22nd Aug 2013

CR IP TI ON BS SU

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

Hezbollah turns Beirut bastion into a fortress

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Indian state bans black magic

ElBaradei sued for ‘betrayal of trust’

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www.kuwaittimes.net

SHAWWAL 15, 1434 AH

Watson puts Australia on top in Ashes finale

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1,300 massacred Victims choked to death in Syria chemical attacks

Max 47º Min 28º High Tide 00:44 & 12:22 Low Tide 06:33 & 19:18

GHOUTA: Bodies of children and adults lay on the ground at a makeshift morgue yesterday. Syrian rebels claim more than 1,300 were killed in a toxic gas attack by pro-government forces. — AFP

Outrage as hundreds perish in brutal use of toxic gas BEIRUT: Syria’s main opposition group accused the government of “massacring” more than 1,300 people in chemical weapons attacks near Damascus yesterday, saying many of the victims choked to death. The accusation came as a team of UN inspectors was in Syria to probe previous allegations of chemical weapons strikes leveled against both sides during the 29-month conflict.

Western governments demanded immediate access for the inspectors to investigate the new allegations.

Russia, a longstanding ally of the Damascus regime, echoed the call for an inquiry but said it suspected a

“provocation” by the opposition and its foreign backers. Videos distributed by activists, the authenticity of which could not immediately be verified, showed medics attending to suffocating children and hospitals being overwhelmed.

More footage showed dozens of people laid out on the ground, among them many children, some of them covered in white sheets. The claim of chemical weapons use, which could not be independently confirmed, was vehemently denied by the Syrian regime which said it was intended to hinder the work of the UN weapons inspectors already in the country.

Expats to be forced out of ‘private accommodations’

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GCC throws weight behind ‘new Egypt’ DUBAI: Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies are backing Egypt’s new leaders because they see the political Islam espoused by ousted president Mohamed Morsi as a threat to their rule, experts say. In a strong message to the European Union, which met yesterday to discuss measures against Egypt over its deadly crackdown on Muslim Brotherhood protests, Saudi Arabia has said Arab nations will step in to cover any cut in foreign aid to Egypt.

“To those who have announced they are cutting their aid to Egypt, or threatening to do that, (we say that) Arab and Muslim nations are rich... and will not hesitate to help Egypt,” Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said on Monday.

“The Gulf countries have a strong animosity towards Islamists, especially the Muslim Brotherhood,” said Kuwaiti political analyst Ayed Al-Manaa. “ The weakening of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt serves their interests, in showing that Egypt’s Islamist model could not be exported to the Gulf

Opposition sources accused the army of multiple chemical weapons strikes-one in Moadamiyet AlSham, southwest of Damascus, and more in the capital’s eastern suburbs. The Local Coordination Committees (LCC), a network of activists, reported hundreds of casualties in the “brutal use of toxic gas by the criminal regime”. And in videos posted on YouTube, the Syrian Revolution General Commission, another activist group, showed what it called “a terrible massacre committed by regime forces with toxic gas.”

The attack “led to suffocation of the children and overcrowding field hospitals with hundreds of casual-

and other Arab countries,” he said. Prince Saud said yesterday that the kingdom has urged the international community, “not to take measures that could hamper the efforts of Egypt’s government to stabilize” the Arab nation.

He spoke two days after returning from Paris where he held talks with French President Francois Hollande, as Riyadh pushed to lobby support for Egypt’s interim government after the army deposed Morsi on July 3 following nationwide protests. Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries welcomed Egypt’s ouster of Morsi, with Riyadh announcing an aid package of $5 billion to Egypt.

Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates followed suit, bringing the pledges made by the three oil-rich Arab states of the Gulf to $12 billion. “Historically Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait in particular... have in their different ways accommodated the Muslim Brotherhood for domestic and regional strategic advantages,” said Continued on Page 13

‘Mysterious’ Crocodile KUWAIT: A Kuwaiti resident rushed home from work after his housemaid called to tell him that there was a “huge lizard inside”, only to find that the reptile was actually a crocodile. The animal had mysteriously made its way inside the house located in Salwa’s Block 11 before it was first spotted by the family’s domestic helper on Tuesday morning.

The terrified maid immediately called her employer who was at work and told him that there was a huge lizard in the courtyard of his house. He first suggested that she use a slipper to kill it, but she later called again and said that the lizard was too big and she couldn’t do anything about it. He rushed home after the maid told him she was thinking of leaving the house because she feared for her life.

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ties amid extreme shortage of medical supplies to rescue the victims, particularly atropine,” the LCC said. In one video, children are seen being given first aid in a field hospital, notably oxygen to help them breathe.

Doctors appear to be trying to resuscitate unconscious children. Specialists in the impact of chemical weapons said the video evidence was not entirely convincing.

“At the moment, I am not totally convinced because the people that are helping them are without any protective clothing and without any respirators,” said Paula Vanninen, director of Verifin, the Finnish Institute for Continued on Page 13

Manning sentenced to 35 years in WikiLeaks case

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Court orders Mubarak release CAIRO: An Egyptian court yesterday ordered ex-president Hosni Mubarak freed while he stands trial for corruption and killing protesters, as authorities pressed their roundup of supporters of his ousted Islamist successor. There was no indication of whether a release was imminent. In the past, prosecutors have filed new charges to keep Mubarak in jail after courts have ordered his conditional release.

The decision added a volatile new element to the political turmoil that has gripped Egypt since Mohamed Morsi was ousted in a July 3 coup, with 1,000 people killed in violence in the past week.

That unrest has prompted international criticism, and EU foreign ministers agreed in an emergency meeting yesterday to suspend the sale of arms and security equipment to Egypt.

Last year, Mubarak was convicted of complicity in the deaths of some of the 850 people killed in the 2011 uprising

Hosni Mubarak that overthrew him, as well as on charges of corruption. He was sentenced to life in prison, but an appeals court ordered a retrial on technicalities. Should he be freed, he still faces those charges and his next hearing is scheduled for Sunday.

Continued on Page 13

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

LOCAL

NA panel to determine ‘top three priorities’ Opinion poll in the offing KUWAIT: The parliament will form a ‘Priority Committee’ which will hold an opinion poll to determine the top three priorities of Kuwaiti citizens to address them first. A private company specialized in organizing polls will be the one to carry out this two-week survey. This committee consisting of MPs and ministers will work in cooperation with both the parliament and government, which will simplify the parliament’s work and lead to more achievements and help pass laws, necessary for the development and construction process.

Kuwait Times asked Kuwaitis of different ages for their opinion on the three most important issues they would like the parliament to address first. The housing issue ranks on top of 29-yearold Fatma’s priorities. “The housing issue is criti-

house. My second priority is to naturalize the children of Kuwaiti mothers married to nonKuwaitis. These children already have this right but we want the authorities to apply the law.

Finally, my third priority is to build new hospitals to suit the current situation and treat the high number of patients,” she told the Kuwait Times.

Eisa Al-Mutar, a 25-year-old employee agrees with Fatma that the housing issue is the most important priority for citizens. “Housing is the first priority for many young Kuwaitis, including myself. The government should decrease the price of lands so the citizens can manage to build their house instead of waiting for many years for their turn to receive a house. The government should also open more areas to become residential areas to relieve further pressure. Employment is the second priority. We need to employ Kuwaitis according to their qual-

cal in Kuwait and all of us suffer. Kuwaiti women are oppressed in this issue. I think a Kuwaiti woman who doesn’t have a house or is married to a non-Kuwaiti should be entitled to get a

ification. For instance, I graduated in economy but they listed my name in the Ministry of Health, then to the Customs Department and finally to the Ministry of Finance. There shouldn’t

By Nawara Fattahova

Delegation heads to Saudi to offer condolences KUWAIT: By order of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, a delegation from Al-Sabah family headed to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia yesterday to offer condolences to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and Royal Highnesses and princes on the demise of His Royal Highness Prince Musaed bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

The delegation included Sheikh

Faisal Saud Al-Sabah, Sheikh Dr. Ibrahim Duaij Al-Sabah, Governor of Ahmadi, Sheikh Dr. Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs, Sheikh Brig Abdullah Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Amiri Guard commander and Sheikh Mohammed Al-Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and Minister of Health.—KUNA

Ban on school ‘nepotism’ reversed in Kuwait KUWAIT: Kuwait’s education minister said his ministry accepted a court ruling that cancelled its decision not to allow students to attend schools where their parents were on the administrative or teaching staff.

“We respect the law and court sentences and we will cancel the decision to separate students and their parents in schools even though we do support its merits,” Nayef Al-Hajraf said on Tuesday.

“We will not hesitate to make any decision that serves the interests of our students and the education system.”

The ministry had fought a tense battle to keep its decision to avoid having students and their parents in the same school.

Scores of Kuwaitis have complained that students who had their parents in the same school often received preferential treatment from the administration and the teachers.

They said that teachers engaged in favouritism and tended to be more positive with the sons or daughters of their colleagues and friends.

However, when the ministry decided

that either parents or students had to move to other schools to avoid conflict of interest, several Kuwaitis opposed the move and cited a series of challenges that would arise from the decision.

The campaign, supported by some media, targeted the ministry as acting against the interests of families, forcing parents or students to move out.

A court this week decided to annul the decision.

Launching and implementing reforms in the northern Arabian Gulf nation have often been resisted by strong social wishes to keep the status quo.

The labour and social affairs minister has come under fire after she announced plans to reform the labour market and reduce dependency on foreigners.

Dhikra Al Rasheedi’s plans to have one million expatriates leave the country in ten years and boost the local labour market have been harshly criticised as “impossible to achieve”.

Around two-thirds of Kuwait’s total population of 3.3 million people are foreigners, mainly Asians in the construction and service sectors.

Fire extinguished at Mina Abdullah refinery KUWAIT: A fire broke out early yesterday at Mina Abdullah refinery resulted by an oil leak in crude pipes, said Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC).

The fire, which occurred at 0230 local time, in the refinery was caused by an oil leak in the crude oil refining pipes. The refinery’s firefighting team was able to

contain the fire and extinguish it, Head of the Public Relations and Media and KNPC spokesperson, Mohammad AlAjmi said.

No casualties were reported among workers, Al-Ajmi said adding that Mina Abdullah refinery’s production was not halted. — KUNA

be wasta in employing. And finally, for cooperation between the parliament and the government, to divide the wealth equally between citizens and solve all issues would be my third priority,” he pointed out.

30-year-old Salah Al-Hatem praised the initiative of the parliament to hold this opinion poll.

“It’s a good step. I consider the ‘multimillion deposits case’ my first priority. We want to find out the culprits and make sure they are punished,” he said.

His second priority would be to review the system of polling with one vote. “This issue caused many problems in the country and it should be definitely solved. This parliament is better than the previous ones and represents the nation well, though I didn’t vote,” added AlHatem.

The housing issue is his third priority. “My mom gave me KD 500,000 to buy a house and I didn’t find any other place than Bu Ftaira, which is still a desert. I found a land measuring 400 square meters for KD 260,000 and its price was KD 70,000 just two years back, when my friend bought one. So I need the rest of the amount to build the house which will cost about half a million by the end. About 10 years ago, a 750square meter land in Rawda cost KD 185, and today the price has multiplied many times more.

It’s impossible for a normal employee to buy a house in most of the current residential areas,” he concluded.

45-year-old Manal thinks the health issue is the most important priority. “My first priority is to build new hospitals as all public hospitals are crowded all the time. We also need more professional doctors as the currently available ones are not up to the mark. My second priority is to build new public universities as we are facing a problem every year with the rising number of fresh graduates since we have only one public university for 50 years now. Finally, the third priority is to solve the traffic problem. We need to develop roads which is the most important part of the traffic problem,” she said.

KUWAIT: The top priorities of ordinary Kuwaitis are education, health and housing.

Japanese premier to visit Kuwait

By A. Saleh KUWAIT: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrives in Kuwait on Sunday on a few days state visit during which several cooperation agreements on developmental and economic projects would be signed, said informed sources noting that a delegation comprising of the head of major Japanese companies would escort the premier to get their share of the development plan projects.

KAC employees Ministry of communications recently addressed the Civil Services Commission to retrieve a list of over 70 KAC employees ( with 15+ years in services) wishing to transfer to work for the government sector before turning KAC into a shareholding company.

Employees threat Planning ministry employees’ syndicate recently promised minister, Rola Dashti a very wild con-

frontation soon. “We have been keen cooperating for the best of all employees but the minister irresponsibly reac ted, which means more struggle for our rights”, said the syndicate chairperson, Fatima Al-Rasheedi noting that Dashti had been treating employees so snobbishly and that she had been ignoring a request to meet her.

Lost weapons MP, Abdullah Al-Traiji filed a

parliamentary inquiry to the Deputy PM and Interior Minister Sheik h M ohammed Al-K haled about three weapons that had been lost by the special forces during training. In his inquiry, AlTraiji asked about the names of s o l d i e r s h o l d i n g t h e t h re e weapons holding certain serial numbers he provided, who discovered that the weapons were missing, who reported and the m e a s u re s fo l l o we d i n t h e process.

New survey on money, happiness DUBAI: It takes more money to be considered wealthy in the UAE than it does in the United States or the United Kingdom, a survey has found.

Whereas it takes an average wealth of $2.6 million for a person in the emirates to be classed as having deep pockets, the same recognition is valued at $1.4 million in the US and $1.3 million in the UK. The survey by the deVere Group, a Dubai-based independent financial advisory company, found Hong Kong residents must earn the most money before they can brag about being rich, with $2.8 million deemed as being wealthy.

In South Africa, it takes $1.2 million to be considered well off.

“The poll highlights that wealth is a subjective, largely relative, issue,” said Nigel Green, deVere Group’s founder and chief executive.

“It’s our experience that an increasing number of people across these five territories are becoming what would be deemed as wealthy.

“However, whatever level you are financially, the most vital thing is to have a sound, workable, progressive financial strategy.”

The survey also asked the age-long question, does money bring you happiness? The answer was a resounding ‘yes’, though varied in its levels of confidence.

In Hong Kong, 86 per cent believe wealth does guarantee a happier life while 84 per cent in the UAE thought the same. 81 per cent in the US, 77 per cent in the UK and 72 per cent in South Africa were also in agreement.

“In addition, as the findings reveal, it is widely believed that money can bring happiness. Many things can make us happy, but I suspect the reason why most people insist money is a major contributor to happiness is because it provides a wider scope of opportunity.” ?

The study polled 900 deVere clients from the five countries mentioned.

KUWAIT: A delegation from the Coast Guards visited Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoom Naval College in UAE, to look at the facilities and educational plans there. The delegation is comprised of the Director of Formations department Col Saleh Al-Foudari and Director of Specialized Training Center Abdelkareem Karam and Head of Naval Operations Maj Mubarak Ali Al-Sabah.

KUWAIT: Shuwaikh Industrial Fire Center put out a fire in the prefabricated building offices of a project in Al-Rai. Meanwhile, a bus and two cars caught fire when they were parked near a building in Khaitan. Thick smoke spread into the building prompting fire-fighters to evacuate it. Two children suffered after inhaling smoke. Farwaniya Fire Center and Sabhan Center dealt with the fire successfully. — Photos by Hanan Al-Saadoun

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

LOCAL

Kuwait crackdown continues, Asian women feel the heat

By Ben Garcia KUWAIT: Four women who were arrested for residency violations last week shared their stories with the Kuwait Times. Speaking quietly and hesitatingly over the phone, the Filipinas said they are waiting behind bars to be deported shortly at a detention centre in Kuwait.

(Kuwait Times will not mention their real names or reveal their identity to avoid compromising their safety). The women were arrested by the immigration police on the street.

Liza, a runaway maid was caught on the street on August 19.

She was accompanied by her friend, another runaway housemaid. Her friend was a little further away from her when the police conducted a random street inspection. Her friend managed to escape while she couldn’t as the police patrol car stopped right in front of her. “I really wanted to stay for a longer time in Kuwait because I have my family back home to feed. But now I have no choice; I was caught, and will have to go back home. They are already processing my depor tation papers,” Liza said timidly over the

phone.

Six months ago, Liza escaped from a Kuwaiti family whom she describes as “psychologically troubled”. “I was hired directly from a recruitment agenc y. I told my recruiter that I cannot stay in that house because the people were all crazy”. She explained that her 98year-old female employer has a son who had just been released from a mental health hospital.

“This man has four sons - three of them were psychologically troubled. Only one of his children was not crazy,” she said. Describing what the days were like working for this family, she says: “The man would show me his private parts every day. I told my recruiter that if I stay, I will probably go crazy too.

So I ran away.” She escaped with another Filipina who was her neighbor. The two finally landed jobs as sales representatives, and worked illegally for six months.

Lennie, another Filipina, was caught with her Egyptian husband on August 17. She is currently fivemonths pregnant. Her Egyptian husband was released as he was employed by a private firm. “My husband has a legal residency. I do not have a visa. I just left my

employer and got married recently. I don’t have any legal documents. When the police caught us, they separated us from each other.

Now he is free and I am not,” she said adding that she calls him every day. “My husband said, he will do his best for me to stay, but I am mentally prepared to leave. If he really loves me, then he can follow me to the Philippines. I don’t want to be exhausted now at this point when I’m pregnant. I just want to go home,” she said. Lorna, was also detained on August 13 while she was on her way back home from work where she’s employed as a sales lady. Her visa (Article 20) allowed her household employment. “I was caught on my way home from work but I was ready to go. I have my travel documents in my hand because at any time, if police catch me, I can go home. Now, I am waiting to be deported,” she said.

Yesterday, there were eight Filipinas inside prison who were sharing the space with as many as 40 expatriates (Indians, Sri Lankans and Ethiopians among other nationalities) who were arrested for residency violations.

According to sources, expatri-

ates who were caught with no criminal record of theft or other serious cases can go home in a few weeks. But people who have pending cases like theft such as Lily have to wait for some time. “I have been here since July 5. I was caught with a Filipina who is now already in the Philippines. I am here because my employer filed a case of theft against me. It was a fabricated case of theft because I never took anything from them.

But according to the embassy, my case should be cleared first before they can deport me,” she said.

According to Lily, she was first detained at Omariya Police Station and was later transferred to the current location. “For over a month, I have experienced many issues inside prison. I was brought to Sulaibiya for finger-printing a few days ago and harassed by the police who brought me here,” she said adding “the policeman wanted to Be iutmad me. He showed me his private parts, but I told him I just want to go home. He didn’t stop, even inside the police station, he took me to a remote corner and exposed himself again and said he wants me,” she admitted.

Ministry to improve mosques charter

By A Saleh KUWAIT: The Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor plans to introduce amendments to an existing law that bans discussion of politics in local worship places, and start again to record sermons given during Friday Prayers.

Sources familiar with the ministry ’s thinking did not specify details regarding the amendments, but said that they aim to “protect imams from fabricated complaints”, and “prevent the action of using mosques as a forum for discussing political and sectarian topics”. Imams who mention political situations happening in any Arab country while preaching will be punished by termination of their contracts on grounds of breaking the ministry’s Mosques Char ter, said the sources who spoke on the condition of

anonymity.

Recording ‘khutba’ speeches every Friday allowed the ministry in the past to review preaches and take necessar y actions against imams in accordance, and the ministry reportedly hopes that reintroducing the procedures will give it more control as it seeks to stop preachers from discussing the situations in Egypt, Syria and other Arab countries inside mosques.

Letters containing the new instructions are expected to be circulated to local mosques in the upcoming few days. The news comes a couple of days after Ministr y of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs suspended controversial cleric Dr Shafi Al-Ajmi from preaching in local mosques over accusations of instigating hatred and promoting Al-Qaeda-linked rebels by repeatedly addressing the infighting in Syria. Kuwait TV

Veteran skippers, Al-Rashid, Al-Sayyar and Al-Menae

also suspended a show of Dr AlAjmi last week and the Information Ministry announced

opening an investigation to determine who was responsible for putting the controversial cleric on air.

Boom returning to Kuwait coast.

Pearl diving expedition concludes KUWAIT: Under auspices of HH the Amir and the attendance of Sheikh Salman Al-Humoud, Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs, the 25th Pearl Diving Expedition held from Aug 15 to 22, organized annually by the marine heritage committee of Kuwait Sea Sports Club (KSSC), will be concluded this afternoon with the participation of 192 young sailors from Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman on board 10 ships gifted by HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah AlAhmed and the late Amir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmed.

Participants’ families will take part in the conclusion ceremony, traditionally known as ‘Quffal’, at

KSSC beach where each group will start opening the shells they had collected while traditional folkloric bands from Kuwait and Oman perform dances. Finally, groups will show their respective har vests before the flag is handed over to HH the Amir ’s representative declaring the expedition officially over.

Notably, the expedition started last Thursday holding ‘Al-Dasha’ ceremony in the presence of Sheikh Salman at Al-Khairan diving beds.

Commenting on the expedition, KSSC acting chairman, Ahmed AlGhanim said that participants in the expedition would meet the deputy Amir, HH the Crown Prince

Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmed, which reflects the care given to maintaining and reviving ancestors’ traditions passing them down to younger generations.

Al-Ghanim highly appreciated the participation of sailors from Bahrain led by veteran skipper Abdul Rahman Al-Menae. He also thanked Omani sailors and sponsors including the Gulf Bank, Kuwait Foundation For the Advancement of Science, KPC, Dar Al-Khaleej Engineering Investments, Rowdatain Water Bottling Co Kuwait Flour Mills and Bakeries Co, Kaifan and Salmiya cops, the media and various ministries.

KUWAIT: Construction workers are seen in different areas of Kuwait. These images are used for illustrative purpose only. —Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Union reiterates demands for sponsorship cancelation KUWAIT: A Kuwaiti union released a statement in which they accused the local government of failing to take serious measures to fight visa traffickers, and warned that a large number of expatriate labor forces in the Gulf state continue to fall victims to injustice and unjustified deportation.

Meanwhile, the Kuwait Trade Union Federation demanded in a repor t released by its Expatriate Labor Forces Office that the labor sponsorship system should be canceled on the basis that it has become “a dark spot in human rights records”, blaming the system for violations which include depriving workers of salaries for up to one year, apart from confiscating workers’ passports in violation of the law.

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor announced earlier this year that plans to establish a so-called Public Authority for Manpower are ongoing and will be opened by the end of the year.

Visa trafficking refers to practices in which loopholes in the sponsorship system are exploited to release work permits in fake companies or nonexistent job openings and then sell them to unskilled labor forces looking for a chance to work in the oil-rich Gulf region. Once they reach Kuwait, workers in most cases end up with no physical jobs and resort to accepting hard labor, to often live without valid visas.

Such workers are often referred to in government rhetoric as ‘marginal labor forces’, and they have been identified by Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Thekra Al-Rashidi as the target of a plan announced last March to deport 100,000 foreigners each year as part of a scheme to cut the country’s expatriate population by one million within a decade.

“The plan to deport 100,000 workers annually not only brands Kuwait as a country that violates the rights of residents, but also serves visa traffickers”, read the report published yesterday in

Al-Qabas. It reiterated earlier reports which suggest that deporting illegals virtually ‘increases’ the fees that traffickers collect from workers and helps them in light of the lack of parallel government efforts to tackle visa trafficking.

There are nearly 90,000 people living illegally in Kuwait according to official figures. Crackdowns on illegal residents resulted in thousands of arrests and deportations over the past few months, but no reports came about investigations taken to pursue traffickers.

However, a report earlier this week suggested that the MSAL has already reached an agreement with the Interior Ministry to launch campaigns against visa traffickers soon after the topic was mentioned by lawmakers who for the past week have raised questions regarding the minister’s competency following news about her involvement in alleged hiring on nepotistic basis.

KUTF’s report also accuses the state of lacking a clear policy regarding the actual needs of Kuwait’s labor market. “The state’s efforts to expand the private sector’s activity in the national economy has made the private sector become the main recruiter for foreign labor forces, which led to inflation in the volume of unskilled workers in the local market and emergence of visa trafficking as a phenomenon”, the report reads. The union also criticized the government and parliament for far failing to pass a law that regulates the affairs of more than 800,000 domestic helpers in the country, and also described decisions to deport drivers for committing serious traffic offenses without trial as “injustice” and “violation of human rights”.

Kuwait has been the subject of criticism from rights groups during the past few years over human rights violations resulting mostly from practices relating to deficiencies in the sponsorship system. Kuwait is home to 2.6 million expatriates who make 68 percent of the country’s 3.8 million population.

Expat singles to be forced out of ‘private accommodations’

KSSC chairman, Ahmed Al-Ghanim

KUWAIT: The Kuwait Municipality announced the beginning of campaigns that involve searching houses that are originally owned by Kuwaitis but are offered to expatriates for rent in violation of the law, a local daily reported yesterday quoting a source with knowledge of the case.

Speaking to Al-Rai on the condition of anonymity, the source said that the campaign targets houses classified as ‘private accommodation’ which refer to villas and houses allocated to Kuwaiti nationals’ living. He did not mention ‘investment accommodation’ which is often used in

municipality paperwork to refer to apartment buildings. The operations involve inspection campaigns that include entering houses to detect single expatriates who rent rooms created after in some cases a house would be separated into partitions.

Minister of Housing Affairs Salem AlOthaina ordered Kuwait Municipality Director Ahmad Al-Subaih to make sure that inspectors commit to the law during the campaigns, mainly with regards to finding evidence and giving homeowners sufficient periods of time to evacuate homes rented illegally.

Shakir Mahmoud Awad

Ayesha Al-Humaidhi

Officials keen on animal control policies KUWAIT: Stray animals have increased in the last several years, a matter that caused the number of accidents related to attacks against innocent people to jump remarkably, not to forget the recent incident when astray dogs attacked a young girl leaving her suffer her wounds and severe bites.

“Official and popular efforts must put together in order to tackle this phenomenon”, said a Kuwaiti expert on animals protection yesterday.

To shed more light on this critical issue, Kuwait News Agency began searching for solution to this phenomenon and met Chairman and founder of Kuwait Society for the Protection of Animals and Their Habitat (K’SPATH) Ayesgh Al-Humaidhi who underscored the need for tremendous efforts to be put together by all relevant authorities in order to make the society a safe place and put an end to this dangerous phenomenon.

Al-Huimaidhi said that the numbers of dogs have increased in recent years due to the increase of dog ownership and registration with relevant bodies including those used for street fighting, in addition to the emergence of specialized clubs and dog breeding shops.

She added that anyone attacked by stray dogs is an extremely serious matter which requires more specific measures to be taken by the competent authori-

ties, taking into account the importance of treating such issue in a “humanitarian” way.

She explained that “there are several humanitarian ways to combat this phenomenon carried out by the world associations for animal rights, including the method of “euthanasia”, which is a humane way to deal with these kinds of dangerous dogs, saying it is indisputable that we take responsible actions to prevent repeated incidents, similar to the young girl’s incident. Al-Humaidhi added, that “the association of (K’SPATH), spent the last four years developing a program of animal control for Kuwait that is humane and effective, with the aim of making our communities safer and we can continue to hope PAAFR will adopt our tried-and-tested program and support us to keep our communities safe.”

Ayesha Al-Humaidhi is the Chairman and Founder of Kuwait Society for the Protection of Animals and Their Habitat (K’SPATH) which is a local non-profit animal welfare and environmental protection organization established in 2005.

They provide a wide range of services for animals in Kuwait, including companion animal shelter, farm and equine sanctuary, wildlife rehabilitation and sanctuary, wildlife management, stray animal control, environmental cleanup, and education to name but a few. Also the (K’SPATH) operates the first and only

open door shelter in Kuwait, Al-Humaidhi said “meaning we accept any and every animal into our care. We have thus far provided care for dogs, cats, turtles, tortoises, various birds including eagles and owls, ferrets, donkeys, rabbits, goats, hamsters, baboons, hedgehogs, chipmunks, hyena, snakes, and fox. Our education program teaches children in schools about compassion and kindness toward animals, while educating people about the basic needs and proper treatment and care of animals.”

On his part, Head of Animal Health Department of the Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources Dr. Abdul Rahman Al-Kenderi told KUNA that the number of stray dogs nearly reached more than 20,000 dogs, which is an issue of concern for citizens and the environment.

Also he added, that the Authority put recent tougher laws for anyone who wants to adopt animals, including that they should provide them a suitable place where the animal can be sheltered and should take the approval of their neighbors so as not to be a annoying to them. Head of the Public Relations Department in the Public Authority of Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources Shakir Mahmoud Awad said, that the emergency center of the authority receives all calls of complaints or inquiry on the hotline 1800018. — KUNA

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

LOCAL

Possessive brother beats sister over late night call Attempt to kidnap teenager KUWAIT: A Rumaithiya resident faces charges after he physically assaulted his sister on finding her phone busy late at night. In her statements to police, the Kuwaiti woman said that her brother returned home fuming, stormed into her room and beat her up. She added that despite attempts to explain to him, her brother continued his physical and verbal abuse and even threatened to kill her if he found her cell phone line busy at night again. The victim went to Mubarak Hospital, got a medical diagnosis done and rushed to the police station to report the case. Police summoned the man for investigations.

Conman held Kuwait City police arrested a man before he could leave the country with money he conned out of tourists through various scams. The suspect reportedly made KD 16,000 after giving at least seven families travel tickets and hotel reservations through a travel agency he worked at. His crime was discovered only when one of his clients called the agency to cancel his trip and was informed that his reservations were not registered in the agencies’ records and that the money he paid was never deposited. When the Egyptian man was nowhere to be found, both the client and the agency manager went to Sharq police station and filed a case. The man was arrested on Tuesday and he admitted to pocketing the cash through scams and said that he had already sent the money to his home country. He remains in custody pending legal procedures.

Fake passports Two stateless residents were arrested at the Kuwait International Airport after

they forwarded European passports that were discovered to be forged. The two were preparing to fly to a Gulf state when officers at the passports counter found that their passports lacked the visa sticker or entrance stamp. They were referred to investigations during which they admitted that they paid somebody KD 500 each to obtain a fake passport after their initial attempts to obtain a temporary Kuwaiti passport (Article 17) failed. They were taken to the proper authorities for further action while investigations are on in search of the man who sold them the fake passports.

Search for kidnappers Search is on for male suspects who reportedly followed a teenager to kidnap and molest him before he managed to escape. The 16-year-old boy told the police that the group attempted to kidnap him on a street in Mangaf but he escaped and sought shelter at a friend’s house. The suspects tried knocking on the door and beat a hasty retreat when the boy’s friend’s father confronted them.

The boy said that the same suspects had tried to kidnap him several times during the past seven months but each time he had managed to escape. Investigations are ongoing.

Dead fetus Seveal female patients at the gynecology section inside the Adan Hospital are being questioned after a dead fetus was found in the ward’s toilet. Medical staff reportedly called police after a patient made the gruesome discovery. Police suspect that the infant could have died during a miscarriage when one of the women in the ward became pregnant out of wedlock.

Inspections to prevent marine pollution KUWAIT: The Environmental Public Authority and the Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources carried out a joint inspection of Negaat AlShamlan, behind Sharq mall and the fish market.

Chairman of the Water Pollution Monitoring Department in the Environmental Public Authority, Hamza Karam, said that the inspection came following reports of the marine authorities on

several violations on the site.

Karam noted that many environmental violations were registered against fishing boats and those in charge of them during inspection, adding that the violations included the disposal of oil waste and fish waste into the waters. He also said that the authority is carrying out random inspections on all sites causing water pollution to register violations against all those in responsible. — KUNA

Jordan honors two Kuwaitis AMMAN: King Abdullah II of Jordan presented Kuwaiti philanthropists Ali Abdullah Al-Shamlan and Abdullah Yusuf Al-Ghunaim with Jordan’s Order of Independence of the First Degree in appreciation of their efforts to promote a correct understanding and awareness of Islam’s tolerance and about Islamic thought.

Al-Shamlan is a former minister of higher education and head of Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences. Al-Ghunaim had served as minister of education, as minister of higher education, and is head of the Kuwaiti Studies and Research Center.

The Kuwaiti figures received their honors in a meeting with the king on the sidelines of the 16th Royal Aal Al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought General Conference, which wraps up activities today.

The two figures expressed appreciation for this recognition of their efforts and stressed the conference, hosted in the Jordanian capital, is even more important this time around in view of the current state of affairs in both the Arab and Muslim world.

The current situation, they said, requires a joining and coordination of effort to present an objective view on all issues to guide all to a path that guarantees harmony which in turn makes it possible to achieve stability and progress for our Arab and Muslim nations.

The figures added awareness of this state of affairs led to the choice of title for the 16th General Conference as “Viable and Sustainable Modern Islamic State.” The working papers presented also discussed the image of “state” in Islamic thought and the need for viable answers and responses to modern day issues and challenges to enable Muslim states to thrive while staying in harmony with “the other.”

On the meeting with King Abdullah, they said the monarch stressed the Arab World’s need of an objective view of many issues and pointed out many dangers and challenges facing our world, which requires Muslim scientists, leaders, and men of thought to unite to shun and counter divide and dissension.

The king, they added, also stressed that all must unite to counter extremism, which only leads to more divide and scattering of effort, and stressed that “this is in no one’s benefit but the enemy.”

The discussions on a modern sustainable model for Islamic statehood are held with participation of 33 countries of different sects who represent different institutions and schools of thought. The sessions last for three days.

The Royal Aal Al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought is an international Islamic non-governmental, independent institute headquartered in Amman.

The Royal Aal Al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought states its mission is to serve Islam and humanity at large. Among its objectives are,

Ali Abdullah Al-Shamlan and Abdullah Yusuf Al-Ghunaim

“promoting awareness of Islam and Islamic thought, rectifying unsound ideas and misconceptions about Islam, and highlighting the Islamic intellectual contribution and its impact on human civilization.

Objectives also include, “deepening the dialogue and fostering cooperation between the schools of Islamic jurisprudence.

The institute also lists, among its objectives,

“highlighting the achievements of Aal Al-Bayt (Household of the Prophet) and their calling for middle ground, moderation and tolerance, fostering the encounter of Muslim scholars, the strengthening of their intellectual links and exchange of opinions, and cooperating with research centres, institutes, academic entities, and universities in accordance with the objectives of the Institute.”— KUNA

Health office denies passing 1,200 cases without approval LONDON: Local media reports that 1,200 applications for Kuwaiti state-sponsored medical treatment in the United Kingdom were passed without prior official approval were refuted yesterday.

‘The Kuwait state health office in London follows strict legal guidelines, pertaining to the acceptance of applications for healthcare in the United Kingdom, and ensures conditions for this treatment, including approvals by the committee in charge and the health ministry undersecretary are met,’ office chief Yaqoub Al-Tammar said.

The health office in London also refutes that 300 cases, described as ‘urgent,’ had been given the thumbs to receive treatment in the UK, he added. The official maintained that the

health ministry ‘places a huge emphasis on ensuring the easing of procedures for the transport of patients abroad, according to local laws and regulations, with the priority given to urgent cases.’

A local newspaper quoted ministry sources as revealing the approval of some 1,200 applicants for treatment in London over the past three months — since the resignation of the former health offices chief Mubarak Al-Ajmi — without any official approval.

The reports went further to suggest that the office’s counterparts in France, Germany and the United States had refused to accept any of the applicants after having received unapproved letters of application from the Ministry of Health. — KUNA

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

LOCAL kuwait digest

kuwait digest

Priorities of the people

Do we have a trumpet to blow?

By Dr Wael Al-Hasawi

P

By Dr Naji Al-Zaid

T

he most important scientific discoveries that benefited humanity over the past 10 years are as follows: 1. The human genome.

2. Huge advancement in the discovery of heart and vein diseases without invasive intervention in removing blockages and changing valves.

3. Hormone replacement therapy to treat symptoms of menopause.

4. Treatment of tumors by targeting the tumor directly.

5. The first vaccine against cancer which was used to prevent cervical cancer.

6. Using genes and cluster cells to treat damaged nervous system during old age, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

7. Use of enzymes to prevent blood clotting during blood transfusion by removing antigens in the A, B, AB, O and RhFactor, which makes it possible to transfuse blood from one group to another without the fear of fatal complications.

8. Discovery of OMEGA3 Lipoacid which protects the heart and veins from damage. It is also used to treat many diseases and boost the immune system.

There are of course other discoveries of the same magnitude, but let us focus on what we discovered in Kuwait over the past 10 years.

1 - The scandal of Mishref sewer without determining who is responsible or punishing him.

2 - DOW scandal and the fines paid by the government without determining who is responsible.

3 - The deposit of millions.

4 - High school exam cheating video.

5 - The unconstitutionality of the consecutive dissolution of the assemblies the government presented.

6 - The forged degrees.

7 - Discovery of spoiled food and meat and its announcement without names or punishment.

8 - Iqama trade, which is still taking place despite various plans to fight it.

There are other scandals and discoveries which took place in Kuwait in the past 10 years but these diminish in front of the discovery of thefts, embezzlements and scandals that we read and hear about with no solutions and no accountability. All that we do is hop from one scandal to another and despite this, some officials brag about the “advancements” that Kuwait has made in all fields.— Al-Qabas

kuwait digest

Who doesn’t love Al-Sumait?

By Arwa Al-Waqian

A

bdulrahman Al-Sumait embarked on a journey to the harshest places on earth where he faced all kinds of hardships and difficulties. He never gave up hope and continued to give and give. He was a bright image of Islam. I hope every Muslim can follow in his footsteps instead of adapting extremism, killing and accusing others of infidelity.

Love of charity is a seed which is planted to grow whether the surrounding environment helps it or not. A solid proof of this is the late Dr Al-Sumait who planted charity and benevolence and spread the best images of Islam in the black continent of Africa!

Dr Al-Sumait (May Almighty Allah bestow His mercy on His soul) used to attract people to Islam thorough mercy. He attracted thousands to the religion of mercy, unlike what is prevailing nowadays. Now those representing Islam seem to represent terrorist groups that allow and forbid things according to their interests. This is not our religion, which is one of love not of hatred, wars and divisions.

Very few people deserve reverence and become role models. Sumait was one of them. Who did not love him?

Despite our differences and the diversity of our beliefs and concepts, we all love him. I wish we could all help the needy in those areas, not only those in Kuwait or during the holy month of Ramadan. I wish benevolence can become a way

of life, especially since we lead a luxurious life and have a lot of options to enjoy life. Let’s make helping those underprivileged one of those options!

Have ever tried helping a poor person? Have ever helped a needy person? Have you ever visited an elderly person?

Have you ever taken part in an activity helping the handicapped? Have ever contributed in spreading awareness about cancer? Have you ever helped someone in need?

There are so many ways to provide charity and benevolence. Pick one that suits you and you will definitely find your heart filled with the joy of giving. Do not deprive yourself of it and do not listen to voices criticizing you asking: ‘Do you think you can save the world?’

Be sure that even if you can’t save the world, you will definitely save the person you help and he, in turn, can save another and so on till benevolence prevails and passes down from one generation to another. You will help save part of a world dominated by poverty and need. So, never hesitate, get depressed or listen to discouraging voices or calls. You are the seed for future benevolence and a flower in a barren arid land!

Finally, I thank HH the Amir for naming a street after the late Sumait to keep his memory alive. I hope we can also teach about him in schools because he had a very rich worthwhile biography to study and publish. — Al-Jarida

kuwait digest

arliament Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim announced that he assigned the research center in the National Assembly to conduct a public survey to determine topics that citizens want to see given priority in political discussion.

There is no doubt that this proposal is important and can be very helpful, but I would like to remind the speaker about a number of main topics: First: Kuwait has featured a considerable number of surveys to identify topics that people want to be given priorities. One of the published survey results as a study carried out by the parliament in May 2009 and is posted on its website, which includes the following topics listed in order of priorities (percentage in parentheses): 1- Improving education (35.8 percent) 2- Improving healthcare (34.9 percent) 3- Writing off citizens’ loans (27.2 percent) 4Resolving the housing issue (24.5 percent) 5- Salary increases and demands to limiting prices hikes (17.8 percent) 6- Addressing the unemployment problem (16.3 percent) 7- Ending the stateless residents’ problem (15.8 percent) 8- Addressing women’s social issues (14.3 percent) 9- Achieving economic development (10.9 percent) 10- Resolving traffic problems (10.6 percent) Second: It is safe to say that the topics mentioned above did not change in terms of priorities, because they were never resolved and instead, allowed to grow worse. While the parliament lacks executive powers, it is still required to focus on making sure that the government’s plan includes scientific solutions to each of these problems coupled with deadlines that ministers agree to honor or face accountability.

Third: What is more important than listing priorities according to their level of importance, is for the parliament to actually give these topics priority in discussion during sessions and keep an eye on the government when it comes to executing plans.

Fourth: The issue is not just to find suitable regulations, but also to see clear policies and plans adopted to guarantee that development is seen in various fields where problems are required to be tackled such as education. The study mentioned above explains that the lack of strategic vision for the future is the reason behind the deterioration in Kuwait’s education.

I hope that MPs work on ‘pacifying’ colleagues who plan to rush grilling motions and threats to ministers, and instead give top priority to working along with ministers towards resolving problems that people face. —Al-Qabas

Brotherhood an armed group?

kuwait digest

Why do we exist?

By Mubarak Al-Duwailah

I

was saddened by Al-Jarida daily’s recent op-ed in which they urged the Cabinet to take a ‘more clear position’ with regard to supporting the Egyptian government that came after a military coup, and even described the Muslim Brotherhood as an ‘armed group’ It claimed that their demonstrations were dominated by armed protestors, and accused the elected president Mohammed Morsi of ‘betraying his people and the constitution’.

According to the newspaper logic, the man who became president through free elections spent an entire year in power without arresting a political opponent or closing a newspaper for expressing an oppositionist opinion; a man in that case is considered a traitor.

Meanwhile, the same newspaper urges the Kuwaiti government to support those who have closed oppositionist newspapers and TV channels and arrested dozens during the first few hours of their coup. The newspaper is asking the Kuwaiti government to support a regime that killed thousands of peaceful protestors in one day.

Regarding accusations that the Muslim Brotherhood is an armed group, I couldn’t find a better response than an explanation by Dr Salah Sultan posted last Monday on the ‘Nafethat Dumyat’ (Damietta’s Window) news website, and a part of it goes as follows: “Did you know that the number of Muslim Brotherhood’s members is estimated between 700,000 and does not exceed one million, if we don’t count the inactive members and sympathizers? If we take the active members into account, let’s imagine that the Muslim Brotherhood decided to hand firearms to its members as the media claims today. Do you know what it mean to have a million people carrying guns? To help you picture it more easily, do you know that the official number of servicemen in the Egyptian Army is 479,000 servicemen in duty, in addition to a similar number of reserve troops. This means that the active army members reach only half the number of Muslim Brotherhood members. Does this give you a better picture on what it would be like if all members of the Muslim Brotherhood carried weapons? Of course the situation wouldn’t be similar to what we have seen on the media. Some might argue that Muslim Brotherhood members could not use their weapons out of fear that such actions would signal their end. And here let me ask this question, what exactly does ‘their end’ refer to? Arrest of their leaders? Already done.

Killing of their children? Already done. Confiscation of their money? Already done. Burn down of their offices?

Already done. Raids against their homes? Already done.

Setting them up in traps and ID-killing? Already done. So what is the Muslim Brotherhood waiting for exactly before they use their weapons? Nothing, except for their belief in the justness of their cause and the peacefulness of their movement. Despite that, I believe that if the military continued persecuting its members and went on with attempts to end their existence, then the Muslim Brotherhood will have no other choice but to defend themselves and Al-Sisi’s government is responsible for the consequences”.

May God Almighty save Egypt from aggression and injustice. — Al-Qabas

By Ahmad Al-Sarraf

T

here is no doubt that there is a huge difference between Japan and us with no exception. They are better than us in industries, cleanliness, morals and manners. The reason for this is because Japan pays a lot of attention to teaching ethics right in primary school. And when it comes to religion, parents take total responsibility to teach their children. It is safe to say that teaching ethics instead can be credited for creating a hardworking, meticulous and honest Japanese nation.

Japan did not realize the importance of teaching ethics by coincidence. It was only years after advanced European countries reached the same conclusion after witnessing hundreds of years of wars which killed millions. Stability followed by economic growth was only achieved after they were relieved of the pressure. The transition towards humanization was not easy; Renaissance paved its way in the 15th and 16th centuries, followed by advancements in the 18th century which led to scientific domination. The result was advanced Western countries in all fields.

These countries have set examples that we can simply imitate and expect similar results without having to go through a similar struggle. Unfortunately however, we find that what happens here today is completely the opposite. Instead of improving our ideologies in the wake of the Egyptian crisis as a result of religious-political rules and similar policies in Iran, Sudan, etc which have halted these countries’ development process, many among us still believe that increasing the volume of religious subjects in school textbooks is the solution to all our problems.

In Kuwait, Maryam Al-Wutaid (for some reason, Minister Nayef Al-Hajraf couldn’t find anyone else but her to appoint as Undersecretary for the Education Ministry) gave instructions to include texts from the Holy Book into the mathematics’ curricula; perhaps believing that religious context will make students understand mathematics better!

The undersecretary gave these instructions to a committee formed specifically to improve curricula taught in local schools; which we had hoped would eliminate what has been left behind by Islamists through a three-decade long domination in the Education Ministry. I do not blame Al-Wutaid as much as I blame the minister who remained silent regarding the news, as well as the government who never explained its philosophy in life. Do we exist to build the Earth and spread life and goodness through it, in which case the undersecretary is required to resign or be relieved off of her duties?

We probably will never receive answers to these questions. In the meantime, the undersecretary will remain in her post and give more instructions which will make education in Kuwait more backward than it already is. — Al-Qabas

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

US sanctions Islamic school in Pakistan

Iranian jailed for distributing bibles Page 8

Page 10

BEIRUT: A Lebanese gunman is seen during the funeral procession in a Beirut stronghold of Shiite group Hezbollah. — AFP

Hezbollah turns Beirut bastion into a fortress Shiite militia accused of running a ‘state-within-a-state’ BEIRUT: Streets leading into powerful Hezbollah’s stronghold in the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital have been cordoned off, as guards in civilian clothes search a long line of cars.

The Shiite militant group was already accused of running a “statewithin-a-state,” but two car bombings in the area in as many months have spurred Hezbollah to turn the suburbs into a fortress.

At entrances to “dahiyeh”, or the suburbs, young loyalists of the group which has thrown its military weight behind Syria’s embattled president order drivers to open up their car boots. Others wear uniform, carry walkie-talkies and are members of the Hezbollah-run “Union of Municipalities of the Southern Suburbs”.

They also stop and ask for the IDs of bikers entering the densely populated neighborhood.

“It’s time to be vigilant. People are more relaxed when they see us,” a Hezbollah guard told AFP on condition of anonymity. Backed

by Tehran and a key ally of Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad, the heavily armed Hezbollah suffered a severe blow on Thursday when a car bomb killed 27 people. The attack, Lebanon’s bloodiest since its 1975-1990 civil war, came just over a month on from another car bomb attack in the same area that wounded around 50 people.

Thursday’s bombing was claimed by an unknown cell that said it was revenge for Hezbollah’s engagement in Syria’s war alongside Assad’s troops. Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah accused radical Sunni Islamists of staging the attack. Beyond the improvised checkpoints at main roads and bridges around the suburbs, drivers park their cars in cordoned-off streets and metal barriers block off alleyways. In a country where critics accuse Hezbollah of using its arsenal to impose its will, such measures reinforce the fortress-like image of the southern suburbs, where the Lebanese army and police rarely venture.

The party has long worked in secret, especially when it comes to security. But today, its draconian measures appear to be making residents feel safer. In the Rweiss area, near the target of the latest bomb attack, people conceal their fears when speaking to journalists. “Naturally, everything has changed. This was a safe neighborhood,” said Moussa, a thirty-something who owns a lamp store damaged by the August 15 bombing. But the man who “miraculously” survived the attack added: “We are not afraid. Even the Israelis couldn’t scare us.”

WAR ARRIVES HERE Hezbollah fought a devastating summer war in 2006 against Israel, which used its air force to bombard the southern suburbs nightly for a month, flattening hundreds of apartment blocks.

Dahiyeh’s defiance is vented on neighborhood walls. “Never will we be humiliated,” reads a sign posted on a building damaged in the latest bombing. Hezbollah, meanwhile, has been getting to work repairing the damage, with members of the movement’s Jihad Al-Binaa (Struggle for Reconstruction) organization fixing destroyed balconies.

After the 2006 war, it was this group that took charge of rebuilding southern Lebanon, outdoing the Lebanese government.

Hezbollah’s Lebanese critics say the party itself is to blame for the bombing because it has sent troops across the border to fight in Syria. But in the massively pro-Hezbollah neighborhood, no one criticizes the group, despite the anxieties the bombing has stirred.

“We hope there won’t be any new attacks, thanks to God and the resistance (Hezbollah),” said Zeinab, a young mother of two girls. Far from the gaze of Hezbollah’s guards, other residents say they fear new car bombs. “Everyone here is thinking, where will the next one hit? Ouzai? Hay Al-Sellom?” said one man, Mohammed, referring to two neighborhoods of the southern suburbs. “Many Shiites have travelled to Iraq on pilgrimage, and they know what it’s like there, the attacks, the checkpoints,” he said. —AFP

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

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

WikiLeaks source Manning sentenced to 35 years FORT MEADE: US Army Private Bradley Manning was sentenced to 35 years in jail yesterday for handing WikiLeaks files from the biggest breach of official secrets in American history. Manning could apply for parole and be freed within a decade, under a sentence, that followed a months-long court martial that laid bare the scale of the 25-yearold soldier’s access to government information.

It was slightly more than half the 60 year term that prosecutors had pushed for. Manning appeared ashen-faced moments before he heard his fate in a courtroom at Fort Meade military base in Maryland, close to the US capital.

Militar y judge Colonel Denise Lind delivered her verdict in a less than twominute statement in which she said the soldier would immediately be demoted from Private First Class to Private E1 status, and later dishonorably discharged.

Under military law Manning is eligible for parole on completion of one third of his sentence. His jail time will be shortened by a total of 1,293 days on account of the more than three years he has already served, which means he could be freed in nine years. A video link to the courtroom cut out as soon as Lind stopped speaking, but several Manning supporters were seen in tears outside immediately following the sentencing announcement.

Civil liberties groups condemned the

sentence, but WikiLeaks, the anti-secrecy website headed by Julian Assange, hailed the sentence as a “significant strategic victory.” Manning was convicted of espionage and other crimes last month, having earlier admitted being the source of hundreds of thousands of battlefield reports from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and confidential US diplomatic cables. Publication of the documents caused deep embarrassment to the United States and rankled American allies, prompting warnings from US officials that troops and intelligence sources had been jeopardized.

The penalty will be considered especially important as another leaker-the former intelligence contractor Edward Snowden, currently in Russia-is wanted in the United States on espionage charges, having disclosed details of the National Security Agency’s secret electronic monitoring operations. Army lawyers had pressed for a 60-year prison term for Manning, arguing that the penalty would send a message to people contemplating the theft of classified information.

Lead defense attorney David Coombs, however, appealed for leniency for his client. He said Manning had expressed remorse, cooperated with the court and deserved a chance to have a family and one day walk free. Coombs is scheduled to speak to reporters at 1:30 pm and outline the next steps in the sol-

dier’s case, which may well include an appeal. Manning was a junior intelligence analyst at a US base near Baghdad when he handed over the data-about 700,000 documents-to WikiLeaks. He was arrested in Iraq in 2010 and has since been in military custody.

The lengthy legal process that has followed offered an astonishing view inside the young soldier’s mind before, during and after he was deployed in Iraq. The most notorious material that he brought to light was a video file, dubbed “Collateral Murder ” by WikiLeaks, showing graphic cockpit footage of two US Apache attack helicopters opening fire and killing 12 people in Baghdad in 2007. Manning, a hero to suppor ters who regard him as a whistleblower who lifted the lid on America’s foreign policy, openly condemned the remarks of the pilots, who had branded the victims “dead bastards.”

Though found guilty of 20 of the 22 offenses leveled against him, Manning was cleared of the most serious charge”aiding the enemy,” chiefly Al-Qaeda.

More than 100,000 people have signed a petition calling for Manning’s nomination for a Nobel Peace Prize. The American Civil Liberties Union said yesterday’s sentence was sad for Manning but also sad “for all Americans who depend on brave whistleblowers and a

MARYLAND: US Army Private First Class Bradley Manning (3nd right) is escorted by military police after he was sentenced to 35 years in prison yesterday in Fort Meade, Maryland. — AFP free press for a fully informed public debate.”

“When a soldier who shared information with the press and public is punished far more harshly than others who tortured prisoners and killed civilians, something is seriously wrong with our justice system,” they added in a statement. Expert witnesses testified during

the sentencing phase of Manning’s trial that the soldier was confused about his gender and sexuality and under enormous psychological stress at the time he committed the leaks. Manning also apologized. He told Lind during a hearing last week: “I’m sorry that my actions have hurt people and have hurt the United States.” — AFP

EU reviews arms, aid to Egypt at emergency talks Bloc still has clout as mediator

CAIRO: Egyptian opposition leader and Nobel Prize laureate Mohamed ElBaradei leaves at the end of a joint press conference. ElBaradei, announced his resignation on August 14, 2013 in a letter to the interim president.—AFP

ElBaradei faces court for ‘betrayal of trust’ CAIRO: Mohamed ElBaradei, Egypt’s former interim vice president, is being sued for a “betrayal of trust” over his decision to quit the army-backed government in protest at its bloody crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood. The case points to the prospect of a new wave of politically driven lawsuits being brought to court following the downfall of President Mohamed Morsi, whose supporters brought a raft of cases against opposition figures during his year in power.

Anti-government activists had called those suits, many of them accusing people of “insulting the president”, a form of political intimidation. ElBaradei’s case, brought by an Egyptian law professor, will be heard in a Cairo court on Sept 19, judicial sources said on Tuesday.

ElBaradei, the former head of the UN nuclear agency and co-leader of the secular National Salvation Front (NSF) grouping, was the most prominent liberal to endorse the military’s overthrow of Morsi on July 3 following mass protests.

But he resigned on Aug 14 after security forces attacked the protest camps set up by Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood supporters in Cairo, killing hundreds of people. The military’s intervention against Morsi has polarized public opinion in Egypt. Around 900 people have died in violence across the country over the past week.

Sayyed Ateeq, a law professor at Helwan University, filed the suit against

ElBaradei. “He was appointed in his capacity as a representative of the NSF and the majority of the people who signed the Tamarod declaration,” he told Reuters, referring to the broad movement that led the anti-Morsi protests.

“Doctor ElBaradei was entrusted with this position and he had a duty to go back to those who entrusted him and ask to resign” instead of stepping down on his own, he said.

Ateeq said that, if found guilty, ElBaradei could face a three-year prison sentence. But a judicial source said the maximum sentence in a case of this kind was a fine and a suspended jail term.

ElBaradei left Egypt this week for Europe and is unlikely to attend any hearing in the case. Khaled Dawoud, an aide to ElBaradei who quit as NSF spokesman following the crackdown, said Ateeq “set a precedent that harms Egypt’s reputation abroad, when a politician is prosecuted just for resigning from his post, something that has never happened before in any country in the world”.

The lawsuit follows a wave of arrests of Muslim Brotherhood leaders in recent days and a decision by the public prosecutor to charge Morsi, who is being detained in an undisclosed location, with inciting violence. “If this case against ElBaradei is true then it is a major escalation showing that things are getting very polarized. You’re either on this side or on that side,” Dawoud said.—Reuters

Iranian Christian jailed for distributing bibles VATICAN: An Iranian Christian convert has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for distributing Bibles in his home country, the Vatican missionary news agency Fides reported yesterday. MohammadHadi Bordhar was arrested in Iran in December and reportedly said he wanted to “evangelise by handing out 12,000 pocket bibles”. He was accused of “crimes against state security”. After being baptized, the man had created a “domestic church” in his home in Rasht in northern Iran, Fides reported. Iranian police found books, CDs and more than

6,000 Bible at his place.

Fides said he had already been arrested in 2009 and found guilty of apostasy but had since been released. The Catholic news agency quoted non-governmental groups saying that interest in Christianity among young Iranians is worr ying the authorities and that churches have been shut down. The agency said Iran’s new president, Hassan Rouhani, has raised hopes with his rhetoric about civil rights. The Christian minority in Iran is tiny, estimated at less than 1.0 percent of the population.—AFP

BRUSSELS: European Union foreign ministers roundly condemned the bloodshed in Egypt as they went into emergency talks yesterday to review military and economic assistance to the crisis-wracked country. “We must very strongly condemn the violence. It is very important that Europe speaks up,” Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said as he arrived for talks that were hastily called in Europe’s summer break after the deaths of nearly 1,000 people in a week of unrelenting violence.

