2 Sep 2013

CR IP TI ON BS SU

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2013

Sheikh Salman resigns from Shooting Club

While US dithers, Israel gets the jitters

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Kerry: US has proof Syria used sarin gas Scornful Damascus hails ‘historic American retreat’ conspiracy theories

Back out

By Badrya Darwish

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

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o strike or not to strike? To hit or not to hit? Is it a hit-and-run case or something else? The whole world is on tenterhooks today to see what happens next, whether the US will hit Syria or not. Is it going to be a precision hit on certain strategic targets or is it going to be a general hit? By now, the Assad government must have had some indications of possible sites that could have come under attacks and it would have taken some remedial measures.

Great Britain’s reaction was the biggest blow to the “strike trumpeting”. The government backed out at the nation’s request. The people required the government not to get involved in a military strike in Syria.

The British people learnt their lesson from Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The British decision had its effect on many countries like Canada, too. Everyone in Europe is playing it diplomatically while waiting for the US Congress to decide if there will be a hit or no.

I would not like to be in Mr Obama’s shoes. A week ago, he had a threatening tone. But later, toning down his rhetoric, Obama said he would seek the Congressional mandate for an attack. The news reports speculate that the Congress might also be divided in a 50-50 tie. Do we expect Mr Obama to make his own decision if the US Congress votes against a military involvement in Syria? My prediction is that the US will back out.

Or did the whole world (read: The West) realize that hitting Syria will not accomplish much. It would provoke Iran and Hezbollah, who might in turn launch a few missiles on Israel. The Israelis already distributed masks and the whole nation is put on high alert. It is a big thing if Israel receives even one missile. There will be a ripple effect across the whole nation.

Israel is not an Arab country where 100 or 200 could die a day; just look at what is happening daily in Iraq or Syria, or lately in Egypt and Libya. Israel is a different story. There, every single life matters and governments could be removed if one single life is lost.

A US Air Force plane takes off as a Turkish Air Force fighter jet taxis at the Incirlik airbase, southern Turkey yesterday. (Inset) US Secretary of State John Kerry speaks from the State Department in Washington yesterday. — AP

BEIRUT/WASHINGTON: Syria hailed an “historic American retreat” yesterday, mockingly accusing President Barack Obama of hesitation and confusion after he delayed a military strike to consult Congress.

US Secretary of State John Kerry said tests had shown sarin nerve gas was fired on rebel-held areas near Damascus, and expressed confidence that lawmakers would do “what is right” in responding to last month’s attack.

Washington says more than 1,400 people, many of them children, were killed in the attack. Obama’s decision on Saturday to seek congressional authorization for punitive military action against Syria is likely to delay any strike for at least nine days. However, the United Nations said his announcement could be seen as part of an effort to forge a global consensus on responding to the use of chemical arms anywhere.

With Obama drawing back from the brink, President Bashar Al-Assad’s government reacted defiantly to the threat of Western retaliation for the Aug. 21 chemical attack, which it says was staged by the rebels. Assad said Syria was capable of confronting any external strike, but left the most withering comments to his official media and a junior minister.

“Obama announced yesterday, directly or through implication, the beginning of the historic American retreat,” Syria’s official Al-Thawra newspaper said in a front-page editorial. Syria’s Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad accused Obama of indecision.

Continued on Page 15

Back Syria strike: Saudi urges Arabs were expecting things to be quicker, that a strike would be imminent,” said Samir Nashar, a top official at the Syrian National Coalition. Arab League foreign ministers were to meet at the body’s Cairo headquarters later, after deciding to bring forward talks that had been initially slated for Tuesday.

The Saudi foreign minister urged his counterparts in the pan-Arab body to back the Syrian opposition beyond condemnations of regime atrocities. “Condemnations are not enough,” he said. A meeting of permanent representatives of the Arab League last Tuesday accused President Bashar Al-Assad’s forces of unleashing a chemical attack in Damascus suburbs on August 21.

They also condemned the “horrible crime carried out with internationally prohibited chemical weapons” and put the “entire responsibility” on Assad’s regime. Saudi Arabia is a major backer of Syrian rebels who have been fighting to oust Assad since a brutal crackdown on Arab Spring protests in 2011. Saudi officials have in the past few days made repeated called for decisive CAIRO: Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal (C) arrives to attend an Arab League meeting on Syria yesterday in Cairo. — AFP action against Syria. — AFP

CAIRO: Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal yesterday urged Arab countries to back calls by the Syrian opposition for strikes on the Damascus regime, ahead of an Arab League meeting on Syria. Arab states must echo demands by the “legitimate” representatives of the Syrian people for “help from the international community to put an end to the bloodbath” in Syria, he said, referring to the opposition.

The Saudi foreign minister did not explicitly mention a call by US President Barack Obama to launch punitive strikes on Syria for allegedly unleashing chemical weapons on its citizens last month, which according to Washington includes Sarin gas and killed hundreds. But he told a news conference in Cairo that the international community must stop “the aggression against the Syrian people before these people perish”.

Syria’s main opposition bloc said yesterday it was disappointed with Obama’s decision to seek approval from Congress for action against the regime, but said it believed lawmakers would approve a strike.

“We had a feeling of disappointment. We

Over 50 Iran exiles killed in Iraq raid BAGHDAD: Clashes and explosions were reported in a camp housing Iranian exiles yesterday, with the group claiming Iraqi troops killed more than 50 of their members, charges officials steadfastly denied.

Officials and the group offered wildly different accounts of the unrest, though, none of which could be independently confirmed by AFP. But the United Nations said it was trying to establish what took place and Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki

Max 47º Min 30º High Tide 08:48 & 23:12 Low Tide 03:10 & 17:01

formed a committee to probe the unrest.

In addition to the casualties, the People’s Mujahedeen Organization of Iran (PMOI), about 100 of whose members were living at Camp Ashraf in Diyala province near the Iranian border, also claimed security forces set fire to the group’s property in the camp, all of which was denied by Iraqi officials. Local hospitals reported three Iraqi soldiers were killed and four wounded, which Continued on Page 15

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Woman threatens to bomb Dubai building DUBAI: Dubai authorities say they have evacuated a government building after an Uzbek woman claiming to have explosives demanded to see officials to discuss a paternity dispute. A statement from Dubai’s Media Office says negotiators are in contact with the woman in the ongoing standoff in the building’s lobby. It is unclear whether the woman accompanied by a child actually has an explosive device. All personnel were ordered to leave the headquarters of the public prosecutors’ office. The statement issued yesterday described the woman’s complaint as linked to her efforts to prove a man was the father of her child.

Attacks with weapons occur in domestic disputes in the United Arab Emirates, but incidents involving explosives are rare.

Saudi religious police center set on fire

In this photo released by the National Council of Resistance of Iran, Camp Ashraf residents lie on the ground at Ashraf clinic at Camp Ashraf, a Saddam Husseinera community northeast of Baghdad, yesterday. — AP

RIYADH: Unknown attackers tried to set fire to a religious police centre west of the Saudi capital Riyadh in an “intentional” attack, causing no casualties, local media reported yesterday. The body, the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, is charged with ensuring compliance with the kingdom’s strict interpretation of Islamic morality, but is often accused of abuses. The attack late on Saturday night was “intentional and the assailants targeted the electricity meter outside the centre” to try to start a fire, deputy spokesman for the commission in Riyadh, Mohammed Al-Shuraimi, told Al-Watan daily. “None of the workers at the centre were hurt and no major damage was caused” by the attack, he said, adding that the security services had launched an investigation. The ultra-conservative kingdom this year set new limitations on the powers of members of the commission, such as interrogating suspects and pressing charges.

Iran replaces Rafsanjani remarks against Assad DUBAI: An Iranian news agency quoted former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani as saying Syria’s government had attacked its own people with chemical weapons, but later replaced the report with a different version that did not attribute blame for the raid. The second version by the semi-official Iranian Labor News Agency reported him as saying yesterday: “On the one hand the people of Syria are the target of a chemical attack, and now they must wait for an attack by foreigners.”

In the earlier version, the quote was: “The people have been the target of a chemical attack by their own government and now they must also wait for an attack by foreigners.” The earlier version of his remarks differed sharply from comments by other Iranian officials, who have said rebels trying to oust Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad were responsible for a poison gas attack on the outskirts of Damascus on Aug 21.

The attack has drawn Western threats of military reprisals against the Syrian government, an ally of Iran. In other remarks which were unchanged, Rafsanjani went on: “Right now America, the Western world along with some of the Arab countries are nearly issuing a clarion call for war in Syria may God have mercy on the people of Syria,” he said.

Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani “ The people of Syria have seen much damage in these two years, the prisons are overflowing and they’ve converted stadiums into prisons, more than 100,000 people killed and millions displaced,” he added. Rafsanjani is a close ally of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and chairs Iran’s Expediency Council, which advises Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian soldiers suffered chemical weapons attacks during the country’s 1980-1988 war with Iraq, and Iran has repeatedly condemned their use. — Reuters

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2013

LOCAL

Intrapreneurship in MENA’s public sector DUBAI: Large, educated labour pools have contributed to a bloated public sector throughout the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

According to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation & Development (OECD), the World Bank (WB), and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), MENA public sectors employ between 14 per cent and 40 per cent of all workers in the region. Historically, the public sector served as a political solution to the economic problem of unemployment.

Entrepreneurship programmes that support small to medium enterprises through financial and technical support are one long-term solution for addressing excess labor capacity, but they require investment in the private sector and can offer little in the short term.

Meanwhile, MENA fiscal budgetary commitments have increased and public sector employees are retiring, collecting ever-dwindling pensions even as life expectancies increase.

The future of the MENA region requires a creative solution to transition public sector employees into the private sector in order to promote balanced economic growth. The private sector cannot create employment opportunities in the short term without intermediary forces - such as foreign investment, regulatory reform, and skills development - so a mediumterm approach is needed to draw down public sector employment. We propose an approach known as ‘intrapreneurship,’ which has produced continued gains for both the private and public realms.

Canada, the US, and Egypt offer examples of successful intrapreneurship examples.

Intrapreneurship is characterised by the ‘start up’ style of management, characterised by flexibility, innovation, and risktaking. The objective is to circumvent bureaucracy and fast-track private sector development by harnessing or taking advantage of new opportunities and new processes or designs.

Intrapreneurs work from within an institution, providing their expertise to that institution rather than to an external party. The success of Google, LinkedIn and Dreamworks, for example, is due to their ability to embrace intrapreneurship: offering time and resources to employees who demonstrate creativity and initiative.

Intrapreneurs can enhance efficiency and productivity in large organisations. For instance, intrapreneurs within the Sony Corporation worked to produce sponsored search engines via Yahoo, Scion17 free Internet radio, and, most impressively, the Sony Playstation.

Many global non-profit hold contests to invest in innovation and the talent behind it. Emerging market economies, like Brazil, are key competitors.

However, the 2012 Ashoka contest, cosponsored by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), provides a telling example of the need for Arab countries to enhance their participation in intrapreneurial practices: as of December 15, only one of 77 contest entries were from the Arab world. Both the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) promote a culture of intrapreneurship within their organisations. DOJ and GAO operate “Employee Suggestion” programmes whereby ideas that promote institutional efficiency are recognised by the organisations’ leadership.

The GAO offers mentoring programmes that give budding intrapreneurs the opportunity to explore ideas and receive critical feedback. The increased dialogue created through short- term placements and online sessions allows employees to enhance their skills and knowledge base.

Intrapreneurship rewards both the individual and the institution; even if employees enter the private sector, the institution can claim success in “spawning” new business entities. Multiply this scenario across several institutions over ten

years and the result is a generation that has contributed its talent to both the public and private sector.

Intrapraneurship benefits the larger organizational culture by increasing employee satisfaction and productivity.

And once employees - including civil servants - realise they can pursue ideas within a supportive environment, they often do so in innovative ways.

There are four key benefits to facilitating intrapreneurship within the MENA public sector: Transition out of public service: Intrapreneurship provides a desirable alternative for those in public service who face early retirement. The cost of investing in public-sector intrapreneurship initiatives can offset the cost of the benefits civil servants collect upon retirement. The end of entrepreneurship stigma: Jumpstarting entrepreneurship in MENA is a challenge. There is a pronounced stigma to being an entrepreneur in the MENA region. In Egypt, “failed” entrepreneurs can face criminal charges.

Also, much of the population is over the age of forty and believes that it has entered a stage of life in which it is too late to assume entrepreneurial risk. Finally, even if donor-supported initiatives like Jordan’s ICT group promote entrepreneurship, public- sector employees are unlikely to leave safeguarded jobs. But the stigma against entrepreneurs may not extend to intrapreneurs once certain conditions are met. First, given that many MENA countries are also emerging market economies, intrapreneurial programs must come from within, so that institutions can claim ownership of the program, even with support from outside partners.

Shared ownership is key to addressing the impression that these are externally imposed reforms. Secondly, the problem for intrapreneurs is that their “enterprising” ideas may appear to challenge public sector traditions and achieve little traction.

Therefore, implementing an intrapreneurial programme within institutions allows participants to contribute without managerial obstacles.

Promotes skills sharing at universities: In 2012, Saudi Arabia ranked 12 out of 183 economies in the “Ease of Doing Business Index”, achieved in part by the country’s ability to harness the entrepreneurial efforts of its Dhahran TechnoValley (DTV) effort.

DT V operates as a partnership between a university and multi-national corporations to develop offshore R & D centres: Within five years, the partnership led to a specialised technology sector hub where employees innovate from within.

Skills sharing at universities can use personnel structures already in place for employees who wish to pursue professional development opportunities. Large personnel structures exist in many MENA government offices - and have overlapping job functions that allows them time to engage in knowledge transfer activities.

Mid-level career U.S. GAO employees have accumulated specialised knowledge this way. Although it may not qualify them for senior management positions, they can use their new-found expertise to serve as adjunct faculty at universities.

Helps latent women and youth into work: MENA’s public sector’s uptake of intrapreneurship relates to two groups that are crucial to increasing growth in MENA economies: women and youth.

Women in Egypt and Tunisia attend school longer than men, but are often restricted from entering the formal economy. Women make up 14 per cent of Jordan’s workforce, among lowest rates in the world, according to Minister Reem Abu Hassan. Consequently, many women disengage from the workforce once they marry. If women and youth in MENA are not tapped as a potential resource, countries like Oman - which has a shortage of scientists and engineers - will have to continue importing skilled expatriate labour.—brookings.edu

GCC media health award launched to promote ‘Physical Activity’ KUWAIT: The Gulf Cooperation Council health ministers’ executive office announced yesterday the launch of the 5th edition of the GCC excellence award in the field of media health to promote “Physical Activity.”

Under the title “Physical Activity”, the award is to identify with the best content in media health, internet media, awareness publications, TV shows, short TV and radio messages which are addressed to all ages, Director of health promotion department at the Ministry of Health Dr Abeer Al-Bouha said. The prize is worth $50,000 and is distributed on all above mentioned categories. This year, the award highlights physical activity and health awareness whereas

all works are expected to carry a clear vision and mission to be achieved in the society. Winners of the award should have ideas that are new and developed.

Those who would like to participate in the competition should submit their works to the ministry’s media and awareness departments before mid-November.

On her part, head of nutrition department at the Ministry Dr Nawal Al-Hamad said the award is the first of its kind in the Middle East. It aims at encouraging innovative ideas among those who work in the field of health awareness. It also strives to motivate community members to know more about the importance of health education. — KUNA

Kuwait to host GCC news agencies meeting KUWAIT: Kuwait will host tomorrow the 17th meeting of the senior officials of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) state news agencies. The conferees will discuss a number of recommendations to strengthen cooperation and coordination, particularly in exchanging of information, news stories and experience. They will also follow up on the recommendations made during previous meetings.

The 16th GCC news agencies senior officials’ meeting was held at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the GCC in Riyadh. — KUNA

Riqqa Battle racers honored KUWAIT: The Kuwait Sea Sports Club yesterday honored the participants of the 19th annual Riqqa Battle Race which took place on Saturday under the patronage of the Wazzan Social Security Foundation. The event featured a ceremony to honor Nokhethas (captains) and divers who also took part in the 25th annual Pearl Driving Trip last week.

Diving ships which took part in the Pearl Diving Trip participated in the race that commemorates the Riqqa Battle that took place in 1783, as well as the memories of Najm Al-Wazzan and Mohammad Al-Shamali who died during the battles and are recognized as the first martyrs to fall while defending Kuwait from outside aggression. The ceremony was attended by Yaqoub Al-Wazzan representing the Wazzan Foundation, as well as KSSC Acting President Ahmad Al-Ghanim and Kuwait’s Ambassador to Myanmar Essa Al-Shamali.

‘Technical, legal issues’ delay naturalization 300 files of bedoons referred back KUWAIT: Kuwait will not be able to naturalize stateless residents before the year due to technical and legal reasons, a local daily reported yesterday quoting security sources who responded to allegations that the government could be deliberately stalling files of people eligible to receive the Kuwaiti citizenship.

Speaking to Al-Rai on the condition of anonymity, the source explained that 300 files of stateless residents who meet qualifications for citizenship have been referred back to the Central Apparatus for Illegal Residents for DNA testing of the applicants’ children. These tests are carried out at Criminal Evidence Department labs where tests required for the Health Ministry, the Justice Ministry and other state departments are also held.

“Extreme work pressure forces the department to give appointments that fall on late

2014, making it impossible to finalize naturalization procedures before the end of this year”, the sources explained.

The parliament approved a bill last March that increased the number of candidates the government can naturalize a year to 4,000 after the government agreed to give priority to stateless residents, but the parliament’s dissolution three months later prevented the draft law from being passed in its second hearing.

“Granting citizenship is a matter of sovereignty”, the sources indicated, “and the government is keen on making sure that it happens as per the correct procedures even if that means delaying commitment to a non-binding law”.

Meanwhile, repporteur of the parliament’s interior and defense committee MP Abdullah AlTamimi told Al-Jarida daily that the panel did not receive a request from the government demand-

ing that lawmakers’ recommendations that are related to naturalization be suspended as rumored recently.

In other news, the same daily quoted a lawmaker who requested anonymity r denied reports which hinted that the parliament’s head office assigned its legal advisors to find a mechanism through which MPs’ questions are ‘regulated’. “The legal department was asked to activate a previous order as per which questions are verified to make sure that they are in line with the [parliament’s] internal regulations before they are sent to cabinet members”, the sources explained. MP Safaa Al-Hashem announced Saturday that she plans to file a grilling motion against Prime Minister HH Sheikh Jaber AlMubarak Al-Sabah if he follows any recommendations to ‘limit’ the volume of inquisitions that MPs send to ministers.

Ministry building evacuated

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: The main building of the Ministry of Public Works in South Surra was evacuated yesterday noon, for suspicion of a gas leak.

Mishref fire center and hazardous materials department responded and searched the building for the leak, but nothing was found.

Kuwait Fire Services Directorate Director General Maj Gen Yousuf AlAnsari said calls are always taken seriously, and evacuation is a basic procedure to safeguard lives. He said there is no leak of any gas or chemical substances.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2013

LOCAL

Approval to increase housing loan, allowances

By A Saleh KUWAIT: Mubarak Al-Harees, Chairman of the Parliamentary Legislation Committee, said that the committee’s meeting yesterday approved parliamentary proposals to increase the house loan, kids and rent allowances. “ The committee has agreed to increase the housing loan from KD 70,000 to 100,000 and to pay KD 30,000 difference to those who already received KD 70,000”, he explained. Al-Harees also added that the committee agreed to increase the kids’ allowance to KD 100 and the rent allowance from KD 150 to 250.

KUWAIT: His Highness the Deputy Amir and Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah receiving the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Sheikh Khalid Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah, Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Sabah Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and Minister of Health Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Mubarak AlSabah in his Diwan at Seif Palace yesterday.

Kuwait residents feel safe despite increased tension US plans to attack Syria

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: The political situation in the Middle East is not stable, and people are worried of the repercussions of US attacking Syria. Some are anxious while others aren’t bothered too much and feel safe in Kuwait. The government tried to allay fears by announcing that it is ready for any emergency situation.

George, a 35-year-old Filipino expat is worried of the situation and the planned attack on Syria. “I already bought canned food to last me for two weeks at least and some of my friends also have done the same. In case of an attack, or if the war spreads across the region, I will head back to Philippines with my family as it’s quite far away. But if everything is fine, I will continue to stay in Kuwait,” he told the Kuwait Times.

Osama, a professional expat photographer is optimistic and thinks that nothing will happen.

“I think US is only threatening and they won’t attack. In fact, I don’t care if they attacked Syria since it’s quite far from here and I wouldn’t mind going there to take photos of the war, if it happens. In general, I feel safe in Kuwait,” he

pointed out.

Nand, a 50-year-old doesn’t believe that any great attack will take place. “The United States only wants to save its face internationally and not really interested in regime change in Syria.

At the most, it might be an attack on a small scale, so I’m not really worried. My philosophy is to not worry as it won’t help or change reality. I feel safe here and have no plans to leave or buy extra food supplies,” he stated.

Ahmadi Co-op noted that the sales are in normal range, and they are not running short of supplies in the canned food department.

Khaitan Co-op experienced a shortage during these last two days but that’s only because they were taking stock. Also the Diaya Co-op didn’t notice any increase in sales or demands for canned food over the past few days.

Siham, a 29-year-old Lebanese expat also thinks she is safe here. “We don’t feel the threat of any attack on Syria here as they do in Lebanon and Syria. Hezbollah threatened to attack any country supporting the US attack which may reach the GCC countries, but I feel safe here and I hope nothing will happen. This is one of the primary reasons why I’m living in

Kuwait. I have started saving to help my family in Lebanon in case they need something, but I don’t think my life will change,” she noted.

Ibtisam, a 33-year-old Syrian expat is only worried about her family members living abroad. “In general, I don’t think the threat is ver y serious, and here we are far from it.

Kuwaiti government stated that everything is safe and we don’t have to panic. Even when the war on Iraq in 2003 happened, we didn’t suffer, despite Iraq being our neighbor. I think that maybe some demonstrations related to the attack may take place in Kuwait but the government will control it. I’m only worried about some of my family members who are still in Syria and I pray that nothing will happen to them,” she explained.

Abdulwahab, a 55-year-old, said that he has been through more terrifying situations in Kuwait but still never thought of leaving. “I’m optimistic and I don’t think something bad will happen, and even if it did, Syria is far from here and is not Kuwait’s immediate neighbor, unlike other countries. Besides, I don’t have any money to save and I’m living my life normally,” he admitted.

Wataniya Airways to resume meetings this week KUWAIT: Well-informed sources said that the Wataniya Airways board of directors will resume meetings on restructuring and capital-related issues this week. The source added developments about increasing the

company’s capital, new investors, and assigning debt responsibility to ALAFCO and KASCO will be discussed at the meetingsNotably, during the recent general assembly, Wataniya Board Chairman Thamer Arab had expected

the capital increase to be at KD 15-25 million. The sources also said that Wataniya was currently coordinating with the Civil Aviation Department to sell its terminal and use the money to pay a part of its debt.

GCC armed forces meeting begins KUWAIT: The 34th meeting of the GCC armed forces communication group kicked off yesterday, to be held for five days with the participation of delegations from all six countries.

Chairman of the communication department of the Kuwaiti Army Colonel Jihad Al-Omran, who is also heading the session, said that these

meetings help the GCC countries exchange their experiences in the field of communication and develop their cooperation. The Colonel welcomed the delegations, also expressing greetings from Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Sheikh Khalid AlJarrah Al-Sabah. Meanwhile, Colonel Saad Al-Kaabi from the GCC General

Secretariat for Military Affairs praised the efforts of Kuwait to organize the meeting, adding that the Secretary General for Military Affairs in the GCC Major General Khalifa Bin Hameed AlKaabi wishes all participants the best in achieving their goals of cooperation between the armed forces of all GCC countries.—- KUNA

MOH may raise retirement age to 75 KUWAIT: Health Ministry Undersecretary Dr Khaled Al-Sahlawi said that the ministry had requested the Civil Services Commission (CSC) to raise the retirement age of both Kuwaiti and expatriate doctors as well as those working in other health-related jobs to 75 from 65.

He added the ministry needs to know when the decision would be implemented and about the definition of medicine-related jobs.

In another issue, Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and Minister of Health, Sheikh Mohammed AlAbdullah discussed an aging problem in the health facilities which is patients who had been hospitalized for as long as 17 years , in some cases; one who almost reside in hospitals because their families refuse to take them home. According to statistics, there are between 50 and 100 of these patients in various hospitals and that the

majority of them were elderly people, people with special needs and children who have been officially discharged yet they are still left in hospitals. In this regard, informed sources stressed that the majority of still-hospitalized discharged patients were senior citizens who suffer no ailments but their families refuse to take them home with the excuse of having nobody to look after them. “It is as if hospitals have turned into geriatric houses”, said the sources noting that the families of those old people must be ashamed of sending their seniors to geriatric houses and thus leave them in hospital.

According to hospitals social workers’ reports, some families leave senior family members in hospitals for many reasons such as taking over their houses or collecting their salaries or pensions by getting their special powers of attorney. “Besides the bad psycho-

logical and social effects such cases have on in patients themselves, their long stay further prolongs the waiting time of other patients to find an empty bed or private room in public hospitals”, said the reports.

Commenting on the issue, Adan hospital’s head of the social services office, Falah Al-Ajmi stressed that Adan hospital has 50 resident patients and that some of them had been in hospital for 17 years. He also noted that the majority were citizens because in case of expatriates, the hospital’s Patients Aid Fund pays for two flight tickets for the patient and a nurse to take the patient back to the nearest hospital at his home country. “One of the patients has been abandoned in the hospital since he was born 13 years ago’, he said noting that the child was born with a disability and that his family refuses to take him home though they are being paid special allowances for him.

NA secretary clarifies Ya’qoub Al-Sane’, National Assembly’s Secretar y said that referring grilling motions to check their legality does not mean that the NA office restricts lawmakers’ freedom or tries to control the motions they file. “This measure is taken to make sure all motions were legal and constitutional to prevent ministers from using the excuse of unconstitutionality”, he said.

Warba Bank Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) announced that Warba Bank would be officially listed in the stock market’s banking sector as of tomorrow.

Takeoff delayed A Kuwait Airways flight bound to Kuwait from Cairo was delayed from takeoff for three hours due to a technical malfunction before it finally departed from Kuwait, said informed sources. According to the sources, some of the irate 223 passengers were seen arguing with KAC staff at the airport.

MoE inks agreement The Ministry of Education recently signed an agreement with the British Cultural Council in Kuwait to teach English to 600 female kindergarten teachers to enable them to impart knowledge to the children better. The agreement also included teaching 200 teachers annually.

Body found Security forces were summoned to a school in Sabah Al-Salem where the body of an unidentified man was found. Case papers indicate that the school security reported finding the body with injury marks. A case was filed and investigations are in progress.

12,600 bedoon students receive funds Mohammed Al-Dahes, manager of the private education department at the Ministry of Education, said that, due to budget shortcomings, the student charity fund will stop funding around 8,000 expatriate students and instead, will fund around 12,600 bedoon students.

Sheikh Salman resigns from shooting club

By Abdellatif Sharaa KUWAIT: Chairman of the Board of Kuwait Shooting Sport Club Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem Al-Humoud AlSabah submitted his resignation as KSSC chairman Saturday night, to focus his concentration on his official duties as Information Minister and State Minister for Youth Affairs.

KSSC Secretary General Obaid AlOsaimi said the resignation was announced during a board meeting, and was accepted on Sheikh Salman’s insistence.

Al-Osaimi said the board of directors held a meeting during which Duaij AlOtaibi was named chairman and Mohammad Mustafa Karam as deputy chairman.

Al-Otaibi served as deputy chairman and is one of the founders of Kuwait shooting. He served as secretary general

Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem AlHumoud Al-Sabah

for several terms. He is currently President of the Arab Shooting Federation.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2013

LOCAL kuwait digest

kuwait digest

Political Islam

Can we learn from Liberia?

By Dr Mubarak Al-Therwa

T

he West does not worry about ritual Islam. It does not find the large number of pilgrims, people who pray or fast troublesome. The large number of worshippers and the increasing number of Muslims around the world is not a source of concern for decision-makers in the United States and other Western countries.

The message of Islam, brought by Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) is one of providing guidance for humanity towards respecting peoples’ will and choosing a lifestyle in accordance to God’s path, as opposed to following desires and the Devil’s temptations. This form of Islam does not affect Western lifestyle or behavior. They seem to see it as similar to priesthood, which has no connection to people’s lives.

But what form of Islam do they fear, find bothersome or seek to eliminate? The answer is: political Islam. It is comprehensive Islam that demonstrates a vision of life that does not stop at the mosque or family, but extends to include banking

By Dr Naji Al-Zaid Country name: Liberia Population: 4.2 million Capital City: Monrovia Area: 99,067 square kilometers Language: English in addition to 29 African languages Religions: Christianity, Islam, and indigenous beliefs Life expectancy: 56 years Monetary unit: Liberian dollar Exports: Diamonds, iron ore, rubber, timber, coffee, cocoa GNI per capita: $330 This is information that anyone can easily obtain online - in fact I copied all this from the country’s profile on BBC’s website. But what also caught my attention was a news item on the same website from Liberia, which indicated that out of 25,000 students who applied for the university entrance exam, none of them passed.

Despite pressure on the University of Liberia which will not be accepting any freshmen when the school year starts, the management refused to yield or even sympathize with appeals on the basis that the decision could end the dreams of young men and women hoping to sign up for college. Instead, the management insisted that students improve their educational levels to acceptable standards before applying again.

Kuwait has a single public university built more than 46 years ago. Student overcapacity and shortage in teaching staff forced the government to provide scholarships that benefit private universities. Yet, the government still comes under pressure to increase the number of new students admitted every year - even if it is at the expense of the quality of academic level at the Kuwait University.

On the other hand, Liberia is a very poor country in terms of resources and has two public universities, but did not yield to emotions or pressure to accept the failed students with the hope that they raise their levels in the future. Meanwhile, the majority of decisions made in Kuwait are motivated by emotions including those made at the most important sector in the state: education. Can we learn - at least a little bit - from Liberia?

I wish there was a way to help the Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education in his efforts to improve the level of teaching in all educational stages in order to place Kuwait’s education on par with international levels. Kuwait does have all the qualifications to reach that level, and the motivation must be the fact that building nations starts with building human beings. — Al-Qabas

kuwait digest

Is Hamas still a resistance movement?

By Abdullatif Al-Manawi

S

ometimes, we need to delude ourselves to help us overcome moments of depression, frustration and defeat. We create a different virtual world that might depend on some certainties but not the whole truth. The closer that world is to real life, the luckier we are. This world can sometimes be addictive because only after embracing reality, do we realize how much time we wasted being delusional. The disaster is when we realize this same illusion has worked against us rather than for us. This might sound like philosophizing out of place, but I’m only describing the shock that I felt when I stayed with people who believed that the ‘Hamas’ movement was the only remaining resistance movement against Israel. I realized that we never asked ourselves how it really began or how it could resist Israel while its foundation was welcomed by Israel ever since its inception. It has recently been proved that Hamas’ intention was to control groups, like the Jihadists, and prevent them from firing any rockets at Israel. This is because the cost would be too high and it is usually paid by the helpless Palestinians, who had once believed in the Hamas illusion until they realized that their prime goal was to build their own Emirate and ‘to hell with other Palestinians.’

I know that many will contradict what I am saying and argue that Hamas had defeated the Israeli enemy many times! I urge them to recall what they consider as Hamas victories and notice the comparison of price paid by Palestinians with the Israeli army’s losses. I think a quick Google session will help revive their memories and realize that the alleged victories had been only nominal ones, which we believed and sympathized with because we had been in search of a victory, even if it was just an illusion.

Some people might argue that Hamas has turned into a military resistance base against the Zionists. As well as having defeated the enemy in two major battles in 200809 and 2012 in addition to their resistance to a military, political and economical siege that has lasted for six years. Well, for me, the Palestinian people from Muslim and Arab nations are of major significance to Egyptian national security, which poses a question: What national Egyptian security were they referring to when they organized a military parade hoisting the Muslim Brotherhood’s and the Rabe’a emblems as threats? In fact, Hamas has spared us the effort to prove its real affiliations and priorities. The movement has exposed itself as being a military wing of an international organization that does not care about the Palestinians. Its prime goal is an organization that goes beyond the nation and citizens. So, the argument that Hamas is the base of military resistance definitely needs to be reconsidered!

I realize that what I am saying will turn many people up against me, but this is normal while treating delusions; we have to confront the truth and let go of the addictive illusion. The thousands joining Hamas have to reconsider knowing the truth in order to detach themselves from the illusion created by their leaders. The first step towards healing might be by exposing the riches their leaders are enjoying and determining whether or not it is deserved.

I think it is high time we stopped considering a reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas and started calling for a comprehensive Palestinian reconciliation through which the Palestinians can regain the destiny that had been stolen from them in Gaza! — Al-Jarida

kuwait digest

Secularism is the answer

By Ahmad Al-Sarraf

W

e have been dealing with problem after prob- that forming governments and legislations are undislem for at least 50 years on local and regional putable rights for the people. Meanwhile, religion, or any levels, while it seems that any chance for other excuse that has nothing to do with the people’s will, improvement in the near future is highly unlikely. If we became ineffective in ruling under secularism. Gradual take a closer look into what might be the main reason development of democracy in Europe and the United behind all of the problems we face, we find that a majority States helped seculars improve the states’ legal and eduof them have been caused by ignorance and fanaticism. It cational institutions and added an identity independent is saddening to see religious fundamentalism play a major from religion. Habbah claims that secularity is not to be role in creating the majority of used automatically as a descripobstacles that we face. tion to a dictatorship once they Therefore, the obvious way Both secularism and laicism announce separation of religion to limit the size and number of express the same legal, legislative from state. Fascist regimes durthese problems would be to ing the first half of the twentieth separate religion from state. and political concepts. Secularism century in Europe and some Today, each party believes they has become a pillar for democracy Third World military coups that are superior; either because and freedom as it insists that form- brought irreligious and somethey are a majority and thus ing governments and legislations times antireligious regimes to must be right, or a minority have adopted antidemoare undisputable rights for the power, who must defend their rights cratic ideologies and therefore through armed conflict or by people. Meanwhile, religion, or any cannot be described ‘secular seeking outside help. Iraqi other excuse that has nothing to do regimes’. writer Adel Habbah says in a with the will of the people, became Unlike fascist regimes and recent article that secularity those under dictatorships, secuineffective in ruling under secularcomes from the Latin word larity does not necessarily imply ‘saecularis,’ which means ism. Gradual development of irreligious attitudes or hostility ‘worldly’ or ‘temporal’. This con- democracy in Europe and the to religion. In theory, it does not cept was used for the first time United States helped seculars limit anyone’s right of belief nor in the Peace of Westphalia in improve the states’ legal and edu- does it force a certain ideology 1648, which resulted in moving on society. From that standcational institutions and added an point, we can determine that church land to the civil society.

The same principle was applied identity independent from religion. secularism is the best solution to by legislators in the United guarantee religious freedom States of America in the constisince it guarantees equal securitution after the country established independence from ty of every individual in the society regardless of their the United Kingdom. beliefs. Secularism puts an end to a religious party’s ambiFrance, in the meantime, has continued to adopt secu- tions of forcing their opinions on others or discriminating larity since the French Revolution in 1789. The term against people with different beliefs. It is almost laughable ‘laicism’ was used during the French people’s struggle in that religious extremists in our region demand that the the 19th century to separate between civil and religious Iranian government refrain from forcing their views on societies. Both secularism and laicism express the same non-Shiite minorities there, but yet does not mind seeing legal, legislative and political concepts. Secularism has their own governments force their views on minorities in become a pillar for democracy and freedom as it insists their countries.— Al-Qabas

What form of Islam do they fear, find bothersome or seek to eliminate? The answer is: political Islam. It is comprehensive Islam that demonstrates a vision of life that does not stop at the mosque or family, but extends to include banking transactions, use of science, technology and weaponry, as well as time management and methods of achieving governmental reform. transactions, use of science, technology and weaponry, as well as time management and methods of achieving governmental reform.

The West perceives political Islam as an obstacle that hinders their own political ambitions. The war against Islam is now practiced by those who resent the vision of political Islam.

Therefore, political and media sectors in the West create outlets and ‘stars’ who promote the Western project in the name of modern freedom and privacy rights. An influential part of them promote ritual Islam and depict it as the ‘true’ message that Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) brought. A weak, lifeless Islam that does not cross the boundaries of the mosque! Therefore, those who preach about the story of Moses and the Pharaoh is accused of going astray, and those who preach about Yousuf’s (Joseph) governmental reforms is accused of meddling with other peoples’ business!

Just as those who recite the dialogues mentioned in the Holy Quran with believers in Abrahamic religion are shunned! True Islam intends to provide dignity and glory to mankind. It stops immorality and aggression, and limits domination and destruction. It spreads justice and peace. It does not mean submission and humiliation, but strength without assault. Will this form of Islam ever get the chance to prevail? — Al-Rai

kuwait digest

US general in a diwaniya

By Ali Al-Sabri

kuwait digest

A land of lost opportunities

By Dr Salah Al-Utaiqi

I

believe that the history of a nation is not assessed to transform from being onlookers to people who by time, but by what it gives to humanity in terms actually contribute. This can never happen while we of creativity and advancement. From that stand- still enjoy artificial luxury. Creativity requires a lot of point, I think that we are still too immature to take sweat, hard work, dedication and defiance. part in real progressive life. The reason behind that is Unfortunately, we do not find these qualities in our the fact that a majority of people in our society have society and I do not think there is a chance we can see made zero contribution to productivity, but instead them any time soon. depend on others to live. ‘Dying’ is the best word to Don’t we have minds like others? Don’t we have describe a society where the main concern for people gigantic resources, both financially and time-related would be eating, drinking, living in luxurious villas and which most other countries lack? Doesn’t the state five-star hotels, owning the latest and most expensive send citizens on scholarships all over the world with fashion and technological hopes that someone can make inventions, regardless of We must move to the world of his nation truly proud? Why financial status while simulhave we been overtaken by actual participation; to transform countries that we never even taneously waiting for government giveaways and from being onlookers to people who gave consideration to at one putting pressure on law- actually contribute. This can never point in time? What places us at makers to demand more happen while we still enjoy artificial the bottom of the ranking in without any improvement all fields? luxury. Creativity requires a lot of almost in productivity or making While reading Tony Blair’s any effort to create leaders sweat, hard work, dedication and ‘Kuwait Vision 2035’ report, a in science, creativity and defiance. Unfortunately, we do not paragraph caught my attention intellectual ability. find these qualities in our society which said that “Kuwait is now We have thousands of and I do not think there is a chance looked at as a country with PhD and Master’s Degree large potential but still lags holders, but then it seems we can see them any time soon. behind other countries, which like a majority of these means that it lacks true capabildegrees are either fake or were obtained illegally. The ities. It is a land of lost opportunities and a country reason I am saying this is the fact that these degrees looked at as being ‘from the past’. These perceptions never added anything new to our reality, never helped leave an impact on Kuwait’s international influence create inventors or produce anything worth mention- and economic ambitions”. ing to humanity. Even subjects that arguably do not Do you see how the world looks at us? An ‘underrequire a great amount of creativity and financial costs developed country’, a ‘land of lost opportunities’ and a such as arts and literature have failed to obtain ‘country from the past’. When are we going to learn Kuwaiti fingerprints on them as well. the lesson? And when are we going to see a day in We must move to the world of actual participation; which someone changes this equation? — Al-Qabas

D

uring winter, over 10 years ago, before the war was launched to depose Saddam Hussein, a rather strange but wise thing happened when a 70-year -old American general came to Kuwait on a military mission.

Westerners are known as hard-workers who do not get positions by wasta or using false certificates. Only those who deserve promotions, earn them. Therefore, it is quite natural that they progress while we do not.

On arrival to Kuwait, the general rented a flat in an very social area full of diwaniyas. He used to go to work relentlessly before sunrise and return by sunset.

The scene of wooden benches placed outside a house by the corner caught his attention, particularly when approximately ten people his age had been meeting there on a daily basis.

The general’s curiosity concerning what those old people might be doing or saying grew. “It’s unbelievable that the very same group of people meet every evening at the very same time... there must be a reason for these meetings. Maybe they are discussing work of arts, an economic problem or analyzing current political situations and trying to come up with solutions,” the general wondered.

The same scene recurred many times until the general finally plucked up the courage to walk up to them. He was naturally welcomed, offered dates and coffee as usual, yet in complete silence. They seemed to be wondering about the motive of such a visit.

“What does he want?” they thought. To break the ice, the general asked his question but received no answer as none of them spoke English. So, one of the men called his son to translate for them. “Why do you meet here every day?” asked the general. “Well, to discuss various issues, chat and do nothing... just to pass time”, they answered.

The answer was very shocking for the general.

“Unbelievable! Your meetings should not be fruitless,” he said only to receive the same answer. With a growing sense of astonishment, the general realized what the reason was behind the country’s sluggish development despite the abundance in oil.

“Now I know why we are advancing and you are going backwards... you have been doing the very same useless thing for so long and in passing the time... you are waiting for your death!” said the general, before leaving. —Al-Anbaa

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2013

LOCAL

Kuwait prepared for worst case scenarios Moves to guarantee supply of food items

CAIRO: Aziz Al-Daihani submitting his credentials to the Arab League’s Secretary General Dr. Nabil El-Araby yesterday.

New Kuwaiti envoy to AL submits credentials CAIRO: Kuwaiti diplomat, Ambassador Aziz Al-Daihani, yesterday submitted his credentials to the Arab League’s Secretary General Dr. Nabil El-Araby to assume his new position as the permanent representative of his country to the League.

Al-Daihani said that he conveyed greetings from the Kuwaiti leadership to ElAraby, affirming that he would do his best to further solidify relations between Kuwait and the Arab League. He noted that Kuwait’s Deputy Prime Minister and

Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Sabah AlKhalid Al-Sabah was very keen on continuing Kuwait’s important role within the Arab League. Al-Daihani affirmed that the ease in which his credentials were accepted reflected the strong ties linking Kuwait and the Arab League.

Kuwait is looking forward to host the upcoming African-Arab Summit next November and it would make sure that the event would be successful, said the diplomat. —KUNA

Jordan lauds Kuwait role AMMAN: Jordanian Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Dr Ibrahim Saif applauded yesterday Kuwait’s role in accelerating the provision and spending of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) grant to the Hashemite Kingdom.

In a seminar organized by the Jordanian Association for transparency Saturday and themed ‘Transparency in executing GCCfinanced projects’, Saif unveiled that the Jordanian government has reached agreements with GCC countries on the grantfinanced projects.

“The total value of the requests to withdraw from the grant to the projects amounted to $329 million, including $140 million from Kuwait alone,” he said.

He noted that total value of projects included in state budget of 2012 hit $3.175 billion, 63.5 percent of which are financed by the GCC grant.

The government is also studying a number of projects to be executed as a part of the development program with a total value of $1.825 billion, 36.5 percent of which will be financed by the GCC grant, he pointed out.

The total value of finance agreements reached with the GCC grantors accounted for $2.619 billion, including nine agreements hammered out with Kuwait at a total value of $1.170 billion.

“The spending of the grant has accelerated in the past few months thanks to the cooperation of the GCC bodies supervising the use of the grants,” Saif said.

During a GCC summit in December 2011, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar decided to extend $5 billion in financial aid to development projects in Jordan over a five-year period, with each state contributing $1.25 billion. —KUNA

KUWAIT: The government has finalized plans through which it guarantees security of food supplies should Kuwait be directly subjected to repercussions of a military strike against Syria, a local daily reported yesterday quoting sources with knowledge of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry’s thinking.

Speaking to Al-Rai on the condition of anonymity, the sources said that the ministry signed contracts as part of the plan with international suppliers in order to guarantee supply of main food items to Kuwait. “The plan calls for changing the import route from the Strait of Hormuz to the Arabian Sea, and then moving the stocks to Fujairah, the United Arab Emirates before they are taken to Jebel Ali to be stored in locations agreed upon through official agreements”, the sources said. They added that the ministry feels “very reassured” regarding the strategic food reserve even in worst case scenarios that involve Kuwait becoming affected by the aftermath of a strike on Syria; in which case the sources indicated that the stocks would last for six months.

Regarding food imports from Syria, the sources explained that Kuwait has already stopped depending heavily on Syrian imports for two years now, making the effect of supply cuts from the war-torn country to be nonexistent.

And on whether the strike or any retaliation could affect prices of commodities in Kuwait, the sources insisted that the Ministry of Commerce and Industry remains committed to keep an eye on price levels and adopt plans that include stopping exports of highly demanded products in case of shortage.

Al-Anba also reported yesterday that the cabinet prepares today (Monday) to discuss the “comprehensive emergency plan” which according to sources close to the government is estimated between KD20 million and KD50 million.

A cabinet team led by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid AlSabah prepares to meet with the parliament’s foreign affairs’ committee in order to coordinate the government’s latest preparations in light of the regional developments. In the meantime, MP Riyadh Al-Adasani reiterated calls to discuss the government’s preparations during an emergency session of the parliament. “It is sad to assume that Kuwait’s parliament fails to convene during the summer recess whereas the British House of Commons was able to hold a meeting despite containing more than 400 MPs and dealing with a lesser threat compared to one that Kuwait could potentially face judging from the geographical distance”, Al-Adasani told Al-Rai.

Meanwhile, Al-Rai also reported that local banks doubled liquidity levels at the end of last week amid concerns over the potential strike.

However, sources quoted anonymously in the report indicated that no ‘unusual’ cash withdrawal operations was noticed, and called the recent procedures as “precautionary measures”.

In the meantime, Health Ministry sources told Al-Anba daily that managements at local hospitals launched meetings yesterday to prepare emergency plans and review crisis management mechanisms. The sources who also requested anonymity indicated that every hospital is likely to allocate a ward to handle cases of emergency as part of the plan.

On the other hand, medical emergency authorities warned that shortages of equipment might hamper their preparedness in anticipation of potential repercussions of a strike on Syria.

“Despite having highly trained staff capable of handling all kinds of circumstances, we face severe shortages in equipment inside central emergency rooms”, Annahar daily reported yesterday quoting Media Coordinator at the Medical Emergency Department in the Ministry of Health, Abdul-Aziz Buhaimed. The official indicating that the department currently operates only 60 ambulances out of 200 “as the rest remain under maintenance”.

Brazil honors Kuwaiti ambassador BRASILIA: The Federative Republic of Brazil held a luncheon in honor of outgoing Kuwaiti Ambassador Yousef Abdelsamad yesterday, and awarded the diplomat with the Order of Rio Branco of the highest rank, in appreciation of his effort to bring the two peoples and nations closer during the last three years.

The honor is awarded through presidential decree, and was bestowed upon the Kuwaiti diplomat in presence of the Undersecretary of the Brazilian Foreign Ministry Paulo Cordeiro de Andrade Pinto, ministry officials, a host of Arab and other ambassadors, and a representative of the Arab -Brazilian Chamber of Commerce.

Addressing the gathering, the undersecretary hailed the ambassador’s efforts aiming at enhancing interaction and exchange between the two countries in all fields and presented him with the Order of Rio Branco.

For his part, Abdelsamad stressed the two nations enjoy strong relations in the political, economic, and cultural fields, and seconded the undersecretary’s call to enhance them even further. He also expressed appreciation

BRASILIA: Kuwaiti Ambassador Yousef Abdelsamad pictured with the hosts during the award ceremony. for the cooperation that helped him fulfill his mission throughout his tenure and his greatest sense of honor in receiving this Brazilian order.

The undersecretary in turn expressed best wishes for the envoy, who moves on to serve as the Kuwaiti Ambassador to Serbia. —KUNA

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2013

LOCAL

Three dead in road accidents in Kuwait Liquor brewers held in Farwaniya KUWAIT: Three people died in separate accidents reported Saturday around Kuwait. The first accident was a two-car collision reported on the Gulf Road in front of the parliament building, and left a Kuwaiti woman in her twenties dead.

The second accident took place at the Gulf Road as well where a Canadian man in his sixties was ran over by a speeding vehicle, and later pronounced dead on the scene. Meanwhile, a Thai national died at the Wafra Road where his car was involved in a two-vehicle accident.

Investigations went underway in each case to determine the circumstances which led to the accidents.

Meanwhile, a Kuwaiti man reportedly died in an accident east Saudi Arabia while he was driving on his way back to his home country following a short trip. The victim’s family reportedly collected his body late Saturday night.

Offensive graffiti State Security Service officers are looking to identify and arrest a suspect who left offensive remarks written on a bathroom’s wall inside a

Kuwait City mall. Investigations went underway after a Kuwaiti man reported finding the remarks which contain insults to the ruling system in Kuwait. After criminal investigators examined the scene, the case was handed to the State Security Service to pursue the perpetrator.

Liquor duo held Two people were arrested in Farwaniya where they used a house under construction to brew alcoholic drinks for sale, while investigations are ongoing for a third suspect who managed to escape. The arrest happened following investigations based on information that police received information about the place being used to produce liquor illegally. Police found 66 cardboard boxes filled with liquor bottles inside the house, in addition to 36 barrels and other equipment used for brewing. The detainees were referred to the proper authorities to face charges.

Shooting suspect Ahmadi police arrested a driver at the Wafra

Road where he fired several shots from his mechanical weapon for reasons that remain under investigations. Patrol police went in pursuit of the suspect after ‘random shooting’ reports were made. The man was eventually arrested with possession of the weapon he reportedly used. He was taken to the Criminal Investigations Department for further investigation.

Work mishap An electrical technician died after falling from a high place in Mahboulah on Saturday. Police and paramedics arrived at the scene shortly after the incident was reported. The Lebanese man was pronounced dead on the scene before criminal investigators were called to examine the place and lift the body to the forensic department. Preliminary investigations indicate that the man was standing at the stairway on the fifth floor level of a building under construction when he lost balance and fell to the first floor.

Police are expected to press charges against the contractor for failure to provide necessary safety measures.

Kuwaiti aid airplanes keep arriving in Sudan KHARTOUM: A Kuwaiti airplane carrying 20 tons of relief supplies arrived in Khartoum yesterday to provide necessary items for those affected by recent floods.

Head of the Kuwait Red Crescent Society’s delegation Faisal Al-Yaqout said that this was the fourth airplane sent by Kuwai, since the floods started, carrying 150 electricity generators, 150 water pumps, food and blankets.

Al-Yaqout noted that ten additional airplanes will arrive at Khartoum International

Airport in the upcoming days to help people in flood-stricken areas, in cooperation with the Sudanese Red Crescent. He also said the society had sent an extra team to Sudan to make sure aid is handed to those in need.

Meanwhile, Representative of the Sudan Supreme Committee for Floods Major General Abdulrahman Mohammad praised the efforts of Kuwait to help all people who were affected by the floods in his country. —KUNA

Oman campaign to boost tourism SALALAH: The first Arab Media Tourism Campaign kicked off in Oman yesterday, in conjunction with Dhofar Municipality, to promote the many accepts of tourism enjoyed by the gulf state. Representative of the Arab Tourism Media Centre Sultan Bin Khamis Al-Yahyai said in a press statement that this campaign takes place on the sidelines of Salalah Tourism Festival. It aims at providing an opportunity for various media outlets to identify with Oman’s unique historic, civilizational and tourism landmarks and make them known to the public. —KUNA

Kuwait ‘State of Honor’ at China-Arab States Expo KUWAIT: The State of Kuwait is taking part in the China-Arab States Expo 2013 with a delegation headed by Minister of Commerce and Industry Anas Al-Saleh, Assistant Undersecretary for International and Economic Organizations Affairs Dr Abdullah Al-Ewaisi said yesterday.

The official said the expo kicks off on Sept 15, co-hosted by the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, and People’s Government of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

The event is held in cooperation with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and senior officials from over 20 Arab countries and different Chinese regions are to attend different activities, he said.

The Expo is a means to bolster bilateral cooperation between the Arab region and China, and particularly aims to enhance interaction and exchange in the fields of economy, commerce, and investment. Part of this event, the organizers are holding a number of conferences, forums, workshops, and specialized exhibitions.

Kuwait is taking part upon invitation of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, the official remarked, and the State of Kuwait was selected as this year’s Country of Honor, in appreciation of the strong bonds between the two nations and Kuwait’s many contributions to charitable and developmental projects in China.

“Taking part in this expo in China, among the world’s biggest economies, is a golden opportunity to showcase our country’s economic and social experience, and a great opportunity to bolster trade and investment relations.”

According to the official, a number of state bodies are contributing to the Kuwaiti participation, as well as several private sector institutions interested in trade partnership and exchange with China.

Apart from trade attractions, a friendly soccer match is also organized, along with a performance by Kuwait Television Folklore Troupe, to enhance the cultural aspect of the expo. A forum with the theme “Kuwait-China Cooperation” is also in the program.

The China-Arab States Expo 2013 opens September 15 and lasts four days. —KUNA

Ambassador’s Message

Vietnam celebrates anniversary of Independence

By Bui Quoc Trung Vietnam ambassador On Sept 2, 2013, Vietnam will celebrate its National Day. It has been 68 years since the August Revolution and the Declaration of Independence which gave birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

During the past 68 years, Vietnam has experienced hard times, but with the feeling of great pride, in protecting its independence, freedom, peace and unity as well as building and developing the country. Especially, after more than 25 years of Renovation, Vietnam has made significant achievements in economic development, socio-political stability, deeper and broader international and regional integration, thus helping to enhance Viet Nam’s prestige and position in the international arena.

Despite being affected by the global economic downturn, with the close guidance and efforts of the Vietnamese Government, in 2012 -2013, Vietnam’s economy continues to recover and achieve the relatively positive economic results: GDP reached more than $138 billion; FDI reached $16,3 billion (2012) and in the first 6 months of 2013, GDP grew by 4.9%. People’s living standards have been improved considerably, contributing to the social security of the country.

On foreign relations, Vietnam always desires and attaches great importance to building, consolidating and developing friendly relations and mutually beneficial cooperation with all countries in the world for peace, security and prosperity.

Looking back at the development of the Vietnam-Kuwait relations over the past time, we are proud that this relationship is built on the foundation of friendship, mutual respect and understanding and strong solidarity of the two Governments and Peoples, and today, the relationship continues to grow strongly in many areas.

In the political - diplomatic field, following the success of the official friendly visits of the leaders of the two countries, such as the visits by the Prime Minister of Kuwait Sheikh Nasser Al-Jaber AlMohammed Al-Sabah (5/2007) and Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dzung (3/2009), the two sides continue to intensify the exchange of visits at all levels to build mechanisms and framework for effective cooperation. Fine political relations have been increasingly strengthened, contributing significantly to the promotion of bilateral relations in various fields.

The economic, trade and investment relations of the two countries have also

had positive development. The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) has been providing preferential loans for infrastructure development projects in the remote areas in Vietnam (Bac Kan, Dien Bien, Ha Tinh, Hoa Binh...), thus enhancing and improving the living standards of the local people.

The most prominent spot in investment cooperation between Vietnam and Kuwait is the formation of Nghi Son Oil Refinery and Petrochemical Project in Thanh Hoa Province, Central Vietnam - one of the largest investment projects in Vietnam, with a capital of $9 billion which was signed in 2008 between PetroVietNam, Kuwait Petroleum International Company (KPI) and two Japanese partners (Idemitsu Kosan Corp (IKC) and Mitsui Chemicals Inc (MCI)), in which KPI hold stakes of 35,1% and has committed to supply 100% crude oil for the plant in the long term.

Construction is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2016, and commercial operations are expected to commence in mid-2017 with a refining capacity of 200,000 barrels per day, equivalent to 10 million tons per year. The main products of the plant will be LPG, Gasoline (EU3/4), Kerosene, Jet Fuel, Diesel, FO, Sulfur, PP, Para-X, Benzene ...

