14th Oct - Friday Times

I do... for now: Relationships protected by religion?

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NO: 15239- Friday, October 14, 2011

CARNAGE IN CALIFORNIA

SEE PAGE 13

SEAL BEACH, California: Investigators collect evidence at Salon Meritage hair salon where a man (inset) shot nine people, killing eight of them, on Wednesday in Seal Beach, California. (Left inset) People gather at a site for friends and relatives of the victims of a deadly shooting. — AFP/AP

Local FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

Local Spotlight

Off the record

Young people go on strike too!

If winter comes...

By Muna Al-Fuzai

By Sajeev K Peter muna@kuwaittimes.net sajeev@kuwaittimes.net

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t is well known that I’m very supportive when it comes to meeting the needs of young people. If that makes me biased when it comes to heeding the calls of youth, then I’m proud to be so prejudiced.

I think we should give the young a ready ear and do our best to respond positively and make things possible for them. We must trust our young before letting them go out into the world. I see this as the duty of every responsible and caring adult, whether they’re a parent or not.

At present, I’m very concerned about the status of teenagers in the Arab world, specifically in Kuwait after young Kuwaitis, mostly high school pupils, staged protests last week calling for understanding and support for their problems with the new system of grades that was put in action this year.

What happened to bring these youngsters out on strike? Most of society treated these young protesters’ complaints as a joke and made fun of them, as if it were only acceptable to take strike action in order to demand more money, rather than to call for change and support!

At least those students went on strike for a reason other than money, didn’t they? The problem here is that according to the widespread perception of strike action, it is only used to push for pay rises, etc. When it comes to calling for attention and assistance rather than the typical materialistic justifications, however, there is no support for such strikes.

I believe young people are not laboratory animals on which society can conduct new tests whenever it fancies, particularly not when they are at the most critical academic stage of their lives, in Year 12. Instead of showing any understanding of the young people’s calls, however, the Ministry of Education officials only spoke out to insist that the new changes in the exam-grading system for Year 12 pupils are in their best interests and were thoroughly assessed beforehand.

I regret to say that the pupils’ protests were treated negatively by everyone; since these protesters aren’t voters and have no influential voice to count on at election time, therefore, their hope of having anyone listen to their complaints and try to make a little effort to help them change things, was doomed to failure.

I think the problem facing the young in the Arab world is that they are ignored by society, parents and teachers; they feel abandoned by society and grow up with this feeling and with all the negative consequences.

All that these boys and girls want is someone to listen to them; why is it so difficult for the adults to hear when all the young are calling for is better treatment?

With the advent of autumn, migratory birds have begun arriving in Kuwait en route to their unknown destinations.

This rare bird was spotted by Yasser Al-Zayyat at the marina.

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prefer autumn to spring in Kuwait. I have always thought that the autumn in Kuwait is only a brief interlude. It heralds the advent of a more sprightly and exciting winter. It is a kind of grooming period, priming the inhabitants and the nature of this desert country for a soothingly pleasant season. The spring is beautiful here, but it is short-lived.

During spring, we live in fear of a looming summer. It portends the imminent arrival of an ominous and painful hot season.

Come autumn, pigeons and sparrows will return more daringly to the skies and thickets, not to forget a passing heron, a partridge or a pheasant through the sapphire sky. In the gardens, bougainvilleas would have already blossomed.

Blooming Arfaj, Hanwa or Oqhowan, Afiana and other desert flowers will soon begin to soothe your eyes and hearts.

Autumn delights usher in a season of desert life. Tents are already pitched out in the deserts and weekends are for us to enjoy. People may take a stroll back to their past to taste some of those traditional cuisines cooked in desert camps.

The cool desert breeze will revitalize us after the long-drawn summer.

Kuwait’s redoubtable astronomer Dr Saleh Al-Ojairi said recently he has seen the signs of a harsh winter in the making. Coming close on the heels of an excruciating summer, this year’s winter may very well set a record if his words are any indication.

Remember, we have just endured one of the hottest summers in the history of Kuwait with the mercury touching as high as 51 degrees Celsius (official). According to Dr Al-Ojairi, the highest temperature recorded so far in Kuwait was in 1953 at 53 degrees Celsius (official).

Experts say we are not spared by the impacts of climate change. When winter comes, it comes with a bang. A few spells of rain, blizzards and heavy smog that eventually blankets the country. Of course, one cannot forget that nasty flu that preludes the winter in Kuwait. Remember, Dr Ojairi himself was one of the first victims of the flu of the season!

But see the sunny side of the story. Shopping malls and food courts around the country will erupt with bustling crowds in tune with the buoyant festive season. The splash of pink, orange and green that struck the eyes as we went window shopping the previous week would have turned more sober with the grays, blacks and blues. The flip-flops would have taken a backseat while the gumboots would find a vantage position.

Winter is a season for comfort, good food and merry-making. It is the season when we long for the touch of a friendly hand and a gentle chat beside the fireplace. It is a season for reassurance and rejuvenation. Unfortunately, the cycle of seasons must roll on, whether you like it or not. If winter comes, can spring be far behind?

Just kiddin’, seriously

BlackBerries mourn Apples

By Sahar Moussa

sahar@kuwaittimes.net

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UWAIT: “Clearly we have a backlog in Europe ... as you can imagine, with the global reach of BlackBerry and people using it to contact others around the world, there’s a lot of messages to Europe from Asia and the Americans; over time that backlog has built up and affected our other systems,” RIM software vice president David Yach told a press conference in Ottawa, Canada, on Wednesday.

For BlackBerry-owners that was the problem that caused the three-day trans-continental blackout across Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia on October 10.

I’m a BlackBerry user and when I discovered that my BBM wasn’t working I went insane; what made things worse for me was the realization that I also couldn’t access the internet and receive or send emails. So here’s what happened in the past three days without BlackBerry.

Day One: I was ultra-confused because I didn’t know what the problem was that caused this chaos. Like a drug addict I needed my fix as I was completely lost and began grabbing and checking my BlackBerry every five minutes, hoping that it would be working, while asking every BlackBerry-owner around me if they have the same problem.

Day Two: The second day is when I know that it was a global blackout invading the world technically and causing depression among BlackBerry users and BBM addicts, as well as frustration among businessmen who couldn’t

receive work-related emails, “I feel so frustrated because I can’t BBM my girlfriend and friends and now the things I used to take for granted I have to pay for,” said a friend of mine.

As for me I was kind of confused but had more time to chat with my colleagues and socialize more. It’s ironic that when we see everyone stuck to their BBM and smiling secretly to themselves, we go on and on about the loss of personal “human” communication but here when we had a chance to actually reach out and talk to each other, thanks to the breakdown, all we were talking about was how our BlackBerries weren’t working while frantically checking them every two minutes to be the first to know that they were back again.

Day three: I felt that I was on a vacation. No emails, no internet access every second, no chatting with ten friends at the same time on BBM and I was actually enjoying my time more by watching television, going out with my friends and giving them my full attention, just like it used to be six years ago when I didn’t use all this technology.

Even my boss (who’s also a BlackBerry user) came out of his office and began chatting with us - and complaining about the BlackBerry breakdown, of course.

Today I woke up and saw a BBM from my friend and when I checked the news, I saw a report that email systems were operating normally and BBM traffic was back online; with things back to normal, I felt that my vacation had come to an end, and a crazy idea crossed my mind - that maybe Steve Jobs’ spirit returned to cast a spell on BlackBerry devices, in favor of Apple or even that it was a genuine gesture of mourning by BlackBerry to express their condolences to Apple. On the other hand, Apple without any prior notice suddenly launched its own free iPhone-toiPhone messaging service yesterday. Looks like BlackBerry’s misery was Apple’s joy!

Local FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

From the editor’s desk

Conspiracy Theories

Are you a dentist-phobic?

Shape up or ship out

By Badrya Darwish

By Abd Al-Rahman Al-Alyan Editor-in-Chief

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

myopinion@kuwaittimes.net

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or the first time in my life I’ve met somebody who loves dentists. Shocking as that might sound, dear Sawsan, one of our charming young columnists, was absent one day. When she came in the next day and was asked, ‘Where were you yesterday?’ she answered with a smile from ear to ear, ‘At the dentist!’ And I could swear it was said with love and empathy from the bottom of her heart. I felt awkward. Either there’s something wrong with me and the rest of the world who jump at the thought of going to the dentist or something’s wrong with Sawsan.

Naturally, I think I will choose the latter option; the problem is not with me and the world but rather with Sawsan.

So I asked her how she dares to love going to the dentist when everybody else seems to hate and fear them? What’s the secret? Is it that you have so much courage that we lack? She answered, ‘No, its not courage but rather my upbringing.’ I then proceeded to ask her what about her upbringing made her love the dentist. ‘Were you born at the hands of a dentist and not a midwife?’ I asked. She answered, ‘Absolutely not, but my parents had a smart idea to remove the dentist-phobia from my and my sister’s heads, so they used to make the dentist’s appointment a

fun event.’

She continued her explanation, saying, ‘The whole family would go together to the dentist; it was one of our family outings. If I was cavity-free, the dentist would give me a lollipop and a new yoyo and take my picture for the wall of fame (cavity-free kids). Then the whole family would go to lunch together after the appointment.’

What a marvelous idea! Sawsan’s father must be a very intelligent man. So he took his kids to the dentist but made them feel as if it was a fun day out together. Well, excuse me guys, but with all the respect in the world for her father, outing or not, lollipop or no lollipop, I still have dentistphobia. And I definitely don’t need my smiling mouth to be on anyone’s wall. The last time I went five years back they x-rayed my tooth and informed me I needed immediate root canal work. I took off running and never looked back.

Have a good weekend guys and take good care of your teeth. Keep up with your cleaning and don’t ‘chicken out’ at your routine checkups as I did - do as I say, not as I do.

Lastly, I offer all my love and appreciation to all the dentists in the world; it’s not their fault that I’m phobic!

Satire Wire

An iPad for your bad behavior

By Sawsan Kazak

sawsank@kuwaittimes.net

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ast week Dubai launched a campaign to encourage people to pay their traffic tickets. What Dubai offered those who paid their recently-received traffic violations in full was the chance to enter a prize draw. The five-day drive asked people to pay their bills online and offered them the chance to win an iPad 2.

So let me get this straight, do something wrong and face the consequences, as you should, and get rewarded for it?

In psychology, that’s what you would call reinforcing bad behavior. Why don’t we also have a draw for people whose visas have expired and give them a chance to win iPhones? Why don’t we reward those that have maxed out their credit cards and have stopped paying their bills by giving them the chance to win a two week all-inclusive cruise through the Caribbean? Lastly, how could we forget all those potential prize winners in jail?

We should have a weekly raffle draw to see which lucky criminal wins a grand prize of $250,000; only maximum security and death row inmates are eligible, of course.

Yes I’ve gone to extremes again but once you proceed down the slippery slope of rewarding illegal behavior, it’s going to be hard to pull yourself back up. I believe the contrary should be taking place when it comes to illegal behavior. Those who have speeding or

parking tickets should pay them and not expect something in return, while those who don’t should be punished by increasing the fine or facing even stricter regulations. The message from this campaign is this: Those who do bad will have a chance to get compensated and those who (literally) operate under the radar will get ignored.

The relationship between a state and the people who live in it is not much different than one of a child and its parents. There are some countries that are too strict on their children, but there are also those who are too lenient. There should be a middle ground, where the ‘parent’ rewards good and punishes bad behavior.

Rewarding bad driving is thus surely ‘bad parenting skills.’

Much like a family, the ‘good child’ (i.e. the good citizen) will be annoyed at being overlooked while the bad sibling gets all the attention, eventually forcing the good child. The daily draw for an iPad should be for those who have abided by the law completely, those who have not gotten speeding tickets or done something illegal. Those are the people that should be rewarded and recognized, as this reinforces good behavior and encourages people to conduct themselves properly.

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ou cannot imagine my shock when I heard that Kuwait customs officers started a strike. I always thought that they were on strike all the while! I mean you can’t really blame me, every time I walk through the customs upon arrival at the Kuwait airport, all I see is a couple of Kuwaiti customs officers with their shirts tucked out, gathered around one of the operating checkpoints talking and drinking tea.

Sometimes, they may be even smoking in the nosmoking area of the airport terminal. Anyways, every time I pass by customs they seem to be chilling around a monitor as if they are on strike. Once in a while one of them looks at the monitor and sees a bottle, then stops the machine to check it’s not alcohol. Now here comes the funny part, the customs officer shouts out an order at one of the Asian cleaning workers or porters at the airport, “bhai saab’ bring this bag?” Then one of them would carry the bag over to the designated search desks and opens the bag for the customs officer to come and look at the bag for two seconds and go back to his boys.

Never in my life have I seen a country where the customs officers have porters to serve them. I don’t understand this at all. But even when I have a bag in my hand, it’s the Asian porters who are keen to call me over to place the bag on the scanner. These porters are really the ones doing the job and they get only some KD60 or KD70 per month. If anyone in the customs department deserves a raise, it’s these porters. I say clean them up, give them a customs uniform, an increment in pay and let them do the job officially rather than listen to the demands and complaints of those who do nothing but chat, smoke and drink tea throughout their shifts and then claim that they are working their hearts out.

Customs is not the only government department that does that. I’ve seen many government employees who take monthly salaries from the government but never show up to work. I have even met journalists that work full time for daily newspapers and keep a full paid job at the Ministry of Information. The sad part is you see such people in the forefront of strikes demanding better pay for their already dismal part-time or no-time work they do.

Of course, there are people in every section of the government organization that deserve better pay and deserve recognition for the dedication they show at work. But unfortunately they don’t get recognized and many of them lose their enthusiasm and seek jobs elsewhere which is a loss for us.

The annual bill the government has to pay for the public sector salaries accounts for a major chunk of the budget. Since everyone is going on strike demanding increments, it’s time for the government to ensure that no one is taking advantage of the more than generous leniency shown to the public sector employees. If the government wants efficiency in its ministries and to save public money from going waste, then it’s time for the government to start monitoring employees for efficiency and to penalize those who don’t do their jobs.

It’s time for the government to say here is your salary increments and now it’s time for you to seriously shape up or ship out.

Local FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

I do... for now Relationships protected by religion?

By Sahar Moussa and Lisa Conrad

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emporary (or potentially temporary, depending on when the couple decides to divorce) marriages have yet to lessen in popularity, as couples seeking terms that suit their needs settle on options that won’t leave them in life-long commitments as they are easier to enter into, and get out of. The origin of such marriages is extremely controversial with many insisting that they provide the opportunity to be in a legitimate relationship for single divorcees. Others insist that they originate from times when men used to travel for years at a time, thus providing them the opportunity to enter into temporary unions while away from home. A 56-year-old Jordanian expatriate, Ahmed, said of the temporary marriages, “These marriages solve many problems nowadays, because a lot of divorced, widowed and/or unmarried women want relationships but don’t want to be for-

mally married - possibly because they have children. And some men can’t necessarily afford a formal marriage and all the costs that come along with it. These marriages solve these issues and allow the individuals to be in relationships without committing sin.”

Others, however, disagree: “Such marriages are demeaning to women.

People have become very liberal nowadays, and they feel too free to pursue whatever they desire so they interpret religion in a way that is convenient for them and that will allow them to do as they like without feeling that they are sinning,” said 34year-old Palestinian expatriate, Bilal.

However, according to a Sheikh who preferred to remain anonymous -it is not for individuals to decide, using their personal values, in judging what is, or isn’t, Islamic.

However, to add further confusion to an already complex issue, there are multiple types of potentially

‘I’d never marry a woman who has been in a temporary marriage’

temporary marriages for those that decide that traditional isn’t the best option for their current situation. In order to get some insight into the issue, Kuwait Times consulted with a lawyer to discover the complexities of potentially temporary marriages.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, he shed considerable light on how the marriages are entered into, who is allowed to enter one and, most important of all, how they’re terminated.

Misiar

The Misiar marriage requires the most effort out of the three being discussed. First, in order to be legitimate, there must be a Sheikh present when the couple signs the marriage

contract. According to our legal source, the main issue with the contracts is the meaning and the motive, but there isn’t a strict structure to follow. Some even source their marriage contracts from various websites. There must also be two male Muslim witnesses present, one of which should be a relative of the bride. A dowry must have been agreed upon in advance; the couple will usually decide on the dowry amount, with many opting for purely symbolic gestures, such as a KD 1 dowry. These, according to the Sheikh, are at the core of the Misiar marriage and are compulsory.

Without these being fully abided by, the marriage cannot be considered valid. The marriage is not registered

Local FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

legally, and the bride therefore forfeits her rights in terms of inheritance should her groom expire (for herself and any children she has during the marriage) and maintenance in the case of divorce. Furthermore, the husband is not obliged whatsoever to sleep at her home, whereas in traditional marriage it would be the norm for them to be living together. The marriage never has to be registered legally, unless the woman wants to prove that her husband is the father of her child. The marriage can also later be transferred into a registered marriage should the couple wish to formalize the union legally. Ahmed, a 56-yearold Jordanian expatriate, had the opportunity to enter into a Misiar marriage, but declined. “A Sheikh at my mosque asked me if I wanted to have a Misiar marriage with a woman who wanted a relationship without committing sin. I declined because I didn’t want to risk starting a relationship with another woman and destroying my family and first marriage.”

Orfi

The Orfi marriage is considerably easier to enter into, as the contract is signed in the presence only of two male Muslim witnesses without any relatives or religious figures present.

Similar to the Misiar, the woman must forfeit the usual rights that come along with traditional marriage. Unlike the Misiar, however, women who have never previously been married may enter into an Orfi marriage. Furthermore, they don’t have to be over the age of 30, but only over the age of 18 should they wish to pursue an Orfi marriage. If she gets pregnant, she may file a formal case claiming that she is carrying her husband’s child. A judge will decide upon the legitimacy of the claim but, should the judge be unable to make a sound ruling, DNA tests will be undertaken to settle the matter. Like the Misiar marriage, they can formalize the marriage legally by registering their union. However, many disagree with both the Orfi and the Misiar marriages because they consider them ‘loopholes’ that many try and manipulate. “I’m against both the Orfi and the Misiar marriages, because they can be abused and many twist Islamic laws for their own interests,” said Mohammad, a 49-year-old Egyptian expatriate. He added, “It’s really a catastrophe for couples who have been overtaken by lust. They can end up with a child within a ‘temporary’ family and really destroy their lives from a very young age.”

Mutaa

The Mutaa marriage is the most lenient of all the potentially temporary marriage options, as it only requires that the couple exchange vows accepting one another as husband and wife. No witnesses are required, and no contracts are signed. Unlike the other marriages, however, the Mutaa marriage requires a specific timeframe for which the man and woman will be

married. The woman must also be given a dowry of an amount both parties agree upon. The difficulty with this marriage, however, is that if the couple is discovered, proving their union can be difficult. The male partner must prove that he is Shiite (it is only recognized with the Shiite sect) and his bride must show that she is over 30 years of age, of sound mind and either divorced or widowed. The lawyer recounted the story of a Shiite couple who had been found together, and arrested, for participating in an extra-marital affair. The couple, however, claimed to have entered into a Mutaa marriage, therefore making them man and wife in the eyes of God according to Shiite beliefs. Their lawyer managed to have them excused under the basis that the marriage was legitimate according to their beliefs, and they survived prosecution.

Divorce

In the case of the Misiar marriage, a legitimate divorce requires that the couple brings the original witnesses to witness the tearing of the marriage contract. However, many people do not abide by this rule and simply tear the papers alone. The husband must also tell his soon-to-be-ex wife “You are divorced, divorced, divorced”. Following their divorce, she must stay single for three months to ensure that she is not pregnant before entering into another marriage. The Mutaa marriage requires only the utterance of “you are divorced, divorced, divorced” to be completely dissolved. In the Orfi marriage, the original witnesses aren’t required at the tearing of the marriage contract unless the couple had formally registered their marriage.

The complications

Potentially temporary marriages are very controversial, and many differ in their views on how legitimate they are. In terms of reputation, they can be detrimental for those who decide to enter into them, “I would consider marrying a divorced woman who had been in a formal, legal, legitimate marriage. Even if she’d been divorced four times, as long as they were legitimate I wouldn’t judge. However, I’d never marry a woman who had entered into a temporary marriage, even if she had one temporary marriage,” said 34-yearold Jordanian expatriate, Ahmed.

However, 26-year-old Lebanese expatriate, Sanaa disagrees, “I’m not against Misiar or Orfi marriages. On the contrary, I believe they solve many social problems in our society, but only for certain cases such as a divorced or a widowed woman, or women over a certain age. They can stem from mature, adult decisions made by responsible adults.” She added, however, “In the case of teens, I think it’s wrong. They’re not equipped to make such decisions, and as they are forfeiting so many rights, it’s not fair for a young woman to be able to choose such a fate alone.”

Many couples seek such marriages to enjoy the life of a married couple, but without the legal formality or hassle. Given that they are (usually) very easily dissolved, they also allow for low-commitment, yet religiously sound, relationships to occur.

However, should a couple sign either the Orfi or Misiar marriage contracts and use it to attempt to take a room at a hotel in a country practicing Islamic law, they will most likely be rejected. The lack of formal registration leaves hotel managers

feeling uneasy about possible liability, which shows how different the allowances are between traditionally married couples and those using oftentimes - temporary contracts.

Furthermore, witnesses to the Misiar and Orfi marriages must be male, and they must be Muslim. There are no exceptions to this rule whatsoever, and ignoring this requirement can be extremely problematic should a lawsuit later arise between the couple if either party wants to prove their union. Whilst there is little flexibility regarding the religion of witnesses, there is considerable flexibility regarding the religion of the bride. Grooms must be Muslim (Shiite only for the Mutaa), but their brides don’t have to be Muslim or of any particular sect.

Weddings, and the marriages that follow them are never without some degree of complication, confusion or complexity. The finer details usually work as boundaries for couples as they wade through paperwork, traditions and requirements in attempts to make their bond official.

However, before even commencing the pursuit for matrimonial ‘bliss’ one must first choose which marriage best suits their situation. In Kuwait, and much of the Middle East, there are various options to choose from when deciding how you want to wed your partner and, more importantly, how bound you will end up being to one another. However, none are without possible complications or consequences should things not go to plan, so even when a marriage appears to be ‘simple’ or easily terminated, it should always be entered into cautiously. sahar@kuwaittimes.net lisa@kuwaittimes.net

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

Seasonal

dressing Where other countries have three sometimes four seasons, Kuwait has specialized in one major one and a subdivision of it. Something that I’m finding quite restricting when it comes to my personal style.

By Sawsan Kazak

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Myrrh

e are all aware that Kuwait only has one-and-a-half seasons; summer and kinda-winter. Summer is obvious; it’s hot sometimes humid and always sunny.

Kinda-winter is a little misleading since, compared to other parts of the world, this kind of weather is not actually considered winter but rather a mild summer. But in Kuwait, after having survived June, July, and August, 25 degrees is now winter in comparison. Where other countries have three and sometimes four seasons, Kuwait has specialized in one major one and a subdivision of it, something that I find quite restrictive when it comes to my personal style.

The weather itself is not what is annoying; actually I am able to have a pretty good tan almost all year round, which is something I truly enjoy. What does irk me is the fact that I am not able to truly wear my winter wardrobe. A few months before ‘Kuwaiti winter’ rolls around, all the stores display their fall-winter collections and they are usually amazing. Having grown up in Canada, jackets, gloves, scarves and boots are what I know.

Just by looking at a pair of boots I can tell if they can handle subzero temperatures and icy terrains. By the simple feel of a coat I can predict what kind of undergarments I will need to stay toasty warm; this is second nature to Canadians.

Shopping at the mall I see some amazing winter items such as sweaters and turtlenecks and for a brief moment I let my guard down and convince myself that this year will be different, this year it will be freezing in Kuwait and I will have the opportunity to actually style these items from the winter collections.

And, God help me, if the item is on sale, there is no talking me out of this purchase. I usually end up buying those long-sleeved, double layered shirts and heavy coats, bringing them home and finding them a nice and cozy spot in my closet; they will be spending most of the year there, after all.

The minute I smell the arrival of winter, I begin to fantasize about what outfits I can finally wear out. I’m going to wear those cute jeans with those awesome boots, that gorgeous sweater topped with this very expen-

sive (but worth it) jacket and that adorable hat. I dream of the day I can wear scarves and mittens and not break out in a sweat. But every year I’m disappointed at the limited time I have with my winter wardrobe. Winter, or rather what passes for winter here, comes around suddenly and passes by fast. After months of heat, the weather turns cold overnight and then disappears as fast as it came.

The minute it gets just a little cold I whip out all the other warm items and begin styling. For a few weeks, everything seems to be going fine. The nights in Kuwait are cold and the clothes are justified, but as soon as I get comfortable and begin styling, the weather starts to get warm again. Those multiple layers start becoming overwhelming and I start getting hot. It then becomes a frantic race to feature all the items I haven’t had a chance to wear yet. I wear the jacket, the scarf, the gloves and the hat all at once in order to reassure myself that the purchases were worth it and that we actually have more than one season in Kuwait. A few days into January, though, and the sun is blazing once again, the nights suddenly don’t feel so cold anymore and I am suddenly overdressed.

Every year it’s the same routine, I’m in denial that winter is over and end up wearing my boots and jacket a little longer than I should in the hopes that we will get a freak snowstorm, but that day never comes. It takes me forever to switch from boots and long sleeves to sandals and t-shirts - because once you switch, there is no going back.

People told me that I will eventually get sick of summer and sun here in Kuwait. Well I’m not sick of the glorious sun and the consistency of the weather, I’m just a little annoyed at the absence of wardrobe variety.

In Canada we have summer clothes, fall clothes, winter clothes and spring clothes, as well as some transitional items. I have come to the conclusion that I have only one solution and that is to take my vacations in Alaska.

I can take all my clothes and wear the hell out of them, I can over-use my boots and wear out my jacket; at least this way buying all these items would really be justified.

Email: sawsank@kuwaittimes.net

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

Schoolchildren rally against new evaluation system

KUWAIT: Hundreds of pupils from Kuwaiti state high school yesterday staged a demonstration outside the Ministry of Education (MoE) headquarters in Shuwaikh, protesting against the recently adopted exam assessment system for Year 12 school pupils. The call to stage the demonstration was originally spread via social networking websites.

Amid the presence of security forces, MoE Undersecretary Mona Al-Lughani met with ten of the school pupils - five girls and five boys - to discuss their demands.

Speaking after the meeting, the pupils said they discussed their demand to cancel the new assessment system and reinstate the old system. The pupils also threatened to continue their protests until next Thursday unless the new system is withdrawn.

Officials stressed that the rally was wellorganized and that one of the pupil’s parents had provided five buses to transport all the schoolchildren to the venue. Officials added that Major General Tariq Hamadah asked the other pupils to leave when their representatives were meeting with AlLughani.

An education ministry official said, however, that the beginning of the protest was handled in a less than satisfactory manner,

with one MoE official telling the children point blank that the ministry would not change its decision. This angered the schoolchildren who threatened to demonstrate until their demands were met.

Minister of Education Ahmed Al-Mulaifi is reportedly set to meet with the ten representatives of the school pupils on Monday to discuss the issue. — Al-Aan

— Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

Popularity of male spas rising Kuwaiti men grow more appearance-conscious

By Lisa Conrad

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pa treatments, salon visits and pampering used to be considered exclusively feminine activities. However, as more men venture into Kuwait’s spas and salons for some pampering of their own, it’s slowly becoming somewhat of a unisex pastime.

This trend has seen the popularity of malespecific treatments soar, as well as chipping away at the stigma previously attached to pampering as being un-masculine or vain.

The term most commonly used by males, however, isn’t ‘pampering’ but ‘grooming’ or ‘maintenance,’ says 26-year-old Kuwaiti Abdulrahman. He told the Kuwait Times, “Guys do go to spas more often now, for sure.

There is so much concentration on image nowadays, and it’s always good...to look good! There’s nothing worse than seeing a hairy back on the beach, or dirty nails or a uni-brow.”

Kristine, who works at the Sahara spa, said that treatments for men are rapidly growing in popularity, “Men are becoming more conscious of their appearance nowadays,” she explained. The question, however, is what treatments are men having on their grooming expeditions? According to Kristine, men and women actually share many preferences when it comes to spa and salon trips, “Pedicures and manicures are very popular with our male customers. Some clients come once or twice a month specifically for these treatments.”

Abdulrahman insisted that such treatments are more a matter of practicality than vanity, saying “If you have dead, dry skin, it’s good to clean it properly. It’s especially important for the feet, because the dead skin

can store dirt, which is unhygienic.” He added, “I don’t see how it could be called ‘feminine’ as long as you’re not applying nail polish with the treatment.”

Along with nail treatments, men are also keen on facials, “The facials clean the skin and remove blackheads, whiteheads and pimples,” said Kristine. She added, “One of our

aren’t universally accepted though, as 32year old May pointed out: “I don’t think it matters whether or not guys want to groom themselves. Surely it’s better than not caring at all At the end of the day, most treatments concentrate on cleanliness and relaxation.

Why can’t that be unisex? Plus, if a guy is confident enough to walk into a spa and get a

most popular packages includes a facial along with a mask.” Not everyone, however, agrees that spa-time is a ‘manly’ activity, “I don’t understand how sitting with a mask on your face can be considered masculine or even productive. This type of thing has never traditionally been a priority or even a consideration of men,” said 34-year old Kuwaiti national, Khalid. Traditional gender roles

manicure, I’d say he’s pretty secure in his masculinity.”

May touched on a key point regarding the rise in popularity of spa and salon treatments: the relaxation factor. Kristine also cited this as a major reason why more and more men are attracted to treatments, “It’s not just getting treatments to look good, but it’s also a really relaxing experience.”

Abdulrahman agreed, “It is really relaxing to go for a massage and have different treatments at a spa or even a salon. The traditional gender roles aren’t the same as before. Men, traditionally, worked in physically exhausting jobs. Now men, and women, tend to work more in mentally exhaustive jobs. Relaxing is a great way to relieve stress and stay presentable.” The only treatment that fails to be relaxing and succeeds in inducing stress, Abdulrahman adds, is waxing, “I don’t have hair on my back, so I don’t have to go. But I can’t imagine it’s much fun for those that do.”

Khalid insisted, however, that any such treatments are unnecessary extravagances: “I shave, I trim my nails and I shower twice a day. I don’t need a spa to keep me clean or presentable,” he asserted. “If I have hair on my back it’s because God wanted it that way, and that’s fine with me.”

Despite the ongoing debate amongst some over the acceptability or otherwise of spa and salon treatments for men, their popularity is continuing to grow. Interestingly, the motives for treatments no longer seem to be maintenance alone, but also the experience itself. “One of our most popular packages for men includes a bath, a scrub and a hair mask,” Kristine revealed.

As May pointed out, “It’s not surprising that anyone would enjoy sitting around getting completely refreshed and revitalized without having to expend any effort on their part.” She added, “It’s pure luxury and relaxation that comes with the bonus of looking and feeling better when you leave than when you arrived. Whoever has enough time to worry about whether or not men should go is probably in desperate need of some spa time themselves!”

Lights on for visual poetry performers to act out poems next Friday

By Sunil Cherian

L

earning one’s culture in a foreign land is what is happening to some 25 Indian expats in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh. The 25 individuals gather every evening at the Indian Central School under the supervision of two visiting theater personalities for their practice of, arguably, one of the rarest art forms in the world now: visualization poetry. This art form denotes the exploration of the visual possibilities of a poem through oral recitation, dance, music and movements. Their one-hour performance will be staged next Friday in three segments at the Indian Central School, during the annual Tug of War competition organized

by Thanima, Kuwait.

The performers will visualize around ten poems by well-known Indian poets. These poems, rich in content, folkloric in structure and unpretentious in appearance tell

the story of a culture replete with the clash of tradition and modernity, variation of values and the gulf between the roots and fruits of a moving people. At the same time, these poems represent a culture that is fast evolving and in a constant flux.

Though the term ‘performance poetry’ was in use in the early 1980s and oral tradition has been the method for poetics since tribal times, today’s generation may not have seen the acting out of a poem on stage. “It’s modernly visual and at the same time nostalgic,” says Madhu Shankaramangalam, the visiting guru of the poetry performance or, in the performers’ words, Cholkazhcha. Madhu, on his first trip to Kuwait in his 30-year journey as a theater personality, stage director and associate filmmaker is happy with his team’s commitment. “Back home people have no time for art. But here I see people coming from work, practicing until

10pm, and then linger around with questions”, he said.

MK Gopalakrishnan, another visiting theater instructor, told me about the impact of poetry on people. A few years ago, he said, it was the poet who would recite a poem to an audience. Talented actors replaced poets over the course of time and now we have an abundance of talent. Poetry is independent of books, academics and from its very form. Gopalakrishnan, 63, an actor for more than 30 years, shared an experience his troupe had while performing a ten-minute poem about a family dispute over dowry. “The audience like our performance so much that they requested an encore,” he said.

Cartoon poetry is another genre the performers will stage next Friday. Popularized by the late Indian poet Dr K Ayyappa Panikkar, cartoon poetry connects and communicates with people all over.

Here is a loose translation of a few

Theatre actor PD Paulose sits on top of another participant of the performance poetry or ‘Cholkazhcha’ during rehearsal as director Madhu Shankaramangalam (second right) looks on.

lines of Panikkar, “Protect me, though I’m a bore; Make me a lover of surplus budget; Give me abundance of goal that it may reach from lakhs (of rupees) to crores (of rupees).”

“When choosing a poem for performance, what we look for is its visual possibilities and stage impact,” said Babuji Batheri, of Thanima, the organization which will hold the cultural event next Friday. Over the years we had concerts; this year we’re going for a change, added Rose Kattukallil,

another coordinator of the event.

As well as the 25 performers there are many others who are behind the effort, including Madhu Bhaskar who provided photos for this story. The performers are due to sing as well as play Indian folk instruments as part of the performance.

Iqbal Kuttamangalam, a partaker in the Cholkazhcha could not hide his glee. “I wanted to sing or act or play a musical instrument on stage. I can do all three at this event!”

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Filipino arrested near US military facility KUWAIT: A Filipino expatriate working for a Ministry of Defense (MoD) contractor is being questioned by military intelligence officials after being arrested when security officers at Ali Al-Salem Air Base found a diagram apparently giving instructions on installing explosives in his possession as he entered the highly sensitive military facility.

A security insider said that the American military security officials quickly arrested the man as he attempted to enter the base.

Foul-mouthed flier A drunken and obnoxious Kuwaiti woman was arrested shortly after arriving at Kuwait International Airport when she began screaming obscenities at airport officials. When a policeman approached, she launched a tirade of abuse at him too. He called for female colleagues to take the inebriated and foul-mouthed woman into custody and she was taken to Jleeb AlShuyoukh police station, swearing loudly the whole time at the arresting officers and staff at the police station. The foolish, foulmouthed flier did not help her own case by attempting to strip off when officers refused to bring her some of her belongings.

Dangerous driver A Kuwaiti man has lodged a complaint against an unidentified motorist who pulled up alongside his car at a set of traffic lights near a mall in Sharq and pulled a gun out, pointing it at him and telling him, “Go or I’ll blow your head off.” The shaken complainant gave police at Sharq police station the license plate details of the gunman’s car and a hunt is underway for the dangerous driver.

Twitter trouble A Kuwaiti woman has brought charges

against a male compatriot, accusing him of slandering her on social networking site Twitter. Police have launched an investigation into the case.

Lout problems A Palace of Justice employee has lodged a complaint against a Kuwaiti man who he alleges verbally abused and insulted him in front of a large number of people in the courts complex. The rude service-user launched his tirade after the employee asked him to take his place in the queue of people waiting to be served rather than barging to the front ahead of everyone else.

The surly client refused, insisting that he was an exception to the rule since he needed to process a number of transactions.

When the Palace of Justice employee rejected this attempt at queue-jumping, the rude service-user launched a tirade of abuse at the staff member. A hunt is underway for the discourteous client.

In a separate case, a Kuwaiti woman in Sulaibikhat lodged a complaint at the local police station, telling officers that a male stranger had intentionally smashed his car into her own before getting out of the vehicle, walking over to her car and spitting at her for no reason, after which he got back into his car and drove off. The woman gave officers the license plate details of the obnoxious motorist’s car and a hunt is underway for him.

Clamp capers A traffic policeman was surprised on Wednesday to discover that the wheel clamp he had put on a car parked in a noparking zone a couple of hours earlier had been tampered with, with the motorist evidently attempting to remove it. The officer found part of the device lying in the street

nearby. Police are investigating the incident.

Airport drug bust Customs officers at Kuwait International Airport caught three expatriates attempting to smuggle 76 amphetamine tablets and a small quantity of hashish into the country.

The officers stopped the men after becoming suspicious of their behavior and took them to be searched, finding the drugs in their possession. The men were referred to the relevant authorities for further action.

Criminal canoodling Two couples getting over-amorous in a seafront parking lot in Sharq were caught in the act by a Kuwaiti citizen, who immediately called police. The individuals - two Syrian men, one Syrian woman and a Moroccan woman - were taken into custody and face charges of public indecency.

Car chase A car chase took place in Jabriya after police spotted a car reported earlier as having been stolen. The motorist managed to evade police long enough to escape on foot. The car was recovered and crime scene investigators removed fingerprints and other evidence to help identify the thief. An investigation is underway.

Dumb drunk An expatriate woman was arrested in a drunken state in Salmiya. When police asked the woman for her ID, she told them that her employers had retained it. After being arrested, the woman reportedly wept and pleaded with the officers to pardon her, saying that she cares for a family, as well as having children of her own. Despite her pleas, she was referred to the relevant authorities.

— Al-Rai, Al-Qabas, Al-Anba, Al-Watan

MILAN: Kuwait Ministry of Information Undersecretary Sheikh Salman Al-Humoud Al-Sabah, Kuwait Ambassador to Italy Sheikh Jaber Duaij Al-Sabah and other officials at the KUNA pavilion during the festival.— KUNA

KUWAIT: His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser AlMohammed Al-Sabah and his accompanying delegation returned home early yesterday following a brief visit to the Sultanate of Oman. HH Sheikh Nasser paid the short visit to the Sultanate in response to an invitation from Fahad bin Mahmoud Al-Saeed, Oman’s Deputy Prime Minister for Cabinet Affairs. — KUNA

Kuwaiti royal gets death sentence for killing nephew KUWAIT: Kuwait’s lower court yesterday sentenced to death a member of the Gulf state’s ruling family for killing his nephew, also a royal, a court statement said. Sheikh Faisal Abdullah AlSabah was convicted of shooting Sheikh Basel Salem Al-Sabah to death at the latter’s palace in June 2010, the statement said, apparently over a dispute on board membership in a sports club.

Verdicts in Kuwait are issued in writing. The verdict must be upheld by the appeals and supreme courts to become final. If confirmed, the sentence must be signed by the country’s ruler in order to be carried out.

Sheikh Basel is the grandson of late former Amir Sheikh Sabah Salem Al-Sabah and the son of late minister of defense and interior Sheikh Salem Al-Sabah. Kuwait, where death sentences are carried out by hanging, has had no executions since 2007 although a large number of prisoners are currently on death row.

— AFP

Visitors flocked to the ‘Kuwait Days in Milan’ festival venue.

‘Kuwait Days in Milan’ features seminar on Kuwaiti women MILAN: The recently concluded ‘Kuwait Days in Milan’ festival on Tuesday featured a seminar on Kuwaiti women’s active role in society. “Kuwaiti women were able in the third legislative election to win seats in parliament through fair elections after fierce competition with their male rivals,” said Kuwait University lecturer Dr. Hila AlMkimi in her address at the seminar.

She stressed, however, that Kuwaiti women are seeking partnership not rivalry with Kuwaiti men, saying, “Kuwaiti women haven’t adopted

the visions of radical feminists.”

Dr. Al-Mkimi pointed out that Kuwaiti women are already contributing to the development of their country’s society and institutions.

Another Kuwaiti speaker at the event, writer Laila Al-Othman, highlighted Kuwaiti women’s contribution to literature and the arts generally.

She noted that Kuwaiti women’s contributions to literature date far further back than the modern age.

Al-Othman lauded the state’s support for all

talented Kuwaitis regardless of their gender.

Another speaker at the seminar, Cristina Finocchi Mahne of the Marisa Bellisario Foundation, a non-profitable organization offering support to women, delivered a lecture on female leadership and its future prospects.

Speaking to KUNA following the seminar, Mahne stressed the importance of the event, thanking the Kuwaiti Embassy for taking the initiative to organize it. Mahne said the seminar demonstrated the great role played by Kuwaiti

women in their country, adding, “Kuwaiti women are characterized by their great achievements and contributions.”