“We need to send a common, strong and clear signal for an end of the violence,” said his German counterpart Guido Wester welle.

“Europe’s influence is no doubt limited, but even this limited influence must be used.” Dubbing the levels of violence “extremely worrying”, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who remains in close touch with Egyptian players across the spectrum, said the ministers would discuss how best to promote a political solution as a way out of the crisis.

Ashton, who twice travelled to Egypt to help facilitate a compromise and who last month was the first foreign official to meet ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in his secret detention centre, said on the eve of the talks that she was ready to return “if they wish me to come back”. Among the options mulled by the minis-

ters will be withholding part of the EU’s massive aid package, or conditioning its future to progress towards political compromise and a return to civilian rule.

One likely point of agreement between the 28 EU nations appears to be to freeze military assistance and stop the export of arms or goods used for repression pending a return to calm in the Arab world’s most populous nation. Britain, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands have all adopted such measures and Dutch Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans said that “delivering arms this week, next week, in the short-term, would not be right”.

But there appeared to be little support for a cut in EU economic assistance or for trade sanctions as the ministers went into the talks, with Italy’s Emma Bonino calling the idea “counterproductive”. “We must keep faith with the majority of the people of Egypt who want a stable, democratic and prosperous country for themselves and that means we mustn’t do anything that hurts them or that cuts off support to them,” added British Foreign Secretary William Hague.

Hours before the EU talks, Saudi Arabia urged global powers not to take measures that could “hamper the efforts of Egypt’s government to stabilize” the country. Saudi Arabia earlier this week had thumbed its nose at the threat of

sanctions against Egypt, pledging that Arab and Islamic countries would step in if Western nations pulled the plug.

As Washington too reviewed its assistance, Egypt’s interim Prime Minister Hazem Al-Beblawi said the country could live without US aid.

Senior EU diplomats in private warn against cutting aid that for the most part is channeled to grassroots groups working to reduce poverty or improve rights. Total aid at stake amounts to nearly five billion euros ($6.7 billion) in loans and grants promised by the world’s top aid donor to Egypt for 2012-13. It includes 800 million euros from the EU with the rest from European banks EIB and EBRD. But because EU aid was made contingent on political and judicial reforms after the January 2011 uprising that overthrew Hosni Mubarak, only a paltry 16 million euros have been paid out this year.

Military assistance amounts only to 140 million euros a year, well below US defense aid.

“Should we decide to suspend this or that project we risk penalizing Egyptian people above all.

We could also review defense or security agreements but even that is complicated,” said a French diplomat speaking on condition of anonymity. “We can’t act as if nothing has happened, but at the same time we need to be careful not to be counter-productive.”— AFP

Egypt’s political strife puts Christians in peril Wave of attacks targets churches, Christians MINYA: Last week, Ayub Youssef was driving to the southern Egyptian town of Delja where he works as a Catholic priest when a friend called and told him to turn back. By the time he reached the town on Sunday, about 20 houses had been burned.

An ancient monastery was smashed and ransacked. One of his parishioners, a 60-year-old barber named Iskander Tous, had been killed in the chaos.

Now, Youssef said, Christians in Delja were living like prisoners in their homes. “No one goes out at all.

Not to buy food, not to get medicine, not for anything,” he said. Egypt’s Coptic Christians, who make up 10 percent of its 85 million people, have coexisted with the majority Sunni Muslims for centuries. Violence erupted periodically, especially in the impoverished south, but the attacks on churches and Christian properties in the last week are the worst in years.

Some 20 churches have been attacked just in the Minya province where Delja is located, many burned completely. Across the country, mobs have killed several Christians and sacked scores of shops, homes, schools and monasteries. The immediate trigger was a bloody crackdown in Cairo last Wednesday when police dispersed two Muslim Brotherhood sit-ins set up to demand the reinstatement of President Mohamed Morsi, deposed by the army on July 3 after mass protests against him.

Using snipers and armored vehicles, police killed hundreds of protesters, prompting some hardline Brotherhood supporters to frame the bloodshed as part of a war against Islam abetted by Egypt’s Christians.

Forty-three police also died in the clashes. The Brotherhood says it has nothing to do with the attacks on Christians, and accuses the army of cynically using them to justify an ever

more brutal crackdown. Brotherhood spokesman Ahmed Aref said in a statement security forces had abandoned the churches to the attacks, which he blamed on “foolish boys.”

Such arguments cut little ice with Egypt’s Copts, who encompass the majority Orthodox as well as Catholics and Protestants; some of their leaders have now sided firmly with the military in saying the army crackdown is on “terrorism”. Copts now darkly evoke the memory of an Islamist insurgency that killed hun-

arched windows to guard against more attacks. The smell of smoke hung in the air. Cinders and broken tiles crunched underfoot.

One young man held up a handful of bullet casings, one from birdshot, others apparently from assault rifles.

Firing crackled from across town, where gunmen had attacked the police station three times since last Wednesday, killing at least two policemen. “It’s becoming something like a war,” said Rimon El-Rawy, a local journalist following the attacks.

MINYA: Photo shows a burnt icon in the Amir Tadros coptic Church in Minya, some 250 kms south of Cairo, which was set ablaze. — AFP dreds of people in the 1990s, many in southern Egypt, which has a high concentration of Copts and has long been a stronghold for militant Islamist movements.

All four walls of the Evangelical church in Mallawi, south of Minya city, were still smoldering on Saturday, a day after assailants set it on fire with petrol bombs and gas canisters. The roof had collapsed, and bits of twisted, charred metal lay among piles of carbonized wood and stones. Young men poured water on the ashes and stacked bricks in the

Bishop-General Macarius, a Coptic Orthodox leader in Minya, recited attacks on local churches going back decades - one, Anba Antonios, was struck as early as 1979, he said; gunmen killed worshippers at another in the early 90s.

“Copts always pay the bill - in the days of Gamal Abdel Nasser, the days of Sadat, the days of Mubarak, the days of military rule, the days of Morsi and after Morsi,” he said, listing rulers since Nasser’s 1952 coup overthrew the monarchy. Many Christians, who kept a low profile during

decades of military-backed rule in Egypt, were unnerved by Morsi and his Islamist Muslim Brotherhood during their time in power.

Hardline Muslim clerics gained unprecedented freedom to preach on Egyptian television after the 2011 revolt that overthrew Hosni Mubarak and paved the way for Morsi’s election, and some openly derided Christians on air. Morsi also revived memories of the 1990s by allying with Gamaa Islamiya, a group at the heart of the insurgency which carried out attacks on Christians and tourists in southern Egypt but later renounced violence and entered mainstream politics.

Coptic Pope Tawadros II gave his public backing to Morsi’s removal, sitting with liberal politicians and Muslim clerics beside armed forces chief Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi when he announced the army intervention.

His support came even though at least 25 people had died when troops broke up a protest staged by Copts under the military rule that preceded Morsi’s presidency.

Macarius said it was the same problems faced by other Egyptians the failing economy, the Brotherhood’s apparent eagerness to monopolize power - that had pushed many Christians to join demonstrations calling for Morsi to step down.

“When we went out to the protests, we went out as Egyptians, not as Copts. We came out carrying flags, not crosses,” he said.

Violence began in Minya even as Egyptians elsewhere were celebrating Morsi’s removal, but it escalated sharply last week. A Catholic church near the burned Evangelical church in Mallawi was also sacked and looted. Light leaking in from high windows illuminated charred paintings of saints, broken pews and a decapitated statue of the Virgin Mary. —Reuters

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

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

Old regime ‘remnants’ flex muscle in Tunisian politics Governing Islamists forced to negotiate with opposition

GAZA: Palestinians sit with their luggage at the Rafah border terminal in the southern Gaza Strip as they wait to cross into neighboring Egypt. — AFP

Hamas calls on Egypt to reopen border crossing GAZA: Palestinian Islamist group Hamas urged Egypt yesterday to reopen the border crossing with the Gaza Strip that was closed after a suspected militant attack on Egyptian policemen near the frontier earlier this week. Hamas, an off-shoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, has ruled Gaza since 2007 and has an uneasy relationship with Egypt’s new army-backed leadership, which toppled elected President Mohamed Morsi, a Hamas ally, last month.

Cairo has accused Hamas of interfering in Egyptian affairs and suggested that Palestinians might be helping Islamist militants active in the Sinai Peninsula, where 25 policemen were killed in an ambush on Monday. The Egyptian army, which has long been suspicious of Hamas, has also clamped down on smuggling tunnels that run underneath the desert border between Egypt and Gaza.

“The Palestinian people, the people of Gaza, must not pay the price for any problems or differences inside Egypt,” said Ghazi Hamad, deputy foreign minister of the Hamas-run government in the territory.

Morsi’s ouster was seen as a major blow to Hamas, especially as the group’s ties with traditional allies Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah party have also suffered because it sided with the rebels in the uprising against their one-time friend, Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad.

Thousands of Palestinians, including students and patients seeking medical treatment, have been unable to travel to Egypt since the Rafah border crossing was shut. Hundreds of Palestinians have also been stranded outside the Gaza Strip by the upheaval that has shaken Egypt since

the military ousted elected President Mohamed Morsi on July 3 after mass protests against the Muslim Brotherhood leader’s rule.

“Gaza people have enough problems.

This crossing should be named the crossing of humiliation and not Rafah,” said Mai Jarada, a business student in Tunisia who attended a wedding in Gaza and now cannot leave the Palestinian enclave. Some 1,200 Gaza residents used to enter Egypt daily before Morsi’s ouster, but the figure has dropped to only 300 since he was deposed.

At Rafah, the main window to the world for the 1.7 million Palestinians in the Israeliblockaded Gaza Strip, several dozen people waited in vain yesterday to cross the border into Egypt’s Sinai. Citing security concerns, Israel allows only a limited number of people to travel through its own passenger crossing with the Gaza Strip. At a news conference yesterday, Hamad rejected accusations by some Egyptian officials that Hamas, an Islamist group that is an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, had intervened on Morsi’s behalf during violence in Egypt.

At least 900 people, including 100 soldiers and police, have been killed in a crackdown on Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood in the past week, the bloodiest civil unrest in Egypt’s modern history. In a sign of concern over any spillover of anti-Islamist activity into the Gaza Strip, Ismail Haniyeh, prime minister in the Hamas government, made reference at a public event to a YouTube video that urged Palestinians in the territory to rebel against Hamas’s leadership on Nov 11.—Reuters

TUNIS: Step by step, the once-shunned o f f i c i a l s o f Tu n i s i a’s o l d o r d e r h a v e returned to the political scene and are turning up the pressure on the governing Islamist party Ennahda to make way for them. These so - called “remnants” from Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali’s rule were swept aside by the first of the “Arab S p r i n g” re vo l t s i n J a n u a r y 2 0 1 1 a n d trounced in voting for a constituent assembly later that year. The assembly has considered banning them from politics completely.

But two murders of leftist leaders this year by suspected radical Salafis and mounting dissatisfaction with E n n a h d a’s I s l a m i s t a g e n d a h a v e plunged Tunisian politics into turmoil, prompting the assembly to suspend its work. Since the second assassination in late July, ex-officials regrouped in new political parties have spoken out more openly and helped organize and fill the ranks of mass rallies to demand Ennahda step aside and allow new elections.

It now looks likely that the proposed ban, which would shut about 30,000 “remnants” out of politics, will get lost in the political tumult and the opposition parties will emerge as a potentially strong challenger to Ennahda in the next election.

“The ex-officials want to return under another flag,” said Tunis University professor Sami Brahmi, referring to about h a l f a d o z e n p a r t i e s w h e re t h e y a re active. “They’re the ones who are benefitting the most from what is happening.”

Ennahda used to dismiss the “remnant” parties as a copy-paste of the old system and not wor th talk ing to, but agreed to meet them after Egypt’s ruling Muslim Brotherhood was toppled by the army last month following mounting popular protests. One major beneficiary is Beji Caid Essebsi, who was briefly parliament speaker under Ben Ali and interim prime minister after he was o u s te d. O p i n i o n p o l l s gi ve h i s p a r t y some 30 percent support, about equal with the Islamists.

His pivotal role in solving Tunisia’s

crisis was confirmed last week when Ennahda chairman Rached Ghannouchi m a d e a s e c r e t t r i p t o Pa r i s , w h e r e Essebsi was on a visit, to hold his first talks with the man the Islamists had until then shunned. Essebsi “has well and truly taken the role of master of c e r e m o n i e s ,” c o m m e n t e d a n a l y s t Sofiane Ben Farhat. Another beneficiary is Kamel Morjane, defense and then foreign minister from 2005 until 2011. His party, smaller than Essebsi’s, is the most active in defending former officials of Ben Ali ’s now banned Constitutional Democratic Rally (RCD).

PRAGMATIC SECULAR MODERNISERS The widely-used term “fuloul” (remnants in Arabic) is political shorthand for the pragmatic secular modernizers who worked as technocrats under Ben Ali and were not tainted by corruption or human rights violations during his rule. About a dozen of Ben Ali’s closest collaborators were jailed on charges of corruption and abuse of power soon after his ouster. He escaped to Saudi Arabia with his family. Egyptians also speak of “fuloul” from the Mubarak years, but the army that deposed former President Mohamed Morsi is the main counterweight to the Islamists for power there.

With Tunisia’s non-political military staying firmly in its barracks, the real challenge to Ennahda comes from the secular opposition parties and the powe r f u l Tu n i s i a n G e n e r a l L a b o r U n i o n (UGT T ), another strong critic of Ennahda.

Essebsi’s Nidaa Tounes, for example, includes former members of Ben Ali’s RCD and leading businessmen from prerevolution days, as well as progressive modernizers and trade unionists. I ts platform on its website stresses democracy, jobs, social welfare and economic progress, goals the Islamists’ critics say Ennahda has failed to reach. It makes no mention of Islam.

Essebsi’s new role was clear to see on Monday when Tunis newspapers ran a photograph showing him receiving a

stiffly smiling Ghannouchi at his hotel i n Pa r i s . T h e p i c t u r e w a s p u b l i s h e d alongside ar ticles repor ting that Ennahda, which until then had refused to consider their demands, was now ready to meet its critics without preconditions. Par ties defending the former officials have also formed wider tactical anti-Islamist “fronts” with left-wingers who struggled against Ben Ali. Jilani Hamammi of the Workers Party, t h e fo r m e r u n d e rgro u n d co m m u n i s t par t y, saw no problem work ing with “re m n a n t s” i n a b ro a d a n t i - E n n a h d a “Salvation Front”. “We are ready to work with anyone who can stop this religious dictatorship,” he said. The RCD was dissolved after Ben Ali was ousted in 2011 and the leading parties of the ex-officials, such as Essebsi’s Nida Tounes (Call of Tunisia) or Morjane’s Initiative, sprang up. Ennahda was banned under Ben Ali and legalized after he fell.

PROUD OF HIS PAST In another come-back twist, Hamed K aroui, Ben Ali’s prime minister from 1989 to 1999, was recently called in by President Moncef Marzouki to hear his views on solving the crisis. Karoui has been contacting fellow “Destourians”, fo l l o we r s o f t h e s e c u l a r m o d e r n i z e r Habib Bourguiba, who led Tunisia to independence from France in 1956 and ruled until 1987. Mohamed Jegham, head of the Al Watan (The Nation) party and one of many “remnants” in it, made no apologies for his past.

“I worked with Ben Ali for 13 of the 23 years he was in power. I am proud of the contribution I made to the construction of this country,” said Jegham, who was d e fe n s e a n d fo re i g n m i n i s t e r i n t h e 1990s and briefly commerce minister in 2011. Noting the development of infrastructure, industr y and education before 2011, he asked: “Who did all this?

I t w a s u s.” J e g h a m , w h o s e p a r t y h a s linked up with others in the Destourian Front, said the anti-Islamists learned an important lesson in 2011. “ There were about 125 parties running in that election and they split the vote. We cannot continue like that.”—Reuters

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

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

New regulation to waive ‘male-female’ classification Germany allows indeterminate gender on birth register BERLIN: Germany will become the first European country to recognize indeterminate sex by allowing babies born with no clear gender- determining anatomy to be put on the birth register without a “male” or “female” classification. The new regulation, which takes effect from Nov. 1, stems from a study by the German Ethics Council into intersexuality that concluded that the rights of intersex individuals against irreversible medical interventions should be better protected.

“If a child cannot be designated male or female, then they should be

entered on the birth register without such a status,” the new law states.

According to 2007 government figures, at least 150 intersex babies are born in Germany each year and 8,000 - 10,000 people have “serious variations” from physical gender-defining characteristics. “A key aim of the new rule is to relieve parents of the pressure of having to decide a sex straight after the child’s birth, and thereby agreeing overly hastily to medical procedures to settle the child’s sex,” a spokesman for the German Interior Ministry said.

Support groups say the number of

intersex individuals is far higher than government estimates, and point out the difficulties and subtleties of defining intersexuality physically or hormonally. The interior ministry spokesman said the change did not amount to the creation of a third gender because the box stipulating male or female is left blank. Creating a third gender would complicate German laws on marriages and partnerships, which operate on a binar y male -female opposition, although the Ethics Council would examine the implications for intersex individuals, he added.

“This is an interesting move but it doesn’t go far enough,” said Silvan Agius, policy director at the Brusselsbased rights group Equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people in Europe (ILGA).

“Unnecessary surgeries will likely continue in Germany with devastating consequences... we live in a world where having a baby classified as ‘other’ is still considered undesirable.” Other campaigners for rights of intersex people raised concern that the “outing” of babies as intersex on official records could lead to discrimination in schools.

A 2012 repor t from the Ethics Council quoted the case of an individual born in 1965 with no clear genderdefining genitalia but with testicles in their abdomen and male chromosomes.

At the age of 2.5 months the individual was castrated without parental consent, a move which doctors later called a mistake. “I’m not a man, nor a woman ... I remain a patchwork, made from doctors, injured and scarred. I have to reinvent myself if I want to continue to live,” the individual said. Australia has allowed citizens to note their gender on a passport as “X” since 2011.— Reuters

US sanctions Islamic school in Pakistan Ganj Madrassa training, financing Qaeda fighters

IDAHO: A US Forest Service firefighter moves away from a quickly moving section of the Rim Fire in the Stanislaus National Forest Tuesday. — AFP

Hot, dry summer pushes US wildfire spending past $1 b GRANTS PASS: Wildfires burning in California, Oregon, Idaho and Montana are taxing national firefighting resources and helping to push spending past $1 billion for the year. The National Interagency Fire Center in Boise upped the national wildfire preparedness level Tuesday to the highest level for the first time in five years. The center lists two central Idaho wildfires as the country’s top priorities, helping provide crews and resources for the Beaver Creek fire, which forced the evacuation of 1,250 homes in the resort area of Ketchum and Sun Valley and has cost nearly $12 million so far. President Barack Obama was briefed Tuesday on the wildfires by his homeland security adviser, Lisa Monaco. The White House said the administration’s focus is on supporting state and local first responders and that Obama’s team is in ongoing contact with federal and local partners.

More than 40 uncontained, active and large wildfires dot the US map from Arizona to Washington state and Alaska, the White House said. About 17,800 people have been dispatched to the fires. Steve Gage, assistant director of operations for the fire center, said they can’t fill all the requests for crews and equipment from the 48 fires that remain uncontained around the country. Gage said as fire season progresses, the center moves crews around to where the greatest assets like houses are threatened, and tries to have crews positioned to catch new fires when they are small.

In California, a wildfire on the outskirts of Yosemite National Park threatened more than 2,000 structures and forced the evacuation of camps and remote rural homes. In three days, the fire has surged to more than 15 square miles and has destroyed two residences and five outbuildings, US Forest Service spokesman Jerry Snyder said. In Oregon, winds that draw windsurfers to the Columbia Gorge have doubled the size of a wildfire to 10 square miles. The Government Flat Fire has burned three homes and threatens dozens more on the northern flanks of Mount Hood, a fire spokesman said.

About 50 homes have evacuated in the area of canyons 10 miles southwest of The Dalles.

Four days into the battle, the cost has topped $1 million, said Oregon Department of Forestry spokesman Dave Morman. “That’s one of the challenges when the fire gets into these long canyons, it’s very, very difficult for firefighters,” he said. The boost in priority for Idaho’s Beaver Creek fire gave fire managers resources they needed to start attacking the fire more directly, said fire spokesman Rudy Evenson.

Weather conditions were also improving. The fire was 9 percent contained after burning 160

square miles and had 1,750 personnel. The cost through Monday was $11.6 million.

Nationally, federal agencies have spent more than $1 billion so far this year, about half last year’s total of $1.9 billion, according to the fire center. There have been 33,000 fires that have burned more than 5,300 square miles - an area nearly the size of Connecticut. Whether costs top the 10-year average of $1.4 billion or the $1.9 billion spent in 2012 and 2006 will depend on the rest of the wildfire season, which traditionally gets very active in Southern California as late as October, Gage said.

Professor Norman Christensen of Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment, an expert in the environmental impacts of forest fires, said fires have been particularly intense in Colorado, California and Idaho this year. “Certainly drought in some areas has contributed to the number and intensity of fire events,” he said in an email. “But many of the fires have been in highly populated, wildernessurban interface areas such as Colorado Springs, Sun Valley, Idaho, and the west slope of the Sierra Nevada. That adds greatly to costs since so many more resources are required to protect built structures.”

Jason Sibold, assistant professor of biogeography at Colorado State University, said since the 1990s, the climate has been changing, producing hotter, drier and longer summers in the West. That combined with more people building vacation homes in the woods pushes up costs. “The societal demand to try to control and fight these fires is escalating at the same pace as the climate’s warming,” he said.

Despite firefighting efforts, more than 960 homes and 30 commercial buildings have burned this year, according to the fire center.

And 30 firefighters have died in the effort, including 19 hotshots at Yarnell, Ariz. The annual average over the past 10 years is 17 dead. The high monetary costs come despite a 5 percent cut in firefighting budgets due to the federal spending cuts known as sequestration, which eliminated 500 firefighters and 50 wildland fire engines this year.

Meanwhile, the US Forest Service has yet to activate a new generation of air tankers provided by private contractors, intended to deliver bigger payloads faster. In Montana, Gov Steve Bullock declared a state of emergency for 31 counties, allowing the use of National Guard resources. Wind gusts pushed two lightningcaused fires to a combined 7,500 acres, or roughly 12 square miles near Lolo in southwestern Montana. A state fire official said those fires have burned at least four homes.—AP

Al-Jazeera sues AT&T for dropping channel WASHINGTON: Al-Jazeera has lodged a suit against US communications giant AT&T for dropping the broadcast of its new AlJazeera America news channel on the day it launched. AT&T’s move affects some five million US households, a significant hit for Al-Jazeera America, which had said some 40 million homes were expected to have the channel available. “Unfortunately AT&T’s decision to unilaterally delete AlJazeera America presented us with circumstances that were untenable-an affiliate that has willfully and knowingly breached its contractual obligations,” a statement from Al-Jazeera America said late Tuesday.

“Accordingly, we had no choice but to take this action and to enforce Al Jazeera America’s rights under its agreement with AT&T-and to compel AT&T to do the right thing.” AT&T spokesman Mark Siegel said Al-Jazeera had breached its obligations and that the company’s U-verse television systems would not carry the channel, despite previously carrying Current TV, which was bought out by Al-Jazeera.

“As a result of our inability to come to

terms on a new agreement and due to certain breaches by Al-Jazeera of the existing agreement we have decided not to carry Current TV on U-verse,” Siegel said in a prepared statement. The channel, operated by the Qatari media group behind the Middle East’s biggest satellite broadcaster, went live on Tuesday. The launch was accompanied by a big promotional push, and it pledged to outdo its rivals with serious, indepth journalism.

Americans will be able to see 14 hours of news, documentary and discussion programming tailored to the US market daily, and updates at the top of every hour 24 hours each day. But main the selling point will be long-form reporting of stories overlooked by other news organizations. It is likely to face a tough sell to US audiences because of its history in the Middle East, where it was the outlet for videos distributed by Al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden.

Some in America regard Al-Jazeera’s output as anti-Western. Al-Jazeera is also in negotiations with Time Warner Cable over carrying the channel.— AFP

PESHAWAR: The United States has placed unprecedented sanctions on an Islamic school in northwest Pakistan for allegedly training and financing fighters from Al-Qaeda and other militant groups. The sanctions against Jamia Taleem-Ul-Quran-Wal-Hadith Madrassa, also known as the Ganj Madrassa, in the city of Peshawar were the first to target an Islamic school, the US Department of the Treasury said in a statement Tuesday.

Critics long have accused radical Islamic schools in Pakistan of indoctrinating young boys and training them to become militants.

The US also placed sanc tions on a man accused of being Al-Qaeda’s leader in the Pakistani provinces of Sindh and Baluchistan.

Umar Siddique Kathio Azmarai also has been a significant financial facilitator for the group, moving hundreds of thousands of dollars to support operations, and managed logistics for Osama bin Laden’s family members, the US said. “Today’s action strikes at the heart of the financial and logistical support network that abuses charitable donations and provides essential services for various terrorist groups” including Al-Qaeda, the Taliban and Lashkar-eTaiba, said David Cohen, undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence. “We will continue to work with our partners around the world to dismantle these terrorist networks, especially those that try to conceal their sinister activities behind critical community organizations like madrassas.”

The sanctions mean that any assets they may have under US jurisdiction are frozen, and people in the US are generally prohibited from doing business with them. The US said the Ganj Madrassa is controlled by a man known as Sheikh Aminullah who was sanctioned by Washington and the United Nations in 2009 for providing material support to Al-Qaeda and the Taleban. “The Ganj Madrassa serves as a terrorist training center where students, under the guise of religious studies, have been radicalized to conduct terrorist and insurgent activities,” the US said in its statement. “In some cases, students were trained to become bomb manufacturers and suicide bombers.”

In an interview with The Associated Press, one of the school’s administrators denied it had any links with militant groups. “The institu-

tion is purely a religious school, and is not connected with any organization or involved in any sort of illegality or promotion of extremism,” said Alam Sher, who is in his 80s and helped found the school some 25 years ago.

Sher said Aminullah was a teacher at the school until he left nine months ago.

School officials do not know where he is currently, he said. The US sanctions would not affect the school because it doesn’t get any foreign aid and relies on public donations and income from Sher’s soap factory, the administrator said.

The three-storey school is located in a congested part of Peshawar and houses at least 150 students, mostly from poor families, Sher said. The school includes a mosque, classrooms and a hostel for the students. Many people are concerned that the hundreds of madrassas across the country may become a training ground for extremists. Many parents, frustrated with a public school system widely viewed as dysfunctional, send their children to madrassas because they’re free and in hopes that their

children will get an education.

Ahmar Bilal Soofi, who served as the law minister in the interim government, said there has been little movement to reform madrassas which operate with little outside oversight.

“The concern was that they should be registered,” he said. “Their financial management should have some oversight. There should be a uniformity of a syllabus that is taught to the madrassa students.” Peshawar has been plagued with militant attacks in recent years as the government has battled domestic Taleban militants and their allies.

The government has also been fighting a low-level insurgency by separatists in southwest Baluchistan province for decades. A blast at a train ticket counter in Chaman, a town in Baluchistan near the Afghan border, killed at least one passenger yesterday and wounded 10 others, said a senior local government official, Ibrahim Ismail. The blast took place minutes before a train was to leave for Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack.— AP

PESHAWAR: Pakistani religious students and teachers attend the Jamia Taleem-UlQuran-Wal Hadith Madrassa yesterday. — AP

Scots will defy odds and vote for independence HAWICK: The people of Scotland will defy the odds and vote to break away from the rest of the United Kingdom in a referendum a year from now, nationalist leader Alex Salmond has said. Ahead of a speech Wednesday pledging that an independent Scotland would take a vastly more proEuropean approach than “grumbling” Britain, Salmond brushed aside respected US pollster Nate Silver’s prediction that he had “virtually no chance” of winning.

In an exclusive interview in a knitwear factory in the Scottish border town of Hawick, Salmond said: “Nate Silver doesn’t know as much about Scottish politics as he does undoubtedly about American politics. “And I suppose since we are in a famous knitwear factory here, we should probably tell him to stick to his own knitting,” he laughed.

With 13 months to go until the historic vote on September 18, 2014, only a third of Scotland’s 5.5 million-strong population are currently planning to

vote in favor of independence, according to opinion polls. But Salmond, leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) and first minister of Scotland’s devolved government, insisted he had plenty of time to convince voters that splitting from Britain is in their economic and political interests. “We’ll win the arguments,” he insisted.

REFERENDUM GAMBLE As Prime Minister David Cameron grapples with Britain’s future role in Europe, Salmond contrasted his vision of the role for an independent Scotland in the European Union with London’s ambivalent approach. “Scotland would be a much more outward-looking participant and member of Europe than London has been, certainly recently,” Salmond said. “Yes, there are things to be solved, but let’s solve them together as opposed to threatening to stamp your feet all the time.”

Salmond insisted that NATO, as well as the EU,

HAWICK: Alex Salmond (center), Scotland’s leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) and first minister, visits the Barrie Knitwear factory in Hawick, Scotland, on August 20, 2013. — AFP

would welcome an independent Scotland with open arms, despite his critics’ claims that membership of both could run into difficulties. Anti-nuclear Salmond is engaged in a heated row with London over the future of Britain’s Trident nuclear submarine base-currently located on the River Clyde in western Scotland-if the union splits.

He denied reports that NATO has told Scotland it would not be allowed to join the military alliance if there was an ongoing dispute over Trident, which Salmond wants to move out of Scotland if he wins independence. Keeping the base as a British enclave in an independent country would not be an option, he added. “Nobody seriously thinks that London is going to be allowed to annex some part of Scotland just because it wants to retain it,” he said. Scottish membership would be in NATO’s interests because of its strategic location on the North Atlantic, he argued. Equally, he dismissed suggestions that Spain and other countries could block Scottish EU membership in a bid to discourage separatist movements in their own countries.

“No one else in Europe will want any other solution than Scotland to be a part of the European Union if it becomes an independent country,” he said.

He did, however, accept that Scotland would lose some clout in the United Nations by breaking away from Britain, a permanent member of the Security Council. “We don’t have pretentions to be a superpower,” he said, adding dryly: “We’re not going to launch invasions of Iraq.” Considered one of Britain’s shrewdest political operators, Salmond has pulled off impressive feats for the Scottish nationalist movement. Bringing the SNP to power as Scotland’s devolved regional government, first as a minority administration in 2007 and then winning a sweeping majority in 2011, he has brought them their closest yet to their dream of independence by securing the referendum.

But many Scots-who enjoy various benefits unavailable south of the border under devolution, including free medical prescriptions and free university tuition-appear reluctant to risk their current status for an uncertain future. Salmond insists that staying in Britain would be riskier than going it alone, bringing the 300-year-old union between England and Scotland to an end. “A ‘no’ vote in the referendum would result in the London government filing Scotland away in some pigeon-hole and not wanting to come back to the issue,” he said.— AFP

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

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

US soldier Bales faces angry Afghans in court

MUMBAI: Indian demonstrators raise clenched fists as they protest the killing of a leading Indian antisuperstition activist in Mumbai yesterday. Narendra Dabholkar, who campaigned for a law to eradicate superstition in a country known for its mystics and gurus, was shot August 20 by two gunmen on motorbikes.— AFP

Indian state bans black magic and superstition Superstitious beliefs rampant in secular India MUMBAI: An Indian state government yesterday passed legislation banning superstition and black magic, an official said, a day after a prominent champion of the bill was shot dead. Atheist Narendra Dabholkar, who for years campaigned for such a law, was killed on Tuesday by two gunmen on motorbikes as he was taking his morning walk in Pune city in the western state of Maharashtra.

Maharashtra’s cabinet yesterday approved the law which was first mooted back in 1995, a state official said. “An ordinance will be promulgated in the next two days,” the official said, declining to be named. An ordinance is a temporary law that requires approval by the state assembly approval to become permanent. News on the legislation came amid a strike in Pune yesterday to protest at Dabholkar’s killing, which saw 90 percent of the city’s businesses and shops close, police commissioner Gulabrao Pol said. “There is no progress” on the investigation into his death, he added,

saying no arrests had been made and the motive had not been determined.

Further protests were held in the state capital Mumbai. The Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and Other Inhuman, Evil Practices and Black Magic Bill was designed to outlaw several exploitative activities by charlatans preying on the vulnerable. Details of the new ordinance were not yet available but an earlier draft bill proposed bans on beating a person to exorcise ghosts and on raising money by claiming to work miracles.

Dabholkar, who founded the Committee for the Eradication of Blind Faith two decades ago, encountered opposition over the bill from Hindu nationalists who feared it could be used to curb religious freedoms. In an interview with AFP two years ago, the campaigner rejected charges that such a bill was anti-religion. “In the whole of the bill, there’s not a single word about God or religion. Nothing like that. The Indian constitution

allows freedom of worship and nobody can take that away,” he said.

“This is about fraudulent and exploitative practices.”

Superstitious beliefs are rampant in fast-developing and officially secular India, where Hinduism dominates but a diverse range of ethnic groups and religious practices co-exist. Sanal Edamaruku, another leading antisuperstition activist, said in comments Tuesday the Maharashtra bill had been “very much diluted” since its first creation, to appease various groups.

“The original form was very powerful and would have been very, very useful,” he said. But he added that people “should take inspiration” from Dabholkar’s campaigning. Dabholkar, whom local media said was aged 71, also took on some of India’s self-styled Hindu “godmen” over their claims to have performed miracles. He was cremated about 100 kilometers (62 miles) from Pune in his home town of Satara late on Tuesday, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.— AFP

Pakistan blames India over latest deadly Kashmir clash ISLAMABAD: Pakistan accused Indian troops yesterday of killing an army officer and seriously wounding a soldier in the latest clash across the disputed border in Kashmir. Tensions have flared between the nuclear-armed neighbors in recent weeks over the Himalayan territory, which both control in part but claim in full. Skirmishes have erupted across the heavily militarized Line of Control (LoC) since five Indian soldiers were killed earlier this month in an ambush which Delhi has blamed on the Pakistan army.

“A Pakistan Army officer Captain Sarfraz embraced shahadat (martyrdom) due to Indian troops’ unprovoked shelling at Shakma sector on line of control,” a Pakistani military statement said.

Another soldier was seriously wounded in the firing which began late Tuesday, the statement said, adding that Pakistani troops had returned fire. An Indian army official said he had no information about the incident or the casualties reported by Pakistan. India’s Defense Minister A K Antony said Monday the army would take “all possible steps” to counter ceasefire violations

by Pakistan along the border.

Islamabad denied any involvement in the ambush which triggered the lat-

est round of clashes. The incident was the deadliest in years targeting Indian troops in the disputed Muslim-majority region. Kashmir has been the trigger for two of the three wars between the nations. The renewed tensions have jeopardized plans for what the two governments hoped might be a breakthrough encounter between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif on the sidelines of a UN meeting in New York next month.

‘BOMB-MAKING FACTORY’ In another development, Pakistani authorities said yesterday that a car bomb factory where troops confiscated more than 100 tons of chemicals had been used in recent attacks on troops and minority Shiite Muslims.

Paramilitary troops found wires, detonators and mixers to turn the chemicals into bombs during Tuesday’s raid in the city of Quetta, a flashpoint for sectarian, Islamist and separatist attacks. Eleven people have now been arrested in connection with the case and the owner of the compound has been detained for questioning, said a spokesman for the paramilitary Frontier Corps (FC).

Suspects told investigators that

potassium chlorate and ammonium chlorate had been packed with wires and detonators into vehicles at the compound, a paramilitary official said.

Experts believe the compound was effectively a bomb-making factory, which had prepared explosives used in recent bomb attacks on military targets and Shiites. “We have recovered a machine which is basically a mixer, used to mix chemicals to make bombs. We have recovered sulphur and hundreds metre of wire,” said the FC spokesman.

“We have also recovered 79 remote controls and short circuit wires. Some 20,000 kilograms of explosive were ready at the factory and just needed to be fitted into vehicles,” he added. On January 10 and February 16, bombers killed nearly 200 people in attacks on Shiites from the ethnic Hazara minority in Quetta. Oil and gas-rich Baluchistan, which borders Afghanistan and Iran, is a flashpoint for violence against Shiites, who make up around 20 percent of Pakistan’s overall population of 180 million. It has also suffered from attacks blamed on Taleban militants and in 2004 Baluch rebels rose up, demanding political autonomy and a greater share of profits from the region’s mineral resources.—Agencies

37 killed in Malaysia’s deadliest road accident KUALA LUMPUR: At least 37 people are confirmed dead after a bus tumbled into a deep ravine yesterday in Malaysia’s worstever road accident, an official said. The toll could climb further because 16 other passengers were injured, with hospitals reporting some in critical condition.

Authorities said the bus was carrying 53 passengers when it went off a swerving road and plunged down a steep 70-metre (200-foot) slope in the Genting Highlands, famed for a flashy gambling and entertainment resort about an hour’s drive from the capital Kuala Lumpur.

“Thirty-seven are dead — 13 women and 24 men,” Christopher Chong, a fire official at the scene said by phone. Chong said

the bus was heading downhill when the driver apparently lost control on a bend.

The driver was among those killed, reports said. They said most of the passengers were Malaysians, but staff at Hospital Kuala Lumpur said injured brought there after the crash included a Thai man and a Bangladeshi man. Local hospitals said several of the injured arrived in critical condition. Lines of rescuers clinging to an orange rope for support were seen pulling injured victims out of the bus shortly after the accident, which occurred around 3 pm.

The bus was lying on its side in thick vegetation. The rugged terrain forced rescuers to rig up an improvised pulley system to raise bodies and injured victims in a

GENTING HIGHLANDS: Victims lie lined up on the ground after a bus carrying tourists and local residents fell into a ravine yesterday in one of the country’s worst-ever road accidents. — AFP

time-consuming operation, media reports said. Police dogs also scoured the undergrowth for any survivors that may have been flung out of the bus, they said. Police said the bus was part of a regular line that ferries visitors between the capital and the hill resort, popular with the country’s ethnic Chinese minority and foreign tourists.

The resort, whose bright lights can be seen from the city at night, is operated by Malaysian gaming firm Genting, one of the country’s largest companies. Genting Highlands includes the country’s sole casino and attracts more than 20 million visitors per year. It is currently undergoing a reportedly three billion ringgit ($900 million) refurbishment that includes a Twentieth Century Fox theme park set to open in 2016. The road leading up the Genting Highlands, however, is notoriously steep and winding. Two Indian tourists died and 22 other people were hurt when their bus overturned in the area last year.

The toll in yesterday’s accident makes it the country’s deadliest road transport tragedy. Previously, Malaysia’s worst such accident was a similar tragedy in the Cameron Highlands, another hill resort area, that took 27 lives. Most of those passengers were Thai. Muslimmajority Malaysia has banned gambling but allows non-Muslims to bet at the casino in the Genting Highlands, as well as on horse-racing and private lotteries.

Ethnic Chinese and Indians, many of who are non-Muslims, account for roughly a third of the country’s 28 million people— AFP

WASHINGTON: Lawyers for the US soldier who killed 16 Afghan civilians in an attack on two villages are preparing to present evidence to show he deserves a chance at parole after some of his victims testified about his bloody work. An Afghan farmer shot during the massacre in Kandahar Province last year took the witness stand Tuesday at Staff Sgt Robert Bales’ sentencing hearing, cursing the soldier before breaking down and pleading with the prosecutor not to ask him any more questions. More of the victims’ relatives could testify.

Haji Mohammad Naim appeared at Joint Base Lewis-McChord south of Seattle, where Bales pleaded guilty in June to the March 11, 2012, attacks to avoid the death penalty. Now the six jurors must decide whether he is sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole or without it.

The hearing afforded some victims and relatives their first chance to confront Bales face-to-face. With a thick gray beard, a turban and traditional Afghan dress, Naim testified in his native Pashto through an interpreter, speaking loudly and quickly and frequently waving a finger in the air.

He pointed to where he was shot in the cheek and neck. “This bastard stood right in front of me!” he said. “I wanted to ask him, ‘What did I do?

What have I done to you?’ ... and he shot me!”

Naim, who is about 60 years old, said he has suffered from numbness in his hand and a stutter since the shooting. He became emotional, often speaking over the interpreter, as the prosecutor, Lt. Col. Jay Morse, asked what it was like to have someone come into his home uninvited.

He eventually stood up and said he’d had enough: “Don’t ask me any more questions!” The prosecutor asked him for one more favor: to sit down and see whether the defense attorneys had any questions for him. He complied, but Bales’ lawyers said they didn’t need to ask him anything.

Naim’s two sons, Sadiquallah, who is about 13, and the older Faizullah, also testified. Sadiquallah spoke quietly, responding with a simple “yes” when asked if he cried about being shot. Faizullah, who was not at home during the attack, said his father has trouble picking up even simple

objects because his hand is so weak.

Seven Afghans testified. Four were hurt in the attacks. Three others were relatives of the dead or wounded.

Earlier, Morse told the jury that Bales felt “inadequate as a soldier and as a man” when he left his remote post in Afghanistan in the middle of the night and attacked two mud-walled villages, gunning down men, screaming children and elderly women.

He opened the government’s case by reading a 32-page “stipulation of facts” - an unbearably gruesome

Staff Sgt Robert Bales recitation of Bales’ actions that night, describing how he executed a young girl who was screaming for him to stop beating her father, how he fired indiscriminately into rooms full of children and how he slaughtered 11 members of a single family, many of them still asleep on their blankets.

“The accused placed his weapon on ‘burst’ and murdered everyone in the room,” Morse said. Offering the most detailed single account yet of the attack, Morse recounted the killings compound-by-compound and room-by-room, describing at one point how a widow was left clutching bits of her husband’s skull when the killer finally left. Bales looked away as prosecutors displayed pictures of some of his bloodied victims.

Bales, a 39-year-old Ohio native and father of two from Lake Tapps, Wash., was serving his fourth combat deployment when he left the outpost at Camp Belambay in the pre-dawn darkness. He first attacked one village, returning to Belambay only when he realized he was low on ammunition, Morse said. He then woke a fellow soldier, described his actions and said he was headed out

to kill more. The other soldier didn’t believe him and went back to sleep.

Bales left again.

The massacre prompted such angry protests that the US temporarily halted combat operations in Afghanistan, and it was three weeks before Army investigators could reach the crime scene. At the time, Bales had been under heavy personal, professional and financial stress, Morse said. He had complained to other soldiers that his wife was fat and unattractive and said he’d divorce her except that her father had money. He had stopped paying the mortgage on one of his houses because it was assessed at $60,000 less than he paid for it, and he was upset that he had not been promoted. “The accused felt inadequate as a soldier and as a man because of his personal, financial and professional problems,” Morse said. Furthermore, Bales had expressed a desire for revenge when a fellow soldier had stepped on a roadside bomb and lost his leg below the knee a week earlier - though Bales did not personally witness the event or see the soldier afterward, Morse said.

During his plea hearing in June, Bales couldn’t explain to a judge why he committed the killings. “There’s not a good reason in this world for why I did the horrible things I did,” he said. He did not say he was sorry, but his lawyers hinted an apology might come at sentencing. Prosecutors questioned how much remorse Bales truly feels. They played for the jury a recording of a phone conversation with his wife in which Bales briefly laughs as recalls that the Army revised the number of murders he was charged with, from 17 to 16. “At least they dropped one count of murder,” he said.

Bales’ attorneys have said they plan to present evidence that could warrant leniency, including his previous deployments and what they describe as his history of post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. “Our general theme is that Sgt Bales snapped,” one of his civilian attorneys, John Henry Browne, said earlier. If he is sentenced to life with the possibility of parole, Bales would be eligible in 20 years, but there’s no guarantee he would receive it.— AP

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

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

Crime wave puts laid-back Malaysia on edge KUALA LUMPUR: A wave of lethal shootings is rattling normally laid-back Malaysia and raising fresh doubts about the ability of the much-maligned national police force to protect the public.

Malaysians and foreign residents alike have long complained of burglars, bagsnatchers and other petty criminals operating with apparent impunity in the otherwise peaceful multi-ethnic nation.

But near-daily gun violence in recent weeks in a country with tough firearms restrictions has sown fear and confusion, and triggered a weekend police crackdown widely considered long overdue.

“To be honest, I am really scared,” said French expatriate Marthe Buffiere, 29, whose hand was nearly severed last month in a mugging by two knife-wielding assailants in an upscale Kuala Lumpur neighborhood.

“The image of wealth and safety here is totally untrue,” said Buffiere. Dozens of shootings have been reported since April, many fatal, but the causes and the culprits in the sudden upsurge remain unclear. Home Minister Zahid Hamidi, who oversees the national police force, believes there is a turf war involving 2,600 criminal suspects released since 2011 when the long-serving government was pressured into abolishing a controversial law allowing preventive detention.

“Each has his hardcore followers. If each of the released detainees had 10 right-hand men, this translated to 26,000

News

in brief

Gunman kills 15 CAIRO: At least 15 people were killed yesterday north of the Egyptian capital when an ex-convict went on a shooting spree, apparently over a family dispute, state media and judicial sources said. Egypt’s official news agency MENA said “15 people were killed when a dangerous criminal... opened fire randomly at passers-by.” The man, recently released from prison after serving time for his role in the deaths of 23 people, was reportedly seeking revenge over a family dispute. The attack took place in Mayt Al-Atar village of Qalubiya province.

It comes amid fears of new lawlessness in Egypt, following deadly clashes between supporters of ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi and security forces.

18 dead in Indonesia CISARUA: Eighteen people were killed and dozens injured yesterday when a bus plunged into a river as it returned from a church outing on Indonesia’s main island of Java, police said. The bus was carrying passengers from a Jakarta church back to the capital after a visit to a hill resort when the accident happened at Cisarua in West Java province, local police spokesman Martinus Sitompul said. It collided with a pick-up truck then crashed into a food stall before falling up to eight meters into the river.

Sitompul said that 18 people were killed, 30 were seriously injured and 10 slightly hurt.

“We suspect the brakes malfunctioned but that ’s still being investigated,” he said.

Police were questioning the bus driver, who sustained light injuries, he said. Fatal accidents are common on Indonesia’s poorly maintained roads, especially on densely populated Java Island.

Saudi executes Yemeni RIYADH: Saudi authorities executed a Yemeni in Makkah yesterday after he was convicted of murdering a fellow countryman, the interior ministr y said. Hosni Tawhal had been accused of stabbing Saghr Sulaia to death, the ministry said, quoted by state news agency SPA. This brought to 61 the number of people executed in Saudi Arabia this year, according to an AFP count.

In 2012, the Gulf country executed 76 people, according to a tally based on official figures. Human Rights Watch has put the number at 69. R ape, murder, apostasy, armed robbery and drug trafficking are all punishable by death under Saudi Arabia’s strict version of sharia, or Islamic law.

5 killed, pipeline bombed BAGHDAD: Attacks in Iraq killed five people, damaged an oil pipeline and hit a Shiite shrine yesterday, as the country grapples with a months-long spike in violence. Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki has vowed to press ahead with operations to try to stem the bloodshed, which has claimed more than 3,500 lives already this year, but analysts say Iraq is not tackling the root causes of the unrest. In the deadliest attack, gunmen broke into the house of a local anti-AlQaeda militia chief west of Baghdad, killing his son and cousin. Sunni militants consider the Sahwa, a collection of Sunni tribal militias that joined forces with the United States and turned against Al-Qaeda from late 2006, to be traitors and frequently attack them. Also yesterday, six bombings in four different Iraqi cities, including the capital, killed three people, among them an army captain, and wounded four others and damaged a local Shiite shrine, officials said.

Meanwhile, Iraq’s crude exports via Turkey were halted by three separate but apparently coordinated attacks targeting an oil pipeline in the nor thern provinces of Nineveh and Kirkuk.

who are with them,” he said. But the opposition dismisses that as a smokescreen to hide police ineptitude, while social media hum with darker conspiracy theories of battles between corrupt police factions and their underworld proxies over criminal rackets.

The crisis is fuelling calls for reform of the Royal Malaysia Police, which has long been dogged by accusations of corruption, incompetence and bias toward the regime which has been in power for 56 years. “There is not a strong enough deterrent. If it seems you can get away with crime, criminals will try, and they are,” said Richard Wee, chairman of Safer Malaysia, a grassroots group pressing for improved policing. “And (police) corruption is the big elephant in the room.”

Zahid has not backed his turf-war claim with evidence. Neither he nor top police officials responded to requests for comment. Whatever the causes, citizens are forming community patrols and barricading entrances to neighborhoods while anti-crime websites feature videos of angry mobs beating suspected criminals. “The public is fed up, distraught, and angry and are resorting to vigilantism,” said Mark Soh, who runs the Malaysian Crime Awareness Campaign’s Facebook site, a hotbed of crime chatter.

Singaporean media reports have said many travellers from the city-state, a major source of tourist spending, were putting off plans to visit neighboring Malaysia, but there has been no hint of a

broader economic hit yet.

The latest burst of deadly shootings began late last month, with victims including a Bahrain-born businessman who founded one of Malaysia’s biggest banks in the 1970s. Hussain Ahmad Najadi, 75, was gunned down on July 29 on a Kuala Lumpur street in a stillunsolved crime, prompting Prime Minister Najib Razak to demand that police act to “restore public confidence”.

But a daily drumbeat of brazen robberies, carjackings or killings has rolled on. With public pressure growing, police on Saturday launched an operation to corral “suspicious” people, detaining 200 so far and killing five suspected gangsters in a shootout. Ruling-party conservatives who oppose a cautious reform drive launched in 2011 by Najib have blamed it for the chaos and urged a harder line on security. But the opposition counter that urgent police reform is needed, citing figures showing just nine percent of police are assigned to criminal investigation compared with far greater resources focused on political threats or mundane desk work.

The force has also faced increasing criticism over the deaths in custody of more than 230 people since 2000, the vast majority going uninvestigated. The mentality of the police force is little changed from its early years fighting a failed communist insurrection in the 1950s, said opposition legislator Liew Chin Tong. “Most other countries have

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian policemen check a vehicle at a roadblock during an operation called ‘Op Cantas Khas’ in Kuala Lumpur. A wave of lethal shootings is rattling normally laid-back Malaysia and raising new doubts about the muchmaligned national police force’s ability to protect the public. — AFP modern police forces. Ours is still stuck in the Cold War,” he said. Najib, whose government has prompted scepticism with data showing crime has plummeted since 2011, has made no mention of police reform.

Instead, he is promising strong new anti-crime measures that will respect civil liberties. “The prime minister has made tackling violent crime a priority, and has said that all resources needed to

fight crime will be made available,” a Malaysian government spokesman said.

Accountant Latifa Hanan, 30, hopes police will gain the upper hand. The Kuala Lumpur resident has been mugged twice this year and all her closest friends have also been victimized.

“We’re all wondering what’s happening to our lovely country,” she said. “Even going out in daytime, you feel like you have to watch your back.”—AFP

Japan nuke crisis deepens China expresses shock; IAEA offers to help TOKYO: Japan’s nuclear crisis escalated to its worst level since a massive earthquake and tsunami crippled the Fukushima plant more than two years ago, with the country’s nuclear watchdog saying it feared more storage tanks were leaking contaminated water. The UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said yesterday it viewed the situation at Fukushima “seriously” and was ready to help if called upon, while nearby China said it was “shocked” to hear contaminated water was still leaking from the plant, and urged Japan to provide information “in a timely, thorough and accurate way”. “ We hope the Japanese side can earnestly take effective steps to put an end to the negative impact of the after-effects of the Fukushima nuclear accident,” China’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement faxed to Reuters in Beijing. Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga called the situation “deplorable”, and the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) said it feared the disaster - the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl a quarter of a century earlier - was “in some respects” beyond the plant operator’s ability to cope.

The plant’s operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co, or Tepco, has been criticized for its failure to prepare for the disaster and has since been accused of covering up the extent of the problems at the plant. After months of denial, Tepco recently admitted the plant was leaking contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean from trenches between the reactor buildings and the shoreline. It said on Tuesday that contaminated water with dangerously high levels of radiation was leaking from a storage tank - the most serious problem in a series of recent mishaps, including power outages, contaminated workers and other leaks.

The NRA said it was worried about leakage from other similar tanks that were built hastily to store water washed over melted reactors at the station to keep them cool.

Water in the latest leak is so contaminated that a person standing close to it for an hour would receive five times the annual recommended limit for nuclear workers.

A spokesman for the NRA said the agency plans to upgrade the severity of the crisis from a Level 1 “anomaly” to a Level 3 “serious incident” on an international scale

TOKYO: Aerial photo shows the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant at Okuma in Fukushima prefecture, northern Japan.—AP for radiological releases. An upgrade would be the first time Japan has issued a warning on the International Nuclear Event Scale (INES) since the three reactor meltdowns at Fukushima in March 2011. Explosions then led to a loss of power and cooling, triggering a maximum INES Level 7 at the plant.

NRA Chairman Shunichi Tanaka likened the stricken nuclear plant to a house of horrors at an amusement park. “I don’t know if describing it this way is appropriate, but it’s like a haunted house and, as I’ve said, mishaps keep happening one after the other,” he told reporters. “We have to look into how we can reduce the risks and how to prevent it from becoming a fatal or serious incident.” He said the NRA would consult with the IAEA about whether it was appropriate to assign a rating to the leakage at the plant.

“Japanese authorities continue to provide the Agency with information on the situation at the plant, and Agency experts are following the issue closely,” Gill Tudor, spokesperson at the Vienna-based IAEA, said in an e-mailed statement. “The IAEA views this matter seriously and remains ready to provide assistance on request.”

Each one-step INES increase represents a 10-fold increase in severity, according to a factsheet on the IAEA website.

A Level 3 rating is assigned when there is exposure of more than 10 times the limit for workers, according to the factsheet.

In an emailed comment, Andrew Sherry, director of the Dalton Nuclear Institute at the University of Manchester, said: “Though serious, this leak is a long way from the Level 7 incident we were facing in 2011. The approach taken by Tepco to

drain the tank, pump leaked water to temporary storage, and protect the drainage of contaminated water to ground water, is entirely sensible.”

“This incident highlights the need for an inspection program for these many hundreds of storage tanks, and the need to consider replacing bolted or sealed storage tanks, which were relatively quick to build, with a more robust welded design.” South Korea’s Asiana Airlines Inc said it would cancel charter flights between Seoul and Fukushima city in October due to public concerns over the radioactive water leaks. The city, around 60 kms from the nuclear facility and with a population of some 284,000, is a popular destination for golfers and tourists visiting nearby local hot springs and lakes.—Reuters

More rain adds to misery in flood-ravaged Manila Fifteen people confirmed dead MANILA: Heavy rain pounded the Philippine capital and surrounding areas for a third day yesterday, adding to the misery of nearly 300,000 exhausted people displaced from their flooded homes.

Fifteen people have been confirmed killed by the monsoon rains and floods that have battered the country’s main island of Luzon.

The government ’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said the victims mostly drowned, including an 84-year-old woman who perished in a suburb of Manila. As of nightfall yesterday about 15 percent of Metro Manila, a low-lying and sprawling city of 12 million people, was still flooded, down from 50 percent on Tuesday, said Mon Viloria of the city’s civil defense office. While the crisis had eased many people were still suffering,

said Philippine Red Cross secretary general Gwendolyn Pang.

Speaking earlier, she said almost 300,000 people were living in evacuation centers or seeking shelter with friends and relatives.

“The problem now is food, and a source of water for drinking. They also have to wash their clothes (while) some had their belongings washed away by the water,” Pang said. One of the worst-affected areas was the coastal district of Cavite, about 18 kilometers from the heart of the capital, where residents were suffering waist-deep water streaming through countless homes. “ We are really pitiful here.

People are still shocked. There is no electricity,” Lino Ibadlit, a district councilor said. He said the local government had brought some food and other relief goods but

they were only suitable for one day. “The people have no choice but to wade through the water to look for food, but stores are either closed or have run out of supplies... we need canned goods, noodles, biscuits,” he said. Ibadlit said health was also starting to become a concern, with children beginning to suffer from colds and skin rashes.

The floods paralyzed the capital on Monday and Tuesday, with schools, government offices and the stock exchange closed. The city was even quieter yesterday, although it was a public holiday.