On trade relations, two-way volume in 2012 reached U.S. $ 737.9 million of which Vietnam exported $29.2 million and imports $708.7 million. The main export items of Vietnam to Kuwait include seafood, agricultural products (fruits and vegetables, tea, coffee, rice, pepper, cashew nuts, cinnamon), milk, wood and wood products, iron and steel products, fabrics, textiles, footwear, mobile phones and accessories ...

Obviously, there are still many opportunities to cooperate for entrepreneurs and investors of the two countries.

Vietnam welcomes and encourages Kuwaiti businesses to invest in Vietnam in the fields of infrastructure, construction, agriculture, finance, banking and energy. Along with the success of economic, trade and investment cooperation, a number of other positive developments have been noted in bilateral relations: in April 2013, the Agreement on visa exemption for diplomatic and official passport holders officially took effect; the Government of Kuwait continues to grant scholarships for Vietnamese students in the 2013-2014 academic year to study in Language Centre and College of Engineering and Petroleum at Kuwait University.

On the occasion of 68th Anniversary of the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and 10 years of the establishment of the Embassy of Viet Nam in Kuwait, I would like to express my sincerest thanks to His Highness the Amir of the State of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, His Highness the Crown Prince of Kuwait, Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber AlSabah, His Highness the Prime Minister of Kuwait, Sheikh Jaber Mubarak AlHamad Al-Sabah, and the people of Kuwait for their kind sentiment and support given to Viet Nam in the course of national construction, protection and development and for the valuable and continued assistance rendered to the Embassy of Viet Nam in Kuwait. May the relations of friendship and cooperation between Viet Nam and Kuwait be further consolidated and developed, for the benefits of the two peoples, for peace, stability and prosperity in the region and in the world.

US designates Kuwait as key market to participate in SelectUSA summit KUWAIT: As one of the United States’ top export markets in the Middle East and the 13th fastest growing source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into the US, Kuwait has been designated as a priority market to participate in the 2013 SelectUSA Investment Summit, which will be held in Washington DC, from Oct 31 to Nov 1, US Embassy Senior Commercial Officer pointed out yesterday.

The SelectUSA Summit, hosted by the US Department of Commerce and launched by an executive order in June 2011, is the first-of-itskind Summit that will bring together leading public and private sector officials from around the world to discuss the benefits of investing in the United States.

The Summit builds on the White House’s effort to help attract, retain and expand investment in the US. “We look at Kuwait as a strategic commercial partner,” the US diplomat Dao M. Le stressed in an interview.

“The United States and Kuwait have a long and rich history of cross-border commerce, investment and trade. Therefore, the Summit is a great chance for Kuwaiti decision makers to network with US economic development leaders at the federal, state, and city level and navigate the US business climate. Kuwaiti companies that invest in the US have access to an unparalleled global export platform, as the US has free trade agreements in force with 20 countries, representing more than 700 million consumers,” the diplomat said.

Le emphasized that the current level of Kuwaiti investment in the US is “significant”.

The total stock of Kuwaiti FDI in the US stood at $2.4 billion at the end of 2012 and Kuwait

has been ranked the 5th largest US export market in the Middle East in the past six years; nonetheless, “the potential of bilateral trade and investment is far greater.” he went on.

The diplomat added that the US Embassy has identified several Kuwaiti organizations both government and private - as participants in the Summit and invitations have been sent out. The US Embassy encouraged those businesses to invest in the world’s number one economy, as ranked by 2013 A.T. Kearney’s Foreign Direct Investment Confidence Index.

“The dynamic US market provides a workforce that is one of the best educated, most productive and most innovative in the global economy”, he noted.

He added that investment in the US are safeguarded by strong intellectual property right laws. He noted that even though the top sector for Kuwait’s US investment, from 2003 to 2013, is transportation with 57 percent of projects, Kuwaiti firms are highly competitive in other sectors such as warehousing with 15 percent, financial services and plastic with 14 percent each during the same period.

He said that these bilateral trade ties boost economic growth in both countries, which enables job growth and business expansion.

He drew attention to Kuwaiti firms that are interested in pursuing investment in the United States to contact the US Embassy in Kuwait where it will help matchmaking US businesses with Kuwaiti companies looking to source US products and services. The embassy will also help in providing information and counseling to Kuwaiti companies seeking to invest in the United States. —KUNA

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2013

Hollande faces calls for parliament vote on Syria

US debate on question of strike on Syria begins Page 10

Page 9

A sign warning of the danger of landmines hangs on a barbed-wire fence in the Golan Heights, near the border between the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights and Syria, yesterday.—AP

While US dithers, Israel gets the jitters Bibi says ready for ‘any scenario’ JERUSALEM: Israel’s prime minister yesterday tried to soothe a jittery nation unnerved by the standoff between the US and Syria, saying that Israel is “calm and self-assured” and ready for “any possible scenario.”

Benjamin Netanyahu did not directly address President Barack Obama’s decision to put on hold potential military action in Syria.

But media commentators on Sunday criticized Obama for appearing indecisive, after signaling last week that a US military strike was imminent.

While the government has urged Israelis to stick to their routines, the threat of hostilities

in the region has caused widespread jitters.

With the US threatening to strike Syria in response to alleged chemical weapons use, many Israelis fear that Syria might retaliate by attacking across the border at Israel.

Crowds of Israelis have been lining up at special gas-mask distribution centers in recent days, and the military has deployed a series of missile-defense systems near the Syrian border and in the heavily populated Tel Aviv area.

“Israel is calm and self-assured. Israeli citizens know very well that we are prepared for any possible scenario,” Netanyahu told his

Cabinet. “Israeli citizens must also know that our enemies have very good reasons not to test our strength. They know why.”

Obama has condemned Syria’s alleged use of chemical weapons against civilians, saying it crossed an American “red line” and signaling that the US will be compelled to attack in response. But over the weekend, Obama said he would first seek congressional approval before taking any military action.

The decision came after Britain, a key American ally, said it would not participate in an attack on Syria. There were voices of criticism in Israel about the hold on a possible

militar y strike. Cabinet Minister Naftali Bennett posted on his Facebook account Saturday evening that “the international stammering and hesitation about Syria prove once again - Israel cannot depend on anyone except for itself.” Israeli media portrayed Obama’s handling of the crisis in a critical light. Channel 10 TV headlined their coverage “Obama’s zigzag,” while the Yediot Ahronot daily featured headlines like “America’s problem,” A step back,” and “Assad is celebrating.”

“Yes he can. But it’s not certain anymore that he wants to,” wrote commentator Yoaz Hendel, a former adviser to Netanyahu, in

Obama’s bid on Syria part of push for global backing: UN UNITED NATIONS: US President Barack Obama’s decision to seek congressional approval for possible military action against Syria can be seen as part of an effort to forge a global consensus on responding to the use of chemical arms anywhere, the United Nations said yesterday.

The world body was responding to Obama’s announcement on Saturday that he will ask for congressional consent before taking military action against Syria for a poison gas attack on Syrian civilians that he blames on President Bashar Al-Assad’s forces. The process of seeking a congressional vote was likely to delay any strike for at least nine days.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon views Obama’s decision “as one aspect of an effort to achieve a broad-based international consensus on measures in response to any use of chemical weapons,” UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said. “ The use of chemical weapons will not be accepted under any circumstances,” he added.

“There should be no impunity and any perpetrators of such a horrific crime against humanity must be held accountable.”

US Secretary of State John Kerry said yesterday tests showed that sarin nerve gas was used in a deadly Aug. 21 chemical attack near Damascus, as he sought to build the case to convince skeptical US lawmakers to authorize a military strike against the Syrian government. The United States says 1,429 people were killed, 426 of them children.

Nesirky said Ban spoke earlier yesterday with Ake Sellstrom, head of the UN chemical weapons inspection team that left Syria on Saturday. Sellstrom is currently in The Hague

preparing the analysis of samples and evidence collected at the site of the Aug 21 attack.

“In light of the horrendous magnitude of the 21 August incident ... the Secretary General asked Dr Sellstrom to expedite the mission’s analysis of the samples and information it had obtained without jeopardizing the scientific timeline required for accurate analysis.”

UN diplomats told Reuters on Friday that Ban explained to the five permanent Security Council members - Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States - that it would take up to two weeks before Sellstrom’s report is ready.

The UN inspectors will determine only whether chemical weapons were used on Aug 21 and in several other alleged poison gas attacks, not who used them. Once they have completed their work on the latest incident the inspectors plan to return to Syria to investigate other alleged gas attacks, Nesirky said. The UN press office said in a statement on Ban’s conversation with Sellstrom that the transfer of the samples to European laboratories for analysis will begin on Monday. It noted that two Syrian officials were observing the process.

Nesirky said that while in Syria Sellstrom’s team had access to all sites it wanted to visit.

“The mission did have to overcome serious safety concerns,” he said. “On one occasion, while traveling, the mission came under fire by unknown assailants in the buffer area.”

Kerry said on Friday the UN experts cannot provide any information on the attack that Washington does not already have.

UN officials, however, say the world body’s findings will be important because they will be

widely seen as irrefutable, in contrast to doubts that could arise about national intelligence in light of the erroneous information on Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction used to justify the 2003 US-led invasion.

Nesirky reiterated Ban’s position that there should be a negotiated end to Syria’s 2-1/2 year civil war, which the United Nations says has killed over 100,000 people.

He said Ban also spoke yesterday with French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius. France is Obama’s chief ally in calling for military retaliation against Syria for the alleged Aug 21 attack, which Assad’s government and its ally Russia have blamed on rebels. Britain had been a staunch advocate of air strikes against Syrian targets but pulled out after the British parliament voted against involvement in military action in Syria. French Interior Minister Manuel Valls said on Sunday that France will not launch an assault on Syria alone and will wait for the US Congress to decide whether to act.

Obama also said on Saturday that he was comfortable with the idea of bypassing the “paralyzed” UN Security Council. Nesirky said Ban would likely brief the council’s 10 non-permanent members on the situation in Syria in the coming week.

Russia, backed by China, has used its veto power in the Security Council three times to block resolutions condemning Assad’s government and threatening it with sanctions.

The United States has bypassed the United Nations in the past when the council was deadlocked, as in the case of the Kosovo war in 1999.—Reuters

Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot, about Obama’s desire to attack Syria. “Until the American Congress approves the attack (if it approves it), the chemical weapons stockpiles will be moved elsewhere. The headquarters will be replaced. The chosen targets will become empty buildings. The accomplishments of a possible attack will be reduced, the bloodbath will remain.” Avraham Yarm, a resident of northern Israel, said Obama’s decision to delay a potential attack was disappointing. “I think he’s lost initiative and he’s lost the element of surprise, and he’s losing, every day, credibility in the world,” Yarm said.— AP

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2013

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

Failed ‘terrorist’ attack on Suez Canal ship CAIRO: A container ship in the Suez Canal was the target of a failed “terrorist” attack on Saturday aimed at disrupting traffic through the key waterway, the head of the Suez Canal Authority said.

Admiral Mohab Mamish confirmed that “a terrorist” had launched the attack against a Panamanian-flagged ship, adding in a statement that “the attempt failed completely and there was no damage to the ship or the containers it carried”. The statement gave no details of the nature of the attempt at 1230 GMT Saturday, but sources said they heard

loud explosions from the container ship which had been passing through the canal. The Egyptian army ordered heightened security measures at the strategic sea route.

The Suez Canal dealt with a normal volume of 45 ships on Saturday with another 55 expected to pass through yesterday. The army recently launched a major operation in the North Sinai peninsula, around the canal, where several Islamist extremist groups operate.

On Saturday an Al-Qaeda front group based in Iraq and Syria called on

Egyptians to take up arms against their country’s military. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) also dismissed the Muslim Brotherhood, the party of ousted Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi, as “evil” for supporting democracy and seeking to win power through elections. The security situation in the Sinai Peninsula, which borders Gaza and Israel, has deteriorated since 2011, when president Hosni Mubarak was overthrown. But it became significantly worse after the army ousted Morsi on July 3, with attacks by militants target-

ing police and military installations. At nearly 200 kilometres (125 miles) long, the Suez canal is owned by Egypt but governed by an international treaty that guarantees free navigation.

It provides a vital link between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean. The US military enjoys special privileges due to its long-running alliance with Egypt, allowing American naval ships to jump the queue of vessels to transit the canal.

The US Navy has deployed five destroyers to the eastern Mediterranean, a defense official told AFP on Thursday, as

expectations grow of an imminent strike on Syria. Meanwhile the official Mena news agency reported the arrest of Adel Mohammed Ibrahim, convicted in absentia and sentenced to death for killing 25 police officers in the worst attack of its kind in years on the peninsula. He was arrested with other “terrorists” in the regional capital Al-Arish, Mena reported, adding that the arrested man admitted his involvement to security officers. The August attack raised fears of a return to the wave of deadly Islamist violence that swept Egypt in the 1990s. —AFP

Battered Syria rebels think US Congress will OK strike Turkish, Arab League support seen crucial

HATAY: A protester holds up a poster of Syrian President Bashar Assad near a placard reading “No to war “, right, during a demonstration in Hatay, Turkey yesterday. — AP

Yemen’s Hadi rejects attack on PM as ‘isolated act’ SANAA: Yemeni President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi insisted that a shooting that targeted the prime minister’s convoy was an “isolated act”, state news agency Saba reported yesterday. Prime Minister Mohamed Basindawa escaped unharmed when gunmen opened fire on his convoy in the capital Sanaa on Saturday in an attack that left no casualties, a security source said.

Basindawa has headed a national unity government since December 2011 under a transition agreement paving the way for long-standing ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh’s ouster. “Opening fire at the prime minister’s convoy is an individual, isolated, unacceptable and condemned criminal act which will be dealt with firmly,” Hadi said, quoted by Saba. According to security officials, Al-Qaeda, accused of having assassinated members of Yemen’s security forces in addition to several failed attempts to kill the defence minister, was not linked to Saturday’s attack.

Basindawa was travelling in an armored car when four gunmen in a fourwheel drive opened fire before fleeing, the security source said Saturday. It was the first such attack to target the premier, who was a leading opposition figure under Saleh. Elsewhere, an unknown group on Sunday attacked a key pipeline in Wadi

Abida in the eastern Marib province, bringing oil flow from the line to a halt, the defence ministr y ’s website 26sep.net reported.

Tribesmen from Marib have attacked the pipeline to pressure the central government in Sanaa to release several of their arrested comrades. Apart from tribal feuds and the Al-Qaeda threat, Yemen is also caught in a power struggle with southern separatists and faces a rebellion in the mostly-Shiite populated north.

The government on August 21 apologized to both southern separatists and northern rebels for wars against them, as part of efforts to encourage national dialogue aimed at drafting a new constitution and holding elections. Yemen is the ancestral home of Al-Qaeda’s late founder Osama bin Laden and the home base of the militant faction’s local front group, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

AQAP militants took advantage of a decline in central government control during a 2011 popular uprising that forced Saleh from power, and seized large swathes of territory across the south. But the army expelled them from these areas in June 2012 and they have been increasingly weakened mainly due to US drone attacks, although they still carry out hit-and-run attacks on security forces.— AFP

Iraq death toll 800 in August alone: UN BAGHDAD: Attacks in Iraq showed no signs of respite yesterday as the UN reported 800 people died in violence last month, amid fears the country is edging back towards all-out war. The latest figures, though lower than the previous month, confirm a months-long surge in unrest compared to previous years that the authorities have sought to combat with wide-ranging security operations targeting militants.

Analysts and diplomats, however, have urged the government to implement broad-reaching reforms in order to placate anger in the Sunni Muslim community, which they say is the root cause of the violence. Violence continued to hit Iraq yesterday, with six people killed in attacks north of Baghdad, including a car bomb targeting a Shiite mosque in an ethnically-diverse town, officials said.

Two people were killed and 16 wounded by the car bomb against the Imam Ali mosque in the town of Tuz Khurmatu, while three others died in a

bombing in the predominantly-Shiite town of Dujail.

The northern province of Nineveh also suffered attacks, with a gunman killed in clashes with the Iraqi army and two policemen wounded by a bomb.

The UN’s mission to Iraq, meanwhile, said 804 people were killed and 2,030 wounded as a result of violence in August, a decline from July’s figure of 1,057 dead, but still one of the highest monthly death tolls this year.

“The impact of violence on civilians remains disturbingly high, with almost 5,000 civilians killed and 12,000 injured since the beginning of 2013,” said the UN’s deputy special envoy to Baghdad Jacqueline Badcock. According to the UN’s figures, violence was worse in Baghdad, but the predominantly-Sunni provinces of Salaheddin, Nineveh, Diyala and Anbar also suffered high levels of violence. Figures compiled by AFP put the toll for August at 693 dead and 1,768 wounded. —AFP

GAZA STRIP: A Hamas policeman stands on sand bags along the border with Egypt yesterday in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, as smoke rises (left) in the Egyptian side of the border following an explosion at a smuggling tunnel dug beneath the Gaza-Egypt border. — AFP

BEIRUT: Syria’s main opposition bloc said yesterday it was disappointed with US President Barack Obama’s decision to seek approval from Congress for action against the regime, but said it believed lawmakers would OK a strike.

“We had a feeling of disappointment. We were expecting things to be quicker, that a strike would be imminent... But we believe Congress will approve a strike,” said Samir Nashar, a top official at the Syrian National Coalition.

To general surprise, Obama on Saturday postponed threatened missile strikes against Syria that the world had thought were imminent, opting instead for the risky gamble of getting Congress approval.

This effectively pushes back any military action aimed at punishing the regime over an alleged deadly poison gas attack until at least September 9, when US lawmakers return from their summer recess.

Nashar said the coalition was confident that Arab foreign ministers who met yesterday in Cairo would give “very strong support” to US-led militar y action. “ The Turkish position is also very important. Washington needs this support,” the Istanbul-based official said. “The coalition will get in touch with Arab countries and Turkey so that they cooperate as much as possible with the United States,” he said.

“We will try to push these countries to take part in the military operation, which will greatly alleviate the suffering of Syrians.” He said intelligence that would be shown to members of Congress contained

DAMASCUS: A handout picture released by the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) yesterday Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad (2ndR) meeting with Iranian head of parliament’s national security and foreign affairs commission, Aladin Borujerdi (2ndL) in Damascus. —AFP proof that the regime of Syrian leader Bashar Al-Assad was behind the alleged attack on August 21.

“They will understand that the context is completely different than that of Iraq.”

Another coalition member, who declined to be named, was fatalistic. “He who waits two-years-and-ahalf can wait another 10 days,” he said. “But if Congress refuses (a strike), Bashar will change into a

regional monster producing chemical weapons and missiles. It would be a disaster for the Syrian people, the region and the world.”

The United States and other Western and Arab countries blame the alleged gas attack on the Assad regime, which itself strenuously denies any responsibility.

Washington says that based on its intelligence, more than 1,400 people were killed in the gruesome

incident. Analysts say the delay in any military strike is a “respite” for Assad, adding that all eyes will now be on Obama and his attempts at garnering support.

“People will turn away from what is happening on the ground in Syria,” said Agnes Levallois, a French Middle East expert. Assad “has 10 or so days during which he will be able to show that he is taking back control,” she said. —AFP

Putin sees chance to turn tables on Obama at G20 MOSCOW: Less than three months after Vladimir Putin was cast as a pariah over Syria at the last big meeting of world leaders, the Russian president has glimpsed a chance to turn the tables on Barack Obama. The US president’s dilemma over a military response to an alleged poison gas attack in Syria means Obama is the one who is under more pressure going into a G20 summit in St Petersburg on Thursday and Friday.

Obama stepped back from the brink on Saturday, delaying any imminent strike to seek approval from the US Congress. Yet at a G8 summit in Northern Ireland in June, Putin was isolated over his backing for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and scowled his way through talks with Obama, who later likened him to a “bored kid in the back of the classroom”.

Putin has ignored the jibe and stood his ground over Assad, dismissing Obama’s allegations that Syrian government forces carried out a chemical weapons attack on Aug. 21.

Buoyed by growing pressure on the US, French and British leaders over Syria, the former KGB spy has also now hit back in comments referring ironically to Obama as a Nobel Peace laureate and portraying US global policy as a failure. “We need to remember what’s happened in the last decade, the number of times the United States has initiated armed conflicts in various parts of the world. Has it solved a single problem?” Putin asked reporters on Saturday in the city of Vladivostok.

“Afghanistan, as I said, Iraq ... After all, there is no peace there, no democracy, which our partners allegedly sought,” he said during a tour of Russia’s far east. Denying as “utter nonsense” the idea that Assad’s forces would use chemical weapons when they were winning the civil war, Putin looked steely and confident. After months of pressure to abandon Assad, he is sending a message to the West that he is ready to do battle over Syria in St Petersburg and sees an opportunity to portray the United States as the bad boy on the block.

“Of course the G20 is not a formal legal authority. It’s not a substitute for the UN Security Council, it can’t take decisions on the use of force. But it’s a good platform to discuss the problem. Why not take advantage of this?” he said. “Is it in the United States’ interests once again to destroy the international security system, the fundamentals of international law? Will it strengthen the United States’ international standing? Hardly,” he said.

There was an element of grandstanding in Putin’s first public comments on the dispute over the poison gas which killed hundreds of people in areas held by Syrian rebels. One of his aims is to deflect criticism at this week’s meeting of the 20 developed and emerging powers, including all five permanent members of the Security

Council, at which Syria is likely to overshadow talks on the global economy.

Putin also seems intent on taking a swipe at Obama, who pulled out of a Russia-US summit that was planned for this week after Moscow defied Washington by granting former US spy agency contractor Edward Snowden a year’s asylum. Putin still risks facing criticism over a law banning “gay propaganda” at the summit, and is accused abroad of clamping down on the opposition to reassert his authority following the biggest protests since he was first elected president in 2000. But the tension over possible military strikes on Syria has ensured Obama has been the focus of world attention, rather than Putin, in the run-up to the G20 - which will consider issues such as economic growth, unemployment and financial regulation. There has been no repeat of the sentiment expressed by Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper on the eve of the G8 summit. Upset by Russia’s position on Syria, he said the G8 group of industrialised countries was in reality the “G7 plus one”.

Any hopes in the West that Russia would shift stance because of the use of chemical weapons now look to have been frustrated. Russian officials have reiterated that Moscow, an important arms supplier to Assad, has the right to deliver such weapons and that their sale does not break international law.

Moscow, which has blocked earlier efforts at the United Nations Security Council to condemn Assad and tighten sanctions on his government, has also made clear it is not about to support moves against Damascus at the United Nations.

Putin says the attack may have been a provocation by rebels fighting Assad, intended to hasten US military intervention, and has used criticism of Washington over Syria to whip up antiAmerican sentiment and shore up support among Russian voters.

“From Russian officials and certainly the Russian media, there continue to be allegations that the United States has an agenda focused on regime change (in Syria), that the United States is driving tumult in the Middle East for its own ends,” a senior US administration official in Washington said. “There is also a cynical element where anti-Americanism has been successful to rally public opinion.” Putin, in fact, seems emboldened as Obama’s problems pile up and some of his allies face difficulties over Syria.

British Prime Minister David Cameron is under pressure after parliament refused to back military action and Obama’s decision to seek Congress’ approval for strikes has put French President Francois Hollande under pressure to let deputies have a say.

Putin said the British parliamentary vote last Thursday was a sign that even people in countries closely allied to the United States were

drawing conclusions from what he depicted as Washington’s foreign policy mistakes. “Even there, there are people who are guided by national interests and common sense, people who value their sovereignty,” Putin said.

Any prospect of “shaming” Putin into a change of tack over Syria is also increasingly seen abroad as unlikely to work.

“I don’t get the sense that Russia is overly concerned about its international image in this regard,” said the senior US administration official.

“It takes pride in being independent ... Russia is not timid or bashful when it comes to Syria support.” —Reuters

Top Sunni authority calls against US strikes on Syria CAIRO: Al-Azhar in Cairo, Sunni Islam’s highest authority, yesterday declared its firm opposition to any US strikes on Syria, saying this would amount to “an aggression against the Arab and Islamic nation”. The institution in a statement “expressed its categorical rejection and condemnation of the decision by the American President (Barack Obama) to launch military strikes on Syria,” to punish president Bashar al-Assad’s regime for an alleged chemical weapons attack near Damascus last month that left hundreds dead.

To general surprise, the US leader on Saturday announced that he would seek approval from Congress for action against Syria, effectively pushing military action back until September 9 at the earliest.

But the Obama administration remains committed to military action, with at least five US warships armed with cruise missiles having converged on the eastern Mediterranean ready to launch precision strikes. Al-Azhar said such strikes would amount to “an aggression against the Arab and Islamic nation... which endangers peace and international security.”

The Islamic institution insisted on “the right of the Syrian people to decide their destiny and their government for themselves in all freedom and transparency,” while condemning the “recourse to chemical weapons, whoever it was that used them.”

The Assad regime has denied responsibility for the incident. The Arab League, which is due to meet at 1600 GMT in Cairo to discuss Syria, is expected to condemn Assad. —AFP

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2013

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

Mandela discharged from hospital, returns home JOHANNESBURG: Nelson Mandela, 95, was discharged from the hospital yesterday while still in critical condition and was taken by ambulance to his Johannesburg home where he will receive intensive care, the office of South Africa’s president said.

On a sunny but cold morning, an ambulance took the anti-apartheid leader home from the hospital in the capital, Pretoria, where he had been since June 8 when he was admitted for what the government has described as a recurring lung infection. Mandela’s condition “is at times unstable,” said President Jacob Zuma in a statement yesterday.

“His home has been reconfigured to allow him to receive intensive care there,” the statement said. “The healthcare personnel providing care at his home are the very same who provided care to him in hospital. If there are health conditions that warrant another admission to hospital in future, this will be done.”

The statement yesterday from Zuma’s office said during his stay in hospital

Mandela “vacillated between serious to critical and at times unstable” and that “despite the difficulties imposed by his various illnesses, he, as always, displays immense grace and fortitude.”

Referring to Mandela by his clan name, the statement continued: “Madiba has been treated by a large medical team from the military, academia, private sector and other public health spheres. We thank all the health professionals at the hospital for their dedication.” There has been an outpouring of concern in South Africa and around the world for the transformative figure who led the tense shift from apartheid’s white minority rule to democracy two decades ago in a spirit of reconciliation.

Zuma urged South Africans to accept that Mandela had grown old and frail, saying all they could do was pray for him.

During his hospitalization, well-wishers delivered flowers and messages of support to the hospital where he was being treated, and prayer sessions were held around the country. The government has

released few details about Mandela’s condition, citing patient confidentiality.

Mandela has been particularly vulnerable to respiratory problems since contracting tuberculosis during his 27-year imprisonment. The bulk of that period was spent on Robben Island, a prison off the coast of Cape Town where Mandela and other prisoners spent part of the time toiling in a limestone quarry.

Mandela, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, is feted around the world as a towering figure of reconciliation. Despite being jailed for his prominent role in opposing white racist rule, Mandela was seemingly free of rancor on his release in 1990, becoming the unifying leader who steered South Africa through a delicate transition to all-race elections that propelled him to the presidency four years later.

The United Nations has recognized Mandela’s birthday, July 18, as an international day to honor themes of activism, democracy and responsibility embodied by the former leader. —AP

PRETORIA: Photographers gather outside the Johannesburg home of former president Nelson Mandela after he was discharged from a Pretoria hospital yesterday. Mandela has been in hospital for nearly months fighting a recurring lung infection. —AP

Hollande faces calls for parliament vote on Syria ‘Paris cannot go to war without parliament nod’

VATICAN CITY: A crowd listens to Pope Francis, small figure seen at the second from right window, reciting the Angelus prayer from his studio window overlooking St Peter’s Square at the Vatican yesterday. Francis is asking people to join him next weekend in a day of fasting for peace in Syria. —AP

Pope announces day of fasting, prayer for Syria VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis has called for the world to unite on Saturday in a day of fasting and prayer for Syria and said “God and history” would judge anyone using chemical weapons.

“May the cry for peace enter the hearts of everyone,” the pope told tens of thousands of pilgrims at his traditional weekly blessing in the Vatican yesterday.

“I condemn with particular force the use of chemical weapons. I still have in my mind and heart the terrible images of the past days,” he said. “There is judgment from God and history on our actions that no one can escape,” he said, in his first explicit reference to the chemical arms claims.

He urged the international community to make “every effort” to begin a process of dialogue in Syria. The pope said he would lead the prayers with a five-hour vigil in St Peter’s Square on Saturday, just two days before the US Congress meets to debate possible strikes by the United States on Syria. The relatively rare call for a global day of fasting and prayer was similar to one made by late pope John Paul II following the September 11 attacks in 2001, Vatican expert Luigi Accattoli told AFP. Although he did not apportion blame

for the alleged chemical attack, the pope’s reference to divine judgment was also similar to John Paul II’s call for members of the Italian mafia to confess their crimes and repent, Accattoli said. His exhortation “Never again to war!” echoed a famous speech made by another of his predecessors, Paul VI, at the United Nations during the Vietnam War. The pope’s call came as the United States, France and other countries were making plans for a limited armed response against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime over its alleged use of chemical weapons. The Vatican has repeatedly pushed for a negotiated solution to the conflict and has already criticized plans by global powers for an armed intervention.

It has been more cautious, however, than some Christian leaders in Syria and the region who have openly defended the current Syrian government seeing it as a guarantor of a multi-religious state.

Christian minorities are concerned about the rise of radical Islam in the region and point to the example of Iraq, where there has been an exodus of Christians faced with violence and discrimination. —AFP

Hard trail for Syria refugees desperate to reach Europe PRESEVO, Serbia/SVILENGRAD: Oliver Ivanovic’s patience paid off. Shortly before midnight, on a hilltop in no-man’s land between Serbia and Macedonia, dozens of grainy figures shuffled through the sights of his thermal goggles. “I have a feeling we’re going to get lucky tonight,” the Serbian border patrol officer said with a grin.

Among the 34 illegal immigrants netted that night trying to steal into Serbia was Mohammad Bakr.

The 25-year-old Syrian, a clean-cut student of electrical engineering, said he had fled the besieged city of Aleppo after his home was struck by a rocket fired in an unrelenting civil war.

With him were 11 relatives, including small children, part of a rising tide seeking passage from Syria and the tented squalor of refugee camps on its borders to the safety of Western Europe. It had taken Bakr six months to get this far, running a gauntlet of extortion and abuse at the hands of professional peoplesmugglers and corrupt police. As Washington weighs a military strike against Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, the human fallout of two and a half years of conflict that has sent millions to flight is no longer contained to the Middle East.

It’s on Europe’s doorstep. “We have no other solution,” said Bakr, sitting on the cold ground in a clearing where Ivanovic and two other officers struggled in broken English to interrogate their catch. “We have nowhere else to go,” he said. Last year brought a fourfold increase in the number of Syrians trying to enter the Western Balkans from Greece, one leg of a route from Turkey to the prosperous West in search of asylum. While Greece is in the EU, it is geographically cut off from the rest of the borderless Schengen zone and immigrants are increasingly unwelcome as Greeks wrestle with an unprecedented economic crisis. Illegal migrants head north to

Macedonia or Bulgaria, some through Serbia, trying to reach Hungary and on through open borders to Western Europe.

In Bulgaria, on Turkey’s western border and the poorest member of the European Union, the number of Syrians seeking asylum has shot up from 85 in 2011 to 449 in 2012 and 855 in the first seven months of this year alone. Twice as many are estimated to have made the illegal crossing.

Romania has reported an 80 percent rise in the first half of this year from the same period of 2012, to a total of some 640.

“We’re conducting constant operations,” Svetlozar Lazarov, secretary general of the Bulgarian Interior Ministry, said during a trip to the border city of Svilengrad.

“Forces and military equipment are deployed along the border and we have increased air surveillance,” he told reporters.

On the night of Aug 27 alone, of 52 people detained crossing the frontier from Turkey into Bulgaria, 39 were from Syria. On Friday, police said another 106 were apprehended, of which 79 were Syrians.

Refugee centers in Bulgaria are full to the brim, putting a strain on meagre budgets and a creaking bureaucracy. Due to lack of capacity at Bulgaria’s three refugee centres, many Syrians are sent to stricter detention centres which they are not allowed to leave, kept for months behind walls topped with razor-wire and windows with bars.

The government this week urgently allocated another $380,000 to boost capacity by another 500 places. “In the detention centres, refugees are in prison-like conditions,” said Boris Cheshirkov, spokesman for the Bulgarian office of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees. “But at least they get food three times a day. In the open reception centres (refugee centres), they have to live off 65 Levs per month, which is less than a dollar a day for food, clothes and medicine.” —Reuters

PARIS: President Barack Obama’s decision to seek congressional authorization for a military strike on Syria has sparked calls for the French parliament to get the same privilege. The French constitution doesn’t require such a vote unless and until a French military intervention lasts longer than four months, as recently happened in the African country of Mali, where France’s military campaign pushed Islamist rebels out of towns in the north and into remote hideaways.

President Francois Hollande has backed Obama’s call to conduct a military strike against the Syrian government in retaliation for an alleged chemical weapons attack in a Damascus suburb on Aug 21. Francois Fillon, France’s exprime minister and leading figure in the opposition UMP party, said yesterday that parliament should vote on the issue, telling the Journal du Dimanche newspaper, “In the current circumstances, France cannot go to war without the clear support of parliament.”

France’s parliament is scheduled to debate the issue Wednesday, but no vote is scheduled.

Another French opposition figure, prominent centrist politician Francois Bayrou, said in an open letter published in yesterday’s Journal du Dimanche that it would be “unthinkable” for Hollande to act without consulting parliament.

Voices from within Hollande’s own party agreed. The head of parliament’s defense committee, Patricia Adam, told the newspaper that she favors the idea on a personal level, and that she “doesn’t see any reason why parliament wouldn’t get a say now when others do.” In what looked like a nod to these calls for more parliamentary oversight, Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said yesterday he would meet with leaders of the parliament’s defense and foreign affairs committees as well as parliamentary party leaders today to discuss the Syria situation. Other Socialists, including Interior Minister Manuel Valls and the head of parliament’s foreign affairs committee Elisabeth Guigou, took to Sunday’s TV chat shows to reiterate the government’s stance,

backed up by the constitution, that it is Hollande’s prerogative to take the decision for military action.

“We don’t change the constitution based on someone’s mood or on what’s happening in the world,” Valls said on I Tele. France has echoed US calls for a strong international coalition to take action in Syria, and Valls reiterated Sunday that there is no question of France going it alone in the event the US Congress rejects Obama’s call for action.

Should Hollande decide to heed the calls for a vote, experts said there are two possible scenar-

ios. One would be for Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault to make the question part of a confidence vote on his government. That was done in 1991, when parliament backed then-President Francois Mitterrand’s decision to join the US-led coalition in the Gulf War. A no-vote, although unlikely given the Socialists’ majority in parliament, would bring down the government.

Another article of France’s Constitution gives the government the option of holding a nonbinding vote on any question proposed either by the government itself or by a parliamentary group. —AP

MARSEILLE: Police investigate near Marseille’s opera house, in Marseille, southern France yesterday. Over thirty shots, wounding three people were fired during a shootout yesterday morning. —AP

Steinbrueck, Merkel’s luckless challenger BERLIN: Peer Steinbrueck, the man who wants to beat German Chancellor Angela Merkel, has said his favorite animal is the rhinoceros because “it starts very slowly but when it gets going, nothing can stop it”. Three weeks from general election day, the Social Democrat’s problem is that his campaign, after a series of early stumbles, has failed to build that rhino-like momentum and, polls suggest, may be headed for the cliff. The 66year-old former finance minister is known as a folksy politician with a sharp intellect and acerbic wit-and a man with an unenviable challenge: defeating Germany’s most popular politician at the ballot box.

The difficult task is made harder by the fact that, as one commentator put it, Steinbrueck “was born with his foot in his mouth”. His gaffes have, fairly or not, become the main theme of his luckless candidacy. Steinbrueck’s run for the top job started under a cloud when the standard bearer of working-class Germany had to apologize for earning 1.25 million euros ($1.66 million) on the lec-

ture circuit, much of it from banks.

The perception of a candidate disconnected from the people was fuelled by his complaint that the chancellor’s salary is too low, and that he wouldn’t drink a bottle of Pinot Grigio wine that cost just five euros. After Italy’s elections, he labelled two winners “clowns”, an image that was gleefully picked up on an Economist magazine cover but led a less-amused President Giorgio Napolitano to cancel dinner with Steinbrueck.

More recently, Steinbrueck charged that Merkel enjoyed a “women’s bonus” and that her upbringing in the communist East made her a less committed European-comments that alienated large segments of the electorate. Some observers have viewed the focus on Steinbrueck’s missteps as unfair hounding by a Berlin media that sees a Merkel victory as a foregone conclusion, given her almost 30-point popularity lead over him.

“Never in the history of federal elections has a

A combination of file photos shows Peer Steinbrueck (left) and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. —AFP

candidate been massacred like Peer Steinbrueck,” commented the Zeit weekly. “Whether in print, online or on television, Steinbrueck is portrayed almost everywhere as a politically simple-minded fool who is only worth reporting on when he commits another blunder.”

Supporters point to the decades of experience of the trained economist from the northern port of Hamburg. Steinbrueck once served as premier of the country’s most populous state and labour bastion North Rhine-Westphalia. During his stint in Merkel’s previous ‘grand coalition’ cabinet, they cooperated closely to mitigate the impact of the financial crisis caused by the 2008 collapse of US investment bank Lehman Brothers.

It was “his biggest political act”, said one of his biographers, Daniel Friedrich Sturm, who praised Steinbrueck for his “composure, assurance and determination” amid the global turmoil.

Despite such praise for Steinbrueck, the sustained media hammering the father-of-three has endured in recent months has at times shown him to be less thick-skinned than his favorite animal. He lost his voice and shed tears when his wife on a TV talk show spoke about the pressure the campaign fight had put on their family, and praised his commitment for soldiering on for the cause.

Steinbrueck himself has sought to turn his straighttalking and sometimes abrasive style into an asset, contrasting it with what he calls Merkel’s cautious, noncommittal and “pebble-smooth” politspeak. “I am more difficult-and less boring,” Steinbrueck said as he bravely presented the program for his “first 100 days” as chancellor at a press conference Thursday. Showing his grasp of policy detail, Steinbrueck presented the platform of his Social Democratic Party (SPD) based on the theme of social justice, with a minimum wage, more child care spots and higher pensions. Above all, though, Steinbrueck promised to be a man of clarity and action.

“I want the citizens to know where they stand with me. Vagueness is not my style,” he said, pledging to be an antidote to the Merkel years and a government that “leaves you guessing about where it’s going.” To leave no doubt about his message, he drove home the point with a jocular Steinbrueck quip, promising the assembled Berlin journalists that “with me, it’ll rock”. —AFP

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2013

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

Kerry is point man in Obama’s push to punish Syria WASHINGTON: When the Senate takes up whether to back White House plans to attack Syria, there may be few more effective or passionate lobbyists for the administration than Secretary of State John Kerry, who was a member of that exclusive club for 28 years. Kerry last week described Syria’s suspected use of chemical weapons as “a moral obscenity” and, in a separate appearance, called Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad “a thug and a murderer.”

According to people with knowledge of the administration’s debates, Kerry has argued for a more muscular US involvement in the conflict even as he has been its point man on searching for a diplomatic solution. “He has been much more open-minded about potential lethal action than others in the administration,” said a former US official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The son of a US diplomat, Kerry came to the job of secretary of state after nearly three decades in the Senate, all of them on the Foreign Relations Committee, and a record as a Vietnam veteran. That experience could come in handy as the White House makes its case to Congress for action on Syria in retaliation for the military’s Aug 21 attack that US officials say

killed more than 1,400 people.

Kerry’s strong remarks came on an issue where other top US officials, including President Barack Obama at times, have kept a lower profile. Obama on Saturday said he believed that military force should be used against Syria but backed away from an imminent strike to seek the approval of Congress.

“The value of John Kerry getting out there to the president is that he can speak to that audience, and he can speak to the international audience, and he can speak to the American people,” said Tamara Cofman Wittes, director of the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution think tank. In a sign Kerry will actively advance the president’s approach, he was scheduled to appear on several major US television talk shows yesterday morning.

The timing of a US response, most likely with cruise missiles from US Navy destroyers in the eastern Mediterranean, is unclear given the decision to seek congressional approval. That Kerry has become a primary exponent of the Obama administration’s policy might come as a surprise given his penchant for making statements that have given officials at the White House and the State

Department heartburn. Speaking in June of the US effort to bring the warring parties in Syria to the table, Kerry said, “This is a very difficult process, which will come too late,” a statement that can be read as an implicit criticism of Obama’s largely hands-off policy over the previous two years. And earlier this summer he said the Egyptian military had been “restoring democracy” when it toppled first freely elected president, Islamist Mohammed Morsi, in July - a widely criticized endorsement of the military rulers who brutally cracked down on Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood supporters.

Those discordant notes aside, the White House appears to see Kerry, the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee, as one of its most effective spokesmen when it comes to reaching out to the American public, Congress and the wider world. Last week, Kerry was Obama’s main advocate for using force, belying the former Massachusetts senator’s reputation as a somewhat wooden speaker. “The indiscriminate slaughter of civilians, the killing of women and children and innocent bystanders, by chemical weapons is a moral obscenity,” Kerry said yesterday.

“If we choose to live in a world where a thug and a murderer like Bashar Al-Assad

can gas thousands of his own people with impunity, even after the United States and our allies said no, and then the world does nothing about it, there will be no end to the test of our resolve and the dangers ... from those others who believe that they can do as they will,” he said on Friday.

“On both Egypt and Syria, Kerry led the administration’s articulation of a tough new position,” said Jon Alterman, head of the Middle East program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank in Washington. The Syrian civil war has presented the White House with policy options that it found unpalatable at best for a US president elected in part on the premise that he would get the United States out of wars in the Muslim world.

Loath to be drawn into another one, Obama has tried to keep his distance from the conflict, holding off for months before calling for Assad to go in August 2011 and rejecting advice from thenSecretary of State Hillary Clinton and CIA Director David Petraeus in 2012 that he give US arms to the Syrian rebels. Kerry, who took over from Clinton on Feb 1, has been an advocate for doing more to help the Syrian rebels.

In Rome in late February, during his

first foreign trip as secretary of state, Kerry unveiled a marked US policy shift - a decision to send non-lethal assistance such as medical supplies and food directly to the rebels. After striking a deal with Russia on May to try to revive moribund efforts to bring both sides of the conflict to the negotiating table, Kerry hinted two weeks later that the West might arm the rebels if Syria refused to come to the talks.

Obama eventually decided to take that step, but it is unclear whether any US weaponry has reached the rebels. Kerry’s diplomatic initiative, however, had begun to unravel within a month when Syrian government forces in early June retook the strategic town of Qusair, which lies on a cross-border supply route with Lebanon.

A week later on June 12, in a meeting of Obama’s top national security team, Kerry argued for the United States going beyond arming opposition fighters by employing air strikes, a person familiar with the talks said. Martin Dempsey, who as chairman of the US Joint Chiefs is the United States top military officer, pushed back strongly, arguing that such a mission would be complex and costly. Kerry appeared to have lost that argument, until now. —Reuters

US debate on question of strike on Syria begins Congressional leaders plan vote on Sept 9 WASHINGTON: The debate is on as congressional lawmakers begin considering President Barack Obama’s request that they authorize a military strike on Syria to punish the Assad regime for an alleged chemical attack on its own people.

Leaders in Congress planned for a vote on the authorization soon after lawmakers return from their summer recess on Sept 9. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee scheduled a hearing on Obama’s request for Tuesday, and classified and unclassified

briefings for senators were being planned ahead of the vote as well.

Opposing views began to emerge within hours of the president’s address Saturday in the White House Rose Garden. While some lawmakers said they would need more information and discussion about the consequences of attacking Syria, others appeared to have already taken positions. Arguing for a strategy that seeks to end Syrian President Bashar Assad’s rule, Sens John McCain of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina

issued a joint statement saying that any operation should be broader than the “limited” scope Obama has described. “We cannot in good conscience support isolated military strikes in Syria that are not part of an overall strategy that can change the momentum on the battlefield, achieve the president’s stated goal of Assad’s removal from power, and bring an end to this conflict, which is a growing threat to our national security interests,” the senators said.

Rep Peter King, a member of the

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama makes a statement about the crisis in Syria in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington on Saturday. —AP

House’s intelligence committee, suggested that Obama was undermining the authorities of future presidents and seeking a political shield for himself by going through Congress.

“The president doesn’t need 535 members of Congress to enforce his own red line,” King said. Sen John Cornyn, said he doesn’t believe Syria should go unpunished for the Aug 21 attack near Damascus. “But we need to understand what the whole scope of consequences is,” he said by telephone.

“What the president may perceive as limited ... won’t stop there.”“The potential for escalation in this situation is so great that I think it’s essential that the president not be out there on his own,” said Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas. He added, however, that constituents have asked him why what happened in Syria should matter to them.

“The president has to convince us,” Thornberry said. After telling the nation that he had decided not to act on his own authority, Obama delivered draft legislation to the House and Senate seeking the use of US armed forces against Syria “as he determines to be necessary and appropriate.”

The draft also stated that “unified action by the legislative and executive branches will send a clear signal of American resolve.” Lawmakers of both parties had, for days, demanded that Obama seek congressional authorization under the War Powers Act. Until Saturday, the president showed no willingness to do so and the military strike appeared imminent. There’s little doubt that Obama as commander in chief could retaliate against Syrian targets without approval from the American people or their representatives in Congress. He did it two years ago in Libya, but in that case, the US led a NATO coalition. —AP

Failure to thin brush may have worsened California wildfire A cluster of controlled fire and tree-thinning projects approved by forestry officials but never funded might have slowed the progress of the massive Rim Fire in California, a wide range of critics said this weekend. The massive blaze at the edge of Yosemite National Park in the Sierra Nevada mountains has scorched an area larger than many US cities - with some of that land in the very location pinpointed by the US Forest service for eight projects aimed at clearing and burning brush and small trees that help fuel wildfire.

The projects, which were approved by the US Forest Service but never funded by Congress, would have thinned the woods in about 25 square miles (65 square km) in the Groveland District of the Stanislaus National

Forest, much of which was incinerated by the Rim Fire.

About 9,000 acres (3,642 hectares) were suitable to be deliberately burned as fire prevention buffer zones in 2012, the Forest Service said in a document provided to Reuters. But reductions in funding for fire prevention efforts by Congress in recent years coupled with stringent air quality standards that limit the timeframe for such burns have hampered efforts to carry them out on a larger scale.

Last year, the Forest Service had funding to burn 449 acres (182 hectares) in the Groveland District but did not reach that target, said District Ranger Maggie Dowd. The wildfire is the sixth-largest on record in California. It burned over 220,000 acres (89,000 hectares) over the

A member of the BLM Silver State Hotshot crew using a drip torch to set back fires on the southern flank of the Rim Fire in California. —AP

past two weeks while penetrating Yosemite National Park and threatening to befoul the Hetch Hetchy reservoir providing the lion’s share of water to San Francisco.

“This is a colossal unfunded backlog of critically important fuel reduction work,” said John Buckley, executive director of the Central Sierra Environmental Resource Center and a former Forest Service fire fighter.

The projects “would have inarguably made the Rim Fire far easier to contain, far less expensive and possibly not even a major disaster.”

Over the past several years, wildfires in the US West have become increasingly frequent and at times deadly.

Earlier this year, 19 firefighters were killed in a blaze in Arizona, and wildfires have raged in several states, including Nevada, Alaska and New Mexico.

Federal fire figures show an average of 7.6 million acres (3.1 million hectares) charred per year between 2004 and 2012, up from 3.6 million acres (1.46 million hectares) annually in the preceding 20 years. Part of the problem, experts and many fire officials say, is that funding has been low for the controlled burns and forestthinning work that makes it harder for a wildfire to spread.

In recent years, Jarvis said, the trend has been to shift money from fire prevention to firefighting. “We’ve got to invest up front in terms of controlling and managing these fires,” said Jonathan Jarvis, director of the National Park Service from his smoke-filled post in Yosemite National Park. “Just waiting for the big fire and then throwing everything you’ve got at it makes no sense.”

The massive blazes are fueled by high temperatures, said US Forest Service geographer Carl Skinner. Mike Albrecht, co-owner of the logging company Sierra Resource Management, which operates on public land in the Sierra Nevada mountains said that the backlogged projects would likely have helped limit the Rim Fire.

The “one-two punch” of thinning the forest through logging and prescribed burns is essential for stemming the tide of catastrophic wildfires across the American West, he said. —Reuters

People demonstrate against a US-led strike on Syria in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday. The US Congress began to debate a possible military strike against Syria during the week beginning September 9. —AFP

Possible US-led attack on Syria sparks rallies HOUSTON: Protesters around the world took to the streets to protest Saturday for and against a possible US-led attack on Syria, as President Barack Obama announced he would seek congressional approval for such a move.

Obama said the US should take action against Syria to punish it for what the US believes was a deadly chemical attack launched by Syrian President Bashar Assad this month that killed more than 1,400 people. But Obama said he wants Congress to debate and vote on whether to use force, and has said any possible strike would be limited.

In Houston, which has a large Syrian-American population, about 100 people lined up on opposite sides of a street in an upscale neighborhood to express opposing views on a possible US attack. “We want any kind of action. The world has stood silently and it’s been too long. Something needs to be done,” said Tamer Barazi, a 23-year-old civil engineer who carried a Syrian flag and a sign stating “Syrian Americans for peace, democracy and freedom in Syria.”

Standing across the street in Houston’s sweltering heat were those opposing US intervention, outnumbering the supporters of an intervention.

Some carried signs stating “We Don’t Want Obama’s War” and “Hands Off Syria.”

“How would you like another country to decide who is going to be the president of the United States?” asked 53-year-old Hisam Saker, a Syrian-American property manager who has lived in Houston for 33 years. The demonstrations erupted on both East and West coasts of the United States, and cities in between. In Washington, as Obama addressed the nation from the Rose Garden, anti-war demonstrators chanted and waved placards outside the White House. Across the street, Syrians and Syrian Americans who support US action waved flags from their country and shouted for Assad’s ouster.

“The conflict’s been going on for, what, almost 2

years now. Estimates are 100,000 Syrian civilians have been killed and all of a sudden the US government has manufactured the excuse of the use of chemical weapons in Syria to use that excuse to intervene in Syria,” said Tristan Brosnan, 25, of Washington.

Later, in Los Angeles, about 200 people shouting “Hands off Syria” protested against a possible American strike. They waved signs reading “No More War” and police said they wrote up more than 40 citations after demonstrators sat in street intersections and blocked traffic. Police reported two arrests. In Boston, more than 200 protesters demonstrated in the Boston Commons against the possible use of American force. They chanted “Don’t Bomb Syria!” repeatedly, and at least one speaker said congressional authorization wouldn’t make an attack acceptable. More than two dozen protesters gathered at the Arkansas Capitol to oppose a possible US attack. Some wore T-shirts proclaiming “NO US INTERVENTION IN SYRIA.” “I had friends that died in Iraq, and I don’t want more people to die for nothing,” said Dominic Box, 23, expressing some of the fears of a war-weary public. In downtown Chicago, about 40 people walked quietly in the rain, circling a sculpture in Daley Plaza. Some carried signs that read “No War In Syria” and “Shut It Down.” “I don’t believe in spreading democracy the way they’re doing it,” said Tyke Conrady, 44, who attended the protest with three friends.

In London, more than 1,000 protesters carrying Syrian flags and placards marched to Downing Street and rallied in Trafalgar Square.

Some hailed the parliament’s vote Thursday against British participation as a victory. And about 700 people turned out for an anti-war demonstration in Frankfurt, Germany, police said.

Organizers said only a “sovereign, independent Syria free of foreign interference” would make it possible for the Syrian people to shape the country’s future. —AP

Immigration bill knot: ‘Special’ citizenship path WASHINGTON: As Congress wrestles with immigration legislation, a central question is whether the 11 million immigrants already in the United States illegally should get a path to citizenship. The answer from a small but growing number of House Republicans is “yes,” just as long as it’s not the “special” path advocated by Democrats and passed by the Senate.

“There should be a pathway to citizenship not a special pathway and not no pathway,” Rep Jason Chaffetz, told ABC 4 Utah after speaking at a recent town hall meeting in his district. “But there has to be a legal, lawful way to go through this process that works, and right now it doesn’t.” Many House Republicans say people who illegally crossed the border or overstayed their visas should not be rewarded with a special, tailor-made solution that awards them a prize of American citizenship, especially when millions are waiting in line to attempt the process through current legal channels.

It’s far from clear, however, what a path to citizenship that’s not a special path to citizenship might look like, or how many people it might help.

The phrase means different things to differ-

ent people, and a large number of House Republicans oppose any approach that results in citizenship for people now are in the country illegally. Some lawmakers say such immigrants should be permitted to attain legal worker status, but stop there and never progress to citizenship. That’s a solution Democrats reject.

Nonetheless, advocates searching for a way ahead on one of President Barack Obama’s second-term priorities see in the “no special path to citizenship” formulation the potential for compromise. “I think there’s a lot of space there,” said Clarissa Martinez, director of civic engagement and immigration at the National Council of La Raza. “And that’s why I’m optimistic that once they start grappling more with details, that’s when things start getting more real.”

Once Congress returns from its summer break the week of Sept. 9, the focus will be on the GOP-led House. The Democratic-controlled Senate in June passed a far-reaching bill that includes a big, new investment in border security and remakes the system for legal immigration system, in addition to creating a 13-year path to citizenship for those already here illegally. —AP

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2013

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

Outrage in India over first Delhi gang-rape sentence Oppn seeks tougher punishments for juveniles

KABUL: Afghan president Hamid Karzai’s Chief of Staff, Omar Daudzai looks on during a joint press conference at the Presidential palace in Kabul. —AFP

Karzai rings the changes in security leadership KABUL: Afghan President Hamid Karzai named his second new interior minister in a year yesterday, appointing presidential hopeful Umer Daudzai in the security job and underlining a sense of political fragility ahead of next year’s presidential vote.

In the second major security appointment in as many days, the reshuffle could unsettle Western governments keen for stability as they prepare to withdraw most international combat troops by the end of 2014. “In order to improve the managing of our security affairs, the appointment of Umer Daudzai as caretaker Minister of Interior has been approved by a presidential decree,” said a statement from the Afghan Cabinet Secretariat.

Daudzai’s appointment will be viewed through the prism of April’s presidential election, given he is interested in running but is not allowed to hold a ministerial position if he does so. The announcement comes a day after Karzai appointed senior security official Rahmatullah Nabil as the acting head of the Afghan intelligence agency, the National Directorate of Security (NDS).

The previous NDS head, Assadullah Khalid, was forced to step down for health reasons after being wounded in a

failed assassination attack in December.

Both Daudzai and Nabil will have two months in the job and will require parliamentary approval to stay on longer, according to the Afghan constitution.

Daudzai, who until yesterday ’s appointment was the Afghan ambassador to Pakistan, replaces former policeman Ghulam Mujtaba Patang. The statement made no reference to Patang, and he could not be reached for comment. In late July parliament voted to dismiss Patang, saying he had been unable to tackle a worsening security environment.

Karzai challenged the decision and said Patang would stay as acting minister while he sought legal advice from Afghanistan’s Supreme Court.

Patang, a majority Pashtun and former police officer, had risen swiftly in Karzai’s government, leading efforts to train police and volunteer militias, and forging close ties with Western donors as a liaison with NATO reconstruction teams.

Last August parliament voted to remove then Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak and then Interior Minister Bismillah Khan Mohammadi over a series of assassinations of top officials and incidents of cross-border fire with neighboring Pakistan. —Reuters

NEW DELHI: India’s opposition said yesterday it would seek tougher punishments for juveniles after the first verdict in the New Delhi gangrape case saw a teenager sentenced to three years’ detention, sparking widespread anger.