As well as the prominent Kuwaiti female intellectuals present, the seminar was also attended by a number of leading Kuwaiti and Italian officials, including Kuwaiti Ministry of Information Undersecretary Sheikh Salman Al-Humoud AlSabah, the Kuwait Ambassador to Italy Sheikh Jaber Duaij Al-Sabah, and the Consul General in Milan Sami Al-Hamad. — KUNA

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KD200m political scandal brewing Council member files complaint

By A. Saleh KUWAIT: Municipal Council member Abdullah Fahad Al-Enezi has filed a complaint with the Public Prosecutor concerning a new KD200 million dinar scandal in which an unnamed MP is accused of stealing Kuwait’s ‘sands.’

Al-Enezi supported his complaint with documents. Al-Enezi spoke about the scandal during the council’s session on Thursday, alleging a massive organized theft of state property. “I submitted a question in April 2011 about the collaboration of a [municipality] employee with an MP to steal Kuwait’s soil, and the answer indicates the laxity of the executive apparatus, despite the presence of an employee accused in the matter, despite the fact that the issue is still with the minister, and the documents prove the employee’s involvement, and the area of the site has increased from 700 to 800 thousand square meters, and the site is unlicensed.” The council member continued, “On April 15, 2010 the contract was signed and millions were taken, reaching KD 200 million by 2011, in exchange for stealing the sand. I have all the documents that convict the employee and the executive

apparatus, and the minister is not supposed to remain silent and sent the suspect to the prosecution, because it has the country’s wealth.” On the other scandal currently rocking Kuwait, the allegation that a number of lawmakers received suspicious payments totaling tens of millions of dinars in their bank accounts, MP Khalid Al-Sultan yesterday attacked the National Action Bloc’s (NAB) stance on the proposed grilling of the premier over the issue, calling the bloc’s standpoint “unclear.” “Why did the NAB say it would wait until it studies the grilling motion?” he asked, adding, “This is unrealistic, because the issue is not [only] related to money-laundering, but also involves political bribes, and it would be better for [the NAB] to announce its stance without waiting.”

Al-Sultan also attacked the Ministry of Education due to its inclusion of the Vatican and Karbala among a list of religious sites visited by pilgrims in a lesson plan for children.

“The Hadith say that traveling can only be to three Mosques, so where did they come up with the Vatican and Karbala?” said the MP, also asking, “Where are you, the people of Kuwait, on what’s going on in the Ministry of Education?”

Ninth Arab Security Conference ends KUWAIT: The Ninth Arab Conference of Heads of Security Information Departments, held in Tunis, concluded yesterday. Director of the Ministry of Interior’s Public Relations and Moral Guidance Division, Adel AlHashash, who is also the and Acting Information Security Director, headed Kuwait’s delegation at the event.

The conference ended with the issuing of several recommendations, which called for preparing an integrated training plan for security information department employees which would be tailored to their duties and be sufficiently flexible to allow the introduction of new security and crime prevention initiatives.

The recommendations also called for

strengthening the relationship between security officials and citizens in Arab nations, and reflecting the true image of security work concerning respect for human rights.

During his speech at the event, Col. AlHashash called for supporting further Arab Security Information cooperation and strengthening joint security between Arab nations.

The senior MoI official also presented commemorative mementos marking the event to the Secretary General of the Arab Interior Ministers Council, Dr. Mohammad Bin Ali Kouman, Deputy Secretary General Shaheen Al-Ateeq, and the head of the Jordan Delegation, Major General Mohammad Abdullah Al-Raggad.

DOHA: A group of officer cadets, some of the the 11th batch studying at the Ahmad bin Mohammed Military College in Doha, pose for a group photo. — KUNA

MoI explosives detection course ends KUWAIT: The Ministry of Interior (MoI) yesterday announced the successful conclusion of a course on methods used in detecting explosives intended for use in terrorist operations. The four-day course, which was jointly organized by the MoIís Criminal Evidence Department and Saudi Arabiaís Naif Arab University for Security Sciences (NAUSS), was held under the patronage of the Acting MoI Assistant Undersecretary for Criminal Security, Major General Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah, and took place in the presence of the Director General of the Criminal Evidence Department, Major General Dr Fahad AlDoussari. Along with the Kuwaiti participants, delegations from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Lebanon and Sudan also took part in the course, which ran from October 9-13.

Kuwait observes World Arthritis Day KUWAIT: The Kuwaiti League of Rheumatism and Autoimmune Diseases recently marked ‘World Arthritis Day’ with an event organized in collaboration with Abbott Laboratories, at the Salwa Al-Sabah hall. The event, which was held under the theme of ‘Move to Improve,’ provided a platform for renowned rheumatologists and arthritis sufferers, as well as media representatives, to discuss aspects of the disease.

During the event, rheumatologists discussed a number of arthritis-related subjects, such as the importance of early diagnosis, symptoms of the disease, and different factors that may lead to the disease, as well as its impact on children and pregnant women.

Rheumatoid arthritis usually affects the joints on both sides of the body equally, with wrists, finger, knees, feet and ankles being the most commonly affected. Symptoms include joint pain, stiffness and fatigue, as well as weight loss, loss of appetite and a low grade fever.

“It is important to educate the public, sufferers and caregivers about rheumatoid arthritis and demonstrate ways to manage the disease effectively,” said Dr. Alaa Tosson, the General Manager of Abbott Kuwait.

Five hurt in crashes

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: A critically injured 21-year-old Saudi man was rushed to Jahra Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit following a car accident on the Salmi Road. In a separate incident, a 27-year-old Kuwaiti man sustained fractures to his left arm when he was hit by a car near Jahra Hospital, also complaining of severe back pain following the accident. He was taken to the hospital.

Meanwhile, a 23-year-old Kuwaiti woman suffered cuts to her mouth, whilst a 48-year-old female compatriot complained of pain in one arm and leg following a crash on the Fifth Ring Road. Both were taken to Farwaniya Hospital.

In a fourth incident, a 23-year-old Egyptian man was taken to Mubarak Hospital after suffering injuries to one shoulder and facial lacerations when he was hit by a car near Rehab Mall.

Death penalty for fire murder

By A. Saleh KUWAIT: A bedoon (stateless) woman was sentenced to death yesterday for killing the Egyptian caretaker at the apartment block where she lived by burning him alive.

After a number of arguments with the caretaker, the woman reportedly poured fuel over his room while he was asleep and set it alight, locking the door so that he could not escape.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

Obama, Lee hail trade pact as jobs creator

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Italy’s Berlusconi fights for political survival

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Bangkok strengthens defenses, floods close in

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SIRTE: Libyan National Transitional Council (NTC) fighters evacuate a wounded comrade after a rocket fired by Muammar Gaddafi diehards landed close by in the city of Sirte yesterday as loyalists were keeping up their dogged resistance in two parts of the fugitive strongman’s hometown. —AFP

Gaddafi loyalists hit back in Sirte SIRTE: Libya’s new regime fighters retreated yesterday under heavy fire from Muammar Gaddafi diehards in his hometown Sirte as their leaders backtracked on an announcement they had captured one of his sons. The fighters, who had been hoping to mop up the last pockets of resistance in two northwestern residential districts, withdrew at least two kilometres (more than a mile) to the police headquarters they had captured on Tuesday, said an AFP reporter.

“We have been told to retreat to the police HQ and will be using artillery cannon to hit Gaddafi’s forces,” fighter Hamid Neji of the Martyrs of Free Libya Brigade told AFP on the new front line. As heavy artillery fire was heard in the city’s west and thick black smoke rose over the waterfront to the north, ambulances with sirens ablaze ferried the many wounded out for treatment.

The intensity of fighting eased later to machinegun and occasional rocket fire, mainly from the forces of the new regime, as they waited for further orders expected in the evening or today Before the reverse, a field commander of the brigade had told AFP its

fighters were trying to avoid using heavy weaponry against the Dollar and Number Two residential neighborhoods to avoid civilian casualties.

“We are not going very aggressively into these neighborhoods because there are still families inside them,” commander Yahya alMoghasabi said. Sirte is a key goal for Libya’s new leaders who have said they will not proclaim the country’s liberation and begin preparing for the transition to an elected government until the city has fallen. The new regime began its siege of Sirte on September 15 before launching what it termed a “final assault” last Friday that has seen at least 91 of its troops killed and hundreds wounded, according to medics.

Its forces have encircled Gaddafi loyalists after taking control of Sirte’s waterfront, its showpiece conference centre, university, hospital and main square. A top adviser of National Transitional Council (NTC) chief Mustafa Abdel Jalil meanwhile backtracked on his announcement that they had captured Gaddafi’s feared son and national security chief Mutassim in Sirte, after it was denied by

military commanders in the city.

“There was some confusion about the reports of Mutassim’s capture,” Abdelkarim Bizama said. “As soon as we have confirmation, there will be an official announcement of his arrest.” Late yesterday, Bizama had announced: “Mutassim Gaddafi was captured at Sirte and was transferred to Benghazi,” Libya’s second-largest city where significant parts of the new leadership remain based. The announcement sparked celebratory gunfire in both Tripoli and the anti-Gaddafi stronghold of Misrata, Libya’s third city, which withstood a devastating siege by his forces.

New regime fighters said they did capture the Gaddafi regime’s top cleric as he attempted to flee Sirte on Wednesday with his beard shaved off to disguise his appearance. Khaled Tantoosh, who served as Libya’s mufti under Kadhafi, made broadcasts in support of the fugitive ex-strongman through the long uprising that ended his 42-year rule. “We captured him yesterday morning,” said fighter Abdu Salam, who said he stopped the cleric’s vehicle with four comrades on the coast road west out of Sirte. “He had completely changed his

appearance. He was clean-shaven and was driving out and trying to escape to Tripoli,” he said. NATO said its aircraft hit two military vehicles in Sirte on Wednesday and one more in the other remaining bastion of Gaddafi forces-the desert oasis of Bani Walid, southeast of Tripoli. NTC oil and finance minister Ali Tarhuni said Libya would not award any further oil contracts until an elected government has been formed.

“The only government that can give new concessions in oil is an elected government, and that would be after we have a constitution,” he said. Libya’s oil production, which collapsed after the uprising in February, is expected to rise from current levels of about 400,000 barrels per day to nearly one million

by April, said Nuri Berruien, president of the state-run National Oil Company (NOC).

“We are shooting to go back to previous levels of 1.6-1.7 million, hopefully before the end of 2012,” he said. Italian energy company ENI said meanwhile it has resumed supplies of natural gas through the Greenstream pipeline linking Libya and Italy, following an eightmonth suspension due to the conflict.— AFP

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Bahrain opposition says will keep protesting DUBAI: Bahrain opposition parties have pledged to continue using peaceful rallies and marches to campaign for democratic reforms, describing the Gulf Arab state as a police state no different to Egypt and Tunisia before the Arab uprisings. The declaration issued on Wednesday by five groups, including the leading Shiite group Wefaq and secular party Waad, said the ruling Al Khalifa family’s role should be “governing without powers” in a constitutional monarchy.

Unrest continues in Bahrain months after the ruling family brought in troops from Sunni allies Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to help crush a protest movement they said was fomented by Iran and had Shiite sectarian motives.

The government says the nightly

clashes between police and Shiite villagers and other forms of civil disobedience are hurting the economy of the banking and tourism hub. Many firms have relocated elsewhere in the Gulf.

Twenty-one opposition, rights and online activists who led the protests have been convicted in a military court of trying to overthrow the system. Eight of them were sentenced to life imprisonment including Waad leader Ibrahim Sharif, a Sunni. “In pursuit of democracy, opposition forces intend to fully and solely embrace peaceful measures,” the “Manama Document” said, citing “peaceful rallies, marches and sit-ins as guaranteed by international conventions”.

It called for a direct dialogue between the government and opposition parties with international guaran-

Yemen urges UN to avoid resolution against prez SANAA: The Yemeni government has urged the UN Security Council to avoid a resolution targeting embattled President Ali Abdullah Saleh, calling on it instead to back a political solution for the country’s crisis. “The government of Yemen that follows closely the discussions over the situation in Yemen at the Security Council, stresses that the solution for the crisis does not come through issuing resolutions,” said an unnamed government official quoted overnight Wednesday by Saba state news agency.

An exit from the crisis after months of protests would be reached “through a political solution, and implementing the Gulf initiative that the ruling party endorsed, presenting a comprehensive mechanism to implement it,” he added. Protesters demanding the ouster of Saleh are hoping to see decisive action by the UN Security Council forcing the president to quit. The Security Council began discussions of the situation in Yemen on Tuesday.

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has proposed a peace plan under which Saleh would hand power to a transitional administration. But the veteran leader, who has ruled for 33 years, has refused to sign the deal. Britain and other European nations are drawing up a draft UN resolution which could be presented to the Security Council in the coming days. The Security Council agreed a statement last month which stressed the GCC peace initiative.

A resolution would have greater diplomatic weight to pressure Saleh.

According to a letter from Yemen’s youth movement to the United Nations earlier this month at least 861 people have been killed and 25,000 wounded since mass protests against Saleh erupted in late January. The youth group, organisers of an anti-regime sit-in at the capital’s Change Square since February, have come under repeated attack by pro-Saleh forces but have so far refused to leave.—AFP

Saudi interfaith center founded in Austria VIENNA : Saudi, Spanish and Austrian officials have created a Saudi-backed interfaith center that supporters hope will act as a back door to increased tolerance in the Arab kingdom. Critics, however, note that the interim leader of the center is Saudi Arabia’s deputy education minister, and say that could throw the center’s envisioned religious balance off kilter. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal argued against such fears yesterday. He says his country’s financial and moral support for the center comes “without infringing ... on its autonomy or independence.” Austria was chosen because it already hosts major international organizations, while Spain’s involvement harkens back to a 2008 Saudi-sponsored interfaith dialogue.—AP

tees. King Hamad bin Isa organized a month-long “national dialogue” in July but Wefaq-which won 18 of 40 parliamentary seats in 2010 elections-was allotted a small portion of seats and walked out. The dialogue led to a government reform of parliamentary powers to allow delegates more power to question ministers.

But the opposition demand an elected government and removing an appointed upper house, the statement said. Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman, an uncle of the king, is thought to be the world’s longest serving prime minister, occupying the post since 1971. “In the presence of an unelected government under statesmanship of a single person for 40 years, some 80 percent of public land ended being controlled by senior members from the royal family and

other influential figures,” the statement said, calling Bahrain a police state.

“The reality in Bahrain is no different from any non-democratic state, a copy of Ben Ali’s Tunisia, Mubarak’s Egypt and Saleh’s Yemen,” it said. Protests in January and February ousted Zine alAbidine Ben Ali in Tunisia and Hosni Mubarak in Egypt from power. Yemen’s President Ali Abdullah Saleh is still clinging to power after nine months of unrest. The government says that democracy in Bahrain needs to have a character that fits the region and does not have to match the systems in place in other countries. “Any form of democratic government in Bahrain has to suit the nature and character of Bahraini culture and heritage,” a statement from the government’s Information Affairs Authority said this week.—Reuters

Dissident groups clash with Syrian army: Observatory Five people left dead DAMASCUS: Syrian troops and armed dissidents clashed in two towns yesterday, with at least 14 people killed, as the EU announced sanctions on a key Syrian bank in protest at its deadly crackdown on dissent. In the first clash reported by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights five people were killed in Banash town in Idlib province in the northwest.

“The Syrian army backed by tanks and armored troop carriers launched an assault this morning on the town of Banash and clashes took place with armed men who were apparently dissidents,” the rights group said. Five people, including three armed men, were killed during the military operations, it said, adding that the army also launched an attack on Taum village, to the east. “Several houses were partly destroyed and people were wounded... while the noise of heavy machineguns and explosions could be heard in several parts of the town and ambulances seen racing through the streets,” it said.

In the southern province of Daraa, armed men-also apparent defectors-killed nine soldiers, one of them an officer, the Observatory said. It said 25 civilians were arrested, including 12 members of one family. In Brussels, the European Union decided to freeze the assets of the Commercial Bank of Syria, in a new set of sanctions over the regime’s brutal crackdown on protesters, diplomats said.

“Today’s decision is a direct consequence of the appalling and brutal campaign the Syrian regime is waging against its own people,” said EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton. “Our measures are not aimed at the Syrian people, but aim to deprive the regime of financial revenues and the support base necessary to maintain the repression,” she said, without naming the bank.

In London, the Foreign Office summoned the Syrian ambassador to London over alleged intimidation of exiled activists, Foreign Secretary William Hague said. “The Syrian ambassador was summoned to the Foreign Office this morning and told that any harassment or intimidation of Syrians in our country is unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” Hague told parliament.

HOMS: In this photo taken during a government-organised tour for media, Syrian journalists, background, look to weapons according to the Syrian security forces that were found at the town of Rastan, in the central province of Homs, Syria yesterday.—AP Rights groups meanwhile reported further raids yesterday against anti-Assad protestors. The Local Coordination Committees, which act as umbrella groups for protesters seeking to bring down the president, said soldiers and security forces also carried out a raid on Homs in central Syria.

Heavy gunfire could be heard. Security forces have set up checkpoints and made more than 50 arrests during raids in Qusayr, near the city of Homs, the Observatory said. On Wednesday, thousands of Syrians who back the president rallied in the centre of Damascus to show

support for the regime which has faced seven months of anti-Assad protests. In apparent response to the loyalist rally, antiregime protests erupted in Idlib, in the port of Latakia, Homs, Deir Ezzor in the east, Daraa and near Damascus, the Observatory said. On Wednesday, a court in the capital freed on bail prominent dissident Walid al-Bunni, who was arrested in August, his lawyer Michel Shammas said.

“The Damascus court of appeals on Wednesday freed opposition figure Walid Al-Bunni in exchange for a bail of 1,150 Syrian pounds ($23). —AFP

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

Obama, S Korea’s Lee hail trade pact as jobs creator

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama (R) meets South Korean President Lee Myung-bak during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC yesterday.—AFP

Thousands stage pro-govt rally in Bolivia LA PAZ: Several thousand people turned out in the Bolivian capital Wednesday to support President Evo Morales and oppose indigenous protesters marching toward La Paz. The pro-Morales group included farmers, miners and workers, and marched from the El Alto district overlooking the capital at 4,000 meters (13,000 feet) to the city center where the president was to address them.

The gathering “is in defense of democracy and in support of the process of change led by President Evo Morales,” said Vice President Alvaro Garcia, who accused the opposition of trying to undermine judicial elections planned for Sunday. The rally came as some 2,000 indigenous protesters who left the northern city of Trinidad in mid-August were a little over 50 kilometers (30 miles) from La Paz, facing high altitude and frigid conditions that have slowed their march. They are expected in the capital Tuesday or Wednesday. The indigenous groups are protesting the government’s plans to build a highway through an Amazon nature preserve, a plan that Bolivian lawmakers agreed to postpone Tuesday after the months-long mass protests.

The pro-Morales demonstrators carried banners and flags and rallied without incident on a day marking the anniversary of the arrival in the Americas of Christopher Columbus, which Morales has said should be a “decolonization day.” On Tuesday, the Chamber of Deputies approved Morales’s decision to halt the project in order to consult with the local population in the wake of police violence against the demonstrators.

The Brazil-financed road was due to run through the Isiboro Secure reserve, home to some 50,000 natives from three different indigenous groups.

These isolated groups, from the humid lowlands, are not from the main indigenous groups that make up most of Bolivia’s population, the highland Andean Aymara and Quechua peoples. The lowland people fear their traditional lands may be overrun by landless highland farmers. Work on the highway, which had been due to be operational in 2014, began in June, though not on the segment running through the reserve.— AFP

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak hailed a long-sought trade deal as an engine for job creation in both countries as their White House summit got under way yesterday. Hosting Lee amid the pomp of a formal state visit, Obama sought to underscore what is widely seen as a high point in the longtime alliance between Washington and Seoul as well as his ever-closer personal bond with the South Korean leader.

The top item on the agenda was the consummation of a US -Korea trade pact, which is expected to help anchor the United States in the economically dynamic Asia-Pacific region as it competes with an increasingly assertive China.

The two leaders were also expected to coordinate strategy on the North Korean nuclear standoff. The US Congress ratified the trade deal just hours after Lee arrived on Wednesday.

It was the largest of three pending bilateral agreements, the other two with Colombia and Panama, and all passed in rapid succession.

“America is leading once more in the AsiaPacific,” Obama said, standing shoulder-toshoulder with Lee at a welcoming ceremony.

“With our landmark trade agreement we will bring our nations even closer, creating new jobs for both our people, and preserving our edge as

two of the most dynamic economies in the world.” Calling it a “win” for both countries, Leewho must still secure endorsement of the pact

by South Korea’s parliament-said it would become “a new engine of growth that will propel our economies forward.” Obama has touted the accords as a way to boost US exports and create tens of thousands of jobs at home at a time when his 2012 re-election chances likely hinge on whether he can reduce an unemployment rate stuck above 9 percent.

But critics, including some US labor leaders, say the pacts will actually hurt US employment.

The deal between the United States and South Korea, the world’s largest and 14th largest economies, would be the biggest US trade pact since the North American Free Trade Agreement went into effect nearly 18 years ago. Obama sent the three pacts to Capitol Hill just 10 days ago, four to five years after they were first negotiated under his predecessor, George W Bush.

Lee-greeted by an honor guard under rainy skies on the White House south lawn-has proved a reliable partner for Obama, lining up with US policy on North Korea, Afghanistan and the G-20 summit aimed at stabilizing the world economy. But South Korea had chafed over US delays getting the trade deal passed. —Reuters

Eight killed in Southern California salon shooting Six women, two men left dead SEAL BEACH: Every hair-dressing station was full at Salon Meritage Wednesday when a gunman burst through the door and began shooting, sending terrified customers diving for cover in the upscale salon tucked just blocks from the beach in this quaint seaside town. The shooter then stepped outside, shot a man sitting in a truck in the parking lot and sped off. Six women and two men died. Their identities were not officially released but owner Randy Fannin was among the dead, his niece, Tami Scarcella, told the Los Angeles Times. A woman who was wounded in the rampage remained in critical condition yesterday, police said. Sgt. Steve Bowles told reporters the woman was still hospitalized but was showing some improvement. Her name was not released. A woman who gave her name only as Cindy told the Orange County Register that she was in the salon, having her hair colored, when the gunman came in, went up to a woman stylist and fired.

At first, the customer said she thought it was a Halloween prank. Then the man shot a woman who was having her hair shampooed, and then shot the salon owner, who was coloring Cindy’s hair, she said.

“I just kept hearing boom, boom, boom, boom,” she said. “I ran out. I didn’t see his face. I just saw the gun in his hand and him shoot (everybody).” Cindy said she ran next door to another business, where she went into the bathroom, closed the door and turned out the light.

“There was like a ‘pop pop’ ... and my receptionist screamed out, ‘He just shot that man’ and we all went into the bathroom and called 911,” said Kimberly Criswell, who owns a salon two doors away and knew many hairstylists at Salon Meritage. “I’m sure I’ve lost some friends today.” Police arrested 42-year-old Scott Dekraai about a half-mile from the scene.

He did not struggle, police said.

The gunman appeared to have worn body armor and had several guns, police and witnesses said. Police did not release a motive for the shooting. However, court records and acquaintances said he and his ex-wife, Michelle Fournier Dekraai, of Huntington Beach, who worked at the salon as a licensed cosmetologist, had been locked in a bitter custody battle over their son since he filed for divorce in 2007.

It was unclear whether Fournier was among those killed. Dekraai was seeking full custody but a court-ordered review recommended against that, John Cate Jr., the attorney for Michelle Dekraai, told the Orange County Register. Dekraai appeared for a court hearing in the case on Tuesday but it was merely a scheduling meeting, Cate said. “Obviously, I saw no indication” that he was violent, the attorney said.

Lydia Sosa, a hairstylist who left two years ago to work at a new business with her friend, said the gunman’s ex-wife spoke often of her relationship problems.

“They had been having bitter problems for years and I guess he just went in there and started shooting,” Sosa said. It was the worst mass shooting in Orange County history since July 12, 1976, when custodian Edward Allaway killed seven people and wounded two others at California State University, Fullerton. Allaway was convicted of murder but later found to be insane. In all, one man and five women died at the salon, one man and one woman died after being transported to a nearby hospital. Glenn Zachman, who owns a video news-gathering service, said he arrived at the scene of the arrest shortly after police and saw they had placed plastic bags over the man’s hands to preserve possible gunshot residue.

The man, in handcuffs, was placed in a patrol car and taken away about two-and-

a-half hours after the shooting. A new white pickup truck that was believed to be his was parked on the modest residential street with its doors open.

The man was cooperative when officers, working from a description of the shooter, stopped him near the salon, Bowles said. Shortly after he was arrested, police arrived at a house on Melody Lane in nearby Huntington Beach and escorted two women to a white car and then roped off the house with crime scene tape. The house is registered to Scott Dekraai.

Kari Salveson of Los Alamitos, who attended a service for the victims at SeaCoast Grace Church in Seal Beach, said she had known Michelle Dekraai for more than 10 years. She said Michelle Dekraai made her every visit to the salon special.

“She could gab away. She was one of those girlfriends you could never get enough of. She made you smile and she made you laugh,” Salveson said. In Huntington Beach, people were shocked to learn that one of the friendliest men in the neighborhood had been arrested for the shootings. Dekraai’s neighbors described him as an outgoing man who invited them over for pool parties at the house he’d lived in for about six years.

They said he doted on his son, playing catch with the boy in his yard.

Neighbors said they were aware Dekraai was in a custody battle with his ex-wife over their son, who neighbors said is 7 or 8 years old. “It was a very difficult battle and he was trying to get more time” with his son, said Jo Cornhall, who lives across the street from Dekraai. Next-door neighbor Stephanie Malchow, 29, said she was shocked when she saw the photo of the stocky man with thinning hair being detained by Seal Beach police. “I’m like, no, not this neighbor, no way, he’s the nicest guy ever,” Malchow said. — AP

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

Explosion hits Brazil restaurant; 3 killed Gas leak probably the cause

MEXICO CITY: Soldiers stand guard by Carlos Oliva Castillo, alias “La Rana”, or “The Frog,” center, and two other detainees, Juan Carlos Garza Rodriguez, head of Carlos Oliva Castillo’s security detail, left, and Irasema Lopez Garza, the girlfriend of Carlos Oliva Castillo, right, during their presentation to the press at the Defense Department in Mexico City yesterday.—AP

Mexico: Senior Zetas crime boss arrested TORREON: Mexico’s armed forces on Wednesday arrested a high-level Zetas drug cartel boss who was in charge of operations in three states along the US border and was a right-hand man of the cartel chief. The military said the arrest of the suspect, whom it did not identify, was made in Saltillo, Coahuila state, as gang members unleashed a hail of gunfire in an apparent failed attempt to cover his escape.

The suspect “is considered the operational chief for the criminal operations of the Zetas criminal group in Coahuila, Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas states,” the Defense Ministry said in a statement. It said he was also a top lieutenant of cartel chief Heriberto Lazcano, in which case the arrest would be one of the largest blows ever dealt to the organization. The arrest followed running street battles involving troops, police and gang members in which a taxi driver was killed and eight other people were wounded, including three police, the Coahuila state prosecutor’s office said.

Authorities said the suspect would be presented to the media. The arrest came the day after the United States accused Iranian operatives of having tried to contact a Mexican drug cartel as part of a plot to kill the Saudi ambassador in Washington. Officials did not specify which of Mexico’s powerful cartels was allegedly approached, but US media reported that it was the Zetas, a notorious drug cartel made up of former Mexican special forces. The Zetas have been accused of a string of killings, kidnappings and macabre displays of brutality that have made them one of the most feared gangs in Mexico’s spiraling drug violence.

Set up in the 1990s by ex-elite soldiers turned hired killers, the Zetas are fighting their former allies the Gulf cartel and others. More than 45,000 people have been killed in drug-related violence since Mexico launched a massive military operation against the cartels in 2006 involving some 50,000 troops. Earlier on Wednesday, the navy said it had found the body of a man it described as the “chief financial operator of the Gulf Cartel” in Reynosa, Tamaulipas state, without saying who was behind the killing.

Last week Mexican troops detained 32 alleged Zetas members, including 18 municipal police officers, in the eastern state of Veracruz. The sting came after the bodies of 35 people, most with criminal records, were dumped on a road in Veracruz city in broad daylight. The killings were claimed by a shadowy new vigilante group calling itself the “Zetas Killers.”— AFP

RIO DE JANEIRO: An explosion likely caused by a gas leak ripped through a restaurant in downtown Rio de Janeiro yesterday, killing at least three people and injuring 13, officials said. The explosion around 7:30 am caused heavy damage to the restaurant, which wasn’t open, and to the apartments above it, said Ronaldo Alcantara, the second in command of Rio’s fire department, who was at the site of the explosion.

“The three fatal victims were flung outside the building,” Alcantara said.

Firefighters and the city’s civil defense department are searching for more victims, though no people are known to be missing, he said. And they are investigating the cause of the explosion, which Alcantara said was was likely caused by a gas leak.

The restaurant had been closed on Wednesday, a holiday, and gas had probably leaked throughout the day and night.

When the restaurant’s first employees arrived yesterday morning, they may have somehow caused a spark that ignited the gas, said Alcantara.

The blast blew out windows up to the 8th floor in the building, and flung debris as far as 110 yards (100 meters). Two of the

victims have been identified as restaurant employees, he said. Three of the injured are in serious condition and have been taken to a local hospital. Rio’s gas compa-

ny issued a statement saying it sent a workers to investigate whether the explosion was caused by a leak in a gas pipeline or in a kitchen gas tank.—AP

RIO DE JANEIRO: Firefighters inspect the area of a blast at Tiradentes Square in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil yesterday. A powerful explosion at a restaurant in downtown Rio de Janeiro left at least three people dead and 13 injured early yesterday.—AFP

Arrival of Cuba offshore oil rig delayed again HAVANA: The arrival of a Chinese-built drilling rig set to explore for oil in Cuban waters has been delayed again and is not expected to reach the island until the second half of December, sources close to the project said. The delay is the latest of many as communist-run Cuba awaits the start of a project it hopes will give a shot in the arm to its struggling economic system. The massive Scarabeo 9, which set sail from Singapore in late August, had been expected in Cuba by early November, but was slowed by problems not unusual for a newly built rig going to its first drilling operations, people close to the project said this week.

The late December arrival means the first well, to be sunk in 5,600 feet (1,700 metres) of water off Cuba’s northern coast, may not be started until January, the sources said. They warned that further delays were possible as the rig makes its journey halfway around the world after it was built in Yantai, China, and completed in Singapore. It was said to be currently off the coast of West Africa, although reports about its location varied.

Cuba had hoped to begin exploring for oil in its part of the Gulf of Mexico several years ago, but the project has been put off by construction delays and other issues. The high-tech rig belongs to Saipem, the offshore unit for Italy’s Eni SpA, and has been contracted by Spain’s Repsol YPF for the Cuba project, which is the island’s first major exploration offshore. It will be used to drill at least three wells, two by Repsol in a consortium with Norway’s Statoil and a unit of India’s ONGC, and another by Malaysia’s Petronas in partnership with Russia’s Gazprom Neft. After that, plans for the project, which has been cloaked in secrecy, are not clear, but may depend on the success of the first three wells, a diplomatic source said. If oil is found, it will take at least three years to begin production, said the local manager for one of the companies involved.

Cuban officials have not said much publicly about the offshore exploration, but make it clear in private conversations

that oil would help their troubled economy. Opponents of the Cuban government fear oil will be the salvation of the communist system, which President Raul Castro is trying to preserve with economic reforms. But that will depend in part on how much oil, if any, is found. Cuba has said it may have 20 billion barrels of oil in its 43,000 square miles (111,370 square km) of the Gulf of Mexico, while the US Geological Survey has estimated 5 billion barrels, the figure more broadly accepted in the oil world.

Cuba oil expert Jorge Pinon, a former president of Amoco Oil in Latin America who is now at Florida International University, said the most likely prospect if oil were found was that it would be a field closer to the USGS estimate. Owing to the fields and the probability they contain heavier oil, he thinks only 30 percent to 40 percent of the reserves can be produced. “If they find 5 billion barrels, you take 40 percent of that and it’s 2 billion barrels,” Pinon said. The contracts with international partners call for Cuba to get 60 percent of the oil, which based on a 25-year reservoir life, would equate to about 131,000 barrels a day.

That amount may or may not assure the survival of the Cuban system, experts said, but would bring solid economic and political benefits, including a better balance sheet for the cash-strapped island and oil independence. Cuba now gets 92,000 barrels a day from socialist ally Venezuela to help meet internal demand, but Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is battling cancer, raising questions about how much longer the program will last.The Cuban wells have raised environmental concerns because they will be about 60 miles (96 km) from Florida, twice as close to the state as drillers are allowed in US waters. A blowout like BP experienced last year off the coast of Louisiana could douse both Cuba and Florida with oil. To alleviate concerns, Repsol will follow through on an offer it made to invite US Coast Guard officials to inspect the rig when it reaches Trinidad and Tobago, sources said. — Reuters

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

Italy’s Berlusconi fights for political survival Crisis provoked when lawmakers blocked routine legislation

KIEV: In this photo taken on July, 27, 2006 Parliamentary faction leader Yulia Tymoshenko, left, shakes hands with the leader of Regions Party Viktor Yanukovych during a round-table of parliament’s political leaders in Kiev, Ukraine.—AP

Ukrainian leader hints at Tymoshenko reprieve KIEV: Facing harsh Western criticism, Ukraine’s president said yesterday that he backs legal reforms that could allow the release of imprisoned former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. The United States and the European Union have condemned this week’s sentencing of Tymoshenko to seven years in prison for abuse of office. Tymoshenko was found guilty Tuesday of exceeding her authority in the signing of a gas import deal with Russian in 2009. She denounced the trial as President Viktor Yanukovych’s attempt to remove her, the country’s top opposition leader, from politics.

Yanukovych said yesterday that the law that served as a basis for Tymoshenko’s conviction was outdated and should be changed. The law “has been classified as a part of administrative offenses or political cases around the world, in many countries. If you ask me, “Do I agree with that? Without, a doubt, I agree,” Yanukovych said, according to his office. Yanukovych suggested that the amendments could be adopted in time for an appeals court to review the case. “If the relevant bills are passed before the appeals hearing, the appeals court will definitely take them into account while hearing the case,” he said, according to a transcript posted on his Web site.

Parliament last week gave its initial approval to a bill decriminalizing some economic offenses. That bill, however, contained no mention of the statue under which Tymoshenko was convicted. Parliament is set to consider that bill again next week and some analysts believe it could be amended to include Tymoshenko’s charge.— AP

UK says Britons need to cut 5 bn calories LONDON: British health officials say the country needs to slash 5 billion calories from its collective daily diet to slow the obesity epidemic. In a report issued yesterday, the department of health said most adults in the nation of about 60 million people are already eating far more than they need. The average Briton eats about 10 percent more calories than necessary, the report said.

The UK has one of Europe’s fattest populations: more than 60 percent of adults and one third of children aged 10-11 are overweight or obese. The new report aims to change diet and exercise habits enough so that the number of heavy Britons begins to fall by 2020. Britain’s chief medical officer, Sally Davies, said people need to be more honest with themselves about just how much food they’re eating every day. “We are still too heavy as a nation,” she said at a press conference. “Not enough of us are getting it right.” Obesity raises the risk of health problems including heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Experts said treating fat patients costs the national health service 5.1 billion pounds (US$8 billion) every year. Health Minister Andrew Lansley said Britain will continue working with the food and beverage industry in a deal to reduce the amount of salt and fat from their products and to post calorie content where possible. The deal was previously slammed by health charities and leading medical organizations who argued the food and drink industry were dictating government policies.— AP

MILAN: Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi appealed for his political survival yesterday, telling parliament that his government is the only credible alternative to help guide the country through the growing sovereign debt crisis. Berlusconi’s 3 1/2-year-old government faces a confidence vote today that will test if the premier retains a majority in Parliament. If the vote fails, Berlusconi must step down.

The crisis was provoked when lawmakers this week blocked routine legislation, which prompted opposition lawmakers to demand his immediate resignation and the country’s ceremonial president to urge the Italian leader to prove his government’s mettle. Berlusconi made clear in his 15minute address that he has no intention of stepping down - and that if he loses the only alternative is new elections, not a technical government as some have proposed. “The governments asks for a confirmation of confidence because it is deeply aware of the risks facing the country and because the deadlines imposed by the markets are not compatible with those of certain political rituals,” Berlusconi said.

Berlusconi has steadfastly resisted calls for new elections as his leadership has been weakened by personal scandals, trials and Italy’s increasingly precarious financial position. Three ratings agencies have downgraded Italy’s public debt, one of the highest in the eurozone nearing 120 percent of gross domestic product, citing political gridlock as a key reason.

Opposition leader Pierluigi Bersani said surviving a confidence vote, however, is not the same as governing a country. “The government is not coping with the situation. The problems have all been laid out, but he only knows how to stay nailed to his seat by using tricks,” Bersani said.

Berlusconi’s coalition partner, the Northern League, has indicated only grudging support for the leader, saying publicly that it is not sure Berlusconi will complete his mandate in 2013.

The confidence vote comes at a crucial moment for Italy, which is under pressure to come up with growth-promoting measures to avert being dragged into the widening sovereign debt crisis. Addressing lawmakers, Berlusconi argued that only a democratically elected government enjoyed the support to make the painful but necessary decisions to stabilize Italy’s finances. The opposition mostly boycotted the premier’s appearance, leaving half of the seats in Parliament empty. But he was flanked by Northern League leader Umberto Bossi and Foreign Minister Franco Frattini and was frequently interrupted by applause in a show of unity. Should he lose, Berlusconi said voters must decide a new government, adding that a technical government would not have “the strength of a legitimate government like this in the face of the difficult decisions posed by this crisis.” Ironically, the vote of confidence was forced when the lower house failed to approve the 2010 government accounts by a single vote. Finance Minister Giulio Tremonti missed the vote by 30 seconds, failing to cast what would have been the decisive vote. On Wednesday, Central Bank chief Mario Draghi, who takes over the helm of the European Central Bank on Nov

1, urged the government to act more quickly to implement reforms that can spur growth - beyond the austerity package that put Italy on the path to balance its budget by 2013. Otherwise, Draghi warned that the rising cost of borrowing to service national debt seen over the last three months will eat up “no small part” of the austerity package approved by Parliament last month. The package of € 54 billion ($70 billion) in tax increases and spending cuts aims to balance Italy’s budget by

2013. “The goal of relaunching growth is finally largely shared, but the adoption of the measures necessary so far have banged up against apparently insurmountable difficulties,” Draghi said. Italian yields on medium- and long-term bonds dropped yesterday as Italy easily raised € 6.2 billion ($8.53 billion). Italian borrowing costs have been increasing since July, although the European Central Bank’s program of buying up peripheral bonds has briefly helped stanch the rise.—AP

ROME: Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi, center, sits between Environment Minister Stefania Prestigiacomo, right, and Tourism Minister Michela Vittoria Brambilla, at the Lower Chamber, in Rome yesterday.—AP

Experiment points to pilot error in Russian crash MOSCOW: A pilot helping to investigate a Russian jet crash that killed 44 people said yesterday that a simulation pointed to pilot error as the cause.

The Yak-42 jet crashed into the banks of the Volga River on Sept 7 moments after takeoff from the city of Yaroslavl in western Russia, wiping out the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl professional ice hockey team, which included several former NHL players.

Test pilot Vasily Sevastyanov told state-run Channel One television that the plane went into a spin because a pilot pulled it up too sharply following an abnormally slow run. Officials have not yet announced the reason for the crash, but have said that all the plane’s systems were functioning normally until impact. Russian media reports said the investigators believe that one of the pilots accidentally activated the wheel brakes during takeoff, while another pilot pulled the plane up to a critical angle in a desperate attempt to get it into the air. The sharp maneuver caused the jet to crash immediately after takeoff.

Sevastyanov, who participated in the crash simulation at the Zhukovsky flight test center outside Moscow, said a “braking force” kept the plane down during its run, and an attempt to raise the plane’s nose would lead to a crash. The only person who survived the crash, flight engineer Alexander Sizov, told Channel One from his hospital bed that he couldn’t say whether the plane’s brake was activated during takeoff.