People living in important farming regions to the nor th of Manila were also enduring flooding. In Pampanga province knee-high water submerged vast areas of rice fields and farming towns. Marcela Cantellana, 53, said five families

CAVITE: Residents wade through a flooded street while others ride on a wooden boat in Cavite, southwest of Manila, after their houses (back) were submerged by flood waters due to heavy rains exacerbated by Tropical Storm Trami. — AFP whose homes are beside the Porac storey home since the floods struck river had been living inside her two- before dawn on Monday.—AFP

NEWS

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

FORNELO DO MONTE: Local residents try to extinguish a wildfire at Fornelo do Monte near Vouzela, central Portugal yesterday. Several hundred firefighters were tackling forest fires raging in the north and centre of the country, backed by two Spanish Canadair planes. Portugal, grappling with a number of wildfires, has sought help from Spain and France. Some 31,000 hectares have been lost to fire in Portugal this year. — AFP

US citizenship: Some Muslims blacklisted LOS ANGELES: Civil liberties advocates say they have uncovered a US government program that has blacklisted some Muslims and put their citizenship applications on hold for years as it screens immigrants for national securit y concerns. The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California said in a report that the criteria used by US Citizenship and Immigration Services to blacklist immigrants are overly broad and include traveling through regions where there is terrorist activity.

The report says immigration officers are instructed to find ways to deny applications who have been deemed a national security concern. For example, they’ll claim they failed to receive sufficient information from the immigrant. The ACLU learned about the program through records requests after detecting a pattern in cases of Muslim immigrants whose applications to become US citizens had languished.

“It is essentially creating this secret criteria for

obtaining naturalization and immigration benefits that has never been disclosed to the public and Congress hasn’t approved,” said Jennie Pasquarella, an ACLU staff attorney and the report’s author. “I feel like ultimately this is just about politics. They don’t want to be seen as having granted citizenship to somebody who’s going to be the next Boston bomber,” she said.

It was not immediately clear how many immigrants have been reviewed under the program, which began in 2008 and is formally known as the Controlled Application Review and Resolution Program. Iranian math professor Mahdi Asgari started receiving visits from FBI agents after he applied for citizenship three years ago, the report said. At one point, agents asked him about his relationship with a fellow Iranian graduate student with whom he now has little contact.

Asgari is still waiting for a decision on his naturalization application, the ACLU said. Christopher

GCC throws weight behind ‘new Egypt’ Continued from Page 1 Neil Partrick, associate fellow at London’s Royal United Services Institute.

“However, the proven threat of Muslim Brotherhood takeovers in the region following the Arab uprisings deepened a shift underway for more than 10 years and encouraged Riyadh to head a de facto alliance of hereditary regimes in Arabia against them,” he added. Saudi Arabia has traditionally had strong ties with Egypt’s military. These links “never went away despite Morsi’s election” and his “unpopularity and ineptness, provided an opportunity for Saudi Arabia together principally with the UAE, to encourage a return” to the former status quo, Partrick said. The Muslim Brotherhood lost the trust of Gulf monarchies after failing to condemn the 1990 invasion of Kuwait by Iraq’s then dictator Saddam Hussein.

In the UAE, members of the Muslim Brotherhood have been jailed over charges of plotting to overthrow the regime. Saudi’s main concern is the “stability of Egypt,” according to Saudi political sociology professor Khalid Al-Dakhil. “The idea of the collapse of Egypt terri-

fies Riyadh,” he said. “Saudi Arabia has chosen to stand by the side of Egypt’s military institution that it has known for decades, and the one it thinks could stabilize Egypt after the failure of the Muslim Brotherhood in ruling,” he said.

The oil-rich kingdom and the UAE have gone as far as “forming a lobby opposing the West’s position and defending Egypt,” said Lebanese analyst Abdel Wahab Badrakhan. “Saudi Arabia is already deceived by the West’s neglect of Syria and leaving it to disintegrate... while Gulf countries find the US and Western position towards Iran not clear,” he said.

Qatar, however, has stood out among Gulf nations, strongly condemning the crackdown on the supporters of Morsi, to whom the wealthy state was a key backer.

The tiny state supported the Muslim Brotherhood for “pragmatic, more than ideological, motives,” as it saw them ready to rule in Arab Spring nations more than other parties, argued Dakhil. “Qatar will suffer isolation within the Gulf Cooperation Council... Qataris have to reposition themselves after they had put all their eggs in the basket of the Muslim Brotherhood,” he said. — AFP

1,300 massacred Continued from Page 1 Verification of the Chemical Weapons Convention. “In a real case, they would also be contaminated and would also be having symptoms.” John Hart, head of the Chemical and Biological Security Project at Stockholm International Peace Research Institute said he had not seen the telltale evidence in the eyes of the victims that would be compelling evidence of chemical weapons use.

“Of the videos that I’ve seen for the last few hours, none of them show pinpoint pupils... this would indicate exposure to organophosphorus nerve agents,” he said.

Gwyn Winfield, editor of CBRNe World magazine, which specializes in chemical weapons issues, said the evidence did not suggest that the chemicals used were of the weapons grade that the Syrian army possesses in its stockpiles.

“We’re not seeing reports that doctors and nurses... are becoming fatalities, so that would suggest that the toxicity of it isn’t what we would consider military sarin.

It may well be that it is a lower-grade,” Winfield said. The opposition National Coalition’s George Sabra said more than 1,300 people had been killed in what he described as a “coup de grace that kills all hopes for a political solution in Syria”. “The Syrian regime is mocking the UN and the great powers when it strikes targets near Damascus, while the (UN weapons inspectors) are just a few steps away,” he said.

State news agency SANA said “reports on the use of chemical weapons in Ghouta (the Damascus suburbs) are totally false. It’s an attempt to prevent the UN commission of inquiry from carrying out its mission.” The UN Security Council was to hold an urgent meeting on the allegations yesterday as UN officials said that talks were already under way with the Syrian government on securing access to the alleged attack sites.

The head of the UN inspection mission, Ake Sellstrom, was “in discussions with the Syrian government on all issues pertaining to the alleged use of chemical weapons, including this most recent reported incident,” a statement said. Washington demanded that the inspectors be given unfettered access. “For the UN’s efforts to be credible, they must have immediate access to witnesses and affected individuals, and have the ability to examine and collect physical evidence without any interference or manipulation from the Syrian government,” said White House spokesman Josh Earnest.

Washington has previously described chemical weapons use as a red line that might prompt it to intervene militarily in Syria. Moscow, which has said it has proof of chemical weapons use by the rebels in March, expressed skepticism about the opposition’s claims. The foreign ministry said the timing of the allegations as UN inspectors began their work “makes us think that we are once again dealing with a premeditated provocation.” — AFP

Bentley, a spokesman for Citizenship and Immigration Services, said the agency routinely checks the background of immigrants applying for benefits and puts the countr y ’s safety, and the integrity of the immigration system, first. “We are vigilant in executing these responsibilities, and will not sacrifice national security or public safety in the interest of expediting the review of benefit applications,” Bentley said in a statement.

Under the program, immigration officers determine whether a case poses a national security concern and confer with the appropriate law enforcement agency that has information about the immigrant. Officers then conduct additional research and put many cases on hold for long periods of time. Most applications are eventually denied, as the program states that officers are not allowed to approve such cases without additional review, the report said. — AP

Kuwait’s firm denies Arabtec merger talks DUBAI: Kuwait’s Combined Group Contracting Co yesterday denied a local newspaper report that it was involved in merger negotiations with Dubai builder Arabtec Holdings. Kuwaiti newspaper AlQabas said Arabtec, part-owned by Abu Dhabi state investment firm Aabar, was in merger talks with Combined Group and Saudi Arabia’s Saudi Oger. It cited unnamed sources. “We are not related to this issue at all...We did not approach anyone and no one from Arabtec offered anything...There is not even an intention in this regard,” an executive at the company said, declining to be named. Saudi Oger officials were not available for comment. Arabtec Holdings is considering a merger with the largest contractors in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to create a pan-Gulf construction firm, the firm’s chief executive told CNBC’s Arabic news channel without specifying company names. — Reuters

Court orders Mubarak release Continued from Page 1 Meanwhile, authorities continued to round up members of the Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood movement. Overnight, they detained Islamist firebrand Safwat Hegazy and Mourad Ali, a spokesman for the group’s Freedom and Justice Party.

Hegazy was arrested near the border with Libya and Ali at Cairo airport as he tried to leave for Rome, they said.

Since the army ousted Morsi after massive demonstrations against him, authorities have issued hundreds of detention orders and arrest warrants for Brotherhood members.

Dozens of the group’s leaders have been rounded up, including its supreme guide Mohamed Badie, who was detained on Tuesday. It was the first time a Brotherhood supreme guide has been arrested since 1981. The Brotherhood swiftly named deputy Mahmoud Ezzat, described by experts as a “hawk” and conservative, to serve as interim guide.

Badie and two other senior Brotherhood leaders are expected to appear Sunday before a court on allegations they incited the murder of protesters in front of their headquarters on June 30. Egypt has experienced a week of unprecedented political bloodletting, which began on August 14 when security forces stormed two Cairo pro-Morsi protest camps. The crackdown and resulting violence across the country killed nearly 600 people in a single day, the bloodiest in Egypt’s recent history.

Islamists have torched and attacked dozens of Christian churches, schools, businesses and homes-mostly in the rural south-accusing Egypt’s sizable Coptic minority of backing Morsi’s ouster. The deadly dispersals of the protest camps were followed by days of violence that have seen the country’s toll rise to nearly 1,000 dead, including 37 Islamist prisoners who died in custody on Sunday night. That excludes the toll in the Sinai Peninsula, where militants have launched near daily attacks against police and army facilities.

On Monday, 25 policemen were killed in a single incident,

when gunmen dragged them from two buses and shot them dead execution style near the border with the Gaza Strip. The incident prompted national condemnation and mourning and brought the week’s toll in Sinai alone to 45, according to an AFP count. The international community has responded with shock to the violence. The European Union decided yesterday to restrict exports of security equipment and arms to Egypt in response to the mounting violence but opted to maintain economic assistance.

After a meeting in Brussels, EU foreign minister issued a statement that dubbed recent operations by Egyptian security forces as “disproportionate” while also condemning “acts of terrorism” in the Sinai and attacks on churches blamed on the Muslim Brotherhood. “It is a very clear and determined signal towards Egypt for an end of the violence and a return to a political process that includes all the different political forces,” said German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle.

But expressing concern over the economic situation, the ministers said “assistance in the socio-economic sector and to civil society will continue.” But they warned that “the EU will monitor the situation in Egypt closely and readjust its cooperation accordingly.” British Foreign Secretary William Hague said “we must keep faith with the majority of the people of Egypt who want a stable, democratic and prosperous country for themselves and that means we mustn’t do anything that hurts them or that cuts off support to them.”

For its part, the White House has denied reports it was halting its $1.3 billion annual aid package to Egypt. On Tuesday, in an interview with ABC News, Egyptian interim Prime Minister Hazem El-Beblawi said it would be a “bad sign” for the US to cut off aid. But, while he said such a move would “badly affect the military for some time,” he insisted that “Egypt would survive” and could turn to other donors. Oilrich Saudi Arabia, which backs the army-installed interim government, has said it would step in with other Arab nations to fill any funding gap if Washington halts aid. — AFP

Crocodile ‘mysteriously’ sneaks into Salwa ...

Continued from Page 1 On heading home, the man found a 1.5 meter-long crocodile waiting for him in the courtyard, so he quickly grabbed a firearm and killed it with a shot to the head.

The man was quoted by Al-Rai daily yesterday, explaining that the crocodile looked weak and was moving slowly due to extreme heat and hunger. He added that he felt he was left with no other choice than to kill the animal before it could harm any of his family members who were locked inside their rooms.

The man demanded an investigation to determine the source of the crocodile - which had most likely escaped from its owner who had probably kept it as a pet in a nearby house. “Has Kuwait’s environment turned overnight to something similar to Australia’s

where crocodiles roam freely near rivers?” the man exclaimed.

Petting crocodiles and other exotic animals is reportedly on the rise in Kuwait where the animals are usually kept inside homes or farms. To bypass local regulations that totally ban importing wild animals for domestication, crocodiles, snakes, lizards, and even jungle predators such as cheetahs, lions and tigers in addition to wolves and monkeys are usually smuggled, bred inside farms and sold at high prices to people who enjoy keeping dangerous pets as a hobby.

Social networking sites have become a platform for local ‘breeders’ to market their exotic pets at prices that reach up to KD5,000 ($17,600) for a lion cub, KD 4,000 ($14,000) for a python and KD 1,000 ($3,500) for a crocodile. — Agencies

14

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

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Issues

Arab Spring states mired in turmoil

By Acil Tabbara loodbath in Egypt, civil war in Syria, stalemate in Tunisia: the Arab Spring has stoked turmoil because of a lack of maturity among the region’s new political class, analysts say. When popular uprisings swept away long-standing dictators in Egypt, Libya and Tunisia in 2011, hopes were running high for a smooth transition and a fresh start.

But this year’s violence in Egypt and Tunisia, along with Syria’s bloody civil war, shows that the Arab world is still plagued by often deadly political unrest. “Arab countries are entering a turbulent period of change, which will likely see even more domestic violence, polarization and regional competition,” said Emile Hokayem, Middle East analyst at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. Nearly 900 people, mostly supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi, have been killed in a crackdown across Egypt since August 14 when security forces moved to clear two Islamist protest camps in Cairo.

Unrest escalated further with a deadly attack by suspected Islamist militants in the restive Sinai peninsula on Monday that killed 25 members of the security forces.

The crisis has swept away most of the gains from the uprising against long-time dictator Hosni Mubarak in 2011, “especially the multi-party system with the entry of the Islamists into politics and the first democratic elections,” said Sophie Pommier, an expert on the Arab world at Sciences-Po university in Paris.

“Egypt is going to the wall. The actors are incapable of political compromise,” Pommier said. The army chief and Egypt’s new de facto leader Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi on Sunday hammered home in a speech that his country “will not bend” before “terrorists,” and the Muslim Brotherhood head, Mohamed Badie, was arrested. “If the Muslim Brotherhood is dissolved, they will cross a red line,” Pommier warned.

“The big question is whether the international community is also going to repeat its errors out of its fear of Islamism, or bang its fists on the table to show the army that no one is fooled by this kind of strategy,” she added.

For Hokayem, the region’s uprisings “have exposed the political immaturity of every major faction in the Arab world,” which, he says, is clear from the example of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. In the year-long presidency of Morsi, who hails from the Brotherhood, the Islamist group “alienated” parts of society that they should have been able to count on.

If the crisis in Egypt seems intractable, the situation is even worse in Syria. That country’s conflict has killed more than 100,000 people since an uprising against President Bashar Al-Assad that broke out in March 2011 degenerated into a full-blown civil war. “No one can win in Syria. Assad can survive in the medium term and hope that his enemies will weaken enough to never be able to mount that decisive challenge,” said Hokayem, who has published a book on the conflict in Syria.

For him, “a formal dismembering of Syria remains unlikely, but a de facto soft partition of the country, whereby several small entities fight but also cooperate and trade on a need-basis, alongside some ungoverned spaces, is shaping up”. Nadim Shehadi, an analyst at Chatham House, predicts more violence in Egypt.

Shehadi blamed this on “an old system that knows how to manipulate violence, and knows how to influence Western policy through the use of violence.”

Only Yemen resulted in negotiated solution-Libya is also struggling to find stability, because ousted dictator Moamer Kadhafi’s regime “destroyed all institutions”, he said. And Tunisia is facing total political stalemate as the opposition has kept up demands for the Islamist-led government to step down, following last month’s killing of secular MP Mohamed Brahmi.

Opposition parties and the ruling Islamist movement Ennahda are both determined not to yield ground in spite of direct and indirect talks to end the crisis. Only Yemen, the unique case in the Arab world where an uprising resulted in a negotiated solution, is progressing as best it can under the auspices of the UN, as part of a political reconciliation process.

But a national dialogue, due to end in September, has stalled, particularly because of the thorny issue of southern separatism, and it is uncertain whether elections set for February 2014 will go ahead. “It will take years, if not decades, for the political culture of the Arab world to accept that the mechanisms of democracy alone do not suffice and to embrace the values of tolerance and inclusion,” said Hokayem.—AFP

B

All articles appearing on these pages are the personal opinion of the writers. Kuwait Times takes no responsibility for views expressed therein. Kuwait Times invites readers to voice their opinions. Please send submissions via email to: opinion@kuwaittimes.net or via snail mail to PO Box 1301 Safat, Kuwait.

The editor reserves the right to edit any submission as necessary.

Obamacare, tepid US growth fuel part-time hiring

By Lucia Mutikani

when you don’t know the final cost involved.”

businesses are hiring at a robust rate. The only problem is that three out of four of the nearly 1 million hires this year are part-time and many of the jobs are low-paid. Faltering economic growth at home and abroad and concern that President Barack Obama’s signature health care law will drive up business costs are behind the wariness about taking on full-time staff, executives at staffing and payroll firms say.

Employers say part-timers offer them flexibility. If the economy picks up, they can quickly offer full-time work. If orders dry up, they know costs are under control. It also helps them to curb costs they might face under the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.

This can all become a less-than-virtuous cycle as new employees, who are mainly in lower wage businesses such as retail and food services, do not have the disposable income to drive demand for goods and services. Some economists, however, say the surge in reliance on part-time workers will fade as the economy strengthens and businesses gain more certainty over how they will be impacted by Obamacare.

Executives at several staffing firms told Reuters that the law, which requires employers with 50 or more full-time workers to provide healthcare coverage or incur penalties, was a frequently cited factor in requests for part-time workers. A decision to delay the mandate until 2015 has not made much of a difference in hiring decisions, they added.

“Us and other people are hiring part-time because we don’t know what the costs are going to be to hire full-time,” said Steven Raz, founder of Cornerstone Search Group, a staffing firm in Parsippany, New Jersey. “We are being cautious.”

Raz said his company started seeing a rise in part-time positions in late 2012 and the trend gathered steam early this year. He estimates his firm has seen an increase of between 10 percent and 15 percent compared with last year. Other staffing firms have also noted a shift. “They have put some of the full-time positions on hold and are hiring part-time employees so they won’t have to pay out the benefits,” said Client Staffing Solutions’ Darin Hovendick. “There is so much uncertainty. It’s really tough to design a budget

CAUTIOUS STRATEGY The delay in the Obamacare employer mandate “confused people even further,” said Bill Peppler, managing partner at Kavaliro, a technology staffing firm in Orlando, Florida. “When we talk to customers, I still don’t think anyone has a handle on this.” Obamacare appears to be having the most impact on hiring decisions by small- and medium-sized businesses.

Although small businesses account for a smaller share of the jobs in the economy, they are an important source of new employment. Some businesses are holding their headcount below 50 and others are cutting back the work week to under 30 hours to avoid providing health insurance for employees, according to the staffing and payroll executives.

Under Obamacare, any employee working 30 hours or more is considered full-time. An effort to trim hours might have helped push the average work week down to a six-month low in July. “As organizations and companies reduce the hours of part-time workers, they still have to replace the capacity, so they go out and hire additional part-time workers,” said Philip Noftsinger, president of CBIZ Payroll in Roanoke, Virginia, which manages payroll for more than 5,000 small businesses.

Some large companies are also leaning more heavily on part-timers. Wal-Mart Stores Inc has been hiring more part-time workers, although it says the move is to ensure proper staffing when stores are busiest and is not an effort to cut costs.

Spokesman Kory Lundberg said the world’s largest retailer promotes about 75,000 people from part-time to full-time work each year and is on track to do so again in 2013.

Similarly, a memo that leaked out from teen and young adult retailer Forever 21 last week showed it was reducing a number of full-time staff to positions where they will work no more than 29.5 hours a week, just under the Obamacare threshold. In a statement, the company said the move will affect fewer than 1 percent of its US store employees, and was taken to better align staffing with sales expectations - not to lower costs under the Affordable Care Act. Some public school boards and local governments, including the city of Long Beach in California, are also cutting hours.

“The difference between 30 and 40 hours can be the difference between being able to make ends meet month-to-month,” said

US

Heidi Shierholz, a senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute in Washington. “That contributes to reduced living standards for American families and translates into having less income to spend on goods and services, which holds back the economy.”

WEAK ECONOMY NOT HELPING Obamacare is only one factor. The surge in part-time employment also reflects an economy that has struggled to maintain decent growth. That has left business owners such as Jason Holstine, who owns a building supply store in Baltimore, Maryland, reluctant to take on full-time staff. Holstine said he was more concerned about budget policy in Washington than about Obamacare, given that federal government furloughs tied to across-the-board spending cuts led some of his clients to put home renovations on hold.

“We are still working in an environment that is very hard to forecast the near future and remains very cash-constrained,” said Holstine. “We were always nimble, but we had to become more reactive. Using part-timers gives us more flexibility.” In a paper published last month, the San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank said uncertainty over fiscal and regulatory policy had left the US unemployment rate 1.3 percentage points higher at the end of last year than it otherwise would have been. The jobless rate stood at 7.8 percent in December; it has since fallen to 7.4 percent. “That’s about 2 million jobs below where we should have been in 2012 because of policy uncertainty,” said Keith Hall, a senior research fellow at George Mason University’s Mercatus Center in Arlington, Virginia. Economists and staffing companies are cautiously optimistic that part-time hiring and the low wages environment will fade away as the economy regains momentum, starting in the second half of this year and through 2014. But businesses, accustomed to functioning with fewer workers, might not be in a hurry to change course. A study by financial analysis firm Sageworks found that profit per employee at privately held companies jumped to more than $18,000 in 2012 from about $14,000 in 2009. “Private employers are either able to make more money with fewer employees or have been able to make more money without hiring additional employees,” said Sageworks analyst Libby Bierman. “The lesson learned for businesses during the recession was to have lean operations.”— Reuters

Succession, health doubts loom over Mugabe’s new term

By Cris Chinaka hen Zimbabwe’s veteran president Robert Mugabe suavely hosted journalists at State House on the eve of last month’s election, there was only one question that caught him off guard. Asked if the presence of Defense Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa by his side meant that he was his chosen successor, Mugabe paused awkwardly amid laughter and then delivered an unconvincing reply that Mnangagwa just dropped by to see him.

Three weeks after Mugabe’s re-election in a disputed vote called a fraud by his main rival but accepted by his African neighbors, there are no doubts Africa’s oldest leader is holding firmly on to the presidency after 33 years in power. But the question of whether, at 89, he can serve out all of his new five-year term - and who will succeed him if he steps down or dies - will hang uncomfortably over his reinstallation as Zimbabwe’s head of state on Thursday.

It will also be crucial for the future of the southern African nation, which is rich in platinum, gold and diamonds but still emerging from a decade-long recession brought on by political violence and government-backed land seizures. Mugabe faces few immediate threats.

Longtime rival Morgan Tsvangirai has been stunned by the enormity of his defeat in an election he says was rigged from start to finish; last week he dropped a challenge to Mugabe’s re-election that his Movement for Democratic Change had filed in the Constitutional Court.

The court confirmed on Tuesday that Mugabe’s win was “free, fair and credible” and had reflected the “will of the people”. Faced with a meek but broad endorsement of the result by African regional and continental bodies, Western governments must now decide whether to shun the man they have reviled as a ruthless dictator for years, or attempt a rapprochement in the interests of practical diplomacy.

Mugabe’s non-committal answer on the succession is typical of a wily and inscrutable guerrilla politician who fought a liberation war leading to independence in 1980, crushed a revolt once in power and has outfoxed rivals in and outside his fractious ZANU-PF party. Mugabe comes across as feisty and sprightly for his age. He has denied reports that he has prostate cancer and told reporters he intends to serve his full new term.

But his advanced years and the persistent questions about his health, compounded by successive medical check-up visits to Singapore, means that his endurance in

W

office carries its own cloud of uncertainty for Zimbabwe’s future. “Mugabe and Tsvangirai have fought their last elections ... one way or another. Whether it was stolen or not, this was a historic election that prefigures change,” Stephen Chan, Professor of International Relations at London’s School of Oriental and African Studies, told Reuters.

The United States, a major critic of Mugabe, has made clear it does not believe his latest re-election was credible and that a loosening of US sanctions on Zimbabwe “will occur only in the context of credible, transparent and peaceful reforms that reflect the will of the Zimbabwean people”. The European Union, which had eased some sanctions, is considering its own response after expressing concern about alleged irregularities and lack of transparency in the election.

SUCCESSION SCRAMBLE? Adding to Zimbabwe’s uncertain outlook is the perception that another Mugabe term will intensify a succession battle within the ruling party. ZANU-PF has a history of feuds and splits dating back to its bush war against white minority rule in what was then Rhodesia. “Vicious factionfighting is in the DNA of ZANU-PF,” said Stephen Ellis, a professor at the African Studies Centre in Leiden, the Netherlands. Defense Minister Mnangagwa, a 66-year-old guerrilla war veteran and Mugabe’s main security enforcer, is widely seen as a succession contender, along with Vice President Joice Mujuru and State Security Minister Sydney Sekeramayi. Mnangagwa, known as “the Crocodile”, earned a hardline reputation as security minister in the 1980s for his role in suppressing rebels in the western province of Matabeleland. Human rights groups say about 20,000 civilians were killed in the crackdown led by the army’s North Korean-trained Fifth Brigade. Mnangagwa, Mujuru and Sekeramayi have been members of Mugabe’s cabinet since 1980, and played a major role in ZANU-PF’s re-election machine.

During campaigning, Mujuru addressed rallies, Mnangagwa acted as Mugabe’s presidential election agent and Sekeramayi was the ruling party’s point man for the legislative elections in which ZANU-PF was declared the overwhelming winner. On the face of it, Mujuru, 58, another liberation war veteran whose nom de guerre was Teurai Ropa (“Spill the Blood”) appears to hold an advantage in the succession stakes because as first party vice president she acts for Mugabe when he is away.

But under a new constitution adopted earlier this year, ZANU-PF would choose a new president if Mugabe stepped down or were to die before the end of his term. Many fear this could lead to a scramble for power among ambitious aspirants. “For all Mugabe’s problems, he has been able to keep the peace in ZANU-PF, and has commanded the authority to keep a potentially chaotic party organized,” Zimbabwean political analyst Eldred Masunungure said.

“Mugabe’s absence could lead to chaos because he has managed the party in such a manner that nobody else has his kind of unquestionable authority,” he added.

MNANGAGWA VS MUJURU Some party insiders say Mugabe has skillfully played the Mujuru-Mnangagwa rivalry to strengthen his own position.

Nine years ago, when Mnangagwa appeared headed for election to the ZANU-PF vice presidency with the backing of six of the country’s 10 provincial party structures, Mugabe stepped in to engineer Mujuru’s appointment to the job.

There was speculation at the time that Mugabe penalised Mnangagwa for his leadership ambitions and that Mujuru’s husband, ex-army commander Solomon Mujuru, had prevailed on the president to promote his wife. This week, breaking with party tradition that individuals do not actively promote themselves for leadership, Mujuru attacked party rivals and presented herself as the moderate leader ZANUPF needs after Mugabe, local media reported.

“We know that the president will soon be 90 and God might decide to call him ... I am best placed to succeed Mugabe if he departs whether by natural wastage or voluntary retirement,” she told a private weekly newspaper in surprisingly frank comments. ZANU-PF insiders say Mujuru may have been frustrated by Mugabe’s statement that he plans to serve his full term to 2018. Far from mellowing his anti-Western and nationalist rhetoric, Mugabe has told his critics since the election to “go hang” and promised to increase the pace of “indigenisation” policies forcing foreign-owned firms to sell majority stakes to black Zimbabweans. John Campbell, an Africa expert at the New York-based Council on Foreign Relations, said he saw Zimbabwe going into “a holding pattern”, with little prospect of significant economic and political change until Mugabe disappears from the scene. “I don’t think anything will be settled until he’s gone,” said Tawana Shomwe, 35, who sells recharge cards for mobile phones on the streets of Harare.— Reuters

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

S P ORTS

Sirotkin gets taste of F1 SOCHI: Russian teenager Sergey Sirotkin will make his first appearance in a Sauber Formula One car at a demonstration event in Sochi next month, a spokesman for the Swiss-based team said yesterday.

Sauber have agreed to prepare the youngster, who turns 18 this month, for a race seat next year as part of a deal with Russian partners who have come to the financially-troubled team’s rescue. The spokesman, on his way to this week’s Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, said Sirotkin had been at the Hinwil factory on Tuesday and yesterday for a seat fitting and to talk to engineers.

The Sochi event has been pencilled in for Sept. 27 in the Black Sea resort that is due to host Russia’s first grand prix next year, providing the local authorities meet all the conditions.

Sirotkin, who would be by far the youngest F1 driver if he does race next season, currently lacks a superlicence to compete in Formula One or take part in Friday practice and testing is banned during the season. The demonstration run - likely to be little more than driving up and down in a straight line in an older Sauber — will be a first step towards the ultimate goal of getting him on to the starting grid. Sauber said last week that the collaboration with the Russian partners was progressing well despite “erroneous reports and rumors circulating in certain media”.—Reuters

Indian govt backs IOC move to keep tainted officials out MUMBAI: The Indian government yesterday backed the International Olympic Committee’s efforts in barring tainted officials from contesting the national Olympic body’s elections. The IOC banned the country in December after refusing to recognise the results of Indian Olympic Association (IOA) elections due to government interference, which led to a tainted official being named its secretary general. During crucial meetings in Lausanne in May, an Indian delegation of government and IOA officials assured the IOC of the Olympic movement’s autonomy in the country in a first step towards mending relations and also discussed a roadmap towards getting the ban overturned.

The IOC recently sent a 43-page draft constitution that needs to be adopted by the suspended IOA before it holds elections in September and it included a clause to bar any person charged with criminal offence from holding office. The clause has drawn objections from the IOA officials but received the backing of India’s sports minister Jitendra Singh. “... the Government of India also supports the efforts of the IOC to strengthen ethical standards in the IOA, through a clause which stipulates that persons standing for elections as office bearers of the IOA are free from criminal charges,” Singh said in a statement. Lalit Bhanot, who spent 11 months in custody following corruption charges that plagued the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi and is out on bail, was named the IOA secretary general during the controversial December elections.—Reuters

Alonso injured in training MADRID: Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso has broken the fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot during training, the nine-times European champions said on their official website (www.realmadrid.com) yesterday.

Local media reported that the Spain international, who was close to a return to action after surgery on a nagging groin injury in June, faces up to three months on the sidelines.

The 31-year-old has been the lynchpin in Real’s midfield since joining from Liverpool in 2009, and his presence was missed in their opening game of the new La Liga campaign last Sunday when they scraped a 2-1 home win over Real Betis.

Alonso had been expected to make his return to action in Thursday ’s Santiago Bernabeu Trophy, an annual early season friendly, against Qatar’s Al Sadd.

Real coach Carlo Ancelotti has plenty of cover in the midfield holding role, however, with Luka Modric and Sami Khedira plus new signings Casemiro and Asier Illarramendi. Xabi Alonso is also set to miss Spain’s next World Cup qualifier away to Finland in September, with the world and European champions leading Group I in their bid to reach next year’s finals in Brazil.—Reuters

Yankees win over Blue Jays

MIAMI: Christian Yelich No. 21 of the Miami Marlins bunts against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Marlins Park. —AFP

Dodgers see off Marlins MIAMI: With his first swing of the night, Yasiel Puig ended a slump and silenced speculation he’s in trouble. He came off the bench to hit a tiebreaking home run in the eighth inning and help the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Miami Marlins 6-4 on Tuesday night.

Puig was held out of the starting lineup after going hitless in his past 11 at-bats. He also drew a fine when he arrived late for pregame drills, raising more questions about the 22-year-old’s maturity and comportment. He entered in the sixth inning in a double switch, batted for the first time leading off the eighth and needed only one pitch to break a 4-all tie.

The NL West leaders broke a two-game losing streak, their longest in two months.

They won despite blowing a 4-1 lead and hitting into four double plays.

METS 5, BRAVES 3 In New York, rookie Zack Wheeler beat NL East-leading Atlanta for the third time, pitching shutout ball into the seventh inning and sending New York to victory.

Wheeler improved to 3-0 this year against the team with the best record in the majors. Helped by his midseason promotion from Triple-A, the Mets hold an 8-7 edge over the Braves.

Marlon Byrd and Ike Davis homered and speedy Eric Young Jr. sparked the Mets, stealing two bases, scoring twice and making a diving catch in left field. Catcher Travis d’Arnaud doubled for his first hit in the majors, ending an 0-for-10 rut.

Wheeler (6-2), raised in the Atlanta suburbs, defeated the Braves at Turner Field in his big league debut in June, then topped them at Citi Field in July.

ROCKIES 5, PHILLIES 3 In Philadelphia, Troy Tulowitzki and Wilin Rosario homered to lead Colorado past Philadelphia. Jorge De La Rosa (13-6) pitched into the seventh to win his third straight start. Dexter Fowler also drove in a run to help the Rockies jump out to a 5-0 lead.

Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado made a fantastic backhanded stop and inthe-air throw to first in the seventh inning to rob Jimmy Rollins of a run-scoring hit.

Rafael Betancourt tossed a scoreless ninth for his 16th save. Tyler Cloyd (2-3) allowed five runs in six innings in his first major league start since June 12.

DIAMONDBACKS 5, REDS 2 In Cincinnati, Paul Goldschmidt set a club record with his third grand slam of the season and became the first NL player to drive in 100 runs, powering Arizona over Cincinnati.

Goldschmidt connected in the eighth inning off J.J. Hoover, ending the reliever’s streak of 23 scoreless appearances. His 31st homer tied him with Pittsburgh’s Pedro Alvarez for the NL lead. All of his career grand slams have come this season.

Left-hander Patrick Corbin (13-3) stymied Cincinnati’s lefty-dominated lineup, pitching a six-hitter, including Chris Heisey’s two-run homer, during his second complete game. Corbin matched his career high with 10 strikeouts.

The left-hander shut down the Reds’ left-handed threats - Shin-Soo Choo, Joey Votto and Jay Bruce were a combined 0 for 12 with seven strikeouts.

NATIONALS 4, CUBS 2 In Chicago, Ryan Zimmerman had two

hits and drove in a run, Bryce Harper had two hits and scored a crucial ninth-inning run, and Dan Haren pitched six strong innings to help Washington beat Chicago.

Zimmerman had two doubles and could have had four hits as he lined out to third base in the third inning to start a double play and hit a hard shot at the center-fielder in the seventh.

Haren (8-11) kept the Cubs off-balance despite not throwing a pitch faster than 89 all night. Rafael Soriano gave up a leadoff homer to Donnie Murphy in the ninth before getting the last three outs for his 32nd save in 38 chances. Cubs starter Chris Rusin (2-3) gave up two runs and 10 hits in 5 2-3 innings.

BREWERS 6, CARDINALS 3 In Milwaukee, Kyle Lohse beat St. Louis for the first time this season and Sean Halton knocked in a career-high three runs to help lead Milwaukee to victory.

Lohse (9-8) beat the Cardinals in his fourth try this season and improved to 3-5 in nine outings overall against his former team.

Lohse left after six innings with the Brewers leading 6-3. He struck out four, walked two and allowed six hits and three runs, two coming on Yadier Molina’s tworun homer in the fourth. Molina also doubled and scored in the second on Matt Adams’ single.

John Axford and Brandon Kintzler each pitched a scoreless inning, and Jim Henderson pitched the ninth for his 19th save in 22 chances.

Lance Lynn (13-7) got roughed up in the Brewers’ five-run fourth, highlighted by Halton’s two-run single with the bases loaded.

PIRATES 8, PADRES 1 In San Diego, AJ Burnett threw seven strong innings and Pittsburgh had six extra-base hits, including Neil Walker’s home run, to beat San Diego.

Burnett (6-8) held the Padres to one run and four hits, struck out seven and walked one. He bounced back from two starts in which he allowed 10 earned runs and 16 hits in 10 innings.

The right-hander improved to 2-5 lifetime against the Padres. His only previous victory against San Diego was a no-hitter on May 12, 2001, while with the Marlins.

Burnett walked nine that night.

The Pirates opened a two-game lead in the NL Central over St. Louis, which lost 6-3 at Milwaukee. The Padres have lost 10 of 14 and tied their season high by dropping 171/2 games behind the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers.

INTERLEAGUE In San Francisco, Brayan Villarreal walked Marco Scutaro with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the ninth, handing San Francisco the victory over Boston.

Roger Kieschnick started the winning rally with a one-out single off Franklin Morales (2-1). The Giants loaded the bases with two outs when Morales walked Andres Torres and hit pinch-hitter Hector Sanchez on the left wrist.

Villarreal then threw four straight balls to Scutaro in his first appearance with the Red Sox, giving the defending World Series champions a rare reason to celebrate this summer. Sergio Romo (4-6) pitched a perfect ninth for the win.—AP

NEW YORK: Jayson Nix hit a tying homer in the seventh inning and a game-ending single in the ninth, lifting the New York Yankees to their second comeback victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday, 3-2 in the nightcap for a doubleheader sweep.

In the opener, Robinson Cano and Chris Stewart each hit three-run homers to rally the Yankees from four runs down to an 8-4 win.

Toronto lost slugger Jose Bautista to a sore hip early in the opener. Cano had an RBI single in the second game and had six hits and five RBIs in the two games.

Ichiro Suzuki singled and doubled in the first game, leaving him one shy of 4,000 combined hits during his careers in Japan and the major leagues.

Darren Oliver (3-4) walked Mark Reynolds to start the ninth. Suzuki pinch ran and advanced on Eduardo Nunez’s sacrifice bunt. Suzuki stole third before scoring on Nix’s line drive to left that gave the Yankees their eighth win in 11 games.

Mariano Rivera (4-2) worked out of a two-on jam in the top of the ninth for the win. Anthony Gose failed to get down a sacrifice bunt in the top of the ninth.

The Blue Jays extended their record with an 11th straight loss in New York. Stewart connected off Neil Wagner (2-4) in the sixth inning of the opener for his first homer since May 15 - that’s 173 homerless at-bats - to put New York ahead. In the opener, Cano got his 200th career home run and Ivan Nova (7-4) got the win.

INDIANS 4, ANGELS 1 In Anaheim, Drew Stubbs hit a two-run homer in the 14th inning, and Cleveland outlasted Los Angeles to gain ground in the AL playoff race.

Lonnie Chisenhall got the Indians going with a one-out single in the 14th off Joe Blanton (2-14), the Angels’ seventh pitcher. Stubbs, the Indians’ No. 9 hitter, was 0 for 4 with a walk before connecting for his first homer since July 4.

Michael Bourn then singled and scored from second on Blanton’s throwing error for the Angels, who have lost eight of 10. Los Angeles stranded 17 runners - 13 after the sixth inning, including two in the final frame. Carlos Santana hit a tying homer in the seventh for the Indians, who managed just four hits in the first 12 innings.

TWINS 6, TIGERS 3 In Detroit, Justin Morneau had a season-high four hits, including a two-run homer and a two-run double, and Glen Perkins struck out Miguel Cabrera with two on for the final out to help Minnesota hold off Detroit. Mike Pelfrey (5-10) gave up three runs and seven hits in 6 2-3 innings. Jared Burton got out of a two-on, one-out jam in the eighth, and Perkins finished for his 29th save in 32 chances.

Rick Porcello (9-7) allowed five runs and seven hits over 4 1-3 innings for Detroit. The Twins were without All-Star Joe Mauer, who was scratched from his start at first when he experienced dizziness during batting practice.

RAYS 7, ORIOLES 4 In Baltimore, Alex Cobb took a two-hitter into the seventh inning and Matt Joyce drove in three runs as Tampa Bay beat Baltimore for its sixth win in seven games. Wil Myers had two hits and two RBIs for the Rays, who moved percentage points ahead of Boston for the AL East lead.

Cobb (8-2) was making his second start since being hit in the head by a line drive on June 15. He

NEW YORK: Mark DeRosa No. 16 of the Toronto Blue Jays completes a double play as Alfonso Soriano No. 12 of the New York Yankees looks on in the eighth inning. —AFP allowed two runs, one earned, three hits and four walks in six-plus innings.

Miguel Gonzalez (8-6) gave up three runs, two earned, eight hits and four walks in 5 2-3 innings for the Orioles. The right-hander is 0-3 in five starts since July 20.

WHITE SOX 2, ROYALS 0 In Kansas City, John Danks shut down Kansas City’s scuffling offense for eight innings, and Chicago did just enough damage against Ervin Santana to squeak out a victory.

Danks (3-10) ended an eight-start winless streak by scattering seven hits and a walk. That the veteran left-hander’s finest start of the season came against the Royals wasn’t much of a surprise: Danks improved to 5-0 against them in 13 career starts.

Addison Reed worked around a leadoff single in the ninth for his 32nd save. It wrapped up the first shutout win for the last-place White Sox since a 3-0

victory against the Angels on May 17. Gordon Beckham homered off Santana (8-7) in the first inning for the only earned run.

MARINERS 7, ATHLETICS 4 In Oakland, Nick Franklin hit a home run and drove in three runs and the Mariners rallied from a four-run deficit to beat the Athletics.

Brad Miller and Kendrys Morales also drove in runs for the Mariners, who won for just the third time in 53 games when trailing after seven innings.

Josh Donaldson and Nate Freiman each hit a home run for the A’s, who dropped 1 1-2 games behind the AL West-leading Texas Rangers. Derek Norris also drove in a run for the A’s.

Sean Doolittle (4-5) allowed hits to all four batters he faced in the eighth. Brandon Maurer (4-7) pitched a scoreless seventh to record the victory.

Danny Farquhar recorded his eighth save in 11 chances with a scoreless ninth.—AP

MLB results/standings NY Yankees 8, Toronto 4; Tampa Bay 7, Baltimore 4; NY Yankees 3, Toronto 2; Colorado 5, Philadelphia 3; Minnesota 6, Detroit 3; Arizona 5, Cincinnati 2; NY Mets 5, Atlanta 3; LA Dodgers 6, Miami 4; Texas 4, Houston 2; Washington 4, Chicago Cubs 2; Chicago White Sox 2, Kansas City 0; Milwaukee 6, St. Louis 3; Cleveland 4, LA Angels 1 (14 innings); Seattle 7, Oakland 4; Pittsburgh 8, San Diego 1; San Francisco 3, Boston 2.

American League National League Eastern Division Eastern Division W L PCT GB Atlanta 76 49 .608 Tampa Bay 72 52 .581 Washington 61 64 .488 15 Boston 74 54 .578 NY Mets 58 66 .468 17.5 Baltimore 67 58 .536 5.5 Philadelphia 55 70 .440 21 NY Yankees 66 59 .528 6.5 Miami 48 76 .387 27.5 Toronto 57 69 .452 16 Central Division Central Division Pittsburgh 74 51 .592 Detroit 73 52 .584 St. Louis 72 53 .576 2 Cleveland 68 58 .540 5.5 Cincinnati 71 55 .563 3.5 Kansas City 64 60 .516 8.5 Milwaukee 55 71 .437 19.5 Minnesota 55 69 .444 17.5 Chicago Cubs 54 71 .432 20 Chicago White Sox 50 74 .403 22.5 Western Division Western Division LA Dodgers 73 52 .584 Texas 73 53 .579 Oakland 71 54 .568 1.5 Arizona 65 59 .524 7.5 Seattle 58 67 .464 14.5 Colorado 59 68 .465 15 LA Angels 55 70 .440 17.5 San Francisco 56 69 .448 17 Houston 41 84 .328 31.5 San Diego 56 70 .444 17.5

Washington, Panama win LLWS elimination games SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT: Manager Rob Chandler decided a quick change of strategy was in order after watching the first six Sammamish, Wash., batters strike out - five of them looking. A more aggressive approach paid off.

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT: Aguadulce, Panamaís Jean Cornejo (top) throws to first base after forcing out Taoyuan, Taiwan’s Teng-Yao Yu at second on a fielder’s choice by Teng-Yu Wang during the sixth inning of an elimination baseball game at the Little League World Series tournament. —AP

Sammamish scored six runs during a third-inning rally that proved to be just enough to pull out a 6-5 win over Nashville, Tenn., in a Little League World Series elimination game Tuesday night. “I didn’t realize they were going to throw 80 percent first-pitch strikes. So we had to change our game-plan quite fast,” Chandler said. “We stopped holding the bats.”

Austin Oh drove in the final two runs to put the Northwest champions ahead 6-2.

Aguadulce, Panama, avoided elimination with far more flair, scoring four times with two outs in the bottom of the sixth to pull out an 8-7 win over Taoyuan, Taiwan. Panama’s winning run came home when Jose Gonzalez was struck by a pitch with the bases loaded.

In knocking off Taiwan, Panama (3-1) advances to face one of the two other remaining International Division teams - Tijuana, Mexico, or Tokyo - on Thursday. Sammamish (3-1) moves on to a matchup Thursday against either Chula Vista, Calif., or Westport, Conn., in the US bracket.

Oh’s single to center drove in Will Armbruester and then Jack Matheson, who scored on an errant throw by center fielder Robert Hassell.

Armbruester, Jack Carper and Dalton Chandler each had RBI singles during the rally. The Washington team had six of its eight hits in the third inning, and after Nashville pitcher Trae McLemore had struck out the side in each of the first two frames.

“It looked like he was going to throw a perfect game,” Sammamish assistant manager Matt Fitzgibbons said. “And then my son (Nathan) had a nine-pitch walk, and I’m thinking, ‘Maybe, we can do this.’” Nashville manager Chris Mercado credited Sammamish for finding its offense in the third. At the same time, Mercado couldn’t help but note how two throwing errors led to a pair of runs.

“You can’t beat yourself,” Mercado said. “That’s what I told our kids that our biggest opponent was

ourselves. We let that get to us a little bit.”

Sammamish’s Matheson also did a solid job in three-plus innings in relief of starter Jacob Dahlstrom.

Matheson allowed just one run on three hits against a Nashville team that had scored 10 runs in each of its past two games.

“I feel like it’s all on my shoulders,” Matheson said.

“And if I can get them to put it on the ground and get them to swing, I feel like it’s all in my hands.” In the International bracket elimination game, getting hit in the foot never felt so good to Gonzalez. As the infielder limped his way toward first base, Edgardo Rosales was celebrating on his way home from third with the decisive run for Panama, which overcame a 7-4 deficit. “The only thing I was thinking was to try to get on base one way or another,” Gonzalez said through interpreter Gilbert Monell. “And after being hit by the pitch I felt very happy.”

Jordan Agrazal had three RBIs, including a two-run single in the sixth. And Rosales would not have been in a position to score had he not reached base because of a two-out error by Yeh Tung-Jua, who bobbled a grounder to third.

“It was a difficult game. It was important that we won,” manager Luis Gonzalez said through Monell. “I congratulate all the kids on the other team for their effort. Our team never gave up, and that made us get the victory.”

For Taiwan, it was a shocking turn of events for the tournament’s youngest team, which includes five 11year-olds - the most of any squad. Several Taiwan players, including catcher Lee Chen-Hsun, broke down in tears following the game.

Panama catcher Juan Crisp and several teammates went over to console their opponents. “I saw a couple of players on their team crying, and even a couple on our team,” manager Gonzalez said. “It was a great game. They’re kids. You can expect that.”—AP

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

S P ORTS

Eagles coach Kelly names Vick starting QB PHILADELPHIA: Michael Vick took a pay cut and had to compete for his job when he returned to the Eagles. Part of the choice had to do with the up-tempo offense mapped out by new coach Chip Kelly. “I just thought,” Vick said, “this was the best opportunity, the best fit for me.” Turns out, Vick was the best fit for Kelly. With his first chance to put his stamp on Philadelphia’s offense, Kelly named Vick the starting quarterback on Tuesday, giving the veteran the nod over Nick Foles after a sterling effort in the preseason. “He’s our starter for the season,” Kelly said. “It’s not a one-game trial basis.” There wasn’t a lot of suspense with Kelly ’s decision, which was announced after practice on Tuesday, and after the coach met with both players. About the only surprise was the timing - Kelly had hinted he might not name a starter until closer to the opener.

But Kelly, in his first season after coaching at Oregon, ended the mystery and will have Vick taking the snaps when Philadelphia opens the regular season at

Washington Sept. 9.

“I’m not surprised at all,” Vick said. “I told him, ‘Thank you, I appreciate it and I won’t let you down.’” Vick has been solid in two preseason games, and Foles, in his second season with the Eagles, has struggled to grasp Kelly’s multifaceted offense. Vick has thrown for 199 yards this preseason and will take a 113.2 quarterback rating into Friday’s game at Jacksonville (0-2).

Foles has been sacked six times in two games, and has a quarterback rating of 65.5, after showing flashes as a rookie last season while Vick was injured. Vick played in just 10 games last season, while Foles topped 340 yards twice as a rookie.

The Eagles (1-1) are coming off a 4-12 season, coach Andy’s Reid’s last, and haven’t made the playoffs since they won the NFC East at the end of the 2010 season. “We had a good amount of tape, a good amount of us seeing them on the field,” Kelly said. “And seeing them in a lot of different situations, and wanted to

put a guy in place, if we could, in enough time to get us to prepare the season.” Kelly has only shown flashes of his up-tempo offense in the first two preseason games and defenses already seem tired and confused while the Eagles are moving the ball with ease.

The first-team offense led by Vick and Foles has four touchdowns on eight-plus possessions in two games. One drive ended with an end-zone interception and two others ended with fumbles.

Behind Foles will be Matt Barkley, a rookie from Southern Cal. “The competitor in me, you always want to be the one on the field playing,” Barkley said. “At the same time, I love Mike. We’ve gone about it the right way. We’ve kept our great friendship and we’ve pushed each other. I’m proud of him. I’m going to do anything I can to help him become the best quarterback possible.

“I’m excited for him. Nothing changes in my preparation. I’m going to prepare the same way.” Vick had a breakout year under Reid in 2010, leading the Eagles to

the division title, winning The Associated Press Comeback Player of the Year award and starting in the Pro Bowl. But he’s battled injuries and inconsistency the last two years.

Now 33, Vick sustained a concussion in Week 10 last year and Reid decided to let Foles play the rest of the way because the Eagles were in last place. Vick returned to start the season finale against the New York Giants because Foles was hurt. He finished the year with 2,362 yards passing, 12 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He lost five fumbles.

“I think Mike is ahead right now. I think Nick made it very difficult,” Kelly said. “It wasn’t where one guy went north and the other guy went south. I think both of them upped their games.

“But at this point in time Mike’s ahead.”

The four-time Pro Bowl quarterback agreed in February to a restructured three-year contract with the Eagles, just two seasons after signing a $100 million extension that included $35.5 million in guaranteed money. The new deal is

essentially for one year, however. Vick could earn up to $10 million in 2013 if he meets all performance incentives. He was slated to earn about $16 million this season, including a $3 million roster bonus. Vick has missed 11 games because of injuries over the last three seasons. A former No. 1 overall pick by Atlanta, Vick was signed by Philadelphia in 2009 after missing two years because he was in federal prison for his role in a dogfighting ring. He came in as the No. 3 quarterback behind Donovan McNabb and Kevin Kolb.

After McNabb was traded and Kolb was injured in the season opener in 2010, Vick took over and was outstanding. He had career highs in yards passing (3,018), completion percentage (62.6), touchdowns passing (21), touchdowns rushing (9) and passer rating (100.2).

He might not hit those numbers again - even if Vick believes he’s still capable of playing like his old self. “It don’t stop here. This is just Day 1,” he said. “I’ve still got to prove myself.”—AP

US PGA tour heat scorch Australasia

Jordan Spieth

Players competing for an insane amount of money JERSEY CITY: Jordan Spieth used words like “incredible” and “amazing” to describe Liberty National Golf Club. He can be forgiven. He’s only 20. Spieth wasn’t a member of any tour at the start of the year, and now he’s taking part in the financial windfall known as the FedEx Cup playoffs. He has only been a full PGA Tour member for five weeks, not nearly long enough to learn how to complain. No one used words like that when The Barclays was held at Liberty National four years ago.

Tiger Woods said it was “interesting,” a description that was subject to interpretation, though no one needed an interpreter. One player said the front nine didn’t return to the clubhouse for fear no one would play the back nine.

A caddie said golf course designers Bob Cupp and Tom Kite ruined a perfectly good landfill.

And the jokes went on. It almost became a sport in itself, seeing who could deliver the best one-liner.

No doubt, there were awkward sight lines off the tee to tight landing areas, and it didn’t help that the rough was close to 4 inches. The slopes on some of the greens were severe and didn’t hold shots. It needed some work, and billionaire club chairman Paul Fireman paid for them out of his own pocket. More on that later.

Lost amid the criticism of Liberty National was that it produced the best tournament of the 2009 playoff season. Heath Slocum won with a 20-foot par on the final hole, and while he remains the lowest-ranked player to win a playoff event at No. 124, the real measure was who he beat by one shot - Woods, Steve Stricker, Ernie Els and Padraig Harrington.

Also overlooked was the history and location of Liberty National. Fireman developed the course on the site of a former landfill, and no other golf course screams out, “New York, New York” better. It sits on the shore of the Hudson River across from Lower Manhattan, so close to the Statue of Liberty that she looks as if she’s holding one of those “Quiet, Please” signs.

Dozens of players have been posting photos on Twitter of the views, from either the course or the water taxi over to Manhattan. But there’s a bigger picture.

The Barclays is the start of a four-tournament series with a total of $67 million in prize and bonus money - $8 million purses at each FedEx Cup playoff event, and $35 million in bonus money, with $10 million to the winner.

The greens were too severe? The course looked contrived? Really? That’s what annoyed Cristie Kerr. The two-time LPGA major winner is a member at Liberty National, and she had heard enough. Kerr ran into a couple of players -

Woods included - last year during a charity event and told them they weren’t giving the course a chance.

“I talked to a couple of guys about how lucky they are to play on this stage, and to have a guy like Paul Fireman who will spend any amount of money to build the best course he can,” Kerr said Sunday evening in Colorado. “It didn’t deserve to be beat up like that. They should be grateful to be there. For us women, we struggle to get sponsors. So it’s tough to hear. I think they respect me and respect what I was saying.

And I know a couple of guys apologized to the Firemans.”

Fireman said Woods approached him at the Deutsche Bank Championship last year and they had a nice conversation. He said Woods had heard about the changes to the golf course and looked forward to playing. “Sometimes,” Kerr said, “you can get a little big for your britches. They just need to be thankful for the stage, for the money they play for and the TV coverage they get, and all the other things that come along that they get to do.”

She might have been referring to the rows of black BMW courtesy cars outside the clubhouse. Fireman heard the good and the bad from four years ago - “It wasn’t that bad, but it definitely had a tone,” he said - and instead of taking it personally, he took action. Five greens were rebuilt (the 12th green was rebuilt three times until they got it right). Others had the slopes significantly reduced. The landing areas were widened on nearly every hole. And the 18th green was moved some 20 yards closer to allow for better staging. He paid for the changes himself.

“The most important thing is the course will show well,” Fireman said. “You can make it as tough as you want. We made it easier - not easy, but easier. My members love it, and I think I should worry about that first. I think we’ve done a great job. We’ve done everything we can do.”

Phil Mickelson also is a member, and Fireman leaned on him for advice. Mickelson’s philosophy is to at least give players a shot at the green, even if they get into more trouble trying. His recommendation was largely about how to set up the course.

“What I said to Paul was if you were to play Augusta National and have 4-inch rough, you’d be miserable and the beauty of Augusta National would not come out,” Mickelson said after an 18-hole practice round Tuesday. “I felt that way about Liberty National. If you get rid of the rough and put the first cut in there, you always have a shot. Since he’s done that, it has made Liberty National play so good.” —AP

HERNING: Denmark’s Lone Bang Larsen competes on the horse Fitou L during the Blue Hors FEI Dressage European Championships. —AFP

GREENSBORO: As the heavyweight US PGA Tour revamps its schedule and continues to expand internationally, it is becoming increasingly difficult for the world’s other tours to survive, let alone thrive. Nowhere are the problems more acute than in Australia, a proud golfing nation that has produced some of the game’s greatest players, including this year’s Masters champion Adam Scott and former world number one Greg Norman.

The PGA Tour of Australasia has shrunk considerably since the halcyon days of a couple of decades ago when Japanese sponsorship money and the regular presence of home-grown superstar Norman combined to create a perfect storm that yielded a dozen or more world-class tournaments.

This year, the tour has dwindled to just four tournaments offering prize money of at least $1 million (A$1.1 million). That might not be too much of a problem if the country’s top players competed in all four, but this will not be the case.

