8th Sep 2013

CR IP TI ON BS SU

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

Blasts kill 18; Shebab claims responsibility

Abbott sweeps into power in Australia

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www.kuwaittimes.net

THULQADA 2, 1434 AH

Pakistani militants prepare for war

Vettel on pole for the Italian Grand Prix

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31 die as Egypt army hits Sinai militants Cairo airport on alert after bomb tip-off conspiracy theories

Balloon them!

By Badrya Darwish

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

L

ife is amazing. It is full of mysteries which are beyond the capacity of our understanding.

Mind it, I am not talking about politics today. I leave Syria to McCain and Obama, and the Arab League, which is paying the bill of course. I am leaving politics to the G20 who are meeting to discuss various economics issues but who also discussed Syria at dinner over lavish buffets.

My story is about food and the two extremes in life. Some people are dying out of hunger while others are dying of obesity. Wherever I go in Kuwait everyone complains that they are obese. Both women and men go on and on describing programs that aim to cut down on the food intake; they share tricks that can suppress the appetite. Everyone has become an expert on nutrition nowadays.

Some experts advise us to drink warm water in the morning; others suggest - to add some vinegar to the water; a third group suggests drinking grapefruit first thing in the morning. The recipes on weight loss and suppressing appetite are endless.

Food is the topic of discussion in Kuwait today. All talks revolve around the difficulty to resist delicious temptations.

Many people sit and tell the story of a day of dieting followed by another day of indulgence.

Others take a shortcut and make gastric sleeve surgery. The side effects of such operations are not yet known of course because they have not been tried for generations. Their popularity has spread in the last five years.

What is my major point here? Whereas there are people who cut their stomachs in order to reduce their capacity, in other parts of the world, like in Africa and many parts of Asia, people do not know what food means. While some cannot stop eating, others are dying to get a bite. To the latter, it does not matter what kind of bite they are given by charity organizations. They do not even have potable water.

And whereas one group of people is fighting to resists food, others are fighting to survive famine.

Obesity and the gastric sleeve operations has become a fashion globally. In many parts of the Arab world, young people who could exercise and keep a balance diet opt for these operations instead. They are tempted by the availability of many food choices.

Statistics are even more impressive. I just read that around $210 billion are spent on fast food in the US alone every year while it takes a bit more than that to help countries threatened by famine. I am sure if these statistics come out for Europe the number will be equally staggering. Of course, we in the Gulf overtake such numbers with much smaller population that is just a tiny fraction of the population of the US. If we calculate the food we eat and throw in Kuwait I am sure it will be a shocking revelation. And after the binge, we rush to doctors to reduce our stomachs or to balloon them.

Have a good evening!

MERS death toll hits 44 in Saudi DUBAI: Two Saudi women have died from the MERS coronavirus and two more have contracted the disease in Saudi Arabia, the health ministry said yesterday, raising to 44 the number of people in the kingdom who have died from the SARS-like virus. The World Health Organization said last month the number of confirmed infections worldwide in the past year was 102, of whom almost half have died.

The Saudi Health Ministry said in a statement one 41year-old woman working in the health sector died in the capital Riyadh and a 79-year-old woman who had been suffering from other diseases died in Hafr Al-Baten, a town in northeastern Saudi Arabia. The ministry also reported two men aged 30 and 47 were under intensive Continued on Page 13

KUWAIT: Motorists are pictured near a traffic jam along the Fourth Ring Road. Kuwait government is making efforts to avoid traffic jams as school reopens. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat (See Page 3)

Kuwait Speaker under fire over ‘corruption’

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Max 47º Min 30º High Tide 01:20 & 13:31 Low Tide 07:38 & 19:57

CAIRO: At least 31 people were killed or injured yesterday when the Egyptian army mounted a large operation against militants in North Sinai, security officials said.

Dozens of armored vehicles backed by attack helicopters took part in the operation near Sheikh Zuweid, a few kilometers from the Palestinian Gaza Strip. Another 15 people were detained in the operation.

Soldiers launched an air and ground assault on Sinai militants as army engineers defused a bomb on a railroad linking the canal cities of Ismailiya and Suez.

Meanwhile, a prosecutor leveled new accusations against Mohamed Morsi, already facing trial on other charges, alleging the Islamist leader insulted the judiciary when he was president, state media said.

Egypt has seen an uptick in bombings and shootings, mostly aimed at the security forces, since August 14 when hundreds were killed in clashes when police broke up two pro-Morsi protest camps in Cairo. The military has been facing an insurgency in north Sinai, a haven for Al-Qaeda-inspired militants who launch almost daily attacks against security forces. And yesterday it pressed a crackdown on suspected Islamist militants on the restive peninsula.

Air strikes were carried out on suspected militant hideouts while armored vehicles were deployed in the area and along the Rafah border with the Gaza Strip, officers said. The military has stepped up its operations against suspected Sinai militants over the past few weeks and frequently report the deaths of “terrorists”.

The latest report cannot be verified because the area is closed to the media.

Egypt’s Cairo airport on alert after bomb tip-off In another development, officials at Cairo’s international airport say a flight to London was delayed after security services received a tip concerning a possible bomb attack on the plane. The officials said an anonymous caller told state security by telephone that two passengers on the EgyptAir flight were suicide-bombers who had planned an attack. They said the flight’s passengers were being searched in the boarding area, and that the delay should last one hour. All luggage was taken off the plane to be checked by sniffer dogs, they added. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Also yesterday, Egypt closed the Rafah border crossing for “security reasons”, said Maher Abu Sabha, the crossing’s director in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip.

Elsewhere, police called in military bomb disposal Continued on Page 13

World faithfuls fast and pray for Syria

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GCC calls for end to Syria genocide RIYADH: The Gulf Cooperation Council urged the international community yesterday to intervene immediately to “rescue” the Syrian people from their government’s “oppression.” “The genocide, and grave human rights violations, faced by the Syrian people necessitate an immediate intervention by the international community,” GCC secretary general Abdullatif Al-Zayani said.

The intervention would aim to “rescue the brotherly Syrian people from the oppression of its regime, and bring its suffering to an end,” a statement added.

The call comes as US President Barack Obama awaits a vote by the Congress over his request to back his plan to strike Syria over an alleged use of chemical weapons. “ The Syrian regime is fully responsible for what is happening in Syria, for rejecting all attempts to solve

the crisis, and continuing to practice killing and destruction, including the use of chemical weapons,” Zayani said.

Gulf nations support international measures to “deter the Syrian regime from committing its inhumane practices,” he added. The GCC consists of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabiathe bloc’s heavyweight, has been pushing for a US-led strike on Syrian forces loyal to President Bashar Al-Assad.

Meanwhile, heavy government shelling of rebel positions near the Syrian capital killed 16 people yesterday, activists said, as US Secretary of State John Kerry lobbied European allies to back Washington’s proposed military action against the ruling regime. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Continued on Page 13

Israel ‘unimpressed’

by Iranian greetings JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday dismissed seemingly conciliatory statements from Iran as a smokescreen to divert attention from Tehran’s efforts to build nuclear arms. In a statement from his office, Netanyahu brushed off remarks in which Iranian officials condemned the Holocaust and even wished Jews a happy new year. He called on the international community to increase pressure on the Islamic republic.

“I am not impressed by greetings coming from the regime which just last week threatened to destroy Israel,” said

Netanyahu. “The Iranian regime will be judged solely on its deeds, not its greetings, whose only purpose it to distract attention from the fact that even after the elections it continues to enrich uranium and build a plutonium reactor with the aim of acquiring a nuclear weapon which will threaten Israel and the whole world.”

Iran’s army chief of staff General Hassan Firouzabadi was quoted by the official IRNA news agency on August 29 as saying that a US-led military strike against Tehran’s ally Syria would leave American protege Israel in flames.

Continued on Page 13

KUWAIT: Police responded to a call from a citizen about the presence of a loose lion in Bayan area yesterday. The lion was handed over to the Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources. Meanwhile, the director of Najda police department Brig Zuhai Al-Nasrallah has warned against raising wild animals inside homes, adding that only non-dangerous animals should be kept as pets. — By Hanan Al Saadoun

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

LOCAL

DOHA: Kuwait Ambassador to Qatar Ali Al-Haifi praised the strength of relations between Kuwait and Qatar, where he also thanked the Amir and officials in Qatar for the cooperation accorded to him during his tour of duty. This came during a ceremony held by the foreign diplomatic corps in Qatar in honor of the outgoing ambassador Ali Al-Haifi and on the occasion of the expiry of his tenure in Qatar.

MPs to sue Speaker over corruption allegations ‘Conspiracies’ against KAC

By A Saleh KUWAIT: MP Safa Al-Hashem plans to file a lawsuit today against Parliament Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim over statements in which the latter accused unnamed MPs of accepting bribes to raise certain topics in the parliament. Speaking to reporters yesterday, Al-Hashem said that she seeks a court order that “obliges the Speaker to clarify his statements” in which he used a feminine proverb to refer to the alleged corrupt lawmakers.

Al-Hashem, who is one of two women members in the parliament along with Maasouma AlMubarak, had given Al-Ghanim a 72-hour period last week to provide clarifications, but the speaker refused to comment on the subject when approached by reporters. “My decision is nonnegotiable since 72 hours have passed after he made his serious statements”, she said. While she accused Al-Ghanim of libel, Al-Hashem said that the Speaker’s accusations are “unacceptable” and “set for a questionable beginning regarding his relationship with fellow lawmakers”.

The same lawmaker also criticized the government yesterday on allegations of “destroying the Kuwait Airways Corporation that is 100 percent owned by the Kuwaiti people”, by allegedly favoring influential people against the general interest. “It is strange to see personal interests continue to determine the fate of KAC, or how else can we justify the failure of paying the company debts owed for state departments as per an Amiri Decree issued in that regard?”, MP AlHashem asked in a statement to the press.

MP Al-Hashem mentioned rumors suggesting that a government official is working under the

table to establish an ‘aircraft ground handling company’ as part of “his efforts to push KAC to bankruptcy in order to establish a company with sure profit” after bankruptcy procedures. She also accused Minister of Planning Dr Rola Dashti of ‘conspiring’ against KAC by pushing a proposal that called for reducing KAC’s capital from KD 350 million to KD 250 million which was eventually approved, thus limiting the company’s capabilities to improve its fleet.

This comes amid reports suggesting that the Kuwaiti government gave orders to increase Boeing’s share in KAC’s project to add new planes to its fleet. According to sources, the orders came to ‘cater to’ the United States in light of allegations that the latter had lobbied with the government to consider offers from the USbased aircraft-maker after KAC announced signing a deal with Airbus earlier this year.

Separately, parliament sources revealed that a number of MPs are already coordinating to file a grilling motion against minister Dashti when the parliament resumes sessions on October 29. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the sources indicated that these plans came to the attention of other lawmakers who had approached them for the possib i l i t y o f j o i n i n g e f fo r t s to f i l e a gr i l l i n g against Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Thekra Al-Rashidi. The proposed plans to quiz Dashti focuses on alleged illegal hiring at her office, whereas Al-Rashidi’s grilling plans focus on the death of an orphan who died in a car crash after leaving a supposedly guarded social care house a couple of weeks ago.

The same topic is expected to be addressed during a meeting for the parliament’s health

and social affairs committee this week.

Meanwhile, sources close to Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education Dr Nayef Al-Hajraf revealed that the minister requested a meeting with the parliament’s educational committee to clarify issues pertaining to Kuwaiti graduates whose degrees are yet to be certified. The sources added that the meeting could help subdue efforts led by MP Osama Al-Tahous who had previously announced plans to grill the minister on accusations that the credence procedures are being deliberately delayed.

In other news, sources revealed that a number of MPs plan to support government efforts to thwar t draft laws that if passed would increase government spending like increases in salary and allowances in the public sector.

Other sources said, in the meantime, that several lawmakers plan to push proposals to allocate sessions every other Thursday to discuss specific topics of high importance including health, housing and education.

Separately, the Kuwait Institution for Scientific Research approved projects to expand solar energy generators in Shagaya by building two new plants with a total production capacity of 60 megawatts.

In another development, Iraqi Vice President Khodair Al-Khozaei released a statement yesterday calling Iraqi lawmakers to vote in favor of an agreement his government reached in Kuwait to regulate navigation at the joint Khor Abdullah strip of water. The appeal comes in response to the Iraqi Council of Representatives where MPs alleged that the treaty hurts mobility at the Iraqi side of the waterway.

GCC education system needs ‘drastic reforms’ KUWAIT: Around 25 per cent of students in the GCC believe that the region’s education system is in need of drastic reform while 67 per cent said that reforms would improve their education.

According to a Booz & Company study, GCC students said that they need better trained teachers and up-to date teaching methods. Students also urged policy makers to provide more choice in academic programs, treat extra curricular activities with the same importance as education and improve career counseling.

“While most GCC governments are aware of the problem and have made “human capital development” core to their policy agendas, problems still persist with the quality and relevance of GCC education,” said Leila Hoteit, a principal with Booz & Company.

“The underlying difficulty remains a gap between the skills that businesses need and what young people learn in schools.”

Recent research by the Economic intelligence Unit suggests that it is more important to assess the effects of the investments being made in the educa-

tion system rather than just pouring in resources. The number of GCC students is expected to grow from 9.5 million in 2010 to an estimated 11.3 million in 2020 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1.8 per cent. Tertiary students are set to witness the highest growth during this period at a CAGR of 5.5 per cent, the study said.

Out of the GCC countries, students from Kuwait were the most confident about their country’s education reforms while a majority of UAE students said that their education system was better than what was available in the West.

Students from Saudi Arabia were the most dissatisfied with school infrastructure with the majority citing lack of recreational and academic facilities.

Teachers’ competence was also an area of concern among Saudi students, the survey found.

Despite Qatar government’s efforts in creating more choices in schools, students said that they have absolutely no input in the educational decisions, resulting in a lack of trust in the government’s policies. The study also found that GCC policymakers

have failed to include students when introducing education reforms. “Bringing students into the process of improving education is good policy and effective practice,” said Mounira Jamjoom, a senior research specialist at the Ideation Centre, Booz & Company’s think tank in the Middle East.

“Research shows that student engagement improves student-teacher relationships, practices and procedures, policies, laws, and culture. Moreover, more students “buying in” and trusting in the reform process is critical for reforms to succeed.” The study said that it is imperative that GCC policy makers establish an on-going dialogue with students rather than just asking for their opinion. A survey by YouGov, held in conjuction with Booz & Company, found that students too wanted to play a role in educational reforms. “They see an opportunity to do so through school student councils and social media platforms,” said Jamjoom. “In reality, 60 percent told us that social media has already made it easier for them to personally influence education reform. This view is especially prevalent among UAE residents.”

CAIRO: Kuwaiti Ambassador to Egypt Dr Rashid Al-Hamad pictured with members of the Egyptian soccer delegation yesterday.

Kuwait remains supporter of Egypt’s aspirations CAIRO: Kuwait and Egypt have “strong and exceptional” ties and the Gulf state will always remain a supporter of the aspirations of the Egyptian people, Kuwaiti Ambassador to Egypt Dr Rashid Al-Hamad emphasized yesterday after meeting with Egyptian soccer delegation.

“Kuwait’s stand to Egypt does not need to be thanked because it’s a given fact,” AlHamad told representatives from the Egyptian soccer veterans society. He further said that sports has a major role in strengthening these bilateral ties. He welcomed the soccer players’ suggestions in

holding friendly matches between the Kuwait and Egyptian teams.

On his part, head of the society Abdulmiam Al-Hajj expressed his appreciation to the Kuwaiti leadership for its unconditional support, especially during this critical period that his country is going through.

Other members of the society followed suit by expressing their thanks to the gulf country’s efforts in achieving stability and peace in the region.

They also went on describing the solid and unwavering bilateral ties. —KUNA

Housing issue tops MPs agenda KUWAIT: Topics that address pressing public demands are expected to top the parliament’s agenda when sessions resume on October 29. While panels scrambled to set their individual lists of priorities, the housing issue seems to be a common topic which most lawmakers agreed upon discussing early.

Mubarak Al-Hurais, President of the parliament’s Legislative Committee spoke about the panel’s decision to approve recommendations to increase the housing loan to KD 100,000 (from KD 75,000) and rent allowance to KD 250 (from KD 100). “It is a temporary solution to the housing crisis which has affected almost every citizen of this country ”, Al-Hurais told Al-Rai on Friday.

The housing issue became an automatic topic of discussion during election campaigns and even after elections over recent years since high demands led to sharp increase in prices of houses, land, and building material, in addition to rents. The issue is a major problem, especially for young married couples, who in some cases might wait for more than a decade before they obtain a government house. “The laws are meant to help citizens with limited

income who are unable to cope with the sharp increase in property prices”, Al-Hurais added. He also urged the government to cooperate in order to pass the aforementioned laws in the parliament; along with other proposals that include health insurance, and establishing companies for private education.

In the meantime, MP Roudhan AlRoudhan called upon the government to form a ‘joint committee’ between the ministries of oil, housing, defense and municipality affairs to work on freeing state-controlled lands to be invested in housing projects. “An area like Subiya can be used to build 350,000 housing units, yet it remains empty”, he told Al-Rai. On the other hand, MP Osama Al-Tahous argued that increasing housing loans and rent allowances could make the problem worse “given the lack of regulations to prevent price rise accordingly”.

Separately, MP Al-Tahous announced in an interview with Al-Qabas that he plans to coordinate with fellow lawmakers to focus on priorities, confirming earlier reports that suggested that a ‘youth-oriented bloc’ is in the works with the housing issue set to top its agenda.

Guardsmen heading to Kuwait DUNKIRK: Deployment ceremonies were held this past weekend for more than 300 New York Army National Guard members who were heading to Kuwait.

Two of the ceremonies were held yesterday morning, one for a unit in western New York and the other for a unit based on Long Island.

Fifty members of Co. A of the 642nd Aviation Support Battalion based in Dunkirk will head to Fort Hood in Texas for training before deploying to the Arabian Gulf in support of US forces stationed there.

They’ll be joined by another 175 soldiers from the battalion’s companies based at McArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma.

Also heading to Kuwait are 100 soldiers assigned to the battalion’s headquarters based at Rochester International Airport. Their deployment ceremony is today morning at the airport.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

LOCAL

Efforts to avoid traffic jams as school reopening nears Parents not happy with proposals

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: The new academic year is set to start within a week for the majority of schools and universities and the traffic nightmare will start again after the country’s residents enjoyed roads which were almost free of cars during the summer vacation when most of the people in the country were traveling.

Different state departments have been working together to find a solution to avoid traffic jams during rush hours every morning and noon, caused mainly by transportation for students. Joint Committee from the Ministr y of Interior, Ministry of Education, Kuwait University, and Public Authority for Applied Education and Training recently held a meeting to discuss changing the timing of schools, university and public authorities but no consensus was achieved in this matter.

The departments and ministries will meet again this week and will discuss the possibility of applying the proposal of Major General Abdulfattah Al-Ali, Assistant Undersecretary for Traffic Affairs which suggests changing school timings to 7:00 am instead of 7:30 am while retaining university timings at 9:00 am. Officials at the

Ministry of Education proposed changing the timings from 1:30 pm to 1:15 for kindergarten and elementary and timings for middle and high schools from 8:00 am-2:30 pm.

Most parents were not satisfied with these proposals, especially ones with children studying in different grades. “I have three chil-

dren; two in elementary and one in intermediate. So now if the difference between their leaving time is an hour, this will be very hard and I think that it will also cause jams on the roads as I have to rush home

from school to pick up my other daughter and head to school again.

This will also cause me problems at work,” Yaseen, a 43-year-old father told the Kuwait Times.

Officials proposed using schoolprovided transportation as one of the main solutions to avoid or at least decrease traffic jams but many parents say no to school buses for

different reasons. “I don’t trust the bus drivers at all. My neighbor’s nine-year-old son was left disabled after he was seriously injured last year when the driver didn’t notice that he was getting down from the

bus and hit him accidentally when he fell on the street. My friend told me how his son died when the bus stopped on the wrong side of a highway and a speeding car hit him and he died. I think it’s dangerous and I won’t let my children travel by bus. I used to always take them to school and now both my kids are in university and drive their own cars,” said Osama, a 55-year-old Kuwaiti.

Some parents are deterred by the time their kids spend on the bus. “My daughter’s school is just a five-minute drive from the house, so why should she spend two hours on the bus commuting every day? I tried the bus two years ago and it was terrible. The bus arrived at 5:30 am and she reached school at 7:30 am and on her way back, she left at 1:30 pm and reached home at 3:30 pm. I have also heard stories of drivers abusing female students on the bus and I would never put my daughter at risk,” said George, a father of two.

Some parents seek alternative solutions. “I have three boys and they go to the same school as my neighbor’s kids. I will talk to my neighbor and have him drop them in the morning and I’ll pick them up in the afternoon. This will help solve the traffic congestion,” said 45-year-old Mahmoud.

KUWAIT: The National Bank of Kuwait organized a training course for employees of the foreign preparation department at the Ministry of Defense, on basics of commercial funding. NBK CEO Shaikha Al-Bahr rewarded the 20 trainees in a ceremony held on the conclusion of the two-day course.

No school year postponement KUWAIT: Kuwait’s education minister has dismissed claims that the school year would be postponed until the political situation in the region becomes stable.

“We have no intention to delay the reopening of schools and we have not even talked about such a possibility,” Nayef Al-Hajraf said. “The ministry is closely monitoring the situation in the region and will use the emergency plans it has drawn up if there is a need for them inside the schools. We are ready and we will take the appropriate actions and measures,” he said, quoted by the local media on Thursday. Students are expected to be back in classes next week following their summer vacation.

Kuwaiti officials have sought to assure the nation that the government had taken the necessary measures to deal with any fallout from the expected military strike against the regime in Syria.

“We are pleased with the level of readiness explained by the government,” parliament Speaker Marzooq Al-Ghanim said following a meeting of 23 lawmakers with seven ministers to discuss the post-strike plans. “The government has given us a comprehensive presentation on how it will tackle the situation. The plans are reassuring and there is no need for concerns, particularly in regard to national security and food,” he said.

Foreign Minister Shaekh Sabah Al-

Khalid told the MPs that the government was ready to confront any situation.

“We will address all possibilities,” he said. “We are all in the same boat and our main objective is to promote security and tranquility in the country,” he said, quoted by local daily Al-Rai. Lawmakers at the meeting differed on the degree of support that Kuwait should have for the anticipated military strike, sources told the paper. “ There were those who called for Kuwait’s neutrality,” they said. “However, there were MPs, who fully supported the military action, arguing that it would put an end to the suffering of the Syrian people. They insisted on the Gulf dimension of the Kuwaiti stances, insisting on the significance of declaring a Gulf confederation to confront the attempts to swallow up the Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC) individually.”

The GCC, established in 1981 as a political, economic and military grouping, includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Talk about strengthening the alliance as it confronts threats to its national security by turning it into a union has gained in intensity after Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud suggested the move at the GCC summit held in Saudi Arabia in December 2011.

Gulf airlines see dip in demand

KUWAIT: Education and Higher Education Minister Nayef Al-Hajraf touring Kuwait Education areas in preparation for the new school year which starts today by teachers reporting to their schools. —Photos by Fouad Al-Shaikh

Education ministry reforms to continue KUWAIT: Dr Nayef Al-Hajraf, Education and Higher Education Minister said the decision to retire individuals who reached the legal age will include all educational categories including assistant undersecretaries and directors of education zones.

Al-Hajraf, who spoke to journalists, after a tour of special education schools in Hawally, said the decision will be implemented accurately, after a careful study was made, bearing in mind finding the right alternatives to ensure that the new school year will not be affected. With reference to changing school hours, Al-Hajraf said the Education Ministry welcomes cooperation with government bodies to deal with any problem in the

state and not only traffic jams, adding that it is the right of the ministry, students, teachers and parents to adjust the hours, after taking all factors into consideration.

He said the ministry attended a meeting with concerned authorities on Thursday to discuss school hours and changing them, adding that the ministry asked for additional time to study all proposals in this regard. Al-Hajraf discussed highlighting the mass transportation project, which was implemented as a preliminar y trial in Rumaithiya school successfully and said that it is used all over the world to deal with traffic congestion. He said the ministry plans to form an advisory council for special education schools by NGOs as a form of

social partnership ìto give their opinions for development of those schools and its curricula within an integrated organization. He said

this will be discussed with a specialized team during the next two weeks at the meeting of the undersecretaries council.

UAE has the world’s ‘vainest’ skyscrapers DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates has the “vainest” skyscrapers in the world, a report measuring the extent of spires and other height-boosting additions to the top of buildings said yesterday.

The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) said unusable space at the top of the UAE’s 19 tallest buildings was an average 19 per cent of their total height, a measure it called the “vanity height”.

The building with the largest vanity height is the 828-metre Burj Khalifa in Dubai, of which 29 per cent or 244 meters is unusable - which would rank on its own as the 11th tallest building in Europe, the CTBUH said. The top three was completed by the Zifeng Tower in Nanjing, China, and the Bank of America Tower in New York. China and the United States were also second and third respectively for the average figure across all of their tall buildings.

Developers typically get higher rents on upper floors, but in developing economies where land and labour is cheaper they can more readily use tall

buildings to spark nearby development and make wider schemes viable, said Steve Watts, a tall buildings expert at construction consultancy Alinea.

“You can have towers that are lossleaders but catalysts for regeneration and iconic structures can sway decisionmakers,” he said. Despite the trend being less prevalent in more expensive markets, London’s Shard skyscraper, which was bankrolled by the state of Qatar, has a vanity measure of 20 per cent, CTBUH said.

“There can also be an ego element with these things with developers wanting to go higher than each other,” Watts said. The world’s tallest tower is set to become the one -kilometre Kingdom Tower in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, which will surpass the Burj Khalifa if it opens as planned in 2017.

The tower is expected to cost around SAR4.6 billion Saudi ($1.2 billion) and will form part of a hotel, retail and residential project as the oil-rich country seeks to improve its infrastructure and meet its massive housing needs.

Minister reassures protection of oil facilities in emergency case KUWAIT: Kuwait has an iron-clad plan to protect petroleum facilities in cases of emergency which fall under the state’s preparations against potential aftermath of a strike against Syria, a senior cabinet official told a local daily yesterday.

“The Ministry of Oil has plans to safeguard petroleum facilities and maintain production as normal in cases of emergency”, said Deputy Prime Minister and Oil Minister Mustafa Al-Shamali in statements to Al-Jarida.

He further indicated that the government continues to work on “improving the oil sector locally as well as oil investments abroad”, and reassured that the oil sector in Kuwait is “in good condition and going forward to solidify Kuwait’s status as a major oil exported in the world”.

Al-Shamali further indicated that the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation and its subsidiary companies are “undergoing major renovation processes” to improve production and foreign investment “in order to improve oil revenues and stabilize oil prices in accordance with the government’s ambitions on that regard”. He also credited the government’s “extensive plans to improve the oil sector in order to create a suitable environment for new oil investments that include excavations and building new refineries inside and outside Kuwait”.

KUWAIT: Middle East airlines saw a drop in passenger demand in July compared to the previous month due to the timing of Ramadan, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has said.

The region’s carriers still experienced the highest growth rate for any region, with July traffic up 7.8 percent compared to a year ago.

“While this is a fall-off from even higher year-over-year growth in June (12.1 percent), part of the decline can be attributed to the timing of Ramadan, which has a dampening effect on demand,” IATA said in a statement.

In 2013 Ramadan spanned most of July whereas in 2012, it occurred mostly in August. Capacity growth of 10.5 percent sent load factors down two percentage points to 78.3 percent. Globally, overall revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs) were up five percent compared to July 2012, IATA said. All regions were up year-on-year, with emerging markets recording the strongest increases.

Capacity rose 5.5 percent on the previ-

ous July, ahead of demand, and industry load factor dropped 0.4 percentage points to 82.4 percent.

“Passenger demand continues to be strong. But the story of emerging markets driving growth as developed economies stagnate could be shifting.

We are still expecting growth of 5 percent this year. How that growth is achieved, however, appears to be at a turning point,” said Tony Tyler, IATA’s director general and CEO. “The emergence of the Eurozone from an 18-month recession provided the biggest boost to traffic over recent months. In contrast, the deceleration of the Chinese economy has been a dampener on air travel, with weakness showing up throughout emerging Asian markets.” He added: “The price of oil, a huge cost item for airlines, is tracking political tensions in the Middle East. Along with the global cost impact of this, at the regional level there is the potential for disruption for one of aviation’s strongest and most consistent growth markets.”

Fire dept plans wide-scale upgrading KUWAIT: Kuwait Fire Service Directorate (KFSD) declared yesterday a plan aimed at upgrading the sector in harmony with the State development strategy.

The General-Directorate, Maj Gen Yusuf Al-Ansari, said in a statement the sector chiefs, following marathon meetings, worked out a plan, primarily designed to acquire new equipment, vehicles and execute new work mechanisms to minimize loss of lives and properties in fire accidents and natural catastrophes.

It envisages upgrading skills of the personnel, employing state-of-art technology, educating the fire-fighters about the team work theme, simplifying procedures and precautions as well as including the private sector in the development of the fire-fighting field.

Maj. Gen. Al-Ansari, who described the plan as a “road map,” said it also aimed at constructing new buildings for the fire department in the capital and Al-Jahraa, by end of this year, and upgrading the existing buildings and facilities. Administrative units will be set up in each of the country’s six governorates as part of the non-centralization approach, and for sake of saving time and effort in addition to enhancing work efficiency.

“The road map” is also aimed at ensuring speedy reaction at sea to deal with any

Maj Gen Yusuf Al-Ansari accident in the territorial waters, he said, indicating at plans to operate several boats for multiple missions and purposes.

Maj. Gen. Al-Ansari also declared a simultaneous scheme to educate the public about precautions against fires and accidents. Up to 10 fire stations will be linked with modern communication devices, he said adding that up to 82 new fire engines would be put in operation as well. — KUNA

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

LOCAL In my view

Local Spotlight

Master of preachers

Who controls who in media?

By Abdullah Buwair

Follow-up committees

By Muna Al-Fuzai

local@kuwaittimes.net

muna@kuwaittimes.net

I

was very saddened by the news of Abdurrahman Al-Sumait’s death. When I asked my father about this man, he described him as the ‘Master of Muslim Preachers’. I looked up AlSumait’s history and discovered that it is rich with great achievements. He built 5,700 mosques, distributed 6 million copies of the Holy Quran, took care of 15,000 orphans, built 840 educational facilities, taught 500,000 students, dug 9,500 water wells, built 124 medical centers, and helped more than 11 million convert to Islam in Africa.

Born on Oct 15, 1947, Abdurrahman Bin Hmoud Al-Sumait is

H

From Al-Watan

Al-Sumait earned a lot of badges, awards, plaques and certificates in application for his philanthropic efforts. The most prestigious of these awards could be the King Faisal International Award for Islam Service, as he donated the reward (750,000 Saudi riyals) to establish a waqf (Muslim religious or charitable purpose) that helped large numbers of African students continue their university studies. a Kuwaiti da’eiya (Muslim preacher) who founded the Direct Aid Society and the former Africa Muslims Foundations. He spent more than 29 years preaching Islam in Africa, and an approximate average of 972 people a day converted to Islam because of him.

Before he became a philanthropist, Al-Sumait was a doctor specializing in internal medicine and the digestive system. He graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree from the Baghdad University, and then obtained a diploma in diseases specific to tropical regions from the University of Liverpool in 1974. He finished his higher studies at the McGill University in Canada.

Al-Sumait earned a lot of badges, awards, plaques and certificates in application for his philanthropic efforts. The most prestigious of these awards could be the King Faisal International Award for Islam Service, as he donated the reward (750,000 Saudi riyals) to establish a waqf (Muslim religious or charitable purpose) that helped large numbers of African students continue their university studies.

Al-Sumait spent more than quarter a century of his life in Africa, and would come to Kuwait only to visit and treat. He also preached Islam in the North West, in Iraq, and Africa’s jungle where he faced many risks just to carry the message of peace and aid to people in need.

Al-Sumait’s continuous work was only stopped by death as even old age and disease couldn’t stop him from preaching and his philanthropic work in his final years. Al-Sumait suffered from diabetes and chronic pain in his legs and back, and his condition destabilized during recent years after he suffered kidney failures. He received intensive care at the Mubarak Hospital until he passed away on Thursday, Aug 15, 2013.

kuwait digest

A challenge called Syria

By Dr Shamlan Al-Essa

I

ranian military and political leaderships threatened Israel, face the developed West, and does not want to end its the United States and Arab Gulf countries against any Islamic revolution, so it is always keen to back off from attack on Syria, and said it will reach Israel, according to confrontation. This does not mean that Iran does not have statements of the Iranian Chief of Staff Maj Gen Hussein a supporting force in the Arab world. There is a large sector Fairoz Abadi. But the Commander of the Revolutionary of the Arab people who believe in “Welayat Al-Faqeeh” and support Iran’s revolutionary ideGuard Maj Gen Mohammad ology, and they are in Iraq, Hussein Jaafari warned the US, Away from statements of mili- Lebanon, Bahrain and other Israel and Arab Gulf countries countries. and said: “The region’s governtary and revolutionary guard GulfSupporters of Iran may carry ments and the regressive Arab regimes who declared their sup- commanders, the Iranian leader- out sabotage activities within their Arab countries, so everyport of a military attack on Syria must know that the fire of this ship is wise and rational and one is required to unite and war will not be limited to Syria, always interferes at the last prevent sectarian strife; political Islam groups be it Muslim but will reach all the people who promote war”. We, as political moment to prevent any real con- Brotherhood, Salaf Movement, Tahrir party or other Jihadi observers, do not know whether we should take the Iranian frontation between Iran and movements. The political threats seriously, or consider it Western allies. The Iranian leader- observer notices heightened media campaign by political mere revolutionary threats to deceive simple people and an ship knows well that it cannot Islamic groups against the attempt to raise the morale and face the developed West, and Shiite minority in the Gulf accusing them of supporting spirits of their allies in Syria and Hezbollah in Lebanon. In case does not want to end its Islamic Iran or the Syrian regime, and doubt their loyalty to their Iran delivers on its declared threats, it will be considered a revolution, so it is always keen to country and their keen interest, declaration of regional war. But back off from confrontation. This like other citizens, to distance their countries from the woes of political observers are counting on Iran not attacking Gulf coun- does not mean that Iran does not war.

The Gulf countries are tries because attacking any Gulf have a supporting force in the required to explain their view country will give them an excuse to attack Iran.

Arab world. There is a large sector and that they do not encourage war against Syria, but what can Away from statements of military and revolutionary of the Arab people who believe in they do in case the Syrian guard commanders, the Iranian “Welayat Al-Faqeeh” and sup- regime insists on using chemical weapons against the Syrian leadership is wise and rational and always interferes at the last port Iran’s revolutionary ideolo- people and children? We want peace and stability for Syria, moment to prevent any real confrontation between Iran and gy, and they are in Iraq, Lebanon, under a democratic and plural Western allies. The Iranian lead- Bahrain and other Gulf countries. regime where all ethnicities and sects are respected. —Al-Watan ership knows well that it cannot

ow powerful is media in our life today? Is media responsible for all wars and conflicts or do we owe the media for the way we think and act today? Why is media more powerful than leaders today?

The Middle East is an easy target for conflicts. We are a moving time-bomb filled with contradictions between the richest and the poorest. There are those who start their day with caviar on the table and those who can’t afford a piece of bread. There are those who spend millions on their birthday parties and weddings and millions of young men who can’t even afford the idea because they can barely afford their daily meal.

There are some who think life is heaven on earth and only meant to indulge their own lusts and there are others who kill innocent people thinking that they will go to heaven because of their acts.

The Middle East is just a name and not middle or moderate. It is a land of ups and downs and filled with extremists. Is media solely responsible for the collapse and rise and fall of the Middle East? Media and education have spoiled the lives of many youth through misunderstanding and misusing their stance. Media shapes and reshapes our ideas and life’s decisions. I know that some would say that politicians and the world is responsible for what happens in our life and media is just a tool because it is people who take decisions which could make our life better or worse. But who controls media? It’s obviously us and not aliens from outer space!

For instance, it was the media which fueled the idea of Arab Spring and made people rebel against the leaders. It was the media that made people stand up for millions of hungry people and unemployed youth. It triggered hatred for the leaders and paved the way for them to either end up in jail or die. Think of Libya. Think of Egypt falling into the hands of the Muslim Brotherhood. Think of Iraq and Syria and the endless list.

I think for many years, we have missed the basic point that we need to blame education in the Arab world for failing us in building a new generation by promoting technology and science. We need scientists and not murderers. Education in the Middle East has no future plans for the youth and no vision to perceive the future. It’s left at the mercy of conservatives, governments, and religious people who take the decisions.

During Saddam Hussein’s rule, education didn’t mention a single negative word against him or his ruling and judgments. This is why many intellectuals and scientists left Iraq and moved to the West, seeking peace of mind and a better life. The West benefitted from them, but did we? We tend to blame the satellite TV channels but not the school book in the hands of the youth. No one calls for a rebel in the education system. Why not? It is a stronger tool than the media to filter the news we hear and see, which might be fake or photo-shopped.

We need to rethink our ideas and the only way ahead is through a better education that matches our needs better. The would save the Middle East from more conflicts and maybe help us realize that not every news story is a call for war.

kuwait digest

kuwait digest

From Salhiya Complex to the Avenues Mall

Daylight robbery

By Dr Ghanim Al-Najjar

By Nabilah Al-Anjari

T

he wheel of history spins fast. Everyone who works restlessly for their country is given the appreciation that they deserve, whereas those who take advantage of the opportunity to create fake glories are crushed under the fast-moving wheel. In the seventies, the Salhiya Complex was established as the first modern shopping mall in Kuwait and opened the door for what was a new shopping experience in the region. Nearly half a century later, the mall is still standing as an example of an idea turned into reality by a pioneering visionary, Kuwaiti businessman Ghazi Al-Nufaisi, who was motivated by a national perspective that put the country before profits.

History shows that Al-Nufaisi’s vision is based on contributing to his country’s development. After establishing the first mall in Kuwait, he built the first hotel that is adjacent to a shopping complex, making the property one of the most important and luxurious shopping places in Kuwait and the region. The complex managed to survive the challenges of time and competition due to Al-Nufaisi’s commitment to continue renovation and maintenance work.

And after years that saw many successful experiences in shopping malls, a new star appeared in the field to take the attention of businessmen not only in Kuwait, but also the entire region. Avenues Mall is considered a huge step forward carried out in a unique fashion by a man with deep appreciation for his country, Mohammad Al-Shaya. This hardworking businessman put all efforts to make sure that the Avenues Mall became a bright spot where everyone can have a good time.

Between the Salhiya Complex and the Avenues Mall, many distinguished malls were established across Kuwait including Souq Sharq, the Marina Mall, the Fanar Mall, Al-Kout Mall, 360 Degrees Mall, etc. All of them are modernistic projects that are different as they contribute to supporting the national economy by being touristic attractions for citizens, residents and people visiting Kuwait. And while these malls continue to shine, others have quickly faded away because their owners primarily focused on making financial gains. This proves that whoever works hard while keeping the benefit of their country in their sight will always take their place in history.

As the government focuses on its development plan, we hope that it provides support to hardworking businessmen so that they can continue translating innovative ideas into reality which helps in Kuwait’s efforts to retain its status as the ‘Jewel of the Gulf’. In addition to supporting them, the government is urged to commemorate these loyal businessmen because they gave Kuwait things to be proud of. —Al-Qabas

M

y Twitter account was hacked last Thursday, which means I am no longer able to use it or communicate with my 45,000 plus contacts and followers from various countries.

I was very hesitant about having a Twitter account and would not have done it if I wasn’t pressured by young people because I was not eager to be surrounded by too much technology besieging my mind and fingers. I gave in anyway and have had this account for less than 20 months, during which I went through some experiences that cannot be measured by time, but by their impact on real life. Some have been published and others have been forgotten.

Though I have been working in journalism for over 30 years, I never thought my own newspaper would be read for free. It is even becoming more interactive. That’s Twitter! Yet, I believe the more interactive an account is, the more tempting it becomes for tech criminals.

I am often hesitant to use “Taghreeda”, the Arabic term for ‘a Tweet’, which gives a positive impression of singing while most tweets carry insults, hate speeches and destructive sectarianism. That’s why I prefer using the English term that does not have the same implications as in Arabic - a Tweet.

The amount of lies and made up stories is another annoying thing on Twitter. I myself have been victimized by many systematic ones in which words had been put in my mouth or events which I know nothing of were mentioned. However, the bright side of this is that one can still respond to such liars with a push-button process while in the comfort of home.

Attempting to survey lies used on Twitter, I constantly analyze fake tweets and I found out that waiting for an hour before re-tweeting news helps reduce lies by almost 80 percent. So, hold your horses and do not rush to re-tweet news in order to stop spreading lies. A few months ago, Twitter announced that at least 250,000 Twitter accounts had been hacked or stolen, and now they can add mine to that number.

I really do not know why this happened. It could be political or even commercial reasons due to the enormous number of my followers. The thieves might want to sell it to a third party. This short experience of mine with my stolen account introduced me to Twitter’s underworld but we will discuss this later!

After my account was stolen, I felt like someone whose car was not only robbed but he had to also watch the thief perform stunts in it right in front of his eyes! —Al-Jarida My new Twitter account till the old one is retrieved is: Alnajjarghanim@

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

LOCAL

Successful efforts in fight against illiteracy Kuwait celebrates Literacy Day

KUWAIT: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Oil Mustafa Al-Shimali pictured with oil sector officials yesterday.

Al-Shimali supports petrochem projects KUWAIT: Kuwait Petrochemical Industries Company said that Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Oil, and Chairman of the Board of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) Mustafa Al-Shimali has recently visited the company, expressing his support for its future plans.

According to a statement released by the company yesterday, Al-Shimali said he would put all his effort to help the company face any difficulties it might encounter during running projects that would develop the national economy, attract foreign investors, and open new international markets.

The company’s officials presented to the minister, projects designed to expand both locally and internationally. The minister was also presented with the financial achievements of the company, which was ten percent of the KPC’s profits, also contributing

4.5 percent to Kuwait’s GDP. The company also mentioned that officials explained to the minister, future projects such as the third olefins project and the second aromatics project, including the benefits out of cooperating with the new refinery project, environmental petroleum, and creating more job opportunities for the youth.

The minister also discussed with the officials the difficulties they may face in executing these projects such as the lack of industrial lands, and the lack of using supplies with added value such as ethane gas.

The minister praised the efforts of all of the company’s staff, noting that he will completely support all petrochemical activities in Kuwait and abroad, since it will help develop the country’s economy and industry. —KUNA

MoE employees to retire after 35 years of service KUWAIT: Minister of Education Dr Nayef Al-Hajraf said yesterday all ministry employees, including executives, who served 35 years would be sent to retirement. The retirement decision will be implemented in an accurate manner and after thorough study, he said, as well as taking into consideration the successors of retirees.

Al-Hajraf, also minister of higher education, was speaking to reporters during his visits to private schools in Hawally area.

He, meanwhile, said the education ministry asked the relevant government authorities more time to study several proposals to change the timing of the school day in order to avoid traffic congestion. Al-Hajraf said the ministry of education was planning to establish an advisory board for the private schools. This board, he added, would be made up of civil society organizations in order to have a social partnership mechanism. He noted that there were 18 private schools with 2,200 students. —KUNA

Kuwait wins gold in West-Asia tourney AMMAN: Kuwait Fencing team won one gold medal and two bronze in the general competitions of West Asian Fencing Championship in Jordanian capital.

The team manager, Abdul Nasser Al-Manea, told KUNA yesterday that Ibrahim Ashkenani won the gold medal in the individuals’ epee competitions, Fahad M alallah and Ahmad Ramadan each grabbed a bronze. In the individuals’ general contests, the Kuwaiti team won four gold medals and four bronze, he said, praising the team’s performance.

The Kuwaiti juniors’ team had won 15 medals in the championship. Up to 120 fencers are taking part in the games. They represent Kuwait, Jordan, the UAE, Syria, Qatar, Iraq, Palestine and Lebanon. —KUNA

Support for actions against Syrian regime RIYADH: Gulf Cooperation Council states support international measures aimed at deterring the Syrian regime and preventing it from “committing inhuman practices,” said GCC Secretary General Abdullatif Al-Zayani yesterday.

Al-Zayani, in a statement, expressed the GCC countries’ concern at escalation of the Syrian crisis, threatening regional security and stability, due to “intransigence of the Syrian regime.”

He also expressed these states’ strong condemnation of “the criminal and inhuman acts perpetrated by this regime against its people.”

“Tragic humanitarian conditions experienced by the “the brotherly Syrian people in and outside Syria, being victims of genocides and dangerous breaches of human rights, compel the international community to intervene immediately to save them from the regime oppression and put an end to their suffering and painful tragedy,” he added.

The Syrian regime “shoulders the full responsibility for what is happening in Syria due to its rejection of all Arab and non-Arab initiatives to settle the crisis and employment of all methods of killing and annihilation namely the internationallybanned chemical arms” that caused death of hundreds of civilians. —KUNA

KUWAIT: Kuwait can boastfully mark the International Literacy Day, falling today, due to its great success in tackling illiteracy, currently standing at 3.8 percent of the whole population and only 2.3 percent among natives of the northern Gulf country. Today is a crucial day for humanity across the world, a day of reflection to assess what the human race has done in the fight against intellectual ignorance. UNESCO is marking the occasion with the logo, “Forms of reading in the 21st century.” For Kuwait, this is an occasion to underscore its success in fighting illiteracy and educating the people.

According to fresh figures by the Public Authority for Civil Information, illiteracy stood, in the 2012-2013 academic year, at 3.8 percent of the overall population, and only 2.3 percent among Kuwaitis.

Illiteracy in the new academic year, as compared to the 2012-2011 year, fell 0.1 percent of the populace and 0.2 percent among the Kuwaitis. In the 2011-2012 academic year, it was at 4.4. percent of the population and 3.1 percent among the natives.

According to data of the educational statistical group for the teaching year, 2012-2013, issued by the Education Ministry Planning Department, number of centers for fighting illiteracy in the country’s six governorates reached 25.

There are seven centers in Ahmadi, seven in Farwaniya, four in Assima (Kuwait City), three in Jahra, same number in Mubarak Al-Kabeer, one in Hawalli, with 89 semesters, 1,939 students, including 983 Kuwaitis and 956 residents of the country.

Women are the majority among students studying at these centers, with an estimated number of 1,429, Kuwaitis and non-Kuwaitis. Number of male students is estimated at 510 and teachers at 367.

Figure of the special schools for educating seniors amounts to 68, including 29 for intermediate level, 32 for high school level and seven for religious teaching.

Students in these schools amount to 25,000, including more than 17,000 Kuwaitis and more than 7,000 non-

Kuwaitis. Number of the teachers is estimated 3,528.

Much of the credit for the successful efforts in the fight against illiteracy goes back to era of the late Amir, His Highness Sheikh Jaber Al-ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, when the Law 1981/4 was issued to wipe off illiteracy.

His Highness had also urged non-educated citizens to register at the special educational centers.

In addition to the special centers, the State of Kuwait has encouraged and supported public teaching, as well as private schools and colleges. The stepping stone was laid down by the constitutional amendment of 1962, which declared that education is the fundamental right of all the citizens, irrespective of their gender and class. This amendment and the further amendments made primary school education compulsory since 1965. The government of Kuwait further invested money in the establishment of private school infrastructure.

Presently, some 500,000 students are studying in various schools in Kuwait, colleges and universities.

Also on the occasion , Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, made an address to the world, saying litera-

cy is a basic right and essential for human development.

It paves the way to autonomy, acquisition of skills, cultural expression and full participation in society.

Illiteracy in the world, according to Bokova, has fallen over the two decades, thanks to international efforts and work towards the Millennium Development Goals.

Today, 84 percent of the world’s population, she added, can read and write, compared to 76 percent in 1990. In 20 years, the illiterate population has been reduced by more than 100 million people.

This is still not enough. Behind these figures there are still serious inequalities. Two thirds of the 774 million illiterate adults in the world are women. Most of the children and young people who do not go to school are girls. Fifty-seven million primary school-age children and 69 million secondary school-age children do not have the opportunity to attend classes.

UNESCO will hold at its headquarters in Paris tomorrow a number of activities on the occasion, including seminars and ceremonies for distribution of awards to figures with noticeable role in fighting educational ignorance. —KUNA

70 candidates run in municipal polls KUWAIT: Kuwaiti authorities on Friday said that six candidates for the municipal elections signed up their names on the last day of the 10-day registration process.

Their candidacies take the number of those planning to run in the elections to 70, including five women.

Under Kuwaiti law, the candidates have until Sept 20 to withdraw their names in case they no longer wish to run in the elections to be held on Sept 28, Kuwait News Agency reported. Although municipal elections do not spark as much attention as the parliamen-

tary polls, the ballot casting will be monitored with great attention to assess the general feelings in the country and the extent of religious, tribal and liberal influences that have traditionally dominated in the country.

Women’s rights activists will also use the elections to evaluate the degree of support for women seeking public seats.

Three women won in the latest parliamentary elections held under the principle of “one voter, one vote” principle introduced last year and resisted by the opposition on the grounds that it curbed its influence.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

LOCAL

Suspect escapes after two armed robberies Underage driver in police custody KUWAIT: An ex-convict escaped from Kuwait shortly after successfully carrying out two separate armed robberies on Wednesday night. The suspect first targeted a money exchange shop in Riggae where he robbed KD 3,000 at gunpoint.

When Farwaniya police were inspecting the scene, they received information that a similar robbery was reported at an exchange shop in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh by a masked man who escaped in a car similar to the one described during the previous robbery. Police were able to identify the suspect by the vehicle’s license plate number.

They discovered that he is a Gulf national who was recently discharged from jail where he spent time for robbery. They rushed to his house in Ardiya but found out that he had already left.

Investigations revealed afterwards that he went to the Kuwait International Airport, but before

they could arrest him, he had already boarded a plane to UAE. Local authorities are in talks with their UAE counterparts to arrest the suspect.

Unlicensed weapon Two people were arrested in Jahra after they failed to produce licenses for a weapon found in their vehicle. The men were pulled over at Jahra Road and patrol officers decided to search their car when they noticed that they behaving nervously. The two who are Kuwaiti nationals in their thirties were placed under arrest after an unlicensed MB15 was found in the car. They were referred to the Criminal Investigations Department for questioning.

Underage driver Traffic police officers apprehended an underage driver during a recent campaign near the Bida Roundabout. Police ordered the young driv-

er to pull over after growing suspicious of his appearance, and then found out that he was 14years-old and was driving his father’s car. The boy was taken into custody and his father was summoned for questioning. 13 other drivers were arrested during the campaign for driving without a license, while 1,264 traffic tickets were issued.

Body found An investigation was started to determine the circumstances behind the death of a man whose body was found in Jahra on Friday. Police headed to a ‘jakhour’ located behind the industrial area of Jahra where the body was found. The man was identified as a 45-year-old Bangladeshi national and preliminary examinations indicated that he had died six hours before his body was found.

The body was taken for an autopsy while the scene was cordoned off to determine the cause of death.

Gulf Bank supports UN World Humanitarian Day campaign KUWAIT: Gulf Bank is running an awareness campaign for the World Humanitarian Day (WHD) campaign for 2013 which is organized by the United Nation Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), under the theme of “the World Needs More of...’. The Bank is supporting the month long campaign by spreading awareness internally and externally through its social media channels. The official World Humanitarian Day marked on Aug 19 is the beginning of a global campaign, organized by UN OCHA, Non-Governmental organizations, private sectors, governmental sectors and different international organizations to celebrate the spirit that inspires humanitarian work around the world.

The campaign will continue until Sept 23.

This first-of-a-kind campaign in Kuwait aims to turn words into aid with the creation of the world’s first live marketplace by encouraging private sectors, local and international organizations, to sponsor ‘a word’ and raise money to support humanitarian aid operations. Gulf Bank is promoting this campaign internally to raise awareness amongst its staff by encouraging them to fill

in their ‘words’ of what the world needs more of. The Bank’s Internal Communications team distributed the official speech bubbles and encouraged staff to participate and share their thoughts via social media channels and the Bank’s internal social network ‘Yammer’. The

Bank is inviting its followers on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to participate by sharing tweets with the hashtag #theworldneedsmore, #worldhumanitarianday and and @WHDKW. Hadeel Al-Fadhli, senior manager, external relations at Gulf Bank said: “Gulf Bank recognizes and supports campaigns such as “The World Humanitarian Day”. We are grateful to those individuals that work endlessly to help people that are in need around the world. We are encouraging everyone to be a part of this important campaign and to spread the word of the importance of humanitarian work. The more we share and donate, the more we raise funds for humanitarian aid, the less people suffer.”

World Humanitarian Day was marked on Aug 19 and has been designated by the United Nations’ General Assembly to coincide with the anniversary of the 2003 bombing of the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad. This year marks the tenth anniversary since that tragic day, which claimed 22 lives of staff members in the line of duty.

KUWAIT: Fahaheel Center firemen put out a fire that broke out in a Kirby room and spread to surrounding areas in Fahaheel area. No injuries were reported. —By Hanan Al-Saadoun

US- Kuwait relations reflect common strategic interests WASHINGTON: The United States and the State of Kuwait have one of the strongest relations in the Gulf and Arab World, with a diplomatic ties dating back to Kuwait’s independence in 1961. Kuwait has since been a pivotal partner through three Gulf wars, including the Iran-Iraq war, the First Gulf War and Iraq War. Since US military operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, which helped drive Iraqi forces out of Kuwait in February 1991, ties between the US and Kuwait have strengthened across a wide range of sectors including defense, trade, energy and technology.

Moreover, the US has become a major provider of military and defense technical assistance to Kuwait’s Defense Forces through foreign military sales and commercial defense sales, where the two countries have conducted joint military exercises. The US and Kuwait also has worked closely on regional security issues.

In 2004 and in recognition of its multifaceted cooperation, Kuwait was given the special designation as a “major non-NATO ally” by the US administration. Four years later, US Central Command (CENTCOM) established a permanent base there for operations across 27 countries in the region.

Meanwhile, Kuwait has become “an important partner in the ongoing US-led campaign against international terrorism, providing assistance in the military, diplomatic, and intelligence arenas as well as supporting efforts to block financing of terrorist groups. Kuwait has also served as the key exit route for US troops as they implemented US President Barack Obama February 2009’s drawdown plan out of Iraq and then his October 2011 announcement that all US troops were to be out of Iraq by the end of 2011.