The crash was the latest in a string of air disasters that have raised concern about plummeting aviation safety standards in Russia and prompted President Dmitry Medvedev to suggest replacing all Soviet-era aircraft with Western-made planes. Industry experts note, however, that the recent air crashes in Russia are rooted not simply in the planes’ age, but in a myriad of other problems, including insufficient crew training, crumbling airports, lax government controls and widespread neglect of safety in the pursuit of profit.— AP

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Malawi to allow Sudan’s Bashir in for summit JOHANNESBURG: Malawi will allow Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir into the country for a regional trade summit starting today and has no plans to arrest him under an International Criminal Court warrant, a senior government official said yesterday. “Malawi believes in brotherly coexistence between COMESA states and beyond so we will not arrest him. He is a free person in Malawi,” Deputy Foreign Minister Kondwani Nankhumwa told Reuters.

The decision will likely lead to the further diplomatic isolation of Malawi’s President Bingu wa Mutharika, who is locked in diplomatic row with major aid donor Britain and earned international condemnation after government forces killed 20 protesters at anti-government rallies in July. COMESA is the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa. The ICC issued an arrest warrant last year for Bashir on charges of orchestrating genocide in the Darfur region, where as many as 300,000 people have died since 2003.

The European Union in August expressed concern about a second visit to Chad by Bashir, saying he should have been arrested. Bashir has also gone to countries including Kenya, Djibouti and China since warrants have been issued. The ICC earlier issued a warrant in March 2009 for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Bashir has dismissed the charges by the ICC, the world’s first permanent court for prosecuting war crimes, as part of a Western conspiracy.

The influential international right group, Human Rights Watch, said Malawi was bound by its international obligations to arrest Bashir. “Malawi should instead uphold its commitment to justice for grave crimes by cooperating with the ICC, as civil society across Africa has called on their leaders to do,” said Elise Keppler, senior counsel with the group.— Reuters

South Africa foreign policy ‘independent’ over Dalai Lama PRETORIA: South African President Jacob Zuma yesterday insisted on his government’s independence in its foreign policy in a veiled reference to South Africa’s handling of a visa application by the Dalai Lama. “Let me state categorically that our foreign policy is independent and decisions are informed by the national interest,” Zuma said at a public lecture at the University of Pretoria in the capital, without directly referring to the visa debacle.

“We are not dictated to by other countries, individuals or lobby group interests within our own country.” “We look at what is of benefit to the South African people, and what will advance our domestic priorities at that given time,” said Zuma. The Tibetan spiritual leader cancelled his visit to South Africa last week because of delays in his visa application. He had been invited to the 80th birthday celebrations of his friend and fellow Nobel Peace laureat Desmond Tutu.

Tutu lambasted South Africa for dallying on the visa, and accused the country of playing to the tune of its biggest trade partner China. Zuma noted in response to a question that “a birthday party has become a national issue”, referring to Tutu’s birthday today.

He noted that governments made decisions on immigration matters based on security and other issues, noting that during the days of the struggle against apartheid, even Nelson Mandela appeared on the United States terrorist list.

South Africa followed a “One China Policy”, which recognizes “the territorial sovereignty of China as the sole and legitimate representative of all the people of that country, with which we have strong historical, political, economic and social relations,” said Zuma.— AFP

Gunmen take two Spanish aid workers at Kenyan camp Man hijacked vehicle, shots driver in neck

DADAAB: In this Monday, July 11, 2011 file photo, Somali parents care for their young children who are being treated for malnutrition at a Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres) hospital in Dagahaley Camp, Dadaab, Kenya. —AP NAIROBI: Suspected Somali gunmen kidnapped two Spanish logistics workers from Doctors Without Borders in the world’s largest refugee camp yesterday, triggering a police pursuit by land and air shortly after a spate of similar attacks on Kenya’s coastal resorts. The gunmen hijacked the workers’ vehicle and shot the driver in the neck, according to Baijo Mohamed, a youth leader in the Dadaab refuge camp. Regional police chief Leo Nyongesa said he believes the attackers came from Somalia because that was the direction they fled after the attack.

The Dadaab camp lies about 50 miles (80 kilometers) from the border of Kenya’s lawless neighbor. “We are following them by the road and air. We have closed the borders. We are tracking them down,” Nyongesa said. A Doctors Without Borders statement offered few details but said the injured driver was hospitalized and stable.

“Two international staff are missing. A cri-

sis team has been set up to deal with this incident. We cannot provide any more information for the moment,” the group said. In Spain, a Foreign Ministry official confirmed that two Spanish women who do logistics for the group were abducted.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with ministry rules.

A security official in Nairobi who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak to the media, said that initial reports indicated two Kenyans also were abducted. He later said that report was inaccurate. Yesterday’s attack follows the kidnappings of a British tourist and a French woman from Kenyan resorts near the Somali border and would appear to represent the escalation of a new tactic by Somali militants or pirates.

Pirates have long sought ransoms in the millions of dollars for high-value hostages typically taken at sea.

Gunmen took the French woman from

her home near the resort town of Lamu on Oct 1. Kenyan authorities gave chase but said the militants escaped into Somalia.

The government blamed the militant group Al-Shabab. In early September, attackers believed to have been Somali pirates shot dead a British man and kidnapped his wife from a resort north of Lamu. Dadaab is filled with hundreds of thousands of Somalis and would qualify as Kenya’s third most populous city. Kenyan officials have won international praise for accepting so many Somalis fleeing hunger and war, but Kenyans around Dadaab have increased their complaints that the Somali population increases insecurity on Kenyan land.

Dadaab - a sprawling camp of makeshift and semi-permanent homes holds more than 450,000 people. Tens of thousands of Somalis fleeing the famine in that country have flooded the camp in recent months.—AP

Nigerian journalists released after arrest over article LAGOS: Nigerian police have released four journalists arrested this week over a story involving ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo, the paper said yesterday, but a fifth is expected to be charged in court. “Four of the five journalists were released in Abuja and Lagos Wednesday evening and the last one is to be charged with forgery yesterday in Abuja,” the editor-inchief of The Nation newspaper, Victor Ifijeh, told AFP. The journalist to be charged is the author of the story, Yusuf Alli, he said. The five journalists and two others from the newspaper were arrested on Tuesday in Lagos and Abuja over a report on October 4 alleging a “secret” letter written by Obasanjo to President Goodluck Jonathan. Obasanjo has denied writing the letter and filed a complaint with police,

alleging his signature was forged. The newspaper, widely seen as linked to an opposition party, has stood by the veracity of its report. The letter-published in full on October 5 by the newspaper-purports to show Obasanjo asking Jonathan to dismiss officials from various government agencies and replace them with his nominees.

Police confirmed in a statement yesterday that six of those arrested were released while the seventh was still being held.

The statement however gave no details on the case.

Those arrested include editors, reporters, a lawyer for the paper and its chief security officer, the newspaper has said.

One of the arrested editors, Dapo Olufade, said those released had faced questioning before being let go. — AFP

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Bangkok strengthens defenses, floods close in High tides, overflowing reservoirs threaten Bangkok

BALI: A damaged car in the Kuta area of Denpasar is towed by a recovery truck following a powerful earthquake that jolted the resort island of Bali yesterday.—AFP

Indonesia’s Bali shaken by quake; dozens injured BALI: A magnitude 6.1 earthquake jolted Indonesia’s popular resort island of Bali yesterday, injuring more than 50 people and sending others fleeing from their hotels and houses in panic. Ceilings caved in at two high schools and several ancient Hindu temples were damaged, with stones tumbling to the ground and walls crumpling. Some cars in the bustling capital were crushed by falling slabs of concrete.

The US Geological Survey said the quake was centered 60 miles (100 kilometers) southwest of the island, famous for its resorts and spectacular surfing beaches. It hit 21 miles (35 kilometers) beneath the ocean floor.

Although not strong enough to trigger a tsunami, the quake was felt on neighboring Java and Lombok islands. “It knocked me off my motorcycle,” said one badly shaken Bali resident, Miftahul Chusna. Candy Juliani, who works at the Sanur Beach Hotel, said guests ran from their rooms and into the street. “We have special emergency routes for this type of situation,” she said. “But everyone was so scared, they pretty much just ignored them.”

More than 50 people were hurt, suffering everything from cuts and broken bones to head wounds, said Wayan Sudanti, a hospital spokesman. Many were students and teachers who were injured when the ceilings in their classrooms collapsed, said I Gede Tejo from the local disaster agency. Elsewhere, local TV showed children in red-and-white school uniforms crying as they poured into the streets, covering their heads with folded arms. An airport and a shopping mall were also slightly damaged. Indonesia straddles a series of fault lines that makes the vast island nation prone to volcanic and seismic activity. A giant 9.1-magnitude quake off the country on Dec. 26, 2004, triggered a tsunami in the Indian Ocean that killed 230,000 people, half of them in the westernmost province of Aceh.— AP

BANGKOK: Thai workers and soldiers raced to finish defensive walls around inner Bangkok yesterday as floodwater that has covered about a third of Thailand threatened the capital. At least 283 people have been killed around Thailand by heavy monsoon rain, floods and mudslides since late July and in the past week several huge industrial estates north of Bangkok have been inundated, adding to the damage to the economy. After a meeting with ministers, army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha told reporters that flood barriers in three vulnerable locations in Bangkok had almost been completed.

“We talked about evacuation plans to help people living near the Chao Phraya river. If there’s an emergency, we’re ready to act,” he said. “The worry now is that from today until Oct 19 there will be a high tide and the important thing is to push water out to the sea as fast as possible.” Bangkok accounts for about 41 percent of Thailand’s economy and any serious disruption to life in the capital could cause growth forecasts to be slashed further. Consumer confidence fell in September because of the floods and could plunge in October, according to economists at the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce.

Last week, the university cut its forecast for GDP growth this year to 3.6 percent from 4.4 percent and then cut it again yesterday to 3.0-3.5 percent. The Finance Ministry has cut its growth forecast to 3.7 percent from 4.0 percent. The province of Ayutthaya to the north of Bangkok has been badly hit and at least three big industrial estates there have closed temporarily. A Nikon Corp digital SLR factory and a Honda Motor Co Ltd assembly plant have closed.

The north, northeast and central plains of Thailand have been worst hit and Bangkok-which is only two metres (6.5 ft) above sea level-is in danger as water overflows from reservoirs in the north, swelling the Chao Phraya river. Some outer areas of greater Bangkok have already flooded but authorities hope the centre will be saved by existing defensive structures plus three new walls, which will help channel water

Gunmen release Philippine bank hostages, surrender BACOOR: Gunmen who held six hostages inside a bank for three hours surrendered peacefully yesterday after a botched robbery in a crowded commercial district south of Manila, officials said. The four gunmen gave themselves up after being assured of their safety, said Mayor Strike Revilla of Bacoor township in Cavite province. Provincial police chief John Bulalacao said the gunmen had held five employees, including a security guard, and one depositor. He said no one was hurt.

The gunmen, armed with two pistols, barged into the Masuwerte Rural Bank of Bacoor at noon after overpowering the security guard and taking his shotgun and pistol. After scooping cash into a bag, the gunmen attempted to escape through a back door, but police were already on the scene, Bulalacao said. “They saw policemen surrounding the bank, their guns pointed at them,” Bulalacao told The Associated Press. “They ran back to the

bank and held the people inside as their hostages.”

Police commandos ringed the bank on the ground floor of a two-story building and snipers took positions on top of the bank and nearby commercial buildings. Bulalacao said the gunmen had demanded a get-away vehicle and the presence of journalists to ensure they would not be harmed.

After the gunmen freed one hostage, a police negotiator persuaded the gunmen to surrender to avoid bloodshed.

The jittery gunmen relented and walked out of the bank with their hostages, drawing applause from hundreds of people watching nearby. Last year, President Benigno Aquino III and the national police came under fire for the bungled police rescue of a busload of Hong Kong tourists taken hostage by a dismissed police officer. The hostage-taker killed eight of the tourists before he was fatally shot by snipers.— AP

to the east and west of the city into the sea. Run-off water from the north will arrive in the Bangkok area at the weekend at the same time as high tides. This may also coincide with storms and heavy rain.

Sanya Cheenimit, director of Bangkok’s drainage and sewerage department, reported flooding in three eastern districts of Bangkok that were mainly farm areas. “I want to reassure you that the flood situation in Bangkok is still under control,” he told Reuters. “All the 50 districts of Bangkok have readied evacuation plans ...

But for now, there’s still no sign that we

of volunteers gathered yesterday at the government’s flood crisis centre at Bangkok’s old Don Muang airport, loading donated water, food and medicines on to trucks to be distributed to the worst-hit areas outside the capital. In Bangkok, authorities are most concerned about 27 communities with 1,200 households along the river. “We are worried about all the areas near the Chao Phraya river,” army chief Prayuth said. “We’ve asked people not to break the flood barriers because it may cause water to overflow into Bangkok,” he added. Some residents of

BANGKOK: Residents walk through floodwater inundating a street in Pathum Thani province, suburban Bangkok yesterday.—AFP need to move people out.”

Despite the reassurances, residents have stocked up on bottled water and foodstuffs such as instant noodles. More than 2 million people are estimated to have been affected by floods around the country and essential goods are in short supply in some areas because of disruption to road and rail traffic, with some main roads to the north cut off. Hundreds

flooded outer areas have vented their anger at the temporary walls put up to protect the capital.

The governor of the neighboring province of Pathum Thani called on Wednesday for a state of emergency to be declared to give the security forces power to stop such acts, but Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra ruled that was not necessary.—Reuters

Plane carrying 32 crashes in Papua New Guinea PORT MORESBY: A plane carrying 32 people crashed in the wilds of Papua New Guinea yesterday with an unknown number of survivors, an official said. The Airlines PNG Dash 8 aircraft crashed while flying from Lae to Madang on the South Pacific island nation’s north coast, Accident Investigation Commission spokesman Sid O’Toole said. The twin-propellor plane crashed 12 miles (20 kilometers) south of Madang, he said. “All I can tell you is there have been reports of survivors and reports there have been fatalities,” O’Toole said.

Local villagers told the government-owned National Broadcasting Commission there were four survivors. Police and ambulances had reached the crash site and investigators would travel there today, O’Toole said. Australian Broadcasting Corp. television cited Madang residents as saying there was a violent storm in the area at the time of the crash.

The Australian Associated Press news agency said most of the passengers were parents traveling to attend their children’s university graduation ceremony in Madang this weekend.

The duty manager at the Medang Resort, Donald Lambert, said six of the plane’s occupants one passenger and five crew members - had reservations to stay at his hotel.”I went to meet them at the airport,” he said.—AP

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US not sincere about Afghan peace: Haqqanis ISLAMABAD: The United States was not sincere about peace in Afghanistan when it signalled it would remain open to exploring a settlement that includes the Haqqani network, one of the group’s senior commanders said yesterday. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton suggested in comments this week that Washington would not shut the door to the Haqqanis-blamed for high-profile attacks in Afghanistan-in any peace arrangement.

The Haqqanis saw the remarks as an attempt to divide Afghan insurgent groups and believed only the top leaders of the Taleban should negotiate, said the commander. “We had rejected many such offers from the United States in the past and reject this new offer as we are not authorized to decide the future of Afghanistan,” he told Reuters. In an interview with Reuters, Clinton did not spell out who the United States believes should speak for Afghanistan’s insurgent groups and said it was too soon to tell whether any of them were serious about reconciliation.

Inclusion of the Haqqani network in a hoped-for peace deal now a chief objective in the Obama administration’s Afghanistan policy after a decade of war-is a controversial idea in Washington. Officials blame the group for last month’s attack on the US embassy in Kabul and a truck bombing that injured scores of American soldiers. The CIA has been using remotely piloted drone aircraft to hunt down leaders of the Haqqani network in northwest Pakistan, where it says the group enjoys sanctuaries.

A suspected US drone strike killed a close aide of the commander of the Haqqanis in Pakistan’s North Waziristan region on the Afghan border yesterday, intelligence officials said. The strike came as US special representative Marc Grossman arrived in Islamabad to meet top officials and mend ties strained by recent US allegations that Pakistan is supporting the Haqqanis. Jalil Haqqani, 33, who helped organize the Haqqanis’ operations, was one of four militants killed when two missiles allegedly fired by a US drone struck a house in a village, the officials said.

The senior Haqqani commander denied the report and said Jalil had no link to the group. —Reuters

Villagers demand closure of Indian nuclear plant Residents don’t believe facility safe NEW DELHI : Angry villagers living near a recently built nuclear power plant in southern India blocked a highway yesterday to demand its closure, saying they don’t believe government assurances that the facility is safe. Some villagers near the Koodankulam nuclear plant in Tamil Nadu state have been fasting for five days. They occupied the road yesterday to intensify their protests, TimesNow television said.

The TV station showed the villagers on the highway, along with hundreds of local fishermen who fear that waste water discharged from the plant into the sea will ruin their fishing grounds. The Russian-built plant has not yet started operations. Prime Minister Manmohan

Singh wrote to the state’s top elected official on Wednesday saying that all precautions will be taken at the nuclear plant to maintain the “highest safety standards.” “The government fully shares the concerns of the people of the area and will take all steps to allay their fears,” Singh said in the letter to Chief Minister J Jayalalitha. India, which has 20 nuclear power plants, has ambitious plans to quadruple its present 5,000 megawatts of nuclear power to 20,000 megawatts by 2020 to fuel the energy demands of its booming economy.

Tamil Nadu is one of the most industrialized states, and the Koodankulam nuclear power plant is intended to help meet its growing power needs. Anti-

nuclear activists have stepped up their opposition to the plans for expanded nuclear power since an accident in March at Japan’s Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant caused by a massive earthquake and tsunami released large amounts of radiation. “We want the government to stop the work at the plant immediately,” the Time of India newspaper quoted M Pushparayan of the Peoples’ Movement Against Nuclear Power as saying. Since the Fukushima accident, atomic energy authorities and the state-run company that operates Indian nuclear plants have conducted a series of safety checks on installations. Singh has repeatedly given assurances that Indian nuclear reactors have an impeccable record.— AP

Kazakhstan passes restrictive religion law ALMATY: Kazakhstan’s president yesterday approved a bill tightening registration rules for religious groups that has been described by critics as a blow to freedom of belief in the ex-Soviet nation. Supporters of the bill signed into law by Nursultan Nazarbayev say it will help combat religious extremism, an issue that has come to the fore after a series of Islamist-linked attacks in the west of the country over the summer.

The law will require existing religious organizations in the mainly Muslim nation to dissolve and register again through a procedure that is all but guaranteed to exclude smaller groups, including minority Christian communities. It will also impose a ban on prayer in the workplace. Passage of the bill marks a reversal of Nazarbayev’s earlier attempts to cast Kazakhstan as a land of religious tolerance. To register locally, a faith group must now be able to provide evidence of 50 members. To register at a regional level, requires 500 members. The most complicated procedure will be registering nationwide, which requires a group to have 5,000 members across the country’s regions.

“Several minority religious groups do not have the required number of members and would be prohibited from continuing their activities and subject to fines if they disobey,” the Washington-based democracy watchdog Freedom House said in a statement last month. Felix Corley, editor of Forum 18, a Norwegian-based religious freedom advocacy group, said a second separate law also signed yesterday amends legislation on religion to broaden the range of offenses subject to punitive action.

“These two new laws ... undermine everyone’s freedom of religion or belief and, as local human rights defenders have pointed out, are part of a wider picture of increasing governmental controls on society,” Corley told The Associated Press. The laws have been passed at a speed that has upset many activists, who say there was insufficient public discussion on the issue. Backers of the revised law argue that the legislation is necessary to fight extremism and stem the influence of radical cults. Authorities have been unsettled by an uncharacteristic outburst of Islamistinspired violence in the oil-rich western regions over the summer in which several police officers were killed.— AP

KABUL: Afghan burqa-clad women and children eat as they wait for transportation to their hometown in Kabul yesterday after recently returning from Peshawar in Pakistan. —AFP

NATO wins in Afghanistan may be exaggerated: Report KABUL: The US-led NATO mission in Afghanistan may be exaggerating successes of raids designed to kill or capture insurgent leaders, a flagship strategy in the 10-year war, a report warned yesterday. The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) hails the raids as one of the most effective tactics against the insurgency, but the Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN) says data from December 2009 to September 2011 is inconsistent.

“The lack of transparency is particularly apparent in the case of the insurgent ‘leaders’ that were reportedly being killed and captured; there is no way to properly evaluate these claims,” said the AAN report on its website. But ISAF slammed the report as “disingenuous” for making false comparisons of data that “inevitably lead to faulty conclusions on mission progress”. Two days ago, the military said the number of Taliban attacks had declined for the first time and that the Taliban has failed in recent months to seize back territory lost in US-led offen-

sives in the south.

Basing its data on 3,771 press releases announcing the deaths of at least 3,873 people and the detentions of another 7,146, AAN said ISAF often interchanges the terms “facilitator” and “leader” without explaining why. It also said statistics in press releases did not tally with more grandiose figures released separately by ISAF to media outlets. Although it was unclear to what extent this was intentional, “it should make policy-makers and analysts evaluating ISAF’s progress think twice about accepting these body-count figures without more serious scrutiny,” AAN said.

On September 3, an ISAF release said security forces had captured or killed more than 40 Al-Qaeda insurgents in eastern Afghanistan this year. But a tally of previous releases add up to 22 killed and 10 captured, many of which, AAN points out, are simply noted as having had “suspected ties”. AAN concedes that the press releases themselves do not represent a complete figure, given that there may have been

unreported operations, and more deaths and detentions per incident than counted.

But ISAF said it was wrong to compare figures from its press releases with broader statistics as regular updates are “not” an authoritative database of all ISAF operations, “or even a representative sample from them”. “Hence any analysis based on them which draws broader conclusions on ISAF operations overall is flawed,” said spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jimmie Cummings. ISAF also defended its terminology, saying that leaders in charge of other insurgents can also be classified as facilitators who assist operations “much in the same manner as the authors of this report label themselves as researchers, writers, commentators and editors”. Last month, ISAF also disputed UN statistics showing a 39 percent increase in violence in the wartorn country. NATO allies, under pressure from voters in the West increasingly fed up with the long and costly war, are scheduled to withdraw combat troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2014.—AFP

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BlackBerry chief cannot give date for service resumption

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Apple wins Australian ban in Samsung tablet case PAGE 21

BEIJING: A woman holds up a gold dragon ornaments in Beijing. Chinese consumer demand for gold soared 27 percent year-on-year to 579.5 tons in 2010, according to the World Gold Council. — AFP

Gulf bonds rally on global ‘risk on’ mode

Narrowing spreads could spur Gulf high-grade issuance DUBAI: After two months of inactivity due to the euro zone debt crisis and turmoil in global financial markets, high-grade borrowers from the Gulf Arab region may be close to resuming issuance. There is a substantial number of bonds in the pipeline, and a partial improvement of sentiment in global markets in the past week-although the euro zone crisis remains fundamentally unresolved-has helped Gulf spreads tighten dramatically. The average yield on the HSBC Nasdaq Dubai GCC conventional dollar bond index fell to 5.039 percent on Wednesday from 5.245 percent at the end of last week. Average spreads, calculated over Libor, narrowed to 305.6 basis points from 345.6 bps. In the week to Oct. 5, net outflows from emerging market bond funds slowed to $1.4 billion from the previous week’s $3.2 billion, according to IFR Markets.

Abu Dhabi’s Union National Bank held roadshows for a potential bond in September but has so far refrained from issuing. Dolphin Energy, Dubai-based mall developer Majid Al

Futtaim (MAF) Holding, and Tourism Development and Investment Co (TDIC) met investors earlier this year but did not issue, citing “market conditions”. “Clearly it is not the market where low-quality issuers can get anything done,” but the situation is different for some higher-quality issuers, said a London-based Middle East fixed income investor. High-quality names still face higher spreads compared to several months ago but this is partly due to a collapse of US Treasury yields , he noted. “In spread terms, they get frustrated because it is not as tight as it was, but in absolute yield terms people are still looking at levels that are very attractive.”

RALLY Several Gulf names have rallied to trade at near-par levels during this week. “If Europe remains quiet on the bad news front, we should see this rally continue in the short term,” said a regional fixed income trader.

The Dubai government’s 7.75 percent 2020 bond was bid at 99.831 yesterday to yield

about 7.776 percent, down from 8.468 percent on Oct. 5. Abu Dhabi investment fund Mubadala Development Co’s 5.75 percent 2014 maturity was bid at around 107.549 yesterday afternoon to yield about 2.667 percent, from 2.953 percent on Oct. 10. “You can price credit risk but not event risk, and that is the main reason why the volume of new issues is low,” said an Abu Dhabi-based trader. “If the stability that we saw this week continues, then the climate will be better for new issues, and then we can talk of spreads and how much premium issuers need to pay to raise money.” If issuance does resume, however, it is likely to be gradual because highgrade credits do not appear desperate for money, analysts said. “At the end of the day, the most highly rated credits are the ones that tend to have the least need for finance,” said Nicholas Stadtmiller, fixed income analyst at Emirates NBD. “Entities that can raise funds easily either don’t need or don’t want them, and those would like to raise money have a harder time getting it.”

SUKUK Some traders speculate that Islamic bonds, or sukuk, could be among the first bonds issued after the drought. Sukuk held up relatively well in the secondary market during the recent volatility, partly because investors tend to buy them to hold for maturity rather than for trading. This could prompt both borrowers and investors to see the sukuk market as a relatively low-risk place for issuance. “The sukuk markets are new and not nearly as liquid as developed debt markets. That creates opportunity,” said Akram Annous, MENA strategist at Al Mal Capital in Dubai. Government-owned Abu Dhabi National Energy Co (TAQA) is seeking regulatory approval for a ringgit-denominated benchmark sukuk, while Kuwait Finance House’s Turkish unit Kuveyt Turk Participation Bank is on the road this week in Asia, the Middle East and Europe for a potential Islamic issue.

Average spreads for GCC sukuk on the Nasdaq Dubai dollar sukuk index have narrowed to about 295 bps from over 320 bps at the beginning of this month. — Reuters

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Saudi banks face limited impact in global slowdown Initiates Al Rajhi, Riyad Bank with ‘neutral’ RIYAD: Saudi banks face limited impact from potential global slowdown risks and are likely to bounce back to healthy return-on-equity levels driven by lending growth and ample liquidity, J.P. Morgan Securities said and began coverage of the Saudi banking sector. The brokerage set an “overweight” rating on Saudi British Bank (SABB Bank) and Samba Financial Group, the country’s second-largest

lender by market value. It started coverage of Al Rajhi Bank , the kingdom’s biggest Islamic lender, and Riyad Bank, Saudi’s third largest listed lender by market value, with “neutral” ratings.

Lending growth for the four largest Saudi banks by market value could average 13 percent by 2013 from the flat levels seen in fiscal 2010, JP Morgan said.

The brokerage expects lending

growth to be driven by higher economic growth levels and the $125 billion government spending plan announced in the first quarter of this year. JP Morgan named HSBC’s Saudi affiliate SABB Bank its preferred pick among Saudi banks, followed by Samba. “HSBC affiliation puts SABB in a sweet spot of benefitting from HSBC’s strong EM (emerging market) expertise and network, making SABB a

preferred banking partner for international corporations that aim to tap into Saudi’s strong infrastructure investments pipeline,” JP Morgan said.

Under JP Morgan’s Middle East and North Africa financials coverage universe, its preferred stocks are Commercial Bank of Qatar , First Gulf Bank, SABB, Commercial International Bank, Doha Bank , Samba and Qatar National Bank. — Reuters

Orascom chairman sees spin-off by year-end Vimpelcom to focus on digesting merger

DUBAI: In this file photo the Burj Dubai, the world’s tallest building, is seen (center left). The Gulf commercial hub of Dubai is aiming to generate 5 percent of its power needs from renewable energy sources by 2030, a top energy official in the emirate said. — AP

Dubai can manage $14bn debt maturing in 2012: JP Morgan DUBAI: Dubai’s government-related entities (GREs) can pay down or refinance nearly $14 billion in debt maturing next year with relative ease, a report by investment bank J.P. Morgan said yesterday. The emirate’s capital market risk is limited primarily to Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA), a unit of state-owned conglomerate Dubai World that is looking to refinance its 7.5 billion UAE dirhams ($2.04 billion) Islamic bond, and the topping up needs of the Dubai Financial Support Fund (DFSF), which are about $2.5 billion to $3.5 billion.

“The $14 billion wall of debt maturities at Dubai GREs next year is not nearly as daunting as the headline number suggests,” analyst Zafar Nazim said in a report dated Oct. 12. However, the report expressed concerns about the yet-to-be-concluded state-linked restructurings as they could lead to repercussions such as negative headlines, litigation and the burden of financial support on the government. Dubai Group, part of a conglomerate owned by the emirate’s ruler, may take longer than expected to reach an agreement with its lenders on a $10 billion debt

deal, a senior banker involved in the talks said earlier this week. The report also said that state-owned entities Dubai Holding Commercial Operations, DIFC Investments and JAFZA are focused on next year’s bond maturities without any support from the DFSF. “These entities expect to meet bond maturities via a combination of operating cash generation, asset sales and refinancing. Accessing DFSF appears to be more of a Plan B,” said the report.

Only $3.3 billion of debt maturities relating to JAFZA and DIFC - could be considered challenging. The remaining roughly $10 billion of debt for next year is at entities that have healthy balance sheets and cash generation, the analyst said. Meanwhile, the government’s property arm Nakheel , which recently completed its $16 billion restructuring, is expected to see an injection of $1.5 billion to $2 billion over the June 2011 to December 2012 period. Dubai has been in the spotlight for its debt woes since late 2009, as it struggled to rebuild investor confidence since stateowned Dubai World announced a $26 billion restructuring. — Reuters

CAIRO: Orascom Telecom hopes to complete a spin-off of businesses not included in a takeover by Vimpelcom by year-end, its executive chairman said, playing down the risks from a legal challenge by some shareholders.

Under the $6 billion deal with Russia’s Vimpelcom, completed in April, assets including a stake in Egyptian mobile operator Mobinil and Orascom’s North Korean operations are being spun off into a new firm, Orascom Telecom Media and Technology, under the control of Orascom’s founder Naguib Sawiris.

Orascom shareholders approved the spin-off in April but Egyptian regulators then asked for changes to the balance sheet split that will serve as a basis for the demerger. The revised plan will be put to shareholders on Oct. 23. Some Orascom minorities have mounted a legal challenge to the plan by suing Egypt’s financial watchdog, but Orascom Executive Chairman Khaled Bichara played down the threat. “The minority shareholders who are challenging the spin-off hold only a tiny amount of the shares,” Bichara told Reuters yesterday.

“Previous shareholder votes related to the Vimpelcom deal have passed with massive majorities of 93 percent and 97 percent of shareholders.”

“Once we get the shareholder approval, things will move forward quickly enough and we hope to complete the spin-of f by the end of the year,” he said in an interview. Bichara said there would be no effect on shareholders from the revised demerger arrangements because the combined value of the two companies they would now own will remain the same. Completing the spin-off “will allow the two businesses to focus on the future without this question of whether it might not happen. It will mean clarity and focus,” he said. The new Vimpelcom that emerged this year after delays and disagreements between its top shareholders has a mix of

mature businesses in Russia and Italy and faster-growing, newer operations in Canada and Africa.

CONFLICTING INTERESTS? Bichara, who became Vimpelcom’s president and chief operating officer, said there was little risk of conflict between Vimpelcom and Sawiris’s new Orascom Telecom Media over acquisitions and new mobile license bids. “There are no written rules about this, but it’s unlikely because these are businesses of two different sizes and business sense would suggest different opportunities,” he said. For example, said Bichara, Vimpelcom might be more interested than Sawiris in purchasing a telecom service provider in Ukraine or a local business in Pakistan or Bangladesh. Sawiris might target smaller, riskier start-ups, he said. For now, Vimpelcom was focusing on bedding down this year’s merger and exploiting its new size to get more competitive pricing on equipment and improve shareholder returns. “We will look at local consolidation opportunities if they arise ... but we are not looking at any major M&A transactions at the Vimpelcom level for now until we digest this deal,” said Bichara. Vimpelcom is being organised into three clusters- established operations such as Russia and Italy, growth businesses like Algeria, Pakistan and Bangladesh and newer, smaller operations. Vimpelcom bought Orascom’s majority owner Wind Telecom. Bichara said there was no plan to fold Orascom Telecom into Vimpelcom in the short term. “There is still a lot of upside for OT minorities if Algeria is fixed so now is not the time, but maybe in the long term,” he said. Orascom is in a dispute with Algeria’s government over the fate of its lucrative mobile business Djezzy, which Algeria wants to nationalize. Investors say the uncertainty about Djezzy has weighed on Orascom’s share price, which has dropped 26 percent this year. — Reuters

ENI announces resumption of Libya’s natural gas supplies MILAN: Italian energy major ENI said yesterday it had resumed supplies of natural gas through the Greenstream pipeline linking Libya and Italy following an eight-month suspension due to the conflict. “NOC (National Oil Corporation) and ENI... today began injecting natural gas through the Greenstream gas pipeline,” ENI said in a statement. Greenstream was suspended on February 22 and ENI had warned it wanted to resume supplies as soon as possible to avoid shortages in the winter. ENI is the biggest foreign energy producer in Libya, a former Italian colony that had close ties with Italy under ousted strongman Moamer Kadhafi. Libya accounts for around 15 percent of ENI’s global production.

The company said the supplies would bring Italy “greater security on energy supplies”. ENI had

re-started oil production in Libya on September 26. ENI said it had initially pumped a volume equivalent to three million cubic meters of gas per day through the pipeline from the Wafa field, some 500 kilometers southeast of Tripoli. Wafa was the only field where ENI did not suspend production during the conflict although it reduced output to supply only the domestic market. It said it was planning to resume gas production from the Sabratah offshore field next month in order to boost supplies through Greenstream. ENI’s net oil production fell to 50,000 barrels per day during the conflict, compared to around 280,000 barrels normally. On the Milan stock exchange, ENI shares were down 0.66 percent at 15.02 euros after the announcement in a market that was down 2.39 percent overall. — AFP

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Apple wins Australian ban in Samsung tablet case SYDNEY: US technology giant Apple yesterday won a temporary ban on Samsung selling its Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Australia, the latest victory in its global battle over patents related to the iPad. The Federal Court of Australia granted an interim order against the sale of the Galaxy 10.1, ruling that Apple had established a prima facie case that the South Korean company had breached touchscreen technology copyrights. “Despite the force of Samsung’s submissions I have found that Apple has established a prima facie case of infringement of claims of both (its) patent(s),” Justice Annabelle Bennett told the court.”That is, it has established a probability, not necessarily in a mathematical sense, that it will, on the present evidence, succeed at trial.” Apple won a similar ban on the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Germany earlier this month related to copyright breaches, and the two companies are locked in an ongoing battle over smartphone and tablet technology in the United States. Similar disputes are afoot in South Korea.

Bennett ruled that refusing a temporary ban on the sale of the Galaxy 10.1 while a full trial was held into the contested patents would have resulted in “significant” detriment to Apple. She rejected Samsung’s claims that the American technology giant had delayed bringing legal proceedings and said the South Korean firm’s own unwillingness to be available for a full hearing in November had weighed against it in the case. Bennett said Samsung had been aware of the copyright issues since at least April, when Apple launched legal action against the Galaxy 10.1 in the United States, and “proceeded with its eyes wide open” on launching the product in Australia. “Overall, considering that Apple has established a prima facie case with respect to two separate patents, and that the balance of convenience is marginally in its favor, I am satisfied that it is appropriate to grant the interim injunction,” the judge said.

Lawyers for both sides declined to comment outside the court, but Samsung later issued a defiant statement expressing its disappointment at the outcome and vowing not to be deterred. — AFP

BlackBerry chief cannot give date for service resumption ‘We’re working tirelessly to restore your trust in us’ LONDON: The head of the company that makes BlackBerry smartphones admitted yesterday he could not say when its services would return to normal after three days of outages, but said progress was being made. Mike Lazaridis, the president and founder of Canada-based Research in Motion (RIM), used a video message to apologize to the millions of BlackBerry users worldwide who have been starved of instant access to emails and messaging. The firm said services in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and India were returning to normal, although disruptions remained in the United States and Canada-which first experienced problems on Wednesday-and Latin America.

“Since launching BlackBerry in 1999, it’s been my goal to provide reliable real-time communications around the world. We did not deliver on that goal this week, not even close,” Lazaridis said in a video on the RIM website.

Speaking on the fourth day of disruptions, which the firm has blamed on a backlog of emails caused by an initial technical failure, he said: “I apologize for the service outages this week. We’ve let many of you down.” Lazaridis added: “I’d like to give you an estimated time of full recovery around the world, but I cannot do this with certainty at this time. For those of you affected I know this is very frustrating.

“We’re doing everything in our power to restore regular service levels, and we’re working tirelessly to restore your trust in us.” He said BlackBerry services were now “approaching normal” levels in Europe, the Middle East, India and Africa, although an earlier RIM statement said that problems persist in the Americas. “Service levels are also progressing well in the US, Canada and Latin America and we are seeing increased traffic throughput on most services, although there are still some delays and services levels may still vary amongst customers,” said the statement, posted online at 0430 GMT yesterday. RIM said on Wednesday that an initial technical failure had prompted a build-up of messages in its network, triggering a cascade of problems around the world that affected many of the firm’s 70 million subscribers. “It is a backlog issue,” RIM software vice president David Yach said, ruling out any rumors of sabotage or hacking. The technical failure reportedly took place at the company’s British hub in Slough, a town west of London.

RIM claimed on Monday the issue had been resolved, but the glitches spread, sparking outrage from BlackBerry users worldwide. The problems represent a PR nightmare for RIM, which has faced weaker sales of the BlackBerry compared with smartphones made by Apple or those run-

ning Google’s Android software. The timing is particularly bad ahead of Apple’s launch today of the latest iteration of its top-selling smartphone, the iPhone 4S, in key world markets. Major Asia-Pacific markets such as Australia, Japan and South Korea have been unaffected for the most part, but irate users in China and India have reported widespread outages this week. Much of the anger has been caused by a lack of information about the problems, which Lazaridis acknowledged. He promised to update users more frequently through its websites and social media channels. Although RIM reported an improved service in India yesterday, Manoj Bhoj, a marketing executive in

OTTOWA: A Blackberry subscriber holds a Research in Motion Blackberry in Ottawa. — AP India’s financial capital Mumbai, complained of a “communication gap” from the Canadian company. “We have to update clients with reports and haven’t been able to do so.

I just hope it doesn’t happen again,” he said. There was less sympathy towards RIM from some commentators on microblogging sites in China. “The BlackBerry is junk.

Forget it, I’ll use an iPhone,” BlackBerry user Hun Lingshi wrote. — AFP

Gold eases as dollar offsets consumer boost Physical demand pushes up Asia premiums

People walk past the Apple Store in Sydney, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2011. An Australian court temporarily banned Samsung from selling its new Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet computer in the country, after rival technology giant Apple accused the company of copying features from its popular iPad tablet. —AP

LONDON: Gold held near four-week highs yesterday, as support from further evidence of consumer demand in Asia was offset by the strength of the dollar, although investor nerves over the euro zone should insulate the price from any steep declines. China’s trade surplus narrowed for a second month in a row in September, driven by a contraction in imports and exports that reflected the slowing global economy and also a softer domestic market, which put pressure on industrial commodities. The mood across markets was cautious in Europe ahead of a sale of Italian bonds, which will test fragile investor confidence in the ability of euro zone leaders to solve the debt crisis that could tip Greece into bankruptcy and threatens to spread throughout the region and hit the banking sector.

Gold has risen by more than 2 per-

cent this week, due to robust demand from jewelers and other consumers in Asia, where premiums are at their highest since the start of the year, and to demand from investors seeking an alternative to equities and currencies as the euro zone debt crisis deteriorates.

The spot gold price was last down 0.5 percent on the day at $1,670.00 an ounce by 1105 GMT, having come off an overnight high at $1,683.89, and was set for a 2.4 percent gain this week, its strongest weekly performance in over a month. “We still consider the gold price as being well supported by physical demand but we wouldn’t be surprised if gold prices did come under some downward pressure,” said Commerzbank head of commodities strategy Eugen Weinberg.

“It will be dependent on the macro

factors so it’s not surprising that gold isn’t under real pressure, but it is losing some momentum after the recent price gains.”

The strength of the dollar posed a headwind to gold, which tends to decline when the US currency rises as it raises the cost of owning the metal to non-US investors. The euro eased but still held near one-month highs and traders said more gains were possible ahead of a key summit of European leaders on Oct. 23 at which France and Germany have vowed to unveil a comprehensive set of steps to stem the spread of the crisis. Euro zone countries will ask banks to accept losses of up to 50 percent on their holdings of Greek debt, officials said on Wednesday, as part of a grand plan to avert a disorderly default and stem a crisis that threatens the world economy. — Reuters

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

European stocks off as debt plan takes shape Stocks buoyed this week

JAKARTA: An Indonesian vendor pulls his food cart on the road next to an elevated road construction in central Jakarta. In a report released yesterday in Tokyo, the IMF lowered its forecasts for Asian growth and warned that the region faces risks due to fallout from the eurozone debt crisis and a slowdown in the United States. — AFP

IMF cuts Asia forecast, sees risks from euro crisis TOKYO: The IMF lowered its forecasts for Asian growth and warned in a report yesterday that the region faces risks due to fallout from the eurozone debt crisis and a slowdown in the United States. In its twice-yearly Asia and Pacific Regional Economic Outlook, the International Monetary Fund warned that risks for the region are “decidedly tilted to the downside.”

