 12:30 AM

FANAR-5 PREMIUM RUSH THE WORDS THE APPARITION THE WORDS THE WORDS THE APPARITION THE APPARITION NO SUN+TUE+WED MARINA-1 THE APPARITION :2D ARBITRAGE :2D THE WORDS :2D DARLING COMPANION :2D THE WORDS :2D DARLING COMPANION :2D THE APPARITION :2D NO SUN+TUE+WED MARINA-2 PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) FRI WON’T BACK DOWN :2D WON’T BACK DOWN :2D AL SULTAN AL FATIH (Turkish) :2D WON’T BACK DOWN :2D AL SULTAN AL FATIH (Turkish) :2D NO SUN+TUE+WED MARINA-3 TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D DREDD :3D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D NO SUN+TUE+WED AVENUES-1 AL SULTAN AL FATIH (Turkish) :2D AL SULTAN AL FATIH (Turkish) :2D AL SULTAN AL FATIH (Turkish) :2D AL SULTAN AL FATIH (Turkish) :2D

1:15 PM 3:15 PM 5:15 PM 7:00 PM 9:00 PM 11:00 PM 1:00 AM

12:30 PM 2:15 PM 4:30 PM 6:45 PM 9:00 PM 11:15 PM 1:30 AM

1:30 PM 1:00 PM 3:30 PM 6:00 PM 8:45 PM 11:30 PM

12:45 PM 2:45 PM 4:45 PM 7:00 PM 9:15 PM 11:15 PM 1:15 AM

12:30 PM 3:15 PM 6:00 PM 8:45 PM

AL SULTAN AL FATIH (Turkish) :2D NO SUN+TUE+WED

11:30 PM

AVENUES-2 ARBITRAGE :2D THE APPARITION :2D ARBITRAGE :2D THE APPARITION :2D ARBITRAGE :2D THE APPARITION :2D PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:45 PM 3:00 PM 4:45 PM 7:00 PM 8:45 PM 11:00 PM 12:45 AM

AVENUES-3 WON’T BACK DOWN :2D WON’T BACK DOWN :2D WON’T BACK DOWN :2D WON’T BACK DOWN :2D WON’T BACK DOWN :2D WON’T BACK DOWN :2D NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:30 PM 3:00 PM 5:30 PM 8:00 PM 10:30 PM 1:00 AM

AVENUES-4 WON’T BACK DOWN :2D WON’T BACK DOWN :2D WON’T BACK DOWN :2D WON’T BACK DOWN :2D WON’T BACK DOWN :2D WON’T BACK DOWN :2D NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:30 PM 3:00 PM 5:30 PM 8:00 PM 10:30 PM 1:00 AM

AVENUES-5 TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D

1:30 PM 3:30 PM 5:30 PM 7:30 PM 9:30 PM 11:30 PM

AVENUES-6 BAIT (3D- Digital) DREDD :3D BAIT (3D- Digital) DREDD :3D DREDD :3D BAIT (3D- Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED

2:15 PM 4:30 PM 6:45 PM 9:00 PM 11:15 PM 1:15 AM

AVENUES-7 WAR OF THE DEAD (2D-Digital) ENGLISH VINGLISH :2D (Hindi) BARFI! (Hindi)(2D-Digital) ENGLISH VINGLISH :2D (Hindi) WAR OF THE DEAD (2D-Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED

2:00 PM 3:45 PM 6:30 PM 9:30 PM 12:30 AM

AVENUES-8 ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) SILENT HOUSE (2D- Digital) TETA RAHIBA(2D-Digital) ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) TETA RAHIBA(2D-Digital) SILENT HOUSE (2D- Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:15 PM 3:30 PM 5:45 PM 8:00 PM 10:15 PM 12:30 AM

AVENUES-9 DARLING COMPANION :2D 1:30 PM RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION (3D-Digital)3 : 4 5 PM DARLING COMPANION :2D 6:00 PM DARLING COMPANION :2D 8:15 PM DARLING COMPANION :2D 10:30 PM DARLING COMPANION :2D 12:45 AM NO SUN+TUE+WED AVENUES-10 PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) THE WORDS :2D THE WORDS :2D THE WORDS :2D PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) THE WORDS :2D NO SUN+TUE+WED AVENUES-11 TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D

12:45 PM 2:45 PM 5:15 PM 7:30 PM 9:45 PM 12:05 AM

1:30 PM 3:30 PM 5:30 PM 7:30 PM 9:30 PM 11:30 PM

360 º- 6 DREDD :3D DREDD :3D DREDD :3D DREDD :3D DREDD :3D DREDD :3D NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:00 PM 3:15 PM 5:30 PM 7:45 PM 10:00 PM 12:15 AM

360 º- 7 THE WORDS :2D THE WORDS :2D THE WORDS :2D THE WORDS :2D THE WORDS :2D THE WORDS :2D NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:30 PM 3:30 PM 5:30 PM 7:30 PM 9:30 PM 11:30 PM

360 º- 8 AL SULTAN AL FATIH (Turkish) :2D AL SULTAN AL FATIH (Turkish) :2D AL SULTAN AL FATIH (Turkish) :2D AL SULTAN AL FATIH (Turkish) :2D AL SULTAN AL FATIH (Turkish) :2D NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:30 PM 4:15 PM 7:00 PM 9:45 PM 12:30 AM

360 º- 9(VIP-1) AL SULTAN AL FATIH (Turkish) :2D AL SULTAN AL FATIH (Turkish) :2D AL SULTAN AL FATIH (Turkish) :2D AL SULTAN AL FATIH (Turkish) :2D AL SULTAN AL FATIH (Turkish) :2D NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:30 PM 4:15 PM 7:00 PM 9:45 PM 12:30 AM

360 º-10(VIP-2) TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:30 PM 2:30 PM 4:30 PM 6:30 PM 8:30 PM 10:30 PM 12:30 AM

360 º- 11 TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:30 PM 2:30 PM 4:30 PM 6:30 PM 8:30 PM 10:30 PM 12:30 AM

360 º- 12 WON’T BACK DOWN :2D WON’T BACK DOWN :2D WON’T BACK DOWN :2D WON’T BACK DOWN :2D WON’T BACK DOWN :2D SILENT HOUSE (2D- Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:00 PM 3:30 PM 6:00 PM 8:30 PM 11:00 PM 1:30 AM

360 º- 13 THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN THE DARK KNIGHT RISES (2D-IMAX) RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:30 PM 4:15 PM 7:45 PM 10:00 PM 12:45 AM

360 º- 14 TETA RAHIBA(2D-Digital) TETA RAHIBA(2D-Digital) TETA RAHIBA(2D-Digital) TETA RAHIBA(2D-Digital) TETA RAHIBA(2D-Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED

2:15 PM 4:45 PM 7:00 PM 9:15 PM 11:30 PM

360 º- 15 THE EXPENDABLES 2 (2D-Digital) WAR OF THE DEAD (2D-Digital) BARFI! (Hindi)(2D-Digital) THE EXPENDABLES 2 (2D-Digital) WAR OF THE DEAD (2D-Digital) THE EXPENDABLES 2 (2D-Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED

2:00 PM 4:15 PM 6:00 PM 9:00 PM 11:00 PM 12:45 AM

AL-KOUT.1 TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:30 PM 3:30 PM 5:30 PM 7:30 PM 10:00 PM 12:15 AM

360 º- 1 ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) BAIT (3D- Digital) ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) BAIT (3D- Digital) ROBOT & FRANK (2D- Digital) BAIT (3D- Digital) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:30 PM 2:30 PM 4:30 PM 6:30 PM 8:45 PM 11:00 PM 1:15 AM

360 º- 2 DARLING COMPANION :2D DARLING COMPANION :2D DARLING COMPANION :2D DARLING COMPANION :2D DARLING COMPANION :2D DARLING COMPANION :2D NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:45 PM 3:00 PM 5:15 PM 7:30 PM 9:45 PM 12:05 AM

AL-KOUT.3 DARLING COMPANION :2D DARLING COMPANION :2D DARLING COMPANION :2D DARLING COMPANION :2D DARLING COMPANION :2D THE APPARITION :2D NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:30 PM 2:45 PM 5:00 PM 7:15 PM 9:30 PM 12:05 AM

360º- 3 ARBITRAGE :2D THE APPARITION :2D ARBITRAGE :2D THE APPARITION :2D ARBITRAGE :2D THE APPARITION :2D NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:45 PM 4:00 PM 5:45 PM 8:00 PM 10:00 PM 12:15 AM