Among the notable absentees will be Australian veteran Stuart Appleby, a nine-time winner on the PGA Tour who intends to skip his home circuit for the first time.

“I haven’t got any plans to play in Australia this year,” Appleby, 42, told Reuters. “It will be the first time I’ve aborted the whole schedule.

“The new schedule has made it really difficult and unfortunately there is very little making Australia look like a proposition now (for us) to come back and play. “Many of us have done

it for 15 years or so but you may find that this is now a trend and that you’ll see very few guys (going back to Australia to play).” The PGA Tour of Australasia faces several problems, but perhaps none is greater than the fact that three of its four big tournaments (in October and November) will clash with the start of the 2013-14 PGA Tour season. For the first time, the US circuit

will officially launch its season in October, rather than in January, and six events will be played in late 2013, with two of them in Asia.

It is no coincidence that the Australian Open, the only event on the PGA Tour of Australasia that does not clash with the 2013-14 PGA Tour, will have the strongest field.

Masters champion Scott will help

Adam Scott

soften the blow this year by playing in three events - the Australian PGA Championship in Queensland (Nov 710), the Australian Masters in Melbourne (Nov 14-17) and the Australian Open in Sydney (Nov 28Dec 1). But, as Appleby observes, Scott cannot be expected to prop up the tour indefinitely. “Adam is going to put in a fair effort this year and that’s awesome of him but he can’t be held accountable for holding the torch the next five years,” Appleby said.

“I love playing in Australia and truly wish I could but the Australian tour is a small tour and insignificant on the world stage compared to the other tours.

“Asia (where the PGA Tour has mainly expanded) has made a big difference. The whole landscape has changed, and I don’t know how Australia is going to deal with that change in scheduling.

“Corporately we’re a strong economy and yet we’ve had our prize money drop in golf. It’s going to take a miraculous amount of ingenuity to get our prize money back to where it was.”

The irony is that Florida-based Appleby will still visit Australia toward the end of the year - on a holiday with his family. “Older guys like me have kids locked into school (in the US),” he said. “It’s unfortunate but I feel like all the Australian guys, we’ve put our time in.

I’ve done as much as I can and I hope there’s a way we can move forward in five years, but I’m not sure how that’s going to be possible.”—Reuters

Miami doping scandal casts pall over baseball BOCA CHICA: The crack of bat on ball rings out as lithe young men dart around a baseball field hoping to catch the eye of Major League scouts looking for the next multi-million-dollar prospect.

When it comes to talent on the baseball diamond, there is nowhere like the Dominican Republic, which accounts for almost 40 percent of all foreign-born players in the US major leagues.

The Caribbean nation is a powerhouse in world baseball, winning the World Classic championship this year. Yet, for all its success, there is a dark side: doping.

Thirteen major league baseball players were hit with suspensions for doping last month because of ties to a Miami-based anti-aging clinic, and eight were from the Dominican Republic. A ninth player, New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez, grew up in Miami the son of Dominican parents.

Twelve of the players accepted 50-game suspensions in the case, while Rodriguez has appealed a 211game suspension and denied any wrongdoing.

“I worry about our image in the big leagues because of steroids. We have to avoid that. It’s so common now in baseball,” said Felipe Betemit, 21, a young infield prospect training with the Baltimore Orioles baseball academy at Boca Chica, a popular tourist resort on the southern coast.

To be sure, the latest MLB doping scandal is centered on the activities of a Miami clinic, and has no apparent ties to doping in the Dominican Republic.

But the island nation of 9 million has been the main focus of a drive by the MLB in recent years to crack down on abuse of performance-enhancing drugs by young players.

After years of lax controls, MLB began implementing a series of recommendations in 2010 to improve its operations in the Dominican Republic, as well as Venezuela, including drug testing for signed players.

As a result MLB has made “great progress,” a league spokesman said, noting that the positive test rate for drug abuse in the Dominican Republic has decreased from 11 percent in 2004 to 1.4 percent in 2012, and 0.6 percent in 2013.

But experts say there is still more to be done.

Almost every MLB team now operates an “academy” in the Dominican Republic where hundreds of players aged 16 to 20 are signed every year, although only a handful achieve their goal of fame and fortune.

Despite its tourist beaches and luxury golf resorts, the Dominican Republic is one of the poorest countries in Latin America, with more than 41 percent of the population living in poverty, according to official statistics. Many young Dominicans see baseball as the only ticket out of that poverty.

“This sport is such a big thing here because it gives the players an opportunity to become a millionaire,” said Carlos Valderrama, manager of the San Francisco Giants academy team near Boca Chica. Young players, keen to catch the eye of professional MLB scouts, often fall under the wing of unregulated local scouts,

known as “buscones,” (Spanish for “prospectors”) who operate as independent trainers.

MLB has itself identified the buscones as a concern, with reports that some resort to doping child athletes with a variety of drugs available locally over the counter, including steroids and super-concentrated proteins used by bodybuilders to add muscle mass.

At the same time, MLB has repeatedly said that buscones are an essential part of the baseball industry.

“They are the real estate agents of the game. Some are great guys; others not so much,” said one club consultant familiar with the Dominican Republic who asked to remain anonymous as he is not authorized to speak on the matter. In 2009, MLB commissioned a report by New York Mets general manager Sandy Alderson on the Dominican academies that highlighted the role of buscones in “facilitating drug use by players,” and concluded that major reforms were needed, while recog-

guys proteins that are not permitted,” he said.

MLB has faced criticism for not doing enough to prevent the buscones from corrupting the scouting system, either by lying about players ages and identities, or encouraging use of performance enhancing drugs or other nutritional supplements that may be legal but potentially unhealthy for children. “We have put a lot of pressure on MLB to improve the facilities and the policies,” said Arturo Marcano, a Venezuelanborn sports management expert and co-author of the 2002 book “Stealing Lives” about the abuse of young Latin American baseball players.

The MLB’s Alderson report recommended “creating significant penalties” for buscones and expanding programs to educate players in the Dominican Republic about the dangers of performance-enhancing drugs, as well as “actively investigating allegations that buscones are facilitating the use of drugs

Alex Rodriguez nizing their importance. The report found the MLB teams were “hesitant to confront these buscones” out of a concern they would lose access to top Dominican prospects. Some corrupt club employees were taking kickbacks from buscones, it also found, and it proposed background checks for all club personnel.

Enrique Constante, supervisor of scouts for the Baltimore Orioles, said he had hundreds of mobile phone numbers for buscones, noting that the great majority are careful to observe MLB rules.

“It’s a profession that has become a national industry in the Dominican Republic,” he said. The academies have created mechanisms to prevent situations where young people recruited by buscones “slip in without first undergoing an examination to show that they are free from doping,” Constante said.

“Often out of ignorance the buscones give the

by players” by interviewing “every player who tests positive ... to determine the source of the steroids.” All academy players are now tested for drugs and also educated about the dangers of steroid use, as well as the professional penalties.

Marcano credited MLB with making a serious effort to improve its operations, but said the buscones remained a problem. “There are still things they could so better, to monitor that the rules are being observed. There are still loopholes,” he said, especially concerning players before they reach the academies.

Betemit, the young Orioles third base prospect, said baseball had transformed his family’s fortunes.

He began playing at the age of 8, influenced by three of his seven brothers, two of whom were signed by major league teams.—Reuters

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

S P ORTS

Tone-deafness is nothing new at the NCAA NEW YORK: Tone-deafness is nothing new at the NCAA. The guys in charge haven’t been listening to anyone except each other for years.

That’s why they prattle on endlessly about “student-athletes.” And why nothing approaching real reform ever gets done. It’s also why so many of the few things they actually get off their duffs and do seem so arbitrary. And especially why they still come down hard on kids who get free meals and go easy on the athletic factories that make a fortune off all that free (student-athlete) labor.

Because that’s the way the NCAA has always rolled. Yet even with that checkered past, this latest bit of tomfoolery marks an embarrassing new low.

It began when a 24-year-old named Steven Rhodes finished a five-year stint in the Marines this summer, then decided to go back to school and find out if he could still play some football. So he wrote to the coaches at Middle Tennessee State and

asked to walk onto the team.

On the plus side, Rhodes stood 6-foot-3, weighed 240 and was versatile enough to work out at both tight end and defensive end; and as a former sergeant, the MTSU coaches knew he was bound to set a good example in the locker room. The one drawback was that Rhodes hadn’t played any football since his senior season at Antioch (Tenn.) High in 2006, unless you count the dozen or so games he played in a rec league on a Marine base last year. Which, naturally, the NCAA did.

Some eagle-eyed investigator noticed that Rhodes was in violation of a rule stipulating that student-athletes (there’s that word again) who don’t enroll in college within a year of graduating high school lose one year of college eligibility for every academic year they participate in “organized competition.”

According to the NCAA, those rec league games counted because both teams and the officials wore uniforms and somebody

kept score. And because the dozen games were spread over two academic years, Rhodes was ordered to sit out this season and forfeit two years of eligibility total.

Sounds fair to me. “Man, it was like intramurals for us,” Rhodes told The (Murfreesboro) Daily News Journal, which first reported the story. “There were guys out there anywhere from 18 to 40-something years old. The games were spread out. We once went six weeks between games.”

As one writer at The Big Lead cracked wise: “Just like the BCS National Championship Game. You can see why the NCAA thinks this is similar to collegiate football.”

In any case, the school appealed, an uproar ensued and on Monday the NCAA reversed course, deciding Rhodes was entitled to four years of eligibility and could play right away.

“We thank Steven for his service to our country and wish him the best as he begins college,” NCAA vice president of academic

and membership affairs Kevin Lennon said likely just moments after he finished picking crow’s feathers out of his teeth, Lennon also promised that, “As a part of the ongoing review of NCAA rules, our members will examine the organized competition rules, especially as it impacts those returning from military service.”

In case you missed it, the NCAA announced its latest set of sweeping rule changes less than three weeks ago.

Apparently there were so many other stupid rules to review and/or get rid of, that this one - dating to 1980 - slipped through the net. It’s a small mistake, granted, except it’s also part of a larger pattern. The NCAA has continued making money, but it hasn’t gotten much else right since Mark Emmert took over as president.

The organization compromised its integrity by playing fast and loose with its own rules while investigating Miami’s football program. It just bowed out of a licensing deal with Electronic Arts for a popular

college football video game, hoping to limit its exposure in a lawsuit brought by former college athletes that could result in billions of dollars in damages, not to mention a firstever payday for current Division I football and basketball players.

Member schools, meanwhile, are likely to extend their own separate licensing deals with EA. It’s an arrangement that, just like the BCS, enables those same schools to go around the NCAA and divvy up what used to be its share among themselves. If those same power brokers ever figure out how to do the same with the basketball tournament, and a few are already working on a scheme to do just that, poof! - there goes the NCAA’s operating budget.

There was a time when the NCAA used to make rulings in cases like Rhodes’ - and others just as silly - and made them stick.

But even that bit of petty authority no longer goes unchallenged. Small wonder the NCAA looks less scary and more irrelevant with each passing day. —AP

Raikkonen offers plenty to talk about at Belgian GP

Lewis Hamilton

Hamilton’s title bid resumes PARIS: Lewis Hamilton must keep the pressure on Sebastian Vettel at the Belgian Grand Prix to maintain his slim title chances when the Formula One season resumes following its midseason break.

While Ferrari has slipped behind the pace in recent races, Mercedes is finally adding consistency to its undoubted speed to give Hamilton an outside shot at closing the gap on championship leader Vettel.

Hamilton, the 2008 champion, is fourth overall and has nine races left and 48 points to make up on the three-time defending champion.

But Mercedes has won three of the past five races and Hamilton has clinched three consecutive pole positions - the last three weeks ago when he drove superbly from the front to win the Hungarian GP in Budapest. “It’s been a really positive season for me,” said Hamilton, who made a high-profile switch from McLaren.

“Everyone was talking me down at the beginning of the year. Some things were said about being the right or wrong decision, and that it was a mistake,” he added.

“The team and I have constantly proved everyone wrong, race by race.”

Track temperatures hit 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) on the Hungaroring, but conditions are often rainy in Spa, where Hamilton won three years ago. The 7.004-kilometer (4.352mile) circuit is the longest on the calendar and it the most demanding, along with Monaco.

Because of track’s vast size, different microclimates mean it can be raining on one part of the track and sunny at another. Corners such as Eau Rouge and Blanchimont push drivers and tires to the absolute limit. “Spa is a fantastic circuit and it’s so much fun to drive,” Hamilton said. “We’re all looking forward to the second half of the season and the opportunity to bring home some more good results.”

Tires have been a factor all season, with manufacturer Pirelli under massive pressure to make them more reliable after races were marred by tires shredding too easily and even blowing up, leading to a boycott threat from drivers.

Given the incident-free Hungarian GP, rivals should now be able to focus purely on catching Vettel. Vettel was in a similar position to Hamilton last year. He headed to Belgium trying to figure out how to make up a 42-point deficit on overall

leader Fernando Alonso.

Ferrari was Red Bull’s expected main rival this season, but Mercedes is now ahead in the constructors’ championship, and Hamilton is only nine points behind Alonso, who slipped to third behind Kimi Raikkonen after a disappointing Hungarian GP. “We’re second in the constructors’ championship, which is a massive boost,” Hamilton said. “We never would have thought we’d be in such a competitive position, still within shooting distance of both championships.” Since winning the Spanish GP in front of his home fans on May 12, Alonso has managed only two podiums. In Hungary, he was fifth and he has not qualified higher than third all season, leaving him too much to do on race day.

Off the track, Alonso also landed himself a public rebuke from Ferrari after comments he made alluding to needing a better car.

Along with Alonso’s current malaise, other issues behind the scenes will develop in the coming days and weeks.

Raikkonen’s future with Lotus is unclear and the Finn has also been linked with a move to Ferrari. With five second-place finishes to add to his win at the Australian GP, he must be wondering where he would be with a better car closer than 38 points behind Vettel.

“I would have to give Kimi 10 out of 10. He’s done a terrific job right from the beginning of the season and his remarkable run of 27 consecutive points finishes speaks for itself,” Lotus team principal Eric Boullier said. “He is playing a big part in pushing the team forwards.”

Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali called a meeting on Tuesday to urge his team to focus only on the races ahead, not next season.

“We have spelt it out many times before: the driver topic is definitely not a priority,” Domenicali said. “If they have a winning car in their hands, then I am convinced they will know how to win with it. If we all believe, then we can do it.”

What seems certain is that Raikkonen will not drive alongside Vettel next season, with the spare Red Bull seat reportedly a certainty for Toro Rosso driver Daniel Ricciardo.

Red Bull is expected to confirm in Spa that the Australian will replace Mark Webber, who is retiring from F1 at the end of the season to race sports cars for Porsche. —AP

LONDON: Kimi Raikkonen, the least garrulous of Formula One drivers, is the man everyone is talking about ahead of Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix at his favorite Spa-Francorchamps circuit.

Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel may be well on his way to a fourth successive title, with four wins already and the second half of the season favoring him in the past, but Raikkonen’s future has hogged the recent headlines.

The Finn started the August break as a favorite to join Vettel at Red Bull next year but now the chatter is about a different shade of red and a possible surprise return to glamour team Ferrari if he does not stay with Lotus.

Raikkonen, champion with Ferrari in 2007 before making way at the end of 2009 for Spain’s Fernando Alonso and taking two years out of the sport, is being touted as a replacement for Brazilian Felipe Massa.

The Finn’s manager Steve Robertson has ruled out Red Bull and said Ferrari are an option, even if Maranello has remained tight-lipped, and whatever the reality Spa is sure to give Raikkonen the stage to impress. Few have any doubt about what he can offer, with the 33-year-old second in the standings, 38 points behind Vettel and chasing a record 28th successive scoring finish.

Spa, a layout steeped in history with the stomach-wrenching slingshot through Eau Rouge and the longest and one of the fastest laps on the calendar, has been good to Raikkonen over the years come rain or shine.

The ‘Iceman’ has won there four times with McLaren and Ferrari and, after five second places this season following his season-opening victory in Australia, is gunning for another visit to the top step to boost his title chal-

lenge. “There are certain circuits where everything seems to run smoothly and then there are other circuits where I have no luck at all,” he told the team website (www.lotusf1team.com). “Of course we will do our very best to win this race. “I have been on the top step of the podium a few times at Spa and I want to be there again.”

but needs to do so more than ever with Ferrari’s challenge struggling to get into gear with nine of the 19 races remaining. The Spaniard’s team mate Massa, victorious in Belgium in 2008, has not reappeared on top of the podium since the end of that year.

Lewis Hamilton - who took his first win for Mercedes in Hungary

momentum after our win in Hungary.” Hamilton’s former team McLaren, who are looking increasingly like going through a season without a win for the first time since 2006, had targeted the race as their best chance but that hope appears to have evaporated over the summer break.

Kimi Raikkonen in action in this file photo.

One of Raikkonen’s memorable Spa wins was with McLaren in 2004 in what was that team’s only victory of an otherwise barren year. His 2009 triumph for Ferrari was similarly facesaving as that team’s sole success of the year.

Until last year, when Raikkonen was third, he had either won or failed to finish every time he raced at Spa and he can still boast that he has been on the podium every time he has seen the chequered flag there.

Alonso, a point behind Raikkonen in third place, has never won in Belgium

and is now 10 points adrift of the Finn - triumphed at Spa in 2010 and the 2008 champion will be chasing his fourth successive pole position of the season.

A second victory in two races would put the Briton right back in the title chase. “On paper, Spa is a circuit that should suit our car and Nico (Rosberg) and Lewis will be at their best on a real driver’s circuit,” said Mercedes motorsport head Toto Wolff.

“We have a strong all-round package at the moment and good

Jenson Button, winner in Belgium last year, told reporters before Hungary that McLaren could still win this year and Spa was “probably the best race to go and look for that.”

The 2009 world champion, who has yet to finish higher than fifth in 10 races, sounded less optimistic in a team preview issued last week, however.

“We don’t go to Spa with the package to win but I’ll still be making the most of every single lap around this place. It’ll still feel incredible,” he said.—Reuters

Dolphins football legends reap White House praise 40 years late WASHINGTON: They clambered gingerly up the riser behind President Barack Obama in the East Room of the White House, whitehaired, bespectacled, their coach in a motorized chair, former athletes there to receive an accolade 40 years late.

Members of the Miami Dolphins, whose undefeated 1972 season culminated in a Super Bowl victory in January, 1973, stood smiling behind the president on Tuesday, blinking in the TV lights and basking in the applause of the crowd and the praise of the First Sports Fan. “In 1972, these guys were a juggernaut,” the president said, ticking off their accomplishments: a perfect 17-0 record that includ-

ed a misleadingly close 14-7 thrashing of the Washington Redskins in the title game, leading the league in offense and defense, and fielding seven future football Hall of Famers.

It is the only National Football League team to have gone undefeated or untied all season since the National and the American Football Leagues merged in 1970.

The White House offered no clear reason why it is honoring the team decades after its signature accomplishment. Championship teams are routinely invited to the White House nowadays, a testament to the American passion for sports, not to mention the public relations benefits of posing the president with successful athletes.

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama points to former Miami Dolphins player Larry Csonka (front, third right) and former coach Don Shula (front right) during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House. —AFP

But the practice of welcoming Super Bowl victors to the White House didn’t start until 1980, the president said, so it was time to make amends.

“I know this is a little unorthodox, four decades after the fact - but these guys never got their White House visit after winning Super Bowl VII,” he said. “And let’s face it, this is also just a fun thing to do.” Obama, fresh from holiday on Martha’s Vineyard last week, appeared relaxed. The president, who turned 52 in July, joked that he had to explain to his staff, many of whom are 20 years younger than he is, the significance of the team’s football dominance at the start of President Richard Nixon’s second term.

“I know that some people may be asking why we’re doing this after all these years.

And my answer is simple: I wanted to be the young guy up here for once,” he said, to laughter.

Obama noted the players’ accomplishments after their football careers as well, such as the support of former linebacker Nick Buoniconti, who son was paralyzed in a football accident, for spinal cord research.

Hall of Fame players Larr y Csonk a, Bob Griese, and Larry Little were among members of the team who were at the White House.

Coach Don Shula said it was his first time at the White House - but not his first contact with a president. Nixon, who vacationed in Florida, would call him to suggest plays, Shula said.

“I would always listen to him” and once used one of his suggestions, he said. Not every member of the team was pleased to be at the White House. At least three, Bob Kuechenberg, Manny Fernandez, and Jim Langer told the Florida Sun-Sentinel that they would pass on the visit because of differences with the president. —Reuters

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

S P ORTS

Nadal, Djokovic target Murray’s US crown NEW YORK: Once the hunter, now the hunted, Andy Murray is braced for an all-out assault on his US Open title from rejuvenated Rafael Nadal and world number one Novak Djokovic.

Murray ended Britain’s 76-year wait for a Grand Slam men’s champion by triumphing in New York in 2012 and backed it up with his historic Wimbledon victory this year, the first by a British man since Fred Perry in 1936.

The Scot beat Djokovic to win the US Open 12 months ago and repeated the dose against the Serb at the All England Club six weeks ago.

But it is Nadal, rather than Djokovic, who is tipped to win a second title in New York, to add to his 2010 victory, and clinch a 13th career major.

The 27-year-old Spaniard missed the 2012 tournament as he rested his troublesome knees, part of a seven-month injury lay-off which stretched from the second round at Wimbledon to Vina del Mar in Chile in February.

Since his return Nadal has racked up nine titles, including five Masters, and boasts a win-loss record of 53-3. His only blip was a first round trauma at Wimbledon, his bittersweet relationship with grass courts rekindled far too quickly after the draining march to an eighth French Open just two weeks earlier.

Nadal’s title in Cincinnati last weekend followed victory in Montreal-the last man to clinch that double was Andy Roddick in 2003 who also went on to claim the US Open.

“It’s a nice feeling to arrive to the US Open with two victories in two very difficult tournaments,” said Nadal, never one to get too far ahead of himself.

“And it is nice to arrive there knowing that, if I am able to keep continuing, keep playing like this, hopefully, I have the chance to have a good result.” Nadal has supplanted Murray as world number two since Cincinnati after finding himself relegated to five when he reappeared in Chile.

Murray’s post-Wimbledon party has fallen flat in recent weeks with a third round loss to Ernests Gulbis in Montreal followed by a

quarter-final exit to Tomas Berdych in Cincinnati.

But Murray, 26, has been here before — 12 months ago, he arrived in New York having suffered third round defeats in both Toronto and Cincinnati.

“The things I need to do well-serving, returning, moving-that was good,” said Murray after his loss last week to the everdangerous Berdych.

Djokovic heads for New York with the focus squarely on Nadal as well as the worrying decline of Roger Federer. The Serb, who beat Murray to retain his Australian Open title this year, came agonisingly close to ending Nadal’s French Open domination in an epic Paris semi-final before being out-played by Murray in the Wimbledon final.

But the 26-year-old has made the US Open final in each of the last three years and is desperate to put behind him his quarter-final loss to John Isner in Cincinnati, a performance he described as “terrible”.

Djokovic,the 2011 US Open winner, is also keen to play down talk of how he and Murraywho have won seven of the last 11 majorsnow hold the keys to the Grand Slam door.

“Hopefully that rivalry can develop over the years, but it’s still not the biggest rivalry we have in sports. Out of all the active players, it’s Federer and Nadal,” said Djokovic, a loser in five sets to Murray in New York last year.

Federer heads into his 14th US Open at seven in the world, his lowest ranking for 11 years. The 17-time major winner has already been defeated 11 times in 2013, including a second-round loss at Wimbledon which ended his record of 36 successive Grand Slam quarter-final appearances.

In his desperation to stem the decline, the 32-year-old made the curious decision to play two low-profile claycourt events after Wimbledon and even briefly experimented with a bigger racquet.

A five-time US Open champion, Federer’s last final appearance in the city was in 2009 where he was defeated by Juan Martin Del Potro.—AFP

Elena Delle Donne (right) in action in this file photo.

Donne leads Sky past Mystics WASHINGTON: Elena Delle Donne scored 24 points and Sylvia Fowles added 16 points and 15 rebounds as the Chicago Sky moved closer to their first playoff berth with a 79-73 win over the Washington Mystics on Tuesday night.

Courtney Vandersloot had a seasonhigh 19 points and seven assists for the Sky, who rallied back from a double-digit deficit for the second straight game. The Eastern Conference leaders can secure a postseason appearance with a win against New York on Friday. Kia Vaughn scored a seasonhigh 21 points for the Mystics (12-15), losers of two straight.

In other matches Tuesday, the Storm beat the Sparks 77-57, the Dream had an 88-75 win over Lynx and the Mercury edged the Shock 89-86.

Temeka Johnson scored nine of her 18 points during a key eight-minute stretch in the second half at Seattle as the Storm pulled away in the fourth quarter.

Tina Thompson added 17 points and 10 rebounds as the Storm (12-13) outscored the Sparks 14-4 in the final period.

At Atlanta, Tiffany Hayes scored 23 points to help the home team recover after squandering a 17-point lead in the first half.

WNBA scoring leader Angel McCoughtry had 19 points and Erika de Souza added 16 points and 16 rebounds as Atlanta scored the first 10 points of the fourth quarter and went on to its third straight win - all at home.

Maya Moore made four of five 3-pointers and led Minnesota with 23 points.

Rebekkah Brunson had 16 points and 14 rebounds for the Lynx, who remained onehalf game ahead of Los Angeles for the Western Conference lead.

At Tulsa, Diana Taurasi had 28 points and 10 assists and Candice Dupree added 20 points and 10 rebounds as Phoenix held off the hosts.

Riquna Williams scored 23 points, Liz Cambage had 21 points and 13 rebounds, and Tiffany Jackson-Jones added 13 points for Tulsa.

After the Shock trimmed Phoenix’s 13point lead to three with about 16 seconds to go, Taurasi made four free throws 5.5 seconds apart.

Williams made a 3 with 3.3 seconds left to pull the Shock to 88-86, and Griner hit a free throw less than a second later for the final margin.—AP

Photo of the day

Jean-Eric Vergne performs during a F1-Showrun at the World Series by Renault in Spielberg, Austria. — www.redbull.com

Kvitova rolls, Kerber upset NEW HAVEN: Defending champion Petra Kvitova recovered from a set and a break down to beat Annika Beck 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the first round of the New Haven Open on Tuesday.

The third-seeded Kvitova dropped the first set and was broken in the first game of the second before staging the comeback in a match that was delayed due to rain on Monday.

“I wasn’t great, for sure,” the 2011 Wimbledon champion said. “I wasn’t feeling very well. I wasn’t positive during the game and then I had to fight and try to come back in the match.” Beck entered the draw as a lucky loser when Poland’s Urszula Radwanska withdrew Monday.

While Kvitova narrowly survived, No. 2-seeded Angelique Kerber lost her second-round match 6-2, 6-4 to Russia’s Elena Vesnina. Seventhseeded Sabine Lisicki fell 7-5, 6-3 to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the final match of the night.

Vesnina, a 2009 finalist, won the first three games to take control of the first set and converted six service breaks in the match. Kerber hit a forehand just wide on match point and threw her racket in disgust. The call was upheld after a challenge.

Vesnina, seeking her third singles title this year, said the win over a top-10 opponent bodes well for her heading into next week’s US Open. “Maybe it’s just my time to play good,” she said.

Kerber, who lost in the third round in Cincinnati and the second

NEW HAVEN: Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic serves the ball in the first set against Annika Beck of Germany during Day Three of the New Haven Open at Connecticut Tennis Center. —AFP round in Toronto, had hoped to get Republic in the quarter finals. Hantuchova lost in a first-round in a couple more hard-court match- Zakopalova upset eighth-seeded doubles match 6-3, 6-1 to Cara es to improve her game before the Dominika Cibulkova in the first Black and Vania King.

It was their fourth tournament round before beating 19-year-old Open.

“It’s, of course, not easy to lose a Monica Puig 6-4, 6-1 on Tuesday. together since Hingis announced match like this when you are not Her recent strong play earned her her comeback, and the Swiss star feeling so good and you couldn’t the 32nd and final seed next week said she is not planning to expand her return to singles play. find your rhythm,” she said. “Next at Flushing Meadows.

“I have always said that I don’t “I have never passed the first week is a big tournament, but I will try to go on the court tomorrow round at the U.S. Open,” she said. want to play singles anymore, for and work and try to improve my “So, my goal is to play a good first sure,” she said. “And after tonight, it’s definitely 200 percent, no way. game more. I will try to take my round there and then we’ll see.”

Former top-ranked singles play- Because, you just have to be so rhythm back.” Vesnina will face Klara Zakopalova of the Czech er Martina Hingis and Daniela hungry.”—AP

Serena favored but Azarenka leads rivals at the US Open NEW YORK CITY: World number one Serena Williams enters the US Open as a heavy favourite to defend her title, but second-ranked Victoria Azarenka leads a host of rivals looking to dethrone her. Williams is seeking her 17th Grand Slam singles crown and fifth US Open title, which would move her one shy of Chris Evert’s Open-era record for most titles at the year’s final major event on the Flushing Meadows hardcourts.

“I’m definitely prepared. I’m definitely ready for New York,” Williams said. “I definitely had more matches than I could want, but I’m definitely prepared for the US Open.”

The 31-year-old American has been on an amazing run over the past 14 months, going 774 and capturing last year’s Wimbledon, London Olympic and US Open titles, plus this year’s French Open crown.

But two of those defeats came at the hands of Azarenka, in last February’s Doha final and last

Sunday at the WTA final in Cincinnati by 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (8/6).

It was only the third victory for the 24-yearold from Belarus over Williams but with the two having won seven of the past nine Grand Slam titles, it sets the stage for a potential rematch of last year’s US Open final.

“It would be totally different circumstances,” said Williams, who also beat Azarenka in this year’s Rome final. “It’s just a new event. You just got to go in there with a fresh mind.”

And without a win streak such as she had the past few Grand Slam events. “It makes me more relaxed and almost happy that I lost because now I don’t have to worry about every day someone asking me about some silly winning streak,” Williams said. “So maybe it was for the best.”

Williams also finds herself in a cordial rivalry, appreciating Azarenka off the court as a friend and on the court as an adversary.

Sochi Games work in full swing SOCHI: Preparations in Russia’s Black Sea resor t are in full swing less than six months before the star t of the 2014 Winter Olympics, with the hosts bracing for the torch-lighting ceremony in ancient Olympia, Greece, next month.

Organisers are rushing to complete the venues for the first Winter Games to be held in Russia, a traditional winter sports powerhouse, before the symbolic start of the Games run-up with the torch lighting at the site of the ancient Olympic Games in Greece on Sept. 29.

With Russia in the eye of a media storm over its recently adopted anti-gay propaganda law that has triggered protests across many countries, work at the Fisht Olympic stadium and the other Games venues continues unabated as workers put the finishing touches to the stadiums and shape the surrounding areas.

“The preparations are going well and everybody is working incredibly hard to make sure that we reach all of our tar-

gets,” Games chief Dmitry Chernyshenko said just days ago. “We have received brilliant feedback at every stage.

“The test competitions have passed successfully, which was proved by positive feedback,” he added. Organisers tested the Olympic venues during the 20122013 winter season, with Sochi hosting major events in all 15 winter disciplines, with more than 3,000 athletes taking part. The Games are divided into two clusters with the city’s Sochi Olympic park and the mountain cluster of biathlon, Alpine skiing and sliding venues some 40 kilometres away.

Sochi will see the Olympic flame land in Russia on Oct. 7 before kicking off what is expected to be the longest torch relay for any Winter Olympics.

The Olympic flame will cover some 65,000 kilometres across Russia and will visit more than 2,900 towns and settlements, carried by more than 14,000 bearers. The Games will open on Feb. 7 and run to Feb. 23.—Reuters

Serena Williams returns a shot in this file photo. —AFP

“She’s so competitive on the court, like an animal, and I’m the same exact way, like my dad described me as a pitbull,” Williams said.

Williams is looking for her ninth title of the year after triumphs at Brisbane, Miami, Charleston, Madrid, Rome, Roland Garros, Bastad and Toronto.

But she has proven vulnerable in Grand Slams, falling to compatriot Sloane Stephens in the Australian Open quarter-finals and Germany’s Sabine Lisicki in the fourth round at Wimbledon, but completing her title run on Paris clay with a victory over US Open third seed Maria Sharapova of Russia.

Azarenka, the reigning Australian Open champion, says she has learned from past losses to Williams. “Every time we play, I face a big challenge, my biggest opponent, and that’s what I want to go through,” Azarenka said.

“I had tough losses before against her, but I feel like I learned from those losses, and it helps me improve. I feel like I’m playing better and better. I’m reaching for the new level that I want to be at, physically, mentally, tennis-wise and that’s the progression that I’m really the most excited about.”

Azarenka took confidence from rallying to beat Williams in the Cincinnati final, but says the American will be the favorite on home soil. “I will not be a favorite,” Azarenka said. “She is No.1 in the world. She is a great champion, and she’s defending champion, so she’s going to be a favourite.

“About who’s second favorite, third favorite, I don’t really care about that. But I think it’s a great boost of confidence to go to the US Open, great week to go through matches back to back.

Tough matches are also important for me to feel like I’m back competing at the same level constantly and consistently. So that’s what I’m most excited about.”

Four-time Grand Slam winner Sharapova, who split with coach Jimmy Connors after losing their only match together in her Cincinnati opener, has not played another match since a second-round Wimbledon exit due to a left hip injury.—AFP

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

S P ORTS

Conca puts Guangzhou on course for AFC semis

Arsene Wenger

Wenger launches Arsenal defence of transfer policy LONDON: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger defended his transfer policy on Tuesday, reminding disgruntled fans of the club’s past successes and encouraging them to put their faith in the current squad.

Wenger has come under fire from supporters and the media for failing to recruit a significant signing in the close season and pressure has already started to mount on the Frenchman following Arsenal’s losing start to the Premier League campaign.

A 3-1 home defeat by Aston Villa on Saturday sparked calls from the Arsenal Supporters Trust to put on hold contract talks with the 63-year-old whose deal runs out after this season.

Ahead of a tricky Champions League qualifier against Turkish side Fenerbahce in Istanbul late yesterday, Wenger said now was not the time to press the panic button.

“I would like to reiterate in the last 16 years we have been very successful with transfers,” he told a news conference. “If you look at the players who play tomorrow, they are top quality players, and you should never forget that.”

Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis told fans at the end of last season that the north London club had the financial muscle to compete for big-name players but they have so far signed only Yaya Sanogo on a free transfer from Auxerre.

British media previously reported interest in Argentina international Gonzalo Higuain, who ended up at Napoli, as well as Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney, before Arsenal failed with a bid to sign Luis Suarez from Liverpool. The Merseyside club rebuffed Wenger’s efforts to prise the Uruguay striker away and accused Arsenal of lacking class when they made a bid of 40 million and one pound ($62.71 million) which was expected to trigger a release clause.

The north Londoners, who finished fourth last season, received another rebuke from Newcastle United manager Alan

Pardew on Monday for lacking respect after making an offer for French midfielder Yohan Cabaye.

Arsenal’s bid came before Newcastle’s game at Manchester City which United lost 4-0 with Cabaye left out of the team. “We don’t want to hurt anybody, not Newcastle, not anybody,” Wenger said on Tuesday. “You can’t reproach us on one side for not buying and yet on the other side, when we try to buy, reproach us as well. That is a bit contradictory...

“It is not always to think what is outside is better than what you have. “What is important as well is to rate what you have and our fans have to understand that as well.”

The Frenchman said he will try to reinforce his squad but emphasised that he would not jettison his cautious approach.

“As always, we do what we think is right,” he was quoted as saying on the club’s official website (www.arsenal.com). “When we think we have the right players, we do it.

“We were for years restricted and we competed with exceptional quality. This year we did not lose any players - we just lost two players with injury - but we will try to strengthen the squad and make the right decisions until the end.

“I repeat many, many times that the transfer window should be over before the season starts because it is a little bit destabilising once the season has started - to be there talking about what is not really important in football.”

Arsenal were dealt another blow on Tuesday with the news that 20-year-old winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has been ruled out for at least six weeks with a knee injury after he was injured in a collision with Villa defender Antonio Luna.

“It will be at least six weeks out with a posterior cruciate problem... a ligament that is stretched. We don’t think it will need surgery,” Wenger said. —Reuters

CHINA: Midfield maestro Dario Conca put China’s Guangzhou Evergrande on course for the AFC Champions League semi-finals as he inspired a 2-0 win over Qatar’s Lekhwiya yesterday.

The tournament favourites left it late before the Argentine converted a penalty on 72 minutes, and set up Brazil’s Elkeson four minutes later ahead of the return leg in Doha on September 18.

The victory at a noisy Tianhe Sports Centre in southern China means Guangzhou, led by World Cup-winning coach Marcello Lippi, are odds-on to reach the last four for the first time.

Guangzhou entered the quarterfinals as the tournament’s joint topscorers and runaway domestic leaders, and it was no surprise when they dominated possession in the first half.

But the Chinese double-holders were off-key in front of goal with striker Gao Lin bobbling a cross harmlessly to the ‘keeper when a goal threatened, and then glancing a diving header wide.

Lekhwiya were crowding out the normally free-flowing Guangzhou with a packed defence. Even Muriqui, the competition’s leading scorer with eight goals, showed fallibility as he put a great chance over.

Gao fired a shot across the face and Conca, estimated as one of the world’s best paid players when he joined Guangzhou in 2011, swerved a free-kick just wide.

Lekhwiya’s rare forays forward had been marked by long-range pot-shots but striker Sebastian Suria nearly gave them a shock lead on half-time with a stinging shot from distance.

Guangzhou’s frustrations continued after the break and Elkeson, with 20 goals in 21 domestic appearances, was guilty of a glaring miss when he put a free header wide.

The Brazilian bungled again

when a throw-in slipped out of his hands and travelled only a few feet, in what was threatening to become a night to forget for the hosts.

Conca had a chance saved at point-blank range by Lekhwiya goalkeeper Claude Amin, who played hero again minutes later when he

wrong way to give his team the lead.

Just four minutes later, the Argentine turned creator as he backheeled a one-two with Elkeson who ran on to the return ball and powered home Guangzhou’s second.

As the massed ranks of redshirted fans celebrated, Muriqui

Earlier Saudi Arabia’s Al Shabab held J-League outfit K ashiwa Reysol to a 1-1 away draw to raise their hopes of reaching the semifinals for the first time. Kashiwa were quickest out of the blocks and the early pressure told when Leandro Domingues’ indirect free-

GUANGZHOU: Elkeson De Oliveira Cardoso (left) of Evergrand Guangzhou vies for the ball with Dame Thaore (right) of Lekhwaya during their quarterfinal football match of AFC Champions League. —AFP denied Muriqui in a one-on-one.

And Elkeson had an open goal at his mercy and still hit the post, although his blushes were spared by the linesman’s flag for offside.

Eventually Guangzhou needed a penalty to break the deadlock and when Conca went down in a clumsy challenge from Khaled Muftah, he stepped up and sent Amin the

nearly made it three goals in seven minutes but he turned his tightly angled shot into the sidenetting instead of the empty goal.

Huang Bowen warmed Amin’s hands with an injury-time freekick and Guangzhou appealed for a second penalty when Muriqui appeared to be caught by Karim Boudiaf in the box.

kick rebounded to striker Masato Kudo, who planted it home from just inside the box.

But 2012 Saudi champions Al Sha ba b equ alis ed a minu te before half-time when Brazilian midfielder Fernando Menegazzo, after a corner, swept in a glorious s hot off the u nders ide of the bar.—AFP

Del Bosque not worried by benching of Casillas BARCELONA: Real Madrid’s decision to keep Iker Casillas on the bench will not affect the goalkeeper’s status on the national team, Spain coach Vicente del Bosque said yesterday.

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti chose Diego Lopez ahead of Casillas for the team’s opening Spanish league match on Sunday.

Before Ancelotti, former Madrid coach Jose Mourinho had made similar decisions regarding Casillas.

“I don’t think there will be big changes,” Del Bosque told Cope radio. “We are happy with all three goalkeepers. It’s not a big deal if they are one, two, three or even 10 games without playing.”

Del Bosque, who played for and coached Madrid, said he would not give his opinion on a matter related to his former club.

“I shouldn’t talk about the situation of the club. It’s a very personal, very particular situation,” Del Bosque said. “We have to evaluate it in each moment. Iker is a singular and special name in the world of Spanish football.”

Del Bosque said that he would wait to see which goalkeeper Ancelotti chose for Madrid’s next game at Granada on Monday.

Four days later, Del Bosque will announce his squad for Spain’s World Cup qualifier against Finland on Sept. 6. Spain leads its qualifying group with 11 points, one more than France.

As team captain, Casillas has helped

Spain win the 2010 World Cup and the last two European Championships. Del Bosque picked Casillas as Spain’s starter at the Confederations Cup after Mourinho had reduced him to a back-up for Madrid.

Spanish media and many of Madrid’s fans had taken it for granted that the exit of Mourinho and the arrival of Ancelotti would mean the return of Casillas. But Ancelotti opted to keep Lopez between the posts for Sunday’s 2-1 win over Real Betis, leaving Casillas in the dugout where he spent the second half of last season both before and after breaking a bone in his left hand.

After the game, the Italian coach said he had only chosen Lopez to start the season opener. But he didn’t clarify if the two goalkeepers would share starts or if he was waiting to see which he would choose as his first-choice player.

“I took the decision for today,” Ancelotti said. “It’s a decision based on small details. I took it for this game. We will see what happens for the next. I spoke with Iker. He’s a professional. He wants to play and that’s good as well.”

Barcelona’s Victor Valdes, who along with Casillas and Pepe Reina are Spain’s goalkeepers, said he was “surprised” to still see Casillas tagged as Madrid’s No. 2 goalkeeper. “It surprised me. He played well at the Confederations Cup,” Valdes said. “I have seen Iker make saves that I thought couldn’t be made. For me he’s the best.” —AP

BELGIUM: Belgian cyclist Bjorn Leukemans of team Vacansoleil-DCM celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the 53rd edition of the Druivenkoers cycling race. —AFP

KABUL: In this handout photograph released by the Presidential Palace, Afghan President Hamid Karzai (front row, third left) poses for a group photo session with members of the Afghan national football team at the Presidential Palace. —AFP

Afghan heroes feted after defeating Pakistan KABUL: Afghanistan’s victorious football team met President Hamid Karzai at his palace yesterday to receive official congratulations for their 30 defeat of neighboring Pakistan.

Karzai praised the players for their slick dispatch of the visitors, which triggered celebrations across a war-torn country starved of international sporting action. Tuesday’s game was Afghanistan’s first home international since they played Turkmenistan in 2003.

The Pakistan team also attended the reception the day after the match, which was watched by a noisy 6,000-strong sell-out crowd in the Afghan capital.

The two countries often have a fraught relationship, but Karzai said the fixture had been a symbol of strong cross-border ties.

“He told the Afghan and Pakistani teams that their match improved closeness between them, and he asked them to strengthen this closeness,” a palace statement said.

“The president expressed hope that extremism and killing is kept away from Afghanistan and Pakistan and that both countries live in prosperity.”

Political relations have been badly strained for years between the two countries. They blame each other for bloody violence plaguing both nations.

Many Afghans are convinced that Pakistan pulls the strings behind the 12-year insurgency that has raged since the Taliban hardline regime was ousted from Kabul in 2001.

Pakistan Football Federation secretary Ahmed Yar Lodhi hailed the match, the first between the two sides in Kabul since 1977.

“Despite the one-sided loss I think Pakistan have initiated a football diplomacy,” Lodhi told AFP. “Win or loss are part and parcel of the game, but I think the goodwill this match has generat-

ed will go a long way.” A return fixture had been planned for December, but Lodhi said it was now likely to be postponed to March or April.

“If the government and businessmen support and invest in Afghan players, we will beat the football teams of other big countries,” goal scor-

er Mustafa Maroofi told the Tolo TV channel.

Karzai is due to visit Islamabad next week for his first trip to Pak istan since Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was elected. Possible peace talks with the Taliban are likely to be on the agenda.—AFP

Brazil asks FIFA, hotels to lower World Cup prices SAO PAULO: Brazil’s tourism board said Tuesday that it has officially told FIFA and hotel operators to negotiate lowering prices during the 2014 World Cup. The request came just days after a study showed that room rates will be up to 500 percent more expensive during the World Cup in some hotels offered by the FIFA-appointed agency MATCH Services.

The tourism board, known as Embratur, said MATCH and the hotels need to find a way to reverse the “stratospheric increase” of rates announced for the World Cup period next year.

MATCH said it had not yet received the request, but would “welcome any attempt the government would make to help us lower prices and would fully support such initiatives.”

In the document sent to FIFA and the hotel operators, Embratur also said that MATCH should change the current policy on blocking rooms and should reduce its mark-up rates.

“We propose that the companies involved conduct new rounds of negotiations to lead to a restructuring of the prices,” said the document obtained exclusively by The Associated Press. “We reiterate that FIFA/MATCH charges mark-up rates of more than 40 percent on the amount contracted

with the hotel, something that contributes decisively to the increase of the already high rates.”

MATCH reached agreement with nearly 800 hotels in Brazil right after the country was picked in 2007 to host next year’s World Cup. Brazil’s Forum of Hotel Operators said through its press office that it received the Embratur document calling for changes in the World Cup rates.

President Roberto Rotter, who is named in the Embratur document, declined to comment.

The tourism board had already notified Brazil’s justice ministry, which is responsible for handling consumer rights issues. Embratur said it wants to negotiate better prices in part because it’s afraid that excessive rates during the World Cup may hurt Brazil’s tourism in the long run.

“We want to guarantee economic success and a legacy for the country that goes beyond the 2014 World Cup,” it said.

The Embratur study found increases of more than 100 percent were planned at hotels in all 12 host cities. It researched prices announced on booking websites, the hotels’ sites and FIFA’s official webpage. “As of yet it is totally unclear to MATCH Services on what criteria Embratur has been comparing rates as we have not been consulted in this matter,” MATCH said. —AP

Iraq PM heads to India for investment, trade

Business

Page 22 China pricing regulator seeks confessions from 30 foreign companies Page 24

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

Malaysia slashes GDP forecast in sign of stress

ECB official in Athens amid talk of more aid Page 23 Page 25

DENVER: In this Monday, Aug. 14, 2006 file photo, a shopper heads into the American Eagle store in Cherry Creek Mall in east Denver. Yesterday, American Eagle reported that their second-quarter net income climbed 3 percent to meet analysts’ expectations, but revenue fell as the retailer contended with declining traffic and tough competition. The company also issued a third-quarter profit outlook well below Wall Street’s view. —AP

Existing home sales jump to 3-year high US home sales hit 5.39M in July WASHINGTON: US home resales rose in July to their highest level in over three years, suggesting a sharp increase in borrowing costs is having only a limited impact on the housing market’s recovery.

The National Association of Realtors said yesterday that existing home sales jumped 6.5 percent to an annual rate of 5.39 million units. That was well above analysts’ expectations and could make the US Federal Reserve more comfortable with its plans to wind down a major economic stimulus program.

Expectations the US central bank will begin tightening policy next month have pushed interest rates on mortgages sharply higher, but home buyers appeared undeterred in July.

“The basic take-away is that the rise in mortgage

rates has been manageable,” said Ryan Sweet, an economist with Moody’s Analytics in West Chester, Pennsylvania.

Indeed, some home buyers might be rushing to make purchases now ahead of further rate hikes, said Millan Mulraine, an economist at TD Securities in New York. “Given this, we expect to see some moderation in activity in the coming months, as higher mortgage rates take some of the air from the recovery,” Mulraine said.

After being devastated by a financial crisis and the 2007-09 recession, the US home market appeared to turn a corner early last year, helped by steady job creation and extremely low interest rates.

July’s increase marked the fastest pace of sales

Real estate market bounces up this fall KUWAIT: Real estate brokers expect resurgent market conditions following the current summer slump in sales.

The real reason for the slump is not because most of those investing in the real estate field are still on their summer vacations but the prohibitive prices of properties keep buyers away and tempt owners to raise them even further, said real estate agent Ayoub al-Taher.

He expected that by the end of September sales of property will pick up but prices will not budge, they will remain high as long as the demand outstrips the supply. The demand currently and for some time has been for housing plots for mostly first time homeowners, he said.

He pointed out that numerous home seekers have given up lately on home purchases as the price for a squared meter in areas close to the center of Kuwait city has spiked to over KD 1000, a sum totally out of reach for most people.

However the picture has been a little brighter for investment properties such as apartment buildings which saw brisk business this summer due to big demand, especially in the suburbs of Abu Hulaifa and Mahbola, where

many apartment buildings have sprung up ready to be sold to investors. The latter would be happy with the fact that these areas are experiencing a steady flow of expatriates with hefty salaries from good jobs who can afford staying in these usually high-priced apartment buildings, said real estate agent Ezzat Abu Hussein. Average rent for a two bedroom apartment in crowded areas like Salmiya and Hawalli where many expats live is about KD 300, said real estate agent Ali Dashti, who stressed that apartment renting is a very lucrative business in Kuwait. In general, he said, liquidity in the real estate market for the first seven months of this year has increased by 7.4 percent over that of last year, adding that home buying transactions lost about KD17.7 million in this time period, according to statistics issued by al-Shal investment co.

All in all, the real estate market is thriving in Kuwait and is poised to do better in the fall, as many investors shy away from the meager return on their investments offered by banks and opt to enter the real estate investment market instead. —KUNA

since November 2009, when a home buyer tax credit was expiring. Since early May, mortgage rates for 30year loans have risen more than a percentage point.

Last week, the average rate for a 30-year mortgage rose 12 basis points to 4.68 percent, the Mortgage Bankers Association said in a report yesterday..

The higher rates are already making it harder for people to refinance their loans. The MBA said applications for US home loans fell 4.6 percent in the week ended Aug. 16. as refinancing activity slumped.

The Fed currently buys $85 billion a month in bonds in an effort to reduce borrowing costs.

Policymakers are expected to reduce monthly pur-

chases next month, and financial markets were awaiting for clues on this from the minutes of the Fed’s minutes for its most recent meeting later.

The data appeared to have little impact on Wall Street. US Treasury prices were little changed amid caution ahead of the release of the Fed’s minutes.

Stock prices fell slightly. Economists polled by Reuters had expected sales to increase to a 5.15 million unit pace in July. Sales rose in all four major regions in the country.

The housing market recovery, marked by a surge in prices and dwindling inventories, is helping to shore up the economy by bolstering household finances and supporting consumer spending.

This helped Lowe’s Cos Inc report yesterday that

it posted a bigger-than-expected rise in quarterly profit and sales. The news came the day after larger rival Home Depot Inc also reported strong results.

A stronger overall economy is also helping home owners avoid foreclosure. The NAR said distressed properties - which include short sales and foreclosures - accounted for only 15 percent of sales last month. That matched June’s reading, which was the lowest since the realtors group started monitoring them in October 2008.

The median price for a previously owned home soared 13.7 percent from a year ago to $213,500. The inventory of unsold homes on the market rose 5.6 percent, leaving the months’ supply unchanged at 5.1. —Reuters

Small business owners pick sales over sun and fun NEW YORK: Jerome Cleary was on the verge of taking a trip to Hawaii this month when he started getting emails and phone calls from potential clients. He had to choose between new business for his public relations firm and the white sands of Waikiki.

He stayed home and worked. “Things are supposed to die down during the summer. People go out of town or go on vacation. But suddenly people wanted to get started on projects,” says Cleary, who is based in Los Angeles.

Vacations are on hold for many small business owners this summer as sales show gradual signs of recovery.

Many owners don’t want to be away when their business is gaining momentum. And those with startups find it’s hard to tear themselves away when they’re nurturing a very young company.

Cleary last took a vacation in 2008. His business was hurt by the recession because clients who were strapped for cash cut their marketing budgets. But this year, things have been picking up. He was supposed to leave on Aug. 5 for 10 days. Then in late July, a string of emails and phone calls began. There was something different about them. Instead of getting the usual requests for information from would-be clients, Cleary was hearing, how soon can we start?

“Right now, I don’t see any vacation. I’ll have to take long walks with my dog, exercise or see movies,” he says.

Many owners who took a vacation last summer have opted to keep on working this year instead, according to a survey this spring by American Express. Forty-nine percent of the survey’s participants said they planned to take at least one full week off during the summer. That was down from 54 percent a year ago, and a high of 67 percent in 2006, the year before the recession began.

After five challenging years, Luckett & Farley, an architectural and design firm based in Louisville, Ky., has a full pipeline of projects. The firm is so busy that CEO Ed Jerdonek isn’t taking a summer vacation, a big change from the past, when he would take at least one.

“There’s a lot of action taking place and finally, we’re beginning to see some exciting expansion,” Jerdonek says. Most of the firm’s 80 employees are taking time off.

But senior managers including Jerdonek are staying put because they oversee all the projects. Jerdonek says sacrificing time off goes along with being a leader.

“I’ll get a vacation, but it won’t be any time in the near future,” he says. Scott Yates isn’t planning a real break anytime soon because he’s still in the process of building BlogMutt, a Boulder, Colo.-based company that provides content for blogs.

Yates did go away for two weeks early in the summer, but spent almost the entire time working. He took one day off to go to a wedding and another day only because

he was in an area where there was no Internet connection. “It was not a time away from work,” says Yates, coowner of BlogMutt, “It doesn’t really count.”

BlogMutt coordinates between 3,000 writers and clients who have websites but not enough time to keep a blog going. The company is in its second year, and revenue is up 600 percent. The staff of four is still creating processes to help the company handle its increasing workload. If Yates or his business partner took vacations at this point, he says the company’s growth would be slow. The owners of Smashing Golf & Tennis can’t take vacations this summer because they’re training new sales people for the company’s line of active wear for women.

They also are getting their spring styles ready and have to be around for last-minute orders - this is high season for golfers and tennis players.

“I’m not sure I should leave knowing that the selling time is hitting now,” says co-owner Kelly Daugherty. “We don’t want to lose the opportunity to go to the next level.” Without a break, Daugherty is constantly on the go, juggling the Chicago-based business and taking care of her three children. “I’ll be honest, I feel like it is taking its toll on my stamina,” she says. But not all small business owners are skipping vacation to take advantage of new business. Some are working through the summer because sales are slumping. —AP

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

BUSINESS

Europe stocks close ahead of Fed minutes Investors anxious to see higher US interest rates LONDON: European stocks ended lower yesterday as investors braced themselves for the release of minutes from the US central bank which could give clues on the winding down of its stimulus programme, dealers said.

London’s FTSE 100 index of leading shares finished 0.97 percent lower at 6,390.84 points, while Frankfurt’s DAX 30 shed 0.18 percent to 8,285.41 points and the CAC 40 in Paris fell 0.34 percent to 4,015.09 points.

With the US economy showing signs of improvement, analysts say the Fed will likely slow its bond-buying programme. European shares had already fallen on Monday and Tuesday, as speculation of a scale-back intensified.

“We are at the point now that investors feel so down in the dumps, that anything positive, like re-assurance that monetary policy will decrease in line with the improving economy, will give a massive boost to the wounded bulls,” Capital Spreads dealer William Nicholls said.

“The markets have currently priced in the assumption that stimulus is literally going to end, all at once, which is not what has been documented by the Fed so far,” he said.

Expectations of tapering have seen foreign investors in recent months repatriate some of the vast sums that poured into emerging

economies since the latest quantitive easing programme was unveiled in September 2012, in turn hitting currencies and equities.

The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) minutes are due for release .

In foreign exchange deals, the European single currency dipped to $1.3368 compared with $1.3417 late in New York on Tuesday, when it had touched a five-month high at $1.3452.

The dollar climbed to 97.64 yen from 97.26 yen. Sterling rallied to 1.1730 euros and rose slightly against the dollar at $1.5680 having reached a two-month high point of $1.5696 on Tuesday.

Currencies in developing Asia meanwhile struggled, as concerns grow that the Federal will soon begin to unwind its massive stimulus policy, in a move which would divert cash back to the West.

Many investors are also anxious to see if higher US interest rates are in the offing, which would lessen the appeal of emerging markets.

India’s rupee plunged to a new record low and Indonesia’s rupiah and the Thai baht both faced more selling pressure. Meanwhile, Turkey’s lira received a severe beating, falling to 1.9714 to the dollar, despite the central bank hiking a key short-term interest rate to staunch the outflow of funds as investors repo-

sition themselves for the reduced US stimulus.