The IMF expects growth of 6.3 percent in 2011 and 6.7 percent in 2012 for Asia on average, slightly below its forecast of 6.8 percent and 6.9 percent respectively in April’s report.

It warned that an escalation in the eurozone crisis would have “clear macroeconomic and financial spillovers” to Asia, which has not “decoupled” from advanced economies and should develop stronger engines of domestic growth. “The panic sell-offs across Asian financial markets and safe-haven flows into Japan that occurred when European troubles intensified in August-September 2011 demonstrate that there is ‘no place to hide’ when advanced markets come under pressure,” the IMF said. “Since 2009 investors from advanced economies have built up substantial positions in Asian markets, including Indonesia and other Asian sovereign debt markets,” it said. “A sudden liquidation of these positions could trigger a loss of confidence, and contagion could spread from bond and equity markets to currency and other markets.”

The report came yesterday as China’s trade surplus narrowed in September as exports slowed sharply, with the world’s second-largest economy hit by economic turmoil in the United States and Europe. The IMF slightly lowered its growth forecast for China to 9.5 percent in 2011 from April’s forecast of 9.6 percent and 9.0 percent in 2012 from 9.5. The fund’s Asia and Pacific Department director Anoop Singh warned China faced the risk of an overheating property market if Beijing failed to extend more savings options to households. “Financial sector reform is very important, together with other policies, to ensure that these risks do not materialise,” he told a Tokyo press conference. — AFP

FRANKFURT: Stocks in Europe fell yesterday as investors await more details over exactly how European Union officials plan to tackle their debt crisis and Chinese trade figures stoked concerns over the outlook for the world’s secondlargest economy. Stocks have been buoyed this week as eurozone officials finally indicated they are willing to take decisive action such as larger write-downs on Greek debt and a push to make banks strengthen their capital against resulting losses.

New steps to quell the debt crisis are seen as positive for stocks because a disorderly default by Greece and resulting losses to banks on its government bonds could cause a wider banking crisis, choking off credit to the wider economy and causing a recession. But key details are lacking as officials rush to put their plans together ahead of a European summit 10 days from now and a Group of 20 summit of rich and developing countries in early November. “The period of good feelings may well be drawing to a close,” said Stephen Lewis at Monument Securities in London. “This is because the tight timetable that the November G20 meeting imposes will leave little more time to settle intractable problems. Devising a ‘roadmap’, that is, an analysis of what needs to be done, is the easy part. To come up with viable measures will be more difficult.”

Adding to pressure on stocks was news that China’s trade surplus narrowed for a second straight month in September, suggesting further cooling in the Chinese and global economies. The country’s trade surplus fell to $17.8 billion in August, well below July’s 30-month high of $31.5 billion, largely on the back of lower export growth - a sign that the stalling global economic recovery is could weigh on China’s elevated economic growth.

In Europe, Britain’s FTSE 100 fell 0.9 percent to 5,398, while Germany’s DAX slipped 1.5 percent to 5907. France’s CAC 40 was 0.8 percent lower at 5,398. The euro has also suffered a reverse after enjoying big gains recently on the back of hopes of a comprehensive solution to Europe’s debt crisis - it was trading 0.4 percent lower at $1.3731. Wall Street was set to ease at the open with Dow futures up down 0.3 percent at 11,388 and the broader Standard & Poor’s pointing 0.5 percent lower at 1,193. Attention later will also be centered on the next batch of earnings due. Those earmarked to report include Google Inc. and JP Morgan Chase & Co. So far, the earnings released, from the likes of Alcoa Inc. and PepsiCo. Inc. have presented investors with mixed news about the world’s largest economy.

News of the European proposals sketched out by European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso on Wednesday helped Asian shares overnight. Japan’s Nikkei 225 index climbed 1 percent to 8,823.25. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng jumped 2.3 percent to 18,757.81 and South Korea’s Kospi

index rose 0.8 percent to 1,823.10. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 gained 1 percent to 4,244.50. The Shanghai Composite Index advanced 0.8 percent to 2,438.79. On Wednesday, Barroso called for European banks to raise billions in new capital and for a stricter accounting of their exposure to sovereign debt.

Barroso also called for a permanent bailout fund to come into force by mid-2012, one year ahead of schedule. European officials are also talking about reopening a July 21 deal in which banks agreed to take 21 percent losses on Greek debt by getting longer-dated bonds with lower interest rates. Officials have indicated a revised deal could impose larger losses. — AP

NEW YORK: Trader Eugene Mauro works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Stocks in Europe fell yesterday, as investors await more details over exactly how European Union officials plan to tackle their debt crisis and Chinese trade figures stoked concerns over the outlook for the world’s second-largest economy. — AP

South African wage deal aims to save textile jobs JOHANNESBURG: A novel wage agreement for South African textile workers will lower salaries for new hires by 30 percent, in a bid to save the industry from cheaper Chinese competition. The deal is being closely by watched by other industries in a nation where unemployment is mired around 25 percent. According to unofficial estimates, using a broader definition, it is as high as 40 percent. President Jacob Zuma has promised to create five million jobs by 2020, and his government has already indicated that lower wages could be needed to reach that goal.

That’s raised the hackles of his allies in the labour movement, who generally have sought to push for better conditions for workers who already have jobs-which businesses say has discouraged creation of new ones.

Under the deal, the Southern

African Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union agreed that new hires will be paid a minimum 427 rands ($55, 43 euros) a week, about 30 percent less than current levels. In exchange, employers have promised to create 5,000 new jobs within three years. “This is not an unreasonable intervention, in a country like ours,” said Andre Kriel, the union’s secretary general.

Employers will not be allowed to sack existing workers in order to replace with lower-paid new hires, he said.

South Africa’s textile industry is already battered, shedding half its jobs over the last decade. Some textile mills have already moved to cheaper neighboring countries like Lesotho, and others have threatened to follow suit, particularly in eastern KwaZulu-Natal province. In that region, businesses already pay qualified workers as little as 200 rands

a week, Kriel said.

But the industry is now in triage.

South Africa shed nearly 400,000 jobs last year, despite an economic boost from hosting the football World Cup. For textiles, South Africa has already been swamped by cheaper Chinese imports, which accounted for 86 percent of the market in 2004, before quotas were scrapped. South Africa’s own clothing exports have tumbled, especially to the United States, dragged down by a strong rand and then the economic crisis in 2008. Aside from the costs, South Africa has a problem with production capacity, which has dropped as businesses have folded.

South Africa’s labour force also compares poorly with other countries. In the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness rankings, the country stands at 95th for labor efficiency.

The same report puts South Africa’s labor hiring and firing practices as among the most rigid in the world, while putting labor-employer relations as among the worst on the planet. “I’m still buying in South Africa, especially for the small quantities that I need for the next week or the next month,” said Dudley Kaye from Duck Hook Marketing, which produces shirts, caps and bags as corporate gifts. “But the people here are very unproductive and slow, the quality is not so good,” he told AFP. “The Chinese products are cheaper, the quality is better and the embroidery technology is nicer.” He said the wage deal will help small businesses compete against imports, especially since the rand has weakened in recent weeks. “It is unfortunate for the people, but half a loaf of bread is better than no bread.” — AFP

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

CNPC, Shell refinery JV in deal with local govt Latest pact shows sincere intention to cooperate

NEW DELHI: Employees of Maruti Suzuki make a human chain as they shout slogans against the management at the Maruti Suzuki plant in Manesar on the outskirts of New Delhi yesterday. Manesar, which employs 2,000 workers, normally produces up to 1,200 of Maruti’s topselling Swift and A-Star hatchbacks and SX4 sedans daily.

The latest confrontation began just days after staff returned to work following a 33-day lockout and comapny chairman R.C. Bhargava accused strike leaders on reneging on a settlement reached on October 1. — AFP

Japan corp mood dips as yen, global slowdown bite TOKYO: Japanese manufacturing sentiment worsened in October for the first time since the aftermath of the March earthquake and faltering global growth combined with a strong yen is expected to dampen it further, a Reuters poll showed yesterday. The monthly poll, which is highly correlated with the Bank of Japan’s closely watched quarterly tankan corporate survey, added to growing evidence that the economy’s quick rebound from the devastating earthquake and tsunami in March is losing momentum. The central bank has kept its policy unchanged since it boosted its asset buying scheme in August, but has been flagging heightened risks stemming from Europe’s sovereign debt woes and global economic slowdown.

“Many members said that the risk of the sovereign debt problems in Europe putting downward pressure on overseas economies, and consequently on Japan, was increasing,” the central bank said in minutes of its Sept. 6-7 meeting released yesterday. Still, at its last meeting on Oct. 67,the BOJ stood by its view that the world’s No. 3 economy will recover moderately, largely supported by rebuilding from the March disaster. The bank has also predicted that car exports will keep rising as automakers restock depleted inventories overseas. The Reuters poll showed automakers were most bullish, although recent heavy flooding in Thailand has clouded the outlook after Honda Motor Co and others reported damage to plants or supply snags.

The Reuters Tankan showed the manufacturing sentiment index, derived by subtracting the percentage of pessimistic responses from optimistic ones, fell two points from September to plus 6, the first drop since it plunged by a record in April after the March 11 disaster. The index is seen sliding further to plus 4 in January, dragged down by sectors such as electric machinery and transport equipment.

“The pace of recovery has slowed down after a sharp rebound following the earthquake, with factory output and exports showing similar movement. Worries on global economy and a strong yen probably affected the confidence,” said Tatsushi Shikano, senior economist at Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities. “I see the recovery trend has not changed at the moment. But if a deterioration in the business sentiment is to continue in the next few months, this view may be changed.”

The survey is closely correlated with broad growth trends in the Japanese economy and the central bank uses it as a key gauge guiding its monetary policy. The Reuters survey follows a surprisingly strong core machinery orders report for August, but Wednesday’s data failed to dispel concerns about the economy’s prospects. —Reuters

BEIJING: A proposed oil refining and petrochemical joint venture between China’s CNPC, Royal Dutch Shell Plc and Qatar signed an initial agreement with local authorities in east China’s Zhejiang province, where the mega project will built, the Chinese company said yesterday. The project, to include a 400,000-barrel-per-day oil refining and 1.2 million tonnes-peryear ethylene plant, was approved by the National Development and Reform Commission, the country’s macro planner, in June, industry officials said. Pending final government approval, which also includes environmental clearance, the greenfield refinery would give Shell and Qatar their first solid foothold in the world’s second biggest oil consumer, which is in the midst of a refinery building boom.

The Taizhou venture, in coastal Zhejiang province, will use imported condensate and other raw materials to produce ethylene and other petrochemicals, CNPC said in a company newspaper. “The agreement further clarifies work scope and targets for each side, reflecting sincere intentions to cooperate,” it said. Qatar is the world’s largest liquefied natural gas producer and pumps increasing amounts of condensates as a by-product of its gas production. In January, Qatar Oil Minister

Abdullah al-Attiyah and Wang Yong, head of the state-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC), which is both a regulator and shareholder in most of China’s big state-owned companies, pledged to strengthen cooperation in the oil and gas sector and discussed the Taizhou project.

Industry experts told Reuters that the project, likely to cost close to $10 billion, would be led by Shell on the foreign partners’ side. Such an alliance follows a giant supply agreement between Qatar and China. “The project looks promising to win Chinese government’s final blessing, as China may see Qatar as quite a stabilising factor among the Middle East resource nations,” said an industry veteran. CNPC, parent of PetroChina, Asia’s top oil and gas firm, will take 51 percent stake in the project and Shell and Qatar to have 24.5 percent each, according to Chinese media reports. China guards its fuel market tightly against foreign participation. So far only a few foreign firms, including Exxon Mobil, Saudi Aramco and Total , via joint ventures with Chinese partners, have direct marketing access to the roughly 9 million bpd fuel market, the world’s second largest after the United States. — Reuters

Fearing ‘trade war,’ US House to block China bill WASHINGTON: A day after the US Senate passed legislation to punish China for its alleged currency manipulation, House leaders signaled they would block the bill to prevent a “trade war.”“Given the volatility in the world markets, given the uncertainty about the world economy, for the Congress of the United States to be taking this step at this moment in time poses a very severe risk of a trade war,” Republican House Speaker John Boehner said Wednesday. His comments came as he faced mounting pressure to bring up the bill in the House of Representatives, where enough of his fellow Republicans have joined Democrats in backing the proposal that it would likely pass.

The bill, powered by a tide of US voter frustration at a sour economy and high unemployment ahead of November 2012 elections, envisions retaliatory duties on Chinese exports if the value of the yuan is unfairly “misaligned.” Beijing has denounced it as “a ticking time-bomb” that threatens to blow up economic ties between the economic superpowers, parts of the US business community opposed it, and the White House has criticized it. The speaker said he was “concerned” about China’s currency policy but said those worries were outweighed by “grave concerns” that the measure could trigger a costly feud between the two economic superpowers.In an apparent bid to shift the volatile issue to the White House, Boehner pushed President Barack Obama to take a formal position on the legislation, as he accused the president of being “out campaigning instead of governing.” Obama spokesman Jay Carney said the White House was working with key lawmakers to address “concerns” about whether the bill could fall afoul of Washington’s international trade obligations.

“If this legislation were to advance we would expect those concerns to be addressed,” Carney said. But “we share the goal of the legislation in taking action to

MIAMI: Cargo ship Hanjin Buenos Aires, loaded with containers, leaves the Port of Miami in Miami. The trade deficit edged down slightly in August although the imbalance for the year is running well above last year’s pace. The trade gap with China hit an all-time high. — AP ensure that our workers and companies have a more level playing field with China.”

Later, the House of Representatives voted against attaching the bill to legislation to enact the long-stalled US free trade deal with Colombia in a symbolic vote conceived by Democrats to embarrass Republicans. Just four Republicans joined 188 Democrats in voting yes, while 235 Republicans and one Democrat rallied to beat back the proposal by a 192-236 margin that does not preclude future action on the bill-or future political headaches.

In contrast to House Republicans’ caution on the issue, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, a Republican White House front-runner, has staked out a tough position on what he has called China’s “cheating,” vowing to brand Beijing a currency manipulator on his first day in office.

Obama, his reelection bid weighed down by the sagging US economy and 9.1 percent unemployment, is caught between wanting to look tough on China and hop-

ing to avert a trade war that could makes things worse. “He’s in a bit of an awkward position,” said Democratic Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad, who told AFP the president’s approach would give US negotiators more leverage in talks with Beijing. Many in Washington agree that China keeps the yuan unfairly low against the dollar, giving its goods an edge of as much as 30 percent over similar US products, widening the trade deficit and costing American jobs.But the measure’s opponents, stressing the bill’s toll on China ties, also warn that a rise in the yuan would boost manufacturing and jobs in countries such as Vietnam or Malaysia-and not in the United States. The US legislation’s backers, an unusual coalition of Democrats and Republicans, have said it is time for Washington to take on Beijing, and predict a boost in the yuan will make Chinese workers wealthier and more likely to buy US goods, thus creating jobs and narrowing the trade gap. —AFP

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

Peanut shortage sending peanut butter prices up Peanut production down 13% from last year

LONDON: A newspaper vendor poses for photographs by holding up a copy of Thursday’s Wall Street Journal newspaper yesterday on his news stand outside King’s Cross train station in London. — AP

WSJ connects publisher’s resignation to sales deal LONDON: The Wall Street Journal says its publisher in Europe resigned after an internal investigation determined that he had tried to influence editorial content to favor a partner in a cut-price circulation deal. The report on the newspaper’s website yesterday appeared to differ from a statement by its owner, News Corp. subsidiary Dow Jones, which said Tuesday’s resignation of publisher Andrew Langhoff was unrelated to a circulation deal with the Netherlands-based Executive Learning Partnerships. The Wall Street Journal is the US crown jewel of the many papers in Rupert Murdoch’s global media empire, which has been badly shaken by a phone hacking and police bribery scandal in Europe that has forced some of his top executives to resign.

Murdoch’s News Corp. bought the Journal’s owner Dow Jones & Co. in 2007 and has worked hard on increasing circulation. At issue in the latest revelations is how legitimate is the Journal’s European circulation figures and whether, in pursuit of higher circulation, the paper breached the journalistic wall between advertising content and editorial content. If circulation figures were found to be false, the paper could owe compensation to hundreds of advertisers. The Journal, quoting what it called people familiar with the matter, said ELP paid 1 euro cent each for 12,000 copies of the paper daily, a big slice of its European circulation of 75,000. The paper retails for 1.50 pounds. So, by paying euro12,000 a day to ELP, the paper could charge all of its advertisers a higher rate due to higher circulation.

The Journal quoted its sources as saying Dow Jones had also directed “thousands of euros” to ELP through third parties for other services.

The newspaper quoted its sources as saying those deals were arranged by Langhoff and a circulation department employee, Gert Van Mol. The Journal quoted Van Mol, whose job was eliminated earlier this year, as saying that he had prompted an internal investigation by filing a complaint about the ELP arrangement.

The Journal said the promise of editorial content favorable to ELP was made last year when the two companies renegotiated their relationship. The arrangement with ELP, the Journal said, was part of a broader program of hosting seminars and other events, and distributing copies of the paper in bulk to university campuses. ELP is a business consulting agency that “empowers talent to act into the unknown,” according to its website. The Guardian newspaper in Britain, which broke the story on Wednesday, said stories were published in the Journal in October 2010 and March 2011 as part of the deal. Announcing Langhoff’s departure on Tuesday, Dow Jones said its links to ELP “could give the impression that news coverage can be influenced by commercial relationships” and that Langhoff resigned because of a “perceived breach of editorial integrity” - not because of circulation programs. The company reiterated the assertion from a previous statement that the circulation deals were “of poor appearance” and that it had since cut ties to the third parties involved. But it insisted that, while “admittedly complex,” the deals were still legitimate. — AP

ATLANTA: Consumers should be prepared to shell out a bit more for peanut butter soon. Another hot, dry summer in key producing states and competition from more profitable crops like cotton have significantly shrunk the US peanut crop this year.

The tight supply means consumers will soon pay more for yet another grocery staple. US farmers are expected to produce roughly 1.8 million tons of peanuts this year, down nearly 13 percent from last year, according to a survey released Wednesday by the Department of Agriculture. Assuming that estimate holds, it would be smallest harvest recorded since 2006.

Peanut butter producers already have plans to hike prices for peanut butter significantly in the next few weeks.

Those who package nuts for snacks say they are watching their competitors to determine whether price hikes will be necessary.

The J.M. Smucker Co., which makes Jif peanut butter, plans to raise its wholesale prices 30 percent in November. Kraft Foods Co., which launched its Planters peanut butter in June, is raising prices 40 percent on Oct. 31. A spokesperson for ConAgra Foods Inc., which makes Peter Pan peanut butter, was not immediately available to comment but multiple media outlets report that the company plans to raise its prices as well.

Unilever, which makes Skippy brand peanut butter, would not comment specifically on its pricing but said that the company is watching the commodities market very closely and will make pricing adjustments as needed.

“It’s been a tough season, it sure has,” said Rodney Dawson, a farmer in Hawkinsville, Ga. Like many farmers, Dawson found at the start of the planting season that he could make more money growing corn and cotton

than peanuts. As a result, he and other US growers cut back on planting peanuts.

A miserable drought and scorching temperatures followed in key peanutproducing states like Georgia and Texas. For some farmers this was the second hot summer in a row. Peanut farmers had to delay planting this spring because of the heat, which cut their production. Others saw the plants they’d put in the ground scorch during the summer when the shoots, which poke back into the ground to produce the peanut seed, burned as they touched the hot soil. Georgia, the largest peanut-producing state in the country, saw record-breaking heat and a lack of rainfall that prevented some peanut seeds from even germinating in the field. Other plants that did grow were baked in the hot summer sun, producing poor-quality nuts or sometimes nothing at all. Dawson was able to irrigate his farm to pro-

duce peanuts. In the dry corners where water didn’t reach, however, he said his crop yielded about a quarter of his irrigated areas. And his profits were eroded by the cost of burning pricey fuel to run the irrigation system.

In a mean twist of irony, Dawson and his neighbor, farmer David Bishop, finally got rain as they were harvesting. Bishop said that on some of his land, he expects to get as little as a third of the maximum 3,000 pounds of peanuts per acre he would expect in a good year. The vast majority of his 150 acres of peanuts are planted on land without an irrigation system. “It’s too little, too late,” Bishop said. “We needed this rain back in July and August.” A farmer for three decades, Bishop said he had never seen a drought that arrived as early as this year’s. It took about three weeks to get his plants out of the ground, three times as long as normal. — AP

OGLETHORPE: Peanut and corn farmer Donald Chase looks over rows of peanuts on a farm in Oglethorpe, Ga. Scorching heat, little rain and the draw of more lucrative crops could produce on the smallest peanut harvests in recent memory. — AP

Wall Street protests draw overseas attention NEW YORK: The Occupy Wall Street movement, which has spawned grass-roots activities around the US and prompted comments from President Barack Obama, is now drawing political remarks from overseas. Poland’s former President Lech Walesa says he supports the Occupy Wall Street movement in New York, saying he is planning either a visit or writing a letter to the protesters. Walesa said the global economic crisis has made people aware that “we need to change the capitalist system” because we need “more justice, more people’s interests, and less money for money’s sake.” Meanwhile, Iran’s top leader said the wave of protests reflects a serious problem that will ultimately topple capitalism in America. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei claimed the United States is in a full-blown crisis because its “corrupt foundation has been exposed to the American people.”

Khamenei’s remarks came a day after US officials said the Obama administration plans to leverage charges that Iran plotted to assassinate Saudi Arabia’s ambassador into a new global campaign to isolate the Islamic republic. For the past 3 1/2 weeks, the protesters have besieged a park in lower Manhattan near Wall Street to rally primarily against corporate greed as what they say is the primary cause for the country’s failing economy. New York City

Mayor Michael Bloomberg visited them Wednesday at Zuccotti Park, where protesters have been camped out since mid-September. Bloomberg told them park owner Brookfield Properties plans to clean the public space today, and said they would be allowed to return after the park is clean.

Deputy Mayor Cas Holloway said in a statement that the protest has “created unsanitary conditions and considerable wear and tear on the park.” He said Brookfield Properties asked for police help to clear the park so it can be cleaned. Allison Esso of Human Services Council, a group that supports the protesters, was wary. “I’m hoping that they’re not trying to undermine their ability to protest,” she said. The New York protest has triggered sympathetic groups in other cities, who each stage their own local rallies and demonstrations: Occupy Boston, Occupy Cincinnati, Occupy Houston, Occupy Los Angeles, Occupy Philadelphia, Occupy Providence, Occupy Salt Lake, and Occupy Seattle, among them. Protesters say they are in it for the long haul, despite the onset of cold weather.

The New York demonstrators gathered Wednesday at the headquarters of JP Morgan Chase, where they’ll continue to decry the expiration of the state’s 2 percent “millionaires’ tax” in December. — AP

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Business

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

The “Millionaires March” in New York stopped at the home of hedge fund billionaire John Paulson in Manhattan. Protesters delivered a fake check for $5 billion, the proposed amount of tax cuts his company is to receive. — MCT

Apple’s new iCEO, Steve Jobs can be seen projected on the big screen in San Francisco, California, on January 5, 2000.

From Steve Jobs to Wall St protests Frustration not envy drives protesters

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ou never hear anyone complain that Steve Jobs became a multi-billionaire. That tells us something important about what motivates the protests growing on Wall Street and in many other places on both sides of the Atlantic.

The anger of demonstrators is not the result of envy or of politically motivated hostility against the rich. Instead, it is the understandable expression of frustration with a system that has richly rewarded people who, quite simply, do not deserve it. Whatever you think of the protests and the protesters, they have good reason to feel cheated. When we discovered that the world’s financial system was on the brink of collapse back in 2008, the government had to rush in to prevent catastrophe. It was not about saving the bankers; it was about saving the world. Like it or not, the economy needs solvent, functioning financial institutions. Some of the world’s top financiers, in fact, have historically played important, honorable, even heroic roles in helping hardworking, innovative entrepreneurs bring progress and prosperity.

The American system rewards risk-taking, innovation and entrepreneurship. Americans, unlike Europeans, don’t object to a system in which people can get rich — even extremely rich — if they make great contributions to society. In the United States, people tend to not hate the rich because they believe one day they might join their ranks. If you invent the iPhone, the iPad, become a billionaire. No problem.

But the other side of that covenant says you pay a price for your mistakes. In recent years, however, the great minds of Wall Street brought us calamity. And when their irresponsible, unintelligent choices undermined the entire economy, the taxpayers had to step in to pay the price.

That prevented everyone from having to live through the 1930s again. But it allowed the bankers to rake in more billions despite the mess they had made.

What surprises me the most is that it took so long for the outrage to reach the street, Wall

Street. At the very least, the bank bailout should have included a provision preventing huge compensation for people working in firms receiving bailouts. Financial firms claimed the bonuses were needed to attract and retain their brilliant staff. But their brilliance was rather well hidden.

Incredibly, in 2008, despite hundreds of billions in taxpayers’ bailouts and trillions in losses for investors, that year also ended with huge bonuses for Wall Street. That year, Wall Street firms paid $18 billion in bonuses, according to the New York State Controller. The average bonus

Americans, unlike Europeans, don’t object to a system in which people can get rich — even extremely rich — if they make great contributions to society. In the United States, people tend to not hate the rich because they believe one day they might join their ranks.

A bad time for a trade war T

his week, US Congress probably will give some observers whiplash. It is expected to pass long-delayed free trade agreements with South Korea, Panama and Colombia that will provide billions of dollars in new markets for American products and spur job creation at home.

The bad news is that the Senate also is expected to approve an ill-conceived measure that would open the door to massive tariffs on Chinese goods, ostensibly to punish that country for making its exports cheap by artificially keeping its currency low.

This move is particularly ill-timed. With a Greek default and a possible European bank meltdown looming — and Americans still worried about the risk of another dip into recession — the Senate is playing with fire. Luckily, the China-bashing bill probably will die in the House.

Given our own interest rate policy, you could make a good case that Washington itself has been a currency manipulator. Thanks to the Federal Reserve, US short-term interest rates have been at near-zero levels for about two years. As a result, the dollar has been hammered in foreign exchange markets, although it’s risen a bit of late. Meanwhile, over the last half dozen years, the Chinese yuan has gone up by nearly 30 percent and China has become our No 3 export market.

Two years ago, the Obama administration imposed tariffs on Chinese tires. Beijing replied with a stiff tariff on American poultry. Passing a misguided tariff bill would only replicate, on a massive scale, this sort of lose-lose tradeoff. — MCT

in the largest firms topped $265,000. In 2010, the average bonus for all firms was $128,000. That’s on top of salary, options and other perks. Many people receive millions each year.

The iconic investor Warren Buffett, who’s not very popular these days in certain tax brackets, made a dramatic recommendation a few years ago. “If an institution had to go to society and say ‘save me because if you don’t I’m going to topple society,’” said Buffet, “I would have it so that that person, the CEO and his spouse at least come away broke.” In the United States there were absolutely no negative consequences for the people who undermined the global economy.

Their wealth was protected. They went on with their games, knowing their firms were too big to fail. Some of the same Wall Street geniuses advised Greece on how to deceive the European Union about the country’s precarious finances.

Their fingerprints can be found in today’s Euro crisis. Some European countries have instituted huge tax rates for large bonuses. In Israel, the board of Bank Leumi has introduced “negative bonuses,” taking compensation away from underperforming managers. In the United States, there is no penalty for failure.

No penalty for those who cause it, that is: Everyone else has to pay. Retirees on fixed incomes received almost no interest on their savings because the Fed pushes down interest rates to stimulate the listless economy. Efforts to trim bloated government budgets mean government employees lose their jobs, services are cut, infrastructure neglected. We all pay the price for the mistakes of people who have thrived despite their incompetence.

So, the anger is plainly justified. Until now, however, its expression — occupying Wall Street or taking to the streets — may be good therapy but it’s not very good policy by itself. This is when the spirit of “Be Like Steve Jobs” comes in. This is where people with passion and creativity emerge to design a well thought-out solution to these problems. Surely, there’s an app for that. — MCT

Opinion

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www.kuwaittimes.net

Actress Charlize Theron poses at a cocktail party featuring the world premiere of the celebrity photo series, "REACH: 24 portraits by Randall Slavin to benefit the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project," Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2011, at The Annenberg Space for Photography in Los Angeles. The CTAOP is committed to reducing the prevalence of HIV/AIDS and sexual violence among African youth. —AP

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Years

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

Welcome the new army of mobile games Spaced out on the farm

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ou’re interested in foxes and aliens in outer space? Or being an undercover cop racing through New York and taking care of business? Then you’re in luck, since the newest mobile games are offering some serious action. Of course, if you like to take things down a notch, then there are other options, like a 3-D fishing tournament or the chance to play at being a farmer. Outer space is always a good setting for a game, which is exactly what Nintendo thought when it put together Star Fox 64, which comes in 3D for the 3DS. Like the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, this is Nintendo’s latest 3D remake of an N64 classic for the 3DS. Fourteen years after his first flight, pilot Fox McCloud has to take to the skies with his animal allies, this time to save the Lylat star system from the evil Andross. The family-friendly space adventure has been painstakingly reworked to make full use of the 3DS’ capabilities. The galaxy positively glows with its new graphics, while the sense of space impresses. Motion sensors also provide some advances, letting pilots guide their space fighters intuitively. Of course, the option remains to use the button controls.

Star Fox 64 3D allows a multi-player mode for up to four people. As an added touch, players don’t just see their allies’ ships, but also their faces, thanks to the built-in 3DS camera. The adventure costs 43 euros (59 dollars). Also set in outer space, but in much darker surroundings, Sega’s newest is yet another take on Aliens - Aliens: Infestation for the DS, with a never-ending stream of Marines fighting the namesake villain.

The title takes players directly into the world of the classic horror movie. Specifically, it is linked to the second movie in the series, which continues the tale of the fight with the sleek, black aliens. Players take a team of four Marines through a completely new story, which nonetheless includes a lot of familiar sites from the movie. The gameplay is reminiscent of Metroid or Castlevania, with players forced to explore giant, labyrinthine areas.

Of course, aliens pop up to make the mission even more difficult. Players will need steady nerves, as well as a sense of tactics, since every Marine has his own strengths and weaknesses. The game was designed by comic book artist Chris Bachalo, known for illustrating the popular X-Men comic books. The hunt for the outer space threat will come out on September 30 from Sega and cost about 40 euros.

Things take a slower - and safer - pace with Angler’s Club: Ultimate Bass Fishing. The fishing simulator from Namco Bandai was set for a September 30 release for the 3DS, costing 44 euros. That means fishing fans don’t have to travel any more: they can fish in 3D whenever they want. Players are invited to participate in 40 tournaments and championships.

Of course, players have to train extensively and pick from more than 500 options for the ideal equipment for each individual site. As a bonus, any knowledge gained in the game can be used, eventually, for real-life fishing. If you need more action - or especially more speed - then check out Driver: Renegade 3D from Ubisoft. The action racing game with a gangster theme goes into its next round on the 3DS. This time, players take on the role of frustrated undercover cop Tanner, who previously saved well-connected Senator Ballard. Now Ballard has given Tanner the task of cleaning

up New York, secretly and unofficially. The game plays out over 20 missions, which take place between the first and second part of the Driver series. As the game implies, the racing is in 3D this time, through the alleys of New York City. There are 50 different cars from which to choose, although many only become available after players have built up enough experience or points.

Along with the main story, there are also challenges like timed races, crash courses or

stunts to be met. To press the pedal to the medal, players will have to pay 45 euros. If you prefer the countryside to the city, you won‘t be left out this month, since dtp Entertainment has brought out a new version of Harvest Moon for the Nintendo DS. This new trip to the farm is officially dubbed Harvest Moon DS: Grand Bazaar, which indicates from the get-go that trade is the central part of this game. Along with the usual mix of farm simulation and role-playing,

the bazaar in the city of Zephyr provides a lot of new twists to the game. Players are tasked with restoring the formerly bustling market to its glory days. The supplies to do so are grown on one’s own farm. As if that wasn’t enough, there’s also the chance of finding a virtual wife. People who want to flee the city can do so for 36 euros. — dpa

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Pe t s

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

Top dogs and cats When it comes to pampering pets, the sky’s the limit

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hen the stock market took a nose dive this summer, Steve Sturn was bummed about the performance of his 401(k).

But the uncertain economy didn’t stop him from splurging on Bruno, his French bulldog. Sturn bought a $15.95 bone-shaped cake from Three Dog Bakery in Plymouth, Michigan, to celebrate Bruno’s oneyear birthday. “He loved it,” said Sturn, 31, of Ann Arbor, Michigan, who works for a mortgage company.

“He went at it.”

Sturn, who is engaged, doesn’t have any children, unless you count Bruno and his other dog, Rod, a 10month-old Boston terrier. “They are like family members,” Sturn said.

“This is a special occasion. It’s like a kid’s birthday.” Despite a weak economy, pet owners continue to spend big money on their pets, pampering them with everything from massages to treats to teeth whitening.

“People pay us to brush their dog’s teeth every day,” said Liz Blondy, who owns Canine to Five in Detroit, a doggy day care currently offering a “spa special” that includes an oatmeal shampoo and teeth cleaning for $14. “It sells like crazy.”

Americans spent more than $3.5 billion in 2010 on pet services - a figure that has doubled in the past decade, fueled by high-end grooming, luxury pet hotels and specialized day care centers, according to the American Pet Products Association, or APPA, a not-for-profit trade association. We spent $45.5 billion on pets in general in 2009, $48.35 billion in

2010, and an estimated $50 billionplus this year. This growing trend of pampering our pets has coincided with the disappearance of the doghouse, experts say.

“If you look at Americans’ relationship with dogs over the last 30 or 40 years, dogs are no longer animals that stay in the backyard. They are truly family members,” Blondy said.

“They eat in the same room as the family; they sleep in the same room as the family; and they treat their dogs like their kids.” And when owners are at work, the dogs go to day care. “Business is great,” Blondy said.

Canine to Five is in the process of doubling its space to more than 10,000 square feet because so many people want day care ($25) and overnight boarding ($40), where the dogs can sleep in a bedroom with a person. “You don’t want to leave Fluffy in a crate overnight when you are in the Bahamas,” Blondy said.

“You want Fluffy to sleep in the room with his teacher, who he knows and loves.”

The weak economy might actually be the key reason why people are pampering their pets, according to Dr Stephen Zawistowski, a science adviser at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

“We saw this post-9/11,” said Zawistowski, who has written a college textbook about the relationship between people and animals.

“People were home nesting. They weren’t traveling so much. We saw this growth in home improvements and making more pot roast at home.

Casey, a Daisy dog and owner Jennifer Pfannes head out after a stop at Three Dog Bakery in Plymouth, Michigan. —MCT

Nicole Somoski hands out treats to dogs at Canine to Five doggie day care. —MCT Part of that home nesting is the comfort our pets give us.

“The reality is, when times are tough, even if you are one of the bosses, it’s stressful if you have to lay off three out of 10 people in your department. When you come home, let’s face it, the dog likes you. The cat will come sit in your lap. When you want to treat yourself or your family, you may not be able to go to Disney with the entire family. But you know, it’s not all that expensive to buy the dog a treat.”

Just because the economy is bad, that doesn’t mean you love your family any less, said Carrie Backman, 48, of Westland, Mich. Once a month, Backman takes her dog, Isabella Rose, a 2-year-old miniature schnauzer, to get her hair and nails done.

“We call it a day at the spa,” Backman said. “They treat her good. It’s a very special shampoo. They do her ears and brush her teeth.” But Backman never goes to the spa herself. “Well,

yeah, I have no explanation for that,” she said, laughing.

Dog people are not the only ones getting in on the pampering trend.

Cat owners are pampering their kitties in ways that seemed unthinkable just a few years ago. “When I was younger, we had cats and we never took our cats to get groomed,” said Jamie Repp, 29, of Dearborn Heights, Mich. “I never thought a cat would need a bath or haircut. But it’s becoming more popular. I guess times have changed.”

But she’s not complaining. It’s keeping her in business. Repp owns Pampered Pets Mobile, a mobile cat and dog grooming service in Michigan’s Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties. Repp charges $60 to give a cat a bath. “We are starting to do a lot of baths for cats,” she said.

And she charges $70 to give a cat a haircut, $20 more than she charges for a small dog. “Cats are more because they are higher risk - a lot of

our injuries come from cat bites or scratches,” Repp said. “It is becoming quite popular, especially lion cuts.

Imagine a lion. As people see them, they say, ‘Oh, I gotta do that.’” Repp said some people have their cats bathed because the cats are old, but some do it just to pamper them.

“I have quite a few customers, and the dog or cat will have their own room, specifically dedicated to them,” Repp said. Some think pet clothing is crazy stupid; others think it’s fine. Some think doggy day care is going overboard; others swear by it. Some think pet massages are ridiculous, but Dianne Reckling sees no problem with it.

Reckling, 41, of Livonia, has three golden retrievers: Dodger, 2, Bo, 3, and Rusty, 10. She said that she spends more than $800 a year on her dogs and has even taken them to get a massage. “They are just like children, in my opinion,” she said. —MCT

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Food FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

Everyday cooking

Peppers

By Sawsan Kazak

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have never been a lover of peppers. I used to find that their taste was somewhat undeveloped and always ended up giving me heartburn. But recently I have come to learn that red peppers are high in vitamin C and have many more health benefits. Putting aside my long avoidance of these multi colored vegetables, I have decide to find recipes that allow me to reap the benefits of peppers. I have to admit that I still have not found a way to enjoy green peppers and they will not be featured in these pages. Green peppers are notorious scene-stealers as they negatively permeate everything they touch and have a very strong after taste. Enjoy the following recipes of red, yellow and orange peppers.

Send your suggestions to: sawsank@kuwaittimes.net

Roasted red pepper hummus 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained 1/3 cup tahini 1/3 cup lemon juice 1/2 cup roasted red peppers 1/4 teaspoon dried basil

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n an electric food processor, combine garlic, garbanzo beans, tahini, and lemon juice. Process until the mixture is smooth. Add roasted peppers and basil; process until the peppers are finely chopped. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer hummus to small bowl, cover and chill until you are ready to serve.

(but not green ones)

Health benefits of bell pepper • Bell pepper contains impressive list of plant nutrients that are known to have disease preventing and health promoting properties.

Unlike other chili peppers, it is very low in calories and fats. 100 g provide just 31 calories.

• Sweet (bell) pepper contains small levels of health benefiting an alkaloid compound capsaicin. Early laboratory studies on experimental mammals suggest that capsaicin has anti-bacterial, anti-carcinogenic, analgesic and anti-diabetic properties. When used judiciously it also found to reduce triglycerides and LDL cholesterol levels in obese individuals.

• Fresh bell peppers, red or green, are rich source of vitamin-C. This vitamin is especially concentrated in red peppers in highest levels.

100 g fresh red pepper provide about 127.7 mcg or about 213% of RDA. Vitamin-C is a potent water soluble antioxidant. It is required for the collagen synthesis in the body. Collagen is the main structural protein in the body required for maintaining the integrity of blood vessels, skin, organs, and bones.

Regular consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps body protect from scurvy; develop resistance against infectious agents (boosts immunity) and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals from the body.

• It also contain good levels of vitamin-A.

• 100 g of sweet pepper has 3131 IU or 101% of vitamin A. In addition, it contains anti-oxidant flavonoids such as carotenes, lutein, zeaxanthin, and cryptoxanthin. Together, these antioxidant substances in capsicum helps to protect body from injurious effects of free radicals generated during stress and diseases conditions.

• Bell pepper has adequate levels of essential minerals. Some of main minerals in it are iron, copper, zinc, potassium, manganese, magnesium, and selenium. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for

the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase. Selenium is anti-oxidant micro-mineral that acts as co-factor for enzyme superoxide dismutase.

• Capsicum is also good in B-complex group of vitamins such as niacin, pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), riboflavin, and thiamin (vitamin B1). These vitamins are essential in the sense that body requires them from external sources to replenish.