Last month, US Secretary of State John Kerry lauded renewed relations between Iraq and Kuwait in a Washington meeting with Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari.

Furthermore, Kuwait has been a vital partner in countering international terrorism through cooperating in the diplomatic and intelligence arenas as well as supporting efforts to block the financing of terrorist groups.

In addition, Kuwait has been sending its military students to US army institutions to get proper training in intelligence and piloting.

The Kuwaiti government has sponsored foreign academic study for qualified students in order to obtain degrees not offered at Kuwait University. Until January 2013, over 3,500 Kuwaitis were enrolled in US universities across the nation.

The US and Kuwait also have strong trade relations, being one of the largest suppliers of goods and services. A Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) was signed between the two countries in 2004 to deepen the economic ties which was viewed as a “prelude” to a Free Trade Agreement (FTA); upon this agreement the United States-Kuwait Council on Trade and Investment was established in which high level officials from each country met to advance trade and investment issues.

The latest data available from federal agencies shows US exports to Kuwait reached USD 2.6 billion in 2012, the fifth largest market in the Middle East. Meanwhile, US imports from Kuwait in 2011 totaled USD 7.8 billion and came mostly from the mineral fuel sector.

His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah AL-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah last visit to Washington D.C. was in August 2009 during which he met with Obama at the Oval Office in the White House. At that meeting Obama affirmed that Kuwait and the US share “strong” bilateral relations and that Kuwait has been an “outstanding host” for the US armed forces during its operations in Iraq.

Obama emphasized “not only gratitude” to Kuwait but also to the US “ongoing commitment to Kuwait’s security.”

On Sept 13, the US President will welcome His Highness the Amir and a “wide range of critical interest and important developments in the Gulf region and broader Middle East” will be discussed.

The White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said in a statement announcing the visit that the US and Kuwait “have a strong relationship, reflecting our common strategic interests, close defense partnership, and shared commitment to promoting peace, economic opportunity, and stability worldwide.” He affirmed that “the visit will highlight the enduring strength of the US-Kuwait relationship and the friendship between the American and Kuwaiti people.” —KUNA

Al-Barjas calls for sending winter aid to refugees KUWAIT: Chairman of the Board for Kuwait Red Crescent Society Barjas Al-Barjas called on all civic communities of the the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to provide immediate aid to Syrian refugees in winter season.

Al-Barjas said yesterday that the society is making huge efforts to help all Syrian refugees and providing them with everything they need, especially with the arrival of winter season, which requires sending more aid.

The chairman called on all communities to increase the amount of financial support and send extra aid to the refugees, to face the very cold weather in the refugee camps, adding that the numbers of refugees are increasing due to the worsening situation in Syria.

He praised the efforts of the nearby countries receiving the refugees, noting that all nations must put their efforts together to resolve this issue. He also mentioned that the society has been sending aid to Syrians in Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan since the crisis began, and will continue the effort until the crisis is over.

The society is in continuous contact with the International Committee of the Red Cross, The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and the UN’s humanitarian organizations to discuss the events and developments in the Syrian crisis, and to determine the needs of the refugees, he said. He hoped that all organizations would cooperate to end the suffering of Syrian refugees, and help them face the daily difficulties. —KUNA

UAE to spend $25 billion on rail projects DUBAI: The UAE plans to invest $25 billion in its railway infrastructure, accounting for 10 per cent of the entire MENA region’s investment in the sector.

That’s according to senior officials from the UAE’s National Transport Authority (NTA). While $11 billion has been allocated for Etihad Rail, which aims to connect all the emirates, Abu Dhabi’s Department of Transport has approved a budget of $8 billion for its metro project, and Dubai’s RTA has announced plans to spend $2 billion on developing and expanding its metro and tram facilities.

The remaining $4 billion has been allocated in lieu of inflation and other contingencies, said Nadhem Bin Taher, acting director general of NTA. “Since the projects are to be completed within the next six to seven years, we need to have some spare amount of money for new technologies and new products that enter the market,” he told reporters.

The first phase of the 1,200km Etihad Rail, which runs from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais, is almost complete, confirmed

Abdulla Mohamed Al-Nuaimi, Minister of Public Works and chairman of the NTA. “We hope to inaugurate phase one by the end of this year and phase two has also already started,” he said.

Etihad Rail, which will be developed in three phases, is also part of the wider GCC railway network that aims to connect all the six Gulf states.

“The plan is to connect the entire GCC by 2018,” stated Al Nuaimi.

“However, in the UAE, we are probably ahead of the other states. Oman announced last week that it will be launching its railway network by 2017 and hence that would expedite our connection with Oman. Saudi’s railway development is also in the pipeline - they have started the implementation process. We are hopeful that by 2018, it will be completed.”

Details such as immigration, customs and other logistical matters are currently being discussed by a GCC-wide committee to ensure that all the systems are in place, said Bin Taher.

Within the UAE, the NTA is also in the process of creating a new federal law to

govern and regulate the sector.

“The federal law will cover all the operators of all the rails within the UAE and will look into issues such as operations, safety and implementation,” explained Al Nuaimi.

The first draft has already been sent for approval, and the law is expected to be in force next year, he said.

The NTA has also signed an MoU with exhibition firm Terrapin to partner in the hosting of the Middle East Rail Congress in Dubai from 2014. The event is expected to bring in major industry leaders from the region and across the world to share better practices and will help the UAE become a hub for the railway industry, he said.

With Dubai one of the main contenders bidding to host Expo 2020, the NTA is also preparing to increase rail connectivity in the event of a successful bid.

“We are hoping that Expo 2020 will be part of our plans. We are assuming that it is agreed upon to be in Dubai, and our plans will be modified according to the final decision in November,” said AlNuaimi.

SUNDAY, SPTEMPER 8, 2013

Abbott sweeps into power; Australians punish Labor party Page 12

2 blasts kill 18 in Mogadishu Page 8

VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis (center right) speaks with the faithful before a mass vigil for prayer for peace in Syria, in St Peter’s square at the Vatican yesterday. — AFP

World faithfuls fast, pray for Syria Catholics worldwide ‘cry for peace’

Nigerian army kills 50 Boko Haram Islamists MAIDUGURI: The Nigerian army said yesterday it had tracked down and killed 50 members of Boko Haram, days after the Islamist sect was blamed for killing 20 villagers in raids in its northeastern stronghold. “Troops pursued the terrorists to their camps and with air support about 50 terrorists were killed in a shoot-out,” army spokesman Sagir Musa told reporters in Borno state capital Maiduguri.

“The villages have been rescued from the fangs of the insurgents. Troops are pursuing the remnants of the fleeing terrorists by blocking all possible exit routes,” Musa added. Boko Haram, which wants to impose Islamic law in northern Nigeria, and other splinter Islamist groups, are considered the biggest security threat in Nigeria, Africa’s top oil exporter.

The military sometimes exaggerates its successes and plays down its own casualties and the deaths of civilians, residents of Borno and rights groups have said. Musa said the number of civilian casualties in the latest offensive was not known. More than 160 people were killed in violence linked to Boko Haram last month - one of the bloodiest since President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency and a military crackdown in three northeastern states in May. A new army division was sent to Borno last month.

A civilian militia - often armed with no more than clubs and knives - has been operating against the Islamists in recent weeks, leading to the arrest of hundreds of them, the military says. The vigilantes and their families have become targets and scores have been killed in revenge attacks. Jonathan is under intense political pressure due to a split in his party and from a recently formed opposition coalition.

He has been criticized for not quelling Boko Haram’s insurgency, which has intensified under his leadership.

A military offensive ended Boko Haram’s initial uprising in 2009, when the group’s leader Mohammed Yusuf was killed in police custody, but the sect regrouped and came back stronger, launching a more committed insurgency nearly three years ago. While Boko Haram’s bomb and gun attacks on schools, churches, mosques and markets have gained it international notoriety, the group more commonly targets police, soldiers and politicians.

The sect has several factions and an ill-defined leadership structure, which has hobbled efforts to strike a peace deal. The military said last month Boko Haram’s leader Abubakar Shekau may have died in late July of wounds inflicted during a gun battle, but the report could not be independently verified. — Reuters

VATICAN: Catholics worldwide held a day of fasting and prayer for peace in Syria joined by Jews, Muslims and Orthodox Christians, as Pope Francis hosted a mass vigil yesterday.

Francis has called for a “cry for peace” to rise up around the globe and has said he will attend the four-hour prayer session in St Peter’s Square. Last week he wrote to leaders of the G20 leading world economies urging them to “lay aside the futile pursuit of a military solution”.

The Vatican has warned military strikes planned by France and the United States could escalate the conflict and cause it to spill over into the region.

The Catholic Church, which counts 1.2 billion faithful, has mobilized to adhere to the pope’s call through homilies in churches as well as through social media. “Peace is a good which overcomes every barrier, because it belongs all of humanity #prayforpeace,” Pope Francis wrote in one tweet, with another saying simply: “Never again war! War never again!” The Vatican has even issued instructions for Catholic parents to prepare “sober” family meals with children and grandparents that would be “rich in words”.

“If anyone has experienced war, they should talk about what it means to live under a bombardment-the uncertainty of what tomorrow will bring,” said Vincenzo Paglia, head of the Pontifical Council for Families.

“This cry from the pope distills the calls com-

ing from the one big family that is humanity,” French cardinal Roger Etchegaray, who led peace missions on behalf of John Paul II ahead of the Iraq war in 2003 said. When he announced the initiative last Sunday, Francis urged Christians from other denominations, faithful from other religions as well as atheists to join in.

Syria’s Sunni Muslim leader, Grand Mufti Ahmed Badreddin Hassoun, called for Syrians to join in the prayers and the patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, spiritual leader of the world’s Orthodox, also backed the call. In France, Muslim faithful at the Great Mosque of Paris held prayers on Friday following the pope’s call and asking “for the blood to stop flowing” in Syria. Chief Rabbi of Rome Riccardo Di Segni said the Jewish community was “in harmony” with the Vatican and would focus their prayers on the plight of Syria.

In Lebanon, the vice president of the Shiite Higher Council, Sheikh Abdel Amir Qabalan, voiced support. “Islam calls consistently for peace and harmony, and we consistently condemn killings, terrorism and foreign interference,” he said. The appeal has been particularly well received by Christian minorities in the Middle East, where leaders who are often in competition with one another have been united in their concern about the possible escalation of Syria’s civil war and the rise of radical Islamism.

Traditionally anti-clerical groups, like the

Radicals and the Left, Ecology and Freedom party in Italy, have also said they are supporting the pope’s appeal. Several Italian government leaders have said they will take part, after Italy said it will not participate in any armed intervention without a United Nations mandate. The prayer vigil in the Vatican starts at 1700 GMT but similar smaller initiatives are being held in places of worship around the world from Baghdad to Jerusalem, from Mumbai to Buenos Aires, from Washington DC to Beirut.

A giant peace flag will also be raised in Assisi, the hometown of the patron saint of peace St Francis, whose name the pope adopted when he was elected in March.

Francis is expected to be present for the duration of the vigil and will speak briefly in between long moments of silence and recitals of invocations for peace. An icon of the Virgin Mary will also be carried across the famous square by a group of Swiss Guards.

Couples from Syria, Egypt, Russia and the United States are expected to take part in the ceremony, which will end with a solemn papal blessing. The pope’s call is not unprecedented-previous popes have appealed against the Iraq war, the conflicts in the Balkans and the Vietnam War-but it is rare and unusual. The last time the Vatican called a similar day of prayer and fasting was late pope John Paul II in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States. — AFP

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

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

Moscow polls expose growing xenophobia in Russia MOSCOW: Bathed in the rosy dusk of late Russian summer, Alexei Navalny paced the stage as thousands of hopeful young Muscovites waved balloons and clapped at his promises to make a stand against corruption and the Kremlin’s grip on political life. But then came the most anticipated promise. “I will stop the illegal migration orgy!” Navalny, the charismatic opposition candidate in Sunday’s Moscow mayoral polls yelled, his image projected on a giant screen behind him.

The crowd attending the election campaign rally on a recent weekend erupted with whistles and screams, in what was the biggest and longest cheer of the evening.

The Russian capital will hold its first mayoral elections in a decade on Sunday. And while in 2003, the anti-immigration card was played by one candidate who received under four percent of votes, this year it is the main issue for all six candidates.

Asked in July to list their top five concerns, 55 percent of Muscovites said “too many migrants from former Soviet republics and the North Caucasus”, signaling that migration was their biggest worry, even bigger than rising prices and traffic jams. Even banners with Sergei Mitrokhin, the candidate from the Yabloko liberal party, which has for years shunned nationalist rhetoric, declare that he is against “turning Moscow

into a province of Central Asia”. Russia’s migration service said last month that one million foreign citizens had been registered in Moscow in the first seven months of the year. “Unofficial” numbers are usually “several times more”, Moscow prosecutor Sergei Kudeneyev said in March.

Migrant laborers from Central Asia’s impoverished majority-Muslim countries Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan take up most of the menial construction jobs, work at large agriculture markets, and perform city-financed tasks like street sweeping, road works, and landscaping. In some districts of the capital, Russians feel like they are a minority, said one municipal deputy from a neighborhood in eastern Moscow.

“Parents come to me in tears” after finding out that there are only five Russian children in a school class of 26, the local lawmaker, who asked not to be named said. “Others are Vietnamese, Azerbaijani, Korean, Armenian, Uzbek, etc,” she said. “They don’t speak, read or write in Russian.” Russian parents are now petitioning to have a “Slavic” school in the neighborhood, she said.

“People are really concerned about the number of migrants, about their behavior,” said the deputy, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue.

“There are limits to everything, and people have reached the limit of tolerance and assimilation,” she said.

Moscow authorities have recently responded to the growing discontent by raiding garment factories employing illegal migrants and even setting up a special temporary camp for them. Officials often focus on migrants when talking about crime or drugs in the capital. Kremlin-backed Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin, who is seeking re-election, recently told Vedomosti daily that “half of all crimes in the city are committed by migrants”. Moscow prosecutors have estimated the number of crimes by foreign nationals at around 10 percent of all solved crimes. During a high-profile sweep, authorities closed several markets in Moscow after a watermelon seller from Russia’s North Caucasus region of Dagestan punched a policemen in July. A flurry of proposed bills followed, including one that would completely ban migrants from working in sales.

‘There are no voices of reason left’ - Several celebrated rights activists published an open letter last month, warning that the anti-migrant rhetoric in Russian society risked sparking civil conflict. “First they give us fake crime figures, then they manipulate them,” said Svetlana Gannushkina, head of the migrant rights group The Civic Assistance Committee, referring to the authorities.

Gannushkina, who was among the letter’s signatories, blamed the growing tensions largely on “propaganda” by the government in an effort to shift the blame for

corruption and its own mistakes on to disenfranchised groups. “I am deeply saddened, because there are no voices of reason left among the candidates,” she said.

Navalny, whose perceived nationalism and past participation in ultra-nationalist rallies have been vehemently criticized by some in the Russian opposition, last month invited several people of non-Slavic origin to a “round table”. “Muscovites see that there are a lot of people in the city who live according to different rules and cultural codes,” Navalny said at the event. He listed the main stereotypes about Muslim migrants: dancing native dances, making barbecues on the streets of Moscow and covering a neighborhood near the capital’s main mosque with a “sea of backs” during prayer on major holidays.

Zaira Abdullayeva, who belongs to the Lak ethnic group in Dagestan, said that Moscow had always been xenophobic, and never liked migrant laborers, even ethnic Russians from the provinces. “I was denied jobs a few times, I suspect because of my ethnic origin,” Abdullayeva, a Moscow-based journalist and one of the guests invited by Navalny said. “People regularly tell me and my daughters offensive things, and I still get asked whether I can write in Russian and need a translator,” she added. “In densely populated cities, people always look for an enemy.” — AFP

US President plunges into high-stakes week on Syria WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama is readying for a high-stakes week of trying to sell a skeptical Congress and a war-weary American public on a military strike against Syria. The coming days represent one of the most intense periods of outreach for a president not known for investing heavily in consultations with Congress. Just back from a European trip where he lobbied for support, Obama is working to salvage a policy whose fate he’s placed in lawmakers’ hands.

His administration’s lobbying campaign culminates Tuesday, the evening before a critical vote is expected in the Senate. Obama will address the nation from the White House to make his case for military action. “Over 1,400 people were gassed. Over 400 of them were children,” Obama said Friday at the close of a global summit in Russia. “This is not something we’ve fabricated. This is not something that we are using as an excuse for military action,” he said.

“I was elected to end wars, and not start them.”

A passionate debate in Congress already is underway. Obama enters

the fray having made some progress in his quest to win foreign support for a strike punishing Syrian President Bashar Assad for a chemical attack the US blames on his forces. Yet Obama has been unable to secure the UN backing that many nations say is needed to legitimize any strike.

The president returned from Europe with a joint statement from nations backing “a strong international response to this grave violation of the world’s rules and conscience.”

His administration said the statement, signed by France, Saudi Arabia, Japan and others at the close of the Group of 20 economic summit in St Petersburg, was a clear endorsement for the limited military action the US has been publicly contemplating for weeks. Absent from the list was Russian President Vladimir Putin, a stalwart Assad ally and staunch opponent of a US strike. Obama and many US allies blame Assad for a chemical weapons attack Aug 21 outside Damascus in areas contested or controlled by rebels fighting Assad’s government.

The Syrian government denies responsibility, contending rebels

were to blame. The US citing intelligence reports, says sarin gas was used, and that 1,429 people died, including 426 children. The Britainbased Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which collects information from a network of anti-regime activists, says it has so far only been able to confirm 502 dead. Skeptical European foreign ministers yesterday urged the US to delay possible military action until UN inspectors report back.

Kerry said he would share their concern with Obama administration officials. A senior State Department official who attended Kerry’s meeting with the ministers in Lithuania said Kerry made clear that the US has not made any decision to wait. Obama acknowledged that the US public mostly opposes a strike and that he may not persuade a majority of Americans. But without a martial response, he said, a fundamental global prohibition against chemical weapons use could unravel, emboldening other leaders with such weapons at their disposal and making the world more dangerous for years to come. — AP

MOGADISHU: Security forces and civilians stand next to bodies at the scene of two explosions in Mogadishu yesterday. — AFP

Blasts kill 18 in Mogadishu Shebab Islamists claim responsibility MOGADISHU: At least 18 people were killed in the Somali capital Mogadishu yesterday when two blasts ripped through a busy parking lot next to a restaurant, police said, in attacks quickly claimed by Shebab Islamists. “There were two heavy explosions at a parking lot near the National Theatre,” police officer Mohamed Adan said. “At least 18 people were killed in the attack,” said Mohamed Dahir, another police officer. An AFP reporter saw 12 bodies at the scene of the attack.

“Successful operations carried out in Hamarweyne,” the Shebab said on their Somali-language Twitter feed, referring to the Mogadishu district where the attacks occurred. The group’s English-language account has been suspended. The Al-Qaeda-linked Islamists claimed to have killed “key officials”, but witnesses said the casualties they had seen looked like ordinary civilians. Police and witnesses said the first blast was a car laden with explosives that was parked by the Village, a restaurant close to the theatre that was targeted by suicide bombers in September 2012.

“Minutes after the bomb went off, I saw severed flesh flying past,” said Idris Yusuf, who was in the restaurant at the time of the attack and who sustained slight leg injuries.

Nearby buildings were destroyed, the witness said, and passers-by came running over to help the victims. The second blast, which followed minutes later, was a “suicide bomber who blew himself up in the crowd of civilians who rushed to the scene of the first blast,” Ahmed Weli Said, a Somali government security official said.

The National Theatre re-opened in 2012 after two decades. Just weeks later, Shebab insurgents struck, with a suicide bomber blowing herself up and killing two of the country’s top sporting officials who were attending an event

there. Somalia’s embattled government, selected in November in a UN-backed process, was hailed at the time by the international community as offering the best chance for peace in Somalia since the collapse of the central government in 1991.

A 17,700-strong African Union force fighting alongside the national army has forced Shebab fighters from several towns in the past two years. Shebab fighters, who have claimed responsibility for a string of recent attacks aimed at overthrowing the government, remain a potent force, however. Their most brazen recent attack was a suicide commando assault on a fortified UN compound in the centre of Mogadishu in June that killed 11.

The UN compound attack used similar tactics to those employed in April, when a nine-man suicide commando unit blasted its way into Mogadishu’s main court complex, killing 34 people. On July 12, just a couple of days into the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, insurgents killed at least five people in multiple attacks in the capital. A suicide bomber rammed an African Union convoy and a grenade was thrown into a hotel.

Shebab fighters claimed members of their suicide brigade carried out the attack, calling it “a martyrdom operation targeting a convoy of crusaders”. Attacks involving roadside bombs or improvised explosive devices that kill one or two people have become so commonplace in Mogadishu that they barely make the headlines any more. The Shebab have retained strongholds in parts of rural southern and central Somalia, while another faction has dug into remote and rugged mountains in the northern, semi-autonomous Puntland region. — AFP

Defiant Syrians leave it to fate as strikes loom DAMASCUS: As the prospect of US-led strikes looms high over Syria, many residents of Damascus have packed up and fled, some leave it to fate and others defiantly insist their city will not fall. Dima, a painter, says she is sure that Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad “will defend us.” Sitting in a restaurant in the popular central souk of Salhiyeh with a plate of chicken kebab, Dima says she is wholly on Assad’s side, despite Western accusations he is behind a suspected chemical attack on August 21.

Like many other Syrians who spoke to AFP, Dima is convinced that the aim of a possible strike is to crush “the axis of resistance” (against Israel) formed by Damascus and its allies Iran and the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah. “Damascus is a fortress, a thorn in the foot of the Americans,” says Dima. “Damascus will not fall.” Assad’s regime, playing up the nationalistic sentiments of the people, has said it is ready to confront a Western military attack-a strike that would be the first to target the country since World War II, with the exception of action seen during the various Arab-Israeli wars.

State television channels frequently glorify the regime’s “resistance” in the face of the “aggressor,” against a background of footage showing the army in combat. “If there is a strike, I will volunteer to fight alongside the army, to help, whatever,” says Dima. “Had I been afraid I would have left a long time ago,” she adds. Aid groups in Lebanon say that between 80 and 120 Syrian families have been scrambling across the border each day since August 21— twice as many as before the claimed chemical attack.

Those who stayed behind have decided to leave it all to fate. “I profoundly believe that what is written will happen,” says Hanan, a veiled woman choosing a new pair of shoes in one of the many shops around Salhiyeh.

“I have a wedding to go to, so I am not worried,” she says.

Booms of shellfire can be heard intermittently in the distance, but in the souk, despite the military checkpoints here and there, it is business as usual. Young girls are window shopping, a street peddler is hawking corn and a crowd is gathering around a fresh fruit vendor.

Near the historic Hijaz train station of central Damascus, stronghold of the regime, many Syrians questioned by AFP echo the combative mood of the government, despite a certain agitation. “Of course we are afraid that there will be deaths, that the infrastructure will be destroyed,” says Umm Hassan. “But we will stay here and we will resist; that is how we will overcome,” she says, her eyes shielded by dark sunglasses. And many Syrians are determined to come out victorious, just like national hero, Yussef Al-Azmeh, who fought against French colonial powers and whose statue stands erect a mile away.

“Yussef Al-Azmeh had only a few rifles and he never ceded to the French. We will do the same,” says Abu Firas.

France backs a strike on Syria and President Francois Hollande has said France is ready to “punish” Assad for the alleged use of chemical weapons, though Paris will not act alone. “Shame on France for being dragged that way behind the United States,” shouts a passerby. For other Syrians the drums of war remind them of another conflict, the 1973 Arab-Israeli war. — AFP

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

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

NY Times boss accuses BBC chief of misleading UK MPs Escalating spat over severance payments to executives

VILNIUS: US Secretary of State John Kerry, (back center) speaks during a visit to the US Embassy in Vilnius, Lithuania yesterday. — AFP

Kerry arrives in Europe, seeks support for Syria VILNIUS: US Secretary of State John Kerry flew into the Lithuanian capital Vilnius late Friday for talks with EU ministers aimed at shoring up support for US strikes on Syria. In his 14th trip in seven months since becoming America’s top diplomat, Kerry will also travel to Paris and London and meet Arab leaders, including Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas.

Apart from talks with Lithuanian leaders, Kerry will also hold informal talks with EU foreign ministers, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said. They will discuss “the Middle East, including Syria, Egypt, and the ongoing direct, final status negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians,” Psaki added.

Kerry said his aim in Vilnius was to “continue to lay out the evidence we have collected and seek to broaden support for a limited military response to deter the Assad regime from launching another chemical weapons attack.” In an opinion piece Friday published in the Huffington Post, he insisted: “The costs of inaction here are much greater than the costs of action.” Later, Kerry will fly on to Paris to meet French officials.

While British deputies voted against taking part in any military response, France’s administration has swung behind punitive US military strikes against Syria. US President Barack Obama called for the action after a suspected chemical weapons attack last month on a Damascus suburb allegedly killed more than 1,400 people. Kerry, who after serving as a naval lieutenant in Vietnam became a passionate anti-war advocate, sought to explain how he could now lead the US charge for strikes on Syria.

“The answer is, I spoke my conscience in 1971 and I’m speaking my conscience now in 2013,” he wrote in the Huffington Post. “Make no mistake: If another Vietnam or another Iraq were on the table in the situation room, I wouldn’t be sitting at the witness table before Congress advocating for action. “I spent two years of my life working to stop the war in Vietnam, and made enemies and lost friends because of my decision to

Taleban frees MP KABUL: A female Afghan parliamentarian held captive by Taleban for three weeks has been released in a prisoner exchange, Taleban and government officials said yesterday.

Fariba Ahmadi Kakar, a member of the Afghan lower house, was kidnapped on Aug 13 when travelling by car through the restive eastern province of Ghazni.

She was the second female parliamentarian to be attacked in Ghazni in less than a week, and her abduction highlighted concerns about a recent spate of often deadly assaults on women working in state institutions. A Taleban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said Kakar had been exchanged for four female and two child relatives of Taleban officials held by the government.

“Today, the Islamic Emirate handed (Kakar) back over to her relatives via a prisoner exchange,” Mujahid said, referring to the name the Taleban used during their 19962001 rule in Afghanistan.

A Kakar family member, who declined to be named, also confirmed that the MP had been released. Restoring women’s right has been a cornerstone of the Western-backed government of President Hamid Karzai, but the recent spate of attacks is fuelling concern that such rights are eroding as international forces prepare to withdraw next year. — Reuters

speak my mind,” he wrote.

“So I don’t come to my view on the use of military force anywhere without real reflection. I do so with an eye towards facts and reason.” Today, still in Paris, Kerry will also meet Arab League leaders to update them on the Syria issue and on progress in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Huge divisions emerged over the Syrian crisis at a G20 summit in St Petersburg, Russia, attended by Obama and which ended Friday. On Thursday, Washington accused Moscow of holding “hostage” the UN Security Council.

Russia hit back on Friday, warning the United States against targeting Syria’s chemical arsenal. Its foreign ministry said in a statement that “such actions would represent a dangerous new turn in the tragic development of the Syria crisis.” Kerry will wrap up his whirlwind tour with talks in London today with Abbas. The two men have met numerous times over the past months as the American diplomat worked to kickstart direct talks with the Israelis after a threeyear stalemate.

A senior US official said Kerry would also meet with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “in the near future.”

Netanyahu is expected to travel to the United States later this month for the annual UN General Assembly. Direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians resumed on July 29, after Kerry shuttled between Jerusalem, the West Bank and Amman for several months seeking to push both sides back to the negotiating table.

The two sides have since met three times in August and in early September in Jerusalem. In line with Kerry’s desire to keep the details of the negotiations secret in order to give the process a chance to work, little has leaked about the talks. But Palestinian officials have complained about the lack of direct US involvement, even though Kerry has appointed veteran diplomat Martin Indyk to act as the US go-between to the talks. Kerry is due to fly back to the United States tomorrow. — AFP

LONDON: The BBC’s former director general Mark Thompson has accused the head of its governing body of misleading Britain’s parliament about large payments to senior executives, in an escalating spat that has put the two men’s reputations on the line. Thompson, who quit the British broadcaster last year to become chief executive of the New York Times, is facing scrutiny over payments of 25 million pounds ($40 million) made to 150 departing BBC staff from 2009 to 2012.

The scale of some of the severance payments, many of them made as austerity cuts swept Britain, angered politicians and members of the public, who fund the broadcaster through a compulsory licence fee. The head of the BBC Trust, Chris Patten, told a parliamentary committee hearing in July he was shocked by the size of some of the payments and unaware a number were more than required under contractual terms.

But in a written submission to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), released on Friday, Thompson said: “The picture painted for the PAC by the BBC Trust witnesses ... was - in addition to specific untruths and inaccuracies fundamentally misleading about the extent of Trust knowledge and involvement.” Thompson said in a statement emailed to Reuters by a New York Times spokeswoman on Friday that he had backed up his submission with evidence and would not comment further until he appeared on Monday before the committee, a body which oversees government expenditure.

Patten, a senior British conservative politi-

cian best known for handing control of Hong Kong back to China in 1997, told reporters he “had no concerns at all” about Thompson’s submission. He will also appear at the hearing on Monday. The BBC Trust said it rejected Thompson’s statement, and called it “bizarre”.

The stand-off between the two men has raised questions about which senior managers were aware of the payments and whether public money was used appropriately. A spokeswoman from the New York Times told Reuters: “We’re looking forward to Mark’s full testimony on Monday.”

DAGGERS DRAWN “It has become daggers drawn and it is hard to see how their positions are reconcilable,” said Steve Hewlett, a media analyst and former executive with British broadcaster ITV. “Ethics are central to the New York Times and if it transpires that Thompson has misled people, he could be in trouble. Similarly if the Trust was told more then they are letting on then Patten will be a very difficult position.”

The inquiry into payments to senior BBC staff was triggered after Thompson’s successor, George Entwistle, left the BBC in November last year after just 54 days in the top job with 450,000 pounds, which the National Audit Office later said was equivalent to a 12-month notice period set out in his contract. Entwistle stepped down to take responsibility for a BBC news report which falsely accused a former senior politician of child abuse and allegations the corporation covered up decades of sex abuse by one of its late stars, Jimmy Savile.

A National Audit Office report in July,

requested by the Public Accounts Committee after a public outcry over the size of payments to Entwistle and other executives, found a number of large sums were paid to managers, some of them exceeding contractual requirements. Mark Thompson, in his recent submission to the committee, said the Trust had been aware, in particular, of severance payments to former deputy director general Mark Byford and to former marketing chief Sharon Baylay.

Byford departed with 949,000 pounds and Baylay’s settlement was worth 395,000 pounds - both of them 12 months’ pay in lieu of notice on top of redundancy payments - the National Audit Office report said. It did not say that those payments had exceeded contractual requirements. The BBC Trust said it rejected Thompson’s suggestion that Lord Patten and BBC Trustee Anthony Fry misled the parliamentary committee. “We completely disagree with Mark Thompson’s analysis, much of which is unsubstantiated,” the Trust said in a statement.

The BBC’s director of human resources Lucy Adams, who has been fiercely criticized over the size of the payments, announced last week she would leave the BBC next year, saying it was time for a new start after five years at the corporation. In a submission to the PAC released on Friday she said she had made a mistake in her earlier evidence to the committee and now did recall drafting a memo sent

by Thompson to the Trust relating to the severance payments to Byford and Baylay. Adams is also due to appear at the hearing on Monday. — Reuters

2 laws underpin NSA programs WASHINGTON: Two key provisions of US law have helped intelligence agencies gather reams of information in recent years from telephone companies and electronic service providers. The laws have drawn criticism from civil libertarians and prompted court challenges, the most high-profile of which the government won earlier this year before the US Supreme Court.

Both provisions of the law have attracted increased scrutiny amid controversial leaks of documents by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden that have revealed widespread US government surveillance activity. On Thursday, the Guardian, the New York Times and ProPublica reported that the agency has secretly developed the ability to crack or circumvent commonplace internet encryption used to protect everything from email to financial transactions.

Here are the basics of the laws and challenges to them.

Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA),

as amended in 2008, lets the government collect electronic communications for acquiring intelligence on non-U.S. targets that pose a threat to national security.

The government cited this provision to support its Prism program, in which the NSA searches email and other internet traffic for foreign intelligence purposes, using data supplied by internet providers in response to specific or broad NSA requests. The existence of the program was revealed by Snowden.

For electronic service providers, the law says the secretive Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) in Washington can authorize a company to provide “all information, facilities, or assistance necessary.” Civil liberties groups say this has been interpreted too broadly by both the government and the court. Some have speculated that the term “assistance” could be interpreted to require companies to help the government circumvent encryption. “There’s no consensus on what that language means,” said Alexander Abdo, an

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) lawyer. “It’s an open question.”

Section 215 of the 2001 USA Patriot Act requires companies to turn over business records if a government request for them is approved by the FISC. The government cited this provision in seeking metadata on telephone calls from Verizon Communications Inc, as revealed by Snowden. The section allows the government to ask the court for “any tangible things” as part of any authorized investigation related to terrorism or intelligence activities. As the Justice Department wrote in an October 2011 letter to members of Congress, the government must show, among other things, that the information sought is “relevant to an authorized national security investigation.” Civil liberties advocates say the government has interpreted Section 215 too broadly in seeking access to various data.

Companies faced with requests for information from the government can, in theory, push back by

appealing to the surveillance court. Mark Jaycox, an analyst at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a civil liberties group, said a company could ask the court to clarify the meaning of “assistance” under FISA, for example. But, because the court acts in secret, there is no way of knowing if anyone has done this. “It’s something the public is in the dark about,” he said.

Separately, civil liberties groups have at various times tried to challenge both provisions in federal court.

The US Supreme Court dealt them a severe blow in February when it ruled that a group of plaintiffs, including journalists and human rights groups, could not challenge Section 702 on the ground that they could not show they had suffered any injury.

Other lawsuits are still pending around the country on various related issues, including one by the ACLU challenging the collection of telephone data under the Patriot Act that was filed after Snowden began leaking documents. — Reuters

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

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

Mali new PM picks first post-war govt BAMAKO: Mali’s first post-war prime minister began forming a government as the United States and France gave an early vote of confidence to the new administration, pledging support. Career technocrat Oumar Tatam Ly was named as head of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita’s government on Thursday, taking over from interim premier Diango Cissoko. Ly will be expected to deliver on promises by the president to reunite a deeply divided nation and crack down on corruption.

The new administration got a significant boost Friday when the US State Department said Washington would resume development aid to Mali which was suspended after the ex-president was ousted in a coup last year. The transition means “a democratically elected government has taken office in Mali,” the State Department said in a statement, adding that Washington would continue to assess the situation before renewing military assistance.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius earlier welcomed Ly’s appointment. “Alongside President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, the competence of Oumar Tatam Ly will be a valuable asset in confronting the challenges facing Mali and the Sahel,” he said in a statement. “As Mali opens a new page it can count on France, which will be its partner, ally and friend,” he said in a statement. Ly has spent most of the last two decades as a central bank functionary and is expected to rely on advisers with more political experience.

He has to choose colleagues for a cabinet charged with returning stability to a country upended by a military coup and Islamist insurgency last year. He began consultations with potential ministers immediately after being appointed on Thursday, his aides said. They would not however say who was in consideration for the major portfolios. One member of Ly’s inner circle who has known the new premier for 20 years described him as a reserved and exacting man who disliked amateurism.

“I believe that the way the government operates could change,” the aide said. “There will be accountability for results for all members of the government. “Good governance will be the basis of every action of the new prime minister.” Ly’s appointment got a cautious welcome in the mainstream media. The daily newspaper Le Soir describing the 49-year-old as “a choice in line with the wishes of Malians”.

The reaction on social networks was mixed, with some taking to Twitter to express doubts over the appointmentas one critic put it-of “an apolitical prime minister in a very political period”. Others however were more generous.

“The nomination of this man who has had a career first will be a model for the youth of Mali and bodes well for a well-governed Mali...” World Bank economist and Malian politician Madani Tall tweeted.

Born in Paris, Ly quickly became a promising academic, gaining degrees in history and economics from prestigious French universities including the Sorbonne and ESSEC, one of Europe’s top business schools. He began his career at the World Bank before moving via the general secretariat of the president of Mali to the Central Bank of West African States in 1994. He rose to become national director for Mali, then adviser to the governor.

While has never held high public office, Ly comes from a family deeply involved in west African politics and is considered a close confidante of Keita. His father was the late novelist and political activist Ibrahima Ly, who fled Mali after being jailed and allegedly tortured under the regime of military dictator Moussa Traore. Ly’s main task in the months ahead will be to deliver on the president’s pledge when he was sworn in on Wednesday to unite Mali and end endemic corruption. — AFP

After political turmoil, Maldivians go to polls Ousted leader Nasheed leads

MALE: Partial presidential election results in the Maldives showed Mohamed Nasheed leading yesterday, nearly 20 months after his removal from power ignited months of sometimes violent unrest. Nasheed, Maldives’ first democratically-elected president, was forced from office in February 2012 in what his supporters say was a coup. The turmoil tarnished the Indian Ocean archipelago’s image as a tropical holiday paradise. Nasheed was leading with 45 percent of 274 ballot boxes counted out of the total 470 at 1453 GMT, followed by his main rival Abdulla Yameen with 25 percent, state-run Television Maldives said. The votes so far counted were from small islands across the archipelago.

Nasheed’s strongholds, the capital Male and the city of Addu, were still being counted.

Provisional results of all 470 ballot boxes are expected to be released by 1800 GMT, election commission officials said. “Voting today is significant because we are going to establish a legitimate government,” Nasheed said early in the day outside the polling centre where he cast his ballot. He is running against three rivals, including Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik, who succeeded him as president. Yameen is a half-brother of Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who ruled for 30 years and was considered a dictator by opponents and rights groups. “I hope to get through in the first round itself,” Yameen told reporters. Also on the ballot is Gasim Ibrahim, a resort tycoon, media business owner and former finance minister under Gayoom. Gasim and Wahid have 24 percent and 5 percent respectively of the votes counted. Officials at the Election Commission said turnout could be around 80 percent, compared with 85 percent in 2008 polls. “I’ve been waiting 19 months for this day. So I got here as early as I could. It’s my way of standing up against the coup,” said voter Ismail Shiyaz, 39, a supporter of Nasheed.

Others, like Rooya Hussain, were less certain. “I don’t think any of these candidates are suitable,” she said. “However, I cast a valid vote for one of them. Let’s see if this brings any change for the better.” Election commissioner Fuad Thowfeek said there had been “no serious issues” except delays caused by long queues at some polling stations and campaigning during the polling.

Before the polling ended, Transparency Maldives, which deployed 400 observers for poll monitoring, said the conduct of the election was satisfactory.

Nasheed said he now had support in the ranks of the military and police and expressed confidence he would secure 50 percent of the vote to win in the first round. A split vote would force a run-off on Sept 28. Nasheed was forced to resign in February 2012 after mutinying police and military forces armed opposition demonstrators and gave him an ultimatum. His removal sparked unruly protests by his supporters and a heavy-handed police crackdown, pushing the country into crisis. A Commonwealthbacked commission of inquiry later concluded that his removal did not constitute a coup.

A rise in Islamist ideology, human rights abuses and lack of investor confidence after Waheed’s government cancelled the country’s biggest foreign investment project with India’s GMR Infrastructure are among critical challenges the new president will face. The Maldives, a sultanate for almost nine centuries before becoming a British protectorate, held its first fully democratic polls in 2008 with Nasheed defeating Gayoom, an autocrat who was then Asia’s longest-serving leader. — Reuters

MALE: Maldivian former President and Presidential candidate Mohamed Nasheed smiles as he casts his vote at a local polling station in Male yesterday. — AFP

US graduate students cry foul over loan law WASHINGTON: Before leaving for its August recess, Congress hammered out a deal that moved federal loan interest rates for undergraduates and graduate students to a market-based system from a fixed rate. But advocates for graduate students want lawmakers to alter that legislation because, they say, it sets the stage for a spike in student loan interest rates. While the new system meant an immediate drop for graduate students - to 5.4 percent from 6.8 percent - it also meant rates could rise to a cap of 9.5 percent, as the economy improves.

Graduate students fear rates could quickly hit the cap as the economy improves, saddling them with more debt.

This concern is reinforced by the recent jump in Treasury yields as the Federal Reserve prepares to taper its bondbuying program, which has kept borrowing costs low.

The government issues 93 percent of US student loans, and millions of graduate students rely on federal Stafford loans. Cristina Stam, a first-year graduate student at Georgetown University’s law school, said the thought of interest rates spiking while she is enrolled weighs on her. Stam, 25, borrowed $30,000 this year and said she could wind up with $90,000 in debt when she graduates three years from now. Higher rates could add thousands more. “I would hate for that to happen. I’m married. I can’t ask my parents for money,” Stam said.

‘A DISASTER’ Graduate students are crying foul, especially because undergraduates got a lower cap of 8.25 percent. “There has been a large focus on undergraduate education which we support - but it definitely feels like there has been a marginalizing of graduate students in terms of student loans. Over the long term, it’s going to be a disaster,” said Meredith Niles, director of legislative affairs at the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students (NAGPS). Students want their grievances to be part of the discussions as lawmakers debate the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, which lays out guidelines for distributing federal student aid.

The NAGPS will lead a delegation of its members to Capitol Hill on Sept. 16-17 to directly address legislators.

The Council of Graduate Students (CGS) has also submitted recommendations to Congress and plans to coordinate hearings with other student groups and lawmakers in coming weeks. According to the College Board, graduate students in the 2011-2012 academic year received

$34.5 billion in federal student loans, accounting for 67 percent of aid disbursed to the nation’s 3.9 million graduate students that year.

Graduate student groups want legislators to cap interest rates at 6.8 percent, and revive a subsidized loan program that allowed graduate students to complete school before starting repayment. It is unclear whether they will make much headway. Lawmakers behind the bipartisan-backed law said it was a matter of choosing where to place limited subsidies to encourage at least an undergraduate degree.

A senior Republican aide on the Senate Committee on Health Education, Labor and Pensions told Reuters that the caps had to be higher on graduate students so the government did not have to subsidize those rates.

“This was a result of a compromise, a negotiation,” the aide said. “There are winners and losers.” Student debt and college affordability have become a larger part of a national conversation as outstanding student debt has reached $1.2 trillion in the United States and as default rates steadily rise. More than 10 percent of outstanding student loans are considered delinquent.

ECONOMIC ARGUMENT Graduate students say their financial burden should not be higher than undergraduates, explaining that they often are non-traditional students - many are married, have children or other financial obligations such as undergraduate loans or mortgages. “Unlike undergraduates, we’re no longer dependent on our parents,” said Niles, a PhD candidate at University of California-Davis.

“When we see these higher rates, it’s not just students it affects. It affects families.” Graduate students leave school with student debt load ranging from $30,000 to $120,000, according to FinAid.org. Undergraduates have an average of $27,000.

Graduate students also argue that higher-level education is becoming more of a necessity and a driver of economic growth. The US Department of Labor forecasts a 22 percent rise in jobs requiring at least a master’s degree between 2010 and 2020, and a 20 percent rise for jobs requiring doctorates. “There’s an undeniable payoff in economic growth and innovation that comes from graduate education,” said CGS President Debra Stewart.

“We need undergraduate education and graduate education, and we need to be supporting both.” — Reuters

Norway: the populist swing that never was OSLO: It is the best of times and the worst of times for Norway’s anti-immigration populists. After 40 years without formal power, they look set to enter government following tomorrow’s election, but in fact their popularity has declined steeply. The Progress Party is highly likely to become a junior partner in a Conservative-led centre-right coalition that will rule the country after the poll. However, this has little to do with the Progress Party’s standing in the electorate, and a lot more to do with parliamentary arithmetic and its own efforts to be seen as a respectable player.

“The Progress Party has been careful not to be too extreme in its proposals on immigration and at the same time gained a certain credibility on some social issues,” said Bernt Aardal, a political scientist at the University of Oslo.

“This makes it less than an outcast than before.” Even so, it is a party struggling to hold on to its supporters, and while it is currently Norway’s second-largest, it actually stands to lose out in the election.

It has long trailed behind the Conservatives and Labor in the polls.

The most recent surveys suggest that its support will drop by a third, and it will

receive a bit over 15 percent of the vote tomorrow, down from a record 22.9 percent in the last parliamentary poll in 2009. Progress Party leader Siv Jensen, who was the opposition’s main prime ministerial hope four years ago, is not among the contenders for the top post this time. This decline is played out in a nation that is still recovering from its worst post-war trauma, extreme rightist Anders Behring Breivik’s slaughter of 77 people on July 22, 2011.

Breivik’s ideology, as he described it in a rambling 1,518-page “Manifesto” and elsewhere, centres around severe criticism of Norwegian and European immigration policies and a fear that the continent is turning itself into what he describes as “Eurabia”. Breivik, a member of the Progress Party until 2006, had chosen words, including the spectre of a “Muslim takeover”, which had some echoes with vocabulary previously used by the Progress Party’s Jensen, who warned for a while against “creeping Islamisation”.

Even so, no one in Norway is willing to draw any kind of link between the party and the killer. The Progress Party quickly denounced Breivik, while he, on the other hand, criticized it for being too soft. “People can see that his views

have nothing in common with our party,” said Ketil Solvik-Olsen, the Progress Party’s vice chairman. “He himself said during his trial that he was very disappointed that we had not adopted his ideas.”

In fact, the Progress Party’s drop in popularity was first started several months before the Breivik massacre, when in early 2011 the leader of the party’s youth movement was felled by a sex scandal, which the party initially tried to put a lid on. Breivik’s bloodbath on an island near Oslo briefly caused the party to plunge even further-it won 11.4 percent in local elections in September 2011 but it soon returned to pre-Breivik levels.

Ever since, it has tried to play down its views on immigration in favor of social issues, hoping to reap votes among the elderly and the sick. The strategy has paid off, and the Christian Democrats and Liberals, two centrist parties, are now not ruling out supporting a post-election government made up of the Conservatives and the Progress Party. Even so, joining the Progress Party in a coalition is still highly improbable for the two centrist parties given the large gap in views on key issues. — AP

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Indian lawmakers ban ‘dehumanizing’ manual scavenging NEW DELHI: Indian lawmakers have passed a long-awaited bill to ban manual scavenging-the clearing of human waste from toilets-by workers seen as the “ultimate untouchables” under the country’s ancient Hindu caste-hierarchy. Already illegal under a largely ineffective 1993 law, the Congress-led government promised to have another go at stamping out the practice with the new legislation which was cleared late Friday.

The new legislation modifies the 1993 law which criminalized the scavengers who clean out primitive toilets by hand, collect the faecal matter in baskets and take it away in handcarts to dump elsewhere. “This dehumanizing practice (of manual scavenging) is inconsistent with the right to live with dignity,” Social Justice Minister Kumari Selja said after passage of the bill. The measure, passed by the decision-making lower house of parliament, aims to outlaw employment of manual scavengers and provide retraining and help for their families, Selja said.

“We want to remove the stigma and blot on the society,” the minister said.

Selja called for a “change of mindset” to end discrimination against scavengers, who are treated as pariahs even by others at the bottom of Hinduism’s hereditary caste hierarchy. The measure prohibits construction of non-flushing toilets

that must be emptied by hand, and sets out a one-year jail term or a fine of up to 50,000 rupees (US$770) — or both-for anyone employing a manual scavenger.

It also requires authorities to monitor implementation of the law and contains tough sanctions for municipalities employing sewer cleaners without protective gear. Workers stripped down to their underpants and equipped with just a hoe and a wooden bar can still routinely be seen clambering into the stinky depths of septic tanks and sewers.

Manual scavenging points to a lack of sufficient investment in modern sewerage systems by a government which struggles to provide basic services, social activists say.

A 2011 sur vey by the Central Pollution Control Board showed that just 160 out of nearly 8,000 towns had sewerage systems and sewage treatment plants. More than 600 million Indians lack even primitive toilet facilities and practice what is known as “open defecation” in roadways, ditches and fields.

“Sanitation is a single most important need in India,” said rural development minister Jairam Ramesh said last year. He raised a stir in the deeply religious country when he noted “there are more temples in the country than toilets” and that “India has a godliness surplus and cleanliness deficit.” —AFP

Security tightened in Kashmir for concert SRINAGAR: Indian troops stepped up security in disputed Kashmir’s main city of Srinagar yesterday, ahead of a concert to be held by celebrated conductor Zubin Mehta. Organizers said the concert would go ahead despite demands by Indian Kashmiri separatists for the event to be cancelled on grounds it would allegedly legitimize Indian “state repression” in the restive region.

The concert by Mumbai-born Mehta, organized by Indian Kashmir’s state tourism department and the German embassy in New Delhi, is expected draw 1,500 invited guests, including ministers and diplomats. “As many as 25 (security) checkpoints have been erected in the city,” to maintain law and order, a Kashmir state government official told AFP on condition of anonymity. Mehta, 77, a former director of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, will conduct the Bavarian State Orchestra in works by Beethoven, Haydn and Tchaikovsky.

Mehta said Friday the orchestra would be “playing from our hearts”. “That’s all we want to do. We must never underestimate the power of inner peace that music brings,” he said. The event will be held in the sprawling Shalimar Mughal gardens under the mighty Chinar trees on the banks of the picturesque Dal Lake in Srinagar. Separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani called for a strike in the tense Muslimmajority region on Saturday to protest the concert.

Shops, businesses, schools and colleges were shut in several Kashmir cities while buses stayed off roads as a precaution against possible violence. Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah called the concert a “big event” for Kashmir and accused the

separatists of hypocrisy for demanding Mehta’s performance be scrapped. “If music is against the issue of Kashmir, how come Junoon came and performed here,” said Abdullah, referring to a Pakistani band which performed in Srinagar in 2008.

Human rights groups said they plan to stage a parallel event billed Haqeet-eKashmir — Reality of Kashmir-but organizer Khurram Parvez said they were facing problems. “We planned to erect a tent here but the people have not been allowed in,” Parvez, a rights activist, said.

“After granting us permission for the event, it seems the state is deliberately creating hassles for the civilian movement,” he added.

Organizers say they planned to highlight alleged rights violations by security troops in Indian Kashmir, where thousands of people have died since the start of a separatist insurgency in 1989. Police, meanwhile, said four men were shot dead earlier Saturday in the town of Shopian by Indian troops. Local media said the men were suspected of attempting to attack a security camp.

Officials would not immediately comment on the reports. Residents described the men as civilians and said troops shot them as they rode past the security camp on a motorcycle. Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since their 1947 independence from Britain. Not all Kashmiris oppose the concert. “It’s a lifetime opportunity to listen to timeless music live,” art critic Lalit Gupta said recently. Kashmir has been relatively calm in recent years but there have been new, deadly outbreaks of violence along the contested border between Indian and Pakistani forces. — AFP

Pakistan president Zardari steps down ISLAMABAD: Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari steps down today having defied expectations by holding onto power for a record five years but facing criticism for leaving the economy and security in a shocking state. Never popular and always shrouded in controversy, Zardari-once jailed for 11 years for alleged corruption-relinquishes power for a new life likely to be split between Pakistan and Dubai. Six years after his wife, two-time prime minister Benazir Bhutto, was murdered, he retires having presided over the only civilian government in Pakistan history to complete a full term in office and hand over to another at the ballot box.

His successor is Mamnoon Hussain, a businessman and close ally of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif whose low-key persona and lack of personal power base puts him in stark contrast to Zardari. “Politicking, keeping diverse groups together, that’s one of his achievements,” political analyst Hasan Askari told AFP of Zardari, 58, who had to deal with a fractious ruling coalition and a divided Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).

Another achievement was facing down a zealous judiciary. Furious that judges sacked under military rule in 2007 were not immediately reinstated when Zardari took power, the courts pursued him. The Supreme Court convicted of contempt and sacked his first prime minister for refusing to ask Switzerland to reopen multi-million-dollar corruption cases against Zardari. “I have not seen any Supreme Court in the world trying to put its sitting president on trial in a foreign country,” said Askari. “He survived that. He’s a big survivor.”

Allies praise the outgoing parliament for passing more legislation than any of its predecessors, including laws empowering women against domestic violence and sexual harassment. In 2010, Zardari relinquished

much of his power to the prime minister, rolling back on decades of meddling by military rulers in an effort to institutionalize parliamentary democracy. But critics say he showed no leadership in the face of economic decline and spiraling insecurity, laying accusations of poor governance and rampant corruption at his door.

“Continuity is a positive development in a country like Pakistan where political leaders don’t last long. Other than that there is no achievement you could really highlight,” said Askari. Prime Minister Sharif has inherited a surge in terrorist attacks. Shootings and bomb attacks are now a daily reality. Nothing has been done to eliminate the plethora of militant networks blamed for violence in Pakistan, Afghanistan and India. Religious violence has reached dizzying levels with the Shiite Muslim minority bearing the brunt.

Meanwhile Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city and its business hub, is suffering from record killings linked to political and ethnic tensions. Sharif has made his top priority resolving a chronic energy crisis and trying to revive the economy. He was left with no option but to secure a $6.7 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund to reduce a fiscal deficit that neared nine percent of gross domestic product last year.

Zardari spoke of the need for reconciliation at a farewell lunch hosted for him by Sharif, which earnt plaudits from commentators praising the dignity of the handover.

“Today we need reconciliation. Everyone needs it, so we have to work together under your leadership. We will strengthen our country. We cannot afford divisions,” Zardari said. “It is a question of our future generation. History will not forgive us if we do not realize the situation and the threats (Pakistan faces). We have to save Pakistan from future threats.” — AFP

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

Pakistan releases seven Afghan Taleban fighters Senior commander Dadullah freed ISLAMABAD: Pakistan freed a group of Afghan Taleban yesterday in an attempt to improve its troubled relations with the South Asian neighbor, but risked angering Afghanistan by not handing them over directly to the Kabul authorities. The announcement followed last month’s trip by Afghan President Hamid Karzai to Pakistan, where he sought the handover of some Afghan insurgents as part of the stalled peace process.

Both Karzai and the United States want Pakistan to hand the insurgents directly to the Afghan authorities, but yesterday, a group of seven Taleban was simply allowed to walk out of their cells into Pakistan. “In order to further facilitate the Afghan reconciliation process, Pakistan is releasing seven Taleban detainees,” the Pakistani foreign ministry said in a statement. A ministry spokesman separately said all seven, including a senior commander called Mansoor Dadullah, were freed yesterday.