AL-KOUT.4 THE WORDS :2D THE WORDS :2D THE WORDS :2D AL SULTAN AL FATIH (Turkish) :2D THE WORDS :2D AL SULTAN AL FATIH (Turkish) :2D NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:00 PM 3:00 PM 5:15 PM 7:45 PM 10:30 PM 12:45 AM

360º- 4 PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) 12:45 PM PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) 2:45 PM RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION (3D-Digital)4 : 4 5 PM PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) 6:45 PM PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) 9:00 PM PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) 11:15 PM PREMIUM RUSH (2D-Digital) 1:15 AM NO SUN+TUE+WED

BAIRAQ-1 TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D DREDD :3D TAKEN2 :2D TAKEN2 :2D BAIT (3D- Digital) TAKEN2 :2D NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:45 PM 2:45 PM 4:45 PM 6:45 PM 8:45 PM 10:45 PM 12:45 AM

360 º- 5 ENGLISH VINGLISH :2D (Hindi) FRI+SAT ENGLISH VINGLISH :2D (Hindi) ENGLISH VINGLISH :2D (Hindi) ENGLISH VINGLISH :2D (Hindi) NO SUN+TUE+WED

BAIRAQ-2 DARLING COMPANION :2D DARLING COMPANION :2D THE APPARITION :2D DARLING COMPANION :2D THE APPARITION :2D THE APPARITION :2D NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:30 PM 3:45 PM 6:00 PM 8:00 PM 10:15 PM 12:15 AM

2:30 PM 5:30 PM 8:30 PM 11:30 PM

AL-KOUT.2 WON’T BACK DOWN :2D ARBITRAGE :2D WON’T BACK DOWN :2D WON’T BACK DOWN :2D WON’T BACK DOWN :2D

1:15 PM 3:45 PM 6:00 PM 8:30 PM 11:00 PM

Classifieds TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

ACCOMMODATION Sharing accommodation in Khaifan bloc 4 from Nov 1st in one room, KD 70 only for one working lady. Contact: 60413536.

8-10-2012

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Airlines JZR QTR JZR RJA GFA UAE ETD OMA FDB MSR RBG QTR JZR KAC THY DHX JZR KAC BAW KAC KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY QTR FDB IRA ETD GFA IRA UAE MEA JZR MSR MSC JZR MSR KAC FDB QTR SVA KAC RJA KAC QTR JZR ETD JZR UAE UAL GFA SVA JZR JZR ABY KAC QTR SYR KAC KAC FDB KAC MSR MSC JZR KAC KAC KAC KAC JAI KAC AXB FDB OMA MEA QTR GFA ALK KLM UAE ETD ABY QTR AIC FDB GFA UAL JZR DLH MSR THY PIA

Arrival Flights on Tuesday 9/10/2012 Flt Route 185 DUBAI 148 DOHA 539 CAIRO 642 AMMAN 211 BAHRAIN 853 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI 643 MUSCAT 67 DUBAI 612 CAIRO 3553 ALEXANDRIA 138 DOHA 503 LUXOR 544 CAIRO 770 ISTANBUL 170 BAHRAIN 555 ALEXANDRIA 412 MANILA 157 LONDON 416 JAKARTA 206 ISLAMABAD 53 DUBAI 302 MUMBAI 332 TRIVANDRUM 352 COCHIN 284 DHAKA 855 DUBAI 125 SHARJAH 132 DOHA 55 DUBAI 605 ISFAHAN 301 ABU DHABI 213 BAHRAIN 619 LAR 871 DUBAI 404 BEIRUT 165 DUBAI 618 ALEXANDRIA 401 ALEXANDRIA 561 SOHAG 610 CAIRO 672 DUBAI 57 DUBAI 140 DOHA 500 JEDDAH 562 AMMAN 640 AMMAN 546 ALEXANDRIA 134 DOHA 535 CAIRO 303 ABU DHABI 787 RIYADH 857 DUBAI 982 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 215 BAHRAIN 510 RIYADH 177 DUBAI 777 JEDDAH 127 SHARJAH 542 CAIRO 144 DOHA 341 DAMASCUS 166 PARIS 786 JEDDAH 63 DUBAI 104 LONDON 624 SOHAG 403 ASSIUT 325 NAJAF 618 DOHA 674 DUBAI 614 BAHRAIN 742 DAMMAM 572 MUMBAI 774 RIYADH 389 KOZHIKODE 61 DUBAI 647 MUSCAT 402 BEIRUT 146 DOHA 221 BAHRAIN 229 COLOMBO 415 AMSTERDAM 859 DUBAI 307 ABU DHABI 129 SHARJAH 136 DOHA 981 CHENNAI 59 DUBAI 217 BAHRAIN 981 BAHRAIN 239 AMMAN 636 FRANKFURT 614 CAIRO 772 ISTANBUL 205 LAHORE

Time 0:15 0:20 0:30 2:10 2:20 2:25 2:30 2:50 3:10 3:20 3:20 3:25 3:55 4:10 4:35 5:00 6:00 6:15 6:30 6:35 7:15 7:45 7:50 7:55 8:05 8:15 8:25 8:30 9:00 9:20 9:20 9:30 10:00 10:40 10:45 10:55 11:05 11:25 12:00 12:25 13:30 13:40 13:45 14:25 14:30 14:30 14:55 15:05 15:15 16:00 16:35 16:40 16:55 17:10 17:20 17:20 17:30 17:40 17:45 18:15 18:20 18:30 18:40 18:40 18:45 18:45 18:55 19:00 19:15 19:20 19:25 19:30 19:30 19:35 19:40 19:55 20:00 20:10 20:15 20:25 20:35 20:55 21:05 21:15 21:25 21:30 21:35 22:25 22:30 22:35 22:40 22:55 23:10 23:35 23:40 23:59

Airlines AIC UAL DLH KLM PIA THY UAE FDB OMA RBG ETD MSR QTR QTR JZR RJA JZR GFA THY KAC BAW FDB ABY JZR KAC KAC UAE QTR KAC FDB ETD IRA GFA KAC IRA KAC MEA JZR UAE MSR MSC KAC JZR JZR FDB MSR KAC KAC SVA RJA JZR QTR KAC KAC KAC ETD JZR JZR QTR UAE GFA ABY UAL SVA JZR QTR FDB SYR MSR MSC JZR KAC KAC JAI FDB KAC KAC OMA MEA GFA DHX ALK KLM ABY ETD KAC UAE QTR KAC KAC QTR AXB FDB GFA KAC JZR

Depature Flights on Tuesday 9/10/2012 Flt Route 976 GOA 981 WASHINGTON 637 FRANKFURT 411 AMSTERDAM 240 SIALKOT 773 ISTANBUL 854 DUBAI 68 DUBAI 644 MUSCAT 3554 ALEXANDRIA 306 ABU DHABI 613 CAIRO 139 DOHA 149 DOHA 560 SOHAG 643 AMMAN 164 DUBAI 212 BAHRAIN 771 ISTANBUL 545 ALEXANDRIA 156 LONDON 54 DUBAI 126 SHARJAH 534 CAIRO 561 AMMAN 671 DUBAI 856 DUBAI 133 DOHA 101 LONDON 56 DUBAI 302 ABU DHABI 604 ISFAHAN 214 BAHRAIN 541 CAIRO 618 LAR 165 ROME 405 BEIRUT 776 JEDDAH 872 DUBAI 623 SOHAG 404 ASSIUT 785 JEDDAH 786 RIYADH 176 DUBAI 58 DUBAI 611 CAIRO 673 DUBAI 617 DOHA 501 JEDDAH 641 AMMAN 324 AL NAJAF 135 DOHA 773 RIYADH 613 BAHRAIN 741 DAMMAM 304 ABU DHABI 238 AMMAN 538 CAIRO 141 DOHA 858 DUBAI 216 BAHRAIN 128 SHARJAH 982 BAHRAIN 511 RIYADH 266 BEIRUT 145 DOHA 64 DUBAI 342 DAMASCUS 607 LUXOR 402 ALEXANDRIA 184 DUBAI 283 DHAKA 361 COLOMBO 571 MUMBAI 62 DUBAI 343 CHENNAI 351 KOCHI 648 MUSCAT 403 BEIRUT 222 BAHRAIN 171 BAHRAIN 230 COLOMBO 415 DAMMAM 120 SHARJAH 308 ABU DHABI 381 DELHI 860 DUBAI 137 DOHA 301 MUMBAI 205 ISLAMABAD 147 DOHA 390 MANGALORE 60 DUBAI 218 BAHRAIN 411 BANGKOK 528 ASSIUT

Apartment to share decent working ladies, Salmiyah, restaurant street, exactly behind Platinum. Contact 66920590. (C 4161) 7-10-2012 Time 0:05 0:25 0:30 0:55 1:00 2:15 3:45 3:50 3:55 4:00 4:05 4:20 4:50 5:40 6:00 6:50 6:55 7:05 7:10 8:10 8:25 8:25 9:05 9:10 9:15 9:20 9:40 10:00 10:00 10:05 10:15 10:20 10:45 11:30 11:40 11:45 11:55 12:15 12:20 12:25 13:00 13:10 13:15 13:20 14:25 14:30 15:05 15:45 15:45 15:50 15:50 16:15 16:25 16:30 16:30 17:20 17:30 17:40 17:45 18:05 18:20 18:25 18:30 18:35 18:50 19:20 19:25 19:30 19:55 20:00 20:05 20:15 20:20 20:35 20:40 20:55 21:05 21:10 21:15 21:35 21:50 21:55 22:05 22:10 22:20 22:20 22:25 22:35 22:40 22:45 23:10 23:10 23:15 23:30 23:40 23:50

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

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

Education/MBA). 23 years experience in Dubai/ Qatar/ Australia, looking project Mgr / QHSE Mgr job.