B-complex vitamins facilitate cellular metabolism through various enzymatic functions. (www.nutrition-and-you.com)

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Food FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

Garlic and herb sauteed bell pepper strips

Spicy red bell pepper soup 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 6 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped 2 carrots, chopped 2 yellow onions, chopped 2 celery ribs, chopped 4 cloves garlic, chopped 2 quarts chicken broth 1/2 cup long grain rice 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

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eat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the bell peppers, carrots, onions, celery, and garlic. Cook and stir the vegetables until soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, rice, thyme, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until the rice and vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes.

Remove from heat. and cool 30 minutes.

Blend the cooled soup until smooth using an hand-held immersion blender directly in the pot. Or use a blender, and blend the soup in batches until smooth.

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• 3 tbsp olive oil • 2 large red bell peppers • 2 large yellow bell peppers • 2 cloves finely minced garlic • Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste • 1 tbsp red vinegar • 1 tbsp chopped basil • 1 tbsp chopped Italian parsley • toasted Italian bread to garnish

n a large skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. Add the pepper strips, and saute for 4-5 minutes, or until the peppers begin to soften. Turn down the heat to low, and add the garlic, salt and pepper. Saute for 2 minutes more. Turn off the heat and add the vinegar and herbs. Toss to combine.

Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool to room temperature.

Toss again, adjust seasoning and serve with toasted bread if desired.

Stuffed bell peppers Tri-color bell pepper salad 2 red bell peppers 2 yellow bell peppers 2 orange bell peppers finely chopped fresh parsley and mint 2 gloves garlic, peeled and crushed Juice of 1/2 lemon 3 tablespoons olive oil salt, to taste ground black pepper, to taste

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roil the peppers on a baking sheet in the oven, until their skins are charred and the flesh is somewhat tender. You can also grill them on a BBQ. Do not over roast, or the flesh will be mushy. It should be tender but still firm enough to hold its shape when chopped. When the bell peppers are cool enough to handle, peel their skins off and remove the seeds. Divide each bell pepper lengthways into half, then slice each half into strips, not too thin and not too thick. Put them in a mixing bowl, add the fresh herbs, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil.

Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve slightly chilled.

1 1/2 to 2 cups cooked white rice 4 to 6 bell peppers (red, yellow) 1 to 1 1/4 lb of ground beef 6 large fresh basil leaves, chopped 1/2 teaspoon dry summer savory 1/2 teaspoon ground marjoram 1 teaspoon salt Freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup olive oil Paprika

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f you haven’t already made the rice, start cooking the rice following the package instructions (usually 1 cup of raw white rice plus 1 1/2 cups of water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt, bring to boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 15 minutes.)

Cut the tops off of the bell peppers. Remove and discard (compost) the stem and seeds. Place bell peppers cut side up on a steaming rack over an inch of water in a large covered pot. Bring to boil, let steam for 10 minutes.

Heat oven to 350ºF. In a large bowl mix together the ground beef, basil, summer savory, marjoram, salt, several turns of black pepper, and rice.

Remove bell peppers from steamer pan. Place cut side up in a pyrex or other oven-proof casserole. Gently stuff the peppers with the ground beef rice mixture. Drizzle olive oil over the stuffed peppers, along the outside of the peppers, and into the pan. Rub the oil over the outside of the peppers; it will help with browning. Sprinkle the tops generously with paprika. Place on middle rack and cook for 35-50 minutes, or longer, until the meat is cooked through.

THEY ARE THE 99!

99 Mystical Noor Stones carry all that is left of the wisdom and knowledge of the lost civilization of Baghdad. But the Noor Stones lie scattered across the globe - now little more than a legend.

One man has made it his life’s mission to seek out what was lost. His name is Dr. Ramzi Razem and he has searched fruitlessly for the Noor Stones all his life.

Now, his luck is about to change - the first of the stones have been rediscovered and with them a special type of human who can unlock the gem’s mystical power. Ramzi brings these gem - bearers together to form a new force for good in the world. A force known as ... the 99!

THE STORY SO FAR : New 99 member HAFIZ THE PRESERVER senses an impending ecological disaster from a sunken ship. So Dr. Ramzi dispatches him to the gulf with SAMDA, and another member…

The 99 ® and all related characters ® and © 2011, Teshkeel Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

www.the99.org

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C h i l d re n FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

Spot the difference

color me

connect the dots

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C h i l d re n

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

alfa-cross

find the word

The first letter of each answer appears next to its clue in alphabetical order. All the first letters have been entered into the grid. Can you complete the puzzle?

A. Small insect (3) A. Fruit (5) B. Somewhere to sleep (3) B. Flying insects (4) B. Large (3) B. Building block (5) C. Type of fuel (4) D. US coin (4) E. Used for listening (4) E. Snakelike fish (3)

G. Worn on the hand (5) I. Frozen water (3) I. Cake topping (5) I. Ice hut (5) K. Young goat (3) L. Lawful (5) L. Top or cover (3) P. Part of something (5) R. Something to listen to (5) T. Part of the foot (3)

Can you find the hidden words? They may be horizontal or vertical.

APPLE, APRICOT, ASPARAGUS, BANANA, BEAN, BEETROOT, BROCCOLI, CABBAGE, CARROT, CAULIFLOWER, CELERY, CHERRY, CUCUMBER, DATE, GRAPE, GRAPEFRUIT, LEEK, LEMON, LIME, MELON, MUSHROOM,

OLIVE, ONION, ORANGE, PARSNIP, PEA, PEACH, PEAR, PINEAPPLE, POTATO, PRUNE, PUMPKIN, RHUBARB, SPINACH, SPROUT, SQUASH, STRAWBERRY, TOMATO, TURNIP, YAM.

sudoku

sudoku

solution

solution

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Books

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

Top fiction audiobooks The Litigators

By John Grisham Read by Dennis Boutsikaris

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he partners at Finley & Figg-all two of them-often refer to themselves as “a boutique law firm.” Boutique, as in chic, selective, and prosperous. They are, of course, none of these things. What they are is a twobit operation always in search of their big break, ambulance chasers who’ve been in the trenches much too long making way too little.

Their specialties, so to speak, are quickie divorces and DUIs, with the occasional jackpot of an actual car wreck thrown in. After twenty plus years together, Oscar Finley and Wally Figg bicker like an old married couple but somehow continue to scratch out a halfdecent living from their seedy bungalow offices in southwest Chicago.

And then change comes their way. More accurately, it stumbles in. David Zinc, a young but already burned-out attorney, walks away from his fast-track career at a fancy downtown firm, goes on a serious bender, and finds himself literally at the doorstep of our boutique firm. Once David sobers up and comes to grips with the fact that he’s suddenly unemployed, any job-even one with Finley & Figg-looks okay to him. With their new associate on board, F&F is ready to tackle a really big case, a case that could make the partners rich without requiring them to actually practice much law.

An extremely popular drug, Krayoxx, the number one cholesterol reducer for the danger-

ously overweight, produced by Varrick Labs, a giant pharmaceutical company with annual sales of $25 billion, has recently come under fire after several patients taking it have suffered heart attacks. Wally smells money. A little online research confirms Wally’s suspicions-a huge plaintiffs’ firm in Florida is putting together a class action suit against Varrick.

All Finley & Figg has to do is find a handful of people who have had heart attacks while taking Krayoxx, convince them to become clients, join the class action, and ride along to fame and fortune. With any luck, they won’t even have to enter a courtroom!

The Night Circus

By Erin Morgenstern Read by Jim Dale

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he circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not.

Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des RÍves, and it is only open at night. But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway-a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love-a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands. True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per≠formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead. Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart.

Explosive Eighteen: A Stephanie Plum Novel

By Janet Evanovich Read by Lorelei King

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ounty hunter Stephanie Plum’s life is set to blow sky high when international murder hits dangerously close to home, in this dynamite novel by Janet Evanovich. Before Stephanie can even step foot off Flight 127 Hawaii to Newark, she’s knee deep in trouble. Her dream vacation turned into a nightmare, and she’s flying back to New Jersey solo. Worse still, her seatmate never returned to the plane after the LA layover. Now he’s dead, in a garbage can, waiting for curbside pickup. His killer could be anyone. And a ragtag collection of thugs and psychos, not to mention the FBI, are all looking for a photograph the dead man was supposed to be carrying. Only one other person has seen the missing photo-Stephanie Plum.

Now she’s the target, and she doesn’t intend to end up in a garbage can. With the help of an FBI sketch artist Stephanie re-creates the person in the photo.

Unfortunately the first sketch turns out to look like Tom Cruise, and the second sketch like Ashton Kutcher. Until Stephanie can improve her descriptive skills, she’ll need to watch her back. Over

at the bail bonds agency things are going from bad to worse. The bonds bus serving as Vinnie’s temporary HQ goes up in smoke. Stephanie’s wheelman, Lula, falls in love with their largest skip yet. Lifetime arch nemesis Joyce Barnhardt moves into Stephanie’s apartment. And everyone wants to know what happened in Hawaii?

The Language of Flowers

By Vanessa Diffenbaugh Read by Tara Sands

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mesmerizing, moving, and elegantly written debut novel, The Language of Flowers beautifully weaves past and present, creating a vivid portrait of an unforgettable woman whose gift for flowers helps her change the lives of others even as she struggles to overcome her own troubled past. The Victorian language of flowers was used to convey romantic expressions: honeysuckle for devotion, asters for patience, and red roses for love. But for Victoria Jones, it’s been more useful in communicating grief, mistrust, and solitude. After a childhood spent in the foster-care system, she is unable to get close to anybody, and her only connection to the world is through flowers and their meanings. Now eighteen and emancipated from the system, Victoria has nowhere to go and sleeps in a public park, where she plants a small garden of her own.

Soon a local florist discovers her talents, and Victoria realizes she has a gift for helping others through the flowers she chooses for them. But a mysterious vendor at the flower market has her questioning what’s been missing in her life, and when she’s forced to

confront a painful secret from her past, she must decide whether it’s worth risking everything for a second chance at happiness.

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Books

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

Top non-fiction audiobooks Back to Work

The Time of Our Lives

By Bill Clinton Read by Bill Clinton

By Tom Brokaw

“I

wrote this book because I love my country and I’m concerned about our future,” writes Bill Clinton. “As I often said when I first ran for President in 1992, America at its core is an idea-the idea that no matter who you are or where you’re from, if you work hard and play by the rules, you’ll have the freedom and opportunity to pursue your own dreams and leave your kids a country where they can chase theirs.”

In Back to Work, Clinton details how we can get out of the current economic crisis and lay a foundation for long-term prosperity. He offers specific recommendations on how we can put people back to work and create new businesses, increase bank lending and corporate investment, double our exports, and restore our manufacturing base. He supports President Obama’s emphasis on green technology, saying that change in the way we produce and consume energy is the strategy most likely to spark a fast-growing economy and enhance our national security.

Clinton also says that we need both a strong economy and a smart government working together to restore prosperity and progress. He demonstrates that whenever we’ve given in to the temptation to blame

Read by Tom Brokaw

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om Brokaw, known and beloved for his landmark work in American journalism and for the New York Times bestsellers The Greatest Generation and Boom!, now turns his attention to the challenges that face America in the new millennium, to offer reflections on how we can restore America’s greatness.

“What happened to the America I thought I knew?” Brokaw writes. “Have we simply wandered off course, but only temporarily? Or have we allowed ourselves to be so divided that we’re easy prey for hijackers who could steer us onto a path to a crash landing? . . . I do have some thoughts, original and inspired by others, for our journey into the heart of a new century.”

Rooted in the values, lessons, and verities of generations past and of his South Dakota upbringing, Brokaw weaves together inspiring stories of Americans who are making a difference and personal stories from his own family history, to engage us in a conversation about our country and to offer ideas for how we can revitalize the promise of the American Dream.

Blue Nights

Death in the City of Light

By David King Read by Paul Michael

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eath in the City of Light is the gripping, true story of a brutal serial killer who unleashed his own reign of terror in Nazi-occupied Paris. As decapitated heads and dismembered body parts surfaced in the Seine, Commissaire Georges-Victor Massu, head of the Brigade Criminelle, was tasked with tracking down the elusive murderer in a twilight world of Gestapo, gangsters, resistance fighters, pimps, prostitutes, spies, and other shadowy figures of the Parisian underworld.

The main suspect was Dr. Marcel Petiot, a handsome, charming physician with remarkable charisma. He was the “People’s Doctor,” known for his many acts of kindness and generosity, not least in providing free medical care for the poor. Petiot, however, would soon be charged with twenty-seven murders, though authorities suspected the total was considerably higher, perhaps even as many as 150.

Who was being slaughtered, and why? Was Petiot a sexual sadist, as the press suggested, killing for thrills? Was he allied with the Gestapo, or, on the contrary, the French Resistance? Or did he work for no one other than himself? Trying to solve the many mysteries of the case, Massu would unravel a plot of unspeakable deviousness.

When Petiot was finally arrested, the French police hoped for answers.

But the trial soon became a circus.

Attempting to try all twenty-seven cases at once, the prosecution stumbled in its marathon cross-examinations, and Petiot, enjoying the spotlight, responded with astonishing ease. His attorney, Rene Floriot, a rising star in the world of criminal defense, also effectively, if aggressively, countered the charges.

Soon, despite a team of prosecuting attorneys, dozens of witnesses, and over one ton of evidence, Petiot’s brilliance and wit threatened to win the day.

government for our problems, we’ve lost our commitment to shared prosperity, balanced growth, financial responsibility, and investment in the future. That has led our nation into trouble because there are some things we have to do together. For example, he says, “Our ability to compete in the twenty-first century is dependent on our willingness to invest in infrastructure: we need faster broadband, a state-of-the-art national electrical grid, modernized water and sewer systems, and the best airports, trains, roads, and bridges.

By Joan Didion Read by Kimberly Farr

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rom one of our most powerful writers, a work of stunning frankness about losing a daughter. Richly textured with bits of her own childhood and married life with her husband, John Gregory Dunne, and daughter, Quintana Roo, this new book by Joan Didion examines her thoughts, fears, and doubts regarding having children, illness, and growing old.

Blue Nights opens on July 26, 2010, as Didion thinks back to Quintana’s wedding in New York seven years before. Today would be her wedding anniversary. This fact triggers vivid snapshots of Quintana’s childhood-in Malibu, in Brentwood, at school in Holmby Hills. Reflecting on her daughter but also on her role as a parent, Didion asks the candid questions any parent might about how she feels she failed either because cues were not taken or perhaps displaced. “How could I have missed what was clearly there to be seen?” Finally, perhaps we all remain unknown to each other. Seamlessly woven in are incidents Didion sees as underscoring her own age, something she finds hard to acknowledge, much less accept.

Blue Nights-the long, light evening hours that signal the summer solstice, “the opposite of the dying of the brightness, but also its

warning”-like The Year of Magical Thinking before it, is an iconic book of incisive and electric honesty, haunting and profoundly moving.

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Beauty

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

Futuristic Beauty: 3 Hi-Tech picks New technology that leads to Gorgeousness!

Four healthy hair tips for fall Have your locks looking their best this season!

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ummer has come and gone, and your hair has been through the ringer, what with the long lazy days laying out in the sun and chlorine from that all day pool party. Fall is here and it’s time to get your hair back in tip-top shape.

1. Don’t wash your hair every day.

You can rinse your hair with water and apply conditioner, but skip the shampoo every single day.

2. Don’t detangle your hair when it is wet.

Brushing your hair to get the tangles out immediately after a shower is a big nono. A better move is towel drying your hair, then running a comb through it to get the knots out.

through. The plant vinegar will seal your cuticles and give you instant sheen.

4. Baby powder!

Skipping the shampoo on a daily basis in tip number 1 may have you worried your hair will look greasy. A healthier alternative to shampooing every day? A little baby powder! Pour a quarter size amount into your hand and work into the front and top of your dry hair. Run your fingers through your locks - and voila - the powder absorbs the oil in your hair, making it look clean and fresh. ww.bettyconfidential.com)

3. Want automatic sheen and volume?

You probably have this trick in your cupboard. Plant vinegar is a great way to give your hair instant sheen and volume.

Mix plant vinegar with a small amount of water, pour on your hair and then comb Age spots / skin lightening Elure Advanced Skin Lightening Line: Containing a mushroom-derived enzyme originally used to whiten paper in the ‘80s, Elure is now an incredible non irritating way to erase dark spots and even skin tone in seven days! This substance called Melanozyme can destroy melanin that accumulates on the surface! Elure’s day and night creams begin breaking melanin down into small colorless molecules that are whisked away with natural exfoliation!

Instant whitening toothpaste Luster Now: Love this! Luster offers instant gratification for those of us needing immediate brightening. When you brush with this magic elixir, their adhesive polymers called Bluverite form a temporary bond on the surface of your teeth, canceling out any yellow staining. Lasts for about five hours! I will have two! Home and purse for emergency brightening!

Semi-permanent mascara Cry Baby: Chemists at Cry Baby took flexible-polymer chemistry (like that used in bonding hair extensions) and developed a semi-permanent mascara that curls, lengthens and thickens lashes that don’t smudge for weeks! The professionally-applied polymers create a strong, flexible coating that doesn’t budge. The future is here! A more radiant, even complexion, with instantly whiter teeth and long lasting lashes to die for!

Now if we could have some futuristic way to get the men in our lives to not leave their clothes on the floor at the end of the day. http://www.bettyconfidential.com

Homemade beauty: Strawberry cream 1/2 oz white beeswax 1 1/2 oz sweet almond oil 1 oz apricot kernel oil 1 oz strawberry juice (or apricot or peach or honey-dew melon) 8 drops tincture of benzoin Wash, drain, and mash 4-5 large strawberries. Squeeze out the juice and strain through muslin or cheesecloth. Heat the beeswax and the oils together in a double boiler until the wax is melted. Remove from the heat and add the juice quickly. Beat the mixture until it is fluffy. Add the benzoin and beat until it is cool. You must beat the mixture until it cools or else it will separate.

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Years

Style

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

Fall 2011’s most wearable trends

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all 2011 Fashion Week-or, as they say in the biz, Fashion Month, if you include the London, Milan and Paris shows!-isn’t yet over, but we can already spot more than a dozen new fall trends that we can’t wait to wear. Here, the most stylish-and least scary!

camel, for fall 2011 the hue is turned down a notch, into a darker, more fall-like and way more universally flattering color of rust. It’s not as aged as it sounds-the autumnal color makes you want to skip through the leaves like a schoolgirl.

A touch of lace It’s no big news that lace is sexy. But this fall it becomes polished, too-which means you’ve got a stellar new answer to the classic work-then-out weekday outfit idea conundrum

Peplum blazers, coats and vests Some of fall’s prettiest sweaters, puffer jackets and blazers come with whittled-in-atthe-waist silhouettes-which means you can flaunt your ladylike silhouette even if you’re wearing lots of layers.

Camo-Inspired There were a lot of prints and patterns that filled the fall 2011 runways this season (plaids! art nouveau swirls! polka dots!), including a few camouflage-inspired styles, like those seen on the Victoria Beckham and Daryl K runways. Just the thing for an urban adventure.

Granny plaids While most designers went for the kinds of head-to-toe tartan looks that country-clubgoing grannies might love, when the time comes, we’ll wear it the modern way and sport just one plaid piece at a time.

Mustard hues Now granted, this is wearable for only the small percentage of people who look good in the hue. But if you were blessed with the right complexion, you will positively glow this fall in the brilliant goldenrod pieces-from The Row’s velvet blazer to newcomer Wes Gordon’s elegant knee-length dress.

Polka dots If Marc Jacobs and Diane von Furstenberg put the same print out on the runway, then you know it’s a real trend, with a capital T. If the head-to-toe patterned look isn’t your thing, try a polka-dot blouse or scarf to put a playful-and trendy!-spin on your everyday outfit.

Rust-color coats While last year’s It color for outerwear was

Maxiskirts and cozy sweaters While it can be tough to work up enough style energy to wear anything other than jeans or leggings on Saturdays and Sundays, the low-key and ueber-comfy outfit idea many designers sent down the runway is something worth trying.

After all, who knows? The maxiskirt and sweater combo could become your new weekend uniform.

The slit-up-to-there skirt Good news if you like to stay covered up while you dress up: Fall’s sexiest new party outfit involves a long-sleeve top, a neckline of your choosing and a long skirt-with a sexy slit up the front so you can walk easily and flaunt your sexy legs.

The working-girl dress Give your go-to black pants a welldeserved rest as there’s a pretty new office uniform, ready to roll. More designers than we could count turned out ‘70s-inspired day dresses-translation: midlength skirts with long, blousy sleeves-that seemed plucked from the wardrobe of Nine to Five. P.S. You can also DIY this look with a blouse and a skirt!

Jade green dress It doesn’t matter what shape or size it comes in, if it’s way fancy or simply cute-the bold green dress is gonna be your go-to party outfit this season. (Not to mention a great way to stand out in a sea of LBDs!) Chunky sweaters and gauzy skirts There’s no easier way to shop your closet

this season than by pulling on a cozy sweater (the chunkier the better!) over a summery skirt or dress. The combo is ultra cute and you can wear it all year round-starting now!

Bright pants We saw this look on the runway and off (in the front row!) and filed it away as an easy way to make winter’s dark layers look fresh and fun. (www.glamour.com)

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Health

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

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ou may have noticed that you feel hungry a lot. This is natural - during adolescence, a person’s body demands more nutrients to grow. Snacks are a terrific way to satisfy that hunger and get all the vitamins and nutrients your body needs.

But you need to pay attention to what you eat. Stuffing your face with a large order of fries after class may give you a temporary boost, but a snack this high in fat and calories will only slow you down in the long run.

To keep energy levels going and avoid weight gain - steer clear of foods with lots of simple carbohydrates (sugars) like candy bars or soda. Look for foods that contain complex carbohydrates like wholegrain breads and cereals and combine them with protein-rich snacks such as peanut butter or low-fat yogurt or cheese.

Judging whether snacks are healthy Choosing healthy snacks means shopping smart. Be cautious of the health claims on food packages.

Here are some things to watch out for: ● Just because something is “all natural” or “pure” doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s nutritious. For example, “all natural” juice drinks or sodas can be filled with sugar

(which is, after all, a natural ingredient) but all that sugar means they’ll be high in calories and give you little nutrition.

A granola bar is a good example of a snack that seems healthy.

Although granola bars can be a good source of certain vitamins and nutrients, many also contain a great deal of fat, including a particularly harmful type of fat called trans fat.

On average, about 35% of the calories in a regular granola bar come from fat. And there can be a lot of sugar in granola cereals and bars.

Check the Nutrition Facts label on the package to be sure. ● Be skeptical of low-fat food claims, too. If the fat has been eliminated or cut back, the amount of sugar in the food may have increased to keep that food tasting good. Many low-fat foods have nearly as many calories as their fullfat versions.

Whatever claims a food’s manufacturer writes on the front of the package, you can judge whether a food is healthy for you by reading the ingredients and the nutrition information on the food label.

Smart snacking strategies Here are some ways to make healthy snacking part of your everyday routine: ● Prepare healthy snacks in advance. Did you know that you can

make your own granola or trail mix?

When you make something yourself, you get to control the ingredients and put in what’s good for you!

You also can keep plenty of fresh fruit and veggies at home to take on the go. Cut up melons or vegetables like celery and carrots in advance.

Keep the servings in bags in the fridge, ready to grab and go. ● Keep healthy snacks with you.

Make it a habit to stash some fruit, whole-grain crackers, or baby carrots in your backpack or workout bag so you always have some healthy food nearby. Half a cheese sandwich also makes a great snack to have on standby. ● Make it interesting. Healthy snacking doesn’t have to be boring as long as you give yourself a variety of choices. Whole-wheat pretzels with spicy mustard, rice cakes with peanut butter and raisins, or low-fat fruit yogurt are healthy, tasty, and easy. ● Satisfy cravings with healthier approaches. If you’re crazy for chocolate, try a hot chocolate drink instead of a chocolate bar. An 8ounce mug of hot chocolate has only 140 calories and 3 grams of fat.

A chocolate bar, on the other hand, has 230 calories and 13 grams of fat.

Substitute nonfat frozen yogurt or sorbet for ice cream. If you’re craving savory munchies, snack on baked tortilla chips instead of regu-

lar corn chips and pair them with salsa instead of sour cream. Or satisfy salt cravings with pretzels instead of chips. ● Read serving size information.

What looks like a small package of cookies can contain 2 or more servings - which means double or even triple the amounts of fat, calories, and sugar shown on the label.

Don’t slip up after dinner.

Evenings can be a tempting time to indulge in sugary, fatty snacks. If you’re really feeling hungry, don’t ignore it. Instead, pick the right snacks to fill the hunger gap.

Whole-wheat fig bars, rice cakes, or air-popped popcorn can do the trick, as can fruit paired with cheese or yogurt.

Treats to try Here are a few healthy snacking ideas: ● Ants on a log: Spread peanut butter on celery sticks and top with raisins. ● Banana ice: Peel several very ripe bananas, break them into 1inch pieces, and freeze the pieces in a sealed plastic bag. Just before serving, whirl the pieces in the blender with a small amount of water or juice. Serve right away.

Add berries for a different flavor or top with fruit or nuts. ● Healthy ice pops: Freeze fresh, unsweetened 100% juice in ice pop

molds or ice cube trays. ● Whole-grain pita and hummus: Warm a pita in the oven on low, then cut it into small triangles. Dip it in a tasty, low-fat hummus.

Hummus is available in yummy flavors like garlic and spicy red pepper. Hummus also makes a tasty dip for cut-up veggies. ● Happy trails mix: Combine 1 cup whole-grain toasted oat cereal with 1/4 cup chopped walnuts and 1/4 cup dried cranberries for a healthy trail mix.

As with everything, moderation is the key to smart snacking. People who eat regular meals and healthy snacks are less likely to overeat and gain weight than people who skip meals or go for long periods without eating and then scarf down a large order of fries.

It’s natural to feel hungrier at certain times - like between a long afternoon of classes and your swim meet. Knowing how much food your body needs to satisfy this hunger is critical. A handful of walnuts is great brain food before sitting down to do that math homework. But a whole bag won’t help you add anything - except pounds. (www.kidshealth.org)

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Health

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

Ten-minute workout Exercise is essential to our health, so it is important to understand that even a brief amount of exercise performed on a regular basis can go a long way to improve your life

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ost people understand that exercise is important for their overall health and well-being. However, many complain that they just don’t have enough time in their schedule for exercise. With the fast paced lives that most of us lead, it’s understandable that most of us are time starved and without the proper time for exercise.

However, exercise is essential to our health, so it is important to understand that even a brief amount of exercise performed on a regular basis can go a long way to improve your life.

Ten to 15 minutes of exercise performed 3-4 times a week will do a lot to improve every aspect of your physical health. No special equipment or props are needed.

In fact, a number of exercises can be done in the morning while you are still in your pajamas. Some routines may be so easy you may be tempted to think they are not doing much good. However, if performed properly on a consistent basis, 10 minutes of exercise can get you in shape.

Here are a few exercises that you can do in just 10 minutes to improve your total fitness health.

Of course, you should check with your doctor before beginning any new exercise program.

1 Minute Back Stretch ● Sit with your legs straight out in front of you and your back straight. ● Place your right palm flat on the floor behind you as you twist your head and shoulders so that you are looking over your right shoulder. ● Make sure that you keep both buttocks flat on the floor. ● Hold for 15 then do the other side. ● Repeat twice.

1 Minute Back Scratcher ● Sit with your legs stretched out in front of you and your back straight. ● Stretch your right arm and bend it at the elbow as if you are

going to scratch your back between your shoulder blades. ● Reach your left arm behind your back to touch or hold the fingers of your right hand. ● Hold this position for 30 seconds. ● Repeat on the other side.

2 Minutes of Sit Ups Lie flat on the floor on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. ● Place your palms on your hips and run them up to your knees, pulling yourself up by your stomach muscles. ● Do as many of these sit ups as you can in 2 minutes. ● 5 Minutes of Step Ups ●

● Find a step of about 6-8 inches of height. Step up with your left foot. ● Raise your right foot to join it. ● Take your left foot off of the step and then your right foot to join it. ● Repeat For 5 Minutes

1 Minute of Press Ups Lie on your stomach. ● Bend your arms at the elbows and place both hands flat on the floor with your thumbs at shoulder level. ● Keep your toes flexed and on the floor. ● Push on your palms to raise your upper body. ● Your back and shoulders ●

should be flat and your buttocks should not be sticking up. ● Fully extend your arms but do not lock them. ● Now slowly lower your body back on to the ground and repeat as many times as you can in 1 minute.

Congratulations! You have just completed 10 minutes of exercise that did a lot to increase your cardio-fitness, helped to maintain the strength in your arms, shoulders and legs, and increased the flexibility in your joints. If you don’t have a lot of time to work out, try performing these exercises for 10 minutes 3-4 times per week, and you will see and feel a great difference. (www.halife.com)

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Arts

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14 , 2011

The artist, once one of the most admired in Europe, showed the world as a place of calm beauty and inspired myriad imitators

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n a turbulent century of political, social and economic uncertainty, the artist Claude Lorrain offered an image of the world as a place of calm beauty, where any change would be benevolent.

One of his greatest fans was the polymath Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, who worshipped him for revealing “the world’s beautiful soul”, and went to Italy specifically to view it through Lorrain’s eyes.

A new exhibition of the 17th-century artist’s work opens on Thursday at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. And while Lorrain may have fallen out of fashion, it aims to demonstrate why he was once one of the most admired and expensive artists in Europe and a particular favourite of the English aristocracy.

“Germany was mad for him too,” co-curator Martin Sonnabend said, “but England had the money.”

He knows this to his cost: his museum, the Stadel in Frankfurt, owns one beautiful Lorrain painting, some etchings, and recently managed to buy one drawing for a painfully large price from an English dealer. When the exhibition closes in Oxford in January it will travel to his museum as some reparation.

By the early 19th century two-thirds of all Lorrain paintings were in English collections, and the British Museum - a major lender to the exhibition - still owns 40% of all his drawings, with scores more and all his etchings in the Ashmolean collection.

“You’ll find many a ducal Lorrain on our walls,” said Christopher Brown, director of the museum, thanking the many anonymous private lenders for tolerating such big gaps on their walls for so long.

It was the calm, golden certainty of his light, Sonnabend says, that made him so beloved. At the height of the craze he inspired myriad artists, poets, composers, novelists and even landscape gardeners such as William Kent who laid out Rousham gardens near Oxford. Garden visits will be part of the exhibition programme.

The show includes the largest exhibition ever mounted of Lorrain’s engravings, which Sonnabend particularly admires, including one extraordinary sequence commissioned by the Spanish ambassador showing the week of spectacle in Rome in 1637, paid for by the Spanish, when one of their own was proclaimed “King of the Romans”. In Lorrain’s engravings the viewer can follow as in a graphic novel a wine fountain topped with a Hapsburg eagle exploding into fireworks, and a

square tower falling apart to reveal first a round tower and then an equestrian statue of the new king.

Jon Whiteley, the senior assistant keeper of western art at the Ashmolean, hopes the exhibition will revive at

least an echo of the craze for Lorrain. “It is true that he has fallen completely out of fashion,” he conceded sadly. “There is something wrong with the world.”

—Guardian

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Spotlight

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14 , 2011

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ate Modern’s tremendous survey of the German master Gerhard Richter opens with a painting of second world war bombers shedding their ordnance from that other world above the clouds. It is clearly based on a photograph. The planes are as small as children’s toys, the bombs no more than tiny hyphens falling weightlessly through the sky and one barely notices the dark speck dropping far below: a hit plane, a pilot crashing to his death.

The painting delivers this horror with a softly blurred touch. The planes are as spectral as ghosts, the Flying Fortress markings indistinct in the silver-gray paint. The atmosphere is something like a silent movie, or a dream, so that one has to pay close attention - even as the picture pulls in the opposite direction - to deduce that the original photograph must have been taken from a US bomber like the one that is plunging down towards the doomed Germans below. Death is elsewhere. The painting asks you to think for yourself.

It is possible that Richter himself heard these planes.

Born in Dresden in 1932, he survived the allied bombings and eventually crossed to the west in 1961. Although his paintings partake of the cool, mechanical exactitude of the photographs they transcribe in various ways, they are characterised by scepticism, distance and doubt. One might say that the painter rarely fails to see both sides.

This variety is considerable, from the distinctive photopaintings with their supersmooth blur that have made him the world’s most revered (and expensive) living painter, to the miasmic grey abstracts, “like photographs of nothing”; from the outsize colour charts to the colossal magnifications of his own brushstrokes - always derived from photographs. But by far the most distinctive is the famous blur, where the image is brushed across in delicate sweeps or dissolves into an almost imperceptible sfumato, taking the image with it - distanced, ungraspable, lost to the past or beyond us.

Tate Modern is showing 50 years of work, from the early black-and-white history paintings to the rapturous still lifes of today. One sees as never before that this blur is always different, and always material to the picture’s content. The face famous from a zillion paparazzi shots dwindles to nothing in a gray shimmer; the long dead are retrieved from oblivion in cobweb-fine paint. Everything carries a metaphor.

One of the dead is Richter’s Aunt Marianne, young, blond, smiling as she props her baby nephew Gerhard on a pillow. She is smoothed, soothed, by gentle lateral brushstrokes which blend the two figures - his soft hair with her sweet face - as if to unite them once more.

Marianne was sterilised and later murdered by the Nazis.

The image, taken from a family album, is out of focus, something like a memory one cannot quite summon through the veils of time and consciousness. Its obverse is the controversial painting of Uncle Rudi, grinning proudly in his SS uniform (a painting Richter donated to the war memorial at Lidice in the Czech Republic). Here the brush blends Rudi with the wall behind him in horizontal striations evocative of barbed wire; repressed memory given a face.

The artist once said that all paintings are analogies, not just representations, and the wisdom of this truth is made apparent throughout the show. One sees it in the images based on photographs of bombed cities, heaps of rubble that are all but illegible to the eye, a disintegration reenacted in the paintings themselves. At a distance quite figurative, they fall apart as you approach into areas of total incoherence.

And one even sees it in the all-grey abstracts of the 70s,

so implacably neutral, made at a time when Richter had almost lost faith in his painting altogether. But he continued, working the surfaces with tiny incidents so that one cannot completely turn away.

Because he is such a virtuoso painter, as well as monastically reserved - the self-portraits are almost completely effaced - Richter’s art has always seemed to arrive out of mystery. What is he thinking, what does he feel about his subjects: every painting trails a question. What are his skull pictures: memento mori or soft kitsch? What are his candles, so blurred and yet bright: votive or secular? At face value, they are simply irreducibly beautiful.

There are paintings here that approach the dead end of art: huge enlargements of brushstrokes prophylactically sealed behind surfaces flawless as laminate; the squeegee paintings which repudiate all idea of expressive touch; close-up photographs of oil paint transcribed in oil paint.

The strict chronology of the show (and its desire to present Richter whole) admits too many such works.

But they lead one insistently back, I suppose, to the question of interpretation and this turns out to be less about Richter’s use of photographs - images at one remove - than the selection of those images itself.

The choice becomes, in part, the subject of the painting: Uncle Rudi, Aunt Marianne, his family and friends, the heroes of culture, the villains of war, his wife nursing their baby; these are not meaningless or trivial. And what is, and will surely remain, the most inflammatory of all Richter’s works - the 15 Baader-Meinhof paintings - must be understood at the very least as an attention to controversial history.

The arrests of the gang members, the police photographs, the televised funeral with its horizontal interference patterns: each image is on the verge of indeterminacy. The painting of Andreas Baader’s book-lined cell is the visual equivalent of a shudder, top to bottom; the body of Gudrun Ensslin, rope marks round her neck, tells one nothing about her death (suicide or murder?). Eye and understanding are equally baffled and thwarted.

But notice the portrait of Ensslin as a child pensively slipped in among them.

Equivocal restraint is Richter’s great characteristic, his principle, the moral of his approach. But something alters, or distils, when he paints from photographs he has taken himself. He snaps his daughter reading a letter, meditative in the sunshine, and she becomes a Vermeer. He photographs the German landscape and you plunge deep into its painted richness; a vase of yellow tulips fairly burns with joy.

But for sheer unqualified beauty, go to the last room of this show with its garlands and snowscapes and transcendent abstractions, white on white on light. Richter, at almost 80, is passionately drawn to the experiences of the eye and the light that makes everything visible. If these paintings are analogies of anything specific, it is our human love of looking at the world.

The final painting in the room, superbly curated, shows the end of life. It is not immediately obvious that somewhere among the brilliant blue of the painting, and the sky on that day, are the Twin Towers as the aeroplanes hit.

That blue is besmirched, dragged back and forth with gray so that one can hardly see what is there before one’s eyes.

It is a stupendous painting: incomprehensible, disintegrating, vanishing into itself. And it is the very thing one has been waiting for all along - the show’s bared heart.

Comics

C R O S S W O R D

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

To Yester

Word Sleuth Solution

Yesterday’s Solution

ACROSS

1. The probability of a specified outcome.

5. At right angles to the length of a ship or airplane.

10. Tag the base runner to get him out.

13. A member of the Siouan people formerly living in the Missouri river valley in NE Nebraska.

14. Sluggish tailless Australian arboreal marsupial with gray furry ears and coat.

15. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

16. An anti-TNF compound (trade name Arava) that is given orally.

18. Any culture medium that uses agar as the gelling agent.

19. A self-funded retirement plan that allows you to contribute a limited yearly sum toward your retirement.

20. A state in the United States in the central Pacific on the Hawaiian Islands.

22. A village of huts for native Africans in southern Africa.

24. (old-fashioned) At or from or to a great distance.

25. Like an amoeba (especially in having a variable irregular shape).

28. Informal terms for a mother.

29. 100 avos equal 1 pataca.

32. The act of scanning.

35. The basic unit of money in Ethiopia.

37. The blood group whose red cells carry both the A and B antigens.

38. A resource.

40. The length of a straight line passing through the center of a circle and connecting two points on the circumference.

43. A group of Plains Indians formerly living in what is now North and South Dakota and Nebraska and Kansas and Arkansas and Louisiana and Oklahoma and Texas.

45. Activity involved in maintaining something in good working order.

46. A radioactive element of the actinide series.

47. Take in solid food.

48. Kidney disease characterized by enlarged kidneys containing many cysts.

51. A inexpensive showy collectibles.

55. A minor Hebrew prophet (8th century BC).

56. A resort city in southern Ukraine on the Black Sea. 57. A Polynesian rain dance performed by a woman.

60. The elementary stages of any subject (usually plural).

61. An endorsement.

63. Resinlike substance secreted by certain lac insects.

64. French physicist noted for research on magnetism (born in 1904).

65. Dwell (archaic).

66. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

DOWN 1. A member of the Siouan people formerly living in the Missouri river valley in NE Nebraska.

2. A unit of elastance equal to the reciprocal of a farad.

3. An Indian tree of the family Combretaceae that is a source of timber and gum.

4. A sponge cake baked in a ring mold.

5. A state in northwestern North America.

6. A long thin fluffy scarf of feathers or fur.

7. Any of various large keen-sighted diurnal birds of prey noted for their broad wings and strong soaring flight.

8. A flat wing-shaped process or winglike part of an organism.

9. Russian mathematician (1856-1922).

10. Submerged aquatic plant having narrow leaves and small flowers.

11. A city in northern India.

12. Any of numerous local fertility and nature deities worshipped by ancient Semitic peoples.

17. The branch of computer science that deal with writing computer programs that can solve problems creatively.

21. A metrical unit with unstressed-stressed syllables.

23. The former capital and 2nd largest city of Brazil.

26. A member of a North American Indian people living east of the Sacramento river in California.

27. United States writer of poems and plays about racial conflict (born in 1934).

30. (British) A waterproof raincoat made of rubberized fabric.

31. A master's degree in business.

33. An independent agency of the United States government responsible for collecting and coordinating intelligence and counterintelligence activities abroad in the national interest.

34. A condition (mostly in boys) characterized by behavioral and learning disorders.

36. Fully developed or matured and ready to be eaten or used.

39. Soft suede glove leather from goatskin.

41. A colorless odorless gas used as a fuel.

42. A city is east central Sweden north northwest of Stockholm.

43. A city in northern India.

44. A metrical unit with stressed-unstressed-unstressed syllables.

49. Cubes of meat marinated and cooked on a skewer usually with vegetables.

50. The capital and largest city of Bangladesh.

52. The lean flesh of a fish similar to cod.

53. On or toward the lee.

54. According to the Old Testament he was a pagan king of Israel and husband of Jezebel (9th century BC).

55. A chronic inflammatory collagen disease affecting connective tissue (skin or joints).

58. A type of submachine gun that is designed and manufactured in Israel.

59. A boy or man.

62. (astronomy) The angular distance of a celestial point measured westward along the celestial equator from the zenith crossing.