The rape and murder of a 23year-old student by six attackers on a moving bus last December sparked nationwide protests and led to reforms that mandated longer sentences for adult sex offenders.

Sushma Swaraj, opposition leader in the lower house of parliament, said she would introduce a bill this week to amend the law for juveniles. “This meagre punishment of just three years does not do justice,” Swaraj wrote on Twitter. “The sentence must commensurate with the gravity of the offence irrespective of the age of the offender,” she added.

On Saturday a juvenile court in New Delhi sentenced the only under-age suspect in the gang-who was 17 at the time of the crime-to three years in a correctional facility.

This was the maximum sentence under Indian law, which treats all under-18s as children and seeks to reform rather than punish them.

“TRAVESTY: December 16 teen rapist ‘gets away’ with murder,” a headline in the tabloid Mail Today read, summing up the mood. The convicted teen will spend about 28 months in a juvenile detention centre, having already spent about eight months in custody awaiting the verdict. “He can watch TV, play games while doing time,” the Hindustan Times reported, while pointing out that police sources had earlier described the teenager as “the most brutal” of the six attackers.

The Times of India said the gangrape victim had “been denied justice” by the juvenile court.

Subramanian Swamy, a politician from the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, told AFP the teenager “should have been executed” and he intended to file an appeal against Saturday’s court order. Swamy has already lodged a petition in the Supreme Court challenging India’s juvenile law for not taking the gravity of a crime into account during sen-

tencing. “It’s ridiculous to think you can reform a person who has committed a heinous crime, who has raped and murdered a young woman in such a brutal fashion,” he added. According to the teenager’s defense lawyer, his conduct will be observed and the sentence could be reduced for good behavior. The juvenile was employed to clean the bus where the attack took place and often slept rough or inside the vehicle, reports say. A child rights activist

The panel’s report in January also said it was “completely dissatisfied with the operation of children’s institutions”, a view echoed by several child rights activists. Shahbaz Khan, co-founder of Haq: Centre for Child Rights, which has provided counselling to the convicted juvenile told AFP there were often “no trained social workers and psychologists placed inside these institutions”, thus undermining any effort at rehabilitation. The attack on the young

The Press Trust of India said the 25-year-old victim was attacked while visiting a male friend, who was also assaulted by the gang of five.

Last month a 22-year-old photographer was gang-raped in Mumbai while taking pictures at an abandoned mill in a posh part of the commercial capital.

Protestors outside the juvenile court Saturday and the victim’s family called for the teenager to be hanged. The victim, a physiothera-

AMRITSAR: Indian pedestrians read newspapers displaying front page headlines in Amritsar yesterday regarding the Delhi gang rape juvenile convicted for three years by the courts in New Delhi. —AFP who knows him said he grew up poor in a village in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh and moved to Delhi on his own at the age of 11 when he began a string of menial jobs.

“He changed jobs all the time, desperate to earn more and send money to his family,” the activist told AFP on condition of anonymity. A government panel set up after the gang-rape to recommend changes to sex crime laws rejected calls to lower the age at which people can be tried as adults from 18 to 16.

woman brought simmering anger about endemic sex crime in India to the boil, and turned her attackers into public hate figures.

But despite soul-searching and a new law toughening sentences for rapists, sex crimes have continued unabated, with almost every day bringing news of a new grave offence.

News emerged Saturday evening of another attack in the Noida suburb of the capital, where a woman was allegedly gang-raped by five men including two police constables.

py student, died of internal injuries two weeks after being raped and assaulted with an iron bar on the night of December 16. Her male companion was beaten up before both were thrown bleeding from the bus. A separate trial of the four adult suspects in a fast-track court is hearing closing arguments and is expected to wrap up in the next few weeks, with the men facing a possible death sentence if convicted. The fifth adult, the suspected ringleader, died in jail in an apparent suicide. —AFP

Indian soldier’s body found in Himalayas after 45 years

JODHPUR: Controversial spiritual guru Asaram Bapu (center in white) is brought for interrogation by police at the Jodhpur airport in Jodhpur yesterday. —AP

Indian spiritual leader arrested on rape charge JAIPUR: A controversial spiritual guru was arrested early yesterday on a rape charge filed by a teenage girl in the northwestern Indian state of Rajasthan, police said. Asaram Bapu was arrested at a spiritual retreat in central India and flown to the city of Jodhpur, where police say he is wanted for allegedly raping the girl, said Ajay Singh Lamba, a top police officer.

The case is the latest in a series of high-profile rape cases in India that have fueled public protests and raised questions about how police handle the cases and treat the victims. The girl filed a complaint two weeks ago accusing the Hindu religious preacher of raping her when she visited his retreat in Jodhpur with her mother. The girl’s family

says they have been followers of Asaram Bapu for more than a decade. Asaram Bapu, who has hundreds of thousands of followers in India and is well known for his discourses on Hindu religion, has denied the charge.

There was drama Saturday when Rajasthan police arrived at his retreat to arrest him, with hundreds of his supporters thronging the ashram and attacking television crews. Asaram Bapu was questioned for nearly three hours before he was arrested, police said. Asaram Bapu outraged many Indians earlier this year when he said the victim of a gang rape on a New Delhi bus would have been let off if she had addressed her attackers as brothers and pleaded with them to spare her. —AP

Afghans find dumped bodies of 7 soldiers KABUL: The badly beaten, bullet-riddled bodies of seven Afghan soldiers were found dumped in an eastern province yesterday, apparent victims of insurgents, authorities said. The discovery comes as the Taliban have stepped up their attacks in Afghanistan and US-led foreign forces are reducing their presence in the country. The handover of responsibility for security to local forces has made the Afghan army an even more tempting target than usual for militants.

Local residents found the corpses next to each other in Andar district of Ghazni province, their hands chained behind their backs. The dead soldiers had been kidnapped at different times, with some abducted while they were on leave visiting relatives,

said Mohammad Ali Ahmadi, deputy Ghazni governor. The victims hailed from northern provinces and were found with identification documents.

The Taliban did not issue a claim of responsibility for the killings, but Ahmadi said the insurgents are known to occasionally stop vehicles in search of people to “prosecute” for working for the US-supported Afghan government or security forces. In Ghazni’s Qarabagh district, two Afghans involved in civilian militias that resist the Taliban were killed during a gunfight with militants, Ahmadi said. Such citizen militias have cropped up in several par ts of Afghanistan. Meanwhile, a roadside bomb killed eight Afghan employees of a private mining company in the

north on Saturday, authorities said.

The workers were traveling in a small truck to the chromite mine in the Bagram district of Parwan province.

Provincial governor Abdul Basir Salangi said yesterday that five people also were wounded in the explosion, and that the victims were all either laborers or security guards of the company.

An explosion yesterday, meanwhile, apparently targeted the mayor of the eastern city of Jalalabad, but wounded his driver instead. Hazrat Hussain Mashreqiwal, a police spokesman in Nangarhar province, said the mayor was not in the vehicle when the bomb went off, and that investigators are trying to determine the type of bomb used. —AP

SHIMLA: The body of an Indian soldier who died in a plane crash 45 years ago has been found in the Himalayas and will be given a military funeral, the army said yesterday. A team found the soldier’s body, still wearing a uniform with personal identification documents in the pocket, on August 22 — more than four decades after he and 101 others died when an army transport aircraft crashed in February 1968.

The man, identified as Jagmail Singh, came from Meerpur village in Haryana state south of the Himalayas, an army spokesman said. “Bad weather hasn’t allowed us to fly the body home yet for a military funeral,” he told AFP. The remains were recovered at an altitude of 18,000 feet (5,400 metres) on the Dhakka glacier in Himachal Pradesh state. “His identity was established by an identity disc, an insurance policy and a letter from his family which was found in his pocket,” the spokesman said. The plane took off from a fog-shrouded runway in the city of

Chandigarh and was headed for the imalayan town of Leh. Halfway to his destination, the pilot decided to turn back due to bad weather.

The aircraft last made radio contact near the 13,050 feet Rohtang pass, before vanishing.

Trekkers stumbled upon its wreckage in 2003 after finding the partially frozen body of a soldier on the glacier, in a particularly remote stretch of the Himalayas. The army mounted three search missions in the years up to 2009 and recovered four more bodies. The latest search started on August 13, with the aim of retrieving more bodies as well as a flight recorder that could help explain the cause of the crash.

The Himalayas have long been an icy graveyard for those who disappear in them. A 1999 expedition to Mount Everest discovered the frozen body of British mountaineer George Mallory, who vanished in 1924 as he tried to reach the world’s highest point. —AFP

Sri Lanka state press says UN rights chief ‘prejudiced’ COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s state-run media yesterday accused UN human rights chief Navi Pillay of being “prejudiced”, a day after she warned that the island was becoming “increasingly authoritarian”.

Pillay ended a fact-finding mission to the country to probe allegations of war crimes Saturday by saying Sri Lanka was a place where the rule of law had eroded and the independence of the judiciary was undermined. “She came with a prejudiced mind and she is leaving with a prejudiced mind,” the Sunday Observer said in a front-page article headlined: “She hasn’t changed a bit.”

“She probably thought of the visit in some way as an opportunity to give credence to her preconceived judgements, and nothing else,” the paper added. The rights chief accused military officials of harassing and intimidating priests, journalists and other civilians as punishment for meeting her during her visit.

“This type of surveillance and harassment appears to be getting worse in Sri Lanka, which is a country where critical voices are quite often attacked or even permanently silenced,” she said.

The government did not immediately respond. Pillay’s visit was marred by personal attacks against her by government activists, including three government ministers.

She told reporters Saturday that President Mahinda Rajapakse had personally “apologised” to her for the abuse. The privately-run, pro-government Sunday Island said Pillay’s claim

KABUL: Afghan police arrest a man near the scene of an explosion in front of Governor House in Jalalabad east of Kabul yesterday. A bomb attached to a vehicle of the Jalalabad mayor exploded yesterday, apparently targeting the mayor of the eastern city of Jalalabad, but wounded his driver instead. —AP that people were being punished for talking to her could not be accepted as “absolute fact,” but that the government must investigate it.

“The people have a right to know whether there had been any kind of intimidation as alleged and if so those responsible must be brought to account,” the Sunday Island said. The Ceylon Today, a privately-run paper

agreed that the government had made little headway in improving its rights record four years after crushing Tamil rebels and ending a drawn out separatist war in 2009. Sri Lanka has resisted demands from the UN and Western nations for a “credible” investigation into allegations that up to 40,000 civilians were killed in the final months of the separatist war. —AFP

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2013

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

China graft watchdog probes top official BEIJING: China’s anti-graft watchdog is investigating the head of the commission which oversees state-owned firms for alleged “serious disciplinary violations,” official media reported Sunday as the country’s leaders ramp up the fight against corruption. The probe of Jiang Jiemin follows several graft cases against top officials and the dramatic trial of fallen Communist Party heavyweight Bo Xilai for alleged bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power.

In a brief dispatch, the state-run Xinhua news agency said Jiang “is being investigated over suspected serious disciplinary violations”, a term used as a euphemism for corruption by officials.

Xinhua said it obtained the information about Jiang, head of the State-owned

Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, from the party’s anti-corruption watchdog.

Xinhua did not immediately provide other details. Jiang has a seat on the ruling party’s central committee, which has about 200 members. The State Council is China’s cabinet. President Xi Jinping, who took office in March, has vowed to oust corrupt officials all the way from low-level “flies” to high-ranking “tigers” amid fears graft could threaten the party’s hold on power.

Zhang Zhiwei, an economist with Nomura International in Hong Kong, said that the commission Jiang heads is significant as it oversees China’s stateowned enterprises, which play a major role in the economy. “This announce-

ment suggests the anti-corruption campaign is picking up speed,” he said in a report. News of the investigation into Jiang comes as state media last month reported that the party had expelled one of its highest-ranking officials to come under suspicion for graft.

Former top economic policymaker Liu Tienan “took advantage of his position to seek profits for others” and was “morally degenerate”, Xinhua reported, citing the party discipline inspection commission.

Liu, once the deputy director of the influential National Development and Reform Commission, lost his party and government posts. Expulsion from the party is normally a precursor to criminal prosecution for Chinese officials. On

Friday, a Hong Kong newspaper reported that China will launch a corruption investigation into one of the country’s most powerful politicians of the last decade. The probe of former security tsar Zhou Yongkang was reported by the South China Morning Post, which cited “sources familiar with the leadership’s thinking”. Zhou is a recently retired member of the party ’s Politburo Standing Committee, its top body and would be the highest-ranking official to be investigated for decades. Yesterday’s report comes after the high-profile trial of Bo which ended today.

Analysts widely believe that a guilty verdict for Bo-who once ran the southwestern megacity of Chongqing and was one of the 25 highest-ranking mem-

bers of the ruling party-is a foregone conclusion and that he likely faces a long prison sentence. The Global Times newspaper, which has close ties to the party, reported Wednesday that China’s leaders will gather in November for a key meeting on economic reforms. Zhang, the Nomura economist, said that the probe into Jiang had mixed implications for China’s economy.

“Anti-corruption cases will probably lead to a reshuffling of senior officials, which may delay some government activity,” he wrote. “However, we believe it is a long-term positive because it shows the new leadership is on track to establishing its authority, which is a necessary condition for implementing tough structural reforms.” —AFP

N Korea blames US threat for aborting envoy’s trip ‘Grave provocation during military drill’

BRISBANE: Australia’s Prime Minister Kevin Rudd (second from left) with his wife Therese Rein (left), daughter Jessica (center), son-in-law Albert Tse (right) and granddaughter Josephine, gather on stage following the Australian Labor Party’s campaign launch in Brisbane yesterday. — AP

‘Comeback kid’ Australian PM vows fight to the last SYDNEY: Prime Minister Kevin Rudd vowed yesterday to fight until “the last vote is cast” in a rousing speech declaring himself the “comeback kid for Australia”, a week away from national polls.

Rudd urged his Labor Party faithful not to give up hope, despite opinion polls showing the Tony Abbott-led conservatives as clear favorites to win the September 7 election. “To those who say that Mr Abbott has already won this election, I say this never ever, ever underestimate the fighting spirit of the Australian Labor Party,” Rudd told its major campaign rally in Brisbane.

“I have been in tougher spots before and come back from behind. “As one young kid said to me the other day-’Kevin, we want you to be the comeback kid for Australia’.”

Rudd said he would “fight this election until the last vote is cast next Saturday night”. “I believe we can prevail and I believe in the end we will prevail,” he said.

Rudd took aim at Abbott’s “priorities, judgement and temperament” in his speech, after the opposition leader described the conflict in Syria as “baddies versus baddies” in a television interview yesterday.

The Rudd camp seized on the remarks, made as Australia prepares to assume the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council, as evidence Abbott was not ready for the international stage.

“Can you imagine him at the G20?

‘Barack, it’s baddies versus baddies’,” said Labor Senator Penny Wong. “I’ve yet to see a leader of a federal political party wanting to to be PM who would be this embarrassing when it comes to foreign policy.”

Opposition spokesman Christopher Pyne later defended the comments, saying Abbott had shown he was “more sophisticated” than Labor because he recognied

both sides in Syria were “deeply unpleasant”. “Tony Abbott is very straightforward, he’s a plain speaker. What you see with him is what you get,” said Pyne.

The latest opinion polls show the staunch Catholic and social conservative who once trained as a priest on track for a landslide win, with his Liberal-National coalition expected to pick up 86 lower house seats to Rudd’s 61.

Despite the numbers both sides are promising a tight race to the finish, with Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus saying there were still large numbers of undecided voters to win over in the final week of campaigning. But Rudd faces an uphill battle with a public disillusioned by Labor party infighting that saw Julia Gillard depose him as leader ahead of the 2010 elections.

He returned the favour just weeks before this year’s campaign.

The leadership battle has left him struggling to sell the legacy of Labor’s second term, much of which he spent on the backbenches. Rudd has also allowed gripes about bias from Rupert Murdoch’s Australian newspapers to become a distraction. Despite outperforming Abbott in at least two of the campaign’s three leaders’ debates, he has scrabbled for traction.

Abbott’s campaign has hit relatively few snags. “It’s looking very much like it’s going to be a coalition victory and the only question now is will it be a substantial coalition victory or will it be a landslide,” said Monash University politics analyst Nick Economou, predicting an “absolute whacking”. “So far Labor’s been comprehensively outcampaigned by a Liberal party that looks to me as if they’ve not got out of a trot,” Economou said. “All they’ve had to do is ensure Abbott stays bolt upright, doesn’t say anything too ridiculous, and let Labor hang themselves.” — AFP

Strong quake strikes off eastern Indonesia JAKARTA: A powerful 6.5-magnitude earthquake struck off eastern Indonesia yesterday the United States Geological Survey said, sending people running from their homes in panic but causing no damage or casualties.

No tsunami warning was issued after the quake struck in waters near the remote Barat Daya islands in Maluku province at 8:52 pm (1152 GMT ) at a depth of 132 kilometres, the USGS said.

It was 411 kilometres (254 miles) east of Atambua and 425 kilometres south of Ambon.

National disaster agency spokesman

Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said some people in southwest parts of Maluku province felt strong shaking for about 10 seconds and ran out of their homes.

But Suharjono, an official from the meteorology, climatology and geophysics agency, added: “We have not received any reports of casualties or damage. I don’t think there’s going to be any significant impact.” And Amin Bin Tongke, chief search and rescue official for Maluku province, said: “The quake is in a really remote area, near a cluster of small islands away from cities or towns, with a very small population.”— AFP

SEOUL: North Korea said it rescinded its invitation for a US envoy to visit the country to seek the freedom of an American detainee because Washington perpetrated a “grave provocation” by allegedly mobilizing nuclear-capable bombers during recent military drills with Seoul.

The moves signal that possible informal negotiations between the two countries over detainee Kenneth Bae were not going smoothly, with Pyongyang seeking some concessions from Washington in return for releasing the man, analysts said.

Bob King, the US special envoy for North Korean human rights, had been scheduled to travel to Pyongyang on Friday for talks on Bae, a 45-year-old tour operator and Christian missionary who has been detained since November for committing “hostile acts.” He was sentenced in April to 15 years of hard labor.

An unidentified North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman said in remarks carried by state media late Saturday that his country intended to allow King’s visit even though the US and South Korea were conducting annual military drills. But he said the US “beclouded the hard-won atmosphere of humanitarian dialogue in a moment” by allegedly infiltrating B-52H strategic bombers into the sky above the peninsula during the exercises. He called it “the most

blatant nuclear blackmail against us.”

The North Korean statement “may be the result of the fact that compromises are not being struck smoothly in US-North Korea negotiations” over what North Korea wants for releasing Bae, said Lim Eul Chul, a professor at South Korea’s Kyungnam University, adding that could include such things as the shipment of aid or the start of formal talks on improving ties.

North Korea appears to be trying to gain leverage on the US by delaying King’s trip, but it should eventually allow the trip for talks on Bae because it needs improved ties with the outside world to revive its economy, Lim said. Analysts say North Korea has previously used detained Americans as bargaining chips in its standoff with the US over its nuclear and missile programs. International disarmament talks on ending North Korea’s nuclear ambitions remain stalled since 2009 and efforts by Washington to negotiate a freeze in the North’s nuclear program in exchange for food aid collapsed 18 months ago. King’s planned trip raised prospects for improved relations between the wartime foes as it would have been the first public trip by a US administration official to the country in more than two years. The annual Ulchi Freedom Guardian drills, which ended Friday, were computer-simulated war games that US and South

Korea say are defensive in nature, but which North Korea calls a rehearsal for an invasion. The US military command in Seoul did not immediately comment on the North Korean statement.

Earlier this year, the US took the unusual step of sending nuclear-capable B-52 and B-2 bombers to participate in springtime military drills with South Korea as tension was running high after a string of warlike rhetoric from North Korea, including vows to launch nuclear war. The flights drew a furious response from Pyongyang.

Animosities have since eased, with Pyongyang moderating its rhetoric and seeking diplomacy with Seoul and Washington.

State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said Friday the US was “surprised and disappointed by North Korea’s decision” and remains gravely concerned about Bae’s health. Bae’s family expressed disappointment but said they were holding on to faith that North Korean and US diplomats would resume talks soon. Bae suffers from multiple health problems.

Bae is at least the sixth American detained in North Korea since 2009. The others were eventually allowed to leave without serving their terms, with some releases coming after prominent Americans, including former Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, visited North Korea. —AP

Protester killed by gunfire in Thailand HAT YAI, Thailand: One protester was killed by gunfire and another was seriously wounded yesterday at the site of a blockade in southern Thailand where rubber farmers have been protesting for more than a week against a steep decline in rubber prices.

It was not clear who was behind the shooting, which took place before dawn near a railway crossing the farmers have blocked along with a major road leading to Thailand’s south. A 29-year-old protester died after being shot in the head and a 25-year-old was wounded by two gunshots in the neck, said police Lt Anant Panichkul.

Police said they believed the shooting stemmed from a quarrel that broke out among the protesters’ own security guards. “The information we have shows that every guard is a heavy drinker and all of them have a lot of weapons. They also fight every night,” the police chief of Nakhon Si Thammarat province, Maj. Gen. Ronnapong Saikaew, told The Nation Channel television station.

A second possibility was that “maybe some villagers are not happy with the protest ... and the guards have been harassing people for money, and harassing women,” the police chief said. He denied rumors circulating among some of the protesters that authorities staged the attack in an effort to scare away the protesters. Hundreds of rubber farmers have taken part in the protest in the Cha-uat district of Nakhon Si Thammarat, 580 kilometers (360 miles) south of Bangkok.

The farmers are calling for the government to guarantee the price of rubber to help increase their incomes. Rubber prices in Thailand have continually dropped since peaking in 2011 due to weaker demand in a sluggish global economy. In negotiations in Bangkok last week, representatives of the farmers demanded the government fix a price of 120 baht ($3.70) per kilogram for rubber products, but the agriculture ministry made an offer of 80 baht ($2.50) per kilogram. Thailand is the world’s top producer and exporter of natural rubber, which is used in products from condoms to car tires. The government already subsidizes rice growers by paying them above-market prices, a scheme that has accumulated losses of at least $4 billion since its inception two years ago and resulted in Thailand losing its spot as world’s No. 1 rice exporter. The demonstrators have said groups of rubber farmers from other parts of the country will stage separate rallies today. At the site of yesterday’s shooting, angry protesters blamed the government. A protest representative, Iad Seng-iad, said that if the government had accepted the farmers’ demands, the protest would have already ended and nobody would have died yesterday. “The government must take sole responsibility,” he said in a statement read to reporters in Cha-uat district.

“Our brother who died was neither a thief nor a convict. He was a farmer in trouble.” — AP

PHNOM PENH: Supporters of opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party clap their hands during a rehearsal of the party demonstration, ahead of the Sept 7 main protest, in Phnom Penh yesterday. —AP

Cambodia warns foreigners to stay away from protests PHNOM PENH: The Cambodian government yesterday warned foreigners to stay away from opposition protests against a hotly disputed election as thousands of riot police practiced crowd control in the capital. Authorities and security forces would “avoid potential clashes at all costs” said the government in a statement released ahead of expected September 7 mass opposition protests against the poll results. “All foreigners living in the Kingdom of Cambodia should keep a reasonable distance from all protests related to the election,” the statement said.

Thousands of Cambodian police officers, armed with batons and shields, were seen learning protest control tactics early yesterday in a park in Phnom Penh. Security forces were deployed around the capital in the aftermath of the July 28 poll, in a move the opposition has decried as intimidation.

Preliminary official results for the July 28 poll, released in August, saw incumbent strongman Hun Sen’s long-ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) retain power. But the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) has rejected the tally, demanding an independent

probe into its claims that the election was tarnished by massive vote-rigging.

The final results are expected to be announced by September 8. The government statement called on Cambodians to remain calm and urged those joining the protest “not to violate or infringe the rights, freedom and dignity of other people”.

The opposition also issued a statement yesterday telling protesters not to carry knives, axes, rocks or sticks to the demonstration, adding that it would hold two rehearsals ahead of the actual demonstration. The National Election Committee (NEC) has said Hun Sen’s CPP had won the popular vote, taking 3.2 million votes to the opposition’s 2.9 million-although it is yet to reveal the share of parliamentary seats.

The Constitutional Council, the country’s top arbiter, is currently resolving complaints from the opposition. Hun Sen-who has been in power for 28 yearshas vowed to establish a government under his leadership despite the opposition’s allegations. The premier, 61, a former Khmer Rouge cadre who defected from the murderous regime, has vowed to rule until he is 74. — AFP

Over a million Japanese take part in disaster drill

CHIBA: Journalists (in background) take photos as a rescue dog searches for victims during a joint disaster prevention drill in Chiba yesterday. The joint exercise was held by a coalition of nine regional and local governments around the Tokyo area.—AFP

TOKYO: More than one million Japanese took part in a national disaster drill yesterday as the country assessed its emergency readiness in the wake of a massive quake and tsunami in 2011.

Timed to commemorate the anniversary of the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 which killed more than 100,000 people, the national Disaster Prevention Day has been held every year since 1960. This year’s drill saw the government simulate its response to a powerful earthquake in

central to western Japan, a major natural disaster that researchers say may occur within 30 years or so. The government estimates that a magnitude-9.1 temblor would kill over 320,000 people in the worst-case scenario.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and all of his ministers gathered at the premier’s residence and held a mock disaster response meeting, before inspecting a drill site near Tokyo. A total of 1.33 million people are expected to participate in

exercises during the day, Kyodo News agency said. In central Shizuoka Prefecture, people participated in a drill based on a scenario that Mount Fuji, an active volcano, erupts following a massive quake, Jiji Press said.

On March 11, 2011, a 9.0 magnitude quake struck seismically-active Japan, triggering a massive tsunami that left over 18,000 dead or missing and sending reactors at the Fukushima nuclear plant into meltdown. — AFP

14

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2013

ANALYSIS

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Issues

Syria action faces uncertain fate in US Congress

By Tabassum Zakaria and Patricia Zengerle he US Congress has resolved almost nothing of consequence since 2010, failing to complete what were once basic responsibilities for roads, schools, farms and the US mail. Asking the Republican-controlled House of Representatives and the Democratic-led Senate to agree on military action - already a controversial issue both within and between the parties - injects a new dose of uncertainty into Washington’s reaction to the Syria crisis.

Because Congress will not even begin floor debate until Sept 9 at the earliest, a question mark will hang over Washington’s Syria policy for weeks, punctuated by emotional and probably bitter debate.

That became evident on Saturday immediately after President Barack Obama’s surprise announcement that he would seek authorization for limited military strikes in Syria from members of Congress, many of whom, he has complained, reflexively oppose anything he proposes. No one knowledgeable about Congress was willing to predict with any confidence how it would deal with a resolution to permit strikes in Syria. The uncertainty is compounded by Obama’s often strained and distant relationship with Congress. A House Democratic aide, on condition of anonymity, said “the vote will depend on the Republicans” because Democrats “will be split down the middle.”

Asked how the votes might go in the House and Senate, Republican Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee said he thought it could be “problematic.”

Some members “may not understand what’s happening” in Syria, he told CNN, and “the American people today are not supportive of this. ... I do not think the country is there.”

Jon Alterman, director of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said: “The decision to get Congress on board when hasn’t had a huge amount of success working with Congress strikes me as a gamble. “The president and secretary of state have tried to signal resolve, but the question becomes - what happens when they don’t get the support that they want and what does that mean about the administration’s ability to lead the country?” The Syria issue is highly complex politically, causing divisions both within and between the parties, particularly at the extremes. Some traditionally liberal Democrats, including members of the Congressional Black Caucus, have been skeptical of intervention, with several dozen Democrats signing a letter on Thursday worrying about getting into an “unwise war.”

Some of the most conservative Republicans, such as Michigan Representative Justin Amash, have also expressed skepticism. Supporters of intervention, including Senator John McCain of Arizona and Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, stopped short of endorsing an authorization, saying in a joint statement that they worried that Obama’s limited plan for military strikes might not go far enough to satisfy them. The authorization request, narrowly worded as a response to the use of chemical weapons or other weapons of mass destruction, came from the White House late on Saturday in the form of a resolution which will require approval of both houses of Congress.

Attempts to amend the resolution or to use procedural means to slow it down are not unlikely, and Obama would need considerable Republican help to get it passed.

“Ironically, Obama may be saved by congressional Republicans,” said Darrell West, director of governance studies at the Brookings Institution. “They tend to be more hawkish on foreign policy. I could see a large number of Democrats voting against it because they are more skeptical of foreign involvements.” Underscoring the division was immediate discord over the timing of Congressional deliberations on Syria, particularly the decision by the House leadership to wait until the end of the summer recess on Sept. 9 to get going, instead of returning to Washington on Tuesday or sooner.

While the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said late on Saturday it would begin hearings next week before Congress officially returns, no similar plan had been announced by the House. “Congress should return to Washington immediately and begin to debate this issues,” said Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, considered a likely Republican presidential contender in 2016. The president has the authority under the Constitution to call Congress back in session “on extraordinary occasions,” but so can the congressional leadership. Neither so far has taken that action. Senior administration officials said Obama left it up to congressional leaders to decide whether to bring members back early because the administration wants to do classified briefings and make the case to Congress in the week ahead, and there were logistical issues with the Labor Day holiday on Monday and religious holidays in the middle of the week. Though many members had urged Obama to consult with Congress, a few were critical of the decision. — Reuters

T

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

Washington Watch

It’s about the Syrian people

By Dr James J Zogby President, Arab American Institute am not Syrian, but neither am I a mere bystander to the tragedy that has befallen that tortured country. Almost daily I deal with the complex reactions of diverse segments of the Syrian American community-their pain and anguish, their fear or anger. For me, therefore, the story of Syria is about its people and finding a way to bring them together to rebuild their common sense of community and purpose.

On a number of occasions, I have visited with Syrian Americans discussing, well into the night, this horrific war.

Some of the groups with whom I have met want nothing more than to see the regime beaten and removed from power. And rightly so. They come from cities and villages that have been destroyed by the regime’s heavy artillery or overrun by its armed forces. In too many instances, they tell personal stories of how members of their immediate families have been killed, wounded, or forced to flee their homes and their livelihood. I have also met with those who are afraid.

They are, themselves, a diverse group. Some hail from Syria’s secular business and professional middle class, who weep for the destruction of the life and country they had known and ask, “what has all this destruction accomplished?” Others are members of vulnerable minority communities who fear for the survival of their families and friends at the hands of what they see as intolerant extremists who are wrecking havoc and threatening to impose their will on Syrian society. They are afraid. And rightly so.

These are the divisions that exist in Syria and they divide the Syrian American community as well. I see it in every community I visit, and I hear it every day. The backdrop to this sor-

I

ry state of affairs is, at this point, too well known. On the one hand, there is a brutal and dictatorial regime willing to use all of the elements of power it possesses to maintain its rule. On the other hand, there is an opposition that is dangerously fragmented. They are composed of competing elements: from moderate reformers seeking to create a more open society to ruthless terrorists who have, like the regime they are fighting, committed atrocities, while in between are countless armed groups and gangs unconnected to any authority.

There is, of course, an additional dimension to this horror that has seen Syria become a proxy war between regional powers who are fueling and arming the conflict.

But strip away all these layers, and there are the Syrian people-the victims of this war. From the beginning it was clear that the only resolution to the Syrian conflict was a negotiated solution that would lead to the end of the regime’s absolute control over state power giving way to a more open and democratic society. If this goal was difficult at the outset, it has only become more difficult today. As the death toll has continued to rise, with each new atrocity, and as new and more lethal groups have emerged on the scene, the sides have become hardened in their resolve to fight unto death. Following the US-Russia agreement earlier this year to convene a Geneva II meeting to bring the combatants to the table to talk, there appeared to be hope that we were on the verge of finding a way forward. That moment passed. In the wake of what now appears to be incontrovertible evidence that chemical weapons were used against civilians in the suburbs of Damascus, the situation has become further inflamed.

The sickening pictures of rows of dead, and the traumatizing scenes of survivors-many of them little children-gasping for breath, have provoked outrage and led to calls for the US to respond. But how and toward what end? Speaking on Friday,

Secretary of State John Kerry presented a rhetorically compelling case for “what we know to be true”-that the regime was responsible for this horror and that it’s behavior poses a challenge to both conscience and leadership. When the Secretary shifted to “what we must do about it”, he gave only hints of a “limited and tailored response” that might be taken to hold the regime accountable for its actions.

As Kerry closed his remarks, he shifted again to clarity saying “we believe the primary objective is to have a diplomatic process that can resolve this through negotiation, because we know that there is no ultimate military solution. It has to be political. It has to happen at the negotiating table”. In saying this Kerry was reflecting the assessment of the US’s military command that has argued, despite the howls of war hawks, that “the use of US military force can change the balance, but it cannot resolve the underlying and historic ethnic, religious, and tribal issues that are fueling this conflict”.

This is where we are, and this is the measure we must use to judge any actions that might be taken. Does it lead us closer to the only way this conflict can be resolved or does it lead us further away from what the Secretary rightly states must be our “primary objective”?

At this point, these facts are clear: the regime has lost international legitimacy and the ability to lead a united Syrian people; the opposition is too dangerously fragmented, with too many extremist components, to win the confidence of all Syrians; and the suffering of the Syrian people, of every sect, class, and ethnicity has gone on too long.

It will not be easy to reconstitute the Syrian nation, to reconcile its people, and to heal the many wounds inflicted by this devastating war. But this, not revenge, must be the goal we seek-for the sake of the region, for Syria, and most especially for the Syrian people.

Obama’s credibility on line in reversal

By Julie Pace or more than a week, the White House had been barreling toward imminent military action against Syria. But President Barack Obama’s abrupt decision to instead ask Congress for permission left him with a high-risk gamble that could devastate his credibility if no action is ultimately taken in response to a deadly chemical weapons attack that crossed his own “red line.”

The stunning reversal also raises questions about the president’s decisiveness and could embolden leaders in Syria, Iran, North Korea and elsewhere, leaving them with the impression of a US president unwilling to back up his words with actions. The president, in a hastily announced statement Saturday in the White House Rose Garden, argued that he did in fact have the power to act on his own. But faced with the prospect of taking action opposed by many Americans, the commander in chief tried to shift the burden and instead round up partners on Capitol Hill to share in that responsibility.

“While I believe I have the authority to carry out this military action without specific congressional authorization, I know that the country will be stronger if we take this course, and our actions will be even more effective,” Obama said. “We should have this debate.”

The consequences for Obama’s turnabout could be sweeping, both at home and abroad. If Congress votes against military action, it would mark a humiliating defeat for a second-term president already fighting to stay relevant and wield influence in Washington. It could also weaken his standing internationally at a time when there are already growing questions about the scope of American influence, particularly in the Arab world. But the White House sees potentially positive political implications in punting the strike decision to Congress. Obama could make good on the promises he made as a senator and presidential candidate, when he called for restraint and congressional consultation by White House’s seeking military force.

And with the American public weary of war and many opposed to even modest military

F

action against Syria, Obama could share with Congress the burden of launching an attack.

An NBC News poll conducted last week suggests the use of chemical weapons has not shifted public opinion in favor of taking military action against Syria. About 50 percent said the US should not take military action against the Syrian government in response to the use of chemical weapons, while 42 percent said the US should. Just 21 percent say military action against Syria is in the US national interest. Obama’s advisers wouldn’t say what the president will do if Congress does not approve military action. If he presses on with military action despite their opposition, he would likely cast Congress as obstructionists allowing an autocrat to kill civilians without consequences.

“Here’s my question for every member of Congress and every member of the global community: What message will we send if a dictator can gas hundreds of children to death in plain sight and pay no price?”

Obama asked Saturday. It’s unclear how effective that approach would be given that Obama himself has been deeply reluctant to get involved in Syria’s lengthy civil war. More

than 100,000 people have died in more than two years of clashes between the government and rebels seeking to overthrow Syrian President Bashar Assad. But Obama declared last year that the one thing that would cross his “red line” would be if Assad deployed his stockpiles of chemical weapons. US officials say that has now happened multiple times this year, most recently on Aug. 21 in the Damascus suburbs. According to the Obama administration, more than 1,400 people were killed by the deadly gases, including 426 children. For Obama, the stakes for responding after the most recent attack were already heightened, not only because of the scope, but also because of the scant response from the White House when Assad used chemical weapons earlier this year. While Obama approved shipments of light weaponry and ammunition for the rebel forces fighting Assad, the bulk of the arms are yet to arrive.

Throughout much of the last week, it appeared Obama was ready to make good on his promises to act in the face of chemical weapons use. Five Navy destroyers armed with Tomahawk cruise missiles were put on standby in the Mediterranean Sea. Defense

DAMASCUS: In this citizen journalism image provided by the United media office of Arbeen, black smoke billows into the air from government forces shelling in Damascus yesterday. — AP

Secretary Chuck Hagel declared that the military was “ready to go” once Obama gave the order. And the president dispatched Secretary of State John Kerry twice last week to make a vigorous and emotional case for a robust response to a reluctant public. As the week dragged on, Obama’s international backing began to erode. Russia again opposed action against Syria, this time during private discussions involving the five permanent UN Security Council members. NATO declared that the alliance would not launch coordinated military action. And in the strongest blow for the White House, Britain’s Parliament voted against military action, a stunning defeat for Prime Minister David Cameron, a key ally who had expected to join Obama in taking military action. Despite the setbacks, Obama and his team were prepared to move forward without any authorization from the UN and Capitol Hill. But on Friday, aides said the president simply changed his mind. After a long walk around the White House’s grounds with his chief of staff, Obama summoned some of his top aides and told them he now wanted to hold off on launching an attack until Congress had its say.

In shifting the debate to Capitol Hill, Obama is ensuring that a military strike will be pushed off for at least another week.

Lawmakers aren’t due back from their summer recess until Sept 9. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said he expected the House to consider the force resolution that week.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he, too, will hold a vote no later than the week of Sept 9, with public hearings beginning next week. Even before Congress decides, Obama will have to directly confront the international implications of his decision. He’s set to travel abroad next week for a visit to Sweden and a meeting of world leaders in St. Petersburg, Russia. There, he’ll come face-to-face with Russian President Vladimir Putin, one of Assad’s strongest supporters. Putin, in a pointed jab, made a plaintive plea for Obama to take more time to consider the full implications of a strike on Syria, appealing, he said, not to another world leader, but to a Nobel Peace laureate. — AP

NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2013

Syrian refugees pass through the Turkish Cilvegozu gate border crossing yesterday. US President Barack Obama said he has decided that the United States should take military action against Syria in response to a deadly chemical weapons attack, but he said he will seek congressional authorization for the use of force. — AP

TB followed humans out of Africa PARIS: One of the largest genetic investigations into the microbe which causes TB shows the germ followed early humans out of Africa at least 70,000 years ago, scientists said yesterday. In a parallel probe, investigators also said they had identified 39 new genes that drive dangerous drug resistance in this germ, Mycobacterium tuberculosis. TB is one of the deadliest diseases in the medical lexicon. Untreated, it kills roughly half the people it infects. Even today, in the era of advanced antibiotics, it causes between a million and two million deaths each year, mainly in developing countries. Drug designers are embroiled in an arms race with the germ, hoping to outflank it with new treatments before it develops resistance to existing ones.

Writing in the journal Nature Genetics, researchers led by Sebastien Gagneux of the Swiss Tropical and Public

Health Institute compared the DNA of 259 TB strains from around the world.

They used this to build a “family tree” of the germ, using genetic mutations as a kind of molecular clock to show its pace of evolution. The comparison shows that the bacterium originated in Africa over 70,000 years ago, coinciding with the migration of anatomically modern humans from their homeland. Indeed, the family trees of Homo sapiens and M. tuberculosis overlap stunningly, which suggests early man and bug lived in close proximity, the researchers found.

“The evolutionary path of humans and the TB bacteria shows striking similarity,” said Gagneux. “We see that the diversity of tuberculosis bacteria has increased markedly when human populations expanded.”

TB’s spread was probably kickstarted when humans started to live in larger communities, enabling the germ to be

transmitted more efficiently from person to person, the authors speculate.

The germ’s ancient history means the disease is unlikely to have jumped from domesticated animals to humans, as has been seen in so many other bacteria or viruses. “[This is] simply because Mycobacteria tuberculosis emerged long before humans started to domesticate animals,” said Gagneux.

In a separate study, also published in Nature Genetics, Harvard Medical School investigators found 39 new genes implicated in drug-resistant TB in a genomic comparison of 123 strains.

Researchers discovered that some of the genes play a role in regulating the bacterium’s cell walls-a common target for many antibiotics. But it also turned up evidence that drug resistance is more complex than thought. A conventional notion is that resistance occurs with a single mutation in a gene. — AFP

Kerry: US has proof Syria used sarin gas Continued from Page 1 “It is clear there was a sense of hesitation and disappointment in what was said by President Barack Obama yesterday.

And it is also clear there was a sense of confusion as well,” he told reporters in Damascus.

Before Obama put on the brakes, the path had been cleared for a US assault. Navy ships were in place and awaiting orders to launch missiles, and UN inspectors had left Syria after gathering evidence on the use of chemical weapons.

The Obama administration yesterday confidently predicted congressional backing for limited military action in Syria and disclosed fresh evidence the Assad government used sarin gas in a deadly attack.

Senior US officials sought to lay out their case to divided lawmakers in a classified briefing as the countdown began to the biggest foreign policy vote since Congress authorized President George W Bush to invade Iraq.

In a series of interviews on the Sunday TV news shows, Secretary of State John Kerry said the case for intervention in Syria’s 21/2-year civil war was strengthening each day and that he expected American lawmakers to recognize the need for action when the “credibility of the United States is on the line.”

He said President Barack Obama has the authority to launch retaliatory strikes with or without Congress’ approval, but Kerry stopped short of saying the president would do so if the House or Senate withholds support.

“The stakes are just really too high here,” Kerry said. “We are not going to lose this vote.”

Seeking to sharpen the argument for war, Kerry said the United States has received hair and blood samples from first responders indicating that Syria’s government forces used sarin in its Aug 21 attack in the Damascus suburbs.

It was the first piece of specific physiological evidence cited by the administration, which previously cited only an unnamed nerve agent in the killing of 1,429 civilians, including more than 400 children.

The US says such chemical weapons use compels an international response.

Weary Americans Last month’s attack was the deadliest incident of the Syrian civil war and the world’s worst use of chemical arms since Iraq’s Saddam Hussein gassed thousands of Kurds in 1988. However, opinion polls show strong opposition to a punitive strike among Americans weary of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

US lawmakers for the most part welcomed Obama’s decision but have not cut short their summer recess, which ends Sept. 9. Many Democrats and Republicans are uneasy about intervening in a distant civil war in which 100,000 people have been killed over the past 2-1/2 years.

Lawmakers were to be briefed by Obama’s national security team on the case for military action. Kerry said he had more evidence backing accusations against the Syrian government.

“I can share with you today that blood and hair samples that have come to us through an appropriate chain of custody, from east Damascus, from first responders, it has tested

positive for signatures of sarin,” Kerry told CNN’s “State of the Union.”

The UN weapons inspectors collected their own samples and diplomats say Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has told the five permanent Security Council members - Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States - that it would take up to two weeks before the final report is ready. Ban views Obama’s decision “as one aspect of an effort to achieve a broad-based international consensus on measures in response to any use of chemical weapons,” UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said. In Damascus, Syrians reacted with a mixture of relief, disappointment and scorn to Obama’s decision. “I have to admit this morning was the first time I felt I could sleep in,” said Nawal, who works as a housekeeper in the Syrian capital.

Bread had returned to the bakeries and members of the state security forces appeared relaxed, drinking tea and chatting at their posts outside government buildings.

“We always knew there wouldn’t be a strike. It’s not going to happen. Anyway, we were never nervous about it. We were just worried for the civilians. But we’re confident it’s not going to happen,” one of them said.

The United States had originally been expected to lead a strike relatively quickly, backed up by its NATO allies Britain and France. However, British lawmakers voted last Thursday against any involvement and France said yesterday it would await the US Congress’s decision.

“France cannot go it alone,” Interior Minister Manuel Valls told Europe 1 radio. “We need a coalition.” French President Francois Hollande, whose country ruled Syria for more than two decades until the 1940s, has come under increasing pressure to put the intervention to parliament.

A BVA poll on Saturday showed most French people do not approve of military action against Syria and most do not trust Hollande to conduct such an operation.

Jean-Marc Ayrault, his prime minister, was to meet the heads of both houses of parliament and the conservative opposition today before lawmakers debate Syria on Wednesday.

Syria and its main ally, Russia, say rebels carried out the gas attack as a ploy to draw in foreign military intervention.

Moscow has repeatedly used its UN Security Council veto to block action against Syria and says any attack would be illegal and only inflame the civil war there. Obama’s credibility had already been called into question for not punishing Assad over earlier alleged gas attacks, and he is under pressure to act now that he believes Damascus has crossed what he once described as a “red line”.

Failure to punish Assad, some analysts say, could mean his ally Iran would feel free to press on with a nuclear program the West believes is aimed at developing an atomic bomb but which Tehran says has only civilian goals. That might encourage Israel to take matters into its own hands, analysts say. “If Obama is hesitating on the matter of Syria, then clearly on the question of attacking Iran - a move that is expected to be far more complicated - Obama will hesitate much more, and thus the chances Israel will have to act alone have increased,” Israeli Army Radio quoted an unnamed government official as saying. Pope Francis called for a negotiated solution to the conflict in Syria and announced he would lead a worldwide day of prayer for peace in the country on Saturday. — Reuters

Egypt panel to review constitution changes CAIRO: Egypt’s interim president appointed a 50member committee yesterday dominated by secularists to review proposed amendments to the country’s Islamist-drafted constitution, moving ahead with a military-backed transition plan as protests over the coup that ousted the country’s president wane. The committee is to begin discussions Sept. 8 on the changes proposed by a 10-member panel of judges, also appointed by interim President Adly Mansour. It is then expected to put the amended charter to a public vote within 60 days, presidential spokesman Ihab Badawi said.

That follows a military-backed transition plan that calls for parliamentary and presidential elections early next year in the wake of the July 3 popularly backed coup that toppled President Mohammed Morsi. The new review committee is dominated by liberal and secular public figures and politicians. However, there are only four women sitting on the committee. There are four representatives from the youth groups that led the protests against Morsi and his predecessor, longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak. There are also only three church representatives on the committee and no private citizens who are Christians.

There are three representatives of Al-Azhar, the Sunni world’s most prestigious learning institute that represents moderate Islam. There are also representatives from professional unions, universities and the arts.

Badawi said Morsi’ group, the Muslim Brotherhood political party, and five other Islamist parties, were tapped to nominate candidates. Only one, Bassam ElZarka of the leading ultraconservative Salafi Al-Nour Salafi party, came forward. The Salafi al-Nour party said the selection criteria for the judges and their discussion to amend articles was less transparent than

the actions of committee under Morsi, which were carried live on television. Al-Nour said it would argue in the committee to restore articles that stress the Islamic nature of the state, and outlaw insulting religious figures and violating social mores, which would be removed in an amendment proposed by the judges.

Badawi said a former member of the Brotherhood, Kamal El-Helbawi, also has agreed to sit on the committee and “will take into consideration the interests” of the group.

It is not yet clear how the committee will vote on the amendments, an issue which could complicate discussions. The Islamist-drafted constitution was one of the most divisive issues during Morsi’s one year in office. It was suspended after the military ousted Morsi on July 3 following massive protests demanding he step down.

Lawmakers elected the Islamist-dominated 100member committee that drafted the constitution under Morsi. It included 60 people affiliated with Islamist groups, six women and six Christians. That selection raised criticism of poor representation from youth groups and the secular opposition.

Liberals twice walked out of committees drafting the constitution, complaining that the Brotherhood and its allies dominated the process and stifled their suggestions. They said the charter undermined freedoms and rights and sought to imbue a strict interpretation of Islam into Egypt’s laws.

Protests over the constitution and the direction of the country turned deadly after Morsi issued temporary decrees in late November that put himself and the drafting committee above judicial oversight. The constitution was then finalized in a rushed overnight session and passed with a slight majority in a hastily called referendum in December 2012. — AP

Egypt deports three Al-Jazeera TV crew CAIRO: Egyptian authorities say they have deported three members of a TV crew working for the English-language version of Qatar-based news broadcaster AlJazeera, after they were detained for nearly a week and accused of working illegally. An official at the airport says Al-Jazeera English correspondent Wayne Hay, cameraman Adil Bradlow and producer Russ Finn left Cairo for London yesterday. The three were detained Tuesday

with an Egyptian colleague while covering events in Egypt. The official says they were deported for working in Egypt without a permit or license to use satellite transmitters. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press. Last week, Egypt’s interim government called Al-Jazeera’s local Arabic language channel a threat to national security and ordered it closed. — AP

Over 50 Iran exiles killed in Iraq raid Continued from Page 1 officials attributed to angry camp residents attacking an army brigade responsible for the camp. Medics did not, however, report any casualties among Ashraf residents. The unrest was condemned by the US embassy and the UN’s refugee agency, the UNHCR, but neither assigned blame for the incidents.

The United Nations did not confirm any of the varying accounts of the violence, but UNHCR said “it appears that deadly force has been used and that a number of people have been killed or wounded”. Earlier this year, at least eight people were killed in two mortar attacks on another camp housing the group, also known as the Mujahedeen-E-Khalq (MEK).

Officials and MEK spokespeople gave totally different accounts of the latest unrest and it was not immediately clear what caused the explosions and clashes, or the extent of the casualties.

Iraqi police and medical sources said five mortars hit the camp. A police colonel said that in the aftermath of the rockets “some angry Ashraf residents came out and attacked the brigade protecting the camp,” killing three soldiers and wounding four in clashes.

A doctor at the main hospital in the provincial capital Baquba confirmed the toll. An Iraqi official responsible for overseeing the camp said the blasts were caused not by mortars but by oil and gas containers exploding

inside Ashraf. “Not a single soldier entered Camp Ashraf,” said Haqi al-Sharifi.

“There was no attack from outside against the camp, but what seems to have happened is that some barrels of oil and gas inside Ashraf exploded. The police are investigating.” The MEK insisted that the Iraqi army had entered Ashraf and killed 52 of its members in a “massacre” and set fire to property. “Scores of PMOI members were wounded and are in critical conditions and a number have also been taken hostage,” Shahriar Kia, a spokesman for the group, said in a statement.

Former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein allowed the rebel MEK to set up the camp during his war with Iran in the 1980s.

Around 3,000 MEK members were moved from Ashraf to Camp Liberty, located on a former US military base on the outskirts of Baghdad, last year, but about 100 stayed on at the old camp in order to deal with leftover property and goods.

Maliki’s committee began its investigation late yesterday, according to the prime minister’s spokesman Ali Mussawi, and was expected to report back in the coming days. The MEK was founded in the 1960s to oppose the shah of Iran, and after the 1979 Islamic revolution that ousted him it took up arms against Iran’s clerical rulers. It says it has now laid down its arms and is working to overthrow the Islamic regime in Iran by peaceful means. — AFP

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2013

S P ORTS

Parma sign Uruguay midfielder Gargano ROME: Parma have signed Uruguay international Walter Gargano on loan from Napoli, the Serie A lub said yesterday.

“Parma FC announces the signing of midfielder Walter Gargano from Napoli on loan with option of a permanent deal,” Parma said in a statement on their website (www.fcparma.com). “The Uruguayan will be wearing the shirt with the number five. He will officially presented after his trip to the national team for the matches against Peru and Columbia on 6 and 10 September.” Midfielder Gargano made 28 league appearance for Inter Milan last season, where he was on loan from Napoli. “It makes me happy to come here, get to know my teammates and the club, I am proud to be at Parma,” he said. “It was the club that showed me that they wanted me the most, they have a great history which I know and my family likes the city a lot. I couldn’t have made a better choice.” The 28-year-old Gargano has played 57 times for Uruguay, scoring one goal. —Reuters

Anelka returns to West Brom

Patriots cut Tim Tebow NEW YORK CITY: Tim Tebow vowed to continue his pursuit of an NFL quarterback job as he was cut Saturday by the New England Patriots as part of their pre-season roster reduction.

Like all NFL teams, the Patriots had until 6pm Eastern time (22:00 GMT) on Saturday to reduce their roster to 53 players and needed to make 12 cuts. The move wasn’t unexpected, since it was never clear just where Tebow might fit in with the Patriots, who are still led by superstar signal-caller Tom Brady. Brady was backed-up last year by Ryan Mallett as coach Bill Belichick kept just two quarterbacks on his active roster. On Twitter, Tebow thanked team owner Robert Kraft, Belichick and assistant coach Josh McDaniels “for giving me the opportunity to be a part of such a classy organization.

“I will remain in relentless pursuit of continuing my lifelong dream of being an NFL quarterback,” he said-although his availability had already caught the attention of USA Rugby chief executive Nigel Melville. “One door closes, an Olympic Rugby door opens for @TimTebow - we should talk about our global game!” Melville tweeted Saturday. Tebow had joined the Patriots in June and survived a round of cuts earlier this week. He threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes in a final audition on Thursday in New England’s 28-20 pre-season victory over the New York Giants.—AFP

LONDON: Nicolas Anelka returned to West Bromwich Albion’s starting line-up for Sunday’s Premier League encounter with Swansea City after being granted compassionate leave due to a personal bereavement.

The French striker missed last weekend’s goalless draw at Everton following the death of his friend and agent, Eric Manasse. It prompted media reports that he was contemplating retirement, but he subsequently returned to training and was named in manager Steve Clarke’s starting XI for today’s game at the Hawthorns. Speaking earlier in the week, Clarke said he had no concerns about the 34-year-old’s mental state.

“He is good. He explained to me the circumstances around his state of mind last week, and they were all good reasons, and now he is fine,” Clarke said. —AFP

Baseball-softball join together for Olympic bid

TORONTO: Emilio Bonifacio #64 of the Kansas City Royals steals second base in the first inning during MLB game action as Jose Reyes #7 of the Toronto Blue Jays cannot handle the throwing error yesterday at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. — AFP

OSN Cup 2013 match schedule announced Two days of back-to-back action RIYADH: OSN Cup, the first-of-its-kind initiative organised by OSN, the region’s leading pay-TV network and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF), will present two days of back-to-back football action for sports fans across the region.

Guaranteeing thrilling football action, OSN Cup builds on the network’s commitment to provide world-class sporting action and family entertainment.

National teams of Saudi Arabia, UAE, New Zealand and Trinidad & Tobago are currently training for the international tournament which kickstarts on September 5 at the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The inaugural match between UAE and Trinidad & Tobago will be held on Thursday, September 5 at 18:45 KSA; followed by the highly anticipated match between Saudi Arabia and New Zealand at 21:15 KSA. On Monday, September 9, the 3rd and 4th place decider match takes place at

18:45 KSA; while the winning teams from September 5 will go head to head in the OSN Cup 2013 finals which takes place at 21:15 KSA. More than 65,000 spectators are expected to watch the matches at the stadium along with millions of fans from across the world cheering their favourite teams through live T V. Audiences across the region can enjoy all the action from OSN Cup Live and in stunning High Definition on OSN Sports HD and via ON Play where the matches will be streamed live so viewers can watch anytime, anywhere on multiple devices. Viewers can also tune in to Saudi TV and Dubai TV. OSN Cup, set to become an annual OSN initiative, is part of the network’s wider plans to roll out several new activities across the Arab world that promote youth engagement and bring the family together for fun entertainment experiences.