Contact: 65695468.

(C 4160) 7-10-2012 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

CHANGE OF NAME I have changed my name from Maria Vilfrida Alzira Monteiro to Alzira Wilfrida Maria Monteiro as per Gazette No. U-9920.

(C 4169)

atanam, has changed my name as NASIMBANU. (4165) 7-10-2012 I, Mohamed Haja Mohamed Sourcane, holder of Indian Passport No: E2780618 hereby change my name to Mohamad Saircane Mouhamad Hadja.

(C 4159) 3-10-2012

Box delivery van Nissan high roof, 2008 model.

Lancer 2009 GLX. Phone: 66052331. (C 4166) 8-10-2012

TUITION A 22 years (moderator and examiner) highly experienced Math, teacher in IB, SAT ’s, IGCSE available.

Contact: 66920590.

(C 4162) 7-10-2012

Used 2 sofa bed, color brown, good condition, in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh. Price each KD 15. Call 66762737.

(C 4163) 6-10-2012 Galant 1997 model, blue color, good condition, A/C, price KD 400, passing valid for one year. Contact: 96975726.

Kawai Piano, Yamaha electric organ, Yamaha keyboard, household furniture.

Please contact: 22661316.

(C 4157) 3-10-2012

I, Koripelli Laxmi, Indian Passport No: G7568742, wife of Abdulkhader residing at D. No: 40-34-12, Dharmanagar, Kancharapalam, Visakhap-

No:

Indian Passport, name: Shaikh Ali, No: F3606335, date of issue: 10/05/2005, date of birth: 20/06/1981, has been lost, finder please contact: 69694619/ (C 4164) 7-10-2012

Ministry of Interior

I, Faustino Rosario Monteiro holder of Indian Passport No: F2522327 have change my name to alias Bobby to Faustino Rosario Bobby Monteiro as per Gazette No. U-9921.

(C 4170) I have changed my name from Vita Quirino Monteiro to Vita De Jusus Maria Monteiro as per Gazette No. X-18770. (C 4171) 9-10-2012

24 year old daughter BSc passed Pakistani/ Canadian dual citizen. Highly qualified professionals from Pakistan age up to 29 years can contact at email: d3sak@yahoo.com (C 4172) 9-10-2012 LOST

FOR SALE

Complete household furniture, crockery, electronics, salon items, going for a give -away price. Call: 50693289. (C 4167) 9-10-2012

MATRIMONIAL

website: www.moi.gov.kw

112 Prayer timings Fajr:

04:27

Duhr:

11:35

Asr:

14:55

Maghrib:

17:25

Isha:

18:41

15593

For immediate sale Toyota Corolla (2011), 1.8 white, done only 22,000 km, expecting KD 3,900 (only cash) real buyers only contact mobile: 97473028 between 10 am - 6:30 pm).

(C 4154) 1-10-2012 SITUATION WANTED Australian Engineer with two-Engineering (Civil/Elect) & four Master Degrees (Engg/Prog Mgmt/

GOVERNMENT WEB SITES Kuwait Parliament www.majlesalommah.net

The Public Institution for Social Security www.pifss.gov.kw

Ministry of Interior www.moi.gov.kw

Public Authority of Industry www.pai.gov.kw

Public Authority for Civil Information www.paci.gov.kw

Prisoners of War Committee www.pows.org.kw

Kuwait News Agency www.kuna.net.kw

Ministry of Foreign Affairs www.mofa.gov.kw

Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affair www.islam.gov.kw

Kuwait Municipality www.municipality.gov.kw

Ministry of Energy (Oil) www.moo.gov.kw

Kuwait Electronic Government www.e.gov.kw

Ministry of Energy (Electricity and Water) www.energy.govt.kw

Ministry of Finance www.mof.gov.kw

Public Authority for Housing Welfare www.housing.gov.kw

Ministry of Commerce and Industry www.moci.gov.kw

Ministry of Justice www.moj.gov.kw

Ministry of Education www.moe.edu.kw

Ministry of Communications www.moc.kw

Ministry of Information www.moinfo.gov.kw

Supreme Council for Planning and Development www.scpd.gov.kw

Kuwait Awqaf Public Foundation www.awqaf.org

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 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

Kaizen center

25716707

Roudha

22517733

Adhaliya

22517144

Khaldiya

24848075

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

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

ST TAT TE OF KUW K WA AIT

el.: 161 Te

DIRECTORA AT TE GENERAL GENE OF CIVIL AV VIA ATION T METEOROLOGICAL DEP PA ARTMENT

Ext.: 2627 262 - 2630

WWW.MET.GOV V..KW

Relatively humid weather especially over coastal areas with variable wind changing to light to moderate south easterly later on wind, with speed of 06 - 28 km/h

BY Y NIGHT:

Humid weather especially over coastal areas with light to moderate south easterly to southerly wind, with speed of 12 - 35 km/h No Current Warnings arnin a

WARNING A

41 °C

27 °C

22451082

KUW WA AIT AIRPOR RT

41 °C

22 °C

Al-Mirqab

22456536

NUW WA AISEEB

39 °C

22 °C

Sharq

22465401

WAFRA A

42 °C

19 °C

Salmiya

25746401

SALMI

40 °C

25 °C

ABDAL LY

Jabriya

25316254

42 °C

24 °C

JAL ALIY YA AH

42 °C

24 °C

Maidan Hawally

25623444

FA AILAKA

40 °C

25 °C

Bayan

25388462

AHMADI POR RT

38 °C

29 °C

Mishref

25381200

UMM AL-MARADEM

37 °C

30 °C

W.Hawally

22630786

WARBA A A - BUBY YA AN

35 °C

21 °C

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

New Jahra

24575755

West Jahra

24772608

ST TATION T

SFC. CHART

08/10/2012 0000 UTC

4 DA AY YS FORECAST Temperatures DA AY

DA ATE T

Tuesday

09/10

Wednesday e

10/10

WEA AT THER

MAX.

MIN.

Wind Direction

Wind Speed

humid + scattered clouds

40 °C

23 °C

SE

15 - 40 km/h

humid + scattered clouds

38 °C

24 °C

SE

15 - 38 km/h

South Jahra

24775066

Thursday

11/10

humid + scattered clouds

39 °C

24 °C

SE

15 - 38 km/h

North Jahra

24775992

Friday

12/10

Relatively humid + scattered clouds

40 °C

24 °C

S-SE

12 - 35 km/h

North Jleeb

24311795

Al-Ardhiya

24884079

24719048

N.Kheitan

24710044

Fintas

23900322

RA AY YER TIMES PRA

AY AT KUW WAIT A AIRPORT RECORDED YESTERDA

Fajr

04:26

MAX. Temp.

42 °C

Sunrise

05:45

MIN. Temp.

23 °C

Zuhr

11:35

MAX. RH

36 %

Asr

14:55

MIN. RH

07 %

Sunset

17:25

MAX. Wiind

S 21 km/h

Isha

18:42

TOT TAL AL RAIINF FA ALL L IN 24 HR.

00 mm

All times are local time unless otherwise stated.