The lira has fallen by about 10 percent since February, when it was at a 12-month peak of 1.7460 lira to the dollar.

On the London Bullion Market, the price of gold fell to $1,363 an ounce from $1,372.50 on Tuesday. Market sentiment was also hit this week after German finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said that crisis-hit Greece will need another rescue package after 2014. In the US, stocks fell in anticipation of the Fed release.

In midday trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.41 percent, the broad-based S&P 500 gave up 0.34 percent and the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index lost 0.14 percent.

In company news, French utilities group Veolia Environnement yesterday saw its shares soar 8.3 percent to 11.46 euros after investment bank Morgan Stanley raised its recommendation for the company, saying it is time to buy the stock.

Danish wind power group Vestas also saw a boost to its shares, adding 5.4 percent to 109.00 kroner, after announcing it has replaced its chief executive. The news came as the group posted yet another quarterly loss.

On the bond market meanwhile, yields rose.

Ten-year US bonds climbed to 2.83 percent, while Germany’s increased to 1.86 percent and Britain’s climbed to 2.71 percent. —AFP

Iraq PM heads to India for investment, trade BAGHDAD: Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki is to visit India, officials said yesterday, to push for investment in much-needed reconstruction as New Delhi looks to secure critical energy supplies.

The premier’s three-day trip to New Delhi and Mumbai, the first by an Iraqi leader since the 2003 USled invasion ousted president Saddam Hussein, comes on the heels of a visit by Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid to Baghdad in June.

But the prospects of luring foreign investment to Iraq have been complicated as the country has been hit by its worst violence since 2008, with the interior ministry describing Iraq as a “battleground”.

Maliki will set off on Thursday with a delegation including the ministers of oil, health and agriculture, the head of Iraq’s national investment commission, and sever-

totalled around $1.3 billion in 2012, up from $740 million in 2011, while Baghdad’s exports to India-the vast majority of which were oil-totalled more than $20 billion last year, compared to around $9 billion in 2011.

Iraq, which currently exports around 2.3 million barrels per day (bpd) of oil, is looking to dramatically boost its energy output, with officials aiming for overall production capacity of 9 million bpd by 2017.

Baghdad is almost entirely dependent on oil sales for income, and while efforts to boost energy production have resulted in a significant increase in output, steps to diversify the country’s economy have sputtered.

India, meanwhile, has made clear its requirement to secure energy supplies to drive economic growth and development, with its dependence on Iraqi exports increasing as sanctions have limited Iran’s oil sales.

While in Baghdad in June, Khurshid insisted that India also wanted to promote investment in other fields in Iraq. But whereas firms from the West, Turkey, South Korea and China have sought to win major government contracts in Iraq as Baghdad looks to restore its war-battered infrastructure and dilapidated economy, Indian companies have been noticeably absent.

Considerations of investment in Iraq have been complicated by a marked spike in violence in recent months that authorities have failed to stem.

More than 1,000 people died as a result of violence last month, the United Nations said, the highest such figure since 2008, and more than 400 have been killed already this month, according to an AFP tally. —AFP

al advisors.

He is due to meet with his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh, as well as India’s President Pranab Mukherjee and other top officials and leaders, according to Suresh Reddy, India’s envoy to Baghdad.

“It is a very important visit,” Maliki’s spokesman Ali Mussawi told AFP. “It will mark a major change in relations between Iraq and India, a big step for ward.”

Mussawi said discussions would focus on energy, but also housing, healthcare, education and railways.

“Naturally ... economic considerations would be a big part of bilateral discussions,” Reddy said. “Since energy is of critical importance to Iraq, and India being dependent on imported energy, so energy would constitute a very important component of the discussions.”

“But it’s not just trade alone.”

Reddy said Indian exports to Iraq

Honda Alghanim extends its KD 8 oil & filter promotion KUWAIT: Due to the success of its Ramadan offer, Alghanim Motors, the sole distributor of Honda in Kuwait, announced the extension of the special promotion to provide all Honda vehicle owners with genuine oil and filter change for only KD 8.

With its usage of only authentic oil and filter change oils, Honda Alghanim’s limited time offer is available to all Honda vehicle owners at Honda’s Service Center starting from 1 pm until 6 pm for the duration of the promotion period which will be valid until September 10.

The Honda Alghanim Service Center’s regular working hours are now effective, starting from 7:30 am until 6:30 pm.

Apart from the many features included in the promotion, Honda’s customers will also enjoy excellent customer service, quality maintenance options and competitive prices on spare parts, all of which are provided by a team of professional and highly skilled technicians and team members. An element that further enhances customers’ peace of mind is Honda’s Service Center that is distinguished by its continuous and successful efforts in providing the highest quality of services. The waiting lounge offers customers a wide array of amenities such as an electronic gaming area, digital satellite channels, free wireless Internet access as well as relaxing massage chairs. Visit the new Service Center in Shuwaikh located across from the Classical Car Museum and the Honda Alghanim showroom at Safat Alghanim in Al-Rai.

Oil slips below $110 as supply worries ease LONDON: Brent crude oil fell below $110 a barrel yesterday on reports some Libyan oil exports might soon resume and on news the Seaway crude oil pipeline had shut, halting shipments from the US Midwest to the Gulf Coast.

About half of Libya’s more than 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil export capacity is out of action due to strikes and civil unrest, but officials have said some ports have reopened and more shipments could restart within days.

With the US Seaway pipeline out of action, oil stocks at Cushing, Oklahoma, the delivery point for US crude futures, will gradually increase, which could put pressure on prices. Brent futures for October were down 50 cents at $109.65 a barrel by 1215 GMT. US October oil was 65 cents lower at $104.46 a barrel. The September US crude contract expired on Tuesday, closing down 2 percent at $104.96, its largest one-day loss in two months.

“Libya could export more oil and the Seaway news is also a negative factor,” said Carsten Fritsch, senior oil analyst at Commerzbank.

“If Seaway doesn’t reopen by the end of the week, we will see higher crude stocks at Cushing.”

The situation in Libya is volatile with conflicting reports of port activity and varying estimates of oil exports. The head of Libya’s Petroleum Facilities Guard said on Tuesday striking workers at a key oil port fired on civilians and injured at least one person. Independent confirmation of the shooting was not immediately available. —Reuters

LISBON: A broker walks behind screens displaying charts while she works in a trading room of a Portuguese bank in Lisbon, yesterday. Portugal has raised euro1 billion ($1.34 billion) in short-term debt amid signs the country’s deep recession has bottomed out. Portugal received an euro78 billion ($104.4 billion) bailout in 2011 after the global financial crisis and a decade of low growth pushed it toward bankruptcy. —AP

Portugal raises $1.34b amid recovery hopes return for the bailout took a toll on economic activity. At the same time, the jobless rate dropped to 16.4 percent from a record 17.7 percent in the first quarter.

Rui Barbara, an asset manager at Lisbonbased financial group Banco Carregosa, said the auction result was in line with secondary market rates and investor expectations as “everything is pointing to a stabilization” in the economy.

Risks remain for Portugal’s recovery, however, and the government expects GDP to contract by 2.3 percent this year before growing 0.6 percent in 2014. The country is still far from generating the kind of wealth needed to pay off its debts. The debt agency says it has already covered part of the 14 billion euros it has to repay in 2014, but in the following two years around 32 billion euros of repayments fall due. The center-right coalition government almost collapsed last month as the two parties fell out over the scale of new austerity measures. Further political and social unrest is expected in coming months as the government prepares to cut another 4.7 billion euros in expenditure. —AP

LISBON: Portugal raised 1 billion euros ($1.34 billion) in an auction of short-term debt yesterday amid signs the country’s deep recession has bottomed out, though investors remain wary of the political and economic risks of planned new austerity measures.

The government debt agency said it sold 700 million euros in 12-month Treasury bills at a cost of 1.619 percent, which was down from 1.72 percent at an equivalent auction last month. It also raised 300 million in 3-month bills at 0.766 percent, but that was slightly higher than 0.743 percent paid in April. Portugal received a 78 billion-euro bailout in 2011 after the global financial crisis and a decade of low growth pushed it toward bankruptcy. The rescue deepened the debt crisis affecting the 17 countries that share the euro currency, though recent indicators suggest the outlook is improving.

The Portuguese economy grew 1.1 percent in the second quarter from the previous three months. Before that, it had dropped for 10 consecutive quarters as spending cuts and tax increases enacted in

KHARTOUM: Sudanese Finance Minister Ali Mahmoud (L) speaks during the African bloc meetings of finance ministers and central bank governors yesterday in the Sudanese capital Khartoum. The meetings are expected to discuss economic and development issues of the African continent and dealing with the IMF and the World Bank on how to help these countries to fight poverty and achieve development and economic growth. —AFP

EXCHANGE RATES Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka Philippine Peso Thai Baht Irani Riyal Irani Riyal Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham

ASIAN COUNTRIES 2.919 4.561 2.766 2.158 2.860 223.960 36.710 3.654 6.518 9.088 0.271 0.273 GCC COUNTRIES 76.937 78.244 739.640 756.340 77.551

ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash 42.450 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 40.642 Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.328 Tunisian Dinar 173.570 Jordanian Dinar 402.130 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 1.910 Syrian Lier 3.094 Morocco Dirham 34.503 EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 284.650 Euro 380.720 Sterling Pound 446.190 Canadian dollar 276.360 Turkish lira 147.070 Swiss Franc 308.400 Australian Dollar 263.590 US Dollar Buying 283.450 20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

GOLD 260.000 131.000 68.000

UAE Exchange Centre WLL COUNTRY Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Euro US Dollar Sterling Pound Japanese Yen Bangladesh Taka Indian Rupee Sri Lankan Rupee Nepali Rupee Pakistani Rupee UAE Dirhams Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Jordanian Dinar Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

SELL DRAFT 262.13 278.37 313.69 384.12 283.95 448.84 2.98 3.667 4.466 2.158 2.819 2.769 77.38 755.76 40.62 404.13 738.45 78.41 75.85

SELL CASH 263.000 282.000 311.000 384.000 287.400 443.000 3.000 3.800 5.150 2.700 3.600 2.920 78.000 759.500 41.100 416.200 746.400 79.000 76.300

Thai Bhat Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit

Bahrain Exchange Company COUNTRY British Pound Czech Korune Danish Krone Euro Norwegian Krone Scottish Pound Swedish Krona Swiss Franc

Selling Rate 284.000 275.980 445.890 381.745 309.996 751.890 77.800 77.955 76.595 400.345 40.590 2.150 4.489 2.742 3.651 6.477 696.660 3.910

SELL CASH Europe 0.4369558 0.0065515 0.0467961 0.3737893 0.0441271 0.4351225 0.0396846 0.3023052

SELLDRAFT 0.4459558 0.0185615 0.0517961 0.3812893 0.0493271 0.4426225 0.0446846 0.3093052

Australasia 0.2522278 0.2232773 0.0001127

0.2642278 0.2332773 0.0001127

Canadian Dollar Colombian Peso US Dollars

America 0.2685459 0.0001447 0.2823000

0.2775459 0.0001627 0.2844500

Bangladesh Taka Cape Vrde Escudo Chinese Yuan Eritrea-Nakfa Guinea Franc Hg Kong Dollar Indian Rupee Indonesian Rupiah Jamaican Dollars Japanese Yen Kenyan Shilling Malaysian Ringgit Nepalese Rupee Pakistan Rupee Philippine Peso

Asia 0.0036070 0.0031505 0.0454075 0.0164033 0.0000441 0.0340753 0.0044365 0.0000220 0.0028359 0.0028402 0.0031816 0.0814482 0.0026608 0.0027176 0.0060415

0.0036620 0.0033805 0.0504075 0.0195033 0.0000501 0.0371753 0.0045015 0.0000272 0.0038359 0.0030202 0.0034116 0.0884482 0.0028608 0.0027576 0.0065115

Australian Dollar New Zealand Dollar Uganda Shilling

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd Rate for Transfer US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro Swiss Frank Bahrain Dinar UAE Dirhams Qatari Riyals Saudi Riyals Jordanian Dinar Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupees Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Pesso Cyprus pound Japanese Yen

9.165 4.055 3.885 86.405

Sierra Leone Singapore Dollar Sri Lankan Rupee Thai Baht

0.0000725 0.2183922 0.0021130 0.0085731

0.0000755 0.2243922 0.0021550 0.0091731

Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Ethiopeanbirr Ghanaian Cedi Iranian Riyal Iraqi Dinar Jordanian Dinar Kuwaiti Dinar Lebanese Pound Moroccan Dirhams Nigerian Naira Omani Riyal Qatar Riyal Saudi Riyal Sudanese Pounds Syrian Pound Tunisian Dinar UAE Dirhams Yemeni Riyal

Arab 0.7470223 0.0385825 0.0126263 0.1444203 0.0000790 0.0001834 0.3950608 1.0000000 0.0001742 0.0224390 0.0012050 0.7267806 0.0773663 0.0752133 0.0461836 0.0019354 0.1720309 0.0759090 0.0012812

0.7555223 0.0405975 0.0191263 0.1462103 0.0000795 0.0002434 0.4025608 1.0000000 0.0001942 0.0464390 0.0018400 0.7377806 0.0781493 0.0758533 0.0467336 0.0021554 0.1780309 0.0773590 0.0013812

Al Mulla Exchange Currency US Dollar Euro Pound Sterling Canadian Dollar Indian Rupee Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupee Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso Pakistan Rupee Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham Saudi Riyal *Rates are subject to change

Transfer Rate (Per 1000) 283.600 383.550 446.600 274.800 4.422 40.580 2.149 3.649 6.500 2.745 755.450 77.250 75.800

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

BUSINESS

Lower UK borrowing in sight despite surprise July deficit LONDON: Britain’s public finances showed an unexpected deficit in July, although a recovering economy means the government still looks likely to meet its goal of reducing borrowing this fiscal year. Public borrowing on the government’s preferred measure, which excludes some of the effects of bank bailouts, swung to a deficit of 62 million pounds ($97 million) from a surplus of 823 million in July 2012, the Office for National Statistics said yesterday. This was the first shortfall for that month - which typically

shows a surplus due to tax payments since 2010 and compared with forecasts for 2.45 billion pounds in the black.

It marks a blip in the deficit reduction plans that lies at the heart of the coalition government’s economic policies. When it came to power three years ago, Britain’s budget deficit was 11 percent of annual output - one of the highest for a major economy. But a growth upturn - illustrated yesterday by anindustry survey showing British manufacturers’ order books looked in their best shape for two years in August

suggests the programme remains on schedule.

“The fiscal forecast for this year and next at the least are based on what now looks like pretty weak growth forecasts...,” said Rob Wood, chief UK economist at Berenberg Bank. “Growth could well come in much higher than those numbers.”

Government receipts excluding 0.4 billion pounds from the Bank of England rose 3.4 percent on the year in July, while spending grew 3.7 percent. “The biggest problems appear to be at the moment on

the spending side,” said Peter Dixon, economist at Commerzbank.

“But I think all in all, it’s only a very small deficit... At this stage, we are probably on track to meet the government’s forecasts for the year as a whole.”

Stripping out one-off cash transfers from the central bank and Royal Mail, public borrowing totalled 36.8 billion pounds in the first four months of the 2013-14 tax year, up slightly from a year earlier.

On this underlying basis, ministers are aiming for a deficit of no more than 120

billion pounds or 7.5 percent of GDP this tax year. Analysts said tax inflows should improve as the year went on, with the economy showing growing signs of life.

The ONS said only 0.4 billion pounds of the 5.3 billion return of interest paid to the bank on its gilt holdings affected net borrowing, although the net cash requirement benefited from the July transfer in full. Borrowing in the fiscal year to date jumped to 24.706 billion pounds from 7.190 billion in the same four months a year ago.—Reuters

ECB official in Athens amid talk of more aid Second bailout due to end in mid-2014

ROCHESTER: This file photo shows a Kodak factory in Rochester, N.Y. On Tuesday, a federal judge approved Kodak’s plan to emerge from bankruptcy protection. The ruling paves the way for the photography pioneer to emerge from court oversight as a new company focused on commercial and packaging printing. The company has said it hopes to emerge from bankruptcy protection on Sept 3, 2013. — AP

Judge approves Kodak plan to exit bankruptcy NEW YORK: Kodak doesn’t look a whole lot like it did when it filed for bankruptcy protection last year, but its executives and investors are hoping for a picture-perfect future.

Many of its products and services are gone, including the camera-making business that made it famous more than a century ago. Also gone are scores of workers, manufacturing facilities, supply contracts and millions of dollars in investments.

On Tuesday, US Bankruptcy Judge Allan Gropper approved the company’s plan to emerge from court oversight, paving the way for it to recreate itself as a new, much smaller company focused on commercial and packaging printing. Kodak said it hopes to emerge from bankruptcy protection as early as Sept 3.

“They still have people with immense skill and who know how to win,” said Mark Zupan, dean of the business school at the University of Rochester, near Kodak’s headquarters. “But it’s also a team that has gone through hell for the last 10 to 20 years. It has been like constant water torture.”

Founded by George Eastman in 1880, Eastman Kodak Co. is credited with popularizing photography at the start of the 20th century and was known all over the world for its Brownie and Instamatic cameras and its yellow-and-red film boxes. It was first brought down by Japanese competition and then an inability to keep pace with the shift from film to digital technology.

“Up until around 2005, Kodak was one of the most recognizable brands in the world, and that’s now gone,” said Robert Burley, a photography professor at Ryerson University in Toronto. “It’s only real brand recognition these days is as a failed company that was unable to make the transition from the 20th century to the 21st century.

To some degree, they have become a poster child for a company that could not keep up with technology.”

Kodak filed for bankruptcy protection last year after struggling with increasing competition, continuing growth in digital photography and growing debt. Since its filing, Kodak has sold off many of its businesses and patents, while shutting down the camera manufacturing unit that first made it famous.

“Kodak is a different company than the one in the popular imagination and very different from the one that filed for bankruptcy,” Kodak attorney Andrew Dietderich

told the court at the start of Tuesday’s hearing.

In making his ruling, Gropper noted that his approval of the plan will result in the loss of retirement and health care benefits for many former workers, while many of the company’s investors will recoup just pennies on the dollar.

“So at a time of admitted tragedy, let us take a moment to dwell on the future and hope that Kodak will be successful,” Gropper said. Kodak Chairman and CEO Antonio Perez said that with the ruling, the company is now poised to become a leader in the commercial imaging industry, providing professional services such as commercial printing, packaging and film for motion pictures.

Zupan said the company also has been developing an alternative for a key composite used in the production of touchscreen display screens.

The connection with consumers is gone, though. “Kodak no longer will have any of the core businesses that once defined it,” Burley said.

Earlier this year, the company said it would sell its personalized and documentimaging businesses to its UK pension plan for $650 million as part of a deal that settles $2.8 billion in claims that the retirement fund had sought from the photography pioneer.

It also sold its document imaging assets, digital imaging patents and online photo service, while shutting down other divisions.

Last week, a majority of the company’s creditors voted to approve its plan to emerge. But some retirees, shareholders and other parties objected to it.

Although some shareholders argued that they should be entitled for something in exchange for their stock, Gropper said he ruled at a previous hearing that they weren’t. He noted that the company’s creditors will only receive 4 cents or 5 cents on the dollar for their investments and that they’re entitled to be paid before shareholders are. Generally, holders of common stock do not receive anything for their shares when a company emerges from Chapter 11.

The US Trustee also filed an objection challenging the legality of hefty cash and stock bonuses that Kodak executives are expected to receive when the Rochester, NY, company exits from bankruptcy protection.— AP

SHANGHAI: Investors look at the stock price monitor at a private securities company in Shanghai, China, yesterday. Asian stock markets were choppy yesterday as traders waited for hints from the US central bank about when it will begin to reduce its massive stimulus effort. — AP

ATHENS: A top European Central Bank official headed to Athens yesterday to discuss progress on Greece’s fiscal reforms, amid increasing talk the country will need yet more assistance once its bailout program ends next year.

Joerg Asmussen, one of the ECB’s six executive board members, was to meet with Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras. He was also scheduled to hold talks on Thursday with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos.

“We are expecting an interesting exchange of views both with the finance minister and with the prime minister,” government spokesman Simos Kedikoglou told Greece’s Mega television. The visit comes a day after Germany’s finance minister said the country will need another rescue program, his clearest statement yet on the issue. He did not specify what form the new aid should take, but ruled out a write -down on Greece’s public debt, which is now mainly bailout loans owed to other European governments.

Opinions in Europe are divided, however. France’s finance minister, Pierre Moscovici, said he saw no need for a new rescue program. “It seems to me that this program is on track, that Greece is making enormous efforts to right itself ... I myself don’t see the urgent need for a new program for Greece,” Moscovici told France Inter radio on Tuesday.

International debt inspectors from the ECB, International Monetar y Fund and European Commission, collectively known as the troika, are returning to Athens in September to review progress on reforms. Their findings will help clarify whether Greece will be able to support itself once the bailout

program ends.

“In that context we shall also assess a possible extension of the Greek program and its funding,” Olli Rehn, the top monetary official at the European Commission, was quoted as saying by the Finnish daily Helsingin Sanomat.

According to the paper, Rehn said in an email that one option would be to extend the maturity of Greece’s loans. Greece first began receiving rescue loans from other countries in the euro currency union and from the IMF in May 2010, when the dire state of the country’s public finances left it unable to borrow on the international bond market.

To qualify for the loans, Greece

pushed through repeated rounds of austerity measures, slashing state spending, cutting state sector salaries and pensions and increasing taxes across the board.

The measures led to widespread and often violent protests, and have seen thousands of businesses shut down. Unemployment has reached 27 percent, a record, as the country struggles through a sixth year of recession.

But the initial bailout program was plagued by delays and missed targets, and it soon became apparent that more was needed. Athens began receiving funds from a second bailout early last year, and also saw a debt reduction program under which private sector holders

of Greek government bonds agreed to write off more than half the value of their bond holdings.

So far, Greece’s creditors have committed 240 billion euros ($320 billion) in loans. The second bailout is due to end in mid-2014, although the IMF is scheduled to continue giving its loans until 2016.

Greece’s finances have improved somewhat of late, with the government posting a small primary surplus - budget income before taking into account interest payments on outstanding debt - for the first seven months of this year. The economy, however, is still in dire straits. It contracted by an annual rate of 4.6 percent in the second quarter this year.— AP

ATHENS: European Central Bank Executive Board member Joerg Asmussen (R) and Greece Finance minister Yannis Stournaras speak during a press conference following their meeting at the Greek Finance ministry in Athens, yesterday. The meeting focused on taking stock of Greece’s progress in implementing. — AFP

Lloyds Banking sells German life insurer for $400 mln LONDON: British lender Lloyds Banking Group has sold German life insurer Heidelberger Leben to private equity group Cinven and reinsurer Hannover Re for around 300 million euros ($400 million), raising hopes that the staterescured bank is moving closer to restoring its dividend.

The deal, which will boost Lloyds’ core capital by 400 million pounds, and the separate sale on yesterday for 254 million pounds of a portfolio of leveraged loans, helps strengthen the bank’s balance sheet and could accelerate government plans to start selling down its 39 percent stake, analysts said.

“It’s another step along the road to just focusing on the domestic retail business, and another step along the road to a fourth-quarter dividend,” said Mike Trippitt, director of banks’ research at London-based Numis Securities.

Funds advised by Cinven will acquire 80 percent of Heidelberger Leben shares, leaving Hannover Re, the thirdlargest reinsurer worldwide, with the balance. Demand for new life insurance policies has been hit by low interest rates, while stricter capital requirements for insurers have made the policies more expensive to underwrite, leaving owners of many smaller operators looking to sell.

Cinven plans to buy up and consolidate life insurers in Germany, allowing it to invest in updating systems and improving service while achieving cost savings through scale in a similar way to what it has done in the UK following its investment in life and pension products provider Guardian Financial Services.

“Germany is a very large market, and it is very fragmented,” Cinven Partner Caspar Berendsen said. “We see dozens of acquisition oppor tunities in Germany, it is growth through buy and build,” he said, adding that the consolidation process would take several years. Heidelberger Leben, which employs around 300 people, has a portfolio of around 600,000 policies, mainly unit-linked, and ran 5.2 billion euros of assets as at Dec. 31 2012.

Lloyds has been aggressively selling non-core assets this year, raising 450 million pounds from shares in wealth manager St. James Place, US mortgage por tfolio disposals and the sale of branches from its Spanish retail banking network.

The bank’s share price has surged by more than 50 percent in the year to date to around 74 pence, well above the UK government’s so-called breakeven price of 61 pence, prompting speculation that a 5 billion-pound state share sale is imminent. Lloyds shares were up 0.34 percent at 74 pence by 1032 GMT. The government has said it has no timetable or target pricefor the sale but it appointed JP Morgan in late July to advise on the possible sale of taxpayer interests in Lloyds and a much larger 81 percent stake in Royal Bank of Scotland.

Speaking at the bank’s half-year results this month, Lloyds Chief Executive Antonio Horta-Osorio also said he expects the bank to be a “high dividend” paying stock in the future, potentially paying out at least half of its earnings. Shareholders have not received a dividend from Lloyds since it took over crisis-stricken lender HBOS in 2008. But management are back in talks with regulators about restarting the payout, a key milestone in its long-term recovery plan.

Trippitt said the asset sales helped the bank’s dividend aspirations because they left the bank with a cleaner, more streamlined portfolio and boosted it’s capital, encouraging regulators to allow the bank to return cash to shareholders.

The Heidelberger sale will result in a loss of around 330 million pounds in Lloyds’ group accounts but, combined with the sale of other assets, is expected to boost the bank’s common equity Tier 1 capital by around 400 million pounds when it completes, Lloyds said in a statement. This is largely because of accounting conventions, which required Lloyds to deduct the embedded value of the insurance company from its assessment of its core Tier 1 equity, a deduction that will no longer have to be made. — Reuters

Turkish lira under pressure after rate rise ANKARA: The Turkish currency came under pressure yesterday despite the central bank hiking a key short-term interest rate to staunch the outflow of funds as investors reposition themselves for reduced US stimulus. The lira fell to 1.9714 to the dollar to near a 12-month low from 1.9492 at the close on Tuesday, when the central bank raised its overnight rate by half a point to 7.75 percent.

The lira has fallen by about 10 percent since February, when it was at a 12-month peak of 1.7460 lira to the dollar. But it is still slightly above a 12-month low of 1.9740 lira to the dollar set in early July, forcing the central bank to take urgent measures. The central bank’s decision to raise its overnight rate follows recent intervention to defend the lira and is the latest sign of turmoil in emerging markets as the US Federal Reserve gets set to start winding down its stimulus measures.

With the US economy showing increasing signs of strength, many analysts say the Fed will start cutting down on its $85-billion-a-month stimulus scheme next month.

Expectations of such a move have seen foreign investors in recent months repatriate some of the vast sums that poured into emerging economies when the Fed launched its latest stimulus programme last September, providing a boost to their currencies and equities.

In a written statement on Wednesday, central bank governor Erdem Basci said: “The additional monetary tightening will be maintained every day until further notice.” Basci also said the bank would sell a minimum of $100 million in foreign exchange auctions.

“As of today, a minimum of $100 million will be sold at 1630 local time (1330 GMT) on days when additional monetary tightening is applied,” he said. In July, when the lira fell heavily, the central bank announced urgent action to tighten monetary policy, curb credit and use foreign reserves to buy the lira on the foreign exchange market, which it did in substantial amounts. The central bank also announced in July that its one-week facility would not be available on the days when it intervenes in the currency market. Analysts say Basci’s announcement suggests that the lower one-week lending rate would not be available indefinitely, pushing banks to use the higher 7.75 percent rate until the additional tightening policy achieves the central bank’s goal.

“We think this decision is positive to support TRY (lira) as it makes the O/N (overnight) lending rate a credible threat against short TRY positions,” said Deniz Cicek, economist at Finansbank. The higher overnight rate raises the cost and risk for market operators who borrow lira to take positions which will yield a profit if the lira falls further.

“However, we are not sure the current level of the ceiling will be sufficient to contain depreciation pressures should the sentiment towards (emerging market currencies) get even worse,” Cicek warned. He added that the central bank’s measures would probably not be enough and that the overnight rate may have to be raised again. “Therefore, we continue to expect more ceiling hikes (in the rate) to come in coming months, which is likely to push the O/N lending rate to 9.0 percent.”—AFP

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

BUSINESS

For investors, Haiti remains a tough environment PORT-AU-PRINCE: Nickson Toussaint returned to Haiti from Washington, D.C., with dreams of opening a small hotel along the shimmering coast north of the country’s capital. He bought 2.6 acres of land for $70,000 and looked for a loan or investors.

But like other expatriates and people of Haitian descent who glimpsed opportunity in helping rebuild the impoverished country, Toussaint received a rude awakening. A Haitian development group that offers financing to first-time

entrepreneurs hasn’t given him a loan.

The US citizen also ran into a thicket of red tape and others laying claim to the land. The project has been stalled for almost two years. “It’s been just a gigantic headache,” Toussaint said. New businesses have opened throughout Haiti since a January 2010 earthquake devastated much of the country, and the government promises more development is coming. The administration of Haitian President Michel Martelly has made attracting foreign investment a top pri-

ority, using the motto “Haiti is open for business.” But the experiences of Toussaint, 28, and others demonstrate the struggles that would-be business owners face even as Haiti’s government courts businesses. Nigel Fisher, a former UN envoy in Haiti, said in February that the country was not yet “open for business,” infuriating Haitian officials. Fisher said a nearly two-year delay in organizing legislative and local elections had created too much uncertainty for some investors. Martelly has said voting will

happen before year’s end; if not, he will rule by decree when the terms of 10 Senate seats expire in January.

Corruption has been another hurdle. A US State Department human rights report said Haitian law “provides criminal penalties for official corruption; however, in practice corruption was widespread and endemic.”

The same study noted that in 2012 Martelly issued a decree allowing officials to “procure goods and services below a specified value through sole-

source and closed bidding processes, as well as no-bid contracts.” The World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank said the new law would discourage government accountability and transparency. But administration officials defended the new procurement measures as necessary for speeding up reconstruction projects and basic government operations. For Toussaint, the snags he’s hit reflect a system that favors big, multinational companies such as Best

Western, which recently opened a hotel in the country, or Marriott International, which has one in the works.

He failed to secure his $248,000 loan, with an interest rate of 10 to 12 percent, from Sofihdes, a Haitian development finance institution that the U.S. Agency for International Development helped create in 1983. The lender is among several in Haiti that award loans to startups with fewer than 100 employees and less than $1.25 million in assets. —AP

HONG KONG: Chairman of CNOOC Limited Wang Yilin, right, and CEO & President Li Fanrong attend the company’s Interim Results Announcement in Hong Kong Tuesday. China’s state-owned CNOOC said first half-profit rose 8 percent on higher oil and gas output after buying Canada’s Nexen. Wang said Tuesday the company is now focused on integrating Nexen and getting ready for a listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange. —AP

China pricing regulator seeks confessions from 30 foreign companies BEIJING: A senior Chinese official put pressure on around 30 foreign firms including General Electric and Siemens at a recent meeting to confess to any antitrust violations and warned them against using external lawyers to fight accusations from regulators, sources said.

The meeting is evidence of what many antitrust lawyers in China see as increasingly aggressive tactics to enforce a 2008 anti-monopoly law and highlight a worsening relationship between foreign companies and China’s array of regulators.

Two sources who were at the July 24-25 closed-door meeting said the senior official showed in-house lawyers how to write what they called “self-criticisms” and displayed copies of letters from companies admitting guilt in past antitrust cases.

Lawyers employed by some of those firms were in the room.

The two sources, and another source with direct knowledge of the meeting at a small hotel in Beijing, said the official who delivered the blunt remarks was Xu Xinyu, a division chief at the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

One of the sources at the meeting said Xu noted, without being specific, that half of the companies in the room were either being investigated or had been probed by the NDRC. “The message was: if you put up a fight, I could double or triple your fines.

This speech went way over the line,” the second source who attended the meeting told Reuters.

The NDRC did not respond to questions from Reuters. Xu could not be reached for comment.

The agency has been at the forefront of a wave of investigations into how companies do business in China, especially into whether they effectively force retailers to sell their products at a minimum price.

On Aug. 7 it announced fines totalling a record $110 million against five foreign milk powder firms and one Chinese producer for price fixing and anti-competitive behaviour. Three other milk powder makers were investigated but not fined because, among other things, they carried out “self-rectification”, the NDRC said at the time.

In-house lawyers from some 30 firms attended the July meeting, which was conducted in Chinese. It had been billed as a training session for multinationals to mark the fifth anniversary of the anti-monopoly law. Officials from the Ministr y of Commerce as well as the State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC), a regulator in charge of market supervision, were also at the meeting, but their presentations were overshadowed by Xu’s speech.

His comments were perceived as threatening, and while other NDRC officials at the meeting may not have supported the way it was conveyed, Xu’s message was consistent with the approach taken by other officials in private conversations with companies in recent months, the two sources at the meeting said.

They declined to be identified because they were not authorised to speak to the media, but word of the meeting has circulated widely in the antitrust community.

The two sources said the following companies were at the hotel: GE, Siemens, Samsung Electronics, Microsoft , Volvo, IBM Corp, Michelin; Swedish packaging giant Tetra Pak; Intel Corp; Qualcomm ; Dumex, a subsidiary of France’s Danone and US cable equipment maker Arris Group Inc. Tetra Pak confirmed it was there but declined to comment further. Siemens said it was unaware of any meeting, as did Samsung and Volvo. IBM, Intel, GE and

Microsoft declined to comment. Arris, Michelin and Dumex did not respond to questions while Reuters was unable to immediately reach Qualcomm. Reuters does not have a full list of firms at the meeting.

The government agencies held a separate training session for Chinese stateowned enterprises around the same time, one of the sources said, though it was unclear what was discussed.

The two sources said Xu did not explain why he didn’t want foreign firms to hire external lawyers if they were probed.

Getting an admission of guilt from companies makes it easier for the NDRC because lawyers who have dealt with it said its capacity for legal analysis was weak and that few within its antitrust bureau had a background in law.

“They don’t do analysis. They just do an interview and ask for an admission,” said one lawyer from a leading antitrust firm in China who also had direct knowledge of the July meeting.

When one lawyer asked a question about the anti-monopoly law, Xu asked the executive to elaborate on his company’s practices so he could determine on the spot if it was in violation or not, the two sources said. The lawyer clammed up, they said.

While Chinese regulators have said little to explain the motivations behind the various pricing investigations, state media have accused the foreign media of exaggerating the issue.

In a commentary on Monday, the official Xinhua news agency said such probes were routine in a market-oriented economy.

“The battle is not targeted at foreign companies. It is aimed at creating a fairer, cleaner and better-regulated environment for economic competition,” the English language commentary said. “Probing and punishing ill-behaved companies will increase the confidence of international firms in the Chinese market, not the other way round.”

Lawyers and sources familiar with the NDRC said Xu was elevated to the role of a division chief in its antitrust bureau after the agency, keen to keep pace with China’s two other antitrust enforcers - the Ministry of Commerce and SAIC - added dozens of personnel in 2011.

At the same time, the NDRC is offering leniency for some companies in return for cooperation.

In the case against the milk powder makers, Swiss giant Nestle was among the three firms spared fines because it “provided important evidence and carried out active self-rectification”, the NDRC said.

“I am happy that the NDRC is actively investigating, but they can’t prohibit a company from hiring a lawyer,” said the lawyer from the antitrust firm. “The NDRC is very powerful and some companies are afraid and willing to give up counsel.”

A second China-based antitrust lawyer said foreign firms were frightened of challenging the NDRC by filing a judicial review in court, which could overrule an NDRC finding. While China’s judiciary is not considered independent, experts regard it as more capable of detailed legal analysis.

“So far, no companies have challenged the NDRC for a judicial review because they are afraid of retaliation. (This) is the same reason why they would sign a confession letter,” said the lawyer.

Daniel Sokol, a law professor and antitrust expert at the University of Florida, said that while Chinese firms had been targeted by the NDRC over antitrust issues, the uncer tainty was making foreign investors especially jittery. —AP

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

BUSINESS

Japan sales tax hike won’t hit economy: BoJ governor TOKYO: Bank of Japan governor Haruhiko Kuroda has said a government tax-hike plan would not damage the economy, but if it does he “won’t hesitate” to adjust monetary easing.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s government wants to increase incrementally a tax on sales over the next two years, however some economists fear the move could risk derailing Japan’s road to economic recovery. The plan proposes a three-percent rise to eight percent next

year, before a further increase to 10 percent in 2015.

“The government has said it will proceed with its fiscal structural reforms. I urge the government to firmly implement the plans,” Kuroda told the Mainichi Shimbun in an interview published Wednesday. He said Japan’s economy “isn’t likely to slow because of the sales tax hike” but added that if it did: “Monetary policy would be adjusted. I won’t hesitate.” In April the BoJ unveiled

a multi-billion-dollar bond-buying scheme-similar to the US Federal Reserve’s-aimed at kickstarting growth in the limp economy and bringing an end to growth-sapping deflation. The BoJ’s easing under Kuroda is a key part of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s economic policy dubbed “Abenomics” and has been credited with weakening the yen and boosting exports.

But economists are divided over the merits of the policy, which doesn’t tackle

Japan’s massive public debt-a problem the sales tax increase is intended to address. Japan is grappling with a debt that stands at more than double gross domestic product, the highest ratio in the industrialised world, and it is poised to grow as a rapidly ageing population turns to public pensions. Most of the nation’s debt is held domestically, allowing Tokyo to escape much of the criticism that has befallen eurozone countries, including Greece. The International

Monetary Fund said earlier this month it “welcomed” Tokyo’s plan to double the country’s sales tax by 2015.With the current monetary easing policy of a two percent inflation target in two years, “there is no need of additional easing if the economy moves in accordance with our main scenario,” he said. “But the economy is a creature, and there are various risks inside and outside Japan” such as European sovereign debt crises and the state of the US economy, Kuroda said. — AFP

Indian shares higher on new CB measures Currency remains under pressure

KUALA LUMPUR: Passengers wait to check in near Malaysia Airlines’ information boards at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, Malaysia, yesterday. Malaysia Airlines said yesterday it is on track to become profitable by the end of next year because its business turnaround plan has gained momentum. — AP

Malaysia slashes GDP forecast in sign of stress KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia slashed its growth forecast yesterday, highlighting challenges facing Asian economies as China slows and investors anticipate a scaling back of extraordinary monetary stimulus in the US. Bank Negara Malaysia, the country’s central bank, said it expects the Malaysian economy to grow between 4.5 percent and 5 percent in 2013. The central bank had earlier forecast growth of 6 percent.

The downgrade is the latest sign of stress in Asia’s emerging economies.

Thailand earlier this week reported that its economy contracted for a second straight quarter. India and Indonesia are facing sharp declines in their currencies that partly stem from worries current account deficits in those countries are unsustainable.

The US Federal Reserve’s campaign to keep interest rates super low to spur economic recovery initially sent money flooding into Asian markets in search of higher returns. That tide is now ebbing and roiling the region’s weaker economies.

The Malaysian central bank said domestic demand is expected to remain firm but will be offset by a weak global economy. It said the Malaysian ringgit has come under pressure, dropping nearly 7 percent since April.

Malaysia’s economy grew 4.3 percent from a year earlier in the April-June quarter, falling short of the 4.7 percent growth forecast by economists, according to figures released Wednesday.

Slowing growth in China, the world’s No. 2 economy, and expectations the Federal Reserve will soon reduce its monthly purchases of financial assets has led to a flight of money from Asia’s financial markets, Bank Negara said. Those factors along with the high debt burdens of many European countries will drag on sentiment and growth prospects, it said.

Also yesterday, Thailand’s central bank left its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 2.5 percent despite a weakening economy, showing its limited room for maneuver

as speculation over the Fed’s monetary policy stirs regional markets.

Fitch Ratings last month lowered the outlook on Malaysia’s credit rating to negative from stable, citing rising debt and an absence of budgetary reforms.

Meanwhile, AirAsia, Asia’s largest lowcost carrier by fleet size, said Wednesday its net profit slumped 62 per cent in the second quarter due to higher operating expenses and foreign-exchange losses on borrowings.

Net profit was 58.35 million ringgit ($17.75 million) in the three months ending June 30, falling year-on-year despite a 5.5 percent rise in revenue, according to a filing with Malaysia’s stock exchange.

It said challenges remained due to high prices for oil and aviation fuel. “However, barring any unforeseen circumstances, the directors remain positive for the prospects of the group for the third quarter and the remainder of 2013,” it said. The airline had reported a 39 percent year-on-year drop in profit in the first quarter.

Rapidly growing AirAsia has set up subsidiary budget carriers in Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand. It said each of the fledgling airlines saw significant revenue increases in the quarter.

AirAsia has grown from two planes, when flamboyant boss Tony Fernandes bought the then-struggling airline in 2001, to a total fleet of more than 120 A320s.

“Our traffic numbers show that the AirAsia brand is strong and that we are still able to stimulate demand and retain loyalty among our existing passengers through our low fares and extensive network across the region,” Fernandes said in a statement.

The airline, one of the biggest customers for European aircraft maker Airbus, is expecting nearly 360 more aircraft to be delivered up to 2026. AirAsia is planning to launch a no-frills joint venture in India later this year. But it was announced in June that it would terminate a joint venture with Japan’s All Nippon Airways to set up a Japanese budget carrier, citing management differences. — Agencies

ADB warns Asian economies against bypassing manufacturing SINGAPORE: Growth-hungry Asian economies which bypass industrialisation and leapfrog from agriculture to the services sector may fall into a “middle income trap”, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) cautioned yesterday.

ADB chief economist Changyong Rhee said the region’s low-income economies should focus on developing their manufacturing sectors, which would in turn generate high-quality service jobs and improve agricultural productivity.

“A lion’s share of Asian economies are moving directly from the agricultural sector to the services sector, bypassing industrialisation,” he told a news conference in Singapore.

“We find that historically, virtually no country becomes a high-income country without having a significant degree of industrialisation.”

Rhee said a study of 100 countries by the Manila-based lender showed that economies which achieve high-income status-with per capita income of above US$15,000 — have at least an 18 percent share of manufacturing in total output and employment for a sustained period.

“What we found is that without reaching this 18 percent threshold in employment and output share, you will have difficulty moving out of the middle-income trap,” Rhee said.

The ADB study identified the Philippines, India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan as among Asia’s agriculture-driven economies that have bypassed industrialisation for the services sector.

They only attract “low-quality” service sector jobs because of their lack of a substantial manufacturing sector, according to Rhee.

Without manufacturing experience it would not be easy to attract high-quality service-sector jobs such as legal and IT work, Rhee said.

The ADB study showed the agricultural sector comprised just 10.9 percent of the total GDP of 45 nations or territories from Central Asia through to the Pacific islands excluding Japan.

This was despite the sector accounting for 42.8 percent of total employment in the region.

Rhee said despite the slow pace of structural reforms, governments in Asia understood the importance of developing manufacturing to avoid being stuck in the middle-income trap.

“I have no doubt in their political will, but the question is implementation because of local politics and government structures,” he said. The ADB in July trimmed its growth forecast for Asia to 6.3 percent from 6.6 percent, citing China’s slowing growth. — AFP

MUMBAI: India’s shares opened higher and bond yields eased yesterday but its currenc y remained under pressure after the central bank announced moves to injec t 80 billion rupees into the banking system.

Banking stocks jumped on the new measures, pushing Indian shares 1.22 percent higher to 18,468.55 points, af ter falling nearly six percent in the past three days.

The rupee, the worst performing Asian currenc y this year, was slightly steadier, trading at 63.36 against the dollar on Wednesday morning, marginally lower than the previous day ’s record closing low of 63.25.

The Reser ve Bank of India (RBI) said late Tuesday it would inject 80 billion rupees ($1.26 billion) into the banking system by buying back long-term government bonds, a move expected to make more credit available.

The move appears to be a par tial reversal of a string of measures the central bank has taken since mid-July to tighten liquidity in an attempt to stop the rupee plummeting against the dollar.

Those moves have failed to stop the currency’s slide, and instead have pushed up yields on 10-year benchmark bonds to a five -year high, as investors demanded higher returns, as well as raise borrowing costs as banks hike interest rates. Yields on the 10-year benchmark bonds eased to 8.27 percent on

Wednesday, from 9.23 percent intraday on Tuesday.

The par tially- conver tible rupee hit a lifetime low of 64.13 on Tuesday on fears that the central bank’s previous measures to tighten liquidity may prove ineffective to stabilise the rupee. Announcing the new measures late Tuesday, the RBI said it was “impor tant to address the risks to macroeconomic stability from external

sector imbalances”. The RBI also relaxed rules on mandator y bond holdings for banks, which would help protect them from large losses from the hardening of long-term yields.

“Its a phase of consolidation and a bit of stability at the markets,” said Param Sarma, chief executive with NSP Forex. But Sarma said that the overall mood was still “bearish” as the markets await Wednesday ’s

publication of the minutes of July’s US Federal Open Market Committee meeting. These were expected to give indications about a possible rollback of the Federal Reserve’s massive stimulus programme. Most emerging market currencies have been hit by expec tations the US will scale back its stimulus sooner than expected, causing funds to flow back to the United States as its economy recovers.— AFP

MUMBAI: In this photograph taken on May 16, 2012, an employee counts Indian rupee notes at a bank in Mumbai. India’s shares opened higher and bond yields eased yesterday but its currency remained under pressure after the central bank announced moves to inject 80 billion rupees into the banking system. — AFP

China’s July Iran crude imports drop, put it closer to 2013 goal BEIJING: China’s average daily crude imports from Iran fell 12.6 percent in July from the same month last year, putting it closer to hitting what officials have said is the likely goal for 2013 imports from the Middle Eastern nation.

Last month’s reductions mean China would have to reduce its year-to-date Iranian oil imports only about another 4,000 bpd to hit that unofficial target for this year.

China and other Asian importers of Iranian crude have to keep reducing the shipments to win waivers to US sanctions aimed at curbing the country’s disputed nuclear programme.

Top refiner Sinopec Corp, the world’s single largest processor of Iranian crude, may make deeper cuts in the remaining months of the year to take its total cut this year to about 5 percent, according to a trading official familiar with the Chinese oil major’s oil procurement strategy.

“A more significant cut would not be beneficial to the individual plants under Sinopec, simply because of the economics of Iranian oil,” said the official.

China’s imports of Iranian oil for the year so far have dropped to 12.205 million tonnes, or 420,267 barrels per day (bpd), down 3.5 percent from the same seven months last year,

official customs data showed yesterday.

Chinese officials told Reuters late last year that domestic refiners may cut their Iran shipments 5-10 percent this year from the 438,450 bpd average for 2012.

That would mean China’s average daily Iran oil imports for 2013 have to fall into a 394,600-416,400 bpd range. The US sanctions are aimed at cutting off Iran’s oil revenues and bringing it to the negotiating table over its nuclear power programme, which the United States says is intended to provide material for a bomb. Iran denies this.

The US House of Representatives in July easily passed a bill that is the first to spell out exactly how much Iran’s oil exports should be cut, setting a goal of reducing the shipments by another 1 million bpd to near zero.

The bill would still have to be approved by the US Senate and signed by President Barack Obama before becoming law.

An Iranian oil official, however, said President Hassan Rouhani’s nomination of former oil minister Bijan Zanganeh to return to that post, and management change inside the National Iranian Oil Company could arrest Iran’s declining oil sales.

“My guess is that China may just keep the cuts at the current levels,” said the Iranian oil

official. China brought in 1.687 million tonnes, or 397,261 bpd of Iranian crude in July, up 3.2 percent from June, the data from the General Administration of Customs showed.

The July level fell 12.6 percent from 454,500 bpd a year earlier.

Iraq has been one of the main beneficiaries of the cuts in China’s Iranian volumes. China’s oil imports from Iraq more than doubled in July from a year ago and are up nearly 50 percent for the January-July period.

In early August, a majority of U.S. senators urged President Obama to raise pressure on Iran over its nuclear programme by toughening sanctions and renewing the option to use military force while also exploring diplomatic solutions.

China is Iran’s top trading partner and has repeatedly voiced its opposition to unilateral sanctions outside those by the United Nations, such as those imposed by the United States.

China’s total crude imports in July soared to a record high of 6.15 million bpd, up 14 percent from a month ago, as refiners replenished inventories to meet higher runs and a new condensate splitter started test operations. — Reuters

China Telecom first half profit up 15.9%

WUHAN: A man walks past a China Telecom store in Wuhan, in central China’s Hubei province yesterday. China Telecom said net profit in the first six months of the year rose 15.9 percent year-on-year, citing growth in its 3G mobile operation. — AFP

HONG KONG: China Telecom said yesterday net profit in the first six months of the year rose 15.9 percent year-onyear, citing growth in its 3G mobile operation. The country’s largest fixed-line operator by subscribers posted unaudited profit of 10.21 billion yuan ($1.67 billion) for the first half, compared with 8.81 billion yuan for the same period last year.

Revenue jumped 14.1 percent to 157.52 billion yuan, the company said in a filing to the Hong Kong stock exchange. But it decided not to pay an interim dividend, citing uncertainties over domestic regulatory policies and plans to speed up the expansion of its 3G services.

The number of 3G subscribers in the first half jumped 26.5 percent, or 18.28 million, to 87.33 million. “The Board of Directors has decided not to pay an interim dividend this year in order to maintain adequate funding flexibility,” Wang Xiaochu, the telecom giant’s chairman and chief executive officer, said in the filing.

“In the second half of the year, we will firmly seize the present golden window of opportunity and focus on accelerating the scale expansion of our strategic 3G services and wireline broadband services.”

Hong Kong-listed shares in the company ended 1.0 percent higher at HK$4.06 Wednesdasy, while the broader market closed down 0.69 percent. —AFP

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

BUSINESS

Reports warn of trouble signs in Ghana’s new oil sector ACCRA: Ghana looked to defy the trends which have plagued other west African oil producers, replacing graft and waste with prudent spending, but two years after production began there is reason to worry, new reports said.

The country’s nascent energy sector may yet transform its economy and has thus far been unmarred by the sort of rampant corruption and mismanagement typical of Nigeria, Africa’s largest producer, whose vast oil wealth has been squandered for decades.

But plans to carefully spend oil revenue on infrastructure, debt payments and agricultural development have not been well executed so far, according to a new study from the Accra-based Africa Centre for Energy Policy.

“I think on the quiet we are really moving towards the way Nigeria has really spent its oil revenues. And if it goes unchecked, that is where we are going,” said Benjamin Boakye, a co-author of the report.

Of the $287 million (214 million euros) in oil revenue Ghana devoted to public spending in 2012, 18 percent went to non-productive administrative departments like the office of the president, the report said.

Meanwhile, key infrastructure projects have been short-changed, with upgrades to roads and bridges unfinished because the state failed to fully fund them, according to the think tank.

Boakye said by thinly spreading oil revenue over a number of projects which cannot be completed within a reasonable period of time the government is not giving people value for money.

Ghanaian officials did not respond to requests for comment. The think tank’s criticism comes amid gloomy economic news for the nation of some 25 million people, also a major producer of cocoa and gold.

Its currency, the cedi, has plummeted against the dollar, and while the economy grew by 7.9 percent last year, spending has been tightened after costly presidential

polls last year and worse-than-anticipated oil production.

When production began at the offshore Jubilee field in December 2010, it was expected to generate up to $1.0 billion in government revenue per year, but yielded just $444 million in 2011 and $541 million in 2012.

Technical problems were said to have caused the shortfalls. Another report from Ghana’s Civil Society Platform on Oil and Gas said the government had not amended its tax code to cover capital asset trades in the energy sector, meaning the country has lost out on $67 million in potential revenue.

These are small sums, especially compared to the example set by west African giant Nigeria, which loses roughly $6 billion each year to oil theft and pipeline sabotage, nearly 11 times Ghana’s total oil income.

Ghana has been producing about 110,000 barrels per day in recent months,

whereas Nigeria, the world’s eighth largest producer, is churning out an estimated 2 million barrels daily.

But the losses could pile up if Ghana does not swiftly close loopholes in its tax code and, according to the Civil Society Platform, the lacklustre management displayed so far is cause for concern.

“The companies themselves aren’t doing anything illegal, they’re just exploiting a lacuna in the law,” said Steve Manteaw, chairman of the Civil Society Platform. “You can’t blame them, they’re not philanthropists, they’re in business to make money,” he added.

The deals in question saw Ghana’s EO Group sell assets to Anglo-Irish Tullow Oil, which has a majority stake in the Jubilee field. In the other deal, US-based Sabre Oil sold its stake in Tullow to South Africa’s PetroSA. Some experts said it was far too soon to sound an alarm or force regional comparisons to Nigeria or even Equatorial Guinea,

Lexus to open luxury brand experience space in Tokyo KUWAIT: Lexus International will open the first INTERSECT BY LEXUS luxury brand experience space in Tokyo’s Aoyama district on August 30, 2013 as part of its AMAZING IN MOTION endeavors.

INTERSECT BY LEXUS are unique-luxury spaces where people can experience Lexus without getting behind a steering wheel. Neither a dealership, nor a traditional

retail space, guests are able to engage with Lexus through design, art, fashion, culture, film, music and technology.

The Tokyo Aoyama district space and future INTERSECT BY LEXUS locations planned for select cosmopolitan cities like New York City and Dubai, are developed by Masamichi Katayama, the world-renowned interior

General Motors ACDelco Q2 sales rise 24 percent in Kuwait DUBAI: Sales of ACDelco automotive spare parts in Kuwait rose 24 percent year-on-year in the first six months of 2013, helping drive the brand’s overall sales in the Middle East.

Sales in Saudi Arabia rose 21 percent, while sales in the region jumped 27 percent, as demand for genuine parts in the Gulf remained strong. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) accounts for 98 percent of ACDelco’s Middle East sales, with Saudi Arabia its largest market, followed by the United Arab Emirates.

“ACDelco sales have performed extremely well this year and I expect this to continue for the remainder of 2013,” said Muneer Al Hassan, Regional Parts Wholesale Manager at General Motors Middle East. “Initiatives such as introducing special programs to develop the wholesales business across the region have helped drive sales.

ACDelco offers quality, safe and reliable parts at great value and sets industry standards for premium automotive parts.”

The strong performance in Kuwait builds on the first quarter of 2013 when sales there jumped 41 percent year-

on-year. ACDelco currently supplies more than 100,000 components in 57 different classifications, including batteries, filters, oil, brakes and wipers.

It continues to expand its product portfolio to address parts requirements for the region ensuring full coverage of service and maintenance parts at competitive prices for GM vehicles.

designer and founder of the interior design firm Wonderwall.

The first floor of INTERSECT BY LEXUS - TOKYO features a café, serving world renowned coffee, and the Garage, an exhibition space for car culture and lifestyles.

On the second floor are the CRAFTED FOR LEXUS shop, featuring a collection of lifestyle items produced by brand companies that harmonize with Lexus’ philosophies, and a library lounge serving modern-Tokyothemed foods.

“INTERSECT BY LEXUS seeks to be a comfortable and inspiring space for interaction among people and between people and cars,” said Mark Templin, executive vice president of Lexus International. “These spaces will evolve as people gather and make connections. Not just a car company’s space, rather a place for everyone to treat as their own unique place.”

INTERSECT BY LEXUS will be hosting Lexus brand workshops and exhibitions in these space. Details will be posted on www.intersect-by-lexus.com and www.crafted-for-lexus.com.

President of Wonderwall Inc. and professor of interior design at Musashino Art University. Masamichi Katayama will serve as the interior designer, working in partnership with Lexus, for all of the INTERSECT BY LEXUS locations. Previous work includes Uniqlo global flagship stores (SoHo New York & 5th Avenue New York; Ginza), OZONE (The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong main lounge), and Thom Browne. New York’s flagship store in Aoyama. Katayama’s designs, which show respect for tradition and form while incorporating modern elements to achieve balance, have received international acclaim.

where the proceeds from large offshore reserves have been concentrated in the hands of the ruling family.

And Ghana still stands apart from those two larger producers by having a transparent revenue management law that allows outside groups, including civil society, to closely track all oil spending.

Christoph Wille, an analyst at Londonbased Control Risks, told AFP by email that despite some trouble spots Ghana still deserves praise for its energy sector management, even if some improvements are needed. “In contrast to Nigeria, I do not think that lost revenues from the oil sector highlight an endemic problem of mismanagement or corruption,” he said.