Asked if they had been handed over to the Afghan authorities or were just released in Pakistan, the

spokesman said: “Just released.” Pakistan is key to the fate of US and Afghan efforts to bring stability to Afghanistan, a challenge gaining urgency as the end of the US combat mission in 2014 draws closer. But mutual suspicions between Afghanistan and its nuclear-armed neighbor have hampered efforts to tackle militancy in one of the world’s most explosive regions. Besides Dadullah, the foreign ministry statement identified the released fighters as Said Wali, Abdul Manan, Karim Agha, Sher Afzal, Gul Muhammad and Muhammad Zai. “These releases are in addition to twenty-six Taleban detainees released during the last year,” it said.

Dadullah is the younger brother of the onelegged Taleban commander Mullah Dadullah, who was known for his brutal methods and killing of civilians. He was killed himself in 2007. The Taleban’s operational commander in southern Afghanistan, Dadullah was behind a campaign of suicide bombings, kidnappings of foreigners and Afghans, and beheadings of hostages. After his death Mansoor

took control of his group.

A Karzai spokeswoman, Adela Roz, declined to comment on the latest release. The US embassy in Kabul, which has played a mediation role regarding the prisoners, also declined comment. Mohammad Ismail Qasimyar, adviser on foreign relations on the Afghan High Peace Council, appointed by Karzai to promote reconciliation, said Kabul had given Pakistan a list of Taleban detainees it wanted released as part of the president’s visit.

He declined to say whether the seven released Taleban were on that list. “The HPC and the Afghan government appreciate the release of anyone from that list,” he said. “We hope their release turns to a goodwill act and an act of trust building between both sides. We also hope that those who get released from prison will turn into social ambassadors for peace.” Afghanistan has been pressing Pakistan to hand over Taleban members who can help promote peace negotiations and transform the Taleban insurgency into a political movement.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

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

Anti-Serbian language protests highlight Croatia tensions VUKOVAR: The destruction of public signs in the Serbs’ Cyrillic alphabet and street protests in Croatia’s war-scarred Vukovar have thrown a stark light on persisting tensions between Croatians and the country’s Serb minority. This fresh row comes almost 20 years after the 1990s conflict.

The signs were put up this week on official buildings in the ethnically mixed eastern town, in line with a law aimed at improving minority rights in the country which became the newest EU member on July 1.

But in Vukovar the move was met with strong resistance and protests by its Croatian inhabitants and war veterans. The city suffered a threemonth siege in 1991 by the then Yugoslav army backing the rebel Serbs opposed to the republic’s independence. “This is neither the time nor the place for Cyrillic... in Vukovar which is a martyr town,” said Darko Solic, a 54-year-old war veteran who arrived from the coastal town of Split to join the protests.

A number of signs were torn down, others were smashed with hammers, while protesters clashed with the police, leaving four officers slightly injured. The protesters want Vukovar to be exempted from the law stipulating that bilingual signs-Latin script for Croatian, Cyrillic for Serbian-are mandatory in areas where more than one third of residents belong to an ethnic minority. Similar signs exist in the northern peninsula of Istra, which has a strong Italian minority.

Serbs are Croatia’s largest minority, making up around four percent in a population of 4.2 mil-

lion. After the 1991 siege, Vukovar was virtually razed to the ground, its Croatian population expelled while rebel Serbs controlled it till the end of the war in 1995. For Croatians like Mira Komunickej whose sister, aged 19 at the time, was killed by the Serbs, while her husband is still missing, Cyrillic “is the symbol of Serb aggression”. “We simply cannot watch this calmly, it is a pure provocation,” 50-year-old Komunickej said.

Dragutin Glasnovic, one of the protests’ organizers said that demonstrators “do not mind Cyrillic as a script”. “But we do mind Cyrillic in Vukovar, a tormented town where wartime memories should not be brought back,” he said.

Reconciliation between the two ethnic groups is still far away in Vukovar where Serbs now make up almost 35 percent of the population of 28,000.

“We have been divided since kindergarten, everyone lives in his own (ethnic) shell and with moves like this, (divisions) will only deepen,” Glasnovic warned.

Analyst Drago Hedl said incidents like in Vukovar “can significantly affect relations between Croatians and Serbs”. “These incidents pour oil on the fire and we do not need that,” Hedl said. Dragan Crnogorac, head of the nongovernmental group protecting Serb interest and rights in the area, said bilingual signs should remain as they “are a confirmation of the equality... and guaranteed by the law”. Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic’s centre-left government has condemned “chauvinist violence”, saying it will not take down signs in Cyrillic in Vukovar as the

“rule of law must prevail”.

But even for those born after the war its legacy is still being felt. “It’s not yet the time for Cyrillic, wounds are still fresh,” said 15-year-old Croatian boy Josip. On the other hand, 20-yearold Serb student Nikolaj argued that failure to impose the law would be a sign that Serbs “are

second-class citizens”. With an unemployment rate in Vukovar of 22 percent, economic issues strongly contribute to ethnic problems. “It’s tough to live here, not only because of the relations between Croatians and Serbs, but also because it is hard to make ends meet in such an economic environment,” Crnogorac said. — AFP

VUKOVAR: Croatians protest against the use of Cyrilic script of official signs in Vukovar that was devastated by Serbs. — AFP

Abbott sweeps into power; Voters punish Labor party Defeated Rudd quits as Australian Labor leader

PHNOM PENH: A Cambodian Buddhist monk takes picture by his mobile phone during a demonstration at the Democracy Park in Phnom Penh yesterday. Thousands of Cambodians, many holding lotus flowers symbolizing peace, joined a mass protest in the capital Phnom Penh in a last-ditch bid to challenge Prime Minister Hun Sen’s disputed election win. — AFP

Cambodia’s strongman faces restive and tech-savvy youth PHNOM PENH: At the Bonna Business Center, a tiny Internet cafe near the opulent mansion of Cambodia’s long-ruling Prime Minister Hun Sen, coffee is served with a big lump of dissatisfaction. “They talk about seven percent economic growth,” says Ou Rithy, 27, who hosts weekly political discussions at the cafe with other young Cambodians. “But I’m still a poor man.”

He blames Hun Sen’s ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), which won a recent general election widely criticized as rigged but lost the nation’s heart and soul - its restive, tech-savvy and increasingly outspoken youth. About 70 percent of Cambodia’s 14 million people are under 30, a demographic whose growing political clout is challenging the country’s aging and corrupt leadership, while breathing life into a oncemoribund opposition who have called for mass protests.

The Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) said Hun Sen cheated his way to victory in the July 28 election and has vowed to protest until an independent committee is formed to investigate alleged voting irregularities. Hun Sen has denied the allegations.

According to initial results, the CPP won the election with a greatly reduced majority, revealing widespread unhappiness with Hun Sen’s iron-fisted rule despite rapid economic growth.

CNRP leader Sam Rainsy has urged supporters to “pray for peace” at the protest, but many fear it could lead to months of political deadlock or even violence. In recent days, thousands of riot police armed with batons and shields have rehearsed crowd control methods in Phnom Penh’s parks. It is Hun Sen’s biggest crisis in two decades, threatening to destabilize a tiny Southeast Asian nation with strong economic and political ties to China.

Cambodia owes its youthful demographic to its tragic past. Whole generations were wiped out during the 1975-79 “Killing Fields” regime of the Khmer Rouge, when more than a million people were killed or died of disease. Hun Sen has long hailed himself and the CPP for rescuing the country from the ensuing years of chaos and poverty. But such appeals increasingly fall flat with young people born long after the Khmer Rouge’s terror ended.

SOCIAL JUSTICE “Young people want social justice, they want jobs, and they want a good education system,” says Ou Rithy, a political science graduate who has watched many peers desert his home province of Pursat to seek work in neighbouring Thailand. Soaring use of smart phones and the Internet have allowed young Cambodians to sidestep the government’s strict control of television, radio and newspapers.

In 2008, when Hun Sen easily won the last election, only about 70,000 people had access to the Internet, according to government statistics. By last year, that number had soared to 2.7 million, helped by a similarly

exponential rise in mobile phones. There are now more cellphones used in Cambodia - 19 million - than there are Cambodians.

Also accelerating communication since the last election is the Khmer-language version of unicode, a computing encoding standard used for different languages and scripts. This allowed Cambodian Internet users to easily write and share information in their own language. “Even those who don’t speak English can still create Facebook accounts in Khmer,” said But Buntenh, 34, a Buddhist monk and blogger at the Bonna Business Center.

State media routinely ignore opposition rallies. But this news blackout encouraged many Cambodians to seek information from social media, usually with just a click on their phones. Despite its large campaign budget, the CPP underestimated the frustrations of ordinary Cambodians and the opposition’s growing popularity, says Ou Virak, president of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR). “It wasn’t until shortly before election day that we started to see the impressive level of youth involvement,” he said.

“Even then people weren’t sure to what extent this would impact the actual results.”

CAMBODIA SPRING? More than a third of the country’s 9.6 million eligible voters are under 30, although many work abroad and don’t cast ballots, said the Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia. The CPP has limited youth appeal. Hun Sen is 61 and has vowed to rule until he is 74. Its youth wing is widely regarded as a political vehicle for Hun Sen’s youngest son, Hun Many, 30. The opposition CNRP has a more youthful image, with Koul Kanha, director of the Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (Comfrel), calling it the “Facebook party”.

Formed last year after the merger of two parties, the CNRP owed part of its resurgence to social media. Photos and video of alleged election fraud also went viral thanks to Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. But the government didn’t attempt to shut down the social network, despite many users posting critical - and sometimes racist and vulgar - remarks about CPP figures. Hun Sen disavowed a Facebook page bearing his name after Sam Rainsy repeatedly taunted him for having fewer “likes”.

Some analysts say the rise of a youthful opposition to Hun Sen could signal a “Cambodian Spring” similar to the popular but often ill-fated movements against authoritarian rulers in the Arab world. Ou Rithy disagrees. “Young people don’t want a revolution, they want evolution - a gradual change based on non-violence,” he says.

Sam Rainsy has accused the CPP of colluding with the National Election Committee to steal 2.3 million votes from his party. He disputes results showing the CPP won 68 seats in parliament to the CNRP’s 55. Hun Sen has vowed to form a government despite the opposition’s campaign. — Reuters

SYDNEY: Australia’s conservative leader Tony Abbott swept into office in national elections yesterday as voters punished the outgoing Labor government for six years of turbulent rule and for failing to maximize the benefits of a now fading mining boom. Abbott, a former boxer, Rhodes scholar and trainee priest, promised to restore political stability, cut taxes and crack down on asylum seekers arriving by boat.

“From today I declare that Australia is under new management and Australia is once more open for business,” Abbott told jubilant supporters in Sydney. It was frustration with Labor’s leadership turmoil that cost the government dearly at the polls. Labor dumped Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in 2010, for Australia’s first female Prime Minister Julia Gillard, only to reinstate Rudd as leader in June 2013 in a desperate bid to stay in power.

“It is the people of Australia to determine the government and the prime minister of this country and you will punish anyone who takes you for granted,” said Abbott. Rudd was given a rousing welcome from dejected Labor party supporters in his hometown of Brisbane, conceding defeat and announcing he would step down as party leader. “I know that Labor hearts are heavy across the nation tonight. I gave it my all. But it was not enough to win,” Rudd said, supported by his wife and family.

Labor’s overall vote was its worst since 2004, when then conservative Prime Minister John Howard won his fourth and final term, but was not as bad as the party had feared. Labor held on to all of its close seats in Rudd’s home state of Queensland, and held onto several marginal seats in western Sydney. Election officials

SYDNEY: Australian Prime Minister-elect, Tony Abbott (center) waves to his supporters with his wife Margie (second left) and daughters Frances (left), Louise, and Bridget (right) after Abbott claimed victory in the 2013 Australian Election in Sydney yesterday. — AFP said with about 80 percent of the mining investment boom, fuelled by world. A record 1,717 candidates convote counted, Abbott’s Liberal- China’s demand for its abundant nat- tested the election, including colorful National Party coalition had won ural resources. Abbott, 55, built up a mining entrepreneur Clive Palmer, around 52.6 percent of the national strong opinion poll lead on the back and Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, vote, and projected it would win at of promises to rein in government who is holed up in the Ecuadorean least 88 seats in the 150-seat parlia- spending, scrap an unpopular tax on embassy in London.

Palmer’s start-up Palmer United carbon emissions, and stop the flow ment.

Abbott could end up with a major- of refugee boats arriving in Australia’s Party was a big winner from the elecity of around 30 seats, ending the northwest. His campaign had support tion. Palmer was in strong contention country’s first minority government from media magnate Rupert to win his Queensland seat and his since World War Two. Labor had relied Murdoch and his Australian newspa- party might also win a seat in the upon independent and Greens sup- pers, which have urged voters to upper house Senate. With Abbott’s convincing victory, much of the interport for the past three years. “This was reject Rudd’s Labor government.

Australia’s other major newspaper est remains on the Senate, where the an election that was lost by the government more than one that was group Fairfax also called for a change Greens, independents and fringe parwon by the opposition,” former Labor of government, saying Rudd had ties might still hold the balance of Prime Minister Bob Hawke told Sky painted Abbott’s planned spending power and frustrate Abbott’s legislacuts as dangerous European-style tive agenda. Final results in the News.

The election was been pitched as austerity and said his government Senate could take more than a week a choice on who is best to lead the was best placed to manage an econo- to determine, due to the complicated A$1.5 trillion ($1.4 trillion) economy my that is slowing but remains the system of preferential voting and proas it adjusts to an end to a prolonged envy of much of the developed portional representation. — Reuters

Key policies for Australia’s conservative government CANBERRA: Key policies of Australia’s new conservative Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who swept into office in yesterday’s national elections, ending six years of centre-left Labor party rule.

The election is unlikely to have any major foreign policy implications. The new LiberalNational Party coalition government is a strong supporter of a long-standing military alliance with the United States, and supports the rotation of U.S. Marines through northern Australia.

It also strongly supports closer ties with China, which is Australia’s top trading partner, and wants to push ahead with negotiations for a free trade deal with China. Incoming Prime Minister Tony Abbott, however, promised to cut A$4.5 billion ($4.1 billion) from Australia’s foreign aid program over four years.

Australia’s A$1.5 trillion economy is in transition as the investment phase of a big mining boom comes to an end. The economy has marked up 22 years of continuous growth, with gross domestic product (GDP) rising 2.6 percent in the year to the end of June.

Unemployment is 5.7 percent, and interest rates are at a record low 2.5 percent.

Both the central bank and the government would like to see a lower Australian dollar, to help ailing manufacturers and exports. Abbott has promised stronger control on government finances to guard Australia’s AAA credit rating.

He said his government would ensure a budget surplus of around 1 percent of GDP within a decade and plans to cut 12,000 public service jobs to help control spending.

He has also promised to cut company tax by 1.5 percentage points to 28.5 percent from July 1, 2015, at a cost of A$5 billion in its first two years. But the biggest 3,000 companies will be hit with a 1.5 percent levy, to help fund a paid parental leave scheme. The latest budg-

et update forecasts the budget will have a small surplus by 2016, with net debt forecast to peak at A$191.6 billion, or 11.4 percent of GDP, in 2014-15 - still less than one eighth of the debt levels of major advanced economies.

Abbott has promised to scrap a controversial 30 percent profits tax imposed on major coal and iron ore mines. Former prime minister Julia Gillard introduced the tax, which began in July 2012, after negotiations with global miners Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton and Xstrata, now Glencore Xstrata. However, the tax take has fallen short of forecast and is expected to raise only about A$3.0 billion in its first four years, down from initial estimates of A$13.4 billion.

Abbott has promised to abolish an unpopular carbon tax, currently set at A$24.15 a ton and imposed on Australia’s top 300 polluters.

Abbott has also committed to cut Australia’s carbon emissions by 5 percent of year 2000 levels by 2020, through a direct action policy.

The former Labor government had set a 20 percent renewable energy target, set at 41,000 gigawatts, by 2020. But falling electricity demand might see Abbott’ government review the target to 20 percent of real demand by 2020, which would see the target drop to about 27,000 gigawatt hours.

The steady flow of refugee boats from Indonesia is a hot political issue, particularly in a clutch of marginal seats. About 400 boats have arrived in the past 12 months, and 45,000 asylum seekers have arrived since Labor won office in late 2007. Abbott has promised to stop the boats, and to use the navy to turn back boats to Indonesian waters. However, there are few details on how that will be done.

He also wants to expand the number of asylum seekers who can be processed outside of Australia on the remote Pacific island nation of Nauru. — Reuters

World powers to lay off Tehran at IAEA - for now VIENNA: World powers are expected to give Iran a rare break at a UN atomic agency meeting starting tomorrow, in order not to jeopardize diplomatic efforts with Tehran’s conciliatory-sounding new government. But diplomats said that if there was no real progress by the next quarterly gathering in November of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s 35-nation board of governors, Iran would again feel the heat.

“Things have changed on the ground in Iran. We have a new government, a new president and there has been a change in tone from the Iranian government, which we recognize and welcome,” one senior Western envoy said. “By November there will have been another round of negotiations with the IAEA, we may well have another round of E3+3 talks, and so we will see whether these words have been translated into anything more concrete.”

The quarterly meetings of the IAEA’s board usually see Iran taken to task over its nuclear program, which many countries, not only in the West, suspect is aimed at getting atomic weapons, despite Iranian denials. The agency’s latest regular report on Iran last month showed, yet again, that Tehran is defiantly expanding its activities despite a string of UN Security Council and IAEA board resolutions demanding a suspension.

Several rounds of UN sanctions, supported not only by the West but also by Russia and China and others, have been imposed on Iran. Additional EU and US restrictions last year began targeting its oil sector and banks. The United States and Israel, the Middle East’s sole if undeclared country with nuclear weapons, have refused to rule out bombing the Persian Gulf country. Numerous diplomatic initiatives over the past decade, including the last meeting between Iran and the six permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany (the P5+1 or E3+3) in Kazakhstan in April, have failed. The election in June of Hassan Rowhani, a former nuclear negotiator, as Iran’s new president to replace the more hardline Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has however created some hope. — AFP

NEWS

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

Pakistani militants prepare for Afghan war ISLAMABAD: Militants in Pakistan’s most populous province are said to be training for what they expect will be an ethnic-based civil war in neighboring Afghanistan after foreign forces withdraw in 16 months, according to analysts and a senior militant. In the past two years the number of Punjab-based militants deploying to regions bordering on Afghanistan has tripled and is now in the thousands, says analyst Mansur Mehsud.

He runs the FATA Institute, an Islamabad-based think tank studying the mix of militant groups that operate in Pakistan’s tribal belt running along much of the 2,600-kilometer Afghan-Pakistan border. Mehsud, himself from South Waziristan where militants also hide out, says more than 150 militant groups operate in the tribal regions, mostly in mountainous, heavily forested North Waziristan.

Dotted with hideouts, it is there that Al-Qaeda leader Ayman Al-Zawahri is thought by the US to be hiding, and where Afghanistan says many of its enemies have found sanctuary. While militants from Punjab province have long sought refuge and training in the tribal regions, they were fewer in number and confined their hostility to Pakistan’s neighbor and foe, India.

All that is changing, say analysts. “Before, they were keeping a low profile. But just in the last two or three years hundreds have been coming from Punjab,” said Mehsud. “Everyone knows that when NATO and the American troops leave Afghanistan there will be fighting between Pashtuns and nonPashtuns.” And the Punjabi militants will side with the Afghan Taleban, who are mostly Pashtun, Afghanistan’s dominant ethnic group and the majority ethnic group in Pakistan’s northwest region that borders Afghanistan.

Like many in the Taleban, the Punjabi militants share a radical and regressive interpretation of Islam. “We will go to Afghanistan to fight alongside the Taleban as we have done in the past,” said a senior member of the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), a militant Sunni Muslim group, who goes by a nom de guerre, Ahmed Zia Siddiqui.

In an interview with The Associated Press in Pakistan, he said the Taleban haven’t yet requested help, but when asked whether Punjab-based militants were preparing for war in Afghanistan after the foreign withdrawal, he replied: “Absolutely.” Despite being outlawed in Pakistan,

Siddiqui’s group is among the most active and violent, providing a cadre of suicide bombers for attacks both in Pakistan and in Afghanistan. It has taken responsibility for dozens of attacks that have killed hundreds of minority Shiites in Pakistan.

It has also been implicated in some of the most spectacular attacks in Pakistan, including the 2008 bombing of a five-star hotel in the capital and an assassination attempt on former dictator and US ally Gen Pervez Musharraf. Zahid Hussain, whose books plot the rise of militancy in Pakistan, said at least two dozen militant groups are headquartered in Punjab province, while in Waziristan their numbers are growing as mainstream religious parties such as Jamaat-e-Islami recruit young men to the militant cause.

“Even if a settlement occurs in Afghanistan there are still a lot who will continue to fight and those who are most likely to resist a settlement are Pakistani militants,” Hussain said. He said that during a recent trip he made to North Waziristan, local tribesmen spoke of the influx of Punjabbased militants into their area. Foreign journalists are not allowed in the tribal regions. Pakistan’s new elected civilian government has promised a strategy to tackle the militants whose actions, says Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, are a scourge that has killed upward of 40,000 Pakistanis in recent years.

In a televised speech last month, he lamented Pakistan’s inability “to restrict the culprits or even identify them, to spot their hideouts and take them to task.” “Pakistan cannot tolerate this anymore,” he said. While Sharif suggested that “incompetence or insensitiveness” were to blame, analysts accuse the government of lacking the political will to go after the militants. They say Sharif ’s conservative Pakistan Muslim League rules Punjab province, where militant headquarters are easy to spot and are left undisturbed.

In the south Punjab city of Bahawalpur, the AlQaeda linked Jaish-e-Mohammed is expanding its headquarters and building bigger religious schools for its adherents, said Ayesha Saddiqa, a defense analyst from Bahawalpur. The militant group has radicalized locals, and its leader, Azhar Masood, freed from an Indian jail in 1999 in exchange for a hijacked Indian Airlines plane,

Israel ‘unimpressed’ by Iranian greetings Continued from Page 1 In contrast, new Iranian President Hassan Rowhani is waging a public relations campaign to improve the Islamic republic’s image, after years of bad press over Tehran’s atomic ambitions and incendiary comments by former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

In his first remarks since Rowhani tasked him with taking over Iran’s sensitive nuclear talks with world powers, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Tehran wants to calm fears over its atomic program. “Allaying international concerns is in our interest because atomic weapons do not form part of the Islamic republic’s poli-

cies,” Zarif said. Iran says its nuclear ambitions are for entirely peaceful purposes, despite fears in Israel and among world powers that its uranium enrichment masks a covert weapons drive.

Zarif, a US-educated moderate and former ambassador to the United Nations, said on Facebook this week that Tehran condemns the World War II Nazi massacre of the Jews, in stark contract to Holocaust denials by Ahmadinejad. In an interview published on his Facebook page, he confirmed reports he had tweeted best wishes for the Jewish New Year in an exchange with Christine Pelosi, daughter of the Democratic leader in the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi.— AFP

GCC calls for end to Syria genocide Continued from Page 1 Human Rights said the mortar and artillery fire on the Moldokhiya agricultural area south of Damascus killed 14 rebels.

A child and another civilian also died in the shelling, it added. The group also reported heavy fighting between rebels and troops loyal to President Bashar Assad around the Christian village of Maaloula northeast of Damascus.

The rebel advance into the area this week was reportedly spearheaded by Al-Qaeda-linked fighters, exacerbating fears among Syrians and religious minorities in particular that Islamic extremists are playing an increasingly important role in the rebellion.

Fighters from the Western-backed Free Syrian Army have also participated in battles around Maaloula, destroying two government checkpoints near the town earlier this week, according to a statement by the main opposition coalition on Friday. The fighting comes as President Barack Obama’s administration pressed ahead with efforts to win congressional backing and international support for military strikes against Syria over an alleged chemical attack in August outside Damascus.

The US says Assad’s forces fired rockets loaded with the nerve agent sarin on rebel-held areas near the capital before dawn on Aug 21, killing at least 1,429 people. Other estimates put the death toll from the attack at more than 500. Obama, back in Washington after a trip to Europe that included a two-day visit to Russia to attend a Group of 20 summit, will intensify his efforts to sell a skeptical Congress and a war-weary American public on a military strike against Syria. A passionate debate is already underway in Congress and the administration’s lobbying campaign culminates Tuesday, the evening before a critical vote on the possible Syria action is expected in the Senate. Obama will address the nation from the White House on Tuesday to make his case for military action. In Lithuania, Kerry met

with European leaders, who have been skeptical about whether any military action against Assad’s regime can be effective.

In a joint statement yesterday, European foreign ministers agreed with the US that the Aug 21 alleged chemical attack appears to have been the work of the Syrian regime.

Any potential military attack against Syria, however, should wait for a UN inspectors’ report, they added. EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton said that the available intelligence “seems to indicate strong evidence that the Syrian regime is responsible for the attack.”

The report from the UN inspectors, who collected evidence in the suburbs hit by the Aug 21 attack, is expected later this month, although some European officials are asking the UN to speed up the probe or issue an interim report. The prospect of a US-led strike against Syria has raised concerns of potential retaliation from the Assad regime or its allies. On Friday, the State Department ordered nonessential US diplomats to leave Lebanon over security concerns and urged private American citizens to depart as well.

The Shiite militant group Hezbollah, an Assad ally that has sent fighters into Syria, is based in Lebanon. Yesterday, dozens of people protested outside the US Embassy against military strikes on Syria. Some of the demonstrators carried placards reading “No War,” and “Hands off Syria.”

Syrian officials have been trying to capitalize on reluctance in Europe and the US, and both the government and state media accuse Obama of “supporting terrorism.”

“Any US aggression against Syria has no explanation other than (that it’s) supporting terrorism,” Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad said in an interview with state-run Al-Ikhbariya TV broadcast late Friday. He challenged the international community to present evidence that Syria had used sarin, and said military action against his country would be “dangerous and might affect America’s friends and the entire world.” — Agencies

31 die as Egypt army hits Sinai militants Continued from Page 1 experts after residents from Abu Aref village said they spotted a bomb on the railroad that links Suez with another canal city, Ismailiya. Two mortar rounds and a rocket-propelled grenade were attached to a fuse and appeared to have been intended for a 6:00 am train, officials said.

Hours later, unidentified assailants hurled a grenade at a police station in Cairo, which exploded without causing any casualties, security officials said. It was the third such attack in weeks on the police station in the working class neighborhood of Boulaq Al-Daqrour. The developments raised tensions after a car bomb targeted Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim on Thursday as he left his house for work. Ibrahim, who was unhurt in the attack that killed one person and wounded several others, warned afterwards of “a wave of terrorism”.

The umbrella group of Islamists demanding the reinstatement of Morsi denounced the assassination attempt, and said they remained committed to peaceful protests.

But analysts say rogue militants are likely to attempt to carry out attacks as the military and police continue rounding up Islamists. Morsi has been held since his ouster on July 3 and the prosecutor issued a new detention order for him over his comments that judges had rigged a 2005 parlia-

mentary election.

The railroad between Suez and Ismailiya lies on the west bank of the Suez Canal, with the restive Sinai Peninsula to the east. On September 1, the head of the Suez Canal Authority, Admiral Mohab Mamish, said a militant launched an attack against a Panamanian-flagged ship passing through the vital waterway. He gave no details, but a video posted on YouTube showed two men firing rocket-propelled grenades against a cargo ship, causing no apparent damage.

It was not immediately possible to verify the authenticity of the video, which featured the black banner used by AlQaeda inspired militants. For years, Sinai has defied the central government’s authority, with its Bedouin population complaining of poverty and discrimination. But the surge in militant attacks there and elsewhere around the country have raised fears of a revival of the Islamist insurgency that plagued Egypt in the 1990s.

Those attack dealt a blow to Egypt’s tourism industry, particularly as key sites that attract holidaymakers are in southern Sinai, along its Red Sea coast. Sinai unrest has surged since the revolution that ousted dictator Hosni Mubarak in February 2011, and attacks on the security forces intensified after the military toppled Morsi in popularly backed coup. On August 19, militants killed 29 policemen in the Sinai, in the deadliest attack of its kind in years. — Agencies

NORTH WAZIRISTAN: A Pakistani Taleban militant looks at main road of Shawal in Pakistani tribal region of North Waziristan. Militants in Pakistan’s most populous province are said to be training for what they expect will be an ethnic-based civil war in neighboring Afghanistan after foreign forces withdraw. — AP experts to translate its national security blueprint moves about freely, she said.

Punjab “is infested with numerous jihadi out- into action. Dr Simbal Khan, a regional security fits that support the Taleban based in the tribal expert with the Islamabad Policy Research areas from time to time,” said Saddiqa. “ The Institute in Islamabad, said Pakistan doesn’t want Punjabi jihadis are critical of the war in to see Afghanistan return to the 1990s, when civil Afghanistan and Western presence in the region. war destroyed the country and gave rise to the This is not just an objection to foreign presence in repressive Taleban regime which in turn strengtha Muslim country but is part of a larger war they ened Pakistan’s militants.

Yet Pakistan’s options are few, and according hope to fight in establishing supremacy of Islam according to their interpretation and imagina- to Dr Khan exclude an all-out assault on militant tion.” Omar Hamid Khan, the Interior Ministry hideouts in Punjab that would turn the full force spokesman, says violence has escalated since the of militancy against Pakistan. “We know where Sharif government took office in June, with 68 they are. We could bomb the whole area, flatten it. That would solve Afghanistan’s problem but attacks in 60 days.

In a recent interview he acknowledged the dif- what would that leave for us?” she asked. “We ficulties the new government faces in meeting its might solve the Afghan problem but our problem stated goals of creating a counter-terrorism would be far worse. We would suffer for the next authority and competent police force, and finding 40 years.” — AP

MERS death toll hits 44 in Saudi Continued from Page 1 care in Riyadh and Hafr Al-Baten. The Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), which can cause coughing, fever and pneumonia, emerged in Saudi Arabia last year and has been reported in people in the Gulf, France, Germany, Italy, Tunisia and Britain.

In a study into what kind of animal “reservoir” may be

fuelling the outbreak in humans, scientists said this month they had found strong evidence it is widespread among dromedary camels in the Middle East. The WHO, a UN agency, has not recommended any travel restrictions but has urged health authorities worldwide to maintain vigilance. Recent travelers returning from the Middle East who develop severe respiratory infections should be tested for MERS-CoV, it said. — Reuters

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

ANALYSIS

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Issues

Syria - What are we not debating

By Dr James J Zogby

A

s a result of President Barack Obama’s decision to ask the US Congress to support his call for “limited” strikes against the Assad regime, we find ourselves in the throes of a much needed, but still incomplete national debate on the wisdom of US policy toward Syria. During the past week, several themes have emerged in this discussion over the course of American policy toward the conflict that has ravaged that country and its people. What we know is that well over 100,000 have died at the hands of both the regime and the various groups fighting against it.

More than two million refugees have fled the fighting, living in miserable conditions-in some instances, threatening the stability of their host countries. Another four million have been internally displaced. As it has evolved the conflict has taken on a worrisome sectarian dimension fracturing not only Syrian society, but the region, as well. It is an enormous tragedy, not unlike last decade’s horror in Iraq, and it is tearing at the heart of the Arab World.

And now, there is clear evidence of the use of chemical weapons resulting in the deaths of over 1,000 innocent civilians, bringing the US to the point of intervention. It is at this point, that the US debate begins. There are a few themes that have become central to the arguments supporting the President’s position for military action. First and foremost among these is the fact that this horrible crime of using of chemical weapons should not go unpunished.

In making the US case, Secretary of State John Kerry has presented evidence tying this attack to the Assad regime, making the Administration’s argument that there must be accountability for this heinous act. The President and his supporters in Congress have argued that should the US stand by and allow this crime to go unpunished, there would be several negative consequences: the Assad regime would feel no restraint and could continue to use such weapons in the future with impunity; and the “international norm” against the use of chemical weapons would be breached, allowing other “rogue” states and non-state actors to feel that they too could act in such an unacceptable manner.

Finally, the White House has argued that if the US were not to act forcefully against this violation, after having declared the use of chemical weapons to be a “red line” that must not be crossed, the credibility and leadership of US would be seriously compromised. In making its case for action, the White House argued for “limited strikes” designed to “deter and degrade” the regime’s capacity to carry out such attacks in the future.

Initially the President described his intent to deliver “a shot across the bow” to send a message that would “deter” the Syrian regime from any further use of chemical weapons. But as the debate evolved, one detects the Administration placing more emphasis on their intent to “degrade” the capacity of the regime to deliver such weapons. Such is the argument made by those who are supporting the White House call for military action against Syria. Opponents to the use of force have raised several issues, which they note have not been fully factored into the Administration’s consideration. Both hawks and doves have questioned, each from their own vantage point, the advisability of “limited” strikes. Hawks have criticized the President for not doing enough, pressing their case for more decisive action. As framed by one Member of Congress, “doing more” would mean “ending the Assad regime and replacing it with a secular moderate democracy”.

A leading voice among those who have been pressing the White House to do more, Senator John McCain succeeded in inserting language into the Senate bill authorizing the use of force calling for a more robust use of force (short of “boots on the ground”) that would “change the momentum on the battlefield” in favor of the Syrian opposition.

For their part, doves have warned of the dangers of another US military engagement in the Arab World. They argue that the proposed limited strike would place the US on a “slippery slope” with today’s calls “to do something” being followed by tomorrow’s calls “to do more”. They point to the “Powell Doctrine” enunciated by then Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Colin Powell.

In 1990, Powell laid out conditions he stipulated must be met before the US should ever consider committing to military action-in essence asking that the costs, consequences, terms of engagement, and degree of support (internationally and domestically) be clearly understood. Those arguing against the strikes say that the Administration has not yet provided clear answers to Powell’s terms for military engagement. One item in Powell’s list of conditions has proved especially troublesome for the Administration, and that is the need for broad international and domestic support. Public opinion polls and town meetings with Members of Congress have demonstrated that a vocal majority of Americans are profoundly weary of war. And while the Administration blames the Russians for “holding the UN hostage” with regard to Syria (a charge which Arabs might say also describes the way the US handles issues involving Israel that come before the world body), the reality is that many other nations, including some close European allies, are either skeptical or outright opposed to the use of force in Syria.

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

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

Conflict, chemical attack and the fallout

By Tom Raum

P

resident Barack Obama’s administration insists that Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government carried out a chemical weapons attack against his own people. Obama’s team is laying the groundwork for an expected military strike.

But he’s having trouble getting other countries to go along with him. Assad’s government denies the allegations and insists the rebels are to blame for any chemical attack.

Russia is among the countries lining up behind him. A look at the latest developments and how it got to this point: THE SYRIAN CONFLICT Now in its third year, the civil war in a small country with a population of about 23 million is complicated and brutal. There are heavy civilian casualties on both sides. The conflict has increasingly taken on sectarian tones as rebels, some of them Islamic extremists, fight government loyalists. It’s essentially a regional proxy war increasingly fought along sectarian lines, pitting Sunni against Shiite Muslims, and threatening the stability of Syria’s neighbors. By mid-2011, a loose coalition of rebels and anti-government tribal groups had formed the Free Syrian Army whose goal was to topple Assad. As the violence increased, more people fled the country.

Rebels appeared to be gaining the upper hand and they occupied more and more territory. But over the past few months the military scored a string of victories and their offensives pushed many rebels back into the Damascus suburbs.

Assad’s government increased its pressure on rebels as pro-democracy Arab Spring movements swept through the region last year. The United Nations estimates that roughly 1.5 million people have fled, many into Lebanon.

THE WORLD’S RESPONSE Even before the alleged chemical attacks, the Assad government was hit with an increasing number of penalties from European countries and the US. While Assad gained increasing support and supplies from Russia and Iran, the escalating sanctions by the European Union and the United States put more pressure on people struggling with food and fuel shortages and inflation.

Secretary of State John Kerry put the death count at 1,429, of which he said 426 were children. The nonpartisan humanitarian group Doctors Without Borders has put the death toll at 355 people. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, one of the main groups monitoring casualties in Syria, said Saturday it has only been able to confirm 502 deaths, identifying victims by name.

ADMINISTRATION’S ARGUMENT Obama says he hasn’t made a final decision about a military strike against Syria.

But he says he’s considering a limited and narrow action in response to a chemical weapons attack that he says Syria’s government carried out last week. He made the comments after the US released an intelligence assessment that found with “high confidence” that Assad’s government carried out the chemical attack. But Obama has not yet been able to show that Assad himself ordered the attacks or spelled out how punishing military strikes might defer future use of chemical weapons in the region.

COALITION OF THE NOT-SO WILLING It’s been hard for Obama to assemble an international coalition to confront Syria.

That’s because burnout over long engagements in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the unpopularity of military adventures in Muslim countries, have wearied traditional Western allies. Britain, a stalwart ally in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, won’t play a direct role in any US attack this time. British lawmakers abruptly refused to approve military action, despite a strong appeal by Prime Minister David Cameron to help the United States. The only allied leader to openly express willingness to join a US attack on Syria was French President Francois Hollande. The German government also said it isn’t considering joining military action against Syria.

A MATTER OF TIMING It could have be seen as rude for the president to order air strikes while UN weapons inspectors were still at work in Syria searching for evidence of chemical weapons use. They left Syria early Saturday and were expected to issue a report on their

findings. There’s also a relatively short window for Obama. This year’s host, Russian President Vladimir Putin, is a vocal opponent of a military strike in Syria. It seems unlikely that Obama would want to order air strikes on Syria while he’s out of the country, especially on Putin’s turf. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon planned to meet privately with the ambassadors of the five permanent Security Council members as part of his efforts to urge the divided council to come together and act on Syria’s crisis. But Russia has veto power over Security Council proposals and is likely to exercise it if military strikes are contemplated.

CONGRESS, CONSTITUTION, POWERS 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’s done it before - two years ago in Libya. So have many other US presidents. Even though the Constitution gives Congress the sole power to declare - and pay for - war, Congress hasn’t formally declared war since World War II. Every subsequent conflict involving US forces, including military conflicts in Korea, Vietnam, Panama, Iraq (twice), the Caribbean island of Grenada, Kosovo and Libya were undeclared, even though in most cases Congress did vote approval short of a war declaration - sometimes after the fact. The Korean War was fought under the auspices of the United Nations. The Kosovo War was waged by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Congress’ constitutional power to declare war was refined and expanded by the 1973 War Powers Act, which requires a president to notify Congress within 48 hours of initiating military action and bars US armed forces for fighting for more than a maximum of 90 days without congressional approval.

HOW IT PROBABLY WOULD WORK Obama has ruled out putting troops on the ground in Syria, and because of Assad’s extensive air defense systems. Any order for a strike would come from Obama, delivered to Gen Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel. US commanders

would communicate and coordinate with military officers from other nations involved in the fight, such as France, over secure lines. Five US Navy destroyers are in the eastern Mediterranean Sea waiting for the order to launch. They are armed with dozens of Tomahawk cruise missiles. The Navy also now has two aircraft carriers in the Arabian Sea that are loaded with fighter jets.

RWANDA, KOSOVO AND SYRIA Obama and his supporters have cited humanitarian motivations in setting the stage for military strikes in Syria. But the United States has a mixed record on responding to humanitarian crises. More than 500,000 people were killed in genocidal mass slaughter in 1994 in the East African state of Rwanda in a civil war between ethnic groups. The United States did not get involved militarily, although it later helped out in international efforts to relocate refugees. Five years later, with President Bill Clinton still in the White House, it was a different story. As many as 10,000 ethnic Albanians were killed in Kosovo through the “ethnic cleansing” of Yugoslav leader Yugoslavia’s Slobodan Milosevic. Clinton ordered air strikes that lasted 78 days. Milosevic had the strong support of Russia, as Syria’s Assad does today.

OBAMA’S CREDIBILITY Obama has drawn several “red lines” that could put him in a box and make it difficult to compromise with opponents. On Syria, he has said that Assad would cross one if he used chemical weapons in violation of international agreements that ban the use of them. And Syria’s alleged use of chemical weapons tests the president’s credibility on the world stage.

Obama drew another red line on Iran, saying it was unacceptable for that country to develop nuclear weapons. Tehran has regularly warned the US against possible military action against Syria, calling such a strike Iran’s own “red line” even as a cruise-missile bearing US naval fleet positions itself off Syria’s coast. And Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said his country will press forward with efforts to ward off military action in Syria by the US and its

RED LINE AND EARLIER RESPONSE Last summer, Obama said that Assad’s use of chemical weapons would cross a red line, suggesting greater US intervention.

Then in June, the White House said it had conclusive evidence that Assad used chemical weapons against rebel fighters, and Obama decided to respond by authorizing the arming of Syria’s rebels. The move promised to deepen US involvement in the conflict and heightening US tensions with Russia, a staunch ally of Assad. It was a turning point for the US, which up to that point had avoided getting drawn into the conflict militarily. A chief US concern had been that US-supplied weapons could fall into the hands of Al-Qaeda-linked militants fighting alongside the rebels.

THE TIPPING POINT On Aug 21, the Obama administration says, Assad’s government unleashed a chemical attack outside Damascus. The government of Syria denies there were any chemical attacks. Syrian officials insist that rebels carried out the attacks. There’s disagreement within the international community over whether there were chemical weapons used. Estimates of the dead have varied depending on the source. Activists and those who live in the area have said well over 1,000 people died in the attacks.

MAALULA: Syrian army forces are seen in the Syrian Christian town of Maalula yesterday. New fighting has broken out between rebels and regime forces on the outskirts of of Maalula, a watchdog said. —AFP

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

S P ORTS

Striker woes for England

Mast leads Championship

Milito set for comeback

LONDON: England has a shortage of strikers for Tuesday’s key World Cup qualifier against Ukraine, with Danny Welbeck now suspended for the match in Kiev.

Spearheading the attack on Friday against Moldova, Welbeck earned his second booking of the qualification campaign during the 4-0 win before scoring twice.

The yellow card was given in the first half at Wembley Stadium for shooting at goal in the split-second after referee Ivan Kruzliak blew for offside. ¬Å”You can’t always hear the referee’s whistle,” Welbeck said. “Even then I believe I was onside and I wanted to put it in the back of the net. The main thing is to play your part for the team.”

England coach Roy Hodgson said the booking overshadowed the easy win. “I don’t think there’ll be too many people, even in the refereeing fraternity, who will say that was a clear yellow card,” he said.

“A 40 yard sprint, a ball that arrives on your foot, a split second between the whistle blowing and the shot. “You’ll have to try very hard to persuade me that was a booking. He’s out of the game. We’ll live with it, deal with it, but I’m not prepared to go down that route that these things happen.”—AP The Manchester United striker had

QUEBEC: Dick Mast took the first-round lead on Friday in the Champions Tour’s Montreal Championship, shooting a 3-under 69 in windy conditions on La Vallee du Richelieu’s difficult Rouville Course.

The 62-year-old Mast, winless on the 50-and-over tour, had five birdies and two bogeys. He birdied the first three holes before the wind picked up.

“I got a chance to play four or five holes without a real heavy wind and that’s already an advantage,” Mast said. “You never know when you are going to get a break, but I did.” It is the first time Mast has had an outright lead in 165 Champions Tour starts. “You’ve got to control your ball in the wind. You’ve got to have a good short game. I made some key putts here and there to keep the momentum going.”

Kenny Perry, the Senior Players Championship and US Senior Open winner in consecutive tour starts this summer, opened with a 70 on the tree-lined layout. “Interesting day,” Perry said. “I got off to a good start but I wasn’t making any birdies. I was hitting the ball nicely and that wind was very difficult.” He’s making his first appearance in the event. “People have been wonderful here,” Perry said. “I feel like a rock star. I’ve had so much attention paid to me since I’ve been here. It’s been amazing. I’ve really enjoyed it. I’m looking forward to getting out there this weekend.” —AP

ROME: Inter Milan striker Diego Milito says he is close to completing his comeback from injury after scoring in a friendly yesterday. The Argentine, out of action since suffering a cruciate knee ligament injury during Inter’s Europa League win over CFR Cluj in February, netted in a 2-2 draw with Swiss side Lugano.

“I hope soon to be back at my best, be well and able to help the manager when he needs it. The worst has passed, there’s not much time left til I return,” the 34-year-old told the Serie A club’s television station.

“It was brilliant scoring again, it’s the greatest joy for any attacker. But more than that, it was good just to get some minutes out on the pitch.”

Milito has scored 73 goals for Inter and is a fans’ favorite because of his exploits during their treble success in 2010, when under the guidance of Jose Mourinho they won the Serie A title, the Italian Cup and the Champions League. He scored six goals during their successful Champions League campaign, including two against Bayern Munich in the final. — Reuters

MLB results/standings Chicago Cubs 8, Milwaukee 5; Baltimore 4, Chicago White Sox 0; Cleveland 8, NY Mets 1; Boston 12, NY Yankees 8; Philadelphia 2, Atlanta 1; Cincinnati 3, LA Dodgers 2; Miami 7, Washington 0; Detroit 16, Kansas City 2; Toronto 6, Minnesota 5; St. Louis 12, Pittsburgh 8; LA Angels 6, Texas 5; Oakland 7, Houston 5; Seattle 6, Tampa Bay 4; San Diego 4, Colorado 3; San Francisco 3, Arizona 0.

American League Eastern Division W L Boston 86 57 Tampa Bay 77 63 Baltimore 75 65 NY Yankees 75 66 Toronto 65 76 Central Division Detroit 82 59 Cleveland 75 65 Kansas City 73 68 Minnesota 61 78 Chicago White Sox 56 84 Western Division Oakland 81 60 Texas 80 60 LA Angels 66 74 Seattle 64 77 Houston 47 94 National League Eastern Division Atlanta 85 55 Washington 71 69 Philadelphia 64 77 NY Mets 63 76 Miami 53 86 Central Division Pittsburgh 81 59 St. Louis 81 60 Cincinnati 80 62 Chicago Cubs 60 80 Milwaukee 60 80 Western Division LA Dodgers 83 57 Arizona 71 69 Colorado 66 76 San Diego 63 77 San Francisco 63 78

PCT .601 .550 .536 .532 .461

GB 7.5 9.5 10 20

.582 .536 .518 .439 .400

6.5 9 20 25.5

.574 .571 .471 .454 .333

0.5 14.5 17 34

.607 .507 .454 .453 .381

14 21.5 21.5 31.5

.579 .574 .563 .429 .429

0.5 2 21 21

.593 .507 .465 .450 .447

12 18 20 20.5

D’backs fall to Giants SAN FRANCISCO: Yusmeiro Petit almost got the perfect revenge against his former team. Petit lost his bid for a perfect game on Eric Chavez’s two-out single in the ninth, and then recovered to retire the final batter in the San Francisco Giants’ 3-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night. Petit (3-0) struck out Chris Owings to begin the ninth, and Gerardo Parra followed with a routine grounder to second. He then went to a full-count on Chavez, who dumped a pinch-hit single just in front of Hunter Pence in right field. The crowd of 41,190 fans responded with a standing ovation for Petit, who struck out seven in his 95-pitch gem. A.J. Pollock grounded out to third to finish Petit’s first career complete game. Pence had three hits, including a home run, and scored all three runs. Corbin (13-6) tossed eight strong innings, giving up eight hits. He walked one and struck out five.

CARDINALS 12, PIRATES 8 In St Louis, Carlos Beltran and Jon Jay had three hits apiece, and St. Louis beat Pittsburgh to move within a half-game of the NL Central leaders. The Cardinals opened a seven-run seventh with nine straight hits off three relievers, including Yadier Molina’s threerun homer off Bryan Morris. The Pirates have lost two straight, both blowouts, and remain a win shy of clinching their first winning season since 1992. Jay had three RBIs and Beltran drove in two runs.

Joe Kelly (8-3) allowed one run and eight hits over six innings while improving to 7-0 with a 1.93 ERA in his last eight starts. Pittsburgh starter A.J. Burnett (7-10) gave up five runs in three innings in his shortest outing of the year.

REDS 3, DODGERS 2 In Cincinnati, Joey Votto emerged from his deep slump with a single and a two-run homer, leading Cincinnati to the victory. The NL West-leading Dodgers lost Chris Capuano to a mild groin strain in the second inning, when he grimaced on a pitch to Zack Cozart.

Already this week, the Dodgers had to push Hyun-Jin Ryu back from a scheduled start because of a sore back. Mike Leake (12-6) emerged from his recent slump, helping the Reds get their fourth win in their last five games. Leake allowed five hits, including Hanley Ramirez’s two-run homer, in 7 2-3 innings. Aroldis Chapman, pitching for the fourth day in a row, fanned three in the ninth for his 35th save in 40 chances. Votto hit a two-run homer - his 22nd - off J.P. Howell (2-1) in the fifth inning for a 3-2 lead.

MARLINS 7, NATIONALS 0 In Miami, Jose Fernandez allowed one hit and struck out nine in seven innings to lead Miami to the win. Giancarlo Stanton homered and drove in three runs for the Marlins. Logan Morrison hit an estimated 484-foot home run, which would be the longest in the majors this season, and drove in two runs. Fernandez (11-6) retired his first 14 batters before walking Adam LaRoche. He also went 2 for 3 at the plate. Stanton hit a two-run single in the first inning and Placido Polanco followed with a sacrifice fly to give Miami an early 3-0 lead against Dan Haren (8-13).

PHILLIES 2, BRAVES 1 In Philadelphia, Cody Asche hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning, and Philadelphia ace Cliff Lee outdueled fellow left-hander Mike Minor. Lee (12-6) allowed one run on Andrelton Simmons’ leadoff homer in the third while striking out 10 in eight innings. He gave up two hits and walked none. Jonathan Papelbon finished for his 25th save in 31 chances. Asche’s homer came on the first pitch he saw from Minor in the seventh. In his first time facing the Phillies this season, Minor (13-6) allowed four hits in seven innings, striking out nine and walking one.—AP

Red Sox pound Yankees NEW YORK: Mike Napoli hit a tying grand slam in the seventh, Shane Victorino had a go-ahead homer one inning later and the Boston Red Sox rallied past the New York Yankees 12-8 on Friday night for their fourth straight victory.

Will Middlebrooks homered for the third straight day and Boston erased a five-run deficit in another wild game between these longtime rivals. One night earlier, the Yankees took an 8-7 lead with a six-run seventh - only to lose 9-8 in 10 innings on Victorino’s tiebreaking single. New York has lost consecutive games when scoring at least eight runs for the first time since September 1949, according to STATS. The last time it happened with both games at home was 1911 against Cleveland.

Napoli also doubled, singled and walked twice in a perfect night at the plate. He scored three times, one night after sparking Boston’s ninth-inning comeback with a two-out single off Mariano Rivera. The Red Sox, who have a 71/2-game lead in the AL East over Tampa Bay, have slowed New York’s wild-card charge by winning the first two games of a four-game set, improving to 9-5 against New York this year. They have scored 41 runs in their past three games and won 11 of 13 overall.

Alfonso Soriano homered and Brett Gardner hit a two-run triple for the Yankees, but Phil Hughes and Boone Logan failed to hold an 8-3 lead for Andy Pettitte. New York went hitless after the fifth inning. Victorino connected for a two-run shot off Preston Claiborne (0-2) in the eighth. Joba Chamberlain walked in a run later in the inning, and Stephen Drew made it 12-8 with an RBI single. Brandon Workman (5-2) threw 1 1-3 hitless innings for the win.

ATHLETICS 7, ASTROS 5 In Oakland, Josh Donaldson had three hits, including a tworun homer in the sixth inning, and Oakland beat Houston to move into first in the AL West. Jed Lowrie added two hits and two RBIs for Oakland, which has won six of eight. Yoenis Cespedes and Nate Freiman had two hits apiece. The A’s grabbed a half-game lead over the Rangers, who lost 6-5 at the Los Angeles Angels. AJ Griffin (13-9) gave up four runs over six innings. Sean Doolittle and Ryan Cook combined to retire six batters, and Grant Balfour worked the ninth for his 37th save. Houston starter Dallas Keuchel (5-9) struggled in his third start against the A’s this season, allowing 10 hits and five runs in just 3 2-3 innings.

MARINERS 6, RAYS 4 In Seattle, Justin Smoak doubled in a pair of runs off Tampa Bay reliever Joel Peralta in the eighth inning and Seattle rallied for a victory over the Rays. The Rays’ lead was cut to two games over the Cleveland Indians and Baltimore Orioles in the race for the second wild-card berth in the American League.

After tying the game in the top of the eighth, the Rays couldn’t keep the Mariners from going ahead. Kyle Seager hit a fly ball off Peralta (2-6) deep into the gap in left-center.

Though center fielder Desmond Jennings got in position for the play, the ball caromed off the heel of his glove and fell to the turf allowing Seager to reach second base on the error.

Kendrys Morales walked before Smoak’s fly down the right field line just missed the glove of a diving Wil Myers.

Seager and pinch runner Abraham Almonte scored to give the Mariners a 6-4 lead. Carter Capps (3-3) picked up the victory in relief. Danny Farquhar pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his 13th save.

ORIOLES 4, WHITE SOX 0 In Baltimore, Chris Davis hit his major league-leading 48th home run, Scott Feldman pitched a five-hitter for his first career shutout and Baltimore beat extended Chicago’s losing streak to eight games. Davis connected in the sixth inning off John Danks to move within two homers of tying Brady Anderson for the single-season club record. The solo shot gave Davis 123 RBIs, secondmost in the majors behind Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera (130).

Danny Valencia and Matt Wieters also homered for the Orioles.

All three long balls came off Danks (4-12). Making his 11th start since he was acquired in a trade with the Cubs on July 2, Feldman (5-4) allowed only one runner past first base. The right-hander walked one and struck out three in improving to 5-2 lifetime against the White Sox. TIGERS 16, ROYALS 2 In Kansas City, Omar Infante set career highs with five hits and six RBIs, Andy Dirks also went 5 for 5 and Detroit pounded Kansas City. Austin Jackson drove in four runs as the Tigers finished with a season-high 26 hits. Dirks, who is hitting .410 against Kansas City this season, scored four times.

Infante had run-producing singles in the second, fourth and seventh innings and a three-run double in the fifth. It was more than enough support for Anibal Sanchez (13-7), who allowed one run in seven innings while lowering his AL-best ERA to 2.61. James Shields (10-9), who was 4-0 in his previous five starts, was charged with 10 runs and 14 hits in 3 2-3 innings in his shortest start of the season. The runs and hits matched career-worst totals for the right-hander.

ANGELS 6, RANGERS 5 In Anaheim, Mark Trumbo hit a three-run homer and CJ Wilson pitched into the seventh inning to beat Texas for the first time, leading Los Angeles over the Rangers.