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

Dr. Salem soso General Surgeons Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer

22610044

Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher

25327148

Internists, Chest & Heart Dr. Adnan Ebil Dr. Mousa Khadada Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan

22666300 25728004

Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra

25355515

Dr. Mobarak Aldoub

24726446

Dr Nasser Behbehani

25654300/3

info@soorcenter.com www.soorcenter.com

3729596/3729581

Neurologists

22639939

Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman

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

Soor Center Tel: 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688

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

Al-Jahra

25610011

Al-Salmiya

25616368

INTERNATIONAL CALLS

BY Y DA AY:

KUW WA AIT CITY

Al-Omariya

Al-Shohada’a

Expected Weeather for the Next 24 Hours

MIN. REC.

24892674

22418714

Fax: 24348714

MAX. EXP P.

Firdous

Al-Madena

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

36

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

lifestyle G O S S I P

Lady Gaga vomits

Kunis named the Sexiest Woman Alive

four times during show in Spain M

ila Kunis has been named the Sexiest Woman Alive by Esquire magazine. The 29-year-old actress - who is currently dating her ‘That 70s Show’ co-star Ashton Kutcher - has taken the magazine’s title for 2012 replacing last year’s winner Rihanna. Mila is pleased to receive the accolade but she insists she doesn’t take her pin-up status too seriously. The brunette beauty told the publication: “What I do and who I am are two different things. And they always will be. What happens with people is they lose sight of who they are, and they become either who they want to be or who they are perceived to be. “But whatever it is, it is no longer who they are. So much of who you are in this industry is based on what that critic says, what that director says, what that actor says. People start believing all that, and they become what everybody else wants them to be. And I think that I’ve consciously separated my two lives.” While Mila - who recently starred in ‘Ted’ and is the voice of Meg Griffin in hit animated comedy ‘Family Guy’ - enjoys her career, she plays down her success and always tries to make her parents “proud”. She added: “I love what I do. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. But when I’m done with work, I’m done with work. “I think that if I bought into the hype, I would lose all sight of who I am, and so much of who I am is what my parents went through and instilled in me. And I never want to lose that.

Ever. Because I would be so disappointed if I didn’t make them proud.” Mila insists she owes everything to her mother and father after they took her away from her native Ukraine in 1991 during the fall of communism when she was just eight years old. She explained: “I feel awful talking about it, because my parents should sit down and talk about it. They’re the ones who went through hell and back, who gave everything up. I didn’t do anything. I was eight years old, and I tagged along. And my parents made me feel safe. I didn’t make those decisions. So I can’t take responsibility for it.

Every immigrant has a story.”

ady Gaga vomited four times during a per formance in Barcelona. The singer was physically sick as she performed her track ‘Edge of Glory’, having to stop at the top of a set of stairs during her dance routine to throw up. The pop star battled on with her performance, but carried on vomiting, as a backing dancer tried to cover her from view. She then told the crowd: “I went backstage and vomited, and I did not want you to see this ... It happens to me sometimes.” The ‘Bad Romance’ hitmaker took the incident in her stride, posting a link to it on her twitter page, writing: “Was praying nobody saw but actually its quite a good laugh if u need one!

L

called Paltrow’ s daughter ‘ Melon’ R

Check out Lady PukeGA doing Swan “Vomit” Lake (sic).” She also showed spirit when fans poked fun at the singer’s recent weight gain at the same show, throwing sausages on stage at her. Thats some hard bodied pop stuff. I’ll never forget tonight Barcelona. FOREVER’ (sic)” Gaga wasn’t the only one to narrowly escape the meaty missiles, as her father Joe Germanotta - who was watching from the side of the stage - was almost hit too, although he was happy to be pelted with pork treats. He tweeted: “In Barcelona someone threw sausages on stage and almost hit my head. I picked them up, they were for me.”

Jena Dewan ‘stabbed’ herself for a prom party

he 31-year-old actress was invited to a Halloween bash where the theme was a ‘dead prom night’ and she came up with an ingenious idea to make her dress gory for the night. Jenna counts the evening as one of the most parties she has ever been to. In an interview with BELLO magazine, she said: “I went to a party that was prom, but dead. It was awesome. They had the prom booths set up, and we would take pictures. I went to a vintage store, and I got a prom dress and then stabbed myself and had blood hanging off. It was fun. It was a great theme.” Jenna is not afraid of horror and she recently put pen to paper on a deal to star in the second series of ‘American Horror Story’. The Hollywood beauty - who is married to Channing Tatum - admits she was very excited about meeting the show’s creator Ryan Murphy when she auditioned for her part. She said: “It was really more exciting than scary. I’ve been a fan of ‘American Horror Story’ and Ryan Murphy for a long time, so it was honor to be asked to do the show.” The upcoming FX series changes location and characters from the first series’ setting in a haunted Los Angeles mansion. Instead, the action takes place in an institution for the criminally insane in the 1960s.

Williams

Lewis thinks Payne is a ‘lovely guy’

obbie Williams was left “embarrassed” when he called Gwyneth Paltrow’s daughter ‘Melon’. The ‘Candy’ hitmaker who recently became a father for the first time when wife Ayda Field gave birth to their daughter Theodora ‘Teddy’ Rose was left red-faced by the blunder but blames the actress and her husband Chris Martin for giving the little girl such a “stupid” moniker. He said: “Recently the two of them were over at my house for a party. Gwyneth came over to me with her kiddo and I asked, ‘Does little melon like an apple?’ So embarrassing! I mixed it up! But that happens if you have a stupid name like that. You should save your child from that.” Although some people might consider Theodora an unusual name, Robbie insists people should stick to choosing normal names for their children. He added to the German edition of GQ magazine: “If you don’t call your child Michael or Peter or Julia there will only be celebrity names left and they are all stupid.” And the 38-year-old singer who recently returned to the UK after living in Los Angeles admitted the only TV he watches are reality shows because he thinks actors are not good. He said: “I never watch shows in which actors appear. Only reality shows. I lived in Hollywood for 10 years surrounded by actors and I can tell you, They’re all real bad guys.”

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Valance’s wedding dress inspired by ‘nature’

olly Valance’s wedding dress was inspired by “nature and French lace”. The Australian star wed billionaire Nick Candy in a glittering ceremony in Los Angeles in September in front of guests including Simon Cowell, Katy Perry and Sir Elton John, and the designers of her gown Jacob Luppino and Anthony Pittorino have revealed Holly’s love of the outdoors motivated the look. The pair told HELLO! magazine: “Holly was innately warm and kind. The dress was inspired by Holly’s love of nature, organic textures and delicate French laces. “The bodice was hand beaded in delicate pearls and Swarovski beads.

The dramatic layered skirt was all hand embroidered in fine silk and hand dyed in white to silver metallic and deep shades of grey.

We created a modern-day heirloom piece that captured her free spirit and nature.” Holly was believed to be on a strict diet ahead of her big day as she wanted to look her best in the designer gown.

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eona Lewis thinks Liam Payne is a “lovely guy”. The ‘Trouble’ singer has been linked to the One Direction heartthrob - who likes her found fame on ‘The X Factor’ - after enjoying a series of dates together, but she insists they are just friends and she remained coy when quizzed about their romance. Leona told the Daily Mirror newspaper: “He is a really sweet, lovely guy. I’m a fan of One Direction. We have been friends for a year and a half.

“I know you have to ask. I’ve learnt from having relationships before that have been speculated about, it’s best not to talk about it.” Leona’s seven-year romance with her long-term boyfriend, A&R man Lou Al-Chamaa, ended in June 2010 and she recently split from German dancer Dennis Jauch, but the pop star hasn’t given up on finding

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love again and says she feels lonely without someone to come home to. Leona, 27, confessed: “I’ve had my heart broken so many times. It’s so awful. You need your friends, ice-cream and good movies. “I love being in love.

You have someone to come home to. You don’t feel lonely because someone’s always there. “I like to be wooed.

I’m a good girlfriend, not high maintenance but I like to be treated well. I think every girl does. I like romance.”

The ‘Bleeding Love’ hitmaker revealed that she valued loyalty above all else in a potential partner, and admitted looks aren’t important to her. She said: “Someone who can look after me and who is honest and faithful. I don’t really care about looks. It’s all about personality and intelligence.”

Elizabeth Hurley: Shane Warne is ‘au natural’

Gibson sellls his Malibu mansion for $9.3 million

el Gibson has sold his Malibu mansion for $9.3 million. The 56-year-old actor has finally offloaded the Californian property - which he owned with ex-wife Robyn Moore Gibson, who he divorced in December 2011 - for more than $5 million less than the former couple first expected to make for the abode after it was listed on the market for $14.5 million in March 2010.