Football fans can enjoy OSN Cup live RIYADH: The highly anticipated OSN Cup, an international football tournament launched

by OSN, the region’s leading pay-TV network and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF), will kick off on September 5, 2013 at the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.Featuring the national

teams of Saudi Arabia, UAE, New Zealand and Trinidad & Tobago, all the excitement of the OSN Cup will be brought to football fans LIVE on OSN Sports HD and on two free-to-air channels - Saudi TV and Dubai TV. The matches will also be streamed live exclusively on OSN Play, the region’s first online TV viewing platform, so viewers can catch all the action anytime, anywhere. Fans can look forward to some thrilling action as star players Saud Kariri, Naif Hazazi and Nasser Al Shamrani from the Saudi team and UAE favourites Ali Khaseif, Omar Abdul Rahman and Ismail Mattar prepare for a sensational win.

More than 65,000 spectators will cheer their favourite teams in what will be an adrenaline packed two-day tournament. Two semi final matches will take place on Thursday, September 5 followed by two matches on Monday, September 9 where the winners will be announced.

OSN will also give 72 Saudi children the opportunity to escort their favourite football heroes on to the field. Families who would like to register their kids for this once-in-alifetime experience need to sign up at any OSN stand in Riyadh.

Aimed at inspiring young talent in the Kingdom to hone their skills, the first-of-itskind OSN Cup underlines OSN’s commitment to provide the ultimate sporting action to viewers in the region.

The OSN Cup, set to become an annual OSN initiative, is part of the network’s wider plans to roll out several new activities across the Arab world that promote youth engagement and bring the family together for fun entertainment experiences.

ROME: After striking out twice, baseball and softball officials are counting on a combined bid to get back into the Olympics.

Following IOC vote defeats in 2005 and 2009 as separate sports, baseball and softball have merged into a single confederation as it competes against wrestling and squash for a single spot on the 2020 Olympic program, which will be decided by a Sept.

8 vote in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

“We wanted a partnership that could work together and use the attributes of both of our sports,” said Don Porter, the American co-president of the World Baseball Softball Confederation.

“We’ve got an awful lot of young female athletes all over the world that are playing our sport and there’s a commercial side that baseball has that really strengthens our bid,” Porter added. “So if we put it together it’s a very strong added value to the Olympic program.”

The biggest obstacle to the bid is its failure to guarantee the presence of Major League Baseball players. MLB commissioner Bud Selig has said the season won’t be stopped to free players for the Olympics, but the confederation points out that there is plenty of room for negotiations - seven years - if it makes the cut.

“We never asked MLB to stop the season,” said Riccardo Fraccari, the Italian co-president of the confederation. The bid proposes separate men’s baseball and women’s softball events of eight teams each, played as back-to-back six-day tournaments.

That’s a slightly different format from when baseball and softball were last played at the Olympics, at the 2008 Beijing Games. Baseball gained full medal status at the 1992 Barcelona Games and softball followed four years later in Atlanta. But both were dropped from the 2012 program in a 2005 vote.

As things stand now, Fraccari is hoping some MLB players would come even if MLB doesn’t stop.

“That’s precisely why we chose such a short program - to permit all pros who want to come to do so,” Fraccari said. “And that doesn’t apply only to MLB players but to players in all the major professional leagues around the world.”

But as New York Yankees outfielder Ichiro Suzuki - who recently passed the 4,000-hit mark in a career split between Japan and MLB - pointed out, baseball already has a successful international tournament for pros with the World Baseball Classic.

While supporting the Olympic bid, he suggested it should be strictly for amateurs. “They really need to make that division of amateurs to professionals,” Suzuki said through an interpreter. “Some countries are going to have all amateurs, some

countries are going to have few. Some teams can then say, ‘Well, we lost because we didn’t have any of our professionals in that game.’ So they just need to make it clear: amateurs are going to be here, professionals play in the WBC.” Pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu, who is in the middle of a breakout season with the Los Angeles Dodgers and helped South Korea to gold in Beijing, favors a more open approach.

“Each country should decide on that,” Ryu said

to the table and where it can help out the Olympic Games is the sheer size of the market and the sheer size of the number of boys and girls at the youth level that play the sport,” said Michele Smith, who played on two of the American teams that won softball gold and also pitched professionally in Japan for 16 years.

Another obstacle for previous bids was baseball’s failure to crack down on doping. That changed earlier this month when 13 players,

BEIJING: This is a Thursday, Aug 21, 2008 photo of Japan’s Megu Hirose scoring as USA catcher Stacey Nuveman tries to apply the tag in the seventh inning in the gold medal softball game in the Beijing 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Japan won 3-1. The sports of Softball and Baseball are hoping to be included into the 2020 Olympic Games. —AP of the pros vs. amateurs debate. And there are plenty of countries to decide, with baseball a top sport in the Americas and throughout much of Asia. It’s growing in Europe, too, as evidenced by strong performances from the Netherlands and Italy at this year’s Classic.

And while softball’s epicenter remains the United States, which swept gold at the first three Olympic tournaments, Japan won in Beijing and Australia took home medals from all four Olympic tournaments.

“The one thing that baseball and softball brings

including four All-Stars, were suspended for their involvement in the Biogenesis drug case.

“MLB is working hard to get it out of their sport and we commend them for that,” Porter said.

Still, baseball and softball officials realize that wrestling, with a tradition dating to the ancient Olympics, is the favorite. “But we still think it’s open,” Porter said.

And if Tokyo is chosen as the 2020 Games host the day before the sport vote, all the better. As Fraccari noted, “Having their national sport in the Olympics would be special.” — AP

Squash an outsider in bid to become Olympic sport GENEVA: In the two-year contest for a single spot in the 2020 Olympics, squash long seemed to be the frontrunner. The World Squash Federation delivered a more dynamic and television-friendly game to answer constructive criticism following two previous failed attempts to gain Olympic status. Squash also figured to be popular with future hosts, which are stretched to stage 28 sports within budget and without creating “white elephant” venues. Squash offers a flexible, cost-effective option with potential to find an eye-catching location on the city’s landscape. Then, in February, everything changed. Seven months before the Sept. 8 vote in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the International Olympic Committee’s executive board upset all calculations by removing wrestling from the list of core Olympic sports.

Modern pentathlon was predicted as a more likely victim, while taekwondo and field hockey were also in the discussion. When squash was - as predicted - chosen by the same IOC board on a three-sport shortlist in May, it was alongside a strong showing from wrestling and the combined forces of baseball-softball, two more sports which recently lost Olympic status. “As far as the World Squash Federation is concerned, we are looking at it as two matches,” the governing body’s president, N. Ramachandran, told The Associated Press in an interview. “The first match was to get on to the shortlist, which we did. The second match is now to get into the Olympic Games program.”

Ramachandran was relatively new to his role four years ago, when squash was beaten by golf and rugby sevens in the contest to choose two new sports for the 2016 Games.

By July 2011, the Indian business-

man was leading a widespread overhaul of the Victorian-era game when the IOC confirmed its candidacy for 2020 inclusion against baseball, softball, karate, roller sports, sports climbing, wakeboard and wushu. “We felt we had to radically change our sport the way we present our game to broadcasters, the way we judge our sport and the way the sport itself is played,” Ramachandran said.

Most eye-catching are colored glass courts on which scores, replays and video review decisions - using the Hawk-Eye camera system like tennis, cricket and English Premier League football - are projected.

“The floor of the court becomes a scoreboard,” Ramachandran said. Firsttime viewers also now discover a simpler scoring system where players get a point for each rally won, replacing the traditional rule of scoring only when holding serve. Matches are played faster and extra referees help judge on let calls when players impede each other in the confined court space.

The court is potentially key to the appeal of squash, which has dropped glass boxes into distinctive tournament locations such as the Pyramids in Egypt and Grand Central Station in New York.

“I could do it on the bridge over the

GIZA: In this Friday Oct 2, 1998 photo the Giza Pyramids frame a glass squash court during the women’s final of the third annual AlAhram International Squash tournament in Giza Egypt. Squash is hoping to be included into the 2020 Olympic Games. — AP

Bosphorus, in a bullfighting ring or in the Imperial Palace gardens,” said Ramachandran, eyeing his sport’s potential home in 2020 in Istanbul, Madrid or Tokyo - a decision that IOC members will make on Sept. 7 in Buenos Aires.

“You tell me where to put it, and I will do it,” he said. “You can put them up in a matter of three days.”

Ramachandran sees squash fulfilling its Olympic mandate because an Olympic gold medal would instantly become the pinnacle of a player’s career.

And even with only 32 men and 32 women playing in the Olympic events, squash would likely see medals won by less heralded Olympic teams. “It’s a chance of getting new countries on to the medal podium,” Ramachandran said. Egypt won only two silver medals at the London Olympics - in men’s fencing and wrestling - yet it has five men in the current top-10 rankings in squash. “We have had male and female world champions from each of the five continents. Tell me how many sports will have that?” Ramachandran said.

Enthusiasm flows in the Indian official’s speech, and he leads a campaign that has been backed by tennis greats including Roger Federer and Kim Clijsters. Within the IOC membership, Prince Tunku Imran of Malaysia - one of Ramachandran’s predecessors as world squash leader - has also pushed its case.

Still, wrestling appears to have the influential support of Russian President Vladimir Putin for a campaign that has brought the United States and Iran into a common cause.

“It’s just like any other election - people make up their minds fairly quickly,” Ramachandran said. “I accept it (the result) with all humility.” — AP

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2013

S P ORTS

Dodgers get Young, rally to beat Padres

Photo of the day

Rangers slip past Twins 2-1 LOS ANGELES: Adrian Gonzalez hit a tying single in the seventh inning, pinch-hitter Mark Ellis singled home the go-ahead run in the eighth and the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied to beat the San Diego Padres 2-1 on Saturday night.

Just as the game ended, the Dodgers announced they had acquired third baseman Michael Young from the Philadelphia Phillies for minor league lefty Rob Rasmussen. The Dodgers ended August with a 23-6 record, their most wins in a month since moving to Los Angeles in 1958. The club record of 25 was set in July 1947 and equaled in August 1953, when the team played in Brooklyn.

Brian Wilson (1-0) came on in relief

a leadoff infield hit to Nate McLouth in the ninth.

Rangers 2, Twins 1 Leonys Martin’s two-out, basesloaded single in the bottom of the ninth lifted the Texas Rangers to a 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins.

Texas, which improved to a season-high 23 games over .500 at 79-56, finished the month with 20 wins, setting a new team record for August. It also marked just the fourth 20-win month in team history and first since June 2010.

Blue Jays 4, Royals 2 Kansas City Royals right-handed reliever Aaron Crow walked in two runs in a three-run eighth inning as

ARLINGTON: Cathcer Chris Herrmann No 12 of the Minnesota Twins looks on as Adam Rosales No 9 of the Texas Rangers runs to first after making contact for an infield hit in the eighth inning of a baseball game at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington on Saturday in Arlington, Texas. —AFP to earn the victory - his first since joining the Dodgers last week. Kenley Jansen pitched the ninth for his 23rd save in 25 chances. Nick Vincent (3-2) took the loss, allowing two hits on nine pitches in the eighth after relieving starter Andrew Cashner. Dodgers starter Chris Capuano allowed one run and eight hits in seven innings, struck out seven and walked one.

Skip Schumaker led off the eighth with a double and was sacrificed to third by Tim Federowicz. Schumaker scored on Ellis’ single to center, one of the Dodgers’ 13 hits, equaling their amount in Friday’s series-opening win.

The Dodgers tied it at 1 on Gonzalez’s RBI single with one out in the seventh. Pinch-hitter Jerr y Hairston Jr. and Carl Crawford opened the inning with singles. Cashner intentionally walked Andre Ethier to load the bases before Juan Uribe grounded out to end the inning.

Ronny Cedeno homered with two outs in the fourth for the Padres.

Cashner gave up one run and 10 hits while striking out seven and walking three. The Padres, who had 10 hits, have lost seven of nine.

Yankees 2, Orioles 0 Ivan Nova pitched a three-hitter for his second career complete game and the New York Yankees stretched their home winning streak to six games with a 2-0 victory over the Baltimore Orioles.

Robinson Cano drove in both runs for the Yankees, who won for the 14th time in 20 games and moved within four games of the American League’s second wild card spot. Cano had a one-out RBI double in the first inning and added his 25th home run in the eighth inning. Nova (8-4) allowed a single to Matt Wieters in the second inning, a two-out single to Manny Machado in the fourth and

the Toronto Blue Jays came back to defeat the Royals 4-2. Crow walked Brett Lawrie and Rajai Davis with the bases loaded to force in the go-ahead runs and earn Royals manager Ned Yost an ejection for arguing the calls.

All three Toronto runs in the eighth were unearned. The Blue Jays (62-74) have won three games in a row, including the first two games of the three-game series with Kansas City.

Cubs 4, Phillies 3 Starlin Castro had t wo hits, including the go-ahead home run, as the Chicago Cubs defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 4-3. Zach Miner opened the sixth for the Phillies, replacing starter Cliff Lee and Castro greeted him (0-1) rudely, sending the second pitch he saw deep into the center field bleachers to put the Cubs ahead 4-3.

Castro added a double on the day, giving him his second consecutive two-hit game and four extra base hits in the first two games of the series.

Pirates 7, Cardinals 1 The Pittsburgh Pirates took over sole possession of first place in the National League Central by beating the St. Louis Cardinals 7-1 as A.J. Burnett pitched seven strong innings, Russell Martin hit a three-run home run and Neil Walker had three hits.

Pittsburgh, which hasn’t been to the postseason or had a winning record since 1992, pulled one game ahead of the Cardinals in the division race. Before the game, the Pirates made a significant addition to their lineup by acquiring first baseman Justin Morneau from the Minnesota Twins for outfielder Alex Presley and a player to be named.

Red Sox 7, White Sox 2 Right-hander Jake Peavy started against his former team for the first

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

American League National League Eastern Division Eastern Division W L PCT GB Atlanta 83 52 .615 Boston 81 56 .591 Washington 68 67 .504 15 Tampa Bay 75 59 .560 4.5 NY Mets 62 72 .463 20.5 NY Yankees 72 63 .533 8 Philadelphia 62 74 .456 21.5 Baltimore 71 63 .530 8.5 Miami 49 85 .366 33.5 Toronto 62 74 .456 18.5 Central Division Detroit 80 56 .588 Cleveland 71 64 .526 Kansas City 69 66 .511 Minnesota 58 76 .433 Chicago W Sox 56 78 .418 Western Division Texas 79 56 .585 Oakland 77 58 .570 LA Angels 62 72 .463 Seattle 62 73 .459 Houston 44 91 .326

8.5 10.5 21 23

Central Division Pittsburgh 79 56 .585 St. Louis 78 57 .578 Cincinnati 76 60 .559 Milwaukee 59 76 .437 Chicago Cubs 57 78 .422

2 16.5 17 35

Western Division LA Dodgers 80 55 .593 Arizona 69 65 .515 Colorado 64 73 .467 San Diego 60 75 .444 San Francisco 60 75 .444

1 3.5 20 22

10.5 17 20 20

time since the Chicago White Sox sent him to Boston in a three-team deal at the trading deadline and came away with a victory as the Red Sox beat the White Sox 7-2 at Fenway Park.

Peavy went seven innings, giving up two runs, five hits and a walk with four strikeouts. He improved his record to 11-5 and lowered his ERA to 3.91. Since being acquired by the Red Sox, Peavy is 3-1.

Tigers 10, Indians 5 Omar Infante homered twice and drove in five runs to carry the Detroit Tigers to a 10-5 victor y over the slumping Cleveland Indians. Infante hit a three-run homer in the second inning and a two-run shot in the sixth.

Anibal Sanchez (12-7) gave up three runs in six and two third innings while striking out five to notch the victory.

Carlos Santana had an inside-thepark homer for Cleveland, which dropped its fifth straight and fell eighth and a half games behind Detroit in the American League Central. The Tigers are 15-3 against the Indians this season.

Mets 11, Nationals 3 Rookie pitcher Zack Wheeler was dominant on the mound and got plenty of help from his offense as the New York Mets cruised to an 11-3 victory over the Washington Nationals.

In just his 14th major league start, the right-hander steamrolled his way through the Washington lineup, allowing a mere five singles in six and two third innings of work.

Eric Young, Daniel Murphy and Juan Lagares each had three hits and two RBI for the Mets, who racked up a season-high 17 hits.

Angels 6, Brewers 5 Hank Conger’s ninth-inning pinchhit home run gave the Los Angeles Angels a 6-5 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in Milwaukee.

Conger came on to hit for pitcher Dane De La Rosa (6-1) and drove a 2-1 fastball off the pole in right field for his seventh homer of the season.

Ernesto Frieri earned his 29th save of the season with a scoreless ninth.

Camilla Pedersen performs in Copenhagen, Denmark. —www.redbullcontentpool.com

Lorenzo ends Marquez’s winning streak at Silverstone SILVERSTONE: Reigning MotoGP champion Jorge Lorenzo won the British Grand Prix at Silverstone yesterday ahead of Spanish compatriots Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa.

Honda’s Marquez, who hurt his shoulder in the morning warm-up and had to be taken by ambulance to the circuit’s medical centre, maintained his lead at the top of the overall standings.

The 20-year-old MotoGP debutant had won the previous four Grand Prix and leads Honda teammate Pedrosa by 30 points, with Yamaha’s Lorenzo a further nine points adrift with six races left in the 18-race season.

Fourth-placed Italian Valentino Rossi, a seven-time world champion, is a distant 77

points off the leader having also finished fourth yesterday. Marquez was penalised two points for a dangerous move during the warm-up but still increased his championship lead.

“Given the circumstances, it’s gone well for me where the standings are concerned,” said Marquez. The lead at Silverstone changed hands regularly between pole-sitter Marquez and Lorenzo, who only made the final decisive move a few turns from the finish.

Pedrosa was largely a spectator in the leaders’ battle, following closely in third, but not closely enough to make a pass. “I really deserved this victory,” said Lorenzo. “I fought

like I’d rarely done before in order to get it.

“This success has relaunched me for the season run-in. Even though Marc is in the best position, many things can still happen.”

Lorenzo had not won a Grand Prix since the middle of June at Catalonia. The British fans, out of luck in the main division, had something to cheer about when home hope Scott Redding won the Moto2 Grand Prix. The Kalex rider and came in just over one second clear of Japan’s Takaaki Nakagami with German Thomas Luthi in third.

Spain’s Luis Salom of the KTM team won the Moto3 race, the championship leader finishing ahead of compatriots Alex Rins and Alex Marquez. —AFP

Mariners 3, Astros 1 The Seattle Mariners jumped on Houston Astros starter Dallas Keuchel for three runs in the first inning, and that was all they needed in a 3-1 victory.

Seattle defeated the Astros for the eighth time in their last nine meetings, picking up its third straight win.

Houston out-hit the Mariners eight to six but stranded 10 runners in the process, while Seattle stranded six.

A’s 2, Rays 1 Rookie right-hander Sonny Gray got back on track and the red-hot Oakland A’s kept rolling with a 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Gray blanked the Rays for six and two third innings on five hits. He struck out seven, walked one and threw 102 pitches, 62 for strikes.

A’s center fielder Coco Crisp gave Gray all the offensive support he needed, going 3-for-4, driving in two runs, stealing a base and hitting his 15th home run of the season.

The A’s won for the fifth time in their past six games and remained two games behind first-place Texas in the American League West.

They extended their lead for the first wild-card spot to one and a half games over Tampa Bay and five over the third-place New York Yankees.

The Rays fell four and a half games behind first-place Boston in the AL East.

Reds 8, Rockies 3 Making his third start of the season for Cincinnati, Greg Reynolds pitched a career-high eight innings as the Reds beat the Rockies 8-3.

The win was the first for Reynolds in the big leagues since July 2, 2011, when he made his last start for the Rockies, who drafted him second overall in 2006.

Colorado’s Todd Helton went 0-for4 with three strikeouts and remained one hit shy of 2,500 in his career.

Brandon Phillips, who went 3-for-5 with two RBIs that gave him a careerhigh 99 and three runs scored, finished a single shy of the cycle.

Reynolds, who doubled and scored in the sixth, threw 72 of his 104 pitches for strikes, with no walks and five strikeouts.

Braves 5, Marlins 4 (11 innings) B.J. Upton was the hero for Atlanta, driving in the winning run with two outs in the 11th inning to give the Braves a 5-4 walk-off victory over the Miami Marlins.

Upton, who had hit a two-run homer earlier, smacked a liner to right-center field on a 1-1 pitch from reliever Ryan Webb to score pinchrunner Paul Janish.

SILVERSTONE: Jorge Lorenzo of Spain jumps on the podium after winning the MotoGP race of the British Grand Prix at the Silverstone circuit in Silverstone, England, yesterday. At left is Marc Marquez, who finished second, and at right Dani Pedrosa who was third. —AP

Moreno takes Vuelta lead with 2nd stage win

MADRID: Spaniard Daniel Moreno (Katusha) produced another strong climb in yesterday’s 163.7km ride from Antequera to Valdepenas de Jaen to claim his second stage win and the overall lead in the Tour of Spain.

Moreno edged out compatriots Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) and Joaquim “Purito” Rodriguez (Katusha) by four seconds with overnight leader Nicholas Roche (Saxo) finishing fourth, eight seconds behind.

However, due to the 10 second bonus handed to stage winners, Moreno moved ahead of Roche by one second in the general classification with Giro d’Italia winner

Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) moving back up to third, 20 seconds behind Moreno.

It is quite an achievement for the 31-yearold who is not even the leader of his own team and he insisted afterwards that Rodriguez, who currently lies 56 seconds behind Moreno in sixth, remains Katusha’s prime candidate to win in Madrid in two weeks time.

“There is always joy when either one of us wins,” he told TVE afterwards. “We spoke and we knew what we were going to do. The intention has always been to slowly but surely make up time on the leaders for Purito.

ANTEQUERA: Spaniard Daniel Moreno (Katusha) celebrates his victory and new red jersey from the podium yesterday after the nineth stage of the 68th edition of “La Vuelta” Tour of Spain, a 163.7 km route between Antequera and Valdepenas de Jaen.

Spaniard Daniel Moreno (Katusha) edged out compatriots Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) and Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) by four seconds with overnight leader Nicholas Roche (Saxo) finishing fourth, eight seconds behind. —AFP

“The three weeks in the Tour of Spain are very long and I am extremely happy to be the leader today even if it is by just a second.”

Roche had only moved into the lead himself when he finished third in Saturday’s gruelling 166.6km ride from Jerez de la Frontera to Estepona. However, the Irishman was still upbeat afterwards and is hopeful of retaking the lead either in Monday’s daunting climb to Guejar Sierra or in Wednesday’s individual time trial. “Yesterday was a great day. I said that every day is different and today it has been very different.

“I think I had a good climb, I was fourth and the legs are good. I hope to be strong tomorrow to make up this second or at least not lose more time and I think the time trial will be good for me.

“We still have two weeks to go and anything can still happen. Last year in the Tour of Spain with four days to go everything changed, but I have already had a good performance here in 2010 and with a bit of luck everything will go well.”

Nibali finished just a second behind Roche to keep his quest for a second Tour of Spain victory very much alive, whilst another former winner Valverde moved ahead of Chris Horner in the general classification into fourth overall, just 22 seconds back.

The stage itself was relatively well controlled by the peloton as an early five-man breakaway was swallowed up with around 30km to go. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky) then made an attack on the category two climb up the Alto de los Frailes, but the Norwegian never looked like having enough of a lead to get up the steep climb to the finish in the last kilometre.

Moreno then took to the front and comfortably maintained his advantage over Valverde and Rodriguez to claim his second stage victory in six days. —AFP

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2013

S P ORTS

Ahmed will be an Australia ‘match-winner’: Bailey CHESTER-LE-STREET: Australia Twenty20 captain George Bailey believes Fawad Ahmed will become a match-winner for his adopted country after he took his first full international wickets on Saturday.

Leg-spinner Ahmed’s return of three wickets for 25 runs from his maximum four overs couldn’t prevent Australia losing the second Twenty20 international at Chester-le-Street by 27 runs as England levelled the two-match series at 1-1, but it may yet have more enduring significance than the raw result.

It was Ahmed who ended England’s opening partnership of 111 when he induced Michael Lumb to topedge a sweep to wicketkeeper Matthew Wade, a wicket the bowler greeted with a kiss to the skies.

And having been entrusted with the 20th and final over by Bailey, Ahmed responded by dismissing both Eoin Morgan and Jos Buttler-bowled first ball-as England finished on 195 for five.

Ahmed’s return was timely after he took none for 43

on debut during Australia’s 39-run win in the first Twenty20 at Southampton on Thursday. “It meant a lot to him and would have meant a lot to all the people who have supported him,” Bailey told reporters on Saturday.

“It was fantastic for him. We saw he has good control and good skills. He is someone who can have a lot of success. “He’ll be thrilled. No matter what your age is when you come into international cricket you want to know if you are good enough and where you stand. To improve from game one into game two he’ll be really happy. “To Fawad’s credit he handled that pressure really well. It’s good to know for the future. I think that showed he has a good knowledge of his own game and self-belief.”

The 31-year-old Ahmed fled his native Pakistan in 2010 fearing political persecution and arrived in Australia as an asylum seeker. Having played first-class matches in Pakistan, he began his cricket career in

Australia with the Melbourne University club.

After bowling to Australia’s Test players in the nets in 2012, Ahmed was signed by the Melbourne Renegades in Australia’s Twenty20 Big Bash League before playing three Sheffield Shield matches for Victoria, where he took 16 wickets at 28.37 and impressed the likes of Australian leg-spin great Shane Warne.

In July, Ahmed became an Australian citizen after government-sponsored changes to legislation helped fast-track his application.

July also saw Ahmed play for Australia A on their tour of South Africa and Zimbabwe, after he was added to the national reserve side’s squad for their tour of Britain and Ireland in June.

Bailey said he’d been struck by Ahmed’s enthusiasm for cricket, as exemplified by his approach to batting at No 11 and being out in the middle when Australia needed 34 to win off the last over.

“Knowing Fawad he would have been disappointed

Roger races into fourth round of US Open Hopes to keep quarter-finals date with Nadal NEW YORK: Grand slam king Roger Federer showed off his fitness by sprinting into the round of 16 at the US Open on Saturday, beating Adrian Mannarino 6-3 6-0 6-2 to turn out the lights on Day Six of the tournament.

Playing the closing contest of Saturday’s night programme, Federer ran through games as though he had a taxi cab waiting outside the stadium with the meter running and hurtled past the unseeded Frenchman in 81 minutes.

moved Federer, the greatest grand slam men’s title winner of them all with 17, into a fourthround clash with Spain’s Tommy Robredo, who earlier beat British qualifier Dan Evans.

The 32-year-old Swiss has won all 10 of his previous matches against Robredo. Federer might not want to get ahead of himself, no matter how quickly he moves past opponents, but it was hard not to notice that he was now one step away from a potential quarter-final showdown

NEW YORK: Swiss tennis player Roger Federer plays a shot against France’s Adrian Mannarino during a 2013 US Open men’s singles match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York on Saturday. —AFP “I like it like this,” said Federer. “I like three hours, five hours, too, as long as I end up winning them. But no doubt about it, you do feel more of the show factor at night than during the day.

“But it does feel great just for confidence, and I had a lot of fun out there.” The one-sided victory

with rival Rafa Nadal.

Strange as it may seem for rivals who have squared off 31 times over their careers, five-times US Open champion Federer has never played 2010 winner Nadal at Flushing Meadows.

“Clearly (I) follow the progress of the players,

but today I didn’t see anything during the day,” Federer said. “I think I only start really focusing on it once I’m really right there, like the moment I would win my next round and he did the same. “(But) I have gone through that my entire career, people talking about our matches even before the tournament started,” he added.

“Clearly I think we both hope it’s going to happen this time for the first time in New York.”

Federer said he had several things working in his favour against Mannarino on Saturday. “I was able to really use my serve well, because it was breezy tonight again so I was able to use the wind a bit better. Maybe I had a bit more variation than him that allowed me more margin in my game.

“Once I had the first set I was able to play with the lead, which makes things a little more easy as well.” It got so easy for Federer that he yielded just 11 points to the Frenchman in the second set. In the match, the Swiss slashed 34 winners to eight for his 25-year-old opponent.

Federer showed absolutely no signs of the back issues that have limited him at times in 2013, a year that has seen him win just one tournament title and his US Open seeding slip to seventh, his lowest mark in a decade.

A second-round elimination at Wimbledon led some to question whether the Swiss master was slowing down. The masterclass he gave on centre court of the National Tennis Center seemed to allay those concerns.

At one stage, Federer was playing at such a pace the local broadcaster was unable to get through their commercials before the players were back on court and fans watching on television rejoined the match in the middle of the next game. Federer said he still got a charge out of the big-night atmosphere under the lights in Arthur Ashe.

“In this stadium, with this crowd, it’s always very particular, clearly, because it is the biggest stadium in the world, it is New York City, and you don’t ever know how many times more you’re going to play on this court. “You always want to enjoy it.” —Reuters

Tiny blonde bombshell Giorgi goes wild at Open NEW YORK: Italian qualifier Camila Giorgi played the match of her life on the stage of her dreams Saturday to reach the fourth round of the US Open by stunning former world number one Caroline Wozniacki.

The 21-year-old qualifier matched her best Grand Slam result, a run to the final 16 last year at Wimbledon, by rallying past Danish sixth seed Wozniacki 46, 6-4, 6-3 as the crowd roared in support at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“I wanted that. It was my goal to be there,” Giorgi said of the largest Grand Slam venue. “It was amazing to play there. For me, it was so nice. I had never been there, so was really good. I loved to play in this court.”

Giorgi, ranked 136th in the world, had not played since a third-round run at Wimbledon because of a right shoulder injury. But the 1.68m tiny blonde dynamo sizzled on the Flushing Meadows hardcourts in booking a fourth-round date with fellow Italian, 10th seed Roberta Vinci.

“It was amazing this match,” Giorgi said. “My first set wasn’t really good but after, I was focused every point. I think I played better tactical maybe.”

So what was her triumphant strategy? “When the ball came, just hit the ball in the corners,” she said. Wozniacki was caught off guard and quickly knew she

Wozniacki said. “All of a sudden she came into the rhythm and just started hitting everything and it was starting to go in. “She played very well. She took

NEW YORK: Camila Giorgi of Italy plays a backhand during her women’s singles third round mac against Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark on Day Six of the 2013 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. —AFP was in trouble as Giorgi fired 46 winners in the match to only 13 for the Danish standout. “She was all over the ball,”

very high-risk shots and things were going in for her. She was going for the lines and hitting them when she want-

ed.” Wozniacki sees a great future for Giorgi if she keeps playing that way.

“She hits every ball no matter where she stands. She’s hitting from both sides, and she was serving quite well,” Wozniacki said. “If she learns to control her pace like she did today, then I think she has a bright future.” Giorgi says she does not like to be loud on the court but there is plenty of noise, and arm movement, from her coach and father, Sergio Giorgi, whose vocal offerings resulted in a coaching violation against his daughter. “I always hear him. Many times I look at him,” Giorgi said of her dad. “Everybody does that, so this is the fact. But you need to avoid. If not, you lose the match for one thing. This is not good.” Giorgi has taken a big boost from her injury comeback run. “It’s really, really good. This helps a lot to my confidence, and I hope to stay like this for the last week,” she said.

“My first goal is to be in the top 100 and then to get back the confidence, because when you are not playing tournaments, you don’t have this rhythm of the matches, so it’s not easy. “I feel good now. My shoulder is good. So I’m happy for this reason too.” —AFP

KIEV: The Bulgarian team performs in the group clubs final during the 32nd Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships in Kiev yesterday. —AFP

he didn’t get us over the line with the bat,” Bailey said after both Ahmed and Mitchell Johnson finished on three not out in Australia’s total of 168 for nine. “I didn’t think he thought 34 off the last over was out of his reach.”

But above all, it’s Ahmed’s bowling that has impressed Bailey. “He will be a match-winner for us. I thought he mixed his pace up well today (Saturday). I think he just responds really well.

“He’s a student of the game-he loves it.” Ahmed’s rapid rise in Australian cricket has seen him become something of a standard-bearer for players from the country’s immigrant communities.

But Bailey said it was important Ahmed wasn’t swayed by outside influences. “If he’s half-sensible, he won’t listen to anyone else’s expectations. He’s pretty passionate and has good self-belief. “Much like everyone else, I’m enjoying getting to know him. He’s a good player to have in your team.” —AFP

Hales becomes No 1 ranked T20 batsman CHESTER-LE-STREET: England’s Alex Hales has become the number-one ranked batsmen in the International Cricket Council Twenty20 rankings after his match-winning innings against Australia on Saturday.

Nottinghamshire opener Hales’s 94, off just 61 balls, provided the platform for England’s 27-run win that saw them level the two-match series at 1-1.

Hales received 65 rating points for this performance and that helped him l e a p f ro g N e w Ze a l a n d c a p t a i n Brendon McCullum at the top of the ICC’s Twenty20 international batting standings.

Australia’s Aaron Finch, who struck a Twenty20 international record 156 in the series opener at Southampton on Thursday, moved up into the top 20 for the first time in his career after a huge rise of 78 places into 20th spot.

Meanwhile England seamers Steven Finn and Jade Dernbach have entered the top 10 of the equivalent Twenty20 international bowler rankings for the first time.

Finn, who took two wickets in the series, is now in sixth place (up by six) and Dernbach’s six wickets saw him jump 12 places into seventh position.

West Indies’ Sunil Narine still heads the bowler rankings, with two more spinners in the Pakistan duo of Saeed Ajmal and Mohammed Hafeez second and third respectively.

The 1-1 series draw saw England remain sixth and Australia seventh in the ICC Twenty20 team standings.

Leading ICC T20 international rankings at Aug 31 — after the conclusion of England-Australia T20I series — (rank, team, rating points, change in rating points): Teams 1 Sri Lanka 128 2 Pakistan 125 3 India 121 4 West Indies 120 5 South Africa 118 6 England 112 (-1) 7 Australia 103 (+1) 8 New Zealand 102 9 Ireland 81

10 Bangladesh 11 Scotland 12 Zimbabwe 13 Netherlands 14 Kenya

74 62 46 36 34

Batsmen (rank, change in ranking, player, team, ratings points, average, strike-rate, highest rating points): 1 (+1) Alex Hales ENG 842 39.11 136 842 v AUS at Durham 2013 2 (-1) Brendon McCullum NZL 818 35.50 135 849 v BAN at Pallekele 2012 3 (-) Shane Watson AUS 747 30.11 150 832 v RSA at Colombo 2012 4 (-) David Warner AUS 743 28.63 138 826 v WIS at St Lucia 2010 5 (-) Martin Guptill NZL 738 35.39 124 793 v RSA at Hamilton 2012 6 (-) Mahela Jayawardene SRI 731 32.48 134 785 v AUS at Pallekele 2011 6 (-) Virat Kohli IND 731 34.87 130 731 v PAK at Ahmedabad 2012 8 (-) Suresh Raina IND 719 33.60 136 776 v ENG at Kolkata 2011 9 (-) Chris Gayle WIS 702 33.30 143 831 v AUS at Colombo 2012 10 (-) JP Duminy RSA 676 34.96 122 694 v ENG at Durham 2012 Bowlers (rank, change in ranking, player, team, rating points, average, economy-rate, highest rating points) 1 (-) Sunil Narine WIS 817 16.75 5.94 817 v PAK at St Vincent 2013 2 (-) Saeed Ajmal PAK 721 17.15 6.26 788 v NZL at Pallekele 2012 3 (-) Mohammad Hafeez PAK 689 19.76 6.56 689 v ZIM at Harare 2013 4 (-) Ajantha Mendis SRI 686 12.84 6.10 762 v WIS at Colombo 2012 5 (-) Shakib Al Hasan BAN 668 19.84 6.75 668 v ZIM at Bulawayo 2013 6 (+6) Steven Finn ENG 667 19.48 7.16 667 v AUS at Durham 2013 7 (+12) Jade Dernbach ENG 664 20.48 7.86 664 v AUS at Durham 2013 8 (-2) Abdur Razzak BAN 660 18.94 6.92 661 v IRL at Belfast 2012 9 (-2) Prosper Utseya ZIM 659 28.04 6.57 667 v Pak at Harare 2013 10 (-2) Nuwan Kulasekara SRI 655 24.50 7.21 676 v AUS at Melbourne 2013. —AFP

NEW YORK: Victoria Azarenka of Belarus celebrates victory during her women’s singles third round match against Alize Cornet of France on Day Six of the 2013 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. —AFP

Azarenka through after dropping set NEW YORK: A feisty Victoria Azarenka dropped her first set of the tournament on Saturday before regaining her composure to safely book her place in the last 16 at the US Open.

A finalist last year and one of the favourites to win the title this season, the Belarussian passed her first real test at the championship in beating beat Alize Cornet of France 6-7(2) 6-3 6-2.

By her own admission, this was not one of Azarenka’s best performances. She made 38 unforced errors and got involved in an argument with the chair umpire over a line call.

“I don’t think I played my best tennis today but I have to give her credit. She played really well,” Azarenka said.

“The dynamic of the match was a little bit weird for me. “I felt like I didn’t take my opportunities in the first set, which was kind of a waste and it gave her a lot of confidence.” The first set took more than an hour to complete and the 24year-old Azarenka was frustrated that she let it go after fighting back from 4-1 behind to force a tiebreak. But she raised her game in the remaining two sets, reducing her unforced error count.

“That was more me playing, more finding the rhythm,” she said. “I felt much better in the third set than in the first set which was going past the two-hour mark. It’s pretty good, so I’m happy

with that.” Azarenka’s frustrations threatened to boil over when the umpire ordered a point she had won to be replayed and was still fuming about it after the match.

“That was the most ridiculous thing there is,” she said. “I had already walked to my chair, Alize almost walked to her chair, they said, ‘replay the point’.” Despite her below-par performance, Azarenka said she enjoyed being under pressure, believing it brought out the best in her.

“I like pressure. I think pressure is something that if you want to be on top, you have to deal with,” she said.

“That’s what makes you better. You need that to be on top, to be motivated.

“If you don’t have any pressure, if you don’t feel like you have to achieve something, it’s not fun. For me, I need that.”

Azarenka’s next opponent is former world number Ana Ivanovic, who also came from behind to win her center court clash with American Christina McHale 4-6 7-5 6-4.

“Ana is a great player,” said Azarenka. “She’s definitely in great form, and I’m sure she’s motivated and pumped up.

“It’s going to be a good match. She’s a great champion, as well. I’m looking forward to that.” —Reuters

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SPORTS

Club limbo stunts English players - Hodgson LONDON: England manager Roy Hodgson believes young English players are being harmed by Premier League clubs who do not play them but are fearful of letting them leave.

A study produced by the Guardian newspaper last month revealed that only 33 percent of the players who started Premier League games on the opening weekend of the season qualified to play for England.

That represents the worst figure in the post-1992 Premier League era and leaves the English top flight trailing well behind rival championships in Spain, Italy, Germany and France.

The apparent shallowness of the English talent pool was demonstrated on two occasions during the close season, when England’s representative sides went out of the Under-21

European Championship and the Under-20 World Cup without winning a game between them. Hodgson, however, feels that the fault lies with English clubs stockpiling players and does not believe the statistics point to a diminishing level of ability in the English game. “The other thing you should look at is the number of players at the top clubs who the clubs rate unbelievably highly and who would be first-team starters in probably a lot of Premiership clubs were they not playing for the top four or five clubs, where their way is blocked by extremely talented players,” he told journalists during a briefing at Wembley.

“I’ll give you an example-Tom Carroll, at Tottenham Hotspur. I’ve worked with Premiership clubs-I’ve worked at Fulham, I’ve worked at West

Bromwich Albion-and Tom Carroll would have played in probably the Fulham team and the West Brom team.

“But he doesn’t play for Tottenham.

Now is that Tottenham’s fault? No, not really, because maybe he’s not quite as good as Paulinho or (Mousa) Dembele or Sandro or Scott Parker (now of Fulham). “I’m not criticising the judgement of the coaches. I’m just saying, these players do exist.”

Hodgson pointed to Manchester United as an example of a club who are no longer prepared to take the risks with young players that they did in the early years of former manager Alex Ferguson’s tenure.

“In the under-21s, I come into contact with Jesse Lingard, who I’ve never heard of, because I don’t watch under21 Manchester United matches, with

(Michael) Keane, and with (Tom) Thorpe, Nick Powell,” he said.

“These are all players who I think are very, very good, talented, English players who will become very, very good players, but they don’t feature in the 30 percent of English players playing every week. But that doesn’t mean to say we haven’t got good players.

“The Premier League, because it’s such an important league, the coaches are under such enormous pressure that today, the chances of you as a Premiership manager giving players a chance like Ferguson did all those years ago...

“What would have become of the Nevilles, the Beckhams, the Scholeses, the Giggs, the Butts had it not been for the fact that, at the time they were growing up, managers did take a

chance?

“They didn’t go rushing out and buy a foreigner every time or a player every time, they said: ‘He’s only 19, Scholes, but he’s going to be one hell of a player. Let’s give him a go.’”

Hodgson warned that a failure to arrest the current trend could have serious repercussions for both the players themselves and the national team. “We’ve got to find a way of making certain that we don’t dismiss these players, that we don’t lose them, and as a nation, I’ve got to hope that not getting a lot of games isn’t going to destroy their careers,” he said.

“Because it could happen. If you go two years as a player who’s too good to let go, but not good enough to play every week, you might not be a very good player at the end of it.” — AFP

Isco helps Real extend dominance of Bilbao Ronaldo opens season’s account with header

WEST BROMWICH: Swansea City’s Spanish midfielder Pablo Hernandez (C) controls the ball during the English Premier League football match between West Bromwich Albion and Swansea City at The Hawthorns in West Bromwich, central England, yesterday. Swansea won the game 2-0. — AFP

Davies, Hernandez keep West Brom winless Bromwich 0

Swansea 2

WEST BROMWICH: Swansea City won 20 at West Bromwich Albion yesterday to record their first win of the Premier League season and leave the home side in the bottom three. Ben Davies made the breakthrough with a brilliantly taken 22nd-minute volley and after Swansea resisted West Brom’s efforts to get back into the game, Pablo Hernandez sealed victory seven minutes from time.

Michael Laudrup’s side showed no ill effects from their trip to Romania to play Petrolul Ploiesti in the Europa League on Thursday, but Steve Clarke’s West Brom are still seeking a first win, and first goal, of the nascent campaign.

Nicolas Anelka was recalled to the West Brom starting XI after being granted compassionate leave following the death of a close friend, while Scott Sinclair was handed a full league debut against his former club. Visitors Swansea made one change to the team beaten 10 by Tottenham Hotspur last weekend,

with record-signing Wilfried Bony making his first league start in place of Jonathan de Guzman.

Swansea made the early running, Jonjo Shelvey and Michu going close from distance before Wayne Routledge saw a shot comfortably saved by West Brom goalkeeper Boaz Myhill, who replaced the injured Ben Foster. West Brom should have taken the lead in the 20th minute when the unmarked James Morrison miscued his header from a Sinclair free-kick and two minutes later, Swansea made a stylish breakthrough.

Hernandez hooked the ball into the box from close to the byline on the righthand side and Davies steamed in from left-back to steer an emphatic side-foot volley into the net.

Anelka looked menacing for West Brom and he came close to equalising 10 minutes later after sprinting clear and dragging a shot fractionally wide of the far post. Routledge spurned an opportunity to double Swansea’s lead in the early stages of the second half, with a heavy first touch to control Michu’s pass enabling Myhill to block.

Clarke threw on strikers Saido Berahino and Markus Rosenberg in an effort to salvage something, only for Hernandez to kill the game off from Michu’s pass with seven minutes to play. —AFP

Ljajic scores on debut as Roma punish Verona MILAN: Serbian striker Adem Ljajic scored on his debut for AS Roma as the Giallorossi turned on the style in a lively second half to punish Serie A new boys Verona 3-0 yesterday.

Promoted Verona began the new season last week with a shock 2-1 home win over AC Milan with both goals coming courtesy of former Fiorentina striker Luca Toni. But despite keeping Rudi Garcia’s men at bay in a first half marked notably by a Francesco Totti free-kick which tested Rafael in the visitors’ net, Andrea Mandorlini’s men were punished for slack defending in the space of 10 second-half minutes.

Brazilian defender Maicon, formerly of Inter Milan but signed from Manchester City in the close season, gave Roma the lead when his 56th strike came off the foot of Fabrizio Cacciatore to leave Rafael scrambling in vain. Cacciatore was credited with the own goal and the ‘Gialloblu’ were to suffer more woe only three minutes later. Miralem Pjanic was given time and

space on the edge of the area and after spotting Rafael off his line the Bosnian sent a sublime lob goalwards which the Brazilian could only watch sail over his head as he backtracked in vain.

The goals gave Roma extra momentum and minutes after replacing Alessandro Florenzi new arrival Ljajic, who signed in midweek from Fiorentina, hit a superb strike from 20 metres out which beat Rafael at his right-hand post.

Roma should have had at least one more goal as Verona struggled to deal with the pace and movement of the Giallorossi. Gervinho was in space on the left when he collected Totti’s pass but the former Arsenal forward spurned a great chance when he sent his angled shot straight at Rafael. Mandorlini replaced Toni with fellow striker Daniele Cacia but it was Emil Halfredsson who came close to reducing arrears late on with a left-foot strike which shaved the crossbar of Roma ‘keeper Morgan De Sanctis. —AFP

MADRID: In-form playmaker Isco struck twice and Cristiano Ronaldo netted his first goal of the campaign to give Luka Modric-inspired Real Madrid a 3-1 home win over Athletic Bilbao in La Liga yesterday.

The comfortable victory in an unusual midday kickoff at the Bernabeu gave Carlo Ancelotti’s side a joint share of the lead in the standings with a perfect nine points from three games.

It also suggested the Real players have not been distracted by the drawn-out saga over the possible arrival of Gareth Bale from Tottenham Hotspur.

Real have until today to wrap up the purchase of the Wales international, which could set a transfer record of around 100 million euros ($132 million), according to media reports in Britain and Spain.

After a subdued start at the giant, sun-drenched arena, Karim Benzema dinked a pass through to Isco in the 26th minute and the Spain playmaker, who joined from Malaga in the close season, drilled a shot past Bilbao goalkeeper Iago Herrerin.

Ronaldo powered home a header moments before halftime for his 202nd goal in 202 official games for Real and his 11th against Bilbao, putting him on a par with the club’s former strikers Raul and Hugo Sanchez.

Bilbao threatened a comeback on a couple of occasions before Isco picked up another assist from Benzema, again whistled by the home crowd after fluffing a number of chances, and the 21year-old found the net with a

MADRID: Real Madrid’s Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo (2L) scores a goal during the Spanish league football match Real Madrid vs Athletic Club at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid yesterday. — AP sublime 72nd-minute strike.

Ibai Gomez made the scoreline slightly more respectable for the visitors, who have now conceded 22 goals in their last five league visits to the Bernabeu, when he clipped the ball past Diego Lopez in the 79th minute after neat work on the right from fellow substitute Oscar de Marcos.

“Things are going well for me,” Isco said in an interview with Spanish television broadcaster Canal Plus.

“We have only just started the season and three wins in three is the right path to follow to make it a good year for us,” he added.

“We want to keep improving little by little and aspire to win all

the competitions we are taking part in.” Croatian Modric, who started alongside Germany’s Sami Khedira in central midfield, had an excellent game and the crowd chanted his name midway through the second half when he snuffed out a Bilbao attack.

Modric has not always convinced the Real faithful since joining from Spurs but former Real forward Emilio Butragueno, now a club director, said he had turned in a “very complete performance in every sense”.

“He is an intelligent player capable of adapting to different positions and functions,” Butragueno told Canal Plus.

Real are level at the top with

Villarreal, who also have nine points from three matches after their 3-0 success at Osasuna on Saturday.

Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino has rested Xavi and Alexis Sanchez for the Spanish champions’ game at Valencia later on Sunday (1900 GMT) but Lionel Messi is back in the squad after missing last weekend’s 1-0 win at Malaga with a bruised thigh.

Atletico Madrid visit fellow Champions League participants Real Sociedad at San Sebastian (1700). Barca, Atletico, Bilbao and Real were the only other teams apart from Villarreal to win their opening two games. — Reuters

Henrikh Mkhitaryan fires Dortmund top of Bundesliga BERLIN: Borussia Dortmund knocked Bayern Munich off top spot in the Bundesliga yesterday as new signing Henrikh Mkhitaryan scored both goals in their 2-1 win at Eintracht Frankfurt.

The 24-year-old attacking midfielder proved why Dortmund paid Shakhtar Donetsk 27.5 million euros ($36.3m) for him with his first two league goals on only his third Bundesliga appearance.

It means Dortmund go into the international break for the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers two points clear of European champions Bayern.

Armenian international Mkhitaryan started off by finishing a defence-splitting pass from Poland winger Jakub Blaszczykowski after ten minutes.

Frankfurt equalised when Stefan Aigner’s bullet-header slammed off the post and Czech striker Vaclav Kadlec rifled home the rebound on 36 minutes for his first Bundesliga goal, having joined from Sparta Prague last month.

But Mkhitaryan restored Dortmund’s lead with the winner when he dribbled along the edge of the area and unleashed a fearsome shot past Frankfurt goalkeeper Kevin Trapp.

The result means Dortmund finish the weekend as the league’s only team with a 100 percent record as Bayern, who drew 1-1 with Freiburg on Tuesday, Mainz and Bayer Leverkusen all dropped points.

Earlier, VfB Stuttgart romped to a 6-2 Bundesliga win over Hoffenheim with striker Vedad Ibisevic netting a hat-trick after

coach Bruno Labbadia was sacked last Monday.

Stuttgart picked up their first points of the season after three straight defeats led to Labbadia’s dismissal. Caretaker coach Thomas Schneider got off to an emphatic start as Stuttgart’s Romanian striker Alexandru Maxim did the damage by scoring two goals and setting up two more, while Bosnia striker Ibisevic claimed a hat-trick.

The result lifts Stuttgart out of the bottom three and into 14th and leaves Hoffenheim 11th after their first defeat of the season. On Saturday, Leverkusen blew the chance to go top with a 2-0 defeat at resurgent Schalke 04.

Both Germany left-back Dennis Aogo, who has joined Schalke on loan from Hamburg, and Ghana midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng, who signed a four-year deal after arriving from AC Milan on Friday, started as the Royal Blues picked up their first league win of the season.

Schalke went ahead with half an hour gone when a free-kick went in off midfielder Marco Hoeger’s right shoulder before Peru forward Jefferson Farfan made sure of the win when he drilled home an 83rdminute penalty after being hauled down in the area.

Mainz 05 also wasted their opportunity to go top as they crashed to a 4-1 defeat at Hanover 96. Mainz took a 12th-minute lead through striker Nicolai Mueller, but Senegal striker Mame Diouf and Poland forward Artur Sobiech put the hosts 2-1 up at the break before Ivory Coast forward Didier Ya Konan and midfielder Edgar Prib

increased the lead.

Elsewhere, struggling Hamburg picked up their first win of the season after two consecutive defeats with a 4-0 thumping of promoted Eintracht Braunschweig.

Dutch international Rafael van der Vaart put Hamburg ahead in the seventh minute on their first attack before Cameroon striker Jacques Zoua doubled the lead on 17 minutes as the hosts counterattacked at pace.

Hamburg made sure of the three points-and Braunschweig’s fourth straight defeat to leave

Eintracht bottom of the table-when 19-year-old Turkish midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu came on for Van der Vaart on 79 minutes to claim a brace, including a stunning freekick.

Meanwhile, Borussia Moenchengladbach moved up to seventh as they romped to a 4-1 home win over Werder Bremen.

Wolfsburg enjoyed a 2-0 win at home to Hertha Berlin with Ivica Olic and Diego on target, while Augsburg picked up their second straight win with a 1-0 success at Nuremberg thanks to a late goal from substitute Kevin Vogt. — AFP

FRANKFURT: Frankfurt’s Marco Russ, right, and Dortmund’s Marco Reus challenge for the ball during the German first league Bundesliga soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Borussia Dortmund in Frankfurt, Germany, yesterday. — AP

Isco, Ronaldo lead Madrid to 3-1 win over Bilbao

19

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2013

Roger into fourth round of US Open

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Lorenzo ends Marquez’s winning streak at Silverstone Page 17

LIVERPOOL: Manchester United's English striker Danny Welbeck (left) has his shot blocked by Liverpool's English midfielder Steven Gerrard (right) during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Manchester United at the Anfield stadium in Liverpool. — AFP

Sturridge secures Liverpool’s win over United Liverpool 1

Man United 0

LIVERPOOL: Daniel Sturridge grabbed Liverpool’s winner for the third straight Premier League game to condemn fierce rival Manchester United to a 1-0 loss yesterday, handing David Moyes his first defeat as manager of the champions.

The England striker flicked home a closerange header following a fourth-minute corner to maintain his red-hot form and his side’s perfect start to the season. Liverpool has won all three of its games 1-0 and Sturridge is providing the cutting edge in the continued absence of suspended Luis Suarez.

“I’m delighted with his application because he was nowhere near fit today,” Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said. “But even at 70 percent, he’ll be as good, if not better, than a lot of

Rooney to miss England games with head cut Premier League strikers.”

Moyes says Wayne Rooney has “no chance” of playing for England in its two upcoming World Cup qualifiers after cutting the middle of his forehead in training on Saturday.

Moyes says the striker’s injury - after reportedly colliding with a teammate - was “completely accidental” and will “probably keep him out for a few weeks.”

When asked about the possibility of Rooney playing for England in matches against Moldova on Friday and Ukraine four days later, Moyes says “I would think no chance.”

England is second in its qualifying group, two points behind Montenegro with a game in hand and with four matches left. Ukraine is a point further back in third.

United dominated possession in the second half but barely created a clear-cut chance in the absence of Wayne Rooney, who was missing after sustaining a head injury in training on Saturday. With just four points from a possible nine and an away match at Manchester City to come in his fifth league match, Moyes isn’t hav-

ing a comfortable start to life as Alex Ferguson’s successor.

“I thought we played very well, probably the best we have played this season,” said Moyes, who didn’t win at Anfield in his 11 years across Stanley Park at neighbor Everton either. “Tell you what, I could really see why this team are the champions.” Moyes was putting a brave face on his current situation, but this display - coming after a 0-0 draw with Chelsea on Monday showed why United has been in the transfer market for attacking midfielders this summer.

Robin van Persie wasted a good late opportunity but he was largely starved of service by a sturdy Liverpool backline. There’s always motivation for Liverpool to beat United, its biggest rival, but there was even more yesterday.

The match was played on the eve of what would have been the 100th birthday of the late Liverpool manager Bill Shankly, who died in 1981 after helping turn the club into the leading force in English football in a 15-year spell from 195974.

Shankly’s daughter and six grandchildren

Giroud gives Arsenal 1-0 derby win over Tottenham Arsenal 1

Tottenham 0

LONDON: Olivier Giroud settled the first north London derby of the season yesterday as Arsenal asserted its supremacy over Tottenham on the pitch with a 1-0 victory despite months of lavish spending by its neighbor.

Giroud turned the ball into the net from Theo Walcott’s cross in the 23rd minute, showing that goals are the only currency that counts in the Premier League. “We didn’t give up and showed real togetherness,” Giroud said.

While Arsenal has only signed two free agents in the summer transfer window, Tottenham has spent around 100 million pounds ($155 million) strengthening the squad ahead of Gareth Bale’s impending exit to Real Madrid.

Spurs’ expensive new recruits were frustrated in their route to the net, although goalkeeper Hugo Lloris restricted Arsenal to a single goal after 5-2 losses on the last two visits to the Emirates Stadium.

Tottenham, though, hasn’t managed to score from open play in three league matches so far, with the opening pair of victories gained through Roberto Soldado’s penalties.

But Arsenal’s players, who faced intense criticism after opening the season with a shock home loss, have quickly recovered from collapsing to Aston Villa. The relief was clear yesterday, with players celebrating on the pitch as if a trophy had been won, and some throwing their shirts into the crowd.