The problems so far, he said, are in fact “a by-product of an emerging economy trying to swiftly capitalise on the benefits of a nascent, but fast advancing resource sector.” With a little more “institutional maturity” Ghana’s performance will improve, he added. —AFP

Nikon D7100 digital SLR camera receives EISA award TOKYO: Nikon Corporation announced that the Nikon D7100 DX-format digital SLR camera is the recipient of the European Camera 2013-2014 award presented by the European Imaging and Sound Association (EISA).

The Nikon D7100 is equipped with a DX-format CMOS image sensor with an effective pixel count of 24.1-million pixels and the EXPEED 3 high-performance image-processing engine. It offers excellent definition and superior rendering performance as it is not equipped with an optical low-pass filter. It offers a densely packed 51-point AF system with cross-type sensors adopted for the most frequently used 15 focus points at the center of the frame, making it a digital SLR camera that combines excellent rendering performance and superior subject acquisition with a compact and lightweight body.

The D7100 has been extremely popular, and is also the recipient of the TIPA Awards 2013, selected in May of this year.

Reasons for selection of the D7100 as the European Camera 2013-2014 (EISA comments) “The D7100 is the current flagship model in Nikon’s family of DX-format cameras, combining excellent image quality and advanced features. Its APS-C sensor is designed without an optical lowpass filter, which allows users to take full advantage of its 24.1-million-pixel resolution with no loss of sharpness. The fast 51-point AF system and highspeed continuous shooting are perfect for capturing action, while the reliable metering system delivers consistently accurate exposures. The bright optical viewfinder and crisp LCD monitor allow for both traditional viewfinder and ‘live view’ framing with shooting. Those who record movies will appreciate the clean, uncompressed HDMI output, which can be recorded directly to an external storage device.”

BEC Exchange conducts first draw of 2013 Mega Raffle KUWAIT: The BEC Exchange held the first draw of its 2013 Mega Raffle on 07/08/2013. The draw was held in the presence of the Ministry of Commerce officials. As is customary at BEC, the prize distribution of the raffle also was conducted immediately ad the winners were pleasantly surprised to receive the prizes very fast. The prize was handed away by A. Viswanatha Iyer, Deputy General Manager Indian Overseas Bank (IOB), in the presence of E.D Titus, Director & General manager of BEC Exchange and other senior Officials of BEC List of winners S.No. Name Loyalty Card Number Branch $5,000 WINNER 1 IMRANUL LATIF, 3197138 HAWALLI $1,000 WINNERS 1 ASHOK KUMAR D 3078441 FARWANIYA (3) 2 MOSHARAF HOSSAIN 3060673 SALMIYA $400 WINNERS 1 MOHAMAD JIYAUDEEN 3195475 HAWALLI 2 V VENKATA RAO 3138536 AMGHARA 3 MD. FAROOK 3003298 SALMIYA 4 MD.ZIAUR RAHMAN 3012840 HASSAWI 5 ABDUL AZIZ 3057850 MURGAB (H) 6 GAED GADALAH 3142334 HASSAWI 7 MANSOUR M SABRY 3199137 HAWALLI 8 VAMAN PRASAD 3111653 FARWANIYA 9 Y P LATHIEF 3103455 MANGAF 10 EVANGELISTA ADRIATICO 3022472 MUTHAIDA 11 JAFAR MIA 3104212 MANGAF 12 NOOR NABI HABIB 3118551 KHAITHAN

13 JIJO VARGHESE 3180080 ABBASIYA (3) 14 JIJU SKARIA 3163775 ABBASIYA (2) 15 MR. BILLAL 3145482 HASSAWI 16 SAMEERAUMMA 3177437 ABBASIYA (2) 17 MOSTAFA MOSTAFA ALSAEAD 3053161 MUBARAKIYA 18 MD BADSHA 3072285 FARWANIYA (3)

19 AKTARUZZAMAN 3184763 ABBASIYA 20 VEERA SAMY 3128264 MANGAF 21 S.VENGADESHWARAN 3101599 FAHAHEEL 22 MD SHAHIDUR 3013011 MURGAB 23 MR. N.SUKUMARAN 3044800 FAHAHEEL 24 RYAN PASCUA 3065736 MAHBOULA 25 JOSELINO HIZON 3085234 WATIYA

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

technology

TiVo announces its lineup with 6-tuner Roamio DVRs Roamio Pro can store 450 hours of HD programming

FLORIDA: Dr Michael Angelillo, an internist and rheumatologist, has worked with others on a patent-approved system that stores medical info in the “cloud” — ready for medical personal to get, especially in an emergency situation. — MCT

Doctor saves his own life by putting medical info online FORT LAUDERDALE: When a Parkland doctor began working with others on an idea to store medical information safely online in the “cloud,” little did he know that it would save his life. It turns out that his online medical records could speak for Dr Michael P Angelillo when he couldn’t. Paramedics were able to access his encrypted medical files from their laptop after he was left speechless with fluid filling his lungs.

But the EMTs saw from his records that a virus had recently infected his heart. They rushed him to Northwest Medical Center in Margate, Fla. “Surgery saved me,” said Angelillo. Ultimately, doctors blamed an aortic aneurysm for his medical emergency - not the virus - but they might not have performed the emergency surgery if they hadn’t known about his previous heart problems, Angelillo said.

Now the doctor, who is an internist and rheumatologist, is working with a high-powered team that includes an Entrepreneur of the Year and former Fortune 500 executive to bring a patent-approved online medical network system to the public. The Universal Healthcare Network will securely store a client’s medical information online for doctors and other medical personnel to obtain, including during emergencies.

Network staff enter a patient’s medical records, images, lab results, medications, allergies and special instructions to an encrypted secure system, which doctors can access using their National Provider Identification numbers that they are required to have under the Affordable Care Act. Patients can give permission for the doctors to look online at their record. Or if unconscious, the doctors will know about the availability of the online records by patients carrying a Network logo keychain or a sticker placed in their cars’ windshield. “The whole point is that doctors will be getting instantaneous records so they can give accurate treatment,” Angelillo said. “We will be able to help reduce medical errors and costs.” The savings will come from doctors not having to order medical tests or procedures if recent results are already online in the patients’ online records, he adds.

Angelillo and others have been working on the Universal Healthcare Network for four years. “No one has been paid to do this,” said Network founder Vic Maitland, a former advertising executive and Pittsburgh Steelers pro football player who has helped raise millions of dollars for charity with the NFL Alumni Association. “We just have a lot of enthusiasm to get something done.”

Maitland recruited Angelillo, the author of two medical books, who is now the Network’s co-founder and chief medical counselor. The Network’s CEO is Terry Tognietti, a former Proctor & Gamble executive who grew disposable diaper maker Drypers into a $350 million company and was once on the cover of an INC magazine issue.

Maitland said he and other leaders have tried to keep a low profile as they work out the details of the network. He cautioned it is still a young company and he and others haven’t finalized all the details. But once it’s fully operational, Angelillo said individuals will be able to pay the network about a $15 yearly fee to keep their medical information online. He also envisions insurance and healthcare companies signing up members.

The Obama administration has touted the idea of having an online system set up for doctors to retrieve information as a way to cut costs and decrease the duplication of medical services. So far, six US Congressional members have introduced bills this year to require some medical information be available online, at least to share between federal agencies such as the Department of Defense and the Veterans Administration, according to the nonprofit Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society. A spokeswoman for the society said she could not comment on the Universal Healthcare Network. “We don’t talk about specific products or companies because we have corporate members representing those companies,” said Joyce Lofstrom in an email. “We are vendorneutral.” But Angelillo hopes the Universal Healthcare Network will change how doctors work. After all, he said, “It saved my life.” — MCT

NEW YORK: TiVo Inc announced a new line of digital video recorders to give television viewers more control over what they watch on traditional channels and over the Internet. The fifth-generation DVRs from the company that pioneered the devices come as consumers have a growing number of choices for finding and watching TV shows and movies. TiVo’s devices face more competition than they did when they were first introduced in 1999. Cable and satellite TV companies are improving their own DVR offerings, while stand-alone devices such as Roku, Apple TV and Google’s Chromecast seek to simplify Internet streaming on big-screen TVs. Meanwhile, game consoles and smartphones now come with apps to do much of what TiVo does. An Internet startup called Aereo offers an Internet-based DVR for broadcast channels.

With its new Roamio DVR, TiVo is counting on the notion that avid television viewers prefer one device to do it all. “What TiVo is doing here is pressing home their advantage. That is, they know TV,” said Colin Dixon, chief analyst at nScreen Media, a research firm in Sunnyvale, Calif. “What they are doing here is actually very difficult for anybody else.” Dixon said many casual television viewers will be fine with generic offerings from their cable company, but TiVo’s appeal is with high-end consumers who are already paying the most for television packages and Internet video services.

The Roamio is the company’s first major update in three years. Like previous TiVos and other DVRs, the Roamio supports basic functions such as the ability to pause and rewind live TV. TiVos also lets you watch video from Netflix, Hulu and other Internet services on regular TVs, as long as you have subscriptions with them.

The new TiVos give you more options for finding shows to watch. The emphasis in the past was on finding programs to record, whether by title, actor, director, genre or keyword. The Roamios offer recommendations on what’s currently on, based in part of what other TiVo viewers are watching and have watched in that time slot in the past. The new devices also let you narrow what you see in channel-by-channel listings to just movies, sports or kids shows.

Some of the new DVRs will also come with the ability to watch live and recorded shows on iPhones and iPads. Before, a $130 device called TiVo Stream was needed. Streaming is initially limited to devices on the home Wi-Fi network. This fall, outof-home viewing will be available through other Wi-Fi networks, such as at work, hotels and coffee shops. An Android app also is coming by early next year.

The mid-range Roamio model comes with enough storage for 150 hours of high-definition television and can record up to six channels at once. Besides built-in streaming, there’s built-in Wi-Fi support to negate the need for TiVo’s $90 adapter. TiVo is touting the $220 savings as it tries to persuade people to spend $400 for that mid-range model, the Roamio Plus. It’s an investment that also requires a $15-a-month TiVo service for electronic television listings and other features. A high-end Roamio Pro, which can store 450 hours of HD programming, is available for $600.

The $200 base model has 75 hours of storage and can record just four channels at once. It also lacks built-in support for streaming to iPhones and iPads. But the base model can

This image provided by TiVo, Inc shows a sports menu from the new TiVo Roamio Plus. — AP

This image shows a TiVo Roamio DVR, one of the companies new digital video recorders. — AP record over-the-air broadcasts, while the pricier models require a TV signal from a cable service. (Satellite TV isn’t supported on any of the devices. AT&T’S U-verse won’t work either, but Verizon’s FiOS will.)

TiVo, which is based in San Jose, Calif, has been steadily gaining subscribers over the past two years, after seeing its business decline amid competition from DVRs provided by cable and satellite companies. TiVo now partners with many of those companies, including Comcast Corp, to provide a premium DVR offering. It also sells stand-alone DVRs, such as the current Premiere line. TiVo had 3.4 million subscribers as of April 30, a nearly 75 percent increase from 2 million two years earlier.

Gartner analyst Mike McGuire said the new TiVos will appeal to people who want to find shows easily, whether they come from a traditional channel or from an Internet service. Although cheaper rival devices are available, McGuire said some con-

sumers will be drawn by TiVo’s simplicity - especially if they are already paying for premium cable packages in multiple rooms.

The Roamio expands TiVo’s push into multi-room experiences. You can buy a TiVo Mini for $100 upfront and $6 in monthly service fees to extend the functionality of the main TiVo into another room. Two family members can watch separate shows even though all the recordings are coming through the main TiVo. Although that capability was available before, the Roamio offers under-the-hood improvements in allocating resources.

Jim Denney, TiVo’s vice president for product marketing, acknowledged growing competition from other televisionviewing devices and services. But in offering both traditional channels and Internet video, as well as features such as viewing away from home, the Roamio “should be the best TV experience you can get. It’s your content wherever you want.” — AP

Microsoft offers ad-free Bing to battle Google

TOKYO: Japan’s smartphone based social networking service (SNS) “Line” president Akira Morikawa delivers a speech about Line’s global strategy in Urayasu, suburban Tokyo yesterday. The Line, which has 230 million users in the world, offers users free messages, voice calls and group chats service, and will soon start an online shopping service. — AFP

SAN FRANCISCO: The long-running rivalry between Microsoft Corp and Google Inc is turning into a schoolyard brawl. Microsoft yesterdy opened a new front against the world’s No 1 search provider by piloting an ad-free offering for educational users of Bing, its search engine that for years has trailed Google. Under the free program called “Bing for Schools,” students in participating school districts will no longer see ads or adult content when they do Internet searches.

Microsoft, which has signed up the Los Angeles Unified School District and Atlanta Public Schools among other school districts, has pitched Bing as an alternative at a time of rising public concern over how Internet companies are tracking their users’ every move to target the ads they display. As part of the program, Microsoft will also offer free Surface tablets and course materials for teaching youngsters about Internet use.

Stefan Weitz, Microsoft’s director of search, said the program would help expose young users to Microsoft products. “We hope that we demonstrate the quality of Bing to teachers and students and also their parents, and once they see how good it is, we hope to see increased usage outside of schools too,” Weitz said. Bing, with 18 percent of the search market share, has long trailed Google, at 67 percent, according to data from ComScore, despite an aggressive effort to close the gap.

Microsoft’s move is the latest sign that technology companies are targeting the education market as a way to reach children who will become the next generation of consumers. The new Bing campaign, framed in the context of privacy concerns, is part of a broad, anti-Google marketing campaign directed by a team of political consultants including Mark Penn, long-time adviser to Bill and Hillary Clinton.

In recent months Microsoft has ramped up allegations posted to its “Scroogled” website, including

claims that Google violates its users’ trust by scanning emails to target ads. Microsoft has also backed promotion of a “Do Not Track” protocol that would discourage online ad targeting. “People just don’t think it’s appropriate to show ads to children in a learning environment,” Weitz said. A Google spokesman declined to immediately comment. While Microsoft relies heavily on software sales, more than 95 percent of Google’s revenue come from ads, and a significant portion of that comes from its dominant search engine. Google and Microsoft have also been vying to get schools to adopt their productivity software.

Google has been offering a discount for its Google Apps suite, which it hopes can replace programs such as Microsoft Word on school computers. Tech companies, led by Apple Inc, have also competed fiercely to get hardware into the classroom, even while academic studies are divided over the effectiveness of gadgets in improving student performance.

Following Apple, Google in December announced a program to give its Chromebook computers to schools for $99 each. Six months later, Microsoft began offering its Surface RT tablet to educational institutions for $199, a discount of more than 50 percent.

As part of the Bing campaign, school districts whose students use the Microsoft search engine win points, which they can redeem for Surface tablets.

Aleigha Henderson-Rosser, the director of instructional technology at Atlanta Public Schools, said she had no qualms about receiving aid from tech companies. Atlanta schools will not be paid money to participate in the Bing program, she said.

Henderson-Rosser said she will try to rally parents to use Bing to help win Surface tablets for schools that cannot afford the technology. “I’m seeing it as a community effort to fill in the gaps,” she said. “What school is going to turn down tablets for our students?” — Reuters

Microsoft delays Xbox launch for 8 countries SAN FRANCISCO: Microsoft said it was delaying the launch of its new Xbox One console in eight countries, while moving ahead with a November release in 13 others. In June, Microsoft said it would start selling the new videogame and entertainment console in 21 countries, but yesterday acknowledged their plan had been too ambitious. The delays affect Belgium, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Nor way, Russia, Sweden and Switzerland. The company said it hoped to launch the device in those countries “as soon as possible in 2014.”

The 13 markets to get the Xbox One in November will be Australia, Austria, Brazil, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Spain, the United States and New Zealand, according to a statement from the Xbox team. “At Xbox, our goal is to provide the best games and entertainment experience possible and the team continues to make great progress on delivering Xbox One,” the statement said.

“While we wish we could launch Xbox One simultaneously in these (21) markets, there are many factors that determine the timing of specific market launches. This includes work to localize the Xbox One dash, incorporate additional voice and languages, and build partnerships to bring apps and meaningful local content to each country.” The beefed-up console is powered by software that allows for instant switching between games, television, and Internet browsing. Microsoftowned Skype was also integrated for online group video calls.

Kinect motion and sound sensing accessories accompanying the consoles recognize users; respond instantly to commands spoken in natural language, and even detect a person’s pulse. Microsoft’s new console will compete against Sony’s new PlayStation 4, which also promises to combine its film, music, television and games in a home entertainment collaboration. —- AFP

COLOGNE: Visitors try out games during the gamescom fair in Cologne, western Germany yesterday. The trade fair for interactive games and entertainment is running until August 25, 2011. — AFP

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

British tuberculosis rates among highest in Western Europe Many cases are in migrants from Asia and Africa LONDON: Rates of tuberculosis (TB) in Britain are among the highest in Western Europe and London is struggling to shed its status as the “TB capital” of the region, according to data released yesterday. If trends of infection continue, within two years Britain is likely to have more new cases of TB each year than the United States, according a report from the government’s health agency, Public Health England (PHE). More than 8,750 TB cases were reported in Britain in 2012, or around 14 per 100,000 population, slightly fewer than in 2011 but still enough to put it among the worst-hit countries in its region.

“TB remains a critical public health problem, particularly in parts of London and among people from vulnerable communities, said Paul Cosford, PHE’s director for health protection. He said control-

ling the contagious and often drug-resistant lung disease was now one of the key priorities for PHE, which is developing a stronger national approach to be implemented in a few months’ time. “We are determined to see a sustained reduction in TB and will work tirelessly to support local partners in those areas where the burden is greatest,” he said in a statement.

Often misconstrued as a disease of the past or one restricted only to marginalized communities, TB in fact inflicts annual direct health costs of more than 500 million euros ($670 million) on European governments, and costs another 5.3 billion euros in productivity losses. The bacterial infection usually affects the lungs, and s spreads when someone who has TB coughs or sneezes.

According to the PHE report, London had the

main burden of TB infections in Britain in 2012 with 3,426 cases - almost 40 percent of the national total.

“Despite considerable efforts to improve prevention, treatment and control, TB incidence in the UK remains high compared to most other Western European countries,” it said. Almost three-quarters of cases were in migrants from places such as South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, where TB is common.

Although the proportion of TB cases resistant to one of several drugs was low at under 2 percent, drug-resistant TB “remains a problem”, the report added. “TB is a preventable and treatable condition, but, if left untreated, can be life-threatening,” said Lucy Thomas, PHE’s head of TB surveillance. She said good access to TB screening and diagnostic services for new immigrants was essential to stem the spread of the disease.—Reuters

Brazil Amazon town takes a stand against deforestation BRAZIL: When farmer Luiz Martins Neto first moved to Sao Felix do Xingu a quarter of a century ago, the area had virgin forest, gold and a reservation for the local indigenous people. “They used to say it was the best place to live,” he said. But like many others, he created his first fazenda-coffee plantation-with slash and burn techniques, helping to destroy his pristine surroundings. “In those days, the more you cleared the forest, the better your life was and

under his straw hat. A new forestry law took effect last October, limiting the use of land for farming and mandating that up to 80 percent of privately-owned acreage in the Amazon rainforest remains intact. More than 60 percent of Brazil’s 8.5 million square kilometers (3.3 million square miles) is covered in forest, but twothirds of it is either privately owned or its ownership is undefined. On Neto’s small farm, pastures and the giant trunk of a dead cashew nut tree

timber rumbled through the town and the skies were blackened by smoke from forest-clearing fires. “Sao Felix do Xingu was a champion of deforestation,” said Mayor Joao Cleber. “In 2008, the government drew up a list of towns which deforested the most and we were number one,” he added. “But now we are the ones who have reduced deforestation the most, from 2,500 square kilometers (965 square miles) in 2000, to 169 square kilometers (65 square

BRAZIL: Indio’s village is seen inside their reservation area in Para state, northern Brazil.

—AFP photos the more land you acquired,” the 54year-old said.

This was long the prevailing view in Brazil’s vast Amazon region, particularly during the 1964-85 military dictatorship. But, decades later, the town in the northern state of Para is turning its back on the destructive ways of the past and trying to save what it has left. Today, Neto’s farm is part of a model agribusiness project that makes use of deforested land and does not encroach on the remaining forest.

“One learns how to do things right,” he said, flashing a proud smile

are visible signs of past deforestation.

The practice is a big part of the history of this town of 90,000 half occupied by indigenous lands and parks. Mining and cattle ranching are other major activities that have left their mark, attracting several multinational companies. “The arrival of the white man was like a river wave: It keeps advancing, advancing but does not recede,” said Amauri Bepnhoti Atydjare, a member of the Kayapo ethnic group. Kayapo territory is a big mantle of forest dotted by small hamlets built around a square.

A decade ago, trucks loaded with

miles) last year.” The drive to reverse deforestation followed strong pressure from the federal government.

Five years ago, Brasilia made an international commitment to stem rainforest destruction and cut off access to credit for towns deemed the worst offenders.

Companies that bought production from deforested areas were also penalized. “The pressure on towns and the industry was key as this led to a pact between the meat industry, city hall and rural producers,” said Ian Thompson, head of the Amazonia program at The Nature Conservancy

(TNC). These agreements are monitored by public prosecutors. “The cattle industry occupies a good part of the territory and is to blame for a major part of the deforestation, but with very low productivity: one cow per hectare,” Thompson said.

“With better methods, we are trying to double production without deforesting more.” Reversing course is already paying off. Sao Felix is currently experiencing a cocoa boom as the native Amazonian species helps regenerate deforested areas. One model project, backed by US agribusiness giant Cargill, involves cocoa cultivation on 100 small production farms. “Cargill is interested in large-scale and sustainable production and we are guaranteed an income while we regenerate degraded areas” to be in conformity with the new forestry law, said Ilson Martins, president of the local cocoa cooperative Cappru.

“We want to give the region another image. The consumer does not want products that create deforestation,” said Wilton Batista, president of the Rural Producers’ Union.

But keeping deforestation in check is an uphill battle in Sao Felix and the rest of the Amazon due to the size of the area and its difficult access. In this town of more than 84,000 square kilometers (32,432 square miles), with a little more than 80 percent of rainforest still intact, indigenous lands divide the territory.

At city hall, experts are analyzing satellite data to determine exactly where deforestation is taking placeand who is responsible. Despite the goodwill and progress, economic challenges remain. “You have to find a way to provide an income to 25 million people who live in the Amazon or otherwise we will face chaos,” said the local agricultural secretary, Denimar Rodrigues. Sustainable production requires technical assistance and investment, he said. Amazonian deforestation reached an alarming peak of 27,772 square kilometers (10,722 square miles) lost per year in 2004 and led Brasilia to pledge to reduce it by 80 percent by 2020.

Last year, deforestation fell to 4,751 square k ilometers (1834 square miles), it lowest level in decades. —AFP

Sliced and diced, digitally: Autopsy as a service NEW YORK: Malaysian entrepreneur Matt Chandran wants to revive the moribund post-mortem by replacing the scalpel with a scanner and the autopsy slab with a touchscreen computer. He believes his so-called digital autopsy could largely displace the centuries-old traditional knife-bound one, speeding up investigations, reducing the stress on grieving families and placating religious sensibilities. He is confident there’s money in what he calls his Autopsy as a Service, and hopes to launch the first of at least 18 digital autopsy facilities in Britain in October, working closely with local authorities.

Around 70 million people die each year, says Chandran, and around a tenth of those deaths are medico-legal cases that require an autopsy. “That’s a huge number, so we’re of the view that this is a major line of services that is shaping up around the world,” he said in an interview. The poor common perception of autopsies has undermined their commercial appeal.

“Unfortunately, because the process of the postmortem is seen as gruesome, one tends to ignore that,” says Chandran.

Humans have been cutting each other open for at least 3,000 years to learn more about death, but the autopsy has never been widely embraced outside TV crime dramas. Surgeons in 18th century Britain, for example, robbed graves for corpses to dissect, some even commissioning murders when supplies dried up.

By the 1950s, the autopsy was at its zenith, with pathologists performing post-mortems on more than 60 per cent of those who died in the United States and Europe - helping uncover more than 80 major, and perhaps thousands of minor, medical conditions.

But the number of autopsies has fallen steadily: Today, fewer than 20 per cent of deaths in Britain are followed by autopsy, and most of these are ordered by coroners in cases where the cause of death is unclear or disputed. The fall has been blamed on a growing distaste for a procedure regarded by some as crude and outdated - a feeling fanned by the public discovery in Britain in 1999 that medical institutions had been retaining organs and tissue after post-mortems for decades.

Chandran, 45, wants to change all this by simply connecting his company iGene’s 3D imaging software

to any standard medical CT or MRI scanner. An expert can then inspect the virtual cadaver in 3D, removing layers of cloth, skin and bone with a mouse or by gestures on a tabletop touchscreen. The advantages, Chandran says, are considerable. The digital evidence remains intact and can be reviewed; experts can more easily spot and identify fracture, foreign objects such as bullets, and the tips of knife wounds; and grieving families can swiftly learn how their loved ones died and without having to cut open the body. iGene isn’t the first to run a scanner over a corpse.

Radiology has been used on skulls for 30 years, and Israel first introduced the concept of a virtual autopsy in 1994. The US military started conducting CT scans of all soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2004 in addition to traditional autopsies. The results have been encouraging. Researchers from University College London concluded that in foetuses and individuals aged 16 and younger, a minimally invasive autopsy incorporating an MRI scan identified the same cause of death as 90 per cent of traditional autopsies.

But iGene is, Chandran says, the first to package the process and offer it commercially as a suite of services that stretches from the moment of death to the delivery of a post-mortem report. His company provides a software suite that uses existing medical scanners from the likes of Siemens, General Electric, Toshiba and Philips. These form the heart of iGene’s digital autopsy facilities which the company plans to build close to UK mortuaries. The first will open in October in the northern English city of Sheffield.

A spokesperson for Sheffield City Council confirmed it was working with iGene on such a centre, but declined to give details. Chandran says his company will spend around US$77 million to build and run the facilities and will make its money from those cases where a coroner demands a post-mortem. About 200,000 deaths require autopsies each year in Britain, he said.

Next of kin will be given the option of a classical autopsy, paid for by the state, or a digital autopsy, costing about 500 pounds (HK$6,072) and paid for by the family. Not everyone believes the digital autopsy is ready for prime time. Some question whether it can spot some diseases. And even a pioneer like Guy Rutty,

chief forensic pathologist at the University of Leicester and the first to use CT images as evidence in a criminal trial, says that while demand may be growing there are limits to what a digital autopsy can do - particularly determining where and in some cases when a patient died. “There are centres providing such services, but others have been more cautious and are still at a research stage,” he said in an email interview.

Chandran and his team are undeterred. They say the digital autopsy facility combines with other non-invasive diagnostic tools such as angiography and toxicology. Pramod Bagali, chief operations officer of iGene’s parent company InfoValley, says the system is “a complementary method, not a complete replacement” to traditional autopsies, but could handle 70 per cent of routine cases. The others could be done digitally to start with and then a decision could be made about whether to open up the body. “It’s not replacing one flawed system with another,” he says.

Crucially, iGene offers a business model that overcomes concerns that scanning corpses is expensive, says Chandran. He estimates his UK operation will be profitable within three years. But that, he says, is just the start. By then, he says, he hopes to have built at least 10 more facilities in his native Malaysia, with interest also from the Middle East, Latin America and elsewhere in Asia.

“The potential for this is global,” said Mark Rozario, chief executive of Agensi Inovasi Malaysia, a government body which this year bought a 20 per cent stake in iGene for US$21.5 million. Chandran and his supporters see this as the beginning of his innovation, not the end of it. The digital autopsy facilities are nodes in a broader ecosystem Chandran likens to Apple’s iTunes.

Michael Thali, a Swiss academic who has been promoting a “virtual autopsy” for more than a decade, said he tried and failed to get the scanner makers interested in developing such services. Now an adviser to iGene, Thali says this leaves open the field to other companies to deliver improvements in the chain of examination. “The future will be for smaller companies who are bringing a service for this niche,” he says. “The most important thing is that you have a real chain based on IT.” —Reuters

Program tied to system-wide blood pressure benefits NEW YORK: A comprehensive high blood pressure program at one California health system led to a near doubling in the proportion of patients who had their blood pressure under control, according to a new study. After the program was launched at Kaiser Permanente Northern California in 2001, the share of people with hypertension whose most recent blood pressure reading was in line with guidelines went from 44 percent to 80 percent by 2009.

“I think there are many parts of this program that would likely be applicable in other primary care settings,” Dr Marc Jaffe, an endocrinologist at Kaiser Permanente South San Francisco Medical Center and the study’s lead author, said. About one in three US adults has hypertension, according to the National Institutes of Health. The goal of treatment is to get blood pressure below 140/90 millimeters of mercury (mmHg).

Jaffe said that in the early 2000s, at Kaiser and elsewhere, “the hypertension control had a lot to be desired.” As part of a program to address that, Kaiser Permanente Northern California set up a registry of all hypertension patients covered by the health system.

Doctors were given regularly updated evidence-based guidelines on blood pressure medicines that included which drugs to try first and sequential treatment alternatives if the initial treatment didn’t work. In 2005, a combination drug offered in a single pill was added to that list. Starting in 2007, all patients were offered a follow-up visit with a medical assistant a few weeks after their medications were adjusted, with no co-pay.

The number of patients with a diagnosis of hypertension grew from about 350,000 to 653,000 during the study period. The researchers found that while blood pressure control increased significantly in their health system over that

span, national rates of control improved more slowly: from 55 percent in 2001 to 64 percent in 2009, according to findings published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

“Since the end of the study, the hypertension control rates (at Kaiser) have continued to improve,” Jaffe told Reuters Health. “And as of 2011, our control rates were as high as 87 percent.”

Hypertension researcher Dr Brent Egan, from the Greenville Health System in South Carolina, said one of the key elements of the Kaiser program is bringing patients back quickly after a change in medication - and at no cost - to see if the adjustment was helpful.

“At a lot of practices, that’s not part of their standard care. Sometimes three months or more go by from changing medication to follow-up,” Egan, who wasn’t involved in the new study, told Reuters Health. What’s more, he added, “ There’s pretty good evidence that engaging a broader healthcare team is one of the more effective strategies for (achieving) blood pressure control.”

Jaffe said it’s hard to estimate just how much the program cost to implement, and a cost-benefit analysis was not one of the goals of the study. But he thinks the impact of improved blood pressure control has been widespread.

“During that same period of time in our organization, we observed a reduction in heart attacks by 24 percent ... and fatal strokes dropping by 42 percent,” Jaffe said.

“I believe that they’re related.” Egan said he encourages patients to monitor their own blood pressure at home and report back to him. He said that encourages people to take their medication, and can signal when a change in regimen is needed. “These are things individuals can do pretty much irrespective of what health system they’re in,” he said. —Reuters

Quitting smoking in pregnancy tied to benefit for baby NEW YORK: Women who quit smoking immediately before or after becoming pregnant gain more weight during and after pregnancy - but their babies are less likely to be born small than those born to smokers, a new study suggests. Researchers in Denmark found that women who quit smoking gained about six more pounds during their pregnancies than those who continued to smoke, and a similar amount in the year after giving birth.

On the other hand, women who quit smoking early in pregnancy and nonsmokers gave birth to babies of similar birth weights, on average. Babies of women who kept smoking were more likely to be born at a low weight. “The big thing to get out of this study is that quitting early in pregnancy is as helpful in respect to the birth weight of your baby as never having smoked while you were pregnant,” Dr Amber Samuel, a maternal-fetal medicine expert at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, said.

“I think that can be an inspiration to moms who are looking to make a change in their lives.” According to the American Cancer Society, between 10 and 15 percent of women smoke during pregnancy. Studies have linked smoking to premature birth and other complications, such as birth defects, low birth weight and stillbirth. Infants have a three to four times higher risk of dying from sudden infant death syndrome, or “crib death,” if their mothers smoke during and after pregnancy.

Children exposed to secondhand smoke also have more ear infections, pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma and other health problems.

The new study included 1,774 women who were part of the “Smoke-free Newborn” study conducted in Copenhagen, Denmark, between 1996 and 1999. Twice during pregnancy, researchers surveyed women about their smoking status. To double-check whether women who said they quit smoking really did, their saliva was checked for cotinine - created when nicotine is broken down in the body. About 38 percent of women were smokers before becoming pregnant, and half of them quit right before or soon after, Dr Line

Rode of Copenhagen University Hospital and colleagues found.

During pregnancy, nonsmokers gained almost 30 pounds, on average, smokers gained 29 pounds and quitters gained 35 pounds. Among women who quit smoking, 8 percent had babies born below the 10th percentile for birth weight, based on general Scandinavian records. In comparison, 22 percent of smokers had babies whose weight fell below that cutoff.

Babies with low birth weight are at higher risk for infections, breathing and respiratory disorders, delayed growth and social development and learning disabilities. One year after giving birth, half of quitters were able to stay off cigarettes. Nonsmokers and relapsed quitters both gained between 1.5 and 2 pounds post-pregnancy, successful quitters gained 7 pounds and smokers lost about half a pound, according to findings published in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

“One strength of the study is that it tried to ferret out whether women who say they quit smoking actually did quit,” Samuel, who was not involved in the research, told Reuters Health. On the other hand, she said the results may not apply to the current US population.

“There were very few obese women in this study,” Samuel said. According to the Institute of Medicine, women with a normal pre-pregnancy weight should gain between 25 and 35 pounds during pregnancy and obese women should gain 11 to 20 pounds.

Excessive weight gain during pregnancy is linked to birth complications and medical problems for the mother, such as gestational diabetes. Extra weight that stays on after pregnancy can increase a woman’s risk for obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Samuel said most women in this study did not gain enough weight to offset the long-term benefits of not smoking. She said it’s not possible to put a time frame on how late into pregnancy a woman can quit smoking and still see benefits for her baby, since the researchers did not analyze their results based on when, exactly, women kicked the habit. —Reuters

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

LONDON: An African Bullfrog is placed on a weighing scale during the London Zoo’s annual weigh-in yesterday. —AFP photos

LONDON: Noemie, a Bactrian camel, is weighed.

LONDON: A Royal Python is placed onto a weighing scale.

Weigh-in for London Zoo’s residents LONDON: Animals had their beach bodies put to the test in the summer sunshine as keepers put them on the scales for London Zoo’s annual weigh-in. Waxy monkey frogs, giant African land snails and tamandua tree anteaters were among the creatures which had their vital statistics recorded. The measurements are used to monitor the animals’ health and shared with zoos across the world to compare information on endangered species. Zookeeper Angela Ryan, who looks after camels, said: “Every year we like to weigh the animals we have at the zoo, really just for a record so we can share it with other zoos and even conservation projects abroad.

Not everything can be weighed, but anything that we have that can be trained, from camels to

birds, aadvarks to armadillos - even the tigers - we are trying to get weighed today. “By being able to tell what they weigh, we can use that later on if they’re not very well - if they’ve lost weight we know that they’re sick, if they’re pregnant their weights will go up, so throughout the year we can use it as a comparative.”

Information taken from some of London Zoo’s more than 19,000 animals is shared on the Zoological Information Management System (Zims), a database for zoologists all over the globe. But actually getting the measurements on record can prove tricky, especially when it comes to animals such as tigers or camels. Zookeeper Paul Kybett was charged with tempting Sumatran tiger Jae Jae to stand up against a measuring

LONDON: Jae Jae, a Sumatran tiger, is measured.

tape. Mr Kybett used horse meat to get the fiveand-a-half-year-old male to spread out, and after a few goes was able to measure him at a length of about 6ft 6in (2m).

Asked which animals were the hardest to measure and weigh, he said: “It’s down to individuals really. Melati, the female, is very difficult because she is quite a nervy animal, very tigress-y and will keep away from you. “That particular individual is quite difficult to get on to the weighing scales - although we have achieved that we haven’t been able to measure her length. “Jae Jae is completely different - we can do practically anything we want with him. Really, species to species doesn’t matter, it’s the individual to individual that’s important.”-www.times-series.co.uk

LONDON: A Waxy Monkey Frog is placed onto a weighing scale during the London Zoo’s annual weigh-in.

LONDON: Max, a Eurasian Eagle LONDON: A Jungle Nymph is weighed.

Owl, is weighed.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

W H AT ’ S O N

SEND US YOUR INSTAGRAM PICS

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hat’s more fun than clicking a beautiful picture? Sharing it with others! Let other people see the way you see Kuwait - through your lens. Friday Times will feature snapshots of Kuwait through Instagram feeds. If you want to share your Instagram photos, email us at instagram@kuwaittimes.net

‘Women Powering Work: Innovations for Economic Equality’

Bangladesh Awami League observes national mourning day

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E and Ashoka Changemakers launched an online competition yesterday in search of innovative solutions that will advance economic opportunities for women in the Middle East, North Africa, Turkey and Pakistan. Women Powering Work: Innovations for Economic Equality is calling for initiatives that enable women to achieve economic equality, strengthen their families and communities, and benefit equitably from economic growth. Three prizes, each totalling $25,000 in unrestricted funding, will be awarded to the winning entries.

“The Women Powering Work competition extends our efforts in support of economic empowerment of women,” said Nabil Habayeb, President & CEO, GE Middle East, North Africa and Turkey. “GE is committed to making a positive impact in the communities where we live and work, and we recognize that enabling women to participate fully in the economy, and to grow their talents and careers, leads to exponential benefits for societies and development.”

Today, in many countries, more women attend university than men. However, there is a disproportionate number of women that participate in the workforce-half the rate of the global average. An economically equivalent economy allows for and encourages both men and women to excel in their livelihoods, by having equal access to quality jobs, skills training and capital, limitations on mobility, and avoid discrimination in the workplace.

The Women Powering Work competition is seeking solutions that address barriers to economic equality, including initiatives that help end gender discrimination, increase access to capital and technology, or enable gender-responsive advocacy for women’s rights. The deadline for entering is November 6, 2013.

“Partnering with GE to launch Women Powering Work is a milestone for Ashoka Changemakers,” said Ashoka Arab World Director, Iman Bibars. “We envision this competition activating a vast network of social innovators that are working to help women to achieve equal access to economic opportunities.” Participants in the online competition have the opportunity to engage with the Changemakers community, which includes social entrepreneurs from around the world, impact partners, sector experts, and potential investors.

Announcements Indian Embassy sets up helpline he Indian Embassy in Kuwait has set up helpline in order to assist Indian expatriates in registering any complaint regarding the government’s ongoing campaign to stamp out illegal residents from the country.

The embassy said in press release yesterday that it amended its previous statement and stated if there is any complaint, the same could be conveyed at the following (as amended): Operations Department, Ministry of Interior, Kuwait. Fax: 22435580, Tel: 24768146/25200334.

It said the embassy has been in regular contact with local authorities regarding the ongoing checking of expatriates. The embassy has also conveyed to them the concerns, fears and apprehensions of the community in this regard.

The authorities in Kuwait have conveyed that strict instructions have been issued to ensure that there is no harassment or improper treatment of expatriates by those undertaking checking. “The embassy would like to request Indian expatriates to ensure that they abide by all local laws, rules and regulations regarding residency, traffic and other matters,” the release read. It would be prudent to always carry the Civil ID and other relevant documents such as driving license, etc. In case an Indian expatriate encounters any improper treatment during checking, it may be conveyed immediately with full details and contact particulars to the embassy at the following phone number 67623639. These contact details are exclusively for the above-mentioned purpose only.

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Issue of online visa

by Indian embassy oreigners requiring visas for India need to apply it online from 16th June 2013.

Applicants may log on to the Public portal at ww.indianvisaonline.gov.in. After successful online submission, the hard copy, so generated, has to be signed by the applicant and submitted with supporting documents in accordance with the type of visa along with the applicable fee in cash at any of the two outsource centres at Sharq or Fahaheel. It is essential that applicants fill in their personal details as exactly available in their passports. Mismatch of any of the personal details would lead to non-acceptance of the application. Fees once paid are non-refundable.

All children would have to obtain separate visa on their respective passports.

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Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

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Enjoy the taste of true Espresso at Vergnano Cafe at Olympia Complex

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he superior quality of the blends comes from the meticulous selection of the best raw materials available, and from an extraordinary production process. Cafe Vergnano is the first to introduce an innovation that brings all the passion and pleasure of the perfect

espresso to everyday life at home.

Espresso is now available in Kuwait, through Al-Sanabel Al-Thahabiya Est. Tel: 22413795/98. Espresso Vergnano can be ordered through www.taw9eel.com Espresso Vergnano capsules are compatible with other espresso machines.

angladesh Awami League, Kuwait Central Committee has observed the tragic 15th August National mourning day the 38th anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahaman’s martyrdom. The observation amid discussion meeting and prayer mahfil took place at gulshan hotel in Kuwait city on Thursday 15, August 2013. Rafiqul Islam bhulu President of Bangladesh Awami League , Kuwait central committee had presided over the meeting. General Secretary Masud Karim has presented the program. Among the honorable guests on the stage were advisor to the Bangladesh Awami League, Kuwait central committee Abdur rouf mawla, Vice president Nazrul Islam, Gallant freedom fighter Murshed Alam Badal, Ahmedur rahaman masum, AKM Delwar hosen, Abdul Malek Selim, Wahidul Alam, Khalilur Rahaman.

The observation was commenced with the recitation of verses from the holy Quran. One minute standing in silence was also observed in honor of all departed soul of the tragic event of’ the 15th August 1975. Honoring the father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahaman-

speeches were delivered by respectively Samsul Alam the joint general secretary of Bangladesh Awami League, Kuwait Central Committee, Alauddin, Flanif Bablu, Organizing Secretary Zahidul Haque, Abdur Rahaman, Kabir Hosen, Mamunul Haque, Mr.Mohammad Arif, Office Secretary Syed Mujahid, Youth and Sports affairs Secretary Nurunnabi Khandakar, Finance Secretary Babul chowdhury, Labour affairs Secretary Babul Munshi. The speakers in their speeches paid rich tribute to the memory of the father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahaman. They thanked the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her accomplishment of delivering capital punishment to those found guilty in heinous event of 1975. The speakers also urged the Honorable prime minister to deliver the sentence as soon as possible to those who are still absconding from the gallows.

After the discussion meeting a serene prayer mahfil was held seeking divine grace for all departed souls of the tragic event, specially for the father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahamman.

The prayer mahfil was conducted by Mawlana Kawsar Ahmed Selim.

Kuwait needs to focus on humane killing of stray dogs

By John Peaveler

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tatement by K’S PATH Managing Director John Peaveler in relation to the ongoing inhumane massacre of stray dogs: On Friday, August 2, 2013, a three-yearold girl was attacked by a pack of at least six dogs in Khairan area. The poor victim of this attack incurred serious injuries. Our thoughts and prayers go out to her and her family in this time of tragedy. However, the ensuing inhumane and brutal massacre of more than 80 reported stray dogs (to date) perpetrated by a group of individuals must not be condoned.

This statement questions the nature and objective of actions taken in retaliation to the attack, offers an insight into the nature of Kuwait’s stray dog overpopulation crisis, discusses the shortcomings of official animal control methods adopted to date, and concludes by proposing a long-term, safe and effective alternative successfully tested by K’S PATH. The mauling and risk of assault of an individual by a pack of stray dogs is a serious concern that warrants definitive action by the relevant authorities to safeguard the community through humane measures - which in this case is incumbent upon the Public Authority for Agricultur al Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR). PAAAFR currently lacks the funding, equipment, or expertise to implement and enforce preventive and remedial measures. In most cases of such nature, members of the community approach K’S PATH as it is presently the sole organization with demonstrated capability in capturing and handling stray dogs in Kuwait.

Unfortunately in the aftermath of the recent incident, some of the individuals involved chose another route by taking matters into their own hands through vigilante actions. As this statement goes to press, there are conflicting reports of more than 80 dogs shot or killed so far; some of them by stabbing, running over, and dismemberment or decapitation.

This original group of animal abusers blatantly publicized their actions on Instagram in a boastful fashion with graphic imagery of cadavers of murdered dogs, which further encouraged other individuals to follow suit by killing more dogs in what appears to have now taken a form of barbaric competition to slaughter as many dogs as possible to seemingly ‘avenge’ the attack on the little girl.

Indisputably and as a responsible measure to avert recurrences, the dogs that attacked the girl should have been identified, captured, and humanely euthanized (killed using a ‘good’ process of death). In fact, none of the dogs roaming Kuwait’s streets belong here.

What we must ask ourselves as a concerned community is whether a responsible and sustainable solution to Kuwait’s stray dog overpopulation lies with the impulsive and brutal recourse of a few individuals with hatchets, shotguns, rifles, and knives running around on a violent campaign of death, or whether we should instead adopt a more effective, humane and safer form of animal control.

Personally, I don’t believe Kuwait has any need to resort to violence to solve this problem. In point of fact, I have spent the last four years developing a program of animal control for Kuwait that is humane and effective, with the purpose in mind of making our communities safer.

In Kuwait, and across many countries, the initial program of animal control adopted used lethal gunshot. However, program administrators and field technicians soon

concluded that gunshot is messy, ugly, dangerous for the community, and ineffective in two ways. Firstly, in order to ensure the death of an animal, the projectile must pass through the brain and enter the spinal cord.

Any other single shot is very likely to merely injure or cripple the animal causing great suffering and potentially creating a more desperate, aggressive animal. Secondly, it is nearly impossible to eradicate an entire group of stray dogs through this method because dogs will not tolerate the sound of a gunshot. The dogs that flee will be extremely difficult or impossible to catch, eventually becoming what in this field is termed ‘capture resistant’. Gunshot did not last as a form of dog control in Kuwait for these very pragmatic reasons, and it is now forbidden for anyone to shoot dogs.

As gunshot was phased out, poisoning became the preferred method of control. It still is, though it is in the process of being replaced with the method I will propose last.

Poisoning fails as a medium for dog control because only a fraction of the intended number of dogs will eat it. Of those who do ingest it, not all of them will die because quantity consumed is a crucial factor. Poison is extremely inhumane to the animal as it takes anywhere from 20 minutes to 72 hours to kill, again depending on dosage, rate of digestion, etc. Furthermore, poison will kill a stray dog as easily as an owned dog as well as a fox, a cat, an eagle, or a child. It is entirely indiscriminate.

Lethal gunshot and poisoning as forms of dog control have never been used effectively as a large-scale, long-term form of population control anywhere in the world. They have been used to affect short-term reduction in the overall population size, but they have

problem with pet abandonment, and Kuwait is no different. Consequently in Kuwait, we see a vicious cycle wherein an abandoned dog may survive a winter season, breed at least once, then die a few months after giving birth to a litter of puppies consisting of between 5 and 12 individuals. Of those puppies, on average 8 out of ten or fewer will not survive to adulthood. With this type of cycle, the population slowly grows despite all of the risk factors including human cruelty, piecemeal attempts at animal control, car accident, dehydration, disease, and starvation.

Unchecked, the stray dog population of Kuwait now exceeds 5,000 individuals, reflecting studied knowledge of all areas except Wafra and Abdully.

In 2011, the Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) approached K’S PATH with a problem: they wanted a better solution to the stray animals effecting their housing and assets because of a growing concern for resident and worker safety. To begin with, I conducted an assessment of the number of dogs in the area of the Ahmadi township. The result of the count was between 800 and 1,200 dogs, depending on breeding cycles. The next step was a demonstration of the methods I would be using to prove that they work. In general, we use three methods for catching dogs: capture by hand or with various poles and nets, capture by humane live trap, and chemical capture using dart projectors. Humane live trapping is our primary method of capture. Using ten traps and working alone, I spent a lonely night in Ahmadi catching 11 dogs in only a few hours of work. The numbers made sense, and we decided to proceed with the program.

Over the next year, I spent nearly all of my working time in Ahmadi, working all night

never solved a large-scale dog problem. Both have been tried for many years in Kuwait with neither succeeding, leaving no possibility that either one will suddenly solve our stray dog problem. The most important factors to consider with these two forms of dog control are that they are unsafe, ineffective, and inhumane. Furthermore, they are outdated and have no place in the modern world. It is the equivalent of investing in steam technology to power our busses when there are much safer and frankly better methods available.

Although packs of stray dogs running loose in Kuwait have been an issue for a long time, the numbers of dogs has been increasing in recent years. This rise in numbers has been caused by an increase in the rate of dog ownership, a steady increase in the number of fighting dogs and attack dogs, and the emergence of breeding clubs and organizations. As a result, we now have a steadily increasing number of abandoned dogs.

Nearly every society on the planet faces a

most of the time and often very early mornings. Having received all of the equipment needed and hiring an additional person to do the work, the two of us were able to catch nearly 1,400 dogs in less than a year. The program was overwhelmingly successful. People felt safe in their community for the first time since they could remember, no longer fearing large packs of roaming dogs. Men were stopping us to thank us for making it safe for them to walk to their mosque in the morning.

KOC was very pleased with the results of the program and expanded our contract to include all of their assets. We now receive on average one dog complaint in the Ahmadi township per month, and we are able to rapidly resolve the complaint in most cases.

We use very complicated methods that require years to perfect, but here are the basics: At any complaint location, we first conduct an assessment of the dogs. Any dogs that are friendly (i.e. can be caught by hand) are transferred to the K’S PATH animal

shelter in Wafra where they will get a chance to be adopted by a loving family. We then identify pack leaders and pack outcasts that will be very difficult to catch. Next, we deploy our equipment in a scientific methodology to catch the remaining dogs. Using these methods, we have been able to catch as many as 75 dogs in a single night.

What happens when we catch a dog? If the dog is friendly in the trap, we transfer it to our shelter. If the dog is not friendly, we embark upon a painstakingly meticulous process of humane euthanasia. As an animal welfare organization, our primary goal is to prevent the suffering of animals. While most of our other programs focus on education, wildlife rehabilitation, habitat protection, and animal adoption, our population control program must, by necessity, find a balance between public safety and animal welfare. In the case of stray dogs, this means that our responsibility is to examine the situation and find the most humane solution to the problem. A dog in one of our traps is therefore treated with compassion and dignity whether it is friendly, aggressive, or shutdown in fear.

We cover our traps with tarps to make sure they are as calm as possible, and then we administer a surgical dose of anesthesia.

Once the animal is under general anesthesia, we administer a lethal injection that painlessly causes cardiac arrest. This method is humane for the animal, safe for the technicians and the community, and extremely effective. Using these methods, we have secured contracts with KOC and Saudi Arabian Chevron as well as service agreements with multiple other companies.

We introduced our program to demonstrate to the government of Kuwait that humane animal control could work in Kuwait and prove to be effective without requiring animals to suffer through the process. We have more than achieved what we set out to do. We are keen on and available to help the government to design a similar program, and we are inclined to undertake any amount of work or training that is needed to make the program function. I will offer a couple of points of caution, however. Our program operates at a very high standard because we care about the animals we work with and I require the utmost diligence from my staff. If the people employed in such functions do not operate from compassion for animals, then animals will suffer and the program will not be humane and therefore less effective.

Further, animal control fails when undertaken as a business by a company - companies are driven by profit considerations and as such a company tasked with the removal of stray dogs cannot make money if all dogs are removed. Animal control programs around the world operate most effectively as a public service - no differently than a police department or an emergency medical service - with program funding optimally expended on quality equipment, trained staff, and operations; not for profit.

Given our limited financial patronage and human resources, we at K’S PATH have currently stretched this program as far as effectively possible. Our capability to expand is constrained by feasibility which presently affords us just two staff members across all operations of the program. Had we more staff aboard, we could have covered other areas in dire need of animal control, including the dogs at Khairan who attacked the little girl, and prevented the tragedy. Having pushed our operations as far as they can go, we can only continue to hope PAAFR will adopt our tried-and-tested program to keep our communities safe.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

W H AT ’ S O N

KRCS donates KD 770 to Build-A-Bear Workshop

Embassy Information

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uild-A-Bear Workshop, the brand where children make their very own stuffed toys, has raised KD 770 for Autism in partnership with charitable organisations in the local community.

This GCC-wide initiative has seen Build-A-Bear Workshop(r) tie up with the Kuwait Red Crescent Society and generated donations through the sales of its Champ Bear.

“The Build-A-Bear Workshop creed is to make a difference in all the communities in where we operate. Through the kindness of our Guests, and our partner-

ships with local charities, we always aim to operate as a socially responsible entity that engages with society and gives as well as receives,” said Paul Marks, Build-A-Bear Workshop General Manager.

A percentage of proceeds from sales, and in particular Champ Bear, has been donated to Charitable Organisations involved with autism research, and care and intervention for those with autism throughout the Holy Month of Ramadan.

“Autism is a very important issue that is as relevant in the GCC as it is world-

wide, and we are delighted to be able to contribute towards fund raising and support through our partners and Guests. The holy month of Ramadan was a particularly fitting time for this drive as it encourages charity, reflection, kindness and community-mindedness,” he said.

Shaima of Kuwait Red Crescent Society expresses her gratitude to The Build-A-Bear Workshop(r). “We sincerely appreciate the support and compassion from Build-A-Bear Workshop. It has been a profound experience to work with them and we hope to maintain this rela-

tionship in the future. A big thank you from our team!” said Shaima.

Build-A-Bear Workshop is the world’s only global company that offers an interactive make-your-own stuffed animal retail-entertainment experience. In fifteen years of operation, it has focused on creating unique and memorable experiences for children and adults alike, while also engaging with communities through charitable works and social initiatives.

EMBASSY OF AUSTRALIA The Embassy of Australia has announced that Kuwait citizens can apply for and receive visit visas in 10 working days through www.immi.gov.au. All other processing of visas and Immigration matters are handled by the Australian Visa Application Centre located in Al Banwan Building, 4B, 1st Floor, Al Qibla Area, Ali Al Salem Street, Kuwait City. Visit. www.vfs-augcc.com for more info. The Embassy of Australia does not have a visa or immigration department. All processing of visas and immigration matters is conducted by the Australian Consulate-General in Dubai. Email: Info.ausdxb@vfshelpline.com (VIS), immigration.dubai@dfat.gov.au (Visa Office), Tel: +971 4 205 5900 (VFS), Fax: + 971 4 355 0708 (Visa Office). Notary and passport services are available by appointment. Appointments can be made by calling the Embassy on 22322422. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF CANADA The Embassy of Canada in Kuwait does not have a visa or immigration department. All processing of visa and immigration matters including enquiries is conducted by the Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Individuals who are interested in working, studying, visiting or immigrating to Canada should contact the Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, website: www.UAE.gc.ca or www.goingtocanada.gc.ca, E-mail: abdbi-imenquiry@international.gc.ca. The Embassy of Canada is located at Villa 24, Al-Mutawakei St, Block 4 in Da’aiyah. Please visit our website at www.Kuwait.gc.ca. The Embassy of Canada is open from 07:30 to 15:30 Sunday through Thursday. The reception is open from 07:30 to 12:30. Consular services for Canadian citizens are provided from 09:00 until 12:00, Sunday through Wednesday. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF ARGENTINE For the Argentinean citizens who had not already enlisted in the embassy’s electoral register, and taking in consideration the elections which was held on Sunday 11/08/2013, it is necessary to justify they no vote by presence at our embassy which located in (Mishref - Block 6 - Street 42 - Villa 51) and should present the DNI and/or the Argentinean Passport. The Embassy of the Argentine Republic in the State of Kuwait avails itself of this opportunity to renew the assurances of its highest consideration. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF GREECE

GUST appoints Al-Kazemi as Dean of Student Affairs

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he Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST) welcomes Dr Raghad Al-Kazemi, who has been named the Dean of Student Affairs for her extensive experience in student services. Dr Al-Kazemi graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at Kuwait University with a Bachelor’s of Medicine and Surgery (1998) and then moved on to complete her fellowship at the Royal College of Psychiatrists (2005), a member of the General Medical Council in the UK. Most recently, Dr Al-Kazemi was the Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Marketing at the Australian College of Kuwait (ACK) and also held the position of Director of Student Affairs and Marketing before that, which gives her an edge in the inner workings of the position, culture and the Kuwaiti student body. In her position, she developed the New Student Affairs structure, which corresponds to overall student needs where the focus was changed from a “complaint’’ oriented setting to a service and need attending one. She was also responsible for introducing the

advisor scheme, which provides personalized services to students and their parents and was considered as a “one-stop” service that should attend to all queries and minimize miscommunication.

During her time there, Dr Al-Kazemi developed a policy that governs the services provided to learning disability students.