Mike Trout and Kole Calhoun had RBI singles during a five-run fourth inning for the Angels, who have won 11 of 14 late in their lost season. Trumbo capped the rally with his 30th homer. Alex Rios and Elvis Andrus homered for the Rangers. .Ernesto Frieri allowed Leonys Martin’s two-out double in the ninth before Andrus’ single to left, the first run allowed by the Angels’ Colombian closer in 11 games since Aug. 10. Frieri then struck out Ian Kinsler on a 95-mph fastball for his 31st save. Wilson (15-6) allowed seven hits and four runs, persevering through a few jams for his first win over the Rangers since he left the club two seasons ago. Matt Garza (3-3) gave up nine hits and five runs over seven innings in his third straight winless start, largely staying in control outside the Angels’ big fourth inning.

BLUE JAYS 6, TWINS 5 In Minneapolis, RA Dickey pitched into the seventh inning for Toronto, and the Blue Jays hung on for a victory over Minnesota.

Dickey (12-12) won his third straight start, giving up seven hits

NEW YORK: Second baseman Dustin Pedroia No. 15 of the Boston Red Sox tags out Alex Rodriguez No. 13 of the New York Yankees as he attempted to steal second base during the first inning in an MLB baseball game. —AFP and three runs to a Twins team he was a reliever for in 2009. He struck out four and walked one.

Jose Reyes reached base all four times and sparked a five-run second against Mike Pelfrey (5-11) with an RBI single. Brett Lawrie hit a two-run single and Moises Sierra followed with a two-run double in that inning. Casey Janssen gave up a home run to rookie catcher Josmil Pinto in the ninth, but closed it out for his 28th save in 30 tries on a strikeout-caught stealing double play.

INTERLEAGUE INDIANS 8, METS 1 In Cleveland, Scott Kazmir struck out a season-high 12 in six

innings, Nick Swisher hit a grand slam and Cleveland continued its playoff push with a win over New York. Kazmir (8-7) struck out at least one batter in each inning, including the side in the first, third and sixth. The left-hander, who has been pushed back in the rotation for extra rest over the last month, held the Mets to four hits, allowed no walks and hit a batter in winning for the first time since Aug. 4. Swisher’s grand slam came in the eighth and Carlos Santana added two RBIs. Cleveland is two games out of the second wild-card spot. The Indians have won three of four on their homestand after losing ground in the playoff chase during a 3-6 road trip.

Mets pitcher Zack Wheeler (7-4) allowed three runs in five innings and lost for the first time in his career on the road. —AP

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

S P ORT S

Scandal makes way for sailing in America’s Cup SAN FRANCISCO: There’s nothing like the first leg of the first race of the America’s Cup, when teams get an idea of whose boat is fastest and who might have missed badly after spending $100 million or more.

And there’s never been an America’s Cup like this. It’s being sailed on breathtaking San Francisco Bay in foiling 72-foot catamarans that can hit 80 kph (50 mph). Defending champion Oracle Team USA is starting with a two-point deficit after getting punished in the biggest cheating scandal in the regatta’s 162year history.

It’s an American tycoon, software billionaire Larry Ellison, against Emirates Team New Zealand, who carry the hopes of their small, sailing-mad island nation and a desire to sweep the Auld Mug back to the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron.

The short-course, inshore racing is both fan- and TV-friendly. Race 1 is scheduled to start at 1:15 p.m. local time (2015 GMT) on Saturday, with Race 2 to follow an hour later. Two races are scheduled for Sunday. For the Kiwis, it’s still best-of-17, meaning they need to win nine races to win the Cup. With its penalty, Oracle Team USA must win 11 races to keep the trophy.

Here are five things to watch in the 34th America’s Cup SAN FRANCISCO: Tony Bennett sang about leaving his heart here, and skipper Jimmy Spithill and the boys from Oracle Team USA want to keep the America’s Cup in the City by the Bay. While past

America’s Cups have been contested miles out at sea, this one will be sailed in one of the world’s greatest natural amphitheaters, with a steady wind and sometimes tricky tide. Fans can watch from the shore or high-rise buildings. After starting parallel to the Golden Gate Bridge, the boats sail a short reach across the wind and then speed downwind past Alcatraz Island. The five-leg course ends just off Piers 27-29, home to America’s Cup Park. TV shots will feature the Golden Gate and San Francisco-Oakland Bay bridges, the Coit Tower and the Transamerica Pyramid.

LARRY ELLISON: The co-founder and CEO of Oracle Corp. is an avid sailor who’s spent an estimated $500 million over the past 10 years in pursuing, winning and now defending the silver trophy. Then again, his estimated net worth of $43 billion makes him one of the world’s wealthiest individuals. People either love or hate Ellison, and there’s been plenty of grumbling that his grand vision for a regatta with a dozen or more challengers fizzled, in part because of the economy and the expensive, dangerous boats.

Ellison hasn’t been seen publically and has been kept away from the press, except for one TV interview. His presence is still felt, though. Two of his super yachts, the 288-foot Musashi and the 184-foot Asahi are moored at America’s Cup Park. Also on techie-billionaire row are Athena, owned by Jim Clark (Netscape, Silicon Graphics) and Senses, owned by Ellison’s rival, Larry Page of Google. Senses - moored between

Ellison’s yachts - stands out because of the red helicopter on the helipad on the stern.

THE SCANDAL: Oracle Team USA was caught illegally modifying 45-foot catamarans that were used in the warm-up regattas called the America’s Cup World Series. Besides docking Oracle two points, wing trimmer Dirk de Ridder was booted from the regatta, along with two shore crew members.

Grinder Matt Mitchell was banned from the first four races and the syndicate was fined $250,000.

Although Spithill and syndicate CEO Russell Coutts were never implicated, the jury said it “seems inconceivable that boat riggers initiated these changes without the knowledge of managers, or the direction of sailors, if not skippers.” Spithill has been almost defiant, saying Oracle is a clear underdog. He also called on locals to support the crew. “We want to keep the Cup here. These guys don’t,” he said at a news conference, referring to ETNZ skipper Dean Barker and trimmer Glenn Ashby. “We’re counting on San Franciscans to come out and support us.”

THE BASICS: The 72-foot catamarans are powered by 131-foot wing sails that look and perform like jetliner wings, including flaps. At around 20 knots, the boats lift onto hydrofoils, their hulls completely out of the water to reduce drag and increase speed. It takes 11 crew to sail the demanding boats, and the sailors bound across the trampoline from one hull to another when the boats tack or gybe. The

sailors wear crash helmets and life vests. After Artemis Racing’s Andrew “Bart” Simpson was killed in a capsize on May 9, sailors began wearing body armor, knives, an air tank and breathing tube, selflowering equipment and underwater locator devices. There will be two races a day on Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and, if needed, next Friday, Saturday, Sept. 17 and Sept. 19. A single race is set for Sept. 21, if needed. The series would continue beyond that to accommodate Oracle’s need to win 11 races.

GOOD ON YA, MATE: There’s a definite Down Under flavor to the America’s Cup. Oracle skipper Spithill is Aussie, although his wife is from San Diego and they have a home there. Coutts won the first two of his four America’s Cups with his native New Zealand. Of Emirates Team New Zealand’s 15 sailors, 13 are Kiwis and the other two are Aussies, although Adam Beashel also has a New Zealand passport. Of the 11 men who will sail Oracle Team USA, four are Aussies and two are Kiwis. Only two are Americans, tactician John Kostecki, a San Francisco native, and grinder Rome Kirby, whose father, Jerry, competed in six America’s Cup campaigns. Ashby, Team New Zealand’s Aussie-born trimmer, has sailed with both Spithill and Barker. “They probably both want to kill each other,” Ashby said. In a figurative sense, the aggressive Spithill would like to do that in the prestart maneuvers and round the first mark in first place, a bellwether to how the series might go. — AP

Pakistan sweep to victory

CHESTER-LE-STREET: A file photo taken on 31 August, 2013, shows Australia’s Fawad Ahmed (center) celebrating with teammates in this file photo. — AFP

Ahmed unmoved by logo row LONDON: Australia’s Fawad Ahmed is unconcerned by the furore his move in not wearing a beer sponsor’s logo on his shirt has sparked, according to one-day international vice-captain George Bailey.

Pakistan-born leg-spinner Ahmed, who became an Australian citizen in July after his application was fast-tracked, did not have the VB beer logo on his shirt during his international debut in last week’s T20 matches against England.

It emerged on Tuesday he had “expressed discomfort with the conflict this created for him” as a Muslim, with the religion’s sacred text, the Koran, banning adherents from drinking alcohol.

Cricket Australia (CA) agreed he could wear an unbranded shirt, but this led to criticism, notably from two of Australia’s bestknown sportsmen in former Test batsman Doug Walters and ex-Wallaby rugby union wing David Campese.

Walters was quoted as saying: “I think if he doesn’t want to wear the team gear, he should not be part of the team. Maybe if he doesn’t want to be paid, that’s OK.” Campese tweeted in response: “Doug Walters tells Pakistan-born Fawad Ahmed: if you don’t like the VB uniform, don’t play for Australia. Well said Doug. Tell him to go home.”

Their comments were condemned as “bigoted” by CA chief executive James Sutherland. Bailey said former asylum-seeker Ahmed, who added an ODI cap against Scotland in Edinburgh on Wednesday, had dealt with worrying issues in his life.

“I don’t think it’d particularly worry Fawad,” Bailey said Saturday after Friday’s washout in the first ODI in Leeds denied Ahmed a maiden international appearance against England, Australia’s arch-rivals.

“I think he’s probably had to deal with a lot more important things than what’s on the front of his shirt.

“Fawad (has) a great sense of humour,” added Bailey before explaining how Ahmed had forged a strong bond with Australia coach Darren Lehmann.

“He and the coach have a pretty funny relationship. They like to get stuck into each other, which always provides a lot of lighthearted stuff around the group.

“I know now he’s had a taste of playing for Australia he wants to do it a lot - but he wants to do it in all three formats,” said Bailey ahead of the second match of five at Manchester’s Old Trafford on Sunday.

Prior to Bailey’s remarks, Sutherland defended Ahmed by saying: “Fawad is an Australian cricketer, he is as entitled as anyone to represent his country. “He was made a citizen in July, he has a passport, he has chosen Australia as his home for very good reasons. The Australian cricket community has welcomed him and we’re very proud to have him.”

Sutherland added the criticisms of Ahmed’s shirt stance, which is akin to that of South Africa’s Hashim Amla, who does not wear the logo of Castle Lager, the Proteas’ main sponsor, were “opportunism on some people’s parts to reflect bigoted views”.

This is not the first time Campese has found himself at the centre of a Twitter storm after questioning whether women should be writing about rugby in November when Georgina Robinson was assigned by the Sydney Morning Herald to cover the Wallabies’ tour of Europe. — AFP

Australia hope for sun, not more table tennis LEEDS: Australia vice-captain George Bailey is praying the Manchester weather will not stop his side from giving England a tough time at Old Trafford today. Rain washed out the opening one-day international at Headingley in Leeds on Friday, leaving the tourists kicking their heels in frustration. Having picked themselves up from losing the Ashes to come away with a 1-1 draw in the Twenty20 series, Michael Clarke’s men now want to ensure the long trip home will be a happier voyage.

And Bailey says he and his team-mates are desperate to take out their Ashes disappointment in the shorter game. “Leeds was very frustrating. There’s nothing worse than sitting in your hotel room and watching the rain fall when you really want to get out there,” he said. “There was some serious table tennis being played by the boys, but that’s not what we are here for. We want to play cricket and win games. “It’s fingers crossed for Manchester, but we also have a game in Birmingham (on Wednesday), where a few of the guys say they have played but never completed a day without it raining!

“Losing the Ashes the way we did left a sour taste in the mouth. You just want to get back out there and put things right.

“Winning the ODI series would at least give all the boys a lift, so we are desperate for some sunshine in Manchester after the rain in Leeds.

“We are also planning and building towards the next World Cup. So it’s important not to miss out on any competitive 50-over action between now and then.

“We have some fresh new faces from the team which lost the Ashes. Those guys want to impress and throw down their hats to stay in the side.” Acting England skipper Eoin Morgan is keen to use the one-day internationals as a springboard to get involved in the return Ashes series in Australia later this year. Irish-born Morgan, who scored a century against the land of his birth in a warm-up game ahead of the current series, said: “I would love to get back into the Test team and go to Australia. “If that opportunity arose at the end of the summer, I would be a very happy man.” After the match at Edgbaston on Wednesday, the sides reconvene in Cardiff on September 14 before the fifth and final one-day match in Southampton on September 16. — AFP

HARARE: Pakistan took nine wickets in an extended morning session to beat Zimbabwe by 221 runs on the fifth day of the first Test at the Harare Sports Club yesterday. Zimbabwe, set an unlikely 342 to win, were bowled out for 120.

Left-arm fast bowler Junaid Khan made the initial breakthrough, taking two wickets in his first eight balls of the day after Zimbabwe resumed at 13 for one. Then spinners Abdur Rehman and Saeed Ajmal took over, finishing with four wickets apiece.

Left-armer Rehman, who followed up Junaid’s opening burst by taking the next three wickets, took four for 36, while Ajmal wrapped up the tail to take four for 23.

Off-spinner Ajmal finished with match figures of 11 for 118, the fourth time he had taken 10 or more wickets in a match.

Zimbabwe were in trouble from the sixth ball of the day when captain Hamilton Masakadza gloved a short delivery from Junaid to gully. Overnight batsman Vusi Sibanda was out lbw in Junaid’s next over to reduce the home side to 19 for three.

Sikandar Raza and Malcolm Waller, who shared a century partnership in the first innings, provided some resistance with a fourth wicket stand of 30 before Waller swept left-arm spinner Rehman to backward square leg where the tall Rahat Ali stretched skywards to hold a catch.

Raza was dropped by wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal off Rahat when he was on 17 but made only seven more runs before he was caught at short leg off Rehman.

Elton Chigumbura took advantage of ultra-attacking fields to strike 28 off 35 balls, with five fours, before he became Rehman’s third victim, caught at slip.

Wickets tumbled and play was extended when Zimbabwe were eight down at the scheduled lunch break, enabling Pakistan to complete an early victory in a match in which Zimbabwe had the better of the first three day’s play.

An unbeaten double century by veteran Younis Khan gave Pakistan the edge though, and he was later named man of the match.

“Zimbabwe won the game for threeand-a-half days,” admitted Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq. “Younis played a match-winning innings that changed the game.”

Zimbabwe had led by 78 runs on the first innings and were still on top deep into the Pakistan second innings before Younis’ unbeaten 200 allowed the tourists to declare on 419 for nine, leaving Zimbabwe with what proved an impossible task.

Misbah acknowledged that Zimbabwe had played well for much of the match but said his team need to improve in the second Test, which starts at the same venue on Tuesday. “We need to be on the money right from the start,” he said.

Hamilton Masakadza, who took over the captaincy when Brendan Taylor withdrew on the morning of the match after the birth of his first child, said Zimbabwe had fought hard and played well for much of the match.

“The main thing is to focus on the positives,” said Masakadza. “We did compete and we were ahead for three-anda-half days. The bowlers bowled really well and the batsmen applied themselves in the first innings.”— AFP

HARARE: Pakistan fielder Azhar Ali at shortleg (right) throws up the ball in celebration after catching the wicket of Sikanda Raza Butt during the fifth day of the first Test match between Pakistan and hosts Zimbabwe. — AFP

SCOREBOARD HARARE: Final scores on the fifth day of the first Test between Zimbabwe and Pakistan at the Harare Sports Club yesterday: Pakistan, first innings, 249, Zimbabwe, first innings, 327, Pakistan, second innings 419-9 dec Zimbabwe, second innings (overnight 13-1): T. Mawoyo lbw b Saeed Ajmal V. Sibanda lbw b Junaid Khan H. Masakadza c Azhar Ali b Junaid Khan Sikandar Raza c Azhar Ali b Abdur Rehman M. Waller c Rahat Ali b Abdur Rehman E. Chigumbura c Mohammad Hafeez b Abdur Rehman R. Mutumbami not out

2 6 1 24 17 28 16

P. Utseya b Saeed Ajmal 0 S. Masakadza lbw b Saeed Ajmal 0 T. Panyangara lbw b Abdur Rehman 6 T. Chatara lbw b Saeed Ajmal 13 Extras (b1, lb5, nb 1) 7 Total (46.4 overs) 120 Fall of wickets: 1-13 (Mawoyo), 2-14 (H. Masakadza), 319 (Sibanda), 4-49 (Waller), 5-58 (Raza), 6-89 (Chigumbura), 7-90 (Utseya), 8-90 (S. Masakadza), 9-101 (Panyangara) Bowling: Junaid Khan 10-3-20-2, Rahat Ali 7-1-35-0, Saeed Ajmal 16.4-5-23-4, Abdur Rehman 13-5-36-4 Result: Pakistan won by 221 runs.

Sweden stuns Russia LJUBLJANA: Jeffery Taylor scored 25 points yesterday to lead Sweden to a stunning 81-62 upset victory over Russia at the European basketball championship.

Russia, the Olympic bronze medalist last year and third-place finisher at the Euros two years ago, now looks unlikely to make the second round after three straight defeats. Sweden is 1-2.

Also yesterday, defending champion Spain limited the Czech Republic to two points in the final quarter and ran away with a 60-39 victory despite some poor shooting of its own. Detroit Pistons forward Jonas Jerebko added 22 points and 13 rebounds for Sweden in the Group D game in Koper as his team pulled away in the final quarter.

With Sweden trailing by a point, Taylor and Jerebko combined for 12 points as Sweden went on a 16-3 run to open a 50-38 cushion. Sweden, playing with 17-yearold Ludvig Hakanson as starting point guard, overcame 22 turnovers and kept Russia to 3-for-17 from threepoint range. The Swedes also controlled the boards, 44-

31. Aleksey Shved had 15 points for Russia and Semen Antonov added 13. Spain missed its last seven 3-point attempts and was almost as ineffective as the Czechs in the fourth - Spain had outscored its opponent 4-2 in the quarter with less than three minutes remaining in the game. Spain only shot 32 percent from the field for the game, but the Czechs were even worse at 24 percent.

The Czechs pulled within five late in the third quarter but Spain then clamped down on defense. In Celje, Rudy Fernandez had 14 points and Ricky Rubio added 10 for Spain. Marc Gasol scored his only basket halfway into the third quarter but pulled down 10 rebounds.

“We were terrible in the attack. Our defense wasn’t all that bad but the attack was miserable,” Czech guard Jiri Welsch said.

Jan Vesely had seven points and 14 rebounds and Lubos Barton had 12 rebounds and five points for the Czechs, who fell to 1-2. Spain is 2-1 in Group C. Top three teams from each of the four groups advance to the second round. — AP

SLOVENIA: Sweden’s Jeffery Taylor (center) vies with Russia’s Dmitry Sokolov (left) and Vitaliy Fridzon during a FIBA Eurobasket championships qualifying basketball match. — AFP

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

S P ORTS

IOC set for 2020 Olympics host vote BUENOS AIRES: The three cities bidding to host the 2020 Summer Olympics — Madrid, Istanbul and Tokyo — were yesterday delivering their final presentations ahead of the expected tight vote by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

For the three cities this was a final chance to woo the IOC members with a 45-minute presentation followed by the first round of voting.

The verdict after one of the closest contests in Olympic history is expected to be announced by IOC President Jacques Rogge from Buenos Aires from around 2000GMT. First to take to the stage were Istanbul, seeking to bring the Games for the first time to a predominantly Muslim country, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayip Erdogan told his IOC ‘judges’ that were Istanbul chosen it would send out a powerful message to the Middle East region, which he said is in desperate need of peace.

Erdogan, who has been at the forefront of moves to punish neighbour Syria for allegedly using chemical weapons on their people, told IOC delegates in his native tongue: “We live at a time when our region and the world wish for peace and at this critical moment we would like to send a strong message of peace to the world from Istanbul. “I would like to point out that giving the Games to a country where the population is predominantly Muslim would send out a powerful message, to our region especially, which is in desperate need of peace. Pressed on this

by Prince Albert of Monaco in the question session afterwards Erdogan delivered a firm reply. “ There is a quest for peace in our region and I see the Olympic Rings as being a powerful partner for that, symbolising peace, friendship and partnership.” Next on to the stage were Tokyo, the 1964 hosts. Tokyo’s bid this week has been dogged by questions over the safety of the Fukushima plant — damaged in the tsunami and earthquake which hit the north east of Japan in 2011 — as more stories emanated about contaminated water leaking into the Pacific Ocean.

But Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who had flown in from the G20 Summit in Russia, assured IOC members the situation regarding the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant was under control. The 58-year-old, in an assured and polished per formance speaking in English, left no doubt that he and his

government had the situation under control.

“Fukushima let me assure you the situation is under control,” he said. “It has never done or will do any damage to Tokyo.” Abe replied decisively when pressed by veteran Norwegian IOC member Gerhard Heiberg over Fukushima.

“You should read past the headlines and look at the facts,” he said. Abe added: “Today under the blue sky of Fukushima there are young boys playing football and looking into the future and not the past.”

Madrid were the last to put their case, before the IOC began deliberating on which city was to take over the Olympic baton from 2016 hosts Rio de Janeiro.

Madrid looked to have gained a slight late edge over its two rivals but will still have to overcome questions about the Spanish economy.

Madrid, though, has shown remarkable resilience throughout the race, battling to convince members they could host the Games despite the dire state of the Spanish economy.

The Spanish capital seemingly achieved that goal when the IOC Evaluation Commission gave the thumbs up to its proposed budget.

With 28 of the 35 venues already built after the failed bids for 2012 (they were third) and 2016 (runners-up) and the infrastructure in place, there is relatively little extra expenditure.

“As the additional investment required to deliver the Games is relatively modest, the Commission believes that the Spanish economy should be able to support the delivery of the Games,” read the report. This, followed by an outstanding presentation in Lausanne to the IOC members in July, handed them the momentum that announced them as potential winners. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, while Leader of the Opposition, has had to sit and grin and bear the taste of defeat through two successive Summer Games votes, and he is keen to deliver this time round. “Life obviously revolves around material things but we are human beings also and we have feelings and for us what is most important is the people’s dreams and fulfilling them,” he told AFP in July.

Earlier yesterday Rogge, presiding over his final IOC Session, had got things underway with a brief speech to the 103 members present of which 97 are eligible to vote in the first round - members from the bid cities being ineligible.—AFP

Photo of the day

Gabriel Fortunato performs at the Red Bull Skate Arcade at Madureira-skatepark in Rio de Janeiro —www.redbull.com

Lee leads European Masters CRANS-SUR-SIERRE: Craig Lee of Scotland fired a 10-under 61 to surge into a two-shot lead after the third round of the European Masters yesterday.

Lee birdied the first six holes, and had 11 birdies overall, to equal the lowest round in a European Tour event this year. That gave the 348th-ranked Lee a 16-under total of 197.

Three players were tied for second: Thomas Bjorn, the 2011 champion from Denmark, Alejandro Canizares of Spain and Victor Dubuisson of France. Lee, who has never won a European Tour event, said it was “comfortably my best round ever.”

“It was surreal to see all these great golf shots go down on the same day,” said the Scot, who birdied nine of the first 10 holes and briefly threatened to shoot the first ever 59 on the European circuit. Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain, the 2010 champion here, and Tommy Fleetwood of England both shot 69 to sit five shots behind Lee in a tie for fifth place.

Lee covered the outward nine in 28 strokes, equaling the best this year on the European Tour, by Chinnarat Phadungsil of India at the Avantha Masters in New Delhi.

Only Phadungsil and Tiger Woods, at the Bridgestone Invitational - an event co-sanctioned by the European Tour - shot 61 this year before Lee matched them.

“It was pretty special. You get off

SWITZERLAND: Maximilian Kieffer of Germany inspects the green at hole 13 during the third round of the Omega European Masters Golf Tournament. —AP to a start like that and it steadies the nerves,” said Lee, whose card was blemished by a bogey at the par-14 12th after pushing his tee shot into trees on the right.

He came straight back with two more birdies, including an 8-footer on the par-13 13th to bring the elusive 59 into sight.

“The 59 crept into my head com-

ing up the second par 5, at the 15th,” acknowledged Lee, who made pars on the last four holes.

Asked how he would prepare for the last day’s play as leader, Lee joked: “I don’t know, I’ve never done it before.” Lee was playing with an injured left hip which he said was heavily taped, and revealed he was more concerned

recently with retaining his tour status for next season.

“It’s pretty tough to change your mindset overnight,” said Lee, who was 108th on the European money list. On another day of low scoring in the Swiss Alps thin air and sunshine, Richard Finch of England made a hole-in-one at the 208-yard 13th.—AP

Ratto takes 14th stage, Nibali extends Tour lead RICHMOND: Brad Keselowski, driver of the No. 22 Hertz Ford, leads Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota, during the NASCAR Nationwide Series Virginia 529 College Savings 250. —AFP

Keselowski wins Nationwide race RICHMOND: Brad Keselowski passed Brian Scott on a restart with 11 laps to go Friday night and pulled away after another restart with six laps remaining to win the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Richmond. Keselowski has five victories and a runner-up finish in his last six series starts.

Scott, seeking his first victory in 134 starts in the series, led the first 239 laps before Keselowski made the outside groove work for him, overtaking Scott after some side-by-side battling on his way to his 25th career victory in the series, and the 19th in a row for a Cup Series regular at Richmond.

Scott’s team protested that Keselowski beat him to the line on the next-to-last restart, then got started too early on the final one, but to no avail, leaving Scott questioning why the rules exist.

“We deserved to win that race,” he said just after climbing from the car as Keselowski celebrated on the track. “Just some restarts and some questionable calls got us there at the end.”

He wound up second, followed by Regan Smith, Kyle Busch and Trevor

Bayne. “Unfortunately our whole night now is defined by the last two restarts,” Scott said. Keselowski said he thought he caught Scott off-guard. “ The restart box is a zone and we went right at the start of it and didn’t give him a second to catch us,” Keselowski said in Victory Lane. “That probably wasn’t the key to victory, but it sure didn’t hurt.”

For most of the night, it looked as if 1,000th race in Nationwide history would be Scott’s coming out party. He arrived having led all of 38 laps in 133 prior starts, and seemed on his way to getting that first victory in dominant fashion, including easily pulling away on earlier restarts after cautions.

While leading the first 239 laps, he withstood challenges from Matt Kenseth and Keselowski, each a former Sprint Cup champion, and from Busch, a nine-time winner in the series this year.

Points leader Sam Hornish Jr., who started fifth and never contended in the race, finished sixth and expanded his points lead to 16 over Austin Dillon with eight races remaining. Dillon finished 12th.—AP

SPAIN: Italian rider Daniele Ratto broke away to seal the 14th stage of the Tour of Spain in awful weather conditions yesterday as his compatriot Vincenzo Nibali extended his lead in the overall classification. Cannondale’s Ratto led from start to finish on the 155.7km ride from Baga to Andorra as he was part of an early five-man breakaway group and then took to the front on his own with over 40km to go to finish ahead of Astana’s Nibali and Christopher Horner.

RadioShack’s Horner and Nibali were the big winners in the overall race standings, though, as the American moved ahead of Ireland’s Nicholas Roche and Spaniard Alejandro Valverde into second place, while Giro d’Italia winner Nibali extended his lead to 50 seconds.

“I think we have taken a step forward today, but we need to keep paying attention to Horner who had a great stage today,” Nibali said afterwards.

“In the end I managed to get on his wheel because he couldn’t do any more, but there are still important stages to come.”

Having been dropped with over 20k m to go, M ovistar ’s Valverde, the 2009 Vuelta winner, fought back bravely on the final climb to the finish line to lose just 50 seconds and remain in third place, 1min 42secs behind Nibali. “I suffered a lot due to the weather. Today is a day to forget,” said a shattered Valverde at the finish line.

“It was terrible, I felt very bad and we all were very cold.

Descending I felt sick but once I started to climb and warmed up a bit I tried to reach the leading group. Despite ever ything I haven’t lost much time.” However, it was a disastrous day for Roche as he dropped to sixth, more than four minutes off the lead, after finishing 3mins 29secs behind Nibali, the 2010 champion.

On a day when heavy rain and freezing conditions more than played their part, Ratto’s teammate Ivan Basso and Spaniard Luis Leon Sanchez of Belkin were both forced to abandon the race due to hypothermia.

Sanchez had even been part of the early breakaway group that built up a lead of over eight minutes before the worst of the rain arrived, however after suffering a heavy fall on the descent from Envalira he and Basso were forced to pull out as the temperatures plummeted.

And Ratto admitted it had been a day of mixed emotions for Cannondale. “This morning we were all going for Basso and it wasn’t to be because he had to withdraw with hypothermia.

“I was in an ideal situation during the whole stage. It is strange that being a sprinter I won a mountain stage, but it is great to be able to do this. “The descent with the rain benefited me, I tried to go out from the front and it all went well.”

With conditions hindering the chasing peloton, Ratto took

SPAIN: Cannondale Pro Cycling’s Italian rider Daniele Ratto celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the 14th stage of the 68th edition of ‘La Vuelta’ Tour of Spain. —AFP

advantage to break away on his own and his lead was never seriously troubled, although he lost nearly three minutes on Nibali and Horner as he struggled up the climb to the finish.

Joaquim Rodriguez of Katusha,

who had described the ride as “his stage” before the peloton set off on Saturday morning, finished fourth to also move up to fourth in the general classification, but he is now nearly three minutes behind Nibali.—AFP

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

S P ORTS

Ethiopia, Nigeria, B Faso advance, S Africa out World Cup African qualifiers JOHANNESBURG: Minnows Ethiopia eliminated South Africa from the World Cup Africa zone qualifying competition yesterday by fighting back to defeat Central African Republic 2-1 in Congo.

The ‘Walias Antelopes’ topped Group A with 13 points, two more than 2010 World Cup hosts South Africa, whose 4-1 home win over Botswana in Durban proved futile.

Ethiopia, bottom seeds in a minileague expected to be dominated by South Africa, join Algeria, Burkina Faso, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Nigeria in two-leg play-offs.

Nigeria overcame Malawi 2-0 in Calabar to win Group F with the match settled early in the second half when Victor Moses converted a penalty and

Malawian Limbikani Mzava was red carded. Emmanuel Emenike put the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations winners ahead in first-half stoppage time against opponents who never threatened to clip the ‘Super Eagles’ wings.

Prejuce Nakoulma scored nine minutes after half-time to earn Cup of Nations runners-up Burkina Faso a 1-0 Group E win over Gabon in Ouagadougou and top place. Long-time leaders Congo Brazzaville needed maximum points in Niger, but could manage only a 2-2 draw after falling behind twice to goals from Mahamane Cisse and Daouda Kamilou.

Fabrice Nguessi levelled four minutes after coming off the bench and Ulrich Kapolongo grabbed the second equaliser for the ‘Red Devils’ 14 minutes from time.

Another two group winners will emerge later Saturday with hosts Senegal and Tunisia needing a point each to progress at the expense of Uganda and the Cape Verde respectively.

Cameroon are at home to Libya Sunday and a win for either country would take them through to the final round with the draw scheduled for September 16 in Cairo.

“Not qualifying for the final round is a huge personal disappointment,” admitted South Africa coach Gordon Igesund, “but I am thrilled with the display.”

Igesund, a highly successful domestic coach with four Premiership titles, succeeded sacked Pitso Mosimane after draws with Ethiopia and Botswana.

He led a much-changed team to three

victories, but they lost 2-1 away to Ethiopia last June in what proved to be the decisive match.

Defeat casts Bafana Bafana (The Boys) into limbo with their next competitive outing only in September 2014 when Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers kick off.

Minyahel Teshome was an ironic 61stminute match-winner for Ethiopia in a match switched from Bangui to Brazzaville because of post-C.A.R. coup security concerns.

Teshome played in an away win over Botswana when suspended, resulting in Ethiopia being docked three points and having qualification put on hold.

Central African Republic, out of the reckoning after four losses in a row, took the lead when Salif Keita scored midway

through the opening half in the Congolese capital. After both goalkeepers made outstanding late opening-half saves, Salahdin Ahmed levelled three minutes into the second half.

South Africa outplayed Botswana for long periods and deserved to lead by more than 2-0 at half-time with Botswana goalkeeper Kabelo Dambe making several superb saves.

Kermit Erasmus put Bafana Bafana in front on 28 minutes with a far-post header and Dean Furman added a second via a close-range shot in stoppage time.

A powerful Jerome Ramatlhakwane header 18 minutes from time offered Botswana hope only for Bernard Parker to bag a late brace, with one goal coming off a penalty. —AFP

S Africa record biggest test victory in Australia BRISBANE: South Africa secured their biggest win on Australian soil and their first in five attempts when they smashed the hosts 38-12 in the Rugby Championship yesterday.

Prop Coenie Oosthuizen put the visitors in front after six minutes and their advantage was extended with late tries from captain Jean de Villiers, Zane Kirchner

to make more than 150 tackles.

“If they get momentum they are a very good side. I was very happy the way we attacked at the end. “We really believed we could win. We wanted to show if you work together nothing is impossible.” The win puts South Africa on top of the Rugby Championship with three wins ahead of a meeting with New

who ran amok, especially in the last quarter.

Conversely, Australia failed to score a try against South Africa for the first time since 2001 as the Springboks bettered their previous record win in Australia, a 12-point victory in 1971.

Oosthuizen gave South Africa the perfect start in the sixth minute.

BRISBANE: Australian Prop James Slipper is tackled by South African back rower Eben Etzebeth during the Rugby Championship match at Suncorp Stadium. —AFP and Willie Le Roux.

The win in front of 43,715 spectators at Lang Park was the Springboks’ first victory at the venue in eight attempts. “I thought our defence was awesome,” Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer told a news conference. “I truly believe we won the game firstly in our minds and secondly without the ball because the whole message was we needed

Zealand, who are also unbeaten, and Meyer cautioned his side to stay grounded ahead of next Saturday’s clash at Eden Park.

“A lot of things worked, but we need to keep our feet on the ground and stay humble because next week is a bigger challenge,” he said.

The talk leading into the game surrounded Australia’s exciting back line but it was the Springboks

After Nick Cummins failed to keep Morne Steyn’s long kick in play, South Africa won their lineout and Oosthuizen, on the field as a bloodbin replacement, brushed aside Scott Fardy and Quade Cooper to score.

Cummins looked like he could make amends for his earlier error when a line-break sent him bearing down on the South African try-line,

but he slipped over just inside the 22 with one man to beat. Three penalty kicks from Steyn and two from Christian Leali’ifano followed as the Springboks extended their lead to 16-6 at halftime, although it could have been worse for the Wallabies had Quade Cooper not produced a fine tackle to stop le Roux in the right corner three minutes before the interval. On the hour mark, wing Bryan Habana’s fine run and chip forward into the 22 led to an easy chance for de Villiers to run in a try.

Four minutes later, a superb pass inside on the right wing from le Roux set free Kirchner to extend the lead six minutes later.

Then loose play from Quade Cooper gifted the Springboks a turnover in midfield and Duane Vermeulen fed le Roux who raced over for a try of his own 10 minutes from time.

Such handling errors were the chief cause of frustration for Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie who is still searching for his first win after three games.

“It doesn’t matter who you play if you drop the ball in key moments and they counter-attack it’s hard work,” McKenzie said.

“You’ve got to create opportunities and you’ve got to grab them. We didn’t quite get there. That was the frustrating thing. We got up there in front of the goalposts four times and turned the ball over. “There are bits of the game that are improving slowly but you are judged on the scoreboard and that’s not an acceptable outcome. We made it too easy for them in the second half.”

In a match that threatened to boil over on several occasions each side had a man sin-binned, Willem Alberts for a deliberate knock-on in the first half and Michael Hooper after a dangerous tackle on Habana after the interval. —Reuters

Casillas, Xavi celebrate milestones in Finland MADRID: Among the rising stars to shine at the U-20 World Cup in 1999, including Ronaldinho and Diego Forlan, two callow Spaniards would go on to represent their nation’s senior side more times than anyone else. Goalkeeper Iker Casillas and playmaker Xavi, who helped Spain win the tournament in Nigeria 14 years ago, reached 150 and 127 caps respectively in Friday’s 2-0 World Cup qualification victory against Finland in Helsinki.

Casillas drew level with former Germany midfielder Lothar Matthaeus in 12th place on the alltime list, while Xavi climbed to second on Spain’s appearances ranking above former keeper Andoni Zubizarreta. Casillas and Xavi play for bitter rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona but have

remained firm friends and have been key performers during Spain’s glittering run since their triumph at Euro 2008.

At Euro 2012 last year, they became the only nation to win consecutive European crowns with a World Cup in between and along with the hosts will be among the favourites at the World Cup finals in Brazil next year.

Xavi, 33, remains a fixture for Barca but the 32-year-old Casillas is going through something of a crisis at Real after losing his place in the starting lineup under Jose Mourinho last season.

Mourinho’s successor Carlo Ancelotti has left him on the bench in Real’s opening three La Liga matches, opting to stick with Diego Lopez, who was bought from Sevilla as cover when Casillas

Xavi

broke a bone in his hand in January.

Spain coach Vicente del Bosque, who was in charge at Real between 1999 and 2003, has firmly backed his captain and included him in Helsinki on Friday even with Barca keeper Victor Valdes on excellent form.

The defensive-minded Finns barely tested Casillas but he responded well to the sole moment of real danger, saving with his legs when the ball ricocheted off Sergio Ramos towards goal in the 12th minute. Del Bosque said he had been more concerned about how to break down Finland’s defence than who would play in goal.

Any one of Spain’s three keepers - Casillas, Valdes and Napoli’s Pepe Reina - was perfectly capable of playing, he told reporters.

“At this stage of the season it’s not a problem that Iker hasn’t played,” he said. “He comes from a pre-season during which he had minutes on the pitch, he is working well in training and he was at an excellent level in our latest sessions.

We will see what happens in the future.”

Speaking to Spanish radio about the keeper situation in the run-up to the Finland game, Del Bosque suggested Casillas had lost his starting place at his club because of his role in trying to ease tension between Spain’s Real and Barca players.

Several “Clasicos” in recent years were marred by brawling, accusations of refereeing bias and play-acting and Del Bosque said Casillas had played an important part in making sure the national team was not seriously affected.

“We are obliged to remember some things and we cannot forget what happened because they were difficult moments for the national team and Iker helped a great deal,” he said.

Spain’s comfor table vic tor y in Finland means they have a three -point lead over France at the top of qualification Group I with two of eight matches left. They play their final two games at home to Belarus and Georgia next month.—Reuters

Daniel Carter

NZ see off Pumas HAMILTON: New Zealand flyhalf Daniel Carter became the first man to reach 1,400 test points while Aaron Smith scored two tries as the All Blacks beat Argentina 28-13 in their Rugby Championship clash in atrocious conditions at Waikato Stadium in Hamilton yesterday.

Carter, the leading scorer in world rugby, had started the game on 1,399 points and added 10 points to his tally while Beauden Barrett kicked a late penalty for the All Blacks, who have not lost to the Pumas in 17 tests.

Scrumhalf Smith scored his two tries within three minutes of each other while Pumas hooker Eusebio Guinazu was in the sinbin for a professional foul in the first half before Julian Savea scored his 14th test try in the second.

Number eight Juan Manuel Leguizamon scored an early try while flyhalf Nicolas Sanchez added a conversion and two penalties for the Pumas, who face Australia in Perth next week while the unbeaten All Blacks host South Africa in Auckland.

Argentina had opened the scoring when debutant All Blacks centre Francis Saili knocked the ball on inside his own half and the Pumas quickly transferred the ball to Leguizamon to give his a side a 7-0 lead after Sanchez converted.

The All Blacks, however, seized control of the game by keeping the ball alive through several phases while putting pressure on the visitors when they kicked for territory.

That pressure eventually told with Carter slotting a penalty that took him past 1,400 points and while the flyhalf missed two other early shots at goal his game management was still influential as the world champions played in Pumas’ territory. Guinazu paid the price for a succession of penalties by the Pumas and was sinbinned by referee Jerome Garces, which allowed the All Blacks to strike.

The scrumhalf grabbed his first after Kieran Read passed the ball out of a tackle by two defenders, then three minutes later, he fell on a kick ahead by Ben Smith after Carter had sparked an impressive counterattack.

Sanchez added a penalty in the 30th minute to reduce the gap though the constant rain began to take its toll on both sides’ handling and the home side held the 15-10 lead until the break.

Carter and Sanchez traded early second half penalties before the All Blacks gave themselves some breathing space when they charged down a clearing kick and spread the ball to an unmarked Savea.

Carter converted to give the home side a 25-13 lead and was then immediately replaced by Barrett, who slotted a late penalty as the conditions deteriorated to give New Zealand a third win in as many matches in this year’s tournament.

Argentina are still searching for their first victory after opening the competition with home and away defeats against South Africa. —Reuters

Benzema failures diminish France World Cup chances PARIS: Striker Karim Benzema’s failure to score in his last 15 France matches has seriously diminished his team’s hopes of qualifying directly for next year’s World Cup finals.

The Real Madrid forward, who has gone over 20 hours without finding the back of the net with Les Bleus, produced yet another abysmal performance as France drew 0-0 with Georgia in their qualifying Group I in Tbilisi on Friday.

The result left them second on 11 points with two games remaining, three point behind group leaders Spain who beat Finland 2-0 on Friday and on course for an unwanted place in the playoffs.

Benzema had one chance in his 62minute appearance, which he blew with a weak shot at keeper Giorgi Loria.

“Sometimes we do good things, there are nice moves but at the end of the day we do not score. We must continue to work and hope it will work for the next game,” Benzema was quoted as saying in French media yesterday. “I know when I’m good or not. (Against Georgia) I haven’t been terrific.” Asked about Benzema’s performance, coach Didier Deschamps, who has consistently been putting the Real Madrid player in the starting 11 despite his failure to score, said he did not want to focus on individual performances.

Benzema, however, has already been warned by Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti that he should work more after he was booed by the Bernabeu crowd when replaced in a 3-1 win against Athletic Bilbao last weekend.

“Benzema was whistled a bit, while (Angel) di Maria was applauded by the

Karim Benzema whole stadium,” the Italian said. “The fans look closely at the players. It’s a very clear sign for ever yone that hard work is applauded.” France next face Belarus away on Tuesday hoping to level with Spain, who will play their last two matches at home against Belarus and Georgia next month.

“There is no miracle but I don’t want to be pessimistic,” said Deschamps. “We are still on schedule. We can’t score so it’s impossible to win a game. But we’ll draw the conclusion on Oct. 15 (after the home game against Finland).” —Reuters

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

S P ORTS

Ronaldo rescues Portugal as Spain and Germany win

MEXICO: Hector Moreno (right) of Mexico vies for the ball with Carlos Costly (left) of Honduras, during the match for the FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 qualifying round. —AFP

Mexico, US suffer WCup setbacks MEXICO: Mexico suffered only their second ever qualifying defeat in the Azteca Stadium with a 21 loss to Honduras on Friday that increases the pressure on coach Jose Manuel de la Torre and leaves ‘El Tri’ with plenty of work to do to qualify for Brazil.

Costa Rica, who top the CONCACAF region standings, took a step towards booking their place at next year’s finals with an impressive 3-1 win over the United States, while Panama were held to a goalless draw at home to Jamaica in the other game.

After seven rounds of matches, Costa Rica lead the way on 14 points with the United States on 13 and Honduras on 10, while Mexico sit in fourth place, outside the automatic qualification slots, on eight points in the final stage group.

Panama are on seven and Jamaica are bottom of the six-team standings on three points.

Mexico’s biggest worry going into Friday’s game was a lack of firepower at home after their three previous qualifiers at the Azteca had all ended in goalless draws.

Seeking to address the issue, De la Torre left Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez on the bench and started with Oribe Peralto in attack with the move paying off instantly.

Giovani dos Santos burst down the left flank and picked out Peralto with a low cross, which the striker calmly slotted home to end Mexico’s home goal drought after just six minutes.

Mexico seemed in control but the introduction of Jerry Bengtson to the Honduran attack changed the game. Carlos Costly’s powerful drive was parried out by Jose Corona and Bengtson reacted quickly to tap in the loose ball for a 64th minute equaliser.

Two minutes later, Costly grabbed the winner when he bustled past Diego Reyes before unleashing a superb shot into the far corner.

De la Torre left the field to a chorus of “Chepo

out, Chepo out” from the home crowd, who were demanding his resignation while chanting his nickname.

“To resign would be a failure, to fail is to stop fighting for things, we can’t give up our project,” he told reporters. “Not to deliver adequate results is something that worries us, it’s something mental we have to correct... We’re in debt with everyone, with our football, and that’s very worrying.”

Mexico travel to Columbus, Ohio to face the United States on Tuesday with both teams feeling the pressure to get back to winning ways quickly.

The US suffered a blow even before the game began when key midfielder Michael Bradley limped off the field with an ankle injury picked up during the warmup.

Costa Rica grabbed the lead in the third minute when Jhonny Acosta headed in a corner at the near post past DaMarcus Beasley on the line.

Seven minutes later it was 2-0 when Cristian Bolanos floated a ball towards the back post and Celso Borges rose superbly above Beasley to head home.

Playing in his 100th international game, Clint Dempsey converted a penalty shortly before the break to give Juergen Klinsmann’s side hope of a second half comeback. But a goal on the breakaway by the lively Joel Campbell with 13 minutes remaining secured victory for Costa Rica.

Panama will be kicking themselves for not taking advantage of Mexico’s stumble after they failed to defeat a Jamaica team that played most of the second half with 10 men. It was the first game in charge for Jamaica’s new German coach Winfried Schaefer and he had keeper Donovan Ricketts to thank for some superb saves.

Jamaica had Rodolph Austin sent off for a second bookable offence in the 58th minute but held on for a point. —Reuters

Worries mount for Hodgson LONDON: Roy Hodgson admitted he had a dilemma on his hands after the England manager’s attacking selection crisis deepened following the 40 win over Moldova in World Cup qualifying.

England moved to the top of European qualifying Group H on goal difference above Montenegro after sweeping past Ion Caras’s side at Wembley on Friday, but victory came at a price.

Manchester United forward Danny Welbeck, who claimed a sweetly taken double, was shown a yellow card that rules him out of Tuesday’s key trip to Ukraine, who trail England by a point.

With Wayne Rooney and Andy Carroll unavailable due to injury and Daniel Sturridge likely to miss out with a thigh problem, it leaves Hodgson with Rickie Lambert and Jermain Defoe as his only fit strikers. Lambert at least is taking to international football well, having scored his second goal in two games with a first-half header, but Hodgson was angry about the circumstances that led to Welbeck’s first-half booking.

The 22-year-old was cautioned for making an attempt at goal after the whistle had gone for offside and Hodgson felt that Slovakian referee Ivan Kruzliak reached for his card too quickly.

“I don’t think there will be too many people, even amongst the refereeing fraternity, who will say that was a clear yellow card,” Hodgson told journalists at his post-game press conference.

“A 40-yard sprint, a ball that arrives on your foot, a split-second between the whistle blowing and the shot, a team (Moldova) that’s already been wasting time from the very first minute, so they’d have been delighted to see the ball going behind the goal...

“You’ll have to work very, very hard to persuade me that in the rules of the game, that was a yellow card.” Hodgson added: “He’s got a yellow card, he’s out of the game. We’ll live with it, we’ll deal with it, but did I think it was a yellow card, did I think it was a correct decision? No, I didn’t.”

Hodgson, who revealed that Ashley Cole was substituted to spare him from the risk of a suspension-incurring booking, was nonetheless able to salute another impressive showing from Lambert.

As well as claiming England’s second goal, the

LONDON: England manager Roy Hodgson looks on ahead of the game against Moldova. —AFP Southampton striker, who scored on his international debut against Scotland last month, laid on both of Welbeck’s goals, either side of half-time.

“Lambert was a selection which obviously people saw to some extent as a selection which came about because two other candidates were missing, but he took his chance and that’s all you can do,” said Hodgson, whose side took a 12th-minute lead through captain Steven Gerrard.

“I’m sure he’ll be expecting to play on Tuesday and I have to make a decision whether to go along with the expectancy or surprise him,” he added with a smile. Hodgson was less upbeat about Sturridge’s chances of playing against Ukraine, however, after he missed the Moldova game with a thigh injury he aggravated in Liverpool’s 1-0 win over Manchester United last Sunday. “It’s under one week since he finished the game against Manchester United and it’s five days since he had the scan which shows he got a thigh strain,” Hodgson said.

“He would have to recover from the thigh strain in seven to eight days. It’s not impossible and there’s no reason why we should give up hope, but if you’re asking me if it’s more than 50-50, the answer is definitely no. —AFP

LONDON: Cristiano Ronaldo rescued Portugal with a speedy hat-trick to avoid a slip-up in Northern Ireland, while Netherlands dropped their first points as Spain and Germany took easier steps towards World Cup qualification.

England moved level on points at the top of Group H with Montenegro after marching to a 4-0 home win over Moldova that came as their rivals were held 1-1 in Poland.

Italy and Belgium were among the group pacesetters to take full points, while Group E leaders Switzerland could only draw 4-4 with Iceland and Group G table-toppers Bosnia surprisingly lost 1-0 at home to Slovakia.

In Belfast, Portugal were in serious danger of being knocked off the top of Group F, after second-placed Russia had earlier thumped Luxembourg 4-1, as they found themselves trailing 2-1 to Northern Ireland. Their hosts had previous form for upsets having stunned Russia 1-0 last month and it looked like they were heading for another when Portugal’s Helder Postiga was shown a straight red card for a headbutt on Gareth McAuley just before halftime.

Northern Ireland, already out of qualifying contention, made the man advantage count early in the second half when Jamie Ward scored after a corner but Portugal’s fortunes turned when Kevin Brunt was shown a second yellow to make it 10 against 10.

Then followed 15 minutes of trademark Ronaldo brilliance as he headed in two goals and scored another from a free kick to turn the match around and put Portugal on 17 points from eight games with Russia on 15 having played one game fewer.

There were more individual plaudits in Germany’s 3-0 win over Austria in Group C as forward Miroslav Klose opened the scoring in the 34th minute to equal Gerd Mueller’s record of 68 goals for the country. The clean sheet banished concerns over recent German defensive frailties as they stayed in control of the group on 19 points from seven matches, five ahead of Sweden who beat Ireland 21. Austria dropped to third on 11, level with the Irish.

“We did our homework, we defended well, we played with the right aggression and intensity,” Germany coach Joachim Loew told ZDF television.

The same could not be said of Group E leaders Switzerland, who let slip a 4-1 lead to draw 4-4 with Iceland, allowing second-placed Norway to close the gap on them to four points after they beat Cyprus 2-0.

Netherlands also had defensive ques-

tions to answer after they saw a firstminute lead secured by Arjen Robben evaporate in Tallinn where they stood seconds away from an embarrassing 2-1 defeat after a Konstantin Vassiljev double for the hosts.

The Dutch, who until this game had a perfect record of six wins from six matches, snatched a point in the third minute of stoppage time when Raio Piiroja was sent off and a penalty was awarded which Robin van Persie converted.

“We know we are better so it makes it a frustrating evening,”

points but have played one game more than England, could only manage a 1-1 draw in Poland although it could have been even worse as Jakub Blaszcykowski had a 94th minute effort disallowed for offside for the hosts.

Third-placed Ukraine stayed in the chase with a 9-0 thumping of San Marino, who have conceded 38 goals in seven qualifiers, and have 14 points ahead of Tuesday’s home match with England.

The only blot on the night for England was a yellow card for

Telecinco.

Spain have 14 points from six matches and play their final two qualifiers at home to Belarus and Georgia next month. They are already assured of at least a place in the playoffs.

Group A pacesetters Belgium stretched their lead at the top with a 2-0 win away to Scotland as second and third-placed Balkan rivals Serbia and Croatia drew 1-1 in Belgrade.

The Belgians, whose goals came from Steven Dafour and Kevin Mirallas, lead the standings by five points from Croatia with two

BELFAST: Portugal’s Helder Postiga (right) vies for the ball with Northern Ireland’s Oliver Norwood (second right) during the 2014 World Cup European zone Group F qualifying football match. —AFP Robben told Dutch NOS radio with his side on 19 points from seven games - a six-point lead over Romania who leapfrogged Hungary into second place after beating them 3-0 at home.

“We have to be a little down on ourselves if we lead in the first minute and then walk off the pitch with the score at 2-2.”

Spirits were much higher at Wembley where England outclassed Moldova after two goals from Danny Welbeck and one each from captain Steven Gerrard and Rickie Lambert propelled Roy Hodgson’s side to the top of Group H on goal difference.

Montenegro, who also have 15

Welbeck, who had a fantastic game, which rules the Manchester United striker out of the trip to Kiev.

World champions Spain were 2-0 winners in Finland as they tightened their grip on top spot in Group I, with their cause helped by second-placed France’s 0-0 draw in Georgia.

The holders stretched their lead over France to three points with two matches remaining as goals from Jordi Alba and Alvaro Negredo either side of halftime secured a comfortable win.

“We have a three-point lead now and we’re in a great position to qualify,” Spain coach Vicente del Bosque told Spanish television broadcaster

matches left.

Group B leaders Italy moved to within one win of qualifying for next year’s finals in Brazil after a nervy 1-0 home victory against second-placed Bulgaria, while in the same group Czech Republic were stunned 2-1 at home by Armenia.

Group G was pushed wide open after leaders Bosnia’s unbeaten run came to an end with a 1-0 defeat at home to Slovakia.

They stay top on goal difference over Greece, who also have 16 points after a 1-0 win in Liechtenstein, with Slovakia - on 12 - also in contention for first place and direct qualification into next year’s finals. —Reuters

Trapattoni still believes in Ireland’s chances DUBLIN: Giovanni Trapattoni refused to give up on Ireland’s World Cup dreams despite a disappointing 2-1 defeat to Sweden in Dublin on Friday night.

The result puts Sweden three points clear in second place in Group C, behind runaway leaders Germany, with Ireland meeting Austria on Tuesday night in Vienna.

The veteran Italian coach, who led Ireland to a first major tournament in 10 years when they qualified for Euro 2012, had insisted his side needed four points from the two games.

But with three now the maximum return, he was in defiant mood post-match. “We play Austria next and Sweden must play in Kazakhstan, and after that they have Germany too, [so] there is an opportunity,” he argued. “Maybe this qualification will be decided in the last two games.

“We have to watch what happens with Austria as we need to win there and see what happens with Sweden.

“The other teams play each other too, so we need six points for sure.