Not only have they now won back-to-back Premier League matches, but a place in the lucrative Champions League group stage was secured via the playoffs last week. It was Arsenal which edged out Tottenham to the fourth and final Champions League place on the last day of last season, prompting Spurs’

extravagant overhaul of its squad and the recruitment of a technical director at White Hart Lane.

Yet, the new faces have had to adapt quickly to playing alongside each other, and they still need more time to gel. Such cohesion was missing in the first half in particular at Arsenal.

Two free kicks were conceded on the edge of the penalty area alone in the opening five minutes, although Santi Cazorla saw one pushed clear and another was curled wide through the wall.

An Arsenal surge down the right flank produced the opener, with Tomas Rosicky releasing Walcott, whose cross was turned in by Giroud past defender Michael Dawson. It was the first time Tottenham had conceded in its five games this season, including a pair of Europa League fixtures.

Lloris prevented Arsenal from extending its lead after another dangerous moment down the right saw Aaron Ramsey feed Walcott, only for the England winger to be denied at a tight angle.

This was the Gunners at their incisive best, sharper and slicker and enjoying more time on the ball.

When Spurs did encroach on the Arsenal goal, the resulting shots were too tame, with Andros Townsend striking low straight at goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny. The resolute hosts avoided being unsettled by a blow just before half time when midfielder Jack Wilshere limped off and was replaced by Mathieu Flamini, who made his first appearance for Arsenal since April 2008 after returning last week.

It was a livelier second half from Tottenham, which applied more pressure on the Arsenal defense but Szczesny was never seriously tested. Tottenham experienced its only injury setback when midfielder Etienne Capoue, who joined from Toulouse last month, was carried off on a stretcher after twisting his left fibula.

Tottenham was short of luck in front of goal, too. Soldado couldn’t find the net for a third successive game and when another new striker, Erik Lamela, came off the bench, he only managed to send a tame strike straight at Szczesny. And Lloris spared Tottenham from a heavier loss by saving from Walcott. — AP

stood on the touchline as Liverpool fans - and most of United’s travelling fans - took part in a minute’s applause in the Scot’s honor before kickoff. There was a mosaic of Shankly in The Kop stand, along with a banner saying “He Made People Happy,” while a stirring rendition of club anthem “You’ll Never Walk Alone” was belted out.

It certainly got Liverpool’s players fired up and they were first to every ball in a breathless opening spell in which Sturridge grabbed an 11th goal in his last nine Liverpool games.

Daniel Agger beat Rio Ferdinand to Steven Gerrard’s outswinging corner and Sturridge was there inside the six-yard box to stoop and flick home a deft header. The sound was deafening as Sturridge and the whole Liverpool team ran to Rodgers, who has instilled belief into the striker since his move from Chelsea in January. That was enough to ensure a third straight win to start a season for only the second time in the Premier League era. Rodgers laughed out loud when a reporter asked if Liverpool could be classed as title contenders but Suarez is returning soon from a ban for biting and Chelsea winger Victor

Moses is one of three players expected to sign today on transfer deadline day.

“We won’t be getting carried away,” Rodgers said. “The initial challenge is to get in the top four and I don’t think we can look at anything beyond that.”

But with Ferguson gone, Liverpool can maybe start dreaming of closing the gap to United.

This was a tight, frenetic and typically feisty encounter between England’s most successful clubs, who have won the top-flight title 38 times between them. Van Persie spent most of his time tangling with Agger and Martin Skrtel while two defenders, Phil Jones (United) and Glen Johnson (Liverpool), went off with ankle injuries.

United improved after the break, pressing higher and starving Liverpool’s lightweight forward line of possession but worryingly there was no end product without Rooney. “Wayne Rooney is world class ... he’s a top, top operator and when we heard he wasn’t playing, it gives you a tonic,” Rodgers said. “We were defensively strong and I thought the players’ concentration was very good.” — AP

Bale joins Real Madrid in world-record transfer LONDON: After the summer’s most drawn-out transfer saga, it’s finally official: Gareth Bale is a Real Madrid player.

Madrid announced yesterday that Bale had joined on a six-year contract, and a person familiar with the deal said the fee was a world-record 100 million euros ($132 million).

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because financial details are not being disclosed.

“I am not sure there is ever a good time to leave a club where I felt settled and was playing the best football of my career to date,” Bale said in a statement published on the Tottenham website. “I know many players talk of their desire to join the club of their boyhood dreams, but I can honestly say, this is my dream come true.”

Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas said earlier in the week that Bale’s move was set to be “the biggest transfer in world football,” and the fee eclipses the ?93 million Madrid paid Manchester United for Cristiano Ronaldo in 2009.

The move for Bale, who had around three years remaining on his Tottenham contract, caps a rapid rise from White Hart Lane misfit to one of European football’s most exciting players. “I am well aware that I would not be at the level I am today were it not for firstly Southampton and then Spurs standing by me during some of the tougher times and affording me the environment and support they have,” Bale said. “Tottenham will always be in my heart and I’m sure that this season will be a successful one for them. I am now looking forward to the next exciting chapter in my life, playing football for Real Madrid.”

The 24-year-old Bale has been signed by the nine-time European champions despite not winning a single title in his playing career. What the Wales star has is a collection of personal honors - and long highlight reel of spectacular goals. In April he won the top two awards in English football after being voted player of the year and the young player of the year by his fellow professionals in English football. The last player to achieve the Professional Footballers’ Association double was Ronaldo in 2007, and the pair will now be on the same side in Spain.

Gareth Bale In Bale and Ronaldo, Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti will have one of the most formidable attacks in football to compete with Spanish champion Barcelona, which boasts Lionel Messi and new recruit Neymar.

Tottenham’s apparent insistence to complete its squad before selling Bale led to the deal being dragged out almost until the end of transfer window on Monday. “Gareth was a player we had absolutely no intention of selling as we look to build for the future,” Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy said. “He is a player whose career we have fostered and developed and he was only a year into his new four-year contract.

Such has been the attention from Real Madrid and so great is Gareth’s desire to join them, that we have taken the view that the player will not be sufficiently committed to our campaign in the current season. We have, therefore, with great reluctance, agreed to this sale and do so in the knowledge that we have an exceptionally strong squad to which we have added no fewer than seven top internationals.” — AP

UAE’s Etihad sees clearance for Jet deal

Business

Page 22 Hassan Kabbani appointed CEO of Zain Saudi Arabia Page 26

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Hiring on the rise for small businesses

Increased odds of Fed tapering in September Page 23

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TOKYO: In this file photo, a woman walks by a clothing store on sale. Japan released data showing its economic recovery gained momentum as manufacturing accelerated and consumer prices rose for a second straight month, despite weaker household spending and retail sales. — AP

Islamic finance down, not out in Egypt Egypt increasingly reliant on Gulf economic ties CAIRO/DUBAI: With the fall of the Muslim Brotherhood, Islamic finance has lost strong political support in the most populous Arab nation.

But economic pressures mean the industry remains likely to grow and the country will eventually start issuing Islamic bonds. Islamic finance, which obeys religious principles such as a ban on interest payments, was neglected and even discouraged by authorities for ideological reasons in the three decades before the revolution which ousted President Hosni Mubarak in 2011. The market share of Islamic banks in Egypt is only about 5 percent, well below estimates of roughly 25 percent in the developed Arab economies of the Gulf.

That seemed about to change when Islamist President Mohamed Morsi, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, took power in June 2012.

The Brotherhood made expanding Islamic finance one of its top economic policy planks, promising to issue sovereign sukuk, introduce rules to facilitate Islamic fund-raising by companies, and reform the operations of Islamic endowments. This political backing has disappeared

with the ouster of Morsi in an army-backed uprising in early July; the interim government which is to serve until elections early next year has much less fondness for Islamic finance. But underlying demand among Egypt’s mostly Muslim population of 84 million, the country’s need to develop what financing sources it can, and the growing role of wealthy Arab countries in the Egyptian economy mean the sector may still grow. “Sukuk will be available in Egypt particularly because they are the sole instrument used by some investors in the Gulf Cooperation Council and southeast Asia,” Sherif Sami, the new head of the Egyptian Financial Supervisory Authority, told Reuters last week. Sami stressed his body would only handle the technical side of sukuk issues, and any decision to push forward with legal changes to facilitate sukuk would be political.

Demand The technocrats who dominate Egypt’s new economic policy team, many of them with experience from the Mubarak era, have shown little personal interest in Islamic finance. The image of

Rupee slump a hard lesson for Indian students overseas NEW DELHI: Student Mikael Haris is wrestling with the sort of question confronting others across India, including companies, investors and banks, following the 18 percent slump in the rupee this year. With plans to study for a masters degree in marketing in London from this month, he is trying to decide whether to pay his course fees up front and secure a discount, or to spread them out in the hope that a rebound in the rupee will ultimately reduce his costs.

“We are kind of speculating how to pay the fee, to see whether the rupee will regain its strength. It is a strategy that makes you think, how to lower your expenses,” Haris said.

The slump in the rupee as the country struggles with decade-low economic growth and a record current account deficit has hit confidence across the country and among international investors.

For the 800,000 or so Indian students who go overseas to study each year, the main question is whether they can still afford to do so as their costs in rupees have risen by as much as 20 percent. The top three destinations to study are the United States, Britain and Australia.

The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) estimated overseas Indian students spend the equivalent of about $15 billion a year to pursue their studies. “If the currency continues to depreciate, it will certainly put a doubt in the mind of students on whether to look at going abroad

next year or not,” said New Delhi-based Ajay Mittal, a director at International Placewell Consultants Pvt Ltd, a student placement company. “If the slide does not stop it may affect the January or next September admissions,” Mittal said. Students already studying overseas are looking to cut costs, rely on savings or find work to cover their shortfalls.

Pooja Raman, who is studying International Business Law at the National University of Singapore, is worried about paying off her education loan after her expenses rose by 15 percent in recent months. Most Indian students take loans for their studies overseas.

“If the rupee continues on this devaluation path, it would get difficult to repay it within the given time and I might have to take another one,” Raman said. Adding to the pressure, state-run Indian banks have not raised the maximum limit on education loans to account for the fall in the rupee, meaning what used to be full-course funding now covers just a proportion.

Foreign students are prized by US academic institutions, particularly at the undergraduate level, because they often pay full tuition and board rather than counting on financial aid from universities, giving them an economic impact that outweighs their numbers - less than 4 percent of U.S. university enrolment.

So far, US schools say there has been no significant drop off in the number of Indian students, the second-largest population of foreign students after the Chinese. —Reuters

political Islam has been severely damaged in the eyes of many Egyptians by Morsi’s troubled year in office and his weak management of the economy.

But long-term demand for Islamic financial services has not necessarily changed. Only around 10 or 15 percent of Egyptians use formal banking services, analysts estimate; this implies great potential for growth in both conventional and Islamic finance, and sharia-compliant banking could be a way to draw many people into the formal financial system. Abdel Rahman Al-Kafrawi, head of Islamic transactions at Principal Bank for Development and Agricultural Credit (PBDAC), said he had noticed no negative impact since July on business at the 18 PBDAC branches offering Islamic finance.

The state-run bank, which caters to Egyptian farmers, launched sharia-compliant retail banking earlier this year, setting aside an initial 50 million Egyptian pounds ($7.1 million) to provide financing for the purchase of durable goods, agricultural equipment and education fees. “Such needs never cease to exist regardless of politics or macroeconomics, and hence no negative impact has been felt or is expected,” he said.

Sukuk Morsi’s government fought a six-month battle to pass a law clearing the way for sovereign sukuk issues, overcoming a bitter controversy over the use of state-owned assets to back sukuk. Officials then talked of Egypt making a debut international issue of Islamic bonds this year, and of raising $10 billion a year by selling sukuk. Such hopes always looked too optimistic, and because it will take time to make technical preparations and restore political stability, a sovereign sukuk sale may not be possible before late next year. But that does not mean future Egyptian governments will abandon the idea.

In the past year, governments and companies in the Gulf and Turkey have stepped up sukuk issues, tapping large pools of Islamic funds whose demand for sharia-compliant instruments has exceeded supply. To help replenish its foreign exchange reserves and bridge its huge state budget deficit, Egypt will remain under strong pressure to follow suit - especially since the Gulf has become increasingly important to the Egyptian economy.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait have become Egypt’s main financial backers since Mursi was deposed, pledging $12 billion in aid. Any revival of foreign investment in Egypt is expected to depend heavily on the Gulf.

Finance Minister Ahmed Galal told reporters last month that the interim government had no problems in principle with using sukuk, but would not make them its principal instrument.

While post-Morsi governments are likely to promote Islamic finance less aggressively than the Muslim Brotherhood, they may regulate it more efficiently - most types of economic policymaking under Mursi were marred by political bickering and bureaucratic logjams. So in the long term, Islamic finance may develop in a more healthy environment. Shahinaz Rashad, executive director of the Cairo-based Metropolitan Training Academy, which offers training to personnel at Islamic financial institutions, said customer demand had not slackened since July. “Clients are pursuing their personal preferences, whether Islamic or conventional, regardless of who is on top in the government,” she said. — Reuters

Star economist takes over India’s central bank NEW DELHI: India’s new central bank chief Raghuram Rajan takes over the helm this week as the nation grapples with its worst financial crisis in decades, sparked by a plunging rupee, a record trade gap and a sharp economic slowdown. Rajan, a high-profile former IMF chief economist renowned for predicting the 2008 global financial collapse, moves into the Reserve Bank of India’s office on Thursday, replacing his retiring predecessor Duvvuri Subbarao. The appointment of the informal, outspoken diplomat’s son-described by the Times of India as an “economist with rock star appeal”-comes as some analysts fear the once-booming economy could be heading for a meltdown.

India’s economy has gone dramatically downhill since the so-called “Indian Summer”-the heady nineties when growth regularly exceeded eight percent and the country was a global investor favourite.

Rajan, who qualified as an engineer at the Indian Institute of Technology and later did a management doctorate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, faces a virtually impossible “trilemma” in his new job, analysts say.

He inherits an economy with a record current account deficit-the broadest measure of trade, a currency which has lost 16 percent against the dollar this year and annual growth at its weakest in a decade at five percent. He’s “in an unenviable situation,” DK Joshi, chief economist of leading credit rating agency Crisil, told AFP. The 50-year-old Rajan cautioned against expecting too much from his appointment-saying there are no “quick fixes”. “No one can doubt the country’s promise,” the economist said after being named in early August to the post, but added, “there is no magic wand to make the problems disappear instantaneously”. Analysts have raised fears India could face a crunch of the sort it suffered in 1991 when a foreign exchange-strapped government had to pawn its gold

Raghuram Rajan for an International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout.

Friday’s first-quarter figures showing the economy posting an unexpectedly low growth of 4.4 percent offered no cheer. “Given the ongoing turmoil, economic conditions look likely to get worse before they get any better,” said Capital Economics economist Daniel Martin. For the time being, Rajan, a staunch economic reformer and withering critic of “rampant” Indian corruption and suffocating bureaucracy, will have his hands tied, analysts say.

He will be forced to focus on stabilising the currency by keeping interest rates high at the expense of spurring expansion of Asia’s third-largest economy, analysts say. Meanwhile, the government will have to concentrate on reining in the current account gap

which has prompted foreign investors to race for the exits and put pressure on the rupee.

Rajan is known as a “creative, out-of-the-box thinker” which should stand him in good stead, said Deepak Lalwani, head of India-focused financial consultancy Lalcap. But there is scepticism whether Rajan, even with his strong credentials, can do much to boost the economy. As veteran Indian financial commentator Swaminathan Aiyar remarked: “Great jockey.

Pity he doesn’t have a better horse.”

Rajan won fame as one of the few economists who warned of the global financial crisis before it hit in 2008 when he said sub-prime lending could lead to calamity. Rajan’s dire words earned the scorn of then US treasury secretary Larry Summers who dismissed him as “misguided” and “a Luddite”.

The two men now, ironically, may be together soon in the close-working club of global central bank leaders as Summers is frontrunner to be the next US Federal Reserve chief. Rajan, author of the acclaimed 2011 book Fault Lines on how hidden financial fractures threaten the world economy, left his post as professor at the prestigious University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business and returned to India last year.

Rajan, who hails from southern Tamil Nadu state, came at the behest of Indian Premier Manmohan Singh to serve as financial advisor. Many analysts at the time of Rajan’s return speculated his next stop would be the central bank. “Today’s challenges relate to understanding global economic dynamics and Rajan has a big advantage in that department,” Siddhartha Sanyal, chief India economist at Barclays Capital, said. There are observers who suggest that should India’s situation unravel further and it has to go to the IMF for help-a prospect the finance ministry at the moment firmly dismisses-Rajan’s connections with the world body could come in handy. —AFP

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2013

BUSINESS

UAE’s Etihad sees clearance for Jet deal, extends deadline

weekly commodities update

Commodity focus fixed on Syria after strong August performance

DUBAI: Etihad Airways expects a $600 million investment in Jet Airways to be cleared by Indian authorities imminently, as it further extended a deadline for regulatory approval that ended on Aug 31, the Abu Dhabi carrier said yesterday. Etihad’s plan to buy a 24 percent stake in Jet had been delayed by regulators and by concerns from some politicians an April bilateral accord on air services between India and the United Arab Emirates was hurting Indian airlines’ interests.

A potential stake purchase would be the first by an overseas operator in an Indian airline since ownership rules were relaxed and provides India’s largest carrier with a deep-pocketed global partner as well as cash to pay down debt.

Etihad confirmed that it agreed to extend a deadline for the deal to win regulatory approvals

for a second time until end of September.

The deadline had been extended by a month in August. “The revised agreements are expected to be endorsed by the Competition Commission of India and the Indian Government imminently,” Etihad said in an emailed statement, its first comments after the deal hit snags with the Indian authorities.

The Gulf airline said its Chief Executive James Hogan met Jet chairman Naresh Goyal in Mumbai this weekend to “review progress on the finalization” of the deal. “We are working very closely with the Indian Government and regulatory authorities to ensure we meet all the requirements of the new foreign direct investment legislation,” James Hogan said in the statement.

The airlines won conditional approval from

T

here were two overriding themes providing direction in commodities this past week. The tensions in Syria escalated on the back of worries that Western governments would commence airstrikes at President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime together with escalating selling of emerging market currencies. Brent crude reached the highest level since February as fears grew that oil supplies from the region could be disrupted while gold reached $1,434/oz on safe-haven buying and short covering.

India’s foreign investment regulator in July but it still needed clearance from the capital markets regulator and a ministerial investment panel.

Opposition politicians have also objected to the deal on grounds that the bilateral accord between India and the United Arab Emirates increasing the number of airline seats per week favoured Etihad more than Indian carriers.

Indian authorities are yet to say when the deal will be sent to a cabinet panel for the final approval. Authorities could not be contacted yesterday as it is a public holiday. Etihad agreed to pay $379 million for a 24 percent stake in Jet in April. It also invested an additional $150 million in Jet’s frequent flyer programme and spent $70 million to buy Jet’s three pairs of Heathrow slots through a sale and leaseback agreement. —Reuters

UK vote on Syria Some profit-taking on both commodities were seen as the week came to a close especially after the UK parliament rejected any immediate Syrian action which puts into doubt whether US is prepared to go it alone without its closest ally. With tensions still running high, the theme will continue to impact markets over the coming weeks but as September begins the focus will also turn to the US Federal Reserve which on September 18 is expected to announce a change/tapering of its asset purchase program.

Given the current sensitivity in financial markets with regard to this, the Fed will be very keen to stress that tapering will not mean tightening as it tries to curb the recent rise in interest rates which has been a major factor in sending emerging market currencies into a tailspin.

August saw the best overall monthly performance in a year with the DJ-UBS commodity rising for a second month in a row. All sectors but especially precious metals and energy contributed the most to this performance with individual performances being led by silver, soybeans and Brent crude. Soft commodities such as coffee and sugar scraped the bottom having failed to join the positive momentum witnessed in other commodities.

Burgan Bank announces Yawmi account winners KUWAIT: Burgan Bank announced yesterday the names of the five lucky winners of its Yawmi account draw, each taking home a prize of KD 5,000. The lucky winners for the daily draws took home a cash-prize of KD 5,000 each, and they are: Abdulaziz Saleh Abdulrahman Dashti, Awadh Ghayadh Obaid Alenezi, Ahmed Saleh Hasan Al-Qallaf, Mariam Angelika Noor, and Waly Abdulwahab Dowlaty Gadban.

With its new and enhanced features, the Yawmi Account has become more convenient, easier, and faster for customers to benefit from. Now, customers will be eligible to enter the draw after 48 hours only from opening the account.

Customers are also required to deposit KD 100 or equivalent only to enter the daily draw, and the coupon value to enter the draw stands at KD 10.

The newly designed Yawmi account

DETROIT: In this file photo, Jeff Caldwell, 29, chassis assembly line supervisor, checks a vehicle on the assembly line at the Chrysler Jefferson North Assembly plant. The US economy grew at a 2.5 percent annual rate from April through June, much faster than previously estimated, according to data released by the Commerce Department. —AP

has been launched to provide a highly innovative offering along with a higher frequency and incentive of winning for everyone. Today, the Yawmi account is a well understood product, where its popularity can be seen from the number of increasing account holders.

Burgan Bank encourages everyone to open a Yawmi account and/or increase their deposit to maximize their chances to becoming a daily winner. The more customers deposit, the higher the chances they receive of winning the draw.

Opening a Yawmi account is simple, customers are urged to visit their nearest Burgan Bank branch and receive all the details, or simply call the bank’s Call Center at 1804080 where customer service representatives will be delighted to assist with any questions on the Yawmi account or any of the bank’s products and services.

ECB faces balancing act on rates as euro-zone recovers FRANKFURT: The European Central Bank faces a delicate balancing act at its policy meeting this week as the nascent recovery in the crisis-stricken euro area remains extremely vulnerable to setbacks. The ECB is not expected to unveil any policy changes at its regular monthly meeting on Thursday, but central bank chief Mario Draghi will have to tread extremely carefully if the positive effects of the most recent measures are not to evaporate, analysts argue.

The central bank’s decision-making governing council “is facing a difficult situation,” said Commerzbank economist Michael Schubert.

Sentiment indicators in the single currency area are pointing upwards and hard data is starting to come in better than expected.

At the same time, “the effect of the (ECB’s) forward guidance seem to be fizzling out a good two months after its introduction,” Schubert said.

UniCredit economist Marco Valli agreed. “This mix of better growth data and higher money market future rates puts Draghi in a tricky situation where a careful balancing act is needed,” Valli said. “On the one hand, recent growth news justifies a slightly more constructive tone” than

best to undo at least some of the good work,” Capital Economics economist Jonathan Loynes complained.

The Italian repeatedly dodged questions at last month’s news conference on whether or not the governing council had discussed possible rate cuts at the meeting, before finally conceding that it had not. And then Draghi “got himself into something of a twist in suggesting that the ECB might not repeat the commitment to keep rates on hold for an extended period every month, for fear of giving the impression that the guidance only applied for one month at a time,” Loynes said. This elicited the obvious question of how markets and commentators would know when the pledge did come to an end, the expert noted.

at the bank’s last meeting in August.

“On the other hand, Draghi will need to retain an easing bias consistent with forward guidance outlined in July in order to bring money market expectations more in line with the ECB’s own assessment of economic fundamentals,” the expert argued.

Draghi in ‘tricky situation Two months ago, Draghi ushered in what many ECB watchers saw as a revolution in communication policy by pledging to keep interest rates at their current historical lows-or even lower-for an extended period of time. The ECB had previously cut its key refinancing rate to an all-time low of 0.50 percent in May. Never before has the ECB issued such “forward guidance”, even if Draghi has faced tenacious questions ever since about exactly what an “extended period of time” actually means.

Financial markets have been spooked by speculation that the ECB could follow the United States Federal Reserve and start winding down its ultra-loose monetary policy, and that could strangle the still fragile shoots of recovery in the crisis-plagued euro area. Already last month, Draghi “seemed to do his

ECB may revise up growth forecasts Valli at UniCredit suggested that the ECB’s latest growth and inflation forecasts-also scheduled to be published on Thursday-would be “important cards in Draghi’s hand.” In June, the central bank said it was pencilling in a contraction in gross domestic product (GDP) of 0.6 percent in 2013, followed by growth of

Opposing camps As a result of this we have seen Brent crude rally above $117/barrel. Syria is not a major oil producer but the civil war has put two of the major OPEC members, Iran and Saudi Arabia, on opposite sides.

If OPEC supplies were to be disrupted further, short-term price spikes could be seen despite the timing of year where refinery demand is expected to slow down. Over the last year we have witnessed three price spikes above $115/barrel and they have all led to an immediate correction of a minimum 10 dollars. With traders already holding what increasingly looks like an overextended net-long position the risk of another sharp correction is growing. But such a move would require further easing of tensions together with signs that demand has begun to taper off, something that is expected to begin towards the second half of September.

A prolonged reduction in Libyan oil production, which normally accounts for two percent of global output, will continue to support higher than normal oil prices with the expected slowdown in demand towards October only having a somewhat off-setting impact.

On that basis, Brent crude oil is likely to remain at the upper end of its 2013 range of $110-119/barrel. However, any quick solution with regard to Syria and/or a pick-up in Libyan exports carries the risk of a sharp correction keeping in mind how the positioning by hedge funds and money managers have become increasingly one-sided during the past few months.

By Ole S Hansen

Etihad expects deal to be endorsed ‘imminently’

1.1 percent for 2014. Marie Diron of Ernst & Young said she was expecting a slight upward revision in the ECB’s growth forecasts. “That’ll be a very interesting signal,” she said.

Schubert at Commerzbank agreed.

“Sentiment indicators such as the purchasing managers’ indices have now surprised to the upside for the fourth consecutive month” and second-quarter growth also exceeded expectations.

“This may have helped to persuade the ECB staff to slightly raise their growth projections for the first time since June 2011,” Schubert said.

Diron at Ernst & Young suggested that another topic Draghi is likely to be quizzed about at the news conference is the possible publication of the minutes of policy meetings. The US Fed and the Bank of England already do so and the ECB has come under pressure to follow suit in the name of greater transparency. But Valli at UniCredit believed “no relevant news” is likely on this issue. “Given that the discussion is still an early stage and the executive board will present its proposal to the governing council in the autumn, new information on this is unlikely to emerge already this week,” Valli said. —AFP

Gold momentum fading A safe-haven bid helped gold top the $1,400/oz level this past week but with the US Federal Reserves potential announcement of tapering only a couple of weeks away, further upside at this stage seems limited. Our Q3 target of $1,450/oz has almost been met and in order to see further progress from here, the geopolitical situation and/or the US growth expectations need to deteriorate.

However we also believe that the worst period of selling in gold over the past decade is now over following signs of a pickup in investment demand during August, something that has been absent all year.

Support remains at $1,350/oz with a break below signalling a deeper consolidation back towards $1,277/oz while upside resistance can be found at $1,434/oz before the critical level at $1,488/oz which, if broken, would represent a 50 percent retracement of the October to June selloff.

Libya’s the immediate concern Oil markets are once again for a third year in a row engulfed with worries about supply disruptions related to geopolitical problems in the Middle East and North African area. While the crisis in Syria may spread beyond its borders should western governments decide to get involved, the situation that poses the biggest problem currently is the continued disruption of Libyan crude exports.

Recent reports suggests that the country’s daily output has dropped to as low as 200,000 barrels compared with 1.4 million back in March.

Indian Oil Corp raises petrol, diesel prices necessitating this price increase,” IOC said in its statement. In addition to the “extremely volatile” exchange rate, the “geopolitical situation in the Middle East is leading to pressure on international oil prices as well”, the company added. India, the world’s fourthlargest oil importer, is scheduled to go to the polls by May next year with inflation, which has often climbed to double figures in recent years, one of the main issues troubling voters. The government has partially deregulated petrol and hiked diesel prices in an effort to contain ballooning debt caused in part by fuel subsidies. —AFP

NEW DELHI: India’s biggest refiner, Indian Oil Corporation, increased petrol prices by more than 3.5 percent from yesterday, blaming the falling rupee for the hike. The company also raised diesel prices by just over one percent, it said in a statement issued late on Saturday, after a week which saw India’s currency sink to a record low around 69 to the dollar. Both changes came into effect yesterday, one month after the company last increased petrol and diesel prices.

“The INR-USD exchange rate has deteriorated sharply, from Rs 59.49/USD to Rs63.88/USD during current pricing cycle,

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 2.899 4.316 2.726 2.137 3.654 224.880 36.714 3.655 6.383 8.904 0.271 0.273 GCC COUNTRIES 75.950 78.257 739.770 756.480 77.564

ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash 40.950 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 40.669 Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.329 Tunisian Dinar 173.650 Jordanian Dinar 402.200 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 1.911 Syrian Lier 3.094 Morocco Dirham 34.509 EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 284.700 Euro 381.640 Sterling Pound 446.270 Canadian dollar 273.360 Turkish lira 140.190 Swiss Franc 309.120 Australian Dollar 257.080 US Dollar Buying 283.500 20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

GOLD 263.000 133.000 68.000

UAE Exchange Centre WLL COUNTRY 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 275.14 311.12 380.75 284.10 444.64 2.96 3.671 4.204 2.135 2.659 2.741 77.42 756.15 40.65 404.34 738.84 78.45 75.89

SELL CASH 275.000 313.000 386.000 285.500 449.000 3.000 3.780 4.800 2.700 3.220 2.900 77.900 757.900 41.000 410.000 740.000 78.800 76.200

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 284.950 273.985 443.820 378.895 317.025 754.410 77.560 78.215 76.850 401.685 40.740 2.136 4.324 2.722 3.664 6.385 698.995 3.900

SELL CASH Europe 0.4344018 0.0065897 0.0464433 0.3718772 0.0426393 0.4317075 0.0389758 0.3015733

SELLDRAFT 0.4434018 0.0185897 0.0514433 0.3793772 0.0478393 0.4392075 0.0439758 0.3085733

Australasia 0.2440585 0.2126298 0.0001129

0.2560585 0.2226298 0.0001129

Canadian Dollar Colombian Peso US Dollars

America 0.2636946 0.0001450 0.2828500

0.2726948 0.0001630 0.2850000

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 0.0036192 0.0031616 0.0455630 0.0164667 0.0000442 0.0341978 0.0042568 0.0000206 0.0028471 0.0028231 0.0031943 0.0820031 0.0025600 0.0026951 0.0059433

0.0036742 0.0033916 0.0505630 0.0195667 0.0000502 0.0372978 0.0043218 0.0000258 0.0038471 0.0030031 0.0034243 0.0890031 0.0027600 0.0027351 0.00641335

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

9.195 4.070 3.895 86.695

Sierra Leone Singapore Dollar Sri Lankan Rupee Thai Baht

0.0000728 0.2195756 0.0020991 0.0084906

0.0000758 0.2255756 0.0021411 0.0090906

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 0.7495418 0.0387272 0.0126575 0.1449074 0.0000793 0.0001841 0.3964045 1.0000000 0.0001748 0.0223388 0.0012111 0.7292491 0.0776272 0.0754667 0.0463393 0.0019421 0.1715399 0.0761677 0.0012857

0.7580416 0.0407422 0.0191575 0.1466974 0.0000798 0.0002441 0.4039045 1.0000000 0.0001948 0.0463388 0.0018467 0.7402491 0.0784102 0.0761061 0.0468891 0.0021621 0.1775399 0.0776171 0.0013851

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) 284.600 379.150 443.200 272.500 4.410 40.730 2.138 3.656 6.380 2.728 757.800 77.500 76.000

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2013

BUSINESS

Increased odds of Fed tapering in September NBK WEEKLY MONEY MARKET REPORT KUWAIT: Global geopolitical risks continue to be the main market focus this week, causing continuous pressure mainly on emerging market currencies.

Indeed, foreign exchange markets were largely dominated by tension in the Middle East, keeping markets in a risk off mode. Emerging markets remain under pressure against the dollar and the euro with the major losers, the Turkish Lira and the Indian rupee hitting all time low.

Strong safe haven currencies like the dollar, euro, Swiss, pound and the yen were well bid especially due to their status of reserve currencies. On the other hand, gold and oil were also strong during the week over the situation in the Middle East. On the equity side, global markets were soft, and developed bond markets were well supported. BRIC nations attempted to stop the flood out of international investors by mentioning talks of setting up a joint bank with $50 billion in Capital.

In the US, the hunt for a replacement of the Fed Chairman continues with Yellen and Summers the front-runners.

On the monetary policy side, officials continue the same rhetoric stating that they remain data dependent, which forces markets to adjust their odds and make them vulnerable to economic figures volatility. Major US economic figures have become extremely important as investors watched them carefully for direction of the dollar against the G10 currencies. For now, the ten years US bond yields continue their march to the 3 percent threshold, reaching a high of 2.89 percent and making the dollar the favorite bet in a global turmoil and interest rate path uncertainty.

In summary, the euro had a relatively stable week despite faltering on Thursday after the worst than expected German figures and better US GDP figures. The euro reached a high of 1.3399 on Wednesday; however, investors took the opportunity to take profit ahead of the German elections and amid the worst than expected German figures.

The currency closed the week at 1.3220 The pound continues to trade sideways as Bank of England Governor continues using his dovish tone over the UK monetary policy. After reaching a high of 1.5612 in the beginning of the week on

stronger than expected retail sales, the Pound closed the week slightly lower at 1.5504.

The yen continues to trade as a safe haven currency again on the back of all the emerging market currencies woes.

The currency was mostly affected by the unwind of the Asian high yield trades as investors were cutting their carry trade bets in favor of the yen. After reaching a low of 96.82, the yen closed the week weaker at 98.17 after the US GDP came above expectation.

In the commodity complex, gold reached a high of $1433 on the back of the Middle East turmoil and despite rumors than the Central Bank of India might be selling some of its reserve to shore up its dollar reserves. The metal closed the week slightly below the $1,400 level.

Stronger job growth signals time to scale back bond-buying Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond President Jeffrey Lacker, a consistent opponent of the central bank’s bondbuying, said this week that a stronger job market should allow policy makers to start winding down the quantitative easing program soon. Lacker also said that central banks should avoid channeling credit to specific segments of the economy through rescues or asset-purchase programs. According to him, “Aggressive use of a central bank’s asset portfolio to channel credit to particular economic sectors or entities threatens dragging the central bank into distributional politics and places that governance arrangement at risk.

Moreover, US yields reacted positively to the Q2 GDP figures released on Thursday. The number printed a 2.5 percent, a significant upward revision from the 1.7 percent printed a month earlier.

Jobless claims also fell -6k to 331k close to the expected number of 332k. In summary, the strong data continues to set expectation that the Fed is likely to start tapering its QE program in the September Fed meeting, hence, keeping the dollar well supported.

Investors await results of German election With the German election looming in

the background, investors continue to wait for additional concrete evidence that the euro-zone has come out of the recession. Last week, ECB’s Nowotny said that the ECB’s forward guidance on interest rates to be low for a prolonged time “won’t be in place forever.” He mentioned that the path remains dependant on inflation expectations. On another front, EU’s Olli Rehn pressured France and Germany mentioning both countries were holding the key to rebalancing the European economy and must follow through on promised reforms.

Germany strong despite disappointing employment figures

German unemployment rose by 7k m-o-m in August partly reversing the previous months’ falls and disappointing relative to market expectations of a further small drop of 5k. The labour market has remained very stable in 2013, as the number of unemployed was 2.94m in August in line with the average of 2.94m for the first 8 months of the year.

Analysts argue that the effects from the holiday season could have played a role in August. The unemployment rate remained at 6.8 percent in August unchanged for the past fourth months.

While the PMI composite employment index fell to 49.9 in August from 50.4 in July it is still higher than in Q2 (49.1) and near the no-change threshold of 50. The Ifo business climate rose to

107.5 in August from 106.2 in July, which continue to remain positive for the country. Overall and despite the slight increase in unemployment, the German labour market remains very healthy with a moderately positive outlook.

dovish, arguing that it will take longer than many expect to hit the 7 percent unemployment target. He also reiterated that the 7 percent unemployment target is a threshold, but not an automatic trigger for higher rates.

Euro-zone CPI falls more than expected Inflation released on Friday came below expectation in August at 1.3 percent compared to 1.6 percent in July.

Although they expect inflation to be volatile, the ECB will be watching this closely as they are concerned about prices dynamics being on the low side when they are between one to 1.5 per-

Japan govt urges public to remain patient Bank of Japan policy board member Morimoto said that the BOJ would continue easing until stable inflation is achieved and that the economy is expected to recover moderately. He added that yields could rise if trust in Japan’s finances falls, and that there was a need to preserve trust in Japan’s fiscal consolidation.

On the other hand, Japanese surveys have been showing that the public have not seen many benefits of the latest policies adopted by Prime Minister Abe’s office. Bank of Japan Deputy Governor Iwata urged households and businesses to be patient with economyboosting effects of the BOJ’s monetary easing that began in April. “You might think wages are not rising yet and companies are not increasing capital spending but don’t make a hasty decision about the effects of monetary policy,” he said. According to Japanese newspapers, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe now has to prove to financial markets that he is serious about the “third arrow” of his plans to overcome deflation and revitalize the economy. The speech comes after Japan Industrial production climbed by only 3.2 percent in July, missing expectations for 3.6 percent growth.

cent.

This is likely to suggest a dovish tone from Draghi at next week’s press conference with a re-iteration of the forward guidance message with a downward bias to rates. That may overshadow the Euro against a backdrop of what could be relatively imminent Fed tapering.

Dovish Bank of England governor speech The Bank of England Governor speech this week was dovish in tone, but did not add much to previous statements. The BoE relaxed liquidity rules for banks meeting a 7 percent capital level, which would reduce required holdings by GBP 90 billion. His general assessment of the economy remained

Global economy needs more fuel to eliminate uncertainty DIMAH WEEKLY INVESTMENT REPORT

By Hayder Tawfik

B

ack in 2008 some well-known economists and strategists predicted that the world economy would enter what they termed the new norms. What they meant by that was the US economy will grow at slower pace than the historical trend of 2.5 percent to 3.5 percent. One fundamental argument they put forward was the massive deleveraging that will take years to unwind. The Federal Reserve was well aware of this and hence the massive Quantitative Easing operation that is still going on. This mainly helped the banks to get rid of bad credits and load up with US treasury bonds. Banks started lending again and the economic activity picked up. The US was mostly on its own in pursuing such aggressive policy. Some other nations followed the opposite policy and introduced austerity measures to reduce their massive debts.

US banks are in much better position than the rest of the world.

However, the deleveraging has not finished. You can only look at some big European banks to get some feeling and also lets not forget the Chinese banks which we have no idea about the health of their balance sheet. The deleveraging that started in 2008 is not completed yet and unfortunately because of the slow economic growth and the

low inflation rates, the deleveraging will carry on for another few years.

My biggest worry is what would have happened if there was no Quantitative Easing, cuts in interest rates and big tax cuts in the US? It is an alarming question. Some of those are starting to reverse which is more alarming. Should we be worried about the rise in long term interest rates, the tapering by the FederalReserve and above all should we be very worried about the state of the Indian economy, Chines or the Eurozone. These are valid questions at the time when the world economy is very fragile and there is on going geopolitical tensions, guess where! Again in the Middle East.

The global economy is split into two camps, the one that have been trying to generate a sustainable economic growth such as the US and the ones that have been arguing about their big debts and trying to find way out of it and in the middle of this the global economy has been suffering at a great costs socially and morally.

The aging population and the high unemployment among the young is a deadly combination that needs an immediate attention. These two groups are the engines of any economy and their despair is not healthy at all. May be the new norm is a reality that

we all have to face.

Some governments are not helping themselves and not giving the impression that they are pro economic growth. Governments that interfere on daily basis in the running of the economy are literally strangling the private sector and killing the spirit of the free market.

The days of the centralized economies are over. Ordinary people know much better how to manage their daily lives than theirgovernments. The complicated and rigid red tapes hamper their daily lives and hence weak economic activities.

I believe that the new thinkers may be right but the argument is not lost yet. I agree that government should not get involved in the running of the economy and should try to avoid being seen as the savior when there are economic crises. However, this time is different and their help is much in demand. When the financial crisis hit in the fall of 2008 and most economies began to melt down, suddenly there were calls for bigger and more active government. There were calls for governments around the world to introduce massive stimulus plan to ward off an economic depression, and others demanded the widespread re-regulation of financial markets to prevent a recurrence of these problems. I am afraid that government

help is urgently needed now to stop the worsening current social and economic problems. If these problems are not solved, they could cause serious threat to the wellbeing of the ordinary people.

Some small measure can be taken immediately to stimulate economic activities. Increase government spending and lowering taxed where it is applicable can have immediate effect on the economy.

These measures can be temporarily and should be reversed when there is a sustainable economic growth.

This is the only way to level out the business cycle and prevent inflation and big bubbles, which can cause deeper recessions.

Hayder Tawfik - Executive Vice President of Asset Management, at Dimah Capital- HT@dimah.com.kw

Economic worry shifts to emerging markets at G20 MOSCOW: Long hailed as the hungry new tigers of the global economy, the world’s biggest emerging markets will be the chief economic focus at the G20 summit in Russia this week as their once surging prospects suddenly dim. Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa-grouped in the informal BRICS bloc seen as an alternative economic powerhouse-all go into the meeting experiencing slowing growth and embattled currencies.

While the dispute between Russia and the West over the conflict in Syria is likely to overshadow the summit in Saint Petersburg, splits between emerging markets and US over its winding down of stimulus could prove equally fraught. “The biggest concern is going to be slow growth. There has been some slowdown in almost all

developing countries and we need to discuss sources of long term growth,” said Russia’s leading official, or sherpa, for the G20 meeting, Ksenia Yudaeva.

There has been deep concern in BRICS economies over the plans by the US Federal Reserve to wind down its programme of quantitative easing (QE) which helped their economies expand fast in the last few years. The US stimulus freed up money that investors then ploughed into emerging markets. But now risks that this liquidity may recede is triggering major outflows and sharply depreciating BRICS currencies. The Federal Reserve’s potential winding down of monetary easing “is one of the worries for some countries,” Yudaeva said.

Most countries may have welcomed the stimulus policy when it

was first introduced by the US central bank but now there is far less harmony about how it should be scaled down. Chris Weafer, cofounder of Moscow-based consultancy Macro Advisory, said there is now an obvious division between the emerging markets and the European Central Bank and Fed about how the reduction of US stimulus can be handled without causing undue damage.

“The leaders in the emerging markets will be demanding that the Fed unwind its QE programme taking into account the collateral damage... as much as its US domestic interest,” he said. He added: “Syria is a very divisive issue but the whole QE programme is probably even more divisive.”

With US-led militar y action against Syria expected any day,

emerging markets may also be hit by a traditional flight to safety by investors during a period of international strife. President Vladimir Putin will be hoping to show off Russia as a dynamic and investment friendly economy at the summit hosted at a seaside imperial palace outside his home city of Saint Petersburg.

But while Russia can still boast one of the lowest public debts of a major economy, its sluggish growth rates have again exposed Putin’s failure to attract investment, reduce its dependence on energy exports and stem an alarming capital flight.

Growth in Russia was just 1.2 percent in the second quarter and some analysts have warned the country may already be in a technical recession. —AFP

Commodities Gold between two dilemmas After touching a high of $1,433 Gold ended the week on a weaker note on profit taking and a stronger dollar.

Beside the geopolitical situation, the important U.S. jobs report is out on Friday, September 6, in addition to the FOMC meeting in September, at which time many analysts are betting on the Fed to change its monetary policy.

Kuwait The USDKD opened at 0.28435 yesterday morning.

Dubai leads regional recovery as Syria strike put to vote DUBAI: Dubai’s bourse led a regional recovery in shares yesterday after US President Barack Obama delayed an imminent military strike against Syria, saying he will seek congressional consent. Dubai’s index rose 3 percent, partly recouping losses from last week’s heavy retail-driven sell-off. The market is dominated by short-term, momentum traders who have knee-jerk reaction to political concerns. It is still 150 points away from the five-year peak hit on Aug. 25.

“Dubai rebound from a sell-off today but you’ll see a lot of indecisiveness until Congress vote on Syria,” said Ahmed Shehada, head of trading at QNB Financial Services. “It’s smart to reduce risk at this point for the short-term but not completely exit the market.” Abu Dhabi’s measure rose 1.8 percent, snapping four sessions of losses and Qatar’s benchmark climbed 0.5 percent.

“Confidence is reinstated in the market but we’ll have to wait till next week for a clearer direction going forward,” Shehada added. The US released evidence the Syrian government used chemical weapons to attack civilians and said President Bashar AlAssad regime should not go unpunished.

US House of Representatives Speaker

John Boehner plans to hold a congressional debate on the matter in the week starting Sept 9. Any strike, after a congressional vote, would be in mid-September at the earliest. Ali Adou, portfolio manager at The National Investor said the rally is likely to be short-lived. “The risk will go back up after congress meetings next week.”

British Prime Minister David Cameron lost a parliamentary vote late on Thursday that ruled out its involvement in military action against Syria. French President Francois Hollande is under increasing pressure to also seek a parliamentary vote.

In Saudi Arabia, the measure climbed 1.5 percent, heading for its third gain following a 654-points correction early last-week.

There is little direct impact expected in Gulf countries from a strike on Syria, but Saudi Arabia could be more exposed to sentiment-driven reaction because of a possible military involvement. The kingdom raised its level of military alertness, sources told Reuters on Friday. “Since the expectation for action this week has been definitely postponed, the markets this week will have a relief rally,” said John Sfakianakis, chief investment strategist at Saudi investment firm MASIC. —Reuters

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2013

BUSINESS

Investors brace for a jam-packed September NEW YORK: Imagine gathering nearly everything that has rattled investors’ nerves over the past four years: the European debt crisis, fights over the US government’s budget and moves by the Federal Reserve. Now imagine all of them crammed into one month. That month? It’s September. “Oh, it’s definitely going to be fun,” says Jason Pride, director of investment strategy at the money management firm Glenmede in Philadelphia.

As August wrapped up, trading desks and investment firms looked warily at the lineup of events slated for September and warned clients of turbulence ahead. The Fed’s September meeting is when many on Wall Street think the central bank will begin winding down its massive bond-buying program.

German voters will decide whether Chancellor Angela Merkel gets another term as the leader of Europe’s largest economy.

And Congress will be on a tight deadline to pass a spending bill before the month ends, a process which could easily turn into anoth-

er brawl over raising the government’s borrowing limit. Each item on the calendar could cause big swings in daily trading. And collectively, they could make an often dangerous month for the market even more volatile. Then there is the wildcard. President Barack Obama on Saturday said that the US should take military action in response to the alleged use of chemical weapons in an attack that killed hundreds in Syria.

Obama, however, said that he would seek congressional approval before any military strike. Congress is scheduled to reconvene Sept 9. “Right now, we’re probably in the lull that precedes the storm,” says Mark Luschini, the chief investment strategist at Janney Montgomery Scott in Pittsburgh.

September has often been a cruel month for the stock market, which gives it a superstitious power for some investors. Since 1945, the Standard & Poor’s 500 index has slumped nearly six out of every 10 Septembers, with an average loss of 0.6 per-

cent. This one could be much worse, investors say. Luschini and others think the S&P 500 could slump more than 9 percent below the record high of 1,709.67, reached Aug 2. On the bright side, the same people who think the market is likely headed for a rough stretch in the coming weeks also think it won’t last. Even good years have bad months.

The Fed meeting Sept. 18 First up, it’s the Fed meeting that everybody on Wall Street spent the summer talking about. Conventional wisdom says that the Fed will announce plans to trim its monthly purchases of bonds from $85 billion to around $75 billion. It would be the Fed’s first step toward winding down the $3 trillion bond-buying program launched during the financial crisis.

There’s trepidation about the move known as “tapering” - because the Fed’s efforts have held down borrowing rates, a

boon to the once-devastated housing market. Minutes from the Fed’s July meeting showed “broad support” for scaling back. But there was nothing about how much. The danger is that the Fed scales back much more than expected, says Glenmede’ s Pride.

Maybe, for instance, the Fed will buy $55 billion each month.

“Markets will react as if the Fed is slamming on the breaks,” he says. Barring any big surprises, however, investors will likely take the Fed’s next move in stride, says Sam Stovall, the chief equity strategist at S&P Capital IQ. Markets are supposed to be forward-looking and Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke started signaling a move to withdraw some support in May. People have had months to prepare for it. “I think there will be a collective yawn if they start tapering in September,” Stovall says.

Investors may wind up more concerned about who replaces Bernanke when his term ends in January. President Barack Obama

could nominate a successor as early as September. The current front-runners are Janet Yellen, the Fed’s vice chairwoman, and Larry Summers, the former Treasury Secretary. Stovall says that Summers seems like more of a political operator than Yellen.

His concern is that a Fed under Summers would be less impartial, undermining an institution that’s supposed to be independent of political winds. “My worry is that Larry Summers gets it,” Stovall says. “I really think his nomination would reduce investor confidence in the Fed.” German elections Sept 22 Remember the European debt crisis?

From late 2009 until last year, worries about Greece, Spain or another of the continent’s troubled economies would flare up and send the US stock market into a tailspin. This year has been different. France and Germany helped tug the euro-zone out of an 18month recession this spring. —AP

NEW YORK: Carol Anderson (left), owner of Vaguely Reminiscent, a clothing store on Ninth Street in Durham, North Carolina, works with part time employee Bridget Gordon as they sort jewelry purchased during a recent trip to New York.— MCT

Hiring on the rise for small businesses DURHAM: If you want a job at the quirky, but compact Vaguely Reminiscent store here, be prepared to do the job interview in the changing room that also serves as a bathroom and office for the 600-square-foot women’s clothing and accessories boutique.

“We bring them into the bathroom and we set up little stools and somebody sits on a toilet and the other two of us sit on the stool,” said Carol Anderson, owner of the 31-year-old store run with the help of a team of six parttime employees. “And here’s the deal, if they can’t deal with that, they are not going to be happy here because it is very claustrophobic.”

That’s just one of the methods that smallbusiness owners use to find the right person to fill a role on their team. “Without good employees, the business can’t function, because it means I can’t comfortably walk away,” Anderson said. Job creation at small companies appears to be increasing, according to statistics compiled by payroll processor ADP. In July, businesses with 49 or fewer employees added 82,000 employees, which is 9,000 more compared to the same time last year, according to the ADP National Employment Report.

Meanwhile, the National Federation of Independent Business’s July monthly survey indicates that 50 percent of small-business owners hired or tried to hire in the past three months and 40 percent reported few or no qualified applicants for open positions.

Finding the right candidate, experts and other small-business owners said, takes planning, careful digging and a structured transition from recruiting to retention.

Small-business owners should recruit candidates before they have an opening, said Craig Stone, founder and CEO of Hire Networks, a Raleigh, NC, firm that offers executive and strategic hiring services. “Some of our best employees, it took a year to recruit them,” Stone said. Owners should identify candidates and let them know when the right position comes open, Stone said. They may say no at first, but change their mind if the situation shifts.

“My advice to employers is always hire slowly and fire quickly,” said Phyllis Hartman, a member of the Society for Human Resource Management’s Ethics Panel and president of her firm, PGHR Consulting, near Pittsburgh.

“Taking the time means you won’t have to fire someone or you find someone that matches you better.” Small-business owners often fail to plan out the hiring process, Hartman said, which starts with identifying holes that need

to be filled in the organization and writing out the skills a candidate needs to thrive in that position.

“If you don’t figure out exactly what it is you need, it is very easy to hire the wrong person,” Hartman said. Small-business owners should reach out to local community and technical schools and be open to using modern recruiting channels. “You need to kind of step back and say, ‘Where are the people that I am looking for most likely to be looking for jobs?’ “ Hartman said.

Recruiters should also determine interview questions beforehand to ensure consistent experiences with each candidate, she said. Recruiters should ask questions about a candidate’s response to challenges, situations and accomplishments in other positions, Stone said. “Having them come up with examples where they specifically were able to save the company money, or make the process better,” Stone said.

Other steps include background and reference checks. “Those are kind of digging conversations to find out as much as you can,” Stone said. Recruiters should ask references questions about an employee’s strengths and weaknesses, how they got along with other employees, and in what areas the new company could help the employee improve.

When recruiting, small companies should emphasize their own strengths, Stone said, such as mentors or a laid-back culture. “If you don’t have a good story to tell, then you are going to struggle,” Stone said. About onethird of employers track what competitors pay similar employees, but about 35 percent don’t factor in that external compensation, according to a spring national survey of workers, hiring managers and human resource professionals conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of CareerBuilder, a global human capital solutions company that’s affiliated with The McClatchy Co., owner of The News & Observer and partner in McClatchy-Tribune News Service.

Rosemary Haefner, CareerBuilder’s vice president of human resources, said that the practice hinders the search for skilled labor.

Small-business owners should be honest about management styles, the company’s strengths and job descriptions, Stone said.

Once a candidate is hired, Stone said, that person should understand what it will take to be successful in the next three months to five years. “You see it all the time, people focus on recruiting and not really on retention,” Stone said.—MCT

SEOUL: A fortune teller waits for customers yesterday. South Korea’s exports rose 7.7 percent in August from a year ago, helped by robust shipments of cars and technology products, official data released yesterday showed. — AFP

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2013

BUSINESS

Trade deadlock awaits as Azevedo takes WTO helm GENEVA: As Roberto Azevedo takes the helm of the World Trade Organization yesterday, observers say he must move swiftly to revive deadlocked trade talks and restore confidence in the body. “The new director general faces a big job. He needs to move rather quickly and assertively. He must be bold,” Sergio Marchi, Canada’s former trade minister and WTO ambassador, told AFP. Brazilian career diplomat Azevedo replaces Frenchman Pascal Lamy, who spent eight years at the head of the organisation that sets the rules for global commerce. Reached by AFP three days before the handover, Azevedo said he would not be talking to reporters before he heads to St Petersburg next week for a G20 summit.

Lamy meanwhile told Swiss public radio last week that he planned to return home to Normandy in northern France on his first day off the job and “take the time to think.” It’s understand-

able that the 66-year-old might need to catch his breath: he says he has logged some 450,000 kilometres (280,000 miles) of travel on average each year as head of the WTO-equivalent to 10 trips around the world-in his bid to bring the world’s decision makers to the table and unlock stalled global trade talks.

Lamy, a former European Union trade commissioner, has overseen a vast expansion of the world trade body to 159 member countries — 11 more than eight years ago, with Russia a notable addition. And it was under his leadership that the organisation was granted the right to take part in G20 summits.

However, little progress has been made towards reviving the so-called “Doha Round” of talks, launched in 2001 to craft a global accord on opening markets and removing trade barriers such as subsidies, excessive taxes and regulations, in order to harness international commerce to develop poorer

economies. But differences over the give and take needed have fuelled clashes notably between China, the European Union, India and the United States, and left the talks stalled for years, leading many countries to shift focus to bilateral and regional deals. “Not much to show for his eight years, unfortunately,” Marchi said, lamenting that “the institution’s credibility has taken a heavy hit.”

At the same time, global trade has shifted over the past eight years to reflect the growing importance of developing economies.

As a sign of the times, almost all of the nine candidates that put their name in the hat to replace Lamy came from emerging nations. Following a drawnout nomination process, Azevedo, who had been Brazil’s ambassador to the W TO since 2008, was picked and observers say he will need to hit the ground running. His first major challenge comes with the WTO’s next minis-

terial meeting, set for December in Bali, which is widely seen as decisive for the future.