Multimillionaire reality TV producer Mike Fleiss - who is responsible for creating ‘The Bachelor’ and ‘The Bachelorette’ - has purchased the six-bedroom property, which has been described as an “old world hacienda”, after selling his own Malibu home for $6 million, the Los Angeles Times reports. The 48-year-old entertainment mogul, who is known as the “Reality TV King”, will no doubt enjoy screening the results of his hard work in the mansion’s media room, while recently divorced Mike might like to use the home’s two-story entertainment pavilion, lighted tennis court or swimming pool to unwind. Mike will be able to keep off any rare Malibu chills thanks to the home’s several fireplaces and hardwood floors, and he will have plenty of room to house his showbiz friends for the night in one of three-self-contained guest houses. As well as the abode’s five-and-a-half bathrooms, the master suite boasts two walk-in closets, a sitting room and its own fireplace. Mel and Robyn - who tied the knot in 1980 purchased the property from singer-songwriter Rick Springfield and his wife Barbara in 1989 for a mere $3 million.

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lizabeth Hurley insists she isn’t responsible for Shane Warne’s makeover. The 47-year-old actress won’t take credit for her fiance’s polished new image and says he slimmed down of his own accord. She is also adamant the Australian cricketer hasn’t had any cosmetic surgery to improve his looks and is completely “au naturel”. Speaking on British TV show ‘Lorraine’, Liz admitted: “I love him looking like that, I think he looks beautiful. He retired from international cricket before I met him and I think even when I met him two years ago he was still much bigger because he’d still been training.

“Even though he still does a little bit of cricket he doesn’t do as much.

But as far as being slimmer, I have to say it’s entirely him. “He’s never had any surgery and is not on a diet and he doesn’t wear make-up look at those eyelashes, they’re very curly. “For the record, he is au naturel. No assistance, especially not from me.” The ‘Gossip Girl’ star also revealed she was shocked to see the recent photographs of Lady Gaga wearing her iconic Versace gold safety pin dress that propelled her into the spotlight at a ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’ premiere, which she attended with ex-lover Hugh Grant, in 2004. Liz insists the pop superstar did the dress justice and she thought Gaga looked incredible. She gushed: “I thought she looked fantastic in it. Really gorgeous. It was a real surprise, somebody actually tweeted it to me, ‘Have a look at this!’ “I thought, ‘Good heavens!’ I had missed the news for a few days because I was in America. I thought she looked gorgeous. “I know it went to some Gianni Versace museum and was snatched away from me 18 years ago but I have a feeling it was exactly the same one.” — Bang Showbiz

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

LIFESTYLE F e a t u r e s

Report on Major Knox’s tours in

southern Kuwait in 1906

By Mahmoud Zakaria Abdul-Raheem he decision by the British Government in India to send Major Knox, one of the leaders in the English army brigades, to Kuwait in 1904 as the first political consul undoubtedly represents a new chapter within the Arabian Gulf in the international political competition for spheres of influence. Some believe that sending Knox was a test for the English management for both the external forces around Kuwait, especially among the Ottoman state in Iraq and its strategic ally, Ibn Al-Rashid (now Northwest Saudi Arabia), as well as to test both Germany and Russia, as well as to monitor the movements of Sheikh Mubarak, considering England’s fear of his involvement in the internal unrest in the Arabian Peninsula. England also wanted to receive information about trade and arms smuggling

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His tours During the first year of his residence in Kuwait, Knox made several rounds in northern Kuwait and visited Al Jahra, Umm Qasr, and Safwan, and in the following year he visited south Kuwait and arrived during his tours to Al-Haffer, the area, in fact, in which he was the first European to explore. Additionally, the English fleet was in the process of a comprehensive survey of the coast of Kuwait. Reports on Knox’s tours were sent to the team in England responsible for the preparation of the Encyclopedia Index Gulf at that time and is now to be found in the English Archive.

They are looking for the treasure After breakfast we rode off to the pillar. This is a story from last Ramadan, but it reached Kuwait only a fortnight ago when Shaikh Jabir brought the saru in from camp. An Awazmi had a dream, telling him to dig the RijiuiSufaur, so they gathered a party and went off to dig. As night fell they found masonry and the dream, dreamt thrice by the way, was coming true, and the party decided to come back and dig again the next day. They camped some little distance off and in the night one of the party saw a light at the ruins. He went up and saw two Bedouin of their company playing the rogue and digging on their own account. They said that they had nothing, but fled the next day and have not since been seen.

To south Kuwait, 1906 In the context of documenting these tours we have chosen to highlight the features of

Copper piece The Awazimi continued digging and found remains of masonry in good condition but

weather improved. Finally, England withdrew him from Kuwait in November 1904, though he returned in 1905.

Photo of Sheikh Mubarak picked up in 1901.

Why send Knox?

England took its decision to appoint an officer as an agent in Kuwait to prevent the Sheikh from taking any undesirable actions toward his rivals, as well as to carry out its responsibilities in protecting the Sheikh, if he came under attack.

They dug everywhere We reached the spot in the early afternoon and found that it had been dug into irregularly everywhere by the treasure-seeking Bedouins who have irretrievably ruined any chance of preserving and uncovering these interesting monuments. Otherwise, this might have been done at a small cost.

Wara hill description I took a bearing of Wara hill 258 and to the west hill of Burgan 214. We found the remnants of a man’s skull in one tomb, and I think it probable that the place is nothing but a cemetery of the old time kings of Wara.

Anywhere but in Arabia, they would be called village headmen. Unmoved, I have overheard myself described as “the king of all English”.

Description ancient tombs I measured one of the tombs in the best preservation. It may be described as a box made of local mortar about 4 inches thick, the length was 5 feet 1 inches, breadth 1 foot 8 inches and height about 2 feet. The whole buried about 5 to 6 feet, including the 2 foot depth of the box. The graves lie east and west and probably the head to the west. Judging from the position of the skull bones we found and their being no inscriptions.

There are large number of stones apparently piled on top of the boxes. They are irregular in shape and average about 2 cubic feet, they must have come all the way from Wara, a distance of 6 miles. It would require a sturdy camel to carry any two of them. A space of 100 feet square would cover all the stones and graves as I judge. They are on high ground and the present Wara cultivate lies between them and Wara hill.

Collecting information England wanted to obtain more accurate information on events occurring in the area and the reality about the situation inside the tribal Arabian Peninsula, as well as receive more accurate information about possible Turkish movements along the Kuwaiti border The railway line It is said that England’s growing concern with the Baghdad-Kuwait railway line project, since Kuwait would be the end of the line, caused England to send its consul to develop a better negotiating position, while also strengthening its political presence in Kuwait.

Who was Knox?

Knox had graduated from the Faculty of St Hearst military college, after which he was appointed as military consul in Basra, assistant to the English political resident in the Gulf, then political resident in Bahrain and, finally, he was appointed to the position of Political Resident in the Arab Gulf. He died in 1957.

Arriving in Kuwait In August 1904, Captain Knox arrived in Kuwait, where the Government of India paid

Shaikhs had drawn a date ration from the Turkish Government as Kaimmokams. In the old days, the Shaikh served out this ration to the various members of the Subah family, and generally Shaikhs were generous.

This man had, it was true, brought the Shaikhdom to a pitch of power never before dreamt of and he went out with a swelling purse to gain the plaudits of the general public in the market place.

Al- Bishr queried for Ceylon pearls We returned to Bishr’s tents and dined and slept the night there. Nothing could exceed the pleasant hospitality of their welcome and the same might be said of the pleasant reception I met with everywhere along this tour. The

Image taken in 1960 of Wara hill and depicting the pastures of nomads.

A look at the desert We sauntered around the cultivation, which seems fresher, greener, and better cared for than it did at the time of my last year’s visit.

The desert, on the other hand, was a good deal browner and badly wanted rain.

After we finished sightseeing in Abu Haleyfa, we decided to ride to the tents of Bishr bin Roomi, the father of Kuwait pearl merchants, and then on to the treasure pillar which we had come all this way to see. About 11 am we found the tents pitched in a hollow on the western slope of Adan Ridge. We came first to the women’s tents, four large ones, and went on to the diwanya tent pitched about 200 yards away.

Photo showing the shape and spread of Bedouin tents in Kuwait in the early nineties of the last century. him a salary of Rs 400 Rupee per month. At that time, Knox was received by Sheikh Mubarak where he was warmly welcomed.

The Sheikh hosted him at his home until Knox’s own home was ready.

Turkish protest The Turks knew about Knox being in Kuwait and his permanent residence, as well as his hoisting the English flag over his own residence. They later filed a formal protest with the English government in protest over his presence, claiming it was contrary to the convention on the preservation of the status quo agreement with England relating to the status of Kuwait.