With Dr Al-Kazemi’s experience in the position, GUST will be able to enhance its open door policy for all students which will improve the structure and workings of the department. She is an avid supporter of all student activities including sports and clubs and her experience will help the department enhance its input in all these sectors of the job. Dr Al-Kazemi also worked as a private Psychiatrist and Medical Manager at 09 Clinic in Kuwait from December 2009 to December 2010. Not only was she part of the team of professionals who founded the clinic but she had her own caseload of clients and participated in the administration and management duties of the clinic; selection of

The Embassy of Greece in Kuwait has the pleasure to announce that visa applications must be submitted to Schengen Visa Application Centre (VFS office) located at 12th floor, Al-Naser Tower, Fahad Al-Salem Street, Al-Qibla area, Kuwait City, (Parking at Souk Watia). For information please call 22281046 from 08:30 to 17:00 (Sunday to Thursday). Working hours: Submission from 08:30 to 15:30. Passport collection from 16:00 to 17:00. For visa applications please visit the following website www.mfa.gr/kuwait. nnnnnnn

staff, monitoring of daily work, introduction of a management information system and attending to clients comments and concerns. Her broad experience in both medical psychiatry and counseling

will help her excel in the department and ensure its progress from all angles.

EMBASSY OF US Parents of Kuwaiti citizen children may drop off their sons’ and daughters’ visa applications - completely free of an interview or a trip inside the Embassy. The children must be under 14 years of age, and additional requirements do apply, but the service means parents will no longer have to schedule individual appointments for their children, nor come inside the Embassy (unless they are applying for themselves). The service is only available for children holding Kuwaiti passports. To take advantage, parents must drop off the following documents: Child Visa Drop-off cover sheet, available on the Embassy website (http://kuwait.usembassy.gov/child_visas.htm) - Child’s passport; The Child’s previous passport, if it contains a valid US visa; 5x5cm photo of child with eyes open (if uploaded into DS160, photos must be a .jpg between 600x600 and 1200x1200 pixels, less than 240kb, and cannot be digitally altered); A completed DS160 form; Visa Fee Receipt from Burgan Bank; A copy of the valid visa of at least one parent. If one parent will not travel, provide a visa copy for the traveling parent, and a passport copy from the non-traveling parent with a letter stating no objection to the child’s travel. - For children of students (F2): a copy of the child’s I-20.

Children born in the US (with very few exceptions) are US citizens and would not be eligible for a visa. Parents may drop off the application packet at Window 2 at the Embassy from 1:00 to 3:00 PM, Monday to Wednesday, excluding holidays. More information is available on the U.S. Embassy website: kuwait.usembassy.gov/child_visas.html nnnnnnn

DSP hosts third anniversary

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he third anniversary function of “Deiva Sekkizhar Peravai” a literary forum, was celebrated with lot of enthusiasm, by its members, at the residence of its president Thayumana Meenakshi Sundaram, in Block 10, Salmiya, on the evening of Thursday, August 15, 2013. The function was inaugurated with the lighting of the traditional lamp by Bhanumathi Venkatachalam and devotional rendering of Thevaram by Akshayakumar Samidurai, Siddarth Selvarangan and Dr C Ambalavanan.

Priya Ambalavanan, Indira Selvarangan and Valli Samidurai rendered “Tamil Thai Vazhthu” while Tamil poets of Kuwait Sadiq Basha, Sivakumar, Kavisae Sekar, Sathyan, Ittukatti Masthan, Ravanan, and Bavadeen Mohammed Ibrahim presented poems on

India’s 67th Independence Day. The president of the forum Thayumana Meenakshi Sundaram rendered a welcome address while M Kumaresan, past president of the forum spoke briefly on last year’s activities. V T Sornasundaram, Karunagaran, poet Ravanan and poet Sathyan rendered key note addresses on a variety of topics.

Adi Bhaskar and Valli Samidural won the quiz contest, conducted by A N Natarajan and C Mohan, while Anubama Vikraman won the lucky dip. An ‘Independence Day’ cake was cut by Anandhi Natarajan and A N Natarajan, with India’s national anthem playing in the background. The function was concluded with a vote of thanks from Kavisae Sekar, Secretary of the forum, followed by a delicious dinner from Hotel Saravana Bhavan, Fahaheel.

EMBASSY OF UKRAINE The Embassy of Ukraine in the State of Kuwait would like to inform that submission of the documents for tourist visa is temporary closed (from August 26 till September 26). Within the above-mentioned period, the visa will be issued only in the case of emergency. In the case of planning travel to Ukraine, please apply for visa before August 20. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF VATICAN The Apostolic Nunciature Embassy of the Holy See, Vatican in Kuwait has moved to a new location in Kuwait City. Please find below the new address: Yarmouk, Block 1, Street 2, Villa No: 1. P.O.Box 29724, Safat 13158, Kuwait. Tel: 965 25337767, Fax: 965 25342066.

Email: nuntiuskuwait@gmail.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

TV PROGRAMS

00:45 01:35 02:25 03:15 Safari 04:05 04:55 05:20 05:45 Safari 06:35 07:00 07:25 08:15 09:10 10:05 11:00 11:55 12:20 12:50 Tale 13:45 14:40 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:25 18:20 19:15 19:40 20:10 20:35 21:05

Bear Feeding Frenzy Untamed & Uncut Big Five Challenge Lion Man: One World African Roaring With Pride The Snake Buster Shamwari: A Wild Life Lion Man: One World African Call Of The Wildman Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild Pandamonium The Most Extreme Talk To The Animals Big Five Challenge Animal Cops Philadelphia The Snake Buster Call Of The Wildman Charles & Jessica: A Chimp Animal ER Big Five Challenge Shamwari: A Wild Life Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild The Most Extreme Cats Of Claw Hill Bad Dog Going Ape Call Of The Wildman The Snake Buster Shamwari: A Wild Life Africa’s Super Seven

00:30 Dynamo: Magician Impossible 01:20 Head Games 02:10 Mythbusters 03:50 Auction Kings 04:15 Auction Hunters 04:40 Auction Kings 05:05 How Do They Do It? 05:30 How It’s Made 06:00 American Guns 07:00 Mythbusters 07:50 Stan Lee’s Superhumans 08:40 What Happened Next?

09:05 Magic Of Science 09:30 Border Security 09:55 Auction Hunters 10:20 Auction Kings 10:45 How Do They Do It? 11:10 How It’s Made 11:35 Dynamo: Magician Impossible 12:25 Head Games 13:15 Mythbusters 14:05 Border Security 14:30 Auction Hunters 14:55 Auction Kings 15:20 Strip The City 16:10 What Happened Next?

16:35 Magic Of Science 17:00 Ultimate Survival 17:50 Deadliest Catch 18:40 Mythbusters 19:30 American Guns 20:20 Auction Hunters 21:10 How Do They Do It? 21:35 How It’s Made

00:05 The Tech Show 00:30 Mean Green Machines 01:00 James May’s Man Lab 05:15 The Gadget Show 05:40 The Tech Show 06:05 The World’s Strangest UFO Stories 07:00 What Is That?

07:25 How Stuff’s Made 07:50 Bang Goes The Theory 08:40 The Gadget Show 09:05 The Tech Show 09:30 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 13:50 Mean Green Machines 14:20 The Gadget Show 14:45 The Tech Show 15:10 What Is That?

15:35 How Stuff’s Made 16:00 Sci-Trek

16:55 Mighty Ships 17:45 Smash Lab 18:35 The World’s Strangest UFO Stories 19:30 What Is That?

19:55 How Stuff’s Made 20:20 Bang Goes The Theory 21:10 The Gadget Show 21:35 The Tech Show 22:00 What Is That?

22:25 How Stuff’s Made 22:50 Bang Goes The Theory 23:40 The Gadget Show

00:45 01:10 01:35 02:30 03:25 04:20 05:10 06:05 07:00 07:50 08:15 08:45 09:35 10:30 11:20 12:10 13:05 13:55 14:50 15:45 16:40 17:35 18:25 19:20 20:10 20:35 21:05 22:00 22:55 23:50

Ultimate Cars A Racing Car Is Born Secrets Of...

Crime Scene Wild I Shouldn’t Be Alive Bone Detectives Empire Mighty Mississippi Prehistoric Disasters Ultimate Cars A Racing Car Is Born 3 Men Go To New England Welcome To India Weaponology I Shouldn’t Be Alive Bone Detectives Empire In Search Of The King’s Head Secrets Of...

Prehistoric Disasters Anatomy Of A Combat Force Bone Detectives I Shouldn’t Be Alive...

The Aviators Ultimate Cars A Racing Car Is Born Empire The Aviators Crime Scene Wild Murder Shift

00:00 00:45 01:30 02:15 03:00 03:45 04:30 05:15 06:00 06:25 06:45 07:55 08:45 09:05 09:30 10:15 11:05 12:15 13:00 14:10 14:35 15:00 15:25 15:50 16:10 16:35 17:20 17:40 17:45 18:10 18:30 18:55 19:20 19:40 20:30 20:50 21:15 21:40 22:00 22:25 22:50 23:10

Hannah Montana Brandy & Mr Whiskers Emperor’s New School Replacements Brandy & Mr Whiskers Emperor’s New School Replacements Brandy & Mr Whiskers Austin And Ally Suite Life On Deck A.N.T Farm Good Luck Charlie Doc McStuffins Mickey Mouse Clubhouse A.N.T Farm Jessie Good Luck Charlie Shake It Up A.N.T Farm Jessie Shake It Up That’s So Raven Good Luck Charlie Jessie Shake It Up A.N.T Farm Austin And Ally Teen Beach Movie First Look Good Luck Charlie Shake It Up That’s So Raven Suite Life On Deck Jessie A.N.T. Farm Shake It Up Suite Life On Deck Austin And Ally That’s So Raven Jessie A.N.T Farm Good Luck Charlie Wizards Of Waverly Place

00:05 Special Agent Oso 00:15 Imagination Movers

00:40 Jungle Junction 01:10 Handy Manny 01:30 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 02:00 Little Einsteins 02:25 Special Agent Oso 02:50 Imagination Movers 03:20 Handy Manny 03:40 Special Agent Oso 04:00 Timmy Time 04:10 Imagination Movers 04:35 Little Einsteins 05:00 Jungle Junction 05:30 Little Einsteins 05:50 Special Agent Oso 06:15 Jungle Junction 06:45 Handy Manny 07:00 Special Agent Oso 07:15 Jungle Junction 07:30 Higglytown Heroes 07:45 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 08:10 New Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 08:35 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 08:50 Doc McStuffins 09:20 Zou 09:35 Henry Hugglemonster 10:00 Sofia The First 10:25 The Little Mermaid 10:50 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 11:20 Sofia The First 11:45 Mouk 12:00 Winnie The Pooh: Tales Of Friendship 12:05 Art Attack 12:30 Doc McStuffins 13:00 Zou 13:15 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 13:30 Henry Hugglemonster 13:55 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 14:20 New Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 14:45 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 15:00 Lilo And Stitch 15:25 Mouk 15:40 Higglytown Heroes 15:55 Zou 16:10 Zou 16:20 The Little Mermaid 16:45 Lilo And Stitch 17:10 Doc McStuffins 17:40 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 18:10 Henry Hugglemonster 18:35 Sofia The First 19:00 Timmy Time 19:10 Pajanimals 19:25 Doc McStuffins 19:35 Zou 19:50 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 20:20 Winnie The Pooh: Tales Of Friendship 20:25 Pajanimals 20:35 Doc McStuffins 20:45 Mouk 21:00 New Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 21:25 Pajanimals 21:35 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 22:00 Timmy Time 22:10 The Hive 22:20 Winnie The Pooh: Tales Of Friendship 22:30 Jungle Junction 22:45 Handy Manny 22:55 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 23:20 Little Einsteins 23:50 Special Agent Oso

06:00 Kid vs Kat 06:10 Iron Man Armoured Adventures 06:35 Kickin It 07:00 Max Steel 07:25 Phineas And Ferb 07:50 Slugterra 08:15 Pair Of Kings 08:40 Kickin It 09:30 Lab Rats 10:20 Pair Of Kings 10:45 Kick Buttowski 11:10 Mr. Young 11:35 Slugterra 12:00 Kickin It 12:25 Max Steel 12:50 I’m In The Band 13:15 Lab Rats 13:40 Almost Naked Animals 14:05 Phineas And Ferb 14:30 Lab Rats

14:55 Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja 15:20 Phineas And Ferb 15:45 Pair Of Kings 16:10 Kickin It 16:35 Crash & Bernstein 17:00 Lab Rats 17:30 Max Steel 18:00 Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja 18:25 Phineas And Ferb 19:15 Slugterra 19:40 Crash & Bernstein 20:05 Pair Of Kings 20:30 Zeke & Luther 20:55 I’m In The Band 21:20 Rated A For Awesome 21:45 Kick Buttowski 22:10 Mr. Young 22:35 Scaredy Squirrel 23:00 Programmes Start At 6:00am

00:05 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 00:30 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 00:55 United Tastes Of America 01:20 United Tastes Of America 01:45 Charly’s Cake Angels 02:10 Charly’s Cake Angels 02:35 Unique Sweets 03:00 Unique Sweets 03:25 Food Wars 03:50 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 04:15 Unique Eats 04:40 Chopped 05:30 Iron Chef America 06:10 Food Network Challenge 07:00 Unwrapped 07:25 Unwrapped 07:50 Andy Bates American Street Feasts 08:15 Unique Sweets 08:40 Reza’s African Kitchen 09:05 Jonathan Phang’s Caribbean Cookbook 09:30 Amazing Wedding Cakes 10:20 Extra Virgin 10:40 Unique Sweets 11:10 Unwrapped 11:35 Have Cake, Will Travel 12:00 Food Network Star 13:15 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 13:40 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 14:05 Tyler’s Ultimate 14:30 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 14:55 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 15:20 Symon’s Suppers 15:45 Chopped 16:35 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 17:00 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 17:25 Tyler’s Ultimate 17:50 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 18:15 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 18:40 Guy’s Big Bite 19:05 Symon’s Suppers 19:30 Food Wars 19:55 Food Wars 20:20 Chopped 21:10 Chopped 22:00 Staten Island Cakes 22:50 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 23:40 Food Wars

00:15 Eat Street 00:45 Scam City 01:40 Ultimate Traveller 02:35 Bondi Rescue 04:25 Treks In A Wild World 04:50 Cycling Home From Siberia 05:20 Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled 06:15 One Man & His Campervan 06:40 My Sri Lanka With Peter Kuruvita 07:10 Maverick Chef 07:35 Eat Street 08:05 Scam City 09:00 Ultimate Traveller 09:55 Bondi Rescue 11:45 Treks In A Wild World 12:10 Cycling Home From Siberia 12:40 Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled 13:35 One Man & His Campervan 14:00 My Sri Lanka With Peter Kuruvita 14:30 Maverick Chef 14:55 Eat Street 15:25 Scam City 16:20 Ultimate Traveller 17:15 Bondi Rescue 19:05 Walking Home From Mongolia 19:30 Cycling Home From Siberia 20:00 Maverick Chef 20:30 Eat Street 21:00 One Man & His Campervan 21:30 My Sri Lanka With Peter Kuruvita 22:00 Graham’s World 22:25 Cruise Ship Diaries 22:55 Exploring The Vine 23:20 Street Food Around The World 23:50 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita

00:00 Big, Bigger, Biggest 01:00 Banged Up Abroad 02:00 Lords Of War 03:00 Helicopter Wars 04:00 A Traveler’s Guide To The Planets 05:00 Monkey Thieves 06:00 Helicopter Wars 07:00 Pirate Patrol 08:00 Big, Bigger, Biggest 09:00 Banged Up Abroad 10:00 Lords Of War 11:00 Helicopter Wars 12:00 Evacuate Earth 13:00 Monkey Thieves 14:00 Helicopter Wars 15:00 Pirate Patrol 16:00 Big, Bigger, Biggest 17:00 Banged Up Abroad 18:00 Lords Of War 19:00 Air Crash Investigation 20:00 Bizarre Dinos 21:00 Prehistoric Predators 22:00 Air Crash Investigation

KILLER ELITE ON OSN ACTION HD

00:20 World’s Weirdest 01:10 Shark Gangs

WRATH OF THE TITANS ON OSN CINEMA 02:00 02:50 03:45 04:40 05:35 06:30 07:25 08:20 09:15 10:10 11:05 12:00 12:55 13:50 14:45 15:40 16:35 17:30 18:25 19:20 20:10 21:00 21:50 22:40 23:30

Hooked Man vs Monster Ultimate Animal Countdown Wild Russia Hooked Man vs Monster Ultimate Animal Countdown How Big Can It Get Built For The Kill Dead Or Alive World’s Deadliest Snakes Aerial Assasins Monster Fish Man vs Monster Ultimate Animal Countdown Planet Carnivore Dangerous Encounters Dead Or Alive Superfish Monster Fish Man vs Monster Ultimate Animal Countdown Planet Carnivore Dangerous Encounters Dead Or Alive

00:00 Killer Elite-18 02:00 Beneath The Darkness-PG15 04:00 Super 8-PG15 06:00 Killer Mountain-PG15 08:00 Nick Of Time-PG15 10:00 Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes-PG15 12:00 Dragonheart-PG 14:00 Nick Of Time-PG15 16:00 Justice League: Doom-PG15 18:00 Dragonheart-PG 20:00 15 Minutes-PG15 22:15 Wrong Side Of Town-18

01:00 03:00 05:00 PG15 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

00:30 01:00 01:30 02:00 02:30 03:00 03:30 04:00 04:30 Leno 05:30 06:00 06:30 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 09:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 Leno 12:00 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 Leno 21:00 21:30 22:00 22:30 23:00 23:30

The Simpsons Modern Family Happy Endings The Daily Show The Colbert Report The War At Home Late Night With Jimmy Fallon New Girl Friends Community Happy Endings The Tonight Show With Jay The Daily Show The Colbert Report Web Therapy Enlightened The Ricky Gervais Show Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

01:00 03:00 05:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 10:00 10:30 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Good Morning America American Idol Good Morning America Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Once Upon A Time Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Touch The Carrie Diaries Live Good Morning America Touch Once Upon A Time The Carrie Diaries Touch Once Upon A Time The Carrie Diaries Glee American Idol

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 12:30 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 19:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Revenge Castle Justified Homeland Bones Warehouse 13 Revenge Eureka Alphas Bones Castle Warehouse 13 Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Alphas Revenge Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Alphas Switched At Birth Suits Sons Of Anarchy Homeland

A Heartbeat Away-PG15 Henry’s Crime-PG15 Encounter With DangerJust Crazy Enough-PG15 A Heartbeat Away-PG15 Second Chances-PG15 I’ve Loved You So Long-PG15 Separate Lies-PG15 StreetDance 2-PG15 My Own Love Song-PG15 Wrath Of The Titans-PG15 Chloe-R

The Daily Show The Colbert Report The Big C Enlightened Friends Modern Family The Simpsons Hope & Faith The Tonight Show With Jay Hope & Faith The War At Home Brothers Late Night With Jimmy Fallon Hope & Faith Hope & Faith Friends Modern Family Happy Endings Brothers The Tonight Show With Jay The War At Home Hope & Faith Hope & Faith Brothers

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 Apes 14:00 16:00 18:00

The Keeper Killer Elite Beneath The Darkness Super 8 Killer Mountain Nick Of Time Rise Of The Planet Of The Dragonheart Nick Of Time Justice League: Doom

20:00 Dragonheart 22:00 15 Minutes

00:00 02:00 04:15 06:00 PG15 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

Mardi Gras: Spring Break-18 Bridesmaids-18 Beware The Gonzo-PG15 Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot-

01:15 03:00 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 PG15 13:00 15:00 17:00 PG15 19:00 21:15 23:00

The Prey-PG15 Columbus Circle-PG15 Out Of Sight-PG15 Stealing Bess-PG15 The Prey-PG15 Happythankyoumoreplease-

Beethoven-FAM Snowmen-PG Beware The Gonzo-PG15 Beethoven’s Second-PG Snowmen-PG Johnny English Reborn-PG15 Detroit Rock City-18 Mardi Gras: Spring Break-18

TT: Closer To The Edge-PG15 The Inkwell-PG15 HappythankyoumorepleaseIncendies-PG15 The Ides Of March-PG15 Schindler’s List-18

01:00 The Girl-PG15 03:00 A Mother’s Choice-PG15 05:00 Flicka 3-FAM 07:00 Tinker Bell And The Secret Of The Wings-FAM 09:00 Big Miracle-PG 10:45 Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows-PG15 13:00 Stealing Paradise-PG15 15:00 Underground: The Julian Assange Story-PG15 17:00 Big Miracle-PG 18:45 The Bourne Legacy-PG15 21:00 Lawless-18 23:00 Wanderlust-R

01:00 Teo: The Intergalactic Hunter 02:30 Baby Geniuses 04:15 The Lucky Dragon 06:00 Marco Macaco 08:00 Easter Egg Escapade 10:00 Judy Moody And The Not Bummer Summer 11:30 The Lucky Dragon 13:15 Baby Geniuses 15:00 The Little Rascals 16:30 The Adventures Of Don Quixote 18:00 Judy Moody And The Not Bummer Summer 20:00 Tommy & Oscar 22:00 The Little Rascals 23:30 The Adventures Of Don Quixote

00:00 The Scorpion King 3: Battle For Redemption-PG15 02:00 Bernie-PG15 04:00 Treasure Buddies-PG 06:00 Mandie And The Secret

Tunnel-PG 08:00 Madea’s Big Happy FamilyPG15 10:00 Dead Lines-PG15 12:00 Bernie-PG15 14:00 In Her Shoes-PG15 16:15 Madea’s Big Happy FamilyPG15 18:00 Dark Shadows-PG15 20:00 How I Spent My Summer Vacation-PG15 22:00 Your Sister’s Sister-18 23:45 Marley-PG15

02:25 04:20 07:00 08:55 PG 10:55 12:45 14:40 16:00 17:45 20:30 22:00 23:45

The Formula The Comedians-PG The Last Time I Saw Paris-PG The Ballad Of Cable HogueThe Asphalt Jungle-PG Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde-PG The Public Enemy-PG The Hanging Tree-FAM Grand Prix-PG Many Rivers To Cross-FAM Cat On A Hot Tin Roof The Dirty Dozen

00:00 World’s Greatest Motorcycle Rides 01:00 Xtreme Waterparks 01:30 Bert The Conqueror 02:00 Off Limits 03:00 Globe Trekker 04:00 Bizarre Foods America 05:00 Bizarre Foods America 06:00 Hotel Impossible 07:00 Globe Trekker 08:00 Airport 24/7: Miami 08:30 Airport 24/7: Miami 09:00 Off Limits 10:00 World’s Greatest Motorcycle Rides 11:00 Bert The Conqueror 11:30 Xtreme Waterparks 12:00 Globe Trekker 13:00 Bizarre Foods America 14:00 International House Hunters 14:30 International House Hunters 15:00 Hotel Impossible 16:00 Inside Luxury Travel - Varun Sharma 17:00 World’s Greatest Motorcycle Rides 18:00 Off Limits 19:00 Bizarre Foods America 20:00 Globe Trekker Around The World 21:00 The Border Check 22:00 Asian Times 23:00 Inside Luxury Travel - Varun Sharma

13:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 20:30 21:00 23:00 00:00 01:00 02:00

Agatha Christie’s Poirot Murdoch Mysteries The Jonathan Ross Show 60 Minute Makeover Emmerdale Coronation Street Coach Trip Come Dine With Me Ireland Lewis Trial & Retribution The Jeremy Kyle Show USA 60 Minute Makeover Emmerdale

Classifieds THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

Kuwait SHARQIA-1 KILLING SEASON (DIG) THE SMURFS 2 (DIG) JOBS (DIG) KILLING SEASON (DIG) JOBS (DIG) KILLING SEASON (DIG)

1:00 PM 3:15 PM 5:30 PM 8:00 PM 10:00 PM 12:30 AM

SHARQIA-2 THE SMURFS 2 (DIG-3D) DESPICABLE ME 2 (DIG-3D) THE SMURFS 2 (DIG) Special Show “THE SMURFS 2 (DIG)” THE CONJURING (DIG) THE CONJURING (DIG) THE CONJURING (DIG)

2:00 PM 4:15 PM 6:15 PM 6:15 PM 8:30 PM 10:45 PM 1:00 AM

SHARQIA-3 THE CONJURING (DIG) THE CONJURING (DIG) Special Show “THE SMURFS 2 (DIG)” CHENNAI EXPRESS (DIG) (HINDI) THE WOLVERINE (DIG) THE WOLVERINE (DIG)

1:30 PM 3:45 PM 6:15 PM 6:00 PM 9:00 PM 11:45 PM

MUHALAB-1 JOBS (DIG) RED 2 (DIG) CHENNAI EXPRESS (DIG) (HINDI) JOBS (DIG)

1:30 PM 4:15 PM 6:30 PM 9:30 PM

MUHALAB-2 KILLING SEASON (DIG) FRI THE CONJURING (DIG) THE CONJURING (DIG) KILLING SEASON (DIG) THE CONJURING (DIG) THE CONJURING (DIG)

1:30 PM 1:00 PM 3:30 PM 5:45 PM 7:45 PM 10:00 PM

MUHALAB-3 THE SMURFS 2 (DIG-3D) DESPICABLE ME 2 (DIG-3D) THE SMURFS 2 (DIG-3D) THE WOLVERINE (DIG) THE WOLVERINE (DIG)

12:45 PM 3:00 PM 5:00 PM 7:15 PM 9:45 PM

FANAR-1 RED 2 (DIG) RED 2 (DIG) JOBS (DIG) JOBS (DIG) JOBS (DIG)

2:00 PM 4:30 PM 6:45 PM 9:15 PM 11:45 PM

FANAR-2 DESPICABLE ME 2 (DIG) DESPICABLE ME 2 (DIG) STREET DANCE ALL STARS (DIG) DESPICABLE ME 2 (DIG) KILLING SEASON (DIG) KILLING SEASON (DIG) KILLING SEASON (DIG) FANAR-3 CHENNAI EXPRESS (DIG) (HINDI) THE LONE RANGER (DIG) CHENNAI EXPRESS (DIG) (HINDI) CHENNAI EXPRESS (DIG) (HINDI)

12:30 PM 2:30 PM 4:30 PM 6:45 PM 8:45 PM 10:45 PM 12:45 AM 12:30 PM 3:30 PM 6:30 PM 9:30 PM

KNCC PROGRAMME FROM THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY (22/08/2013 TO 28/08/2013) THE LONE RANGER (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:30 AM

FANAR-4 THE SMURFS 2 (DIG-3D) THE SMURFS 2 (DIG-3D) THE SMURFS 2 (DIG-3D) THE WOLVERINE (DIG) THE WOLVERINE (DIG) THE WOLVERINE (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:00 PM 3:15 PM 5:30 PM 7:45 PM 10:15 PM 12:45 AM

FANAR-5 THE CONJURING THE CONJURING THE CONJURING EL7ARAMY & EL3ABIET THE CONJURING THE CONJURING NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:15 PM 3:30 PM 5:45 PM 8:00 PM 10:00 PM 12:15 AM

MARINA-1 DESPICABLE ME 2 (DIG) HAMMER OF G’S (DIG) KILLING SEASON (DIG) JOBS (DIG) JOBS (DIG) KILLING SEASON (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:30 PM 3:00 PM 5:30 PM 7:30 PM 10:00 PM 12:15 AM

MARINA-3 THE SMURFS 2 (DIG-3D) DESPICABLE ME 2 (DIG-3D) THE SMURFS 2 (DIG-3D) THE CONJURING (DIG) THE CONJURING (DIG) THE CONJURING (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:30 PM 4:00 PM 6:00 PM 8:15 PM 10:30 PM 12:45 AM

AVENUES-1 KILLING SEASON (DIG) KILLING SEASON (DIG) KILLING SEASON (DIG) KILLING SEASON (DIG) KILLING SEASON (DIG) KILLING SEASON (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

2:00 PM 4:00 PM 6:00 PM 8:00 PM 10:00 PM 12:05 AM

AVENUES-2 CHENNAI EXPRESS (DIG) (HINDI) CHENNAI EXPRESS (DIG) (HINDI) CHENNAI EXPRESS (DIG) (HINDI) CHENNAI EXPRESS (DIG) (HINDI) CHENNAI EXPRESS (DIG) (HINDI)

12:30 PM 3:30 PM 6:30 PM 9:30 PM 12:30 AM

AVENUES-3 RED 2 (DIG) THE LONE RANGER (DIG) RED 2 (DIG)

1:00 PM 3:30 PM 6:30 PM

9:00 PM 11:30 PM

AVENUES-4 THE CONJURING (DIG) THE CONJURING (DIG) THE CONJURING (DIG) THE CONJURING (DIG) THE CONJURING (DIG) THE CONJURING (DIG)

1:30 PM 3:45 PM 6:00 PM 8:15 PM 10:30 PM 12:45 AM

360º- 1 THE CONJURING (DIG) THE CONJURING (DIG) THE CONJURING (DIG) THE CONJURING (DIG) THE CONJURING (DIG) THE CONJURING (DIG)

12:30 PM 2:45 PM 5:00 PM 7:15 PM 9:30 PM 11:45 PM

360º- 2 RED 2 (DIG) RED 2 (DIG) RED 2 (DIG) RED 2 (DIG) RED 2 (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:45 PM 2:45 PM 5:00 PM 7:00 PM 9:30 PM 12:30 AM

MARINA-2 THE WOLVERINE (DIG) THE WOLVERINE (DIG) EL7ARAMY & EL3ABIET (DIG) THE WOLVERINE (DIG) RED 2 (DIG) THE WOLVERINE (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

RED 2 (DIG) RED 2 (DIG)

2:30 PM 5:00 PM 7:30 PM 10:00 PM 12:30 AM

360º- 3 DESPICABLE ME 2 (DIG-3D) DESPICABLE ME 2 (DIG) DESPICABLE ME 2 (DIG-3D) DESPICABLE ME 2 (DIG) DESPICABLE ME 2 (DIG) THE WOLVERINE (DIG)

1:30 PM 3:45 PM 6:00 PM 8:15 PM 10:30 PM 12:45 AM

360º- 4 THE SMURFS 2 (DIG) THE SMURFS 2 (DIG-3D) THE SMURFS 2 (DIG) THE SMURFS 2 (DIG-3D) THE SMURFS 2 (DIG) EL7ARAMY & EL3ABIET (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

SITUATION VACANT For a family of two adults, a live-in house boy and home care. Good English and Arabic is preferred, transferable visa. Contact: 99060969.

20-8-2013 ACCOMMODATION For ladies or bachelor Filipino only near big Jamiya Farwaniya. Available August 25, 2013. Contact 66158188 or 66826412.

20-8-2013

CHANGE OF NAME I, Thottakath Abu, holder of Indian Passport No. G9943123 issued at Kuwait on 28/10/2008, have changed my name to Aboobacker Thottakath.

(C 4488) 21-8-2013 I, Thamer Medhat Moh. Khattab holder of Filipino Passport No. T T0990386 hereby change my name to Tamer Medhat Moh. Khattab, hereafter all dealings in my new name.

20-8-2013

2:00 PM 4:15 PM 6:30 PM 8:45 PM 11:00 PM 1:15 AM

AL-KOUT.1 EL7ARAMY & EL3ABIET (DIG) THE WOLVERINE (DIG) JOBS (DIG) THE WOLVERINE (DIG) EL7ARAMY & EL3ABIET (DIG) THE WOLVERINE (DIG)

SITUATION WANTED Indian lady Accountant, B.Com with 3 years experience in Kuwait. Looking for a suitable accounts job. (Can join immediately). Contact: 65173606/67668929.

(C4486) 20-8-2013 FOR SALE Mitsubishi Jeep Nativa model 2011 white color, 6 cylinder engine, alloy rim excellent condition, 4 wheel drive (installment possible), cash price KD 3,400 negotiable. Tel: 99194874. (C 4487) 20-8-2013

MATRIMONIAL Marthomite parents in Kuwait, invites proposals for their daughter (28/160/fair), BB Kuwait, Masters UK, well employed in Kuwait, from well qualified and employed Marthoma/CSI/Orthodox/Ja cobite boys preferably in Kuwait/Dubai/USA/Australi a/Canada with good family background and clean habits. Email: jacobthomask3@yahoo.com (C 4485) 20-8-2013

Prayer timings

LOST Original document Policy No. 633002728-1 of Mohammad Naeem by the State Life Insurance Corporation of Pakistan, Gulf Zone is reported to have been lost. Anyone finding the same or claiming any interest in it should communicate with State Life Office Kuwait Tel: 22452208.

(C 4483)

Fajr: Shorook Duhr: Asr: Maghrib: Isha:

03:56 05:20 11:51 15:26 18:22 19:43

No: 15905

12:30 PM 2:30 PM 5:00 PM 7:30 PM 10:00 PM 12:05 AM

AL-KOUT.2 DESPICABLE ME 2 (DIG) THE SMURFS 2 (DIG) DESPICABLE ME 2 (DIG) THE SMURFS 2 (DIG) JOBS (DIG) JOBS (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:45 PM 2:45 PM 5:00 PM 7:00 PM 9:15 PM 11:45 PM

AL-KOUT.3 THE CONJURING (DIG) THE CONJURING (DIG) THE CONJURING (DIG) THE CONJURING (DIG) THE CONJURING (DIG) THE CONJURING (DIG)

1:00 PM 3:30 PM 5:45 PM 8:00 PM 10:15 PM 12:30 AM

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

Airlines BBC QTR THY JZR JZR SAI THY ETH GFA UAE ETD THY RJA FDB RBG MSR QTR THY QTR DHX FDB KAC JZR JZR JZR BAW KAC KAC KAC JZR ABY KAC KAC KAC KAC FDB UAE IRA IZG ABY IRA FDB QTR ETD SYR GFA MEA JZR JZR JZR MSC KAC UAE MRJ MSR MSR THY KNE QTR FDB ABY SVA KAC

Arrival Flights on Thursday 22/8/2013 Flt Route 43 DHAKA 148 DOHA 5464 SABIHA 267 BEIRUT 539 CAIRO 441 LAHORE 764 SABIHA 620 ADDIS ABABA 211 BAHRAIN 853 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI-INTL 768 ISTANBUL 642 AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA 67 DUBAI 555 ALEXANDRIA 612 CAIRO 138 DOHA 770 ISTANBUL 6130 DOHA 170 BAHRAIN 69 DUBAI 412 MANILA 1541 CAIRO 529 ASYUT 555 ALEXANDRIA 157 LONDON 206 ISLAMABAD 352 COCHIN 284 DHAKA 503 LUXOR 123 SHARJAH 332 TRIVANDRUM 302 MUMBAI 362 COLOMBO 382 DELHI 53 DUBAI 855 DUBAI 605 ISFAHAN 4161 MASHAD 125 SHARJAH 617 AHWAZ 55 DUBAI 132 DOHA 301 ABU DHABI-INTL 341 DAMASCUS 213 BAHRAIN 404 BEIRUT 165 DUBAI 561 SOHAG 241 AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA 403 ASYUT 672 DUBAI 871 DUBAI 4813 MASHAD 610 CAIRO 579 SOHAG 766 ISTANBUL 480 TAIF 140 DOHA 57 DUBAI 121 SHARJAH 500 JEDDAH 562 AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA

Time 00:05 00:05 00:10 00:20 00:40 01:30 01:40 01:45 01:55 02:25 02:30 02:50 03:10 03:10 03:15 03:15 03:30 04:35 04:50 05:10 05:50 06:15 06:25 06:40 06:20 06:30 07:25 08:05 08:15 07:40 09:10 07:55 07:50 08:45 07:30 07:45 08:25 08:40 08:45 08:50 09:10 09:15 09:25 09:30 10:10 10:40 10:55 11:35 12:20 12:35 12:40 13:40 12:45 12:55 13:00 13:05 13:10 13:20 13:45 13:50 14:25 14:30 14:40

OMA KNE NIA RJA KAC KAC JZR KAC JZR JZR JZR QTR ETD UAE KNE JZR ABY UAL GFA SVA TAR QTR FDB KAC KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC JZR AXB JAI RBG GFA FDB OMA JZR ABY MEA AFG MSC MSR MSC ALK UAE ETD QTR GFA QTR SYR JAI FDB THY AIC JZR JZR JZR UAL DLH JAI MSR KLM THY

645 470 251 640 546 118 787 176 777 125 535 134 303 857 472 177 127 982 215 510 327 144 63 542 786 8055 104 502 618 774 674 614 269 393 572 553 219 61 647 189 129 402 415 405 618 401 229 859 307 136 217 146 1277 576 59 6512 981 239 513 185 981 636 574 614 411 772

MUSCAT JEDDAH ALEXANDRIA AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA ALEXANDRIA NEW YORK RIYADH GENEVA JEDDAH BAHRAIN CAIRO DOHA ABU DHABI-INTL DUBAI JEDDAH DUBAI SHARJAH WASHINGTON DC DULLES BAHRAIN RIYADH TUNIS DOHA DUBAI CAIRO JEDDAH DUBAI LONDON BEIRUT DOHA RIYADH DUBAI BAHRAIN BEIRUT KOZHIKODE MUMBAI ALEXANDRIA BAHRAIN DUBAI MUSCAT DUBAI SHARJAH BEIRUT KABUL SOHAG ALEXANDRIA ALEXANDRIA COLOMBO DUBAI ABU DHABI-INTL DOHA BAHRAIN DOHA DAMASCUS COCHIN DUBAI ISTANBUL CHENNAI AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA SHARM EL SHEIKH DUBAI BAHRAIN FRANKFURT MUMBAI CAIRO AMSTERDAM ISTANBUL

14:40 15:05 15:50 15:55 14:15 16:00 16:15 17:45 17:50 16:25 16:10 16:15 16:35 16:55 17:05 17:30 17:10 17:15 17:20 17:20 18:00 18:25 18:55 18:15 18:30 18:45 18:45 18:50 19:10 19:25 19:25 19:35 19:15 19:15 19:35 19:40 19:05 20:00 20:00 20:10 20:05 20:15 20:20 20:25 20:30 21:00 21:10 21:15 21:30 21:35 21:45 22:00 22:00 22:05 22:20 22:20 22:25 22:30 23:20 22:40 22:40 23:10 23:20 23:30 23:40 23:45

Airlines AIC AXB JAI UAL DLH MSR THY BBC JZR THY SAI THY ETH THY UAE FDB RBG MSR ETD QTR QTR JZR QTR FDB RJA GFA THY JZR KAC JZR BAW FDB JZR KAC KAC ABY IRA IZG UAE KAC FDB ABY IRA ETD QTR KAC KAC SYR GFA KAC KAC MEA JZR JZR KAC JZR JZR JZR MSC MSR MSR MRJ THY

Departure Flights on Thursday 22/8/2013 Flt Route 976 GOA 490 MANGALORE 573 MUMBAI 981 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 637 FRANKFURT 615 CAIRO 5465 ISTANBUL-SABIHA 44 DHAKA 502 LUXOR 773 ISTANBUL-ATATURK 442 LAHORE 765 ISTANBUL-SABIHA 621 ADDIS ABABA 769 ISTANBUL-ATATURK 854 DUBAI 68 DUBAI 556 ALEXANDRIA 613 CAIRO 306 ABU DHABI 139 DOHA 149 DOHA 560 SOHAG 6131 DOHA 70 DUBAI 643 AMMAN 212 BAHRAIN 771 ISTANBUL-ATATURK 240 AMMAN 545 ALEXANDRIA 164 DUBAI 156 LONDON 54 DUBAI 534 CAIRO 671 DUBAI 561 AMMAN 126 SHARJAH 606 MASHHAD 4162 MASHHAD 856 DUBAI 153 ISTANBUL-SABIHA 56 DUBAI 124 SHARJAH 616 AHWAZ 302 ABU DHABI 133 DOHA 101 LONDON 501 BEIRUT 342 DAMASCUS 214 BAHRAIN 541 CAIRO 165 ROME 405 BEIRUT 776 JEDDAH 786 RIYADH 785 JEDDAH 176 DUBAI 124 BAHRAIN 268 BEIRUT 406 SOHAG 580 SOHAG 611 CAIRO 4812 MASHHAD 767 ISTANBUL-ATATURK

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Time 00:05 00:15 00:20 00:25 00:30 00:30 01:10 01:30 01:30 02:20 02:30 02:40 02:45 03:40 03:45 03:50 03:55 04:15 04:20 04:25 05:15 05:55 06:20 06:30 06:35 07:00 07:10 07:10 07:20 07:25 08:25 08:25 09:10 09:25 09:25 09:30 09:40 09:45 09:50 09:50 09:55 10:00 10:10 10:15 10:25 10:25 11:10 11:10 11:25 11:30 11:45 11:55 12:25 12:50 13:00 13:20 13:30 13:35 13:40 13:50 14:00 14:05 14:10

KNE UAE FDB QTR ABY KAC OMA KAC KAC JZR KNE SVA KAC NIA RJA JZR JZR QTR ETD JZR ABY KNE UAE GFA SVA UAL JZR JZR TAR QTR FDB FDB GFA KAC AXB RBG JAI FDB ABY KAC KAC OMA KAC MEA AFG MSC MSR KAC DHX MSC ETD ALK UAE QTR KAC GFA SYR FDB KAC QTR JAI JZR JZR KAC KAC JZR

481 872 58 141 122 673 646 617 773 188 471 505 613 252 641 238 512 135 304 538 128 473 858 216 511 982 184 266 328 145 8056 64 220 283 394 554 571 62 120 331 343 648 351 403 415 404 619 543 171 402 308 230 860 137 301 218 1278 60 205 147 575 554 1540 411 415 528

TAIF DUBAI DUBAI DOHA SHARJAH DUBAI MUSCAT DOHA RIYADH DUBAI JEDDAH JEDDAH BAHRAIN ALEXANDRIA AMMAN AMMAN SHARM EL SHEIKH DOHA ABU DHABI CAIRO SHARJAH JEDDAH DUBAI BAHRAIN RIYADH BAHRAIN DUBAI BEIRUT TUNIS DOHA DUBAI DUBAI BAHRAIN DHAKA KOZHIKODE ALEXANDRIA MUMBAI DUBAI SHARJAH TRIVANDRUM CHENNAI MUSCAT KOCHI BEIRUT JEDDAH ASYUT ALEXANDRIA CAIRO BAHRAIN ALEXANDRIA ABU DHABI COLOMBO DUBAI DOHA MUMBAI BAHRAIN DAMASCUS DUBAI ISLAMABAD DOHA ABU DHABI ALEXANDRIA CAIRO BANGKOK KUALA LUMPUR ASYUT

14:10 14:15 14:30 14:55 15:05 15:05 15:40 15:45 16:00 16:00 16:00 16:00 16:35 16:50 16:55 17:05 17:15 17:20 17:20 17:40 17:50 17:55 18:15 18:20 18:20 18:30 18:30 18:40 18:50 19:25 19:25 19:35 19:50 20:15 20:15 20:20 20:35 20:40 20:45 20:50 20:55 20:55 21:05 21:15 21:20 21:25 21:30 21:30 21:50 22:00 22:15 22:20 22:25 22:35 22:40 22:45 23:00 23:00 23:00 23:05 23:05 23:20 23:25 23:40 23:50 23:55

34

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

stars CROSSWORD 287

STAR TRACK Aries (March 21-April 19) This is a time when life circumstances seem to catch you by surprise but you are smiling. There are opportunities to complete and work out difficulties and projects that have, until now, required both long-term effort and a high degree of discipline. Things have a way of working out smoothly. You come up with new solutions to some old problems.

Breakthroughs in your career could also open up now. Improved solutions and insights create opportunities that you will not want to overlook. Family issues find easy solutions this evening, particularly with regard to subjects of budget. When young people make a researched presentation to plea for more allowance, they learn about business. You will be impressed by their industriousness.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) You could find yourself communicating techniques and methods to others today. You have a natural ability to see what is needed and you respond in a professional manor. You are in the mood to accomplish quite a lot—very little will sway you from your goals.

Seeing both sides of an issue and figuring out resolutions to opposing views are important assets in the office and in the home, particularly with young minds that seem totally motivated by their feelings. This afternoon you may try to clear away the cobwebs from these young minds. You may also help guide young people to see the difference between reality and fiction.

There are new opportunities to either teach or take a class with a loved one in some creative learning.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

ACROSS 1. Seek someone's favor.

4. (mythology) According to legend, an island in the Atlantic Ocean that was swallowed by an earthquake.

12. Extremely pleasing.

15. A drug combination found in some over-thecounter headache remedies (Aspirin and Phenacetin and Caffeine).

16. Structure forming the transverse part of a cruciform church.

17. Any of various primates with short tails or no tail at all.

18. The Fate who determines the length of the thread of life.

20. A sloping mass of rocks at the base of a cliff.

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

22. The act of scanning.

23. The compass point that is one point east (clockwise) of due north.

25. An early French settler in the Maritimes.

27. Destruction of heart tissue resulting from obstruction of the blood supply to the heart muscle.

28. (Greek mythology) Daughter of Zeus and Demeter.

30. Type genus of the Amiidae.

31. Being five more than one hundred.

33. A radioactive transuranic element produced by bombarding plutonium with neutrons.

34. Resinlike substance secreted by certain lac insects.

38. Consisting of or made of wood of the oak tree.

41. A city of central China.

45. Being of use or service.

46. Not clearly understood or expressed.

48. A compartment in front of a motor vehicle where driver sits.

51. The basic unit of money in Bulgaria.

52. Any of various strong liquors distilled from the fermented sap of toddy palms or from fermented molasses.

55. Wear away.

58. Vibrate, as of a swing before it comes to a total rest.

60. (formerly) A horse-drawn wagon that delivered ice door to door.

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

63. A state in the eastern United States.

64. Go ashore.

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

73. Small spiny outgrowth on the wings of certain insects.

74. Any of several tall tropical palms native to southeastern Asia having egg-shaped nuts.

76. A river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine.

77. The smallest multiple that is exactly divisible by every member of a set of numbers.

78. A cut of pork ribs with much of the meat trimmed off.

80. (of securities) Not quoted on a stock exchange.

81. (folklore) Fairies that are somewhat mischievous.

82. A large estate in Spanish-speaking countries.

83. A unit of length of thread or yarn.

DOWN 1. A large number or amount.

2. An organization of countries formed in 1961 to

agree on a common policy for the sale of petroleum.

3. English scholastic philosopher and assumed author of Occam's Razor (1285-1349).

4. A unit of pressure.

5. A psychological state induced by (or as if induced by) a magical incantation.

6. A white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily.

7. Typical geese.

8. A committee in the executive branch of government that advises the president on foreign and military and national security.

9. A three-tone Chadic language.

10. A medicinal drug used to evoke vomiting (especially in cases of drug overdose or poisoning).

11. Water at boiling temperature diffused in the atmosphere v 1.

12. A sheet or band of fibrous connective tissue separating or binding together muscles and organs etc.

13. The capital of Western Samoa.

14. Any of various edible seeds of plants of the family Leguminosae.

19. An agency of the United Nations responsible for programs to aid education and the health of children and mothers in developing countries.

24. (of persons) Highest in rank or authority or office.

26. English theoretical physicist who applied relativity theory to quantum mechanics and predicted the existence of antimatter and the positron (1902-1984).

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

32. Italian painter and art historian (1511-1574).

35. Small buffalo of the Celebes having small straight horns.

36. Typical shipworm.

37. Being one more than ten.

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

40. The 13th letter of the Greek alphabet.

42. The content of cognition.

43. A bachelor's degree in science.

44. A Russian prison camp for political prisoners.

47. (Scottish) Bluish-black or gray-blue.

49. Someone whose job is to dye cloth.

50. A noisy mock serenade (made by banging pans and kettles) to a newly married couple.

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

54. A member of an Indian people formerly living along the Gulf coast of Louisiana and Texas.

56. The use of bacteria or viruses of toxins to destroy men and animals or food.

57. A Hindu prince or king in India.

59. Again but in a new or different way.

61. Military barracks in a garrison town.

65. Electronic warfare undertaken to insure effective friendly use of the electromagnetic spectrum in spite of the enemy's use of electronic warfare.

66. A lump on the body caused by a blow.

67. A member of a rural Finnish people living in eastern Russia.

68. Harsh or corrosive in tone.

70. A correctional institution used to detain persons who are in the lawful custody of the government (either accused persons awaiting trial or convicted persons serving a sentence).

71. The emotion of hate.

72. Type genus of the family Arcidae.

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

79. A radioactive element of the actinide series.

You have a natural sense for communicating with others, especially those younger than you. Clear thoughts about the past may also be flowing in today.

There is a growing self-confidence. In summary, from this time forward, expect a more confident, outgoing attitude. A growing sense of direction and self-worth will find you reaching out and establishing yourself. Close personal ties to other people are an important area you navigate. This may mean that you have company visiting throughout this week and you look for different ideas on entertainment, food, etc. There is a greater than usual interest in relationships, social connections and the arts. Keep your balance; agree to a reasonable request by a family member—patience.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) Planning ahead will work to your benefit today. Do not take chances or risks just now. Be satisfied with the ordinary. Novel ideas or insights could be more damaging than useful but those plans already made will be successful. There is plenty of hectic emotional energy, but you will be able to succeed if you think through your moves. Do not perform by quick response.

Seeing both sides of an issue and figuring out resolutions to opposing views will become more important than usual now. Someone is watching the way you are able to quickly solve problems. Perhaps it is time for an employee review—write your own. This evening, close personal ties to other people are a focal point for your feelings—marriage and other partnerships could be a key arena.

Leo (July 23-August 22) You appear quite charming today. Now is the perfect time to set dates, apply for a job or otherwise make yourself known. You are insightful—never shy about working with the most sensitive and vulnerable areas of the human psyche. You love new and different ways of self-discovery and transformation. You may now be considering a different type of company to work for or you realize that this is the perfect time to apply for a change within your own company. Marriage, celebrations or a reunion is in the forecast soon. You strive for harmony and beauty now and may decide that this is the time to consider plans for redecorating your home or planting new shrubbery or trees around your home. You want more wildlife.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) This is a good day to use your active imagination and creativity when it comes to ideas and thinking. You show off your ability to put your thoughts into words and captivate any listener. Gathering and exchanging information is important in developing your strategies. This is a mentally active day. A tremendous sense for taking care of business is upon you. This amounts to a passion and benefits you in all business situations. This evening you may find yourself in a group meeting, facing the concerns of homeowners or renters in the same area in which you live. Finding ways to help through land or housing improvements may be topics to consider. The weather may be nice enough to enjoy open windows this evening.

Word Search

Libra (September 23-October 22) Today may consist of reorganizing, making phone calls, contacts and appointments. This may prove to be a fairly productive day. You can appreciate the difficulties of others and be understanding of the problems they may be having. You value a certain amount of self-sacrifice. You can discriminate between superficiality and the reality beneath it. A new cycle begins for you, signaling a greater than usual interest in relationships; social connections and the arts will be on a more intellectual level than in the past, most likely. If an unusual opportunity presents itself, consider it very carefully; it just may be the experience for which you have been waiting. This opportunity will probably be in expressing your talent.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) Expect a sense of support and goodwill from those around you. If it is your turn to make the presentation in some office meeting today, your coworker friends will support you. Your family members know about your hard work and send you positive thoughts. Whatever your endeavors, you will have positive support. You will enjoy and value your own life situation today. A fun time with a friend at the noon break keeps your energy and confidence level high. This afternoon you enjoy working hard and being organized. You exercise your skill and discipline in anything that affects your career and reputation. There are breakthrough flashes of insight with tremendous originality and independence, which are typical now.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Circumstances can throw you into position where you must use your mind and deal with communications, service or enclosed hidden interests. You may deal with education, psychology, spiritual enlightenment or teaching principles and techniques to others. Some of the planetary energies present now suggest that you are comfortable with established values. You know and understand more than you let on today—changes in the workplace will not surprise you. There are big changes throughout your life in matters of organization and responsibility. Make it a point to be thorough, to finish things and take care of all the loose ends that keep popping up. Close relationships take on more emotional depth.

Romance is in the air tonight.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) CAPRICORN

There is a tendency to be very strict with yourself when it comes to responsibilities and carrying out instructions—others could learn from your actions. Your ambition is intensified. You appreciate people who have been successful and may surround yourself with those in power whenever the opportunity presents itself. Your sense of quality and discrimination may amount to some sort of livelihood for you. You understand about choices and can spot the right ones. Seeing both sides of an issue becomes very important to you. You may get into some touchy conversations today but you will be able to come up with the appropriate words. Family, possibly brothers or sisters, will help you create a lovely surprise for a family friend tonight.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) This could be an action-filled day when time seems to slow down as you encounter some of your more sensitive areas. This kind of intensity and vulnerability points to inner change and growth. Ideas for writing, perhaps a little work toward a book, short story or poetry, appeal to you this afternoon. There could be research into religious or very idealistic subjects now. You are very sensitive, even vulnerable when it comes to expressing yourself.

Periods of intense creativity enable you to go through changes and inner growth. This creative intensity could be in your expression for music. When your mind is not disciplined, you know the problems that seem to accumulate. Relationships are important to you and you seek and find most positive people.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) You may be especially dynamic and assertive just now and you may want to insert caution if you are rushing through your work. There is a lot of energy and drive available for accomplishing what you set out to do, one-step-at-a-time. This is a good time to move forward in your career decisions. You will be able to see both sides of an issue and figure out resolutions to opposing views. This is a real time to buckle down and strengthen your career. It is easy for you to organize and make a beautiful presentation. This afternoon you may enjoy escaping from the busy world of work and people by enjoying one of your hobbies. Some of you may enjoy a sewing, weaving or art class. Later, you can join your family for a dinner away from home.