“Sweden must lose, so it depends on what the others do.” Trapattoni left the pitch to a chorus of boos from a packed Lansdowne Road, but had no intentions of walking away from the job, insisting that he’d stay on for Euro 2016 if the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) allowed him.

“Will I walk? No,” he said. “I think we have done a very great job, not a good job, a great job. “We changed many players in the team. We are in a group with great teams like Germany and Sweden.

“Many of their players play in great teams but our players play or not play. “The supporters when you lose, here or in England or Italy, they boo when you lose.

“If I look at what we did in the last two years then sure I want to stay, but it is not my duty. It is up to the federation.” Erik Hamren’s post is looking more secure following the crucial victory, and the Sweden boss admitted he expected more from Ireland.

“I was a little bit surprised how they played, the way they played the last six or seven months was more a passing game and through the midfield and today was a lot of long balls and they were good at that and we had problems in the first 20 minutes,” he said.

“But we managed to defend a little bit better for the rest of the game.” Ireland led 1-0 through Robbie Keane’s opportunistic strike, but once Sweden levelled through Johan Elmander in the 33rd minute, the visitors looked the more likely to get a winner and Anders Svensson was the man to take the glory in the second half after a great through ball from the increasingly influential Zlatan Ibrahimovic. “After Ireland scored we had a good game for the rest of the match and had some really good chances. I am really satisfied,” Hamren added. “We had the fight and attitude I wanted to see, if you take away the first 20 minutes. We showed strength in the team.” —AFP

LIMA: Peru’s goalkeeper Raul Fernandez soars to catch a high ball during their FIFA Brazil 2014 World Cup South American qualifier match played against Uruguay. —AFP

Uruguay keeps Argentina, Colombia waiting BUENOS AIRES: World Cup qualification celebrations in Argentina and Colombia were put on hold until at least the next round of South American fixtures after Uruguay eked out a vital 2-1 victory over Peru in Lima on Friday.

Luis Suarez netted twice to keep Uruguay very much in the picture for next year’s finals in Brazil as he moved top of the scorers’ standings on 10 goals, one more than Argentina’s Gonzalo Higuain.

Higuain will not be able to recover the lead in next week’s fixtures as he is suspended for group leader Argentina’s visit to improved Paraguay in Asuncion, where Lionel Messi’s team will be hoping to secure a ticket to Brazil.

Colombia were on target for a first finals appearance in 16 years after their 1-0 home win over Ecuador in a storm-lashed Barranquilla but Suarez’s goals mean they need to avoid defeat against Uruguay in Montevideo on Tuesday to advance. “This match was highly significant statistically... We had to play with that pressure, that anxiety and then all the rest,” Colombia coach Jose Pekerman told reporters after his side moved level on 26 points with Argentina.

Pekerman was referring to the kickoff in Barranquilla being delayed for 90 minutes due to a waterlogged pitch and the start of the second

half by 20 more minutes when the floodlights failed. Chile beat Venezuela 3-0 in Santiago to climb above Ecuador into third place, two points behind the leading duo, with a win that severely dented the visitors’ hopes of finals qualification for the first time. “We made a huge step... We’re close (to qualifying). The best thing is that we depend only on ourselves, that gives us tranquillity,” Chile goalkeeper Claudio Bravo said.

However, Venezuela (16 points), Peru (14) and even Paraguay (11), who enjoyed a 4-0 rout of Bolivia in Asuncion, could still vie for the playoff berth if Ecuador (21) and Uruguay (19) stumble in the final matches.

“There are nine points still to play for and we must fight... What’s changed is that now we don’t only depend on ourselves, now we depend on other results,” Peru coach Sergio Markarian admitted after his side’s defeat.

What Argentina and Colombia have ensured is a place among the top five teams in the ninenation group since the bottom four can no longer catch them. When the 16-game campaign ends next month, the top four will automatically secure tickets to Brazil while the team finishing fifth will go into a two-legged playoff against either Jordan or Uzbekistan in November for one more berth. —Reuters

S Africa record biggest test victory in Australia

Ratto takes 14th stage, Nibali extends Tour lead

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

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Pakistan sweep to victory over Zimbabwe

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NEW YORK: Victoria Azarenka of Belarus celebrates winning her women’s singles semifinal match against Flavia Pennetta of Italy on Day Twelve of the 2013 US Open. — AFP

Serena routs China’s Li in straight sets Azarenka cruises past Pennetta NEW YORK: Defending champion Serena Williams slugged her way to a US Open title rematch against Victoria Azarenka as the top two seeds scored straight-sets knockouts in their semi-finals on Friday. World number one Williams thrashed a rattled Li Na 6-0 6-3, overcoming some staunch resistance at the end, while Azarenka returned to the Flushing Meadows final with a 6-4 6-2 win over unseeded Italian Flavia Pennetta.

“Just to be able to defend a title for once would be really awesome,” said French Open winner Williams, who will get her chance today after failing to go back-to-back following her 1999, 2002 and 2008 titles in New York.

Although overpowered in the opening set, Li battled valiantly in the second, saving six match points to hold serve before the top seed finally closed the deal on a seventh with an unreturned serve.

“It was a good match. It was tough at the end,” Williams said. “I got a little nervous but I

was able to close it out.” Former French Open champion Li, China’s first semi-finalist at the US Open, admitted that she experienced a bout of nerves when she hit the Arthur Ashe Stadium court.

“I should not be, like, nervous because (it was) not (the) first time to play semis,” said Li, twice an Australian Open finalist. “But when I walked to the court I was feeling the court (was) so big. I mean, even my side, it was feeling like a football court.

“In the end, finally, I can play tennis,” she added with a smile. Williams, hot off a 6-0 6-0 quarter-final win against Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro, had won 24 consecutive games before Li held serve in the second game of the second set.

“To hear constantly, ‘go Serena, go Serena,’ it is really a pleasure. I hear young voices and older voices and it really makes me feel so special,” said Williams.

Williams and Azarenka’s final will be the

first back-to-back title clash at the US Open since Serena and her older sister Venus battled for the crown in 2002.

Belarusian Azarenka trails 12-3 head-tohead against Williams, but has won two of their last three matches, hardcourt finals in Doha and Cincinnati. “When you play against Serena, you have to play your best,” said Azarenka. “She makes me play my best.”

Williams is bidding for a fifth US Open title and her 17th in grand slams.

At 31, she would become the oldest women’s winner at Flushing Meadows since tennis turned professional in 1968, supplanting Australia’s Margaret Court who won in 1973.

Australian Open champion Azarenka booked her return to the championship match by finally finding a way to hold serve in a contest littered with 13 service breaks.

In the end, Azarenka’s power was too much for the battling Pennetta, who returned from a

serious wrist injury to reach her first grand slam semi-final.

There were five service breaks in a row before Azarenka held to win the first set after her unseeded 31-year-old opponent saved five set points. The second set followed a similar pattern, with three broken serves before Azarenka turned up the power.

After holding serve to lead 3-1, Azarenka broke Pennetta yet again and squealed with delight after closing out the 94-minute match with a well-placed forehand.

“It’s an amazing opportunity, something that every tennis player dreams of, to be in the final of the US Open and play against the best player in the world,” said the second seed, a former US Open junior champion and mixed doubles winner. “I can’t wait to go out and play.”

Earlier, Belarusian veteran Max Mirnyi captured his third US Open mixed doubles title on Friday when he teamed up with Czech Andrea

Hlavackova to beat American Abigail Spears and Mexican Santiago Gonzalez 7-6 (5) 6-3.

The 36-year-old Mirnyi, the reigning Olympic mixed doubles champion with compatriot Azarenka, won his first US Open mixed doubles title with Serena Williams in 1998 and teamed up with Azarenka for his second in 2007.

Hlavackova later returned to the court with fellow Czech Lucie Hradecka and beat Serena and Venus Williams 6-4 6-2 in their women’s doubles semi-final, which came less than an hour after Serena’s singles semi-final.

The Czechs will play the Australian duo of Ashleigh Barty and Casey Dellacqua in the final that follows the men’s singles semi-finals in Arthur Ashe Stadium on Saturday.

Top seed Novak Djokovic opens the day against ninth-seeded Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka, with second seed Rafa Nadal taking the court next against eighth seed Richard Gasquet of France. — Reuters

Vettel on pole for Italian Grand Prix

MONZA: Red Bull Racing’s Australian driver Mark Webber drives during the qualifying session at the Autodromo Nazionale circuit in Monza. — AFP

MONZA: Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel seized pole position for the Italian Grand Prix and left his title rivals trailing with Red Bull locking out the front row in qualifying yesterday.

Australian Mark Webber will line up alongside on the front row for his last race in Europe while Germany’s Nico Hulkenberg sprung a huge surprise by grabbing third place on the grid for Ferrari-powered Sauber.

Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, Vettel’s closest title rival with a 46 point gap to make up, qualified fifth and behind Brazilian team mate Felipe Massa with Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo watching.

Lewis Hamilton, last year’s winner for McLaren who had entered the weekend chasing a fifth successive pole, failed to make the top 10 and starts 12th for Mercedes.

The pole was the 40th of Vettel’s F1 career and came at a track that Red Bull principal Christian Horner said only last month was something of an Achilles heel for the team along with Belgium.

However, Vettel won in Belgium and the 26-year-old German took his first Formula One victory at Monza in 2008 for Toro Rosso while also winning for Red Bull in 2011.

“This weekend, the car was fantastic. We had a really strong pace yesterday and we were able to take that into qualifying today,” he told reporters on a sunny afternoon at the ‘Pista Magica’.

“In the end, it’s a bit of a surprise to have both cars on front row at a place where historically we’ve had bad years. This year it seems to work well and hopefully we’ll have a good race tomorrow.”

Hamilton was left shaking his head, even if he seemed to be held up by Force India’s Adrian Sutil. “I just drove like an idiot. That’s the worst I’ve driven for a long, long time. I’m sorry to the team,” he told reporters. “I just didn’t drive well. There’s not really much more to say. I was quick in Q1 (the first phase) and then I don’t know. I’ll do whatever I can from where I am but it’s going to be tough,” added the 2008 champion.

Hulkenberg, who has been seen as a possible replacement for Massa at Ferrari at the end of the season, did his chances no harm with a sensational performance for his struggling Swiss team. The German seemed as surprised as anyone, although Monza is a super-fast track and unlike the others where the Sauber has struggled for downforce this season.

“I didn’t expect it, especially after a very difficult Friday. The guys have done a fantastic job to turn the car around,” said Hulkenberg, who has become more used to qualifying just outside the top 10.

Massa, who has not won a race since 2008, made clear he would be no hindrance to Alonso today after doing everything he could to give him a tow in his slipstream down the long Monza straight. “He’s fighting for the

ITALY: Red Bull Racing’s German driver Sebastian Vettel waves after the qualifying session at the Autodromo Nazionale circuit in Monza. — AFP championship, I’m not fighting, I’ll do whatev- Parabolica. er is important for the team,” said the Brazilian.

Webber was right behind Vergne but felt Radio traffic towards the end of the session the lost time had not cost him pole. “In the appeared to indicate Alonso had sounded off dust I couldn’t see if he had just put a wheel at the team, although it was unclear at what off and was continuing on the circuit or where point in the proceedings the comments were he’d gone,” said the Australian. “Then when I made, but the Spaniard made a point of got around I saw he was in the gravel. So it stressing the positives afterwards. cost me, but it wasn’t enough for me to get “It is the first time in many races that I will Seb.” Nico Rosberg qualified sixth for Mercedes be able to see a Red Bull rear wing first hand with Toro Rosso’s Daniel Ricciardo, who on the grid and on the first lap and first corner replaces compatriot Webber next season at I can attack,” he said.

Red Bull, seventh.

“It was an extremely, extremely good qualiMcLaren’s Sergio Perez and Jenson Button fying for us and a great team effort,” he will line up eighth and ninth with the team declared. The session ended with a cloud of celebrating their 50th anniversary this weekdust when the Toro Rosso of Frenchman Jean- end. Lotus’s Kimi Raikkonen, whose title hopes Eric Vergne went wide into the gravel at are fast receding, qualified 11th. — Reuters

Business

Nigeria’s Agricultural reforms face hurdles Page 22 Kuwait’s real estate sector booming Page 23

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

Weak jobs report could shape Fed plan on bonds

Saudi Agriculture to showcase opportunities at regional show Page 25 Page 26

THESSALONIKI: Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras delivers a speech at the opening of the 78th International Trade Fair in Thessaloniki yesterday. Samaras said he was confident of his country’s economic growth in 2014 after six years of recession, mainly due to austerity measures put in place to deal with the Greek debt crisis. — AFP

Greece eyes growth from 2014 Unpopular austerity policies help turnaround: Samaras ATHENS: Greece’s Prime Minister said yesterday he was confident his country would return to growth in 2014 after a brutal six-year recession, and pledged to push for an easing of austerity measures.

Antonis Samaras said international organisations were all predicting 2014 would be the year the Greek economy began to recover, and credited unpopular austerity policies for the turnaround.

“Greece is turning the page on six years of recession and the economy is becoming com-

petitive,” said the conservative prime minister, who has headed a coalition government with the socialist party since June 2012. “Last year the international media were all talking about the ‘Grexit’, but now that has been replaced by the ‘Grecovery’.”

His comments, in a speech at a trade fair in the northern city of Thessaloniki, came amid signs that the extremely deep recession in Greece is easing. Revised data for gross domestic product in the second quarter of the year showed this week that the economy

shrank by 3.8 percent on a 12-month comparison. This was far better than the initial estimate, which showed the economy shrinking by 4.6 percent.

The government has forecast the economy will shrink by 4.3 percent this year before returning to growth in 2014. Samaras said he was optimistic that Greece would for the first time in years record a budget surplus in 2013, excluding debt repayments.

During the first seven months of 2013, the surplus reached 1.1 billion euros ($1.45 bil-

lion), he said, adding this would enable the country to negotiate with its creditors, the European Union (EU) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Greece has received massive rescue funding, tied to tough conditions, from the EU and the IMF to help it overcome a debt crisis which threatened the eurozone. However, the a resulting structural reforms, including an overhaul of its public sector and its tax system, have proved unpopular.

On Saturday Samaras promised no further

austerity measures would be introduced, saying the economy “cannot take” them any more.

“Debt levels will be manageable, Greece has respected its commitments... now, the creditors must also respect what was agreed,” he added. The EU and the IMF recently praised the Greek government’s progress in turning the economy around, but bemoaned delays to a programme of privatisation and reform, and the fact that the country will likely need further aid in 2014 and 2015 amounting to around 10 billion euros. — AFP

US Federal Reserve faces changeover in midstream WASHINGTON: There’s never a good time to change the head of the US central bank, according to Ethan Harris, who wrote “Ben Bernanke’s Fed” about the chairman of the Federal Reserve.

But it’s even more the case currently as Bernanke appears poised to depart in January, even though the US economy remains weakened by the financial crisis that erupted five years ago.

The White House has yet to nominate a successorthe name is expected within weeks-but it comes as the Fed faces an important policy decision. Bernanke led the Fed into an ambitious “unconventional” policy of massive “quantitative easing” bond purchases-a choice made after holding its benchmark interest rate at next to zero did not fully get the economy going.

The Fed now faces the issue of whether the keep the stimulus going, pumping $85 billion a month into the economy, even though the jobless rate remains elevated and growth only modest.

Bernanke, 59, has held the job since 2006, when he was chosen by Republican president George W Bush.

Bush’s Democratic successor Barack Obama kept him on for a second term in 2010 as the country was still reeling from the deepest economic crisis since the 1930s-one of Bernanke’s academic specialties.

In June this year, Obama praised Bernanke’s performance as exceptional, but strongly suggested the Princeton economist will not stay for a third term.

Bernanke himself has not said what his intentions are, but Obama began openly discussing possible replacements in early August, amid rising pressure to state his plans for the world’s most powerful central bank.

“It is definitely one of the most important economic decisions that I’ll make in the remainder of my presidency,” Obama said. “The Federal Reserve chairman is not just one of the most important economic policymakers in America, he or she is one of the most important policymakers in the world.” Obama has only said that he would only announce his nominee “in the fall”, suggesting around September-October, with an early nomination important to ensure that there is time for

the Congress to approve it. Obama has confirmed that former Treasury secretary Larry Summers and veteran central banker Janet Yellen are on the White House shortlist, along with “a couple of other candidates.”

The choice has turned into a fight, with Summers attracting criticism from both the left and the right over his record in government, Yellen branded as too soft on inflation, and Obama facing resistance from Republicans in Congress to any of his appointees.

But it has taken on outsized importance, with global economies sagging and the US economy’s pace still dependent on how the Fed manages its stimulus program and interest rates. Summers, 58, a longtime Democratic policy advisor, has been close to Obama, helping him manage the economic crisis. Widely praised for his intellect, he nevertheless faces opposition both from Republicans opposed to his politics and liberal Democrats who see him as too close to the Wall Street banks the Fed has to oversee.

Yellen, 67, vice-chair of the Fed and a close ally of Bernanke, is seen by critics as too enamored of the stimulus programs and not sufficiently concerned that inflation could spike due to the bank’s easy money policies. One third name frequently mentioned is exFed vice chair Donald Kohn, 70, who might be seen by Republicans as adequately conservative. The debate over Bernanke’s replacement has become uncommonly heated. While most analysts have said that Obama wants Summers, on Friday the Wall Street Journal reported that three key Democratic senators oppose him to lead the Federal Reserve, creating a huge obstacle if the White House nominates him.

The three are members of the Senate Banking Committee, which must sign off on the pick before confirmation by the full Senate.

Whoever takes the job will have to wrestle with whatever decision is made on cutting back or “tapering” quantitative easing. The Fed could begin the process of ending its stimulus as soon as its September 17-18 policy board meeting. Or it could wait, leaving the choice to the next chief. — AFP

ASTANA: Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) and his Kazakh counterpart Nursultan Nazarbayev sign documents during their meeting in Astana yesterday. Chinese president is on state visit to Kazakhstan. — AFP

China buys into mammoth Kazakh oilfield for $5bn ASTANA: Chinese President Xi Jinping struck a deal with Kazakhstan yesterday giving China a stake in its giant Kashagan oil project, a highlight of his tour of Central Asia to secure hydrocarbons for the world’s largest energy consumer. The $5 billion deal further increases China’s rising clout in post-Soviet Central Asia, once Russia’s imperial backyard, and blocks an attempt by global rival India to get a stake in the oilfield, the world’s largest oil discovery in five decades. “The two countries have agreed on China’s shareholding in the development of the Kashagan deposit,” Xi told a news briefing after talks with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev. “The two governments hail and support this agreement.” Oil and gas deals, including on building an oil refinery in Kazakhstan, are among 22 agreements worth some $30 billion reached during Xi’s visit, Nazarbayev said. Under the Kashagan deal, Kazakhstan will sell 8.33 percent of the offshore oilfield in the Caspian Sea to China for about $5 billion.

The sale and purchase agreement was signed by the heads of Kazakh state oil and gas company KazMunaiGas and China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) in the presence of the two presidents. “We suppose that the transaction will be closed by late September or late October,” a Kazakh official told Reuters. CNPC will also pay up to $3 billion to cover half of Kazakhstan’s financing of the second phase of Kashagan’s

development, KazMunaiGas head Sauat Mynbayev told reporters. This phase is expected to start after 2020.

Another draft agreement, seen by Reuters, would guarantee loans from The China Development Bank and The ExportImport Bank of China - worth respectively $3 billion and $5 billion - to Kazakhstan’s state holding firm Baiterek, which promotes innovation and industrial projects.

China is already involved in a number of oil projects in its vast resource-rich neighbour, which is five times the size of France but has a population of just 17 million.

This week, Xi visited Kazakhstan’s neighbour Turkmenistan, which holds the world’s fourth-largest natural gas reserves, and oversaw deals aiming to boost gas supplies and build a pipeline to China.

The Kazakh deal comes after Astana decided in July to use its pre-emptive right to buy an 8.4-percent stake in Kashagan that US oil major ConocoPhillips was selling for $5 billion.

Houston-based ConocoPhillips, whittling down its worldwide portfolio of assets, announced last year it had agreed to sell the stake to ONGC, the overseas arm of the Indian state-run company. The sale to CNPC blocks India’s plan to enter Kashagan. Kazakhstan, home to 3 percent of the world’s recoverable oil reserves, has moved in recent years to exert greater management control and secure bigger revenues from foreign-owned oil and gas projects. — Reuters

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

BUSINESS

KSE trading to remain lackluster: Al-Oula KUWAIT: Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) closed the past week trading with the main indices in the red zone and the Tuesday session posted the lowest fall since four months ago, according to AlOula brokerage company. Al-Oula, in a

report released yesterday, indicated hefty stock sales and speculations, with the price index closing bearishly at 49.86 points reaching 7,217.69, but the weighted index ended the trading with a rise of 2.7 points, settling at 444.21 points. The

Kuwait 15 index, which reflects trading in blue-chips, also increased 8.2 points to the level of 1,042.12 points.

The report noted that jitters resulting from anticipations regarding the super powers’ planned military strike on Syria

largely affected the market, noting the losses were mostly in small chips’ deals, amid the prevalent lackluster atmosphere. It put the market losses since last week of the past month at 11 percent, noting most profits posted by the lead-

ing stocks in recent months were wasted.

The report also indicated that Warba Bank’s joining of the market trade did not lead to aspired positive results, and the regional political factors remained dominant. —KUNA

Nigeria’s agricultural reforms face hurdles Government in big push to reform farming ABUJA: Nigeria is reforming its farming sector to bolster production and draw investment but companies this week said more needs to be done to tackle entrenched corruption, poor infrastructure and rogue government agencies.

Nigeria’s annual economic summit focused on agriculture for the first time, in line with President Goodluck Jonathan’s commitment to fixing Nigeria’s biggest employer.

Agriculture Minister Akinwumi Adesina, who has been praised by donors and businesses for his efforts, was keen to stress the success of reforms began two years ago. He said subsidies used to reduced the cost of fertilizer for farmers were not longer managed by corrupt politicians but instead were given directly to farmers. He said food imports had fallen by 850 billion naira ($5.2 billion) and food production was up by 8 million tons, helping to create 2.2 million new jobs. The government wants to add 20 million tons of domestic food production by 2020 and rice, corn, sorghum, palm oil and cocoa have already increased, Adesina said. The world’s second-largest importer of rice, Nigeria aims to become self-sufficient by 2015 after introducing a 100 percent tax on polished rice imports this year, likely to mostly affect countries like India, Thailand and Brazil. Security sources and farmers have said one backlash has been a rise in smuggling of rice and sugar from neighboring countries and into ports.

Higher cassava output has been used to make flour, reducing wheat imports mostly from

the United States by almost 9 percent, Adesina said, who noted bank lending to agriculture had risen to 25 billion naira this year from just 3.5 billion in 2012. Duties on agricultural equipment have been scrapped and tax breaks given to companies willing to invest in both farming and industrial processes, as well. The country’s reforms have drawn new foreign investors such food giant Cargill, seed company Syngenta and brewer SABMiller, while Dangote Sugar and others are investing more.

However, many companies asked to speak at the summit gave a less rosy picture, saying state and local governments still extort unofficial payments, while officials at ports and customs either worked around government policies or outright ignored them. Confusing laws on land, much of which is owned or claimed by government officials, also mean it is difficult to expand. That has left 60 percent of Nigeria’s arable land fallow, farmers say.

RHETORIC VS ACTION “We’re still battling with the basics; visa processing times, port delays, access to credit, transport systems. Rhetoric is all we are getting. It’s time to walk the walk,” said Alan Jack, managing director of Shonga Farms, a mainly poultry and milk farming group which supplies the Lagos branch of Kentucky Fried Chicken, owned by Yum! Brands.

Jack said imported chicken from Brazil cost 135 naira per kilo, while a chick in Nigeria cost

180 naira, making government plans to emulate its South American rival unrealistic. “Ports would scare the life out of anyone. It’s the worst thing about your system,” said Calvin Burgess, chief executive of Dominion Farms, a US-owned firm looking to farm rice in Taraba state. He said $10 million of agriculture equipment was delayed for almost a year because customs and other agencies sought bribes and noted Dominion had operated in Kenya for 10 years “without anything like these problems”.

The government says port reform is a key policy, but investors say progress is slow. Industry players were also critical of Nigeria’s dilapidated road network and troubled power supply noting it is often more profitable to ship produce to the UK rather than transport it from Lagos in the south to the biggest northern city, Kano. “We don’t benefit from any infrastructure put in place. We have to build our own roads and provide our own electricity,” said Gbenga Oyebode, chairman of palm oil firm Okomu Palm, said.

Africa’s most populous country is privatizing much of its power sector, which should help improve electricity shortages that hurt the agriculture sector. Nigeria’s reforms are needed to reduce reliance on a struggling oil sector and cut a $11 billion food import bill. “We see efforts but do we know these policies will be long term?” said Paul Gbededo, chief executive of FlourMills of Nigeria, one of the country’s largest agriculture firms. “Every level of government must be committed.” —Reuters

BANGALORE: A member of a social organization holds gold ornaments and Indian currency notes and shouts slogans along with others during a protest asking the government to ban import of gold in Bangalore yesterday. —AP

US exempts EU nations from Iran oil sanctions WASHINGTON: The US said it was granting six-month sanctions exemptions to 10 European countries so they can restart imports of Iranian crude oil after a year’s hiatus.

Japan received a similar exemption after the US said the Asian nation had significantly reduced its oil imports from Iran - the main condition for such waivers. American sanctions are designed to pressure Iran to curb its nuclear program, which Washington suspects is aimed at producing weapons. Iran has repeatedly insisted it is only for medical research and generating electricity.

The most ambitious US tactic has involved pressuring countries around the world to cut commercial ties with Iran or face a series of restrictions on what type of business they can conduct in the United States, the world’s largest market. But the Obama administration has been granting exemptions to a number of mostly Asian countries that rely on Iranian oil on condition that they significantly reduce their imports over time.

Iran’s monthly earnings from crude oil exports are accumulating in accounts overseas because of sanctions that restrict Tehran’s access to the money.

But economists said Iran is also finding ways to work around sanctions, for example by increasing exports of non-oil, non-sanctioned goods. The news of the European exemptions came as successful legal challenges to European sanctions on Iran mounted. Just hours before the exemptions notice came out, an EU court said it would throw out penalties imposed on eight Iranian banks and businesses for their alleged ties to Iran’s nuclear program because there wasn’t sufficient evidence to justify the sanctions imposed by the bloc.

The US was disappointed with the ruling. “The evidence linking these banks to Iran’s illicit nuclear activities is clear and strong, and no financial institution anywhere should allow these Iranian banks to transact with them,” the Treasury Department said in a statement.

The entire European Union has not purchased Iranian oil since July 1, 2012, the State Department said in a statement. Because of that reduction, the US said 10 EU countries had qualified for six-month sanctions exemptions: Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Britain. The State Department said a total of 20 countries have continued to significantly reduce their crude oil purchases from Iran. China remains Iran’s top trading partner and its No 1 client for oil exports, with Japan, India and South Korea among other top purchasers.

Despite plummeting sales overseas, Iran remains one of the world’s largest oil producers. Its exports bring in tens of billions of dollars in revenue for the country’s hard-line leaders, money the US is trying to cut off.

A senior US official told the AP last week that sanctions have reduced Iranian oil exports by 58 percent since late 2011. He also said the US has concluded that nearly half of

In other developments, the Treasury Department said earlier Friday that it was expanding sanctions to target a network allegedly helping the government evade measures aimed at curbing oil exports.

The US accused Iran of using front companies, financial institutions and businessmen “willing to engage in deceptive transactions to conceal the direct involvement” of the Tehran government in global oil transactions.

The US says the new sanctions target the network of Seyed Seyyedi, an Iranian businessman and director of Sima General Trading, as well as a network of companies based in the United Arab Emirates that Seyyedi allegedly controls. They also target National Iranian Oil Company representatives in Europe.

The US previously sanctioned Sima General as part of a network of Iranian government front companies allegedly involved in a sanctions evasion scheme with a Greek businessman. —AP

Bayt.com weekly report

How to manage telecommuters

By Lama Ataya

in collaborating with other team members.

A

2. Use the right technology: Using the right technology and online tools is important for the success of your telecommunication program. Make sure those team members who are working from home have access to the internet, audio-conferencing, file sharing, and other software necessary for virtual collaboration.

You also need to understand the software and tools that your employees use on a day-to-day basis and the associated security risks involved. Ensure that sensitive data such as contracts and client lists are available for viewing only. Carefully assess such things prior to allowing employees to work offsite, to avoid technical glitches and data leaks.

s more and more companies adopt flexible policies to accommodate shifting workplace priorities and realities, the working from home - or telecommuting - option is becoming increasingly viable.

Telecommuting has indeed become an attractive option to professionals, especially in the current workplace environment where about 43.3 percent of professionals say that they do not have a good work-life balance, according to the Bayt.com ‘Worklife Balance in the MENA’ poll, September 2012.

Telecommuting is a valuable option to consider. Its success depends greatly on the way you manage your team and your commitment to making the arrangement work. However, the key concern for every employer is whether an employee can be as effective working from home as they are when at the office.

So, how can you manage telecommuters to make sure that communication is seamless within the team and that all data is secure? The HR experts at Bayt.com, the Middle East’s leading 1 job site, share some tips that managers can use to better manage telecommuters:

3. Communicate often: To make sure that telecommuters do not feel isolated, arrange for weekly or daily teleconferences. Regular communication will also keep your team engaged. 78 percent of respondents in the Bayt.com ‘Employee Motivation in the MENA’ survey, January 2013, feel that their line managers are committed to the organization, but when it comes to communicating organizational matters, managers do not appear to be performing very well.

1. Set your team’s objectives: Though members of your team may be working remotely they need to operate as one unit. A well-communicated set of objectives and goals will ensure everyone is on the same page. Also make sure each member knows exactly how they are contributing to the overall outcome. If telecommuters think they are working individually, they will act individually. But if they know they are working towards a common objective they will be more active

4. Proactively manage your team’s workload: Be extra diligent in workload management to ensure that work is completed on time. Explicitly communicate deadlines to telecommuters when assigning tasks. If the project has a six-week course for completion, then break it up into weekly phases.

This will ensure that your project delivery is achievable and stays on course.

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 2.866 4.338 2.721 2.141 2.712 224.590 36.806 3.664 6.414 8.817 0.271 0.273 GCC COUNTRIES 76.150 78.463 741.720 758.470 77.769

ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash 41.300 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 40.852 Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.332 Tunisian Dinar 173.050 Jordanian Dinar 403.260 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 1.916 Syrian Lier 3.102 Morocco Dirham 34.392 EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 285.450 Euro 379.360 Sterling Pound 449.870 Canadian dollar 273.290 Turkish lira 137.970 Swiss Franc 305.780 Australian Dollar 262.610 US Dollar Buying 284.250 20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

GOLD 267.000 135.000 70.000

UAE Exchange Centre WLL COUNTRY Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Euro US Dollar Sterling Pound Japanese Yen Bangladesh Taka Indian Rupee Sri Lankan Rupee Nepali Rupee Pakistani Rupee UAE Dirhams Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Jordanian Dinar Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

SELL DRAFT 265.34 276.03 308.08 380.16 284.85 449.34 2.91 3.681 4.311 2.141 2.704 2.719 77.62 758.15 41.24 405.40 740.79 78.66 76.09

SELL CASH 263.000 282.000 311.000 384.000 287.400 443.000 3.000 3.800 5.150 2.700 3.600 2.920 78.000 759.500 41.100 416.200 746.400 79.000 76.300

Thai Bhat Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit

Bahrain Exchange Company COUNTRY British Pound Czech Korune Danish Krone Euro Norwegian Krone Scottish Pound Swedish Krona Swiss Franc

Selling Rate 285.200 273.705 445.065 377.520 305.170 755.075 77.625 78.285 76.915 402.035 40.778 2.140 4.275 2.715 3.667 6.428 699.610 3.860

SELL CASH Europe 0.4389185 0.0067539 0.0463092 0.3707276 0.0428339 0.4335150 0.0390136 0.2993827

SELLDRAFT 0.4479185 0.0187539 0.0513092 0.3782276 0.0480339 0.4410150 0.0440136 0.3063827

Australasia 0.2525395 0.2205119 0.0001130

0.2645395 0.2305119 0.0001130

Canadian Dollar Colombian Peso US Dollars

America 0.2671936 0.0001451 0.2831000

0.2761936 0.0001631 0.2852500

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 0.0036224 0.0031645 0.0457186 0.0164833 0.0000443 0.0342301 0.0043161 0.0000199 0.0028500 0.0027963 0.0031972 0.0820795 0.0025833 0.0026944 0.0059633

0.0036774 0.0033945 0.0507186 0.0195833 0.0000503 0.0373301 0.0043811 0.0000250 0.0038500 0.0029763 0.0034272 0.0890795 0.0027833 0.0027344 0.0064333

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

9.200 4.075 3.900 86.770

Sierra Leone Singapore Dollar Sri Lankan Rupee Thai Baht

0.0000729 0.2199481 0.0021010 0.0084295

0.0000759 0.2259481 0.0021430 0.0090295

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 0.7502049 0.0392412 0.0126635 0.1450356 0.0000793 0.0001844 0.3967581 1.0000000 0.0001750 0.0221434 0.0012127 0.7298987 0.0776958 0.0755333 0.0463803 0.0019439 0.1711590 0.0762357 0.0012869

0.7587049 0.0412562 0.0191635 0.1468256 0.0000798 0.0002444 0.4042581 1.0000000 0.0001950 0.0461484 0.0018477 0.7408987 0.0784788 0.0761733 0.0489303 0.0021639 0.1771590 0.0778857 0.0013869

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) 284.800 376.900 447.000 274.050 4.370 41.240 2.140 3.658 6.410 2.720 758.600 77.600 76.050

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

BUSINESS

Kuwait’s real estate sector booms NBK ECONOMIC REPORT KUWAIT: Real estate data for July show sales rising by a very strong 72 percent year-on-year to KD 426 million. The strength of sales in July holds true even if we account for the fact that July saw 5 weeks’ worth of transactions (compared to 4 in a typical month). The robustness of sales was also not a mere basis or seasonal effect (owing to weak sales in July 2012 or Ramadan, for example): the monthly value of sales reached its highest for six years.

Sales in the residential sector reached KD 191 million in July, a 35 percent y/y increase. Continuing its trend from previous months, the increase came on the back of a jump in the average transaction size, which went up 36 percent y/y, while the number of transactions was almost flat on the year. The increase in the average transaction size was partially caused by some y/y increase in the average size of homes purchased in July 2013, but was mostly due to an increase in the average price per meter-square of both homes and plots. Note that due to the absence of detailed data, it is difficult to separate house price ‘inflation’ from price increases generated by ‘real’ factors, such as differences in the age of homes purchased, for example.

Investment sector sales totaled KD 176 million in July, almost double the amount seen a year earlier. In addition to a 22 percent increase in the average transaction size, strong sales in July were generated by a 63 percent y/y increase in the total number of transactions stemming mostly from additional purchases of single apartments. Overall, transactions levels in the investment

sector now look very strong, after a slow start to the year.

Commercial sector sales reached KD59 million in July, their highest level so far this year. The commercial segment has been performing well this year, seeing large y/y gains in 6 out of 7 months of data. Transactions in July were a mix

of purchases of complexes, shops, and plots of land. Though the recent trend of strong commercial sales might be partially attributed to an active role by the Kuwait Investment Authority, it could also be a signal of a private sector that is becoming more optimistic about the future economic outlook.

The Savings and Credit Bank approved KD36 million in loans during July, while disbursing a further KD12 million. Both values were typical of this year, and did not seem to be affected by the onset of Ramadan in July. Also similar to recent trends, about two-thirds of approved loans were for new constructions, while loans for the purchase of

existing structures were 12 percent of total - whereas they used to make up about a third of total loan applications in previous years. This makeup corre sponds to the trend seen in residential sales, where in previous years the majority of purchases were of existing homes, but have now shifted towards buying plots of lands to construct new houses.

Bank of America to pay $39m in settlement NEW YORK: Bank of America Corp has agreed to pay $39 million to settle claims of gender bias by women in its Merrill Lynch brokerage division. The settlement was announced Friday by law firms representing women working as financial advisers or licensed financial advisers at Banc of America Investment Services Inc. or Merrill Lynch from 2007 through 2013.

Banc of America Investment Services was a brokerage firm owned by Bank of America. It was later folded into Merrill Lynch when BofA bought Merrill in 2009.

The lawsuit claims that the bank discriminated against women in compensation and business opportunities. The plaintiffs said women tended to be shut out of teams that worked on the most lucrative accounts, and so their compensation suffered.

About 4,800 employees are eligible for the settlement. Under the settlement, Merrill Lynch admits no wrongdoing. “This resolution includes a number of additional and enhanced initiatives that will enrich our existing diversity, inclusion and devel-

opment programs providing more opportunity for women to succeed as financial advisers,” Merrill Lynch spokesman Bill Haldin said.

Under the proposed three-year settlement, an independent consultant will study the bank’s practices to see how they can be made more inclusive. The settlement still needs court approval, which the law firms say they expect to seek in December.

The settlement comes just over a week after the announcement of a $160 million proposed settlement between Merrill Lynch and 1,200 black financial advisers.

That settlement also calls for Merrill to create a “leadership council” to recommend ways to improve opportunities for African Americans; interview at least one minority candidate when selecting new executives; and consider diversity issues when assessing directors’ job performances.

Merrill Lynch is one of the world’s largest brokerages with more than 15,000 financial advisers. Bank of America is based in Charlotte, NC. — AP

Bentley Continental GT

Prices of Classic Ferraris, Bentleys soar by 28% Wealthy put more money into tangible items

Argentina asks US court for rehearing on debt payment NEW YORK: Argentina has urged a US appeals court to reconsider an order for the country to pay in full holders of $1.47 billion in defaulted debt.

In a petition filed Friday, Argentina pointed to “grave legal errors” in last month’s 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that ordered Buenos Aires to pay the money to two hedge funds that refused to participate in two debt restructurings.

The case has its roots in Argentina’s 2001 default on $100 billion worth of sovereign debt.

The Argentine government has argued that bondholders who took part in the 2005 and 2010 restructuring of the debt, which forced on them huge writedowns of the face value of the bonds, would now be able to lay claim as well for 100 percent compensation.

That could overwhelm the country’s finances and lead to a fresh default, according to Buenos Aires.

In the latest filing, Argentina called for a rehearing of the case by the three court judges who made the August 23 ruling, or by a bigger group of 14 judges. “If the decision is not reversed, the injunction is

likely to trigger a default on $65 billion worth of exchange bonds held by innocent third parties,” the document read.

“Such a default would have devastating consequences for the EBG (exchange bondholder group), exchange bondholders generally, and for the global economy and the entire system of international sovereign debt restructurings.”

It called the injunction “wholly inequitable” because bondholders who participated in the swap were already forced to accept discounts exceeding 70 cents on the dollar on defaulted bonds.

Argentina’s Senate approved Wednesday a bill backed by President Cristina Kirchner to provide a bond swap that would offer hold-out bondholders the same terms as the 2010 swap. Argentina reached a deal with almost all of its private creditors to restructure its debt at a discount of nearly 70 percent in two phases, in 2005 and 2010.

But bondholders led by the NML Capital and Aurelius hedge funds took legal action to obtain payment in full. Argentina has so far refused to pay the holdouts in full. It has asked the US Supreme Court to weigh in on the case. — AFP

LONDON: Classic cars such as Ferraris, Bugattis and Bentleys soared by 28 percent in value in the year to June, outstripping gold, art and luxury London property thanks to rising demand from wealthy Asians. Property consultancy Knight Frank, which publishes an index tracking the performance of luxury goods, said the world’s wealthy were putting more money into tangible items that they could enjoy as the world economy looks to be recovering.

In July, a rare 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196 in which five-time Formula 1 World Champion driver Juan Manuel Fangio of Argentina won two Grand prix, was sold at auction for 19.6 million pounds ($30.6 million), making it the most expensive car ever sold at auction.

“It’s an asset class that’s very rare and it’s very aspirational,” said Andrew Shirley, editor of the report. “A lot of Asian high net worth individuals have acquired classic cars...They keep them in their garage in the UK or Europe and they come over and drive them in rallies.”

This is in stark contrast to gold, seen as a safe haven investment in difficult periods, whose value has slumped by 23 percent over the same period following a 12-year bull run. “The thing about gold is that it’s tangible in the sense it’s a physical thing but there’s no great enjoyment to be had from gold...Whereas a classic car, it’s still a

safe haven play but it’s something you’re going to enjoy,” Shirley said.

After classic cars, the next biggest gainers in the index were coins and stamps, up 9 and 7

percent respectively. Art, which had surged in value in the run-up to the credit crunch, fell 6 percent over the period as buyers become more cautious and selective, he said. —Reuters

Oil, gold rise as traders nervously watch Syria NEW DELHI: Prices for crude oil and gold closed higher Friday as tensions built between the US and Syria. Benchmark oil for October delivery rose $2.16, or 2 percent, to $110.53 a barrel.

Most other energy futures also rose, except for natural gas.

Gold and silver also rose as investors parked money in safe-play assets. Gold for December delivery rose $13.50, or 1 percent, to $1,386.50 an ounce, while silver for delivery in the same month rose 63.60 cents, or 2.7 percent, to $23.891 an ounce. Russian media reported that three Russian naval ships were sailing for Syria

and that a fourth was on its way. President Barack Obama, speaking at an economic summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, continued to press the case for military action against Syria.

A US jobs report for August that came in weaker than economists had expected also helped send precious metals prices higher. The tepid jobs survey suggested that the Federal Reserve may keep up its stimulus measures, which could lead to inflation concerns and a weaker dollar over the long run, both factors that are positive for gold.

Other metals also rose. October platinum

rose $13.60 to $1,495.70 an ounce and December palladium rose $9.65 to $696.85 an ounce. December copper rose 1.75 cents to $3.2615 a pound. Wheat and corn futures rose, while soybeans ended little changed. Wheat for December delivery rose 7.5 cents to $6.4775 a bushel, December corn rose 7.25 cents a bushel and soybeans for November delivery edged up 0.25 cent to $13.6775 a bushel. In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline rose 1.77 cents to $2.8537 a gallon and heating oil rose 2.4 cents to $3.1637 a gallon. Natural gas fell 4.5 cents to $3.53 per 1,000 cubic feet. —AP

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

BUSINESS

Syria continues to weigh on KSE BAYAN WEEKLY MARKET REPORT KUWAIT: Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) ended last week in the red zo n e. Th e p r i ce i n d e x c l o s e d a t 7,217.96 points, down by 5.43 percent from the week before closing, the weighted index decreased by 1.59 percent after closing at 444.21 points, whereas the KSX-15 index closed at 1,042.12 points down by 0 . 7 2 p e rce n t . Fu r t h e r m o re, l a s t w e e k ’s a v e r a g e d a i l y t u r n o v e r decreased by 20.96 percent, compared to the preceding week, reaching KD 24.18 million, whereas trading volume average was 263.35 million shares, recording decrease of 18 percent.

The Price Index was the mostly affected indicator by the market declines in the past two weeks trades, whereas its losses reached 10.94 percent in ten sessions only, considered to be a very big drop since a long time, which caused the market index to lose a big chunk of its gains that was earned since the beginning of the current year, and dropped to reach 21.63 percent from the end of 2012. These results came in light of the steep selling trend for most of the listed stocks, especially the small-cap ones, which caused its prices to inflate due to the quick speculations executed during the previous months.

On the other hand, the blue-chip and large - cap stocks were less exposed to the random selling operations witnessed by the stock market last week, as few random trades were performed on it caused the Price and KSX-15 indices to increase occasionally, however the continuation of the cautious and hesitant states that is currently controlling the market, pushed many traders to per form quick profit collection operations on such stocks fearing that market condition will worsen, which negatively impacted the Weighted and

recording 7.43 percent decrease. The Telecommunications sector came in third, as its index closed at 791.87 points at a loss of 4.36 percent. The Banks sector was the least declining as its index closed at 1,065.99 points with a 0.92 percent decrease.

K S X- 1 5 i n d i c e s, a n d j o i n e d t h e Price Index in the red zone during m o s t o f l a s t we e k ’s s e s s i o n s.

Moreover, the three stock market indices recorded losses in parallel with the noticeable decrease in the trading activity, in terms of value

o r v o l u m e, w h i c h r e f l e c t s t h e traders’ abandon of entering the market during this time, waiting for market condition to stabilize.

For the annual performance, the price index ended last week recording 21.63 percent annual gain com-

pared to its closing in 2012, while the weighted index increased by 6.36 percent, and the KSX-15 recorded 3.27 percent increase.

Sectors’ Indices All of KSE’s sectors ended last

week in the red zone. Last week’s biggest loser was the Real Estate sector, as its index declined by 8.97 percent to end the week’s activity at 1,287.11 points. Whereas, in the second place, the Financial Services sector’s index closed at 994.28 points

Sectors’ Activity The Financial Services sector dominated total trade volume during last week with 551.55 million shares changing hands, representing 41.89 percent of the total market trading volume. The Real Estate sector was second in terms of trading volume as the sector’s traded shares were 30.35 percent of last week’s total trading volume, with a total of 399.62 million shares. On the other hand, the Financial Services sector’s stocks were the highest traded in terms of value; with a turnover of KD 33.45 million or 27.67 percent of last week’s total market trading value. The Banks sector took the second place as the sector’s last week turnover was KD 31.79 million represented 26.30 percent of the total market trading value.

—Prepared by the Studies & Research Depar tment, Bayan Investment Co.

US stocks end flat despite jobs report NEW YORK: The stock market ended flat Friday as traders hoped for more economic stimulus from the Federal Reserve, and worried about escalating tensions between the US and Syria.

While stocks ended close to where they began, their prices were volatile throughout the day. Stocks opened slightly higher but soon fell after Russian media reported that naval ships were en route to Syria, raising worries of a wider conflict and sending the Dow Jones industrial average down as much 148 points in the first half-hour of trading. The Dow rose as high as 15,009 and dropped as low as 14,789 - a big 220 point range.

“Clearly, (Russia) made the market ner vous,” said Dean Junkans, chief investment officer for Wells Fargo Private Bank, which has $170 billion in assets under management. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose less than a point, or 0.01 percent, to close at 1,655.17. The Dow ended down 14.98 points, or 0.1 percent, at 14,922.50. The Nasdaq composite rose 1.23 points, or 0.03 percent, to 3,660.01.

Traders were rattled by conflicting forces. A mediocre August jobs report suggested that US economic growth was slowing, while providing a reason for the Fed to keep up its stimulus program. The geopolitical risks of Syria added to the uncertainty Friday.

One clear trend emerged: investors moved money into safer assets. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.94 percent from 3 percent the day before. Relatively safe, dividend-paying stocks such as utilities were among the best performers in the S&P 500 and gold rose more than 1 percent.

Wall Street was unnerved by signs that the confrontation between the U.S. and Syria over Syria’s alleged use of chemical weapons on civilians was getting worse. Three Russian naval ships sailed toward Syria on Friday and a fourth was on its way, the Interfax news agency reported, a sign that Russia may assist Syria in case the US does strike.

However, Russia President Vladimir Putin’s chief of staff said the ships were intended to help evacuate Russian citizens if military strikes become necessary. “ These are troubling developments,” said David Chalupnik, head of equities for Nuveen Asset Management.

“Syria is turning into something bigger that what it started out to be.”

The price of crude oil rose as traders anticipated that any escalation of tensions in the Middle East might disrupt the flow of oil from the region. Oil rose $2.07 to $110.43 a barrel.

Putting aside Friday’s volatility, Wall Street had a pretty good week. The S&P 500 rose 1.4 percent for the week, and the Nasdaq was up nearly 2 percent. It was the best five-day gain for the S&P 500 in two months. US employers added 169,000 jobs last month, fewer than the 177,000 economists had forecast. The number of jobs added in July was estimated by the government at 104,000, down from an earlier 162,000.

“This was a horrible set of jobs figures, starting with large revision to last month’s number,” Tom di Galoma, head of fixed-income rates sales at ED&F Man Capital, wrote in an email to clients.

Friday’s jobs survey is the last major piece of economic data the Fed will have to consider before its September 17-18 policy meeting, when it will

NEW YORK: Trader Frederick Reimer works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. The government’s monthly survey of employment is the most widely followed gauge of the US economy and receives close scrutiny from Wall Street. It can cause big moves in financial markets, especially when the report shows that job growth is much stronger or weaker than economists expected. — AP decide the fate of its large bond-buying program.

The Fed has been buying $85 billion in Treasur ys and other bonds each month to keep interest rates low and encourage hiring and economic growth.

It was widely believed that the Fed would start phasing out its purchases

this month.

Most market watchers said they still believe the Fed will start pulling back in September, however the amount of the pullback may be smaller, Nuveen’s Chalupnik said.

Stocks making big moves included: Mattress Firm, which plunged $6.10, or

15 percent, to $35.59 after the company reported a second-quarter profit that fell far below financial analysts’ expectations. VeriFone Systems jumped $2.09, or 10 percent, to $22.81 after the electronic payment terminal maker reported third-quarter results on Thursday that beat Wall Street expectations. — AP

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

BUSINESS

Weak jobs report could shape Fed plan on bonds Hiring remains steady, but subpar

New Gran Turismo 6 video game enables fans to race Ford GT on Goodwood Hill Climb DUBAI: Motorsport fans will enjoy the new Gran Turismo 6 video game as it enablesthem to race a virtual Ford GT supercar on the legendary Goodwood Hill Climb.

The 330 km/h icon is one of the stars of the latest installment of the successful Gran Turismo video game franchise that also offers race fans the chance to get behind the wheel of Mustangs, Focus STs and exotic Ford race and rally cars through the ages.

Goodwood’s renowned1.86 kilometres hill climb is the centrepiece of the British stately home’s annual Festival of Speed.

“What red-blooded race fan could resist thrashing a 550 PS Ford GT on one of the world’s most famous hill climbs,” said Anthony Ireson, marketing director, Ford of Britain. “It’s incredibly realistic, great fun and there are no expensive repair bills if you get it wrong.”

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 177,000 employees and 65 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford

Motor Credit Company.

Ford’s history in the Middle East goes back more than 60 years. The company’s local importer-dealers operate more than 155 facilities in the region and directly employ more than 7,000 people, the majority of whom are Arab Nationals.

Ford Middle East is also a responsible corporate citizen with currently three CSR initiatives running in the region including the Ford Motor Company Conservation & Environmental Grants, Ford Warriors in Pink(r) breast cancer awareness campaign and Ford Driving Skills for Life safe driving awareness programme for young drivers and teens.

The Ford Grants is a grass-root level initiative that has offered $1.3million in grants to more than 150 Middle Eastern environmental projects since 2000. Ford Warriors in Pink is a breast cancer community-based awareness initiative recognising the strength and courage it takes to deal with the everyday challenges of battling breast cancer throughout the year. Ford Driving Skills for Life is a free programme designed to impart safe driving practices to students to help improve their road safety record.

Nepal’s smugglers cash in on India’s love of gold KATHMANDU: After a long drive from across the border in China, the white truck arrived in Nepal’s capital at dawn with a seemingly innocuous cargo of Chinese-made clothes.

But hidden in a cylinder inside the vehicle’s front bumper was the latest haul of gold smuggled from Tibet-bars weighing some 35 kilograms (77 pounds) and worth several million dollars on the black market.

Nepal’s police were waiting for the truck and its 24-year-old driver just inside the city, after tracking them for several days along the highway that connects Nepal with China. “We had been informed from our reliable source that a consignment of gold was on its way from Khasa(a border town in Tibet),” Uttam Kumar Karkee, a senior superintendent, who led the operation in July said.

Nepal’s police and inland revenue department say the illegal shipment was ultimately destined for neighboring India, where seizures of smuggled gold, including from its closest neighbors, have reportedly soared this year. The seizures in India coincide with the government’s campaign in recent months to deter legal imports of the precious metalincluding by hiking import duties.

Under pressure over a faltering economy, the government is trying to break that country’s obsession with gold. Imported in vast quantities, it is partly blamed for blowing out the current account deficit and pushing down the rupee to record lows.

In Nepal, police have seized far more illegal shipments bound for India this year compared with 2012. Its organized crime unit cannot say whether Indian consumers and traders are turning to the cross-border black market as a direct result of efforts to discourage legal imports.

But making it harder and more expensive to import gold certainly presents smugglers with opportunities. “ There is a growing demand for gold in India. So the smugglers are cashing in on that,” the department’s deputy director general Anand Raj Dhakal said. A total of 69 kilograms of smuggled gold was seized in Nepal in the last six months, most of it from Tibet, compared with 18 kilograms for all of 2012. But that’s only the tip of the iceberg, says Nepal Police spokesman Nawaraj Silwal, who estimates only 10 percent of all smuggled gold is confiscated.

The seizure in July, which led to the arrest of several Kathmandu businessmen, came hot on the heels of another police bust in mid-May. Four men were arrested on Kathmandu’s outskirts, each with four bars of gold (16 kilograms in total) in the soles of their shoes. This stash was also bound for India, according to police deputy superintendent Chakra Bahadur Singh.

In a typical smuggling run, trucks transport the hidden gold overland from Tibet into

Kathmandu, where the stash is shifted to freight trucks that ply the roads between Nepal and India, says Silwal, who singles out the Indian border town of Raxaul as a smuggling hub.

“The gold smugglers and peddlers use land routes with Nepal due to the open border with India,” Silwal said. “Now, the gold mostly comes (overland) from China after we tightened security at Kathmandu’s airport,” he said. “There is a huge demand for gold in India. We have learned that Indian men and women travel to the Nepalese border towns to buy gold when prices are cheaper in Nepal,” he added. Some of it is probably bound for the Nepal market, where demand peaks during the local wedding season and Hindu festivals of Dashain and Tihar, according to gold traders.

“It (smuggled gold) might be destined for Nepal rather than India because our country too doesn’t have sufficient gold especially during wedding seasons when the demand grows,” said Mani Ratna Shakya, president of the Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association. But demand in India far outstrips tiny Nepal. India is the world’s biggest consumer of gold, followed closely by China.

Millions of Indians buy gold in the form of jewelry, bars and coins as a traditional gift for brides and during Hindu festivals.