If Azevedo succeeds at making progress in Bali, “we can increase the confidence of everyone that the WTO is still a place for doing meaningful business,” US ambassador to the W TO, Michael Punke. But “if we fail at Bali, I think we confirm people’s worst fears that Geneva is not a place where very much is getting done today.” But whatever the case, after December “the (trade) universe is going to look different,” Punke said. Outgoing WTO chief Lamy has warned that “failure at Bali would have a long lasting damaging effect on the WTO.” Azevedo, who has already appointed a new team of deputy directors, including the first Chinese national to ever hold such a position within the WTO, has hinted he will face the challenge head-on. Shortly after his nomination in May, he vowed

“to restore the WTO to the role and preeminence it deserves and must have.”

While acknowledging that Bali will be tough, he said success was essential. “By solving the round, we would be taking the organisation away from paralysis,” he said. Azevedo enjoys a reputation as a consensus-builder who knows the WTO system inside out.

“I think he has the ability to be that honest broker that we need,” Punke said.

The new WTO director general is set to present his official programme in Geneva to WTO’s executive, made up of ambassadors of all the member states, on September 9. As for Lamy’s plans, he insisted this week to the Tribune de Geneve daily he had “no intention of retiring completely.” Amid speculation that he might be eyeing a move into French politics, he told the paper he had “never refused to serve my country,” but insisted that he had “passed the age of chasing ministerial positions.” — AFP

Spikes Asia helps up-and-coming talent with four new academies

VIVA announces latest premium numbers auction KUWAIT: VIVA, Kuwait’s fastest-growing and most developed telecom operator, has announced the launch of its online auction for the latest release of VIVA premium phone numbers.

The third VIVA E-Auction, which is fully automated, was launched yesterday.

This third round of VIVA’s E-auction has been organized as a result of the outstanding success witnessed by the inaugural auction in 2011 and the second round in 2012, where a substantial number of premium number were sold making it one of the most highly

a n t i cipated oppor tunities, presented annually by VIVA. Anyone can join the auction provided they have access to a KNET account and an existing Kuwait mobile phone line.

To register for the VIVA auction, visit http://www.viva.com.kw, where the registration costs KD 150, which is payable through KNET, and is refundable. Winning bidders will then be contacted by the VIVA VVIP Team for the next step. To find out more about VIVA’s numerous competitive promotions, products and packages visit any of VIVA branches or visit our website.

Aspen releases V8.3 software DUBAI: Aspen Technology Inc, a leading provider of software and services to the process industries, announc ed the availability of the V8.3 release of aspen ONE software. The release includes new functionality in Aspen HYSYS software-Acid Gas Cleaning to model gas sweetening units, and Pressure Safety Valve Sizing integrated from the acquisition of Manolis Kotzabasakis PSVPlus, which allows process engineers to size pressure safety valves as an integral part of the overall process design for the first time.

Both Acid Gas Cleaning and Pressure Safety Valve Sizing are included in Aspen HYSYS in a single modeling environment with intuitive workflows.

Thesenew capabilities enableusers to optimize upstream, midstream and refining processesfaster and to produce inherently safer designs.

The V8.3 release of aspenONE software including the new release of Aspen HYSYS is available immediately.

Paolo Cari, Process Engineer, Saipem said “The new Acid Gas Cleaning is a major step forward for gas process modeling and optimization. It will help us accelerate our projects by setting up the acid gas treatment model as an integral part of a gas process in HYSYS. Using it with the Activated Economics and Activated Energy features in HYSYS, we can also easily optimize our entire gas plant to further reduce our capital and energy costs.”

Mehul Gandhi, Senior Process Engineer,Petrofac said “The new safety analysis is great for the relief analysis of the process unit. We can now quickly estimate relieving fluid properties and conditions, size the relief valves and produce required documentation-all without leaving HYSYS. This will minimize errors, improve the quality and speed up our work significantly.”

Manolis Kotzabasakis, Executive Vice President, Products, AspenTech said “Today, the majority of Midstream and Refining operators - and the engineering companies that serve them - use Aspen HYSYS for process design and operation. Acid Gas Cleaning and Pressure Safety Valve Sizing are two additional critical activities that process engineers can now perform directly in the Aspen HYSYS environment. As we continue to simplify and expand these workflows in our products, our customers will be able to maximize return on investments and develop inherently safer designs.”

KUWAIT: The Spikes Asia Festival of Creativity is set to invest in the future of the creative communications industry with four academies that will run throughout the 2013 Festival: the Young Creatives Academy, the Young Marketers Academy, the Young Media Academy and the Young Account Executive Academy.

Launching this year, the Young Media Academy will offer media professionals, aged 28 or under, the chance to be part of a structured three-day programme. Themed around creativity in media, the academy will demonstrate the value and execution of creativity in media channels, whilst providing a greater understanding of Asia Pacific’s media and advertising community.

The programme will be led by mentor Philip Talbot, outgoing CEO of Zenith Optimedia APAC and Founder & CEO of Asia Communication Expertise. He has had over 25 years advertising experience and is widely regarded in the industry for his breadth of knowledge, strategic insight and leadership.

Another new academy for 2013 is the Young Account Executive Academy which will be led by course mentor John Wright, whose career spans leading agencies J Walter Thompson, Young & Rubicam, Ogilvy & Mather, Chiat Day Mojo, The Campaign Palace in Australia, the UK, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. He is a part time lecturer/tutor in advertising strategy, principles and practice at the University of Technology Sydney. The programme, intended for account executives aged 28 and under, will focus on how to build stronger client relationships but also provide a deeper understanding of how creativity is making a difference for both client and agency. Attendees will benefit from three days of bespoke learning experiences incorporating exclusive presentations from industry leaders.

McCann Worldgroup will sponsor the inaugural Young Account Executive Academy and speaking about their position, Charles Cadell, President McCann WorldGroup Asia Pacific, says, “Given the ever growing scarcity and thirst for talent in Asia, it is critical for the success of our industry that we treat talent development as a primary mandate. McCann is determined to be a leading creative powerhouse across the region and one element of this is to ensure that our suits are as committed and driven as our Creative teams to achieve this goal.”

Open to 15 students aged 23 and under, the Young Creative Academy will once again return to Spikes Asia. Across three-days, students will immerse themselves in a tailored programme that will include dedicated tutorials from recognised industry figures. Noor Azhar, Senior Lecturer in Visual Communication and Media Design at the Singapore Polytechnic Design School, will mentor the students. Before lecturing, Noor practiced advertising as an art director at CreAds Advertising and Batey Ads and then went on to set up integrated brand communications agency Just Media (now JM Asia). Noor has tutored the Academy since 2009. Cheil, sponsors of the academy since its launch in 2009, will sponsor the academy for the fifth year.

Completing the academy line-up, the Young Marketers Academy will offer marketers and brand managers who are working at client companies and are aged 30 and under, an exploration into the importance of why creativity matters to brands today. The programme includes identifying trends, exploring how creativity increases effectiveness and discussing the client/agency relationship. The group will be mentored by Joe Talcott whose marketing experience stretches nearly three decades,

including seven years at News Corporation in Australia, most recently as Chief Creative for NewsLab, a creative division of News Limited.

He has also worked for 17 years with McDonald’s in markets across the world, including Chicago where he worked on the launch of the ‘I’m lovin’ it’ campaign as global marketing and director. Today he heads CREATISM.IS, a business that helps marketers and their agencies to connect to produce superior communications.

Sponsoring the Young Marketers Academy will be Dentsu. “At Dentsu, we believe creativity is key to driving long-term customer engagement for brands. As a 112-year old company that was built around innovation, we are committed to investing in talent as the future of our industry for tomorrow. The ability to successfully apply creativity in every aspect of marketing is extremely valuable to young professionals today,” says Dick van Motman, Chairman and CEO, Dentsu Network/Asia. “It’s a skill that will never grow old because of the role it plays in the success of a campaign, career or an organisation. The Young Marketers Academy will give participants a fresh perspective on creativity through experts who have been successful at harnessing it in their careers.”

About the academies, Steve Latham, Director of Talent & Training at Lions Festivals says, “Year on year Spikes Asia has been growing and we believe it important that investment in the future of the industry should be part of this growth. These academies represent four key areas of the industry and offer an unbeaten opportunity to not only learn from unique presentations, but to do this against a backdrop of intensive creativity whilst benefitting from all that the Festival has to offer.”

Worldwide diamond consumption set to surge by more than 60% by end of decade BAIN & COMPANY REPORT

A

surge in rough diamond consumption by the growing middle classes in China and India will push global consumption to $26.1 billion in value, from its 2011 level of $15.6 billion-reflecting an annual compound growth rate of approximately six percent per year; this according to the 2012 Global Diamond Industr y Report, released by Bain & Company, the global business consulting firm. The annual bellwether diamond industry report, conducted in collaboration with the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) finds that global demand will outpace supply, signaling solid pricing prospects and a strong positive outlook for the industry overall. “ The fundamental forces point to a bright outlook for the diamond market,” said Yury Spektorov, Bain & Company partner and co-author of the report. “However the global market is becoming increasingly diverse, so successful players will need to understand the changing forces in global wealth distribution, customs and consumer tastes.” The report includes a far-reaching survey of more than 5,000 consumers in eight countries (Editor’s Note: refer to survey methodology at end of release for a complete description), and a detailed examination and findings from three core diamond markets, the United States, China and India. The report finds: In the United States: The US is far and away the world’s largest diamond market. Its $27 billion in revenues are more than three times the revenues of No. 2 market China or No. 3 market Indiaand twice those of the US mobile phone market. Women continue to crave diamonds, but popularity of diamond engagement rings among younger consumers is marginally slowing down. It is unclear whether this is a temporary phenomenon or a long-term trend, but younger women show a growing preference for other luxury goods, especially consumer electronics. The 2008-2009 financial crisis hit the US market hard, as diamond jewelry sales fell 18 percent from 2008 to 2009. The market has rebounded somewhat, but 2012 revenues are only slightly above those of 2000. Retail trends play an important role in reflecting and shaping the consumer demand. The specialty retail sector has consolidated in recent years, with the disappearance of more than 5,000 specialty stores. Despite the change, the sector remains very viable,

and Internet outlets and discounters are playing an increasingly prominent role In China: China has grown rapidly into the world’s second-largest market for diamonds, with annual sales approaching $9 billion. Rising wealth, popular fascination with Western culture and the fast-expanding middle class have powered the market’s growth, with a boost from lower taxes and tariffs.

Approximately 90 percent of affluent house-

Yury Spektorov holds (those with annual incomes of $15,000 or more) own at least one piece of diamond jewelry, and most own multiple diamonds. Market penetration among lower-income Chinese, who make up half the country’s 1.34 billion population, is much lower, representing a large growth opportunity for diamond retailers.

Some 20 percent of households making less than $15,000 per year own at least one diamond Diamonds have strong emotional and spiritual resonance for Chinese women, who associate them with eternity and high status. The custom of giving diamond engagement rings is catching on quickly in China.

Chinese women like highly visible diamond jewelry, preferring rings, necklaces and pendants to earrings. Stones of one carat or more are popular, and even mass- and premium mass-market stores in large cities often have several large stones on display.

Retail expansion plays a key role in promoting diamond availability in all regions, established and emerging in China. The retail scene is highly fragmented, with independent and local chain stores dominating the mass- and premium-mass segments, which account for 95 percent of annual

sales. Foreign prestige retailers such as Tiffany, Cartier and Bulgari dominate the high end of the market. Most foreign players spend 5 percent or more of annual China sales on advertising to build brand awareness and identity. Diamond retailers are expanding at breathtaking speed. Retailers are focusing on Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities where personal incomes are growing quickly and consumption patterns mirror those of larger cities, where diamonds are wildly popular.

In India: Home to the world’s first diamond mines and the center of the cutting and polishing industry, India is the third-largest global diamond market, with annual revenues approaching $8.5 billion, and growing rapidly. Diamonds are the country’s second fastest-growing discretionary purchase, trailing only mobile phones. Many Indians have adopted Western holidays such as Christmas and Valentine’s Day, and diamonds are the most desired gift on such occasions. Diamond engagement rings are also a well-established custom. About 90 percent of India’s affluent women own diamonds, with most receiving their first diamond to celebrate a wedding, engagement, birthday or anniversary. Rings and earrings are the most widely owned jewelry types.

Many women, even in lower-income strata, also have necklaces, pendants and bracelets in their repertoires.

Women have well-developed tastes in diamonds, valuing a stone’s clarity ahead of its cut, size and color. They favor different designs for different occasions, opting for evergreen looks for everyday wear and trendy styles for lighthearted occasions such as bir thdays and Valentine’s Day. Traditional solitaires, usually set in a yellow gold band, are by far the preferred design for weddings and engagements. There are an astonishing 300,000 jewelry stores in India, seven times more than in the US and six times more than in China. Independents dominate the retail space, but large national chains are making inroads. Gitanjali, Cygnus and Diti are the biggest chain-store players and are claiming a growing share of the mass and premium-mass segments. The prestige market is dominated by Tanishq, whose compelling advertising has made its brand synonymous with diamonds in India.

Retailing is in the midst of an expansion drive, focused on Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities

such as Nagpur and Vadodara, where incomes are rising and consumers are clamoring for luxury goods. In addition to providing deep dives of the markets in the US, China and India, the report also includes a contrast in behaviors and attitudes between the more than 5,000 consumers surveyed by Bain across eight countries: In both emerging and developed markets, diamond jewelry is at or near the top of most women’s lists of preferred presents.

In China, India and Russia, diamonds are far and away women’s favorite gift. The popularity and penetration of diamond jewelry is high in the US, UK and Italy, where diamonds make up about half the jewelry market. Penetration and popularity are moderate in most of continental Europe And in China, India and Russia, diamonds have been embraced by the affluent but have scarcely penetrated lower economic groups. Chinese women, unlike Indian women, associate diamonds with eternity.

For American and Indian women, diamonds carry a strong monetary association as well as a positive emotional charge. Across all markets, diamond rings symbolize engagement, marriage and love. Nonetheless, adoption of the diamond engagement ring tradition is uneven. In the US and UK about 80 to 85 percent of engagements are formalized with a diamond, but in Germany the percentage is only 40 percent.

Engagement rings are becoming increasingly popular in continental Europe as well as China, India and Russia Most women receive diamonds as a gift.

Women in China and India are closely involved in choosing their jewelry, whereas American and Russian women prefer to be surprised. The availability of quality certificates is the top determinant of store choice for shoppers in China, India and Russia. In the US and other developed markets where trust in retailers and consumer protections are stronger, service quality is the leading criterion for store choice. Luxury retailers Cartier and Tiffany are top-of-mind diamond destinations for consumers in most countries except for India, where Tanishq and Nakshatra are the best-known consumer brands “Many elements of the global diamond consumer experience remain universal,” said Ari Epstein, Chief Executive Officer of the AWDC. “But the rise of the middle class consumer in the developing markets is having profound impacts on supply and distribution models in the diamond industry.”

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2013

BUSINESS

Al-Tijari announces Najma draw winners KUWAIT: Commercial Bank of Kuwait held the Al-Najma Account Daily draw yesterday. The draw was held under the supervision of the Ministry of Commerce & Industry represented by Abdulaziz AlAshkanani. The winners of the Najma Daily Draw who get KD 7,000 are: Abass Hasan Atalla, Sueanne Valerie Machado, Huda Helal Al Shami, Mohammad Hashem Khaled Al Gharabally, and Roselle Porras Bugna.

The Commercial Bank of Kuwait announces the biggest daily draw in Kuwait with the launch of the new Najma account. Customers of the bank can now enjoy a KD 7,000 daily prize which is the highest in the country and another 4 mega prizes during the year

worth KD 100,000 each on different occasions: The National Day, Eid Al-Fitr, Eid Al-Adha and on June 19 which is the date of the bankís establishment.

With a minimum balance of KD 500, customers will be eligible for the daily draw provided that the money is in the account one week prior to the daily draw or 2 months prior to the mega draw. In addition, for each KD 25 a customer can get one chance for winning instead of KD 50. Commercial Bank of Kuwait takes this opportunity to congratulate all lucky winners and also extends appreciation to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry for their effective supervision of the draws which were conducted in an orderly and organized manner.

Brazil’s trade inflow to ME tops $6.56bn in H1 Brazil’s exports to the Middle East stood at over $6.56 billion for the first half of 2013, according to figures released by the Brazilian Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Oman and Algeria were the leading destinations, with meat (beef and chicken), sugars, iron ores, slag and ash, cereals and miscellaneous grains, seeds and fruits emerging as the top traded commodities. There was a huge surge of 117.68 percent in the volume of iron and steel products (mainly tubes), inorganic chemicals and rare earth materials from $19.71 million in 2012 to $42.9 million this year for the covered period.

As for imports, Brazil brought in $5.69

Dr Michel Alaby

million worth of Arab commodities for the first half, with the KSA, Algeria, Morocco, Kuwait and Qatar as the main contributors.

The country’s top purchases from its Arab trade partners for the period included mineral, fuel oil and allied products; fertilizers; plastics; salt, sulfur, earth and stone; and fish and seafood. There was a huge increase in fish and seafood (222.24 percent), machinery (194.93 percent) and cotton, yarn and fabric (129.12 percent) over last year.

Dr Michel Alaby, Secretary General and CEO of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, said: “So far Brazil has maintained a healthy flow of exports and imports with its Arab partners. The latest trade report helps us identify and leverage promising areas and increase activities in certain segments.

For its part, the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce will continue to closely monitor market trends so that we can help spur more opportunities as the world continues to address economic and commercial challenges in some quarters.” The Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce has been established to consolidate and expand partnerships, generate opportunities and bring Arabs and Brazilians together.

It has been in operation for more than 60 years, playing an active role in boosting economic, cultural and tourism activities, and facilitating the flow of information between Arabs and Brazilians.

France eyes move towards tax cuts to boost business PARIS: France’s Socialist government is hinting it may appease discontent at tax rises by putting more stress on spending cuts in its fight to control the budget and boost growth.

The latest signs came with a new reform of the pension system, which was headed for a huge deficit by 2020, that raises charges for business and workers but has been widely criticised as a weak compromise. The country has just emerged from recession. But analysts warn that this could be mainly because of heavy household spending on energy during a long winter, and business leaders are warning that the burden of taxes is becoming counter-productive.

Leading figures on the left have begun responding to this, and on Friday President Francois Hollande said “the time has come” to take a “tax pause” after one of his ministers warned of growing “tax discontent”. France has so far relied on tax hikes for about twothirds of its fiscal adjustment. Most famously it hiked the tax rate to 75 percent on income above 1 million euros. The reliance on tax hikes has also prompted warnings from the IMF and European Commission that it should focus more on cutting spending in order to avoid snuffing out the recovery.

Hollande told the daily Le Monde that for businesses his administration is “committed to not increasing labour costs and amputating their margins.” And Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici assured that some of the latest charges put on companies would be matched by other cuts in charges next year. The president said “we’re not going to take away with one hand what we’ve given them with the other by the tax credit.”

The 20-billion-euro tax credit is one of the key initiatives of Hollande’s administration to improve competitiveness. France’s social welfare system is funded primarily by charges on labour, burdening businesses. The previous conservative government under Nicholas Sarkozy shied away from taking a politically unpopular step of shifting part of the financing to the sales tax.

The pension reform, which avoids any

major structural changes to bring the system back into balance, shows that Hollande’s government is relucted to undertake bold reforms. But business leaders said that is what is really needed. “State spending at 57 percent of gross domestic product, that can’t continue,” said Pierre Gattaz, the head of the French employer’s federation Medef. “We must reduce the weight of state spending in the economy, do it fast and do it with resolve,” he said. The head of oil company Total, Christophe de Margerie, criticised the French “attitude problem” and called for “stop considering globalistation as a bad thing.” A threat to nationalise a French plant owned by steel giant Arcelor Mittal to protect jobs raised concerns among foreign businesses.

But the architect of the nationalism plans, the minister responsible for rejuvenating French industry, put the blame on a lack of state direction for industry.

Arnaud Montebourg warned South Korea was about to overtake France in the nuclear energy sector “because they have a state ... which has structured their economic landscape.” The government also brushed off calls to get rid of the 75 percent tax rate, which Medef ’s chief called “dogmatic and which only serves to discourage investors and shareholders.” The latest purchasing managers surveys by Markit found that while business activity is picking up in the eurozone overall, it contracted at a faster rate in France this month.

A separate survey by France’s INSEE statistical service worryingly found that companies expect to cut back investment. French companies now expect to reduce investment by 6 percent this year, instead of a 4 percent cut they forecast in April. While France posted surprisingly strong growth of 0.5 percent to bounce out of recession in the second quarter, economists say a boost in investment will be needed for a sustained recovery. But a Medef leader also castigated French companies for a lack of initiative, noting many lacked projects to develop and expand their businesses. — AFP

LAHORE: Activists of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf protest against the oil price hike at a rally yesterday. The Pakistan government raised the prices of petroleum products by up to 4.71 rupees ($0.05) per litre, citing the rising trend in the international market. —AFP

Hassan Kabbani appointed CEO of Zain Saudi Arabia RIYADH: The Board of Directors of Mobile Telecommunications Company Saudi Arabia (Zain KSA) yesterday approved the appointment of Hassan Kabbani as Chief Executive Officer of Zain KSA, replacing Fraser Curley, who has decided to step down from his post of 18 months for personal reasons.

With 23 years of executive telecommunications experience in the Middle East and Africa, Kabbani joins Zain with very strong credentials.

To date, he has held the post of CEO at five successful telecommunications operations, playing a pivotal role in business transformation, and helping them to achieve extraordinary growth.

Kabbani headed mobile operations in a major regional telecom group in Egypt, Algeria, SubSaharan Africa, Yemen, and Syria, and prior to these CEO positions, he held key commercial and customer focused roles in a leading mobile operator in Lebanon. Prior to joining Zain, Kabbani was Advisor to the Chairman and Board member of another major regional telecom group, as well as a Board member of a South African mobile operator.

Kabbani takes over from Fraser Curley, who led Zain KSA through a comprehensive turnaround of its operations and its financing structure. Fraser leaves the company ideally positioned for the new CEO to place a greater focus on commercial and customer centric activities, and lead the business onto the next phase of its growth path.

Under Curley’s tenure, Zain KSA achieved several noteworthy milestones including the con-

tinuous improvement of many key financial and operating results and improving the quality of its 4G LTE network. In addition the company also successfully restructured its capital through a rights issue; renewed two substantial loans on very favorable terms, and entered into an agreement with the Kingdom’s Ministry of Finance in

Hassan Kabbani

June 2013 to postpone payments of the government’s entitlements for seven years.

Fahd bin Ibrahim Al-Dughaither, Chairman of Zain KSA commented, “Hassan Kabbani joins Zain KSA at a crucial stage of the company’s evolution and we have the utmost confidence he is the right leader to build upon the success achieved by Fraser Curley.” Furthermore the chairman noted, “The company’s enhanced cash liquidity position, together with the improved capital structure and our state-of-the-art 4G LTE network will give Kabbani adequate room and stimulus to bring more innovation and take full advantage of the growth opportunities in the Kingdom.”

Scott Gegenheimer, CEO of Zain Group noted,”We appreciate Fraser Curley’s hard work in the successful turn-around of Zain KSA, fulfilling the mission that was set when he joined. With Hassan Kabbani now at the helm and the compelling support of Zain Group’s resources in all facets of the business, I am confident that Zain KSA will enter a new and prosperous era, playing a key role in the growth of the telecommunications sector and the economic and social development of the Kingdom.”

Hassan Kabbani, CEO of Zain KSA said, “The telecom industry is at a turning point and my objectives are to capitalize on Fraser Curley’s outstanding work, to develop into new areas of growth, to further enhance the customer experience and service offerings to the Saudi market and to strengthen relationships with all other stakeholders.”

Ford appoints Benintende to lead operations in MENA DUBAI: Ford Motor Company announced the appointment of Jim Benintende to the newly-created position of president, Ford Middle East and Africa. Effective from yesterday, Benintende will lead Ford’s new, consolidated Middle East and Africa regional business unit headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and report to Stephen Odell, executive vice president and president, Ford of Europe, Middle East and Africa.

“We’re fortunate to have a leader with Jim’s track record and global experience to lead Ford in the M iddle East and Africa,” Odell said. “Under the One Ford plan, Jim and his team will be able to leverage our global product portfolio and our scale to better serve customers in this dynamic and growing region.”

Repor ting to Benintende will be Jeffrey Nemeth, president and CEO, Ford Motor Company Southern Africa, who

also will take on responsibility for markets in sub-Saharan Africa, and Kalyana Sivagnanam, general manager, Ford Middle East and North Africa.

Benintende, 58, has significant experience in the Middle East and Africa region, most recently as director, Ford Export Operations and Global Growth Initiatives, an organization that had responsibility for several Middle Eastern and African markets. He also was previously managing director of Ford Middle East and North Africa.

“I’m delighted to be taking on this new challenge, and to be working with Jeffrey and Kalyana who are both seasoned professionals in this part of the world,” Benintende said. “Our intention is to grow the Ford business while staying true to our principles of being active and supportive members of the community in the Middle East and Africa.”

Jim Benintende

Warba bank gets 18% profits from divestment of its investment in US KUWAIT: Warba Bank achieved remarkable returns through a successful divestment of its investment in the project to develop multi-family apartment complex in the United States of America. The bank announced realizing an 18 percent net profit today from this transaction.

This deal and its financing structure are considered to be pioneering in terms of structuring this as a building loan contract registered by the New York statute and in a adherence to the principles of Islamic Sharia. Warba bank funded the purchase of land and development of a multi-family apartment complex in Long Island City, Queens County in New York, which is approximately 5 minutes away from Manhattan using the subway.

The project is strategically located in front of Headquarters of Citibank Operations, Headquarters of MetLife Operations and is in close proximity to Tishman Speyer’s Gotham Center and UN Credit Union Building, thus providing a strategically significant location.

“We are very pleased with this achievement, which has been completed before the scheduled time thanks to Almighty God and the bank’s efficient investment team, who identified promising transactions, chose the right business partners then successfully concluded the investment and its subsequent divestment,” stated Hossam Nasser

Hossam Nasser Al-Muzaiel Al-Muzaiel - executive manager at Warba bank.

He continued to state that “the funding method for this transaction is considered the first of its kind in terms of compliance with Islamic laws - Sharia and all its implied guarantees. This transaction is an exceptional achievement towards the further development of Warba bank and a continuance of the growth of its international asset portfolio. Furthermore, this successful

divestment reaffirms Warba Bank’s competitive capability in providing attractive and innovative Sharia compliant risk adjusted investment products to our shareholders and customers.”

“Warba Bank is currently evaluation and pursuing other investments in international markets in order to achieve consistent returns higher than market rates and capitalise on the success achieved from this transaction. The bank will continue to originate and pursue innovative risk-optimal investments, structure and participate and manage them in strict adherence to the principles of the Islamic Sharia, and generate steady, recurring and predictable revenues in the short and medium terms.”

“Our key focus has been to further boost and enhance financial and operational performance standards of the bank, which has enabled the bank to enjoy the current market positioning and competitiveness. We continue to expect continuous development and prosperity leading to the bank gaining further heights both locally and internationally”, concluded Al-Muzaiel. It is worth mentioning that Warba Bank offers an ideal investment opportunity for investors and depositors’ exposure to diversified risk-optimal asset classes with a distinctive focus in innovation, thereby yielding solid returns from superior projects.

Insolvent town exposes gulf between EU dreams and reality ANINOASA: On an abandoned storefront, an old poster advertises one of the few career opportunities available in this Romanian town: naked webcam models wanted for Internet chatrooms. If joining the European Union was supposed to lift Romania out of poverty, it has yet to work in Aninoasa, a town of 4,800 people in the mountainous central region of Jiu Valley. Six years after Romania’s accession to the EU, not only is Aninoasa still poor - it has also become the first town in Romania to file for insolvency. Town officials took out a bank loan to fund investment projects, they could not repay it, they fell behind on paying other bills and over the years they got themselves so deep in debt they could not carry on. “Our mayor likes to joke there are only two major towns in insolvency in the world, Detroit and us,” said deputy mayor Adrian Albescu, brought in last year after the previous administration lost the election. “For the past year we have done nothing else but pay debts.” Aninoasa’s experience raises a question: did the European Union make a mistake when, six years ago, it admitted Romania, a country with living standards and levels of governance well below the average for the bloc?

It’s not just about Romania. Bulgaria joined at the same time and is still saddled with corruption and poverty, Croatia joined in July bringing problems of organised crime and the legacy of war in the 1990s, and EU candidates such as such as Albania and Macedonia have even deeper troubles. In Romania’s

case the calculation was that pressure from Brussels, coupled with EU development cash, would help the country catch up. In many ways it has: Romania’s economic output has almost doubled since 2006.

But in other respects, the lessons learned with Romania, as well as neighbouring Bulgaria, could make the EU much more sceptical the next time it contemplates bringing in new members. When enlargement is next on its agenda, the European Commission will view the experience with Romanian local administrations as a “negative example,” said Sergiu Miscoiu of think tank CESPRI. One of the biggest difficulties for Romania is that, while billions of euros worth of EU funds are on offer, it often fails to qualify for the money because it cannot convince Brussels it will spend it honestly and efficiently. In Aninoasa, former mayor Ilie Botgros held the office for 20 years until he was defeated in an election last year.

During that time the town’s economy declined, a process which accelerated in 2006 when the government shut down the coal mine that was the town’s sole employer. As income from local taxes fell, the town hall’s revenue shrank and officials now have only 4.2 million lei ($1.25 million) per year to cover staff wages, public utility bills and much-needed projects to improve infrastructure.

Many of the roads in the town are surfaced with gravel, some neighbourhoods are not connected to the sewage system or gas supply, and there are

hundred-year-old buildings which have no central heating against freezing winter temperatures and are in dire need of repair.

The town currently has only two projects with European funding: one is a sewage scheme, the other a move to renovate Aninoasa’s cultural centre, which should include a gym, a library and meeting hall. Botgros went instead to the bank. In 2006 he took out a loan worth 3 million lei ($893,600) from Romania’s top lender BCR, owned by Austrian Erste Bank. He said he used the money to pay off previous investments, including work on a bridge and a gas pipeline in the north of town.

But the debt was stacking up. By now, Aninoasa has debts worth a total of roughly 6 million lei. The town owes money to 70 service providers. Public lighting was cut off for months last year because of unpaid bills. The town could have carried on getting deeper into debt, but this year Romania tightened up its rules on municipal finances.

It started enforcing a law that requires local governments to file for insolvency if they are 120 days or more behind with repayments and their debt exceeds 50 percent of revenue. Aninoasa filed for insolvency in June. A court-appointed administrator is working on a plan to tackle debts. The new mayor has filed a criminal complaint against Botgros over his management of town finances, and prosecutors have launched an inquiry, but it is too soon to tell whether any charges will be made. —Reuters

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2013

technology

‘Lifelogging’ camera overlooks privacy to seize the moment Clicks a picture every 30 seconds

How Google Glass brings future into our present SAN FRANCISCO: On a recent afternoon, Homer Gaines hiked with girlfriend Tami Stillwell to the gusty peak of Angel Island in the San Francisco Bay, bent down on one knee and slipped a topaz and whitesapphire ring on her finger, capturing the entire marriage proposal on a computerized device that he was wearing like a pair of glasses.

Gaines, a 41-year-old Web developer from Fort Myers, Fla, is one of 10,000 “explorers” testing Glass, the much talked about hands-free wearable computing device from Google that lets users take photos and videos, make phone calls, send and receive text messages, search the Internet and get turn-by-turn directions.

“I would not have been able to pull off that level of spontaneity with any other device and instantly share it with the world,” Gaines said. “Glass gave me the ability to share with everyone that special moment from my point of view - the surprise on her face, the way she jumped around, the ring on her finger and the tears of joy in her eyes.”

Glass won’t be widely available for purchase until early next year, but it’s one of the most anticipated new technologies in years. The question many are asking: Can Google make digital goggles the world’s next must-have gadget? As Google sees it, Glass is a revolutionary new way to quickly and effortlessly connect people with information.

Critics view Glass as an invasive new technology that - if it takes off - could rob people of what few shreds of privacy they have left. Lawmakers are alarmed by the privacy implications and have begun asking pointed questions of Google. And some commercial establishments - most notably casinos and bars - have already banned Glass.

Google is downplaying the privacy and security risks, assuring the public that it will not permit facial recognition apps (or porn apps, for that matter). Google says it’s obvious when someone is taking pictures or recording a video on Glass. But some developers have already built a way to get around Google: an alternative operating system that runs on Glass but is not controlled by Google. One developer is making a facial recognition app that will help users remember the hundreds of people they have met and should recognize but don’t.

That in-your-face quality of Glass could wake up more people to their ever shrinking privacy in the rapidly advancing digital age, University of Washington law professor Ryan Calo said. Not only will people be more keenly aware that they have no reasonable expectation of privacy in public, Glass and devices like it could make it easier for government authorities to gain access to everything they see and record without a warrant, he said.

And, with a warrant, the government might even be able to remotely turn on Glass’ video recording capability without the user’s knowledge, the way it has done with OnStar systems in cars, Calo said. To counter that kind of growing apprehension, Google is trying to make the new technology seem as normal as possible.

Google co-founder Sergey Brin constantly has a pair perched on his nose. He has worn Glass to the Oscars, to the TED conference, in the Hollywood film “The Internship,” and last year he stole the show at Google’s annual developers conference by wearing Glass. His cohort, Google Chief Executive and co-founder Larry Page, recently sported a pair as a groomsman in a wedding ceremony in Croatia. And he talked up Glass as the future of technology during Google’s second-quarter earnings conference call with analysts.

Still, even inside the high-tech industry, some aren’t too keen on Glass. Los Angeles technology entrepreneur and investor Jason Calacanis has asked friends to remove Glass in his presence, banned Glass from poker games and coined a new term to describe what he feels like doing when he spots Glass wearers: “Glass-kicking.”

And Glass hasn’t been able to ditch what could be its true Achilles’ heel: its dorky image. Labeled “Segway for your face,” it has become the butt of jokes on late-night television and on the Internet.

Not only have Glass wearers been subjected to public ridicule for looking “glassed out,” they are referred to as a cross between Glass and a curse word.

Google is the first to admit that Glass is not quite ready for prime time, with widely reported glitches. The battery drains quickly (but also charges quickly). The capabilities are still very limited, with only a smattering of apps such as Twitter,

Facebook and Tumblr. And some complain that it’s not easy to hear notifications or phone calls with the bone conduction speaker.

Perhaps the most glaring omission: A way for the 64 percent of the US population who wears glasses to use Glass.

Google has made a prototype of prescription frames designed to be compatible with Glass and said the company will release specifications for frames manufacturers. “We still have bumps in the road and obstacles,” Glass product director Steve Lee said. “Right now, you need to be an early adopter who is excited about the technology.”

Glass is the first major product from Google X, the company’s super-secretive research laboratory for “moonshots,” big scientific bets such as self-driving cars. The lab is located in two nondescript brick buildings about a half-mile from Google’s Mountain View, Calif., campus. A row of electric cars - including Teslas - is parked and charged out front.

In a conference room inside Google X, Lee showed off an early prototype of Glass: safety glasses with a Nexus One smartphone attached to the right temple and the phone’s battery attached to the left. The device clearly didn’t win any style points and was not terribly comfortable (“guaranteed to give you a headache in 10 minutes,” Lee said).

Over the last three years, Google has dramatically refined Glass. The latest incarnation weighs about the same as a pair of normal glasses and is more attractive and less obtrusive. To keep careful watch over every detail, Google turned to Foxconn to manufacture Glass near its campus but won’t disclose the exact location.

And Google chose a marketing strategy as novel as Glass. This summer, it opened three upscale pop-up stores that it calls “basecamps” - in a San Francisco office tower on the waterfront, in a penthouse in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York and in Google’s Venice Beach offices - to give thousands the white-glove treatment as they are outfitted with Glass.

This shopping experience is even more exclusive than most. Explorers not only stretched their pocketbooks to be the first to test Google’s $1,500 device, they competed in an online contest for the privilege. “This is a big, new leap in tech, and I think it’s really important to get feedback on product and how people use it. Why would you do that in a vacuum, when you can do it with people across the United States?” said Ed Sanders, Google’s head of marketing for Glass. “When you are inventing something new and something that by its very nature is very intimate and personal, a device that someone wears on his or her face, then you have to listen to people.”

In the San Francisco basecamp, an airy room with exposed ductwork, concrete floors and sweeping views of the bay, explorers first pick from five colors demure hues of white, gray and black or bright pops of orange and blue - and then take a seat at wood tables. On each table sits a black shopping bag, a Chromebook Pixel laptop and a mirror.

One by one, guides deliver white boxes with the silver Glass logo. Inside the box under a single sheet of white filmy paper is Glass. The guides custom fit the lens-less glasses, bending the titanium and adjusting the nose guards. The explorers drink chilled champagne as they slide their fingers back and forth along the right side of the device and stare into a screen the size of a postage stamp above their right eye.

Soon they are ordering Glass around with ease, dictating messages to family and friends and making plans to take Glass sightseeing, even hang-gliding.

Erica Pang, 24, who works for a Palo Alto start-up, and her brother Aaron Pang, 20, a junior at Washington University recovering from spinal lymphoma, entered the #ifihadglass contest. She was picked. Their idea: to broadcast live virtual field trips to museums and zoos for children who are immobilized by illness or stuck in hospital beds. They got the idea when Aaron spent three months in the hospital.

“We want to let kids see the world without any of their limitations getting in the way,” Erica Pang said. Michael Kendle, an app developer from Springfield, Miss, in flip-flops and jeans and lounging on a gray couch at the Google basecamp, is a selfprofessed gadget junkie and says he always has to be the first to get the new, new thing. Now he has Glass, and he says he plans never to take it off except to shower and sleep. “I love being connected to everything, to have all this information at my fingertips,” Kendle said. —MCT

STOCKHOLM: When Martin Kaellstroem was a young adult, he lost both his parents to cancer. It became a spur for him to seize the day, as a person and an entrepreneur. The result: A lens with no off-button that captures every moment of your life. The 38-year-old co-founder of Swedish company Memoto is a man in a hurry as he promotes his “lifelogging” camera, which is worn with a clip on the shirt or on a string around the neck, and takes a picture once every 30 seconds.

“When you lose your parents, you realise that you don’t live forever. It has definitely affected me in my entrepreneurship. I can’t wait until later to fulfill my dreams, I have to live my dream now,” he said. Some may see parallels with George Orwell’s 1984, the Truman Show or other dystopias. But the team behind the Memoto camera insists that it doesn’t breach any privacy.

Rather, they see it as a way to collect memories.

“Traditionally, people only brought their camera to special events when everyone was dressed up, smiling into the camera,” Kaellstroem said.

“But you don’t know in advance which moments will be impor tant in the future.

Perhaps you meet your future wife or witness an accident or a crime, pictures you might want to return to.” Lifelogging, a technique for digitally gathering daily moments, is a growing phenomenon, gaining popularity with mobile applications such as Saga, which creates info graphics summarising your life through your smartphone data, and health trackers like Runkeeper and Moves.

Following the success of calling software Skype, music streaming service Spotify and video game developer Dice - all technologies with a heavy Swedish component - the next big

thing could be a device logging your life in pictures. The Memoto camera, which resembles an iPod mini, collects a stream of pictures, automatically sorted according to the GPS-location, time and light. The ‘memory timeline’ can be shared on social media such as Facebook or Twitter.

It is a tool for a new tech-savvy world without the patience to keep a diary, according to cofounder Oskar Kalmaru. “I’ve failed several times when trying to write a blog or travelogue. Older relatives managed to keep a diary over 20 years, but it is hard with the routine,” he said. British lifelogging camera Autographer emerged in the medical field as a facilitator for Alzheimer patients and GoPro and Looxcie are targeting practitioners of extreme sports.

Memoto will cater to both exhibitionists or nostalgic souls, according to Kaellstroem.

“There are two main types of users,” he said.

“The first category, to which I belong, is the collector who saves and organises the memories, but only shares them with a small circle of close friends and family. The other group is more social, aiming to share a creative and active life through various social media platforms.” But classmates, employees and neighbours may not want to be caught on film, much less people in witness protection programmes or other sensitive areas of life.

‘Big Brother Light ‘ Lifelogging does raise some privacy questions, says Steven Savage, a researcher at the Swedish Defence Research Agency, noting that the private sphere is relative: what is not offensive to one person might be to another. “It depends where the photos end up,” Savage said.

“Today, it is difficult to search pictures, but new technology is being developed all the time.

Once those pictures become searchable, more questions will arise. You’ll lose control over the situation.”

Jan Svaerdhagen, who is currently writing a book about lifelogging, agrees. “The first question one should raise is ‘what function is filled by taking a photo every 30 seconds’? Who buys the product and for what purpose? Are we entering the next stage of social media where we not only log, but also share our lives 24/7 in a kind of Big Brother Light version?” said Svaerdhagen.

“I jog a lot, and sure it would be fun to have some photos from a run, but the question is, are we entering narcissism in its most extreme form?” he said. Kaellstroem said he and his team thought a great deal about privacy while designing the camera, bearing in mind that many might be uncomfortable with being confronted with a spying eye. “It has to be clear that it is a camera, but yet with a friendly design that makes people comfortable and not distracted,” he said.

Soon, 4,000 of these cameras will reach their users. In the future they might develop accessories such as a waterproof case, a wide-angle lens and a wi-fi dock. In the meantime, the blueprint is available online for creative users to personalise their camera. “The lifelogging cameras are just the tip of the iceberg in the ‘quantified self’ movement,” said Lisa Ehlin, an expert in digital culture at Stockholm University. “I’m sure we will walk around with some cool new gadgets in the future, like those mouth chips or body tattoos tracking your health and what you eat. But mainly, it’s all about social life and friends.” —AFP

Google’s Brin splits with wife

SAN FRANCISCO: Google cofounder Sergey Brin and Anne Wojcicki on Thursday were reportedly splitting up after six years of marriage. Stories of a split mounted after technology new website AllThingsD first reported that the 40-year-old Google co-founder and his wife, an entrepreneur behind genetic testing firm 23andMe, are living apart. Brin, who heads a special Google unit devoted to unusual projects such as self-driving cars and Internet-linked eyewear, is said by AllThingsD to be romantically involved with a 26-year-old member of the Google Glass team.

California-based Google declined

to comment on the Brin breakup other than to confirm an amicable parting had taken place. The development was not expected to affect the running of the Internet colossus since the couple was said to have inked a pre-nuptial agreement on how a split would be handled. Brin and Wojcicki have a son and a daughter.

They reportedly met through Wojcicki’s sister, who rented a Silicon Valley garage to the Google cofounders Brin and Larry Page. Brin and Page used the garage as a base of operations after moving from a dormitory at Stanford University where they were students.

The garage came with a house, yard and outdoor hot tub where they were known to soak as the nascent company took shape in late 1998. Susan Wojcicki reportedly dated a friend of Brin’s and rented out her garage to help pay her mortgage. Susan Wojcicki became a Google executive and her sister became Brin’s bride.

Google later bought the rented home, located a few miles from the company’s headquarters in the city of Mountain View, to preserve as part of its legacy. Google has invested in 23andMe, which Anne Wojcicki founded with Linda Avey. It offers genotyping services to indi-

viduals interested in learning inherited health risks.

Several years ago, Brin made his blogging debut by writing of his mother being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and how testing by 23andMe showed he has a gene mutation that “markedly” increases his chances of getting the illness.

Brin told of working with The Parkinson’s Institute and the Michael J Fox Foundation to combat the disease. Brin and Anne Wojcicki have been involved in an array of business and philanthropic endeavors, including an eponymous foundation to which they have contributed heavily. —AFP

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2013

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

Edible algae - coming to a rooftop near you?

An alternative to meat

HONG KONG: Marshall Islands law enforcement personnel on a longline fishing vessel sorting through hundreds of kilograms of confiscated shark fins, in the Marshall Islands territory’s waters. Conservationists have attributed a dwindling demand for shark fins to China’s crackdown on corruption which has forced a decline in lavish banquets. Angelo Villagomez, a shark specialist with US-based conservation group the Pew Charitable Trusts, said they were seeing a reduction in demand from China, with Hong Kong also showing a significant decline in consumption. — AFP

Tourist warning as smoke reaches Yosemite valley SAN FRANCISCO: Smoke from the huge wildfire in Yosemite National Park reached the heavily-touristed heart of the park yesterday, officials said, warning visitors against strenuous activity. Webcams showed smoke apparently clouding the world-famous Yosemite Valley, the spectacular area in the middle of the California park visited by millions every year. More than usual visitors were expected in the park for the Labor Day weekend, although officials had said the increase could be smaller than usual due to the so-called Rim Fire, which started two weeks ago outside the park. “Heavy smoke is now visible south of the Tioga Road, including in Yosemite Valley,” said the park website’s latest update after a change in wind direction from the blaze.

“Visitors to the area should avoid extended strenuous physical activities outdoors.

Additionally, those (..) sensitive to air quality impacts should avoid going outside in Yosemite,” it added.

Despite the warning, officials said they were optimistic of making further gains on the blaze, known as the Rim Fire, but warned that hot, dry conditions continued to create a challenging environment.

“We’re hopeful that we are going to turn the corner, but it’s hot, it’s dry, and there is a westerly wind,” US Forest Service spokeswoman Leslie Auriemmo said. “There’s a lot of fuel out there. We remain in a high state of alert.” According to latest figures early Saturday, the fire has burned 219,277 acres (343 square miles or 888 square kilometers) and continues to threaten 4,500 structures.

A total of 4,995 firefighters have been

deployed to battle the flames, which have so far destroyed 11 homes and 97 outbuildings.

The fire, which started on August 17, was 35 percent contained as of Saturday, up from 32 percent on Friday. Yosemite National Park officials insisted on Friday that the fire posed no threat to tourists heading to the landmark destination on a busy US holiday weekend.

The flames remain some 24 km from Yosemite Valley, the tourist heart of the park where millions of visitors flock every year to see majestic scenery such as the Half Dome and El Capitan rock formations.

“The area where it’s burning right now is mostly wilderness... There’s nothing in that location that would potentially be a safety issue,” said Yosemite spokeswoman Kari Cobb.

Meanwhile investigators are looking into whether an illegal marijuana farm may have triggered the blaze, US media reports said.

Several reports quoted Todd McNeal, a local fire chief in Twain Harte, one of the towns affected by the 219,000-acre (88,630 hectare) inferno, said investigators had not pinpointed the cause of the blaze.

“We don’t know the exact cause,” McNeal was quoted as telling a community meeting.

However, he added it was “highly suspect that there might have been some sort of illicit grove, a marijuana-grow-type thing.”

“We know it’s human caused. There was no lightning in the area,” he said. US Forest Service officials say the cause of the fire remains under investigation. The San Jose Mercury News reported that authorities in California have faced increasing problems with marijuana farms hidden deep in the region’s rugged wilderness. — AFP

Meningitis warning for university students LONDON: A student who survived meningitis twice within five months at university is urging young people to look out for each other as they return to studies. David Coppin, 23, is launching Meningitis UK/Meningitis Trust’s national adolescent awareness campaign. The campaign aims to highlight that young people are particularly susceptible to the disease, especially when they return to education establishments and winter sees cases peak dramatically. Londoner David was studying sports management at Coventry University when he beat the dreaded disease twice and went on to graduate from the three-year course with a 2:1.

The first time, David was in a rented student home in October 2009, when he collapsed following a bout of vomiting during the night. His mother Lorraine, who was visiting, called an ambulance and he was taken to University Hospital at Walsgrave, where staff initially suspected swine flu.

He looked so ill, Lorraine, of Enfield, called a chaplain to his bedside and placed him in “God’s hands”. Luckily, a doctor spotted a

barely visible pin-prick rash on David’s neck and antibiotics were promptly administered.

He was diagnosed with meningococcal septicaemia, spent a week in a coma and lost a stone-and-a-half, but made a recovery and returned to studies in January.

However, the following March, David contracted the disease again, but this time his flatmates knew the symptoms and insisted he went to hospital. Thanks to his friends’ new-found knowledge, the disease was caught quickly and he was soon on the mend. David believes if his friends had not known the signs and acted quickly his story would easily be a tragic one. David said: “I felt very vulnerable - the ordeal has taught me to appreciate life. With meningitis, you don’t have full control of your limbs and everything becomes such a struggle - I wouldn’t wish that on anybody. “ When I first developed symptoms, I thought I just had a bug. I am extremely lucky to recover from the disease twice - it was against all odds and I’m grateful to everyone who helped me get well.

Easy ways to trim down the fat LONDON: Fat provides twice as many calories as protein or carbohydrates. The most effective way of cutting the calories in your diet is therefore simple. It is to use low-fat ingredients, such as white fish and chicken, and low-fat alternatives wherever possible, such as reduced-fat cheese and skimmed milk.

One easy option to slim down fat in your meal would be to fill your shopping basket with fat- and calorie-controlled ready meals, or meal components like sauces, light yogurts and lower fat processed foods. By doing this, you may be able to count every gram of fat and every calorie. Here are some easy rules you can apply to your everyday routine: Invest in a good, heavy-based nonstick pan and remember that oil expands once it gets hot, so when you’re softening onions or vegetables you don’t actually need as much oil as you might think. Use a vegetable or olive oil non-stick cooking spray for dishes that require light frying.

Start with low-fat ingredients - white fish, shellfish, chicken and lean meat are all good choices. Choose low-fat cooking techniques such as poaching, braising, steaming, roasting, grilling or stir-frying.

Marinades are a good way of adding extra flavour without fat. Don’t be afraid to use strongly flavoured high-fat foods such as cheese and bacon; you only need to use small quantities to add a lot of flavour.

To add flavour to dishes; use plenty of fresh herbs and spices in your cooking.

Adding a squeeze of fresh lemon juice just

before serving can also give your food a real lift. Easy Ways to Trim Down the Fat Always choose lean meat and trim away any visible fat before cooking. Remove the skin from poultry before eating.

Bulk out savoury dishes by adding plenty of vegetables; they’re low in calories and high in vitamins.

Use reduced-fat alternatives such as reduced-fat cheese, skimmed milk, and low-fat yogurts where available.

To make a reduced-fat white sauce, blend 15ml/1 tbsp cornflour with 30ml/ 2 tbsp cold water, and whisk the mixture into 300ml/ 1/2 pint/ 1 1/4 cups skimmed milk.

Bring this to the boil and cook, stirring continuously, for 1 minute.

Beware of high-fat salad dressings 15ml/ 1 tbsp French dressing contains 97 calories and almost 11g fat, so use them in moderation. To make gravies and sauces creamy, add a little low-fat or Greek yogurt or fromage frais rather than cream. Stir in at the end of cooking to prevent curdling.

Use cheese with a particularly strong flavour, such as a mature cheddar, Parmesan or stilton for making sauces or for garnishing and you will be able to use less. Adding a little mustard will also enhance the flavour.

To reduce the fat in baked goods, such as muffins and cakes, replace half the fat with an equal quantity of something fruity, such as prune puree or apple sauce.

Go for fruit-based desserts and serve with a fruit caulis or pureed fruit, rather than cream or custard.

BANGKOK: On a hotel rooftop in Bangkok, dozens of barrels of green liquid bubble under the sun-the latest innovation in urban farming.

Proponents of the edible algae known as spirulina say it could help provide a sustainable source of protein as an alternative to meat.

Three times a week, Patsakorn Thaveeuchukorn harvests the green algae in the barrels. “The algae is growing so fast, normally the doubling time is around 24 hours,” said Patsakorn, whose employer EnerGaia uses Bangkok’s rooftops to grow spirulina. With its high levels of protein and nutrients, “it is beneficial to food security,” he said.

“If you compare it to meat it will take six months to grow a kilogram (2.2 pounds) of beef, but this we can grow in a week,” said Patsakorn.

Spirulina has been described by health food experts as a super-food, and it is becoming more popular worldwide. Rosa Rolle from the UN’s food and agriculture organisation (FAO) says it has been an important food source for centuries.

“It grows naturally in Lake Texcoco in Mexico. It was eaten by the Incas,” she said. “It’s in many countries that border Lake Chad in West Africa and is a protein source for a lot of people.”

However she warns that it can lead to health problems for people suffering from gout, as it produces a lot of uric acid, and says people need to be educated about spirulina’s positive and negative effects before they consume it. “You need some nutritional information, but for people without medical conditions it would be fine,” she said. The empty space on top of Bangkok’s many skyscrapers provide suitable growing conditions for spirulina as the constant high temperatures and sunlight are ideal

breeding conditions. The algae also helps combat carbon dioxide levels through photosynthesis, its champions say, and growing it in cities means it can reach consumers the same day it is harvested. Once the spirulina algae has been collected, it is hand rinsed and spun dry in a modified washing machine. It then has to be hand pressed into jars, as there is no machine yet available that can work with the thick, jelly like substance it produces.

“There has been a lot of trial and error,” Derek Blitz, technology director at EnerGaia, said. “It is great for vegetarians and vegans. It’s also packed with anti-oxidants. It is really good for cleansing your body.” In their laboratory, lines of different sized test tubes all connected to one another act as the breeding ground for the algae. On the rooftop, barrels of different shapes are in testing, to see which will produce the highest yield.

The company says it is the only producer of fresh spirulina in the world; other companies only sell dried and processed varieties.

Jars of the algae have a shelf life of around three weeks from harvest, though Blitz plans to increase that so it can be exported abroad.

“The advantages of having it fresh are that it has virtually no taste, so you can mix it with anything,” he told AFP. “Eating dried spirulina is like eating a cooked vegetable as opposed to a raw one, so you are getting a little bit more nutrition out of it (when fresh).

The other reason to eat fresh produce is because there’s a lot less energy involved in producing it.”

And chefs across Bangkok are starting to experiment with the algae.

Bill Marinelli, the owner of the Oyster Bar, is a convert. “It is really good for you,” he told AFP, in between mouth-

fuls of green pasta made with the algae. “We add it to dishes to increase the nutritional value.”

The colour of the algae is so strong that anything it is mixed with instantly turns green. But despite that, and the fact it has no flavour, Bill is still keen to use it in his dishes. “I’m looking at it as an alternative to animal protein. We

One burger doesn’t make a cultured meat industry LONDON: “IF you tot up all the human cells ever grown in the lab for cell therapy over 25 years, there wouldn’t be as many as in the beef produced from just one cow.” So said Chris Mason, professor of regenerative medicine at University College London, as he watched the world’s first lab-grown burger being cooked and eaten to much fanfare in London recently.

It’s a much-needed reality check amid the wave of excitement the demonstration has provoked. It may only have taken five years of research and a donation of Ä250,000 from Google co-founder Sergey Brin to reach this point, but as Mason points out, it costs tens of thousands of pounds to generate the millions of cells needed for a single cell therapy treatment - and trillions of cells would be needed for a joint of beef. Turning lab-grown meat into a commercial proposition still seems a distant dream.

But Mark Post from Maastricht University in the Netherlands, who made the prototype burger and two years ago predicted that we would have a lab-grown sausage or burger within a year, reckons we will be manufacturing the stuff in 10 to 20 years. If it happens, then aside from the obvious boon of producing slaughter-free meat, there could be major environmental benefits.

According to a study published two years ago, cultured meat would require less than 1 per cent of the land needed to produce the equivalent amount of beef. It also concluded that producing lab beef would consume about 4 per cent of the water and about half the energy needed for the same amount of farmed beef, and would produce only 4 per cent of its greenhouse emissions.

To make the burger eaten during the demonstration, Post needed 20,000 slivers of muscle grown over three months, each 1 millimetre thick and 2.5 centimetres long. The slivers were grown from a type of “satellite”

stem cell that occurs naturally in the muscle of cattle. Dosed with bovine fetal serum and antibiotics, the cells replicate 50 times in the lab before stalling, and a new batch must then be taken from an animal. “At 50 cycles, we can theoretically produce 10 tonnes of meat from one biopsy,” says Post - enough for 90,000 quarter-pounder burgers. “With usual doubling times of 24 to 30 hours, it takes only 7 weeks to go from one cell to 10 tonnes.”