Turkish escalation As a result of this situation, Turkey officially demanded that England immediately withdraw its consul from Kuwait. In an escalation on its part, Turkey instructed both Russia and France to send their consuls to Kuwait as a rapid reaction against the English position.

This led to a worsening situation.

Resentment traders In addition, Captain Knox began acting arbitrarily in the internal affairs of Kuwait. He was accompanied by eight engineers and mail employees, and began injecting himself in the affairs of markets and shops on a daily basis, trying to force the market to accept Indian currency and prevent traders from doing business, even trying to close some shops and intervene in other ways. He also issued commands and prohibitions, sparking resentment among many traders.

Knox leaves Kuwait, but returns again As a result of these pressures, England decided to withdraw Knox from Kuwait as a face-saving tactic. The English government also instructed Knox to ask Shaikh Mubarak to suspend the construction and housing supplement created for him because of health conditions that prevented him from spending warm summer months in Kuwait, and to leave Kuwait for this reason at the present time, but he would be expected to return when the

the tour made by Knox and his Kuwaiti companion, to the south of Kuwait, on March 24, 1906.

This report has been prepared on March 28, 1906 and sent from Captain Knox to Mr. Percy Cox, the Political Resident, and Persian Gulf.

From Knox to Cox “I have the honor to forward a copy of some notes made during a short tour to the south of Kuwait which, perhaps, might prove of interest. I would ask that the notes on the old cemetery near Wara be forwarded to the superintendent, Persian Gulf Gazetteer “

Shooting the bird Here Daij, my host, woke up the Arabs slumbering after a heavy breakfast by bringing down a bird with his shot gun and they came out rubbing their eyes and settling their Kaiyas to welcome us. Coffee came at once and breakfast followed shortly.

Breakfast with the Bedouins A big bowl of sourish milk with butter floating in it formed the principal dish, along with plates of honey and Bahrien citron jam, dates, of course, and common sweet meat, rahush of date juice and sesame flour, and thin wafer-like chupattis of about 18 inches diameter served as bread.

Drawing of an eastern market in Kuwait, as stated in the Indian magazine in 1907, and the right side of such a cafe frequented by the people of the town. only, so it is said, one copper piece, which Shaikh Mubarak handed over to me and I sent to the Superintendent, Persian Gulf Gazetteer.

Talking about Sheikh Mubarak On the way Daij had fallen behind, explaining to me that honey never agreed with him.

And then together we exchanged talk about Sheikh Mubarak. Mubarak, who had 39 sources of income, and from the time of Shaikh Jabir, the grandfather, all the previous

The report Saturday, 24 March, 1906 Daij (the Kuwaiti companion) and I started out on our tour. He had obtained for me a good black mare which, he told me, was a gift from the Prince of Saudi Arabia to himself. We passed round by the Ras Ul-Arz beacon and found it absolutely sound, though it would be the better for another coating of tar, or even two. We saw a number of the townsmen’s encampments on our road, especially near the base of the Ras-ul-Arz. As we were approaching Funtas, we overtook an old man on a donkey who insisted on our stopping the night with him. It turned out to be a Jabir of Al-Subah, though he might easily have been mistaken for an old Arab fisherman.

After his first greeting to me, he plunged straight into local politics with Daij, as a rumour has come hot foot from Kuwait that Shaikh Mubarak and Bin Rashid have become friends, and it reached Kuwait this morning before we left.

Sunday 25 March 1906 The way to Abo Haleyfa We were out on horseback fairly early this morning and rode to Abo Haleyfa where my host has a fort. As we passed out of Funtas, I noticed an uncommonly nice filly tethered by an Arab tent. Daij told me that she belonged to Abdulla el Brahim el Rashid, of the old sheikh’s family of Zubair, who was paying Shaikh Salim a visit.

old man, Bishr, wanted to know when I would come again. He was interesting about the Ceylon pearl fisheries and asked me for information, of which I had less, then he told me that he had ventured all this season and spoke of his divers as his sons and told me that it was a failure and he would sell me his house on the “seef”. He said he would have been glad to have contracted with the Ceylon Government for their fisheries, but they would have none of him. He predicted that the company which he was now buying would run the business at a loss after the first three years, as there was grave dangers of the fisheries being overfished when they would either never recover or only after a very long period.

Our return journey direct to Kuwait was without incident.

Sources English sources: Records of Kuwait,1899-1921, by Alan Rush, London, 19892005- Mubarak Al-Sabah, the founder of Kuwait, G. Slot “The Arab of the desert”, by H P Dickson, 1972 Arabic sources: the Arabian Gulf and international relations, dr Mahmoud Ali Daoud Cairo 1914 Political history of Kuwait, Sheikh Mubarak era, dr / the Fattouh Alchterh, 1990 The history of the British political relations Kuwaiti,1890 to 1921, dr / Fattouh Alchterh 1974 Statement Kuwait, (Bayan Al-Kuwait) Sheikh Sultan Al Qassimi, Beirut, 2004 Zka190@yahoo.com

Photo was taken in 1904 showing the English Consul Knox with his wife.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

lifestyle F a s h i o n

Add some sparkle with Dobrev’s Lia Sophia Cirque ring (available through a Lia Sophia representative; find one at Liasophia.com).

For a similar pair of ankle-strap heels, try the color-blocked Free Spirit pump from Ninewest.com.

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Actress Nina Dobrev’s paintspatter pattern is a fun print to integrate into your wardrobe.

Get a similar look with the Foley + Corinna splatter dress from Revolveclothing. com.

ctress Nina Dobrev is best known for playing Elena Gilbert on the hit CW show “The Vampire Diaries,” but she garnered some much-deserved sartorial nods at the recent Toronto International Film Festival.

Dobrev made appearances alongside costar Emma Watson to promote their new film, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” slated to open Sept 20.

Dobrev’s outfits ranged from formal gowns to flirty shorts ensembles. At the film’s premiere, Dobrev looked like a princess in a Monique Lhuillier strapless, sequin embellished gown.

She chose a sexier silhouette for a party at Soho House, wearing a red Elie Saab dress with a plunging neckline and a peplum waist. She wore another Saab cocktail dress with sequins and lace for a CAA TIFF bash.

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lay it close to the vest. That’s the motto of travelers who like to wear their valuables on the inside of a travel vest, today’s equivalent of sewing jewels into the seam of your skirt. “When I went to Peru, I used it instead of using a purse, and I could walk around without feeling like I had to worry about someone grabbing at my purse or backpack,” says Melissa McTaggart, 41, a Sterling Heights, Mich, attorney who frequently travels the world and swears by her Scottevest travel vest. The garment has 22 hidden pockets and can even hold an iPad: “The reason I adore it so much is because no one would think to take this vest or even consider it has hidden pockets.”

Everyone has seen the guy stuffing 100 pounds of camera equipment into the bulky pockets of a travel vest, then lurching around like Herman Munster. Other vests are so sporty they look like a trout should be leaping from the breast pocket.

Some travelers don’t like the look. Or they don’t like

300 dpi Rick Nease illustration of man wearing a ‘travel vest.’ — MCT the feel of their passport pressed against their beating heart. “The only time I have seen someone wear one is on a safari when they have binoculars, camera and lenses to carry along with them. In a way, they can defeat the purpose, because we tell our members to blend in when they travel. If you are wearing one of these vests, you look like a tourist,” says Mary Bergeron, travel sales consultant at AAA in Dearborn, Mich., who prefers carrying a small messenger-style bag instead.

Two years ago, Kansas writer Rolf Potts did a 34,000mile, 42-day trip around the world with no luggage. He brought only what he could fit into the interior and exterior pockets of his dark blue travel vest. He packed only a spare T-shirt, two extra pairs of socks and one spare pair of underwear, plus passport, toiletries, detergent to wash his clothes and a few assorted safety pins and earplugs.

Partway through the journey, he even ditched his camera to lighten the load. His possessions weighed less than 4 pounds total. That was OK with him.

“Bring a day pack, and you’re tempted to throw in items you may never use,” he says. “Wear a vest, and

The Pleaser women’s Domina 402 pump from Endless.com.

The brunet actress mixed things up when she stopped by the Lia Sophia IT Lounge Portrait Studio in a matching paint-splattered blouse and shorts ensemble from the Monique Lhuillier resort 2013 collection. She accessorized with a Lia Sophia Cirque ring and royal purple evening bag and finished the look with a pair of Manolo Blahnik for Monique Lhuillier orange heels with ankle straps.