For many, gold is also a hedge against inflation, as it is traditionally regarded as an asset that is expected to maintain or increase its value. Almost all of India’s gold is imported, making it the second-biggest contributor after oil to the current account deficit-the broadest measure of trade. The widening deficit has caused alarm among ratings agencies and contributed to India’s slowing economic growth. India must sell rupees to buy the gold in largely dollar-denominated trades, which is putting downward pressure on the ailing local currency, the worst performing in Asia this year. The government, desperate to kickstart the economy ahead of elections due next year, has announced a series of measures, including raising duties on bullion imports in August to a record 10 percent, the third hike this year. Even with the duty increases, gold imports in July rose to $2.9 billion from $2.45 billion a month earlier, although the amount is still down from last year. Smugglers say such an insatiable demand keeps them busy. One arrested near the Nepal-China border last December reportedly boasted to police that it was the fourth time in three months he had smuggled gold into the Himalayan nation.

According to The Kathmandu Post, he was arrested in Dhulikhel, a resort town 30 kilometres (18 miles) north of Kathmandu that lies along the border highway, with nine kilograms of gold in his truck. —AFP

ATHENS: Riot Police buses patrol the streets of the city during the inauguration of the annual Thessaloniki International Trade Fair yesterday.—AP

WASHINGTON: US employers have yet to start hiring aggressively - a concern the Federal Reserve will weigh in deciding this month whether to slow its bond buying and, if so, by how much.

Employers added 169,000 jobs in August but many fewer in June and July than previously thought, the Labor Department said Friday.

Combined, June, July and August amounted to the weakest threemonth stretch of job growth in a year. The unemployment rate dropped to 7.3 percent, the lowest in nearly five years. But it fell because more Americans stopped looking for work and were no longer counted as unemployed.

The proportion of Americans working or looking for work reached its lowest point in 35 years.

All told, the report adds up to a mixed picture of the US job market: Hiring is steady but subpar. Much of the hiring is in lower-paying occupations. And many people are giving up on the job market in frustration. The jobs picture is sure to weigh heavily when the Fed meets Sept. 17-18 to discuss whether to scale back its $85 billion a month in Treasury and mortgage bond purchases. Those purchases have helped keep home-loan and other borrowing rates ultra-low to try to encourage consumers and businesses to borrow and spend more.

David Jones, chief economist at DMJ Advisors, said he still thinks the Fed will begin slowing its bond buying later this month. But he suspects the August data and the reduced job totals for June and July will lead the Fed to trim more gradually than it would have otherwise: The Fed could start reducing its monthly purchases by $10 billion rather than $20 billion.

Jones said he expects periodic reductions of $10 billion between now and mid-2014. At that point, Chairman Ben Bernanke has said the Fed expects the bond buying could likely end. The revised job growth for June and July shrank the previously estimated gain for those months by 74,000. July’s gain is now estimated at 104,000 - the fewest in more than a year and down from a previous estimate of 162,000. June’s was revised to 172,000 from 188,000.

In the past three months, employers have added an average of just 148,000 jobs. The average monthly gain for 2013 so far is 180,000, slightly below the 183,000 average for 2012. As investors weighed the job report’s impact on the Fed and tensions over the

Job seekers check out companies at a job fair in Miami Lakes, Flordia. The Labor Department reports the number of Americans who applied for unemployment benefits for the first week of September.—AP prospect of US militar y action against Syria, the Dow Jones industrial average finished the day down 15 points. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.91 percent, from 2.95 percent before the jobs report was released at 8:30 a.m.

Investors may think the report makes it less likely the Fed will significantly slow its bond purchases.

One possible concern for the Fed is that most of the hiring in August was in lower-paying industries such as retail, restaurants and bars. This continues a trend that emerged earlier this year.

Retailers added 44,000 jobs in August. Hotels, restaurants and bars added 27,000. Temp hiring rose by 13,000. In higher-paying fields, the report was mixed.

Manufacturers added 14,000 in August, the first gain after five months of declines. Government, which has been a drag on job growth since the recession ended more than four years ago, gained 17,000. It was the biggest such increase in nearly a year. The increase was all in local education departments. Federal employment was unchanged, and state government lost 3,000 jobs. Auto manufacturers added 19,000 jobs.

Americans are buying more cars than at any time since the recession began in December 2007. Some of the jobs also likely reflected workers who were rehired last month after being temporarily laid off in July, when factories switched to new models.

But construction jobs were

unchanged in August. And the information industr y, which includes high-tech workers, broadcasting and film production, cut 18,000 jobs. The biggest losses were in the film industry. Employers might have turned cautious last month as the economy slowed.

And the downgraded job totals for June and July reflected a loss of government jobs that was likely related to federal spending cuts.

The economy grew at a 2.5 percent annual rate from April through June. Many economists think that is slowing to a rate below 2 percent in the July-September quarter.

Government job cuts were much steeper in June and July than previously estimated. They accounted for about half the reduction in job growth for those months. The federal spending cuts likely also contributed to job cuts by defense contractors, said Diane Swonk, chief economist at Mesirow Financial. Many defense contractors are included among manufacturers.

And manufacturing jobs were revised lower by a combined 26,000 in June and July, more than offsetting August’s gain. Hiring in construction has slowed drastically from earlier in the year despite the housing recovery. The construction industry has added an average of just 2,500 jobs a month in the past six months. That compares with an average 25,500 gain in the previous six months.

The percentage of adults working or looking for work, known as the participation rate, fell to 63.2,

the lowest since 1978. The participation rate for men, which has been declining gradually, fell to its lowest point on records dating to 1948. Doug Handler, chief US economist at IHS Global Insight, said the decline in male participation rate suggests that many men who once worked in areas such as manufacturing and construction are giving up on finding work rather than transitioning to another industry.

“It seems they feel that they’re never going to get another job in their sector or in any other sector,” Handler said. Still, some economists suggested that an increase last month in hours worked and average hourly pay provided important boosts to Americans’ pay and could support stronger consumer spending in coming months.

Average hourly earnings rose 5 cents to $24.05. Hourly pay has risen 2.2 percent in the past 12 months. That’s slightly ahead of the 2 percent inflation rate over the same period.

The average hourly work week ticked up to 34.5 from 34.4, a sign that companies needed more labor.

That can lead to larger paychecks.

But the persistently sluggish pace of hiring will likely be the key factory the Fed will weigh at its policy meeting this month. And few expect any aggressive pullback by the central bank. “The current pace of job growth does not quite take tapering off the table, but it does suggest the Fed will use a lighter touch,” said James Marple, at TD Economics. —AP

2 Fed officials differ on views on bond buys WASHINGTON: Two voting members of the Federal Reserve panel that sets interest rates expressed differing views Friday over when the Fed should reduce its $85 billion a month in bond purchases.

Esther George, president of the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank, said that the Fed should slow the purchases after it meets Sept. 17-18.

She said she could support an initial reduction of $15 billion a month. “It is time to begin a gradual - and predictable - normalization of policy,” she said in a speech in Omaha, Nebraska.

But Charles Evans, president of the Chicago Fed, said that he wants to see more data showing that the economy is gaining momentum. He also wants evidence that factors keeping inflation at ultra-low levels are temporary, during a speech in Greenville, SC. The Fed’s bond purchases have helped keep long-term interest rates low, encouraging more borrowing and spending. The Fed has also kept short-term interest rates near zero since December 2008.

Evans spoke before the government issued a subpar August jobs report - a report the Fed will

weigh in deciding whether to slow its bond buying. George spoke afterward.

Despite wanting to see more data, Evans said the Fed could begin to reduce the bond purchases before the end of the year, if the economy improves. Those comments echoed remarks made by Chairman Ben Bernanke. George has argued that the bond purchases have lost their effectiveness and are raising the risks of financial market instability and higher inflation in the future.

In her speech, George said that slowing the bond purchases will likely make financial markets volatile for a period of time. But she said postponing the move “won’t ease the inevitable adjustment.” She added taking action now with a “firm plan and clear commitment” would be a step toward the Fed’s objective of sustainable growth.

The comments do not represent a change in positions for the two Fed regional presidents, both of whom have votes on the Fed’s policy committee this year. Evans has been a supporter of the Fed’s bond purchases. George has objected to them at each of the Fed’s five previous

WASHINGTON: Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, before the Senate Budget Committee. — AP meetings this year.

The Fed’s policy-making committee will also meet in October and December. —AP

Markets could turn choppy as Syria risks mount WALL STREET WEEKLY OUTLOOK NEW YORK: US stocks could be in for a jolt of volatility in the week ahead as Congress debates whether to authorize a military strike against Syria and as the Federal Reserve’s pivotal decision on winding down its stimulus grows near.

US equity markets have remained on a relatively even keel recently even as others such as US Treasuries and emerging markets have been roiled by worries over what the Fed is likely to do at its meeting later this month and by the Obama administration’s campaign to punish Syria for an alleged chemical weapons attack against civilians.

After falling 3.1 percent in August, the benchmark Standard & Poor’s 500 rebounded by 1.4 percent in the first week of September. For the week, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.76 percent and the Nasdaq Composite gained nearly 2 percent. The CBOE’s Volatility Index, or VIX, a proxy for investor anxiety, fell 7 percent for the week, its largest weekly decline since mid-July. Its closing level of 15.85 on Friday was near a two-week low, and the so-called “fear gauge” is within a point of its average level for the past year, so it is far from elevated.

Still, President Obama’s efforts to convince reluctant lawmakers to back his request for a military strike could get the volatility needles rising. A Senate vote is likely to come next week. “Next week has the potential to see increased volatility and perhaps a jump in

the VIX,” said Tim Ghriskey, chief investment officer of Solaris Group in Bedford Hills, New York, with $1.5 billion in assets. The worry for investors would be if a USled military strike against Syria escalates into a prolonged conflict, Ghriskey said. That could be negative for stocks. “The market will be very susceptible to rumor,” said Quincy Krosby, market strategist at Prudential Financial in Newark, New Jersey. “The worry is that a surgical strike suddenly changes and becomes a bigger, wider event.”

The fact that the congressional debate over Syria comes on the effective eve of the Fed’s key meeting won’t help Wall Street’s mood. The central bank’s policy-setting committee meets on Sept. 17 and 18 and is expected to announced a reduction, or “tapering,” of the pace of its $85 billion a month in bond purchases that have been instrumental in supporting asset prices over the past year. The S&P 500 is up 16.1 percent this year.

“If the Fed does taper, it becomes a double whammy,” Ghriskey said. If that weren’t enough, the question of just who will lead the Fed after Chairman Ben Bernanke steps down early next year also creates uncertainty for investors, not to mention another possible showdown between the White House and Congress over the federal budget and debt ceiling.

Taken together, these factors could be the mix needed to spur what many strategists argue is a long-

overdue pullback in stock prices. “We’re poised for the long-awaited correction,” said Margaret Patel, senior portfolio manager at Wells Capital Management.

The S&P has not experienced a 10 percent slide, the threshold for a technical correction, in more than two years.

Outflows from stock funds in the past three weeks may be another sign that investors are growing wary of US stocks. Investors have pulled $15.3 billion out of stock funds in the past three weeks, the most over any comparable stretch since August 2011. About $3 billion was pulled from the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust, which tracks the S&P 500, marking the largest outflows from any exchange-traded fund in the weekly period ended Sept 4. Those outflows suggest investors are “concerned about the future direction of equity markets,” said Jeff Tjornehoj, head of Americas research at Lipper.

“Our sense is just that money is moving onto the sidelines” said Temple of Pioneer Investments.

The week ahead is relatively light by way of economic data, with the biggest scheduled release being retail sales for August, due on Friday. The Reuters consensus forecast calls for an increase of 0.4 percent from July. The earnings calendar is also thin, with just two notable names on the docket: apparel company Phillips-Van Heusen Corp on Monday and grocer Kroger Co on Thursday. —Reuters

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

BUSINESS

Chevrolet Alghanim launches a ‘Back to School Campaign’ Offering first 3 installments for free upon purchase KUWAIT: In one of the strongest promotions this year that coincides with the back to school season, Yusuf A. Alghanim & Sons, the exclusive distributor of Chevrolet vehicles in Kuwait launched the Back to school campaign, offering the first 3 month installments as a gift from Chevrolet Alghanim, the offer extends on the: Spark, Aveo, Sonic, Cruze, Malibu, Caprice, Captiva and Traverse.

Customers can also benefit from exceptional prices on the Tahoe at KD 9,777 while fans of the Silverado may drive home the powerful truck at only KD 5,777 and finally, loyal TrailBlazer customers may own an All-New TrailBlazer at only KD 7,444.

The NEW Chevrolet Captiva arrives with an enhanced exterior that exudes a harmonious blend of modernity and liveliness especially in the front and back ends of the car that includes the bumpers, headlamps and a front attractive grill.

Under the hood lies the option of a 2.4-liter and four-cylinder engine that runs at 169 hp or a 3-liter, 6cylinder engine that reaches 264 hp, elements that position the 2013 Captiva as the most powerful midsize crossover vehicle in the market.

The Captiva is also equipped with a 6-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission that performs at different speeds in a smooth manner enables the driver and passengers to enjoy a comfortable and

effortless drive throughout every journey. The Chevrolet Captiva’s spacious cabin also comes with three rows of seats, that can comfortably seat 7 passengers. Enriched with the latest modern technologies the midsize SUV, the new Captiva is equipped Bluetooth, CD and an MP3 system. The New Captiva comes with a 360 safety package including ABS, StabiliTrak, rear park assisting sensors, a solid exterior.

Rethought, reshaped and redesigned, the 2013 Traverse provides its owner with a new exterior design and impressive engineering developments. The 2013 Traverse’s powerful performance is complemented with standard-setting safety features. General Motors enhanced the 2013 Traverse’s exterior starting with the front grill, headlights and smooth, seamless lines that greatly beautify and enhance the hood and backdoor. Comfortably seating eight passengers, the interior is equipped with Chevy’s MyLink infotainment system that provides 6.5 inches of touch screen interface for all entertainment needs. Apart from allowing one to access MP3 files, iPods, iPads and more, the MyLink system seamlessly integrates a smartphone’s capabilities into the vehicle via USB or Bluetooth. The 2013 Chevrolet Traverse is designed to help avoid crashes and protect the driver and his/her passengers in the event of a

collision. From the StabiliTrak(r) Electronic Stability Control System, 9 standard air bags. The 2013 Traverse provides car owners a competitive advantage when it comes to the vehicle’s fuel efficiency; the all-new drive that holds up to eight people has a 3.6-liter, direct-injected V6 engine and standard 6-speed automatic transmission that provides smooth shifting and effortless, quiet acceleration while contributing to impressive highway fuel economy.

The Tahoe is the ideal SUV that contains features sought by the youth, fans of powerful cars, top executives as well as families who seek spacious, solid cars that conveniently and comfortably transport them downtown or carr y them through the great outdoors. Tahoe is equipped with an 8-cylinder, 5.3-liter V8 engine with 6-speed automatic transmission with overdrive that reaches up to 320 hp. The Tahoe has proven to be the ultimate vehicle of choice for any need or want due to its rich features and security measures that comprise of eight airbags, ABS, Stabilitrak, Cruise Control and remote engine starter. The Tahoe has received the highest possible five star quality score in a survey comprised

by JD Power.

The offer also includes the elegant Chevrolet Cruze, a car that continues to evolve into one of Chevrolet’s most impressive vehicles in its seg-

Saudi Agriculture to showcase opportunities at regional show

Zain launches unlimited talk time, 4G LTE package for prepaid customers KUWAIT: Zain, the leading telecommunications company in Kuwait, announced its latest campaign “Life is eeZee when you switch to Zain” where pre-paid customers can now enjoy unlimited communication from a variety of plans that offers unlimited talk time bundled with broadband Internet plans. For the first time, prepaid customers can enjoy unlimited talk time and 4G LTE internet in a single discounted package.

In a press statement, Zain announced that it has designed its eeZee prepaid services to provide a number of plans to meet every customer’s demands. The company stressed that it spares no effort in making the newest technologies available for prepaid customers.

4G LTE internet and unlimited calls are available for customers to subscribe at KD3.5/2GB daily, KD17/6GB weekly, and

KD57/12GB monthly plans. Additionally, customers can subscribe to 3G internet speed accompanied with unlimited calls for KD2.750/1GB daily, or KD 15/4GB weekly, or KD49/3GB monthly plans.

Zain prides itself for being the pioneer in the telecommunications sector that provides innovative offerings to all mobile holders while maintaining the best customer service. The company pledges to continue maintaining its leadership in providing high-quality internet services and the latest information technology. For more information about Zain’s numerous competitive promotions, customers are advised to visit any of Zain’s 76 branches located across Kuwait, visit the company’s website on www.kw.zain.com, contact its 24 hour call center at 107, or visit the company’s social media channels.

Gulf Bank announces winners of Al-Danah daily draws KUWAIT: Gulf Bank held its Al-Danah daily draws on September 1, 2013, announcing the names of its winners for the week of August 25th to August 29th.

The Al Danah daily draws include draws each working day for two prizes of KD1000 per winner.

The winners were: (Sunday 25/8): Adel Abdulla Mohammed Al-Houti, Bader Ahmad Hussain Qabazard (Monday 26/8): Mohammed Hassan Diab Mohammed, Osama Mahmoud AbdulMajeed Awadh (Tuesday 27/8): Amal Kadem Salem Othman, Abdullah Hassan Abdullah AlShatti (Wednesday 28/8): Karemah Fahed Abdulaziz Al-Fulaij, Hanan Abdullah Eisa Al-Yousifi (Thursday 29/8): Ahmed Sayed Abdulwahab Al-Nakib, Saoud Ahmoud Mejbel Al-Hilal Gulf Bank’s Al Danah 2013 draw lineup includes daily draws (2 winners per working day each receive KD1000), as well as three draw prizes per quarter. Al

Danah’s 3rd Quarterly draw will be held on - 26 September (KD500,000, KD125,000, and KD25,000) and the final draw will be held on 9 January, 2014 announcing winners of KD50,000, KD250,000 and the Al Danah Millionaire.

Gulf Bank’s Al Danah allows customers to win cash prizes and simultaneously encourages them to save money.

Chances increase the more money is deposited and the longer it is kept in the account.

Al-Danah also offers a number of unique services including the Al Danah Deposit Only ATM card which helps account holders deposit their money at their convenience; as well as the AlDanah calculator to help customers calculate their chances of becoming an AlDanah winner.

To be part of the Al-Danah draws, customers can visit one of Gulf Bank’s 56 branches, transfer on line, or call the Customer Contact Center on 1805805 for assistance and guidance. Customers can also log on to www.e-gulfbank.com/aldanahwinners, to find out more about Al Danah and who the winners are.

ment, offering competitive amenities, quietness, safety features and space expected of a larger sedan, but still providing the efficiency and value of a compact car. Now available with the new infotainment system ‘MyLink’, the sleek and sporty 2013 Cruze offers more value for customers than ever. Chevrolet MyLink is the brand-new and sophisticated infotainment system, which brings smartphone capabilities into the vehicle. Chevrolet MyLink aggregates content from a smartphone onto the seven-inch, high resolution, full color touch-screen display. Apart from its large sunroof, the Cruze is equipped with ABS, Stabilitrak, USB connectivity, airbags, Bluetooth, rearview camera, Cruise Control and push start engine plus 16-inch alloy wheels and fog lamps. The Cruze also proves to be the economical luxury 4-wheel drive as it is powered with a 1.8-liter engine that generates an impressive 140 hp.

Apart from the remarkable features and the attractive prices, customers will enjoy excellent customer service, quality maintenance options and competitive prices on spare parts, all of which are provided to you by a team of professional and skilled technicians and team members. Visit any of Yusuf A, Alghanim & Sons Automotive’s four showrooms and choose your favorite Chevrolet car to benefit from this special offer.

Food, agricultural account for 15% of KSA imports RIYADH: Food and agricultural commodities currently account for around 15 per cent of Saudi Arabia’s imports at $17.5 billion, as the Kingdom further emphasizes its position as the largest consumer market in the Gulf. Domestic food consumption is poised to increase by 9.75 per cent and mass grocery retail transactions by 11.7 per cent by the end of this year, so the share could rise even further. Looking forward, Saudi agricultural imports are expected to grow by as much as 76 per cent by 2016.

The Kingdom is investing around $12.3 billion in domestic agriculture projects and food security programs to meet growing local demand. Leading opportunities in such a thriving and dynamic agricultural market will be revealed at Saudi Agriculture 2013 - the 32nd International Agriculture, Water and Agro-Industry Show taking place from September 15 to 18,

2013 at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center.

Saudi Agriculture is the Middle East’s largest agricultural show, attracting marquee exhibitors of agricultural products, services and equipment from the region as well as Europe, the Americas and Asia. It is accredited by UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, and enjoys the continued patronage and suppor t of the Saudi Ministry of Agriculture. The show is regarded as a major regional platform for networking as well as conducting business and sales.

“Higher consumer spending power, a rising population, huge demand for retail food, and its status as the region’s biggest economy all combine to make Saudi Arabia the Gulf’s top agricultural market. Saudi Agriculture provides a powerful platform to maximize business oppor tunities and to

explore and discuss industry concerns from both producer and consumer perspectives. It acts as a three-in-one trade event as it also focuses on food products, processing and packaging as well via its two concurrent shows,” said Zeyad Al-Rukban, Assistant General Manager, Riyadh Exhibitions Company.

Saudi Agriculture covers a wide array of agricultural segments, from Animal Health & Production, Agricultural Finance & Banking and Agricultural Products & Services to Handling & Transport Systems, Irrigation & Landscaping Equipment, and Machinery & Spare Parts. Last year’s show accommodated 162 exhibitors from 20 countries and nearly 9,000 visitors in 5,000 sqm of exhibition space.

This year’s edition will be held concurrently with Saudi Agro-Food 2013 - The 20th International trade show for Food products, Processing

Zeyad Al-Rukban and Packaging Technologies and Saudi Food-Pack 2013 - The 2nd International Exhibition for food processing and Packaging.

Tawasul Telecom attends SAMENA Council Regulatory Summit KUWAIT: Tawasul Telecom, -the GCC and Middle East leader in the provision of MPLS networking services has successfully participated in SAMENA Council Regulatory Summit held in Kuwait on September 2nd under the patronage of Issa Al-K andari, Minister of Communications in Kuwait. The company’s initiative is driven by its keen interest to support such a vital event which had shed lights on the regulatory landscape and discussed topics including regulatory trends, digitization, and public private partnership, among others of the telecommunications industry in the region.

Commenting on Tawasul Telecom’s participation in the Summit, Salem Al-Mulaifi Business Development Director at Tawasul Telecom said, “Tawasul Telecom became an ac tive member of SAMENA Telecommunication Council in February 2012.

And being a leading provider in the telecommunication industry, Tawasul Telecom was ver y keen to par ticipate in the SAMENA Council Regulatory Summit in Kuwait as we

strongly support the necessity of regulations enhancement to facilitate continuous growth and efficiency of the Telecom industry. The

Salem Al-Mulaifi Summit provided a viable platform to all participants with the opportunity to discuss the

required enhancements and identify collaborative efforts needed to implement them.

Since joining SAMENA, Tawasul Telecom has also participated successfully in the Council “Beyond Connectivity 2013” Conference held in Istanbul.

Tawasul Telecom has successfully pioneered the provisioning of IP based services across multiple borders in the GCC and the Middle East. The company has successfully engaged with regional carriers and international Tier 1 operators, and has established a unique pangulf, next generation IP network.

Tawasul Telecom provides its partners with a one-stop-shop for a fully-redundant highlyavailable end-to-end solution, which empowers them to tackle the any-to-any challenge faced by their clients today. Tawasul Telecom’s unique offerings are the preferred choice among its regional and international partners.

From its supplier-neutral stance, Tawasul Telecom provides a non-stop, reach-anywhere dimension covering the region and beyond.

The job market Fed faces: Healing but still ailing WASHINGTON: Just how sturdy is the US job market? That’s the key question the Federal Reserve will face when it decides later this month whether to reduce its economic stimulus.

The answer depends on where you look. The economy has added jobs for 35 straight months.

Unemployment has reached a 41/2-year low of 7.3 percent. Layoffs are dwindling.

Yet other barometers of the job market point to chronic weakness: The pace of hiring remains tepid.

Job growth is concentrated in lower-paying industries. The economy is 1.9 million jobs shy of its prerecession level - and that’s not counting the additional jobs needed to meet population growth.

Nearly 4.3 million people have been unemployed at least six months. What’s more, employers have little incentive to raise pay. Many unhappy employees have nowhere else to go. Still, when it meets Sept. 17-18, the Fed is expected to reduce its $85 billion a month in bond purchases by perhaps $10 billion. Its purchases have helped keep home-loan and other borrowing rates low to try to encourage consumers and businesses to borrow and spend more. Here’s a look at the job market’s vital signs as the Fed’s decision nears: UNEMPLOYMENT The unemployment rate slid in August to 7.3 percent, its lowest level since December 2008.

Unemployment had peaked in October 2009 at 10

percent and has since fallen more or less steadily.

Since then, the number of people who say they have jobs has risen by 5.7 million. And the number of those who say they’re unemployed has dropped by nearly 4.1 million. That’s the good news behind the tumbling unemployment rate. But the rate has been falling, in part, for a bad reason: People are dropping out of the labor force. Once people without a job stop looking for one, the government no longer counts them as unemployed.

Some are retiring. Some are young adults who have chosen to go to college rather than brave a tough job market. Some have gone on disability.

And some have given up the job search, discouraged by repeated rejections. The percentage of people either working or looking for work - the socalled labor force participation rate - fell last month to a 35-year low: 63.2 percent. If the participation rate were at the pre-recession level of 66 percent, up to 6.8 million more people could be counted as unemployed. And the unemployment rate could be as high as 11.2 percent.

The 4 million-plus Americans who have been unemployed for six months or more are down from a peak of 6.7 million in April 2010. Yet before 2009, the United States had never seen long-term unemployment surpass 2.9 million, even during the deep recessions of the mid-1970s and early 1980s.

Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke has called long-

term unemployment a “national crisis” that’s causing workers to lose skills.

JOB CREATION Since the Great Recession officially ended in June 2009, the American economy has added nearly 5.6 million jobs. Yet that hasn’t been nearly enough to fill the hole left by the recession. The United States still has 1.9 million fewer jobs than the 138 million it had when the recession officially began in December 2007. If hiring continued at August’s 169,000-job monthly pace, the job market wouldn’t return to pre-recession levels for almost another year. And that’s before taking population growth into account. Heidi Shierholz, an economist at the liberal Economic Policy Institute, calculates that the US job market is 8.3 million jobs short of where it needs to be to keep up with a growing population and reduce unemployment to prerecession levels. But job creation seems to be slowing. From January through April this year, employers added a robust 205,000 jobs a month. In the four months since, they’ve added only 155,000.

“Job gains are just not good enough,” says Joel Naroff, president of Naroff Economic Advisors.

LOW-QUALITY JOBS The jobs the economy is generating this year have tended to be low-paying, part-time or both.

More than 654,000 - or 45 percent - of the 1.44 million jobs added this year come from three generally

low-paying industries: department stores and other retailers; hotels and restaurants; and temporary services. And nearly 60 percent of the jobs added this year have been part-time, though economists caution that the part-time employment figures are volatile. The lower quality of the available jobs is one reason pay has stagnated. The average hourly earnings of private-sector employers haven’t kept up with inflation since the end of the recession. “More and more, America’s jobs are not supporting America’s families,” said Christine Owens, executive director of the National Employment Law Project, which advocates on behalf of low wage workers.

LAYOFFS AND HIRING The American labor market is divided between haves and have-nots. If you have a job, your position is safer than it’s been in years. If you don’t have one and aren’t willing to settle for lower-wage work, the job search can be brutal.

Layoffs are averaging just over 1.6 million a month this year through June. That means the United States this year is on pace to have the fewest layoffs in Labor Department records dating to 2001. The drop in layoffs has sharply reduced the number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits. Over the past month, weekly applications have fallen to their lowest level since October 2007 - two months before the official start

of the recession. Yet while companies aren’t cutting many jobs, they’re in no hurry to hire, either.

Total hiring has averaged 4.3 million people a month through June this year, before subtracting those who quit, retired or were laid off, the Labor Department says. That’s 1 million fewer than the 5.3 million monthly average in the pre-recession year of 2006. For every available job, there are three unemployed people - up from an average of just 1.8 before the recession.

Job seekers can testify to how competitive the market is. Kelly Kloster, 23, was hoping to land a job - any job - in the film industry after she graduated with a degree in cinema and media arts from Southern California’s Biola University in May. She sent out 100 resumes - and heard back from one potential employer. After a grueling interview process, she didn’t get the job.

“I thought I got my degree so that I could get a job right out of college,” she said by email. Michael Magnum, 28, graduated from the University of Utah in May 2010 with a degree in finance. Unable to land a job as a financial analyst, he worked for a couple of years as a photographer. When he started looking again for a job in finance, he endured six more months of rejections and “dead-end interviews.” Eventually, he found work with a mortgage lender - for about 40 percent less than the $40,000 starting salary he’d been counting on. —AP

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

technology

New EMC VNX series delivers unprecedented performance DUBAI: Today, joined by EMC partners and customers, EMC Corporation kicked off a 24-hour, around-the-world live launch announcing new technologies that give IT infrastructure teams the speed they need to lead their IT transformation. The cornerstone of today’s news is the new, highly anticipated, range of VNX unified storage systems (VNX5200, VNX5400, VNX5600, VNX5800, VNX7600, VNX8000 and VNX-F) that shatter the definition and economics of midrange storage. The new VNX raises the bar for application performance, storage efficiency, data protection, data availability and easeof-use.

Organizations are aggressively transforming their IT infrastructures by adopting virtualization technology and cloud computing models. This enables them to be more agile while, at the same time, operate more efficiently. This is essential in an environment of ever-tightening budgets. But challenges remain. There are often hundreds or thousands of virtual machines with ever-increasing amounts of data and ever-increasing demands on performance and availability. Infrastructure teams need storage systems that enable them to do much more, for much less.

EMC today delivered the new VNX Series that leverages the latest Intel Sandy Bridge technology and features powerful new MCx(multi-core optimization) software that is flash optimized and accelerates the per formance of virtualized applications.This boost to application performance, along with the EMC VNX’s industry leading storage integration with VMware vSphere(VNX is #1 for file, block and unified for the third year in a row according to a recent Wikibon study) makes VNX the ideal platform for organizations aggressively adopting virtualization.

Revolutionary midrange price Enabled with MCx software, the new VNX Series is designed to addresses the high-performance, low-

latency requirements of virtualized applications, which is the most common use case for midrange solutions. MCx software takes full advantage of the latest Intel-multi core processing technology to optimize flash by distributing all VNX data services across all cores (up-to 32). This is a new approach for midrange arrays-enabling the VNX to deliver the performance of the previous generation at only onethird the price.

With a single VNX system powered by MCx, customers can achieve: Equivalent performance of 4 previous generation systems combined-or 580,796 SPECsfs2008 nfs Ops/Sec (Overall Response Time = 0.78 msec) according to the latest SPECsfs results.

More than 3X performance for transactional NAS applications (such as VMware over NFS) with 60%faster response time than previous VNX systems.

More than 735K concurrent Oracle and SQL OLTP IOPS - 4X more than previous VNX systems.

More than 6,600 virtual machines - a 6X improvement from the previous VNX systems.

More than 3X the bandwidth -up to 30GB/secondfor Oracle and SQL data warehousing than previous VNX systems.

Capacity efficiency-50% or more improvement Typically only a few flash drives (on average less than 5 percent of the total capacity) are needed to optimize performance for virtualized applications.

With the new VNX Series, customers can reduce capacity requirements with new fixed block deduplication. This is ideal for virtual machines, virtual desktops, and other environments with redundant data across multiple sources. In addition, with enhancements to the EMC FAST suite-including 4X better tiering granularity and new Enterprise Multi-Level Cell (eMLC) drives-customers can even further lower the cost per gigabyte. Couple the newly designed VNX Series with the latest version of the FAST suite

and customers can lower their flash capacity requirements-and virtual machine costs-by 50 percent or more.

Industry leading ease-of-use for virtualized environments EMC is the #1 storage for mission critical applications such as Microsoft and VMware. The new VNX Series builds upon this leadership by empowering storage specialists, virtualization managers or application administrators with increased visibility and self-service IT in virtualized environments. AppSync 1.5 delivers new self-service IT capabilities for VMware, Microsoft and database administrators who can protect their application with just oneclick-across file and block. The new Unisphere Management Suite is designed to centrally manage up-to thousands of VNX/VNXe systems and servers with XtremSW Cache and also includes powerful monitoring and reporting capabilities for validating performance and capacity requirements.

Expanded best of breed flash portfolio A new flash-only VNX configuration (VNX-F) is also now available for environments demanding higher performance at lower latencyfor long periods of time. VNX-F delivers consistent high performance at lower latency compared to all disk or hybrid versions of the VNX. For when even lower latency is required for transactional workloads, EMC today also announced EMC XtremSW Cache 2.0 server-flash caching software.

According to a recent independent evaluation by Demartek, the addition of XtremSW Cache 2.0 to a flash-only configuration of the VNX8000 in aSQL Server workload reduced latency by another 65 percent. XtremSW Cache 2.0 also delivers greater interoperability with VMware vCenter, industry first IBM AIX support and distributed cache coherency for Oracle RAC environments as well as increased support for any server flash SSD or PCIehardware (including EMC XtremSF server flash hardware).

Continuous application data availability The VNX Series improves application availability and data protection for file and block-based applications. The new VNX simplifies online file system mobility between systems for improved availability.

In addition, the VNX-CA is a new offering in the VNX Family that is designed to deliver continuous availability for block data with the powerful combination of the new VNX with EMC VPLEX virtual storage to achieve higher levels of application uptime.

AshishNadkarni, Research Director, Storage at IDC said “The midrange market faces some serious challenges, among them being incredible growth, increasing management complexity, pressures to remain competitive, and budgets that rarely grow.

Customers require technologies that squeeze every last drop of value out of their assets in both physical and virtual environments-and for their sake they better have flash technology as part of their plan. In keeping with its track record in the storage market, EMC has delivered a new storage platform that presents a fundamental change to how midrange storage customers can make the most out of flash within their arrays-compounded with a totally new level of price and performance that the midrange storage market has not witnessed before.”

Rich Napolitano, President, Unified Storage Division at EMC said “Today’s news is a game changing approach to how midrange storage will serve the cloud and data centers of the future. The new VNX Series is a powerful foundation to help customers make the absolute most of their infrastructure, and leverage the performance and efficiency benefits of flash technologywhile also making it cost-effective-doing more for less. This has been a highly anticipated product introduction for us.

We’ve dedicated a significant amount of resources, talent and innovation to ensure that our customers and partners around the world have a superior midrange storage array.”

Apple poised to ship iPhones to China Mobile Apple hit with US injunction in e-books antitrust case

Tom Wlodkowski, a blind executive at Comcast Corp, is helping to develop a talking TV interface for the blind and other accessible products for the disabled. — MCT

Blind Comcast executive develops a talking television channel guide PHILADELPHIA: How does a blind person find what to “watch” on a TV with 200 channels and 46,000 video-on-demand choices of movies, shows, and clips? Tom Wlodkowski, a blind executive at Comcast Corp., thinks he has the answer: a talking TV channel guide. No joke. “The television is not strictly as visual a medium as you might think,” said David Goldfield, a computer technology instructor at the Associated Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired. “Radio drama in the US is more or less dead. If you are blind and you want a good story, you’re still going to get it on television.”

Comcast expects the talking guide to come with its next-generation X2 platform in 2014. The cable giant demonstrated the talking guide this year at a California technology conference and at the cable-TVindustry trade show in Washington.

Comcast also market-tested the guide with 20 average-Joe-type sight-impaired individuals in Philadelphia, arranged by the Associated Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

The interactive, cloud-based guide - the current voice is a woman, but users eventually could choose the voice, as they can with a ring tone - responds to buttons the person pushes. This is part of a year-old project at Comcast to make the company’s products more accessible to customers with disabilities. Wlodkowski has an “accessibility” team and will soon have a lab in the Comcast Center in Philadelphia.

Comcast isn’t doing this just to reach out to the nation’s 1.3 million blind individuals who fear being left behind as popular culture and media go digital on the Internet and TV. The Twenty-First Century Communications and Accessibility Act of 2010, passed on the 20-year anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act, is forcing technology companies to integrate accessibility functions into products. It’s believed that, in three years, talking interfaces will have to come with TV products.

Wlodkowski thinks he also can drive bu sin e ss. Pe op l e wi th d i s a bi l i ti e s account for $200 billion in discretionary spending power, and catering to their needs, he believes, can boost brand loyalty. “We will meet the requirements of the law, but we also believe there can be innovation,” he said.

Wlodkowski is looking to develop products that could help older Americans “age in place” through the Xfinity home products, which now include home security.

Generally, technology companies - with the exception of Apple Inc - have received poor marks in the selling of blind-friendly products.

“We see it as a civil right, and we see

manufacturers embracing accessibility way too slowly,” Lauren McLarney, government affairs specialist at the National Federation of the Blind, said of consumer electronics and technology companies. Comcast’s talking guide sounds “worthwhile,” but she hasn’t seen it. The association offers a channel guide by ZIP code called “newsline” that last year was accessed 600,000 times.

Before the talking guide, Wlodkowski said, he would have to recognize Matt Lauer’s voice at NBC or Anderson Cooper on CNN. He also memorized channel numbers. But most times, he had no idea what was on the channel. “ The only way I could navigate T V before,” Wlodkowski said, “was to go up and down the channels and listen until I found something that I liked.” Recently, he was fiddling with a talking TV guide and stumbled on “Brady Bunch” reruns. “They still syndicate that? Wow,” he said. Formerly with AOL Inc., Wlodkowski is the vice president of accessibility and said his team at Comcast had four goals: -To seek information from disabled customers about what they need and how they interact with Comcast’s products.

-To integrate functionality into products so they can be more easily used by disabled subscribers.

-To introduce specific products, such as the talking guide.

-To enhance customer service for disabled subscribers.

Wlodkowski, who was born blind, was raised in Southington, Conn., with three older brothers. His parents insisted on a regular childhood. He rode a bike in the neighborhood, skied with a guide, and marched in the marching band (he beat the snare drum). His most popular sitcom was “Cheers” because, he said, “it was relatively easy to follow. When Norm walked in, everybody said, ‘Hi, Norm.’ “ He attended Boston College, majoring in communications. His first media job was with WGBH, the public broadcasting station in Boston. While there, Wlodkowski developed, with a federal grant from the Department of Education, a prototype of a talking TV interface. It was never commercialized. Wlodkowski said he was happy to be back in a city with mass transit. His wife, Michele, and 15-year-old son, Colin, will relocate from Virginia, and he intends to buy a suburban home near a rail line.

One challenging experience in Philadelphia has been mastering the elevators at the sky-high Comcast Center.

There are more than 30 elevators, and some go only to certain floors. “Catching the elevator in this place,” Wlodkowski said, “is an art that I don’t think I have figured out.” — MCT

NEW YORK CITY: China’s biggest mobile carrier looks set to sell Apple’s iPhone, hugely increasing the California-based company’s distribution in the world’s largest smartphone market, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday. Apple is preparing to ship iPhones to China Mobile, in a successful conclusion to years of negotiations with the Chinese wireless giant which has some 700 million subscribers, the Journal reported on its website. The report comes as Apple prepares an event at its headquarters next week where it is expected to unveil two new iPhones, including a cheaper version.

The Journal cited unidentified people with knowledge of the deal as saying that Apple had asked manufacturing partner Foxconn to add China Mobile to its list of carriers to receive a low-cost iPhone. If confirmed it would finally give Apple access to one of the world’s biggest major wireless carriers which does not offer the company’s smartphones. It comes as Apple’s sales in China slipped 14 percent from a year ago in the third quarter to $4.6 billion.

Apple has scheduled an announcement in Beijing on Wednesday, a day after its planned event in California. The development followed reports in Tokyo earlier Friday that Apple has agreed a deal with Japan’s biggest mobile carrier, NTT Docomo, to sell its iPhone.

NTT Docomo is in the final stages of negotiations with Apple after losing millions of cus-

tomers to its domestic rivals, which are way ahead in carrying the handset in Japan, the leading Nikkei business daily reported. The carrier could start selling the gadget as early as September 20, the Asahi newspaper said.

The Japanese carrier is looking to reverse years of lost business as the iPhone soars in popularity, supplying a big boost for domestic rivals KDDI and SoftBank. The report comes as Apple itself tries to recapture its own lost market share from South Korean rival Samsung and its Galaxy smartphone, which now dominates the multibillion-dollar smartphone sector. Apple’s global share of the lucrative smartphone market fell to 14.2 percent in the second quarter, while Samsung’s rose to 31.7 percent, according to a survey by US technology research firm Gartner.

Meanwhile, A US judge who found Apple Inc conspired to fix e-book prices imposed new restrictions on the iPad maker on Friday, limiting its agreements with publishers. US District Judge Denise Cote in New York also said she would appoint an external monitor to review Apple’s antitrust compliance policies, procedures and training for two years. The injunction was narrower than the US Justice Department had sought, in line with Cote’s statement last week that she wanted it “to rest as lightly as possible on how Apple runs its business.”

The department had sought a broader injunction that could have affected Apple’s agreements

with suppliers of movies, music and TV shows.

Cote ruled on July 10 that Apple was liable for conspiring with five publishers to raise e-book prices above those established by the dominant retailer in the market, Amazon.com Inc. The five publishers, all of which have settled with regulators, include Lagardere SCA’s Hachette Book Group Inc, News Corp’s HarperCollins Publishers LLC, Penguin Random House LLC, CBS Corp’s Simon & Schuster Inc and Verlagsgruppe Georg von Holtzbrinck GmbH’s Macmillan.

The terms of Friday’s judgment will expire after five years, but Cote’s order allows for extensions in one-year increments if necessary. The Justice Department welcomed the injunction.

“Consumers will continue to benefit from lower e-book prices as a result of the department’s enforcement action to restore competition in this important industry,” Assistant Attorney General Bill Baer said in a statement. Apple said it would appeal the injunction. “Apple did not conspire to fix e-book pricing,” said company spokesman Tom Neumayr. “The iBookstore gave customers more choice and injected muchneeded innovation and competition into the market.” Apple’s shares rose 0.6 percent to $498.22 on Friday. It faces a separate trial on damages demanded by states that are pursuing related claims. The case is US v Apple Inc et al, US District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 12-02826. — Agencies

Lookout tailors smartphone defenses for businesses SAN FRANCISCO: US mobile security startup Lookout built on the popularity among smartphone and tablet owners by offering its gadget-defending expertise to businesses. Since the San Francisco-based startup launched in 2007, the number of people who have installed free Lookout malwarefighting applications on smartphones or tablets has climbed to about 40 million. Lookout said its successful spread caught the attention of businesses grappling with ways to keep data and networks safe as lifestyles increasingly involve people using personal smartphones or tablets at work.

“The hope we had in 2007 was that if we built a great consumer product we would get pulled into the enterprise,” Lookout chief technology officer Kevin Mahaffey told AFP. “In the past year, thousands of companies have reached out to us.”Employees at more than half of Fortune 1000 companies use Lookout Mobile Security applications, according to the startup.

Challenges to keeping business safe include giving workers access to data or networks through smartphones or tablets while still allowing personal uses such as games or social networking, according to Mahaffey. “It requires business IT departments to relax their historically iron fists on mobile security deployment,” he said.

“People expect much more freedom on their mobile devices than on their company desktop (computers).”

Lookout’s free applications tailored for iPhones, iPads, Kindles, and Android-powered devices expose malicious software, back up data, and let people trigger remote alarms in smartphones to locate misplaced devices.

Lookout is the top mobile security application for smartphones built on Google-backed Android software. A premium version of Lookout, available for $30 a year or three dollars monthly, includes features such as backing up pictures and remotely locking and wiping data from smartphones that are lost or stolen. Pricing wasn’t disclosed for versions of Lookout tailored for businesses.

Mahaffey said that the broad Lookout user base is an asset because while defending smartphones and tablets the company gets valuable insights into tools and tactics used by hackers. “We might have a user in China who will never pay us anything, but since our system gets smarter while protecting their phone it benefits our paying customers,” Mahaffey said. The kick-off of Lookout for Business came with the announcement that leading Android smartphone maker Samsung has enlisted the company to add a layer of defense to mobile devices tailored for businesses. “Think of it as a secure vault for business apps or data on a device,” Mahaffey said. “Lookout will be built into that.” — AFP

BERLIN: Alan Mulally, CEO of Ford, kisses a S-Max concept car during a keynote as part of the IFA, one of the world's largest trade fairs for consumer electronics and electrical home appliances in Berlin, Germany. — AP

PayPal app adds more mobile wallet features NEW YORK: PayPal is updating its mobile app, adding features such as the ability to place an order ahead of time and pay with it while at the restaurant table. The move comes as eBay’s subsidiary works to expand beyond processing payments for online purchases. It’s been trying to service transactions at brick-and-mortar stores as the two worlds continue to meld.

The free app is available Thursday for iPhones and Android phones. It includes a feature called “Shop.” With it, people can find nearby stores and restaurants that take PayPal payments. People can use their phones to pay for things. Forrester Research analyst Denee Carrington called the update the next step in mobile payments, though she noted that some features - such as the ability to use PayPal to pay the check at a restaurant - could take

people some time to get used to.

“People are not struggling with paying. They don’t need an easier way to pay.

Paying with your card isn’t hard,” she said.

Rather, she said, what’s needed is a “smarter and more convenient commerce experience before, during and after the moment of payment.”

This means the ability to see coupons and special offers near you or receive financing through PayPal’s “Bill Me Later” service while you’re in the store wondering how you’ll be able to afford that new couch. Forrester estimates that there will be about $90 billion spent through mobile payments in the US in 2016.

Although PayPal has a slew of competitors, such as Square and Google, Carrington said “no one has an inroad to the merchant community the way PayPal does.” — AP

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

US teenage birth rate at new low WASHINGTON: The rate of teenage pregnancy in the United States is at a historic low, and has dropped by more than half in the last two decades, declining across nearly all racial and ethnic groups, according to a government report released on Friday.

The rate for girls ages 15-19 dropped to 29.4 births per 1,000 last year from 31.3 per 1,000 in 2011.

This was less than half the 61.8 births per 1,000 teenage girls recorded in 1991.

“That is an astonishing success in terms of this particular topic of debate,” said Brady Hamilton, a statistician with the National Center for Health Statistics who led the data collection. The Center is part of the US government’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The numbers have steadily declined over the last two decades, except for a brief spike in 2006 and 2007, Hamilton said. Among racial and ethnic groups, the largest decline since 2007 was reported

for Hispanic teenagers, for whom the rate dropped 39 percent to 46.3 births per 1,000 to 2012 from 2007.

Last year, the rate of births for white, Black, Hispanic and Asian or Pacific Islander teenagers declined from 5 to 7 percent compared to 2011.

Bill Albert, a spokesman for the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, said it was impossible to predict if the drop in teenage mothers will continue, so it is impor-

tant for parents and policymakers not to mistake progress for absolute victory.

“Obviously they are making better decisions, having less sex and using more contraception,” he said.

The Obama administration has invested in efforts aimed at lowering the rate of teenage pregnancies.

In 2010, the US Department of Health and Human Services gave $155 million in teenage pregnancy prevention grants to states, school districts and nonprofit organizations. —Reuters

Smoothies, fruit juices ‘a new risk’ to health Concern over amount of sugar Tiny implant which battles skin cancer to begin human trials LONDON: An implant the size of a fingernail that instructs immune cells to home in on and kill cancer cells has been put forward for clinical trials, which scientists hope could revolutionise the treatment of skin cancer. The novel technique, one of several ground-breaking cancer vaccines in development, could also represent a new direction for treatments of other forms of cancer. Researchers at Harvard University first trialled the implant in mice four years ago, but have now perfected their technique and received approval for human trials.

The implant combats melanoma - the most lethal form of skin cancer.

Half the mice that received two doses of the vaccine showed complete regression of their cancer tumours. Cancer Research UK said that the technique showed “real potential” to one day add to the growing “arsenal against cancer”. The implant works like other vaccines by aiding the immune system’s ability to recognise and attack cancer cells. Research in the field of cancer vaccines is still in its early stages, but many scientists believe the techniques carry the potential for many future

treatments. After a glut of major breakthroughs in recent years, development of some novel treatments has stalled, but the Harvard device heralds a possible new direction. “It is rare to get a new technology tested in the laboratory and moved into human clinical trials so quickly,” said Glenn Dranoff, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

“We’re beyond thrilled with the momentum, and excited about its potential”. The Phase I study in humans, which will test if the device is safe for clinical use, is expected to be complete by 2015, so it could be many years before the technique becomes available to patients.

Dr Emma Smith, Cancer Research UK’s senior science communications officer, said: “This is an early stage clinical trial to find out if a skin cancer vaccine is safe for patients, but larger trials will need to be run before we know if it can treat the disease and is better than the treatment that’s currently used. Harnessing our body’s own immune system to attack cancer is showing real potential and these types of novel approaches could mean expanding our arsenal against cancer.”

RIO DE JANEIRO: A woman places a cup holding a candle into the sand next to a banner that reads in Portuguese; “We reject meager quality healthcare, education and security,” during a protest on Copacabana beach, in Rio de Janeiro, on Friday. Protesters are demanding an end to corruption in Brazilian politics and quick improvements to woeful public services in exchange for the high taxes they pay. —- AP

LONDON: Fruit juices and smoothies represent a new risk to our health because of the amount of sugar the apparently healthy drinks contain, warn the US scientists who blew the whistle on corn syrup in soft drinks a decade ago. Barry Popkin and George Bray pointed the finger at high fructose corn syrup in soft drinks in 2004, causing a huge headache for the big manufacturers, including Coca-Cola and Pepsi.

“Smoothies and fruit juice are the new danger,” said Popkin, a distinguished professor at the department of nutrition at the University of North Carolina.

He added: “It’s kind of the next step in the evolution of the battle. And it’s a really big part of it because in every country they’ve been replacing soft drinks with fruit juice and smoothies as the new healthy beverage. So you will find that Coke and Pepsi have bought dozens [of fruit juice companies] around the globe.”

In the UK, Coca-Cola owns Innocent smoothies while PepsiCo has Tropicana. Launching Tropicana smoothies in 2008, Pepsi’s sales pitch was that the drink would help the nation to reach its five a day fruit and vegetable target.

“Smoothies are one of the easiest ways to boost daily fruit intake as each 250ml portion contains the equivalent of 2 fruit portions,” it said at the time.

However, Popkin says the five a day advice needs to change. Drink vegetable juice, he says, but not fruit juice. “Think of eating one orange or two and getting filled,” he said. “Now think of drinking a smoothie with six oranges and two hours later it does not affect how much you eat.

The entire literature shows that we feel full from drinking beverages like smoothies but it does not affect our overall food intake, whereas eating an orange does. So pulped-up smoothies do nothing good for us but do give us the same amount of sugar as four to six oranges or a large coke. It is deceiving.”

Nine years ago the two scientists had identified sugar-sweetened soft drinks, full of calories and consumed between meals, as a major cause of soaring obesity in developed countries. But they argue that as people change their drinking habits to avoid carbonated soft drinks, the potential damage from naturally occurring fructose in fruit juices and smoothies is being overlooked.

All sugars are equal in their bad effects, says Popkin - even those described on cereal snack bars sold in health food shops as containing “completely natural” sweeteners. “The most important issue about added sugar is that everybody thinks it’s cane sugar or maybe beet sugar or HFC syrup or all the other syrups but globally the cheapest thing on the market almost is fruit juice concentrate coming out of China. It has

created an overwhelming supply of apple juice concentrate. It is being used everywhere and it also gets around the sugar quotas that lots of countries have.”

In a survey of sweeteners in US food products between 2005 and 2009 for a paper published in 2012, Popkin and colleagues found that fruit juice concentrate was the fifth most common sugar overall and the second most common, after corn syrup, in soft drinks and in babies’ formula milk.

More studies need to be done before governments and health bodies around the world will take notice. There are only two really good longterm trials - one in Singapore and one by Harvard, he says. “But all the long term studies on fruit juice in anything show the same kind of effect whether it’s a smoothie or natural [juice] and whether it’s a diabetes or weight gain effect,” Popkin added.

Further evidence supporting the theory came last week from a study published by the British Medical Association. Researchers from the UK, USA and Singapore found that, in largescale studies involving nurses, people who ate whole fruit, especially blueberries, grapes and apples, were less likely to get type 2 diabetes, which is obesity-related, but those who drank fruit juice were at increased risk. People who swapped their fruit juice for whole fruits three times a week cut their risk by 7%.

Most of the attention from those concerned about growing obesity levels among children is still on soft drinks with added sugar, such as colas and lemonade, which are consumed in enormous quantities. In 2012 we drank nearly 227 litres of liquid each in the UK, according to the industry, which says 61% of those had no added sugar. Excluding water brings the “no added sugar” total to 54%. Fruit juices and smoothies are also included in the total. We each drank 17.6 litres of those.

British health campaigners are calling for a soft drinks tax in the UK. In January Sustain published its Children’s Future Fund report, saying that £1bn a year could be raised from a tax of 20p a litre and invested in children’s health programmes. It has been backed by more than 60 organisations and the first children’s commissioner, Al Aynsley-Green, gave his support. In February the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges also called for the tax in its obesity report.

The British Soft Drinks Association says that consumption of soft drinks containing added sugar has fallen by 9% over the last 10 years, while the incidence of obesity has risen by 15%.

“Obesity is a serious and complex problem requiring concerted action by a wide range of organisations as well as by people themselves.

Soft drinks companies recognise the role they

have to play,” it said. Companies were reducing the calorie content of their drinks. PepsiCo, it said, had only advertised the no added sugar variants of its soft drinks since 2005.

Innocent Smoothies claims that people who drink juice have better diets and lower rates of obesity than others, although the studies it cited had funding from the juice industry.

“Smoothies are made entirely from fruit and therefore contain the same amount of sugars that you would find in an equivalent amount of whole fruit,” it said in a statement.

Meanwhile, efforts by the soft drinks companies to grow the market continue. Coca-Cola in the UK this year declared its ambition to increase the market by £2.1bn by 2017, identifying six “moments” in the day when we could be persuaded to buy more soft drinks, including fruit juice and smoothies for breakfast and soft drinks for children when they come home from school. Sales of sweetened Coca-Cola, containing nine teaspoons of sugar in a standard can, still outstrip those of Diet Coke and Zero Coke combined.

“Unless Coca-Cola drastically reduces its marketing for sugary drinks, its strategy to reach more people more often will mean that it pumps record levels of sugar into our diets,” said Charlie Powell, campaigns director of Sustain.

“This is a business model that is unhealthy and unsustainable, perfectly highlighting the ‘profit versus public health’ conflict of interest endemic in the sugary drinks industry.”