Yesterday’s Solution

Yesterday’s Solution

Daily SuDoku

Yesterday’s Solution

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

i n f o r m at i o n For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128 GOVERNORATE Sabah Hospital

24812000

Amiri Hospital

22450005

Maternity Hospital

24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

Chest Hospital

24849400

Farwaniya Hospital

24892010

Adan Hospital

23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital

24874330/9

PHARMACY

ADDRESS

PHONE

Ahmadi

Sama Safwan Abu Halaifa Danat Al-Sultan

Fahaeel Makka St Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd

23915883 23715414 23726558

Jahra

Modern Jahra Madina Munawara

Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 Jahra-Block 92

24575518 24566622

Capital

Ahlam Khaldiya Coop

Fahad Al-Salem St Khaldiya Coop

22436184 24833967

Farwaniya

New Shifa Ferdous Coop Modern Safwan

Farwaniya Block 40 Ferdous Coop Old Kheitan Block 11

24734000 24881201 24726638

Tariq Hana Ikhlas Hawally & Rawdha Ghadeer Kindy Ibn Al-Nafis Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Salmiya-Amman St Hawally-Beirut St Hawally & Rawdha Coop Jabriya-Block 1A Jabriya-Block 3B Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

25726265 25647075 22625999 22564549 25340559 25326554 25721264 25380581 25628241

Hawally

Al-Madeena

22418714

Al-Shuhada

22545171

Al-Shuwaikh

24810598

Al-Nuzha

22545171

Sabhan

24742838

Al-Helaly

22434853

Al-Faiha

22545051

Al-Farwaniya

24711433

Al-Sulaibikhat

24316983

Al-Fahaheel

23927002

Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh

24316983

Ahmadi

23980088

Al-Mangaf

23711183

Al-Shuaiba

23262845

Kaizen center

25716707

Rawda

22517733

Adaliya

22517144

Al-Jahra

25610011

Khaldiya

24848075

Al-Salmiya

25616368

Kaifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salem

22549134

Nuzha

22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Qadsiya

22515088

Dasmah

22532265

Bneid Al-Gar

22531908

Shaab

22518752

Qibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Qibla

22451082

Mirqab

22456536

Sharq

22465401

Salmiya

25746401

Jabriya

25316254

Maidan Hawally

25623444

Bayan

25388462

Mishref

25381200

W Hawally

22630786

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

New Jahra

24575755

West Jahra

24772608

South Jahra

24775066

North Jahra

24775992

North Jleeb

24311795

Ardhiya

24884079

Firdous

24892674

Omariya

24719048

N Khaitan

24710044

Fintas

23900322

INTERNATIONAL CALLS

PRIVATE CLINICS Ophthalmologists Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444 Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222 Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171 Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999 Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700 Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223 Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223 Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510 Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660 Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478 Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996 Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988 Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166 Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426 General Practitioners Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123 Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312 Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920 Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465 Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528 Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781 Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501 Urologists Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534 Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955 Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660 Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120 Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427 Psychologists /Psychotherapists

Paediatricians

Plastic Surgeons Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf

22547272

Dr. Khaled Hamadi

Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari

22617700

Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed

Dr. Abdel Quttainah

25625030/60

Family Doctor Dr Divya Damodar

23729596/23729581

Psychiatrists Dr. Esam Al-Ansari

22635047

Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan

22613623/0

Gynaecologists & Obstetricians DrAdrian arbe

23729596/23729581

Dr. Verginia s.Marin

2572-6666 ext 8321

Endocrinologist

25665898 25340300

Dr. Zahra Qabazard

25710444

Dr. Sohail Qamar

22621099

Dr. Snaa Maaroof

25713514

Dr. Pradip Gujare

23713100

Dr. Zacharias Mathew

24334282

(1) Ear, Nose and Throat (2) Plastic Surgeon Dr. Abdul Mohsin Jafar, FRCS (Canada)

25655535

Dentists

Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan

22655539

Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami

25343406

Dr. Shamah Al-Matar

22641071/2

Dr. Ahmad Al-Khooly

25739272

Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed

22562226

22618787

Dr. Abidallah Al-Amer

22561444

Dr. Faysal Al-Fozan

22619557

Dr. Abdallateef Al-Katrash

22525888

Dr. Abidallah Al-Duweisan

25653755

Dr. Bader Al-Ansari

25620111

General Surgeons Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer

22610044

Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher

25327148

Internists, Chest & Heart Dr. Adnan Ebil Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan

22666300 25728004

Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra

25355515

Dr. Mobarak Aldoub

24726446

Dr Nasser Behbehani

25654300/3

Soor Center Tel: 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688

Neurologists

22639939

Dr. Mousa Khadada

info@soorcenter.com www.soorcenter.com

3729596/3729581

Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri

25633324

Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan

25345875

Gastrologists Dr. Sami Aman

22636464

Dr. Mohammad Al-Shamaly

25322030

Dr. Foad Abidallah Al-Ali

22633135

Kaizen center 25716707

25339330

Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888 Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924 Physiotherapists & VD Dr. Deyaa Shehab

25722291

Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees

22666288

Rheumatologists: Dr. Adel Al-Awadi

Dr Anil Thomas

Dr. Salem soso

Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman

25330060

Dr. Khaled Al-Jarallah

25722290

Internist, Chest & Heart DR.Mohammes Akkad

24555050 Ext 210

Dr. Mohammad Zubaid MB, ChB, FRCPC, PACC Assistant Professor Of Medicine Head, Division of Cardiology Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital Consultant Cardiologist Dr. Farida Al-Habib MD, PH.D, FACC Inaya German Medical Center Te: 2575077 Fax: 25723123

2611555-2622555

William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677 Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677

Afghanistan 0093 Albania 00355 Algeria 00213 Andorra 00376 Angola 00244 Anguilla 001264 Antiga 001268 Argentina 0054 Armenia 00374 Australia 0061 Austria 0043 Bahamas 001242 Bahrain 00973 Bangladesh 00880 Barbados 001246 Belarus 00375 Belgium 0032 Belize 00501 Benin 00229 Bermuda 001441 Bhutan 00975 Bolivia 00591 Bosnia 00387 Botswana 00267 Brazil 0055 Brunei 00673 Bulgaria 00359 Burkina 00226 Burundi 00257 Cambodia 00855 Cameroon 00237 Canada 001 Cape Verde 00238 Cayman Islands 001345 Central African 00236 Chad 00235 Chile 0056 China 0086 Colombia 0057 Comoros 00269 Congo 00242 Cook Islands 00682 Costa Rica 00506 Croatia 00385 Cuba 0053 Cyprus 00357 Cyprus (Northern) 0090392 Czech Republic 00420 Denmark 0045 Diego Garcia 00246 Djibouti 00253 Dominica 001767 Dominican Republic 001809 Ecuador 00593 Egypt 0020 El Salvador 00503 England (UK) 0044 Equatorial Guinea 00240 Eritrea 00291 Estonia 00372 Ethiopia 00251 Falkland Islands 00500 Faroe Islands 00298 Fiji 00679 Finland 00358 France 0033 French Guiana 00594 French Polynesia 00689 Gabon 00241 Gambia 00220 Georgia 00995 Germany 0049 Ghana 00233 Gibraltar 00350 Greece 0030 Greenland 00299 Grenada 001473 Guadeloupe 00590 Guam 001671 Guatemala 00502 Guinea 00224 Guyana 00592 Haiti 00509 Holland (Netherlands) 0031 Honduras 00504 Hong Kong 00852 Hungary 0036 Ibiza (Spain) 0034 Iceland 00354 India 0091 Indian Ocean 00873 Indonesia 0062

Iran 0098 Iraq 00964 Ireland 00353 Italy 0039 Ivory Coast 00225 Jamaica 001876 Japan 0081 Jordan 00962 Kazakhstan 007 Kenya 00254 Kiribati 00686 Kuwait 00965 Kyrgyzstan 00996 Laos 00856 Latvia 00371 Lebanon 00961 Liberia 00231 Libya 00218 Lithuania 00370 Luxembourg 00352 Macau 00853 Macedonia 00389 Madagascar 00261 Majorca 0034 Malawi 00265 Malaysia 0060 Maldives 00960 Mali 00223 Malta 00356 Marshall Islands 00692 Martinique 00596 Mauritania 00222 Mauritius 00230 Mayotte 00269 Mexico 0052 Micronesia 00691 Moldova 00373 Monaco 00377 Mongolia 00976 Montserrat 001664 Morocco 00212 Mozambique 00258 Myanmar (Burma) 0095 Namibia 00264 Nepal 00977 Netherlands (Holland) 0031 Netherlands Antilles 00599 New Caledonia 00687 New Zealand 0064 Nicaragua 00505 Nigar 00227 Nigeria 00234 Niue 00683 Norfolk Island 00672 Northern Ireland (UK) 0044 North Korea 00850 Norway 0047 Oman 00968 Pakistan 0092 Palau 00680 Panama 00507 Papua New Guinea 00675 Paraguay 00595 Peru 0051 Philippines 0063 Poland 0048 Portugal 00351 Puerto Rico 001787 Qatar 00974 Romania 0040 Russian Federation 007 Rwanda 00250 Saint Helena 00290 Saint Kitts 001869 Saint Lucia 001758 Saint Pierre 00508 Saint Vincent 001784 Samoa US 00684 Samoa West 00685 San Marino 00378 Sao Tone 00239 Saudi Arabia 00966 Scotland (UK) 0044 Senegal 00221 Seychelles 00284 Sierra Leone 00232 Singapore 0065 Slovakia 00421 Slovenia 00386 Solomon Islands 00677

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

lifestyle

Kardashian and West refuse $4 million for baby picture

G O S S I P

R

McAdams, Fitzgerald joins Franco in new drama

guilt and the successful writing career it spawns. Production is currently under way in Montreal.

Fitzgerald will soon be seen alongside Jeff Bridges and Julianne Moore in Legendary’s fantasy film “The Seventh Son.” She’s represented by manager Darren Goldberg of Global Creative and Vancouver-based agent Carrie Wheeler. McAdams, who next stars opposite Domhnall Gleeson in Richard Curtis’ romantic comedy “About Time,” will spend the fall filming Cameron Crowe’s next movie with Bradley Cooper and Emma Stone. She’s repped

by Magnolia Entertainment.

achel McAdams is set to join James Franco in Wim Wenders’ drama “Every Thing Will Be Fine,” which has also added young actress Lilah Fitzgerald to its cast, TheWrap has learned. Franco stars as Tomas, who accidentally hits and kills a child while driving around the outskirts of town following a trivial domestic dispute.

Charlotte Gainsbourgh co-stars as the boy’s mother, while Robert Naylor (“Immortals”) plays the boy’s brother, who confronts Tomas about the accident later in life.

McAdams will play Franco’s girlfriend, who helps him deal with his

Edwards’ mom confirms

Malik engagement

K

im Kardashian and Kanye West refused a $4 million offer for photographs of their baby. The couple - who welcomed their daughter North West into the world in June - reportedly turned down the lucrative offer from an Australian news outlet that wanted exclusive publishing rights to pictures of their newborn deciding they didn’t need the cash.

A source told RadarOnline.com: “They were planning on giving it all away to [Kanye’s] charity anyway, It’s not like [North] needs to worry about [her] trust fund, Kanye’s already set aside a serious chunk of change.” Kim made her first public

appearance ahead of her sister Kylie Jenner’s 16th birthday party last week after two months in hiding, but insiders claim she is concealing North’s identity for now to protect the tot. The source added: “Right now, she is worried about the safety of Nori because paps are throwing stuff over the walls, yelling awful things at her, she feels threatened and scared right now that if they don’t just let everyone see the kid, you all are gonna go [crazy] on her when she does finally emerge.” Kanye will reveal a photo of North on Kim’s mother Kris Jenner’s talk show on Friday in an interview that has already been recorded.

Griffith finds Hollywood a ‘superficial place’

T

he 56-year-old actress - who won a Global Award and was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance in 1988 film ‘Working Girl’ - has lashed out at the acting capital branding it fake because it dismisses older women for

major movie roles and is only interested in young, attractive actresses. Speaking to FOX411, she said: “It is what I never thought would happen when I was in my 20s and 30s, hearing actresses bitch about not getting any work when they turned 50.

Now I understand it, it is just different. In a lot of ways, [Hollywood is] a very superficial place. “It is all about youth and beauty, for women anyway. You just have to keep biting and pushing your way through, doing theatre. I believe in just being really good and working on my craft which is how I started in the first place. I really like that as opposed to the fame part of it.” Griffith who is married to Antonio Banderas - has also hit out at the quality of modern movies and believes the film industry has taken a turn for the worst since her heyday.

She explained: “In this day and age ... most of the scripts are not so good and stupid and superficial. “It’s not that I get that much stuff anymore. But I do read my husband’s scripts and what he is offered ... The movie business has changed. I don’t go to the movies these days because there is nothing to see. There is not very much, some little movies, but the big movies are all cartoons and super heroes.”

ʻGeneral Hospitalʼ actors marry, expecting a baby

L

ife is imitating art for Kirsten Storms of ABC’s “General Hospital.” The actress’ character on the daytime drama is in labor this week with her daughter. In real life, 29-year-old Storms is also pregnant with her first child, due in January, and says it’s a baby girl. Dad is 33-year-old Brandon Barash, who played Johnny Zacchara on the soap but left the show in April. Storms and Barash also say they secretly got married in June. The couple thinks they conceived the baby on a trip to Amsterdam, while staying in co-star Tony Geary’s guest room. Geary plays longtime character Luke Spencer on the show. People magazine first reported the news. “General Hospital” is now in its 50th year on the air.

P

errie Edwards’ mum has confirmed her engagement to Zayn Malik.

The Little Mix singer sparked rumours when she was seen flashing a huge rock on her ring finger as she attended the premiere of her One Direction hunk boyfriend’s film ‘One Direction: This is Us’ in London last night (20.08.13), and now her mother Debbie has confirmed the happy news. She told the Dorset Echo newspaper: “It’s official. I’m over the moon. They are really in love.” Debbie said Perrie is thrilled but hadn’t wanted to make their engagement official as last night’s premiere was all about One Direction, which also includes Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan. She added in a radio interview: “It’s wonderful because Zayn is absolutely gorgeous. It’s true they got engaged on Sunday and it’s absolutely lovely. “Perrie loves him to pieces and it’s perfect. They get on so well together and understand each other. It’s just fabulous.” Perrie and Zayn have been dating for two years, and Zayn recently got a tattoo of her in cartoon form on his arm. He said of the inking: “It’s not a direct portrait but it’s all the things that I like about her. She was shocked at first but loves it now. She thinks I’m crazy ... like everyone else does. To be fair, I am a little bit crazy ... I’m happy to be labeled the crazy one of the group.”

Anna Kendrick’s lingerie hassle

A

nna Kendrick gets embarrassed when fans approach her while she’s underwear shopping. The ‘Pitch Per fect’ actress doesn’t understand why people feel the need to ask for her autograph when she’s got a pair of panties in her hands. She joked to GQ magazine: “There’s something deeply embarrassing about being approached when you’re holding knickers and it’s happened twice!” The petite star plays one half of a dysfunctional relationship in her new film ‘Drinking Buddies’, and says she is just as obsessed with beer as her craft brewery worker character, citing “every single Belgian-style beer” as her favorite tipple.

When informed that OkCupid claim beer drinkers are more likely to go home with someone on the first date, Anna - who is currently single - was intrigued. She joked: “Oh my! I mean, correlation doesn’t suggest causality but that is so interesting.”

Anna split with her longterm boyfriend, filmmaker Edgar Wright, in March.

The pair had been dating since 2009 when he directed her in ‘Scott Pilgrim vs.

The World’. Speculation was rife the 27year-old star might have struck up a relationship with her ‘What To Expect When You’re Expecting’ co-star Chace Crawford earlier this summer, but the pair appear to just be friends.

Jennifer Aniston is afraid of flying

La Toya Jackson

to star in a New York play

Drew Barrymore joined Twitter T

T

he ‘Whip It’ star signed up to the social media site yesterday admitting she is “late to the party”. She tweeted: “Late to the party, but happy to be here. 140 characters should keep me from rambling... Someone told me it doesn’t all have to fit in 1 tweet. (sic)” Drew, 38, chose a picture of her on the cover of InStyle magazine as her backdrop and also re-tweeted news she will be hosting a Twitter chat with the magazine tomorrow. By this morning she had amassed over 21,000 followers. Drew - who is married to Will Koppelman, with whom she has 10-month-old daughter Olive - has said she wants to have more children, and could use the social networking site to share bulletins from her daily life such as her cravings, should she fall pregnant again. While she was due to have Olive, the Hollywood star has told how she was hungry for calorie packed treats. She said: “I loved cheeseburgers. I wanted nothing to do with vegetables and I love vegetables! And ice cream disgusts me, but all I wanted was Thrifty Mint ‘n Chip ice cream. “I gained about 40 lbs. I think I gained an extra five the last week because I was so late and was like, ‘Forget it! All bets are off! I’ll have two cheeseburgers.’ “

he 57-year-old actress will take over from Emmy-winning television star Jackée Harry for a week in Rick Crom’s off-Broadway production of ‘NEWSical the Musical’, which merges celebrity and political scandals with catchy music, before deciding whether to return to theatre permanently. Speaking to the New York Post newspaper, she said: “I’ve wanted to do [theatre] but on Broadway the shows play for such a long, extended time.” Meanwhile, the singer-songwriter has been tied up in the wrongful death lawsuit filed by her family against AEG live. The Jackson’s are suing the company as they believe they negligently hired and supervised Dr. Conrad Murray - who is currently serving four years imprisonment for involuntary manslaughter - who administered the lethal dose of Propofol which killed her brother Michael Jackson in 2009.

Only one member of the Jackson family are allowed to be present in the court room at one time, which Toya says has been challenging for her mother, Katherine Jackson. She said: “I speak to my mother every day. This has been very taxing on her. But she’s so strong. She’s holding up so well.

We were all there for the last trial.” — Bang Showbiz

T

he 44-year-old actress gets anxious whenever she boards a plane and even downing alcoholic beverages before a flight doesn’t ease her phobia. Asked what her biggest fear is during an interview on UK chat show ‘Lorraine’, she confessed: “Flying.

You can’t get a big enough drink and it doesn’t help. I’ve actually gotten much better...”

The former ‘Friends’ star also admitted laughter is what makes her relationship with her fiancé Justin Theroux work. Jennifer said: “My fiancé makes me laugh a lot.” The brunette revealed she is her friends’ go-to girl for bringing people together and compared herself to an “alchemist” because she is so good at connecting her pals. She explained: “I’m really good at brining people together. I’m like an alchemist with people. I love introducing people to people I know. “A girlfriend of mine said the other day she’s met so many wonderful people [through me]. I’m lucky because I get to meet great people along the way.” Jennifer stars as a stripper pretending to be a squeaky clean soccer mom in her new comedy ‘We’re the Millers’, but she admits she was shocked when she visited a strip club in her twenties.

She said: “I had a couple of moments where I visited a strip club. That was plenty ... You cannot understand!”

37

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

LIFESTYLE F E A T U R E S

A file photo shows bulls fighting during the ‘Corrida of Cevljanovici’, a bull-on-bull tournament, in the central Bosnian village of Cevljanovici.

— AFP photos

Bull fights

Croatia’s Renata Prenjkovic, 35, holding a trophy and leading her bull out of the arena after it won a fight at the ‘Corrida of Cevljanovici’.

help ease Bosnia’s ethnic divisions heir owners waged a bloody inter-ethnic war but when it comes to the sport of giant bull fighting and especially its grandest event, the Corrida of Cevljanovici, there are “no nationalities” in Bosnia. Fourteen beasts with carefully polished horns, have been hand-picked to compete in the

T

Croatia’s Renata Prenjkovic, 35, posing with her trophy after her bull’s victory in the ‘Corrida of Cevljanovici’.

“Champions League” of the summer corridas.

They will draw a huge crowd of Bosnians, Serbs and Croats, a rare meeting place for all three communities who fought against each other between 1992 and 1995. “There are no ethnic divisions here,” said Ivo Ilic, a Bosnian Croat who has brought his bull Lozonja to fight. “We are all like siblings.”

It is played out annually on a huge natural plateau, some 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) above sea level, some 40 kilometers (24 miles) north of Sarajevo. The event took place in midAugust and even the almost unbearable heattemperatures broke 39 degrees celsius (102 farenheit) — did not prevent thousands of people of all ages coming to the valley, where the air is filled with the smoke of numerous barbeques as skewers slowly rotate lambs from the early morning onwards. In dozens of tents turned into makeshift restaurants, a kilo of freshly roasted lamb cost about 10 euros ($13), not a cheap treat in a country where the average monthly salary is just 400 euros.

Numerous brass bands play local folk music as scantily dressed young women dance on the tables in the tents and delighted drinkers watch. Outside, hundreds of men and women dance the traditional “kolo” in a circle, hand in hand, as some of them did decades ago in the former communist Yugoslavia. “The corrida of Cevljanovici is like a melting pot with all ingredients, Serbs, Croats and Muslims,” said Besim Gljiva, one of its organizers. Gljiva said bull fights in Cevljanovici have a 66-year-long tra-

Spectators gathered behind a fence as bulls fight during the ‘Corrida of Cevljanovici’. dition, but various festivities were organized throughout Bosnia. Victory at Cevljanovici here as far back as the 19th century. There was could enormously increase a bull’s value, up to a break in bull fighting during the war but 25,000 euros, although there is no prize mononce the conflict-which left some 100,000 ey for the winner. The winning bulls are treated by owners almost as family members; dead-was over, the festivals started again. when they die, some even organize funerals for the glorified animals. But this is not a No blood, no matadors Bull breeders from all three communities Spanish-type corrida: there is neither blood came together to form a national federation in nor a matador.

The bull-on-bull fights never end in death 2003 and at least 1,000 bulls take part in fights organized every Sunday during the summer as it is banned to sharpen their horns, to pre-

vent any serious injury. The fight ends when one of the powerful animals flees the arena, surrounded with a two-meter (six-foot-seveninch) wire fence, thus admitting the superiority of its rival. Some battles end without any contact between the two bulls, while others last for several minutes as the rivals push each other’s heads. Stevo Mumovic, a Serb from the eastern town of Han Pijesak, is a proud owner of a bull that has never lost a fight.

But this time, he was here to congratulate his Muslim friend Nezir Saracevic, whose bull Garonja, the strongest at the tournament, weighing 1,200 kilos (2,650 pounds), had just won a fight. “It is a special glory to have the strongest bull. This is the biggest corrida, the most visited, by people from all communities,” Saracevic said proudly. Those wishing to congratulate him, however, cautiously avoid any sudden move, afraid to upset a huge black beast seemingly guarding his owner.

“He is like a mountain!” a man shouts, pointing at the bull, now resting after chasing his rival out of the arena through a fenced corridor. Owners of defeated bulls are, however, quick to join the winners at a table covered with cold pints of beer.

Bosnian Croat Renata Prenjkovic, the only woman among the bull breeders, enjoyed victory against a fellow Croat’s bull. “This is a sport without nationality. As we all know each other, we are friends. But I am especially happy today because I beat Ivo, a Croat,” Prenjkovic laughed. — AFP

Dollywood to build resort, add shows and rides o see the future of Dollywood, you need to borrow the vision of its chief imaginer, Dolly Parton. In the near future, Parton sees a resort hotel lobby with a three-story window that frames Mount LeConte one of the tallest peaks in the Smoky Mountains. Guests will be able to book a grand suite in the hotel that the entertainer uses when she stays in the Pigeon Forge theme park that bears her name.

All of that is future tense, but not very far away. The park plans to open DreamMore Resort in 2015. It’s part of a planned $300 million expansion to take place over the next decade. A new roller coaster, this one aimed at families, is scheduled to open in 2014. The resort hotel has been Parton’s dream ever since she affixed her name to the theme park 28 years ago. “The thing we’re most excited about is finally building our resort,” Parton said Friday by telephone from the park in the Smokies foothills. “We’re starting out with a resort that has 300 rooms,” Parton said.

“Some of the rooms will accommodate up to six people in a family.” There will be a lot of “front porch spaces” at the resort. Parton noted that during her upbringing nearby, people tended to congregate on front porches or in the kitchen. A fishing pond will be on the property where children can catch their first whopper and there will be fire pits where families can roast marshmallows. People walking into the lobby will be greeted with a glass of lemonade in the summer and a cup of hot chocolate during winter months.

The total dollar investment in the next decade will exceed the company’s spending on Dollywood so far, said Craig Ross, president. “In 10 years’ time, we will have spent more than we’ve spent since the inception back in 1986...” Ross said. The plan includes multiple additional resorts as well as more rides and shows. “It’s the bigger scope of these attractions that we’ll be adding that’s different,” Ross said.

T

The first of the new attractions will be Fire Chaser Express, scheduled to open next year. It’s a ride described as exciting, but not as intense as the Wild Eagle or Dollywood’s water coaster, RiverRush. Children of elementary school age will be able to ride it. Research by Dollywood showed executives the resort will make a difference for many people looking to vacation in the mountains. A survey showed 80 percent of people asked about visiting the theme park, who had not yet come, indicated having a resort on the property would be important to them.

Dollywood is putting up a new website, www.dreammoreresort.com, to help market the hotel, even as it is under construction. Leon Downey, executive director of the Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism, emphasized the importance of the Dollywood expansion. “We’re basically 100 percent tourism” Downey said. “It’s the only industry we have.” On an average day, there will be 50,000 guests in Pigeon Forge - a small city with a permanent population of 5,784. The announcement by Dollywood is exciting for the town. “It makes all of us in the city smile,” Downey said “Every year Dollywood has a new announcement, but this one is so big it dwarfs all the others.” The Sevier County where Parton grew up was mostly hardscrabble farming and a few summer forays into selling trinkets to tourists. She is proud to be part of the transformation of the mountains gateway community. Her success as a country music artist and an actress has pulled her to Hollywood and many overseas locations. She is preparing for another European tour now. But the mountains will always be home, Parton said, and she’s glad to bring employment there. “It is the most amazing feeling,” Parton said. “People say you can’t go home again. Well, I’ve certainly proved that wrong.”

Parton said the nearby Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a magnet that has drawn visitors for decades. —AP

Swedish museum to recover lost scientific artifact Dolly Parton poses for a photograph by the Adventure Mountain attraction during the 25th anniversary celebration of the Dollywood Theme Park in 2010 in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. — AP

Hydra IQ with SPF 30 is NIVEA’s new revolutionary technology

rare 16th-century scientific artifact used in astronomical measurements that has been missing from a Swedish museum for a decade has been recovered and will be returned this week, the Londonbased Art Loss Register says. The 1590 brass-and-silver astrolabe, worth around half a million euros ($750,000), turned up when an Italian collector discovered the piece was listed as missing and came forward to return it, Register Director Chris Marinello said.

Bengt Kylsberg of Skokloster Castle, north of Stockholm, said Tuesday he is glad to get the piece back and will put it on public display immediately.

German scholar Petra Schmidl of Bonn University, who studies astrolabes, describes them as a “twodimensional model of the three-dimensional world.”

Known since ancient times, fewer than 2,000 astrolabes survive.

A

by the NIVEA research team based in Hamburg, Germany, hydrates the skin from deep within d. By activating the skin’s own irrigation system, the aquaporin, it allows for the transfer of water molecules between skin cells to improve the skin’s natural hydration.” It is recommended to apply moisturiser with SPF 30 every day all year round at least 15 to 30 minutes prior to being exposed to the sun.

IVEA’s extensive skin care range has expanded to include a nourishing day care cream featuring both their latest innovation, Hydra IQ and SPF 30. Daily Essentials Day Care with Hydra IQ, provides the skin with all the moisture and soothing elements it needs to enhance its natural balance, whilst the sun factor 30 protects against harmful UVA and UVB rays which can penetrate through make-up and damage

N

skin. Featuring SPF 30, the highest sun protection factor in the NIVEA face care range, the product has been developed for both dry to sensitive skin and for normal skin using essential natural ingredients to intensively nourish and hydrate.

Shea butter - a natural plant extract with exceptional moisturizing properties is particularly beneficial for dry and sensitive skin and ocean minerals provide refreshing

hydration to normal skin. Nadim Gholam Brand Manager for NIVEA Face Care commented “due to the delicate nature of facial skin and increased exposure of sun, humidity or dust, moisturiser with high sun protection should be an essential part of any skin care routine.”

He added “In addition to the SPF value of the product, the ‘revolutionary’ new technology - Hydra IQ, which has been developed

Photos show a rare 16th-century scientific ar tifac t that has been missing from a Swedish museum for a decade, on display, in London. — AP photos

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

lifestyle M U S I C

&

M O V I E S

Big Sean finds spotlight by staying out of it B

ig Sean has discovered that in order to find the spotlight, sometimes you have to stay out of it. The rapper put Miley Cyrus front-and-center in his recent “Fire” music video, with his face seen just briefly in the background.

Then he released “Control,” featuring an explosively competitive verse from Kendrick Lamar that overshadowed his own and has become the talk of hip-hop. Both are leading up to his second album for Kanye West’s GOOD Music imprint, which blends Sean’s signature wordplay with some unexpectedly serious introspection.

Sean says licensing issues prevented him from including “Control” on “Hall of Fame,” out Aug 27, but he wanted the song out “for the betterment of the culture.” On the track Compton-bred Lamar, one of the year’s breakout musicians, declares himself both “king of New York” and the West Coast, rapping that he wants to steal fans away from fellow rappers including Sean. Sean said he deliberately didn’t rewrite his own lyrics after hearing Lamar’s verse: “I’m from somewhere where you live by honor. I’m not going to be cheating, man.”

“Kendrick, when he dropped the names, it was such a dramatic thing. I love it. ... I haven’t seen a song this exciting in rap music in years, and that’s what it’s all about,” the 25-year-old said in an interview. “I already knew that people

was going to be like, ‘Kendrick’s verse is the best!’ ...I’m happy I could provide that moment.”

The choice to highlight Cyrus in his video came

from directors at DONDA, the company that West launched last year and has thus far focused on performance staging, album art and music

Big Sean poses for a portrait at Island Def Jam in Santa Monica, Calif. — AP

videos. “I wanted her to be a metaphor for ... people in general that made it through their own fire and came out strong, and as beautiful as a rose,” Sean said.

Sean’s “Hall of Fame” features collaborations with Lil Wayne, Nas, Nicki Minaj and Miguel. It’s the follow-up to his 2011 debut, “Already Famous,” which featured the hits “Dance,” “My Last” and “Marvin & Chardonnay.” Born in California and raised in Detroit, Sean Anderson launched his career by impressing West with a freestyle rap in a parking lot outside a Detroit radio station. Now like West and Kim Kardashian, Sean is enduring scrutiny of a very public relationship, with “Glee” star Naya Rivera.

“It’s definitely something new for me and her,” Sean said. “I don’t look at her as my famous girlfriend, I look at her as my girlfriend ... it’s just our jobs. It’s my job to rap and it’s her job to sing and act and stuff.” He’s already collaborated with Rivera musically, on her song “Sorry.” But his new album also includes the apologetic and heartfelt “Ashley” addressing his ex, longtime love Ashley Marie, written when the two were still dating. “I played it for Naya and she loved it, so I had nothing to worry about on that end. It’s a true song,” Sean said. “I’m not going to just change that because of what’s going on. It’s a good song.” — AP

Lily Collins on fantasy, fans and first kisses O

nce an aspiring reporter, actress Lily Collins has swapped journalism for Hollywood, as she prepares to step into the spotlight with her biggest role to date: playing a heroine in a young adult franchise. Collins, 24, the daughter of British singer Phil Collins, studied journalism at the University of Southern California but has been displaying her acting chops with films such as 2009’s “The Blind Side” and 2012’s “Mirror Mirror.”

The actress takes a leading role as Clary Fray in the film adaptation of “City of Bones,” in theaters on Wednesday, the first book in Cassandra Clare’s “The Mortal Instruments” young adult series. The film is set in present day Brooklyn, where Clary discovers a hidden fantasy world that changes her life. Collins talked to Reuters about the pressure of being part of a young adult film series, the demands of an on-screen first kiss and being compared to Jennifer Lawrence.

Q: How much pressure did you feel portraying Clary in a film adaptation of a book series with such a large fan base?

A: I didn’t realize how big the fandom was when I was cast because I wasn’t social-network savvy, so when the news broke that I was cast, it felt like everything blew up ... I feel lucky to have had the experience of playing a character like Snow White (in “Mirror Mirror”) where everyone had an opinion, and I was able to learn how to separate myself from public opinion.

Q: Clary has her entire world turned upside down in “City of Bones” as she finds out secrets about her mother and her life. Was it a challenge for you to convey her

confusion?

A: As an actor that was what scared me the most, because in reality, identity crisis at that age is normal.

Every young girl is going through this ‘who am I’ thing, and we’re also hormonally crazy at that age, so you can react emotionally because you’re angry, sad, frustrated, annoyed, upset.

There are so many ways emotions can come out and different reasoning, so I had to make sure I didn’t act it with one note, or at least I hope I didn’t act it one note and make her a victim.

She’s not a victim, but she is vulnerable and confused.

Q: What did you and Jamie Campbell-Bower, who plays Jace, discuss about Clary and Jace’s relationship?

A: I wanted to make sure Clary didn’t come across as a girl that is defined by love, because I think we’ve seen that in franchises where it becomes all about the romance, and this is not a romance story. Of course there is unrequited love and forbidden love that’s toyed with ... but I wanted to make sure it was very much like the Katharine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy

relationship where they finally found someone in each other that they combat with, and that’s what they respect in one another.

Q: How challenging was Clary and Jace’s first kiss scene?

A: It’s great when you have someone opposite you who you get along with so well, you’re both in the same boat where there’s 40 people watching you and it’s awkward ... it’s not romantic! But then it looks extremely romantic when you see it because the setting and the emotion and music, and Jamie and I got along so well. It’s lovely when you have someone going through it with you that is also on the same page as you.

As a girl reading the books, it’s the moment that you want to be perfect.

Q: “City of Bones” is part of a new wave of young adult films including “The Hunger Games” and “Divergent.” How does Clary stand apart from Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss and Shailene Woodley’s Tris?

A: It’s amazing to be in the same sentence and category as young women like that because I love Jennifer, and I think Shailene is extremely talented, and even with Kristen (Stewart), even though the (“Twilight) series is finished now.

There are so many types of young women heroines in everyday life, I think there’s room for everyone, we all bring something different to the table ... There’s a comedic undertone to our stories that is absent in the other ones I think, and Clary is part of that sassiness and part of that comedy. She is on a quest to save her mom and she doesn’t let love define her, she’s not victimized. She’s a fighter, but she’s normal too. —Reuters

Why Payne Coen Brothers skipping the Toronto film fest

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here’s a stop missing on the film-festival path that leads to awards season for a few of this year’s big contenders: the Toronto Intl. Film Festival. Joel and Ethan Coen’s “Inside Llewyn Davis,” Alexander Payne’s “Nebraska” and JC Chandor’s “All Is Lost” all premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May and won raves. Generally, that means they’d be introduced to North American audiences with stops in Toronto and, often, at the much smaller Telluride Film Festival that immediately precedes it. But instead, all three films are skipping the early-September stop in Toronto. They are expected to show up in Telluride, which keeps its bookings secret until the day before it begins, and then will appear at the New York Film Festival, which takes

Alexander Payne place at the end of September. And another group of films, including Paul Greengrass’ “Captain Phillips,” Spike Jonze’s “Her” and Ben Stiller’s “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” is set to premiere in New York.

“I don’t think any one festival can grab every film that’s out there, not even Cannes or Toronto,” Toronto festival director and CEO Piers Handling told TheWrap on Tuesday. “I think some films just decide on a different release strategy.” “It’s a really big lineup, and we don’t have room for even all the films we like,” added artistic director Cameron Bailey of his festival’s slate of 288 features. “There’s a lot of really good work to go around, and I wouldn’t want to see the same films at every festival.” Films occasionally play Telluride but not Toronto - last year, the most high-

profile one to do so was the Saudi drama “Wadjda” - and others skip the Venice/Telluride/Toronto trifecta entirely to wait for New York. Last year, for instance, Ang Lee’s “Life of Pi” sat out the first three fests and premiered at NYFF; so did “The Social Network” three years ago.

But for awards contenders, playing Telluride and then skipping Toronto is rare - and for at least three significant films to do so in the same year is surprising. After all, the last six Best Picture winners - “No Country for Old Men,” “Slumdog Millionaire,” “The Hurt Locker,” “The King’s Speech” (right), “The Artist” and “Argo”-have all screened in Toronto.

And this year’s list of top awards contenders at TIFF is deep: “August: Osage County,” “Gravity,” “Rush,” “12 Years a Slave,” “The Dallas Buyers Club,” “Labor Day,” “Parkland,” “Blue Is the Warmest Color” and many others are making the trek north of the border.

So why are key films skipping TIFF? Reps for the films wouldn’t comment, and conversations with others involved in awardsseason strategizing yielded a lot of “I don’t knows” and a few “Are they really all skipping Toronto?”

Still, some suggested that Toronto is such a huge festival, screening nearly 300 features over 11 days, that it can be hard for a film to stand out the way it can at a smaller, more tightly curated festival like Telluride or New York. In addition, Telluride has established itself as one of the prime places to see contenders for the first time, and it draws enough awards-watchers to create an immediate buzz as effectively as Toronto.

And since Telluride doesn’t announce its lineup ahead of time, everyone accepts the convenient fiction that allows a movie to debut there and still bill its New York Film Festival screening as a North American premiere - whereas a TIFF debut means a subsequent New York booking doesn’t qualify as a premiere, and is therefore less attractive. Certainly, specific films have ties to one festival or another. “Inside Llewyn Davis” is set in New York’s Greenwich Village folk scene of the early 1960s - and the Coens are not only screening it as part of the festival, but also hosting a star-studded concert at which T-Bone Burnett, Joan Baez, Patti Smith, Marcus Mumford, Jack White, the Avett Brothers and the film’s Oscar Isaac and Carey Mulligan will perform music from the movie. Both the festival booking and the concert make perfect sense for New York. —Reuters

How ‘Modern Family’ inspired the fine Bros’ ‘MyMusic’ mockumentary

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enny and Rafi Fine are the closest thing YouTube has to Steve Levitan and Chuck Lorre, two of the most successful TV show runners around. They operate several successful channels - none bigger than their eponymous one and its 5.57 million subscribers. Yet unlike most of the video portal’s biggest stars, they rarely appear in their shows. Like their wealthier TV brethren, they produce, direct and run the business - with occasional cameos in their own shows. When it came time for the Fine Brothers to launch “MyMusic,” they took inspiration from Levitan’s “Modern Family” - but for all the wrong reasons.

“We were frustrated with all the mockumentaries on TV, which were so rampant because of the success of ‘The Office,’” Benny told TheWrap on Tuesday as the second season began. “It’s not real; you watch and ask why is there even a crew there.” Their mockumentary revolves around a music label where all the characters are named after their favorite music genres - metal, dubstep and hip-hop (but he doesn’t actually like hip-hop). TheWrap spoke with Benny Fine about the upcoming season, the flaws of multi-camera TV and how he’s going to trick music fans.

Why did you decide to make a mockumentary? The primary reason for this project was to create this complete immersive universe that doesn’t break the fourth wall, to take transmedia to a new level. A mockumentary is supposed to be real, and we were frustrated with mockumentaries on TV, which are so rampant because of the success of “The Office.” It’s not real. You watch and ask why is there even a crew there. They never set it up in the narrative. You have a documentary crew following families for reasons we don’t understand.

Was there a show that inspired you? The UK version of “The Office” is old inspiration for us. We also learned a lot from the winks through the fourth wall, addressing the fact that they are on camera. Watching “Modern Family” and the US “Office,” we would say this doesn’t make sense. How does that person just show up and have a mic so we hear them. We incorporate a lot of that into the show, play with the mockumentary format and satire the flaws.

You have characters named Metal, Scene and Hip-Hop. How did you settle on those and how will you expand? The first time around we were trying to capture the breadth of music subcultures in late 2011-early 2012 - dubstep being such a big thing, scene kids being around. Things always ebb and flow. Last season to this one, we have added a new character - country. That was a response to viewers saying what they wished they could see.

This second season will air on your main channel instead of the MyMusic channel. Do you worry that movie MyMusic’s main show off the channel will hurt its viewership? We consider our main channel like a TV network and all the staple shows should be in one place. The hit shows build off each other and our main channel is the hub where all this stuff lives. We have 10 times the subscribers on TheFineBrothers, and MyMusic can build up a fan base from folks over there. There will be more attention paid to all of what MyMusic is doing. What did you learn from season 1?

It showed that long-form content does work [on YouTube].The Fine Bros released episodes of less than 10 minutes but then packaged them every few weeks into what they called “sitcom episodes.”] We repurposed content fans had already seen and all of them have at least 100K views and some have way more.

People watch the sitcom episodes when they had not seen season 1 and binge watched six TV episodes like a regular TV show.

How are you building out MyMusic outside of the main show?

There will be four ancillary shows on the MyMusic channeland we’ll be updating an entire blog with up-to-the-minute music news. You can visit it like BuzzFeed or Pitchfork and get album reviews. It’s all as part of the sitcom experience, written by the characters.

MyMusic has over 250,000 people following characters across their sites. Even on hiatus, people have been interacting with characters and so we’re trying to think about what’s next. No one has real names, so we hid them across various areas of social media to find them and we’ll continue that this season. We’ll do something in the middle of the season I don’t want to reveal at this moment.

At the beginning of the “MyMusic,” a character says the record label will change the way people find music on the web. Though it’s a mockumentary, is that the goal? It came true somewhat last year and there’s more chance to grow it this year. This blog is just another step into trying to see what kind of a brand we can build away from just the sitcom. We look at MyMusic as the future of the sitcom. What more can you do with the content? We’ll be reporting music news every week and have real bands coming and performing on MyMusic interacting with the fictional cast as through they were real. With the show being more known and on the main channel, we hope people come across a MyMusic article and not realize they are reading something from a fictional sitcom character. — Reuters

Douglas Hodge as Willy Wonka in “Charlie And The Chocolate Factory.” — AP

After ‘Smash’ crash, songwriters savor success

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arc Shaiman and Scott Wittman have strong opinions about the demise of “Smash,” the highly anticipated but ultimately much-maligned musical TV series about the making of Broadway musicals. But, to borrow from one of the duo’s lyrics, they’d rather just smile and look back.

Not that there’s been much time for reflection. A month after the final “Smash” episode aired on NBC in late May, the Tonywinning Shaiman and Wittman (“Hairspray”) added a new hit to their list of credits. They supplied songs to the stage adaptation of Roald Dahl’s beloved 1964 children’s book “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” The musical opened in London to such strong ticket demand that the show’s run was extended by six months, to the end of May 2014.

Then Shaiman and Wittman received more good news: a creative Emmy nomination for one of their “Smash” songs, the ballad “Hang the Moon.” “(It’s great) that Scott and I get to represent ‘Smash’ with this nomination, because it is now no longer,” Shaiman said, adding, “(but) there were millions of people who really were enjoying the show, or, certainly, certain parts of the show.” “Hang the Moon” imagines a musical meeting of Marilyn Monroe with her estranged mother, who expresses regret over leaving her daughter alone so often during childhood.

“We knew that Marilyn’s mom was a film cutter,” Shaiman recalled. “So, we had this great concept where she said, ‘If I could only re-edit our lives.’” Sitting at a piano in his Hollywood Hills recording studio, Shaiman sang the opening verse: “If our lives were a movie/I’d know what to do/I’d write every scene with my heart/An RKO picture that stars me and you/And this time I’d learn my part.” Shaiman said he grew to learn that “Smash” suffered from having too many cooks in the kitchen. —AP

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

lifestyle M U S I C

&

M O V I E S

Dutch DJ brings

Egypt’s ‘electro-shaabi’ street music to Europe

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Dutch DJ is bringing underground Egyptian street music to Western night clubs with the hope that it will paint the troubled North African country in a better light. Music producer and DJ Joost Heijthuijsen, 35, from Tilburg in the Netherlands, does not speak Arabic and only visited Egypt for the first time last April. But he is the founder and one-third of “Cairo Liberation Front”, a Dutch DJ set dedicated to “mahragan” music, derived from the Arabic word for festival.

Also known as “electro-shaabi”, it is an unrelenting torrent of synthesizers, chanting and rapping about street culture - touching on sex, drugs and poverty infused with traditional Arabic rhythms and Egyptian humor. It is low-budget music for the masses.

Typically, self-taught DJs circulate their home recordings on their laptops via downloadable files and YouTube.

The new sound has flooded Cairo’s underground music scene since Egypt’s 2011 revolution. But it is spreading across the country and transcending its urban working-class roots even as turmoil grips the nation in the wake of the July 3 military ouster of Egypt’s first freely elected leader, Mohamed Mursi. “I thought if we started promoting it in the West, it might get more attention, and might be seen as an art form rather than just some stuff local kids do on their computers,” Heijthuijsen told Reuters during a telephone interview.

“The regular things you see in Western media about the Arab world for the past 10 years has mostly been about fighting people, but it’s such a beautiful culture, with a lot of exciting, positive stuff happening.” At least 900 people, including 100 soldiers and police, have been killed in a crackdown on Mursi’s Muslim Brotherhood in the past week, the bloodiest civil unrest in Egypt’s modern history.

Heijthuijsen is hoping producers and Western media will pick up electro-shaabi and bring a different voice to the Arab world. Cairo Liberation Front, which consists of Heijthuijsen, Yannick Verhoeven, 22, and Joep Schmitz, 23, has just released its ninth electroshaabi mixed tape on music sharing website Soundcloud and recently announced five tour dates at venues across the Netherlands. They have also played in Belgium.

Heijthuijsen was first introduced to the genre by watching prominent Egyptian DJ Islam Chipsy on YouTube in 2012, and then trawled Arabic forums and Facebook groups for music to use. Cairo Liberation Front revels in its own in authenticity, he said. The DJs, like their Egyptian counterparts, add a large dose of humor to their music. Electro-shaabi is rarely political, and instead explores everyday working class life.

One defining Egyptian hit is called “The People Want Five Pounds Phone Credit”. During their concerts, Cairo Liberation Front dress up in traditional Arabicstyle clothes and play footage of the Egyptian uprisings with a view to provoking a reaction from their audiences.

“When we perform, 50 percent of people hate it and 50 percent really like it. As long as we have that, it’s good. It’s too superficial to only be pleasing and not to be teasing,” said Heijthuijsen. So what of their global impact? Heijthuijsen says that Cairo Liberation Front are aware of two other non Egyptian artists, based in Copenhagen and New York, who are dabbling in electro-shaabi. He said their fan base extends back to Egypt as well. “People from Egypt have asked us where they can find the music and if I could put it on Soundcloud,” he said. “But they asked me to put it in a lower definition media file so they can distribute it, because their Internet is not that good.” — Reuters

Actor Henry Cavill gives autographs to fans as he arrives for the Japan premiere of his latest film ‘Man of Steel’in Tokyo, Japan yesterday. —AP

Wong Kar Wai’s ‘The Grandmaster’:

An exile story told through Kung Fu I

t was a black-and-white home movie of an old man, diminutive and cancer-stricken, performing Chinese martial arts techniques in a Hong Kong apartment that spurred director Wong Kar Wai to make his latest film, the Kung Fu epic “The Grandmaster.” Wong, best known as an auteur of pensive and brooding urban dramas “Chungking Express” and “In the Mood for Love,” said he was deeply puzzled by the intentions behind the homemade film of Kung Fu master Ip Man, made days before his death in 1972.

“I keep asking myself why he wanted to do it and much later I realized that there’s a saying in Chinese martial arts that’s like ‘to keep the fire burning,’” Wong, 57, told Reuters. “So what I think he intended to do is to do this: he wanted to preserve his technique so it can be shared and taught to future generations,” the director added. “The Grandmaster,” in US theaters on Friday, is Wong’s attempt at sharing that legacy, telling the story of Ip - the trainer of Kung Fu film icon Bruce Lee - as a man whose calling as one of China’s martial arts masters was taken from him by the upheaval of World War 2.

Starring longtime Wong collaborator Tony Leung as Ip, the film is divided into three parts that span the Kung Fu master’s adulthood in 1930s southern China and his exile in Hong Kong following the Chinese revolution in 1949.

The story of Ip, who was born in Foshan, China, in 1893, has also experienced a revival in recent years with a 2008 biopic and a TV miniseries broadcast earlier this year in Hong Kong, China and other Asian countries.

But Wong said he wanted to differentiate his film, which was released in parts of Asia and Europe earlier this year, from others by conveying technical authenticity, specifically the Wing Chun style of Kung Fu. “I wanted to make a film

place for all these immigrants after the war,” Wong said. “They’re coming from all parts of China: north and south, and they come in all walks of life: businessmen, martial artists, intellectuals, politicians.”

Wong said he is able to feel this sense of exile handed down from past generations and how

about Chinese martial arts in a different way, to tell you more about what is the value of Chinese martial arts,” he said, adding that Leung twice broke his arm while training for the role. Other Chinese martial arts in “ The Grandmaster” include Baji and Xinjyi, each characterized by swift and powerful handwork.

Frustrated love and exile What defines “The Grandmaster” are Wong’s trademark themes of frustrated love and exile, his plot-less and episodic storytelling, and sumptuous cinematography by Philippe Le Sourd. The film, Wong’s first attempt at a martial arts movie after 1994’s box-office flop “Ashes of Time,” also writes in a fictional love story between Ip and Gong Er, the daughter of a Kung Fu grandmaster played by Chinese actress

This film image released

by Focus Features shows the animated characters Courtney Babcock, voiced

by Anna Kendrick, left, Norman Babcock, voiced

by Kodi Smit-McPhee, second left, Neil, voiced

by Tucker Albrizzi, second right, and Mitch, voiced

by Casey Affleck, right, in a scene from “ParaNorman.” — AP

GLAAD finds movies lag behind TV in LGBT roles W

e may be seeing more prominent gay and lesbian characters on TV shows, but the movie industry lags well behind the small screen, an advocacy group reports. In its first study of LGBT roles in major studio releases, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation found that compared with TV, where there has been a significant shift over the past decade, “Major studios appear reluctant to include LGBT characters in significant roles or franchises.”

In its report released yesterday, GLAAD found that of the 101 releases from Hollywood’s six major studios in 2012, just 14 included characters identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual. Most were no more than cameos or minor roles, it said - and none of the films tracked had transgender characters. “Until LGBT characters appear more regularly in these studio films, there will be the

This film image released by Focus Features shows the animated character Mitch, voiced by Casey Affleck, in a scene from “ParaNorman.” — AP

appearance of bias,” said Wilson Cruz, GLAAD’s national spokesperson, in an interview. He added that his organization will be meeting with studio executives to discuss the findings.

There were some bright spots in 2012, and some more ambiguous ones, the group said. For example, “Skyfall,” the hugely successful installment of the James Bond franchise, featured a main villain, played by Javier Bardem, who was apparently bisexual. “It was great to see an LGBT character in such a significant role,” said Matt Kane, associate director of entertainment media at GLAAD, also in an interview. “But unfortunately the character was also devious, psychotic, and untrustworthy - it fell into that trap.”

As genre films like comic book adaptations consume much of the studios’ capital and promotional efforts, the report says, such films have a striking lack of LGBT characters. In “The Avengers,” it notes, there is a gay news anchor, but his appearance is “so brief it was likely missed by many viewers.” The report - called the 2013 Studio Responsibility Index - rates each of the six studio according to the number of LGBT-inclusive films they released. Faring worst: 20th Century Fox and Disney, which each receive “failing” grades; the other four - Paramount, Sony, Universal and Warner Bros - receive grades of “adequate.”

Asked in advance Tuesday afternoon about the report, the studios had no immediate comment. As part of its index, the group developed criteria to measure the quality of the LGBT roles. They included: whether a character was identifiably LGBT; whether it was not solely or predominantly defined by its sexual orientation or gender identity; and whether it was tied into the plot in such a way that its removal would have a significant effect. One of the best examples of an LGBT-inclusive film in 2012, according to GLAAD, was, interestingly, an animated family film: “ParaNorman,” about a misunderstood boy who can communicate with the ghosts of dead people. —AP

Zhang Ziyi. “It’s so physical and there’s an animal quality in it,” Wong said about the first sparring match between Ip and Gong, after which Gong pursues him by exchanging letters.

“During that part (the fight), it’s like two beautiful animals fighting each other. I think that tells a bit more about this relationship than just a normal romantic story,” he said. Both of the characters are uprooted by the Japanese invasion of China, which began in 1937, and end up reuniting in Hong Kong as refugees in the 1950s, their families in China now dead.

“Gong Er is in a way a symbol of a time that he (Ip) wants to go back to. It’s almost like a lost paradise,” Wong said. Their reunion in Hong Kong, to which Wong moved from Shanghai at age 5, punctuates the film’s legacy theme amid its masses of dislocated people. “Hong Kong is a

Wong Kar Wai they struggled to adapt while also trying to preserve their former life. “And this film, actually, we trace back even more to see what is the time before Hong Kong, where they came from, what is their life. And you can feel this sense of loss when you compare these two periods,” the director said. —Reuters

OSN’s flagship Arabic channel OSN Ya Hala launches in the UK DUBAI: OSN, the leading pay-TV network in the Middle East and North Africa, makes its first international foray with the launch of its flagship Arabic channel, OSN Ya Hala on TalkTalk in the United Kingdom, in partnership with THEMA, a company that aggregates foreign TV channels into TV bouquets targeted to diaspora communities. The move marks the first time a bespoke Arabic entertainment channel will be broadcast to a global audience, enabling Arabs in the UK to enjoy premium and exclusive television content from the region.

David Butorac, CEO of OSN, said: “We are excited about OSN Ya Hala going international and joining TalkTalk, one of the premier networks in Europe.

“We launched OSN Ya Hala in August 2011, OSN’s first

Adam w Jamila

Al-Kabir Season 3 step into original Arabic language content. The channel has proven to be hugely successful and is now the second most watched channel on our network. The launch of OSN Ya Hala internationally underlines our commitment to fulfil the entertainment needs of Arabs living abroad making world class Arabic television content accessible to millions.”

Francois Thiellet, CEO of THEMA said: “We are very glad to make OSN Ya Hala available in a country where international communities thrive. And there is no better partner than TalkTalk to reach OSN Ya Hala’s audience.”

According to the latest UK census, there are approximately 240,000 British Arabs and around 110,000 live in London. OSN Ya Hala will now serve as one of the first channels of choice for popular and award-winning Arabic television including series, talk shows, general entertainment and lifestyle programmes.

Arab viewers can experience a plethora of awardwinning entertainment including cooking themed drama Alf Akla w Akla and Znood El Sitt Season 2, popular Egyptian comedy starring Ahmed Mekky Al-Kabir Season 3, Bassem Youssef’s hugely popular Amerika Bil Arabi and epic Egyptian drama series Adam w Jamila to name a few.

TalkTalk is one of the UK’s leading providers of fixedline broadband, telephone, television and mobile, serving four million customers across the UK under the TalkTalk, AOL Broadband and TalkTalk Business brands.

THEMA’s other clients include major pay-TV platforms in Europe, Asia and North America.

Bull fights help ease Bosnia’s ethnic divisions

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013

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People walk amidst the street art at the Venice Art Walls in Venice, California on August 20, 2013. — AFP

Eritrea’s unique architecture under threat

it has. I think architecture is a key component of that,” he said. Luckily, the city’s slow development has preserved many of its old buildings, most of which have been left untouched since Eritrea’s war for independence kicked off in 1961.

Dennis Rodwell, architect and author of “Conservation and Sustainability in Historic Cities”, describes Asmara as a “time warp”. But preservation efforts have been held back in part by Eritrea’s staunch principle of selfreliance. Rodwell said that outside support is sometimes seen as “a threat rather than an opportunity”. The $5-million (3.75-millioneuro) World Bank-funded Cultural Assets Rehabilitation Project ended in 2007 as funding dried up and relations between the World Bank and Eritrea soured.

EU funding earmarked for architectural restoration projects remains frozen for review. Denison, the photographer, agrees

To undertake a major restoration of all these buildings is very, very challenging because of one, the funding issue and, second, technical capacity,

E

ritrea’s capital Asmara boasts buildings unlike anywhere else in Africa, a legacy of its Italian colonial past, when architects were given free rein for structures judged too avant-garde back home.

Modernist architectural wonders in this highland city include a futurist petrol station mimicking a soaring aircraft and a funky art-deco bowling alley with checkered, colored glass windows. “The city is a living museum of architecture,” said Medhanie Teklemariam, an urban planner in Asmara’s city administration.

Yet while many of the buildings survived a decades-long liberation war from Ethiopia that ravaged settlements elsewhere, preservation and restoration projects have been

hampered, threatening to erode the country’s rich cultural heritage. Medhanie said money remains a critical obstacle, along with a lack of local technical expertise required for specialised restoration projects. “To undertake a major restoration of all these buildings is very, very challenging because of one, the funding issue and, second, technical capacity,” he said, sitting before a map of central Asmara.

But Medhanie is pushing for change. He is lobbying for the historic city centre to be included on the United Nations World Heritage list and working to renew a European Union-supported project to restore a market building and the Capitol, an

A man picks up a bowling ball in the Asmara bowling alley in Asmara, the capital of Eritrea.

A man stands inside the Farmacia Centrale in Asmara. — AFP photos

Facade of the Asmara Theatre in Asmara.

The Asmara bowling alley in Asmara.

Expressionist-style cinema. He sees the preservation of Asmara’s precious buildingsmainly from the first half of the 20th centuryas a matter of maintaining the country’s national fabric.

“This heritage... it is very important for Eritrea’s identity,” he said. World Heritage status would also be a rare opportunity for Eritrea to win positive international exposure.

The Horn of Africa nation normally makes headlines only for its raft of repressive policies. “The international reputation... would be boosted,” said Edward Denison, a photographer and co-author of “Asmara: Africa’s Secret Modernist City”.

Most of the buildings in the former Italian colony were constructed between 1936 and 1941 as part of Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini’s plan to expand his foothold in Africa. Asmara used to be known as Piccola Roma, or “Little Rome”. In the 1939 census, more than half the city’s inhabitants were Italian — 53,000 out of a total of 98,000.

Italian architects were brought over and encouraged to experiment with innovative designs that were frowned upon in conservative Europe. Asmara gained a reputation as an “experimental playground” where wacky designs were welcomed.

Today, Eritreans have a deep appreciation for the buildings-even though many were built by compatriots carrying out forced labour under colonial rule and are proud of their unique city. While some buildings sit unused, such as the Teatro Asmara, with its high arched awnings and Roman-style pillars, many of them remain functional. Tables are busy at Cinema Roma, as regulars sip macchiatos on the terrace beneath the marble

The Bank of Eritrea in Asmara.

People walk past the Cinema Impero in Asmara. facade. Inside, dated American movies and Eritrean shows are screened to visitors who watch from plush red seats.

According to Denison, the buildings could be a major boost for the sagging tourist industry. “The opportunities are boundless, and Eritrea is very aware of that with the various other cultural and natural attractions that

that preservation efforts could be improved through greater collaboration with outsiders, but notes Eritrea’s rebel-turned-politician leaders have long struggled to balance “selfreliance and collaboration internationally”.

Yet despite stalled progress in recent years, he says he is hopeful that Eritrea’s rich architectural heritage can be preserved. — AFP