Yesterday’s Solution

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and future queen Jetsun Pema stand together during their marriage ceremony in the main courtyard of the 17th-century fortified monastery or dzong in Punakha yesterday. — AFP photos

Bhutan’s

Dragon King crowns his bride

B

hutan’s 31-year-old king married a student 10 years his junior yesterday in a colorful ceremony showcasing the rich Buddhist culture of one of the world’s most remote and insular countries. Amid clouds of incense and chanting monks, the hugely popular King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck crowned his queen at the end of a series of rituals in the 17th-century fortified monastery chosen for the occasion. After a brief purification ceremony to start, they walked hand-in-hand and smiling to the inner sanctum of the monastery where an hour of blessings, prostrations and prayers culminated in the queen taking the throne.

The “Dragon King”, an Oxford graduate who came to power in 2008 at the start of democracy in Bhutan, married Jetsun Pema, the

King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck, left and Queen Jetsun Pema pose after they were married.

daughter of an airline pilot widely admired for her beauty and her impact on the love-struck monarch. The king, the fifth in a line of hereditary rulers who have reigned for the last 100 years, was in a relaxed mood when he spoke to a small group of reporters during one of his trademark walk-arounds after lunch. “I am happy. I have been waiting for quite some time. It doesn’t matter when you get married as long as it is the right person,” he said. “I am certain I have married the right person,” he added.

The royal couple apparently first met aged 17 and seven at a family picnic in Thimphu. Pema, though described in Bhutan as a commoner, has links to the first family through her parents. The new queen, who often looked nervous as the heavily symbolic ceremony unfolded, wore an elaborately weaved outfit of gold, red and black. She smiled anxiously as she received the crown.

Her husband initially struggled to secure the embroidered headpiece which slipped off her hair several times before finally staying put. “She carried her responsibilities superbly well. I was very proud of her,” the king said. “She is a wonderful human being. Intelligent. She and I share one big thing in common: a love and passion for art.”

The ceremony at the monastery, set at the confluence of two rivers and surrounded by mist-shrouded hills, was beamed live across the country of 700,000 people and signaled the start of three days of joyful celebrations.

Bhutan banned foreign television until 1999 and is the only nation in the world whose government pursues “Gross National Happiness” for its people instead of economic growth. “You can be sure that our happiness is increasing,” joked Karma Tshiteem, the head of the Gross National Happiness Commission, which vets government policy.

Prime Minister Jigmi Thinley told AFP the wedding was of “great significance politically” as well as a source of national pride and excitement. “It ensures the continuity of the monarchy. Until the king gets married people are always concerned,” Thinley said. “The king’s importance in democracy hasn’t diminished. He will always be seen as the ultimate anchor.”

Security was tight around the monastery, with phone networks jammed and police enforcing strict controls on vehicles, but the royal couple later mingled openly with local villagers who turned out in their thousands. “The king has finally got a companion who is from a noble family, and she has very good qualities,” Bago Dem, a local resident in her 60s, told AFP. “They

Bhutanese Bhuddist monks gather in a courtyard following the blessing of King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck and Queen Jetsun Pema before they are married. understand the problems of the people.” The king, who is known to invite his subjects round for tea, had requested a simple and traditional ceremony. No foreign VIPs or fellow royals were among the assembled dignitaries and friends of the couple.

Yiwang Pindarica, one of the king’s cousins, who studied with Pema, said the new queen was “very sweet and caring and she loves children”. “I’m sure she will help the king fulfill his duties,” she said. The Bhutanese royal family are credited with bringing stability to the formerly war-wracked nation and ensuring its independence despite giant neighbors India and China to the north and south. Bhutan, which has never been colonized, remained in self-imposed isolation for centuries and is still wary of outside influence and the impact of globalization. The country had no roads or currency until the 1960s and continues to resist mass tourism to this day.—AFP

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

Jackson could

have been saved, doctor’s trial tells

M

ichael Jackson could have been saved if his doctor had simply called 911, a senior medic said Wednesday as lawyers dropped a claim that the star may have drunk a killer drug overdose himself. Cardiologist Alon Steinberg blasted Conrad Murray, on trial over Jackson’s 2009 death from an overdose of propofol, saying the doctor should simply have called 911 as soon as he saw the star had stopped breathing. “It’s basic knowledge in America, you don’t have to be a health care professional, that when someone is down you need to call 911 for help,” Steinberg told jurors in gripping testimony.

Murray says he left Jackson for two minutes to go to the bathroom on June 25, 2009, and returned to find him apparently lifeless. “When you monitor a patient, you never leave their side, especially after giving propofol. It’s like leaving a baby that’s sleeping on your kitchen countertop,” said Steinberg. Murray is accused of giving Jackson an overdose of propofol while trying to help him sleep. His lawyers have claimed Jackson was a desperate addict who gave himself a fatal extra dose while Murray was out of the room.

But on Wednesday, in a surprise move before the jury came into court, one of Murray’s lawyers announced they were dropping the claim that Jackson could have drunk a killer overdose. “We are no longer contending that propofol was orally ingested in this case,” said Michael Flanagan, a member of Murray’s legal team fighting to clear the medic of an involuntary manslaughter charge. The move came after Murray’s lawyers have shifted attention to the role of other drugs in Jackson’s death, notably lorazapam, which an autopsy found contributed even if “acute propofol intoxication” was the main cause of death.

The 58-year-old doctor has admitted to giving Jackson 25 milligrams of propofol around 10:40 am on the day he died, after the star had been awake all night, despite being given a series of doses of other less powerful sedatives. The theory that Jackson could have drunk more propofol, which the star referred to as “milk,” while Murray was out of the room has been countered by evidence that no propofol was found in his stomach. But it is unclear whether Murray’s lawyers have completely abandoned the theory that Jackson self-administered the propofol-in theory he could have done so via an intravenous tube in his leg.

In a police interview played at the trial, Murray recounted how he had been treating Jackson for about two months as the star rehearsed in LA for a series of comeback shows in London. On the day Jackson died, Murray gave Jackson a series of intravenous (IV) injections of sedatives lorazepam and midazolam starting at 1:00 am and through the night, but the star remained awake.

After finally giving him 25 milligrams of propofol at 10:40 am, Murray monitored Jackson for an unspecified period, before going to the bathroom. When he found the star lifeless upon his return, Murray began trying to revive him, but instead of calling 911, he called Jackson’s personal assistant, who then called a security guard, who eventually called 911 at 12:20 pm. —AFP

Artists perform Pucciniís Turandot during the inaugural night of the Royal Opera House in Muscat, the first of its kind in the Arabian peninsula, on October 12, 2011. —AFP

Oman opens first Gulf

opera house

T

he Royal Opera House of Oman, the first of its kind in the Arabian Peninsula, was officially opened on Wednesday by the country’s ruler Sultan Qaboos, himself a music enthusiast. “The time has now come to cap that rich heritage (of Oman) by adopting concepts of international culture and contribute to its promotion,” Qaboos said on the opening night. “Towards that end, we have established the Royal Opera House Muscat as a centre of cultural promotion,” he said.

Wednesday night’s performance of Puccini’s Turandot attracted some of the industry’s most famous artists. It was directed by Franco Zeffirelli, while the Fondazoine Arena di Verona Orchestra and chorus was led by Placido Domingo.

The opera house promises an impressive first season, with planned performances

by Placido Domingo, Andrea Bocelli, and soprano Renee Fleming. Also on the agenda are music performances by worldrenowned cellist Yo Yo Ma and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the American Ballet Theatre in a production of Don Quixote, and trumpeter Wynton Marsalis with New York city’s Jazz at Lincoln Centre Orchestra.

A tribute in honor of legendary Arab singer Oum Kalthoum and a concert by the Arab diva Majda Roumi are also on the schedule. The project was first launched in 2001 by orders of the sultan. The opera house, a glamorous structure built on a plot of 80,000 square meters (861,140 square feet), shares the grounds with a small theatre, restaurants, and luxury shops, with at least half the area designated for gardens. The only other opera house in the Arab world is in Cairo. —AFP

Omani ruler Sultan Qaboos bin Said and Deputy Prime Minister Fahd bin Mahmud al-Said cut the ribbon during the inauguration ceremony of the Royal Opera House in Muscat.— AFP

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

A

mother’s love will be the closing theme for this year’s Busan International Film Festival.

Chief organizer Lee Yong-kwan said yesterday that the Japanese movie “Chronicle of My Mother” will close the nine-day festival today. The 2011 movie was directed by Masato Harada. It portrays a mother who suffers from dementia and is misunderstood by her son. It is based on an autobiographical novel by Japanese writer Yasushi Inoue.

Harada says he hopes the film will help “confirm the great love of mothers.” The festival is considered Asia’s largest and is held in the South Korean port city of Busan. It began last Thursday with a South Korean romance about a boxer and a blind girl.—AP

This general view taken yesterday shows the Busan Cinema Center where the 16th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) is being held. — AFP

A

ward-winning Bollywood star Vivek Oberoi says he is now producing movies because he wants to make films the major Indian studios won’t touch. “I am using my success in Bollywood to do what Bolly won’t do,” said Oberoi. “These are different stories from those people are used to seeing, a different way of seeing things, and it is not all about making money.”

Oberoi, 35, was born into Bollywood royalty, the son of acclaimed actor Suresh Oberoi. He has made more than 20 films, bursting onto the scene with a multi-award-winning role in the gangster thriller “Company” (2003). Oberoi’s first feature in his new role as a producer is “Watch Indian Circus”, which had its world premiere this week at the 16th Busan International Film

File photo shows Indian producer Vivek Oberoi posing during an interview at the 16th Busan International Film Festival. — AFP

Festival. The movie is competing for the festival’s main New Currents award.

“Watch Indian Circus”-directed by Mangesh Hadawale-follows the fortunes of an impoverished couple who dream of one day being able to afford to take their children to the circus. Set against the backdrop of a corrupt local election, the film at its core is an often hilarious celebration of the human spirit. Tickets to screenings have been among the hottest items going in Busan this week. “I think this film symbolizes the true spirit of India,” said Oberoi. “It’s not just the excitement of a cricket triumph or the madness of Bollywood.

“The real face is 70 million people living below the poverty line and still able to smile every day. It is a unique culture that has a faith in divine destiny and an ability to smile.” Oberoi said he was drawn into working with the Sundial Pictures production house because of a shared desire to make an “Indian” movie rather than a “Bollywood” movie. Bollywood films are noted for their trademark high drama, song-and-dance numbers and their focus on romances and the reimaging of ancient legends.

Oberoi said economics dictated that Bollywood had to appeal to its massive domestic audience’s hunger for escapism. So the big studios generally avoided productions which leaned towards social commentary or social realism. But in Sundial, and in Hadawale, he said he had found a group of people who wanted to explore the issues facing modern Indian society and wanted to look for a wider international audience at the same time. “In terms of filmmaking, I guess you could say they are my soulmates,” he said. “It’s a case of money not being crucial, instead it is a passion for filmmaking.

“The director certainly has that. He wants to tell stories about the real India. It reminded me of the passion with which I started my career. I went from coffee boy on sets to movie star.”

Director Hadawale’s first feature “Tingya” (2007) was made on a budget of around US$60,000 but was a box office and critical hit. —AFP

A

lthough she’s appeared in hit movies, starred on a Disney TV show and sold millions of records, Hilary Duff still feels like she has things to prove in showbiz. Duff says during her time on “Lizzie McGuire,” the show she starred in for two seasons that made her famous, she “got to do so many fun things and be so physical with my comedy. I had no inhibitions. It was fun for me to be goofy.” “Then I wanted to sing and that was new but I had so many fans by that point they were all supporting me so I was really confident.

Now I’m a little older and I feel I need to re-learn some of those things. I have goals and aspirations but they kind of fall into what I’ve already accomplished. I feel like I still have work to do within things I’ve already dabbled in.”

One recent success she’s had is in the publishing world. Duff’s a bestselling young adult novelist with her “Elixir” trilogy. The second book, “Devoted” is now in stores. “To put a book out was huge,” she said. “To hear people be like, ‘I didn’t want to give you much credit but I love this book.’ It’s an overwhelming feeling of gratefulness and relief.” Besides writing, 24-year-old Duff is expecting her first child with pro hockey player Mike Comrie. The two married in 2010. She says she sees fans posting on Twitter that her pregnancy makes them feel old. “The truth is that I’m very young and things in my life have happened very fast. I guess, why stop now?” She doesn’t know if the baby is a boy or a girl, but plans to take her husband, mom and sister (actress Haylie Duff) to the appointment to find out. Duff says the suspense is “killing” her and predicts it will be a boy. Although

she’s grown up in the spotlight Duff says being in the public eye can be hard while she’s experiencing the ups and downs of pregnancy. “Being pregnant every day is a little bit different. Sometimes you’re feeling great and sometimes you just like could cry at the drop of a hat. I handle it as best as I can I think.”—AP

File photo shows Indian producer Vivek Oberoi posing during an interview at the 16th Busan International Film Festival. — AFP

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

Filipino fashion designer Herbert Chavez dresses like the ‘Man of Steel’ as he stands among his huge collection of Superman mannequins, dolls and other paraphernalia at his home in Calamba, south of Manila, yesterday. —AFP

Superman fan takes adulation to new heights F

ilipino designer Herbert Chavez has taken his love for Superman up, up and away, undergoing cosmetic surgery to look like the Man of Steel. For more than a decade, the 35-year-old Chavez has undergone a series of procedures that have made his nose higher and slimmed down his thighs. He has had surgery on his cheeks, lips and chin, and injections to whiten his skin. “Superman is my idol. I want to look like him,” Chavez said. “That’s why I copied his nose and the proportion of Superman’s face.” Once a typical-looking Filipino, Chavez now has the firm-jawed

face of Clark Kent. A curl of black hair falls on his forehead, and he occasionally sports the thick, black glasses of his idol’s nerdier incarnation, mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent.

He is planning an operation that will give him a more muscular abdomen and is looking at specialized surgery in Japan that will insert metal in his legs to make him taller. He has designed his own Superman costumes. His admiration began when he was a child and watched Superman lifting a stack of cars on the big screen. He later began collecting Superman memorabilia,

amassing a huge collection over the years.

Now his house is packed with Superman cups, bed spreads, action figures and lifesize Superman statues.

Just like Superman, Chavez has two identities, working during the day as a dress designer and pageant trainer. His Superman persona comes to life after work.

People in Calamba, south of Manila, refer to him as the “village superman”. Children play with him when they see him in the streets. “It’s ridiculous when you look at it, but it’s a source of happiness for the children. They don’t see, or they forget, the

problems facing our world,” said resident Filipe Rabanan.

Others said he teaches children good values as well as entertaining them. “If the children are happy, then I’m happy as well.

The children are enjoying it,” said Boyet Mamino. Chavez says doing good deeds is what makes a hero-a lesson worth teaching children. “We should show them that even if you’re just a regular father or mother, anybody can become a superhero,” he said.

“Doing good to someone, to your neighborhood or to your social life, that makes you a superhero.”—Reuters

Ai Weiwei named as world’s most important art figure

D

A visitor passes a poster showing a person with buggedout eyes at the Ripley booth at the International Book Fair in Frankfurt, central Germany, yesterday. —AP

issident Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, detained by authorities earlier this year, was yesterday named the world’s most powerful art figure by the influential Art Review magazine, drawing Beijing’s criticism. Ai, who was released in June after 81 days in detention for “economic crimes”, tops the London-based publication’s annual “power 100 list” ahead of curators Hans-Ulrich Obrist and Julia Peyton-Jones of London’s Serpentine Gallery.

Mark Rappolt, the magazine’s editor, said that Ai “had reminded the art world of its wider political role, as an agent of protest outside the sometimes inward-looking domain of galleries and museums. “His activism has been a reminder of how art can reach out to a bigger audience and connect with the real world,” he added. “Institutions, while they are really important, can be great tombs.” Ai was detained earlier this year after he was accused of tax evasion-a charge rights groups say was used as an excuse to silence the outspoken critic of China’s Communist Party.

China’s foreign ministry took a sideswipe at the magazine’s decision to honor Ai, calling the decision political. “To make a

judgment from a political perspective is against the purpose and principals of the magazine,” ministry spokesman Liu Weimin told journalists at a briefing in Beijing. Ai, whose detention sparked outrage around the world, was released in June due to his “good attitude” in admitting to the charges against him, his willingness to repay taxes he owes and on medical grounds. He has diabetes.

The power 100 list top 10 1 Ai Weiwei 2 Hans Ulrich Obrist and Julia Peyton-Jones 3 Glenn D Lowry 4 Larry Gagosian 5 Anton Vidokle, Julieta Aranda and Brian Kuan Wood 6 Sir Nicholas Serota 7 Cindy Sherman 8 Iwan Wirth 9 David Zwirner 10 Beatrix Ruf. —AFP

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

An Iraqi woman gets her make-up done at a newly-opened beauty and fitness center in Baghdad. —AFP

An Iraqi woman gets her hair done.

Beauty becomes

latest, peaceful, target

in Iraq

U

An Iraqi man gets a facial treatment at a newlyopened beauty and fitness center in Baghdad.

nheard of during the reign of Saddam Hussein and unthinkable during years of violence, an unlikely innovation is slowly being rolled out in Baghdad by Iraqis back from overseas: the one-stop beauty centre. Three decades of instability-from wars with Iran, Kuwait and the US-led invasion, to 13 years of sanctions and embargo, and a sectarian war in which thousands died-all but ruled out leisure activities for women, including trips to a beauty salon.

But Ali Bulbul, armed with over 30 years’ experience doing makeup for television broadcasters, is determined to change all that. The 51-year-old left the country in 1990, after Saddam Hussein invaded neighboring Kuwait. Having returned for good in 2005, he began working again as a makeup artist for Iraqi television channels, and still works for state broadcaster Iraqiya TV. In early September, he and an associate opened Specialized Beauty Centre on Abu Nawas street along the Tigris river in the centre of Baghdad. It is there that Bulbul aims to offer a single-point attraction for the city’s privileged upper classes. The centre features skincare and body treatments, a sauna and jacuzzi, yoga and aerobic classes, the last two of which are virtually unprecedented in Iraq. In addition there is a gym outfitted with shining, new exercise equipment and a weight loss centre, nail salon, tattoo parlor, and a makeup and hair salon.

Unusually in Iraq, the centre makes prolific use of technological devices, to the point where the dozens of machines that await clients are often intimidating to them, Bulbul said. He has been relying largely on word-of-mouth advertising but has also distributed flyers in the neighborhood around the centre. For now, the handful of clients are mostly housewives, but men also attend on the two days a week reserved exclusively for male customers. “We are more comfortable now,” said Farah Saad, a 27-year-old mother of two.

“We can go out and wear anything we want-we used to put on scarves, but not now. We are exploring life more and more.”

‘Eager to live’ A pre-wedding hair and make-up session costs $300 (225 euros), while a subscription to the centre’s gym and jacuzzi is $100 (75 euros) per month, both of which are expensive in a country where the official rate of poverty is 23 percent. Bulbul wants to expand the centre to include a swimming pool. He said that while he could have stayed overseas he preferred instead to return to his homeland.

“Iraqis are always homesick,” Bulbul said. “The social ties here are very strong. “I always had the idea of opening a wellness centre in Baghdad, both before and after the fall of the regime (of now-executed dictator Saddam Hussein). But I had to delay the idea because of the bad security situation.” During the insurgency and sectarian war that raged across Iraq in the years following the US-led 2003 invasion, tens of thousands of people were killed. Religious extremists in particular targeted hairdressers, most of whom closed their shops in fear. Women, few of whom were veiled pre-2003, were sud-

denly forced to cover their skin and stay at home.

Violence has dropped dramatically since that period, but attacks are still common and Baghdad remains one of the world’s most dangerous cities. Janna al-Baaj, who runs the part of the wellness centre dedicated to hair and makeup, fled Iraq in 2006, initially for Jordan and then other countries in the region, after receiving death threats.

She came back earlier this year after Bulbul told her about his plans and offered her a job, but her daughter is still living in Syria. “I think the security situation has changed tremendously,” the 40-year-old said.

“I decided to return to work in my country, despite all the difficulties. Iraqi women are eager to live-through our work, we will try to create beauty even among those who lack it.” “We have a lot of demand for what we do, because of the lack of such centers in the country,” Bulbul said, but noted that finding qualified employees for his centre was proving difficult. “We are in contact with experts who left the country because of threats against them, and are trying to bring them back to work here.” — AFP

Iraqi women exercise at a newly-opened beauty and fitness center in Baghdad.

Lifestyle FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

Muslim comic series aims to break through in US C

In this image released by Teshkeel Media Group, comic book author Naif Al-Mutawa holds up copies of his comic book series ‘The 99,’ on Long Island, NY. —AP

omic book fans might call it a great origin story: In the aftermath of 2001 attacks on the United States, a Muslim man creates a comic book series, “The 99,” inspired by the principles of his faith. It builds a global audience and investors contribute millions for it to continue and expand. In two vastly different cultures, Naif Al-Mutawa’s tale hits a few roadblocks - “villains” if you will: Censorship from Saudi Arabia, home to the main Muslim holy sites; in the United States, a struggle to build an audience where free expression has been hampered by a post-2001 rise in the United States of suspicion and scrutiny of all things Islamic.

For Al-Mutawa, it is evidence that tales like his are needed to counter hard-line, intolerant ideologies of all stripes. “That’s one of the things that was most disappointing to me in the beginning,” Al-Mutawa said on a recent visit to Detroit. “You have two birthplaces: You have the birthplace of Islam, which initially rejected it (and) the birthplace of democracy and tolerance, this country, that I’m now facing resistance in - the two natural places for this product.” Al-Mutawa’s reputation in the Middle East and elsewhere has grown since the 2006 debut of “The 99,” as well as its rollout into animation. The series is named for the 99 qualities the Quran attributes to God: strength, courage, wisdom and mercy among them.

The comic book spawned a TV series and 26 half-hour episodes of the 3-D animated version of the “The 99” have been sold to broadcasters. They are expected to be released early next year in more than 50 countries, and a second season is in production. Al-Mutawa, a US -educated psychologist

from Kuwait, has been promoting “Wham!

Bam! Islam!” a PBS documentary that tells the story of “The 99” from an idea hatched during a cab ride to its raising of $40 million in three calls for investors. The promotional push is supporting the animated series, the vehicle by which his company hopes to turn a profit.

“The 99” grew out of his childhood love of Batman, Superman and their superhero brethren, along with a desire to provide role models for his five young sons. “Basically, ‘The 99’ is based on Quranic archetypes, the same way that Batman and Superman are based on Judeo-Christian and Biblical archetypes. And just like Batman and Superman are secular story lines, so too are ‘The 99,’” he said. “It seemed to me that the only people using mass media when it came to things to do with religion - at least my religion - were people who were doing very destructive things. So the question was how do I challenge that in a way that’s secular yet cannot be dismissed as Western?”

Critics on both sides of the religious and cultural divide see subversion in Al-Mutawa’s superheroes. Some hard-line Muslims say the series subverts their faith by embodying the attributes in human characters, while a few non-Muslim American critics have labeled it sneaky Islamic indoctrination. Al-Mutawa said it took investment by an Islamic investment bank to make his series “halal,” or acceptable to Saudi officials. The nation’s government-run broadcaster has since bought the rights to the animated series. So has The Hub cable network in the US, although the latter has postponed its airing date indefinitely after some critical columns and blog posts. “One of the comments on the blogs that ended up delaying us was some-

Rio’s open-armed Christ

Tourists surround the statue of Christ atop the Corcovado hill in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on October 12, 2011. The Christ the Redeemer statue, one of Rio’s landmarks, celebrates its 80th anniversary today. —AFP

celebrates 80 years

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rms wide open above Rio de Janeiro, Christ the Redeemer marked its 80th anniversary Wednesday as the fifth largest statue of Jesus in the world and a symbol of the 2016 Olympic city. Hundreds of worshippers are expected to celebrate the anniversary, along with a vigil, concerts and an eight-meter (26-foot) cake, a fitting tribute in Brazil, the biggest Catholic country in the world with 130 million faithful. “The gift to Christ is the world’s most beautiful city,” Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes told reporters. “Christ, with open arms-this is how we welcome those who come visit us.”

Celebrations began late Tuesday with a youth vigil and an air show. Concerts were being held until late Wednesday. Inaugurated on October 12, 1931, the 38-meter (125-foot) statue was built and designed by Brazilian architect Heitor da Silva Costa. But it was a

Frenchman of Polish descent who sculpted the Christ statue’s head and hands. With its panoramic view of the city from atop the 710meter (2,330-foot) Corcovado hill in the Tijuca Forest, the site has become a must-see destination for over a million visitors each year.

Pope John Paul II was the first pope to bless the city at the Christ statue’s feet in 1980. In March, US President Barack Obama made a family trip there during an official visit to Brazil. It was declared a historical monument in 1973 and in 2007, the statue was listed as one of the new seven wonders of the world. “It’s the most amazing thing I have ever seen,” a child said after visiting the statue with a school group. A Spanish couple posed nearby for a traditional picture in front of the Christ.

“I was so emotional that I almost cried when I saw him,” said Ana Maria Perez, who

one who warned that we can’t let the Muslims brainwash our children like the Mexicans did with ‘Dora the Explorer,’” AlMutawa said.

Still, he is measuring broader acceptance in other ways. Al-Mutawa worked with DC Comics last year on a six-issue crossover that teamed “The 99” with The Justice League of America. “They start out with distrust between the two teams of superheroes; Superman punches one of my guys early on,” Al-Mutawa said. “And then they figure out during the arc that it’s the bad guys causing the distrust.” Robin Wright, author of “Rock the Casbah: Rage and Rebellion Across the Islamic World,” said Al-Mutawa has “been way ahead of the curve in figuring out how you challenge extremism and how you create alternative role models to Osama bin Laden or Hassan Nasrallah (Hezbollah’s leader) for kids and adults.”

Muslim characters are rare in US comic books but there have been some inroads.

Marvel Comics has Dust, a young Afghan woman whose mutant ability to manipulate sand and dust has been part of the popular X-Men books. “I don’t view a Muslim superhero as avant garde,” Marvel editor-in-chief Axel Alonso said. “Muslims comprise approximately 23 percent of the world’s population, and we like our comics to reflect the world in its diversity.”

Dust wears a robe and veil to observe Muslim hijab, or modest dress. Another character, M, is a woman of Algerian descent who only recently revealed her faith in the pages of “X-Factor.” Like millions of other Muslim women in the real world, she “does not observe hijab, and often dresses quite provocatively,” Alonso said. —AP

was visiting Brazil for the first time with her husband Julian after 45 years of marriage. Her husband was impressed by the “spectacular” statue and its “gaze full of emotion, forgiveness.” “We are a little closer to the heavens,

on top of this wonderful mountain,” said Nurten Bigakli, a 48-year-old who traveled from Turkey. She held the hands of friends Inci and Selma to “pray for our families, our children.” —AFP

Stars

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

Aries (March 21-April 19) Any challenges you have today will bring you insight into plans that are needed for the future. This means personal as well as professional challenges. You gain new insights and realizations.

Positive results are just a matter of time. Today and tomorrow are good times to seek whatever advice you think you may need. Think through your ideas and motives. Come from the long-term effects instead of the short-term process. A little exercise before dinner this evening is a fun way to create a change of pace—perhaps bicycling. Over dinner tonight, friends of yours may talk about crop circles, or some other fascinating subject—think about time travel. You find their ideas interesting. Stimulating ideas are created in your mind. This evening is for love.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) This is a good time to buckle down and focus on your career.

Your organizational abilities and sense of responsibility will guides you and direct you to success. Radical changes in self-care may be helpful. You may learn to cut through the unessential and superficial and get to the core in matters of food and health—attending to the details of your life. You are driven to conserve and take care of yourself. This is a good day to start a new and positive habit. All the energies are working in your favor.

Work, health, diet and the other things that take care of us if we take care of them can provide a lot of satisfaction as a new life phase begins. These things can lead to love and a new self image. A phone call this evening can be passionate.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) There are many rewarding days this month. You will be reaping the rewards of your hard work, even though it may only be the good feeling that comes when you do your best. This is a rewarding day. This is a great time to be with others and to work together. You gain new ideas through listening and helping others. It is easy for you to see which path is the right one for you. There are plenty of opportunities to grow and improve in any area you want. You may find yourself wanting and able to do almost everything. While success is important, don?t go overboard—your friends and family may begin to forget who you are—just kidding. You could easily talk a loved one into being romanced this evening—dancing may be in order.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) Now is the time to buckle down and concentrate on your career. Your organizational abilities and sense of responsibility will be what proves successful. Your career could assume a much more determined form—a firm foundation. You appear charming and refined. Now could also be the best time to make that date, apply for a particular job or otherwise make yourself known. Ambition and achievement are qualities you hold in special regard. Progress in your professional life gains you recognition. You will enjoy your career and savor its rewards. A career in the category of coordinating events or conducting a well-coordinated party may involve catering, entertaining, etc. The social graces pave your path to success.

Leo (July 23-August 22) You will be pleased at the progress you have made recently— just take a look! This is a gratifying day. You may feel a love of order and law—an appreciation for responsibilities and duty. Problems are valued for the lessons learned at this time. This afternoon there is an opportunity for some future planning to examine the changes you may want to make in your profession—changes are needed. This may mean that you will not want to change the company for which you work necessarily but you may want to change your position within the company. The climb up the corporate ladder can be fun and you are willing to do whatever it takes to make the bigger income. Related courses could find you quite enthusiastic to expand your education.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) Other people, or the general circumstances in which you find yourself at present, may unite to call upon your imagination and your creative insights in a problem solving session. If you included all the people around you in the problem solving game, you know that you would find just as many answers. Now what you have to do is find the acceptable answer that will be pleasing and with financially favorable results. Today is the challenge you have been waiting for that will give you the opportunity to be acknowledged and appreciated. An authority figure could be hard to connect with now—wait awhile. You will benefit from diagnostic insights and getting to the heart of things—penetrating. There is an opportunity to become fully absorbed in a romantic evening.

COUNTRY CODES Libra (September 23-October 22) Remember—when you get into a battle of wills, it is time to regroup, rethink, look for the motivating factor and deal with it instead of the surface tension. The battle of wills is also an indication that someone is taking the small things in life much too seriously. This day does turn into a gratifying one and will afford you the opportunity to correct any negative thinking. This is a great time to understand your own situation, just how you feel about yourself. Emotions and feelings, whether they are yours or someone else’s, may be very clear now. The energies to gain attention and support for what you want to accomplish are strong. You will certainly feel that you are in touch and in harmony with others. This is a good day and much is accomplished.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) Extra effort put forth in your career brings greater satisfaction and definitely can gain the attention of those who can influence your success. Beginning new projects or programs now will be favorable at this time. Special interest groups or professional associations provide excellent support, although you must take an active part to profit from the situation. Romance is what you yearn for now. We’re not talking just lukewarm. Passion and jealousy may present you with some experiences if you allow it—careful. Break away from habits or attitudes that undermine your happiness. Get rid of any negative energy so that you make good choices . . . perhaps through reading a romantic book, taking in a movie or some form of exercise.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) This could be a tough day to solve problems or to look for insights. You may feel that your independence is stifled or just not available to you at this time. Being on the go and keeping in tune with the changes that happen all over the world keep you in touch. You are not fond of delays but that is what much of today is about; easy does it. This energy will pass and communication and delays will be corrected. If you think about what you want to say first, your communication to others can be very clear. You have a lot of energy and may come across as one that can be in control. This is a period of great mental activity. Changes in the neighborhood inspire you.

Perhaps dinner away from home would be the best choice of activity tonight.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) A higher-up is keeping up with your career and may be of great help to you in your profession. This is a real time to bring a focus into your career. Work, achievement and ambition are the things that mean a lot to you. Your organizational abilities and sense of responsibility will be what guides you and proves successful. Your career could assume a much more determined and solid form—a firm foundation. You may find that there is an increasing need to change the way you appear to others in the business world—perhaps a new suit is in order. This is a good time to purchase, select colors, etc. Circumstances may stimulate appreciation and enjoyment of your life situation. Your systems of values deepen, providing you with discrimination.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) Today and tomorrow are your best times for a vacation. There is introspection and contemplation and you may find yourself letting go of plans and projects started in a more outward phase but as yet uncompleted. You may take an interest in your own psyche, religion and spiritual ideas. You may take the time to absorb and take in new impressions and information. In summary, here is a natural breaking point in life—you let go of what has been occupying you for the last years and assume a new attitude. This is a period that emphasizes an enhanced sense of personal possibilities and potential. There is tremendous psychological growth, which can lead to great personal success if you follow through with it. A romantic evening is ahead.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) This is a low cycle day that allows you to take the time to revise some of your plans, straighten out problems and refurbish your energies. You will work best if you take your allocated breaks and get outside during the noon break or find somewhere for a little solitude. Is there a library nearby? You may find that both your personal growth and your career may depend on how you can handle some sensitive psychological material from your co-workers this afternoon. You will benefit from logical insights, getting to the heart of things. Communicating and getting your message across to others is at a high just now. Today and tomorrow are the two best days to seek a loan. Your timing should be perfect for whatever you want to accomplish today.

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 Republic 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 Somalia 00252 South Africa 0027 South Korea 0082 Spain 0034 Sri Lanka 0094 Sudan 00249 Suriname 00597 Swaziland 00268 Sweden 0046 Switzerland 0041 Syria 00963 Taiwan 00886 Tanzania 00255 Thailand 0066 Toga 00228 Tonga 00676 Tokelau 00690 Trinidad 001868 Tunisia 00216 Turkey 0090 Tuvalu 00688 Uganda 00256 Ukraine 00380 United Arab Emirates00976

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Pin Pointers & IBowl upset fancied rivals Street Bowlers grip on Intermediate Group

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Announcements Indian Lawyers’ Forum Onam Indian Lawyers’ Forum will celebrate Onam, the unique, secular, harvest festival of Kerala on 18th November, 2011 Friday 10.30 am at HiDine Restaurant Auditorium, Abbassia.

Celebrations will include traditional variety entertainments, with the grand ‘ONASADHYA’.

All Indian Lawyers & Law graduates working here in Kuwait are invited with their families.

For details contact Panicker 97203939, Pulikkal 97260159. Email: advpanicker@gmail.com Kala painting competition Kala (Art) Kuwait will conduct Children’s Day by marking the birth day of the first prime minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, under the auspices of Kala (Art) Kuwait on Friday, 4th November 2011 at the Indian Community School, Khaitan Branch, at 2 pm.

The program is titled as “Niram 2011 - B Natural“ consists of painting competition for the Indian school students and a “Marathon Open Canvas Painting” for the other attendees including parents, visitors and Guests. The Painting Competition will be conducted in four different age groups. Group ‘A” from LKG to 1st Standard, Group ‘B” from 2nd to 4th Standard, Group ‘C” from 5th to 8th Standard and Group ‘D” from 9th to 12th Standard. The media for Group ‘A” and ‘B” will be Crayons while Group”C” and ‘D” are Water Colors. Crayons and water colors shall be brought by the participants. Stamped Drawing papers will be supplied by the Organizers. Clay Modeling Competition also will be conducted for 7th to 11th Standard Students. Clay will be provided by the Organizers. The Marathon Open Canvas Painting is conducting in a view to display everyone’s views and talents through their vivid creations. Students can register their names

through websites www.kalakuwait.net or www.indiansinkuwait.com. For details contact kalakuwait@gmail.com or 24891490, 99489078, 97449419.

BEC T10 Cricket tournament The BEC T10 Tennis Ball Cricket Tournament will be organized & played from 7th October to 11th November, 2011. The Tournament being organized by RED N BLACK CRICKET CLUB and sponsored by BEC EXCHANGE will be played out in Abu Halifa cricket grounds. For registration and other queries please mail at mail@rednblack.org or call 66820148/ 66130940/ 66841653.

Tulukoota talent hunt Tulukoota Kuwait will hold a “Talent Hunt 2011” a chance to prove an inborn trait in you that confirms your individuality, uniqueness. So step forward to grab this opportunity to show your caliber and entertain. Dance, music, art or any special talent- now is your chance to showcase it - and be part of this year’s Talent Hunt & Tulu Parba. Talent Hunt event is open to all Tuluvas.

For more information and registration form kindly log on to our Website: www.tulukootakuwait.org or visit our facebook page - Tulukoota Kuwait Talent Hunt 2011. You could also email your form request to: secretary@tulukootakuwait.org or contact our area coordinators mentioned below. Mangaf, Fahaheel, Abuhalifa : Ronald Dsouza- 60035824, Shalini Alva- 23726164, Suma Bhatt- 97834578 Salmiya & Hawally: Swarna Shetty- 99006934, Kripa Gatty- 66044194 Kuwait City, Jahra, Sharq: Rekha Sachu- 65044521,97862115 Farwaniya, Abbassiya, Shuwaikh & Khaitan: Sathyanarayana- 66585077 Sanath Shetty67712409.

uwait Federation Bowlers stood tall by keeping the lead after routing Spare Us in one of the sixth week featured match.

Bowling Stones, Pin Pointers, Whiplash, Street Bowlers, and the IBowl clinched impressive wins with Solo Sorisso and Al-Qwassem also chalking up victories of their own. The sixth week results saw the Federation and the Al-Qwassem taking the first and second places with West End Watches Co. hanging on to their seat in the Top 4. Solo Sorisso making their entry into the elite four. This Week Mubashar TV interviewed Abdullah Behbehani of Solo Sorriso winner of the men high game and Team High game for week 6.

Slow starting Pin Pointers on the other hand began picking up momentum midway in the competition and is poised to barge further into the Top of the Greenie Group. Revived by the 2340-2091 on the sixth week shellacking they inflicted on strong contenders Petrol Link, the Pin Pointers quickly took lead over nemesis Petrol Link via 769-674 winning effort in game one. Relying on the in-form crew of Alfred Avila, Joe Presenta, Lito Michael, Rocky Castil & Rudy Delima, The Pin Pointers once again drove through with full confidence and crushing Petro Link 805-666 in game two. Farid Gabriel, Mishari Fadley, Mohammed Ashour & Abdul Aziz Aslawi regrouped to try and put Petrolink in the winning streak with a 224 score from Farid Gariel and almost catching up score of 211 from Joe Presenta downplayed the comeback bid of Petro Link. The close 766-751 win in game 3 gave Pin Pointers a final winning tally giving them a strong boost for the coming weeks.

In another match of the week, Bowling Stones escaped with a 2123-2107 narrow win over Alleygators to keep second place in the Greenie group standings. In booking this victory, Branden Pinto, Conrad Pinto, Leandro Rodrigues, Leroy Rodrigues & Cary Pereria contributed the winning points in their 747-711 success in games two. For Alleygators, their 696-683 & 700-693 win in game one & Three was made possible by Jason D’Souza, Rohan Fernandes, Samantha Fernandes & Gloyne Fernandes. Bowling Stones took the overall by a difference 16 pins thus sitting in the chambers of victory.

Meanwhile, IBowl made an impressive win when they subdued league leader’s West End Watch co. who dropped to third position in the Championship round. Looking like veterans instead of neophytes led by Xavier Mascarenhas, Ramona Soares, Cleona D’Souza & Roy Vaz sent the time masters of West End Watches Co. to the twilight zone with a stunning 846-750 win. But in game two and three time Masters fought back fiercely booking a 782-755 & 724-716 win but failing to grab the Overall Pinfalls.

A newly reinforced Solo Sorriso (Just Smile) from Season One was also in the winner’s row courtesy of their exciting come from behind 2906-2815 win over Kegler Strikers. Displaying

the caliber that their team name indicates, calm and relaxed Abdulla Behbehani, Mohammed AlRashed, Nawaf Al Hassan & Yoursef Al-Huraibi stretched their victory over a 11-mark edge by grabbing a 814-701 edge in game 1. Still sipping their Pina Colada’s Solo Sorriso (Just Smile) sailed through with ease with a 835-755 win in game 2.

With a stiff resistance put in by Al Belarmino, Bobby Ferrera, Ed Mendoza & Jane Nance of Kegler Strikers in Game 3 they still couldn’t touch base as Abdullah Behbehani raised his toast with a 263 game to take the game high for men’s and winning the team high series for the week as well 875-2318.

Al Qwassem Bowlers was in a destructive mood to hold their position in the championship top 4. They came in like a tornado uprooting everything in their path with 2518-2415 win against the amateurs No Strikes !!! Giving them no chance for win points No Strikes !! with 12 year old Anastasius Menezes & Joel Fernandes putting their best effort that managed to secure bonus points for crossing 800 in two games. Al Qwassem Bowlers were Ali Boulishi, Ayad Amiri, Fadel Qwassem, Fahad Abul & Fahad Rughaib.