Coca-Cola argues that taxes do not change behaviour and that sugar should not be vilified.

In a statement, it said: “We believe that rather than single out any ingredient, it is more helpful for people to look at their total energy balance.

This is because obesity and weight gain are caused by an imbalance in calories consumed and burnt off. Our products should be enjoyed as part of a sensible, balanced diet and healthy lifestyle that includes regular physical activity.

“For those that are watching their calorie intake, we offer a wide range of low or no calorie options, which represent more than one third of our sales.”

In an article this year in the journal Pediatric Obesity, Bray and Popkin review the issue 10 years on from their famous paper. “The concern with HFCS in our diet has led to a reduced proportion of HFCS in beverages compared to other sugars,” they say, but add “this is a misplaced shift ... fructose remains a major component of our global diet. To date, to the best of our knowledge every added amount of fructose - be it from fruit juice, sugar-sweetened beverages or any other beverage or even from foods with high sugar content - adds equally to our health concerns linked with this food component.”

Motrin Infants formula recalled due to plastic specks WASHINGTON: Johnson & Johnson is recalling 200,000 bottles of Motrin Infants formula due to the risk that they contain tiny plastic particles.

J&J’s McNeil unit said Friday that the recall affects three lots of its popular Motrin Infants’ Drops Original Berry Flavor, which is used to lower fever and treat aches and pains in children 2 years old and younger. The company warned that the medicine may be contaminated with specs of PTFE, a plastic also used in Teflon coatings. No illnesses or injuries have been reported to date, according to the company.

McNeil says it’s unclear if the recalled bottles actually contain the particles, which were found in a different product during the manufacturing process. The company decided to issue the recall because both products contain the same shipment of ibuprofen from a third-party supplier.

Ibuprofen is a common pain reliever and fever reducer, also used in Advil. “From our perspective, during the manufacturing process at the third party supplier, that’s when the particles got into the ibuprofen,” said McNeil Vice President Ed Kuffner. Kuffner declined to identify the supplier that made the ibuprofen.

The recalled half-ounce bottles can be identified by their lot numbers: DCB3T01, DDB4R01 and DDB4S01McNeil is asking retailers to take the affected products off store shelves.

Consumers should stop using the affected medicine and call the company for a refund at 1-877414-7709. The recalled Motrin was manufactured at the company’s plant in Beerse, Belgium.

McNeil’s primary manufacturing plant in Fort Washington, Pa., has been closed since the spring of 2010 after a string of recalls involving

brands like Tylenol, Motrin and Zyrtec. That included the recall of more than 136 million children and infant over-the-counter medicines in April 2010, the largest recall of its kind.

Friday’s announcement is the latest in about 40 product recalls announced by the New Brunswick, N.J.-based health care conglomerate since 2009. In 2013 alone, J&J has recalled: millions of oral contraceptive due to flawed tablets, Adept hip implants that were failing and had to be replaced prematurely, OneTouch VerioIQ blood glucose meters that shut off rather than issuing a warning when blood sugar levels get dangerously high, Children’s Tylenol made in South Korea that contained too much acetaminophen and versions of K-Y Jelly personal lubricant that potentially never got required regulatory approval. —- AP

COY: Farmer Ben Burgess carries a type of low-yield rice from a rice field near Coy, Ark. The Food and Drug Administration says consumers shouldn’t worry too much about levels of arsenic in rice - but should vary their diets just in case. The agency released a study on Friday of arsenic in 1,300 samples of rice and rice products, the largest study to date looking at the carcinogen’s presence in that grain. Consumer groups have pressured the FDA to set a standard for the amount of arsenic that can be present in rice products . — AP

Influenced by media, amateurs try extreme caking PHILADELPHIA: If you’re planning to bake a cake for your child’s upcoming birthday party, you might want to ask yourself one question: “What would the Cake Boss do?”

Because if you think a basic sheet cake and candles are all you need, you clearly haven’t been paying attention.

Extreme caking has come to the home cook, fueled partly

by TV shows showcasing crazy confections, and partly by boastful amateur bakers eager to strut their sugary stuff on social media.

Shows like “Ace of Cakes,” “Cake Boss” and various spinoffs tempt viewers with stunning visions of creations closer to art than dessert. They build cityscapes, sea monsters and dragons - all sculpted like statues in three dimensions.

Amateurs follow suit, posting photos of their creations to Twitter and Reddit, and the more elaborate the cakes are, the more popular they become.

This helps explain why once esoteric pro-grade tools and

ingredients for creating elaborately embellished cakes - not to mention classes on how to use all those toys - are big sellers today. In Philadelphia’s Italian Market, kitchen supply store Fante’s has been teaching cake decorating to amateurs for at least 30 years. The supplies they sell and classes they offer are constant indicators of cake trends. During the early ‘80s it was marzipan and fancy flowers; today it’s 3-D and fondant, an icing that can be sculpted.

“There was a huge shift as soon as the TV shows came out,” says Nina Rose Pelc, an instructor at Fante’s. “I’ve seen some three-tiered, five-tiered cakes - that could be wedding cakes - for 3-year-olds’ birthday parties.”

According to Lynn Sorensen, co-owner of Kitchen Krafts a website that sells baking tools and materials - the number of vendors selling specialty tools and ingredients for building these cakes has increased as demand for them has risen.

She says the cakes people want to build can change by

the week, depending on popular movies or events. When the royal baby was born, for example, Sorensen said people wanted decorative crowns. The Cake Boss himself, Buddy Valastro, said in a phone interview that he’s happy to have raised the cake-decorating bar.

“I’m a proponent of people making those kinds of cakes, trying to make the cakes that I make,” Valastro says. “At the end of the day, the reason I became a baker is that when you finish a cake and you step away, there’s a feeling inside.

You’re like, ‘Wow!’ And I want to give that feeling to other people.” When Joshua Orvis, a research scientist from Tulsa, Oklahoma, started getting into extreme caking along with his wife, it was for their son’s third birthday.

“He said, ‘I want an Angry Birds cake’ and we thought, ‘Well, how do we do that?’” Orvis says.

He searched Google Images for Angry Birds cakes, unsure of what would turn up. Hundreds of colorful cakes tiled his

screen depicting the game’s scenes and characters in varying levels of complexity.

“Then we found out you can get fondant and just make whatever you want to make,” Orvis says. “Like a kid with PlayDoh, we just sculpted shapes out of it.”

The Angry Birds cake was a success. The Orvises have since sculpted a variety of special cakes for their four young children: one of Pingu, the clay-mation Swiss-British penguin, one of a “Star Wars” scene, and two of cars. The most recent cake was a Pagani Zonda R race car for which Orvis used traditional cake, Rice Krispies Treats, and fondant for the body paneling. The Orvises find the cake-making process rewarding, not just for the joy it brings their children, but also for the creative outlet.

“Both of our jobs are not very artistic, but we both think that we’re relatively artistic people,” Orvis says. “It’s a fun thing to do together.”—AP

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

H E A LT H & S C I E N C E

Is it important to screen?

“We are physicians from different specialties with a specific interest in public health advocacy and promotion. We, also, aim to increase awareness among the Kuwaiti public regarding a variety of diseases and conditions and to rectify the misconceptions they may have.

Since our group consists of multiple physicians we decided to write under the pen name of L’homme en Blanc.”

Well this is a fairly easy question and I can answer it with one word, yes! Screening, also known as primary prevention, is one of the most important medical tests that a person should undergo. This is because with a screening test a person can catch a deadly disease at its earliest stages, when s/he is asymptomatic (symptom free). The screening test I want to discuss today is a colonoscopy.

A colonoscopy is a procedure that is performed by a trained gastroenterologist in which s/he inserts a camera with a flexible tube while someone is under sedation in ones large intestine to visualize any abnormalities. This procedure usually takes anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes depending on the findings identified by the doctor.

According to the US preventive service task

force (USPSTF) it is recommended that a person screen for colorectal cancer using high-sensitivity fecal occult blood testing, sigmoidoscopy, or colonoscopy beginning at age 50 and continuing until age 75. However, if there is a family history of colorectal cancer in a first degree relative it is recommended that screening starts 10 years before the age at which said relative was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. I would like to walk you step by step through the stages of a colonoscopy. First, I will discuss the preparation stage. In this stage, a person needs to prepare his large intestine and clean it from any fecal matter so that the doctor can visualize the inner walls of the large intestine. This is carried out by laxatives, which a person must take the day before the procedure. In addition, if a person is taking aspirin or warfarin s/he needs to

inform his/her doctor before the procedure since they need to be stopped to or else the physician will not be able to take biopsies.

Another important step in the preparation stage is fasting from food for 12 hours prior to the procedure and drinks for 4 hours before it.

When you arrive at the colonoscopy clinic you will be assessed by your doctor and he will administer a small dose of a sedative to relax you. After 15 minutes, the procedure starts with the doctor inserting a small camera into the large intestine and he starts moving it further into the large intestine. Once the doctor fully inspects the intestine s/he slowly withdraws his/her camera. If there are any abnormalities detected by the doctor, s/he is will take a small sample (biopsy) of that abnormal tissue and send it to the pathologist (person responsible

for looking at abnormal cells) for further evaluation.

Finally, a patient has to wait for a period of 3 to 5 days before receiving the results of his/her biopsy. If the result showed any abnormal cells that may progress to cancer the physician will inform the patient that s/he will need to undergo a surgical procedure in order to remove the abnormal part of the large intestine.

So why is all of this important? Well it’s because a team at Memorial Sioan-Kettering cancer center in New York found that colonoscopies in which abnormal cells are detected can cut the risk of dying from colon cancer by 53 percent. This means that with regular surveillance for colon cancer 53 percent of people’s lives could be saved. Remember, screening equals life. Stay healthy Kuwait!

Health law coverage may track workplace cost shift WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama’s health care law appears to mirror a trend in job-based insurance, where employees are being nudged into cost-saving plans that require them to pay a bigger share of their medical expenses.

Two independent studies out this week highlighted attractive prices for less-generous “bronze” plans that will offer low monthly premiums but require patients to pick up more of the cost if they get sick.

Consumers might avoid “rate shock” over premiums, but some could end up struggling with bigger bills for the care they receive.

The Obama plans will be available starting Oct 1 for people who don’t have access to coverage on the job.

Studies by the nonpar tisan K aiser Family Foundation and Avalere Health provided the first look at rates filed by insurers around the country, ahead of the Oct 1 opening of new state insurance markets under the law.

Consumers will use the markets to find out whether they qualify for tax credits to help pay their premiums and to pick a private insurance plan from a range of coverage levels: bronze, silver, gold and platinum.

Come Jan. 1, virtually everyone in the United States will be required to have coverage, or face fines if they

don’t. At the same time, insurance companies no longer can turn away people in poor health.

“What was really striking as we dug into the numbers is how inexpensive the bronze plans are,” said Larry Levitt, a Kaiser vice president.

Avalere, a private data analysis firm, found the average monthly premium for a bronze plan is $274, compared with $336 for the next level of coverage, a silver plan. The savings from going with bronze adds up to $744 annually, and that’s off the sticker price, before federal tax credits that will reduce premiums for an estimated 4 out of 5 customers in the new markets.

It’s “likely to entice healthier enrollees to opt for a less generous benefit package,” said Caroline Pearson, a lead author of the study.

The law’s tax credits will make low-cost plans even more appealing. The tax credits work by limiting what you pay for premiums to a given percentage of your income.

By pairing their tax credit with a bronze policy, some younger consumers can bring their premiums down to the range of $100 to $140 a month, the Kaiser study found. Older people can drive their monthly cost even lower - well below $100, and zero in some cases- if they

are willing to take a chance with higher deductibles and copays. It’s a trade-off that some consumers unfamiliar with insurance might not fully grasp.

“A bronze plan is a very basic plan,” explained Levitt.

It “will enable consumers to pay very low premiums up front, zero in some cases. But when they actually need medical care, they will pay higher costs out of their own pockets.” For the most part, you’re stuck with the plan you pick until the next annual open enrollment season.

Job-based plans have been shifting costs to employees for some time. In 2009, when Obama took office, 22 percent of workers were in plans with an annual deductible of $1,000 or more for single coverage, according to Kaiser. By this year, the share had nearly doubled, to 38 percent, including 3 out of 5 employees of small companies.

Obama’s law largely reflects what’s already going on in the marketplace, but Pearson said over time it may accelerate the shift to plans with higher out-of-pocket costs.

Administration officials are pleased with the large number of low-cost options. Health and Human Services Department spokeswoman Joanne Peters said the administration is confident that consumers will be

able to compare plans side by side in the new markets and make the right choices for themselves.

Avalere crunched the numbers on premiums filed by insurers in 11 states and Washington, D.C. Kaiser added another 6 states. Both studies included a mix of states running their own insurance markets and ones in which the federal government will take charge.

Under Obama’s law, all plans on the new insurance markets must cover the same benefits, including preventive care at no charge to patients. Another similarity is a cap on total out-of-pocket costs at $6,350 for individuals, $12,700 for a family policy.

The main difference between plans is cost-sharing.

Bronze plans cover 60 percent of expected medical costs, silver plans will cover 70 percent, gold will cover 80 percent and platinum 90 percent.

Midrange silver plans were considered the benchmark when the law was written more than three years ago. Lawmakers keyed the tax credits to the cost of the second-lowest-cost silver plan in a local area.

People with modest incomes may still come out ahead by sticking with a silver plan instead of going for bronze. That’s because additional help with out-ofpocket costs such as copays will only be available to people enrolling in a silver plan. — AP

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

W H AT ’ S O N

Expo Tag Exhibitions and Conferences hold honoring ceremony

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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 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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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 www.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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8th Expo Pakistan to commence in September he 8th Expo Pakistan will be held from September 26 to 29 in Karachi. Held annually, Expo Pakistan is the biggest trade fair in the country showcasing the largest collection of Pakistan’s export merchandise and services. Foreign Exhibitors also use the event to launch their products. Expo Pakistan 2012 was visited by delegates from 52 countries and generated a business of over $ 518 million. A 16 member delegation from Kuwait including reputable companies like Al-Yasra Foods also took part in the last exhibition.

Expo Pakistan 2013 is being held under the auspices of the Trade Development Authority Pakistan.

Details about the event can be viewed www.expopakisan.gov.pk. Further information and details of sponsorship can be obtained from the office of Commercial Secretary, Pakistan Embassy, Jabriya (25356594) during office hours.

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xpo Tag Exhibitions and Conferences announced organizing a ceremony on September 18, 2013 in cooperation with the Kuwait Disabled Sports Club to reward 42 athletes for

SMCA to conduct Faith Fest 2013

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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

Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

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.

n the occasion of the Faith Year declared by the Pope Benedict XVI, Syro Malabar Cultural Association Kuwait is conducting the “SMCA FAITH FEST 2013” in Kuwait.

“Viswasa Jyothi Prayanam”, part of the Faith Fest is already started to the houses of the SMCA members. In the second part of the celebration, “Vachana Praghoshanam” is arranged by the Divine team led by Rev Fr Antony Payyappilly VC and Rev Fr Francis Karthanam VC supported by famous musician Mr. Minju Champakkara. The program is arranged in all the areas of Kuwait as per the following schedule:

Sept 3 & 5 - St Therese Parish, Salmiya (6 pm to 9:30 pm) Sept 4 & 7 - Jawarthasala Arabic School, Reggai (6 pm to 9:30 pm) Sept 4, 5, 6 & 7 - St. Alphonsa Auditorium, Abbasiya (6 pm to 9:30 pm) Sept 9, 10 & 11 - Mangaf Auditorium, Mangaf (6 pm to 9:30 pm) Sept 9, 10 & 11 - St. Daniel Comboni Parish (2nd Hall), Abbassiya (7 pm to 9:30 pm) The concluding Convention is arranged at Integrated Indian School on 12th & 14th September, 2013 from 6 pm to 9:30 pm.

Dar Al-Shifa Hospital represents true example of continued evolution of private healthcare

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ar Al-Shifa Hospital is considered one of the most important private hospitals operating across Kuwait, which deals with the medical practice of cardiology. The hospital’s cardiology department has introduced two more new treatment services, the first, medical batteries’ implant, and the second, treating hypertension using the catheter technique to block the renal nerve. The initiative to introduce such procedures demonstrates Dar Al-Shifa’s leadership position in being one of the most admired cardiac catheter and arteries’ centers amongst private and public hospitals.

Normally, the heart rate slows with age, but the electrical conduction system of the heart can wear out to a point where it can no longer perform its primary job. Some diseases that pertain to the valves, the heart muscle or arteries may lead to damage the electrical conduction system even at earlier age, which therefore may cause an overall slowdown or a fatality. Moreover, this now, can be treated with implanting a variety of medical batteries that perform different duties depending on the case, some containing an electrical shock to prevent the risk of a sudden death. The shock wave sends a mild electric charge to stop the existing aberrant current, which is the main reason for these cases, as well as having pacemaker devices used to improve the function of the heart muscle and increase its efficiency.

The pacemaker is a small that is implanted under the skin, and is connected to insulated electrical wires placed inside the cardiac cavities through a major vein in the shoulder. The process, which lasts for around one hour,

T

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their performance in representing the country in eight different Olympic sports.

15 companies are set to take part in the event that will be sponsored by Wataniya Telecom.

Dr Ahmad Alaa Al-Din is a mini invasive procedure, and is usually conducted within the Cath Lab using local anesthesia.

Dar Al-Shifa Hospital’s cardiology department has also began applying a new treatment for patients suffering from resistant hypertension after recent studies indicating that the treatment is not only confined to controlling the overall pressure, but also its positive impact on the heart muscle as well as the kidney and diabetic patients. The new treatment allows for the inhibition of sympathetic nerves surrounding renal arteries, which are responsible for producing hormones that increase high blood pressure.

This particular procedure is also performed at the Cath Lab and under local anesthesia through the groin area, where the catheter is placed in the femoral artery straight to the aorta then to the renal arteries. The catheter then sends electronic radiation waves to deactivate these nerves without any damage to the renal arteries or to the kidney. The proce-

Dr Saad Al-Kandary dure lasts for around one hour, and is called rend denervation Symptoms for controlling the high blood pressure appear after two or three months from the date of the procedure, which allows easing the overall volume of treatment process, and the type of medications used.

Both, Cardiology consultant at Dar AlShifa Hospital, Dr Ahmad Alaa Al-Din and Saad Al-Kandary reassured the importance of these two procedures, implanting the medical cardiac batteries and treating hypertension through the catheter to regulate renal arteries. This allows the hospital’s cardiology department to provide highly advanced and comprehensive services, and position it in the top ranks in being able to offer modern medical practice with optimal results. In addition to that, the hospital is well fit to receiving cardiac patients with different cases due to the availability of advanced diagnosis tools and treatments. This includes treating severe heart attacks “acute myocardial infarc-

tion’’ using balloons and stents at any given time during the day by admitting patients within minutes to the Cath Lab to scan their arteries and identifying the one that is causing the attack, then to treat it. The procedure does not exceed 20 to 30 minutes.

This is the ideal technique worldwide for treatment of acute heart attack “Myocardial infection that need a full readiness and coverage of 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Dar Al-Shifa Hospital has pioneered in hiring the top consultant in interventional cardiology and cardiac surgery, along with a qualified medical and nursing team that is ready for any case. It is also important to note that Dar Al-Shifa Hospital is the only hospital across the private healthcare sector that provides modern treatment techniques for heart attacks, using the latest trends in the medical fields.

Saad Al-Kanadry and Ahmad Alaa AlDin also noted that the interventional cardiology department is not only confined to the above, but also includes all major cardiac as well as peripherally catheterization performing using balloons and stents. This is primarily used in renal arteries which are narrowed and cause chronic hypertension of unknown origin, along with peripheral central arteries in diabetic patients and smokers, where they have usually blocked arteries which result in ulcers that don’t lead due to the poor supply of blood the tissue, treating this arteries with percutaneous angioplasty might lead to recovery of the ulcers “diaptic foot” to avoid the amputation of the concerned limps

KDNA Malabar Mahotsavam 2013

K

ozhikode District NRI Association, popularly knows as KDNA released Malabar Mahotsavam 2013 Raffle Coupon by Abid, Country Head I-Black, handing over to AV Shamsuddin, Advisory Board Member, KDNA. Malabar Mahotsavam, a full day mega carnival, will be staged at the Indian Central School premises (Mananchira Square) on 15th November 2013 from 9:30 am onwards. The purpose of conducting Malabar Mahotsavam 2013 is to strengthen the relief and to continue charity activities of the association for the poor and needy who are striving very hard for their livelihood. Association President Zubair MM, General Secretary Suresh Mathur, Advisory Board Member Krishnan Kadalaundi, Acting Treasurer RN Shoukath, Program General Convener Nasir Thikkodi, Vice president Kalathil Abdurahiman, Rafi Kallai, Mohammed Ali Arakkal spoke during the occasion.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

W H AT ’ S O N

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

GUST hosts seminar GUST (Gulf University for Science and Technology) recently held a media seminar which was attended by many students. — Photos by Fouad Al-Shaikh

EMBASSY OF AUSTRALIA The Embassy of Australia has announced that Kuwait citizens can apply for and receive visit visas in 10 working days through www.immi.gov.au. All other processing of visas and Immigration matters are handled by the Australian Visa Application Centre located in Al Banwan Building, 4B, 1st Floor, Al Qibla Area, Ali Al Salem Street, Kuwait City. Visit. www.vfs-augcc.com for more info. The Embassy of Australia does not have a visa or immigration department. All processing of visas and immigration matters is conducted by the Australian Consulate-General in Dubai. Email: Info.ausdxb@vfshelpline.com (VIS), immigration.dubai@dfat.gov.au (Visa Office), Tel: +971 4 205 5900 (VFS), Fax: + 971 4 355 0708 (Visa Office). Notary and passport services are available by appointment. Appointments can be made by calling the Embassy on 22322422. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF CANADA The Embassy of Canada in Kuwait does not have a visa or immigration department. All processing of visa and immigration matters including enquiries is conducted by the Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Individuals who are interested in working, studying, visiting or immigrating to Canada should contact the Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, website: www.UAE.gc.ca or www.goingtocanada.gc.ca, E-mail: abdbi-imenquiry@international.gc.ca. The Embassy of Canada is located at Villa 24, Al-Mutawakei St, Block 4 in Da’aiyah. Please visit our website at www.Kuwait.gc.ca. The Embassy of Canada is open from 07:30 to 15:30 Sunday through Thursday. The reception is open from 07:30 to 12:30. Consular services for Canadian citizens are provided from 09:00 until 12:00, Sunday through Wednesday. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF 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.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

TV PROGRAMS

00:05 World’s Scariest 00:55 Forbidden 01:45 Derren Brown: Apocalypse 02:35 How It’s Made 03:00 How It’s Made 03:25 How It’s Made 03:50 How It’s Made 04:15 How It’s Made 04:40 How Do They Do It? 05:05 How Do They Do It? 05:30 How Do They Do It? 06:00 How Do They Do It? 06:30 How Do They Do It? 07:00 Fast N’ Loud 07:50 Fantom Works 08:40 Driven To Extremes 09:30 Gold Divers 10:20 Deadliest Catch 11:10 Deadliest Catch 12:00 Aircrash Confidential 12:50 Destroyed In Seconds 13:15 Destroyed In Seconds 13:40 How It’s Made 14:05 How It’s Made 14:30 How It’s Made 14:55 How It’s Made 15:20 How It’s Made 15:45 Auction Hunters 16:10 Auction Hunters 16:35 Auction Hunters 17:00 Auction Hunters 17:25 Auction Hunters 17:50 Border Security 18:15 Border Security 18:40 Border Security 19:05 Border Security 19:30 Border Security 19:55 Mythbusters 20:45 The Big Brain Theory 21:35 Dynamo: Magician Impossible 22:25 The Unexplained Files 23:15 Alien Mysteries

00:05 The Tech Show 00:30 Food Factory 01:00 Smash Lab 01:50 Scrapheap Challenge 02:45 Scrapheap Challenge 03:35 Scrapheap Challenge 04:25 Scrapheap Challenge 05:15 The Gadget Show 05:40 The Tech Show 06:05 James May’s Man Lab 07:00 Curiosity 07:50 Curiosity 08:40 The Gadget Show 09:05 The Tech Show 09:30 How The Universe Works 10:20 How The Universe Works 11:15 How The Universe Works 12:05 How The Universe Works 13:00 Fire In The Sky: A Daily Planet Special 13:50 Food Factory 14:20 The Gadget Show 14:45 The Tech Show 15:10 Curiosity 16:00 Engineering Ground Zero 16:55 Junk Men 17:20 Junk Men 17:45 Stephen Hawking’s Grand Design 18:35 Bang Goes The Theory 19:05 Bang Goes The Theory 19:30 USA Memory Championships 20:20 Human Nature 21:10 The Gadget Show 21:35 The Tech Show 22:00 USA Memory Championships 22:50 Human Nature 23:40 The Gadget Show

00:30 01:20 02:10 03:00 03:25 03:45 04:30 05:20

Nightmare Next Door Dr G: Medical Examiner Deadly Devotion Stalked: Someone’s Watching Stalked: Someone’s Watching Blood Relatives Nightmare Next Door Dr G: Medical Examiner

06:10 07:00 07:50 08:15 08:40 09:05 09:30 Jones 10:20 11:10 12:00 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 22:25 22:50 23:40

Disappeared Mystery Diagnosis Street Patrol Street Patrol Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth...

True Crime With Aphrodite Solved Disappeared Mystery Diagnosis 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 Dates From Hell Dates From Hell On The Case With Paula Zahn LA: City Of Demons

00:00 Stitch!

00:20 Stitch!

00:45 A Kind Of Magic 01:05 A Kind Of Magic 01:30 Emperor’s New School 01:50 Emperor’s New School 02:15 The Replacements 02:35 The Replacements 03:00 A Kind Of Magic 03:20 A Kind Of Magic 03:45 Emperor’s New School 04:05 Emperor’s New School 04:30 The Replacements 04:50 The Replacements 05:15 A Kind Of Magic 05:35 A Kind Of Magic 06:00 Doc McStuffins 06:15 Doc McStuffins 06:30 Jake And The Neverland Pirates 06:45 Sofia The First 07:10 A.N.T. Farm 07:35 Shake It Up 07:55 That’s So Raven 08:20 That’s So Raven 08:45 Dog With A Blog 09:05 Gravity Falls 09:30 Jessie 09:55 Austin And Ally 10:15 A.N.T. Farm 10:40 Good Luck Charlie: The Road Trip Movie 11:55 Austin And Ally 12:15 Shake It Up 12:35 Good Luck Charlie 13:00 A.N.T. Farm 13:25 Jessie 13:45 That’s So Raven 14:10 That’s So Raven 14:35 Dog With A Blog 15:00 Austin And Ally 15:25 Gravity Falls 15:50 Jessie 16:10 Dog With A Blog 16:35 A.N.T. Farm 17:00 Jessie 17:20 Jessie 17:45 Jessie 18:10 Austin And Ally 18:30 Austin And Ally 18:55 Austin And Ally 19:20 Good Luck Charlie 19:40 Dog With A Blog 20:05 Shake It Up 20:30 Austin And Ally 20:50 A.N.T. Farm 21:15 That’s So Raven 21:40 Good Luck Charlie 22:00 Shake It Up 22:25 A.N.T. Farm 22:50 Austin And Ally 23:10 Wizards Of Waverly Place 23:35 Wizards Of Waverly Place

06:00 Kid vs Kat

06:10 American Dragon 06:35 Kickin It 07:00 Phineas And Ferb 07:20 Phineas And Ferb 07:45 Lab Rats 08:10 Lab Rats 08:35 Phineas And Ferb 09:00 Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja 09:30 Max Steel 09:55 Slugterra 10:20 Crash & Bernstein 10:45 Kickin It 11:10 Lab Rats 11:35 Pair Of Kings 12:00 Phineas And Ferb 12:30 Scaredy Squirrel 13:00 Skyrunners 14:35 Phineas And Ferb 14:45 Phineas And Ferb 15:00 Phineas And Ferb 15:10 Phineas And Ferb 15:25 Lab Rats 15:50 Slugterra 16:15 Max Steel 16:40 Kickin’ It 17:05 Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja 17:30 Crash & Bernstein 17:55 Pair Of Kings 18:20 Lab Rats 18:45 Phineas And Ferb 19:10 Kickin It 19:35 Crash & Bernstein 20:00 Ultimate Spider-Man 20:25 Zeke & Luther 20:50 Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja 21:15 Phineas And Ferb 21:25 Phineas And Ferb 21:40 Almost Naked Animals 22:05 Rekkit Rabbit 22:35 Scaredy Squirrel 23:00 Programmes Start At 6:00am KSA

00:30 01:20 02:10 03:00 03:25 03:45 04:30 05:20 06:10 07:00 07:50 08:15 08:40 09:05 09:30 Jones 10:20 11:10 12:00 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 22:25 22:50 23:40

Nightmare Next Door Dr G: Medical Examiner Deadly Devotion Stalked: Someone’s Watching Stalked: Someone’s Watching Blood Relatives Nightmare Next Door Dr G: Medical Examiner Disappeared Mystery Diagnosis Street Patrol Street Patrol Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth...

True Crime With Aphrodite

00:30 01:00 01:30 02:30 03:00 03:30 04:00 04:30 Leno 05:30 06:00

The Daily Show The Colbert Report Saturday Night Live Unsupervised Two And A Half Men Ben And Kate Seinfeld The Tonight Show With Jay

Solved Disappeared Mystery Diagnosis 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 Dates From Hell Dates From Hell On The Case With Paula Zahn LA: City Of Demons

All Of Us The War At Home

06:30 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 09:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 Leno 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 23:00 23:30

Malibu Country Late Night With Jimmy Fallon Seinfeld All Of Us Ben And Kate Ben And Kate Hot In Cleveland Malibu Country The Tonight Show With Jay

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

24 White Collar Sons Of Anarchy Smash The Mob Doctor C.S.I. New York 24 The Finder Necessary Roughness C.S.I. New York The Mob Doctor The Mob Doctor Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Necessary Roughness 24 Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Necessary Roughness Psych Top Gear (UK) C.S.I. Defiance Smash

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 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Homeland Supernatural Good Morning America American Idol American Horror Story Supernatural Good Morning America Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Once Upon A Time Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show C.S.I. Miami Homeland Supernatural Live Good Morning America C.S.I. Miami Once Upon A Time Homeland C.S.I. Miami Once Upon A Time Homeland American Horror Story American Idol

00:00 01:45 04:35 06:20 Action 08:00 10:00 Life 12:00 14:00 16:00 Life 18:00 20:00 22:00

The War At Home Seinfeld All Of Us Malibu Country Ben And Kate Ben And Kate Hot In Cleveland The Daily Show The Colbert Report The War At Home Late Night With Jimmy Fallon Seinfeld The Mindy Project The Mindy Project Hot In Cleveland Parks And Recreation The Cleveland Show The Daily Show The Colbert Report Saturday Night Live Unsupervised Parks And Recreation

Arena Saving Private Ryan Don’t Be Afraid Of The Dark True Justice: Violence Of Ice Road Terror True Justice: One Shot, One Justice League: Doom Iron Sky True Justice: One Shot, One Hide And Seek Iron Sky The Killing Jar

02:35 Don’t Be Afraid Of The DarkPG15 04:20 True Justice: Violence Of Action-PG15 06:00 Ice Road Terror-PG15 08:00 True Justice: One Shot, One Life-PG15 10:00 Justice League: Doom-PG15 12:00 Iron Sky-PG15 14:00 True Justice: One Shot, One Life-PG15 16:00 Hide And Seek-PG15 18:00 Iron Sky-PG15 20:00 The Killing Jar-18 22:00 House Of The Rising Sun-18

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

IRON SKY ON OSN MOVIES ACTION

01:00 03:00 05:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00

Slums Of Beverly Hills-18 American Cowslip-PG15 Wayne’s World 2-PG15 Turner & Hooch-PG15 Raising Arizona-PG15 Falling Star-PG15 Wayne’s World 2-PG15 Today’s Special-PG15 Falling Star-PG15 The Wish List-PG15 Rushmore-PG15 Slums Of Beverly Hills-18

Mary & Martha-PG15 The Beaver-PG15 Treasure Island-PG15 Mary & Martha-PG15 The Beaver-PG15 Second Chances-PG15 One Angry Juror-PG15 Of Two Minds-PG15 The Memory Keeper’s

RAISING ARIZONA ON OSN MOVIES COMEDY HD Daughter-PG15 21:00 J. Edgar-18 23:15 Locked In-18

01:15 03:00 05:15 07:15 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 18:45 21:00

The Perfect Man-PG He Got Game-18 Out Of Sight-PG15 The Forger-PG15 The Perfect Man-PG Loosies-PG15 The National Tree-PG15 I’ve Loved You So Long-PG15 Loosies-PG15 Across The Universe-PG15 Scarface-18

00:00 The Thing-18 02:00 Planet Ocean-PG15 04:00 The Amazing Spider-ManPG15 07:00 Bobby Fischer Against The World-PG15 09:00 33 Postcards-PG15 11:00 The Amazing Spider-ManPG15 13:30 Thunderstruck-PG 15:30 Katy Perry The Movie: Part Of Me-PG 17:15 33 Postcards-PG15 19:00 Birdsong-PG15 21:45 Snow White And The Huntsman-PG15

01:00 Tommy & Oscar 02:30 Cinderella 04:15 Three Investigators And The Secret Of Terror...

06:00 Hey Arnold! The Movie 08:00 The Apple & The Worm 09:45 The Ugly Duckling In Tales Of Mystery 11:15 Three Investigators And The Secret Of Terror...

13:00 Hey Arnold! The Movie 14:30 The Legend Of Sasquatch 16:00 Kung Fu Panda 2 18:00 Princess Lillifee 20:00 Tony Hawk: Boom Boom Sabotage 22:00 The Legend Of Sasquatch 23:30 Kung Fu Panda 2

00:15 The Double-PG15 02:00 Skyfall-PG15 04:30 Surf’s Up-PG 06:00 The Wild Girl-PG15 08:00 Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax-PG 10:00 Flower Girl-PG15 11:30 Skyfall-PG15 14:00 Puss In Boots-PG 16:00 Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax-PG 18:00 Men In Black 3-PG 20:00 You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger-PG15 22:00 Midnight In Paris-PG15

00:45 The Rugby Championship 03:30 Trans World Sport 04:30 Super League 06:30 Futbol Mundial 07:00 Live NRL Premiership 09:00 Sailing America’s Cup Highlights 10:00 Rugby Union Currie Cup 12:00 Live NRL Premiership 14:00 Live PGA European Tour 18:00 Futbol Mundial

18:45 Live Osn Cup 21:00 Live Osn Cup 23:00 Live Sailing America’s Cup

01:00 01:30 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:45 17:30 18:00 20:00 23:00

ICC Cricket 360 PGA European Tour Trans World Sport ICC Cricket 360 Futbol Mundial Live NRL Premiership Champions Tour The Rugby Championship The Rugby Championship ICC Cricket 360 UFC The Ultimate Fighter Live NFL Live NFL

01:00 03:00 05:00 07:00 08:00 11:00 11:30 12:30 13:30 14:00 16:00 16:30 19:00 20:00

Super League Pro 12 Top 14 Trans World Sport Live AFL Premiership Total Rugby Sailing America’s Cup Trans World Sport Futbol Mundial Super League ICC Cricket 360 AFL Premiership Sailing America’s Cup PGA European Tour

00:00 UFC

02:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 15:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 23:00

UFC The Ultimate Fighter Triahlon UK UIM Powerboat Champs WWE Bottom Line Live web.com Tour WWE NXT WWE Experience WWE This Week Triahlon UK Triahlon UK European Le Mans Series WWE SmackDown WWE Bottom Line Ping Pong World US Bass Fishing UFC UFC The Ultimate Fighter

Simon Cowell’s ‘X Factor’ re-focuses on finding a star LOS ANGELES: Fox’s “The X Factor” is really throwing the spotlight on its contenders on the Season 3 premiere episode, which the network screened for guests at Thursday’s premiere party in West Hollywood.

The idea that the contenders come first on T V competition shows has become a sort of lip service as we’ve watched one after another lineup of judges steal all the attention with their feuds, ego-driven squabbles and general attention-whoring.

That’s not to say that “ The X Factor ’s” judges don’t have their moments, but as we reported previously, they actually seem to be getting along.

“I’d like to thank the girls, who’ve been horrific,” executive producer and judge Simon Cowell joked when addressing the party ’s guests.

“Actually, they’ve been fantastic.”

“I think this is going to be a really fun series,” he continued. “The whole purpose of making the show is to find a star. The No. 1 movie right now is ‘One Direction’ and it just shows you that you can really live your dreams if you do well on one of these shows.”

Pop boy group One Direction competed on the UK version of the show.

And although they came in third on its seventh season, they’ve gone on to sell more than 10 million albums. Their tour documentary, “One Direction: This Is Us,” debuted in theatres on Aug. 20.

Earlier in the evening, Cowell broke his silence about the controversial news that he’s having a baby with a married woman. “I’m going to be a dad!” he yelled happily.

That was followed by returning judge Demi Lovato joking, “The important thing that I have to say is Simon’s actually making me a godmother!

Nobody knew, not even Simon!”

To which new judge Paulina Rubio added, “I just heard that Simon is going to breastfeed and I’m just really excited you’re going to do that.”

The crowd roared and Simon nodded that it was true before new judge Kelly Rowland brought the presentation back to its core message.

“As you can see, we’re having a wonderful time. Simon has been complete hell to work with. We still love him anyway. We’re having a good time,” she interjected. “We hope you get to see that come across this season. We have some really incredible talent, some people who really want this.”

The one-hour premiere starts with auditions as usual. Yet, if you’re craving a lot of tomfoolery between the judges, you won’t get it. Instead, it focuses on several bad auditions interspersed with a few that may give you the chills.

Several of the best acts on the premiere episode remind us not to judge a book by its cover. One woman in her mid-50s has an eerie resemblance to the late Whitney Houston and the voice to match. Another contestant, a 13-year-old girl with a unique handicap, lights up the stage and reminds Cowell of a young Carrie Underwood.

And one charismatic young man may be rough around the edges, but tackles a Rihanna song that wins over the crowd.

After making over the judges’ panel twice, this one may just be the one that allows viewers to focus on the singers rather than the over-the-top antics of its judges. “The X Factor” will need to pull in more viewers this season after lackluster ratings showings for its first two seasons. Its Season 2 finale attracted 9.6 million viewers and earned a 3.1 rating with the advertisercoveted 18-49 demographic - 18 percent lower than the previous year’s finale. Can judges who actually get along and refocusing itself on finding a star make the difference for “The X Factor” this season? “The X Factor” Season 3 premieres Wednesday at 8/7c on Fox. — Reuters

Classifieds SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

Kuwait

SHARQIA-1 ONE DIRECTION: THIS IS US (DIG) THE CONJURING (DIG) ONE DIRECTION: THIS IS US (DIG) YOU’RE NEXT (DIG) YOU’RE NEXT (DIG) THE CONJURING (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED SHARQIA-2 THE SMURFS 2 (DIG-3D) TURBO (DIG-3D) THE SMURFS 2 (DIG-3D) TOM & JIMMY (DIG)(ARABIC) TOM & JIMMY (DIG)(ARABIC) TOM & JIMMY (DIG)(ARABIC) NO SUN+TUE+WED SHARQIA-3 RIDDICK (DIG) RIDDICK (DIG) 2 GUNS (DIG) RIDDICK (DIG) 2 GUNS (DIG) RIDDICK (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED MUHALAB-1 RIDDICK (DIG) TOOFAN (DIG) (TELUGU) FRI & SAT RIDDICK (DIG) NO FRI & SAT RIDDICK (DIG) RIDDICK (DIG) MUHALAB-2 2 GUNS (DIG) 2 GUNS (DIG) YOU’RE NEXT (DIG) THE CONJURING (DIG) YOU’RE NEXT (DIG) MUHALAB-3 TURBO (DIG-3D) THE SMURFS 2 (DIG-3D) TOM & JIMMY (DIG)(ARABIC) TOM & JIMMY (DIG)(ARABIC) TOM & JIMMY (DIG)(ARABIC) FANAR-1 RIDDICK (DIG) PARANOIA (DIG) ONE DIRECTION: THIS IS US (DIG) RIDDICK (DIG) RIDDICK (DIG) RIDDICK (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED FANAR-2 WE’RE THE MILLERS (DIG) 2 GUNS (DIG) WE’RE THE MILLERS (DIG) YOU’RE NEXT (DIG) YOU’RE NEXT (DIG) WE’RE THE MILLERS (DIG)

KNCC PROGRAMME FROM THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY (05/09/2013 TO 11/09/2013) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:45 PM 3:45 PM 6:00 PM 8:30 PM 10:30 PM 12:30 AM

12:30 PM 2:45 PM 4:45 PM 7:00 PM 9:15 PM 11:30 PM

12:45 PM 3:00 PM 5:15 PM 7:30 PM 9:45 PM 12:05 AM

1:45 PM 4:00 PM 4:00 PM 7:00 PM 9:30 PM 12:45 PM 3:00 PM 5:30 PM 7:30 PM 9:45 PM 1:00 PM 3:15 PM 5:30 PM 7:45 PM 10:00 PM 1:30 PM 3:45 PM 6:00 PM 8:00 PM 10:15 PM 12:30 AM

2:00 PM 4:15 PM 6:30 PM 8:45 PM 10:45 PM 12:45 AM

FANAR-3 2 GUNS (DIG) 1:45 PM CHENNAI EXPRESS (DIG) (HINDI) 4:00 PM 2 GUNS (DIG) 7:00 PM SHUDDH DESI ROMANCE (DIG) (HINDI) 9:15 PM 2 GUNS (DIG) 12:15 AM NO SUN+TUE+WED FANAR-4 TURBO (DIG-3D) THE SMURFS 2 (DIG-3D) TURBO (DIG-3D) TOM & JIMMY (DIG)(ARABIC) TOM & JIMMY (DIG)(ARABIC) TOM & JIMMY (DIG)(ARABIC) NO SUN+TUE+WED

MARINA-3 TOM & JIMMY (DIG)(ARABIC) THE SMURFS 2 (DIG-3D) TOM & JIMMY (DIG)(ARABIC) TOM & JIMMY (DIG)(ARABIC) TOM & JIMMY (DIG)(ARABIC) THE CONJURING (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED AVENUES-1 ONE DIRECTION: THIS IS US (DIG) ONE DIRECTION: THIS IS US (DIG) THE CONJURING (DIG) THE CONJURING (DIG) THE CONJURING (DIG) THE CONJURING (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED AVENUES-2 WE’RE THE MILLERS (DIG) WE’RE THE MILLERS (DIG) WE’RE THE MILLERS (DIG) WE’RE THE MILLERS (DIG) WE’RE THE MILLERS (DIG) WE’RE THE MILLERS (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED AVENUES-3 YOU’RE NEXT (DIG)

1:45 PM 4:00 PM 6:15 PM 8:30 PM 10:45 PM 1:00 AM

360º- 1 RIDDICK (DIG) RIDDICK (DIG) RIDDICK (DIG) RIDDICK (DIG) RIDDICK (DIG) RIDDICK (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

12:30 PM 3:00 PM 5:30 PM 8:00 PM 10:30 PM 1:00 AM

12:45 PM 3:00 PM 5:15 PM 7:30 PM 9:45 PM 12:05 AM

360º- 2 WE’RE THE MILLERS (DIG) WE’RE THE MILLERS (DIG) WE’RE THE MILLERS (DIG) WE’RE THE MILLERS (DIG) WE’RE THE MILLERS (DIG) WE’RE THE MILLERS (DIG) WE’RE THE MILLERS (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:15 PM 3:15 PM 5:15 PM 7:15 PM 9:15 PM 11:15 PM 1:15 AM

1:30 PM 3:45 PM 6:00 PM 8:15 PM 10:30 PM 12:45 AM

360º- 3 ONE DIRECTION: THIS IS US (DIG-3D) 1:30 PM ONE DIRECTION: THIS IS US (DIG) 3:45 PM ONE DIRECTION: THIS IS US (DIG-3D) 6:00 PM ONE DIRECTION: THIS IS US (DIG-3D) 8:00 PM THE WOLVERINE (DIG) 10:00 PM THE WOLVERINE (DIG) 12:30 AM NO SUN+TUE+WED

2:00 PM 4:15 PM 6:30 PM 8:45 PM 11:00 PM 1:15 AM

360º- 4 THE SMURFS 2 (DIG-3D) THE SMURFS 2 (DIG) THE SMURFS 2 (DIG-3D) THE SMURFS 2 (DIG-3D) THE SMURFS 2 (DIG) 2 GUNS (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:00 PM 3:15 PM 5:30 PM 7:45 PM 10:00 PM 12:15 AM

AL-KOUT.1 TURBO (DIG) RIDDICK (DIG) TURBO (DIG) RIDDICK (DIG) RIDDICK (DIG) RIDDICK (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:30 PM 3:30 PM 5:45 PM 8:00 PM 10:15 PM 12:30 AM

1:00 PM 3:00 PM 5:00 PM 7:15 PM 9:30 PM 11:30 PM

MARINA-2 RIDDICK (DIG) 2 GUNS (DIG) RIDDICK (DIG) 2 GUNS (DIG) RIDDICK (DIG) RIDDICK (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

3:15 PM 5:15 PM 7:15 PM 9:15 PM 11:15 PM 1:15 AM

AVENUES-4 2 GUNS (DIG) TOM & JIMMY (DIG) 2 GUNS (DIG) TOM & JIMMY (DIG) TOM & JIMMY (DIG) 2 GUNS (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

1:15 PM 3:15 PM 5:30 PM 7:30 PM 9:45 PM 12:05 AM

MARINA-1 TURBO (DIG) TURBO (DIG) YOU’RE NEXT (DIG) THE CONJURING (DIG) YOU’RE NEXT (DIG) 2 GUNS (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

YOU’RE NEXT (DIG) YOU’RE NEXT (DIG) YOU’RE NEXT (DIG) YOU’RE NEXT (DIG) YOU’RE NEXT (DIG) YOU’RE NEXT (DIG) NO SUN+TUE+WED

2:15 PM 4:15 PM 6:15 PM 8:15 PM 10:15 PM 12:15 AM

AL-KOUT.2 WE’RE THE MILLERS (DIG) WE’RE THE MILLERS (DIG) THE SMURFS 2 (DIG)

1:15 PM

FOR SALE Car for sale, Subaru Forrester, model 2003, 4 wheel driver, good condition. Contact: 66532871.

(C 4503) 08-9-2013 Mazda zoom (3) silver color, model 2009, excellent condition, KD 1,550. Tel: 50994848. (C 4496) 2-9-2013 CHANGE OF NAME I, Peter Mendonca, Passport No. J0365647, hereby change my name to Albert Peter Mendonca.

(C 4500) I, Thopugunta Sudheer, holder of Indian Passport No. K7916639 converted to Islam do hereby change my name to Shaik Ali Haider. (C 4501) 8-9-2013 I, Mohammed Shakeel Abdul Kalam holder of Indian Passport No. E5417852 hereby change

12:30 PM 2:30 PM 4:30 PM

my name to Mohammad Shakeel Abdul Kalam Darugar. (C 4498) I, John Vettikal Thomas holder of Indian Passport No. J4433687 hereby change my name to Mohammed Javad Vettikal.

(C 4499) 7-9-2013

TUITION Learn holy Quran, in perfect way, private tuition available for elders and children by Hafiz-e -Quran.

Contact: 66725950.

(C 4502) 8-9-2013

Prayer timings

SITUATION VACANT Full time in Salwa. Must speak English, be young & energetic. Filipina preferred.

Call 9768-7172.

5-9-2013

Fajr: Shorook Duhr: Asr: Maghrib: Isha:

04:07 05:28 11:46 15:18 18:04 19:22

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

Airlines BBC QTR JZR JZR RJA THY ETH GFA MEA UAE ETD THY CLX FDB SYR MSR QTR KAC THY DHX FDB KAC BAW JZR JZR JZR MSC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC FDB UAE ABY FDB IRA QTR ETD NIA IRC GFA MEA JZR JZR JZR JZR ALK RBG MSC MSC MSC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC

Arrival Flights on Sunday 8/9/2013 Flt Route 43 DHAKA 148 DOHA 267 BEIRUT 539 CAIRO 642 AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA 764 SABIHA 620 ADDIS ABABA 211 BAHRAIN 408 BEIRUT 853 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI-INTL 768 ISTANBUL 610 LUXEMBOURG 67 DUBAI 1351 LATAKIA 612 CAIRO 138 DOHA 544 CAIRO 770 ISTANBUL 170 BAHRAIN 69 DUBAI 412 MANILA 157 LONDON 1541 CAIRO 555 ALEXANDRIA 529 ASYUT 3403 ASYUT 332 TRIVANDRUM 382 DELHI 284 DHAKA 352 COCHIN 206 ISLAMABAD 302 MUMBAI 53 DUBAI 855 DUBAI 125 SHARJAH 55 DUBAI 603 SHIRAZ 132 DOHA 301 ABU DHABI-INTL 255 ALEXANDRIA 6666 AHWAZ 213 BAHRAIN 404 BEIRUT 505 LUXOR 241 AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA 165 DUBAI 561 SOHAG 229 COLOMBO 557 ALEXANDRIA 3405 SOHAG 2401 ALEXANDRIA 2405 SOHAG 788 JEDDAH 502 BEIRUT 166 PARIS 786 JEDDAH 514 TEHRAN 102 NEW YORK 618 DOHA 562 AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA

Time 00:05 00:05 00:20 00:40 01:25 01:40 01:45 01:55 02:10 02:25 02:30 02:50 03:10 03:10 03:15 03:15 03:30 04:10 04:35 05:10 05:50 06:15 06:30 06:25 06:20 06:40 08:20 07:55 07:30 08:15 08:05 07:25 07:50 07:45 08:25 08:50 09:15 09:20 09:25 09:30 10:00 10:10 10:40 10:55 12:30 12:35 11:35 12:00 21:10 17:55 16:25 13:05 20:30 15:00 18:50 18:40 18:30 20:50 19:35 19:10 20:45

KAC KAC UAE MSR THY KAC QTR KAC KAC FDB IRC JZR SVA KNE OMA SYR RJA QTR JZR ETD KAC UAE JZR JZR JZR ABY UAL GFA SVA NIA QTR FDB GFA AXB MSR JAI AFG OMA FDB ABY MEA KLM JZR JZR SYR UAE ETD QTR GFA SYR JAI FDB AIC JZR UAL DLH JAI JZR MSR KAC JZR PIA THY

542 674 871 610 766 742 140 672 774 57 6507 257 500 472 645 341 640 134 535 303 1802 857 787 777 177 127 982 215 510 251 144 63 219 393 606 572 415 647 61 129 402 417 481 189 1355 859 307 136 217 1357 576 59 981 185 981 636 574 239 614 172 135 205 772

CAIRO DUBAI DUBAI CAIRO ISTANBUL DAMMAM DOHA DUBAI RIYADH DUBAI SHIRAZ BEIRUT JEDDAH JEDDAH MUSCAT LATAKIA AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA DOHA CAIRO ABU DHABI-INTL CAIRO DUBAI RIYADH JEDDAH DUBAI SHARJAH WASHINGTON DC DULLES BAHRAIN RIYADH ALEXANDRIA DOHA DUBAI BAHRAIN KOZHIKODE LUXOR MUMBAI KABUL MUSCAT DUBAI SHARJAH BEIRUT AMSTERDAM SABIHA DUBAI DAMASCUS DUBAI ABU DHABI-INTL DOHA BAHRAIN DAMASCUS COCHIN DUBAI CHENNAI DUBAI BAHRAIN FRANKFURT MUMBAI AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA CAIRO FRANKFURT BAHRAIN LAHORE ISTANBUL

18:15 19:25 12:45 13:00 13:10 13:30 13:45 13:40 13:45 13:50 14:10 14:30 14:30 14:35 14:40 15:15 15:55 16:15 16:10 16:35 16:40 16:55 16:15 17:50 17:30 17:10 17:15 17:20 17:20 18:00 18:25 18:55 19:05 19:15 19:30 19:35 19:45 20:00 20:00 20:05 20:15 21:05 20:10 20:10 20:00 21:15 21:30 21:30 21:45 22:00 22:05 22:20 22:25 22:40 22:40 23:10 23:20 22:30 23:30 23:00 23:00 23:40 23:45

Airlines AIC MSC AXB JAI UAL DLH MSR BBC THY THY ETH MEA THY UAE FDB MSR SYR ETD QTR CLX QTR JZR JZR FDB RJA GFA THY JZR JZR BAW FDB JZR KAC JZR MSC KAC ABY KAC UAE FDB KAC KAC ETD IRA KAC QTR KAC NIA KAC IRC GFA KAC MEA JZR JZR KAC JZR KAC JZR MSR MSC

Departure Flights on Sunday 8/9/2013 Flt Route 976 GOA 2404 ALEXANDRIA 490 MANGALORE 573 MUMBAI 981 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 637 FRANKFURT 615 CAIRO 44 CHITTAGONG 773 ISTANBUL-ATATURK 765 ISTANBUL-SABIHA 621 ADDIS ABABA 409 BEIRUT 769 ISTANBUL-ATATURK 854 DUBAI 68 DUBAI 613 CAIRO 1352 DAMASCUS 306 ABU DHABI 139 DOHA 852 HONG KONG 149 DOHA 560 SOHAG 504 LUXOR 70 DUBAI 643 AMMAN 212 BAHRAIN 771 ISTANBUL-ATATURK 240 AMMAN 164 DUBAI 156 LONDON 54 DUBAI 256 BEIRUT 171 FRANKFURT 534 CAIRO 3406 SOHAG 671 DUBAI 126 SHARJAH 787 JEDDAH 856 DUBAI 56 DUBAI 117 NEW YORK 1801 CAIRO 302 ABU DHABI 602 SHIRAZ 773 RIYADH 133 DOHA 741 DAMMAM 256 ALEXANDRIA 501 BEIRUT 6667 AHWAZ 214 BAHRAIN 541 CAIRO 405 BEIRUT 776 JEDDAH 480 ISTANBUL-SABIHA 103 LONDON 786 RIYADH 785 JEDDAH 176 DUBAI 611 CAIRO 2406 SOHAG

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Time 00:05 00:10 00:15 00:20 00:25 00:30 00:30 01:30 02:20 02:40 02:45 03:10 03:40 03:45 03:50 04:15 04:15 04:20 04:25 04:40 05:15 05:35 06:20 06:30 06:35 07:00 07:10 07:10 07:25 08:25 08:25 08:50 08:55 09:10 09:20 09:25 09:30 09:35 09:50 09:55 10:00 10:05 10:15 10:20 10:20 10:25 10:30 11:00 11:10 11:10 11:25 11:30 11:55 12:25 12:30 12:30 12:50 13:00 13:20 14:00 14:05

THY UAE FDB QTR KAC IRC KNE KAC OMA SVA KAC JZR SYR KAC RJA JZR QTR ETD MSC JZR ABY UAE GFA SVA UAL JZR RBG JZR NIA QTR FDB GFA JZR AXB KAC MSR JAI FDB ABY AFG OMA SYR MEA MSC DHX KLM ETD ALK UAE KAC QTR KAC GFA FDB KAC SYR JAI KAC JZR JZR KAC KAC JZR

767 872 58 141 673 6508 473 561 646 503 617 188 342 513 641 238 135 304 3404 538 128 858 216 511 982 184 558 266 252 145 64 220 134 394 283 619 571 62 120 415 648 1356 403 2402 171 417 308 230 860 343 137 301 218 60 205 1358 575 351 554 1540 411 415 528

ISTANBUL-ATATURK DUBAI DUBAI DOHA DUBAI SHIRAZ JEDDAH AMMAN MUSCAT MADINAH DOHA DUBAI LATAKIA TEHRAN AMMAN AMMAN DOHA ABU DHABI ASYUT CAIRO SHARJAH DUBAI BAHRAIN RIYADH BAHRAIN DUBAI ALEXANDRIA BEIRUT ALEXANDRIA DOHA DUBAI BAHRAIN BAHRAIN KOZHIKODE DHAKA ALEXANDRIA MUMBAI DUBAI SHARJAH JEDDAH MUSCAT DAMASCUS BEIRUT ALEXANDRIA BAHRAIN DAMMAM ABU DHABI COLOMBO DUBAI CHENNAI DOHA MUMBAI BAHRAIN DUBAI ISLAMABAD DAMASCUS ABU DHABI KOCHI ALEXANDRIA CAIRO BANGKOK KUALA LUMPUR ASYUT

14:10 14:15 14:30 14:55 15:05 15:10 15:30 15:30 15:40 15:45 15:45 16:00 16:15 16:20 16:55 17:05 17:20 17:20 17:25 17:40 17:50 18:15 18:20 18:20 18:30 18:30 18:35 18:40 19:00 19:25 19:35 19:50 20:05 20:15 20:15 20:30 20:35 20:40 20:45 20:45 20:55 21:00 21:15 21:30 21:50 22:05 22:15 22:20 22:25 22:30 22:40 22:40 22:45 23:00 23:00 23:00 23:05 23:10 23:20 23:25 23:40 23:50 23:55

34

s ta rs CROSSWORD 304

STAR TRACK Aries (March 21-April 19) You may be able to enjoy and value your own life situation today or feel especially kind toward a friend or loved one. You can always find the resources you require at hand plus the necessary instruction in how to use them. You may find yourself as a go-between with others. You could even have a special gift for spanning the generation gap, bringing older and younger spirits together. Quick answers, great wit and a surplus of insights and solutions are easy to find. This is a good time to write and communicate with real originality. Inventions and breakthroughs are possible. All sorts of creative activities are also possible—fishing, camping, etc. Close relationships take on more meaning and depth. Make this an attitude-of-gratitude weekend.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) You enjoy life yourself and can go one better when it comes to teasing, perhaps too far at times. Your friends may have plans that include you today so you might be attentive in your need to tell a joke or tease . . . Wait until asked or invited by one of those winks from your friends. You will enjoy activities from garage sales to some form of indoor sports. Your appetite for high activity is probably well known and well noted. Sports, outdoor activities and everything physical are high on your list of favorites. Feelings are something you express easily and you appreciate others doing the same. This is a creative period for you, a time to take a chance and a time to be appreciated. An evening with a loved one now can bring new understandings.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

ACROSS 1. Electronic warfare undertaken under direct control of an operational commander to locate sources of radiated electromagnetic energy for the purpose of immediate threat recognition.