The burger was made mostly of muscle cells, with beet juice and saffron added to give a pinkish colour, and breadcrumbs to improve the texture. But with no fat or bone cells to provide flavour, it seemed a bit bland to the tasting panel. “The absence is the fat,” said author and taster Josh Schonwald.

“There’s a leanness to it.”

To ensure future incarnations are tastier, Post is developing ways to culture fat cells from cattle. He is also increasing the amount of red-coloured myoglobin in each cell, which should give the meat a more natural colour.

Even if the taste can be improved, sustained investment will be needed to get it onto our shelves, says Isha Datar of New Harvest, a charity based in Toronto, Canada, that promotes the development of cultured meat. So far, cash for such projects has come mostly from wealthy individuals or animal advocacy groups. Datar argues the ethical credentials will help attract rich, influential backers. “It’s a solution for our planet, so it’s much more than just the product itself,” she says.

At the moment, that product amounts to a lone burger. But Post is confident that commercialisation is simply a matter of time. A team of just four people took two years to make the burger, he told the audience at its unveiling. “That we could do this in such a short time attests to the claim that we can come up with a viable solution to scale up within 10 years.”

JAKARTA: Indonesian visitors trying a taste of Japanese food during an exhibition in Jakarta. The first official sumo tournament to be held in August, outside Japan in five years was just one of many Japanese cultural items, such as entertainment, comics, fashion and food, being embraced in Indonesia. Indonesians have come late to the party-Japanese culture was embraced in the West in the 1970s and 1980s-but a boom in Southeast Asia’s top economy and Japanese firms’ hunt for new markets have combined to create a recent upsurge in interest. —AFP

can cut back on the amount of protein we serve as fish or meat, and incorporate spirulina for the additional protein source,” he said. Spirulina has been used as a food supplement for decades, and is popular among body builders. The question now is whether consumers will see it as a possible alternative to meat and fish. — AFP

Meeting minds with brain injured people MILAN: It can be nearly impossible to know what is happening in the mind of someone who has experienced a severe brain injury, but two new methods could offer some clues. They provide a better indication of consciousness and a potentially effective way to communicate with some people in a vegetative state.

The way that a seemingly unconscious person behaves does not always reflect their mental state.

Someone in a completely vegetative state may smile through reflex, while a perfectly alert person may be left unable to do so if a brain injury has affected their ability to move.

Marcello Massimini at the University of Milan in Italy and his colleagues have developed a different way to assess mental state. They use an electromagnetic pulse to stimulate the brain, and then measure the response. The pulse acts like striking a bell, Massimini says, and causes neurons across the entire brain to “ring” in a specific wave pattern that can help identify whether someone is in a vegetative state, a minimally conscious state, or in the process of emerging from a coma.

“This is a big step forward,” says Joseph Giacino of Harvard Medical School in Boston, who was not involved in the study. He says the technique needs to be replicated with more patients, but it may provide a starting point for developing a much-needed gold standard for assessing consciousness. Such a tool could help identify which patients are sufficiently conscious to communicate.

Adrian Owen and Lorina Naci at the University of Western Ontario in London, Canada, say that such communication is possible. Building on work from 2010, they have developed a strategy to enable people in a vegetative state to answer questions with yes/no answers. After asking one such question, the researchers repeat the word “yes” a number of times, interspersing the yesses with distracting, random numbers.

They then do the same with “no”. The patients had been told beforehand to indicate their answer by paying close attention to how many times their desired answer was repeated.

The researchers scanned the participants’ brains during this exercise to help recognise when they were concentrating. The task was so effortful that it was easy for the participants to ignore the answer that they didn’t want to give, Naci says.

They tested the technique on three people, two of whom were minimally conscious and one who had been in a persistent vegetative state for 12 years. All three patients were able to correctly answer questions about their names, for instance, and whether they were in a hospital.

Naci suspects this relatively straightforward method may reveal consciousness in more braininjured people than had been previously thought to have it, which raises questions about whether these patients could then have a say in their care.

Caution would be required in such situations, says Naci, as a patient’s condition may have left them in poor emotional health. “If they are depressed or not emotionally healthy, we wouldn’t necessarily act on their wishes,” she says, as an impaired decision-making process and a depressed outlook might be clouding their judgement.

“The method may provide a starting point for creating a gold standard for assessing consciousness”.—MCT

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2013

Brown dwarfs: Zeroes to astronomical heroes NEW YORK: As if space wasn’t lonely enough, pity the brown dwarf. Compared with their stellar siblings, these astronomical objects are something of a failure.

And while they have much in common with planets, they don’t seem to fit in there either.

This awkward status as cosmic in-betweener means brown dwarfs are often overshadowed by their flashier counterparts, such as alien worlds or fiery supernovae. Yet not fitting in is precisely what makes brown dwarfs far more interesting and useful than we once thought. As new evidence of these celestial outcasts emerges, they are challenging our ideas about the differences between planets and stars. Some have weather unlike anything seen before, from molten iron falling as rain to silicate snow. And the traits they share with exoplanets means that we can learn things that telescopes pointed at alien worlds cannot reveal. The most unloved destinations in space are fast becoming the new cosmic “it” objects.

The existence of brown dwarfs was first suggested in 1962 by Shiv Kumar at the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York City, who had wondered how small a star could be. Below a certain size, Kumar calculated, you would end up with degenerate objects with too little mass to sustain hydrogen fusion, and they would fizzle out.

Kumar called these hypothetical objects “black dwarfs”, but the name proved problematic. In the 1970s, astronomer Jill Tarter pointed out that the term also referred to a dark, cooling star near the end of its life. Various other names had been proposed, such as “planetar”, “still-born star” or “substar”, but Tarter argued for “brown dwarf”. She knew they couldn’t actually be brown (see “True colours”, opposite page), but she felt labelling them with a composite colour was appropriate since their actual colour was going to be difficult to observe due to their feeble radiation.

Tarter was half right: their feeble radiation meant none was spotted for another 20 years. In this period, brown dwarf research stalled. Then, in 1995, Gliese 229b popped into view. About 19?light years away, this brown dwarf was found thanks to advances in infrared telescopes and by switching the search to younger star systems, within which any objects are brighter and easier to spot.

The dwarf had a mass between 20 and 50 times that of Jupiter, and a relatively cool surface temperature of 680 ∞C. Did this thrust brown dwarfs into vogue at last? Not quite. After three decades of speculation, the find might have had more fanfare, but it was announced at the same conference as the discovery of the first exoplanet, so was overshadowed.

Still, for a small group of dedicated researchers, it offered an intriguing puzzle: Gliese 229b was a star, but it had a planet’s atmosphere. “It was clearly very differente_SLps its luminosity, its spectral analysis, the fact that it had methane in it,” says Ben Oppenheimer, assistant curator at the American Museum of Natural History, who was part of the team who found it. The only thing they had to compare it with was Jupiter, but it wasn’t a gas giant. As more brown dwarfs

emerged with similarly puzzling traits- we have now found more than 1200- it sparked debate about how to classify them. Since humans first looked to the heavens, there has always been a separation between stars and planets. Brown dwarfs challenge these ideas.

“It depends on what question you ask, as to whether they are a planet or a star. They blur the distinction between the two,” says Ben Burningham of the University of Hertfordshire, UK. Brown dwarfs are born from the collapse of a gas cloud, just like stars, so share some features with their stellar relations. They have magnetic spots like stars,

in terms of actual size, most are not far off the diameter of Jupiter.

Brown dwarfs share many traits with gas giant planets, too, with a boiling atmosphere made of a toxic brew of carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulphide and water, or methane and ammonia. “The more data we collect, the more obvious the connection between brown dwarfs and planets,” says Oppenheimer. Brown dwarfs, then, represent a bridge between stellar and planetary science.

Recently, we have encountered an intriguing new twist: they have weather. This realisation has sparked a

An artist’s impression of a low mass dwarf. and some even emit radio emissions like pulsars. They are also dense enough to fuse a finite tank of deuterium at the start of their lives. This produces faint infrared radiation, as does the conversion of gravitational energy into heat. Gradually, though, they cool through their lifetimes, says Burningham, “like an ember plucked from a fire”. This makes them much colder- some as cool as 27 ∞C. So should we think of them more like planets?

Brown dwarfs are significantly more massive than most planets- between 13 and 75 times the mass of Jupiter. Only 3 to 4 per cent of known exoplanets are so hefty. But according to Stanimir Metchev of Stony Brook University in New York state, “we truly don’t know how low in mass the lowest-mass star-like object can be and how massive a planet can be.” And

shift in focus among brown dwarf aficionados, from simply searching the sky for more of them to characterising known objects in detail.

It was always suspected that brown dwarfs had clouds, because their internal heat would prompt gases to rise and then condense, as happens in the atmospheres of planets in the far reaches of our solar system. But recently we have been able to watch this weather change over time. In the past few years, astronomers realised that variations in the levels of infrared light emitted by brown dwarfs pointed to shifting patterns within the atmosphere. By training their telescopes on a target for months at a time, they deduced that certain changes in infrared emission were caused by huge storms.

If these brown dwarfs had a daily weather forecast,

then the outlook would be “extreme”. We know from studying the chemical composition of stars that the atmospheres of hotter brown dwarfs contain gaseous iron and silicate, which would eventually condense as it rises and cools. Imagine rain drops of molten iron, with swirling clouds made of hot grains of sand that gradually fall as silicate snow. “We think it would be very similar to the water cycle,” says Mark Marley at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California. Arguably, brown dwarfs have provided the first detailed insights into weather beyond our solar system. Weather on exoplanets, by contrast, is harder to see. “Exoplanets are too faint and we can’t always get the spectra, because we need a huge telescope and a way to remove the starlight,” says Sarah Casewell of the University of Leicester, UK. What we are learning from brown dwarfs could inform our knowledge of exoplanet climates, and help hone the techniques required to probe them. “Brown dwarfs are an excellent proxy for extrasolar giant planets,” says Metchev.

For example, the fact that when a brown dwarf’s atmosphere cools its cloud systems suddenly transform in character- often almost dissipating- suggests that we will see similar patterns on gassy exoplanets.

“They’ve taught us that there is great diversity among substellar objects, and we should certainly expect even more as we study extrasolar planets,” says Marley.

The coolest brown dwarfs have weather patterns we associate with our own planet?- a few may even have clouds made of water vapour. “They are fully comparable in temperature to terrestrial zone planets in the solar system,” says Metchev.

Other brown dwarfs promise to provide clues about the weather experienced by planets heated on only one side. Casewell, for example, studies systems in which a brown dwarf is paired with a white dwarf, locked so that only one side of the brown dwarf is bathed in radiation. “We’re working on a lot of the atmospheric effects,” she says. “Does only one hemisphere get hot? If not, are there large winds transferring heat from the hot side to the cold?”

Understanding how such supersonic winds would affect weather patterns could help us work out the potential habitability of rocky exoplanets.

Perhaps the most tantalising revelation is that brown dwarfs can be accompanied by planets. Indeed, last month a team of astronomers claimed to have found the first known planet orbiting a brown dwarf.

The planet is roughly twice the mass of Jupiter.

“It’s quite possible that planets may form around brown dwarfs by standard planet-formation mechanisms,” says Subhanjoy Mohanty of Imperial College London. While last month’s discovery is a gas giant, many of the future planets we find are likely to be small and rocky, says Mohanty, since young brown dwarfs have less material surrounding them than more massive stars. Life, then, could exist on a world orbiting a brown dwarf. Given that brown dwarfs have now finally come of age, perhaps we should stop trying to pigeonhole them as planets or stars. It’s time to put them in a class of their own. —MCT

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 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

Announcements AWARE CENTRE welcomes newcomers he Aware centre hosts orientation for newcomers to Kuwait today at 7:00 pm. Over the past 10 years, the AWARE Center has opened its doors to many multicultural visitors to Kuwait with the goal of enhancing understanding, communications and promoting positive relations between Arabs and Westerners. To assist newcomers with cross-cultural understanding, we wish to inform you of the upcoming “AWARE Welcome to Kuwait Western Expatriate Orientation for Newcomers.” This Orientation welcomes newly arriving westerners to Kuwait, shares details of the cultural programs & services provided by AWARE and is followed by a buffet dinner. These orientations are free of charge and provide an opportunity for newly arriving Western guests to meet the AWARE team and discover the many services designed to assist with cultural adjustment and settling comfortably in Kuwait. You may select from one of the following orientation dates (Monday, September 2nd, Thursday, September 5th or Saturday, September 7th). The AWARE Center is located in Surra, Block 3, Surra Street, Villa 84.

The Grand Mosque is 90-minute tour of one of Kuwait’s most famous landmarks. Ladies are required to cover (long sleeves and long ankle length skirt, otherwise the mosque will provide a cloak; If you have your own scarf you’re welcome to bring it). Cameras are allowed and children are welcome. This tour meets directly at the Grand Mosque at 9:15am. The Grand Mosque is located on Gulf Road in Kuwait City near the Kuwait Stock exchange and Mubarakiya Market.

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A photowalk in Kuwait on Oct 5th photowalk is more like a social photography event where photographers gather in a spot, take photos for an hour or two then maybe meet up at a restaurant after that. Scott Kelby’s worldwide photowalk never took place in Kuwait until now. Kuwait’s photowalk will be held on October 5th at Souk Al-Mubarakiya at 10am. There are some prizes to be won like a Canon 70D and Adobe Creative Cloud Membership. So far there are 700 registered photowalks with 8700+ photographers. The prizes are for the worldwide event, not just Kuwait. Kuwait Mapping Meet-Up will be held on September 2 at 5:30 pm in Coffee Bean (Mahboula, Coastal Road). The event is for anyone interested in maps, spatial analysis or surveying in Kuwait. For more information, contact Wil at 97225615.

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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.

The Khalid Group of scouts representing the Kuwait Boy Scouts Association participated in a camp that took place recently in Turkey featuring 1200 scouts from Kuwait, Jordan, Macedonia and the host country.

Japanese festival two-day Japanese Pop Culture Festival will be held on September 12 at 6:00 pm and September 13 at 6:00 pm. The event will be held in the National Library, Mubarakiya Street in Kuwait City.

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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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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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Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

‘Dakshinarchana’ musical tribute to V Dakshinamurthy

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o pay tribute to the legendary carnatic musician and South Indian film music director V Dakshinamoorthy popularly known as ‘Swamy’ who passed away at the age of 94 in Chennai, THANIMA organized a musical eve named ‘Dakshinarchana’ on 29 August 2013 at the United Indian School auditorium, Abbassiya.

The program started with a devotional hymn by Ambika Sooryanarayanan followed by a brief on Swamy

and his life by Iqbal Kuttamangalam. Well known singers - Anwar Sarang, Ambika Sooryanarayan, Reeva, Moncy, Anna, Rebecca, Joby, Sindhu Ramesh, Varghese Paul, Kishore, Sai, Sumi Siju, Ambika Rajesh, Julia, Togen and Jaya Dheeraj - rendered melodious and evergreen songs by Dakshinarmurthy Swamy arousing nostalgic feelings of the audience. Orchestra was lead by Basheer Koilandi ably supported by Johnson, Pratapan, Sajeevan, Jabbar, Manoj and Hamza. Varghese Paul was

the sound engineer assisted by Sunil. The public had the opportunity to offer floral tribute to Swamy symbolically on a picture drawn by Johnarts. Program convener was Shaiju Pallipuram and the program was coordinated by Babuji Bathery along with Thanima Core members. Hundreds of music lovers attended the program which was enjoyed by all.

Ravin Singh launches ghazal album

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inger Ravin Singh has launched his new ghazal album JAZBAAT in India on 18th of August. This album is written by renowned writer/poet Syed Qamar Minto. This album has a collection of 6 ghazals.

It took one year to compose the album.

Many prestigious people and government officials attended the launch ceremony in India. Since the compositions are based on Indian classical music the album is getting a huge response in two weeks of time.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2013

W H AT ’ S O N

Opportunities and overcoming barriers to investment in Arab countries in transition

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he Foreign Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom, in partnership with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Islamic Development Bank, is organising a Deauville Partnership investment Conference on 16 September 2013 at the Park Plaza Victoria Hotel in London. The conference will be the first of its kind to bring together government representatives, business associations and investors from the G8, regional partners (Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, UAE and Turkey) as

well as the International Financial Institutions (IFIs) to discuss investment opportunities In the six Arab countries in transition (Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Libya, Jordan and Yemen).

The event will: Provide a unique opportunity to network and discuss issues with companies, investors, senior government representatives and experts from the MENA region, G8 countries and IFIs; Include panel discus-

sions on the challenges and policy bafflers to attracting greater investment in the Arab countries in transition; Showcase investment opportunities in the Arab countries in transition and explain the actions their governments are taking to make investment environments more attractive. For more information on this conference, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/g8-deauville-partnership-investmentconference

What to do in Kuwait in september beings and animals in their environments. When entering the Discovery Place, visitors gain scientific experience through educational games. Highly specialized trainers are assigned to guide visitors through hand-on playful training. On entering the IMAX Cinema, one can watch 3D movies played on the giant screen. Visitors can enjoy watching educational and documentary presentations and get engaged into a highly imaginative experience.

Address: The Scientific Center, Gulf Road Contact: 1848888 E-mail: info@tsck.org.kw Website: www.tsck.org.kw

Visit the Sadu House Al-Sadu Society is dedicated to preserving, documenting and promoting the rich and diverse textile heritage of the Kuwaiti Bedouin, from the nomadic weaving of the desert to the urban weaving of the town. Sadu is a traditional Bedouin art that involves weaving geometric designs on dyed and colored wool that is spun by hand to create magnificent carpets, rugs, and Bedouin tent screens. Inside the Sadu House, visitors have the opportunity to see Bedouin women weaving. Sadu House is located near the National Museum. It is considered to be the center of Bedouin art aiming at presenting Kuwait’s roots and protecting Bedouin crafts from eradication.

Address: Arabian Gulf Street, Next to the National Museum of Kuwait, Kuwait City Opening Hours: Saturdays to Thursdays: Mornings from 08 am to 1 pm. Evenings from 4 pm to 8 pm.

Contact: 22432395 E-mail: info@alsadu.org.kw Website: www.alsadu.org.kw View Boushahri Gallery The Boushahri Art Gallery was established in 1982 by Jawad Boushahri, the Chairman of the Boushahri group who is also an acclaimed Kuwaiti sculptor. It is one of the oldest private art galleries in the Middle East. This long established gallery showcases contemporary regional work. In order to create an awareness toward art in Kuwait as a community service, the Boushahri Art Gallery educates, supports and sponsors local and international artists, displaying their paintings, potteries, ceramic portraitures, designs, photographers, sculptures and much more. To encourage the Art lovers and educate society, Boushahri Art Gallery offers many courses, seminars and lectures about Art. Address: Salmiya, Baghdad St., Building Number: 36, in front of Al- Laheeb Mosque Opening Hours: 10 am to 1 pm and 5 pm to 9 pm. The museum is closed on Friday and Thursday afternoons.

Contact: 25621119/99770607 Website: www.boushahrigroup.com/client/PhotoandArt.aspx Take a break at Al-Khiran Resort The Al-Khiran resort is a relaxing “get-away” from the mayhem of stressful city life. The resort provides a soothing tranquil environment that includes beautiful green lawns, wide, well-defined roads, ample parking spaces, and clean well-maintained beaches. It has many chalets that are beautifully furnished and air-conditioned. The resort also offers a variety of other facilities such as football and basketball courts, luxurious restaurants, yacht clubs, an amusement park for children, electronic computer arcade and the ‘Duza’ ballroom. The resort also provides variety in food as it includes a fast-food counter, and a counter that offers seafood, Italian and oriental food.

Address: Gulf Street, Al-Khiran district Contact: 23951122 E-mail: mailbox@khiranresort.com Website: www.khiranresort.com Stop at the Tareq Rajab Museum The Tareq Rajab Museum houses an anthology of over thirty thousand items collected over the last fifty years, of which approximately ten thousand are on permanent display. Tareq Sayed Rajab was the first Kuwaiti to be sent abroad to study art and archaeology and his collection includes Islamic arts, ceramic, gold and silver jewelry, English manuscripts, metal and glass works, old English costumes, and musical instruments. His personal collection includes over thirty thousand Islamic treasures that were gathered over the years. The Museum is divided into two parts: in Area A, calligraphy, manuscripts, ceramics, metalwork, glass, jade, wood and stone carvings are exhibited. Area B contains objects such as costumes, textiles, jewellery and musical instruments produced in the Islamic world.

Address: Jabriya, near the intersection of the Fifth Ring Motorway and the Abdulaziz Bin Abdilrahman al-Saud Expressway (Fahaheel Expressway); Street 5; Block12; House 16 Opening Hours: Weekdays from 9 am to 12 pm; Evenings: From 4 pm to 7 pm; Fridays: From 9 am to 12 pm.

Contact: 25317358/25354916 Website: www.trmkt.com

Visit Dar Al-Funoon gallery Dar Al-Funoon, which was established in 1993, focuses on contemporary Arab art as well as Arabic calligraphy.

Exhibitions are held monthly from October to May, and a special silk exhibition of arts and crafts is held in December. Between temporary exhibitions, items from the private collection are on display, which can be bought.

The gallery is located between the Sheraton Hotel and the Arabian Gulf Street. The area itself is interesting thanks to its old Kuwaiti-style houses and a large courtyard which includes a number of excellent restaurants.

Address: Behbehani compound, Salhiya, House No. 28, Al-Watiah, Kuwait City Opening Hours: Sundays to Thursdays: 10 am to 1 pm Evenings: 4 pm to 8 pm Contact: 22433138 E-mail: info@daralfunoon-kw.com Website: www.daralfunoon-kw.com Bayt - Lothan Bayt Lothan is dedicated to the promotion of arts and crafts and is host to various exhibitions and displays throughout the year. It covers an area of 4,000 square meters on the Arabian Gulf Street and caters to all tastes and themes, including sculpture, ceramic arts, jewelry and photography, as well as contemporary art and calligraphy. Watch out in the local press for details of current and forthcoming exhibitions or seminars. There is also a small coffee shop for basic refreshments and for theatre lovers they also hold drama classes throughout the year.

Address: Gulf Street, beside Marina Mall, in front of Corniche Hotel Contact: 25755866 / 25727388 E-Mail: info@baytlothan.org Opening Hours: Sundays to Thursdays: 9 am to 1 pm; Evenings: 5 pm to 9 pm Website: http://www.baytlothan.org Visit Ghadir Gallery, Kuwait The Al-Ghadir Gallery Kuwait is dedicated to promote the Kuwaiti formative artist and writer Thuraya AlBaqsami and successfully accomplished 120 national and international solo art exhibitions, literary and poetry readings and musical events. It also participates in charity activities worldwide. The gallery offers varieties of art including paintings, frames, handcrafts, art materials and antiques.

Address: Block 6, Street 5, Villa 40, Mishref, Kuwait Contact: 22435101, 22426240 E-mail: info@ghadirgallerykuwait.com Website: www.ghadirgallerykuwait.com Take the kids to Al-Shaab Leisure Park Al-Sha’ab Leisure Park is located on the southern coast of Kuwait City. It combines more than 70 special rides on the level of the Middle East. It also provides integrated services, including restaurants, a mall, and rides and games that meet the interests of all age groups. The park also offers indoor games as well as outdoor sports like bungee jumping, pony rides and ice-skating. Families can also access facilities such as the movies and the delicious meals at the restaurants. At Al-Sha’ab Leisure Park, all these facilities are maintained according to international standards.

Address: Baghdad Street, Block 11, Salmiya Opening Hours: All days from 5 pm to 1 am (Summer) and 10 am - 12 Midnight on weekends.

Contact: 25613777 E-mail: shaabpark_fb@uetc.com.kw Website: www.shaabpark.com Kuwait National Museum The Kuwait National Museum hosts a range of items such as fossils, bones, Islamic artifacts, and pottery tools that reflect the culture, history and heritage of the Kuwaiti society and the Islamic world. The relics on display presents Kuwait’s ancient past, the development of the Islamic nations and the impact of the discovery of oil.

Part of the Dar-Al-Athar-Al-Islamiyah collection is also on display, and a replica of the Muhallab II that graces the entrance has also recently been restored as a reminder of Kuwait’s seafaring past. There is also a modern Planetarium, built by Carl Zeiss which is a pleasant educational experience for both adults and children. The three major attractions in the museum are the heritage museum, the planetarium and the wooden ship.

Address: Behind Sadu House, Arabian Gulf Street Contact No.: 22451195 Opening Hours: 8:30am to 12:30pm and 4:30pm to 8:30pm (Summers); and 8 am to 4 pm (Winters). The Museum is closed on Sundays, Friday mornings and Saturday afternoons.

Stop to view AL M. Gallery AL M. Gallery is a contemporary fine art gallery located in the heart of Kuwait City in Salhia Complex. Gallery organizes exhibitions of Kuwaiti, Middle Eastern and International artists.

Address: Salhia Complex, Gate 4, Mezzanine 2, Place 16.

Opening Hours: Sundays to Thursdays 10 am to 3 pm and Evenings: 5 pm to 9 pm Contact No.: 22996447 E-mail: info@al-m-gallery.com Website: www.al-m-gallery.com

The Scientific Center, Kuwait The Scientific Center is designed to reflect the Islamic arts and culture. It has three main fascinating attractions: Aquarium, Discovery Place and IMAX Cinema. The Aquarium presents an ecosystem of desert, sea, and coastal edge. Visitors of the Aquarium explore the lives of

Go to Kuwait Zoo Since its establishment years ago, the Kuwait Zoo is an entertaining place to visit and a ‘fun’ place to be with family. It includes many species of animals and a train that goes around the entire zoo. The zoo also offers camel and horse rides. The zoo suffered extensive damages during

the 1990 Iraqi Invasion. Nevertheless, most of the maintenance work has been finished, and the zoo reopened after the modification and renovation work was completed. Part of these renovations in early 1993 included the addition of new animals.

Address: Airport Road, Omariya, off the fifth ring road, (Route 55), Farwaniya Opening Hours: Mondays to Saturdays: 8 am to 12pm and Evenings: 4pm to 8pm E-mail: zoo.kuwait@gmail.com Website: www.raisaquaculture.net/drupal-5.7 Skate at the Ice Skating Rink The Ice Skating Rink in Kuwait is a major landmark and a great sport facility and is the first of its kind in the Gulf region and the middle East. The rink consists of two main rinks - the first is an Olympic rink that is bigger and can accommodate around 1600 viewers and also provides shoe-changing rooms, a skating equipment store and a first-aid facility. The second is a smaller rink accommodating nearly 600 visitors. Both arenas have a cafeteria serving light snacks and drinks. The rink occasionally organizes different music festivals, kids’ shows and award ceremonies. The rink offers viewers a great chance to get a glimpse of an Olympic-sized rink.

Address: Al - Soor Street, First Ring Road, Shamiya, near Discovery Mall Opening Hours: 8:30 am to 10 pm Contact No.: 22411151 / 22411152

Embassy Information 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 57) 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 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

Tour the Entertainment City The Entertainment City is located 20 km from Kuwait City and provides complete entertainment for all members of the family. The city is divided into three theme parks: The Arab world, the International World and the Future World. The park offers more than 40 different rides, lots of games to play, and stage show unique to the Middle East. The major attractions to look out for in the park include the City of Dreams, the City of Sinbad and Ali Baba, the City of Thunder and Hurricanes, the African boat, Grand Pix, Arabian Carousel and the Fantasy Cinema. The place is fully equipped with a police station of its own and ambulance service, shops where souvenirs and other merchandise can be purchased, and a parking lot that can accommodate around 3000 vehicles.

Address: Al-Madina Al-Tarfihiya, Al - Doha Opening Hours: Sundays - Fridays: 5 pm to 1 am (Summers) and 3 pm to 11 pm (Winters) It is important to note that Mondays are allocated only for women and men are not allowed on Mondays.

Contact No.: 24879455 Sail to Failaka Island Failaka Island is one of the most gorgeous and famous historical islands in Kuwait. It combines the ancient and contemporary history of Kuwait. The island is rich in cultural and historical landmarks from different ages from the end of the third millennium till the modern age. The island presents the aftermath of the Iraqi invasion and the Gulf War. The trauma of the war has been preserved on the island; However, the island still makes for a great visit containing ancient relics and remains of past civilizations. The island makes a perfect spot and provides facilities for fishing, boating, swimming, sailing and water sports. There are regular boat rides and ferries going to and fro the island.

Address: North of the Persian Gulf, 20km off the coast of Kuwait City Cruise Details: The KPTC (Kuwait Public Transport Company) provides ferries to and from Failaka Island every day from Ras-Salmiya near Scientific Center.

Contact KPTC Marine services at 22328814.

Green Island Green Island is definitely a place to visit in a desert country like Kuwait. The artificial island is covered with greens, shrubs and seedlings of all colors making it quite unbelievable that the island is part of a desert. The island also offers various entertainment services which includes an amphitheatre that can seat up to 700 persons and hosts various concerts and theatre shows occasionally, swimming pools, exotic restaurants, small waterfalls, and a kids’ castle. It also offers a tram that goes around the island periodically and several walkways.. The island is also conveniently located across the Kuwaiti waterfront spanning 21 km of the coastline enabling a magnificent view of the sea. It hosts around 50,000 varieties of shrubs, trees, and plants that envelop the entire island.

Address: Arabian Gulf Street, Dasman, Kuwait City Opening Hours: 8 am to 11 pm everyday Contact No.: 22526153 Messila Water Village The Messila Water Village is perfect entertainment for the family on a hot summer day. It contains huge aquatic games, small and large swimming pools for adults and children respectively, fountains and water slides. It contains water games like Ahmedoh Volcano, Noor Tower, Haneen Tower and Maraheb Tower. The park is well maintained with changing rooms, towels, lockers, first aid services, snack stalls and a car park.

Address: Souk Al- Dhakly, Arabian Gulf Street, Messila Contact No.: 25652525 / 25651515 Opening Hours: Everyday 10 am to 10 pm, however only women are allowed on Saturdays, Mondays and Thursdays. Families are allowed on Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

EMBASSY OF GREECE 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

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 US

The US Embassy in Kuwait has new procedures for obtaining appointments and picking up passports after visa issuance.

Beginning August 9, 2013, we now provide an online visa appointment system, live call center, and in-person pick-up facilities in Kuwait.

Please monitor our website and social media for additional information. This new system offers more flexibility for travelers to the US and to meet the increase in demand for visa appointments.

The general application steps on the new visa appointment system are: 1. Go to www.ustraveldocs.com/kw (if this is the first time on ustraveldocs.com, you will need to create a profile to login).

2. Please complete your DS-160 Online Visa Application which is available at ceac.state.gov/genNIV. 3. Please print and take your deposit slip to any Burgan Bank location to pay your visa application fee.

4. Schedule an appointment for your visa interview online at www.ustraveldocs.com/kw or by phone through the Call Center (at +9652227-1673).

5. If you need to change or cancel your appointment, please do so 24 hours beforehand, as a courtesy to other applicants. For more information, please visit the US Embassy website - kuwait.usembassy.gov - as it is the best source of information regarding these changes. 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

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2013

TV PROGRAMS

00:05 00:55 01:45 02:35 03:25 04:15 05:05 06:00 07:00 07:50 08:40 09:05 09:30 09:55 10:20 10:45 11:10 11:35 12:25 13:15 14:05 14:30 14:55 15:20 16:10 Junior 17:00 17:50 18:40 19:30 20:20 20:45 21:10 21:35 22:00 22:50 23:40

Aliens: Are We Alone?

Sons Of Guns Sons Of Guns Sons Of Guns Sons Of Guns Sons Of Guns Sons Of Guns Mythbusters Mythbusters River Monsters What Happened Next?

Magic Of Science Border Security Auction Hunters Auction Kings How Do They Do It? How It’s Made Fast N’ Loud Fantom Works Driven To Extremes Border Security Auction Hunters Auction Kings Ice Cold Gold American Chopper: Senior vs

00:05 00:30 01:00 01:50 02:45 05:15 05:40 06:05 07:00 07:50 08:40 09:05 09:30 10:20 11:15 12:05 13:00 13:50 14:20 14:45 15:10 16:00 16:55 17:45 18:35 19:30 20:20 21:10 21:35 22:00 22:50 23:40

The Tech Show Food Factory Sport Science Sport Science Sport Science The Gadget Show The Tech Show Curiosity Brave New World Mighty Ships The Gadget Show The Tech Show Sci-Trek X-Machines Smash Lab Brave New World Mighty Ships Food Factory The Gadget Show The Tech Show Brave New World Sci-Trek X-Machines Smash Lab How The Universe Works Prototype This Engineering Ground Zero The Gadget Show The Tech Show Prototype This Engineering Ground Zero The Gadget Show

Ultimate Survival Dirty Jobs Mythbusters Sons Of Guns Auction Hunters Auction Kings How Do They Do It? How It’s Made Gold Divers Deadliest Catch Deadliest Catch

00:30 Deadly Affairs 01:20 Dr G: Medical Examiner 02:10 Blood Relatives 03:00 On The Case With Paula Zahn 03:45 LA: City Of Demons 04:30 Deadly Affairs 05:20 Dr G: Medical Examiner 06:10 Disappeared 07:00 Life Or Death: Medical Mysteries 07:50 Street Patrol 08:15 Street Patrol 08:40 Real Emergency Calls 09:05 Who On Earth...

09:30 True Crime With Aphrodite Jones 10:20 Solved 11:10 Disappeared 12:00 Mystery Diagnosis

12:50 13:15 13:40 14:30 Jones 15:20 15:45 16:10 17:00 17:50 18:40 Jones 19:30 20:20 21:10 22:00 22:50 23:40

00:00 00:20 00:45 01:05 01:30 01:50 02:15 02:35 03:00 03:20 03:45 04:05 04:30 04:50 05:15 05:35 06:00 06:25 06:45 07:10 07:35 07:55 08:20 08:45 09:05 Pirates 09:15 Pirates 09:30 09:55 10:15 10:40 11:05 11:25 11:50 12:15 12:35 13:00 13:25 13:45 14:10 15:50 16:10 17:00 17:20 17:45 18:10 18:30 18:55 19:20 20:05 20:30 20:50

Street Patrol Street Patrol Forensic Detectives True Crime With Aphrodite Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth...

Disappeared Solved Forensic Detectives True Crime With Aphrodite Dr G: Medical Examiner Nightmare Next Door Couples Who Kill Deadly Devotion Blood Relatives I Almost Got Away With It

Stitch!

Stitch!

A Kind Of Magic A Kind Of Magic Emperor’s New School Emperor’s New School The Replacements The Replacements A Kind Of Magic A Kind Of Magic Emperor’s New School Emperor’s New School The Replacements The Replacements A Kind Of Magic A Kind Of Magic Austin And Ally Suite Life On Deck Shake It Up A.N.T. Farm Jessie Good Luck Charlie Good Luck Charlie Doc McStuffins Jake And The Neverland Jake And The Neverland A.N.T. Farm A.N.T. Farm Jessie Jessie Good Luck Charlie Good Luck Charlie Good Luck Charlie Shake It Up Shake It Up Austin And Ally Austin And Ally Austin And Ally Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam Jessie Violetta A.N.T. Farm Austin And Ally Gravity Falls Shake It Up That’s So Raven A.N.T. Farm Violetta Jessie My Babysitter’s A Vampire Austin And Ally

06:00 Kid vs Kat 06:10 Iron Man Armored 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 09:05 Kickin It 09:30 Lab Rats 09:55 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 Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja 14:55 Lab Rats 15:20 Phineas And Ferb 15:30 Phineas And Ferb 15:45 Kickin It 16:10 Pair Of Kings 16:35 Crash & Bernstein 17:00 Lab Rats 17:30 Kickin It 18:00 Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja 18:25 Phineas And Ferb 18:50 Phineas And Ferb 19:15 Slugterra 19:40 Crash & Bernstein 20:05 Ultimate Spider-Man 20:30 Max Steel 20:55 Pair Of Kings 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 KSA

00:30 Deadly Affairs 01:20 Dr G: Medical Examiner 02:10 Blood Relatives 03:00 On The Case With Paula Zahn 03:45 LA: City Of Demons 04:30 Deadly Affairs 05:20 Dr G: Medical Examiner 06:10 Disappeared 07:00 Life Or Death: Medical Mysteries 07:50 Street Patrol 08:15 Street Patrol 08:40 Real Emergency Calls 09:05 Who On Earth...

09:30 True Crime With Aphrodite Jones 10:20 Solved 11:10 Disappeared 12:00 Mystery Diagnosis 12:50 Street Patrol 13:15 Street Patrol 13:40 Forensic Detectives 14:30 True Crime With Aphrodite Jones 15:20 Real Emergency Calls 15:45 Who On Earth...

16:10 Disappeared 17:00 Solved 17:50 Forensic Detectives 18:40 True Crime With Aphrodite Jones 19:30 Dr G: Medical Examiner 20:20 Nightmare Next Door 21:10 Couples Who Kill 22:00 Deadly Devotion 22:50 Blood Relatives 23:40 I Almost Got Away With It

00:00 00:30 01:00 01:30 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

The Cleveland Show The Daily Show The Colbert Report Saturday Night Live Unsupervised Two And A Half Men The Mindy Project Seinfeld The Tonight Show With Jay All Of Us The War At Home Malibu Country Late Night With Jimmy Fallon Seinfeld All Of Us The Mindy Project The Mindy Project Hot In Cleveland Malibu Country The Tonight Show With Jay The War At Home Seinfeld All Of Us Malibu Country The Mindy Project The Mindy Project Hot In Cleveland The Daily Show The Colbert Report The War At Home

17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:00 Men At Work 18:30 Men At Work 19:00 Two And A Half Men 19:30 Hot In Cleveland 20:00 Parks And Recreation 20:30 Wilfred 21:00 The Daily Show Global Edition 21:30 The Colbert Report Global Edition 22:00 Family Guy 22:30 South Park 23:00 Unsupervised 23:30 Parks And Recreation

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 11:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

24 Top Gear (UK) Defiance Banshee Psych C.S.I. 24 The Finder Necessary Roughness Defiance Psych Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Necessary Roughness 24 Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Necessary Roughness Parenthood Covert Affairs In Plain Sight The Newsroom Banshee

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 10:00 10:30 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Touch Supernatural Good Morning America American Idol The Client List Supernatural 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 C.S.I. Miami Once Upon A Time Homeland The Client List American Idol

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 19:45 21:30

7 Below Nowhere To Run Seconds Apart Abandoned Twins Mission Go Fast Carjacked True Justice: Dead Drop Go Fast Deadly Hope True Justice: Dead Drop Backdraft

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 PG15 14:00 16:00 17:45 PG15 19:30 22:00

Nowhere To Run-18 Seconds Apart-PG15 Abandoned-PG15 Twins Mission-PG15 Go Fast-PG15 Carjacked-PG15 True Justice: Dead Drop-

00:00 02:00 04:00 PG15 06:00 PG15 08:00 10:00 12:00 PG15 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

Go Fast-PG15 Deadly Hope-PG15 True Justice: Dead DropBackdraft-PG15 Bunraku-18

Tommy Boy-PG15 30 Minutes Or Less-18 The Bad News Bears (1976)Desperately Seeking SantaCheaper By The Dozen-PG Celtic Pride-PG The Bad News Bears (1976)Cheaper By The Dozen 2-PG Celtic Pride-PG Johnny English Reborn-PG15 The Change Up-18 Tommy Boy-PG15

01:00 You Got Served: Beat The World-PG15 02:45 The Flowers Of War-PG15 05:15 Five-PG15 07:00 You Got Served: Beat The World-PG15 09:00 The Flowers Of War-PG15 11:30 Dead Lines-PG15 13:00 Separate Lies-PG15 14:30 Hindenburg-PG15 17:30 Saving Grace B. Jones-PG15 19:30 On The Inside-PG15 21:15 The Ides Of March-PG15 23:00 Flying Lessons-PG15

TOWER HEIST ON OSN MOVIES HD

01:00 Raggedy Man-PG15 03:00 Stomp The Yard-PG15 05:00 Dark Horse-PG15 07:00 1941-PG15 09:00 Raggedy Man-PG15 11:00 The Year Dolly Parton Was My Mom-PG 13:00 The Rich Man’s Wife-PG15 15:00 Me And You-PG15 17:00 Stomp The Yard-PG15 19:00 Being John Malkovich-PG15 21:00 An Officer And A Gentleman

CARJACKED ON OSN MOVIES ACTION 23:15 7 Days In Havana-18

01:00 Black Forest-PG15 03:00 Young Adult-PG15 05:00 John Carter-PG15 07:15 The Makeover-PG15 09:00 Tower Heist-PG15 11:00 A Dog Named Duke-PG15 12:30 The Phantom Of The Opera At The Royal Albert Hall-PG15 15:15 Wreck-It Ralph-PG 17:00 Tower Heist-PG15 18:45 Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol-PG15 21:00 Cowboys & Aliens-PG15 23:00 Our Idiot Brother-18

01:15 Chase 02:45 04:15 Part I 06:00 08:00 10:00 11:30 Part I 13:15 14:30 Part II 16:15 18:00 20:00 22:00 Part II 23:30

Moomins And The Comet Valentina Winner & The Golden Child: Super Buddies Rh+ The Vampire Of Seville Eleanor’s Secret Winner & The Golden Child: Valentina Winner & The Golden Child: The Happy Cricket Eleanor’s Secret Vickery’s Wild Ride Winner & The Golden Child: The Happy Cricket

00:00 Burden Of Evil-PG15 02:00 Just Crazy Enough-PG15 04:00 Shark Night-PG15 06:00 Best In Show-PG15 08:00 Just Crazy Enough-PG15 09:45 Perfect Plan-PG15 11:15 Shark Night-PG15 12:45 George Harrison: Living In The Material World-PG15 16:15 Just Crazy Enough-PG15 18:00 Ice Age: Continental Drift-PG 20:00 The New Daughter-PG15 22:00 The Dark Knight Rises-PG15

01:00 Trans World Sport 02:00 European Senior Highlights 03:00 PGA European Tour 07:00 AFL Premiership 09:30 Futbol Mundial 10:00 ICC Cricket 360 10:30 Trans World Sport 11:30 NRL Full Time 12:00 Live NRL Premiership 18:00 Inside The PGA Tour 18:30 Live PGA Tour

Tour

01:00 WWE Bottom Line 02:00 AFL Premiership 04:30 NRL Premiership 06:30 Futbol Mundial 07:00 PGA Tour 12:30 Champions Tour 14:30 AFL Premiership 17:00 WWE Bottom Line 18:00 NRL Premiership 20:00 AFL Premiership Highlights 21:00 Live Sailing America’s Cup 23:00 PGA European Tour Highlights

00:00 Futbol Mundial 00:30 Total Rugby 01:00 Rugby Union Currie Cup 04:00 Cricket International Twenty20 07:00 Golfing World 08:00 Top 14 Highlights 08:30 AFL Premiership 11:00 World Pool Masters 12:00 Sailing America’s Cup 14:00 Top 14 Highlights

14:30 16:30 17:30 20:00 22:00 23:00

Web.Com Tour Golfing World AFL Premiership Sailing America’s Cup World Pool Masters World Pool Masters

00:00 00:30 01:30 02:00

WWE This Week Triahlon UK Mobil 1 The Grid UFC Prelims

04:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 13:30 14:00 15:00 15:30 17:30 18:30 19:00 21:00

UFC WWE Bottom Line WWE Experience Ping Pong World US Bass Fishing ITU World Triathlon Series Triahlon UK Triahlon UK UIM Powerboat Champs WWE SmackDown WWE Experience Mobil 1 The Grid UFC Prelims UFC

British broadcaster David Frost dies aged 74 B

ritish broadcasting great David Frost has died of a heart attack, his family said in a statement yesterday. He was 74. Frost, celebrated for his revealing interviews with former US president Richard Nixon, died Saturday after falling ill on board the Queen Elizabeth cruise liner. “His family are devastated and ask for privacy at this difficult time,” the statement said.

“A family funeral will be held in the near future and details of a memorial service will be announced in due course.”

Frost’s list of interviewees, from presidents and prime ministers to royalty and show-business celebrities, was expansive.

On the surface, Frost’s interviewing style could come across as soft, but the friendly veneer allowed him to extract intriguing information with more blunt questions. Frost’s lengthy 1977 interviews with Nixon saw him press the former president on the Watergate scandal.

The encounter was turned into a play entitled “Frost/Nixon”, which was adapted into a 2008 film, with Michael Sheen playing Frost and Frank Langella as Nixon. It was nominated for five Oscars.

British Prime Minister David Cameron said: “My heart goes out to David Frost’s family. He could be-and certainly was with me-both a friend and a fearsome interviewer.” Frost was knighted in 1993, becoming Sir David.

With his extensive contacts book, his annual summer garden parties were often a who’s-who of the rich and famous. The broadcaster wrote 17 books, produced several films and started two British television networks, London Weekend Television and TV-am. In 1983, he married Lady Carina Fitzalan-Howard, second daughter of the Duke of Norfolk-

A picture dated April 17, 2013 shows British television presenter David Frost leaving after attending the ceremonial funeral of British former prime minister Margaret Thatcher at St Paulís Cathedral in central London. —AFP the premier duke in the English nobility, who has a role in organizing state occasions. They had three sons. — AFP

A picture dated February 8, 2009 shows British Academy of Film and Television Award (BAFTA) presenters actor Michael Sheen and David Frost posing for photographers at the Royal Opera House in central London. — AFP

Classifieds MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2013

Kuwait KNCC PROGRAMME FROM THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY (29/08/2013 TO 04/09/2013) SHARQIA-1 THE SMURFS 2 (DIG) YOU’RE NEXT (DIG) THE WOLVERINE (DIG) YOU’RE NEXT (DIG) YOU’RE NEXT (DIG) THE WOLVERINE (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:45 PM 4:00 PM 6:00 PM 8:30 PM 10:30 PM 12:30 AM

SHARQIA-2 TURBO (DIG-3D) TURBO (DIG-3D) TURBO (DIG-3D) PARANOIA (DIG) THE CONJURING (DIG) PARANOIA (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:45 PM 3:00 PM 5:00 PM 7:00 PM 9:15 PM 11:30 PM

SHARQIA-3 2 GUNS (DIG) ONE DIRECTION: THIS IS US (DIG) 2 GUNS (DIG) ONE DIRECTION: THIS IS US (DIG) 2 GUNS (DIG) 2 GUNS (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:15 PM 3:30 PM 5:30 PM 7:45 PM 9:45 PM 12:05 AM

MUHALAB-1 2 GUNS (DIG) PARANOIA (DIG) SATYAGRAHA (DIG) (HINDI) PARANOIA (DIG)

2:00 PM 4:15 PM 6:30 PM 9:30 PM

MUHALAB-2 THE CONJURING (DIG) THE WOLVERINE (DIG) YOU’RE NEXT (DIG) THE CONJURING (DIG) YOU’RE NEXT (DIG)

12:45 PM 3:00 PM 5:30 PM 7:30 PM 9:45 PM

MUHALAB-3 TURBO (DIG-3D) THE SMURFS 2 (DIG-3D) TURBO (DIG) ONE DIRECTION: THIS IS US (DIG) 2 GUNS (DIG)

1:45 PM 3:45 PM 6:00 PM 8:00 PM 10:00 PM

FANAR-1 ONE DIRECTION: THIS IS US (DIG) PARANOIA (DIG) ONE DIRECTION: THIS IS US (DIG) PARANOIA (DIG) ONE DIRECTION: THIS IS US (DIG) PARANOIA (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED FANAR-2 DESPICABLE ME 2 (DIG) YOU’RE NEXT (DIG)

1:30 PM 3:45 PM 6:00 PM 8:00 PM 10:15 PM 12:15 AM

2:00 PM 4:15 PM

THE WOLVERINE (DIG) YOU’RE NEXT (DIG) YOU’RE NEXT (DIG) THE WOLVERINE (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

6:15 PM 8:45 PM 10:45 PM 12:45 AM

FANAR-3 RED 2 (DIG) JOBS (DIG) SATYAGRAHA (DIG) (HINDI) CHENNAI EXPRESS (DIG) (HINDI) RED 2 (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:15 PM 4:00 PM 6:30 PM 9:30 PM 12:30 AM

FANAR-4 TURBO (DIG-3D) TURBO (DIG-3D) TURBO (DIG-3D) 2 GUNS (DIG) 2 GUNS (DIG) 2 GUNS (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:00 PM 3:00 PM 5:00 PM 7:00 PM 9:15 PM 11:30 PM

FANAR-5 THE SMURFS 2 THE CONJURING THE SMURFS 2 THE CONJURING THE CONJURING THE CONJURING NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:45 PM 3:00 PM 5:15 PM 7:30 PM 9:45 PM 12:05 AM

MARINA-1 YOU’RE NEXT (DIG) PARANOIA (DIG) YOU’RE NEXT (DIG) PARANOIA (DIG) YOU’RE NEXT (DIG) PARANOIA (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:00 PM 3:00 PM 5:15 PM 7:15 PM 9:30 PM 11:30 PM

MARINA-2 TURBO (DIG) TURBO (DIG) TURBO (DIG) 2 GUNS (DIG) 2 GUNS (DIG) 2 GUNS (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:45 PM 3:45 PM 5:45 PM 7:45 PM 10:00 PM 12:15 AM

MARINA-3 THE SMURFS 2 (DIG-3D) ONE DIRECTION: THIS IS US (DIG) 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

FOR SALE Mazda zoom (3) silver color, model 2009, excellent condition, KD 1,550. Tel: 50994848. (C 4496) 2-9-2013 Toyota Camry model 2011, silver color, GL, four cylinder engine, excellent condition, installment possible, cash prize KD 3,875. Tel: 66507741. (C 4495) 1-9-2013 SITUATION VACANT

pm. Salary KD 80 per month, weekly day off on Friday, one month paid leave annually.

Tel: 67094773. (C 4497) 2-9-2013

A Kuwaiti family in Jabriya is looking to hire an Indian driver, part-time from 7 am to 4

Prayer timings

112

Fajr: Shorook Duhr: Asr: Maghrib: Isha:

04:00 05:22 11:50 15:24 18:16 19:36

THE PUBLIC AUTHORITY FOR CIVIL INFORMATION Automated enquiry about the Civil ID card is

1889988

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

Airlines QTR THY JZR JZR THY ETH GFA MEA AFG UAE ETD THY RJA FDB RBG MSR QTR THY DHX FDB QTR BAW UAE RBG KAC JZR JZR JZR KAC JZR FDB KAC KAC UAE ABY FDB QTR ETD KAC KAC IRA GFA IRC MEA MSC JZR JZR JZR UAE MSR MSR THY KNE KAC KAC QTR FDB MPH JZR KAC

Arrival Flights on on Monday 2/9/2013 Flt Route 148 DOHA 5464 SABIHA 267 BEIRUT 539 CAIRO 764 SABIHA 620 ADDIS ABABA 211 BAHRAIN 408 BEIRUT 416 JEDDAH 853 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI-INTL 768 ISTANBUL 642 AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA 67 DUBAI 555 ALEXANDRIA 612 CAIRO 138 DOHA 770 ISTANBUL 170 BAHRAIN 69 DUBAI 6130 DOHA 157 LONDON 3857 DUBAI 557 ALEXANDRIA 412 MANILA 555 ALEXANDRIA 529 ASYUT 1541 CAIRO 206 ISLAMABAD 503 LUXOR 53 DUBAI 302 MUMBAI 284 DHAKA 855 DUBAI 125 SHARJAH 55 DUBAI 132 DOHA 301 ABU DHABI-INTL 344 CHENNAI 352 COCHIN 3407 MASHAD 213 BAHRAIN 6521 LAMERD 404 BEIRUT 403 ASYUT 165 DUBAI 561 SOHAG 241 AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA 871 DUBAI 610 CAIRO 579 SOHAG 766 ISTANBUL 480 TAIF 1802 CAIRO 672 DUBAI 140 DOHA 57 DUBAI 93 AMSTERDAM 563 SOHAG 546 ALEXANDRIA

Time 00:05 00:10 00:20 00:40 01:40 01:45 01:55 02:10 02:15 02:25 02:30 02:50 03:10 03:10 03:15 03:15 03:30 04:35 05:10 05:50 06:05 06:30 06:40 06:25 06:15 06:20 06:40 06:25 07:25 07:40 07:45 07:50 08:15 08:25 08:50 09:15 09:25 09:30 09:35 09:55 10:35 10:40 10:50 10:55 11:35 11:35 12:00 12:35 12:45 13:00 13:05 13:10 13:20 13:40 13:40 13:45 13:50 13:55 13:55 14:15

SVA JZR KNE OMA KAC SYR RJA KAC JZR QTR ETD KAC UAE ABY UAL SVA GFA JZR JZR MSC NIA KAC QTR KAC KAC FDB GFA KAC MSC SYR KAC KAC KAC JAI OMA FDB ABY JZR MEA MSR AXB KAC MSC ALK UAE QTR ETD GFA JAI MSC FDB AIC JZR JZR UAL TAR JZR DLH PIA JAI MSR KLM THY

500 257 472 645 788 341 640 118 535 134 303 804 857 127 982 510 215 177 777 3405 251 542 144 786 104 63 219 618 405 1311 674 774 742 572 647 61 129 189 402 618 489 562 401 229 859 136 307 217 576 2401 59 975 239 185 981 327 135 636 205 574 614 411 772

JEDDAH BEIRUT JEDDAH MUSCAT JEDDAH DAMASCUS AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA NEW YORK CAIRO DOHA ABU DHABI-INTL CAIRO DUBAI SHARJAH WASHINGTON DC DULLES RIYADH BAHRAIN DUBAI JEDDAH SOHAG ALEXANDRIA CAIRO DOHA JEDDAH LONDON DUBAI BAHRAIN DOHA SOHAG DAMASCUS DUBAI RIYADH DAMMAM MUMBAI MUSCAT DUBAI SHARJAH DUBAI BEIRUT ALEXANDRIA COCHIN AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA ALEXANDRIA COLOMBO DUBAI DOHA ABU DHABI-INTL BAHRAIN COCHIN ALEXANDRIA DUBAI CHENNAI AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA DUBAI BAHRAIN TUNIS BAHRAIN FRANKFURT LAHORE MUMBAI CAIRO AMSTERDAM ISTANBUL

14:30 14:30 14:35 14:40 15:00 15:10 15:55 16:00 16:10 16:15 16:35 16:40 16:55 17:10 17:15 17:20 17:20 17:30 17:50 17:55 18:00 18:15 18:25 18:30 18:45 18:55 19:05 19:10 19:15 19:20 19:25 19:25 19:30 19:35 20:00 20:00 20:05 20:10 20:15 20:30 20:35 20:45 21:00 21:10 21:15 21:30 21:30 21:45 22:05 22:10 22:20 22:25 22:30 22:40 22:40 22:55 23:00 23:10 23:15 23:20 23:30 23:40 23:45

Airlines AIC JAI UAL DLH MSR PIA THY JZR THY THY ETH MEA AFG THY UAE FDB RBG MSR ETD QTR QTR JZR FDB RJA GFA KAC RBG THY JZR KAC JZR JZR QTR UAE BAW FDB JZR JZR KAC ABY KAC UAE FDB KAC ETD QTR GFA KAC IRA KAC IRC MEA JZR KAC MSC KAC JZR MSR MSR THY

Departure Flights on Monday 2/9/2013 Flt Route 982 AHMEDABAD 573 MUMBAI 981 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 637 FRANKFURT 615 CAIRO 206 PESHAWAR 5465 ISTANBUL-SABIHA 502 LUXOR 773 ISTANBUL-ATATURK 765 ISTANBUL-SABIHA 621 ADDIS ABABA 409 BEIRUT 416 KABUL 769 ISTANBUL-ATATURK 854 DUBAI 68 DUBAI 556 ALEXANDRIA 613 CAIRO 306 ABU DHABI 139 DOHA 149 DOHA 560 SOHAG 70 DUBAI 643 AMMAN 212 BAHRAIN 1801 CAIRO 558 ALEXANDRIA 771 ISTANBUL-ATATURK 240 AMMAN 545 ALEXANDRIA 164 DUBAI 562 SOHAG 6131 DOHA 3858 DUBAI 156 LONDON 54 DUBAI 256 BEIRUT 534 CAIRO 671 DUBAI 126 SHARJAH 787 JEDDAH 856 DUBAI 56 DUBAI 803 CAIRO 302 ABU DHABI 133 DOHA 214 BAHRAIN 541 CAIRO 3406 MASHHAD 165 ROME 6522 LAMERD 405 BEIRUT 776 JEDDAH 103 LONDON 406 SOHAG 785 JEDDAH 176 DUBAI 580 SOHAG 611 CAIRO 767 ISTANBUL-ATATURK

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Time 00:05 00:20 00:25 00:30 00:30 00:55 01:10 01:30 02:20 02:40 02:45 03:10 03:15 03:40 03:45 03:50 03:55 04:15 04:20 04:25 05:15 05:35 06:30 06:35 07:00 07:00 07:05 07:10 07:10 07:20 07:25 07:30 07:35 08:00 08:25 08:25 08:50 09:10 09:25 09:30 09:35 09:50 09:55 10:05 10:15 10:25 11:25 11:30 11:35 11:45 11:50 11:55 12:25 12:30 12:35 13:00 13:20 13:50 14:00 14:10

KNE UAE FDB QTR KAC MPH KNE KAC OMA SVA KAC JZR KAC SYR KAC RJA JZR QTR ETD JZR ABY UAE SVA GFA UAL JZR JZR MSC NIA QTR FDB GFA JZR KAC MSC SYR JAI FDB ABY KAC OMA KAC MEA MSR DHX MSC ETD ALK UAE QTR KAC GFA FDB KAC JAI MSC JZR JZR JZR KAC TAR

481 872 58 141 673 93 473 561 646 501 617 188 773 342 741 641 238 135 304 538 128 858 511 216 982 184 266 3404 252 145 64 220 134 283 404 1312 571 62 120 331 648 351 403 619 171 402 308 230 860 137 301 218 60 205 575 2402 554 1540 530 411 328

TAIF DUBAI DUBAI DOHA DUBAI AL MAKTOUM INTERNATIONAL JEDDAH AMMAN MUSCAT JEDDAH DOHA DUBAI RIYADH DAMASCUS DAMMAM AMMAN AMMAN DOHA ABU DHABI CAIRO SHARJAH DUBAI RIYADH BAHRAIN BAHRAIN DUBAI BEIRUT ASYUT ALEXANDRIA DOHA DUBAI BAHRAIN BAHRAIN DHAKA ASYUT DAMASCUS MUMBAI DUBAI SHARJAH TRIVANDRUM MUSCAT KOCHI BEIRUT ALEXANDRIA BAHRAIN ALEXANDRIA ABU DHABI COLOMBO DUBAI DOHA MUMBAI BAHRAIN DUBAI ISLAMABAD ABU DHABI ALEXANDRIA ALEXANDRIA CAIRO ASYUT BANGKOK DUBAI

14:10 14:15 14:30 14:55 15:05 15:25 15:30 15:30 15:40 15:45 15:45 16:00 16:00 16:10 16:30 16:55 17:05 17:20 17:20 17:40 17:50 18:15 18:20 18:20 18:30 18:30 18:40 18:55 19:00 19:25 19:35 19:50 20:05 20:15 20:15 20:20 20:35 20:40 20:45 20:50 20:55 21:05 21:15 21:30 21:50 22:00 22:15 22:20 22:25 22:40 22:40 22:45 23:00 23:00 23:05 23:10 23:20 23:25 23:30 23:40 23:45

34

s ta rs CROSSWORD 298

STAR TRACK Aries (March 21-April 19)

ARIES Laughter and plenty of sharing come into play today as you interact with friends and family. There is a lot of eagerness to move into the day with some fun activity. No one activity particularly is on your mind so you enjoy moving where the crowd takes you . . . Or in this case, where the family wants to go. A fishing trip with a ride on a neighbor’s boat or perhaps a trip to the aquarium, or the zoo will do. The best part is just being with people that you love. For a time today, you will feel free and easy and not care to think about work or responsibilities. It may be a few weeks or a couple of months before a day like today can be repeated so you enjoy your day and you love creating the opportunity for others to feel exhilarated.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) You may be very focused on your own activity today. You are in the mood to read or dive into some hobby. Make a list of the things you want to achieve so that you do not become scattered and forget the important things you want to accomplish this day. You enjoy opening up your living quarters to get fresh air and may take notice of things you had not noticed before. This is a good time to reshape and renew your philosophy or religion—your books can be rather deep. There are breakthroughs in understanding some difficult dilemma. This is a time when the new and unexpected may figure in your living situation or surroundings. An insight about your support system, your mother or other females may be important at this time.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

ACROSS 1. A long thin fluffy scarf of feathers or fur.