Dobrev’s paint-spatter pattern is a fun print to integrate into your wardrobe. Get a similar look with the Religion Splatter dress from Farfetch.com for $176 or the Foley + Corinna splatter dress from Revolveclothing.com for $195, or pair a paint-spattered piece with solid pieces. Try mixing the Alexander Wang doodleprint racer-back top from Madison for $163.50 with a pair of cigarette-leg pants.

you’re more likely to bring only what you will absolutely use on the journey.”

Originally, travel vests were versions of ones used by fishermen and war photographers-beige, baggy and full of pockets across the chest and hips. Those still exist, but vests have evolved in the last decade to take into account how and where travelers actually use them and the curvier shape of women.

The landmark Scottevest, with a smooth-looking exterior concealing nearly two dozen interior storage pockets, has been widely copied in style; these vests are suitable for cooler weather. For hot destinations, travel vests continue to get lighter and lighter, such as the Magellan’s travel vest, which weighs 6 ounces and has eight pockets.

“The first Magellan’s travel vest was developed over 10 years ago. It incorporated almost everything we wantedlightweight, breathable, packs down to nothing in your suitcase, useful pockets, and designed so that it doesn’t scream safari or fishing trip,” says Lynn Staneff, marketing director. “Since then it has been updated twice-once to add more security pockets and once to modify the zipper from a double to a single.” A good travel vest is washable and dries easily, travelers say. It can easily be removed and put through airport security. It also is a way to skirt weight restrictions.

“We have heard many customers pack the pockets to go through (airport) security, using it as a second carryon bag,” Staneff says. A travel vest works great-as long as you don’t accidentally take it off, leave it hanging on the back of a chair and walk away. It also comes in handy in an emergency.

“There was one time when an airline insisted that I check my camera bag, although it meets all the international size requirements for carry-on. I get nervous when I have to lose sight of $25,000 in camera gear. As a result, I do carry my vest in my camera bag now,” says photographer William Cowger, 66, who has led 20 photo safaris to Africa. If he has to, he can pull out the vest, put it on and stow his gear on his body. Does Cowger wear a travel vest on every trip? No. Even photographers have their limits.

“I do use a vest out in the bush, but not when traveling,” he says. “Almost all of the travel vests are way too long and hot for me. My preference is a short fly-fishing vest by White River that I bought at Bass Pro Shops. It has large inside pockets, so when I am hiking, my 100-400 Canon lens fits easily.” Chip Berschback, a Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich, and attorney, wore a Scottevest jacket on a recent trip to Egypt. It had sleeves, but they unzipped to make a vest for warmer days. He liked the security of having his valuables safely inside his vest. But there was one more guy-type benefit, he says: “I prefer it to a man bag.”

Add some sparkle with Dobrev’s Lia Sophia Cirque ring for $38 (available through a Lia Sophia representative; find one at Liasophia.com). And for a similar pair of ankle-strap heels, try the Pleaser women’s Domina 402 pump for $59.95 from Endless.com or the color-blocked Free Spirit pump from Ninewest.com for $99.—MCT Get a similar look with the Religion Splatter dress from Farfetch.com.

— MCT photos

A few tips to create the look include measuring to achieve ideal proportions.

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he right eyebrows can make or break your overall look, says Adrienne Bernal, stylist and cosmetologist at Belle Epoque Salon in Kansas City, Mo. (belleepoquekc.com).

Full and shapely brows are back, and thin, skinny brows are a thing of the past, she says.

Reign in or reshape your brows with these athome tips from Bernal: 1. Trim: Brush all eyebrow hairs upward with a brow brush or comb. Then, with eyebrow scissors, trim the long hairs down to lay better within the brow.

2. Outline: Use a brow pencil to measure the correct length of your eyebrows. Start by holding the pencil straight up from your left nostril, and draw a vertical line where the pencil aligns with the brow above the corner of the left eye. This is where your brow should begin. Then, hold the pencil from the same nostril to the outer corner of the same eye and draw another vertical line where the pencil stops at the brow. This is where your brow should stop. Draw a small dot on your eye-

3.

4.

5.

6.

brow where you want the highest point of your arch (usually straight up from the outer edge of the iris). Repeat on the other side.

Wax/tweeze: After drawing your guides, wax or tweeze excess hairs surrounding your brow shape. The outer brow gently should taper off.

Fill: Fill in patchy spots with an eyebrow shadow that matches your brow color. Use a matte shadow to minimize shine, and apply with an angled powder brush. Begin at the brow arch, and apply shadow outward going in the direction of hair growth. Then, going against the direction of hair growth, apply shadow to the brow to fill in gaps.

Set: Use clear mascara to lightly cover the brows and hold them in place.

Highlight: Use a matte powder in white or off-white to highlight your perfect arches.

Apply directly under the arch of each of your brows, and blend. — MCT

A few travel vests Scottevest travel vest: 17 pockets for women, 24 for men. Sizes S to XXXL in several colors. $125 (www.Scottevest.com). The company also sells classic vests with 22 pockets for men and women.

Magellan’s travel vest: Lightweight and with eight pockets, it’s fast drying. Unisex, sizes XS-2XL. $55 (www.Magellans.com, 800-962-4943).

White River Fly Shop Vest: Not strictly a travel vest, but recommended by frequent safari photographer William Cowger; has 12 pockets. Sizes S to 6X. $79 (www.Basspro.com, 800-227-7776).

ExOfficio Boracade Vest: 6 pockets with a version for men and another for women. Sizes XS-XXL, $99.95 (www.Rockcreek.com, 888-707-6708) and at the Orvis store, 29500 Woodward, Royal Oak. Filson travel vest: 17 pockets for men, 15 for women.

Sizes XS-XXL. $185 women, $215 men (www.Filson.com, 866-860-8906). — MCT

A few tips to create the look include using brow shadow to cover any bare spots.

A little trim prevents unruly eyebrow hairs.

—MCT photos

lifestyle

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

F a s h i o n

Manish Malhotra

Suneet Varma

Models display creations by Nachiket Barve during the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week in New Delhi, India, yesterday. — AP/AFP photos

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opshop recently introduced the Topshop Personal Shopper service in its Marina Mall store, making it the second Topshop location in the Middle East to offer it. Doors opened on October 7th 2012. Personal Shopping is a free premium experience without any hassle. Customers will have their own changing room and their personal shopper to help them find exactly what they need, from the perfect pair of jeans to the ultimate capsule wardrobe. Best of all it’s all free and there is no minimum purchase value.

Specific appointments are available, ranging from a complete wardrobe overhaul, packing for a holiday getaway, to a quick lunchtime fashion fix or helping to find the perfect outfit for a special occasion.

ment that works best for you. And it’s free of charge with our compliments. Fashion you love, your way.

The In and Out Know exactly what you want? Want it now? Well this is the appointment for you. Maybe there’s a look that you have seen in our window, or something you’ve spotted in a magazine? All you need to do is tell us what you want and we’ll have it ready and waiting for you. Minimum fuss, maximum style!

The newer than now!

Get your hands on Topshop’s most-wanted, must-have pieces as soon as they arrive (and before they sell out!). Book a “Newer than Now” and we will give you an edit of our straight-off-the-catwalkinto-your-wardrobe trends. With hundreds of new looks landing in store every week, our Personal Shoppers have got it all nailed.

The big wow If the very thought of your next big event is giving you the fashion jitters, look no further. Our Personal Shoppers are experts at wow dressing. Whether you’re after the perfect piece for a big night out or a weekend away, they will have it covered.

The bags of appeal We’ve put our best shoppers into sorting out fail-safe holiday wardrobes. All you need to do is tell us where you’re headed and we’ll come up with the packing list. Whether it’s cute outfits and indieknits for festivals or all the necessaries for poolside chic, the only thing we can’t promise is the sunshine!

The “Spoil Me” birthday booking Come in and get spoilt rotten on your birthday. Book a birthday appointment and we’ll give you a blissful birthday treat. Make a day of it on your own, or with family or friends. This is also the perfect gift to let someone know how special they are!

Our personal shopping team has a wealth of experience to inspire your sartorial needs and cater for any age. Bespoke group appointments are available to cater for mother and daughter, brides or a friend with a birthday.

Our team of personal shoppers have been hand-picked to represent a wide demographic with someone to suit everyone. Each personal shopper has an intrinsic knowledge of the brand and products and will help you get the most out of your visit to the store and the city.

Call to speak to our team of bookers to let us know your requirements and we will source the most premium pieces to ensure the ultimate in service and convenience. You will be greeted with refreshments and cupcakes, taken through the season’s look-books and given an exclusive preview of forthcoming products.