In the remaining match of the week, Street Bowlers was just lucky enough to escape with a 2243-2242 victory over one of the strong contenders Amaya. Relying on the tenacity of Amaldo Fernandes, Julian D’Silva, Shirley Castellino & Domnic Picardo, Street Bowlers moved in front with 744-745 and 754-755 winning outing in game one and two. Down by only 20 pins, Amaya failed to make any headway coming up with just a close 744-763 loss.

Bowling for Amaya in this match were Rod Llait, Liza Catapia, Raine Ualat & Lito Mercado.

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Malayalam Education program concludes

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he Malayalam education program conducted by Kerala Art Lovers Association (Kala, Kuwait) and Mathrubhasha Samithi was officially concluded in the event in which Member of Parliament Balagopal was the chief guest.

Associations like Kala should be followed as a role model by all in taking up ventures like conducting free Malayalam education classes which help to uphold the Keralite culture alive among Kuwait Keralites said the Chief guest during his inaugural speech. He also said that the cultural activities and ventures taken up by Kala has been greatly inspiring to the people back in our home country and has helped in promoting respect towards gulf Keralites. Similarly, celebrations, festivals, and Malayam Education programs should be included in the agenda in Kerala as well.

The program which was held at Indian Community School was presided by Kala president Sam Pynumood. Janardhanan said that as per the report of this year, a total of 703 students have attended 34 classes conducted in various regions in Kuwait. Jyothidas, John Mathew and Jacob Mathew delivered felicitations. Chief guest honored the teachers of the various classes by presenting mementos. He also presented the trophys to the winners of the Quiz competition which was conducted earlier for the students.

Rajan Kulakkada, Rahil.K.Mohandas, Sasidharan, J Saji, N R Rejeesh, Vinu Kalleli, Saji Mathew, Anil Kumar, Padmanabhan, Vinod John,Sudarshanan, Saji Thomas Mathew rendered help for the success of the program. General Secretary R Naganathan welcomed all whereas Mathrubhasha Samithi Joint Convenor Sathar Kunnil said the vote of thanks.

Youth India conducts Career Focus 2011

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outh India conducted its latest edition of Career Focus.

The program was attended by people from various professions. Asim Khan, HR Director, Alshamel International, conducted a presentation on ‘Job Hunting in Kuwait’ and gave the audience a brief overview of the pecularities of the Kuwait job market and job hunting techniques in general. P. Sameer Mohamed, Assistant Finance Manager, KIPCO conducted a session on ‘Excel to Win’ and motivated and encouraged the audience to excel in their job with lessons from successful people. Sageer AM, Senior Admin Executive, Equate, conducted a session on ‘Steps Ahead’ providing an insight into what are the possibilities for excelling in career and what is the approach one should take for their career advancement.

Youth India President Khaleelurahman and KKMA President Abdul Fathah Thayyil presented mementos to the presenters. Youth India Career convener Rishdin welcomed the audience and Assistant Convener Muhamed Saleem proposed the vote of thanks. Youth India President Khaleelurahman presided over the function and Youth India Vice-president Arshad co-ordinate the program.

Embassy Information EMBASSY OF ARGENTINA In order to inform that 23rd of October 2011, will be Argentine national election where all Argentinean citizen residents permanently in Kuwait can vote only if they are registered at the Electoral Register of the Argentine Embassy. The procedure of inscription ended on 25 of April 2011. To register it is necessary that Argentinean citizens should come personally at the Argentinean Embassy (Block 6, street 42, villa 57, Mishref) and present the DNI and four personal photos (size 4x4, face should be front on white background). For further information, contact us on 25379211. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF BRITAIN The Visa Application Centre (VAC) will be closed on the same dates above. The opening hours of the Visa Application Centre are 0930 - 1630 Application forms remain available online from the UKBAs’ website: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk or from the Visa Application Centre’s website: www.vfs-ukkw.com. And also, from the UK Visa Application Centre located at: 4B, First Floor, Al Banwan Building (Burgan Bank Branch Office Building), Al Qibla area, opposite Central Bank of Kuwait, Kuwait City. For any further inquiries, please contact the Visa Application Centre: Website: www.vfs-uk-kw.com E-mail:info@vfs-uk-kw.com Telephone:22971170. The Consular Section will also be closed on the same dates. For information on the British Embassy services, visit the British Embassy website: www.ukinkuwait.fco.gov.uk nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF CANADA The Embassy of Canada is located at Villa 24, Al-Mutawakel St., Block 4 in Da’aiyah. Please visit our website at www.Kuwait.gc.ca.

Canada offers a registration service for all Canadians travelling or living abroad. This service is provided so that Consular Officials can contact and assist Canadians in an emergency in a foreign country, such as a natural disaster or civil unrest, or inform Canadians of a family emergency at home. The Embassy of Canada encourages all Canadian Citizens to register online through the Government of Canada Travel Website at www.voyage.gc.ca. The Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi provides visa and immigration services to residents of Kuwait.

Individuals who are interested in visiting, working or immigrating to Canada are invited to visit the website of the Canadian Embassy to the UAE at www.UAE.gc.ca.

Effective January 15, 2011, the only Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) application form that will be accepted by CIC is the Application for Temporary Resident Visa Made Outside of Canada [IMM 5257] form.

All previous Temporary Resident Visa application forms will no longer be accepted by CIC and instead will be returned to applicants. Should old applications be submitted prior to January 15, 2011 they will continue to be processed. To ensure that the most recent version of the Temporary Resident Visa application form is being utilized, applicants should refer to the CIC website.

As of January 15, 2011, forms are to be filled in electronically. The Embassy of Canada is open from 07:30 to 15:30 Sunday through Thursday.

Consular Services for Canadian Citizens are provided from 09:00 until 12:00 on Sunday through Wednesday. The forms are available on the internet at: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/forms/IMM5 257E.PDF. A guide explaining the process can be found here: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/guides/5256E.P DF.

TV Listings FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

00:45 01:40 02:35 03:30 04:25 05:20 06:10 07:00 07:25 07:50 08:40 09:10 10:05 11:00 11:55 12:50 13:45 14:40 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:25 18:20 19:15 20:10 21:05 22:00 22:55

00:25 Keeping Up Appearances 01:25 The Weakest Link 02:10 Incredible Journeys With Steve Leonard 03:00 Eastenders 03:30 Doctors 04:00 Keeping Up Appearances 04:30 Balamory 04:50 Gigglebiz 05:05 Me Too 05:25 Charlie And Lola 05:35 Buzz & Tell 05:45 Balamory 06:05 Gigglebiz 06:20 Me Too 06:40 Charlie And Lola 06:55 Buzz & Tell 07:05 Balamory 07:25 Gigglebiz 07:40 Me Too 08:00 Charlie And Lola 08:10 Buzz & Tell 08:20 Balamory 08:40 Gigglebiz 08:55 Me Too 09:15 Charlie And Lola 09:25 Buzz & Tell 09:40 Keeping Up Appearances 10:40 The Weakest Link 11:25 Coast 12:25 Doctors 12:55 Eastenders 13:25 Incredible Journeys With Steve Leonard 14:20 Keeping Up Appearances 15:20 Coast 16:20 The Weakest Link 17:10 Doctors 17:40 Eastenders 18:10 Incredible Journeys With Steve Leonard 19:00 Coast 20:00 The Weakest Link 20:45 Doctors 21:20 Robin Hood 22:05 Afterlife 23:00 After You’ve Gone 23:30 Him And Her

00:20 01:15 02:05 03:50 04:40 05:10 06:05 07:00 07:25 07:55 08:20 08:45 09:10 10:00 10:50 12:35 13:20 14:45 15:30 17:10 18:00 18:25 18:50

00:00 Backstory 00:30 World Sport 01:00 The Situation Room 02:00 World Report 03:00 World Business Today 04:00 Piers Morgan Tonight 05:00 Anderson Cooper 360 06:00 World Sport 06:30 The Gateway 06:45 Future Cities 07:00 World Report 07:30 Backstory 08:00 World Report 10:00 World Sport 10:30 The Best Of Backstory 11:00 World Business Today 11:45 CNN Marketplace Middle East 12:00 American Morning: Wake-Up Call 12:30 The Best Of Backstory 13:00 World One 14:00 Piers Morgan Tonight 15:00 News Stream 16:00 World Business Today 17:00 International Desk 18:00 The Brief 18:30 World Sport 19:00 World Report 19:45 CNN Marketplace Middle East 20:00 International Desk 20:30 The CNN Freedom Project 21:00 Quest Means Business 21:45 CNN Marketplace Africa 22:00 Piers Morgan Tonight 23:00 Connect The World With Becky Anderson

Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 Mutant Planet Swarm Chasers Untamed & Uncut I Shouldn’t Be Alive Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 New Breed Vets With Steve Irwin Monkey Life The Really Wild Show Baby Planet Breed All About It Must Love Cats Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 Animal Cops Houston Michaela’s Animal Road Trip World Wild Vet Mutant Planet Weird Creatures With Nick Baker Monkey Life The Really Wild Show Penguin Safari Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 My Cat From Hell Weird Creatures With Nick Baker Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 Mutant Planet Whale Wars Untamed & Uncut

Come Dine With Me What Not To Wear Antiques Roadshow Masterchef Australia The Naked Chef Come Dine With Me What Not To Wear The Hairy Bikers Ride Again Daily Cooks Challenge Daily Cooks Challenge Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Secrets The Hairy Bikers Ride Again Rhodes Across Italy Come Dine With Me Antiques Roadshow Bargain Hunt Daily Cooks Challenge Bargain Hunt Antiques Roadshow Come Dine With Me Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Secrets The Hairy Bikers Ride Again Rhodes Across Italy

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON ON OSN CINEMA 19:40 20:35 22:20 23:00 23:50

Come Dine With Me Antiques Roadshow Bargain Hunt Masterchef Australia Gok’s Fashion Fix

00:00 00:30 00:45 01:00 01:30 01:45 02:00 02:30 02:45 03:00 03:30 03:45 04:00 04:30 04:45 05:00 05:30 05:45 06:00 06:30 07:00 07:30 07:45 08:30 08:45 09:30 09:45 10:00 10:30 10:45 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 12:45 13:00

BBC World News World Business Report Sport Today BBC World News America Asia Business Report Sport Today BBC World News Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday The Bottom Line BBC World News World Business Report BBC World News World Business Report BBC World News World Business Report Sport Today BBC World News World Business Report Sport Today BBC World News The Bottom Line BBC World News World Business Report Sport Today BBC World News

13:30 World Business Report 13:45 Sport Today 14:00 GMT With George Alagiah 15:00 BBC World News 15:30 World Business Report 15:45 Sport Today 16:00 Impact 16:30 Our World 17:00 Impact 17:30 World Business Report 17:45 Sport Today 18:00 World Have Your Say 19:00 The Hub With Nik Gowing 19:30 BBC World News 19:40 Weekend World 20:00 The Hub With Nik Gowing 20:30 World Business Report 20:45 Sport Today 21:00 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 21:30 World Have Your Say Extra 21:40 Weekend World 22:00 BBC World News 22:30 Middle East Business Report 23:00 BBC World News America 23:30 The Bottom Line

00:05 00:30 00:55 01:20 01:45 02:10 02:35 03:00 03:25 03:50 04:15 04:40 05:05 05:30

Robotboy - Elements Squirrel Boy George Of The Jungle Cramp Twins Chop Socky Chooks Best Ed My Gym Partner’s A Monkey Ben 10: Ultimate Alien Generator Rex Adventure Time Flapjack Chowder Powerpuff Girls Ed, Edd n Eddy

05:55 06:20 06:45 07:00 07:04 07:12 07:25 07:50 08:15 08:40 09:05 Mandy 09:30 09:55 10:20 10:35 11:00 11:25 11:50 12:15 12:40 13:05 13:30 13:50 14:15 14:40 15:05 15:30 15:55 Mandy 16:25 16:50 17:15 17:40 18:05 18:30 18:55 19:20 19:45 20:10 20:35 21:00 21:25 21:50 22:00

I Am Weasel Squirrel Boy Cow & Chicken Eliot Kid Cow & Chicken Eliot Kid Angelo Rules Best Ed Flapjack My Gym Partner’s A Monkey The Grim Adventures Of Billy & Courage The Cowardly Dog Cow & Chicken I Am Weasel Adventure Time Ben 10 Bakugan Battle Brawlers The Secret Saturdays Samurai Jack Ben 10: Alien Force Codename Kids Skunk Fu! My Gym Partner’s A Monkey Flapjack Ed, Edd n Eddy Camp Lazlo Chowder The Grim Adventures Of Billy & Cow & Chicken Courage The Cowardly Dog I Am Weasel George Of The Jungle Casper’s Scare School Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated Ben 10: Ultimate Alien Generator Rex Star Wars: The Clone Wars Hero 108 Bakugan: New Vestroia Total Drama Action Adventure Time Billy And Mandy Ben 10

00:15 00:40 01:35 02:30 03:25 04:20 05:15 05:40 06:05 07:00 07:25 07:50 08:45 09:10 10:05 10:30 10:55 11:25 12:20 Junior 13:15 14:10 15:05 15:30 16:00 16:25 16:55 17:50 18:45 19:10 19:40 20:05 20:35 21:00 21:30 Junior 22:25 22:50 23:20

Swamp Brothers Extreme Fishing The Future Of...

Dirty Jobs Ultimate Survival Mythbusters How It’s Made How Stuff’s Made Dirty Jobs Wheeler Dealers Fifth Gear The Future Of...

How It’s Made Mythbusters Cake Boss Border Security Auction Kings Wheeler Dealers American Chopper: Senior vs Ultimate Survival Extreme Fishing Swamp Brothers Cash Cab Us Wheeler Dealers Fifth Gear The Future Of...

Mythbusters Cake Boss Border Security Auction Kings How Stuff’s Made How It’s Made Cash Cab Us American Chopper: Senior vs Carfellas South Beach Classics Desert Car Kings

00:05 The Tech Show 00:30 Kings of Construction 01:20 Stunt Junkies 01:45 Invisible Worlds 02:35 Brainiac 03:25 The Gadget Show 04:15 How Does That Work?

04:45 Kings of Construction 05:40 One Step Beyond 06:10 Ecopolis 07:00 Scrapheap Challenge 07:55 Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman 08:50 The Tech Show 09:15 Weird Connections 09:40 The Gadget Show 10:35 Ecopolis 11:30 Sci-Fi Science 11:55 How Does That Work?

12:25 Invisible Worlds 13:15 Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman 14:05 One Step Beyond 14:30 Stunt Junkies 14:55 Kings of Construction 15:45 Weird Connections 16:10 Scrapheap Challenge 17:00 Brainiac

17:50 18:15 18:40 19:30 20:20 21:10 22:00 22:50 23:40

Sci-Fi Science The Tech Show Future Weapons Space Pioneer The Future of...

The Gadget Show Future Weapons Space Pioneer The Gadget Show

00:00 00:25 01:15 02:00 02:50 03:35 04:25 05:15 06:00 06:20 06:45 07:05 07:30 07:55 08:20 08:35 09:00 09:10 09:20 09:30 09:40 10:05 10:30 10:50 11:15 11:35 12:00 12:25 12:45 13:10 13:30 13:55 14:55 15:20 15:45 16:10 16:35 17:00 17:25 17:50 18:15 19:35 21:00 21:15 21:35 22:00 22:25 22:50 23:15 23:35

Kim Possible Fairly Odd Parents Stitch Replacements Emperor’s New School Stitch Replacements Fairly Odd Parents Emperor’s New School The Suite Life Of Zack And Cody Phineas And Ferb Wizards Of Waverly Place Suite Life On Deck Good Luck Charlie Fish Hooks Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jake & The Neverland Pirates Jungle Junction The Hive Handy Manny Imagination Movers The Suite Life Of Zack And Cody Phineas And Ferb Good Luck Charlie Phineas And Ferb Suite Life On Deck Wizards Of Waverly Place Sonny With A Chance Good Luck Charlie Hannah Montana Suite Life On Deck Wizards Of Waverly Place Good Luck Charlie Phineas And Ferb Fish Hooks Shake It Up The Suite Life Of Zack And Cody Wizards Of Waverly Place Good Luck Charlie Fish Hooks Wizards Of Waverly Place Princess Protection Program Phineas And Ferb Sonny With A Chance Good Luck Charlie Shake It Up The Suite Life Of Zack And Cody Sonny With A Chance Wizards Of Waverly Place Jonas

00:30 01:15 02:05 02:50 03:40 04:25 05:15 06:10 07:00 07:45 08:35 09:20 09:45 10:05 10:50 11:40 12:25 13:15 14:00 14:50 15:15 15:35 16:20 17:10 18:00 18:45 19:10 19:55 20:20 21:10 22:00 22:25 22:50 23:15 23:40

The Haunted A Haunting Cuff Me If You Can Forensic Justice Dr G: Medical Examiner A Haunting The Haunted Mystery Diagnosis FBI Case Files Forensic Detectives Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Street Patrol Fugitive Strike Force FBI Files FBI Case Files On The Case With Paula Zahn Extreme Forensics Mystery Diagnosis Street Patrol Real Emergency Calls Fugitive Strike Force FBI Files Forensic Detectives FBI Case Files Real Emergency Calls Mystery Diagnosis Street Patrol On The Case With Paula Zahn Extreme Forensics Stalked: Someone’s Watching I Was Murdered Deadly Women: Face To Face Who On Earth Did I Marry?

Dr G: Medical Examiner

00:00 01:00 01:30 02:00 02:30 03:00 04:00 05:00

Meet The Natives David Rocco’s Dolce Vita Bondi Rescue Bondi Rescue: Bali Travel Madness City Chase: Argentina Cruise Ship Diaries Ultimate Traveller

TV Listings FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

06:00 Meet The Natives 07:00 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 07:30 Bondi Rescue 08:00 Bondi Rescue: Bali 08:30 Travel Madness 09:00 City Chase: Argentina 10:00 Cruise Ship Diaries 11:00 Ultimate Traveller 12:00 Meet The Natives 13:00 Wild Rides 14:00 Treks In A Wild World 14:30 Amazing Adventures of A Nobody UK 15:00 Amazing Adventures of A Nobody USA 15:30 Amazing Adventures Of A Nobody: Europe 16:00 Extreme Tourist Afghanistan 17:00 A World Apart 18:00 Departures 19:00 Wild Rides 19:30 Wild Rides 20:00 Treks In A Wild World 20:30 Amazing Adventures of A Nobody UK 21:00 Amazing Adventures of A Nobody USA 21:30 Amazing Adventures Of A Nobody: Europe 22:00 Extreme Tourist Afghanistan 23:00 A World Apart

00:00 Across The Hall-PG15 02:00 Deadline-PG15 04:00 Lake Placid 3-18 06:00 Bugsy-PG15 08:15 The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course-PG15 10:00 Universal Soldier: RegenerationPG15 11:45 G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra-PG15 13:45 The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course-PG15 15:30 Wyatt Earp-PG15 18:45 G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra-PG15 20:45 Child’s Play 2-PG15 22:15 Maximum Risk-18

01:30 03:45 05:15 07:15 09:00 12:00 14:00 15:30 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

2:22-18 MacHEADS-PG15 Charlie & Boots-PG15 Private-PG15 My Name Is Khan-PG15 Charlie & Boots-PG15 MacHEADS-PG15 The Nutty Professor-FAM Paper Man-PG15 How To Train Your Dragon-PG Dinner For Schmucks-PG15 Brothers-18

00:30 01:00 01:30 02:00 03:00 03:30 04:00 04:30 05:30 06:00 06:30 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 09:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 21:00 21:30 22:00 22:30 23:00 23:30

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart The Colbert Report Party Down The Tonight Show With Jay Leno Friends Friends Two And A Half Men The Tonight Show With Jay Leno Malcolm In The Middle Coach Weird Science Late Night With Jimmy Fallon Two And A Half Men Friends Malcolm In The Middle Wilfred Outsourced Coach Weird Science The Tonight Show With Jay Leno Two And A Half Men Friends Malcolm In The Middle Coach Wilfred Outsourced The Daily Show With Jon Stewart The Colbert Report Weird Science Late Night With Jimmy Fallon Mad Love The Office Outsourced Modern Family The Tonight Show With Jay Leno The Daily Show With Jon Stewart The Colbert Report Family Guy Entourage Party Down The Tonight Show With Jay Leno

00:00 01:30 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:30 14:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:30 22:00 23:00

The X Factor (US) Look-A-Like Treme Bones Eureka Good Morning America The Good Guys Emmerdale Turn Back Your Body Clock The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Martha Stewart Show The View The X Factor (US) Look-A-Like Live Good Morning America Eureka The Ellen DeGeneres Show Tower Prep Glee The X Factor (US) Look-A-Like Survivor: South Pacific Friday Night Lights

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 10:00 12:00 12:30 14:00 15:00 16:00 16:30 18:00 19:00 20:00 22:00 23:00

Law & Order Treme No Ordinary Family The X Factor (US) Bones Law & Order According To Jim According To Jim Burn Notice The X Factor (US) According To Jim According To Jim Burn Notice Law & Order According To Jim Two And A Half Men White Collar Glee The X Factor (US) Survivor: South Pacific Friday Night Lights

01:00 02:45 05:00 06:45 09:00 12:00 14:30 16:45 19:00 21:00 23:00

Killshot-18 Shutter Island-18 The Tripper-18 Set It Off-PG15 Avatar-PG What Lies Beneath-PG15 Set It Off-PG15 The Box-PG15 Ninja Assassin-18 Jason X-18 Diary Of The Dead-18

00:00 02:00 04:00 05:30 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

17 Again-PG15 The Dukes-PG15 Malibu’s Most Wanted-PG15 As Good As It Gets-PG15 Woke Up Dead-PG15 Tom And Huck-PG15 Stuart Little 2-FAM 13 Going On 30-PG15 17 Again-PG15 The Allnighter-PG15 Dance Flick-18 Tucker Max-R

01:45 03:15 05:45 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 19:15 21:00 23:00

Strange Culture-PG15 Broken Embraces-18 Spartacus-PG15 Made In Dagenham-PG15 Teen Knight-PG15 In God’s Hands-PG Shipwrecked-PG15 The China Syndrome-PG Diplomacy-U Too Big To Fail-PG15 Winter’s Bone-18 Sea Of Love-18

01:00 03:00 04:45 07:00

Mona Lisa Smile-PG15 The Chaperone-PG15 The Lovely Bones-PG15 Another Year-PG15

09:15 Michael Jackson’s This Is It-PG 11:15 Catch That Kid-PG 13:00 Everybody Wants To Be ItalianPG15 15:00 Percy Jackson And The Lightning Thief-PG15 17:00 Michael Jackson’s This Is It-PG 19:00 The Other Side Of The Tracks-PG15 21:00 Charlie St. Cloud-PG15 23:00 Wrong Turn At Tahoe-18

00:00 02:00 04:15 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

Hua Mulan-PG A Christmas Carol-PG Tom Tom & Nana-FAM Hua Mulan-PG The Prince Of Dinosaurs-PG In Search Of The Titanic-PG15 The Spy Next Door-PG Ace Ventura: Pet Detective Jr.-PG Furry Vengeance-PG In Search Of The Titanic-PG15 The Big Green-PG Furry Vengeance-PG

00:00 The Silent Fall-PG15 02:00 Elle: A Modern Cinderella TalePG15 04:00 Knight And Day-PG15 06:15 How To Go Out On A Date In Queens-PG15 08:00 Maneater: Part I-PG15 10:00 Elle: A Modern Cinderella TalePG15 12:00 Animal Kingdom-PG15 14:15 Marmaduke-PG 16:00 Maneater: Part I-PG15 18:00 District 9-PG15 20:00 Charlie St. Cloud-PG15 22:00 Soulboy-PG15

01:00 01:30 06:00 07:00

Aquabike World European PGA Tour Speedway FIM World WWE NXT

DIARY OF THE DEAD ON OSN MOVIES ACTION

08:00 09:00 11:30 12:30 16:00 20:00 22:00 23:00

WWE Vintage Collection Rugby World Cup RWC Weekly Highlights Premier League Snooker European PGA Tour WWE SmackDown WWE Bottom Line The Ultimate Fighter

01:00 01:30 06:00 07:00 09:00 12:30 13:30 15:30 16:00 16:30 18:30 19:30 20:00 22:00

Futbol Mundial European PGA Tour Trans World Sport European Challenge Cup Premier League Snooker Trans World Sport Darts Grand Prix ICC Cricket World Futbol Mundial European Challenge Cup RWC Highlights Total Rugby Live Currie Cup Live Anglo Welsh Cup

00:00 01:00 01:30 02:00 05:30 06:30 07:00 08:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 15:30 16:00 20:00 21:00 21:30 22:00

Trans World Sport European Tour Weekly Total Rugby Premier League Snooker AFL Highlights Total Rugby Golfing World European PGA Tour Futbol Mundial ICC Cricket World European Challenge Cup European Tour Weekly Live European PGA Tour Golfing World ICC Cricket World Futbol Mundial European PGA Tour

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 16:00 16:30 17:30 18:00 19:00 20:00 22:00 23:00

WWE NXT UFC The Ultimate Fighter Power Boats F1 WWE NXT UFC 136 WWE NXT WWE Vintage Collection Power Boats F1 Champs Le Mans Series Highlights Speedway FIM World WWE NXT Prizefighter Power Boats F1 Highlights V8 Supercars Championship V8 Supercars Extra UFC The Ultimate Fighter WWE Tough Enough WWE SmackDown WWE Bottom Line UFC The Ultimate Fighter

00:25 00:55 01:25 03:15 04:10 05:05 06:00 07:50 08:20 09:15 10:15 12:05 13:05 14:05 14:35 15:30 16:25 16:55 17:55 18:55 19:55 20:55 21:25 22:25 23:25 23:55

Kendra Extreme Close-Up E!es 25 Most Stylish Sexiest Extreme Hollywood THS Behind The Scenes E! News The Dance Scene THS E! News Bridalplasty Keeping Up With The Kardashians Giuliana & Bill THS Behind The Scenes Keeping Up With The Kardashians E! News THS Kourtney & Kim Take New York Chelsea Lately Giuliana & Bill E! News Chelsea Lately Kourtney & Khloe Take Miami

00:00 01:00 02:00 02:30 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00

Secrets of Ancient China People of the Sea Chef Abroad A Rainbow Journey Planet Sports Globe Trekker Secrets of Ancient China Cruising to the Northern Lights Globe Trekker Essential Specials

09:00 10:00 11:00 11:30 12:00 13:00 13:30 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 17:30 18:00 18:30 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Intrepid Journeys Planet Food Distant Shores Distant Shores Globe Trekker Opening Soon Hollywood and Vines People of the Sea Planet Sports Globe Trekker Cruise Today Essential Opening Soon Hollywood and Vines Globe Trekker Intrepid Journeys Globe Trekker Temples In The Clouds Globe Trekker

00:20 00:45 01:10 01:35 02:00 02:25 02:50 03:00 03:25 03:50 04:15 04:35 05:00 05:10 05:35 06:00 06:15 06:30 06:55 07:20 07:45 08:00 08:25 08:50 09:15 09:40 10:05 10:30 10:55 11:20 11:35 12:00 12:15 12:40 12:55 13:20 13:45 14:15 14:40 15:05 15:30 15:55 16:20 16:45 17:10 17:35 18:00 18:25 18:50 19:00 19:25 19:50 20:15 20:45 21:10 21:35 22:00 22:25 22:55 23:05 23:30 23:55

Droopy: Master Detective The Flintstones Johnny Bravo Duck Dodgers King Arthur’s Disasters The Scooby Doo Show Popeye Classics Tom & Jerry Popeye The Jetsons The Flintstones Looney Tunes Pink Panther & Pals Tex Avery Yogi’s Treasure Hunt The Garfield Show New Yogi Bear Show Bananas In Pyjamas Baby Looney Tunes Gerald Mcboing Boing Jelly Jamm Pink Panther And Pals Puppy In My Pocket The Garfield Show Dastardly And Muttley The Flintstones Tom & Jerry Pink Panther And Pals Top Cat New Yogi Bear Show Puppy In My Pocket Jelly Jamm Baby Looney Tunes Bananas In Pyjamas The Jetsons Duck Dodgers Looney Tunes Scooby Doo Where Are You! Tom & Jerry The Perils Of Penelope Pitstop Droopy: Master Detective Wacky Races Scooby-Doo And Scrappy-Doo Dastardly And Muttley Tom & Jerry Puppy In My Pocket The Garfield Show The Flintstones Pink Panther & Pals Gerald Mcboing Boing Bananas In Pyjamas Top Cat Wacky Races Tom & Jerry The Scooby Doo Show Dastardly And Muttley Tom & Jerry Johnny Bravo Dexters Laboratory The Garfield Show Scooby Doo Where Are You! The Perils Of Penelope Pitstop

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Investigating History Ice Road Truckers Ax Men Ax Men Deep Sea Salvage Deep Sea Detectives Investigating History Ice Road Truckers Ax Men Ax Men Deep Sea Salvage Deep Sea Detectives Investigating History Ice Road Truckers Ax Men Ax Men Deep Sea Salvage Deep Sea Detectives Investigating History Ice Road Truckers Mummy Forensics Ancients Behaving Badly Clash of the Gods Battles B.C.

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Years

Information

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION In case you are not travelling, your proper cancellation of bookings will help other passengers to use seats Airlines RJA JZR THY ETH UAE ETD DHX FDB GFA QTR THY KAC JZR FAH JZR BAW KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC UAE QTR ABY IRA ETD GFA MEA RBG JZR IYE MSR JZR KAC KAC MSR UAL RJA FDB OMA QTR DHX KAC BBC KAC KAC JZR QTR JZR JZR MLR ETD UAE GFA SVA JZR RBG ABY FDB JZR ALK

Flt 642 267 772 620 853 305 370 67 211 138 770 544 503 201 555 157 416 206 284 302 332 53 678 352 362 855 132 125 619 301 213 404 3555 165 825 623 561 618 672 610 982 640 57 645 140 876 546 43 552 788 257 134 201 535 403 303 857 215 510 239 3557 127 63 177 227

Arrival Flights on Friday 14/10/2011 Route AMMAN BEIRUT ISTANBUL ADDIS ABABA DUBAI ABU DHABI BAHRAIN DUBAI BAHRAIN DOHA ISTANBUL CAIRO LUXOR DUBAI ALEXANDRIA LONDON JAKARTA/KUALA LUMPUR ISLAMABAD DHAKA MUMBAI TRIVANDRUM DUBAI MUSCAT/DUBAI COCHIN COLOMBO DUBAI DOHA SHARJAH LAR ABU DHABI BAHRAIN BEIRUT ALEXANDRIA DUBAI SANAA SOHAG SOHAG DOHA DUBAI CAIRO WASHINGTON DC DULLES AMMAN DUBAI MUSCAT DOHA BAHRAIN ALEXANDRIA DHAKA DAMASCUS JEDDAH BEIRUT DOHA DAMASCUS CAIRO COLOMBO/DUBAI ABU DHABI DUBAI BAHRAIN RIYADH AMMAN SOHAG SHARJAH DUBAI DUBAI COLOMBO/DUBAI

Time 0:05 0:35 1:15 1:45 2:25 2:55 2:55 3:10 3:15 3:20 4:10 4:40 5:15 5:30 6:10 6:30 6:35 7:15 7:40 7:50 7:55 7:55 8:00 8:05 8:20 8:25 9:00 9:10 9:20 9:30 9:35 10:55 11:05 11:10 12:05 12:10 12:25 12:55 13:15 13:20 13:30 13:35 13:50 14:00 14:15 14:15 14:30 14:30 14:35 14:50 15:10 15:15 15:45 15:50 16:40 16:50 16:55 17:15 17:20 17:35 17:35 17:40 17:55 18:00 18:00

KAC KAC KAC JZR KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC AIC JAI KAC JZR FDB OMA VOS MEA KAC SVA DHX GFA QTR UAL UAE JZR JZR MSR DLH SAI JZR KLM JZR

166 502 542 213 744 614 102 774 674 975 572 562 787 61 647 81 402 786 506 372 217 136 981 859 135 185 612 636 441 539 447 481

Airlines KAC AXB DLH AIC PIA THY ETH VOS UAE FDB DHX ETD QTR THY JZR JZR RJA GFA KAC BAW FDB JZR KAC KAC KAC KAC JZR UAE KAC ABY QTR KAC

Flt 677 390 637 982 206 773 621 94 854 68 371 306 139 771 560 164 643 212 545 156 54 534 177 787 671 551 256 856 617 126 133 117

PARIS/ROME BEIRUT CAIRO DEIREZZOR/ALEPPO DAMMAM BAHRAIN NEW YORK/LONDON RIYADH DUBAI CHENNAI/GOA MUMBAI AMMAN RIYADH DUBAI MUSCAT BAGHDAD BEIRUT JEDDAH JEDDAH BAHRAIN BAHRAIN DOHA BAHRAIN DUBAI BAHRAIN DUBAI CAIRO FRANKFURT LAHORE CAIRO AMSTERDAM/BAHRAIN SABIHA Departure Flights on Friday 14/10/2011 Route MUSCAT/DUBAI MANGALORE/KOZHIKODE FRANKFURT AHMEDABAD/CHENNAI LAHORE ISTANBUL ADDIS ABABA DUBAI/KANDAHAR DUBAI DUBAI BAHRAIN ABU DHABI DOHA ISTANBUL SOHAG DUBAI AMMAN BAHRAIN ALEXANDRIA LONDON DUBAI CAIRO FRANKFURT/GENEVA JEDDAH DUBAI DAMASCUS BEIRUT DUBAI DOHA SHARJAH DOHA NEW YORK

18:40 18:45 18:50 19:05 19:15 19:20 19:25 19:25 19:25 19:30 19:35 19:50 20:00 20:00 20:10 20:15 20:15 20:20 20:35 21:00 21:25 21:35 22:00 22:00 22:10 22:35 22:50 23:00 23:05 23:30 23:35 23:50

Time 0:10 0:25 0:40 1:05 1:10 2:15 2:45 3:30 3:45 3:50 3:55 4:05 5:00 5:10 5:50 6:55 7:00 7:10 7:40 8:25 8:40 8:50 8:55 8:55 9:00 9:10 9:10 9:40 9:45 9:50 10:00 10:00

ETD GFA IRA JZR RBG MEA KAC KAC JZR JZR KAC KAC IYE MSR JZR MSR RJA FDB UAL KAC OMA KAC KAC DHX BBC JZR KAC QTR KAC KAC JZR JZR ETD MLR QTR UAE GFA RBG ABY JZR SVA FDB ALK JZR KAC KAC JAI FDB JZR KAC KAC OMA MEA SVA DHX GFA FAH KAC QTR KAC KAC JZR JZR UAE UAL KAC MSR SAI

302 214 618 200 3558 405 73 541 212 238 103 501 825 624 176 611 641 58 982 561 646 785 673 875 44 480 773 141 613 743 786 538 304 404 135 858 216 3556 128 184 511 64 228 134 283 361 571 62 528 343 351 648 403 507 373 218 102 381 137 301 205 502 554 860 981 411 613 442

ABU DHABI BAHRAIN LAR DAMASCUS SOHAG BEIRUT ALMATY CAIRO DEIREZZOR/ALEPPO AMMAN LONDON BEIRUT DOHA/SANAA SOHAG DUBAI CAIRO AMMAN DUBAI BAHRAIN AMMAN MUSCAT JEDDAH DUBAI BAHRAIN DHAKA SABIHA RIYADH DOHA BAHRAIN DAMMAM RIYADH CAIRO ABU DHABI DUBAI/COLOMBO DOHA DUBAI BAHRAIN ALEXANDRIA SHARJAH DUBAI RIYADH DUBAI DUBAI/COLOMBO BAHRAIN DHAKA COLOMBO MUMBAI DUBAI ASSIUT CHENNAI COCHIN MUSCAT BEIRUT JEDDAH BAHRAIN BAHRAIN DUBAI DELHI DOHA MUMBAI ISLAMABAD LUXOR ALEXANDRIA DUBAI WASHINGTON DC DULLES BANGKOK/MANILA CAIRO LAHORE

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

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ACCOMMODATION Sharing accommodation available for Indian / Sri Lankan couple or ladies in Salmiya near Indian Public School. Contact: 99467432.

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Ref on request. Contact: 97524681 (C 3689) 13-10-2011

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

In NBA dispute, money not the important deal NEW YORK: NBA owners apparently weren’t bluffing when they said they wanted competitive balance just as much as a chance to profit. Though Commissioner David Stern and Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver have insisted throughout the lockout they needed the potential for both in a new collective bargaining agreement, there was often a belief even from players - that money mattered most. Yet it was the salary cap system, not the division of revenues, that emerged as the biggest obstacle to a new labor deal in time to save the start of the regular season. “The numbers are close enough that that wasn’t going to doom the season. The hard salary cap is what’s going to doom the season right now,” players’ attorney Jeffrey Kessler said Monday. “That’s the sticking point, because the numbers are close enough that if there was a fair system, the parties would find a way to get there.” That’s not what union president Derek Fisher had predicted less than a month earlier. Talks had broken down after a meeting in September in which players were prepared to make a new economic proposal, but the league said players conditioned it on owners conceding on the salary cap. It was clear the union believed management was prioritizing the financial picture when Fisher said afterward that “if we can address these economics, we’re not going to lose the season over the system. So that’s something that’s been clear from the beginning and will remain from our perspective.” The split was never settled, but both sides say they see where compromise could be reached. Players had proposed lowering their guarantee of basketball revenues from 57 percent down to 53, which they said would transfer more than $1 billion to owners over six years. But in doing so, they expected something in return.

“I think where our paths separate is that they believe to the extent they’re willing to make economic concessions that we should be willing to leave the current system largely intact, and our view is that the current system is broken in that 30 teams are not in a position to compete for championships,” Silver said Monday after the league canceled the first two weeks of the regular season.

Next week, the sides will use the same federal mediator who tried to resolve the NFL’s labor dispute months before it eventually ended. George Cohen, director of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, announced Wednesday that he will oversee negotiations starting next Tuesday in New York. Cohen was also a mediator for the NFL lockout this year and a lawyer for the Major League Baseball players union during the 1994 strike.

Cohen said he already has been in contact with representatives of both sides “for a number of months.” “I have participated in separate, informal, off-the-record discussions with the principals representing the NBA and the NBPA concerning the status of their collective bargaining negotiations,” Cohen said in a statement issued by the Washingtonbased FMCS. “It is evident that the ongoing dispute will result in a serious impact, not only upon the parties directly involved, but also, of major concern, on interstate commerce - i.e., the employers and working men and women who provide services related to the basketball games, and, more generally, on the economy of every city in which those games are scheduled to be played.”—AP

Combo shows France’s Morgan Parra (left) in Wellington and Wales’ James Hook in Cardiff in this file photo. — AFP

In-form Wales out to derail France AUCKLAND: In the host nation, it has come to be considered more or less the ‘other’ World Cup semifinal. While the singular focus in New Zealand is on the All Blacks’ weekend clash with Australia, the Wales vs France semifinal tomorrow counts far more for the combatants than simply determining which of the northern hemisphere teams advances to meet an Antipodean team in the final. Warren Gatland, the New Zealand-born coach of Wales, announced just one change in his lineup yesterday, two days ahead of the meeting with two-time finalist France. Wales is back into the semifinals for the first time since the first World Cup was staged in New Zealand in 1987 - also the last time the All Blacks won the title.

While Richie McCaw’s sore foot and injured Dan Carter’s replacement as All Blacks flyhalf and Quade Cooper’s teenage defection to Australia dominate the local news, Wales and France have been getting on with business. France coach Marc Lievremont announced his team on Tuesday, with just one question mark over scrumhalf and goalkicker Dimitri Yachvili’s badly bruised left thigh. Wales flyhalf Rhys Priestland

didn’t recover in time from the shoulder injury he sustained in the 22-10 quarterfinal win over Ireland and was replaced by James Hook in the starting XV. Stephen Jones, the 102-test veteran, was included on the Welsh bench. Priestland has been instrumental in the revival of the Welsh running game, directing a young backline from No. 10. But he has been in doubt all week after being seen in the post-match period with his arm in a sling. Gatland said a decision was taken late Wednesday when the injury didn’t respond to treatment, and Hook was drafted.

“You give James an opportunity and we know how good he is,” Gatland said. “To have players of the quality of James Hook to come into the team and Stephen Jones on the bench shows what a good position we’re in with the 10 position at the moment.” Gatland said the loss of Priestland would not cause Wales to alter an attacking style which has won plenty of accolades in New Zealand, and every match since an opening one-point loss to 2007 champion South Africa. “We’re not going to change the way we’ve been playing,” he said. “We’ve encouraged the players to (express themselves) and

the big focus has been about making the right decisions. “If it’s moving the ball from our 22 then they’ll be encouraged to do that. What we’ve done is we’ve played some really smart rugby.”