4. Armor plate that protects the arm.

12. The syllable naming the first (tonic) note of any major scale in solmization.

15. The month following March and preceding May. 16. English biographer and leading member of the Bloomsbury Group (1880-1932).

17. Any of various primates with short tails or no tail at all.

18. (Old Testament) The second wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin.

20. (physical chemistry) A distinct state of matter in a system.

21. Goddess of the dead and queen of the underworld.

22. Of or relating to or characteristic of Thailand of its people.

23. (Greek mythology) The goddess of youth and spring.

25. 1,000,000,000 periods per second.

28. A doctor's degree in dental surgery.

29. Genus of sticky herbs with yellow flowers open in morning or evening but closed in bright light.

32. A board game in which players try to move their pieces into their opponent's bases.

34. The 4th planet from the sun.

38. One of the five major classes of immunoglobulins.

39. A sudden short attack.

42. (British) Your grandmother.

43. A lipoprotein that transports cholesterol in the blood.

46. Optical instrument consisting of a pair of lenses for correcting defective vision.

48. English theoretical physicist who applied relativity theory to quantum mechanics and predicted the existence of antimatter and the positron (1902-1984).

50. Primitive chlorophyll-containing mainly aquatic eukaryotic organisms lacking true stems and roots and leaves.

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

52. An area of sand sloping down to the water of a sea or lake.

53. A port in southwestern Scotland.

54. A language unit by which a person or thing is known.

56. German mystic and theosophist who founded modern theosophy.

59. The father of your father or mother.

62. The 3 goddesses of fate or destiny.

66. The United Nations agency concerned with atomic energy.

70. Any of a group of Indic languages spoken in Kashmir and eastern Afghanistan and northern Pakistan.

71. Inflammation of the female pelvic organs (especially the Fallopian tubes) caused by infection by any of several microorganisms (chiefly gonococci and chlamydia).

74. A woman who has recently been married.

75. The compass point midway between south and southeast.

76. Any of various plants of the genus Althaea.

78. A distinct part that can be specified separately in a group of things that could be enumerated on a list.

79. An affirmative.

80. A Nilo-Saharan language spoken in parts of Chad.

81. A small cake leavened with yeast.

DOWN 1. A member of the British order of honor.

2. Large elliptical brightly colored deep-sea fish of Atlantic and Pacific and Mediterranean.

3. Type genus of the family Arcidae.

4. A fatal disease of cattle that affects the central nervous system.

5. The elapsed time it takes for a signal to travel from Earth to a spacecraft (or other body) and back to the starting point.

6. A colorless and odorless inert gas.

7. A person who lacks good judgment.

8. (in various religions) The world of the dead.

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

10. Any plant of the genus Reseda.

11. A usually soluble substance for staining or coloring e.g. fabrics or hair.

12. Tropical woody herb with showy yellow flowers and flat pods.

13. An organization of countries formed in 1961 to agree on a common policy for the sale of petroleum.

14. Goddess of the dead and queen of the underworld.

19. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake Chad.

24. The capital of Eritrea.

26. A town in southeastern New Mexico on the Pecos River near the Mexican border.

27. Concluding state of pregnancy.

30. With the mouth wide open as in wonder or awe.

31. The brightest star in Cygnus.

33. A constitutional monarchy in a tiny enclave on the French Riviera.

35. A promontory in northern Morocco opposite the Rock of Gibraltar.

36. Tall and thin and having long slender limbs.

37. (physics) A deformation of an object in which parallel planes remain parallel but are shifted in a direction parallel to themselves.

40. A public promotion of some product or service.

41. A toxic nonmetallic element related to sulfur and tellurium.

44. An Arabic speaking person who lives in Arabia or North Africa.

45. An internal representation of the world.

47. Any plant of the genus Canna having large sheathing leaves and clusters of large showy flowers.

49. That is to say.

55. A cooler darker spot appearing periodically on the surface of the sun.

57. A trivalent metallic element of the rare earth group.

58. The vein in the center of a leaf.

60. The amount a salary is increased.

61. Yellow-fever mosquitos.

63. An Indian side dish of yogurt and chopped cucumbers and spices.

64. A unit of dry measure used in Egypt.

65. Swelling from excessive accumulation of serous fluid in tissue.

67. A Loloish language.

68. Sweet juicy gritty-textured fruit available in many varieties.

69. The content of cognition.

72. Any of several small ungulate mammals of Africa and Asia with rodent-like incisors and feet with hooflike toes.

73. Last or greatest in an indefinitely large series.

77. An associate degree in nursing.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2013

This is a time to think about the things that slow your progress and list them one by one. One way to break a habit is to recognize that there is a habit that needs breaking. Writing this habit down and thinking about the triggers to the repeat of the habit may help to bring the habit to an end. It only takes three days to start a habit but much longer to stop a habit. Purchasing some new shelf paper for a particular area that will match your wall color better might be fun and will help you to better organize. You feel good about your progress and may decide it is time to relax with a friend or loved one. You will want to enjoy yourself. Romance is very possible.

There is a basic drive to appreciate and taste life. Short travel is also possible.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) Travel, education and other ways to add to your experiences in life open new doors of opportunity for you. Religious, philosophical and cultural matters are likely to have a special appeal as well. Only someone with your self-reliance could combine the two and be successful in missionary work or charity drives. Someone nice says to let others entertain you for a while—and you do. There is much that is also physical—exercise is in order—perhaps a bicycle ride in the park this evening. Viewing the clutter in your neighborhood, you may decide it is time to create a catchy phrase to encourage people to help keep the neighborhood clean. Your emotions and the emotions of those around you are quite clear. This evening is a good time; laugh with the family.

Leo (July 23-August 22) You grab a pad of paper and a writing utensil. It is time to categorize and dish out the jobs. You may not always have priority when it comes to getting people to do things but when you suggest that you will accomplish some desired favor, everyone pitches in to help. If this is only wishful thinking then consider giving others one of your special pies or a camping trip. Giving something you do, that others like, could be offered for a reward when others help wash the car or air out the house or rake the yard.

If you are not being counseled, you could be counseling others today. Because of your ability to be a good listener, you help to soothe a frustrated person. A country vegetable stand has an allure and there is plenty of fruit for homemade ice cream tonight.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) You make every effort today to replenish your relationship with the people around you through loving acts. By doing this, you teach your friends or young people the ways in which to deepen and maintain relationships. A new cycle begins a greater than usual interest in social connections and the arts—on a more intellectual level than in the past. You have a definite purpose with a definite plan this day. There is an opportunity to attend a play or just hang out at home and play card or board games.

Good sportsmanship can be taught to the young and others may make this a time to catch up on the activities of friends or family. This afternoon a favorite eating place may be next. A relaxed atmosphere and plenty of food and friends or family ends a fun day.

Word Search

Libra (September 23-October 22) A new animal or a visiting animal could have the whole house full of people laughing and telling about the antics of a past childhood experience.

This little critter could be an opossum, skunk or a snake. It is not often strange animals grace one’s presence and today is just one of those days. No person is really disturbed over the visit, just a little leery, and looking up in an encyclopedia the type of animal that has been seen brings about a whole topic of fun conversation. You may feel especially kind toward a friend or loved one today. You may decide that now is the time to get this friend or loved one interested in some new clothes, new style or some other change that would help the self-esteem. Your mate may decide to cook a delightful meal this evening.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) It is a super day for travel. Also, good news comes from a trusted friend.

Your improved powers of concentration will help you to plan and focus for some interesting future events. Others are willing to listen to what you have to say today and getting your message across will be successful. Your timing should be perfect and those around you should find you most spontaneous. If your friend says she or he is captivated by a certain person, you may want to encouragement your friend to take a bit more time before deciding on any changes to be made to her or his personal life. A chemical reaction by you or your friend could be mistaken for love. Expect to succeed in any changes you are making now—purchase of a chair or the advancement of a job.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) This is a busy day and one might find you huffing and puffing often. You can get more done than the average person and some things you have been putting off are included in your rush to ready yourself for the week ahead. Do be careful, however, not to break some prized possession while you are rushing around.

Later, this evening, you will be able to relax with friends or a loved one in a quiet place.

This afternoon is a good time to write out a list for the personal things you want to accomplish next week. Some of the most important things to put on that list would be the appointments that need to be scheduled so you or your family members get regular checkups—including the family pet. You teach through your actions.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) Your inner emotions are accented. You learn to keep a positive frame of mind by asking yourself, if someone could hear your thoughts, would that person be pleased this will help you to begin a new habit of creating positive thought patterns. Energy follows thought—think positive. You can expect a sense of support and goodwill from those around you. Correct choices for you may seem a more difficult path than for others, but you can do it. Relax; a cycle of nostalgia begins soon and there is an emphasis on a sense of roots. Family, home, relatives and real estate play a bigger part in your life. Phone calls and letters are underway this evening. Pamper yourself—set aside some time to share a massage with someone you love.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) You have a fine sense of appreciation and are very attentive to your loved ones. You love to help and take care of others, expressing a first-rate sense of compassion. You possess an almost infinite ability to respond to the needs and demands of others. Your love of truth makes philosophy and religious ideas a life-long habit. You appreciate things of a global or universal level and you enjoy travel. You may even have time today to chat with little group you enjoy visiting on the internet. Lovely words and a flair for description are entertaining as you listen to people talk of the last vacation and the danger or fun when they took a chance on some ride or explored some cave. You are artistic in many ways and while listening you may draw pictures.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) You could be enjoying a luncheon today with people that are within your spiritual group. Although you may not recognize that you have intuition, it is strong and you often use it in helping others. You are sensitive, kind and gentle. You are a romantic too, with a tender heart. You always work for a real future, doing what has to be done.

You love all that is musical and artistic. Today, you and a friend or relative may decide to do some recording of a piece of music, a story, the voice of some young people in your family or a song for a wedding. Whatever the case, you and this friend or relative enjoy the interaction that comes of just being with each other. There is a natural appreciation for the past that stands out today as you enjoy these activities.

Yesterday’s Solution

Yesterday’s Solution

Daily SuDoku

Yesterday’s Solution

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 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

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2013

lifestyle G O S S I P

Cole and Holloway to split C

heryl Cole is reportedly close to splitting from boyfriend Tre Holloway. The ‘Call My Name’ hitmaker and the 28-year-old US dancer - who have been involved in a long-distance romance for just over a year - are on the verge of going their separate ways as their relationship hits the rocks following Tre’s refusal to set up home in the UK with the brunette beauty. A source told the Daily Star newspaper: “Cheryl and Tre’s relationship has been hanging by the thread since her 30th birthday in June. “Cheryl has given up on America after a series of disappointing meetings in LA earlier this year. She’s made it clear to Tre she couldn’t make LA her permanent home and has begged him to settle in the UK with her. “Cheryl has had enough of jetting back and forth and hates having a long-distance relationship. She wants to reestablish her UK base so she can get her career back on track after taking some much-needed time out.

“She loves Tre and ideally wants him to move to England to start a family with her but it’s not becoming evident that might not happen.” The couple first met when they worked together on ‘The X Factor’ in 2011 and it was the first relationship Cheryl had spoken about in public following her messy divorce from soccer player Ashley Cole, but their romance could soon come to an abrupt end after a series of disputes.

The source explained: “Tre refused to move to the UK permanently as he is doing well in LA. He’s been offered the chance to tour with a major US star early next year as well as help choreograph a world tour, which is huge for him. “Whenever he’s in the UK he spends all his time at Cheryl’s house and is mostly bored and lonely with no friends.”

Bosworth marries

Polish K

ate Bosworth and Michael Polish have got married. The 30-year-old actress and the 42-year-old film director - who got engaged in August 2012 - tied the knot yesterday with an intimate ceremony in front of 50 to 75 of their closest pals at The Ranch at Rock Creek, Montana, according to US Weekly magazine. The lavish event took place on the mountain top with the beaming bride, who wore a traditional white strapless dress with a full train, arriving in a stunning horse-drawn carriage. Family and friends of the loved-up couple were given Polaroid cameras and were asked to take as many snaps as possible of the romantic day before posting them on a board in the main lodge that said, ‘Love

is...’. Kate - who has been dating the director since 2011 - recently admitted Michael is the “soulmate” she had dreamed of meeting as a child. She said: “I had forgotten my ideal relationship.

When I go home to my childhood bedroom I see all the quotes I wrote about meeting a soulmate. “Just through growing up and having relationships that didn’t work I forgot that side of things and it became about, ‘How do we make this work?’ When I met Michael all of that magical side of believing in a soulmate returned. “I’m really grateful because I believe it’s rare. I believe that we’re two people who have found their way though difficulties in life, unpacked their baggage and realize it’s the same baggage.”

Boy George didn’t

enjoy fame

Cowell and Silverman love being open

Khloe K reunited with

Lamar after DUI arrest

L

amar Odom and Khloe Kardashian have been reunited after his DUI arrest.

It is said the basketball star - who was stopped by the California Highway Patrol on Friday and arrested for driving under the influence - has returned to the mansion he shares with his wife. Lamar was in a taxi as he arrived back at home and according to reports on RadarOnline.com, Khloe drove her own car as she passed through the security gates at the gated Californian community. After posting $15,000 bail the star was released, but because he wouldn’t take sobriety tests required by State law, he auto-

T

matically lost his driver’s license for one year.

According to the report from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, he “objective signs of intoxication and was unable to perform sobriety tests as explained and demonstrated”. The couple’s relationship has become a source of much speculation, and it is said Khloe’s mother Kris Jenner wants her to file for a divorce. An insider previously claimed: “Kris wants Khloe to get her prenup money, plus the penalty for cheating. “Kim, Kourtney (Khloe’s sisters) and Kris want her to dump him. You can’t live with a drug addict.”

Justin Bieber was attacked in a night club

S

imon Cowell and Lauren Silverman are glad they can be open about their relationship. The socialite is pregnant with the music mogul’s baby and after her divorce from ex-husband Andrew was recently finalised, the couple are said to be delighted they “don’t have to hide”. Speaking to Us Magazine, an insider said: “They had so much to catch up on, and there were no distractions.

“Plus, they love that they don’t have to hide anything anymore.” The pair have been enjoying having their relationship

out in the open, and they were spotted earlier this month kissing in the French Riviera. ‘X Factor’ UK judge Louis Walsh has previously described them as “two teenagers dating” and thinks Lauren has been good for the TV boss. He added: “I went out for dinner with them. I think he’s going to be a great dad. She’s a great influence on his life - very positive and bubbly. “She seems to have got the fun back into his life. They are like two teenagers dating. I love Lauren. I love all his girlfriends. He is what he is.”

Wiig told to dress up by pals

K

risten Wiig’s friends tell her to dress up more when she goes out. The ‘Bridesmaids’ actress - who shot to fame in 2005- has been told by her closest pals to spruce up her wardrobe a bit more because she tends to throw together any outfit that comes to hand and then later regrets it when she sees her photograph in magazines. Speaking to Total Film magazine, she said: “That’s always weird, You see pictures of yourself in magazines where you didn’t even know anyone was there... I’m the kind of person that will just put on clothes and leave the house, and I have had friends telling me, ‘You can’t go out like that’. And I guess I can’t.” The 39-year-old star previously said she refuses to wear skyscraper heels because she tends to go for comfort instead of style. She joked: “I don’t really think about style. As I get older, comfort is more important. “I so badly want to be that girl who shops with her girlfriends and wears heels, but I can’t do it. After one block I’d have to go buy flats.”

T

he ‘Beauty and a Beat’ hitmaker was partying in a Canadian night club when - in the early hours of Saturday morning - a man reportedly tried to take him to the ground. According to gossip site TMZ, Justin had left his VIP area of the venue to mingle with the regular punters when the fellow clubber charged at him, failing to bring him to the floor as he tugged at the star’s shirt. Security were quick to respond, and it is claimed the 19-year-old singer was spotted trying to defend himself, kicking out at his attacker. The man was then escorted out of the venue, although the polite weren’t called to the scene. Early this month it was revealed Justin would be investigated after he was allegedly involved in another incident at a club in New York when his night ended in a bloody brawl.

The fight occurred after 22year-old Wayne Rennalls was reportedly beaten up

by Justin’s security team after butting heads with the singer over a bow tie.

he 52-year-old pop star - who shot to stardom as a member of Culture Club in the 1980s - struggled with his hectic schedule and the pitfalls that can accompany a showbiz lifestyle and he feels more control of his life now he has kicked drugs and booze.

He said: “It (fame) was mental. I don’t think I enjoyed it very much. That’s the difference between now and then. I really enjoy what I do, I have control over it and I don’t do everything. Back then, I was getting up in the morning, doing a hundred interviews, flying here, flying there. To start with it was really exciting but at a certain point you realize you’re having a breakdown. “My policy now is, ‘What would Bowie do?’ or, ‘What would the Queen Mother say?’ ... which is basically nothing. I have much more of a sense of where I want to go.” The ‘Karma Chameleon’ hitmaker served time in prison in recent years for falsely imprisoning a male escort and battled cocaine addiction and he admits he fell into a “dark” place in his life.

George - who is releasing his first new album of original material for 18 years, ‘This Is What I Do’, in October - confessed to Q magazine: “There was a period when people avoided me; friends would cross the street to swerve me.

The energy around me was just so dark, so negative, that no one wanted to be around me. There’s nothing great about being a bad person, it’s just not a nice thing to be. I’m not saying I was completely a bad person but people want to be around me now.”

Douglas urged to repair marriage

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ichael Douglas’ father has urged his son to patch things up with Catherine Zeta-Jones. The Hollywood couple called time on their relationship earlier this week in order to “evaluate their marriage”, but Michael’s dad Kirk Jones has begged the ‘Behind The Candelabra’ star to save his romance before it’s too late. A source close to the family told The Sun newspaper: “Kirk likes Catherine and has told Michael to sort his problems out. “He’s been with his wife Anne for almost 60 years and thinks marriage is about sticking with someone through good and bad.” Neither Michael nor Catherine have made any movements to file for divorce or legally separate.

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Ferry

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Sheppard have split ryan Ferry has reportedly split from his wife Amanda Sheppard. The 67-year-old rocker and the 30-year-old brunette beauty only got married last year, but their relationship has already hit the rocks and the former PR is moving out of their shared home after months of constant bickering drove a wedge between them. A source told The Sun newspaper: “They haven’t seen eye-to-eye for a long time and drifted apart. It made sense for Amanda to move out and think about starting a

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new life without Bryan.” The couple - who began dating in 2009 after being introduced through one of Bryan’s sons - tied the knot in a lavish-but-simple private ceremony in the Caribbean on January 4 2012 and, despite their 37-year age gap, the Roxy Music frontman was over the moon after landing himself a younger woman. He said last year: “The interesting thing is - and I don’t want to say the wrong thing in case I get into trouble with my girlfriend - you never really meet people your own age

who aren’t married. “I’m very fortunate that I work in music, where you’re in touch with different age groups, either the audience or people you work with. It does help. Obviously I’m not ageist!” This was Bryan’s second marriage after he previously wedded Lucy Helmore - who is 14 years his junior and had four children, Otis, Tara, Isaac and Merlin with her, before going on to date Jerry Hall until she struck up an affair with Sir Mick Jagger two years later.

Munn dislocated her shoulder on swing livia Munn dislocated her shoulder falling from an indoor swing. The 33-year-old actress’ accident happened when she was in Europe for a month relaxing while her boyfriend Joel Kinnaman was shooting a movie in Prague in the Czech Republic. Olivia admits it was her fault for trying to go as high as she could. She revealed: “We were in Prague and there was this indoor swing inside of the apartment. I thought it would be really cool to try to get parallel to the second floor and so I was swinging and my brother, an engineer, he was pushing me. He even said to me afterwards, ‘You know, I thought to myself she’s going to fall on

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Mayer and Perry work despite differences

G O S S I P

ohn Mayer and Katy Perry’s differences make them work as a couple. The 35-yearold singer admitted the fact he isn’t as famous as his on/off girlfriend means their relationship has the right balance. He told Rolling Stone magazine: “The fact that we’re on such different sides of the coin actually keeps a lot of conflict at bay. “She’s a whole different vibration of what’s going on, and I’m totally supportive. I can say, ‘Hey, how was work?’ and really wonder how work was. It’s a nice existence.” The star - who released new album ‘Paradise Valley’ earlier this month - insisted shunning “fame” has made him happier as a musician because he isn’t trying to write the next hit single. He said: “How great is it to not have to think in terms of ubiquity? That thing was hard, man!

“I didn’t have any fun when I was trying to keep [my fame] elevated. It’s almost impossible. It’s Sisyphean. Now, playing shows is all the fame I need.” Meanwhile Katy has recently revealed she has to take time every morning to meditate and make sure she has “absolute rest” at least once a day. She previously explained: “I start the day with transcendental meditation. It puts me in the best mood. “I wake up and just prop myself up in bed for 20 minutes. It’s the only time my mind gets absolute rest. “When I’m asleep, my subconscious mind is switched on and, when I’m awake, I’m alert.”

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this push or the next.’ “Because he saw that it got slack at the top. I had been doing this for weeks and I had been fine. I called out to my boyfriend, ‘Video tape this, look how high I am getting.’ And then on the second push I was squealing with glee. Then it just snapped.” Olivia dislocated her shoulder, bruised the entire right side of her body and was left with bad whiplash. The ‘Tron: Legacy’ star accepts she’s a clumsy person and sometimes thinks she should stay at home for her own good. She said: “I shouldn’t be allowed in public most times. I do the stupidest things and sometimes even people around me are like, ‘It’s good that we just keep you inside.’

Lady Gaga defends Miley Cyrus

Perry meditates Scherzinger every morning doesn’t want to aty Perry begins her day with transcendental meditation. The 28-year-old singer practices the ancient Indian technique every morning while sitting on her bed with her eyes closed for about 20 minutes to make sure she is relaxed and in a good mood before she starts work. She said: “I start the day with transcendental meditation.

It puts me in the best mood. I wake up and just prop myself up in bed for 20 minutes. It’s the only time my mind gets

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absolute rest. When I’m asleep, my subconscious mind is switched on and, when I’m awake, I’m alert.” The ‘Roar’ hitmaker also takes vitamins to give her an afternoon “energy boost”, which she believes helps her with digestion too.

She told Britain’s Marie Claire magazine: “Like everyone I have a four o’clock slump. I take vitamins after lunch and they give me an energy boost. I have iron, vitamins B, C and D and probiotics, which help with my digestion.”

Peter Andre used to shave his legs he 40-year-old reality TV star used to remove unwanted follicles from his legs and most of his body when he was younger, but now he only grooms his chest and has got his beauty regime down to 15 minutes. He said: “I’ve never done the waxing thing. The only thing I do is shave my chest.

When I used to cycle back in the 90s I shaved my legs a bit embarrassing! But as you can see I don’t have much hair [shows his arms].

For a Greek I’m pretty nonhairy. “OK I shave my chest, I used to wear earrings and an eyebrow rings, but now it’s a bit of stubble, some product in the hair and I’m out. It’s a 15 minute turnover.” Although Pete who is expecting a baby with his girlfriend, medical student Emily MacDonagh is image conscious would never have a manicures or a pedicure. He added: “With grooming I draw the line. I feel like pedicures and manicures take grooming to the next level.”

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ady Gaga is the latest star to defend Miley Cyrus after her appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards. The ‘Applause’ singer also took to the stage at the annual event and insisted those criticising the ‘We Can’t Stop’ singer’s controversial performance should “lighten up” and understand what pop music is all about. She told The Sun newspaper: “I don’t like to pass judgement on Miley Cyrus. “Generally, people need to lighten up about pop music, it’s about entertainment. It is here to make you smile and make you happy.

“Especially in America there is an excessive dragging of female artists and I don’t want to contribute to that. I do things that are polarising sometimes but that’s what it’s all about.” Gaga also defended One Direction after the ‘Best Song Ever’ boy band were booed at the show last weekend, and has now insisted the group are making music “for the right reasons.” She said: “I can’t put the One Direction boys in order of my favorites, they are all equally cute in my book.

“Those boys are very special indeed, they are down to earth.

I met them backstage properly at the MTV Awards and they are nice guys. “They are totally in it for the right reasons and I love to see that. You can tell the difference.”

reconcile with

Hamilton icole Scherzinger doesn’t want to reconcile with Lewis Hamilton.

The couple called time on their five-year relationship last month after their globe-trotting careers put a strain on their romance, but despite the Formula 1 racing driver ’s efforts to reignite their flame, the 35-year-old singer is confident they won’t be getting back together. Speaking to The Sun newspaper, she said: “The truth is we’re no longer together. It is over. I know he’s been very public about trying to get me back, but we’re still not together.” Lewis who had plans to tie the knot with the brunette beauty - dedicated his

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Hungarian Grand Prix win to her two weeks ago, though he couldn’t bring himself to say her name. She explained: “It was sweet of him. I don’t like to take credit for things. I like to stay in the background but it’s nice to be acknowledged and to know that someone realized the support they had. I don’t know what the future holds to be honest, but as it stands we’re no longer together.” Meanwhile, the ‘Poison’ hitmaker is trying to generate her negative emotions into her career and focus on winning this year’s ‘X Factor’.

She said: “I’m having a blast this year. I love it when I get on that stage and I’m doing stuff.”

Pattinson worries about his appearance he ‘Twilight’ hunk admits he never used to care whether he looked presentable until becoming an A-list star, but now he stresses out about his appearance and clothes in public - and has even started worrying about getting wrinkles. Quizzed on whether he thinks he’s good looking, Rob said: “It depends, sometimes. But I’m weird about my looks. Once you get photographed a lot it changes you. I remember when I first did ‘Twilight’ I didn’t care about how I looked - there was less pressure, I guess. I was like, ‘I’m cool!’ “[Now] every time I appear somewhere, I think, ‘I don’t know how many more times I can do this.’ Dressing up to go somewhere and be looked at - I get so nervous. Up until the second I have to leave, I’ll get changed a million times. It’s crazy. Literally, just before I go, I look in the mirror and think, ‘You don’t look good.’ I start worrying about wrinkles.” The 27-year-old star’s ritual of self-scrutiny has become part of his routine before attending showbiz events, but he admits it can be tough on those around him. He added to InStyle magazine: “Honestly, everyone who works with me knows they’ll have to sit there and wait for me to go through my process of having my panic attack about how I look.” —Bang Showbiz

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M O V I E S

Japanese direc › tor

Actress Miori Takimoto poses during the photocall of “Kaze Tachinu” (The Wind Rises) presented in competition at the 70th Venice Film Festival yesterday at Venice Lido. — AFP Luke Steele of Empire of the Sun performs during the 2013 Budweiser Made In America Festival at Benjamin Franklin Parkway on August 31, 2013 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. —AFP

Miyazaki retires

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apan’s Hayao Miyazaki, a director of feature-length animations and manga artist who has been compared to Walt Disney, is retiring after a fourdecade career, the head of his production company said yesterday. “Miyazaki has decided that ‘Kaze Tachinu’ will be his last film and he will now retire,” Koji Hoshino, head of Studio Ghibli, which was co-founded

by Miyazaki, told reporters at the Venice film festival.

The film, entitled “The Wind Rises” in English, tells the fictional story of a fighter jet designer and is one of 20 movies competing for the Golden Lion award at the festival on the floating city’s Lido Island. Hoshino did not give any further details, saying only that Miyazaki would hold a press briefing in Tokyo. The director himself was not at the film festival. The 72-year-old Miyazaki has won hearts and accolades around the

Director: ‘Night Moves’ not a political statement I

Photo taken on January 1, 1952 shows US-born Russian Jewish violinist Yehudi Menuhin , as he sits next to his teacher Romanian composer, violinist and conductor Georges Enescu in Paris. —AFP

Top musicians gather for Romania’s ‘absolute’ composer

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ehudi Menuhin described the Romanian violinist and composer George Enescu as “the absolute by which I judge all others”. And 58 years after Enescu’s death, more than 4,000 musicians from around the world, including top symphonic orchestras, will gather in Bucharest for a month to pay tribute to Romania’s greatest composer. Conductor Daniel Barenboim yesterday opened the four-week “Enescu international music festival”, considered by critics as one of the most prestigious in Europe.

He will conduct the Berlin Staatskapelle orchestra and internationally acclaimed pianist Radu Lupu for Enescu’s Romanian Rhapsody no. 2. “Bucharest has always been a major musical centre and it has an added magic because of the name of Enescu,” Barenboim told a press conference. “Enescu was a very unusual figure, he was not only very well known as a wonderful violinist, he was a composer, he was a pianist and one of the most admired musical figure of the twentieth century,” he added.

The festival features international orchestras like the Rome-Accademia Santa Cecilia, the Amsterdam Royal Concertgebouw or the London Royal Philharmonic. The rising Chinese piano star Yuja Wang will play with the Pittsburgh Symphonic Orchestra. Also performing will be Russian pianists Boris Berezovski and conductor Antonio Pappano, the director of the London Royal Opera House. “It is very rare to see such a density of top musicians over such a short period,” Ioan Holender, the former director of the Vienna State Opera told AFP. Romanian-born Holender is acting as artistic director of the festival and has been trying for years to make Enescu’s music better known around the world. Enescu was born in the village of Liveni in northern Romania to a family of 12. His first violin lessons came from a local Roma fiddler. He entered the Vienna Conservatory at the age of 7, graduating with distinction as a violinist at the age of 10. He played to Brahms and knew Bartok, Strauss, Ravel, Debussy and Shostakovich. Acclaimed internationally as a violinist, he was less known in the West as a composer though he wrote operas like “Oedipe”, rhapsodies and symphonies inspired by Romanian traditional music.

In 1958, the Enescu festival was set up in Bucharest to pay tribute to his music. The biennial festival was banned by the communist regime in 1971 but came back to life after the fall of dictator Nicolae Ceausescu in 1989. Today it attracts around 120,000 spectators. During the festival, concerts will also take place on the streets, in cafes and even in tribunals. Contemporary artists will expose their works in public squares. “The international press usually writes about Romanians linked to crime and corruption but we wanted to show the creativity of this country”, Oana Marinescu, PR manager for the festival, told AFP. — AFP

ndie filmmaker Kelly Reichardt, for the sake of her dog, drives back and forth between her New York home and the Oregonian landscape that shapes her films, noting along the way the increasing toll of industrialization. The observation has relevance for her latest film, “Night Moves,” which tells the story of three young environmentalists who plot to blow up an Oregon dam choking a stream and flooding old forests. The plotline puts front and center the issue of eco-terrorism - a term that Reichardt does not endorse. “I would call it direct activism,” Reichardt said in an interview Saturday ahead of the film’s world premiere in competition at the Venice Film Festival. “But if there is radicalism, I guess I would say it is on behalf of the corporations.

When I drive cross-country and I see the face of America, to me it feels radical in how little remains untouched.”

“Nightmoves,” a thriller at heart, but with Reichardt’s thoughtful pacing, stars Jesse Eisenberg, Dakota Fanning and Peter Sarsgaard as environmentalists who have chosen a radical - and perilous - action to protest environmental degradation.

Reichardt films in detail as the three organize the bombing, revealing the edginess of Eisenberg’s Josh, the almost carefree calm of Fanning’s Dena and the cavalier daring in Sargaard’s Harmon as they buy a boat, figure out how to get another 500 pounds of ammonium nitrate fertilizer and prepare the explosives. They are alternately meticulous and careless. “These are not professionals” Reichardt said. “Harmon has a sort of casualness that makes him dangerous and Dena is at an age that makes her so self-assured, at least at the beginning.”She describes Josh as

Actress Dakota Fanning, director Kelly Reichardt and actor Jesse Eisenberg pose for photographers on the red carpet for the screening of the film Night Moves. —AP/AFP photos “a pretty dark character. He has a lot to feel really, really right about, and that can be dangerous.”Reichardt insists the film is not a meant to make a political statement. Rather “it’s really a character film, and just based on what I think would be the conversation of our time.”And she deflects questions about whether she reveals details that might be useful to would-be copycats.

“There was so much on the Internet, if you wanted a manual,” she said during a press conference. “I am not sure the film celebrates the glory. It is about the complexity

of radicals, and I think the downsides are equally weighed.”The scenery informs this movie, as in all of Reichardt’s work, and Fanning said filming on location brought the dilemmas home to her. “There is a scene when they are on the boat going through a tree grave yard, with stumps sticking out of the water. They used to be trees, but the dam has changed the level of the water,” Fanning said in an interview.

Fanning said she could understand the characters’ frustration with general apathy in the face of environmental destruction, but

she also said she how small projects can make a difference when she was invited recently on a tour of five African nations with former President Bill Clinton’s foundation. “I think the three characters are all looking for that kind of connected feeling and this is their way of feeling plugged into the world, and plugged into the movement and activism,” she said. “Their maybe rash choice is from a place of just wanting to feel a part of it, and kind of being annoyed at the rest of the people around them that they are not seeing it.”

“I think it happens with all kinds of different things and not just activism. I certainly have moments where I’m like, ‘Am I the only person who feels this way? Seriously?”

Fanning said. Eisenberg worked for several months on the organic farm that was Reichardt’s starting point for the film, living in a yurt and working in cabbage fields - an experience that helped the actor connect with his character’s motives. “It just gives you a different sense of living,” Eisenberg said. “When you are planting the food that you eat, you feel a direct sense with interacting with the world for practical reasons, and alternatively you are feeling disgusted by a lot of modernity just by being separate from it. That is what my character is mainly driven by. “My character thinks of himself as a soldier in a war fighting what he views as modern society that’s been co-opted by business and technology,” he said. “I suppose there is a kind of irony if he is fighting to create a more beautiful, peaceful and sustainable environment, but doing it through kind of dangerous means. He views his acts as right and just, and he views the damage as collateral damage. — AP

Poverty and reces › N

icolas Cage reinhabits a low-life version of his “Leaving Las Vegas” alcoholic in the Southern gothic “Joe” screened on Friday at the Venice Film Festival while a German film explores the dark issue of wife beating in the latest competition offerings. Poverty, and the effects of the 2008 economic crash on people and society, as well as the film industry, were emerging themes at this year’s festival, which opened on Wednesday and will conclude on Sept 7

that economics had pretty much transformed the industry. “The film business is undergoing a systematic change - not systematic, systemic change. Everything we know in this from the past doesn’t apply,” Schrader, who made the latest Lindsay Lohan movie “Canyons” on a low budget, told a news conference.

In “Joe”, directed by David Gordon Green and based on a novel of the same name by Larry Brown, Cage plays a hotheaded, bourbon-swigging southerner

From left, director David Gordon Green, actors Nicolas Cage, Tye Sheridan and Ronnie Blevins arrive for the screening of the film Joe at the 70th edition of the Venice Film Festival. —AP with the awarding of the Golden Lion trophy for best film. On Wednesday, Mexican director Alfonso Cuaron said his big-budget space disaster drama “Gravity”, the festival opener, had almost been derailed by the crash.

Director Paul Schrader, who wrote “Taxi Driver”, “Raging Bull” and other big hits of the 1970s and ‘80s, said on Friday

who befriends a young boy who comes from a violent background. Poverty oozes out of almost every scene, from the battered GMC truck Joe drives to pick up black workers he employs to poison a forest for clearance, to his neighbours in tumbledown shacks who eat wild animals they find by the side of the road.

“I was very careful in the selection of

the movie ... I hadn’t worked for one year and then I found this script,” Cage said at a news conference with his co-actors and the director. “For me it was a chance to return to some very in-depth character analysis, character building and to work with David,” said Cage, who won the Oscar for best actor for his portrayal of an alcoholic Hollywood screenwriter drinking himself to death in the 1995 film “Leaving Las Vegas”. For that film, Cage said he learned how to portray a drunk by videotaping himself after a few drinks.

This time, he said he and co-actor Tye Sheridan, the teenage boy for whom Joe becomes a surrogate father, simulated the feeling by spinning around to make themselves dizzy.

Triggers for abuse “Die Frau des Polizisten” (“The Police Officer’s Wife”) shows a young family in provincial Germany whose seemingly carefree life descends into violence.

Director Philip Groening, who made the 2005 art-house hit “Into Great Silence” about Carthusian monks in the Swiss alps, said that while the film was mostly about the emotional and psychological triggers for abuse, economics also played a role.

“The film does not deal with domestic violence only, the film is also dealing with the love between the mother and the daughter,” Groening said. “There is also the poverty aspect to the film.”

Patrol policeman Uwe works shifts and has essentially no career prospects.

His wife Christine and little daughter Clara appear steadily more confined to their small home. “We tore out all the ceilings so we could light every corner of the house,” Groening said after the screening, adding that several aspects of family life are under the microscope. —Reuters

(From Left) US writer Bret Easton Ellis, actor James Deen, director Paul Schrader and actress Tenille Huston pose during the photocall of “The Canyons” presented out of competition. —AFP

Lohan skips Venice to focus on health

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indsay Lohan says she skipped the Venice Film Festival to “focus on my health and well-being.” Lohan wrote on her website Saturday that she never confirmed she would be in Venice to promote Paul Schrader’s “The Canyons.” She said would have enjoyed being at the festival, “but my focus is on my health and wellbeing. Plain and simple, it is of the utmost importance.”

Schrader declared himself “a free man” after she failed to show Friday, saying ‘for the last 16 months I’ve been hostage, by own choosing, to a ver y talented but unpredictable actress. “He said she had confirmed she would be there. Lohan, 27, has been plagued by legal and substance abuse problems in recent years. She completed her latest court-ordered stay in rehab in July.

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Photo shows Nidhi Gaur, far left and her fiance Rahul Rai, far right, participating in ‘So It’s Final,’ a talk show on Shagun TV that features engaged couples in Noida, India. — AP photos

A talk show episode is displayed on a television at the entrance of the Shagun TV studio.

Indian TV channel seeks success with weddings I

ndians are obsessed with weddings and reality television. Now, Shagun TV, a new television channel headquartered in a sprawling suburb of India’s capital, is hoping it has found a can’t-miss idea -

Shagun TV participant Nidhi Gaur, right, shows her mother a traditional Indian dress that she intends to wear at her wedding.

Managing Director Anuranjan Jha sits at his desk at the Shagun TV studio.

merging the two into a 24-hour matrimonial TV station. Shagun TV can itself seem obsessed. Artwork on the windows of its lobby depict an Indian wedding procession, with turbaned men beating drums and an elephant-drawn carriage carrying the groom. In the main TV studio, a large cardboard astrology chart lies against a wall, used by one host to answer wedding and relationship questions. And a plasma television loops video of a bridal ceremony.

Then there are the programs. There is a bridal makeover show, a show featuring dreamy honeymoon destinations and one on the often-fraught relationship between mothers and daughters-in-law. There’s “Gold n’ Beautiful,” showcasing bridal jewelry. Coming soon are marriage-themed soap operas. “There is no reining in the penchant for (wedding) celebrations in India,” said Dheeraj Sinha, author of “Consumer India: Inside the Indian Mind and Wallet.” “They are only becoming louder and more professional,” Sinha said.

Media analysts say the channel is the first in India offering round-the-clock wedding entertainment. It looks to cash in on a big fat Indian wedding market valued at an estimated $38 billion a year and expected to grow 25 to 30 percent annually, according to Alex Kuruvilla, the managing director of Conde Nast India, which publishes a string of luxury magazines. The Indian wedding season, which starts in October and lasts until spring, can at times seem like a bridal invasion. Traffic grinds to a halt in major cities on wedding dates thought to be astrologically auspicious. On particularly lucky days, newspapers reported up to 60,000 couples tying the knot in

Employees monitor TV screens showing a talk show on Shagun TV. New Delhi alone.

For centuries, Indian marriages were alliances between families of similar backgrounds, and the weddings were displays of status and wealth. In many ways, the quest for status is only intensifying as India’s economy grows. Nidhi Gaur, 25, a recent guest on a Shagun talk show, said the TV channel has helped her prepare for her fairytale wedding. “I can decide: ‘This is the place I want to buy my dresses, my jewelry,’” she said. Nidhi’s family began saving for her wedding when she turned 18.

Five hundred people are expected at her catered November nuptials at what she calls a “lavish five-star hall.”

If much of the channel is dedicated to astrology and matchmaking shows, it is

also breaking privacy taboos by bringing on couples to openly share private details of their relationships. But don’t expect risque American-style confessions. This is a family-friendly channel, where feel-good content is the rule. In one talk show, “So It’s Final,” engaged couples share details about how they met, the qualities they like and dislike in one another, and expectations of married life. The show is designed as a “pre-marriage therapy session,” said Anuranjan Jha, Shagun T V’s managing director.

But, he acknowledges, there’s no talk about sex or serious marital discord. Its aim is not to create drama, but “to help in guiding how to lead a good life,” he said. If things are fairly tame now, the show’s

hosts intend to raise pricklier wedding issues, like dowry demands and inter-caste marriages. Shagun TV says its aim is to give a platform to middle-class Indians who want to be in the spotlight. In fact, couples shell out between $11,000 and $19,000 to flaunt their multi-day wedding festivities on the channel - with the price depending on how many nights of the celebration they want aired.

“You want to put your life on display more and more,” said Santosh Desai, a sociologist and writer. “Earlier, your hierarchy was based on the community that you came from. As that becomes less and less important and as you become more cosmopolitan, how do you communicate who you are and where you have reached?” But some media analysts say Shagun’s model may not work, amid the proliferation of channels and fragmentation of audiences.

“Nobody wants to watch nobodies on television,” said Anil Wanvari, editor-inchief of Indiantelevision.com. “With 700 channels available, there is a problem of plenty.

It’s not an easy game.” But Shagun executives say they’ve got a built-in target audience of tens of millions of Indians: singles and newlyweds aged 22 to 32, as well as family members closely involved in the extravagant marriage process. Many of those families are wondering: How do you hold onto ancient traditions in a modern India, where the family structure now faces working women and greater individual aspirations? Nidhi’s mother, Durgesh Gaur, says the answer may be found on television. “It’s possible that Shagun TV, through emphasizing marriage and family, brings back our Indian values and traditions,” she

4 free things to see and do in

Boise, Idaho B

oise has long been dubbed the “City of Trees,” a nickname that always catches newcomers by surprise given the city’s high-desert climate and summers with little or no rain. But a hike into the foothills or a short drive up the road to the local ski hill makes it abundantly clear why the moniker fits, as a lush, green canopy stretches from downtown west across the valley floor.

Celebrating its 150th anniversary this year, this former military outpost along the Oregon Trail has consistently ranked among the nation’s fastest growing cities for the last decade.

The reasons are varied, but this city of more than 200,000 residents offers a moderate climate, ample access to recreation, rich and diverse cultural and culinary opportunities and the Boise River, which flows through downtown and attracts wildlife, urban anglers and other recreational water-lovers. Idaho’s capital city - pronounced BOY-see by the locals - and the surrounding

The Basque block Boise is home to one of the nation’s biggest concentrations of Basques outside the Basque region in Spain. The city’s Basque Block downtown is the best place for learning more about the heritage. As early the late 1800s, Basques began settling in southwestern Idaho, many lured here to work as

A man walks in front of the Basque Center in Boise.

sheepherders. The Basque Block includes a museum, a market, restaurants, street art and historical signage that track the Basque influence and history in and beyond Boise.

Boise River Greenbelt Like the foothills, the Greenbelt is a recreational gem for residents and visitors alike. The 25-mile (40-kilometer) trail, featuring tree-lined paths on both sides of the Boise River, runs through the heart of the city and beyond. It’s user-friendly for bike commuters heading to the office downtown, walkers, joggers and a conduit for getting to the Boise State University campus, downtown shops and restaurants and the numerous parks that line the river and trail system. A handful of hotels in the area also provide free bikes to guests looking to pedal around town.

Capitol city public market Sure you have to pay for the locally grown fruit, vegetables, grass-fed beef or the various arts and crafts for sale, but the sights, smells, sounds and people-watching are free at Boise’s version of the classic farmer’s market. In three separate spots downtown, vendors set up shop on blocked-off city streets or plazas each Saturday morning from April through December.

Photo shows organic items for sale at a farmer’s market in Boise.

Photo shows Tony Eiguren, left, owner of the Basque Market, serving a plate of paella to a lunch customer in Boise. region also provide plenty of things to do at no cost. Here are four free things to do in Boise: Hike or bike in the foothills Boise is snuggled up along a line of foothills that stretch north and east and serve as stepping stones into national forest and the bigger, Boise Mountain Range. The foothills are also a playground for hikers, runners, mountain bikers and bird-watchers. The city manages a network of more than 130 miles (210 kilometers) of trails and numerous access points, some just minutes from downtown. Even a short, moderate hike along any of the trails provides enough elevation to overlook the city, the valley and the Owyhee Mountains across the valley floor. There is also the Jim Hall Foothills Learning Center, a great resource for information about the high-desert environment and the plants, wildflowers and wildlife that inhabit the foothills.

Photo shows a farmer’s market in Boise, Idaho. — AP photos

Bikers on the Polecat Loop in the Ridge to Rivers trail system in Boise.

Director: ‘Night Moves’ not a political statement

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2013

A Kuwaiti woman (unseen) holds a duckling in her hand at a bird market in Kuwait City yesterday. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Cubans nostalgic for Russian cartoons of their youth M

Members of the public explore some of the 25 life-size painted donkeys, created by Egyptian and Western artists, as they go on display in St Paul’s Cathedral in London.

An exhibition of 25 life-size painted donkeys entitled the ‘Caravan’, arrived at St Paul’s from Cairo as an inter-faith peace project, aiming to demonstrate inter-religious dialogue. — AFP

ore than two decades since they vanished from Cuban TV with the fall of the eastern communist bloc, quirky Soviet-era cartoons are fueling a wave of nostalgia for middleaged Cubans. The “Russian cartoons” as Cubans tend to call them-though they were from several different allied countries-have inspired T-shirts honoring old shows like the Soviet “Mashinka and the bear”, Poland’s “Lolek and Bolek”, and the Hungarian hit “Gustavo.” Of course, it is a generational thing. The shows were broadcast in Cuba from the 1960s to the 1980s.

Some older Cubans remember Disney characters from before the 1959 revolution, like Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck who, not surprisingly, never won the Cold War Cuban government’s seal of approval. And today’s kids see a few Cuban cartoons-and some select international programming. But for middle-aged Cubans, their childhood heroes came from the Warsaw Pact.

These Soviet-era characters-along with more made in East Germany or Bulgaria-are touchstones that still hold a surprisingly warm place in the hearts of Cubans who grew up in a far-flung ally of the Soviet Union. But, despite their communist roots, the revival of interest in the cartoon characters was driven by commercial ambitions. “I realized that people were getting really into it, and I thought it might go OK as a business,” said

Abandoned casts of Angkor Wat treasures come out of hiding

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orgotten and abandoned for over 70 years, casts of the art treasures at the Khmer temple complex at Angkor in Cambodia are coming out of storage to be rediscovered in a Europe that first shunned them. The statues, reliefs and temple decorations in the style of the original ninth to 15-century monuments at the site in northern Cambodia are to be exhibited in Paris’ Musee Guimet in all their splendor. The casts made between 1870 and the late 1920s were commissioned by Frenchman Louis Delaporte (1842-1925), a member of the expedition team who “rediscovered” Angkor nearly 150 years ago.

Displayed at Paris’ Indochina Museum at Trocadero until its closure in 1936, the works were passed from one storage site to another over the next seven decades, some becoming damaged in the process. A year ago, the Musee Guimet took the pieces to a secure warehouse where they were inventoried and in certain cases restored, ready for the exhibition entitled “Birth of a Myth.

Louis Delaporte and Cambodia” that opens October 16.

Some 250 works will be shown including the casts and original Khmer art plus photographs and drawings. For several centuries the Angkor complex, now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was the centre of the powerful Khmer Empire.

Stretching over 400 square kilometers (250 square miles), the park contains remains of Khmer capitals, with the impressive 12thcentury Angkor Wat temple its best-known treasure. Delaporte’s collection features reliefs of Angkor Wat with extraordinary detail that far eclipses what visitors to the

original can see. “At the site, the original (reliefs) are high up and barely visible from the ground,” said Pierre Baptiste, exhibition curator and head of the Musee Guimet’s southeast Asia section. Among the casts is a plaster tower covered with smiling deities, like the one of the Bayon temple, a major monument at Angkor. It was sawed into bits after 1936 but will be partially put back together for the exhibition.

Left to gather dust Angkor had already been visited by Europeans including a French naturalist, Henri Mouhot, who wrote of the wonder, before Delaporte joined the 1866-1868 Mekong expedition. Delaporte was stunned by the sights he discovered and was determined that Europeans see the Khmer art for themselves. In 1873 he organized a collection of statues, reliefs and architectural pieces found in the temple ruins to be sent to French museums. At the same time, he commissioned the casts. At first they were ignored by Europe.

“When his 102 boxes of Khmer pieces, including originals, arrived in France in 1874, nobody wanted to know,” said Baptiste. Even the Louvre refused them. In the end, the works were sent to a chateau north of Paris at Compiegne where Delaporte opened a museum of Khmer art.

Eager to complete his museum collection, Delaporte sent his sculptors to work in Cambodia and produce more casts. But as the 20th century arrived, interest in casts waned and, after the closure of the Trocadero museum, Delaporte’s collection was homeless. —AFP

A customer looks at T-shirts decorated with cartoon characters from the Soviet era, at a tourist shop in Havana.

— AFP photos

A worker shows a print T-shirt decorated with cartoon characters of the Soviet era.

Darwin Fornes, who designed the brightly colored T-shirts cranked out at a factory in colonial-era Old Havana. Despite tough economic times in Cuba, “sales have been better than anybody would ever have guessed,” he told AFP. Cubans are relentless punsters, and Fornes named his business “Chamakovich” a mix of the Cuban slang for a kid “chamo” and the Eastern European-sounding “kovich.”

“These images mean so much to me. They bring my childhood flooding back. That’s what happens to everybody who gets caught up in them,” said the designer, 28, wearing a yellow Tshirt with the wolf and hare from “Nu, pogodi!”translated as “I’ll get even, eh”. He had a first lot of 300 T-shirts made and was happy to see them sell out fast-though Cubans earn the equivalent of under 20 dollars a month. “People see what we are offering, and I send them to our stand at the street fair,” said Fornes whose idea mushroomed out of the interest people had when he spotlighted the

cartoon characters on his Facebook page.

“Chamakovich” has drawn enough attention to have earned a spot on a state news program, which in the only Communist-run country in the Americas has not until now put much focus on local business development. Cuba’s government under President Raul Castro, 82, still controls most of the economy, but Cubans are allowed to seek self-employment in a wide range of professions.

Some older Cubans never cared for the artistically uncomplicated Soviet-era cartoon imports, and many parents at the time joked that naughty kids would be punished by being forced to watch them. But “those of us who were kids when they were on TV enjoyed them a lot,” smiled Fornes.

Plenty of Cubans on the island and abroad who agree with him have started collecting images, Tshirts and videoclips of their childhood classics.

Dainerys Machado, a journalist, said she recently downloaded 10 gigabytes of the Soviet-era cartoons as a blast from the past. — AFP