The service is completely free and is available exclusively at Topshop’s new store at Marina Mall, Kuwait.

Appointment menu With Topshop’s personal shopping menu, you pick the appoint-

The miracle worker Ever had that feeling when you wake up in the morning and haven’t got a thing to wear? Everyday? Okay, so here’s the solution.

We’re talking total wardrobe overhaul. Great for anyone stuck in a fashion rut, or who wants to work on a new look but doesn’t have a clue where to start. Get your wardrobe in order and the rest will follow!

The mother and daughter Not that you needed it, but here’s the perfect excuse for a day out together. We’ll treat you both to irresistible style covering all the latest trends. Girls, spend some quality fashion time hanging out with your mum. Let’s face it she is your best shopping accessory!

The none of the above So, we still haven’t ticked your fashion box? Well, give us a call and we’ll create a made-to-measure appointment especially for you.

Come on your own or bring up to 3 friends, whatever. It’s style on demand!

The honeymooner You’ve slaved away for months (years, even) planning the wedding of your dreams. All you need now is a whole new celebratory wardrobe, think bridal shower, bachelorette party, bridesmaids’ dresses and the all important honeymoon! Something new is part of the tradition after all. Thankfully, our expert Personal Shoppers will ensure you look stylish as you sail off into the sunset.

Personal shopping service is completely free; simply book an appointment by calling 182-12-12 ext. 5.

Travel vests have gotten sleeker and lighter, but can still hold everything

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

Members of the Vienna State Opera’s ballet company perform during the dress rehearsal of the ballet “Nutcracker” at the Wiener Staatsoper state opera on October 2, 2012 in Vienna. The director of the opera house’s ballet, former French dancer Manuel Legris, and his company presented the premiere of the play in the choreography of Rudolf Nureyev yesterday. (Inset) Liudmila Konovalova and Vladimir Shishov perform during the dress rehearsal of the ballet “Nutcracker”. — AFP photos

Mexico: Mayan ball court was celestial ‘marker’

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exican archaeologists say they have determined that the ancient Mayas built watchtower-style structures atop the ceremonial ball court at the temples of Chichen Itza to observe the equinoxes and solstices, and they said Friday that the discovery adds to understanding of the many layers of ritual significance that the ball game had for the culture. The structures sit atop the low walls of the court, where the Mayas played a game that consisted, as far as experts can tell, of knocking a heavy, latex ball with their elbows, knees or hips, through a stone ring set in the walls.

The bases of the structures - essentially, lookout boxes set atop the walls, each one with a small slit running through it -had been detected before, but archaeologist hadn’t been sure what they were used for. Since the ball court was built around 864 A.D., the boxes and the stairs leading to them had crumbled. The government’s National Institute of Anthropology and History

announced Thursday that the boxes had been 90-percent reconstructed, based on the stone footings that remained. Late last year and early this year, a team led by archaeologist Jose Huchim confirmed that the sun shone through the slit-like openings when the setting sun touches the horizon at the winter solstice.

The sun’s rays also formed a diagonal pattern at the equinox in the slit-like openings, which are about tall enough to stand up in. Huchim said he knew of no similar structures at other Mayan ball courts. “This is the place where we’re finding this type of pasaje (structure),” Huchim said. He said a stone structure atop a ball court at the nearby ruin site of Uxmal appeared to have been used as a sort of spectators’ stand for elite audiences. Huchim said the slits may have been used to determine when ball matches were played, given that the ball itself, as it was knocked through the air by the players, may have been seen as imitating the sun’s arc as it

passed through the sky.

It may have also been used “like a calendar, to mark important periods for agriculture,” like planting the core crop of corn. Finally, Huchim noted that old descriptions of the ball courts sometimes depicted people atop the walls, and that they may have been acting as umpires in the game. Huchim said Thursday that stairways to the structures are being restored so visitors can observe the phenomenon. Boston University archaeologist Francisco Estrada-Belli, who was not involved in the project, said the solar sighting lines were part of “part of Maya architecture and cosmology.”

“The fact that the sun rise can be observed behind a structure should be understood in that sense, as reverence to the sun or other star, not necessarily as an observatory in the technical sense,” Estrada-Belli said. The orientation of the structures “emphasized the sacrality of the ritual space.” — AP

Low-budget films vie for top award at Busan festival

OSN scoops two awards at the Gulf Business Industry Awards 2012

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Picture shows David Butorac accepts awards for OSN.

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SN, the leading pay-TV network in the Middle East and North Africa, scooped two prestigious awards at the inaugural Gulf Business Industry Awards, reaffirming its leadership position in the broadcast industry.

Recognized for its technology, innovation and business leadership, OSN was awarded Media & Marketing Company of the Year and OSN’s CEO, David Butorac, won the Media and Marketing Business Leader of the Year award.

“We are honored to have won such esteemed awards and thank Gulf Business and the judging panel,” said David Butorac, CEO of OSN comment-

ing on the achievement. “Consumer needs and preferences are ever changing and it’s important that businesses keep up and continually evolve. Our success lies in our commitment to find innovative ways to enhance the customers viewing experience and bring excellence in everything we do. We are extremely pleased to set this precedent and see our efforts recognised by the industry.” The Gulf Business Industry Awards were judged independently by the Gulf Business team and a specially selected jury. The awards celebrate achievements of the most successful businesses and business leaders in the region.

This undated image released by Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History on Oct 5, 2012, shows a section of a ceremonial ball court at the temples of Chichen Itza on the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. — AP

wo low-budget productions are among those vying for the top award at Asia’s premier film festival this week, with organizers praising their creativity despite their technical limitations. The New Currents award at the Busan International Film Festival carries with it two prizes of US$30,000 and is open to first- or second-time Asian filmmakers. Among the 10 entries this year are local director Lee Donku’s $3,000 “Fatal”, a coming-of-age drama, and Thai director Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit’s experimental “36”, which is set around 36 static images and was made for US$20,000.

“Shooting a film for that money is not something to be proud of - definitely not,” said Lee. “We were under dire circumstances but we were dying to make this film.” Nawapol explained that financial necessity meant he was involved in every aspect of the production, both behind and in front of the camera. “I acted, did sound, moved props - anything that was needed to get this film made,” he said. BIFF’s executive programmer Kim Ji-Seok said this year’s field represented the diversity of productions found across Asia and highlighted the two low-budget films as a reflection of the dedication needed to break in to the film industry.

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“I think it shows their desire, and just how much sacrifice and hard work they are willing to do,” he said. “And while these films might be missing some technical aspects, they show just how creative films in Asia can be.” This year’s New Currents field represents eight Asian countries and includes two entries connected to acclaimed filmmakers. From Iraq comes “111 Girls”, an entry from husband-wife team of Nahid Ghobadi and Bijan Zmanpira centring around a group of Kurdish women who threaten mass suicide if their government cannot find them husbands.

Ghobadi’s brother Baham Ghobadi (“No One Knows About Persian Cats”) is an award-winning director who is currently working with Martin Scorsese. Acclaimed Iranian director Amir Naderi (“Waiting”) acts as producer on the Lebanese film Kayan from first-timer Maryam Najafi, which follows a single mother as she tries to run a business and her family in a foreign country. Previous winners of the New Currents award include Jia Zhangke who won for “Xiao Wu” in 1998 and went on to win the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival for “Still Life” (2006). The New Currents winners will be announced on Saturday, the final day of the festival. — AFP

New current movie director Lee Donku of South Korea speaks during a press conference at the 17th Busan International film Festival in Busan yesterday. — AFP

Moore teases fellow Bond Connery over Scottish independence

oger Moore and Sean Connery had the same mission when playing British spy James Bond, but the screen legends are split on the issue of Scottish independence, The Times newspaper reported yesterday. Connery is a keen backer of the pro-independence Scottish National Party of First Minister Alex Salmond, while Moore is often cited as the epitome of Englishness. “Scotland’s going to stay part of the

UK despite the fact that Sean Connery wants it separate,” Moore told an audience at The Times Cheltenham Literary Festival.

Asked whether he was a quintessential Englishman, Moore replied: “Of course I have great pride in being English. We were brought up with the idea that ‘We are the best’, which is not quite true. I’m proud to be British. I said English, but I meant British.” He said he had teased

Connery over his support for Scottish independence. “I told him that he was responsible for the collapse of the (Royal) Bank of Scotland because he drew all his money in cash,” Moore said.

Connery, 82, played Bond six times between 1962 and 1971, while Moore, 84, had seven outings between 1973 and 1985. Salmond plans to hold a referendum in late 2014 on Scotland leaving the United Kingdom. — AFP