4. The position of judge.

12. The basic unit of electric current adopted under the System International d'Unites.

15. Aircraft landing in bad weather in which the pilot is talked down by ground control using precision approach radar.

16. Bubble shells.

17. Neckwear consisting of a long narrow piece of material worn (mostly by men) under a collar and tied in knot at the front.

18. A humorous anecdote or remark.

19. A person who rides a pedal-driven vehicle (as a bicycle).

20. A spring-flowering shrub or small tree of the genus Crataegus.

21. Perennial mountain rice native to Mediterranean region and introduced into North America.

23. A state in midwestern United States.

24. Keenly excited (especially sexually) or indicating excitement.

26. Fish-eating bird of warm inland waters having a long flexible neck and slender sharp-pointed bill.

29. Suggestive of the supernatural.

30. Roman general who commanded the invasion of Carthage in the second Punic War and defeated Hannibal at Zama (circa 237183 BC).

33. Angular distance above the horizon (especially of a celestial object).

34. A white metallic element that burns with a brilliant light.

35. Panic grass.

37. Direct toward itself or oneself.

42. A speech sound produced with both the oral and nasal passages open (as French nasal vowels).

44. A portion of something (especially money).

45. A corporation's first offer to sell stock to the public.

46. Any of several low-growing Australian eucalypts.

47. Any of various dark heavy viscid substances obtained as a residue.

48. Toward land.

51. Remote city of Kazakhstan that (ostensibly for security reasons) was made the capital in 1998.

54. A soft gray malleable metallic element that resembles tin but discolors on exposure to air.

55. The longest division of geological time.

60. A simple jointed bit for a horse.

63. (zoology) Relating to or belonging to or characteristic of any worms of the phylum Annelida.

67. Resinlike substance secreted by certain lac insects.

68. Seed again or anew.

71. The basic unit of money in Poland.

72. A drug combination found in some overthe-counter headache remedies (Aspirin and Phenacetin and Caffeine).

73. Oldest known reptiles.

75. South American wood sorrel cultivated for its edible tubers.

76. The cry made by sheep.

77. A great raja.

78. An American doctorate usually based on at least 3 years graduate study and a dissertation.

DOWN 1. Oval reproductive body of a fowl (especially a hen) used as food.

2. A fraudulent business scheme.

3. (New Testament) The sages who visited Jesus and Mary and Joseph shortly after Jesus was born.

4. Greenhouse shrub with glossy green leaves and showy fragrant roselike flowers.

5. (Hawaiian) A small guitar having four strings.

6. A doctor's degree in education.

7. A small hard particle.

8. Fodder harvested while green and kept succulent by partial fermentation as in a silo.

9. A lipoprotein that transports cholesterol in the blood.

10. The United Nations agency concerned with atomic energy.

11. A bet that you can pick the first and second finishers in the right order.

12. Essential oil or perfume obtained from flowers.

13. A member of the extinct Algonquian people formerly living in northern Indiana and southern Michigan.

14. Small olive-colored woodland flycatchers of eastern North America.

22. The fur of a rabbit.

25. Acquire or gain knowledge or skills.

27. English poet (1859-1936).

28. Having winglike extensions.

31. Of or relating to the wrist.

32. The craniometric point that is the most prominent point at the back of the head (at the occipital protuberance).

36. A flat-bottomed volcanic crater that was formed by an explosion.

38. A crime that undermines the offender's government.

39. A theatrical performer.

40. A soft whitish calcite.

41. (medicine) A grossly malformed and usually nonviable fetus.

43. An honorary law degree.

49. Lacking or deprive of the sense of hearing wholly or in part.

50. A heavy gray-white metallic element.

52. A festival featuring African-American culture.

53. A hotel for motorists.

56. A rare silvery (usually trivalent) metallic element.

57. The French-speaking part of the Canadian Maritime Provinces.

58. The capital and largest city of Bangladesh.

59. (Judaism) A Jewish festival (traditionally 8 days) celebrating the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt.

61. Plant with an elongated head of broad stalked leaves resembling celery.

62. A Russian river.

64. Fastener consisting of a metal ring for lining a small hole to permit the attachment of cords or lines.

65. A contagious skin infection caused by the itch mite.

66. Two items of the same kind.

69. A federal agency established to coordinate programs aimed at reducing pollution and protecting the environment.

70. The rate at which red blood cells settle out in a tube of blood under standardized conditions.

74. A person who announces and plays popular recorded music.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

This is a good day for money . . . An old debt will be paid and new opportunities are available. Put work aside, or be willing to take interruptions today.

Your dreams and ideals are very important to you and you methodically go about putting them into practice. A young family member needs your attention this afternoon. You may be asked for your advice and counsel regarding some very personal and emotional issues surrounding this person. Try not to be too quick with your answers—this person may just want to talk. You will be able to be understanding and clever with new ideas that will be helpful. Tonight is for entertaining. Show off your cooking talents with healthy and fun finger foods that are easy and enjoyable.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) New means of self-expression and communication are possible. You may find yourself changing your appearance, moving toward the more unconventional and less traditional. A shopping expedition with a young person can be fun today, especially if you do not try to accomplish everything in one day. Careful—you appreciate tradition and your value system is dead set against anything new or out of the ordinary; however, this young person may have some out of the ordinary ideas about purchases. There is a chance to understand and have some special time with him or her.

General good feelings and a sense of support and harmony make this a happy time. There is a strong drive to unify and simplify.

Leo (July 23-August 22) Fate seems to bring you to your friends and also changes your old relationships in positive ways. A group or organization you belong to could blur the line between means and ends. It would be a good idea to become attentive to the balance of your time.

Expect a sense of support from those around you today. Careful—do not overdo your nurturing abilities. You are the eternal patron of just about anyone who will let you look after him or her—the mother hen. You need to feel useful and wanted and are never happy unless you are active and involved. Always the host, you find opportunities this evening to use your inventive ways of understanding some need and can usually find a common interest to help bridge most any gap.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) You can easily entertain a group of people if you are called upon to do so.

Today you could be entertaining young people. At the very least, the gift of gab is highlighted. Working with or teaching others and communicating via the mind in general are fun for you and you have a special way of presenting most any subject matter in the most unique of ways. As a natural storyteller, you are at home in the world of myths and dreams.

Your sense of discernment when it comes to matters of literary and intellectual taste is very refined. You could write poetry or prose and you put a very high value on the written word. You enjoy nothing more than a good conversation and may be very adept at speaking. When extra money is needed, communication is your tool.

Word Search

Libra (September 23-October 22) This is an easy, calm day that should find everything running smoothly. You can demonstrate great understanding and sensitivity to the needs of others and may find that today is a good opportunity to volunteer or encourage a volunteer attitude. You can help others learn problem-solving techniques. You may find yourself intervening and smoothing out negative situations. You are able to handle delicate matters without ever breaking stride. Emotional and tender areas of the human psyche do not slow your progress. You enjoy getting beneath the surface and you have an innate savvy for handling touchy subjects and people. You love social life and relationships of all kinds—partners, marriages, teachers, etc.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) You have a natural sense of what others want and you will try your best to please. Your loved ones have shown great patience toward you lately and you want to show them your appreciation now. In-depth discussions and probing conversations find you at your mental best. Your ability to discern a proper outcome is very good.

This is a great time to be with others in some fun activity. There could be an interest in group sports, hobbies, movie, dinner out, etc. Information that you have been examining and thinking about will now begin to take shape and prove useful to you. This next period is one of action and embarking on new projects. You will feel more and more confident and outgoing with a sense of confidence that grows stronger each day.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) You enjoy working with your mind and your sharp perceptions make finding new solutions easy. Today your occupation seems to be with puzzles.

This afternoon you may be expected to do your share in helping with some family project.

You always bring an unexpected twist or insight to anything you set your mind to do. You are able to teach or help others to be more original when it comes to the words or thoughts they use. Be careful not to correct others too often. You can use the mind in original ways and probably have excellent eye-hand coordination. Your laser-like mind makes conversations fast-paced and illuminating. Dinner out with family or friends could bring much laughter. The opera, a concert or some other similar entertainment is engaging.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) You have a natural sense for communicating with others, especially young people. Clear thoughts about the past may also be flowing in at this time.

You and a family member may find some fun time to work on a photograph book or bring an old scrapbook up to date. This afternoon you may be attending a shower, wedding or some celebration that involves friends or family. A reunion of sorts is in the forecast today and there is much celebration. This is a vital day with much enthusiasm and lots of action.

You may feel focused and even a bit radiant. You could find that you can really communicate and get your ideas across to others. A well-planned life can help you avoid stress, but occasionally, like today, you may enjoy a bit of impulsiveness.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) Spending money may pacify you, but it can get out of control. Dealing with money in sound, well-balanced ways is an important lesson to master at this time. You will soon be exposed to new ideas in the area of finances—take notes but no action just yet. Plan to stash some of your cash in a safe place for a “rainy day.” be wise in your choice of words if you are teaching—stay away from criticisms. Your intuition rings true. Focus on plans for travel later today. This is a time for imagination and creativity when it comes to ideas. This, together with the ability to put your thoughts into words, allows you to enchant most listeners. A good book or movie would be appreciated by you this evening. Relax and enjoy someone else’s story tonight.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) Friendships are in a state of transformation—old ones are either revitalized or else they come to an end; new ones are formed. You are independent, confident and ready to form fun relationships. You love attention and somehow manage to gravitate to the center of almost any group or happening. A relationship that temporarily went off the track can now be restored. Accept a game challenge today—lots of laughter is available. Over the last few weeks you may have heard someone talk about what they were doing to create some energy-saving techniques. You may begin to think along this same path of thinking. This could mean the purchase of a solar panel or the careful planning of the way you use electricity or gas. Your friends may have some ideas.

Yesterday’s Solution

Yesterday’s Solution

Daily SuDoku

Yesterday’s Solution

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 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

Al-Madeena

22418714

Al-Shuhada

22545171

Al-Shuwaikh

24810598

Al-Nuzha

22545171

Ahmadi

Sama Safwan Abu Halaifa Danat Al-Sultan

Fahaeel Makka St Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd

23915883 23715414 23726558

Sabhan

24742838

Jahra

Modern Jahra Madina Munawara

Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 Jahra-Block 92

24575518 24566622

Al-Helaly

22434853

Capital

Ahlam Khaldiya Coop

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22436184 24833967

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22545051

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New Shifa Ferdous Coop Modern Safwan

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24734000 24881201 24726638

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24711433

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24316983

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

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23927002

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24316983

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23980088

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23711183

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23262845

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25716707

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22517733

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22517144

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25610011

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24848075

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25616368

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24849807

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24848913

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24814507

Abdullah Salem

22549134

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22526804

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24814764

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22515088

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22532265

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22531908

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22518752

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22459381

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22451082

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22456536

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22465401

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25746401

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25316254

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25623444

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25388462

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25381200

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22630786

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24810221

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24770319

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24575755

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24772608

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24775066

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24775992

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24311795

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24884079

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24892674

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24719048

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24710044

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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

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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

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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

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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

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25620111

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22610044

Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher

25327148

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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

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

lifestyle G o s s i p

T

he 32-year-old actress, who has been nominated for an Oscar three times, is set to star as Sally Bowles opposite acclaimed British actor Alan Cumming, 48, in a new production of ‘Cabaret’. Roundabout Theatre Company confirmed on Wednesday (04.09.13) that the ‘Brokeback Mountain’ star has signed on for a 24week run and previews will begin on March 21, 2014 at the Kit Kat Klub at Studio 54 on Broadway in New York. ‘Skyfall’ director Sam Mendes will helm the production for the second time after originally reviving the show in 1993, which also starred Alan. He said in a statement: “I’m delighted to be stepping back into the Kit Kat Klub one more time, and to be having the opportunity to re-explore and rediscover this extraordinary musical alongside two equally extraordinary performers.” The show will begin its official run on April 24.

Former ‘Dawson’s Creek’ star Michelle, whose old co-star Katie Holmes’ second stint on Broadway in the ‘Dead Accounts’ was cut short earlier this year due to poor ticket sales, previously admitted she thought about quitting acting after the sudden death of her exboyfriend Heath Ledger until she starred in ‘Blue Valentine’ in 2010, which rekindled her love of it. She said: “Making ‘Blue Valentine’ restored my desire and enjoyment in acting again, that was the first time I felt like myself again... It helped me feel good again in a way that I hadn’t felt like in several years. It rekindled my spirit in many ways.”

T

he reality TV star welcomed her little girl, North West, into the world almost three months ago and has reportedly been shopping up a storm and spending thousands of dollars on her daughter’s wardrobe while she works on getting her pre-baby body back. A source told Star magazine: “Kim ... spends all her time shopping online for Nori. She mostly buys white items, and she buys multiples of the same thing because they get dirty so easily. “Many of the little designer dresses cost upwards of $600 apiece, and Kim will buy 10 to 15 items at once. Kim spends more on baby clothes a month than many celebrities spend on their house payments.” Kim and her boyfriend Kanye West are especially fond of an $800 cashmere blanket made by Hermes and another source told OK! Magazine they “buy them in bulk but they like them because they are super soft and Nori rubs them on her face all the time. At $800 [each], that gets really expensive!” The ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashians’ star, 32, also allegedly spent $250,000 in Harrods in London in May on designer items for North before she was born.

The insider said: “She got baby gear from Chloe and Christian Dior, Chanel booties and Versace rompers-basically the best of the best.” It was previously revealed that baby North already has more than 100 pairs of designer shoes.

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ana Scolaro, who recently uploaded a picture to Instagram of the married singer, 36, with his hand on her butt, now claims they also shared a passionate kiss at the Greenwich Hotel in New York recently but Robin’s wife says there is no truth to the allegations. A spokesperson for the couple told Life & Style magazine: “It’s just a girl looking for some attention. Paula and Robin aren’t concerned.” The 20-year-old student claims she travelled to the MTV Video Music Awards after-party on August 25 with Robin, whom she first met a week earlier through mutual friends, and his actress wife, and says that they spent much of the evening kissing. She said: “I went to the bathroom, and when I came out he was standing there. He turned off the lights so no one could see us, and he started making out with me. He was grabbing me. He was like, “I want to get you into bed!”‘ The blonde beauty also claims that Robin did not care that his ‘2 Guns’ star wife, 37, whom he has been married to since 2005 and has a three-year-old son with, Julian, was somewhere else in the same room and even encouraged her to speak to Paula directly. She said: “I don’t think he cared what she thought. I was with him the whole night!... His hands were everywhere.”

T

he ‘30 Rock’ star, whose 17-year-old daughter, Ireland, was the subject of a bitter custody battle with his ex-wife Kim Basinger, is determined to raise his newborn daughter, Carmen, with his wife Hilaria in a happy home. The 55-year-old actor told People.com: “It’s a second chance for me, in a way.

Everybody knows I had a pretty unpleasant custody battle for Ireland.” Budding model Ireland is “well-adjusted and as happy as one can be,” but Alec wants Carmen’s childhood to be different. He said: “We just want things to be easy, to be nice.” Shortly before Carmen’s birth, he hinted he is thinking about quitting acting to focus on being a good parent. He said: “I have one dream in my life and that is that this daughter I’m having - she comes to me about seven or eight years from now, she has a friend, and she’s at her house and she says, ‘Daddy, Susie’s mom says you used to be on TV. Daddy, is that true?’ She has no knowledge of me as a public person. That would be heaven for me. “I’d love to [quit acting] if I could, yeah. That would be the greatest thing in the world.”

Meanwhile, yoga instructor Hilaria, 29, is already besotted with their two-week old daughter. She said: “I knew I was going to love her a lot, but it’s incredible how deeply.” But she added: “Now I’m getting to the point where if I don’t sleep, I’m going to start walking into walls.”

T

he German supermodel, who has four children, Leni, nine, Henry, seven, Johan, six and Lou, three, with her ex-husband Seal, tries to encourage all of them to be creative in their own way. She said: “I think kids need to get their hands dirty - to paint, sculpt, create - in order to express themselves. As adults we’re told we need to colour inside the lines, but I don’t think you should ever tell a child that. Let them scribble-scrabble like crazy and see what comes out.” She added: “Creativity is about trying something new. We went to a French restaurant and I wanted the kids to try escargot. They went, ‘Ew, icky!’ But they all tried it. I think that says a lot about having an open mind.” The ‘America’s Got Talent’ judge also told the October issue of Parents magazine that her children are very fashion conscious and it has helped her look at her own style differently. She said: “Henry will wear a T-shirt with no collar with a bow tie. At first I thought, ‘That’s odd!’

Then I thought, ‘I quite like that!’ “Leni is all about comfort.

Even if it’s the cutest print, she won’t wear it if it’s itchy ... So they’ve inspired me to use bright colours, mix patterns, and use yummy fabrics that are soft.”

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he ‘Safe Haven’ star’s wife Fergie gave birth to their first child, Axl Jack, on August 29 and the couple are completely besotted with the new addition to their family. The 40-year-old actor tweeted on Tuesday night : “Sorry about the absence. I truly appreciate all of your well wishes. All is good! In fact, never better. Much love, JD.” Black Eyes Peas star Fergie, 38, delivered the baby boy, who weighted seven pounds, 10 ounces, in Los Angeles and they named their son after the lead singer of her favourite band Axl Rose from Gun N’ Roses. A source told UsMagazine.com: “Fergie is a huge Guns ‘N Roses fan-one of her career highlights has been performing and recording with Slash-so Axl makes perfect sense.” Shortly before Axl’s arrival, Josh admitted he was nervous about becoming a father. He said: “You know, I gotta tell you, I’m a little bit nervous. I thought that I was going to be good. I thought that I was ready for this, and I’m a little bit terrified. I’m excited and terrified, because I am responsible for this little thing. Forever.”

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

lifestyle G o s s i p

T

he trio will join nine other famous personalities on Season 17 of the ballroom dancing competition, which is judged

by Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli. Jack - who suffers from the nerve disorder multiple sclerosis and is the son of Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne - has been partnered with Cheryl Burke, ‘Jersey Shore’ star Snooki, who has a 12month-old son, Lorenzo, with her fiance Jionni LaValle, will dance with Sasha Farber, while ‘Glee’ actress Amber will foxtrot with Derek Hough. Other notable names from the line-up include ‘Showgirls’ actress Elizabeth Berkley, singer Christina Milian, ‘High School Musical’ actor Corbin Bleu and ‘King of Queens’ star Leah Remini - who recently quit the Church of Scientology. The exciting line-up was announced today (04.09.13) on ‘Good Morning America’ - hosted by Tom Bergeron and Brooke Burke-Charvet - in Times Square in New York City.

Season 17 will kick off with a two-hour episode on Monday, September 16 on ABC. ‘Dancing with the Stars’ 2013, full line-up: Elizabeth Berkley - paired with Val Chmerkovskiy, Corbin Bleu paired with Karina Smirnoff, Brian Daugherty - paired with Peta Murgatroyd, Bill Engvall - paired with Emma Slater, Valerie Harper - Tristan MacManus Keyshawn Johnson - paired with Sharna Burgess, Christina Milian - paired with Mark Ballas, Bill Nye - paired with Tyne Stecklein, Jack Osbourne - paired with Cheryl Burke, Snooki’ - paired with Sasha Farber, Leah Remini paired with Tony Dovolani, Amber Riley - paired with Derek Hough.

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aria Shriver, who works as a reporter for NBC and is still waiting for her divorce from Arnold to be finalised, says the 76-year-old actor, with whom she is close friends, has no plans to step away from his Hollywood career anytime soon amid speculation he has memory issues and can no longer remember his lines. The 57-year-old brunette told E! News that the ‘Easy Rider’ star is not suffering from any memoryrelated illness or dementia and has no current plans to retire. Another source close to Jack said he is actively reading scripts at the moment and is looking forward to his next role. It was previously reported that the actor, whose career has spanned five decades and who has appeared in many iconic films including

T

he U2 bassist, 53, tied the knot with the Brazilian model in a low-key ceremony at a registry office in Dublin, Ireland, at 11 am. Just 18 guests, including his fellow band member The Edge and his wife Morleigh Steinberg, attended the civil ceremony but Bono and drummer Larry Mullen were not present. A spokesperson for the couple confirmed the news and told the Irish Independent newspaper: “Adam is delighted to confirm that he married Mariana de Carvalho today in Dublin.”

Adam, who was briefly engaged to supermodel Naomi Campbell in 1994, popped the question to his girlfriend of four years during Carnival in Brazil in February and the couple are planning to celebrate their

nuptials with a second ceremony and lavish reception in the south of France this weekend. A source told the BBC that they would host a three-day party with more than 150 close friends and family. Last year Adam’s former personal assistant was sentenced to seven years in prison for the embezzlement of €2.8 million (£2.2 million) of his money. Carol Hawkins was convicted on 181 counts of theft from the bassist’s bank accounts over a four-year period.

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he ‘Under the Skin’ star, 28, who was previously married to Ryan Reynolds for two years before their divorce was finalised in June 2011, is set to tie the knot with the French journalist, who popped the question approximately one month ago. A source close to the couple confirmed the news to People.com on Wednesday, saying: “They’re engaged and very happy.” A spokesperson for the blonde beauty declined to comment on the news. The couple began dating in November after being introduced by mutual friends, just weeks after the actress split from her boyfriend of one year Nate Taylor. Earlier this week Scarlett was spotted wearing a diamond ring at the Venice International Film Festival in Italy. She was previously spotted wearing an ornate gold ruby ring in July but friends dismissed reports she was engaged at the time, saying it was “simply a piece of jewellery.” Rumours first began to swirl that the couple were planning to wed after the blonde beauty was spotted wearing a huge pear-cut diamond ring as she wandered around New York with Romain, 30, in February. The ‘Avengers’ star admitted last year she liked being married but hinted that she wasn’t interested in tying the knot again for quite a while. She said: “I got married when I was young and it was incredibly romantic and I liked being married, actually.

“But it is different. It’s hard to put into words. To me, being in a functioning relationship doesn’t mean you have to be married. “I never think about marriage. Is that weird? The only time I ever think about it is when people ask me. It’s really not important to me.”

T

he ‘Beautiful’ hitmaker, who was arrested on August 15 after being pulled over by police in Los Angeles for speeding in the early hours of the morning and officers discovered his blood alcohol level was slightly above the legal limit in California, was charged with two counts of drunk driving stemming from the incident on Wednesday. Miguel, whose full name is Miguel Jontel Pimentel, was cooperative following his arrest and was released on $5,000 bail. The 27year-old singer’s case is set to go before a judge next week, according to gossip website TMZ.com. Miguel last hit the headlines in June when he accidentally kicked a fan during his performance at the Billboard Music Awards. The singersongwriter leaped from one stage to another while singing ‘Adorn’ and caught his leg on the back of Khyati Shah’s head, slamming it into the platform. While it had been claimed Miguel was warned the jump was too dangerous to attempt, his spokeswoman denied this. Speaking after the incident, she said: “The reports claiming that Miguel was warned by producers not to jump are completely false. A number of attempts were made to reach Khyati and her lawyer after the performance to see how she was doing and whether any assistance could be offered. Khyati’s well being has been and continues to be of the utmost concern to Miguel.”

‘The Shining’, ‘Batman’ and ‘Chinatown,’ had quietly decided to retire. A Hollywood insider said: “Jack has - without fanfare - retired. “There is a simple reason behind his decision, it’s memory loss. Quite frankly, at 76, Jack has memory issues and can no longer remember the lines being asked of him. His memory isn’t what it used to be.” Jack’s illustrious career has included three Oscar wins, two for Best Actor in ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ and ‘As Good as It Gets’ and a Best Supporting Actor statuette for his turn in the 1983 film ‘ Terms of Endearment’.

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he 55-year-old actress, who was crowned the world’s most beautiful woman twice in the past, likes to look good but insists she isn’t afraid of ageing. The ‘Stardust’ star told the October issue of Ladies Home Journal magazine: “Once you get over a certain hump there actually is less pressure. You can begin to look great for your age. You don’t have to look young anymore. “I’ve moved over to that other side - I’m 55, which is a little too close to 60, but looking great for my age is okay now.” But Michelle admits she wasn’t always comfortable with her looks. She said: “Having to watch yourself age on a giant movie screen is simply not natural. It can wreak havoc on your psyche.” The actress, who has two children, Claudia and John, with her television writer husband David E. Kelley, credits her vegan diet for helping her to stay trim. She said: “I haven’t always been healthy. When I was in my 20s I smoked two packs of cigarettes a day. I lived on Marlboro Lights and Coca-Cola.” The blonde beauty is hoping to reignite her Hollywood career with her new film ‘The Family’ after taking time off to raise her children in San Francisco and despite her huge success, she is still afraid of failure. She said: “I still think I’m going to be fired in the first week of every new job I take. Always. In fact, before I even start a movie I’ll try to get myself fired or think of a reason I should quit. I guess it’s fear of failure.”

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

lifestyle F e a t u r e s

Selling Seoul through public’s eye W

hen choosing someone to helm a film promoting the joys of your city to potential tourists , you might want to avoid a director renowned for explicit images of violence and torture.

But maybe Seoul’s tourism officials saw something others missed in Park Chan-Wook’s award-winning “Oldboy” when the protagonist removes-in lurid close-up-the teeth of his screaming victim with a claw hammer.

“It’s fair to say we had some concerns,” Kim Ki-Hyun, director of the South Korean capital’s tourism business division, said of the decision to commission Park for the promotional project “Seoul: Our Movie.”

“But then we aren’t looking for a TV commercial-type video, but something artistic and genuine,” Kim told AFP. The project is an unusual and possibly brave one, given that the municipal government is waiving almost any control over the finished product.

There is no script, no shooting schedule, no location list and director Park will not actually be directing anything.

Instead, with his brother, prominent media artist Park Chan-Kyong, he has been tasked with compiling the response to the project’s call for the general public to send in amateur videos of under five minutes on the subject of pretty much anything related to Seoul.

Submissions will be accepted until November 9, after which the Park brothers will begin sifting through the material which they eventually intend to edit into a 50-minute online movie.

“We’re not looking for pretty cityscapes,” Park Chan-Kyong said. “We want material that shows Seoul as a real place where real people live.” The project is not limited to people living in Seoul, the brothers said, adding they hoped to get submissions from around the world.

Born and bred in Seoul, the 48-yearold Park Chan-Wook said he had been drawn to the project by the idea of viewing random, fresh perspectives on a city he feels he has “taken for granted” and become “desensitised to.”

“We are not at the core of this. The

public is. And that makes it exciting.” He brushed away suggestions that the dark nature of some of his movies meant he would be attracted to submissions that focused on the city’s seamy underside.

“It’s not as if we’re going to end up with a film about a serial killer. We understand the commission and there’s a balance to be struck,” he told AFP in an interview. “But the fact that they commissioned artists to do this, rather than an ad agency, shows that their intention was not to make something conventional,” he added.

More than 11 million foreign tourists visited South Korea last year, according to the Culture Ministry-the first time the country has broken through the 10-million mark.

Chinese nationals account for the vast majority of arrivals and tourist authorities are keen to widen the net and bring in more European travellers who tend to skip South Korea for China, Japan or Southeast Asia.

Seoul is particularly keen to attract a younger demographic to a city with a vibrant night-life that prides itself on

being the most wired capital in the world. “The movie project will be released online, and is really something we believe will appeal to people in the 20-30 age range who we consider most

likely to visit or come work in Seoul,” Kim said. Park Chan-Wook said he had no idea how the final cut would turn out. “It’s perfectly unpredictable. That’s what we like about it,” he said. —AFP

SEOUL: This picture taken on August 20, 2013 shows South Korean movie director Park Chan-Wook (L) and his brother prominent media artist Park Chan-Kyong (R) during a press conference for the promotional project “Seoul: Our Movie” in Seoul. The project is an unusual and possibly brave one, given that the municipal government is waiving almost any control over the finished product. —AFP

Ask a Designer Tips on lighting a room well

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our choice of lighting has a huge impact on how your home looks and feels. But how do you choose when the options include everything from retro Edison-style bulbs with glowing filaments to compact fluorescents, plus lamps and fixtures in every shape and size?

“Lamps are one of the most important factors in a room’s design,” says designer Brian Patrick Flynn of Flynnside Out Productions. Yet homeowners often give lighting less attention than they do furniture or wall colors.

Here, Flynn and designers Betsy Burnham of Burnham Design and Molly Luetkemeyer of M. Design Interiors share tips on choosing the perfect lamps, lampshades and light bulbs to achieve maximum style and function.

People walk past Damascus’ Fardos (Arabic for Paradise) Cinema, on September 5, 2013 in the Syrian capital. The Fardos cinema used to attract poor customers from the outskirts of Damascus, but war has driven its clientele away and forced it to show the same films for two years. —AFP

In Damascus,

a ‘Cinema Paradiso’ struggles to stay open

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he Fardos cinema used to attract poor customers from the outskirts of Damascus, but war has driven its clientele away and forced it to show the same films for two years.

At one time, Fardos-Arabic for Paradise-drew in customers eager to enjoy a movie in the centre of the Syrian capital.

But the conflict has dried up the cinema’s supply of movies, and its clientele have mostly fled, or no longer venture into town for such indulgences.

The beating heart of the cinema is manager Jamal al-Sassa, who sits in a stuffy, run-down office, its walls covered with yellowing movie posters that give off a faintly musty smell.

Sassa, in his 50s, has an enthusiasm for the movies worthy of Giuseppe Tornatore’s Oscarwinning “Cinema Paradiso”, about a filmmaker with a passion for the medium.

“I fell in love with the cinema when I was just a little boy,” says Sassa, who has run the cinema for about 15 years.

“I started here when I was 12, selling sweets, but I used to go to the projection room to see how the film reels worked,” he adds with a big smile.

He sees himself when he looks at the little boy who today stands outside the cinema, selling small chocolates and other sweets to customers outside.

One of Damascus’s few modern multiplex movie theatres, Cinema City, closed its doors in April as the country’s conflict worsened.

It was a rare place where Damascenes could see the latest movies, and its entrance in the centre of the city is still bricked up. “Their chic customers left the capital; no one goes to the cinema anymore,” Sassa says.

The closure has had a disastrous knock-on effect for “second-hand” cinemas like Fardos, which used to buy movies from Cinema City after their run.

Now the latest films available at Fardos include 2009’s Bride Wars, starring Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson, and Friends with Benefits, from 2011, with Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis.

“The last lot of films we bought was in 2011,” when the Syrian conflict began, Sassa says.

“Since then, I’ve been showing four films a month,” he adds with an air of resignation. “And when I get through all 30 films, I’ll start all over again.” Not only does the cinema suffer from a shrinking pool of movies, but a dwindling customer base as well.

An employee operates the projector at Damascus’ Fardos (Arabic for Paradise) Cinema, in the Syrian capital. —AFP By the end of the afternoon on a regular day in Damascus, fewer than 10 people had bought tickets.

“Cinemas in Syria were already in crisis because of the Internet and satellite television,” Sassa says.

“But with the war, the poorer people who used to come to us from Damascus province are not around anymore.” Battles between rebels and regime forces have raged on the outskirts of the capital, where the opposition fighters have sought to establish rear bases.

“We used to have more than 40 people a night. Nowadays it’s four at the most,” he laments. “Sometimes no one comes at all after 5:00 pm because people are afraid to go out after night falls. Before the war we used to stay open until midnight.”

An air of sadness hangs over the 800-seat theatre, where just a handful of viewers watch a subtitled Western movie, one of them in the process of nodding off.

The seats are faded green, some broken altogether, and bits of rubbish are visible on the floor, adding to a sense that the place has been forgotten by time.

“Sometimes I come and see the same film. I feel good here, I can even smoke,” Fardos customer Samer says. “Some people spend the whole day in the darkened room,” Sassa laughs.

His smile is brief-it pains him deeply to see the theatre empty, the seats untouched and the films unwatched.

“I’ve become sick. For me, the most beautiful thing in the job is to be behind my desk and watch people’s reactions to a film,” he says.

“Before, I used to ask people to keep in the queue. Now, time seems to go on forever.”

The cinema was opened in 1948, when the queues to see movies “were 100 metres (yards) long,” as Sassa puts it.

Now the cinema’s future is in doubt, with the investment needed to keep it afloat unlikely.

“Who is going to invest in the middle of war?”

Sassa sighs. But he is determined to keep his doors open as long as he can. “I would prefer to die than see the cinema close.” —AFP

OVERHEAD AND EYE-LEVEL If a room has no overhead lighting or wall sconces, these designers say it’s worth hiring an electrician to add them.

Flynn recommends using 2-inch (5centimeter) or 4-inch (10-centimeter) recessed halogen lights overhead, rather than brighter 6-inch (15-centimeter) can lights.

“They instantly fill a room with the much-needed illumination,” he says, “but without looking tacky or heavy.”

Wall sconces also cast a flattering glow, and can serve as striking decorative pieces. Vintage (or new vintagestyle) sconces are popular, says Burnham, and can be found at some flea markets. If you buy them used, “take them to a lamp shop to check all the wiring,” she says, and replace any worn parts before installing.

But don’t light a room exclusively with overhead lighting: Light from above that isn’t balanced by lamplight can be “prison-like,” Luetkemeyer says. “It casts a bunch of shadows and makes you look like a cadaver.”

Instead, create “pools of light” at different levels for a warm, layered effect, she says.

Flynn accomplishes this by choosing lamps at various heights. “It’s all a game of scale and proportion,” he says.

“If the lamps are going on a tall console table with a super long piece of art hung above it, I’m definitely going to be looking for tall, slender, maybe candlestick-style lamps. On low-to-the-ground end tables, I’m most likely going to aim for something squatty which is balanced with the proportion of the table and its nearby seating.”

GO RETRO Edison-style bulbs have become popular, and look great in industrial or vintage light fixtures or in chandeliers. But they can cost as much as $15 per bulb and give off minimal light.

So use them “as sculptural features integrated into lighting,” Flynn says.

“Since they’re offered in many shapes, they’re almost like art. The ideal place for Edison bulbs is romantic spaces which are not high-traffic. For example, a chandelier above a bed in a master suite with Edison bulbs is ideal, since the room is not task-related and is meant for being sleepy and moody.

“Burnham points out that these bulbs’ popularity may not last, so it’s probably impractical to invest in too many lamps or fixtures that look good only with them.

Another vintage option is the globe light that first appeared in the 1950s.

Their “milky white finish and perfectly round shape” can cast a flattering glow, Flynn says.

“I use these a lot, especially in kids’

rooms,” he says, “due to their fun shape and nostalgic appeal.” Buy plastic globes rather than glass if you’ll be hanging them in rooms where kids may be roughhousing.

Another option: vintage Nelson pendants, which are made of wire and vinyl in many shapes and sizes.

“One of the best investments as far as lighting is concerned is to invest in classic George Nelson bubbles,” Flynn says. “I love to group them together and hang them above beds or dining tables.”

FORGET OLD RULES Don’t feel obligated to use the lampshade that comes with a lamp, Burnham says. You can replace it with another of similar size but a different shape, style or color. Or keep the shade but add piping or ribbon to change its look.

Another bit of rule-breaking: “Chandeliers should not be limited to living rooms and dining rooms,” says Flynn. “I use them in bathrooms a lot simply to bring more of a decorative look to an otherwise task-oriented space.” His trick for making chandeliers appear less formal? “Swap out flame bulbs for globes. It modernizes an otherwise traditional, heavy element.”

Dimmers, too, aren’t just for dining rooms. The designers suggest adding dimmers in every room of the home.

Installation is easy enough that you may want to do it yourself, Luetkemeyer says, and “it’s a complete game changer” in how the home is lit.

Also, consider using a floor lamp as a bedside reading lamp. Many floor lamps have bulbs that sit between 4 and 6 feet above the floor - perfect for illuminating a book when you’re propped up in bed and they take up little space.

LIGHTING AS ART Some lamps come with warning labels advising owners to use only lowwattage bulbs. Think of these lamps “more as accessories than true light sources,” says Flynn.

“One of the most practical ways to employ accent lamps is as night lights,” he says. “Many times, I’ll add a few to a built-in so the wall becomes somewhat of a dramatic feature at night. I think accent lamps offer a great opportunity to play with color and texture.”

Luetkemeyer agrees: Think of lowwattage lamps “almost as sculpture,” she says.

Flynn takes that approach with the Astro pendant light made by Crystorama. He has used it several times to add beauty and style to entryways.

“It works well with just about every style interior,” he says, and you can install just one or group several together for more drama. “Sculptural lighting fixtures often work well when installed in groups of odd numbers.”

BETTER BULBS Once you’ve chosen the right lighting, it’s important to select the right bulbs. Along with Edison-style bulbs, silver-tipped bulbs are becoming popular.

Their ends are painted so that little or no light escapes there. The result is softer, more indirect light.

Luetkemeyer likes frosted bulbs and soft pink ones, and she favors threeways bulbs for the same reason she loves dimmers: They let you choose soft light when you want it and bright light when you need it.

Progress is being made in making compact fluorescent bulbs that give off warmer, more appealing light, but many now on the market produce a cold, blue-tinged light. —AP

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

lifestyle F a s h i o n

Misha Nonoo

Lacoste

NY Fashion Week has its head at the beach Fashion world moves on to previews in London, Milan, Paris

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ummer’s not over just yet, and some designers at New York Fashion Week were clearly focused on the beach yesterday, the second of eight days of spring previews for editors, stylists and retailers.

Peter Som said he was all about the “surfer girl,” while Carmen Marc Valvo took sportswear uptown, using athletic mesh and scuba stripes for fitted cocktail dresses.

“I’m a beach bum at heart,” Som said in an interview. “I cannot surf, though. I’m too accident prone.” If Som has his way, his customers will be comfortable but sophisticated - and treated to luxury. His collection was bathed in ocean blues against white, with a touch of neoprene in bikini tops paired with skirts, along with some actual bathing suits.

Valvo, known for red carpet and eveningwear, also availed himself of neoprene on a runway dominated by black and white at the Mercedes-Benz tents at Lincoln Center. Black dresses inspired by wetsuits fit snugly, with skin exposed through strategic slashes.

Desigual, the Spanish-based retailer that debuted on the New York catwalks Thursday, went with loose palazzo pants and breezy dresses in bold prints worthy of fun in the sand. Some looks were topped with floppy sun hats.

Other shows yesterday included Jason Wu, Rebecca Minkoff, Nicole Miller and Helmut Lang. The fashion world then moves on to previews in London, Milan and Paris.

JASON WU Wu crafted spring styles that emphasized ease. A bias-cut, goldbeaded dress Karen Elson wore to open the show was a sign of his delicate touch, followed up with feather-light and sometimes sheer slip dresses, some covered in tiny beads. They impressed tennis star Maria Sharapova, who sat in the front row. Other celebrity guests included Alicia Keys and Jessica Pare of “Mad Men” fame. “Jason has a remarkable talent of creating a feminine and romantic look through the use of drapery and unique tailoring,” Sharapova said.

Yuna Yang

with sequins and scuba influences.

The opening look was a bright pink scuba stripe and leather cocktail dress with a black hemline. Bathing suits were more like loungewear. Whatever you want to call it, sign up Vanessa Williams, who was picking outfits from the front row.

HELMUT LANG Loose boyfriend trousers and slouchy, sleeveless tops came surprise! - mostly in black and white. Design duo Nicole and Michael Colovos called the spring collection “an exercise in modern inimalism,” which is familiar ground for the label. This time around, the clothes were both sharply tailored and deconstructed, inspired by the works of contemporary artist Wade Guyton, according to the designers’ notes.

Sheer overlays in modernist block patterns with a touch more color lent energy to some dresses and other looks. Bright fuchsia was the pop of color in chintzed silk organza dresses and skimpy shorts with tops in the same fabric.

CUSHNIE ET OCHS Sleek and slim is nothing new for Carly Cushnie and Michelle Ochs, but throw in all the cutouts, harnesses and bra tops and their latest collection might cause a craze for crunches. The clothes were fresh, chic and cool - in a ladylike way. But all that skin would make them hard to wear for the masses. The Cushnie et Ochs label is really for starlet types, anyway.

PETER SOM Som paired the sportswear pieces with sateen tuxedo jackets, snakeskin coatS and eyelet cocktail dresses. A blue wave pattern in a neoprene sweatshirt dress was worn with a crisp, white buttondown tux shirt, showing how to cross that bridge in style. Floral prints were graphic, almost jarring, and tailored Bermuda shorts had unfinished edges. The juxtaposition of seemingly opposite themes - a slouchy shirt with a feminine eyelet back worn with a tweed skirt - is what makes fashion interesting. “That tension is

sexy,” he said. “I’m never not interested then.”

PROJECT RUNWAY There was a glamorous whiff of scandal - make that “Scandal” with Emmy-nominated actress Kerry Washington as guest judge for the “Project Runway” season finale. Washington, who plays a wily political strategist in her redhot series, is a fast-growing fashion luminary - a development she described as an “occupational hazard,” though a happy one. She joined regular judges Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia and Zac Posen at the

Lincoln Center tents to watch eight final contestants display their wares. But actually, there remain only three finalists. Their names will remain a secret to the rest of us until the “Runway” finale airs Oct. 17.

REBECCA MINKOFF Fashionistas gushed not only over the creative casual clothes and the striking patterned gladiator heels, but also the entertainment: live music from singer Janelle Monae. Minkoff, a designer especially popular with younger women, has long used live music

at her runway shows. This time, she partnered with American Express as part of their American Express Unstaged program, which pairs artists and makes their collaborations available through digital media. The runway show with Monae was live streamed, as was another mini-concert afterward in a private room nearby in the Lincoln Center tents, where Monae performed songs from her new album, “The Electric Lady,” to be released next week.

CARMEN MARC VALVO Valvo dove into fashion week

DESIGUAL This show was largely a media and social media - frenzy. The collection wasn’t couture craftsmanship, and it wasn’t visionary. It was commercial, and there were plenty of bloggers taking selfies in the front row. But the clothes were cute, wearable and affordable in a price range similar to Top Shop or Zara. Dresses on its website, for example, are priced from $100 to $200. Jocelyn Noveck and Nicole Evatt in New York contributed to this report. —AP

Plus-size women in focus, in NY fashion week first

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ull-figured women had their day on the catwalks of New York yesterday when hometown designer Eden Miller unveiled her plus-size collection-a fashion week first.

In the ultra-skinny fashion world, where angular models typically strut the runways, Miller dressed voluptuous models sporting sexy but glamorous looks from a colorful mini-collection.

With bold colors, large prints, a long dress with horizontal stripes, Miller said she did her collection “in a big way, I didn’t want to be shy about it.”

“I hope that I did well enough to open the doors for other people. I wanted to show beautiful, sexy women who own their bodies. I am not apologetic in any way.” Her collection was presented in the “Box”, the smallest of the venues

at the Lincoln Center where the fashion week is taking place.

The intimate venue was crammed full of stylists, the head honchos of plussize modeling agencies, specialized buyers, journalists and full-figured fashionistas.

“It is a huge step for the fashion industry,” said designer Meaghan O’Connor. Susan Georget who has worked for plus-size modeling agency MSA for 30 years which provided the models for Miller’s show, said it was “an overnight success that has been taking for ever.”

“We waited and waited. We have been little baby steps along the way, but this solidifies our place in the fashion industry, as fashionable, sexy and wonderful women.” Also delighted at

the show was Aimee Cheshire, a specialist in plus-size fashion.

“We are getting noticed now. It is a dream, a validation we’ve been craving for many years to come to our industry,” she said, adding that Miller represented “over 60 percent of the population in the US.” Miller, who has been a designer for 25 years, launched her line Cabiria in April to “good but unexpected” reviews.

In July she was approached by the Fashion Law Institute-a non-profit organization which advises and supports talented designers who do not have the resources to put on shows themselves-to stage a show.

Herself proudly curvaceous, Miller explains passionately how she uses cut, angles and silhouettes to flatter fuller

figures. She says her pieces are “simply cut with a consideration for a plus-sized figure. They put it on, and they feel beautiful and that’s such a gift to methat fuels me to go further.”

While still a rarity on international catwalks, plus-size models have been seen in Paris and Milan, and London has a fashion week dedicated to clothing for the more generously proportioned.

New York got its first plus-size show almost by accident. “When I first met Eden, she was wearing one of her dresses,” said Susan Scafidi of the Fashion Law Institute. “My first thought was not, ‘nice plus line’, but ‘nice collection-I wish she made it in my size.’

“I actually didn’t realize until later that Cabiria would be the first plus line in the tents. In other words, making

accidental history was simply a plus.”

Scafidi said that in the fashion world, the distinction between skinny models and larger models was made in the same way as one would distinguish between being gay or straight.

“The straight-size models and the straight-size designers are out there, the plus have stayed in the closet. So I am so thrilled that the plus world are coming out of the closet,” she said.

Miller, whose collection is aimed at women who wear American sizes 12 to 24 (42 to 56 in Europe), loves bold prints and doesn’t shy away from them. “If you have a bigger body, you shouldn’t pretend you are a tiny person-there is no point,” she said. —AFP

In Damascus, a ‘Cinema Paradiso’ struggles to stay open

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

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VENICE: Director Alexandros Avranas (C), actor Themis Panou and actress Eleni Roussinou pose on the red carpet as they arrive for the award ceremony of the 70th Venice Film Festival yesterday at Venice Lido. —AFP

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ritics have tipped movies from Britain, Japan and the United States to win Venice’s Golden Lion prize this year, due to be announced at the world’s oldest film festival yesterday. British director Stephen Frears provoked a hugely enthusiastic response with his charming tragi-comedy “Philomena”, the true tale of a mother’s search for her son after he is given up for adoption by Catholic nuns in Ireland.

Starring Judi Dench as Philomena Lee and comic actor Steve Coogan as the ex-BBC journalist who helps her, the film puts the spotlight on one of the Church’s dark secrets and Frears joked that Pope Francis should see it.

The film topped the list of international critics’ ratings of the films in competition, but many remained unconvinced that it was daring enough to win over the jury, this year headed by Italian cinematic master Bernardo Bertolucci.

Japanese Oscar-winning animator Hayao Miyazaki impressed with “The Wind Rises”, the tale of a boy who yearns to design planes. It is based partly on the life of Jiro Horikoshi, the man behind Japan’s deadly A6M Zero fighter aircraft.

Miyazaki announced during the festival that this wildly imag-

inative tale of life in Japan between the two World Wars would be his last feature.

“In the past, I have said many times I would quit. This time, it’s for real,” the 72-year-old said in Tokyo. He had become too old for the kind of craftsmanship and physical work required for major commercial projects, he added.

American writer and director Kelly Reichardt’s “Night Moves” has also been lauded for its tale of three radical environmentalists who plot to blow up a hydroelectric dam but are unprepared for the consequences.

Starring Jesse Eisenberg, the Oscar-nominated star of “The Social Network”, the film refuses to endorse or condemn its naive eco-activists. Reichardt had to refute accusations that the movie was a manual for would-be bomb makers.

The jury’s choices are due to be announced in a ceremony starting at 1700 GMT. The world’s oldest film festival has brought Hollywood stars including George Clooney, Sandra Bullock, Nicolas Cage and Scarlett Johansson by speed boat and gondola to Venice’s Lido, as well as art house auteurs from around the globe.

NUSA DUA: L to R: Miss Lebanon Karen Ghraoui, Miss Philippines Megan Young and Miss Puerto Rico Nadyalee Torres attend a press conference a day before the opening ceremony of Miss World in Nusa Dua resort island of Bali yesterday.

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ndonesia said yesterday the final of Miss World later this month would take place on the Hindu-majority holiday island of Bali instead of near the capital, after days of Muslim hardline protests.

Thousands took to the streets this week to denounce the decision to hold the beauty pageant in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation, with protesters burning the organisers in effigy and branding them “infidels”.

The contest opens in Bali today and later rounds were due

A total of 20 films are competing at the festival, including James Franco’s necrophilia flick “Child of God”, the tale of a social outcast whose loneliness drives him to live in a cave and murder women to have sex with their bodies.

US actor Scott Haze-who isolated himself for three months and slept in caves to prepare for the part-is the hot favourite for the best actor prize. He astounded audiences with his harrowing depiction of madness and loss.

Viewers were also impressed by Cage’s performance in David Gordon Green’s “Joe”. He plays an ex-con who hopes to redeem himself for past sins by saving a teenage boy from an unemployed, violent and alcoholic father.

Critics said Tsai Ming-liang’s slow-moving “Stray Dogs”, which many viewers walked out of in boredom, has an outside chance at clinching the top prize.

The only Chinese-language picture in the competition, it tells the tale of a homeless family living on the margins of society in contemporary Taipei, and exhausted many with its extraordinarily long, hypnotic shots and minimal action.

“I am not interested in making films for audiences who do

not have the patience to appreciate my slowness,” he told journalists. Some critics suggested that, with the US mulling intervening in the Middle East again, the jury might give the award to Errol Morris’s “The Unknown Known”, an interview with former US defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

The film presses Rumsfeld on decisions taken in the lead-up to the Iraq war but he proves to be a combative, slippery customer.

The festival has featured dozens more films, including Jonathan Glazer’s eagerly awaited “Under the Skin”, starring a seductive Johansson as a man-eating alien who hunts down prey in Scotland, which left many critics cold.

Among those joining Bertolucci, best known for his raunchy 1972 “Last Tango in Paris”, on the jury are British director Andrea Arnold (“Red Road”), German actress Martina Gedeck (“The Lives of Others”) and US actress Carrie Fisher. — AFP

NUSA DUA: Miss World 2013 contestants attend a press conference a day before the opening ceremony of Miss World in Nusa Dua resort island of Bali yesterday. Miss World contestants will take part in the ceremony today, and the finals in Sentul on September 28. — AFP photos

to take place in and around Jakarta, with the winner originally set to be crowned at a venue outside the capital on September 28. But the government said Saturday they had decided all events would now be held on Bali, where hardline influence is almost non-existent and which is used to hordes of foreign tourists sunbathing in skimpy swimwear.

Hardline influence is strong in areas of the main island Java not far from the capital. “All the events will now be held at venues in Bali-it will all be concentrated in Bali, until the clos-

ing,” coordinating minister for people’s welfare, Agung Laksono, told reporters in Jakarta.

He said the government had “listened to what the people wanted”. The decision was taken in a meeting between Laksono, Vice President Boediono, and police and tourism ministry representatives.

There was no immediate reaction from the Miss World organisers. Protests flared again on Saturday, with hundreds taking to the streets on Yogyakarta and Surabaya on Java.

While the vast majority of Indonesians practise a moderate form of Islam, a vocal hardline fringe has succeeded in getting events cancelled in the past.

Last year, pop sensation Lady Gaga axed a concert after hardliners threatened to burn down the venue and criticised her for wearing only “a bra and panties”. — AFP