Veteran French backrower Imanol Harinordoquy described Wales as “the All Blacks of the North” and fears his squad will be punished tomorrow if it doesn’t play a full 80 minutes with the same passion and pride it displayed in the first half against England in the quarterfinals last weekend. Harinordoquy was instrumental in France’s 19-12 win, when England rallied from a 16-0 deficit with two second-half tries to get back into the match. Having been involved in consecutive semifinals losses in 2003 and ‘07, the 31-yearold Harinordoquy is extra wary despite the growing confidence in the French team after it rebounded from a shocking pool-stage loss to Tonga. Wales is “a very good team full of confidence,” Harinordoquy said. “I haven’t seen any team put them in trouble or unsettle them so far.

When they play going forward, they’re a very strong, mobile team with a lot of speed, and strong players in the center.—AP

Kirwan to quit Japan after World Cup flop TOKYO: All Blacks legend John Kirwan yesterday said he is stepping down as coach of Japan after a dismal World Cup where they failed to win a game for the fifth successive tournament. Kirwan, 46, whose ambitious plans for the Brave Blossoms were dashed with a bottom-placed finish in Pool A, said he will not seek a new contract when his current agreement expires in December. The Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU) said it was looking for a “suitable successor” to Kirwan as they build towards hosting Asia’s first World Cup in 2019. “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with Japan Rugby and will always be very proud of the improvements and achievements we have made over the past five years,” Kirwan said in a statement released by the JRFU. “I will always follow the JRFU with interest and remain very grateful for the opportunity to serve Japan.”

Since taking over in early 2007, the charismatic former Italy coach won 31 Tests, lost 22 and drew two with Japan, as he steered them to four consecutive Asian Five Nations titles and their maiden Pacific Nations Cup trophy in July. But the 1987 World Cup-winning winger had signaled his intention to leave after a miserable end to Japan’s campaign in New Zealand, when they threw away a late lead to draw with Canada in their final game.

The Brave Blossoms, whose sole victory at the World Cup was in 1991 against Zimbabwe, also lost to France and Tonga, dashing Kirwan’s target of registering two wins at the New Zealand tournament. Kirwan had also laid out lofty plans of push-

ing Japan, currently ranked 15th, into the top eight rugby nations by 2015, and even reaching the final at their home World Cup four years later. JRFU chairman Tatsuzo Yabe said despite Japan’s leap forward under Kirwan, the team should look “severely” at the World Cup result and needed to make “tons of improvements”. “Although his achievements since he joined the JRFU was great, it is also true that we must face the result of the

RWC 2011 frankly and severely,” Yabe said in a statement released in English. “There still are tons of improvements we have to make... It is our paramount challenge to review our current high performance structure thoroughly immediately,” he added. Team captain Takashi Kikutani, who paid emotional tribute to Kirwan after the Canada match, insisted Kirwan’s reign had been a success despite the World Cup failure. —AFP

AUCKLAND: In this photo Japan’s rugby coach John Kirwan takes part in a training session for the 2011 Rugby World Cup. — AFP

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

Flyers beat Canucks 5-4 in home opener

TOKYO: USA’s Jordyn Wieber performs ton her way to winning the women’s individual all-round final at the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships yesterday. — AP

American Wieber wins all-around gold TOKYO: Jordyn Wieber had her back to the scoreboard and coach John Geddert was halfway down the floor, so sure where they that the gold had gone to someone else. Then the final standings posted. Once again, Wieber was golden. The American rallied to beat Russia’s Viktoria Komova for the all-around title at the world gymnastics championships yesterday night, despite making mistakes on both uneven bars and floor exercise. Wieber is the sixth American to win gymnastics’ biggest prize at worlds, and adds a second gold to the one she won with her US teammates on Tuesday night.

Wieber had a big form break on uneven bars, leaving her trailing Komova by more than a point midway through the meet. She pared the lead in half with a spectacular balance beam routine, but seemed resigned to silver after taking a big step out of bounds on floor exercise. With Komova going last, Wieber stood on the sidelines getting a pep talk and a pat on the back from Geddert.

Komova was clean, but her routine didn’t have the difficulty - nor anywhere near the spark - of Wieber’s. When the final score was posted, Wieber was the winner. Barely. She finished with 59.382 points, just 0.033 ahead of Komova, the Youth Olympic Games champion. The 16year-old’s mouth dropped open in shock and Geddert threw his hands in the air before sprinting down the floor. China’s Yao Jinnan won the bronze medal. Aly Raisman of the United States was fourth.

Defending champion Aliya Mustafina is out with a knee injury, and most expected the gold would come down to Komova or Wieber.

Komova has drawn comparisons to Olympic champion Nastia Liukin, mixing elegance and grace with surprising power. All Wieber did was beat Mustafina at the American Cup, her very first meet as a senior.

And the two did not disappoint. Though Wieber took the lead on vault, the first event, it was a given that Komova would make up ground on uneven bars, her first event. She sure did - and then some getting a little help from Wieber. The American was up first, and she seemed to lose rhythm as she pirouetted on the high bar, and it caught up with her when she flipped to the low bar. She didn’t fall, but she swayed as if being blown by a stiff breeze, and she also looked as if she might have scraped her toes on the mat. She scored a 13.6, more than a point less than she had in qualifying. Komova’s routine, on the other hand, was almost flawless. Lithe and long, she appears to float between the bars, and the smoothness with which she does her skills masks their incredible difficulty. —AP

PHILADELPHIA: One Flyers fan in a lively tailgate scene shouted what a demoralized Philadelphia fan base was feeling.

“Come on Flyers, you’re our only hope!”

When it comes to championships in a city defined this month by heartbreak, he might be right. Claude Giroux, Chris Pronger and the rest of the Flyers gave their fans a needed morale boost, remaining undefeated with a 5-4 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday night.

Andrej Meszaros scored the go-ahead goal in the third period, and James van Riemsdyk and Jakub Voracek also scored for the Flyers in their home opener. Goalie Ilya Bryzgalov won his third straight start and 10 players had a point against the defending Western Conference champions. The Flyers have already beat both teams in last year’s Stanley Cup finals and the early returns on a major offseason overhaul are promising.

“The guys seem to fit into what we want to play right away and that’s huge,” van Riemsdyk said. The Flyers have been a needed bright spot in a city suffering through a major sports hangover because of the Phillies’ unexpected elimination in the NL division series and the Eagles’ miserable 1-4 start that has coach Andy Reid under fire.

“It kind of disappoints me to see the Eagles getting written off. There’s still a lot of season left to play,” van Riemsdyk said.

“But it’s nice to have a full building and have the passion of the fans come out even more. But at the same time, those teams still mean a lot to the city.” The Flyers delivered in front of nearly 20,000 fans badly needing a reason to cheer. All the new faces shone in their first real game. Voracek, Jaromir Jagr and firstround draft pick Sean Couturier all had points.

The most valuable offseason acquisition was Bryzgalov, who gives the Flyers their first star No. 1 goalie in ages.

Bryzgalov stopped all 20 shots Saturday in a 3-0 win over New Jersey for Philadelphia’s first shutout since April 6, 2010. He was shaky against Vancouver, as 3-1 and 4-2 leads were sliced to one before he allowed Daniel Sedin to beat him for the tying goal early in the third.

Meszaros wasted no time putting the Flyers back in front, this time for good, rushing the ice and snapping a wrister past Roberto Luongo 59 seconds later for the winner. Bryzgalov held off the Canucks and stopped 36 shots.

Mikael Samuelsson, Henrik Sedin and Chris Higgins scored goals for Vancouver.

“We want to be playing our best game right now, we’re not happy with the way things are going,” Canucks defenseman Kevin Bieksa said. “We are good enough to play a full 60 minutes. We are not doing that. When we do play, you see what happens out there.” The fans were ready to go wild and saved their loudest cheers for Pronger, in his first home game as captain, and forward Wayne Simmonds. Simmonds was involved in two preseason dust-ups a man threw a banana at him and he had an altercation with Sean Avery - and the fans showed their appreciation for one of the newest Flyers with a huge ovation.

Simmonds and Voracek were involved in two of the biggest trades in recent Flyers

history. Voracek was acquired from Columbus in the deal that shipped out perennial 30-goal scorer Jeff Carter and Simmonds was part of the trade that sent former captain Mike Richards to Los Angeles. Richards, furious with the deal at the time, makes a quick return to Philadelphia on Saturday night.

Simmonds set a textbook screen in the first period that allowed Pronger to get his first goal of the season. He followed Giroux with a second straight power-play goal and a 2-0 lead. Voracek made it 4-2 in the second when he was set up by the 18-yearold Couturier. The 6-foot-4, 197-pound Couturier impressed during training camp and made the roster. He’s expected to last the season in Philadelphia. Flyers general

manager Paul Holmgren felt he had the luxury of trading Richards and Carter because Giroux and van Riemsdyk were ready for increased responsibilities and could carry a team looking for their first Stanley Cup since 1975.

Luongo, who had 22 saves, failed to cover a rebound late in the first and was sprawled on his chest when van Riemsdyk popped in the puck for a 3-1 lead. Henrik Sedin knocked in a rebound and Higgins scored in the second to cut Philadelphia’s lead to 4-3. It wasn’t enough and the Flyers improved to 3-0 for the 11th time in team history. “We just need to continue to work on that consistency and make sure night in and night out it’s wave after wave,” Pronger said.—AP

PHILADELPHIA: Dale Weise #32 of the Vancouver Canucks collides with Scott Hartnell #19 of the Philadelphia Flyers at the Wells Fargo Center on October 12, 2011. — AFP

NHL results/standings National Hockey League results and standings after Wednesday’s games.

Colorado 3, Columbus 2 (SO); Philadelphia 5, Vancouver 4; Carolina 3, Boston 2.

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W Pittsburgh 3 Philadelphia 3 New Jersey 1 NY Islanders 1 NY Rangers 0

L OTL 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 2

GF GA PTS 14 10 7 10 5 6 4 5 2 2 3 2 3 5 2

Buffalo Toronto Montreal Ottawa Boston

2 2 1 1 1

Northeast Division 0 0 8 3 0 0 8 5 1 0 5 3 2 0 12 14 3 0 7 7

4 4 2 2 2

Washington Tampa Bay Carolina Florida Winnipeg

2 1 1 1 0

Southeast Division 0 0 10 8 1 1 11 11 2 1 9 15 1 0 4 4 1 0 1 5

4 3 3 2 0

Detroit Nashville Chicago St. Louis Columbus

Western Conference Central Division 2 0 0 8 3 2 0 0 7 4 1 1 0 6 4 1 1 0 7 6 0 3 1 8 13

4 4 2 2 1

Colorado Minnesota Vancouver Edmonton Calgary

Northwest Division 2 1 0 4 5 1 1 1 8 8 1 1 1 10 11 1 0 0 2 1 0 2 0 5 10

4 3 3 2 0

Pacific Division Dallas 2 1 0 6 7 4 San Jose 1 0 0 6 3 2 Los Angeles 1 1 0 5 6 2 Anaheim 1 1 0 3 5 2 Phoenix 0 1 1 4 8 1 Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings and are not included in the loss column (L)

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

Rangers on Cruz control with 3-1 series advantage

INDIANAPOLIS: A fan holds a sign about injured Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning. — AP

Is Manning’s value more than Colts bargained for?

A Super Bowl title, four MVP awards and playoff appearances in every season save one during the last decade, speak volumes about how much Peyton Manning means to the Indianapolis Colts. But not enough. Manning isn’t just the most valuable football player of his era. He belongs in the conversation for most valuable in any team sport ever. He’s mastered the game like no one since Otto Graham took the Cleveland Browns to the championship match in each of his 10 seasons more than a half-century ago. Indy’s error-riddled, injury-plagued 0-5 start to this season, while Manning recovers from two neck surgeries that sidelined him for the first time in his pro career, is a testament to it. But it’s only one of many. “We’ve been spoiled by great quarterback play for a long time,” Colts defender Robert Mathis said after a second straight second-half letdown resulted in a 28-24 loss to Kansas City last weekend. “But the fact of the matter is we have got to hold our end up.”

The Colts have become a cautionary tale about what happens when a team ties its fate to one player, and that player can no longer go. Think of the Chicago Bulls after Michael Jordan walked away from basketball the first time. Or, to cite an example of NFL history repeating itself, how long the old Baltimore Colts wandered in the league’s wilderness searching for Johnny Unitas’ replacement. Using the draft, trades and free-agent pickups, NFL contenders continually strive to strike a balance between the strength of their offenses and defenses. But in the modern game, with its increasing emphasis on scoring and protecting quarterbacks more than any other player on the field, a top-flight passing attack has become paramount. Manning was so successful for so long that the Colts became dangerously lopsided.

During his tenure, their running game became an afterthought and the defense, used to chasing opposing quarterbacks forced to throw often to make up the deficits Manning built, evolved into a one-dimensional unit. They were fast enough to pressure the passer, but too small to win most wars of attrition. With hindsight, it’s easy to see how Indianapolis owner Jim Irsay and football chief Bill Polian were caught unprepared.

Manning, who turned 35 in March, hadn’t missed a game since the Colts used the first pick of the 1998 draft to get him. — AP

DETROIT: Nelson Cruz made a rocket throw to keep the score tied, then hit a three-run homer in the 11th inning that gave the Texas Rangers a 7-3 win over the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday and a 3-1 lead in the American League Championship Series. The Rangers moved within one win of a place in the World Series thanks largely to Cruz, who backed up the grand slam winner he hit in Game 2 by producing two vital moments in Game 4. In the bottom of the eighth, with Detroit runners at the corner bases, one out, and the score 3-3, Cruz caught a fly ball in right field and made a strong and accurate throw to home where catcher Mike Napoli tagged Miguel Cabrera rushing in from third to end the inning. Napoli hit a go-ahead single in the 11th and Cruz then hit a three-run shot into the bullpen in left field to complete the scoring. Cruz became the first player in major league history to hit a pair of extra-inning homers in the same postseason series.

Texas will try for its second consecutive AL pennant on Thursday, sending C.J. Wilson to the mound to face Detroit ace Justin Verlander. The ALCS has marked quite a turnaround for Cruz. After going just 1 for 15 in the first-round playoff win over Tampa Bay, he’s 5 for 14 with 9 RBIs in only four games against the Tigers - and seven of those RBIs have come in the 11th inning alone. The teams waited through a rain delay of 2 hours, 13 minutes before the first pitch and there was misty rain floating around through the early innings. Miguel Cabrera hit a two-run double in the third to put Detroit ahead, but Texas scored three times in the sixth.

Brandon Inge tied it for the Tigers with a stunning homer off Alexi Ogando in the seventh. Inge struggled against right-handed pitchers all year, not hitting a single homer in 171 atbats, but he changed that by lifted a high drive beyond left field that made it 3-3. Detroit wasted a terrific chance to take the lead in the eighth following some risky Texas strategy. With one out and nobody on, the Rangers

intentionally walked Cabrera, daring the rest of the struggling Detroit lineup to beat them. Victor Martinez followed with a single to right and Cabrera lumbered around to third.

Delmon Young then lift a flyball to medium right. Cruz caught it and made a perfect, one-hop throw to the plate that beat Cabrera by several feet.

Cabrera bowled over Napoli, to no avail. Napoli held onto the ball and Cabrera never touched the plate.

Austin Jackson was hit by a pitch with one out in the Detroit 10th, but Napoli threw him out stealing, and

runs in the first inning and clung on to edge Milwaukee and take a 2-1 lead in the National League Championship Series. Albert Pujols hit an RBI double during the first for the Cardinals, who crept closer to a World Series appearance that was unthinkable when they were a long way out of the playoff picture before a late-season surge. In a matchup of aces, neither St Louis’ Chris Carpenter nor Milwaukee’s Yovani Gallardo made it past the fifth inning. The one-run lead Carpenter handed over to the bullpen was just enough, as four relievers combined

DETROIT: Austin Jackson #14 of the Detroit Tigers is tagged out trying to steal second base by Ian Kinsler #5 of the Texas Rangers in the 10th inning of Game Four of the American League Championship Series at Comerica Park on October 12, 2011. — AP reliever Scott Feldman made it through the inning without further trouble.

Tigers closer Jose Valverde had already pitched a perfect 10th, but he couldn’t hold off Texas for another inning.

Napoli’s single scored Josh Hamilton to put the Rangers ahead and then came Cruz’s big shot that all but ended the contest. Texas closer Neftali Feliz shut down Detroit in the bottom of the 11th and moved the Rangers closer to another World Series shot.

Cardinals 4, Brewers 3 In St. Louis, the hosts piled on four

for four perfect innings. Jason Motte got four outs for this save and struck out pinch hitter Casey McGehee to end it.

Carpenter won his seventh postseason game to tie Bob Gibson’s franchise record, but with none of the brilliance of his shutout over the favored Phillies in the deciding game of the division series. He lasted only five innings, with nearly half of his 89 pitches for balls. The Cardinals went through the entire batting order in the first against Gallardo, who often struggles against St Louis. — AP

Haye retires from boxing

HAMBURG: This is file photo of David Haye of Britain (right) as he trades punches with Wladimir Klitschko of Ukraine, during their world heavyweight unification title bout. — AP

LONDON: Former heavyweight champion David Haye announced his retirement yesterday, fulfilling his promise to quit by the time he reached the age of 31. The British fighter’s last bout was a loss on points in July to Wladimir Klitschko, who added Haye’s WBA title to his own WBO and IBF belts. “As the clock struck 12 last night, my professional boxing career came to an end,” said Haye, who turned 31 yesterday. “It has been my intention to retire from the sport of boxing on this particular day ever since I first laced up a pair of gloves as a skinny 10-year old.” Haye said he had achieved the goal he set himself when he started out as a boxer winning the heavyweight title.

“Ultimately I fell short (by losing to Klitschko) but I won world titles in two weights. I’m one of the best British boxers ever,” he said. Haye started off as a cruiserweight, where he beat Jean-Marc Mormeck in Paris to land the WBC title, before moving up to heavyweight.

He won 25 of his 27 fights as a professional. Haye beat Russia’s Nikolay Valuev in November 2009 to capture the WBA title, successfully defending it against John Ruiz and Audley Harrison before the loss to Klitschko in Hamburg. Haye denied his announcement was a piece of brinksmanship to lure Wladimir into a rematch or to fight the Ukrainian’s brother Vitali for the WBC title. — AP

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

SHANGHAI: Spain’s Juan Carlos Ferrero reaches out for a return as he plays a men’s singles third round match with his compatriot David Ferrer at the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament yesterday. — AP

Nadal stunned in Shanghai, Murray marches on proudly SHANGHAI: Britain’s Andy Murray became overwhelming favorite for an Asian hat-trick as main rival Rafa Nadal was beaten in the third round of the Shanghai Masters yesterday. Top seed Nadal fell 7-6 6-3 by Germany’s Florian Mayer leaving Murray the stand-out name in the quarter-finals after the in-form Scot completed a 6-4 3-6 6-3 victory over Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka at the Qi Zhong Tennis Centre.

Murray beat Nadal in the Tokyo final last week to follow-up his title in Bangkok and the two had been expected to have a re-match in Shanghai in the absence of world number one Novak Djokovic and Swiss maestro Roger Federer. Nadal found himself up against an

inspired Mayer who clinched an absorbing opening set tiebreak with an ace. Spaniard Nadal had some chances to break early in the second set but Mayer, ranked 23, held firm and broke Nadal’s serve at 3-3 before repeating the trick two games later to complete one of the best wins of his career. “Today is a disappointing day. I felt that I did everything right,” a visibly crestfallen Nadal told reporters.

“For me the mistake, the really big mistake, was in the second game of the second set.

When the opponent is playing well, you have to convert these opportunities. “So that’s sport. He did better than me. I am out. He is going to play tomorrow. That’s all.” Nadal’s compatriot David

Kuwait’s 4th Asian air gun tourney ready for success

By Abdellatif Sharaa KUWAIT: Jasni Shari, Technical Director of the 4th Asian Air Gun Championship to be held in Kuwait between October 17-23, 2011, said the tournament will witness an unprecedented participation. He said there will be nearly 500 shoot-

Jasni Shari

ers representing 22 Asian countries participating in the 10 meter air gun event. Shari said Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Olympic Shooting Complex is ready to host the tournament and that its facilities were upgraded and maintained, according to the best standards available, by a well-known Swiss Company.

He said technicians will arrive soon

to inspect the two ranges where the tournament will be held. Shari also said the preliminaries will be held in the 10 meter ranges hall, and the top eight shooters will compete in the final hall to determine the champion.

Shari said each country has the right to compete with three shooters in each event, and they can send two more in order to get the minimum qualification score (MQS), used to qualify for the Olympics, or other events.

He said he’s impressed with the support the sport is receiving from various bodies, in addition to the clear enthusiasm volunteers and workers are showing to make the tournament a grand success. He said the competition will be very strong, especially between China, Kazakhistan, Iran, India and South Korea.

He said Kuwait will compete for medal places, especially in women’s 10 meter air gun. Shari said this sport will develop well, especially given that shooters between the age groups of 12-13 are enrolling in the shooting school, since this is the age to build on and be successful and compete at international level. He wished all the participants success, and a pleasant stay in Kuwait.

Ferrer had a more satisfying day as he survived three match points against another Spaniard, Juan Carlos Ferrero, to reach the quarter-finals and seal his place in the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals in London.

Ferrer will face American Andy Roddick in the last eight after he beat Spain’s Nicolas Almagro 6-3 6-4. In another shock, 124thranked Australian qualifier Matthew Ebden knocked out Gilles Simon 6-2 2-6 7-6 — his reward being a quarter-final clash against Murray. Murray marched through the first set against Wawrinka but went off the boil in the second as errors began to flow. However, he took charge in the decider to forge into a 5-0

lead before the 19th ranked Wawrinka staged a late fightback. Murray, unbeaten since losing to Nadal in the US Open semi-finals, ended the contest with a forehand winner.

“I got myself pumped up right at the beginning of the third set,” Murray told reporters.

“Stan was playing very well. I was trying to control the ball. “I was really struggling in middle of the second set. I really had to make sure I got my feet moving.” Japan’s Kei Nishikori continued his impressive run, reaching the quarterfinals with a 7-6 4-6 6-3 defeat of Colombia’s Santiago Giraldo. Asia’s top-ranked male player will play Ukraine’s Alexandr Dolgopolov for a place in the semi-finals. — Reuters

Simmons shapes Windies win with maiden ODI ton DHAKA: Lendl Simmons smashed a maiden century to set up the West Indies’ comfortable 40-run victory over Bangladesh in the opening one-day international yesterday. The opener, 26, hit two sixes and eight fours in his 124-ball 122 as the West Indies posted 298-4 before restricting Bangladesh to 258-7 for a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Shakib Al Hasan (67 not out) and opener Naeem Islam (52) scored half-centuries, but Bangladesh never looked like achieving a stiff target in the day-night match.

West Indies pacemen DHAKA: West Indies batsman Ravi Rampaul and Andre Lendl Simmons, jumps in the Russell, and off-spinner air as he celebrates his centu- Marlon Samuels bagged ry during the first one-day two wickets apiece. international cricket match Simmons earlier propped against Bangladesh yester- up the innings after the day. — AP tourists had been put in bat as he put on 67 runs with Adrian Barath, who retired after making 21, and 150 with in-form Samuels (71). Simmons, who had scored six half-centuries in his last nine one-day internationals before this match, completed his hundred in the 37th over with a single to mid-wicket off left-arm spinner Shakib. His best came in the 40th over when he hit seamer Shafiul Islam for four boundaries before being caught by Alok Kapali off paceman Rubel Hossian in the 42nd over. Samuels also fell in the same over after hitting two sixes and six fours in his 78ball knock, but not before setting the stage for the closing-overs onslaught with Simmons. The West Indies plundered 74 runs in the last eight overs, with Kieron Pollard smashing three sixes in his 25-ball 41 and Darren Bravo scoring 20 off 19 balls. —AFP

SCOREBOARD DHAKA: Complete scoreboard of the first oneday international between Bangladesh and the West Indies yesterday: West Indies: L. Simmons c Kapali b Rubel 122 A. Barath retd hurt 21 M. Samuels c Kapali b Rubel 71 D. Bravo b Shafiul 20 K. Pollard c sub (Shuvagata) b Rubel 41 D. Hyatt not out 6 A. Russell not out 7 Extras (lb2, w8) 10 Total (for four wickets; 50 overs) 298 Fall of wickets: 1-217 (Simmons; Barath retd at 67), 2-224 (Samuels), 3-283 (Bravo), 4-289 (Pollard).

Bowling: Shafiul 10-0-67-1 (w5), Rubel 9-1-54-3, Razzak 9-0-64-0 (w2), Shakib 10-0-50-0 (w1), Naeem 4-0-27-0, Nasir 2-0-10-0, Kapali 6-0-24-0.

Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal c Ramdin b Bishoo 21 Naeem Islam c Hyatt b Russell 52 Imrul Kayes c Ramdin b Samuels 42 Mohammad Ashraful c Ramdin b Rampaul 2 Shakib Al Hasan not out 67 Mushfiqur Rahim c Bravo b Samuels 21 Alok Kapali c Simmons b Rampaul 20 Nasir Hossain b Russell 9 Abdur Razzak not out 8 Extras (lb7, w9) 16 Total (for seven wickets; 50 overs) 258 Fall of wickets: 1-44 (Tamim), 2-122 (Naeem), 3-126 (Ashraful), 4-130 (Kayes), 5-164 (Rahim), 6-219 (Kapali), 7-237 (Nasir).

Bowling: Rampaul 10-0-35-2 (w2), Roach 8-048-0 (w2), Russell 9-0-44-2 (w2), Bishoo 8-0-451 (w1), Samuels 10-0-42-2 (w1), Pollard 5-0-370 (w1).

Result: West Indies win by 40 runs.

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

Totti admits to Enrique tension ROME: Roma captain Francesco Totti admitted yesterday that his relationship with club coach Luis Enrique started out badly, although he says the pair have now patched up their differences. Totti was widely rumored to have been at loggerheads with Spaniard Enrique soon after the former Barcelona youth team coach took over at Roma. Enrique left Totti on the bench for the first leg of Roma’s Europa League qualifying tie against Slovan Bratislava and then substituted the emblematic captain during the second leg. Roma were knocked out by the Slovak minnows and Totti made no attempt to hide his frustrations at the time.

The spat led to Enrique being jeered by the club’s fans and local reporters speculating that he was in line for the sack, before the new Serie A season had even begun. And although Totti admits they got off on the wrong foot he says all has now been resolved.

“I get on well with Luis Enrique, at first things didn’t go well but now we have a good relationship,” said Totti. “Maybe at the beginning we didn’t understand each other, I don’t know why. I didn’t understand what I was doing wrong at that time. “It was said that I was at the centre of the project but then I found myself on the bench. “Either I didn’t understand or I was being made fun of. Then I had a chat with the coach and things were ironed out.”

And just to demonstrate his point that all is well with Enrique, Totti compared the Spaniard to a couple of popular recent Roma coaches, Zdenek Zeman and Luciano Spalletti. “I’d compare him to Spalletti and Zeman for his attacking style because he thinks

more about making his team play than he does about the opposition, and training sessions are hard.” Totti also expressed his desire to keep playing for another five years, despite many already believing he is slowing down now at 35. “I want to play until I’m 40 because I’m enjoying it, football has given me everything and if I’m fit, I want to continue,” he said.

“When I see that I can’t do it anymore, I’ll throw in the towel, but right now I’m not thinking about that.

“I want to play, I’m not thinking about my future as a director, I have another five year contract in management but whether they put me in the porter’s lodge or in another place, I don’t know.”I haven’t spoken about it with the Americans (Roma’s new owners) because right now I’m thinking only about playing.

“There was the possibility of going to (Los Angeles) Galaxy but nothing happened.”

As for Sunday night’s derby against Lazio, Totti confirmed he won’t play as he’s not fit but said he hopes to be back a week later to play Palermo. Roma and Lazio are level on points in sixth and seventh and whoever wins could move into the top four. But Totti believes it is too early to pay any attention to the standings, particularly with both Milan clubs hovering just above the relegation zone. “It’s very close in the league, no team has gone out fast. But the championship is very long. “Right now anyone could win it but in 10 or 15 games we all know which teams will be contenders for the title.”Totti also had a kind word to say about Inter Milan boss and former Roma coach Claudio Ranieri, who was rumored to have been forced out of the capital by Totti. — AFP

Barca, Madrid welcome injured players back MADRID: Barcelona and Real Madrid expect key players to be available for Spanish league play this weekend, with Andres Iniesta set to return to the Spanish champion’s squad tomorrow against winless Racing Santander.

Iniesta is training again after injuring his left leg in a Champions League game against AC Milan last month and the Spain international’s return could give Barcelona a boost with Cesc Fabregas, Alexis Sanchez and Ibrahim Afellay all injured.

Barcelona is joint-top of the table with early season surprise Levante, which plays Malaga on Sunday. Real Madrid, one point behind the co-leaders, hosts Real Betis tomorrow with Karim Benzema, Pepe and Fabio Coentrao set to return. Defenders Raul Albiol and Ricardo Carvalho are injured.

European champion Barcelona is unbeaten so far this season and has players steadily returning from injury.

Nonetheless, rumors have continued to circulate in Spanish media about Pep Guardiola leaving at the end of the season, fueled by comments from the Barcelona coach that he thinks about stepping down “every day.” That prompted chairman Sandro Rosell to call Guardiola “the best coach in the history of the club” amid assurances that “everything possible” would be done to convince him to stay.

Guardiola’s players have also been quick to rally round.

“I don’t want to put any pressure on Guardiola, he will do things at his own tempo, like he has done every year,” defender Gerard Pique said. “He has always signed a new deal, though, and I believe he’ll do so again this year. He loves his job here and the players

believe in him.” Despite the speculation, Racing coach Hector Cuper, formerly in charge at Valencia and Inter Milan, is under no illusions about the scale of the task facing his team at the Nou Camp. “Since I’ve been in the football world I’ve never seen anything like (Barcelona).

It’s the best team in the world and a long way ahead of the others,” Cuper said. “I’ve always said that perfection does not exist, but this Barcelona team is the closest I’ve seen.” —AP

MANCHESTER: Manchester City’s Carlos Tevez leaves the club’s training ground yesterday. Tevez resumed life as a Manchester City footballer day after serving a two-week ban. The Argentina international’s suspension for allegedly refusing to play in the Champions League defeat at Bayern Munich has now expired and he turned up at the club’s training ground as expected. —AP

PARMA: Parma’s Massimo Gobbi (right) and AS Roma’s Francesco Totti challenge for the ball during their Serie A soccer match at Parma’s Tardini stadium. — AP .

Roma face Lazio in heated Rome derby ROME: Roma face Lazio in the always heated Rome derby this weekend, while the two struggling Milan squads take on Sicilian opponents. With only one win in its opening five matches, defending champion AC Milan hosts Palermo at the San Siro, while Inter Milan - which has also won just once - travels to Catania.

Serie A leader Juventus will be favored to maintain its advantage at Chievo Verona, while Udinese which trails Juve only on goals scored - visits surprise package Atalanta, which would be one point behind the leaders if not for a six-point penalty from a matchfixing and betting scandal. Also, Napoli warms up for a Champions League match with Bayern Munich by hosting Parma.

Roma and Lazio, meanwhile, each trail the leaders by three points, as they start to gel squads featuring several new players and in Roma’s case, a new coach.

Roma captain Francesco Totti will miss the derby due to a right thigh injury, so coach Luis Enrique could call on Bosnia playmaker Miralem Pjanic, Argentineborn forward Pablo Osvaldo who made his debut for Italy’s national team Tuesday - and Spanish striker Krkic Bojan to play.

Roma goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg could also return for the first time since suffering head and neck trauma in a collision with Inter defender Lucio a month ago. Lazio, meanwhile, is

Germany forward Miroslav Klose recovers from a left knee injury to partner France striker Djibril Cisse in attack. Klose has scored five goals in his first seven matches in all competitions for Lazio.

Roma has won the last five derbies, meaning Edy Reja is yet to win the intercity match since taking over as Lazio coach in Feb. 2009. Reja offered to resign when

Like Totti, De Rossi has played his entire career with Roma, and his father coaches the club’s youth squad. He has long been nicknamed Roma’s “future captain,” but the club’s new American ownership has not renewed his contract, which expires at the end of this season.

“This game means a lot to me,” the 28-year-old De Rossi

ROME: AS Roma forward Pablo Daniel Osvaldo, of Argentina, is tackled by Atalanta defender Daniele Capelli (left) during a Serie A soccer match at Rome’s Olympic stadium. — AP Lazio struggled at the start of this season, but club president Claudio Lotito and the squad asked him to stay on. Still, he will be under pressure to produce a victory at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday night. “He knows what he needs to do and he’s up to the task,” Lotito said. “In a match like the derby there is no favorite.”

Without Totti, midfielder Daniele De Rossi will lead Roma.

said. “I’m fortunate in that I’ve always won the derby recently, whereas when I was 21-22 it was difficult for me and that affected my performance. But now I’m much calmer and the responsibility is the same, with or without Totti.” Meanwhile, Milan striker Robinho and defender Philippe Mexes are ready to return from injury, although forward Alexandre Pato is still out. — AP

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Bosnia stand in Portugal’s way again KRAKOW: Portugal, losing finalists in 2004, will face outsiders Bosnia in their Euro 2012 play-off while Estonia take on the Republic of Ireland following yesterday’s draw in Krakow, Poland. In the other ties, 1996 runners-up the Czech Republic will take on Montenegro, who had only just achieved independence when the 2008 finals took place, and Guus Hiddink-coached Turkey will meet Croatia.

The first legs will be spread between November 11 and 12 with the returns all on November 15. The Bosnians, who came within 13 minutes of automatic qualification and forcing France into the playoffs, will enjoy home advantage for the home leg. But they will then have to negotiate a tough trip to Lisbon to face

Cristiano Ronaldo and company as the eastern Europeans attempt to reach the finals for the first time. Portugal, who lost out in their group to Denmark having started off with a 4-4 draw at home to no-hopers Cyprus, just edged out the same play-off opposition two years ago as they won both games 1-0 to advance to the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa.

“I am not surprised by the way the draw has turned out,” said Portugal coach Paulo Bento.

“We have a strong team and now we must concentrate on beating Bosnia. It is very important for us to do so. I am confident next year we shall be playing in Poland and Ukraine.” Former Polish international Zbigniew Boniek drew the names out of the hat. —AFP

KRAKOW: Zbigniew Boniek holds up a card showing “Bosnia Herzegovina” during Euro 2012 play-off draw yesterday. — AP

Rooney back under spotlight at Anfield MARSEILLE: Brest’s French midfielder Dialo Guidileye challenges for the ball with Marseille’s Senegalese defender Souleymane Diawara, during their French League One soccer match. — AP

Marseille future at stake PARIS: Marseille will visit Toulouse in the French league tomorrow under threat of the club being sold if it does not turn its form around. The 2009-10 champion stands one point above the relegation zone and 12 behind leader Paris SaintGermain. “I’m not pleased with what we’re doing,” Marseille coach Didier Deschamps said. “We’ve taken only eight points in nine matches and we’re making a lot of people laugh.”

“We’re doing everything with my staff to turn the situation around. It’s complicated but not irreparable.”

Marseille’s main shareholder, Margarita Louis-Dreyfus, said last week she was disappointed by the results and hinted that she could sell the club if the situation didn’t improve. “It’s not an easy situation right now,” Marseille defender Rod Fanni told the club’s website. “The squad’s morale is affected. I think there’s a certain lack of confidence.” Marseille will rely on inform striker Loic Remy, who scored in France’s 3-0 win over Albania last week, to crack the Toulouse defense.

Fourth-place Toulouse will be looking to bounce back from a 3-0 loss to Sochaux in the previous round. “The Toulouse match will be one of the most important ones since the start of the season,” Marseille winger Andre Ayew told the club’s website. “We want to win together and make our supporters proud. That hasn’t been the case lately but we must work hard to achieve that in Toulouse because there’s no more time to waste.” Marseille will be without full back Cesar Azpilicueta and midfielders Mathieu Valbuena and Alou Diarra, who are all suspended.

Meanwhile, PSG continues to enjoy a change of fortune since Qatar Sports Investments acquired a 70 percent stake in PSG this summer. A convincing 2-0 win over Lyon in the previous round has strengthened PSG’s status as favorite for its first league title since 1994. PSG holds a three-point lead over Montpellier, Lyon and Toulouse before visiting 18th-place Ajaccio on Sunday.

“To see the team at the top after nine rounds is a pleasant surprise,” PSG coach Antoine Kombouare said. “But we’re still in a building phase. We need time to create cohesion.” “We’re in first place today but there are 29 matches left. We’ll see how we go through hard times when we’ll have injuries and poor results. We mustn’t become lax.” Argentine playmaker Javier Pastore has quickly fitted, with five goals and two assists in seven matches, but the Parisian club has mostly built its success on a solid defense, conceding only seven goals the joint best in the league. —AP

LONDON: A week after his petulant sending-off while on international duty, Wayne Rooney’s temperament will be back under the spotlight tomorrow when Manchester United takes on fierce rival Liverpool in arguably the biggest match in English football. Rooney was dismissed when he kicked out wildly at Montenegro defender Miodrag Dzudovic in England’s 2-2 draw in Podgorica last Friday, ensuring he’ll miss the start of next summer’s European Championship and underlining his reputation as his country’s most talented but reckless player.

His character will be tested again tomorrow when United, the Premier League leader, heads to Anfield for what is notoriously a fiery northwest derby between England’s two most successful clubs.

PODGORICA: England’s Wayne Rooney (top) looks at Montenegro’s Miodrag Dzudovic, after kicking him and earning a red card during their group G Euro 2012 qualifying soccer match. —AP

With second-place Manchester City only behind United on goal difference ahead of its home match against Aston Villa tomorrow, United manager Alex Ferguson will be relying on Rooney to fire the goals against Liverpool to keep the reigning champions on top. “He’s got a fiery temper and, to my mind, (the red card) is not the worse thing in the world,” Ferguson is quoted by United’s website as telling American radio station Sirius XM this week. “Obviously, he’ll be disappointed ... but he’s shown tremendous improvement in terms of temperament and his reaction to tackles over the last few years.” It is sure to be a typically hostile atmosphere at Anfield in a match between two teams that have won the English league 37 times between them. United last season usurped Liverpool’s haul of 18 titles.

Rooney, United’s top scorer in the league this season with nine goals, has never hidden his dislike of Liverpool, which stems from spending the formative years of his career with Merseyside rival Everton before a move to Old Trafford in 2004.

In 2009, United was forced to remove quotes from Rooney from the club’s website after his comments about “hating” Liverpool were deemed inappropriate ahead of a match between the rivals at Old Trafford.

Liverpool has been inconsistent in its first seven matches, although a 2-0 win at Everton before the international break lifted the team to fifth - six points behind United. Manager Kenny Dalglish could hand fit-again captain Steven Gerrard his first start in seven months. Carlos Tevez returned to training for Manchester City yesterday but is unlikely to feature against fellow unbeaten side Villa, which is sixth after winning two and drawing five of its first seven games.

The Argentina striker was told by City on Wednesday that he must face a disciplinary hearing after his apparent refusal to come on as a substitute in the Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich last month. City manager Roberto Mancini has vowed never to pick Tevez again and with Sergio Aguero set to miss out with a groin injury sustained in the 4-0 win at Blackburn last time out, the Italian coach could recall Edin Dzeko alongside Mario Balotelli up front.

Chelsea is likely to be the team that challenges the dominance of the two Manchester clubs this season, and is three points behind the pacesetters going into a home match against Everton. David Moyes’ side has beaten Chelsea on their last two meetings - an FA Cup replay in February and on the final day of last season’s league campaign at Goodison Park.

Fourth-place Newcastle, the division’s surprise package and the other club yet to be defeated, is at home on Sunday to Tottenham, which could be without on-loan striker Emmanuel Adebayor (hamstring). Elsewhere on Sunday, Sunderland manager Steve Bruce is widely reported to be under heavy pressure going into his team’s away match at Arsenal, which is looking to bounce back from a 21 defeat to Tottenham in the north London derby two weeks ago, and West Bromwich Albion hosts fellow Midlands team Wolverhampton Wanderers. — AP

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SHANGHAI: Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts while playing against Florian Mayer of Germany during their third round match at the 2011 Shanghai Rolex Masters tournament at the Qizhong Tennis Center yesterday. Mayer won 7-6, 6-3. —AFP

Nadal’s heart broken in Shanghai Page 61